Interesting Articles: 2023, mid June

Geopolitics, Taiwan/Ukraine, Media/UK and Assange updates

[Image: the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research’s publication of their 24th newsletter by Vijay Prashad.]

Published: 2023-06-16

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Geopolitics

Prashad provides a lightning summary of the current changes in geopolitics and economics, referring back to the Non-Aligned Movement which came out of Bandung (Indonesia) in 1955 and Belgrade (Yugoslavia) in 1961. The agenda and aspirations have shifted quite dramatically with the current collection of nations not aligning with the West not so much searching for their own independence during the decolonization of the British empire following WWII (to be replaced by the US empire via IMF imposed austerity). The new agenda, partially being signaled by both China and Russia is to "a non-aligned internationalism" represented by a call from BRICS on "strengthening multilateralism and upholding international law, including the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations as its indispensable cornerstone".

Vijay's article is as to be expected, carefully written, historically accurate and a pleasure to read.

The Emergence of a New Non-Alignment: The Twenty-Fourth Newsletter, Vijay Prashad, Tricontinental, 2023-06-15

This latest article by Escobar on China and the SCO's BRI project was the external textual reference for this newsletter's second anniversary post.

How the BRI train took the road to Shangri-La, Pepe Escobar, The Cradle, 2023-06-12

Alistair Crooke describes a movement in political awareness occurring in Europe, where he lives. He partially focuses on Germany and the now mandate-less governing coalition of the SPD and Greens. On the one hand people are becoming aware that governments are actually undermining long fought for stability in industry and thus employment and social welfare, meaning also a cultural stability. Crooke then looks at a related trend in France. Mr. Crooke also documents the media's failure to describe, and thus understand, the social shift which is occurring. Some of these topics were also addressed in the Psycho-Social section of the 2nd anniversary publication.

A Chaotic Re-Sorting: Europe’s ‘Seminal Shift’ Is (Broadly) Moving in the Same Direction as U.S. Politics, Alistair Crooke, Strategic Culture, 2023-06-15

How the Ukraine Russia War is Altering all of Europe - Alastair Crooke fmr Brit ambassador, Napolitano interviews Alistair Crooke, Judging Freedom, 2023-06-15

• The discussion is largely of the above article by Crooke

• Beware, Napolitano is monetizing via embedded Ads for "keep your gun safe". Hence, download and skip. (yt-dlp <url>)

Taiwan/Ukraine

Yet another brilliant article by Prashad, this time dissecting the history of the Laws of the Sea, the US lack of ratification and thus the hypocrisy of their trumpeting of "Freedom of Navigation" as a form of provocative militarism off China's coast.

US Pushing into Troubled Waters with China, Vijay Prashad, Consortium News, 2023-06-09

Colonel Ann Wright looks at the history of the conclusions of wars with a view towards current efforts to find a resolution to the current conflict in Ukraine. In her review she includes a collection of "Do's and Don'ts" as learn from the history of conflict resolution. If you are interested in how this civil war turned international conflict can be resolved this article which brings history into the present awaits your attention.

A History of Ceasefires & Peace in Ukraine, Col. Ann Wright, Consortium News, 2023-06-14

Tony Kevin describes the point of the spear of the five-eyes military intelligence network (USA, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand) being lodged in the side of an editor at Radio New Zealand for actually improving the stinking stream of propaganda which spews from the news wires. The unnamed RNZ editor had the temerity to actually balance the bullshit. Because of this his career is under threat from the propaganda police disinformation warfare unit.

It sends a strong message across the Tasman Sea, from New Zealand to the Australian media world: We watch every word you say and every word you write.

Suspended for Providing Balanced News on Ukraine, (former Australian diplomat) Tony Kevin, Consortium News, 2023-06-13

John Helmer examines an element of the conflict in Ukraine often overlooked, that of the battles on the Black Sea. Repeated Ukrainian attacks against Russian vessels which are guarding the Blue Stream pipeline which delivers 80% of Turkey's gas have been rebuffed, though the danger remains. The strategy is to use a “mosquito fleet concept” wherein hordes of drone boats swarm the larger Russian Naval vessels. One must assume that NATO (read US) intelligence is partly behind these attacks, and thus they serve as a reminder of the US (with assistance from Norway) destruction of the NordStream pipelines.

WAR ON THE BLACK SEA – UKRAINIAN DRONE ATTACKS ON THE IVAN KHURS AND THE PRIAZOVYE, John Helmer, Dances with Bears (his website), 2023-06-15

b. from MoonOfAlabama performs a quick survey of the NATO narrative pushers (e.g sockpuppet accounts of the MI6/77th Brigade/CIA/NED) on Twitter, just for the fun of it.

Astroturfing For More War In Ukraine, b, Moon Of Alabama, 2023-06-14

Media/UK

Jonathan Cook, a former Guardian columnists takes a quick look to document the complete rubbish being issued by ... the BBC as its own “fact checkers” wilfull blindness fails to see their own organisations falsehoods.

The BBC isn't exposing disinformation. It's peddling it, Johnathan Cook, Jonathan Cook, 2023-06-02

Kit Klarenberg provides an overview of the British implementation of the quiet part of the Official Secrets act.

The D-Notice: Very British State Censorship, Kit Klarenberg, Kit’s Newsletter, 2023-06-09

Scott Horton interviews Klarenberg to receive a first hand description of Kit's recent abuse by the UK's Customs and Immigration service (or whatever they're called).

6/8/23 Kit Klarenberg on His Experience Getting Interrogated for Doing Journalism, Scott Horton interviews Kit Klarenberg, The Scott Horton Show, 2023-06-08

• MP3: direct

Assange

Mr. Murray, a long term friend of Mr. Assange and of the Wikileaks organisation, provides yet another excellent article on the state of play for the persecuted, award winning publisher.

Assange: An Unholy Masquerade of Tyranny Disguised as Justice, Craig Murray, Consortium News, 2023-06-15

Tareq Haddad has been one of the few independent journalists who has followed the Assange case for years and attended the court sessions in Britain. He provides a detailed account of the rejection by the British High Court of both cross appeal applications by Mr. Assange's legal team. Beware, the report is accurate and thorough, which means it must become a little long winded during the first half. It is, however, an excellent report for those interested in just how cavalier the British courts can be on a matter as important as this, the freedom of speech and human rights.

Jonathan Swift's Lilliputian Reasoning, Tareq Haddad, Consortium News, 2023-06-11

The excellent Brian Becker interviews Consortium News' Editor-in-Chief Joe Lauria to review the current situatation for Julian Assange.

Why Biden Wants Assange in Jail: Case at the Tipping Point, Brian Becker interviews Joe Lauria, Breakthrough News, 2023-05-14

Sources

In situ, see above.

Culture

With one of the best, and most identifiable bass lines in all of popular muscic …

Come Together (Remastered 2009), The Beatles (from the 1969 album “Abbey Road”), their youtube channel, uploaded 2018-06-17

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