Hopefully this will be a lesson to multiple people, including President Donald Trump. There is no room for softness on the topic of deporting illegal aliens.
In one of the biggest examples of a mistake in Republican campaigning, three weeks before the primary election Minnesota Governor candidate Mike Lindell made the fatal mistake of advocating for greater leniency for illegal aliens, with implied amnesty in his immigration platform. The backlash was fierce, righteous and directly targeted. Lindell was blasted.
Last night, despite the support and endorsement from President Trump, Lindell was resoundingly defeated by Lisa Demuth, the speaker of the Minnesota House.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gets it. When asked about the Strait of Hormuz, Bessent notes that yes, things will likely never return to the way they were before; however, there is a distinction that must be applied.
Even if Iran completely acquiesced to all of the most stringent terms and conditions requested by President Trump, they will never again recapture the position they held with the Strait of Hormuz as a chokepoint.
Capital markets respond to risk in the medium and long term; risks are always mitigated. With the Strait now identified as a strategic risk, the emphasis will be on forever neutralizing that risk and avoiding the issue in the future. As a consequence, Iran’s strongest point of leverage is disappearing now and will continue to disappear. WATCH (prompted):
As further explained by James Thorne on X: “By repeatedly signaling its willingness to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran hasn’t strengthened its hand, it has accelerated the market’s exit. Capital does not tolerate chokepoints; it routes around them.
Saudi Arabia is expanding its East-West pipeline. The UAE has already built out Fujairah as a bypass. Iraq is revisiting overland export corridors. Every marginal dollar now flows toward redundancy, not reliance. What was once a geopolitical lever is being engineered into irrelevance. Bessent gets it: markets don’t absorb coercion; they arbitrage it away.
Energy markets are not static, and they are not sentimental. The shale revolution already diluted OPEC’s grip. LNG has globalized gas. Now infrastructure is doing the same to maritime risk. Once these pipelines are built, they don’t get unbuilt. Volume shifts become permanent. Pricing power follows.
Tehran’s miscalculation is classic: overplay a scarce asset, and the world invests to make it abundant. The more Iran rattles Hormuz, the faster it erodes the very leverage it seeks to exploit.
In the end, this is not deterrence. Its substitution and substitution, once funded, is irreversible. Iran is underwriting its own marginalization.“
A 40-year generational problem is being resolved forever!
It’s the Imperial System of looting versus sovereign nations committed to building and progressing — Susan Kokinda’s assessment of what is happening. I hope she’s right. The Promethean outfit assumes and addresses a largely economic battle between the American System and the British System, also called the Imperial System or the Bank of London System. To me, these appear to be euphemisms for the Jewish Supremacist System centered in the City of London, which was deeply responsible for WW1 and WW2 and much more. I am, however, open on whichever thieves are at the top of whichever system. ABN
A Russian missile that landed in Poland on Thursday was capable of carrying nuclear warheads, the NATO member state has revealed.
Poland’s Deputy Minister of National Defence told local broadcaster TVN24 last night that the Kh-101 missile that ‘exploded’ and left a 33ft-wide crater near the border with Ukraine was ‘potentially very dangerous’.
NATO has since said it has been in contact with Polish authorities and warned that it would ‘take all necessary measures to defend NATO territory.’
Mark Rutte, Secretary-General of NATO, called the incident ‘yet another reckless act by Russia and a dangerous consequence of its war against Ukraine.’
Europe has already been goaded into two world wars by ‘bankers’. USA has been goaded into multiple smaller wars by ‘bankers’ and Zionists. If it happens again in Europe and the entire region is demolished, it will be because the West is already long lost to enemy infiltration and takeover. If Trump bows to the shotgun marriage between USA and Israeli militaries, the probability of a super destructive WW3, which may go nuclear, will be very high. ABN
It has been said that all wars are “bankers wars,” however, against the modern era of inverted fascism where corporations tell the govt what policies take priority, the more accurate truism ‘is all wars being controlled by money’, not necessarily banks.
The European Commission has constructed a very special kind of proactive financing for Ukraine that doesn’t require them to give their own €uros to the historically corrupt country. Partly because the EU doesn’t have their own money, and partly because everything the EU does in the sphere of finance is always a false construct, what the EU put together was a financial system based on sanctioned, confiscated (ie stolen) Russian sovereign wealth funds {citation}.
As part of the sanction regime, the EU and western NATO alliance seized roughly €250 billion, $300 billion USD, in Russian sovereign wealth assets. As long as the USA was financing the Ukraine government and war effort, those funds sat on the sidelines undiscussed. However, once the USA stopped writing checks to Ukraine an alternate finance system was needed.
What the EU (Ursula von der Leyen) put together was a finance package using the confiscated $300 billion in the Russian sovereign wealth fund as collateral for loans to Ukraine. The EU would send the money to Ukraine as a loan that did not have a payback mechanism. Instead, the thinking goes that when the negotiations for a ceasefire take place, Russia would be forced to give up the confiscated $300 billion as part of a reparations package to Ukraine.
Ukraine doesn’t have to pay back the loans because Russia will be forced to give up their sovereign wealth fund, and those funds will repay the loans. That’s the way the EU financing of Ukraine is set up. {SOURCE} The EU isn’t giving Ukraine EU money; the EU is giving Ukraine the Russian wealth fund money.
Now, immediately you can see a few problems.
♦ PROBLEM 1 – What happens if Russia demands the return of their $300 billion as one of their baseline terms for a peace deal? If the confiscated money is given back to Russia, the EU and Ukraine are on the hook for the $300 billion they would have spent.
♦ PROBLEM 2 – With #1 in mind, there is now an incentive to never reach a peace agreement or ceasefire; at least never reach a solution that would consider the return of the $300 billion. Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin has previously said the stolen money belongs to the Russian people and must be returned; he will never accept the theft.
There is more than just this very important factor. It strongly appears that the Iran War is spreading and merging with the Ukraine War, which indicates top Western elites are not giving up on destroying Russia, and probably Europe as well. Chaos always favors the strongest players, who may overestimate their positions. Only time will tell. I dislike predictions but do like seeing the signs of things that may come to be and assessing them based on what seems probable. WW3 is a constantly increasing possibility and has been on a front burner since Gaza, and now Iran. If USA agrees to marry Israel’s IDF, that will mean WW3 will follow with much greater probability. Notice the many ties between China and Israel, as both deeply infiltrate USA and Europe with many similar aims. I can imagine an Israeli-Chinese plot to goad Europe and USA into war with Russia, while China and Israel wait on the sidelines to reap the spoils. China will gain territory from and power over a war-torn Russia, while Israel will increase its control over USA and Europe, and probably take full control of Ukraine, if not more. ABN
This is eminently plausible and believed by many, myself included. Historically, it is a common technique to use foreign troops to subdue populations, or murder everyone. Foreign troops have no loyalty to the people they are corralling and killing. They will follow orders without question, especially if they are already hostile to the peoples they have been ordered to subdue. Notice how first there was gun control… ABN
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has raised significant questions about Russia’s military effectiveness, particularly given its apparent supply superiority. A friend in the defense sector queried why Russian forces have struggled to achieve decisive territorial gains despite having a considerable advantage in resources. The initial objectives of the Russian invasion, as articulated by President Putin, were primarily to “demilitarize” Ukraine rather than to occupy its territories. This divergence from a full-scale invasion strategy has shaped Russia’s military operations, which have often been limited and focused on specific regions rather than a comprehensive assault on Ukrainian sovereignty.
Following the initial invasion, Russia did achieve some military successes, notably in capturing Mariupol and significant portions of Luhansk and Donetsk. However, these achievements were not indicative of an overall strategy to conquer Ukraine but rather aimed at creating enough pressure to bring Ukraine to the negotiation table. The situation escalated when negotiations faltered due to external influences from Western nations, leading to a shift in Russia’s military focus towards a more aggressive campaign in the eastern regions of Ukraine. Despite controlling a vast majority of Luhansk by September 2022, Russian forces faced challenges in maintaining momentum and faced significant setbacks during Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region.
As the conflict progressed into 2023 and beyond, Russian operations became characterized by a high attrition strategy, focusing on maximizing damage to Ukrainian forces while minimizing Russian casualties. The Battle of Bakhmut emerged as a critical point in the war, symbolizing Russia’s attempt to regain lost ground while still adhering to its limited operational framework. Despite mobilization efforts, including the call-up of reservists, Russia maintained a strategic posture that avoided full national mobilization, which would entail a broader wartime commitment. This choice reflects a continued reliance on a professional military force rather than a mass mobilization.
Entering 2026, the dynamics of the conflict shifted once more, with Russia reportedly deploying around 700,000 soldiers in Ukraine. While this represents a significant increase in military commitment compared to the early stages of the conflict, Russia continues to operate under the guise of a Special Military Operation (SMO). The focus remains on capturing remaining Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk, with analysts predicting that Russia could achieve these objectives soon. The strategic differences between the Russian and Ukrainian forces are stark; Russia possesses ample reserves and a vast artillery advantage, while Ukraine struggles with limited resources and a lack of strategic depth. Ultimately, the discussion pivots on the inevitability of Russian advances and the extent of territorial control it will exert over Ukraine, raising profound implications for the future of the region.
The first of its kind to examine such an extended timeline for recovery and a wide range of biotic groups in boreal forests after clear-cutting, the study analyzed 190 data sets across North America, Europe and Russia. The research looked at the biodiversity of communities within different forest types, including broadleaf trees like aspen or birch, coniferous trees like spruce or pine, and a mix of the two types.
In about half the cases studied, the biodiversity of the forest communities returned to pre-logged levels in less than 30 years, particularly in faster-growing broadleaf forests, where vascular plants and mosses either weren’t affected at all or recovered within 12 to 25 years.
But in mixed and coniferous forests, recovery was much slower, taking more than 55 years for small mammals such as mice and voles, 85 years for flowering plants, 95 years for lichens, and more than 100 years for mosses and liverworts. And beetles dependent on deadwood for survival showed no signs of recovery at all within the 16 to 29 years of existing data available for review.
Not long after July 20th. Sometime within the first two weeks of August is highest probability.
However, it depends on how far out on the ledge cult leader Mark Carney is willing to take his believers. We will enter the ‘Trump playing with them’ phase, just like Trump played with them in Jan, Feb, March ’25 over the 51st state stuff….. Trump will create turmoil, because he holds all the cards for when he triggers the next sequence of events.
Essentially, the landscape is already set up. The bleachers are already built. The venue is already selected…. The Canadians have no concept of it.
At a point determined by Trump he will invite them into the gauntlet. There is no escape and only one way in.
Carney sits down at the table, Trump announces his demands, Carney balks, Trump glances to Greer, Greer hands Carney the formal exit paperwork and then suddenly everyone around Carney realizes what just happened. Trump set up a CUSMA trap.
A six-month countdown clock now ticks loudly. Trump repeats his demands. Carney looks around at his trade delegation, then asks for a few moments. They leave to huddle….
In the Canadian conference room, someone tells the group a six-month exit is now active. The walls are slowly closing.
If no terms are accepted, in six months all U.S. trade with Canada is immediately laissez-faire, no trade agreement backstops anything, meaning every trade is subject to the sectoral whims of the USA commerce department to outline the terms.
Carney asks his team what is happening. Trump tells them to take all the time in the world to think about it, and to give Jamieson or Howard a call if they have questions.
Trump and Greer then hold a press conference, telling the world the formal exit paperwork has now been issued. However, the U.S and Mexico already have a bilateral deal outlined and ready to begin, so U.S-Mexico trade is seamless. The only issue is Canada.
The following day analysts, economists, banking and finance experts begin running the numbers for Canada…… A slow and unstable Canadian economy collapse begins first with a run on the banks by Canadian dollar holders. Everyone needs to buy USD.
Europe and the U.K try to step in to assist by buying Canadian bonds….. but the risk is astronomical.
75% of Canada’s economy is based on trade that is now uncertain.
Suddenly the team around Carney look at things differently. They realize Canada doesn’t sell 75% of their output to the USA; the USA buys 75% of Canadian output.
In every economic relationship, the seller has no leverage. All leverage belongs to the buyer.
The seller can sell anything, but without buyers they are nothing. In a laissez-faire system suddenly U.S. buyers start to dictate terms and prices. The seller has no option. Life inside Canada is FUBAR.
The Chinese move quickly, buying up Canadian holdings for pennies on the ever-diminishing CAD.
DearSec Rubio and lDonald Trump, as a pragmatic American I respectfully suggest and recommend the State Dept immediately institute the “Roberts Requirement” following similar visa entry protocols previously used for COVID-19 tests prior to U.S. admittance.
The Roberts Requirement: Each female visa applicant must present a valid negative pregnancy test taken no longer than 10 days prior to travel to the United States.
The certified document, negative pregnancy test, together with all related visa approvals must be presented to Customs and Border Patrol at each port of entry. Failure disqualifies the traveler.
Same protocol as COVID-19, only using pregnancy status as the disqualifying health issue. It is a lawful regulation that does not need congressional approval.
UPDATE: The above idea is further explained here. Some excerpts below:
…Don’t get stuck on details about why it will not work, it will.
Start thinking like a person who realizes the goal is to create severe antagonism through regulation. That antagonism can then be directed.
Aim isolation, ridicule and marginalization at those who created the problem. This can be done without visible vitriol.
The objective is not just making sure pregnant women do not get visas; that is one small element. The bigger objective is to make it extremely difficult to come to the USA and THEN pin that global compliance requirement on Chief Justice John Roberts, making him live every day with the consequences of his blinded American stupidity; facing him, belittling him, ridiculing him, sitting on the front pages of his peers and global friends.
Chief Justice John Roberts created this mess, now put it on his doorstep every day.
…Example of point and counterpoints.
POINT: Canada, Mexico, India or [XXX] will scream this is unfair given the nature of our collaborative visa designations.
Counterpoint: Yes, you are correct. That was then; this is now. The nature of our visa system has changed because SCOTUS has just codified new distinctions on citizenship that now become new visa factors. Your nation does not convey birthright citizenship, so I understand your inability to accept our new terms. Unfortunately, our nation now does convey birthright citizenship, and as a consequence changes are needed.
Don’t back down. Make SCOTUS own it.
Sure, there will be legal challenges, all the way up to the same SCOTUS, and what are they going to do?
Think about it!
Make everyone live by the new rules – that are created by those who didn’t think about the consequences.
This is actually a good idea and fits well with how Trump leverages foreign and domestic policies. It would also be funny and show what fools SCOTUS can be, how disloyal, ungrateful and careless of USA’s future and past. ABN
The covid mRNA vax appears to have been a well-planned and executed biowarfare attack on Western civilization. Many today still can’t see it. Some are still taking the boosters (17.5% in USA). Repeated boosters contradict elementary vaccinology as they harm the immune system by turning off natural immunity while also training adaptive immunity to ignore the covid virus. This explains both the rise in cancers and other maladies and repeat bouts of covid itself. The covid vax plus covid itself show how huge populations can be manipulated and controlled through words, images, fake science, and emotion. ABN
Israel is turning on its last important ally in an act of suicidal hubris.
Israel is sabotaging the negotiations with Iran and alienating its last important ally by refusing to halt its attacks on Lebanon and withdraw from its occupation of the south. It is determined to reignite a regional conflagration that could see Iran perpetually close the Strait of Hormuz and plunge the global economy into a global depression. And it continues its genocide in Gaza.
Israel is contaminated by racism and genocidal violence. It is blinded by a repugnant moral superiority. It is corrupted by a class of Zionist billionaires in the U.S. who use their wealth to bend foreign policy to serve Israeli interests. It is equipped with a nuclear arsenal Israeli officials have repeatedlythreatened to use.
It is a menace to the region. It is a menace to itself. And it is a menace to us.
…Israel’s vision of a “Greater Israel,” designed to ensure Israel’s military dominance throughout the Middle East, depends on harnessing the wealth and military power of the U.S.
Over two-thirds of the major arms and munitions Israel imports — without which it could not carry out its genocide of the Palestinians, turn southern Lebanon into a moonscape and bomb Iran, Syria and Qatar — are manufactured and provided by the U.S. And because the Israel lobby, for decades, has owned Congress, because its Zionists allies police and control the media, because it is able to siphon tens of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to sustain its military adventurism, Israel is blind to its own limitations. It is willing to inflict harm on its allies, including the U.S., in service to itself.
…Israelis, intoxicated by the fantasy of being the chosen people, do not have friends. They do not have allies. They have those they use and those they slaughter.
The game is up. The Israeli domination of the U.S. political system is coming to an end. Israel’s inability to read U.S. and global opinion — or its own population, where over 90 percent believe Israel lost its war against Iran — along with its stubborn belief that its old levers of power can still work, illustrate a leadership that has rendered itself deaf, dumb and blind. It can and will do a lot of damage. It can and will inflict more death and suffering. But it is cannibalizing itself.
Hedges refers to ‘the obtuse administration of Donald Trump’ and blames much of what is happening on Trump and his admin. He could be right. Many will agree. I see another possibility, which is Trump has given Israel what they wanted and also enough rope to hang themselves. If policy is judged by its outcome, so far Trump’s policy has allowed Israel to show ‘It is a menace to the region. It is a menace to itself. And it is a menace to us.’ I am a pragmatic conservative who understands we are living in an oligarchy and have been for at least 100 years and probably since forever. Weighing Hedges views against that, leaves me in an agnostic state, a position I am very comfortable with because almost everything, including politics, is so full of unknowns, I see no other tenable position. Hedges doesn’t know what Trump and his faction are thinking or doing and neither do I. No one knows anything for certain. And not just in this case but in virtually all cases. This is a main reason, I see zero reason to get excited or inflamed over almost anything. That said, the world is a fascinating place and I remain fully interested in all of it. ABN
American Buddhist Net 