the empire is bullying itself into irrelevance and may be creating war thru its intransigence and ignorance. here is a presentation that shows where it may end up, as in without gas for europe as one of the costs;

Military superpower Russia, having had enough of U.S./NATO bullying, is now dictating the terms of a new arrangement.Coming straight from President Putin, it did sound like a bolt from the sky:

“We need long-term legally binding guarantees even if we know they cannot be trusted, as the U.S. frequently withdraws from treaties that become uninteresting to them. But it’s something, not just verbal assurances.”

And that’s how Russia-U.S. relations come to the definitive crunch – after an interminable series of polite red alerts coming from Moscow.

Putin once again had to specify that Russia is looking for “indivisible, equitable security” – a principle established since Helsinki in 1975 – even though he no longer sees the U.S. as a dependable “partner”, that diplomatically nicety so debased by the Empire since the end of the USSR.

The “frequently withdrawing from treaties” passage can easily be referred to as Washington in 2002 under Bush Jr. pulling out of the ABM treaty signed between the U.S. and the USSR in 1972. Or it could be referred to as the U.S. under Trump destroying the JCPOA signed with Iran and guaranteed by the UN. Precedents abound.

Putin was once again exercising the Taoist patience so characteristic of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov: explaining the obvious not only to a Russian but also a global audience. The Global South may easily understand this reference; “When international law and the UN Charter interfere, they [the U.S.] declare it all obsolete and unnecessary.”

Earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko had been uncommonly assertive – leaving nothing for the imagination:

“We just make it clear that we are ready to talk about switching over from a military or a military-technical scenario to a political process that will strengthen the security of all countries in the area of the OCSE, Euro-Atlantic and Eurasia. If that doesn’t work out, we signaled to them [NATO] that we will also move over to creating counter threats, but it will then be too late to ask us why we made these decisions and why we deployed these systems.”

So in the end it comes down to Europeans facing “the prospect of turning the continent into a field of military confrontation.” That will be the inevitable consequence of a NATO “decision” actually decided in Washington.

Incidentally: any possible, future “counter threats” will be coordinated between Russia and China.........read more.....

 as you read thru this remember how the empire is always complaining about other countries meddling in the affairs of others, and featuring how wonderful, democratic and supportive of the intentions of the native populations. this article also clearly presents evidence of why i haven't paid any attention to the mumblings of 'our free press' for years as they are only mouthpieces for the empire and its machinations. victoria nuland is scum as is her husband. they are neocons who only exist to expand the empire at the expense of everyone else;

US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, who choreographed the 2014 coup that overthrew Ukraine’s democratically-elected government and set the current crisis in motion, was invited by PBS NewsHour on Dec. 7 to explain the standoff in Ukraine.

Typical of Western media, the story began with Russia’s involvement in eastern Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea, which took place in March 2014. The crisis actually began a week earlier with the violent overthrow of democratically-elected President Viktor Yanukovych on Feb. 22, 2014. While accusations flew of Russian aggression, invasion and annexation, there was not a word about the US instigated coup or Nuland’s role in it.For the sin of declining a Western aid package loaded with austerity measures, and accepting instead an unencumbered Russian package, Yanukovych became a target for US regime change. Undersecretary Nuland’s role in the coup is essential to the story.

While Senators John McCain and Chris Murphy appeared on-stage in Kiev with far-right opposition leader Oleh Tyahnybok in support of the coup, Nuland and Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt passed out cookies to anti-government protesters in Maidan Square. This would be like Russian parliamentarians and diplomats coming to Washington to encourage protesters to overthrow the US government.

Behind the scenes, in an intercepted phone call with Pyatt, Nuland can be heard plotting the make-up of a government to succeed that of Yanukovych. "Yats is the guy" she said, referring to Arseniy Yatsenyuk, America’s preferred leader for the Ukrainian people.

Her plan for the other two opposition leaders, Vitali Klitschko and Oleh Tyahnybok, was to keep them out, saying "I don’t think Klitsch should go into the government" and "What he [Yatsenyuk] needs is Klitsch and Tyahnybok on the outside." As for Europe’s competing interests in the outcome of the affair, she infamously said "Fuck the EU." Nuland had told the U.S.-Ukrainian Foundation on Dec. 13, 2013, that Washington had spent $5 billion over a decade to support Ukraine’s "European aspirations," in other words to pull it away from Russia.

The PBS NewsHour invited on just about the worst person in the US government to help Americans understand the crisis in Ukraine............read and watch more.......

 

 this post by a russian living here in the empire makes clear that russia isn't bluffing and if the empire doesn't learn some manners long past due, there will be an increase in the difficulties they face. russian demands are long standing, quite reasonable, and have been ignored by the empire for too long;

The US did not provide Russia with any answer on Friday.  By itself, this is not very surprising, the levels of infighting in the US ruling elites have made it impossible to agree on a reply on such short notice, especially during the various end of year celebrations in the West.

As for the Russians, they are fine with that, since their own deadline was mid-January.  So as of right now, nothing significant has changed, what we observe is only a lot of statements by anybody and everybody, most of these statements make little or no sense and they typically all contradict each other.  We should not get too caught up in the “he said this, she said that” thingie, as this is, quite literally, just hot air.

In terms of actions, again we see contradictory developments: some sources report that NATO is preparing for a major war while other report that the US Americans and UK personnel are preparing an emergency evacuation.

There appears to be a meeting between Putin and Biden in the making, according to same sources after the Orthodox Nativity, so sometime around or soon after January 8th.  If so, I welcome that.

Also, Stoltenberg has said that there will be a meeting between NATO and Russia on the 12th.  But then, Stoltenberg is a powerless clown whose verbal emissions mean nothing.  He was the one who totally rejected any negotiations with Russia just a week ago, and now he is offering to negotiate…

I spent the last 3 days reading opinions on the Runet, listening to talk shows and watching various officials and personalities expressing their opinion and I want to share my conclusion with you: there is absolutely overwhelming evidence that the Russians are NOT bluffing, that they really mean every word they said.  There is even a growing chorus of voices saying that it would be better for Russia if the West would simply reject all the Russian demands out of hand.  Many clearly hope that the West will try that as this would completely untie Russia’s hands (or, if you prefer, her bear claws).

Most military officials seem to believe that a full-scale war against NATO will not happen, but that some kind of conflict with the Ukraine is now inevitable.  I tend agree with them.

Many observers also seem to be really fed up.  Fed up with the constant bloodletting in the LDNR, fed up with the constant presence of western military “advisors” in the Ukraine, fed up with the grandstanding and pompous declarations by EU/NATO officials whom the Russians don’t even take seriously.  This entire topic has become a huge abscess in the mind of many Russians and an increasing number of them now want this abscess to be cut open, disinfected and healed.  “More of the same” is just not something anybody is willing to accept..........read more.......

 to discover who owns you look to see who you aren't allowed to criticize, and in this case who operates in violation of too many laws to count but does so with impunity and even state support;

Those Americans who dare to challenge the strangle-hold that Israel and its friends have over US foreign policy will likely find themselves targeted even more aggressively in the upcoming year. Two weeks ago the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), widely reckoned to be the largest and most powerful component of the Jewish state’s lobby, declared that it will now begin directly funding political candidates who are perceived as pro-Israel. Up until now, AIPAC has preferred to operate somewhat in the shadows, representing itself as a organization that is in part “educational” to justify its 501(c)3 tax exempt status which it uses to send all new congressmen on propaganda trips to Israel.

Of course, that has always been a bit of a fiction enabled by a Justice Department that is inclined to ignore all Israeli misbehavior. There are a number of reasons why AIPAC should be regarded for what it is, i.e. an organization that has as a priority the promotion of Israeli interests without any concern for the damage being done to the United States and its institutions. Under US law, specifically the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1937, AIPAC should be compelled to forfeit its special tax status and register, which would permit the government to have full access to its finances and also require a record of its frequent meetings with the Israeli Embassy in Washington as well as with senior Israeli officials in Israel. It would also have to report its significant and unparalleled lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill. AIPAC would deny that it is actually directed or possibly funded in part by the Israeli government, but its website somewhat puts the lie to that conceit where it describes itself as “America’s Pro-Israel Lobby” before elaborating how “We are proud to be a diverse movement of passionate pro-Israel Americans.”

The other lie promoted by AIPAC is that, up until now, it has not funded the political campaigns of its many friends both in Congress and in state and local governments. The reality is that AIPAC and some of its associated groups have aggressively vetted candidates for office at all levels. During its annual summit in Washington, politicians in attendance have routinely held fundraisers at hotels and restaurants not at the AIPAC event but often at hotels within walking distance. It is known that AIPAC publishes for-internal-use-only a candidates’ “scoring card” prior to elections reflective of views on Israel. As AIPAC is itself funded by Jewish billionaires and is in regular contact with them, the exchange of information on who is a “friend” and deserving of campaign money would be easily accomplished without having to use AIPAC as a conduit..........read more.......

 pcr has been, since the beginning of the 'covid' a voice in the wilderness, and here is some evidence that he provides everyone aught to be aware of, but the true believers will refuse to see or consider;

NY Democrats Attempt to Bring Australia’s Covid Concentration Camps to NY State

Paul Craig Roberts

https://www.theepochtimes.com/facts-matter-dec-24-new-bill-allows-for-indefinite-detention-of-unvaccinated-at-governors-whim_4176898.html?utm_source=News&utm_campaign=breaking-2021-12-25-4&utm_medium=email&est=p6hcUGoYhG3F08lu%2FUq5qLTpy2SxCVkfF6Lf44qgoA0vr7Jm9qN76A%3D%3D

It is a proven, indisputable scientific fact that the “vaccine” does not prevent infection and spread of the Covid virus or variants. It is also an indisputable fact that we are experiencing a pandemic of the vaccinated. Vaccination causes injurious side-effects and deaths that hospitals mislabel “Covid deaths,” and the vaccine damages the human immune system, thus spreading the virus. The “vaccine” also cause variants that are used propagandistically to keep the fear hype going despite the fact that hardly any serious injuries or deaths are associated with the “Omicron variant.”

So why are public authorities using extreme tyrannical methods to force people to infect themselves with a dangerous “vaccine” when, even if the “vaccine” did protect, the mortality of Covid is extremely low and does not justify the dangerous side effects of the “vaccine.”

It is an established fact that there are very few “deaths from Covid.” The deaths are “with Covid” among untreated infected people denied HCQ and Ivermectin who had serious comorbidities. In other words, the entire panic is orchestrated and nonsensical.

Here again are the infection fatality ratios and survival rates by age group.

https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2021/12/10/must-read-many-have-died-from-being-hoodwinked-by-media-orchestration-of-a-deadly-covid-pandemic/

 the empire piles absurdities upon fictions and provides a plandemic, as pcr shows you in this where you discover the 'test' wasn't really a test;

CDC Admits that the Covid Pandemic Was the Product of an Inappropriate Test

Paul Craig Roberts

Quietly without media attention, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has withdrawn the PCR process as a valid test for detecting and identifying SARS-CoV-2. 

“After December 31, 2021, CDC will withdraw the request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the CDC 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel, the assay first introduced in February 2020 for detection of SARS-CoV-2 only.” https://www.cdc.gov/csels/dls/locs/2021/07-21-2021-lab-alert-Changes_CDC_RT-PCR_SARS-CoV-2_Testing_1.html

The CDC admits that the PCR test cannot differentiate between SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses.

I reported several months ago that the “health authorities” had reached this decision but were withholding its implementation until the end of 2021. They needed the fake test to keep the fear going in order to achieve as much vaccination, and therefore as much profit, as possible.

It is extraordinary that the CDC’s withdrawal of the test received no attention from the media or politicians.

Dr. Kary Mullis, Nobel Laureate and inventor of the PCR process said several years ago that “the PCR is a process. It does not tell you that you are sick.” It was never meant to be a Covid test...........read more.........