Anyone who is too lazy, too apathetic, or too afraid to speak out against this issue, or to join the effort to stop the approaching war, is by default crying out for death. If this describes you, do you fear death less?

The unipolar world officially came an end on Feb. 24, when President Putin launched the “special military operation” in Ukraine. In response, the leaders of the West have apparenntly decided to put at risk their own global financial system. The announcement of Russian decoupling from Swift was the first step. However, it is not the siver bullet the Western media is reporting. Swift is a intenational bank messenger system, not a payments system. While inititally disruptive, there are ways to get around it such as the use of letters of credit, bills of exchange, etc. Moreover, most payments for Russian gas and oil export are made in euros, not dollars.
More significant was the unprcedented move to sieze the foreign held assets of the Russian Central Bank, which in total are in excess of $640 billion. While this step has been taken against small nations including Venezuela, Iran, North Korea, and recently Afghanistan, putting millions at risk of immediate starvation, such a step has never been attempted against an economy as large and as pivotal as Russia’s. By following up with attacks on the ruble, it is hoped, as Harley stated, to cause such price inflation and to mass discontent to force Putin’s ouster.

The unipolar sysem which has existed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 caame to an offical end on Feb. 24 when Presiden putin launched the “special military operation.” Now it appears that the warparty, neocons and intel agencies of the US. UK and EU have opted to put thei financial system at risk as well. The first step was the decoupling of Russia from Swift. While disruptive, hardly the silver bullet portrayed by the mdia. Swift is an international bank messenger system, not a payments system, and while disruptive, can be gotten around. In fact most payments for Russian energy exports are made in euros, not dollars.
More significant was the second and last possible step of financial warfar, the siezure of foreign held assets of Russia’s Central Bank. The US has done this to countries such as Iraq, Iran, Venezuela, North Korea, and recently Afghanistan, putting millions at immediate risk of starvation. Never has it been attempted against an economy the size and pivotal power of Russia, whose total reserves are in excess of $640 billion. Combined with assaults on the ruble, West hopes, as Harley noted, to cause inflation and widespread discontent leading to regime change in Russia itself. It has never achieved that goal anywhere. Such a plan to work it must take effect quickly before Russia adjusts. T The santions do not stop the flow of Russia energy, basic metals,or agricultural exports for Russia will continue to receive $700 million/day, which can only increase, mitigating the need for intervention by Russia’s Central Bank.
Most likely this decision was taken over the advice of the Federal Reserve. Both Russia and China have their own interbank messenger systems, and the Swift disconnect will mean Western financial institutions will lose track of interntional financal flows in which China is by far the larget lender. If Russia can weather the storm, and will undoubtedly be helped by China, these sanctions will hasten the introduction of a rival financial system, which would include Russia, China and probably India, and challenging the status of the dollar as reserve currency. By abusing the trust originally given to the dollar as a medium of international currency exchange, the West has moved along the time when three major powers may well be using a financial system based on a different standard, such as the ready to go digital renminbi, which needs no messenger system at all.