what I've learned the past year and a half: whoever the US says is your enemy, isn't. whoever the US says is bad, isn't. whoever the US targets, they do to protect capital.
China was dirt poor until the capitalists started moving jobs there because it was cheaper for them. And those jobs aren’t coming back because it’d take a decade and the capitalists don’t want to pay living wages.
Just like Michael Parenti, quoted by our Caitlin here - The late John Pilger was warning us about the coming war with China. And it's here now. We should all heed Caitlin's warning of the intensifying propaganda war against China.
That’s a common misconception. Financial markets and private equity plan for the next quarter, but the people who actually run and control the US plan projects that take generations to complete. The PNAC papers were written under Shrub Bush, but the planning of that project was begun right after WW2, was fertilized by Dulles after he had Kennedy murdered, was co-signed by the rising religious right as a response to LBJ and began to flower under Reagan.
Hand in hand with the rise of Neoconservatism was the bloody rise of neoliberalism under Milton Friedman and the Chicago School boys, which used, first, South and Central America as a laboratory to quantify how much military, economic, and clandestine force would need to be used against societies in order to obtain and maintain American hegemony. The PNAC papers were largely in response to these findings, with the authors maintaining that the primary obstacle was the problem of too much democracy, and pointing out the need for a Pearl Harbor type event in order to strip citizens of their constitutional rights (The Patriot Act is a PNAC document.)
When you wonder why Israel is being paid to commit a live stream genocide or how a serious flu epidemic was used to lock down an entire global population and require them to register their health status, and all the other truly shocking events of the last few years - well, none of this is by accident, and all of it goes back to long term plans to guarantee American global military and economic hegemony.
Thanks for pointing out the obvious - Slightly Lucid. The Covid Hoax Plandemic was all about dividing us, imprisoning us and turning off any remaining critical thinking. All for better good and Safe and Effective - the mantras used for the one of the two biggest crimes thus far this century - Gaza and the Covid Plandemic.
I wouldn’t claim there wasn’t a pandemic; lots of people died (most of whom wouldn’t have with proper treatment.) Early numbers were cooked, counting only the people who wound up in the hospital, and including anyone who tested positive even if they died of other causes. And in fact, some people - even many people, early on, did die, and I do not rejoice about it. I don’t know if it was a ‘plandemic’ or just an opportunity to see how far world governments can go in controlling the global populations.
Lockdown was the proper and correct thing to do with a rapidly spreading and deadly virus was in our faces. Repealing the lockdowns was wrong because it allowed COVID to continue to mutate and spread, which is what it is STILL doing right now. Ending lockdown before the virus had been eradicated actually exposed people to it and they died. It was an anti-science plan to murder the working class. And you think it was wrong to try to stop it?
Lockdowns were a ridiculous thing to do; the death rate was that of a bad flu. I don’t know where you live, but where I live, you could be arrested for walking in the park. People were forced to get “vaccine passports” to buy food, passports that used tracking and biometric data. The same data that is current being used in Palestine to murder journalists.
Listen, I know COVID was scary. But I also know hundreds of people. And I swear I don’t know anyone personally who died first hand, and second hand the only people I personally know who died had other conditions.
The death rate from COVID was comparable to a bad flu; and like a flu, people who received early treatment for an uri lived. But I my county, doctors were ordered to withhold treatment of non critical cases. The doctors who refused, in violation of the law, saw even fragile patients live. Those who obeyed saw their patients go on ventilators, and then die.
I am in a ground zero country - and the doctors don’t even test for COVID any more. I haven’t been offered a booster - and I have an age and a national health care system second only to France.
They are all the same players; you can kind of draw a line; GWB worked under Allen Dulles, Cheney worked for Nixon and Ford, and then was the groomer who got Reagan elected as Gov and President. Wolfowitz was great friends with Milton Friedman where he learned his doctrine of regime change. Rumsfeld had been in government since the Eisenhower admin, serving in Nixon’s cabinet. Kagan worked for Reagan, and is married to Victoria Nuland. If you look at the signatories of PNAC, you will note that many of the PNAC authors were open and unabashed Zionists.
And yet, in spite of that they are still pushing for a nuclear war. They think they will be safe in their bunkers. I suspect Oreshnik could change that but they don't care. they have deluded themselves into thinking they are Gods.
Every time the newspaper or TV mindlessly repaats that China is a "threat", "adversary" etc, remember to ask yourself if China has 500 bases surrounding the US, or whether it gathers vassals and takes warships to sail "freedom of navigation" provocations off the coast of Florida or the Long Island Sound, or whether China is stuffing Puerto Rico full of weapons pointed at at the continental US.
And ask yourself if the actual "threat" isnt that China in the past 3 decades has lifted the largest number of people out of abject poverty, in the history of mankind.
Or just take a trip to the US and see the number of homeless people and fetanyl and meuth junkies littering the streets, the number of minorities stuffed in prisons, the crumbling post offices, rusting bridges and overpasses....alongside the orgy of wealth of a tiny few. And you will understand why they need to create diversions and manufacture enemies out of countries that are actually just minding their own business and taking care of their own people without stomping on the necks of other countries.
The US had a sub-goal of bringing Germany down from being an EU economic powerhouse to running on a seized engine. To do so, we destroyed the pipeline that had provided energy- according to contract with Russia even as Germany sided with Ukraine. We then offered to sell it our LNG.
Sanctioning Russian cargo ships didn't stop Europe from getting Russian oil but it greatly increased the cost as oil was purchased by India and THEN sold to the EU and UK. There were other round-about ways to obtain Russian oil but all more costly.
These maneuvers helped bring down an economic rival.
No, Wren. WE didn't do that. Stop identifying with this evil empire just because you happened to be born within it. Language matters, and every time Americans say "we" and "our" to refer to the machinations and crimes of the "empire loosely centered in Washington DC" as Caitlin so adroitly puts it, we somewhat legitimize it. Speaking clearly about the real culprits, who are in control regardless of whether we vote for Tweedledee or Tweedledum, helps to expose them, a necessary small step toward stopping them.
I suppose I could have easily cluttered up the comment with caveats exempting myself specifically and denouncing the real culprits, but this isn't an essay and brevity does not confuse people reading what I have to say. It was more of a reference to a place (America) and less of a reference to who specifically called the shots.
Any sentence can be expanded with details if you choose to go down that route.
It was a reference to The United States of America, not "America". America can mean Canada, Mexico, Central America and all of South America. So get it clear. Language matters.
I think you may have missed the point, which is not to exempt yourself specifically, but to underline that the policies carried out by the oligarchs in DC are NOT the will of the people--we do not get to vote on policy, we are rarely consulted.,the Price-Gilens study showed public opinion has essentially zero influence on policy. If the endless crimes and atrocities inflicted on the world by THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES are attributed to the people of the United States, then I guess China really is "our" enemy. I don't know how it will be possible to take down this destructive, criminally insane oligarchy but I think a necessary start is to properly identify it. It isn't "the United States," not if you mean either the land or the people of the US.
"Despite recently closing hundreds of bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States still maintains nearly 800 military bases in more than 70 countries and territories abroad—from giant “Little Americas” to small radar facilities. Britain, France and Russia, by contrast, have about 30 foreign bases combined."
I have a simple approach. Whatever the hegemon calls good, I automatically figure is evil and anything or anybody they say is bad, I put in the good category. Works every time.
"Aggressively question every new narrative that emerges about China..."
I don't think there can be any doubt that Americans will never hear anything remotely resembling the truth from the US government about ANY COUNTRY including our own. If they're attempting to deport citizens (which in fact is what the DHS has done while sending out "go home" notices to TPS holders), then they're going to lie, cheat, steal, kidnap and shove into a plane and fly to a Salvadoran prison ANYONE they fear is spreading the truth. Stay strong and keep spreading the truth!
I wish people who are progressive in so many ways would stop inserting shitty things into their posts about Iran, Russia and China. It discredits what they have to say. It tells me they've lapped up a certain amount of propaganda. Stick to whatever the subject is.
You don't have to love those countries, especially in their current states, but yeah, a lot of what those of us in the west (particularly the US) hear about those countries are dubious and in service of ~narratives~ for those in power.
When Rednote took off earlier this year there were people legitimately in shock that Chinese people lived normal lives and weren't like... working under duress or censored to the point of trembling in fear of their government. Just shows how damaging the narratives have been for the last ~30 years.
Same with me, when sent to china and Iran ON BUSSINES. This was years back, but China, FIBRANT ... supermarkets, everybody so friendly, although I could not understand a word they stated but the hotel +service was 100x better than ours... and their historical sites blew my mind. Only had one mishap, when we visited a "local restaurant" when it wanted to "treat us"... we ordered some pork dish and it was literally ALL FAT (I hate that, my Dad loves that)... THESPECIAL DISH WAS TO "HONOUR US". Sorry, but needed a toilet and was sent out via thekitchen and had to walk / run 100 yards to a hole in the ground - not covered.... funny as hell looking back at it.
Only been back once since then ... UNBELIEVABLE TRANSORMATION...For the better.
...
Iran - Just try and visit and yes you can get access to all things;if you do notgob off loudly.
As it does most of us in the overfed West. Back in the late sixties and early seventies when I was prospecting you would get to the point of actually craving fat. This is your body's way of telling you need more energy.
LOL...I know the benefits and also stated above about the honour thing; but I hate the stuff; I had NO problem with the overall meal - a fantastic experience (remember a long time ago .. when "WESTERNERS" were rare.... BUT needing a dump in full view ?
Oh yes, very much so. I was very lucky in that I travelled on O&G business a great deal so had no problems with the holes in the floors - as I was young and fit and could squat... now though, at my age, I would fall in the ruddy hole, start crying and calling for Mummy.
But apart from the toiletry differences; the cultural differences are fantastic to witness - even within Europe; even within areas of different Countries; my UK is a prime example..
Yeah, I'm always disappointed when posters put obvious propaganda lies into their comments. You just wonder why they're able to understand the truth of certain things (genocide is wrong/Israel is a settler colonial apartheid state) but they've got some sort of hang-up about Russia. I figure they may have grown up during the "duck and cover" days when they learned in school to fear a nuclear attack from the USSR, and for some reason, they still believe that the USSR still exists. (I've also seen them post about "communists" in modern day Russia. Now, that is out of date!)
But China has brought over 6,000,000 poor and lower class people into what we call the middle class in a few decades. The Uyghurs 1. Were terrorists and caused alot of damage to China; so China started to educate them in "WHY WE ARE ONE" sort of thing... what we are told is that they are imprisoned, NOPE, they literally go to school and get professional education PLUS apprenterships...
Iran; great Country and probably the most educated people (in general) - plus most seem younger to me...
I would suggest that is wasn’t “the Uyghurs” that was the problem, but a subset of “East Turkmenistan” separatists, who were responsible for the attacks in China, and who were the target of the government’s efforts.
Did they overreach? Perhaps. Did they gather up more than those who were responsible for the attacks? Most likely. And from a human rights perspective equally susceptible to criticism. That doesn’t mean the kind of blanket condemnation we usually see.
If you want to talk about a regime overreach look at the Trucker's Convoy in Canada. This will go down as one of the most shameful acts in Canadian history.
I went to Xinxiang and saw the Uighurs being oppressed. All Uighur renters were required to leave the city, and a lot more. We were visiting my niece who speaks fluent Uighur and spent five years there so I dare say I know a little bit about it.
One might wonder if, rather than actually having bought into that narrative, they are using it a misguided effort of ‘sugar helps the medicine go down, in order to keep their liberal audiences.
They should know they’re just furthering, in a different way, the same narrative they want to oppose.
CJ>>"Aggressively question every new narrative that emerges about China, in the same way you’ve learned to aggressively question every new narrative Israel releases about Gaza and Hamas. Question everything you’ve ever been taught about China throughout your life, in the same way you’ve learned to question everything you were taught about Israel."
This is good advice Caitlin! Though I would ALSO caution readers to think critically about Pro-China propaganda (though it pales in significance, magnitude and sophistication to U.S. Empire propaganda). Be skeptical (on all opinions). Verify facts. Be cautious about the "halo effect" and listening to people in positions of power and authority. And most of all - read as much real history (not the revisionist kind) as you can get your hands on.
Focus on UNITY amongst the workers of the world - the 99% - be they in China, Russia, U.S., anywhere. This is part of the world-wide class warfare (in many ways) of the 1% against the 99% - and we MUST unite across boundaries!
This is one of the biggest problems in our society. History has been so lied about and perverted we must use all of our critical thinking skills and follow every lead to get an inkling of the truth. Even then their propaganda claims mean we have continually question our own conclusions.
NCE ONE. Had forgotten about the term "Halo effect"... thank you for bringing it up again.
"The halo effect (sometimes called the halo error) is the tendency for positive impressions of a person, company, country, brand, or product in one area to positively influence one's opinion or feelings.[1][2] The halo effect is "the name given to the phenomenon whereby evaluators tend to be influenced by their previous judgments of performance or personality."[3] The halo effect is a cognitive bias which can prevent someone from forming an image of a person, a product or a brand based on the sum of all objective circumstances at hand."
I certainly hope that the Chinese leadership is saner than US/ Israel, etc. people that I know who have traveled to China have spoken only positively. I’ve only been to Hong Kong. I really am weary of the stupidity of US Foreign Policy, the harm the military/ Presidents do to humans and the environment for some billionaires gain.
Which has worked well. I find it sad that people who are good on Gaza often buy into the propaganda about Ukraine, and think it is all because of that "evil Putin".
But I also cannot help feeling like a psychological slave of the "supremacy of American global capitalism", trapped in the vicious and viscous glue of its perpetual stream of advertising lies. It’s the endless lying that seems to drive, to perpetuate, everything else.
If when your life sucks, the solution is to Shop Now, something in the society's ethos is very twisted. Of course folks are primed to believe lies about any supposed economic enemy of America. What a crock.
Of course they'll lie. They're manufacturing consensus. It's more difficult for them today. I recall what you wrote about how we can all be journalists with our cellphones. Damn, this might be the greatest thing since the printing press!
It's the American way, now endemic. Lie, cheat, steal (Panama, Greenland), make war -- all signs of a once-potential great credit to civilization, now thoroughly Zionized and Benjamin-babied.... All symptoms, in one way or another, of a floundering, flailing, failing 'state'/empire that doesn't deserve any more life.
"A senior leader of Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, told Drop Site News that if the U.S. ends its campaign of air strikes against Yemen, Houthi forces will commit to halting all attacks on U.S. ships in the region."
When this country moves daily into expansive lies about another country, I make sure to go there and see for myself, not because I don't already know they are lying, but to tell other people, who do sponge up propaganda, the reality. Headed to China soon. Caitlin, you are amazing in your ability to pinpoint clearly the depths of the evils perpetuated by the US and its sycophants.
Same. ENJOY, trip to China... and travel out a little; but go to Russian and Iran as well - you will be amazed regards friendship ofthe people, culture, heritage, history, "service", security... everything. Enjoy !.
I think I'm repeating here, maybe not. I have been to Russia and Iran and loved them both. If I could live anywhere else, it would be St. Petersburg, the most beautiful city I've ever seen. People in all countries have been warm and welcoming, except Israel. The people I loved there were Palestinians who were warm and welcoming, not the Jews who were cold and arrogant. It was so odd. I have close Jewish friends here in the States whom I love and they are not like Israelis. All the best. Rob
AGREED. But for me, replace "The" Lebanon with Palestine (as I have never visited the Country Palestine) yet. But Christ, they can talk hey ? ... lol. They reminded me of the Spanish ... ffs; I just wanted to eat my glorious food; they made and plated for me... !!!
PS Repeats are good for me at my age, so keep them up.
If you really want to learn about the REAL China (and not the pro-China propaganda that many in Caitlin's substack seem to be susceptible to), visit non-tourist places, North-East China, North West China, non-major cities, and more.
Here are some provinces that might counteract your illusions (and narratives) about China -> Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Gansu, and Qinghai.
Most people that go to China never see the REAL China but only parts of it - the touristy and major cities (and whatever else the Govt. allows).
You'll be surprised by what you find out if you are allowed (and manage) to go spend some time in any of the above provinces that I listed.
I spent several weeks in Liaoning in the North East - had an amazing time and the people there could not have been more friendly. I'd visit again in a heartbeat if I got a chance. Far rather visit China than the US: despite China constantly being painted as an enemy force of terrible evil, they haven't been constantly starting wars or colonising the world with military installations. The US government and its backers are the world's aggressor and the decades long propaganda campaign to paint the US as the 'good guys' in any situation is running out of steam.
My point is that most people (in the West) are in two camps about China -> those that have bought U.S. anti-China propaganda, and those that have bought Chinese pro-China propaganda. And that is the problem - this black-and-white thinking. There is a decided lack of nuance and objective thinking when it comes to analyzing geopolitics.
In terms of what you say about "traveling to China" -> it is one thing/experience to travel and visit the many places I mentioned, but it is quite another to actually live your whole life in many of those provinces. Western audiences rarely get to experience (or hear about) these other regions in China and how challenging (and different) life has been for many there (in comparison to life in the largest cities of China and Southern China).
China is a vast country with a huge range of different geographical (and cultural) conditions and people. It is not as homogeneous as many in the West imagine.
Absolutely. I have relatives who have lived (happily!) in China for many years. They are based in Liaoning so I know that area the best, but I've visited Beijing, Sichuan, Guangzhong and Hainan too. They are distinct in terms of culture and lifestyle from my experience and all very far from the western perception of state oppression and uniformity. Chinese communism is much more free market in the modern era with many industrialists and innovative companies that aren't state controlled while in the US we're constantly told it's the beacon of freedom and free markets while free speech is being repressed, the military is used to protect corporate assets overseas making them wards of the state in effect, and now the state is setting up protectionist economic policies (so not a free market at all), while discussing imprisoning citizens overseas for holding the wrong opinions about government policies. The polarity has reversed!!
PS: I'm not saying that the Chinese government has no issues in terms of human rights in some cases, but these seem to me to be far less substantial than those of the 'west' i.e. the US and its vasal states like the UK. Obviously our media absolves these of obvious crimes against humanity by massaging the narrative that these crimes are necessary for the greater good. Who's good exactly is never established...
For anyone wanting to know more about China, I would suggest Li Jingjing. She has both a Substack and a You tube channel, which among other things has some interesting travel videos around China. Her trips to Xinjiang totally demolish Amerikan propaganda.
Ben Norton, CEO and founder of Geopolitical Economy Report, is my favorite economist and now lives in China. He's brilliant. I think you would think so, too. I find him on YouTube and read him in articles.
BTW, I have listened to many people who've moved to Russia (my favorite country), and no matter where they came from, they all say it's wonderful to have freedom to speak there, and how safe they feel, and how happy their kids are. St. Petersburg is where I'd go, most beautiful city I've ever seen, and spotless.
I do not think you have a "real" empire; but just the military arm of the British (English) Empire ... who changed from a hard to soft power, as we stood up and fought against it years back. OH I LOT LIKE TODAY with the globalist scum hopefully.
what I've learned the past year and a half: whoever the US says is your enemy, isn't. whoever the US says is bad, isn't. whoever the US targets, they do to protect capital.
the US is my and your enemy, end of story.
yes, and I live in the US.
Exactly. I do, too.
as do i unfortunately
And me.
The DOD is the "muscle" for the US Chamber of Commerce aka big biz inc.
John Pilgers documentary “the coming war on China” is a good watch
That’s an excellent video.
For those who think that China is the bad guy in the economy I recommend watching Richard Wolf’s opinion on why China is eating our lunch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siE54O8WFhU
China was dirt poor until the capitalists started moving jobs there because it was cheaper for them. And those jobs aren’t coming back because it’d take a decade and the capitalists don’t want to pay living wages.
In Wolf's lead-in, he invokes "White supremacists." Where are those? Trump? Is he supporting a White homeland or a Jew one? Gimme a break.
look at that over there.....I rained last Tuesday, so that defeats your argument
GfMike...
Just like Michael Parenti, quoted by our Caitlin here - The late John Pilger was warning us about the coming war with China. And it's here now. We should all heed Caitlin's warning of the intensifying propaganda war against China.
It’s older than the opium wars but there’s a crucial difference China plans for millenniums the west the next quarter
That’s a common misconception. Financial markets and private equity plan for the next quarter, but the people who actually run and control the US plan projects that take generations to complete. The PNAC papers were written under Shrub Bush, but the planning of that project was begun right after WW2, was fertilized by Dulles after he had Kennedy murdered, was co-signed by the rising religious right as a response to LBJ and began to flower under Reagan.
Hand in hand with the rise of Neoconservatism was the bloody rise of neoliberalism under Milton Friedman and the Chicago School boys, which used, first, South and Central America as a laboratory to quantify how much military, economic, and clandestine force would need to be used against societies in order to obtain and maintain American hegemony. The PNAC papers were largely in response to these findings, with the authors maintaining that the primary obstacle was the problem of too much democracy, and pointing out the need for a Pearl Harbor type event in order to strip citizens of their constitutional rights (The Patriot Act is a PNAC document.)
When you wonder why Israel is being paid to commit a live stream genocide or how a serious flu epidemic was used to lock down an entire global population and require them to register their health status, and all the other truly shocking events of the last few years - well, none of this is by accident, and all of it goes back to long term plans to guarantee American global military and economic hegemony.
Thanks for pointing out the obvious - Slightly Lucid. The Covid Hoax Plandemic was all about dividing us, imprisoning us and turning off any remaining critical thinking. All for better good and Safe and Effective - the mantras used for the one of the two biggest crimes thus far this century - Gaza and the Covid Plandemic.
I wouldn’t claim there wasn’t a pandemic; lots of people died (most of whom wouldn’t have with proper treatment.) Early numbers were cooked, counting only the people who wound up in the hospital, and including anyone who tested positive even if they died of other causes. And in fact, some people - even many people, early on, did die, and I do not rejoice about it. I don’t know if it was a ‘plandemic’ or just an opportunity to see how far world governments can go in controlling the global populations.
I think you’re mixing up your metaphors - Breton woods set the table - pnac much later - Christian nationalism was always at the core
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century#Origins_and_operation
Lockdown was the proper and correct thing to do with a rapidly spreading and deadly virus was in our faces. Repealing the lockdowns was wrong because it allowed COVID to continue to mutate and spread, which is what it is STILL doing right now. Ending lockdown before the virus had been eradicated actually exposed people to it and they died. It was an anti-science plan to murder the working class. And you think it was wrong to try to stop it?
Lockdowns were a ridiculous thing to do; the death rate was that of a bad flu. I don’t know where you live, but where I live, you could be arrested for walking in the park. People were forced to get “vaccine passports” to buy food, passports that used tracking and biometric data. The same data that is current being used in Palestine to murder journalists.
Listen, I know COVID was scary. But I also know hundreds of people. And I swear I don’t know anyone personally who died first hand, and second hand the only people I personally know who died had other conditions.
The death rate from COVID was comparable to a bad flu; and like a flu, people who received early treatment for an uri lived. But I my county, doctors were ordered to withhold treatment of non critical cases. The doctors who refused, in violation of the law, saw even fragile patients live. Those who obeyed saw their patients go on ventilators, and then die.
I am in a ground zero country - and the doctors don’t even test for COVID any more. I haven’t been offered a booster - and I have an age and a national health care system second only to France.
Been in the works for a very long time but the general populace knows little to nothing about it.
Interesting fact on the Patriot Act-did not know that.
They are all the same players; you can kind of draw a line; GWB worked under Allen Dulles, Cheney worked for Nixon and Ford, and then was the groomer who got Reagan elected as Gov and President. Wolfowitz was great friends with Milton Friedman where he learned his doctrine of regime change. Rumsfeld had been in government since the Eisenhower admin, serving in Nixon’s cabinet. Kagan worked for Reagan, and is married to Victoria Nuland. If you look at the signatories of PNAC, you will note that many of the PNAC authors were open and unabashed Zionists.
Agree. How about those experiments on the Islanders downwind of the blasts.
People continue to experience effects of nuclear testing.
And yet, in spite of that they are still pushing for a nuclear war. They think they will be safe in their bunkers. I suspect Oreshnik could change that but they don't care. they have deluded themselves into thinking they are Gods.
Ill check that out, thank you!
Thank you for the suggestion.
Every time the newspaper or TV mindlessly repaats that China is a "threat", "adversary" etc, remember to ask yourself if China has 500 bases surrounding the US, or whether it gathers vassals and takes warships to sail "freedom of navigation" provocations off the coast of Florida or the Long Island Sound, or whether China is stuffing Puerto Rico full of weapons pointed at at the continental US.
And ask yourself if the actual "threat" isnt that China in the past 3 decades has lifted the largest number of people out of abject poverty, in the history of mankind.
Or just take a trip to the US and see the number of homeless people and fetanyl and meuth junkies littering the streets, the number of minorities stuffed in prisons, the crumbling post offices, rusting bridges and overpasses....alongside the orgy of wealth of a tiny few. And you will understand why they need to create diversions and manufacture enemies out of countries that are actually just minding their own business and taking care of their own people without stomping on the necks of other countries.
Excellent Kojo. I would like to add to your list the fact that China has not done any coups, nor regime changed.
And Russia, North Korea and Iran ?
NONE
The US had a sub-goal of bringing Germany down from being an EU economic powerhouse to running on a seized engine. To do so, we destroyed the pipeline that had provided energy- according to contract with Russia even as Germany sided with Ukraine. We then offered to sell it our LNG.
Sanctioning Russian cargo ships didn't stop Europe from getting Russian oil but it greatly increased the cost as oil was purchased by India and THEN sold to the EU and UK. There were other round-about ways to obtain Russian oil but all more costly.
These maneuvers helped bring down an economic rival.
No, Wren. WE didn't do that. Stop identifying with this evil empire just because you happened to be born within it. Language matters, and every time Americans say "we" and "our" to refer to the machinations and crimes of the "empire loosely centered in Washington DC" as Caitlin so adroitly puts it, we somewhat legitimize it. Speaking clearly about the real culprits, who are in control regardless of whether we vote for Tweedledee or Tweedledum, helps to expose them, a necessary small step toward stopping them.
I suppose I could have easily cluttered up the comment with caveats exempting myself specifically and denouncing the real culprits, but this isn't an essay and brevity does not confuse people reading what I have to say. It was more of a reference to a place (America) and less of a reference to who specifically called the shots.
Any sentence can be expanded with details if you choose to go down that route.
I chose to write it this way.
It was a reference to The United States of America, not "America". America can mean Canada, Mexico, Central America and all of South America. So get it clear. Language matters.
I think you may have missed the point, which is not to exempt yourself specifically, but to underline that the policies carried out by the oligarchs in DC are NOT the will of the people--we do not get to vote on policy, we are rarely consulted.,the Price-Gilens study showed public opinion has essentially zero influence on policy. If the endless crimes and atrocities inflicted on the world by THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES are attributed to the people of the United States, then I guess China really is "our" enemy. I don't know how it will be possible to take down this destructive, criminally insane oligarchy but I think a necessary start is to properly identify it. It isn't "the United States," not if you mean either the land or the people of the US.
Hear, hear. I tell people this all the time.
The EU is just as big as China so is equally an enemy.
Just saying that I agree, but 500?
"Despite recently closing hundreds of bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, the United States still maintains nearly 800 military bases in more than 70 countries and territories abroad—from giant “Little Americas” to small radar facilities. Britain, France and Russia, by contrast, have about 30 foreign bases combined."
Their poverty is our profit. Poverty must be maintained.
I have a simple approach. Whatever the hegemon calls good, I automatically figure is evil and anything or anybody they say is bad, I put in the good category. Works every time.
"Aggressively question every new narrative that emerges about China..."
I don't think there can be any doubt that Americans will never hear anything remotely resembling the truth from the US government about ANY COUNTRY including our own. If they're attempting to deport citizens (which in fact is what the DHS has done while sending out "go home" notices to TPS holders), then they're going to lie, cheat, steal, kidnap and shove into a plane and fly to a Salvadoran prison ANYONE they fear is spreading the truth. Stay strong and keep spreading the truth!
I wish people who are progressive in so many ways would stop inserting shitty things into their posts about Iran, Russia and China. It discredits what they have to say. It tells me they've lapped up a certain amount of propaganda. Stick to whatever the subject is.
You don't have to love those countries, especially in their current states, but yeah, a lot of what those of us in the west (particularly the US) hear about those countries are dubious and in service of ~narratives~ for those in power.
When Rednote took off earlier this year there were people legitimately in shock that Chinese people lived normal lives and weren't like... working under duress or censored to the point of trembling in fear of their government. Just shows how damaging the narratives have been for the last ~30 years.
HAHAHA LOVE IT.
Same with me, when sent to china and Iran ON BUSSINES. This was years back, but China, FIBRANT ... supermarkets, everybody so friendly, although I could not understand a word they stated but the hotel +service was 100x better than ours... and their historical sites blew my mind. Only had one mishap, when we visited a "local restaurant" when it wanted to "treat us"... we ordered some pork dish and it was literally ALL FAT (I hate that, my Dad loves that)... THESPECIAL DISH WAS TO "HONOUR US". Sorry, but needed a toilet and was sent out via thekitchen and had to walk / run 100 yards to a hole in the ground - not covered.... funny as hell looking back at it.
Only been back once since then ... UNBELIEVABLE TRANSORMATION...For the better.
...
Iran - Just try and visit and yes you can get access to all things;if you do notgob off loudly.
In nutrition compromised societies fat is like gold. It was indeed a great honor they were bestowing on you.
Oh dear. Fat makes me nauseous, too.
As it does most of us in the overfed West. Back in the late sixties and early seventies when I was prospecting you would get to the point of actually craving fat. This is your body's way of telling you need more energy.
LOL...I know the benefits and also stated above about the honour thing; but I hate the stuff; I had NO problem with the overall meal - a fantastic experience (remember a long time ago .. when "WESTERNERS" were rare.... BUT needing a dump in full view ?
There are definitely many differences in our cultures.
Oh yes, very much so. I was very lucky in that I travelled on O&G business a great deal so had no problems with the holes in the floors - as I was young and fit and could squat... now though, at my age, I would fall in the ruddy hole, start crying and calling for Mummy.
But apart from the toiletry differences; the cultural differences are fantastic to witness - even within Europe; even within areas of different Countries; my UK is a prime example..
Thanks, Dave. I hope people will stop doing that.
More like seventy five years. If you think about it maybe all the way back to the Civil War.
Yeah, I'm always disappointed when posters put obvious propaganda lies into their comments. You just wonder why they're able to understand the truth of certain things (genocide is wrong/Israel is a settler colonial apartheid state) but they've got some sort of hang-up about Russia. I figure they may have grown up during the "duck and cover" days when they learned in school to fear a nuclear attack from the USSR, and for some reason, they still believe that the USSR still exists. (I've also seen them post about "communists" in modern day Russia. Now, that is out of date!)
Thanks. I'm glad you think so too.
Not quite sure I understood, your comment; apologies... think I did. Did you mean UNABLE in "why they're able"... JUST FOR INFO.
Did you know this about Russia ( a little over the top, but you get the drift hopefully = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v =79zbot-knWc
Regards China, we hear THIS NONSENSE - https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/china-xinjiang-uyghurs-muslims-repression-genocide-human-rights
But China has brought over 6,000,000 poor and lower class people into what we call the middle class in a few decades. The Uyghurs 1. Were terrorists and caused alot of damage to China; so China started to educate them in "WHY WE ARE ONE" sort of thing... what we are told is that they are imprisoned, NOPE, they literally go to school and get professional education PLUS apprenterships...
Iran; great Country and probably the most educated people (in general) - plus most seem younger to me...
The World is a f'ing stage.
Agree with your comment.
Any country that achieves any type of success becomes a target for the U.S. military industrial complex. Peace is contrary to their objectives.
Bigger picture.
I would suggest that is wasn’t “the Uyghurs” that was the problem, but a subset of “East Turkmenistan” separatists, who were responsible for the attacks in China, and who were the target of the government’s efforts.
Did they overreach? Perhaps. Did they gather up more than those who were responsible for the attacks? Most likely. And from a human rights perspective equally susceptible to criticism. That doesn’t mean the kind of blanket condemnation we usually see.
If you want to talk about a regime overreach look at the Trucker's Convoy in Canada. This will go down as one of the most shameful acts in Canadian history.
The convoy or the reaction by Trudeau ?
The reaction by Turdeau. Then again what do you expect from a man I consider to be morally bankrupt.
I would suggest that you are spot on. Before I go, one question " Who were they funded by ?".... NO, shock and horror!.
PS Not sure if "Turkmenistan" ,,, but in the neighbourhood.
My view only.
I'd look no further than the CIA, IMHO. Others will have been recruited in support, I am sure.
I went to Xinxiang and saw the Uighurs being oppressed. All Uighur renters were required to leave the city, and a lot more. We were visiting my niece who speaks fluent Uighur and spent five years there so I dare say I know a little bit about it.
AND WHEN DID YOU GO ?; after the mass killings of the HAN maybe ?. 2009 ish ?.
Others may believe your comments; but sorry - not me; but whatever !.
We are all being divided... agree or not; I really do not care.
One might wonder if, rather than actually having bought into that narrative, they are using it a misguided effort of ‘sugar helps the medicine go down, in order to keep their liberal audiences.
They should know they’re just furthering, in a different way, the same narrative they want to oppose.
CJ>>"Aggressively question every new narrative that emerges about China, in the same way you’ve learned to aggressively question every new narrative Israel releases about Gaza and Hamas. Question everything you’ve ever been taught about China throughout your life, in the same way you’ve learned to question everything you were taught about Israel."
This is good advice Caitlin! Though I would ALSO caution readers to think critically about Pro-China propaganda (though it pales in significance, magnitude and sophistication to U.S. Empire propaganda). Be skeptical (on all opinions). Verify facts. Be cautious about the "halo effect" and listening to people in positions of power and authority. And most of all - read as much real history (not the revisionist kind) as you can get your hands on.
Focus on UNITY amongst the workers of the world - the 99% - be they in China, Russia, U.S., anywhere. This is part of the world-wide class warfare (in many ways) of the 1% against the 99% - and we MUST unite across boundaries!
This is one of the biggest problems in our society. History has been so lied about and perverted we must use all of our critical thinking skills and follow every lead to get an inkling of the truth. Even then their propaganda claims mean we have continually question our own conclusions.
NCE ONE. Had forgotten about the term "Halo effect"... thank you for bringing it up again.
"The halo effect (sometimes called the halo error) is the tendency for positive impressions of a person, company, country, brand, or product in one area to positively influence one's opinion or feelings.[1][2] The halo effect is "the name given to the phenomenon whereby evaluators tend to be influenced by their previous judgments of performance or personality."[3] The halo effect is a cognitive bias which can prevent someone from forming an image of a person, a product or a brand based on the sum of all objective circumstances at hand."
I certainly hope that the Chinese leadership is saner than US/ Israel, etc. people that I know who have traveled to China have spoken only positively. I’ve only been to Hong Kong. I really am weary of the stupidity of US Foreign Policy, the harm the military/ Presidents do to humans and the environment for some billionaires gain.
Not to mention the massive lying psyop re Ukraine.
Which has worked well. I find it sad that people who are good on Gaza often buy into the propaganda about Ukraine, and think it is all because of that "evil Putin".
Me too. Such a useless waste of lives and resources.
This guy is great in Ukraine too. https://www.facebook.com/share/1QKbYbrH2P/?mibextid=wwXIfr
I can’t not read your posts, dear Caitlin.
But I also cannot help feeling like a psychological slave of the "supremacy of American global capitalism", trapped in the vicious and viscous glue of its perpetual stream of advertising lies. It’s the endless lying that seems to drive, to perpetuate, everything else.
If when your life sucks, the solution is to Shop Now, something in the society's ethos is very twisted. Of course folks are primed to believe lies about any supposed economic enemy of America. What a crock.
As Joseph Goebel said If you tell a lie often enough eventually people will believe it's true.
Of course they'll lie. They're manufacturing consensus. It's more difficult for them today. I recall what you wrote about how we can all be journalists with our cellphones. Damn, this might be the greatest thing since the printing press!
It's the American way, now endemic. Lie, cheat, steal (Panama, Greenland), make war -- all signs of a once-potential great credit to civilization, now thoroughly Zionized and Benjamin-babied.... All symptoms, in one way or another, of a floundering, flailing, failing 'state'/empire that doesn't deserve any more life.
Thanks, Caitlin!
Viva Palestine! Viva Yemen! Viva China! (and Viva Iran!)
You forgot Russia.
The plan is to pick off the countries resisting the Empire one by one, starting with the weakest.
Not working very well, eh? Afghanistan, Yemen...
But they won Grenada
It's working just fine. Afghanistan was abandoned because it wasn't worth it. Yemen has defacto admitted defeat
https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/houthi-united-states-strikes-gaza-blockade-israel-shipping
I read the headline, and that’s not admitting defeat. Yemen will stop if Trump stops the bombing *of Palestine*. Yemen is being consistent.
"A senior leader of Ansar Allah, commonly known as the Houthis, told Drop Site News that if the U.S. ends its campaign of air strikes against Yemen, Houthi forces will commit to halting all attacks on U.S. ships in the region."
I read the headline. That’s not what it said.
I furnished a direct quote from the article.
When this country moves daily into expansive lies about another country, I make sure to go there and see for myself, not because I don't already know they are lying, but to tell other people, who do sponge up propaganda, the reality. Headed to China soon. Caitlin, you are amazing in your ability to pinpoint clearly the depths of the evils perpetuated by the US and its sycophants.
China is a beautiful and amazing country. I hope to get back one day.
Same. ENJOY, trip to China... and travel out a little; but go to Russian and Iran as well - you will be amazed regards friendship ofthe people, culture, heritage, history, "service", security... everything. Enjoy !.
I think I'm repeating here, maybe not. I have been to Russia and Iran and loved them both. If I could live anywhere else, it would be St. Petersburg, the most beautiful city I've ever seen. People in all countries have been warm and welcoming, except Israel. The people I loved there were Palestinians who were warm and welcoming, not the Jews who were cold and arrogant. It was so odd. I have close Jewish friends here in the States whom I love and they are not like Israelis. All the best. Rob
Israel -the only country where I was strip-searched on entering (with a Jewish girl-friend). I'm Scottish
AGREED. But for me, replace "The" Lebanon with Palestine (as I have never visited the Country Palestine) yet. But Christ, they can talk hey ? ... lol. They reminded me of the Spanish ... ffs; I just wanted to eat my glorious food; they made and plated for me... !!!
PS Repeats are good for me at my age, so keep them up.
If you really want to learn about the REAL China (and not the pro-China propaganda that many in Caitlin's substack seem to be susceptible to), visit non-tourist places, North-East China, North West China, non-major cities, and more.
Here are some provinces that might counteract your illusions (and narratives) about China -> Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Gansu, and Qinghai.
Most people that go to China never see the REAL China but only parts of it - the touristy and major cities (and whatever else the Govt. allows).
You'll be surprised by what you find out if you are allowed (and manage) to go spend some time in any of the above provinces that I listed.
I spent several weeks in Liaoning in the North East - had an amazing time and the people there could not have been more friendly. I'd visit again in a heartbeat if I got a chance. Far rather visit China than the US: despite China constantly being painted as an enemy force of terrible evil, they haven't been constantly starting wars or colonising the world with military installations. The US government and its backers are the world's aggressor and the decades long propaganda campaign to paint the US as the 'good guys' in any situation is running out of steam.
I agree on EVERYTHING you say about the U.S.
My point is that most people (in the West) are in two camps about China -> those that have bought U.S. anti-China propaganda, and those that have bought Chinese pro-China propaganda. And that is the problem - this black-and-white thinking. There is a decided lack of nuance and objective thinking when it comes to analyzing geopolitics.
In terms of what you say about "traveling to China" -> it is one thing/experience to travel and visit the many places I mentioned, but it is quite another to actually live your whole life in many of those provinces. Western audiences rarely get to experience (or hear about) these other regions in China and how challenging (and different) life has been for many there (in comparison to life in the largest cities of China and Southern China).
China is a vast country with a huge range of different geographical (and cultural) conditions and people. It is not as homogeneous as many in the West imagine.
Absolutely. I have relatives who have lived (happily!) in China for many years. They are based in Liaoning so I know that area the best, but I've visited Beijing, Sichuan, Guangzhong and Hainan too. They are distinct in terms of culture and lifestyle from my experience and all very far from the western perception of state oppression and uniformity. Chinese communism is much more free market in the modern era with many industrialists and innovative companies that aren't state controlled while in the US we're constantly told it's the beacon of freedom and free markets while free speech is being repressed, the military is used to protect corporate assets overseas making them wards of the state in effect, and now the state is setting up protectionist economic policies (so not a free market at all), while discussing imprisoning citizens overseas for holding the wrong opinions about government policies. The polarity has reversed!!
PS: I'm not saying that the Chinese government has no issues in terms of human rights in some cases, but these seem to me to be far less substantial than those of the 'west' i.e. the US and its vasal states like the UK. Obviously our media absolves these of obvious crimes against humanity by massaging the narrative that these crimes are necessary for the greater good. Who's good exactly is never established...
Completely agree with you!
For anyone wanting to know more about China, I would suggest Li Jingjing. She has both a Substack and a You tube channel, which among other things has some interesting travel videos around China. Her trips to Xinjiang totally demolish Amerikan propaganda.
Ben Norton, CEO and founder of Geopolitical Economy Report, is my favorite economist and now lives in China. He's brilliant. I think you would think so, too. I find him on YouTube and read him in articles.
BTW, I have listened to many people who've moved to Russia (my favorite country), and no matter where they came from, they all say it's wonderful to have freedom to speak there, and how safe they feel, and how happy their kids are. St. Petersburg is where I'd go, most beautiful city I've ever seen, and spotless.
Ben Norton has been a guest on Jingjings' You Tube several times and that led me to GER.
There's also a Kiwi journo Andy Boreham who lives in Shanghai who has a You Tube channel reporting on China.
Could you send a link please... I am old and like it easy.
The only alternative for the United States to all this is to give up empire, and they will not do that.
I do not think you have a "real" empire; but just the military arm of the British (English) Empire ... who changed from a hard to soft power, as we stood up and fought against it years back. OH I LOT LIKE TODAY with the globalist scum hopefully.