The world in a leadership vacuum


In this post mentioned below, Scott Ritter is "seeking a solution," calling for better sources of inspiration and usually people look to (supposed) leaders for their inspiration. But as I mentioned last, Pepe Escobar has concluded that the world is suffering from an inverted Enlightenment, a "Dark Enlightenment." Leadership compresses into an enlarging circle of stupidity, blindly walking into the next world war. Scott's post is titled:

Reflections of a Hypocrite, Part Two: Seeking a Solution - Humans are the byproduct of the conditions that define their respective lives. We need better sources of inspiration. - SCOTT RITTER - SEP 20, 2026

But it should have more readers, only 166 Likes so far. Yes, Scott has been "inside" but so have other good people such as William GWA, they are aware of things in society not visible to people who haven't seen both sides of the wall.

A great feature of Substack is the comments section, invaluable for networking, you can run into excellent writer, such as happened in the comments for this Scott Ritter article, where I found this comment by John Hogue:

John Hogue
Thank you, Scott, for this article! It's lean and declarative narrative. How you circle back to its important messages like an unforgettable rhythm of truth. Karma seems to be circular. Switzerland's greatest contribution to the world--this maddening world!--is that neutrality, that came around from the tragedy of Switzerland being one of the 20 European nations that Napoleon dragged its brave men away into annihilation in Russia. Now the plague of collective madness--Russophobia--is back. In 2026, Switzerland looks to succumb to it again, like in 1812. I wish that your article was published and read across Switzerland before this referendum's vote. If Switzerland votes to turn its back on its greatest contribution, being a haven to those fleeing the cyclical madness of Europe, the most blood-soaked continent in history, giving sanctuary to that French Army, giving sanctuary to Richard Wagner, so that he could create Der Ring des Nibelungen, and a century later, Switzerland gave sanctuary to the Jewish Hungarian conductor, Georg Solti, who recorded the definitive recording of that four-opera, 15 hour epic masterpiece... Switzerland! Haven for the downtrodden refugees of Europe's oft expressed and pathological violence streak... If Switzerland turns its back on its greatest contribution to humanity, what lies waiting in the future, soon, that will take that humanity away as consequence?

Kathleen McCroskey - Limits to Progress
Thank you for this excellent comment! All nations must avoid the lure of "alignment" except for a cooperative arrangement among other non-aligned nations. The UN Charter allows neutral nations while proscribing these alignments which seek aggressive control of others. Can the warring tribes of Europe ever accept peace?

John Hogue
Thank you, Kathleen. Yes, all nations must avoid that "mob minded" lure to be part of the herd of hate. My articles and 53 books published in 22 languages dwell primarily on the prophetic traditions of the world and how they measure up, or not, to history's past, present and "future" events. I am hopeful that the American prophet Edgar Cayce's famous prophecy, written in 1944, about a new Russia that would rise beyond the current "Bolshevistic" Russia would be the "hope of the World." The prophecy begins with a scathing critic of, what I think, is present-day America in that future time. Then he moves to foresee Russia's important and hopeful future impacting positively the world.
EDGAR CAYCE: "What is the spirit of America? Most individuals proudly boast 'freedom.' Freedom of what? When ye bind men's hearts and minds through various ways and manners, does it give them freedom of speech? Freedom of worship? Freedom from want? Not unless these basic principles are applicable... for God meant man to be free...
THEN CAYCE TURNED TO RUSSIA:
"What then of nations? In Russia there comes the hope of the world, not as that sometimes termed of the Communistic, OR Bolshevik, no; but freedom, freedom! That each man will live for his fellow man! The principle has been born. It will take years for it to be crystallized, but out of Russia comes again the hope of the world." [Reading] #3976-29 (1944)

Kathleen McCroskey - Limits to Progress
Powerful words, thank you! And yes, that spirit is arising in Russia, of a better civilization. First to be noted, in this conflict with NATO - Russia does not issue ultimatums, a concept difficult to understand in The West, yet when they make a statement, it must be taken as factual, unlike every statement by the former USA, which is lies and posturing. Furthermore, even more difficult for The West to tolerate than another growing economic power, is one with a superior moral culture.

§

Switzerland turning its back to neutrality would set back the non-aligned cause in a major way. More nations should embrace actual neutrality and reject forming military pacts. Switzerland stands alone in Europe, it being outside the EU (and thus NATO). Joining the EU would mean not just being "like-minded" but require being "like-speaking" as Canada is about to find out in their kissing-up to Ursula Wonderland. They must all speak the same hate for Russia and arm up for their glorious war. If nations feel "left out" and need to feel part of something, they can remember that they are members if the United Nations, and work within that, in the General Assembly, using that body as a forum for neutrality and non-alignment and non-aggression, as per the original purpose of that institution.

Switzerland aligning with the EU (and thus NATO) would represent the final victory of stupidity over reason. EU thinks of their hate for, and arming up against Russia is a modern-day video game with no material consequences. Big wake-up coming. FAFO.

Going back to Ritter's "seeking a solution" and joining that up with Hogue's "'mob minded' lure to be part of the herd of hate," consider the driving force behind the forever-war machine, the corporate war lobby. War is an easy way to pay corporate dividends. Stirring up hate is essential to promote wars. Remember that "traditional" warfare ended with the development of nuclear weapons. A better solution to fund corporate dividends is to search out a way for Peace to pay dividends. Peace has never been profitable. Recall what Prof. Dodman at Columbia University said: "We think of wars beginning and ending. But we should think that war is the default template, and there are beginnings and ends to peace."

Prying out that war default begins with ending the hate of other nations. Diplomacy rests on respect which develops through trust mitigated with caution. The outright hate of Russia and China by The West casts aside diplomacy - there is no compromise to annihilation. Both Russia and China claim to fully support the UN, why not carry this forward by all parties and see if it works?


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