2023 - Another 'Bloody' Year

What can we say ..... 

War in Ukraine And Gaza Conflict.

end of another 'bloody' year ....

Propaganda Thrives In Wars

During wars, propaganda flourishes ....

Donald Speaks The Truth ...
... The Russians Are Coming!

 .... This has happened since the first wars began, and whether true or false, its aims have always been to influence public opinion both at home, and often abroad, to support one cause against another.

Elected Autocrats Club

President (for however long he wants to be) Recep Erdogan, the winner of every vote and self claimed European said that "a strong "Yes" vote would be a lesson to the West". With with all the ballots counted, the Yes ended 51.40% and No with 48.60%, so we are about to learn what that lesson will mean.

Birds Of A Feather - Elected Autocrats Club Just Gained A New Member

However, it should be pointed out that the result is disputed by the opposition, and the process has allegedly failed to meet international standards.

Too Big For His Palace

He became 'President' instead of Prime Minister this year ~ It was a ceremonial role when he was Prime Minister for a decade, but now like President / Prime Minister Putin in Russia, he just rearranges power to suit his role and keeps it in his hands.

The New Sultan And His Clients ~ Looks Like A Hotel Foyer.

 
He is now Turkeys new Ottoman Ruler .....  Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan I

• The new Turkish President will cost the Turkish taxpayer about £385m ($615m) for his new Palace, plus another $135m which has been budgeted for its completion in 2015. 
• His new palace is bigger than the White House in Washington, the Kremlin in Moscow, Buckingham palace in London and even the Palace of Versailles near Paris ... delusions of Sultanate grandeur indeed.
• In order to build it, hundreds of trees were cut down to make space for it in what had been a forest reserve, bequeathed to the nation by modern Turkey's secular founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (this would once have been a criminal offence in Turkey ... he ignored over 30 outstanding legal challenges to the building ~ one rule for the new sultan, one for the others). 
• Other Presidential properties will be renovated next year, notably the Huber Palace in Istanbul, and a guest house in Marmaris, on the Aegean coast. 
• To top off his new role, $185m will be spent on a new Airbus A330-200 Presidential jet. 'Sultan I' anyone?

He even had one of his new 'subjects' fined for smoking in a spot he didn't think proper .... shades of the Sultans here.

The Presidential Palace, Ankara Turkey ~ Looks Like Stalinist Building.

Oh, and the new 'prime minister' and nominally the leader of the country?

Well Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will now be using the modest Cankaya Palace in Ankara, which Mr Erdogan has vacated as too small for his head.

Kiss Of The Spider Man

Sticking with the Gaddafi theme ...... he's kept interesting company over the years as these pictures illustrate ....


Gaddafi and Berlesconi share a peck



Blair and Gaddafi have a hug 



Gaddafi and Putin share much in common?

 Then there was the Tyrants Tea Table ......

Gaddafi with Ex-Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali,
with Morocco's King Mohammed VI and
the 'current' Algerian president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika,



South Ossetia, Kosovos bastard child

The news of fighting between, Georgia, Russia and Ossetian nationalists has broken very quickly this week, and most of the world seems surprised ....

South Ossetia

but in fact British Intelligence apparently predicted the likelihood of a "European" war in the Caucuses this year.

Chinese Communist Show Trials

Lest we forget, China is a totalitarian state.

 

Chinese Show Trials Still Occur

I know that sounds obvious, but with the new 'cuddly' feel to China that our politicians encourage us to think, as its economic power grows, and as we approach the Olympics, it sometimes takes a jolting headline to remind us that it's only 30 odd years since Mao died.