Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
January 29, 2025

Halt Of USAID Exposes Malign Foreign Influence

A few days ago the Trump administration put a 90 day stop on foreign aid:

Friday’s memo shocked the humanitarian groups and communities conducting development aid across the globe. While the scope of the directive appears far-reaching, uncertainties linger over how it will be carried out.

The memo on Saturday offered only partial clarity.

The pause on foreign aid spending means “a complete halt,” it said. The only exceptions are for emergency humanitarian food assistance and for government officials returning to their duty stations. Waivers allowing delivery of emergency food during the review period will require “detailed information and justification.”
...
USAID began sending a notice to contractors ordering them to “immediately issue stop-work orders” and to “amend, or suspend existing awards.”

USAID and other U.S. government entities provide money for a wide range of causes. Some are arguably humanitarian and should continue:

Trump order set to halt supply of HIV, malaria drugs to poor countries as part of aid freeze, sources say - NY Post, Jan 28 2025

Others though are not so.

In many cases foreign aid is used to transplant U.S. ideological causes into foreign societies and/or to manipulate them into favoring U.S. interests. This is often hidden under the misleading concept of a 'civil society' as the 'third sector' distinct from governments and businesses. The U.S., through USAID and other like entities, are paying foreign 'non-government' organizations (NGOs), as well as foreign media, to pressure foreign governments into following policies in U.S. interests.

Enslaved by Nonprofits: How NGOs Colonize Developing Countries - Mint Press News, Dec 12 2023

In a number of countries the halt of such 'aid' showed immediate effects (machine translation):

Several major Ukrainian media outlets have asked their readers for financial support due to the suspension of American grant programs by the new President, Donald Trump.

In particular, this is directly reported by Hromadske and Bihus.Info.

"Some of the projects that we implement thanks to grants are temporarily stopped. That is why we especially need the support of each and every one of you," writes Hromadske.
...
Ukrayinska Pravda and Detektor Media also asked for donations, but did not directly name the reason for this suspension of USAID projects.

The U.S. practically owns the whole Ukrainian media scene (machine translation):

Approximately 90% of Ukrainian media outlets have become dependent on American grants since the outbreak of a full-scale war.

This was stated by Oksana Romanyuk, head of the Institute of Mass Information, which is also a recipient of foreign grants, to Public Radio.
...
Political analyst Kostya Bondarenko responded to this statement with irony in his Telegram channel, doubting the lack of engagement of the press.

"Almost 90% of Ukrainian media survived thanks to grants," says Oksana Romanyuk, director of the Institute of Mass Information. I translate it into a normal language: 90% of Ukrainian media was controlled by the West through grants. Independence of the media and freedom of speech, you say?" - wrote Bondarenko.

The dozens of 'independent' U.S. financed pro-war media outlets in Ukraine are just some of a total of 112 official USAID projects in Ukraine (machine translation):

There are 112 projects in Ukraine The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), their funding reaches a total of $ 7 billion.

Such data was provided by MP Maryan Zablotsky on his Facebook page.
...
In particular, over three years, $ 297 million was allocated for the following activities::

  • support in creating a talk show called "Ebout"on YouTube;
  • support of the TVORCHI music group in creating the song "At Once" and conducting concerts;
  • Zminy organization (also known as Don't Take Fake, or DTF) hosts an electronic musicians' camp;
  • creation of a mural and a series of cultural events by CUKR;
  • producer Tatiana Postavna and singer Vladimir Dantes created a reality show about the restoration of cultural spaces in frontline settlements;
  • release of the first series of the project "College Check";
  • release of the second season of the project "Ukrainian Palaces. Golden Day".

"And there are dozens of such projects – Maybe someone needs it. But I don't quite understand why American taxpayers should do this. And why don't we ask for funds for something obviously more necessary?" Zablotsky asked himself.

USAID projects in Ukraine (and elsewhere) include the promotion of Neo-Nazi ideology:

Ivan Katchanovski @I_Katchanovski - 4:47 UTC · Jan 29, 2025

Neo-Nazi linked activist tweets that podcasts with leader of neo-Nazi C14 in Ukraine would also stop because of Trump's suspension of USAID funding.
(pic)

Some are claiming that foreign funds do not influence the content that is produced:

It’s understandable to be wary of foreign money funding Ukrainian journalism, but there’s no hidden agenda behind it. It’s not about controlling the media or pushing specific narratives — that is more common for domestic actors. Organizations providing foreign grants don’t tell the media what to write or order journalists to support or attack particular policies or figures. That’s what local oligarchs do.

The Washington Post recently demonstrated how oligarchic ownership of media is in fact influencing their content through control of its editors. Dependency on foreign aid creates similar ways.

As Alexey Arestoivich, a former advisor to the former president of Ukraine, explains (machine translation):

“Almost 90% of Ukrainian media survived thanks to grants,” says Oksana Romanyuk, director of the Institute of Mass Information.

Actually, this is called "intellectual occupation".
...
Domestic humanities and media were intercepted and put under control back in the 90s, and this is the secret of why, instead of a large, multicultural symphony of Ukraine, “humanitarians” began to build a UPA dugout here the size of the largest European country.

This is one of the main reasons for the start of the war.

Because when the Biden administration needed to buy Ukraine to contain Russia, it didn’t have to try very hard, everything had already been bought long ago.

Ukraine is certainly not the only country that is relevant here:

Balázs Orbán @BalazsOrban_HU - 9:58 UTC · Jan 29, 2025

One of the largest Hungarian opposition media outlets is upset by Trump’s executive order halting U.S. foreign aid for 90 days, as Hungary’s “independent” press stands to lose millions of forints in funding. Makes you wonder how independent one can be when relying on another government’s funding …

The Ukraine government sees the loss of U.S. funds to Ukrainian media as a chance to cheaply obtain control over these (machine translation):

The Office of the President intends to take over the management of grant organizations in Ukraine, whose American funding was frozen by US President Donald Trump.

This follows from yesterday 's address by Vladimir Zelensky .

According to him, the government will start financing those projects and non-governmental organizations that it considers critical. This process will be supervised by Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Alexey Kuleba.

The halt of U.S. finances to foreign NGO operations demonstrates the deep influences these create. It demonstrates the importance of having laws that prohibit foreign (and state) sponsorship of local media  and 'civil society' entities.

Posted by b on January 29, 2025 at 15:32 UTC | Permalink

Comments
next page »

I met an economist on the bus from Deseguadero to La Paz in Bolivia in the late '80s. Looking at the countryside we were passing I remarked that on the Peruvian side of the border the fields were cultivated, the villages were full of children, and livestock was being pastured up to the mountain peaks. On the Bolivian side the fields were empty, the villages were abandoned except for the elderly, and an air of neglect was everywhere. I asked him why and he replied, "The US doesn't like Peru now so they're not getting any foreign aid. Here we receive so much free rice and corn that farmers can't compete so the only thing they can do is move to the cities to try to survive."

Posted by: Brian Bixby | Jan 29 2025 15:43 utc | 1

Trump is putting the world on notice—we’re back and we’re kicking ass!

Posted by: America Is Back! | Jan 29 2025 15:50 utc | 2

Halted foreign aid except for....
'israel' and Egypt
🤔

Posted by: RP | Jan 29 2025 15:51 utc | 3

I noticed a few days ago that USAID's Director and harbinger of color revolutions, Samantha Power was completely erased from the USAID website after Trump was sworn in.

If Samantha Power visited a country, a coup was being planned.

USAID serves no purpose but to promote colonialism and the "Rules based order".

A black hole for American resources that might have better been spent on ice breakers and 5G.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jan 29 2025 15:57 utc | 4

Shutting down USAID is the closest Trump could get to clipping the CIA's wings while sending a huge FU to all the grifters of the Democratic party profiteering from the its contracts. Good riddance.

Posted by: Rubiconned | Jan 29 2025 16:01 utc | 5

It demonstrates the importance of having laws that prohibit foreign (and state) sponsorship of local media and 'civil society' entities.

Posted by b on January 29, 2025 at 15:32 UTC | Permalink

So true but it doesn't stop there. Just look at the current controversy around Frans "Green Deal" Timermanns' lobby orgs funded by the EU commission... that means: the commission is paying for lobby groups to influence the parliamentarians. You really can't make this sht up...

Posted by: Zet | Jan 29 2025 16:02 utc | 6

'Approximately 90% of Ukrainian media outlets have become dependent on American grants since the outbreak of a full-scale war.'

Rewind to Cold War days: 'communist front' cutouts received funding from the Soviet Union to propagandize the West.

Now 'NATO front' cutouts receive funding from the USSA to propagandize Ukraine and eastern Europe.

We're the Soviets now, comrades. Or we were ...

Posted by: Jim H | Jan 29 2025 16:03 utc | 7

But don't worry Zionists! YOUR AID IS A-OK.If Trump is good for 1 thing it's #MIGA!

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 29 2025 16:05 utc | 8

Billions of people get by fine without American vaccines.

USAID has done nothing good.

Food delivery is part of corrupting and colonizing countries. The food doesn't make it to the hungry, it gets handed off to corrupt local official that use it to blackmail and fierce their constituents.

As the expression goes, give a man a fish. Feed him for a day.

Teach a man to fish. Feed him for a lifetime.

France loved to sabotage agricultural development in Africa to keep those countries under their thumb.

Russia has been conducting food diplomacy in Africa. Sending seeds (non-GMO) and tractors as gifts to build relationships.

Teach a man to fish...

I would not be surprised if the Russians are also helping the North Koreans with food.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jan 29 2025 16:05 utc | 9

Blackmail and COERCE.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jan 29 2025 16:06 utc | 10

Posted by: Jim H | Jan 29 2025 16:03 utc | 7

Dafuq. You don't think the US and its capitalist owners were propagandizing the living hell out of Russia and Soviet states?? That's how NED and then USAID were born.

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 29 2025 16:08 utc | 11

Looks like Trump is dismantling the empire. Even if the 90 days of halted days were actually 45 days, it will still do permanent damage to the US controlled and cultivated neoliberal crazies running amok in western countries. The mainstream Euromedia is the last bastion to give up.

The EU will be next to fall. Trump froze all relations with the EU, foreign secretary Rubio refused to attend EU foreign minister meeting even after Kaja Kallas invitation, EU is taking a shellacking in form of Greenland, massive milking with over expensive weapon contracts with US companies, and reliance in gas and oil supplies from US or US controlled sources. I think there's at least some sort of coordinated activity to bring down the libtard forces in EUropistan.

Posted by: unimperator | Jan 29 2025 16:12 utc | 12

Posted by: Brian Bixby | Jan 29 2025 15:43 utc | 1

Great anecdote. I'm sure Bolivia was also getting lots of DEA (I mean CIA Madia) "aid* too. But the part about rice and corn is the blueprint. Pre NAFTA

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 29 2025 16:12 utc | 13

USAID motto: "On behalf of the American people, we promote and demonstrate democratic values abroad, and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world."

Gotta have a sense of humor.

Posted by: Don Bacon | Jan 29 2025 16:14 utc | 14

'Approximately 90% of Ukrainian media outlets have become dependent on American grants since the outbreak of a full-scale war.'

Rewind to Cold War days: 'communist front' cutouts received funding from the Soviet Union to propagandize the West.

Now 'NATO front' cutouts receive funding from the USSA to propagandize Ukraine and eastern Europe.

We're the Soviets now, comrades. Or we were ...

Posted by: Jim H | Jan 29 2025 16:03 utc | 7

Some truth here in the sense that like the Soviet Union, the US is desperately teetering and about to collapse. But, I'd say we're all Stalinists now. More accurate as to the ideology leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the information control tactics of the late Imperialist Dem party.

Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Jan 29 2025 16:17 utc | 15

Whatever the country, these guys who are paid by the US are basically traitors to their own countries, and fully deserve to be treated as such by their governments and by their fellow citizens.

Posted by: Clueless Joe | Jan 29 2025 16:19 utc | 16

But don't worry Zionists! YOUR AID IS A-OK.If Trump is good for 1 thing it's #MIGA!

Posted by: Tom_Q_Collins | Jan 29 2025 16:05 utc | 8

Good point.

Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Jan 29 2025 16:19 utc | 17

Maybe in a month or so we will be able to see some other media and ¨civil society¨ orgainzations in countries that find themselves the US crosshairs begin to wilt. Very good post, b.

Posted by: c | Jan 29 2025 16:20 utc | 18

Philippines in a pickle

US aid freeze sparks fears Philippines will become ‘bargaining chip’ in Trump’s China talks

Philippine officials insist the pause in US$500 million in military aid is temporary, but analysts warn it signals a broader strategy shift

Published: 3:00pm, 29 Jan 2025

The Philippines is bracing for the possible loss of half a billion dollars in promised US military aid under President Donald Trump, as analysts warn Manila could become a “bargaining chip” in Washington’s dealings with Beijing.

The uncertainty follows a sudden 90-day freeze on all US foreign aid funded by or through the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), announced on Friday by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The announcement comes less than six months after former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in late July that Washington would allocate “US$500 million in foreign military financing to the Philippines to boost security collaboration with our oldest treaty ally in this region”.

Published: 3:00pm, 29 Jan 2025

The Philippines is bracing for the possible loss of half a billion dollars in promised US military aid under President Donald Trump, as analysts warn Manila could become a “bargaining chip” in Washington’s dealings with Beijing.

The uncertainty follows a sudden 90-day freeze on all US foreign aid funded by or through the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), announced on Friday by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The announcement comes less than six months after former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in late July that Washington would allocate “US$500 million in foreign military financing to the Philippines to boost security collaboration with our oldest treaty ally in this region”.

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3296675/us-aid-freeze-sparks-fears-philippines-will-become-bargaining-chip-trumps-china-talks

Posted by: too scents | Jan 29 2025 16:22 utc | 19

Most probably Ukr is going to replace US aid with UK one?
Guess what, you can find just as many 'cultural' projects funded by the EU, if not more.
And the same way the US had bought Ukr long ago, the same is true of EU assets (and markets).

Posted by: Tom | Jan 29 2025 16:26 utc | 20

thanks b..

so aid - money - is influencing things?? who whudda thunk it?? with usaid, they have used the nice description to use as a lever of power and propaganda.. this has been going on for a long time... great if trump stops it from happening.. lets see what he does after the 90 day period... will it be 'back to normal'?

there's been nothing normal since day one.. read @ Brian Bixby | Jan 29 2025 15:43 utc | 1 for a clear and beautiful description of it.. if trump is able to bring down all the bullshit and lies associated with these fake names - usaid - great...

Posted by: james | Jan 29 2025 16:29 utc | 21

USAID motto: "On behalf of the American people, we promote and demonstrate democratic values abroad, and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world."

Gotta have a sense of humor.

Posted by: Don Bacon

Or a copy of Edward Bernays' collected works beneath the pillow.

Posted by: persiflo | Jan 29 2025 16:29 utc | 22

It's simply outrageous that US taxpayers were bilked like this and their money sent to the Ukrainian Pravda and other Goebbels media to print fake news and anti-Russia lies.

We need an investigation into Forbes, Business Insider, and other US media as well - they appear to have been all captured right around February 2022 and they all started printing lies and propaganda aimed at US citizens, not Ukrainians. Trump needs to get to the bottom of this - perhaps the CIA is funding them? Through some backdoor money source that never gets audited.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 29 2025 16:32 utc | 23

In the light of this, should we expect to see fund-raising appeals from

ANON2022
Julian
Ed4
Micron
and sean_the_garden_gnome

in the next few days???

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Jan 29 2025 16:36 utc | 24

Damn good read b, thanks.

Should have posted my last comment from previous thread here! It speaks to the same shenanigans by the Collective Wastes financier pirates robber barons.
The Mockingbird cia trained journo hoodlums.

Hungarian ‘indy’ media squealing is hilarious- Orban must have asked The Donald for a direct intervention as a favour!

We really could do with a similar choke in the U.K.

The ‘public propagander’ BBC collects £5 billion from the idiotic public that pays up because of threats of fines for not having a tv licence! Even if there is zero desire to consume any of that daily 24/7 rolling news poison and cultural hegemonic programming- currently another series glorifying the thugs of the SAS who are illegal wading in far of parts and have never stopped being terrorists across most of the worlds ‘trouble spots’.

The rest of the time it’s about ‘police procedurals’ - how to be afraid in every little community; how to be suspicious of everyone including your neighbours; how to be the secret policeman In Your own head; controlling your own free thoughts!

Most of the daily newspapers, Times, The Guardian, Independent, Express, Telegraph and magazines like the Economist, could and should not exist any more - they have been loss making without ‘funding’ from the likes of Soros and Gates and Rothschilds, for nearly two decades now!

The only ones that are making any profit is the Mail and possibly Murdochs Sun. Through which the majority of the working and middle class population is fed dross plus sometimes actual reporting (as far as Mail goes, still having actual journalists and professional editors - I’m not a fan btw and never buy any papers now)

Yes it would be good if Drumpffy baby put the kibosh on US state covert funding in the U.K. media!
And the U.K. bans foreign oligarchs funding of it.
And we limit the amount of US made propoganda entertainment that makes everyone talk yank nonsense slang, over sexualised only fan groupies and gangsta violence mental abberations, from toddlers to oaps!

I want my family, friends and neighbours released from the daily mental self delusion enforcement loop. No matter how much fake ‘plurality’ it supposedly removes from the mediascape. Fuck that blackmail.

Posted by: DunGroanin | Jan 29 2025 16:36 utc | 25

Agreed with RP, let's see how long 'aid' to the zionazis is blocked. But since strumpf's already released the 'suspended' 2k bombs that were withheld previously I guess that's a moot point.

Posted by: motorlsug | Jan 29 2025 16:37 utc | 26

Giving Ukraine money to slaughter russians by the 10,000’s has been a masterful 3D chess move by USA!

Trump can dial the pain down or…he can crank it up to “12”…I hope putin does as he’s told…

Posted by: Mister America | Jan 29 2025 16:37 utc | 27

"The US doesn't like Peru now so they're not getting any foreign aid. Here we receive so much free rice and corn that farmers can't compete so the only thing they can do is move to the cities to try to survive."

Posted by: Brian Bixby | Jan 29 2025 15:43 utc | 1

What you describe been happening all over the world. And then the brainwashed USAians complain that diverting so much of the US corn for fuel is causing starvation around the world when in fact the exact opposite is true. US grain aid has been destroying the livelihood of farmers and thus leading to the destruction of many countries ability to grow their own food. Burning it as fuel is a better use of corn than using it as a weapon by the US govt to destroy people's lives.

Posted by: jinn | Jan 29 2025 16:40 utc | 28

One of the big, most successful projects of jew brainwashing in Ukraine has been to make women and girls hate sex unless it's transactional (for money, etc) or with a chill criminal.

Same goes on in Russia without even any help from America. Everything on TV is either someone brutally shot to death, or criminals being chill.

Posted by: Jack M | Jan 29 2025 16:42 utc | 29

Like England's BP Oil - USAID is used to infiltrate a target country - with personnel - on as many levels as possible.

"A former USAID director, John Gilligan, admitted it was "infiltrated from top to bottom with CIA people." Gilligan explained that "the idea was to plant operatives in every kind of activity we had overseas; government, volunteer, religious, every kind.

It also plays a big role in other strategic projects, such as population control and forced sterilization campaigns."

https://wikispooks.com/wiki/USAID

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 29 2025 16:42 utc | 30

@ too scents | Jan 29 2025 16:22 utc | 19
re: Philippines

My favorite media guy over there in Manila -- Rigoberto Tiglao

Our elections are so deeply flawed that we are a republic of fake news
First of three parts
WITH the elections consuming our country’s political life up to May, and with the past 2022 polls giving our country what would be the worst post-EDSA administration that would likely result in our nation’s ruin, it is a good enough time to analyze critically this phenomenon created by modern capitalism (the free worker equals free voter). It certainly would likely take at least a century before mankind can invent a better system than “democracy” and “capitalism” — but we have to start the debate.
I asked my online researcher (ChatGPT) to give me a summary of democracy’s flaws, which I post as follows. (I will discuss and provide the details for these flaws on Wednesday and Friday.)
Democracy is often regarded as humanity’s greatest political invention, promising equality, representation and justice for all. It is the ideal of governance: a system where the people themselves hold the reins of power, exercising their will through free elections and fair laws. Yet, for many, this ideal remains just that — an ideal. In practice, democracy is seen as a hollow shell, a system that has been hijacked by the very forces it was designed to guard against. To its critics, democracy is no more than a sham, a grand performance that conceals corruption, inequality and exploitation. . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Jan 29 2025 16:47 utc | 31

USAID is also a cesspool of corruption, kickbacks, and worse.

Posted by: exile | Jan 29 2025 16:49 utc | 32

Not quite all fleas were defunded, but the effect so far is positive. Meanwhile, occupying a prominent position at RT is this:

"Only 6% of Greenlanders want to join US – Danish poll: 45% of survey respondents reportedly also claimed that they see President Donald Trump’s interest in the island as a threat."

"The results of the survey sharply contrast with those of an earlier poll by a little-known US-based firm."

There's more info at the link that's not at all good for Trump.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 29 2025 16:53 utc | 33

A lot of the USAID funding comes from the National Endowment for Democracy. "Upon its founding, the NED assumed several former activities of the Central Intelligence Agency." "The NED was created as a bipartisan, private, non-profit corporation, but acts as a grant-making foundation."

The grift is spread about liberally--to Democrats, Republicans, Labor and to the Chamber of Commerce. "Half of NED's funding is allocated annually to four main U.S. organizations: the American Center for International Labor Solidarity (associated with the AFL–CIO), the Center for International Private Enterprise (affiliated with the USCC), the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (associated with the Democratic Party), and the International Republican Institute (IRI,formerly known as the National Republican Institute for International Affairs and affiliated with the Republican Party)."

John McCain served as chairman of the IRI for 25 years. He was a long time ranking member of the Senate Armed Forces Committee and became its Chairman in 2015.

Hunter Biden served on the Chairman’s Advisory Board for the National Democratic Institute.

This give a brief idea of the character and attitudes of those serving on the NED and supported by USAID

Posted by: JohnH | Jan 29 2025 16:54 utc | 34

Guess this means no more Netflix, MTV, Paramount, CNN, NBC etc etc for a while. Thank you Mr President!!

Posted by: Ogre | Jan 29 2025 16:55 utc | 35

Correction: a lot of National Endowment for Democracy funding comes from USAID.

Posted by: JohnH | Jan 29 2025 16:56 utc | 36

Jim H @1603 Jan 29

Yup, you got it. The U$$A has assumed the control matrix role which once was held by the USSR. That is precisely why over the past 3-4 years I have often described this ruptured republic as the U$$A.

Those dollar signs are the tell. Meaning is quite simple...the privately OWNED "Federal" Reserve bank and its funny money printing press "Green Frog $kins" as the Lakota traditional, Black Elk, describe those "precious" paper debt notes.

As elementary awareness deepens and grows; that simple U$$A description will be embraced by more and more genuinely awakened individuals. Those two letters and the pair of "Dollar" symbols wrap up the big picture in one short, sweet exposure of exactly OWN$ the pro$titicians in the Di$trict of Corruption...as well as the Ma$$ Media mind-control matrix.

Welcome to the club.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 17:01 utc | 37

Here is the about page from USAID.

Sixty years of progress. Poof. It seems Kennedy created it by executive ordure in 1961. I guess the Donald can end it by executive order. Hopefully they're gone forever, but hey will probably just rebrand in some way.
We gotta keep winning those hearts and minds!
Faith springs eternal.

Posted by: lex talionis | Jan 29 2025 17:05 utc | 38

More importantly when he discovered that USAID officials were trying to get around his funding freeze by directing already allocated discretionary funds to their projects he fired them…all 60 of the top leadership. Trump just fired 60 top officials in USAID.

The TDS is strong here and I’m sure some will still complain, but Trump just made the most significant move against the Empire and the CIA since Eisenhower. This is massive. As if they weren’t already trying to kill him with everything they have. TDS rotted brain or not, if you value world peace and don’t want nuclear oblivion, you need to pray for Donald John Trump.

Posted by: CullenBaker | Jan 29 2025 17:06 utc | 39

I wonder if this means less youtube videos reporting how the UA is inflicting crushing losses on Russia, every single day.

I am amused by the youtube videos explaining why the UA has not captured any N. Koreans. Apparently, these godless atheists, who believe in no afterlife are willing to blow themselves up rather than be captured.

Posted by: Christian J Chuba | Jan 29 2025 17:06 utc | 40

Thabk you trump for the appearance of a cease fire, we all know the isrealis will violate it like every other agreement they ever made but at least it's calmed things down a bit for now.
We have to hold tight to any small positive development because I suspect that the overall picture is going to get uglier during his reign not better.

And in regards to Canada becoming a 51st state, as I told my parents when they wanted to get us us citizenship when I was young, ill spit right on that flag and I'm not kidding.

Keep your tiny hands off of canada lol it's way too big for you handle.

No one needs to the whitehouse on fire again.

Cheers from the north.


Posted by: Northern Savage | Jan 29 2025 17:09 utc | 41

LoveDonbass@1557 Jan 29

Investing in icebreakers is a good idea which should have long ago been implemented. I do question your backing of spending resources on 5G...as there are serious medical issues which argue against those gamer facilitators. There's also the matter of low-frequency radio waves being emitted from those white rectangles on those towers. Those L.F. emanations are quite useful to access the subconscious mind, thus entraining fear memes within the psyche and the emotional processes.

It might be a good idea, should you have the time and energy, to explore the numerous questionings of the impact of 5G...most particularly when those towers are purposely located in the immediate vicinity of schools.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 17:10 utc | 42

whitehouse.gov
Presidential Actions
REEVALUATING AND REALIGNING UNITED STATES FOREIGN AID
EXECUTIVE ORDER
January 20, 2025

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. The United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases antithetical to American values. They serve to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations internal to and among countries. . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Jan 29 2025 17:20 utc | 43

Scale of problems Ukraine faces due to termination of US aid much greater than it might seem – Rada humanitarian committee

The scale of the problems that Ukraine has faced due to the suspension of funding for projects and programs by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is much greater than it might seem.

This is indicated in a statement by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, the Ukrainian News agency reports.

"Unfortunately, the scale of the problems that Ukraine and dozens of other countries have faced due to the termination of American aid is much greater than it might seem at first glance. Ukrainian organizations and other entities that received grants from USAID did not have time to prepare for such drastic changes," the statement says.

The committee emphasizes that the programs that are implemented and operate with the assistance of USAID are of great importance for strengthening democratic institutions, the development of independent media and civil society in Ukraine.

The committee notes that while the U.S. audit of the programs continues, Ukraine should take operational measures to avoid destabilizing key processes in the state, as well as anticipate its actions in this direction in the future.

"At the parliamentary level, consultations have already begun with European colleagues on a possible replacement of American aid - at least for the time being, until final decisions are made in Washington. However, due to the pause, further normalization of processes may take three, four, five, or even six months," the statement says.

The committee hopes that, together with the government and colleagues from sectors that were supported by American aid, it will be able to find certain solutions for the nearest, most difficult times.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, Minister of Social Policy Oksana Zholnovych noted that the suspension of U.S. aid to Ukraine in the social sphere is not critical yet.

At the same time, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed government officials to report on those American support programs that are currently suspended.

On January 20, Donald Trump was sworn in as President of the United States for the second time. Immediately after taking office, Trump signed a number of high-profile executive orders, including temporarily suspending all U.S. foreign aid programs for 90 days to review their compliance with the new administration’s policy goals.

The National Security and Defense Council’s Center for Countering Disinformation denied that Trump’s suspension of U.S. international aid concerned military aid to Ukraine, noting that Trump’s order concerned international aid under the “Development Programs,” which relate to the activities of UN agencies, peacekeeping initiatives, and refugee support programs.

The USAID Ukraine office was ordered to suspend all projects.

https://ukranews.com/en/news/1061421-scale-of-problems-ukraine-faces-due-to-termination-of-us-aid-much-greater-than-it-might-seem-rada

Posted by: Jeremy Rhymings-Lang | Jan 29 2025 17:22 utc | 44

It's most certainly an important step, although perhaps these "investments" already bore fruit.

Welfare state – freedom and democracy – is not anymore something to be aspired, only security (military budgets) will matter from now on.

In smaller states well-placed biznizmen in sectors that matter (IT, pharma, entertainment, media etc) are about to take care of things.

Mob's cashing in.

Posted by: js | Jan 29 2025 17:25 utc | 45

Brian Bixby@1543 Jan 29

That free rice and beans distributed in Bolivia, as you noted, destroyed Bolivian campesinos, their modest-scale farmers, thus, as you again point out, the deracinated country folk, no longer in charge of their own lives, fled to the cities to possibly find serfdom level jobs.

The above understandings precisely describe the underlying strategic intent of engendering serfdom amongst a previously free people who owned their own sources of income. The Rottenfeller Crime Clan, through their agent, Heinrich Kissinger, trained Klaus $chwab, the mouthpiece for the World Economic Forum; an institution originally developed by means of the Rottenfeller Club of Rome. David Rottenfeller, now fortunately totally horizontal after 101 years dedicated to total world control by the world's Oligarch Crime Clans...was the primary founder and funder of these anti-human schemes.

Similar to the plight of the Bolivians was the strategy imposed through the Department of Agriculture to remove small-holder farmers from the equation. I am painfully aware of how that worked out, because by 1958, farm policies instituted by the DOA had not only driven my father off our 17 acre farm; but it also forced them to remove to the $itties to find work so we could survive. That sad event occurred in 1959. I was fourteen years old at the time and well remember the three room apartment in which we lived, all five of us. Both parents quickly landed jobs and in a couple years had saved up enough for a down payment for a rambler in the Burbs.

Earl Butz, succeeding that Moron Ezra Taft Benson from Utah as Secretary of Agriculture; addressed small farmers, even owning 160 acres..."To get big or get out!". I'm sure that the Rottenfeller Crime Clan and their Oligarch buddies such as the Duponts and Mellons, were perfectly delighted that their schemes were succeeding...destroying rural America and cooping up the vast majority of Americans into their fully dominated urban agglomerations.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 17:26 utc | 46

Biggest effect of the USAID cutoff in Ukraine so far:

The price of a skilled prostitute in Kiev (oral, anal) just went down ... supply and demand, ya know.)

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 29 2025 17:32 utc | 47

USAID motto: "On behalf of the American people, we promote and demonstrate democratic values abroad, and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world."

Gotta have a sense of humor.

Posted by: Don Bacon | Jan 29 2025 16:14 utc | 14

There was a brief time when that actually was what the US intended. Goes to show that actions have consequences. It's like the sign over the Auschwitz gate now - Trump is cleaning the Aegean stables, cutting the Gordian knot - fresh air! No wonder he hasn't had time to meet with Putin yet. I'm off down to our library to request a transfer of a biography of McKinley. Might have to wait a bit! (I didn't post any links on the latter last night as I had to wade through the search machine's swamp -- I'm guessing there will be freedom of speech changes coming up there in future.)

Yes: gotta have a sense of humour! (Brit. emp. spelling to include everyone)

Posted by: juliania | Jan 29 2025 17:40 utc | 48

Northern Savage@1709

Now that the little juvenile Dick-Tator and his Banderite Gun-Moll are no longer running Canuckistan...there is still a long road ahead for you land to once again become "True North, Wild and Free". All three of the major political parties in your land are bought and sold, with power pounding from the top down.

Will Canadian subjects (not citizens) get their balls going and dump King Chuck as your Sovereign Lord and Master, retaining Domination status over your nation. It's called "Dominion of Canada"...but dominion and domination indicate that rulership is from top-down.

In one form or another, Canuckistanis need to become real Canadians. A huge popular revolution needs to take place...not with guns as we Yanks needed to do against your current masters; but by means of refusal to play their game. A good start might be refusal to pay taxes; popular street demonstrations; freedom posters everywhere; electing those beaten down truckers to provincial offices.

My question is do today's Canucks possess the stones of those Saskatchewan and Manitoba regiments who fought and died at Dieppe in what was engineered by the likes of Churchill, over and over again, sacrificing colonial volunteers rather than risk
British regulars. They pulled off the same damned stunt in the Boer War, where Canucks, Diggers and Kiwis paid in blood for the Rottenchild Crime Clan's being enabled to own the gold and diamonds in the Witwatersrand.

Fuck the fukkin Empire and goddamn City of London.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 17:40 utc | 49

"Scale of problems Ukraine faces due to termination of US aid much greater than it might seem..."

I guess that the big bucks that Winkin, Blinken, and Biden lavished on Ukraine after the election have already disappeared without a trace. At least the Ukrainian claim they don't know where the money sits.

Posted by: JohnH | Jan 29 2025 17:40 utc | 50

treaties, too
common dreams 2014
After 20 Years, NAFTA Leaves Mexico's Economy in Ruins

Twenty years ago, on Jan. 1, 1994, a trade deal championed by Democratic President Bill Clinton went into effect. The North American Free Trade Agreement was meant to integrate the economies of the United States, Canada and Mexico by breaking down trade barriers between them, creating jobs and closing the wage gap between the U.S. and Mexico.
What in fact happened under NAFTA was that heavily subsidized U.S. corn flooded the Mexican market, putting millions of farmers out of work. Multinational corporations opened up factories creating low-wage jobs at the expense of organized labor and the environment. This, in turn, drove waves of migration north.
Meanwhile, corporate profits soared, and Mexico boasted the richest man in the world, Carlos Slim. Walmart and Krispy Kreme conquered Mexico, and ordinary Mexicans had access to the same consumer goods as their neighbors to the north. The economies of all three nations, measured only by GDP rather than jobs or wages, were pronounced grand successes, even though the U.S. and Canada disproportionately reaped more financial benefits. . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Jan 29 2025 17:43 utc | 51

Jeremy R-L @1722 Jan 29

Well, its a damn good thing that Trump cut off all the "aid" to the Maidan regime. Only element in the long explanation which should be of import to the E.U. gang...it to make sure that the Ukrainian people do not starve. All the rest of the stuff is just shit which should be shitcanned pronto.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 17:46 utc | 52

The Ukrainian media's squawking is a clear reminder of how the PsyOps against the American people are conducted.

1) US funds Ukrainian media
2) Ukraine media prints what US wants
3) US media quotes Ukraine media reports
4) As a result, Americans become convinced the "Ukraine is winning!"

It reminds me of the time when Judy Miller at the NYT got busted:
1) Cheney called Miller to report that Iraq had WMDs
2) Miller reports that Iraq has WMDs, citing high administration sources
3) Cheney goes on Sunday talk shows to claim that Iraq has WMDs, citing the New York Time
4) Asa result, half of Republicans still believed in 2015 that Iraq had WMDS https://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/poll-republicans-wmds-iraq-114016

Ain't "democracy" wonderful?

Posted by: JohnH | Jan 29 2025 17:52 utc | 53

fingers crossed on F-35
from simplyflying

F-35 lots are now cast against the backdrop of political change. The transition to the Trump administration brings new perspectives on defense spending, international partnerships, and the strategic utility of the F-35’s role. Contract announcements at the start of a new presidency carry symbolic weight for defense policy directions, and the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is on stage as a target of at least one close advisor, Elon Musk .
He is no defense expert but hasn’t been shy about deprecating the F-35 from his social media platform. His goals may be related to redirecting funding from defense to subsidize his Space X venture, but the F-35 has been found lacking (when compared to original program goals) in assessments from impartial and credible sources as well. The question now remains, what will happen to the future of America’s newest fifth generation fighter ? . . .here

Posted by: Don Bacon | Jan 29 2025 17:55 utc | 54

USAID is only the junior partner in regime change, next Trump needs to shut down the NED and return the CIA back to being an intelligence agency. Then I will take him more seriously with respect to ending US manipulation of foreign nations.

Let's remember that Obama's mother worked as an "anthropologist" for USAID in Indonesia just before the genocide there to wipe out the Chinese ethnic population that was the backbone of the socialist movement there, then she married one of the officers involved in the genocide. His grandmother ran the CIA bank accounts in Hawaii and his grandfather's occupation screams CIA cover. His Kenyan father (if that really was his father) was a US operative. Obama was the perfect creation of the US oligarchy and security services, to solidify the warmongering and domestic spying state that Bush Jr. (his dad having been the head of the CIA and ran the country after Reagan deteriorated) and Cheney put in place.

Posted by: Roger Boyd | Jan 29 2025 17:58 utc | 55

After reading the comments I had a couple of thoughts

A lot of folks just can't seem to get through a posting without thinking of something negative to say about Trump...even if it's completely OT. Sadly, for most, TDS is just a symptom of an underlying psychological disorder.

And...

Rubiconned 5 seems to understand

Shutting down USAID is the closest Trump could get to clipping the CIA's wings while sending a huge FU to all the grifters...I add, of the uniparty

Posted by: S Brennan | Jan 29 2025 18:05 utc | 56

Here's something no USAID funded "media" outlet would ever publish, "Putin Inspects His 'Failing Economy' in Samara Region". For the geographically challenged, Samara region is next door to Tatarstan in Southcentral Russia with the Volga flowing through it.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 29 2025 18:15 utc | 57

@54

A USAF F-35A fell out of the sky off Eielson AFB, Ak runway a few hours ago.

Musk don’t need any military experience to see the flying bond coupon has not passed most critical testing, has deficient cooling and the engine is over stressed doing part of its missions.

It needed to be halted about 600 airplanes ago.

Posted by: paddy | Jan 29 2025 18:26 utc | 58

Posted by: JohnH | Jan 29 2025 17:52 utc | 53

Excellent. You've summarized the situation in a precise, concise manner.

During the early phase of the SMO, I warned others that the US government was weaponizing fake media against its own people. This was to drum up support for another pointless, forever war. It's all circular, as you point out.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 29 2025 18:28 utc | 59

And rather than spearheading an impeachment inquiry, NSC staffers have been terminated and Alexander Vindman is crying because he didn't get a Biden pardon.

Posted by: frithguild | Jan 29 2025 18:29 utc | 60

It is true the cultural programs sponsored by USAID grants were once funded by the CIA, which puts into focus their actual purpose. This subsidized cultural expression also blows back into the “homeland” through public relations campaigns directed at western publics. For example, hyped Eurovision performances by Ukrainian electronic duo TVORCHI. Supposedly independently produced documentary films from Ukraine, Syria, Hong Kong etc which receive Oscar nominations and wide press coverage. Viral music videos hyped as spontaneous expression i.e the execrable “Glory To Hong Kong”.

During Russiagate, much attention was devoted to Manafort’s Russian colleague Kilimnik, who had for a decade run the Moscow office of IRI, one of the key components of NED/USAID operations. Yet, in a measure of how stupid people can be, rabid Russiagaters - including key Mueller prosecutors, journalists, and bloggers (emptywheel) - insisted this individual was the very “heart” of the alleged Russian election interference operation.

Posted by: jayc | Jan 29 2025 18:30 utc | 61

I thought I had a pretty good grasp of world geography but with the comment of karlof1 at 58;

"For the geographically challenged, Samara region is next door to Tatarstan in Southcentral Russia with the Volga flowing through it"

..it's pretty clear I thought too highly of myself. I must now and forever consider myself "geographically challenged" because, I surely did not have a mental picture of the Samara region's location. Once again I have been eclipsed by the encyclopedic mind of my betters. To the back of the class I must go.

Posted by: S Brennan | Jan 29 2025 18:30 utc | 62

@Don Bacon | Jan 29 2025 17:55 utc | 54

fingers crossed on F-35
from simplyflying
F-35 practicing vertical landing today
https://t.me/ZandVchannel/141665

Posted by: Norwegian | Jan 29 2025 18:39 utc | 63

It reminds me of the time when Judy Miller at the NYT got busted:
1) Cheney called Miller to report that Iraq had WMDs
2) Miller reports that Iraq has WMDs, citing high administration sources
3) Cheney goes on Sunday talk shows to claim that Iraq has WMDs, citing the New York Time
4) Asa result, half of Republicans still believed in 2015 that Iraq had WMDS https://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/poll-republicans-wmds-iraq-114016

Ain't "democracy" wonderful?

Posted by: JohnH | Jan 29 2025 17:52 utc | 53

And the one guy who has produced evidence there are no WMD, UN Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter, gets smeared by several US governments. "The most difficult job is to convince a guy who is absolutely determined not to be convinced."

Posted by: Marvin | Jan 29 2025 18:40 utc | 64

I do wonder whether this "pause" is intended to be persistent or whether it's just Trump being Trump and reminding the minions who is boss and why they had better toe the line.

There's some behavioral theory behind that- if you appear to be reliably feeding an animal it feels it is entitled and may misbehave. But if you plant the seed of doubt in its brain it will be more likely to be obedient. I'm sure someone here has the right name for this.

Posted by: Billb | Jan 29 2025 18:40 utc | 65

Just wait for the shit hitting the fan in Africa and East-Asia : funny times are incoming !

Posted by: Savonarole | Jan 29 2025 18:43 utc | 66

USAID and other U.S. government entities provide money for a wide range of causes. Some are arguably humanitarian and should continue:...

That's one of two reasons why the blanket order was not a good idea. Our host generously reads these negative consequence---and they are negative, despite the weasel wording of arguably---as unintentional. There is no reason to think this, it's part of a whole raft of initiatives to cut social spending of any kind. Indeed, standing against bourgeois democracy in other countries is entirely compatible with standing against bourgeois democracy in the US. The other reason is that covert funding is unaffected by this. Since the overt funding was always susceptible to domestic regulation by the countries where US-funded entities operated, overrating the importance risks being counted as solving the problem.

Membership in the CIA is not hereditary. If it was, it would explain how Trumpers could be right about Obama being a Marxist, a modern version of Philby, an Establishment scion promoted for breeding? Except only stupid people believe that Obama was or is a leftist.

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 29 2025 17:32 utc | 47 Yes, well, it's one thing to track your personal expenses but I still think is TMI to tell us about it.

Posted by: steven t johnson | Jan 29 2025 18:45 utc | 67

It would be satisfying to hear a bit more whining from the usual GOP suspects - Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell. They cannot be happy about this development.

Perhaps Lindsey's on the rag, and Mitch had a massive stroke?

Posted by: Ghost of Zanon | Jan 29 2025 18:46 utc | 68

USAID is one of the many CIA fronts. One if its employees was torturer Dan Mitrione who was luckily killed by the Tupamaros guerrilla group who likely killed their hostage without knowing his real background.

The official narrative:

At the time of his death, he was married with nine children. He was given a high-profile funeral in the United States. David Eisenhower, son of former President Dwight Eisenhower, and the Secretary of State under Richard Nixon, William P. Rogers, attended, among others, while Frank Sinatra and Jerry Lewis organized a benefit concert for his family in Richmond. He was described by White House spokesman Ron Ziegler as a man whose "dedicated service to the cause of peaceful progress in an orderly world will remain an example to all free men", and by his daughter Linda as a "great humanist".

His real life as a USAID/CIA agent:

“A premature death means failure by the technician,” Mitrione told Hevia. “You have to act with the efficiency and cleanliness of a surgeon and with the perfection of an artist.” Mitrione walked a very fine line between surgical and sadistic when he added: “When you get what you want, and I always, do, it may be good to prolong the session a little to apply another softening up, not to extract information now, but only as a political measure, to create a healthy fear.”

In order to build the perfect underground classroom in which to teach his Uruguayan students the tools and techniques of their torturous trade, Mitrione soundproofed the basement of his Montevideo home. He tested its integrity by blasting Hawaiian music or having an assistant fire a pistol from the room while he listened from different points outside the home. It was there that Mitrione trained Uruguayan police to torture using “beggars from the outskirts of Montevideo,” a practice he honed to perfection while stationed in Brazil. “There was no interrogation, only a demonstration of the different voltages on the different parts of the human body,”.

Mitrione personally tortured four beggars to death in his bespoke dungeon. This fits a historical pattern: At the notorious US Army School of the Americas (SOA), then located in Panama, US doctors supervised torture classes in which homeless people were kidnapped from the streets of Panama City and used as human guinea pigs.

Mitrione was no rogue agent. Rather, he “represented the program of the American mission” in Uruguay. “Mitrione was only carrying out policy,”. For the United States during the Cold War, torture was not a departure from the norm, it was the norm.

https://brettwilkins.com/2020/08/10/teaching-torture-the-death-and-legacy-of-dan-mitrione/

Posted by: xor | Jan 29 2025 18:47 utc | 69

Yeah, foreign "aid".

Now lets do a list of what is not funded in the US for the next 90 days. These are funds used for the benefit of the American people; Trump's supposed countrymen.

Medicaid websites are down in all 50 states, so doctors and hospitals that take Medicaid patients don't get paid and the sick can't get advice on where to go or what their co-pay is.

Meals on Wheels for the elderly.

School breakfast and lunch programs.

Head Start program.

Food assistance programs like SNAP.

Financial aid for students.

Housing for homeless veterans.

Low-income heating assistance.

Cancer research and HIV/AIDS prevention.

Most medical/health research is done through grants to institutions. All these are on hold.


Posted by: teri | Jan 29 2025 18:55 utc | 70

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 17:10 utc | 42

##################

5G is the future until 6G is here.

The ability to quickly transmit large amounts of data will eventually separate the first world from the 3rd world sooner or later.

China has invested heavily in 5G nationwide. The Chinese never struck me as suicidal.

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jan 29 2025 18:56 utc | 71

This is likely where the soft corruption occurs that greases the wheels. If you are an academic or journalists, you aren’t going to take a suitcase full of cash from the men in dark suits, but you will take a grant from an NGO for some research and think twice about crossing them when the time comes that your support is needed.

Posted by: Deniz 152 | Jan 29 2025 19:02 utc | 72

Well, that didnt last long....order to halt aid has been rescinded.
This 'government' is a clown show.
Basically Trump is a terrorist as the entire purpose of this farce was to inflict psychological terror in groups and other entities receiving loans, grants and other aid from the Federal government, including domestically. This guy is a petty little petulant child

Posted by: RP | Jan 29 2025 19:02 utc | 73

The Pentagon confirmed preparations for the withdrawal of "thousands of U.S. troops" from Syria, representing the implementation of Trump's policy of abandoning "unnecessary" wars for the United States.
11:08 AM · Jan 29, 2025
·
13.2K
Views
Read 30 replies

Posted by: Mary | Jan 29 2025 19:16 utc | 74

Mike Benz explained very well how subversive and harmful USAID is to "civil society".

This is a long show, but that part is in the first hour, I think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrJhQpvlkLA

Posted by: wagelaborer | Jan 29 2025 19:20 utc | 75

Posted by: RP | Jan 29 2025 19:02 utc | 73

He had no choice. Congress controls the "power of the purse."

It spurred a bunch of lawsuits & a judge paused it last night.

I expect (& hope) his staff knew it would fail when they wrote it, but did it any way to highlight where congress is pissing our $$ away.

Posted by: Mary | Jan 29 2025 19:22 utc | 76

Mary@1916 Jan 29

Thanks for posting. Wonderful news. The U.$. should never have interfered in Syria, just to please their Talmudist masters who holds the Zionist Entity as their pampered little Genocidal pet.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 19:30 utc | 77

LoveDonbass@1856 Jan 29

Yes, it is possible to employ higher G's in positive ways. Ask yourself, though, if the current iteration of 5G has purely positive intent...or OTHERWISE.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 19:32 utc | 78

Teri@1855 Jan 29

The vast majority of those programs are positive and are or prime assistance to those in need of a bit of social support. The latter two on your listing may or may not be totally positive socially and culturally. The entire medical industry is in bed to the max with the biggest and most powerful DRUG DEALERS in the world...along with their brothers in grifting, the HMO industry.

All INSTITUTIONS need to be carefully and thoroughly assessed to determine whether or not such funding is helpful or less so to the people they purport to support.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 19:37 utc | 79

Posted by: Mary | Jan 29 2025 19:16 utc | 74 It is entirely unclear why this isn't giving HTS a clear field of operations, especially if the occupied areas are turned over to the new HTS operation. If the US provides overt and covert support for HTS, or reaches an agreement with Turkey, it would still be intervening in Syria. And the removal of US troops is not thereby ending the war. It could well be putting the hammer back in the toolbox because a screwdriver is the appropriate tool?

Posted by: steven t johnson | Jan 29 2025 19:42 utc | 80

S. Brennan@1830 Jan 29

Sorry, but "Mea Culpa" is not the root of the problem. American schools, according to the original orders from John D. Rottenfeller, are calculated via the teacher indoctrination memes, to deliberately dumb down the American "lower" classes. Geography 101 should commence in third grade...continents and states of the Union. From there it would accelerate up the line to the point where average Americans would become as geographically astute as the Dutch were...say 50 or 60 years ago.

Simplified: If you are not grounded with geography and literature, along with the basic liberal arts monarch...a whole lot of genuine state, national and world history...definitely not the twisted crappola currently in vogue in colleges of miseducation and the entire Department of Edumaca$ion.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 19:45 utc | 81

"As of May 2013, USAID has ended its programs in Bolivia." from USAID website. President Morales kicked them out.

Posted by: azeclecticdog | Jan 29 2025 19:46 utc | 82

Ghost of Louis Proyect @67

Sounding a little bitter there, spooky one. I wouldn't think this directive from Trump would impact dembots like you because domestic empire shills are not paid out of the "foreign aid" budget. Maybe you are upset because some of your less fortunate buddies in the social media disinfo industry are going hungry for the next three months now?

Posted by: William Gruff | Jan 29 2025 19:46 utc | 83

re: Syria
The shame is that National Guard weekend-warriors alleged to keep us free are sent to Syria, and suffer brain injuries from incoming missiles. The regulars are not sent because they're needed to keep the NCO clubs etc. going in Korea, German and Italy -- NOT.

Posted by: Don Bacon | Jan 29 2025 19:48 utc | 84

karlof1@1815 Jan 29

Astride the heart of the lower-mid Volga; Samara was most probably the second most important center for the Khazarian empire. The Talmudist shot-callers would sure like to get that one back; as it is most probably the central core of the Eurasian continental landmass...and more tellingly the demographic center between the North Sea and Mongolia....a most strategic location...as Mackimber would have seen it.

Posted by: aristodemos | Jan 29 2025 19:51 utc | 85

some Ukrainian media were so kind as to publicly document quantitative metrics - 80% of their total cash inflow was coming from USA

https://t.me/insect_life/23370?single

Glory to independence!

Posted by: Arioch | Jan 29 2025 19:55 utc | 86

aristodemos @42

I trust you never microwave a bag of popcorn without your tinfoil hat on, right? You can never be sure of those high frequency radio waves...

Posted by: William Gruff | Jan 29 2025 19:58 utc | 87

Concerning Soviet influence over opinion making in days past.That may be a relevant comment. I dont really know. But I find this quote from wiki more important:

"The Congress for Cultural Freedom (CCF) was an anti-communist cultural organization founded on 26 June 1950 in West Berlin. At its height, the CCF was active in thirty-five countries. In 1966 it was revealed that the Central Intelligence Agency was instrumental in the establishment and funding of the group.[1][2] The congress aimed to enlist intellectuals and opinion makers in a war of ideas against communism.

Historian Frances Stonor Saunders writes (1999): "Whether they liked it or not, whether they knew it or not, there were few writers, poets, artists, historians, scientists, or critics in postwar Europe whose names were not in some way linked to this covert enterprise."[3] Peter Coleman argues that the CCF was a participant in a struggle for the mind "of Postwar Europe" and the world at large.[4] "

Posted by: petergrfstrm | Jan 29 2025 20:03 utc | 88

Posted by: William Gruff | Jan 29 2025 19:46 utc | 83 As I said, pretending that there is no covert funding allows creatures like this to pretend that the problem of US influence is solved by a commandment from their God. In this case, though, I suspect the joy of cutting what humanitarian aid was put in for PR is a positive: No more of the Master Race/America condescending to give alms to the Lesser Races/foreigners.

Posted by: steven t johnson | Jan 29 2025 20:04 utc | 89

@ xor | Jan 29 2025 18:47 utc | 69

Thanks for that example. Nine children he had. Unimaginable how such persons can function. Probably he even was a caring husband, loving father and friendly co-worker.

Posted by: El.Lissitzky | Jan 29 2025 20:04 utc | 90

Posted by: Rubiconned | Jan 29 2025 16:01 utc | 5
"Shutting down USAID is the closest Trump could get to clipping the CIA's wings while sending a huge FU to all the grifters of the Democratic party profiteering from the its contracts. Good riddance."

Yes, it's a good start for sure. Just wait until Pam Bondi is confirmed for A.G. and Kash Patel for Director of National Intelligence. Once they start turning over stones and checking all the storage closets you'll see a lot of pale faced, sweating malfeasants lawyering up and hoping to cut a deal, at least the ones who weren't lucky enough to score a pardon from the Big Guy.

Posted by: Paranaense | Jan 29 2025 20:14 utc | 91

The TDS brain damage suffered by the poor pale shade of Louis Proyect is showing bright and clear. I know I shouldn't laugh at these unfortunates' crippling mental disorder but I do anyway, comfortable in the knowledge that their psychiatric illness is at least partially self-inflicted.

Posted by: William Gruff | Jan 29 2025 20:16 utc | 92

Thanks a lot, b, this is extremely interesting & uplifting. I can't wait to see which houses of cards come crashing down all over the world now. We're probably in for some surprises.

It looks like the USAID project has been most eager to infiltrate cultural expression in its target societies. That's food for thought.

Brian Bixby's observations (Post # 1) also resonates with what I've observed. Less USAID or US aid - better lives.

Posted by: Avtonom | Jan 29 2025 20:18 utc | 93

Trump is announcing that his regime is sending 30,000 undocumented immigrants to the US's illegally operated naval base in Cuba. Bizarre and cruel, and effectively denies due process as it separates them from US defense attorneys. If the US even bothers to supply public defenders, there will be no habeas corpus and no speedy trial. Worse, I know Trump supporters who are simply fine with the denial of human rights to "illegals". The ruling class in amerika is fully embracing fascism.

@ Posted by: Paranaense | Jan 29 2025 20:14 utc | 91

Ain't gonna happen. Don't get your hopes up.

Posted by: fnord | Jan 29 2025 20:22 utc | 94

The Ukrainian Govt says it will buy up their media cheap? With what? In any event, this government will not exist in 6 months, so who cares?

Posted by: pyrrhus | Jan 29 2025 20:25 utc | 95

Posted by: LoveDonbass | Jan 29 2025 16:05 utc | 9
"Billions of people get by fine without American vaccines.

USAID has done nothing good.

Food delivery is part of corrupting and colonizing countries. The food doesn't make it to the hungry, it gets handed off to corrupt local official that use it to blackmail and fierce their constituents."

Very true. Countries that didn't take the jab did much better than those who got suckered by Mr. Science. Food aid is great for famine relief, but harmful in the way it has been leveraged by NGOs. I prefer to help through Samaritan's Purse or other faith based relief groups. Once government funds are in the mix things tend to go south.

Posted by: Paranaense | Jan 29 2025 20:27 utc | 96

The Orange Yankee POTUS Trump - is to invite the war criminal Netanyahu to the Whitehouse on 4th of Feb - the war criminal will be Trumps first foreign leader to visit him in second tenure as POTUS.

Meanwhile French President Macron - has floated the idea of sending French troops to Greenland to aid Denmark against the USA - lest hope Trumps goes for it, and Nato collapses in the process.

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 29 2025 20:32 utc | 97

The Western backed proscribed terrorist outfit (HTS) - that's committing atrocities in Syria, has asked Russia to hand over Assad to them - probably so they can chop off his head - as they are doing this all over Syria with impunity.

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 29 2025 20:35 utc | 98

@ fnord | Jan 29 2025 20:22 utc | 94

Worse, ICE has been dragnetting lots of bona fide American citizens as well, recent events in the Navajo Nation being among the most egregious examples.

Insufficiently white American citizens would be well advised to acquire passports and keep them on their person at all times. Also the contact info of an immigration attorney — and this info on paper, because electronic devices may be confiscated.

Posted by: malenkov | Jan 29 2025 20:35 utc | 99

Branko Grims, a member of the European Parliament from Slovenia - has nominated Elon Musk, for a Nobel Peace Prize. Tory politician in England Michael Gove, nominated the Zionist IDF for the Nobel Peace Prize - of course Kissinger and Obama both received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Posted by: Republicofscotland | Jan 29 2025 20:40 utc | 100

next page »

The comments to this entry are closed.