The Death of an Arch-Hypocrite and False Christian

Ken Starr has died and while his name will be forever associated with the Clinton-Lewinsky affair, he remained a well-known and active figure in Right-wing circles, even into the Trump era.

Demographic Changes in Northern Ireland

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-62980394

https://pilgrimunderground.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-unionist-nightmare-in-ulster.html

This represents a rather noteworthy change in the demographics of Northern Ireland – and at a particularly interesting time. Sinn Fein now holds power which in some respects is the outward expression of this now verified demographic reality.

AFR: The Deceit Factory and the Deceived Deceivers that Run It

I had to drive down into AFR world today – that is I had to drive within range of the American Family Radio signal. This station, considered a titan in the Evangelical world is to put it simply a disgrace. Every time I listen to it I have to shake my head in disbelief. The programming is appalling. Clearly the Wildmon clan exist to serve the interests of the GOP and the various monied interests of the American Right.

Hints and Lessons Regarding German Militarisation

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/09/16/germany-military-best-equipped/

This story appeared last month. To be honest, I'm surprised it didn't get more attention. Scholz's statements are a more than subtle indicator regarding German militarisation and its true goals. This isn't about Ukraine, this about German leadership in Europe and it tacitly suggests that Berlin is thinking in terms beyond NATO.

A Ukraine Miscellany XIII: War and the Destruction of Civilian Infrastructure

In light of battlefield defeats, the Putin regime has turned to punitive attacks, and a form of total warfare. Using airstrikes and drones, he's now targeting Ukrainian infrastructure, primarily hitting water and power stations. The goal is to generate suffering, break morale, and degrade Ukrainian society's will and ability to continue the war. He wants to force them to the negotiating table – all the more as Putin is desperate for a way out of the conflict. NATO can keep pouring weapons into the country but if Ukrainian society is falling apart the will to continue will fail.

Turkey, NATO, and the SCO

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/9/21/turkey-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-membership-nato-west-alternative

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/9/turkey-resumes-gas-exploration-in-the-eastern-mediterranean

Under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey continues to carve out what can only be described as an independent geopolitical course. Long viewed as an essential member of NATO, due to its unique cultural and geographical position, under Erdogan's AKP the Eurasian nation continues to anger its longtime allies and sponsors by reaching out to Western rivals and adversaries and in pursuing policies that the EU and NATO would describe as reckless, defiant, and even treacherous.

Kidnapped: The Poison of Russian Sacralism and the Twin Dangers of Persecution and Seduction

https://evangelicalfocus.com/europe/19077/pastor-and-wife-in-mariupol-kidnapped-after-refusing-to-open-premises-for-annexation-referendum

It's very sad to read of this couple that has been seemingly kidnapped by Russian soldiers. Being in Eastern Ukraine, their congregation has undoubtedly suffered from schism, the horrors and violence of war – and now this.

The Trump Justice Department, Integrity and Policing Wall Street

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/20/1124043768/how-trumps-doj-pressured-the-southern-district-of-ny-to-aid-the-white-house

This episode of Fresh Air encouraged a deluge of thoughts and considerations. Listening to the account by the former US Attorney and his reports of the corruption in the Trump administration and specifically of former Attorney General Bill Barr, I could not help but immediately think of LPR's Issues Etc.

A Ukraine Miscellany XII: Thank You USA (II)

The US for its part is returning to the George Bush posture of post 9/11 – you're either with us or against us. In other words if you're not on board with Washington's global design, you're being relegated to the enemy column. And yet the Bush threat of 2001 carried more weight than it does under Biden in 2022. This is not because Biden is weak per se, but rather he presides over a nation that is undergoing social disintegration and even while it flexes its international muscle – domestically it faces deep systemic problems and is even now living under the shadow of civil conflict. And as things presently stand it looks like there's a good chance Trump could be president again in a couple of years which will effectively dash America's standing on the world stage.

A Ukraine Miscellany XII: Thank You USA (I)

One feels as if the propaganda has reached a new level, and with it the stakes and danger have become even greater. At the end of September a series of explosions heavily damaged the Nordstream pipelines which bring natural gas across the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany. The two Nordstream 1 lines were rendered inoperable and apparently despite the explosions one of the two Nordstream 2 lines remains viable. In other words, three of the four pipelines have sustained serious damage.

Khan and US Drones in Pakistani Airspace

https://thediplomat.com/2021/06/dont-expect-pakistan-to-host-us-military-bases/

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-accuses-pakistan-allowing-us-drones-use-its-airspace-2022-08-28/

In some respects this is a small story and received little attention but it deserves a second look. The Taliban has protested regarding US drone strikes in Afghanistan and particularly the targeted killing of al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. They are of course upset with Washington but the real target of their accusations and perhaps their ire is Pakistan. The Taliban accuses Islamabad of hosting US drones or at the very least allowing them to strike from its airspace.

Right Wing Evangelicals in Brazil and the Embrace of Fascism

https://theworld.org/stories/2022-07-29/brazil-s-evangelicals-work-us-political-mission

https://theworld.org/stories/2022-07-29/brazil-s-evangelicals-stand-president-bolsonaro

I have visited this topic more than once but with today's election in Brazil it once more comes to mind. The rise of Bolsonaro isn't that surprising as we see Right-wing and fascistic movements waxing everywhere. But it is the Evangelical support for Bolsonaro that is particularly of interest and the fact that like Trump he has all but announced that if he loses the election he will not accept the results – and has indicated he's willing to entertain extreme measures to reverse the result.

War and the Authoritarian Clampdown in Russia

People seem shocked that Vladimir Putin is making aggressive moves to silence dissent and punish social nonconformity. They shouldn't be and I'm not just saying that because it's Vladimir Putin. All states, whether already authoritarian-leaning entities such as Russia and China or even so-called liberal democracies like the United States, resort to some form of internal clampdown whenever the war machine is running under full steam.