The last week has witnessed some unprecedented changes across the Middle East. These events have moved the entire region closer to a major Sunni-Shia conflict. As such, it is important to review what has occurred and assess if this will lead to a major war. If so, it will have major strategic implications for the US so are you prepared? Read more
Archive for News and Intelligence
Trump’s Afghanistan War Strategy
Well, tonight is the night. President Trump will officially own the war after his 9PM address to the nation tonight for better or worse. Will he pull us out? Will he create a mercenary army? Will it be a few thousand more troops and status quo? Will it be a drastically different strategy to achieve a decisive victory? No matter what the president decides, it will be our best window yet into whether or not the Deep State has seized full control of the White House.
Here is what we do know going into the address. First, the US has for all intents and purposes at this point strategically lost the war in Afghanistan. Second, the status quo plus more troops will not change anything other than the final cost in bodies and treasure. Third, without a deliberate effort to secure the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and at minimum isolate Taliban sanctuary in Pakistan any strategy will fail before it begins. Fourth, anything less than a concrete plan to decisively win in Afghanistan is an admission the Deep State (i.e. Pentagon) has taken full control of White House policy.
As for me, I would like to see one of two things after clearly outlining what we are doing in Afghanistan and what end state we are trying to achieve. Here is the general outline of what should be desirable. Option A: Cut and seal the Afghanistan-Pakistan border using NATO troops, annihilate Taliban sanctuary in Pakistan, continue to enable the Afghans to mop up the Taliban trapped in Afghanistan, freeze aid to Pakistan until they cut ties with China and turn over Al Qaeda’s remaining leadership, and incorporate Afghanistan’s neighbors to include Iran to put the pieces back together again. Option B: If we will not do A, then we need to immediately pull out of all troops, destroy any remaining military gear and equipment in country we haven’t already given to the Taliban, and cut aid to Pakistan.
Stand-by for analysis after the President’s brief.
By Guiles Hendrik
August 21, 2017
China Threatens to Attack United States if US Strikes North Korea
Spoiler: This is the wild card worst case scenario I warned could materialize.
Before today’s announcement in China’s state run press, we could only speculate what China’s response would be to a war with North Korea. Today, China signaled as directly as China will ever signal that it is prepared to go to war with the United States in the event the US preemptively strikes North Korea or attempts to change the strategic balance in the region. This is a catastrophic game changer that could ultimately lead to a massive nuclear exchange and the deaths of over one billion people. Read more
Trump says US ‘losing’ war in Afghanistan, wants top brass reshuffle – reports
President Donald Trump may have gotten a few things very right regarding the on-going war in Afghanistan if reports are accurate. President Trump has apparently called the military to task in Afghanistan and threatened to clean house. President Trump suggested he would fire the top general in charge of US troops in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson and accused the military of giving up ground to the Taliban. “We aren’t winning,” the president reportedly said. “We are losing.” Further, the President demanded better strategies after rejecting that status quo the Pentagon tried to sell him.
Coming out of this meeting, the message should be clear to the military’s top brass. President Trump is not happy with the military’s lack of progress and won’t accept defeat. He is demanding a new strategy and has correctly recognized high-priced consultants and insiders are charlatans that don’t have the right answers. He needs to look beyond the “Swamp” for a new strategy. Fortunately, if President Trump and his NSC are receptive, there are a number of very good strategies that could still win the war that don’t require massive troop surges or total annihilation of the country.
President Trump need not look further than one of the single best research documents compiled to date on defeating insurgencies. The research, conducted by Jonathan Owen, a former military officer, is available in book form under the title #Fail: Why the US Lost the War in Afghanistan. Owen’s research analyzes 100 years of named insurgencies in a way no single think tank or intelligence agency has remotely approached. Owen’s book destroys the commonly held myths related to counterinsurgency and proves why the senior military establishment has been derelict in their duties. It demonstrates through overwhelming evidence that the “strategy” of training and advising never achieves decisive wins and only correlates with the defeat of the counterinsurgent. Contrary to a failed training and advising strategy, the study provides irrefutable evidence that identifies the single greatest factor in defeating an insurgency is denial of sanctuary, which in Afghanistan, translates to border security. Not satisfied with simply identifying the problems with the current US military strategy, Owen’s research lays out an actual clear cut plan for decisive victory that could be implemented today. In short, if President Trump wants a real plan to win in Afghanistan, he should make the study mandatory reading for the military just after firing his top generals. The point would be made and the war would be won.
By Guiles Hendrik
August 9, 2017
https://www.rt.com/usa/398625-trump-afghanistan-military-reshuffle/
Russian Retaliation Begins: Covert Russian Attack Wipes Out Massive Munitions Depot in the Ukraine
The Russians have exhibited great restraint and diplomatic poise in recent years against the growing anti-Russian hysteria in the United States. Not only has Russia endured sanctions, but also having its aircraft shot down in Syria and a massive NATO build-up on its border. Russian security and sovereignty are being directly threatened for the high crimes of defending its historical geopolitical sphere, attempting to wipe out brutal Islamic terrorists, and rejecting globalism. However, this week has marked a turning point in US-Russian relations. The sanctions the US Congress approved against Russia based not on fact, but on hysteria and massive political propaganda pushed Russia to finally begin to retaliate. The most visible overt action was the expulsion of 755 US diplomats from Russia. However, Russian covert actions have by their nature been less visible, but nonetheless potent and we can expect more to come. Read more
Warning: Healthcare is the new call to arms for domestic terrorists
As the farce of Russian meddling in the United States’ election has turned to focus on the very real collusion amongst senior Democrats, the story is quickly being killed by the mainstream media. In its place, a new hysteria is being created to distract and divide the nation. This hysteria is extremely dangerous and focuses on the lie that President Trump’s healthcare plan is “killing” Americans. This extremist narrative needs little translation. It is a thinly veiled message to radical leftwing extremists that they are now fully justified in killing people to promote their agenda. I do not say this lightly. By making the claim that President Trump and the Republicans are killing people, they have provided a moral justification and call to arms that can’t be ignored by the insurgents organized under the banners of the Left. The media propagandists are knowingly yelling “fire” in a theater. They are creating an insurgency in this nation that will lead to many more deaths, injuries, and huge amounts of property damage. The leadership of these domestic terrorist organizations must be legally taken down now or our nation will continue to spiral closer to an all-out civil war, which the Left desires, but no intelligent person wants. Read more
Left-wing Terrorism Starts Second American Revolution
This week, the escalating communist revolution in the United States, graduated to full scale political assassination. This was left-wing domestic terrorism. For Americans, this was a watershed moment and a wake-up call. Now many are asking; “Where does this lead?” Your answer, whether you are ready to open your eyes or not, is the Second American Revolution. This revolution will be far bloodier, far costlier, and more globally detrimental than any previous revolution if not stopped now. Read more
Trump Declares Holy War during Speech in Saudi Arabia
I must admit, Trump’s trip to the Middle East and his planned speech were not on my list of highly recommended things for Trump to undertake. The trip was high risk with a low potential for any pay off. Nonetheless, even the mainstream media networks were grudgingly admitting that he appears to have pulled it off. This may indeed be true, but this is not reason to celebrate. Just because the propagandists and the poorly informed think President Trump’s unapologetic speech was a success, you may want to ask the other half of the Muslim world. In fact, every Shia Muslim listening to Trump’s speech heard his message loud and clear. The United States has joined forces with Sunni Arabs in a holy war against Shia Islam. Congratulations President Trump, you just signed the US up for an Islamic holy war and it will cost our country dearly. Read more
North Korea to use Chemical and Biological Weapons Against the US
Too many Americans are completely detached from the horrors of war as the US has enjoyed an unprecedented period of peace within its continental borders. The ability to not know war has been a precious luxury enjoyed for a generation in the US, but is now taken completely for granted. For most, war is just another form of entertainment like sports games and movies. In fact, to the average person, there is literally no distinction between the Hollywood war movies and reality. Why would there be when roughly only four tenths of a percent of the US population is serving in the military and far less have actually fought its wars? This makes it highly likely most Americans don’t even know a vet. There are many problems with this disassociation. However, the most detrimental has been that our nation has become so insulated from war they feel that we can kill with impunity around the globe. Symptomatic of this condition is the apathy Americans demonstrate to our military intervention overseas. We now allow our nation to blindly blunder into global conflict without even a debate. Americans have forgotten the actual human costs and the horrors of what a war is like if it comes to our own shores. This always ends badly and if a war with North Korea begins, we may very soon learn what it is like to see war again on American soil.
Currently, the Trump Administration has overtly entered or continued US involvement in wars in Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq without any debate, votes, or justification. Literally, President Trump has picked a new fight every month he has been in office. My fear is that President Trump is now setting the stage for an unavoidable conflict with North Korea making him five for five. Let me be clear, I do not believe President Trump has many options left with North Korea. However, I fear that he will not chose the best courses of action and it will cost the US an incredibly high price. I don’t say this lightly. Conflicts in Syria and Iraq have the potential to spread and end in a disaster for the US in large part because they will financially bankrupt our nation and lead to the wholesale slaughter of millions of innocent people. However, the US has not fought a war since WWII where the adversary had the ability to attack the US mainland. Am I suggesting North Korea has the ability to physically invade the US and pelt of with missiles? No. In fact, North Korea does not have that ability at all. However, North Korea has the ability to asymmetrically attack the US with some of the most horrendous weapons known to man and you need to be prepared.
War with North Korea is looking more and more inevitable. Neither side is willing to back down. If there is to be war, even the best case is still horrible. The best case would be a surprise US nuclear strike against the North Korean regime and its military installations ending the war quickly and with minimal US and allied casualties. A far uglier picture emerges if the Trump Administration opted for, even if just initially, a conventional option. Using conventional weapons would allow North Korea time to deploy not just its conventional weapons, but its chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. This would almost guarantee Seoul would be reduced to rubble and tens of thousands of American and South Korean casualties would be incurred within the first 24-48 hours of the conflict. If the US and South Korean troops had to conventionally fight the entire war, we would be looking at close to a million casualties and our nation utterly bankrupted by the conflict. Further, this is assuming China doesn’t enter the war, which would truly make it a WWIII endgame scenario and this isn’t at all unlikely.
However, irrespective of the financial cost and the massive loss of life associated with a war in North Korea, Americans, have in their comforts, become totally ignorant of the fact that North Korea has planned for and put in place numerous asymmetric means to attack the US. To be blunt, North Korea is prepared to attack the US homeland in horrific ways should war break out. In particular, over the course of time, North Korea is rumored to have smuggled via diplomatic pouches numerous biological and chemical weapons into the US through its United Nations mission in New York. Disturbingly, once the technology to produce these types of weapons is achieved, and North Korea has achieved it, these weapons are relatively easy to smuggle and very difficult to track. Adding to the problem is that a very small amount of these weapons can inflict large number of casualties. If true, literally every city in the US could be simultaneously attacked with a full range of biological and chemical weapons. In particular, North Korea is already believed to have smuggled VX nerve agent into a foreign country and used it to assassinate a political rival. In larger quantities, VX could be dispersed over crowded areas to inflict large numbers of casualties and to create massive panic in cities like New York and Washington, DC. If not bad enough, a far scarier threat exists. North Korea is believed to have been mass producing anthrax and has likely mass produced other biological weapons such as smallpox, francisella tularensis, and hemorrhagic fever virus. Any one of these agents could be released in densely populated areas and cause a massive number of deaths. Finally, North Korea may have the ability to detonate a space based nuclear weapon over the US releasing an EMP capable of blacking out a large portion of the North American grid. I consider this scenario less likely due to North Korea’s technological challenges and US countermeasures; however, if China becomes involved, the probability of this scenario is 100%. Should that event occur, the US will effectively be destroyed. Before the grid could be rebuilt, some congressional studies estimate that two-thirds of the US population or approximately 200,000,000 people would die. Not even our grandchildren will live to see the US recover from this type of attack. Let that sink in for a moment. The war that President Trump is about to start has the potential to destroy the US.
If what I have just written didn’t scare the hell out of you, you are completely disassociated with reality and need professional help. I am not trying to create panic and I do not subscribe to fear mongering. Unfortunately, reality isn’t always pretty and as much as we would like to deny the uncomfortable, it is critical we recognize threats and dangers. North Korea is a very big threat and far more dangerous than Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan combined. Remember, President Bush believed Afghanistan was going to be a quick war against some illiterate savages, but over a decade and a half later, we are still mired in his war we have already strategically lost. Iraq proved to be another example of Washington’s hubris and overly optimistic military predictions. In fact, the history of warfare demonstrates that in nearly every case, wars prove to be much longer, tougher, and more costly than predicted. Why would anyone think North Korea will be a war any less costly when all indicators say the exact opposite? I am curious because as I type, no fewer than three American aircraft carrier battle groups are steaming towards the Korean Peninsula prepared for a military showdown and nearly no one aside from Ron Paul is urging restraint. I think the answer is that Americans are living in ignorance and have no concept of the hell this war will most likely bring to our lives. Again, war with North Korea may be unavoidable, but we need to have a national discussion and the homeland must be prepared for the consequences.
As with all articles, I don’t just point out the problems. I offer solutions. In this case, the truth is you and I aren’t going to change a damn thing. All we can control is our actions and to a limited degree help those around us. Ideally, now may be a good time to literally leave the US for an extended vacation that lasts until either the war is over or North Korea backs down. I don’t make this recommendation lightly. However, for those that can’t leave or opt to stay, you need to prep your chem/bio response kits. Everyone in your group now should be at minimum carrying a protective mask with new filter in day bags. If you have antidote kits for nerve agents and decon kits for blister agents, those should also be packed and make sure you know how to use them. You should also have antibiotics ready for a biological attack involving a bacterial agent like anthrax. However, if the bio weapon is viral, we are looking at an untreatable megadeath situation and the only real option is to completely isolate your group from all other people until the virus has burned itself out. Wherever you plan to stay, make sure you have an area prepped with provisions and the ability to seal it from the outside with plastic and duct tape at minimum. You also should have enough chem/bio suits prepared for everyone in your group to at least bug out from the hot zone. If you are driving to work, you should have at least one complete suit in your vehicle and a contingency link up plan for everyone else in your group. Listen to me; you need to do this immediately. A war with North Korea is hopefully avoidable, but literally could be launched at any moment in the coming days to weeks.
As for preparations beyond immediate survival, you need to get as much cash on hand as you can withdraw from the banks. If you have the ability to move money to overseas bank accounts, do it now. If you are invested in stocks, you should consider taking profits now and holding them until this crisis passes. Once the market crashes, feel free to re-enter the market and buy up the cheap stocks. This will lead to a market shock and crash if a war breaks out. However, some stocks will likely sky rocket in value. I am personally seeking out companies that specialize in radiological decontamination and chem/bio defenses to invest in. Call it Machiavellian, but a crisis always presents opportunities for those with the foresight to position themselves to seize it. Make sure that person is you. In the interim, please take some basic precautions. I pray for the best, but will be preparing for the worst. We will be very blessed indeed if we can get through this crisis with the homeland unscathed.
By Guiles Hendrik
April 17, 2017
The Syrian Civil War and the Downfall of the Trump Administration
Here is a free piece of political advice. When your enemies begin condoning your actions, you should be very worried. President Trump has for the first time enjoyed what he believes to be the “support” and approval of the Establishment after launching a cruise missile attack against a Syrian air base. However, he would be a fool to think they are cheering on his actions because they support his policy. In fact, the Establishment is really laughing as they lead him by his ego down the path to destruction in Syria. As I have repeatedly warned, the Syrian Civil War is a trap and will not just take down the Trump Administration, but will bring down the United States if it becomes entangled in the conflict. Read more
Probability for the use of nuclear weapons during the next four years nears 80%
I hate to continually bring you doom and gloom, but in short, the probability that nuclear weapons will be used within the next four years has spiked to its highest levels since the Cuban Missile Crisis. If you haven’t reviewed your contingency plans you should. However, this article is not meant to provide you with detailed bug out plans…search our site for those…it is meant to highlight the growing nuclear risks.
Let’s start with the good news if there is such a thing. Out of the most likely scenarios, only two involve nuclear weapons being used against the continental United States. These are worst case scenarios and involve a nuclear exchange with Russia and or China. The bad news is that the potential for nuclear war with both powers has sharply risen. With respect to Russia, if the US continues to press for regime change in Syria and uses military force, it will force a military confrontation with Russia that could spiral out of control and involve nuclear weapons. Respective of China, it is assessed as unlikely, but possible China would join forces with Russia and Iran against the US if a direct military confrontation breaks out in Syria. However, far more likely is the probability China joins forces with North Korea if a war breaks out and that leads to a nuclear exchange.
Note that North Korea is not listed. North Korea currently does not possess a viable capability to strike the United States. They are rumored to have the ability to detonate a nuclear weapon in space to cause an EMP, but the likelihood of them successfully carrying out this type of attack is very low due to their technical problems and the ability of the US to counter any attack. However, North Korea certainly has the ability to detonate a nuclear weapon on the Korean Peninsula and the chances of this are dramatically increasing. In fact, many analysts believe China no longer has the ability to reign in North Korea and the opportunity to avert a war is now close to zero. If true, there will be a war with North Korea within the next 24 months. Also one must consider North Korea has a full range of chemical and biological weapons that they most likely would use in the event of war prompting a nuclear response by the US. Adding to the danger is the fact any conventional land war in Korea could quickly cause over a million casualties. The costs would be too high for the US to tolerate and the war would quickly go nuclear, if not from the onset, contrary to what many people in the US may believe. As such, in the event of war with North Korea, it will be a nuclear war. If China remains out of the conflict, we will be relatively safe in the US. However, if China becomes involved, we will see many people die both abroad and domestically.
While everyone is distracted with their own problems, tensions are once again rising between Pakistan and India. Both countries have nuclear weapons and events could flare into open conflict again and lead to the use of nuclear weapons. However, the probability of this is low over the next four years.
Finally, Israel must be assessed. Israel will not tolerate Iran developing a nuclear weapons capability. Should Israel become convinced that Iran has continued with its weapons development, it will use tactical nuclear weapons to neutralize the program. Fortunately, Israel and the US have once again moved closer and will likely coordinate on any war with Iran allowing the US time to de-escalate the situation or at least get out of the way before Israel launches an attack. This is a wild card scenario because the probability is highly dependent upon other events across the world. Should the US press with regime change in Syria, Iran will most likely use its 122,000 Shia militiamen in Iraq to overrun the Green Zone and attack US forces in Iraq and then Syria. This could quickly force the US out of the Middle East leaving Israel to fend for itself increasing the probability of a war with Iran. However, should the US destroy North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, it will greatly decrease the odds of war with Iran. Most don’t realize this hidden fact, but Iran has off-shored its nuclear program to North Korea where it has been conducting its weapons development unabated. Should North Korea be allowed to continue its program, Iran by default will gain a nuclear weapons capability. Should North Korea be stopped, Iran will also be severely set back.
In conclusion, for the first time in decades, the probabilities for various scenarios where nuclear weapons are used are increasing dramatically across the board. It is alarming and experts are taking note. In fact, the odds are now so high, it is safe to assess that a nuclear device will most likely be used within the next four years. If this conclusion doesn’t get your attention, there is probably nothing that can be said to wake you from your brain dead zombielike existence. Now is the time to get your Plan B ready because events could spiral quickly out of control in the very near future.
By Guiles Hendrik
April 10, 2017
Swamp Dupes President Trump into Expanding US War into Syria
Let me get right to the point. President Trump is a complete moron if he honestly believes his military advisors are setting him up for success. I want President Trump to succeed, but until he gets better advisors, he will self-destruct. By ordering a surge of US military forces into Syria without any long term strategy or plan, he is effectively forcing America into the middle of an ugly civil war that will cost our nation dearly. Further, by directly entering the Syrian Civil War, President Trump has committed our nation to yet another unnecessary and unconstitutional war without making the case to the American people or obtaining congressional approval. This won’t just be a massive military mistake; it will be a political disaster. President Trump has no idea that as the US gets sucked further and further into this war, the failure of “his” war will arm his political enemies with everything they need to ultimately cripple his administration. By listening to the generals, President Trump has, within a month of taking office, committed the US to an even more disastrous war than his predecessors, which he will lose, and quite possibly destroy his administration. Brilliant! Read more
The Future of Drone Warfare
Those of you that have followed my site known I have keenly tracked and been a part of autonomous drone development. The implications of this revolution in warfare are staggering. All too often I hear some well-intentioned, but woefully ill-informed person state that their “counter-drone” weapon is a shotgun. Rather than explain how wrong…and in a real life engagement, dead…these people are, I just want to show a video of a recent military drone test, which evaluated swarming technology. As you watch, keep in mind each one of these drones will one day be able to independently identify, select, target, engage, and kill with precision day or night, from potentially miles away. Using the swarming technology being developed, a precision strike of drones will eventually be conducted in a manner that independently targets and kills every living thing on a military base simultaneously. Let that reality sink in for a bit. Now sit back and watch this clip.
Guiles Hendrik
February 27, 2017
The Rise of Central and Eastern Europe
Last week I posed this this question, “Would Europe be destroyed by the wave of Muslim immigrant?” No was the answer. More specifically, Western Europe may indeed commit voluntary national suicide if it doesn’t have a nationalist awakening. However, even if they don’t wake up in time, Central and Eastern Europe will not only reject the lunacy of Western Europe’s Leftists, it will once again be the savior of Western Civilization. The more I see this assessment begin to materialize, the more Central and Eastern Europe will be attacked and demonized by the Left. Eastern Europe will soon be enemy number one of the Globalist’s plan to flood Europe and literally destroy its people and culture. This will be proof my analysis is accurate and indeed coming to pass.
Supporting this assessment, just this week, we witnessed another step toward the solidification of the old Central European states. See: http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2017/02/26/poland-hungary-join-together-challenge-eu-bureaucracy.html Not so ironically, the traditional Western European powers condemned Poland and Hungary for their sanity. Specifically, countries like Hungary are being condemned by countries such as France and Germany for refusing to accept the flood of non-European migrants. This is the equivalent of a sick man drinking poison while pointing at the healthy man and telling him he is wrong for not also partaking of the same poison.
This trend only needs to continue unabated for a few more years before one can write the epitaph of Western European Nation States. However, equally true will be the coming clash and ascendance of Central and Eastern European states over the rubble of what were once countries like France and Germany. Let me be clear, if Western Europe does not turn back the tide of non-European immigration, their countries will collapse. Further, as long as Central and Eastern Europe do not fall victim to the same insane self-destructive policies, they will very quickly eclipse the other rapidly declining nations.
The shift to a more Continental power base in Europe will have profound consequences for the United States and world. It will fundamentally alter the power structures of the world. I will continue to track this geopolitical shift and discuss the greater implications as events occur going forward. In the interim, you should start paying more attention to countries like Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. I would add Russia and the Ukraine, but you are already hearing about them daily and hopefully can see how from their actions why that region of the world remains relevant and will be a growing focus of attention.
By Guiles Hendrik
February 27, 2017
Will the Islamic Invasion Destroy Europe?
Nearly daily there are articles reporting new attacks in Europe perpetrated by immigrants. These attacks range in severity from petty crime and assaults to mass sexual assaults, riots, and terrorism. Recent terrorist attacks have almost exclusively been perpetrated by Islamic extremists. The situation has become so bad in countries like Germany, France, Belgium, and Sweden that entire neighborhoods are essentially off limits to the native peoples of these countries and the police. This has prompted many to question the future of Europe and if these nations can survive with their European identities intact. The answer is that Europe is headed toward conflict and greater bloodshed, but I assess Europeans will ultimately prevail at the cost of a major geopolitical shift in the the European order.
It has been said that you cannot bring there here without here becoming there. Europe is learning this hard lesson. One cannot safely walk the streets of Mogadishu or Raqqa or even Baghdad safely as a Westerner. Your half-life is approximately 1 hour in any of these cities as a white or Christian. You will be attacked and murdered. However, the delusional sickness of the liberal mind believes these very same people that condone these actions against Westerners in their countries can be imported in large numbers to Europe without causing massive problems. Read more
Update: Middle East on Brink of Major War after Saudi Warship Attacked
Again, the news cycle is moving so quickly, no one is able to completely keep up. However, with all of the focus on executive orders on immigration some major events are slipping by unnoticed. The take away is that the Middle East is again moving rapidly toward all-out war. The immigration issue is serious and important, but the war that could potential break out in the Middle East could be staggering. Here are the most recent highlights with comment:
Yemen in particular has become a flashpoint. Starting from the top, a unit from SEAL Team Six got mauled badly and lost an operator while conducting a direct action raid on a suspected al-Qaeda facility. Further, their MV-22 Osprey crashed and was destroyed on the ground. The base model of a single Osprey costs over $73,000,000 dollars and this was a special operations variant, which comes in closer to one hundred million dollars. This was in exchange for killing 14 alleged terrorists of at best, medium value, and collecting some information to better identify their network. This shows that President Trump is less risk averse when it comes to launching our soldiers into combat. If this becomes a trend, it means much more kinetic warfare and far greater US casualties. Previous to this raid, attacks in Yemen were almost exclusively being carried out by airstrikes.
If not bad enough, a Saudi Arabian Frigate, which is a warship, was attacked according to the US government, by a small boat laden with explosives. However, video evidence supports the assessment that believes the ship was hit by a missile supplied by Iran. Anti-ship missiles have been fired at US Warships in the same area over the last six months. Further, one man can be heard speaking in an Iranian accent chanting death to America. If it was indeed a missile that hit the boat, the fact is being downplayed and covered up to prevent outrage in Saudi Arabia that would demand revenge and initiate a war with Iran. This is not unprecedented in the region. An advanced ship from the UAE was also recently hit by an Iranian supplied anti-ship missile launched from Yemen and damaged so badly it had to be decommissioned. However, the UAE never officially acknowledge the attack.
Irrespective of how the attack occurred, the blast appears to have struck the upper portion of the stern of the Saudi ship inflicting serious damage and killing at least two Saudi sailors. This is a major act of war and is believed to have been launched by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. One may say this is the cost of starting an unnecessary war and invading Yemen. I would agree that it was stupid for Saudi Arabia to intervene militarily in Yemen. However, the Saudis tonight are not discussing whether or not their war was smart. What they are discussing his how to retaliate. If it in fact was an attack launched by the Houthis, the missile was undoubtedly supplied by Iran. Everyone knows this, but the question is if the Kingdom will hold the Houthis and/or the Iranians responsible. I assess the possibility of Saudi Arabia expanding their war in Yemen as high. I also see a medium likelihood of Saudi Arabia expanding it to Iran to include indicting any Iranian flagged ship near Yemen. This will undoubtedly provoke another cycle of violence. Worst case is Saudi Arabia decides to retaliate directly against Iran, but I assess this as unlikely. The fact that Saudi Arabia has not said anything about the ban in immigration from seven predominately Muslim countries factors into this situation. It is highly likely the Saudis will try to lean heavily on the US to take out Iran for them, which brings me to my next point.
Iran test launched a ballistic missile this week in violation of pretty much everything the international community has told Iran it could not do. Iran became a serial violator of any international dictates since the Obama Administration was in office. Their transgressions included seizing US Navy vessels and their crews in international waters, providing weapons to attack and kill Americans, holding Americans hostage, developing long range missile technology, and feigning attacks on our warships. Following precedent, Iran conducted a launch of another ballistic missile and has yet to be “reprimanded” by the new Administration. Perhaps, Iran thinks it has gotten away with it and President Trump will be a push over. If so, I believe they have badly miscalculated the new American President. President Trump in a short amount of time will respond. How, is the only question. Trumps retaliatory options range from lodging a diplomatic protest and re-invoking sanctions to launching a nuclear strike.
Yes, I do think President Trump is serious enough he may indeed use nuclear weapons during his time in office to prevent a bloody and costly deployment of ground troops against a country like North Korea or Iran. Nonetheless, I assess the Administration will come out with a clear warning to Iran, but will stop short of a military strike. Iran will get one warning, but no more. However, there is a perfect coalescing of Saudi and US interests with regards to annihilating Iran. Iran should take this seriously because Saudi Arabia may be on the phone right now with Washington discussing military options for the attack on their ship. If Trump greenlights retaliation, we could have a major outbreak of war in days. However, I reiterate, I think right now we will have some clear red lines drawn and preparations made, but the war won’t begin just yet.
In summary, things are getting hotter in the Middle East. All that is needed is a slight nudge and the entire region could erupt. I do not see anything getting calmer anytime soon. In fact, I think we are about to see a major escalation of war in the Middle East.
By Guiles Hendrik
January 30, 2017
White House Releases Summary of Trump’s First Week of Action
I have to say, from a business perspective, we are getting a lot for our money. Trump, to date, has proved to be the hardest working president in a generation…like him or not. Further, the man has so far done exactly what he promised to do. Even more amazing is that he is getting it done in hours and days not months and years. For a man of his age, you have to respect his level of energy and dedication. It also appears he doesn’t take weekends off. Sorry bureaucrats…you have to work like the rest of us…and should. The question is whether he can keep this schedule up. The news agencies are literally physically breaking down trying to keep up with covering him. It truly is unprecedented. Here is the release in its raw form:
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2017
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FIRST WEEK OF ACTION
· 15: Presidential Actions to begin fulfilling his promises to Make America Great Again.
· 11: Diplomatic conversations with foreign leaders to promote an America First foreign policy.
· 4: Members of President Trump’s cabinet sworn into office.
· 3: Stakeholder meetings to get input from both workers and business leaders on jumpstarting job creation.
· 3: Engagements with members of Congress to discuss his agenda.
· 3: Visits to federal agencies committed to protecting our homeland and ensuring our national security.
· 1: Official White House visit by a foreign head of state.
· 1: Reception to honor law enforcement and first responders.
· 1: Proclamation supporting National School Choice week.
· The President’s team followed through on his commitment to action, by:
o collaborating with 28 federal agencies and departments on a near daily basis.
o discussing legislative items with at least 75 House members or their staffs and 35 Senators or their staffs.
o making initial contact with governors in each state and territory, and having in-depth discussions with 32 governors or their staff.
o discussing issues with 22 state attorneys general.
o beginning outreach to our nation’s largest municipalities and tribes.
President Trump Used The Power Of His Office To Follow Through On His Promises To The American People
WITHIN HOURS OF HIS INAUGURATION: President Trump moved to protect Americans from ObamaCare, government regulations, and future bailouts.
· On the evening of his Inauguration, President Trump sought relief for Americans from the cost burdens of ObamaCare.
· Through a memorandum issued by the Chief of Staff, all new regulations were frozen to protect job creators from the crush of new government rules on their businesses.
· President Trump put a stop to a reckless action that would have reduced funding for the Federal Housing Authority after it was bailed out by the taxpayers as recently as 2013.
MONDAY: President Trump fulfilled his promise to immediately address trade and jobs by withdrawing from the harmful Trans-Pacific Partnership, put in place a hiring freeze, and protected taxpayer money from funding abortions overseas.
· President Trump protected American workers by withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
· To stem the tide of an ever growing government, President Trump put in place a hiring freeze on federal civilian employees.
· After years of taxpayer money being spent to promote abortions abroad, President Trump reinstated the “Mexico City Policy” to ban such usage.
TUESDAY: President Trump promoted job creation by jumpstarting the construction of two new energy pipelines, requiring the use of American-made materials and equipment in building those pipelines, and reduced the regulatory burden on America’s manufacturing and construction industry.
· President Trump began the process to finish construction on the Dakota Access Pipeline after a series of delays.
· After years of delays, President Trump signed a presidential memorandum to revive the Keystone XL pipeline.
· To make sure Americans benefit from infrastructure projects, the President signed an executive memorandum requiring all new construction and repair of pipelines to use American materials and equipment.
· President Trump ordered the Commerce Department to streamline and reduce regulations affecting U.S. manufacturing to help bring factories back to America.
· To jumpstart much needed infrastructure projects, President Trump signed an executive order to speed up the environmental impact review of projects.
WEDNESDAY: President Trump followed through on his pledge to protect America’s borders and end the lack of compliance with immigration laws.
· Following through on his commitment to protecting the American people, President Trump signed an executive order to improve border security, particularly through the construction of a physical barrier on the southern border.
· President Trump signed an executive order to ensure that immigration laws are enforced throughout the United States, including halting federal funding for sanctuary cities.
FRIDAY: President Trump followed through on his top priority to keep America safe.
· President Trump signed an executive order protecting the United States from foreign nationals entering from countries compromised by terrorism, and ensuring a more rigorous vetting process.
· President Trump issued a presidential memorandum to direct the Secretary of Defense to review our readiness and create plans to rebuild the U.S. military.
President Trump Has Held or Scheduled 11 Conversations With Foreign Leaders To Promote American Interests Around The Globe
· On Saturday, President Trump spoke with President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico and discussed respect for the sovereignty of both nations.
· On Saturday, President Trump also spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the importance of strong U.S.-Canada ties.
· On Sunday, President Trump spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to discuss opportunities to strengthen relations.
· On Monday, President Trump spoke with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi of Egypt, expressing his commitment for a new push in bilateral relations.
· On Tuesday, President Trump spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India to strengthen relations and cooperation.
· Today, President Trump spoke again with President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico to discuss bilateral relations, border security and trade.
· Tomorrow, President Trump is scheduled to speak Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of with Japan
· Tomorrow, President Trump is scheduled to speak with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.
· Tomorrow, President Trump is scheduled to speak with President Vladimir Putin of Russia.
· Tomorrow, President Trump is scheduled to speak with President François Hollande of France.
· Tomorrow, President Trump is scheduled to speak with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia.
Four Of President Trump’s Nominees Were Confirmed By The Senate And Sworn Into Office
· Last Friday, retired General John Kelly was sworn in as Secretary of Homeland Security.
· Also last Friday, retired General James Mattis was sworn in as Secretary of Defense.
· On Monday, former Congressman Mike Pompeo was sworn in as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
· On Wednesday, former Governor Nikki Haley was sworn in as Ambassador to the United Nations.
Following Through On His Commitment To Job Creation, President Trump Held Stakeholder Meetings With Business And Labor Leaders
· On Monday, President Trump met with labor leaders to discuss his plans to renegotiate trade deals and put Americans back to work.
· Later on Monday, President Trump met with manufacturing leaders to discuss how to bring factories and manufacturing jobs back to America.
· On Tuesday, President Trump met with key industry leaders to discuss how the auto industry can bring back American jobs.
President Trump Held Meetings Or Spoke With Congressional Leaders To Discuss His Agenda
· On Monday, President Trump hosted Republican and Democrat congressional leaders and chiefs of staff at the White House to discuss the upcoming legislative agenda.
· On Tuesday, President Trump met with key Senate leaders to discuss his upcoming choice to fill the Supreme Court vacancy.
· On Thursday, President Trump spoke at the Republican congressional retreat in Philadelphia.
President Trump Spoke At The Headquarters Of The CIA, The Department Of Homeland Security, And The Department Of Defense
· On Saturday, President Trump spoke at CIA headquarters and told a raucous crowd that he’d have their back as he thanked them for their service to the country.
· On Wednesday, President Trump visited the Department of Homeland Security to reinforce his strong belief in protecting America’s borders.
· On Wednesday, President Trump visited the Department of Defense to highlight his commitment to rebuild our military.
President Trump Hosted U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May
· In hosting his first foreign head of state at the White House, President Trump welcomed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May.
As One Of His First Actions After Inauguration Day, President Trump Thanked American Law Enforcement And First Responders
· On Sunday, President Trump held a White House Reception to honor and thank law enforcement and first responders who helped make his Inauguration safe and successful.
President Trump Proclaimed National School Choice Week
· On Thursday, President Trump renewed his commitment to expand school choice for Americans by proclaiming January 22 through January 28, 2017, as National School Choice Week.
The President’s Team Is Following Through On His Commitment To Action
President Trump’s team has worked to ensure his team is in place at various departments and agencies and working to implement his agenda:
· The White House Office of Cabinet Affairs made 140 calls to 28 separate federal departments and agencies to collaborate on various issues.
· Cabinet Affairs personally met with 10 Cabinet nominees.
· Cabinet Affairs coordinated the swearing in of four cabinet members this week by the Vice President.
President Trump’s team has worked to ensure his legislative agenda is well-received in Congress:
· The White House Office of Legislative Affairs met or spoke with 110 congressional offices or elected representatives in 75 House and 35 Senate offices.
· Vice President Pence had several in-person meetings this week on Capitol Hill.
President Trump’s team began outreach to our nation’s states, municipalities, and tribes:
· The White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs made initial contact with the governor’s offices in all of the states and territories.
· Intergovernmental Affairs held detailed discussions with the governors or their staff in 32 separate states.
· Intergovernmental Affairs made initial contact with 22 of the 50 state attorneys general.
· Intergovernmental Affairs has begun outreach to America’s largest municipalities, such as Los Angeles County and met with the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
· Intergovernmental Affairs made contact with the largest tribes in the country and has begun outreach with many leaders.
