May 2022 - cypherpunks - lists.cpunks.org

Report from the Dumbass Peoples Republic
by professor rat 03 May '22

03 May '22

"To describe the Donbas revolt as "coup d'etats" by "Russian proxy militias" is simplistic, just like the description of the Maidan revolt as a fascist coup backed by the US. Both the Maidan revolt and the anti-Maidan Donbas revolt were complex. ... After a while the Russian state got full control of the situation in the Donbas and repressed dissent. But this does not mean we should dismiss the whole thing as a Russian plot. Russia took advantage of the alienation of many people in the Donbas from the post-Maidan regime." I think this is a good summary. But, as Chris says, Russia soon got full control of the anti-Maiden. It got this through sending in troops, paramilitaries, tanks and other heavy weapons, political operatives and opportunists and Russian fascists etc, and conquered arbitrary territory with guns. Therefore, I think Anthony is completely correct to describe this as "Russian proxy militias, not-very covertly trained, armed, funded, and led by Russia, staging armed coup d'etats in eastern Donbass." Unfortunately, many see this military conquest as simply an extension of whatever original civil movement was just beginning, among many Russian-speakers and peoples in Donbas alienated by the new Ukraine regime. I think this is a completely wrong way to look at it. By militarising a movement which was not under military attack, where Russians were not oppressed (despite common misconceptions, the Ukrainian language law changed in 2019), by seizing territory by force of arms, Russia completely changed both the very nature of the "anti-Maiden", and the nature of Ukrainian politics (this conquest took place straight after the Crimea conquest - ie, the immediate result of the popular uprising that overthrew Yanukovych was the carve-up of Ukraine by a neighbouring superpower, with a resulting hardening of right-wing Ukrainian nationalism). Whatever original support the civil anti-Maiden may have had, it is hard to know what survived the Russian-led military intervention and coups. We know that 3.3 million people (!) have fled Donbass since then, the majority into other areas of Ukraine. We also know that many of the irregular Ukrainian militia on the frontlines in the Ukraine-government controlled two-thirds of Donbas are residents who were uprooted as a result of the conflict and blame the Russian intervention. It must emphasised - facts continually ignored by those here more supportive of the Russian position on the Donbas - that Donbas is ethnically mixed with a Russian *minority*; that opinions, not only on incorporation into Russia but even on autonomy; are just as mixed; that therefore the seizure of particular territory and town halls with guns, but a foreign-led force, was entirely arbitrary with little or no relation to any "self-determination" (I know this will be ignored and we will tomorrow see the ritual stuff on this). That doesn't mean a blank cheque for the Ukrainian military of course, in its attempt to re-take its territory. Understanding the political role of the new Ukrainian government, with its virulent version of Ukrainian nationalism - means it was in no position to politically appeal, and so relied on a purely military response - an inappropriate response given the complex ethnic/regional issues in the east (with the proviso of what I said above about militia made up of dispossessed people). And in this subsequent conflict in Donbas, *both sides* committed war crimes; of the 14,000 killed in the last 8 years, 10,000 were troops from *both sides*; the 4000 civilians killed by *both sides* or by landmines laid by both sides. It is one thing to condemn the Ukrainian military for its own role, but quite another to only do this and not condemn the Russian and Russian-owned troops who arbitrarily carved out territory first, and who also fired guns and tanks. It would be unusual for a state to not try to regain territory militarily seized. Anthony: "In regards to Barry's arguments, the Minsk Agreements were literally extracted from Ukraine at gunpoint. If somebody had robbed you at gunpoint, and you promised to never, never try to get what was taken back, would you keep your promise?" I'm not sure why Anthony's obvious point is routinely ignored on Minsk. However, I don’t exactly agree with the continuous assertion that it is only Ukraine allegedly blocking the Minsk agreement, with Russia supposedly pushing for it. The agreement demands “The withdrawal of all foreign armed forces, military equipment, as well as mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under the supervision of the OSCE. Disarmament of all illegal groups.” This is not conditional on anything Ukraine does first. This has not happened. Ukraine’s reason/excuse (take your pick) has always been that this has not happened. You can decide this is not genuine, but it is hard to argue it is not valid. Russia is blocking Minsk. . . " Michael K Repost not endorsement

1 0

My security problem
by RevEvilGod 03 May '22

03 May '22

My Gmx email account is blocked. Because someone kept entering the wrong passw.The person who did this is someone here, and whoever it is, he should be brave enough to say that “ I did it” I'm not the one who needs to be scared, I have more, and I'm gonna keep writing under that “revevilgod” nickname

1 0

The War in Ukraine Is a Colonial War
by professor rat 03 May '22

03 May '22

Author of ' Bloodlands " https://www.newyorker.com/news/essay/the-war-in-ukraine-is-a-colonial-war Yesterday's " Rich Kulak " is todays " White Helmet "

1 0

DHS report on Russian meddling
by professor rat 03 May '22

03 May '22

ericgeller · 2h New DHS IG report finds that the DHS' intel division modified a report on Russian interference in the 2020 election to blunt the impact of its finding that Russia was aiding Trump, and that acting Sec Chad Wolf ordered it frozen b/c it would "hurt POTUS." https://oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/

1 0

JULIAN RON PAUL ASSMANGE - Warmonger obscurantist liar
by professor rat 03 May '22

03 May '22

"... Mr Assange agreed that some level of privacy was necessary for the successful operation of the military ..." http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/assange-i-can-rule-from-… JULIAN " ‘[The military] protects the sovereignty of Australia. It protects the independence of Australia.' ASSANGE July, 2013 Jul 20, 2015 - Julian Assange: To be honest, I don't like the word transparency; cold dead glass is transparent..."

1 0

Assange's Case #FREEASSANGE
by professor rat 03 May '22

03 May '22

Gramps should explain to us how he reconciles 5-VEY Assmange with anarchism "... Mr Assange agreed that some level of privacy was necessary for the successful operation of the military ..." http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/assange-i-can-rule-from-… JULIAN " ‘[The military] protects the sovereignty of Australia. It protects the independence of Australia.' ASSANGE July, 2013

3 2

What Low-Income People Will Lose with a Deadlocked FCC
by Revevilgod God 03 May '22

03 May '22

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2022/04/what-low-income-people-will-lose-dead… When the massive, bipartisan infrastructure package passed Congress, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) was tasked with ensuring equal access to broadband services. That provision is called “Digital Discrimination” and it states, for the first time in federal law, that specifically broadband access cannot be built along the lines of race, income, and other protected classes unless an ISP has an economic or technical justification for the discrimination. In other words, it is now a matter of federal law that digital redlining is banned. Major ISPs fought hard to remove this provision, mostly because they’ve engaged in discrimination based on income status for many years. It is why EFF and dozens of organizations have called for a ban on digital redlining of broadband access back in 2020. Study, after study, after study has shown the same result. Wealthy Americans are getting fiber optic connectivity pushed closer to their homes starting as far back as 2005 while low-income people have been forced to stay on legacy copper and coaxial cable connections built as far back as 30 years ago. But despite the evidence, the law, and the command by Congress, it is still a possibility that equal access for all Americans will be denied if the Senate does not confirm the Biden Administration’s FCC nominee, Gigi Sohn, to the agency. That is because the current four commissioners on the FCC have deep ideological differences of opinion with two believing broadband should be a regulated service with the other two supporting the full deregulation of broadband providers that started under the Pai FCC. Ms. Sohn’s public commitments have made clear she would support regulating broadband as an essential service, which aligns with where most Americans are today with 80 percent of people believing broadband is as important to their lives as electricity and water. If you support the idea that broadband should be treated as importantly as water and electricity, you should call your two Senators now and ask them to vote yes on Ms. Sohn.

4 13

To the 'Natural-Rights' Nazi-Punk Nutcase
by professor rat 03 May '22

03 May '22

Natural Law, and the related Natural Rights, play an important part in Libertarian Capitalist ideology. They are not alone in claiming that their particular ideology meets the law of nature, Hitler (for one) also did so. http://www.spunk.org/library/otherpol/critique/sp001283.txt Nazi-Punk, go fuck yourself

1 0

EFF is a fraud on the public
by professor rat 03 May '22

03 May '22

Founded by three frauds - a GOP rancher - a Lotus Position collaborator and a bathetic Airliner protestor - the EFF has only gotten worse. Its recently promoted such notorious cop-lovers as David Brin, Cory Doctorow and Bruce Sterling. Everyone working at the EFF appears to be too stupid to be an activist, let alone any kind of anarchist. With enemies like the EFF ancien-regime powers don't need friends. Mongo was wrong about a lot of things but he sure had these losers pegged early! And of course they have only gotten weaker and more worthless since then. Revolutionary cypherpunks don' need no steenkin' EFF badges. And revolutionary cryptoanarchists will join me in dead-pooling Kapor and Gilmore. They're old - we're young - and that's life.

1 0

Julian Assmange for the Azov Brigade
by professor rat 03 May '22

03 May '22

Stella Assange #FreeAssangeNOW @StellaMoris1 I spoke to Julian #Assange in prison. He is profoundly affected by the #Ukraine conflict and concerned for the safety of friends and relatives. He urges people in #Ukraine to use @briarapp, which is encrypted and will work to communicate even if the Internet is shut down. Julian Assange · LRB 6 March 2014 Mar 6, 2014 - I wouldn't say this publicly, but Hitler wrote Mein Kampf in prison..."

1 0