russia-insider--2020-05-29--Elon Musk and His Space-X Company Is a Beard for the US Military

SpaceX : Camel ’ s Nose under the Tent of Space Militarization In the last several decades , and certainly in the post-9/11 environment in which the previous restrictions on the militarization of the American society largely disappeared , the US national security establishment has expand not only by creating new programs and agencies , but also by co-opting non-state actors .
Many a US think-tank is now little more than an extension of some US government agency , conducting research to validate previously arrived-at conclusions in furtherance of a specific institutional agenda .
Likewise many corporations have gone beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rather , their business activities are from the outset designed to be readily weaponizable , meshing seamlessly with the armed services and intelligence agencies .
It is not entirely clear how the process works , for there does not appear to be a system of contract awards for specific deliverables .
Rather , it seems these capabilities are developed on the initiative of specific businesses which speculate their efforts will be utilized by the US national security establishment ever on the lookout for technological “ game-changers ” .
Moreover , given the unchecked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , these entrepreneurs can operate in high confidence their efforts will also be financially rewarded by the intelligence and defense establishments , even if they are not commercially viable .
There have been numerous examples of initially civilian applications being put to use for the benefit of US national security institutions .
Facebook has made its databases available to various agencies to test facial recognition technologies , for example .
Google and Amazon make their cloud capabilities available to the Pentagon and the intelligence communities .
The opposition to China ’ s Huawei @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be motivated by the concern these systems do not have backdoors installed for the benefit of US national security state .
Elon Musk ’ s business empire has benefitted from its proximity to the US national security state .
Musk , an immigrant from the Republic of South Africa , has made his initial fortune by creating PayPal .
While Musk has sold his remaining interest in PayPal in 2002 , that entity has since then engaged in furthering US national security agendas by blocking payments to organizations which were critical of US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably more of a reflection of the subservience of US tech firms to the US government than of Musk ’ s original intent .
Nevertheless , the timing of Musk ’ s departure from PayPal and the entry into the space business is noteworthy .
Already in the late 1990s , there were rumblings in the United States about the desirability of militarizing space and building up anti-ballistic missile defenses , ostensibly against the so-called “ rogue states ” of North Korea and Iran .
These initiatives gained considerable impetus in 2001 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which promptly moved to end the ABM Treaty as the first step toward the future of weaponization of space .
Space-X ’ s establishment in 2002 , the same year the ABM Treaty collapsed due to the Bush Administration abrogation , seems entirely too convenient to be a mere coincidence , even though the stated aims of the company are mainly commercial .
Still , it is easy to imagine why a firm focused on the development of low-cost , possibly reusable , space launch vehicles would be useful to the Pentagon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ objective would have attracted unnecessary attention .
There would be budget appropriations battles , congressional testimony , various forms of oversight , and the inevitable domestic and international opposition to such destabilizing and provocative initiatives .
Providing Space-X with technological assistance , allowing it to hire government specialists , then giving it access to lucrative government space launch orders , is a far more attractive proposition .
Moreover , the bypassing of the normal defense contracting system actually meant considerable cost savings , thanks to Musk ’ s red tape-cutting techniques .
Its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Lockheed ’ s famous “ skunk works ” which developed extremely ambitious projects such as the U-2 and SR-71 in large part thanks to being able to fly “ under the radar ” ( no pun intended ) .
However , since that time Lockheed ballooned into a massive “ too big to fail ” defense contractor which delivers costly and poorly performing aircraft .
Musk ’ s fantasies about colonizing Mars and selling seats on orbital space flights proved a very effective cover for the corporation ’ s core military applications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a private corporation allows it to defray some of the research and development costs through genuine commercial activities .
Yet one has to wonder whether SpaceX success would have been as spectacular if it weren ’ t for privileged access to government facilities .
SpaceX has been able to piggy-back on the massive US government investment in space launch facilities .
It is able to operate out of not only Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center , but even from the Vandenberg Air Force Base .
The speed with which SpaceX @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deploy several different new rocket engine design of the Kestrel , Merlin , Raptor , and Draco families also may be due to privileged access to technologies developed for NASA and military space programs .
Even though SpaceX was founded in 2002 , it won a $ 100 million USAF space launch contract in 2005 and the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services ( COTS ) contract in 2006 , even though the first orbital mission of the Falcon I rocket would not take place until 2008 .
USAF awarded another $ 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even before the first Falcon I flight .
SpaceX has become the de-facto research and development branch of NASA when it comes to manned spaceflight .
The 2014 NASA contract for the Crew Dragon has so far resulted in one successful docking with the International Space Station , though without a crew on board , and was followed by a successful splashdown .
The larger Starship reusable heavy manned spacecraft is expected to start flying in the 2020s .
Competition from United Launch Services and even Boeing notwithstanding , there is little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what Boeing is to heavy commercial aircraft and Lockheed-Martin to “ fifth-generation ” fighters .
It has become the primary go-to contractor of such systems for both commercial and military US government applications , with the competitors being maintained in existence with occasional contracts largely as insurance against spectacular failure of SpaceX .
SpaceX portfolio of reusable space launch vehicles , manned spacecraft , and most recently also satellites means that the company is well positioned to serve as a one-stop shopping center for the newly created branch of the US armed forces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to weaponize space as part of its effort to undermine strategic nuclear deterrence of rival powers , namely the Russian Federation and the People ’ s Republic of China , there is every reason to expect SpaceX will be a recipient of considerable financial largesse from the USSF .
Arguably the most intriguing project SpaceX is pursuing is Starlink , a proposed network of over four thousand miniature satellites whose ostensible aim is to provide broadband internet service to the entire planet .
However , the interest in Starlink demonstrated by the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is at the very least a dual-use project .
Articles discussing the military ’ s interest in Starlink cite the possibility of it becoming the replacement for the aging J-STARS airborne ground target acquisition radars , suggesting these satellites ’ emissions can be used to track moving land objects..
If that is indeed the case , they could also serve the role of anti-ballistic missile warning satellites , and even be used to track stealth aircraft , since the constellation of satellites would function as a massive distributed multi-static radar array .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been without mishaps .
The Crew Dragon , in particular , suffered a number of embarrassing failures , and it may yet be that the corner-cutting hell-for-leather approach the corporation may yet lead to disaster when applied to the considerably more demanding problem of manned spaceflight .
Other private entrepreneurs , such as Burt Rutan ’ s Scaled Composites and Richard Branson ’ s Virgin Galactic , either suffered fatal accidents that greatly delayed their respective programs or prompted their shut-down .
G_7 SpaceX , however , differs from them in that its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is greatly interested in having the USSF dominate the Earth ’ s orbit in the same way as the USN dominates the global ocean by establishing large-scale permanent presence of US military personnel in space .
The US government has gambled SpaceX will deliver products necessary for such domination .
Whether it can do that still remains to be seen .

SpaceX: Camel’s Nose under the Tent of Space Militarization
Written and produced by SF Team: J.Hawk, Daniel Deiss, Edwin Watson
Transcript:
In the last several decades, and certainly in the post-9/11 environment in which the previous restrictions on the militarization of the American society largely disappeared, the US national security establishment has expand not only by creating new programs and agencies, but also by co-opting non-state actors. Many a US think-tank is now little more than an extension of some US government agency, conducting research to validate previously arrived-at conclusions in furtherance of a specific institutional agenda. Likewise many corporations have gone beyond being mere defense or intelligence contractors. Rather, their business activities are from the outset designed to be readily weaponizable, meshing seamlessly with the armed services and intelligence agencies.
It is not entirely clear how the process works, for there does not appear to be a system of contract awards for specific deliverables. Rather, it seems these capabilities are developed on the initiative of specific businesses which speculate their efforts will be utilized by the US national security establishment ever on the lookout for technological “game-changers”. Moreover, given the unchecked growth of the US national security budget, these entrepreneurs can operate in high confidence their efforts will also be financially rewarded by the intelligence and defense establishments, even if they are not commercially viable.
There have been numerous examples of initially civilian applications being put to use for the benefit of US national security institutions. Facebook has made its databases available to various agencies to test facial recognition technologies, for example. Google and Amazon make their cloud capabilities available to the Pentagon and the intelligence communities. The opposition to China’s Huawei 5G networks and cell phones appears to be motivated by the concern these systems do not have backdoors installed for the benefit of US national security state.
Elon Musk’s business empire has benefitted from its proximity to the US national security state. Musk, an immigrant from the Republic of South Africa, has made his initial fortune by creating PayPal. While Musk has sold his remaining interest in PayPal in 2002, that entity has since then engaged in furthering US national security agendas by blocking payments to organizations which were critical of US policies. This, however, is probably more of a reflection of the subservience of US tech firms to the US government than of Musk’s original intent.
Nevertheless, the timing of Musk’s departure from PayPal and the entry into the space business is noteworthy. Already in the late 1990s, there were rumblings in the United States about the desirability of militarizing space and building up anti-ballistic missile defenses, ostensibly against the so-called “rogue states” of North Korea and Iran. These initiatives gained considerable impetus in 2001, following the election of the Bush-Cheney administration which promptly moved to end the ABM Treaty as the first step toward the future of weaponization of space.
Space-X’s establishment in 2002, the same year the ABM Treaty collapsed due to the Bush Administration abrogation, seems entirely too convenient to be a mere coincidence, even though the stated aims of the company are mainly commercial. Still, it is easy to imagine why a firm focused on the development of low-cost, possibly reusable, space launch vehicles would be useful to the Pentagon. Creating a government program with the same objective would have attracted unnecessary attention. There would be budget appropriations battles, congressional testimony, various forms of oversight, and the inevitable domestic and international opposition to such destabilizing and provocative initiatives. Providing Space-X with technological assistance, allowing it to hire government specialists, then giving it access to lucrative government space launch orders, is a far more attractive proposition. Moreover, the bypassing of the normal defense contracting system actually meant considerable cost savings, thanks to Musk’s red tape-cutting techniques. Its design bureau functioned in a fashion akin to Lockheed’s famous “skunk works” which developed extremely ambitious projects such as the U-2 and SR-71 in large part thanks to being able to fly “under the radar” (no pun intended). However, since that time Lockheed ballooned into a massive “too big to fail” defense contractor which delivers costly and poorly performing aircraft.
Musk’s fantasies about colonizing Mars and selling seats on orbital space flights proved a very effective cover for the corporation’s core military applications. Moreover, Space-X’s status as a private corporation allows it to defray some of the research and development costs through genuine commercial activities. Yet one has to wonder whether SpaceX success would have been as spectacular if it weren’t for privileged access to government facilities. SpaceX has been able to piggy-back on the massive US government investment in space launch facilities. It is able to operate out of not only Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center, but even from the Vandenberg Air Force Base. The speed with which SpaceX was able to develop, test, and deploy several different new rocket engine design of the Kestrel, Merlin, Raptor, and Draco families also may be due to privileged access to technologies developed for NASA and military space programs.
Even though SpaceX was founded in 2002, it won a $100 million USAF space launch contract in 2005 and the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) contract in 2006, even though the first orbital mission of the Falcon I rocket would not take place until 2008. USAF awarded another $1 billion contract to SpaceX in early 2008, even before the first Falcon I flight. SpaceX has become the de-facto research and development branch of NASA when it comes to manned spaceflight. The 2014 NASA contract for the Crew Dragon has so far resulted in one successful docking with the International Space Station, though without a crew on board, and was followed by a successful splashdown. The larger Starship reusable heavy manned spacecraft is expected to start flying in the 2020s.
Competition from United Launch Services and even Boeing notwithstanding, there is little doubt SpaceX is to US manned spaceflight what Boeing is to heavy commercial aircraft and Lockheed-Martin to “fifth-generation” fighters. It has become the primary go-to contractor of such systems for both commercial and military US government applications, with the competitors being maintained in existence with occasional contracts largely as insurance against spectacular failure of SpaceX.
SpaceX portfolio of reusable space launch vehicles, manned spacecraft, and most recently also satellites means that the company is well positioned to serve as a one-stop shopping center for the newly created branch of the US armed forces. Given the United States’ desire to weaponize space as part of its effort to undermine strategic nuclear deterrence of rival powers, namely the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, there is every reason to expect SpaceX will be a recipient of considerable financial largesse from the USSF.
Arguably the most intriguing project SpaceX is pursuing is Starlink, a proposed network of over four thousand miniature satellites whose ostensible aim is to provide broadband internet service to the entire planet. However, the interest in Starlink demonstrated by the US military suggests that, once again, this is at the very least a dual-use project. Articles discussing the military’s interest in Starlink cite the possibility of it becoming the replacement for the aging J-STARS airborne ground target acquisition radars, suggesting these satellites’ emissions can be used to track moving land objects.. If that is indeed the case, they could also serve the role of anti-ballistic missile warning satellites, and even be used to track stealth aircraft, since the constellation of satellites would function as a massive distributed multi-static radar array.
The mad pace of SpaceX has not been without mishaps. The Crew Dragon, in particular, suffered a number of embarrassing failures, and it may yet be that the corner-cutting hell-for-leather approach the corporation may yet lead to disaster when applied to the considerably more demanding problem of manned spaceflight. Other private entrepreneurs, such as Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, either suffered fatal accidents that greatly delayed their respective programs or prompted their shut-down. G_7 SpaceX, however, differs from them in that its main customer is the US government that is greatly interested in having the USSF dominate the Earth’s orbit in the same way as the USN dominates the global ocean by establishing large-scale permanent presence of US military personnel in space. The US government has gambled SpaceX will deliver products necessary for such domination. Whether it can do that still remains to be seen.


russia-insider--2020-05-29--Virtual Tour of Auschwitz Dismantles 'Death Camp' Hoax Brick by Brick (TDS Podcast)

The guys at the TDS podcast take us on a comedic virtual tour of Auschwitz , and dismantle the `` death camp '' hoax brick by brick .
We 've got a free sample of the video here .
You can listen to all of the audio for free on their website , and if you like what you see , we highly recommend getting behind the paywall and checking out the whole thing on top of tons of other great content .
TDS and the other podcasts on the TRS podcast platform have become required listening for anyone serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highly professional and competent manner , they analyze topics , including Jewish influence , that others wo n't .
TDS with Mike Enoch , Jesse Dunstan , and Alex McNabb , ( 3X per week ) , is an excellent informal , Joe Rogan style radio talk show that wraps insightful political takes in politically incorrect humor .
Some of their episodes are free to the public , while others are behind a $ 10 monthly paywall , probably the best value in American journalism today because you get access to several excellent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommend the FTN podcast , which is more serious and hard news focused , delivering fresh dissident angles on current events that ruthlessly challenge the mainstream narrative .
Eric Striker 's , ( editor of the excellent National Justice website ) , and Mike Enoch 's 'Strike and Mike ' ( 1X per week ) are also more hard news focused .
Every show is unique with its own flavor , personalities , and angle of political analysis .
If you ever needed a dissident-right podcast source , TRS has got you covered @

The guys at the TDS podcast take us on a comedic virtual tour of Auschwitz, and dismantle the "death camp" hoax brick by brick.
We've got a free sample of the video here. You can listen to all of the audio for free on their website, and if you like what you see, we highly recommend getting behind the paywall and checking out the whole thing on top of tons of other great content.
About the TDS Podcast:
TDS and the other podcasts on the TRS podcast platform have become required listening for anyone serious about understanding American politics. In a highly professional and competent manner, they analyze topics, including Jewish influence, that others won't.
TDS with Mike Enoch, Jesse Dunstan, and Alex McNabb, (3X per week), is an excellent informal, Joe Rogan style radio talk show that wraps insightful political takes in politically incorrect humor.
Some of their episodes are free to the public, while others are behind a $10 monthly paywall, probably the best value in American journalism today because you get access to several excellent shows for that price.
We highly recommend the FTN podcast, which is more serious and hard news focused, delivering fresh dissident angles on current events that ruthlessly challenge the mainstream narrative. Eric Striker's, (editor of the excellent National Justice website), and Mike Enoch's 'Strike and Mike' (1X per week) are also more hard news focused.
Every show is unique with its own flavor, personalities, and angle of political analysis. If you ever needed a dissident-right podcast source, TRS has got you covered.


russia-insider--2020-05-29--'It's Just the Flu, It's All BS' - Russia's Top Official COVID Doctor Admits in Bombshell Invu

“ It ’ s all exaggerated .
It ’ s an acute respiratory disease ( i.e .
the flu ) with minimal mortality .
Why has the whole world been destroyed ?
That I don ’ t know.
” it is difficult to overstate how important this is .
This man is the equivalent of Fauci in the US , or perhaps Dr. Deborah Birx .
The 1.5 hour long interview below is only in Russian , but if you can understand it , it is well worth watching , because a lot of important information is covered .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very liberal - think of her as like a Russian Rachel Maddow .
Like liberals in the West , she very much wants to believe the COVID situation is much worse than it really is .
Myasnikov explains to her in detail why it is in fact very difficult to assign 'cause of death ' in most cases , because there are usually several , in addition to a lot of other things .
It is a great interview , in which the good doctor finally loses his patience and tells her its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that the whole world has over-reacted .
He also insists that the death numbers in the West are way over-counted .
This interview is also a great example of the high level of journalism in Russia - this is much more genuine , open , exciting , and authentic than most of what is on mainstream media in the West .
Just watch a few seconds of the intro , and you will get the idea .
Russia ’ s head of coronavirus information has suggested that global anxiety over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment after saying that the infection would kill as many people as it needs to .
Doctor and television presenter Alexander Myasnikov was appointed in April to his new role of informing Russians about coronavirus treatment and prevention methods and to battle “ fake news ” about Covid-19 .
After calling the country ’ s reported low death rate a “ Russian miracle , ” Myasnikov said last week that “ those meant to die will die ” from it .
In an interview that aired Wednesday , Myasnikov gestured for the cameras @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s all bullsh*t. ” “ It ’ s all exaggerated .
It ’ s an acute respiratory disease with minimal mortality , ” he told television personality Ksenia Sobchak in the interview for her YouTube project .
“ Why has the whole world been destroyed ?
That I don ’ t know , ” Myasnikov said , adding that he ’ s more concerned about a second wave that he claimed “ we ’ re unprepared for .
”

“It’s all exaggerated. It’s an acute respiratory disease (i.e. the flu) with minimal mortality. Why has the whole world been destroyed? That I don’t know.”
Alexander Myasnikov was appointed in April to his new role of informing Russians about coronavirus treatment and prevention methods and to battle “fake news” about Covid-19
it is difficult to overstate how important this is. This man is the equivalent of Fauci in the US, or perhaps Dr. Deborah Birx. The 1.5 hour long interview below is only in Russian, but if you can understand it, it is well worth watching, because a lot of important information is covered.
The interviewer is Ksenia Sobchak, who is very liberal - think of her as like a Russian Rachel Maddow. Like liberals in the West, she very much wants to believe the COVID situation is much worse than it really is. Myasnikov explains to her in detail why it is in fact very difficult to assign 'cause of death' in most cases, because there are usually several, in addition to a lot of other things.
It is a great interview, in which the good doctor finally loses his patience and tells her its not nearly as dangerous as people think, and that the whole world has over-reacted. He also insists that the death numbers in the West are way over-counted.
He's right.
This interview is also a great example of the high level of journalism in Russia - this is much more genuine, open, exciting, and authentic than most of what is on mainstream media in the West. Just watch a few seconds of the intro, and you will get the idea.
From the Moscow Times:


russia-insider--2020-06-01--What Every White Parent Should Explain to Their Children About Blacks - 'The Talk', by John Derbyshi

What Every White Parent Should Explain to Their Children About Blacks - 'The Talk', by John Derbyshire

There is much talk about `` the talk . ''
Denisa R. Superville of the Hackensack ( NJ ) Record tells us .
Meanwhile , down in Atlanta : Leonard Greene talks about the talk in the New York Post .
Someone bylined as KJ Dell'Antonia talks about the talk in The New York Times .
Darryl Owens talks about the talk in the Orlando Sentinel .
Yes , talk about the talk is all over .
There is a talk that nonblack Americans have with their kids , too .
My own kids , now 19 and 16 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as subtopics have arisen .
If I were to assemble it into a single talk , it would look something like the following : ( 1 ) Among your fellow citizens are forty million who identify as black , and whom I shall refer to as black .
The cumbersome ( and MLK-noncompliant ) term `` African-American '' seems to be in decline , thank goodness .
`` Colored '' and `` Negro '' are archaisms .
What you must call `` the N-word '' is used freely among blacks but is taboo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own ancestry is mixed north-European and northeast-Asian , but blacks will take you to be white .
( 4 ) The default principle in everyday personal encounters is , that as a fellow citizen , with the same rights and obligations as yourself , any individual black is entitled to the same courtesies you would extend to a nonblack citizen .
That is basic good manners and good citizenship .
In some unusual circumstances , however — e.g .
paragraph ( 10h ) below — this default principle should be overridden by considerations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As with any population of such a size , there is great variation among blacks in every human trait ( except , obviously , the trait of identifying oneself as black ) .
They come fat , thin , tall , short , dumb , smart , introverted , extroverted , honest , crooked , athletic , sedentary , fastidious , sloppy , amiable , and obnoxious .
There are black geniuses and black morons .
There are black saints and black psychopaths .
In a population of forty million , you will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the far , far extremes of certain traits are there absences .
There are , for example , no black Fields Medal winners .
While this is civilizationally consequential , it will not likely ever be important to you personally .
Most people live and die without ever meeting ( or wishing to meet ) a Fields Medal winner .
( 6 ) As you go through life , however , you will experience an ever larger number of encounters with black Americans .
Assuming your encounters are random — for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murderers or to black investment bankers — the Law of Large Numbers will inevitably kick in .
You will observe that the means — the averages — of many traits are very different for black and white Americans , as has been confirmed by methodical inquiries in the human sciences .
( 7 ) Of most importance to your personal safety are the very different means for antisocial behavior , which you will see reflected in , for instance , school disciplinary measures , political corruption , and criminal convictions .
( 8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hostility many blacks feel toward whites .
Thus , while black-on-black behavior is more antisocial in the average than is white-on-white behavior , average black-on-white behavior is a degree more antisocial yet .
( 9 ) A small cohort of blacks — in my experience , around five percent — is ferociously hostile to whites and will go to great lengths to inconvenience or harm us .
A much larger cohort of blacks — around half — will go along passively if the five percent take leadership in some event .
They will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the natural willingness of most human beings to be led , and a vague feeling that whites have it coming .
( 10 ) Thus , while always attentive to the particular qualities of individuals , on the many occasions where you have nothing to guide you but knowledge of those mean differences , use statistical common sense : ( 10a ) Avoid concentrations of blacks not all known to you personally .
( 10c ) If planning a trip to a beach or amusement park at some date , find out whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blacks on that date ( neglect of that one got me the closest I have ever gotten to death by gunshot ) .
( 10d ) Do not attend events likely to draw a lot of blacks .
( 10e ) If you are at some public event at which the number of blacks suddenly swells , leave as quickly as possible .
( 10f ) Do not settle in a district or municipality run by black politicians .
( 10g ) Before voting for a black politician , scrutinize his/her character much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( 10h ) Do not act the Good Samaritan to blacks in apparent distress , e.g.
, on the highway .
( 10i ) If accosted by a strange black in the street , smile and say something polite but keep moving .
( 11 ) The mean intelligence of blacks is much lower than for whites .
The least intelligent ten percent of whites have IQs below 81 ; forty percent of blacks have IQs that low .
Only one black in six is more intelligent than the average white ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligent than the average black .
These differences show in every test of general cognitive ability that anyone , of any race or nationality , has yet been able to devise .
They are reflected in countless everyday situations .
`` Life is an IQ test . ''
( 12 ) There is a magnifying effect here , too , caused by affirmative action .
In a pure meritocracy there would be very low proportions of blacks in cognitively demanding jobs .
Because of affirmative action , the proportions are higher .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Thus , in those encounters with strangers that involve cognitive engagement , ceteris paribus the black stranger will be less intelligent than the white .
In such encounters , therefore — for example , at a government office — you will , on average , be dealt with more competently by a white than by a black .
If that hostility-based magnifying effect ( paragraph 8 ) is also in play , you will be dealt with more politely , too .
`` The DMV lady '' is a statistical truth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In that pool of forty million , there are nonetheless many intelligent and well-socialized blacks .
( I 'll use IWSB as an ad hoc abbreviation . )
You should consciously seek opportunities to make friends with IWSBs .
In addition to the ordinary pleasures of friendship , you will gain an amulet against potentially career-destroying accusations of prejudice .
( 14 ) Be aware , however , that there is an issue of supply and demand here .
Demand comes from organizations and businesses keen to display racial propriety by employing IWSBs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the general public — corporate sales reps , TV news presenters , press officers for government agencies , etc .
— with corresponding depletion in less visible positions .
There is also strong private demand from middle- and upper-class whites for personal bonds with IWSBs , for reasons given in the previous paragraph and also ( next paragraph ) as status markers .
( 15 ) Unfortunately the demand is greater than the supply , so IWSBs are something of a luxury good , like antique furniture or corporate jets : boasted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , coveted by the less prosperous .
To be an IWSB in present-day US society is a height of felicity rarely before attained by any group of human beings in history .
Try to curb your envy : it will be taken as prejudice ( see paragraph 13 ) .
You do n't have to follow my version of the talk point for point ; but if you are white or Asian and have kids , you owe it to them to give them some version of the talk .
It will save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent figuring things out for themselves .
It may save their lives .

The Talk: Nonblack Version
In the course of archiving I have inevitably found that many of the links in the original article no longer work. I have put in substitute links where I could find something suitable; elsewhere I have just left the text linkless. This is the column that got me defenestrated by National Review, as covered at length here . The original column is still at the Taki's Magazine website in late 2019. In case something happens to it — you never know nowadays — I am archiving this copy here at my own website.In the course of archiving I have inevitably found that many of the links in the original article no longer work. I have put in substitute links where I could find something suitable; elsewhere I have just left the text linkless.
There is much talk about "the talk."
Sean O'Reilly was 16 when his mother gave him the talk that most black parents give their teenage sons
Denisa R. Superville of the Hackensack (NJ) Record tells us. Meanwhile, down in Atlanta:
Her sons were 12 and 8 when Marlyn Tillman realized it was time for her to have the talk
Gracie Bonds Staples writes in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Leonard Greene talks about the talk in the New York Post. Someone bylined as KJ Dell'Antonia talks about the talk in The New York Times. Darryl Owens talks about the talk in the Orlando Sentinel.
Yes, talk about the talk is all over.
There is a talk that nonblack Americans have with their kids, too. My own kids, now 19 and 16, have had it in bits and pieces as subtopics have arisen. If I were to assemble it into a single talk, it would look something like the following:
(1) Among your fellow citizens are forty million who identify as black, and whom I shall refer to as black. The cumbersome (and MLK-noncompliant) term "African-American" seems to be in decline, thank goodness. "Colored" and "Negro" are archaisms. What you must call "the N-word" is used freely among blacks but is taboo to nonblacks.
(2) American blacks are descended from West African populations, with some white and aboriginal-American admixture. The overall average of non-African admixture is 20-25 percent. The admixture distribution is nonlinear, though: "It seems that around 10 percent of the African American population is more than half European in ancestry." (Same link.)
(3) Your own ancestry is mixed north-European and northeast-Asian, but blacks will take you to be white.
(4) The default principle in everyday personal encounters is, that as a fellow citizen, with the same rights and obligations as yourself, any individual black is entitled to the same courtesies you would extend to a nonblack citizen. That is basic good manners and good citizenship. In some unusual circumstances, however — e.g. paragraph (10h) below — this default principle should be overridden by considerations of personal safety.
(5) As with any population of such a size, there is great variation among blacks in every human trait (except, obviously, the trait of identifying oneself as black). They come fat, thin, tall, short, dumb, smart, introverted, extroverted, honest, crooked, athletic, sedentary, fastidious, sloppy, amiable, and obnoxious. There are black geniuses and black morons. There are black saints and black psychopaths. In a population of forty million, you will find almost any human type. Only at the far, far extremes of certain traits are there absences. There are, for example, no black Fields Medal winners. While this is civilizationally consequential, it will not likely ever be important to you personally. Most people live and die without ever meeting (or wishing to meet) a Fields Medal winner.
[Added when archiving: This column generated a lot of very silly comments, but I think the silliest of all was this one, concerning black mathematicians: "Well, Euclid is 'Euclid of Alexandria' which is in Egypt of course and Eratosthenes was born in Cyrene (modern Libya). So I don't think its erroneous to say they were black mathematicians." See here .]
(6) As you go through life, however, you will experience an ever larger number of encounters with black Americans. Assuming your encounters are random — for example, not restricted only to black convicted murderers or to black investment bankers — the Law of Large Numbers will inevitably kick in. You will observe that the means — the averages — of many traits are very different for black and white Americans, as has been confirmed by methodical inquiries in the human sciences.
(7) Of most importance to your personal safety are the very different means for antisocial behavior, which you will see reflected in, for instance, school disciplinary measures, political corruption, and criminal convictions.
(8) These differences are magnified by the hostility many blacks feel toward whites. Thus, while black-on-black behavior is more antisocial in the average than is white-on-white behavior, average black-on-white behavior is a degree more antisocial yet.
(9) A small cohort of blacks — in my experience, around five percent — is ferociously hostile to whites and will go to great lengths to inconvenience or harm us. A much larger cohort of blacks — around half — will go along passively if the five percent take leadership in some event. They will do this out of racial solidarity, the natural willingness of most human beings to be led, and a vague feeling that whites have it coming.
(10) Thus, while always attentive to the particular qualities of individuals, on the many occasions where you have nothing to guide you but knowledge of those mean differences, use statistical common sense:
(10a) Avoid concentrations of blacks not all known to you personally.
(10b) Stay out of heavily black neighborhoods.
(10c) If planning a trip to a beach or amusement park at some date, find out whether it is likely to be swamped with blacks on that date (neglect of that one got me the closest I have ever gotten to death by gunshot).
(10d) Do not attend events likely to draw a lot of blacks.
(10e) If you are at some public event at which the number of blacks suddenly swells, leave as quickly as possible.
(10f) Do not settle in a district or municipality run by black politicians.
(10g) Before voting for a black politician, scrutinize his/her character much more carefully than you would a white.
(10h) Do not act the Good Samaritan to blacks in apparent distress, e.g., on the highway.
(10i) If accosted by a strange black in the street, smile and say something polite but keep moving.
(11) The mean intelligence of blacks is much lower than for whites. The least intelligent ten percent of whites have IQs below 81; forty percent of blacks have IQs that low. Only one black in six is more intelligent than the average white; five whites out of six are more intelligent than the average black. These differences show in every test of general cognitive ability that anyone, of any race or nationality, has yet been able to devise. They are reflected in countless everyday situations. "Life is an IQ test."
(12) There is a magnifying effect here, too, caused by affirmative action. In a pure meritocracy there would be very low proportions of blacks in cognitively demanding jobs. Because of affirmative action, the proportions are higher. In government work, they are very high. Thus, in those encounters with strangers that involve cognitive engagement, ceteris paribus the black stranger will be less intelligent than the white. In such encounters, therefore — for example, at a government office — you will, on average, be dealt with more competently by a white than by a black. If that hostility-based magnifying effect (paragraph 8) is also in play, you will be dealt with more politely, too. "The DMV lady" is a statistical truth, not a myth.
(13) In that pool of forty million, there are nonetheless many intelligent and well-socialized blacks. (I'll use IWSB as an ad hoc abbreviation.) You should consciously seek opportunities to make friends with IWSBs. In addition to the ordinary pleasures of friendship, you will gain an amulet against potentially career-destroying accusations of prejudice.
(14) Be aware, however, that there is an issue of supply and demand here. Demand comes from organizations and businesses keen to display racial propriety by employing IWSBs, especially in positions at the interface with the general public — corporate sales reps, TV news presenters, press officers for government agencies, etc. — with corresponding depletion in less visible positions. There is also strong private demand from middle- and upper-class whites for personal bonds with IWSBs, for reasons given in the previous paragraph and also (next paragraph) as status markers.
(15) Unfortunately the demand is greater than the supply, so IWSBs are something of a luxury good, like antique furniture or corporate jets: boasted of by upper-class whites and wealthy organizations, coveted by the less prosperous. To be an IWSB in present-day US society is a height of felicity rarely before attained by any group of human beings in history. Try to curb your envy: it will be taken as prejudice (see paragraph 13).
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
You don't have to follow my version of the talk point for point; but if you are white or Asian and have kids, you owe it to them to give them some version of the talk. It will save them a lot of time and trouble spent figuring things out for themselves. It may save their lives.


russia-insider--2020-06-01--US-China Conflict Gets Serious - China / Eurasia Alliance a Formidable Opponent to US Hegemony, Will

US-China Conflict Gets Serious - China / Eurasia Alliance a Formidable Opponent to US Hegemony, Will Fight Back on Equal Terms

Everyone was expecting US President Donald Trump to go nuclear by de facto sanctioning China to death over Hong Kong .
In an environment where Twitter and the President of the United States are now engaged in open warfare , the rule is that there are no rules anymore .
So in the end , what was announced against China amounted to an anti-climax .
The US government , as it stands , is terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
The geopolitical repercussions are immense and that will take time to sink in .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be blamed for the US ’ appalling Covid-19 record , so it might as well be a UN institution .
Hong Kong ’ s preferential trade status will also be terminated , but in a hazy future in still undetermined terms .
Phase 1 of the US-China trade deal still stands – at least for now .
Yet there ’ s no guarantee that Beijing itself won ’ t start to doubt it .
The bottom line : “ Investors ” were duly appeased , for now .
Team Trump seems not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong ’ s Basic Law , as the president stressed the “ plain violation of Beijing ’ s treaty obligations with the United Kingdom.
” The national security law was blasted as “ the latest ” Chinese aggression against its own special administrative region .
Now compare all this with the Two Sessions in Beijing ending the day before , with an intriguing , quite Keynesian performance by Prime Minister Li Keqiang .
This was compelling as much for what Li did not say as for what he chose to put on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review some of the highlights .
Li stressed that the NPC ’ s resolution putting forth a national security law for Hong Kong is meant to protect “ one country , two systems , ” and not as an “ aggression.
” Instead of demonizing the WHO , Beijing is committed to a serious scientific investigation of the origins of Sars-Cov-2 .
“ No cover-up ” will be allowed , Li said , adding that a clear , scientific understanding should contribute to global public health .
Beijing also supports an independent review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 .
Geopolitically , China rejects a “ Cold War mentality ” and hopes China and the US will be able to cooperate .
Li stressed the relationship could be either mutually beneficial or mutually harmful .
Decoupling was described as a very bad idea , for bilateral relations and for the world at large .
China , after all , will start to import more and that should also profit US companies .
Domestically , the absolute focus – 70 % of the available new funding – will be on employment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures to encourage consumption rather than investment in infrastructure building .
In summation , in Li ’ s own words : “ The central government will live on a tight budget.
” If not completely Sisyphean in the long term , it will at least be a “ daunting task ” in Li ’ s terminology considering the previously stated end-of-2020 deadline would be to reach President Xi Jinping ’ s goal of eliminating poverty across China .
Li said absolutely nothing about three key themes : the alarming Himalayan border stand-off between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI ) projects ; and China ’ s complex geopolitical and geo-economic relationship with the European Union ( EU ) .
The non-mention of the last theme is especially noticeable after Chancellor Merkel ’ s quite encouraging assessment earlier this week and EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell ’ s remark to a group of German ambassadors that “ the end of an American-led system and the arrival of an Asian century ” is now “ happening in front of our eyes.
” Confirming steady rumors emanating from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , China and East Asia are taking precedence as the EU ’ s top trading partner .
This is something that will be extensively discussed at the upcoming EU-China summit next autumn in Germany .
The EU is going Eurasia .
Team Trump won ’ t be amused .
Predictably , the Beijing leadership needs to focus on domestic consumption and reaching the next level on technological production so as not to fall into the notorious “ middle-income trap.
” Fine-tuning the balance between domestic stability and a very strong and wide global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mind .
Xi , Li and the Politburo very well know that Covid-19 hugely affected migrants , farmers and small-scale family entrepreneurs .
The risk of social unrest is very high .
Unemployment protection is far from Scandinavian levels .
So back to business , fast , has to be the top priority .
Enveloping this strategy is a new diplomatic offensive .
Foreign Minister Wang Yi , usually meticulously nuanced and polite , is now increasingly exasperated .
Earlier this week , Yi defined the demonization of China by the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the three no ’ s ” : no grounds , no factual basis and no international precedent .
Moreover , he described attempts to blackmail China through threats as “ daydreaming.
” The Global Times , for its part , has blasted the Trump administration for “ typical international hooliganism ” and additionally stressed that “ labeling Chinese diplomacy as ‘ wolf warrior ’ reflects an extreme ideology.
” The “ wolf warrior ” plot is bound to thicken .
Beijing does seem ready to deploy its diplomatic force as wolf warriors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Qiao Liang : if China is forced to dance with wolves , it might as well set up the rhythm .
That applies perfectly to the Hong Kong question .
Whatever Team Trump thinks , Beijing has no interest whatsoever in disturbing the Hong Kong financial system or collapsing the Hang Seng index .
That ’ s exactly what the black block protesters last year were accomplishing .
What we saw during this week is the result of what a task force , sent to Shenzhen last year to examine every angle of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership in Beijing .
The sources of financing for the hardcore black blocks have reputedly been cut .
The local 5th columnist “ leaders ” have been isolated .
Beijing was being very patient tackling the whole mess .
Then along came Covid-19 .
The economic consensus in Beijing is that this will be an L-shaped recovery – actually very slow on the bottom of the L. So the West will buy much less from and invest much less in China .
This implies that Hong Kong is not going to be very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been offered many times over : integrate with the Greater Bay Area and be part of a booming Pearl river delta southern cluster .
Hong Kong businesses support it .
Another conclusion was that , whatever Beijing does , the Sinophobic hysteria in the US – and in this case also the UK – is unabated .
So now is the right moment to go for the national security law , which of course is against subversion , against British-era “ wigs ” ( judges ) acting as 5th columnists and , most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Global Times editorial cut to the chase : the national security law is the “ death knell ” for US intervention in Hong Kong .
As much as Yi may have said , this time diplomatically , that we ’ re “ on the brink ” of a new Cold War , the fact is the Trump administration ’ s hybrid war on China – or Cold War 2.0 – is now fully established .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is openly threatening Five Eyes allies and vassals , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fail to ditch any projects linked to Belt and Road .
That is intimately linked to the avalanche of threats and measures against Huawei and everything connected to Made in China 2025 , which proceeds at a fast pace but without using the terminology .
The official Trump re-election campaign strategy “ China , China , China , ” detailed in a 57-page memo to Republicans , is bound to be deployed as total hybrid warfare , including non-stop propaganda , threats , infowar technologies , cyber warfare and breaking news fabrications .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ strand , whether commercially-minded or think tank-based , is to derail the Chinese economy – a top level competitor – by any means necessary and thus cripple the ongoing Eurasian integration process whose three key nodes , China , Russia and Iran , happen to be top “ threats ” according to the US national security strategy .
Once again , the gloves are off .
And Beijing won ’ t stop counterpunching in kind .
It ’ s as if Beijing had so far serially underestimated the Deep State and Beltway ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining the undisputed hegemon , geopolitically and geo-economically .
Every “ conflict ” erupting across the chessboard is and will continue to be directly linked to the twin objectives of containment of Russia and disruption of the Belt and Road .
I previously referred to the Empire of Chaos , where a plutocracy progressively projects its own internal disintegration upon the whole world .
But only now is the serious game starting , complete with Trump ’ s intention to test nuclear bombs again .
Not against a bunch of low-life “ terrorists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peer-competitor : the Eurasian strategic partnership .
It would be too much to expect Team Trump to learn from Gramscian analyses of Belt and Road , which demonstrate how the Chinese Dream – a Confucianist variant of neoliberalism – marks the evolution of China into a core production zone in the neoliberal world economy by profiting from the existing global legal structure .
Team Trump has vociferously announced its own strategy .
Expect serial , silent Sun Tzu counterpunches .

Stranger things have happened.
Everyone was expecting US President Donald Trump to go nuclear by de facto sanctioning China to death over Hong Kong. In an environment where Twitter and the President of the United States are now engaged in open warfare, the rule is that there are no rules anymore.
So in the end, what was announced against China amounted to an anti-climax.
The US government, as it stands, is terminating its relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO). The geopolitical repercussions are immense and that will take time to sink in. In the short term, something must be blamed for the US’ appalling Covid-19 record, so it might as well be a UN institution.
Hong Kong’s preferential trade status will also be terminated, but in a hazy future in still undetermined terms.
Phase 1 of the US-China trade deal still stands – at least for now. Yet there’s no guarantee that Beijing itself won’t start to doubt it.
The bottom line: “Investors” were duly appeased, for now. Team Trump seems not to be exactly versed in the niceties of Hong Kong’s Basic Law, as the president stressed the “plain violation of Beijing’s treaty obligations with the United Kingdom.” The national security law was blasted as “the latest” Chinese aggression against its own special administrative region.
Now compare all this with the Two Sessions in Beijing ending the day before, with an intriguing, quite Keynesian performance by Prime Minister Li Keqiang. This was compelling as much for what Li did not say as for what he chose to put on the public record.
Let’s review some of the highlights. Li stressed that the NPC’s resolution putting forth a national security law for Hong Kong is meant to protect “one country, two systems,” and not as an “aggression.”
Instead of demonizing the WHO, Beijing is committed to a serious scientific investigation of the origins of Sars-Cov-2. “No cover-up” will be allowed, Li said, adding that a clear, scientific understanding should contribute to global public health. Beijing also supports an independent review into the WHO’s handling of Covid-19.
Geopolitically, China rejects a “Cold War mentality” and hopes China and the US will be able to cooperate. Li stressed the relationship could be either mutually beneficial or mutually harmful. Decoupling was described as a very bad idea, for bilateral relations and for the world at large. China, after all, will start to import more and that should also profit US companies.
Domestically, the absolute focus – 70% of the available new funding – will be on employment, support for small and medium enterprises and measures to encourage consumption rather than investment in infrastructure building. In summation, in Li’s own words: “The central government will live on a tight budget.”
If not completely Sisyphean in the long term, it will at least be a “daunting task” in Li’s terminology considering the previously stated end-of-2020 deadline would be to reach President Xi Jinping’s goal of eliminating poverty across China.
Li said absolutely nothing about three key themes: the alarming Himalayan border stand-off between China and India; the prospects for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects; and China’s complex geopolitical and geo-economic relationship with the European Union (EU).
The non-mention of the last theme is especially noticeable after Chancellor Merkel’s quite encouraging assessment earlier this week and EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell’s remark to a group of German ambassadors that “the end of an American-led system and the arrival of an Asian century” is now “happening in front of our eyes.”
Confirming steady rumors emanating from Frankfurt, Berlin, Brussels and Paris, China and East Asia are taking precedence as the EU’s top trading partner. This is something that will be extensively discussed at the upcoming EU-China summit next autumn in Germany. The EU is going Eurasia. Team Trump won’t be amused.
Dancing with wolves, remixed
Predictably, the Beijing leadership needs to focus on domestic consumption and reaching the next level on technological production so as not to fall into the notorious “middle-income trap.” Fine-tuning the balance between domestic stability and a very strong and wide global reach is another tak that brings Sisyphos to mind.
Xi, Li and the Politburo very well know that Covid-19 hugely affected migrants, farmers and small-scale family entrepreneurs. The risk of social unrest is very high. Unemployment protection is far from Scandinavian levels. So back to business, fast, has to be the top priority.
Enveloping this strategy is a new diplomatic offensive. Foreign Minister Wang Yi, usually meticulously nuanced and polite, is now increasingly exasperated. Earlier this week, Yi defined the demonization of China by the US over Covid-19 as “a product of the three no’s”: no grounds, no factual basis and no international precedent.
Moreover, he described attempts to blackmail China through threats as “daydreaming.” The Global Times, for its part, has blasted the Trump administration for “typical international hooliganism” and additionally stressed that “labeling Chinese diplomacy as ‘wolf warrior’ reflects an extreme ideology.”
The “wolf warrior” plot is bound to thicken. Beijing does seem ready to deploy its diplomatic force as wolf warriors. One should always keep in mind General Qiao Liang: if China is forced to dance with wolves, it might as well set up the rhythm.
That applies perfectly to the Hong Kong question. Whatever Team Trump thinks, Beijing has no interest whatsoever in disturbing the Hong Kong financial system or collapsing the Hang Seng index. That’s exactly what the black block protesters last year were accomplishing.
What we saw during this week is the result of what a task force, sent to Shenzhen last year to examine every angle of the protests, relayed back to the leadership in Beijing.
The sources of financing for the hardcore black blocks have reputedly been cut. The local 5th columnist “leaders” have been isolated. Beijing was being very patient tackling the whole mess. Then along came Covid-19.
The economic consensus in Beijing is that this will be an L-shaped recovery – actually very slow on the bottom of the L. So the West will buy much less from and invest much less in China.
This implies that Hong Kong is not going to be very useful. Its best bet has already been offered many times over: integrate with the Greater Bay Area and be part of a booming Pearl river delta southern cluster. Hong Kong businesses support it.
Another conclusion was that, whatever Beijing does, the Sinophobic hysteria in the US – and in this case also the UK – is unabated. So now is the right moment to go for the national security law, which of course is against subversion, against British-era “wigs” (judges) acting as 5th columnists and, most of all, against money laundering.
A Global Times editorial cut to the chase: the national security law is the “death knell” for US intervention in Hong Kong.
Cold War 2.0
As much as Yi may have said, this time diplomatically, that we’re “on the brink” of a new Cold War, the fact is the Trump administration’s hybrid war on China – or Cold War 2.0 – is now fully established.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is openly threatening Five Eyes allies and vassals, as well as Israel, with consequences if they fail to ditch any projects linked to Belt and Road.
That is intimately linked to the avalanche of threats and measures against Huawei and everything connected to Made in China 2025, which proceeds at a fast pace but without using the terminology.
The official Trump re-election campaign strategy “China, China, China,” detailed in a 57-page memo to Republicans, is bound to be deployed as total hybrid warfare, including non-stop propaganda, threats, infowar technologies, cyber warfare and breaking news fabrications.
The ultimate objective shared by every Sinophobic strand, whether commercially-minded or think tank-based, is to derail the Chinese economy – a top level competitor – by any means necessary and thus cripple the ongoing Eurasian integration process whose three key nodes, China, Russia and Iran, happen to be top “threats” according to the US national security strategy.
Once again, the gloves are off. And Beijing won’t stop counterpunching in kind.
It’s as if Beijing had so far serially underestimated the Deep State and Beltway’s larger than life obsession with always remaining the undisputed hegemon, geopolitically and geo-economically. Every “conflict” erupting across the chessboard is and will continue to be directly linked to the twin objectives of containment of Russia and disruption of the Belt and Road.
I previously referred to the Empire of Chaos, where a plutocracy progressively projects its own internal disintegration upon the whole world. But only now is the serious game starting, complete with Trump’s intention to test nuclear bombs again. Not against a bunch of low-life “terrorists,” but against a serious, peer-competitor: the Eurasian strategic partnership.
It would be too much to expect Team Trump to learn from Gramscian analyses of Belt and Road, which demonstrate how the Chinese Dream – a Confucianist variant of neoliberalism – marks the evolution of China into a core production zone in the neoliberal world economy by profiting from the existing global legal structure.
Team Trump has vociferously announced its own strategy. Expect serial, silent Sun Tzu counterpunches.


russia-insider--2020-06-01--EU's Top Diplomat Calls for Rapprochement With Russia and End of 'American-Led System'

A recent address by the EU ’ s top diplomat , Josep Borell , hints at a new pro-Asian political order on the continent as Germany gets ready to lead the 27-nation bloc .
But , is it just a ploy to check Chinese hegemony ?
A significant change in the global balance of power may be in the offing if we are to believe declarations made by EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell while addressing a group of German ambassadors on Monday in Brussels .
Borell reportedly “ created a diplomatic headache ” when he called for the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made the case for ushering in an “ Asian century ” centered around stabilizing European relations with Russia .
Borell ruffled more feathers earlier in the week when he publicly opposed “ any Israeli initiative toward the annexation of parts of the West Bank , ” but stopped short of articulating any concrete steps the EU might take to curb Israeli abuses in the region , stating that the EU would limit itself to “ diplomatic action in order to avoid any unilateral action ” by Israel in Gaza , despite support by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the apartheid state .
Nevertheless , Borell ’ s most recent comments before the German ambassadors are noteworthy for the simple fact that Germany is set to take over the presidency of the EU , as well as the UN Security Council in July , giving the EU ’ s chief diplomat ’ s words particular resonance and may point to a new phase in the broader Atlanticist geopolitical playbook .
Borell , a Spanish politician who took over the EU ’ s top diplomat spot in December of 2019 , has straddled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ siding with American insistence on maligning the Asian superpower with claims of trying to block an investigation into the origins of the Coronavirus earlier this month and calling China a “ partner country ” in a recent article he penned in several European newspapers .
Ultimately , the European Union ’ s role in advancing Atlanticist designs in Asia hinges on its ability to play mediator in the tense relationship between the other world superpower – the United States , together with its proxy state , Israel – and China .
To this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ maintain the necessary collective discipline ” against the threat of Chinese economic hegemony in their natural sphere of influence , which includes nations like India , Japan , Indonesia , and Russia .
For this reason , Borell ’ s message to the German ambassadors revolved around mending relationships with Putin ’ s Russia and strengthening ties “ with the rest of democratic Asia , ” suggesting that the EU should put their full support behind the Russian port of Vladivostok and Trans-Siberian transportation routes in order to skirt China ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thus weaken its position throughout Asia .
Germany ’ s close commercial ties to Russia have been a recurring bone of contention against the American-led intransigence against Putin in recent years , and as the Teuton nation prepares to assume a leading role in the 27-nation bloc government and the UN it looks as though the Atlanticist playbook is being tweaked as they discover that the strategies applied so far are only bringing its enemies closer together .
As the geopolitical chess match continues to unfold amidst this pandemic-induced global economic reset , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linchpin of the entire Atlanticist project might soon be revealed to the world .
Should the EU ’ s rapprochement with Russia bear the desired fruit and the Kremlin indeed begins to forge closer ties with Europe instead of China , the balance of power will shift away from the U.S.-Israeli axis , at least momentarily .
But , it will also set the stage for what Borell – perhaps only intuitively – expressed as the “ pressure to choose sides.
” The EU is Israel ’ s biggest trading partner and Borell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe to have “ the best relationship with Israel ” as a new coalition government between Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz finally begins to take shape in the Middle Eastern state .
Borell ’ s rhetoric about supporting Palestinian sovereignty might be nothing more than a bone thrown to the more conscientious EU members so that the aforementioned “ collective discipline ” might be achieved and Russia may be successfully lured into the fold and halt any further nurturing of Sino-Russian relations .
The American position on Israel is unambiguous and , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Israeli state , completely backs its most ambitious annexation plans in Gaza and beyond in complete contradiction to the position several European countries are currently taking .
Once the economic corridors have been ironed out and Russia comes on board to serve as the Atlanticists ’ Silk Road into all of Asia – not to mention Russia ’ s own “ huge investment potential , ” in “ natural resources , fisheries , and tourism , ” a more isolated China could become fatally vulnerable to a manufactured war sparked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – at that point – might have no choice but to support .

A recent address by the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borell, hints at a new pro-Asian political order on the continent as Germany gets ready to lead the 27-nation bloc. But, is it just a ploy to check Chinese hegemony?
Feature photo | Secretary of State Mike Pompeo walks with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Josep Borrell on Feb. 7, 2020, to meet with media at the State Department in Washington. Kevin Wolf | AP
A significant change in the global balance of power may be in the offing if we are to believe declarations made by EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell while addressing a group of German ambassadors on Monday in Brussels. Borell reportedly “created a diplomatic headache” when he called for the end of the “American-led system” and made the case for ushering in an “Asian century” centered around stabilizing European relations with Russia.
Borell ruffled more feathers earlier in the week when he publicly opposed “any Israeli initiative toward the annexation of parts of the West Bank,” but stopped short of articulating any concrete steps the EU might take to curb Israeli abuses in the region, stating that the EU would limit itself to “diplomatic action in order to avoid any unilateral action” by Israel in Gaza, despite support by several European nations for punitive actions against the apartheid state.
Nevertheless, Borell’s most recent comments before the German ambassadors are noteworthy for the simple fact that Germany is set to take over the presidency of the EU, as well as the UN Security Council in July, giving the EU’s chief diplomat’s words particular resonance and may point to a new phase in the broader Atlanticist geopolitical playbook.
Playing both sides
Borell, a Spanish politician who took over the EU’s top diplomat spot in December of 2019, has straddled the fine line Europe has taken between siding with American insistence on maligning the Asian superpower with claims of trying to block an investigation into the origins of the Coronavirus earlier this month and calling China a “partner country” in a recent article he penned in several European newspapers.
Ultimately, the European Union’s role in advancing Atlanticist designs in Asia hinges on its ability to play mediator in the tense relationship between the other world superpower – the United States, together with its proxy state, Israel – and China. To this end, Borell calls for the EU to “maintain the necessary collective discipline” against the threat of Chinese economic hegemony in their natural sphere of influence, which includes nations like India, Japan, Indonesia, and Russia.
For this reason, Borell’s message to the German ambassadors revolved around mending relationships with Putin’s Russia and strengthening ties “with the rest of democratic Asia,” suggesting that the EU should put their full support behind the Russian port of Vladivostok and Trans-Siberian transportation routes in order to skirt China’s One Belt One Road Initiative and thus weaken its position throughout Asia.
Germany’s close commercial ties to Russia have been a recurring bone of contention against the American-led intransigence against Putin in recent years, and as the Teuton nation prepares to assume a leading role in the 27-nation bloc government and the UN it looks as though the Atlanticist playbook is being tweaked as they discover that the strategies applied so far are only bringing its enemies closer together.
Filling the powder keg
As the geopolitical chess match continues to unfold amidst this pandemic-induced global economic reset, the real purpose of Israel as the linchpin of the entire Atlanticist project might soon be revealed to the world.
Should the EU’s rapprochement with Russia bear the desired fruit and the Kremlin indeed begins to forge closer ties with Europe instead of China, the balance of power will shift away from the U.S.-Israeli axis, at least momentarily. But, it will also set the stage for what Borell – perhaps only intuitively – expressed as the “pressure to choose sides.”
The EU is Israel’s biggest trading partner and Borell himself underlined that it was important for Europe to have “the best relationship with Israel” as a new coalition government between Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz finally begins to take shape in the Middle Eastern state. Borell’s rhetoric about supporting Palestinian sovereignty might be nothing more than a bone thrown to the more conscientious EU members so that the aforementioned “collective discipline” might be achieved and Russia may be successfully lured into the fold and halt any further nurturing of Sino-Russian relations.
The American position on Israel is unambiguous and, in addition to the scandalous and continued subsidizing of the Israeli state, completely backs its most ambitious annexation plans in Gaza and beyond in complete contradiction to the position several European countries are currently taking.
Once the economic corridors have been ironed out and Russia comes on board to serve as the Atlanticists’ Silk Road into all of Asia – not to mention Russia’s own “huge investment potential,” in “natural resources, fisheries, and tourism,” a more isolated China could become fatally vulnerable to a manufactured war sparked by Israel and Washington, which the EU – at that point – might have no choice but to support.
Raul Diego is a MintPress News Staff Writer, independent photojournalist, researcher, writer and documentary filmmaker.


russia-insider--2020-06-01--Libya Is Turning Into Another Syria - a Full-Blown Proxy War Between Russia and US/Israel

Libyan conflict set to intensify as NATO plans to intervene .
The great game in Libya has begun surging with the United States shedding its strategic ambivalence and resorting to a proactive role .
Earlier this week , the Pentagon marked a dramatic escalation by accusing Moscow of bolstering Kremlin-linked mercenaries who are allegedly helping Khalifa Haftar , the eastern warlord in Libya .
In an extraordinary statement on May 26 , the US Africa Command ( AFRICOM ) said that jets were flown last week from Russia to eastern Libya to a base controlled by Haftar in the wake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tripoli suffering a major reverse recently due Turkey ’ s military help to the UN-backed Libyan Government of National Accord .
The AFRICOM claimed that the Russian jets are “ likely to provide close air support and offensive fires ” for Russian mercenaries working for Haftar — the Wagner Group , a shadowy private army that western experts link to Yevgeniy Prigozhin , a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin .
“ Russia is clearly trying to tip the scales in its favor in Libya , ” said AFRICOM commander in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them doing in Syria , they are expanding their military footprint in Africa using government-supported mercenary groups like Wagner.
” He added : “ For too long , Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict .
Well , there is no denying it now.
” The AFRICOM has since published additional details and satellite images across its social network channels .
It says , “ Over multiple days in May , Russian MiG 29s and SU-24 fighters departed Russia .
At that time , all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After they land at Khmeimin Air Base in Syria , the MiG 29s are repainted and emerge with no national markings .
They are flown by Russian military members & escorted by Russian fighters based in Syria to Libya , landing in Eastern Libya near Tobruk for fuel .
At least 14 newly unmarked Russian aircraft are then delivered to Al Jufra Air Base in Libya.
” Oil-rich Libya is in the grip of its worst bloodshed since the ouster of Moammar Gadhafi during the 2011 NATO intervention .
The war that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European powers , which have backed the warring sides for a variety of interests .
But Washington has pointedly singled out Russia for its verbal fusillade .
Indeed , there has been a steady build-up leading to this point .
On May 7 , the US State Department officials raised the ante by holding a special briefing on ‘ Russian Engagement in the Middle East ’ with focus on accusing Russia of worsening the situation in Libya by funnelling Syrian mercenaries .
This briefing came a day after a confidential UN report on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ acted as an effective force multiplier ” for Haftar ’ s command , which has led to a “ significant escalation ” of the conflict and “ a worsening of the humanitarian situation in Libya.
” Seizing upon the UN report , Chris Robinson , a State Department official who focuses on Russia , told reporters that the Wagner Group is “ often misleadingly referred to as a Russian private security company , but in fact it ’ s an instrument of the Russian government which the Kremlin uses as a low-cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He claimed that the “ very heavy and advanced weapons ” the Wagner Group wields in Libya indicate it is not a private company .
Jim Jeffrey , the US special envoy for Syria , who took part in the briefing told reporters that Washington believes Russia is working with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to transfer militia fighters and equipment to Libya .
“ We know that , certainly , the Russians are working with Assad to transfer militia fighters , possibly [ a ] third country , possibly Syrian , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In essence , the senior US diplomats kickstarted a new US policy trajectory .
This became clear when on May 14 when in an interview with the Italian La Repubblica , NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg disclosed that the alliance is ready to support the official Tripoli government .
As he put it , “ There is an arms embargo in Libya to which all parties must abide .
This does not mean putting the UN-recognised Fayez al-Sarraj government ( in Tripoli ) and Haftar into the same equation .
Therefore , NATO is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No sooner than Stoltenberg ’ s interview appeared , Turkish President Recep Erdogan telephoned him to discuss Libya .
According to a NATO readout , Stoltenberg told Erdogan , “ NATO is prepared to help Libya in the area of defence and security institution building , in response to the request by the Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord to assist the GNA to strengthen its security institutions .
Any NATO assistance to Libya would take account of political and security conditions , and would be provided in full complementarity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including those of the UN and the EU.
” Two days later , on May 16 , Stoltenberg already held a phone conversation with the Prime Minister of Libya , Fayez al-Sarraj .
Stoltenberg is not a free agent .
The NATO takes its cue from Washington .
Clearly , Washington is inserting NATO into the Libyan conflict as a new strategy .
Of course , any such NATO intervention in Libya also implies that the western alliance is moving into Africa .
In the western assessment , any Russian consolidation in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Mediterranean .
On May 26 , the commander of US air forces in Europe and Africa said that if Russia obtains permanent coastal bases in Libya , its “ next logical step ” will be to introduce long-range air defence systems , which could pose threat to NATO ’ s access to its southern flank .
There are incipient signs that the UAE , which has been a key provider of weaponry and funds to Haftar is having a rethink , presumably due to pressure from Washington , whose game plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be a tactical shift , considering the acuteness of the UAE-Turkey rivalries currently .
Egypt , another supporter of Haftar , continue to support Hifter politically , diplomatically , logistically and security-wise against terrorist groups in Libya .
while Egypt will not intervene militarily in Libya , strong coordination continues between the Egyptian leadership and Haftar on one side and between Cairo and Moscow on the other .
Cairo appears to estimate that Hifter ’ s recent withdrawals from the frontline is a tactical move to protect the remaining military equipment and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s airstrikes .
To be sure , the NATO intervention in Libya can not be to Russia ’ s liking .
Russia has strong political and economic interests in Libya .
The Pentagon accusation regarding Russian jets to Libya suggests that Moscow is stepping up too .
The US ( and NATO ) strategy will be to evict Russia from the eastern Mediterranean , including from its bases in Syria .
Unsurprisingly , Washington and Ankara are cozying up to each other lately .
The NATO ’ s intervention in Libya is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , the US and Turkey find themselves today on the same side over Libya .
Russia , therefore , has reasons to be anxious about the future of its relations with Turkey and its overall standing in Syria .
Interestingly , Russia and Syria held a joint exercise last week to strengthen the security of the naval base in Tartus on the eastern Mediterranean .
All in all , the US moves over Syria only underscore that Washington ’ s containment strategy against Moscow continues to be in full cry , notwithstanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s introduction of fourth-generation fighter aircraft in Libya suggests that Moscow will push back at NATO ’ s intervention .
The gathering storms over Libya prompted the French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian to raise the warning on May 27 while addressing at a French Senate panel , “ The crisis is deepening .
We are facing a ‘ Syrianization ’ of Libya.
” One major objective of the NATO in Libya will be to curb the refugee flow into Europe .
Put differently , the European Union becomes a stakeholder in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This will significantly dampen the prospects for any rapprochement between Moscow and the West in a conceivable future .
On the other hand , the transatlantic partnership that has been showing wear and tear lately , gets a much-needed fillip , which of course will be to the US ’ advantage and would have wider ramifications .
The Trump administration has mooted the idea of hosting a G-7 summit in the US next month to pick all the low-hanging fruit .
Libya will be one of them .

Libyan conflict set to intensify as NATO plans to intervene.
The great game in Libya has begun surging with the United States shedding its strategic ambivalence and resorting to a proactive role. Earlier this week, the Pentagon marked a dramatic escalation by accusing Moscow of bolstering Kremlin-linked mercenaries who are allegedly helping Khalifa Haftar, the eastern warlord in Libya.
In an extraordinary statement on May 26, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said that jets were flown last week from Russia to eastern Libya to a base controlled by Haftar in the wake of his offensive to capture power in Tripoli suffering a major reverse recently due Turkey’s military help to the UN-backed Libyan Government of National Accord.
The AFRICOM claimed that the Russian jets are “likely to provide close air support and offensive fires” for Russian mercenaries working for Haftar — the Wagner Group, a shadowy private army that western experts link to Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Russia is clearly trying to tip the scales in its favor in Libya,” said AFRICOM commander in the statement. “Just like I saw them doing in Syria, they are expanding their military footprint in Africa using government-supported mercenary groups like Wagner.” He added: “For too long, Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict. Well, there is no denying it now.”
The AFRICOM has since published additional details and satellite images across its social network channels. It says, “Over multiple days in May, Russian MiG 29s and SU-24 fighters departed Russia. At that time, all the aircraft had Russian Federation Air Force markings. After they land at Khmeimin Air Base in Syria, the MiG 29s are repainted and emerge with no national markings. They are flown by Russian military members & escorted by Russian fighters based in Syria to Libya, landing in Eastern Libya near Tobruk for fuel. At least 14 newly unmarked Russian aircraft are then delivered to Al Jufra Air Base in Libya.”
Oil-rich Libya is in the grip of its worst bloodshed since the ouster of Moammar Gadhafi during the 2011 NATO intervention. The war that followed is being fuelled by regional and European powers, which have backed the warring sides for a variety of interests. But Washington has pointedly singled out Russia for its verbal fusillade.
Indeed, there has been a steady build-up leading to this point. On May 7, the US State Department officials raised the ante by holding a special briefing on ‘Russian Engagement in the Middle East’ with focus on accusing Russia of worsening the situation in Libya by funnelling Syrian mercenaries.
This briefing came a day after a confidential UN report on Libya sanctions said the Wagner Group has “acted as an effective force multiplier” for Haftar’s command, which has led to a “significant escalation” of the conflict and “a worsening of the humanitarian situation in Libya.”
Seizing upon the UN report, Chris Robinson, a State Department official who focuses on Russia, told reporters that the Wagner Group is “often misleadingly referred to as a Russian private security company, but in fact it’s an instrument of the Russian government which the Kremlin uses as a low-cost and low-risk instrument to advance its goals.” He claimed that the “very heavy and advanced weapons” the Wagner Group wields in Libya indicate it is not a private company.
Jim Jeffrey, the US special envoy for Syria, who took part in the briefing told reporters that Washington believes Russia is working with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to transfer militia fighters and equipment to Libya. “We know that, certainly, the Russians are working with Assad to transfer militia fighters, possibly [a] third country, possibly Syrian, to Libya, as well as equipment.”
In essence, the senior US diplomats kickstarted a new US policy trajectory. This became clear when on May 14 when in an interview with the Italian La Repubblica, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg disclosed that the alliance is ready to support the official Tripoli government.
As he put it, “There is an arms embargo in Libya to which all parties must abide. This does not mean putting the UN-recognised Fayez al-Sarraj government (in Tripoli) and Haftar into the same equation. Therefore, NATO is ready to support the Tripoli government.”
No sooner than Stoltenberg’s interview appeared, Turkish President Recep Erdogan telephoned him to discuss Libya. According to a NATO readout, Stoltenberg told Erdogan,
“NATO is prepared to help Libya in the area of defence and security institution building, in response to the request by the Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord to assist the GNA to strengthen its security institutions. Any NATO assistance to Libya would take account of political and security conditions, and would be provided in full complementarity and in close coordination with other international efforts, including those of the UN and the EU.”
Two days later, on May 16, Stoltenberg already held a phone conversation with the Prime Minister of Libya, Fayez al-Sarraj. Stoltenberg is not a free agent. The NATO takes its cue from Washington. Clearly, Washington is inserting NATO into the Libyan conflict as a new strategy. Of course, any such NATO intervention in Libya also implies that the western alliance is moving into Africa.
Political Map of Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean
In the western assessment, any Russian consolidation in Libya would weaken NATO’s dominance of the Mediterranean. On May 26, the commander of US air forces in Europe and Africa said that if Russia obtains permanent coastal bases in Libya, its “next logical step” will be to introduce long-range air defence systems, which could pose threat to NATO’s access to its southern flank.
There are incipient signs that the UAE, which has been a key provider of weaponry and funds to Haftar is having a rethink, presumably due to pressure from Washington, whose game plan is to isolate Russia. But this can be a tactical shift, considering the acuteness of the UAE-Turkey rivalries currently.
Egypt, another supporter of Haftar, continue to support Hifter politically, diplomatically, logistically and security-wise against terrorist groups in Libya. while Egypt will not intervene militarily in Libya, strong coordination continues between the Egyptian leadership and Haftar on one side and between Cairo and Moscow on the other.
Cairo appears to estimate that Hifter’s recent withdrawals from the frontline is a tactical move to protect the remaining military equipment and weapons that were not destroyed in Turkey’s airstrikes.
To be sure, the NATO intervention in Libya cannot be to Russia’s liking. Russia has strong political and economic interests in Libya. The Pentagon accusation regarding Russian jets to Libya suggests that Moscow is stepping up too.
The US (and NATO) strategy will be to evict Russia from the eastern Mediterranean, including from its bases in Syria. Unsurprisingly, Washington and Ankara are cozying up to each other lately. The NATO’s intervention in Libya is heartily welcomed by Turkey.
Suffice to say, the US and Turkey find themselves today on the same side over Libya. Russia, therefore, has reasons to be anxious about the future of its relations with Turkey and its overall standing in Syria. Interestingly, Russia and Syria held a joint exercise last week to strengthen the security of the naval base in Tartus on the eastern Mediterranean.
All in all, the US moves over Syria only underscore that Washington’s containment strategy against Moscow continues to be in full cry, notwithstanding the rising US-China tensions. Russia’s introduction of fourth-generation fighter aircraft in Libya suggests that Moscow will push back at NATO’s intervention.
The gathering storms over Libya prompted the French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves le Drian to raise the warning on May 27 while addressing at a French Senate panel, “The crisis is deepening. We are facing a ‘Syrianization’ of Libya.”
One major objective of the NATO in Libya will be to curb the refugee flow into Europe. Put differently, the European Union becomes a stakeholder in the US strategy to insert NATO into Libya. This will significantly dampen the prospects for any rapprochement between Moscow and the West in a conceivable future.
On the other hand, the transatlantic partnership that has been showing wear and tear lately, gets a much-needed fillip, which of course will be to the US’ advantage and would have wider ramifications. The Trump administration has mooted the idea of hosting a G-7 summit in the US next month to pick all the low-hanging fruit. Libya will be one of them.


russia-insider--2020-06-01--SpaceX Breaks Russia’s Near Decade-Long Monopoly on Sending Humans to Space

`` Since 2011 the US had been buying seats on Russian Soyuz rockets to reach the ISS '' Elon Musk ’ s SpaceX has become the first private company to launch humans into orbit , after unsettled weather over the Kennedy Space Center in Florida cleared for long enough on Saturday afternoon to allow a second launch attempt to go ahead .
Nasa astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley became the first to fly in SpaceX ’ s Crew Dragon capsule , carried on top of one of the company ’ s Falcon 9 rockets towards a planned rendezvous with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at 3.22pm local time , also marked the first time astronauts had been launched into orbit from US soil since the Space Shuttle programme ended in 2011 .
An earlier attempt on Wednesday was called off because of stormy conditions at launch time .
President Donald Trump and vice-president Mike Pence both made the trip to Florida for a second time in three days to witness the launch , as national attention switched briefly away from protests on the streets of Minneapolis .
Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley compared the moment to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a series of breakthroughs in space exploration during a period of domestic social upheaval .
The SpaceX launch was a “ morale boost ” for the country after the unrest of recent days , he told CNN .
The Crew Dragon capsule is due to dock with the ISS some 19 hours after launch , where the astronauts will spend up to 119 days before attempting a return to earth for a splashdown landing at sea .
If the test is successful , Nasa plans to send paying passengers on the SpaceX craft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The agency was forced to turn to private companies to launch its astronauts into space after its own planned successor to the Space Shuttle was called off by the Obama White House .
Since 2011 , it has had to buy seats on Russian Soyuz rockets to reach the ISS , dealing a blow to the country ’ s self-image as the most advanced space power .
SpaceX has now become the first to complete a manned test of a privately developed and operated craft .
Boeing , which was also awarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crew programme , suffered technical problems during an unmanned test of its own craft earlier this year .
The use of private spacecraft is expected to bring down the cost of manned space flight as commercial incentives replace the traditional cost-plus development programmes Nasa has relied on in the past .
Some experts predict the cost of launching an astronaut into orbit could fall to less than $ 10m over the next decade , far lower than the price of more than $ 90m that Nasa has had to pay for its most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SpaceX launch is seen in the private space industry as an important step in the commercialisation of low earth orbit , the region up to 1,200 kms above the earth where the ISS and most satellites are located .
The first customers for private space flight are expected to be other national governments looking to create their own manned space programmes .
Space tourism is also expected to become far more common if prices fall as much as some predict .
Jeff Bezos ’ Blue Origin and Sir Richard Branson ’ s Virgin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flights for space tourists soon , though for now their companies are only planning brief trips into zero gravity , rather than sending passengers high enough to reach orbit .
Mr Musk and Mr Bezos both also play a key role in the White House ’ s hopes of putting Americans back on the moon .
Their private space companies are among those that have been commissioned to look into building a moon lander as part of the proposed mission .
Mr Trump has pushed Nasa to return to the moon before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second Trump presidential term , though few space experts believe the timetable is realistic .

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has become the first private company to launch humans into orbit, after unsettled weather over the Kennedy Space Center in Florida cleared for long enough on Saturday afternoon to allow a second launch attempt to go ahead.
Nasa astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley became the first to fly in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, carried on top of one of the company’s Falcon 9 rockets towards a planned rendezvous with the International Space Station.
The launch, at 3.22pm local time, also marked the first time astronauts had been launched into orbit from US soil since the Space Shuttle programme ended in 2011. An earlier attempt on Wednesday was called off because of stormy conditions at launch time.
President Donald Trump and vice-president Mike Pence both made the trip to Florida for a second time in three days to witness the launch, as national attention switched briefly away from protests on the streets of Minneapolis. Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley compared the moment to the 1960s, when the country notched up a series of breakthroughs in space exploration during a period of domestic social upheaval. The SpaceX launch was a “morale boost” for the country after the unrest of recent days, he told CNN.
The Crew Dragon capsule is due to dock with the ISS some 19 hours after launch, where the astronauts will spend up to 119 days before attempting a return to earth for a splashdown landing at sea. If the test is successful, Nasa plans to send paying passengers on the SpaceX craft for the first time on August 30.
The agency was forced to turn to private companies to launch its astronauts into space after its own planned successor to the Space Shuttle was called off by the Obama White House. Since 2011, it has had to buy seats on Russian Soyuz rockets to reach the ISS, dealing a blow to the country’s self-image as the most advanced space power.
SpaceX has now become the first to complete a manned test of a privately developed and operated craft. Boeing, which was also awarded a contract under Nasa’s Commercial Crew programme, suffered technical problems during an unmanned test of its own craft earlier this year.
The use of private spacecraft is expected to bring down the cost of manned space flight as commercial incentives replace the traditional cost-plus development programmes Nasa has relied on in the past. Some experts predict the cost of launching an astronaut into orbit could fall to less than $10m over the next decade, far lower than the price of more than $90m that Nasa has had to pay for its most recent trips on Russian rockets.
The SpaceX launch is seen in the private space industry as an important step in the commercialisation of low earth orbit, the region up to 1,200 kms above the earth where the ISS and most satellites are located. The first customers for private space flight are expected to be other national governments looking to create their own manned space programmes. Space tourism is also expected to become far more common if prices fall as much as some predict.
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic both hope to begin their own flights for space tourists soon, though for now their companies are only planning brief trips into zero gravity, rather than sending passengers high enough to reach orbit.
Mr Musk and Mr Bezos both also play a key role in the White House’s hopes of putting Americans back on the moon. Their private space companies are among those that have been commissioned to look into building a moon lander as part of the proposed mission. Mr Trump has pushed Nasa to return to the moon before the end of 2024, potentially within a second Trump presidential term, though few space experts believe the timetable is realistic.