Connecting the dots - Are we on the brink of calamity?

[Gethelred]

Zbignieu Brzezinski's doctrine destroying Russia ; completion by dividing it into four concomitant states and
- Victoria Nuland deciding on Ukraine leader and
- it's antecedent '14 Putsch as Stephen F Cohen wont to riff-on

Halford Mackinder's world island
bulwark to Sino domination with their logistics veins
however I think they won Africa and Peter Zeihan is a tad too bullish on his demographic cliff thesis and BRICS pose peer competitor to petro-dollar/Bretton Woods w Anglo-American establishment of which we are a strategic member

An interesting perspective.

That the US have an opinion on who should lead foreign nations - and would try their hand at mild interference - is about the least surprising thing I can think of, but the extrapolation of the Heartland theory of geopolitics to cold war mutually assured destruction narratives is not a step I'd have taken. I don't think much of Makinder's logic in the first place, as history has kicked his theory in the teeth too many times to take it seriously, but because a theory justifies your behaviour is more than enough for some politicians to run with.

 

[Power Raid]

Why can't I read or respond to old threads? I can't find any rules against this.

We appear to be on the brink of calamity. That's why you should not lock it.

But as per usual you know best

I actually liked you post and citing of references with some well known to be biased offset against those references likely to be biased the other way. This reflects the opposing views not only in the media but politically........as played out.

Zbignieu Brzezinski's doctrine destroying Russia ; completion by dividing it into four concomitant states and
- Victoria Nuland deciding on Ukraine leader and
- it's antecedent '14 Putsch as Stephen F Cohen wont to riff-on

Halford Mackinder's world island
bulwark to Sino domination with their logistics veins
however I think they won Africa and Peter Zeihan is a tad too bullish on his demographic cliff thesis and BRICS pose peer competitor to petro-dollar/Bretton Woods w Anglo-American establishment of which we are a strategic member

Taking a step back what I find really interesting is russia wants a buffer against the EU/ Nato but in doing so becomes closer to the EU/ Nato.

Meanwhile the EU/ Nato couldn't really give a shit about russia or the ukraine other than keeping the "nonsense" out. What it really cares about is wanting a buffer between the EU/ Nato and China..........and that's called russia.

This is why in my opinion, russia has not and will not be broken into pieces. It serves the US, EU and NATO to have a unified russia, to stop china's expansion.

 

[blackcat]

An interesting perspective.

That the US have an opinion on who should lead foreign nations - and would try their hand at mild interference - is about the least surprising thing I can think of, but the extrapolation of the Heartland theory of geopolitics to cold war mutually assured destruction narratives is not a step I'd have taken. I don't think much of Makinder's logic in the first place, as history has kicked his theory in the teeth too many times to take it seriously, but because a theory justifies your behaviour is more than enough for some politicians to run with.

Still immense untapped resources in Russia and Soviet bloc states DC has eyes on , like SAmerica & Africa and Sino's have the stock of rare earths owning equity and mining licences in the companies and mines in Bolivia Chile and Africa

what was Kabul about? They don't have training nor technical expertise to operate much of the war-materiel left

what was attempted colour-revolution in Astana(Kazakhstan) about? <see: Kabul two decades holding pattern, or, or disrupting Sino's ambitions and appetite for resources>

State dep't want to put sand or molasses in the engine of the Sino's logistics veins(belt&road) and play(engage) the demographic cliff timeframe

 

[Marcel Proust]

Still immense untapped resources in Russia and Soviet bloc states DC has eyes on , like SAmerica & Africa and Sino's have the stock of rare earths owning equity and mining licences in the companies and mines in Bolivia Chile and Africa

what was Kabul about? They don't have training nor technical expertise to operate much of the war-materiel left

what was attempted colour-revolution in Astana(Kazakhstan) about? <see: Kabul two decades holding pattern, or, or disrupting Sino's ambitions and appetite for resources>

State dep't want to put sand or molasses in the engine of the Sino's logistics veins(belt&road) and play(engage) the demographic cliff timeframe

Afgan non fuel minerals, +1trillion$

 

[blackcat]

Gethelred the belt and road and resource extraction from Central and Eastern Europe continent mean Mackinder's thesis is now engaged , enabled may be better word , plus internal states on Africa* resource extraction largely been dormant

*rhetoric, ofcourse not entirely dormant , but even Congo Rhodesia and South Africa most lie in the ground largely untapped, with South Africa being the most operative

 

[blackcat]

Afgan non fuel minerals, +1trillion$

 

[Gethelred]

Gethelred the belt and road and resource extraction from Central and Eastern Europe continent mean Mackinder's thesis is now engaged , enabled may be better word , plus internal states on Africa* resource extraction largely been dormant

*rhetoric, ofcourse not entirely dormant , but even Congo Rhodesia and South Africa most lie in the ground largely untapped, with South Africa being the most operative

Not while China and Russia compete for dominance of the heartland, it won't. Mackinder's thesis also relied on trains overtaking ships as the predominant means of traversal, whether we're talking military gear or personnel; trains needing to get from the west coast of Russia all the way to the Red Sea, all the way to the easternmost point of Chinese holdings. Suffice to say, that won't happen while both nations occupy the space.

India are also an impediment; a coastal nation, with an immense population, resources, and industrial capacity; natural barriers to entry being the highest mountain range on earth from the north and only marginally shorter peaks to the north east. Not to mention the absolute hellhole that Afghanistan has been for the better part of 1000 years for an invader to try and subdue.

I don't think we're in any real danger of Mackinder's theory proving true within my lifetime.

But all that's secondary to the reality that there's every chance America and American allies are going to behave as though it's true out of confirmation bias. That's the real concern, if I was forced to consider this as a credible threat; that by trying to cordon Russia on the Steppe and China in the South China sea and Taiwan, we force them into formal military and social alliance, and bring such a superstate into being.

We need them competing, not co-operating.

I should also probably state that Mackinder's theories were based on a much older world, in which the British Empire was the be all and end all in world politics; in which land geography mattered when it came to communication, in which borders were renegotiated on the edge of a bayonette. While an interesting diversion - I only happened across him whilst researching something else - his theories don't really apply to a world as interconnected and interdependent as this one is; in my opinion. I'd kill to get his opinion on things now, though.

 

[Gethelred]

Still immense untapped resources in Russia and Soviet bloc states DC has eyes on , like SAmerica & Africa and Sino's have the stock of rare earths owning equity and mining licences in the companies and mines in Bolivia Chile and Africa

Oh, I'm sure the US would like their hands in that pie, but beyond standard diplomacy and capitalism I don't see how they can finagle their way around the other regional powers.

what was Kabul about? They don't have training nor technical expertise to operate much of the war-materiel left

what was attempted colour-revolution in Astana(Kazakhstan) about? <see: Kabul two decades holding pattern, or, or disrupting Sino's ambitions and appetite for resources>

I'd be interested to know if you've got any sources that can demonstrate the US's involvement in the Kazakhstan's Tulip revolution.

I know what the propaganda from both sides say, but I'd appreciate a little evidence before I swallow either.

State dep't want to put sand or molasses in the engine of the Sino's logistics veins(belt&road) and play(engage) the demographic cliff timeframe

Can you speak somewhat less obliquely here?

 

[blackcat]

Can you speak somewhat less obliquely here?

<America hampering China's resource development projects>

 

[fishardansin]

The Ukraine situation is terrible, but it's not really a change. It is no different to Israel in Palestine, US in many middle eastern countries, Saudis in Yemen ... and the list goes on.

Our real calamity is a two fold problem, and both issues are highly connected.

1. Uneven distribution of wealth and power combined with a political public debate that is divorced from reality and defaulting to bow to wishes of the rich and powerful is the norm. The conversations of unreason dominate this.

2. Climate catastrophe combined with depletion of all major ecosystems with the worst extinction event in the history of earth. Also the home of wildly counter factual, reality defying debate.

All in all we're most likely just victims of our success. Developing technology that has led to increased depletion of natural resources, increasing population that ensures that 99.998% of us will have close to zero connection with the truly powerful people in our societies.

The only way we're ever going to bring about vast reductions on our impact upon the natural world is a huge shrinking of the economy. This is completely unpalatable to anyone "just getting by" or worse.

We will never be able to introduce the radical redistribution of wealth that will make the lives of the poorest among us bareable while shrinking the economy enough to sustain our life support system.

The only possible way is finally bringing about true democracy through proportional democracy allowing for a plurality of voices, and a system or petitions (requiring) a threshold of voting citizens signing them so we can bring certain decisions to a direct vote by the populace.

As it currently stands with have a thin veneer of democracy. A representative democracy will inevitably devolve into a duopoly that is completely captured by the economic elites.

What I would remove from voting is allocation of natural resources. There needs to be a peer reviewed process of determining what we can extract from the earth and and we can decide on what to do with those resources once we know what is allocated for human use.

 

[fishardansin]

Whether Putin is going to drop the bomb or not should not influence our decision to support Ukraine.

As the EU and NATO say (I'm not normally fans of them, but they are correct on this one).

The only people who can stop the war tomorrow is the Russian leadership. Stop fighting and the war ends. Ukraine is not invading Russia. If Ukraine stop fighting they cease to exist.

 

[fishardansin]

The belt and road initiative is fantastic and I look forward to the increase in living standards for people in Central Asia and Africa. Every African person (not a descendent from colonials) think the belt and road is fantastic.

Personally I don't think it will be complete until there is a railway from Mombasa to Nigerian coast.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

The belt and road initiative is fantastic and I look forward to the increase in living standards for people in Central Asia and Africa. Every African person (not a descendent from colonials) think the belt and road is fantastic.

Personally I don't think it will be complete until there is a railway from Mombasa to Nigerian coast.

China's adventures in Africa are certainly a lot more humane and beneficial than the abuse perpetrated by Europeans in the past, but my issue is that the development is still not being led by Africans with African interests first. My hope is that Nigeria or someone becomes powerful enough to help lift up the rest of Africa.

 

[Mofra]

China's adventures in Africa are certainly a lot more humane and beneficial than the abuse perpetrated by Europeans in the past, but my issue is that the development is still not being led by Africans with African interests first. My hope is that Nigeria or someone becomes powerful enough to help lift up the rest of Africa.

China's access to ebony in Kenya a case in point (a huge cost for the highway between Mombasa and Nairobi)

 

[Mofra]

Speaking of calamity - inflation numbers across the OECD have come in higher than expectation last month, almost universally. NZ over 7%, US over 8%, UK over 10%.
Food and energy price the main drivers, fundamental requirements. In Australia it took a number of rate rises to even reign in discretionary spending.
Imports are going to get a lot more expensive in Australia. Exporters don't see the real benefit due to the tight labour market requiring wage increases.

We're in a tough spot

 

[JoondalupJ]

I actually liked you post and citing of references with some well known to be biased offset against those references likely to be biased the other way. This reflects the opposing views not only in the media but politically........as played out.




Taking a step back what I find really interesting is russia wants a buffer against the EU/ Nato but in doing so becomes closer to the EU/ Nato.

Meanwhile the EU/ Nato couldn't really give a s**t about russia or the ukraine other than keeping the "nonsense" out. What it really cares about is wanting a buffer between the EU/ Nato and China..........and that's called russia.

This is why in my opinion, Russia has not and will not be broken into pieces. It serves the US, EU and NATO to have a unified Russia, to stop china's expansion.

The US the EU and NATO, are falling in alongside with China, into another type of cold war, it suits them .
It means there are two balancing powers, like before, to keep the small conflicts at where they begin.

Like the obscene proxy wars SUPER powers indulge in, as in the past.

China is a super power, USA and NATO Superpowers connected. USSR was a super power.
When it fell there was only one superpower USA, and it probably didn't sit well with the world.

Of course Russia, still thought it was a super power, with big bombs , that it can't use because
it would mean the end of Russia as well. Ukraine is proving Russia is not what it was thought to be.

It made a mistake. But the world does not need a stupid useless meaningless war like Putin has begun.

You won't split Russia up, it will be contained, China will be the other bug gun and will be sitting the same as
will the NATOUSAEU the pronunciation will be "nah toos eee you" Bit silly, make up another??
But they will be the two powers running the world again, Like the USSR vs the USA did.

And perhaps we need a opposing sides on earth because of the habit of some humans and their countries
seemingly always wanting to kill each other. Super powers back their own followers and like minded places.

They have a knack a capacity, of telling them to cool it.

Remember the Berlin Wall, and USSR collapse remember George senior
attacking Saddam. the Gulf war, 1991?

I think perhaps some negotiating would have been needed, if the Soviet Union
was still a force! But they weren't,they were busted.

But in the same frame.
Look at China and Taiwan, a cold war and M.A.D. would stop a Taiwan war.

perhaps a negotiating set up with each other backed by the NATOUSAEU, Taiwan could manage a position in the world, without
Xi wanting to kill em all! Well at least have control.

Because to make waves in a cold war creates chances of the Cuban crisis. All over again.

And as frightening as that was it got resolved, Cuba got away with it, but no missiles under USA's
belly and not USSR, having missiles under it's belly in Europe.

The USA the other Western democracies and Israel, Japan would fall in line with those powers in Europe,
those other middle powers like Australia and all those who fear China in the SE Asian region.

Oh and China likes being feared!

China we can see who is its friends are

Not India, perhaps India neutral, but they would fall into the pro Western side?
China's buddy's Iran , North Korea, Maybe Syria? Serbia???
Some African nations may owe them some allegiance?
For money donated???? Maybe some South American nations ???

So what it does, is create a standoff! Like before, except that Russia is only a buffer and hopefully woken up
to reality.
And Ukraine will be a NATO member, so with that theory, the big boys could keep the peace so to speak.
Some what like the Earp's & Doc versus the Clanton's?

BUT without any guns firing at all , you know dialogue!

That is what I think could be happening, you can't have a single ego super power muscling around,
you need two with their differences to make it not worth having a fight. running the town together.

And nations like Russia, and any others would be unable to do what Russia have just done this year.
They still have nukes, but being rogue and beaten they may just fall into a quiet decent nation,
with reasonable leaders who care for their people.

Not continually wag their old fellas around saying we are the big boys! When they are not.

If Putin was a big boy, he would pull out stop the killing , and save some tiny bit of dignity.

But I don't think he has that courage of a statesman who messed up, to be able too.

So his end is probably looking bad!

 

[ExcitementMachine]

The belt and road initiative is fantastic and I look forward to the increase in living standards for people in Central Asia and Africa. Every African person (not a descendent from colonials) think the belt and road is fantastic.

Personally I don't think it will be complete until there is a railway from Mombasa to Nigerian coast.

Satire?

 

[fishardansin]

China's adventures in Africa are certainly a lot more humane and beneficial than the abuse perpetrated by Europeans in the past, but my issue is that the development is still not being led by Africans with African interests first. My hope is that Nigeria or someone becomes powerful enough to help lift up the rest of Africa.

It's a lot more hands-off than the neo-liberal scum that comes from the USA or IMF. An unequal relationship is always going to be a little problematic, however, every African I know (not of European descent) are very happy with China.

With the right investment, Africa is ready to be the major driver of world economic growth. There is so much room for development but more importantly, it is in a demographic sweet spot right now and apart from a couple of hot spots it is relatively stable (ignoring the typical corruption/nepotism you find in more impoverished countries that have a colonial structure that is being exploited by the people who found themselves to be elites as the colonials faded away).

The baby boom that causes a lot of instability is over. This means that not only do we see a more stable population but there is a HUGE proportion of the population is between 10-30 years old. The right investment in education is important there.

Obviously took a while for things to settle after dead white men indiscriminately drew lines on maps that threw together people who were not ready to share a nation-state. However, the newer generations are identifying more with their nationalities than their ethnic groups.

If there is serious global investment in their education, health and infrastructure then they will have a similar impact in the next few decades to what S E Asia has had in the last 4 decades. Let's hope that is not a US-EU-IMF-based investment that will only lead to bribery for their elites to allow the continual robbery of their resources, interference in the political process, banning of any labour rights and any egalitarian policies to ensure everyone is lifted out of poverty.

China is clearly the best option.

 

[fishardansin]

Satire?

No. Why? There are a lot of people who have bought into the fear-mongering of China. Not sure why when they don't run coups or interfere with other countries' internal politics. That is not excuse them for their brutal policies regards some citizens. I'm not sure what to think of the Taiwan situation.

Compare that to the US which is about to start a new invasion of Haiti, let alone the 12 million people they've directly murdered since WW2. God knows how many others have been killed through their war on drugs and starvation following the neo-liberal destruction of their economy.

I'm not frightened of China being a physical/material threat to anyone. I also know the stories about their "debt-trap-diplomacy" is purely a myth. Any serious analysis of that is true.

The Chinese Debt Trap Is a Myth: The Narrative Wrongfully Portrays Both Beijing and the Developing Countries It Deals With. - Editorial - Faculty & Research - Harvard Business School

www.hbs.edu

Even Varoufakis, who is no fan of the CCP, spoke about how easy they were to deal with compared to EU-IMF-USA. Go read what he had to say about the good faith they completely renegotiated the ownership of the Port of Athens when Greece was on its knees. They invested billions, yet simultaneously agreed to reduce their ownership share from 60% to 49%. Could you imagine one of those neo-liberal barbarians doing that? Paying in billions while giving up a share.

 

[ExcitementMachine]

No. Why? There are a lot of people who have bought into the fear-mongering of China. Not sure why when they don't run coups or interfere with other countries' internal politics. That is not excuse them for their brutal policies regards some citizens. I'm not sure what to think of the Taiwan situation.

Compare that to the US which is about to start a new invasion of Haiti, let alone the 12 million people they've directly murdered since WW2. God knows how many others have been killed through their war on drugs and starvation following the neo-liberal destruction of their economy.

I'm not frightened of China being a physical/material threat to anyone. I also know the stories about their "debt-trap-diplomacy" is purely a myth. Any serious analysis of that is true.

The Chinese Debt Trap Is a Myth: The Narrative Wrongfully Portrays Both Beijing and the Developing Countries It Deals With. - Editorial - Faculty & Research - Harvard Business School

www.hbs.edu

Even Varoufakis, who is no fan of the CCP, spoke about how easy they were to deal with compared to EU-IMF-USA. Go read what he had to say about the good faith they completely renegotiated the ownership of the Port of Athens when Greece was on its knees. They invested billions, yet simultaneously agreed to reduce their ownership share from 60% to 49%. Could you imagine one of those neo-liberal barbarians doing that? Paying in billions while giving up a share.

Speaking of how China/xi treats its citizens ich I have a friend of a friend who is locked up, someone famous and a threat.
China does interfere with politics through bribes.
Was the recent trade war/sanctions with Australia, Australia's fault? Wasn't that interfering with our political affairs. They have done this to other countries to get what they want.
Not sure what to make of Taiwan? How convenient.
They have a brutal dictator who now has absolute power within his party.
Interesting times, at best you're naive, just be glad you're at rhe arse end of the world.
Yes we are facing a calamity.

Furthermore, I don't like your false equivalence of palestine/Israel... US in the middle east. What is really annoying is the whataboutism of putin sympathisers that you would help feed into.
It's a false equivalence because the marginalised states had dictators/madmen who wanted to blow Israel or the US up if given the chance.
This is not the case in Ukraine. It's a land grab that more resembles something out of early 20th century Europe. It's ****ing crazy man!!!
Again - please don't ever dismiss what is happening in Ukraine as something that has been perpetrated in the second half of the 20th century and this century, err arggh I mean in the West - edit there's probably been land grabs in poorer nations but, that's on a small scale and not comparable to the situation in Ukraine which is a much larger scale with the threat of nukes.
When China try's to take Taiwan by force - you can look not further back to Russia's failed takeover of Ukraine as being something that was similar.
These are crazy crazy times - add in inflation and a global recession to the mix.

Again, interesting times, yes we are on the brink of a calamity and China and xi are going to be major players in all that.
Just be grateful you and your family are going to be far away from it. I mean the worst of it aka the arse end of the world, down under.

 

[Carringbush2010]

The overstating:

The US is falling out of a liberal democracy

Putin will push the button

Meanwhile Xi WILL invade Taiwan and by extension '* why not invade straya? just coz we can*

Some of the hyperbole driven by msm is so easily gobbled up by the gullible.

For starters with that deranged dwarf Putin, ask yourselves these questions.

Did not this dhead want a quick decisive annexation of Ukraine? Well obviously he publicly alluded that, didn't get that. So now what 8 months into this 'liberation of Russia' has failed, why hasn't he already ordered a nuke offensive?

Therein lies your answer.

Secondly, Xi will obviously be looking at a (supposed) superpower annex another very small liberated nation, on its border, no 100 miles of ocean between it and still not able to achieve its objective. Admittedly incompetency plays a part here. None the less............. Xi will look at this and think twice if not thrice - given the collaborative rhetoric in opposition from the west of Xi's 'unification' intentions.

Thirdly, as 'divisive' as the US is, there is no known universe that collectively the US is just going to fall into dystopia and out of liberalism at the drop of a hat and change its societal model to remedy. An absurd notion.

Lastly, as scary as Xi may come across, there is no known reason for him to come troping down through SE Asia just to invade and teach us a lesson and take our resources, and 'unify' us in an authoritarian socialist republic. (Like we'd all just accept that and say 'ok come in and do what ya want').

As much as he may want to bend us over his knee and spank us like us a belligerent child doesn't equate to he's got much bigger fish to fry.

Seriously, perspective needs to be taken here, all this Armageddon talk is just that, talk.

 

[ExcitementMachine]

The overstating:

The US is falling out of a liberal democracy

Putin will push the button

Meanwhile Xi WILL invade Taiwan and by extension '* why not invade straya? just coz we can*

Some of the hyperbole driven by msm is so easily gobbled up by the gullible.

For starters with that deranged dwarf Putin, ask yourselves these questions.

Did not this dhead want a quick decisive annexation of Ukraine? Well obviously he publicly alluded that, didn't get that. So now what 8 months into this 'liberation of Russia' has failed, why hasn't he already ordered a nuke offensive?

Therein lies your answer.

Secondly, Xi will obviously be looking at a (supposed) superpower annex another very small liberated nation, on its border, no 100 miles of ocean between it and still not able to achieve its objective. Admittedly incompetency plays a part here. None the less............. Xi will look at this and think twice if not thrice - given the collaborative rhetoric in opposition from the west of Xi's 'unification' intentions.

Thirdly, as 'divisive' as the US is, there is no known universe that collectively the US is just going to fall into dystopia and out of liberalism at the drop of a hat and change its societal model to remedy. An absurd notion.

Lastly, as scary as Xi may come across, there is no known reason for him to come troping down through SE Asia just to invade and teach us a lesson and take our resources, and 'unify' us in an authoritarian socialist republic. (Like we'd all just accept that and say 'ok come in and do what ya want').

As much as he may want to bend us over his knee and spank us like us a belligerent child doesn't equate to he's got much bigger fish to fry.

Seriously, perspective needs to be taken here, all this Armageddon talk is just that, talk.

China invades Taiwan equals likely in next 10 years.
China invades Australia in next 40 years - very unlikely imo but still possible.

The best times were post WW2 through to about now, things are going downhill globally right now.

They'll be another pandemic in out lifetime too.

 

[Power Raid]

China invades Taiwan equals likely in next 10 years.
China invades Australia in next 40 years - very unlikely imo but still possible.

The best times were post WW2 through to about now, things are going downhill globally right now.

They'll be another pandemic in out lifetime too.

china is finished in 40 years economically due to demographics

There population goes to almost 2B and then to 1.1B by centuries end. Losing half of ones population will have a massive impact. This is why China wants central asia with OBOR (population growth) and why china wants to control africa (4.7B consumers by 2100 incapable of looking after themselves (corruption and no property rights))

 

[the_interloper]

China invades Taiwan equals likely in next 10 years.
China invades Australia in next 40 years - very unlikely imo but still possible.

The best times were post WW2 through to about now, things are going downhill globally right now.

They'll be another pandemic in out lifetime too.

I'm hoping we have another source of semiconductors by the time China invade, that's at least one real problem for the world if it happens.

 

[ExcitementMachine]

china is finished in 40 years economically due to demographics

There population goes to almost 2B and then to 1.1B by centuries end. Losing half of ones population will have a massive impact. This is why China wants central asia with OBOR (population growth) and why china wants to control africa (4.7B consumers by 2100 incapable of looking after themselves (corruption and no property rights))

It's interesting when one tries to properly analyse what's going to happen in the world rather than just what they want.

There's so many ways the world can go, china could just as easily become introspective like it has been for much of the past 500 years.

India will be the talking point over he next 30 years or so too as a growing meddling superpower.

The USA could be fighting a civil war.

We could suffer a bad pandemic in the next 30 years, we got off lightly with covid. We could suffer a fee more of these in our lifetime.

Climate change is going to displace a lot of people.

Not sure where the west is going but it's divided by extreme fringes

Either way the global economy is screwed for the next five years at least

That's already claimed a scalp in itself; Sri lanka