Patrick Poppel is an Austrian political scientist and analyst, who primarily deals with geopolitical issues of the post-missile area. We talked to him not only about this, but besides about his action "Leave the American Zone" and the political scene in Austria.
American Zone
My first question concerns your loud action on the United States-free region in Europe. What is it about, and can you show the most crucial element?
– It's a gift for you.
Thank you.
– It's a sign that was placed on the border of east and western Berlin. It was the border of the east region and the western zone. East was Soviet, and western was called American. That's interesting, due to the fact that that's what the Americans themselves called her, considering her their territory. Europe is now occupied by Americans too. Not in a direct way, military – although militaryly occupied Germany – but through cultural, political, media influences. In Europe, we besides had a reeducation of Hollywood-promoted lifestyle. The word region does not mean only colonies or vassal states, but the area of American activity in various spheres – culture, politics, media, as well as military and geopolitical fields.
Cultural Zone
So let's start with the metapolitics I consider very important. You mentioned culture. What do you think sovereign European countries could do to regain freedom and leave the American region in the area of culture? Short attention – you know Russia, you have been there many times and in another russian countries. I besides know Russia a small bit. And in my opinion culturally, Russia, until recently, was besides part of the American region in terms of American culture dominance, lifestyle, etc. So what should we do, and what are you doing in Austria and in another countries, to leave this zone?
– The first step is to make people realize that they live in the American zone. Seeing reality. It is only later that each of us can wonder what he can do about it. At first you gotta cut the connections of transatlantic media. After all, we are watching television, whose programs are under the overwhelming influence of American interests. This applies to German, Austrian, most likely Polish media, and media from another countries. So just halt watching tv and read those newspapers that are under direct control of the American zone. The next step is searching for another media, raising the level of your own education. There are various alternate media that you can watch. You gotta start seeing reality. It is crucial to look within your own culture, to research the past of your country, the different cultural aspects of your lifestyle that we can derive from our parents or grandparents. We must so re-educate towards normality. That way, we'll quit Hollywood's lifestyle. due to the fact that it is he who destroys conventional values, household values, average thinking. It's very important. We must so dig into our history, realize past events, to know what we can do in the future. That's the way to get out of the zone. You can besides leave the region physically, even by driving and spending time in Russia or another countries. We can see what's going on out there that there's a planet different from what we know from our own countries. You can go to Africa and get different impressions from the ones they tell us on TV.
Another perspective. But this is not an option available to all European, even for travel costs. There's inactive fear of specified trips. We live in fear. We have a fresh cold war. I don't know what you think, but late prof. Richard Sakwa of large Britain said we were surviving in the times of the Second Cold War.
- Yes, I agree.
Neutrality on Paper
Under these conditions, your concept seems to gain more and more meaning as a description of a certain reality. If you don't mind, I'll ask about Austria. Unlike Germany, which, like Poland and many another countries, are occupied by the United States, you are inactive fortunate to be neutral.
– We're only neutral on paper. It's crucial that viewers understand. erstwhile we talk about our neutrality, we mention to the Constitution that was given to us as a consequence of the state treaty besides with the Russian participation. They stated that they did not want to occupy us – as the United States did in the case of Germany. So they left Austria, making a condition that we should be neutral in the future. It was a very good concept. This was a beneficial thought historically, due to the fact that we were not occupied during the Cold War. Yes, we were the mark of a possible attack, due to the fact that if there was a conflict then, we would have suffered too. But fortunately, we did not participate in organizations specified as the Warsaw Pact or NATO. However, Austria inactive belongs to the American zone. Just watch as it works. We are neutral on paper, but in fact we support Ukraine in the propaganda war, politically, diplomatically. We are besides a transit country for arms supplies. late there have besides been voices in Austria about joining NATO, although this is very awkward due to the fact that we are neutral. After all, this is enshrined in the Constitution and not a consequence of the views of any politicians. After all, this is the basis of our political existence – we are a neutral country. However, there is simply a tendency to increasingly plunge into the American zone, very dangerous to us. This is simply a negative image, and we had a very good opinion until the outbreak of the war in 2014. We had a truly good relation with Russia. These relations were good even after the imposition of sanctions, until February 2022. But now, unfortunately, it's not.
Military campaigns
I remember that 1 of the Ukrainian oligarchs, Dmitri Firtas, was arrested in Austria...
- Yes, he was arrested...
...but we were arrogant of Austria erstwhile she rejected the American request for his extradition.
“Yes, there are different forces in Austria, including those who would like us to stay neutral. But no 1 knows what will happen in the future. We now have the full run to join NATO and another military structures, specified as the rocket shield or the European army. But we have a Constitution, and it's all a spectacle to throw this thought in, completely without grounds.
Anti-fascist “fascists”
Let me ask you briefly in this context about the Austrian political scene. We know and read in public opinion polls that the Austrian Free organization (FPÖ) is becoming 1 of the main political forces. What is their view of neutrality? What do they think of the American zone?
- That's interesting. You most likely know that even in opposition parties – like FPÖ or alternate to Germany – there are Atlanticists too. However, the main centres of these groups are patriotic. There are people there with good contacts with Russia. From this point of view, we can say that they represent an opposition to mainstream transatlantic formations. That's what it looks like. We besides have, for example in Germany, a tendency on the left from Sahra Wagenknecht and others, however, which is simply a number faction. The biggest problem is that these groups have no coalition partners.
They're isolated.
Yeah, they're isolated. AfD and FPÖ besides have an isolation problem. But this is interesting – I wrote about it in 1 of the articles – that right-wing freedomists in Austria are the only organization that does not support Ukrainian fascists. Everyone calls them fascists due to the fact that they are against mass immigration, idiotic politics. gender. So these “fascists” do not support fascists in Ukraine... Meanwhile, fascists support another groups – social democrats, chadeci, liberals. This is how we see an crucial thing – the American region has no political colors. It can be left-wing, liberal, right-wing, to fit into this transatlantic bubble. And then you are, regardless of the political trend you represent, part of the zone.
Correct Communists
There's something about it, too, on the other side. We have parties, say, to the far right that support leaving the American zone. We besides have akin slogan left-wing parties, usually comparatively small. Therefore, I would besides like to ask you about the Communist organization of Austria.
– It's a very peculiar case due to the fact that they only win in 1 region...
Styria.
Yes, in this region of Austria. The capital of Styria, Graz, is historically a typically left-wing town. Like Vienna, but it is more communist, while Vienna is alternatively social democratic. They besides have electoral successes in another cities of Styria. Their problem is the influence of liberals and any deficiency of courage. The deputy chief of the regional parliament from their side went to Lugansk, for which he was then severely attacked.
By your own party?
- Yes, inside the party. The organization so does not want people who would have the courage to go to Donbas. In my opinion, although this may change, the communist organization presently has no prospects for a good relation with Russia, due to the fact that it is not what the interior Liberal centres want. Besides, people in this group are curious in another things. erstwhile a organization enters the U.S. zone, it can be observed that it changes key areas of interest. The most crucial issue for the communist organization – and this is the origin of its success – was social issues, crucial to workers. It was their strength, but now they're doing gay parades, too, gender etc. And that doesn't interest people anymore, so I think they'll get little votes in the next election. If individual supports gay marches or politics genderHe doesn't request communists due to the fact that he can vote for liberals.
It's a akin problem to what the Left has in Germany...
- Yeah. The German Left and the Communist organization of Austria are very similar. Austria and Germany in general have very akin political landscapes. This includes FPÖ and AfD.
Ukraine in the American Zone
My last question concerns Ukraine. You follow what's going on there, you've been analyzing it for a long time from a geopolitic point of view. My question may seem a small intellectually provocative. Could Ukraine leave the American region in the future? That's a general question. More specifically, we know that Ukraine is dominated by, say, Ukrainian nationalists from the western regions of this country...
- Yeah, they were created specifically for that. They did not arise from themselves, but created their peculiar services, etc. We saw what it was like in Majdan, where there was problem with these people.
If we go back to the 19th century, we will see that to any degree these movements were inspired by Austria and Germany. Against Russia...
- Yes, it was our production. But don't blame me...
I don't. I know you're on the right side.
– I think that everything depends on the support of Ukraine by European countries. Something can happen in the future, something can change. Can Ukraine leave the American Zone? I think the planet is changing now. And as part of these changes it is rather possible that Ukraine will have a completely different future from what it is imagining today. possibly it will be divided into parts. possibly it'll be part of 1 of the blocks. He can enter the European Union or return to Russia. As we can see, things are changing now. Look what's happening in Africa. Any country can leave the American region in this situation. We even compose on our LTAS task website about the degree of dependence on the US zone. There are criteria specified as whether a country belongs to NATO, whether gay parades are organized, whether it is in the EU, or whether it is active in American assault wars. And in our ranking Ukraine is second.
Poland in the top 10 rankings
Who's in first place?
– The 3rd is the United States. And the first is Germany. Yes, due to the fact that 1 of the criteria is the business by American troops, and the United States cannot be occupied by them. In this way Germany has first place in the ranking, and the second has Ukraine. You never know – possibly someday Germany will leave the American zone...
And which place is Poland?
– I'll tell you next time.
Good. We're glad we're not on the podium.
– No, but possibly you're in the top ten.
Thank you for talking to me. I hope that we will make any crucial themes during our next discussions.
– I will only say to Poles: delight leave the American zone. It will be better for you, your families and the future of your country. Leave this region and be arrogant that you are Poles.
Thank you.
Matthew Piskorski spoke
Patrick Poppel (born 1985 in Vienna) – Austrian political scientist, geopoliticist, human rights defender.
