Debt Rattle April 16 2025
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Gustave Moreau Helen on the Walls of Troy 1885 • Trump’s Holy Week Statement Is Refreshing (Chris Queen) • Putin Wants Permanent Peace In Ukrai
[See the full post at: Debt Rattle April 16 2025]Ukraine ‘Victory Day’ celebrations. If I recall correctly they were fighting alongside (and indeed in many cases were) Nazis – so shouldn’t they be holding some kind of ‘Losers Day’ event?
More Witkoffisms for the more easily ‘sueded’, swayed, ‘suaded’, persuaded.
Witkoff Hours, 5 hours of Witkoff are like light years, you know, worth more than your time, anytime.
Vance Blasts are the Behavioral Analogy of a Witkoff Hour. Vance Blasts European vassals and someone anywhere is supposed to take note, rise up, shudder but never cringe at His Cringeworthiness. Did JD Hamel really drop the trophy?
Finally, Trump comments on Holy Week.
From him?!?
Jesus H Christ, no one ought to listen and fewer others should give a damn what Don says about religion until he and JD remove their heads from Judaism’s increasingly Jenocidal Ass.“Update (2115ET): A second top Pentagon official was placed on administrative leave on Tuesday amid a probe into potential leaks of sensitive information, three DoD officials tell Politico.”
What I’m looking for in general, although still floating in the Gulf of no One’s Been Arrested Yet.
Speaking of, and how everyone’s a puppet, Gabbard official statement, Iran has no nuclear weapons, and no program. As coordinator, none of the Intel agencies officially believe so. …As they have been saying for years. Iran themselves have a standing Fatwa on it saying the same.
But she all works for Israel tho’. Guess we should remove her.
On the chess board, something I don’t do very well, it’s not my game. Seemingly Syria was scrapped. To make a BIG re-change. Easy to see no one is that enthusiastic, even America. WHO runs Syria though, really? TURKEY. How and why, unclear, even now. But in press, Trump gave at least passive consent to it and Erdagon.
What occurs from that? Israel is no longer mucking with tykes like Gaza and Syria, but TURKEY. Clearly Turkey is not directly, immediately getting in their face though. Why it’s so hard to understand.
What Israel – being wildly overextended, with their own soldiers protesting – again, this time 8,000 on paper, much less everyone just leaving the country permanently – is still up against IRAN, who is like a zillion miles away. It’s so retarded it’s like England being worried about an invasion from RUSSIA. Ooops! Nations are that stupid.
Iran is Russia-China power – thanks to the retards in America/CIA over 50 years. ISRAEL is a USUK/CIA power.
We all know this, where am I going? It may be that as a quid pro quo for gameplay IF Israel’s power is reduced, THEN the other side requires that IRAN’S power is reduced equally. They are two offsetting powers. What happens if one or the other? Iran gets loose, and being so large, so cohesive, bends the entire middle east like gravity: not openly, intentionally with conquest, but slowly and inexorably, which is worse. This takes out Saudi, being Sunni core, instead of Shiite. Lots of interests here. AND the satellites like Lebanon become firmly …I dunno, stable and real not puppets.
We know what would happen if Israel expands, non-stop blood fest for next 50 years same as the last 50 years.
So we need Israel to collapse, and they are in a collapse state Kissinger himself said Israel would be gone by 2025, 2030: internally they are plain unworkable, with half of all sides would withdraw consent on the other sides, if this chemical stalemate under Nutsy falls. And if so, then Iran needs to remain Persian, over in Persia and not expand somehow.
Does this make Trump’s negotiations make more sense? Like, we don’t actually care if we bomb them, but don’t actually want or intend to either? Suppose we just shut Israel off tomorrow, then the whole area goes into a free-for-all? Got problems. And if such a thing should happen, then we need for EUROPE to be shut off, not to just light up…one, Iran under Total (France) or some oil co, or Two, just install another Israel, as clearly they will kill every last European for their projects, be they Ukraine, or Israel. Even right now England decided to go tariff relief! As joining in the tariff wars! That’s right, UK is removing tariffs…on food, so to make a final destruction of all British farmers, the uppity gits. I want a Holodormor and I want it by Sunday!
So IF you solve balance of powers with 3…or 15 players, HOW do you also de-capitalize Europe not to just re-colonize and muck around again? Got it?
“Israel wanted Trump to blow up Iran’s nuclear program (which would lead to war). Trump said no.”
What nuclear program? We are now officially – AGAIN! — they have no nuclear program. Israel saw a nation they weren’t bombing. And who is Israel? Conjoined twin with London, etc. A visible arm out of the Derp.
Stephan Miller, yesterday: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LFx2_UoTdGg
“Do any of you reporters have any idea what a court order is? Anyone? So you’ve been writing about this all week and none of you bothered to find out?” (Reporter attempts to interrupt) Like 40 MINUTES of this. Like Vance in Europe, after which grown men – Germans – cried.
Look, everything he’s saying is perfectly simple, straightforward, plain, generic law. No gotchas! That this is now a revolution in policy demonstrates how far away into #AntiLaw we’ve been.
“Former Congressman Curt Weldon drops a bombshell, revealing that Muammar Gaddafi was planning to launch a gold-backed currency to unite Africa—an economic move he says deeply threatened Western powers.”
Is there anyone who doesn’t know this? They then needed to move the shipfuls of guns from Libya to arm ISIS via Turkey. Oh and of course open a new slave market, setting the future trend under Hillary Clinton.
“Perhaps your biggest problem: Half of Europe insists Putin wants to conquer their lands.
Yes. But following this, and what is seen vs unseen: Trump is moving people from Poland, to Italy. Meroni is not playing ball at all, and while in a narrow position, seems stable vs Fond of Lying. We are pumping up GREEK military and GREEK navy – which is one of the only real Navies if you hadn’t noticed, because they just do work. Britain has two ships and one is dead.
Okay, whats left here? Uhhhh….if Italy, Greece, all breakaway, what does Europe, NATO look like? Looks like a NORTHERN Europe. As a counter, England gets in and forces a Polish type deal in the Balkans. No one knows how they do it, or what is in it. It’s like “England will come to their aid iff….” What the –? The deuce you say? ENGLAND HAS ZERO TROOPS you nitwits, CLEARLY that is not the deal they signed. They signed so England could make Croatia blow up into a flashpoint of mass-murder again and start WWIII with Russia. Duh.
“Always some d—d thing in the Balkans” – Churchill. Yeah, because YOU caused it.
Anyway, we’re not entirely there yet, but what does Europe look like under this shifting system? NORTHERN Europe, NATO, Van Der Lyin’, Clausinator, Keir Stalin, all locked OUT of the Mediterranean. And OUT of the seas altogether as none of them have a Navy. SOUTHERN Europe slowly shifts to independence from the North, if they can, and stops being trampled and occupied by GERMANY. The “head” of the EU. — And no slight to Germans, they’re being used as punks and fodder same as us Americans are, and getting screwed for it. But that’s where the Pirates have settled.
Greece shrugs off Germany, Italy refuses the Russian war – already no Austria – Spain was edging away over other reasons, including Israel, etc, Balkans are half Russians and pretty fed up with Europe in general as their leader being elected and SHOT demonstrate.
So what if your NON Euros, say a Quasi-Trumpian outlook can hold the Mediterranean? It’s right there on the map. Geography still matters. Is Denmark going to steam into Cyprus and tell Athens what for? What’s the EU with the departure of Italy? Oh…just Germany and France then? With Germany collapsed and France on fire?
…I’m sure you won’t have any trouble focusing on a direct invasion of Russia then, 2030 as Sikorski has said, openly, on TV, ….TO THE RUSSIANS. …The Russians can read, you know that, right? And the Poles are not into this? Their Great Leader is so Polish he had to change his citizenship EVEN TO RUN? Not sus, whut.
We also found out about Kellogg, going all-in for the “We’re just partitioning Ukraine, placing French/English troops all over, and adding them to NATO later” crew. Uhhhh…no sir. You are NOT. That is NOT a thing that will happen. So…not only keeping Europe busy with crayons at the kid’s table, I bet Trump was made to take Kellogg– who is clearly a NeoCon, like Waltz, both NeoCon Lite – what does he do? Say “Sure pal!” then goes right around them with his own (business) negotiator Witkoff.
Hey, I wasn’t mean to him, if that was a good, workable plan everyone likes they would have signed it and Kellogg would be a hero. However he’s a dips—t and a British agent, so his plan sucks and is laughable. So we can all know who you are and point and say “What is that THING? That hideous THING?”
And they will say “Look away children. THAT, is a Neocon. Like Nuland, this is what happens, what you come to look like.”
“The Russian government has insisted it will not accept a freeze of the conflict, which it maintains will only lead to renewed hostilities later on.”
Overall plan here: U.S. can leave, then hit Europe later on. Like the “Ceasefire” last week, Europe will refuse to do anything. Refuse to open banks, refuse to agree the Black Sea, everything, so everyone can know the war is entirely theirs.
“• Kremlin: Russia and US Strive for Peace but Europe Pushes for Conflict (Sp.)
Ta-dah! Or is that a permutation of “Voila!”?
“• Ukraine Plotting To Overshadow Russia’s Victory Day – Politico (RT)
Shows who they really are: small.
“China desperately needs to escape what economists call the Middle Income Trap. That’s when a Third World (or even Second World) economy comes this close to making the move from poverty to enjoying a middle-level income, then to joining the wealthy nations of the world.”
My feeling is they know that. We’ve probably even told them. But they have like 100,000 demonstrations a year, so tell me when’s a good time to rock the boat? Like Russia, maybe you can have someone FORCE you to do it, and blame them. Ta-dah! Trump appears, it’s HIS fault, my fellow Chinese People, that you have to buy more and maybe finally live in that empty apartment you’ve been hoarding.
I actually don’t think we’re after them. Not really. We’re like “We’re going to invade China, see if we won’t!” for 25 years and not one ship is built yet. Really? Show me. But this change does need to happen.
And although we talk all day about how WE need to be a normal nation, not a hegemon – never a single minute free from criticizing the Americans – China needs to become a normal nation too. Like not with this kind of trade deficit. A trade equalization, as we all give and take. They know it, we know it, how to get there?
“only three European nations – the UK, France, and Poland – have self-sustained militaries.”
Well that’s bad, because UK doesn’t have one. Does that mean Germany doesn’t either? He skipped them.
““if they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them.” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte agreed that Trump is right”
They won’t pay, so this is all posturing to arrange the future. Why? NATO is the EU army. The only one. The EU is the Nazi maniacs like WEF, etc. And NATO is the United states. So transitive property: the U.S. is the hired, outsourced Nazi army. As you see since 2001. Uh no. We do NOT want that, we want independence, just as we got banking/financial independence.
“the reluctance of its European allies to respond to their voters on critical issues such as immigration,”
As you see in the Sargon review of Miller, above. And every day some new astonishment: a Somali rapist can’t be deported because it would give him the sads. A Pakistani felon can’t go because he drinks too much. True stories.
Anyway, this is just Keir Stalin desperately getting a rebellion among the Hobbits while he still has the power to crush them. Like us in the 90s actually, or under Joe, whatever. So he HAS to do the inflammatory, infuriating things, but only creates illegitimacy. This is because the people are but dumb brutes and not like the sooper schmartz people, the Soviet Intelligentsia like THEY, the Starmers and Blairs are. That’s why whenever there’s a battle of wits like now, or like with Trump, the People beat them always. If you think Cleetus is so dum, why do you keep losing to him?
Yet they never do, never can, adjust. Because that’s literally what the mental illness of narcissism is.
““..Zelensky claimed that “Russian narratives are prevailing in the US”
You mean how “Russian narratives” are the Truth? Because when you’re winning on all fronts, why lie? Yes, actually, we do prefer a bit of the Truth now, it beats the alternative.
“250,000 people, located 25km from the border with Russia.”
Note: if it’s still there, Russia isn’t trying that hard. So your argument is Russia bombs civilians, wantonly and openly? Then why is Sumy standing? Wouldn’t it be easier to level it if they have no care of human life?
“has drafted a joint statement denouncing the strike on Sumy”
…And also because if you foot-drag it comes out it was a (mostly) legitimate target.
““Abrego Garcia was a foreign terrorist. He is an MS-13 gang member.”Neither side can seem to tell the truth on the matter. He is married to citizens, has dependent children, seems to have a job. Reading this, it seems likely he was attempting to be straight, however crime doesn’t let go.
On the flip side, he was totally illegal, never bothered to do anything about it, mostly because two different courts before this one found he was MS-13, years ago, and would be denied any legality at all. As Miller said, “You seem to be missing the point: he is ALREADY illegal, which means there is no legal standing for anything EXCEPT to be deported. To his country, or even some other. That he is MS-13 only PRIORITIZES his removal, for imminent danger to society.” etc
“This is judicial activism run amok, and it has to stop.”Yes, but it’s really journalistic activism and has to stop. Americans have to stop adoring lies. Hate to turn that into a Left-Right thing, but constantly occurs that a Left will stick to the truth like Jimmy Dore then before long they end up sounding/becoming “The Right”.
““Parole is not a legal status under immigration laws. It is a status created by executive action and is now being curtailed under that same authority.”
Was interested in following this. Everybody seems to just be making stuff up all the time.
“If plaintiffs leave the country on their own, they will face dangers in their native countries, as set forth in their affidavits.”
This is my problem why? They are CITIZENS of those countries. Those are the only countries they legally have. If an Italian is having trouble in Italy, they can just…go anywhere? Iceland, maybe? So what you’re saying is, so long as you’re a criminal, all 200 nations have to let you in, because you’d be arrested, stop drinking, or get the sads if you go home.
Tucker is a weird person. He was just some guy, another empty suit, but over time, one decision after another, he rose up to backfill his position. Reminds me of Cullom I was thinking yesterday, openly says, “Why was he in Cornell? Pure nepotism. That’s his grandfather’s name on the door.” He just says so, which I appreciate, and he was a suck student, nearly crashed out, which I appreciate. Not saying “Oh obviously I was great, I deserve this,” retcon. WHY though? Because like some or many young men, he came to grow into and deserve the chance someone made for him. First at Columbia, then as a professor now with thousands of projects and grants over time in Chemistry. THAT is the difference. Like George Bush can’t help being born to a rich Connecticut family of oil barons and traitorous Coup plotters. It’s what do you DO with it after? Heck, Kennedy were mob rum-runners. Bush essentially botched everything he touched and made the WORST of it, never aspiring to even human decency.
The point is, I guess, there’s not one pure path, and if you make a mistake, someone slips you an Ace, that’s it! you’re worthless cheater forever. Since SOME of us believe in forbearance and forgiveness. You CAN make a mistake – dye your hair wrong or something – and still stop a bloodthirsty bombing campaign after.
Tucker can still be an insufferable nudge – but what can he do? Not be what you are? And still do the very basic job like a million reporters can’t be arsed to do, which is to interview people. Or they’d be just as famous as him.
Aaaaand, so, moral for today, today is a new day the Lord has made. It’s another chance to do something right and not wrong.
I didn’t realize cows liked pancakes. Do they taste like grass?
jb-hb was dying slowly in another mandatory meeting yesterday ;-(
“I’m currently in an all-hands meeting (muted, camera covered) in which they are proudly announcing their goal for 2025: 50% women and 50% more diversity. ie “Not you” regardless of all other considerations to do with the job, basic demographics, reality etc…
..The vomit inducing lecture about Diversity is raining down on us right now. Lots of demanding answers from people in the audience (and we know what the only right answers are but they want to hear it from OUR mouths…) Somehow unplanned absences relate to DEI, they’re launching into that now. I’ll spare you whatever “reasoning” they are about to demand come out of our mouths.”If your memory was accurate …you would remember … you would see the lies … You would see the truth …
———–
Witkoff said, …(1) that Crimea, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, and Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions are part of Russia.
(2) Moscow opposes any NATO presence on Ukrainian soil
(3) and has demanded that Kiev demilitarize, denazify, adhere to a position of neutrality,
(4) and recognize the territorial “realities on the ground.”
… proof of Kiev’s untrustworthiness
…. • Kremlin: Russia and US Strive for Peace but Europe Pushes for Conflict (Sp)
———–
See the similarities.
What are the principles of Nazism?Nazism’s ideology was shaped by Hitler’s beliefs in German racial superiority and the dangers of communism. It rejected liberalism, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights, stressing instead the subordination of the individual to the state and the necessity of strict obedience to leaders.
What is the concept of The Chosen people?
Chosen people, the Jewish people, as expressed in the idea that they have been chosen by God as his special people. The term implies that the Jewish people have been chosen by God to worship only him and to fulfill the mission of proclaiming his truth among all the nations of the world.
White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races and thus should dominate them.
Autism, also called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a complex developmental condition that affects how people interact, communicate, learn, and behave.
———-Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the missiles were launched at “another meeting of Ukrainian military leaders with their Western colleagues” masquerading as mercenaries.
The Defense Ministry estimated that the strike killed around 60 troops, claiming that Kiev used civilians as human shields for the gathering.
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky told CBS News on Sunday that Trump’s criticisms of his leadership indicate that “Russian narratives are winning in the US.”Senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev expressed concern about American vulnerability to foreign lobbying after meeting with senior US officials earlier this month, accusing the Western media of waging a coordinated campaign to undermine the normalization of relations.
”We see attempts to misinterpret Russian messages, mischaracterize Russia and its leaders.
This happens every day,” he stated, adding that “direct dialogue is the best way to defeat this disinformation.”
In an interview on Monday with Fox News, Witkoff said his almost five-hour meeting with Putin was “compelling” and put the Ukraine peace process “on the verge” of a breakthrough.———-
RememberVictory Day celebrations on May 9
———–In 2014, NATO members pledged to increase their, defense spending, (not attack spending), to 2% of GDP, (of 2014 not 2025).
————-
Numerous Western officials have speculated that Russia could attack European NATO members within a few years.
Moscow has dismissed the claim as “nonsense,” saying it has no interest in doing so.
———-Criminal Referral Filed Against NY AG Over Real Estate Fraud Accusation
” can you imagine the anger this bitch is feeling right now? She is crazy mad. How is she now being investigated by the very person that she tried to put the screws to and who she put through hell for four years? Karma, that’s how.
GW Law Prof Jonathan Turley on shocking Letitia James allegations: ‘The irony is crushing. James prosecuted Trump for misleading financial statements, yet now faces similar questions about residency claims and loan applications. DOJ has prosecuted others for falsely claiming properties as principal residences. Rules apparently don’t apply to those enforcing them.”
https://x.com/i/status/1912291315464753654
REMINDER
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2025/04/growth-of-ukraines-azov-units-follow-path-of-the-waffen-ss.html#more
April 16, 2025
Growth Of Ukraine’s Azov Units Follow Path Of The Waffen-SSSince Letitia James has worked with every judge and prosecutor in NY, they all have to recuse themselves from the case and move the case to another venue.
“At present, he continued, only three European nations – the UK, France, and Poland – have self-sustained militaries.”
awesome news. now if only those three would let theirs dry up, too.
every time a jet crashes,
and a ship goes down,
a missile fails and generals frown,
the world is made a better place
for you, my ass and the human race.after i asked it to list 17 countries the u.s. had invaded, i got this unsolicited comment from a.i. botman:
“”America’s national bird should be a drone.”
Witkoff’s Travels https://drjohnsblog.substack.com/p/witkoffs-travels
Gilbert Doctorow, Transcript of interview with Press TV, Iran 04/14/2025
It’s impossible to say with any confidence where this is headed, but I am an optimist with respect to the initiatives of Donald Trump, because there is some deep understanding that is being achieved between the United States and Russia, to which we are not privy.
But there are little signs that come out, signs that I was reading with respect to Steve Witkoff’s visit to Petersburg on Friday, which was a stop on his way to those meetings in Oman that you have just described. The Russians were, as I believe, important brokers in arranging the meeting in Oman. And I believe that Witkoff stopped over to get final recommendations, advice from President Putin on how to proceed in his dealings with Iran. The Russians–
If that is correct, and the Russians were demonstrating to Donald Trump how useful they can be, how constructive the relations with the United States can be, if there is a return to a normal relationship between the two countries, and looking past the ongoing fighting in Ukraine…
The West is doing its best– Britain is the ringleader, France is the second ringleader, in trying to sabotage the peace talks by speaking of a coalition of the willing, which didn’t work very well, to have men on the ground to resist Russians in case there is a further Russian aggression, as they say, in Ukraine after a peace treaty is signed. The issue that the Russians made, Mr. Lavrov made, in Turkey this past weekend is very relevant here: that the, whatever peace is concluded, has to look after the security interests of all the parties. And to speak about providing security to Ukraine alone is to miss the point entirely. The Russians also need security guarantees. And therefore the outcome of these negotiations is very much dependent on how well Mr. Trump can control these European former allies of Britain and France in particular.
Now, what does that mean for the end of the fighting? It means that the Russian positions are taken in all seriousness by Washington, which will seek to accommodate Russia’s security concerns. We’ve already heard from Witkoff that essentially America agrees to Russia’s keeping the four oblasts that it now largely occupies and has annexed by, according to constitutional procedures. I’m speaking now of Donbas oblasts and what used to be called Novorossiya, which is Kherson and Zaporozhzhye. These provinces are acknowledged by the United States as being future Russian-recognized territory. https://gilbertdoctorow.com/2025/04/14/transcript-of-todays-interview-with-press-tv-iran/Sundance, Envoy Steve Witkoff Gives Topline Review Following 5 Hour Meeting with Vladimir Putin
Within the brief moments provided by Hannity for Witkoff to speak, the envoy of President Trump noted both Putin and Trump understand the core issues and are aligned to solve the problem despite the CIA and SSCI efforts to keep wedging them apart. Additionally, Trump and Putin see a future where geopolitical and economic alignment can be very beneficial for both Russia and the United States; they just need to find a way to navigate the complex politics on the U.S/NATO side of the mess.
President Putin does not want an alignment with Chinese President Xi Jinping, it’s not a natural fit for Russia to be strategically networking with China. Put a simpler way, Putin really doesn’t like Chairman Xi because Russia values brutal honesty in relationships, not the Beijing cunningness, ulterior motives and manipulative self-interest.
President Trump and President Putin can be natural allies. Both leaders have the same basic national security worldview and on an economic front Putin would rather have financial ties to the West than the East.
However, the broader CIA apparatus is not going to give up power or control to President Trump without a fight. Recently the CIA operated rotor wing (helicopter) drones to attack Moscow in order to provoke a useful response from Putin. Despite the efforts of Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, both the CIA and State Dept embeds are operating to maintain their control in Ukraine…
..Vladimir Putin knows President Trump is navigating some deeply complicated networks within the G7, NATO, European Union, Great Britain, CIA, U.S. Senate and beyond.
The extent Putin is willing to go providing Trump room to negotiate these political land mines is increasingly clear within Putin’s nonresponse to the ongoing CIA provocations.
Trump and Putin will work to box in Zelenskyy while simultaneously Trump will threaten and even bash Putin a little. Actually, when you stop pretending this is a little fun to watch unfold.
From the other side, Ukraine President Zelenskyy knows Putin and Trump are on the same page; however, Zelenskyy also knows the CIA and SSCI are on his side. https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/04/15/envoy-steve-witkoff-gives-topline-review-following-5-hour-meeting-with-vladimir-putin/Spy vs. Spy: Russia & Belarus Ready To Ramp Up Spy War Against NATO: Kremlin Intel Chief https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/russia-belarus-ready-ramp-spy-war-against-nato-kremlin-intel-chief
Gilbert Doctorow, Friedrich Merz: the most dangerous German leader since Adolf Hitler
During his tenure in office, the mealy-mouthed and indecisive outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz took baby steps towards supplying the Zelensky regime with ever more lethal weapons systems. Yes, he yielded in giving to Kiev the celebrated Leopard tanks. Yes, he allowed Germany to be home to the NATO coordination centers where Americans and British officers planned every move of the Ukrainian armed forces on the field of battle. But Scholz held back on his country’s prize weapon, the air-launched long-range Taurus missile.
The reason for Scholz’s refusal to budge on this issue was the admission of his highest officers that use of the Taurus in Ukraine would be possible only if German officers and technical personnel actually controlled the programming, thereby making Germany a co-belligerent with Ukraine, and subject to Russian retaliation.
Even after the United States gave permission to the United Kingdom and France to provide Ukraine with their long-range precision missiles, the Storm Shadow and Scalp respectively, Scholz held back.
Yesterday Friedrich Merz told reporters that he is prepared to send the Taurus to Kiev. Still more irresponsibly, Merz signaled that Ukraine would be allowed to use the Taurus to destroy the Kerch (Crimea) bridge and other targets in Russian Crimea.
The Russians took notice of these statements at once. They stand ready to deliver a devastating counter-blow to Germany if Merz proceeds with policies that reflect the worst of German revanchism. What will happen after that is anyone’s guess. https://gilbertdoctorow.com/2025/04/15/friedrich-merz-the-most-dangerous-german-leader-since-adolf-hitler/ It’s going for war, not social security: Incoming chancellor warns Germans of falling income
Friedrich Merz has admitted that increased social security contributions could put pressure on net salaries https://www.rt.com/news/615724-merz-warns-germany-falling-income/Staying on message, but spinning his wheels: Trump Blames Biden, Putin, Zelenskyy For Ukraine War, Says He’s Working To End It https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-blames-biden-putin-zelenskyy-ukraine-war-says-hes-working-end-it
“Dictator” refuses elections: Zelensky’s Martial Law Move STUNS Trump, Ukraine’s President To Remain In Power For 3 More Months
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted bills to extend martial law and mobilisation for an additional 90 days, starting May 9. This move is seen as a strategic attempt to delay elections amid ongoing conflict. Ukrainian lawmakers are expected to approve these measures, with the extension pushing martial law and mobilisation until August 6. https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-blames-biden-putin-zelenskyy-ukraine-war-says-hes-working-end-it Gilbert Doctorow, The Kremlin takes note of the contradictions in Trump’s foreign policy team
General Kellogg brought particular attention to himself this past weekend in interviews with British news media. He initially was quoted as calling for a settlement in Ukraine along the lines of Germany at the conclusion of WWII, namely to divide up the country. Kellogg later backtracked and said he meant creation of spheres of influence, with Russia holding onto the eastern oblasts that it now occupies and Europeans providing defense for the Western territories of Ukraine, with an independent rump Ukraine in the middle. The acknowledgement that Russia would keep what is now theirs, of course, was an acceptable element for the Kremlin even if they completely rule out the introduction of European (NATO) forces in the Western Ukraine.
Meanwhile, what Steve Witkoff has been saying since his return to Washington from Oman suits the Russians very well. Witkoff sees the war ending with Russia rightfully keeping Crimea and the four oblasts annexed in 2022: Zaporozhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Lugansk. In his remarks there is not a word about European peacekeepers. He has gone on to say that he is optimistic that agreement on a peace treaty is within reach. He also sees good prospects for normalization of relations with Russia and for development of large mutually attractive commercial projects.
It is clear that the Kremlin expects Witkoff and Trump to prevail over Kellogg and Rubio. https://gilbertdoctorow.com/2025/04/15/the-kremlin-takes-note-of-the-contradictions-in-trumps-foreign-policy-team/ EU industry bosses want Russian gas supplies restored – Reuters
Germany’s chemical industry is in a “severe crisis” and in dire need of a return to cheap Russian gas, Reuters reported on Monday, citing executives in the sector. French energy majors Engie and Total have also told the agency that they could see a restart of imports of hydrocarbon from Russia. https://www.rt.com/news/615738-eu-energy-firms-russian-gas/Gilbert Doctorow, Why did Russia attack Sumy and with what results?
For their part, the Russians have put out some very specific information about what were their objectives in the latest attack on Sumy and what they actually achieved. They tell us that they used two Iskander-M hypersonic missiles to obliterate the command staff of the Ukrainian army group called ‘Seversk’ which was holding a meeting at the time. They claim to have killed 60 soldiers and officers of the Ukrainian armed forces including a certain Colonel Yula.
Moreover, they point out that their missile strikes were successful in evading Ukraine’s local electronic warfare gear and Western supplied air defenses.
As regards possible civilian casualties, Moscow blames Kiev for continuing to violate international humanitarian law and placing military personnel and equipment in civilian properties.
But let us go beyond this narrow technical explanation of the attack. The proper context to understand what is going on is the following: Sumy was the planning and staging center for the Ukrainian invasion of Russia’s Kursk oblast just across the border last August. It is still active supporting what remains of Ukrainian troops inside Kursk and it is the staging point for new attacks on the neighboring Belgorod oblast of the RF. Moscow has set the objective of taking Sumy and the surrounding territory of Ukraine to create a buffer zone, thereby pushing back the Ukrainian armed forces beyond the range of their artillery and local drones. https://gilbertdoctorow.com/2025/04/14/why-did-russia-attack-sumy-and-with-what-results/ Simplicius, Zelensky Charms CBS, as Trump Throws Impatient Tantrum
Trump erupted over the interview, calling CBS a failed station, and other predictable insults. The problem is, Trump has been floundering on his Ukraine position, digging himself a deeper hole out of desperation to save face over the failed talks with Russia. In his efforts, he has made quite a few contradictions. Sensing people’s increasing view that he has now ‘owned’ the reputationally-toxic Ukrainian conflict, Trump went on the offensive to claim it is Biden’s conflict, after all…
..Trump is getting really antsy about Russia’s steadfast adherence to its long-held principles. Lusting for the PR boost of ending a pesky war he knows nothing about, Trump is nearly begging for Russia to stop advancing and winning…
..From this critical 18-24 cohort, despite record monetary incentives, they managed to recruit—from the entire country, no less—only 160 or so people per month. This is while Russia is recruiting over 1,000 per day total.
The point is that, this is a dire bellwether for the critical 18-24 cohort: it means virtually no one in that age range wants to willingly serve in the war. As a kind of trial run for a necessary future forced mobilization of this group, it shows that virtually no one from the group wants to voluntarily serve, and that forcing them to fight when the time comes will be a very messy affair.
That comes at a time when there are again increased reports of women being recruited into the ranks, even from prison:
A captured soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the 425th assault regiment “Skala” reported during interrogation about the conscription of women from prisons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They have been preparing them for a month and a half, and now there are 2-3 women in the assault unit of 8 people. The men in the Rock are about 45 years old, and the women are about 30.
Not to mention the first reported deaths from the new 18-24 cohort, including a 21-year old girl who was featured in a video proudly discussing her signup to the 1 million hryvnia bonus program...
..Read the last part again:
A battle between the French army and the Russian army on the eastern borders of Romania is only possible if the Russian Armed Forces capture the Odessa region and Moldova before that.
The opposite is true: they’re clearly there to map out routes to seize Odessa swiftly in the case Ukrainian defenses collapse and Russian troops bear down on the key city.
https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/zelensky-charms-cbs-as-trump-throwsIt appears that the Russians shot down a Ukrainian F-16 at great distance. Did Russia’s 40N6 400km Range Air Defence Missile Just Shoot Down Ukraine’s F-16 Fighter? https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/russia-s40n6-400km-shoot-down-f16
With Iran talks, Trump could achieve a triple win
Steve Witkoff met with Tehran’s foreign minister directly. Already, this White House has achieved more than what Biden’s did in four years.
Trump has repeatedly declared that his only red line is that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, but it has remained unclear whether Trump would seek to achieve that through the complete dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program a la Libya, which has been the Israeli position, or seek a verification-based solution that limits rather than eliminates the nuclear program.
The problem with the “Libya model,” of course, is that Iran would never accept such a capitulation, which is precisely why Israel has pushed this line. They calculate that such demands guarantee the failure of diplomacy and force Trump to shift towards military action.
But Witkoff never mentioned dismantlement during Saturday’s talks. The two sides discussed instead degrees of limitations to the program and the sanctions relief Trump was willing to offer in return.
While dismantlement sounds stronger and tougher, it is unfeasible, whereas a verification-based model not only works, Tehran has already agreed to one before and can agree to it again. https://responsiblestatecraft.org/iran-talks-trump/ Gaza death toll since October 2023 nears 51,000 — health ministry
Over the past 24 hours, 39 people were killed and 118 others were hospitalized in the enclave, the ministry added https://tass.com/world/1943319Killing Palestinian children rises to an industrial level https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250414-killing-palestinian-children-rises-to-an-industrial-level/
Caitlin Johnstone, Saying It’s Antisemitic To Oppose Genocide Is Like Saying It’s Anti-Catholic To Oppose Pedophilia https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/saying-its-antisemitic-to-oppose
Israeli army forces raid West Bank hospital, detain Palestinian: Several staffers also arrested during Israeli raid on Jenin hospital, witnesses say https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/israeli-army-forces-raid-west-bank-hospital-detain-palestinian/3537911
On Palm Sunday, Israel Bombs The Only Christian Hospital In Gaza https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/palm-sunday-israel-bombs-only-christian-hospital-gaza
Guns vs no-guns: How Israeli settlers are able to seize Palestinian land with impunity in the West Bank https://www.arabnews.com/node/2597043/middle-east
Israel’s escalating West Bank assault is part of a larger plan to split the territory in two
Israel is expanding its “Iron Wall” offensive in the West Bank as it approves plans to separate the northern West Bank from the south. The plan is an accelerated prelude to Israel’s expected annexation of the West Bank. https://mondoweiss.net/2025/04/israels-escalating-west-bank-assault-is-part-of-a-larger-plan-to-split-the-territory-in-two/ Over 1,500 Israeli armoured corps troops demand end to Gaza war, return of hostages
According to the daily, Maariv, the petition was signed by 1,525 members of the armoured corps, ranging from riflemen to generals.
They called on the government “to do everything possible to secure the release of the hostages – even if it comes at the cost of halting the fighting.” https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250414-over-1500-israeli-armoured-corps-troops-demand-end-to-gaza-war-return-of-hostages/ Good for Turkey, not Israel? Saudi Arabia to ‘pay off’ Syria’s World Bank debt: Report
Syria owes around $15 million to the World Bank and is suffering severe economic conditions due to years of war and sanctions https://thecradle.co/articles/saudi-arabia-to-pay-off-syrias-world-bank-debt-report Michael Hudson, Return of the Robber Barons, Donald Trump’s Distorted View of America’s Tariff History
What Trump singles out to admire in America’s nineteenth-century industrial policy is the absence of a progressive income tax and the funding of government primarily by tariff revenue. This has given him the idea of replacing progressive income taxation falling on his own Donor Class – the One Percent that paid no income tax prior to its enactment in 1913 – with tariffs designed to fall only on consumers (that is, labor). A new Gilded Age indeed!
In admiring the absence of progressive income taxation in the era of his hero, William McKinley (elected president in 1896 and 1900), Trump is admiring the economic excess and inequality of the Gilded Age. That inequality was widely criticized as a distortion of economic efficiency and social progress. To counteract the corrosive and conspicuous wealth-seeking that caused the distortion, Congress passed the Sherman Anti-Trust Law in 1890, Teddy Roosevelt followed with his trust busting, and a remarkably progressive income tax was passed that fell almost entirely on rentier financial and real estate income and monopoly rents.
Trump thus is promoting a simplistic and outright false narrative of what made America’s nineteenth century policy of industrialization so successful. For him, what is great is the “gilded” part of the Gilded Age, not its state-led industrial and social-democratic takeoff. His panacea is for tariffs to replace income taxes, along with privatizing what remains of the government’s functions. That would give a new set of robber barons free reign to further enrich themselves by shrinking the government’s taxation and regulation of them, while reducing the budget deficit by selling off the remaining public domain, from national park lands to the post office and research labs. https://www.democracycollaborative.org/whatwethink/return-of-the-robber-barons Federal Judge Halts Trump Admin’s Deportation Of Half A Million Biden “Parolees”
Judge Talwani’s order would require individual hearings for the half of a million individuals allowed into the country under this program by President Joe Biden…
..The Administration argued that it did have a “reasoned decision” to end the CHNV program and weighed the cost to the parolees. It noted that the parolees were always going to face family separation and costs since this was just a temporary, two-year program. It asserted that it did weigh alternative periods for winding down the program. While the court may disagree with its conclusions, it asserts that it has the same discretion used by President Biden in creating the program. https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/federal-judge-halts-trump-admins-deportation-half-million-biden-parolees Economic shunning of “non-persons”: Deliberately Polluting the Death Master File Violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act
The Trump administration seems to be walking straight into a pair of Fair Credit Reporting Act violations by placing immigrants whom it knows to be alive on the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File. The Death Master File is a list compiled by the Social Security Administration of people Social Security believes to be dead (generally based on the filing of death benefit claims with Social Security, so it is not at all a complete list of who is actually dead). Creditors and other users of consumer reports regularly use the Death Master File, either directly or through a consumer reporting agency, as part of credit granting, employment, or insurance decisions—you don’t want to be doing business with someone who is dead (and that might indicate that the living person with whom you are dealing isn’t who they say they are). So, Death Master File issues end up being consumer reporting issues and fall under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, violations of which can not only create substantial private civil liability, but they can also be enjoined in a suit by a state attorney general. https://www.creditslips.org/creditslips/2025/04/deliberately-polluting-the-death-master-file-violates-the-fair-credit-reporting-act.html Jessica Rose Ph.D. broadens her scope: Is Blackrock an entity prioritizing metrics over people?
What are the implications of AI’s role in seeking data-driven returns? https://jessicar.substack.com/p/is-blackrock-an-entity-prioritizing Passengers Will Soon Need Real ID To Board Domestic Flights, TSA Warns
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on April 11 said it will begin enforcing the long-delayed REAL ID rules at airports nationwide on May 7. Once the rules are fully enforced, state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards that do not meet the new standards will no longer get through the security checkpoints...
..Travelers can still use documents that the TSA recognizes as acceptable alternatives to a Real ID. These include a passport or passport card, a permanent resident card, and an enhanced driver’s license issued by one of five states—Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington—as well as other federally approved forms of identification. https://www.zerohedge.com/political/passengers-will-soon-need-real-id-board-domestic-flights-tsa-warnsDecorum-Mandatory: Respect & Clarity: China Opens Door For Reengaging Trump In Trade Talks https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/respect-clarity-china-demands-prerequisites-reengaging-trump-trade-talks
Big Win for Trump, NVIDIA to Manufacture AI Supercomputers in US https://mishtalk.com/economics/big-win-for-trump-nvidia-to-manufacture-ai-supercomputers-in-us/
But not in China? Uncontrolled AI growth in US could doom humanity — Chinese ambassador
Zhang Hanhui stressed that China regards security as a fundamental principle of AI development, “emphasizing the priority of ethical norms and the need to keep AI under control” https://tass.com/world/1943151“Inclusiveness” must be good, right? Chinese envoy vows efforts to develop partnership in AI with Russia
Zhang Hanhui said that China and Russia will seek to surmount obstacles by establishing cooperation, build the future on the basis of inclusiveness https://tass.com/world/1943117 But you may want to upgrade to our proprietary version: Chinese neural network DeepSeek to remain open-source to benefit the world — ambassador
According to Zhang Hanhui, China believes that artificial intelligence “should be a technology accessible to all, not a privilege for the few” https://tass.com/world/1943127 Study Finds COVID-19 mRNA Booster Shots Decrease Pancreatic Cancer Survival by 50%
In a cohort of 272 pancreatic cancer patients, receiving ≥3 mRNA doses increased overall death risk by 300% and induced immune dysregulation via IgG4 class switching. https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-study-finds-covid-19-mrna Study Identifies 86 Serious Neuropsychiatric Safety Signals Linked to COVID-19 Vaccination
CDC/FDA safety thresholds breached for 86 adverse events including dementia, schizophrenia, suicidal and homicidal thoughts, stroke, psychosis, depression, cognitive impairment, delusions, and more. https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/breaking-study-identifies-86-seriousAutism Rates Reach Unprecedented Highs: 1 in 12 Boys at Age 4 in California, 1 in 31 Nationally
New CDC Data Paints a Stark Picture of America’s Silent Epidemic. Let’s look at the numbers https://popularrationalism.substack.com/p/autism-rates-reach-unprecedentedNew Studies Ignite Debate: Fluoride Linked to Autism and ADHD, Prompting Calls for Policy Reassessment https://basedunderground.com/2025/04/14/new-studies-ignite-debate-fluoride-linked-to-autism-and-adhd-prompting-calls-for-policy-reassessment/
Peter McCullough MD advocates reducing all of the nudges into Autism: Determinants of Autism
Multifactorial Problem Amenable to Risk Factor Analysis–Dr. McCullough on Stage at Autism Summit https://www.thefocalpoints.com/p/determinants-of-autismPoop and pee get mixed with PFAS when industry dumps illegally. Don’t look! BIOSOLIDS – the dirty trick behind our commercial fertilizers https://doortofreedom.org/biosolids-the-dirty-trick-behind-our-commercial-fertilizers/
The dumbest thing about Leftists (Leftists are Socialists, ask them what system is best and find out what their answer will be 100% of the time) current-year is, they made the mental leap, but could not continue:
“Everything is downstream from culture”
Good job. Sincerely. VERY good job realizing this.
It’s interesting reading Will Durant’s study of history, especially the first book, because you don’t realize how very many basic things go ALL the way back to the earliest history we have. The most basic things in daily life. Therefore probably back into prehistory.
How long did it take to accumulate? How much suffering trying to adopt other things and failing. Tradition is just the solutions to problems we forgot we had. Culture is passed on. Intrinsically, tradition.
You cannot (because this isn’t Minecraft) chop up a tree’s trunk and continue to pick fruit in the future.
“Politics is downstream from Cultu– wait, no. EVERYTHING is downstream from culture!”
Ergo, the Means Of Production are downstream from culture. Socialists could have used their pet “sciences,” where they “study culture” (Ethnology, Sociology, etc) for more than saying “This thing that works and isn’t socialism is also Socialism, we claim its success” and instead notice that different results come out of different cultures – proving the realization that everything really IS downstream from culture
Did your parents not read you the story of the Goose Who Laid The Golden Egg? “Everything is downstream from culture, therefore…” everything is emergent from culture, a product of culture. If you DESTROY the culture, you will never ever successfully steal the things that are downstream from it. Fucking hell.
And the culture you want to destroy has continuity back through prehistory. You prefer to begin beta-testing the bestest evar new system starting NOW and running for what. 20,000 years over proven solutions. And since you won’t be alive to impose outcome regardless of effectiveness, and reality exists, the patches to the beta test will lead back to similar solutions – the way Sharks and Dolphins came from different genetic stock, but adopted the same shapes due to fucking water.
Since every launch of the new bestest evar system fails worse than AAA video game releases in the 2020’s, there WILL be patches and the drift will take people far, far away from your envisioned goal. You cannot “start fresh” and “make things fair” by killing all the dolphins and throwing all the cows in the water. Culture is downstream from actual real reality. In 20,000 years when the new beta test is complete, the cows won’t be cows anymore and linguistic drift will have erased your terminology and the semantics behind it.
I guess you can try deciding human nature is the enemy? Therefore uh… release gene editing virii, impose gene-editing injections maybe? But GENETICS are downstream from reality. You won’t be there to push the string, push water uphill for more than 0.000000000001% of the time. And if you manage to kill humanity, there will be intelligent life at some point on Earth in the billions of years to come, or currently out there in the universe, intelligent life whose intelligence conforms to reality. Dust in the wind, Ted. Dust in the wind.
“Everything is downstream from culture,” therefore… therefore.. argh. Head hurting. therefore… cmon guys, you can get it.
If you are planning to leave reality anyway, maybe do it and leave everyone alone, since, presumably, you would have no need for the things or people OF reality. But instead, what is it? A strategy of trying to be victim and top dog simultaneously. Eternal beggars seeking proximity to culture rather than being participants. Chasing it as it recedes away. Never quite taking that final trip to Comet Hale-Bop. What does God need with a starship? What need do Hale-Bop dwellers have for capitalists?
Jeffery Sachs is ignored by the white house.
He does not propose any solutions.
Jeffrey Sachs SHOCKS America With Huge US-China Conflict Prediction After Trump Tariff ActionMore stupid Witkoffisms
Why send an American Business Man when what you need IS an informed adult?
A suit doesn’t make you an adult, Agreed?Here’s The Stupid Fuckitoff Witkoff acting and behaving completely out of his league. I blame D et al for these shitkoffs because it makes as much sense as Witkoff’s bleating and mewling
-
Ambassador Witkoff, speaking on behalf of President Trump, is demanding that Iran completely halt and dismantle its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program as a non-negotiable condition for a new diplomatic agreement. This request is a significant escalation from….blah, blah, blah
Go!
Steve-O!Schwarzkopf = blackhead, right? Maybe not
God bless Sundance from TCTH.
Nah, I don’t really that except I hear ppl say it all the time with conviction as if they mean it or know God and or God’s will.
Jesus! Of Holy Week, Amen!-
where Boasberg is threatening to appoint an independent Judicial Branch prosecutor against the DOJ and Trump that makes a constitutional crisis tilt toward a near civil war between the branches.
Near? Civil? War?
Wait!
What!?!?!She just noticed what most of TAE readership recognized as Civil War Redux in Los Estados Unidos Unitas for at least the past 9 years.
Pick your opponents
Dems vs Repugs
Conservative vs Liberal
Socialist vs D and his crew
Nazis vs D and hid crew
Businessman vs Everything Good in this World
America and India vs China
ad nauseamI wonder who is skilled at this manifestation of The Dialectic, you know, baiting unconflicted folk into, well, conflict.
As Berne explicated, Let’s You And Him Fight and let me look all call n sophisticated by remaining above the fray after pitting ppl against each other .
From our SoS:
Marco Estupido El Rubio versus strategic placement of the cimma
“And frankly, it’s a proxy war between nuclear powers, the United States helping Ukraine, and Russia.”Evil Incarnate….
……and an avowed cocksucker, his words not mine.
What an Exemplar!Openly gay too….
Classical, heretofore closeted now “openly” Gay, violent repressed angry so typical for his species, gonna take it out on the rest of the world Scott Bessent. Scott??
And I thought DEI was dead in The Orange Trump Administration, but not for Treasurer Gay guy Bessent. Who in the hell cares if he’s open or closeted tied up tight when Orange Boss declared DEI dead??Pure Adulterated Evil
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Bessent married former New York City prosecutor John Freeman in 2011
Those measures are meant to put a final stake in China’s already sinking economy
involves cutting China off from the U.S. economy with tariffs and potentially even cutting Chinese stocks out of U.S. exchanges. Bessent didn’t rule out the administration trying to delist Chinese stocks in a recent interview with Fox Business
Yawn!
The US dollar falls to a new low against gold today.
You now need a wheelbarrow with a capacity to haul $3350 USD to buy an ounce of gold.To buy an ounce of silver, your old wheelbarrow will still do the job, as silver prices haven’t changed very much lately.
Nobody seems to want to buy any silver these days.Everyone seems more interested in buying Bitcoin than gold or silver, to protect their purchasing power.
tdk:
If push comes to shove, I guess one can always eat your tulips!
Not sure how safe eating them is.
I guess one needs to know what parts of the tulip bulb are safe to eat.Ukraine War:
Due to the lack of interest, the war in Ukraine has been cancelled.
General Mud still reins supreme in many places along the front.
In other news Russia has developed several small ground drones about the size of a Tonka toy that is small enough to squirrel down bunker ground level dirt ventilation holes uninvited.
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