I have to say that I fully agree with every word Dmitry Orlov says. I highly recommend this interview with him!
The Saker
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I haven’t listened to the interview yet, but I’ve just read Orlov’s latest essay published today and it’s utterly brilliant. One of his best pieces ever. Long and extremely readable – you never want it to end.
He’s talking about how Russia would actually fight the US, if it came to that. It happens on US soil, and it avoids nuclear weapons from either side. The US is incredibly vulnerable, and Orlov details some of the many ways to bring it to its knees, with it being powerless to respond – and keeping diplomatic channels fully open for what’s left of the deep state to sue for peace.
Orlov says nothing that doesn’t strike a chord of complete reality with us. He’s talking about the Russia we know, and the US we know. It all makes sense. Never again, he says, will Russia suffer the losses of the last war by fighting on its own territory. Any serious war must be fought on the enemy’s territory.
It’s a wonderful read, and the most hopeful thing I’ve read for ages. Highly, highly recommend:
A Thousand Balls of Flame
The author shouldn’t say “russian jews” he should say “russian israelis” or “israelis of russian origin”. People who are citizens of Russia are just that — russians. He is a nationalist, and he cares about genetics too much in my personal opinion.
Anyway at the end of the day I enjoyed this article, it’s an refreshing analysis.
Excellent as always from Dimitry Orlov,
Every now and then he writes a piece that is so incisive and sums up the reality of the whole situation so clearly. Thank you.
A must read – if you can’t listen.
Orlov and the Saker are two Russian ex-pats writing some of the best analyses on world politics in English these days. Scott, also. This unique phenomenon continues to be a joy to witness.
This one from D Orlov also a MUST read….5 stars.Enjoy.
A Thousand Balls of Flame
“Russia is ready to respond to any provocation, but the last thing the Russians want is another war. And that, if you like good news, is the best news you are going to hear.”
A whiff of World War III hangs in the air. In the US, Cold War 2.0 is on, and the anti-Russian rhetoric emanating from the Clinton campaign, echoed by the mass media, hearkens back to McCarthyism and the red scare. In response, many people are starting to think that Armageddon might be nigh—an all-out nuclear exchange, followed by nuclear winter and human extinction. It seems that many people in the US like to think that way. Goodness gracious!
But, you know, this is hardly unreasonable of them. The US is spiraling down into financial, economic and political collapse, losing its standing in the world and turning into a continent-sized ghetto full of drug abuse, violence and decaying infrastructure, its population vice-ridden, poisoned with genetically modified food, morbidly obese, exploited by predatory police departments and city halls, plus a wide assortment of rackets, from medicine to education to real estate… That we know..
http://cluborlov.blogspot.be/2016/08/a-thousand-balls-of-flame.html
Should be forwarded to Hitlery as well,maybe she will finally get ‘the message’ that she has no chance against Russia?
Cogent, rational, specific, clear/
And will be ignored by almost everyone.
I really take exception to Orlov saying how nuclear war will never happen. How the American Military Industrial Complex, MIC, is just sabre rattling to justify their budgets. I disagree. His argument on the one hand makes total logical sense. Yet, earlier in the interview he talks about how those people in the State Dept., etc… are completely insane. Yes, it does not make any sense to potentially provoke a nuclear war… unless you are insane.
Who could have predicted what they did in Ukraine. And then the coup attempt in Turkey. Look how recklessly the MIC is acting. They could provoke a nuclear attack and then when they are in their bunkers they will be, OOOPPSSS! Yeah, a little too late, though. The MIC is acting more irrationally and even the Israelis have something called the “Sampson option.“ That is where they nuke everyone even if it provokes their own destruction. Some people would rather die than to be humiliated. Under Hitlery the crazies will have a free hand and they will take the provocations to the next level.
And all this talk about how America`s military is junk is wishful thinking. Based on how much the MIC spends they are certainly not getting full value, but don`t think for a moment they don`t have some super weapons in the Nevada desert that is better than anything on this planet. Where is Russia`s space plane? The MIC has at least two, and one is in orbit at all times. WIth potential “rods of god“ ready to fall. Orlov is saying these things to make themselves feel better and reassured. Russia will bloody the West. Maybe even horribly. BUT, would NATO launch an attack against Russia if they could completely destroy Russia and only have 50% of their cities destroyed? The crazies in the State Dept. might accept that deal.
Yes,I do agree with some of your comment. I think the reason they had never acted like in Ukraine before was that they feared Russia’s reaction. But while it was insanity that made them do it. It was successful from their point of view. They did make an anti-Russia out of Ukraine. Because Russia did not react like the “rational” people believes.Leaving the insane ones a victory to point to. It may be a short term “victory” if we are lucky. But still it gave them the idea they could get away with even further pushing.And that is a very bad idea to have triumphed.It has set a precedent for the future.
The hunting was sparse, so, the ‘possum would have to do. The hunter tosses it onto the table and everyone gawps at it. “Paw, ‘at looks like road kill!” without missing a beat hunter says, “Hey, it ain’t bad, once you pick out the little rocks.”
Moral of story, “Sooner or later, the people of Ukraine are going to demand fresh meat on the menu, and they aren’t going to put up with road kill no more.”
“Mr. President, I’m not saying we wouldn’t get our hair mussed, but I do say no more than 10 to 20 million killed, tops! Uh, depending on the breaks.”
If anyone thinks that is unimaginable Dr. Strangelove fictional slapstick dark humour then have a read of “Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety.” by Eric Schlosser.
It is a quiet factual sobering historical record of the lead up up to the Damascus Titan ballistic missile disaster in 1980 and the military and political thinking current during the Cold War era. The Damascus explosion blew off the 780 ton silo door and launched the second stage plus its 9 megaton warhead 1000 feet in the air.
As Dmitry Orlov essentially pointed out, back then there were diplomatic and back-channel conversations that kept the peace. We no longer have that safety valve with the current Neocon barkers.
Do not underestimate the insanity of the American Empire or its high command–nor dismiss the destructive capacity of the US war machine.
Many weapons that the USA possesses are not publically acknowledged such as weather warfare (HAARP), biowarfare targetting certain genotypes, and other “exotic” technologies.
Moreover, the USA believes it has nuclear primacy over Russia and that it could launch a pre-emptive attack that would wipe out most of Russia’s nuclear ICBMs with the remainder handled by the US missile defense system.
Whether accurate or not, this is what the USA believes–and likely act according to this belief.
The Rise of US Nuclear Primacy
http://www.cfr.org/world/rise-us-nuclear-primacy/p10147
That really was a “harbinger” article. That exposed the thinking of the US at the top of its power. It was missed by many people I believe. But even today (the article was 2006) it should be seen as how their insane ideas were formed:
” For four decades, relations among the major nuclear powers have been shaped by their common vulnerability, a condition known as mutual assured destruction. But with the U.S. arsenal growing rapidly while Russia’s decays and China’s stays small, the era of MAD is ending — and the era of U.S. nuclear primacy has begun.”
It just drips of the hubris that is leading the World to a nuclear holocaust.
Decrying Trump & Putin in the New Cold War. Stephen F. Cohen, NYU, Princeton University.
https://audioboom.com/boos/4967245-decrying-trump-putin-in-the-new-cold-war-stephen-f-cohen-nyu-princeton-university
After listening to that, I see the John Batchelor show as being anti-Russian,he uses all the “code words” that the anti-Russians use, “Putin regime,grabbing of Crimea,Russian aggression,etc”. Cohen may be “somewhat pro-Russian” though actually he is just not being anti-Russian,instead of his being pro-Russian.
I listen to The John Batchelor every week, he is not anti Russian at all, if anything he believes his country has lost the plot
Why does everything have to come in a neat package strictly in line with your demands? Take it as it comes.
if you can avail a transcript this interview
Stanley u can download it .it mostly under 40 minutes
https://audioboom.com/boos/4967245-decrying-trump-putin-in-the-new-cold-war-stephen-f-cohen-nyu-princeton-university.mp3
Anyone who thinks nukes will definitely not be used are deluding themselves.
History shows that the genie is out of the bottle and will be used at some point in time.
Any Russian attack even with conventional weapons on US mainland infrastructure would be running the extreme risk of a nuclear strike in retaliation.
The hubris of the exceptional nation – never before having their mainland attacked – will make them think they can prevail under any circumstance.
It is worth remembering the Doolittle raid on Japan after Peal Harbour.
The hubris, the constant expansion since its creation – manifest destiny – ect ect makes the US exceptionally dangerous even in its decline.
Madness is the loss of everything but reason.
Thomas S. Power was Commander of the Strategic Air Command 1957–1964.
When RAND proposed a counterforce strategy, which would require SAC to restrain itself from striking Soviet cities at the beginning of a war, Power countered with:
Restraint? Why are you so concerned with saving their lives? The whole idea is to kill the bastards. At the end of the war if there are two Americans and one Russian left alive, we win![5]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_S._Power
The General breathed the clear, dry air of madness. More and more of what one hears from the likes of Michael Morell, John McCain, Gen. Robert Scales, Zbigniew Brzezinski and various think tanks suggests that that air has permeated Washington’s halls of power.
Russia has said it will not wait for the enemy to bring the fight to them. The US has illegally invaded E. Syria and is daring Russia to do something about it. Lt. Gen. Townsend’s “we will defend ourselves if we feel threatened” is a bald-faced provocation.
At what point in an escalation will the kind of attacks on American soil that Dmitry talks about come into play, and in the midst of a Russian induced societal collapse at home how sure are we that “kill(ing) the bastards” won’t again become “the whole idea”.
I have read D. Orlov rather carefully and exchanged some opinion and attempted to exchange logical views with him. He is very smart and he knows what he writing about – this is my opinion of the man. And, further, I hold that he is honest and a man of good will. He has, however, as most of us do, a weakness in character – he is sometimes so sure of his (usually) correct conclusions that he is blind to the nuances within the logic he’s used. In short – he misses important implications as he is blinded by the light of his own logic… His words cry for peer review. Is it not always a good idea to analyze?
Thus I encourage readers (listeners) to note his argument down on paper and consider the incipient implications that attend his reason. These can sometimes confound his conclusions.
I have listened to the video above, but previously in another venue. I’ll listen again. Perhaps there’s something to add, later, after review.
I’m afraid this is the kind of critic that can be applied to just about any piece of writing out there. Something more specific would be much more helpful.
OK. He reasons based upon the assumption that the US is run by logical people, and also by illogical people.
He seems to assume that Russian Doctrine is that WW3 is to be fought on US soil. This assumption is inconsistent with the actual dynamic, which is that there are twp major military campaigns involved in the grand strategy. One is being fought now in the ME, and the US is being defeated. This ground represents a controlling wedge in the “Earth Island” – one the “West” is about to lose. The other campaign is in the South China Sea. Like the ME, the SCS gives a naval power a controlling wedge in Asia. Neither campaign comes anywhere near the US mainland.
If the US is defeated in the SCS, then there will be no need to attack the US, the infrastructures will simply die from inability to maintain them.
But Orlov and I agree on the outcome – a devastated US mainland. We differ in the assumptions.
Then there’s the other assumption – that the US is run by illogical idiots (I prefer delusional and educationally challenged).
In that case there’s not much of a place for logic, is there?
I find it a comfort to see the similarities in conclusions even though the assumptions people have are different.
So true, Nightingale, and Academia in the US, in its peer-reviewed glory, has given most Americans precisely zero information about Russia. If creative people had to peer review every damned thing with the “experts” beloved by the MSM, nothing would ever get done.
If the best an Imperial Defender can come up with is a spray of octopus ink saying gee, that author could really do with peer review, that’s a pretty weak argument at this stage of the Imperial game (late).
How does Mr Orlov arrive that the USSA and EU NATO politicians + army brass have brain cells left to be capable of thinking that the idea to seek war with Russia or China is a bad one? If they can’t keep their hegemony and rape and pillage a volonté, they happely use nukes and worse to destroy the world.
They allready proven to be completely nuts, irrational and unable of any rational thinking.
Good point about the returning, disillusioned vets. The way the ruling group in the US will turn a low level national insurgency to its advantage is to make it racial. The demonizing of Black Lives Matter ( an emotional rather than political slogan) on some of the anti NWO sites just opens the pro Trump, Anglo American people to this manipulation. The fact is “bad apples” in the police kill people carelessly and heedless very often and there is no recourse because communities have no review over the actions of the police. Locally elected citizens’ review boards rather than Grand Juries need that power.
In the 1960’s the Black Panther’s set up community service organizations ( food banks, day care centers, local armed militias) and their slogan was–Power to the People. The key to survival with this strategy is not to be tempted by leftist adventurism or be maneuvered into opportunistic sell out, or to be victimized by the drug gangs who are rivals for power in the community.
Here is an article that does what Mr. Orlov advocates. The truly gross image is that of a picture of Killery with her mouth open which circulated recently during discussions about the state of her ( physical) health—the” sore on the mouth” in the poem is Killery’s
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/08/24/provoking-nuclear-war-by-media/
The easiest way to defeat the Outlaw US Empire is to decapitate the most important members of its 1% while disrupting the entire communication system.
In this interview, which I listened to and found very interesting, Orlov reiterates points he makes in his recent Club Orlov essay, “A Thousand Balls of Flame,” which I also read with great interest.
In this essay he also speaks about the potential of Americans emigrating to other countries, including Russia.
A number of people who commented on that essay at the Club Orlov site responded to this idea in various ways, mainly saying they would love to emigrate to Russia but were too old to do so. I, too, responded, with some suggestions for those who feel they are too old to consider emigrating. I posted a response to the essay (below).
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Great essay.
Just one question:
Why do you, Dmitry, continue to live in the USA?
I would really love to know the answer to this, in as much detail as possible.
BTW, to all those who say that at 55, 58, 59 what have you they are too old to emigrate:
Sure, it is a big step, but doable.
Start with learning the language, and a short trip.
Then make a longer trip to see whether you have the psychological stamina to deal with culture shock—which steps in not when you first arrive in a foreign place (that is vacation) but later, when you have lost your sense of “Wow, this is so cool” and start having to live the actual reality.
The thing is that there are so many constant annoyances with living in the USA that one would be glad never to have to deal with again!! Still, culture shock is real. It is a psychological condition.
Which brings me back to my original question.
Despite Dmitry’s intimate knowledge of the vast negatives of US culture and day-to-day life in this country, perhaps it is the awareness of culture shock awaiting him if he moved back to Russia that keeps him here.
Katherine
Anyone taking about planes hitting towers and building collapsing is pushing an agenda. This essay is the work of a fantasist. Little bit of truth, a few resonable opinions and a whole lot of rubbish. The author resides in US becasue it’s where he picks up his paycheck.