Thread image created by yours truly, depicting Iran and Pakistan very impolitely not asking whether America, on the other side of the planet, is okay with them transporting gas around.
The Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline has long been obstructed by American involvement in the region. Iran completed its section of the pipeline quite quickly, but Pakistan has been unable to finish its construction for a decade due to the fear of falling afoul of American sanctions on Iran. The United States has repeatedly tried to pressure Pakistan to give up the project and obtain gas from other countries instead. Recent articles on the state of the pipeline are contradictory, with some stating that Iran or Pakistan have given up on the pipeline while American sanctions persist. Pakistani officials reject this framing, saying that they are still working with Iran to try and get the project completed somehow. Nonetheless, Iran is becoming increasingly frustrated and is threatening a legal battle and a demand for reparations.
Meanwhile, back in Niger, the $13 billion under-construction pipeline connecting Nigeria and other West African countries to Spain and Italy will likely face delays due to the sanctions applied by the West and ECOWAS on Niger. Those following the European gas fiasco will be aware that while Spain and Italy have been impacted by the energy crisis, they have been very busy making deals with African countries to replace their Russian gas, and thus stand a better chance than Germany of making it through the crisis with their industries somewhat intact. The coup has thrown a wrench into their plans, though they can still obtain some gas from northern African countries.
And, last but not least, America tried for years to stop the construction of the Nord Stream pipelines between Germany and Russia, which culminated in them deciding to blow them up late last year.
All in all - the United States really does not like it when countries build up energy infrastructure and gain some independence from them.
Here is the map of the Ukraine conflict, courtesy of Wikipedia.
This week's first update is here in the comments.
This week's second update is here in the comments.
This week's third update is here in the comments.
Links and Stuff
The bulletins site is down.
Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Add to the above list if you can.
Resources For Understanding The War
Defense Politics Asia's youtube channel and their map. Their youtube channel has substantially diminished in quality but the map is still useful.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section.
Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don't want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it's just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists' side.
Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.
Telegram Channels
Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.
Pro-Russian
https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR's former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR's forces. Russian language.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one.
https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.
https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster's telegram channel.
https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator.
https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps.
https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a 'propaganda tax', if you don't believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.
Pro-Ukraine
Almost every Western media outlet.
https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.
https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.
Last week's discussion post.
My mainstream TV news has an amazing segment. The title read:
And then they go on to interview experts who talk about how elderly who work find purpose and enjoy the comradery with colleagues. Everything illustrated with the example of a smiling graphic designer who came out of retirement to do party time service work. Nobody talks about the elephant in the room: The elderly who are healthy enough to are also a lot happier than those who are too sick to work.
I'm so happy to live in a country with a free and objective press thatb doesn't just act as mouthpieces for elite propaganda!
Honestly to a certain extent, so long as those retirees don't have to work to survive and it's just because they actually like doing what they do (and doing that job won't be a problem like if they have to lift heavy objects or whatever), I feel like this could be an example of external motivation being worse than internal motivation.
Like that saying, the best way to kill a hobby is to get paid for it. The reverse might also be true, if you aren't getting paid for it (in the sense that you already have some form of socialist or communist UBI where you don't suffer if you don't labor) then it might bring some of the joy back.
but this is more of a "under socialism it would be like this" thing, under capitalism making the elderly work is usually pretty exploitative. as you say, some people reach old age with few problems while others have many, and comparing those (and even insinuating that those latter people should be working because it's supposed to make them happy) is pretty disgusting.
It could also be a testament to how late capitalist societies treats the elderly and other economically unviable demographics. The only meaningful existence and community we can imagine is that which is legitimised by being of service to The Line. If you a are not creating net value for capital there is no place for you to be a respected member of society.
Sorry meemaw, but Mammon hungers.
Yeah absolutely.
I'm just thinking like, if I was elderly in a socialist society where my basic needs were met, would I want to do what I currently do now (both where I work and the stuff I do for the site), even if I could retire? Because I almost feel like I'd be happier if I didn't have the stress of "if I don't do my job right I could lose it then be homeless", as an external motivator, as opposed to the internal motivator of wanting to do that job.
But in a capitalist society, that's not what the article is talking about, they're just talking about exploiting the labor of people until they drop dead and telling a story of a minority of people who may or may not actually be happy to continue working when retired.
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