Aug 022025
 


Samuel Colman The Edge of Doom 1836-38

 

Trump ‘Prepared’ For Nuclear War With Russia (RT)
Trump Moves Two Nuclear Subs Closer To Russia After Medvedev Tweets (NYP)
White House Makes Trump Nobel Peace Prize Claim (RT)
The Artificial Demon (James Howard Kunstler)
The BRICS Hit Back: Trump’s Old Tricks Meet New World (Sibal)
Chuck Grassley Releases Declassified John Durham Annex (CTH)
Durham Annex Bombshell Exposes New Twist in Russian Collusion Hoax (Margolis)
Sitting US Senator Now Implicated in Russia Hoax Cover-Up (Margolis)
Orban Hammers ‘Weak and Ridiculous’ EU (RT)
The Art of the Defeat: Kamala ‘Writes’ Memoir About 2024 Campaign (Margolis)
Marco Rubio Discusses Current Geopolitical Events and Russia Hoax (CTH)
Why Western Education Is Doomed (Marsden)
Ghislaine Maxwell Is Quietly Moved To Cushy New ‘Club Fed’ Prison (NYP)
Rule by Quacks (Paul Craig Roberts)
Pediatricians Organization Says Eliminate Vaccine Exemptions for Children (Dick)
CDC Recommended Vaccine Schedule 1986 vs. 2019 (CHD)
‘Dead zone’ In Gulf of America Shrank Sharply In 2025 (JTN)

 

 

Sachs

Ritter

Tuberville

CBDC
https://twitter.com/JimFergusonUK/status/1951190664194171030

MAGA

Brennan

 

 

The next time you dislike your life, remember it’s all about perspective. I have a friend who reads 2-3 books a week, works out twice a day, has no financial worries, and has people who want to have sex with him all the time. And yet he constantly complains about how much he hates prison.

 

 

 

 

“Well, you just have to read what he said. He was talking about nuclear. When you talk about nuclear, we have to be prepared. And we’re totally prepared..”

Why does Trump react to tweets? He can just as easily ignore them.

Trump ‘Prepared’ For Nuclear War With Russia (RT)

President Donald Trump has said he cannot treat any talk of nuclear weapons lightly and that the US must always be “totally prepared” for any potential confrontation, responding to what he described as an inappropriate “threat” made by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump explained his alleged order to deploy two nuclear submarines closer to Russian waters, saying the move was necessary to ensure national security. “Well, we had to do that. We just have to be careful. A threat was made, and we didn’t think it was appropriate,” Trump said. “So I do that on the basis of safety for our people. A threat was made by a former president of Russia, and we’re going to protect our people.”

Earlier on Friday, Trump announced in a post on Truth Social that he had ordered the deployment of two US nuclear submarines to what he called “the appropriate regions,” in reaction to remarks made by Medvedev on social media. Trump condemned the former Russian leader’s rhetoric as “foolish and inflammatory,” warning that “words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences.” The dispute escalated after Trump referred to Medvedev as a “failed” leader and warned him to “watch his words.” Medvedev, who currently serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, responded with a scathing message warning against provoking Moscow too far, referencing the legendary ‘Perimetr’ automatic nuclear retaliation system, which dates back to the Soviet era and is presumed to still exist in Russia.

“And about India’s and Russia’s ‘dead economies’ and ‘entering very dangerous territory’ – well, let him remember his favorite movies about ‘the walking dead,’ as well as how dangerous the fabled ‘Dead Hand’ can be,” Medvedev wrote. Though Russia has never officially confirmed the existence of the system, it is widely believed by Western analysts to serve as a last-resort deterrent in the event of a decapitating strike on the Russian leadership. The White House and the Pentagon have not provided any further comments, and Trump’s claim about the submarine redeployment remains impossible to verify, since the exact locations and patrol areas of US nuclear submarines are among the military’s most closely guarded secrets.

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“Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care..”

Trump Moves Two Nuclear Subs Closer To Russia After Medvedev Tweets (NYP)

President Trump said Friday he had ordered two nuclear submarines moved closer to Russia in response to “highly provocative statements” by a top Kremlin official. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of the Security Council of Russia, had taunted Trump directly in a recent post on X, saying “each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war.” “I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, without revealing the location of the vessels. “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances,” he added. The Pentagon referred requests for additional information to the White House, which declined to comment on the record.

Medvedev, a close ally of Putin and deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, taunted Trump in a series of posts on X. Trump had threatened Russia with secondary sanctions if Moscow does not stop its ongoing war on Ukraine by Aug. 8. Medvedev wrote in his post that Trump “should remember two things” as he issues his threats on Moscow — that “Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran” and that “each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country.” “Don’t go down the Sleepy Joe road!” Medvedev mocked. The former Russian president often makes aggressive remarks on social media and is less diplomatic toward the US than Putin in his public comments. Medvedev served as president from 2008 to 2012 and was widely seen as a puppet of Putin, who at the time was only allowed to serve two terms in a row.

While the Russian president has held off on commenting on Trump’s upcoming sanctions, Medvedev has taken to X numerous times to directly condemn the threat. “Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care,” Medvedev wrote on July 15. Medvedev, 59, was even more belligerent under former President Joe Biden, arguing in November of 2024 that if the US were to send nuclear weapons to Ukraine, then Russia would have grounds to respond with an atomic attack. He also raged against Trump directing the US military to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities, writing on June 22, “at this rate, Trump can forget about the Nobel Peace Prize — not even with how rigged it has become. What a way to kick things off, Mr. President. Congratulations!”

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As the kids are dying in Gaza. Can the Nobel really sink any lower?

White House Makes Trump Nobel Peace Prize Claim (RT)

US President Donald Trump should have received a Nobel Peace Prize years ago, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has claimed, citing his role in multiple international peace agreements. Despite several nominations during his first presidency, Trump has not won the award. At a briefing in Washington on Thursday, Leavitt said Trump had intervened in conflicts such as the Thailand-Cambodia dispute by threatening to withhold US trade deals, which she claimed had led to a swift ceasefire. “We had about one peace deal every month,” Leavitt stated. Trump has repeatedly argued he deserves the award, saying in June that he has been overlooked because “they only give it to liberals.”

Several foreign leaders have recently nominated the US president for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu handed Trump a nomination letter earlier this month, crediting his role in mediating a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. Before any ceasefire talks began, however, the US launched a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities in June, aiming to cripple Tehran’s capabilities. Trump later said he didn’t want to cite Hiroshima or Nagasaki as examples, but claimed that just as those bombings had ended World War II, the 2025 strike had ended the Iran conflict. The comment drew sharp criticism from Japanese officials, who called it morally reckless and offensive.

Cambodia’s deputy prime minister also nominated Trump for his role in calming a border dispute with Thailand earlier this year. The Pakistani government publicly backed his nomination, highlighting his involvement in the India-Pakistan ceasefire talks. India, however, has firmly rejected claims of US involvement in the ceasefire, dismissing the notion of any third-party mediation. Trump had vowed to end the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours if re-elected – a promise he later walked back, suggesting a 100-day timeline instead and calling the original claim “a little bit sarcastic.” In July, his administration approved advanced arms deliveries to Ukraine, including Patriot missiles funded by EU NATO allies. Russia condemned the move as a provocation and accused the US of escalating the conflict under the guise of support.

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“With apologies for bluntness, the mainstream press fucked around, now the mainstream press is finding out.” —Matt Taibbi

The Artificial Demon (James Howard Kunstler)

By now, it must be kind of obvious that Mr. Putin of Russia was staged-up into a demon for the convenience of Hillary Clinton — resulting in a decade of deformed US foreign relations that has dragged us to the edge of a third world war. Nice work, Democratic Party! I will proffer a harsh truth to you: the best outcome in Ukraine would be for Russia to win the war as expeditiously as possible, neutralize and disarm the place, change-out its illegitimate government, and let it revert to being the frontier backwater it was for eight decades previous, when it was not a problem for the other nations of the region. Mr. Putin has put up with our country’s psychotic nonsense with remarkable patience. The idea that he seeks to conquer western Europe was a preposterous confection of the neocon crazies in our State Department and Intel “community.”

The long game for the neocon crazies has been to use NATO as the instrument to break up Russia and gain control of its resources. This was after Secretary of State James Baker told Mikhail Gorbachev on February 9, 1990, in discussions over German reunification, that “not an inch of NATO’s present military jurisdiction will spread in an eastern direction.” Starting in 1999 with the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland, sixteen additional nations were induced to join NATO, encroaching on Russia’s borders, with new military bases and missiles. It was a stupid game.

And it failed. Ukraine was the final gambit. The US destabilized it on purpose in 2014, installed a series of governments we could control, made it a ward of US taxpayers, sprinkled it with bio-weapons labs and money laundries, and gave Mr. Zelenskyy the go-ahead to start shelling the Donbas provinces adjacent to Russia. After years of that, Mr. Putin moved to stop it in 2022. The development of drone weapons, along with US-based satellite targeting tech, has prolonged the war. But, of course, the Russians, too, have modernized their own weapons arsenal to match that. The current state of things is a slow Russian grind to defeat a Ukraine that has run out of available fighting men and is apparently short of all weapons besides its drones.

On the campaign trail, Mr. Trump promised to end the Ukraine war in a New York minute. That proved more difficult and complicated than he realized. He said lately in so many words that he has “lost patience” with Mr. Putin for failing to join a ceasefire as a prelude to peace talks. Accordingly, Mr. Trump set a fifty-day deadline and then shortened it to twelve-days, running out on August 8-9 (accounting for time zones). Failure to comply will cause Russia to suffer a new round of sanctions. Mr. Putin has shrugged off that threat, saying that time has proven Russia to be sanction-proofed.

Some kind of game is afoot in all this. Neither Trump nor Putin could possibly want to turn this fiasco in Ukraine into a greater war that will destroy what’s left of Western Civilization. You might find this startling, but for all our efforts to anathemize Russia, it is still a part of Western Civ. After its soviet experiment failed, Russia wanted above all to reintegrate economically with Europe, but the neocons here and the globalists of Europe would not allow that. They became determined instead to wreck Russia — a vicious ethos likely to have emanated from the UK, with its lingering imperial delusions. (For Germany, it has brought only economic suicide.)

You might suspect that Mr. Trump has to pretend to be tough with Russia to counter the still-lingering suspicion — germinated by the Hillary Clinton campaign a decade ago — that he is “Putin’s puppet.” By coincidence, strange or not, that trope is now unraveling with the release of the RussiaGate intel archive that the rogue DOJ and FBI squirreled away since the Trump 1.0 term in office. Mr. Patel found a trove of documentary evidence in a burn-bag in a back room at FBI headquarters. DNI Tulsi Gabbard retrieves more previously-hidden evidence by the day from the vast NSA data base. It ought to be clear now that the initial Hillary Clinton campaign prank metastasized into the worst perversion of abusive government power in our country’s history, and is yet on-going.

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“Trump positions himself as a peacemaker and openly aspires to win a Nobel Peace Prize, while at the same time bombing Iran and assisting Israel in perpetuating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”

The BRICS Hit Back: Trump’s Old Tricks Meet New World (Sibal)

US President Trump has rattled Washington’s ties with New Delhi to an unexpected degree. Countries, including, India were prepared for rough diplomatic weather after Trump won his second term, but did not anticipate the kind of onslaught he has unleashed on the global system and diplomatic norms. Trump’s latest attack on India and the BRICS countries explains this underlying dynamic. The BRICS aspire to play a greater political, economic and financial role in global affairs. This aspiration is based on shifts of economic and concomitant political and financial power towards the so-called emerging powers or middle-income countries. BRICS countries have already begun to use their national currencies in trading with each other as much as possible. The use of draconian financial sanctions on Russia by the West has accelerated this process.

Today, almost all trade operations between Russia and China are conducted in rubles and yuan. India too is encouraging the use of its national currency in payment transactions with select countries. A significant portion of the trade between India and Russia is now settled using a rupee-ruble mechanism. Washington cannot use secondary sanctions to prevent countries, including India, from using the US dollar to trade with Russia and then oppose de-dollarization if these countries are compelled to use alternative payment mechanisms. If the US continues to weaponize the dollar, it will inevitably lead to the very “de-dollarization” that Trump is concerned about. India has officially disowned any de-dollarization agenda – not the least because the US is its biggest trade partner in goods and services. India seeks more investments and technology transfers from the US. In many ways, New Delhi’s ties with Washington are the most important for achieving its growth and developmental goals.

But that does not preclude India from establishing other partnerships to reduce over-dependence on one country, balance its external relations and hedge against the excesses of US foreign policy. Trump has exacerbated the disruptions caused by Washington’s frequent use of sanctions as a political weapon by also weaponizing tariffs. He is convinced that by imposing arbitrarily determined tariffs on imports from other countries he will compel them to enter into negotiations with the US to obtain relief by lowering their high tariffs on American products. But India on Wednesday sent a clear message: it is determined to protect the interests of its own businesses, farmers and people. Trump’s use of tariffs as lever, like in the case of Brazil, where he has cited President Lula’s treatment of his predecessor Bolsanaro as reason for imposing 50% levies, is being closely monitored by the world’s governments.

Trump has repeatedly targeted BRICS since his return to the Oval Office. He had threatened the countries with tariffs if they contonie to pledge to create a new common currency or support any alternative to the US dollar. Trump appeared to harbor the illusion that BRICS was ”dead” following his threats – which have now materialized into action. In reality, the BRICS summit held in Brazil this July showed no visible signs of intimidation. On the contrary, such overt displays of American economic coercion may well drive more countries toward alliances that seek to challenge the dominance of any single global power. The administration in Washington appears to lack realism in its assessment of global trends. Trump positions himself as a peacemaker and openly aspires to win a Nobel Peace Prize, while at the same time bombing Iran and assisting Israel in perpetuating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

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“Obviously, the DNC and the people running the Open Societies Foundation (Soros) knew what the Clinton campaign was doing; they also knew the FBI was assisting the Clinton campaign.”

Chuck Grassley Releases Declassified John Durham Annex (CTH)

The FBI, CIA, ODNI and DOJ declassified the annex to the John Durham investigation of the origin of the Trump-Russia collusion hoax. The declassified annex was released today by Senator Chuck Grassley. First, the basic outline. The John Durham Annex outlines how the CIA received information in mid-2016 from a “credible foreign source,” talking about Hillary Clinton’s campaign working with the FBI to manufacture a Trump-Russia conspiracy, as an October surprise. Beginning in 2014 and continuing through 2016, Russian hackers gained access to the email accounts and main accounts of the Soros Foundation/Open Societies Foundation who was working with the DNC and Hillary Clinton campaign. What the hackers discovered was a trove of information showing how the Clinton Campaign was constructing a smear job against Donald Trump with the manufacturing of a fraudulent Trump-Russia conspiracy.

The emails and communication showed the Clinton Campaign was directly working with the FBI to create the smear. A CIA source gained custody of the Russian analysis of the information. The information was then shared with the CIA, who evaluated the Russian framework as “authentic” and “valid.” The CIA then shared that information with the FBI, who said the information was “unreliable.” Obviously, the FBI held a conflict of interest because the information received outlined their misconduct. So, the FBI claimed the information gained from the hack was false and likely Russian propaganda. However, the CIA deemed it credible because it was clearly happening in real time. Additionally, this information was then used in the summer of 2016 by CIA Director John Brennan to brief President Obama on what the Russians knew about the Clinton Campaign working with the FBI to create this false political narrative.

Part of what the Russians knew from their intercepts was that President Obama would not support the Clinton campaign directly, but Obama had instructed Attorney General Loretta Lynch to assist Hillary Clinton’s efforts. Lynch would work with FBI officials to exonerate Hillary Clinton from her email server scandal and then greenlight the FBI to assist with the Trump-Russia smear. The 29-page annex then goes into details about who was communicating with whom and what the joint Clinton-FBI agenda was. The information inside the Durham Annex is remarkable in that it shows the planning of the Clinton Campaign to use Fusion GPS and the FBI to smear Donald Trump with the false Trump-Russia narrative.

The declassified Annex has two central components. First, it walks through the evidence against Clinton and the FBI organizing the operation. Second, it then takes a rather remarkable look at how the FBI manipulated the information around Carter Page to support the Clinton/FBI operation. All of the information contained within the declassified annex is not entirely new; however, the clear and compelling evidence it provides highlights the operation as it unfolded. Obviously, the DNC and the people running the Open Societies Foundation (Soros) knew what the Clinton campaign was doing; they also knew the FBI was assisting the Clinton campaign.

The term “special services” in this context is the FBI.

Crowdstrike and ThreatConnect would then push the Trump-Russia narrative into the media. That’s exactly what happened.

I strongly suggest everyone to take the time to read carefully the 29-page declassified Annex. The entire outline of the operation to discredit candidate Donald Trump is within it. CIA Director John Brennan then briefs President Obama to tell him the Russians’ are aware of the op. The Obama administration then begins making moves to target Russia, as both an enhancement to the Clinton operation and as a defensive move to protect themselves from discovery as the operation continues.

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“..explosive allegations that the FBI may have been doing George Soros’ bidding during Operation Crossfire Hurricane.”

Durham Annex Bombshell Exposes New Twist in Russian Collusion Hoax (Margolis)

In a bombshell development that should rattle every American, newly declassified documents confirm what conservatives have said all along: the Trump-Russia collusion narrative wasn’t just baseless; it was a deliberate political hit job that the highest levels of the Obama administration orchestrated, with Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign at the helm and the FBI eagerly playing along. But it gets worse. Buried in a classified annex to John Durham’s report, which is finally seeing the light of day after the Biden administration kept it under wraps, are explosive allegations that the FBI may have been doing George Soros’ bidding during Operation Crossfire Hurricane.

This intel, which Durham acquired and shared with a Senate committee, was reportedly so sensitive that whistleblowers say it never saw daylight until now. The hoax wasn’t just a smear campaign. It was a weaponized operation, and the American people were the targets. After Tulsi Gabbard declassified the annex, Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley released it to the public this morning. And buckle up because if the testimony witnesses provided to Durham is accurate, the Soros Foundation wasn’t just tangentially involved in this political hit job; it was knee-deep in it. We’re talking elbows-in, fingerprints-all-over level involvement in what now looks like one of the most brazen abuses of power in modern political history. Just the News has the details:

“Newly-declassified so-called Clinton Plan intelligence included intercepted communications from a George Soros ally which suggested that Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign against Donald Trump was plotting a “long-term affair to demonize” Trump by linking him to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and that the Clinton campaign expected that “the FBI will put more oil into the fire.” The revelations, including intercepted purported communications from Leonard Benardo, a top official at George Soros’s Open Society Foundations, and communications by Clinton foreign policy adviser Julianne Smith, provide new insight into information that the U.S. intelligence community received in July 2016 – just before the FBI launched its politicized Crossfire Hurricane investigation. The bombshell allegations about a plot to falsely link Trump to Putin in an effort to distract from Clinton’s classified emails scandal are found within a formerly classified but now largely-unredacted appendix from special counsel John Durham’s 2023 report on the origins and conduct of the Russiagate investigation.”

According to the newly declassified annex, U.S. intelligence, including the FBI, received information suggesting that Clinton personally approved a scheme to link Donald Trump to Russian hackers in order to distract from her own email scandal. And it was a Hillary-approved plan. “HRC [Hillary Rodham Clinton] approved [Campaign adviser Julie’s] idea about Trump and Russian hackers hampering U.S. elections,” the email read. “That should distract people from her own missing emails.” The plot outlined how a Clinton adviser pushed a long-term plan to “demonize Putin and Trump,” using media outlets, CrowdStrike, and ThreatConnect to launder the narrative under the guise of cybersecurity analysis. Durham concluded that there’s credible evidence that the Clinton campaign’s plan to tie Trump to Russian hackers was real and that the campaign followed through with it.

“The office’s review of certain communications involving Smith provided possible additional support … to the notion that the Clinton campaign was engaged in an effort or plan in late July 2016 to encourage scrutiny of Trump’s purported ties to Russia, and that the [Clinton] campaign might have wanted or expected the FBI or other agencies to aid that effort (‘put more oil into the fire’) by commencing a formal investigation of the DNC hack,” Durham’s classified annex reads.These are not wild conspiracy theories. The documents have shattered the illusions of even the most stubborn deniers.

“Based on the Durham annex, the Obama FBI failed to adequately review and investigate intelligence reports showing the Clinton campaign may have been ginning up the fake Trump-Russia narrative for Clinton’s political gain, which was ultimately done through the Steele Dossier and other means,” Sen. Grassley said in a statement. “History will show that the Obama and Biden administration’s law enforcement and intelligence agencies were weaponized against President Trump. This political weaponization has caused critical damage to our institutions and is one of the biggest political scandals and cover-ups in American history.”

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“..Sen. Warner’s involvement marks a turning point. This scandal no longer stops with the intelligence agencies; it now reaches deep into Congress..”

Sitting US Senator Now Implicated in Russia Hoax Cover-Up (Margolis)

In recent weeks, a scandal of epic proportions has come to light, confirming that the Obama administration rigged intelligence to concoct the Russia collusion narrative against Donald Trump, and the conspiracy went all the way to the top: Barack Obama himself. This is no longer hearsay, thanks to two explosive document releases from Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. They reveal a conspiracy coordinated between the highest levels of America’s intelligence community and the White House — an open assault on the presidency in retaliation for Trump winning the election. Barack Obama personally ordered the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment to rely on the notorious, unverified Steele Dossier, an opposition research hit job that even career analysts derided for its lack of credibility.

The dossier’s only real value was its utility: fueling Democratic cries of collusion and giving the legacy media a weapon to batter the new administration. Inside the agencies, voices of dissent were crushed. Analysts warned the dossier was junk, but their objections were overruled. The process became not about facts but about constructing a narrative at any cost. Amid this corruption, a senior analyst tried to do the right thing. He witnessed former CIA Director John Brennan warping intelligence and sought to raise the alarm. But speaking the truth in a rigged game is a recipe for punishment. When the analyst tried to report his concerns, he was promptly silenced by Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), then the Democratic chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, whose interest in oversight seemed to depend on political expedience.

Then, intimidation from the very top set in. According to notes obtained by The Federalist, then-DNI James Clapper’s right-hand man threatened the analyst’s career, making it clear that professional advancement hinged on parroting the party line. “The notes made public for the first time today recount a conversation the top analyst in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) had with an unnamed superior who worked closely with the then-Director James Clapper, according to sources familiar with the document,” explain Margot Cleveland and Mollie Hemingway. According to a person familiar with the notes, the analyst documented his recollection of the conversation on March 31, 2023 — more than six years after the conversation occurred.

The delay, The Federalist’s source explained, occurred because the analyst’s efforts to share his concerns, first with the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community (IC), and then later with Special Counsel John Durham and Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, proved unsuccessful. Only later did the analyst receive an inquiry for more information about his claims, leading to the drafting of the summary of his recollections. Those notes capture the analyst claiming in early January that his supervisor told him, “There is reporting you are not allowed to see,” adding that “if you saw it, you would agree” with the ICA. After noting he concurred “with varying confidence with most of the 2017 ICA’s Key Judgements,” the analyst explained that he “would need to review any reporting myself in order to consider it.”

“You need to TRUST ME on this,” Clapper’s crony countered, stating to the analyst he “would need to demonstrate [his] ability to ‘outgrow’” his refusal to sign off on assessments he did not share, in order to be recommended for a promotion. The analyst remained firm, according to the notes, which led his exasperated superior to reply, “I need you to say you agree with these judgements, so that DIA will go along with them!” Unlike the left’s celebrated whistleblowers, this analyst was ignored, stonewalled, and silenced for daring to expose the truth. Despite him raising concerns with the IC Inspector General, John Durham, and even Sen. Warner, no one listened — because his story threatened the power structure in Washington. For over six years, the same institutions that claim to protect democracy worked to bury his warnings. Now, the documents show something far worse than mere misconduct: a deliberate scheme to weaponize U.S. intelligence against a sitting president and subvert the will of the voters.

The Russia hoax wasn’t a mistake; it was a slow-motion coup dressed up as national security. And unless the people behind it face real consequences, there can be no restoring trust in the intelligence community. The evidence is now overwhelming that senior Obama officials didn’t just manufacture the Russia collusion hoax, but they actively worked to suppress anyone who challenged it. With the help of a sitting U.S. senator, they silenced a whistleblower to keep their deception buried. Sen. Warner’s involvement marks a turning point. This scandal no longer stops with the intelligence agencies; it now reaches deep into Congress. Lawmakers weren’t merely complicit; they played an active role in a coordinated plot to mislead the American people and undermine a duly elected president.

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“We are what we are. Weak, ridiculous, loud-mouthed. We educate others, but we have no strength when it comes to negotiating. We show neither talent nor ability. So it’s the worst combination.”

Orban Hammers ‘Weak and Ridiculous’ EU (RT)

The European Union’s recent dealings with the US have reinforced Brussels’ image as a weak yet overconfident partner prone to lecturing others, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Speaking on Friday during his regular interview on Kossuth Radio, Orban took aim at European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for her handling of trade negotiations with US President Donald Trump. He claimed she had failed to secure a balanced agreement and made side commitments – such as pledging to purchase US arms, presumably for Ukraine – that she had neither the authority to offer nor the capacity to fulfill.

Orban described the resulting trade arrangement as “an economic own goal,” and suggested the EU had lost ground in a trade dispute that remains unresolved. The Hungarian leader, a frequent critic of Brussels, said the bloc’s foreign policy approach was incoherent and ineffective, painting a picture of dysfunction at the top. “We are what we are. Weak, ridiculous, loud-mouthed. We educate others, but we have no strength when it comes to negotiating. We show neither talent nor ability. So it’s the worst combination.”

He likened EU diplomacy to “a little hamster huddling in the corner, hissing at everyone, arguing with everyone, humiliating ourselves, and then still thinking we are in a position to lecture others about human rights, democracy, and behavior.” Orban was commenting on a perceived diplomatic slight toward top EU officials during their visit to Beijing earlier this week. Members of the delegation, led by von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, were seen exiting shuttle buses at the airport upon arrival before eventually being offered individual transportation. The footage shown by Chinese media prompted speculation that the reception was not in line with the dignitaries’ rank.

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“There are currently no details about what kind of advance she got for the book, which probably means it was really small.”

The Art of the Defeat: Kamala ‘Writes’ Memoir About 2024 Campaign (Margolis)

It looks like Kamala Harris isn’t fading away into the sunset just yet. Brace yourselves; she’s writing a book. After tanking so spectacularly in the 2024 election that her future in public office is all but shot, she’s chosen the classic liberal consolation prize: the post-defeat memoir. Harris has announced a memoir about her failed presidential campaign, titled “107 Days.” The video announcement, which she delivered with all the forced earnestness we’ve come to expect from the former vice president, attempts to reframe her presidential campaign as something noble, inspirational, and worth commemorating. You can already tell this book will be 300-plus pages of agonizing prose, blaming everything and everyone for her defeat, except Harris herself.

Even the title, “107 Days,” feels like a not-so-subtle attempt to plant the idea that she never really had a fair shot. It’s not her fault she burned through over a billion dollars and lost every swing state; it was just “the circumstances” that made victory impossible. The whole thing reads like a preemptive excuse masquerading as a reflection. “Just over a year ago, I launched my campaign for President of the United States,” she said. “107 days traveling the country fighting for our future, the shortest presidential campaign in modern history.” Apparently, Harris has spent her post-office time reminiscing about those three and a half months of political mediocrity, cobbling together what she calls a “journal” into a book. “Since leaving office, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on those days,” she said, explaining she was “pulling my thoughts together… in essence writing a journal that is this book.”

Of course, she insists the book offers more than just an extended therapy session. She promises a “behind-the-scenes account” and insists it’s filled with “candor and reflection,” which in Harris-speak likely means recycled talking points and plenty of passive voice. “I believe there’s value in sharing what I saw, what I learned, and what I know it will take to move forward,” Harris added, though she neglected to explain how losing to Donald Trump by a landslide in 2024 qualifies her to lecture anyone on how to “move forward.”In other words, it’s the spiritual sequel to Hillary Clinton’s “What Happened?” She goes on to claim that one “truth” kept coming back to her while supposedly writing this book. That truth? “Sometimes the fight takes a while.” A poetic way of saying: I lost, but I’m still pretending it mattered.

Finally, Harris assured her dwindling fan base, “I will never stop fighting to make our country reflect the very best of its ideals, always on behalf of the people.” Translation: I’m not done chasing relevance. In what feels like the latest stop on Kamala Harris’s never-ending farewell tour minus the applause, “107 Days” is shaping up to be yet another entry in her growing library of hollow slogans and forced gravitas. “I cannot wait for you to read this,” she declares, which is ironic, because most Americans won’t. Simon & Schuster is publishing the book, which comes out in September. There are currently no details about what kind of advance she got for the book, which probably means it was really small.

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“..an evaluation of the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the frustration of the Trump administration to find a way to settle the issues..”

Marco Rubio Discusses Current Geopolitical Events and Russia Hoax (CTH)

Secretary of State/National Security Advisor, Marco Rubio, appears for an interview with Brian Kilmeade to discuss recent events in the world of geopolitics in addition to the events now surfacing with the declassification of the Trump-Russia hoax documents. The beginning of the conversation starts with an evaluation of the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the frustration of the Trump administration to find a way to settle the issues. The second subject is the status of U.S-India relations now that trade negotiations have stalled. The conversation then moves to the ongoing declassification of information. At 07:30 of the interview Rubio is asked about his previous SSCI investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Rubio talks about his prior role as Chairman of the SSCI and the efforts of the Intelligence Community to manipulate public opinion.

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Try woke spelling.

“Shur, whi not rite a sentins like this won, wear awl the wurdz sound rite but luk lyke they flunked owtta speling skool?”

Why Western Education Is Doomed (Marsden)

In France, the attempt to institute a similar post-knowledge educational system has seen middling results. High school math classes were ditched entirely in 2019 under President Emmanuel Macron. But the outcome was such a disaster that it was reversed for the 2023/24 school year. This year’s French final standardized exams for high schoolers and middle schoolers, which have just taken place, saw the French media publish a bunch of instructions that were given to the test graders to dummy things down for France’s future Nobel Prize hopefuls. “The first is to not deduct points for spelling or grammar mistakes. What matters is not compliance with the spelling code, but intelligibility,” said France’s RTL.

Oh, so something like this, you mean? “Shur, whi not rite a sentins like this won, wear awl the wurdz sound rite but luk lyke they flunked owtta speling skool?” Because that fits the stated criteria. Imagine an email from that colleague when he or she gets into your workplace.mnnApparently, graders were also told not to remove all points when a student is asked to conjugate a verb – and then gets the root of the same verb that was just listed wrong. Maybe the verb they replaced whatever was right in front of their eyes with doesn’t even exist, but the ending is right. Only half the points are taken away for that.

The final philosophy exam had to explain the meaning of the word “preponderant,” because it was apparently considered too hard for kids about to head off to university, RTL reports. The media outlet also pointed out that graders of the oral exam, read from a text that the student has 20 minutes to prepare, were only to focus on the student’s performance at the end of the session, to account for nerves. This may or may not have been read off a student’s page:

“Hai, my naym is Sam. I hav two bruthurs and wun sistur. We lyk to play soker togethur. My mum cuks gud fud and my dad lukes to wach mooviz wif us. I lyk drawin and playin vidyo gayms. Thansk for lisnin! Do I pas high skool now?” Oui, oui! A+. Every day seems to bring a new revelation about how the West’s Wokémon Academy is doing. In a world where feelings outrank facts and spelling is optional, it’s anyone’s guess what our ‘graduates’ will actually know and be equipped with for real life. But hey, at least their safe spaces are well-furnished.

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This is after talking to Deputy AG Todd Blanche for 9 hours this week.

”Maxwell is supposed to be locked up until 2037. Yet inmates “typically only go to a camp if you have just a couple years left,”

Ghislaine Maxwell Is Quietly Moved To Cushy New ‘Club Fed’ Prison (NYP)

Notorious sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has quietly been moved to a cushy Texas prison camp known as Club Fed as she tries to hash out a deal to divulge her sordid secrets about late pedophile ex Jeffrey Epstein. The 63-year-old convicted child sex trafficker was transferred from a lockup in Florida to the minimum-security prison camp in Bryan, Texas, the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) confirmed to The Post on Friday. No reason was given for the move, but it comes days after she met Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche twice while trying to seek immunity and a deal to spill her secrets about Epstein. The notorious madam — who is serving 20 years for helping Epstein groom and abuse underage girls — will now be neighbors with white-collar criminals, including Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced fraudster convicted of ripping off investors in her now-defunct blood-testing company Theranos.

“It’s one of the best prisons for anyone to go to,” Josh Lepird, regional vice president for the prison officers’ union that includes Maxwell’s new camp, told the Houston Chronicle on Friday. “When you hear people say ‘Club Fed,’ they’re talking about places like FPC Bryan. ”Maxwell is supposed to be locked up until 2037. Yet inmates “typically only go to a camp if you have just a couple years left,” Lepird told the outlet. “But if someone is a cooperating witness, they can request a lower security level.”

Her unexpected move from Federal Correctional Institution Tallahassee was handled directly by BOP officials, rather than US Marshals, according to the New York Sun, which said it included a “brief stopover” in FCI Oakdale in Louisiana. No reason was given for the unexpected move. Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Marcus, also declined to elaborate, saying, “We can confirm that she was moved but we have no comment.” However, the sudden transfer comes a week after Blanche — the DOJ’s second-in-command and formerly President Trump’s defense lawyer — huddled with the disgraced British socialite and her lawyer at the US Attorney’s Office in Tallahassee.

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“Sit down with a double martini to help keep you calm, and try to think of even one American institution that serves a public interest..”

Rule by Quacks (Paul Craig Roberts)

Adam Dick of the Ron Paul Institute reports that the American Academy of Pediatrics last Monday called for mandated vaccinations of children for the full plethora of vaccines and the elimination of all exceptions. The irresponsible American Academy of Pediatrics served as despicable shills for Big Pharma’s murder for profit of children by insisting that every child be infected with the spike protein from the Covid vax. The academy’s support for mandatory vaccination of children with the 54 shots, many known to be toxic and dangerous and the cause of the extraordinary increase in childhood illnesses since the mass vaccination, fortunately for me after my generation, was imposed on naive parents, is proof that the American Academy of Pediatric is a collection of incompetent quacks on the take from profit-driven Big Pharma.

In my opinion, every member of the academy should be arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced for conspiracy to commit murder. American doctors are so indoctrinated by Big Pharma’s control over medical education and research that Americans can no longer trust their doctors. Americans can’t trust their hospitals either. Reports are emerging of hospitals harvesting for profit the organs of patients before they are dead. The value of money has replaced the value of life in American health care. We see it everywhere. For example, cancer cures such as Ivermectin and Fenbendzole are being suppressed in order to save the high profit chemotherapy and radiation treatment. It seems the entire purpose of medical research, 70% of which is funded by Big Pharma grants, is to protect Big Pharma’s control of health care practice.

Sit down with a double martini to help keep you calm, and try to think of even one American institution that serves a public interest. The health system serves profit. The educational system serves left-wing ideology by teaching white kids that they are racists and born into the wrong body and by replacing a merit-based society with DEI ideology. The military serves the power and profit of the military/security complex. Take it from here and extend the list. Is there any way short of massive violence for Americans to regain control over their lives?

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“Shots mandates for children are already widespread in America. But, that is not good enough for AAP. It appears determined to eliminate the ability of almost all parents to opt their children out of the mandates.”

Pediatricians Organization Says Eliminate Vaccine Exemptions for Children (Dick)

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) distinguished itself as an obsessive shots pusher and freedom theatener during the coronavirus crackdown. It was admonishing that children — who were at very minimal risk from coronavirus — be subjected to the quack practices of masking and social distancing to protect them until they became “fully vaccinated” with experimental coronavirus “vaccine” shots. The AAP was also calling on pediatricians to evangelize for giving these dangerous and ineffective shots to nearly all children in the age groups for which the United States government had approved the shots. Luckily for many American children, their parents resisted the AAP supported effort. But, many other parents, placing confidence in pediatricians that peddled the AAP line, went along.

While the coronavirus crackdown has receded into the past, the AAP, an organization claiming 67,000 members, is still pushing shots and threatening freedom on a grand scale. The latest example is the policy statement the AAP issued on Monday titled Medical vs Nonmedical Immunization Exemptions for Child Care and School Attendance. In the policy statement, the AAP endorses the presence of laws and regulations requiring children to receive “immunizations” as a prerequisite for attending school or daycare. Further, the AAP supports eliminating philosophical and religious based exemptions from such mandates — the means by which the vast majority of parents who have opted out across America have been able to protect their children from receiving some or all of the plethora of shots listed in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) childhood vaccination schedule.

The only exemption basis, declares the AAP in its policy statement, should be “medically indicated exemptions to specific immunizations as determined for each individual student.” As this phrasing from the policy statement indicates, this medical exemption route turns out to deny exemption for most children and can even limit the applicability of medical exemptions that may be granted to just one or some of the mandated shots. Showing a child has already been hurt by shots is part of one of the limited routes to maybe obtain a medical exemption. Such an exemption will, by definition, be too late. As I wrote in April of 2023, the medical exemption for vaccines “could more accurately be called the mirage exemption” given that it is unavailable to almost all children.

The AAP policy statement further says that, even once granted, medical exemptions should have hanging over them the possibility of being revoked at any time. The policy statement directs that “all pediatric health care providers” should “recertify the need for these exemptions on a regular basis.” Here today, gone tomorrow. The AAP also appears to want to shut the door on any doctors who try to grant medical exemptions in any but the most stingy manner. The policy statement declares that “states and territories should develop policies to ensure that any medical exemptions are appropriate and evidence based.” It is not the doctor’s determination after all. Big Brother will be there to crack down on any doctor who swims against the current. Shots mandates for children are already widespread in America. But, that is not good enough for AAP. It appears determined to eliminate the ability of almost all parents to opt their children out of the mandates.

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Who finds this a good thing?

CDC Recommended Vaccine Schedule 1986 vs. 2019 (CHD)

In the early 1980s, children received three vaccines for seven illnesses—two combination vaccines (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis and measles-mumps-rubella) and a polio vaccine—totaling two dozen doses by age 18. In the decade following 1989 (beginning soon after the NCVIA’s implementation), the CDC packed multiple doses of several more vaccines into the childhood schedule, including those for Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis B (on the day of birth) and varicella (chickenpox), as well as a rotavirus vaccine (withdrawn a year after its introduction)

Next, in the first decade of the 2000s, the CDC recommended an even larger batch of new vaccines, going after not just children but also adolescents and adults: hepatitis A, HPV, meningococcal conjugate, pneumococcal conjugate, rotavirus (again) and zoster (shingles), along with an adult tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis booster (Tdap) and a massive expansion of influenza vaccine recommendations for all ages . At present, the childhood vaccine schedule requires almost six dozen doses through age 18 for sixteen diseases.

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We’re not all used to ‘Gulf of America’ yet.

‘Dead Zone’ In Gulf of America Shrank Sharply In 2025 (JTN)

The Gulf of America’s “dead zone” has shrunk significantly this summer, with scientists measuring a hypoxic area of just over 4,400 square miles — roughly a third smaller than last year and far less than the long-term average, federal officials announced Wednesday. The dead zone, a stretch of oxygen-depleted water that forms annually off the Louisiana and Texas coasts, is caused primarily by excess nutrients washing into the Gulf from the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin. This year’s zone, measured during a July 20–25 survey aboard the research vessel Pelican, was 4,402 square miles — 21% smaller than NOAA’s early-season estimate and the 15th smallest on record, according to NOAA-supported scientists from LSU and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium.

“This year’s significant reduction in the Gulf of America’s ‘dead zone’ is an encouraging sign for the future of this area,” said Laura Grimm, acting NOAA administrator. “It highlights the dedication and impactful work of NOAA-supported scientists and partners, and serves as a testament to the effectiveness of collaborative efforts in supporting our U.S. fishermen, coastal communities, and vital marine ecosystems.” The measured area is equivalent to roughly 2.8 million acres of bottom habitat temporarily made unavailable to marine life such as fish and shrimp due to low oxygen levels. That marks a 30% drop from 2024, when the zone spanned a massive 6,703 square miles — more than 1.3 times the long-term average and nearly 3.5 times larger than the target goal of 1,930 square miles set by the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force.

Despite this year’s improvement, the five-year running average remains high at 4,755 square miles—still more than double the federal benchmark. Dead zones emerge when excess nutrients — mostly nitrogen and phosphorus from upstream agriculture and wastewater — fuel algae blooms. As algae die and sink, their decomposition consumes oxygen in bottom waters. Without sufficient oxygen, marine species must flee or perish.= In 2024, the area west of the Mississippi River experienced heavy hypoxia with extremely low oxygen readings and little water mixing, according to NOAA. “The stratification of warmer surface water over cooler, saltier bottom water was strong enough to prevent oxygen replenishment,” researchers wrote in a followup report.

Some bottom waters saw oxygen drop across the lower five meters of the water column. Even with relatively low chlorophyll readings — indicating modest live algae near the surface — researchers noted high concentrations of degraded algae and organic detritus near the seafloor, still enough to drive significant bacterial oxygen consumption. The Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force, a coalition of federal and state agencies, has worked for over two decades to reduce nutrient pollution flowing into the Gulf. The EPA established a dedicated Gulf Hypoxia Program in 2022 to accelerate these efforts.

“The Gulf of America is a national treasure that supports energy dominance, commercial fishing, American industry, and the recreation economy,” said Peggy Browne, acting assistant administrator for the EPA’s Office of Water. “I look forward to co-leading the work of the Gulf Hypoxia Task Force to assess evolving science and address nutrient loads from all sources.” So far, nitrogen loading from the Mississippi River has not declined since the 2001 adoption of the Hypoxia Action Plan, scientists noted. NOAA’s June 2025 forecast, which had predicted a dead zone of 5,574 square miles, was based on U.S. Geological Survey nutrient data from spring river flows and fell within model uncertainty ranges.

NOAA’s Coastal Hypoxia Research, Ocean Technology Transition, and Uncrewed Systems programs are working to improve monitoring and prediction tools. This year, several autonomous surface vehicles were deployed alongside ship-based crews to compare mapping methods. Researchers said ASVs may provide a more cost-effective way to track dead zones in the future. NOAA also partners with the Northern Gulf Institute and Gulf of Mexico Alliance to expand observational capabilities and state-level technical support.

Read more …

 

 

 

 

DOGE: regulations

IVM
https://twitter.com/newstart_2024/status/1951236472314450127

Pelosi
https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1950982971533439364

 

 

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Jun 222025
 


Rembrandt van Rijn The resurrection of Christ 1639

 

Trump: Iran’s Nuclear Facilities “Completely & Totally Obliterated” (ZH)
Trump Hails ‘Spectacular’ US Raid Against Iran (RT)
With Six Bunker-Busting Bombs, Trump Just Rewrote History (JTN)
US Strike On Iran Will ‘Change History’ – Netanyahu (RT)
Iran Accuses US Of Nuclear Treaty Violation (RT)
Trump Says US Intel of Iran’s Nuclear Program “Was Wrong”, Tulsi Responds (ET)
Trump’s Envoy Urges Musk To Provide Free Starlink To ‘Friends’ In Iran (RT)
US, Europe Plotting Iran’s Next Leader While Talking ‘Diplomacy’ (Sp.)
Pakistan Recommends Trump for Nobel Peace Prize (RT)
Iran Has The Right To Use Nuclear Energy For Peaceful Purposes – Putin (RT)
Kiev’s Backers Don’t Want The Conflict Settled – Putin (RT)
Putin’s Message to the West: Your Dominance is Over – BRICS+ the Future (Sp.)
Zelensky Reshuffles Top Brass To Fix Faltering Draft – FT (RT)
Europe’s Anti-Russia Hysteria Speeds Its Decline (Sp.)

 

 

https://twitter.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1936119538833408128

https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1936078927698526683

Macgregor

Ritter

 

 

 

 

“A Spectacular Military Success”

If the situation pans out the way it’s presented today, much of the criticism, domestically and internationally, will subside. But Iran has yet to react. And did they really demolish Fordow? Without a nuke?

Trump: Iran’s Nuclear Facilities “Completely & Totally Obliterated” (ZH)

President Trump addressed the nation at 2200ET and said that with “massive precision strikes”, Iran’s nuclear facilities have “been completely and totally obliterated” in a “spectacular military success.” He warned Iran (“the bully of the Middle East”) that if they do not come to peace then there are many other targets: “There will be either peace; or tragedy for Iran worse than the likes of which we have seen over the last eight days.” “If peace does not come quickly,” we will go after the rest of the nation with “speed and skill. ” He ended the speech by saying “God bless The Middle East, Gold bless Israel, and God bless The United States.”

[..]

* * *
Update (2133ET): Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffin revealed that the B-2 bombers spotted heading to Guam were part of a calculated deception to draw attention westward: “It’s notable how much deception was involved in this operation. All eyes were looking west towards Guam.” “The 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs were dropped at Fordo. And as we have reported, there are two entrances to Fordo.” “At least two bombs at each, two entrances, which suggests at least two B-2s were involved over Fordow. My suspicion is that there were more.”

Sean Hannity revealed he spoke directly with President Trump, who confirmed the scope of the U.S. strike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility: “Six “bunker buster” bombs were dropped by multiple B-2 stealth bombers. Thirty Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from U.S. submarines positioned approximately 400 miles away. Hannity added, “Everyone is out of harm’s way for now.”

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“..if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes.”

Trump Hails ‘Spectacular’ US Raid Against Iran (RT)

In a televised address from the White House on Saturday night, US President Donald Trump claimed that American forces had “completely obliterated” three Iranian nuclear sites in a major overnight operation. He described the strikes as a “spectacular military success” and threatened further action if Tehran does not pursue peace. Below is the full transcript of President Trump’s address to the nation:

“Thank you very much. A short time ago, the US military carried out massive, precision strikes on the three key nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime. Fordo, Natanz and Esfahan. Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horribly destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world’s number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not. Future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier.

For 40 years, Iran has been saying. Death to America, death to Israel. They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs, with roadside bombs. That was their specialty. We lost over 1,000 people and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East, and around the world have died as a direct result of their hate in particular. So many were killed by their general, Qassim Soleimani. I decided a long time ago that I would not let this happen. It will not continue. I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we’ve gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they’ve done.

And most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight, and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades. Hopefully, we will no longer need their services in this capacity. I hope that’s so. I also want to congratulate the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan ‘Razin’ Caine, spectacular general, and all of the brilliant military minds involved in this attack. With all of that being said, this cannot continue. There will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days.

Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all, by far, and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes. There’s no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight. Not even close. There has never been a military that could do what took place just a little while ago. Tomorrow, General Caine, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will have a press conference at 8am at the Pentagon. And I want to just thank everybody. And, in particular, God. I want to just say, we love you, God, and we love our great military. Protect them. God bless the Middle East. God bless Israel and God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you.”

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“Trump’s Pentagon planned for every imaginable Iran response long before Saturday night’s bombing sorties, officials said. And almost immediately after the bombs dropped, signs of heightened security emerged.”

With Six Bunker-Busting Bombs, Trump Just Rewrote History (JTN)

As early as 2011, Donald Trump sounded the alarm that Iran must not become a nuclear power or the world would face unspeakable havoc. “Iran’s nuclear program must be stopped by any and all means necessary. Period,” the future president wrote in his book Time to Get Tough. “We cannot allow this radical regime to acquire a nuclear weapon that they will either use or hand off to terrorists.” Fourteen years after penning that book, America’s 47th president took decisive action Saturday night to ensure Tehran didn’t reach that critical goal on his watch, dispatching six bunker-busting bombs aboard B2 bombers and 30 Tomahawk missiles fired from submarines to “obliterate” the Iranian regime’s three primary nuclear weapons facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan.

Early reports indicate the six GBU-57 bunker busting bombs imploded Fordow, a mountain-fortified facility that evaded decades of UN inspections and tantalized the world with a never-ending threat of Iranian nuclear holocaust as its mullahs chanted “Death to America. Death to Israel.” Trump declared himself pleased with the impact of his history-shaping decision, and pointedly made clear to Iran’s mullahs — led by the Ayatollah Khamenei — that their next step would determine the final outcome of the regime’s two-decade quest for an atomic bomb. “Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier,” Trump warned.

“There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,” he added. “Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all by far, and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill. Most of them can be taken out in a matter of minutes.”

Israel and the United States both braced for the worst possible response from Iran – more missile attacks or a possible terrorism strike – while hoping the earthquake-sized thunder of dropping the largest conventional bomb in world history may have shaken the Iranian regime toward a negotiated settlement. Trump’s navigation of the Iranian crisis demonstrated a redefinition of the use of American military might, directly pressuring diplomatic efforts toward peace by delivering surgical strikes with shock and awe destruction. He gave Iran 60 days to make a deal to forego its pursuit of a nuclear weapon and its enrichment of uranium, and on the 61st day green-lighted Israel to begin a military bombardment to destroy Tehran’s nuclear program. The first strikes decapitated Iran’s military leadership and disabled Tehran’s once-revered air defenses.

With unrivaled air superiority achieved by Israel, Trump then lulled Iran into thinking he would give the mullahs two weeks for more negotiations. In fact, he gave them just two days before unleashing Saturday night’s U.S. attacks that delivered utter destruction to Iran’s three most important nuclear development sites. While a military success, Trump and his team as well as his partner, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, remain acutely aware there still may be peril ahead for the world. Iran’s vaunted Hezbollah sleeper terror cells and possible missile strikes against U.S. assets or its allies in the Middle East remain atop the worry list. Trump’s Pentagon planned for every imaginable Iran response long before Saturday night’s bombing sorties, officials said. And almost immediately after the bombs dropped, signs of heightened security emerged.

Israel went to a new level of alert demanding its citizens avoid any unnecessary public activities. New York City raised its threat level. And U.S. warplanes and ships patrolled aggressively for any sign of retaliation. In the meantime, Trump signaled unequivocally that Iran will choose the next edition of its fate: More attacks will bring more U.S. military might; more negotiations might bring a new era of peace and prosperity. The choice, Trump said, is Iran’s to make. Meanwhile, the president made sure to address the likely naysayers in the globalist community at large, the far-left of the American Democrat Party that pursued fruitless deals with Iran for more than a decade and the isolationists in his own party who immediately cackled the U.S. bombings were unjustified, illegal or even impeachable

During his nationally televised post-bombing address, Trump enumerated the deadly toll Iran’s violence took on Americans for five decades starting with the 1979 embassy hostage crisis followed by deadly bombings in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia in the 1980s and 1990s and then the Iranian-made roadside bombs that killed and maimed hundreds of U.S. soldiers during the Iraq War. “For 40 years, Iran has been saying ‘Death to America, Death to Israel.’ They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs, with roadside bombs,” Trump reminded Americans. “That was their specialty. We lost over 1,000 people, and hundreds of thousands throughout the Middle East and around the world have died as a direct result of the hate.” Whether that carnage continues or subsides after Saturday’s massive bombing now rests with Iran.

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Praise from the child killer. Yay!

US Strike On Iran Will ‘Change History’ – Netanyahu (RT)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised US President Donald Trump for his “bold decision” to join the Israeli bombing campaign against Iran. In a video address posted Saturday night, after the US carried out strikes against facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, Netanyahu called the move a turning point that “has created a pivot of history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace.” “Congratulations, President Trump,” Netanyahu said. “Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history.”

The United States launched airstrikes late Saturday, hitting at least three Iranian facilities. According to US officials, B-2 stealth bombers reportedly dropped bunker-busting bombs during the raid on Fordow, while American submarines launched dozens of Tomahawk missiles against Natanz and Isfahan. President Trump described the strike as “very successful” and warned that Tehran must engage in negotiations or face further military action if it dares to retaliate.

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“This act… was unfortunately carried out in the shadow of indifference..”

Iran Accuses US Of Nuclear Treaty Violation (RT)

Iran has accused the United States of violating international law and the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) with its overnight strikes on key nuclear facilities, while assuring the public that no radioactive contamination has been detected at the targeted sites. In an official statement released early Sunday, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) confirmed that US airstrikes hit its nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan at dawn, calling the operation an illegal and “brutal” act. Iranian authorities criticized Washington for publicly claiming responsibility for the attacks on sites that had been operating under the supervision of international inspectors. “This act… was unfortunately carried out in the shadow of indifference and even with the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” the statement claimed.

A separate statement from Iran’s Center for the National Nuclear Safety System confirmed that emergency inspections had been conducted at all three sites. “No signs of contamination have been recorded,” the center said, adding that there is “no danger to the residents living around the aforementioned sites.” The AEOI vowed that Iran’s nuclear program would not be halted by what it described as “evil conspiracies.” It praised the resilience of Iranian scientists and announced that legal measures would be pursued in response to the strikes. “We will not allow the development of this national industry, which is the result of the blood of nuclear martyrs, to be stopped,” the organization said.

The United States struck the facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan early Sunday morning as part of a broader Israeli military campaign described by the IDF as targeting Iran’s missile and nuclear infrastructure. Iran has not yet announced any military response but has characterized the strikes as “criminal” and a breach of sovereign rights. President Trump warned Tehran against retaliation, threatening further US attacks. The airstrikes mark the most direct US action against Iran’s nuclear program in years and come amid soaring tensions following ongoing exchanges of drones and missiles between Israel and Iran.

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Tulsi saving face?!

Trump Says US Intel of Iran’s Nuclear Program “Was Wrong”, Tulsi Responds (ET)

President Donald Trump said on June 20 that his director of national intelligence’s assessment in March that Iran had yet to decide on building a nuclear weapon was wrong. Trump made the remarks to reporters on Friday while standing next to Air Force One at the Morristown Municipal Airport in New Jersey. The president was asked about the U.S. intelligence community’s assessment that it had no evidence that Iran was building a nuclear warhead before Israel’s strikes on its military and nuclear sites last week. “Well, then my intelligence community is wrong,” Trump said. “Who in the intelligence community said that?” When he was told that it was his director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, who gave those remarks to lawmakers in March, Trump replied, “She was wrong.”

After Trump’s comments, Gabbard took to social media to share a clip of her March testimony to lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and accused the media of twisting her words. “The dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context and spreading fake news as a way to manufacture division,” Gabbard wrote. “America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly. President Trump has been clear that can’t happen, and I agree.” Gabbard said in her testimony at the time that the intelligence community had determined that Iran was not currently building a nuclear weapon. However, as part of that assessment, she said there were alarming signals that warranted continuous monitoring for any change.

The signs Gabbard mentioned included indications that Iranian decision-makers who wanted the country to have nuclear arms were becoming increasingly emboldened in their pursuit, and that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles were at “unprecedented” levels for a state without nuclear weapons. In remarks to reporters, Trump reiterated that he believes, based on the quantity of enriched uranium that Iran currently possesses, that the regime could develop a nuclear bomb “within a matter of months.” “We can’t let that happen,” Trump said, adding that he believes his current military intelligence is more accurate than what then-President George W. Bush used as a pretext to invade Iraq in 2003, which Trump opposed.

He was asked what makes the current situation different than the one 22 years ago, and Trump said: “Well, there were no weapons of mass destruction [in Iraq]. I never thought there were.” “There was a nuclear age [in 2003], but nothing like it is today. And it looked like I’m right about the material that they’ve gathered already,” he said. The United Nations’ nuclear watch group said early last month that Iran had more than 900 pounds of 60 percent enriched uranium at the time. To make a nuclear bomb, 90 percent enriched uranium is required. The group said that if Iran chooses, it could enrich enough stockpiled uranium to make a bomb in a matter of days, but building and testing a warhead could take much longer.

In response to comments from Iran’s foreign minister earlier on Friday, who said if the United States is serious about negotiations, it must first call Israel to order a stop to the airstrikes, Trump said it’s difficult to make that request now. “If somebody is winning, it’s a little bit harder to do than if somebody’s losing,” he said. “But we’re ready, willing, and able, and we’ve been speaking to Iran, and we’ll see what happens.” Trump said he is giving Iran two weeks to “see whether or not people come to their senses” before he makes a final decision on whether to involve the U.S. military in the conflict after Israel’s surprise airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites last week. “I’m giving them a period of time, and I would say two weeks would be the maximum,” he said. The president said he believes that Europe is not going to be able to help in negotiations with Iran to end the conflict.

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Peaceful purposes only?!

Trump’s Envoy Urges Musk To Provide Free Starlink To ‘Friends’ In Iran (RT)

US Presidential Envoy for Special Assignments Richard Grenell has urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to provide free Starlink access across Iran so that his “friends” can have uninterrupted “access to information” amid an escalating Israeli bombing campaign against Tehran. “Can you turn on Starlink for free in Iran for the next few weeks, @elonmusk? My friends inside Iran don’t have regular access to information right now. I’ll chip in a donation and I think others would, too,” wrote Grenell, the former acting Director of National Intelligence, in a post on X. Musk has not yet responded to the request, at least not publicly. The billionaire previously said that the “beams are on,” indicating the service is technically available – although accessing Starlink requires a special satellite dish to receive and transmit signals.

Starlink’s constellation of low-Earth orbit satellites was originally promoted as a solution for providing high-speed, low-latency internet to remote and rural areas. President Trump has praised the system for offering vital connectivity in disaster zones, particularly after hurricanes Helene and Milton, when traditional networks failed. However, the system has also proven critical for frontline coordination and drone warfare. SpaceX has supplied the Ukrainian military with Starlink since the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022, delivering more than 40,000 terminals. Kiev’s forces have become fully dependent on Starlink, and disabling it would result in the collapse of the “entire frontline,” Musk claimed in March.

When Israel launched a surprise “pre-emptive” attack against Iranian nuclear facilities last week, its intelligence agency Mossad reportedly activated sleeper cells who had smuggled drones into Iran to strike defensive infrastructure from within. With the possibility of Washington joining the bombing campaign growing, Iranian authorities have severely restricted communications, isolating the country’s internet from the rest of the world. They also urged citizens to delete WhatsApp, accusing Israel of using the Meta-owned app to spy on users. Richard Grenell, a former US ambassador to Germany and acting Director of National Intelligence, now serves as the Presidential Envoy for Special Missions under Donald Trump. In this role, he has handled a wide range of diplomatic crises and international back-channel efforts.

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From before the attack.

US, Europe Plotting Iran’s Next Leader While Talking ‘Diplomacy’ (Sp.)

On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated a “substantial” possibility of negotiations with Tehran, with a decision on further steps to be made within the next two weeks. Trump is not afraid to use force against Iran, Leavitt stressed, adding that the US continues contacts with Iran in both direct and indirect formats. According to US and European diplomats – who, of course, are just innocent bystanders in the Israel-Iran conflict – there are already secret conversations going on about who might lead Iran after the dust settles, CBS News reports.

They are also whispering about securing nuclear sites, and how to deal with a potential regional environmental disaster if Iran’s nuclear facilities are hit. Apparently, there’s still a “last shot” for talks to stop the Israel-Iran conflict, insiders told the outlet. Turkiye, Oman, Italy, Norway – they’re all ready to host US-Iran talks if Tehran chooses diplomacy. But as Iranian FM Abbas Araqchi put it: “As long as the aggression and attacks continue, there is simply no room for talk of dialogue or diplomacy,” per Fars News Agency.

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For Kashmir.

Pakistan Recommends Trump for Nobel Peace Prize (RT)

The Pakistani government has formally recommended US President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing his mediation efforts in ending the recent military conflict between Islamabad and New Delhi. India, however, insists Trump played no role in de-escalating the tensions. Relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors escalated in late April after a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-backed militants. In a statement on Friday, the Pakistani government announced it “decided to formally recommend” Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize “in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis.”

According to Islamabad, the American leader helped de-escalate a “rapidly deteriorating situation” that could have triggered “catastrophic consequences for millions in the region and beyond.” It also expressed gratitude to Trump for offering to help resolve the longstanding Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India. The US president has repeatedly claimed credit for the ceasefire on May 10 that halted the hostilities between the two neighboring states. However, the Indian government has denied that the US president played a decisive role. Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri revealed that during a phone conversation with Trump the previous day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that “India has never accepted mediation [to resolve its dispute with Islamabad over Jammu and Kashmir], does not accept and will never accept it.”

Also on Wednesday, the US president invited Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir to a private lunch meeting, after the field marshal similarly called for Trump’s Nobel nomination, Reuters reported, citing White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly. On Saturday, in a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had arranged a “wonderful treaty between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda in their war.” “I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for this, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between India and Pakistan, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between Serbia and Kosovo, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for keeping Peace between Egypt and Ethiopia… and I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for doing the Abraham Accords in the Middle East,” Trump lamented.

Speaking to reporters the previous day, the Republican made similar claims about his role in resolving those conflicts. “I should have gotten [the Nobel Peace Prize] four or five times,” he insisted, claiming that this will not happen “because they only give it to liberals.”

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In theory, yes.

Iran Has The Right To Use Nuclear Energy For Peaceful Purposes – Putin (RT)

Iran has the right to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in an interview. After the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Friday, he spoke with Nadim Koteich, the moderator of the session and general manager of Sky News Arabia. ”We believe that Iran has the right to use nuclear power for peaceful purposes. And we are prepared, as we have been in previous years, to provide the necessary support in this field,” the Russian president said. Putin added that Russia opposes the spread of nuclear weapons in any country. “The International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] confirms that there is no evidence of Iranian efforts to acquire nuclear weapons.”

Last week, Israel began a series of strikes against Iran and issued serious warnings regarding the country’s nuclear program. It claimed that Tehran is rapidly nearing a critical point in its alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons, saying the strikes were essential to prevent this. Iran, which maintains that its nuclear program is intended solely for peaceful purposes, responded with missile and drone strikes against Israel. In his interview on Friday, Putin urged both sides to resolve the conflict through negotiations. He added that Moscow has repeatedly informed Israel of the lack of evidence regarding Tehran’s intentions to create nuclear weapons. In a report earlier this month, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi stated that “Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state in the world that is producing and accumulating uranium enriched to 60%.”

Meanwhile, US intelligence agencies have found no evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. However, President Donald Trump insisted that Iran was “very close” to acquiring them at the time of Israel’s attack. He has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” and warned that the US might intervene. According to the Kremlin, Putin has a “complete picture” of the situation, as one of the few leaders to speak directly with the heads of Israel, Iran, and the US. In a late-night Q&A session on Wednesday, Putin told journalists that resolving the conflict should include mutual security guarantees – protecting both Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology and Israel’s right to security.

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“I hope that the Ukrainian leadership will follow the national interests of the country and not the interests of the third parties that stand behind the regime..

Kiev’s Backers Don’t Want The Conflict Settled – Putin (RT)

The “third parties” that back Kiev are not interested in ending the Ukraine conflict, but are instead using the country for their own goals, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Sky News Arabia’s Nadim Koteich. On Friday, during the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), moderated by Koteich, Putin stated that Moscow is not seeking the surrender of Ukraine. “We insist on the recognition of the realities that have developed on the ground,” he added. After the session, he gave an interview to Sky News Arabia in which he reiterated that Kiev should respect the will of the people who voted to join Russia. “I hope that the Ukrainian leadership will follow the national interests of the country and not the interests of the third parties that stand behind the regime,” Putin said.

“Ukraine deserves a better future, and not to be a tool in the hands of the third parties that are against Russia.” He added that Ukrainian neutrality and non-nuclear status are necessary for long-term stability in the region. During a Q&A session on Friday, Putin said that negotiations held in Istanbul in early 2022, shortly after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, fell apart under pressure from “neocolonial forces.”Earlier in June, top Russian negotiator and presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky told RT’s Rick Sanchez that Ukraine had a chance to secure a deal on more favorable terms had it not withdrawn from negotiations in 2022. According to Medinsky, Kiev opted to walk away after consulting with the US and UK.

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“Russia’s Resilience Exposes Western Policymakers’ ‘Shocking’ Incompetence.”

Putin’s Message to the West: Your Dominance is Over – BRICS+ the Future (Sp.)

In his speech at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday, Vladimir Putin touched on array of issues, from Western neocolonialism and emerging global power centers to Russia’s economic prospects and defense exports potential. Sputnik asked experts in each of these areas to share their thoughts. The Russian president’s remarks at SPIEF about the need for a new model of development free of “golden billion” neocolonialism “is based on the observation of the world balances of power that have unfolded since the US financial crisis of 2008,” veteran Brussels-based geopolitical analyst Paolo Raffone told Sputnik. “Today the emerging countries have emerged to the extent of being comparable individually (China) or collectively (BRICS+) to overcome Western countries. [Putin’s] remarks are addressed to the US, but are also a warning to the European former powers that still have not abandoned the outdated path of eurocentrism,” Raffone explained.

Putin’s comments are geopolitical realism boiled down to its essence, “calling to rethink the national and international policies for the economy as well as security,” Raffone said. The Russian president isn’t alone in his thinking, the observer pointed out, highlighting Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto’s bombshell remarks this week about the EU and NATO’s loss of relevance, total dependence on China, and failure to engage diplomatically with the Global South. Western leaders became the “victims of their [own] stilted paradigm” about Russia and its economy, retired Jawaharlal Nehru University professor and Russia expert Dr. Anuradha Chenoy told Sputnik, commenting on Putin’s remarks relating to Russia’s emergence as the 4th largest economy globally, and the largest in Europe.

Treating Russia as a glorified “gas station” with no prospects for development, and slapping it with a severe, unilateral sanctions regime in 2022, the West expected the Russian economy and ruble to collapse.Instead, “the opposite happened,” Chenoy said, with the state, banks and industry leveraging finances generated from oil wealth to ramp up domestic production and generate growth. The West’s theories failed, as have their attempts to isolate Russia. “In fact, Russia now has turned to China, BRICS countries and the Global South, which will be their long-term partner. The West and its policies of unfair terms if trade, use of threat and force” ended up isolating them, not Russia, the veteran academic emphasized. “I am shocked at the great lack of collective knowledge and information [on the part] of the West, and their institutions,” Chenoy said, highlighting that Russia’s immense natural resources, the rebuilding of industry and infrastructure have been obvious to Russia watchers for decades.

“Russia will surely reestablish itself as one of the foremost exporters of arms in the world in the coming years,” former Swedish Armed Forces officer and military analyst Mikael Valtersson told Sputnik, commenting on Putin’s mention of Russian plans to expand defense cooperation with friendly countries. “The fast Russian adaptation to the needs at the battlefield and a strong Russian comeback in Ukraine has put an end to western dreams of the elimination of Russia as a strong competitor in the global arms market,” Valtersson said, highlighting the competitive edge Russia has honed from its experiences, including:
• battle-proven, upgraded weaponry. “This is especially important when it comes to air, missile, drone and EW-technology,” according to the observer.
• a “very large capacity to produce weapons quickly for the global military market…a capability the Western countries lack.”
• readiness to allow buyers to freely use the advanced weapons they purchase, without secret kill switches or other restrictions

Valtersson expects these factors to strengthen Russia’s position in the Global South, and in turn to threaten Western arms exports, especially Europe’s. “Europe will probably be forced to focus more on domestic sales within Europe, while the US must reduce restrictions and political demands in conjunction with arms exports. This might become even more acute in light of a growing hesitation to see the US as a reliable strategic partner by many countries,” Valtersson predicts. NATO might try to preserve markets by pressuring countries against buying Russian arms, “but this strategy will quickly lose power since Western economic power is diminishing,” the observer said, emphasizing that economic power translates into political power. While BRICS accounted for 12% of GDP in 2000, it’s over 40% today.

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Who makes these decisions?

Zelensky Reshuffles Top Brass To Fix Faltering Draft – FT (RT)

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has reshuffled his top brass, with the goal of overhauling the country’s flawed and “unpopular” forced mobilization, the Financial Times reported on Saturday. Amid heavy frontline losses, the campaign has been marred by widespread draft-dodging and violent clashes between would-be recruits and mobilization officers. On Friday, Zelensky tapped Brigadier General Gennady Shapovalov to be the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, replacing Mikhail Drapaty and reassigning several senior officers. According to the Ukrainian HQ, in his new role, Shapovalov will focus on “increasing the combat capability of the army, improve the mobilization system and training of military personnel, and implement innovative approaches to management according to NATO standards.”

Shapovalov previously headed Kiev’s team in the NATO mission to coordinate military assistance to Ukraine. The Financial Times said the new commander will face numerous issues, as the “attempts to reform the Ukrainian mobilization and training process have been sluggish at best.” The draft, the outlet added, has been “unpopular,” while Zelensky is facing Western pressure to lower the draft age. Another problem is a new military contract program aimed at attracting young people between 18 and 24 to the army. However, as of April, only 500 contract soldiers joined the army, the FT reported, citing officials in Kiev.

Shapovalov’s appointment follows nearly three weeks of a leadership vacuum after Drapaty resigned from his post but was later moved to lead Ukraine’s joint forces command, which is aimed at helping align Ukraine’s armed forces with NATO operational methods. In a parting statement, Drapaty – who resigned after accepting responsibility for devastating Russian strikes on military training sites – condemned what he called a “culture of mutual cover-up and impunity” within the military. ”We will not win this war unless we build an army where honor is action, not a word, and responsibility is the basis of trust,” he said.

According to RBK-Ukraine, Drapaty’s departure also followed reported tensions with Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrsky. A source told the outlet that Drapaty privately expressed ambitions to take over Syrsky’s role. The two have had diverging battlefield strategies. Ukraine announced general mobilization in 2022, barring most men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving the country. In 2024, Kiev tightened the conscription laws and lowered the draft age from 27 to 25 to recoup growing battlefield losses. The mobilization campaign has resulted in numerous violent altercations between draft officers and reluctant draftees, while many have sought to flee the country at significant personal risk.

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Greatly.

Europe’s Anti-Russia Hysteria Speeds Its Decline (Sp.)

No one is excluding Europe from modern processes – European countries are excluding themselves with their policy choices, Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska, told Sputnik on the sidelines of the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Europe is sabotaging itself by unjustifiably meddling in the Ukraine conflict and taking an anti-Russian stance, said the President of Republika Srpska. The European Union lost pivotal energy resources that it used to receive at a low price from Russia, Milorad Dodik stressed. “It is clear that Europe, if it even survives in the form of the European Union, is headed toward economic and other forms of marginalization,” he said. Europe is scrambling for solutions but somehow drifting even further from them. That’s exactly why I agree that the Global South’s role is only growing more crucial, said Dodik.

SPIEF sets an ideology-free stage for a New Global Order, underscored the leader of Bosnia’s Serb autonomy. A surge of cooperation agreements is signed here, offering a prime opportunity to showcase the Russian economy’s cutting-edge achievements across all modern sectors. What draws crowds to the forum is its host — Russia — a nation reshaping the global value game, noted Dodik. A total of 1,060 agreements worth 6.3 trillion rubles ($80 billion) have been signed on the sidelines of the 2025 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), the Organizing Committee’s executive secretary, Anton Kobyakov, said on Saturday. Over 140 countries sent their representatives to the forum, Kobyakov added.

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Ursula

EV

https://twitter.com/Rainmaker1973/status/1936406246107529538

 

 

 

 

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