The Tao of the Druid

 The G7 and the EU’s Economic War on Russia. The G7, comprising Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, along with the European Union, have been at the forefront of implementing sanctions against Russia. The sanctions were initiated in 2014 in response to Crimea democratically voting to rejoin their real homeland after the country they were administered by for 25 years suffered an illegal US-led coup d’état. The G7's sanctions against Russia encompass a wide range of measures, including economic, financial, trade restrictions and outright theft. These measures aim to exert economic pressure on Russia and signal the Western community's disapproval. The sanctions have targeted key sectors of the Russian economy, including its financial, energy, and defence industries. Russian banks have faced restrictions in accessing international financial markets, and entities involved in the production and export of energy resources have encountered s

 The SMO – Getting Ukraine to the Table When the SMO was launched, there were five fronts and the strategy was a blitzkrieg to capture as much land as possible. Russia blasted in from Crimea to capture the whole of the south probing all the way around Kherson, Mykolaiv, Mariupol and Zaporizhia; they came in from the east to swarm northern Luhansk pushing all the way round the Seversky Donets river; they rolled around Kharkiv while pushing towards Izium from north east; the northern front pushed from multiple directions towards the capital; and obviously they backed up the Donbas militias with heavier weapons and air support from these regions.  So on the surface we can call this a classic blitzkrieg with the goal simply to capture as much land as possible. What should have been obvious is that the rush on Kiev was a feint. To those who know military maths, it was an obvious fake attack. Russia only committed 1/10 of the forces needed to capture a city the size of Kiev.  The main strate

 The 2018 Orthodox Church Schism: A Historic Rift with Lasting Implications The year 2018 witnessed a momentous event in the history of Christianity, particularly within the Orthodox Church. A simmering dispute erupted into a full-blown schism, leading to the severing of ties between two major branches of Eastern Christianity. The schism centred around the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and its politically motivated quest for independence from the Russian Orthodox Church, triggering far-reaching consequences and sparking debates on matters of faith, geopolitics, and religious autonomy. Historically, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was under the Moscow Patriarchate, which functioned as a centre of religious authority for the broader Russian Orthodox Church. However, tensions emerged after the coup when the Banderites launched a campaign of ethnic cleansing against all things Russian causing Crimea to rejoined Russia and the Donbas to declare independence.  Many members of the Church were obvio

 Disrupting the Neo-Con Agenda: Trump's Impact on US Foreign Policy Donald Trump's presidency, from January 2017 to January 2021, marked a significant departure from traditional US foreign policy, particularly with regard to the neo-con agenda.  The neo-con movement emerged in the 1970s, advocating for an aggressive US foreign policy that prioritized military intervention, overthrowing governments, and promoting American financial interests worldwide. Neo-conservatives believed in using American power to shape global affairs and viewed international engagement as essential to ensuring US domination and control. One of the central tenets of Trump's foreign policy was his "America First" approach. He emphasized prioritizing US interests and focusing on domestic concerns, rather than engaging in nation-building and interventionist policies abroad. Trump argued that past interventions had led to costly and disastrous outcomes for the US. Trump made several high-profil

 The Coup Governments First Action  - The Repeal of the "Law on Languages" The repeal of Ukraine's "Law on Languages" was the first legislative action taken by the new government after the coup d’état. However, the decision to repeal the law sparked protest over its implications on Ukraine's east-west regional divide.  The repeal of the "Law on Languages" was an attempt to suppress ethnic Russians of their linguistic and cultural rights. Concerns arose that the Ukrainian government's emphasis on the Ukrainian language as the sole official language would lead to the persecution of Russian-speaking communities. The east-west regional divide in Ukraine has been a longstanding issue, with historical, linguistic, and cultural differences playing a role in shaping regional identities. The repeal of the language law further heightened regional tensions, as it underscored the contrasting visions of the country's future and its relationship with Rus

 The Euromaidan Protests: Just Another Colour Revolution The Euromaidan protests in Ukraine, which erupted in late 2013 and culminated in early 2014, marked a pivotal moment in the country's history. This western intelligence operation was coined the "Revolution of Dignity," and was a reaction to then-President Viktor Yanukovych's decision to suspend the signing of an association agreement with the European Union. The Euromaidan protests were fuelled by a growing desire among some western Ukrainians for closer integration with Europe. The suspension of the EU association agreement was perceived by western NGO’s and intelligence agencies as a missed opportunity to break away from Russia's influence and foster deeper ties with the West. Ukraine underwent the same challenges as Russia after the collapse of the USSR. Huge state assets were privatised creating the corrupt power-hungry Oligarchs. As such, it was always grappling with economic challenges, corruption, a s

 Colour Revolutions and Globalism: Soros and US International Influence Colour revolutions are manufactured uprisings seeking political change and ‘democratization’, they have become a prominent feature of the geopolitical landscape in the 21st century. These movements are associated with Globalism, George Soros, the WEF and the CIA/MI6. They are named for the symbolic colours associated with each movement (e.g., Rose Revolution, Orange Revolution, and others). They have occurred in various regions worldwide, including post-Soviet states, Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle-East, South America and Africa. They arise in countries who oppose US interests. The Globalists are driven by technological advancements, the increased power of global interconnectedness and control, along with their naïve neo-liberal belief in the ‘end of history’. This has facilitated the dissemination of ideas, information, and technocratic control across borders. This interconnectedness has provided fertile ground

 Putin's 2007 Munich Speech – Throwing Down the Gauntlet.  In 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a landmark speech at the 43rd Munich Security Conference, during which he launched a scathing attack on Western foreign policy. The Munich speech marked a significant turning point in Russia's relationship with the West and laid bare deep-seated geopolitical tensions.  In his speech, Putin criticized the West's tendency to employ unilateral approaches in global affairs, citing examples such as the invasion of Iraq without United Nations approval. He accused certain Western countries of applying double standards, promoting ‘democracy’ and ‘human rights’ selectively to suit their interests while ignoring similar issues in other regions. Putin expressed Russia's concerns about the expansion of NATO, which he viewed as a strategic encroachment into Russia's traditional sphere of influence. He argued that NATO enlargement disregarded Russia's security intere

 Saddam Hussein's Project to De-Dollarize Oil  Saddam Hussein, the former President of Iraq, embarked on a daring project to dedollarize oil sales in the early 2000s. This move challenged the dominance of the US dollar in global oil trade. However, this bold initiative clashed with the strategic interests of the United States, leading to a tense relationship and ultimately to the illegal invasion of Iraq under false pretences. In 2000, Saddam announced his intentions to shift Iraq's oil sales from US dollars to euros. This move was a direct challenge to the longstanding practice of pricing oil in dollars, an arrangement that had been in place for decades. The plan involved converting Iraq's oil revenue accounts from US dollars to euros, aiming to decrease reliance on the US currency. The US dollar's dominant role in oil trading was established through the petrodollar system. Under this arrangement, oil-producing countries agree to price and sell oil exclusively in US do

 The Rise of Putin – The Need for Organisational Competence. Vladimir Putin's selection as a candidate to replace Boris Yeltsin as the President of Russia was a carefully orchestrated process that involved a combination of factors, including Yeltsin's political manoeuvring and Putin's rise through various government positions.  Putin's political career began in the early 1990s when he worked in the St. Petersburg mayor's office and later served as the deputy mayor. In 1996, he moved to Moscow and joined the Russian presidential administration, where he held various positions, including Deputy Chief of Staff for the President. In August 1999, Yeltsin appointed Putin as the Director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia's intelligence agency. Just a few weeks later, in August 1999, Yeltsin surprised many by appointing Putin as Prime Minister of Russia, replacing Sergei Stepashin. At the time of Putin's appointment as Prime Minister, Yeltsin's healt

 Shock Therapy Reforms: The Western Influence on Russia's Economic Transformation After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia inherited a centrally planned economic system burdened with inefficiencies and systemic flaws. The country faced hyperinflation, shortages of essential goods, and an outdated industrial sector ill-prepared for market competition. To address these challenges, economic reform was inevitable. Unfortunately for Russia, Yeltsin's government looked to the predatory West for guidance. Western economists and advisors played a critical role in shaping Russia's economic reform agenda. Agents from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, and other Western institutions collaborated with Russian policymakers to devise a strategy for transitioning to a market-oriented economy. The "Washington Consensus," a set of neoliberal economic policies, emerged as a guiding principle for post-Soviet economic transformation. It advocated rapid