Ed. Note: Besides the whiff of surreality that envelops the war in Ukraine itself, this is another example of something that looks like something else. For the last 30 years Europe was investing in Russia, transferring their technology, training the Russian workforce in Western methods of management, production and marketing, etc., and then? They are told to sell it all to the Russians for one ruble, thus legitimizing a massive transfer of know-how and modernizing the Russian economy overnight as a competitive alternative to the West.

This is not unlike the transfer of technology and know-how to China that occurred in the last 40 years. Isn’t it the most glaring conspiracy under the full view of the confused populations? – But Why?

The Russian government allows Western companies to withdraw money from Russia when they sell their Russian subsidiaries. This causes indignation on the part of the Russian public. But, how is it actually done?
1. Westerners are forced to sell their Russian resources at depressed prices.
2. And pay regular taxes.
3. After that, the Westerners still have to pay a voluntary mandatory contribution to the Russian budget of about 10% of the transaction.
4. And after that, the Westerners still have to pay a tax on excess profits.
In general, not very much can be withdrawn from Russia as a result.
The reason Western companies get into this situation is the threat of political repression in the West. Europe is no longer making decisions for itself.

Is it because the alternative is this? Scenes from the Southern border of the US: