Not ideal

BUTTIGIEG: The strait was open before they started this KERNEN: They were close to having 11 nuclear weapons! BUTTIGIEG: We had other ways of dealing with them KERNEN: Like what? Obama's way? BUTTIGIEG: That worked KERNEN: That didn't work! BUTTIGIEG: Did they get a nuclear weapon under Obama?

All military objectives achieved. Zero political and strategic objectives achieved. = defeat

With Tim Miller, on Hungary (with Zebras) Iran, Kari Lake and more open.substack.com/pub/thebulwa...

"It's impossible that he doesn't understand that, but he, he genuinely doesn't." @timmiller.bsky.social and @anneapplebaum.bsky.social talk Trump's lack of strategy on today's Bulwark Podcast

With this settlement the US is worse off in every way than it was before the war; Iran is strengthened by the huge new tolls in the Straits of Hormuz, paid by the whole world. (1/14)

"The Western alliance, while prone to natural internal tensions, has also fallen victim to Russian information warfare," writes Natalie Arbatman, Research associate with Hudson Institute's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, in her op-ed.

⚡️ Poland intercepts Russian Il-20 spy plane for 2nd time in a week. Polish F-16s intercepted a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft during a patrol over the Baltic Sea on April 9, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on X.

On Radio Atlantic, @radiofreetom.bsky.social and Nancy A. Youssef explain the state of  the war in Iran—and how no deal can undo the damage of Trump’s words.

“What the PLA’s most attentive analysts are likely doing is war-gaming a Taiwan scenario in real-time using the Hormuz crisis as a live stress test for assumptions they have been modeling for decades. Some of what they are finding is deeply uncomfortable.” cimsec.org/desert-storm...

Terrorist and former "people's governor of Donbas," Pavel Gubarev, confirmed that the so-called "uprising" in Ukraine's Donbas in 2014 was entirely funded and coordinated by Moscow and carried out with Russia's military involvement.

1/5. Orbán pioneered a model whereby oligarchs trade the fascist memes and electoral tricks they use to stay in power. He made Budapest a node between Moscow and Washington of the international far right.

Meanwhile in Russia: state TV gloated that Iran "defeated America." www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkDc...

Meanwhile in Russia: state TV host Vladimir Solovyov marveled at Trump's statements about a two-week ceasefire and mocked America for "surrendering" to Iran. www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO-a...

With four years of full-scale war giving the industry time to mature, and a new war in Iran adding further momentum, the growth could lay the foundation for the defense tech sector to become a pillar of Ukraine's post-war economy.

Pysanka — plural: pysanky — comes from the Ukrainian word pysaty, "to write." Eggs are decorated with complex designs using a wax-resist method. They have become so closely associated with Ukraine that in 2024, UNESCO added pysanky to the country’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Fascinating, Zelensky coming out publicly more and more and saying that Trump is working with/for Putin. The Ukrainians seem to have determined that telling the truth is preferable to lying to please Trump.

It’s bad. It’s really bad.

I am, and it is, and no, they don't

An excellent briefing before the hugely consequential (also for the US) Hungarian elections. www.theunpopulist.net/p/if-orban-l...

Meanwhile in Russia: state TV host Vladimir Solovyov urged Russians to dedicate themselves to the ultimate goal of defeating America in the near future. His weatherman added that Russia doesn't need a peace deal, and entering into one would be treasonous. www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDou...

Little does Eva know, Viktor Orbán’s government has been quietly squeezing Budapest’s finances for years. State funding cuts, rising “solidarity tax”, and reduced local revenues have all hit the capital, which also happens to be Hungary’s main opposition stronghold.

⚡️16 Cameroonians killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine, officials say. The acknowledgement, which was delivered to Yaounde by Russian officials and broadcast through Cameroonian state media on April 6, marks the first time Cameroon has formally spoken of its citizens' involvement in the war.

Reminder: “Putin’s hybrid warfare is not the strategy of a strong power but of a weak one trying to mask its fragility. We should see it for what it is: not the projection of strength but the confession of weakness.” tomorrowsaffairs.com/putins-lies-...

A very good read.

"Land forces can be decisive when used at scale, for the right mission & with a clear political objective. But, without these things, land operations can result in tactical catastrophe, the death of soldiers & marines, & political failure in war." mickryan.substack.com/p/thinking-a...

“The NATO portion of my medical training was severely lacking…it was very rigid. This is the way you must do it. That is not war. We have to adapt. If we don’t adapt, we die.” Good insights on rapid learning in modern war from the indomitable @bekamaciorowski www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQdD...

Accurate. A great many non-citizens and foreigners serve in the military and you’d think parents and family with real skin in the game could attend graduations without fear to celebrate their loved one’s accomplishment.

I don’t think the White House understands the ethnic makeup of our armed services.

BREAKING: Donald Trump meets privately with Kash Patel and Pete Hegseth to assure them their jobs are secure, amidst swirling rumors that they may be the next cabinet members to be fired. #KashPatel #PeteHegseth

Meanwhile in Russia: decorated state TV host Vladimir Solovyov and weatherman Evgeny Tishkovets praised Iran's actions and urged Russia to be more like Iran. www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdg8...

"Drone! Drone! Drone!" — trainees shout as miniature helicopter blades buzz overhead. At a Safer Access security course near Kyiv in late February, aid workers are learning how to react when their mission comes under fire.

Hi All, just sent out my free weekend update a little early so as to not disturb Easter. I start with the extraordinary story of Russian casualties in March, 95% of which were caused by Ukrainian UAV. And the Ukrainians believe this is only the start. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Great thread. Pay attention to @johnsipher.bsky.social he kinda knows how this works in actuality.

Great visual…

Fantastic piece!

From the libertarian CATO Institute: How Viktor Orban eroded free markets and the rule of law. www.cato.org/policy-analy...

A must-read from someone who actually knows how this works.

Meanwhile in Russia: Zakhar Prilepin encapsulates the growing discontent in the Fatherland, as he explains why Russia can't win and makes subtle digs at Vladimir Solovyov and his ilk (without naming names). www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN5p...

This is actually useful resource for fact-checking Kremlin's diarrhea, and @euvsdisinfo.eu is a good account to follow.

An-26 crash in occupied Crimea kills Russian general, BBC reports; Lviv Customs inspector suspected in killing of enlistment officer, police say; Russia's Gazprom claims Ukrainian strikes on TurkStream pipeline; and more.

Another good read…

Import to understand risk and wishful thinking.

BREAKING: “It is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path our long term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union.. Brexit did deep damage to our economy” Prime minister Keir Starmer 👏

Zelenskyy has been a class act and an inspiration under incredible pressure and against incredible odds.

Great thread…

Excellent read.

“One of the greatest lies we tell ourselves is that everybody wants the truth.” — Peter Pomerantsev In the latest Ukraine Insights episode, @peterpomerantsev.bsky.social reflects on why propaganda works even when people know it’s false. ▶️ Watch the full episode ↓ youtu.be/SIawlg2fSKI

Propaganda doesn’t succeed because people believe every detail. It succeeds because it reinforces identity, belonging, and community. @peterpomerantsev.bsky.social explains why disinformation spreads — even among people who know it’s false — in the new episode of Ukraine Insights ⬇️