“Nothing personal. Just business.”

Oh my goodness, Escobar produces yet another gem. How does he do it? Where does he get his information? Don’t tell me, I would prefer not to know. But it has the ring of truth and, as long as he produces stuff that is on the right side of history, I don’t care what his sources are.

I was a little curious when I read the title (see link below). ‘Afghanization’? ‘Syrianization’? Not ideas that are readily floated in the same sentence. So I read the piece warily, but all the while bearing in mind Escobar’s good reputation. The more I got into it, the more sense it made, and at some point it made my heart leap with a recognition of the value of the piece and a sense of wonderment at the ‘deviousness’ (I’m not sure that is exactly the word I was looking for) and the alacrity with which 21st century international dealings are carried out on both sides of history.

The west thinks it has that market covered, but with a very astute ex-KGB operator at the head of ‘doings’* on the right side of history, aided by an equally brilliant team and many top-notch intellects in charge of national operations among other nations similarly aligned, I am comforted that this team clearly has the west covered and, in fact, overmatched.

*[Doings: ‘anything of which the name is not known, or euphemistically left unsaid.’]

So, I thoroughly recommend this Escobar piece as a worthwhile read. Take your time. Enjoy.

As a final point, let me say, I find myself – even if a little grudgingly – with a growing respect for everybody’s ‘friend’, the truly devious Mr Erdogan – whose defining motto seems to echo the laconic quote – “Nothing personal. Just business.”

‘Ukraine: Somewhere between Afghanization and Syrianization’ – Pepe Escobar at The Cradle

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