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Foreign Affairs (News/Activism)

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  • New York Times: US Navy Is Getting Oil Through the Strait of Hormuz

    08/19/2026 8:47:03 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 11 replies
    Hotair ^ | 08/19/2026 | John Sexton
    It feels like it's not very often that the NY Times says something positive about an operation taking place under the direction of President Trump. But today they did just that with a story that notes an ongoing operation to help ships full of oil clear the Strait of Hormuz which is working, though obviously the total number of ships is still down compared to the situation prior to the war. Only a few oil tankers braved Iran’s attacks to go through the Strait of Hormuz for much of the war, leading to a drastic reduction in how much crude...
  • Trump announces ‘most crushing economic operation ever’ against Iran

    08/19/2026 6:30:10 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 54 replies
    Al Jazeera ^ | August 19, 2026
    US president also says any country that trades with Iran will ‘face tremendous economic consequences’. US President Donald Trump has again threatened Iran with unprecedented economic action, accusing Tehran of failing to seize an opportunity to reach a deal as talks aimed at ending the more than five-month conflict between the two countries remain deadlocked. In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump announced what he called the “most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country” against Iran, using his signature all-caps style. He said Iran had “failed to take” the opportunity to make a deal and would...
  • Rick Scott: Trump will have to resume full war with Iran

    08/19/2026 1:59:18 PM PDT · by McGruff · 49 replies
    The Hill ^ | Aug 19, 2026 | Ryan Mancini
    Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on Tuesday said President Trump will have to resume a full war with Iran days after the initial failed ceasefire deal expired. Asked if the president should follow through on his threat last month to “bomb and destroy” at least “ONE BRIDGE OR POWER PLANT” near Tehran if the Iranian regime fired at U.S. ships in the Strait of Hormuz, Scott answered in the affirmative. “I think he’s going to have to,” the Florida Republican told NewsNation’s Blake Burman in an appearance on “The Hill.” “I mean, here’s a president that doesn’t like war. None of...
  • The Strait of Hormuz Is Open. Also Closed. It’s Complicated.

    08/19/2026 1:27:53 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 24 replies
    PJ MEDIA ^ | 08/19/26 | Stephen Green
    The Strait of Hormuz "will not be opened," Iranian warned on Tuesday, "Until the U.S. commitments in the memorandum—including lifting the blockade, releasing frozen assets, lifting oil sanctions, ending threats and military operations on all fronts, and the other conditions to which the U.S. committed—are implemented." I guess that settles it — the Strait is firmly in the Islamic Republic's grip. Not so fast. On the flip side, President Donald Trump said earlier this week that the U.S. naval blockade against Iran "remains in full force and effect. The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been...
  • RFK Jr.’s son, Conor Kennedy, put on Russian wanted list for fighting alongside Kyiv in Ukraine war: ‘I was deeply moved’

    08/19/2026 12:11:59 PM PDT · by Engraved-on-His-hands · 10 replies
    The New York Post ^ | August 18, 2026 | Zoe Hussain
    Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s son, Conor Kennedy, has been named on Russia’s international wanted list for fighting alongside the enemy in the Ukraine war, according to reports. The Basmanny District Court of Moscow authorized the younger Kennedy’s “arrest in absentia,” accusing him of acting as a mercenary for the Ukrainian armed forces, Russian state outlet TASS reported last week. He faces seven to 10 years in prison if captured, according to the outlet.
  • Trump confirms plan to meet with Kim Jong Un — and reveals exactly how many nukes North Korea has

    08/19/2026 10:35:11 AM PDT · by thegagline · 22 replies
    The New York Post ^ | 08/19/2026 | Emily Goodin
    President Trump confirmed Wednesday he plans to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un later this year, the third sitdown between the two across the commander in chief’s two terms.*** “I get along with him, and you know what? The fact that I get along with him-that’s a good thing, not a bad thing,” Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that Kim has “57 very powerful nuclear weapons.”Should have never allowed it to happen,” the president added. “They should have never allowed it. If I were president, I wouldn’t have allowed it. But he’s got them.” Past...
  • Trump says US and Canada reached deal to delay US tariffs on Canadian imports

    08/19/2026 9:17:14 AM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 16 replies
    TIME via MSN ^ | 08/19/2026 | Tiago Ventura
    President Donald Trump announced late Tuesday a temporary pause on 50% tariffs on Canada as both countries race to finalize a trade deal. The President’s announcement came hours before a series of tariffs set to cover about $20 billion worth of imports into the U.S. from Canada were set to take effect. “I have paused the 50% tariffs against Canada, that were scheduled to kick in tomorrow morning for a three day period, based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a deal!” Trump said on social media. Canadian Prime Minister Mark...
  • Italy Demands Compensation From Germany Over Migrant Arrivals

    08/19/2026 8:09:34 AM PDT · by nickcarraway · 9 replies
    Euronews ^ | 8/08/2026 | Verena Schad
    Since Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took office in October 2022, German aid organisations have, according to Rome's figures, brought around 22,500 migrants to Italian ports. The dispute between Italy and Germany over the sharing of responsibility for migrants is becoming increasingly heated. The Italian Interior Ministry has now released new figures on private rescue vessels and is demanding financial compensation from Germany. Since Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took office in October 2022, German aid organisations have, according to Rome's figures, brought around 22,500 migrants to Italian ports. In total, about 42,300 people have arrived in Italy on board...
  • The Iran war flushed $1.3 billion of Reaper drones down the drain

    08/18/2026 10:41:19 PM PDT · by EnderWiggin1970 · 77 replies
    Responsible Statecraft ^ | 8/17/26 | Stavroula Pabst
    The military has lost 25% of its fleet over the past five months The U.S. has lost 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, worth at least $1.3 billion, since the start of its war on Iran, the Washington Post reported Friday. The drones can cost between $30 and $50 million each, depending on their sensor and weapons payload. The U.S. military has lost roughly 25% of its pre-war fleet in the past five months. A defense official told the Washington Post that some of the drones were not shot down by Iranian forces, but instead were lost after their communications link to...
  • What's Wrong in Canada?

    08/18/2026 10:36:58 PM PDT · by EnderWiggin1970 · 19 replies
    Free Beacon ^ | 8/18/26 | Jonathan Leaf
    An astonishing number of Canadians are leaving. The reasons why are clear. Like many Americans, I have a lot of affection for Canada. My stepmother was a Canadian, and she embodied a lot of what makes Americans fond of our northern neighbors. She was polite, intelligent, cultured, and conscientious. But these days something is not right up there. How do I know this? All you have to do is look at some simple statistics. Last year, roughly 150,000 Americans chose to leave the United States. Canada has more exact statistics on emigration. It says that 120,640 Canadians left Canada. The...
  • Israeli Strike on Syrian Military Air Base Draws U.S. Criticism

    08/18/2026 9:51:56 PM PDT · by McGruff · 11 replies
    NY Times ^ | Aug 18, 2026 | Christina Goldbaum and Reham Mourshed
    Israel carried out airstrikes on a defunct military air base in northwestern Syria on Tuesday, prompting the United States to condemn the attack as a threat to regional stability in the latest outburst of American frustration with Israel. Eight airstrikes hit the Abu al-Duhur military air base in Idlib, a city about 40 miles from the border with Turkey, according to the Syrian state media, and did not cause any casualties. The Trump administration has been a vocal proponent of Syria’s new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the U.S. special envoy to Syria and Iraq, Tom Barrack, said...
  • Foreign Policy: The Top 10 Ways Trump Has Made America Weaker

    08/18/2026 8:41:44 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 43 replies
    Foreign Policy ^ | 08/17/2026 | Stephen M. Walt
    MAGA: “Make America Great Again.” That was U.S. President Donald Trump’s promise to the American people. Elect him, and the country would recover its mojo and return to a golden age of internal harmony, economic vitality, domestic sovereignty, and global influence. It was a seductive vision, especially for those Americans who had been buffeted by globalization and believed that immigrants and “globalists” were undermining the country from within. As Trump’s second term nears the midway point, there can be little doubt that he is one of the most consequential presidents in U.S. history. Unfortunately, almost all the consequences of his...
  • Russia shipping drones, explosives to rebuild Iran’s supply after US, Israeli strikes: report

    08/18/2026 2:31:33 PM PDT · by thegagline · 62 replies
    The New York Post ^ | 08/18/2026 | Ronny Reyes
    Russia is shipping parts for drones, missiles and explosives to Iran to replenish its weapons stockpiles decimated by US and Israeli airstrikes during the war, according to a new report. More than two dozen Russian ships, many of them under US and European sanctions, traveled across the Caspian Sea to deliver the arms to Iran’s port in Amirabad, NBC News reported, citing documents and a Western official. While the development demonstrates Moscow and Tehran’s deepening alliance, it also proves that the US-Israeli strikes against Iran’s production plants have been largely successful, Jim Lamson, a former CIA analyst, told the outlet....
  • US announces new sanctions on top ICC figures

    08/18/2026 1:37:22 PM PDT · by BenLurkin · 9 replies
    yahoo ^ | August 18, 2026 | Tom Bateman
    US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced sanctions against the president and a senior lawyer of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The move is the Trump administration's latest escalation in its campaign to "dismantle" the court which is empowered by more than 120 member countries to investigate war crimes. Rubio said the US was sanctioning ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan and ICC Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal for engaging in the ICC's efforts to "prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction". The ICC said it stands behind its staff and believes that measures...
  • How US Navy conditions compare to China's

    08/18/2026 12:38:39 PM PDT · by Mariner · 30 replies
    Newsweek via Yahoo ^ | August 18, 2026 | Ellie Cook
    As the USS George Washington aircraft carrier heads to the Middle East, expected to relieve sailors and Marines on the USS Abraham Lincoln, fresh scrutiny has fallen on living conditions aboard U.S. Navy ships—especially as the move will leave the U.S. without a single carrier deployed in Asia to stare down China.U.S. lawmakers have demanded answers about conditions on the Lincoln, after family members and text messages purportedly sent by those on board detailed plumbing problems, dipped morale, unreliable water supplies and food shortages.The carrier has spent more than 200 days at sea without a port call and was scheduled...
  • Trump Claims Hormuz Strait as U.S. Territory

    08/18/2026 5:43:31 AM PDT · by thegagline · 123 replies
    JFeed ^ | 08/18/2026 | Gila Isaacson
    President Donald Trump shared a striking social media post on Tuesday declaring the Strait of Hormuz to be American territory. The post featured a graphic image of the strait labeled "New United States Territory," a move that raises significant legal and diplomatic questions. The declaration comes amid ongoing tensions with Iran and American efforts to control the strategic shipping lane through which approximately 20 percent of the world's oil flows. While Trump has previously claimed the United States maintains "absolute control" over the strait, this latest statement represents a notable escalation in both language and policy positioning. That being said,...
  • At Least 130 Christians Killed in Three Weeks of Islamist Violence Across Ituri, D. R. Congo.

    08/18/2026 5:30:53 AM PDT · by Milagros · 16 replies
    Barnabas Aid ^ | Aug 11, 2026
    Islamic State terrorists have claimed the killing of at least 130 Christians in three weeks of violence across Ituri Province, north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In the most recent and deadliest incident on Sunday, August 9, fighters from Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) killed 32 Christians and captured 24 in a coordinated assault on three neighboring villages in Mambasa Territory. In what Islamic State (IS – also known as ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) propaganda described as “a bloody attack,” the terrorists also burned down more than 60 homes and shops.
  • 'Peace first, war later': Arab state urged potential Israel partner to sign deal before launching war (Taqiyya)

    08/17/2026 10:29:54 PM PDT · by Words Matter · 8 replies
    I24 ^ | Aug 10, 2026
    Arab state reportedly urged another potential Israel-normalization country to sign deal with Israel, then go to war ‘when time is right’ i24NEWS. August 10, 2026. Information cleared for publication by the Israeli military has revealed a reported exchange between several countries in the region over a possible agreement with Israel, according to reports by Israeli media Kan 11 and Channel 12. According to the reports, one Arab state allegedly advised another country to first sign an agreement with Israel and then, if circumstances became more favorable, launch a war against the Jewish state. identity of the country that received the...
  • Trump says US won’t extend Iran MOU as 60-day deadline for peace talks expires

    08/17/2026 3:31:59 PM PDT · by McGruff · 60 replies
    NY Post ^ | Aug 17, 2026 | Emily Goodin
    President Trump confirmed the US isn’t expanding the window for peace talks with Tehran on Monday as the US-Iran memorandum of understanding’s 60-day deadline for negotiations expired. “Well, they want to make a deal, but they’re not going to make the kind of a deal that I feel is necessary,” President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. The president has demanded a ceasefire that will end Iran’s nuclear program but Tehran wants to pursue a “nuclear energy” program. The MOU failed to meet major objectives, like reopening the Strait of Hormuz, ending Tehran’s nuclear program and reaching...
  • Realignments

    08/17/2026 3:09:39 PM PDT · by little jeremiah · 36 replies
    https://www.kunstler.com/ ^ | Aug 17, 2026 | James Howard Kunstler
    “A sane society cannot debate its way out of psychosis. It must diagnose the patient with lethal precision and restore the ancient boundary between the mad and the free.” —LHGrey on "X" Back in the days of sailing ships, a certain subtropical zone of the ocean became known as the “horse latitudes.” There, an eerie windless calm prevailed, sometimes for weeks, stalling the progress of ships in mid-crossing. In desperation to save water on-board, captains ordered the horses being transported to America to be cast overboard, and the animals’ bloated carcasses drifted in an ominous cortège of warning to other...