by Ghassan Kadi for the Saker blog

I started following The Saker about ten years ago. I cannot be sure how and when it started, but I was formally ‘introduced’ to him in 2015 after which he began to publish my work and Intibah’s (my wife).

‘The Saker’, Andrei, became an instant friend and confidant. He gave me a voice when all former ‘friends’ tried to muffle me, attacked me, and even sent me death threats.

It wasn’t always a smooth track to tread. We disagreed on some issues, he declined to accept some submissions I made, but what the heck? If people and friends don’t agree that sometimes they must disagree, then they cannot claim to have a real friendship.

With that said, he did publish most of my work even when he felt that he shouldn’t, without much regard to the backlash that this could bring upon him personally.

Andrei, The Saker, has always acted like a real hero.

In the back of my mind, I had always felt that he will always be there for me to write and make submissions to. I never stopped for one moment to think that he is also a human like all of us. This is where I feel guilty.

And in the last year or so, looking at the state of the world, at many levels, I felt that I had ran out of thoughts and ideas that can be transcribed into words that could make any impact on the sad and suicidal trajectory of a humanity that is steadfastly going towards. I felt speechless.

But this didn’t need to stop me from communicating with my friend Andrei, but it did. I didn’t even send him an Orthodox Christmas greeting.

Sometimes in life, we rotate around a fulcrum that we take for granted thinking that it will always be there for us to gravitate to and unite. And just like children believe that their parents will always be there, as adults we also tend to do this, we often forget that those fulcrums are humans, just like us, humans that may have super powers, but they remain to be humans.

There are a few humans that I have had the pleasure to know who have super powers; and Andrei is definitely high on this list.

This is the end of an era; a big turning point in my life that the lives of many.

Andrei, my friend, you gave me the platform that enabled me to express my feelings about many injustices, mis-and-dis-information. You gave Ghassan Kadi a new lease in life at a time when his message was drowned. You judged ‘him’ and his work by their merit; not by the nasty messages you were receiving. You supported Syria to which I am extremely thankful.

As ‘The Saker’ shuts down, so will Ghassan. Ghassan Kadi is only my pen name, and this ‘character’ will now ‘die’.

But the saker (hawk) only soars up in the sky, and when it dives down, it only does this as a prelude to soar again; soon, later, or in another realm.

It seems strange as I feel that I am writing a eulogy. This is a letter of appreciation and thankfulness to a man who is integrity-driven. I am so grateful that he can read these words because eulogies are never heard by the deceased.

Andrei, Saker, our friend, our hero, Intibah and I salute you. We look forward to seeing you around the corner in a better place.

Much Love and Respect

Ghassan




  1. ann on February 18, 2023  ·  at 1:35 pm EST/EDT

    Hi Ghassan – your articles always were interesting – so human and easy to read and understand. And adorable Intibah who was always ready to comment on my comments. I felt so honored. She is so fiery and ready to inter-act.

    I hope Saker reopens his blog soon. I believe that even the globalists don’t want nuclear war. And the US is going to back down. They can’t fight a war they can afford and where are they going to get the ammo for it ?

    Everything they need is made in China – I don’t understand this chaos the people behind Biden – aligned with the globalists are doing – is it to de-stabilize the US population perhaps ? So they won’t fight the CBDCs and all the other horrible things the globalists have planned for us

    But I do understand Saker’s apprehension of being apprehended as a Russian spy – and its only wisdom that is driving this closure. There are many voices now – whereas at the beginning of Maidan – there was only Saker God Bless Saker

    But I hope so much he will only come back to us soon

    Love Ann

  5. Robert Shule on February 18, 2023  ·  at 10:38 pm EST/EDT

    Thanks for a great read. My feelings too.
    We all hate to see the Saker’s website go.
    But we all also know the ground is shifting, and one has to do what one has to do.
    I wish the Saker the best, and much prosperity on whatever new adventures his future will bring.
    From this CNN article* posted just today, it looks like a lockdown might be on the horizon.
    Sounds like the internet is going to be reigned in.
    The Saker may be getting out of Dodge just in time…….. . . . .

    *https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/18/tech/section-230-explainer/index.html

  6. Robert M. Peters on February 19, 2023  ·  at 1:11 am EST/EDT

    Ghassan,

    Your words, most eloquent, capture my sentiments about Andrei and his blog. Since 2014 if not sometime before, I have come to the Vineyard of the Saker almost every day on which I have had access to the computer, sometimes early in the morning with my coffee or late at night with a glass of cold milk. It has been part of my physical, mental and spiritual routine for nearly ten years.

    Thank you and Intibah for your work and contributions. I pray that God will bring us all back together in a time of His choosing.

  7. Srbalj on February 19, 2023  ·  at 3:49 am EST/EDT

    Ghassan, you will be missed, as will the The Saker site, I hate to call it a “blog” because it almost sounds demeaning. It is a huge loss, when I read the news Andrei was shutting it down I was not suprized considering he had warned previously it may come to that, but when I read the news it still made me feel deeply upset. Some would say, big deal, it’s only a website, there are others, there will be others, so what? Infact, normally, that is the kind of thing I would say. But not The Saker, it is so much more than either a “blog” or even a “website”, it has been my first point of call for years every time I switch on my PC & click on the internet, straight to The Saker to see what is new & interesting there, & always anticipating articles by favourite authors such as yourself, & Andrei’s. It is heartbreaking. Maybe I am being melodramatic, it is not really in my character, but it does feel like something is being lost that can not be replaced. You will be missed Ghassan.

  11. Intibah Kadi on February 20, 2023  ·  at 9:26 pm EST/EDT

    Dearest Peace Warrior Andrei, “The Saker”,
    I struggle to adequately express my appreciation of and gratitude for a soul like you.
    You were present, and for sure will continue to be present, in the most crucial time of a global transition, one where all of us in this community know that goodness will finally overcome evil.

    For the past decade I witnessed your selfless, no doubt exhausting mission to lead, in a participatory and empowering manner, a global movement, via the world-wide-web, of seekers of and contributors to the unveiling of facts, truths and the values of a dignified Russia, a Russia that has continued holding out the hand of friendship and integrity towards other “partners” hell-bent on choosing the dark side at every turn, and more so as they slip into a decline.

    For those arrogant and mired in the illusion of feeling exceptional and that only those of their paradigm matter, they will hopefully learn that a mighty nation or empire is only mighty because it stands before God and is humble.

    Thank you, Russia, for caring for Syria in the way you did and still do.
    Thank you Saker, for being passionate about the nations that suffer at the hands of the failing empire.
    Thank you for welcoming Ghassan and I (since 2015) to contribute our thoughts (articles) to the incredible phenomenon of the platform, community and movement you began.
    And finally thank you to the readers, authors and all the supporters who also not only cared about Russia but also Russia’s friends.

    Your friend forever,
    “Intibah Kadi”