Friday, February 07, 2014

The Ladies Are Doing Us Proud

Always assuming "us" means the Imperial USA, that is.  Myself, I'm feeling a bit of gratitude for anything that takes the mask off Exceptional America, in case anyone's paying attention.  (Doubtful.)  So, great job, Victoria Nuland of the State Department:
The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has described as "totally unacceptable" remarks by a senior US official who said "fuck the EU" while speaking about the crisis in Ukraine.
In a leaked conversation posted on YouTube, the state department official Victoria Nuland revealed the White House's frustrations at Europe's hesitant policy towards pro-democracy protests in Ukraine, which erupted late last year. Nuland was talking to the US ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt.
[ ... ]

The White House spokesman Jay Carney would not discuss the content of the conversation recorded in the clip, but he too invoked the Loskutov tweet. "I would say that since the video was first noted and tweeted out by the Russian government, I think it says something about Russia's role," he said.
Blaming the Russians for leaking a conversation that was presumably obtained by covert means poses problems for the US, as documents leaked by Edward Snowden reveal that the US has in the past listened into the communications of its allies, as well as enemies.
 And then there's our UN Ambassadress, Samantha Power (exquisite name, no?), taking the high road with the Russians:
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power is making it clear that she stands with Russian punk group Pussy Riot even if it means joining the band — jabbing the Russian ambassador to the U.N.
Power met Wednesday with two members of the band, who were jailed in Russia for criticizing President Vladimir Putin and eventually released two months before the end of their two-year sentence. The ambassador and human rights scholar called the women “brave ‘troublemakers’” in a tweet sharing a picture of the group.
When asked about their meeting, the Russian ambassador to the U.N., Vitaly Churkin, asked, “She has not joined the band?” according to Reuters.
“I would expect her to invite them to perform at the National Cathedral in Washington,” Churkin said at a briefing. “Maybe they could arrange a world tour for them, you know. St Peter’s Cathedral in Rome, then maybe in Mecca in Saudi Arabia, ending up with a gala concert at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. So if Ambassador Power fell short, I would be disappointed.”
Power responded Wednesday evening that she’d be “honored” to join the group.
I'm rather tempted to make an early monetary donation to Hillary 2016.  The more ridiculous the Empire looks, the sooner its collapse occurs. And for that: the sooner, the better.

Monday, February 03, 2014

A Voice of Sanity

Via the Rockwell blog this morning: Edward Snowden, interviewed by a German source.  Don't hold your breath while waiting to see this on American teevee.  He's also been nominated by a couple of Norwegian legislators for the Nobel Peace Prize.  Unless the one awarded a few years ago to President Drone Murder Commander Obama is rescinded, Snowden ought certainly to reject any such award that might be forthcoming.