The "follow the money" suggestion is surely the most viable solution. Since so much is known about patrimony of the bad actors, does it make sense to incentivize cyber sleuths and whistleblowers to find the money by offering them huge rewards based on a percentage of whatever is recovered ? It seems to me that cyber sleuths and whistleblowers are better at this than most law enforcement agencies.
Regarding the "template" comments, they are obviously well founded. How can the world deal with such a threat ? Must there be enhanced security and surveillance to thwart future 9/11 and 10/7 attacks ? And how should democracies deal with perpetrators be they individuals, organizations or states ? Are the current legal approaches still valid in when dealing with such threats ? We already live in a Kafkaesque and 1984 world, must we tolerate more controls over our daily lives to enable us to live in peace and thwart bad actors ? Since sanctions and limited military strikes are not severely hurting the bad actors nor thwarting their nefarious conduct what will work ? Over to your readers !
There can be little doubt of the validity of the charges against Hamas and its leaders as set out in this piece. One is left, therefore, to wonder why the government of Israel has found it valuable to continue to fund Hamas, proudly justifying this support as being of benefit to the state of Israel. One also wonders why the people of Gaza, and their housing and social infrastructure have been so aggressively targeted by the Israeli war machine, when, clearly, it is the leadership, living like kings in countries well within reach of Israeli arms or covert operations, who are the problem, or so we are led to believe. There is much going on here which is, apparently, beyond investigation or discussion. That is truly a shame.
Hamas leaders in Qatar wallowing in riches as Palestinians beg for the basics of existence. Exacerbated by a vicious attack on a much more powerful foe. The people of Gaza are puppets, pawns in a horrific 3D chess game. You named the players.
As the MSM now shifts to mourning the deaths of thousands of "innocents" in Gaza, the real villains seem to escape view. Thanks for publishing this. I had no idea. And 99% of the world has no idea.
Thank you, Diane, for providing the economic details which allow us to avoid getting sucked in to dim witted media narrative of liberation and brotherhood. Carry on providing data on which to base political judgments contrary to the sanctimonious university elites.
Diane....the insight you provide is unappareled and the information that is offered in easily digestible capsule form is superb because few people have the time or interest in pulling it all together as you do,
BUT the problems you identify with corrupt leaders and spokesmen for these various nefarious groups seeking to profit from and exploit the sentiments of human beings living under very dire and difficult conditions is a problem that powerful and rich countries and groupings - such as the U.S., G-7, EU - should deal with rather than bemoan........not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it will reduce the risk of major conflagrations that may prove more costly than the cost of meeting it head-on.
Whether we like to hear it or not, the war in Ukraine has not scrubbed the underlying detritus that has knee-capped Ukraine's ability to develop as a normal country......whether in the form of traitors or profiteers or power seekers or merely placement of incompetent officials through political patronage and nepotism. And the future of Ukraine will remain at risk if this problem is allowed to continue.
In like manner, the downtrodden residents of Gaza and Palestinians in the West Bank will continue to turn to their mafioso leaders if no action is taken to remove them and support those who are prepared - assuming the Israeli government is also prepared (though it has not been for a very long time) - to deal seriously with the economic and political issues that have been exploited by the likes of Hamas.
The other day, one of the very small Russian groups opposing Putin disclosed the fact that Putin may own as many as 9 yachts. Shouldn't this information (with supporting evidence and photos) be disseminated through every means possible to Russian citizens so that - the next time they are denied medical treatment for lack of funding - they visualize 9 luxurious yachts?
We must always keep in mind that the vast majority of people want the same thing - a fair shake in life - and will support those who come with clean hands rather than follow bomb throwers. But they can do nothing to change their entrenched mafia except complain. Perhaps we in the West, with the resources, information, and skills we have at our disposal, can do more than simply bind wounds and send truckloads of aid. We should be filtering out the goats from the sheep and putting maximum support behind those that can make a real difference for the benefit of their followers. Let's root out the cause of these problems rather than simply trim them.
Re: your view on Ukraine, please support with facts. I doubt this is true. My view is that Moscow had run it as part of their corrupt, oligarchic system. But the tide turned with the Maidan revolution. Moscow retaliated by seizing Crimea, trying to stir up civil war between Russian and Ukrainian speakers, etc, and injecting a propagandistic narrative to cover their intrusion, followed by their larger attempted takeover in 2022. Since then Ukraine, both its people and state have had to fight for their lives. There has been very little meat left on the bone or excess of any kind upon which jackals could feast. Though there are always “jackals” and “parasites”, to take, to use, and to lie about it, among humankind. Maybe one reason the U.S. has only slow-dripped aid has been to try to discourage, if not starve out, such predators, while at the same time trying to support the survival of the healthy body, the host, which is the people and land of Ukraine.
If Ukraine “wins” and securely takes back all its territory, such that it might be rebuilt--at this point, an infusion of funds would certainly be an attractive target for exploitation. I can just imagine the Russian propaganda then.
Sorry! I should have said George Woloshyn’s view. As I replied after his comment, I had assumed this would be clear, but now I see that in the flow of comments, this might not be. I haven’t had any cause as yet to object to any lack of factual support for your opinions. Of course most of us are going on whatever facts we know or have been persuaded of, so can sometimes be mistaken, including me.
Thank you, Cecelia, for your cogent response to my comment. You are, of course, correct in recognizing that - for the longest time - Moscow had a strong interest in promoting and supporting corruption in Ukraine because corruption is one of its most important tools for leveraging its influence and control of key players and institutions.
And, yes, I agree with you that Ukraine's government became more serious about corruption in the immediate aftermath of the Revolution of Dignity when it became clear that civic activism became a new force in Ukraine. But despite new laws and institutions, the period between 2014 and 2021 saw only a modest increase in Ukraine's "Transparency International" ratings. The chief stumbling blocs were the judicial system, the prosecutor's office, and the president's (Poroshenko) own abuse of office and self-dealing. However, it was also a period when Ukraine had officially adopted a pro-EU and pro-NATO direction and was vulnerable to strong pressures from the EU to clean up its act. Those pressures included the withholding of large sums Ukraine badly needed to get by from one year to the next. It was also a period of great excesses by Ukraine's oligarchs.
With Zelensky's arrival (strongly supported and funded by one of Ukraine's biggest corruptioneers) the first year or year and a half showed only limited progress, the biggest one of which included the naming of 11 oligarchs and beginning to pressure them.
When the war began , we should cut the UA government some slack because there were other major priorities to simply survive and, that period gave opportunities for a goodly amount of pre-existing fat cats as well as new fat cats to profit from the war.. However, starting in the spring of this year and continuing to the present day we can track the increased frequency by which profiteers are being rounded up and brought to real justice. The current Administration is well aware of its dependence on Western support and is determined to get into the EU and NATO as soon as possible so it will do what is needed to meet those standards. And every step forward will make reversals more difficult.
But make no mistake about it. Despite my personal observation that the president, himself, is a decent man and wants to do the right thing, the corruption that has been so endemic in Ukraine and has made it so difficult to move forward still has strong roots and we should welcome strong western oversight.....it keeps Ukraine honest and it helps the ordinary citizen to trust his government. The latest poll shows that 63% of Ukrainians still consider corruption as being among the very top problems facing the country. Hopefully, not for long.
As Goldwater liked to say after he lost his presidential run with only 43% of the vote: "43% of the people can't be wrong."
Thank you for expanding your contribution to this part of the conversation. Much appreciated! I now hope Ukraine can keep paring down corrupt actors and the institutional practices that enable them, but above all I long for the agony to end.
Yes, strangling them is the preferred route as the blood spilled will not be highly visible over the decade it will take IF and when it succeeds. Over the decade of strangulation unlimited other bad guys will still pop up to harass the planet. The “Shooting them now” method will be visibly costly in blood, but it will be much quicker and it is likely the strangulation method would still result in becoming a shooting competition.
In any case, shooting has “tentatively” begun. It should be exploited in earnest while the advantage is still with the “good” guys…. It will also set a real example to many “up and comers”. Time is not on our side!!!
Appears that the 'free' world got caught with their pants down - complacent or budget cuts - whatever. Biden was 'slow' to read the terrorist 'tea' leaves OR our so-called 'security' level is depleted of 'smart & focused' personnel. WE are all in danger - Europe MUST act whether a NATO member or not - get those jets into UKRAINE - start there. HIT Moscow - start there - GET MAD & show these evil organizations there is NO hope for them!
Absolutely brilliant Diane. So vile Hamas leaders all about money Biden far too wishy-washy about the attacks and as for Irish President and Taoiseach Varadkar being anti Israeli. Perhaps the rest of the Jews abducted will not be released
Quite right ! Excellent !
The "follow the money" suggestion is surely the most viable solution. Since so much is known about patrimony of the bad actors, does it make sense to incentivize cyber sleuths and whistleblowers to find the money by offering them huge rewards based on a percentage of whatever is recovered ? It seems to me that cyber sleuths and whistleblowers are better at this than most law enforcement agencies.
Regarding the "template" comments, they are obviously well founded. How can the world deal with such a threat ? Must there be enhanced security and surveillance to thwart future 9/11 and 10/7 attacks ? And how should democracies deal with perpetrators be they individuals, organizations or states ? Are the current legal approaches still valid in when dealing with such threats ? We already live in a Kafkaesque and 1984 world, must we tolerate more controls over our daily lives to enable us to live in peace and thwart bad actors ? Since sanctions and limited military strikes are not severely hurting the bad actors nor thwarting their nefarious conduct what will work ? Over to your readers !
Excellent points
There can be little doubt of the validity of the charges against Hamas and its leaders as set out in this piece. One is left, therefore, to wonder why the government of Israel has found it valuable to continue to fund Hamas, proudly justifying this support as being of benefit to the state of Israel. One also wonders why the people of Gaza, and their housing and social infrastructure have been so aggressively targeted by the Israeli war machine, when, clearly, it is the leadership, living like kings in countries well within reach of Israeli arms or covert operations, who are the problem, or so we are led to believe. There is much going on here which is, apparently, beyond investigation or discussion. That is truly a shame.
You raise great points
Hamas leaders in Qatar wallowing in riches as Palestinians beg for the basics of existence. Exacerbated by a vicious attack on a much more powerful foe. The people of Gaza are puppets, pawns in a horrific 3D chess game. You named the players.
As the MSM now shifts to mourning the deaths of thousands of "innocents" in Gaza, the real villains seem to escape view. Thanks for publishing this. I had no idea. And 99% of the world has no idea.
I can't contain my disgust.
Please write out the terms that are abbreviated: MSM and the letters after your name.
Some of us add our locations to our name. We lived in Massachusetts then Maine then back to Massachusetts. To be near family.
MSM is a popular abbreviation for Main Stream Media. Or, IMO, Mostly Surface Mining (of the news).
Wonderful reply! I did understand the IMO too. It took many repetitions of seeing this here and there to gather it means, in my opinion.
Thank you Diane…👍
Excellent as always
Thank you, Diane, for providing the economic details which allow us to avoid getting sucked in to dim witted media narrative of liberation and brotherhood. Carry on providing data on which to base political judgments contrary to the sanctimonious university elites.
Just in case you need additional motivation to wish the eradication of Hamas, listen to the son of one of the founders of Hamas at the UN.
https://youtu.be/pjOEJumoABg
Yes this is brilliant. I saw it on tv
Diane....the insight you provide is unappareled and the information that is offered in easily digestible capsule form is superb because few people have the time or interest in pulling it all together as you do,
BUT the problems you identify with corrupt leaders and spokesmen for these various nefarious groups seeking to profit from and exploit the sentiments of human beings living under very dire and difficult conditions is a problem that powerful and rich countries and groupings - such as the U.S., G-7, EU - should deal with rather than bemoan........not only because it is the right thing to do, but because it will reduce the risk of major conflagrations that may prove more costly than the cost of meeting it head-on.
Whether we like to hear it or not, the war in Ukraine has not scrubbed the underlying detritus that has knee-capped Ukraine's ability to develop as a normal country......whether in the form of traitors or profiteers or power seekers or merely placement of incompetent officials through political patronage and nepotism. And the future of Ukraine will remain at risk if this problem is allowed to continue.
In like manner, the downtrodden residents of Gaza and Palestinians in the West Bank will continue to turn to their mafioso leaders if no action is taken to remove them and support those who are prepared - assuming the Israeli government is also prepared (though it has not been for a very long time) - to deal seriously with the economic and political issues that have been exploited by the likes of Hamas.
The other day, one of the very small Russian groups opposing Putin disclosed the fact that Putin may own as many as 9 yachts. Shouldn't this information (with supporting evidence and photos) be disseminated through every means possible to Russian citizens so that - the next time they are denied medical treatment for lack of funding - they visualize 9 luxurious yachts?
We must always keep in mind that the vast majority of people want the same thing - a fair shake in life - and will support those who come with clean hands rather than follow bomb throwers. But they can do nothing to change their entrenched mafia except complain. Perhaps we in the West, with the resources, information, and skills we have at our disposal, can do more than simply bind wounds and send truckloads of aid. We should be filtering out the goats from the sheep and putting maximum support behind those that can make a real difference for the benefit of their followers. Let's root out the cause of these problems rather than simply trim them.
Re: your view on Ukraine, please support with facts. I doubt this is true. My view is that Moscow had run it as part of their corrupt, oligarchic system. But the tide turned with the Maidan revolution. Moscow retaliated by seizing Crimea, trying to stir up civil war between Russian and Ukrainian speakers, etc, and injecting a propagandistic narrative to cover their intrusion, followed by their larger attempted takeover in 2022. Since then Ukraine, both its people and state have had to fight for their lives. There has been very little meat left on the bone or excess of any kind upon which jackals could feast. Though there are always “jackals” and “parasites”, to take, to use, and to lie about it, among humankind. Maybe one reason the U.S. has only slow-dripped aid has been to try to discourage, if not starve out, such predators, while at the same time trying to support the survival of the healthy body, the host, which is the people and land of Ukraine.
If Ukraine “wins” and securely takes back all its territory, such that it might be rebuilt--at this point, an infusion of funds would certainly be an attractive target for exploitation. I can just imagine the Russian propaganda then.
Disagree with your reference to my "view on Ukraine" as being unfactual.
Sorry! I should have said George Woloshyn’s view. As I replied after his comment, I had assumed this would be clear, but now I see that in the flow of comments, this might not be. I haven’t had any cause as yet to object to any lack of factual support for your opinions. Of course most of us are going on whatever facts we know or have been persuaded of, so can sometimes be mistaken, including me.
Glad you qualified it...TA
Thank you, Cecelia, for your cogent response to my comment. You are, of course, correct in recognizing that - for the longest time - Moscow had a strong interest in promoting and supporting corruption in Ukraine because corruption is one of its most important tools for leveraging its influence and control of key players and institutions.
And, yes, I agree with you that Ukraine's government became more serious about corruption in the immediate aftermath of the Revolution of Dignity when it became clear that civic activism became a new force in Ukraine. But despite new laws and institutions, the period between 2014 and 2021 saw only a modest increase in Ukraine's "Transparency International" ratings. The chief stumbling blocs were the judicial system, the prosecutor's office, and the president's (Poroshenko) own abuse of office and self-dealing. However, it was also a period when Ukraine had officially adopted a pro-EU and pro-NATO direction and was vulnerable to strong pressures from the EU to clean up its act. Those pressures included the withholding of large sums Ukraine badly needed to get by from one year to the next. It was also a period of great excesses by Ukraine's oligarchs.
With Zelensky's arrival (strongly supported and funded by one of Ukraine's biggest corruptioneers) the first year or year and a half showed only limited progress, the biggest one of which included the naming of 11 oligarchs and beginning to pressure them.
When the war began , we should cut the UA government some slack because there were other major priorities to simply survive and, that period gave opportunities for a goodly amount of pre-existing fat cats as well as new fat cats to profit from the war.. However, starting in the spring of this year and continuing to the present day we can track the increased frequency by which profiteers are being rounded up and brought to real justice. The current Administration is well aware of its dependence on Western support and is determined to get into the EU and NATO as soon as possible so it will do what is needed to meet those standards. And every step forward will make reversals more difficult.
But make no mistake about it. Despite my personal observation that the president, himself, is a decent man and wants to do the right thing, the corruption that has been so endemic in Ukraine and has made it so difficult to move forward still has strong roots and we should welcome strong western oversight.....it keeps Ukraine honest and it helps the ordinary citizen to trust his government. The latest poll shows that 63% of Ukrainians still consider corruption as being among the very top problems facing the country. Hopefully, not for long.
As Goldwater liked to say after he lost his presidential run with only 43% of the vote: "43% of the people can't be wrong."
Thank you for expanding your contribution to this part of the conversation. Much appreciated! I now hope Ukraine can keep paring down corrupt actors and the institutional practices that enable them, but above all I long for the agony to end.
Amen to that, Cecilia.
Yes, strangling them is the preferred route as the blood spilled will not be highly visible over the decade it will take IF and when it succeeds. Over the decade of strangulation unlimited other bad guys will still pop up to harass the planet. The “Shooting them now” method will be visibly costly in blood, but it will be much quicker and it is likely the strangulation method would still result in becoming a shooting competition.
In any case, shooting has “tentatively” begun. It should be exploited in earnest while the advantage is still with the “good” guys…. It will also set a real example to many “up and comers”. Time is not on our side!!!
Appears that the 'free' world got caught with their pants down - complacent or budget cuts - whatever. Biden was 'slow' to read the terrorist 'tea' leaves OR our so-called 'security' level is depleted of 'smart & focused' personnel. WE are all in danger - Europe MUST act whether a NATO member or not - get those jets into UKRAINE - start there. HIT Moscow - start there - GET MAD & show these evil organizations there is NO hope for them!
Absolutely brilliant Diane. So vile Hamas leaders all about money Biden far too wishy-washy about the attacks and as for Irish President and Taoiseach Varadkar being anti Israeli. Perhaps the rest of the Jews abducted will not be released