The David Hunter Perspective - 2022-09-21

Read on for today's agenda below prepared by David (thank you very much). - Retired US Diplomat to 5 different nations  David Hunter shares his knowledge, passion, interest, and experience.

1)  God Save Saxony Again?:  The British 'Royal Anthem'  by the name 'God Save the King'  is oddly the same tune as "My Country Tis of Thee" written in 1831 and which is one of America's first  national anthems.  In fact "My Country Tis of Thee' was sung ---by black musician Aretha Franklin ---at Pres. Obama's first inauguration.  But German Emperors used this same melody in their national anthem until defeat in 1918.    It was also used by Russia and  Lichtenstein for their national anthems.   What is going on?

2)  Should the Queen's Crown Diamond  be Returned to India?:  Now the British Empire is no more, and  colonial treasures like looted Egyptian artifacts are being returned by the British Museum to Egypt,.  Perhaps the famous Koh i Noor Diamond on the royal crown of the British Monarch should be returned back to India?  It is over 105 carats in weight, and estimated worth more than $1 billion.  What is the history of this diamond,  how did it get on the British crown? Should it be given back to India  in reparation for centuries of colonial exploitation?

3) Russian Troops Engaged in Barbarism in Izyum:  After Ukraine's army retook Izyum, which had been captured and used as a command hub by Russian troops for 6 months,  gruesome discoveries have been made.  More than 450 graves, mostly civilian, have been found in the woods, and there is evidence of mass torture and rape.  This is similar to reports from Bucha outside Kiev in first two months of the war.  Russia is claiming this is all 'fake news' to smear their reputation.   What do you think?

4) Is Russia  Running Out of Ammo?     Russia is running out of missiles for its SMERCH artillery rocket system.  It is looking at North Korea (NK) as a supplier of the KN-09 Multiple Launch Rocket System to help turn the tide of defeat in Ukraine.  What it the NK system, and will Kim Jung Un supply it to Russia?  If so, will NK get deeper involved in the war? 

5) China's General Secretary Xi met with "Tsar" Putin in Central Asia:  The first meeting of the two dictators of major US adversaries, Russia and China, since 2020 occured in Uzbekistan last week, on the occasion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).   This SCO group is led by PRC, and attempts to draw regional "Eurasian nations" into a cooperative framework.  At the same time, small wars broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.  What is happening in Central Asia?

Support the show