Chas Freeman ─ America in Distress: The Challenges of Disadvantageous Change

[@alliesteam9776]

Ambassador Chas Freeman is a courageous voice of wisdom and truth. Hope more people in Congress and Biden admin will seriously listen to his truth! Thanks!

[@freegatemy]

too corrupt to hear

[@jwang5675]

There is a really good heart of American, hope more and more Americans can hear his voice.

[@meizhang409]

What a sobering and incisive analysis on America’s recent failures in political, economic, social and media spheres! “America has lost its mojo!”

[@frostydei5012]

It's true. We lost our legendary voodoo- innovative-devilmagic somewhere and our mojo followed it. I hypothesize that a drain and lead pipes are involved... 🏛💼👔📱🖨🥂💸

[@theodoreshasta7846]

I am embarrassed to admit I only recently became aware of Chas Freeman thanks to an interview with Christopher Lydon, host of the NPR program ‘Open Source’. Freeman’s quiet yet purposeful demeanor, his firm grasp of history and the powerful forces which have shaped it, and the clarity and precision of his insight are extraordinary. I am reminded of a classic definition of a Confucian Scholar which I read in college 50 years ago and never forgot: inner virtue tempered by outward moderation. It is tragic the powerful will not listen to him as I fear we are doomed if we do not change course.

[@reubenchin1561]

Reuben Chin Well done Chas Freeman . Sadly America in my opinion has fallen Very far behind as a country as one to be emulated and admired to one to be ashamed of and disrespected as a leader globally. Please reflect carefully the advice Chas Freeman offers as a succinct and truthful way for America to regain its DECENCY and RESPECT it has LOST. PEACE and STABILITY for a BETTER and MULTILATERAL WORLD my BROTHERS and SISTERS!!!!

[@Arcy0429]

Although I agree with many of the points Mr. Freeman said, it is sad to note that he has fell victim of the American thinking that other nations’ developing their own payment system is a “threat” to the U.S. wherein it is actually countering all the THREATS that U.S. has been inflicting on them! Sad!😢

[@sword7872]

Chas Freeman is an intelligent and knowledgeable American who also happens to be a decent one.

[@davidk2958]

Most lucid speaker I have heard for a long time.

[@frostydei5012]

He's one of the five who remain :P

[@danintheoutback1]

You must be listening to someone else… He is a cheerleader for very pro-corporate & corporate written trade deals & demonises any country that is not, or opposes US hegemony. You can keep him, as he is a loss for anything other than warmongering & corporate neoliberalism.

[@cheseapeakebaykayakfisher1385]

I liked everything he said except Tulsi Gabbard.

[@dlfields8429]

Everything Mr. Freeman confidently spoke 2 years ago. We are now watching manifest.

[@alliesteamc3546]

There is darkness before the dawn of Light, Spiritual forgiveness, Infinite Love, friendship, good humor and collaboration on real issues for the sake of people!

[@johnjr.gaisano4529]

One of the most comprehensive & alternative brief on US today. A most worthwhile to watch every minute of this talk.

[@diehardcat]

The speech was good but in the question/answer section, he didn't make sense in at least one instance. He said the Chinese system is inferior because the subordinates are afraid to report bad news to their superiors while the US is the opposite because they're 'free'. If that's true, the situations between China and the US should have been reversed. The reality clearly showed that the upper level officials in China really knew how bad the situation was and so they acted accordingly while those leaders in the US didn't seem to have a clue. That's exactly how the opposite outcomes materialized! He also said the Chinese are lawless and so if the mayor or party chief says they're gonna lock down fifty millions, everybody would swim across the river to flee. They did lock down 50 millions people but that didn't happen, so what's going on with him here?!

[@shaundudley4576]

He needs to believe that America is still good at it core and that those pathologies he so brilliantly illuminates are anomalous and correctable. Therefore he cannot acknowledge the viability of fundamentally different modes of governance. This blindspot is unfortunately so large as to distort his vision of the world fatally.

[@acerrome9672]

@duehardcat, 💯 percent Agree with you. Your comment is very much True. One instant that which I point out here to re inforce your point; the Chinese are Not a lawless society, because how in that country China contain their almost one billion people live in peaceful and discipline way?, How did China uplift their formerly very poor country Without going about to foreign land and wantonly killing, committing Horrific Attrocities in another land in order to Loot Others Natural Resources? China Never Done like that. In fact it's the USA has been doing that ever since World war 2, going about into other foreign land Looting Murdering Good Leaders in other land so that USA Deprive the people of that land to Progress. Thank you for your Rebutle and intelligent analysis.

[@jenme4796]

I have been following him lately, his demeanor is so calm and so wise,

[@ValMartinIreland]

He is wrong about Trump, Trump would have prevented the Ukraine.

[@aforeignchinese1385]

Excellent talk ! Immense Knowledge on world affairs ! In depth analysis on DC ! Dissecting the American Dilemma! BUT still will remain as a topic for discussion only as NOTHING will change. A plutocracy Gov will never mend its ways and always in the pockets of corporations & elites.

[@kerrykorberg9537]

I sincerely believe that they will be denied any chance to mend their ways in the end when their arrogance results in a cataclysmic downfall.

[@aforeignchinese1385]

@@kerrykorberg9537 true … & the pathway to their downfall is already on the horizon and the continuation of a belligerent foreign policy will further exacerbate their demise but at the expense of the world. Sad but every declining power has the same behavioural pattern.

[@eymeeraosaka2954]

Another great analysis by Chas Freeman....

[@ValMartinIreland]

American dominance was always likely to be temporary. After all Europe stole America form the natives.

[@konormccracken]

Literally the only endorsement I've heard of Tulsi Gabbard - and a strikingly convincing one

[@cameronfreeman1834]

Not sure it was quite a full endorsement but there is certainly something to be said about Gabbard's focus on US foreign policy, prestige, and interventionism which has been noticeably absent from the other candidates' pitches

[@Wan-Malaysia]

His knowledge is very impressive. He knows "his" history. His grasp of US hegemonic meddling in sovereign states is extensive.

[@sylvesterfong9275]

Excellent lecture, very well research with great arguments. 👍👍👍 Many thank.

[@alliesteamc3546]

Thank you for your courage to help everyone with introspection and wisdom!

[@kerrykorberg9537]

Astute knowledge and brilliant analysis.

[@seanmong9524]

“Nothing seems true but everything seems plausible” Well said and pretty much sums up the extant milieu of Western Media industry...

[@tradeprosper5002]

Well worth the watch and hope more see it, especially the presentation in the initial 47 minutes. We Americans take our deficits and the $ as the reserve currency far too lightly.

[@jeffkeys8961]

Some might say Americans take a lot of stuff too lightly.

[@alaskavaper2490]

M

[@jeffkeys8961]

A well reasoned American voice. Peace.

[@ikm64]

A breathtaking masterclass in introspection... Honest and at times brutal. Why isn't this man the President? We've had the clowns and charlatans... Style and substance can look similar.... but trust me they just LOOK that way. Now if I was either of the big two (parties)...I be on the phone as quick as my fingers could take me. It's been a long time since I've encountered anything close (Noam Chomsky Christopher Hitchens)...I'm off to the book store... I'm sure there will be 'books'.

[@willng247]

Great speech 👏

[@thebuzzard8044]

Unfortunately the military industrial complex which is disproportionately influential in goverment circles doesn't thrive on diplomacy and we all pay for it - in money and misery. Are there any leaders out there prepared to invest in diplomacy?

[@strezztechnoid]

No, not mercenaries, this is a protection racket. The U.N. address in late 2018 by the President (the laughter spoke volumes) was about as insightful as a "goodfellas" scene where the shakedown of the little guy is highlighted. It was the speeches by other countries at the meeting that was most informative. A definitive pullback from U.S. hegemony was palpable, real, and un-moderated. Large and small countries all expressed an unwillingness to be held under the thumb of the global bully. This is the result of having an over abundance of a particle within D.C.; not the electron, photon, or neutron...but the moron.

[@dancerinmaya6813]

It's as always a deeply satisfying journey with Chas Freeman. Freeman is actually one of the most insightful diplomacy practitioner and know CN exceptionally well. I came across his materials just lately, and it is now 26 March 2023, most of his predictions from talks/speeches/writings seven or eight or ten years ago have manifested into reality. I have a few comments/observations re CN to add: 1. why Xi took out the term limit for Chairman of the State: Chairman of the State, if you check CN Constitution, has always been an honorary title, which ceremonially represents CN and carries almost no actually power. As CPC party chairman has no term limit, Xi already didn't need to be concerned. The Western speculation/misunderstanding is born out of lack of understanding. It's more like a tidying up of inconsistencies but not necessary. 2. Xi's putting central groups above the State Council and acting as leader: my theory is that it happened actually due to the ineptitude of the previously premier and etc. The CN State Council is responsible for economic development, however, Li, as intelligent and talented as he is (he is), was from the communist youth committee lineage (Tuan Pai), who are ideologues without substantial economic development experiences from the ground up (they tend to get promoted very fast and be sent to province-level critical positions for a short time after they already were promoted to a very high rank, an analogy in the US would be a young journalist intern appointed to be the US Secretary of Treasury). For example, he famously said "there are 600 million ppl in China whose monthly income is still below 1000 RMB"--the non-working population (infants to 16, 60-above) is close to 600 million, which is not a meaningful indicator in income level. And other incidents/stuff. Of course this is my speculation based on my observation. 3. CN never allows capital/oligarchs above the government/ppl (CPC or if you are familiar with Chinese history, it's always been this way: government's legitimacy comes from "the heaven" and people): as Chas talked about his experience with med insurance, I would like to talk about Yi Bao, which is the official medical insurance scheme. If you are familiar with the Chinese stock markets, you'd know each year, a number of times, pharmaceutical companies listed would take a plunge if one or more of their products are included in the Medical Insurance List, the reason being they'll have huge quantities but very flimsy profit. The State Yi Bao Bureau stringently make sure impossible bargains are in place, making it impossible for pharma companies (public or private) to make unconscionable profits, e.g. for the same drug, the price within the Yi Bao system could be only 1/8th of the price for the same product in a regular commercial drug store--companies will still want it because of the exceptionally huge quantity. This is a small example of how the CN medical insurance system tries to achieve as much as possible with limited budget (you can compare with the US your self). 4. Free flow of information: there are two aspects to this issue, one is the free flow, the other is what a gov does with the info collected. Re the fist issue, the anecdote Chas related of Grandpa Deng Xiaoping complaining about information flow indeed exists through out Chinese history, and the US too for that matter--this phenomenon comes from one human weakness, i.e., even the most very wise human beings like to hear good news. In the old days, Chinese emperors had all sorts of mechanism to deal with it, such as appointing special officials whose job is to point out the emperor's fault and special inspectors to investigate, etc. but obviously it's always hit and miss. PRC CN has its Nei Can system, reports on unpleasing stuff are sending up the line within the party system (which includes journalists mind you). Early days in Wuhan were corrupted officials exposed by journalists, and if you observed how many officials were fired as soon as they are shown to be incompetent: the level of accountability is unheard of and probably beyond imagination in the American system. Nowadays the internet exposure constitutes another line of info: all levels of governments are being watched and under the supervision by mobile phone cameras everywhere, and the governments have shown impressively efficient response and action. Internet/mobile phone has changed this to a great extent. I want to add that Grandpa Deng Xiaoping (like many other Chinese including me) projected the most wonderful wishful thinking on the foreigners (especially Americans) in the past, but sooner or later would come to realize that certain conditions are born of human nature, i.e., it will exist as long as human beings exist, the US is certainly not immune, and the condition there I even would argue could be more dangerous. I have been following Ukraine-Russia war since the start, and it has always baffled me whether WH/Pentagon actually get briefed on the real information as the lies are getting more and more blaring: the lies to the ruling group internally and the lies to the general public to manufacture consensus are so inextricably intertwined, that the US is doing itself a great disservice: no sane country would voluntarily get itself into a situation that is undoing itself. There is no free flow of information when lies floods. The dynamics are actually much worse than the CN internal factional tugs in the past, it is also more dangerous as CPC factions will always unite in front of critical issues, while the US' division/block of real info seems much more pervasive, which might drag the US into disastrous mistakes, one after another. The second and related issue is what the gov does with the info it has. Not much needs to be said.

[@rhohoho]

Thank you for this. Fantastic talk.

[@richardlim2760]

Chas is truely an intellectual with deep knowledge on how the world works without any noticeable degree of bias - personally hope that America will keep on “sleep walking” whilst China keeps on building up the country as a superstar in every aspects of life - social, economic, military and diplomacy. When America eventually wakes up, it has to “kowtow” to China as the sole superpower of the new world. Three 👍👍👍👏👏👏 to China, three👎👎👎👎👎👎to America.

[@alfong8279]

Excellent, informative and insightful analysis and Q & A, thanks!

[@manuelmanuel9248]

There are so few people in the academic establishment like Freeman who can disengage from the hypocritical imperial gringo discourse.

[@stanspb763]

Fast forward 2 years and every comment he made about the US losing its Mojo was spot on, and the demise of the dollar as reserve currency, and collapse of US and Europe economies seem so obvious now, but required great insight 2 years ago. After spending a lot of time in many countries and much less time in my native USA, it became obvious to me that much of the world was improving and the US empire was failing in so many ways. Those living it daily might not see it clearly but going back 4-5 years apart, the shocking decline is light a flashing red warning sign. If the country was to survive or worth preserving, is best seen from afar so I recommend to every 18 year old to get a backpack and borrow/save a couple thousands dollars, and leave the country for two years at least. I am certain that, if they return their goals in life or seriousness in appproaching college would change a lot. Somewhere along their trek they will find something that impacts them to the point they want to do something good for the first time and if they return and want to attend college it would be for a purpose. A lot of societies do things right, or some things right while it seems that almost nothing now in the US is healthy for following generations, victims of the US, or principled living. I have been in 92 countries and have lived in one 22 years, of which the US media and government intentionally lies about at every turn. Nothing the country does or informs its citizens of, is true about the rest of the world. When everything you know is wrong, any choice is bad unless by mistake. Quality of life in the US is not good, but what defines qualty has become distorted badly so someone in a larger home who can never take time off trying to cover the 100 monthly bills the average family pays, the stress, anger and division that harms US social space to the point that quality of life is poor compared to most countries, and most definitely worse than most targetted countries such as Russia. No American would believe that arch enemy Russia is more democratic, far better quality of life and having more personal freedom, low stress, low cost of lifting, far more access and enjoyment of culture, more free time, almost no debt, and better quality food/health. Or China, or many other societies Americans known only from western propaganda. Go out of the US and compare any event or condition and compare to what is reported to Americans by both the govrernment and corporate media. Not population in history has been subjected to more intentional distortion and lies. It is not by accident that Americans are so illinformed.

[@btgan9227]

Spot on! Perhaps, all top national political leaders must live/serve/work, or study in a third world country for at least two years before they can qualify for the top jobs.

[@alliesteamc3546]

Rather tan raise taxes how about cutting the military budget?

[@dangood8470]

Isn't it just a question of the profits in the military business?

[@aeonikus1]

Wise, interesting, eye -opening talk, yet only 75k views. This tells us something about us ability to bear critique, this is saddening and unease. Once could hope US administration will be able to open it's eyes and correct it's mistakes. But one can also believe there are also unicorns and faeries....

[@SectionSixteen]

He was so worth listening to.

[@briancousins3101]

After 2 years, fewer than 40,000 people have viewed this presentation by one of the most knowledgeable Americans about the place of the US in the world. This fact reflects the ignorance of American society that continues to believe in its own laughable exceptionalism & its sense that might makes right. Only NATO sycophants (leaders, not general populations) are prepared to blindly follow American-created follies like the Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Iraq & Afghanistan conflicts. US efforts to maintain colonial subjugation of Latin/South America are hardly noticed except by the people who suffer from such racist arrogance. The US desire for war with China, as a stupid means of countering China's success, is the forthcoming test as to whether Americans will wake-up. Increasingly, the world is disgusted with the danger presented by the military-driven, almost fascist, society the United States has become. Thank you Chas Freeman for your efforts but the deep state & oligarchs of the US are geopolitcal & neoliberal dinosaurs that will continue to create havoc domestically & internationally.

[@davidwilkie9551]

Well if he doesn't need the old title of "Excellency", then that would be because he has set an obvious standard of excellence.

[@erpthompsonqueen9130]

Thank you.

[@victoews6842]

I used to think American (NATO) foreign policy was evil, (still do), but I always believed American foreign policy didn't reflect true American values. I'm wrestling with that and am currently undecided but getting close to changing my mind. In 1994 Tonya Harding (American figure skater) destroyed (broke her knee) Nancy Kerrigan because she couldn't win fairly. Was that an anomaly or is that how most Americans compete? That's exactly what America is doing with Russia, Europe, China, and virtually every small country they deal with. If America can't compete, it destroys. Everybody knows it and they silently support it. Remember when Pompeo bragged at a Texas A&M university that the CIA "we lie, we steal, we cheat,' ? Well that's not really news but what I found scary was how the entire audience laughed and applauded. Americans seem to support cheating and lying and destroying anyone who might succeed. Americans stopped their government in the Vietnam war. Why have Americans not stopped their government from the continuous regime change, invasions, sanctions, and proxy wars that kill and impoverish people every day? So either America is not a democracy or the majority of Americans are as evil as the CIA and their foreign policy. Master List of US Aggression By William Blum Instances of the United States overthrowing, or attempting to overthrow, a foreign government since the Second World War. (* indicates successful ouster of a government) China 1949 to early 1960s Albania 1949-53 East Germany 1950s Iran 1953 * Guatemala 1954 * Costa Rica mid-1950s Syria 1956-7 Egypt 1957 Indonesia 1957-8 British Guiana 1953-64 * Iraq 1963 * North Vietnam 1945-73 Cambodia 1955-70 * Laos 1958 *, 1959 *, 1960 * Ecuador 1960-63 * Congo 1960 * France 1965 Brazil 1962-64 * Dominican Republic 1963 * Cuba 1959 to present Bolivia 1964 * Indonesia 1965 * Ghana 1966 * Chile 1964-73 * Greece 1967 * Costa Rica 1970-71 Bolivia 1971 * Australia 1973-75 * Angola 1975, 1980s Zaire 1975 Portugal 1974-76 * Jamaica 1976-80 * Seychelles 1979-81 Chad 1981-82 * Grenada 1983 * South Yemen 1982-84 Suriname 1982-84 Fiji 1987 * Libya 1980s Nicaragua 1981-90 * Panama 1989 * Bulgaria 1990 * Albania 1991 * Iraq 1991 Afghanistan 1980s * Somalia 1993 Yugoslavia 1999-2000 * Ecuador 2000 * Afghanistan 2001 * Venezuela 2002 * Iraq 2003 * Haiti *2004 Somalia 2007 to present Honduras 2009 * Libya 2011 * Syria 2012 Ukraine 2014 * Interventions from 2014 to 2022 will be added. I am aware of at least 5 already Oh Yeah, Why does America need 863 military bases in 83 countries for "defense" the hypocrisy is mind boggling.

[@unreliablenarrator6649]

Why does Japan have "justifiable fear of China"? What is at root of that? Given the fact that historically China exported technology and culture to Japan and Japan repaid with war, is it a sense of guilt for debt it failed to repay under the umbrella of the USA

[@accountantthe3394]

Fear of reprisal for their atrocities in wwII...which is a ridiculous notion of course considering their persecutory complex is fuelled by their own irrational decisions to 1) reject acknowledgement of any war crimes and 2) continued cowering under the anti-china US "defense" umbrella. Ironically these only serve to further exacerbate their death spiral.

[@77Bardem]

A great speech with FACTS & ZERO B* SHIT.. 👍👏💯%

[@awuma]

How things have changed... now the over-riding issues are how to defeat Russia and how to contain China. As for Covid... but many good insights.

[@josetan799]

What you said is all true 🎉🎉🎉

[@bobli30]

well done

[@theodoreperez2868]

Well said

[@johnseto3357]

We're in 2021 now. China still strong. Look what happen to America.

[@brendanh8193]

We're in 2022 now. China is showing cracks while the West looks stronger than it has in 25 years. Cracks include power outages, continued lockdowns, bans on fertiliser exports, declarations of "unlimited friendship" with Russia knowing it could invade Ukraine, then stepping back,Wolf Warrior Diplomacy, which has antagonised many countries, and a belt and road initiative that is now antagonising its own partners.

[@chinhau8702]

Americans: Killing_ shooting_ inteferring everywhere... Just to say: I am number one I am "Big Brother"... No one else

[@pmr4123]

Luckily a few of us American find all this violent adventurism and atrocious waste of human opportunity apalling. Hopefully our voices are getting stronger.

[@tonygold9037]

Wisdom. Thanks

[@Frank-cj3nh]

Aura of imperial purpose.

[@dangood8470]

About the next to last question, helping allies fend for themselves is fine, but you can't make money by helping people.

[@ddtking7630]

Yes you can. You keep selling Taiwan retired weapons at grossly inflated prices and everyone involved in the deals walking happily into sunset

[@christopherszeto8527]

Wow, his assessment on COVID aged like milk.

[@wenkeli1409]

11 months later... Hmm. Incisive on Americans actions and issues, not so much other countries. Unsurprising, I suppose.

[@richardjames3320]

#philiphack *on* *Instagram* *is a life saver you can count him* .

[@zhoubaidinh403]

1:09:10...how prescient...

[@pilard3135]

19:43 He says refoulement.

[@tijnjansen7609]

Very wrong about China though wonderful to listen to.

[@sammytanzo7526]

Karma catching up fast...evil can't triump

[@carlroberts4963]

Democracy.could.or.is Right.or.wrong.at.the.same Time.depending.on.moral Or.inemoral.the.adgender.

[@arifulislamleeton]

Introduce myself I'm I'm Arif Khan harry I'm software engineer and software development and website development and investors and celebrate economic development and social Security uropon unions and individual and citizens United States

[@FromTheHeart2]

...and the heart of the cancer is?....

[@jerrymann646]

Sorry to see so much time spent on Trump. I thought that the topic was something other.

[@konormccracken]

real-ass dude for sure.

[@sammytanzo7526]

Seat back and watch👎🇺🇸

[@majorcalvary6515]

You get what you can pay for. Not wha you done in the past leadership. Are you listening Washington? Congress? White House?

[@annacarolinasocialsupport2471]

Liar

[@richardjames3320]

#philiphack *on* *Instagram* *is a life saver you can count him* .