OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia and Vietnam have been concealing arms deal payments to avoid U.S. and other Western sanctions, according to internal Vietnamese documents obtained by AP News. The documents show that since 2023, Vietnam has bought Russian military equipment on credit from Moscow and then paid that credit back through its share of the profits of a Vietnam-Russian oil company in Siberia. David Rising reports.

U.S. and Western intelligence officials have been unable to determine whether the Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace was accidental or not. Sources say the intelligence about the drones, including flight pattern and technical specifications, has been difficult to interpret. A senior U.S. military official assessed the odds that it was intentional as  “50-50”, with another U.S. source stating  “we just don’t have sufficient intel one way or another.” Katie Bo Lillis, Isabelle Khurshudyan and Natasha Betrand report for CNN.

Trump said yesterday during the press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that Putin’s “let me down. He’s really let me down.”Trump said that he previously believed that the war in Ukraine would be the easiest conflict to resolve because of his relationship with Putin. AP Newsreports.

In the same interview, Trump proclaimed the US would play a role in post-war peace-building in Ukraine. “After the war is settled, we would help secure the peace. And I think ultimately that’ll happen,” he said.

During the meeting, Trump and Starmer discussed ways to increase defence support for Ukraine and “decisively” put pressure on Putin to agree to a peace deal, Starmer said.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov took a swipe at Trump in response, according to TASS: “When President Trump says he is disappointed, it seems to me – I can’t say that I know him very well, of course, but I have spoken with him several times, and I have formed a certain impression – that this is partly because he wants quick solutions”."

lousubcap

And this on Bagram Air Base:

"The United States is seeking to regain control of the Bagram air base in Afghanistan, President Trump announced yesterday. “We’re trying to get it back because [the Taliban] need things from us,” Trump said, adding the base is “an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.” Bagram presently remains under the control of the Taliban, following the United States’ withdrawal from the country in 2021. According to sources, Trump has been quietly pushing U.S. national security officials to find a way to regain the base for months. Adam Taylor and Susannah George report for the Washington Post; Natasha Bertrand and Zachary Cohen report for CNN.

Taliban officials late yesterday rejected Trump’s suggestion that the United States may regain control over the Bagram air base, with a foreign ministry official saying that “Afghans have never accepted the military presence of anyone throughout history” and “for other kinds of engagement, all paths remain open for them.” Elian Peltier reports for the New York Times.

A U.S. reoccupation of Bagram could require more than 10,000 troops as well as deployment of advanced air defenses, according to current and former U.S. officials. There is no active planning to militarily take over the base, a U.S. official added. Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali report for Reuters."

lousubcap

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Estonian officials say three Russian MiG-31 fighters entered Estonia’s airspace “over the Gulf of Finland” for a total of 12 minutes on Friday and called for NATO talks over the “unprecedented and brazen intrusion”.

Moscow denied violating Estonia’s airspace, with the Russian defence ministry claiming its jets flew over neutral waters of the Baltic Sea as they travelled from northwestern Russia to the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.

The incident came a week after more than 20 Russian drones entered Polish airspace and drew immediate condemnation from NATO and European countries.

NATO spokesperson Allison Hart accused Moscow of “reckless behaviour” and said the alliance had scrambled aircraft to intercept the Russian jets.

British Defence Secretary John Healey said Russia’s “reckless and dangerous activity” was “the third violation of NATO airspace in recent days”.

France’s Ministry of the Armed Forces also responded, saying in a statement: “This incursion into Estonia is unprecedented for more than 20 years”."

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"The United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Portugal yesterday announced they now formally recognize Palestinian statehood. The series of statements came on the eve of the annual U.N. General Assembly this week, during which France has pledged to vote for recognition of a Palestinian state. Israel and the United States will boycott the U.N. summit, Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the leaders who recognize a Palestinian state are “giving a huge reward to terrorism” and the international community “will hear from us on this matter in the following days.”  Mark Landler reports for the New York Times; Dana Karni and Oren Liebermann report for CNN; John Irish and Michelle Nichols report for Reuters.

The U.N. General Assembly on Friday voted to allow Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address the Assembly using a video link, after the United States said it would not grant him a visa to attend the gathering in New York. Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.

The Trump administration is seeking Congressional approval for a sale of weapons to Israel worth nearly £6 billion, sources say. According to the sources and documents reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, the arms would be paid for by the U.S.-provided foreign military financing, and would likely not be delivered for two to three years. Jared Malsin and Robbie Gramer report.

President Trump plans to meet a group of Arab and Muslim leaders tomorrow on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting to discuss ending the war in Gaza, according to two Arab officials. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Netanyahu has asked the Trump administration to put pressure on Egypt for Cairo to scale down a recent military buildup in the Sinai Peninsula,according to a U.S. official and two Israeli officials. Netanyahu claimed Egypt was carrying out activities that amounted to  substantial violations of its 1979 peace agreement with Israel, for which the United States serves as guarantor. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Israel yesterday kept the main border route for Palestinians to cross from the occupied West Bank into Jordan closed, days after a Jordanian truck driver killed two Israeli soldiers. It is not clear when the Israeli Airports Authority, which oversees the country’s crossings, plans to reopen the route. Fatima AbdulKarim reports for the New York Times.

Qatar wants an apology from Israel for its strike on Doha before it resumes its mediation on a Gaza peace deal, sources say. Barak Ravid reports for Axios."

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Germany’s air force yesterday sent two jets to track a Russian aircraft that had entered neutral airspace over the Baltic Sea. “Our quick reaction alert force [...] was tasked by NATO with investigating an unidentified aircraft without a flight plan or radio contact in international airspace” Germany’s air force said. Reuters reports. 

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced a fresh package of Russian sanctions on Friday, saying “it is time to turn off the tap.” The package includes a plan to phase out purchases of Russian natural gas by the beginning of 2027, a year sooner than planned. The plan needs to be approved by EU members states. Jeanna Smialek reports for the New York Times.

The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today on Russian incursions into Estonian airspace, U.N. and Estonian officials say. Nina Subkhanberdina reports for CNN."

lousubcap

Tuesday Middle East update:

"France yesterday announced its recognition of Palestine’s statehood, with Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, and Monaco also announcing or confirming their recognition of a Palestinian state during a U.N. General Assembly meeting aimed at galvanizing support for a two-state solution. The United States did not attend the France- and Saudi Arabia-organized meeting. Joseph Krauss and Farnoush Amiri report for AP News; Fiona Nimoni reports for BBC News.

Trump will today present the most concrete proposal for ending the war in Gaza to date to a group of leaders from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan, according to U.S. and Arab officials. “Our understanding is that Trump wants to get our feedback and support for the U.S. plan to end the war,” one of the Arab diplomats said. Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

Pro-Palestine strikes by grassroots unions caused major disruption across Italy yesterday, with some protesters storming Milan’s central train station and clashing violently with police. Giada Zampano reports for AP News."

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"During an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council yesterday,European allies warned that they would shoot down Russian jets or drones involved in any further incursions of NATO airspace. British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said NATO “is defensive, but be under no illusion…if we need to confront planes that are operating in NATO airspace without permission, then we will do so.” U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Michael Waltz told the Security Council that the United States “will defend every inch of NATO territory.” Ivana Kottasová and Nina Subkhanberdina report for CNN. 

Zelenskyy plans to meet Trump today in New York and is likely to discuss further U.S. sanctions on Russia, ahead of speaking to the U.N. General Assembly tomorrow morning. Tom Balmforth reports for Reuters."

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Wednesday Middle East update:

"Gaza City’s al-Shifa hospital, one of the last functioning hospitals in the city, is overwhelmed with casualties from Israeli strikes, according to healthcare workers. A medic told BBC News that the hospital staff are operating on severely wounded patients in filthy conditions and with “minimal to hardly no anaesthesia.” 

Israeli tanks have moved into multiple neighbourhoods in Gaza City in the past day, according to geolocated images. Journalists working for CNNreport heavy shelling and drone presence, explosions, and the sounds of gunfire in the city. Abeer Salman, Ibrahim Dahman, Khader Al Zaanoun, Tareq Al Hilou, Oren Liebermann, and Tim Lister report.

Starting today, Israel will indefinitely close the only crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan “at the direction of the political leadership,” a spokesperson for the Israeli authority overseeing the crossing said. Reuters report."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"In a shift in rhetoric, Trump posted yesterday on social media that Kyiv can “win all of Ukraine back in its original form,” elaborating that “Putin and Russia are in BIG economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act.” Earlier on, Trump confirmed in a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft that enter their airspace. Ruth Comerford and Anthony Zurcher report for BBC News; Eli Stokols reports for POLITICO.

Zelenskyy said yesterday evening that he was surprised by Trump’s social media post but supported the “big shift” in Trump’s position. 

Zelenskyy said he believed that he and Trump will have a “better relation than before” and suggested that “the fact that Putin was lying to President Trump so many times also made a difference between us.” Pranav Baskar reports for the New York Times.

Zelenskyy added that the US leader could be a “game-changer” for Ukraine, as there was an understanding “that President Trump is ready to give Ukraine security guarantees after this war will finish”.

The Ukrainian president also met the US special presidential envoy, Keith Kellogg, to discuss procurement of weapons from the US and mutually beneficial agreements on drones, according to Zelenskyy’s post on X.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Trump agreed on the need to quickly cut Russia’s revenues from fossil fuels – possibly by the end of the year, speaking to the US president on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

A Kremlin spokesperson responded today to Trump’s remarks by stating that Russia’s economy is stable and that the Russian army is advancing in Ukraine. The spokesperson said in an interview that “of course, President Trump heard Zelenskyy’s version of events. And […] this is the reason for the assessment we heard.” Anastasia Lyrchikova and Gleb Stolyarov report for Reuters."

lousubcap

Thursday Middle East update:

"Trump on Tuesday promised Arab and Muslim leaders that he would not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank, several sources say. U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said that during the meeting, Trump and his team “presented what we call the Trump 21-point-plan for peace in the Mideast in Gaza.” Felicia Schwartz, Eli Stokols, Nicholas Vinocur, and Hans von der Burchard report for POLITICO.

An Israeli strike near a market in Gaza City killed at least 22 people yesterday, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense rescue service. The Wafa news agency, linked to the Palestinian Authority administration, said that all of those killed were seeking shelter in a warehouse targeted by Israel. 

A drone fired from Yemen yesterday has injured at least 22 people in Eilat, Southern Israel. It is unclear how the drone penetrated Israel’s air defenses. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the attack, calling it a “qualitative military operation.” Eugenia Yosef, Mohammed Tawfeeq, and Oren Liebermann report for CNN"

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Trump’s apparent shift on the war in Ukraine this week is a “negotiating tactic” intended to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin, a senior White House official said yesterday. Trump’s escalating rhetoric against Russia is a marker of his frustration towards Putin but does not signify a major policy shift, the official said. Vice President JD Vance downplayed any “shift in position,” instead describing Trump’s comment as an acknowledgement of “reality on the ground.” Michael Birnbaum and Natalie Allison report for the Washington Post; Kevin Liptak reports for CNN.

“We are now living through the most destructive arms race in human history,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the U.N. General Assembly yesterday. Zelenskyy called on leaders to act against Russia, stating that Putin wants to expand his war into Europe and painting a picture of deadly drones that could eventually carry nuclear warheads. Marc Santora and Ivan Nechepurenko report for the New York Times; Edith M. Lederer reports for AP News.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Russia’s foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in New York yesterday. The Russian statement following the meeting noted “mutual interest in finding a peaceful solution” while criticising “schemes promoted by Kyiv and certain European capitals” dragging out the war. In contrast, the U.S. statement said that Rubio “reiterated President Trump’s call for the killing to stop and the need for Moscow to take meaningful steps towards a durable resolution.” Ephrat Livni reports for the New York Times.

Several European officials said yesterday that Trump’s rhetoric shift on Ukraine may be a strategic handover of responsibility to Europe for Ukraine’s defense. A European government aide said that Trump “is building the off ramp” so he can blame Europe when he needs to, concluding that the shift in Trump’s position in Ukraine was “spectacular” but “setting a very high bar.” Anne-Sylvaine Chassany, Ben Hall, Amy Mackinnon and Christopher Miller report for the Financial Times."

lousubcap

Friday Middle East update:

"Palestinian Authority President Madmoud Abbas yesterday condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide and said that the Authority is willing to take responsibility for governing Gaza. He also said that Hamas would have no part in governing the territory, and called on the militant group to lay down its arms. Farnaz Fassihi reports for the New York Times.

Microsoft yesterday announced it had disabled some services to Israel’s Defense Ministry following an internal review that found evidence that Israel was using Microsoft’s cloud storage services to hold expansive surveillance data on Palestinians. The data confirmed reporting by the Guardian and Israeli news site +972 earlier this year, which also reported that Israel was using the data to plan its military operations. Sheera Frenkel reports for the New York Times.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has been involved in talks about leading a post-war transitional authority in Gaza, BBC News reports. The proposal under discussion, said to have secured backing from the White House, would entail Blair lead a governing authority supported by the U.N. and Gulf nations with a view of eventually handing control back to Palestinians. James Landale and Ottilie Mitchell report."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Trump signalled yesterday that he is open to lifting sanctions on Turkey, allowing Ankara to re-enter the F-35 fighter jet programme. Trump also called on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to stop buying Russian oil during their meeting at the White House. Jared Malsin, Meridith McGraw, and Elvan Kivilcim report for the Wall Street Journal.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Hungarian state radio today that Hungary will continue buying fossil fuels from Russia despite Trump’s demands. Orbán said that he had told Trump recently that stopping Russian energy imports “means the Hungarian economy would be on its knees.” Justin Spike reports for AP News.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas said yesterday that Europe alone is not responsible for supporting Ukraine in bringing an end to the war. Kallas emphasised that “America is the greatest ally in NATO. So if you talk about what NATO should do, that also means what America should do.” Trump “was the one who promised to stop the killing,” Kallas said. “So it can’t be on us.” Felicia Schwartz reports for POLITICO.

“NATO and the European Union want to declare, in fact, have already declared a real war on my country,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said yesterday at a G20 ministerial conference. Gregory Svirnovskiy reports for POLITICO.

Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced yesterday that Moscow is banning fuel exports until the end of the year. The embargo has been extended due to gasoline shortages across Russia and occupied areas as a result of Ukrainian drone attacks. Ivana Kottasová, Anna Chernova, and Kostya Gak report for CNN.

“My goal is to finish the war,” not to continue to run for office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Axios yesterday. Zelenskyy explained that he does not intend to lead his country in peacetime. Dave Lawler and Barak Ravid report."

lousubcap

Hegseth calls military leaders to meet next week in sudden order Linked below-

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5521707-hegseth-summons-top-generals/?email=dd294cf2aa830e38ac73761bb083db8a331ad6df&emaila=18ef3a9b5c0145ffffb137da176e4b62&emailb=bd7105ec6726d92e4d8a722bb54636a5c7d880e28c74730477aae05864595e03&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=defense 9/26

One can only hope this not a challenge to pledge loyalty to CHEETO above the Constitution.

lousubcap

Food for thought given the Justice Department direction from CHEETO:

“By directing his DOJ to charge Comey, Trump appears to be borrowing a tactic from the playbook of Vladimir Putin. According to Ben Rhodes , a former deputy national security adviser, Putin doesn’t try to convince the Russian people that he is honest. Instead, he works to persuade them that everyone else is corrupt. It’s a cynical ploy meant to condition people to tolerate corruption. If voters believe that all public officials are crooks, then they will overlook the crooked leader who professes to share their values.” 

Botch

lousubcap said:

Hegseth calls military leaders to meet next week in sudden order Linked below-

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5521707-hegseth-summons-top-generals/?email=dd294cf2aa830e38ac73761bb083db8a331ad6df&emaila=18ef3a9b5c0145ffffb137da176e4b62&emailb=bd7105ec6726d92e4d8a722bb54636a5c7d880e28c74730477aae05864595e03&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=defense 9/26

One can only hope this not a challenge to pledge loyalty to CHEETO above the Constitution.

I’m holding my breath on this one.  

lousubcap

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia on Friday accused Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of making “irresponsible” threats after he said Moscow’s top officials should check for bomb shelters near the Kremlin if the country does not stop its offensive on Ukraine.

In an interview with United States media outlet Axios, published on Thursday, President Zelenskyy said Russian officials “have to know where their bomb shelters are”, adding: “If they will not stop the war, they will need it in any case.”

President Donald Trump told Zelenskyy he was open to lifting restrictions on Ukraine’s use of American-made long-range weapons to strike deep inside Russia, but did not commit to doing so in their meeting on Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed officials.

Axios also reported on Friday that Zelenskyy asked Trump for Tomahawk missiles, citing unnamed sources."

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"Negotiations over the latest iteration of Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza are “at their final stages,” Trump told Axios yesterday, asserting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is “on board” with the plan. In a statement, Hamas said that the group has not received any new ceasefire proposals from mediators, and stressed that negotiations have been suspended since Israel’s failed attempt to kill its leaders in Doha three weeks ago. U.S. officials suggested that Arab and Muslim countries have been in touch with the militant group on the proposal. Barak Ravid reports.

Netanyahu will give Israel’s response to the newest U.S. proposal for a Gaza ceasefire when he meets Trump in the White House later today,according to a senior Israeli official. Other Israeli officials suggest Netanyahu is expected to present reservations to the plan during the meeting and push for changes. Netanyahu yesterday said that the deal has “not been finalized yet.” Matt Spetalnick and Steve Holland report for Reuters; Tal Shalev, Oren Liebermann, and Kit Maher report for CNN.

The vast majority of officials and diplomats gathered at the U.N. General Assembly Hall on Friday appeared to walk out as Netanyahu took the stage for his address. In his speech, Netanyahu said that Israel would “finish the job” in Gaza, and claimed that the Israeli intelligence services were livestreaming his speech to the phones of people across Gaza. Gaza residents told CNN they had not received any messages or streams related to the speech. Barak Ravid and Dave Lawler report for Axios; Tal Shalev, Jennifer Hansler, and Oren Liebermann report. "

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia attacked Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities yesterday with nearly 600 drones and 48 missiles, killing at least four people in the capital. “This vile attack came virtually as the close of U.N. General Assembly this week, and this is exactly how Russia declares its true position,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday. Marc Santora reports for the New York Times; James Waterhouse and Rachel Muller-Heyndyk report for BBC News.

Ukrainian forces shot down or jammed 566 drones and 45 missiles, Ukraine’s air force said on Sunday.

Russian forces shot down 230 Ukrainian drones, six guided aerial bombs and six rockets in a 24-hour period, TASS reported, citing Russia’s Defence Ministry.

The United States is considering Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles, Vice President JD Vance said yesterday. Tomahawk missiles have a 2,500km range, which would allow Ukraine to strike targets deeper inside Russia. Steve Holland reports for Reuters.

Defense ministers from ten EU countries agreed on Friday to develop a drone wall along their borders with Russia and Ukraine to detect, track and intercept drone incursions into European airspace. “Russia is testing the EU and NATO, and our response must be firm, united and immediate,” EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius said. Lorne Cook reports for AP News.  "

lousubcap

Tuesday Middle East update:

"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to the most recent U.S. plan for a ceasefire in Gaza, and an end to the war in the territory is “beyond very close,” Trump announced yesterday following his White House meeting with Netanyahu. According to a Palestinian source, “Qatari and Egyptian officials have handed over the White House plan to end the war in Gaza to Hamas officials in Doha.” Hamas today said it would discuss the deal and consult on it with other Palestinian factions before responding. Trump and Netanyahu both warned of sharp consequences if Hamas rejects the deal, with Netanyahu suggesting “Israel will finish the job by itself” in the event of rejection. Kevin Liptak and Oren Liebermann report for CNN; Rushdi Abualouf reports for BBC News; AP News reports.

In a three-way call with Trump and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Netanyahu yesterday apologized for Israel violating Qatari sovereignty in its recent strike on Doha and for killing a Qatari security official, according to the White House and a source. An Israeli apology was a key condition set by Qatar to continue its role as a mediator. Barak Ravid reports for Axios; Reuters reports.

A number of European and Middle Eastern leaders yesterday welcomed the new U.S. peace plan for Gaza. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan said they welcomed Trump’s “leadership and sincere efforts” to end the war, and that they are ready to engage with the United States to finalise and implement the agreement. European Council President Antonio Costa said he was “encouraged” by Netanyahu’s positive response to the deal and that “all parties must seize this moment to give peace a genuine chance.” The Palestinian Authority also “welcome[d] the sincere and determined efforts” of Trump to end the war in Gaza, according to a statement published by the PA-backed Wafa news agency. Rushdi Abualouf and George Wright report for BBC News.

In a meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly last week, United Arab Emirates envoys pressed Netanyahu to accept Trump’s peace plan and abandon any plans to annex the occupied West Bank, according to a source. Samia Nakhoul reports for Reuters.

In a Telegram post, Netanyahu said that he had “absolutely not” agreed to the creation of a Palestinian state during his meeting with Trump. The newest U.S.-backed peace plan postulates that once Gaza redevelopment is completed and the Palestinian Authority is reformed “the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” BBC News reports."

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

“Ukraine proposes to Poland and all our partners to build a joint, fully reliable shield against Russian aerial threats,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday while addressing the Warsaw Security Forum. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned that establishing a drone wall could take three or four years and Europe should prioritise increasing “capabilities and capacities.” Reuters reports.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin said his forces are prevailing in what he described as a “righteous battle” in Ukraine. “Our fighters and commanders go on the attack, and the entire country, all of Russia, is waging this righteous battle and working hard,” he said.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said its air defence system intercepted four HIMARS rockets and three Neptune missiles fired by Ukrainian forces over the past 24 hours.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 136 combat clashes with Russian troops over the past 24 hours up to Monday.

Ukrainian air defence forces reported shooting down and suppressing 23 drones in northern and eastern Ukraine and recorded nine drones hitting targets at eight locations."

lousubcap

Quite an assessment of the senior military conclave earlier today in Quantico-

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2025

Tom Nichols STAFF WRITER

The president was a late addition to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s gathering of top officers, but he stole the show—and not in a good way.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s convocation of hundreds of generals and admirals today turned out to be, in the main, a nothingburger. Hegseth strutted and paced and lectured and hectored, warning the officers that he was tired of seeing fat people in the halls of the Pentagon and promising to take the men who have medical or religious exemptions from shaving—read: mostly Black men—and kick them out of the military. He assured them that the “woke” Department of Defense was now a robust and manly Department of War, and that they would no longer have to worry about people “smearing” them as “toxic” leaders. (Hegseth went on a tirade about the word toxic itself, noting that if a commitment to high standards made him “toxic,” then “so be it.”)

All in all, an utterly embarrassing address. But that wasn’t the worst of it. The assembled military leaders likely already knew that Hegseth is unqualified for his job, and they could mostly tune out the sloganeering that Hegseth, a former TV host, was probably aiming more at Fox News and the White House than at the military itself. What they could not ignore, however, was the spectacle that President Donald Trump put on when he spoke after Hegseth.

The president talked at length, and his comments should have confirmed to even the most sympathetic observer that he is, as the kids say, not okay. Several of Hegseth’s people said in advance of the senior-officer conclavethat its goal was to energize America’s top military leaders and get them to focus on Hegseth’s vision for a new Department of War. But the generals and admirals should be forgiven if they walked out of the auditorium and wondered: What on earth is wrong with the commander in chief?

Trump seemed quieter and more confused than usual; he is not accustomed to audiences who do not clap and react to obvious applause lines. “I’ve never walked into a room so silent before,” he said at the outset. (Hegseth had the same awkward problem earlier, waiting for laughs and applause that never came.) The president announced his participation only days ago, and he certainly seemed unprepared.

Trump started rambling right out of the gate. But first, he channeled his inner Jeb Bush, asking the officers to clap—but, you know, only if they felt like it.

Just have a good time. And if you want to applaud, you applaud. And if you want to do anything you want, you can do anything you want. And if you don’t like what I’m saying, you can leave the room. Of course, there goes your rank; there goes your future.

Laughs rippled through the room.

Trump then wandered around, lost in the halls of history. He talked about how the Department of War was renamed in the 1950s. (It happened in the late 1940s.) At one point, he mentioned that the Atomic Energy Commission had confirmed that his strike on Iran had destroyed Tehran’s nuclear program. (Iran still has a nuclear program, and the AEC hasn’t existed since the mid-’70s.) He whined about the “Gulf of America” and how he beat the Associated Press in court on the issue. (The case is still ongoing.) The Israeli-Palestinian conflict? “I said”—he did not identify to whom—“‘How long have you been fighting?’ ‘Three thousand years, sir.’ That’s a long time. But we got it, I think, settled.”

He added later: “War is very strange.” Indeed.

And so it went, as Trump recycled old rally speeches, full of his usual grievances, lies, and misrepresentations; his obsessions with former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama; and his sour disappointment in the Nobel Prize committee. (“They’ll give it to some guy that didn’t do a damn thing,” he said.) He congratulated himself on tariffs, noting that the money could buy a lot of battleships, “to use an old term.” And come to think of it, he said, maybe America should build battleships again, from steel, not that papier-mâché and aluminum stuff the Navy is apparently using now: “Aluminum that melts if it looks at a missile coming at it. It starts melting as the missile is about two miles away.”

Ohhhkayyyy.

Even if these officers had never attended a MAGA event or even seen one, they were now in the middle of a typical, unhinged Trump diatribe. The president had a speech waiting for him on the teleprompter, and now and then Trump would hunch his shoulders and apparently pick off a stray word or phrase from it, like a distracted hunter firing random buckshot from a duck blind. But Trump has always had difficulty wrestling Stephen Miller’s labored neoclassical references and clunky, faux Churchillisms off a screen and into his mouth. Mostly, the president decided to just riff on his greatest hits to the stone-faced assembly.

As comical as many of Trump’s comments were, the president’s nakedly partisan appeal to U.S. military officers was a violation of every standard of American civil-military relations, and exactly what George Washingtonfeared could happen with an unscrupulous commander in chief. The most ominous part of his speech came when he told the military officers that they would be part of the solution to domestic threats, fighting the “enemy from within.” He added, almost as a kind of trollish afterthought, that he’d told Hegseth, “We should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military—National Guard, but military—because we’re going into Chicago very soon. That’s a big city with an incompetent governor. Stupid governor.”

This farrago of fantasy, menace, and autocratic peacocking is the kind of thing that the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan evocatively called “boob bait for the Bubbas” and that George Orwell might have called “prolefeed.” It’s one thing to serve it up to an adoring MAGA crowd: They know that most of it is nonsense and only some of it is real. They find it entertaining, and they can take or leave as much of Trump’s rhetorical junk-food buffet as they would like. It is another thing entirely to aim this kind of sludge at military officers, who are trained and acculturated to treat every word from the president with respect, and to regard his thoughts as policy.

But American officers have never had to contend with a president like Trump. Plenty of presidents behaved badly and suffered mental and emotional setbacks: John F. Kennedy cavorted with secretaries in the White House pool, Lyndon Johnson unleashed foul-mouthed tirades on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Richard Nixon fell into depression and paranoia, Ronald Reagan and Joe Biden wrestled with the indignities of age. But the officer corps knew that presidents were basically normal men surrounded by other normal men and women, and that the American constitutional system would insulate the military from any mad orders that might emerge from the Oval Office.

Likewise, in Trump’s first term, the president was surrounded by people who ensured that some of his nuttiest—and most dangerous—ideas were derailed before they could reach the military. Today, senior U.S. officers have to wonder who will shield them from the impulses of the person they just saw onstage. What are officers to make of Trump’s accusation that other nations, only a year ago, supposedly called America “a dead country”? (After all, these men and women were leading troops last year.) How are they supposed to react when Trump slips the surly bonds of truth, insults their former commanders in chief, and talks about his close relationship with the Kremlin?

In 1973, an Air Force nuclear-missile officer named Harold Hering asked a simple question during a training session: “How can I know that an order I receive to launch my missiles came from a sane president?” The question cost him his career. Military members are trained to execute orders, not question them. But today, both the man who can order the use of nuclear arms and the man who would likely verify such an order gave disgraceful and unnerving performances in Quantico. How many officers left the room asking themselves Major Hering’s question?

Read with only a small grain of salt-lots of truth and concerns addressed. 

lousubcap

Wednesday Middle East update:

"Trump said yesterday that he would give Hamas “three or four days” to respond to White House proposal to end the war in Gaza. Qatari and Egyptian officials presented Hamas with Trump’s plan on Monday but there is no timeline for a Hamas response, according to a diplomat. The diplomat said the Hamas negotiators need to communicate with people in Gaza, which could take hours or days. Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey are urging Hamas to respond positively to the proposal while noting that some points will need clarification and negotiation, according to another source. The source said that Hamas leaders told Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani that they would study the proposal in good faith. Irie Sentner reports for POLITICO; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.

A senior Hamas figure told BBC News that Hamas is likely to reject Trump’s plan as it “serves Israel’s interests” and “ignores those of the Palestinian people.” The figure said that Hamas was unlikely to disarm and hand over their weapons, which is a key condition of the White House proposal. Hamas has not yet given an official response. Rushdi Abualouf reports.

Iran-backed Houthi rebels today claimed responsibility for an attack on a Dutch cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden earlier this week. Hatem Maher and Mohammed Ghobari report for Reuters.

Yemen’s Humanitarian Operations Coordinator Center, a body affiliated with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, announced yesterday that it will sanction 13 U.S. oil firms, nine executives and two vessels. The HOCC said that the sanctions are in retaliation for U.S. sanctions imposed on the Houthis earlier this year. Lisa Baertlein reports for Reuters."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"EU leaders will discuss plans for four flagship defense projects, including a “drone wall” to protect Europe, at a summit in Copenhagen today. EU leaders will also debate a proposal from the European Commission to use €140 billion (approximately $164 billion) of frozen Russian assets to fund a “Reparation Loan” for Ukraine. Andrew Gray and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen report for Reuters.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is engaging with Russia and Ukraine to restore offsite power to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, as Russian shelling has prevented restoration of power needed to cool nuclear reactors and prevent a meltdown, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia’s shelling around the Zaporizhzhia plant “is a threat to everyone”.  “No terrorist in the world has ever dared to do with a nuclear power plant what Russia is doing now,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Tuesday."

lousubcap

Thursday Middle East update:

"Israeli forces are “tightening the siege” around Gaza City, and will consider any Palestinians who do not evacuate from the city "terrorists and supporters of terror,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said yesterday. Hospitals in the city reported that Israeli fire killed 45 people in Gaza City yesterday, while the International Committee of the Red Cross medical charity said it had been forced to suspend its operations in the area. David Gritten reports for BBC News.

According to Arab mediators, Hamas has indicated that it is open to accepting Trump’s peace plan for Gaza but asked for more time to review its conditions. Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey have urged Hamas to respond positively to the plan or risk the loss of diplomatic support from them, while Hamas has expressed reservations about some of the terms of the plan, the mediators said. Discussions over those concerns were ongoing late yesterday, the mediators added. Summer Said reports for the Wall Street Journal.

The creation of the new U.S. plan for a Gaza ceasefire was prompted by Israel’s failed attempt to assassinate Hamas leaders in Qatar, with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Trump aide Jared Kushner deciding to use the widespread condemnation of Israel as an opportunity to end the war, sources say. "

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Trump recently signed off on a plan allowing the Pentagon and U.S. intelligence agencies to assist Ukraine with intelligence for long-range missile strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, according to U.S. officials. The officials said that the Trump administration is asking NATO to provide similar support. Bojan Pancevski, Alexander Ward, and Lara Seligman report for the Wall Street Journal.

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has been running on emergency power for over a week, with the situation at the plant now critical, according to Ukrainian government officials and energy watchdogs. The outage is the longest since the war began, and the facility is currently running off emergency diesel generators. “It is clearly not a sustainable situation in terms of nuclear safety,” Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Rafael Grossi said in a statement. “Neither side would benefit from a nuclear accident.” Lizzy Johnson and Kostiantyn Khudov report for the Washington Post."

lousubcap

Friday Middle East update:

Mediators yesterday made contact with Izz al-Din al Haddad, the head of Hamas’s military wing in Gaza, who indicated that he would not agree to the U.S. ceasefire proposal as the plan is designed to destroy Hamas, BBC News has been told. Rushdi Abualouf reports. 

Many Palestinians in Gaza have voiced their support for the current ceasefire plan, according to interviews in Gaza. Some said that news of the proposal on Monday sent a rare flash of hope through Gaza, while others said it was clear there were terms Hamas would not agree to. Abdelhalim Awad, living in Deir al Balah, said that he would accept almost “any price” to end the war but that Hamas would not do the same. “They don’t care about what people think [...] if they cared about that, we wouldn’t be in this situation.” Liam Stack reports for the New York Times.

Israeli forces yesterday blocked the road to Gaza City, preventing those who had left the city in search of food or shelter from returning. “This is the last opportunity for Gaza residents who wish to do so to move south and leave Hamas operatives in Gaza City itself in the face of the IDF’s continuing full-scale operations,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said. Nidal Al-Mughrabi reports for Reuters."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:
"U.S. long-range Tomahawk missile shipments to Ukraine appear unlikely as current stock is committed to the U.S. Navy and other uses, according to a U.S. official and other sources. The U.S. official said there was no shortage of shorter-distance weapons that could be supplied to Kyiv. Mike Stone reports for Reuters. 

President Putin warned any decision by the US to supply the missiles to Ukraine would trigger a major new escalation with Washington, but would not change the situation on the battlefield.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that he had no plans to invade NATO countries. Putin criticized “European elites” for “whipping up hysteria” about a “Russian threat,” denying Russia’s involvement in the drone violations of Danish and Norwegian airspace last week. Nataliya Vasilyeva reports for the New York Times.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he saw great agreement among European leaders on supporting the use of frozen Russian assets to provide loans for Ukraine – to be repaid eventually using war reparations from Moscow – adding that he expects a concrete decision on the matter within three weeks.

Russia said the European Union’s idea was “delusional” and would prompt it to retaliate very harshly."

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"The U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner are expected to participate in negotiations in Egypt today on ending the war in Gaza, according to a White House official. Delegations from Israel and Hamas will participate in indirect talks on the first phase of the deal, concerning hostage release and prisoner exchange mediated by Egypt and Qatar, the Egyptian foreign ministry said yesterday. Hamas on Friday expressed willingness to release the remaining hostages but did not comment on many other parts of the U.S.-backed ceasefire plan, such as disarmament. Ashley Ahn, Shawn McCreesh, and Aaron Boxerman report for the New York Times.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday said that the United States was aiming for a quick deal to return the hostages to Israel, noting that the next phase of negotiations dealing with disarmament and setting up a new government in Gaza would be tougher. Trump said yesterday that talks with Hamas were advancing rapidly. “I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST,” Trump said on social media. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters; Aaron Boxerman reports for the New York Times."

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"There is evidence of a “high level of cooperation” between China and Russia “in conducting satellite reconnaissance” of Ukraine to identify strategic objects to target, a senior Ukrainian intelligence official said on Saturday. The official did not disclose what evidence supported this position. Ron Popeski reports for Reuters.

Putin said that if the US supplies Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine for long-range strikes deep into Russia, it would “lead to the destruction of our relations, or at least the positive trends that have emerged in these relations”, in a video released by Russian state television reporter, Pavel Zarubin, on Sunday.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy said that Russian weapons used to attack Ukraine include components made by companies from many places, including “the United States, China, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Netherlands”."