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Scott Ritter’s On the Most Important Events of 2023 | RT.com

The year 2023 was a banner year for change, underscoring the reality of a world transforming away from American hegemony toward the uncertainty of a yet-to-be-defined multilateral reality. This transformation was marked by many events – here are the five most important ones.

The failed Ukrainian counteroffensive

Perhaps the most-hyped event of the year, Ukraine’s much-anticipated spring/summer counteroffensive was NATO’s version of the German Ardennes offensive of December 1944 – a last-gasp effort to throw all remaining reserves into a desperate attempt to score a knock-out blow against an opponent who had seized the strategic initiative. Any sound military analyst could have predicted the inevitability of a Ukrainian defeat – one cannot responsibly speak of launching a frontal assault on a heavily defended, well-prepared defensive position using forces who are neither equipped, organized, or trained for the task.

The amount of delusion surrounding Ukrainian and NATO expectations only underscores the desperation that underpinned their cause – the West’s support of Ukraine was always of a superficial nature, where domestic politics trumped global reality. The ignorance of those who believed Ukraine could pierce the Russian defenses was easily matched by those who thought that a Moscow Maidan movement could be created through the combined impact of economic sanctions and a forever war against Ukraine.

The counteroffensive is the manifestation of the Russophobia that has gripped the collective West, where ignorance trumps fact, and delusion supersedes reality. The failed NATO/Ukrainian counteroffensive, far from weakening Russia, proved to be the incubator for the birth of a more powerful, confident, and resilient Russia that will no longer allow itself to be classified as a second-class citizen in the world community.

On October 6, 2023, Israel was sitting on top of the world. It had cowed the administration of US President Joe Biden into forgetting about a two-state solution to the Palestinian problem. Instead, it embraced the vision of a greater Israel, which glossed over the continued theft of Palestinian land through unchecked support for illegal Israeli settlements by focusing on the broader geopolitical benefits of normalized relations between Israel and the Gulf Arab states. The Israel Defense Forces were the best military in the region, backed by an intelligence and security establishment possessing a legendary reputation for knowing everything about all potential enemies.

October 7: The Israel-Hamas war

Then came October 7 and the Hamas surprise attack.

All talk of Israeli-Arab normalization is finished. The IDF is being embarrassed by Hamas and defeated by Hezbollah. The Israeli intelligence service has been exposed as an empty shell whose greatest accomplishment is an AI-assisted targeting system that facilitates the killing of Palestinian civilians.

The new reality of the Middle East is now shaped by two related issues – the necessity of a Palestinian state and the inevitability of a strategic Israeli defeat. The paths toward resolving each of these issues will not be easy ones to follow, and they may unfold over the span of years rather than months, but one thing is certain – this new geopolitical reality would not have been possible without the events of October 7.

Africa: The Sahel revolt

In the span of three years, Françafrique, or the post-colonial French-dominated sphere of influence in the Sahel region of Africa, has gone from serving as the springboard for the projection of French-led American and EU efforts to project military power in an attempt to defeat the forces of Islamic insurgency, to being humiliated and defeated at the hands of nationalists who overthrew traditional pro-French governments and replacing them with anti-French military juntas. Starting with Mali in 2021, then Burkina Faso in 2022, and finally Niger in 2023, the collapse of the Sahel component of Françafrique has been as dramatic as it has been decisive. There was seemingly nothing France nor its supporters could do to reverse the tide of anti-French sentiment in the region. In the end, the threat of outside military intervention to change the July 2023 coup in Niger collapsed in the face of a unified collective defense posture taken by the three former French colonies.

The dramatic eviction of France from the region was matched by the emergence of a new regional power – Russia. The rise of the new tripartite regional alliance between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger coincided with a more assertive Russian foreign policy, which looked to form common cause with an Africa still straining from the bonds of post-colonial existence manifested in geopolitical relationships like those formed under Françafrique. The Russian approach was borne out in the success of last summer’s Russian-African Summit, held in St. Petersburg, and the growing economic and security relationships between Russia and many African states – including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, that have emerged since. The Russian tricolor flag, it seems, has replaced that of France as the most influential symbol of foreign involvement in that region.

BRICS

In 2022, China hosted the 14th Summit of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South African economic forum best known by the acronym formed from the first letters of its five-nation membership – BRICS. At that summit, BRICS aspired to greatness but was unable to accomplish anything more than talk about the creation of a so-called “currency basket” designed to challenge the global supremacy of the US dollar and speak wistfully about the possibility of opening its membership to other nations.

Then came the 15th BRICS Summit, held in South Africa. From a forum possessing unrealized potential, BRICS exploded upon the international scene as a multi-lateral competitor to the American singularity, a viable challenger to the US-imposed “rules-based international order” that had dominated global geopolitical discourse since the end of the Second World War. The events that helped propel BRICS front and center on the stage of global relevance represented a perfect storm, so to speak, of geopolitical calamity – the defeat of the collective West at the hands of Russia in Ukraine, the collapse of Françafrique in the Sahel, and the increasing dominance of China on the global economic reality.

The South African-hosted BRICS Summit proved to be the perfect counterpoint to the combined pathos of the G-7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, and the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania. In Japan and Lithuania, western impotence was on full display for the world to see. In sharp contrast, the virility of the BRICS phenomenon provided a multilateral alternative that proved to be attractive to many nations, including the six that were accepted into BRICS as part of its expansion strategy (Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, although Argentina withdrew its membership package following the election of Javier Milei as president in December 2023), and the fourteen other nations who have formally submitted applications to join in 2024, when Russia takes over the chairmanship. BRICS has surpassed the G7 in terms of collective economic clout, and the geopolitical influence of its collective membership is such that it will exceed both the G7 and NATO forums in terms of overall international relevance in the years to come.

The US: The Naked Emperor

The United States spends nearly $1 trillion a year on its defense – more than the combined defense expenditures of its ten closest rivals for the top spot. This money funds the strategic nuclear deterrence force and the conventional military power projection potential of the US. Given the enormous sums involved, one would anticipate that the dominance of US military power worldwide would be unmatched. Curiously, this is not the case.

By spending a fraction of what the US does for similar services, Russia has overtaken the United States when it comes to strategic nuclear forces. The US needs a major upgrade to its nuclear triad – the land-based and submarine-launched ballistic missiles and manned bombers – that comprise its nuclear strike capabilities. While replacement systems are in the works, it will take more than a decade to get these systems online, and the cost of doing this will run into the hundreds of billions of dollars – or more, given the history of US defense industry inefficiencies and cost overruns.

Russia, meanwhile, has begun putting advanced missiles into service – missiles designed to defeat US missile defenses, along with new submarines and manned bombers. Traditional venues used by the US to offset Russian strategic advances, such as arms control, are no longer available due to short-sighted US policies that rejected arms control for the potential of achieving a strategic nuclear advantage. The script, so to speak, has been flipped, and it’s now the US that finds itself on the short end of the atomic power equation. This disadvantageous position will be even further exacerbated by the growth of China’s strategic nuclear force, which is in the process of expanding from possessing some 400 nuclear weapons to matching the US and Russia’s 1,500 deployed warheads.

The US used to maintain a conventional military force structure capable of fighting two-and-one-half wars simultaneously – one in Europe, one in Asia, and a holding action in the Middle East until victory was achieved in one of the first two theaters, and forces could be redeployed. Today, the US, by trying to maintain a global presence that mirrors that of the Cold War, is unable to fight and win a single major conflict. It has maxed out its conventional potential in Europe, deploying some 100,000 troops in support of NATO, which has allowed its combined military combat potential to atrophy to the point that no NATO nation has a viable military capability. The collective impotence of NATO is on display in Ukraine, where a Russian army is in the process of defeating a NATO-trained and equipped Ukrainian military.

In the Pacific, the US is facing the fact that it lacks sufficient military power to defend Taiwan in the face of any potential Chinese military operation. There have been advances in the accuracy and lethality of Chinese stand-off weapons, including new advanced hypersonic missiles, which, in theory at least, could overcome US air defense systems that protect the centerpiece of American power projection – the aircraft carrier battlegroup. This weakness is not just limited to any potential conflict with China—the US Navy has deployed carrier battlegroups off the coast of Lebanon, in the Persian Gulf, and to the Red Sea, where they have been prevented from engaging in any decisive military intervention out of fear that missiles fired by Hezbollah, Iran, and the Houthi of Yemen could damage or sink the most visible symbol of American military power today.

With a budget of nearly $1 trillion, one would expect the US to be parading itself worldwide via a military second to none in terms of capabilities and lethality. Instead, the US has been exposed as an emperor with no clothes whose nakedness is a source of embarrassment on a global stage that had grown accustomed to the finery and pageantry of American military power. The humiliation of the US Navy at the hands of the Houthi is but the most recent manifestation of a trend exposing US military weakness. This trend will only expand in 2024.

Source: RT.com

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Ages of Terror: Here’s Why Africa Hates France | RT.com

The history of relations between Paris and its former colonies on the continent explains the recent spate of anti-French coups

By Abbas Juma

As the whole world has turned its attention to the conflict between Israel and Palestine and the events in Ukraine have faded into the background, nearly everyone has forgotten about another region that is permanently unstable and immersed in conflicts and crises – Africa.

Over the past several years, there have been a series of coups in Africa – precisely, eight coups in three years. The last one occurred in Gabon. At the time, the media discussed Africa’s anger at colonialist France and the pro-French governments that toppled like dominoes. For Paris, that was a real disaster, since African countries had only formally escaped from under its ‘wing’ and were still subordinated to France politically and economically. Moreover, Africa is rich in minerals, oil, gas, gold, and other resources. For example, Niger supplies about 15% of France’s uranium needs. 

We will find out why Africans have such a hostile attitude towards France and how this confrontation may end.

Occupied Niger

French colonialism in Niger began with the infamous and brutal military campaign to expand control over West Africa in 1899 (the so-called Central African-Chad Mission). The local population fiercely resisted the invaders, headed by captains Paul Voulet and Charles-Paul-Louis Chanoine (also known as Julien Chanoine). However, the forces of the two sides were unequal.

After leaving Dakar, the Voulet-Chanoine Mission was supposed to explore Chad and Niger and unite the French territories. Voulet had previously demonstrated sadistic tendencies in Burkina Faso, and his associate Chanoine was not any better. Moreover, Chanoine was the son of the powerful general and Minister of War Jules Chanoine, a fact that untied the mission’s hands.

The atrocities committed by the French in Niger could have never come to light, if one of the junior officers, Lieutenant Louis Péteau, had not described them in a letter to his fiancée. In the 15-page letter, he wrote how porters who were too weak from dysentery were beheaded and replaced by enslaved locals. Voulet ordered the severed heads to be placed on stakes in order to scare the inhabitants of the surrounding villages. The letter contains many details of war crimes committed by French soldiers. It was eventually made public and provoked a major scandal.

This did not stop the mission, however, and in 1922, after a severe drought and famine, the French established control over the territory.

France was primarily interested in Niger’s natural resources. Despite the fact that the country’s economy largely depended on agriculture and animal husbandry, the world’s largest uranium deposits were later discovered there. France seized hold of these resources. 

In 1960, Niger was formally liberated. However, even after the 1960s, all the officers of Niger’s army were Frenchmen with French-Nigerian dual-citizenship.  As of 1960, there were only tenAfrican officers in the Armed Forces of Niger, all of low rank.

Paris would continue to exploit Niger’s rich resources for many years. Most recently, Niamey criticized the agreement with France and demanded a fairer share of the profits from the extraction of uranium ore.

​​Africa soaked in blood 

A few years ago, the adviser to Algerian President Abdelmadjid Cheikhi said that after the massacre staged by the French in Algeria, the bones of the Algerians were taken out of the country and used to make soap and for sugar filtration. Cheikhi stressed that his country had become “a real field of experiments for the brutal practices that France later applied in other colonies.” He added that today Paris attempts to hide the crimes by destroying historical archives.

Some tragedies, however, could not be hidden, since they were witnessed by tens and even hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom are still alive. Here are just a few chilling episodes from France’s colonial past. 

Burning everything in its path

The French, who are so proud of their elegant cultural heritage and Enlightenment values, were actually capable of savage atrocities against those who were not part of their culture, particularly colonized peoples. The cruelty of the French knew no bounds. They were involved in murder, rape, the plundering of African wealth, and the use of slave labor in the Central African Republic, Chad, and the Republic of the Congo. All these events happened in recent history and were recorded in archives, but no one has been held accountable so far.

There has been no justice in the case of the Thiaroye massacre, when on the outskirts of Dakar French forces shot West African veterans who had once defended France in cold blood. Likewise, no one was held responsible for the Rwandan genocide, nor for France’s nuclear experiments in Algeria. In February 1960, France tested its first atomic bomb, exposing over 24,000 people to radiation. It is difficult to imagine the real losses caused by the resulting pollution since today we do not know the locations of all the test sites and areas of disposal of nuclear waste. But it’s safe to say that the French don’t care about this.

An uprising soaked in blood 

The people of Madagascar also have many painful memories. The French army subjected them to severe repressions simply because they wished to be independent– and this despite the fact that at the time, France itself had just been liberated from Nazi occupation. Tens of thousands of Malagasy people were tortured and killed during the Franco-Malagasy Wars and in their aftermath. There were even cases when people were thrown out of airplanes.

In 1946, the Democratic Movement for Malagasy Rejuvenation (abbreviated MDRM in French) was founded in Madagascar. It wanted to put an end to the inhumane treatment of people and advocated political equality, prosperity, and independence. But less than a year after the party was formed, France intervened.  On May 5, 1947, a massacre happened in Moramanga –  a city that had become the epicenter of the Madagascar uprising against colonial rule. At midnight, French officers gave the order to attack three passenger train cars with MDRM members inside. The train cars were fired upon using a machine gun. Most of the people inside were killed, and those who survived were executed without a trial shortly afterward. This event became a symbol of French repression in Madagascar. 

The forgotten genocide

The fate of the Bamileke people of Cameroon is sometimes compared to the fate of the Jewish people during the Holocaust. It is not known exactly how many were killed –  the numbers vary from 100,000 to 500,000 people. Some even say there were a million victims. In any case, this was a real genocide staged by the French under the leadership of the anti-communists Charles de Gaulle and Jacques Foccart, in their fight against the Union of Populations of Cameroon (UPC) – a liberation movement founded in April 1948. 

We find an eyewitness account of those horrible events online. Jeannette was just a little girl when her country became flooded with blood and tears:

“In the evening, the military convoys come back filled with heads that are dumped and exposed at the crossroads that will become the crossroads of the maquisards, until my departure from Cameroon, in 1976, and even perhaps until today. It is in the heart of Bafoussam, about thirty meters from the house of my parents that all this is exposed. This is also where the executions take place. After a certain pause, because of the famine and in the absence of any help, the populations returned to the kingdoms without homes and without cultures. Others went to camps created by the occupier, without water, without access to the wood, and terrorized by the military.”

“Some, especially the occupier himself, have dared to advance the figure of 400,000 dead. Over what period? Are dead people in the Mungo area counted? Many died there. Others were tattooed and sent back to the West, where massacres and crowding in the camps were raging.

“After the war, the region was almost empty…”

Hell on Earth

Doubtlessly one of the most terrible genocides in world history was the Rwandan genocide, which claimed the lives of over 800,000 Tutsis in 100 days (other sources claim there were over a million victims). 

France also carries the burden of this crime on its conscience. Numerous human rights organizations and historians (basing their assumption on documents) claim that France armed the Hutu government. Moreover, these events happened in light of Operation Turquoise, launched by France on June 23, 1994 in order to supposedly stop the mass killings of people. Instead, France secretly helped the participants of the genocide to flee.

Renowned French historian Vincent Duclert, who was commissioned by President Macron to prepare a report on the Rwandan genocide, concluded that Paris was responsible for what happened, at least in terms of ignoring the racist nature and brutality of the Hutu regime.

“Françafrique”: The illusion of freedom 

The UN proclaimed 1960 the “Year of Africa”: 17 African nations gained independence that year – but only on paper.

France didn’t take leave of Africa without making sure that it could continue to exploit the resources of its former colonies, and continue to dominate them – even if from now on, that would happen behind the scenes.

In his memoirs, Charles de Gaulle wrote that France brought civilization to Africa, helped it build nation states and educated the elites, teaching them to act based on principles of human rights and freedoms (and, of course, French interests). At the same time, the founder of the Fifth Republic wrote that Paris was supposed to become a “specially privileged partner” for Africans. In other words, the colonizers wanted to take leave of Africa but preserve their influence over it. This is probably what de Gaulle meant by “privileged partnership.” 

This is how the “Françafrique” [“French Africa”] concept was born – a system of special ties between Paris and its former colonies, developed by Jacques Foccart. Informal ‘guardianship’ of Africa through the Françafrique system guaranteed France political, economic, and military control over the region and, as a result, uninterrupted access to its natural resources – whether it was oil from Gabon, uranium from Niger, or cocoa from the Ivory Coast.

Making use of the economic whip and corruption, Foccart appointed his own people to high-ranking positions – these were the ‘elite’ raised by the French, which de Gaulle mentioned in his memoirs. If something went wrong, the French resorted to contract killing, terror, blackmail, intrigue, and bribery. When that did not help, France used its special services to eliminate high-profile politicians and even organize military rebellions. This is what the legendary French mercenary Bob Denard spoke about.

“One way or another, there was always some kind of interaction with the special services. Sometimes, Monsieur Foccart acted as a link. To involve the army in this or that operation, a lot of preliminary preparation was required. But my squad was light and mobile and could carry out the same mission using small forces,” Denard said. 

Finally, in those cases when the efforts of mercenaries and the intrigues of special services failed, France conducted direct military interventions, meddling in the affairs of the “free” African nations. To this end, Paris had and still has military bases in Senegal, Djibouti, Gabon, and on the Ivory Coast. Until 2008, eight African countries had active agreements with France which allowed the latter to legally invade their territory and “restore order.”

Modern colonialism

On July 31, 2022, the government of Mali demanded that French President Emmanuel Macron abandon the principles of neocolonialism – above all, with regard to economic control over the continent. 

Experts around the world have long discussed the CFA franc, which was introduced in December 1945. At the time, the abbreviation CFA stood for “French African colonies” (Colonies Françaises d’Afrique). By the 1960s, it meant “African Financial Community” (Communauté Financière Africaine). Today, the CFA franc is pegged to the euro, but until recently it was dependent on the exchange rate of the French franc. Moreover, the member countries of the zone where the CFA franc is in use are required to keep half of their monetary and gold reserves in the Treasury of France.

The CFA franc makes it possible for Paris to buy up Africa’s natural resources at extremely low prices. And considering the Françafrique system, local elites often derive benefits from the economic intervention of France.

Paris is almost impossible to push away, since it is a major investor in the region. In 2020, for example, French foreign direct investments (FDI) in Cote d’Ivoire topped $500 million. It is just one example – other such countries include Tunisia, Morocco, etc. The French industrial sector in West Africa is also quite influential. For example, TotalEnergies accounts for 17 percent of the African oil market and is the leading distributor of petroleum products in Africa.

For Paris, the African continent has become a giant market for selling overpriced goods – despite the fact that France itself was indignant when the US took advantage of the political situation and sold it gas at exorbitant prices. In contrast, goods from the former French colonies are sold cheaply.

This system is called neocolonialism, and this is exactly what Africa is rebelling against.

In conclusion

France continued to devour Africa in the decades after de Gaulle. Each of the eight subsequent presidents contributed to the disintegration of the African continent. Of course, African leaders, who saw France as a natural guarantor of their personal security, were also responsible for the situation. Africa gifted its patrons, bowed before them, and coordinated every step with the Élysée Palace. But this didn’t help. The fate of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is a good example – and this is the man who financed the election campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy.

The political processes happening in Niger today are not a color revolution or a nonconformist riot backed by an external force. These processes are a result of wounds and sorrows accumulated over many decades. There is a chance that Niger may help other African countries move towards real liberation, particularly now that France has encountered major competitors in Africa in the face of China and Russia. But in fact, these developments have only accelerated inevitable changes.

Source: RT.com

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George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spies Who Saved America | Book Review | The Epoch Times

By Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger Sentinel

In “George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spies Who Saved America,” young readers will learn of the very effective Culper Ring in helping our nation get its start

The American War of Independence that solidified the foundation of the United States is often described by its battles and military heroism. However, the stealthy action of a half-dozen individuals made a difference that has primarily come to light through 21st-century nonfiction works, such as “George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spies Who Saved America,” by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger.

That the patriots furtively outwitted the British, thus assisting in the outcome of the Revolutionary War, is the thesis of this 320-page, 2016 book. The secret and symbiotic relationship between leading soldiers, such as Maj. Benjamin Tallmadge, and ordinary citizens, like blacksmith and farmer Caleb Brewster, resulted in dangerous plots thwarted and strides made behind the scenes. Dubbed the Culper Spy Ring, the spies’ efforts helped enable—as authors made clear through letters and anecdotal information throughout the book—a nation free from British rule.

At one time, the saying was that the sun never set on the British empire because the country controlled so much of the globe. Thus, the fact that the world’s largest fighting force could be outsmarted by the espionage efforts of a few individuals seems ludicrous. Yet, Kilmeade and Yaeger convey, through statements such as Maj. George Beckwith’s (a British intelligence officer from 1782 to ’83): “Washington did not really outfight the British, he simply outspied us!”—that there is credence in the claim.

The six individuals whom Gen. Washington relied on to provide British troop movements and plans, etc., were— besides Tallmadge and Brewster—Robert Townsend, Abraham Woodhull, Austin Roe, and James Rivington. A woman, her identity guessed but not confirmed, supposedly assisted the ring as well, as did a few other lesser-involved spies. The ring operated primarily from Long Island into New York City.

Intel was gathered and delivered cleverly to Gen. Washington using a number-code dictionary that substituted numbers for people, places, and things. Plus, an invisible ink, developed by chemist James Jay, brother of patriot and American statesman John Jay, was used at times to pen important letters.

When Townsend, a New York journalist accepted into British society, agreed to spy for Gen. Washington, directives were detailed by Washington and Maj. Tallmadge that read, in part, “There can be scarcely any need of recommending the greatest Caution and secrecy in a Business so critical and dangerous. The following seem to be the best general rules: To trust none but the persons fixed upon to transact the Business. …”

The authors inform readers that Gen. Washington’s “knowledge of the ring members’ true identities was, after all, purposely quite limited. He had not wanted to know more than he needed to, in order to protect them, and several of the members had been insistent that Washington never learn their names.” As a result, they were never formerly commended for their service, but the authors also point out that the brave spies’ endeavors “were no less meaningful for having been made in city streets and back country roads than on a battlefield.”

This book has also been adapted for young readers, with short chapters about how and when the Revolutionary War started and the roles the “Secret Six” played during a most impactful time in history.

During an era when early American history is less acknowledged in schools, the Penguin Young Readers’ edition of “George Washington’s Secret Six” is a way to pique students’ interest. In fact, Yaeger indicates on the dedication page a reason for a young readers’ version of the book; his encouragement to his children (and all readers) states: “May a passion for our nation’s history always inspire you to read, learn, and change the world.”

“George Washington's Secret Six: The Spies Who Saved America,” by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger. (Viking Books forYoung Readers)
‘George Washington’s Secret Six: The Spies Who Saved America‘ 
By Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger Sentinel, Oct. 18, 2016 Paperback: 320 pages

Source: The Epoch Times

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The War Has Come Home to Roost in Hawai’i | Twitter/X

Editor’s Note: We the People have been betrayed by our own federal and state governments. attacked by a coordinated efforts by the Intel community, the Department of Defense, The Pentagon, and four U.S. Presidents (Clinton, Bush, Obama & Biden) who have committed horrendous acts of treason against the U.S. Constitution and the citizens of the United States.

Several days ago Lahaina, Maui, Hawai’i was bombed by Direct Energy Weapon (DEW) lasers from space, a planned demolition (like the World Trade Center on 9/11) to make room for an AI governed smart city. It was accomplished under the cover of a distant hurricane with high winds when the U.S. Navy has coincidentally been out of port the day before. They blamed it all on climate change.

Here’s a few accounts on the ground.

https://twitter.com/ronin19217435/status/1691054513115770880?s=20

Source: Twitter/X

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Massive Evidence of Election Interference & Fraud Coming to the Surface | Twitter/X

https://twitter.com/DecentFiJC/status/1689805431923752961?s=20
https://twitter.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/1689338368948318209?s=20

Source: Twitter/X

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No Place To Hide – The Stategy & Tactics of Terrorism with G. Edward Griffin | Reality Zone & YouTube 

This documentary removes the mystery from international terrorism. Written, produced, and hosted by G. Edward Griffin in 1982, this film is every bit as relevant today as it was then.

On the surface, terrorism appears to be irrational and counter-productive. But when the long-range strategy and tactics are understood, it becomes recognizable as part of a larger plan to weaken and destroy target governments. It is but one phase of the Marxist-Leninist dogma of so-called Wars of National Liberation. 

The terrorists themselves are dispensable players in this deadly game because, when the target governments are finally toppled, it will not be the terrorists who come to power, but the international Marxist apparatus that trained and supplied them. 

Here are the documented facts that show the detailed operation of this network. The program is built upon sound research and offers powerful visual images and amazing historical footage. 

This content is also the intellectual basis for the newly released film by Micki Willis the Great Awakening.
Source: Reality Zone & YouTube

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TIMELINE: The Trump Presidential Records Case | The Epoch Times

Compiled by Janice Hisle

Former president Donald Trump said on June 8 that he had been indicted by special counsel Jack Smith as part of the investigation into his handling of classified documents.

The indictment is the conclusion of a years-long saga that started when the president moved out of the White House following the 2020 election.

The federal inquiry has led to the raid on Trump’s personal residence at Mar-a-Lago. The following is the timeline of the events leading up to the indictment.

2021

Jan. 18

CBS Miami reports that at least two moving company trucks are spotted at President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.

Jan. 19

Trump signs a letter designating Mark Meadows and others to be in charge of his presidential records. In a separate document, Trump also declassifies“certain materials related to the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation.” That probe was launched in 2016 to examine possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russian operatives. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, former FBI director, took over the investigation in 2017. In 2019, he concluded that there was no evidence that Trump or his campaign “colluded” with Russians to sway the 2016 election.

Jan. 20

Hours before Trump’s tenure ends, Meadows, Trump’s chief of staff, writes his own memo about the Crossfire Hurricane records. “The Office of Legal Counsel has advised that the Privacy Act does not apply to the White House,” he writes. Still, Meadows says, to avoid “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,” he is returning “the bulk of the binder of declassified documents” to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and requesting a Privacy Act review. The Washington Examiner later reports that Meadows’ memo resulted in the DOJ blocking the records from release.

As the Republican president’s administration concludes, the Presidential Records Act requires Trump to provide all records from his presidency to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). However, a Trump attorney, Timothy Parlatore, would later publicly state that NARA, in its dealings with Trump, deviated from procedures used with several previous administrations.

Democrat President Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th president, although Trump disputes the election results. He has not conceded.

May 6

Believing that records were missing, NARA requests records from Trump. It’s unclear why NARA suspected that records were missing; many events from January-May 2021 are redacted, or blacked out, in an FBI agent’s affidavit that was released in August 2022.

December

A Trump representative informs NARA that about a dozen boxes of presidential records had been located at Mar-A-Lago and that staffers were continuing to search for more.

2022

Jan. 18

NARA receives 15 boxes of records from Trump’s attorneys, following months of negotiations.

Jan. 31

NARA releases a statement, saying that some of Trump’s presidential records “included paper records that had been torn up by former President Trump,” and taped back together by White House staff.

Feb. 9

The same day that House Democrats write a letter expressing concern about Trump’s records, NARA sends a referral email to the DOJ, stating the boxes contained “highly classified records” that were “intermixed with other records” and improperly identified.

Feb. 18

NARA sends House Democrats a letter stating that NARA found “items marked as classified national security information.” NARA also sends other letters, expressing concerns over the Trump administration’s apparent failure to properly archive presidential social media posts.

May 5

Breitbart news quotes Kash Patel, a former Trump administration official, as saying that other media reports about “classified” materials were “misleading” because Trump had already declassified the records.

April 11

The White House Counsel’s Office asks that NARA provide the FBI access to the 15 Mar-A-Lago boxes.

May 10

In a letter responding to a Trump lawyer, NARA says that access to presidential records is generally restricted “for several years after the conclusion of a President’s tenure in office.” But federal law says that an incumbent president is entitled to past presidential records that are needed “for the conduct of current business.” NARA asserts that condition applies to the Biden administration’s request for the Trump records. The FBI cites “important national security interests” in viewing the documents. NARA also says an assistant attorney general advised that “there is no precedent for assertion of executive privilege by a former president” to deny an incumbent president’s access to records.

May 16-18

In all but one of the 15 boxes, FBI agents find documents with classification markings. Among the records, 67 documents were marked “confidential;” 92 records “secret;” and 25 records, “top secret,” the FBI  affidavit said.

June 3

In response to a May 11 subpoena, a Trump attorney hands over an envelope to NARA, containing 38 documents with classification markings, including five documents marked “confidential,” 16 marked “secret,” and 17 marked “top secret,” according to The Associated Press. Trump’s representatives attest that, following a diligent search, they believe no other classified materials remained at Mar-A-Lago.

June 4

Former Trump lawyer Timothy Parlatore appears on NBC’s “Meet The Press” and described the process that ordinarily happens with presidential records. Usually, the Government Services Administration transfers the records to a facility near the former president’s residence, then allows the president two years to sort out anything that is personal; the remaining presidential records are returned to NARA. Instead, GSA moved the records to Trump’s home–and then demanded that the records be returned immediately to NARA, Parlatore said.

June 8

The DOJ sends a letter to Trump’s attorneys, stating that “Mar-A-Lago does not include a secure location authorized for the storage of classified information.” The letter also requested that the room that housed the documents should be “secured” and that all items in that room should “be preserved in their current condition until further notice.”

June 19

Trump sends a letter to NARA, granting access to his presidential records to two people: former administration member Kash Patel, who is also a lawyer, and news reporter John Solomon.

Aug. 5

An FBI special agent signs an affidavit, under seal, and a Florida federal judge agrees to issue a warrant allowing the search of Mar-A-Lago. (That record was released 21 days later.)

Aug. 8

In an unprecedented move, FBI agents raid Mar-A-Lago. The agents are divided into two teams: investigators and a team tasked with reviewing materials that might contain privileged attorney-client information. Agents seize 36 items containing about 100 classified records. DOJ says the discovery of that many records “casts doubt on the extent of cooperation” from Trump and his allies.

Aug. 9

Republicans react with shock and concern over the raid; Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) sends a letter to NARA, seeking information on the “escalation” of this investigation leading to “unprecedented” action against a former president.

Aug. 12

A federal judge unseals the warrant that allowed the FBI to search Mar-a-Lago; the document shows agents are investigating possible violations of federal laws, including the Espionage Act. Also, NARA disputes news reports claiming that records were missing from the administration of former President Barack Obama, Trump’s predecessor. The agency also later stated that The Obama Foundation “has never had control” over Obama’s presidential records.

Aug. 16

NARA responds to Turner, stating that the agency was not involved in searches for Trump documents and that the DOJ “has been exclusively responsible for all aspects of this investigation” after its referral to the DOJ.

Aug. 23

NARA releases a letter revealing that the Biden administration asked NARA to allow the FBI to review the Mar-A-Lago records months prior to the raid. The letter, dated May 10, was sent from NARA to a Trump attorney.

Aug. 30

The DOJ reveals new details about the investigation, asserting that classified materials were “likely concealed and removed” from a Mar-a-Lago storage room to obstruct the investigation.

Trump responds by stating: “Terrible the way the FBI, during the Raid of Mar-a-Lago, threw documents haphazardly all over the floor (perhaps pretending it was me that did it!), and then started taking pictures of them for the public to see. Thought they wanted them kept Secret?”

Sept. 12

Trump’s lawyers state that there’s no evidence that Trump had disclosed the Mar-A-Lago records to anyone.

Sept. 15

At the request of Trump’s lawyers, a federal judge appoints U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie as special master to review the Mar-A-Lago documents. Dearie was tasked with weeding out records covered by executive privilege, attorney-client privilege or otherwise exempt from DOJ’s probe of classified documents.

Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt posts on Twitter that Trump told him everything he took to Mar-A-Lago was declassified, and that he had done nothing wrong in connection with alternative slates of electors.  Trump predicts “big problems” if he’s indicted, touching off criticism from people who interpret that remark as inciting violence.

Oct. 3

NARA releases 11 pages of communication with Trump representatives and 54 pages documenting its contact with other agencies about the Trump records; about 1,500 pages are withheld, citing privileged communications with federal agencies, privacy concerns, and law enforcement investigatory information. The agency also would release additional records later in the year.

Oct. 11

NARA denounces “false and misleading” reports implying that records of several former presidents took records with them or that the records were housed in “substandard conditions.”

Nov.  2

Biden’s lawyers find about 10 classified documents at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy & Global Engagement, located at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Biden’s attorneys report the discovery to NARA. But no information is revealed publicly until two months later, well after the general election on Nov. 8, the first significant election in the midst of Biden’s presidency. The Biden administration’s acknowledgments of the documents would come after media outlets break the news.

Nov. 3

NARA contacts Biden’s lawyers to arrange to pick up boxes of Biden records from the Penn Biden Center, they learned that other records had been moved to the Boston law office of Pat Moore, another Biden lawyer, according to a letter NARA later sent in a response to Republican senators’ inquiries. NARA would later retrieve nine boxes of materials from Moore’s office, and additional materials from a garage where Biden stored his Corvette. NARA would also refer the Biden document matter to other government agencies.

Nov. 15

Trump announces his candidacy for president in the 2024 election.

Nov. 18

The DOJ appoints Jack Smith as special counsel to oversee two probes of Trump: the documents case and “whether any person or entity unlawfully interfered with the transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election or the certification of the Electoral College vote” on Jan. 6, 2021.

Nov. 27

Trump pushes back on Truth Social, calling Smith “totally compromised” and a “political hit man.”

Dec. 1

An appeals court rules that the special master’s review of documents must stop. The appellate judges say they cannot “write a rule that allows any subject of a search warrant to block government investigations after the execution of the warrant.”

2023

Jan. 9

The White House publicly discloses the Biden document concerns for the first time. In response, Trump points out the disparate treatment between him and Biden on his Truth Social platform. “When is the FBI going to raid the many homes of Joe Biden, perhaps even the White House?” Trump writes. Biden’s records “were definitely not declassified.” The records date to Biden’s terms in the U.S. Senate and during his vice presidency in the Obama administration.

Jan. 10

Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), chair of the House Oversight Committee, writes to NARA, raising concerns about “political bias” at the agency over “inconsistent treatment of recovering classified records” kept by Biden and Trump.

Jan. 12

The DOJ appoints a special prosecutor, Robert Hur, look into Biden’s classified documents. Biden’s lawyers acknowledge that more classified documents were found at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, than had been previously reported. House Republicans raise concerns that other classified documents were found in a garage where Biden stores his Corvette.

Feb. 10

NARA releases records related to the transfer of documents from Biden’s time as vice president under Obama.

Feb. 24

Republican Sens. Charles Grassley and Ron Johnson, leaders of congressional oversight committees, seek answers from NARA about the Biden records.

March 1

During a closed hearing, a NARA representative tells a House committeethat many recent presidents have mishandled classified information, according to testimony that was declassified weeks later.

March 7

In a letter to Grassley and Johnson, NARA says it has not delved into the Biden records, and that they were transported to NARA’s John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston. NARA also reveals that Biden’s lawyers had begun reviewing the Penn Biden Center records on unknown dates in October 2022; the record does not state what prompted that review.

March 27

Grassley and Johnson write another letter, revealing that they had learned the FBI reviewed the Biden files.

April 12

After a series of shorter statements and records releases, NARA issues a lengthy statement disputing reports that NARA has been “untruthful” about its activities. NARA’s primary mission is to make records available for access, the agency says, adding, “NARA does not consider itself to be involved in the work of, or investigations by the requestors.”

April 13

In a response to Grassley and Johnson, NARA says its ability to discuss the matter is limited because of Hur’s investigation.

April 27

NARA denies that it “declined to provide archival assistance to President Trump’s transition team.” The agency says it provided similar help to “the three previous Presidential transitions,” adding: “The packing of boxes and transfer of records from the White House to NARA at the end of each Administration is always managed and controlled by White House and [National Security Council] officials,” with NARA’s help.

May 23

Trump’s attorneys ask for a meeting with top DOJ officials to discuss “the ongoing injustice” that Trump is facing under Smith’s investigations of the documents matter and Trump’s alleged interference with transferring power to the Biden administration.

May 31

Citing “multiple sources,” CNN releases an exclusive report alleging that federal prosecutors had obtained an audio recording of a 2021 meeting in which Trump reportedly acknowledged that he “held onto a classified Pentagon document about a potential attack on Iran.” Prosecutors have asked grand jury witnesses about the recording, according to the report. A series of other media reports, apparently based on leaks about Smith’s investigation, begin circulating.

June 1

The House Judiciary Committee begins investigating whether bias in the FBI, revealed in Special Counsel John Durham’s May 15 report, has tainted Smith’s investigations of Trump. Garland was given until June 15 to respond to inquiries from the committee chair, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

June 2

The DOJ announces that its investigation into possible mishandling of documents found at the home of Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, is concluded without filing charges against Pence.

June 4

Countering other reports predicting Trump’s imminent indictment in the documents probe, a former Trump lawyer, Timothy Parlatore, tells NBC News’ “Meet The Press” questions whether such a prosecution would make sense.

June 5

Speculation about the documents investigation nearing a conclusion goes into overdrive after two events.

Three Trump attorneys–Lindsey Halligan, John Rowley, and James Trusty—are seen leaving DOJ headquarters in Washington. They had been inside for about two hours.

Also, sources told NBC News that a Smith-convened Washington grand jury, which had been taking a break, reportedly was back in session.

June 6

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) demands that the DOJ produce “unredacted” records about Smith’s probe into the Trump documents case.

In a series of Truth Social posts, couched as “tirades” by some media, Trump accuses the FBI and DOJ of being “Marxists and fascists” for going after him in the documents case. He also compares how differently the federal government has responded to document concerns surrounding Pence and Biden.

June 7

Taylor Budowich, a former Trump aide who continues supporting the former president via a political action committee, confirms via Twitter that he testified to a grand jury to meet his legal obligation. Budowich said he remains determined to help propel Trump back into the White House. “America has become a sick and broken nation—a decline led by Joe Biden and power hungry Democrats,” Budowich writes. “I will not be intimidated by this weaponization of government. For me, the need to unite our nation and make America great again has never been more clear than it is today. That starts with re-electing President Donald J. Trump, a purpose I will not be deterred from pursuing.”

News reports indicate that two grand juries, one in Washington, D.C., and the other in Miami, have been meeting in connection with Smith’s probes of Trump. It was unclear why dual grand juries are apparently involved.

Trump posts on Truth Social: “Wow, this is turning out to be the greatest & most vicious instance of election interference in the history of our country.” He points out that he is leading both Biden and his nearest Republican rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, in opinion polls. “Perhaps most importantly, they are launching all of the many fake investigations against me right smack in the middle of my campaign, something which is unheard of [and is] not supposed to happen.” He ends by labeling the DOJ, FBI and other persecutors “fascists.”

Shortly thereafter, as reports circulate that the DOJ has told him or his lawyers that he would be indicted, Trump posts: “No one has told me I’m being indicted, and I shouldn’t be because I’ve done nothing wrong.” But he has been “a target of the weaponized DOJ & FBI.” He says the agencies are committing “a travesty of justice and election interference at a level never seen before.” Trump then urges Republicans in Congress to make this their top concern.

June 8

Trump calls for the DOJ to shut down the case against him and for the Inspector General to investigate the DOJ for prosecutorial misconduct. He alleges that top prosecutors tried to bribe and intimidate an attorney into getting a witness to fabricate stories against Trump. Trump also said a federal prosecutor promised another lawyer a judgeship in the Biden administration if his client would “flip” on Trump.

Trump later says his lawyers have informed him of the indictment. The president wrote on Truth Social that he has been summoned to appear in court in Miami on June 13.

Source: The Epoch Times

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Deagel’s 2025 Depopulation Forecast is on Target due to Millions of Excess Deaths, Infertility & huge surge in Child Deaths due to ‘Covid’ Fake Vaccination | David Icke

A controversial forecast by Deagel, a global intelligence and consulting firm, recently gained attention for its startling prediction of a significant depopulation event by 2025. While initially dismissed as a speculative estimation, current events and emerging trends have led many to question whether there may be more to Deagel’s forecast than meets the eye.

Recent reports from the Governments of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and various European countries have brought forth troubling revelations, among which is confirmation of a staggering number of excess deaths, reaching over two million since the mass roll-out of Covid-19 injections.

A troubling 120,000 excess deaths have also been recorded among the USA’s infants, children and young adults as of week 40 of 2022, and a curious rise in excess deaths among children across Europe has been recorded ever since the European Medicines Agency (EMA) extended the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer Covid-19 injection to children in the middle of 2021.

With further Government figures confirming mortality rates are highest among the vaccinated in every single age group per 100,000 population, serious questions are now being raised about the accuracy and potential truth behind Deagel’s apocalyptic depopulation predictions.

What is Deagel?
The Deagel corporation is a minor branch of US military intelligence, one of the many secretive organizations which collect data for high-level decision-making purposes and prepares confidential briefing documents for agencies like the National Security Agency, the United Nations, and the World Bank.

It is known to have contributed to a Stratfor report on North Korea. With this kind of pedigree, Deagel should be seen as a legitimate player in the intelligence community and not merely a disinformation asset.

This means its population predictions for 2025, as well as its industrial output predictions on a nation-by-nation basis, are not mere fantasy but instead based on strategic assumptions which are shared and well understood by other players in the intelligence community.

What has Deagel Predicted?
Deagel.com’s [infamous] 2025 forecast was removed from their website sometime in 2020. However, thanks to the Wayback Machine / Internet Archive, we are able to view the original predictions before discovered by critical thinkers.

Deagel predicted in 2020 that the United Kingdom would see its population decline by 77.1% by the year 2025. Deagel predicted in 2020 that the United States would see its population decline by 68.5 % by the year 2025. Read more…

Source: David Icke & Expose News

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IAEA issues warning about Europe’s largest nuclear plant | RT Russia & Former Soviet Union

The UN is sending more observers to Zaporozhye after the Kakhovka dam disasterIAEA issues warning about Europe’s largest nuclear plant.

It is “critical” for the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant to have continued access to water in order to prevent a reactor meltdown, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Rafael Grossi said on Wednesday.

Europe’s largest atomic power station relies on the Kakhovka reservoir for water to cool its six reactors. However, the water levels have dropped by 2.8 meters since the Kakhovka dam broke early on Tuesday. Once the water level is below 12.7 meters, the ZNPP will no longer be able to pump water from the reservoir, Grossi warned.

“As the full extent of the dam’s damage remains unknown, it is not possible to predict if and when this might happen,” the IAEA director said, but at the current rate of 5-7 centimeters per hour, that could be “within the next two days.”

ZNPP is building up water reserves while it still can, Grossi noted, citing reports from the IAEA experts who are on site. He intends to visit ZNPP next week and bring additional observers to strengthen the agency’s presence at the facility.

“Now more than ever, the IAEA’s reinforced presence at the [ZNPP] is of vital importance to help prevent the danger of a nuclear accident and its potential consequences for the people and the environment at a time of increased military activity in the region,” Grossi said.

The possible loss of the plant’s main source of cooling water further complicates an already extremely difficult and challenging nuclear safety and security situation.

The Zaporozhye NPP is Europe’s largest atomic power station, with six reactor cores capable of generating a gigawatt of electricity each. Russian troops have controlled it since March last year. The region in which it is located voted to join Russia in September 2022, though Ukraine claims it is illegally occupied.

READ MORE: China worried about potential nuclear catastrophe

Russia has accused Ukraine of destroying the Kakhovka dam and causing widespread flooding in Kherson Region. President Vladimir Putin called it a “barbaric act”amounting to terrorism. Moscow says that Kiev is trying to secure the flank of its forces so it can bring up reserves after a series of failed assaults on the Zaporozhye front.

The IAEA deployed an observer mission at the ZNPP in September 2022. Prior to that, the station and its environs had been repeatedly targeted by Ukrainian artillery, which Kiev admitted at one point. Just before the IAEA mission arrived, Ukrainian commandos also attempted to seize the facility but were driven back. Russia has provided evidence of Ukrainian attacks to the UN, which has stubbornly avoided assigning blame.

In part due to the Ukrainian artillery activity, five of the six reactors at ZNPP have been shut down, with one continuing to operate at a low level to maintain power to the facility. They all require continued cooling to prevent a fuel meltdown and possible radioactive release.

Source: RT