War – It’s All Connected – Middle East, Russia, and China


Posted originally on Jun 18, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

Middle East top World

This Middle East War is deeply connected with the war to destroy Russia, and it is all orchestrated by the NEOCONS. I have written before that I argued with Bill Kristol back in the ’90s, whose father helped start the Neoconservative movement. They wanted to remove all opponents of Israel under the pretense that this would bring peace to the Middle East. They targeted Saddam, Assad, and Gaddafi to remove these three leaders, who were dictators.

In 1963, Benjamin (“Bibi”) Netanyahu’s father, Benzion, moved himself and his children from Israel to Cheltenham, a suburb of Philadelphia. Benzion went to teach at America’s first center for post-doctoral Jewish studies. Bibi went to Cheltenham High. He joined the debate and chess teams, and played left wing on the soccer field. But Bibi didn’t even stay for the graduation ceremony, leaving to join the Israeli Defense Forces for the Six-Day War in June 1967.

William Kristol and Benjamin Netanyahu first met and formed an early friendship in Philadelphia during the early 1970s, when Bibi returned. Eventually, Bibi attended MIT (1972-1975) and Harvard (1975-1977) but frequently visited his older brother Yoni Netanyahu, who was studying at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

William Kristol grew up in Philadelphia. His father, Irving Kristol, founder of the Neocons, was teaching at the University of Pennsylvania during this period. William was a teenager/young adult (born 1952) living at home. It was through their fathers’ overlapping intellectual circles that both Irving Kristol and Benzion Netanyahu became prominent conservative intellectuals, focusing on history and politics. This was likely facilitated by Yoni Netanyahu’s presence at the University of Pennsylvania. Bibi met the Kristol family during his visits to Philadelphia. This is the connection as to why Bibi is also a staunch Neocon. The removal of these three leaders, Saddam, Assad, and Gaddafi, was a Neocon objective from the ’90s. I heard this firsthand, not through third-party accounts or speculation.

I have staunchly disagreed with these objectives. Kristol, I believe, told me this would bring peace for Israel. Being a history buff myself, all my research was based on what my father told me. NEVER judge others by what you think. They will ALWAYS act based upon what they believe. The only way to understand history is to view events through their eyes, not yours. Some of these Neocons are obsessed with Russia and Communism. Others, like Kristol, are obsessed with the Middle East.

They took down Iraq because Bibi assumed that Saddam was really anti-Israel. Obama authorized the CIA to start covert operations to overthrow Assad in Syria. The Ben Gazi attack on the embassy that Hillary refused to explain when they attacked was because it was funneling in arms to overthrow both Gaddafi and Assad.

Deadly Betrayal Dennis Fritz

This was a Neocon operation, and it is still in play to overthrow Iran, all for Israel. They are operating against Donald Trump and have continued to usurp American foreign policy. You just had Lindsey Grachm in Ukraine tell Zelensky not to listen to Trump, that he would ensure there would be money for Iraq to continue this war endlessly. Dennis Fritz has exposed all the lies for the Weapons of Mass Destruction was a deliberate lie that was made up a year in advance to take down Saddam, KNOWING that there were no such weapons of mass destruction.

1 Dick Cheney

Dick Cheney even came out and endorsed Kamala to endure that the NEOCONS would continue to run the Foreign Policy of the United States. I was in the middle of their attempted regime change in Russia back in 2000. That cost me and my family a lot.

Former General Wesley Clark was told the same information I was told directly by Kristol back in the 1990s. This is NOT going to end well for the USA, Europe, the Middle East, or the rest of the world. Obama’s attempt to invade Syria was rejected by Congress, but he still funded the CIA’s covert operations.

Merkel Welcome

That sent countless Muslims into Europe, and therein lies the destruction of Europe. While NEOCONS are entirely in charge of NATO and have indoctrinated all the various heads of state from Merz, Starmer, and Macron, just to mention a few, their myopic focus on war with Russia has overlooked that this NEOCON attempt to overthrow Iran, which supplies 80% of its oil to China, has also allowed waves of Syrian and other militants into Europe who are not assimilating. As war escalated against Iran, the greatest danger is that this becomes a Jihad – holy war against both Judaism and Christianity. I would NOT plan any vacation to Europe this summer.

This Middle East NEOCON War to eliminate all of the possible enemies of Israel is a disaster about to unfold. Pakistan has threatened to drop a nuclear warhead on Israel if Benjamin Netanyahu uses nuclear weapons against Iran, according to a top Iranian officer. General Mohsen Rezaee, a senior officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said in an interview: “Pakistan has assured us that if Israel uses a nuclear bomb on Iran, they will attack Israel with a nuclear bomb.” 

President Trump Delivers Remarks With Prime Minister Mark Carney at Beginning of G7 Assembly


Posted originally on CTH on June 16, 2025 | Sundance

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney welcomes President Donald Trump at the beginning of the working sessions for the G7 assembly in Canada.

During the press availability President Trump notes the G7 used to be the G8, however following the Crimea referendum and President Putin’s response to accept the outcome of the vote, the NATO alliance led by President Barack Obama took Russia out of the group.  President Trump says he “agreed” with Putin’s reaction to the decision.

The G7 speak about Russia consistently at almost every meeting, without a willingness to listen to the voice or opinion of Russia in context to their protestations.  Quite simply it is easier for Italy, Canada, the U.K, France, Germany, Japan and the USA to exist inside an echo-chamber without having their multilateral arguments challenged.  President Trump does not fear the debate of ideas with Russia present in the room, another point of distinction between Trump and the assembly.

Wrong is wrong even if everybody does it; and right is right even if nobody does it. It takes strong confidence to assert a position counter to popular opinion, this is what makes President Donald Trump a transformative political influence.

In the background, President Vladimir Putin is undoubtedly paying attention.

Also, read carefully what President of the European Council António Costa said today:

CANADA – […] European Commission boss Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council António Costa on Sunday both urged Trump to stop hurting the global economy with tariffs.

“Let’s keep trade between us fair, predictable and open. All of us need to avoid protectionist measures — this is an important message that the G7 can send to the markets and to the world,” von der Leyen told reporters, speaking alongside Costa at the first press conference of the G7 leaders’ meeting in Canada.

Calling for “a frank discussion among the G7 partners, restoring a sense of stability and predictability among ourselves,” von der Leyen stressed Brussels was still negotiating a trade truce with Washington.

Costa said the EU can’t increase defense spending, as Trump wants it to, if it has to fight a trade war at the same time.” (link)

A parasitic statement if there ever was one.

Put another way, the EU threatens that President Trump will not be able to lessen USA military spending from NATO, if he simultaneously demands reciprocal trade rules from NATO countries.

Insufferable is an understatement.

POSOBIEC: “Russian Response, Status Of Negotiations In Ukraine Is Going To Be Called Into Question.”


Posted originally on Rumble By Bannon’s War Room on: June 13, 2025, at 1:00 pm EST

Tucker Carlson Interviews Telegram Founder Pavel Durov During Ongoing Confinement in France


Posted originally on CTH on June 9, 2025 | Sundance

Tucker Carlson traveled to France in order to interview Telegram Founder and CEO Pavel Durov who remains in French detention as he awaits the judicial system to release him.  Telegram is used as a messaging ap by over a billion users worldwide.  Pavel Durov was accused of noncompliance with EU judicial demands and arrested during a holiday last year.  He remains under quasi-detention confinement.

Many people have increasingly expressed annoyance at the change in Tucker Carlson’s interview style.  The increased interruptions, wandering rambling that takes the point off subject, inappropriate -borderline annoying- laughter at the wrong moments, and increasing Hannityesque behavior has been a sidebar topic of conversation. However, this is the first interview in which I can say these distracting interview traits have become unbearable.

I really wanted to hear from Durov, but I could not survive the inappropriate timing of the interruptions, and increasingly odd mannerisms from Mr Carlson.  From a mental strength, stability and intellectual perspective, Carlson is way over his head trying to interview Durov. Perhaps that explains the performative and seemingly odd behavior of Tucker in this interview.  It gets worse as it progresses.  See for yourself.  WATCH:

.

Pavel Durov is a very deliberate man with an exceptionally stable disposition.  He is one of the most important people in the world of information, communication and the free exchange of ideas.  Yeah, I’m a little frustrated with this missed opportunity to go into important considerations in the world of information sharing.

Chapters:
0:00 Being Arrested in France
10:57 France’s Attempt to Humiliate and Tarnish Durov
15:54 Did the Russian Government Ever Try to Arrest Durov?
17:21 How Telegram Makes Money
20:04 Are They Attacking Durov Because He’s Russian?
21:19 Did Anyone Defend Durov?
24:23 What Did Durov Do in Jail?
25:17 Is Durov Allowed to Leave France?
30:37 The Real Reason They’re Attacking Durov
31:56 Europe’s Mission to Make Privacy Illegal
39:20 France’s Confiscation of Durov’s Phone
40:47 The Investigation Into Durov
56:52 How Telegram Stays Neutral in Global Politics
58:44 The Advancements of Encryption Technology
1:00:47 Is There Anything That Can Prevent a Government From Spying on You?
1:02:42 The Importance of Disconnecting
1:04:40 Durov’s Thoughts on Ross Ulbricht
1:06:54 Will Durov Stay in France After the Investigation?

New York Times Obtains Internal FSB Report Highlighting Russian Govt Concerns About Chinese Influence


Posted originally on CTH on June 9, 2025 | Sundance 

At sporadic times of inconsequential normalcy, on the streets of Russia you will see two distinct types of people asked for identification, Asians and middle eastern males. When asked why, the average, ordinary grey-person in Russia going about their business, ambivalently has no idea.

Russia is a massive country.

To the southeast they are bordered by China, Mongolia and Asia, they even have a small border with North Korea. To the southwest they have the “stans,” most notably Kazakhstan; this region is the source of most domestic terrorists who attack inside Russia. To the West they have Ukraine and the EU nations.

From the standpoint of Russia, they have Asians on their East, Arabs on their South and EU supported Nazis on their Western flank. Keep in mind, despite the breakup of the Soviet Union the muscle memory from World War II is still very much a part of their social compact.

Consider Arlington Cemetary for scale. If you were to build a cemetery just from the battle of Leningrad (now St Petersburg) it would be bigger than Washington DC. If you were to build an Arlington type cemetery for all the Russians killed in World War II, the 27 million gravesites would envelop a landmass bigger than Washington DC and the state of Virginia combined.  These realities underpin Russian perspectives.

CTH shared previously that Russia is drawn into an alignment with China not by desire, but rather by necessity.  Most ordinary Russians do not like China, and they would prefer not to purchase Chinese industrial or manufactured goods.  Russian President Vladimir Putin is well aware of this, and I believe U.S. President Donald Trump is aware also.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said publicly it should be U.S. policy to support separating the two biggest nuclear powers, China and Russia as a matter of strategic U.S. interest.  President Trump said, “I’m going to have to un-unite them, and I think I can do that, too,” shortly before his election in November. “I have to un-unite them.” {link}

In a very downplayed statement earlier this year hidden by media, the former Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and current Secretary of State -also National Security Advisor- Marco Rubio, said “Ukraine was a proxy war for the United States against Russia.”  Despite the U.S. media intentionally hiding the statement, Moscow immediately noticed and affirmed the accuracy.

Ukraine launched a covert attack against Russian air force bases last Sunday June 1st.  President Trump was not informed of the attack in advance and was unaware it was going to take place.  In the aftermath, President Trump and Secretary Rubio stayed quiet.

Three days after the attack, Wednesday, June 4, President Trump held a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Last week the New York Times received “an eight-page internal F.S.B. planning document” … “that sets priorities for fending off Chinese espionage.”

[…] Ares Leaks, a cybercrime group, obtained the document but did not say how it did so. That makes definitive authentication impossible, but The Times shared the report with six Western intelligence agencies, all of which assessed it to be authentic. The document gives the most detailed behind-the-scenes view to date of Russian counterintelligence’s thinking about China.

[…] Russia has survived years of Western financial sanctions following the invasion, proving wrong the many politicians and experts who predicted the collapse of the country’s economy.

[…] The Russian document describes a “tense and dynamically developing” intelligence battle in the shadows between the two outwardly friendly nations.

[…] Read one way, the F.S.B. document lends credence to the theory that, with the right approach, Russia can be cleaved away from China. The document describes mistrust and suspicion on both sides of the relationship. (more)

CTH will repeat prior outlines based on available public data as well as my research trip into the current disposition of Russia.  The Russian Federation and the Russian people do not want deepening ties with China.

Despite people from the Eastern side of Russia often being called Asians, even within Russia they are known as Asian-Russians, they do not align with a Chinese worldview.  One of the key positive characteristics of Russia is the lack of pretending both in government and in the people.  Russians do not describe China as the panda; they have very clear eyes and see the dragon behind the panda mask.

From the Southeast Russia has Chinese espionage pressure points; from the Southwest Russia has Arab terrorist pressure points; from the West Russia has EU/Nazi NATO pressure points, and the CIA has activated strategies to stimulate all these agitations.

All of my political instincts tell me that President Putin and President Trump are in alignment.  The challenge for President Trump is to overcome the opposition forces from within Western government (NATO) and Western media.

When President Trump and President Putin come into open alignment, the entire world changes.

Their opposition knows this.

Sacrebleu! Macron Has the Worst Denial Imaginable for His Wife Hitting Him in the Face


Posted originally on Rumble on Bright Bart News Network on: June 8, at 1:40 pm EST

Bannon: Know Thy Enemy


Posted originally on Rumble By Bannon’s War Room on: June 7, 2025, at 6:34 pm EST

JACK POSOBIEC: The Russians seem to be gearing up for an infantry offensive.


Posted originally on Rumble By Bannon’s War Room on: June 6, 2025, at 1:00 pm EST

How Putin Can Win


Posted originally on Jun 6, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

2025_06_03_11_29_20_Putin_s_Whole_Trump_Strategy_Is_in_Tatters_After_Epic_Drone_Humiliation_NewsBr

The Daily Beast, another LEFT-WING propaganda outlet, pretends that this strike means Ukraine is winning. I think every one of these journalists should be drafted, handed a gun, and sent to Ukraine to defend what they boast about. Sorry, Putin is the smartest leader in the room. He has drawn so many red lines, and the EU has crossed each one, trying to compel him to attack NATO. Despite the NEOCON propaganda that Western media keeps spouting, this attack does not mean Ukraine is winning on the battlefield, which takes soldiers.

Anyone with real sources knows that this is a proxy war, and the EU does not care if a single Eastern European is left alive as long as they take a Russian with them. Europe is collapsing economically, and without war, the EU will crumble and divide. The two economies that are actually shrinking are Japan and Germany. A source who was there in Brussels stated plainly that it is now Germany and Merz who are the most aggressive, pushing for war. The entire financial system built on perpetual debt that is NEVER paid off is coming to an end. They need war as a distraction, or the people will be storming the Parliaments.

Zelenskyy Johnson

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Ukrainians are doing everything possible to strike Russian military targets, while Russian invaders continue attacking civilians. Johnson is probably one of the most loathsome politicians out there. I do not know how he sleeps at night. He is responsible for the deaths of more than 500,000 Ukrainians since he hopped on a plane to instruct Zelensky that he was not allowed to sign a peace deal.

Boris_Johnson_We_are_in_a_proxy_war_against_Russia_

“Ukrainians are unbreakable and technologically brilliant. They’re doing everything they can to hit military targets, while Putin indiscriminately slaughters civilians. Time for the UK and EU to back Lindsey Graham’s secondary sanctions bill. Time to tighten the noose around Putin and end this war.”

UK Debt 1692 2012

The UK government’s debt-to-GDP ratio stands at 97.6% and has been steadily rising. The UK claims that it has never formally defaulted on its sovereign gilt debt by refusing to make a scheduled interest or principal payment. However, the 1720 South Sea Bubble restructuring and the 1932 War Loan conversion involved significant unilateral changes to debt terms that harmed creditors, leading some historians and economists to argue they indeed represent forms of selective or de facto default/restructuring.

There are clearly economic reasons behind this thirst for war coming out of Europe, egged on by the Neocons on both sides of the Atlantic. The computer warns that the EU will fail and collapse. There is another problem nobody is talking about, and that is that all the migrants they let into Europe brought with them ethnic feuds. The EU politicians thought they would allow these people in and then send them to war. This is not going to work out as they hoped. There is a higher probability that we will see rising civil unrest in Europe.

Ukraine War
Putin can Win

The EU is correct that if Ukraine falls, there goes Europe. However, that does NOT mean Russia invades Europe. There is NOTHING there worth taking. Instead, the collapse of Ukraine is more about the collapse of the Western political hegemony. This will lead to the crumbling of the EU internally with division – not some invasion by Putin.

Euro Gamble

Ukraine is the great EU gamble. The hopes of conquering Russia to get the $75 trillion in natural resources to resurrect Europe as the pinnacle of economic power. The collapse of Ukraine really means the collapse of European debt, and the division will erupt just as you see in the American Democratic Party and its internal Civil War.

We will create a private blog to discuss the timing of the end of the Euro.

Canada Has no Gold Reserves – They Sold Them.


Posted originally on Jun 4, 2025 by Martin Armstrong 

MAA 400 Ounce C

Holding a 400 oz Gold Bar – Central Bank Standard

QUESTION: Hello Martin – Here in Canada, we have a vexing question – why no Gold Reserves at BofC? USA has a date with destiny aka Ft Knox Audit that Trump and Bessent
seemed engaged on this file but are preoccupied lately with a litany of distractions, I’m 74 with health issues surfacing, which rearrange one’s priorities – many millions of Boomers
in same boat – but that’s the price you knew was coming

jw

The Bank of Canada building

ANSWER: Canada’s lack of significant gold reserves is the result of a deliberate policy decision spanning several decades, primarily driven by the following reasons:

Storage & Security Costs: Holding physical gold requires secure vaults and insurance, incurring ongoing expenses.

Opportunity Cost: Gold pays no interest or dividends. The Bank of Canada (BoC) decided it could achieve better returns by holding interest-bearing assets like foreign government bonds (US Treasuries, German Bunds, etc.) and deposits.

The Shift to More Liquid Assets: The BoC prioritized holding foreign exchange reserves (primarily US dollars, euros, yen, etc.), which are highly liquid and easily used for direct intervention in currency markets to stabilize the Canadian dollar (CAD).


Canada began the process of gradually selling off its gold in the 1980s, when gold rallied to $875 on January 21, 1980, and then began a 19-year decline to $250. Canada significantly accelerated its gold sales during the 1990s and early 2000s under the leadership of Finance Minister Paul Martin and Governor Gordon Thiessen, aiming to optimize reserve asset management. By 2016, Canada sold its last significant holdings. As of today, Canada’s official gold reserves are reported as zero tonnes (or negligible amounts – e.g., 77 ounces reported in 2022, worth a trivial sum relative to total reserves). In essence, Canada decided that the costs and lack of yield associated with holding large gold reserves outweighed the traditional benefits. They opted instead to hold foreign currencies and bonds that are easier to use for market intervention and generate income, relying on the strength of the Canadian economy itself to support the value of its currency.

Brown Gordom PM 2007 2010

Gordon Brown, as Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer (1997-2007), authorized the sale of a very significant portion (roughly half) of the UK’s gold reserves. He was a member of the Labour Party, which viewed gold as a rich man’s toy. He sold approximately 395 tonnes of gold. The sales took place between July 1999 and March 2002. This represented about 58% of the UK’s total gold reserves at the time (which were around 715 tonnes before the sales). After the sales, the UK’s reserves stood at about 310 tonnes, where they remain today. The sales occurred during a period when the gold price was near a 20-year low, averaging around $275 per ounce. Shortly after the sales concluded, the gold price began a historic bull run, rising dramatically over the next decade to peak over $1,900 per ounce in 2011. This timing led to massive criticism that the UK sold at the absolute bottom of the market, potentially losing billions of pounds in potential value. The period is often referred to as the “Brown Bottom” in financial circles. Brown was ignorant of how markets function. He announced in advance the strategy to sell its gold reserves, so the market held back, anticipating a greater supply. The proceeds were invested in foreign currency and government bonds. While these assets generated interest income, the capital appreciation of gold vastly outstripped the returns on those bonds over the following years.

The head of the Bank of Canada during the main phase of Canada’s gold reserve sell-off (mid-to-late 1990s) was Gordon Thiessen (born 1938). He served as Governor from February 1, 1994, to January 31, 2001. Thiessen spent his entire career within the Bank of Canada, joining in 1963.  However, it was his predecessor, John Crow (1987-1994), who began reducing its gold reserves significantly in the 1980s. While the Bank of Canada managed the sales operationally, the ultimate decision to sell the gold rested with the Government of Canada (specifically, the Minister of Finance and the Department of Finance). The Bank acted as the government’s agent in this matter.