Will Schryvers take on the Helmer Duran interview.
Posted by Ken Waldron on August 30, 2024, 11:30 pm
John Helmer Interview
I just finished watching John Helmer @bears_with interviewed on The Duran (linked below).
As some may be aware, John and I engaged in a somewhat acrimonious exchange the other day.
I confess I do not follow Helmer closely, although I have read several of his Dances with Bears articles over the years.
In my view, Helmer is an interesting source when it comes to things he actually knows about. But, as was confirmed yet again to me by this most recent interview, I think Helmer often veers off into subject matter where his actual knowledge is limited, and where his prejudices lead him to false interpretations.
I also believe, as I wrote a few days ago, that he often embellishes rumors, and fallaciously appeals to the imagined authority of unreliable sources within Russia.
Helmer is like a great many Russians and Russophiles who tend to have a very narrow perspective on the hard realities of the geopolitical complexities of our day. This typically manifests itself in what I regard as misconceived and unwarranted criticism of Vladimir Putin.
I have written on this topic several times over the past few years.
As it pertains to the most recent controversy over the Ukrainian incursion into Kursk region, Helmer believes the Russian military was largely cognizant of the AFU buildup in Sumy, and desired to act preemptively, but that their hands were tied by Putin's shortsightedness and reluctance to act boldly and decisively against both Ukraine and its NATO allies.
Helmer consistently paints a picture of Putin's alleged ineptitude, indecisiveness, and vacillations hamstringing the Russian high command. He appears to believe Putin is a weak character who will always be inclined to yield to western pressure and intimidation, and that he will ultimately lead Russia into a resolution of this war that leaves Russia's proclaimed objectives unfulfilled.
In my view, this is utter nonsense.
I address this topic at some length in my late December 2022 article entitled In for A Pound (imetatronink.substack.com/p/…).
I also expand upon these concepts in Part 2 of my analysis of Tucker Carlson's interview of Vladimir Putin in February 2024 (imetatronink.substack.com/p/…).
Indeed, it is this latter article that most directly addresses what I consider to be Helmer's misconceptions and misinterpretations in relation to Vladimir Putin. I am confident Helmer will refuse to read either of my articles linked above, but I recommend them to the rest of you.
I remain convinced this war will be decided on the battlefield, and that Russia will dictate hard terms to the west and the remnant of the hapless Ukrainians who chose to destroy their own people in service to the rapidly crumbling Anglo-American empire.
From everything I,ve read from both Shryver (more recently, I confess)and Helmer the latter strikes me as a serious and professional journalist of the highest order,the former as a purveyor of tittle tattle.The juvenility of the post above merely confirms it.
Re: Will Schryvers take on the Helmer Duran interview
I found Helmer rambling and oft inconsequential. When Mercouris for example pointed out that there were now important Russian polities to consider other than the oligarchs he ostensibly agreed...yet then went back to the emphasise his view of the importance of the oligarchs all over again.
I've read his views on and off for a number of years: he's never become a regular go-to for me.
As to Schryver, I don't really recognise him in your comment. He appears to have a good overall grasp of the geopolitical situation : especially regarding the situation of the US establishment & military.
On Putin, politicians are assumed a priori to act with a degree of honesty on the important matter of international relations: after all they are doing so on a highly visible world stage where you would assume lies and dishonesty might ruin reputations. He certainly never expected western perfidity on such a scale and I reckon is unlikely to be taken in by it again.
Re: Will Schryvers take on the Helmer Duran interview
Fair enough. Nevertheless when it comes to the arcane workings of Kremlin politics I believe Helmer is far more adept in his analysis,just as Shryver is more at home with US machinations.I find it hard to imagine Helmer taking issue with Shryver,s analysis of Washington,s deliberations I took Helmers main point in the interview to be that Putin has to contend with different factions in Moscow,oligarchs,military staff,the Defence and central bank bureaucracies,intelligence services etc and that at different moments each have carried more clout in his decision making.The factions are aware of this,accept it and have been made aware by Putin of his constraints and the limitations of their influence.Under the sway of different factions at various times wrong judgements and mistakes have been made. To retain political stability and consensus Putin has been pragmatic.He is not willing to throw out the baby with the bathwater.That is his strength. For Helmer,his long held view is that Putin has mistakenly allowed the oligarchs(along with the Central Bank) to retain too much influence within the Kremlin and now has the opportunity to rectify that weakness. On the international stage Putin,s integrity is unrivalled as Helmer has long supported and applauded.Any shifts in Russian policy or attitudes towards the West have been openly stated and explained/justified as opposed to the deceit and perfidy of the west.Fallible yes but neither irresolute nor hubristic. This of course is why he is feared and hated.
on August 30, 2024, 11:30 pm