The Immigration Crisis, New Outsourcing Plans, and Related Christian Ethics

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-countries-eye-setting-up-migrant-return-hubs-in-rwanda-and-uzbekistan/

The UK plan to outsource its immigration crisis to Rwanda collapsed and was cancelled by Keir Starmer. Despite this, Rwanda is still looking to sign up and receive European funds. And Paul Kagame has his takers as nations such as Denmark, Austria, Greece, and Germany have expressed interest.

Israel, Death Squads, and Colombia

https://consortiumnews.com/2024/05/13/the-secret-history-of-israels-role-in-genocide-in-colombia/

https://www.democracynow.org/2024/6/12/chiquita_funding_death_squads_in_colombia

I post this must-read article because I believe it's important for Christians to have a better understanding of what has happened in Colombia and the role of US policy, the US military - and the outsourced role Israel often plays at the behest of Washington.

When Torture is Right and Moral

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/25/russian-officials-lauding-torture-was-unthinkable-now-it-is-proud-to-do-so

This article appeared in The Guardian in response to the Russian treatment of ISIS-K terrorists who attacked a Moscow concert hall in March of 2024, an act of murder that led to over 100 deaths.

Zionism, Dispensationalism, and the Gaza Hospital

On 17 October 2023, several hundred Palestinians died in Gaza's al-Ahli Hospital that was hit by either a bomb or missile. Israel blames Islamic Jihad which is another well known Islamist group within the spectrum of Palestinian Islamism.

The 2023 Gaza War – Some Initial Thoughts and Observations

In reference to the recent attacks based out of Gaza, I found it very interesting that a Hamas spokesman mentioned a movement to re-establish the Solomonic Temple as one motivation among others. That's not something you're going to typically hear in the mainstream media.

To Flip Armenia and the Fall of Nagorno-Karabakh

https://eurasianet.org/as-azerbaijan-takes-over-karabakh-armenian-russian-ties-reach-new-nadir

As I have related in the past, the Armenian lobby in the United States has been faced with an impossible situation, a position divorced from the realities of US foreign policy. Since the fall of the USSR, Armenia has been allied with Russia and indirectly with Iran. America has, since the formation of NATO been an ally of the Turks, and with the break-up of the Soviet Union this relationship extended to the Turkish regime in Azerbaijan. The latter country was particularly attractive given its oil resources and geo-strategic position on the Caspian Sea which connects it to Central Asia.

A Ukraine Miscellany XIV: No Truth to be Found

As missiles fall on Poland, and there are talks of escalation and retaliation, it's a good moment pause.

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.

A Controversy over Missions among the Sioux

https://www.npr.org/2022/08/15/1117605626/a-reservation-in-south-dakota-bans-outside-missionaries

I caught this NPR story a few weeks ago while driving home and it made me groan inwardly – yet another compelling story, but one in which I find myself disagreeing with all involved.

Vietnam and Ukraine

You can't make this stuff up. This has happened multiple times and in connection with different media and news outlets. Today while driving home NPR reported that Biden was giving Medals of Honor to Vietnam veterans – men that for whatever reason had been neglected for the past fifty years. Now they're getting their recognition for their bravery and service – or at least that's the official narrative.

Webb Begs the Question Regarding Ukraine

https://biblebased.wordpress.com/2022/03/07/should-reformed-christians-be-supporting-putin/

In this essay Andrew Webb continually begs the question. He falsely assumes that Christians should be 'supporting' either side. Christians certainly should not support Vladimir Putin. Some have been captivated by a very misguided narrative that he somehow supports a re-establishment of Christendom or that he stands for anti-liberalism (itself a confused term and concept). Rather than muddy the waters as to whether or not Russia is a 'Christian' country, the concept itself needs to be exposed as intrinsically false. The entire framework for the discussion needs to be re-tooled.

Media Hypocrisy, Cluster Bombs and the Arming of Ukraine

https://www.npr.org/2022/02/28/1083616770/russia-is-using-controversial-cluster-munitions-in-ukraine-humanitarian-groups-s

The NPR story – but one of an endless stream – attacks Russia for its alleged use of cluster bombs. The weapon has long been condemned because of the high percentage of 'bomblets' that don't actually explode and left exposed on the ground, they lead to future injuries in the months and years following the conclusion of the war. People are maimed and killed long after the fighting has stopped.

A Ukraine Miscellany (I)

As the military campaign rages, the lies continue to multiply on all sides as do the dangers. It is evident that Ukraine presented no security threat to Moscow in itself. That's not why Russia invaded. This conflict is over Ukraine's use as a staging point and its symbolism in the larger NATO-Moscow struggle. For the unfortunate people of Ukraine, their land is once again a battlefield – it's been a recurring motif for the peoples of Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and Western and Southern Russia throughout their histories – a region Timothy Snyder referred to as the Bloodlands.

Some Comments on the Ukraine Invasion and the Motivations of Putin and the Western Leaders Who Oppose Him

An old friend (from my shameful Air Force days) shared a link with me:

https://unherd.com/2022/02/putins-spiritual-destiny/

It's a problematic article on many levels and in terms of theology it's highly dubious. But it touches on a lot of things I've been writing about on these sites for the past twelve years.

I wrote to my friend the following (slightly edited) as a response:

Taliban Reprisals and Lex Talionis

Many people seem to be shocked that the Taliban are going door to door looking for those who collaborated with the previous regime. They are especially looking for those who worked in a military or intelligence capacity, but they're also looking for translators and others who worked alongside NATO.

What did you expect? The media seems to present this as the targeting of civilians. Is it?

Cyborg Warriors

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/05/05/us-space-chief-human-augmentation/

The reason this is being discussed is because it's probably already happening. Either the West is already involved in human augmentation, the Chinese are doing it – or probably a bit of both.

Netanyahu's Latest Ploy – The 2021 Gaza War

It is tragic to watch yet another chapter of violence unfold in the Southern Levant. Israel and Hamas are at war again. People are dying in Gaza. Homemade rockets, the paltry weapons of a desperate people are fired into Israel and yes, some have died. We've seen this play out before. But in this case, there's an extra layer of cynicism and depravity at work as all this centers around the evil that is Benjamin Netanyahu, the current and longtime prime minister of Israel.

The Downed 737 in Tehran

The downing of a Ukrainian 737 over Tehran was a tragedy with well over one hundred lives lost. It took place amid the confusion and angst surrounding the assassination of Iranian general Suleimani and in particular the Iranian missile strike in which US bases in Iraq were hit as a form of retaliation.

Confronting War Mythology

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2019/06/laurence-m-vance/the-greatest-generation-of-whoremongers/

Reading this also reminded me of Keith Lowe's Savage Continent: Europe in the Aftermath of World War II. It can be safely said that war foments and breeds evil. It is a case of Providential restraint being withdrawn and depravity is put on display, even unleashed.

Turkey and Questions of Kurdish Independence

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-41237812

Turkey continues to move away from NATO in both symbolic and concrete terms. Erdogan continues to dismantle Kemalism, the legacy of the country's founder Mustapha Kemal Ataturk. Turkey was formed in the wake of the Ottoman Empire and it was created on the basis of a secular pro-Western ideology which has dominated the country since its founding almost a century ago. The turn away from this foundation has all but destroyed the basis for Turkey's relationship with Europe and the United States. While Erdogan's dreams of Neo-Ottomanism have been wounded and waylaid they have not been abandoned. Erdogan hopes to bring Turkey into a position of power by means of its geography, cultural influence and its ability to project power within its unique and varied sphere.