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Classic Rider's avatar

“Sometimes we’re going to have overlapping interests, and sometimes we’re going to have distinct interests“. Oh my, a fracture between the banking “rulers” plus our owned politicians, and the populace. FU, you arrogant pricks. In the current social climate, they had better start packing. Or pick the lamp post they want to be hanged from. Figuratively of course.

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Marie's avatar

Does any of the continuous flow of money to the Ukraine fiasco get laundered back to Kamala's campaign? This whole thing of not helping the hurricane victims but sending money over there seems very suspicious.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/joe-biden-sabotages-kamala-harris-again-after-garbage/

Joe Biden on Saturday campaigned for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in Scranton, Pennsylvania at a Carpenters Local Union 445 event.

He is actively sabotaging Kamala Harris.

After calling millions of Trump supporters “garbage” earlier this week, Biden made a bizarre statement about wanting to smack MAGA Republicans in the ass.

“These are the kinds of guys you like to SMACK in the ass,” Biden said as he clenched his teeth.

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

I read this morning where Zhou's been put on a leash. Must be something about Scranton to itch his scratch again.

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ML's avatar

Living up to his billing. IMO all the Dems, Zhou being an extreme case (now off the leash), suffer from cognitive impairment.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/11/mask-joe-rogan-gets-sen-fetterman-admit-democrats/

MASK OFF: Joe Rogan Gets Sen. Fetterman to Admit Democrats Are Allowing Illegal Aliens in U.S. to Rig Swing States (VIDEO)

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

Just saw that on GP.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Another 'Duh!' moment.

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John Soukup's avatar

The situation in Ukraine appears to be untenable, and a resolution is likely to occur post-election, regardless of the victor. In examining the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, we must remember the historical impact of Eddie Jacobson, a close friend and business partner of Harry Truman. Jacobson was pivotal in promoting the recognition of Israel during Truman’s presidency, successfully championing it despite fierce opposition from influential figures like George C. Marshall.

When considering who might pave the way for peace in the Middle East, Donald Trump arguably has the upper hand over Kamala Harris. However, both leaders will face strong influences from family members advocating for Israel—Trump through his daughter Ivanka and Harris through her husband Doug Emhoff. This familial pressure complicates the prospects for either to effectively broker a lasting agreement among Israel, the Palestinians, and other key players in the region. Thus, it's essential to recognize that finding a resolution is an uphill battle for both candidates.

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dissonant1's avatar

Why am I shocked that Pompeo is "now a lobbyist for a Ukrainian telecommunications firm"? Maybe because the Neocon corruption is so blatant?

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Francisco d’Anconia's avatar

I think they realize 3 things, all related and very frustrating because I get the feeling that Trump and Vance would be hawks isn’t the past unipolar moment but they’re realists and actually care about this country so they are taking a rational stance given the order of battle.

1. Iran has Israel’s number militarily and Israel is in deep deep trouble economically but most importantly morally. Israel cannot sustain high-intensity warfare.

2. The entire US presence in the Middle East is hanging by a thread. We do not have the AD systems to defend our bases and our allies are shitting themselves at the prospect of going against Iran.

3. Globally, against Iran, Russia, DPRK, and China, the US has not prepared for the war that we have threatened.

The empire is checkmated and they know it so we will get peace. There is no solution to this issue. Russia is so far ahead in military technology that any direct confrontation will result in a fatal loss of face. We caught the first episode of this when Israel’s stealth didn’t work against Iran. That’s our stealth and then have our number. Our aircraft carriers will end up at the bottom of the ocean if they’re used against any of the four enemies we’ve created for ourselves. There is no military solution short of nuclear suicide but there is still a shit ton of money to be made, so let’s do that!

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aDoozy's avatar

What does "shit ton" of money mean?

Honestly, I have never heard the term before.

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James Moran's avatar

It just means a lot of. I remember hearing my son use the phrase a few years back and had to ask.

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

Under Netanyahu Israel's philosophy is "at all costs". So using this as a backdrop to respond to your numbers.

1) Israel has Nukes; Iran does not. both are hamstrung economically and probably equally.

2) US presence hasn't changed militarily which I presume you reference to mean). The AD systems we have appear to be sufficient (ships in Med, airbases in Cyprus / Qatar) because Iran's intent is not to impact US bases. No evidence of anyone using Hypersonics besides Russia.

3) Most in the US Deep State / Neocon's / Military (see Rand blog from the other day) believes it IS prepared for war with all 3. While many (as you do) recognize this differently however I see Netanyahu as being of interest.

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Francisco d’Anconia's avatar

I’m saying that the premise behind your response, which mimics the western press and the western deep state, is what Trump and Vance realize is false. It’s surprising to hear this response on Waurk’s substack given how clear he has made these points but here goes:

Israel’s nukes are useless in ensuring their own survival if they escalate with Iran. Iran is too large a country for Israel to prevent a devastating response, and Iran and Russia are about to sign a long-awaited mutual defense pact that will likely place Iran under the Russian nuclear umbrella. Yes Israel can hurt Iran and even destroy much of their functioning infrastructure and state apparatus, but that would come in the context of the total destruction of Israel. Israel has zero strategic depth and an extremely small base to draw from in terms of manpower. They are a tiny island and Iran is a massive country with significant strategic depth. What good is wrecking Iran if Israel is wrecked too.

The Rand report absolutely does not say that the empire is ready to fight these wars so I’m not sure where you’re getting that. Rand says that the US needs a full reindustrialization in the context of societal war mobilization to counter the threats of the four. That’s simply not plausible. Our defense industrial base is exhausted and Israel’s is very exposed. Where are the munitions required to subdue the four going to come from?

The US AD is absolutely not sufficient. Iran’s missiles went through it like Swiss cheese. Even Iran’s previous retaliatory attack against the US base after the cowardly assassination of Soleimani was successful, and the missiles used in that attack are nothing like what they have now. At sea the equation is worse. Iran will absolutely sink a carrier if attacked be a CBG. It’s too easy to saturate the AD with drones and cheap missiles. It only takes a couple missiles to sink a ship and there is nowhere to retreat to at sea.

Netanyahu is certainly going to escalate as a matter of personal survival. And the only people left in Israel at this point are fanatics or are simply unable to leave. Their mode is absolutely escalation, but they have no stockpiles of conventional weapons, especially AD missiles. They would be overrun in a week without constant resupply by the US. The US has suffered incalculable damage because of the actions of Israel. This cannot and will not continue indefinitely. Trump and Vance know all this otherwise they would be attacking Biden and Harris from the Warhawk side saying that they have not done enough to counter Iran!

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

The US and the EU for that matter won't allow Israel to be destroyed regardless of Netanyahu's thinking or Iran's response.

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Mike richards's avatar

The epstein effect?

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dissonant1's avatar

I agree with your reasoning but I'm not entirely sure "the Empire" knows it (and is willing to admit it) yet.

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Francisco d’Anconia's avatar

The deep state still thinks they can push the four around. Trump and Vance, I sincerely hope, are smarter and not blinded by the same motivations so they are able to realize that the global empire is waning and that any further attempts at expanding hegemony will fail in ways that will cause not only a kinetic loss but more importantly a moral and reputational loss which is even more important to avoid.

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dissonant1's avatar

I am convinced that Trump has no aspirations or motivations of furthering American "global hegemony" like the Neocons. Even they know this and so are jumping back to the Democratic party.

Trump wants to make the U.S. stronger, yes, but by making it stronger economically and not in the interest of empire. His foreign policy was exercised through and for economic rather than military means during his first term. I expect the same during a second term. Now, one can argue that tariffs are not THE solution to our economic malaise but that is the foreign policy battleground he has chosen.

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ML's avatar

Agree!

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aDoozy's avatar

What is a "shit ton" of money?

Honestly, I have never heard that term before.

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

LOL. I've used that phrase in my younger days. It means "ALOT".

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Mike's avatar

Hi I think Tulsi Gabbard and R.F.K will also play some role in shaping Trump's views, Tulsi in particular ,

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

I think Grennell may have Sec of State locked up. Gabbard... something in defense or or national security and Education secretary as an outlier.

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dissonant1's avatar

Trump had to be aware of Tulsi's views prior to bringing her in on his campaign. Vance's comments here give me hope that her views will resonate in a 2nd Trump admin.

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aDoozy's avatar

I think that Tulsi would be good as Sec of State. She is very smart, expresses herself well, and would be gracious with reps of many coutries. She is antiwar.

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Jeff Martineau's avatar

We suggested that Trump is the peace candidate, and that was the road forward for him, at the beginning of the year on our Digital Bomb! substack.

Reminder that Ike/JFK argued that the first role of the President was to keep the peace…and not through nuclear saber rattling.

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Ray-SoCa's avatar

I hope Mike Pompeo has no place in a 2nd Trump administration.

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Manul's avatar

If Trump has Pompeo anywhere near the levers of power we will know that nothing has changed.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Hard to argue with that. In fact, I won't make the attempt.

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Tamsin's avatar

Hmm, "former secretary of state and now a lobbyist for a Ukrainian telecommunications firm" sounds like a guy who will be needed in Ukraine for the reconstruction, replacing all those "broken windows" to borrow a line from Bastiat.

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dissonant1's avatar

Huh, you just beat me to it (by four minutes) Tamsin. But thank you for being much more specific in your comment than I was!

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dissonant1's avatar

I feel the same about Elbridge Colby, just based on Mark's multiple mentions of him in previous posts.

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