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The Weekly Watch

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 5:55am

Enemies of Peace

Many forces are arrayed to block any chance of peace around the world. Forces like the MIC, big oil, the banksters, war whore neocons and neolibs, the EU vassals, Zionists, the deep state graft machine, the five eyes, media propagandists, and more. No wonder there's forever war all over the globe.

2494752-Franklin-D-Roosevelt-Quote-We-had-to-struggle-with-the-old-enemies-of-peace-business-430591065.jpg

I think western powers are in a panic. Russia is advancing rapidly in Ukraine, and the Ukrainian/NATO defeat is eminent. EU leaders are in denial, still claiming Ukraine is winning...as are the deep state media talking heads.
Trump BLINDSIDES Zelensky & NATO, Russia Just WON | Alex Christoforou & Patrick Henningsen

(85 min) Ukraine has reached a breaking point, and Alex Christoforou of The Duran & Patrick Henningsen join to dissect Trump's desperate 'peace' push, Putin's response, and the deadly trajectory of Zelensky & NATO's panic as the West's war on Russia falls apart.

Russia military gains wake up US. EU remains delusional

(17 min) Comment from under the clip...
Larry Johnson said $48 billion has been siphoned away to Estonia, Latvia, and the Baltic states, and then some diverted to the Caribbean and Cayman Islands, and payments have been made to 23 US politicians, and those who strongly insist on the war are the ones who are receiving payment!
This is what the US and Europe called their values, freedom and democracy!

'Imminent defeat' and push for a deal w/ Robert Barnes (Live)

(108 min)

Douglas Macgregor: NATO Lost the War - Empire of Lies Collapses

(40 min) Douglas Macgregor is a retired Colonel, combat veteran and former senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. Col. Macgregor argues that NATO has lost the Ukraine War, and the consequences are coming in the form of lies being exposed and political disintegration of NATO.

Pepe Escobar : The 28-Point Theater of the Absurd

(25 min) Pepe's article is here.
Provisional endgame: The chihuahuas of war will keep barking while the SMO will keep rollin’ along.

Misunderstanding-arising-from-ignorance-breeds-fear-and-166759-3927800424.jpg

Fear is a driver of poor decisions.

The Demise of the EU is in the offing

The EU is in free fall and mass denial

(66 min) ALEX CHRISTOFOROU: The Ukraine war will have a military outcome
Alex Christoforou is a geopolitical analyst, writer and media entrepreneur, best known as the chairman and one of the leading voices of the outlet The Duran.
Based in Cyprus, Christoforou has built a following as an honest and straight‑talking commentator who challenges mainstream Western narratives on diplomacy, war, and economic power. He has analyzed the strategic realignment of China, Russia and the Gulf states, and taken aim at what he sees as Western hypocrisy in foreign policy.
For our podcast — where we explore the Balkans, global conflicts, diplomacy and power shifts — Alex’s background makes him a particularly suited guest. We’ll dive into issues like the EU’s stance on Kosovo vs Cyprus, the legacy of NATO’s intervention in Serbia and how it relates to the war in Ukraine, the troubled state of Bosnia, the China‑U.S. rivalry, and what individuals should watch (and maybe invest in) in an unpredictable world of trade wars and sanctions.
Host: Boris Malagurski

Glenn Diesen puts it plainly - Prof. Glenn Diesen : The EU Wants More War!

George Galloway Speaks Out on Being Forced Into Exile After Criticizing Ukraine War

George Galloway has been elected to parliament seven times, and on many issues is one of the most conservative politicians in the U.K. But when he criticized the Ukraine war, he was detained by British police and had his property confiscated. He’s now in exile.
0:00 Why Was Galloway Detained by the Anti-Terrorism Police?
10:35 Has Anyone Defended Galloway?
12:56 The Fall of the Labor Party
16:23 What Is Motivating the War With Russia?
22:10 Why Is the West Killing Itself?
27:27 How Do We Fix the West?
30:19 Can Galloway Save the Labor Party?
34:57 The Mission to Spread Death and Hate

With the Ukraine peace deal afoot, Israel's actions are not getting much press.
None the less, Israel has been actively attacking Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank.

At Least 15 Killed, 20 Wounded as Israel Attacks Western Syrian Town of Beit Jinn
The town of Beit Jinn in the eastern part of Syria’s Rif Damashq Governorate is reeling today after an Israeli raid turned into a major attack, involving ground troops and airstrikes against the small town, leaving at least 15 dead, including women and children. It is being described by locals as a massacre and by the Syrian Foreign Ministry as a war crime.

UN peacekeeping force reports over 10,000 Israeli violations since ceasefire in Lebanon
Under the ceasefire, the Israeli army was supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon this January, but instead only partially pulled out and continues to maintain a military presence at five border outposts.

Israel Pounds Southern Lebanon as Trump Issues Ultimatum
Israel continued with its attacks on southern Lebanon on Thursday. A year on from the ceasefire with Lebanon, the strikes show no signs of abating, and indeed come with persistent threats of further escalation by the Israeli military.
...
The IDF claimed the strikes targeted weapons depots and terror infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah, though as usual they provided no evidence this was actually the case. Their statement added that the presence of the purported infrastructure violated the understandings of the ceasefire, ignoring as usual the literal thousands of IDF violations of the same ceasefire.

Amnesty International Says Gaza Genocide Is Not Over
The group says Israel continues to deliberately inflict conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza. ...
“More than one month after a ceasefire was announced in Gaza on 9 October, Israeli authorities are still committing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, by continuing to deliberately inflict conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction,” Amnesty said in a statement.

Israeli troops kill two Palestinians after they appear to surrender

Unrwa: Israeli offensive displaced 32,000 Palestinians from West Bank camps
Between 7 October 2023 and 3 November 2025, 1,012 Palestinians, including 215 children, were killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, according to the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha).

Huckabee met secretly with literal traitor

(12 min) The Grayzone's Max Blumenthal and Aaron Mate discuss the scandalous and still-unpunished secret meeting between US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and one of the most notorious Israeli spies, Jonathan Pollard, who handed vast troves of US secrets over to his handlers in Tel Aviv, and who now proudly identifies as an "Israel Firster."

FMR. CIA - Phil Giraldi : Israel First Policy Will Ruin the US. (26 min)

2025-09-29-drug-trafficking-venezuela-index-videoSixteenByNine3000-v2-1240567819.png

And on to our next war with Venezuela
Trump's war of lies. The whopper is that Maduro is a narcoterrorist is not even as good as WMD's in Iraq. Plus it can be easily debunked. If he follows through on an invasion he will sink his own administration in a quagmire of troubles, not to mention the harm it will do to the US as well.

Trump Declares Closure of Venezuela’s Airspace
It’s unclear if the declaration means that the US will impose a no-fly zone on Venezuela, which would be an act of war. Such a step or any military strikes on Venezuela would be illegal without congressional authorization, per the US Constitution.
The order came after the president said that he may “very soon” expand the bombing campaign against alleged drug-running boats in the region to strikes on Venezuelan territory.

This is a foolish war of choice!

Why the U.S. Really Wants Maduro Gone

(25 min) Why is Washington so desperate to control Venezuela? Larry Johnson reveals why current U.S. actions toward Venezuela are dangerous, illegal, and doomed to fail.

Mr Evil returns...
Elliott Abrams returns, promoting a Caracas cakewalk
Why would anyone listen to this lying, failure of a person? It is beyond me. All we need is John Bolton to round out our insanity.

Daniel Davis has a couple of short clips on the illegal war with Venezuela
BREAKING: Secretary of War & President Ignore Laws of War to "Kill Them All" in Caribbean (15 min)

Breaking: Trump Signals Attack on Venezuela Soon (14 min)

It isn't just Venezuela, now Trump is going for Honduras as well.
Trump Intervenes in Honduran Election, Endorses Right-Wing Candidate and Pledges to Pardon Former Narco-Trafficking President
Talk about hypocrisy...
Trump Pardons Convicted Narco-Trafficking Pol Amid Plot To Rig Honduran Election
On November 28, US President Donald Trump Trump declared he will be pardoning former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was sentenced to 45 years in a New York prison in 2024 for his role in helping smuggle 400 tons of cocaine into the US in a drug-running scheme linked to the Sinaloa cartel. Hernandez, Trump wrote, had been “treated very harshly and unfairly.”

I thought this short lesson was worthwhile.

Consumerism is the Perfection of Slavery - Prof Jiang Xueqin

(13 min)
00:00 – Marx's Ideals and Post-WWII Society
02:04 – The Shift Away from Worker-Centric Society in the 1980s
02:52 – The Revolt of the Elite and Neoliberalism
04:49 – Transition to the Consumer as the Organizing Unit
06:14 – The Mentality of the Consumer and its Consequences
11:53 – Consumerism as the Perfection of Slavery

Let's wrap with a wood stove cooked Thanksgiving meal...

(33 min) WOOD FIRED COOKING - A MOUNTAIN FEAST WITH DESSERTS & TREE TEA

I hope your Thanksgiving was pleasant. I feel like I've been eating for a week. Next week I've got to get back on a more moderate track.
It seems every week the news gets worse. We are addicted to war and can't kick our bad habit. The system depends on conflict and death. Next week I hope to cover more positive stories, and take a break from US provocations and conflicts...if we don't go and do something stupid anyway.
Have a nice conclusion to your holiday weekend, and please feel free to add anything you would like in the comments below. The thread is open!

Tags:

weekly watch

Open Thread

enemies of peace

Ukraine collapse

Israel constant attacks

EU delusions

Vote

Comments

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 6:24am

oops, forgot about the Japan China issue...

Einar Tangen: The U.S. Instigates Japan-China Conflict

(51 min)

Too many conflicts to recall them all. Whatta world!

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by QMS on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 8:13am

Hey, good morning

The links and commentary today does not
encourage much hope for peaceful co-existence.
A good explanation of why we are here nonetheless.

Ran across a fascinating post by Scott Ritter about
the RUS-Alaska connection. Amazing expedition
diaries and fantastic photography. Quite long (268 pages)
but very worthwhile. A sailors dream.

https://substack.com/redirect/adb9bbcb-d109-46dc-a8b7-580c8a6e59c1?j=eyJ...

Thanks for the WW Lookout!
Enjoy your day.

—

Zionism is a social disease

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 10:04am

No, it wasn't a positive message today...

@QMS

I wish it was, but reality gets in the way. One has to look to BRICS+ to find positive news. I'm bummed out about the Venezuela illegal conflict that now seems inevitable. WTF is Trump thinking? I don't think he has the intellectual ability to understand what a disaster he is creating.

I've got more positive stories next week, if this damned war in the Caribbean is avoided. We'll see.

Thanks for coming by today. Enjoy the end of the holiday!

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by Cassiodorus on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 8:38am

The return to primitive or original accumulation

And so we have Marx, writing to us from the year 1867:

This primitive accumulation plays in Political Economy about the same part as original sin in theology. Adam bit the apple, and thereupon sin fell on the human race. Its origin is supposed to be explained when it is told as an anecdote of the past. In times long gone by there were two sorts of people; one, the diligent, intelligent, and, above all, frugal elite; the other, lazy rascals, spending their substance, and more, in riotous living. The legend of theological original sin tells us certainly how man came to be condemned to eat his bread in the sweat of his brow; but the history of economic original sin reveals to us that there are people to whom this is by no means essential. Never mind! Thus it came to pass that the former sort accumulated wealth, and the latter sort had at last nothing to sell except their own skins. And from this original sin dates the poverty of the great majority that, despite all its labour, has up to now nothing to sell but itself, and the wealth of the few that increases constantly although they have long ceased to work. Such insipid childishness is every day preached to us in the defence of property. M. Thiers, e.g., had the assurance to repeat it with all the solemnity of a statesman to the French people, once so spirituel. But as soon as the question of property crops up, it becomes a sacred duty to proclaim the intellectual food of the infant as the one thing fit for all ages and for all stages of development. In actual history it is notorious that conquest, enslavement, robbery, murder, briefly force, play the great part.

The reason, then, that Marx called theft "primitive accumulation" ("original accumulation" is a more useful term, as I will explain) is that the regime of property and money and capital was made possible by government guarantees for what was originally sheer theft. Create a certificate (a "title deed") saying something is yours, get a government to destroy anyone who objects, and, lo and behold, you have stolen it! Quite clearly, though, amidst all of the theft, the basis has been laid out for the modern capitalist economy, in which theft is supposedly "bad." That's why such theft is original, and so for instance the origin of the United States (or for that matter Canada) is in the theft of the original inhabitants' land by European settlers.

There is of course one big problem with this way of thinking, this notion that theft is primitive or original accumulation. We are, with the forthcoming war against Venezuela, returning to original accumulation. We are, to use the other phrase, becoming primitive once again, regressing, devolving.

—

"It hasn't been okay to be smart in the United States for centuries" -- Frank Zappa

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 10:10am

interesting analysis

@Cassiodorus

We are, with the forthcoming war against Venezuela, returning to original accumulation. We are, to use the other phrase, becoming primitive once again, regressing, devolving.

It is reminiscent of our early first nations conquests isn't it? Sadly I don't think it will go well. Think Custer and Little Big Horn.

My bet is China and Russia have provided hypersonic missiles to Venezuela. What happens if they sink a bunch of our vessels attacking their country. I'm not expecting a good outcome. I wish Trump was capable of thinking a move ahead.

We'll see what we see. Thanks for the visit and insightful commment.

And so we have Marx, writing to us from the year 1867: This primitive accumulation plays in Political Economy about the same part as original sin in theology. Adam bit the apple, and thereupon sin fell on the human race. Its origin is supposed to be explained when it is told as an anecdote of the past. In times long gone by there were two sorts of people; one, the diligent, intelligent, and, above all, frugal elite; the other, lazy rascals, spending their substance, and more, in riotous living. The legend of theological original sin tells us certainly how man came to be condemned to eat his bread in the sweat of his brow; but the history of economic original sin reveals to us that there are people to whom this is by no means essential. Never mind! Thus it came to pass that the former sort accumulated wealth, and the latter sort had at last nothing to sell except their own skins. And from this original sin dates the poverty of the great majority that, despite all its labour, has up to now nothing to sell but itself, and the wealth of the few that increases constantly although they have long ceased to work. Such insipid childishness is every day preached to us in the defence of property. M. Thiers, e.g., had the assurance to repeat it with all the solemnity of a statesman to the French people, once so spirituel. But as soon as the question of property crops up, it becomes a sacred duty to proclaim the intellectual food of the infant as the one thing fit for all ages and for all stages of development. In actual history it is notorious that conquest, enslavement, robbery, murder, briefly force, play the great part. The reason, then, that Marx called theft "primitive accumulation" ("original accumulation" is a more useful term, as I will explain) is that the regime of property and money and capital was made possible by government guarantees for what was originally sheer theft. Create a certificate (a "title deed") saying something is yours, get a government to destroy anyone who objects, and, lo and behold, you have stolen it! Quite clearly, though, amidst all of the theft, the basis has been laid out for the modern capitalist economy, in which theft is supposedly "bad." That's why such theft is original, and so for instance the origin of the United States (or for that matter Canada) is in the theft of the original inhabitants' land by European settlers. There is of course one big problem with this way of thinking, this notion that theft is primitive or original accumulation. We are, with the forthcoming war against Venezuela, returning to original accumulation. We are, to use the other phrase, becoming primitive once again, regressing, devolving.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 9:27am

I stayed for the whole mountain feast.

.
It was a mindful and beautiful experience. Every living thing seems to be a part of it.

Appreciate that you posted this.

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 10:14am

I loved it too...

@Pluto's Republic

My meal prep was a good bit easier, but still more complicated than usual. Hope you had a good one!

As I said earlier, I've got to lay off all the eating.

I thought this clip from the same family was endearing too. How traditions are passed down...

(17 min) COOKING CABBAGE & MAKING SAUERKRAUT IN APPALACHIA WITH HISTORY & STORIES

Glad you enjoyed the woodstove cooking. Always nice to "see" you!

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by fire with fire on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 10:32am

Did anybody here ever imagine that Ukraine could win?

It has been a fraud, coming and going. Enough billions of bucks have been squeezed out of this farcical war and it is time to move on to the next fraudulent crisis.

Trump ain't calling these shots, he is reading his lines. Or does anybody believe that he has any conception of what is going on in Venezuela? He gets "briefings" from "professionals" at "intel."

Bankrupting America moves on apace.

—

I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long.

Submitted by QMS on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 11:01am

Since the US cannot challenge "peer" powers

@fire with fire
.

the MIC has devolved from arming proxies
to attacking smaller nations who haven't the
weapons to defend themselves. Just another
disaster awaiting engagement. Korea, Viet Nam,
Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine. Think the rulers would
learn by their mistakes? Apparently not.

—

Zionism is a social disease

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 11:42am

None the less talking head talk trash...

@fire with fire

Still claiming Ukraine is winning....which translates "keep washing the cash". I don't know how many still buy the BS? Sames true about Maduro as a druglord, I mean really? Who can buy that?

And you are correct...

Bankrupting America moves on apace.

Onward into the fog...

Thanks for dropping in!

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by Cassiodorus on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 3:29pm

It's magical thinking

@fire with fire Russia, you see, will spontaneously combust at any moment now.

The main illustration of how far we are from a rational society, of how dependent we are upon what any honest anthropologist would call magic, is money. As regards your Ukraine example, the idea under Biden was that if we "sent" the Ukrainians enough money, Russia would spontaneously combust. Of course, what happened was that the money actually went to weapons manufacturers or to Zelensky's fund for buying houses for Zelensky. At some point, perhaps a year or two ago, it became evident that no amount of weaponry and no amount of money would save Ukraine because there weren't actual people to fire the weapons. Magic cannot fire weapons without human assistance. But since we are dealing here with magical thinking, the money continued -- and continues -- to flow.

Everyone needs money. But what is money? Money is a social relation. But money is also a thing -- bills, or coins, or security-enabled pixels on a screen. In short, money is magic -- a thing compels a social relation in much the same way in which, in the fairy tale, some sort of magic allowed Cinderella to go to the ball to dance with Prince Charming. The twentysomething Karl Marx:

Money’s properties are my – the possessor’s – properties and essential powers. Thus, what I am and am capable of is by no means determined by my individuality. I am ugly, but I can buy for myself the most beautiful of women. Therefore I am not ugly, for the effect of ugliness – its deterrent power – is nullified by money. I, according to my individual characteristics, am lame, but money furnishes me with twenty-four feet. Therefore I am not lame. I am bad, dishonest, unscrupulous, stupid; but money is honoured, and hence its possessor. Money is the supreme good, therefore its possessor is good. Money, besides, saves me the trouble of being dishonest: I am therefore presumed honest. I am brainless, but money is the real brain of all things and how then should its possessor be brainless? Besides, he can buy clever people for himself, and is he who has [In the manuscript: ‘is’. – Ed.] power over the clever not more clever than the clever? Do not I, who thanks to money am capable of all that the human heart longs for, possess all human capacities? Does not my money, therefore, transform all my incapacities into their contrary?

It appears that the atrocities will end when the money which buys them is devalued until it is worthless. That will end the magic -- the working class will not manufacture weapons to use on those of its kind for free. But, unless we change, we will still need money. This is the dilemma we face.

—

"It hasn't been okay to be smart in the United States for centuries" -- Frank Zappa

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 6:48pm

magic indeed...

@Cassiodorus
Money really is an illusion. A piece of paper with presidents printed on them. Most money is just zeros and ones. Truly just an illusion.

And yet it is the goal of most. Sad isn't it?

Friends, family, community are the wealth we should seek. I must admit I don't know many of my neighbors. The nearest ones, a mile away I've at least met, but don't interact. That's something I should correct. However around the neighboring community I know many folks and feel comfort in those relationships.

Hope your community is supportive of you!

#5 Russia, you see, will spontaneously combust at any moment now. The main illustration of how far we are from a rational society, of how dependent we are upon what any honest anthropologist would call magic, is money. As regards your Ukraine example, the idea under Biden was that if we "sent" the Ukrainians enough money, Russia would spontaneously combust. Of course, what happened was that the money actually went to weapons manufacturers or to Zelensky's fund for buying houses for Zelensky. At some point, perhaps a year or two ago, it became evident that no amount of weaponry and no amount of money would save Ukraine because there weren't actual people to fire the weapons. Magic cannot fire weapons without human assistance. But since we are dealing here with magical thinking, the money continued -- and continues -- to flow. Everyone needs money. But what is money? Money is a social relation. But money is also a thing -- bills, or coins, or security-enabled pixels on a screen. In short, money is magic -- a thing compels a social relation in much the same way in which, in the fairy tale, some sort of magic allowed Cinderella to go to the ball to dance with Prince Charming. The twentysomething Karl Marx: Money’s properties are my – the possessor’s – properties and essential powers. Thus, what I am and am capable of is by no means determined by my individuality. I am ugly, but I can buy for myself the most beautiful of women. Therefore I am not ugly, for the effect of ugliness – its deterrent power – is nullified by money. I, according to my individual characteristics, am lame, but money furnishes me with twenty-four feet. Therefore I am not lame. I am bad, dishonest, unscrupulous, stupid; but money is honoured, and hence its possessor. Money is the supreme good, therefore its possessor is good. Money, besides, saves me the trouble of being dishonest: I am therefore presumed honest. I am brainless, but money is the real brain of all things and how then should its possessor be brainless? Besides, he can buy clever people for himself, and is he who has [In the manuscript: ‘is’. – Ed.] power over the clever not more clever than the clever? Do not I, who thanks to money am capable of all that the human heart longs for, possess all human capacities? Does not my money, therefore, transform all my incapacities into their contrary? It appears that the atrocities will end when the money which buys them is devalued until it is worthless. That will end the magic -- the working class will not manufacture weapons to use on those of its kind for free. But, unless we change, we will still need money. This is the dilemma we face.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by soryang on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 11:35am

Thanks for the WW, Lookout!

Great news line up, as usual.

Glenn Diesen is so reliably good. I liked his recent program below with Daniel Bell who makes observations on the unique nature of Chinese government and policy, and how in certain ways it has returned to historical roots. He discusses the principle of 和 in state relations, alludes to the nature of the "tributary" relationship, and sheds light on current Chinese foreign relations. He refers to Chinese theory of government particularly Legalist v. Confucian. I had never understood "legalism" as a Chinese school of thought roughly similar to western so called "realism," in nature. If you have time, I think his analysis is profound.

Einar is good too. I've been watching him for a few years. What a stupid move to shake down George at the airport.

—

語必忠信行必正直

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 11:47am

Thanks...

@soryang

I thought that was a good interview. Thanks for dropping it in today.
Pepe talks about Eastern Meritocracy too. He is based in Thailand as you know.

Hope all is well in FL. It is a cool drizzle here on Lookout Mt.

Take care, and I appreciate the clip and the visit.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by soryang on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 12:39pm

Liked Pepe's discussion

@Lookout

,,,especially of Todd's outlook. I'd been listening to Todd and about Todd on Jeff Rich's channel Burning Archive. Pepe described exactly what the difficulty of interpretation is without reading the books themselves, which I haven't, and probably won't. I'll depend on others. I think Pepe's got it.

Thanks for recommending that video, LO!

—

語必忠信行必正直

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 11:48am

Good morning LO, et. al. When is an act of war not

an act of war? When nobody calls it that. At any rate, at least when the US Congress fails to recognize it as such and assert its right to be the sole authorizing party for such acts. If trump were to bomb Nigeria and say he was hunting "terists" and Congress was silent about it, then it would not be inteerenally deemed to be an act of war. If Nigeria then called it such The US would assert that such a declaration was tantamount to a declaration of war on us by Nigereia and demand a retraction backed by the threat of "retaliatory" carpet bombing of Nigeria.

Thanks for the WW and all the info, vids and links.

be well and have a good one

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 11:54am

yes, and the emperor has no clothes...

@enhydra lutris
Congress isn't just silent, they are complicit...owned by the same oligarchs and do their bidding.

No telling what the US will do next week. Looks like more stupidity on the way. Well, just have to wait and see.

Hope you had a great holiday! Enjoy what's left.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Mon, 12/01/2025 - 1:52am

I never watch TV news, especially the Sabbath Gasbags....

@Lookout @Lookout

But I did catch parts of Meet the Press, etc. And I was struck by the brittleness of the tightly controlled hysteria. The issues being discussed were swept along on a flash flood of intellectual dishonesty, denial, and delusion. So many people who host or appear on these national news shows are obviously no longer sane....

In any event, there seemed actual push back that was boiling over this weekend — between members of Congress and the so-called Federal Government. Among the many constitutional abuses taking place in the United States, Lawmakers are finally showing outrage about possible US war crimes being committed in the Caribbean.

Several lawmakers are pressing the Trump administration for answers after multiple outlets reported Friday that the U.S. conducted a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in September.

CNN and The Washington Post reported that on Sept. 2, the U.S. struck a vessel it accused of trafficking drugs off the coast of Venezuela a second time, killing the remaining survivors of its initial attack, who were clinging to wreckage in the ocean.

The operation, which the administration said killed 11 “narco-terrorists,” was the first in a series of strikes President Trump has authorized against boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. The strikes have killed more than 80 people, whom the administration has alleged are trafficking drugs into the U.S., and ramped up tensions with Venezuela and its leader, Nicolás Maduro. To be clear, these are speedboats traveling between islands, and not within reach of the United States.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday on the social platform X that the operations are “lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflict — and approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command.”

Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the chair and ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, respectively, vowed Saturday to conduct “vigorous oversight” into the matter.

“The Committee is aware of recent news reports — and the Department of Defense’s initial response — regarding alleged follow-on strikes on suspected narcotics vessels in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility,” the two wrote in a joint statement.

“The Committee has directed inquiries to the Department, and we will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to the circumstances,” they added.

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a member of the committee, said Sunday that the body will put military officials “under oath” as part of its inquiry.

“We’re going to have an investigation,” Kelly told host Kristen Welker on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “We’re going to have a public hearing. We’re going to put these folks under oath. And we’re going to find out what happened. And then, there needs to be accountability.”

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), meanwhile, said Sunday it is “very possible” that the follow-up strike constituted a war crime.
“I think it’s very possible there was a war crime committed,” Van Hollen told host Jonathan Karl on ABC News’s “This Week.”

Kelly also told host Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the second strike, if it occurred, “seems to” be a war crime.
“If that is true, if what has been reported is accurate, I have got serious concerns about anybody in that chain of command stepping over a line that they should never step over,” the Arizona Democrat said Sunday.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) said that while it is important to “get to the truth” of what occurred, the second strike, if true, is a “clear violation of the law of war.”
“If it was as the article said, that is a violation of the law of war,” Bacon said on “This Week.” “When people want to surrender, you don’t kill them, and they have to pose an imminent threat. It’s hard to believe that two people on a raft, trying to survive, would pose an imminent threat.”

Last month, Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Adam Schiff (D-Ca.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) introduced a war powers resolution that required congressional approval for the strikes in international waters.

While the measure did not garner enough GOP support to pass the upper chamber, Kaine told host Nancy Cordes on CBS News’s “Face the Nation” Sunday that he, Schiff, Paul and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will refile the resolution, and he expects more support from across the aisle.

The Virginia Democrat also said that the follow-up strike “rises to the level of a war crime if it’s true.”

There were several more very contentious issues over illegal and unconstitutional actions by Trump Administration officials that caused great consternation. All Administration officials lied their asses off in the most depraved fashion, and threatened their Congressional accusers with the death penalty. Anyone watching these Sunday shows, who still have a couple of neurons to rub together, got a dose of reality.

I was shocked, actually. I haven't seen this kind of action since Clinton's penis hit the front page.

Submitted by on the cusp on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 6:27pm

Good evening, LO!

How many Presidents in my lifetime have shown signs of dementia? I can think of 3. Reagan, Biden, Trump, and I might be overlooking one. The New Normal is Abnormal.
The mountain meal on that delightful video is close to the meals I have eaten in my youth, sans mountains. That brought back some nice childhood memories.
I crave an anti-war gummint. Are the MAGAs understanding they were lied to?
We have enjoyed great meals this holiday. And just relaxing here at home. Gone are the days of me flying off to somewhere during the Thanksgiving holiday when no judges preside over dockets, no court hearings for me to seek continuances. I think if airport security rifled through my lap top or phone, given my stance on Palestine independence and Israel committing genocide, I could be detained or arrested a la Galloway, particularly in the EU. I do not blame him for getting out of GB while he could.
Enjoy your upcoming diet! Lol! I am with you, dear friend!

—

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 6:54pm

An empire of dementia?

@on the cusp

So it seems. At a minimum we have a severe case of amnesia. History isn't understood by the masses. It is shoot from the hip first, think later, philosophy. What a shame?

As you suggest holiday weekends are a good time for mischief. So on we go.

And on we'll go for better or worse...none the less it is interesting.

So nice to "see" you this evening!

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by QMS on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 7:08pm

Rational thinking skills

@Lookout
.

are not encouraged in the present state
of human affairs, at least in the US. Have
noticed if you can parrot whatever media
presentation is currently popular, that elevates
you to one of the 'good' people, to be trusted.
Doesn't seem to matter if you also happen to be a
psycho killer. Sheesh.

—

Zionism is a social disease

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 7:37pm

better go along to get along...

@QMS

Baa, baa. The sheeple speak.

It is easier to lie to someone than convince them they've been lied to. So on we go.

Thanks for the clip, psycho killer please run away.

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by Lookout on Sun, 11/30/2025 - 7:46pm

I'll sign out with this one tonight...

I like to sing and play it, but I'll leave it up to the singer/songwriter instead.

Lyrics of Alabama State of Mind by Claire Lynch

There′s a lasting impression forever in my mind
A mental picture of a place that I call home
And whenever this big city starts to move too fast
I can kick off these shoes and flip it on
I see a white farmhouse and a flatbed truck
And an old barn filled with winter hay
And the barge out in the channel takes its own sweet time
By tonight he'll be a hundred miles away

Chorus:
I can float across the river, wade on up the creek
Walk on down a country road just killin′ time
No matter where I go I'll always be
In an Alabama state of mind

I can still smell the dirt of a new plowed field
Watch the sun set on the river till it's gone
And all God′s creatures come alive on a moonlit night
And make a joyful noise all of their own
And on a laid back summer Sunday after church
Kinfolk come around to visit for a while
And I can almost taste what′s on my plate
Sunday dinner cooked up southern style

I can float across the river, wade on up the creek
Walk on down a country road just killin' time
No matter where I go I′ll always be
In an Alabama state of mind

If you catch me in a daydream you will know that I'm
In an Alabama state of mind

Writer(s): Claire Elise Lynch, Hershey Reeves

Hope you're all in a good state of mind too!

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”