How could we NOT talk about the war in Ukraine. Aren’t we seeing it up close and personal, because the entire globalised communications system is streaming it whichever way you can think about – and then some? But did you ever think that what’s being streamed mightn’t reflect ground reality? We witnessed some of this right here in Guyana when APNU/AFC controlled NCN-streamed feed of Mingo doing his (nasty) thing with that dutty bedsheet. If you were in the States, wouldn’t you have thought the PNC won the elections?
So, just be a little cautious about those videos from the Ukraine, OK? Like those shots of “Russian” tanks destroyed on the battlefield. How’d we know they aren’t Ukrainian, since their tanks are also supplied by Russia? Then, there’re things you can’t see directly – like the modern weapon of mass destruction – sanctions. These act quite silently while being deadlier than those rockets raining down from the sky. So, while the Russians might win the battle for the Eastern Ukraine, they’re gonna lose the war because of those sanctions.
But there’s a big “IF”!! Only IF America’s allies observe the sanctions. And right now, they aren’t because they can’t and it’s causing one big blowback!! Take the importation of Russian oil. India’s being criticised for not cutting supplies – BUT EUROPE HASN’T BANNED THOSE SAME SUPPLES!! And it’s for the simple reason that one-third of their supplies come from Russia!! Especially diesel which is actually 50 per cent!! Then there’s the Russian natural gas that Germany, for instance can’t substitute since they don’t even have ports to receive substitute LNG!!
And how about steel?? Eastern Ukraine – esp around besieged Mariupol – supplies one-third of its iron slab feeder stock to Western Europe. Where are they going to replace that from? What all of this means is that the US will have to be very patient with its allies since they’re quite tethered to Russia’s raw materials. Further afield, the critical energy-rich Middle East is facing a meltdown from the shortage of wheat and its astronomic prices.
The other problem with our news of the war is that it ain’t as nuanced as it should be. Take the glee that Russian troops haven’t taken Kyiv and are STUCK around Mariupol in the south. Hey…in this aspect of war the Ruskies follow Clausewitz. They don’t go after cities, they go after and destroy armies!! So Mariupol’s more strategically important ‘cause the major battle-hardened Ukrainian troops are being slowly strangled. Then the siege of Kyiv prevents the troops there from reinforcing Mariupol!!
Down here in Guyana, let’s just get out the popcorn and throw back. It’s gonna be a long, hard war!!
…and vigilantes
There’s another disturbing report of a vigilante killing – this time up the Berbice River. There was a horrible robbery with extreme violence to a family in Kimbia and when outraged residents came across a “known” character in the neighbourhood, they simply beat him to death! He was originally from New Amsterdam and had been jailed several times. Back in 2014, he was one of the fellas who’d been severely burnt and beaten while in prison. Seems he just rubbed folks the wrong way.
According to his mother, however, “Police knows him because his entire life he living with trumped up charges…and he dead now…all because the police don’t do good investigation.” Now your Eyewitness knows , Dear Reader, you’re shaking your head ruefully and thinking it’s mothers like that lady who implicitly encourage their children down the wrong fork in life. But that doesn’t justify vigilante killings, does it? Problem is, citizens have no confidence in the Police.
We may see more of this vigilante “Justice”!
…up garlic
Garlic’s big in your Eyewitness’s household. And NO, it’s not that he has to ward off Dracula!! He and his family just enjoy those ground-up cloves of garlic in their Curry Chicken.
But $800/lb?? War is hell!!
