Are we on the eve of a turn in the Great Game? | 79 comments (79 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

From the article:

the U.S is panic-stricken

If so it would be nice to have some proof rather than a bald, unsupported, statement.

She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre

by ATinNM on Sat Apr 26th, 2014 at 02:42:17 PM EST

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 1)

Perhaps MURRAY DOBBIN finds the US rhetoric concerning Ukraine to be evidence of panic.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sat Apr 26th, 2014 at 05:48:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 1)

Melo's link, which first led me to this article in Counterpunch, was in Real Economics, Techno's blog. Techno comments favorably on Murray Dobbins' journalism and professes to have long been familiar with him.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sat Apr 26th, 2014 at 06:15:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 0)

Given how Techno crashed out of ET, the acuity of his judgement of journalism and journalists may reasonably be called into doubt.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sun Apr 27th, 2014 at 02:16:10 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 0)

Well, while I certainly prefer greater comity in the way we treat one another on ET, and treating the WaPo as a proxy for the US newspaper 'quality press', six years on I find Techno's judgements, if not his tone, to be pretty much justified. And there is the fact that he lives in Minnesota, where Canada is a neighbor. He did step in it big time in that incident, but mostly in the way of personal interaction. Personally, I miss his viewpoints and contributions on ET and I am sorry the whole incident occurred, for ET, Techno and Stormy.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sun Apr 27th, 2014 at 09:57:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 0)

Hear, hear. That's why I bookmarked his blog and check it out regularly. He's very intelligent and perceptive. I don't know what his readership is, but the comment participation is next to zero.

Rereading that diary/comments reminded me of what a force ET used to be back in its heyday.

Oh well, Dear Leader bailed long ago, and the only subjects that get comment threads that long lately involve exotic female headgear. :(

Maybe a renaissance is in the offing!

'The history of public debt is full of irony. It rarely follows our ideas of order and justice.' Thomas Piketty

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Sun Apr 27th, 2014 at 11:24:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 1)

ARGeezer:

I miss his viewpoints and contributions on ET and I am sorry the whole incident occurred, for ET, Techno and Stormy

Me too. But as far as I'm concerned stormy was right in saying that the WaPo could produce good journalism, and an article wasn't to be rejected on a scan of the first four paragraphs. As for his recommendation of Asia Times and Deutsche Welle, hmm.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Sun Apr 27th, 2014 at 12:15:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 1)

True enough, but where I agree with Techno is on the importance of what is ignored and/or minimized. That is why I read and consider articles on naked capitalism and other blogs as well as Counterpunch and Global Research and why I am not put off by questionable tone. After all, I am reading mainstream press not so much for their take on news but for what can be gleaned from the coverage despite the spin and considering what they will never cover. Alternative media may have greater frequency of poor sourcing but the biggest problem, to me is misrepresentation of facts, framing and improper contextualization and, especially, deference to received opinion from the powerful. The latter has particularly driven me crazy during the Ukraine episode to an extent I have not felt since the run-up to the invasion of Iraq.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sun Apr 27th, 2014 at 01:04:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (4.00 / 5)

I hear Ukraine CW parroted daily by radio and TV here in France, and I know it's arrant bullshit. I look at Russian sources, and find a pile of arrant bullshit too. In both cases, it's deference to the "party line". When I see stuff from Counterpunch or above all Global Research I also find heaps of arrant bullshit, in a kind of anti-party-line mirror image of the former. Not only is there poor sourcing, but often also "misrepresentation of facts, framing and improper contextualization", and above all facile speculation passed off for expert geopolitical knowledge.

I don't find these sources help reach informed understanding of events. (I repeat, if Dobbin's speculations came to us from the Moustache after a chat with his taxi driver, we'd be ROTFLMAO). It's not that I'm Zen Master in understanding events (I want to heave a brick through the screen too), but I don't get any relief from the well-worn "alternative" groove.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Mon Apr 28th, 2014 at 03:12:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 1)

Yes. It's not that plausible that they would be pushing Russia closer to China without realising what they are doing and at the same time be panic-stricken about it.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Sun Apr 27th, 2014 at 06:38:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 0)

'Panic-stricken' may not be the best choice of phrases, but the USA is now caught in a dilemma. Use of overwhelming force is not an acceptable option, repudiating the actions of the neo-cons is not acceptable for domestic political reasons and yet there remains the need, for domestic political reasons, to appear strong. So we play the economic sanctions card. But the world is changing and the effects of that card are diminishing. Worse use of sanctions and economic warfare will push forward in time ongoing developments which will make effective sanctions against Russia largely useless and counterproductive. That is why I consider that Obama having allowed what the USA did in the Ukraine over the last few years to have been amazingly shortsighted.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sun Apr 27th, 2014 at 10:16:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 1)

I've no problem with the word, but rather with the suggestion that the panic is because they realise that this will lead to the dollar ceasing to be the reserve currency. It looks more like panic because they can't force Putin to do what they want in Ukraine.

by gk (gk (gk quattro due due sette @gmail.com)) on Sun Apr 27th, 2014 at 11:38:16 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 0)

The one is related to the other, but I think a big part of the current situation is fear of looking weak - problems in posing.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Sun Apr 27th, 2014 at 01:06:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Are we on the eve (none / 1)

It's not that plausible that they would be pushing Russia closer to China without realising what they are doing and at the same time be panic-stricken about it.

Hmm. As I get older, it seems to me that many - most - people are simply very bad at their jobs. So I don't find this contradictory.

State actors, bankers, and governments are not rational. Mostly they seem to have an IQ similar to that of an irritated rat.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Sun Apr 27th, 2014 at 02:08:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Are we on the eve of a turn in the Great Game? | 79 comments (79 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Top Diaries

US Rugby

There Are No Grown-Ups In Charge

Easter Grift

China Plans: Energy in the 15th Five Year Plan

A Deadline is a Deadline

But First . . .

Energy (and Other) Events Monthly - April 2026

City Agriculture - March 22, 2026

Recent Diaries

Growing Food in Hard Times

Remember Rachel Corrie

US Rugby

An Expert on What Happened in Hungary

Trump Orders Freedom of Navigation in Hormuz Strait

There Are No Grown-Ups In Charge

Iran Ceasefire at Death's Door

A Murderer At Large, the World Sits Back and Watches

Easter Grift

Insanity

China Plans: Energy in the 15th Five Year Plan

A Deadline is a Deadline

Trump: AMALEK, Total Annihilation of Persia

A Revolt: With Francis a New Beginning?

But First . . .

Energy (and Other) Events Monthly - April 2026

City Agriculture - March 22, 2026

Cowardice and Treachery Combined: Spells TERROR

Occasional Series