[INTL. REACTION-UKRAINE] UN council to meet on Russian claim of US labs in Ukraine

By artappraiser on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 2:06am |

AP (via ArabNews.com) March 11, 2022, updated 1 min. ago

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council scheduled a meeting Friday at Russia’s request to discuss what Moscow claims are “the military biological activities of the US on the territory of Ukraine,” allegations vehemently denied by the Biden administration. “This is exactly the kind of false flag effort we have warned Russia might initiate to justify a biological or chemical weapons attack,” Olivia Dalton, spokesperson for the US Mission to the United Nations said late Thursday. “We’re not going to let Russia gaslight the world or use the UN Security Council as a venue for promoting their disinformation.”

The Russian request, announced in a tweet Thursday afternoon from its first deputy UN ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky, follows the US rejection of Russian accusations that Ukraine is running chemical and biological labs with US support.
In response to this week’s accusations by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova — without evidence — White House press secretary Jen Psaki issued a public warning Wednesday that Russia might use chemical or biological weapons against Ukraine, the neighbor it has invaded.
Psaki called Russia’s claim “preposterous” and tweeted: “This is all an obvious ploy by Russia to try to justify its further premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine.”
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby on Wednesday called the Russian claim “a bunch of malarkey.”
Dalton said “Russia has a well-documented history of using chemical weapons and has long maintained a biological weapons program in violation of international law” as well as “a track record of falsely accusing the West of the very violations that Russia itself is perpetrating.”
Dmitry Chumakov, another Russian deputy UN ambassador, repeated the accusation Wednesday [....]

URL:

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2040381/world

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Morning “I am the President of an adequate country, an adequate nation. And the father of two children. And no chemical or any other weapons of mass destruction were developed on my land. The whole world knows that. You know that.” https://t.co/iYp0G9sJSn pic.twitter.com/cp9Ztk9lUE
— Tanja Maier (@tanjamaier17) March 11, 2022

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 2:15am

Curious: is he speaking Russian here?
— Tracey Thomas (@ChallahCam) March 11, 2022

No, ukranian
— TuttoBolivia (@TuttoBolivia) March 11, 2022

Good Lord he knows what he's doing. The way the camera kept slowly zooming in, almost perceptibly slowly, to increase the anxiousness of the moment and draw the viewer closer to him. They really really know what they're doing over there on the media front.
— Agriculture Policy Wonk (@agripedia) March 11, 2022

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 2:45am

How well known is it that as an actor Zelenskyy played the President on a Ukrainian television show that was so popular a political party bearing the name of that show was formed. Then Zelenskyy ran for Ukrainian President for real. Smh, it is just so surreal.

by EmmaZahn on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 4:13am

I think all his history, including not only that but the video of him dancing in high heels and being the Ukrainian voice of Paddington Bear is pretty well known among the cognescenti of Twitter and surely most Ukrainians (I've even seen the tv show as teacher-become-president often cited as the reason he won, as it gave him a sort of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" brand.)

What is the lesson for me? A talented ACTOR can make a popular president, especially if he/she has had a role to practice for the real thing.

Trump rode the role of smart tough bossman in "The Art of the Deal" and then "The Apprentice", a brand which he had promoted his whole life, to the presidency. It wasn't the role of a president though. Turns out he couldn't play any other role, is the only one he knew how to play.

Me, I remember being appalled as a young person that we had elected a Hollywood actor as president; it was like "what's next?" I had no idea at the time of his considerable practice of the executive role as a governor.

I think a lot of voters were like when I was younger - they just don't know that much about the candidate, rather, they guess from the performance. (And I did not think someone who co-starred with a monkey could do so well. I might have thought different if he had played an "everyman president" in a movie)

Ah but the proof is in the final performance once elected, is it not? You don't reallly care if it's playacting if it works for you....

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 4:43am

p.s. I should add that I have been mightily impressed by everything I have seen so far about Zelenskyy Productions. He is very talented but the crew he is working with is enormously so, very very savvy, I would say they are far better than any political messaging operation in the U.S. After all if this was a propanganda war alone, look at what they have done and what they continue to do! Absolutely victorious.

edit to add: all you have to do is compare the world's reaction to what happened in Belarus or Crimea.

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 4:52am

Reuters Exclusive: WHO says it advised Ukraine to destroy pathogens in health labs to prevent disease spread

https://t.co/WgCykDkKAc
— Info (@Glavset) March 11, 2022

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 2:48am

This is like a bizarro world reversal of the Iraq war, with Russia alleging they are stopping some sort of biological weapon attack and the American media highlighting the carnage and mayhem the way Al Jazeera did.

by Orion on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 3:24am

It's like Iraq occupying Kuwait.

by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 2:50pm

With Joe Biden in the role of George H.W. Bush. Will we see a president in ten years or so show up and decide to go all the way in Russia?

by Orion on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 5:01pm

?? Well here's a glimpse at a different, more horrible time

https://english.alarabiya.net/amp/features/2018/03/11/PICTURES-The-large...

by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 5:08pm

New: Israeli Prime Minister Bennett told Ukraine President Zelensky he should take Putin's proposal to end war, a senior Ukrainian official said. "Bennett wants us to surrender but we have no intention of doing this", he said. My story on @axios https://t.co/u1CmJOBnNd
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) March 11, 2022

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 2:47pm

One thing I will say about all this - I haven't met a lot of either but I have met both Russians and Ukrainians. The Russians I met often said some really profound stuff, but also were very callous, offensive and arrogant. The few Ukrainians I met were really, really humble in comparison. In fact, some of the most humble people I've ever met! Generalizations can often be off but it was enough to be noticeable.

by Orion on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 5:09pm

Well, I'm thinking of a warm, talented, but modest Russian colleague i should reach out to, but not quite sure what to say or what i should do. Another Russian colleague died 2 years ago - an old pro, a bit gruff but warm and self-effacing. I'm not sure what we get stereotyping 144 million Russians and 44 million Ukrainians. Navalny might have been a Zelensky if hadn't been poisoned and thrown in jail. The girls of Pussy Riot aren't much like these overpainted Russian models in furs - could there be 2 types?

by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 5:33pm

I think it's always helpful to keep in mind that when it's an immigrant from either (or any other country for that matter) to the U.S., that they have strongly rejected something about their home culture. So they probably won't even make good stereotypes. (On the other hand, they will be the best people to furnish good stereotypes about their home region once they feel free from it!)

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 6:23pm

Even that generalization doesn't work. The Russians I met didn't like America at all, were only here briefly and intended to just go back.

by Orion on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 10:37pm

I'm talking about someone who lives in Moscow + someone in the EU. But anyway, 1 million Russians signed the protest petition against the war - are they also arrogant?

by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 4:30am

I wasn't even thinking about him when I wrote my comment but now you reminded me. In the mid 80's I had an art appraisal client, a medical doctor, who turned out to have been a minor member of a small but very famous dissident group in Leningrad in 70's. They all became Soviet exiles in the U.S. and France. He turned out to have a pretty large collection of art by artists related to the group, his collecting was the source of important income to them at a crucial time when they were not that well setup as exiles in "the west." I took the job, finished inspecting everything, and just as I was starting the production of the document, my mother in the midwest went into an unexpected life-death situation in the ICU and my father asked me to come help. So I did not get the appraisal done for weeks and weeks. The doctor kept calling and calling and calling, leaving voice messages that he needed the appraisal, where is my appraisal. I desperately needed the money from a finished job and I was afraid how he would react. Finally I called him back. He was not screaming or yelling, he was very polite about it. I said "gosh how come you are not sounding angry, where is that famous Russian temper?" He said very wryly "that's because I am not Russian heritage, but Czech".

So there you go, an example of what I said - the emigres can stereotype their society better.

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 11:40am

I don't refute stereotypes - but they're dangerous, need to be used carefully, appropriately, esp. for non-natives. I was talking about Mila Kunis recently as "Russian" - turns out she's Ukrainian, but no Americans knew where the fuck Ukraine is, so she went with the easier option. That said I've been to Ukrainian dives in NY, which totally prepared me for the current crisis. Not. But elsewhere I've worked with both Ukrainians and Russians, yet still don't feel comfortable with a big brush. Especially decades later - global things change much faster these days; are historical references are often obsolete.

by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 12:09pm

An 11-year-old boy is being praised for his fearlessness after he traveled 620 miles alone to flee Ukraine — carrying nothing but a passport, plastic bag and a relative's phone number scrawled on his hand.https://t.co/rzuOlKk9P9
— NPR (@NPR) March 11, 2022

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 6:39pm

Under different circumstance, this information would look like utter nonsense, but right now, I am afraid, this won’t be the end of it.
— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) March 10, 2022

by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 8:00pm

Yovanovitch: Trump Insiders Say He Would've Pulled U.S. Out Of NATO In Second Term, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJH66socuqA

by Orion on Fri, 03/11/2022 - 11:13pm

Western sanctions against Russia could cause the International Space Station to crash, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos warned Saturday, calling for the punitive measures to be lifted.https://t.co/K24Trg9Uw3
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) March 12, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 2:49am

“We don’t rule out a diplomatic solution to this war,” says Poland’s Ambassador to the US @mmagierowski, but the ball’s in Putin’s court. But, he adds, “Russia is losing this war right now... Maybe the military solution and defeating the Russian army in Ukraine is the way out.” pic.twitter.com/LM6irTBPiJ
— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour) March 10, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 3:47am

#NATO is going to conduct planned exercises in #Norway

The exercises will start on March 14. Thirty thousand NATO troops will take part in them.
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 12, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 4:18am

"A whole pack of lies."

Dame Barbara Woodward tells the UN there is no credible evidence to support Russia's claims Ukraine has a biological weapons programme, adding Russia has brought "a series of wild, completely baseless and irresponsible conspiracy theories" to the UN. pic.twitter.com/TwRlPQc3AS
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) March 11, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 4:21am

very popular (the title trending on Twitter) piece by Fukyama; is also a quick easy read as it's in bullet-point form:

Optimistic predictions from @FukuyamaFrancis — wish there was more of an effort to attach probabilities to this.https://t.co/3Hjy7XpStR
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) March 12, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 11:13am

Trudeau:

We’re back from Europe – where we spent the week working to support Ukraine, hold Russia accountable, and defend democracy. Here’s a quick recap: pic.twitter.com/nPWMVnoGTr
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) March 12, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 12:33pm

what's the worst that could happen?

The "good" news: The human species would probably survive a global nuclear war.

The bad news: You and I and billions of people would almost certainly die. https://t.co/jb96E7PYGW
— Yascha Mounk (@Yascha_Mounk) March 12, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 1:04pm

Wheres this "billions of people" come from?

Unless China and India are taking part, not a chance.

For another thing, are we still expecting Russian nukes are accurate?

by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 1:10pm

plus last I checked Japan is still there after Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the Fukushima disaster; nukes are horrific weapons but not the end of the earth they are played up to be in sci-fi

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 2:08pm

didn't realize til now that Antonio Garcia Martinez was actually tweeting from Poland; he's there and trying to get into Ukraine:

If you think it’s a bad idea to go up to the literal Poland/Ukraine border—tricked out with IR cameras and motion sensors and all the rest—in the middle of a war, you’d be correct.

We were later tracked down by grumpy border guards and treated to a search and full ID check. pic.twitter.com/YgvIdxTIo8
— Antonio García Martínez (agm.eth) (@antoniogm) March 12, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 2:12pm

Bipartisan delegation of US senators arrives in Poland, meets with US ambassador and troops

From CNN's Joe Johns and Sarah Fortinsky, 4 hr 1 min ago

A bipartisan US congressional delegation, including Republican Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio and Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, arrived Saturday in Warsaw, Poland, where they met with US Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski and traveled to Rzeszow to meet with US troops from the 82nd Airborne Division.

The delegation plans "to meet with senior government officials and visit refugee sites to affirm the United States' commitment to Poland, Ukraine, and other allies in response to Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine," according to a Saturday news release from Wicker's office.

Senate staff familiar with the trip tell CNN the delegation will also visit the Ukrainian border on Sunday.

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 8:04pm

Edward Snowden's last tweet was this one on Feb. 27

I'm not suspended from the ceiling above a barrel of acid by a rope that burns a little faster every time I tweet, you concern-trolling ghouls. I've just lost any confidence I had that sharing my thinking on this particular topic continues to be useful, because I called it wrong.
— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) February 27, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 9:31pm

Ukraine is game to you? https://youtu.be/fzLtF_PxbYw

by Orion on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 9:31pm

omg, what a fabulous find!

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 9:42pm

Lol

by Orion on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 10:17pm

"Ukraine's Nazi problem is real, even if Putin's denazification claim isn't."

I thought that this article was notable because it highlighted a moderate analysis of what is going on with Azov, the neo-Nazi militia in Ukraine.

I have an unorthodox take on this one. Let's hypothesize that there was validity to Putin's claims to "denazify" Ukraine. The problem therein is that his war is actually weakening the regime of Zelensky, who, according to Grayzone, made peace with Azov but was initially a target of their ire. Much like how the United States emboldened Al Qaeda and ISIS by invading Iraq, Putin actually would embolden Ukraine's paramilitaries if he overthrew its current government.

by Orion on Sat, 03/12/2022 - 11:40pm

Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, is scheduled to meet on Monday in Rome with a senior Chinese official, the White House said on Sunday. The two are expected to discuss the war in Ukraine, among other topics. https://t.co/gA9MrEGiiB
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 13, 2022

by artappraiser on Sun, 03/13/2022 - 12:32pm

Hungary's Viktor Orbán becomes the latest Kremlin crony to break ranks.

There are definite lessons to be learned here for the small American coterie of Putin-curious pundits and would-be politicians. But will the New Nationalists take the hint?https://t.co/rDRYmpw6BP
— reason (@reason) March 13, 2022

by artappraiser on Sun, 03/13/2022 - 1:11pm

But with friends like Boris, who needs enemies?

Here's why I think the events of March & April 2018 need urgent attention.

Fiona Hill was national security advisor on Russia to Trump & 2 other presidents.

And for her Skripal poisoning is proof that Putin can and will unconventional weapons. Because he already has.
2/ pic.twitter.com/iDuruglBVd
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) March 13, 2022

by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 03/13/2022 - 5:19pm

For those asking if this is true: yes. This article gets straight to the point. https://t.co/8BS0Oo8uZE
— Emma Kennedy (@EmmaKennedy) March 13, 2022

by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 03/13/2022 - 5:22pm

Is there anyway Snopes can get a veto on the UN Security Council? Just cause it would save a lot of wasted time.

❌ False. The claim that the U.S. is operating secret biolabs in Ukraine is one that has been repeatedly spread by Russian propagandists since at least 2018. https://t.co/9htOESeh0R
— snopes.com (@snopes) February 24, 2022

by artappraiser on Sun, 03/13/2022 - 8:24pm

IOW, Snopes confirms labs are there. They are just not secret. And most are leftover from Soviet era. The US just assisted Ukraine in maintaining and updating them.

I remember reading a long, long time ago about the Soviet's researching the use of phages as alternatives to and replacements for antibiotics in treating drug-resistant strains of bacteria. It would be a shame to lose all the specimens of the phages they have researched if for no other reason than to use as evidence against future patent claims.

by EmmaZahn on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 5:03am

Excerpt from Spotlight on Biological Warfare by Izabella Kaminska's new website The Blind Spot (paywalled)

If you knew anything at all about Ukrainian biolabs a week ago, it’s unlikely that you picked the information up from the mainstream media. More likely you had heard about it on the internet, social media, or even from a YouTuber like Russell Brand. Though, chances are, you would have been dismissed as a conspiracy theorist if you had dared to mention it further.

In the world of serious “fact checked” news, even as recently as this week, all references to secret US funded biological weapons facilities at the periphery of Russian territories, were actively being dismissed by our side as brazen Russian disinformation. Twitter had even gone to the effort of scrubbing the earliest maps and references in a Stalinist-like information purge within hours of them appearing.

And yet, maps like the below one, which had started to do the rounds on social media, weren’t entirely fake news:

By Friday, March 11, it became ever clearer that the West’s suppressive information tactic was beginning to backfire. Social media was lighting up with talk of secret bioweapons programmes despite all the blocks on Russian information channels.

And the reason for this was simple: there really are quasi-secret US-funded biolabs scattered all across Ukraine. And now the Russians – thanks to us lying about the situation in the first place – are ahead on the spin about their purpose.

We would have been better off telling the truth: that the existence of those labs, while grotesque and incomprehensible to most people, probably saves lives.

And more so, that Vladimir Putin’s seeming paranoia about the positioning of these labs in the periphery of Russian territory, whilst over the top, is not entirely irrational.

There is much, much more behind the paywall.

by EmmaZahn on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 7:28am

What means "quasi-secret"? That's didn't know about it, but anyone in the field who cares would? A term to foster further suspicion despite Snope's "false" rating?Who developed the West's "suppressive tactic"? A cabal of media types in a New York skyscraper? I mean, wearing masks to protect against airborne disease is "incomprehensible" to 30% of the US population. I don't know what any of these arguments mean, just that I'm not terribly convinced still that there's any scandal there at all. Yes, lots of stuff left over from the Cold War. No, Ukraine not terribly wealthy so whatever remains prolly has gaps. Etc, etc. Is there any real info that any of this was a threat to Russia? Any attempted use in the past? (PS - that would probably lower their chances of joining the EU, Ukraine's biggest ambition, so color me skeptical)

by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 8:38am

I have no answers to your questions but maybe you could ask her ...

Join me at 2pm GMT/10am ET on Monday March 14 to discuss the truth behind those Ukrainian biolab claims with experts in the field @FilippaLentzos and @gregkoblentz on Twitter Spaces. We will be taking questions. https://t.co/wZdxXd2e1U
— Izabella Kaminska (@izakaminska) March 13, 2022

by EmmaZahn on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 8:45am

Russia Asked China for Military and Economic Aid for Ukraine War, U.S. Officials Say - The New York Times https://t.co/afGvk92qsA
— Gideon Fils (@Wallst_Gmoney) March 14, 2022

by artappraiser on Sun, 03/13/2022 - 10:19pm

The clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Dutch city of Amsterdam, announced Saturday it was splitting from the Moscow church because of threats to them over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.https://t.co/bN7uwO0M46
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) March 14, 2022

Every day in every way seems like Pooty's doing a real bangup job of reaching his goals...

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 1:25am

I've heard of the church as a big ally of Pootie's but am curious how that's holding up.

by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 1:27am

Religion News keeping an eye on him and don't like what they see so far:

"If Kirill is trying to position himself as one of the world’s major religious leaders, someone needs to tell him it is not going to work," writes @PhyllisZagano of the Russian Orthodox Patriarch. https://t.co/U4ilVe12dA
— Religion News Service (@RNS) March 14, 2022

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 5:08pm

Russian history vs negotiations

Consider negotiations between Russian and Ukraine. They didn't reach any agreement, and they couldn't. Why? Look whom Putin sent as a chief of delegation - Medinsky. Medinsky is a MGIMO professor who wrote the book on greatness of Russia and was appointed a Minister of Culture pic.twitter.com/b0GaFYC8Km
— Kamil Galeev (@kamilkazani) March 13, 2022

by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 2:57am

Ukraine president Zelinsky to address congress: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/03/14/ukraine-russia-invasion-live-updates/7031496001/?csp=chromepush

by Orion on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 12:31pm

The cruise missiles that devastated a western Ukrainian military base were launched from aircraft flying in Russian air space, a U.S. defense official said Monday, indicating that a no-fly zone would not have prevented the attack https://t.co/a37sEAj7Uj
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) March 14, 2022

So believe him or not, that's what the U.S. defense official says.(You are meant to believe him, by the way.)

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 1:50pm

Elon Musk is challenging Putin to a duel:

We live in magical times.

(He’s challenging Putin to a duel.) https://t.co/Z5NDUcao9J
— Antonio García Martínez (agm.eth) (@antoniogm) March 14, 2022

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 2:00pm

This video of Ukrainian children starting at their new school in Italy is . #LongLiveUkraine pic.twitter.com/FZg13a3klM
— Nick Knudsen (@NickKnudsenUS) March 14, 2022

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 3:21pm

⚡️Pfizer to donate all proceeds from Russia for humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

The U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer said on March 14 that it couldn’t halt its supplies to Russia because it would jeopardize patients’ lives.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) March 14, 2022

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 3:41pm

Chef José Andrés' nonprofit is helping to feed Ukrainians fleeing the war by partnering with restaurants to serve meals at hundreds of locations.https://t.co/G01sZZixpG
— NPR (@NPR) March 14, 2022

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 4:43pm

file under "there's so many more things that could be done..."

NEW: Bermuda is suspending the certification of Russian planes licensed in the British overseas territory due to sanctions on Moscow. The move could lead to the GROUNDING of a significant portion of the Russian fleet, more than 700 of which are licensed in Bermuda.
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) March 14, 2022

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 5:28pm

Incredible. Ireland has decided to fast-track Ukrainian teachers through the registration process to teach in Irish schools, so that the schools are prepared to meet the needs of Ukrainian children. https://t.co/YQOVXmqQqJ
— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) March 13, 2022

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 5:44pm

Ursula tweet today:

Putin's war is becoming more brutal by the day.

I just informed President @ZelenskyyUa of the 4th package of sanctions.

The EU is with the Ukrainian people.

We support them with a €1.2 billion macro-financial assistance package and €500 million in humanitarian aid. pic.twitter.com/9siOxbRdsB
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 14, 2022

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 5:55pm

Idealpolitik: No Fly Zone, it's easy!
Realpolitik: https://t.co/h5ML9h75TG
— Dr. Bendor Grosvenor (@arthistorynews) March 14, 2022

by artappraiser on Mon, 03/14/2022 - 9:50pm

striking and strange photo:

Prime Ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia arrived in Kyiv #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/jZbtVUxf24
— Stratcom Centre UA (@StratcomCentre) March 15, 2022

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/15/2022 - 2:58pm

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis also visited Ukraine today. This is the same FM who has been very outspoken in support of Taiwan: https://t.co/Ajtqp9G0fh
— Melissa Chan (@melissakchan) March 15, 2022

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/15/2022 - 4:20pm

Beattie's arguably overstressing the "neo-nazi" thing, but the general point of The Guardian article is very valid and important, that the anti-Putin tent is huge and very wide:

US backed Sunni radicals fighting alongside US backed neo-nazis against Russia

The rules based order...https://t.co/4JnWx2RYi1
— Darren J. Beattie (@DarrenJBeattie) March 15, 2022

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/15/2022 - 4:28pm

Harrison, an American volunteer, left his wife and his job with the Chicago police department behind to fight in Ukraine https://t.co/zvZO2bmsD6
— The Economist’s 1843 magazine (@1843mag) March 15, 2022

by artappraiser on Tue, 03/15/2022 - 5:34pm

A clip taken out of context on social media actually shows U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Polish President Andrzej Duda laughing briefly at confusion over who should answer a question first between translations https://t.co/n7O3X5DNgt pic.twitter.com/lWQB0svMyf
— Reuters Fact Check (@ReutersFacts) March 15, 2022

by artappraiser on Wed, 03/16/2022 - 2:31pm

I have a feeling Harris is out of her depth, but she's just barely 2nd year out of 4th - still time to surprise.

by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 03/16/2022 - 3:48pm

Me too, exactly the same, including that I don't feel yet like she doesn't have the potential. It's like she can't drop the "you go girl" casual act in ultra serious situations, which is odd for someone who was a prosecutor? There's been other times I've seen when she just seems so nervous and skittish when the situation really called for the tough angry prosecutor character. And again, I didn't see her in primary debates that way, she talked tough.

Look, just saw this for example, a leader can be caught laughing during a war, it's just important that it's situational:

It was an honor to meet President Biden and the many impressive women leaders of the Biden-Harris administration at last night’s #WomensHistoryMonth celebration at the @WhiteHouse. pic.twitter.com/Zm7Wwbs7Iw
— Chair Lowe (@NEHchair) March 16, 2022

by artappraiser on Wed, 03/16/2022 - 4:04pm

The U.S. Senate says it unanimously, now Biden too:

BREAKING NEWS (CNN): Biden Calls Putin a "War Criminal"
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) March 16, 2022

by artappraiser on Wed, 03/16/2022 - 4:23pm

Interestingly exposes self as not even getting the "everyman" democratic marketing thing, isn't even on his radar:

The dick of the day trophy goes to stockbroker Peter Schiff for bitching about Zelenskyy addressing Congress with a t-shirt on—complaining that he should have worn a suit as bombs rain down around him and his people are being murdered.

Shut the fuck up, Peter.#DickOfTheDay
— Jason Overstreet (@JasonOverstreet) March 16, 2022

Investor Peter Schiff complains about Ukrainian President Zelensky wearing a T-shirt before Congress — but leadership expert says other politicians should follow his example https://t.co/E7ZaTSrB3S A jackass in a suit is still a jackass. Smdh
— magikalalpha (@magikalalpha) March 16, 2022

by artappraiser on Wed, 03/16/2022 - 5:34pm

Here's the video Zelinskyy played for U.S. Congress a short time ago:#Ukraine pic.twitter.com/lRt3GOKcZ8
— KT CounterIntelligence (@KremlinTrolls) March 16, 2022

by artappraiser on Wed, 03/16/2022 - 5:52pm

Poland is "planning to urgently procure" MQ-9 Reaper drones from the United States https://t.co/aCRXcaUqbM
— Notes from Poland (@notesfrompoland) March 16, 2022

by artappraiser on Wed, 03/16/2022 - 5:57pm

Mitt Romney says he wants Ukraine to have the MIG's "immediately":

Stepping out of @ZelenskyyUa's address to Congress, I’m again moved by his monumental leadership and heroic courage. Being a world leader does indeed mean we have a responsibility to be a leader of freedom and peace. We must fulfill his request immediately. Get Ukraine the MiGs. pic.twitter.com/hBEYXGt5ZV
— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) March 16, 2022

by artappraiser on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 1:46am

p.s. I just checked, Mitt's on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and also on its Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation

by artappraiser on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 1:51am

I imagine Barack Obama saying to Joe Biden: how can I help, what should I stress to my fans? (I can't imagine him NOT doing that and just blasting his own opinion regardless of what this admin. wants.) Whatever the case, here's his emphasis in 3 tweets as I see it: 1) we need to help with the refugee crisis 2) NO to NO FLY ZONE 3) it would be a big mistake to blame all the Russian people

As we bear witness to the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine, here are three articles worth reading. First, a description of the scale of the Ukrainian refugee crisis, underscoring the need for all of us to support relief efforts. https://t.co/uwuz2VqpC7
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 16, 2022

Second, a useful primer on why no-fly zones don’t offer a simple answer to stopping the bloodshed. https://t.co/q7VnpgLw9X
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 16, 2022

And third, a reminder that in the face of brutal repression, there are ordinary Russians that are showing tremendous courage in standing up to a senseless, destructive war. https://t.co/xh1Z10vo6V
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 16, 2022

by artappraiser on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 2:45pm

Putin and Obama actually seemed somewhat open to one another until Crimea. I might be wrong about that but that's how it seemed.

by Orion on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 3:29pm

President Biden heaped unrestrained scorn on Vladimir V. Putin. A day after labeling Putin a war criminal, Biden described the Russian president as a “murderous dictator, a pure thug who is waging an immoral war against the people of Ukraine.” The comments came during an otherwise genial speech at Congress's annual Friends of Ireland Luncheon in the Capitol.

Video March 17, 2022, 2:45 p.m. ET., 4 hours ago, Glenn Thrush Reporting from Washington @ NYTimes Live Coverage

followed by

March 17, 2022, 2:39 p.m. ET. 4 hours ago, Lara Jakes. Reporting from Washington

President Vladimir V. Putin “is not relenting and in fact may be growing more desperate,” said Antony J. Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state. He warned that Moscow might be preparing to use chemical weapons in the war, could redirect private mercenary groups in battle zones elsewhere to Ukraine, and had begun to kidnap local officials in Ukraine and replace them with Putin’s allies.

by artappraiser on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 6:51pm

Arnold Schwarzenegger sent an emotional message to the people of Russia, addressing Vladimir Putin directly, telling him he started the war, he can end it #THRNews pic.twitter.com/Zkuw4r7OSx
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 17, 2022

by Orion on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 7:42pm

just read it's an especially big deal because the official account on Twitter for Putin only follows like 22 others and one of them is Ah-nold's. Didn't check if true because the gist of it which I also got from others is that Putin will see this.

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/18/2022 - 3:36am

Drones flying into NATO territory have forced the alliance to decide how to respond -- if it all -- to incidents inside its borders https://t.co/hXvrQkeup4
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) March 17, 2022

by artappraiser on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 9:27pm

The toy bridge.

Romanian border police and citizens have turned the pedestrian bridge linking #Ukraine and Romania at Sighetu Marmației into a toy bridge.

Each child who comes from Ukraine can take a toy from there, to enter the country with a nice thought.#standwithukraine pic.twitter.com/SSVKcKgHkk
— Catalin Tenita (@catalintenita) March 17, 2022

by artappraiser on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 9:31pm

We Canadians are polite at all times. @RussiaUN #RespectTheCharter #StandWithUkriane https://t.co/iBqjy9JCKY
— Room Rater (@ratemyskyperoom) March 17, 2022

by artappraiser on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 9:34pm

Ukrainian President @ZelenskyyUa has been nominated for @NobelPrize in peace.
Please, help share this information.https://t.co/oowjpltqOB
— Yehor Brailian (@YehorBrailian) March 17, 2022

by artappraiser on Thu, 03/17/2022 - 9:35pm

S.Africa's Ramaphosa blames NATO for Russia's war in Ukraine!

Very depressing…(and a reminder of how very different perceptions of Putin’s invasion and war are forming and cementing around the world)https://t.co/3hIeT5TSAh
— Rory Stewart (@RoryStewartUK) March 17, 2022

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/18/2022 - 3:33am

House Foreign Services Committee Chair Gegory Meeks has narrative and is sticking to it - comparing Putin's war crimes now to war crimes in Yemen or MBS is comparing apples to oranges; Putin now is comparable to 1939 in Germany:

"Wouldn't it help the U.S. if we could also just as clearly condemn war crimes when committed by our allies too... why not be consistent in calling out war crimes around the world?"

Watch my back & forth with the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Cttee:pic.twitter.com/XdFHuhmK0S
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) March 18, 2022

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/18/2022 - 4:01am

I had a layover in the Moscow airport one time. I believe this gives me a unique insight into the Russian mindset, 1/9
— Emma Berquist (@eeberquist) March 17, 2022

Thread continues. Spool unwinds.

by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 03/18/2022 - 2:09pm

Russian TV cuts off Putin speech. https://youtu.be/2A4aMaNFfnk

by Orion on Fri, 03/18/2022 - 5:44pm

we're the party of John McCain, back to the tried-and-true hawkishness (note to military lobbyists: similar to John we were just held prisoner for the last four years. sorry about that):

But all of you @GOP supported the man who withheld defense funds and weapons from Ukraine and tried to smash NATO. https://t.co/InIAm63c39
— Jerry Saltz (@jerrysaltz) March 18, 2022

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/18/2022 - 7:45pm

now for the really important news: hacker group "Anonymous" has threatened Marjorie Taylor Greene on her tweet trying (unsuccessfully) to ridicule Bill Kristol:

Russian asset Marjorie Taylor Greene will go down in history as one of the dumbest politicians ever. History will not be kind to you, nor will we.#Anonymous
— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) March 17, 2022

by artappraiser on Fri, 03/18/2022 - 9:30pm

42 and 43. Two former presidents --acting together -- show support for the people of Ukraine. https://t.co/wAJJzxy5J2
— Kelly O'Donnell (@KellyO) March 18, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/19/2022 - 3:01am

A convoy of UK fire trucks is heading to Ukraine to help emergency serviceshttps://t.co/DYJbapckd2 pic.twitter.com/CGLSla0YiR
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 19, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/19/2022 - 1:41pm

Conflicting messages from China!

“China's Vice Foreign Minister blames NATO for war in Ukraine” China is wrong and knows the truth about Putin! #BoycottChina #Ukraine #WarCrimes #StandWithUkraine #SanctionPutin #NuclearPutin #DefendDemocracy https://t.co/5K8hgvXGsU
— Len Resists! Support Ukraine! (@HeyEsau) March 19, 2022

that Axios piece is from few hours ago, this from the Chinese ambassador to Ukraine was on the 16th:

China's ambassdor to #Ukraine has praised the strength of the Ukrainian people and promised to respect the choices of its sovereign government.

If China isn’t bluffing, this is a big big deal and a body blow to Putin.https://t.co/EgTRqGBoIa
— David Yankovich (@DavidYankovich) March 17, 2022

the NYTimes piece from yesterday focused on Biden's phone call

Putin and Xi have met 38 times as national leaders and developed a highly personal bond, including a shared strategic interest in trying to weaken American power. But how long will Xi go along with Putin's war in Ukraine? ⁦@SangerNYT⁩ ⁦@ewong⁩ https://t.co/cgDZpVcITP
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) March 19, 2022

this Telegraph report was from today!

Chinese state media have started to report on civilian casualties in the Ukraine war as part of a subtle departure from the pro-Russian narrative https://t.co/I61yolgL4r
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 19, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/19/2022 - 2:00pm

America & the entire free world are just so damn fortunate that Joe Biden, and not Donald Trump, is President right now.
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) March 18, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/19/2022 - 2:06pm

Rick Wilson says the GOP will blame Biden -

My new piece for ⁦@washingtonpost⁩ on what the GOP will do next on Ukraine.

Spoiler: they’ll blame Biden. https://t.co/0XOuQwMYpX
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) March 18, 2022

by artappraiser on Sat, 03/19/2022 - 2:39pm

"Russia is the aggressor and we cannot allow Putin to set the conditions of this war," Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine, tells @AbigailTracy. "Putin is a bully and what he understands is strength." https://t.co/2G8VwXhObG
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) March 21, 2022

by artappraiser on Sun, 03/20/2022 - 10:08pm

In the News

Russia plays weak hand in Palestine
Russia plays weak hand in Palestine

submitted by PeraclesPlease 8 months ago

The intra-Palestinian meeting in Moscow has precedent

Russia's hosted such meetings in the past, most recently Feb 2019

Russia has long lamented the US' "monopolization" of the peace process & tried to carve out a niche for itself: mediating among the disunited Palestinians/2
— Hanna Notte (@HannaNotte) February 29, 2024

Read the article at https://twitter.com/HannaNotte/status/1763116222256701787

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Mother Jones is Reaching out to Alternative Party Voters
Mother Jones is Reaching out to Alternative Party Voters

submitted by HSG 9 months ago

Here's what I told them: https://halginsberg.com/vote-for-jill-stein-again/

Read the article at https://halginsberg.com/vote-for-jill-stein-again/

2 comments

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Controversial Brazil law curbing Indigenous rights comes...
Controversial Brazil law curbing Indigenous rights comes into force

submitted by artappraiser 11 months ago

Controversial Brazil law curbing Indigenous rights comes into force https://t.co/pCoDg05irX
— Gareth Harris (@garethharr) December 28, 2023

Read the article at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/28/brazil-law-indigenous-land-rights-claim-time-marker?CMP=share_btn_tw

1 comment

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Security Alert: U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince, Haiti (...
Security Alert: U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince, Haiti (December 25, 2023)

submitted by artappraiser 11 months ago

Location: U.S. Embassy and residential compounds

Events: Heavy gunfire is occuring around the area of the U.S. Embassy and residential compounds adjacent to the Trutier area of Tabarre. All Embassy personnel have been instructed to remain indoors and shelter-in-place until further notice. All others should avoid the area.

Actions to take:

Avoid the area;

Avoid demonstrations and any large gatherings of people;

Do not attempt to drive through roadblocks; and

If you encounter a roadblock, turn around and get to a safe area.

Read the article at https://ht.usembassy.gov/security-alert-u-s-embassy-port-au-prince-haiti-december-25-2023/

3 comments

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Pakistan Is Creating the World’s Next Refugee Crisis
Pakistan Is Creating the World’s Next Refugee Crisis

submitted by artappraiser 11 months ago

By The Editorial Board @ Bloomberg.com, December 8, 2023

A mass expulsion of Afghan migrants could destabilize the region and fuel radicalization. The West should pressure Islamabad to change course.

Read the article at https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-12-08/pakistan-s-expulsion-of-afghan-refugees-risks-another-crisis

6 comments

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Internet shut down in Chad
Internet shut down in Chad

submitted by artappraiser 11 months ago

All eyes on #Chad right now
Chad has two internet trunks coming into the country: One from the Red Sea via Sudan; the other from Cameroon. Not possible for the totality of the country's internet network to be shut unless done centrally. A lot of rumors swirling; few facts. https://t.co/N6bDJZ2ixO

Read the article at https://x.com/_hudsonc/status/1732891968709992511?s=20

2 comments

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[Economy] where Joe's success falls short
[Economy] where Joe's success falls short

submitted by PeraclesPlease 11 months ago

Read the article at

3 comments

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[CRIME News] 3 loss-prevention employees in Macy’s across...
[CRIME News] 3 loss-prevention employees in Macy’s across the street from Philadelphia City Hall stabbed

submitted by artappraiser 11 months ago

BREAKING: Three loss prevention employees in Macy’s across the street from Philadelphia City Hall stabbed, one of them has died from stab wounds, @PhillyPolice sources tell me. Police converged on the store as the three workers were rushed to Jefferson Hospital. pic.twitter.com/4U1eKycL4W

Read the article at https://x.com/KeeleyFox29/status/1731713272942940365?s=20

38 comments

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Former U.S. Ambassador Arrested, Charged With Working As...
Former U.S. Ambassador Arrested, Charged With Working As Secret Agent For Cuba

submitted by artappraiser 11 months ago

Former US Ambassador Arrested, Charged With Working As Secret Agent For Cuba https://t.co/LDwo4ZJI1K
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) December 4, 2023

Read the article at https://www.huffpost.com/entry/manuel-rocha-ambassador-arrested-cuba_n_656d1e2ae4b028b0f3d07478

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[War in Israel, Chapter II] UNRWA under scrutiny
[War in Israel, Chapter II] UNRWA under scrutiny

submitted by artappraiser 11 months ago

[Chapter I news is HERE, Oct. 7 til today]

You don’t get it.
It’s not about an UNRWA teacher who held an Israeli kid hostage in his house.
It’s all about how for 75 years you have destroyed the future of generations of Palestinians, including my family.
My cousins in Arab countries are still not citizens - not even the… https://t.co/nv6anubGhc
— George Deek (@GeorgeDeek) December 2, 2023

Note 'Community Notes' attached to UNWRA's statement.

Read the article at https://x.com/GeorgeDeek/status/1731020551328579863?s=20

58 comments

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Maduro, Under Pressure, Holds Vote to Annex Territory From...
Maduro, Under Pressure, Holds Vote to Annex Territory From a Neighbor

submitted by artappraiser 11 months ago

Imperialism for me but not for thee?

It's wild that Venezuela is now holding a vote on whether 2/3 of Guyana actually belongs to them! Analysts suggest that Modoru may want military action to pump up his sinking popularity.

Could we have a war in South America?!?

"The people who live in Essequibo are largely… pic.twitter.com/QvMEjkkgwy

Read the article at https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/03/world/americas/maduro-vote-essequibo-guyana.html

6 comments

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[Where is the GOP headed?] Divisions leave Florida’s House...
[Where is the GOP headed?] Divisions leave Florida’s House Republicans powerless

submitted by artappraiser 12 months ago

The lack of a cohesive delegation has allowed attention-seeking lawmakers to act on their own.

McCarthy: “You have [Rep. Matt] Gaetz, who belongs in jail…”

Gaetz: “Tough words from a guy who sucker punches people in the back. The only assault I committed was against Kevin’s fragile ego.”https://t.co/LctPuz6Pcf

Read the article at https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/29/divisions-leave-floridas-house-republicans-powerless-00129200

10 comments

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‘She got so mad at me’: book on the ‘Squad’ details AOC-...
‘She got so mad at me’: book on the ‘Squad’ details AOC-Pelosi clashes

submitted by artappraiser 12 months ago

By Martinn Pengelly in Washington DC for TheGuardian.com, Nov. 30

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tells Ryan Grim life in Congress ‘completely transformed’ after Democratic leader stepped down

Read the article at https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/30/squad-book-aoc-nancy-pelosi?CMP=share_btn_tw

15 comments

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US health insurers Humana, Cigna in talks to merge -source
US health insurers Humana, Cigna in talks to merge -source

submitted by artappraiser 12 months ago

@ Reuters, Nov. 29

Read the article at https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/us-health-insurers-humana-cigna-talks-merge-wsj-2023-11-29/

3 comments

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Central Africa’s dinosaur regimes and the art of coup-...
Central Africa’s dinosaur regimes and the art of coup-proofing

submitted by artappraiser 12 months ago

"Both the AU and the intl community place more weight on whether elections are held than whether they are free and fair. Sanctions/expulsions occur when there is a coup but not necessarily when elections are rigged or if an “institutional coup” occurs." https://t.co/m9dNimJP0D
— Cameron Hudson (@_hudsonc) November 28, 2023

Read the article at https://africanarguments.org/2023/11/central-africas-dinosaur-regimes-and-the-art-of-coup-proofing/

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