Tag Archives: Syria

Standing at the Precipice : How We Got Here and How Cold War 2.0 Will Play Out – Outlaw Patriot

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russia-us

Over the past month as tensions have mounted between the United States and Russia, one thing has stood out in my mind. I conducted more than 20 arms control inspections across the former Soviet Union, Central Asia, and Europe, working alongside NATO partner military members as well as members from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. At the conclusion of all those missions, there was always a dinner between the two teams, usually with a spread fit for a king and plenty of toasts (the people of the former Soviet states love to make toasts, and they are masters of putting together words for such events; we had to train for this practice, both in building up our alcohol tolerance, but also in order to pronounce our own toasts, as one side will make a toast, then the next, beginning with the highest ranking and proceeding to the lowest ranking). The first toast would usually be to the conclusion of the mission, and in good Soviet fashion, the second would be announced with a quick statement of “between the first and second, a bullet should not pass”. The third, depending on the company, would either be to the fallen or to women. And eventually, before the night was done, a toast would be made that those collected at the table should never meet one another on opposite sides of the battlefield. Often times, this toast would be preceded by words of how there is a brotherhood of military men. No matter what country we serve, we have in common that we have all taken on the duty to serve the people of our country. That we have put aside our own lives in order to answer the call of service, and that takes a special kind of person – that no matter what uniform or flag we wear, we are all cut from the same cloth, and therefore are a part of this brotherhood. And that is what comes to mind as our two nations stand on the precipice of war – all of those toasts done that we might not end up on opposite sides of the battlefield.

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The Final Swan – Steven Menking

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For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

Mark 4:17

I haven’t been as active as usual for the past two weeks. This is mostly because I needed to be refreshed. Following global events and analysis in real time is cognitively, emotionally, and spiritually taxing. While I toned down my efforts, some absolutely incredible events have taken place. The status quo has proven itself profoundly robust to new information that should be earth-shattering. Perhaps this stands as a testimony of the general obliviousness of a populace subject to 24/7 propaganda. Maybe, just maybe, it’s something else. Can you feel the tension? Can you sense the desperation? Can you see the truth?

The NSA has been hacked and it’s cyberwarfare weapons are up for auction

George Soros was hacked and his geopolitical influence exposed

Contradicting Obama, the State Department admitted that it paid $400M in ransom to Iran

Russia is now bombing ISIS from Iran

Turkey announced a deeper partnership with Russia via the Turkish Stream oil pipeline

1,000 year flood in Louisiana due to a stationary storm system

Hillary Clinton’s questionable health came into the spotlight

Julian Assange’s lawyer apparently killed himself via a train

The DoD Inspector General found that the Pentagon can’t account for $6.5 TRILLION

And on and on it goes. In my opinion we’re seeing the cracks in the facade become the tremors that precede the earthquake. It seems like people will brush off one thing after another of any degree of seriousness unless they wake up to find the stock market imploded or World War III begun. However, if you can see the trends you’ll notice that the unprecedented is now a weekly – or even daily – occurrence.

The United States has lost the Middle East

With Turkey swinging to Russia after the failed coup, the new Turkish Stream pipeline deal in place, the Russians beginning aerial bombardments from Iran, the Yemenis failing to roll over to the Saudis, the US signing a nuclear accord only to have Iran demand and receive ransom for political prisoners while chanting ‘Death to America’, and now the Chinese getting more seriously involved in the affairs of the region, it is past time that everyone acknowledges that the neoconservative plan implemented during George W. Bush’s tenure and escalated under Obama’s is now a ruinous heap. Mission failed. PNAC is over. The 21st Century will not be another American century. The Pax Americana is finished. The Middle East is under new management.

This is an historic development made more dramatic by its amazing rapidity and limited visibility. Ask your friends about Incirlik and see what they say. Shouldn’t it be front page news that the US is no longer the arbiter of power in such a strategically important sphere? It is everywhere but the US. It’s time that we here in Amaruca recognize that no matter what we say and what tantrums we throw (former Deputy Director of the CIA demonstrates our insane geopolitical logic) that the idea of our sole hegemony is an outdated relic.

The truth is bubbling to the surface

Lies are fragile. The web of deception that has been built up over decades and centuries has persisted because of the ability to compartmentalize and control information. Total informational control is no longer possible.

The truth is potent. Sometimes all it takes is one truth to obliterate an armada of lies. When we see the State Department have to walk back a now-blatant falsehood from Mr. Obama about paying Iran $400M ransom in cash in less than a week – while it is still in the same news cycle no less – we know that there is an acceleration of the truth.

Hacks, leaks, and other data dumps are exposing plainly that plenty of hypothesis dismissed as conspiratorial are actually fact. In order to avoid tumbling down the rabbit hole of tens of thousands of emails and documents and communications, I’ll leave it at this: we’re seeing an escalation of volcanic activity in the truth department. When the real eruption will occur is anybody’s guess.

Despite all this, we’re still…

In more normal times, any one of the topics discussed would command the strict attention of the entire nation and a comprehensive, actionable solution would be demanded. We are not in normal times. The “new normal” is a garbage twist on words and a vain attempt to explain away why the structure of society is deteriorating.

In this summer we’ve been fed a steady diet of other shoes, black swans, and last straws. Yet the facade persists. I can’t shake the feeling that there is something else in store. Maybe it’s the Final Swan: a black swan, feet adorned with the other shoes and wings made of straw. An inelegant picture perhaps, but it does have the inevitability of Icarus in its imagery.

If any amateurs out there put together some concept art for the Final Swan – patent pending – email it to amateursociety@gmail.com. For the record, I’d prefer an actual swan to Natalie Portman, but far be it from me to impose any formal creative limitations. After all, I’m an amateur too.

This artricle was posted originally on The Amateur Society here.