Welcome to “everyone I disagree with works for Putin,” the UK version.
UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sits on the polar opposite of the political spectrum in most respects from U.S. President elect Donald Trump, yet they are both being accused of the same blasphemy — wanting peace with Russia. Here’s what I’m talking about, from The Independent:
In an interview with BBC Wales today, Mr Corbyn said it was “unfortunate that troops have gone up to the border on both sides”.
He added: “I don’t want to see any more troops deployed on the borders between Nato and Russia, I want to see a de-escalation, ultimately a de-militarisation and better relationships between both sides of it... there cannot be a return to a Cold War mentality.”
This is precisely the sort of sober commentary I’d want to hear from an elected leader at such an unnecessarily charged and dangerous moment, yet Mr. Corbyn was attacked for it in a manner quite familiar to us Americans…
The Conservative Armed Forces Minister Mike Penning has accused Jeremy Corbyn of “collaborating with Russia” in response to comments that British troops about to be deployed to Estonia were there to “escalate tensions” between Russia and NATO.
Mr Penning said the comments made on Wednesday by a spokesperson for Mr Corbyn showed that Labour “cannot be trusted with Britain’s national security”.
Mr Penning said: “Britain has Nato’s second biggest defence budget and plays a leading role in the alliance. It is unprecedented for a leader of the opposition to attack the defensive deployment of British troops in Nato territory.
“These comments suggest that the Labour leader would rather collaborate with Russian aggression than mutually support Britain’s Nato allies. As with Trident, everything Labour says and does shows that they cannot be trusted with Britain’s national security.”
The fact that Jeremy Corbyn is being attacked in exactly the same manner as Donald Trump tells us all we need to know. Namely, that if you disagree with the neocon/neoliberal establishment’s foreign policy, this makes you an agent of Vladimir Putin. Absurd and childish? Certainly, but that’s what they’re going with. Which is extremely important to recognize.
Those of us opposed to a continued insane push for more imperial overseas militarism must understand this isn’t a partisan issue. There is an entrenched establishment in power, and they laugh at Republican/Democrat or Conservative/Labour distinctions. These people are totally united in their thirst for confrontation with Russia.
Ok, fine, so what do we do about it? The reason I’m pointing all of this out is to stress the importance of unity. I see too much ego strutting and preening in the alternative media world today. Too many people who seem more focused on their own fame and status, and appear too preoccupied with picking stupid fights with others to see the bigger picture of what’s really at stake. The time for pettiness is over, the time for unity has arrived.
We need to isolate the big issues we all agree in order to successfully take on a well organized, bipartisan establishment. As I noted on Twitter the other day.
Politics today should be seen in the following way.
Imperial interests vs. the interests of the American people.
These do not overlap much.— Michael Krieger (@LibertyBlitz) January 6, 2017
Here’s how to win. Pick the issues 80% of us agree on vs. the neocon/neoliberal status quo. Ignore the rest until they are defeated.
— Michael Krieger (@LibertyBlitz) January 6, 2017
Here are 2 examples of issues that unite us, rather than divide us.
Opposition to:
1) Revolving door cronyism/corruption.
2) Militarism.— Michael Krieger (@LibertyBlitz) January 6, 2017
If we are divided and conquered with petty fights by demanding conformity on all the issues we care about, we are doomed. I don’t want to convince you that I’m right about everything, I want to win. To win, we must unite.
If you enjoyed this post, and want to contribute to genuine, independent media, consider visiting our Support Page.
In Liberty,
Michael Krieger
Donate bitcoins: 35DBUbbAQHTqbDaAc5mAaN6BqwA2AxuE7G
Follow me on Twitter.
What can I say: I’m 100% in agreement with with. There are micro-thinkers in alt-media that don’t mind losing the war as long as they prevail in their skirmish. Idiotic hardly describes it.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Goading a very capable nuclear power and making possible the continued impoverishment and social enslavement of the great majority of humankind.
Can we please put the taunts aside for just a bit until we clear up these details?
I think another shiled of a kind, “Keep isterical and blame russia” is better to the actual pattern of establishment….
Hopefully, as the tub-thumping and war-drumming abates in the U. S. of A., under Trump’s hopefully moderating influence, the Brits, left out there way, way out in fascistic right field, will rein in their horns and hormones and become more reasonable. After all, they have become so bellicose in order to do obeisance to the U.S., so maybe they will realise that their posturing and antics leave them isolated.
For those folks who agree with this article and would like to watch very well prepared documentaries on these same subjects, specifically “the international communist conspiracy” of which the U.S. propaganda apparatus is again pulling out of its extremely dangerous non-creative ass check out http://metanoia-films.org. These are highly informative documentaries and I believe well worth your time to watch.metanoia-films.org</a
@Blank Cat Thanks for the link, those documentaries look pretty good. A couple months ago I finished reading “The Devil’s Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America’s Secret ..”. It’s really mind blowing how they dup the population and get away with it. Sadly most people don’t want to hear about it or know whats really going on. Lately I ask people what percentage of the treaties our government made with the American Native Indians did they honor? Was it Ten, five, two percent? So why on earth would anybody believe anything they say. I think the only way to bring them down is if or when the dollar collapses.
I really appreciate these kinds of articles, and champion them. We gotta stick together to get out of this mess, as much as we may disagree on trivial matters. Keep these coming!
Jeremy Corbyn is the latest in a long line of hard left Labour Politian’s who have an incredible ability to see the real issue before us but an appalling ability to put forward a process to correct the issues. Much of the ridicule he is getting at present is not because of this one stance on this one issue but because his solutions are always off the wall and usually hard left, ie more central control, more we make all important decisions for you and more of “we are the only ones who are right, in other words doubling down on what gets us into the mess in the first place.
So in essence I agree with his sentiment on this subject, as do most of my right leaning friends and colleagues. But he has copped it from the left over here because he is not towing the establishments line. Go figure?
Corbyn is a strange mixture, pretends to be friends of the workers, knows they are hurting, yet pushes extreme measures for the completely false man made climate change meme that is destroying jobs and is the ultimate elite con and greatest wealth transfer from the poor to the rich in history. And he has no excuse for not knowing the reality as his brother is a leading light in the scientific truth and reality of climate and weather.
This is why his traditional support deserted him and voted Brexit. Working people are not stupid, they are not all articulate, they don’t all have the benefit of a scientific education, but they are not stupid, and intrinsically know when they are being taken for fools.
Whilst there are a number of parallels between Brexit and Trump, I don’t believe most are real, and I don’t think the issues that face the US and UK are the same. The hope is we have two leaders that are a little more focused on the people they represent, than the self-serving establishment.
How arrogant for those spouting “let’s unite, let’s put aside our petty difference” to think that everyone should CONFORM to whatever issue THEY think is most important.
Prisoners’ freedoms – freeing everyone from prison – is the MOST important thing on a person’s mind if they are a prisoner.
That goes for nonhuman animal prisoners, too.
I don’t hear the anti-drug crowd declare: ok – it’s none of my business what drugs a person takes, so let the pro-drug-choice people have their way: legalize all drugs, free everyone from prison, including violent drug offenders who had the guts to fight for OUR freedom to choose drugs.
Tell the anti-abortion crowd – i.e. Republicans – to stop forcing more & more restrictions on abortion.
Tell the fossil fuel addicts that they have no business stopping homeowners putting up solar panels on their own homes or solar businesses from putting up as many solar farms as possible in states like Florida & Nevada.
Tell the fossil fuel addicts: NO MORE FREE WELFARE FOR YOU.
And force them to pay back the TRILLIONS of dollars they’ve gotten
to green energy companies: electric cars, solar & wind farms.
How INCREDIBLY STUPID & COWARDLY Trumpanzees are to think Trump is “anti-establishment” when he is firmly PRO BIG OIL, PRO BIG COAL, PRO BIG FOSSIL FUELS.
The world needs to unite against Anthropogenic Global Warming (AGW) with a ferocity a thousand times greater than it has united against ISIS,
if we want to have any hope of maintaining our civilization & living standards.
But, no.. instead.. Trumpanzee & his extremist rightwing Pence & cabinet attack IMAGINARY harms, like vaccines or vague pollution of our water (fluorine). It is ALWAYS so easy for conservatives to attack some small handful of government bureaucrats or genetic engineers working in a lab somewhere, RATHER than go after REAL problems causing MASSIVE harm – such as the MEAT industry which FORCIBLY BREEDS & MURDERS TEN BILLION innocent animals each year – or the fossil fuel industry,
because attacking the latter would require conservatives to have to accept the hard fact that THEY are part of the problem THEY are causing these harms THEY have to change THEIR consumption – THEY have to make a TRIVIALLY SMALL sacrifice – e.g. go vegan & go childless – antinatalist.
But typical conservatives are all hypocrites: ALWAYS wanting big government to punish those ALREADY with the least power, to impose GREATER & GREATER hardships, like denying the right to vote, to people ALREADY in prison, or to animal rights activists, or women getting abortions, but NEVER against those already who consume the most, damage the climate the most, torture animals the most.
mmmm. Did you read the same article I did? What I got out of this article is that if we all unit to end 1) Revolving door cronyism/corruption and
2) Militarism, most of what you mentioned above would more likely be resolved too. For example, ending militarism would also end big oil subsidies. And then when gas hits 9 bucks a gallon, then you would see a market shift to green energy big time. And we really don’t know what Trump will do until after the 20th. I fined it hard he will be worse then Obama. But then Obama proved me wrong cause I thought no one could be worse then Bush. Bottom line, I don’t see Trump starting a thermal nuclear war. My thought is he doesn’t want to melt down any of his hotels and casinos.