NATO

The prime ministers of Sweden and Finland, Magdalena Andersson and Sanna Marin, both signaled Wednesday that they will likely be applying for membership in NATO.

The "prospect" is most "welcome," says The Washington Post: "Finland and Sweden Should Join NATO."

The editorial was titled "A Way To Punish Putin."

Before joining the rejoicing in NATO capitals, we might inspect what NATO membership for these two Nordic nations would mean for the United States.

The other day I ventured forth from my remote village to a lively market town called Great Barrington to shop for Easter lunch — spring lamb, a decent bottle of Bourgogne. Easter is much marked in my household, one of the few feasts we allow ourselves, and it is a reminder this year of a truth that could scarcely be more pertinent to our shared circumstances: After all our small and large crucifixions, there is new life to come.

Great Barrington lies in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, a fashionable little burg dense — as you can tell simply by walking around in it —with righteous liberals. No place, you remind yourself, is perfect.

By Patrick Lawrence
Special to Consortium News

shitocrat

Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Washington’s European allies that the US believes the war in Ukraine could last through the end of 2022, CNNreported Friday, citing two European officials.

The report said that many Western officials have assessed there’s no short-term end in sight for the war, and public comments from US officials have reflected this. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has warned of a “protracted conflict” that he said could go on “for months or even longer.”

United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly says there is “no comparison” to the party’s last federal election effort, as the Liberal Party defector and his now-colleague Clive Palmer sought to bat away journalists’ questions about the lofty promises made to a sea of yellow-clad supporters a few hours earlier at Saturday’s campaign launch.

In scenes akin to a music festival, attendees at the Sunshine Coast event – held at Palmer’s long-shuttered golf resort – were met with bright-yellow “Save Australia” and “Freedom Forever” signage, with Palmer’s new “Cliveopolis” shrine in the foreground of Mt Coolum.

Read more:

https://calgeography.sdsu.edu/visualizing-cold-war/

If one wishes to be exposed to news, information or perspective that contravenes the prevailing US/NATO view on the war in Ukraine, a rigorous search is required. And there is no guarantee that search will succeed. That is because the state/corporate censorship regime that has been imposed in the West with regard to this war is stunningly aggressive, rapid and comprehensive.

The Russian cruiser Moskva sank while being towed to Sevastopol. It had been badly damaged by a fire followed by an explosion, or vice versa. The reports are contradictory.

The British consider to have played a decisive role in its destruction. On the other hand, the Ukrainian government claims that the ship was destroyed by two Ukrainian-made Neptune missiles with US and British upgrades.

The British nuclear-powered submarine Conqueror had succeeded in torpedoing and sinking the US-built Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano during the Falklands War on 2 May 1982. The Sun then headlined: “Gotcha” (we got you).

READ MORE:

https://www.voltairenet.org/article216519.html

empire

Most animals are territorial. Cultures are territorial. On both levels, there are ways for animals and cultures to maintain integrity, superiority and size of the territory. Dogs piss on trees, cultures have laws and weapons...

There are always trespassers and invaders in search of new space. There is also ideological conflicts at the borders of territories and within territories. We police our righteousness in order to maintain cultural values. It’s a fight between selfishness and compassion in order to minimise pain and maintain contentment. We make super-complex compromises that always end up being corrupt. It’s life as it comes to us, whether we like it or not… though we, the plebs, will do our best to manage and see beauty.

"Isolation due to Covid-19?

glazyev

Sergey Glazyev is a man living right in the eye of our current geopolitical and geoeconomic hurricane. One of the most influential economists in the world, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and a former adviser to the Kremlin from 2012 to 2019, for the past three years he has helmed Moscow’s uber strategic portfolio as Minister in Charge of Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU).

KIEV, UKRAINE — On March 7, Anatoly Shariy, a Ukrainian opposition figure and one of the country’s most popular journalists, received an email from Igor, an old acquaintance with whom he had not communicated for years (Igor is an alias used to protect his identity).

“Please help me find a place to live, suggest an apartment or an agent. I’m ready to do any work for you, whatever you say,” the email read.

CIA Director William Burns has outlined major threats facing the United States, pointing to China’s rise on the world stage and Russia’s ongoing military offensive in Ukraine as top challenges, while declaring that US intelligence had entered a “new era.” 

Speaking at the Georgia Institute of Technology on Thursday for his first-ever public speech as CIA head, Burns argued that “an increasingly adversarial China and a pugnacious and revisionist Russia” have forced the intel agency to “reimagine itself to compete successfully in this new age.”

Last week, CNN brought on former U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta for his fourth recent appearance to talk, once again, about Russian President Vladimir Putin's deadly invasion of Ukraine.

“I think we need to understand that there is only one thing that Putin understands, and that's force,” said Panetta on Newsroom.

The former CIA director added: “I think the United States has to provide whatever weapons are necessary to the Ukrainians, so that they can hit back, and hit back now.”

In the light of propaganda which continues to be promoted by the Ukrainian authorities, we would like to draw your attention to the information provided by the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation about the following provocations prepared by Kiev.

Ukrainian authorities completed their preparations for provocations involving the civilian population, in particular, in the cities of Konotop and Trostyanets in the Sumy region, as well as in Borodyanka and Katyuzhanka in the Kiev region.

While the United States began its illegal war against Iraq in 2003, Cuba’s President Fidel Castro spoke in Buenos Aires. “Our country does not drop bombs on other peoples,” he said, “nor does it send thousands of planes to bomb cities … Our country’s tens of thousands of scientists and doctors have been educated on the idea of saving lives.”

Cuba had an army, yes, but not an army for war; Castro called it “an army of white coats.” Most recently, Cuba’s Henry Reeve Brigade of medical practitioners have selflessly worked around the world to help stem the tide of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With a series of Western leaders visiting Kiev in recent weeks, the Biden administration is considering dispatching a top-level official to the Ukrainian capital, Politico reported on Wednesday. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have traveled as far as Poland, but have not visited Ukraine.

Among the names being considered are Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Politico reported, citing “two US officials.” The officials said that regardless of who is chosen, the trip likely won’t be announced in advance for security reasons.

The Scott Morrison administration recently unveiled Australia's largest military expansion plan for nearly 40 years.

The country intends to enlarge its regular armed forces from the current 60,000 personnel to 80,000 by 2040, which will cost about AU$38 billion ($28.29 billion).

Initially, the Australian defense ministry planned to increase the number by 12,500. But the Morrison government doesn't think that is enough to cope with the "security threat" the country is facing, and at last managed to increase the hike to 20,000.

Although that might still seem a small number to countries like the United States, the hike is larger than the current size of the country's air force or navy, which consist of 15,087 and 15,449 personnel respectively.