Pugs Might Fly

Watching Trump & Putin's honeymoon, Europe fears losing US troops... but would the perspective of them staying be even more frightening? Let that sink in. 🎭

All in all, the winter is coming — and the night is dark and full of terrors. 10/10

I’m not sure about NATO’s future; if it ceases to exist, European territories to the East of Germany may become either another playground for the big bullies, or maybe the neutral demilitarised zone marking the border between Western and Eastern empires. 9/10

No rest for the Middle East, I’m afraid: for the last 200 years or so it was a perfect place for proxy wars between the big powers of the world, and this will remain. 8/10

With weak Europe in his pocket, and Russia in the straight jacket of oil & gas prices, Trump will achieve his vision of great America. There will also be the new bipolar world (US vs. China). 7/10

POTUS’s way of dealing with Denmark, and Musk’s attempts to influence elections in Germany and attacks on British government make me think that all this team is seeking in Europe is making political satellites, not partners. 6/10

To restore Western (or rather US) leadership, Trump will be attempting to dismantle the EU aiming for multiple “US colonies” in Europe. In the way he sees the political map, the strong EU is yet another barrier to the undisputed US dominance, rather than an ally. 5/10

Too bad that the colonies, in his view, are pretty much every other country, aside from, perhaps, China. “But Trump wants to restore the Western leadership!”
Of course he does — and that includes imperialism, on which the Western success was built in the first place. 4/10

All Trump’s speeches and actions indicate that he sees just one way of making America great again, and that is via good old sucking money and resources from colonies to the metropole. 3/10

That said, Trump will also press on Russia. Basically, there will be increased pressure on anyone and everyone depending on or partnering with the US. 2/10

A moment of doom and gloom. Looking at Trump’s eagerness to get Greenland, Canada, and Panama channel, I expect him to withdraw from helping Ukraine. No, not to appease Putin, but just to demonstrate what may happen to a small country daring to defy a giant one. 1/10

NEW: The Ukrainian General Staff reported on January 18 that Russian forces used ammunition equipped with chemical agents banned by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) 434 times in Ukraine in December 2024, contributing to a total of 5,389 documented cases since February 2023. isw.pub/UkrWar011925

TikTok says it's restoring service for U.S. users, thanking Trump — NBC News The company said TikTok was coming back online in the U.S. after President-elect Donald Trump provided assurances to its service providers.

The best way to solve a problem is to make one…

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"This week alone, Ukraine shot down 33 Russian missiles, including ballistic ones, and 311 attack drones. Another 136 drones failed to hit their targets thanks to our warriors. In total, Russia used 550 attack drones, ~60 missiles, and over 660 bombs in a week," Zelensky said.

Explaining being bombed to an american: ok so imagine there’s no McDonald’s

This was the first McDonald’s to open in Kyiv, back in 1997. And it’s once again become a target of Russian terrorism.

ISW: Russia shifts forces from captured Kurakhove for new Pokrovsk offensive - Euromaidan Press Russian troops are redeploying from Kurakhove, captured in late December, to strengthen their position for an offensive around Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast.

ISW: Russia shifts forces from captured Kurakhove for new Pokrovsk offensive

Russian troops are redeploying from Kurakhove, captured in late December, to strengthen their position for an offensive around Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast.

This week alone, Ukraine's Defense Forces shot down 33 missiles, including ballistic ones, and 311 attack drones in our skies. Another 136 drones, used in daily strikes against infrastructure, failed to reach their targets.