Image is a frame taken from this video of Iranian missiles raining down on Israel without interception due to a weak and depleted air defense system after a year of war and genocide.


Mao, 1956:

Now U.S. imperialism is quite powerful, but in reality it isn’t. It is very weak politically because it is divorced from the masses of the people and is disliked by everybody and by the American people too. In appearance it is very powerful but in reality it is nothing to be afraid of, it is a paper tiger. Outwardly a tiger, it is made of paper, unable to withstand the wind and the rain. I believe the United States is nothing but a paper tiger.

When we say U.S. imperialism is a paper tiger, we are speaking in terms of strategy. Regarding it as a whole, we must despise it. But regarding each part, we must take it seriously. It has claws and fangs. We have to destroy it piecemeal. For instance, if it has ten fangs, knock off one the first time, and there will be nine left, knock off another, and there will be eight left. When all the fangs are gone, it will still have claws. If we deal with it step by step and in earnest, we will certainly succeed in the end.

Strategically, we must utterly despise U.S. imperialism. Tactically, we must take it seriously. In struggling against it, we must take each battle, each encounter, seriously. At present, the United States is powerful, but when looked at in a broader perspective, as a whole and from a long-term viewpoint, it has no popular support, its policies are disliked by the people, because it oppresses and exploits them. For this reason, the tiger is doomed. Therefore, it is nothing to be afraid of and can be despised. But today the United States still has strength, turning out more than 100 million tons of steel a year and hitting out everywhere. That is why we must continue to wage struggles against it, fight it with all our might and wrest one position after another from it. And that takes time.


Please check out the HexAtlas!

The bulletins site is here!
The RSS feed is here.
Last week’s thread is here.

Israel-Palestine Conflict

If you have evidence of Israeli crimes and atrocities that you wish to preserve, there is a thread here in which to do so.

Sources on the fighting in Palestine against Israel. In general, CW for footage of battles, explosions, dead people, and so on:

UNRWA reports on Israel’s destruction and siege of Gaza and the West Bank.

English-language Palestinian Marxist-Leninist twitter account. Alt here.
English-language twitter account that collates news.
Arab-language twitter account with videos and images of fighting.
English-language (with some Arab retweets) Twitter account based in Lebanon. - Telegram is @IbnRiad.
English-language Palestinian Twitter account which reports on news from the Resistance Axis. - Telegram is @EyesOnSouth.
English-language Twitter account in the same group as the previous two. - Telegram here.

English-language PalestineResist telegram channel.
More telegram channels here for those interested.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Sources:

Defense Politics Asia’s youtube channel and their map. Their youtube channel has substantially diminished in quality but the map is still useful.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section.
Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don’t want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it’s just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.
Simplicius, who publishes on Substack. Like others, his political analysis should be soundly ignored, but his knowledge of weaponry and military strategy is generally quite good.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists’ side.

Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.

Pro-Russian Telegram Channels:

Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.

https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR’s former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR’s forces. Russian language.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one.
https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.
https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster’s telegram channel.
https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator.
https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps.
https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a ‘propaganda tax’, if you don’t believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.

Pro-Ukraine Telegram Channels:

Almost every Western media outlet.
https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.
https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.


  • RomCom1989 [he/him, any]@hexbear.net
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    1 month ago

    Ok,I will say that I did put the disclaimer that that “outlet” was western owned, basically I wanted to show people what the western narrative is.

    Second,I disagree that Moldova is a “colony” of Romania. They are definitely distinct in their identity,but to classify them as a different people is quite frankly ridiculous. However,you are correct when you say that Romania practically colonized Transnistria during WW2 and that it has no legitimate claim to the area.

    I just can’t see how the “parent” nation of modern day Moldova,the Principality of Moldavia,and which is part of official Moldovan national history,is somehow not connected also to Romania,which it practically is a founding member of. I don’t deny that Moldova has its own history or culture,but I just can’t square the circle that they’re not at all connected to Romania (which has more Moldova than actual Moldova now).

    Also,people not familiar with the history of the region?I live next to the point where Romania,Moldova and Ukraine meet,I admit, Romanian education on our national history is a bag filled with shit spreading nonsense propaganda,but to say that Moldova,who literally speaks the same language,but with more Russian loanwords and an accent is not connected to Romanian is frankly hilariously ahistorical. Again,I will fully admit that this is my one China realpolitik take,by which I mean cozying up with the west is beneficial to Romanian national interests,I don’t want the immiseration of Moldovans,far from it,but the idea that they’d be doing worse than small towns and villages in Romania already are I think is overblown.

    Also,you can’t sit there with a straight face and tell me Moldova has a future as an independent state.Either we get it or Russia does,and frankly I’m with my country’s interest on this one.Not like the whole modus opperandi of the region wasn’t shifting allegiances from way back to the Ottoman times.We take what we can from the west and then when they start looking less and less attractive as an option we go to the next power,which will most likely be Russia.

    Again, let me reiterate,I do not condone the west’s actions,but if Romania was not captured by the West,id be saying the same thing if it would engage in a tug of war with Russia over Moldova. I don’t agree with the Soviet efforts to distance the Moldovan identify from the Romanian one,but it was done to liberate the territory from the Nazi aligned government,so it was ultimately beneficial.

    Now,the USSR is gone and a capitalist Russia remains, so I’m not too inclined to attach a territory that is mostly populated by people way more culturally similar to Romania to the RF,just because we’re in the pocket of the West for now.

    Of course,if Moldova wants to take a chance at independence,let them,but they have no economic potential.

    I’m really curious as to how this is any different from Belarus and Russia?Belarus is culturally distinct and yet it seems to be more and more integrated into Russia by the day. That’s not a bad thing,is it? I agree that us being under the boot of the West will make this messy and cause a lot of pain,but you can’t tell me Moldova is viable as a state.

    What would you prefer?A “Moldovan federation” where Gagauzia and Pridniestrovie get to boss over Chisinau and Balti? That’d just be annexation by Russia in a different manner. I don’t believe Russia taking over would necessarily be a bad thing,hell,if they do something with the region, godspeed to them,but I’d prefer it if we reunite as we are brotherly peoples.

    Ok,let’s say Romania wasn’t under NATO,and Moldova wasn’t under the thumb of the US. Would you be against unification if say,Dej’s Romania unified with Moldova?

    Also,I’m not campaigning or anything,I’m not cheering this on, basically I’m saying I wouldn’t complain if they just happened to unite with us

    I want my take on this one issue to be challenged,so I appreciate your comment,this is just my perspective and I will fully admit it most likely is deeply ingrained chauvinist brainworms,but I think this one is the hardest to budge on

    • rainn [they/them, she/her]@hexbear.net
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      1 month ago

      Ok,I will say that I did put the disclaimer that that “outlet” was western owned, basically I wanted to show people what the western narrative is.

      The western narrative which conveniently aligns with yours, and like every fascist and liberal ever.

      Second,I disagree that Moldova is a “colony” of Romania. They are definitely distinct in their identity,but to classify them as a different people is quite frankly ridiculous

      Romanians and Moldovans are similar, yes, I’m not denying that, but Moldovans do not consider themselves Romanian. Polls continously show even after Chisinau changed the official language to Romanian that people identify as Moldovan and as speaking Moldovan. Even older Moldovan sources, Grigore Ureche, say Moldova is not Wallachia.

      However,you are correct when you say that Romania practically colonized Transnistria during WW2 and that it has no legitimate claim to the area.

      Romania has no legitimate claim to Moldova. The “reunification” of 1918 was done to counter a Soviet Moldova. Romanian troops went in to protect the Moldovan boyars in 1918, there was no peaceful reunification, it was annexation like the Soviets have insisted for so long.

      Also, for example, in WW2, the Romanian army had over 60.000 Bessarabian defectors. Moldovans didn’t want to fight on the side of Romania. There was widespread celebration and happiness as Romanians got kicked out of Moldova with the Soviet arrival

      I just can’t square the circle that they’re not at all connected to Romania (which has more Moldova than actual Moldova now).

      I haven’t stated Romania and Moldova are not connected, of course the countries are next to each other and influence each other. The problem is that even if Romania and Moldova are similar that does not give Romania a right to annex Moldova under the pretense of gathering all Romanians from everywhere.

      Also,people not familiar with the history of the region?I live next to the point where Romania,Moldova and Ukraine meet,

      I wasn’t referring to you, I was referring to other Hexbear users.

      but to say that Moldova,who literally speaks the same language,but with more Russian loanwords and an accent is frankly hilariously ahistorical

      I agree that Moldovan and Romanian are 95% similar, yet people insist they speak Moldovan. I doubt Romanians know better than what the Moldovan people themselves say in numerous surveys

      In the 2004 census, 16.5% (558,508) of the 3,383,332 people living in Moldova declared Romanian as their native language, whereas 60% declared Moldovan

      In a survey conducted in four villages near the border with Romania, when asked about their native language the interviewees identified the following: Moldovan 53%, Romanian 44%, and Russian 3%.

      Taken from fedipedia

      Yes they are similar. No that doesn’t mean they are the same. Even if you understand everything being spoken that doesn’t override the autonomy of those people. Language is a highly political thing and saying Moldovans speak Romanian only furthers Romanian interests in the region, in this case taking over Moldova via “reunification”.

      I mean cozying up with the west is beneficial to Romanian national interests

      Sigh, what the fuck? Can you stop with the whole “letting them pillage the whole country is actually beneficial cause we can get the land muh soviets stole from us” that the fascists also did in WW2?

      but the idea that they’d be doing worse than small towns and villages in Romania already are I think is overblown

      Small villages and towns are dirt poor and getting depopulated and actively brain drained. EU and Schengen would further the brain exports.

      and frankly I’m with my country’s interest on this one

      Identifying with liberal US compradors that would send you to the frontlines to fight for NATO?

      We take what we can from the west and then when they start looking less and less attractive as an option we go to the next power

      NATO is building one of the biggest bases in Romania. NATO is occupying Romania, you cant just go to the next power.

      so I’m not too inclined to attach a territory that is mostly populated by people way more culturally similar to Romania to the RF

      I have never stated this. You seem keen to integrate Moldova in either Romania or Russia. By this standard many countries of the world shouldn’t exist.

      Of course,if Moldova wants to take a chance at independence,let them,but they have no economic potential.

      Moldova is being hollowed out by the literal US embassy. Joining Romania would make that worse as the plunder will happen by the national comprador burgeois and by the EU way easier due to reduced tarrifs and being in the same country etc.

      Belarus is culturally distinct and yet it seems to be more and more integrated into Russia by the day

      Belarus has the Union State with Russia, they are neighbors and are integrating due to NATO aggression.

      That’s not a bad thing,is it? I agree that us being under the boot of the West will make this messy and cause a lot of pain,but you can’t tell me Moldova is viable as a state.

      This is totally different from Belarus and Russia cause Russia isn’t trying to literally annex Belarus into itself, the union state isnt that. Also look again at what you are advocating for.

      A “Moldovan federation” where Gagauzia and Pridniestrovie get to boss over Chisinau and Balti?

      Suddenly the minorities in Moldova boss around the majority, come on.

      Ok,let’s say Romania wasn’t under NATO,and Moldova wasn’t under the thumb of the US. Would you be against unification if say,Dej’s Romania unified with Moldova?

      That would be up for Moldova to decide on. The current liberal narrative is that bad Stalin made up a whole language and culture just to shit on Romania, which is absurd. I can link to more pro-Moldovan historiography if you wish.

      • RomCom1989 [he/him, any]@hexbear.net
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        Btw should I delete my post then? Or just redirect to yours instead? I’m looking back and I said some real stupid shit,out here sounding like the average Eastern European NAFOid

      • RomCom1989 [he/him, any]@hexbear.net
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        I will concede that my wording is crude and my opinions maximalist

        Basically I’d ideally want something like the Union State with Moldova

        I’m thinking now that my insistence on unification is the result of impulsiveness and not thinking through about my replies

        I agree with your sentiment,and I’m gonna say that my support basically boils down to passively saying that if it were to happen I wouldn’t complain,just as I wouldn’t complain if Moldova didn’t join the EU,but you are right,I’m looking over my wording and it worryingly sounds like Simion or god forbid Ferdinand the first

        Also I would like to put a disclaimer,these were personal opinions and should in no way be treated as fact, please do not adopt a pro west stance on this issue as a result of my posts,I was just throwing my opinion out there to see what people would think,I am very much fallible and even though I’m form the region,that doesn’t mean I am an unbiased source of information

        I appreciate the educational rebuttals offered and I would advise people to look at both perspectives but give more credence to the ones who utilized actual historical sources,which wasn’t mine

      • RomCom1989 [he/him, any]@hexbear.net
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        Oh,I almost forgot

        I would like to explain my “Russia or Romania” stance

        You are correct,I do believe many countries in the world today should not exist,either because they are colonial constructs or because they just aren’t viable as states

        Basically,let’s take for example the Caribbean islands

        There are many nations there,but they basically exist as puppets of the US,sans Cuba, wouldn’t it make more sense for them to unite into a federation to be able to become stronger together and combat US influence? The other example I have in my mind is Nasser’s UAR. To me it just makes more sense for countries to band together into larger entities to combat US influence. You have made a valuable point when you pointed out that as it stands,it would be more like an annexation of Moldova than a true unification. But I personally do think that the European microstates shouldn’t exist,not should the Gulf States,or Singapore,with the latter two being products of colonialism and the other ones pointless anachronisms.