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The imperial core is continuing the process of self-cannibalization as the interimperial wars between Europe and the US over resource and territorial control continue. Greenland, populated with less than a hundred thousand heavily exploited people, is the newest territory to fall under Trump's gaze. The main draw is the mineral resources present there, of which it boasts nickel, copper, cobalt, and platinum, and much more than remains unexplored under the ice. But the ice is melting, and profit must be made. There is an additional element of wanting Arctic territory to counter Chinese and especially Russian interests and aims; Russia is increasingly eyeing the northern Arctic route as an alternative to more vulnerable routes through the Suez Canal or around Africa, and is investing heavily in icebreakers for that purpose.
However, even if Europe possessed the desire to resist American annexations - and they absolutely do not, at the end of the day - they do not even have the ability. Denmark may, to a lesser or greater extent, make angry sounds and talk about national honour or some such, but their military would be trampled underfoot by even the New York Police Department, let alone a concerted military effort by the US. If Trump wants Greenland, he will have it. This will naturally increase the grumbling in Europe about reconsidering the Transatlantic alliance, and that grumbling may, in the medium-term future, as the American Empire continues its decline, lead to meaningful results. But in the short term, Europe shall have to bear whatever Trump throws at them, for they obviously cannot now ally with Russia, who was the natural counterweight to American interests for decades before 2022.
Last week's thread is here.
The Imperialism Reading Group is here.
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The bulletins site is here. Currently not used.
The RSS feed is here. Also currently not used.
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Sources on the fighting in Palestine against Israel. In general, CW for footage of battles, explosions, dead people, and so on:
UNRWA reports on Israel's destruction and siege of Gaza and the West Bank.
English-language Palestinian Marxist-Leninist twitter account. Alt here.
English-language twitter account that collates news.
Arab-language twitter account with videos and images of fighting.
English-language (with some Arab retweets) Twitter account based in Lebanon. - Telegram is @IbnRiad.
English-language Palestinian Twitter account which reports on news from the Resistance Axis. - Telegram is @EyesOnSouth.
English-language Twitter account in the same group as the previous two. - Telegram here.
English-language PalestineResist telegram channel.
More telegram channels here for those interested.
Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Examples of Ukrainian Nazis and fascists
Examples of racism/euro-centrism during the Russia-Ukraine conflict
Sources:
Defense Politics Asia's youtube channel and their map. Their youtube channel has substantially diminished in quality but the map is still useful.
Moon of Alabama, which tends to have interesting analysis. Avoid the comment section.
Understanding War and the Saker: reactionary sources that have occasional insights on the war.
Alexander Mercouris, who does daily videos on the conflict. While he is a reactionary and surrounds himself with likeminded people, his daily update videos are relatively brainworm-free and good if you don't want to follow Russian telegram channels to get news. He also co-hosts The Duran, which is more explicitly conservative, racist, sexist, transphobic, anti-communist, etc when guests are invited on, but is just about tolerable when it's just the two of them if you want a little more analysis.
Simplicius, who publishes on Substack. Like others, his political analysis should be soundly ignored, but his knowledge of weaponry and military strategy is generally quite good.
On the ground: Patrick Lancaster, an independent and very good journalist reporting in the warzone on the separatists' side.
Unedited videos of Russian/Ukrainian press conferences and speeches.
Pro-Russian Telegram Channels:
Again, CW for anti-LGBT and racist, sexist, etc speech, as well as combat footage.
https://t.me/aleksandr_skif ~ DPR's former Defense Minister and Colonel in the DPR's forces. Russian language.
https://t.me/Slavyangrad ~ A few different pro-Russian people gather frequent content for this channel (~100 posts per day), some socialist, but all socially reactionary. If you can only tolerate using one Russian telegram channel, I would recommend this one.
https://t.me/s/levigodman ~ Does daily update posts.
https://t.me/patricklancasternewstoday ~ Patrick Lancaster's telegram channel.
https://t.me/gonzowarr ~ A big Russian commentator.
https://t.me/rybar ~ One of, if not the, biggest Russian telegram channels focussing on the war out there. Actually quite balanced, maybe even pessimistic about Russia. Produces interesting and useful maps.
https://t.me/epoddubny ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/boris_rozhin ~ Russian language.
https://t.me/mod_russia_en ~ Russian Ministry of Defense. Does daily, if rather bland updates on the number of Ukrainians killed, etc. The figures appear to be approximately accurate; if you want, reduce all numbers by 25% as a 'propaganda tax', if you don't believe them. Does not cover everything, for obvious reasons, and virtually never details Russian losses.
https://t.me/UkraineHumanRightsAbuses ~ Pro-Russian, documents abuses that Ukraine commits.
Pro-Ukraine Telegram Channels:
Almost every Western media outlet.
https://discord.gg/projectowl ~ Pro-Ukrainian OSINT Discord.
https://t.me/ice_inii ~ Alleged Ukrainian account with a rather cynical take on the entire thing.
https://www.mining.com/barrick-halts-operations-in-mali-after-245m-gold-seized/
The Mali government yoinked a bunch of gold from Barrick, Barrick in turn suspended the mining operation. That project has been a pretty big chunk of state revenue in the past, so with operations stopped that will dry up. The question now is whether Barrick will agree to new terms and restart it, if the state will seize it and do Malians Going Their Own Way, or if it will just languish in project limbo.
Can someone give me some reasons the us went three with the Nayriah testimony for Desert storm, since they could have just used the invasion of a US ally as pretext(other increase public approval ig)
Not news but inspired by this week's COTW I wrote something about what Danish social democrats were up to during the cold war:
AIC: The Cold War Anti-communist Intelligence Agency Of Denmark's Social Democrats
The Labour Movement Information Centre (AIC), founded in 1944 by Denmark's Social Democrats and trade unions, was a secretive anti-communist organization. It monitored and undermined communist influence in workplaces and collaborated with the domestic security state and foreign intelligence agencies, including the CIA. The AIC's operations included surveillance, propaganda, and counter-infiltration.
In 1944? Lmao KOPA running around doing the majority of the sabotage work in Denmark, followed by Holger Danske (which was full of communists) doing the majority of assassinations and what do the succdems decide to do? Obviously go after the communists. Ffs.
WaPo endorses most of Trump's right-wing cabinet picks
reducing deficit and increasing growth (GDP) are straight up incompatible. since they are all themselves multi-millionaires or billionaires, deficits won't be reduced by increasing taxes on the rich (who hoard wealth and don't consume/contribute to GDP). the only other way to reduce deficit is through raising taxes (on the not top 5%ers) or cutting spending. neither of which help with 'growth'.
She is serious 
strong words from a paper subsidized by pissbottles
And now the Beltway brunch libs will have their anger and scrutiny dutifully directed at the more wacky nominees and not the others, lest they start to come up with a structural critique of that list
With this update, DJI’s Fly and Pilot flight app operators will see prior DJI geofencing datasets replaced to display official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data. Areas previously defined as Restricted Zones (also known as No-Fly Zones) will be displayed as Enhanced Warning Zones, aligning with the FAA's designated areas. In these zones, in-app alerts will notify operators flying near FAA designated controlled airspace, placing control back in the hands of the drone operators, in line with regulatory principles of the operator bearing final responsibility.
DJI drones are just free drones traveling the land now
It appears that the latest round of negotiations for a ceasefire deal between Gaza and Israel, which started in earnest late in December last year, are closer than ever before to a ceasefire.
One of the final stumbling blocks, the release of female Israeli soldiers and their classification in a hostage release/exchange deal (should female Israeli soldiers be released at the same time/in the same group as male soldiers and military aged males (18-50 years old), or at the same time as civilian women, children and elderly men over 50) has been worked out in the latest draft proposal.
Latest reporting states that a decision has been made, female Israeli soldiers will be released alongside civilians and the elderly in the first phase of a hostage exchange deal, with male Israeli soldiers and military aged Israeli males being released at a later date, in a second phase of a potential hostage exchange and ceasefire agreement. The hostage "exchange rate" for the first stage involving female Israeli soldiers and civilians/the elderly is said to be 50 Palestinian prisoners for every female Israeli soldier, and 30 Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli civilian or elderly male.
So a compromise was reached: female Israeli soldiers now enjoy the same classification as civilian women, children and elderly men in a hostage exchange, but at the cost of more Palestinian prisoners being released. I won't comment on the ethics of that... Anthony Blinken is set to release his proposal for the third stage of the ceasefire agreement, the rebuilding and governance of Gaza, later today. Let's hope that he doesn't screw everything up. Can't believe that the whole deal now hinges on Blinken
not messing it up.
Al Jazeera, 14 January 2025: Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel, Hamas at ‘closest point’ – Qatar
Relevant excerpt
Israeli media have leaked details of the potential ceasefire deal which will reportedly be implemented in three stages:
In the first stage, 33 Israeli captives being held in Gaza will be released. In turn, Israel will free 50 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for each female soldier, and 30 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the remaining civilians being held captive. The reports also say Israel will completely withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor – the strip of land between the borders of Gaza and Egypt – at the end of the first phase of the deal.
The second stage will start 16 days into the ceasefire and will focus on negotiations to release the remaining men and soldiers held in Gaza.
The third stage of the deal will address long-term arrangements, including discussions on establishing an alternative government in Gaza and plans to rebuild it. Other details about the reported deal focus on security, with checks said to be carried out by an international body, and Israel allowing one million Palestinians back in the northern Gaza Strip.
Reuters, 14 January 2025: Main points of the Gaza ceasefire proposal
Relevant excerpts
HOSTAGE RETURN.
- In the first stage, 33 hostages would be set free. These include children, women including female soldiers, men above 50, wounded and sick. Israel believes most are alive but has had no official confirmation from Hamas.
- The first stage would last 60 days. If it proceeds as planned, on the 16th day from the deal taking effect, negotiations would start on a second stage during which the remaining living hostages - male soldiers and younger civilian males - would be released and the bodies of dead hostages returned.
- In return for the hostages, Israel will free from its jails more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, including convicts serving long sentences for deadly attacks.
- Hamas fighters who took part in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel would not be released.
TROOP WITHDRAWAL.
The withdrawal would be phased, with Israeli forces remaining in the border perimeter to defend Israeli border towns and villages.
- There would be security arrangements at the Philadelphi corridor bordering Egypt, along the southern edge of Gaza, with Israel withdrawing from parts of it after the first few days of the deal.
- Unarmed North Gaza residents would be allowed back, with a mechanism to ensure no weapons are moved there. Israeli troops will withdraw from the Netzarim corridor in central Gaza.
- The Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza will start to work gradually, allowing the passage of those who are sick and humanitarian cases out of the enclave for treatment.
Axios News, 14 January 2024: Blinken to present post-war plan for Gaza on Tuesday
relevant excerpt
Blinken's plan is based on establishing a governing mechanism that will include the involvement of international community and Arab countries that could also send troops to Gaza to stabilize the security situation and deliver humanitarian aid.
- The speech will call for reform of the Palestinian Authority, while making clear the PA must be a part of any future government in Gaza.
- The Israeli government wants Arab countries to be involved in a post-war Gaza but has so far refused to agree to any day-after plan which includes the involvement of the Palestinian Authority.
- Blinken's speech will also reiterate the principles he laid out in Tokyo early in the war and that object to any permanent Israeli occupation of Gaza, the decrease of its territory or the forced transfer of Palestinians from Gaza.
China announces the largest trade surplus the world has ever seen: almost US$ 1 trillion. The highest Chinese surplus so far had been US$ 838 billion - in 2022.
China exported almost US$ 1 trillion more goods than it imported in 2024. A spokesman for the General Administration of Customs said that the country exported US$3.58 trillion in goods and services, and imported US$2.59 trillion - creating a surplus of US$990 billion, a world record. The highest Chinese surplus so far had been US$838 billion - in 2022.
Chinese factories produce a third of all manufactured goods in the world. More than the United States, Japan, Germany, South Korea and the United Kingdom combined, according to 2022 data from the United Nations. In the last decade, China has gone from importing cars to becoming the world's largest exporter. Chinese companies produce almost all the solar panels sold on the planet. At the same time, the Chinese have been importing less. The Chinese government spokesman said that if other countries hadn't politicized trade, China would have imported more.
Sad news that former Venezuelan Attorney General Isaías Rodríguez has passed away aged 82. Rodríguez was a key figure in the 2002 coup, standing firm against the putschist elites and telling the world that Chávez had not resigned. He was always an admired voice in Chavismo.
During his administration he had to deal with controversial cases and difficult situations such as the events of April 11, 2002 (Military Coup), the oil strike (Bourgeoisie Coup Attempt) or national civic strike (Legislative Coup) or the assassination of Prosecutor Danilo Anderson, among others.