Written by The Saker; Originally appeared at The Unz Review
There have been major developments this week, all of them bad, including Putin re-nominating Medvedev as his Prime Minister, and Bibi Netanyahu invited to Moscow to the Victory Day Parade in spite of him bombing Syria, a Russian ally, just on the eve of his visit. Once in Moscow, Netanyahu compared Iran to, what else, Nazi Germany. How original and profound indeed! Then he proceeded to order the bombing of Syria for a second time, while still in Moscow. But then, what can we expect from a self-worshiping narcissist who finds it appropriate to serve food to the Japanese Prime Minister in a specially made shoe? The man is clearly batshit crazy (which in no way makes him less evil or dangerous). But it is the Russian reaction which is so totally disgusting: nothing, absolutely nothing. Unlike others, I have clearly said that it is not the Russian responsibility to “protect” Syria (or Iran) from the Israelis. But there is no doubt in my mind that Netanyahu has just publicly thumbed his nose at Putin and that Putin took it. For all my respect for Putin, this time he allowed Netanyahu to treat him just like Trump treated Macron. Except that in the case of Putin, he was so treated in his own capital. That makes it even worse.
[Interestingly, while whining about “Nazi Iran” Netanyahu did say something truly profound and true. He said “an important history lesson: when a murderous ideology emerges, one has to push back against it before it is too late”.That is indeed exactly what most people across the world feel about Israel and its Zionist ideology but, alas, their voice is completely ignored by those who rule over them. So yes, it sure looks to me like it is becoming “too late” and that the consequences for our collective cowardice – most of us are absolutely terrified from speaking the plain truth about our Zionist overlords – will cost us all a terrible price.]
Then, of course, there is Donald Trump pulling out of the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in spite of Iran’s full compliance and in spite of the fact that the USA does not have the authority to unilaterally withdraw from this multilateral agreement. But being the megalomaniac that he is, and not to mention the spineless lackey of the Israel Lobby, Trump ignored all that and thereby created further tensions between the USA and the rest of the world whom the US will now blackmail and bully to try to force it to support the USA in its rabid subservience to Israel. As for the Israelis, their “sophisticated” “strategy” is primitive to the extreme: first get Trump to create maximal tensions with Iran, then attack the Iranians in Syria as visibly and arrogantly as possible, bait the Iranians into a retaliation, then bellow “OI VEY!!!” with your loudest voice, mention the Holocaust once or twice, toss in a “6 million people” figure, and get the USA to attack Syria.
How anybody can respect, nevermind admire, the Israelis is simply beyond comprehension. I sure can’t think of a more contemptible, nasty, psychopathic gang of megalomanical thugs (and cowards) than the Israelis. Can you?
Nonetheless, it appears undeniable that the Zionists have enough power to simultaneously force not one, but two (supposed) superpowers to cave into their demands. Not only that, they have the power to do that while also putting these two superpowers on a collision course against each other. At the very least, this shows two things: the United States have now completely lost sovereignty and are now an Israeli protectorate. As for Russia, well, she is doing comparatively better, but the full re-sovereignization the Russian people have voted for when they gave their overwhelming support to Putin will not happen. A comment I read on a Russian chat put it: “Путин кинул народ – мы не за Медведева голосовали” or “Putin betrayed the people – we did not vote for Medvedev”. I am not sure that “betrayed the people” is fair, but the fact that he has disappointed a lot of people is, I think, simply undeniable.
It is still way too early to reach any conclusions at this point, and there are still way too many unknown variables, but I will admit that I am very worried and that for the first time in 4 years I am having major doubts about a fundamental policy decision by Putin. I sure hope that I am wrong. We will find out relatively soon. I just hope that this will not be in the form of a major war.
In the meantime, I want to refocus on the Skripal case. There is one outright bizarre thing which I initially dismissed, but which really is becoming disturbing: the fact that the Brits are apparently holding Sergei and Iulia Skripal incommunicado. In other words, they have been kidnapped.
There was this one single telephone call between Iulia Skripal and her sister, Victoria, in which Iulia said that she was okay (she was clearly trying to reassure Victoria) but it was clear that she could not speak freely. Furthermore, when Victoria mentioned that she would want to visit Iulia, the latter reply ‘nobody will give you a visa’. After that – full silence. The Russian consulate has been making countless requests to have a visit, but all that the Brits have done since is have Scotland Yard post a letter which was evidently not written by Iulia and which said “I have access to friends and family, and I have been made aware of my specific contacts at the Russian Embassy who have kindly offered me their assistance in any way they can. At the moment I do not wish to avail myself of their services, but, if I change my mind I know how to contact them”. What friends?! What family?! Nonsense!
Her sister tried to contact her many times through various channels, including official ones, and then in total despair, she posted the following message on Facebook:
“My darling sister, Yulia! You are not communicating with us, and we don’t know anything about you and Sergey Victorivich. I know that I have no right to interfere in your affairs without asking your permission, but I worry too much. I worry about you and your dad. I also worry about Nuar. [Nuar is Yulia Skrial’s dog, whom she left to stay at a kennel center, while she was traveling to the UK.] He is now at the dog hotel, and they want to get paid. We have to decide something what to do with him. I am ready to take him and to take care of him until you come back home. Besides Nuar, I am concerned about your apartment and your car. Nothing has been decided about their safety and maintenance. We can help with all that, but I need your power of attorney in my or my sister Lena’s name. If you think that all of these is important, draw up a power of attorney form in a Russian consulate in any country. If you won’t do that, we will understand and won’t interfere in your affairs.
Vika“
No reply ever came.
I just entered the following query into Google: “Skripal”. April 10th has an entry saying that she was released from the hospital. That is the most recent one I have found. I looked on Wikipedia, the same thing, there is nothing at all.
I have to admit that when I first heard the Russian complaints I figured that this was no big deal. I thought “the Brits told the Skripals that Putin tried to poison them, they are probably afraid, and possibly still sick from whatever it is which made them sick, but the Brits would never outright kidnap two foreign citizens, and most definitely not in such a public way”.
I am not so sure anymore.
First, let’s get the obvious one out of the way: the fear for the security of the Skripals. That is utter nonsense. The Brits can organize a meeting between а Russian diplomat in the UK at a highly protected UK facility, with tanks, SAS Teams on the standby, helicopters in the air, bombers, etc. That Russian diplomat could speak to them through bullet-proof glass and a phone. And, since the Russians are all so dangerous, he can be searched for weapons. All which the Skripals need to do is to tell him/her “thank you, your services are not needed”. Conversation over. But the Brits refuse even that.
But let’s say that the Skripals are so totally terrified of the evil Russians, that they categorically refuse. Even by video-conference. It would be traumatic for them, right? Okay.
What about a press conference then?
Even more disturbing is that, at least to my knowledge, nobody in the western corporate media is asking for an interview with them. Snowden can safely speak from Russia and address even large conferences, but the Skripals can’t speak to anybody at all?
But here is the worst part of this: it has been two months already since the Skripals are held in total secrecy by the UK authorities. Two months, that is 60 days. Ask any specialist on interrogation or any psychologist what kind of effect 60 days of “specialized treatment” can do to a person.
I am not dismissing the Russian statements about “kidnapping” anymore. What I see is this: on substance, the Skripal false flag has crashed and burned, just like MH17 or the Douma chemical attack, but unlike MH17 or Douma, the Skripals are two witnesses whose testimony has the potential to result in a gigantic scandal, not just for the May government, but for all those spineless Europeans who showed “solidarity” with Britain. In other words, the Skripals will probably never be allowed to speak freely: they must either be killed or totally brainwashed or disappeared. Any other option would result in a scandal of planetary magnitude.
I can’t pretend like my heart goes out to Sergei Skripal: the man was an officer who gave an oath and who then betrayed his country to the British (he was a British agent, not a Russian one as the press writes). Those holding him today are his former bosses. But Iulia? She is completely innocent and as of April 5th (when she called her sister Victoria), she was clearly in good health and with a clear mind. Now she has been disappeared and I don’t know which is worse, the fact that she might never reappear or that she might one day reappear following months of British “counseling”. As for her father, he paid for his betrayal and he too deserves a better fate than being poisoned, used and then disappeared.
In the big scheme of things (the Zionists war against our entire planet), two individuals like Sergei and Iulia Skripal might not matter. But I think that the least we can do is to remember them and their plight.
This also begs the question of what kind of society we live in. I am not shocked by the fact that the British state would resort to such methods (they have always used them). I am shocked that in a so-called western “democracy” with freedom, pluralism and “European values” (whatever that means) the Brits could get away with this.
How about some “solidarity” with the Skripals – you, Europeans?!
The SKRIPALS Look Like They Have Been KIDNAPPED By ..UK AUTHORITIES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g4d0SC-KDQ
Check this out as further evidence. We know that always and especially on 9 May, our veterans are treated like holy treasure. This video is a major head scratcher because they are obviously hiding the fact that the “presidential guard” was a Mossad agent who came as part of satanyahoo’s contingent and what does he do? He SHOVES A WAR VETERAN! Putin sees it and goes over to the man and invites him to walk beside him while satanyahoo looks majorly pissed off.
WTF?????
putin is beloved only by brainwashed shits :D
He is not beloved, he is respected
Wow I wonder how they brainwashed me. I even had a US security clearance. FBI check. But I haven’t watched any TV for like 25 years. I don’t drink or do drugs so no waking up not remembering the previous night. All in all I love Putin and would fight to the death for him. As for you craptor, you have never made a single comment that seemed rational. Just like the MSM, lots of bravado, arrogance, but kinda like smacking the hell out of a big broken bell, it doesn’t ring true, just a dull thud craptor, out of tune, unwanted, useless, irritating, not even worth transporting to a scrap yard. Just rusting away, unheard.
Mossad garbage, you are not in Palestine and that is not a Palestinian!!!!!!!!!
obviously you looking the situation from the point of view as it is a bar brawl what is happening and not as a global war, one Russia wants to avoid. As for you thinking Medvedev as an atlantist as you keep referring to him among with few other parrots, means to me that you have an agenda that is in conflict with what you trying to preach here.
As for the scripals who really give a sh*t? Convenient paid expendable fools, who played a game for the brits, as the last betrayal against their own country. Maybe you should ask yourself if you do have the ability to understand what is happening rather than keep pushing this agenda?
And I do know what I am talking about been part of many things in Russia and so my family business for centuries so if is one thing I know very well is the major players there and what they stand for, as far their motherland is concerned. To them is not business like everything in west is. Maybe before you consider yourself as an expert and keep writing this western propaganda, to rethink first where you stand. Other wise you are contradicting your self and it is becoming, very obvious.
I have to agree. The more I read Saker’s articles the more I’m asking myself – is it that he doesn’t understand what is actually going on or is it deliberate ignrance? Yes, he’s right about Skripal’s but is it the case of giving 80% truth to push through some lies hoping that it will not be noticed?
russia has shown, it does not keep the word. therefore skripals undergo a program with new identity in another country. of course, they will not give interviews. :D SF blamed itself with this stupd article :(
Is it possible for the Russian Ambassador to the UK to instigate a habeus corpus hearing in a Crown Court? Can the British Government legally ignore that?
There is a mistake in this – bait the Iranians in Syria and get them to retaliate. If you are referring to the strike by the SAA into Golan Heights then that is not Iranians. If you are referring to the strikes by Israel into Syria – it did not target Iranians. Both strikes were between Syria and Israel. Simply because Iran is not in Syria other than a handful of Trainers from the Iranian Army to fight ISIS and Al Qaeda as approved under the Obama Regime. If you remember he even placed Iranians on Qatar to assist the Coalition.
As I see it the Israelis are targeting Liwa Al Quds. Which is a very large Battalion of Palestinians. Many of whom are backing up the SAA in the purge of ISIS from Damascus. Palestinians are not Iranians. Not by a long shot.
If you look at the correct War Map of Syria you will see that the Golan Heights is a threat to Syria and Lebanon. Because it’s where Israel trains ISIS and Al Qaeda. It doesn’t matter how many of them are taken out by the SAA, more pour across the border. Moreover the IDF protects them. Additionally the Golan Heights doesn’t belong to Israel, it belongs to Syria.
The information and statements are relatively easily available about Iranian Army trainers that are in Syria ONLY to assist the training of the SAA. To fight ISIS.
The Israeli bombing of Syria this week is merely a False Flag Event where SAA Army Installations were targeted – some of them successful. A Pantsir System was destroyed along with a Syrian Radar Tracking system. This was simply an Invasion by Israel. They are strategically taking out and targeting the SAA’s ability to defend themselves from Israeli bombings, and additionally I feel that the strike on the Golan Heights of Israel’s bases by the SAA was a test of their own systems of attack and to see what the retaliation was going to be. You have got this so completely WRONG you are merely quoting Netanyahu’s Rhetoric.
It really is no wonder actually that sometimes those involved with the Saker and this Site are accused of Zionism. Sorry I have to point this out. The attack on Syria did not Target Iran in Syria because other than a handful of trainers Iran is not in Syria. So how does the Israeli Strike that took out an SAA Pantsir System and an SAA Radar Tracking device along with warehouses full of ammo for the fight against ISIS, how is that targeting Iran in Syria? I don’t know who wrote this for the Saker and I don’t know why it was published in Unz or on this site when it is so blatantly incorrect and merely Puppets Netanyahu’s lying rhetoric exactly.
you might not realize that there are many more Russians living in israel than in the whole other rest of the Middle East. Yes they might be Jews as well but Russian Orthodox Christians are a main force of tourism in Israel as well…..also, why would the Skripals want to talk to their killers ??
First of all they were not killed. Blood sisters are due at least the respect of a phone call. But you are right there are many Russians living in Israel.
I think Putin will take anything that gets thrown at him as long as it doesn’t really matter.
Did sanctions destroy the Russian economy? No. Is Assad still in power in Syria? Yes. Is the Russian naval facility still there? Yes. Is the West building their Syrian pipeline? No. Did Georgia take Ossetia? No. Did Ukraine keep control of Crimea? No. Has either country become part of the EU? No. Did NATO come into the Donbass? No. Is Russia and China getting closer by the day? Yes. Is the West still economically falling apart? Yes.
Israel can do whatever it wants, as long as it doesn’t actually matter. What it is doing now is showy, but it doesn’t matter. The West is trying to get him to do something in response to their idiocy, but he won’t. NOT UNLESS IT MATTERS.
Is there another case like the Skripals where the powers that be say yeah they are fine, you just can’t talk to them. Even criminals are allowed visitors and interviews. This does seem unprecedented.
Putin seems like a pretty amazing leader. Have watched videos of him speaking, the translations do seem to suffer a bit, but in general he does not seem insane or psychopathic, he chooses his words carefully but does not often seem to be afraid of not knowing or not having an immediate answer, he seems real, not calculated.
There is no other leader who comes close so all this negative talk, including from the Saker who I generally admire, is not moving me to abandon my hopes for a better world. After all who else is there?
It often seems that forums on the internet exist for the sole purpose of tearing down everyone. Given the can of worms Putin inherited, not to mention the increasing desperation of the Empire it seems likely that it’s not all going to be like some heroic Hollywood movie for Putin. I think he is probably man enough to handle some setbacks in a mature way and keep trying to accomplish good things.
As for the Saker I do not know the nature of his illness but do wonder if he might not be safer in Russia than in the US. I generally really like his perspective but this latest is unusually bleak.
well. there is a place named Guantanamo Bay, where such happens since more then 15 years…
That helps my point, do the Russians do this sort of thing, or are they smart enough to keep it out of the news?