156 Comments

Caitlin, they are nothing more than straight up ghouls. This actually beggars the imagination. To argue for an ongoing conflict that is destroying a country and people in the name of jobs and profit is the absolute nadir of human behavior. It is vile and nauseating and beyond the pale. Exactly what I would expect from the tools of empire.

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See, big government is bad, Very Very Bad, unless we are shoveling money into the Ukrainian black hole, in which case it's a Freedom Investment in a fly by night stock pitch that pays great dividends (but not to you).

Seriously, this is open sociopathy. Our Ukrainian proxies are getting slaughtered in our war of choice, but hey, we can make a buck off of it so who cares?

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The thing is no matter how open they are about anything the public is fine. So if rulers are sociopathic then what is the public?

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I suppose the intended answer is "sociopathic" but most people are not. Most people are clueless and sense their own powerlessness, especially in the face of their more ruthless overlords.

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That *most* are clueless I agree with. Regarding those sensing their own powerlessness there are *many*, but far from *most*. It is the "most" majority who are mindful or mindless accomplices propping their sociopathic rulers.

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I’m totally disgusted with my fellow Americans! How can you be so ignorant? Such disregard for human life and the planet!

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Suggesting your fellow Americans are to blame for the evils of politicians and industry is naive at best, disingenuous at worst. Nobody asked my opinion on going to war, nobody asked the majority of the nation about war. The people have not been "consulted" on any war in my lifetime.

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They don't have to be. The system is set up so they are effectively on board. Rulers don't have to hear from them.

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While that is reality, the propaganda says otherwise leading to the misunderstanding we see in Patricia's post, she is disgusted with the citizens who have zero say in war.

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Zero say, and zero interest.

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that is effective propaganda! the propaganda's job is to make it feel like a mass movement, when in fact it's a fool's errand!

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She thinks they could have, and while true in theory, in practice they don't. Ultimately, though, they are to blame for allowing themselves to become zombies. Many willingly and happily so. Maybe even majority. In that sense they are accomplices and Patricia's point is absolutely valid.

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all the people have to do is live in faux-pearl cultivated sense of douchery and hedonism. go with the flow. sing along: "Friday night...just got paid, money in my pocket..."

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Exactly. And so they're as culpable as their sociopathic rulers.

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newsflash: i suspect the fentanyl-opioid op is excuse to military budgetize our relations with "latin america" as usual. It was budgeted for in the present "gov-shutdown" resolution! All things end up with the military. Is this 1970? PInochet equivalent is in El Salvador. No news on murican progressive tv. nothing changes. not a damn thing. ugly.

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There is no such thing as American progressive TV.

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I didn't vote for war, didn't vote for Biden, and didn't vote for Trump in 2020.

I also won't vote for either Trump or Biden in 2024.

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It took a good long while and lots of effort to dumb down and pacify the American people, but they did get it done. But beyond the mere ignorance, I think Americans by and large don't even pay attention to what they're governments are doing, as long as nothing interferes with the little world they live in day to day. Most don't want to be bothered with international issues as long as they have their phones, their social media, their sports and their Netflix (oh, right, and their cocaine and weed). Only a small group of people pay attention; that's why it's so hard to get ordinary people to understand what's going on around the world. They aren't interested. Talk to the hand.

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Humanb LIfe? Planet? Canadians (God Foribid! Not them too!) just torched 40mn acres of Boreal Forest in synced subsidy give-away to Candian miners hunting for EV battery minerals to feed into Biden's EV manufacturing subsidies. It's called the "Critical Minerals Policy". it passed, and fires began:

1)https://e360.yale.edu/features/canada-critical-minerals-mining

2) http://archive.today/AfLUY (WSJ article).

Did you hear any peep from Greta Thuneberg? anyone? 'Course not! It's ONE BIG PARTY! Money is being given away and you ain't invited! Burn baby Burn! Disco Inferno! So Green! Musk Nazis.

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Caitlin - this comment is an example of the dangerous paranoid conspiracy theory Bullshit lies that you need to respond to. I see many examples of this garbage among your readers. Such garbage comes with the territory of your mode of radical criticism, so you need to take responsibility and respond to it.

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*The propaganda only becomes more brazen as populations become more passive.

*When history is driven by propaganda and not the facts of history we are all in grave danger.

*People of the West are in a ghetto of lies and treasons they aren't even aware of.

* WW ll could become to be a minor skirmish compared to where this is headed.

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Not only because of war, either. Humanity is facing multiple environmental crises--climate change, biodiversity loss, plastic pollution--and a chief reason we are not seriously addressing these crises is that the US military: itself has a huge carbon footprint; wastes unconscionable amounts of money, personnel and materiel; and is the enforcement arm for the plundering necessary to feed the hyper-destructive consumerism, and for defending capitalism against--life. Human and otherwise, capitalism is killing us all and any attempts at reining it in--phasing out fossil fuels or toxic pesticides or plastic proliferation--is stamped out via lobbying but if that doesn't suffice there is military backup. I mean, why are Australia and the EU allowing the US to impose military alliances that are clearly disadvantageous to Australia and the EU?

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Exactly and I wonder if those in power have already given up and hired their transport to their luxury bunkers to stand-by and the 'deplorables' (I will never forgive that disgusting woman for saying this! Not that anybody cares what I think) can ROAST in the hell they left behind for us!

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No offense but you should seriously consider counseling for your strange ideas.

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I assume this is a joke?

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Just a small comment on the Wall Street Journal article...........

"“Populists of the right and left attack U.S. companies that make weapons. Who do they think protects us?”,

Do you, Wall Street Journal and other like-minded Americans need protection from little children? No!

Who, then?

So after killing 20,000 in Laos by using cluster bombs, (still killing in Laos today as well), mainly children, all civilians, you are now approving sending them in quantity to Ukraine. Even being considered in the Congress right now after Feeble Biden said he would supply them to his proxy commander Zelensky to keep him going for a while longer. NATO? Do you agree with this?

Let's think on that for a second

The President of the United States has approved the use of cluster bombs in heavily populated Ukraine even based on the history of deaths of little kids, 20,000 as I have stated above.

Have I got that right? They are clearly made for a civilian target. History has proven that.

. Your Congress will approve it. Should we check Biden's share portfolio for signs of BlackRock and Wall Street shares. How can any person, anywhere fail to see that this is a crime against humanity?

Impeach the criminal. NOW..

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The problem, Contrarian 33, is where to begin - they are all war criminals.

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Or better still......lets spread a truckload around the grounds of the White House, and make it the final resting place for demented politicians, US variety.

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All the money being spent, all the MSM organized lies to deceive the public - all the Ukrainian bodies ripped to shreds - all the Ukrainian mothers who will never see their sons again. All the Russian mother's who also will never see their sons.

All the obscene amount of money and resources spent on war - on humans killing other human beings. And one wonders - if all this effort had been made to do something better, something good for the planet or humankind itself - but instead, we have this - endless bloodshed sponsored by endless lies by the shithead leaders of humanity.

I don't know what more to say. One is left speechless at the mindless stupidity and horror of it all. I am reminded of something E.D. once wrote to Joseph Sweetser: "I cannot always see the light - please tell me if it shines.

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The answer lies outside our 5 senses.

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The only thing which could possibly give meaning to the hell we live in right now. But maybe that's all it is - reality is simply hell. Maybe the nihilists have been right all along.

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It’s my experience that if you want to be the life of the party, it’s best to downplay the part about how we are all actually living in hell. OTH, who really wants to be the life of this party?

When I first ran the thought experiment that “the world is evil”, I assumed it would lead to the worst type of pessimism and to nihilism (as that word is commonly used). But in fact, it did the opposite—all of history, religion, politics and economics suddenly made perfect sense...as grand deception. Once you start taking that perspective seriously, you can cut through the fake optimism and hopium that is driven into us and set about figuring out how to really deal with the world we have rather than with the promised one that's always kept just beyond reach. Obviously, the gnostics were on to something, which is why they've been rubbed out and memory holed by the orthodox and the imperialists throughout recorded history.

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The meaning of life, to survive, dominant in the environment of our peers, and to propagate. This is what all Flora and fauna do. Humans are no different, regardless of our level of perceived consciousness. The most ruthless will naturally rise to the top. Mix in some greed, you have current society.

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Indeed. If we're to buy the survival of the fittest then all is going according to plan.

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Not really. "Fitness" is usually interpreted as dominating others but if you look at the real world the most helpful species are the most successful, like trees and grasses, fungi worms and bacteria. That's what real fitness is.

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Right, let's twist it so it looks beautiful. Trees when they cast too much shade on shorter ones cut themselves down so those others can catch the sun. Or did the shorter ones end up moving away from the taller? Since they couldn't get the taller ones to "help"?

And I'm not even starting with humans. The helpful kind indeed up and until it suits them. Then the killing starts for the fittest to remain. How is that not fitness?

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I have made this exact argument here many times, humans are biological creatures driven by the same parameters as other biological creatures. Most recently the idea that human competition is something that can be controlled or eliminated. Every species from bacteria to humans and beyond are in competition with each other, it is a fundamental part of biological survival. It cannot be eliminated or suppressed without doing damage to the species.

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Do colours on a canvas compete to be the most important or prominent one. I haven't seen a painting of that one could call beautiful to resemble that kind of notion nor anything else in GOD ALMIGHTY'S CREATION for sake of completeness that resembles beauty in any shape or form. Look at modern architecture, 'art', 'music' (from hell) ... and think about it what is the most fundamental commonality that has changed determining the outcomes of mentioned aspects of life between 1500 - today... think about you WILL be surprised at first and then it will make so much more sense what is happening before our very own eyes.

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Let me also remind you that religions throughout history have competed with each other, usually resulting in a holy war.

You make a reference to almighty god but which one ? There have been so many almighty gods throughout history that its hard to know which one you refer too.

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"Do colours on a canvas compete to be the most important or prominent one."

Which Geico commercial is this from?

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No, you spout socio-biology and social Darwinist garbage.

Humans have consciousness which gives rise to moral responsibility.

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"The most ruthless will naturally rise to the top. Mix in some greed, you have current society." ... which are the birth pangs of THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ... whether someone believes it or not. THE TRUTH is existence not non-existence. Which is why wo/man are made in THE IMAGE OF GOD ALMIGHTY!

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Ecological and evolutionary science show dynamics and many examples of co-operation and mutualism.

Your ideas of "dominance" are anti-science and reflect a 19th century social darwinism, tainted by 20th century socio-biology and eugenics. Please stop.

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And to think Zelensky was elected on a platform of peace.

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Just goes to show most Ukrainians didn't want this war any more than most Americans did. I sure don't remember being asked to vote for whether or not to commit an act of war against Germany by blowing up the Nordstream pipeline.

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A fundamental problem with representative democracy.

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Generals gathered in their masses

Just like witches at black masses

Evil minds that plot destruction

Sorcerer of death's construction

-black sabbath

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Blood for monetary profits, that is a deal with the devil.

As far as Wall Street goes, they will not be happy until own everything, including death.

For the finale: The U.S.A. has the most expensive army in the world, who gets its butt kick by goat herders. What a grand bargain!

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The Phoenician/Canaanite Baal's children sacrifice all over again ... under the 'perfect' disguise of 'saving' humanity...

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War is good business. Invest your children.

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Weapons are very expensive to make, so money must be paid to those who do the work of making them. That money flows into the economy. But there is no product to meet it; you can't buy an Abrams tank with your tax money, although you paid for it. Therefore, the value of the money goes down and we observe -- and suffer from -- significant inflation. This, among other things, is among the reasons why imperialism leads to national ruin. Sometimes there is an appearance of prosperity, but it is based on the expansion of unsecured debt. The bill will have to be paid, or the consequences of bankruptcy suffered.

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There is no "tax money" ALL there is THE ILLUSION one usually calls 'money' which effectively is FIAT CURRENCY printed out of thin air as NO-ONE can create something out of nothing, except GOD ALMIGHTY - CREATOR OF ALL EXISTENCE ... EVERYTHING ELSE is THE CULT OF LIES - THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN ... with all its different MACHINATIONS and DECEPTIONS!

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Sad irony: once we go electronic only, we'll long for the relative anonymity of that fiat paper.

For those who do not understand, 3 minute read explains the larceny that fiat paper is.

https://etherzone.com/a-most-basic-lesson-in-money-a-most-basic-lesson-in-larceny/

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Let me clarify for all that come across this comment and get away with the notion that FIAT CURRENCY has anything to do with paper ... it has not. Historically speaking one could have the impression - to say it lightly - but as the screws are being tightened due to panic over losing the precious control - it BELIEVED it has/had - by the headquarters of THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN and new tools available this notion is completely misplaced. FIAT CURRENCY is 'printed' out of 'thin air' be it paper or digits on a ledger. Haven't read the article yet!

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I believe you will find the article worth your time. Share it, we need to awaken others to what God calls an abomination, dishonest scales.

When I mention longing for the anonynimity of paper dollars, contract that with even current electronic dollars ehich sre a trail your / our spending.

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I certainly - at times - share your concern. Once I am given pause from worldly matters this concern subsides under the umbrella of GOD ALMIGHTY knowing that A DIVIDED KINGDOM is a kingdom that will not stand ... the world will pass away but THE WORD OF JESUS CHRIST IS GOING TO STAND ETERNALLY!

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Rereading your comment I must add, don't let THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN draw your attention to THE IMAGE - our fellow travelers - as we don't know anything but that GOD ALMIGHTY is taking care of those SERVING HIM.

I certainly admit it is more than difficult to distinguish between one or the other - which is why THE SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN has so easily diverted 'our' attention away from GOD ALMIGHTY - as only GOD ALMIGHTY knows what is best HE also knows our LIMITATIONS in within HIS CREATION. HE knows that we have only two hands, two eyes.... as long as we admit to HIM that our observations sadden our heart as we are unable to change it based on our limitations. The opposite is true as well that as long as we give a hand to one of our fellow travelers and doing it with a kind heart everything is fine. Equally whenever we act opposite of what we realise we should have done and recognise it as a missed opportunity HE will certainly accept our confession and repentance as long as we accept HIS WISDOM - the consequences HE SEES FIT!

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That's right. There is big inflation with every big war. WW II, Vietnam.... After Vietnam inflation was made profitable for big business, which then pursued such with great vigor.

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I understand that from the point of view of the political leadership and other bigdeals, that what we usually call money is simply a useful fiction. However, from the point of view of working people and their dependents, who have to work to get it, it's allowed to behave in a real enough manner. If China goes to war, then the price of eggs in China goes up. If the US spend hundreds of billions of dollars on hardware for the Russians to blow up in Ukraine, the value, however fictional, of that funny money still has to be taken from the US either in the form of their labor or their savings or entitlements. (Unless it can be stolen, as in Syria.) I am surprised I have to explain this. Yes, the money is fiction, but force makes it real enough for the lower orders.

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EVERYONE - individually - has its own path to walk. But THE TRUTH we all have in common no matter whether someone believes it or not. Those believing in FIAT CURRENCY - Baal in disguise - are going to have a rude awakening not matter how knowledgeable they believe to be about Baal. Your comment misses the point despite all the correctly mentioned properties and dynamics within the system - which is simply a testimony to the CLEVERNESS and thereby DIABOLICAL NATURE of those having concocted it and nurtured the notion within THE MAJORITY that NOTHING exists outside their SYNAGOGUE OF LIES!

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I think you missed the part where US fiat currency was being held by almost all nations as the reserve currency there by exporting US inflation to the rest of the world. Over the last 5 or 6 decades the US could print as much as it wanted while maintaining low inflation at home as the reserve currency. Many times massive printing in the US resulted in a stronger dollar as it devalued the local currency of those nations holding dollars. It was truly a masterful move to export our inflation. That game is nearly over with now as American politicians and power brokers are so arrogant they think they can rule the world through the dollar.

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Yes, I was limiting my observation to the general fate of empires. I left a number of things out. My view sort of follows that of Paul Kennedy, an actual scholar. It is certainly noticeable that of the modern states who followed the imperial path, most came to moral and physical bankruptcy if not utter ruin and destruction. As for the United States, I said something like "We can now almost write the history of the future." The longer the downfall is held off, the more severe it will be.

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Those who do not listen to old rock and roll are doomed to repeat it:

https://youtu.be/ws0DLWApHko?feature=shared

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The irony is that weapons is a business with a negative ROI for the public.

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in a relentlessly capitalist society, moral behavior is not even a consideration and the general public unquestioningly accepts the premise that profit is the ultimate justification for anything.

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Thats a truly simplistic analysis, suggesting that moral behavior is even a consideration of the operation of any government is naive. Morality is relative when its application is inconvenient.

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beyond sick... insane...

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What wasn't mentioned is the fact that a lot of the money confiscated from the public, and going to the arms industry, is then used to support politicians' campaigns and other corrupt purposes.

Or the huge percentage of the arms and munitions surfacing in the illicit arms trade and helping the cartels and organised crime against the very citizens who paid for them!

The system is hopelessly corrupt.

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“War is a racket” - Smedley Butler.

Also- “Being an enemy of the US is dangerous, being it’s friend is deadly”

Zelensky best beware- the second that this war is no longer “politically convenient” for The West, he instantly becomes very expendable.

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Seems to me that happened about a month ago.

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To be more precise... it's when he realised his fate ... further down the line (of time 😉) as he can still be quite useful to the powers to be for the moment...

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I figured as soon as the stock of obsolete weapons ran out the tide would turn. That happened a month ago. That's why they sent cluster munitions : they ran out of everything else, and nobody else wants them.

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The tide turned the day Russia invaded, the propaganda turned the day the old munitions ran out.

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They can leave the cluster munitions around in Ukraine for Ukrainians and Russians, including children, to stumble upon -- from the point of view of the "West" I suppose it's a double payoff.

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Look at it as the fruits of the spirit that is driving it in order not to be caught up in the same mindset!

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Zelensky family has ENOUGH money to go ANYWHERE, unfortunately that would not solve anything. The rabid attack dogs are still all in place, so the 'forever' war can go on ...

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The US defense industry designs weapons to line pockets instead of winning as is proven in Ukro-Nazistan. The US military doesn't exist to defend us but for profit to enrich the Oligarchs.

I keep repeating myself like I repeat "We live in a Narrative Matrix controlled by Plutocratic and military Institutions who have created an ILLUSION of democracy." and "Who controls the Narrative controls the World." Wink wink.

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How dumb do you have to be? "That money is going to America,..." until the industry is done setting up the production lines in Ukraine. Then all of those 'awesome' defense tools are being built else where. I means sure, that money is still going to America... into the bank accounts of the owner class. The rest will be on the street wondering what to buy their next meal with.

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Get dumb enough and you can be in Congress.

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