My weekly preamble is in spoiler tags below.
preamble
It’s been a much slower week than last week, consisting mainly of consolidation and (so far, empty) threats.
In Yemen, Ansarallah continues to battle Saudi-backed mercenary groups. Gains have been relatively slower compared to the lightning offensive earlier that took the western coastline, which makes sense with all the new territory they have to administer and generally sort out, including fortifying towns and cities against potential Saudi assaults from the north. The biggest news so far has been Trump apparently being on the verge of striking Yemen over the weekend due to Saudi insistence, to the extent that embassies across the region issued alerts warning that they might soon be attacked, but then deciding not to when people in his administration told him not to. I haven’t cared for Trump’s theatrics for several months now, so I won’t care to speculate whether this is a bluff or a double bluff and so on; all I will say is that a couple years ago, a significantly stronger US military tried and failed to dislodge Ansarallah’s control of the Red Sea, and that this time, they even seem willing to hit Saudi oil facilities in response.
On that note, diesel continues to break new price records, and gasoline isn’t too far behind it. Outright shortages haven’t yet become systemic, as tempting as it is to look at a couple gas stations running out and drawing trend lines from there, but it’s certainly going to be where we’re headed if there isn’t a diesel export ban eventually, which Russia and others have already implemented. A ban would somewhat alleviate US price hikes, but would cause major instability throughout the rest of the world due to the ubiquity of diesel in transportation infrastructure, and if you’ve created a favourable international order over the past century or so, you really don’t want to blow it up.
Next up: Poland’s been amping up their anti-Russian rhetoric to new heights lately, joining Germany and others in advocating for further aid to Ukraine and the creation of modern national armies in Europe to send into Ukraine to battle Russia directly. This type of thing would have been rather frightening to me back in 2023 and 2024, but at this point, all I can do is shake my head. We all saw how the US military, which is more powerful than yours, has faired against Iran, which is weaker than Russia - and you want to arm yourself with largely American weapon systems, or at least systems heavily inspired by the American MIC? Lol. Lmao, even.
Lastly for today, Trump seems to have taken a victory lap over their more-or-less annexation of Greenland after Denmark permitted it. As I and many others noted back when this was all over the media initially months ago, the US has had a military base there for decades already and has been investing in mining there too for a while, so this is more of a formalization of the de facto status quo. Denmark previously technically had a veto on US military activity there, but now seems to be gone; after all, there is little chance that Denmark would ever have the courage to actually use said veto anyway at this point. So, geopolitically, it’s a fairly minor news item that serves mainly as yet another humiliation for Europe in a long chain that stretches far into the past and continues to stretch into the future. For the Greenlanders themselves, however, this does seem like pretty catastrophic news, with any and all non-US foreign investment (such as by China) likely to be cut.
(and as a postscript here just before I hit post: yes, the Iranian president physically travelling to the US is embarrassing for Iran and very embarrassing for him. at least Araghchi going makes sense given he’s the foreign minister. the silver lining of this debacle might be a further discrediting of the non-hardliner side?)
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The Zionist Entity's Genocide of Palestine
Sources on the fighting in Palestine against the temporary Zionist entity. In general, CW for footage of battles, explosions, dead people, and so on:
UNRWA reports on the Zionists’ destruction and siege of Gaza and the West Bank.
English-language Palestinian Marxist-Leninist twitter account. Alt here.
English-language twitter account that collates news.
Arab-language twitter account with videos and images of fighting.
English-language (with some Arab retweets) Twitter account based in Lebanon. - Telegram is @IbnRiad.
English-language Palestinian Twitter account which reports on news from the Resistance Axis. - Telegram is @EyesOnSouth.
English-language Twitter account in the same group as the previous two. - Telegram here.
Mirrors of Telegram channels that have been erased by Zionist censorship.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Sources:
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section.
Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don’t want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it’s just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.
Simplicius, who publishes on Substack. Like others, his political analysis should be soundly ignored, but his knowledge of weaponry and military strategy is generally quite good.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists’ side.
Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.
Pro-Russian Telegram Channels:
Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.
https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR’s former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR’s forces. Russian language.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one.
https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.
https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster’s telegram channel.
https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator.
https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps.
https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a ‘propaganda tax’, if you don’t believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.
Pro-Ukraine Telegram Channels:
Almost every Western media outlet.
https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.
https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.
According to this poll of Dem voters, 70% of Dem primary voters have a favorable view of Kamala Harris, 81% of Dem primary voters have a favorable or neutral view of Kamala Harris.
According to the same poll, 38% of Dems who view Kamala Harris as either favorable or are neutral also want Kamala Harris in jail over the Gaza genocide. At least 27% of Dems who view Harris favorably also believe she should be in jail.
Dem primary voters are literal cattle.
majority of Dems support a military coup to remove Trump
Hillary Clinton being the vulgar Marxist she is at least understood running for reelection would doom the democratic party for generations, Kamala on the other hand may just be delusional enough to go through with it and I’m really hoping that’s the case
An AOC vs Kamala primary would be a godsend in terms of polarizing and radicalizing already disillusioned liberals by the millions, Kamala would double down on already unpopular democratic establishment positions, AOC being the spineless coward she is would cave to establishment framing on everything (probably spending the whole time disowning Hasan Piker) and revert to the “Working tirelessly for a ceasefire” version of AOC, which is in reality her true face
I think kamala would try to progressive signal but ultimately get held up on the gaza/iran stuff and then the media would try to run the electability charade. I believe it goes like the sayed/stevens race, and kamala eats shit in the primary and another establishment pick wins.
Some time has passed so maybe we will see Hillary run in 2028! She can’t lose to Trump again!
I could see Hillary clocking the danger of another Kamala run and swooping in to cut her off before Harris hands the left an electoral nuke
Either way, there’s one thing I know for certain, AOC will never become president, 2028 will end her career and we’re gonna end up with a mountain of disillusioned and horrified libs
It’s going be Newsom, isn’t it?
I think if you are wrong and AOC runs with a spine, she has a reasonable shot (i’ll give it 40% odds) at winning. Obviously her track record isn’t great, so I’m not expecting much, but i think Democratic voters are plenty ready for social democracy and can tell the difference. We are seeing that happen already (such as in Nixon’s race in Florida).
Hillary 2028, Doing wars the right way!
what are you trying to say about AOC
What a strange thing to commission. Someone paid for this.
IT’S HER TURN to slaughter the innocent and steal from the working class
Most Dems (people who identify with the Dem party) love the genocide, but they know it is unpopular right now so they try to use these polls to make their side look good. Oh, the genocide & the establishment aren’t popular? Yea, I hate both of those things too. Now lets support Kamala or Newsom because of “unity” or “electability” or whatever.
You have to remember, rank-and-file liberals conceive of politics as a checklist of correct positions and takes on a list of topics for moral superiority. Abortion, guns, immigrations, climate, vaccines, etc. They see themselves as pragmatic and willing to compromise, the adults in the room, who know that we can’t get 100% of our political wishlist and demands so we have to prioritize some of others. These “rational” NPR liberals have begrudgingly been forced into adding “Palestine” onto the list of topics due to the overwhelmingly popular positions, but they still see someone like Kamala Harris as “B+, good on 80% of subjects” overall.
So you are right, they are signaling that they have the high ground with their opportunistic fake support of Palestine and Liberal Zionism, while still conveying their overall feeling towards Kamala and other establishment democrats. These are the types to see “one issue voters” on ending genocide as childish.
Most Dems (people who identify with the Dem party) love the genocide
Strong disagree, but they are ignorant of and usually unwilling to offer any sort of resistance. It is up to us on the left to present the leadership to get there (in literally any sense). If you are reading the room incorrectly though, your leadership as a socialist in your community will be hampered.
Most Dems definitely don’t love the genocide, especially now that Trump is in power, but most probably want to ignore it or have it cease to be a live political issue. And that
impulse will only get stronger around elections.I think it’s because really accepting that it’s a genocide, and that it’s been enabled by your country and your party’s president, comes with implications too staggering for them to readily accept. At minimum we’re talking about Biden and Harris in prison, probably a bunch of other high-ranking personnel, and attacking the intelligence and military in a way that no one has tried since Kennedy (although I think you could make a poor case for the 90s, too).
K-Hive is in a fever. Maybe Adbul will take her on a humiliation tour rather a capitulation pandering tour, but we all know better from a Dem.
If anyone is left to do them in 100 years there are going to be incredible research projects done on how the US managed to scramble the brains of hundreds of millions of people so they had literally no coherent politics
also want Kamala Harris in jail over the Gaza genocide
As far as I can see, the questions about jail refer to “officials” from the Biden admin, not Harris specifically. There are still plenty of brainworms at play, but it’s not as blatant as it could be.
Libs on bluesky cheering as delegates from dozens of UN member states walk out before Netanyahu’s speech, and shitting on those who decided to stay, but not realizing that each one of those who left are from Global South countries (with the exception of Spain, Ireland and Slovenia) and not their precious civilized free world. 🤡
After banning most major news outlets, the White House announces ‘Trump TV’, a state-run channel to cover all of President Trump’s statements & appearances
- Middle East Spectator
Israeli election authorities ban all Arab parties from running in upcoming Knesset poll (link)
Israel’s Central Elections Committee (CEC) has barred all of the country’s Arab parties from running in the Knesset elections in October.
The committee, which is made up of representatives from major political parties, including MKs, voted to exclude the entire Joint List, which is made up of the Balad, Hadash, and Ta’al parties, as well as the Ra’am party.
The decision requires confirmation by the Supreme Court, which is widely expected to strike down the bans, as it has done to previous attempts to bar the Arab parties.
Nazi shit right here. I mean, it’s entirely unsurprising to us but useful in highlighting just how apartheid-like the Zionist entity really is.
deleted by creator
Factories in the UK have begun shutting down due to gas prices.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw305ynd69n6o
spoiler
Billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s industrial giant Ineos is pausing production at its three plants in Hull, blaming high UK gas prices.
The firm said gas prices in the UK are twelve times higher than in the US, and eight times more expensive than the coal-based processes used by Chinese competitors.
Sir Jim said: “We are being forced to mothball some of the most efficient plants in Europe, but with gas prices now 12 times the level in the US and 8 times that of China, we just cannot compete.”
Ineos Acetyls, part of the Ineos Group, is the only European producer of key chemicals used in a wide range of products from food and medicines to explosives. Gas is a key ingredient in production.
Ineos said the move will affect up to 1,000 of its staff, of whom 245 work directly at the site.
But the BBC understands workers across the sites will be kept on while Ineos tries to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) directly from the US at lower prices - which could take up to a year - or waits for gas prices to go down.
Billionaire Man United owner says he has lost confidence in the UKIneos is asking governments in the UK and the EU - where most of its products are exported to - to put in tariff protections against Chinese products.
Two plants on the site have already been turned off, and the third will follow in coming days.
One plant makes acetic acid, which is used in vinegar, paint and glue. Another makes acetic anhydride, a key ingredient of aspirin, and the third makes ethyl acetate, which is used as a solvent and for decaffeinating tea and coffee.
The disruption of supplies of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israel war in Iran has pushed up prices around the world.
The wholesale price of natural gas — used for heating homes and generating electricity — has almost doubled in the UK and Europe since July.
Sir Jim said the current government’s energy policy was “economic vandalism on an industrial scale”.
Ineos says that its plants in Humberside are “among the most efficient in the world”, producing materials with half the carbon footprint of US rivals, and only one eighth the footprint of Chinese equivalents.
It’s the second time in less than a week that Sir Jim, who also owns a large stake in Manchester United, has heavily criticised government policy.
He told BBC News last week that he has lost confidence in the UK, describing the country as “on the slide”, which he blamed on high taxes and high immigration.
Sir Jim, whose wealth is estimated to be around £15bn, has prompted controversy in the past with his comments on immigration. He was a supporter of Brexit but has been a tax resident in Monaco since 2020.
The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade said it would be a “concerning time for workers in Saltend and their families”.
A spokesperson said: "We’ve taken bold action to support our chemicals industry including £350 million for strategically important chemicals producers, which will be available on a co-investment basis.
“We’ve also put trade measures in place on foreign chemicals imports and are tackling high electricity costs via our Supercharger and British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme to keep our chemicals sector competitive.”
Ineos Acetyls company cut a fifth of its workforce last year, citing high energy costs and “dirt-cheap” competition from China. It called for tariffs - or taxes on imports - to protect the industry.
The full text of the new Greenland-USA-Denmark deal has been released. It is worse than expected. There are some substantial differences versus previous agreements, and some clauses are particularly egregious in regards to Denmark and Greenland giving up sovereignty. Greenland is now a protectorate of the United States, and this is not hyperbole. I don’t know how Danish and Greenlandic politicians can defend this when they said that sovereignty was maintained.
Clause VI, “United States military access, basing and overflight”, is the most egregious of the agreement:
As regards United States access to the rest of the territory of Greenland (including the Territorial Waters), the following shall apply:
i. With a view to ensuring a secure and effective operation of the Defense Areas, the United States of America shall enjoy, for its public vessels and aircraft and its armed forces and vehicles, the right of free access to and movement between the Defense Areas through Greenland, including the Territorial Waters, by land, air and sea. This may also apply to unmanned military installations subject to agreement by the Parties on the modalities at the time of establishment;
ii. United States aircraft may fly over and land in any territory in Greenland, including the Territorial Waters, and United States public vessels may have undersea access to and movement within the Territorial Waters, without restriction except as mutually agreed upon by the Parties;
iii. United States public vessels shall be given such additional access to and movement within the Territorial Waters as is agreed to by the Parties at any given time to be required by the military situation for the defense of the North Atlantic Treaty area, Greenland, and the American continent, or for other purposes as may be agreed by the Parties.
The US gets unrestricted access to Greenlandic territory for all of it’s military. That “except as agreed upon by the parties” (all three nations) talk means that the USA gets real veto power on any new agreement or limits regarding this, as all three nations have to agree. And I don’t see the US giving up these newly acquired “rights”. I can’t even see what “additional access” the US military would want when they are free to operate on all of Greenland’s territory, any additional access is a formality when the US military can now freely move between “defence areas” in Greenland by land, air and sea, as explicitly stated.
The US also gets real veto power with regards to non NATO military bases and non NATO and/or non EU investment in Greenland. The agreed upon by all parties talk again means an effective USA veto. Meaning the US makes the final decision, this particularly egregious with regards to foreign investment. If a non NATO and/or non EU nation wants to invest directly in Greenland, explicit US approval is a requirement.
IX. Establishment of manned or unmanned military installations by third states
No state that is not a member of NATO shall be allowed to establish its own manned or unmanned military installations in Greenland nor shall they be allowed a persistent presence of military forces in Greenland, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties.
X.Foreign direct investment and other activities
Given the threat to national security and public order posed by increased efforts by adversaries to expand influence and control in Greenland, the Parties agree that states or investors from a state that is not a member of NATO, a NATO partner, or an EU member state shall not be allowed to have (i) control, (ii) significant influence, or (iii) access to non-public information that may constitute a threat to national security or public order within Particularly Sensitive Sectors or Activities in the territory of Greenland (including the Territorial Waters), unless agreed between the Parties that the activities of such states or investors would not constitute a threat to national security or public order.
Tucker Carlson says that after attempting to convince Trump not to go to war with Iran, President Trump told him:
“Yes, you’re right, but in the end, we all die anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”
- Middle East Spectator
‘We Hacked the FBI:’ Hackers Say They Have Data on All FBI Employees: https://www.404media.co/we-hacked-the-fbi-hackers-say-they-have-data-on-all-fbi-employees/
“Meta” (AKA Facebook) is election meddling in Brazil:
Meta blocked the advertising account used by Lula’s campaign on Facebook just days before the first round of the presidential election on October 4 in which left-wing incumbent Lula is seeking a fourth term against his main rival, right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro. Recent polls have put the two candidates in a tight race, with a runoff scheduled for October 25 if neither wins more than half the vote.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was visibly unimpressed with the B-1 bomber flyover at his reception in Washington D.C. Trump, on the other hand, smiled uncontrollably like a spoiled toddler who was just gifted a new toy.
- Middle East Spectator
The first thing you should do after realizing that your business plan is stupid is declare force majeure on your own suppliers and construction contractors. Only real business doers realize this.
China watchers seething:
https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/2103392986621218864Interesting to note that the White House uses the correct “CPC” acronym for the Communist Party of China instead of “CCP”, largely seen as derogatory.
Aparently “foreign actors” messed with a Colorado water plant.
They aren’t saying how they know it is foreign or what foreign actor it is.
They are manufacturing consent against Iran based on vibes.
The great European ally is deliberating about destroying Europe;
Trump calls for a diesel export ban -Axios
Bessent says examining diesel export ban, whether it’s feasible
The Republican Senate leader already called for a diesel export ban a couple of days ago.
