Representative Salazar sees a ghost in every closet and reaches for a sledgehammer when a jeweler’s screwdriver would do. Her casual call to invade Venezuela—over unverified tales of uranium shipments that even the intelligence community won’t vouch for—is the same reflexive interventionism that has poisoned Latin America’s view of the United States for generations. Ask any Colombian, Chilean, or Panamanian old enough to remember the 1980s and 90s: we topple their governments, fund their death squads, or sanction them into misery, and two decades later, they still hate us for it. Venezuela would be no different. Another invasion would not secure the hemisphere; it would simply add one more country whose children will be taught, correctly, that the yanqui boot only ever kicks downward. The hemisphere doesn’t need another scar; it needs us to stop playing empire and start acting like a neighbor. Anything else guarantees that the blowback will outlive every one of us—and our grandchildren will still be paying the bill in blood and bitterness.
As an Anglo-Swiss bloke, I don't "do" Thanksgiving. However, it's one of many aspects of American life that I have a lot of respect for. In this age of materialism, narcissism and political zero sum games, we seem to have forgotten the gift of gratitude. Despite all the machination of the evil ones among us, we are still the most fortunate people (at least in the Western world) who have ever existed. Let's spare a moment to think of the beauty of this lovely world around us, of the love we share with others, of our families, friends and the kindness of strangers. And above all, that no matter how bad it gets, there is a kingdom beyond all this madness that is waiting for us.
"As for so many others, I suppose that’s a result of a late life Great Awakening—the world as we thought we knew it has changed, perhaps was never the way we thought it was."
Remeber the term "gunboat diplomacy"? AI just told me that it started as such:
Opening of Japan (1853-1854): U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Tokyo Bay with a technologically superior fleet of "Black Ships", intimidating the isolated Japanese government into signing the Convention of Kanagawa and opening ports to trade.
Sounds kind of like the Venezuela scenario. It occurs to me that these days it is more often "air campaign diplomacy" where they use showey airplanes to blow some stuff up and achieve some political aims through intmidation.
Growing up, I was taught that all the US (and Brits for that matter) did was give foreign aid to skinny children and spread civilization to backwards regions.
It's not just you, Steg. The greater good is the meaningless phrase used by hucksters to disguise the truth of what they do which is usually bad for all.
Not using 8 USC 1324 to arrest the CEO's of companies that employ illegals, as well as big Aggy and even landlords. Instead of the disruptive circus of immigration sweeps. If the CEO of Tyson was perp walked and facing ten years for employing illegals, the whole business of illegals would shut down and they'd all go home.
Accepting the buyout offer from the Uniparty? He gets rehabilitated after his term is done, like George Dumbofyou Bush. Kids and Grandkids get rich(er).
*38% of U.S. adult citizens strongly or somewhat approve of Donald Trump's job performance, while 57% strongly or somewhat disapprove, a net disapproval of -19
*The 38% who approve of Trump is the smallest share of Americans to do so at any point in Trump's second term
*The 57% who disapprove is near the largest share to do so this term
I expect as more dirt on the democrats comes out, and nothing new on Trump it will keep on improving. Of course if the national security exemption is used (mi6 and Mossad involvements), that would stop improving.
I looked up some interesting stuff perhaps - I thought interesting so I thought I would post
don't know if it was already said - but not alot of time -
\
So I believe the motive: It appears pretty simple -
just my guess based on the following which I imagine is accurate but is being reported
..............------->>>>>> a "suicide-by-cop" variant
Lakanwal's visa expired in Q3 2025, per ZAWIA News (Nov. 27, 2025), triggering automatic deportation review; USCIS data shows 1,247 Afghan SIV holders faced similar revocations post-Trump inauguration, with 62% reporting "elevated suicide ideation" in VA-linked screenings.
Bellingham residency records indicate Lakanwal's family qualified for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extension, but his individual asylum was under re-adjudication due to "incomplete biometrics" (USCIS 2025 backlog report), mirroring a 45% denial rate for Kandahar evacuees.
Lakanwal's 10-year service in NDS-03 exposed him to 200+ combat engagements, per declassified CIA metrics (Fox News, Nov. 27, 2025)
Relative's NBC interview (Nov. 27, 2025) confirms "family left behind in Kandahar," where Taliban reprisals killed 3,400+ ex-collaborators' kin since 2021
------------ I think if they returned him to Kandahar , he had valid fears of being killed
Representative Salazar sees a ghost in every closet and reaches for a sledgehammer when a jeweler’s screwdriver would do. Her casual call to invade Venezuela—over unverified tales of uranium shipments that even the intelligence community won’t vouch for—is the same reflexive interventionism that has poisoned Latin America’s view of the United States for generations. Ask any Colombian, Chilean, or Panamanian old enough to remember the 1980s and 90s: we topple their governments, fund their death squads, or sanction them into misery, and two decades later, they still hate us for it. Venezuela would be no different. Another invasion would not secure the hemisphere; it would simply add one more country whose children will be taught, correctly, that the yanqui boot only ever kicks downward. The hemisphere doesn’t need another scar; it needs us to stop playing empire and start acting like a neighbor. Anything else guarantees that the blowback will outlive every one of us—and our grandchildren will still be paying the bill in blood and bitterness.
Totally agree, John. This is completely insane.
Belated Happy Thanksgiving to Mr. Wauck and family and to all the commenters.
As an Anglo-Swiss bloke, I don't "do" Thanksgiving. However, it's one of many aspects of American life that I have a lot of respect for. In this age of materialism, narcissism and political zero sum games, we seem to have forgotten the gift of gratitude. Despite all the machination of the evil ones among us, we are still the most fortunate people (at least in the Western world) who have ever existed. Let's spare a moment to think of the beauty of this lovely world around us, of the love we share with others, of our families, friends and the kindness of strangers. And above all, that no matter how bad it gets, there is a kingdom beyond all this madness that is waiting for us.
Beautifully said, thank you
"As for so many others, I suppose that’s a result of a late life Great Awakening—the world as we thought we knew it has changed, perhaps was never the way we thought it was."
Yup. It's a painful realization.
DITTO!
This probably should have gone under:
https://meaninginhistory.substack.com/p/what-hath-trump-wrought
Republican fears mount over Tennessee special election that could leave GOP House majority with zero-vote margin
https://nypost.com/2025/11/27/us-news/republican-fears-mount-over-tennessee-special-election-that-could-leave-gop-house-with-zero-vote-majority/
Remeber the term "gunboat diplomacy"? AI just told me that it started as such:
Opening of Japan (1853-1854): U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Tokyo Bay with a technologically superior fleet of "Black Ships", intimidating the isolated Japanese government into signing the Convention of Kanagawa and opening ports to trade.
Sounds kind of like the Venezuela scenario. It occurs to me that these days it is more often "air campaign diplomacy" where they use showey airplanes to blow some stuff up and achieve some political aims through intmidation.
Growing up, I was taught that all the US (and Brits for that matter) did was give foreign aid to skinny children and spread civilization to backwards regions.
For the greater good, of course.
Is it just me or is that the "greater good" always leads to the "greater bad"? Have a lovely weekend, dear Cos.
It's not just you, Steg. The greater good is the meaningless phrase used by hucksters to disguise the truth of what they do which is usually bad for all.
"I’m filled with foreboding. But thankful for …"
knowing that there are others with some brain cells still working in this wifi universe.
Blessings to you and your family,
Pam
All well said Mark. Thank you.
I have mixed feeling on Trumps presidency.
“ I’m filled with foreboding.”
Positives:
- he has kept the U.S. out of any direct wars
- dei progress
- USAID shutdown
- reduced support for Ukraine
- talked to Putin
- fbi is focused on crime
- RFK jr
- deregulation
- did not surrender on shutdown
- so much better than a Kamala presidency
- success in court fighting lawfare
- energy production is up
- more focus on south of the border
- deportations
- ending temporary residency due to emergencies
- restoring sanity to wind and solar power
- doge initiatives
Negatives:
- do nothing congress
- voter fraud issues ignored. https://omega4america.com/the-scam-of-cleaning-voter-rolls/
- more of a focus on big money, vs campaign promises. May be a Susan Wiles issue with gate keeping.
- release of negative stuff from Russiagate to Covid to Epstein to his assassin.
- allowing aipac / loomer to purity test appointees
- falling out with musk
- not requiring e-verify
- not making employers liable for hiring illegals
- sidelining of doge
- Pam Bondi
- anti Trust
- lots of stuff done via presidency executive orders, and not codified into law.
- 51st state talk
- trash talking mtg
- no action on Obamacare
- no action on student loans dysfunction
- moving tariff from economic to he feels like it justifications
Not using 8 USC 1324 to arrest the CEO's of companies that employ illegals, as well as big Aggy and even landlords. Instead of the disruptive circus of immigration sweeps. If the CEO of Tyson was perp walked and facing ten years for employing illegals, the whole business of illegals would shut down and they'd all go home.
100%
Which leads to the question of why.
The major target right now is anyone that’s committed a crime, or overstayed a visa.
And the over staying a visa is generating some bad publicity. Press secretaries nephew for example’s mother.
Good analysis, Ray.
He started out strong.
Insightful comment that bothers me.
Why the change?
I don't know.
I really believed in him. I was ecstatic. Something changed.
I didn't want to believe that Mr. Wauck was right in his early criticism. I kept thinking he's blustering; he won't attack Iran.
I'm repeating myself but it seems he forgot his brush with death and the introspection that I thought he was doing.
He's a mystery.
Accepting the buyout offer from the Uniparty? He gets rehabilitated after his term is done, like George Dumbofyou Bush. Kids and Grandkids get rich(er).
Megatron @Megatron_ron
Nov 26
BREAKING:
 President Trump’s disapproval rating among Jews is 72%, according to the Jewish Electorate Institute (JEI).
https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/53489-donald-trump-approval-drops-new-low-second-term-november-21-24-2025-economist-yougov-poll
*38% of U.S. adult citizens strongly or somewhat approve of Donald Trump's job performance, while 57% strongly or somewhat disapprove, a net disapproval of -19
*The 38% who approve of Trump is the smallest share of Americans to do so at any point in Trump's second term
*The 57% who disapprove is near the largest share to do so this term
Will Trump pivot, and stop the big money focus?
I expect as more dirt on the democrats comes out, and nothing new on Trump it will keep on improving. Of course if the national security exemption is used (mi6 and Mossad involvements), that would stop improving.
https://today.yougov.com/politics/articles/53491-net-approval-donald-trump-handling-jeffrey-epstein-investigation-negative-rising-november-21-24-2025-economist-yougov-poll
https://rumble.com/v729ob4-rush-limbaugh-on-the-true-story-of-thanksgiving.html
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/11/americas-first-socialist-republic-11.php
Like clockwork--and he doesn't mean reforming immigration laws:
Congressman Randy Fine @RepFine
14h
I said this six days ago and I have never been angrier to be right.
It is time to face the Muslim problem.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Mark, and to the MIH community.
I looked up some interesting stuff perhaps - I thought interesting so I thought I would post
don't know if it was already said - but not alot of time -
\
So I believe the motive: It appears pretty simple -
just my guess based on the following which I imagine is accurate but is being reported
..............------->>>>>> a "suicide-by-cop" variant
Lakanwal's visa expired in Q3 2025, per ZAWIA News (Nov. 27, 2025), triggering automatic deportation review; USCIS data shows 1,247 Afghan SIV holders faced similar revocations post-Trump inauguration, with 62% reporting "elevated suicide ideation" in VA-linked screenings.
Bellingham residency records indicate Lakanwal's family qualified for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extension, but his individual asylum was under re-adjudication due to "incomplete biometrics" (USCIS 2025 backlog report), mirroring a 45% denial rate for Kandahar evacuees.
Lakanwal's 10-year service in NDS-03 exposed him to 200+ combat engagements, per declassified CIA metrics (Fox News, Nov. 27, 2025)
Relative's NBC interview (Nov. 27, 2025) confirms "family left behind in Kandahar," where Taliban reprisals killed 3,400+ ex-collaborators' kin since 2021
------------ I think if they returned him to Kandahar , he had valid fears of being killed
he had 200 combat engagements against the Taliban
\
>>>>>>>>>>>> a "suicide-by-cop" variant
.....
As is often said in these situations, Lakanwal's relatives say he "served alongside American soldiers."
Yes, along side, Susan, but who had their back and was it with a gun or a knife or just threats to the soldier's family.
CLARIFICATION
I have not read anyone else reporting " Suicide By Cop "
But that is my guess based on the reports I read
.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Mary Ellen and family and thanks for all you do to lighten these dark times!
X1000
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone here!
Another link from DD Geopolitics...
WOAH!!! REP. MASSIE says FBI staff threatened a member of his staff with a criminal investigation if he "didn't straighten up and play ball."
https://x.com/DD_Geopolitics/status/1993770560489422933
Gangsta gonna gangsta