Surviving Capitalism (Not) : Russia, China mock divide and rule

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Russia, China mock divide and rule

Click here to access article by Pepe Escobar from Asia Times Online.

Escobar heaps scorn on the Empire's economic blitzkrieg and NATO buildup on the border of Russia to intimidate Russia into submission before tackling China.

Essentially, the Empire of Chaos is bluffing, using Europe as pawns. The Empire of Chaos is as lousy at chess as it is at history. What it excels in is in upping the ante to force Russia to back down. Russia won't back down.

From all appearances the Empire's gamble of intimidating Russia is likely to backfire causing more losses to Empire interests.

A case can be made that the geopolitical shift towards Russia-China integration is arguably the greatest strategic maneuver of the last 100 years. Xi's ultimate master plan is unambiguous: a Russia-China-Germany trade/commerce alliance. German business/industry wants it badly, although German politicians still haven't got the message. Xi - and Putin - are building a new economic reality on the Eurasian ground, crammed with crucial political, economic and strategic ramifications.

Can we be assured that the capitalist directors of the Empire are sane people who will use good judgement in the face of many ongoing disastrous consequence to their interests? I think it is unlikely. Therefore, the only hope I see of avoiding the ultimate disaster of a nuclear Armageddon lies with activists and the Ninety-Nine Percent especially here in the US.