Easy-to-use talking points to be the star of any discussion, thanks to Ben Tóth and his amazing outlines. Hot off the press!

I’ve already printed out my copy. Watch the show he co-hosted this week,

Blowback: Exposing Imperial Decline

https://www.youtube.com/@BlowbackExposingImperial-hh8ig

Outline/Talking Points

BATTLEGROUND EURASIA

RECOGNITION OF LOSS

– 404: DPRK appears to be more effective partner for Russia than West for Ukraine – Kuleba ( NV Ukraine )

– 404: Ukraine says West must halt supply of weapons parts to Russia – “get serious” ( AFP )

– 404: Can Ukraine‘s economy survive without foreign aid? Experts aren’t sure ( Kyiv Ind )

– 404: Ukraine wants EU’s next migration rules to encourage returns ( Politico )

– 404: Ukraine looks to be losing the ‘battle for ammunition’ outshot by Russians ( Business Insider )

– 404: The counteroffensive has failed and Elensky is already being questioned ( El Mundo )

– USC: Schumer warns ‘Ukraine will fall’ if Senate doesn’t pass new aid bill – Americans will feel the impact ( NYP )

– USC: The pentagon has no more money for Ukraine – Austin ( AP )

– EUK: Sad birthday balance – Actor Comedian Elensky‘s birthday ( Mysl Polska )

Context : Argues, silences opp., corrupt, economic crisis, no soldiers, loss of territory, depopulation, fall from grace.

404 DIPLOMACY

– EUK: There’s no war in Kyiv scoffs Slovakia’s Fico – just go there, life is normal ( Politico )

– EUK: Serbia won’t sign EU+47 statement calling Russia to stop Ukraine aggression, withdraw troops ( DTT )

– 404: Forgetting how Nazis carved up eCzechoslovakia, Slovak MP advocates same for Ukraine ( NV Ukraine )

– 404: Ukraine to Slovakia‘s Fico: No, we won’t give up land to Russia ( Politico )

– 404: Ukraine disses HBO for hiring pro-Putin Serb to star in The White Lotus  ( Politico )

– 404: Ukrainian first lady considers Hunka matter ‘resolved’ ( CBC )

THE ILYUSHIN AFFAIR

– 404: Kiev deliberately shot down plane with its POWs – 74 people, 65 Ukrainians ( RT )

– 404: Il-76 crashed, Ukrainian Armed Forces say ‘it’s their job’ ( Ukro Pravda, instantly )

– 404: Il-76 crashed in Belgorod region of Russia ( Ukro Pravda 2 hours later )

– 404: Elensky says lacking details, calls for international investigation ( official X )

– 404: Ukraine vows to continue prisoner swaps, Human Rights Commissioner ( Ukro Pravda )

– 404: Military intelligence: Senior Russian officials were supposed to be on II- 76 flight but did not board ( Kyiv Ind )

– EUK: France says it could have been shot down by US patriot ( France Info TV )

– EUK: France delays emergency UNSC meeting to Thursday, midnight Kyiv time ( Ru MFA )

– RUC: Russia announces destruction of French SAMP-T AD system 3 hours after incident ( Ru MOD )

– USC: Another mysterious and deadly Russian plane crash ( CNN )

– USC: Military plane crashes in Russia, killing all Onboard, officials Say ( NYT )

– USC: The US was in no way involved in the crash of the Il-76 – Vedant Patel ( State.gov briefing )

---

HOUSE SLAVES

NATO HORSETRADING

– 404: Ukrainian PM Denis Shmygal proposes to exclude Slovakia and Hungary from NATO ( RT )

– EUK: Türkiye approves Sweden‘s NATO entry leaving Hungary as holdout ( Bloomberg )

– EUK: EU threatens to silence Hungary if it blocks Ukrainian funds ( Politico )

– EUK: Hungary drops opposition on new EU weapons fund for Ukraine – ‘people familiar’ said ( Bloomberg )

– EUK: 99% of Hungarian respondents do not support Ukraine’s EU membership – consultation ( Közlöny )

– USC: Biden urges US Congress to approve $50b F-16 sale to Türkiye ‘without delay’ ( Reuters )

– USC: Türkiye links Sweden’s NATO bid to US approving F-16 jet sales and Canada lifting arms embargo ( AP )

– USC: Last man standing: Orbán faces calls from US, Europe to unblock Sweden’s NATO bid ( Politico )

– USC: US attacks Hungary’s Orbán for ‘fantasy foreign policy’ that helps Putin ( FT )

– USC: Putin‘s NATO ally has overplayed his hand – Orbán ( Newsweek )

THE WAR MAD

– EUK: Russia‘s defense industry strips fridges for “spare parts”: UK official ( Newsweek )

– EUK: Britain should ‘train and equip’ a ‘citizen army’ to prepare for war – head of the Army ( Mail Online )

– EUK: Army chief says people of UK are ‘pre-war generation’ who must be ready to fight Russia ( Guardian )

– EUK: Rishi Sunak warns Houthis of more attacks – unless they stop theirs ( AFP )

– EUK: Ban Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Lord Polak tells Rishi Sunak ( Telegraph )

– EUK: America should unleash its armored flying Hogs in Ukraine – David Axe ( Telegraph )

– EUK: Sorry Russia, the Baltic Sea is NATO’s lake now – big problems for Moscow ( Politico )

– EUK: One in four chance Russia will attack another UK ally by 2025 ( Telegraph )

– EUK: London gives Scholz a way out of Taurus-Dilemma ( Handelsblatt )

Context : Will buy Taurus from Germany, to send more Storm Shadows to Ukraine

THE WORRIED

– EUK: EU must be ready for war without US, EPP chief Manfred Weber warns ( Politico )

– EUK: Is Europe ready to fight Vladimir Putin alone? contemplates end of Pax Americana ( Politico )

– EUK: Germany is not ready for military emergency, defense minister Pistorious warns ( Telegraph )

– EUK: Public face call-up if we go to war, military chief warns – army is too small ( Telegraph )

– EUK: Sunak forced to rule out conscription as Russia war threat rises ( Telegraph )

– EUK: Putin sparks fears of war with Nato with visit to Kaliningrad ( Telegraph )

– EUK: German defense minister doesn’t ‘know anything’ about missile swap with UK ( Politico )

THE GREEDY

– EUK: EU readies more Russia sanctions ahead of Ukraine war anniversary ( FT )

– EUK: Europe must not weaponize Euro, ECB policymaker warns ( Reuters )

– EUK: ECB asks some lenders to monitor social media for early signs of BANK RUNS – sources ( Reuters )

– EUK: EU unlikely to confiscate Russian central bank assets – officials – too many legal risks ( Reuters )

– EUK: Belgium agrees €611 million in military aid for Ukraine – from income on Russian assets ( Brussels Times )

– EUK: The absolute record of bankruptcy of Polish companies has been broken ( Wprost PL )

– EUK: Anti-EU populists poised to dominate European elections – 10+ of 27 ( Times )

– EUK: Brussels struggles to placate farmers as far right stokes protests ( FT )

– EUK: Germany isn’t sick man of Europe but tired man who needs coffee – Lindner ( Reuters )

– EUK: German car parts suppliers plan job cuts amid costly EV transition ( FT )

– EUK: Signa group’s flagship German project – Elbtower – falls into bankruptcy ( FT )

– EUK: Ursula von der Leyen launches “Strategic Dialogue on Agriculture” ( her official X )

THE INFIGHTING

– EUK: French top court nixes cushy visa deal for rich Brits ( Politico )

– EUK: French government presses the UK to help fill multi billion-pound hole in nuclear projects ( FT )

– EUK: British Hedge funds built $1 billion short bet against Big German Stocks ( Bloomberg )

context : Volkswagen, Deutsche Bank, Siemens, Rheinmetall

BATTLEGROUND WEST ASIA

ISRAEL

– ISR: Israeli soldiers ‘clearing buffer zone’ in Gaza die in Blast – preparing explosives to level buildings ( NYT )

– ISR: Netanyahu tells troops there’s ‘no substitute for complete victory over our enemies’ ( TO Israel )

– ISR: Hamas toll thus far falls short of Israel’s war aims, US says – 20% to 30% ( WSJ )

– ISR: ‘Mass casualties’ as UN shelter struck amid intense fighting in Khan Younis ( CNN )

– ISR: The army checked and found that the Gaza Ministry of Health’s fatalities were reliable ( Mekomit )

– ISR: Iran is now a ‘legitimate target’ for Israeli missile strikes – Economy Minister ( Telegraph )

– ISR: Insurance companies refuse coverage for Israeli ships in Red Sea ( Globes )

ICJ INTERIM RULING

– UN: Government expects ICJ judgement in genocide case against Israel on Friday ( SA News24 )

– UN: UN Court demands Israel Prevent genocide but doesn’t call for cease-fire ( NYT )

– UN: ICJ orders Israel to limit harm to Palestinians in Gaza ( FT )

– UN: Top UN court stops short of ordering Gaza ceasefire ( CNN )

Context: Court rules ( 15:2 ) Israel must take all measures to prevent genocide

Court rules ( 15:2 ) Israel must ensure none of it’s military commit genocide

Court rules ( 16:1 ) Israel must prevent & punish incitement to genocide

Court rules ( 16:1 ) Israel must take measures to provide humanitarian aid

Court rules ( 15:2 ) Israel should preserve evidence of alleged genocide

Court rules ( 15:2 ) Israel shall submit a report on these measures to court in 1 month

– ISR: Ben Gvir slams ICJ as antisemitic, says Israel should ignore ruling on provisional measures ( TO Israel )

– ISR: Israeli leaders vow Gaza war to go on; Hamas: ICJ ruling ‘contributes to isolating Israel’ ( TO Israel )

– ISR: Netanyahu: Israel to defend itself from Hamas, genocide claim outrageous ( Jpost )

– USC: US probes UNRWA for October 7 involvement, halts US funding ( WaPo )

WHAT THE US DOING?

– USC: Why an end to the war in Gaza is still far off – US diplomatic push unlikely this year ( Foreign Policy )

– USC: VIPS Memo to Biden – Avoiding a Third World War ( Consortium )

– USC: Biden to deploy CIA director Burns to help broker major Israel-Gaza deal to release hostages ( WaPo )

– USC: America is planning to withdraw from Syria – and create a disaster – Charles Lister ( Foreign Policy )

– USC: US, Iraq to kick off talks on future of unwelcome US occupation force ( Al Mayadeen )

– USC: US signals it is open to withdrawing SOME troops from Iraq ( WaPo )

– ISR: Israel clinches new US arms deal as Gaza atrocities mount ( N12 > Cradle )

Context: 25 F35, 25 F15 IA, 12 Apache, ‘many thousands’ of armaments in coming days

YEMEN / RED SEA

– USC: US Air Force bombs Yemen’s Sana’a – I counted 7s strikes so far ( WaPo )

– USC: A ragtag militia in Yemen worked to become a nimble US foe ( NYT )

– WEA: Yemen ordered American and British UN workers to leave the country immediately ( SABA )

– WEA: UAE has funded political assassinations in Yemen  – training by US mercs ( BBC )

– WEA: Attacks off Yemen targeted 2 ships carrying cargo for US Defense, State Departments ( Maersk > Aawsat )

– USC: US urges China to help curb Red Sea attacks by Iran-backed Houthis – no results yet ( FT )

– USC: Jake Sullivan to meet China‘s Wang Yi in Thailand to discuss Houthi attacks ( WSJ )

– USC: The US and UK sanction Houthi military officials – Matthew Miller ( State.gov )

– EUK: The Houthis have survived worse than America’s and Britain’s strikes ( Economist )

– EUK: ‘Opportunistic’ Chinese lines send ships to serve Red Sea ports ( FT )

– EUK: Belgium sends warship to join European mission in Red Sea ( Politico )

– ASO: New Zealand to send ( six-member! ) defense team to support Red Sea security ( Reuters )

– ASO: New Zealand‘s maritime union opposes country’s Red Sea military involvement ( RNZ )

– RUC: Russia and Ansar Alla jointly condemn attacks on Yemen in Moscow ( Ru MFA )

THE NEIGHBORHOOD

– GLO: Algeria calls for international conference to end Israel‘s occupation of Palestinian lands ( Andalou )

– GLO: Leading humanitarian organizations call on states to halt arms transfers to Israel ( Press TV )

– UN: China’s United Nations human rights review puts global divide on display – Global South vs North ( SCMP )

– RUC: Russia, Iran, Türkiye issue joint statement calling for immediate truce in Gaza ( IRNA )

– WEA: Türkiye‘s Erdogan to take economic measures against Israel over Hamas War ( Jerusalem Post )

– WEA: Türkiye removes Israel from export target list ( Globes Israel )

– WEA: Egypt, Qatar turning cold shoulder to Netanyahu – because of remarks ( Cradle )

– WEA: US strikes on Iraqi military positions will lead to escalation – PM statement ( Al Mayadeen )

– WEA: Russia and Iran finalize 20-yr deal to change Middle East forever ( Oilprice )

– WEA: Secretaries of National Security Councils of Iran and Russia met in Moscow ( Ru MFA )

– WEA: Ebrahim Raeisi on official visit to Ankara, signs 10 cooperation agreements ( IRNA )

– WEA: Iran an Türkiye to deepen energy cooperation, especially gas ( Andalou )

INDIAN TENSIONS

– ISR: Israel turns to India to fill workforce void ( Cradle )

– WEA: OIC strongly condemned opening of Ram Temple on demolished Babri Mosque size in India ( MEE )

– WEA: Muslim shop fronts demolished in India as violence against Muslims increase ( PressTV )

– WEA: India tightens the screws on online dissent ( Economist )

– EUK: Emanuel Macron attends India’s Republic Day parade in Delhi ( France24 )

Context: Biden snubbed India, Macron snubbed China ( 70th anniversary of relations )

AFRICAN COLLABORATORS

– AFR: Nigeria‘s Adebayo Ogunlesi becomes billionaire after BlackRock buys his firm ( Bloomberg )

– AFR: Africa has shaped our past, is shaping our present, will shape our future ( State.gov )

– AFR: US is ready to do anything for Africa – Secretary of State Blinken ( State.gov )

– AFR: Blinken on four-nation Africa tour, commits to security, economic partnerships ( VOA / CIA )

Context : Angola, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria

FREE AFRICA

– AFR: The President of Chad came to Moscow for the first time in 56 years ( AN )

– AFR: Chadian President Mahamat Deby terms his official visit to Moscow as ‘historic’ milestone ( TASS )

– AFR: Russian Troops begin Burkina Faso deployment to bolster security, first 100 followed by 200 ( Bloomberg )

– AFR: Iran, Niger ink cooperation agreement in Tehran – trade / economy, political, culture, health ( IRNA )

– EUK: Africa trip : Baerbock slowed down again ( ZDF )

Context : on way to Djibouti, refused by Eritrea, forced to land in Jeddah after hours of circling over Red Sea.