From (August 2017) Trump Wants to Fire U.S. Commander in Afghanistan, The bare-bones boiled-down essence of modern government is just a few things: Raise revenue by taxation. Use at least some of the taxes to provide services. Facilitate commerce. The services provided justify the taxes enough for popular acquiescence. You can add all the bells … Continue reading Afghanistan Collapse →

But the future of Ivan Golunov is not bright. See Juan Guaido Watch Your Back; Trump says ‘Russia has to get out’ of Venezuela Part 2. The chance that Golunov will be mercifully allowed to  live out his life are close to nil. While he has escaped a violent death in a Russian prison, three … Continue reading (CNN)Russia, in rare U-turn after public anger, drops case against journalist →

(Reuters) Venezuela’s Guaido would probably accept U.S. military intervention if proposed: paper. Quoting, “If the Americans were to propose a military intervention I would probably accept it,” he said in an interview with Italian daily newspaper La Stampa. You’ve got your invitation.

(Stratfor) Libya: Russia, U.S. Will Not Support U.N. Security Council Draft Resolution Calling for Tripoli Cease-Fire. Quoting, Why It Matters: The U.S. decision not to support the resolution may indicate that Washington is considering shifting its stance toward supporting the Libyan National Army and its commander, Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter [Haftar]. The shift has a … Continue reading U.S. Will Not Support U.N. Security Council Draft Resolution Calling for Tripoli Cease-Fire →

(Reuters) Exclusive: Dispute flares among U.S. officials over Trump administration Iran arms control report. Quoting The report’s publication follows the administration’s formal designation on Monday of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran’s elite paramilitary and foreign espionage unit, as a foreign terrorist organization. The case that Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism has the … Continue reading Dispute among U.S. officials; IRG Terror Designate? Trump administration Iran arms control report →

When the quality of information is poor, try to shrink the space in which you have to search for the estimate. It’s like knowing you lost your keys somewhere in your house. This  technique, “fencing the problem”, was introduced in Russian Casualties estimate; a technique note. It receives further application  in these articles. The fence … Continue reading Kim Fires 3 Top Military Officers, Part2 →

This is an index to the 28 articles about the North Korea conflict, most-recent first. Coverage began on 2/25/2017, with the assassination of Kim Jong-un’s half brother. Predictions are highlighted in red: North Korea; U.S. “Declares War”; Prediction Update North Korea; EMP Attack Rehearsal; Nuclear Weapons as a Political Tool North Korea Test H-Bomb – … Continue reading North Korea Articles Index →

CNN: Sonic attacks in Cuba hit more diplomats than earlier reported, officials say. My last stint as a Crimebuster, was with Mikhail Lesin, a Kremlin Hit, a Theory, Part 1, continued in Part 2, finishing with Mikhail Lesin Takeaway. The articles attracted more attention than you know. So let’s try again. The salient points of the … Continue reading Sonic Attacks on U.S. and Canadian Diplomats in Cuba; a Kremlin Op? →

The Pentagon Papers, completed in 1969, identified China as an expansionist power. Although Noam Chomsky may be polarizing to some, his summary of this  as expressed in the Papers, along with citations from previous studies, is objective, provided his personal bias about Cold War strategies is subtracted. This may have been an accurate identification of … Continue reading China Expansionism Part 2 →