I would take FP with a massive grain of salt, since none of us are their “audience.” They are trying to “influence” a different group…those that may not go along with what happened post election in ‘20 this time around. Also need to recognize that this is not ‘16 or ‘20 and the field has changed considerably: as in the other players around the world have moved on and are doing their own thing regardless of the US.
The Ben Rhodes piece a few months ago was a weak attempt to influence the Biden/Dems, and the FA article by Ms. Rice yesterday is an attempt to influence those on the other side. Neither is headed in the right direction: the world has so changed in the last decade that it is going to take a very different way of looking at the world. None of the intelligence/military agencies seem to be going in a different direction, yet. Will take a younger group to be in charge.
Andy Marshall was installed at ONI in the Office of Net Assessment (ONA) in the early 70s as a counter to the CIA, etc. The ONA no longer does Net Assessment, they simply have a political agenda from above them. So who will offer a radically different post Globalist approach for the DIGITAL paradigm?
You might find our EXO: DIGITAL Bomb! substack essays helpful on this front.
"I would take FP with a massive grain of salt" - yep, especially given it is owned by WaPo. I always look at the adjectives and read between the lines:
"Elbridge Colby, a once and possible future Trump administration defense official, is the loudest and perhaps most cogent voice..." i.e., The Neocons like him - at least the China hawks.
"Bolton has since broken very publicly with Trump, but Fleitz remains nestled in the MAGA world. While Trump has given no indication of who would staff his administration if he won, many Republican insiders say Fleitz is near the top of the list." - i.e., the Neocons like him and hope he can infiltrate the Trump admin.
"Ric Grenell, took to Twitter to demand that German companies doing business with Iran should “wind down operations immediately.” The diplomatic relationship went downhill from there." - The Necons don't like him. "Long before the Trump presidency, Grenell was known for his combative tweets" - oh no, those awful tweets - just like Trump. He's a no go.
Kellogg "is at once pro-Ukraine and pro-NATO and yet willing to exact Trump’s famous brand of leverage on both." I.e., he no good.
I would really like to see Chris Miller back at DOD, certainly not the slimmed down version of the war monger pompous Pompeo. I’ve actually been mulling something in my mind for a couple decades, militarily I trust Colonels and their opinions much more than general officers.
I have 3, now retired, colonels among my friends. I also have 2 current serving Lt. Colonels in the same category. I have had many a conversation with them that could be viewed negatively as “the boss doesn’t know what he’s doing” bitching. However, looking back at the discussion I’m now seeing how prescient these guys were. One predicated the F-35 boondoggle, another told me how the generals were flat out lying about “progress” in Afghanistan. He also scarily and accurately predicted how the exit might turn out. They all had nothing good to say about Dick Cheney and laughed at how accurate the early opposition to the war in Iraq among “the warmed over hippies” was really on the money.
One lost his chance at his star when he came back from Kosovo and refused to change his adversary report. I told him he did it on purpose because he found out in the promotional ceremony was a secret ritual castration.
I would take FP with a massive grain of salt, since none of us are their “audience.” They are trying to “influence” a different group…those that may not go along with what happened post election in ‘20 this time around. Also need to recognize that this is not ‘16 or ‘20 and the field has changed considerably: as in the other players around the world have moved on and are doing their own thing regardless of the US.
The Ben Rhodes piece a few months ago was a weak attempt to influence the Biden/Dems, and the FA article by Ms. Rice yesterday is an attempt to influence those on the other side. Neither is headed in the right direction: the world has so changed in the last decade that it is going to take a very different way of looking at the world. None of the intelligence/military agencies seem to be going in a different direction, yet. Will take a younger group to be in charge.
Andy Marshall was installed at ONI in the Office of Net Assessment (ONA) in the early 70s as a counter to the CIA, etc. The ONA no longer does Net Assessment, they simply have a political agenda from above them. So who will offer a radically different post Globalist approach for the DIGITAL paradigm?
You might find our EXO: DIGITAL Bomb! substack essays helpful on this front.
"I would take FP with a massive grain of salt" - yep, especially given it is owned by WaPo. I always look at the adjectives and read between the lines:
"Elbridge Colby, a once and possible future Trump administration defense official, is the loudest and perhaps most cogent voice..." i.e., The Neocons like him - at least the China hawks.
"Bolton has since broken very publicly with Trump, but Fleitz remains nestled in the MAGA world. While Trump has given no indication of who would staff his administration if he won, many Republican insiders say Fleitz is near the top of the list." - i.e., the Neocons like him and hope he can infiltrate the Trump admin.
"Ric Grenell, took to Twitter to demand that German companies doing business with Iran should “wind down operations immediately.” The diplomatic relationship went downhill from there." - The Necons don't like him. "Long before the Trump presidency, Grenell was known for his combative tweets" - oh no, those awful tweets - just like Trump. He's a no go.
Kellogg "is at once pro-Ukraine and pro-NATO and yet willing to exact Trump’s famous brand of leverage on both." I.e., he no good.
Well, you get the idea.
Both really good:
Lavrov: "West Playing w/ Nuclear Fire over Kursk"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1S3xTKBKqQ
The Duran's Alexander Mercouris: Putin's Kursk Response Delayed, or By Design
https://youtu.be/gv82rePAdGQ
Steven Millers potential impact is a lot more interesting domestically with what his legal organization has been doing.
By open by cases he is seeing the belly of the beast in the US. And you learn so much in cases:
https://aflegal.org/litigation/
I would really like to see Chris Miller back at DOD, certainly not the slimmed down version of the war monger pompous Pompeo. I’ve actually been mulling something in my mind for a couple decades, militarily I trust Colonels and their opinions much more than general officers.
I have 3, now retired, colonels among my friends. I also have 2 current serving Lt. Colonels in the same category. I have had many a conversation with them that could be viewed negatively as “the boss doesn’t know what he’s doing” bitching. However, looking back at the discussion I’m now seeing how prescient these guys were. One predicated the F-35 boondoggle, another told me how the generals were flat out lying about “progress” in Afghanistan. He also scarily and accurately predicted how the exit might turn out. They all had nothing good to say about Dick Cheney and laughed at how accurate the early opposition to the war in Iraq among “the warmed over hippies” was really on the money.
One lost his chance at his star when he came back from Kosovo and refused to change his adversary report. I told him he did it on purpose because he found out in the promotional ceremony was a secret ritual castration.
I doubt Pompeo will have a role in a Trump administration:
JFK and Tucker are not Pompeo fans.
Plus Trump just admitted per RFK it was Pompeo that blocked the jfk release by begging:
https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/rfk-jr-reveals-who-told-trump-not-to-release-jfk-assassination-files/ar-AA1pwKxM
And Tulsi Gabbard labeled Pompeo a warmonger.
https://www.mediaite.com/tv/tulsi-gabbard-calls-fox-news-contributor-mike-pompeo-a-warmonger-on-fox-news/
I’m with you and Cassander on Pompeo.
Mark...did you see my link on Col. Vindman telling Musk:
"Nice business you got there...shame if something happened to it..." ??
BT
1 hr ago
Follow on weirdness...look at *who* pops up
and then mutters bleak stuff in Elon Musk's direction:
"Vindman says Musk should be 'nervous' after Telegram CEO was arrested: 'Free speech absolutists weirdos' "
By Yael Halon Fox News
Published August 25, 2024 6:41pm EDT
https://www.foxnews.com/media/vindman-says-musk-should-nervous-after-telegram-ceo-arrested-growing-appetite-accountibility
Yes. I saw the story yesterday, but I read all comments.
Thank you, Mark. I am more depressed now. What a collection of grifting idiots.
Agree. Utterly dispiriting and unimpressive - except maybe for Grenell who always stood by Trump. But Kellogg!
Yes, your second paragraph is key and is our hope. This is the direction Trump is trending.