UK Files: Bush Saw Iraq War as Mission Against 'Evil-Doers'
Then U.S. President George W. Bush viewed the Iraq War as a religious crusade to rid the world of "evil-doers" by "God's chosen nation," according to newly released U.K. government files. British Ambassador Sir Christopher Meyer reported that Bush believed it was his mission to overthrow Saddam Hussein.
Then U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair flew to Camp David in January 2003 to urge Bush to allow more time for diplomacy, but U.K. officials warned it had become "politically impossible" for Bush to back down from war unless Hussein surrendered.
British officials feared that Blair could be forced from office if he went to war without U.N. backing. Foreign Policy Adviser David Manning told U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice that "the U.S. must not promote regime change in Baghdad at the price of regime change in London."
Pro-establishment narrative
Bush's religious conviction and moral clarity drove necessary action against a dangerous dictator who threatened global security. The president understood that decisive leadership sometimes requires difficult choices, and his commitment to protecting America from another 9/style attack justified removing Hussein from power. Diplomatic efforts had failed for over a decade, making military intervention the only viable option.
Establishment-critical narrative
The Iraq War was fundamentally about demonstrating American hegemony rather than addressing genuine security threats, with Bush officials using WMD fears as cover for a predetermined agenda. The administration deliberately misled the public about intelligence to justify a war designed to send a message to other nations about American power. This reckless approach destabilized the entire region and created lasting chaos.
US Launches Organ Transplant Reform After Reported Safety Violations
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a major initiative on Monday to reform the nation's organ transplant system, following an investigation that found hospitals allowed organ procurement to begin when patients showed signs of life.
The Health Resources and Services Administration examined 351 cases where organ donation was authorized but not completed, finding 103 cases with reportedly concerning features — including 73 patients with neurological signs incompatible with organ donation.
The investigation found that at least 28 patients may not have been deceased when organ procurement was initiated. According to the HHS, this raises "serious ethical and legal questions" about the timing of procedures and patient safety protocols.
Republican narrative
These reforms are long overdue and essential for protecting vulnerable patients from a system that has prioritized organ procurement over patient safety. The investigation revealed horrifying practices where hospitals rushed to harvest organs from patients who were still alive, showing clear signs of neurological function. HHS's decisive action to hold these organizations accountable demonstrates the Trump administration's commitment to restoring integrity and prioritizing patients' lives.
Democratic narrative
In deceased donation cases, hospital medical staff independently determine death per hospital policy. Additionally, hospitals adhere to a complex framework of rules and regulations generated by the states in which they operate. These reforms could potentially harm the thousands of Americans desperately waiting for life-saving organ transplants. The focus should be on improving protocols rather than threatening to shut down organizations that serve critical regions.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that it will become possible to transplant organs without the recipient needing immunosuppressant drugs by January 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UK Signs Strategic Partnership With OpenAI
OpenAI and the U.K. government signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday aimed at increasing public and private sector AI adoption, with Technology Secretary Peter Kyle and CEO Sam Altman formalizing the non-binding agreement.
The partnership will explore deploying advanced AI models throughout government departments including justice, defense, security and education technology, while OpenAI commits to expanding its London office.
The agreement includes expanding technical information sharing between OpenAI and the U.K.'s AI Security Institute to deepen government knowledge of AI capabilities and security risks, building on existing safety research collaborations and model evaluation partnerships.
Pro-government narrative
This partnership represents a crucial step toward modernizing public services and securing Britain's position as a global AI leader. By partnering with OpenAI, the U.K. is ensuring citizens experience the same technological advancement in public services as they do elsewhere. This collaboration will create high-skilled jobs while ensuring public efficiency and productivity gains.
Government-critical narrative
This is a reckless gamble with the U.K.'s future. While ministers promise AI transformation, leaked conversations show Cabinet members asking ChatGPT basic questions any civil servant could answer. Meanwhile, AI devastates employment as departments and companies replace workers with bots. Essential public services should not be handed over to U.S. tech giants at the expense of the British people.
US Withdraws from UNESCO Again Over Anti-Israel Bias Claims
The Trump administration announced Tuesday that the U.S. will withdraw from the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO on Dec. 31, 2026, stating the country's continued involvement in the U.N. cultural organization "is not in the national interest."
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce cited UNESCO's "social and cultural causes" and its focus on the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals as being contrary to America First foreign policy. She also criticized the organization's admission of Palestine as a member state.
The withdrawal follows a 90-day review ordered by Trump in February that examined alleged anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment within UNESCO, with officials also taking issue with the organization's diversity, equity and inclusion policies and alleging the organization holds a pro-China bias.
Pro-Trump narrative
UNESCO has become a vehicle for woke ideology and anti-American sentiment that doesn't serve national interests. The organization pushes divisive social justice causes, gives China too much influence and consistently shows bias against Israel while promoting Palestinian narratives. America shouldn't fund an organization that works against its values and those of its allies.
Anti-Trump narrative
Withdrawing from UNESCO abandons American leadership on the global stage and creates a vacuum that competitors like China will fill. The organization undertakes important work in protecting world heritage sites and promoting education, science and culture worldwide. This isolationist approach undermines multilateral cooperation and damages relationships with allies.
Progressive narrative
The United States' withdrawal from UNESCO will not weaken global commitment to the organization's mission. Nations and advocates worldwide remain united in promoting education, culture and science. Leadership in this global effort extends beyond any one country. The collective resolve of UNESCO's members ensures that progress continues, sustaining cooperation and support for the values that underpin international peace and development.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that at least 197 nations will be there in the UN by 2050, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Report: Pro-Trump AI Botnet Exposes MAGA Division
Researchers have identified a network of more than 400 AI-powered bot accounts on X that automatically generate positive messages supporting U.S. President Trump's administration officials.
They were created in batches around three specific days in 2024 and primarily function by replying to other users with supportive messages, often targeting verified accounts, while frequently using irrelevant hashtags and repeating similar sentiments in short succession.
The bots' posts became contradictory following Attorney General Pam Bondi's announcement that additional Epstein files would not be released, with some bots calling for resignations while others defended the administration's position.
Democratic narrative
These findings expose deep GOP divisions over the Epstein case. While consistently praising Trump officials, the bots' contradictory messaging on Epstein reveals their artificial nature. Polls also show Republicans split, with 40% approving and 36% disapproving of Trump's handling, highlighting the influence of the party's conspiratorial wing as MAGA influencers fuel backlash.
Republican narrative
While Trump certainly hasn't handled this case perfectly, Democrats and far-right conspiracists are exploiting baseless Epstein theories to undermine him. The DOJ and FBI confirmed no "client list" exists, yet Democrats like Raskin and Nadler push for hearings, politicizing the issue. MAGA extremists further amplify fantasies, ignoring Trump's transparency calls as he attempts to bring the nation together.
Conservative narrative
The establishment paints the populist right as divided, but their unified demand for Epstein's clients to face justice shows moral and political coherence. While Trump's DOJ claims no client list exists, the new right's consistent push for transparency exposes the swamp's cover-up. Far from fractured, their resolve against elite corruption remains steadfast, undeterred by Democrat and institutional GOP spin.
Brazil: Supreme Court Threatens Bolsonaro With Arrest Over Order Breach
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Monday ordered lawyers representing Jair Bolsonaro to explain within 24 hours why he appeared in a video shared on social media despite a ban in place, warning that the former Brazilian president could face immediate arrest if they fail to comply.
This comes as Bolsonaro spoke to journalists and showed them his ankle tag after meeting with allies in the Brazilian Congress, and as his self-exiled son, Eduardo, shared footage of the interaction on social media.
Hours earlier, Justice Moraes clarified in a directive that Bolsonaro's social media ban included the prohibition of "the broadcasting, re-broadcasting, or dissemination of audio, video, or transcripts of interviews" in which Bolsonaro is featured "on any third-party social media platform."
Left narrative
The Brazilian Supreme Court is acting to protect democratic institutions in the country and to safeguard court proceedings against Bolsonaro from coordinated efforts. A social media ban encompassing third-party accounts is key to preventing Bolsonaro from bypassing restrictions and influencing the investigation.
Right narrative
Brazil's de facto dictator Alexandre de Moraes continues to double down on his persecution against Bolsonaro despite the fact that he has complied with all court decisions, even those clearly illegal. It's clear that these actions are just Brazil's authoritarian regime showing that they will humiliate Bolsonaro because they can.
Nerd narrative
There's a 0.5% chance that Alexandre de Moraes will cease to be a Brazilian Supreme Court justice before 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Trump Announces US-Philippines Trade Deal
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday held a meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House, marking the first visit by a Southeast Asian leader during Trump's current term. Afterwards, Trump announced a trade deal consisting of the United States paying "zero" tariffs in exchange for a 19% tariff on Philippine goods to America.
This came after Trump threatened to impose 20% tariffs on Philippine goods starting Aug. 1 unless the two countries reached a trade agreement.
Trump also said the United States and the Philippines would "work together Militarily." Neither representatives in the country nor the Philippine Embassy in Washington had confirmed the deal as of Tuesday afternoon.
Pro-Trump narrative
Trump's trade deals, especially with Asia-Pacific nations, are making the United States economically stronger at home and stronger against China geopolitically. As China loses its economic power over the United States, it loses its leverage when deciding whether to attack Taiwan. In just six months, Trump has repositioned America as the world's leading economic and military powerhouse.
Anti-Trump narrative
Trump's tariffs have hidden costs, like falling imports that limit consumer choices and raise prices for goods that aren't produced in the United States. Reduced variety and quality from disrupted supply chains erode economic freedom, quietly straining budgets for those least equipped to cope. Any success can be attributed to companies preparing short-term precautions as they await a potential policy reversal.
Nerd narrative
There's a 55% chance that a recession will begin in the United States in 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Ozzy Osbourne Dies at 76
Ozzy Osbourne, the frontman of the rock band Black Sabbath known as the "Prince of Darkness," died Tuesday morning at age 76, according to a family statement that said he "was with his family and surrounded by love."
The singer performed his final concert just three weeks before his death on July 5 at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, reuniting with original Black Sabbath members for the first time in 20 years during the "Back to the Beginning" farewell show.
Born John Michael Osbourne in Birmingham in 1948, he co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968 and was a pioneer in the heavy metal genre with songs like "Iron Man," "Paranoid" and "War Pigs." Black Sabbath has sold over 75 million albums worldwide. Osbourne's career, however, was marked by numerous controversies, including biting the heads off animals during his concerts and several arrests. He stated that he had shot his 17 cats during one drug-fueled incident.
Narrative A
From a troubled youth marked by dyslexia, abuse, and criminality, Ozzy Osbourne rose to define heavy metal. His raw, haunting voice and everyman charisma connected with millions, making him a cultural icon. Solo success, driven by Sharon's vision and Randy Rhoads' genius, cemented his legacy.
Narrative B
While Ozzy Osbourne's talent and innovation made him a metal icon, his notorious and often cruel antics — from biting bats and massacring cats to substance abuse — cast a shadow over his musical genius. Fellow musicians saw him as unprofessional or talentless, and his controversies alienated peers. His performative chaos and the darkness that continued beyond his music, while iconic, disgraced his legacy for many. Osbourne's existence beyond music carried over the darker aspects of his performative life.
US House Heads for Early Recess
U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said Tuesday that the House would end early for summer recess amid a potential procedural vote on releasing information related to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
Wednesday will now be the last day of voting for the House until its return in September, with Johnson saying no Epstein vote will be held until then. A Department of Justice memo concluding that Epstein did not maintain a "client list" and died by suicide has put bipartisan pressure on the Trump administration.
On Monday, Democrats pledged to force votes on releasing any remaining files connected to Epstein, as Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) gather 218 representative signatures for a petition that would set an Epstein vote for after recess.
Republican narrative
The Democrats had four years under Biden to undertake disclosure regarding Epstein, exposing this newfound principled position on the matter to be little more than a political ploy. Democrats and their conspiracy-minded Republican enablers will expose victims to harm by forcing any release before it can be done properly by the White House. President Trump still has the support of the GOP and is working tirelessly.
Democratic narrative
After years of stoking rumors about Epstein, most Republicans have clammed up on the issue now that the extent of the sex criminal's association with President Trump becomes clear. Democrats and principled Republicans are fighting for the release of documents to ensure that any disclosure is not a whitewash for the president. To shut down the House entirely shows how deep the fissures are and how broad the support is for clarity.
Cynical narrative
Jeffrey Epstein has been a boogeyman for years, and it is a bad sign that both parties are now entertaining the utterly spurious claims that Epstein was the ringleader of a child sex trafficking enterprise that was patronized by politicians and other prominent figures. Epstein was a criminal, no doubt, but the allegations are massively disproportionate to the evidence. This is a watershed for the mainstreaming of conspiracy thought.