Ben Tóth’s 24 November outline of the global zeitgeist is all you need to lead a discussion: US, EU, West Asia, Ukraine, BRICS, Argentina, economics + video clips!
The hits just keep on coming from Ben Tóth. I’ve already printed out my copy. Watch the show he co-hosted on 24 November,
Blowback: Exposing Imperial Decline Show
https://www.youtube.com/@BlowbackExposingImperial-hh8ig
Outline
COUNTRY 404 | Bad to Worse : US abandons problem for Europe
“Increase your means or lower your goals? It’s only realistic to lower our goals” – Richard Haas, CoFR President
“You’ve heard us say a number of times that there is no silver bullet in a conflict like this” – Austin, US SecDef
“Ukraine is now many light years away from the EU” – PM Orbán, Fidesz party congress
State of pilgrim train: Bill Burns ( CIA ) > Lloyd Raytheon Austin ( SecDef ) > Charles Michel ( EU ) >
Maia Sandu ( MOL PM ) > Lachlan Murdoch ( FOX chair ) > Timothy Snyder ( anti-soviet crusader at Yale)
– 404: Elensky spoke about ‘five or six’ assassination attempts on him ( Sun )
– 404: Elensky reveals Moscow‘s ‘Maidan 3’ plan for coup in Kiev ( Kyiv Post )
– 404: Elensky imposes sanctions against 400 companies from UAE, RUS, UZB, CYP, TÜR, CHI, MAL ( U-Pravda )
– 404: Ukraine Warns Russia ‘ally’ Hungary to stop blocking EU sanctions ( Politico )
– 404: Ukraine will not make exceptions for Hungarian minority for EU membership – Deputy PM ( U-Pravda )
– 404: Ukraine ‘concerned’ by Western push for Peace talks – Danilov ( Halifax ISF > RT )
– 404: ‘Russia is weaponizing time’ Ukraine tells NATO ( Defense One )
– 404: US sends new but meager army package to Ukraine ( Kyiv Independent )
– 404: Out of every 100 people mobilized last fall, 10-20 remain – Poltava Governor ( Strana )
– 404: Ukraine Air Force Su-27 Flight Commander defects to Russia, very hush-hush ( RT )
– US: Announced $100m military aid package for Ukraine, incl. 1 HIMARS launcher ( DW )
– US: As Ukraine war grids on, more troops needed – Not everyone is ready to enlist ( CNN )
– US: Redefining Success in Ukraine – A New Strategy Must Balance Means and Ends ( Foreign Affairs )
– US: Ukraine war : Selling stalemate and prolonging pain ( National Interest )
– US: Ukraine’s struggle for arms and attention gives Putin an Opening ( Bloomberg )
– US: AP-NORC Poll – Nearly half of Americans think US spending too much on Ukraine ( AP )
Western
– EU: Around 190k military age Ukrainians live in Germany ( Welt )
– EU: Eurostat reveals 650,000 military age Ukrainian men have fled to EU ( VOA )
– EU: Visegrád4 : Europe must prepare for high-int. conflict with Russia – Czech Pres. Pavel ( video )
– EU: Europol sets up an OSINT task force to investigate ‘Russian war crimes’ ( Ukr. Pravda )
– EU: ‘Anti-Islam, anti-migrant’ Geert Wilders wins Dutch Election ( BBC )
– EU: ‘Nexit’ Geert Wilders is the EU‘s worst nightmare ( Politico )
– EU: Mark Rutte is now front-runner for NATO ahead of Sandu and Kallas ( Politico )
– EU: Switzerland approves sale of 25 Leopard 2A4 tanks to Germany – cannot provide them to Kiev ( Swissinfo )
– EU: How Ukraine could get another 2 dozen Leopards – cunning circular schemes of Rheinmetall ( Forbes )
– UK: Depleted Ukrainian forces fear they cannot win Russian ‘war of exhaustion’ ( Telegraph )
– UK: Ukraine : the new fissures in a society under strain – who left, who stayed. fought, didn’t ( FT )
– UK: Putin is having his best month since invasion ( Times of London )
Eastern
– EU: Moscow triumphs, the West hesitates ( Gazeta Wyborcza cover )
– EU: Ukrainians ar dying en masse on order from the US and EU ( Mysl Polska )
– EU: Moldova refuses to hand over Ukrainian draft dodgers – no mechanism ( RT )
– EU: Farmers protest in Chisinau ( Moldova ) against wheat and sunflower imports from Ukraine ( video, RIA )
– EU: Considers accepting Moldova and Georgia into Union, without dispute territories ( EU FP )
– EU: Hungary’s Viktor Orbán threatens to blow up EU’s Ukraine policy ( Politico )
– EU: Officials see Ukraine war as Fortnite – Hungarian FM Szijjarto ( Sputnik )
– EU: Hungary blocks start of EU accession talks with Kiev ( Tagesspiegel )
– EU: Hungary submits bill to create Sovereignty Defence Bureau ( Tuesday, Közlöny )
Context: foreign funded politicians face up to 3 years in prison, organizations face closure!
– RUS: US offers ‘sedative pill’ to collapsing Ukraine – Ambassador to US Antonov ( RT )
WEST ASIA | A Humanitarian pause in Holy Land?
“Many of the people killed were terrorists. The majority were Hamas terrorists” – opposition leader Yair Lapid
“We need to help the Gazans who are suffering from the current events, this is our sacred duty” – Putin
“US admin concerned pause would let journos into Gaza > show devastation > turn public opinion on Israel“ – Politico
Current death toll : 14,800 | 6,150 children ( PHM, Friday )
– GAZA: Israel, Hamas agree 4-day truce for hostage release and aid beginning Friday ( Reuters )
Context: Brokered by Qatar and Egypt, US tried to claim laurels. Delayed by Israel. 150 prisoners for 50.
– ISR: Israel implemented ‘mass Hannibal directive’ on 10-7 – IAF colonel Nof Erez ( Cradle )
– ISR: NatSec leader Giora Eiland makes case for epidemic genocide in Gaza ( Mondoweisss )
– ISR: IDF Apache helicopters killed own soldiers, civilians on 7 October ( Haaretz )
– ISR: Yemeni forces seize Israeli ship – Galaxy Leader – in Red Sea ( PressTV )
– ISR: Netanyahu blames Iran for attack on ‘international vessel’ ( official X )
– ISR: Only 4% of Israeli Jews find Netanyahu reliable on Gaza ( Isr. Survey > Al Monitor )
– ISR: Intelligence Min. calls for permanent resettlement of Palestinians abroad ( Jerusalem Post )
– ISR: Israel reportedly ‘very concerned’ with US recruitment crisis ( Fox )
– WA: Many in Middle East blame US for devastation in Gaza ( WaPo )
– WA: Saudi crown prince MBS calls on all nations to stop weapons export to Israel ( Saudi Gazette )
– WA: We do not want US and NATO in Black Sea – Türkish Admiral ( Haberler, video )
– WA: Türkish MFA Hakan Fidan received Zhai Jun, China‘s Special envoy to Middle East in Ankara ( Tr MFA )
– WA: Erdogan in Germany shames Olaf Scholz – I’m not indebted to anyone, I can speak freely ( video )
– GS: South African Parliament passes ( 248-91 ) motion to close Israeli Embassy ( > Cradle )
– US: Biden admin officials see proof their strategy is working in hostage deal ( Politico )
– US: Congress aims to approve additional aid for both Israel & Ukraine ( NBC News )
– US: Biden prepared to impose sanctions on Israelis attacking West Bank ( Axios )
– US: US sent Israel data on aid group locations ‘to prevent targeting’ but Israel bombed them ( Politico )
– EU: Spanish President dismisses Minister Belarra, who called for Netanyahu arrest ( El Pais )
– EU: Spanish PM Sanchez ‘whitewashing war criminal Netanyahu’ by visiting Tel Aviv – Belarra ( speech )
BRICS | Peace is made in Beijing and Moscow, India turns towards US
The meeting train: Arab + Wang Yi ( Beijing ) > Arab + Lavrov ( Moscow ) > BRICS virtual > G20 virtual
– BRICS: Holds extraordinary video meeting on Gaza – sans Modi ( South Africa MFA )
– BRICS: Modi hosts G20 leaders summit – Xi and Biden skip ( Bloomberg )
– BRICS: Nigeria is ready to loosen ties with West, attempt to join BRICS ( Insider )
– BRICS: Pakistan applies for BRICS membership in 2024 ( TASS )
– BRICS: Nicaragua completes process of withdrawing from Organization of American States ( LA Times )
– CN: Arab League, OIC meeting welcomed by Wang Yi in Beijing to stop war in Gaza ( videos, photos )
– CN: Vyacheslav Volodin meets Xi Jinping in Beijing ( TASS )
– CN: DPRK puts first reconnaissance satellite in orbit ( Kyodo )
– CN: Gaza cease-fire top priority as China assumes UNSC presidency ( GT )
– CN: Ex-Philippine President Duterte says he may return to politics ( Bloomberg )
– CN: Heroes Return : 25 Chinese soldiers killed in 1950-53 Korea return home in air ceremony ( GT )
– RUS: Arab representative head to Moscow ( from Beijing ) to continue talks with Lavrov ( TASS )
– RUS: Vladimir Putin arrives in Minsk for CSTO summit ( TASS )
– RUS: NordStream attack was State Terrorism – Putin ( RT )
ECONOMICS
“The US debt has entered financial pyramid mode, with only 2 ways out: hyperinflation or default” – Sergei Glazyev
– CN: China and Saudi Arabia sign 3Y currency-swap deal worth $7B ( Bloomberg )
– CN: Singapore “de-swifts” transactions with Indonesia ( Insider )
– CN: US team retracts superconductor study after Chinese challenge findings ( SCMP )
– CN: Taiwan’s export orders slashed by gloom in US, EU – 14 consecutive months of decline ( SCMP )
– CN: Xinjiang foreign trade hits record despite Western sanctions ( Nikkei )
– CN: BYD wins contract for California all-electric school bus ( Techgoing )
– RUS: Russia and China agree to double gas supplies – 100b cm ( TASS )
– RUS: Russia Set for $75 billion surplus despite sanctions ( Bloomberg )
– RUS: Russia’s growth shows sanctions ineffective – Amundi fund manager CIO ( Reuters )
– GS: Venezuela backs oil embargo on Israel – FM Yvan Gil ( IRNA )
– ISR: Financing for Israel‘s tech sector takes nosedive ( Cradle )
– ISR: Israel raises $6bn in borrowing bonanza to fund war against Hamas ( FT )
– ISR: Former Türkish PM accuses Erdogan of double standards over oil to Israel ( Arab News )
– US: Biden‘s Energy Security advisor ( Amos Hochstein ) visits Israel to discuss Gaza gas ( Haaretz )
– US: Congress to approve additional Ukraine aid by Christmas ( Upravda > Yahoo )
– US: Where have all the foreign buyers gone for US treasury debt? 43%>30% in 10y ( WSJ )
– US: Ford to scale back $3.5b Michigan battery plant, demand disappoints, labor costs rise ( CNBC )
– US: Sanctions on semiconductors have turned into a China success story ( Bloomberg )
– US: IMF is seriously considering increasing loans to Egypt in crisis ( Reuters )
– US: Occupation force loots 50 trucks of oil from Syria ( SANA )
– EU: France backtracks on EU-only ammo for Ukraine – will purchase abroad ( Politico )
– EU: Germany freezes government spending as Budget Crisis Deepens ( NYT )
– EU: The accounting error that could kill Germany‘s coalition – €60B Covid > Climate unconstitutional ( Politico )
– EU: German house building is collapsing – could drag economy – 20% GDP, 10% jobs ( CNBC )
– EU: Germany to suspend Borrowing Limit again after budget shock ( Bloomberg )
– EU: US Tire manufacturers Goodyear & Rubber close factories in Germany ( WSJ )
– EU: Germany: The West is in decline – the West believes – US protection, Chinese trade over ( Tagesspiegel )
– EU: EU Executive approves €900m in funds to Hungary ( Reuters )
– EU: Gas was cheapest for Hungarians in 2023, electricity 2nd after Bulgaria ( Hungary Today )
– EU: EV Investment surges in Hungary as Chinese BYD poised to set up factory ( Bloomberg )
THE HEGEMON | Panic across the board, chaos at home
“Whatever the polls say, the world needs Biden as president” – Politico
– US: Young Americans are picking up the Qur’an to understand the resilience of the Palestinians ( Guardian )
– US: 5 ways Democrats are coping with Biden‘s terrible polls – Polls don’t matter ( Politico )
– US: Won’t back down from the challenge of Putin and Hamas – Biden ( WaPo )
– US: Pentagon turns to press flacks and academics to help fight information wars ( Wa Times )
– US: The West never had a chance at winning over the World ( Bloomberg )
– US: Thwarts plot to kill Sikh separatist in US, issues warning to India ( FT )
– US: Two die in explosion on Rainbow Bridge after high speed crash ( Sky )
– US: Explosion – terrorist attack – on Rainbow Bridge, US-CA border ( Fox )
– US: No sign of terrorism in blast over Niagara Falls – Governor says ( NBC )
– US: Former Obama advisor Stuart Seldovitz arrested for hate crimes ( ABC )
– EU: Dublin erupts in chaos / rioting after stabbing of 2 adults, 3 children ( Irish Times )
Appendix: Down goes Argentina – Read more here ( spanish ) or here
Javier Milei wins Presidential run in Argentina ( all MSM )
Milei “anarcho-capitalist” program:
– Full privatization including medicine, healthcare and transportation
– Abolish 2/3rds of government ministries, legalize sextrade, sale of children, organs
– Abandon monetary sovereignty and adopt USD as national currency ( dollarize in 2023 )
– Cancel BRICS entry, align fully with US and Israel, cut off trade with China, Russia
– Believes climate change is a scam, therefore Stocks skyrocket after election.
Milei background:
– ‘El Loco’ was crazy as a kid, from a broken family, a broken society. Abused and humiliated.
– As a young man, was isolated, broke off contact with family, called them ‘parent’ or just ‘dead’.
– Without outside contact, formed a public duo with wildcat sister Karina. Mystical, messianic duo.
– He is carrying out a divine mission, dictated to him by his dead dog, Conan.
– After finishing Economist degree, worked for oligarch Eduardo Eurnekian, who promoted him on his TV channels
– His fascination with Judaism ( real or fake ) may be because his patron – said oligarch – is Jewish
APPENDIX : Clips
Bandera mobiles from UK : https://twitter.com/frontlinekit/status/1725868781514195078
Biden zones out at Gala: https://twitter.com/peacemaket71/status/1726595737595871451
Borrell on war crimes: https://twitter.com/MyLordBebo/status/1726529024531521856
Yair Lapid on terrorists: https://twitter.com/omarsuleiman504/status/1726659581604970695
Milei and Yeltsin Parallel: https://twitter.com/OlgaBazova/status/1726585680611156199
Milei screams his head off: https://twitter.com/djuric_zlatko/status/1726520539131564535
Elensky survives assassination attempts: https://twitter.com/Ramy_Sawma/status/1726875427975942628
Kirby on Genocide Joe: https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/1727730176274903208China reprimands Israel at UN: https://twitter.com/upholdreality/status/1727723066669617409