An astonishing account of recklessness and maladministration at the highest levels. (gift link) www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/u...

The people united will never be defeated. www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02...

Great synopsis by @tomambrose.bsky.social for @theguardian.com Canadian exports safe for now www.theguardian.com/us-news/live...

Hamas will not do unilateral disarmament as Israel continues to occupy Palestinian territory & to kill Palestinian citizens. It's unrealistic & unreasonable to expect that, in view of the 3 year slaughter in Gaza. Paul R Pillar in Responsible Statecraft responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-board-...

"What Hamas will not do is unilateral disarmament as Israel continues to occupy Palestinian territory and to kill... citizens. It is unrealistic & unreasonable to expect that" Former CIA chief of analysis at their CTC Paul Pillar in Responsible Statecraft responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-board-...

From 9/11 to prisoner swaps, a new book takes on the complicated task of chronicling the CIA's 21st century history: inkstickmedia.com/from-9-11-to...

Senate Democrats absolutely have to shut the govt down to stop this ICE insanity in the Twin Cities. This is not sustainable & cannot be normalized. Any Democratic vote to provide money to the thugs who are brutalizing this community is a grave betrayal to the people here. Accountability can't wait.

What Netanyahu's Gov wants is not regime change in Iran but rather using Iran as an all-purpose adversary to blame for anything bad in the ME &to distract international attention away from what Israel itself is doing that destabilizes the region Paul Pillar Tabnak News www.tabnak.ir/en/news/7066....

This is a journalist’s book, and bears the marks of it. But no one has opened up the CIA to us like Weiner has, and The Mission deserves to win Weiner a second Pulitzer @johnsimpsonnews.bsky.social @theguardian.com The Mission @tim-weiner.bsky.social BRILLIANT www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...

A six-year-old child wouldn’t buy this. www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

The crimes of Trump and his acolytes now include cold-blooded murder in the Caribbean and a plot for the ethnic cleansing of America. We are an autocracy lurching towards the death of our democracy.

CIA cannot be a global intel service. It would need 10x the people, language skills, country knowledge it has. It relies on liaison with 60+ foreign services, some in nations decidedly not allies. And liasion with NATO nations is crumbling -- openly. It's all about trust. And trust has been broken.

Authoritarian State ahoy!

What the Lord Giveth The Lord the Lord Taketh Away. Just don't tell him about the Order Of The G****r(The thing that holds up stockings!) POTUS had his chance to behave following the initial invitation. @milliecooke.bsky.social writes for @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/new...

My uncorroborated hunch: The US and Iran have agreed on a communications off ramp. @the-independent.com has this report from @samkiley.bsky.social Rachel Clun and Alexander Butler. Where's the enriched uranium? Intel to EU suggest it was moved before strikes. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/m...

"We have entered a new rogue order. The rules-based order that underpins international relations..... has finally been blown away." @the-independent.com World Affairs Editor @samkiley.bsky.social reports. www.independent.co.uk/news/world/m...

General Hayden's posts have given me hope (and kept me sane) for the last few years. Thank You.

The Israeli claim that its attack is “pre-emptive” is false. Paul R Pillar writes in Responsible Statecraft. responsiblestatecraft.org/israel-attac...

Prof Pillar would be talking about Israel and Iran right now. Instead he writes about the dire threat to Democracy in the US of A. Historic times for all the wrong reasons.

Regrettably a Must Read from Paul R Pillar in The National Interest nationalinterest.org/blog/paul-pi...

My first read every morning in Australia. Congratulations to all. Andy Gregory reports from @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/media/i...

Silence Is Complicity Straighten your spine Speak & live your truth

Real Trump Derangement Syndrome #RTDS is only the latest instance of how with the MAGA right, everything is projection, every accusation is a confession. We present the video evidence. open.substack.com/pub/davidnei...

Editorial @the-independent.com "The Palestinians of Gaza.. face what the UN calls a “hunger crisis” & “critical famine risk”. The Israeli government knows this...The whole world knows this. We see the TV images of emaciated infants... & yet nothing happens." www.independent.co.uk/voices/edito...

My take on the broader implications of the outcome of Polish presidential elections published in the Guardian today. ps. this is not the title I chose… 👇🏽 www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Örkesh Dölet descended on to Tiananmen Square with thousands of fellow student protesters. He’s now 36 years into exile | Nuria Khasim

Playing to his base. The cruelty is the point. It always has been.

When do we start winning?

Classic projection! "A senior Washington figure, who has provided advice for the admin, claimed that the VP is “obsessed by the fall of Western civilisation” – including his view that free speech is being eroded in Britain." Kate Devlin @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Only in America can a convicted felon threaten Bruce Springsteen, Bono and Oprah. I wonder if Qatar's newest employee ran this by the Royal family before shooting his mouth off.

Sounds like the UK Conservatives have taken note of the Australian Liberal Party's implosion at the recent federal election - after they had sought election advice from a Trump poltical strategist. Archie Mitchell & David Maddox write @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

Whoa! "MPs..shouted "genocide" as the (UK) foreign sec said "It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous & I condemn it in the strongest possible terms." @milliecooke.bsky.social Archie Mitchell & David Maddow in @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...

"Most talk on economic matters in Greenland focuses on minerals, echoing what Trump has talked about concerning Ukraine." Paul R Pillar for Responsible Statecraft responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-greenl...

They received presidential pardons for this ‘message’ and it wasn’t seashells on a beach.

I respect this: "The Ben & Jerry’s duo have also been outspoken over several years on the Israel-Palestine issue. They describe themselves as “proud Jews” & supporters of.. Israel, but have also been sharply critical of Israeli government policies @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

Please read this 👇

“Do you swear to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States?” “I don’t know.”

"Trump’s regressive populism – cruel, bigoted, tyrannical – must be met by a bold progressive populism that strengthens democracy and shares the wealth." This from former US secretary of labor @rbreich.bsky.social for @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Canada, we’re with you! TRUMPISM IS REPUDIATED IN AUSTRALIA! #auspol

Trump's new Meet the Press interview was just the latest illustration that dude's brain is gone

Story unfolding as US Iran nuclear talks continue and are said to be gathering momentum. Too early to speculate. Reporting for The @theguardian.com is Beiruit based @willchristou.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

Why am I not surprised?

"Francis's final resting place will be the basilica of St Mary Major.. In Ancient Rome, the Esquiline was used for the burial of slaves, the poor & those condemned to death.. He prayed there before..(& after).. each overseas trip". @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...

Great piece by @mbazzi.bsky.social - although I thought Secretary James Mattis had supported keeping the JCPOA in place.

"The indulgence of the Kremlin by America is as incomprehensible as it is obscene, and the world knows it." Editorial from @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/voices/edito...

The hashtag “Trump chickened out” went viral on China’s internet, with more than 150 million views on the social media platform Weibo.

30 years after the Oklahoma City bombing, the U.S. is again at high risk for domestic extremism—yet anti-extremism efforts in the military have been gutted. “You can draw a straight line from the Civil War all the way up to Jan. 6…we don’t seem to have learned any lessons.” @heidibeirich.bsky.social

One of His Holiness The Pope's most consequential and symbolic meetings recounted here by Eldar Mamedov in Responsible Staecraft. A uniting of two truly Holy Men inded who appeared to be brothers as soon as thet met. responsiblestatecraft.org/pope-francis...