Generational Dynamics World View News

Discussion of Web Log and Analysis topics from the Generational Dynamics web site.
Guest

Re: Generational Dynamics World View News

Post by Guest »

I wasn't born in the US, but I did attend high school and college there. It is interesting to see the absolute disconnect between this website and CNN~my window onto America here in Asia. CNN only reports on the January 6th insurrection and white supremacy. It appears to many over here that America is uninterested in the Russian invasion of Ukraine or China's war plans. China is really dangerous and the Russians are cheats. Everyone here knows that. Viewing CNN leaves Asians with the impression that Americans are too self absorbed to notice what China is up to. The people on this website seem to live a different America. An observation.

spottybrowncow
Posts: 317
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2020 11:06 am

Re: Generational Dynamics World View News

Post by spottybrowncow »

Guest wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:28 pm
I wasn't born in the US, but I did attend high school and college there. It is interesting to see the absolute disconnect between this website and CNN~my window onto America here in Asia. CNN only reports on the January 6th insurrection and white supremacy. It appears to many over here that America is uninterested in the Russian invasion of Ukraine or China's war plans. China is really dangerous and the Russians are cheats. Everyone here knows that. Viewing CNN leaves Asians with the impression that Americans are too self absorbed to notice what China is up to. The people on this website seem to live a different America. An observation.
You just made John a very happy man.

Xeraphim1

Re: Generational Dynamics World View News

Post by Xeraphim1 »

DaKardii wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 7:37 pm
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 6:33 pm
Are we supposed to ignore the fact that Nursultan ran a very tight ship and strongly limited all foreign influences?
It was under Nursultan that Kazakhstan joined the CSTO. A literal military alliance with Russia. It was also under Nursultan that Kazakhstan joined the Eurasian Economic Union, which basically cannot function without Russian membership.
You're proving my point more than yours.
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 6:33 pm
Are we supposed to ignore that fact that Kazakhstan removed price caps on fuel at the same time as the Ukraine standoff?
Color revolutions ALWAYS start off as organic unrest based on existing grievances. They then become color revolutions because outside forces exploit those grievances to their own advantage.
Except there are no indications of external influence. In fact, just about all reporting believes it was totally due to internal conditions. The only people saying otherwise are Tokayev and Russia, both of which have incentives to point the finger somewhere else.
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 6:33 pm
The US has never had a very strong interest in Central Asia despite what you pet theory says.
You're definitely right that we have no natural interests in the region. But the consensus among so-called "geopolitical experts" is that we need to copy the British Empire and wage our own version of the "Great Game." Why? Because they think if we control Central Asia, we control the world? Why? Because Heartland Theory.
No, there is no such consensus. There are a few people with a theory that not only has not been proven, many more people reject it. The fact that you like the theory does no not make it confirmed. The US has spent little time or effort on Central Asia and when it has, it's always been for limited aims such as supporting supply in Afghanistan. If anything, the US has tacitly conceded Central Asia to Russia.
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 7:13 pm
Russians refuse to ask why all the countries that used to be part of the Russian Empire/USSR/Warsaw Pact want to join NATO. They refuse to accept that the one common feature is Russia. If Russia didn't have such shitty policies and shitty relations with its neighbors, they'd have no interest in NATO.
That may be true, but it isn't in our interests to protect them. Also, our NATO membership is arguably unconstitutional because Article V could be used as a pretext to enter an armed conflict without a Congressional declaration of war.
It actually is in US interests to offer protection because that deters aggressors. Europe spent around 100 years at war with itself. No member of NATO has ever gone to war with another one. I'll allow the various Greece/Turkey conflicts, but they've always been resolved short of war. It also has damped down the perceived need to other countries to develop nuclear weapons to defend themselves because the US has provided guarantees. This Pax Americana has led to great prosperity for the world and for the US.

And no, the NATO treaty is not unconstitutional because it was ratified by the US Senate as provided in the US Constitution.

Guest

Re: Generational Dynamics World View News

Post by Guest »

Xeraphim1 wrote:
Thu Jan 13, 2022 1:40 am
DaKardii wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 7:37 pm
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 6:33 pm
Are we supposed to ignore the fact that Nursultan ran a very tight ship and strongly limited all foreign influences?
It was under Nursultan that Kazakhstan joined the CSTO. A literal military alliance with Russia. It was also under Nursultan that Kazakhstan joined the Eurasian Economic Union, which basically cannot function without Russian membership.
You're proving my point more than yours.
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 6:33 pm
Are we supposed to ignore that fact that Kazakhstan removed price caps on fuel at the same time as the Ukraine standoff?
Color revolutions ALWAYS start off as organic unrest based on existing grievances. They then become color revolutions because outside forces exploit those grievances to their own advantage.
Except there are no indications of external influence. In fact, just about all reporting believes it was totally due to internal conditions. The only people saying otherwise are Tokayev and Russia, both of which have incentives to point the finger somewhere else.
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 6:33 pm
The US has never had a very strong interest in Central Asia despite what you pet theory says.
You're definitely right that we have no natural interests in the region. But the consensus among so-called "geopolitical experts" is that we need to copy the British Empire and wage our own version of the "Great Game." Why? Because they think if we control Central Asia, we control the world? Why? Because Heartland Theory.
No, there is no such consensus. There are a few people with a theory that not only has not been proven, many more people reject it. The fact that you like the theory does no not make it confirmed. The US has spent little time or effort on Central Asia and when it has, it's always been for limited aims such as supporting supply in Afghanistan. If anything, the US has tacitly conceded Central Asia to Russia.
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 7:13 pm
Russians refuse to ask why all the countries that used to be part of the Russian Empire/USSR/Warsaw Pact want to join NATO. They refuse to accept that the one common feature is Russia. If Russia didn't have such shitty policies and shitty relations with its neighbors, they'd have no interest in NATO.
That may be true, but it isn't in our interests to protect them. Also, our NATO membership is arguably unconstitutional because Article V could be used as a pretext to enter an armed conflict without a Congressional declaration of war.
It actually is in US interests to offer protection because that deters aggressors. Europe spent around 100 years at war with itself. No member of NATO has ever gone to war with another one. I'll allow the various Greece/Turkey conflicts, but they've always been resolved short of war. It also has damped down the perceived need to other countries to develop nuclear weapons to defend themselves because the US has provided guarantees. This Pax Americana has led to great prosperity for the world and for the US.

And no, the NATO treaty is not unconstitutional because it was ratified by the US Senate as provided in the US Constitution.
HOME RUN.

FullMoon
Posts: 772
Joined: Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:55 pm

Re: Generational Dynamics World View News

Post by FullMoon »

Guest wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:28 pm
I wasn't born in the US, but I did attend high school and college there. It is interesting to see the absolute disconnect between this website and CNN~my window onto America here in Asia. CNN only reports on the January 6th insurrection and white supremacy. It appears to many over here that America is uninterested in the Russian invasion of Ukraine or China's war plans. China is really dangerous and the Russians are cheats. Everyone here knows that. Viewing CNN leaves Asians with the impression that Americans are too self absorbed to notice what China is up to. The people on this website seem to live a different America. An observation.
CNN has a domestic American viewership of approximately 0.2 from what I've seen, yet they somehow garner influence as if they were relevant. I've read that it's now funded and operated for the sole purpose of propaganda and misinformation. Abysmally low viewership, consistent scandals and reporting that's consistently proven to be outright lies supports this view.
As for American interest in international events, I can't have a conversation with anyone because they simply either don't know or care about what's going on. I suppose willful ignorance would be ok in non crisis time period.
If you haven't read Navigator's book, consider doing so.
Asia will be a very unsafe place to be soon. Take care

DaKardii
Posts: 943
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 9:17 am

Re: Generational Dynamics World View News

Post by DaKardii »

Xeraphim1 wrote:
Thu Jan 13, 2022 1:40 am
You're proving my point more than yours.
How so? How is joining the CSTO and the Eurasian Union not a sign of Russian influence?
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Thu Jan 13, 2022 1:40 am
Except there are no indications of external influence. In fact, just about all reporting believes it was totally due to internal conditions. The only people saying otherwise are Tokayev and Russia, both of which have incentives to point the finger somewhere else.
And this administration doesn't have the incentive to actually do what Tokayev and Putin are accusing it of doing?
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Thu Jan 13, 2022 1:40 am
No, there is no such consensus. There are a few people with a theory that not only has not been proven, many more people reject it. The fact that you like the theory does no not make it confirmed. The US has spent little time or effort on Central Asia and when it has, it's always been for limited aims such as supporting supply in Afghanistan. If anything, the US has tacitly conceded Central Asia to Russia.
Heartland Theory has been an important component of US geostrategy for the entirety of the post-WWII era, and especially post-Cold War. Also, I can't help but notice that Brzezinski (the godfather of modern Heartland geostrategy) wrote that the most "dangerous" potential alliance within the Heartland was one between China, Iran, and Russia. Guess which three countries are often singled out as the cause of America's foreign policy woes by what is our de facto state media? You guessed it: China, Iran, and Russia. Now ask yourself, is that just a coincidence?
Xeraphim1 wrote:
Thu Jan 13, 2022 1:40 am
It actually is in US interests to offer protection because that deters aggressors. Europe spent around 100 years at war with itself. No member of NATO has ever gone to war with another one. I'll allow the various Greece/Turkey conflicts, but they've always been resolved short of war. It also has damped down the perceived need to other countries to develop nuclear weapons to defend themselves because the US has provided guarantees. This Pax Americana has led to great prosperity for the world and for the US.

And no, the NATO treaty is not unconstitutional because it was ratified by the US Senate as provided in the US Constitution.
No, it's in US interests only to protect itself from aggressors which directly threaten its national security. The vast majority of the world's conflicts don't fall in that category.

Also, Congress cannot ratify a treaty which effectively nullifies its own powers granted under the Constitution. Such accessions are null and void by default, because the Constitution is the supreme law of the land.

Cool Breeze
Posts: 2935
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2020 10:19 pm

Re: Generational Dynamics World View News

Post by Cool Breeze »

DaK nailing it again.

Go, Go DaKardiac kid

DaKardii
Posts: 943
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 9:17 am

Re: Generational Dynamics World View News

Post by DaKardii »

Russia is preparing to withdraw its troops from Kazakhstan

https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-say ... 1642081645

Navigator
Posts: 901
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2019 2:15 pm

Re: Generational Dynamics World View News

Post by Navigator »

Guest wrote:
Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:57 am

HOME RUN.
Agreed. Thanks for dealing with this Xeraphim.

Navigator
Posts: 901
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2019 2:15 pm

Re: Generational Dynamics World View News

Post by Navigator »

Guest wrote:
Wed Jan 12, 2022 8:28 pm
I wasn't born in the US, but I did attend high school and college there. It is interesting to see the absolute disconnect between this website and CNN~my window onto America here in Asia. CNN only reports on the January 6th insurrection and white supremacy. It appears to many over here that America is uninterested in the Russian invasion of Ukraine or China's war plans. China is really dangerous and the Russians are cheats. Everyone here knows that. Viewing CNN leaves Asians with the impression that Americans are too self absorbed to notice what China is up to. The people on this website seem to live a different America. An observation.
The American Press changed in the 1970s as a result of Vietnam and Watergate. After that, instead of doing investigation work and reporting findings, they moved to advocacy. This change was also made by those teaching journalism in American universities.

So instead of learning how to do investigative reporting, the journalists in the US have become advocates for their personal political philosophies.

This means that little to no investigative work is being done by journalists. This is just bad for everyone. On top of that, thanks to their overwhelming advocacy of slanted liberal viewpoints, the majority in America no longer believe what the liberal press has to say. And CNN is a bastion of liberal journalists.

Most Americans, as you probably experienced first hand, have little to no knowledge of foreign affairs. Most would have difficulty finding their own country (let alone others) on a globe (which is demonstrated repeatedly for comic effect on numerous TV shows).

But not all Americans are ignorant or idiots. Hopefully you are seeing that by reading at least some of the posts here.

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