OffG in the New Year
The two faces of Janus, looking back to the past and forward to the futue.
And so the year ends. 2018 is a closed book. The final sentence dotted, a new chapter started. It was a bleak year, politically, for many of us – but not entirely without hope.
We enter 2019 with the US announcing they are pulling out of Syria and Afghanistan – if this comes to fruition, then the Syrian people deserve the world’s respect for a hard-fought victory. Though Western media will never cover it, or admit it, the Syrian government – with their Russian and Iranian allies – have done not only Syria, but the entire world, a major service in preventing the creation of a second Libya.
In the UK the Tory party still limps along in “power”, for want of a better word. But Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party are ahead in the polls, and there is every reason to think a new election will be called sometime this year. If that election is fair, Corbyn will win…and we may see some real positive changes in the way the UK is run.
Elsewhere, Ukraine’s government remains a hot-bed of neo-fascism, being enabled by their American sponsors – a dangerous situation that could boil over at any moment. Austerity continues to kill and impoverish millions across the world, especially in the EU. The absurd “RussiaGate” investigations being carried out by Robert Mueller are birthing a climate of hysterical Russophobia that could easily spiral out of control. Neo-McCarthyism in action. Silicon Valley corporate giants still wield enormous power online, seeking to stifle debate and censor free speech. We are under no illusions, this website – and dozens of others like it – live under a constant threat of being shut down.
OffGuardian will be four yers old in April 2019, having published over three thousand articles, which have been read by literally millions of people and received tens-of-thousands of comments. All far beyond our expectations when we launched this site in 2015. Some major changes are coming in the next few weeks. A new look. A new web-host. A new comment system. These changes are important, and will allow us more freedom and fluidity in the amount and type of content we can host.
But for now – to all our readers, authors and commenters – OffG sends our most sincere wishes for a happy new year.
SUPPORT OFFGUARDIAN
If you enjoy OffG's content, please help us make our monthly fund-raising goal and keep the site alive.
For other ways to donate, including direct-transfer bank details click HERE.
I do not agree with everything you publish, but I truly value your commitment to informing us all about things the MSM would have us remain ignorant about.
You have exceeded your expectations because you provide a valuable service.
Looking back, and just looking
https://www.academia.edu/38070354/Been_dazed_and_confused_for_so_long_its_not_true_Lots_of_people_talk_and_few_of_them_know
https://russia-insider.com/en/vladimir-putin-strikes-blow-free-speech/ri25015?ct=t(Russia_Insider_Daily_Headlines11_21_2014)&mc_cid=b222dec66e&mc_eid=b2e104b4d4
I see Ukraine is mentioned and there’s been alot of comment on the rise of the far-right. I guess that is increasingly looking likely to be the next possible flashpoint.
I suppose in terms of the far-right and reviving evil from the past, the obvious example to compare to is Croatia and the Ustase movement (including the racist President Tudjman) that dominated there for a while. The mainstream press were largely silent about that and our government’s collusion with the ethnic cleansing in the Knin region led to the biggest movement of refugees since WW11.
I recently read an article about Israel sending jets to Croatia to take part in some controversial Croatian war victory celebrations.
The jews, victims of Croatian and Ukrainian Nazis but it seems Israel supports the successsor far-right groups in these states. The world appears to have gone mad – Israel is supporting the Nazis – and liberals are more warmongering than parties on the mainstream right.
I’m all for pragmatism in politics/internation affairs but this is a joke. Where are the principled politicians these days? Are there any left or have they all sold their soul to the devil?
Good link to the MH17 situation. As Syria has hopefully won its battles, in 2019 I’m going to devote more time to learning about events in Ukraine. Off-G as usual a good learning site.
Happy new year Off Guardian.
Happy New Year to all at OffG. Please keep up the excellent journalism.
I discovered this site about 6 months ago and I have.visited daily since that time. Keep up the good work.
“A new look. A new web-host. A new comment system. These changes are important, and will allow us more freedom and fluidity in the amount and type of content we can host.”
Yuk! Bullshit spin. (Lies).
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Prove me wrong, but somehow I just know that these changes are really going to piss me off. Your comment system is just about the best there is. You going to censor it?
No offense but layout of this website could be improved. Comment system is wonky, but I understand that resources are sparse.
Not to forget Big Ed Snowden, who along with Mr Assange brought the truth to light, and thus began this torrential backlash by those who were exposed.. A toast to you both..
As we can see from the failed / fake raid on Chelsea Manning’s apartment recently, the exposed parties are not shy in staging an “accidental” killing on US soil..
Maybe we will read more about this in the coming year by quality off-guardian journalists..
Wishing Off-Guardian.org and its community of readers and commenters a Happy New Year for 2019.
Mine got off to a good start yesterday with this article from Eric Zuesse at Strategic Culture:
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2018/12/31/mh17-turnabout-ukraine-guilt-now-proven.html
The article links to the Russian Defense Ministry September 2018 briefing on evidence presented by the Joint Investigation Team earlier in May that claimed that fragments of the BUK Telar missile supposedly used to bring down the airliner had been found and the serial number identified.
Another reason why “the election” impending is unlikely to be ‘fair’ is that the current Tory government is obviously entirely reliant on the security services. May is, after an apprenticeship at The Home Office the spooks’ PM. And she is surrounded by the rather sinister types, including comic book characters like Gavin Williamson, who have not the tiniest interest in abiding by the, very broad and accommodating, conventions of the constitution. The past year was remarkable for two things. In Parliament, how the government broke the rules; in the broader political context how the security state used its power to attack Corbyn and Labour. There is no doubt that Mossad, the CIA and Military Intelligence were coordinating the ‘antisemitism’ campaign, together with their agents in the BBC, The Guardian and the Tory media. And this is even more true of the Russophobia campaign and, exhibit A, the Skripal scenarios. I mentioned, below, the geopolitical bottom line set out by the Establishment- the need to save the Empire and its dominance from outright defeat by Eurasia by saving the heartland of the EU (Benelux, France Germany and Italy) from being attracted into Russia, China and the various Silk Road schemes. To do this a wall has been set up in eastern Europe, the Baltic lands, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, to ensure that the natural tendency of east west commerce is thwarted. Those behind this wall are the usual suspects of NATO, Israel , the United States and its creature the British Security Establishment. Like the Iron Curtain in the Cold War, of which this is a continuation, this is a wall not to keep Russia out but to prevent western european society, through socialist parties and nationalists fed up with US hegemony, reaching out to Russia and China. The great attraction of… Read more »
@ Bevan, Of course the impending election will not be fair… They have been at it ever since JC was elected Leader of the Labour Party. I would dearly love to know what he has that they are so afraid of? If by some miracle Jeremy Corbyn is elected PM, I don’t think it will be long before he ”meets with a car accident” or has a ”convenient heart attack.” ”THE INTEGRITY INITIATIVE is merely one part of a broad and permanent campaign by the SECURITY STATE to keep Labour, and the interests of the working class, at bay. It is of interest only because, as one would expect given May’s coterie and kitchen cabinet, it took no trouble to disguise its purpose….. Those running it really don’t understand. that opposition to authority is permissible and that dirty tricks are nothing more than that” Does anyone on this site know who ANDY PRICE, the Head of Counter Disinformation and Media Development Programme, FCO is, and where he comes from? I have searched and searched but cannot find anything about him? HE DOESN’T EXIST????? Even on Wiki.. So who the hell is he? He is definitely THE BIG FLY in the ointment…. https://www.ukcolumn.org/article/integrity-initiative-look-deep-state MIP: Ukrainian-British Consultations on Countering Cyber Threats Held in London 18/19th March 2018.The two sides discussed the current situation with the dissemination of Russian propaganda in Europe, including Ukraine and the Baltic states, and stressed the need to intensify Ukrainian-British cooperation in terms of combatting propaganda, with the active participation of Ukrainian NGOs as well. Separately, the issue of blocking Ukrainian activists on Facebook through efforts of Russian bot farms was discussed. Mr Pryce assured he was ready to assist in establishing direct and effective dialogue between Ukraine and the Facebook administration with a view to precipitate the… Read more »
@ Moderatpr.
WHY is my comment awaiting moderation?
Perhaps you could create a better, searchable, archive.
One that”s fast and bulbous.
@TroutMaskReplica
How do you propose OG do that? They already publish well researched articles – and many of us who post on here attempt to submit information from OUR extensive archives. Although OG appear to have been moderating mine? Perhaps I have been using too much space? But, as I explained previously, some people just don’t have the time or inclination to open a link and trawl through pages of information, so I attempt to ‘condense a ten page document into one page for your convenience?
All that remains is for you to accept or reject this research, by seeking yourself on sites like, Moon of Alabama, Craig Murray, Jimmy Dore, UK Column etc..
Keep up the good work OffG. I wish you a happy, successful and uncensored new year!
The Bill-ary regime had their own Mueller in the form of Ken Starr, who, cheered on by the Gingrich-Limbaugh-tea bagger brigade, attached himself like a leech, wouldn’t let go, and produced trivial shady dealings that one expects from an Arkansas hillbilly. Mueller won’t let go either, his protocol being vetted by the shadow state, to eventually prove as little as the infamous Ken Starr, both to be forgotten.
.
Looking forward to a new year of quality journalism from off-guardian, with hopefully more focus on the new Asian Century, which is here to stay. Having been neo-conned at his flagship Asia Times, Pepe Escobar springs to mind. Asia’s ‘make business’ versus 5-eyes ‘make war’.. Good news for a change.
Cheers from Hunan Province, PRC
Russophobia and Salisbury in Guardian today:https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jan/01/salisbury-novichok-poisonings-look-back
Seems like the letter from the head Salisbury AE doctor to the Times stating that nobody was affected by nerve agent poisoning has been ignored and not challenged – QED.
They wanted a coup against Wilson, Gaitskill, Anthony Crosland, John Smith, Robin Cook died sudden deaths at relatively young ages, MI5 and 6, Teresa May and the military are already suggesting Corbyn wont’ be ‘allowed’ to become PM. Some kind of fix will be in, there will not be a fair election, not that the FPTP system is ever fair.
Macron’s new year’s eve speech was to turn a deaf ear to protests, deriding them as violent and insisting that economic policies that have failed the majority of people over the past 3 decades will continue to be pursued by him.
I suspect only real violence will change anything.
As opposed to unreal violence?
Like the 1% practice
” If that election is fair, Corbyn will win…and we may see some real positive changes in the way the UK is run.. There’s no chance of that happening. Corbyn might win. There might be positive change. But there is no chance that the election will be ‘fair.’ Elections are not meant to impact on geopolitics. That is the cardinal rule which, so long as it is obeyed, is the condition upon which the ruling class allows elections to take place. The great geopolitical issue of our time is that of Eurasia’s rise. The ruling class knows that it cannot stop that rise but it has drawn the line at the one thing that would spell out “Game Over” for them: that is the development of unrestricted commerce between Germany/the EU and Russia. Eurasia. It is the development that all logic calls for- the marriage of western Europe with the rest of Eurasia and the ending of any doubt as to where the future lies. On the Earth Island. It is to prevent this most desirable consummation that the imperialists are desperately building barriers between Russia and western Europe- that is what the current apparent madness of Russophobia, from MH 17 to the Skripals is all about, ensuring that, whatever else may happen, in, among other things, the UK General election, it will have to happen within the context of “Russia Bad. NATO Good.” Corbyn and his advisors are faced with the challenge of getting round this- which would involve a full blooded campaign against Russophobia, exposure of the motivations and mechanics behind the Skripal case, as an example, attacks on the Ukrainian regime’s probity and charges that it was responsible for the downing of the Malaysian jet and promises to withdraw from NATO, end Trident etc. Or, which seems… Read more »
As you say Bevin, ”The election won’t be fair- everything will be stacked against Corbyn- he might win but the Establishment has laid out his boundaries.”
Take a look at this;:Jimmy Dore blowing the lid off the Integrity Initiative SPOOKS.
And here is more:
”Inside the Temple of Covert Propaganda: The Integrity Initiative and the UK’s Scandalous Information War”
https://grayzoneproject.com/2018/12/17/inside-the-temple-of-covert-propaganda-the-integrity-initiative-and-the-uks-scandalous-information-war/#more-1403
Please open the link and read, to save me from having to post ‘another’ lengthy post. And post the information far and wide to every corner of this earth. This is the ONLY way that we are going to combat the ”cabal’s” attempt to enslave us.
Happy new year and that’s a good article with good explains