New U.S. House Speaker Says Russia, China, And Iran Are The New Axis Of Evil

Mike Johnson, the new GOP Speaker of the House, tells Sean Hannity:

- "We can't allow Putin to prevail in Ukraine"
- US "boots on the ground" may be required to "stand with Israel"
- Supports Israel directly attacking Iran
- Russia, China, and Iran are "the new Axis of Evil" pic.twitter.com/1dQAZqpMKn

— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) October 27, 2023

Antiwar.com: New House Speaker: Russia, China, and Iran Are New Axis of Evil 

In an interview with Sean Hannity, Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson said Putin cannot win in Ukraine Representative Mike Johnson vowed to support the wars in Ukraine and Israel in an interview after becoming House Speaker. 

The Congressman told Sean Hannity that China, Russia, and Iran make up an “axis of evil” that poses a huge threat to the US. The Speaker presented Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran as a trilateral threat to Washington. “Big priorities in this moment right now. 

We have Israel being attacked, we have unrest, we have the Ukraine situation we’ve got to deal with, we have China being aggressive, we have Iran with all the meddling, and China, Russia, and Iran working together. This is a dangerous time.” he said.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: It looks like everyone is on the same message .... US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Calls China, Russia, And Iran The New 'Axis Of Evil' That The US Must Deal With (October 22, 20232).

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan Warns Israel-Gaza war "Could Spiral" Into A Bigger Conflict

Cover illustration: Ricardo Tomás.   

Axios: Top Biden official: Israel-Gaza war "could spiral" into bigger conflict 

In a 7,000-word tour of the globe's future, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan writes that amid Middle East peril, America needs a long-term "sustained sense of confidence in our capacity to outcompete any country." 

Driving the news: "In the decade ahead, U.S. officials will spend more time than they did the past 30 years talking with countries that they disagree with, often on fundamental issues," Sullivan writes in the cover story of the forthcoming issue of Foreign Affairs, shared first with Axios. 

Why it matters: "The world is becoming more contested, and the United States cannot talk only with those who share its vision or values," Sullivan writes. 

 * "The coming era of competition will be unlike anything experienced before."  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan's column is here .... The Sources of American Power: A Foreign Policy for a Changed World (Jake Sullivan, Freign Affairs).

US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Calls China, Russia, And Iran The New 'Axis Of Evil' That The US Must Deal With

McConnell calls China, Russia, Iran new 'axis of evil' that US must deal with: 'This is an emergency' https://t.co/KwbAwSd2Cg

— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 22, 2023

FOX News: McConnell calls China, Russia, Iran new 'axis of evil' that US must deal with: 'This is an emergency' 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says Israel-Hamas war is a 'worldwide problem' posing 'immediate threat' to US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Sunday deemed China, Russia and Iran the new "axis of evil" amid wars in Ukraine and Israel, while addressing U.S. funding of allies' responses to those duel conflicts. 

In a new sit-down interview with "Fox News Sunday" host Shannon Bream, McConnell, the highest-ranking Senate Republican, agreed with fellow Republican Kentuckian Sen. Rand Paul that the $1.5 trillion deficit is "entirely too big." 

But while Paul remarked last month that the U.S. under the Biden administration was borrowing heavily from China just to send aid to Ukraine, McConnell instead emphasized Sunday that the deficit also expanded during the prior administration under former President Donald Trump.  

Read more .... 

US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Calls China, Russia, And Iran The New 'Axis Of Evil' That The US Must Deal With  

US faces new "axis of evil" in Iran, China, and Russia: Mitch McConnell -- Newsweek  

McConnell supports packaging aid to Ukraine and Israel together -- Politico  

Mitch McConnell backs Biden’s $106bn aid request for Israel and Ukraine -- The Guardian

Growing Fears In Washington That The Current Wars Could Spread

🚨 Colliding crises rattle U.S.: Former SecDef Bob Gates tells @Axios we face the MOST CRISES since World War II@JimVandeHei & I report that inside the White House, this was the heaviest week since @JoeBiden took office 1,003 days ago

👇 Top 5 to watch:https://t.co/KWu9dFZELN

— Mike Allen (@mikeallen) October 20, 2023

Axios: Behind the Curtain: Rattled U.S. government fears wars could spread  

This is a new column by Axios CEO Jim VandeHei and co-founder Mike Allen, based on regular conversations with White House and congressional leaders, CEOs, and top technologists. 

Never before have we talked to so many top government officials who, in private, are so worried about so many overseas conflicts at once.  

Why it matters: We don't like to sound dire. But to sound a siren of clinical, clear-eyed realism: U.S. officials say this confluence of crises poses epic concern and historic danger.  

Behind the scenes: Officials tell us that inside the White House, this was the heaviest, most chilling week since President Biden took office just over 1,000 days ago. 

*Former Defense Secretary Bob Gates — who ran the Pentagon under presidents of both parties, George W. Bush and Barack Obama — tells us America is facing the most crises since World War II ended 78 years ago.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: You reap what you sow. You only have to look at the past week when President Biden went to the Middle East to see how US foreign policy has gone off the rails and is in fact escalating tensions and fear that other parties will become involved in the Israel - Hamas war. 

I am still shaking my head on how much of a disaster this trip was. 

What I saw this week was a disengaged US President who brought no ideas or vision on how to de-escalate the growing crisis in the Middle East. But his administration was certainly busy. Ordering a massive deployment of military forces to the region with the stated goal of aiding Israel coupled with a massive request for monies and arms to be sent to Israel. The Arab world sees this, and you can take this to the bank, this type of policy (if it continues) will only end with America's Arab allies in the Middle East looking elsewhere for new partners and alliances. And as for America's enemies, they will take advantage of this and will strike (as they are doing now) against US military bases and assets in the region. 

And then there was President Biden's focus on the Russia - Ukraine war in his speech to the nation on Thursday night. Labeling Putin and Hamas as one and the same, and then again making a request for a massive arms package to Ukraine (calling this a smart investment) while sending Ukraine long range ATACMS. No talk about looking for an end to the war. Just more escalation and personal threats.

And if that was not enough, we now have a new request for even more US military support of Taiwan, breaking promises to Beijing that Washington would respect the "One China" policy. 

But what is scary is that a large number of major world leaders do not want to talk with the US President. Even US allies in the Middle East like Saudi Crown Prince Salman and the leaders of Egypt and Jordan do not want to talk to him. 

Sighhh .... 

I said it before and I will say again. If current trends continue and the Biden administration wins the White House in 2024. I will be seeing a major war where US forces will be directly involved.

U.S. Secretary Of State Blinken's Trip To The Middle East Looks Like A Disaster, And Now US President Biden Is In Israel

 

Politico: Dissed by Saudi Arabia, lectured by Egypt: U.S. diplomacy meets Mideast reality  

Secretary of State Antony Blinken says no one wants the Israeli-Hamas conflict to grow, but Arab leaders won’t take sides. 

America’s intense war-time diplomacy is so far failing to sway Arab countries in the Middle East — and President Joe Biden’s planned visit to the region may not help. 

In recent days, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been nearly ghosted by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and given a bizarre history lesson by Egypt’s ruler.

U.S. officials have been unable to get most Arab leaders to denounce Hamas for the Palestinian militant group’s brutal attack on Israel or make statements supporting Israel’s military response.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Blinken was sent there to lay the groundwork for US President Biden's trip to the Middle East, but what a disaster this has become. Blinken travels to Cairo and was immediately ripped to pieces by the Egyptian President. He travels to to Saudi Arabia, and he is kept waiting for a day by Saudi Crown Prince Salman (link here). In Jordan, he receives nothing but criticism and condemnation. But the Western media narrative is that he is working hard and making strides to resolve the crisis in Gaza (link here). And this is all happening before the Gaza hospital massacre!!! 

Instead of stepping back and trying to de-escalate the situation, the US is responding with a massive arms buildup that its sheer scale sends the message that the US is preparing to target Hezbollah/Syria/and Iran. 

I have mentioned before and I will mention it again. I have been a close observer of US foreign policy and diplomacy for over 4 decades. I have never seen such an incompetent US administration when it comes to foreign policy as this one. Their policy is based on confrontation and escalation and the world knows it.

On a side note. And this is what diplomacy is all about. Yesterday, with the support of Chinese President Xi, Russian President Putin had phone/video discussions with the Egyptian President, Syrian President Assad, Saudi Crown Prince Salaman, Iranian leaders, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and Israeli President Netanyahu. Of all the calls the most difficult for Putin would have been his last one with Netanyahu. And while details of those talks are still private, I am willing to bet that the purpose of that last call by Putin was to not lecture Netanyahu but to brief him on what was the result of his conversations with the other Middle Eastern leaders. It is not being reported in the West, but Putin/Xi are positioning themselves to be the peacemaker in this war, and I am already seeing the groundwork being laid for an off-ramp to this conflict. 

My concern is this .... will Washington torpedo these de-escalation and peace  efforts as they did when they torpedoed the peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine in March of 2022 brokered by Turkey that would have ended the war. You tell me.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Says The US ‘Can Certainly Afford Two Wars’

Treasury Sec. Yellen: U.S. can afford military support to both Israel an... https://t.co/MJQuYEfhY9 via @YouTube

— War News Updates (@WarNewsUpdates) October 17, 2023

CNBC: U.S. can ‘certainly’ afford military support to both Israel and Ukraine, Janet Yellen says 

* President Joe Biden in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday reiterated Washington’s “unwavering support” for Israel in its war against Palestinian militant group Hamas. 

* Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unscheduled return to Israel on Monday, the 10th day of an Israeli aerial bombardment campaign of the Gaza Strip. 

* Israel’s siege, which has been widely criticized by human rights organizations, came as a response to a brutal and large-scale terrorist attack carried about by Hamas on Oct. 7. 

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the country can “absolutely” afford to financially support both Israel and Ukraine in their respective war efforts. 

President Joe Biden in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday reiterated Washington’s “unwavering support” for Israel in its war against Palestinian militant group Hamas, and said he had provided Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an update on both U.S. military support and efforts to protect civilians as the conflict escalates.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: It looks like the US administration is positioning itself to give a "blank check" to both Israel and Ukraine in their current wars. 

Update: Here is the first emergency aid request .... Israel asks US for ‘emergency’ $10 billion – NYT (RT). 

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Says The US ‘Can Certainly Afford Two Wars’  

Janet Yellen: America can 'certainly' afford to support Israel and Ukraine, US Treasury secretary says -- SKY News  

Yellen says US can afford to support two wars: 'America stands behind Israel, period' -- FOX News 

US can ‘certainly’ afford to provide military aid to Israel, Ukraine: Yellen -- The Hill  

Janet Yellen: America can 'certainly' afford to support Israel and Ukraine, US Treasury secretary says -- RT

Are The 'Hawks' Now In Control Of The Biden Administration's Foreign Policy?

NEW: Uber Russia-hawk Victoria Nuland rises to acting deputy secretary of state

She probably did more than anyone to sour US-Russia ties; now, she is one of Washington’s top diplomats, @connor_echols reports in @RStatecraft. https://t.co/7OWSvtMJJj

— Quincy Institute (@QuincyInst) July 25, 2023

Biden’s Joint Chiefs Pick Wants More Bases in Asia to Prepare for War With China
Gen. Charles Q. Brown has been nominated to replace Gen. Mark Milley
by Dave DeCamp@DecampDave https://t.co/q0WAJj0lJC pic.twitter.com/z6cxX1Og6f

— Antiwar.com (@Antiwarcom) July 12, 2023

Caitlin Johnstone: More Warmongers Elevated In The Biden Administration 

The Biden administration looks set to become even more warlike than it already was if you can imagine, with virulent Russia hawk Victoria Nuland and virulent China hawk Charles Q Brown now being elevated to lofty positions by the White House. 

The Biden administration looks set to become even more warlike than it already was if you can imagine, with virulent Russia hawk Victoria Nuland and virulent China hawk Charles Q Brown now being elevated to lofty positions by the White House. 

Nuland, the wife of alpha neocon Robert Kagan, has been named acting deputy secretary of state by President Biden, at least until a new deputy secretary has been named. This places her at second in command within the State Department, second only to Tony Blinken. 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: I see the elevation of Victoria Nuland to the second top post in the US State Department as a sign that the Biden administration have not given up on their dream of achieving regime change in Russia. 

As for the appointment of Gen. Charles Q. Brown to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. This is a signal that the Pentagon is going to be focused on what they see is the emerging threat of China.

Is President Biden's Reputation At Stake In Ukraine's Counteroffensive?

Presidents Biden and Zelensky  

Politico: White House anxiously watches Ukraine’s counteroffensive, seeing the war and Biden’s reputation at stake  

With the debt ceiling done, attention turns to the challenges piling up internationally.  

Senior U.S. officials are convinced that future support for the Ukraine war — and President Joe Biden’s global reputation — hinges on the success of Ukraine’s counteroffensive. 

Succeed and Western military and economic aid will flow. Stumble or fail to meet expectations, and that support will likely dry up, sparking heightened calls for an expedited diplomatic resolution and hampering one of the White House’s signature international achievements.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: President Biden has just repeated that the U.S. is all in on a Ukraine victory .... Biden predicts US will have funding to support Ukraine ‘for as long as it takes’ (The Hill).

'Four U.S. Embassies' Have Been Evacuated During Biden's Presidency

Joe Biden has had to evacuate FOUR embassies in less than 3 years. The media said Biden & Blinken were "experts" and "the adults are back in charge." The world has been on FIRE since their disaster in Afghanistan. Pray for our country & the 16,000 Americans Biden left in Sudan.

— Rep. Mary Miller (@RepMaryMiller) April 23, 2023

Newsweek: Joe Biden Slammed for Evacuating 'Four Embassies' During Presidency 

Representative Mary Miller, an Illinois Republican, slammed President Joe Biden on Sunday for evacuating "four embassies" since he took office. 

Miller specifically referred to the U.S. embassy evacuation in Sudan that happened on Saturday when the Biden administration decided to suspend operations at its embassy amid the ongoing fight between rival Sudanese leaders on the ground. 

The ongoing conflict has broken out between two military forces, including one led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the other led by his former deputy, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the leader of a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The dispute centers around a proposed move to a civilian-led government and how the RSF would integrate into the national army. The RSF wants to delay the integration for 10 years, but the army said it should take place in 2 years.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The four US embassies that have been evacuated during President Biden's term are Afghanistan, Belarus, Sudan, and Ukraine (which has re-opened).

President Biden Responds To Iran And Saudi Arabia Agreeing To Restore Diplomatic Relations

US President Joe Biden reacts to re-establishment of ties between Iran a... https://t.co/YHQrisfXHq via @YouTube

— War News Updates (@WarNewsUpdates) March 10, 2023

WNU Editor: That is what I call "not answering the question". A part of me wonders if the US was even aware that these talks were happening in the first place.

Former US Special Operations intel Analyst Says The US Is Not Prepared To Face 'Complex' Foreign Threats

 

FOX News: US is not prepared to face 'complex' foreign threats, former special ops warns  

DNI Avril Haines unpacked the 'complex' threat posed by China, Russia, North Korea and Iran 

New concerns over U.S. readiness have mounted since the U.S. intelligence community warned of "complex" international relations and growing threats to America's national security. 

Fox News contributor and former Special Operations intel analyst Brett Velicovich warned on "Varney & Co," Thursday, that the country is not prepared to face the threats from global powers including China. 

"I don't think we are prepared at this point," Velicovich said. "I mean, China is already at war with us. We have an archaic military-industrial complex right now in the U.S. that likes to tell itself it's built for speed and innovation and this new digital battlefield, but in reality, the layers of bureaucracy and unnecessary oversight is [sic] getting in the way of U.S. innovation. And China's government, they seem to get it."  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The above Fox News contributor and former Special Operations intel analyst Brett Velicovich is spot on when he said this .... "one of the most dangerous things that could be created from especially recent wars in Europe is a formal alliance between China, Iran, Russia and North Korea." 

Since the time of Nixon going to Beijing, one of the top national security priorities of the US has been to make sure that a Russia - China alliance does not happen. Why this priority has been abandoned by the current White House completely perplexes me. 

If trends continue and this formal alliance between China and Russia does happen, the consequences will be felt globally for decades. And yes, the US is certainly not prepared to face this foreign threat.

The Ukraine War Is More Complicated Than We’ve Been Led To Assume

Ukrainian servicemen load Javelin anti-tank missiles, delivered as part of the United States's security assistance to Ukraine, into a military trucks at the Boryspil airport, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, February 11, 2022 [AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky]

Christopher Caldwell, Patriot Post/Claremont Review of Books: Complications of the Ukraine War 

Unless we learn to respect the complexity of the situation, we risk turning it into something more dangerous. 

According to what we hear from the White House and from the television networks, the issues at stake in the Ukraine War are simple. They concern the evil of Vladimir Putin, who woke up one morning and chose, whether out of sadism or insanity, to wreak unspeakable violence on his neighbors. Putin’s actions are described as an “unprovoked invasion” of a noble democracy by a corrupt autocracy. How we ought to respond is assumed to be a no-brainer. The United States has pledged vast quantities of its deadliest weaponry, along with aid that is likely to run into the hundreds of billions of dollars, and has brought large parts of the world economy — particularly in Europe — to a standstill. 

Now, whenever people in power tell you something is a no-brainer, there’s a good chance that it’s a brainer. And the Ukraine War is more complicated than we’ve been led to assume.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: My must read post for today.

Is The U.S. Reconsidering Its Foreign Policy After Yesterday's OPEC Oil Cuts?

US President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Alsalam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 15, 2022. Royal Court of Saudi Arabia / Handout/Anadolu Agency

Quartz: OPEC’s oil cuts force the US to reconsider its foreign policy  

The US is accusing Saudi Arabia of "aligning with Russia" while seeking to restart Venezuelan oil production. 

OPEC+ announced it’ll slash output by 2 million barrels per day (bpd) on Wednesday (Oct. 5), the biggest cut since the pandemic started in 2020. The White House’s reaction was swift, calling the decision “shortsighted” and accusing the oil cartel of “aligning with Russia.” 

Saudi Arabia, which controls about one-third of OPEC’s oil reserves and is seen as a US ally, has not heeded president Joe Biden’s plea against taking such a drastic step. 

Three months ago, Biden traveled to the Middle Eastern nation to convince the kingdom’s de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, to pump more barrels.  

Read more .... 

Update #1: Biden's new Saudi strategy (Axios)  

Update #2: Democrats Take on Saudi Arabia, UAE After OPEC+ Cuts Oil Production (Haaretx)  

WNU Editor: Turning to hostile governments to replace your oil supply from Saudi Arabia is not a good strategy .... Dems turn to hostile dictators for oil production as gas prices tick up, GOP blame 'war on American energy' (FOX News)

What Is America’s Goal For The Ukraine War?

Ukraine President Zelensky with US Secretary of Defense Austin (L) and US Secretary of State Blinken (R) 

Daniel Davis, 19FortyFive: What Is America’s Goal for the Ukraine War? Answer: We Don’t Have One 

Does America Have a Goal or Strategy for Ukraine? On Friday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced the G7 had agreed to impose a price cap regime on Russian oil. As with most other actions by the U.S. and Europe related to Russia’s unjust war against Ukraine, the announcement of the cap was big on rhetorical flourish, but thread-bare on any evidence of a coherent strategic objective. 

The intent of the cap is to set a global price just above Russia’s marginal cost so that Moscow won’t make a profit on the sale of oil but high enough that Russia won’t stop producing altogether. Current global demand can’t be met without the nearly nine million barrels of oil per day provided by Russia, and if Putin were to stop producing suddenly, the resulting supply shock could send the price of oil into the stratosphere. 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: This is my must read post for today. 

As to what is my take on current US goals for the Ukraine war. I think US officials made it very clear a few months ago on what their strategy was ..... Ukraine war: US wants to see a weakened Russia (BBC).

Another Former Top U.S. Intelligence Official Admitting That The U.S. Has Interfered In Foreign Elections

The former head of the CIA, James Woolsey, is on the wire, talking about democracy and free elections.

⁃ Have we ever interfered in foreign elections?
Uu, probably. But it was for a good purpose, so that the Communists would not come to power. In Europe, for example,... pic.twitter.com/NxZulrzUCg

— AZ 🛰🌏🌍🌎 (@AZmilitary1) July 22, 2022

WNU Editor: Former National Security Adviser Bolton started this two weeks ago .... Former US Diplomat And US National Security Adviser John Bolton Just Publicly Admitted He Has Helped Plan Foreign Coups (July 12, 2022), and now we have former CIA Director James Woolsey saying basically the same thing. 

Who is next?

Is The Biden Administration Taking An “Either You Are With Us Or With The Terrorists” Approach

WATCH: Heated exchange between @APDiploWriter Matt Lee and @StateDeptSpox Ned Price on declassified information. pic.twitter.com/8TFJdSW4M6

— CSPAN (@cspan) February 3, 2022

Task & Purpose: White House on Ukraine and Syria: If you don’t trust us, then f–k you  

Someone dust off the vial of anthrax.  

If it’s starting to feel like March 2003, that’s because President Joe Biden’s administration is definitely taking an “either you are with us or with the terrorists” vibe. 

Top White House and State Department officials tried to shut down reporters’ questions on Thursday about the veracity of Biden administration claims on Russia and Syria. 

To wit: U.S. officials claim that Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi killed himself, his wife, and two children when he detonated an explosive device during a special operations forces raid in Syria. The Pentagon is further claiming that all the civilians killed during the raid died as a result of actions taken by Al-Qurayshi and one of his deputies, who fought U.S. troops along with his wife. 

Separately, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters Thursday that the U.S. government has information that Russia may launch a false flag attack and blame it on the Ukrainian military or intelligence forces.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The above headline sums up perfectly the optics that the administration wants to project .... If you don’t trust us on Ukraine and Syria, then f–k you. 

 Update: Yup .... "This Is Alex Jones Territory!" Watch Reporter Shred Admin Spox Over 'Russian False Flag' Claims (Zero Hedge).

US Military Presence Abroad Faces Domestic And Foreign Opposition In 2022

US soldiers watching as others prepare artillery for wounded veterans to shoot during 'Operation Proper Exit' at Forward Operating Base Shank in Afghanistan's Logar Province, May 2014. Photo: AFP / Brendan Smialowski  

The Conversation: After Afghanistan, US military presence abroad faces domestic and foreign opposition in 2022 

In August 2021, the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan after fighting a war there for nearly 20 years. 

In addition to Afghanistan, the U.S. has reduced its military presence in several other conflict zones in recent years. It has lowered troop levels in Iraq from 170,000 in 2007 to 2,500 in 2021, and in Syria from 1,700 in 2018 to around 900 today. While these reductions may seem like a U.S. military withdrawal from the world stage, its presence overseas remains vast. 

As political scientists, we examine the costs, benefits and perceptions of U.S. military deployments abroad. Our research shows that though the scope and location of its deployments may change, the U.S. military remains an influential global player.  

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: The fall of Afghanistan should be a wake-up call for everyone who believes that the US military and America's foreign policy establishment can make a difference. That maybe spending hundreds of billions of dollars to change the culture/economic/and security needs of a country is money not well spent. 

Unfortunately, while I do see some debating the need to keep a US military presence abroad at the levels that they are today, I do not expect any change. There are too many powerful special interest groups in the US who are very happy with the status quo.

US Cuts Ethiopia, Mali, And Guinea From Duty-Free Trade Program

 

VOA/Reuters: US Takes Ethiopia, Mali, Guinea Off Africa Duty-free Trade Program 

WASHINGTON — The United States on Saturday cut Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from access to a duty-free trade program, following through on President Joe Biden's threat to do so over accusations of human rights violations and recent coups. 

"The United States today terminated Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from the AGOA trade preference program due to actions taken by each of their governments in violation of the AGOA Statute," the U.S. Trade Representative's office said in a statement. 

Biden said in November that Ethiopia would be cut off from the duty-free trading regime provided under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) because of alleged human rights violations in the Tigray region, while Mali and Guinea were targeted because of recent coups.  

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: The Biden administration said the African countries had violated internationally recognized human rights. 

US Cuts Ethiopia, Mali, And Guinea From Duty-Free Trade Program  

US cuts off Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from duty-free trade programme with Africa -- The National  

Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea excluded from US trade agreement -- RTE  

US removes Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from AGOA trade programme -- Al Jazeera

American Defense Policy After Twenty Years of War

Reuters Jim Webb, National Interest: American Defense Policy After Twenty Years of War 

America has always been a place where the abrasion of continuous debate eventually produces creative solutions. Let’s agree on those solutions, and make the next twenty years a time of clear purpose and affirmative global leadership. 

The American scorecard for foreign policy achievements over the past twenty years is, frankly, pretty dismal. And without talking our way all around the globe, it’s clear that the most dismal score goes to the stupidest mistakes. We fought one war that we never should have fought and another war whose objectives grew so out of control that no amount of battlefield proficiency could overcome the naïve mission creep of the political and military leadership at the top that was defining what our troops were supposed to do. So, let me start with a couple of quotes from two pieces I wrote, one at the beginning of this twenty-year period and the other at the end.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: It has been a rough 20 years.

The Biden Administration's Strategy Of Surrender

A U.S. instructor pilot prepares to take off on an Mi-17 helicopter training flight from the Special Mission Wing ramp of HKIA in 2018. (Joan Barker photo). 

 Joan Barker, Military Times: Breaking hearts and minds: The strategy of surrender 

“The US have left us behind for these kinds of humans to kill one by one.” 

That was a text I received last week from my friend Mo, an Afghan interpreter currently trapped in Kabul. One does not have to be a rocket scientist, or Secretary of State for that matter, to know that he is referring to the Taliban in his message. Mo is a man with whom I worked closely in 2017 when I was teaching English to the Afghan air force on the military compound attached to Hamid Karzai International Airport. 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The disconnect from what I am hearing and seeing on U.S. media and from the Biden administration is the complete opposite on what I am hearing in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The above commentary explains accurately how many people outside the U.S. view its government and leaders, and why it is going to take a long time for the U.S. to gain the trust of those that they will want help from.