The amount of money and other valuables exposed in that quake were unreal. I had heard rumors a few days after the quake that international rescue crews were being restricted from areas. They were very vocal about things not adding up. Rubio had to get involved. All the security around some of those areas also didn't add up. That video of what looked like a huge vault was crazy. Just because Maduro is gone doesn't mean that his criminal networks were taken offline. The entire government is corrupt.
Change of subject. Most Americans have pretty much forgotten about the war in Ukraine. I have not, and I have followed the situation there closely almost the entire time. I have family ties in both Russia and the Ukraine on my mother's side. So I have a bit of personal interest in what happens there. A lot has changed with the war there in the last 4 years. It is hard to get to the real situation beyond the propaganda and fake news - from both sides. Western talking heads and many analysts certainly don't understand Russia, the Ukraine, or the CCP and they consistently have been getting it wrong for years.
You don't have to take my word for it. But this video is very much in line with what I know and have been observing over the last 4 years and then some. I have a cousin that was a Russian history major in college and has been good to point me to good sources. So the video I think describes Russia's current situation quite well. The 800lb gorilla in the room that Putin won't admit is standing there. This video discusses that gorilla that Russia potentially may never recover from - a demographics collapse that the war has only made worse. This is on top of a possible economic collapse.
Putin has no way out of the current situation that he started. He loses power and legitimacy no matter which way he goes. Like Zelenskyy, he knows he is probably a dead man if the war ends. So, Putin may just double down and hope that the Ukrainians give up and the West grows tired of it all and pulls the plug.
Putin decided to invade Ukraine with the instigation of Xi who has his own reasons for goading Putin into engaging in this fool's errand. Instead of being an equal, Russia now finds itself being a subordinate of China with virtually no way out where Putin survives. Xi and the rest of the CCP have been drooling over Eastern Russia for years and may be slowly absorbing it - the CCP's preferred method - conquering without firing a shot. This is touched on towards the end of the video. Sometimes I wonder if Xi wants everyone, including Putin, to watch Taiwan when in fact their eyes may have actually be on Siberia and the East the entire time - especially Vladivostok. The PLA last year was reinforcing personnel and equipment on China's northeastern border with Russia. It used to be part of Qing China that was signed away to the Russians and the Chinese have resented it ever since. I have not heard of any pullback. If Xi was so buddy buddy with Putin why would China strengthen that border area with troops?
I know having an unfavorable view of Putin is not the view of many on this forum, so I don't say much. What's the point. In fact, there are a few Russians trolls posting here on GAW. There is one in particular that I have my suspicions of whether they may actually be a paid troll because the rhetoric is so over the top and obvious to anyone that really understands what is in play and knows how Russian propaganda works. There are several internet influencers on the right that I know are tied to Russia - either personally or business related. Sometimes it's both. It is not hard to dig that information up. People just don't do their homework and take everything at face value just because what they say fits their their own already existing narrative bias.
Don't get me wrong. I am not a Zelenskyy supporter either. Both are corrupt as hell and neither can be trusted. Both sides are guilty of horrendous war crimes against civilians and each others soldiers. It is just something endemic in both Russia and Ukraine and part of their history. Maybe that is why they find common ground with the CCP. They are all cut out of the same bolt of cloth. The only difference is that the Slovs openly conduct their prosecutions against their opponents and innocents for all to see. LoL. In China people just quietly disappear and the story goes away. Russians and Ukrainians want others to see the violence to send a message. They make the Italian Mafia look like boy scouts.
Anyway, I would like to know what you think and let me know if it is something you would like me to send you when I come across something interesting.
Wow. I cannot believe the corruption and the shoddy work.
The amount of money and other valuables exposed in that quake were unreal. I had heard rumors a few days after the quake that international rescue crews were being restricted from areas. They were very vocal about things not adding up. Rubio had to get involved. All the security around some of those areas also didn't add up. That video of what looked like a huge vault was crazy. Just because Maduro is gone doesn't mean that his criminal networks were taken offline. The entire government is corrupt.
Will monitor for any further information on this.
My church actually have people that used to live there. She was collecting money to help.
Change of subject. Most Americans have pretty much forgotten about the war in Ukraine. I have not, and I have followed the situation there closely almost the entire time. I have family ties in both Russia and the Ukraine on my mother's side. So I have a bit of personal interest in what happens there. A lot has changed with the war there in the last 4 years. It is hard to get to the real situation beyond the propaganda and fake news - from both sides. Western talking heads and many analysts certainly don't understand Russia, the Ukraine, or the CCP and they consistently have been getting it wrong for years.
You don't have to take my word for it. But this video is very much in line with what I know and have been observing over the last 4 years and then some. I have a cousin that was a Russian history major in college and has been good to point me to good sources. So the video I think describes Russia's current situation quite well. The 800lb gorilla in the room that Putin won't admit is standing there. This video discusses that gorilla that Russia potentially may never recover from - a demographics collapse that the war has only made worse. This is on top of a possible economic collapse.
Putin has no way out of the current situation that he started. He loses power and legitimacy no matter which way he goes. Like Zelenskyy, he knows he is probably a dead man if the war ends. So, Putin may just double down and hope that the Ukrainians give up and the West grows tired of it all and pulls the plug.
Putin decided to invade Ukraine with the instigation of Xi who has his own reasons for goading Putin into engaging in this fool's errand. Instead of being an equal, Russia now finds itself being a subordinate of China with virtually no way out where Putin survives. Xi and the rest of the CCP have been drooling over Eastern Russia for years and may be slowly absorbing it - the CCP's preferred method - conquering without firing a shot. This is touched on towards the end of the video. Sometimes I wonder if Xi wants everyone, including Putin, to watch Taiwan when in fact their eyes may have actually be on Siberia and the East the entire time - especially Vladivostok. The PLA last year was reinforcing personnel and equipment on China's northeastern border with Russia. It used to be part of Qing China that was signed away to the Russians and the Chinese have resented it ever since. I have not heard of any pullback. If Xi was so buddy buddy with Putin why would China strengthen that border area with troops?
I know having an unfavorable view of Putin is not the view of many on this forum, so I don't say much. What's the point. In fact, there are a few Russians trolls posting here on GAW. There is one in particular that I have my suspicions of whether they may actually be a paid troll because the rhetoric is so over the top and obvious to anyone that really understands what is in play and knows how Russian propaganda works. There are several internet influencers on the right that I know are tied to Russia - either personally or business related. Sometimes it's both. It is not hard to dig that information up. People just don't do their homework and take everything at face value just because what they say fits their their own already existing narrative bias.
Don't get me wrong. I am not a Zelenskyy supporter either. Both are corrupt as hell and neither can be trusted. Both sides are guilty of horrendous war crimes against civilians and each others soldiers. It is just something endemic in both Russia and Ukraine and part of their history. Maybe that is why they find common ground with the CCP. They are all cut out of the same bolt of cloth. The only difference is that the Slovs openly conduct their prosecutions against their opponents and innocents for all to see. LoL. In China people just quietly disappear and the story goes away. Russians and Ukrainians want others to see the violence to send a message. They make the Italian Mafia look like boy scouts.
Anyway, I would like to know what you think and let me know if it is something you would like me to send you when I come across something interesting.
These NUMBERS Are So BRUTAL… Russia Will Not Recover for 100 YEARS - The Military Channel