Understanding the US - Again

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A_Gupta
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by A_Gupta »

AI helps:
Dairy Fat vs. Vegetable Fat: In India, many Kwality Wall's products are legally classified as "frozen desserts" because they use vegetable oils/fats (like palm oil) instead of solely milk fat. This is a major cost-saving measure as vegetable oil is cheaper than dairy fat. In the US, products sold as "ice cream" must meet specific regulatory standards that mandate a certain percentage of milk fat. Unilever's US brands generally use real dairy ingredients to meet this standard.
Similarly, I heard that what qualifies as "chocolate" is much more lax in the US compared to the European Union. And so on.

As a sovereign, independent, aatmanirbhar country India has to set its own food standards, and not rely on those from abroad. The Indian consumer also has to be better informed so that they can make wise choices about what they eat.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by uddu »

'Shariah Law In U.S.': Trump DNI Tulsi Gabbard's Shocking Speech On Islamism Stuns America
U.S. Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, warned about what she described as the growing global threat of Islamist ideology in the country and beyond. Citing recent developments in Europe, Gabbard claimed that Christmas markets in parts of Germany are being canceled due to security concerns linked to extremist threats. She argued that Islamism, which she characterized as a political ideology rather than a religion, rejects individual freedom and personal liberty. Gabbard said the ideology stands in direct opposition to the foundational principles of freedom and liberty on which the United States was built, calling it fundamentally incompatible with American values. Watch.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Vayutuvan »

^ There seems to be schizophrenia in the current US Admin. On one hand, we have DNI Gabbard saying the above. On the other US Embassy in Dhaka is expressing condolences on the killing of Hadi. Chimera.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by saip »

Paterson mayor is an Arab and introduced halal food in schools. 30k out of 150k in Paterson are Muslims. They must have all voted to elect this guy.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by drnayar »




this youtube short probably sums up whats wrong with the US :mrgreen:
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by drnayar »

Vayutuvan wrote: 21 Dec 2025 23:27 ^ There seems to be schizophrenia in the current US Admin. On one hand, we have DNI Gabbard saying the above. On the other US Embassy in Dhaka is expressing condolences on the killing of Hadi. Chimera.
The different arms of US government works in different directions. It is famously said no US president., [save one] was able to control the CIA !!
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by vera_k »

Shariah is defined as -
the system of Islamic moral and legal guidance based on the teachings of the Qur'an and the traditions of the Prophet (Hadith and Sunna), prescribing both religious and secular duties.
It is therefore inevitable in the USA as religious freedom is a founding principle for the country. Maybe can be corralled into an autonomous region for Muslims if there's will for that.
Last edited by vera_k on 22 Dec 2025 08:00, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by drnayar »

https://x.com/GenFlynn/status/2002518869609431458

The EU aka NATO (minus the United States) desperately wants war with Russia.
@DNIGabbard
can speak for herself and does in her typically courageous way (read below).

First, our CIA is in cahoots with MI6 and others in the EU IC community. These and other warmongers in our own administration as well as the Congress want perpetual f’ing war. I’m personally sick of it. It’s been over ten (10) years now! Keep in mind we were in AFG and Iraq for twenty years and it cost us trillions along with a massive loss of prestige.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Vayutuvan »

vera_k wrote: 22 Dec 2025 02:10 Maybe can be corralled into an autonomous region for Muslims if there's will for that.
A Bakistan in the US. :twisted:
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

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https://www.khaama.com/the-light-that-s ... high-line/
Vietnamese-American sculptor Tuan Andrew Nguyen will install an eight-meter replica of the Bamiyan Buddha along Tenth Street in Manhattan in spring 2026. Titled The Light That Shines Through the Universe, the sculpture is intended as a symbol of resilience, hope, and peace, commemorating the destroyed 6th-century statues in Afghanistan.
A striking feature of the sculpture is its hands, cast from melted bullets and rockets collected from Afghanistan’s war zones. Nguyen described the transformation of instruments of destruction into polished brass as symbolic of courage, compassion, and renewal, saying the hands “will shine brilliantly under sunlight, offering a striking visual message.”
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by A_Gupta »

There are many comments about the US federal deficit, which fail to understand some central facts: the US overall tax to GDP ratio is among the lowest in OECD countries; and the US Federal tax-to-GDP ratio, current at 16.8% is low compared to the historical average (in Clinton's time, it was 20%).

It is a perhaps a matter of opinion, but the US will still prosper with the Clinton-era tax rates, and the additional revenue plus a little budgeting fiscal discipline can make the deficit disappear - i.e., the debt burden will no longer increase. The existing debt of course, will take a long while to reduce to a healthy debt-to-GDP ratio. But small fiscal deficit will also help with things like inflation, interest rates and so on.

But just like with so many other issues, there is no political will in the US to address its real problems and long-term sustainability; and if the current trends continue, the US will definitely lose the ability to be able to fix itself, without major pain.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Jay »

drnayar wrote: 22 Dec 2025 03:03 https://x.com/GenFlynn/status/2002518869609431458

The EU aka NATO (minus the United States) desperately wants war with Russia.
@DNIGabbard
can speak for herself and does in her typically courageous way (read below).

First, our CIA is in cahoots with MI6 and others in the EU IC community. These and other warmongers in our own administration as well as the Congress want perpetual f’ing war. I’m personally sick of it. It’s been over ten (10) years now! Keep in mind we were in AFG and Iraq for twenty years and it cost us trillions along with a massive loss of prestige.
Maybe some one should remind this 'michael-felony-flynn' about what his protector, the Griftopotamus-donny is doing with his venezuela war plans. Seems no need to blame CIA ir other agencies when the emperor himself is a warmonger.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by A_Gupta »

Everyone Wants to Know What Gen Z Republicans Think. We Asked Them.
Twenty GOP Zoomers on Trump, Hitler, dating, racism, politics, the economy, and more
https://www.city-journal.org/article/ma ... epublicans
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Vayutuvan »

Twenty GOP Zoomers
This is not even a small sample. It is just a tad better than anecdotal. I thought Dumbocrats of NYC are very intelligentocrats. :rotfl:
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Jay »

To be fair, one does not need a bucketload of shit to do a sniff test; a mere 20 grams is enough to show how awful it stinks. But hey, that’s just me... :P
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Vayutuvan »

Jay wrote: 24 Dec 2025 08:15 To be fair, one does not need a bucketload of shit to do a sniff test; a mere 20 grams is enough to show how awful it stinks. But hey, that’s just me... :P
You are not a statistician, I presume?! :twisted:
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by krisna »

As usual brfites have taken sides when more mature way of discussing is lost in the bargain.

When one gets tad emotional , result is garbage sadly.

Superpower status ( taken and not given )

Uncle maintain its super power status by preventing new challengers in addition to its own strengths in science and cutting edge technology etc. All these needs money . Money is a key ingredient to fund all the above .

Uncle Sam unfortunately in the last 25 years has lost its ways just like the folks here with partisan jibes which looks stupid. All president except the one who cannot be named :!: have waged wars directly or indirectly and destroyed whatever political and economic capital it had. of course to his credit sonabandar makes it worse. :D


War mongering
Blaming current POTUS is unfair— he is yet to wage a war -Yes been making foolish statements and rowdy boorish behavior — simply does not cut it. May happen later -will see. This sona bandar to his credit has been continuously trying to prevent wars. Of course his efforts are not that great in the results :mrgreen: . But appreciate his efforts to get the peace at least. Probably it is fair to say Russia Ukraine war would not have happened under his watch. Check Ombaba 3 terms as POTUS - totally wrecked major parts of the world. Ironically destroyed Europe by immigration and refugees in millions. This is like disturbing a beehive in MENA - with bees flying and biting the EU in its a*se. This also led to small enclaves inside America also. Time will tell how this will fester into a small sore vs non healing wound which will devour lot of American resources as has happened in EU.

Israel gaza war- Recall American universities were battle grounds for sort of rioting mainly in democratic controlled states. Lot of money poured in and students activated for certain reasons. Democratic rulers were lax in enforcing anti semitic sentiment and hatred. (Hindus were also included in this hatred-this is usual amongst liberals and muslims). Sona bandar administration to its credit snuffed these scums and brought universities to normal. ( used existing laws only)

Venezuela
Sona bandar is initiating actions on maduro. In his first term his sanctions were severe .He is creating some hungama like he did for Iran in first term with tearing up Iran treaty, mijjiles etc. Ditto in earlier party of the year with Iran. Will see how far TACO will go for war. :lol:

Immigration

During ombabas 3 term as POTUS — a major influx of migrants came to America due to lax policies . Ironically democrats were the ones who brought in tougher laws for illegals and other immigrants but never implemented strictly. They were also the ones who created this illegal migration sky rocket. (Ombaba was also called deportation president - more people came in and got deported)
Recently Immigration problems were denied and LIED by democrats thruout the 4 years. Only when it became neck deep into the voting patterns during election time -the donkeys woke up and instituted all sona Bandar policies which was too little too late.

Anyway the current administration has NOT added a single piece of new law which will affect the immigrants. Remember they have majority but unable to pass any new laws esp immigration!!- only loud gasbags. :lol: Only executive actions by POTUS which don’t have staying power unlike a law passed by congress. Baring big beautiful bill nothing significant has been passed.

How are immigrants rounded up. I am sure many don’t want to look into it as it goes into the laws done by democrats also. ( not to blame but just pointing it out) Democrats are traditionally lax in enforcing laws compared to elephants. Crimes are higher in their ruled states -yes some elephants ruled states also have high crimes. But democrats are emperors in this.


China
Sona bandar to his credit was the first POTUS to highlight dragon policies and their dangers however badly he framed it. Previous POTUS were in cahoots knowingly or unknowningly listening to the industry leaders.


WRT India specifically —

1) Khalistans were brought down to earth by sona bandar . Credit where due. Whereas democrats were hell bent on damaging India. They were far worse for India without saying so. Khalis are quiet and fearful obviously. Recall democrats how they used Khalis to harass India/Hindus esp. Temple attacks , attacks on innocent Hindus etc etc . Democrats here in the forum and elsewhere were sort of disassociating these incidents and not clubbing with democratic policies.

2) Diplomats treatment-Most of democrats supporters want to forget this and pretend to be asleep- what happened to Devyani Khobragade, Meera Shankar, Dr Abdul Kalam and many others.

3) Democrats by nature of their ideology are anti India (mainly anti Hindus ). They will do anything to hurt Hindus. Their ideology is mostly exclusivist though openly they say “liberal”. (Exclusivity =abrahamic in popular terms where hatred of others is ingrained )
All the scums from audrey truske, soundrajan many university profs academicians many democratic NGOs who peddle wares on Hindu culture/traditions are democrats . This is well know unless again we are blind and pretend to be asleep. Most of these are christians much worse than republican christians. These democrats BITE where the republicans only BARK. These fanatic democratic christians bring in laws to hurt and demonise Hindus. Saying democratic governors did not agree to this is cold comfort. This is only a matter of time when some democratic governor will sign the bill and make it into law. Going to courts and fighting is expensive and many Hindus as usual may accept this law - I am not into star gazing but not uncommon to predict this. Of course democrtas here will welcome this as this is their party. :mrgreen:

Democrats operate at multiple levels against Hindus but Hindu supporters are "blissfully at peace" with democrats policies.(may Bhagwan bless them eternally) I find it nauseating that democrats supporters name them without saying they are democrats as they do for republicans. Shows their own character sadly. ( scums are present in both sides - but acceptance is difficult amongst Indian democratic supporters)


Tariffs

Sona bandar added tariffs on India - mostly a negotiating tactic utilizing usa strength as a superpower and big market. This is done indiscriminately against all friend or foe. But this had little to no effect on India- India is doing well. Trade has increased in fact- more wink-wink between 2 countries with tough negotiations. Lot of churn and good things happening to India. His pressure tactics have not worked. This will not matter overall except for optics. Democrats supporters singing for support to India is more against republicans than good for India.

Some folks have talked about terr0istan support and failed marshal - mainly related in business. This is far from truth. Yes Sona Bandar family makes millions . But sona bandar has largest property infrastructure in INDIA outside Usa. This beats any moneies made by sona bandar in terr0istan.

Sona Bandar is primarily a businessman a lousy and rowdy fellow at this. But he will protect his wealth. He will flush terr0istan down the toilet if need be- but will protect India as his wealth is present . He is taking terr0istan and wringing it dry. Terr0istan has no cards except a beggar. He loves show off as a great person. Hence the limelight to terr0istan and failed Marshall. He can’t do this to India. Remember on paper , wealth "assumed" in terr0sitan is greater in few billions compared to millions in India. BUt this is still vaporware as industries mining etc will take a decade or more - knowing terr0istan - good luck esp baluchistan. :rotfl:


Overall Sona bandar is good to India barring few hiccups related too immigration.
Sona Bandar actions are indiscriminatory unlike democrats -why because he is ex-democrat. Only a democrat can piss of India in general :lol: . One cannot be 100% perfect for India in liking . Democrats were far far worse to Indians esp wrt Hindus.


*** I dont care about which party is in power as president- simply what is best for India. naturally like good relationship between both countries***

till next time - bye for now. 8)
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by drnayar »

You forgot sona Bandar s family involvement in crypto as well as the bandars inner circle which has 2 to 3 Pakistanis who are routing failed marshall as a conduit for bandars family dealings .. extending even to rare earth mining !.. seems this nice racket ( crypto especially) netted a few billions into orange man's family coffers

The ISI is now sort of "paid mercenary" for the CIA s dirty work in South Asia, not that they needed any "encouragement "
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Rudradev »

New York Times has published yet another hit piece against Hindus and the RSS, this time from a creature called Felix Pal who is a chela of the Marxist career liar Christophe Jaffrelot.

Here is Salvatore Babones' systematic breakdown and rebuttal of the hit piece.



Please do the right thing. Like (thumbs up) the video. Share it as widely as possible in your social media circles. With the weight of hostile algorithms and establishment structures being harnessed to silence us, the least we can do is that when somebody does the hard work of research and articulation from our side-- we propagate it.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by A_Gupta »

Thanks, @Rudradev!

What a hit piece! What a beautiful take-down!

I wish Bharatiya academics-that-are-not-activists would be like Salvatore Babones. I also see this reinforcing my longstanding belief that either one can be a scientist or academic or one can be an activist in the same field. One cannot be both, because the activism makes the science or Shastra suspect.

Note - one could be e.g., a physicist and also an advocate for child education - the activism will likely not color one's conclusions in physics. There are innumerable such combinations that are legitimate.

The low quality of Indian academicians in the social sciences in the past 75 years may be attributed in part to their activism (generally Marxist, and a few right-wingers), that makes them shape everything around the conclusions they need to reach to support their activism.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Vayutuvan »

krisna wrote: 24 Dec 2025 10:26 ...
till next time - bye for now. 8)
Nice post. I have a few nits. Democrats are not Abrahamic per se. They are more Eurotrash than Eurotrash. That is where their liberalism originates. Columbia College's School of General Education (Columbia College started admitting women only in 1983, which is quite late by any standard, including that of India) is the anchor and template for all liberal studies programs in the US.

In short, Democrats are Atlantists. They would want to forgive Europeans, especially the UK, for their colonial excesses in the Indian Subcontinent, Africa, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Laos.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

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drnayar wrote: 24 Dec 2025 18:04 You forgot sona Bandar s family involvement in crypto as well as the bandars inner circle which has 2 to 3 Pakistanis who are routing failed marshall as a conduit for bandars family dealings ...
@drnayar ji,
This is true for Biden and The Bern as well. I am not sure about K. Harris. I wouldn't be surprised if she also has some in her inner circle. HiC had Huma Abedin. Bill C and Al Gora had that Wall Street investor snake Aziz or something.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Amber G. »

Rudradev wrote: 24 Dec 2025 23:36 New York Times has published yet another hit piece ....
**Thanks** for sharing.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

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US imposes visa bans on Europeans amid deepening row over “censorship”
The European Union is warning it could act after the United States imposed travel bans on five Europeans it accuses of pushing a campaign of censorship against Americans.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the five people, who include the leaders of organizations that address digital hate and a former EU commissioner, as “radical” activists and “weaponized” non-governmental organizations that have tried to “coerce American (tech) platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose.”

Brussels says the move is unjustified and undermines shared democratic values.

Candice Cole reports on the growing transatlantic clash.

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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by uddu »

Is Trump Losing Control of His Own Cabinet?
Every year, the ORF & ORF America Annual Dinner brings together high-profile leaders from the public and private sector to discuss contemporary global governance issues impacting the current world order. In the past, the dinner has featured high-level dignitaries including Stephen Harper, former Prime Minister of Canada, and Marise Payne, former Foreign and Defence Minister of Australia.

The 2025 edition of the Annual Gala Dinner brings a policy-focused lens to today’s geopolitical shifts, this discussion examines the erosion of long-standing global arrangements and the rise of new centres of power. It considers how states and institutions are responding to these challenges and what pathways may exist for rebuilding trust and cooperation.

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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by uddu »

India must crowdfund and buy HaritaPradesh :mrgreen: We must appoint Piyush Goyal to negotiate offering a Bigger, Better, Best deal of the century.
Trump Reignites Greenland Dispute With New US Envoy | Vantage with Palki Sharma | N18G
US President Donald Trump has reignited tensions with Denmark after appointing a special envoy to Greenland and repeating his claim that the Arctic island is essential to US national security. Trump says growing Russian and Chinese activity in the region makes Greenland strategically vital. The move has drawn strong opposition from Denmark and Greenland, both rejecting any attempt to bring the territory under US control. Greenland is a self-governing territory within Denmark and hosts key US military facilities. The European Union has backed Denmark, while Washington insists the envoy role is informal. The dispute highlights rising geopolitical competition in the Arctic.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/wor ... 165186.cms

Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna came out in support of Vivek Ramaswamy and Usha Vance and called out Nick Fuentes' dangerous anti-Indian rhetoric, where he is attacking Vivek Ramaswamy to target Vice President JD Vance.

---
Given the material linked above, I thought pointing this out is appropriate:

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage ... g=3&lang=1
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi attended the Christmas morning service at 'The Cathedral Church of the Redemption' in Delhi, today."The service reflected the timeless message of love, peace and compassion. May the spirit of Christmas inspire harmony and goodwill in our society", Shri Modi stated.

The Prime Minister posted on X:

"Attended the Christmas morning service at The Cathedral Church of the Redemption in Delhi. The service reflected the timeless message of love, peace and compassion. May the spirit of Christmas inspire harmony and goodwill in our society."
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Jay »

Vayutuvan wrote: 24 Dec 2025 10:16
Jay wrote: 24 Dec 2025 08:15 To be fair, one does not need a bucketload of shit to do a sniff test; a mere 20 grams is enough to show how awful it stinks. But hey, that’s just me... :P
You are not a statistician, I presume?! :twisted:
But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express!

One can get as much data as they want and apply any stat-analysis methodologies, everyone knows the results will say the same thing in this matter.
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Post by Vayutuvan »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_makeup

Strange article. Cited sources include Mother Jones, The Guardian, a Barnard College professor, and others of their ilk. The fact that Pelosi and Harris both had plastic surgery, many democrat women leaders wear suit-pants, which has been made popular by HiC, or the fact that Gavin Newsom's slicked back hair does not attract attention. In fact, somebody tried to create a page about Biden's racist statements. Edits for that page are blocked, and it is being considered for deletion.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

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President Donald Trump Orders Airstrikes Against ISIS in Nigeria
Strikes Target Christian-Muslim Conflict Amid Resource and Anti-China Speculation

https://www.chosun.com/english/world-en ... PGJAJPDSI/
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Christmas Day, the 25th, that he had executed “powerful, lethal, and multiple perfect airstrikes” against the Islamic extremist terrorist group ‘Islamic State (ISIS)’ in northwestern Nigeria. In a post on his social media platform ‘Truth Social’ that day, Trump stated, “The ‘ISIS terrorist scum’ who mercilessly targeted innocent Christians in northwestern Nigeria were warned that if they did not stop the Christian massacres, they would face hellish consequences—and tonight, that warning was executed.”

Trump described the attack as “unprecedented in decades, even centuries,” adding, “The War Department (Ministry of Defense) carried out a perfect strike that only the U.S. could perform. Under my leadership, the U.S. will not allow radical Islamic terrorism to thrive.” Trump, who spent the Christmas holiday at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida rather than in Washington, D.C., said, “I pray that God’s grace accompanies our military and wishes everyone, including the dead terrorists, a Merry Christmas,” and warned, “If they continue the Christian massacres, many more terrorists will die.”
However, given the long-standing nature of these conflicts and the fact that Christians are not the only victims, some observers speculate that Trump’s sudden interest in the region may be linked to its abundant mineral resources and efforts to counterbalance China’s influence. China, which is expanding its economic territory through the ‘Belt and Road Initiative,’ has invested at least $20 billion (approximately 30 trillion Korean won) in major infrastructure projects in Nigeria, including roads, railways, and ports. Military cooperation between the two countries is also underway, covering ammunition production expansion, military equipment maintenance, and defense personnel training.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by A_Gupta »

https://www.bea.gov/news/2025/gross-dom ... te-profits
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 4.3 percent in the third quarter of 2025 (July, August, and September), according to the initial estimate released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
I have one quibble.
Within other services, the leading contributors to the increase were international travel, based on data from BEA's International Transactions Accounts (ITAs)…
To cut a long story short, the US records both international arrivals (from anywhere in the world) and overseas arrivals (international minus Canada and Mexico) and supposedly the numbers in 2025 of both are up from 2024, and back to pre-pandemic levels. This is strange, especially given Canada statistics (e.g., https://www.thestar.com/business/canadi ... 5c7f4.html ) and Europe. Maybe there are offsets from other countries.

Otherwise it seems like good news. Investment however was flat (down -0.02%). The GDP deflator was 3.9% so inflation is there contrary to White House claims.
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by A_Gupta »

JVL writes in The Bulwark:
Everything about the “Trump-class” battleship is a joke.

The new vessel is not a battleship. It’s a plus-sized destroyer.

Because the first ship of the line is set to be christened the USS Defiant, naming conventions would have this class known as the Defiant-class, not the “Trump-class.”

The proposed weapons systems—hypersonic nuclear-tipped missiles, rail guns, sharks with frickin’ lasers on their heads—are mostly theoretical.

This new class of ship is an answer in search of a problem. It serves absolutely no strategic purpose for America’s naval posture.

It cannot possibly be completed on the schedule Trump announced—construction beginning “almost immediately” with the first vessel deployed in 2.5 years.

I’ll go a step further: It is unlikely that any of these ships will ever be built. This is vaporware. No different than the Foxconn mega-plant in Wisconsin, or all of the iPhones that are just about to be made in America, or the addition of Canada as the 51st state, or the annexation of Greenland.

I can’t believe I’m doing this, but let’s explain why the “Trump-class” ship won’t happen.

(1) A ship isn’t just a ship. Standing up a new class of vessels means creating an entirely new platform and ecosystem. You need parts, a supply chain to build those parts—an entire galaxy to support all of the aspects of the platform, from towed array, to missile guidance, to electronics. You need a whole training system so that sailors know how to operate that particular ship. You need to update doctrine so that naval commanders know how best to use that ship in a variety of circumstances. You need to evaluate how our adversaries might adapt to the presence of a new American ship. And so on.

(2) Naval warfare is moving toward drones. Aircraft carriers are the center of America’s surface fleet because they allow us to project power. Low-cost drones and guided munitions have made our aircraft carriers more vulnerable. We don’t need more big, force-projecting surface ships (i.e., targets) so much as systems to extend the defensive perimeter around carriers.1 {footnote 1: Or, even better, maybe stop making carriers at all—or at least make very few of them—and replace them with smaller, more maneuverable, less easily targetable ships with lots of drones and missiles. That’s what the Navy was trying to do by building a new class of frigates (smaller than destroyers) based on the existing design of Coast Guard cutters.}

(3) The “Trump-class” ships are basically littoral combat vessels—the idea being that, like battleships, they can be used to strike land targets.2 That ability is low on the priority list for American naval assets. We have carrier-based aircraft and existing cruise missiles systems to do that work, plus the Air Force. There is almost no scenario where U.S. forces would need to park a ship offshore and bombard targets inland. We are gearing up to counter a Chinese attempt to blockade Taiwan or menace Japan. Not soften up positions on a beach.

There is only one scenario in which America might have need of a “Trump-class” ship: If we wanted an easy way to project power against countries without advanced navies or air forces. Countries who could not defend themselves against naval bombardment.

Countries like, say, Venezuela.

The only reason for a Trump-class battleship destroyer to exist is if America is abandoning its role as a great power enforcing the global order and instead retreating to bully its own sphere of influence through gunboat diplomacy. And even then, it would be an inefficient use of resources. We already have plenty of ships that can carry out that mission.

A ton of them are parked in the Caribbean, right now.
chanakyaa
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by chanakyaa »

A_Gupta wrote: 03 Dec 2025 08:52 Anyone know about Próspera in Honduras?
This past Friday, Trump announced he will pardon the former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, who in March 2024 was convicted by a U.S. jury and sentenced to 45 years in prison for conspiring to import massive amounts of cocaine into the US. Trump gave no substantive reason, saying only that Hernández had been "treated very harshly and unfairly" in the prosecution under the previous Biden administration (again with no evidence or even argument).

... Paul Krugman on his Substack provides an explanation which feels intriguingly correct in its corruption and overall weirdness:
I typed a response, saved as a draft, and forgot to post it.

Próspera is an investor group based on the island of Roatán/Westbay off the eastern shores of Honduras. This is modern day version of East Ind. Co. (EIC) but set up crypto experiments. Very fascinating case. Search for 3 words "honduras prospera lawsuit" and you will get entire plot from links on the first page.

Crypto Bros Are Trying to Bankrupt Honduras for Scuttling Their Private Cities
chanakyaa
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by chanakyaa »

krisna wrote: 24 Dec 2025 10:26 ...
Venezuela
Sona bandar is initiating actions on maduro. In his first term his sanctions were severe .He is creating some hungama like he did for Iran in first term with tearing up Iran treaty, mijjiles etc. Ditto in earlier party of the year with Iran. Will see how far TACO will go for war. :lol:
...
Krishna ji, it was a good post. Taking a snippet due to some familiarity. My guess is that conflict is unlikely not b'cas of TACO, but it was never intended to begin with. Gunboat diplomacy may be to throw the world off balance and keep guessing. I'll provide one link. Someone like you who can write a good post, won't have problem figuring out the plot.

1. Open map locating Venezuela (and neighboring Guyana)
2. A question, if Venezuela, which has one of world's largest deposits, is sanctioned from selling oil, "Qui bono"?
3. Please check out names of all parties in the article below

(Reuters) Chevron closes Hess acquisition after winning Exxon legal battle (July 2025)
Cyrano
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Re: Understanding the US - Again

Post by Cyrano »

Larry Johnson ex cia takes every one to the cleaners

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