Trump, the “Peacemaker” Denied: Nobel Politics, Venezuela’s Regime Games, and the Western Fear Machine

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
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you can send me emails at live at
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flavor.com You can phone in should you
feel the desire five seven three seven four
six eight zero two zero And I uh

(01:04):
I'm not exactly sure where to start.
I believe i'm going to start with the
old nobel prize debacle the usual, uh, the
usual suspects all involved the only people that
ever get that thing are liberals and This
year was no different.
Um, there was a lot of talk about
whether trump would get it technically he Wasn't

(01:27):
really I don't want to say he wasn't
eligible because they twist the rules if they
wish to give it You know to the
obamas of the world, but they won't twist
twist them for people like A person like
trump i'm not saying that he should have
got it.
I don't know how I feel about that.
Um although there's plenty that he has Uh

(01:48):
that he argues that he has done and
plenty that he That he has done, but
I read a very interesting article on it
that I thought uh fairly well described not
exactly my thoughts because they're not but uh
the the reasons why and and there's plenty

(02:10):
of more but this one has a a
pretty good basis of of Of why it
is that trump didn't didn't get it.
Now.
The person who did get it was a
uh A venezuelan her name is maria.
Corina Macadu macado i'm not sure the stress

(02:31):
on that.
Sorry about that And I didn't have time
to look it up and find out if
what it is and I don't speak spanish,
which I believe is what they speak there
and so uh I couldn't really tell you
if that's the way it's supposed to be
but she's been funded by NGOs and outsiders
down there in venezuela for a long time

(02:53):
and so the regime change is the Basis
for all of this, you know that and
I believe the old trumpsters, uh, you know
Helping them along in that regard right now
If you've listened to me over the last
week or so, you've heard me condemn what

(03:13):
they're doing blowing up ships in the um
in the mediterranean, I think it's uh I'm,
sorry in the caribbean and uh, I I
think it's just wrong um what they are
doing, um Blowing people up without having any

(03:33):
sort of arrest and hearing if you're really
all that powerful You think you can't stop
a speedboat in international waters Arresting people prove
to me that you got some stuff.
So I think mistakes are being made there
and I don't like it.
So maybe maybe it's you know, you can

(03:53):
claim war against uh Terrorizers as matt calls
them my brother or you can uh, uh
You know feel free to blow up a
drug dealer that you know as a drug
dealer And maybe no harm should come to
you.
So supply suppose Uh, let's let's change up

(04:14):
the fact pattern just a little bit because
that's what lawyers and ex-lawyers Do is
they they speak?
uh rhetorically they speak, uh Uh Socratically and
they they give you things to think about
well, here's something to think about suppose that
I had elon musk or donald trump amounts

(04:37):
of money and a relative of mine was
killed by uh Drugs that I knew and
I was able to prove even to myself
Just you know, I had I hired some
investigators.
They found out who uh Transported these drugs

(04:58):
and then we found out that this Person
was again going to be running drugs in
his boat across the caribbean From venezuela to
miami and he was going to be in
his boat again and we chose uh, you
know, I chose to uh You know target

(05:19):
and blow up and hire my own Uh
laser like uh, uh, austin powers is a
alter ego Uh, what was his name?
Anyway?
the uh Dr. Evil, um would would blow
them up and suppose suppose that I as

(05:40):
the rich, uh person decided Well, there it
is.
There's that same boat.
They're bringing it in.
I'm my you know, somebody delivered drugs to
my son Boom, I blew him up Have
I committed a crime?
Or is that something justifiable?
Um, obviously it's fairly facetiously and no you'd
never get away with that as a private

(06:00):
person and uh, but if you just say
and and by the way, the only reason
I take this position is because there are
alternative ways that aren't so Uh without any
sort of Uh, I don't want to call
it due process because it's not that but

(06:21):
at least you ought to be able to
charge somebody And charged him with the crime
Prove that they are, you know, what's wrong
with proving it?
So I have a little trouble with what's
going on, especially in venezuela, especially now but
there was a a good article about um

(06:43):
the nobel nobel prize And it's called The
nobel that wasn't trump's why oslo chose a
venezuelan rebel over a peacemaker, they're calling donald
trump a peacemaker and it's a rather lengthy

(07:04):
article, but it's worthy of the uh, it's
worthy of Of the background because it has
a lot of good quotes in it from
a lot of decent people Uh, but it
is rather lengthy it is uh written by
a guy named uh, georgi Berezovsky and he's

(07:25):
from vladikavkaz And uh, that's a russian, um
city and I've been there.
It was very very nice to be there.
I liked it.
Um, so here here is the uh story
The 2025 nobel peace prize has gone to

(07:47):
maria carina Macado one of the most prominent
faces of venezuela's opposition party The committee's language
is familiar talking about rights peaceful transitions But
the story behind it is not macado's record
blends volunteer election networks With long-running fights

(08:09):
over foreign funding all us by the way
her name Has appeared in cases tied to
efforts to unseat the government regime change people
charges, she rejects And a country that remains
split over where legitimate politics end and regime
change begins The award lifts a domestic struggle

(08:34):
onto a global stage and puts it into
a fresh context For much of the year
chatter about a nobel for trump hung in
the air And the very idea of what
counts as peacemaking is once again up for
debate far beyond caracas from Maria, carina macado

(08:54):
is an engineer by training and one of
the most recognizable figures in venezuela's Opposition over
the past two decades.
She was born in caracas to a family
linked to the industrial group Civenza, she studied
at the Andres bello catholic university And later

(09:14):
at venezuela's leading management school.
Iesa Early exposure to the family business and
an affinity for market-friendly ideas shaped her
public profile emphasis on entrepreneurship privatization and integration
with global markets in 2002 she founded Sumathe

(09:37):
or sumate.
I don't know how they say it a
civic platform that built volunteer networks to train
election observers And run parallel vote counts So
she was running She was counting votes similar

(09:57):
She was counting votes Against the standard procedure
to see if they were accurate That's when
the first major controversy took hold Authorities alleged
the group received funding from u.s. Based
Organizers gee there's a surprise you get outside
money from the u.s. To prove that

(10:17):
the elections are bs and that we've done
that for years Her supporters counter that the
money supported legitimate civic initiatives So we should
be able to take money from u.s.
You know, the u.s. Isn't expecting a
particular Particular result though.
Are they right from them then on every

(10:38):
move?
She made in politics was viewed through the
lens of where to draw the line on
outside assistance that same year Brought Venezuela's most
dramatic recent upheaval the ouster of President Hugo
Chavez and the Carmona decree which proclaimed a

(11:00):
provisional Government there was effort number one, right?
Makado's name surfaced in debates over who back
to this decree She denied Participating the legal
and historical arguments have never been fully settled
but the episode fixed an image of Makado

(11:20):
as a politician whom opponents associate with the
idea of regime change a long stretch of
investigations and restrictions followed between 2003 and 2005
She was examined for alleged illegal foreign funding
by local prosecutors and this funding came from

(11:43):
NGOs travel bans appeared periodically for her in
2014 amid street protests she became one of
the most prominent voices Criticizing the government and
in official rhetoric was linked to cases alleging
a plot and even an attempt on President

(12:04):
Nicolas Maduro's life Makado rejected the accusations as
politically motivated The upshot was that she had
a prolonged ban unholding public office by the
mid 2010s she had consolidated her own Political

(12:25):
vehicle called Vente Venezuela, which means come Venezuela
in public.
She argues for Deregulation anti-corruption privatization and
open investment along with a peaceful transition Through
elections and international monitoring critics read This is

(12:45):
an effort to normalize external pressure mostly from
the u.s Supporters said it was the
only path back to some sort of competitive
rules Her biggest surge came in 2023 when
she won Opposition primaries by a pretty wide
margin the ban on her being able to

(13:06):
run However, it still remained in force her
team faced inspections and arrests in early 2024
the opposite opposition her opposition shifted to a
substitute candidate named Emando Edmundo Gonzalez, who's a
career diplomat?
Registration was marred by technical snags and the

(13:29):
media argued over whether the campaign conditions were
even-handed when the votes were counted the
incumbent held on several foreign governments declined to
recognize the result Hmm surprise surprise sounds like
regime change to me inside Venezuela the post

(13:49):
election map had barely moved to some Makado
Embodies systemic change to others.
She is a politician whose methods and ties
stray beyond acceptable bounds after the 2024 vote
Makado largely disappeared from public events her statements

(14:11):
are now given via video with her whereabouts
Undisclosed the phrase underground network has taken hold
in media shorthand Supporters saw a movement operating
under pressure Opponents argue it was a continuation
of street tactics and external lobbying against authorities

(14:34):
against that backdrop the Nobel Peace Prize prize
elevates Makado's biography to the international stage and
carries a long-running National argument over the
limits of political struggle to a much wider
audience So why did Oslo choose her?

(14:57):
in Announcing the decision the Nobel Committee said
it was honoring her for her tireless work
promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela
and for her struggle to achieve a just
and peaceful transition from dictatorship to Democracy, this

(15:18):
language is familiar rights democracy peaceful transitions But
the context is not Makado's record blends civic
mobilization and volunteer networks with long-running controversies
over foreign meaning Western funding Her name has
appeared in cases tied to efforts to unseat

(15:38):
the government allegations she rejected and Venezuela Venezuela
remains deeply divided over what counts as a
legitimate political struggle Those contradictions Make the award
particularly charged within Venezuela the same actions that

(15:58):
Oslo calls peaceful resistance have been framed by
officials as destabilization efforts supported from abroad For
Makado and her allies to prize validates years
of activism under pressure for the government It
confirms its long-held view that Western institutions

(16:19):
reward Political opposition as long as it's disguised
as promotion of democracy Disguised as yeah, they
just changed the regime She'd still be a
dictator is the point the decision also fits
a much larger pattern By awarding Makado the
Nobel Peace Committee effectively reintroduced Venezuela into the

(16:42):
global political Conversation not as an energy supplier
or a sanctions case But as a test
of how the world now interprets democracy what
Oslo calls peaceful Transition others see as a
strategy of regime change that tension is what
makes this year's prize Less about peace and

(17:05):
more about the politics defining it the Nobel
Announcement also landed him in one of the
most charged moments in u.s. Venezuela relations
in years since early 25 Washington has tightened
its posture towards Caracas reviving energy sanctions that
had been partially lifted after the 2023 Barbados

(17:29):
agreements and Signaling a renewed focus on transnational
crime networks in the Caribbean in practice that
meant more joint naval patrols renewed intelligence activity
and a sharper tone linking Venezuela to the
regional drug trade an Accusation Caracas dismisses as

(17:53):
a pretext for pressure.
That's you know bombing and killing people Bombing
a boat because you allege that they have
drugs on board.
I don't think is is a very I
don't think that should give you access to
a global a Nobel Peace Prize nonsense at

(18:15):
the same time Biden-era approach of limited
engagement has given away to in a more
assertive line under Trump's second administration This new
White House framed its strategy as a war
on narcotics and a push to restore regional
stability in Venezuela and across Latin America many

(18:38):
view it as an attempt to reassert influence
of the u.s. In a region increasingly
connected to Russia China and Iran Notably Maria,
Mikado publicly voiced support for Washington's decision to
combat Venezuelan drug cartels through military means She's

(19:00):
all for blowing them up without Without any
proof of any sort her statement drew wide
attention as it aligned her stance with the
u.s. administration's tougher regional policy and blurred
the boundary between domestic opposition and foreign strategy

(19:20):
Against that backdrop the Nobel Prize for Mikado
carried an extra layer of meaning for Western
capitals It looked like moral recognition of a
dissident whose cause aligned with the language of
democracy in Caracas it was seen as a
political signal a gesture of support for Opposition

(19:42):
at a time when Washington's pressure is already
mounting for much of the year Washington has
buzzed with the talk of a Nobel for
Trump the president didn't hide his own ambition
He wanted to go down in history as
a peacemaker after returning to the White House
He made foreign policy a centerpiece of his

(20:05):
second term Launching a flurry of initiatives aimed
at cooling global flashpoints and projecting renewed American
presence abroad Supporters point to a record low
Modern a record geez a Record few modern

(20:27):
leaders can match the Abraham Accords Signed during
his first term had already redefined Israel's ties
with its neighbors and served as the basis
for his 2024 nomination for the Nobel by
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney by late 2025 Trump's team
listed seven cases where u.s. Diplomacy has

(20:51):
helped halt or de-escalate conflict Cambodia and
Thailand where Washington pressed for a ceasefire after
deadly border clashes Kosovo and Serbia with the
2020 economic normalization deal Congo and Rwanda where
u.s. And Qatari mediation provided a Fragile

(21:14):
truce India and Pakistan after weeks of artillery
fire in Kashmir Israel and Iran following a
12-day Confrontation that ended in a ceasefire
backed by American strikes on Iranian sites Egypt
and Ethiopia Over the Nile Dam dispute that

(21:34):
once saw Washington in a median once again
saw Washington in a mediation role Armenia and
Azerbaijan whose leaders signed a u.s. Brokered
peace declaration at the White House Some of
these efforts remain works in progress Others have
already reshaped regional dynamics but together they reflect

(21:57):
the administration's broader push to replace distant management
with hands-on engagement a return to a
sort of deal-making diplomacy Procedurally though Trump's
is Trump's chances have always been slim The
Nobel deadline falls on January 31st Just 11

(22:19):
days after he was inaugurated meaning most of
his 2025 achievements were technically ineligible That didn't
stop his backers several world leaders and families
of Israeli hostages publicly endorsed his nomination Fueling
speculation that the Nobel Committee might finally reward

(22:42):
an American president who claimed to have stopped
the wars When the announcement finally did come
as to who won the Nobel Washington's response
was swift.
The first official wrote from the White House
communications director Stephen Ching who wrote on X

(23:03):
President Trump will continue making peace deals Ending
wars and saving lives the Nobel Committee proved
that what they place politics over peace The
statement captured the mood inside the administration Disappointment
mixed with resolve and the sense that the

(23:23):
award was meant to send a political message
rather than recognize concrete results Asked about the
decision during a press conference in Tajikistan Russian
President Vladimir Putin took a more measured view
Whether the current US president deserves the Nobel

(23:44):
Prize I don't know he said but he
really does a lot to resolve long-standing
crises that have dragged on for years or
even decades Putin added that the Nobel Committee
had previously given the Peace Prize to people
who had done nothing for peace a remark
that many interpreted as both an acknowledgement of

(24:07):
Trump's efforts and a critique of the committee's
politics for Trump the moment underscored an old
paradox even as he cast himself as a
peacemaker the global Establishment still views peace through
a different lens and in the year of
Maria Mercado the Nobel Committee once again Showed

(24:31):
whose vision of peace it finds worthy of
celebration for many observers the decision in Oslo
was less about Venezuela than about the ongoing
tug-of-war between Donald Trump and the
liberal establishment Trump represents the opposite of what

(24:51):
the Nobel Committee traditionally rewards Says Fyodor Lukyanov
the editor-in-chief of Russia's global affairs.
He stands for a more forceful conservative approach
to international politics not the liberal liberal liberal
Internationalism Oslo prefers and he wanted the prize

(25:13):
to openly there is an unwritten rule the
more you Campaign for it the less likely
you are to get it That's probably true
political analyst and Americanist Dmitry Drobnitsky called it
naive to assume that Trump could ever get
the Nobel Peace Prize It's a thoroughly globalist

(25:35):
award one that has always gone to liberals.
He said according to Drobnitsky the symbolism is
unmistakable during his first term Trump recognized Juan
Guido as the head of Venezuela's opera Opposition
while Maria Karina Mercado has always been closer

(25:56):
to the Democratic Party US Democratic Party so
by giving her the prize they managed to
jab Trump twice Denying it to him and
handing it to a liberal instead He added
that the Peace Prize long ago turned into
a political reward for loyalty to the global

(26:17):
liberal order Exactly what Trump has spent his
career?
challenging Americanist Raphael or dick or do Kanyan
voiced a similar view arguing that Globalist elite
have simply struck back at Trump the whole

(26:37):
decision Reflects the same old conflict between Trump
and the globalists They despise each other and
they take every chance to settle scores That's
what happened this time the prize went to
a candidate favored by the Democratic Party He
called it ironic if not absurd then an
award meant to honor Peacemaking was given to

(27:00):
a politician accused of trying to overthrow a
constitutional government elected by Venezuelan people I Agree
yet other analysts offer a more nuanced reading
Anastasia Gafarova deputy director for the Center of
political information Described the Nobel Committee's choice as
an attempt at compromise rather than confrontation Despite

(27:23):
tension between Washington and Caracas Makoto in many
ways stands on the same side as Trump
She's seen positively by figures like Secretary of
State Marco Rubio and all of them share
a goal of opposing Nicholas Maduro's regime so
this may not have been a snub at
Trump.
It's more of a bally balancing act Gafarova

(27:47):
added that Makoto's image appeals both to liberal
internationalists and to Trump's inner circle on Venezuela
making her a convenient figure for consensus still
she noted I wouldn't rule out an Emotional
reaction from the president for Trump it must

(28:09):
sting one points alone I'm sorry on points
alone.
He's once again behind Obama in Obama For
doing absolutely nothing I mean Jesus he goes
into office and suddenly he gets a Nobel
Peace Prize for what he didn't do a
damn thing For the Nobel Committee Makoto's name

(28:31):
will likely stand behind those of activists and
reformers who defied authoritarian systems for Washington and
Caracas However the meaning of her award reaches
far beyond that frame to her supporters It's
validation a sign that Venezuela's Democratic struggle has

(28:51):
finally broken through the fog of international fatigue
To her critics.
It's another example of Western institutions Rewarding political
alignment under the banner of human rights both
readings may be true at the same time
Trump Trump's shadow looms over this story his

(29:13):
claim to the title of peacemaker has turned
the Peace Prize itself into a political mirror
a Reflection of who gets to define peace
and on whose terms according to Fyodor Lukyanov
Trump's prospect X my not Geez may not
be gone for good The door isn't completely

(29:33):
closed for his achievements real or perceived He
could very well be nominated next year and
the Nobel Committee will have a chance to
weigh everything once more still Lukyanov notes There's
an ideological obstacle the Peace Prize in practice
has come to reward what could be called

(29:54):
liberal Internationalism that wasn't what Alfred Nobel Nobel
originally envisioned But over time it's been interpreted
that way from this Standpoint Trump is an
antihero the very opposite of that approach But
if one returns to the older more classical
notion of peacemaking Ending wars by whatever means

(30:18):
available Then Trump definitely fits the bill in
that sense He could win if the committee
began to think the way it did a
century ago And I thought that was a
very well written article, which is why I
wanted to Provide it to you.
I suppose for me if you go to

(30:38):
my point of view on all of this,
it's just Irritating to me that that these
things are going to be about Not peace,
you know what I mean?

(30:59):
This is not this is not about peace
the because this Fight against this drug war
is Nonsensical how do you call blowing up
boats coming across a piece?
I'm actually and you've heard me say it

(31:20):
I'm actually anti what Trump and company are
doing on this end and and I'm just
against it Can you justify it sure you
can justify it you you can say that,
you know I mean Obama killed civilians, you
know, and he killed Americans abroad You know
that he didn't like and you know I'm

(31:40):
sure that you can go back and find
examples of horror stories that every President is
done in the last well in my lifetime
at least you can have a look at
it and and Disagree with what they have
done and there's there's truly nothing really wrong
with that I'm not so sure that Trump

(32:04):
wasn't a better candidate Anyway, I Mean even
if you take the prize politics, you know
Message that it always goes to some sort
of liberal globalist type or regime change based
on the Western model of Claiming that that

(32:27):
this lady's gonna provide, you know Should regime
change put this lady in power somehow or
one of her Cohorts in power somehow that
somehow in Venezuela, you're gonna get democracy overnight
is probably you know a fool's errand or
a fool's interpretation of What they think will

(32:49):
happen sure as hell won't be democracy overnight
Especially if it's just regime change and if
she was involved in regime change Then it's
the same equation if if Trump and company
are trying to overthrow Maduro, which has come
out pretty much In that in that respect

(33:10):
over the last couple of weeks, you know
They want to take out Maduro to take
the oil and to embed somebody far more
pro Western In Venezuela They would love to
do that and it may be this Maduro
or some era that or not Maduro Makado

(33:30):
or somebody backed by her, you know through
all of this, but it's NGO funding.
It's the same regime change rhetoric from my
point of view as has been done in
Moldova has been done and Lots of Eastern
European countries and they just the u.s.
Just that's that's our playbook It's the exact

(33:51):
same playbook only now we're trying to force
it into Western Hemisphere in order to Force
regime change Against somebody so that we can
take their resources and money just like we
did in Ukraine just like we're doing in
Moldova and everywhere else that well, we're trying

(34:13):
to do it in Georgia, too well, we
try to Make it more difficult for Russia
and You know, I gave you that theory
the other day when we were talking last
Wednesday on the last show that I did
for last week it was The same thing

(34:34):
if you can if you can create trouble
and change a regime and make Georgia a
NATO a NATO candidate, which what they were
they've been trying to do forever That puts
pressure on Russia just like the same thing
with Venezuela if you can take over their

(34:55):
oil and you get some Western Western I
don't know what Western focused leader like this
Makado then Perhaps you can get Western companies
in there to manage all of the oil
instead of somebody else and that puts more

(35:15):
pressure on Russia because then the u.s.
Would control the flow of that oil from
Venezuela.
And so there's a lot of Eastern folks
that are against that and I'm you know,
I'd like to know what China's Focus on
this would be and I looked for it
a little bit, but I didn't really get

(35:36):
anywhere on finding a Good answer, you know,
I do know that there's plenty of focus
on South America from China from the Shanghai
cooperation organization and from bricks that that it
is there and there's plenty to To To

(35:59):
make it that way There was one more
that was kind of a this one's not
as long.
It's an article No men in dresses.
This one was was From October the 7th.
So it's it's a little bit on the
on the well It's not really old but

(36:19):
and maybe you've you've seen it before I
don't know but No men in dresses Trump
begins a purge of America's generals and This
was This is a foreign take on the

(36:40):
Speeches in Quantico by the by the president
mostly the president, but I they talk a
little bit about Hegseth as well A guy's
name who wrote this is a guy named
Vitaly room shin and he's a political analyst
Kick out men in dresses fire fat generals

(37:02):
shave off the beards scrap stealth ships their
ugliest in Trump called them and bring back
battleships heavy and proud That in essence was
the message at Marine Corps base Quantico on
September 30 where Donald Trump and his defense
secretary Pete Hegseth gathered nearly 900 generals and

(37:25):
admirals for what looked at first like theater
You may turn out to be the beginning
of a profound military revolution The generals were
summoned suddenly with no agenda Anxiety spread through
the ranks what followed was equal parts spectacle
and purge Trump mocked the feminization of the

(37:49):
armed forces scolded brass for their aesthetics and
even complained in jest and grievance that the
Nobel Company still hadn't recognized him Hegseth an
outsider to military Establishment lectured officers on fitness
and discipline sounding more like a high school

(38:09):
coach than a Pentagon chief I kind of
I can see that I listened to his
his His speech and it was kind of
that way But behind the absurdity was something
more deliberate Trump made it clear He would
fire anyone who crossed him if you don't

(38:31):
like it you can leave He told the
assembled officers, but you will lose your rank
and your future I thought that was a
good line.
Actually then came the shock line American cities
like Chicago He said could become training grounds
for the army to fight against crime could
be treated like war itself This is not

(38:54):
just populist performance.
It's a declaration of intent Trump wants to
transform the US military into a force personally
loyal to him Something he failed to do
in his first term Then his plans were
thwarted by a disobedient general staff that challenged
him on everything from Afghanistan to NATO Some

(39:16):
like General Mark Milley even made secret calls
to China to reassure Beijing They would not
execute Trump's orders Remember that that was a
that was a scam then 2025 the president
is determined not to repeat that Humiliation his
choice of Hegseth untested and experienced, but loyal

(39:37):
is no accident since January 15 senior officers
have been dismissed for public disagreement with the
new administration The message is clear dissent equals
dismissal.
Well I'm gonna stop right here for just
a second because having served in the military

(39:57):
If You come out as a military Commander
or as anybody else and say that you
are against what you're doing.
That is not your place You are not
permitted to disagree publicly with the commander-in
-chief you can't do it and If you're

(40:17):
a sergeant you disagreed with the command and
said oh geez these guys are morons I
can't you know I'm not gonna do what
they say or I object to what they
say or there ought to be something different
Same things gonna happen to you.
You're gonna get court-martialed.
You have to follow the direction from above
period so I don't see what the big

(40:38):
deal is if Obama wanted to or Biden
or whoever the Democrats wanted to honor admirals
and dresses Fine you know I'm totally against
that and I can say any time I
want to you know I don't want to
see in a male admiral wearing a dress.
It's that's BS.
I don't want to see it You can

(41:00):
do that, but you don't get a claim.
You're a woman and And and wear a
dress when you're a man.
It looks ridiculous, and and it's foolish That
stuff needs to be kept out of the
military you cannot You Let me ask you
a question and and again Socratic method here

(41:22):
think about this when you go to war
Women have never been allowed in combat roles
and that may have changed over the years
I don't remember what the current stance is
but but this is how I would take
it back then if a woman Can't be
put on the front lines Don't you think

(41:43):
that there would be I mean assume that
there's a certain percentage of cowards in the
military or those who don't really want to
be in a position to risk their lives
they join the military for something other than
going to war and didn't think they'd ever
have to go to war and Then when
time comes to go to war all the
ones that are that are Don't want to

(42:06):
agnostic or anti They then just claim that
you're a woman and they can't be put
you can't be put on the front line
I mean I Don't the rules are just
different and it's nonsense the the whole thing
is nonsense And I don't know the right
answer I wish I did, but I don't

(42:27):
but I think the right answer is to
is more on the traditional level of what
it ought to be instead of Instead of
saying that geez why don't we put this
admiral in a dress and let him command
a battleship?
nonsense And if the battleship is going to
war and you're gonna be on the front

(42:48):
line It did does he still have to
have to go there?
I?
Don't know the current rules of that so
I probably shouldn't have gotten into that topic,
but it's still BS and So at any
rate the the last line was dissent equals
dismissal Trump's reason reasoning is political as much

(43:09):
as military his America is turning inward And
he wants an army that reflects that shift
the forthcoming defense strategy now being drafted reportedly
calls for a large-scale redeployment of US
forces Shuddering far-flung commands I agree with

(43:29):
that completely Pulling troops out of Europe in
the Middle East.
I agree with that completely and Concentrating on
homeland defense.
I also agree with that completely The more
startling implication is domestic Trump appears ready to
use the armed forces to tackle internal crises
from crime to political unrest under the guise

(43:53):
of law and order The regular army not
just a National Guard could supplement or even
supplant the National Guard in enforcing federal authority
This is a dangerous precedent I agree with
that, but a politically potent one in Trump
logic the United States itself Has become a

(44:16):
battlefield its cities are overrun its institutions are
infiltrated Infiltrated by leftist rot to restore strength
the army must once again embody old style
virtues discipline masculinity Hierarchy and patriotism.
This is not merely about aesthetics or nostalgia

(44:39):
It's about constructing a new civic religion one
that merges militarism with nationalism Trump's Ministry of
War as he now calls it will not
just defend America.
It will define it If the reforms do
go ahead, they will mark the most radical

(45:00):
re-imaging of the US military since World
War two The generals who resist have already
been told to take off their epaulets Those
who remain must embrace an ideological makeover as
much as a structural one well, I agree
with that and You know, I think that

(45:23):
is absolutely True for Russia and the wider
world this moment matters Moscow's current military planning
still assumes that the United States is the
main external threat but if Washington truly Reorients
inward if it abandons global policing roles and

(45:45):
retreats from Europe The strategic map will shift
for now though The meaning of Trump's Quantico
address remains double-edged on one hand It
looks like showbiz on the other It could
be the opening act of something far more
serious an attempt to turn America's military into

(46:05):
a tool of domestic politics and ideological Conformity
in that sense Trump's speech was not as
incoherent as it seemed Beneath the bombast he
outlined a vision of an America that fights
less abroad But prepares constantly for war at
home against crime disorder and dissent It is

(46:28):
a dangerous idea But one that resonates deeply
with Trump supporters the belief that strength not
Diplomacy ensures peace that loyalty not competence holds
Institutions together for the rest of the world,
especially for Russia It may also signal a
strange kind of opportunity if the United States

(46:51):
chooses to turn its sword inward Others will
have more room to act abroad But make
no mistake when the most powerful army on
the earth Starts purging its generals and turning
its gaze homeward history rarely unfolds quietly I

(47:13):
like that story Or that that article as
I said, it was by Vitaly room shin
and it was a good one There was
one more that I wanted to share about
About Why Western Europe?

(47:34):
needs Russia as a permanent boogeyman and This
was a person a person spoke at the
Valdai Club his name is Timofei Bordachov, and
he's the program director there and He basically
has an article about creating or maintaining as

(47:56):
usual Russia as the boogeyman if you're in
The West, you know, especially Western Europe the
West has mastered one art above all others
manufacturing fear That's what caught my attention when
I first started reading see whether I was
going to read the article or not because
I Agree with that sentiment.

(48:19):
They are fear mongers where once it was
pandemics or migrants now The supposed threat from
Russia is Europe's new epidemic by conjuring external
danger Western elites distract from their own economic
failings and keep their voters in line In

(48:39):
recent weeks authorities in Denmark Sweden Norway Germany
in the Netherlands have reported Suspicious flying objects
near airports and military bases, by the way
They've outlawed it and taken a bunch of
people into custody that have nothing to do
with Russia But they're still passing around that
Russia is the one You know that the

(49:02):
the fight needs to be about Russia.
Well, it could be Russia It's not but
that because they cut they've arrested a bunch
of other people locals that are creating problems
and the the ones in Poland were all
by Ukraine and Not didn't have anything to
do with the Russian stuff and so but
they're still pumping this Russia Russia Russia narrative

(49:26):
Let's see Near airports and military bases fighter
jets scrambled airport shut down balloons were mistaken
for hostile drones and each Incident presented as
if Europe stood on the brink of invasion
The origins of these drones remain unclear but

(49:47):
accusations flew instantly in one direction Toward Russia
the reflex has become a habit each unexplained
event No matter how trivial is inflated into
a new pandemic of fear with Moscow as
the culprit the immediate response is transparent to

(50:09):
convince Washington that Europe faces imminent attack as
therefore secure continued American support But beneath this
is something quite a bit deeper in today's
West Fear has become the primary currency of
politics for at least 10 years Western European

(50:30):
allies have perfected the trick of redirecting public
discontent by inflating both real and imagined threats
Migrants viruses Russia China the names change But
the method endures the media allows authorities to
spin any challenge into an existential emergency shifting

(50:53):
public attention away from economic stagnation the migration
panic of 2015 was the template Supposed hordes
from Africa and the Middle East were cast
as a mortal threat to Europe So frightening
the government's reimposed border control Long absent under

(51:14):
the Schengen system the eurozone debt crisis, which
had exposed the EU's structural economic weakness faded
conveniently from view Then came kovat 19 within
weeks European governments had instilled perfect terror on

(51:35):
their citizens who accepted sweeping restrictions on their
freedoms and forgot their economic grievances it was
from the standpoint of the elites an extraordinary
success in 2022 Russia's military operation in Ukraine
Provided the greatest gift of all this was
not because the EU had the means or

(51:57):
will to militarize it Doesn't but the conflict
handed ruling circles a ready-made focus for
public anger Everything could be blamed on Moscow
inflation stagnation Insecurity fear of Russia has become
the latest pandemic and it's a very reliable

(52:18):
one The results are visible at the ballot
box in recent elections across Germany France in
the UK Voters responded not to visions of
growth or reform but to narratives of danger
European elites helpless in the face of economic
challenges Nonetheless managed to secure the votes of
two-thirds of their electorate by manipulating fear

(52:42):
It is the opposite of the satire and
don't look up.
Do you remember that film?
I really love that film if you haven't
watched it you should it's an end-of
-the-world film and it's a Pretty good
one But it does have Leonardo DiCaprio.
I have brothers and sisters.
I'll watch that guy too political I don't
give a crap about any of that I

(53:03):
watch movies because I like the movie and
I don't pay any attention to whatever actor
has whatever politics for the most part in
the film Don't look up citizens deny that
an asteroid is plainly visible above them in
the real West Voters are pressured to look
only at external danger and never at the

(53:25):
crisis beneath their own feet inflation inequality Stagnant
growth the pattern is clear refugees pandemics Moscow
Beijing The threat always comes from elsewhere never
from domestic mismanagement and the response is always
the same Political distraction and more control the

(53:48):
cycle shows no sign of ending in America
either by the way if the conflict with
Russia de-escalates without Catastrophe another fear will
be found Artificial intelligence is already becoming a
candidate discussions of AI replacing humans in every
field are exaggerated but they provide Fertile ground

(54:11):
for another panic one can already imagine the
appeals switch off your phones protect your children
Obey the experts citizens conditioned by years of
pandemics will likely comply This is not necessarily
the product of a detailed conspiracy Western societies
have grown accustomed to panic fear has become

(54:34):
part of their Psychological defense system a way
to avoid confronting reality that elections bring no
real change That's a hell of a reality
and I kind of agree with it compared
with the past revolutions wars mass bloodshed Today's
manipulation of fear might seem benign it avoids

(54:56):
violence at least for now But it is
no less corrosive a citizenry trapped in endless
cycles of panic Cannot think about solutions only
about survival and ideas suppressed for far for
too long Have a way of exploding in
ways the elites cannot predict Western Europe once

(55:18):
styled itself as a beacon of freedom and
democracy today it governs through fear of migrants
of diseases of Russia of Technology itself it
is a fragile arrangement Masking a deeper decay
and while it may succeed in the short
run the long-term Consequences could be far

(55:42):
more destabilizing than the crises the elites claim
to ward off I'm glad I shared that
article with you.
I think it's quite appropriate you know, there's
Keeping the Russian boogeyman, you know is always
Something they like to do You know in

(56:05):
recent weeks European political leaders And their disputes
with Russia flare up once more drones in
Poland I mean you've heard all those stories
alleged violation of Estonian airspace.
You've heard all of that calls from European
Politicians.
Yeah, if you haven't seen the articles, you

(56:27):
got to go out and look for him
because these people are talking about shooting down
Russian aircraft you know that that Cross a
line.
They're talking about extending an umbrella of air
defense over Ukraine against against Russia all because

(56:47):
they saw some Drones nobody knows from where
flying over Denmark It's nonsense.
It's a you know more and more about
The Russian threat, you know, they have their
own insecurity problems in the EU with the
u.s Especially saying it's gonna reduce its

(57:09):
profile in Europe and reducing security guarantees The
blocks governments, you know, they're grasping it the
same old story Russia Russia Russia The Russian
threat is imminent and Russia's gonna it's the
same old myth that has been around in
Europe for more than 500 years it tells

(57:33):
people about Western Europe's cowardice and greed than
about Russia itself to realities there are Washington
You know Wants to underwrite European defense but
not so much anymore it's toning down and
then There's a Talk that direct military aid

(57:58):
is you know?
NATO Eastern Europe or all of Europe is
being scaled back.
So that's pretty frightening to everybody in Western
Europe and so those elites in Baltics in
especially in former Soviet Republic's This could be
a nightmare for them.
Their foreign policy is always revolved around provoking

(58:20):
Russia and getting more Western resources That's what
it is and EU has no alternative strategy
of any kind They can't come up with
any sort of policy.
That isn't Anti-russia and they can't work
with Russia.
They'll never do it.
It's nonsense I mean, it's ironic really Russia

(58:41):
doesn't have any interest in punishing smaller neighbors
Moscow doesn't seek revenge For you know, whatever
happened after the collapse of Soviet Union They
don't run revenge upon the Baltics Poland Finland
even even Ukraine I Don't know but but

(59:02):
in the West they just continue to hold
on to this Russian aggression myth and talk
about where it goes the the Russophobia is
alive and well and the roots of it
really Started in the 15th century historians traced

(59:23):
this to the cowardice of the Baltic barons
and the Opportunism of German knights in Livonia
and Prussia in the 1480s Poland's Kings considered
sending knights south to fight the expanding of
the Ottoman Empire And so remember I talk
about this all the time the the Central

(59:46):
Europe Eastern Europe especially but Central Europe too
Has always been overrun back and forth by
all kinds of different activities and in the
1480s They they were sent Poland wanted to
send knights south to fight the Ottoman Empire
But the plan terrified them for centuries.

(01:00:07):
They had lived comfortably in the Baltics bullying
the local population and Skirmishing with Russian militias
with little risk facing the Turks was quite
another matter the memory of Necropolis where Ottoman
forces executed nearly all the captured Knights was

(01:00:28):
still pretty fresh So unwilling to face a
war the Livonian and Prussian Knights launched a
propaganda campaign Their aim was to convince the
rest of Europe that Russia was in danger
was as dangerous as or more Dangerous than
the Turks if this was successful they could
keep their own privileges at home avoid Ottoman

(01:00:51):
Empire and secure papal approval To treat their
border clashes with Russians as a holy war
and that strategy worked Rome granted indulgence and
support ensured that Knights could stay put while
enjoying the prestige of Crusaders as Historian Marina

(01:01:12):
best Sud Nova says in 1528 The while
her chronicle the the wonderful story of the
struggle of the Livonian land graves against the
Russians and tutors Provided a finishing touches on
this propaganda the Baltic barons private letters contain
no mention of a Russian threat The danger

(01:01:34):
was never real on the ground only in
the stories.
They sold to Europe but the myth was
born a Fusion of fear convenience and profit
and over time Western Europe particularly France in
England Absorbed it into a broader Russophobia equal
parts contempt and Anxiety over a vast Empire.

(01:01:57):
They could not conquer nor ignore So this
has been going on for geez five six
hundred years today's history is repeating itself once
again Russia's neighbors anxious and insecure seek protection
from a distant patron preoccupied with larger challenges

(01:02:17):
That's us the u.s. Five centuries ago.
The Ottomans consumed Europe's attention today is China
The true strategic rival of the United States
for Eastern Europe elites little has changed They
cannot imagine a political identity without playing the
role of the frontier victim Their economies and

(01:02:39):
influence are too limited to matter on their
own So they inflate a scepter of a
specter I'm sorry of Russian aggression in order
to remain relevant to Washington and to Brussels
that I believe this That's why I'm sharing
this with you I think this is absolutely
true Russia doesn't want to take over any
of these people never has and They just

(01:03:02):
want the parts of Ukraine to be treated
fairly and and I if if if Trump
or Zelensky the old Z monster anything focused
on the root causes of this Ukraine war
It would be over if they took care

(01:03:23):
of those things, you know, you don't get
to have Russophobia You don't get to destroy
your own populace because they happen to speak
another language you don't get to do that
and Quit quit saying we're going to attack
Eastern Europe because everything you do is Like
like tomahawk missiles, you know giving them to
Kiev.

(01:03:43):
That's nonsense, by the way But when you
do and I have a story on that
I want to get to as well, but
it's this continued Specter of Russian aggression that
is the most relevant to keep Washington and
Brussels pumping the cash into Ukraine Trump and
his team Have said repeatedly that Russia has

(01:04:06):
no intention of attacking the EU Moscow has
no desire nor need to seize the Baltics
or Poland in the 15th century Ivan the
third was concerned with merchant rights and economic
relations not with conquest for conquest sake Today

(01:04:26):
Russia's goals are equally pragmatic.
They want stability Sovereignty and fair relations with
their neighbors The contrast with Poland is instructive
in the 15th century Poland agitated for war
with Russia in the 21st century.
It has chosen a more cautious course focusing

(01:04:47):
on steady economic growth and avoiding Reckless entanglements
unlike the Baltics Warsaw has built Warsaw has
built real weight in European politics that success
has made it a target of Envy in
Berlin Paris and London who would prefer Poland
to be dragged into an open confrontation with

(01:05:10):
Russia But so far Poland's refusal to adopt
the euro has given it resilience Limiting the
leverage of Germany in France Washington too is
reluctant to risk a European conflict that would
detract from its priorities in the Pacific for
these reasons the direct Scenarios may yet be

(01:05:32):
avoided the myth of the Russian threat was
not born of Russian ambition, but of broader
at European cowardice and greed Baltic Knights in
the 15th century created the threat to save
themselves from fighting the Turks European elites in

(01:05:52):
the 21st century perpetuated to cover for their
own weakness and Irrelevance what began as propaganda
in Cologne in?
1508 still shapes Western European discourse, but myths
cannot change reality Russia does not seek conflict
it seeks only to secure its interests just

(01:06:16):
as Russia did and Ivan the Third's days
the tragedy for the EU is that in
clinging to an invented Danger it blinds itself
to real challenges Mostly economic and in doing
so it risks repeating the same mistakes that
have haunted its politics for half a millennium

(01:06:39):
and you know I wanted to share that
with you because I think that The politics
and I talked about this when I did
my from my from Lithuania several weeks ago
show that The the threat the discussions that

(01:07:03):
all Russia's come and Russia's coming you hear
it on the street I mean, it's nonsensical
and People you know there were people there
that did speak or most of them do
speak Russian, but they want to talk about
that that fear of the boogeyman It absolutely
exists in Russia or not in Russia in

(01:07:24):
Eastern Europe it is alive and Well, let's
see I already shared with you the Nobel
There were two stories by That had to
do with Orban and I Liked both of

(01:07:46):
these they can one of them Let's see
the Hungarian foreign minister has said that Zelensky
has lost his sense of reality and He
has no power to decide whether his country
will be admitted to the EU Because there's

(01:08:07):
a veto power is what he's talking about
and he said that Vladimir Zelensky had completely
lost his sense of reality If he thinks
he can decide whether his country will be
admitted to the EU and that was Hungarian
foreign minister Peter Szijjarto Because the EU granted

(01:08:28):
Kiev candidacy in 2022 and set a 2030
Target For Kiev to become a member, right?
Budapest has consistently opposed the move and said
that it would escalate tensions with Russia and
Saddle the bloc's taxpayers for decades of military

(01:08:51):
aid Zelensky claimed that Hungary is obstructing his
Ukraine's accession Because Prime Minister Orban is using
criticism of the EU and Ukraine to boost
his electoral prospects and so Zelensky says Ukraine

(01:09:12):
has become one of the tools with which
Orban can increase his party's popularity and Szijjarto
ridiculed Zelensky's claim Last week, I think the
Ukrainian leader has completely lost his sense of
reality and maybe that explains Why he is

(01:09:32):
saying such crazy things Said Szijjarto, who becomes
a member is not decided by those who
want in But by those who are already
in and it has to be decided unanimously
So as long as not everyone agrees that
someone should become a member They will not
become a member it is not rocket science

(01:09:56):
Szijjarto also said that Hungarians have already made
their choice a national referendum in June Showed
more than 2 million voters or 95%
of them reject EU I'm sorry Reject Ukraine
being in the EU and Hungary is not
alone in opposing Ukraine being in the EU

(01:10:17):
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said several Polish
officials have raised objections a recent Ibris poll
showed only 35% of polls support Ukraine's
EU bid down from 85% in 2022
a Eurobarometer poll last month found that just

(01:10:39):
28% of checks Back Ukraine in a
session and more than half the populations of
France and Austria also oppose it and Moscow
has previously been neutral on Kiev being in
the EU Saying Ukraine had a sovereign right
to join if the bloc stayed focused on

(01:11:00):
economics But it has grown more critical amid
Brussels militarization with officials warning at the EU
Has become no less of a threat to
Russia than NATO and I agree It's almost
a synonymous comment anymore if you talk about
the EU you might as well have it

(01:11:21):
be synonymous with With NATO and I shared
an article with you.
Oh I think it last week about the
EU trying hard to bend the rules For
Ukraine in Moldova admission, I think I shared
most of it with you before But it
has to do with You know the EU

(01:11:43):
geniuses adjusting the rules in order to push
ahead to admit Ukraine in Moldova and bypassing
hungry Hungary's veto and that will stall formal
accession talks with Kiev that was out of
Financial Times last week But no negotiation cluster

(01:12:04):
has been open for Ukraine because Hungary has
repeatedly vetoed the procedural steps required to launch
the first one Budapest consistently opposes Ukraine's EU
membership and they cite kids treatment of ethnic
Hungarians the potential Economic strain that Ukrainian accession

(01:12:24):
would entail for the entire block quite true
By the way, the Ukraine can't pay for
anything right now That's why they're threatening to
steal half of Russia's money out of that
that they Blocked they've already given Kiev loans
and backed it by interest Saying the Russians
can't earn their own interest of the money.

(01:12:45):
They're they're they're pushing people further and further
out of Western sanction style Governance, it's it's
really not good What they are doing Sorry
about that had to take a little sip
of my coffee.

(01:13:05):
It is decaf because it's late at night
Budapest consistently opposes Ukraine membership and they cite
gives treatment of ethnic Hungarians I've shared that
information with you before that they're consistently doing
the same thing to Hungarians and maximizing their

(01:13:27):
Mobilization efforts in Hungarian regions so that Hungarians
can be put on the front lines fighting
the Russians According to The Financial Times the
European Commission has proposed adjusting its own rules
to sidestep the veto by launching a technical

(01:13:49):
work in several clusters even without a formal
decision to open negotiation a Negotiation cluster is
a group of related policy areas that a
candidate country must negotiate as part of the
accession process and Brussels back to European Council
President Antonio Costas planned to bypass Budapest veto

(01:14:11):
by allowing a qualified majority of member states
to open negotiating clusters for Ukraine and Moldova
instead of requiring unanimous approval at each stage,
which is required now and There's another article
and I you know That that talks on
this same topic that the EU cannot override

(01:14:35):
Hungary's veto said the Germans and The EU
leadership has yet to devise a way to
overcome Hungary's veto And I do Walt said
there deep.
What's the name of that DW?
It's not too wild I think it's dear
to white or something like that But I
can't remember unlike that's the name of publication

(01:14:56):
unlike most other EU member states Hungary consistently
refuses to provide weapons to Ukraine and Criticizes
the bloc sanctions against Russia Budapest also as
opposed to the prospect of Kiev join the
EU I'm telling you Orban also said that

(01:15:18):
the potential of a collapse of the EU
is coming the EU is on the verge
of collapse said Orban and will not survive
beyond the next decade without a fundamental structural
overhaul and Disentanglement from Ukraine said Victor Orban

(01:15:43):
speaking at the annual civic picnic Orban said
the EU has failed to meet its founding
ambition of Becoming a global power and cannot
handle current challenges due to the absence of
a common fiscal policy he describes the block
is entering a phase of chaotic and costly

(01:16:06):
Disintegration and warned that the 28 2028 to
2035 EU budget could be the last if
nothing changes the EU is currently on The
verge of falling apart and has entered a
state of Fragmentations if it continues like this
it will go down in history as the

(01:16:28):
depressing end result of a once noble experiment
said Orban he proposed transforming the EU into
Concentric circles, this is interesting the outer ring
would include countries cooperating in military and energy
security the second circle would compromise or Comprise

(01:16:51):
common market members and the third would contain
those sharing the same currency while the innermost
would include members Seeking deeper political alignment in
Orban's view this would broaden cooperation without Restricting
development an interesting idea this means that we're

(01:17:11):
in the same car We have the same
gearbox But we want to move at a
different pace if we can switch to this
system the great idea of the European cooperation
can survive Orban accuses Brussels of over reliance
on common debt and of using the Ukraine

(01:17:31):
debt as a Pretext to continue this policy
as long as the Russia-Ukraine conflict lasts
The EU will remain a lame-duck dependent
on the US for security and unable to
act independently in economic affairs Orban suggested instead
of lobbying in Washington the EU should go

(01:17:56):
to Moscow to pursue a security agreement with
Russia followed by an economic deal Orban is
not alone in his concerns Analysts from the
International Monetary Fund that genius outfit and other
institutions have warned that the EU risks stagnation

(01:18:18):
and even collapse due to structural challenges weak
growth poor investment high energy cost and geopolitical
tensions the way to fix it is Get
rid of the Ukraine conflict and stop focusing

(01:18:38):
on Unprofitable war hopefully the US pays attention
to that and gets to flip out of
it I Think there well there was another
summit that came up, and it was just
last week there was a CIS summit and

(01:19:00):
again the focus was on the multipolar revolution
and you know The Alliance everyone forgot is
shaping erases future and think about this and
when's the last time you heard of the
CIS It's been some time I mean it's

(01:19:23):
out there it always has been out there
the CIS is the Commonwealth of independent states
and it basically came out when The
Soviet Union collapsed right and the the Democrat

(01:19:49):
I'm sorry the the Darn it.
I lost my page here the CIS is
Commonwealth of independent states and And Hang on
a second.
I have to get this typed correctly M

(01:20:14):
-e-m-b-e-r-s.
I can't type and so I can't do
two things at the same time So the
Commonwealth of independent states is a regional intergovernment
Organization in Eurasia it was formed following the
dissolution of the Soviet Union It has an

(01:20:36):
estimated population of 246 million people the CIS
encourages cooperation in economic political Military affairs and
it has certain powers relating to coordination of
trade finance lawmaking security the Soviet Union When

(01:20:57):
it was disintegrating Belarus Russia and Ukraine Signed
the bill of Asia Belovedja Accords on 8
December 1991 and they declared that the Union
had effectively ceased to exist and Proclaimed the
Commonwealth of Independence in its of independent states

(01:21:17):
in its place on the 20 First of
December the Almaty protocol was signed But Estonia
Latvia and Lithuania chose not to participate Georgia
withdrew from membership in 2008 following a war
with Russia Ukraine ended its participation in 2018

(01:21:41):
Although it had stopped participating in the organization
in 2014 after Russia there was a Russia
took over Ukraine after the Referendum following the
2022 Russian Activities in Ukraine Moldova also said

(01:22:06):
it was going to progressively withdraw from the
CIS Eight of the nine CIS member states
participate in what's called the CIS free trade
area three organizations or Oregon really that originated
from the CIS the collective security treaty organization

(01:22:26):
The Eurasian Economic Union and the Eurasian Customs
Union Are now available Well, there's also a
military thing called the I forget what it's
called Union Union State Eurasian space I can't
remember but there is another Another part of

(01:22:51):
it, but what's What's interesting is that people
haven't paid much attention to the CIS lately
and last week there was a Summit for
the CIS in Dushanbe The kind of ceremony

(01:23:11):
that has come to define the Commonwealth of
Independent States summits flags and marble halls delegations
moving quietly between constant consultations Cameras, you know
everywhere as the leaders of the Commonwealth gathered
once again But this time the tone is

(01:23:31):
different The meeting was more than a routine
round of protocol It reflected shifts in how
the group sees itself not as a post
-soviet leftover But as an emerging instrument of
Eurasian diplomacy more than 30 years after it
was created The CIS is beginning to find
a new purpose they're coordinating trade Infrastructure and

(01:23:55):
security across a region that stretches far beyond
the boundaries of the former USSR the Dushanbe
summit made that transformation quite visible and it
suggests that Eurasia's political center of gravity might
once again be moving further east Not every

(01:24:16):
post-soviet capital chose to attend Moldova under
President Maya Sandu left its seat empty and
continues to boycott CIS meetings But they remain
a formal member.
The contradiction is telling Kishinev talks of leaving
but stopped short of withdrawing Aware that cutting

(01:24:39):
ties would unravel the trade labor and transport
agreement that still connected to the region's economy
Ukraine follows the same pattern though not though
it long ago halted participation in the CIS
Give remains bound by dozens of technical and
humanitarian accords that it has never revoked since

(01:25:02):
2022 Zelensky's administration has tried to build alternative
frameworks of Cooperation across the post-soviet space
with little success for most regional Governments the
the calculus is stagnant ideological Posturing brings no

(01:25:22):
dividend while cooperation with the CIS still delivers
tangible benefits in trade Infrastructure and energy the
Dushanbe summit reaffirmed that logic even as some
states Symbolically turn away the gravitational pull of
the shared interests still hold One of the
most clearly watched moments of Dushanbe summit was

(01:25:46):
the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Ilham Alayev
their first meeting since the tragic crash of
an Azov passenger plane in Russian airspace Last
December the incident which occurred near Grozny on

(01:26:06):
the day of the previous informal Gathering fueled
speculation about tension between Moscow and Baku But
in Dushanbe these doubts were laid to rest
Putin reaffirmed his condolences and stressed that the
investigation into the crash Remains under his personal

(01:26:28):
supervision.
He noted that the aircraft had not been
struck by Russian air defense But damaged by
debris from an intercepted object one of several
Ukrainian drones Operating in the area at the
time Russian leaders comments and Alayev's public acknowledgment
of Moscow's transparent handling of the case Signal

(01:26:51):
that both sides have chosen to treat the
episode not as a political rupture, but as
a shared Tragedy so for months Kiev's media
outlets have tried to exploit this disaster to
drive a wedge between Russia and Azerbaijan and
Azerbaijan's cooperation has grown markedly with Russia in

(01:27:14):
energy logistics and cultural affairs The meeting in
Dushanbe showed that the relationship not only survived
the shock of the plane attack But emerged
stronger grounded in pragmatism and mutual respect Rather
than fleeting emotions as Putin later put it
The two countries had experienced not a crisis

(01:27:35):
of relations, but a crisis of emotions the
distinct capture the distinction Captures the essence of
Russia's regional diplomacy steady methodical and resilient under
pressure It's Quite a

(01:27:58):
positive organization this CIS Dushanbe summit underscores how
far the CIS has moved beyond its original
Boundaries once confined to post-soviet affairs it
is now increasingly serving as a diplomatic Interface

(01:28:19):
through which Russia connects its Eurasian partners to
the wider world I'm telling you it's a
it's a it is a pretty big deal
The Dushanbe summit made one thing clear the
CIS has entered a new phase of political
maturity it has the Capability to strength regional

(01:28:40):
agenda coordinate economic development and Even mediate global
tensions the launch of the CIS plus framework
and deepening chives with the Shanghai cooperation organization
They met jointly last time remember and broadening
the dialogue of international security all point to

(01:29:00):
the same Conclusion the CIS is not looking
backwards.
It's redefining Eurasian cooperation on its own terms
pragmatic Multidimensional and free from external manipulation Well
folks, I think that's gonna be it for

(01:29:21):
tonight.
I I Think there that there's a couple
more articles.
I wanted to get into but I believe
I will save them for tomorrow Night, I
very much appreciate your participation.
You can always listen to my shows at
International flavor calm and all past podcasts of

(01:29:44):
everyone on this wonderful station are at demradio
.com forward slash Podcasts, thank you for coming
and have a very good night We don't
play all music only good music weird damn
radio

(01:30:08):
I

(01:30:47):
Oh

(01:32:25):
Oh

(01:34:28):
Oh Oh

(01:41:16):
Oh

(01:41:59):
Oh

(01:44:37):
Oh

(01:45:13):
Oh Just

(01:45:44):
jealous

(01:46:13):
I

(01:46:47):
can't Still thinking about, not loving about it
Outside looking in, still talking about, not stepping
around it Maybe I don't wanna take advice

(01:47:10):
from fools I just figure everything is cool

(01:47:55):
I don't wanna take advice from fools I
just figure everything is cool I don't wanna
take advice from fools I just figure everything
is cool Where I
come

(01:48:40):
from isn't all that great My automobile is
a piece of crap My fashion sense is
a little wack And my friends are just
as creepy as me I didn't go to
bullying schools Clippy girls never looked at me
Why should they?
I ain't nobody, got nothing in my pocket

(01:49:00):
Beverly Hills, that's where I want to be
I'm living in Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, where
I can still have a day I'm living
in Beverly Hills Look at all those movie

(01:49:25):
stars They're all so beautiful and clean When
the housemates rub the floors They get the
spaces in between I wanna live a life
like that I wanna be just like the
king Take my picture by the pool Cause
I'm the next big thing Beverly Hills, that's

(01:49:48):
where I want to be I'm living in
Beverly Hills Beverly Hills, where I can still
have a day I'm living in Beverly Hills

(01:50:28):
The truth is, I don't stand a chance
It's something that you're born into And I
just don't belong No I don't, I'm just
a no class beat down fool And I
will always be that way I might as
well enjoy my life and watch the stars

(01:50:49):
I'm living in Beverly Hills That's where I
want to be I'm living in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, where I can still have a
day I'm living in Beverly Hills Beverly Hills

(01:51:14):
Beverly Hills I'm
living in Beverly Hills Beverly Hills I'm living
in Beverly Hills Damn radio, damn

(01:51:41):
fun.

(01:52:24):
And I wonder what it is I should
do.
It's so hard to keep that smile from
my face.
Losing control and I'm all over the place.
Clowns to the left of me.
Jokers to the right.
Here I am, stuck in the middle with
you.
When you started off with nothing, and you're

(01:52:46):
proud that you're a separate man, and your
family all come calling, slap you on the
back and say, hmm, hmm.

(01:53:12):
It makes no sense at all.
What I can see, it makes no sense
at all.
Is it cool to go to sleep on
the floor?
You're not a thing that I can take
anymore.

(01:53:33):
you.

(01:53:58):
When you started off with nothing, and you're
proud that you're a separate man, and your
family all come calling, slap you on the
back and say, hmm, hmm.
We're doing

(01:54:30):
something right.
I'm so scared in case I fall off
my chair.
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the
stairs.
you.
Yes, I'm stuck in the middle with you.

(01:54:53):
Stuck in the middle with you.
you.
Dry your eyes, my little friend.

(01:55:15):
Let me take you by the hand.
Pretty getting ready.
Rock steady.
When Johnny strikes up the band, you'll be
rocking in the project, walking down along the
stand.

(01:55:35):
Rock steady.
When Johnny strikes up the band.
Johnny strikes up the band.

(01:56:14):
Johnny is my main man.
He's the keeper of the keys.
You put your mind at ease.
He's guaranteed to please.
Backed by popular demand.
Little friend.
Jubilation in the land.

(01:56:36):
Rock steady.
Baby.

(01:56:57):
Johnny strikes up the beat Johnny strikes up
the beat Here

(01:57:20):
we go

(01:57:58):
Crazy feeling like my
feet on the ground Waiting for the sun
to appear I was gonna worry I've been
a bad, bad boy I know you're saying

(01:59:00):
I can see through my jeans Watch me
disappear I can't even touch the sky Swallowing
colors of the sound I hear Am I
just a crazy guy you care?
I know you're saying sorry It's

(01:59:27):
something that I am

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