US Demands India Swap Russian Weapons Systems for US Armaments

US warns India over Russian weapons; Lloyd Austin told lawmakers that Washington will require New Delhi to buy US armaments instead

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday that India’s continued purchase of Russian weapons systems is “not in their best interest,” and that there will be a “requirement” that leaders in New Delhi swap some of these systems for US and allied armaments. India is the world’s largest military importer, and counts on Russia for nearly half of its external supply of weaponry.

Austin was responding to a question from Representative Joe Wilson (R-South Carolina), who described India as a “treasured ally” of the US and “the world’s largest democracy.” What, Wilson asked Austin, could the US do to convince “Indian leaders to reject Putin and align with its natural allies of democracy?”

Austin responded that the US has “the finest weapons systems in the world,” and would offer them to New Delhi.

“We continue to work with [India] to ensure that they understand that it’s not in their … best interest to continue to invest in Russian equipment,” Austin told the members of the House Armed Services Committee. “And our requirement going forward is that they downscale the types of equipment that they’re investing in and look to invest more in the types of things that will make us continue to be compatible,” he added.

Anonymous

PS. The Americans think India is their colony, can tell India what they can buy and cannot buy, and must buy Americans.

Racism in Singapore?

 The programme on racism currently showing in CNA starring Janil Puthuchery gives the impression that racism is a serious problem in Singapore. Even little kids got slighted or offended if someone said he would look more handsome if he was a bit fairer.  I dunno how these kids would survive if they were in the USA or Australia. They may not even dare to leave their homes.

What to expect in a multi racial society like Singapore, to be free from little brushes of antagonism between people of different races? The naive little kids may think it is possible to have no such encounters, however minor, between races. But would adults think that this kind of ideal state be possible? If they do, then it is a waste of time for them to have lived for the decades of their lives. Or they are lying to themselves. I say, grow up, or stop being a hypocrite or troublemaker.

The accusation so far is that the Chinese majority is racist and discriminating against the minorities, or at least that is the picture coming out from the programme. I would ask a simple question, if the Chinese are racists, why are there so many mixed marriages involving the Chinese? Or I ask another question, why are the minorities so overly represented in the govt and so successful in their profession in an absolute Chinese majority city state? Or has the racial composition been changed?

Historically, from the thousands of years of Chinese history, racism has never been a serious issue in China and Chinese culture. China has 46 ethnic groups with the Han Chinese in absolute majority but no racism of any kind and they lived harmoniously.  In a multi racial society there are bound to be some incidents of unpleasantness and antagonism, but more due to individual characters from either party. But the encounters cannot be like the racism in the West where the minorities can be beaten up or even killed because of the colour of their skin and have to live in fear while walking on the streets.

And in Singapore, we have all the laws in place to keep racism in check, racism of the majority against the minority. What we lacked are laws to curb minority racism against the majority, to prevent the tyranny of the minorities against the majority. In many incidents, it is the majority that were at the receiving ends of racism in Singapore. The govt must not allowed groups to exploit their so called extra sensitivities as n excuse to oppress and limit the social actitivities and way of life of other ethnic groups. 

The many incidents mentioned in the programme by kids or racists pretending to be victims were at best good for a laugh than to be taken seriously. When there are so many races living so closely together, there would be biases, prejudices, because of the differences in colour of the skin, culture, antics, social behaviours and mannerism, and some may become the butt of a joke. Sometimes they can be offensive but most of the time not meant to cause harm. People living in a multi racial society and cannot live with a little differences and slights, and scream racism at every incident, need to be sent to the IMH. Many majority Chinese also have unpleasant encounters with the minorities, but should they cry racism? Living in a close knit society, a lot of tolerance and give and take are needed to maintain some balance. If every little thing, done unintentionally, is called racism and ground to persecute and berate another race, then social activities would come to a standstill and intolerance would be the norm.

The race issue has been delicately cultivated and managed for decades by the govt and Singapore is about the most pleasant place to be in for any minority race. Any minority expecting anything better should look forward to staying permanently in heaven. The govt must be sensitive, but must not be led by the nose by the racists in their wild and mischievous allegations and accusations of racism in Singapore. It is not only the minorities that have sensitivities. The majority are also sensitive and some are also extra sensitive. The govt has to be extra sensitive to those out to exploit racial difference with their hidden agenda. It is all about intent and purpose, like the intent and purpose of this racism programme. Is it to promote racial harmony or otherwise?

I feel very sorry for some of the entertainers and artistes making a living and be attacked for cross dressing as other races...when there was no intent to ridicule or hurt another race. This is stupidity and cannot be condoned and be accepted as a social norm. What is so wrong for one to dress up in another racial costumes in the course of one's profession when there is no intent to harm, hurt or ridicule the other race? What would happen if there is an Indian wave or Malay wave and everyone wants to dress Indian or Malay to be fashionable? Not acceptable? Racism? Offensive? Singapore is not a tiny village in some far out corner of the earth. Singapore is a cosmopolitan city state. We cannot afford to let narrow minded racists to dictate what is allowable or permissible and what is not to other races.

I can see Janil enjoying hosting the programme but I think the govt should not encourage such programmes as the sensitivity of individuals or racial groups cannot be underestimated. What is or is not sensitive or offensive is relative and unfathomable. As long as the govt plays fair, is there to watch over racial conflicts and grievances, that is the key to stable racial coexistence, peaceful and harmony would be a bonus. 

We cannot change our history or composition of our society. The govt can do, at least, is not to aggravate it or to upset the balance that have existed for so long and quite well. The tolerance of the majority must not be taken for granted. Just because the majority remains reticent when accused of racism does not mean that they would accept such bashing forever. No balance or composition is the right balance or right mixed. Stirring the hornets' nest, no matter how well intended, how the govt perceived is the ripe time, is quite unnecessary as the outcome can be very unpredictable. The society is mature, perhaps, but many individuals are not mature, many are cupboard racists putting up a false front and harbouring different agenda.

Let the society grow at its own pace and find its own balance while keeping a close and watchful eyes on the racists and troublemakers, and haul them up quickly when they crossed the line, should be the way going forward. Pretending to be mature and wise to talk about it is cutting the ice too thin and no one is wiser when a spark is lit for the worse.

No one is an expert, no one can understand and control a racial brew that could turn bad. There is no need to act too clever on such issues. No one is God, the knows all.

What do you think?

World's Number One Terrorist flagging China as security challenge! What a joke?

NATO to target China – Stoltenberg

Beijing poses a “systemic challenge to security,” according to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. 
NATO plans to deepen its cooperation with partners in Asia as a response to a rising “security challenge” coming from China, which refuses to condemn Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine, the US-led bloc's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg revealed during a press conference on Tuesday.

He announced that the bloc will host foreign ministers from member states as well as Finland, Sweden, Georgia, and the EU. However, the Norwegian-born official also noted that its Asia-Pacific partners – such as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea – have been invited as well, stating that the current security crisis has “global implications.”

The ministers will discuss new strategic concepts which will account for the military conflict in Ukraine, but will also include for the first time the issue of China’s “growing influence and coercive policies on the global stage which pose a systemic challenge to our security and to our democracies.”

“We see that China has been unwilling to condemn Russia’s aggression and has joined Moscow in questioning the right of nations to choose their own path,” said Stoltenberg, urging that democracies must stand up for their values against “authoritarian powers.”

According to the US government-funded Freedom House, five of NATO's thirty members are not considered to be full democracies – Turkey, Hungary, Albania, North Macedonia & Montenegro.

He expressed hope that the bloc would be able to deepen its cooperation with its Asia-Pacific partners in areas such as “arms control, cyber, hybrid and technology.”

Since the start of Russia’s military offensive against Ukraine, Beijing has held off on taking a particular stance on the issue, calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict but refusing to condemn Moscow’s actions or join the sweeping economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the likes of the US, Canada, the UK, the EU, Japan, Australia, and other nations.

For the last few weeks, the US has increasingly been putting more pressure on China to “pick a side,” with Joe Biden warning Beijing of potential “consequences” and “costs” should China choose to back Russia in the Ukraine conflict, either militarily or by helping circumvent international sanctions.

[ RT ]

Anonymous

United States Dollar At Risk of Losing Dominance, Goldman Sachs Warns

The US dollar is dealing with some of the same challenges that the British pound faced in the early 1900s, before it went into decline, Goldman Sachs said in a research note released on Thursday. The Wall Street bank warns that the greenback could lose its global dominance.

The move by Washington and its allies to freeze much of the Russian Central Bank’s foreign currency reserves has raised concerns that countries could start moving away from the dollar. Analysts explained the risk as due to worries about the power the dollar grants the US.

The challenges that Goldman Sachs named include the fact that the US has a relatively small share of global trade compared to the dominance of its currency in global payments. Another issue is that the country has a deteriorating “net foreign asset position,” with rising foreign debts. In addition, the nation faces geopolitical problems, such as the conflict in Ukraine.

The Goldman Sachs economists also said the nation’s large debts due to the fact that it is a big importer of goods could be a particular problem.

The British pound, which was once the world’s reserve currency, was displaced by the US dollar in the middle of the 20th century. International investors were more reluctant to hold pounds after Britain amassed huge debts in World War II, the bank’s analysts noted. “If a reserve currency issuers’ debt is allowed to grow relative to GDP, eventually foreigners may grow reluctant to hold more of it,” they wrote.

Anonymous

Ukraine - The most civilised war

 If one is to compare the brutality and wanton bombing and destruction of Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan by the Americans and the western powers, the invasion of Ukraine is like boy scouts at play. The damage and lost of lives in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan were in the hundreds of thousands, with indiscriminate bombings of civilians  and shamelessly calling them war collaterals, not human lives. This is how mean and cruel the Americans and the western powers were against the Muslims and Arabs, treating them like sub humans.

Putin's invasion of Ukraine was carefully considered and executed with great care not to harm the civilians. The attacks were mostly on military targets. The choice of weapons too were measured. Some civilian casualties were unavoidable as they were too close to military targets. But some were due to their role as human defence shields used by the Ukrainians, when they attacked the Russians. And worse, some were deliberately killed by the Ukrainians to blame it on the Russians.

From the very beginning, there were a lot of restraints placed on the Russian forces that were as good as tying their hands behind their backs. And they had to take several casualties as a result, not able to use all the massive fire power at their disposal, not allowed to freely fire at their targets, with great consideration to avoid hitting the civilians. Safe corridors were set up for the civilians to leave the war zones. Never heard of such things in the Arab and Muslim countries invaded by the evil Americans and the western powers.

With so much care and restraints, the accusation of war crimes against the Russians, the so called massacre in Bucha, civilian casualties, were laughable. Why would the Russians do such things in the dark? They could simply blast Kiev and all the civilian quarters like what the Americans did in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. And they would have suffered lesser casualties and Kiev and all the major cities would have been flattened. 

The attacks and killings of Ukraine civilians were black ops as reported by the Ukrainians themselves, with Ukrainian dressed as Russian soldiers to attack Ukrainians civilians and booming civilian residential areas. Such allegations were standard playbook of the evil Americans, false flag incidents, fabricated lies, propaganda etc etc were all hallmarks of the American black ops operators.

The conduct of the Russian invasion into Ukraine is as civilised as one can get in a war. In many parts of Ukraine, life was quite normal. Even in the cities under attacked, there was no reckless and irresponsible and unrestrained bombings of the people. But the Ukrainians are showing how treacherous they are, with a very considerate Russian forces not blowing them up into smokes, they turned around to accuse the Russians of despicable acts that were either fabricated or committed by themselves.

And the Anglo Saxon devils are everywhere, doing what they knew best, thinking that the rest of the world are stupid to believe in their standard black ops and propaganda to demonise the Russians. If only the Russians were as ruthless and cruel as the Americans and the western forces, there would be no silly and mischievous Ukrainians to turn around to bite them. Ukraine were have fallen and the cities flattened, and Russia would have taken control of the whole country.

The hard evidence on the ground, the Russians have been extremely careful not to harm the civilians in Ukraine, and allowing them to flee before the bombs were dropped were reported in the msm. The Russians know that the world is watching and would not want to be seen to be as  ruthless and unprincipled as the evil Americans and the West. The accusations of massacre by the Russians is so ludicrous. Only the white face liars could come up with such a ridiculous lie.

The moral of the story is never to be kind to the devils, like never be kind to snakes. They would turn around to bite you for sparing them.