South of the Border
Trump announces deadly US strike on another alleged Venezuelan drug boat Guardian
European Disunion
From Politico’s morning European newsletter. Awfully different from the readings in the Ukraine-skeptic outlets. although realism does come into play at the end:
HOW TRUMP’S NATO LETTER IS GOING DOWN IN BRUSSELS: U.S. President Donald Trump once again set the cat among the pigeons with a weekend Truth Social post. He demanded NATO countries stop all purchases of Russian oil and gas — setting compliance as a condition for Washington moving ahead with its own sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s war machine…
Turning the screws: By shining a harsh light on continued purchases of Russian oil and gas, Trump is lending Brussels a helping hand with Hungary and Slovakia, Russia’s top European energy clients….
Helping hand: EU capitals have struggled for years to work around Hungary’s opposition in particular to any move designed to pressure Russia or help Ukraine. The push from Trump is all the more surprising given he’s repeatedly singled out Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for praise as MAGA’s foremost ideological ally in Europe….
Not so fast: However, the diplomats admitted it’s unclear whether Trump’s words will bring about any quick results given Hungary’s deep dependence on Russian energy imports, and the fact Orbán has so far resisted any attempt to diversify away from Moscow’s product…
Turkey, too? Perhaps more troubling, they say, is the fact Trump included non-EU NATO member Turkey in his demand… There’s little Brussels can do to compel Turkey, which isn’t an EU member. And it’s doubtful whether a Truth Social post from Trump will be enough motivation for Ankara to suddenly about-face on tens of billions of dollars in annual purchases of Russian energy…..
Fading hopes: But hopes of Washington moving ahead anytime soon with “bone-crushing” sanctions touted by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham are now fading. By setting such a high bar for American participation, European officials quietly fear Trump may in fact be putting it off for the foreseeable future.
Estonia plans to build anti-tank ditch on border with Russia by 2027 Kommersant via machine translation. Micael T: “So have they now agreed that the war with Russia starts in 2027?”
Old Blighty
How China is buying up Britain’s schools: Beijing wants to re-educate us Unherd
Bank of England urged to slow bond-selling plan to help cut record UK borrowing costs Guardian
Israel v. the Resistance
BREAKING: UN Commission Concludes Israel is Committing Genocide in Gaza Zeteo
Panic as Israel Warns High Rises in Gaza City Will Be Struck With Minutes to Get Out DropSite
Sending a dangerous signal James Dorsey
BWHAHA. So AIPAC is being outflanked?
Netanyahu himself concedes the new siege is not made of rockets but of narratives, politics, and economics.
In his own words, Qatar and China bankroll a “media siege” amplified through TikTok, bots, and ads, one he calls more powerful than traditional media.
He admits that… pic.twitter.com/Rz8CNZQ4AZ
— Thomas Keith (@iwasnevrhere_) September 15, 2025
Major General Amir Baram, Director General of the Israeli War Ministry, admitted openly that Tel Aviv is preparing for “third and fourth rounds” against Iran and Yemen, and is so strained it has begun setting up a “Supreme Armament Council” just to accelerate procurement.
His…
— Thomas Keith (@iwasnevrhere_) September 16, 2025
New Not-So-Cold War
Macron’s Failed Gambit: The Leaked Call That Backfired Spectacularly
In a desperate bid to salvage his crumbling legacy amid France’s deepening domestic turmoil, Macron authorized the release of secret telephone conversations with Russian President V. Putin in July 2022.
The… pic.twitter.com/ndLtdYAQAS
— 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐙 🇷🇺 🇷🇺 (@SMO_VZ) September 15, 2025
Warsaw seeks NATO backing for Ukraine no-fly zone The Cradle (Kevin W)
NATO States Have Failed Phillips P. OBrien (resilc)
As ‘Security Guarantees’ Get Buried Other Stupid Ideas Emerge Moon of Alabama (Kevin W)
Dueling Military Drills Might Become The New Normal In Central & Eastern Europe Andrew Korybko
Andrei Martyanov described over a year ago how Russia was implementing net-centric warfare, where as many assets as possible were linked and were all sharing data. Looks like that has arrived:
🚨🇷🇺 Russia’s drone swarms have arrived. And they change everything
It’s not just about quantity. It’s a new form of warfare. Russia’s drone empire doesn’t operate as individual units but as a single, terrifying organism.
Here’s how it works and why it’s a game changer 🧵 pic.twitter.com/e3C8fqEozB
— NewRulesGeopolitics (@NewRulesGeo) September 15, 2025
Russia Finds Buyer for Sanctioned LNG for the First Time Vzglyad via machine translation (Micael T)
Imperial Collapse Watch
Iran, Israel, and the Failing Global Order Mark Wauck. Interview of Trita Parsi
Colonization of the Mind — The Means, Roots, and Global Perils of U.S. Cognitive Warfare SL Kanthan (Chuck L)
Trump 2.0
Trump vows national emergency in Washington, DC over ICE dispute Reuters
National park to remove photo of enslaved man’s scars Washington Post (resilc)
Immigration
“Sending in the big force now”: Trump orders National Guard troops to Memphis Salon
L’affaire Epstein
GOP momentum grows to force Trump DOJ to release Epstein files The Hill
Charlie Kirk
Kirk suspect ‘not co-operating’ with authorities, governor says BBC (Kevin W). Note Conor had a story with similar information yesterday, but important not to miss.
Utah governor says the motive in Kirk shooting is not yet certain but the suspect was on the left Associated Press (Kevin W)
* * * 10 Political Violence Experts on What Comes Next for America Politico (resilc)
US companies fire pilots, teachers, health care workers for mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination New York Post (signet)
Charlie Kirk Assassination Sparks Social Media Crackdown Ken Klippenstein
The next section may seem unduly speculative but doubts are not dying down:
Billionaire Bill Ackman convened stormy Israel ‘intervention’ with Charlie Kirk, sources say Max Blumenthal, Greyzone (Li, Chuck L)
Why does Tyler Robinson look nothing like the pictures of Charlie Kirk’s alleged killer? Ricky Hale and Council Estate Media
This guy was an eyewitness to the Charlie Kirk assassination. Why were his colleagues trying to shut him up? pic.twitter.com/pYOg7GPGx8
— Frankie Stockes (@realStockes) September 14, 2025
FedWatch
Trump official confirmed to Fed board but court rejects Lisa Cook removal bid Guardian
Bill Pulte’s Looking for Mortgage Fraud in the Wrong Place Adam Levitin
The Fed faces economic uncertainty and political pressure as it decides whether to cut rates Associated Press
JOHN KIRIAKOU: Out-of-Control Gov’t Targets Business ‘Whistleblowers’ ConsortiumNews
Police State Watch
With 5 deaths in NYPD custody this year, public defenders ask who’s policing the police? Gothamist
New York state sends police chiefs to Israel for ‘counterterrorism’ training Middle East Eye (Chuck L)
Economy
Vehicle sales in August looked pre-recessionary Angry Bear
Inflation Barry Ritholtz (resilc)
AI
AI Triggers 70% Collapse in Fresh Graduate Hiring at India’s IT Giants That Employ 5.4 Million India Dispatch
AI Is Killing the College Essay. Enter the “Video Essay” Washington Monthly
‘The Cybernetic Society’ makes an unconvincing case for human-AI utopia Washington Post (Anthony L). From last month, still germane.
Class Warfare
Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade apologizes for saying mentally ill homeless people should be executed Associated Press (Chuck L)
The Newest Face of Long-Term Unemployment? The College Educated. New York Times (resilc)
Shocking stat of the day:
The bottom 50% of US households now hold just 2.5% of total US wealth.
History says rate cuts with stocks at record highs will lead to even more record highs 12 months from now.
Asset owners will party and the wealth gap will widen.
Especially as… https://t.co/yZSU2BV8YW pic.twitter.com/ZKfZSrVczI
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) September 13, 2025
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
