The_Mo

personal finance | news junky | Knowledge is power | small government.
I like and retweet stuff for visibility.

[The_Mo @MosheThe2nd]

@Osint613 How to Gaslight 101

[The_Mo @MosheThe2nd]

@LauraLoomer @StateDept @StateSEAS A different perspective: perhaps it was a good thing for Qataris to see the light of the Shabbat candles. and experience the warmth of Jewish fellowship. Maybe they will now have a different perspective, a different story to tell their people.

[The_Mo @MosheThe2nd]

@ConceptualJames James, as much as I want to join, my wife will absolutely lose her mind if I tell her we're going on an anti-communist cruise in November instead of an actual vacation... No disrespect.

However, I will happily pay for recordings, or PDF materials... Please consider.

[James Lindsay, anti-Communist @ConceptualJames]

You've probably heard this before, but it's always worth repeating. Something extremely cool about the "Star-spangled Banner," the American national anthem, is that it asks a question, and it's the question at the heart of everything in the American worldview.

"Oh, say, can you see
By the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed
At the twilight's last gleaming..."

So the anthem begins with a question and a scene. One man, a patriot, is asking another man, another patriot, "can you see it?" at sunrise after a long, dangerous night.

The "it" in question is going to be revealed to be the flag, our "star-spangled banner," which they had last fully recognized and honored as the sun set, daylight failed, and night crept over them the evening before.

Can you see it? Say! Can you see it?!

IS IT STILL THERE?!

"Whose broad stripes and bright stars
Through the perilous fight
O'er the ramparts we watched
Were so gallantly streaming..."

Here we find that the "it" is in fact the flag, our star-spangled banner, and we learn why the question is being asked.

The flag is described as having flown and streamed gallantly over ramparts of war through a perilous fight. All could have been lost. The flag, and even the fledgling country for which it stands, one nation under God and indivisible.

Say! Can you see it? Now that the light is back?

IS IT STILL THERE?!

"--And the rockets' red glare,
The bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night
That our flag was still there!--"

They could see it through the battle in the light of the rockets and bombs that threatened them, here and there in quick glimpses. But it was still there throughout! But now? At dawn?

Say! Can you see?

IS IT STILL THERE?!

"Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free
And the home of the brave?"

The urgency is palpable with every refrain. They have to know. It's the first thing they must know as the sun begins to light the sky, even before it rises.

IS IT STILL THERE?!

Say! Say!! Can you see? Can you see it?!

At the heart of every American beats the fundamental truth and reality that what we have here is precious, that it's worth fighting for, to the death if necessary, and that it's fragile. That at any moment it can be lost. That we have to remember to look for it because last night might have been the night in which it failed.

Every day, every year, every generation.

The American fight for freedom, to live in self-governance within ordered liberty, is ongoing and never-ending. The price of the land of the free is that it must be the home of the brave. We have to defend it, defend it, and defend it again, against all enemies foreign and domestic, because what we have is amazing, rare, fragile, and worth every cent of treasure, every drop of blood, and every risk to our sacred honor to protect it.

Our anthem is not a declaration. It is not a proclamation. It is not a statement.

It is a question.

Every time we sing our wholly unique national anthem, we as American ask the question again. IS IT STILL THERE?! Are we still America? Does that star-spangled banner yet wave?

Because it's a question, the answer is not known. It is not a guarantee. It cannot be taken for granted and isn't. And what an honor to ask and take up our part in the story, in the American Experiment, in the greatest country the world has ever known.

For tonight, the last night of our first 250 years, as the sun gave way to twilight's last gleaming and darkness overtook our land once again, the answer was still yes. We can see it even tonight in the red glare of rockets, with small bombs bursting in air, fill the sky with the noble tribute of fireworks once again.

And we all ask ourselves, will it still be flying at dawn?

This is what it means to be an American.

Happy 250th, America! Now for many happy returns!
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[The_Mo @MosheThe2nd]

@Mr_Andrew_Fox Craig is a liar. He's either lying about the existence of tunnels, or he's lying about being an investigative journalist - a job he claims to do, but not actually doing it.

Either way, he is misleading people, and abusing whatever trust and credibility he has built over time.

[Andrew Fox @Mr_Andrew_Fox]

Craig Murray vs a video I took myself in a Hezbollah tunnel in southern Lebanon.

[The_Mo @MosheThe2nd]

@RepPatHarrigan @CBP I will remind you about Operation Spiderweb, where Ukraine utilized Trucks carrying camouflaged FPV strike drones targeting 34% of Russia’s long-range aviation, leaving 7 billion in damages and completely neutralizing Tu-95MS or Tu-22M3 aircraft.
https://t.co/hFj8TflFi6

[John Spencer @SpencerGuard]

"Operation Spiderweb: One Year Later," great review of the historic operation.
https://t.co/GmuMowGckx

On June 1, 2025, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) conducted the unique Operation Spiderweb, reportedly targeting 34% of Russia’s long-range aviation, including Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 cruise missile carriers, A-50 airborne early warning aircraft, and Il-78 tanker aircraft.

The operation was remarkable not only because of the scale of Russian losses, but also because of the method used. Trucks carrying camouflaged FPV strike drones approached key Russian strategic aviation airfields, including Engels, Olenya, and Belaya. The drones then struck the aircraft from extremely close range. In the Amur region, the plan failed when the drone-bearing truck bound for Russia’s Ukrainka base caught fire on the highway.

The SBU estimated Russia’s losses at around $7 billion. However, the financial cost is not the main issue: Russia can no longer produce new Tu-95MS or Tu-22M3 aircraft, meaning any losses of these platforms are irreversible.

[Congressman Pat Harrigan @RepPatHarrigan]

Why is a Chinese state-owned food company shipping nearly five tons of drone hardware into the United States through an importer with no apparent ties to the drone industry?

I'm asking @CBP to investigate whether this was a deliberate effort to conceal the true origin of these imports, because if China has found a way to hide drone hardware in plain sight, we have a much bigger problem than one shipment.

[National Post @nationalpost]

Adam Katz: I visited the 'Nakba' exhibit, and it is every bit as anti-Jewish as feared https://t.co/4M2Z1MIouh

[John Spencer @SpencerGuard]

The importance of the U.S., Israel, Lebenon Trilateral Framework are many. But one of the key achievement is that *Lebanon recognizes the sovereignty of Israel* for the first time since the short lived recognition in the early 198Os, Abraham Accords level.
https://t.co/rK3fwRd7gG

Even in the ‘Maritime Agreement' signed by the previous government, the Lebanese government *did not* recognize Israel's sovereignty.

[The_Mo @MosheThe2nd]

@Mr_Andrew_Fox I appreciate that, and I agree. But I'm genuinely asking, how would you answer the question? I know you've written a lot about this topic. Do you have a specific post or substack article about this? People ask me this question all the time, I want formulate the best answer

[The_Mo @MosheThe2nd]

"You can't spend years saying Israel is killing enormous numbers of civilians and then tell me nobody can estimate civilian deaths so ratios aren't valid. Those two positions can't both be true.

If casualty estimates are reliable enough to accuse Israel, then they're also reliable enough to examine civilian-to-combatant ratios. If they aren't, then they shouldn't be used selectively only when they support one conclusion"

[John Spencer @SpencerGuard]

“They are killing enormous numbers of civilians…they are targeting one, two, three enemy combatants and in the process killing huge numbers of civilians. @piersmorgan Piers a few minutes later – “If you can’t say exactly how many civilians have been killed in Gaza, what you say about numbers is bull.”

Dear @piersmorgan I tried to explain to you where numbers in the Gaza war (or any war) are going to come from "simply.” But let me type it out so you have a record of it instead of the interruptions and the tactic of just asking the same question over and over while I explain how the numbers work. The same numbers by the way that you used minutes before to criticize Israel and constantly repeat or have guests on that repeat, or more often state not even Hamas numbers but false numbers about xx civilians, xx women, xx children, xx percentages that go beyond Hamas's actual list of casualties.

First, let me correct you again (like I did to start the segment) by providing you my actual quotes:

1 - "Israel and the IDF have implemented more measures (sometimes quoted as precautions) to prevent civilian harm in urban warfare than any military in history,"

That is testable against urban warfare history of any similar situation (mostly attack of defended urban terrain). Israel civilian harm mitigation measure have included advance notification (flyers, phone calls, text messages, voicemails, drones with speakers, tv, radio, social media), safe corridors to include improving roads used for safe corridors in the middle of the war, roof knocking (notifying all residents of a building in advance for evacuations and then using non-penetrating low-yield munitions on top of the building before then waiting to strike), over daily multi-hour pauses in fighting (over 400 days of the 800 days of fighting) to allow civilian evacuations and aid movement, establishing a one-star commanded civilian harm mitigation cell that created a real time civilian presence (using cell phone presence, drones, satellite images, etc.) software reflected on all combat operating systems, handing out their own military maps to the entire population (to include the enemy) and then communicating the location of IDF operations, areas to avoid or further evacuate, using major call outs of buildings and neighborhoods, restrictive rules of engagement based on likely civilian presence, rigorous fires processes and legal reviews that often ended in calling mission off out of civilian harm estimates. Many of these measures have never been attempted, by any military.

2 - "Israel has a lower civilian to combatant ratio than any similar context (war or battle) in the history of urban warfare.” After acknowledging the lack of comparative cases (size of enemy forces (which I asked you about, you don't know), tunnels, density, strategy, tactics, prevention of civilian evacuations) but still doing the simple analysis, in order to provide the evidence for this statement I use the same numbers you and your frequent guests push to condemn Israel. But here:

Q: How do you estimate the number of civilians deaths?

A: Take the number the Hamas Gaza Health Ministry reports (despite that it includes any death in Gaza for any reason or cause (Israel/Hamas/Other terrorists) and has been well documented with inaccuracies (even having to be updated by Hamas of natural deaths, incomplete entries, false entries) and subtract the Israel stated combatant deaths.

The Hamas Gaza Health Ministry claims roughly 72,000 deaths in Gaza. The IDF says it has killed about 25,000-26,000 combatants, a number also reported by President Trump in October 2025. If you subtract 25,000 from 72,000, even using Hamas’s number at face value, you get roughly 47,000 non-combatant deaths, or a bit less than a 2:1 ratio. If you were modest to adjust for natural deaths and Hamas-caused deaths, is likely closer to 35,000–40,000 non-combatant deaths versus 25,000 combatants killed, which puts the ratio closer to 1.5:1.

If you compare 2:1 or 1.5:1 to any numbers we have (in many cases we don’t have) for wars, urban centric wars, contested urban battles they will be some of the lowest ratios (in some cases lowest by far) ever seen despite none of those wars or battles had the context of Gaza. For example:

World War II – 70 million civilians, 20 million combatants, 3.5:1
Korean War – 2.5 million civilians, 90,000 combatants, 27:1
Iraq War – 280-300,000 civilians, 150-200,000 combatants, 1.4:1 to 2:1

But wait, the Gaza numbers are usually aggregated numbers for the entire war, any death ever reported in Gaza.

But if you disaggregate the numbers to specific battles like Rafah, Khan Yunis, Gaza City 2025 for comparison you get different numbers. Based on modest numbers from the Battle of Rafah, the civilian to combatant ratio would be more like 1:100 due to multiple operational variables like the success of civilian evacuations.

Major urban battles (modest comparison of battles with any like variables).

Mosul – 10,000 civilians. Combatant unknown but total estimate in battle 5,000 – 2:1
Manila – 100,000 civilians. Combatants 17,000 – 6:1
Seoul – Unknown/no record of civilian but very likely high ratio based on histories
Mariupol – Unknown/mass graves, estimate 20-22,000 civilians, 3-8,000 combatants - 2.5:1 to 7.3:1

I actually use this discussion about numbers or quote about ratio sparingly despite how many times it has been attribute to me because I know the complexity of casualty counting especially in urban centric wars with combatants that violate the law of war and do not distinguish themselves (uniforms/marking) making determining a body found (if there is a body) or a name reported (such as methods in Gaza) and then classifying that person as was participating in the hostilities (combatant) or not (noncombatant) is beyond just difficult and should always be viewed as questionable. In Mosul, a year after the battle there was not only no agreed upon casualty number, but the Mayor of the city also said there were 40,000 civilian deaths. These numbers are always messy, political, susceptible to manipulation by the different organizations involved.

My point has always been that numbers of casualty reporting in Gaza doesn’t paint the story people routinely push. Actually, the opposite.

Urban warfare is inherently and historically costly against civilians and the infrastructure. All wars involve noncombatant death. The moral, legal requirement is to do proportionality assessments and take feasible steps to prevent excessive civilian harm.

So, using your logic Piers, if you can’t state how many combatants were killed (by Israel, Hamas, terrorist rockets, other terrorists in power struggles) … you can’t say (or allow your guests to say) Israel has killed a “large number of civilians” or “killed a disproportionate number of civilians” like you did in this very interveiw.

You can't spend years saying Israel is killing enormous numbers of civilians and then tell me nobody can estimate civilian deaths so ratios aren't valid. Those two positions can't both be true.

If casualty estimates are reliable enough to accuse Israel, then they're also reliable enough to examine civilian-to-combatant ratios. If they aren't, then they shouldn't be used selectively only when they support one conclusion.

[John Spencer @SpencerGuard]

Interesting. @NickKristof told @piersmorgan I'm the only military scholar/retired officer with the positions I have on IDF conduct relating to the Gaza War (mine based on hundreds of interviews to include the entire chain of command and numerous direct observations of IDF conduct in/across Gaza).

I guess he hasn't heard of the 4 x High Level Military Groups with numerous 4/3/2/1 Generals / COL / LTCs from the U.S. and multiple NATO countries (Spain, Italy, UK, etc.) that have gone into Gaza, conducted interview of Israel military commanders. Like the High Level Military Group report submitted to the ICC. https://t.co/9nFTeGj82J

Or how about General Sir John McColl former NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) who in his words "visited Israel with a team of military experts from six Nato countries to see for myself…" stating "The procedures are at least as rigorous as those applied in the UK armed forces...In addition, the Israeli military carries out civilian evacuations of war zones, forgoing the element of surprise, to which it would be entitled in armed conflict." - Sep 2024 https://t.co/8gXKfpDGtR

But sure Nick, I'm the only one.

[The_Mo @MosheThe2nd]

@Eric_Schmitt @DanLinnaeus Your analysis is incomplete - you did not mention "Zionism" (which is really a catch-all for anti-israel and antisemitic sentiment). This runs in the veins of the DSA + NeoCommunists + Revolutionary Marxists

[Israel Defense Forces @IDF]

@MarioNawfal No evidence for any of it?
845574 is his military ID
Attached are pictures and videos of him.
How’s that for evidence?

[The_Mo @MosheThe2nd]

@jasonjamesbnn Your Israel/Iran/Middle East story arc here is off base. Sorry man, but this isn't real analysis - The topics that followed after were in the same vein... Shallow geopolitical analysis, leading to presupposed conclusions. Your voice needs to be heard, but get better analysis.

[Secretary Kennedy @SecKennedy]

America faces more than a chronic disease epidemic that threatens our physical health. We also face a spiritual malaise that undermines our mental health.

Our children are increasingly isolated, fragmented, and anxious, spending more than 8.5 hours a day on screens.

This summer, put down the phone and reconnect with nature, family, and community. It's time to Take Back Your Health. Eat Real Food. Get Active. Together, we will Make America Healthy Again.

[The_Mo @MosheThe2nd]

@LionsOfZion_ORG When did Vance say this? I can't find the source

[Alexandra Lavoie @ThevoiceAlexa]

WARNING ⚠️ Hey @X @Support,

@NatashaMontreal and @l3v1at4an are independent journalists and researchers who work tirelessly to expose extremism and radicalism in Canada.

They have now been locked out of their accounts over false accusations of publishing private information. The information they shared was publicly available online, and it appears that the individual they exposed, @realzubidoo, is now attempting to cover his tracks after being exposed.

Please restore Natasha’s and Leviathan’s access to their accounts.

And to everyone else: please share this. We will not back down in the face of reporting campaigns, censorship attempts, or harassment aimed at silencing independent journalism.
@elonmusk