For Ukraine: Osip and Nadezhda Mandelstam

Jane Russell, in an essay dedicated to Shirlene de Silva who introduced her to the Mandelstam’s writings …. an essay writen on 1 March 2022 with the title “Ukraine and its place in 20th century Russian literature: Osip and Nadezhda Mandelstam”

 Osip Emilievich Mandelstam, the genius Russian-Jewish poet murdered by Stalin, met his Jewish wife, Nadezhda Yakovlevna, in a nightclub in Kyiv when both were in their twenties. It was 1919, the second year of the Soviet revolution, which was finally getting going after the 1st World War.

Osip Emilievich Mandelstam

 Nadezhda Mandelstam  

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John Mearsheimer’s Critique of US Policy in Ukraine

John Mearsheimer …. “Why is Ukraine the West’s Fault? Featuring John Mearsheimer” … speaking in 2015

UnCommon Core: The Causes and Consequences of the Ukraine Crisis ………………………………… John J. Mearsheimer, the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor in Political Science and Co-director of the Program on International Security Policy at the University of Chicago, assesses the causes of the present Ukraine crisis, the best way to end it, and its consequences for all of the main actors. A key assumption is that in order to come up with the optimum plan for ending the crisis, it is essential to know what caused the crisis. Regarding the all-important question of causes, the key issue is whether Russia or the West bears primary responsibility.

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Lankan Cricketers in the Eye of A Terrorist Storm: Pictorials

The Islamic terrorist attack of March 2009 near Gaddafi Stadium at Lahore was a traumatic event which endangered the Sri Lankan cricket team as well as a mini-bus bearing cricketing officials. The team were extremely fortunate to survive withonly aa few minor injuries. Photogaphs can only provide a smidgeon of the impact.

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The Terrorist Assault on Cricketers in March 2009: Pictorial Reminders

As News Items displayed pictures and stroies of beeming Aussie cricketers arriving in Pakistan for cricket, we need to cast our mind back to that fateful day on the 3rd March 2009 when the entourage bearing the Sri Lankan team and the officiating personnel were subject to an assault by some Pakistani “terrorists.” The most effective manner of reminding readers of the horrendous events that unfolded in and around the last roundabout before Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore is to present some of the photographs taken immediately afterwards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That only a few Pakistani policemen and the driver of the minibus bearing the team officials lost their lives was due to Allah’s grace and the presence of mind shown by Khallil, the driver of the coach and Tuan Tillekeratne Dilshan as the bus sped away from botched efforts to (a) block it and (b) hit it with a shoulder-fired rocket.

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Germany and “Nord Stream” at the Core of the Struggle in Ukraine

Michael Whitney, in Global Research, 15 February 2022, … with highlighting in the original article which is entitled “The Crisis Is Not About Ukraine. It’s About Germany”

“The primordial interest of the United States, over which for centuries we have fought wars– the First, the Second and Cold Wars– has been the relationship between Germany and Russia, because united there, they’re the only force that could threaten us. And to make sure that that doesn’t happen.” George Friedman, STRATFOR CEO at The Chicago Council on Foreign Affairs

The Ukrainian crisis has nothing to do with Ukraine. It’s about Germany and, in particular, a pipeline that connects Germany to Russia called Nord Stream. 2. Washington sees the pipeline as a threat to its primacy in Europe and has tried to sabotage the project at every turn. Even so, Nord Stream has pushed ahead and is now fully-operational and ready-to-go. Once German regulators provide the final certification, the gas deliveries will begin. German homeowners and businesses will have a reliable source of clean and inexpensive energy while Russia will see a significant boost to their gas revenues. It’s a win-win situation for both parties.

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Ken Balendra’s Visionary Leadership at John Keells

Sanjeewa Jayaweera, in Island, 27 February 2022, with this title “Ken Balendra’s Impact on John Keells”

Much information is available in the public domain about Deshamanya Ken Balendra (KB), the visionary Chairman of the John Keells Holdings Group (JKH) from 1990 to 2000, who recently celebrated his 81st birthday. For quite some time, I have wanted to pen a tribute to the great man but hesitated to do so as I felt many others ranging from his close friends from school days to those who worked closely with him, are more qualified than I to write about him.

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World Powers Head-to-Head

Ross Douthat, in New York Times, 26 February 2022, with this title “Vladimir Putin’s Clash of CIvilizations”

When the United States, in its hour of hubris, went to war to remake the Middle East in 2003, Vladimir Putin was a critic of American ambition, a defender of international institutions and multilateralism and national sovereignty.

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Tulsi Gabbard’s Revelations: The Industrial-Military Combo profiting from the Ukraine Crisis

This frightening set of revelations has just been sent to THUPPAHI by MYRNA SETUNGA** in Colombo ….

How come the “liberal” western media does not give coverage to views like this? Is Fox News against the Military Industrial Complex?

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Remembering Mervyn De Silva and His Reach

Bradman Weerakoon, writng in the year 2000  …

When Mervyn de Silva passed away, many tributes were paid to his contribution to critical writing, to journalism, to literature and the arts, to his scholarly weekly radio commentaries on world affairs, his lone editorship of the Lanka Guardian and the stimulation he provided to popular discussion by his constant and thoughtful, intellectual engagement with whatever was current in the public debate.

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Ukraine: Pertinent Media Literature

Michael Padraig O’Leary, responding to my request about two days back before the Russian invasion of Ukraine

“Here are some articles about current events which you might like to read as a balance to Dayan’s views. Unlike Colombo Telegraph, the Guardian comment thread is worth reading.

SEE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Ukraine Continue reading

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