Ukraine War Turns Dark

The facts on the ground completely contradict Zelenskyy propaganda and carefully painted image in the West.

A few weeks ago, Zelenskyy addressed the US congress, 81 years to the day after Churchill did the same–and was duly exalted in mainstream media as a modern Winston Churchill–standing up to a modern version of Hitler, i.e., Putin. Yet, it’s clear he is by profession a clown who is now serving as an Israeli-Ukrainian stooge for masters outside Ukraine! 

We have clues of Zelenskyy’s loyalties with a recent purchase of a mansion in Tel Aviv for Zelenskyy’s parents. We also know that the other three senior leaders in Ukraine are also dual national Israeli Ukrainians (his deputy, and the heads of the defense and foreign service ministries). This is all while Israel has magically increased its gas exports to Europe to the tune of 40 billion CMS in the span of 6 months to take over from–now shut off–Russian gas shipments.

Don’t get me wrong, Putin is a bastard too. He is a ruthless, cut-throat head of state. His commitment to Russia is toxic and has always been linked–and matched–by his parallel commitment to enrich himself. He is arguably the richest person on the planet. 

Much like Zelenskyy, Putin, too, is corrupt with no value for human life. They both know how to put on a media show and impact “popular culture!” Checkout Putin’s images as a bare-chested hunter in the Russian hinterlands!

Almost one year after the war started, life in Ukraine has turned very dark. The outlook on both sides–East and West–is poor. There is no resolution in sight. There is no deal to be made. We are at a total impasse, and the war looks like it will drag on. 

If it was only Ukraine or Russia impacted, then one could discount everything, and frankly this article would not even be selected for publication. 

This war is impacting life around the world–badly! Let’s not forget Ukraine provided grain to the world, and now some countries are facing massive food shortages because of the war. Let’s also not forget Russia provided ammonia fertilizer to the world, and now some countries are facing massive shortfalls in agriculture, i.e., food production. It’s important to note and remember the sheer volume of energy supplies from Russia to Europe and the real possibility of a severe energy crunch this forthcoming year because of this war. 

To be fair, there are some winners, too, in this war. Exports of Liquified Natural Gas from US, Qatar, and Israel have skyrocketed. Also, US and Argentinian grain exports have kicked into overdrive to make up for shortfalls from Ukraine. 

And this makes me believe, for sure, that this war was precipitated. Putin was suckered into this. As many have said, this has been a “designer” war to suck Russia into a quagmire and for US/UK/Israel to supplant Russian energy sales to Europe with their own exports. If you think UK isn’t tied up in this, think again. Qatar’s LNG exports are essentially handled by the UK based oil company, Shell. Oil and gas operations account for 25% of Britain’s GDP, and Qatar is a de facto colony of Britain. One other clue is Liz Truss’s, UK (former) Prime Minister’s, “Done” text to Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State, that was released by the Russians after the bombing of the North Stream 2 line that clearly demonstrated how UK is working hand in glove with the US and Israel on this scheme. However, this war is also about undermining Putin, i.e., the destruction of Russia to a point where the people–or Russia’s elite or military–topple the bastard. Putin was set up. 

Don’t believe me? Ask yourself why there are suddenly something around 200 highly specialized and at 250 million dollars each, excess shipping vessels became available to ship LNG to Europe? How long does it take to build these ships? Try two to three years! Then what about the terminals? How much does it cost to build a transfer terminal? How long does it take to build one? Well, it takes three to five years to build these terminals, and to get an idea: a 10 million ton per year terminal costs upwards of $5 Billion! The United States, Qatar, and Israel–and Europe by the way–just miraculously had these ships and terminals sitting idle! How convenient. 

Not to be forgotten is how the Ukraine war has been an exercise in teaching the Germans and others in Europe how dangerous the playground really is. When Victoria Nuland, a senior Department of State Official, and another Israeli shill inside US government, said “Fuck the EU,” she meant it. Objectively, you must realize that Germany had outsourced its defense to America at a cut rate price, far less than NATO’s mandated 2% of GDP, and at the same time outsourced its low-cost / high volume (consumer goods) manufacturing to China and at the same time outsourced its energy supply to Russia, again at a discount. Germans were living well with their core needs being met at a discount while exporting high value, high margin, and highly engineered goods to the rest of the world! Germany has been registering >4% GDP growth per year for 20 years and become an export powerhouse with over 50% of its economy being export oriented, i.e., double 20 years ago. China has become Germany’s largest trading partner by far. Let’s not forget the Chinese were building a super-highway, the Belt-and-Road-Initiative, (the BRI) from China to Germany to make their products, and trade with Germany and the EU, even more competitive. Now the war has suddenly cut off China’s BRI. It hasn’t taken very long for Germany to understand and appreciate how valuable NATO’s security blanket truly is. Also, because of this war, Germany has accelerated its programs for replacing fossil fuels across all applications. This is great for the world, but it’s given Germany the impetus to speed ahead of the US in its quest to transform its energy systems, i.e., become the high technology leader, leaving America in the dust! Is that what was intended by Valerie Nuland or Alex Vindman?

So, it’s clear now that our proverbial “West”–with assistance, I am sure of Israel–tapped a comedian and made him President. Then, he started aggravating / provoking Putin, cut water supply to the Crimean Island, declared the Ukraine will join NATO and the EU, started exploring and discovered massive reserves of oil and gas inside the Ukraine and Black Sea. Threatening to replace Russian energy supplies to Europe, Zelenskyy gave Putin no choice but to invade.  Putin got suckered. At least on paper it was a brilliant plan!

The question is, what if this whole plan turns on its head and blows back? What if it all goes wrong and Putin is empowered instead of weakened?  The tide of war has suddenly turned in Russia’s favor. What if Russia wins? What if our sanctions become pointless? What if they get economically, militarily, and politically stronger? What if our Allies–and I include Israel along with Europe–abandon us and chart their own way forward? What if all this costs us much more than any short-term gains? 

There was an expectation that Russia’s economy would collapse. It has barely done so. There was an expectation that Russia’s oil and gas production and exports would plummet. It hasn’t. In fact, Russia has opened new markets in India and enhanced its exports to China. While Russian, Iranian, and Venezuelan trade with the West has been sanctioned, Russia’s commercial trade with Iran and Venezuela has exploded. Venezuela’s economy has grown a whopping 20% this past year. China’s economic growth alone this past year has been roughly the size of the Russian economy. India grew almost 7%. Contrast that to low or no growth in the West itself. China and India’s growth alone can absorb ALL of Russia’s energy exports to Europe.

At the same time, Russia has enhanced its military alliance with Iran. Iran has emerged as a military-industrial powerhouse that is now aligned with Russia and China! Iranian drones have destroyed Ukraine’s power infrastructure.  Russia has agreed to supply its advanced S35 fighter jets to Iran. Russia is already a partner with Iran on its nuclear program. 

Putin is far from being toppled. Russia now sits at the epicenter of a new “global” order with a set of partners that are in a completely separate–and high growth–economic eco-system from the West, and increasingly aligned with Russia under the “BRICS” umbrella (that’s Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa). This year Iran will be joining them. China is trading Russian energy in Petro-Yuans instead of US Dollars, not just with Russia, but also with Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Venezuela (that’s virtually 75% of the world’s oil reserves). This new “sphere” of the east with 65% of the world’s population could very soon account for more than 50% of the globe’s economy and trade! 

Is it possible that the war in Ukraine has turned out to be a massive miscalculation? 

No one, absolutely no one inside the beltway imagined, much less calculated, what the downside risk of this war might be like. It would not be the first time they would be accused of arrogance, hubris, ignorance, and downright stupidity. The “West” has weakened itself and our Allies. Shot ourselves in our feet. 

Much like the war in Iraq, the war in Ukraine–that the West also precipitated–will turn out to be a massive mistake and generate the exact reverse outcome to what was intended. Much like the war in Iraq, this was another bright idea hatched in Tel Aviv and its close allies inside the US government. Another disastrous intelligence idea was sold to the West. Can someone please tell Zelenskyy to pack his bags and move to Israel, and someone with some real cojones figure out a way to bring peace to this sad, disgusting war that should never have happened. The human price has been incalculable. The impact on the globe has been horrific. 

Yes, Putin is a shit. But this certainly (however well intended) wasn’t the way to topple him. This will only embolden him. The Russians will not only take over the rest of Ukraine but march into Moldova, and eventually the Baltics, not to even mention big chunks of Central Asia. It’s a recipe for disaster. Everyone needs to realize that Putin has so much on the line with this war, that Russia losing is not in the cards. Putin has such a grip on Russia that any notion of toppling him is simply ridiculous.

And since this is a magazine about music and culture, can someone tell the clown in Ukraine that there are limits to propaganda. Winning the Eurovision song contest or speaking at the Golden Globe Awards – i.e. using music and/or culture to try to change a war’s outcome is idiotic. He didn’t move the needle. Only a stupid, sell out, moron would replace hard military analysis and solid facts on the ground with bullshit i.e. trying to buy the ‘hearts’ of Margaret in Oklahoma watching a TV show, or for that matter another Margaret in France watching the Eurovision song contest. Winning the Eurovision song contest doesn’t keep the lights on in Kyiv. Using popular culture as a propaganda tool only makes sense in scenarios were an existing grievance or issue needs to be accentuated or communicated broadly. As Zelenskyy well knew, the West was already committed to supporting Ukraine (since they designed the war to begin with). There was no need to win ‘hearts and minds’ in America or Europe. Most Americans are ambivalent to this war – it’s another Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam or Korea …maybe! But this is far more consequential. Zelenskyy and his backers would be better focused on propaganda inside Russia itself.

The costs already have been unbearable. But it could also be a huge strategic blow!