Putin's preference should be clear enough: Greenland a US state; no NATO.

If Canada was forcefully taken over by Trump, a movement of guerrillas and whatever troubles would emerge. A large anti-Trump voter base would become US citizens. I'm sure Putin would be thrilled about the commotion.

Trump's dumbassery seems to make allies look at China with friendlier eyes. Not because of allies going communist, though.

By the way, Jack Daniel's #7 is getting hard to come by in Canada. The Canadians are serious about boycotting Trump's US.

Ted Lieu clarified in public that Trump can't (legally) invade Greenland (or Canada) without Congress.
Soldiers would be following illegal orders.
Seems unlikely that Congress would go for it.
Whether that'll stop Trump is another question.

Russia or China invading Greenland seems rather implausible, though they're always lurking around.
In the case of China, invading Greenland seems less plausible than invading Taiwan.

action by ICE — Punshhh

I thought previous administrations deported more people without resorting to ICE crap.

If so, then what does House Trump need that crap for?

NSPM-7, issued Sep 25, 2025, looks suspiciously like what Putin did some time back (and has (mis)used).
Not so much directly by wording, but by the potential (ab)use.
I thought there already were laws to deal with such things.
What was missing?

, right.
Trump keeps claiming that the North Atlantic + Arctic are swarming with Russian and Chinese military, which is a bare postulate (+ somewhat implausible as postulated).
Check the earlier comment (Jan 8, 2026).
But, what's stopping House Trump from extending defense based out of Greenland?
(I guess his claims also apply to Canada; what will Ottawa say?)
There isn't much in the way of extending a Greenland-based defense posture, which suggests Trump wants something else.

And if you notice, neither Venezuela nor Greenland are about empire. It's about the stability and defense of things close by. — frank

That's what Trump has claimed a couple of times, among other things (e.g. the North Atlantic and the arctic are swarming with Russian and Chinese military).
How much sense does that make? Check Jan 8, 2026.

Since they're not money-making businesses...

US will exit 66 international organizations as it further retreats from global cooperation
^{— AP · Jan 7, 2026}
These are the 66 global organizations the Trump administration is leaving
^{— AP · Jan 7, 2026}

I'm guessing that military spending isn't going down.

Republished, apropos:

Will the Trump administration attempt to annex Greenland, Canada, or somewhere else? A prominent historian’s take
^{— Dan Drollette Jr, Daniel Immerwahr · Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists · Sep 4, 2025}

Denmark is an old US ally. The US already has bases on Greenland, since the 2nd world war. All in NATO since its formation. The Greenlanders are open to business, akin to whatever other places. House Trump has rambled about defense applicable to Greenland (as part of Denmark) and Canada.

Apart from Trump, there haven't been any particular moves to change that stuff. Extending anything, like NATO or US bases, for example, is probably not difficult (or at least wasn't until Trump, perhaps). Say, after 9/11, a hundred-or-so nations, including Denmark, came to aid the US in what followed, at own expense; what you might expect from allies I suppose.

So, what's missing, according to the Trumpists? A flag? Well, it really seems like it's a flag. Statements from House Trump and Ogles don't make much sense. What's missing?

That being said, previous US administrations have considered offering to buy Greenland. If Greenland is for sale anyway, then how about a bidding war? :D The best offer (not just money) to be considered?

China invested a lot in Venezuela.
What will come of that? (And China's general influence in South America?)
Seems like Trump "told" China to go away.

A quick trip down memory lane

Now that Obama’s poll numbers are in tailspin – watch for him to launch a strike in Libya or Iran. He is desperate. — Donald J. Trump · Oct 9, 2012

Please locate the fallacy (or fallacies):

1. war is bad
2. therefore Ukraine must capitulate to the Kremlin

US lifts sanctions on several Russian defence suppliers
^{— Caliber · Dec 19, 2025}

Iran-related Designations; International Criminal Court-related Designations; Russia-related Designations Removals; Foreign Sanctions Evaders Determination Removal; Issuance of Iran-related and International Criminal Court-related General Licenses
^{— U.S. Department of the Treasury · Dec 18, 2025}

Meanwhile, the Kremlin is helping Maduro.
Then again, Trump is a clown and his entourage a circus.
What's the deal with Trump and Putin anyway? It's come up before. I don't buy Manchurian Candidate type theories myself. But something is going on, even if it's something like Trump having a personal obsession with Putin.

The Clown has much weight to throw around, yet something rings true here:

Trump Broke America — Canada, Japan & EU Are Building the Future Without It | George Will
^{— George Will Insights · Dec 16, 2025 · 20m:34s}

Japanese and other interests are broader, but the talk could easily get longer than 20 minutes.

An odd observation is that American voters appear to have chosen this path deliberately and obliviously; it doesn't help them in the longer term, especially those who are not well-off.

Kiure wrote (translated from Lithuanian):

How the Kremlin's military propaganda has changed: from "we were forced" to "we are defending ourselves"

Over the course of almost four years of war, not only the front lines have changed, but also why this war is supposedly happening. More precisely, it's not the reasons that have changed, but the versions of their retelling that have changed.

2022.
US intelligence warns: Russia is preparing for an attack. Putin is almost offended: "Are you completely crazy? We are peaceful people!" A few weeks later, a large-scale invasion begins. The reasons given are the demilitarization of Ukraine, denazification, the "defense" of Donbass, "we were forced", and only somewhere in the background is the promise: "We are not going to occupy Ukrainian territories."

Spring 2022.
Plans fail. Why? No, not because the "second army of the world" turned out to be less powerful. And not because Ukraine suddenly learned to resist. The answer is simpler – the West is to blame. From this moment on, the main narrative changes: "We are not at war with Ukraine, but with NATO and the US. Ukraine is just a mediator, a puppet."

Summer 2022.
A historical layer is added: "We must reclaim our ancestral lands!" So, the reason is no longer "they forced us", but "we came because we can do it and we want to".

Autumn 2022.
Referendums, annexations, and now we are talking about "defending Russia's territorial integrity". The war turns into an alleged "self-defense" regime.

2023–2024.
All these layers cement themselves into a single myth, in which the main enemy is America. Joe Biden becomes almost a metaphysical evil. In Russia, it is no longer politics – it is religion. Ukraine is almost erased from the narrative: "Ukrainians are good, they are brothers, they were just brainwashed."

This is how Ukrainians are deprived of the right to be a subject: the right to have a will, a choice, the right to hate the occupier. Everything is explained away by bio-laboratories, combat mosquitoes, geese and the "inevitable NATO attack".

And then Donald Trump enters the scene, who seems to have "consumed" the same propaganda content as diligently as an ordinary Russian television viewer. "It was Biden who started the war, I will stop everything in 24 hours", he said.

Here comes the moment of truth.

If America is the puppeteer and Ukraine is the puppet, if Washington decides everything, then the new US president should simply press a button and the war would end. But this does not happen. And this is the best spit on the whole tale of "external control".

But the cotton-wool kids, with their propaganda-washed brains, do not notice this. They don't even think about a simple thought: Ukraine has wanted only one thing since 2014 - to be an independent and sovereign state. And that's exactly what Putin can't stand.

The world's position here is simple - and it doesn't change:
In 2014, Russia launched a hybrid war and annexed Crimea.
In 2022, it launched a large-scale war.
The reason is Putin and his decisions.

And more. At first, it was said (this mantra was also repeated by the Russian "opposition" in emigration): this is Putin's war, not all Russians'. Later, it became obvious that a large part of society is not only silent, but also justifies, applauds and supports the war. Therefore, today no one seriously considers that "there is only one human war here". — Vilma Fiokla Kiure (Dec 20, 2025)

Might have come up before.

Someone applied Techniques of Neutralization to speeches from 1939, Reichstag, and 2025, Kremlin, and found similarities across the 86 years.

Reichstag, 1939: We attempted peaceful proposals, all rejected
Kremlin, 2025: No more wars if you respect us

1. Denial of responsibility. The offender insists that they were victims of circumstance, forced into a situation beyond their control.

Reichstag: We have no choice but to meet force with force
Kremlin: We were forced to use our armed forces

2. Denial of injury. The offender insists that their actions did not cause any harm or damage. "We're not really hurting anyone."

Reichstag: Liberating Germans from Polish oppression
Kremlin: We're liberating, not occupying

3. Denial of the victim. The offender insists that the victim deserved it. "They had it coming."

Reichstag: Germans in Poland are persecuted with bloody terror
Kremlin: The Kyiv regime unleashed war on Russian-speakers

4. Condemnation of the condemners. The offender maintains that those who condemn the offence do so out of spite, or are unfairly shifting the blame off themselves. "We're judged by hypocrites."

Reichstag: Versailles was signed with a pistol at our head
Kremlin: You deceived us with NATO expansion

5. Appeal to higher loyalties. The offender claims the offence is justified by a higher law or higher loyalty such as friendship.

Reichstag: Providence chose Germany to defend civilization
Kremlin: Dying in Ukraine washes away all sins

Playbook'ish. Maybe coincidental. These are the usual dubious justifications.

What is truth? — frank

True and false are properties of statements.
If you're looking for truth, then you go for the true ones.

I'd imagine they'd prefer to look toward Germany and maybe BRICS countries for regional community. — frank

Europeans prefer Germany and BRICS?
That's doubtful (to put it mildly).
How have you come to that conclusion?

Kremlin picks US government staff?

White House Defends Witkoff After Leak of Conversation With Russian Official (archived)
^{— The Wall Street Journal · Nov 25, 2025}
How Putin Got His Preferred U.S. Envoy: Come Alone, No CIA (archived)
^{— The Wall Street Journal · Dec 19, 2025}

, no particular concern with the truth of the matter...?

, there's more to the story than those 14 articles.
Make of it what you will:

Germany, more Wende and less Zeit, please
^{— Jamie Shea · Friends of Europe · Mar 23, 2023}

:up:
Russia is quite low in this one, at 171.
I would have guessed Ukraine lower, being under invasion, yet at 62.
Palestine was included at 163.

Some Russopeople dressed up as Ukrainian Nazis in Austria:

Chats: Wie Putin seinen Krieg der Desinformation auf Wiens Straßen führt
Chats: How Putin is waging his war of disinformation on Vienna's streets
^{— Max Miller · Profil · Dec 12, 2025}

Similar stuff has been reported before in other countries.
Some subsequent reports:

Austria Exposes Russian FSB Network Posing as “Ukrainian Nazis” to Sway Public Opinion Against Ukraine
^{— Roman Kohanets · UNITED24 · Dec 14, 2025}
In Austria, an FSB network disguised as "Ukrainian Nazis" was exposed
^{— SPRAVDI — Stratcom Centre · Dec 14, 2025}
Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation Network Posing as ‘Ukrainian Nazis’ Exposed in Austria
^{— Roman Pryhodko · Militarnyi · Dec 14, 2025}

There are a number of other reports on related topics.
The FSB cosplays as evil people and works to sow unrest wherever.
The Kremlin circle is a tad preoccupied with Nazism.

, good question. :grin: You can get a lot of Gill-bribes for the price of a tank. A dozen tanks might buy a fair bit of division/polarization.

Actively destroying everything older generations have worked for since WW2 isn't facing reality, it's sheer stupidity. — ssu

And it's playing into the hands of adversaries. Seems like the Coalition of the willing works well as a supplement.

A former leader of the Reform party in wales. Is starting a 10yr jail term for accepting Russian bribes. — Punshhh

For the uninitiated:

Reform UK and Russian bribes: a Nathan Gill timeline (Nov 21, 2025)

Somewhat related:

Exclusive: Voters Should Be 'Worried' About Farage Becoming PM, Says Cabinet Minister (Dec 16, 2025)

Just read "Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting media corporation, Moscow, December 15, 2025", and counted the string "Nazi" 13 times, "Napoleon" 3 times, "Hitler" 4 times.

As to Europe, Lavrov pats Trump on the back for some anti-Europe moves. Kyiv is decidedly not a Nazi rule, but Lavrov still repeats that. In this round, he more or less extends the accusation to the better part of Europe, incidentally those that support Ukraine.

Baffling if anyone can take this crap seriously. Who's the target?

Also read "The war and the Russian imperial consciousness" (Mar 21, 2023).

Kind of discouraging, assuming it (still) holds up.

Not particularly surprising.

They Droned Back
^{— Digital Digging · Dec 10, 2025}

It's been suggested that European intelligence is lacking.
Some follow-ups and such...

German investigators have found a link between mass flights of unidentified drones and ships connected to Russia
^{— NEXTA · Dec 10, 2025}
Suspicious drones from Russian ships: young reporters’ trail leads to Rosatom
^{— Eunews · Dec 12, 2025}
How seven students unmasked Russia’s ‘drone motherships’
^{— IO+ · Dec 12, 2025}

With a Kremlin shill in the White House, and Europe generally paralyzed (i.e. mostly just babbling about, say, 2030), I'm not really expecting much.
Hire Ukraine as a European defense force against Putin's Russia, give them what they need; at least they'd act (they've converted Russoboats to submarines before). ;)

I'm guessing that Rubio is rehearsing excuses periodically

State Department to identify DEI policies and mass migration as ‘human rights infringements’
^{— CNN · Nov 21, 2025}

Apart from the CDC stuff, I haven't confirmed this report:

Partnership for Public Service releases new resources measuring the impact of President Trump’s federal government reforms during first 100 days
^{— Partnership for Public Service · Apr 29, 2025}

If true, DOGE is quite the fiasco.

Trump's mass layoff threat drives US government workers to resign
^{— Reuters · May 20, 2025}

Imedo opines...

Imagine China occupying half of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Oregon and then the EU telling America:
“Make a deal with the occupier or we won’t support you.”
Absurd, right? No country would accept that.

Yet this is exactly what Ukraine is being told today.

And let’s not forget: Ukraine gave up the world’s third largest nuclear arsenal under U.S. and U.K. security guarantees.
They trusted the West.
Now they’re being pushed to surrender their land to the same aggressor that invaded them.

This isn’t “peacemaking.”
This is betrayal and the world knows it.
— David Imedo (Nov 22, 2025)

Landsbergis opines...

The 28 point plan marks the end of the end
^{— Landsbergis · 2025 Nov 21}

Not new, but neat to see details:

Prominent MAGA Accounts Exposed as Foreign-Run as X Reveals Countries of Origin Feature (— TheWrap via Yahoo · Nov 23, 2025)

Many prominent Maga personalities on X are based outside US, new tool reveals (— Guardian · Nov 23, 2025)

Some of the pro MAGA Twitter accounts outed as foreign agents yesterday (— Edmond Bertrand · Nov 23, 2025)

X's new location feature exposes political accounts based outside the U.S. (— Axios · Nov 24, 2025)

Came across this one:

A proper answer to Trumps 18 points on my point of view: States of the European Union are sending together 18 battalions to secure Ukraine’s border with Belarus, a move deemed legal under the UN Charter. This deployment will free up 18 Ukrainian battalions for the frontline. — TM (2025 Nov 23)

How might that fare?

:/ Have to wonder how much Chinese companies are making


The Putinistas continue their raving and rambling to whip up Russians:

Putin’s propaganda flips reality on flights over NATO nations, as Russian public tires of war
^{— Eva Hartog · POLITICO · Oct 1, 2025}

Paraphrasing, they're under dire threat from Finland, Poland, and whomever else, NATO, "the West", ...
They don't talk much about the threat posed by the daily bombings of Ukraine (nor of whatever other hostilities (incursion, election interference, ai/chatbot pollution + dis/mal/misinformation campaigns, sabotage, migrant abuse)).
Has anything changed to the Kremlin?

The US Department of Labor has been running a campaign for some time, American taxpayer money at work. Below are some live examples (they're from 2025).

White men, few women, no other ethnicities, inconspicuous blue collar recognition, stereotypical, roles, clean(-shaven), interchangeable, uniform, non-inclusive, anti-woke, Christian, nationalism, ...

Aug 11, 16, 19, 21, 23, 28, 30, Sep 2, 4, 6, 15

23, 27, 29, Oct 18, 21

23

Similar campaigns have been seen before (e.g. Italy and the USSR came to mind). Personally, I don't find blue collar recognition particularly suspicious, more that they determine "the good" and "the enemies". You won't find anything feminist in there, for example. What is included and what is excluded is telling. As government campaigns go, I (personally) find it beneath a top-tier democracy, but, much more importantly, what do you think?

Watched A House of Dynamite (2025).
Similar theme as The Day After (1983) released 42 years earlier, different angle, well, angles, literally.
Danger hasn't dissipated since then (Piper (2022), Andersen (2025)).

, saw that. :D
Up-and-coming politicians that I wouldn't want for mayor, or other representative.
They picked up some of that Trump.

Outcry after US strips visas from six foreigners over Charlie Kirk remarks (— Guardian · Oct 15, 2025)

18 of Charlie Kirk's alleged quotes, investigated (— Snopes · Oct 11, 2025)

Make America Sick Again

The CDC has been gutted. (— Neil Stone · Oct 11, 2025)

How can anyone think that RFK Jr is helping Americans?

Interacting with AI doesn't require other humans.
Anyone can do so on their own time; I mostly do by coincidence when doing google queries (I think).

Here at the forums, I kind of expect interacting with humans.
Or, at least, if interacting with AI by proxy / indirectly, that it's relevant (and checked) summaries or the like.

How to distinguish, though?

:D I could use a memory upgrade

It does seem like a competitive situation of some sort is emerging.

We lost chess to the machines some time ago.

Large language models can write well-formed summaries, based on a lot of data, faster than humans.
Can be combined with whatever else, like automated theorem provers, natural language processing, ...

Can AI out-compete homo sapiens in a kind of discourse war, though...?

With all the commotion about consequences of negative comments about Charlie Kirk, would/should this then have consequences?

Here is the same woman — the one with the “Z Crimea” car.
First of all, if you live in Virginia, you can file a complaint with the DMV. I know some of you have already done so — thank you.

A reminder about the realtor from Shepherd Homes Group (Virginia / Washington, D.C.) who openly supports Putin and the “special military operation.” Her name is Vasa Zenchenko (also known as Vasa Farafontova).

After the second day of the Russian “bazaar,” this propagandist drove up to the protesters, including myself, turned on the Russian national anthem, and started proudly dancing. Her child was wearing a hat that said “Russia.”

Her mother, Anna Ivanovna Zenchenko-Farafontova, is listed in the Myrotvorets database for: – Promoting war and Russian fascism and Nazism – Publicly supporting Russian aggression and the killing of Ukrainian civilians – Undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity – Being complicit in crimes committed by the Russian regime against Ukraine and its citizens Vasa continues her mother’s work here in the U.S., also using a church partly affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate as cover. — marisonechko · Oct 8, 2025 · 37s

DMV will deny applications for personalized license plates in accordance with the Personalized License Plate Issuance Guidelines set forth below. DMV will cancel and recall any personalized license plates which were issued and later discovered to be in violation of the Guidelines.

• Used to condone or encourage violence — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles: Personalized License Plate Guidelines and Restrictions

I don't see a case myself. Technically maybe, but otherwise too wishy-washy. Then again, if you could be threatened/fired for airing something negative about Kirk, or get picked up by ICE for airing something against Israel?

That’s how I hold a discussion, how I debate.

But then we have to elect leaders. Then we have to pick a platform (pick a team) and play fair to make a final selection of elected official. — Fire Ologist

The process doesn't end with a vote, though.

fyi, found the old quote on wikiquote

Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. The government won't work without it. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them. — Barry Goldwater (1994)

The trick is to pick your team and [...] — Fire Ologist

I do it differently.

Decide on whatever topics/issues; work out who to vote for accordingly; if none found, then figure out if second best is good enough, or if there are additional concerns to take into account; ...

Someone (Goldwater?) once mentioned that politics involves compromise.