Free Republic

Voting Libertarian for Senator is voting left? First time, I’ve heard that.

I will vote for Cornyn but won’t vote for Cruz.

I’ve voted for Trump 3 straight times.

First 2 times enthusiastically. The third time with hesitation. The next 4 years will determine if I made a good choice.

I’m sorry to read your comments. Take care.

Which race did I vote left?

“I didn’t realize you are a lefty.”

I’ve been called Nazi, Fascist, NeoCon and much more on this thread.

Lefty is a First.

Voted. Took about an hour to get through the line.

Voted Trump. Hope I don’t regret it.

Voted McCaul. One of the best in Congress.

Voted Brown (L) for Senate. Won’t vote for Cruz because he doesn’t support Ukraine. Allred is a joke. Brown by default.

Last day of early voting in Texas today.

Off to vote. Hoping no long lines...

Update when I get back.

Another big jump in RuZZian tank losses

Tanks (3527, of which destroyed: 2462, damaged: 158, abandoned: 375, captured: 532)

Cooks final ratings:

“Republicans maintain Senate edge as battleground states remain Toss Ups. Our final projection is a GOP gain of +2 to +5 seats.”

“NEW @CookPolitical : in our final House ratings, we’re shifting six races towards Dems and two towards Republicans. Expect anything from a GOP gain of +5 seats to a Dem gain of +10 seats (Dems need +4). “

“An oil depot in Svetlograd, Stavropol Territory, was attacked by a UAV. “

https://x.com/Heroiam_Slava/status/1852252060277686335

“Poland plans to buy more than 100 more 🇺🇸US MLRS HIMARS to the 486 previously ordered”

https://x.com/front_ukrainian/status/1852102519620800834

“Last night Russians complain that Ukraine shot down an air target over the Russian region of Belgorod with a Patriot system, Russian military blogger Fighter bomber says they lost an Su34.”

https://x.com/JayinKyiv/status/1852319538513162424

“Russia high likely lost another fighter jet. Russian Air Force affiliated channel Fighterbomber with a mourning message, showing the image of a Su-34 Fullback. “

https://x.com/NOELreports/status/1852262383407820827

CLUSTERed

“Aerial reconnaissance unit “Skyforce” of the 108th Territorial Defense Brigade spotted and directed a HIMARS and cluster artillery strike on a group of ~40 Russian forces in Zaporizhzhia region. The strike resulted in at least 10 Russian casualties and destroyed a GAZ vehicle.”

https://x.com/NOELreports/status/1852334074792214762

“Iran preparing major retaliatory strike from Iraq within days, Israeli intel suggests”

“Israeli intelligence suggests Iran is preparing to attack Israel from Iraqi territory in the coming days, possibly before the U.S. presidential election, two Israeli sources tell Axios.

Why it matters: Israel and Iran have been engaged in an escalating tit-for-tat for weeks. Carrying the attack out through pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and not directly from Iranian territory could be an attempt by Iran to avoid another Israeli attack against strategic targets in Iran.

Driving the news: The sources said Israeli intelligence suggests the attack is expected to be carried out from Iraq using a large number of drones and ballistic missiles.

Iran could quickly put its preparations into action if Tehran decides to strike soon, but the U.S. doesn’t know if that decision has been made, a U.S. official told Axios.

What they’re saying: Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Hossein Salami said on Thursday that Israel made a mistake when it attacked Iran last week and stressed that Iran’s response will be “different from any scenario” Israel might expect.

A high-ranking Iranian source told CNN that Iran is planning a “definitive and painful” response that will likely come before the election, the network reported Wednesday.

Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, chief of staff to Iran’s supreme leader, told TV network al-Mayadeen on Thursday Iranian retaliation was “certain.” He said the Iranian response will be “strong” and will “make our enemy regret” its attack.”

Still Skeptical

“Iran Warns It Will Retaliate for Israel’s Attack”

“Comments by a top military official raise the risk of further escalation between the two foes”

“Iran is signaling it will respond to last weekend’s Israeli strikes on its soil, a move that would extend the cycle of violence between the two enemies and risk dragging the Middle East into a wider war.

Iran initially played down Saturday’s strike, which Israel aimed to calibrate to close out a series of direct attacks this year by the two sides. But the nature of the attack, which damaged Tehran’s most advanced air defenses and killed four soldiers, is now prompting more definitive talk of an Iranian retaliation.

“We will give an unimaginable response to the enemy,” Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Thursday after days of bellicose statements by senior Iranian officials. “

https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-warns-it-will-retaliate-for-israels-attack-82abf476?mod=hp_lead_pos6

46 Good RuZZians

“How Wagner’s Ruthless Image Crumbled in Mali”

“The Russian mercenary group operated with little pushback in the West African nation — until it launched one of its most ambitious missions.”

“For years, Russia has promoted the Wagner mercenary group to authoritarian leaders in Africa as a force of fearsome warriors who could protect leaders’ grip on power and help their armies reclaim territories from armed groups.

In return, Moscow has gained access to resource-rich countries, dislodged Western and U.N. troops and seeded influence across West and Central Africa to a degree not seen since the fall of the Soviet Union.

But a major defeat for Wagner this summer in northern Mali showed that its actual capabilities might be overstated and unable to meet the ambitions of one of the group’s closest African partners. The New York Times confirmed the deaths of at least 46 Wagner fighters and 24 allied Malian soldiers by matching details seen in footage of the corpses, such as uniforms and tattoos, with imagery of the soldiers when they were alive.”

https://archive.ph/Wh4fe

“Nate Silvers posting last hour. The numbers exactly match my last prediction. Willie Brown’s mistress wins popular vote by 1%. Trump takes PA, NV, AZ,GA. Willie Brown’s mistress takes WI, MI.”

But big note is how ALL states have moved in Trumps direction in the last month

JD loaded his guns and stood guard at his door.

Either he is crazy or a bull crap story teller.

Maybe both.

He loaded all his guns.

Maybe he has 250,000 rounds in his closet too...

What can I say?

I yearn for the days of Reagan and Bush Sr.

https://x.com/metzgov/status/1852042687517487576

Like EVs or not, China has gone all in. China’s oil demand may peak soon.

S&P Global:

“China’s peak oil demand looms”

“China guzzled roughly 16.5 million b/d of the world’s oil supply in 2023, all liquids included. As the world’s second-largest oil consumer, accounting for about 16% of global demand, a peak or plateau in its refined oil product demand is crucial to the oil market. The timing of the peak and the pace of oil demand decline from there on will affect global oil balances and, consequently, oil prices.

“With a total oil demand tripling that of India’s, the world’s third-largest oil consuming nation, China is the only major developing country that is likely to see demand of gasoline and gasoil/diesel to reach a plateau at present or in the near future,” said Kang Wu, global head of oil demand research at S&P Global Commodity Insights. “While oil demand in nearly all developed countries has peaked, the vast majority of developing countries other than China will see their oil demand continue to grow in the foreseeable future.”

“As such, China is a decisive force in determining if and when the global oil demand will peak,” Wu added.

Analysts have varying views on the year when China’s oil demand will peak, but most of them agree the decline will not be so dramatic as to trigger a sharp downturn in global oil demand.

Commodity Insights projects China’s total refined product demand, excluding direct crude burn and all NGLs, will peak in 2027 at 16.4 million b/d. It consumed 15.5 million b/d in 2023. Global refined product demand is forecast to peak in 2028 at 91.5 million b/d, compared with 88.4 million b/d demand in 2023.”

However, China’s oil demand growth in the second quarter of 2024 – merely 16 months after reopening from pandemic-related restrictions – has been slower than expected, with a year-on-year reduction in crude throughput. The combination of rapid growth in the displacement of road transportation fuels, muted demand from construction and manufacturing sectors, and extreme weather disruptions hit consumption.

The average utilization of independent refineries in China’s Shandong province fell to 52% in June 2024, the lowest level since March 2020, when the country’s oil demand was slowly recovering from the pandemic outbreak, data from local information provider JLC showed. China’s independent refineries are swing suppliers and their activity directly reflects the country’s oil demand.

Gasoil, the largest component of China’s oil barrel, accounting for about 22% or 3.8 million b/d of the country’s refined product demand, either already has or is close to reaching peak as growing sales of LNG-fueled heavy-duty trucks displace conventional diesel-powered trucks, analysts said.”

https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/blogs/oil/101424-china-peak-oil-demand-looms