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France names ‘red line’ in Ukraine conflict

RT | July 9, 2025

Demilitarizing Ukraine and leaving it without NATO membership, as Russia demands, is a red line for Europe, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu told weekly magazine Valeurs Actuelles.

Moscow insists that any resolution to the conflict must comprehensively address its security concerns. Russian officials want Ukraine to acknowledge the new territorial realities on the ground, agree to neutral status, guarantee that its Russian-speaking population is not discriminated against, and undergo demilitarization and denazification. As of now, all of these demands have been rejected by Kiev.

In an interview, published on Wednesday, Lecornu argued that Europe cannot allow Ukraine to be left without a functioning army while denying it NATO membership.

“Our absolute red line is the demilitarization of Ukraine,” the minister said. “We must be coherent. One cannot refuse Ukraine entry into NATO and at the same time accept that it no longer has an army,” he added.

Ukraine formally applied for fast-track NATO membership in September of 2022, months after the conflict with Russia escalated. While Western nations initially supported Kiev’s bid, no timeline for accession has been set. Meanwhile, support for Kiev’s bid has been eroded by mounting military setbacks and shifting US policy.

Pentagon Inspector General Robert Storch reported last November that “corruption continues to complicate” Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO, citing multiple scandals in its Defense Ministry. US President Donald Trump, who is pushing for a peace deal with Moscow, has ruled out NATO membership for Kiev.

Russia views NATO’s eastward expansion as a direct threat to national security and has indicated that Ukraine’s ambition to join the US-led military bloc was one of the key issues that triggered the current conflict. President Vladimir Putin stressed last month that Moscow’s concerns had consistently been ignored.

Putin also said that Ukraine had agreed to military limitations during the 2022 Istanbul talks, including troop numbers and weapons restrictions, but later withdrew from the deal to seek military victory with Western backing. He added that now, instead of a “peaceful settlement to this issue,” Moscow has been forced to resolve the task – namely, demilitarization – by military means.

Speaking ahead of this week’s meeting of the Western-led ‘coalition of the willing’ – a UK-French initiative to deploy troops in Ukraine after a truce is reached with Russia – Lecornu said the group will urge Kiev to “rethink” the future shape of its army, noting “opportunities” for the French defense industry.

Moscow has accused the West of encouraging Kiev to fight “to the last Ukrainian” and maintains that no amount of military aid will reverse Kiev’s fortunes on the battlefield. It has also repeatedly warned that any foreign forces fighting alongside Ukrainian troops will be treated as legitimate targets, while warning this could escalate the conflict.

July 9, 2025 Posted by | Militarism | , , , | Leave a comment

EU could hand another €100bn to Ukraine – Bloomberg

RT | July 9, 2025

European Union officials are weighing a proposal to provide Ukraine with another €100 billion ($117 billion) in grants and low-interest loans, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The plan involves establishing a dedicated fund within the bloc’s upcoming seven-year budget framework, the unnamed insiders told the outlet. Disbursement would begin in 2028 if the proposal is approved.

The move would further shift the financial burden onto Western European taxpayers of what Moscow has condemned as a US-triggered NATO proxy war. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in April that officials in Brussels “view possible suspension of Ukraine assistance as confirmation of the EU’s strategic inviability” and are pushing for continued funding to protect their reputation.

Ukraine’s military and defense institutions have faced a string of corruption scandals during the conflict with Russia, including overpayments for rations and shady arms procurement contracts. This week, Ukrainian outlets reported that anti-corruption investigators searched a property belonging to former Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov. Reznikov resigned in 2023 following allegations of financial misconduct in his department.

The proposed fund is reportedly one of several avenues under consideration, with a final decision expected by July 16 or possibly later, according to Bloomberg. The report added that last month, the European Commission briefed EU finance ministers on Kiev’s intention to increase this year’s defense spending by $8.4 billion using domestic sources.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmigal said in June that defense expenditures had risen 34% year-on-year during the first five months of 2025. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Sergey Marchenko warned in May that Kiev’s national debt is nearing $171 billion, approximately equivalent to the country’s gross domestic product.

Ukraine continues to rely heavily on external financial aid to sustain its national budget. Earlier this year, the government failed to restructure a portion of its sovereign debt issued in 2015 and declined to honor a $665 million repayment to private investors in early June.

The country’s economy is also feeling the strain of a labor shortage, as millions have fled to Western nations offering them protection and social benefits. Many men of military age who remain in Ukraine have evaded conscription, which usually means avoiding formal employment and by extension, income taxes.

July 9, 2025 Posted by | Corruption, Militarism | , | Leave a comment

US Will Spend Over $1 Billion Building Military Bases for Israel

By Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute | July 7, 2025

The US is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade and build new military bases for Israel. The total cost of the facilities could exceed $1 billion.

Haaretz reports, “The US military aid construction program for Israel includes ongoing projects valued at more than $250 million, with future projects expected to exceed $1 billion.” The new bases will accommodate refueling aircraft and helicopters.

An additional project is building a new headquarters for an Israeli naval commando unit.

Washington provides Tel Aviv with a massive amount of military assistance. The US government has an agreement to send Israel $3.8 billion in security aid every year. Since October 7, 2023, Washington has provided Tel Aviv with an additional $18 billion in assistance.

The US military has also spent billions on operations to benefit Israel. The US fought a war against Ansar Allah in Yemen in an attempt to break the Red Sea blockade on Israeli-linked shipping. Washington has also spent billions of dollars on interceptors to shoot down Iranian missiles.

The military support for Israel has given Tel Aviv a blank check for genocide, multiple invasions, and provoking aggressive wars. Washington’s weapons, diplomatic support at the UN, and the US military shooting down Iranian missiles have insulated Israel from almost all conquest of its attacks on Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran.

July 8, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism | , , , , | Leave a comment

Riyadh realigns: Tehran over Tel Aviv

The Cradle | July 8, 2025

The recent confrontation between Iran and Israel marked a decisive shift in regional power equations, particularly in the Persian Gulf. Iran’s direct and calibrated military response – executed through the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – exposed the strategic vulnerabilities of Tel Aviv and forced Gulf capitals, chiefly Riyadh, to reassess long-standing assumptions about regional security.

The Saudi-led recalibration did not emerge in isolation. Years of cumulative political, military, and diplomatic failures under the umbrella of US-Israeli tutelage have pushed Persian Gulf states to seek more viable, non-confrontational security arrangements. What we are witnessing is the slow dismantling of obsolete alliances and the opening of pragmatic, interest-driven channels with Tehran.

Iran’s war strategy resets Gulf expectations

Tehran’s handling of the latest military clash – with its reliance on precision strikes, regional alliances, and calibrated escalation – demonstrated a new level of deterrence. Using its regional networks, missile bases, and sophisticated drones, Tehran managed the confrontation very carefully, avoiding being drawn into all-out war, but at the same time sending clear messages to the enemy about its ability to deter and expand engagement if necessary.

The message to the Gulf was clear: Iran is neither isolated nor vulnerable. It is capable of shaping outcomes across multiple fronts without falling into full-scale war.

Speaking to The Cradle, a well-informed Arab diplomat says:

“This war was a turning point in the Saudi thinking. Riyadh now understands Iran is a mature military power, immune to coercion. Traditional pressure no longer works. Saudi security now depends on direct engagement with Iran – not on Israel, and certainly not under the receding American security umbrella.”

At the heart of Saudi discontent lies Tel Aviv’s escalating aggression against the Palestinians and its outright dismissal of Arab peace initiatives, including the Riyadh-led 2002 Arab Peace Initiative. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s intransigence – particularly the aggressive expansion of settlements in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank – has alarmed the Saudis.

These provocations not only sabotage diplomatic efforts but strike at the kingdom’s pan-Islamic legitimacy, forcing a reassessment of Israel’s utility as a strategic partner. As the diplomatic source notes:

“This Israeli political stalemate pushes Saudi Arabia to reconsider its regional bets and view Iran as a regional power factor that cannot be ignored.”

Riyadh turns to Tehran: containment over confrontation

Behind closed doors, Saudi Arabia is advancing a strategy of “positive containment” with Iran. This marks a clear departure from the era of proxy wars and ideological hostility. Riyadh is no longer seeking confrontation – it is seeking coordination, particularly on issues of regional security and energy.

Diplomatic sources inform The Cradle that the reopening of embassies and stepped-up security coordination are not mere side effects of Chinese mediation. They reflect a deeper Saudi conviction: that normalization with Israel yields no meaningful security dividends, especially after Tel Aviv’s exposed vulnerabilities in the last war.

Riyadh’s new path also signals its growing appetite for regional solutions away from Washington – a position increasingly shared by other Persian Gulf states.

For its part, the Islamic Republic is moving swiftly to convert military leverage into political capital. Beyond showcasing its missile and drone capabilities, Iran is now actively courting Arab states of the Persian Gulf with proposals for economic cooperation, regional integration, and the construction of an indigenous security architecture.

Informed sources reveal to The Cradle that Iran is pursuing comprehensive engagement with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Oman. This includes economic partnerships and alignment on key regional files, from Yemen to Syria and Iraq.

Tehran’s position is consistent with its long-stated view: The Persian Gulf’s security must be decided by its littoral states and peoples – not by foreign agendas.

A new Gulf alliance is taking shape

This is no longer a Saudi story alone. The UAE is expanding economic cooperation with Tehran, while maintaining open security channels. Qatar sustains a solid diplomatic line with Iran, using its credibility to broker key regional talks. Oman remains the region’s trusted bridge and discreet mediator.

An Arab diplomat briefed on recent developments tells The Cradle :

“Upcoming Gulf–Iran meetings will address navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, energy coordination, and broader regional files. There is consensus building that understanding with Iran [will] open the door to a more stable phase in the Gulf.”

Amid these realignments, Israel finds itself regionally sidelined – its project to forge an anti-Iran axis has crumbled. The US-brokered Abraham Accords – once trumpeted as a strategic triumph – now elicit little more than polite disinterest across the Gulf, with even existing Arab signatories walking back their engagement.

Riyadh’s political elite now openly question the utility of normalization. As Tel Aviv continues its war on Gaza, Gulf populations grow more vocal and Saudi leaders more cautious.

The Saudi position is unspoken but unmistakable: Tel Aviv can no longer guarantee security, nor can it be viewed as the gatekeeper to regional stability any longer.

Pragmatism trumps ideology

This Saudi–Iranian thaw is not ideological – it is hard-nosed realpolitik. As another senior Arab diplomat tells The Cradle :

“Riyadh is discarding illusions. Dialogue with neighbors – not alliance with Washington and Tel Aviv – is now the route to safeguarding Saudi interests. This is now about facts, not old loyalties. Iran is now a fixed component of the Gulf’s security equation.”

The binary of “Gulf versus Iran” is fading. The last war accelerated a trend long in motion: the collapse of Pax Americana and the emergence of multipolar regionalism. The Gulf is charting a new course – one less beholden to US-Israeli diktats.

Today, Saudi Arabia sees Tehran not as a threat to be neutralized, but as a power to be engaged. Regional security frameworks are being built from within. Israel, meanwhile, despite its many pontifications about a Tel Aviv-led, Arab-aligned “Middle East,” is struggling to stay relevant.

If these dynamics hold, we are on the cusp of a historic transition – one that may finally allow the Persian Gulf to define its own security and sovereignty, on its own terms.

This is not an ideal future. But it is a strategic upgrade from decades of subservience. Saudi Arabia is turning toward Iran – not out of love, but out of logic.

July 8, 2025 Posted by | Economics, Militarism | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

US Patriot Missiles Stockpile a Fraction of What the Pentagon Needs

By Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute | July 8, 2025

The ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine have depleted the US stockpiles of missile interceptors. The Pentagon has just a quarter of the Patriot missiles it needs.

According to the Guardian, “The United States only has about 25% of the Patriot missile interceptors it needs for all of the Pentagon’s military plans after burning through stockpiles in the Middle East in recent months, an alarming depletion that led to the Trump administration freezing the latest transfer of munitions to Ukraine.”

US weapons manufacturers can only produce approximately 500 Patriot missiles per year. The US used dozens of interceptors to defend Israel from Iranian retaliatory attacks last month. Additionally, the Pentagon engaged in its largest Patriot battle in history to repel a symbolic Iranian missile attack on the US airbase in Qatar.

The US stockpile of air and missile defenses has been drained to aid Ukraine during the war with Russia. Missile interceptors are in short supply in the West. In May, Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio told Congress that “The Ukrainians asked for air defense systems – Patriot systems, which, frankly, we don’t have.”

It is unclear if Trump reversed the Pentagon order to halt some arms transfers to Ukraine, including Patriot Missiles. During Monday’s dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump told reporters that he would “send some more weapons” to Ukraine.

Patriot systems have been a crucial part of Ukraine’s air defenses. However, Russia has developed missiles to counter Patriot interceptors with increasing effectiveness.

July 8, 2025 Posted by | Militarism | , , , | Leave a comment

Backlog of European Defense Plants Hits Record $365 Billion in 2024

Sputnik – 08.07.2025

The backlog of unfulfilled orders at European defense plants reached a record $365 billion in 2024, according to a report by the RosCongress titled “Militarization of Europe: Budgets and Geography of New Production Capacities,” reviewed by Sputnik.

“The boom in defense orders—including artillery shells, missiles, tanks, military aircraft, drones, and ships—has naturally led to an unprecedented volume of unfulfilled orders among European defense manufacturers. The backlog of companies such as KNDS, MBDA, Hensoldt, Leonardo, Rheinmetall, Kongsberg, BAE Systems, Saab, and Thales has grown by 103% compared to 2021, reaching a record $365 billion by the end of 2024,” the report states.

The authors note that between 2021 and 2024, the EU’s total defense spending increased by 31%, reaching $350 billion annually.

“Against the backdrop of Europe’s growing defense capabilities, arms manufacturers—especially European ones—have begun setting new financial records,” the document says.

According to experts, the key beneficiary of Europe’s increased military spending has been the German armored vehicle and ammunition manufacturer, Rheinmetall. Its order backlog grew from $26 billion in 2021 to $67 billion in 2024.

“Germany’s largest arms and ammunition manufacturer has significantly benefited from orders related to Ukraine, as well as the replenishment of military equipment and ammunition stocks in European countries, especially Germany,” the authors explain.

The backlog of the KNDS arms group, which includes France’s Nexter and Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, reached $25 billion in 2024, compared to $12.5 billion three years earlier. The conglomerate’s sales grew by 40% compared to 2023.

Similar financial trends are seen across every European arms manufacturer.

“In this situation, most of them are prioritizing the expansion of existing production capacities and confident in sustained demand amid Europe’s $860 billion rearmament push,” the report concludes.

July 8, 2025 Posted by | Militarism | | Leave a comment

EU Seeks to Plug Ukraine’s $19Bln Budget Gap in 2026

Sputnik – 08.07.2025

The European Union is urgently exploring options to cover Ukraine’s $19 billion budget deficit in 2026, including by using frozen Russian state assets, as US support for Kiev continues to decline and a ceasefire remains out of reach, the media reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

A senior European official involved in discussions with Kiev told the newspaper that many who anticipated a ceasefire agreement in 2025 had to reassess costs, acknowledging a financing “hole” despite efforts to minimize it.

The European Commission has been forced to adjust Ukraine-related spending 2025. A European diplomat told the newspaper that the EU intends to ensure that Kiev’s needs are covered before winter, especially given uncertainty over renewed US support for Kiev.

The commission is reviewing a G7 proposal to provide military aid to Ukraine via bilateral grants, recorded as “off-budget external transfer” but counted toward national defense spending targets.

Another option involves leveraging the existing $50-billion G7 loan scheme, funded by proceeds generated by frozen Russian assets. Additionally, countries are exploring reinvesting Russian assets into riskier categories to maximize returns.

After the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, the European Union and G7 countries froze almost half of Russia’s foreign exchange reserves, totaling nearly 300 billion euros ($347 billion). More than 200 billion euros are in the EU, mainly in the accounts of Euroclear, a Brussels-based clearing house.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly condemned the freezing of Russia’s central bank money in Europe as theft. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow could respond by withholding assets held in Russia by Western countries.

July 8, 2025 Posted by | Economics, Militarism | , , , | Leave a comment

Germany’s AfD to soften stance on migrants – Bild

 RT | July 6, 2025

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has softened its anti-immigration rhetoric in a bid to appeal to moderate voters and prove itself capable of forming a government down the road, Bild has claimed.

Founded in 2013, the right-wing party has steadily gained in popularity amid the continuing migrant crisis in Germany. It finished second in the federal elections in February, winning 152 seats in the 630-seat Bundestag. In April, a survey by the pollster Forsa indicated that it enjoyed the support of 26% of respondents, ahead of all the other parties in Germany.

In an article on Saturday, Bild claimed to have seen a new seven-point policy paper that the AfD’s parliamentary group was expected to adopt that same day.

Conspicuously absent from the document are calls for the “remigration” of German residents with a migrant background, as well as an insistence on the “German guiding culture,” according to the outlet.

Bild claimed that the terms had specifically been axed from the party program in order to “reach more moderate voters,” and “appear capable of governing by the next federal election” in 2029. Aside from these purported changes, the AfD also reportedly intends to adopt a code of conduct for its lawmakers in the Bundestag.

The party’s interim goal is to gain ground in next year’s regional elections, Bild reported.

The media outlet claimed that the updated program calls for an end to asylum-granting to refugees at the border, tougher naturalization requirements and less social welfare for migrants.

The party also reportedly seeks to slash taxes, lift a self-imposed ban on the use of nuclear power plants, and restore the Nord Stream pipelines. The conduits, which used to carry Russian natural gas, were destroyed by a targeted underwater explosion in 2022. Berlin has since ruled out restoring them to operation.

According to Bild, the right-wingers want Germany’s foreign policy to be guided by the motto “Germany first,” which would presumably entail an end to weapons deliveries to Ukraine and the lifting of sanctions on Russia.

In a post on X on Sunday, the AfD Bundestag group revealed that its members had convened for a “closed meeting” over the weekend to set “political goals for the coming period.”

The party was declared a “confirmed right-wing extremist entity” by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency in May, only for the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) to suspend the label shortly thereafter.

July 7, 2025 Posted by | Corruption, Militarism | , | Leave a comment

Yemeni air defenses confront Israeli aggression on Hodeidah

Al Mayadeen | July 7, 2025

At least 20 Israeli airstrikes struck the city of Hodeidah in Yemen early Monday, Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported, while Yemeni air defenses managed to repel a significant portion of the assault.

The attacks targeted key locations including the ports of Hodeidah, Salif, and Ras Issa, as well as the Ras Qatif power station. Israeli media confirmed that these infrastructures had been hit by Israeli occupation forces on three previous occasions.

Additionally, our correspondent noted that one of the strikes hit the Galaxy Leader vessel, linked to “Israel” and captured by the Yemeni Armed Forces on November 19, 2023.

In a related statement, Israeli Security Minister Israel Katz declared that Israeli forces are “vigorously attacking” targets at Yemeni ports, the Ras Qatif power plant, and the Galaxy Leader ship.

Yemeni air defenses repel major part of Israeli aggression

Israeli media outlets reported that 53 projectiles were used in the operation, while our correspondent revealed that the Yemeni Armed Forces worked to repel the aggression, thwarting a substantial part of it.

Yemeni military sources told Al Mayadeen that air defenses launched the first wave of surface-to-air missiles, forcing 10 Israeli aircraft out of Yemeni airspace before they could carry out their attacks.

Sources also revealed that Israeli warplanes had to turn back and were not able to execute planned strikes on other Yemeni governorates.

Previously, the spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, had announced that the Yemeni Air Force “is currently confronting the Zionist aggression against our country.”

“Our air defenses are ready and prepared to confront Israeli attacks on our country with full force and power,” Saree underlined.

Yemen vows continued support for Gaza, launching missile

At around 3:45 am (local time), two missiles were launched from Yemen toward Israeli targets in occupied Palestine. The missiles were reportedly intercepted by Israeli occupation forces, sounding sirens in several areas in the southern occupied West Bank and near the Dead Sea.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Yemeni News Agency (SABA), Nasruddin Amer, said that operations in support of Gaza “will not cease until the aggression stops and the blockade is lifted,” in a post on X.

“The Zionist aggression has not and will not be able to stop the Yemeni strikes deep inside its territory,” Amer explained.

“Not a single ship will pass through our armed forces’ area of ​​operations,” he added.

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Saree stressed that the Yemeni Armed Forces are “fully prepared and capable” of confronting the Israeli aggressors.

He stressed that the Israeli attacks will not affect Yemeni military capabilities, emphasizing that the country’s support for Palestine “will continue at a high pace.”

July 7, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism | , , | Leave a comment

US/Israel Versus Iran – Round One

By William Schryver – imetatronink – July 5, 2025

My summary assessment of the missile war over Israel during the 12-day-long first act of the ongoing war between Israel et alia and Iran et alia :

The first Iranian counterstrike against Israel (14 June) began with a few hundred drones and relatively antiquated subsonic cruise missiles, whose primary mission was to soak up air to air and Iron Dome magazine depth.

Additionally, the IDF claims the Iranians fired over 200 ballistic missiles on 14 June. I think that is probably an exaggeration. But, in any case, the overwhelming majority were older Iranian missile stock and purpose-built decoys.

My sense is that no more than about three dozen strikes in the 14 June attack were carried out by later generation Iranian ballistic missile models. Most, if not all, got through unscathed.

Over the next week (15-21 June), in addition to continuing drone strikes, Iran fired, on average, ~25 ballistic missiles per day (again, according to the IDF).

By this time, reports began swirling in Israeli and western analytical circles that US/Israel air defenses had been severely attrited and were proving to be far less effective than advertised.

US land-based THAAD, SM-3 and SM-6 from US ships in the eastern Mediterranean, and Israeli Arrow anti-ballistic missile interceptors were being consumed at a prodigious rate, but achieving few, if any, interceptions of the few dozens of upper-tier ballistic missiles fired from Iran.

On 22 June, a large Iranian counterstrike took place, including ~100 ballistic missiles.

By this stage of the battle, the Iron Dome had been significantly depleted, and even the slow-flying Iranian drones were defeating it in many instances. THAAD had more or less disappeared, and the Israeli Arrow systems were attesting multiple “malfunctions” and what (based on OSINT video evidence) appeared to be almost frantic firing patterns against single-digit salvos of Iranian hypersonic missiles.

A half-dozen or more Israeli missiles were being fired without success against individual incoming Iranian missiles, which blew right through them, their plasma envelope glowing brightly in the night sky as they streaked down to their targets.

By the time a ceasefire was agreed on 24 June, Israeli and American air defense capability in the theater of battle had reached near-exhaustion, even as the Iranians had begun to employ modest but increasing numbers of impressively capable higher-end strike missiles.

There is no doubt the Iranians welcomed a break in the fighting in order to catch their breath and reorganize their own defenses. But it was the Israelis who were, by far, most desperate to stem the tide of events.

The Israelis suffered damage far in excess of anything inflicted upon them in their history. They also expended long-developed on-the-ground sabotage and intel assets within Iran, and the round-up of those exposed assets continues.

The Iranians have proven beyond dispute that they are capable of delivering large-warhead hypersonic strikes with high accuracy (<10m CEP). And while it remains to be seen how many of these top-shelf missiles they truly possess and what their rate of production is, the bottom line is that Iran has achieved a major strategic victory which carries a strong deterrence effect in its wake.

With each passing month, the Iranians will grow stronger – and the Israelis will become more desperate to try to do something about it.

I doubt making peace will be on their agenda.

July 6, 2025 Posted by | Militarism | , , | Leave a comment

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is fed up with U.S. support for Israel and more wars

If Americans Knew | July 3, 2025

Marjorie Taylor Greene, aka MTG, is a MAGA Republican and the U.S. representative for Georgia’s 14th congressional district since 2021.

Excerpts taken from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s appearance on The Tucker Carlson Show (June 27, 2025):    • Marjorie Taylor Greene: AIPAC, NYC’s Futur…  

July 5, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Video, Wars for Israel | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Path to peace lies beneath our feet; strength will not bring true peace: Chinese foreign minister

Global Times | July 5, 2025

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday criticized the notion of “might makes right,” questioning where rules and justice stand under such logic at a joint press conference in Paris with his French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot. “Strength will not bring true peace; it may well open ‘Pandora’s box’. How should countries lacking strength, especially small and medium-sized ones, find their place? Are they to be laid out on the table, left at the mercy of others?” said Wang.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, is visiting Europe from June 30 to July 6, at the invitation of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU Kaja Kallas, Federal Foreign Minister of Germany Johann Wadephul, and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Noel Barrot.

Responding to questions about China’s stance on the Iran nuclear issue and the current situation in the Middle East, Wang said that the Iran nuclear issue could have been a model for resolving international disputes through dialogue and negotiation. However, it has now triggered a new round of crisis in the Middle East. Despite hearing the knock of peace, the door to peace remains shut. China deeply regrets this outcome and believes there are profound lessons to be learned.

Wang reiterated China’s clear and consistent position on the Iran nuclear issue. “We value the repeated public commitments made by Iranian Supreme Leader that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons, and we also respect Iran’s right, as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), to the peaceful use of nuclear energy,” he said.

Based on this, relevant parties should accelerate negotiations to reach a new international agreement on resolving the Iran nuclear issue, placing Iran’s nuclear activities fully under the strict supervision and safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Wang said.

He emphasized that the path to peace lies beneath our feet, and history will question the sincerity of all parties involved.

The Chinese foreign minister said that military conflicts between Israel and Iran should not be repeated as war cannot resolve the Iran nuclear issue, and preemptive strikes lack legitimacy. The excessive use of force will only escalate conflict and breed more animosity, warning that the US’s brazen bombing of a sovereign country’s nuclear facilities has set a dangerous precedent and if it leads to a nuclear disaster, the entire world will bear the consequences.

Wang also emphasized that the genuine resolution of the Iran nuclear issue cannot ignore the core issue in the Middle East, which is the Palestinian question. The humanitarian disaster in Gaza must not be allowed to continue. The Palestinian issue must no longer be marginalized. The legitimate aspirations of the Arab nation should be fulfilled as soon as possible, and the just voices of the broader Islamic world must be given due attention.

The “two-state solution” remains the only realistic path to resolving the chaos in the Middle East, and the international community should take more concrete and effective action to support this goal, Wang said.

Wang called for China and France, both as permanent members of the UN Security Council, to uphold justice and take responsibility by supporting conflict resolution through dialogue and negotiation, opposing double standards, and basing their positions on the merits of the matter itself. The UN and its Security Council should play their due role in promoting peace. China is willing to work with France to make unremitting efforts toward these goals.

July 5, 2025 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism | , , , , , | Leave a comment

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