https://www.politico.eu/article/france-orderly-us-military-drawdown-alice-rufo/
It needs to be remembered that Politico is explicitly a pro-European and thus pro-EU publication. The fact that an American drawdown from Europe is being openly discussed and even advocated - that's noteworthy.
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.
Given Armenia's recent tilt away from Russia, and Azerbaijan's mostly pro-US stance, the moment seems ripe for the EU to sweep into the South Caucasus and do some bridge building. As I have long suggested, the EU offers a Western and yet non-American alternative, and one more attractive given the geographic proximity to the region.
This certainly caught my eye. The Visegrad Four (V4) has been basically dead since 2022 and the Ukraine War. The bloc comprised of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia represented a semi-dissident group within the EU. It was receiving particular notice during the years when Orban ruled Hungary, and the PiS was in charge of Poland.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2026/06/10/sove-j10.html
This WSWS article expresses something my household has noted for some time - the end of World War II in Europe is being subjected to revisionism.
https://www.euractiv.com/news/taliban-envoy-abdul-qahar-balkhi-to-lead-delegation-to-brussels/
The Taliban does not want to do business with the United States. Given the bad blood connected to the horrific war of the 1980's, it's surprising that Kabul would want anything to do with Moscow either, but indeed it would seem the two nations are proceeding on the basis of common interests. China looms over all and while the Taliban looks to Beijing as its primary foreign investor, the Afghan leadership knows that it's in their interest to diversify - lest they become wholly dependent on Beijing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXQQKcHRgnA
There have been numerous commentaries regarding the recent Trump-Xi meetings in Beijing. Some insist that Trump arrived in a position of strength and came away scoring significant victories in terms of geo-strategic commitments and trade deals. Unsurprisingly, such interpretations are found among Trump supporters.
https://militarywatchmagazine.com/article/israel-largest-tank-losses-40yrs-ambushes-21-merkava
It's not surprising to learn that the Pentagon has been trying to cover-up losses and damage to US assets. The fact that Iran can strike back does not fit with the US narrative.
https://www.politico.eu/article/world-war-iii-defense-spending-europe-poll/
Politico is well known as a pro-Atlanticist publication and thus is going to represent a NATO-bias in its reporting. Despite this shortcoming, there's still some good information to be gleaned from time to time.
In this case, the article is neither profound nor surprising but rather affirming what many already sense - the world is heading toward global conflict. Indeed, history may look back and reckon the next world war as having begun in the early 2020's with the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, and now Iran. These wars are becoming ever more related and interconnected and as Donald Trump discovered they are not easily disentangled or disengaged from as so many issues are woven together.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-admin-threatens-withhold-hiv-192256406.html
The US acts as if its AIDS treatment and prevention programmes are rooted in altruism. That's never been the case. These were opportunities for the Empire to exercise soft power, make contacts, lay foundations for future business investment, and establish relationships with political leaders. It's always been about the fact that if the US doesn't do this, then some other powerful nation will.
https://www.politico.eu/article/serbia-bor-mine-china-zijin-mining-group-health/
Serbia continues to be a problem for the Atlanticist Empire. The US led two wars connected to Serbia in the 1990's and while it defeated the Serbs and wrested Kosovo away from Belgrade - the problem was never resolved. Serbia remains a thorn in the side of both Washington and Brussels, a beach-head for Moscow's interests and influence in the Balkans.
https://www.euractiv.com/news/kyrgyzstan-in-eu-crosshairs-over-russia-sanctions-circumvention/
The EU has been trying to establish better ties with Central Asia, but all of this has been sidetracked by the Ukraine War and the West's anti-Moscow posture. The nations of Central Asia deal with both Russia and China which are their neighbours with some nations leaning toward Beijing and others toward Moscow.
https://thegrayzone.substack.com/p/iran-war-described-as-biggest-opportunity
This article is based on a January 2026 summit held in Washington DC - just weeks after Maduro's kidnapping and before the latest Iran War.
https://www.politico.eu/article/france-germany-next-generation-fighter-jet-project-collapse/
In the grand scheme of things this is a minor story but it points to some of the internal struggles within Europe, which in turn plays out within the larger political spectrum. With the departure of Angela Merkel and in light of Franco-German relations (such as the 2019 Aachen Treaty), Macron stood at the pinnacle of European politics. France was set to re-assert the leadership it believes itself entitled to.
https://www.vcy.org/crosstalk/2026/02/16/presidents-politics-prophecy/
Sometimes I can't help myself. Given my background and upbringing in Fundamentalist and Dispensational circles, I do like to 'check in' every once in awhile and see what's being talked about and how the issues are framed.
This is a story unlikely to get any attention in US media but it has American fingerprints all over it.
https://consortiumnews.com/2026/01/23/scott-ritter-getting-it-wrong-on-russia/
Seymour Hersh has been on my mind as of late. I was able to watch the 2025 documentary Cover-Up, directed by Laura Poitras. It traced and highlighted aspects of career and offered some interesting and candid moments.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/nord-stream-sabotage-suspect-remains-in-custody-1768528278.html
In addition to Kuznetsov who was arrested and extradited from Italy, there is also news of another Ukrainian arrested in Poland who is accused of being part of the Nordstream sabotage.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/freeland-ukraine-economic-advisor-9.7033382
Toronto-area MP Chrystia Freeland is in the news once again. Her most recent high profile position was as Trudeau's deputy and she was viewed by many as the 'minister of everything' and almost the de facto prime minister. Having previously served as foreign secretary, and finance minister, her star has been rising for some time. In a sudden move that sent shock-waves throughout Ottawa and beyond, she resigned the cabinet at the end of 2024 - a move which helped to ultimately bring down Justin Trudeau's government the following month.
The powers that be are ordained by God and clearly in God's Providence, it was time for Maduro of Venezuela to go. That said, the Old Testament clearly demonstrates that the nation that removed him can be (on another level) outside of God's will and motivated by its own wicked desires. One thinks of Assyria and Babylon - God's servants in the punishing of Israel and Judah. They were agents of Providence but wicked in their motivation. This paradox is also seen in the commentary offered in Matthew 26.24 by Christ concerning Judas Iscariot. What is written must be fulfilled but woe to that man who actually conducts the betrayal.
So it is with Trump and the American Empire.
