Showing posts with label Russo Ukrainian War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Russo Ukrainian War. Show all posts

Saturday, October 24, 2026

Wars and Rumors of War, 2026. Part 10. Blood on our hands.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom

Matthew, Chapter 24.

I never cut my neighbor's throat;

My neighbor's gold I never stole;

I never spoiled his house and land;

But God have mercy on my soul!

 

For I am haunted night and day

By all the deeds I have not done;

O unattempted loveliness!

O costly valor never won!

Marguerite Wilkinson

October 19, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Victim of Russian missile strike:



Impeach Donald Trump and allow him, and Putin, to be tried for crimes against humanity.  Putin, Ukraine.  Trump, selling his sold for diesel to Russia, killing people extrajudicially off of South America and launching an illegal war against Iran.

Mark you, John Barrasso, Cynthia Lummis,  Chuck Gray.  By not taking action, you are taking action.

Voters, are you voting for this?

October 20, 2026
October 21, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Signature of Elon Musk who is being credited with shutting down space based intelligence with Ukraine.  I have my doubts.  Musk may just be serving as a scapegoat.  At any rate, the evet demonstrates why no man should have that much economic power.

Finger pointing is going on regarding the question on who slowed down Starshield, which impacted Ukrainian air operations this past week.

Perhaps the important portion of this story is that the US has resumed sharing intelligence with Ukraine.  But who stopped it in the first place?  That's not clear.  President Trump denied responsibility, which would mean that if the order came from the government an underling did it and the report did not get up to the Oval Office, or that Trump is lying, or that he didn't remember what had been discussed.

Elon Musk briefly took responsibility and then clammed up about it.  His doing that seems to have satisfied many but it also requires explanation.  I'm not wholly convinced that story is true.

Assuming that it is wholly or partially true, that raises its own question.  Starshield didn't exist all that long ago but now it's critical.  If a single private person can shut it off, that person has too much power, even if its power over his own company's creation.

And now the impact of its disruption is clearly demonstrated.  If we end up fighting Russia, and when we end up fighting China, the latter of which will be very soon, it'll be wiped out right at the onset of the war.

Signature of Donald Trump, here standing alone rather than over the genitals of a doodled female figure in an Epstein birthday card where you might have previously seen it.

October 24, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Melania Trump is being credited with  securing a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine forces in Oleshky, which will begin on October 29, to allow for humanitarian relief to the small number of people trapped there.

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Monday, October 19, 2026

Wars and Rumors of War, 2026. Part 9. Operation Quiet Piggy.


You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom

Matthew, Chapter 24.

There is nothing they [Russian leaders] admire so much as strength, and there is nothing for which they have less respect than for weakness, especially military weakness.

Winston S. Churchill, The Sinews of Peace

October 13, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

The term is so good, it's time for a new edition.  Some wag has termed the Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian data farms "Operation Quiet Piggy".

And, in fact, some well known anti Trump pundits noted a big drop off on spam bots on Twitter right away.

Hmm. . . 

October 17, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Shameful:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 (22 U.S.C. 10802 et seq.) (Graham Act), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby determine and order:

Section 1.  Background.  On September 18, 2026, I signed the Graham Act into law.  The Graham Act provides for the imposition of certain sanctions with respect to foreign persons, restrictions with respect to persons, and duties with respect to goods imported into the United States from the Russian Federation and certain other countries.

Section 115 of the Graham Act authorizes the President to waive the application of any sanctions provision with respect to a foreign person, any restriction with respect to a person, and any duty under the Graham Act, subject to the submission to the Congress of a written certification that such a waiver is in the national interests of the United States and a report explaining the basis for the certification. 

As described further in section 4 of this order, I am hereby waiving the application of such sanctions, restrictions, and duties provided for in the Graham Act.  I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States.

Sec. 2.  Increases in Rate of Duty.  (a)  The rate of duty on goods from the Russian Federation shall be increased by 500 percent ad valorem, subject to the exceptions set forth in section 114 of the Graham Act and the waivers issued in section 4 of this order.

(b)  The rate of duty on goods from the largest 5 importers of crude oil and natural gas that originated in the Russian Federation shall be increased by 100 percent ad valorem if the country knowingly makes new purchases of crude oil or natural gas that originated in the Russian Federation on or after October 18, 2026, subject to the exceptions set forth in section 114 of the Graham Act and the waivers issued in section 4 of this order.  The United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative), in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Energy, and any other senior executive branch official that the Trade Representative determines appropriate, shall monitor the circumstances related to the importation and purchases by countries of crude oil and natural gas of Russian Federation origin, regularly inform the President of any such activity, and provide recommendations for further action, as provided for in section 3 of this order.   

(c)  The rate of duty on goods from the top 5 facilitators of Russian oil sanctions evasion shall be increased by 100 percent ad valorem, subject to the exceptions set forth in section 114 of the Graham Act and the waivers issued in section 4 of this order.  The Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Energy, and any other senior executive branch official that the Trade Representative determines appropriate, shall monitor the activities of countries that facilitate Russian oil sanctions evasion, as defined in section 113(i) of the Graham Act, and report to the President on which countries are among the top 5 such facilitators.

(d)  The increases in the rates of duty provided by this order shall apply in addition to any other duty, fee, tax, exaction, or charge applicable with respect to the good, including any duty imposed under title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671 et seq.), sections 122, 201, or 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2132, 2251, and 2411), or section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. 1862).

Sec. 3.  Monitoring.  The Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Energy, and any other senior executive branch official that the Trade Representative determines appropriate, shall monitor the circumstances related to the importation and purchases by countries of crude oil and natural gas of Russian Federation origin, as well as the facilitation of Russian sanctions evasion by countries, and regularly report to the President on those circumstances.  The Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Energy, and any other senior executive branch official that the Trade Representative determines appropriate, shall promptly inform the President of any circumstance that, in his opinion, might indicate the need for further action by the President, including with respect to the waivers.

Sec. 4.  Waiver.  (a)  Pursuant to section 115(a) of the Graham Act, I hereby waive the application of any duties provided for in sections 112 and 113 of the Graham Act or this order.  I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver is in the national interests of the United States and a report explaining the basis for the certification, consistent with section 115(b) of the Graham Act.

     (b)  Pursuant to section 115(a) of the Graham Act, I hereby waive the application of the sanctions provision provided for in section 102(d) of the Graham Act with respect to foreign persons and the restrictions provided for in section 102(d) of the Graham Act with respect to persons.  For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this order affects any sanctions or other measures provided for under any Executive Order issued to address the national emergency that I continued on March 24, 2026, with respect to specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation (91 Fed. Reg. 15515), as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the Graham Act, including with respect to all persons sanctioned under any such Executive Order.  I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver is in the national interests of the United States and a report explaining the basis for the certification, consistent with section 115(b) of the Graham Act.

(c)  Pursuant to section 115(a) of the Graham Act, I hereby waive the application of the following sanctions provisions with respect to foreign persons and restrictions with respect to persons:  sections 102(a), 102(e), 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, and 117 of the Graham Act.  I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver is in the national interests of the United States and a report explaining the basis for the certification, consistent with section 115(b) of the Graham Act.

(d)  The waivers described in subsections (a) through (c) of this section shall remain in effect until such time as the President or the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Trade Representative, as appropriate, determine that further action is appropriate. 

Sec. 5.  Delegation of Authorities.  (a)  I hereby delegate the functions and authorities vested in the President by the Graham Act as follows:

(i)     sections 102(a), 102(b), 102(c), 104(a), 108(b), 111(b), and 114(a)(2), to the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, and to the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State;

(ii)    section 115 to the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Trade Representative, as appropriate;

(iii)   sections 102(e)(1), 103(a), 103(b), 103(d), 104(b), 110(a), 110(c), and 116(a) to the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State;

(iv)    section 111(a) to the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of the Treasury;

(v)     section 112 to the Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury;

(vi)    section 113(a) to the Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of Energy;

(vii)   section 117(a), with respect to the termination of the application of any sanction with respect to a foreign person or any restriction with respect to a person, to the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury; and to the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State; and

(viii)  section 117(a), with respect to the termination of any duty, to the Trade Representative, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Energy, and the Secretary of the Treasury.

(b)  The delegations in this section shall apply to any provisions of any future public laws that are the same or substantially the same as the provisions referenced in this section. 

(c)  The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Trade Representative, and the Secretary of Energy may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate within their respective departments any of the functions or authorities delegated to them by this order.  All executive departments and agencies shall take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order.

(d)  Any reference in this section to the Graham Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the Graham Act as amended from time to time.

Sec. 6.  Severability.  If any provision of this order or the application of any provision of this order to any individual or circumstance is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other individuals or circumstances shall not be affected.

Sec. 7.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d)  The costs for publication of this order shall be borne by the Department of State.

                               DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,

Absolutely shameful.  There's no excuse for it.

The GOP needs to answer for  this.  You can't stay silent.  Republicans are either in favor of Donald Trump's actions, or against them.  Silence is consent.

It's not sitting well with some in Congress.

Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️

@RepDonBacon

Congress has a lame-duck session. The President has an agenda: supplemental, reconciliation, Ballroom, etc… I think the agenda is dead. Many of us won’t fund these things knowing he is propping up a dictator’s invasion and throwing an ally under the bus.

Ukraine launched one of the largest drone strikes of the war on St. Petersburg earlier today.  

October 19, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Russia has proposed a summit with China and the US to end the Russo Ukrainian War.

He doesn't propose to invite Ukraine and China has no business in this matter at all.

Last edition:

Wars and Rumors of War, 2026. Part 8. Donald Trump, China's (and Russia's) greatest ally edition.

Monday, October 12, 2026

Wars and Rumors of War, 2026. Part 8. Donald Trump, China's (and Russia's) greatest ally edition.

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom

Matthew, Chapter 24.

Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

July 26, 2026

China v. Taiwan

The Houthis hit oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia yesterday.

News reports hold that the administration has put on hold an escalation of the war due to a shortage of air defense munitions.  Savvy analysts, including yours truly, have been warning about that occurring for months, and not it's here.

So, in keeping with that, a prediction.

This is also likely a moment that Putin and Xi have been waiting for as well.  Our weapons stockpile has been built up over years, and now we've wasted it on a war fought for Israel and Trump's vanity.  Both Putin and Xi know that the next President, assuming at Trump 2028 coup to be unsuccessful, and assuming that we don't have another President before 2028, is much less likely to be a complete patsy and geopolitical dimwit.  

For Russia, that means Russia needs to fight on in hopes it can win before the next administration comes on.  For Xi, that means the time to invade Taiwan is. . . now.

July 29, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

The U.S. Senate advanced Russian energy sanctions legislation Tuesday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the Capitol. The vote was seen as a tribute to the bill’s author, the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, on the day of his funeral, which was widely attended by politicos. 

Trump fell asleep during it as J. D. Vance seemed oblivious to the dozing octogenarian and Bessent looked nervous about it, but then he always looks nervous.

July 31, 2026

Israeli Hamas War

The Bored of Peas has supposedly worked out a peace plan in Gaza.  Sober analysts a 4th Grade level have severe doubts about it.

August 1, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Now Trump is backtracking and saying the US won't license Patriot missile production to Ukraine.

August 2, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Ukraine has run out of ballistic missile interceptors.  This comes at the same time that the US supply is seriously depleted due to Donald Trump's illegal moronic war against Iran.

King Donny should free up what remains of the US supply and give them to Ukraine, and start emergency production for the US.  As for Iran, we can solve that problem simply by pulling out.  Better yet, pulling out, putting every senior commander who agreed to fight in a clearly illegal war on trial, and impeaching Donald Trump.

Crisis in Ceuta

Not a war but requiring Spanish military deployment, a mass flood of immigrants crashed into the Spanish North African city of Ceuta.

About 50,000 North African immigrants stormed the city, leading to dramatic news footage and MAGA "see, it could happen here" claims.  Missed in the story is that 48,000 of them returned to Morocco within 48 hours.

A bigger question may be why Spain retains a city that you would figure should be part of Morocco, but it does.

Italy defensively suspended the EU's border-free Schengen arrangements with Spain.

August 10, 2026

Israel v. Hamas.

Israel had rejected the "Board of Peace" peace plan, refusing to enter into a peace deal with Hamas until it is definitely disarmed.

Another blow to King Donny.

August 17, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Both sides exchanged heavy missile and drone attacks yesterday.  A NATO jet on patrol shot down a drone that had strayed into Romania.  

August 18, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Robert Shaheiev, 49, formerly of the Ukrainian Navy who defected to Russia early in the war died in an explosion in Sevastopol.

Whether he was targeted or not, Ukrainian operatives have proven effective at hunting down figures in the Russian military that they find particularly responsible for various matters.  Shaheiev defected with a submarine.

Korean War

Donald Trump has signaled that the US is going to scale back it's participation in joint exercises with the South Korean Army.

What's going on here is terribly unclear.  The US has maintained troops in the ROK since the 1945 and the threat of North Korean invasion is very real.  

I should note that this isn't entirely unprecedented.  Jimmy Carter actually campaigned on the idea in 1976 and tried to implement a phased withdrawal, which was abandoned over conservative and military objections.  Since the 1980s, military support of South Korea has been very strong.

Trumps move comes at a time when the US is losing an illegal war with Iran and is having to pull naval assets out of the Pacific.  It also comes at a point at which the longtime Red Chinese goal of forcibly reunited Taiwan with the mainland is at its highest point. Combined with that, Trump's administration is packed with National Conservatives who have a sort of Neo Nineteenth Century view of where the U.S.'s foreign policy should be focused.

Given that, Trump's decision could be the result of his listening to National Conservatives, or it could be because or logistical situation is much worse than admitted.

It could also be because South Korea refused to participate in the illegal war, like every other nation on earth did.  Trump has not taken that well.  Nobody seems to be pointing out that South Korea did participate in the Vietnam War, which Trump did not.  Trump himself, at any rate, referenced South Korea's lack of willingness to get into the losing war with Iran.

Because of Trump's other actions, however, there's widespread commentary about whether Trump is a Russian asset and this is influencing him on the world stage.  As radical as that sounds, there are reason to raise this question.  Certainly no other President has hurt US interest, and just the US in general, more than Trump, and he's a fanboy of Putin.

We've noted it elsewhere, but we've been worried about a Chinese strike on Taiwan in the near future.  The combination of the failed Iran War and Trump's other actions make that inevitable . The question is whether that will come this Fall, or next Spring.

September 4, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

In an attack Ukraine is an intentional Russian signal to the United States, Russia hit a Coca Cola plant in a drone strike.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has killed a House vote on Lindsey Graham’s Russia sanctions bill which passed the Senate in July, stating “We have to build consensus around that final product".

Oh, um, . . . not hat doesn't look a little weird. . . .  and doesn't raise any questions, um, like  Дональд Трамп — агент России?

What is it with this administration and Russia?  Why is Дональд Трамп a Russian asset?  Just stupidity and a like for flashy gold things?

September 20, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Ukraine launched a massive drone raid on targets in the Moscow region.

September 22, 2026

Pakistan v. Afghanistan

Pakistan conducted air raids into Afghanistan yesterday.

October 1, 2026

US in Iraq

The U.S. is now completely out of Iraq.

October 4, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Russia hit Ukrainian bridges over the past few days.  This appears to be an economic targeting.

Russia also indicated it would resort to the use of nuclear weapons to defend Kaliningrad if it needed to, which it would never need to, as nobody is threatening the Baltic city formerly known as Königsberg.

October 5, 2026

Russia

Darya Shipilova, patient 0 in what hopefully is contained quickly.  May the perpetual light shine upon her.

Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old researcher at an anti-plague lab died following suspected exposure to a “particularly dangerous infection.” which people believe is likely pneumonic plague.  Some 200 people are under observation for exposure to the highly infectious disease which might have killed the young woman due to a lab accident.

Some fairly knowledgeable people assert that there's reason to believe that this may be a weaponized variant of the disease, which the Soviets were working on prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union.  Adam Kinzinger is urging all flights out of Russia to be halted.

God grant that this be contained, whatever it is.  

We would note that no country has reacted by banning flights so far.  We might also note that with Trump in office the US is extraordinarily impaired in reacting to a threat like this.  MAGA still continues to believe that COVID 19 was no sort of a threat and it's unlikely that Donald is going to react until it really turns out to be a weaponized virus that starts killing a lot of people.

October 6, 2026

Yemeni Civil War

Yemeni government forces retook the Bab el-Mandeb Strait up to the city of Mocha.

October 11, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Over the last couple of days Donald Trump entered into some sort of deal to supposedly purchase Russian diesel fuel.  We reported on this on another thread:




Sigh. . . 

As noted, this isn't going to do anything to the price at the pump and quite frankly it's unlikely any Russian diesel gets here.  The whole idea is amazingly dim.

What it does do, however, is make the United States openly declare assistance to Russia, which is completely inexcusable.  People are negatively reacting and Trump, who hates criticism, lashed out at Zelensky in defense, claiming he could have ended the war on many occasions and that Ukraine needs a new president.

It's the United States that needs a new President.  Like him or not, that man of multiple names would be leagues better than Trump.  Trump should be removed via the 25th Amendment, or if the numbers are there, impeached in January.

October 12, 2026

Russo Ukrainian War

Trump is claiming the warring parties have agreed to an "energy ceasefire".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that he “didn’t know about it. We learned from the media" while the Kremlin stated that ”contacts are ongoing”.

So, no ceasefire.

Ukraine has been hitting refineries as well as  Russian data centers, which caused this interesting observation by Adam Kinzinger:

Weird.  Most of my haters have disappeared in the last 24 hours.  What happened?

Oh…. Russian data centers went bye bye

Related threads:

King Donald's War, Part 10. "If any question why we died, Tell them, because our fathers lied." Donald Trump, the killer edition.

Last edition:

King Donald's War, Part 10. "If any question why we died, Tell them, because our fathers lied." Donald Trump, the killer edition.Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


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Monday, August 17, 2026

CliffsNotes of the Zeitgeist 151st Edition. Дональд Трамп. Нелегалы? Donald Trump, Moscow's man in the White House or just really stupid (probably really stupid)?



Is Donald Trump a Russian agent?

I don't think so, but it's no longer an irrational thing to ask.  Indeed, it has to be at least slightly pondered.

Yesterday Trump announced that the U.S. Army is scaling back on joint exercises with the South Korean Military.  More specifically:


I just think that this shows Trump to be really dumb, something I've been maintaining for awhile. 

But still, consider that North Korea is supplying troops and arms to Russia in Ukraine.  At least at one point, he apparently promised to stop the CIA from monitoring Kim Jong Un (my guess is that the CIA would continue to do it even if ordered to stop).  He's praised the North Korean despot repeatedly.

But then, he's done the same with Putin.  

And the fact of the matter is that he couldn't have done more to harm the US in the globe than he has, even if he was a paid agent.  He's wrecking the US economy, he's destroying our relationship with our allies (our real allies), he's threatened to seize territory belonging to our allies.  He's refused to give Ukraine the full amount of weapons it needs to defend itself, which aids Russia, and he's gotten us into a war which is depleting our supply of air defense munitions at an alarming rate and taxing the abilities of our Navy.

China will take advantage of this.

In order to successfully invade Taiwan, China needs relatively calm weather conditions, which only occur in that region in the spring and fall. Spring is gone, but fall is coming right up.  The war with Iraq that Trump illegally launched will still be going on in October and our supply of anti missile missiles will not have increased a bit by then.  It will likely have have grown worse.  The morale problem in the Navy (assuming its limited to the Navy, which is not a safe assumption) will be worse by October.  

Consider this.

Right now, the US can't be reliably counted on to contest a Chinese invasion of Taiwan at all.  Donald Trump could easily just say "oh, well, we're busy, and things and stuff" and let it happen. Frankly, I'd give less than 50% odds the US would actually attempt to counter a Chinese resumption of active hostilities against Taiwan, and unlike 1949, when the Republicans rallied to "Who lost China?"  the current GOP would just roll over like a wet dog if that occured.

But let's assume that the US attempts to do something.  We are still probably able to counter a Chinese seaborne effort, but we aren't going to be in very good shape to counter a missile offensive.  

Crossing the Taiwan Strait is a massive military undertaking.  Even right now China can probably not pull it off.  But it can try it, and if it does, the US can't endure a protracted aerial campaign.  Its not even showing the ability to do it with Iran, and that war will still be going on.

But let's take it one more step.  Can the US fight a sea and air war against China, an air war against Iran, and a ground invasion by North Korea of South Korea?

It's questionable.  And all those countries know that.

And Putin knows that if that occurs, U.S. aid to Ukraine is over.

The Second World War saw Nazi Germany allied to Imperial Japan and democratic Finland.  Wars make strange bedfellows.  All of these countries have relations with each other, and you can bet they're talking.

So, do I think the American President is some sort of odd agent in Russian employment?  Дональд Трамп.  Нелегалы?  No, I don't, but I do think he's stupid, and that stupidity is having disastrous consequences that are about to get much, much worse.  Much worse by October of this year, or perhaps the spring of next year.  Indeed, waiting it out would make strategic sense for China, while hitting in October would make political sense.

Creepy

Trump's relationship with Natalie Harp is approaching being creepy.

We can assume that Harp is an adoring sycophant, as to be employed by Trump, you have to be.  But still.  She apparently wrote him, stating:" You are all that matters to me." and "I don’t ever want to let you down."

Trump calls her “sweetie".

Okay, that doesn't mean that he's obtaining favors from her, but given Trump's track record, it's going to raise questions.  Trump is rumored to have had an affair with Playboy tart Karen McDougal some 20 years ago, when he was 60.  60 isn't young (trust me, I'm 63) but it isn't old either.  That's the same age he was when he reportedly had a one night stand with Stormy Daniels.  He'd been married in the American context to Melanija Knavs for two years at the time.  So if he quit cheating, we have to assume that at age 60 he was fornicating with women prostituting their image for pay (which he denies) twice and then suddenly reformed.  

Maybe.

Well, being a lech at age 60 isn't the same thing as being one at 80.  Harp is 35 and the 45 year age gap would be super creepy and just flat out too creepy for any woman of that age to engage in who wasn't um, a professional.  Besides, at this point it's fairly well established that Trump has an incomitance problem and stinks a lot of the time.

No, Harp is just another creepy fan of Trump's, seeing something in him that isn't there.

And, speaking of creepy.


Nancy Mace has been weird for a while, but she's rocketing to the bottom.

And even creepier.

A Trump speech from two days ago in front of policemen:
Every day I come to the White House, people are thanking me: ‘Thank you, sir. Thank you, thank you, sir,'

You know these young, beautiful girls. These young, beautiful girls. These young, beautiful girls in the White House. You know they come in. Now I'm not supposed to say beautiful, but what the hell?

These young, these gorgeous, beautiful girls — they want to be safe, and they come, 'Mr. President, may I speak to you? Thank you, sir. Thank you’ — I said, ‘Why are you thanking me?’

’Because a year and a half ago, I was afraid to leave. I was afraid to open the door of my apartment, and now I walk to the White House every morning, and I have absolutely no fear.’
Donald Trump.

That never happened, and it's really creepy.  Young beautiful adoring women are coming to Donald Trump and thanking him for making things safe. . . no, they are not.

Some predictions

Well, with all that cheery news, what can we say?

Just this. Things are about to get a lot worse.  As we progress into the fall the oncoming electoral disaster for the GOP is going to become more and more of a crisis for Trump, and he's going to start doing anything he can to steal the election if not outright suspend it.  A war we are losing will still be going on.  The economy is going to start tanking.  Trump's mental state will continue to visibly decline.  Republicans in Congress will continue to do nothing, if not outright support the subversion of democracy.

Related threads:

Donald Trump is a Russian Asset. Дональд Трамп — агент России.




Last edition:

CliffsNotes of the Zeitgeist 150th Edition. Why Karoline is departing. Donald Trump's Weird Obsession with monuments to himself. The Invincibly Ignorant.