There's a mad dog pulling at his chain
A hint of danger in his eye
Alarm bells raging 'round his brain
Roger Waters
So "Ze" aka "Zelia" came to DC and was given a massive welcome by the US Congress. The last time a foreign leader was treated as if he was the US President was was Bibi Netanyahu spoke to Congress. The fact that war criminals and crooks Zelia and Bibi got such a treatment tells you everything you need to know about who really runs the US Congress.
Congress, by the way, decided to act like the gang highway robbers it is and declared that it will "confiscate" (which implies a legal authority, if not it is called "steal") Russian assets, thereby fulfilling Putin's "prophecy" made in 2013 when he warned the Russian business community that its assets in the West would be stolen and that they would spend years trying to get them back.
It makes me wonder if the imbeciles in Congress understands what fulfilling this prophecy will mean for the USA as a jurisdiction to keep your assets in?
Then there is this: the Hyena of Europe is preparing for a mobilization which further indicates that it is about to try to bite off some piece of the Ukraine under the guise of some kind of (pseudo) "peacekeeping" or even "protection" mission which would not officially be a NATO operation, but which will be run out of Mons just like the entire Ukrainian military has been for a long while now.
Just as I was writing this, Gonzalo Lira just posted a (very good) video about this, check it out:
Now for a small piece of (possibly) good news, Biden has declared that US "partners" are "are not looking for a Third World War". I would not make too much of this, since Biden is mostly unaware of the reality around him, and he is probably not privy to the decision-making of the real powers, the "collective Biden" which run the USA. Next, Biden, like all US Presidents, is a professional liar, so again, let's not celebrate quite yet. Finally, this might be a feint (but if so, it won't impress anybody in Russia).
So what is "the plan"?
Frankly, I don't believe that there is one.
Since Dubya and Obama the White House has been occupied by weak and frankly clueless leaders, hence the various interests groups which control DC run "their own foreign policy". So, like vectors, the various goals and means of the key actors add up to create a "sum vector" which can *look* like "a policy" or "a plan", but it is no such thing. What is true of the US is even MORE true for NATO. Hence the Poles pulling at their chain like rabid dogs to the horror of the comparatively sane(er) Europeans.
I fully agree with Andrei Martyanov - the folks in charge in the West are totally clueless and they have absolutely no idea how to walk away from the mess they created. The Neocons probably would prefer a worldwide nuclear war to a Russian victory, but non-Neocon actors might not want to die for a sick, narcissistic, gang of ignorant yet self-worshiping thugs.
Who will prevail?
I have absolutely no idea. I am not sure anybody else knows either.
What I do know is that Russia has been preparing non-stop for a full-scale continental war since at least 2014 (see here for details). Defense Minister Shoigu has declared that next year Russia will add five new artillery divisions, eight bomber aviation regiments, one fighter regiment, three motor-rifle divisions, two air-assault divisions, and six army aviation brigades to the Russian armed forces! And, by the way, these "artillery divisions" will be what is called "high power" brigade/division in Russia, that is to say that they get the very heavy weapons, like 203mm and 240mm self-propelled mortars. Something which the newly recreated First Guards Tank Army (a " Shock Army" in Russian military terminology) would need to further increase its huge firepower power.
And did I mention that Russia has fully modernized her nuclear triad and that key weapons factories in Russia are now working for 6 days weeks with 3 shifts working non-stop?
And those of you who follow Andrei Martyano'v blog also know how ubiquitous (true) hypersonic weapons are becoming the Russian armed forces.
Let's just say that such firepower is total overkill for the Ukraine, so we can safely conclude that the Russian force planners did not have Banderastan but NATO in mind when they decided what type of forces Russia should develop next
So far NATO has done a lot of tough talking, but it is pretty clear that (besides the rabid Poles) few Europeans have the stomach for a full-scale continental war in Europe which will leave their country in ruins. Yet, they are terrified of the US Neocons and therefore only can try to silently drag their feet while they are being dragged by the Neocons to the precipice.
***
And now, for some week-end music, I want to share with you the beautiful song "Wide River to Cross" (composed by Buddy & Julie Mille) in two versions:
Diana Krall with Jerry Douglas on the dobro:
and a very moving version by Roger Waters and US veterans (to whom, Roger, in his typical kindness, shows compassion and love, as he - correctly - identifies them as victims of the evil US imperialism he so often denounces. Enjoy!
Lyrics:
There's a sorrow in the wind
Blowing down the road I've been
I can hear it cry while shadows steal the sun
But I cannot look back now
I've come too far to turn around
And there's still a race ahead that I must run
I'm only halfway home, I've gotta journey on
To where I'll find, find the things I have lost
I've come a long long road but still I've got some miles to go
I've got a wide, a wide river to cross
I have stumbled, I have strayed
You can trace the tracks I made
All across the memories my heart recalls
But I'm still a refugee, won't you say a prayer for me?
'Cause sometimes even the strongest soldier falls
I'm only halfway home, I've gotta journey on
To where I'll find, I'll find the things I have lost
I've come a long long road but still I've got some miles to go
I've got a wide, a wide river to cross
I'm only halfway home, I've gotta journey on
To where I'll find, I'll find the things that I have lost
I've come a long long road but still I've got some miles to go
I've got a wide, a wide river to cross
I've got a wide, a wide river to cross