What is happening is the world reminds me of JW Bush Jr., and his famous quote, “You are with us or against us on foreign policy, no riding-the-fence.’’ One of the first things you learn as a journalist is not to believe in coincidences. There have been just too many lately: the death of the Iranian president and the threat on the life of a Georgian PM, and all the other recent “near misses,” such as Robert Fico, where there have been attempts on the lives of other leaders who are unwilling to toe-the-line on Ukraine and US foreign policy.
Very Scary
It is good to read that Slovakian PM Robert Fico is stable and communicating, as say his doctors, but this health update comes as the country reels from the assassination attempt and now needs to contend with the political fallout, as much more may be involved.
When you think about it, especially against the backdrop of all the rhetoric and desperation of US and EU Foreign Policy when it comes to saving the day in Ukraine, combined with blatant criminal activities, it is really VERY scary.
Often the background of such attempts, or accidental deaths, such as the former Georgian Prime Minister, Zurab Zhvania more than 10 years ago, are too hard to believe, such as a gas leak poisoning in a flat that had the gas turned off.
As Jeffrey Silverman, former Editor and Chief of the Georgian Times, wrote many years ago:
But I am not one to believe in such a fate, especially in the light of all the media spin surrounding the case, and how many Georgian politicians and potential [political] leaders, such as Merab Kostava, Giorgi Chanturia, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, Badri Patarkatsishvili etc., have all died before their time. Many examples can be found in other countries of Prime Ministers dying prematurely in office. Most of these deaths can hardly be considered accidents. In the case of Zurab Zhvania, I suggest that there is more to the matter than the official record shows – or will ever show!
Latest attempt
And now, the suspected gunman in the attempt on Robert Fico life, identified by the country’s media as 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, an amateur poet and former security guard, has been charged with attempted premeditated murder.
Of course, the official version, at least so far, is that he was working as a lone wolf. Too much history here, the deaths of a journalist and his fiancée, and just too hard to believe, considering the timing, that such things are just by happenstance.
Nonetheless, The Bush Doctrine affirms the legitimacy of a preventive strike and emphasizes the notion that “if you are not with us, then you are against us.”
I remember as a school boy, hearing the term ‘protective reaction bombings raids’ on North Vietnam, at the time I did not know what was an oxymoron; I guess I thought it was a stupid person or something, if I would have even heard the term.
The term “protective reaction to bombing raids” is presented as an oxymoron because “protective” implies defense and safety, whereas “bombing raids” imply aggressive and destructive actions, thus the contradiction
It is now clear that the language used in justifying war and geopolitical manipulations is misleading and contradictory, framing aggressive military actions as defensive measures. This reflection serves as a critique of how such terms can be used to justify and sanitize the brutality of war and political contradictions.
I need not go into a full critique of recent geopolitical events or reflect on well-established historical patterns in foreign policy, particularly comparing current events with the “with us or against us” mentality often attributed to George W. Bush’s foreign policy approach.
However, I am making a suggestion by referencing this famous quote, which captures a binary worldview where countries are either allies or enemies. This sets the tone for understanding contemporary events whereby similar actions are in play and the assassination attempts and crashing of helicopters suggest intentional actions rather than bad timing, or simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
You be the Judge
Such occurrences make me think of how the Polish government was quick to blame a crash of an airplane in fog on a Russian inspired conspiracy. Of course, the various conspiracy theories at the time, 2010, were that the plane had been deliberately brought down by the Russians in an act of political assassination, and even claimed that some of the political opposition in Poland were complicit in or aware of the plot, or at least aided in the efforts to cover it up.
The implication is that these leaders were targeted because of their stances, particularly regarding Ukraine, US foreign policy, and their unwillingness to conform to certain expectations. There should be more concern about the political ramifications of such accidents, or as may be, assassination attempts, particularly in destabilizing regions and influencing the geopolitical landscape.
Unfortunately, the US wants to credit the success of its sanctions on Iran rather than inclement weather for the death of the Iranian president and the PM. As the headlines read – Helicopter crash kills Raisi: Are sanctions behind Iran’s aviation crisis?
Sanctions have prevented Iran from procuring new aircraft or equipment, which have been linked to aviation accidents. They have also been responsible for the deaths of at so many children in Iraq. However, nobody is talking about that nowadays – not since the time of Madeline Albright, former US Secretary of State. She once publicly admitted that she thought the deaths of half a million Iraqi children were ‘worth it’!
Apparently, there have also been attempts on the Crown Prince of Saudi, and political arm twisting on many fronts, inter alia! In retrospect, there are parallels to historical events, such as the death of Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania, which was officially attributed to a gas leak under suspicious circumstances—and the subsequent deaths of several of those involved in his autopsy.
As then, compared to now, could there be more to these recent events than meets the eye?
The suspected gunman in Fico’s case is described as a lone wolf, but the circumstances, his social media accounts being shut down hours before the near miss on the life of the PM, cast doubt on this explanation, suggesting it might be an oversimplification or a cover for more complex machinations and much more is involved.
And we should suspect the usual suspects
Anyone who has been a student of US foreign policy should know about false flags, taking out of those leaders that interfere in the grand scheme of things.This line of thought, and suspicion, highlights the desperation and potentially criminal activities linked to US foreign policy, especially in trying to maintain global influence and manipulate lessor countries, i.e., ‘’untermenschen’!
Certain leaders and countries should be aware that they are facing dangerous consequences when they diverge from powerful international expectations, and instructions, particularly from the United States. This ties current events to historical patterns of political violence and questions official narratives, hinting at deeper, more nefarious motives behind these incidents.
Not to point any fingers, but there should be some healthy skepticism towards the official versions of events and thought given to the possibility that these incidents are part of a broader strategy to enforce compliance in international relations.
Who will be next?
It should be noted that the Georgian Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, has publicly announced that he was threatened by a member of the European Commission:
However, even in the face of prolonged blackmail, the threat voiced during a telephone conversation with one of the European commissioners was shocking. During our conversation, the […] The commissioner listed a number of measures that Western politicians might take if the veto on the transparency law is overcome. While listing these measures, he mentioned, ‘You’ve seen what happened to Fico and you should be very careful’”, he said.
It is not at all surprising that a senior EU representative made such a threat. The fact that the government of such a small country is standing firm in the face of threats of sanctions, and, now it seems, political violence, will be enraging those used to acting as the “masters of the universe”.
It seems the mask is well and truly off the “Rules-Based Order”, as Georgia is determined to avoid being dragged into the war and suffer “Ukrainization” as it has been called by the Georgian government, a position that infuriates the US and EU, not to mention their puppet government in Ukraine, who desperately want to use Georgia to open a second front against Russia.
All the Russians have to do to win the battle for influence is keep quiet and let the western morons keep talking and doing what they do best.
Henry Kamens, columnist, expert on Central Asia and Caucasus, exclusively for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook”.