A correct analysis, George - and, sadly for the mercenary, reality has struck - doesn't say much for the intelligence level of those studying at Melbourne Grammar. And then he was teaching (as a lecturer - really???) in China - from 2017 when in his early 20s? It all sounds very dodgy to me... What were his qualifications? So he was slapped during interrogations and the worlfd went into uproar - but on the ugly torture of Palestinians taken hostage by the Zionists - nothing from the world. The hypocrisy is staggering. The Australian government has not made it clear enough that going to fight in Ukraine - or to fight for the IDF in its genocide of Gaza etc - are war crimes - and that there is no diplomatic protection for them - and only gaol should any of them return to Australia - so best - like the nasty dual Australian/Israeli Zionist political front-man Mark Regev (out of Melbourne - with his pseudo Hebrew name - real name Mark Freiberg [in English Fremont]) - that they remain away!
Well said George! Early in the conflict I recall some sensible people talking about the dangers and consequences of the extreme propaganda / psyops / engineered reality about the conflict - in particular how it encourages people to destroy their lives by being sucked into the hysterical votex of saturation lies that we were all subjected to. There are some (many) that still don't see through it.
The problem is that Russia has not prosecuted this war with sufficient aggression.
Remember that dipshit Brit whom the Russians released as a goodwill gesture, only for him to immediately return? Or for that matter, the captured Azov nazis, who were sent to Turkey on a farcical promise that they would be detained there?
Russia's enemies have no such scruples and see Russian reticence as contemptible weakness.
Declassified documents show security assurances against NATO expansion to Soviet leaders from Baker, Bush, Genscher, Kohl, Gates, Mitterrand, Thatcher, Hurd, Major, and Woerner
I believe Russia proposes to forge alliances, expand BRICS, and foment USA's internal strife to the point of civil war. USA is far more easily dismantled from within than without.
Yes, it’s all so clear to me now. But it wasn’t that long ago that I too was cheering on the ‘Orange revolution’ in Ukraine that lead to Yanokovich’s ousting. After decades of propaganda especially through war films and press representation the ‘good guy’ image of the US military - the ‘cavalry riding to the rescue, again’ - was so embedded in my geopolitical world view that I couldn’t see beyond it. I didn’t want to. Finally - largely as a result of the unflinching US support of genocidal Israel - I saw the light.
How long will it take, I wonder for the millions of others in the West still stuck in the darkness of US propaganda to finally come into the light?
Bravo, DE - Only this century did I become awake to Zionism - reading Israeli Miko Peled's The General's Son; among other books - though more recently anything by Antony Lowenstein (esp. The Palestine Laboratory) - from Melbourne - Israel/Palestine/Germany now Sydney); Britisher Asa Winstanley's Weaponising Anti-Semitism; and Avi Shlaim's Three Worlds: Memoir of an Arab Jew (out of Baghdad to Israel as a boy - now a Prof (Emeritus?) at Oxford. Also from Ali Abunimah (US) - now with Electronic Intifada. And various literary works - poetry and short prose/memoir from Gaza/Occupied Territories - Norman Finkelstein and Gideon Levy, too, out of Israel. Best wishes in your advocacy against the true forces of ugliness in our world. Jim
Thanks Jim for your wishes for my advocacy against the true forces of ugliness in our world. Unlike you who has clearly followed a path dedicated to the ugliness of the Middle East I graduated towards it from the path dedicated to the ugliness of the ‘sports’ abuse of wildlife in the UK which is supported by ‘ugly’ people - often in high places - doing the same kind of ‘ugly’ things to wildlife as the Israelis are doing in Gaza and the WB. The ugliness is widespread but we must continue fighting it. Good luck!
Great article George. I agree with everything. Even if Australia could free Jenkins, the animosity our government has shown Russia and specifically Putin, isn't advantageous to them. Australia also sent over 1 billion taxpayer dollars to help Ukraine fund the war, a country whose corruption may even top US corruption. The US and the EU has been pushing for this war for years, one of our great journalists and documentary writers, John Pilger who died in 2023, was talking about this for about 30 years showing nefarious NATO objectives. If our education system taught facts rather than indoctrinating ideologies, perhaps the US and EU wouldn't have the power they do. (Speaking about the EU, and their hypocritical democracy stance where they, with the US, perform regime change operations, interfere in elections and Kaja Kallas even showed a map of how they wanted to break up Russia into smaller regions, utilising all of Russia's resources to benefit Brussels and control European countries)
Thank you for this dose of hard reality. Somehow this one brainwashed and deluded man's fate brings home, as statistics and generalities don't, the tragic and lethal danger of layers upon layers of decades of the West's twisted lies and propaganda.
If - as Penny Wong seems to believe - he was just a regular Ukraine army recruit and that he was being paid up to $US15,000 per month - that must mean all the Ukrainian troops were on the same pay - WOW! The ignorance of our Foreign Minister is appalling - or the value of the advice coming to her from her staff needs a thorough enquiry - who? and their levels of expertise - which "think tanks" is she being advised by - the IPA? - ASPI? the Lowy Institute? ASIO? the CIA? Okay - I might be going a bit far here. (Or am I?) Mossad?
Penny Wong and others in the government have made a serious error of judgement in taking up this cause. Foolish young fellow - why were his family not opposing his mercenary activities? Did they encourage him? He did wrong - it's reasonable for Australia to follow his case but NOT to criticise Russia for this sentence. How many Russian soldiers did Jenkins kill? He's lucky to have only 13 years to serve. How would he have been treated had he been on an opposing side in a conflict involving Australian soldiers - some of whom may have been killed. Only 13 years? I think not!
Maybe he didn't kill any. Indeed, soldiers of fortune tend to be executed on the battlefield. They're not protected by the Geneva Convention. Mercenaries are regarded differently to volunteer soldiers, who are fighting for a cause.
Jenkins was a student at Melbourne Grammar - so I think his parents have some wealth - and according to a source I found - taught as a lecturer in China -(what and where I did not find?) from 2017 when in his early 20s - so it makes me wonder about his experiences/further educational qualifications - opportunist? And then to Ukraine and a pay jump! (A kinsman - during the Great War - relieved as Headmaster of Melbourne Grammar 1917-1919 - having come from St Peter's Collegiate in Adelaide where he was Headmaster for some 22 years - before returning to Bath in England...)
A correct analysis, George - and, sadly for the mercenary, reality has struck - doesn't say much for the intelligence level of those studying at Melbourne Grammar. And then he was teaching (as a lecturer - really???) in China - from 2017 when in his early 20s? It all sounds very dodgy to me... What were his qualifications? So he was slapped during interrogations and the worlfd went into uproar - but on the ugly torture of Palestinians taken hostage by the Zionists - nothing from the world. The hypocrisy is staggering. The Australian government has not made it clear enough that going to fight in Ukraine - or to fight for the IDF in its genocide of Gaza etc - are war crimes - and that there is no diplomatic protection for them - and only gaol should any of them return to Australia - so best - like the nasty dual Australian/Israeli Zionist political front-man Mark Regev (out of Melbourne - with his pseudo Hebrew name - real name Mark Freiberg [in English Fremont]) - that they remain away!
Well said George! Early in the conflict I recall some sensible people talking about the dangers and consequences of the extreme propaganda / psyops / engineered reality about the conflict - in particular how it encourages people to destroy their lives by being sucked into the hysterical votex of saturation lies that we were all subjected to. There are some (many) that still don't see through it.
The problem is that Russia has not prosecuted this war with sufficient aggression.
Remember that dipshit Brit whom the Russians released as a goodwill gesture, only for him to immediately return? Or for that matter, the captured Azov nazis, who were sent to Turkey on a farcical promise that they would be detained there?
Russia's enemies have no such scruples and see Russian reticence as contemptible weakness.
Declassified documents show security assurances against NATO expansion to Soviet leaders from Baker, Bush, Genscher, Kohl, Gates, Mitterrand, Thatcher, Hurd, Major, and Woerner
https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/briefing-book/russia-programs/2017-12-12/nato-expansion-what-gorbachev-heard-western-leaders-early
Yes, so what does Russia propose to do about it?
I believe Russia proposes to forge alliances, expand BRICS, and foment USA's internal strife to the point of civil war. USA is far more easily dismantled from within than without.
Besides assuming facts not in evidence, BRICs is basically a glorified dorm room bull session.
Sure thing, champ..the civil war will make for great television here 🍿
Yes, it’s all so clear to me now. But it wasn’t that long ago that I too was cheering on the ‘Orange revolution’ in Ukraine that lead to Yanokovich’s ousting. After decades of propaganda especially through war films and press representation the ‘good guy’ image of the US military - the ‘cavalry riding to the rescue, again’ - was so embedded in my geopolitical world view that I couldn’t see beyond it. I didn’t want to. Finally - largely as a result of the unflinching US support of genocidal Israel - I saw the light.
How long will it take, I wonder for the millions of others in the West still stuck in the darkness of US propaganda to finally come into the light?
Bravo, DE - Only this century did I become awake to Zionism - reading Israeli Miko Peled's The General's Son; among other books - though more recently anything by Antony Lowenstein (esp. The Palestine Laboratory) - from Melbourne - Israel/Palestine/Germany now Sydney); Britisher Asa Winstanley's Weaponising Anti-Semitism; and Avi Shlaim's Three Worlds: Memoir of an Arab Jew (out of Baghdad to Israel as a boy - now a Prof (Emeritus?) at Oxford. Also from Ali Abunimah (US) - now with Electronic Intifada. And various literary works - poetry and short prose/memoir from Gaza/Occupied Territories - Norman Finkelstein and Gideon Levy, too, out of Israel. Best wishes in your advocacy against the true forces of ugliness in our world. Jim
Thanks Jim for your wishes for my advocacy against the true forces of ugliness in our world. Unlike you who has clearly followed a path dedicated to the ugliness of the Middle East I graduated towards it from the path dedicated to the ugliness of the ‘sports’ abuse of wildlife in the UK which is supported by ‘ugly’ people - often in high places - doing the same kind of ‘ugly’ things to wildlife as the Israelis are doing in Gaza and the WB. The ugliness is widespread but we must continue fighting it. Good luck!
I recently read this and it made me sick. Please share:
https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/who-will-stop-amish-animal-abuse
They won't. Humans would rather keep fooling themselves, rather than admit that they were fooled.
Sad. Many have been fooled. Look what we have in power here - a grifter, conman, liar, thief and white supremacist, lawless jerk, etc.
Great article George. I agree with everything. Even if Australia could free Jenkins, the animosity our government has shown Russia and specifically Putin, isn't advantageous to them. Australia also sent over 1 billion taxpayer dollars to help Ukraine fund the war, a country whose corruption may even top US corruption. The US and the EU has been pushing for this war for years, one of our great journalists and documentary writers, John Pilger who died in 2023, was talking about this for about 30 years showing nefarious NATO objectives. If our education system taught facts rather than indoctrinating ideologies, perhaps the US and EU wouldn't have the power they do. (Speaking about the EU, and their hypocritical democracy stance where they, with the US, perform regime change operations, interfere in elections and Kaja Kallas even showed a map of how they wanted to break up Russia into smaller regions, utilising all of Russia's resources to benefit Brussels and control European countries)
Thank you for this dose of hard reality. Somehow this one brainwashed and deluded man's fate brings home, as statistics and generalities don't, the tragic and lethal danger of layers upon layers of decades of the West's twisted lies and propaganda.
All mercenaries are scum. Hired killers with zero moral compass.
Got what he deserved.
If - as Penny Wong seems to believe - he was just a regular Ukraine army recruit and that he was being paid up to $US15,000 per month - that must mean all the Ukrainian troops were on the same pay - WOW! The ignorance of our Foreign Minister is appalling - or the value of the advice coming to her from her staff needs a thorough enquiry - who? and their levels of expertise - which "think tanks" is she being advised by - the IPA? - ASPI? the Lowy Institute? ASIO? the CIA? Okay - I might be going a bit far here. (Or am I?) Mossad?
By definition, mercenaries do it for the money, period.
Penny Wong and others in the government have made a serious error of judgement in taking up this cause. Foolish young fellow - why were his family not opposing his mercenary activities? Did they encourage him? He did wrong - it's reasonable for Australia to follow his case but NOT to criticise Russia for this sentence. How many Russian soldiers did Jenkins kill? He's lucky to have only 13 years to serve. How would he have been treated had he been on an opposing side in a conflict involving Australian soldiers - some of whom may have been killed. Only 13 years? I think not!
Maybe he didn't kill any. Indeed, soldiers of fortune tend to be executed on the battlefield. They're not protected by the Geneva Convention. Mercenaries are regarded differently to volunteer soldiers, who are fighting for a cause.
Jenkins has a Ph.D. in FAFO.
He was a school teacher at at elite private melbourne school. not sure he was poverty stricken.
Jenkins was a student at Melbourne Grammar - so I think his parents have some wealth - and according to a source I found - taught as a lecturer in China -(what and where I did not find?) from 2017 when in his early 20s - so it makes me wonder about his experiences/further educational qualifications - opportunist? And then to Ukraine and a pay jump! (A kinsman - during the Great War - relieved as Headmaster of Melbourne Grammar 1917-1919 - having come from St Peter's Collegiate in Adelaide where he was Headmaster for some 22 years - before returning to Bath in England...)