Separation of church and state isn’t a slur—it’s the Founders’ firewall against theocracy. Hegseth’s eagerness to fuse Bible with policy isn’t ‘moral continuity’; it’s turning public law into sectarian doctrine. Christians can live their faith privately. The government must stay neutral so no one’s scripture becomes everyone’s statute.
This moment from February 2025 may go down as one of the most prescient exchanges in modern diplomatic history. Zelenskyy warned Trump that while the United States may feel protected by an ocean today, a time could come when America would need help in war. Trump scolded him instead. Perhaps he should have listened.
Zelenskyy: First of all, during the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have nice ocean and don't feel now. But you will feel it in the future. God bless –
Trump: You don't know that. You don't know that. Don't tell us what we're going to feel. We're trying to solve a problem. Don't tell us what we're going to feel.
Zelenskyy: I'm not telling you. I am answering on these questions.
Trump: Because you're in no position to dictate that.
Vance: That's exactly what you're doing.
Trump: You are in no position to dictate what we're going to feel. We're going to feel very good.
@AJEnglish Whoever was dumb enough to move there - should have known its a shithole. Wait until the desalination plants get targeted, what are you going to drink or wash with?? Oil?
never forget just several months ago, this admin told you there are no files and that it was all a democratic hoax
now we get partial drops of the most depraved shit we've ever seen implicating the elite class
even after they expend significant effort government resources to scrub it. that's the crazy part. one can only imagine what the FBI agents working overtime on this have seen and were forced to redact
you're literally just seeing the tip of an iceberg- one which would still remain invisible to you were it not for Thomas Massie, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ro Khanna, and a scant few others
and now we will probably start the next conflict of the month to flush this out of the headlines. a foreign war or a domestic crackdown against the people
honestly, fuck this shit
Leonid Ivashov, a heavy-hitting retired Russian Colonel General, recently went rogue and started saying out loud what most people in the Kremlin only dare to whisper. He didn't hold back, basically calling things out for being a mess.
The Big Picture: "We're in Trouble"
Ivashov starts by basically saying Russia is a mess right now. He’s not sugarcoating it: we’re lonely on the world stage (only a handful of countries even talk to us at the UN), and we’ve lost our influence over our neighbors. He even compares putin’s era to the start of the Soviet collapse under Gorbachev—lots of talk, but everything is breaking.
1. The "Broken Stuff" List
He goes through a laundry list of things that aren't working:
* Planes: We can't build our own passenger jets. We’re basically cannibalising old Boeings for parts.
* Space: He tells a wild story about how the last working manned launchpad at Baikonur was accidentally torched because of poor maintenance. Now, Russia effectively can't send people to space.
* Food: He warns that the food in the shops is becoming toxic garbage filled with palm oil because the economy is so squeezed.
* Corruption: He mentions that 11 trillion rubles were allegedly stolen by the Ministry of Defense. He points out that almost every big corrupt official is a member of the ruling party.
2. The "Spectacle" (The Press Conference)
He calls putin’s annual "Direct Line" a brilliant theatrical performance.
The Setup: Everything was staged—the suit, the tie, even the camera angles to hide putin’s nervous leg twitching.
The Script: He says the questions were totally rehearsed.
putin knew what was coming. The few "real" questions from foreign journalists were just dodged with "whataboutism" or jokes.
The "Reality Gap": While putin was smiling and talking about how great the economy is, the "ticker tape" on the screen was showing real people from the regions begging for water, roads, and enough money to buy medicine.
3. The War (Tactics vs. Strategy)
Ivashov is really unimpressed with the military leadership.
* Small Thinking: He says putin is stuck at a "tactical" level—bragging about taking one tiny village or a single house.
The NATO Gap: He admits that Ukraine, backed by NATO tech and satellite intel, is hitting Russia where it hurts (oil refineries and airfields), while Russia is just throwing shells at the problem.
4. The Demographic "Cliff"
He’s really worried that Russians are simply dying out. The birth rate is way below what’s needed to survive, and putin’s excuse is just "well, it's a global trend." Ivashov thinks that's a cop-out for a country that’s literally shrinking.
The Verdict
Ivashov ends with looking pretty defeated. He basically says:
“Look, I’ve been a professor, a general, and a student of geopolitics for decades. I watched this whole 4-hour show, and I didn't see a leader, a commander, or a protector of the people. I just saw a guy living in a fairy tale while the rest of the country is struggling to survive on 16,000 rubles a month."
Basically, his message is: The "Spectacle" looks great on TV, but you can't eat a stage play, and you can't fly a museum piece to space.
(The transcript for this segment of Russian retired General Ivashov’s video where he critiques the "staged spectacle" of putin’s press conference you will find in the comments.)
🎄🇫🇮 This was one of our most-watched videos of 2025:
This is quite cool: The Finns refuse to call Russia by the stolen name “Rus”—which anciently defines Swedes and, later on, Ukrainians. Instead, they call Russia “Venäjä.”
Finland, with just 5.6 million people, is one of the strongest nations in Europe—aware of its identity, prepared to fight, and, understanding the Russian threat, generously helping Ukraine. Its president @alexstubb has elevated Finland as a key geopolitical player.
music: the great Finnish composer Sibelius
UFN / https://t.co/0OqCEk5ob2