Globalism / Great Reset –
Upcoming meetings of importance
- WHO February 19 to 21, Trans guideline committee.
- WHO pandemic ‘treaty’ May 2024
*****
Starting on February 19, a college of 21 experts will gather at WHO’s headquarters to develop global guidelines governing how doctors respond to people who identify as transgender. This project aims to create international standards for the issue by relying on a two-pronged strategy of “science” and “human rights.” The process is biased, as numerous national and international media outlets have pointed out.
However, this strategy might work, because it already has in the past. This process resulted in a new guideline in 2022, promoting the legalization of abortion up to birth. This is precisely the same strategy WHO is now using to promote transgenderism.
WHO’s Guideline Development Group on transgenderism consists of 21 members, 16 of whom are gender ideology activists. This raises questions about the objectivity of the work they will present at the February meeting.
https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=6691
OBSERVATION - Total perversion of the natural male/female genders is a goal of these marxist globalists - a means to try to destroy the nuclear family as well as strip the parents rights to raise their children within their world view -mostly driven against Christians. Trans activists here and around the globe will immediately grab onto these guidelines in order to force laws to permit unlimited by age ‘transitions’ without parental agreement. Most likely the US govt swamp will openly agree to these guidelines and begin implementation anyway.
CW2 / Domestic violence - Heightened THREAT
Showdown in TX continues. The beacons of Gondor are lit ! !
TX in process of establishing a NG base near the Rio Grande to support border security operations.
***
Weekend here and expect pro-hamas demonstrations in metropolitan areas of the country.
Terrorism - Level is HIGH due to impending conflict with Iran.
This warning renewed as of Feb 6, 2024
ELEVATED RISK - Potential military action against Iranian assets for the attack that killed US forces in Jordan could result in Iranian terror groups here in the US to activate and conduct terror ops here. These attacks can range from infrastructure destruction (water, power, communications, etc) to mass casualty events (superbowl related attacks) or attacks on political candidates - heavily leaning against current administration but also Trump as well. So far the govt hasn’t come out with any warnings but the risk has increased significantly the last 24 hours, based on common sense and stated goals of the Islamist movement/Iran.
***
Unconfirmed reports that the FBI briefing to sheriffs recently noted that there are already 2 million terrorists in country. If that is true, the chaos that could ensue would now likely project past simply targeting infrastructure - but in some cases open attacks on civilian / govt targets to openly challenge law enforcement and spread even more terror. A very bad, worst case scenario.
Economy-
There is a full spectrum of economists predicting everything from a ‘no landing’ (no recession at all) to a crash landing (major recession). This just goes to show how mixed the economic signals are. Should one of the ‘good’ signals fail, the chances increase for recession.
Military / Strategic Activity / Deployments –
Continued controversy regarding a potential Russian nuclear space based weapon. A lot of speculation and lack of details.
Current speculation that I’ve seen is a nuclear EMP device to fry satellite electronics. That naturally could spill over into an EMP induced smash to ground based electronics as well. This is a lot of speculation because modern satellites have a lot more and better hardening due to experience dealing with solar storms and related. This consists of better shielding of electronic components - protections that could thwart a nuclear EMP wave.
POLITICAL FRONT –
Dates of importance
March 1 - latest CR expires
March 5- Super Tuesday primaries
***
Judge Arthur Engoron heard deliberations and made his final say in the New York courtroom, declaring that 45th President Donald J. Trump is liable, an expected decision by the liberal judge.
The Friday verdict, which was revealed in a 92-page ruling, stated that Trump has to pay at least $354 million in the civil fraud trial.
Additionally, Trump is banned from conducting business in New York and serving as an officer or director at any New York corporation or legal entity for three years.
OBSERVATION - This verdict will likely be overturned on appeal. The judge essentially declared Trump to be guilty from the onset - a gross example of politicization of the judiciary.
***
Meanwhile, yesterday in Atlanta the soap opera continued over charges the DA and her boy toy operated illegally.
Biden / Harris Watch –
Dates to watch -
March 7 - State of the union
****
Biden exploded at a press conference yesterday ,”can’t believe Congress is taking a two-week vacation at a time when President Putin is responsible for Alexei Navalny’s death. “Two weeks, two weeks, my God!”
NOTE - Biden, who has been on holiday more than Presidents before him (nearly 40% on holidays)
***
After avoiding the site for over a year, biden’s visit to E Palestine didn’t go too well for him.
Last September, biden said he hadn’t been to East Palestine, Ohio because he hadn’t “been able to break.” He had just spent most of August on vacation.
***
President Joe Biden will have a tough time winning a second term if approval and economic ratings are any indication, according to Gallup.
Biden’s job approval rating sits at 41% and just 20% of Americans are satisfied with the country’s direction under the Democrat. According to Gallup, just one U.S. president with a sub-50% approval rating won reelection (George W. Bush) and none was reelected if fewer than 30% of U.S. adults were satisfied with the state of the nation.
Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton had similar marks as Biden on the country’s direction in January of their reelection years but saw increases as the year went on.
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/biden-reelection-2024/2024/02/16/id/1153958/
OBSERVATION - I hold polling at this stage of the election cycle at arms length. But this traditionally left of center polling should awaken the biden camp. Absent a mega vote stealing effort - beyond the last election, or some other ‘emergency’ that could tilt the election process, his chances are fading fast to be reelected.
Illegal Immigration –
See CW2 on Texas standoff.
***
See “Terrorism” above regarding the probable infiltration of perhaps as many as 2 million terrorists into the country.
See also “Mexico” below regarding potential spread of Narco-terrorists control in the US growing.
Russia -
WAR WATCH - into the second year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - Feb 24th, 2022
CURRENT ASSESSMENT - Updated Feb 2, 2024, closing in on two years of war.
Russia is attempting to seize the initiative by executing a winter/spring offensive across the eastern front. Russia has reportedly concentrated 40,000 troops to sustain this offensive. Though reports indicate that there have been some limited successes, Russian forces have taken heavy losses. One key objective continues to be the capture of Avdiivak, near Donetsk, as well as terrain lost to Ukraine during the Ukraine fall offensive in 2022. The attacks associated with this offensive do not appear to be supportive of each other in a manner that could help expedite any breakthrough and initiate any significant armor / mobile action. These assault axis also appear to be vulnerable to Ukrainian strikes on their logistics trains.
Russia has been able to gradually enlarge the number of soldiers in the theatre to the 400,000 range. Training and equipping of these forces is still rated very poor. Russia has drawn heavily upon ‘volunteers’ from penal colonies for their “Z” shock troops- the primary element of their meat attack (human wave) assaults against Ukraine defenses. It has been documented that ‘enforcement’ squads follow behind these ‘shock troops’ with orders to shoot any who attempt to retreat.
Russia continues to suffer heavy tank and APC losses. Old, cold war era tanks and APCs are becoming more and more common sights in battle fields. (formerly) Elite units like the Russian marines are routinely seen with T54/55 series tanks instead of the T72/80/90 series they were commonly equipped with.
Shortages of Ukraine artillery ammo has permitted Russia to regain some degree of local superiority on the battlefield. Some estimates give Russia a 3:1 advantage. This is down substantially from the start of the war where it had a 10:1 advantage.
Russian has been shepherding its stockpile of missiles/drones for a potential effort to take down the Ukraine power grid as they did winter 2023. This task has become increasingly difficult as Ukraine adds air defense systems and gets better coverage.
The Russian Black Sea fleet is is essentially impotent and hesitant to deploy into now contested waters. In the latest, large missile / drone attack, the Black Sea fleet was noticeably out of action. In the last half of 2023, Ukraine was able to take out about 20% of the fleet.
The Russia air force has taken significant losses at the hands of Ukraine. This has forced Russia to redeploy fighter bombers further away from the contested zone and exercise more caution when attacking. Larger aircraft have been forced to alter their operations as well.
Russian leadership reportedly planning for a long duration conflict, hoping to wear the Ukraine army down and cause European allies to tire of their support - forcing some sort of cease fire and negotiated peace. putin is struggling to place his economy on wartime footing to accomplish this goal.
*****
Russia’s prison agency announced Friday that prominent Vladimir Putin critic and opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died at the age of 47.
The Federal Prison Service said in a statement that Navalny felt unwell after a walk on Friday and lost consciousness, according to The Associated Press. An ambulance arrived to try to rehabilitate him, but he died, the statement added.
Navalny was being held at the IK-3 penal colony, also known as “Polar Wolf,” in Kharp in northern Russia, which is considered one of the country’s toughest prisons.
Previously, Russian authorities had held him at a facility roughly 145 miles east of Moscow. Navalny’s team lost contact with him after he failed to appear in court via video link for a hearing on Dec. 5, kicking off a desperate search until he resurfaced in Kharp around Christmas.
Navalny’s spokesperson said in a post on X that “we have no confirmation of this yet.
At least 212 people were detained at events in 21 cities across Russia on Friday and Saturday in memory of Alexei Navalny, according to an independent Russian human rights group.
Biden on Friday slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the reported death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny “Make no mistake, Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death. Putin is responsible. What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin’s brutality,” Biden said at the White House. The Russian leader “does not only target citizens of other countries, as we’ve seen with what is going on in Ukraine right now. He also inflicts terrible crimes on his own people,” he added.
OBSERVATION - The Russian presidential elections are coming up soon and putin likely wants to put this behind him as quickly as possible to avoid any serious backlash.
Ukraine –
WEATHER FORECAST – Temperatures in the 30-40 range early in the week, with scattered snow and rain. Temps dropping to the teens-20s later in the period.
24 HOUR ROUND UP – Weather continues to dominate action on the ground. However, temperatures are reaching levels around Ukraine that are starting to freeze the ground locally, meaning that ground operations may have their tempo increase over the coming days/weeks.
Avdiivka has fallen to Russian forces. Overnight, Ukraine pulled out of the city to prevent being encircled. The exact control of the territory is not clear, particularly on who continues to hold the coke plant that is northwest of the city. Reports are that the evacuation was a close run thing.
Ukrainian air defense shot down 2 Su-34 and a Su-35 overnight. No word as to where along the front this has occurred, but indicators suggest it was in the Bakhmut region. Russian AF has gotten a little more aggressive lately with CAS as ADA munition shortages are being felt as well. These losses, though, will hurt Russian AF’s limited numbers of airworthy airframes and likely force them to back off attacks for a limited period. Some suggest that this is another instance of a Patriot ambush.
Outlook —
Weather and mud conditions are continuing to dictate ground operations, which are at a low level due to lack of maneuverability cross country and on dirt roads due to the mud.
Avdiivka’s fall has been an objective of Russian forces since 2014 and the Donetsk ‘revolution’. Located on the front line north of occupied Donetsk, it served as a bottle neck for westward expansion of Russian controlled terrain. The current battle started as a surprise attack in early October got early bogged down. After 5 months of costly battles, Russians managed to secure the 32,000 population city (pre war).
In territorial numbers, the newly occupied territory entails around 82 square kilometers (31 square miles). An estimate of the number of Russian KIA is put at about 30,000, tens of thousand others were wounded. Others estimate that the Russian losses exceeded twice those from Bakhmut.
However, any Russian exploitation from this win is likely to be minimal. To the west-northwest are predominately flat terrain with a lot of water features and very limited roads thru them - creating numerous chokepoints. Ukraine has also been very busy constructing a defensive network similar to what Russia has - with extensive trenches and minefields. Russia also doesn’t have the tanks and APC for speedy movement. Weather conditions, though colder, have not frozen the ground sufficiently to permit extensive off road movement.
My assessment would be that once Russian forces have consolidated in the area, forces will be pulled out and diverted to other sectors, likely as a ready reserve, for Russia’s next big offensive attempt. Possible the Bakhmut or Kremmia sectors.
ISRAEL –
Now the war is in its 5th month.
Key overnight developments -
- IDF operations in Nasser Hospital net the capture of 100 terrorists and discovery of medicines that were labeled for hostages by name.
——— GENERAL ——————————-
Lest we forget - there are still 105 being held hostage in Gaza.
***
Martin Griffiths, the head of the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, was asked Wednesday about the feasibility of Israel’s goal to eliminate Hamas and prevent the terrorist group from continuing to govern the Gaza Strip.
“I’ve worked with many, many different terrorist and insurgent groups,” he told UK’s Sky News in response.
“Hamas is not a terrorist group for us, as you know, it’s a political movement.”
Israeli officials condemned Griffiths’ response
***
Benny Gantz: IDF will invade Rafah if hostages are not freed, war could continue into Ramadan.
——— GAZA FRONT ———————————-
Ongoing search and destroy operations throughout Gaza. Reports of more mass surrenders of Hamas and affiliated fighters. Also more reports of Hamas popping back up in N Gaza into areas previously cleared by IDF.
***
The IDF announced on Saturday morning that they had arrested over 100 terrorists in Nasser Hospital during operations in the Gaza Strip and that operations would continue for the foreseeable future.
On Friday, the military reported that during the operation at the hospital, forces discovered medicines bearing the name of Israeli hostages.
“The origin of the medications and their use are currently under investigation,” the army announced Friday evening. However, security officials estimate these were not part of the medicine shipment for the hostages facilitated by Qatar last month.
——— LEBANON / HEZBOLLAH——————————-
Continued exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and IDF along the border. Levels of fire have been increasing.
Nasrallah - “In response to the statements of the Israeli Defense Minister, I say that we have an accurate missile capability that enables us to reach as far as Eilat.”
“If the Americans stop supplying weapons to Israel, the Israeli war on Gaza will stop immediately”
——— SYRIA / HEZBOLLAH / IRAN———————————-
Katyusha rockets were launched from southern Syria towards the Golan Heights. In response, IAF confirmed that an Assad governments military ammo warehouse was struck in Syria.
———WEST BANK——————————-
Arrests continue in numerous cities in the West Bank. Associated with those raids, clashes break out between arabs and Israeli security forces.
Clashes between rioters and security forces in the Kharsa area in the city of Dura, south of Hebron
———“ISLAMIC RESISTANCE” ———————————
The Houthis have struck the British-owned oil tanker Pollux with a missile. The tanker was transporting Russian oil from the Russian Black Sea port city of Novorossiyskand was on its way to bring the oil to a refinery in Paradip, India.
——— FORECAST ————————-
Israel to continue search and destroy operations across Gaza. Fighting to continue to be locally intense across all Gaza as Hamas and affiliate cells are discovered and neutralized as well as of the couple hundred miles of tunnels are uncovered and destroyed.
Houthis are trying to ramp their missile campaign back up in the Red Sea region. CAP continues to hit launchers before they can fire. The Iranian help from their command/spy “Q” vessels has been affected by US jamming and cyber attacks, along with the fear of a US strike to sink those vessels. This has kept them far away from the area and unable to provide timely targeting data to the Houthis.
Israel continues in its preparations to enter Rafah, facilitating movement of civilians out of the city while at the same time working around the perimeter and preparing entrance locations. This is the last major pocket of Hamas resistance and nothing is going to stop Israel from going after the Hamas and affiliated forces therein.
Israeli initiate ground action into Lebanon is likely to be delayed until Gaza is better subdued - could be as much as months. Israel will continue to make best use of the time targeting key Hezbollah leadership, command and control sites as well as logistics and rocket launching sites, to take the edge off Hezbollah’s response when the big fight kicks off.
Iran –
Iran showed off a new air-defense missile system, claiming performance close to that of the Patriot system.
Mexico -
Mexico is the living example of what befalls a nation when it allows corruption to run rampant and fails to crack down on crime.
The effect cartel violence has on the lives of Mexicans is now common knowledge — for many in the Latin American nation, there is always a lingering fear, a walking on eggshells to avoid running afoul of deadly organized crime. The average Mexican citizen understands that, should he rub the local narcos the wrong way and incur their displeasure, he can expect little-to-no help from the authorities and can do just as little to defend himself (after all, firearms are virtually unobtainable for most law-abiding Mexicans).
But violence from organized crime also has a damaging effect on Mexico’s economy, interrupting the flow of key sectors and industries, and thus keeping the nation from prospering.
As the Mexican newspaper El Universal reports, one way the cartels are hurting the Mexican economy is by impacting commercial transportation. In recent days, the Mexican Alliance of Transport Organizations (AMOTAC) has been carrying out a strike in which truckers park their trucks to blockade major roads all across the country. This has both interrupted traffic and set back Mexico’s supply chains.
OBSERVATION - There has been literally a near civil war throughout most of mexico as the military goes from state to state to fight the nacro cartels control, and ongoing fighting between narco cartels for control of territory and drug trafficking.
The article makes a pointed statement that this trend is about to kick up in activity in the US as well. Open borders with illegal capture/processing has diverted a lot of resources away from drug interdiction. Open borders has allowed cartel elements to begin establishing presence in the US not only along border areas, but in many other parts of the country, most notably of recent on Indian reservations in the Dakotas and Montana.
So many of these items/events are now straddling two or more categories. I’m trying to place them in the most appropriate one and referencing the other(s). This just demonstrates that things are becoming crazier as well as how interconnected things are becoming. Something happens in one area has quick and direct affects in another.
Globalism / Great Reset –
Upcoming meetings of importance
- WHO February 19 to 21, Trans guideline committee.
- WHO pandemic ‘treaty’ May 2024
*****
Germany announces wide-ranging plans to restrict the speech, travel and economic activity of political dissidents, in order to better control the “thought and speech patterns” of its own people
The plan put forth by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD), is outlined in a 16-page Interior Ministry paper on “Resolutely Combating Right-Wing Extremism: Using the Instruments of Defensive Democracy.”
Faeser and her fellow political enforcers have such a wide-ranging, fluid understanding of what “right-wing extremism” constitutes, that the label can be deployed against basically anybody. The Interior Ministry paper claims that “The aim of right-wing extremists is to abolish liberal democracy and reshape our society according to their nationalist, racist and anti-pluralist ideas.”
https://www.eugyppius.com/p/germany-announces-wide-ranging-plans
OBSERVATION - A continuation of a global trend to now only attempt to counter any speech that this contrary to the “narrative”, but now there is an increasing push to criminalize such speech, all in the name to preserve “democracy”.
IN RELATED - A law was passed in France on Wednesday that could criminalize resistance to mRNA treatment. Anyone who advises against mRNA or other “medical treatments” that are “ obviously suitable” for treatment based on the current state of medical knowledge can in future be imprisoned in France^
for up to three years or receive a fine of up to 40,000 euros.
***
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus has issued a new warning about the likelihood of Disease X breaking out, telling global world leaders it is “a matter of when, not if” a new pathogen and pandemic will strike.
Tedros told attendees at the World Government Summit in Dubai earlier his week he gave a similar warning in 2018 that a pandemic was likely to hit, and he was proven right with the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus.
Complaining that the world is still ill-prepared for a new pandemic, Tedros once again touted the urgent need for a global treaty to be agreed upon by May.
OBSERVATION - The underlying threat of an impending outbreak of this 20x (how do they know this) as lethal pathogen is imminent and global forces working within govts laying the groundwork for more repressive measures than with wuhan.
CW2 / Domestic violence - Heightened THREAT
Showdown in TX continues. The beacons of Gondor are lit ! !
Expansion on yesterday’s post.
Abbott on Friday announced that the Lone Star State will build a military base along the Rio Grand at the border city of Eagle Pass.
Spanning 80-acres, “Forward Operating Base Eagle” will house upwards of 1,800 Texas National Guard soldiers supporting Operation Lone Star, and will be expandable to house 2,300. Texas Maj. Gen. Thomas Suelzer said the camp will have 300 beds by mid-April, and will add another 300 beds every month after that.
“Because of the magnitude of what we’re doing, because of the need to sustain and actually expand our efforts of what we’re doing, it’s essential that we build this base camp for the soldiers.”
***
Long-standing tensions in the Eritrean diaspora across the globe appear to have hit a breaking point recently, with violence sparking at several Eritrean-themed festivals between festival-goers and Eritrean protestors who say the events provide support and funds to a repressive regime.
Most recently, rioting in The Hague broke out on Saturday night, after fighting started between rival groups during a meeting of the Eritrean community. The meeting had been organized by pro-government Eritreans at the Opera business centre, although the centre described it as a New Year’s party. Opponents of the regime then turned up and the fighting broke out.
The fighting is the latest outbreak of violence at Eritrean events in Europe. Similar riots occurred in Stuttgart in September 2023, and Giessen several months earlier.
OBSERVATION - These events are directly applicable to here in the US, as these illegals pour in, they bring their various ethnic and political squabbles with them. In my data searches yesterday, I found reports of a similar riot occurring in the US on the same day. (lost the reference). The increasing potential for ethnic fighting in the US within and between groups of illegals will add another layer to the chaos of a hot CW2 scenario as they seek to settle old scores as well as try to carve out territory / resources for themselves.
IN RELATED - Islamic imans here in the US are increasingly calling for moslem domination of the country and imposition of shariah law and jinza fees. We’ve had these calls in lesser measure for decades now. What has changed is the massive influx of moslems coming illegally into the country and the leftist support of anti-Israel/pro-hamas protests of late. Already, some communities were massive numbers of Somali’s were imported have begun to peripherally enforce islamic legal concepts on non-moslems. Again, this is developing into a new factor in any CW2 scenario where these growing moslem dominated areas could seize the opportunity to break off and other moslem influenced regions to seize power as well.
Terrorism - Level is HIGH due to impending conflict with Iran.
This warning renewed as of Feb 6, 2024
ELEVATED RISK - Potential military action against Iranian assets for the attack that killed US forces in Jordan could result in Iranian terror groups here in the US to activate and conduct terror ops here. These attacks can range from infrastructure destruction (water, power, communications, etc) to mass casualty events (superbowl related attacks) or attacks on political candidates - heavily leaning against current administration but also Trump as well. So far the govt hasn’t come out with any warnings but the risk has increased significantly the last 24 hours, based on common sense and stated goals of the Islamist movement/Iran.
***
Economy-
Experts are sounding alarms that the distressed US commercial real estate market could trigger a new banking crisis, if default rates on commercial mortgages rise sharply.
Some $929 billion of outstanding commercial mortgages held by lenders and investors will mature in 2024, or 20 percent of the $4.7 trillion total outstanding debt, according to recent data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Disturbingly, about 14 percent of all CRE loans, and 44 percent of office loans, appear to be ‘underwater,’ with current property values that are less than the outstanding loan balances, according to a recent working paper for the National Bureau of Economic Research.
‘If nothing changes — if interest rates remain elevated and property values do not improve — we do view defaults at the rate of the Great Recession, and in fact even higher, as quite a possibility,’ one of the co-authors, Columbia Business School professor Tomasz Piskorski, told DailyMail.com.
If default rates on CRE loans jumped to 10 percent, the study estimates that 231 US banks, with aggregate assets of $1 trillion, would see the market value of their assets fall below the value of their customer deposits.
That situation could spur panicked customers to withdraw their uninsured deposits, in the same kind of rapid bank run that triggered the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank last year.
OBSERVATION - These are big default numbers and could totally slam the idea of a soft ‘landing’ for the economy. Secondary effects will rip through the banking system affecting other areas as well as banks struggle to recover from the hits.
A very big storm could break out later this year.
Military / Strategic Activity / Deployments –
Study came out saying we have too many general/flag officers and should be pared down.
POLITICAL FRONT –
Dates of importance
March 1 - latest CR expires
March 5- Super Tuesday primaries
***
Truckers are discussing the implementation of a boycot of shipping loads to NYC to protest the recent judgement against Trump. A high percentage of truckers are loyal to trump and there is sufficient anger out there over the judgement. The truckers are reportedly beginning their boycott this Monday. How much traction it gains is yet to be seen, however, NYC relies on imported / trucked supplies and any significant reduction in shipments will have a big impact.
***
Related - Legal experts analyzed what they called “breathtaking” civil penalties against former President Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, former Trump Organization Comptroller Jeffrey McConney and ex-CFO Allen Weisselberg – warning other corporations based in the Empire State may realize they could suddenly be put out of business by the state on a political whim.
Former Bush White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said “[Y]ou just say goodbye to New York, which fits a pattern that many successful people have been doing and leaving New York because New York is just too political, too blue and too punitive – you’re seeing that in the business community and among upper income New Yorkers already,” he said – adding the state’s crime wave accentuates the issue.
OBSERVATION - Remember, Rush left NYC for Florida for much the same reasons. Whether or not this will further embolden the leftists to go after other individuals/businesses on the right is yet to be seen - probably depending heavily on what the outcome of Trumps appeal is.
****
Republican lawmakers are accusing the State Department of threatening to obstruct their investigation into “censorship” of companies in the United States.
House Small Business Committee Republicans have continued to request grant records from the State Department’s Global Engagement Center for an inquiry into “government censorship and revenue interference of American small businesses by proxy,” which the committee launched after a series of Washington Examiner reports on the interagency group funding the Global Disinformation Index, a British think tank blacklisting conservative media from advertising dollars. Now, the Biden administration is asserting it may resort to letting the GOP-led panel review documents solely under in camera supervision, which lawmakers say is a “veiled threat to further impede” their investigation, letters show.
OBSERVATION - Continuation of the efforts of the govt to silence the opposition.
Biden / Harris Watch –
Dates to watch -
March 7 - State of the union
****
New York Times columnist Ezra Klein is calling for Joe Biden to step aside for a new Democratic nominee. In the latest episode of The Ezra Klein Show, Klein complimented President Biden on successfully unifying the Democratic Party, contrasting it with Republican disunity on key issues like Ukraine. The columnist also praised Biden for his handling of the economy. However, despite praising Biden, he questioned his viability as a central figure in a presidential campaign.
“I like Biden… he’s been a good president… he is a good president. I don’t like having this conversation. And I know a lot of liberals, a lot of Democrats are going to be furious at me for this show,” Klein said.
OBSERVATION - The vultures are circling, how long will biden last?
Illegal Immigration –
See CW2 on Texas standoff.
***
The Texas National Guard in El Paso held the line and physically repelled illegal aliens crossing over the border.
Footage posted to X showed a Texas National Guard soldier physically pushing illegals back toward Mexico on Friday.
OBSERVATION - This isn’t the first rejection of illegals that swam the Rio Grande only to be turned away at the fence. Over 75% reduction in illegals since TX took over control of this section of the border.
Russia -
WAR WATCH - into the second year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - Feb 24th, 2022
CURRENT ASSESSMENT - Updated Feb 2, 2024, closing in on two years of war.
Russia is attempting to seize the initiative by executing a winter/spring offensive across the eastern front. Russia has reportedly concentrated 40,000 troops to sustain this offensive. Though reports indicate that there have been some limited successes, Russian forces have taken heavy losses. One key objective continues to be the capture of Avdiivak, near Donetsk, as well as terrain lost to Ukraine during the Ukraine fall offensive in 2022. The attacks associated with this offensive do not appear to be supportive of each other in a manner that could help expedite any breakthrough and initiate any significant armor / mobile action. These assault axis also appear to be vulnerable to Ukrainian strikes on their logistics trains.
Russia has been able to gradually enlarge the number of soldiers in the theatre to the 400,000 range. Training and equipping of these forces is still rated very poor. Russia has drawn heavily upon ‘volunteers’ from penal colonies for their “Z” shock troops- the primary element of their meat attack (human wave) assaults against Ukraine defenses. It has been documented that ‘enforcement’ squads follow behind these ‘shock troops’ with orders to shoot any who attempt to retreat.
Russia continues to suffer heavy tank and APC losses. Old, cold war era tanks and APCs are becoming more and more common sights in battle fields. (formerly) Elite units like the Russian marines are routinely seen with T54/55 series tanks instead of the T72/80/90 series they were commonly equipped with.
Shortages of Ukraine artillery ammo has permitted Russia to regain some degree of local superiority on the battlefield. Some estimates give Russia a 3:1 advantage. This is down substantially from the start of the war where it had a 10:1 advantage.
Russian has been shepherding its stockpile of missiles/drones for a potential effort to take down the Ukraine power grid as they did winter 2023. This task has become increasingly difficult as Ukraine adds air defense systems and gets better coverage.
The Russian Black Sea fleet is is essentially impotent and hesitant to deploy into now contested waters. In the latest, large missile / drone attack, the Black Sea fleet was noticeably out of action. In the last half of 2023, Ukraine was able to take out about 20% of the fleet.
The Russia air force has taken significant losses at the hands of Ukraine. This has forced Russia to redeploy fighter bombers further away from the contested zone and exercise more caution when attacking. Larger aircraft have been forced to alter their operations as well.
Russian leadership reportedly planning for a long duration conflict, hoping to wear the Ukraine army down and cause European allies to tire of their support - forcing some sort of cease fire and negotiated peace. putin is struggling to place his economy on wartime footing to accomplish this goal.
*****
Ukraine –
WEATHER FORECAST – Temperatures in the 20-30 range early in the week, with scattered snow and rain. Temps warming to the 40s later in the period.
24 HOUR ROUND UP – Weather continues to dominate action on the ground. However, temperatures are reaching levels around Ukraine that are starting to freeze the ground locally, meaning that ground operations may have their tempo increase over the coming days/weeks.
Kh-59 missile was shot down over Kryvyi Rih district. At least 2 killed as result of missile strikes in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk
Avdiivka has fallen and post collapse studies have revealed that for the FIRST time in the war, Russia was actually able to gain air superiority over the battle field and provide actual close air support to Russian forces. This is reportedly due to the lack of air defense missiles available - suffering shortages like artillery rounds. This may have lead to a level of over confidence given the shoot down of three jets earlier this week. Loss of air defense could be a big factor in future Russian offensive actions - one that may prompt early deployment of F-16s.
Outlook —
Weather and mud conditions are continuing to dictate ground operations, which are at a low level due to lack of maneuverability cross country and on dirt roads due to the mud.
Further Russian consolidation in Avdiivka as well as Ukraine bolstering defenses further to the west and northwest.
ISRAEL –
Now the war is in its 5th month.
Key overnight developments -
- Israel rejects imposed two state ‘solution’.
- Action building for eventual entrance of Rafah.
- Growing evidence of direct UNRWA actions in support of Hamas, even to participating in the Oct 7 assault.
——— GENERAL ——————————-
Lest we forget - there are still 105 being held hostage in Gaza.
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On Friday, a Saudi media report indicated that Hamas turned down an Israeli offer to free 1,500 Palestinian prisoners for the return of all of the hostages into Israel. Hamas had previously asked for the release of 5,000 Palestinian prisoners, including those serving life sentences for murdering Israelis.
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Israel on Sunday formalized its opposition to what it called the “unilateral recognition” of Palestinian statehood, and said any such agreement must be reached through direct negotiations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brought the “declaratory decision” to a vote in his Cabinet, which unanimously approved the measure, according to a statement.
Netanyahu said at the start of the weekly meeting that the move comes after “recent talk in the international community about an attempt to unilaterally impose on Israel a Palestinian state.”
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A video made public by Israeli officials allegedly shows a U.N. relief worker loading the limp body of a shot Israeli man into the back of an SUV and driving away from a southern Israeli village during Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross-border attack.
The video was first reported on by The Washington Post and also shared online by Israeli officials, who identified the man as Faisal Ali Mussalem Al Naami, a social worker with the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has presented intelligence alleging some UNRWA staff took part in abductions and killings during the Oct. 7 rampage that sparked the Israel-Hamas war, prompting a cascade of countries to halt funds for the Palestinian aid agency. UNRWA denies wrongdoing, describing its role as relief only.
——— GAZA FRONT ———————————-
Ongoing search and destroy operations throughout Gaza. Reports of more mass surrenders of Hamas and affiliated fighters. Also more reports of Hamas popping back up in N Gaza into areas previously cleared by IDF.
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Overnight, Israel increased raids on the periphery of Rafah, as well as targeted air strikes in the city proper.
——— LEBANON / HEZBOLLAH——————————-
Continued exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and IDF along the border. Levels of fire have been increasing.
———WEST BANK——————————-
Arrests continue in numerous cities in the West Bank. Associated with those raids, clashes break out between arabs and Israeli security forces.
Overnight, Israeli security forces stormed the Shuafat camp, northeast of Jerusalem and Anata in Jerusalem.
Clashes erupted with Israeli security forces in the Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem.
NOTE - these ‘refugee’ camps are just extensions of the city and built up. Not the ‘tent city’ one thinks about in regards to a ‘refugee’.
——— FORECAST ————————-
Israel to continue search and destroy operations across Gaza. Fighting to continue to be locally intense across all Gaza as Hamas and affiliate cells are discovered and neutralized as well as of the couple hundred miles of tunnels are uncovered and destroyed.
Tempo continues to build toward eventual entry into Rafah. It seems to depend on how many and how soon Israel can get non-combatants moved out of the city and into designated areas to the northwest, closer to the Med. This will likely be the most difficult action IDF has faced in Gaza given the mass of civilians that moved here from N and central Gaza combined with the ‘last stand’ of Hamas, its leadership and likely location where surviving hostages are being held.