KW: With the obvious breakdown in western democracy being apparant to everybody that looks, particularly in the U.S. where long stnding international agreements with other countries are being trashed but also in Europe ravaged as it is with the insane flood of refugees from the middle east escaping western wars fought  in their homelands the world sits on a precipice.

Every year Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the Valdai Economic Forum. And each year his talk is important. Putin isn’t one to mince words on important issues. With tensions between Russia and the West reaching Cold War levels, Valdai represented the first time we’ve heard Putin speak in a long-form discussion since Helsinki and the events thereafter — IL-20, Khashoggi, etc. Because what Putin did at Valdai was to lay down the new rules of conduct in geopolitical affairs.  He put the U.S. and European oligarchs I call The Davos Crowd on notice. ‘Putin wasn’t boasting or grandstanding about Russia’s hypersonic weapons capability. He told everyone they are deployed. He did this to shut up the U.S. neoconservative chattering class who he rightly says whisper in President Trump’s ear that they can win a nuclear conflict with Russia.’

They are insane. And you have to treat them that way.

Source: Putin Lays Down the Law at Valdai – Gold Goats ‘n Guns