A blog about Politics, Warfare, Culture and how they interact. I comment on current events and post occasional essays.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Chaos in the House as a Republican rebellion shuts down votes...
Monday, March 31, 2025
Marine Le Pen barred from running in 2027 election in shock conviction.
La Pen was likely to win in 2027. Macron has made a mess of things and Le Pen is fairly popular. But she's been labeled far-right, and for once the slur might have at least a little proof to it. Her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, was canceled for not denouncing Nazis enough, though his daughter had little to do with that. There are folks that say that Le Pen was a liability for National Rally for this reason.
Though I am guessing it both her semi-skeptical views on Ukraine and immigration that are the real reason this case was brought. Both things are very unpopular among the normal folks but Europe has been pulling out all the stops to prevent anyone from seriously challenging it.
If there is any good news for National Front, it's the fact that they have a lot of time to figure it out. The next election isn't until 2027, so that should be enough time to either double down on Le Pen or replace her with someone else. I am guessing they will keep their options open though right now it is far too early to figure out what they will actually be doing.
The main problem I see for the powers that be is that this will almost certainly make Le Pen into a martyr. That is exactly how it happened with Donald Trump and though Le Pen might not be able to run in 2027, folks will vote for National March just because they are upset about what happened to her. Would Trump have won in 2024 if it wasn't for the shame prosecution? Maybe but it certainly helped him out. I think the same thing could very well happen in France in 2027...
Sunday, March 30, 2025
New Mexico GOP headquarters attacked in apparent arson incident.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
California under investigation for law that hides changes in "gender identity" from parents.
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Palestinians in Gaza have protested against Hamas and the war against Israel for two days.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Trump signs executive order demanding proof of citizenship for voter registration
Monday, March 24, 2025
Republicans in Congress are discussing how to reign in Federal Judges.
Sunday, March 23, 2025
US deportation flights to Venezuela resume.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
EU plan to send military aid to Ukraine has fallen apart.
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Protests erupt in Turkey after main opposition candidate arrested by Tayyip Erdogan
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Trump gets a partial win in Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia agrees to 30 day energy infrastructure cease fire.
Monday, March 17, 2025
Israel-Hamas cease fire falls apart as Hamas refuses to release remaining hostages.
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Trump administration deports 250 gang members despite ruling from judge.
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Russia has taken the last major town in the Kursk salient, essentially ejecting Ukraine from Russian territory.
🪖 The flag of the "Archangel of Spetsnaz" was installed in the village of Sudzha.
— John Spectator (@johnspectator) March 12, 2025
12/3/2025https://t.co/yj5gLTncHt pic.twitter.com/jCgJWbxRP4
My Comment:
It's hard to view the last week or so other than a massive disaster for the Ukrainians in Kursk. In case you missed my last few posts on the subject, Russia pulled off a stunning special operation where they infiltrated hundreds of troops behind enemy lines north of Sudzha through an empty natural gas pipeline. This caused a full rout for the Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region as they realized that the enemy was behind their lines and was in the process of cutting off their retreat.
That retreat is ongoing. I had thought that it might be possible that Ukraine would be able to hold out in Sudzha for a time given that it is a town and that urban warfare favors the defenders, but that was not the case. They have now fled the majority of the city and it's essentially captured, and by the time this post goes out it might be fully liberated.
Keep in mind the few Ukrainians still left in the Kursk salient will be in serious trouble as Russia still has fire control over the only highway out of the region. Retreating has been difficult for them an I am guessing they are taking horrible casualties. Also keep in mind that the forces deployed to the Kursk incursion were the best remaining and best armed troops remaining in Ukraine.
I have said from the start of Ukraine's offensive into Russia that it was a boneheaded play and I have been proven absolutely right. The attack never accomplished any of their objectives. They didn't take the Kursk nuclear plant and were unable to hold it hostage. They weren't able to use the captured territory as a bargaining chip and they certainly lost way more troops then they could afford, troops that would have better served elsewhere.
I'd also like to point out that having Putin show up in military fatigues is pretty significant. I don't think I have ever really seen him wearing that and I think it's sending a message. Russia is in this for the long haul and they are going to defend their territory no matter what. The fact that he also announced that they will be continuing into Ukrainian territory in the Sumy region tells me that the battle is far from over.
Does this mean that Trump's peace proposal is dead? It's very possible. Russia got one of their biggest victories in the war and nothing in the peace proposal seemed to appeal to Russia in the first place, not to mention Ukraine sabotaging it with their massive drone attack yesterday. Supposedly Defense Minster Lavrov said that he's not interested in a 30 day cease fire, but a real peace deal, so that tells me the cease fire is probably not happening.
But I also said yesterday that the Kursk salient was a major obstacle to the cease fire. I said there was no way that Russia would agree to any cease fire when they had the momentum on their side and when Sudzha was still in Ukrainian hands. That obstacle is now no longer relevant and I am guessing that the entire Kursk salient will be closed before Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin actually talk. That means there is at least a chance the cease fire goes into effect.
Either way, this has to count as one of Russia's biggest victories of the war, and it was pulled off in spectacular fashion. Even if hate Russia you have to admit that they did very well here. They got caught flat-footed by the offensive last August but in the end they have pulled off a stunning victory.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Ukraine launches massive drone strike on Russia and then agrees to a 30 day cease fire proposal?
Monday, March 10, 2025
Ukraine's Kursk front in Russia has collapsed to the point of a rout, with Russia now threatening to encircle the remaining forces.
Sunday, March 9, 2025
More than 1300 Syrians killed in renewed fighting and massacres between the new government and the Alawite minority.
Russia's interests in Syria makes me suspicious of this whole situation. Western intel agencies hate the act that Russia has a base in Syria and have a major interest in seeing it destroyed. Part of me thinks, without any real evidence, that the shooting by the Alawites may have had some western involvement. Either way, I am guessing they are happy with the fighting picking up again as it will undermine Russian interests in Syria.
Thursday, March 6, 2025
California governor Gavin Newsom says transgender athletes competing in woman's sports is deeply unfair.
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Donald Trump issues threat to Hamas to release hostages immediately.