Foreign Digest: Russia, Germany and Nigeria

Russia and Germany: The leading far-right anti-migrant pro-Russian party in Germany allegedly provided intelligence to the Russian Federation. The neo-Nazi party that is backed by Trumpist Americans was accused by the German Federal Government, which is led by a center-right coalition. Nigeria: The United States struck Islamic State targets in Nigeria, with the cooperation of the Nigerian Government. The Islamic State split from al-Qaeda, the Islamist terrorist organization responsible for the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on America that killed nearly 3,000 people, which was the deadliest terrorist attack in history. Islamist terrorists have been kidnapping and killing Christians and others in Nigeria, including at places of worship. Nigeria thus becomes a new battlefield in the ongoing Global War on Terrorism, along with Syria and Somalia currently, which was launched after the September 11 Attacks against the Taliban who ruled in Afghanistan and gave safe harbor to al-Qaeda, as well as other places where they had affiliates, or later against the Islamic State and its affiliates.

Merry Christmas, 2025!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas. May Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, reign over America and the whole world!

Foreign Digest: West Africa, Iraq and Syria

West Africa: There was a military coup recently in Guinea-Bissau after a closely contested presidential election. The military takeover in the coup-plagued former Portuguese colony was just the latest in the last few years in West Africa, after a wave of military coups in Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger since 2021. As I had posted, the coups in Mali and Niger overthrew pro-Western elected governments in the former French colonies that the United States and its Western allies, especially France, were helping against Islamist terrorists. The coup leaders in Mali and Niger, in addition to having anti-colonial views toward the French, were dissatisfied with the governments’ actions against the Islamists and turned away from the West and toward Kremlin-backed Russian mercenaries. Terrorist attacks have increased, however. One encouraging development was that a military coup was thwarted in the region in Benin by the elected government. The Economic Community of West African States, which has condemned all the coups and called for returns to elective representative government, is supporting Benin. Iraq and Syria: The United States had conducted joint raids against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria with the Iraq and Syrian Governments. After an attack last week by IS against American forces that killed two U.S. servicemen and a American translator in Syria, the U.S. and Jordan struck several dozen IS targets in Syria. The Syrian Government’s cooperation with the U.S. against IS is a significant change in Syrian policy from the Baathist Assad tyranny that ruled the Arab State for five decades until last December. The U.S. recently lifted sanctions against Syria. The IS broke away from al-Qaeda, the Sunni Islamist terrorist organization responsible for the deadliest terrorist attack ever, the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on America that killed 3,000 people. The new Syrian Government is led by former Islamist guerillas wthat had been affiliated with al-Qaeda, but, backed by Turkey, brought down the Assad regime, despite support for it from Iran, Hezbollah (the Lebanese Shi’ite terrorist organization backed by Iran) and the Russian Federation, after a 14-year multi-lateral Civil War. But the Syrian leadership, which had ruled a Syrian Province during the Civil War, has renounced terrorism and opposes Syria being used as a base by terrorists to threaten other States, is implementing a policy of tolerance for religious and ethnic minorities, and is transitioning to a constitutional parliamentary republic, as I have posted, and wants peace with its neighbors, including even Israel. AsI have also posted, Syria is also destroying the production infrastructure for captagon, the synthetic narcotic that had been causing addiction problems for for the people residing in neighboring Arab States. The overthrow of the two Baathist regimes of Iraq in 2003 and Syria last year have been critical victories for the U.S. and its allies in the War on Terrorism, launched after September 11, that continue to help counter the threat from Islamist terrorism. The U.S. maintains a small troop presence in Iraq and Syria against al-Qaeda and IS, and has continued to fight the al-Qaeda affiliate in Somalia.

American Semiquincentennial Series Coin Designs

The United States Mint unveiled its designs for the American Semiquincentennial Series Coins to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American Independence next year: https://wwwusmint.gov/news/media-kit/semi-q-resources#half-dollar Although only the nickel, dime and quarter are being minted currently for general circulation, the set, which will bear the dates 1776 ~2026, will include a one-cent coin and a half dollar in both uncirculated and proof sets. The set will focus on the American Revolution, American independence, the founding of the United States under the Constitutional union, and in liberty. Other than the “SemiQ” date, the penny and nickel designs will remain the same. Liberty will appear on the obverse of the “Emerging Liberty” Dime, with an eagle on the reverse and the inscription “LIBERTY OVER TYRANNY.” As I have posted, the Founders eschewed images on coins of themselves or other individuals – in deliberate contrast to the Roman Emperors, who put their own images on coins to promote public favor – and instead favored the Roman goddess of Liberty on obverses and eagles or other devices on the reverses. There will be five designs for the quarter dollar, issued in a series. The Mayflower Compact Quarter will feature a design of a Pilgrim couple on the obverse, with the Mayflower on the reverse and “MAYFLOWER COMPACT” as an inscription. The Revolutionary War Quarter features a bust of George Washington on the obverse and a Revolutionary War soldier at the Valley Forge Encampment and “REVOLUTIONARY WAR” on the reverse. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, appears on the obverse of the Declaration of Independence Quarter, which features a ringing Liberty Bell on the Reverse, with the inscription “DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.” The Father of the Constitution, James Madison, appears on the obverse of the U.S. Constitution Quarter, with Independence Hall and the inscription “U.S. CONSTITUTION.” It will be the first time Madison is featured on a regular-issue circulating coin. On the Gettysburg Address Quarter, an image of Abraham Lincoln appears on the obverse, and clasping hands with the inscription “A NEW NATION CONCEIVED IN LIBERTY” on the reverse. The Enduring Liberty Half Dollar features an image of the Statue of Liberty on the obverse and a torch being passed from Liberty to the hand of another person on the reverse, with the inscription ‘KNOWLEDGE IS THE ONLY GUARDIAN OF TRUE LIBERTY.” The Revolutionary War soldier on the reverse of the Revolutionary War Quarter, the Liberty Bell on the reverse of the Declaration of Independence Quarter and Independence Hall on the reverse of the U.S. Constitution Quarter are all evocative of the reverses on the Bicentennial Series Quarter, Dollar and Half Dollar coins, respectively. There was no announcement from the Mint about any change to Dollar coins. The regular designs will return in 2027. The SemiQ designs are fitting, educational and inspiring. In addition to inspiring appreciation for American independence, liberty, federal union, and representative government, it is hoped that the designs, like the Bicentennial Series, will encourage coin collecting.

Federal Indictments for Russian Cyberattacks and Sabotage on America

A federal indictment was issued last week against the GRU, the Russian military intelligence agency, for cyberattacks and sabotage in America. The United States proved probable cause that the Russian Federation penetrated an airport in Missouri, and compromised drinking water and storage facilities in Texas, Pennsylvania and Indiana, and a meat packing plant in California and an oil and gas company in Colorado. The Texas attack caused an overflow of water. The Russian cyberattack against the meat packing plant in California caused meat spoilage and an ammonia leak. An oil and gas company in Colorado was attacked by the Russians, causing a depletion of its chemical supplies by injecting them into oil wells. Russia has been carrying out a cyberattack and sabotage campaign against Europe, especially since its full-scale aggression against Ukraine in 2022. Since 2014, the year Russia first committed aggression against Ukraine, the Russians have been engaged in political and election interference in both Europe and America through cyberattacks, bribery or illegal campaign contributions, sabotage, attacks on diplomats, as well as assassinations against Russian dissidents in exile. Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, who has ruled for 25 years in one capacity or another, is a former Soviet intelligence agent who is trying to restore the Soviet Union and Russian Empire. Russia invaded the former Soviet Republics of Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 and has kept troops in a breakaway part of Moldova against that former Soviet Republic’s wishes, despite Russian recognition of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and other former Republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

Remember, Americans: Pearl Harbor Proved Isolationism’s Folly

Americans today observe Pearl Harbor Day, the 84th anniversary of the “day that will live in infamy,” when the fascist Japanese Empire suddenly attacked the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack on December 7, 1941 thrust Americans into war against Japan and the rest of its fascist Axis allies, as part of the Second World War that had begun in September 1939, with the Axis Nazi German and Soviet invasion of Poland. Pearl Harbor Day also was a watershed in American politics, as it ended the isolationist movement that either sympathized with the Axis, or at least, in the name of being pacifist, opposed any meaningful policies to resist the advance of totalitarian imperialism. The folly of the isolationist slogan that “our oceans will protect us” was disproven and the movement was destroyed by the Japanese bombs at Pearl Harbor, along with the ships, aircraft and thousands of military personnel and civilians who were killed. During the Cold War, a remnant of isolationists or Communist sympathizers on the left and even some isolationists on the far right opposed meaningful measures to contain the Soviet Union and International Communism, foolishly again placing their trust in the oceans while the Soviets developed nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles. After the fall of Soviet Communism, which was achieved by not adopting isolationist policies, a second Pearl Harbor-scale attack occurred on September 11, 2001, when Islamist terrorists hijacked civilian aircraft and crashed them into New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania, killed even more people than at Pearl Harbor. And once again, isolationists on the far left and far right were proven foolish by the attacks the showed how oceans and even military and economic might afford little protection against such an evil and determined foe. But isolationists opposed the Global War on Terrorism and demanded an end to the wars that the Islamist enemy has been willing to engage in endlessly. Each time America or its allies and interests are threatened, the isolationists present an argument that superficially appears patriotic: that lives and treasure would be spared by not becoming involved in wars. But it is one that is either influenced by sympathy for the enemy or naivety at best. Furthermore, isolationism is based on the hope that foreign States would be equally or more powerful than the U.S. to defend their own interests, instead of in support for and confidence in American might and leadership. Isolationists would look the other way, instead of proactively defending abroad against threats that would eventually threaten the American homeland. They would focus in American economic well-being while our trading partners were attacked and invaded, millions would be internally displaced or become international refugees, and the freedom of Americans to travel abroad to engage in commerce, study, religious pilgrimage, or any other valid purpose would be curtailed, all while a cloud of uncertainty would hang over the global economy that is ever-increasingly linked. Yet today – once again – isolationists on the far left and especially on the far right oppose any meaningful measures to stop the imperialism of the Russian Federation, led by a former Soviet intelligence agent who is trying to restore the Soviet Union and Russian Empire. The Russians have invaded the former Soviet Republics of Georgia and Ukraine and stationed troops in Moldova against its will, while engaging in machinations abroad, such as cyberattacks, election interference, sabotage and assassinations. They have thus attacked U.S. allies and Americans and even the American homeland itself, while Russia possesses the most nuclear warheads in the world and the missiles to strike every part of the American homeland. Just as every other time when the U.S. has been threatened, most Americans disagreed with the isolationists, although less decisively in regard to the major battles of the War on Terrorism, but at least not to the opposition to terrorism overall, but never has a presidential administration been guided by isolationists or collaborationists until now, which makes the current threat especially grave. The American people must continue to demand that Congress act to continue to defend U.S. interests, maintain American influence and exercise responsible world leadership to stop Russian aggression and defend the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States, foreign and American.