Well, yesterday got caught up by other things. I’ll get caught up today.
Globalism / Great Reset –
New WEF compliant president installed in Peru – See Central/South America below.
Dutch govt is double and tripling down on the number of farms they want to close down. At first, it was just 600 farms that needed to go. Then that number ballooned to 3,000. Now, the latest figure being thrown out by Dutch globalists is 11,200 farms will need to shut down completely in order for The Netherlands to reach the European Union’s (EU) established climate goals.
OBSERVATION – The Dutch govt intends to accomplish this goal by sheer force if necessary – and woe to any farmers who protest its decision. Watch this situation as it may well prove to be the standard by which the GGR enforces its will via proxy govts.
SPEAKING OF GOVT BY FORCE - On Wednesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “All In,” Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated that with a 51-seat margin in the Senate, Democrats will now have subpoena power in the chamber, so “we can subpoena all kinds of corporate bad deeds, climate bad deeds, all kinds of other things.” And the extra seat is “a dramatic change in the Senate.”
OBSERVATION – Senate harassment of businesses for ‘climate’ bad deeds.
The United Nations General Assembly affirmed that Israel must give up its nuclear weapons in a 149-6 vote taken on Wednesday. An earlier version of the text was approved in the UNGA’s Fifth Committee in October with a 152-5 vote.
OBSERVATION – UN decisions reflect the goals and plans of the GGR. Israel is in its cross hairs even though it was in lockstep with the GGR’s mandates during the wuhan plandemic.
Soros is funding 253 leftist groups to push Marxist, open borders, and anti-American propaganda on the masses. He uses his charities to build ties with hundreds of media organizations around the world involved in news and activist media. The journalism and activist media groups Soros supports mold public opinion on practically every continent and in many languages. They also insulate him from inquiry because reporters see him as an ally, not a target for investigation.
OBSERVATION – Soros doing his thing to push the GGR narrative forward. This is beyond his extensive support to State/local district attorneys who have almost single handedly destroyed the legal processes and have turned tens of thousands of violent criminals back onto our streets all in the name of reforming the system.
Banks should fund community development in Black communities, support the education of the next several generations of Black students and take other steps to atone for the role they played financing and supporting slavery in America, witnesses told a House committee hearing organized by Democrats on Wednesday.
The House Financial Services Committee held a hearing on “The Role of Financial Institutions in the Horrors of Slavery and the Need for Atonement,” which could be the final hearing led by Chairwoman Maxine Waters, D-Calif., before Republicans take control of the House in January.
William Darity, a professor of public policy at Duke University, said the slave trade was a major contributor to the growth of the U.S. financial sector, and said slavery is why Black families are so far behind White families when it comes to household net worth. Darity said a 2020 study says the average White household net worth is $840,000 higher than net worth for Black families and said bridging that gap would be expensive.
OBSERVATION – Continued stirring of the racial pot is a tool being used by the GGR. It allows social turmoil to build while they prepare their ‘solution’ that will be welcomed by the masses. Same game plan for economic and global warming. They drive the problem, they have the ‘solution’. Classical Hegelian dialect in action.
The latest development in the right’s fight against woke policies being forced via firms like BlackRock and Vangaurd comes from Texas State Senator Bryan Hughes, who is now issuing subpoenas for information the firms have withheld in previous disclosures and announced a hearing to require an explanation from representatives from the firms trying to enact their will by circumventing the will of Americans.
OBSERVATION – BlackRock and others are coming under increasing scrutiny over their essentially coercive actions to have companies they’ve invested in go green. For the most part, these ‘green’ endeavors are money losers, being big money pits for those favored by BlackRock. While this may cause some pain to BlackRock, these hearings and subpoenas will do little in the long run to stop their influence on the behalf of the GGR to shape the economic landscape in favor of a GGR takeover.
The WEF just spat out another pipe dream void of reality –
“Our relationship to the grid – and how we power and manage it – must change. In the past, creating electricity has typically been an environmentally damaging endeavour – whether it’s extracting and burning coal, or harnessing the power of nuclear fission while creating radioactive waste. Powering our future also means developing sustainable, non-polluting energy that can withstand surges in demand and has more consistent availability than solar and wind power. Hydrogen-boron fusion energy is being developed at TAE Technologies to meet and exceed current demand, without burning coal or creating nuclear waste, with an anticipated date of 2030. The technology will be carbon-free and offer a new, vast supply of energy.”
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/07/clean-energy-future-relationship-to-grid-must-change
OBSERVATION – The 2030 date is not credible regarding the potential rollout of this new technology. IIRC the Hydrogen-boron reactor is still in the theoretical stage. To me it is a ‘squirrel’ moment given the recent very negative input on the current crop of green energy method – wind and solar.
Wuhan virus –
It looks like the wuhan jab mandate for the military has been shut down in the NDAA. The WH reportedly initially agreed, but then later they stated –
““We continue to believe that repealing the vaccine mandate is a mistake. Making sure our troops are ready to defend this country and prepared to do so remains the president’s priority and the vaccine requirement for COVID does just that,” he told reporters. “Republicans in Congress have obviously decided that they’d rather fight against the health and well-being of those troops, rather than protecting them.””
OBSERVATION - once again, its power over true concern for the disease. The jab doesn’t do anything to prevent infection and is demonstratably harmful to the recipient.
A 14-year-old girl who needs a lifesaving kidney transplant –has been refused medical care by Duke University Hospital because she is unvaccinated. Her mother noted on social media -
“Today we were told that Yulia cannot have a transplant at Duke even if we have a live donor for her because of our refusal of the HPV and Covid vaccines. The HPV is new, we just learned of it yesterday. So here we sit contemplating our next steps.”
OBSERVATION – There is no excuse for this level of medical malpractice and I hope Yulia finds a facility that will do the transplant while at the same time her family sues Duke University Hospital out of existence.
BTW – the HPV vaccination is another questionable jab that has many very negative consequences for the recipient.
Economy –
Brent crude futures were up 70 cents or 0.9% at $77.87 per barrel by 0500 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 74 cents or 1.0% to $72.75 per barrel. Brent had settled on Wednesday below the year’s previous closing low touched on the first day of 2022, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude had fallen to a fresh yearly low.
“It could be largely an attempt for prices to stabilize after the recent sharp sell-off, but an overall cautious environment could still be in place,” Jun Rong Yeap, market strategist at IG, told Reuters on Thursday.
OBSERVATION – Yes, fuel prices here in the Redoubt reflect the drop in oil prices. One of the drivers is that the market is looking at a global recession and such recessions cause a reduction in business activity as well as consumer purchasing – which all lead to using less fuel. That in turn caused oil prices to drop due to less demand. However, the market is far from stable or settled with the new prospect that China’s roll back of many of its zero wuhan policy that has crippled its industrial sector could trigger more industrial activity and increase oil demands.
Invasion of Illegals –
The Biden administration says it will appeal the court ruling that invalidated the Trump-era Title 42 border restrictions. As it stands, the administration will be required to stop expelling migrants under Title 42 in two weeks, on Dec. 21.
Wait, what.
Biden / Harris watch –
Biden’s prisoner exchange with Russia secured the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner on Thursday, but left U.S. Marine veteran Paul Whelan in Russian custody.
Whelan has been in Russian custody since 2018 when he was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges.
A statement from Whelan’s family notes that this was the second time the Biden administration had left Paul behind in a prisoner exchange, with the last instance coming in April.
“How do you continue to survive, day after day, when you know that your government has failed twice to free you from a foreign prison?”
According to biden spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre: - Brittney Griner “is an important role model, an inspiration to millions of Americans particularly the LGBTQI+ Americans and women of color.”
OBSERVATION – More insight as to just how perverted the attitude of the regime is.
CW2/Domestic violence –
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters that a 51-seat majority in the Senate will give committees more power, including the power to subpoena corporations. Schumer said that subpoena power can deal with corporate corruption, inequities, and other problems throughout the country but didn’t specify companies or industries which would be subjected to scrutiny.
OBSERVATION – Govt coercion via non-stop investigations and congressional allegations is just another aspect of the marxist’s governmental war against persons/corporations who don’t toe the narrative.
CANCEL CULTURE FRONT
Twitter files Part 2 hit yesterday, exposing the overt blacklisting and shadow banning of numerous conservative posters. Further evidence of an attempt to sabotage the release of files as well as destruction of documentation. With it, evidence that numerous twitter execs lied before congress regarding shadow banning – they called it ‘visibility filtering’ instead.
Files further implicated FBI and even the CIA in coordinating accounts for shadow banning.
POLITICAL FRONT –
SUMMARY –
Politico’s Burgess Everett reports this morning that Senator Kyrsten Sinema is leaving the Democratic Party, changing her party affiliation to independent. In so doing, she is “delivering a jolt to Democrats’ narrow majority and Washington along with it.” In her interview, she said she will not caucus with Republicans and suggested that she intends to vote the same way she has for four years in the Senate. “Nothing will change about my values or my behavior,” she said.
OBSERVATION – Her withdrawal has shocked many, particularly in light of Warncock’s victory in Georgia that gave the dems a 51-49 advantage in the senate. Just how ‘independent’ she will be remains to be seen.
Domestic / International Terror (modified)-
The attack on two substations in Moore County, North Carolina, appears to be related to similar attacks on substations in Oregon and Washington.
NewsNation obtained a federal law enforcement memo warning “Power stations in Oregon and Washington have reported physical attacks on substations using hand tools, arson, firearms, and metal chains possibly in response to an online call for attacks on critical infrastructure.” The intelligence memo is from an unnamed federal agency, but Homeland Security has been sending out warnings for months about attacks on “critical infrastructure.”
A bulletin dated Nov. 30 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s National Terrorism Advisory System indicates the agency warned the country of heightened threats to critical infrastructure just three days before the attack in Moore County.
OBSERVATION – Grid attacks are relatively easy to conduct as well as identifying critical substations to hit for maximum outages. If these other incidents are related, then the likelihood is high that there may well be a plan being cooked up for a much larger, future event. It would make sense in that context to have smaller attacks to test the system and any responses.
Given that level of conspiracy, the most likely candidates IMHO are groups on the right who would likely use this tactic to force blue urban areas into blackout conditions. However, it is not inconceivable that leftist elements would use the same tactic in red territories. For both, the ease of carrying out the attack combined with the low risk of being identified, stopped or arrested would make this method of soft attack favorable.
Strategic Activity / Deployments –
Carrier Strike Group 11, headed by the USS Nimitz, deployed for the Indo-Pacific theater on the 3d of December. The strike group has five Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and one Ticonderoga-class cruiser with it.
(AC: Five destroyers in a strike group is abnormally high compared to the typical three to four. This is likely in response to heightened global tensions. – J.V.) [Source: U.S. Defense sources]
Russia -
WAR WATCH - Russia is now in its ninth month of the “three days to conquer Ukraine” since fighting starting on Feb 24th.
CURRENT ASSESSMENT
Russian forces are constructing defensive lines across occupied southern Ukraine.
It is only capable of very local offensive actions as in the ongoing fighting around Bakhmut and Donetsk. It is incapable of large scale offensive operation in Ukraine.
Russia is also capable of launching more cruise/ballistic missile attacks directed against Ukrainian infrastructure -primarily its power grid, but massively reduced inventories of such missiles means these barrages will be further apart and less intense.
While Russia has nuclear capability, the probability is low that it will use one to swing the initiative back to its forces.
********
NUKE WATCH -
Putin, speaking with members of his Human Rights Council, dismissed concerns that he would use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, calling them a deterrent. He has said Russia will use “all available means” to protect its territory, including the annexed areas of Ukraine.
“We haven’t gone mad,” he said Wednesday. “We are fully aware of what nuclear weapons are.”
His talk involked some contradictory ideas. On one hand he appeared to have walked back his threats of the use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine. He reemphasized that Russia would not use a first strike. OTOH, he said the risk of using nuclear weapons is increasing.
Logistics –
- Russia used Iranian drones for attacks in the past couple days. The first they’ve been seen in about 3 weeks. It is assumed that Russian technicians have been able to winterize them enough to get them flying again.
Russian Personnel Issues –
- Some analysts are indicating that putin is trying to put together a more stealthy mobilization since the last one turned into such a dumpster fire. Russia is hoping for a pause in the war caused by winter weather to give it time to more significantly reconstitute its forces in Ukraine.
Ukraine -
WEATHER FORECAST – Nasty mix of rain and snow throughout most of the 10 day forecast
24 HOUR ROUND UP –
Russia resumed attacks in the Bakhmut and Donetsk regions supported by a lot of artillery. This sector has received the bulk of Russian reinforcements and priority. Rumors that conditions are so bad, Russian troops are having to march to get to their jump off points for attacks due to lack of vehicles (wheeled or armor).
Russia also attempted counterattacks north of Kreminna and even north of Kharkiv.
More reports that Russia is trying to reinforce the Svatov – Kreminna line with VDV and mobilized conscripts.
All these attacks were reportedly repulsed by Ukraine.
Eastern (Kharkiv) front ——
Ukraine forces continue to pressure the Russian lines NW of Svatove.
Donetsk Oblast ——
Continuing Russian attacks west-northwest of Donetsk and Bakhmut.
Zaporizhizhia Front ———
NSR
Crimean front ———
NSR
Western / Central Ukraine ——
NSR
Russian Territory –
Big fire as result of shelling in Yakovlevo district of Belgorod region.
Reports that defensive lines (trenches, armor/tank barriers) are being constructed between Belgorod and the Ukraine border. a
Partisan Resistance ——
NSR - but don’t let that fool you, there are plenty of unconfirmed reports of rear area attacks across Russian occupied territory.
OUTLOOK ——
Weather continues to control the extent of operations across the region. Fall mud conditions are near their peak and should improve as ground freezes the end of this month.
Russia has stepped up its tempo to capture Bakhmut, throwing most of its resources into the effort. They have been trying to capture this village for over 4 months now. Current attacks are more human wave than anything else because cross country movement by armor is nearly impossible.
Ukraine will continue to target key command posts, logistical bases and troop concentrations with HIMARS and other available artillery.
As always, things can change quickly.
One other thing of note. Earlier reports of extensive trenches and anti-armor dragon teeth defenses in occupied southeastern Ukraine now have observers noting that the work seems to be pretty slipshod. Defensive lines are not muturally supporting and even the dragons teeth features are falling apart due to probable cheap construction.
Belarus -
Analysts still note that Russia is still pressing Belarus to become active on the ground in Ukraine – however Belarusian military leadership is very resistant and inclined to disobey any order to attack.
Iran –
Protests and business closures continue across iran.
RUMINT The Islamic Republic has started negotiations with its Venezuelan allies to arrange asylum for the regime officials and their families in case the situation worsens and the possibility of a regime change rises, Western diplomatic sources.
OBSERVATION - All though the protests carry indicators of an emergent insurrection, I don’t think there is evidence of an organized and armed element (yet) to directly confront govt forces protecting the rulers. However, it is clear that the strength of the protests and developing support base has the mullahs worried and such coordination possible. Venezuela has been friendly with Iran for over a year now as Iran has also pumped a lot of money into Madero’s coffers via oil related actions.
Iran says it has executed a prisoner convicted of a crime allegedly committed during the country’s ongoing nationwide protests, Iran’s Mizan news agency reported Thursday. It’s the first such death penalty carried out by Tehran. The man was accused of blocking a street and attacking a security force member with a machete in Tehran.
OBSERVATION – This is on top of the hundreds killed outright by IRGC and Basji enforcers.
Syria -
Russia offered Turkey the withdrawal of the SDF from the areas of Ain al-Arab and Manbij in N Syria to stop the possible Turkish invasion
Central / South America General-
Peru’s congress removed controversial President Pedro Castillo from power for “moral incapacity” to govern amid accusations of an attempted coup. The move comes hours after Castillo issued a presidential decree ordering the dissolution of the congress and establishing a “government of exception” ahead of an expected impeachment vote. Castillo was a far leftist ruler who’s followers did go into the streets in protest. Vice President Dina Boluarte was sworn in, making her Peru’s first female president. She has close ties to the WEF.
OBSERVATION - Interesting given the leftward drift in central/south American politics of late. What isn’t surprising is that Boluarte is strongly tied to the WEF – apparently Castillo wasn’t on board with the GGR/WEF goals and had to be replaced by a more reliable president.
Democrats are good at shaking down large companies - in the tradition of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton... The difference is more stick than carrot and more threat than guilt.
Democrats are good at shaking down large companies - in the tradition of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton... The difference is more stick than carrot and more threat than guilt.
How charming.
Was under the weather yesterday. Still a little yucky feeling but wanted to get this out so as not to get buried.
LOOKING FOR SUBMISSIONS AS TO THE KEY EVENTS OF 2022 FOR A YEAR END WRAP UP.
Globalism / Great Reset –
Climate czar Kerry said, “it would be great if there were some” U.S. taxpayer money to pay other countries climate reparations.
“Is there going to have to be US taxpayer money that helps the United States, presumably the United States is going to have to be one of the nations that contributes to…” Washington Post editor Sally Buzbee asked John Kerry.
“It would be great if it were some, I mean the United States of America proudly is the largest humanitarian donor in the world,” John Kerry said
OBSERVATION – As noted many times before, the global warming scam is setting itself up as one of the greatest redistribution of wealth schemes ever.
Wuhan virus –
HISTORICAL NOTE - 3 years ago today: 3 people in Wuhan start to feel sick and are later found to have COVID-19. The new virus is spreading with now at least 4 confirmed cases, 3 weeks before the alarm is raised
A critically-ill six-month-old baby will be placed under the temporary guardianship of New Zealand’s High Court after his parents refused to allow him to undergo lifesaving heart surgery using blood from people vaccinated against Covid-19.
Handing down the judgment on Wednesday, Justice Ian Gault ruled that the boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, would remain under the court’s guardianship until he had recovered from the surgery.
The court also appointed two doctors as its agents to oversee issues around the operation and the administration of blood, according to court documents.
OBSERVATION - The New Zealand government, headed by WEF cut-out Jacinda Ardern, has executed some of the harshest penalties and decision seen across the globe from a so called ‘free’ country.
The fight over the source of blood used in medical procedutes (vax’d vs unvaxed) is increasingly becoming more of an issue as uncertainty and corresponding refusal by the medical establishment to examine any potential adverse affects from the nRNA jab components being transferred via transfusions or not.
Economy –
Eyes on the fed this next week. The US Federal Reserve is poised to slow its interest rate hikes next week, economists say, as central bankers’ most forceful moves in decades to fight inflation ripple through the economy.
But the half-point jump analysts expect to see in the Fed’s benchmark lending rate will still be a steep rise, as it struggles to cool demand in the United States to bring consumer costs down.
The decision will be announced after a two-day meeting of the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) starting Tuesday.
Policy makers are keeping a close eye on wage growth, given concerns that higher salaries will add to inflation pressures.
“The strong jobs market, rising wages and the strong household balance sheet... are key areas of support” for demand, said economist James Knightley of ING.
Household wealth has increased by $30 trillion since the start of the pandemic, he noted, allowing consumers to dip into their savings as the cost of living spiked.
OBSERVATION - “Household wealth has increased by $30 trillion since the start of the pandemic” Where does the Fed get this number considering the following MORE RELATED
MORE RELATED - U.S. household wealth fell by $400 billion in the third quarter as a drop in U.S. stock prices outpaced gains in real estate values, a Federal Reserve report showed Friday.
Household net worth declined to $143.3 trillion at the end of September from $143.7 trillion at the end of June, the Fed’s quarterly snapshot of the national balance sheet showed. It was the third consecutive quarter household wealth has declined.
OBSERVATION – This report throws cold water on the claim by the Fed that there are “strong household balance sheet(s)” in the economy. These are huge drops in this so called balance sheet. So the Fed is feeding conflicting data – but the one that will bite consumers is the increase in the prime rate. Even a half point rise is significant and may not give the inflation rate a pause they want given that the wholesale prices rose 0.3% last month
MORE RELATED - November’s producer price index report showed wholesale prices rise 0.3% last month and 7.4% year-over-year, topping the estimated 0.2% gain economists polled by Dow Jones expected.
OVERALL FED OBSERVATIONS – Mixed forecasts regarding the development of a recession in 2023 as well as to how deep. Fed friendly sources suggest the so called “soft landing” with little to no recession breaking out. Other economists (as well as m any businesses – see BlackRock below) are anticipating a severe global recession.
Nearly one year has passed since the baby formula shortage began impacting America’s kids and parents — and the issue may not end this year. A new report by Reckitt Benckiser, the maker of Enfamil, indicates shortages are expected to persist until at least the spring of 2023.
OBSERVATION – Third world countries have formula on the shelves, and now over a year and we can’t get our supplies up.
According to Blackrock a worldwide recession is just around the corner as central banks boost borrowing costs aggressively to tame inflation — and this time, it will ignite more market turbulence than ever before.
The global economy has already exited a four-decade era of stable growth and inflation to enter a period of heightened instability — and the new regime of increased unpredictability is here to stay, according to the world’s biggest asset manager.
That means policymakers will no longer be able to support markets as much as they did during past recessions, a team of BlackRock strategists led by vice chairman Philipp Hildebrand wrote in a report titled 2023 Global Outlook.
“Recession is foretold as central banks race to try to tame inflation. It’s the opposite of past recessions,” they said. “Central bankers won’t ride to the rescue when growth slows in this new regime, contrary to what investors have come to expect. Equity valuations don’t yet reflect the damage ahead.”
This is not good news when companies are laying off, inflation is at 40-year-highs and Americans are building up credit card debt while most businesses are behind on their heating bills already.
OBSERVATION – interesting coming from WEF’s ESG hatchet boys at BlackRock. Naturally, with their tons of assets any recession would que up their purchases of assets at fire sale prices.
Invasion of Illegals –
The Biden administration says it will appeal the court ruling that invalidated the Trump-era Title 42 border restrictions. As it stands, the administration will be required to stop expelling migrants under Title 42 in two weeks, on Dec. 21. Wait, what.
CANCEL CULTURE FRONT
Twitter files synopsis to date
Part 1 - documents how senior Twitter executives violated their own policies to prevent the spread of accurate information about Hunter Biden’s laptop;
Part 2, - shows how senior Twitter execs created secret blacklists to “de-amplify” disfavored Twitter users, not just specific tweets – ie shadow banning. Jack Dorsey told Congress under oath Twitter was not shadow-banning. Dorsey also testified he didn’t know about the other activities being conducted - twitter files show that he was aware and ‘on board’
Part 3, - documents how senior Twitter execs censored tweets by Trump in the run-up to the Nov 2020 election while regularly engaging with representatives of U.S. government law enforcement agencies. Particularly the FBI.’s involvement in censorship.
PART 4 The Removal of Donald Trump: January 7 As the pressure builds, Twitter executives build the case for a permanent ban
OBSERVATION – One of the key culprits coming to the forefront is a Yoel Roth, reportedly an ex-marine intelligence officer and former employee/contractor to the FBI and CIA. Roth played a key connection to FBI/CIA demands for censorship.
Roth is also under scrutiny as the key player in blocking efforts at twitter to remove child trafficking and sexual exploitation posters from Twitter. He even wrote in his pHD thesis that is should be OK for students and teachers to hook up.
The whole twitter world story coming out is like a dystopian novel that gets increasingly more disgusting.
POLITICAL FRONT –
This congressional term is winding down. Biggest issue is a potential continuing resolution to push it through to the end of next year. This would effectively block a republican house from influencing the budget for half of the next session.
Domestic / International Terror (modified)-
A string of attacks on power facilities in Oregon and Washington has caused alarm and highlighted the vulnerabilities of the US electric grid.
The attacks in the Pacific north-west come just days after a similar assault on North Carolina power stations that cut electricity to 40,000 people.
As first reported by Oregon Public Broadcasting and KUOW Public Radio, there have been at least six attacks, some of which involved firearms and caused residents to lose power. Two of the attacks shared similarities with the incident in Moore county, North Carolina, where two stations were hit by gunfire. Authorities have not yet revealed a motive for the North Carolina attack.
The four Pacific north-west utilities whose equipment was attacked have said they are cooperating with the FBI. The agency has not yet confirmed if it is investigating the incidents.
OBSERVATION - Terrorism is one of the potential drivers for these ‘attacks’ Vandalism is also high on the list as well as attempts to steal copper, etc by tweakers to support their drug habit. Since no dates in comparison to the Moore County incident – hard to correlate if they are related. Not going into chicken little mode on this, but it is worth monitoring as it could give some elements ideas.
China –
The Department of Energy (DoE) bragging about a new $200 million grant that was given to a lithium battery company called Microvast, the claim being that it will help to expand domestic sources of green energy. The problem is that Microvast “primarily” operates in communist China.
Despite claiming to be based in Texas, Microvast conducts most of its business overseas in the world’s largest dictatorship. The Biden regime conveniently failed to mention this in touting the “bipartisan,” taxpayer-funded cash payout as a supposed boon for domestic “green” energy expansion.
Microvast was recently added to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) watchlist of Chinese companies that are scheduled to be delisted from NASDAQ due to their failure to comply with United States auditing requirements under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act.
OBSERVATION – Stupid move or deliberate by the biden regime?
On Friday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping met Saudi Arabian leaders in that country, expressing his interest in using yuan to buy Persian Gulf generated gas and oil.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on said this was a “historic new phase of relations with China.” Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said “We don’t see this as a zero sum game,” over his country’s growing relationship with China, according to Reuters.
Chinese leadership has been moving to substitute its currency for the US dollar in the role of global trade, which would increase the communist country’s control of international markets and destabilize the American economic infrastructure both internationally and domestically.
OBSERVATION – China’s move to make the yuan competitive against the dollar on the global stage has been ongoing for some time now. Recent events like the Ukraine war and global market turmoil from wuhan has only increased China’s efforts to replace the dollar in key areas of the world. This is a direct threat to the petrodollar set up and if it causes any kind of collapse would hit the US hard.
Russia -
WAR WATCH - Russia is now in its ninth month of the “three days to conquer Ukraine” since fighting starting on Feb 24th.
CURRENT ASSESSMENT
Russian forces are constructing defensive lines across occupied southern Ukraine.
It is only capable of very local offensive actions as in the ongoing fighting around Bakhmut and Donetsk. It is incapable of large scale offensive operation in Ukraine.
Russia is also capable of launching more cruise/ballistic missile attacks directed against Ukrainian infrastructure -primarily its power grid, but massively reduced inventories of such missiles means these barrages will be further apart and less intense.
While Russia has nuclear capability, the probability is low that it will use one to swing the initiative back to its forces.
********
The Biden administration is accusing Russia of moving to provide advanced military assistance to Iran, including air defense systems, helicopters and fighter jets, part of deepening cooperation between the two nations as Tehran provides drones to support Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
NUKE WATCH -
Russian President Vladimir Putin has put out a statement saying that any country that dares attack Russia with nuclear weapons will be wiped from the face of the earth, and said he was considering adding the possibility of a nuclear first strike to disarm an enemy to Russia’s military doctrine.
This, after Putin had held a Televised Meeting with members of Russia’s Human Rights council saying that Russia wouldn’t use nuclear missiles unless it was first attacked. “We haven’t gone mad. We are fully aware of what nuclear weapons are. We have them, and they are more advanced and state-of-the-art than what any other nuclear power has,” he said during that interview.
Speaking in a video Putin said, “From our side, hundreds of our missiles will be in the air. It is impossible to stop them. But these are still retaliatory missiles.” He continued, “What does this mean? It means that it will happen if the fall of enemy missile warheads on Russian territory is inevitable. They will still fall, though nothing will remain of the enemy.” “And this of course, is a deterrent. A serious deterrent. Well, if the enemy considers it possible to use the theory of a preventive strike, but we do not, then it still makes us think about the threats that such ideas create for us for defense sectors of other countries. That is all,” he concluded.
OBSERVATION – Confusion earlier that suggested that putin was walking back the nuclear threats. However, better translations of his talk indicate that while there may be a slight pull back specifically to Ukraine, he is looking to be far more aggressive in establishing a first strike policy.
RUMINT –
Putin allegedly fell at his mansion, injuring his tail bone among other things. He reportedly had surgery to address the injuries. Story may be cover for a more serious procedure linked to the suspected cancer he is said to have.
Logistics –
- Iran has become Russia’s go to source for drones and potentially missiles, after having depleted its stockpiles.
Russian Personnel Issues –
- Chechen forces are taking an increasingly higher profile role in the occupied regions by providing security and the ‘muscle’ to enforce Russian dictates to the Ukrainian people.
Economic Impact –
- US “imposing sanctions on three Russian entities connected to Moscow’s growing military relationship with Tehran – a relationship that includes the transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from Iran,” according to a statement from SecState Blinken
Ukraine -
WEATHER FORECAST – Nasty mix of rain and snow throughout most of the 10 day forecast
RUMINT – Reportedly, the US has given Ukraine free reign to target Russian bases with long range weapons systems. This alleged ‘permission’ preceded the drone attacks on Russian airbases last week.
24 HOUR ROUND UP –
Russia resumed using Iranian drones in its attacks, believed to have resolved the issue of failures due to cold weather. One main target was Odessa where 15 drones were launched and Ukraine managed to shoot down 10. The remaining 5 targeted the power grid. Other cities in southern Ukraine were also targeted.
Russia has launched a significant frontal assault against Bakhmut, gained some ground but is still unable to enter the city. Analysis suggests that putin is in a hurry to get a victory and is bypassing a slower envelopment attack for a direct, frontal assault. Russian forces have reportedly been beefed up using elements withdrawn from Kherson and the recent mobilization to support the assault. The Bakhmut battle has also received the priority for available Russian artillery support, locally gaining levels last seen in the past spring.
Ukraine launched significant long ranged attacks since the last report. One being Melitopol where a major troop concentration was leveled. Also hit Sevastopol airport and other sites in occupied Ukraine.
Eastern (Kharkiv) front ——
Ukraine forces continue to pressure the Russian lines NW of Svatove.
Donetsk Oblast ——
Continuing Russian attacks west-northwest of Donetsk and Bakhmut.
Zaporizhizhia Front ———
NSR
According to the several sources about 200 Russian servicemen were in the destroyed facility in Melitopol. It seems Russian forces occupied a sprawling, resort like complex complete with spa, relaxing fountain, and cable TV. Unclear how long they were housed there.
Videos posted on social media note the intensity of the damage along with the strike.
Crimean front ———
NSR
Sevastopol, an explosion near the airport.
Western / Central Ukraine ——
NSR
Russian Territory –
NSR
Partisan Resistance ——
NSR - but don’t let that fool you, there are plenty of unconfirmed reports of rear area attacks across Russian occupied territory.
Resistance/SOF elements likely supplied the real time intel for the Melitopol strike.
OUTLOOK ——
OSINT and other analysts are noting that Russia is pushing spoiling attacks along the eastern front as a means to delay the expected Ukrainian continuation of its offensive once the ground freezes again. The influx of mobilized conscripts are being essentially thrown into the battles around Savtove – Kreminna line as well as Bakhmut and Dontesk fights. Russia seems willing to suffer high casualities in order to delay the continuation of Ukraine’s attacks in the east – hoping to buy time to put together a better force that could resume the offense into the Donbas region.
This high casualty tactic would seem to be counter productive at the current without initiating another mobilization geared to create a better trained and motivated force. Currently, all reports are that these mobiliees are next to worthless – creating a goat rope for the remnants of existing units as they try to integrate them into some kind of a cohesive unit.
Russia’s resumption of the drone wars may well result in NATO/US providing even longer ranged weapons. This escalation will not work well for Russia who has the weaker and exposed logistics system along with the tendency to mass troops withing range of Ukrainian weapons. This increase in long range weapons system could be further justified by the targeting so far of the Ukrainian power grid – considered to be a war crime by the west.
SERBIA / KOSOVO -
Serbia to ask NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo to allow it to deploy Serbian military and police troops in Kosovo, Serbia’s president Vucic says - Reuters
OBSERVATION – NATO and Kosovan police are blocking access from Serbia. Vucic should know that his desire to usurp Kosovo’s sovergnity would get a big no.
Israel –
See Lebanon below on Iranian smuggling.
Iran –
Protests continue across the country. Farideh Moradkhani, a niece of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and an outspoken critic of the Islamic Republic, has been sentenced to three years in prison, her lawyer said on Friday, according to Al Arabiya. Moradkhani was arrested last month after she declared her support for the ongoing anti-regime protests in Iran and called on the international community to cut ties with Tehran.
The Biden administration is accusing Russia of moving to provide advanced military assistance to Iran, including air defense systems, helicopters and fighter jets, part of deepening cooperation between the two nations as Tehran provides drones to support Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
See Lebanon below on smuggling attempts into that country.
Lebanon -
Israel has warned Lebanon that it could bomb Beirut’s international airport, according to one Saturday report, after an earlier report claimed Iran had recently transferred weaponry to the Hezbollah terror group via civilian flights.
Asharq Al-Awsat, an Arabic-language newspaper published in London, cited unidentified Israeli political sources as saying Israel was investigating claims by the Saudi-funded al-Arabiya network that Iran recently smuggled weapons through Beirut International Airport.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, Israel has warned the Lebanese government that it could strike the airport if it is indeed used for smuggling attempts.
OBSERVATION – Iran / Hezbollah essentially run the country and can do what it wants. Hezbollah missile facility is rumored to exist near the airport. Though Israel would prefer to avoid striking Lebanese targets, they can and will if necessary.
Saudi Arabia -
See discussions with China to purchase oil using the yuan.
Syria -
Turkish forces bombarded with sites belonging to the Pro-Assad forces forces in the areas of Jishan, Goran, and Marj Ismail in the countryside of Kobane, east of Aleppo.
OBSERVATION – No significant ground assault by Turkey into Kurdish regions of Syria and Iraq. Currently using artillery and air strikes.
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan -
Public executions by the Taliban have resumed for the first time since the US and allies left the country.
Mexico -
This is a category I’ve been working to gain a better understanding of. The cartels have been engaged in a significant fight with each other lately, in part to get a piece of the uncontrolled flow of illegals and drugs into the US. There are dozens of these cartels/gangs. The Mexican govt has been almost constantly using its military to go into these battle areas to put down/capture fighters.
Central / South America General-
Evidence coming out that twitter was twisted to support the current leftist president of Brazil’s win in the recent election there.