US Gen. Milley Reportedly Takes Safety Measures After Trump Comments
In an interview with CBS News, General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who’s scheduled to retire Oct. 1, said he has taken "safety precautions" to protect himself and his family since former Pres. Donald Trump last week made a social media post that could’ve been construed as a threat toward Milley.
Trump’s post on Truth Social last week called Milley telling his Chinese counterpart he would warn China of an imminent attack by the Trump administration a "treasonous act" with catastrophic geopolitical implications and also said that in "times gone by" it would have been worthy of execution.
Trump also called Milley “a Woke train wreck.” Milley declined to comment directly, instead saying, "this military, this soldier, me, will never turn our back on [the] Constitution."
Anti-Trump narrative
Milley is right to be concerned for his safety. Trump is unhinged and has lost control of his authoritarian tendencies. His threats of violence against Milley, Comcast — the owners of NBC and MSNBC — government officials, or participants in his prosecutions shouldn't be treated as individual incidents. They're evidence of his desire to make violence a normalized part of American life.
Pro-Trump narrative
Milley personifies all aspects of representing the establishment and shunning former President Trump. His treasonous, secret conversations with China merit investigation and prosecution — as do his failures during the Afghanistan withdrawal. The former president is simply pointing out these obvious and important facts.
Nerd narrative
There’s a 40% chance that Trump would win a 2024 presidential election matchup with Biden, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Rotterdam: University Student Kills 3 in Twin Shootings
An Erasmus University student killed a 14-year-old girl and her mother in their home before opening fire at Erasmus Medical Center and killing a lecturer in the Dutch city of Rotterdam on Thursday.
The 32-year-old suspect, reportedly wearing combat gear and a bullet-proof vest, was taken into custody near the Medical Center. His motive for the twin shooting remains unclear.
According to the Dutch police, the gunman, whose identity hasn't been revealed, was known to law enforcement and "was prosecuted and convicted for animal abuse" in 2021.
Narrative A
Thursday's egregiously violent act is the Netherlands' first mass shooting in a decade, making it an anomaly in a country with some of the world's strictest gun laws. The twin shooting in Rotterdam is undoubtedly a tragedy, but any correlation to "mass shooting trends" should be taken cautiously.
Narrative B
The shocking surge in gun violence in the Netherlands is a reminder that persistent sadness or hopelessness often pushes people toward mass violence. Dutch society must pay attention to its youth's underlying mental health issues to ensure the country does not undergo such trauma again.
UN: Over 2.5K Migrants Lost to the Mediterranean in 2023
On Thursday, the UN's refugee agency said that more than 2.5K people had died or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean between Jan. 1 and Sept. 24.
The number of dead and missing migrants in the Mediterranean in the same period last year was 1,680.
Meanwhile, according to International Office for Migration data, more than 187K migrants had arrived in European countries "in pursuit of a better future."
Left narrative
Southern Europe is currently in the midst of a full-blown refugee crisis. The irregular border crossings into the EU across the Mediterranean have quadrupled in the first quarter of 2023 compared to last year. What are the authorities doing? Malta doesn't respond to distress calls, and Italy is pushing back boats to Libya. It's a deliberate hands-off policy that sees innocent people drown. This perpetual cycle of abuse must end.
Right narrative
The refugee and migration problem in the Mediterranean has exposed a solidarity crisis in the EU. There's no mechanism in place to share the responsibility for hosting migrants. Consequently, the countries on the southern border are overburdened by the continual influx of migrants and forced to argue with the other nations in the north over which of them should host asylum seekers who reach Europe's shores. Italy and other southern countries can only rescue so many.
India-Canada Rift: Blinken Meets Indian Counterpart
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Washington, DC, amid the fallout of Canada's accusation of potential Indian involvement in the assassination of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had claimed that there were "credible allegations" that New Delhi was involved in the death of Nijjar — an advocate for establishing the independent state of Khalistan — in Vancouver. India has denied Canada's allegations.
Though India's foreign ministry previously described the allegations as "absurd" and "motivated," the India-Canada rift over Nijjar's murder wasn't mentioned in the State Department's statement of the talks between Jaishankar and Blinken.
Narrative A
It's difficult to say what's more shocking India's alleged involvement in a murder on foreign soil or how Trudeau has approached the issue. Canada has been caught off guard by a lack of vocal support from its allies, especially America, at a time when the global order desperately needs India on its side. Unfortunately for Canada, the dynamics of the new Cold War against China and Russia means that its issues with India aren't worth public confrontation.
Narrative B
The only way out of the spiraling decline in relations between India and Canada is for Trudeau's state to either prove or disprove its allegations and for India to cooperate with the subsequent investigations. Unless this occurs, ties between the two countries will continue to free fall – creating an incredibly difficult position for businesses, students, and tourism at a time when international unity is paramount.
Nerd narrative
There's a 70% chance that if WWIII occurs before 2060, the US and India will be on the same side, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Putin Meets Ex-Wagner Commander Andrei Troshev
Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin was this week pictured in a meeting with Andrei Troshev, formerly a senior commander of the Wagner mercenary group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin until his death in a plane crash earlier this year.
According to a Kremlin statement on the meeting released on Friday, Putin was quoted as telling Troshev: "At the last meeting we talked about you overseeing the formation of volunteer units that can carry out various tasks, first and foremost of course in the zone of the special military operation," — Russia's preferred way of referring to its war in Ukraine.
"You yourself fought in such a unit for more than a year," Putin added. "You know what it is, how it’s done, you know about the issues that need to be resolved in advance so that combat work goes on in the best and most successful way."
Pro-establishment narrative
Putin's meeting with Troshev underscores how the Kremlin was attempting to show how the state has now taken control of the Wagner mercenary group after its failed rebellion — one of the biggest threats to Putin's leadership in over two decades of power.
Pro-Russia narrative
Putin's meeting with Troshev is a demonstration of the leader's pragmatism in dealing with problems. On this occasion, he wanted to put a capable leader in charge in order to continue putting these experienced fighters to good use in the war against Ukraine.
Nerd narrative
There's a 97% chance that Vladimir Putin will be President of Russia on January 1, 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Pakistan: More Than 50 Killed in Multiple Mosque Attacks
Local officials said that at least 52 people were killed and scores more were wounded after a suicide bombing in Mastung in Pakistan's Balochistan province on Friday.
The attack took place as hundreds gathered to mark the birthday of the prophet Muhammad. The celebration is accepted by a majority of Muslims in Pakistan but not by some religious denominations.
Local officials also confirmed that Nawaz Gishkori, the deputy superintendent of police in the region, was killed in the attack, which authorities have claimed was a "suicide blast." He reportedly lost his life as he attempted to stop the assault. Three other police officers were injured.
Narrative A
These heinous terrorist attacks are an attempt at sowing chaos and pushing back against religious tolerance. These assaults call for a swift investigation, and whoever is behind these attacks must be held responsible to the fullest extent of the law.
Narrative B
It's not enough to just hold these culprits responsible terrorism is on the rise in the region and will continue to be until preventative action is taken. This looks like signing intelligence-sharing agreements with Afghanistan and creating a broad counter-terrorism strategy that addresses the structural causes of extremism.
Nerd narrative
There's an 82% chance that Pakistan will recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US Accuses China of 'Global Information Manipulation'
The US State Dept. on Thursday claimed China is threatening global freedoms by allegedly spending billions of dollars a year to shape perceptions of the country in a large-scale campaign of influence, censorship, and disinformation.
The report accuses China of spending billions of dollars to spread disinformation by acquiring stakes in foreign media through “public and non-public means,” sponsoring online influencers, and securing distribution agreements promoting unlabeled Chinese government content.
The State Dept. also accused China of data harvesting overseas and targeting specific individuals and organizations, citing public reports and “newly acquired government information.”
Anti-China narrative
China is waging an information war against liberalism on the global stage. Through the use of powerful companies – such as ByteDance, which owns TikTok – the Chinese government is collecting massive amounts of personal data. As Beijing continues to influence global opinion, the US must maintain its posture as the world's leading defender of freedom and civil liberties and do what it can to counter China.
Pro-China narrative
The US always falsely accuses China of things it is guilty of doing. China seeks peaceful relations with the US and the West, but the US consistently has maintained an aggressive and provocative posture toward China, especially in recent years. The US is well-known for spreading disinformation, surveillance, and its psychological operations, so it’s deeply hypocritical and disingenuous for Washington to accuse Beijing of these things.
Senator Dianne Feinstein Passes at 90
US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) died Thursday night at her home in Washington, D.C. In a statement, her chief of staff James Sauls said she "never backed away from a fight for what was just and right" and "was always willing to work with anyone, even those she disagreed with, if it meant bettering the lives of Californians or the betterment of our nation."
Feinstein's office-holding career began in 1978 following the assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and city supervisor Harvey Milk, after which Feinstein became the first female mayor of the city, serving in the position until 1988. She became Senator in 1992 to fill a seat vacated by Pete Wilson, who had defeated her in the governor's race.
Continuing her track record of firsts, she then became one of the first two women to join the Senate Judiciary Committee, a position she used to successfully push for an assault-style weapons ban in 1994. In 1996, she was one of the 14 senators who voted against the Defense of Marriage Act, which prevented the federal government from recognizing gay marriage.
Democratic narrative
From Democrats Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi to Republican Mitch McConnel, politicians and Americans from all sides can easily cherish the life and legacy of Dianne Feinstein. She was a consensus-builder who on Capitol Hill built personal friendships and brought opposing sides together on policy issues, yet she always remained true to her core values. She has and will always inspire upcoming leaders, particularly women, on how to act, lead, and govern the right way.
Republican narrative
Even Republicans can recognize the honorable legacy of Senator Feinstein's career. She had major ideological differences with the GOP but often reached out across the aisle in a spirit of bipartisanship. Unfortunately, jockeying for her successor has been going on for some time within the Democratic Party. As Democratic leadership ages, there seems to be a groundswell to install a new regime of less compromising left-leaning replacements. Now should be a time to remember Feinstein's accomplishments and remember that America cares about getting business done across both parties.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that the mean age of the next 5 US Presidents from 2022 to 2040 will be at least 64, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Swedish PM Meets With Military to Address Gang Violence
On Friday, Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced that the nation's army would support in addressing a recent surge in gang violence — that has killed at least 12 people in September alone — following a meeting with armed forces and police officers.
This comes after Kristersson gave a rare televised address Thursday to discuss the issue after two people were killed in separate shootings in Stockholm the day before. Early Thursday morning, a woman in her 20s was also killed after a bomb blasted her Uppsala home.
While Kristersson has cautioned that Sweden's laws need to be altered to allow increased military support, starting next week, the army will begin supporting police forces with explosives, analysis and logistics, and forensic work.
Right narrative
Sweden is being transformed before our very eyes — and not for the better. A once beautiful and safe country is now being ravaged by rampant gang violence and a skyrocketing rape rate. Native Swedes aren’t committing these crimes, and there’s an obvious elephant in the room that many people are afraid to call out for politically correct reasons. The fact is that unfettered migration is turning Sweden, and other European nations, into third-world crime zones.
Left narrative
People from the right are trying to take power by using racist dog whistles about gang violence to demonize migrants and stoke fear. Sweden is a place for all people, but far-right nationalists seek to exclude people from Sweden and marginalize vulnerable populations. Instead of blaming migrants for gang violence, politicians should focus on addressing the root causes of violence, such as systemic racism, poverty, and discrimination.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that the Sweden Democrats will win at least 73 parliamentary seats in the Swedish 2026 general election, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
US Senate Formalizes Dress Code
Led by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Mitt Romey (R-Utah), the US Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a formal dress code that requires members to wear business attire on the floor, including a coat, tie, and slacks for men.
The new resolution comes a week after Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) issued an informal guidance that senators could wear what they want while voting or speaking in the chamber.
Schumer’s policy was seen as an accommodation for Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who had been consistently wearing a hoodie and shorts since his return to work in April from treatment for clinical depression.
Establishment-critical narrative
Dress codes anywhere are an absurd means to exclude certain groups of people from participating in systems of power. But in the Senate, it's an even more egregious waste of time considering how many more important things to be worrying about. If Fetterman’s constituents don’t care how he dresses, his colleagues shouldn’t either. The Senate should be focused on things like the looming government shutdown.
Pro-establishment narrative
Elected Senators should have some dignity and dress respectfully when voting on life-or-death legislation. Senators who don't have enough respect to do so are an embarrassment to the institution. Luckily Schumer's attempt at rolling back decorum was rebuked and some modicum of etiquette has been restored to the hallowed halls of governance.