Ukraine, Israel, Nagorno-Karabakh, Washington: where there is war, terrorism, occupation, and political sabotage, the Russian strongman is never far removed.
Absolutely All Roads Lead To Putin. That little pric with a God Complex is deliberately fucking with global peace. Putin needs to come in contact with a little of what his country is known for, Payback! A little Novichok Tea maybe
Strongmen don't live happily ever after. Not in ancient Rome, and not in the 20th/21st centuries. It's just a matter of time, if history is any indication.
And I spent a lot of today watching the livestream of the “Stop Trump Summit” from The Cooper Union in New York City, presented by “The New Republic” magazine. Fascinating presenters including Mary Trump, Al Franken, and a host of other luminaries. My education continues . . .
Republicans' love for Putin didn't start with Trump but because of his mendacity and dissemination of classified intel, the result of which we're witnessing now, it may well end Trump and his henchmen in the GOP.
I certainly hope so. I man, there has to be a limit to how awful and dumb and criminal they can get, right? Right? George Santos hit with superseding indictment today and no one noticed.
No one else will ask, so I will. How much of this leads back to intelligence Trump shared with Putin, the Saudis and who knows who else, both when he was in office and after he left from his treasure trove of stolen documents?
Even if it doesn't, that doesn't make it right. Dissemination of classified material has real world consequences. I HAVE seen people talking about this, by the way, including some in the actual media. Dems should absolutely make this a talking point.
'Right now, it feels like the world is on fire. Surveying the political chaos, the acts of terror, the war crimes, and the boiling over of long-simmering regional conflicts that befell the world these past few weeks, we find the distinctive gasoline of a single deranged arsonist: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. He wants to burn it all down. Find me a conflict zone, and I’ll find you a Kremlin operative with a blowtorch.'(Greg Olear, article)
Great piece. There may not be a Hamas today if there were no Ayatollahs. There would not be the present day crazed Ayatollah ruling Iran without the U.S. fomented overthrow of the first democratically elected president in Iran. We did Britain’s bidding to keep the newly elected president from nationalizing the oil industry owned and run by B.P. With the president out, the Shah was returned and the people revolted bringing in the a Shiite clerics to power. Nothing happens in isolation. The ground work is always laid by actions, inactions, agendas, power plays, money, control of resources, religious and tribalistic division present and created. So here we are.
Just for general information, the overthrow of the Mogadischu election by US and British agents was in 1953. The Shah was then re-installed and ruled until 1979, (and died in 1980) some 26 years.
In response to the 1973 Arab-Israel war, and in retaliation for re-supply of Israel afterward, OPEC began an oil embargo that fundamentally changed the price of oil upward and caused severe inflation, over 20% in the Ford administration, 16.6% when Carter took office.
Following the overthrow of the Shah, the arrival of Ayatollah Kohmeini to rule Iran, the world really did change. In 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected, bringing in the corporate-supported candidate dragging behind a string of right wingers into the US government that would beget the current Koch fueled anti-American crazies in the House today. Big money, dark money, and misinformation has played such a calculating and deadly role in our world through all of this.
Thanks, Pat, and thanks for pointing this out. Yes. Plenty of blame to go around. But none of those parties intentionally slaughtered civilians at a concert, took the women captive, raped them, and held them hostage. Only Hamas did that. And for what? They know their stated aim of wiping Israel off the map will never happen. Ultimately they made things worse for the people they are supposed to be protecting.
Considering the plan of this scale was years in making, and easily carried out, despite the information of a looming event from Egypt to Netanyahu days prior, leads to serious questions... what did Hamas have to gain, but world angst and disgust, for its heinous actions? As for Bibi, the green light from the White House to take whatever action necessary to defend themselves. Coupled with the promise of the White House to protect Israel at all costs is contradictory to diplomacy.
Everything appears to have a Russian connection, but I blame the Crown and Israel for the creation of Hama!
The gloves need to come off immediately. Anyone (including our government) who believes that if we just show lots of restraint and not play into their hands (that is, if we start to take out bad actors we become like them) I would propose that we need to completely change the risk/reward equation, not show restraint. Hamas represents Putins cause not the Palestinian cause. Of course they don't want peace, it would put them out of business (corruption etc etc), so why would anyone expect that path to lead to anything? Biden needs to have a plan B to fund Ukraine no matter what the idiot republicans come up with, they are just delaying, we cannot play into that hand. I'm cockeyed optimist, and have to believe (I know, Hope is the worst of strategies) our WH Leadership does have a plan B
It looks like the Dems will bundle aid to Ukraine with aid to Israel, to get it passed. I hope so.
Reporting says Biden was on the phone with Bibi (the Trump of Israel) making it known that he should NOT indiscriminately slaughter Palestinians. I trust Joe here. His speech yesterday was very good.
Frankly, Greg, I wish you were back writing novels. However, your timely and well informed pieces are critical to the present time; we need facts and direction, not fictions, which are in over-supply at the moment on TV and social media.
Thanks for the details and interactions that describe this point in time. Foresight and clarity are particularly valuable at this time, at least to preserve our sanity and grit right now.
I didn't mean to imply you'd stopped; I was thinking of the process and how your time has been diverted. I could have phrased it better. To me, anyway, your productivity is amazing.
Thank you, Greg
Throughout the history of all civilisations in the universe, where evil is wealthy, the people suffer.
Thanks, William. I really like that frame, which I never thought about it quite that way before.
And evil without money is always in search of it so it's just a matter of time.
The Kremlin has been feeding money to Republicans for years. And they are (a) addicted and (b) blackmailed can't stop.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/07/18/how-the-gop-became-the-party-of-putin-215387
see more here:
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2018/05/08/how-putin-s-oligarchs-funneled-millions-into-gop-campaigns/
And from Greg:
The big picture. Mobster Trump owned by Moscow for 25 years, owned by FBI/CIA before that, mob stoolie to Giuliani before that! https://gregolear.substack.com/p/give-me-secrecy-and-give-me-death
They all want the same thing: the end of democracy.
Yes. Succinct, accurate.
Absolutely All Roads Lead To Putin. That little pric with a God Complex is deliberately fucking with global peace. Putin needs to come in contact with a little of what his country is known for, Payback! A little Novichok Tea maybe
Strongmen don't live happily ever after. Not in ancient Rome, and not in the 20th/21st centuries. It's just a matter of time, if history is any indication.
I have always said this about Turd. He wanted to play at being Mussolini, well there is a price for that...
I don’t know enough about all this to comment intelligently. But I thank you, Greg, very much for sharing your incredible knowledge.
We are all learning and processing. I read a LOT of really good stuff over the weekend to brush up.
And I spent a lot of today watching the livestream of the “Stop Trump Summit” from The Cooper Union in New York City, presented by “The New Republic” magazine. Fascinating presenters including Mary Trump, Al Franken, and a host of other luminaries. My education continues . . .
“Find me a conflict zone, and I’ll find you a Kremlin operative with a blowtorch.”
GOP - Government Of Putin 🇷🇺
Disordered individuals want global disorder.
Divide and rule is the populist MO.
Brilliant piece, Greg.
Republicans' love for Putin didn't start with Trump but because of his mendacity and dissemination of classified intel, the result of which we're witnessing now, it may well end Trump and his henchmen in the GOP.
We can hope.
Thanks, Shelby. And thanks for subscribing!
I certainly hope so. I man, there has to be a limit to how awful and dumb and criminal they can get, right? Right? George Santos hit with superseding indictment today and no one noticed.
IT’s maddening!
December 1, 2023
George Santos, out
No one else will ask, so I will. How much of this leads back to intelligence Trump shared with Putin, the Saudis and who knows who else, both when he was in office and after he left from his treasure trove of stolen documents?
EXACTLY.
Even if it doesn't, that doesn't make it right. Dissemination of classified material has real world consequences. I HAVE seen people talking about this, by the way, including some in the actual media. Dems should absolutely make this a talking point.
Yes.
'Right now, it feels like the world is on fire. Surveying the political chaos, the acts of terror, the war crimes, and the boiling over of long-simmering regional conflicts that befell the world these past few weeks, we find the distinctive gasoline of a single deranged arsonist: Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. He wants to burn it all down. Find me a conflict zone, and I’ll find you a Kremlin operative with a blowtorch.'(Greg Olear, article)
Here, then, is Stephanie St. John’s version of “The Star Spangled Banner” for 2022:
Youtube
PREVAIL
July 4, 2022
" "
Link
Posting this as a reminder and the rendition is beautiful.
It is! Thank you.
I wondered. This explains a lot.
Great piece. There may not be a Hamas today if there were no Ayatollahs. There would not be the present day crazed Ayatollah ruling Iran without the U.S. fomented overthrow of the first democratically elected president in Iran. We did Britain’s bidding to keep the newly elected president from nationalizing the oil industry owned and run by B.P. With the president out, the Shah was returned and the people revolted bringing in the a Shiite clerics to power. Nothing happens in isolation. The ground work is always laid by actions, inactions, agendas, power plays, money, control of resources, religious and tribalistic division present and created. So here we are.
Yep
Just for general information, the overthrow of the Mogadischu election by US and British agents was in 1953. The Shah was then re-installed and ruled until 1979, (and died in 1980) some 26 years.
In response to the 1973 Arab-Israel war, and in retaliation for re-supply of Israel afterward, OPEC began an oil embargo that fundamentally changed the price of oil upward and caused severe inflation, over 20% in the Ford administration, 16.6% when Carter took office.
Following the overthrow of the Shah, the arrival of Ayatollah Kohmeini to rule Iran, the world really did change. In 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected, bringing in the corporate-supported candidate dragging behind a string of right wingers into the US government that would beget the current Koch fueled anti-American crazies in the House today. Big money, dark money, and misinformation has played such a calculating and deadly role in our world through all of this.
Mossadegh not Mogadischu, I think you mean, Billy.
Carter tried to get us into alternative energy sources. Reagan scoffed at that. And here we are.
Thanks. You're correct.
Thanks, Pat, and thanks for pointing this out. Yes. Plenty of blame to go around. But none of those parties intentionally slaughtered civilians at a concert, took the women captive, raped them, and held them hostage. Only Hamas did that. And for what? They know their stated aim of wiping Israel off the map will never happen. Ultimately they made things worse for the people they are supposed to be protecting.
Considering the plan of this scale was years in making, and easily carried out, despite the information of a looming event from Egypt to Netanyahu days prior, leads to serious questions... what did Hamas have to gain, but world angst and disgust, for its heinous actions? As for Bibi, the green light from the White House to take whatever action necessary to defend themselves. Coupled with the promise of the White House to protect Israel at all costs is contradictory to diplomacy.
Everything appears to have a Russian connection, but I blame the Crown and Israel for the creation of Hama!
Agree. They are not interested in making things better for Palestinians it seems.
The gloves need to come off immediately. Anyone (including our government) who believes that if we just show lots of restraint and not play into their hands (that is, if we start to take out bad actors we become like them) I would propose that we need to completely change the risk/reward equation, not show restraint. Hamas represents Putins cause not the Palestinian cause. Of course they don't want peace, it would put them out of business (corruption etc etc), so why would anyone expect that path to lead to anything? Biden needs to have a plan B to fund Ukraine no matter what the idiot republicans come up with, they are just delaying, we cannot play into that hand. I'm cockeyed optimist, and have to believe (I know, Hope is the worst of strategies) our WH Leadership does have a plan B
The plan is, No Putin.
Richard, I particularly liked this:
'Hamas represents Putins cause not the Palestinian cause.'
Many of Hamas will die, but Palestinians will survive to suffer even more. Sad.
It looks like the Dems will bundle aid to Ukraine with aid to Israel, to get it passed. I hope so.
Reporting says Biden was on the phone with Bibi (the Trump of Israel) making it known that he should NOT indiscriminately slaughter Palestinians. I trust Joe here. His speech yesterday was very good.
You've outdone yourself on this one, Greg. Lots of food for thought here. Wish it wasn't so.
Thanks, Lynell. I'm glad to see that you are feeling better!
😉
Me too, Lynell!!
Greg, very comprehensive.
AND
Not only is the human species in a state of extreme chaos and idiotic murderous bloody warfare
But earth is now taking action to the destruction humans have brought.
8 billion and counting.
Well you know what Elizabeth Colbert has said!
And at least 5 Earthquakes in the past few days - Mexico, Afghanistan, New Guinea, and off the coast of both Alaska & Japan.
The sixth extinction is the best extinction!
So says planet earth.
Frankly, Greg, I wish you were back writing novels. However, your timely and well informed pieces are critical to the present time; we need facts and direction, not fictions, which are in over-supply at the moment on TV and social media.
Thanks for the details and interactions that describe this point in time. Foresight and clarity are particularly valuable at this time, at least to preserve our sanity and grit right now.
Thanks, Billy. I have another novel in me, maybe. We'll see. Meantime, here I am!
I didn't mean to imply you'd stopped; I was thinking of the process and how your time has been diverted. I could have phrased it better. To me, anyway, your productivity is amazing.
Seriously.
Yes. It is all of a piece. Will be sharing.
Thank you.