#panama defense force

[pattern-53-enfield]

Artwork from the Panama Defense Force's printed literature regarding Agenda 1990, laying out the nation's plan to take full control of the Panama Canal ("The Canal Is Ours!") among other goals. Shortly thereafter, the PDF would be disbanded by Manuel Noriega after failing to oust him.

[matan4il]

Israel Has Created a New Standard for Urban Warfare. Why Will No One Admit It? | by John Spencer

The Israel Defense Forces conducted an operation at al-Shifa hospital in the Gaza Strip to root out Hamas terrorists recently, once again taking unique precautions as it entered the facility to protect the innocent; Israeli media reported that doctors accompanied the forces to help Palestinian patients if needed. They were also reported to be carrying food, water and medical supplies for the civilians inside.

None of this meant anything to Israel's critics, of course, who immediately pounced. The critics, as usual, didn't call out Hamas for using protected facilities like hospitals for its military activity. Nor did they mention the efforts of the IDF to minimize civilian casualties.

In their criticism, Israel's opponents are erasing a remarkable, historic new standard Israel has set. In my long career studying and advising on urban warfare for the U.S. military, I've never known an army to take such measures to attend to the enemy's civilian population, especially while simultaneously combating the enemy in the very same buildings. In fact, by my analysis, Israel has implemented more precautions to prevent civilian harm than any military in history—above and beyond what international law requires and more than the U.S. did in its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The predominant Western theory of executing wars, called maneuver warfare, seeks to shatter an enemy morally and physically with surprising, overwhelming force and speed, striking at the political and military centers of gravity so that the enemy is destroyed or surrenders quickly. This was the case in the invasions of Panama in 1989, Afghanistan in 2001, Iraq in 2003 and the failed illegal attempt by Russia to take Ukraine in 2022. In all these cases, no warning or time was given to evacuate cities.

In many ways, Israel has had to abandon this established playbook in order to prevent civilian harm. The IDF has telegraphed almost every move ahead of time so civilians can relocate, nearly always ceding the element of surprise. This has allowed Hamas to reposition its senior leaders (and the Israeli hostages) as needed through the dense urban terrain of Gaza and the miles of underground tunnels it's built.

Hamas fighters, who unlike the IDF don't wear uniforms, have also taken the opportunity to blend into civilian populations as they evacuate. The net effect is that Hamas succeeds in its strategy of creating Palestinian suffering and images of destruction to build international pressure on Israel to stop its operations, therefore ensuring Hamas' survival.

Israel gave warning, in some cases for weeks, for civilians to evacuate the major urban areas of northern Gaza before it launched its ground campaign in the fall. The IDF reported dropping over 7 million flyers, but it also deployed technologies never used anywhere in the world, as I witness firsthand on a recent trip to Gaza and southern Israel.

Israel has made over 70,000 direct phones calls, sent over 13 million text messages and left over 15 million pre-recorded voicemails to notify civilians that they should leave combat areas, where they should go, and what route they should take. They deployed drones with speakers and dropped giant speakers by parachute that began broadcasting for civilians to leave combat areas once they hit the ground. They announced and conducted daily pauses of all operations to allow any civilians left in combat areas to evacuate.

These measures were effective. Israel was able to evacuate upwards of 85 percent of the urban areas in northern Gaza before the heaviest fighting began. This is actually consistent with my research on urban warfare history that shows that no matter the effort, about 10 percent of populations stay.

As the war raged on, Israel began giving out its military maps to civilians so they could conduct localized evacuations. This, too, has never been done in war. During my recent visit to Khan Yunis, Gaza, and the IDF civilian harm mitigation unit in southern Israel, I observed as the army began using these maps to communicate each day where the IDF would be operating so civilians in other areas would stay out of harm's way.

I saw that the IDF even tracked the population in real time down to a few-block radius using drone and satellite imagery and cell phone presence and building damage assessments to avoid hitting civilians. The New York Times reported in January that the daily civilian death toll had more than halved in the previous month and was down almost two-thirds from its peak.

Of course, the true number of Gaza civilian deaths is unknown. The current Hamas-supplied estimate of over 31,000 does not acknowledge a single combatant death (nor any deaths due to the misfiring of its own rockets or other friendly fire). The IDF estimates it has killed about 13,000 Hamas operatives, a number I believe credible partly because I believe the armed forces of a democratic American ally over a terrorist regime, but also because of the size of Hamas fighters assigned to areas that were cleared and having observed the weapons used, the state of Hamas' tunnels and other aspects of the combat.

That would mean some 18,000 civilians have died in Gaza, a ratio of roughly 1 combatant to 1.5 civilians. Given Hamas' likely inflation of the death count, the real figure could be closer to 1 to 1. Either way, the number would be historically low for modern urban warfare.

The UN, EU and other sources estimate that civilians usually account for 80 percent to 90 percent of casualties, or a 1:9 ratio, in modern war (though this does mix all types of wars). In the 2016-2017 Battle of Mosul, a battle supervised by the U.S. that used the world's most powerful airpower resources, some 10,000 civilians were killed compared to roughly 4,000 ISIS terrorists.

And yet, analysts who should know better are still engaging in condemnation of the IDF based on the level of destruction that's still occurred—destruction that is unavoidable against an enemy that embeds in a vast tunnel system under civilian sites in dense urban terrain. This effects-based condemnation or criticism is not how the laws of war work, or violations determined. These and other analysts say the destruction and civilian causalities must either stop or be avoided in an alternative form of warfare.

Ironically, the careful approach Israel has taken may have actually led to more destruction; since the IDF giving warnings and conducting evacuations help Hamas survive, it ultimately prolongs the war and, with it, its devastation.

Israel has not created a gold standard in civilian harm mitigation in war. That implies there is a standard in civilian casualties in war that is acceptable or not acceptable; that zero civilian deaths in war is remotely possible and should be the goal; that there is a set civilian-to-combatant ratio in war no matter the context or tactics of the enemy. But all available evidence shows that Israel has followed the laws of war, legal obligations, best practices in civilian harm mitigation and still found a way to reduce civilian casualties to historically low levels.

Those calling for Israel to find an alternative to inflicting civilian casualties to lower amounts (like zero) should be honest that this alternative would leave the Israeli hostages in captivity and allow Hamas to survive the war. The alternative to a nation's survival cannot be a path to extinction.

John Spencer is chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute (MWI) at West Point, codirector of MWI's Urban Warfare Project and host of the "Urban Warfare Project Podcast." He served for 25 years as an infantry soldier, which included two combat tours in Iraq. He is the author of the book "Connected Soldiers: Life, Leadership, and Social Connection in Modern War" and co-author of "Understanding Urban Warfare."

[multidimensionalguidance]

Where does your spouse come from? Part 2

This is the continuation of Part 1 where I've mentioned where the 7th house lord can move and how this can give us insights of the country where they might come from (if they are foreigners), and a lot of other details in regards to our romantic partnerships. I've already covered from Aries/1H to Virgo/6H, and will continue with the rest.

Remember to take a look at where your 7th house lord is moving. Where is the planet that rules that sign sitting, and what are other planetary aspects is it receiving as well. Is it in a friendly sign or not? Is the house beneficial or not?

Note: I use sidereal calculations, so for the most accurate results on this it would be preferred for calculations to be adjusted.

First of all, it is always good to start with intuitively choosing the countries you’ve always been curious or lured towards. Cultures you’d like to get to understand and explore! Click this link to look at the dates of independence or incorporation dates of those countries to see if it matches the lord of your 7th house.

Second, please pay EXTRA attention to this descriptions the most if your 7th house lord is in the 9th house or 12th house. Look for the planet or sign that resides there in order to get an even more accurate prediction.

Lastly, even if your 7th house lord falls in any other house, these descriptions will still aid you towards understanding your protentional romantic, business, or any other type of close relationships.

Libra/7H: Turkey, Poland, Amsterdam, Berlin, Panama, Antigua and Barbuda, and Austria all have Sun in Libra. These are some of the countries your spouse might be from or related to through family. They will be very social or at the very least aware of how social dynamics function. They care about their appearance and will feel uncomfortable not presenting themselves within their preferred aesthetics. They will enjoy art or be quite creative themselves, so do expect dates that revolve this sort of activities. Communicating with others in a non-conflictive way is a very big thing, and perhaps it is the way their environment encouraged them to be as well. They will be smooth talkers, and express themselves in a politically correct manner. You might meet them in a place that feels harmonious, in the sense of following a certain aesthetic. Other people might introduce them to you or they might be a small push required from others (or even you) to make them feel comfortable enough with approaching you full force. They could come from places that are pleasing visually, and where people enjoy fine arts. There's a sort of "poshness" to their surroundings that promotes elegance in general, so that will influence them as well. They will enjoy windy weathers and food that looks and taste good (emphasis on the first than the latter). They will have a very good appearance or at the very least maintain a "clean" look. Most of their features will be somewhat softer, and it will be noticeable in their gaze. They use their eyes to attract others, knowingly or not. They'll probably identify the wifey qualities within you quite fast, and will make it known the way they feel. If this house or planet is not heavily afflicted, then finding a business or marriage partner should not be too difficult to achieve at all.

Scorpio/8H: Lebanon, Thailand, Finland, Iceland, Albania, United Arab Emirates, Monaco, Kenya, and Barbados, could be one of the countries that your spouse might be from or enjoy a lot. They will have a secretive/reserved nature which makes them quite alluring. They will come from an environment that encouraged a lot of chaotic changes, and forced them to develop defensive mechanisms that relay on control tactics. Their weather could be as well quite changing in nature or experience many chaotic natural events. You will meet them in private places or within a small gathering. As simple as a small group of friends visiting a beach or river. It could also be after one or both of you just experienced really difficult situations. After some sort of transformation occurred where one or both had to mentally set themselves to heal/grow. You might engage in secret or very close conversations that will allow feelings to develop quickly and intensely. They might enjoy risky situations that drive adrenaline through the roof. Spicy food or heavily relied on meat/protein could be a big part of their diet. You and your partner are prone to being obsessive and desire to control each others feelings to a certain degree, just for the sake of creating a false sense of comfort. This connections will be karmic by nature and sometimes necessary for our growth, so be aware of the difficulties and learn when to let go for your own sake. They might have sharp features, a very intense gaze, and an aura that is felt by others. They are also more prone to having dark hair or eyes. There will also be material growth or a focus towards each others resources, but be mindful to not allow others to use you entirely for financial gains nor attempt to do the same yourself. All of your connections will naturally have darker and taboo themes sitting on the surface to be explored. You will enjoy or have some fixation for each others body, specifically the sexual zones. Chemistry is not the same as connection, so be mindful of that since not everyone is a fit for serious relationships simply because the sexual aspects are very positive.

Sagittarius/9H: UK, Haiti, Brunei, Bulgaria, Qatar, Cuba, Sudan, Slovenia, and Kazakhstan are some of the countries where they might be from or strongly feel connected to for some way. They are adventurous, restless, optimistic, funny, well cultured, and spiritual in some way. They might come from environments that are very traditionally tied to religion or spiritual institutions, temples, etc. They might be used to being perceived or surrounded by foreigners as well, which allows them to adapt easily to others and be familiar with different languages. You'll meet in an airport, temples, university or education areas, ceremonies (like a wedding), legal departments, at a bank, etc. They'll enjoy going to different places, be it doing sports, trying new cuisines, and overall just staying busy. You both will most likely travel together, or there might be some distance between the two of you at some point. This is a connection that will broaden your horizons and allow you both to evolve spiritually. Their appearance will be different from your native country, so they will definitely be a foreigner with looks that make them stand out. Expect them to be tall, possibly have green eyes and/or to be fit. They might love horses or learned how to ride horses when they were young. You might become more spiritual or devoted to a religion after meeting them or after marriage. Your partner/spouse will definitely be traditional, even if they have an open mind and avoid placing judgement on situations they are unfamiliar with. They will pay extra attention to your thighs and butt, so don't be surprise if they stare too hard or mention it directly. You are both going to push each other to achieve a higher awareness or consciousness. The laughs and jokes will also be plenty as well, and that will help a lot when dealing with any difficulties in the relationship, but just make sure to not sweep things under the rug.

Capricorn/10H: Buenos Aires, Singapore, Romania, New Zealand, Grenada, and Nauru might be some of the countries your partner/spouse might be from or have a connection with. They are responsible, career oriented, structured, service oriented, grounded, and the type to show their love by actions rather than words. They might come from environments that were rough or challenging to be around, in the sense that the weather or people could be harsh to deal with. People might think they're older than his actual age, and not necessarily due to appearance but the way they think, speak, move, and behave. They simply have a very mature personality and this is mainly because they had to grow up fast and their parents were probably very demanding or not as present as they should have. Expect them to be around people that have authority or coworkers. You might meet them in governmental institutions or spaces, abandoned places, a city hall, at work, at the chiropractors, and overall in any public space. They probably prefer to eat the same type of food with little variety, but they like high quality places that feel and look luxurious. Your connection will be karmic by nature and initially might feel too serious or difficult. Now, it does promise longevity and growth towards your career, profession, and status. Your partner/spouse will enjoy his work a lot and socializing with people as well, but despite the fame or notoriety they might have they'll enjoy being alone with you the most. They will be the type to externally seem very outgoing, yet actually prefer being introverted or away from the public, an this happens due to the excessive time that they invest in working with others. In terms of appearance, they might be medium in heigh, have a sharp gaze, strong legs, and brown/dark colored eyes. There's a good chance they'll be older than you, if not in age, then definitely in their way of thinking or seeing life. You might end up meeting their parents soon in the relationship as well. The both of you will have to put some necessary efforts to make the relationship work, as there will be challenges in the way. The relationship will be very public or known by others even if you both try to be lowkey about it, so be careful to not allow others to get in the way.

Aquarius/11H: Lithuania, Saint Lucia, Ghana, Dominican Republic, Wales, Estonia and Kuwait are some of the countries they might be from or associated to in some way. They'll be independent, creative, innovative, cunning, friendly yet introverted, and have many niche interest. Their environment might have random and unexpected weather changes, which fits their own nature as well. It's likely their surroundings taught them to be flexible, open minded, and comfortable with being themselves. They will be very experimental with their food, and might even have a bit of an odd yet interesting taste. Their preference in music will be *chef's kiss* so you'll be adding their playlist to your favorites and sharing music often. You might meet them through your friends, the internet, social media, networking circle, NGO's, charities, inside an airplane, at a tech facility, or at any big events. They'll be popular and probably well known by others, be it because of their impressive skills or simply for who they are. They are the type to be very close to their friends and alliances because thanks to them they are able to progress through life. You will learn the value of being part of a community and planning long term towards your future investments. You will both pursue your dreams and long term goals together. They might be the type to give you many gifts in all shapes and form. Surprising you and putting a smile on your face with their quirks will always be a goal for them. In terms of appearance they might look different, but not in a bad way, rather that there is something about them that makes them look like they do not belong to this world. One of the main themes of your relationships will be about independence and freedom. Your partner/spouse does not like to feel restricted or boxed in, so if you're the clingy type then the more negative aspects might show up with them pulling away or putting some distance. Communication is essential in all relationships, but with your partner it will be even more so. They will prefer you to be straight forward and blunt, even if it might seem rude, but do no worry because they are experts at listening, understanding, and finding a solution.

Pisces/12H: Hungary, Ireland, Iran, Greece, Denmark, and Pakistan are some of the countries that they might be related or connected to in some way. They'll be dreamy, artistic, inspirational, bubbly, and very physic. Their environment might have been uprooted in spiritual or religious beliefs, similarly to Sagittarius/9H, but the difference is that they are more likely to follow those traditions to such depths that it might lead them to "lose" themselves or develop escapist intentions behind it. They might have visited temples or churches growing up, so they are usually very accepting of others. In terms of the physical surroundings they might have grown around big sources of water (lakes, beaches, ponds, etc) or visited them often. If they are not allergic to any sea food, then they will eat it a lot. They enjoy their privacy and despite their ability to camouflage in different groups they will only confide the most in themselves or you. You might meet them a church, temple, a club, close to large bodies of water, foreign lands, hospital, asylum, or even places where they legally sell recreational dr*gs. There will be a sense of mystery or unknown in the relationship, where you or your partner feel as if you're unsure where the connection is leading which might be confusing. They might have a history of using substances or doing things that are not seen well by the law. You will feel like despite their past and background it is easy for you to look past it all and be very understanding with them. There's a need for being careful of not allowing the relationship to become a vicious cycle where you encourage each others bad habits, insecurities, etc. In terms of appearance, they will have eyes that almost look half asleep in some way and that makes them seem seductive in a way. They might be tall or medium height, fit or slender, have curly hair, and use glasses. You will both feel like the connection is fated or destined in some way. There might also be a distance between the two of you at some point, be it because you both live in different places, a loss in the relationship, meaning going separate ways to eventually get back together, or to stay separated. Either way, if there is no harsh affliction or malefices then despite everything you will both become very spiritual and psychic together. You will feel like communicating telepathically is very much real, and it will be common for you both to dream often of each other. This is the type of connection that you don't ever forget about and that teaches you a lot about the parts of yourself that you might not see. The connection will show you both the good, bad, and wonderful that exists within each other.

[sydsaint]

A little angsty! Max at 3am for y'all.

Summary: The reader finds herself enamored with Max after hanging out with him and Adam Cole. While hanging out one night, Max reveals a part of himself he rarely lets people see to the reader.

You are sat at a table in one of Adam's favorite restaurants for lunch with your brother. Adam is blabbering on about some new game that he just bought, meanwhile, you're busy texting someone on your phone.

"It's got multiplayer, so you should totally get it so we can play on stream together." Adam continues with his heartfelt speech when he finally notices that you're not paying attention to a word he's saying. "Y/N? Hey, Y/N!"

Adam reaches across the table and pulls your phone out of your hands. Your phone falls to the table with a thud and you glare at your brother.

"What the hell, Adam?" You growl and pick your phone back up.

"Have you even heard a word I've said in the last ten minutes?" Adam replies grumpily. "Who are you texting anyway?" He asks you.

You pick your phone back up and finish the text that you were in the middle of typing out. "I'm talking to Max. Why?" You answer Adam's question.

"Max?" Why in the hell are you texting, Max?" Adam sneers.

"Umm, you're his new tag partner. Why aren't you texting him?" You retort. "Besides, Max and I are kind of becoming friends." You add with a casual shrug.

Adam laughs and reaches across the table for your phone again. You move your hand back and out of his reach and glare at him again. "Come on, Y/N. You're gonna have to give me more than, 'Me and Max are becoming friends.' ." He informs you. "Two months ago you couldn't stand the guy."

"So?" You reply sharply and finally set your phone down. "You didn't like him either, Adam." You remind him.

"Yeah, but I've been forced to do group stuff with him for weeks now. I thought all you guys did was get drinks like once. Now you're head over heels for the guy?"

You roll your eyes at Adam's dramatics. "Am not!" You insist with crossed arms. "Yeah, we had drinks. And we talked while we had our drinks, okay? We just connected I guess. Max. He's not like everyone makes him out to be, alright?"

"Like what? An egomaniac and a narcissist?" Adam snickers.

"He's not a narcissist" You protest. "And you're one to talk about egos, mister Panama City Playboy." You tease Adam with his old nickname.

Adam cringes at the mention of his old mantra and shakes his head. "That was a long time ago. I've changed since then." He reminds you.

"And what? Max is incapable of change?" You continue to come to Friedman's defense.

"Okay, okay." Adam puts his hands up in surrender. "I give up. Just don't go proposing to the guy, N/N." He jokes.

You roll your eyes and pick your phone back up. "Screw off, Adam." You sneer at him. "I was going to split the bill for lunch. But since you want to be rude; you can pay for it."

"Hold on!" Adam protests.

"Too late." You flash a grin and slide the bill toward your brother.

Adam begrudgingly takes the bill and pays for lunch. The two of you part ways for the day since you'll be seeing each other for work tomorrow anyway.

You head home and relax for the night. You are busy playing a game on your computer and thinking about maybe seeing if Adam will let you be on his stream when someone rings your doorbell.

You head to check who's at the door and find Max on your porch. "Oh, hey, Max." You greet him with a smile. "What's up?" You lean against the door.

"Hey. I was in the neighborhood and figured that I'd drop by. You don't mind, do you?" Max explains.

"Not at all." You reply. "Come in." You turn and walk away from the front door.

Max nods and follows you inside, shutting the front door behind him. "Thanks. So, what's up?" He asks as he follows you through the house.

"Not much." You shrug. "I was just playing a game in my office to pass the time. I think Adam is streaming right now, so I was going to maybe hop on and join him."

"You stream too?" Max asks you curiously.

You nod and reach your kitchen where you pull a drink from the fridge. "Mhm. Want one?" You offer Max a drink, which he takes. "I don't have a huge following like Adam does. And I don't do it nearly as often. But it's a hobby."

"Cool. I'm not interrupting, am I?" Max nods.

"Not at all." You insist. "In fact, do you want to be on stream with me? We can hop on and bug Adam. Or we could just hang and do our own thing." You suggest.

You lean against the kitchen counter and wait for Max to give you an answer. "I've never really done anything like this before," Max admits. "I don't want to mess up your stuff."

"Nonsense." You laugh. "It's super easy. And I think that I have a great idea for a stream. All you have to do is look pretty on camera and answer questions." You explain.

"That's all?" Max replies. "How is that?"

You push off the counter and gesture for Max to follow you into your office. At the same time, you send out a quick tweet that you're doing a live Q&A on Twitch.

"Every once in a while I'll play an easy game that doesn't require much attention. Like Pokemon or something. And while I'm playing I let people ask questions on stream with a 1$ donation." You explain as you grab an extra office chair from the corner of the room.

"You make money doing this?" Max sits down in the chair you offer him.

You sit down in your chair and begin setting your camera and other stuff up. "Yes, but also no. People send me money to ask questions. But all of the money I make on stream I double and donate to a random charity." You explain further. "So I'm making money, yeah. But I don't ever end up keeping any of it."

"Wow," Max replies. "That's really cool of you, Y/N." He admits.

"Yeah? Thanks, Max." You grin.

You and Max have a productive stream where you both answer questions for a few hours. You let Max pick the charity getting your money at the end of the stream before you end it.

"Well, that was fun." You turn to Max after your monitor is shut off.

"Yeah, I had fun." Max agrees. "Thanks for letting me hang out with you." He adds.

You nod and pick up your drink from beside you. "Yeah, of course. Anyway, time for some questions of my own." You joke. "How are you feeling about the match with FTR tomorrow?"

Max freezes up a bit at your question and you notice him fidget with his hands for a brief second. "No worries here." He chuckles.

"Really?" You raise a brow at Max. "Are you sure? Because Adam admitted earlier that he's been a little nervous about it all week." You admit.

"Really?" Max replies. "It's because of me, isn't it?" He asks you.

You furrow your brows at Max and shrug. "I don't think so. Adam normally always gets a little nervous before big matches. Being nervous before a big match is a normal thing, Max." You assure him. "Plus if you do end up losing. It's not like it's a big deal right? You're still the world champ."

"Right." Max nods, his eyes cast toward the floor as he mumbles something to himself.

"Max." You clear your throat. "Is there something wrong?" You ask him genuinely.

Max remains silent for a moment, unsure if he should spill his guts like this. Truthfully, he's been having the time of his life hanging out with Adam. Cole seems like a genuine friend now. Something that Max hasn't had in a long time. And then there's you. Ever since that heart-to-heart at the bar Max has felt this unnerving connection to you. Like you're the one person in the world that truly understands him.

"Yeah, I'm nervous about tomorrow, alright?" Max finally admits his doubts and fears. "I'm afraid that if we lose then this will all be over with. Adam won't want to be my friend anymore. Then I won't have an excuse to see you. And I'll go back to being alone. Like I always am."

Your mouth hangs slightly ajar for a moment upon hearing Max's confession. And you find yourself unable to stop a laugh from escaping your mouth. "What?" You laugh.

"Oh, so it's funny is it?!" Max snaps at you. "Yeah go ahead! Ridicule me like everyone else does. Old pathetic loser Maxwell can't keep a friend to save his life!"

You compose yourself with a deep breath and wait for Max to calm himself down. "I'm sorry I laughed." You apologize for your outburst. "I know that keeping friends isn't easy in this business, Max. But I just want you to know that, win or lose tomorrow? I'm still going to be there for you." You assure him. "And so will Adam."

"You will?" Max replies, quieter this time.

"I promise." You move your chair closer to Max's. "Adam is already teasing me that I'm in love with you." You recall your lunch with your brother earlier in the day. "And he only jokes about guys I'm talking to when he likes them. So I think that it's safe to say that we're both here to stay."

A small smile cracks on Max's lips and he matches your gaze. "You're in love with me already?" He jokes.

"I might be a tad overly fond of you, yes." You giggle.

[captain-price-unofficially]

Panama Defense Force BTR-60PBs during the US invasion, 1989

[courtana]

Today is the anniversary of the U.S.'s military invasion of Panamá, which occurred on December 20, 1989.

Julio Yao writes in the article "Legacies of the U.S. Invasion of Panama":

On December 20, 1989, former president George H.W. Bush ordered the invasion of Panama. The U.S. 82nd Airborne division pummeled Panama City from the air, as U.S. soldiers from the 193rd Brigade clashed in the streets with troops from the Panamanian Defense Forces (PDF) and the Dignity Battalions, a militia of workers and campesinos. Thousands of civilians were caught in the crossfire as the heavily populated El Chorrillo neighborhood was set ablaze. By the time General Manuel Noriega surrendered on January 3, 1990, 23 U.S. soldiers and 314 PDF troops had been officially killed in the fighting. Civilian casualties were estimated in the thousands. According to an independent investigation by former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark, as many as 7,000 people may have been killed. Mass graves were uncovered after U.S. troops had withdrawn, and over 15,000 civilians were displaced.

Despite the civilian body count, no Panamanian government since has authorized a commission to investigate the killings that took place during the foreign military aggression. No administration has attempted to demand reparations from the United States, nor filed a lawsuit against the United States before the International Court of Justice at the Hague.

Over twenty two years later, the U.S. “Christmas invasion” of Panama is being lost to memory, yet its legacy lives on in profound ways that continue to shape both domestic and foreign policy in Panama.

[...]

Panama’s tendency to submit to U.S. policy has resulted in a foreign policy devoid of independence. For example, Panama is one of the few countries in the world that has not established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, though it maintains relations with Taiwan in accordance with “checkbook diplomacy.” The U.S. government has prohibited Panama’s gestures toward diplomatic relations with Beijing.

Guided by this protectorate concept and right-wing policy, Martinelli’s administration [(2009-2014) had] offered its unconditional support to Israel and withdrawn all backing for Palestine. It [had] distanced Panama from the Central American process of regional integration, withdrawn from the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), and increased ties with France and Italy’s conservative former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was blackmailed by Italian arms company Finmeccanica into brokering a corrupt bilateral security agreement with Panama in which Panama was overcharged for military hardware, including helicopters, radar, and mapping systems. It signed a free trade agreement with the United States and Canada, and [had] given natural resources to foreign corporations, especially mining companies, including Vancouver-based Bellhaven Copper and Gold, Ontario’s Aur Resources, Toronto’s Inmet Mining, and New York’s Dominium Minerals Corporation. All of these actions [were] fully aligned with the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States.

This was, after all, the ultimate goal of the 1989 U.S. invasion. At a meeting on December 10, 1985, four years before Bush ordered Operation Just Cause, then U.S. national security adviser John Poindexter met with Noriega with several U.S. demands: (1) Panama should allow the training of Nicaraguan Contras in the Canal Zone; (2) PDF troops should invade Nicaragua to justify U.S. aggression toward Nicaragua’s Sandinista government; (3) Panama should help dismantle the Contadora Group, a regional initiative to resolve the military conflicts that were destabilizing Central America; and (4) Panama should consent to continued U.S. military presence in Panama.

[...]

The move [of the invasion] destroyed Panamanian sovereignty and the PDF, dismantled security structures, reformed the political system, and returned power to the old oligarchy. This paved the way for new forms of foreign domination, and the Panamanian people continue to suffer its legacy.

More Resources to learn about Panamá's Invasion:

Julio Yao's "Legacies of the U.S. Invasion of Panama," NACLA (March 22, 2012).

John Lindsay-Poland, Emperors in the Jungle (Duke University Press, 2003).

The documentary The Panama Deception (2002) on YouTube

The documentary INVASIÓN (2014)

Stephen Kinzer's chapter "You're No Good," in his book Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq (Times Books, 2007)

___

Photo Credits & Description: Images taken on the morning of December 20, 1989, when various parts of the capital city were under US military control | Images from Panamá Vieja Escuela or (@PaViejaEscuela on Twitter).

[tentacion3099]

Panama Defense Forces' 1990 agenda - link with full publication is provided

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

September 24, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is the nation’s highest-ranking military officer and the principal military advisor to the president, secretary of defense, and national security council. The current chairman, Army General Mark Milley, has served in the military for 44 years, deploying in Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt, Panama, Haiti, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Somalia, and the Republic of Korea. He holds a degree in political science from Princeton University, a master’s degree in international relations from Columbia University, and a master’s degree from the U.S. Naval War College in national security and strategic studies. 

Former president Trump chose Milley for that position, but on Friday night, Trump posted an attack on Milley, calling him “a Woke train wreck” and accusing him of betraying the nation when, days before the 2020 election, he reassured his Chinese counterpart that the U.S. was not going to attack China in the last days of the Trump administration, as Chinese leaders feared.  

Trump was reacting to a September 21 piece by Jeffrey Goldberg about Milley in The Atlantic, which portrays Milley as an important check on an erratic, uninformed, and dangerous president while also warning that “[i]n the American system, it is the voters, the courts, and Congress that are meant to serve as checks on a president’s behavior, not the generals.” 

Trump posted that Milley “was actually dealing with China to give them a heads up on the thinking of the President of the United States. This was an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH! A war between China and the United States could have been the result of this treasonous act. To be continued!!!”

In fact, the calls were hardly rogue incidents. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, another Trump appointee, endorsed Milley’s October call, and Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, who replaced Esper when Trump fired him just after the election, gave permission for a similar call Milley made in January 2021. At least ten officials from the Central Intelligence Agency and the State Department were on the calls. 

Trump is suggesting that in acting within his role and through proper channels, our highest ranking military officer has committed treason and that such treason in the past would have warranted death, with the inherent suggestion that we should return to such a standard. It seems much of the country has become accustomed to Trump’s outbursts, but this threat should not pass without notice, not least because Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ) echoed it today in his taxpayer-funded newsletter.

In the letter, Gosar refers to Milley as “the homosexual-promoting-BLM-activist Chairman of the military joint chiefs,” a “deviant” who “was coordinating with Nancy Pelosi to hurt President Trump, and treasonously working behind Trump’s back. In a better society,” he wrote, “quislings like the strange sodomy-promoting General Milley would be hung. He had one boss: President Trump, and instead he was secretly meeting with Pelosi and coordinating with her to hurt Trump.”

Trump chose Milley to chair the Joint Chiefs but turned on him when Milley insisted the military was loyal to the Constitution rather than to any man. Milley had been dragged into participating in Trump’s march across Lafayette Square on June 1, 2020, to threaten Black Lives Matter protesters, although Milley peeled off when he recognized what was happening and later said he thought they were going to review National Guard troops. 

The day after the debacle, Milley wrote a message to the joint force reminding every member that they swore an oath to the Constitution. “This document is founded on the essential principle that all men and women are born free and equal, and should be treated with respect and dignity. It also gives Americans the right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly…. As members of the Joint Force—comprised of all races, colors, and creeds—you embody the ideals of our Constitution.”

“We all committed our lives to the idea that is America,” he wrote by hand on the memo. “We will stay true to that oath and the American people.” 

Milley’s appearance with Trump as they crossed Lafayette Square drew widespread condemnation from former military leaders, and in the days afterward, Milley spoke to them personally, as well as to congressional leaders, to apologize. Milley also apologized publicly. “I should not have been there,” he said to graduates at National Defense University’s commencement. “My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.” Milley went on to defend the Black Lives Matter protesters Trump was targeting, and to say that the military must address the systematic racism that has kept people of color from the top ranks. 

Milley’s defense of the U.S. military, 43% of whom are people of color, drew not just Trump’s fury, but also that of the right wing. Then–Fox News Channel personality Tucker Carlson made a special effort to undermine the man he said was “not just a pig, he’s stupid!” “The Pentagon is now the Yale faculty lounge, but with cruise missiles. That should concern you,” he told his audience. As Carlson berated the military for being “woke,” his followers began to turn against the military they had previously championed. 

Trump has made it clear he intends to weaponize the government against those he perceives to be his enemies, removing those who refuse to do his bidding and replacing them with loyalists. Ominously, according to Goldberg, another area over which Trump and Milley clashed was the military’s tradition of refusing to participate in acts that are clearly immoral or illegal. Trump overrode MIlley’s advice not to intervene in the cases of three men charged with war crimes, later telling his supporters, “I stuck up for three great warriors against the deep state.” 

Goldberg points out that in a second Trump administration packed with loyalists, there will be few guardrails, and he notes that Milley has told friends that if Trump is reelected, “[h]e’ll start throwing people in jail, and I’d be on the top of the list.”

But Milley told Goldberg he does not expect Trump to be reelected. “I have confidence in the American people,” he said. “The United States of America is an extraordinarily resilient country, agile and flexible, and the inherent goodness of the American people is there.” Last week, he told ABC’s Martha Raddatz that he is “confident that the United States and the democracy in this country will prevail and the rule of law will prevail…. These institutions are built to be strong, resilient and to adapt to the times, and I'm 100% confident we'll be fine."

Milley’s statement reflects the increasingly powerful reassertion of democratic values over the past several years. In general, the country seems to be moving beyond former president Trump, who remains locked in his ancient grievances and simmering with fear about his legal troubles—Adam Rawnsley and Asawin Suebsaeng of Rolling Stone recently reported he has been asking confidants about what sort of prison might be in his future—and what he has to say seems so formulaic at this point that it usually doesn’t seem worth repeating. Indeed, much of his frantic posting seems calculated to attract headlines with shock value.

But, for all that, Trump is the current frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination. He has suggested that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the nation’s senior military advisor, has committed treason and that such a crime is associated with execution, and one of his loyalists in government has echoed him. 

And yet, in the face of this attack on one of our key national security institutions, an attack that other nations will certainly notice, Republican leaders remain silent. 

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[warsofasoiaf]

After attacking Pearl Harbor, why didn’t the imperial Japanese navy move to damage or destroy the Panama Canal? Wouldn’t that have given them longer to entrench themselves and build up their forces in the pacific?

A lack of craft capable of performing the attack. Surface ships would have been intercepted and attacked by ground-based air assets and coastal defense fleets, so the IJN designed a solution. The Japanese tried to develop a truly massive submarine capable of launching a floatplane. The plan was designed and several I-400 gigantic submarines were built with the intent to bomb the Gatun Lock, but the plans were scrapped because by the time everything was ready to go, it was 1945 and the Japanese were scrambling to attack the USN fleet assets amassing to attack the Home Islands.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[that-soccer-guru]

HELLO THE 3 STRAGGLERS THAT ARE PROBABLY SEEING MY POSTS STILL, I HAVE MISSED THOU!

Happy world cup month, it is time for the biggest stage of the game and time for be to drop my obnoxious predictions that no one asked for but I'm gonna give anyways!

Here are my group predictions and notes

GROUP A:

I think Norway is gonna make a comeback and come in at #2 behind local New Zealand. The Swiss are great if they can rise to the occasion, and the Philippines has a great young core. They'll give us some very fun games going forward.

A1: New Zealand, A2: Norway.

GROUP B:

Honestly I think this is one of the TIGHTEST groups of this cup. With a fight down to the end I think it'll come down to goals and Fairplay. Depending on the result of Day 1 Canada vs Nigeria my picks are switching depending on the light with which I look at the table. SO.

B1: Australia (2W, 1D), B2: Nigeria (2D, 1W, Goal difference leaving Canada behind by ONE goal in a total group heartbreaker)

Group C:

Despite the big players refusing to play I think Spain has it in the tank for a great cup. If the Ticas can show some discipline they might surprise, but they're up against the TITANS of discipline so.

C1: Spain, C2: Japan

Group D:

Euro winners have one hell of a team. No notes for them today, second place is what is up for grabs. Haiti is always a dark horse pick but I think mettle and the money for great player health and conditioning will draw this one out so.

D1: England, D2: Denmark.

Group E:

One hell of a group here. Without Viv Midema the Netherlands is missing that finishing punch, but if they can bank on winning their other 2 games and forcing a draw or a one goal win with the US, they can go for first. Portugal is good but they have a lot of youth to adjust to the big stage. Vietnam has a delightful proposal and they play some very fun futbol, but they had the unfortunate luck of drawing 2 titans of the women's game.

E1: USA, E2: Netherlands

Group F:

The elderly stateswomen meet the bright eyed newcomers. Brazil is the titan of South America but they've proven to be way too rigid in their team selection. France is shaking off the cobwebs of a shit coach to see how far they can take it this time. Jamaica and Panama have everything to prove to show that 1. they belong here and 2. their federations NEED to stand in this fight with them. Despite the great teams I think this group is gonna be one of those low scoring ones where teams are making adjustments on the fly and we might get a surprise or two from some games.

F1: France, F2: Brazil (but just narrowly edging out Jamaica)

Group G:

Youth and a desire to prove that it's not only their men's team that know what's up. Argentina is pulling one hell of a legacy behind them, Italy is building a beautiful squad, South Africa comes up from fighting a war of speed and strength, Sweden has a chip on their shoulder. One hell of a group!

G1: Italy, G2: Argentina

Group H:

QUE VIVA COLOMBIA HP! An aging titan in Germany with some key injuries, a very disciplined squad that has been testing some amazing set plays and learning how to play through the lines in South Korea (but that tire out quickly), a fast and tough team that plays a fun midfield game with a solid defense in Morocco. And finally, a team composed of the women who paved the way for the youngsters, the maximum scorer in a Colombia jersey, a midfield filled with aggression and experience, a promising defense all led by the most promising young international that already took one team to a world cup final, Colombia promises a LOT to her fans. If Abadia can get his head out of his ass and learn how to make changes before exhaustion takes hold, this team can take it far!

H1: Germany, H2: Colombia

It's an amazing time to be a woso fan!

[444namesplus]

1* 2.6.2. 3 3B2 5.0i 5.1 5.53 7 15kg 17 20 22nd 26 50BMG 51 69 97 312 411 414 707 737 747 757 767 777 868 888 1071 1080H 1911 1984 1997 2600 3848 8182 $ & ^ ^? a ABC ACC Active ADIU advise advisors afsatcom AFSPC AHPCRC AIEWS AIMSX Aladdin Alica Alouette AMEMB Amherst AMW anarchy ANC Anonymous AOL ARC Archives Area51 argus Armani ARPA Artichoke ASIO ASIS ASLET assasinate Asset AT AT&T Atlas Audiotel Austin AVN b b9 B.D.M. Badger bank basement BATF BBE BECCA Becker beef Bess bet Beyond BfV BITNET black-bag Black-Ops Blackbird Blacklisted Blackmednet Blacknet Bletchley Blowfish Blowpipe BMDO BND Bob BOP BOSS botux BRLO Broadside Bubba bullion BVD BZ c Cable CANSLO Cap-Stun Capricorn card Case CATO CBM CBNRC CBOT CCC CCS CDA CDC CdC cdi Cell CESID CFC chaining chameleon Chan Chelsea Chicago Chobetsu chosen CIA CID CIDA CIM CIO CIS CISE Clandestine Class clone cocaine COCOT Coderpunks codes Cohiba Colonel Comirex Competitor Compsec Computer Connections Consul Consulting CONUS Cornflower Corporate Corporation COS COSMOS Counter counterintelligence Counterterrorism Covert Cowboy CQB CRA credit cryptanalysis crypto-anarchy CSE csystems CTP CTU CUD cybercash Cypherpunks d D-11 Daisy Data data data-haven DATTA DCJFTF Dead DEADBEEF debugging DefCon Defcon Defense Defensive Delta DERA DES DEVGRP DF DIA Dictionary Digicash disruption

DITSA DJC DOE Dolch domestic Domination DRA DREC DREO DSD DSS Duress DynCorp E911 e-cash E.O.D. E.T. EADA eavesdropping Echelon EDI EG&G Egret Electronic ELF Elvis Embassy Encryption encryption enigma EO EOD ESN Espionage espionage ETA eternity EUB Evaluation Event executive Exon explicit Face fangs Fax FBI FBIS FCIC FDM Fetish FINCEN finks Firewalls FIS fish fissionable FKS FLAME Flame Flashbangs FLETC Flintlock FLiR Flu FMS Force force Fort Forte fraud freedom Freeh froglegs FSB Ft. FX FXR Gamma Gap garbage Gates Gatt GCHQ GEO GEODSS GEOS Geraldton GGL GIGN Gist Global Glock GOE Goodwin Gorelick gorilla Gorizont government GPMG Gray grom Grove GRU GSA GSG-9 GSS gun Guppy H&K H.N.P. Hackers HAHO Halcon Halibut HALO Harvard hate havens HIC High Hillal HoHoCon Hollyhock Hope House HPCC HRT HTCIA humint Hutsul IACIS IB ICE ID IDEA IDF IDP illuminati imagery IMF Indigo industrial Information INFOSEC InfoSec Infowar Infrastructure Ingram INR INS Intelligence intelligence interception Internet Intiso Investigation Ionosphere IRIDF Iris IRS IS ISA ISACA ISI ISN ISS IW jack JANET Jasmine JAVA JICC jihad JITEM Juile Juiliett Keyhole keywords Kh-11 Kilderkin Kilo Kiwi KLM l0ck LABLINK Lacrosse Lebed LEETAC Leitrim Lexis-Nexis LF LLC loch lock Locks Loin Love LRTS LUK Lynch M5 M72750 M-14 M.P.R.I. Mac-10 Mace Macintosh Magazine mailbomb man Mantis market Masuda Mavricks Mayfly MCI MD2 MD4 MD5 MDA Meade Medco mega Menwith Merlin Meta-hackers MF MI5 MI6 MI-17 Middleman Military Minox MIT MITM MOD MOIS mol Mole Morwenstow Mossberg MP5k MP5K-SD MSCJ MSEE MSNBC MSW MYK NACSI NATIA National NATOA NAVWAN NAVWCWPNS NB NCCS NCSA Nerd News niche NIJ Nike NIMA ninja nitrate nkvd NOCS noise NORAD NRC NRL NRO NSA NSCT NSG NSP NSWC NTIS NTT Nuclear nuclear NVD OAU Offensive Oratory Ortega orthodox Oscor OSS OTP package Panama Park passwd Passwords Patel PBX PCS Peering PEM penrep Perl-RSA PFS PGP Phon-e phones PI picking

Pine pink Pixar PLA Planet-1 Platform Playboy plutonium POCSAG Police Porno Pornstars Posse PPP PPS president press-release Pretoria Priavacy primacord PRIME Propaganda Protection PSAC Pseudonyms Psyops PTT quiche r00t racal RAID rail Rand Rapid RCMP Reaction rebels Recce Red redheads Reflection remailers ReMOB Reno replay Retinal RFI rhost rhosts RIT RL rogue Rolm Ronco Roswell RSA RSP RUOP RX-7 S.A.I.C. S.E.T. S/Key SABC SACLANT SADF SADMS Salsa SAP SAR Sardine sardine SAS SASP SASR Satellite SBI SBIRS SBS SCIF screws Scully SDI SEAL Sears Secert secret Secure secure Security SEL SEMTEX SERT server Service SETA Sex SGC SGDN SGI SHA SHAPE Shayet-13 Shell shell SHF SIG SIGDASYS SIGDEV sigvoice siliconpimp SIN SIRC SISDE SISMI Skytel SL-1 SLI SLIP smuggle sneakers sniper snuffle SONANGOL SORO Soros SORT Speakeasy speedbump Spetznaz Sphinx spies Spoke Sponge spook Spyderco squib SRI ssa SSCI SSL stakeout Standford STARLAN Stego STEP Stephanie Steve Submarine subversives Sugar SUKLO SUN Sundevil supercomputer Surveillance SURVIAC SUSLO SVR SWAT sweep sweeping SWS Talent TDM. TDR TDYC Team Telex TELINT Templeton TEMPSET Terrorism Texas TEXTA. THAAD the Ti TIE Tie-fighter Time toad Tools top TOS Tower transfer TRD Trump TRW TSCI TSCM TUSA TWA UDT UHF UKUSA unclassified UNCPCJ Undercover Underground Unix unix UOP USACIL USAFA USCG USCODE USCOI USDOJ USP USSS UT/RUS utopia UTU UXO Uzi V veggie Verisign VHF Video Vinnell VIP Virii virtual virus VLSI VNET W3 Wackendude Wackenhutt Waihopai WANK Warfare Weekly White white Whitewater William WINGS wire Wireless words World WORM X XS4ALL Yakima Yobie York Yukon Zen zip zone ~

[gunlovingpacifist]

Now I have to block you because people on the right celebrate ignorance and Mooch of blue states. Them gunz ain't gonna feed your family......

I have posed this question a few times and never get a response

.... 🤔

Here is why I am a liberal...

Why are you a Republican?

The 40-hour work week, and thus, weekends!

Overtime pay and minimum wage.

Paid Vacations.

Women’s Voting Rights

The Civil Rights Act of 1964

The right of people of all colors to use schools and facilities.

Public schools.

Public libraries

Public transportation

Public universities

Public broadcasting

Public police and fire departments

Worker’s rights

Labor safety and fairness laws

*Nixon gave us the EPA

Child-labor laws.

The right to unionize

Health care benefits

National Parks, Monuments, and Forests, “America’s Best Idea”

Interstate Highway System (Eisenhower (R) and Al Gore Sr. (D)

Safe food and drugs (via the FDA)

Social Security

NASA

The Moon Landing and other space exploration

Satellites

The Office of Congressional Ethics.

The Internet

National Weather Service

Product Labeling/Truth in Advertising Laws

Rural Electrification/Tennessee Valley Authority

Bank Deposit Insurance

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Rights of the disabled (via Americans With Disabilities Act)

Family and Medical Leave Act

Clean air and water (Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency).

Civilian Conservation Corps

Panama Canal

Hoover Dam

The Federal Reserve

Medicare/Medicaid

The United States Military

The FBI

The CIA

Peace between Israel and Egypt

Peace between Israel and Jordan

Veterans Medical Care

Federal Housing Administration

Extending Voting Rights to 18 year olds

Freedom of Speech

Freedom of Religion/Separation of Church and State

Right to Due Process

Freedom of The Press

Right to Organize and Protest

Pell Grants and other financial aid to students

Federal Aviation Administration/Airline safety regulations

The end of slavery in the USA (The Emancipation Proclamation, The 13th Amendment)

Unemployment benefits

Smithsonian Institute

Americorps

Mandatory Food Labeling

Peace Corps

United Nations

World Health Organization

The Lincoln Tunnel

Sulfur emissions cap and trade to eliminate acid rain

Earned Income Tax Credit

The banning of lead in consumer products

National Institute of Health

Garbage pickup/clean streets

Banning of CFCs.

LGBT rights

Expanded voting access via polling places

Erie Canal

Bailout — and thus continued existence — of the American Auto Industry

Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Established the basis for Universal Human Rights by writing the Declaration of Independence

Miranda Rights

Banning of torture

The right to a proper defense in court

An independent judiciary

The right to vote

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act

Fair, open, and honest elections

The founding of The United States of America

The defeat of the Nazis and victory in World War II

Paramedics

Woman’s Right to Choose

The Civil Rights Movement

National Science Foundation

Vehicle Safety Standards

NATO

The income tax and power to tax in general, which have been used to pay for much of this list.

911 Emergency system

Tsunami, hurricane, tornado, and earthquake warning systems

The Freedom of Information Act

Water Treatment Centers and sewage systems

The Meat Inspection Act

The Pure Food And Drug Act

The Bretton Woods system

International Monetary Fund

SEC, which regulates Wall Street (weaked by conservatives)

National Endowment for the Arts

Campaign finance laws (weaked by conservatives)

Federal Crop Insurance

United States Housing Authority

School Lunch Act

Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act

Vaccination Assistance Act

The creation of counterinsurgency forces such as the Navy Seals and Green Berets.

Voting Rights Act, which ended poll taxes, literacy tests, and other voter qualification tests (weaked by conservatives)

The Brady Bill (5-day wait on handgun purchases for background checks)

Lobbying Disclosure Act

"Motor-Voter" Act

Civil Rights Act of 1968

Job Corps

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965

Teacher Corps

Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966

National Trails System Act of 1968

U.S. Postal Service

Modern Civilization

BIDEN WINS:

• Inflation Reduction Act

• CHIPS & Science Act

• PACT Act for veterans

• First major gun safety legislation in decades

• Took out the leader of al Qaeda

• Historic job growth (+12.8 million)

• Historically low unemployment

• Expanded the NATO alliance

• American Rescue Plan led to fastest jobs recovery in history

• Confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

• Rallied our allies in support of Ukraine

•Once-in-a-generation infrastructure investments

• Student loan forgiveness

• Rural broadband investment

In not a republican. I lean right on one issue. The second amendment. Why's that hard for leftists to comprehend

[usafphantom2]

U.S. will send F-16 fighters to the Gulf region to protect ships from Iranian seizures

The U.S. action comes after Iran tried to seize two oil tankers near the strait last week, setting fire to one of them.

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 16/07/2023 - 15:49in Military, War Zones

The U.S. is reinforcing the use of fighters around the strategic Strait of Hormuz to protect ships from Iranian seizures.

Speaking to Pentagon reporters, a senior defense official told reporters on Friday that the U.S. will send F-16 fighters to the Gulf region to increase the A-10 attack aircraft that have been patrolling there for more than a week, according to the Associated Press.

The official also said that the U.S. is increasingly concerned about the growing ties between Iran, Russia and Syria in the Middle East.

The defense officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the F-16s will give air cover to ships moving along the waterway and increase the visibility of the military in the area, as an impediment to Iran.

The U.S. action comes after Iran tried to seize two oil tankers near the strait last week, setting fire to one of them.

Officials said that in the last two years, Iran has persecuted, attacked or interfered in the navigation rights of 15 international-flagged commercial vessels.

At the end of April, Iran seized the Marshall Islands flagd Advantage Sweet while traveling in the Gulf of Oman. Six days later, he seized a second ship, the Niovi, a tanker with the flag of Panama when leaving a dry dock in Dubai.

The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for the global supply of energy, is usually a place of tense encounters between Americans and Iranian forces.

In early December, an Iranian patrol boat tried to temporarily blind U.S. Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz, pointing a spotlight at the ships and crossing them 150 meters from them.

Last August, an Iranian ship seized an American unmanned military research ship in the Gulf, but released it after a patrol boat and a U.S. Navy helicopter were sent to the scene.

Tags: Military AviationF-16 Fighting FalconUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air ForceWar Zones - Iran

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Daytona Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work around the world of aviation.

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[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 36 of 2023

Title: Alone in the Valley: A Soldier's Journey in the Vietnam War Authors: George R. Lanigan ISBN: 9781518825378 Tags: AUS ADF AA Australian Army, AUS ADF AA SAS Special Air Service (ASAS), AUS ADF Australian Defence Force, AUS Australia, B-52 Stratofortress, Bolivia, Buddhism (Religion), C-119 Flying Box Car, C-123 Provider, Catholic, Che Guevara, Cold War (1946-1991), HUN Hungarian Revolution of 1956, HUN Hungary, KHM Cambodia, KHM Cambodian Army (Vietnam War), KHM Cambodian Civil War (1967-1975), KHM Dr Son Ngoc Thanh, KHM FANK Khmer Army / Forces Armees Nationals Khmeres (1970-1975) (Cambodian Civil War), KHM General Lon Nol, KHM Khmer Rouge, KHM Khmer Serei (Cambodia Civil War), KHM Prince Norodom Sihanouk, M-113 APC, Medevac helicopter, Nungs, OV-10 Bronco, PAN Chagres River, PAN Colon, PAN Panama, PAN USA Fort Sherman, PAN USA Fort Sherman - Jungle Operations Training Center, PAN USAF Howard Air Force Base, POW, Rangers, SpecOps, Tamara Bunker Bider (East German Guerilla/KGB), U-10 Helio Courier, US AK Alaska, US AK ALCAN highway, US AK Delta Junction, US AK Gulkana Glacier, US CIA Central Intelligence Agency, US George Peppard (Actor), US Lodge Act, US Martha Raye (Actress), US Medal Of Honor, US OH Kent State University, US OH Kent State University Shootings (1970) (Vietnam War), US OH Ohio, US President Richard M. Nixon, US Raymond Burr (Actor), US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, US USA 117th Assault Helicopter Company, US USA 117th Assault Helicopter Company - 2 Plt - Pink Panthers, US USA 75th Rangers, US USA 75th Rangers - P Co, US USA 75th Rangers - P Co - RT 1-6, US USA ANG Army National Guard, US USA Camp Mackall NC, US USA Col Lamar Welch, US USA Fort Benning GA, US USA Fort Bragg NC, US USA Fort Bragg NC - JFK Special Warfare Center / School, US USA Fort Bragg NC - Smoke Bomb Hill, US USA Fort Gordon GA, US USA Fort Gordon GA - Camp Crocket, US USA Fort Gordon GA - Range Road, US USA Fort Greely AK, US USA Fort Jackson SC, US USA Fort Lewis WA, US USA Fort Mitchell AL, US USA Fort Mitchell AL - Fryar Drop Zone, US USA Fort Wainwright AK, US USA Francis Marion (Swamp Fox), US USA General John L Throckmorton, US USA Major James N. Rowe, US USA NWTC Northern Warfare Training Center AK, US USA Sgt David Dolby (MOH), US USA SP4 Roy Burke (Ranger), US USA United States Army, US USA USSF 5th SFG, US USA USSF 6th SFG, US USA USSF 6th SFG - A Co, US USA USSF 7th SFG, US USA USSF Green Berets, US USA USSF Special Forces, US USA USSF Team ODA-442, US USA USSF Team ODB-36, US USA USSF Team ODB-43, US USAF Pope Air Force Base - NC, US USAF United States Air Force, US USN ASPB Assault Support Patrol Boat, US USN United States Navy, US USO United Service Organizations, VNM ADF AA 1st Australian Field Hospital - Vung Tau (Vietnam War), VNM ADF AA 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) (Vietnam War), VNM ADF AA AATF Australian Army Training Team (Vietnam War), VNM Assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem (1963) (Vietnam War), VNM Ba Ria, VNM Bien Hoa, VNM Buddhist Crisis (1963) (Vietnam War), VNM Cam Ranh Bay, VNM Chi Lang, VNM CIA Air America (1950-1976) (Vietnam War), VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV VC Viet Cong, VNM Hill 282, VNM Hmong Meo Tribesmen, VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War), VNM I Corps (Vietnam War), VNM III Corps (Vietnam War), VNM IV Corps (Vietnam War), VNM Long Hai, VNM Long Hai Special Forces Camp (Vietnam War), VNM Minh Dam Secret Zone, VNM My Lai Massacre (1968), VNM Nha Trang Air Base, VNM Nui Dat, VNM Operation Arc Light (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Ivory Coast - Son Tay Raid (1970) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Ranch Hand (1962-1971) (Vietnam War), VNM Parrots Beak, VNM Phuoc Hai, VNM Phuoc Tuy Province, VNM Quang Tri Province, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN CIDG Civilian Irregular Defense Group, VNM RVN ARVN LLDB Luc Luong Dac Biet Special Forces, VNM RVN ARVN RF/PF Regional Forces/Popular Forces (Vietnam War), VNM RVN ARVN Vietnamese Rangers - Biet Dong Quan, VNM RVN Ngo Dinh Diem, VNM RVN RVNP Can Sat National Police, VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base, VNM Tay Ninh Province, VNM Tay Ninh West Air Base, VNM UITG Chi Lang Training Center (Vietnam War), VNM UITG Long Hai Training Center (Vietnam War), VNM US Agent Orange (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Advisory Teams (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV IV Corps Advisory Team (Vietnam War), VNM US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM US USA USSF 3rd Mobile Strike Force (Vietnam War), VNM US USSF Mobile Strike Force (MIKE) (Vietnam War), VNM USA USARV UITG Individual Training Group (Vietnam War), VNM USA USARV United States Army Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM USN MRF Mobile Riverine Force (Vietnam War), VNM USN NATSB Ben Keo, VNM USN NATSB Go Dau Hau, VNM USN NATSB Naval Advanced Support Base, VNM USN TF 117 MRF Mobile Riverine Force (Vietnam War), VNM Vam Co Dong River, VNM Vietnam, VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975), VNM Vung Tau, VNM Xuyen Moc Rating: ★★★★ (4 Stars) Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.ARVN, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Australia, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Cambodian Civil War, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Specops.Green Berets, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.US Army.Advisor

Description: In 1968, George Lanigan leaves the University of Maryland and sets off on the journey of his life. He volunteers to serve his country in the Vietnam War and enlists in the army where he becomes an elite Special Forces advisor in a top-secret program. The United States is clandestinely training the Cambodian Army, Forces Armees Nationales Khmeres, and Lanigan is at the heart of the mission. In this personal memoir, LTC George R. Lanigan, USA (Retired), adapts his forty-year-old letters and correspondence to his parents into an emotionally compelling and suspenseful narrative that relates his daily life of survival and political tension. It's an inside, firsthand look at a rare, and previously classified, Vietnam War experience. But its scope reaches beyond the war itself and illuminates the realities soldiers face returning home, building a life, and even visiting war zones four decades later. Its openness and honesty will resonate with war veterans, their friends and family members, those suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, and people of all ages who are interested in American history. Readers will learn about war life, a volatile political environment, and how personal experiences weave together to create the person one eventually becomes.

[davidshawnsown]

USA BASEBALL ONE SHOT RPF 3: Before Leaving Bucha

(AN: Dedicated to the memory of all the Ukrainian civilians and military personnel who perished in this war, including in the Battle of Bucha, as well as to now retired 2008 bronze medal Olympian Dexter Fowler and new MLB Hall of Famer Scott Rolen.)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2022

BUCHA CITY HALL, BUCHA

1740 EEST

As elements of the 1st and 2nd Battalions 78th Brigade Combat Team began to pack up alongside the armored units and the rest of the brigade's formations already in Ukrainian soil, the first battalion commander, LTC Darren Fenster, had started to realize how much the cost in liberating Bucha and the nearby city of Irpin had on the brigade at large, considering they were all involved in the latter and had been here following liberation to begin the hard task of clearing the roads littered with destroyed Russian heavy equipment and vehicles, a task the combat engineer and maintenance battalions had done briefly so that the brigade would begin the long drive to help assist in lifting besiged Chernihiv, as well as any mine detection and clearing work if needed.

But there's another thing that set to begin. The support formations as well as the chaplaincy unit and PAO were starting to see bodies of the Russian dead as well as their Ukrainian counterparts and those civilians either killed by Russia or were caught in the battle. These would be future proof of the war atrocities the Russian people committed to the defiant people of the city. These would be buried in just weeks after the bodies have been identified by representatives of the Ukrainian government, the Kyiv Oblast authorities, and the Bucha City Council, alongside the Criminal Police of the National Police's Bucha units now reconstituted, alongside personnel from national HQ and the Kyiv Oblast branch.

Earlier that day the lieutenant colonel, together with their brigade commander BG Hopkins had led a flag lowering ceremony marking the end of the American commitment to the liberation of the two cities west of Kyiv. Given that the Americans came very late into the battles for these cities with American heavy weaponry assisting the Ukrainian war effort, he thought of how must the 2nd Battalion had lost some of its personnel while the 1st Battalion had injuries, but not any KIA, in the battles. 4th Battalion too suffered light casualty numbers, and the armored battalion and armored cavalry squadron, thankfully, only lost a few tanks due to their late arrival (majority being Abrams and M60s and not those of the light tank company). The anti tank artillery battalion and the brigade's field artillery regiment, thankfuly, suffered no casualties from their ranks, the same for the support formations. Irpin was the baptism of fire once more of the 78th Brigade, which contributed personnel to the theaters of the Second World War, had fought as a whole unit in Korea and Vietnam and Panama and as a battalion in Grenada, yet again as a whole formation in both Gulf Wars and sent a battalion to Somalia and later Bosnia, and fought with other formations of the Army in Afghanistan and Iraq against terrorist groups. Now it was finally fighting with Ukrainian formations and militias against Russian forces in support as well of the International Legion of Territorial Defense's American personnel. Their efforts and the American equipment the brigade had been using have impressed the Ukrainian servicemen they fought with on the final days of the battles for these two cities and the effectiveness of the Western materiel against Russia's war machine have even convinced the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense that Ukraine's future equipment will be mostly Western made.

Among those officers and NCOs present were the commander of the operational forces in Ukraine of the 46th Command, Brigadier General Mark DeRosa and the commanders of the 3rd NY Infantry and the 1st Minnesota Infantry, COL Aaron Boone and COL Rocco Baldelli, as well as now BG Joe Girardi, commandant of the 83rd Philadelphia. The battalions of their regiments, as well as of the 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine and the 112th Territorial Defense Brigade, both of these involved in the Bucha and Irpin battles, were all present, as well as those of the 58th Mechanized Infantry Brigade and the 2nd Battalion of the Toronto Rifles, all of them Canadian residents within the Toronto area that joined the war effort once their regiment was given the OK from Ottawa to join their American comrades with an added provision of helping to transport willing Canadian veterans who plan to join the International Legion, awaiting the arrival of the multi-national personnel from the 1st Battalion. And joining them were their Ukrainian hosts, the men and women of the Ukrainian Ground Forces' Operational Command North, MINDEF and the Armed Forces General Staff who were all proud of the multi-national effort made to liberate those areas near the capital.

Following the address by the commander of the 4th Brigade, the US officers offically handed over the Bucha city flag to the representatives of the city council, officially declaring as concluded the operations to liberate these two cities given the accomplishment of the objectives of these. The last US officer to be given the city flag before the handover to a Ukrainian Ground Forces serviceman of the 58th Brigade, who will first be handing over the flag to representatives of the Ukrainian forces stationed there before being presented to the city council representative was Captain Todd Frazier of A Company of the 78th's 1st Battalion, their commanding officer. It was his efforts and that of his fellow servicemen, together with their Ukrainian counterparts, that ensured the victory of the join US-Canadian-Ukrainian force that dealt a heavy loss to 3 regiments of the Russian Airborne Forces and the Russian Ground Forces' 35th and 36th Armies, thru two brigade combat teams. It was a tough time for the 78th and the American and Canadian formations that joined them in assisting Ukraine with the recapture of two cities west of Kyiv.

At that ceremony, the American officers of the units that helped Ukraine liberate Bucha expressed not just condolences to the fallen servicemen and the civilians who died, but also cited the courage and amazing determination and teammwork they and the Canadians as well as their Ukrainian brothers shown in the past days. No less than BG DeRosa addressed that formation with remarks of what he put in his words as the "bravery and fierceness" of the boys of the 78th that helped win the victory for Ukraine in Bucha and earlier in Irpin. Similar messages were stated by the other unit commanders. LTC Fenster of the 1st Battalion addressed the personnel of the unit of their amazing work that have helped Ukraine win the twin battles and the fact that there were no fatalities among its personnel was also applauded given their late arrival in the operation.

The few Ukrainians who spoke that day were not just proud of the Ukrainians who liberated Bucha but also of the American and Canadian formations who helped them get the win and push Russia out of the capital's western suburbs. They were indeed eternally full of gratitude not just to the people of the world who helped to continue showing support to the nation in their time of need but also to the personnel of the International Legion and the 169th Corps who were the first reservists to be deployed to Ukraine and were the first to help fight for a common cause.

As the 78th Brigade's band played the State Anthem of Ukraine preceded by O Canada and The Star Splangled Banner, the forces gathered on Energetskiy Street saluted as the flags were lowered and in their place the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag was hoisted, signifying Bucha now having returned to Ukraine. Fighting may be going on north in Hostomel, but it is a sign of the capital's surroundings being slowly cleared of the Russian aggressor. Soon the 3rd and 87th regiments are to move north, while the 78th Brigade will be moving directly to reinforce the forces fighting Russians in the Chernihiv Oblast area.

As the sun began to set in the Bucha hills, LTC Fenster knew it would be long before the boys of his battalion would be on the move north but having to skip Brovary as the Russians are fighting Ukrainians there on the road to Chernihiv, but now as they begin to leave for the journey, the 1st Battalion's CO talked to the boys of A Company that set the tone for the liberation to happen, in particular the 1st platoon made up of those who were in Tokyo more than half a year prior.

"Captain Todd, officers and men of Able Company," spoke the battalion commander, " Ukraine is very much grateful to all you have contributed since we arrived. We cannot help but remember not the the fallen from the rest of the brigade, but the fact that the ENTIRE 1st Battalion made it all the way without any single fatality despite injuries - well done to all of you, especially to you guys at A Company who led the way in Irpin first and then Bucha and aiding the Ukrainians in the liberation of these cities and the country at large. I am damn proud of all of you, and I will never forget helping you achieve the impossible. Ukraine is thankful for the work you all did fighting Russians west of the capital, and one day it will reward us all greatly. As we and the whole of our battalion leave Bucha, while recalling the fallen and the dead and the sacrifices made to liberate it and Irpin, we are proud to have helped Ukraine fight the invader determined to wipe this nation off the map. Understood?"

"Sir yes sir!"

Todd replied, "Lieutenant colonel sir, it was my company's hard work and cooperation with the Ukrainians that led to this point. I am damn proud of my men and all my fellow infantrymen of the battalion, and of all of you in battalion command that helped make it possible."

"Same for me and Baker Company," Captain Jake Arrietta replied.

"Ditto, colonel," added CPT Kylee Lahners, the C Company commander. The other company commanders said the same. It was indeed a great effort by everyone that made those twin victories possible.

Bucha will soon rebuild, but the mark left by the forces of liberation will remain for generations, LTC Fenster thought, knowing that soon they will be back to prepare for the victory parade in iconic Maidan Nezalezhnosti alongside their Ukrainian partners and the many who will be fighting with them together under a singular cause of assisting Ukraine in its struggle against the Russian occupier, no matter what.

@joeybosa-aaronjudge @lightninging @homerofthebraves @dilangleywritesfanfic @auroralightsthesky @alekmanoah @ilovetheyankees @darkorderaf @highwaytothedangerzone502 @zackcollins

[newstfionline]

Monday, May 15, 2023

Unusually early heat wave in Pacific Northwest tests records (AP) An early heat wave took hold Saturday in parts of the Pacific Northwest, with temperatures nearing or breaking records in some areas and heat advisories in place through Monday. The historically temperate region has grappled with scorching summer temperatures and unprecedented wildfires fueled by climate change in recent years. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory extending from Saturday through Monday for much of the western parts of both Oregon and Washington state. It said the temperatures could raise the risk of heat-related illness, particularly for those who are dehydrated or don’t have effective cooling.

Venezuela Brain Drain Is Enriching Neighbors (Bloomberg) No Latin American country churned out as many college graduates as Venezuela during the petroleum-powered boom that began there in the 1970s. Now, migration experts estimate some 2 million Venezuelans with advanced degrees live outside the country as turmoil at home prompted a brain drain. In Panama alone, the expats have started more than 5,500 businesses and are contributing more than $200 million a year in taxes and fees.

Zelensky, in private, plots bold attacks inside Russia, leak shows (Washington Post) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has won the trust of Western governments by refusing to use the weapons they provide for attacks inside Russia and prioritizing the targeting of Russian forces inside Ukraine’s borders. But behind closed doors, Ukraine’s leader has proposed going in a more audacious direction—occupying Russian villages to gain leverage over Moscow, bombing a pipeline that transfers Russian oil to Hungary, a NATO member, and privately pining for long-range missiles to hit targets inside Russia’s borders, according to classified U.S. intelligence documents detailing his internal communications with top aides and military leaders. The documents, which have not been previously disclosed, are part of a broader leak of U.S. secrets circulated on the Discord messaging platform and obtained by The Washington Post. They reveal a leader with aggressive instincts that sharply contrast with his public-facing image as the calm and stoic statesman weathering Russia’s brutal onslaught. The insights were gleaned through intercepted digital communications, providing a rare look at Zelensky’s deliberations amid Russian missile barrages, infrastructure attacks and war crimes.

Germany Announces Its Biggest Military Aid Package Yet for Ukraine (NYT) Germany on Saturday sent the strongest signal yet of its commitment to backing Ukraine in its battle against Russian occupiers, promising more tanks, armored vehicles and substantial air defense systems in its largest weapons package for Kyiv. The arms package, totaling 2.7 billion euros, or about $2.95 billion, amounted to roughly as much as Germany’s total military aid to Ukraine since the war began in February 2022. The move was part of a budding effort by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to draw a line under a year of rocky relations over Germany’s hesitancy to provide weapons and solidify a partnership that may prove increasingly critical to maintaining European unity in backing the war.

Turkey appears headed to a runoff presidential race (AP) Turkey’s presidential elections appeared to be heading toward a second-round runoff on Monday, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled his country with a firm grip for 20 years, leading over his chief challenger, but falling short of the votes needed for an outright win. With 99.4% of the domestic votes and 84% of the overseas votes counted, Erdogan had 49.4% of the votes, with his main rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, garnering 45%. Erdogan, 69, told supporters in the early hours of Monday that he could still win. He said, however, that he would respect the nation’s decision if the race went to a runoff on May 28.

Syrians in Turkey facing uncertain future whether Erdoğan stays or goes (Guardian) An estimated 4 million Syrians live in Turkey and their relationship to their adopted home deepened over the past decade despite an increasingly hostile climate. When polled, at least 80% of Turks say they want Syrians to return. This sentiment has found an increasing home across the political spectrum in Turkey, amid a rise in openly anti-immigrant xenophobic parties and where a broad coalition trying to unseat the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has attacked him from the right on immigration. The result has been a tug-of-war between Erdoğan’s governing coalition and the nominally social democratic opposition Republican People’s party (CHP) over the fate of Turkey’s Syrian community. Both parties are openly competing to see who can promise to crack down harder on immigration and swiftly restore relations with Assad. When Turkey heads to the polls on Sunday the Syrian community is poised to endure loss no matter who wins. Syrians who return face an uncertain future that may include detention, torture, enforced disappearance and poverty.

Cyclone Mocha makes landfall in Myanmar (AP) Rescuers early Monday evacuated about 1,000 people trapped by seawater 3.6 meters (12 feet ) deep along western Myanmar’s coast after a powerful cyclone injured hundreds and cut off communications. Damage and six deaths have been reported, but the true impact was not yet clear in one of Asia’s least developed countries. Strong winds injured more than 700 people. Mocha made landfall near Sittwe township with winds blowing up to 209 kilometers (130 miles) per hour, Myanmar’s Meteorological Department said. By midday Monday, it had weakened to a tropical depression, according to the India Meteorological Department. High winds crumpled cell phone towers, but in videos collected by local media before communications were lost, deep water raced through streets and wind blew off roofs.

Thailand’s Opposition Wins (AP) Thailand’s opposition racked up a stunning majority of the 500 seats at stake in the race for the House of Representatives, dealing a major blow to the establishment parties and the former general who has led the Southeast Asian country since seizing power in a 2014 coup. The results of Sunday’s general election are a strong repudiation of the country’s conservatives and reflect the disenchantment in particular of young voters who want to limit the influence of the military in politics and reform the monarchy. But the exact shape of the new government is unclear as post-election coalition talks and behind-the-scene negotiations take center stage.

Iranian nuclear program (WSJ) Alarmed by Iran’s progress in enriching uranium at close to weapons-grade levels, European countries are pressing the Biden administration to revive a diplomatic track with Tehran that they hope would help avoid a possible nuclear crisis. After 18 months of negotiations, talks on reviving the 2015 nuclear accord collapsed in August when Tehran rejected a deal that would have largely restored the original pact’s terms. Iran is now amassing 60% highly enriched uranium and recently produced a small amount of near-weapons grade material, according to the United Nations atomic agency. European officials say time is running out to diplomatically address an Iranian nuclear program that puts Tehran as little as several months away from being able to develop a nuclear weapon, but they are worried that the White House has shelved the issue until after the 2024 election. They acknowledged that any new effort to keep a lid on Iran’s nuclear advances may fail to stop Iran from eventually getting a weapon.

Cease-fire between Israel and militants in Gaza appears to hold (AP) A fragile cease-fire between Israeli forces and militants in the Gaza Strip appeared to be holding after a five-day clash that killed 33 Palestinians and two people in Israel. The latest round of Gaza fighting was sparked Tuesday when Israeli jets killed three top commanders from the Islamic Jihad militant group in response to earlier rocket launches from Gaza. Those killings set off a barrage of militant fire and the conflagration threatened to drag the region into another all-out war until an Egyptian-brokered cease-fire took hold late Saturday. While the calm appeared to bring a sense of relief to Gaza’s 2 million people and hundreds of thousands of Israelis who had been largely confined to bomb shelters in recent days, the agreement did nothing to address the underlying issues that have fueled numerous rounds of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip over the years.

Netflix and Egypt Spar Over an African Cleopatra. (NYT) On this much, at least, everyone can agree: Cleopatra was a formidable queen of ancient Egypt, the last of the Macedonian Greek dynasty founded by Alexander the Great, who went on to even greater posthumous fame as a seductress, immortalized by Shakespeare and Hollywood. Beyond that, many of the details are fuzzy—which is how one of the world’s dominant streaming services ended up in an imbroglio with modern-day Egypt recently, called out by online commenters and even the Egyptian government for casting a Black actress to play Cleopatra in the Netflix docudrama series “African Queens.” Egyptians say the influential streaming service is dragging an ancient queen into a modern, and decidedly Western, debate—about Black representation in Hollywood—in which she has no real place. A popular television host accused Netflix of trying to “take over our Egyptian culture.” An Egyptian lawyer filed a complaint demanding that the streaming service be shut down in the country.

‘Mommunes’: Mothers Are Living Single Together (NYT) First, Kristin Batykefer lost her marketing job when there was a management change. Then her marriage fell apart, and she suddenly found herself with no income and nowhere to go. To help her get back on her feet last year, two family friends invited Ms. Batykefer and her now 4-year-old daughter to stay in their four-bedroom home. Then Ms. Batykefer’s best friend, Tessa Gilder, also went through a divorce and came to stay in the house, bringing along her two children, now ages 5 and 1. Almost overnight, they had organically formed a commune for single mothers: a “mommune.” All over the world, women are joining forces under one roof, sharing the load of child care and household bills through the age-old power of sisterhood. Living in a mommune, said Kristin, has made it easy to find an extra pair of hands to help. Ms. Batykefer wrote on an TikTok post that has been viewed more than 1 million times, “Shoulda moved into a mommune a long time ago.”

For Today’s Anxious Teens, Outdoor Adventures Can Be a Cure (WSJ) According to a report released in February by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teenagers in the U.S. are in the midst of a staggering mental health crisis. A survey conducted in fall 2021 found that 30% of teen girls have seriously considered suicide, a jump of 60% in the past decade. Boys are struggling, too. More than 40% of high school students reported feeling so despondent or helpless that they could not go about their normal activities for at least two weeks during the previous year. What can we as parents do? For our family, the answer has always been nature. We hoped that by making nature our family’s norm, they would absorb, as though by osmosis, its many lessons and gifts. Research points to the mental, physical and emotional benefits of time spent in nature. In an April 2021 review of more than 40 experimental studies, the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that exposure to outdoor environments reduces the stress-hormone cortisol, lowers blood pressure, boosts immunity and executive function, and provides relief from chronic anxiety and depression. According to a 2007 study in Japan, participants in three-day “forest bathing” trips—a kind of eco-therapy involving immersion in nature—showed improved immune function that lasted for a full month after the outing. Even short, daily doses of nature can help. A 2019 study showed that U.S. university students who spent 15 minutes or more being active outside reported a higher quality of life and less perceived stress.