I think when one telescopes way out, one mostly sees a collection of psychopaths; MbZ, Putin, MbS, the deposed Imran, Bibi, all effectively making China (and much less so and more obliquely Turkey) more powerful, whatever else they do.
Istanbul and Beijing were the two power centers of asia for most of the past 2300 years, so this should not surprise.
Israel and IRI both exist as ethnonationalist-messianic states to keep everyone else off balance, China offers genuine neutrality in the void with regards to these things, and slowly, incrementally exploits this advantage, one PLA base next to an airport at a time.
Another thing to consider is whether or not moron anti-semite crazy person Kanye's background of childhood NoI is something that resonates with street-level Sunni as they watch Israeli jets fly over Arab air for the first time in history. Nation of Islam is many things, but above all, it is 100% American, just like LDS. Does current internet tech mean all the wacko impulses of the African diaspora, the claimed Judaism themes, Nation of Islam cosmology, bleed together with banlieue disaffection in suburban Paris and the giant Sunni masses of Syria and Iraq?
Yes, and when Saddam was removed, the unspoken arrangement of "Shia and Sunni balance out because both get minority rule in Syria and Iraq" was destroyed. ISIS was what happens when the worst possible actors fill a historical void that inevitably would be filled by something.
That's not true, Ba'ath ideology has a particular history which needs to be understood whether or not it exists 99% as drapery over an essentially tribal power structure in Syria.
Spies like Pompeo exploited the alliance between Assad and the christian minority there, Ba'ath tolerance of Christians is part of that history and that historical set-up.
Ba'aths were founded in part by Arab Christians. The *definitional* features of Syrian christians - the same kind of neo-Byzantine fantasies that excite Malofeev and Mike's Wichita preacher friends - are very relevant to the story. Putin exploits this community just like he exploits Chabad, both offer double-leverage both in the Middle East and currency among RW Americans. Mike Pompeo was truly in his "faith home" when he used these connections to sell out America.
I think when one telescopes way out, one mostly sees a collection of psychopaths; MbZ, Putin, MbS, the deposed Imran, Bibi, all effectively making China (and much less so and more obliquely Turkey) more powerful, whatever else they do.
Istanbul and Beijing were the two power centers of asia for most of the past 2300 years, so this should not surprise.
Israel and IRI both exist as ethnonationalist-messianic states to keep everyone else off balance, China offers genuine neutrality in the void with regards to these things, and slowly, incrementally exploits this advantage, one PLA base next to an airport at a time.
Another thing to consider is whether or not moron anti-semite crazy person Kanye's background of childhood NoI is something that resonates with street-level Sunni as they watch Israeli jets fly over Arab air for the first time in history. Nation of Islam is many things, but above all, it is 100% American, just like LDS. Does current internet tech mean all the wacko impulses of the African diaspora, the claimed Judaism themes, Nation of Islam cosmology, bleed together with banlieue disaffection in suburban Paris and the giant Sunni masses of Syria and Iraq?
Yes, and when Saddam was removed, the unspoken arrangement of "Shia and Sunni balance out because both get minority rule in Syria and Iraq" was destroyed. ISIS was what happens when the worst possible actors fill a historical void that inevitably would be filled by something.
That's not true, Ba'ath ideology has a particular history which needs to be understood whether or not it exists 99% as drapery over an essentially tribal power structure in Syria.
Spies like Pompeo exploited the alliance between Assad and the christian minority there, Ba'ath tolerance of Christians is part of that history and that historical set-up.
Ba'aths were founded in part by Arab Christians. The *definitional* features of Syrian christians - the same kind of neo-Byzantine fantasies that excite Malofeev and Mike's Wichita preacher friends - are very relevant to the story. Putin exploits this community just like he exploits Chabad, both offer double-leverage both in the Middle East and currency among RW Americans. Mike Pompeo was truly in his "faith home" when he used these connections to sell out America.