The ties to Venezuela

Posted on March 24, 2026 by borderslynn


INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES

World  Conflict

Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez Allegedly Hired Former US Lawmaker in $50M Bid to Influence Trump White House

The accusation came to light amid the trial of David Rivera, a former GOP Florida Rep who allegedly pushed officials to ease pressure on Maduro’s government during Trump’s first term

By Pedro Camacho
Published 03/23/26 AT 5:27 PM EDT

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Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodriguez
Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez

Prosecutors allege that Venezuela‘s interim President Delcy Rodríguez authorized a $50 million contract to hire former U.S. congressman David Rivera to lobby the Trump administration as a federal trial examining the alleged influence campaign began Monday in Miami.

The case centers on claims that Rivera, a Republican who once represented Florida, used his political connections to push U.S. officials to ease pressure on Nicolás Maduro‘s regime during Trump’s first term.

Prosecutors say Rodríguez, then Venezuela’s foreign minister, directed a subsidiary of state oil company PDVSA to sign the consulting agreement with Rivera’s firm as part of the effort. “This case is about two things: greed and betrayal,” prosecutor Roger Cruz said in his opening statement reported by The Associated Press, adding that the evidence would show the defendants “made a pact to secretly lobby for Nicolás Maduro… and his second in command Delcy Rodríguez.”

According to the indictment, Rivera sought to arrange meetings with U.S. officials and business leaders, including efforts to connect Rodríguez with then-Rep. Pete Sessions and facilitate outreach to Exxon Mobil. Prosecutors allege the lobbying campaign aimed to improve relations with Washington and potentially ease sanctions on Venezuela. Rivera was ultimately paid about $20 million, according to court filings cited by Reuters.

The trial is also expected to examine Rodríguez’s role in coordinating the outreach. Prosecutors say she relied on Rivera to organize meetings in cities including Washington, New York and Dallas as part of a broader attempt to build support within U.S. political and business circles.

Rivera and his co-defendant, political consultant Esther Nuhfer, have pleaded not guilty to charges including failing to register as foreign agents and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Defense attorneys argue that Rivera’s work was commercial in nature and tied to efforts to attract investment to Venezuela’s energy sector, which they say would not require registration under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

“This is like a murder case without a murder,” Rivera’s attorney Ed Shohat told jurors. “Nothing happened… Not one single policy of the U.S. was impacted by this case.”

The proceedings are expected to feature testimony from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a former political ally of Rivera. Prosecutors say Rivera viewed Rubio as a key contact in his outreach to the White House.

Originally published on Latin Times

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US Department of Homeland Security no longer protects, but seeks to intimidate, its citizens

Posted on March 24, 2026 by borderslynn

Robert Reich, Substack 24 Mar 2026 notes:

The Journal’s investigation concluded that:

“U.S. citizens are caught in the crosshairs of an aggressive government campaign to detain and demonize detractors, including by calling them terrorists, rioters, and agitators. The Department of Homeland Security, which was created in 2002 to protect Americans, has turned its force against U.S. citizens.”

By putting a public bull’s-eye on Americans whom the government accuses of assault, the Journal also found that the Trump administration is chilling First Amendment expression:

“People who had been accused publicly by the federal government of assaulting federal officers … are less likely to participate in protests and less likely to put themselves in situations where their name might be tracked…. There is a real pressure to crack down and send a message to people who the government views as perceived dissenters, even if video contradicts what agents have initially claimed happened.”

Again, let me remind you that this comes from The Wall Street Journal.

1st Amendment:

Right to Assemble and Protest

— by Eleanor Stratton

The right to assemble is a fundamental aspect of American constitutional law, deeply rooted in the history and principles that shaped the United States. This right, enshrined in the First Amendment, allows citizens to gather and express their views, forming a crucial part of our participatory system. Understanding its origins, key legal precedents, and practical considerations is essential for appreciating its role in maintaining a functional constitutional republic.

Foundations of the Right to Assemble

The First Amendment protects the right of people to peaceably assemble, a cornerstone of our participatory system. This right has its roots in English history, evolving from the Magna Carta to the English Bill of Rights, which influenced the Framers of the Constitution.

Assembly is integral to free speech and press, fostering an environment where citizens can voice their concerns. This concept is embedded in United States history, from the slavery debate in the 1830s to the civil rights movement.

Notable cases have shaped our understanding of the right to assemble:

  • Cruikshank case (1876): Acknowledged that preventing peaceful gatherings violated national citizenship rights.
  • Hague v. CIO: Ruled against giving city officials absolute discretion over public assemblies.

Time, place, and manner restrictions exist, but they must be applied neutrally. The government can impose certain regulations, but they must not misuse these to suppress viewpoints they find distasteful.

Our Founding Fathers, inspired by historical precedents and keen to avoid tyranny, crafted a constitution that protected these principles. Their foresight ensured a safeguard for the citizens’ ability to assemble, a crucial tool for a functioning constitutional republic.

https://usconstitution.net/right-to-assemble-and-protest/

See World Atlas of Authoritarian run countries:

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/what-countries-have-authoritarian-government

Will America be joining this list?

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Iranian-backed terror cells respond to war on Iran

Posted on March 23, 2026 by borderslynn

Home » Iran » Iran Global Threat Network » Iran-backed Terrorism

   

March 12, 2026 | FDD’s Long War Journal

Purported Iran-backed group claims responsibility for attacks in Belgium and Greece

Joe TruzmanSenior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal

Listen to analysis

4 min

Listen to analysis

4 min

On March 11, a group called the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (IMCR), a previously unknown organization, claimed responsibility for detonating a bomb against a synagogue in Liège, Belgium, on March 9. On March 11, the group claimed another attack in Greece but offered no details on the specific location or target. The claimed attacks could signal that Iran or Iran-aligned actors are executing acts of terrorism in Europe amid the escalating regional conflict involving the United States, Israel, and the Islamic Republic.

At approximately 4 am on March 9, an explosion occurred in front of the Synagogue of Liège, damaging windows across the street but resulting in no injuries, the BBC reported. An official said that an investigation of the attack is being led by Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office, which is responsible for investigating terrorism and organized crime cases.

Later that day, a statement seemingly published by IMCR called on the “warriors of Islam” to defend their religion. On March 11, a video emerged on social media that showed masked men apparently detonating an explosive device in front of the Synagogue of Liège. Both the statement and the video feature a logo with a hand clutching a rifle and the group’s name. The name of the organization and its logo resemble those of Iraqi armed groups and Hezbollah, both of which are closely aligned with and supported by Iran.

FDD’s Long War Journal could not verify the original source of the statement and video. Telegram channels linked to the Axis of Resistance — a Tehran-directed network of terrorist groups spanning Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen, and, historically, Syria — widely disseminated the publications.

Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office said that it was analyzing the video to determine where it originated and if it is genuine, the Flemish Radio and Television broadcasting organization (VRT) reported.

A second video linked to IMCR also emerged on social media on March 11. The footage, bearing the same logo as the video from the synagogue attack, seemingly showed two individuals running away from an apparent blast. The footage is captioned with the message that a “Zionist” was targeted in Greece on March 11.

Unlike the bombing in Liège, there was no open-source evidence of suspected acts of terrorism that occurred in Greece on the date the video claimed. Long War Journal also could not verify the source of the video. However, as with the previous claim, the footage was widely disseminated on Telegram by channels supporting the Axis of Resistance.

Currently, it’s unclear if IMCR is a genuine organization linked to Iran, a front group associated with the Islamic Republic’s network of bad actors, or a hoax. However, there are cases of Iran attempting to carry out acts of terrorism on European soil. In 2018, European authorities foiled a plot orchestrated by Iranian diplomat Assadollah Assadi to bomb a rally of the Iranian opposition group National Council of Resistance of Iran near Paris. Assadi was later convicted in Belgium and sentenced to 20 years in prison for supplying explosives and directing the operatives tasked with carrying out the attack.

On March 8, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy-foreign minister, warned that if a European country joined the US and Israel in the current war against the Islamic Republic, it would be a “legitimate” target “for Iranian retaliation.”

Joe Truzman is an editor and senior research analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian armed groups and non-state actors in the Middle East.

https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/03/12/purported-iran-backed-group-claims-responsibility-for-attacks-in-belgium-and-greece/

Who are Harakat Ashab al-Yamin? The terror group linked to Golders Green arson attack

https://www.inkl.com/news/who-are-harakat-ashab-al-yamin-the-terror-group-linked-to-golders-green-arson-attack

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What have we lost?

Posted on March 23, 2026 by borderslynn

Bob Bauer (on Substack) contemplates the loss of Robert Mueller:

When Robert Mueller Passed Away, We Did Not Just Lose Him

Professionalism and integrity are no match for the forces of polarization.

Bob Bauer

Mar 23READ IN APP

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Robert Mueller, June 17, 2010. (Ryan J. Reilly, https://flic.kr/p/8bVVMN, cropped; CC BY 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en)

Commentary about the death of Robert Mueller has been largely overtaken by President Trump’s reprehensible expression of delight at his passing. This condemnation is certainly warranted. Trump has displayed once again his rejection of the ties that bind a democracy together and enable it to function. Those who care about a democratic culture do not revel in the death of political adversaries.

Mueller’s passing should also prompt reflection on what has become of leaders in the legal community who have been widely thought able to transcend political differences, and help to resolve complex, divisive problems beyond the capacities of a polarized political class. Call them legal “notables,” or any other term you choose. Whether Democrat, or Republican, liberal or conservative, they have achieved this recognition in part by the mastery of their craft, but also by the integrity with which they practice it. They have answered the call for public service, and their hard-earned special standing uniquely equipped them for the task at hand. After the Watergate scandal, Edward Levi was one such notable, chosen by President Gerald Ford to be the attorney general needed to repair a badly damaged Department of Justice. Levi took the job with the express intention of making “pervasive a certain sense of fairness and responsibility—and adherence to the law—and a clear denial of partisan political use” within DOJ. To a remarkable degree, he succeeded.

In our national politics, individuals possessing this standing across the political divide have begun to disappear from the public scene. Robert Mueller marked one moment in this trajectory of decline. When the acting attorney general in Trump 1.0 named Mueller as a special counsel in the Russia investigation, the press brimmed over with expressions of admiration for his professionalism and character. Democrats and Republicans alike applauded the choice. In fact, it was hard to imagine another choice that would have been as well received.

But the polarization of our politics overcame what Mueller had been appointed to offer. Many Democrats sputtered with frustration that he didn’t deliver the outcome that they expected and believed to be justified. A large majority of Republicans came to see this once commanding figure as the leader of what Trump and his allies repeatedly characterized as a “witch hunt” and a “hoax”—whether he was charged with purposeful partisanship, or for being a tool for partisans on his staff.

When Mueller appeared before Congress to testify about his report, he was criticized on all sides, with whispering in the background that he had lost more than a step. But, in seeking to have his report on the investigation speak for itself, he was trying to play it straight, which has become very hard to do in bent times. This approach could not win the day. Fast forward to today, to the strident, insult-laden, performative testimony that an attorney general of the United States believes it appropriate to deliver before Congress.

To mourn the loss of Mueller and what he represented in our public life is not to suggest that he cannot be criticized for any decision he made as special counsel. There was never any chance that, however his investigation concluded, he would have avoided harsh criticism in his “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” position. But what he discovered is that it is no longer possible for controversial decisions to be debated civilly and fairly while full credit is still given to good faith and professionalism under difficult conditions and in dealing with hard issues.

Robert Mueller was committed to a system that would work if those responsible for it, or called to navigate it through difficult times, served with skill, experience, and integrity. We will soon find out whether American politics have, for the foreseeable future, driven devoted public servants like Bob Mueller from the frontlines in an era when they can expect their work to be derided, their motives questioned, and, eventually, their deaths to be celebrated.

© 2026 Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith

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Seared in our memories ….by Author Unknown

Posted on March 22, 2026 by borderslynn

A list being circulated:

He incited an insurrection against the government.


Mismanaged a pandemic that killed nearly half a million Americans.


Separated children from their families, and lost those children in the bureaucracy.


Tear-gassed peaceful protesters on Lafayette Square so he could hold a photo op holding a Bible in front of a church.


Tried to block all Muslims from entering the country.


Got impeached, got impeached again.

Had the worst jobs record of any president in modern history.


Pressured Ukraine to dig dirt on Joe Biden.


Fired the FBI director for investigating his ties to Russia.


Bragged about firing the FBI director on TV.


Took Vladimir Putin’s word over the US intelligence community.


Diverted military funding to build his wall.


Caused the longest government shutdown in US history.


Called Black Lives Matter a “symbol of hate”.


Lied 30,000 times.


Banned transgender people from serving in the military.


Ejected reporters from the White House briefing room who asked tough questions.


Vetoed the defense funding bill because it renamed military bases named for Confederate soldiers.


Refused to release his tax returns.
Increased the national debt by nearly $8 trillion.


Had three of the highest annual trade deficits in U.S. history.


Called veterans and soldiers who died in combat losers and suckers.


Coddled the leader of Saudi Arabia after he ordered the execution and dismembering of a US-based journalist.


Refused to concede the 2020 election.

Hired his unqualified daughter and son-in-law to work in the White House.


Walked out of an interview with Lesley Stahl.


Called neo-Nazis “very fine people”.


Suggested that people should inject bleach into their bodies to fight COVID.


Abandoned our allies the Kurds to Turkey


Pushed through massive tax cuts for the wealthiest but balked at helping working Americans.


Incited anti-lockdown protestors in several states at the height of the pandemic.


Withdrew the US from the Paris climate accords.


Withdrew the US from the Iranian nuclear deal.


Withdrew the US from the Trans Pacific Partnership which was designed to block China’s advances.


Insulted his own Cabinet members on Twitter.


Pushed the leader of Montenegro out of the way during a photo op.


Failed to reiterate US commitment to defending NATO allies.


Called Haiti and African nations “shithole” countries.


Called the city of Baltimore the “worst in the nation”.


Claimed that he single handedly brought back the phrase “Merry Christmas” even though it hadn’t gone anywhere.


Forced his Cabinet members to praise him publicly like some cult leader.


Believed he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.


Berated and belittled his hand-picked Attorney General when he recused himself from the Russia probe.


Suggested the US should buy Greenland.


Colluded with Mitch McConnell to push through federal judges and two Supreme Court justices after supporting efforts to prevent his predecessor from appointing judges.

Repeatedly called the media “enemies of the people”.


Claimed that if we tested fewer people for COVID we’d have fewer cases.


Violated the emoluments clause.


Thought that Nambia was a country.

Told Bob Woodward in private that the coronavirus was a big deal but then downplayed it in public.


Called his exceedingly faithful vice president a “p—y” for following the Constitution.


Nearly got us into a war with Iran after threatening them by tweet.


Nominated a corrupt head of the EPA.


Nominated a corrupt head of HHS.


Nominated a corrupt head of the Interior Department.


Nominated a corrupt head of the USDA.


Praised dictators and authoritarians around the world while criticizing allies.


Refused to allow the presidential transition to begin.


Insulted war hero John McCain – even after his death.


Spent an obscene amount of time playing golf after criticizing Barack Obama for playing (far less) golf while president.


Falsely claimed that he won the 2016 popular vote.


Falsely claimed that he turned down being Time’s Man of the Year.


Considered firing special counsel Robert Mueller on several occasions.

Mocked wearing face masks to guard against transmitting COVID.


Locked Congress out of its constitutional duty to confirm Cabinet officials by hiring acting ones.


Used a racist dog whistle by calling COVID the “China virus”.


Hired and associated with numerous shady figures that were eventually convicted of federal offenses including his campaign manager and national security adviser.


Pardoned several of his shady associates.


Gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to two congressman who amplified his batshit crazy conspiracy theories.


Got into telephone fight with the leader of Australia(!)


Had a Secretary of State who called him a moron.


Forced his press secretary to claim without merit that his was the largest inauguration crowd in history.


Botched the COVID vaccine rollout.


Tweeted so much dangerous propaganda that Twitter eventually banned him.


Charged the Secret Service jacked-up rates at his properties.


Constantly interrupted Joe Biden in their first presidential debate.


Claimed that COVID would “magically” disappear.


Called a U.S. Senator “Pocahontas”.


Used his Twitter account to blast Nordstrom when it stopped selling Ivanka’s merchandise.


Opened up millions of pristine federal lands to development and drilling.


Got into a losing tariff war with China that forced US taxpayers to bail out farmers.


Claimed that his losing tariff war was a win for the US.


Ignored or didn’t even take part in daily intelligence briefings.


Blew off honoring American war dead in France because it was raining.


Redesigned Air Force One to look like the Trump Shuttle.


Got played by Kim Jung Un and his “love letters”.


Threatened to go after social media companies in clear violation of the Constitution.


Botched the response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.


Threw paper towels and toilet paper at Puerto Ricans when he finally visited them.


Pressured the governor and secretary of state of Georgia to “find” him votes.


Thought that the Virgin islands had a President.


Drew on a map with a Sharpie to justify his inaccurate tweet that Alabama was threatened by a hurricane.


Allowed White House staff to use personal email accounts for official businesses after blasting Hillary Clinton for doing the same thing.


Rolled back regulations that protected the public from mercury and asbestos.


Pushed regulators to waste time studying snake-oil remedies for COVID.


Rolled back regulations that stopped coal companies from dumping waste into rivers.


Held blatant campaign rallies at the White House.


Tried to take away millions of Americans’ health insurance because the law was named for a Black man.


Refused to attend his successors’ inauguration.


Nominated the worst Education Secretary in history.


Threatened judges who didn’t do what he wanted.


Attacked Dr. Anthony Fauci.


Promised that Mexico would pay for the wall (it didn’t).


Allowed political hacks to overrule government scientists on major reports on climate change and other issues.


Struggled navigating a ramp after claiming his opponent was feeble.


Called an African-American Congresswoman “low IQ”.


Threatened to withhold federal aid from states and cities with Democratic leaders.


Went ahead with rallies filled with maskless supporters in the middle of a pandemic.


Claimed that legitimate investigations of his wrongdoing were “witch hunts”.


Seemed to demonstrate a belief that there were airports during the American Revolution.


Demanded “total loyalty” from the FBI director.


Praised a conspiracy theory that Democrats are Satanic pedophiles.


Completely gutted the Voice of America.


Placed a political hack in charge of the Postal Service.


Claimed without evidence that the Obama administration bugged Trump Tower.


Suggested that the US should allow more people from places like Norway into the country.


Suggested that COVID wasn’t that bad because he recovered with the help of top government doctors and treatments not available to the public.


Overturned energy conservation standards that even industry supported.


Reduced the number of refugees the US accepts.


Insulted various members of Congress and the media with infantile nicknames.


Gave Rush Limbaugh a Presidential medal of Freedom at the State of the Union address.


Named as head of federal personnel a 29-year old who’d previously been fired from the White House for allegations of financial improprieties.

Eliminated the White House office of pandemic response


Used soldiers as campaign props.


Fired any advisor who made the mistake of disagreeing with him.


Demanded the Pentagon throw him a Soviet-style military parade.


Hired a ton of white nationalists.


Politicized the civil service.


Did absolutely nothing after Russia hacked the U.S. government.


Falsely said the Boy Scouts called him to say his bizarre Jamboree speech was the best speech ever given to the Scouts.


Claimed that Black people would overrun the suburbs if Biden won.


Insulted reporters of color and women reporters and women reporters of color.


Suggested he was fine with China’s oppression of the Uighurs.


Attacked the Supreme Court when it ruled against him.


Summoned Pennsylvania state legislative leaders to the White House to pressure them to overturn the election.


Spent countless hours every day watching Fox News.


Refused to allow his administration to comply with Congressional subpoenas.


Hired Rudy Giuliani as his lawyer.


Tried to punish Amazon because the Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post wrote negative stories about him.


Acted as if the Attorney General of the United States was his personal attorney.


Attempted to get the federal government to defend him in a libel lawsuit from a women who accused him of sexual assault.


Held private meetings with Vladimir Putin without staff present.


Didn’t disclose his private meetings with Vladimir Putin so that the US had to find out via Russian media.


Stopped holding press briefings for months at a time.


“Ordered” US companies to leave China even though he has no such power.


Led a political party that couldn’t even be bothered to draft a policy platform.


Claimed preposterously that Article II of the Constitution gave him absolute powers.


Tried to pressure the U.K. to hold the British Open at his golf course.


Suggested that the government nuke hurricanes.


Suggested that wind turbines cause cancer.


Said that he had a special aptitude for science.


Fired the head of election cyber security after he said that the 2020 election was secure.


Blurted out classified information to Russian officials.


Tried to force the G7 to hold their meeting at his failing golf resort in Florida.


Fired the acting attorney general when she refused to go along with his unconstitutional Muslim travel ban.


Hired Stephen Miller.


Openly discussed national security issues in the dining room at Mar-a-Lago where everyone could hear them


Interfered with plans to relocate the FBI because a new development there might compete with his hotel.


Abandoned Iraqi refugees who’d helped the U.S. during the war.


Tried to get Russia back into the G7.


Held a COVID super spreader event in the Rose Garden.


Seemed to believe that Frederick Douglass is still alive


Lost 60 election fraud cases in court including before judges he had nominated.


Falsely claimed that factories were reopening when they weren’t.


Shamelessly exploited terror attacks in Europe to justify his anti-immigrant policies.


Still hasn’t come up with a healthcare plan.


Still hasn’t come up with an infrastructure plan despite repeated “Infrastructure Weeks”.


Forced Secret Service agents to drive him around Walter Reed while contagious with COVID.


Told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by”.


F*ed up the Census.

Withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization in the middle of a pandemic.

Did so few of his duties that his press staff were forced to state on his daily schedule “President Trump will work from early in the morning until late in the evening.

He will make many calls and have many meetings”. Allowed his staff to repeatedly violate the Hatch Act.

Seemed not to know that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican.

Stood before sacred CIA wall of heroes and bragged about his election win.

Constantly claimed he was treated worse than any president which presumably includes four that were assassinated and his predecessor whose legitimacy and birthplace were challenged by a racist reality TV show star named Donald Trump.

Claimed Andrew Jackson could’ve stopped the Civil War even though he died 16 years before it happened.

Said that any opinion poll showing him behind was fake.

Claimed that other countries laughed at us before he became president when several world leaders were literally laughing at him.

Claimed that the military was out of ammunition before he became President.

Created a commission to whitewash American history

Retweeted anti-Islam videos from one of the most racist people in Britain.

Claimed ludicrously that the Pulse nightclub shooting wouldn’t have happened if someone there had a gun even though there was an armed security guard there.

Hired a senior staffer who cited the non-existent Bowling Green Massacre as a reason to ban Muslims.

Had a press secretary who claimed that Nazi Germany never used chemical weapons even though every sane human being knows they used gas to kill millions of Jews and others.

Billed the Secret Service for higher than market rates when they had to stay at Trump properties.

Apparently sold pardons on his way out of the White House.

Stripped protective status from 59,000 Haitians.

Falsely claimed Biden wanted to defund the police.

Said that the head of the CDC didn’t know what he was talking about.

Tried to rescind protection from DREAMers.

Gave himself an A+ for his handling of the pandemic.

Tried to start a boycott of Goodyear tires due to an Internet hoax.

Said U.S. rates of COVID would be lower if you didn’t count blue states.

Deported U.S. veterans who served their country but were undocumented.

Claimed he did more for African Americans than any president since Lincoln.

Touted a “super-duper” secret “hydrosonic” missile which may or may not be a new “hypersonic” missile or may not exist at all.

Retweeted a gif calling Biden a pedophile.

Forced through security clearances for his family. Suggested that police officers should rough up suspects.

Suggested that Biden was on performance-enhancing drugs.

Tried to stop transgender students from being able to use school bathrooms in line with their gender.

Suggested the US not accept COVID patients from a cruise ship because it would make US numbers look higher.

Nominated a climate change sceptic to chair the committee advising the White House on environmental policy.

Retweeted a video doctored to look like Biden had played a song called “Fk tha Police” at a campaign event.


Hugged a disturbingly large number of U.S. flags.


Accused Democrats of “treason” for not applauding his State of the Union address.


Claimed that the FBI failed to capture the Parkland school shooter because they were “spending too much time” on Russia.


Mocked the testimony of Dr Christine Blasey Ford when she accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.


Was proven to be close friends with the biggest sexual predictor of young girls.


Obsessed over low-flow toilets.


Ordered the rerelease of more COVID vaccines when there weren’t any to release.


Called for the construction of a bizarre garden of heroes with statutes of famous dead Americans as well as at least one Canadian (Alex Trebek).


Hijacked Washington’s July 4th celebrations to give a partisan speech.


Took advice from the MyPillow guy.


Claimed that migrants seeking a better life in the US were dangerous caravans of drug dealers and rapists.


Said nothing when Vladimir Putin poisoned a leading opposition figure.


Never seemed to heed the advice of his wife’s “Be Best” campaign.


Falsely claimed that mail-in voting is fraudulent.


Announced a precipitous withdrawal of troops from Syria which not only handed Russia and ISIS a win but also prompted his defense secretary to resign in protest.


Insulted the leaders of Canada, France, Britain, imGermany, and Sweden!!


Falsely claimed credit for getting NATO members to increase their share of dues.


Blew off two Asia summits even though they were held virtually.


Continued lying about spending lots of time at Ground Zero with 9/11 responders.


Said that the Japanese would sit back and watch their “Sony televisions” if the US were ever attacked.


Left a NATO summit early in a huff.
Stared directly into an eclipse even though everyone over the age of 5 knows not to do that.


Called himself a very stable genius despite significant evidence to the contrary.


Refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and kept his promise, and a whole bunch of other things I can’t remember at the moment.

But other than that. . .

Please share.
Whoever wrote this deserves credit but I don’t know who it is…
~ Author unknown

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Sending my thugs in or else

Posted on March 22, 2026 by borderslynn

Trump says he will send ICE agents to airports if TSA funding stalls

Story by Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY

 • 16h

The Record Bergen County

Atlanta airport security lines stretch to baggage claim amid TSA staffing strain

Current Time 0:04

/

Duration 1:04

President Donald Trump said March 21 that he will order Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to do security at U.S. airports starting on Monday, March 23, unless Congress strikes an agreement for funding TSA airport security officers “immediately.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trump-says-he-will-send-ice-agents-to-airports-if-tsa-funding-stalls/ar-AA1Z7JNy

Reason:

Why TSA agents aren’t getting paid right now — and what it will take to change that

By Bryan Metzger FollowBryan MetzgerFollow Bryan MetzgerEvery time Bryan publishes a story, you’ll get an alert straight to your inbox!Enter your emailSign upBy clicking “Sign up”, you agree to receive emails from Business Insider. In addition, you accept Insider’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

TSA agents assisting travelers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on March 13, 2025.
TSA agents have been working without pay for the last month as the result of a partial government shutdown.  Annabelle GORDON / AFP

Mar 17, 2026, 8:47 AM GMT

Read in app

  • TSA agents have gone unpaid for the last month, causing delays at some airports.
  • That’s because of the ongoing DHS shutdown, spurred by disagreements over ICE funding.
  • Here’s where things stand with the ongoing partial government shutdown.

If you’ve been to the airport in the US lately, you may have encountered long lines at security.

That’s because Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents have been working without pay since mid-February.

Some of those agents, fed up with the situation, have begun calling in sick or even quitting, according to the agency.

https://www.businessinsider.com/why-tsa-agents-not-paid-right-homeland-security-shutdown-2026-3

Eligibility for Transport Security employment:

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must:

  • Participate voluntarily.
  • Be a U.S. citizen or national.
  • Be at least 21 years of age.
  • Be free from any emotional or mental condition which might adversely affect the exercise of the requirements of the position.
  • Have successfully completed a basic law enforcement training certificated program conducted by an entity authorized to train persons to perform as a law enforcement officer.
  • Be an active law enforcement officer in good standing; a qualified retired officer; or a qualified former officer in good standing each requiring a minimum of four years law enforcement experience.
  • Not have been terminated for cause by a previous law enforcement employer or have had an approval or authorization revoked by TSA, or been subject to a serious disciplinary action by a previous employer.
  • Not have had a certification revoked by TSA.

To remain in active status, an armed security officer must semiannually re-qualify with their firearm, annually complete mandatory DHS Insider Threat Training, and maintain eligibility through Lautenberg Certification and Title 18 U.S.C. 922 (g) Certification. Armed security officers must also successfully complete recurrent training every five years.

An armed security officer could be reduced to inactive status for failure to comply with the above mentioned guidelines and will not be allowed to serve as an armed security officer on any general aviation or charter flights.

https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/training/armed-security-officers-program

What are Democrats demanding?

The full list of Democrats’ demands is as follows:

  1.  Targeted enforcement.DHS officers cannot enter private property without a judicial warrant. End indiscriminate arrests and improve warrant procedures and standards. Require verification that a person is not a US citizen before holding them in immigration detention.
  2. No masks Prohibit ICE and immigration enforcement agents from wearing masks and other face coverings.
  3. Require ID Require DHS officers conducting immigration enforcement to display their agency, unique ID number and last name. Require them to verbalize their ID number and last name if asked.
  4. Protect sensitive location Prohibit funds from being used to conduct enforcement near sensitive locations, including medical facilities, schools, childcare facilities, churches, polling places, courts, etc.
  5. Stop racial profiling Prohibit DHS officers from conducting stops, questioning and searches based on an individual’s presence at certain locations, their job, their spoken language and accent, or their race or ethnicity.
  6.  Uphold use-of-force standards Place into law a reasonable use-of-force policy, expand training and require certification of officers. In the case of an incident, the officer must be removed from the field until an investigation is concluded.
  7.  Ensure state and local coordination and oversight Preserve the ability of state and local jurisdictions to investigate and prosecute potential crimes and use-of-excessive-force incidents. Require that evidence is preserved and shared with jurisdictions. Require the consent of states and localities to conduct large-scale operations outside of targeted immigration enforcement. 
  8. Build safeguards into the system Make clear that all buildings where people are detained must abide by the same basic detention standards that require immediate access to a person’s attorney to prevent citizen arrests or detention. Allow states to sue the DHS for violations of all requirements. Prohibit limitations on member visits to ICE facilities regardless of how those facilities are funded. 
  9. Body cameras for accountability, not tracking Require use of body-worn cameras when interacting with the public and mandate requirements for the storage and access of footage. Prohibit tracking, creating or maintaining databases of individuals participating in first amendment activities.
  10.  No paramilitary police Regulate and standardize the type of uniforms and equipment DHS officers employ during enforcement operations to bring them in line with civil enforcement.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/05/democrats-ice-reforms-funding-bill

Below is a UK article about what happens when Met Police ‘mistakenly’ recruit thugs into the police force, (but Holman chooses these people to be their enforcers and that is why Democrats are holding up ICE funding) :

Failure to properly vet officers resulted in serial rapists within Met ranks, review finds

This article is more than 2 months old

Abandoning checks on staff and officers was ‘a dereliction of the Met’s duty to keep London safe’, says home secretary

Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondentThu 8 Jan 2026 00.01 GMTShare

Prefer the Guardian on Google

Serial rapists including David Carrick were left in the ranks of the Metropolitan police because of a failure to carry out necessary vetting on thousands of officers and staff, it has been revealed.

An internal review by the force found it had lowered vetting checks into the backgrounds of prospective and existing police officers and staff between 2013 and 2023.

The Home Office said the Met estimated that more than 5,000 officers and staff were recruited without the right checks. It has been unable to confirm if pre-employment checks were carried out on around 17,000 officers and staff.

The Guardian revealed last September that approximately 300 new recruits may have had substandard or no vetting. But the Met’s report found that 1,400 officers who should have been flagged by vetting were left in the force with police powers.

The Met found evidence that 131 officers committed criminal or misconduct offences, ranging from rape to drug offences, hate crimes and lower levels infractions such as being intoxicated on duty.

Among those who joined or stayed in the force because of defective vetting was Cliff Mitchell, hired despite an unproven child rape allegation and later convicted of 10 counts of rape, including three of raping a child under the age of 13.

The home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, commissioned HM chief inspector of constabulary to inspect the Met’s recruitment and vetting practices.

Bad cops prey on the public – and their fellow officers. To stop them, we must break the culture of silence | Mukund KrishnaRead more

“Abandoning vetting checks on officers was a dereliction of the Met’s duty to keep London safe,” she said. “Londoners rightly expect officers to undergo robust checks so that the brightest and best – not criminals – are policing our streets.”

The defective vetting allowed some to join the Met who should not have, while others who were revetted were allowed to stay in when they should have been removed.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/08/failure-to-properly-vet-officers-resulted-in-serial-rapists-within-met-ranks-review-finds

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Asymmetric Warfare in the day of the drone

Posted on March 21, 2026 by borderslynn

Here is an extract of a Nigerian article on the subject:

By Prof. Femi Olufunmilade
The subject matter of this article is so urgent and important that I deemed it not appropriate for a restricted Nigerian Army Journal. Rather, I have chosen to make it an open sesame for soldiers, statesmen, and citizens alike to read and ponder over. Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads in its security architecture, and the time for collective reflection and decisive action is now.

Since 2010, when the Boko Haram terrorist siege on Nigeria began, our nation has known no peace. Instead, we have endured multi-dimensional insecurity—largely within the mould of asymmetric warfare. Traditionally, asymmetric warfare describes a conflict in which a weaker party confronts a stronger adversary not through direct conventional confrontation, but by exploiting unconventional tactics, terrain, surprise, and psychological operations to offset the opponent’s superior resources. Classic examples abound: the United States’ humiliating defeat and retreat from Vietnam, where Viet Cong guerrillas used hit-and-run ambushes, tunnel networks, and improvised explosive devices against a superpower’s conventional might; or the prolonged quagmire in Afghanistan, where Taliban fighters leveraged IEDs, snipers, and local knowledge to bleed a far better-equipped NATO force for two decades.

In the context of this article, however, I am not referring to Assymetric Warfare in the traditional sense. I speak of the New Asymmetric Warfare—a paradigm shift powered by missiles and drones that deliver devastating precision strikes on target without the need for troop deployment on the ground.

This is warfare conducted from hundreds or even thousands of kilometres away, where the attacker remains invisible and unexposed. It is why I have termed it “New Asymmetric Warfare.” This development is fundamentally changing the nature of war itself and portends grave danger for Nigeria’s security and survival as a united country.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict offers a stark illustration. Ukraine, facing a numerically and materially superior Russian force, has weaponised low-cost drones to devastating effect—striking airbases deep inside Russia through covert operations like “Spider’s Web,” smuggling modular launch systems and explosive payloads to destroy strategic bombers worth billions. Sea drones and long-range kamikaze UAVs have similarly crippled Russian naval assets in the Black Sea, proving that a determined smaller actor can impose asymmetric costs without ever crossing borders with infantry.

Equally instructive is the ongoing spat between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Iran has repeatedly unleashed swarms of ballistic missiles and one-way attack drones against Israeli population centres and U.S. bases in the Gulf, while Israel and the U.S. have responded with precision standoff strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, missile factories, and command nodes—again, without large-scale ground invasions.

These exchanges underscore a new reality: modern wars can be fought and won (or lost) primarily through aerial and missile platforms, rendering traditional troop concentrations vulnerable and obsolete.

This evolution poses an existential threat to Nigeria. If sundry centrifugal forces—ranging from Boko Haram and ISWAP in the northeast to IPOB/ESN in the southeast—acquire the resources and shift their focus to the New Asymmetric Warfare, Nigeria is unlikely to survive the onslaught intact. Imagine a nightmare scenario: small surveillance drones quietly mapping the exact locations of Nigerian military barracks, forward operating bases, and theatres of operation across the country. Hours or days later, armed drones or missiles carrying explosive payloads strike those same targets from hundreds of miles away, obliterating command structures, aircraft, ammunition depots, and troop concentrations with surgical precision. This is not wild imagination; it is an emerging operational reality.Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has already raised the alarm.

https://guardian.ng/issue/new-assymetric-warfare-looming-dangers-and-defensive-strategy-for-nigeria/

Current drone wars:

FILE: War drones

Agency Report

Kindly share this story:

A drone from war-torn Sudan killed 17 people when it bombed the border town of Tine in eastern Chad, the Chadian government said Thursday, raising an earlier toll.

The incident late Wednesday was the latest spillover into Chad from the conflict in Sudan, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023.

The paramilitaries have conducted several operations near the Chad border, leading to deaths on the Chadian side.

Chad shut the border on February 23 in a move it said was aimed at preventing “any risk of the conflict spreading”.

“Despite various firm warnings addressed to the different belligerents in the Sudan conflict and the closure of the border… the town of Tine… has again been the target of a drone attack,” a spokesman for the Chadian government said Thursday in a statement.

“This latest assault of extreme gravity has caused the death of 17 of our compatriots and left several others injured,” it added.

Late Wednesday, a military source told AFP a drone attack from Sudan attributed to the RSF had killed 16 people in Tine.

The RSF denied involvement in a post on Telegram, blaming Sudan’s army, its rival in the three-year civil war.Related News

https://punchng.com/sudan-drone-attack-kills-17-in-chad/

High cost defences:

$20,000 drones vs $4 million air-defense: Iran’s ‘one-way’ UAVs pose math challenge to US-made Patriot

Patriot missiles costing $4M are intercepting $20K Iranian Shahed drones, highlighting the high financial strain of defending against low-cost attacks.

Updated on: Mar 03, 2026 11:16 PM IST

ByShivya Kanojia

https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/20000-drones-vs-4-million-patriots-iran-one-way-drones-poses-challenge-to-us-made-patriot-defence-system-101772546561806.html

Ukraine with exceptional initiative with drones:

Ukraine expands “death zone” as drones begin crippling Russian logistics

Story by Asger Risom

 • 2d

Ukraine is expanding the reach of its drone operations, creating what is described as a growing “death zone” behind Russian lines and putting increasing pressure on supply routes to the front.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/aviation/ukraine-expands-death-zone-as-drones-begin-crippling-russian-logistics/ar-AA1YYqhC

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Tracking ships

Posted on March 21, 2026 by borderslynn

https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/details/9593517

This page is for the Safine Prestige which was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz and attacked again by IRGC in boats for target practice, this set the vessel fully alight.

Iran War Shipping Update—March 18, 2026

March 18, 2026

 | UANI Shipping

SAFEEN PRESTIGE

Since the onset of Operation Epic Fury, UANI has monitored a significant volume of Iranian oil at sea. Illicit Iranian oil sales are a major source of funding for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is currently conducting military and terrorist operations targeting the U.S., Israel, Arab states in the Persian Gulf, and international shipping. In the weeks leading up to the conflict, Tehran sharply increased crude loadings and offshore stockpiling to cushion the impact of war on its oil trade. Amid ongoing hostilities, the Iranian regime’s Ghost Fleet continues to operate actively — loading cargo, transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and heading east toward its primary buyer, China. UANI’s regular shipping update will continue to monitor and report on the illicit maritime movements of the Iranian regime’s ghost fleet throughout the conflict.

Status of the Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical flashpoint in the ongoing Iran war, as the Iranian regime intensifies efforts to disrupt maritime traffic. Since the start of the conflict, at least 21 commercial vessels have been hit. Satellite imagery from March 18 shows the Egyptian-owned, Maltese-flagged container ship SAFEEN PRESTIGE (IMO 9593517) burning in the strait — potentially struck for a second time following an initial attack on March 4.

Satellite imagery of the struck container ship SAFEEN PRESTIGE in the Strait of Hormuz on March 18

https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/blog/iran-war-shipping-update-march-18-2026

Iranian Ghost Fleet:

From Teapot Refineries To Hawala Hubs: How IRGC Launders Oil Money Via Shadow Fleet | Exclusive
Reported By :
Manoj Gupta
|
Mar 12, 2026,

https://www.news18.com/world/from-teapot-refineries-to-hawala-hubs-how-irgc-launders-oil-money-via-shadow-fleet-exclusive-ws-kl-9956871.html

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Supine US Congress as Iran war escalates

Posted on March 21, 2026 by borderslynn

US quietly clears $7 billion arms boost for UAE – Patriot PAC-3 missiles, CH-47 Chinook helicopters on list

Story by Times Now Digital

 • 1d

us quietly clears $7 billion arms boost for uae - patriot pac-3 missiles, ch-47 ​chinook helicopters on list

us quietly clears $7 billion arms boost for uae – patriot pac-3 missiles, ch-47 ​chinook helicopters on list

Amid the escalating war in West Asia, the US has reportedly approved $7 billion more in weapons for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Donald Trump administration has approved about $7 billion in weapons for the United Arab Emirates that the State Department is not required to announce to the public under rules governing US arms ⁠exports, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Middle East Tensions Escalate – Check Live Updates Here

https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/us-quietly-clears-7-billion-arms-boost-for-uae-patriot-pac-3-missiles-ch-47-chinook-helicopters-on-list/ar-AA1Z1maw

Trump Officials Bypass Congress to Sell Weapons to U.A.E., Kuwait and Jordan

What Happened: Trump officials declared a wartime emergency to bypass Congress and fast-track more than $23 billion in weapons sales to Middle East allies, marking the second time in weeks it has sidestepped congressional review. Some of the deals were still under review or had not been formally submitted before being pushed through.

Why It Matters: Emergency powers are being used to push major arms sales without congressional oversight. This expands unchecked executive authority over foreign policy and war-making decisions while sidelining democratic checks at a critical moment.

Source: New York Times

Ignoring needs of Ukraine, Putin so happy:

Ukraine is currently facing a critical shortage of Patriot missiles due to increased demand from conflicts in the Middle East, which has depleted global stocks. This situation may leave Ukraine vulnerable to Russian missile attacks as it struggles to secure additional interceptor missiles. ukranews.com tsn.ua

Ukraine the inventors in hard times:

Zelenskyy answers why Ukraine does not produce ballistic missile interceptors: We need a US license

The head of state commented on the creation of domestic missiles against ballistic targets of the occupiers

Artem Dzheripa

Artem Dzheripa

News editor at LIGA.net

March 10, 22:10

Zelenskyy answers why Ukraine does not produce ballistic missile interceptors: We need a US license

Patriot launchers (Illustrative photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the only obstacle to the production of a missile in Ukraine to intercept Russian ballistic missiles is that the United States does not grant the appropriate licenses. The head of state said this during a conversation with the media.

“This [creation of an anti-ballistic missile interceptor] requires only one thing – licenses from the United States,” Zelenskyy said.

He said that he had discussed this issue with the previous US administration, with the manufacturers of these missiles, with partners to help, with NATO leadership, and with the current US government, but Kyiv has not yet received a license.

“In principle, with this industry that we have built during this war, with the technologies, with our engineers, I am sure that we could produce a large number of missiles very quickly, and we would provide not only Ukraine, but the whole of Europe,” the president added.

During the same conversation with journalists, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has already sent specialists to fight Iranian drones to a number of Middle Eastern countries, and that Kyiv wants to receive missiles for Patriot air defense systems in return.

To clarify, what else does Ukraine want, besides this, the president said: “To be honest, we don’t want to be sprayed. That’s why Patriots are a priority for us. We are talking about different missiles: PAC-2, PAC-3”.

Zelenskyy said that Kyiv “no longer even dreams” of additional Patriot systems, but admitted that it would like to receive them if “we are talking about something else besides missiles.”

Patriot is one of the few Western systems capable of shooting down ballistic missiles used by the occupiers to attack Ukraine on a regular basis. In the article for LIGA.net expert Valentyn Badrak said that Ukrainian developers have created the Shershen system, which is better than the Patriot in that it can use a wider range of missiles, but it is still not in service.

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Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant: if it is hit????

Posted on March 20, 2026 by borderslynn

Story highlights

Missile strikes Iran’s only operational nuclear plant, triggering fears of a radiological disaster. IAEA confirmed that a projectile hit the premises of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, raising alarm on Day 19 of Iran war. Was the reactor damaged? how serious is the risk? Scroll down to find out.

A projectile struck Iran’s only operational nuclear power plant this week, according to the UN’s nuclear watchdog on Wednesday. Taking to social media, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that they have been “informed by Iran that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr NPP on Tuesday evening”. The strike on Tehran’s Bushehr nuclear plant, which is located on the shores of the Persian Gulf, comes as the war between the United States, Israel and Iran continues for the 19th day. Is the nuclear plant damaged? Is the region on the brink of a Chornobyl-style radiological and environmental disaster that could render the Persian Gulf uninhabitable? All you need to know.

https://www.wionews.com/world/chernobyl-in-the-gulf-us-israel-missile-hits-iran-s-bushehr-nuclear-plant-is-the-world-at-risk-of-regional-scale-radiological-disaster-russia-1773875738801

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