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Welcome back to Political Misfits on Radio Sputnik, where we bring you news, politics and culture - without the red and blue treatment. I am John Kiriakou here with Michelle Witte.
International affairs and security analyst Mark Sleboda
The EU’s report card on potential new members of the bloc – POLITICO
https://www.wsj.com/world/ukraine-president-zelensky-says-time-not-right-for-elections-f5690724
Let’s talk about this EU report card for candidates or wannabe candidates for membership in the bloc. The most discussed of course will be Ukraine, but the bloc has issued recommendations on Moldova, Georgia, Albania and a bunch of other candidates - oh, and of course, Turkey.
Let’s talk about Ukraine first. According to the EU - well, according to Politico’s explanation of the report card - Ukraine’s doing great, it just needs to do a little bit more on corruption, lobbying and protecting minorities. But the suggestion is to open formal accession negotiations - a proposal the EU will vote on next month. What do you make of this assessment and what do you expect EU leaders to decide?
Here’s a question - the EU has recommended opening formal accession talks with Moldova and Ukraine. Turkey, on the other hand, has been languishing since 1999. Now, I understand that the issue of Cyprus is a hurdle to Turkey’s membership, but I’m curious whether you think Turkey is really a less functional, less equal, more corrupt country than Ukraine or some of these other candidates. Is that what the EU wants us to think, and are they right?
The EU, I guess, is not concerned about Volodymyr Zelensky saying earlier this week that now is not the time for elections in the country, even though his term should be up early next year. Zelensky has Ukrainian law on his side - elections are suspended under martial law - but his American partners have been publicly and privately pushing for elections for a while now. Zelensky previously had said, sure, if you’ll pay for it, we can try. Now he is just saying, nah. Honestly, does no one have to listen to Washington anymore, Mark?
How much does this have to do with Israel? We’re watching Israel do exactly what it wants in Gaza, with full funding from the US, even as hundreds of thousands of Americans march in the streets to protest it. We’ve seen Israel ignore Washington’s meek calls for “humanitarian pauses.” And Israel has sucked a lot of attention away from Ukraine. This obviously doesn’t help Zelensky with “Ukraine fatigue,” but is it also emboldening him to do what he wants, because clearly other US clients can, too.
Let’s also talk about how some EU countries are doing, namely Germany. The biggest economy in the EU shrank in the third quarter, and is once again described as “flirting with a technical recession,” as it has been for a year now. Industrial production has fallen, consumer spending has fallen, and the entire eurozone is looking pretty stagnant. And people on social media last night were having some fun yesterday with this tweet by the chief economist at the Institute of International Finance saying, look, all Germany needs is a little regime change in Russia, and then we’ll turn Nord Stream back on and all will be well. It’s that easy, Mark!
OK, we just saw this headline toward the end of the show yesterday, but members of Polish industry are again at odds with Ukraine? At first when I saw this story, I thought truckers were blocking Ukraine’s commercial routes into Poland over the longstanding grain imports issue - but actually, this is over trucking itself, as I understand it. What’s going on - and how is this going to affect Poland’s efforts to form a new government after elections just a couple of weeks back?
OK, let’s talk about Israel and Gaza. Today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken clenched his little fists and said that Gaza should be unified with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority once the war ends, the strongest signal yet from the Biden Administration about what it would like to see at the end of Israel’s fight against Hamas in the enclave. Yesterday, the White House just said, uh, yeah, we don’t think reoccupying Gaza is the right thing to do. But it seems like the US has shown itself to be entirely ineffective in this conflict, so … does anyone care what Joe Biden or Antony Blinken says?
What does this war on Gaza say about US influence in the Middle East? I mean, it feels not quite accurate to say the US has no influence over Israel, because we’ve really chosen not to use any of the levers we have. We’re not making aid conditional, we’re not suspending it, we’re not, say, suspending sanctions on Iran. Would any of this make a difference? I don’t know. Israel is not Ukraine. And with Arab nations as well - I mean, I don’t think Antony Blinken was talking anyone out of joining the fray on the Palestinian side. Do we have any idea what he wanted in these recent meetings, and whether he got it? Ukraine has been presented to us as a great victory for US global influence - we reunified NATO, etc, etc. That, of course, was only a victory if you ignored the global south. But this feels like absolute failure. What does this say about American influence?
The Ukro-Nazi government officials fit nicely in the EU since they have the same Nazi mindset. The EU and NATO are a joke, a horrible joke.
What about the "DeNazification"? Adding Ukraine guarantees chaos and probably War in Europe.
The Oligarch Rulers abetted by the Plutarchs are the elite. In the USA from 1977 to 2007 60% of America's wealth was transferred to the Ruling Class. It was stolen from the Middle Class by the means of Patrimonial Capitalism and Crony Capitalism.
The entire Anglo-Zionist Empire of Lies and Hate which includes Europe and the US colonies Japan and South Korea needs to be DeNazified. The USA runs this empire through the WEF and Bilderburg Group. It's not Globalism but Elitism of the Neolibs and Neocons of the USA.
Slavishly supported bu the Second and Third tier Wannabees (Those people with the yachts and mansions they can't afford), and also by the 'revolving door' bureaucracy.
Until 'The People' can find the integrity and values, to reject this charade, thing won't change.
OH, that is rather naive. The People can't do a thing unless they get the MILITARY on their side and literally overthrow the entire gov. and I mean French Revolution style. I forget who the founding father was that said we need to be armed in case the gov stops representing us so we could destroy it! Protests won't do it and voting has become a joke.
Yes "naive"?? But, it is one of those; lead by example things.. If "The People" don't have integrity, there is no way we can demand integrity from the leadership. btw, don't expect "Integrity" from the Military. It is a cushy job that isn't easily given up. The police and the military showed their 'integrity' during the Lock-downs? I still think "It is up to us!"
I won't support or 'vote for' anyone I don't trust. I don't accept any "government bribes"!
"Government" is Separate from Us? And this is a Democracy??
None of them are 'The Lesser Evil"!
I'm certain you have heard the phrase, "A tree rots from the top.."
This is a weak justification. Both in nature and in human organization, there is a conspiracy of factors causing collapse. Most commonly a 'parasitic' infection in the roots prevents further growth, leading to the death in the top which is nolonger healthy.
In the same way, a "Democratic institution" which begins to pander to "Parasites" for their own justification (votes), ceases to be Democratic.
Oh Paul, you're so right!
Resistance is building from those who have figured this out. As living standards decline it could explode into revolution. This could occur throughout the entire empire.
What the rulers want, the rulers get, and they don't give a damn about rules.
Damn right Finster! They break the rules they make a treaties they write.
The break-down in "The Rule of Law", probably signals the end of the Western (Anglo-American) Civilization. When we suffer multi tiered applications of Justice, and no Legislative accountability, then there can be no voluntary compliance by the citizens.
The best we can hope is for stability in the East and the Global South??
This rule of law organized the eugenics and race bureaucracy that spread from the USA to Western Europe's capitals and which was going along nicely in the USA up until the 1970s, despite the Nuremberg Trials exposing USA modeling and support for Nazis. Justice was just a way of pacifying the needed masses, with the fall of the Soviet Union, the creating of the WTO, and the apparent corruption of PRC (China) and now AI & Robotics ; then then need to maintain the useless mouths and the charade was gone. Hence the problem isn't the loss of a fiction of a rule of law, but rather the economics model. Once the 99% are finally drained of their wealth, then the dogs will be set loose.
I would agree that while Rules and Laws 'should' provide Justice, they eventually degrade into Autocracy. In Orwell's words, "Some Pigs are more Equal than others"???
Perhaps we should differentiate between 'Rule of Law' and the more modern and dictatorial "Rules Based Order"? As I see it, 'The Rule of law' is a structural requirement for Civilization, whereas 'The Rules based order' is the justification used by the all Empires to justify Self Perpetuation by any means.
Too many rules written by too few hands, eventually leads to chaos: "....the centre cannot hold."
"Conservatism" is the fatal flaw of Civilization and most "Rules" are written in support of the Status quo. We are all guilty in different ways. Look how many people 'gave up their children in a futile attempt to ....Return to 'Normal'?
Resistance is building in the EU and USA which could explode into revolution!
See above: People who Worship Dollars, "Obey".
".... What does this say about American influence? "
Perhaps another question is,' Does the US need "Influence" any more?'
With the Petro Dollar System crumbling, and the weapons industry proven a fraud, what does the US have to sell? Very shortly, only Europe and remnants of the Commonwealth will be dependent on Americans for anything. I expect that the US will bunker-down and start to look increasingly like North Korea?
Denis Kusinich for POTUS!!!
Consider what AIPAC is made up of. AIPAC is the most powerful and influential lobby in DC and controls Congress.
Zelly is a dead man walking and so is NATO.
The Ukro-Nazi military will knock Zelly off and make the country happy.
Germany The Cuck Nation just can't give up its hate boner for Russia
Great Cartoon: just like how French and UK Bourgeoisie support slavery proto-capitalism, so both nations would supply ships to Confederate Navy. The Petite Bourgeoise would watch the battles between the USN and Confederates in English Channel from safety of the cliffs or for the financial capitalist from neutral yachts (and breaking neutrality some boats rescued the crew of the CSN Alabama). Meanwhile Imperials Russia, having recently freed the surfs, materially supported Lincoln and the Northern States, only to be backstabbed by Teddy Roosevelt 40 years later.
https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/121083
https://luis46pr.wordpress.com/2022/10/10/teddy-roosevelts-secret-war-on-russia/
https://thetyee.ca/Books/2010/07/28/TeddyWhiteSupremacist/
The weapons trafficking is by design. White house refused any audit. Europe is awash with weapons now. Plus Brezinsky's son is the US embassador to Poland... soon to become the Guatemala of Europe, from which other countries will destabilized
There is resistance in the EU and in the USA. This resistance could explode into revolution!
Consider what FJB is. Consider what Blinky is. Consider how many cabinet officials and the Director of the Department of Justice is. Consider what the Senate Majority Leader is.
Speaking of NYT, demonstrators have shut it down by taking over its offices.