China Economic Indicator: The Atomic Architecture of Power

  F0F8FF

The Atomic Architecture of Power

Nanocrystals and the New Frontier of Tech Sovereignty

Jan 19

 

 

 

To understand the quiet revolution occurring in China’s laboratories, one must first grasp the profound significance of nanocrystals. Imagine the materials that make up our world—the silicon in our chips, the compounds in our batteries—not as monolithic blocks, but as intricate structures built from tiny, atomic-scale building blocks. Nanocrystals are precisely those building blocks: perfectly engineered particles, often just a few hundred atoms across, where their exact arrangement dictates their revolutionary properties. By custom-designing these structures, scientists can conjure materials with preternatural abilities—crystals that emit exceptionally pure light for next-generation displays, others that catalyse chemical reactions for green energy, or new forms that make electronics faster and smaller. This mastery over matter at its most fundamental level is the next great leap, promising to redefine industries from healthcare to defence.

 

EN — LARRY ROMANOFF — Kamila Valieva – The World’s Ice Angel (Revisited)

 

Kamila Valieva – The World’s Ice Angel

By Larry Romanoff

Photo: Bildquelle DDP TASS

ENGLISH    SPANISH

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U.S.-Saudi Petrodollar Pact Ends after 50 Years

  

U.S.-Saudi Petrodollar Pact Ends after 50 Years

June 11, 2024 — 11:01 am EDT

Written by Paul Hoffman for TipRanks ->

 

The 50-year-old petrodollar agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia was just allowed to expire. The term “petrodollar” refers to the U.S. dollar’s role as the currency used for crude oil transactions on the world market. This arrangement has its roots in the 1970s when the United States and Saudi Arabia struck a deal shortly after the U.S. went off the gold standard that would go on to have far-reaching consequences for the global economy. In the history of global finance, few agreements have wielded as many benefits as the petrodollar pact did for the U.S. economy.

A Boon to U.S. Bonds

The petrodollar agreement, formalized after the 1973 oil crisis, stipulated that Saudi Arabia would price its oil exports exclusively in U.S. dollars and invest its surplus oil revenues in U.S. Treasury bonds. In return, the U.S. provided military support and protection to the kingdom. This arrangement was a win-win situation for both; the U.S. gained a stable source of oil and a captive market for its debt, while Saudi Arabia secured its economic and overall security. 

Status as the Reserve Currency

Oil being denominated in U.S. dollars alone has significance beyond the categories of oil and finance. By mandating that oil be sold in U.S. dollars (DXY), the agreement elevated the dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency. This, in turn, has profoundly impacted the U.S. economy. The global demand for dollars to purchase oil has helped to keep the currency strong, making imports relatively cheap for American consumers. Additionally, the influx of foreign capital into U.S. Treasury bonds has supported low interest rates and a robust bond market. 

In his recent book, Bonfire of the Sanities (December 2023), bestselling author and investment manager David Wright argues the strength of the dollar is a key factor behind America’s high standard of living. Wright declares that the reason why people in the U.S. enjoy “as high of a standard of living as we do is because the dollar is strong.” Wright then explains this strength is partly because of faith in our economy “and because energy can’t be bought without U.S. dollars.”

Potential to Disrupt the Global Financial Order

However, the petrodollar’s dominance may be facing its most significant challenge yet. The agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia expired on June 9, 2024. This expiration has far-reaching implications, as it has the potential to disrupt the global financial order. 

The shifting power dynamics in the oil market are a critical factor in this development. The rise of alternative energy sources, such as renewables and natural gas, has reduced the world’s reliance on oil. Furthermore, the emergence of new oil-producing nations, such as Brazil and Canada, has challenged the traditional dominance of the Middle East. 

U.S. Dollar’s Future

The petrodollar’s expiration could weaken the U.S. dollar and, by extension, the U.S. financial markets. If oil were to be priced in a currency other than the dollar, it could lead to a decline in global demand for the greenback. This, in turn, could result in higher inflation, higher interest rates, and a weaker bond market in the United States. 

Key Takeaway – A Significant Shift in Global Power Dynamics

The expiration of the petrodollar agreement represents a significant shift in global power dynamics. It highlights the growing influence of emerging economies and the changing energy landscape. While the full implications of this shift remain to be seen, investors should at least be aware that on a macro level, the global financial order is entering a new era. The U.S. dollar’s dominance is no longer guaranteed.

The Canadian ETF Market, Retail and Institutional Usage of ETFs, Liquidity, Execution, and TradingThe Canadian ETF Market, Retail and Institutional Usage of ETFs, Liquidity, Execution, and Trading

Saudi Arabia ends 50-year petrodollar agreement with U.S.

  Saudi Arabia ends 50-year petrodollar agreement with U.S.

https://obektivno.bg/sauditska-arabiya-slozhi-kraj-na-80-godishnoto-sporazumenie-sas-sasth-za-petrodolara/

PAD

13.06.2024

Author:Objectively

Photo: Pixabay

Significant financial turmoil lies ahead in the financial world as Saudi Arabia has decided not to renew its 50-year petrodollar agreement with the United States. The deal, which expired on Sunday, June 9, was a cornerstone of American global economic dominance, The Business Standard commented.

Signed on June 8, 1974, the treaty included the creation of two joint commissions: one based on economic cooperation and the other on Saudi Arabia's military needs.

U.S. officials at the time expressed optimism that the deal would motivate Saudi Arabia to increase its oil production. They also saw the agreement as a plan to promote economic cooperation between Washington and other Arab countries.

The decision not to renew the contract allows Saudi Arabia to sell oil and other commodities in multiple currencies, including Chinese RMB, euros, yen and yuan, instead of just U.S. dollars.

This latest development marks a major departure from the petrodollar system established in 1972 when the U.S. decoupled its currency from gold, and is expected to accelerate the global move away from the U.S. dollar.

The dominance of the U.S. dollar is waning as Russia and Saudi Arabia consider using the Chinese yuan for oil deals and investors may need to start reconsidering their long-term investment strategies, said the CEO and founder of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory and asset management firms, DeVere Group.

Nigel Green's warning states that the change in the way global oil trade is conducted will have far-reaching consequences for economies and, therefore, for investors around the world.

"One of the most significant results of the three-day summit in April between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping was that Putin announced that Russia now supports the use of the Chinese yuan for oil agreements," Green said. This suggests that the world's second-largest economy – China – and Russia are actively intent on reducing the dominance of the US dollar as the basis of the international financial system.

"Separately, Sudanese oil company Aramco plans to supply two Chinese companies with a total of 690,000 barrels per day of crude oil, reinforcing its position as China's largest supplier of crude," Green added. "It was reported that Saudi Arabia is also in talks with Beijing to pay in yuan instead of dollars."

Aramco is one of the largest oil producers in the world and is wholly owned and controlled by the Saudi government.

It seems that the rivals of the United States, led by China, are forming a new large economic bloc. If Saudi Arabia, which has vast oil reserves that are estimated to be the largest in the world, really switches to the yuan, it will bring about a huge change in the global economic system.

Cross-border CBDC transactions

Saudi Arabia has announced its participation in mBridge, a project that is exploring a central bank digital currency platform (CBDC) shared between central and commercial banks from different countries. The platform allows instant cross-border payments and foreign currency transactions.

The project involves more than 26 countries with observer status, including the South African Reserve Bank, which received the green light as a member this month.

The more prominent observers of mBridge are the Bank of Israel, the Bank of Namibia, the Bank of France, the Central Bank of Bahrain, the Central Bank of Egypt, the Central Bank of Jordan, the European Central Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Federal Reserve, the Bank of New York, the Reserve Bank of Australia, and the World Bank.

The project's steering committee created a personalised governance and legal framework, including a rulebook, tailored to the decentralized nature of the platform.

Evolution of the mBridge project

The mBridge project is the result of an extensive collaboration that began in 2021 between the BIS Innovation Hub, the Bank of Thailand, the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates, the Digital Currency Institute of the People's Bank of China, and the Monetary Authority of Hong Kong.

In 2022, a pilot project was carried out with transactions of real value. Since then, the mBridge project team has been exploring whether the prototype platform can evolve to become a minimum viable product (MVP) – a milestone that has already been reached.

mBridge is now inviting private sector companies to propose new solutions and use cases that could help develop the platform and show its full potential.

Interview of special representative for African affairs Liu Yuxi

 Interview of special representative for African affairs Liu Yuxi

China has been Africa’s largest trading partner for 13 consecutive years.

 

In Summary

•China has been actively providing emergency food assistance and COVID-19 vaccines for African countries in need to help.

•We have been actively promoting the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa to resolve the root causes of conflicts.

Special Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs Liu Yuxi

 

We noticed that this is your first visit to Africa after you assumed the post of Special Representative of the Chinese Government on African Affairs and Kenya is your first stop. What is your comment on the present China-Kenya relations?

I am invited to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new president of Kenya on behalf of China. I met with President Ruto to convey the Chinese leader’s warm congratulations and best wishes and exchanged opinions on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.

China and Kenya both believe that the two sides need to continue to deepen political mutual trust and work as each other’s trustworthy and sincere friends in politics as well as reliable and close partners in development.

The two countries should enhance the synergy of development strategies in Belt and Road cooperation and under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to make China-Kenya cooperation a leading and demonstrative example, and strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation to jointly address global challenges.

IT -- FR -- EN -- PT -- GRANDANGOLO -- Manlio Dinucci -- VENTI DI GUERRA IN EURASIA

 

Stasera alle 20:30

Grandangolo

Canale TV nazionale Byoblu 262

VENTI DI GUERRA IN EURASIA

Manlio Dinucci

 

La provocatoria visita della presidente della Camera Nancy Pelosi a Taiwan si inserisce nella escalation USA contro la Cina in quello che, nella geografia del Pentagono, è definito l’Indo-Pacifico, ossia la regione che estende dalla costa occidentale degli Stati Uniti a quella dell’India. Qui è in corso la RIMPAC, la più grande esercitazione navale del mondo sotto comando USA, con la partecipazione di forze navali e aeree di 26 paesi.  Essa è diretta contro quella che il Pentagono definisce “l’aggressione cinese”, accusando Pechino di preparare contro Taiwan una operazione militare analoga a quella condotta dalla Russia in Ucraina. In tal modo Washington alimenta, dopo quello in Ucraina, altri focolai di guerra per ostacolare e spezzare il Grande Partenariato Eurasiatico che, proposto dal presidente Putin nel 2015, si sta realizzando con una serie di progetti di cui la Nuova Via della Seta, promossa dalla Cina, costituisce l’asse portante. 

 

In tale quadro si inserisce il Corridoio internazionale di trasporto Nord-Sud che collega la Russia all’India e altri paesi asiatici attraverso l’Azerbaijan e l’Iran, lungo un percorso molto pià breve, e quindi meno costoso, di quello atlantico e mediterraneo. Vengono così vanificate le sanzioni di USA e UE contro l’export russo di petrolio e gas. Un altro progetto in corso di realizzazione è il Corridoio Economico Cina-Pakistan, che apre all’export cinese l’accesso al Mare Arabico, e potrebbe estendersi all’Afghanistan, paese che USA e NATO hanno cercato invano di controllare attraverso una costosa e sanguinosa guerra durata vent’anni. 

 

La crescente integrazione economica dell’Eurasia, che incoraggia la risoluzione negoziale dei conflitti e il dialogo interculturale, contribuisce in modo concreto e sostanziale al passaggio dal mondo unipolare al mondo multipolare, che gli Stati Uniti e le altre maggiori potenze dell’Occidente, cercano con ogni mezzo di impedire.

Manlio Dinucci

05 agosto 2022

 

 

Vents de guerre en Eurasie

Manlio Dinucci

 

 

  La visite provocatrice de la présidente de la Chambre (USA) Nancy Pelosi à Taïwan s’insère dans l’escalade des États-Unis contre la Chine dans ce qui est défini, dans la géographie du Pentagone, comme l‘Indo-Pacifique à savoir la région qui va de la côte occidentale des États-Unis à celle de l’Inde. C’est là qu’est en cours la RIMPAC, la plus grande manoeuvre navale du monde sous commandement USA, avec la participation des forces navales et aériennes de 26 pays. Elle est dirigée contre ce que le Pentagone qualifie d’“agression chinoise”, en accusant Pékin de préparer contre Taïwan une opération militaire analogue à celle menée par la Russie en Ukraine. De cette façon Washington alimente, après celui en Ukraine, d’autres foyers de guerre pour faire obstacle et casser le Grand Partenariat Eurasiatique qui, proposé par le président Poutine en 2015, est en train de se réaliser avec une série de projets dont la Nouvelle Route de la Soie, lancée par la Chine, constitue l’axe porteur. 

 

  Dans ce cadre s’insère le Couloir international de transport Nord-Sud qui relie la Russie à l’Inde et autres pays asiatiques à travers l’Azerbaïdjan et l’Iran, le long d’un parcours beaucoup plus bref, et donc moins coûteux que celui de l’Atlantique et de la Méditerranée. Se trouvent alors rendues vaines les sanctions USA et UE contre l’export russe de pétrole et de gaz. Un autre projet en cours de réalisation est le Couloir Économique Chine-Pakistan, qui ouvre à l’export chinois l’accès à la Mer d’Arabie, et pourrait s’étendre à l’Afghanistan, pays que USA et OTAN ont essayé en vain de contrôler à travers une guerre sanglante et couteuse qui a duré vingt ans.

 

   La croissante intégration économique de l’Eurasie, qui encourage la résolution négociée des conflits et le dialogue interculturel, contribue de façon concrète et substantielle au passage du monde unipolaire au monde multipolaire, que les États-Unis et les autres grandes puissances de l’Occident, essaient par tous les moyens d’empêcher.

 

Bref résumé de la revue de presse internationale Grandangolo Pangea de vendredi 5 juin 2022 à 20h30 sur Byoblu

https://www.byoblu.com/category/grandangolo-pangea/

Reçu de l’auteur et traduit par Marie-Ange Patrizio

 

 Grandangolo

on Italian national TV channel Byoblu 262

 

WINDS OF WAR IN EURASIA

Manlio Dinucci

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's provocative visit to Taiwan is part of the U.S. escalation against China in what, in Pentagon geography, is referred to as the Indo-Pacific, i.e., the region stretching from the west coast of the United States to that of India. Here RIMPAC, the world's largest naval exercise under U.S. command, is underway, with naval and air forces from 26 countries participating.  It is directed against what the Pentagon calls "Chinese aggression," accusing Beijing of preparing against Taiwan a military operation similar to that conducted by Russia in Ukraine. In this way, Washington is fueling, after the one in Ukraine, other hotbeds of war to hinder and break the Great Eurasian Partnership, which, proposed by President Putin in 2015, is being implemented with a series of projects of which the New Silk Road, promoted by China, is the backbone.

The International North-South Transport Corridor connects Russia to India and other Asian countries via Azerbaijan and Iran, along a much shorter, and therefore cheaper, route than the Atlantic and Mediterranean routes. US and EU sanctions against Russian oil and gas exports are thus thwarted. Another project underway is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which opens access to the Arabian Sea to Chinese exports, and could extend to Afghanistan, a country the US and NATO have tried in vain to control through a costly and bloody 20-year war.

The growing economic integration of Eurasia, which encourages negotiated conflict resolution and intercultural dialogue, contributes concretely and substantially to the transition from the unipolar to the multipolar world, which the U.S. and other major powers in the West are trying hard to prevent.

Manlio Dinucci 

05 August, 2022

Esta noite às 21:30

Grandangolo

Canal TV nacional Byoblu 262

 

 

VENTOS DE GUERRA NA EURÁSIA

Manlio Dinucci

 

A visita afrontosa da Presidente da Câmara, Nancy Pelosi, a Taiwan, faz parte da escalada USA contra a China no que é referido, na geografia do Pentágono, como Indo-Pacífico, ou seja, a região que se estende desde a costa ocidental dos EUA até à da Índia. É aqui que se realiza o RIMPAC, o maior exercício naval mundial sob comando USA, com a participação de forças navais e aéreas de 26 países.  É dirigida contra o que o Pentágono designa como a "agressão chinesa", acusando Pequim de preparar uma operação militar contra Taiwan semelhante à levada a cabo pela Rússia na Ucrânia. Desta forma, Washington alimenta, depois do ocorrido na Ucrânia, outros focos de guerra para dificultar e desmantelar a Grande Parceria Eurasiática que, proposta pelo Presidente Putin em 2015, está a ser realizada com uma série de projectos dos quais a Nova Rota da Seda, promovida pela China, constitui a espinha dorsal.

 

Neste quadro inclui-se o Corredor Internacional de Transporte Norte-Sul, que liga a Rússia à Índia e a outros países asiáticos através do Azerbaijão e do Irão, ao longo de uma rota muito mais curta e, portanto, menos dispendiosa do que as rotas atlântica e mediterrânica. Assim, as sanções dos EUA e da União Europeia contra as exportações russas de petróleo e de gás são obstruídas. Outro projecto em preparação é o Corredor Económico China-Paquistão, que abre o acesso das exportações chinesas ao Mar Arábico e poderia estender-se ao Afeganistão, um país que os EUA e a NATO tentaram em vão controlar, através de uma guerra dispendiosa e sangrenta que durou 20 anos.

 

A crescente integração económica da Eurásia, que encoraja a resolução negociada de conflitos e o diálogo intercultural, contribui concreta e substancialmente para a transição do mundo unipolar para o mundo multipolar, que os Estados Unidos e as outras grandes potências do Ocidente estão a tentar impedir a todo o custo.

Manlio Dinucci

05 de Agosto de 2022

Resumo do programa apresentado em

https://www.byoblu.com/category/grandangolo-pangea/

 

Eric Zuesse -- UK/U.S. Regime Now Goes for the Kill Against Both Russia & China

 

 

UK/U.S. Regime Now Goes for the Kill Against Both Russia & China

 

Is ‘Nuclear Primacy’ likely to be reached soon?

 

Eric Zuesse, April 29, 2022 

 

 

 

What follows after this opening article by Russia’s RT will place it into historical context:

 

——

https://www.rt.com/news/554646-liz-truss-nato-ukraine-taiwan/

https://archive.ph/jGCBL

28 April 2022 01:03

“UK calls for a ‘global NATO’”

EN -- LARRY ROMANOFF -- Some Things You Should Maybe Know About China -- March 28, 2022

 

Some Things You Should Maybe Know About China

      By Larry Romanoff, March 28, 2022

 

1960 -- The rural workforce turned their attention from the fields to factories

 

Militia members march in formation past Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of People's Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, China October 1, 2019. (Photo: Thomas Peter/Reuters)

 

CHRIS KANTHAN -- NEW WORLD ORDER 2.0 IS INEVITABLE

 

CHRIS  KANTHAN --  NEW WORLD ORDER 2.0 IS INEVITABLE

The attack on Russia is the biggest geopolitical gamble in America’s history. If it succeeds, America will be the indisputable hegemon of the world, leading to a truly one-world government. On the other hand, if it fails, the American Century and the U.S. dollar’s status as the global currency will collapse unceremoniously. We are living through a momentous and dangerous arc of history.

Time is running out for America

Let’s start with the big picture. America’s preeminence is rapidly fading. The US’ share of global GDP is shrinking, and America’s debt is exploding. How long can the US dollar enjoy its “exorbitant privelege”? Max 10-15 years. America’s democracy is also faltering and the country is deeply divided.

Meanwhile, anti-American forces like China, Russia, and Iran are getting stronger. Russia has hypersonic missiles with multiple nuclear warheads that US missile defense systems cannot stop. China’s GDP is whopping $18 trillion now. And if Europe has peaceful relations with Russia (provider of cheap energy) and China (provider of cheap manufactured goods), the so-called Eurasia will have an economy twice as large as the US’. Even vassal states like Saudi Arabia are now starting to rebel, daring to sell oil for Yuan. Thus, something has to be done.

Plan A: Contain China

The US tried to contain and decouple from China during the Trump administration. However, that failed miserably: USA-China trade was whopping $650 billion in 2021. The next option could have been to isolate China by pulling Russia away from China’s orbit. Sort of like what President Eisenhower did when he invited the Soviet leader Khrushchev to the White House in 1959. (In 1972, Nixon did the divide-and-conquer in the other way by allying with China and isolating the USSR).

Plan B: Crush Russia, Strengthen Dollar

Chris Kanthan -- WORLD WAR III? PUTIN’S GAMBLE AND THE WEST’S PROVOCATIONS

 

WORLD WAR III? PUTIN’S GAMBLE AND THE WEST’S PROVOCATIONS

Putin just raised the nuclear threat on Sunday after some incredible financial sanctions by the West. What is the world hurling towards? World War 3 or just mad posturing by both sides to see who blinks first? Let’s analyze the volatile situation in Ukraine.

Russia invaded Ukraine four days ago and is now on the verge of entering and capturing Kiev (Kyiv), the capital. If that was shocking, the West’s actions over the last 24 hours have been even more shocking. Rather than negotiating peace, the West upped the ante by implementing unthinkable sanctions and moves.

First, the West cut off many Russian banks from SWIFT, the global financial/payment system. Without that, Russian banks will be practically cut off from the world — the only hope being using China’s system, which is not quite mature yet.

Second, and more jarring, was freezing Russian central bank’s foreign exchange reserves — about $300 billion in dollars and Euros. This is just pure theft. Also, this allows Wall Street and London financiers to attack the Russian currency, Ruble, which will likely lose 50-80% of its value on Monday. This will lead to serious inflation and partial collapse of the Russian economy.

What is perplexing is that Europe is not considering the possibility that Putin can cut off all oil and natural gas supplies to Europe. Even is that’s done for a few weeks, the impact will be enormous. Germany relies on Russia for 60% of its energy supplies. Other countries like Austria depend almost entirely on Russia.

All this for Ukraine? Insanity.

Why is Ukraine so important? After all, it’s a poor country with a GDP-per-capita of $3700 — or, about $10 a day. The bottom line here is about Ukraine’s neutrality — if it’s going to join NATO or stay as a neutral buffer between Russia and Europe.

Forgetting the lessons of WW1 and WW2, Europeans are jumping into this conflict. European countries — including Germany — have now said they will supply weapons and even fighter jets to Ukraine; and they have closed their airspace to all Russian civilian planes.

The U.S. doesn’t have much to lose. If Europe and Russia get into wars, it will be just good news for America’s geopolitical ambitions. Divide and Rule. Europe will become weaker, which means stronger dollar and more power for the U.S. After all, this is how the U.S. came to dominate Europe, which destroyed itself twice in WW1 and WW2.

NATO Expansion

In 1990, there were 10 European countries in NATO, which was originally created to protect Europe from the USSR. This relic of Cold War could have been disabled when the Soviet Union collapsed.

In fact,declassified documents of the U.S. National Archives show that the U.S. and European leaders promised in 1990 that NATO would move “not one inch eastward” after the USSR was dismantled. So, what happened?

In 1999 — when Russia was totally pro-US and was run by Yeltsin and other US puppets — NATO added three new countries: Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic. In 2004, NATO added 9 more countries; then two more in 2020.

Rather than befriending Russia and bringing it into the West’s sphere, the West kept treating Russia like an enemy. In 2002, the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treat with Russia. In 2019 and 2020, the U.S. withdrew from the intermediate and long-range treaty as well as the Open Skies Treaty.

The powers-that-be just want Cold War 2.0. From a practical point of view, the West should be making friends with Russia in order to isolate China, which is the real geopolitical, economic, and technology competitor.

But it looks like the globalists want a formidable war: EU + USA against Russia + China.

Ukraine, the Geopolitical Pawn

Ukraine has always been a strategic target for the West and an asset for Russia. Throughout the Cold War, the CIA funded nationalists and Neo-Nazi groups in Ukraine — as in Project Aerodynamic. In the 1990s, Brzezinski — mastermind of the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan — said that stealing Ukraine from Russia would mean essentially decapitating Russia. He suggested that Ukraine should be added to NATO by 2010.

Thus, the U.S. (through George Soros and the State Department) instigated a color revolution in 2004 (“Orange Revolution”) to overthrow the election of a pro-Russia President in Ukraine. He came back after a few years and won another election in 2010. Carl Gershman, the founder of the National Endowment of Democracy (NED) — a CIA front group — wrote in 2013 that “Ukraine is the biggest prize.” Of course, the U.S. orchestrated another coup in Feb 2014 and took over Ukraine.

Putin’s Gamble and Mistake

For Putin, there was just no way that he could allow Ukraine to become a part of NATO. It would mean U.S. missiles within 300 miles from Moscow. That would be like Mexico allowing Chinese missiles and Russian military.

So, what happens next? There are several possibilities:

1. Russia and Ukraine negotiate a peaceful solution. And Ukraine promises to be neutral and not join NATO. This will end the crisis within a few days or weeks.
2. Putin takes over Ukraine, does a regime change, and tries to create a new Ukraine. This will be a long drama, since the U.S. and Europe will be doing their best to sabotage a stable Ukraine.
3. Russia shuts off all oil/gas to Europe and perhaps even goes to war against some European countries in retaliation for sanctions. All hell breaks loose.

Russia’s problem is that it lacks financial and soft power like the West. America and Europe control the world financial systems, world media, and most world politicians.

However, the U.S. may be engaging in a long-term faux pas. The extreme financial sanctions against Russia will only accelerate the creation of an alternate system outside the Western hegemony. China, Russia, Iran and others will double their efforts to free themselves from the clutches of the West by creating a new financial system (with digital currency) and by investing in more formidable weapons.

Thus, 2022 will be the beginning of the demise of … Russia or the American Century.