Police Support for Fascists and the Right's Counter-narrative Cover

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/12/06/patf-d06.html

https://news.yahoo.com/hundreds-white-supremacists-march-lincoln-182827649.html

Large sections of the media chose to ignore this story regarding an early December fascist militia marching on the National Mall, and others reported it but downplayed it. While the police are identified in some pieces as 'monitoring' the fascist marchers, the video evidence along with testimonials suggest that law enforcement were providing a buffer – a kind of safe-zone for the group to march and to avoid coming into contact or conflict with onlookers, many of whom are clearly appalled.

New Geneva or Anti-Geneva?

https://www.newgenevaacademy.com/master-of-divinity-in-worship-and-liturgy.html

 Stumbling across this reminded me of my days long ago in which I earnestly contended for what I thought of as True Calvinism or the True Reformed faith.

The EU and the Indo-Pacific

https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/opinion/the-eus-role-in-the-indo-pacific-becoming-a-geopolitical-actor/

German parliamentarian and MEP David McAllister speaks for a large section of the European ruling class. There is both an air of opportunism and necessity underlying his commentary – his plea for Europe to expand its interests into the Asia-Pacific region.

US Support for the TPLF

https://jeffpearce.medium.com/ethiopia-the-wests-diplomats-meet-in-secret-to-decide-how-to-help-the-tplf-cb87f2d30777

Pearce's article and reporting in general is obviously hostile to the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The point here is neither to vindicate the ruling Abiy government or to defend or demonise the Tigray leadership. What's salient is the fact that the leaked Zoom video demonstrates a point that I and others have been trying to make – that despite official proclamations of support for Abiy in the past, or neutrality in the present conflict, the West and the US specifically support Tigray goals and their restoration to power in Addis Ababa.

ASEAN and the Russian Navy

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/12/01/russia-asean-naval-drills/

The move by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to hold joint naval drills with Russia is a slap in the face to China but on a far greater level to the United States which has earnestly sought to court these nations since the Obama era. It sends a clear signal that the ASEAN members are not willing to simply bow to the US, nor are they willing to trust Washington to any quantifiable degree. They're going to hedge their bets and keep all options open – which for the US represents a diplomatic defeat.

The Current Geopolitics of Sri Lanka

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/china-bags-another-lucrative-port-deal-in-sri-lanka

Sri Lanka has been the focus of a struggle between China and Washington for many years. India is also a player more or less serving or echoing the interests of the United States. India has an interest due to the large island's proximity and the fact that the Hindu Tamil people (a minority in Sri Lanka) have a significant population in India itself. For China and the United States, the interests are economic and strategic.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is known to be pro-China and this was one of the reasons he was forced out as president in 2015. After several years of ineffective rule, Rajapaksa returned to power in 2019 as prime minister under his brother's presidency. Sri Lanka's already suffering economy has taken a beating during the Covid era and 2021 has seen the nation slip into crisis mode.

Turkish Weapons to Ukraine: A Dangerous Game

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/11/16/turkey-baykar-drones-ukraine/

Once again it must be emphasized that the Turco-Russian alliance rests on a very flimsy foundation. Historically the Turks and Russians have been enemies and one of the areas of confrontation (among many) centres on the arc stretching from Southern Ukraine, across the Crimea, to the North Caucasus. The Muslim populations (such as the Circassians) and in particular the Tatar ethnic groups have long found affiliation and identity with the powerful Ottoman state to the South.

An Assessment of GOP Turmoil

https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/580418-real-conservatives-must-make-a-choice

At present there are few voices willing to call out Trumpism for its lack of conservative credentials. Abandoning any coherent ideology, the GOP has slipped into a kind of crude self-affirming tribalism centered on the person of Trump himself.

US Federal Reserve Policy and the Turkish Lira

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/12/turkish-central-bank-intervenes-curb-unhealthy-lira-losses 

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/12/3/lira-crash-slams-turkeys-factories-farmers-and-retailers

The value of the Turkish Lira has plunged and given the country's debt burden, Turkey is facing rapid inflation. President Erdogan has attempted radical measures but some economists believe the sweeping moves have been reckless and have only exacerbated the problem.

The Quirinale Treaty

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/italy-france-to-sign-rome-treaty-aimed-at-changing-eu-power-balance-sources/ar-AAQMqmT

After several years of tensions, France and Italy have stunned some within the political and diplomatic communities with the announcement of the Quirinale Treaty.

The Rotten Harvest of the Francis-Beijing Compromise

https://aleteia.org/2021/05/26/chinese-authorities-arrest-bishop-priests-seminarians/#

Arrested in May 2021, Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu has not been seen or heard from in six months. Hoping to find some kind of workable arrangement with Beijing, Pope Francis signed the 2018 accord which afforded Beijing a voice (and presumably a veto) in Vatican selections for Chinese episcopal sees.

Covid Disinformation and a Viral Video

https://www.newz.com/fight-breaks-out-as-catholic-priest-asks-unmasked-man-to-leave-washington-church/

Some readers will have seen the 'viral' video that appeared in October of a fight that broke out in a Lakewood, Washington Roman Catholic Church.

Poland,Washington, and the Belarus Border Crisis

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/when-the-us-needed-secret-help-in-iraq-who-did-it-call-poland-of-course/2021/10/20/5ec89bc2-25f8-11ec-9de8-156fed3e81bf_story.html

As the Washington Post reports, Pomfret's new book reveals that Polish collaboration with Washington began in earnest only months after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It's hardly a surprise as the people who came into power had been working clandestinely with the United States for more than a decade.

Stonestreet, Kuyper, and Schools

https://www.breakpoint.org/parents_find_support/

As usual Stonestreet presents a dishonest assessment of the issues. In this case he's referring to questions of education, parental rights, and so-called sphere sovereignty, the doctrine usually associated with Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920).

Missile Militarism in Asia

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/10/28/india-tests-ballistic-missile/

As China intensifies its missile programmes, India is keen to do the same. While Beijing's primary focus is on the US Navy and in particular its fleet of aircraft carriers, an East Asian War would almost certainly involve India. Beijing and New Delhi have been on edge for decades and thus India is pursuing this technology and as with all tests – sending a signal.

Prince Under Investigation

https://theintercept.com/2021/10/30/fbi-libya-erik-prince-weapons-trafficking/

Erik Prince is once more in the news. His star has faded somewhat, especially when compared to his days of fame and notoriety during the Bush and Trump administrations. And yet he hasn't gone away.

Justified Cynicism Regarding the GOP's 2021 Virginia-Election Narrative

Many Evangelicals have celebrated the win of Glenn Youngkin in the Virginia gubernatorial race. There have been various discussions regarding whether or not he's actually an Evangelical, his place in the GOP vis-à-vis Trump, and what his win means in terms of the pending 2022 mid-term elections.

Erdogan, Central Asia, and The Great Game in 2021

https://journal-neo.org/2021/10/14/erdogan-rushes-to-form-a-broad-coalition-of-pro-turkish-forces/

Turkey is still attempting to put its stamp on Central Asia. As expected with Erdogan, his programme is focused on Pan-Turkism with a veneer of Islam.

VOX: the Global Right and Condor 2.0

https://today.in-24.com/News/499825.html

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2021/10/22/spai-o22.html

In the Madrid Forum are found the seeds for Operation Condor 2.0, a reiteration or reincarnation of the Right-wing campaign launched during the Cold War to dominate the politics of the Latin world (or Iberosphere), and to crush (by means of political maneuvering and violence), the forces of the Left.

And as before, the new iteration of the project finds its essential ally in the American Right.

VCY: Enough is Enough

https://www.vcyamerica.org/crosstalk/2021/10/20/pushback-enough-is-enough/

To Jim Schneider of VCY's Crosstalk, you're right – enough is enough.

It really is time for some 'pushback' as they say.

Visa Diplomacy

https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/us-considering-adding-cyprus-romania-bulgaria-to-visa-waiver-programm/

https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-china/news/taiwan-delegation-irks-china-with-eastern-europe-tour/

This is a case of the United States rewarding faithful countries like Romania, which is fully on board with US foreign policy in Eastern Europe. Romania's inner turmoil and problematic bureaucracy have kept Washington somewhat aloof in terms of visas, but apparently they've found a way to make it work and it will open the door for easy Romanian business and travel in the United States. Washington wants to continue building strong ties with the nation that sits in a pivotal spot on the European map.

The Geopolitics of a Dead Georgian in Germany

https://in.reuters.com/article/germany-georgia-chechnya-idINKBN1Y81J3

Zelimkhan Khangoshvili was murdered on the streets of Berlin in August 2019 and for a time the story was 'big news'. The trial of the killer has dragged on and still appears occasionally in the media. The verdict was due in July 2021 and yet the trial has once more been extended. The verdict should come through before the end of the year and it's going to be a big story in the West – part of the ongoing anti-Russia campaign.

The October 2021 Coup in Sudan

https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/sudan-coup-imperils-hard-won-international-backing/

Sudan faces more turmoil with the October 2021 military coup. Western media tends to report on the nation's 'progress' which is measured in terms of how much the nation is under the thumb of Western investment and political policy. For the Sudanese the metrics are often quite different.

The ousting of Omar al-Bashir in 2019 marked a major victory for US-led Western interests. Washington had sponsored the creation of South Sudan in 2011 which left the north in a potential crisis as the southern region contained the nation's oil resources. The creation of South Sudan represented a defeat for China which had close ties with Khartoum and was invested in the infrastructure of their oil industry. Civil war was the result in the South, and a decade later the situation remains fragile.

Moldova's Gas Crisis

https://www.dailysabah.com/business/energy/gazprom-to-suspend-gas-supply-to-moldova-if-payment-not-made

https://www.euronews.com/2021/10/22/europe-s-energy-crisis-moldova-declares-state-of-emergency-over-gas-prices

Is Moscow using natural gas as a weapon, as a means of putting diplomatic pressure on Moldova? Is this punishment for Moldova electing Maia Sandu a pro-European president?

Probably. The articles keep focusing on the significant back payment that Moldova owes to Gazprom, the St. Petersburg based energy company that's majority-owned by the Russian state. And yet I think the salient issue is the contract deadline in December.

A Jezebel Among Us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qUnnSu1Dno

I had heard of this woman (Lauren Boebert) awhile ago, but I never imagined she professed to be a Christian. She's best known for her open carry lifestyle – she's almost always armed (this talk being a rare exception) and has made a big deal about her gun-friendly restaurant in Colorado. Riding the wave of fame, she then used her 'charms' to get herself elected to congress.

Another Navalny Travesty

https://www.politico.eu/article/alexei-navalny-sakharov-prize-freedom-thought-eu-russia/

The campaign to promote Alexei Navalny continues. He is but a component of the expansive Western campaign against the regime of Vladimir Putin in Moscow. You literally cannot interact with Western news media anymore without some kind of daily (and at times hourly) attack on Russia even if it's just a quick thirty second 'dig' – It must be remembered that in most American news venues a proper 'Two-Minute Hate' would exceed the attention span of their audience.

Mike Lindell and The Family

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDq3wTYb4QU

https://crooksandliars.com/2021/09/lindell-jesus-christ-trump

Lindell who is closely connected to Trump and was involved in the post-election coup plotting (that culminated in the failed January 6 putsch) has been a rising star in Christian Right circles. At the same time he has alienated sponsors and been forced out of some media circles. It's been remarkable (if disconcerting) to watch how the Evangelical community has rallied around him.

The Watchtower in Singapore: Putting Evangelicals to Shame

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58647485

Conscientious Objection is an ancient practice in the Church. With few exceptions the testimony of the Early Church is near universal – Christians were opposed to warfare and participation in the military and other forms of government violence.

False Teachers, their Propaganda, and the Degenerate State of American Evangelicalism

https://www.christianpost.com/news/fox-news-hosts-launches-series-to-show-proof-of-heaven.html

This is not really a noteworthy story but it provides an occasion to reflect upon a few things. Because like it or not this is what people are buying into and as long as we're attending mainstream institutional 'conservative' churches, we're going to encounter the folks who are influenced by these people – and even look up to them.

Serbia in the News and Europe on Edge

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/6/the-situation-is-dangerous

https://www.euractiv.com/section/enlargement/news/one-serb-shot-6-policemen-injured-in-kosovo-clashes/

https://news.yahoo.com/retired-diplomat-hill-bidens-choice-205145262.html

Is Serbia likely to launch an invasion of Kosovo, or attack one of its other former Yugoslav neighbours? This is unlikely but the recent military buildup does indicate that the Serbian Establishment is reading the European situation in a manner similar to figures like Orban of Hungary, elements within the Polish PiS Establishment, and other Right-wing forces throughout central and southern Europe. Serbia is not part of the EU but is an island within it and its currents affect its politics and standing.

Guns and People

It didn't take long for the Right-wing spin machine to kick in. A man in Norway attempted a massacre by means of bow and arrow. This is clear evidence that guns don't kill people – people do.

Sensationalism and the Geopolitics of Nordstream-2

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Moscow-uses-gas-to-blackmail-Europe-54243.html

This qualifies as sensationalism but given the source it's not terribly surprising. This Catholic-affiliated website has a long record of promoting the narratives of the Western Establishment when it comes to foreign policy and investment.

Canberra, China, and Trade

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Beijing's-failed-'trade-war'-against-Canberra-54240.html

There's another way to frame Beijing's turn with regard to Australia and issues of trade. It can be viewed as a failed boycott and in a sense it was. On the other hand, Beijing is watching Canberra cozy up to the United States as exemplified by the recent AUKUS agreement. It's easier for Australia to enter into an anti-Beijing alliance when China is not deeply entangled with its markets. And China's demand for Australian coal is no light thing.

Prophecy Expert Jimmy DeYoung, Vaccines, and the Mark of the Beast

The Dispensationalist teacher Jimmy DeYoung died in August of Covid-19. I had listened to him on and off for years. His programme appeared on the local Evangelical radio station and it seemed like many times we were in the car when it aired. I took great exception to his teachings. Misunderstanding the Bible on a massive scale, the outworkings of his aberrant theology took a particularly bad turn when it came to political Zionism and support for the often violent Settler movement in the West Bank, and Likud policy in general.

Geopolitics and Eastern Orthodoxy

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/The-Russian-Orthodox-against-the-'claims'-of-Constantinople-54091.html

Whether the US is playing a role in this rift or not – it fits a script that could have been written in Washington. And as the Cold War demonstrated, the US and other governments are actually very interested in such religious questions. And among these sacral bodies and especially among so-called ethnic Christian communities, politics and religion are closely united.

Iran, the SCO, and China

Due to post-Cold War geopolitics it was natural that Iran would find common cause with Moscow and even (as of the 2010's) Beijing. There's always been a hesitancy though on the part of Beijing to fully embrace Iran as it seemed like a potential conflict loomed with the United States – one Beijing didn't want to get dragged into. There are elements within the American political system that have been pushing for war with Iran since the 1979 revolution, a point Beijing knows all too well.

Evidence of Corruption at Al Jazeera

From time to time I have commented on news outlets and one I've often referenced is that of Al Jazeera English. When the network launched during the George W Bush years it was a breath of fresh air. I started watching in 2008 via Livestream and I found the network to be edifying. It covered a wide range of topics and in fairly balanced form. Its coverage was not Western-biased but it did not discount or ignore Western positions either.

Catholic Ireland and the Christianity That Would Replace It

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oF4OG4f4xU

I found this Evangelical coverage to be far more disturbing than the actual decline of Catholicism within Ireland – a reality no New Testament Christian would lament.

Site Update

To my readers:

I apologise for the diminished output and lack of site activity as of late. I experienced a computer catastrophe and lost several articles I was working on. 

Cold War II: Putting Pressure on China

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/08/05/india-indigenous-aircraft-carrier/

Indian tanks have been seen on maneuvers less than thirty miles from the Chinese border in Ladakh. While the Ladakh-Tibet border does not represent an existential threat to Beijing, the area has been contentious since the two modern nations were formed in the 1940's. China doesn't want to see any kind of turmoil or trouble on the Tibet border – but you can be sure Washington is doing all it can to encourage India to make that trouble.

The Afghan Legacies of George W Bush and Tony Blair

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/7/31/george-w-bush-should-shut-up-and-go-away

The author of the editorial is correct in exposing a rather startling truth - men like George Bush have no conscience. A man who should be in sackcloth and ashes is instead living the good life and has been largely rehabilitated in the eyes of the American public. 

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?

Misassessing German Evangelicalism

https://www.evangelical-times.org/articles/evangelicalism-in-germany-a-stocktaking/

This represents a flawed analysis and sadly it also reveals some of the flawed thinking at the helm of German Evangelicalism. The entire assessment is in terms of Christendom. One would think that the lessons of that flawed paradigm would have been learned by now, but apparently not. 

Spinning Pegasus

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/29/1022214491/leaks-reveal-spyware-meant-to-track-criminals-targeted-activists-instead

The Fresh Air interview contained some helpful information but it was overshadowed by an air of absurdity. There were numerous elephants in the room that were being ignored leading one to question the sincerity of the participants.

Candace Cameron and the Heresy of Profanation

Evangelicalism is in a sad state of affairs when the likes of Candace Cameron are held up as leaders - and editors such as Richard Land continue to give them press.

US Manipulation of Cuba Protests

https://www.mintpressnews.com/documents-point-to-us-hand-in-cuba-protests/277987/

Once again we find the hand of USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) at work, doing what they do best - labouring to subvert democracy and overthrow governments. As soon as the protests erupted and voices within the US started escalating the rhetoric, it wasn't hard to guess what was happening. And though things have seemingly calmed down, it's not over yet.

The FBI and the Whitmer-Michigan Plot Viewed Through the Flawed Lens of Libertarianism

Though this story has already faded away from the news cycle it will return and there are some elements concerning it that deserve reflection. 

The ETIM in Afghanistan: Promoting Chaos on China's Border

https://archive.vn/VquRh

It is noteworthy that as of 2020 the al Qaeda affiliated East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is no longer on the US terror list and its political and intellectual leadership is based in the United States.

China is certainly very concerned about the ETIM setting up shop in Afghanistan, and Beijing is trying to reach out to the Taliban for this reason among others. One can be certain that China will wish to extend its Belt and Road Initiative (OBOR) into Afghanistan but there's also the fear that Afghanistan will become a base or harbour for militants.

But there's another concern and it's one that I've been talking about for some time – and one I'm starting to become more convinced of.

Building the Anti-Beijing Bloc: Biden and Tibet

https://www.centralasianews.net/news/270504470/in-india-blinken-meets-representative-of-dalai-lama

The article is most correct. Beijing will respond to this meeting with great hostility. The Dalai Lama and all things Tibet are touchy. Tibet is one of the three 'T' issues – Tibet, Tiananmen, and Taiwan – issues not to be spoken of and that can land one in hot water with the authorities.

Building the Anti-Beijing Bloc: The Biden Pivot and the Philippines

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/07/30/philippines-us-military-deal/

During the course of his tenure, Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte has lashed out at Washington. Angry at the long years of US domination of his country and the hypocritical condemnation by Washington of his administration for its brutal policies – he may at last be shifting gears. While he officially is maintaining his 'independent' foreign policy, his days of cozying up to China may be at an end. Time will tell but signals suggest Manila may be pivoting back into the American camp.

Covid-Delta and the Provincetown Outbreak

To my mind, it's the elephant in the room that no side wants to acknowledge. There's been a lot of recent press surrounding the Covid-Delta outbreak in Provincetown, Massachusetts. This was a 'breakthrough' case of a group of 469 Covid-positive people. Of this group about 75% of them were vaccinated and yet nevertheless became infected by the virus. No one died and barely anyone was seriously affected which by some estimations actually testifies to the vaccine's potency. Given what the Delta variant is doing across the rest of the country the fact that only five people (of the 469) were hospitalised is noteworthy.

*As of today the outbreak has grown to almost one-thousand people.

Inbox: The Enlightenment, Westminster and Romans 13, and the Question of Civil Disobedience

This deals with a series of questions regarding where to read about some of the Christian interaction with The Enlightenment especially in terms of political and social ideology and ethics. Additionally there is the question of the Westminster Confession's view of Romans 13 and why I believe it to be in error – and are there any pre-Reformation instances that would support my view?

Finally, what of civil disobedience? Is it ever appropriate?

Catholic-Evangelical Alliances and the Divisions They Produce

https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/italian-jesuit-magazine-criticizes-political-attitudes-some-us-catholics

Fundamentalism's voice of protest continues to weaken. Evangelicals and Catholics are allies now. The seeds planted by Francis Schaeffer and watered by Chuck Colson – and the architects of Vatican II have come to fruition. For good or ill we've come a long way from Chick tracts and Hislop's The Two Babylons. The last bastions of anti-Catholicism are today found in connection with Ulster and the (equally dubious) heritage of Ian Paisley.

The Christian Right's Self Destruction?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/15/the-guardian-view-on-american-christianity-change-and-decay

More than a few commentators have attempted to make this point. This one dates from the dawn of the Trump administration. Over four years later things have definitely changed. There's a strange energy in the air, people are energised to be sure. Some might think the notion that the Christian Right is in decline is ridiculous. They can certainly make their case that the movement is thriving.

The Museum of American Christendom

https://www.christianpost.com/news/museum-of-the-bible-unveils-magna-carta-exhibit.html

The Evangelical community was excited when in 2017 the Green family (of Hobby Lobby fame) opened the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC. For many it communicated a powerful message regarding the Bible and its place in American society and culture. While they would have preferred it to be located on the National Mall itself, the fact that it sits nearby (with a top floor view) is pregnant with symbolism.

The Latin Mass and Catholic Traditionalists

https://www.ansa.it/english/news/2021/07/16/pope-bans-latin-masses-from-parish-churches_f9ff66d0-9af2-4e31-ae59-4378f75f9379.html

The move by Francis was surprising but it also makes sense. The anti- Vatican II Traditionalist movement is growing within Catholicism – particularly in the West and it has allied itself with Right-wing political forces that seek to counter Francis on almost every front.

US and Poland's PiS Establish Closer Ties

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/07/14/poland-abrams-tanks/

Poland's ruling PiS continues to pick up a lot of negative press coverage in Europe but you'd hardly know it in the United States as Warsaw continues to forge close ties with Washington. Unlike the other powers within Europe and even some of Poland's fellow members in the V4 bloc, Poland is fully on board with Washington's agenda vis-à-vis Russia.

Biden and Cuban Unrest

Biden isn't being aggressive enough toward Cuba, or so it is being argued. Even though it's likely the US is playing a part in the current unrest, there are calls for a more direct intervention. The Right is portraying Biden as weak, indecisive and perhaps guilty of moral and ideological equivocation.

Debt and Journalistic Hypocrisy

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/28/1010832606/road-deal-with-china-is-blamed-for-catapulting-montenegro-into-historic-debt

There has been a steady stream of such stories in recent days. The Anti-China campaign is in full swing. It has become so normative to see this kind of reporting it hardly raises an eyebrow anymore. But it should. In fact there should be a good deal of ire and even outrage.

Spinning the UFO Reports

When considering the recent government sanctioned UFO reports, one is left wondering if a leak wasn't imminent. Was this damage control, an attempt to head off a 'scoop' brought by some whistleblower? Or was pressure building in some corner of the bureaucracy and finally it was agreed that the report would be released.

And released it was but what has been interesting is that it has been utilised by the American military-industrial establishment (and its media assets) as a means of propaganda and scare-tactics.

Christ the Flag-Burner

https://www.vcyamerica.org/crosstalk/2021/06/14/u-s-flag-under-attack/

Every once in awhile I grit my teeth and listen to an episode of this radio programme that represents a fusion of John Birch Society-inspired ideology and Protestant Fundamentalism. Not everything on the show is bad but most of it is and some episodes are certainly worse than others.

This episode (linked above) was one of the bad ones. The entire discussion is rooted in a false premise and as such the whole discussion goes off the rails.

The CRT Scam

https://www.npr.org/2021/06/24/1009882751/the-battle-over-teaching-critical-race-theory

While the interview is less than pleasant to listen to, it nevertheless is warranted. I was pleased to note that some have picked up on the fact that the current Critical Race Theory frenzy is little more than hype and it also represents an attempt by Right-wing forces to generate a new wave of Tea Party-type hysteria. The parallels are obvious it was refreshing to hear someone else take note of it.

Rumsfeld: Evangelical Praises for an Unrepentant Mass Murderer

The legacy of George W Bush is being slowly rehabilitated. In many circles it is already complete. The dismal state of the country and world by the end of his presidency has been forgotten and re-written and he's been transformed into cute and bumbling Grandpa George.

But that's not what he was. He tore the Middle East apart, sowed cancerous seeds within American society and its judiciary, used technology for evil means and left behind a legacy of war, mass death, torture, kidnapping, assassination and the like. He was and is a monster and yet he was the darling of the American Evangelicals – one of their own. It's a testimony to the sad and degenerate state of American Christianity.

Current Ministry Downgrades

Like so many other ministries, Come Over and Help is experiencing what I can only call a downgrade. There are many little things I've noticed over recent years but a couple of glaring examples has driven me to go public in my condemnation and I can no longer recommend them as a ministry to support.

Trump, Schiff and the Stink of the American Political System

https://greenwald.substack.com/p/trump-doj-obtained-data-on-schiff

Greenwald rightly calls out Democratic hypocrisy regarding the issue of government spying. The tools which they helped to create and endorse were turned against them. These are the same tools that violate the US Constitution, undermine free speech and democracy, and the same tools they used to violate international agreements – and yes, spy on not just citizens but people within the government – and even political figures in other governments.

Russia's Heresy Museum

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Museum-of-Christian-Culture-opens-in-St.-Petersburg-53335.html

It is entirely appropriate that this farcical museum contains a Constantine Room, for this form of counterfeit Christianity has its genesis in the fourth century. Begun by Constantine, the Christianisation project would be completed by the reign of Theodosius II. Seventeen centuries later the Church has never recovered from it and its poison has worked its way into the farthest recesses of the Church on Earth. Indeed there are few who seem able to question its basic suppositions, and even fewer who can divorce their thinking from its assumptions.

The Flemish Rambo and Right-wing Extremism in Europe

https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-jurgen-conings-manhunt-culture-war/

The Flemish Rambo is dead but there are no sighs of relief in Brussels.

The fact that someone like Jürgen Conings would appear on the contemporary stage is surprising to no one. That extreme Right-wing ideology and behaviour should arise in Flanders also makes sense. Flemish hatred of Brussels has only grown in recent years. For them Brussels is the seat of Belgium, a country they view as an artificial nineteenth-century contrivance and it is also the seat of the European Union, a political entity that many have also come to hate as it represents the breakdown and disintegration of not just regional autonomy but traditional culture.

Condemned by Her Own Words

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/jun/14/fox-news-host-kayleigh-mcenany-never-lied-trump-press-secretary

Lauded by the broader American Christian community, Kayleigh McEnany continually demonstrates that she is both a serial liar and a person in the severest grip of self-deception. She continues to stand by Donald Trump, a person that essentially wears his reprobation on his sleeve and McEnany seems to equate her Trumpian fidelity with Christian virtues and ethics – demonstrating only just how lost she is.

Confused Ethics and Evil Library Displays in Pennsylvania

Northwestern Pennsylvania has been the site of a recent controversy that is starting to appear in some national media outlets. A school board member referred to a pro-sodomite library display as evil and as you might imagine this generated a significant backlash prompting both support and calls for his removal.

Catholic Sympathy for Central Asian Islamists

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Persecution-of-Tajik-Islamists-53398.html

This is a strange story coming from a Catholic news agency. Why is a conservative Catholic news network taking what is essentially a Pro-Islamist position?

Gülen, Kenya and Turkey's MIT

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57304094

Kenya was the scene of a previous Turkish intelligence (MIT) operation in the late 1990's when (with the help of the CIA) the head of the PKK was captured. This time it's unclear if Nairobi was a willing participant in the MIT operation though it seems unlikely that Turkey would have risked the international scandal to capture someone that frankly is not exactly a high-value target.

Erdogan's AKP is continuing its campaign against the Gülenist movement. They have been unable to get their hands on Fethullah Gülen himself who has lived in the Pennsylvania Poconos since 1999.*

FOX's Lipstick-Evangelical Feminism and its Fruits

https://www.christianpost.com/books/shannon-bream-god-never-viewed-women-as-second-class-citizens.html

The FOX channel is mistakenly perceived as conservative. It is certainly Right-wing but conservative is not a term that would apply. And overarching all the politics of the channel is the ubiquitous presence of tanned, blond women in tight short dresses – most of whom don't seem to own an outfit with sleeves. Several of them are former beauty queens and almost all put on airs of piety and religiosity. It's offensive, but the tactic has worked and over the past twenty years the entertainment-propaganda channel has played a profound role in re-shaping Evangelicalism.

Nuland's Appointment a Signal to Moscow

https://news.antiwar.com/2021/04/30/as-ukraine-simmers-victoria-nuland-is-now-highest-ranking-member-of-us-foreign-service/

Biden's appointment and promotion of Victoria Nuland sends a clear signal to all that his administration plans to aggressively pursue NATO expansionism and a policy of Russian roll-back and regime change. And, the fighting will be dirty. Nuland was point-man (as it were) on the Ukraine operation in 2014 that resulted in a Color-Revolution/Regime Change.

Hedges and the Decline of the American Empire

https://www.mintpressnews.com/chris-hedges-unraveling-empire-united-states/276752/

Chris Hedges is in many respects a brilliant thinker. And yet reading him always saddens me a bit because of his distorted view of Christianity. But given his interaction with its politicised forms and his training under the auspices of theological liberalism, his less-than-Biblical views are hardly surprising. And while his understanding of the Scriptures is often wrong, he understands Right-wing Christianity well enough and thus his comments (though frustrating at times) are often insightful and contain no small degree of truth.

Dominionism and Mainstream Evangelical Orthodoxy

https://currentpub.com/2021/05/08/seven-mountain-dominionism-at-the-mississippi-national-day-of-prayer/

Seven Mountains Dominionism is simply the Charismatic iteration and packaging put on the Kuyperian doctrine brought to them by the Calvinistic world. It's a little more blatant and crude in how it sets out its agenda as it openly proclaims its desire to capture key cultural institutions.

The story here is that it's not a story. John Fea's Current may cover it, but no one else really takes notice. This kind of thinking and the doctrinal assumptions which undergird it have become normalised and normative – to the point that it can be publically proclaimed without any real controversy.

Rick Warren, Feminism, and Saddleback's Rejection of Biblical Authority

In this case, it's the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) once again. Rick Warren's business and therapy oriented approach to ecclesiology made him rich and famous. He became a friend of African dictators, was invited into the circles of the Atlantic political order, and built himself a global brand. In recent years he's become little more than a huckster, selling a diet plan that claims to be rooted in Scripture but can only do so by means of wishful thinking and tortured hermeneutics. Warren isn't one to let that stop him. He knows his audience and their ignorance and they continue to fall for his scams.

Central Asia Tilts Toward Beijing: Reflections on the US Withdrawal from Afghanistan

https://eurasianet.org/perspectives-xian-meeting-marks-a-new-chapter-for-china-in-central-asia

China is stepping aggressively into the gap left by four years of Donald Trump. The US has not wholly abandoned Central Asia by any means and the Biden administration has yet to act but at this point Beijing has the advantage and they're seeking to capitalize upon it.

Feminism Triumphant in the Evangelical Sphere

https://www.npr.org/2021/04/15/987552105/the-making-of-biblical-womanhood-tackles-contradictions-in-religious-practice

Extra-Biblical ecclesiology, bad hermeneutics, and bad doctrine in general have opened the door to feminism and they are now triumphant in the Evangelical world. So triumphant in fact, that things are beginning evolve.

The Guns of August in the Asia-Pacific

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/8/us-warns-china-over-moves-on-philippines-taiwan

These types of articles appear almost daily. The US continues to rattle its sabre and draw lines in the sand – and yet faint lines that can easily be withdrawn. Washington is pushing for war but it's clear there's still a good degree of timidity.

Asia is Marching Toward War

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/05/20/japan-must-speed-up-defense-says-minister/

Though it is often presented as a preventative measure, a type of peace through strength, the truth is militarism always results in conflict. And Japan has been rattling the sabre for some time. The Japanese Right is eager to re-arm and re-assert its traditional role in the Asian theatre. They view Japan as a great power on par with Western nations and now 75 years after its defeat in WWII – it's time for Japan to re-assume its place.

Brussels and Beijing in a Standoff

https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/5/20/eu-warns-china-no-business-investment-deal-if-sanctions-remain

Brussels and Beijing are caught in something of a standoff. Both political entities have thrown down the gauntlet and now neither knows how to get out of the situation. And you can be sure that if a way can be found, the United States will pour fuel on the fire.

Who needs the other more? Who can outlast the other?

In other words, it's a test.

A Shocking Act: Ryanair Flight #4978

So said the US government in regard to the RyanAir flight diverted by Belarus to Minsk. Ostensibly threatened by a bomb, all admit the move was made by Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko in order to seize an opposition journalist with Western ties.

Mainline Lutheranism's Utter Apostasy and its Historical Roots

https://www.npr.org/2021/05/09/995271758/megan-rohrer-elected-as-1st-openly-transgender-bishop-in-u-s-lutheran-church

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has been apostate for many years but the recent full inclusion of every extreme form of sodomy seems shocking to some – but it shouldn't be.

Sunday and the Triumph of Mammon

https://evangelicalfocus.com/life-tech/11589/us-one-in-four-protestant-churchgoers-works-at-least-one-sunday-a-month

If these people want to impact culture, this isn't the way. This isn't being salt and light. This is capitulation. I'm not a Sabbatarian though I will say the Church has always met on Sundays are there are doctrinal reasons for doing so. It's not essential as the Church can certainly meet on other days as well – and should. But Sunday worship, the first day of the week in connection to the Resurrection, is ancient and found in the New Testament itself.

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.

Turkey's Foreign Policy, the Kirghiz-Tajik Conflict, and the Armenian Genocide

https://armenianweekly.com/2021/02/17/turkeys-pivot-in-central-asia-a-calculated-risk/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/24/us-formally-recognized-armenian-genocide-why-now-century-later/

Under Erdogan's leadership the Turkish state has shifted from being a Western-oriented and zealous member of NATO to a position often described as Neo-Ottomanism. Related to the Byzantine heritage, Neo-Ottomanism seeks to straddle the East-West divide and utilise its central geographic position as a means economic and geopolitical leverage. Instead of embracing the secularist nationalism of Kemalism, Erdogan has sought to rekindle the Islamic identity of the Ottomans.

Libertarian Distortions of the Gospel

https://www.lewrockwell.com/political-theatre/woman-arrested-at-bofa-for-no-mask/

I do not endorse Lew Rockwell's website. I visit it just to see what's being said in those circles. On occasion there's some foreign policy insight but generally speaking the Libertarianism of the site is contrary to New Testament doctrine and ethics.

And yet, there are many Christians taken in by their ethos and values. It's a bit of strange brew – a lot of Traditionalist Catholicism, Bircher-types, sometimes beyond-the-pale conspiracy stuff, mixed with Neo-Confederatism and a lot of other things. Sometimes there's something interesting but often it's more of an occasion to shake one's head.

Germ Warfare in Korea

https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/04/09/new-revelations-on-germ-warfare-its-time-for-a-reckoning-with-our-history-from-the-korean-war/

In 1998 the Wilson Center concluded that the many longstanding claims regarding American use of germ agents during the Korean War were not only not credible, they were based on a hoax. In response to this I would argue that anyone who has spent any time looking into the Wilson Center would have known the germ warfare denial was all but an endorsement of its reality. In other words if the Wilson Center is denying it – it probably happened.

Vietnam and the Anti-China Coalition

https://thegrayzone.com/2021/04/08/pentagon-vietnam-military-china-us-war/

Just a few years ago it seemed the Hanoi and Washington were on the cusp of becoming formal allies. The controversy that surrounded Bill Clinton's restoration of diplomatic relations with Vietnam in the 1990's is long past. Though Vietnam still suffers the effects of the US war in terms of Agent Orange and the like, they are clearly a resilient people and have moved on – ready to deal with contemporary realities. The American War now belongs to another generation. The fear today is with regard to the ancient enemy – not the Americans across the ocean but the neighbour across the northern border, China.

The Afghan Withdrawal

https://news.antiwar.com/2021/04/16/pentagon-unclear-if-contractors-will-leave-afghanistan/

The US strategy to secure Afghanistan has failed. A continued combat troop presence will only further tie down Washington and leave it committed to the internal politics of the country. The plans for pipelines have been abandoned – for now.

Facial Recognition Being Normalised in the West

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/04/06/us-army-facial-recognition-bases/

One might call this The China Effect. Already the UK is using facial recognition software and US law enforcement agencies are certainly using the software to scan through ID photo databases and social media.

Evangelical Celebrity Revealed Once Again as Devoid of Substance

https://www.christianpost.com/news/chip-and-joanna-gaines-tell-oprah-how-god-communicates-with-them.html

I must say that I have a special loathing of all the 'Home and Garden'-type television programmes. I don't have regular television but I've seen them on occasion and I've seen clips via YouTube and the like. As one who has connections to the world of home remodeling I can say the effect of these shows has been disastrous. It has been very beneficial for the Big Box outlets and the industry which sponsor the shows but in terms of society and ethics – they have been destructive.

The Failed Coup in Jordan

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/former-mossad-agent-allegedly-involved-in-jordan-coup-report-664094

Israel and Jordan have had unofficial relations since the 1970's and formal relations dating back to the 1990's. Jordan's King Abdullah is pro-West, a friend to both Israel and Washington.

Leaden Ecclesiology that Denies the Sufficiency of Scripture

https://www.ironsharpensironradio.com/podcast/march-1-2021-show-with-dr-robert-e-brunansky-on-ecclesiology-the-missing-doctrine-in-evangelicalism/

Longtime readers will know that I've discussed Chris Arnzen's Iron Sharpens Iron in the past and will know that I'm something less than a fan of him, his work, or his associates.*

Ramsey Clark (1927-2021)

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2021/04/11/Ramsey-Clark-attorney-general-under-Lyndon-Johnson-dies/4201618146028/

Ramsey Clark has died and I must say I'm disappointed.

The Anti-Russia Campaign Exposed

https://thegrayzone.com/2021/02/20/reuters-bbc-uk-foreign-office-russian-media/

The greatest irony surrounding this story is that it reveals the British government is actively engaged in the very sorts of activities they repeatedly accuse Russia of. And don't think for a moment the US government is any different. I guarantee the campaign is actually on a more massive scale.

Sobering News from Ulster

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/8/northern-ireland-unrest-four-key-questions-answered

Everyone who has followed the news surrounding Northern Ireland and Brexit has dreaded this moment. Hopefully, things will calm down but there's another element to the story the Al Jazeera article fails to pursue.

Co-Belligerence, TBN, and Fulton Sheen

Trinity Broadcasting Network or TBN is the haunt of Evangelical apostates. No serious Biblically-minded Christian would have anything to do with that highly corrupt and heretical organisation and in saying so I do paint with a broad brush.

Venezuela, China, and Hypocritical Linkages

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Venezuela-embraces-'Made-in-China'-while-its-workers-are-exploited-by-Chinese-companies-52444.html

The hypocrisy of this story beggars belief. While this Vatican-connected website is sometimes the source of interesting news, at others time it becomes nigh on ridiculous – and this is one of those times.

The Watchtower Society in Siberia

https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-court-jails-mother-and-son-jehovah-s-witnesses/31120167.html

The US-affiliated RFERL just wants to take shots at Moscow and as such their coverage is disingenuous. It's merely part of a large coordinated campaign to paint Russia in a negative light. In truth, the US Establishment hates Jehovah's Witnesses and doesn't care about them but in this case it's good to remember what's happening in Russia.

Evangelicals are facing bureaucratic hardship but since 2017, the Watchtower folks are enduring outright persecution.

Proxy Political Battles in Georgia

https://www.euractiv.com/section/europe-s-east/news/georgian-police-arrest-top-opposition-leader-use-tear-gas-in-party-hq-raid/

Nika Melia who is connected to Mikheil Saakashvili's ENM was arrested in a February raid. The nation is in a state of political upheaval and turmoil as it is caught in a proxy struggle between pro-Washington forces and those who would either seek a pro-Europe but not necessarily pro-Atlanticist position, and those who would seem what is tantamount to a Non-Aligned position and the restoration of the Orthodox-rooted monarchy. There is also a small but vocal pro-Russian faction that seeks to break all ties to the West.

The Accommodationist Triad and Evangelical Women

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/03/purity-culture-evangelical-church-harms-women/618438/

This was a disappointing read to say the least, all the more when one considers this woman is an Evangelical (whatever that means anymore) and has even been placed into a position of semi-leadership within the Church – how else should one understand the contrived extra-Scriptural office of Worship Leader?

Her Atlantic article is a case of The Accommodationist Triad (see below) at work. In this case, feminism and psychology are being applied and leading to theological liberalism and ultimately the abandonment of Christian ethics. And don't think divorce isn't in the cards for this woman. A Biblical case to the contrary would carry very little weight with her.

Grey Wolves in Nagorno-Karabakh

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/w/erdogan-slammed-amid-reports-he-will-open-grey-wolves-fascist-school-occupied-artsakh

It's not too often that the Grey Wolves make it into mainstream news circles. The Turkish nationalist (and by all accounts) fascist movement has often been utilised by the United States – especially during the Cold War. There are many clear cases of US intelligence collaborating with the group.

Washington and the 2021 Bulgarian Parliamentary Elections

https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/short_news/bulgarian-corruption-leads-to-us-russia-clash/

As suggested last year, Bulgarian Prime Minister Borissov has turned a corner and the US is starting to move against him. They tolerated him and even utilised him but on critical points (such as energy) he has proven unreliable. Given the corruption and outside influence within Bulgaria it's hardly difficult to find scandals to amplify his 'unworthiness' and thus Washington is beginning a campaign to oust him.

Shame on Voddie Baucham

https://www.theblaze.com/shows/the-glenn-beck-program/blm-is-a-marxist-movement-that-uses-black-people-? 

I first encountered Baucham about fifteen years ago. He was unique because it's unusual find conservative Black voices within Calvinist circles – in this case Calvinistic Baptist. He came onto the radar (as it were) alongside the New Calvinist movement but clearly he was not one of them. Like Paul Washer he seemed to partner with and associate with some Theonomic types which always gave me occasion to pause, but generally speaking I would have said he was a pretty solid guy, a good teacher who for most part stood for Biblical thought and ethics.

The Christ-Rejecting Ethic at the Heart of American Evangelicalism

While reading an article concerning the latest shake-up associated with Liberty University I was struck by this statement concerning their politically motivated think-tank, The Falkirk Center.

The Falkirk Center spearheaded an aggressive, no-holds-bared approach to the culture war.

“Bemoaning the rise of leftism is no longer enough,” its website read. “Although we do, as Jesus taught, turn the other cheek in our personal relationships, we cannot abdicate our responsibilities on the cultural battlefield. There is too much at stake in the clash for the soul of our nation. Bold, unapologetic engagement and initiative is needed on the part of every conservative American.”

This only further exemplifies a point I've been trying to make for many years. In the realm of ethics (which includes economics) the Evangelical movement as a whole (and the broader category of Christian Sacralism) rejects the teachings of Christ and in many cases does so knowingly.

Employing the Accommodationist Triad in the Culture Wars

https://www.vcyamerica.org/crosstalk/2021/03/03/american-heritage-girls/

This is yet another example of the Accommodationist Triad (see below) at work within Evangelicalism. Posing as cultural conservatives and traditionalists, they assume one-time liberal (now Right-wing) arguments in order to score their political victories. And yet the assumptions they have embraced represent a fatal compromise of the very conservative values they claim to uphold. Their arguments are ultimately self-defeating. It's a case of fighting off an acute poison by the utilisation of a long term cancer.

Bucharest Moves to Block OBOR Access to Central Europe

https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/romania-issues-memorandum-blocking-chinese-firms-from-public-infrastructure-projects/

Romania has been transformed. Once a stalwart member of the Warsaw Pact, during the post-Cold War epoch Bucharest has become a functional satrap of the American Empire – even allowing Washington to base missile systems and troops within its borders.

Obedient Croatia and the LNG Terminal on the Adriatic

https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/croatia-kicks-off-lng-terminal-in-north-adriatic/

Rising from the fragmented war-torn disaster that was Yugoslavia, Croatia has been attempting to break with any 'Eastern' association and root itself firmly in the Catholic-Enlightenment West. This is essential to the Croat identity. Though of the same genetic stock as the Orthodox Serbs and Muslim Bosniaks, their history has been defined by alliance to the Habsburgs – in other words to the Latin West.

Poland: The Seed of Liberal Democracy Turned Virus

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-church-insight/as-polands-church-embraces-politics-catholics-depart-idUSKBN2A30SN

The Roman Catholic Church was keen to utilise Western Liberalism in its fight with the government of communist Poland. Backing Solidarity and the democratic movement, the papacy of John Paul II played a significant role in the Cold War struggle.

The Ghost of Abraham Kuyper and American Right-Wing Evangelicalism

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/anxiousbench/2021/01/josh-hawley-betsy-devos-and-abraham-kuyper-a-reckoning/

This was a fascinating if unsurprising piece written by one formerly on the inside of the Dutch Calvinist and Evangelical world. One need not agree with all of the author's views or conclusions to acknowledge that Abraham Kuyper's ghost haunts and overshadows the Evangelical edifice that began to emerge in the post-WWII period. While few know his name or are familiar with his Stone Lectures at Princeton, his influence is pervasive.*

Covid and Schengen

https://www.euractiv.com/section/justice-home-affairs/opinion/the-slow-death-of-schengen/

Already under significant strain due to the immigration crisis and growing nationalist concerns, the Schengen Area of uninhibited visa-free travel and trade which began to be implemented in 1995 is under growing threat – and one greatly exacerbated by the Covid crisis.

The Myanmar Coup and China

There have been repeated hints made in Western media that Beijing is somehow behind the coup in Myanmar (Burma). While the ruling party (CCP) of China is undoubtedly an evil organisation, I was immediately sceptical of the claims. Once again, just because Xi Jinping is an evil persecutor of the Church does not mean that we as Christians need to hop on to the Western propaganda bandwagon. We need to hold the truth and remember that just because the Chinese government is evil – it does not follow that Western powers like the US or UK are somehow 'good'.

The Context for America's War on Somalia: Drawdown or Reset?

https://www.mintpressnews.com/americas-half-century-war-somalia-comes-end-sort/274956/

I was pleased to see a connection made with the Cold War and the fact that the US has been involved in the Horn of Africa since that time. Overall the article is excellent, a concise and yet probing and even poignant summary of events, and most importantly it provides the larger context that helps to explain the US role in the region and the cynicism the people of the Somalia and the larger Horn must feel toward Washington.

Upside Down Thinking

https://billmuehlenberg.com/2020/11/22/the-whole-world-is-turning-toward-evil/

Was all well prior to November 2020? Was Paul mistaken when he characterised this period as a present evil age? Is that only a reality when certain political parties are in power? Are the Scriptures in error when they speak of Satan as the god of this world?

Kosovo and Israel

https://www.timesofisrael.com/kosovo-says-it-will-formally-establish-diplomatic-ties-with-israel-on-feb-1/

This move would have hardly required some kind of great effort on the part of the Trump administration. Kosovo wears its Islam rather lightly and while threatened by a growing Salafist movement (one sometimes utilised by US intelligence) the establishment of relations with Israel is a win-win from the standpoint of the Tel Aviv and Washington Establishments.

Biden and the Black Sea

https://www.stripes.com/news/europe/navy-sends-three-ships-into-black-sea-as-russia-takes-notice-1.660114

Despite the disinformation campaign waged by the media, Trump never really 'let up' on Russia. In fact in many respects his administration took more actions against Moscow than the Obama administration ever did.

However I expect Biden to be a bit different. Rather than Obama 2.0, we're more likely to see what a Clinton administration might have done. The Syria airstrike and the uptick in activity in the Black Sea is only the beginning. Russia is to endure it even while the United States would hardly tolerant such actions by either Moscow or Beijing in the Gulf of Mexico, Puget Sound, or off the coast of California.

American Legions to Remain in Germany

https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/us-troop-withdrawal-from-germany-put-on-freeze/

This is further evidence of the bureaucratic resistance to Trump's haphazard drawdown of US troops. The order is given, feet drag, the process is entangled and ignored – and then another administration comes to power and slowly reverses the order and its momentum.

Covid Protocols: History's Lessons Lost

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210107-the-432-year-old-manual-on-social-distancing

Historical ignorance and the bubble of modern Western life have created our present state of affairs regarding Covid denial and resistance to common sense neighbourly measures of arresting the spread.