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<div>[[File:Nikita Krushchev.jpg|thumb|290px|Khrushchev liked to threaten and bully, often using "brinkmanship" (the threat of nuclear weapons); ''Time'' Sept. 8, 1961]]<br />
'''Nikita Khrushchev''' (1894 - 1971) was a [[Ukrainian]] [[Communist]] who became leader of the [[Soviet Union]] in a power struggle after [[Joseph Stalin]] was assassinated by fellow members of the [[Politburo]] in 1953; Khrushchev's grip on power lasted until he was ousted in 1964 over his handling of the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]] and allowing the publication of [[Alexander Solzhenitsyn]]'s ''[[One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich]]'' with its [[Christian]] themes. Other Politburo members felt Khrushchev had behaved recklessly in the field of [[foreign policy]] and had gone soft on the [[leftist]] regime's repressive domestic policy. Khrushchev's nicknames included "Butcher of Budapest" and the "Hangman of the Ukraine."<br />
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Khrushchev's tenure as dictator occurred during the height of the [[Cold War]] between the Soviet bloc and the United States and its allies. One of the most colorful world leaders of the 20th century, he always identified with the peasant—and indeed he was crude, unsophisticated, earthy, and brutal, as well as energetic, shrewd and determined. He really did hammer his shoe on the table at the United Nations when he disagreed with a speaker. He exposed and ended some of the arbitrary cruelty of Stalin in order to unleash what he thought was the scientific prowess of socialism, but apart from launching the world's first satellite into space, he never found the magic technological fix for Russia's ills, and instead came dangerously close to war with both the Americans and the Chinese. His leadership of the Communist bloc in the [[Cold War]] was so dangerous he had to be removed by his subordinates.<br />
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Khrushchev said in 1959:<br />
{{cquote|Your children’s children will live under Communism. You Americans are so gullible. No, you won’t accept Communism outright; but we’ll keep feeding you small doses of Socialism until you will finally wake up and find that you already have Communism. We won’t have to fight you; we’ll so weaken you economy, until you will fall like ripe fruit into our hands.}}<br />
==Career==<br />
[[File:Khruschev.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Khruschev, a Ukrainian, banging his shoe on the table at the UN. This widely publicized photo created a vulgar stereotypical image of Russians that persisted for generations.]]<br />
Born to a poor peasant family, he left school at 14 and followed his father to work in distant mines. He was an ambitious working-class youth during an era of dramatic industrial growth, world war and civil war; he watched closely, met everyone of importance, and displayed organizational skills that moved him ahead. Joining the Communist Party in 1918 (rather late compared to other leaders) he rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming party boss first of Moscow then of all Ukraine. He played a major role in building the Moscow subway—one system that works well in Russia to this day—and in starving the kulaks who owned a few acres. Returning in 1938 to Ukraine, he was regional boss for twelve years. The Ukraine was a main theater of war and he was political commissar at the front 1941-45. He returned to Stalin's side in Moscow in 1949 in charge of agriculture, always the most essential, yet ironically most backward, part of the Soviet economy.<br />
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==Coming to Power, 1953==<br />
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After Stalin's death in 1953, Khrushchev and premier Georgi Malenkov united their networks against Soviet security chief Lavrenti Beria. The defection of two of Beria's deputy ministers allowed Khrushchev and Malenkov to arrest Beria, for without these ministers, Beria no longer had control of Ministry of Interior troops or the troops of the Kremlin Guard. Beria was killed by firing squad. By 1957, Khrushchev had shoved Malenkov aside and had consolidated his dictatorship. His technique was to replace half the regional party leaders with his own network of loyalists, which gave him the votes to win victory in the Central Committee over the "anti-party group" of Malenkov, [[Vyacheslav Molotov]], and Lazar Kaganovich. Officially, he held the title of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (from 1953 to 1964) and Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers (from 1958 to 1964). He lived with his wife Niva in an old restored mansion in the [[Lenin]] Hills.<br />
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==De-Stalinization==<br />
{{main|De-Stalinization}}<br />
Khrushchev denounced Stalin in 1956 in one of the most spectacular and revealing speeches in world history. The audience was originally high officials—they knew bits and pieces of the horrible story of Stalin's crimes, but now for the first time saw the whole picture. Against Khrushchev's intent, the text of the speech was soon translated and publicized worldwide. <br />
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The secrets were out; now everyone knew that the Stalin era was built on [[deceit]], disinformation, and false allegations up and down the line, and false imprisonment and execution. Hundreds of thousands of loyal Russians had been shot as "spies" to satisfy Stalin's paranoia. By blaming his predecessor for all of Russia's ills Khrushchev bought time to reform the system. The speech became a tool at all levels for reformers to attack the old guard that was accused of complicity in Stalin's crimes. Khrushchev himself shared the guilt but purged himself by revealing it. He could now terminate the worst features of the [[Gulag]], stopping arbitrary executions, freeing half the 2.3 million prisoners and shortening the terms for the rest, and rehabilitating the memory of the dead. Yet Khrushchev had to allow the secret police (now called KGB) to maintain a high enough fear level in people's minds to keep the Party in power. As for the memories of Stalin, that was solved by erasing him from history—his name was never mentioned, his image never seen—and instead filling the media and the minds with the glorious heroics of the Great Patriotic War against Germany. The personality cult that Stalin had built was totally dismantled and was never to be repeated; only one statue was permitted to survive, and that was in Stalin's remote birthplace in Georgia.<ref>Cynthia Hooper, "What Can and Cannot Be Said: Between the Stalinist Past and New Soviet Future," ''Slavonic & East European Review'' 2008 86(2): 306-327,</ref><br />
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The '''"thaw"''' was the little taste of freedom after so many years of tyranny. Tasting a little freedom for the first time ever, Soviet citizens began following Western ideas and fashions in clothing. Realizing he had allowed too much freedom for Communism to survive, Khrushchev shut down the "cultural thaw" that had begun. He closed the magazines in Moscow that had started to honestly describe and analyze Soviet society. The writers, musicians and artists were put under firmer control. [[Boris Pasternak]], winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1958 for his novel ''Doctor Zhivago'', was ostracized as a Judas.<ref>Taubman (2003) pp 383-88</ref><br />
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Khrushchev did not realize that "glasnost" would get people thinking outside Russia. One unexpected result was the [[Hungarian uprising]] a year later that had to be crushed by the Russian army. The revelations were a devastating blow to international Communism worldwide, especially as intellectuals and artists discovered they had been duped into blind support for a monster. The Chinese moved into the vacuum, idealizing Mao and setting up rival Communist parties in most countries.<br />
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==Foreign policy==<br />
Khrushchev handled foreign policy poorly. He had to preserve control of Eastern Europe—but persuasion failed and he sent in his army to suppress Hungary. Second, he had to maintain the unity of the world Communist movement, which turned above all on relations with China. Despite massive amounts of aid to China, he failed and made his most important ally into his most implacable foe. Finally he had to de-escalate tensions and reach equilibrium with the United States. He instead tried nuclear confrontation, leading to near disaster in 1962 until he drew back at the last second over Cuba. More successful was his quest for prestige which centered on the Space Race—where the Soviets astonished the world by taking a clear lead over the U.S. for a few years. <br />
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===United States===<br />
After a quiet summit meeting with President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] in Geneva in 1955, Khrushchev made a personal visit to the U.S. in 1959. He was impressed with the hybrid corn and disgusted with the shimmer and glitter of Hollywood. A summit planned for 1960 was canceled when an American U-2 spy plane, piloted by Francis Gary Powers, was shot down in 1960 and Powers was captured. <br />
[[Image:Kennedy khrushchev.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Khrushchev and Kennedy at the Vienna Summit in 1961.]]<br />
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Khrushchev met with [[President Kennedy]] during Kennedy's first year in office at the Vienna Summit of 1961. Journalist James Reston wrote afterward, <br />
{{Cquote|Kennedy went there shortly after his spectacular blunders at the [[Bay of Pigs]], and was savaged by Khrushchev.... I had an hour alone with President Kennedy immediately after his last meeting with Khrushchev in Vienna at that time...Khrushchev had assumed, Kennedy said, that any American President who invaded Cuba without adequate preparation was inexperienced, and any president who then didn't use force to see the invasion through was weak. Kennedy admitted Khrushchev's logic on both points.}}<br />
===Space race===<br />
[[File:Sputnik.jpg|thumb|400px|The Sputnik in 1957 was the greatest triumph of Soviet technology]]<br />
Sputnik—the first earth satellite—was a propagandist's dream come true when it astonished the world in October 1957. There followed a series of firsts, demonstrating the superiority of the big Soviet launching missiles, which could also be used to launch nuclear weapons. The image of [[Yuri Gagarin]], who became in 1961 the first man to orbit the earth, was made a central theme in Soviet propaganda, used to encourage the young to contribute to the building of communism as well as to enhance Khrushchev's legitimacy as he sought to distance himself from the legacy of the Stalinist past.<br />
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===Third World===<br />
[[File:Khrush-chef.jpg|thumb|260px|Khrushchev cooks up trouble for the West by turning up the heat and watching to see where unrest will boil over]]<br />
Seeing Kennedy's indecisiveness, he ordered the building of the [[Berlin Wall]] in 1962 to stop the exodus of talent from East Germany to freedom. Kennedy made some speeches then accommodated to the new tyranny.<ref>Petr Lunák, "Khrushchev and the Berlin Crisis: Soviet Brinkmanship Seen from Inside," ''Cold War History'' 2003 3(2): 53-82,</ref> Emboldened, the Soviets expanded their subversion in weak nations, knowing that the American [[containment]] policy would force the West to defend itself under the most adverse conditions, as selected by the Kremlin. Sums were spread widely to see where trouble would best brew.<br />
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Soviet interest in the Third World grew with the aim of weakening the United States. <br />
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The Kremlin tried to gain a foothold among the newly independent countries of sub-Saharan Africa by giving technical and educational assistance to such socialist countries as [[Guinea]], [[Mali]], and [[Ghana]]. Although the Soviets publicly maintained that their efforts were strictly fraternal and were being made unconditionally, in fact the secret Kremlin documents show that the aid was part of a strategy to promote Communist foreign policies and undercut capitalism. African leaders, however, were more interested in an Africanization of their erstwhile colonial structures, and carefully sidestepped the ideological ramifications of the collaboration. In the critical area of joint educational projects, they refused to give Soviet teachers and professors privileged positions even in the institutions built by the USSR, such as the Institut Polytechnique in Conakry, which consistently had more Western instructors than Soviet ones. With instruction taking place in English and French (the former colonial languages), it was noted that the Soviet instructors' proficiency and often their technical expertise lagged far behind those of their French and American counterparts. The Soviets seem to have overestimated the attraction of Patrice Lumumba University (now called "Peoples' Friendship University) in Moscow while clearly lacking the human and pedagogical means to offer sufficient training in Africa itself and may have been proceeding without plan in what they perhaps considered a region of peripheral importance in the conduct of the Cold War. Setting up Patrice Lumumba University for African students in 1960 was one solution, but the African students there reported an intense degree of hatred and racism from the Russian students which further soured relations.<ref>Julie Hessler, "Death of an African Student in Moscow: Race, Politics, and the Cold War," ''Cahiers du Monde Russe'' 2006 47(1-2): 33-63. The harsh racism in Moscow continue today; see [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/18/world/moscow-journal-african-students-harsh-lesson-racism-is-astir-in-russia.html Seth Mydans, "Moscow Journal; African Students' Harsh Lesson: Racism Is Astir in Russia," ''New York Times'', Dec. 18, 2003]</ref><br />
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Intensified commercial and cultural relations with Latin American countries paid off when [[Fidel Castro]] came to power in [[Cuba]] in 1959 and aligned his country with the Soviets, and counted on the Kremlin to back him in direct confrontations with the U.S. Castro sponsored guerrilla movements in the region, and later in Africa, that the Russians avoided. Khrushchev was ultimately more interested in peaceful coexistence and in pursuing a classic policy of regional power than in revolutionary strategy. Khrushchev blundered by allowing Castro to take the initiative, which brought the world to the brink of disaster with the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.<br />
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===Cuban Missile Crisis===<br />
see [[Cuban Missile Crisis]] [[File:Dobbs-Cuba.jpg|thumb|220px]]<br />
Khrushchev badly miscalculated regarding Cuba, which he feared would be invaded by Americans. As the Kennedy Administration developed a first-strike military strategy and a nuclear superiority capable of delivering it, Khrushchev sought to parry the American advantage by installing short-range Soviet missiles with nuclear warheads in Cuba, supposedly under his control (not Castro's). Stunned to discover the missiles, Washington demanded their removal and through a naval blockade around the island. Khrushchev seems not to have consulted his advisors, and was ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Cuba against invasion and to send four nuclear-armed submarines to Cuba. Anastas Mikoyan (1895-1978) calmed the emotional Khrushchev and got him to avoid such provocative acts. He at last relented and took out the missiles and nuclear weapons, winning a public promise that the U.S. would never invade Cuba. He also got the Americans to secretly remove their nuclear missiles from Turkey and Italy. <br />
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Khrushchev made three blunders. First, he never should have placed missiles in Cuba. Second he should not have sent two contradictory messages in the space of 24 hours. Finally, by "blinking" during the showdown over the quarantine, he undermined his standing with the United States and in the Kremlin. His recklessness troubled other Kremlin leaders, who saw the Cuban episode as a fiasco that was all Khrushchev's fault.<ref>Michael Dobbs, ''One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War'' (2008).</ref><br />
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===Test Ban Treaty===<br />
A fragile détente began after the missile crisis was resolved that helped the two sides to agree to the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963. Khrushchev's political weakness after his Cuban fiasco was the main obstacle. By April 1963 - three months before US president John F. Kennedy's conciliatory speech at American University that is usually regarded as the turning point - the Soviet leader became committed to the treaty in principle. Discord within the Communist world prevented action until efforts to mend the rift with China collapsed, underscoring the need for a successful agreement with the West. Once the treaty was signed, however, the two sides failed to build on their common accomplishment and got bogged down by political issues that divided them. The opportunity for a deeper détente and a comprehensive test ban was lost because the Soviets had to seek to undermine capitalism in the west and Mao's challenge in the East.<ref>Vojtech Mastny, "The 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: a Missed Opportunity for Détente?" ''Journal of Cold War Studies'' 2008 10(1): 3-25,</ref><br />
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==Communist lands==<br />
===Hungary===<br />
When the Hungarians revolted against Communism in 1956, and the Hungarian army refused to shoot on the crowds, Khrushchev sent in Field Marshall [[Ivan Konev]] and the Soviet combat army to suppress the revolt. The fired into the apartment buildings, reducing them to rubble, entombing man, woman and child<ref>See [http://www.schwarzreport.org/yct/01ycttc.htm You Can Trust the Communists - To Be Communists], by Dr. [[Fred Schwarz]]</ref> He executed the Hungarian leader [[Imre Nagy]] and replaced him with a pro-Soviet puppet. <br />
===East Germany===<br />
The uprising in Hungary led to political crisis throughout Eastern Europe and seriously threatened the position of [[East Germany]]'s Communist dictator Walter Ulbricht. He was able to remain in power and to prevent an uprising because Khrushchev needed a strong ally in East Germany. In addition, German intellectuals were unorganized, and citizens feared a world war as their radios blared warnings of an American invasion. Soviet support was in all likelihood the key element in Ulbricht's political survival.<ref>Johanna Granville, "Ulbricht in October 1956: Survival of the 'Spitzbart' During Destalinization," ''Journal of Contemporary History'' 2006 41(3): 477-502,</ref><br />
===Poland===<br />
Khrushchev's denunciation of Stalin allowed Poland to move from Stalinist rule to a more moderate regime in a relatively nonviolent manner. Khrushchev's secret speech intensified the tensions between Communist reformers and Stalinists as well as the population's disaffection with the Stalinist regime, caused by its interference in personal freedom and unlawful imprisonments, as well as economic hardships. The brutal suppression in 1956 of the Poznan uprising, a spontaneous workers' demonstration, and the election in 1956 of [[Władysław Gomulka]] (1905–82) to head of the Polish United Workers' Party helped move Poland from Stalinist rule to a more moderate regime.<br />
===China===<br />
Khrushchev badly mishandled China—first delivering generous aid, far beyond what his colleagues wanted or he had budgeted, amounting to 7% of Soviet GDP. He sent in the best technicians and the latest equipment, and helped China design its own nuclear weapons. Then Khrushchev swung to the opposite extreme, suddenly withdrawing all Soviet technicians and canceling works in progress. The issue however was deeper than the foolish diplomacy of two rival dictators. The Chinese resented being treated as second class Communists. China was bigger, older, more cultured and resented the upstart Russians who flaunted their greater wealth and more powerful weapons. Most important, China resented Russia's willingness to compromise with capitalism in "peaceful coexistence." Relations drastically worsened from Khrushchev's September 1959 visit to Beijing through the breakdown of compromise in October 1961. Each party sought to appeal to the world as the legitimate party of proletarian internationalism, but China appealed more to the younger, more violent anti-capitalist fanatics. Specific areas of disagreement included the Moscow's refusal to support China in its border conflict with India, which was becoming a Soviet ally. Beijing worried about of Moscow's willingness to talk disarmament with the United States, with the possible threat of a Soviet-American alliance against China. Mao had aggressive plans for advancing Marxist–Leninist goals in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and conflict with Soviet agents in those places was inevitable. Indeed, after 1960 the pro-Moscow and pro-Beijing factions emerged in most Communist parties and sharply weakened them.<ref>Danhui Li and Yafeng Xia, "Competing for Leadership: Split or Detente in the Sino-soviet Bloc, 1959-1961," ''International History Review,'' 2008 30(3): 545-574,</ref> <br />
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==Domestic issues==<br />
Khrushchev's years of power were marked by strong economic growth, especially in industry; agriculture lagged behind. This was the setting fro the growing confidence in the long-term success of scientific socialism, buttressed by public opinion that was grateful for the slowly rising standard higher standard of living after so many decades of privation. The growth rate was slowing down by 1964, but the Soviets—who lacked accurate statistical measures of their own economy, did not yet realize the sclerosis that was to emerge a decade after Khrushchev was forced into retirement.<ref>Historians use data by the American [[CIA]], which had much better estimates of Soviet economic performance.</ref><br />
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===Agricultural reform===<br />
[[File:Red-farms.jpg|thumb|260px|Herblock laughs at the hair growers]]<br />
As soon as Stalin died the new premier Malenkov announced a sharp cut in taxes the farms had to pay, and an increase in the allowed size of private plots (which were far more productive than communal plots). The result was a doubling in a year of farm incomes, as peasants toasted to Malenkov's health with local moonshine. When Khrushchev elbowed Malenkov aside, he had to do even better for the peasants, while upgrading the volume and quality of food for the cities.<ref>Zubok (2007) p. 96-97</ref> Khrushchev's favorite project was to till the virgin and long-fallow lands of Kazakhstan and nearby Soviet republics in order to increase the USSR's agricultural production, especially of grain. Despite his belief that scientific socialism could overcome all obstacles, the task proved far more immense and complex than the authorities had anticipated; the results were mostly failures, although some local achievements were attained.<ref>Taubman (2003) p 305-6</ref><br />
===Industry===<br />
The space industry demonstrated that modern management could be applied in Russia; it was much applauded but seldom emulated. There was little reform in heavy industry. Instead of adopting modern principles of management as practiced in other industrialized countries, from the 1950s to the 1990s there was a continuation of the old Soviet pattern of inner-circle intrigues, shuffling the same old bureaucrats and functionaries around the same old posts and flailing around from one set of measures to another. The military carved out its own industrial sector, where productivity was somewhat higher.<br />
===Housing===<br />
Khrushchev presided over the construction of millions small drab, poorly built apartments for 108 million residents. Most were 5-story walkups (elevators were too expensive for the poor nation). Techniques of prefabrication allowed cheap factory production with fewer skilled construction workers but minimized quality control; people called them "Krushchoby" (combining his name with the word for slums). Typically there were three generations squeezed into a couple rooms—parents, children, and a widowed mother. (Because of the wars, the old people were mostly women.) The apartments boosted his popularity because they marked a dramatic improvement over the horrid housing they previously enjoyed, and led to a form of "ownership" whereby tenants were locked into their specific apartment with very little opportunity to move around—rather like rent controlled apartments in New York at the same time.<ref>Taubman (2003), p 382; Mark B. Smith, "Individual Forms of Ownership in the Urban Housing Fund of the USSR, 1944-64," ''Slavonic & East European Review'' 2008 86(2): 283-305; Steven E. Harris, "'We Too Want To Live in Normal Apartments': Soviet Mass Housing and the Marginalization of the Elderly Under Khrushchev and Brezhnev," ''The Soviet and Post-Soviet Review'', Volume 32, Number 1, 2005 , pp. 143-174 in Ingentia</ref> <br />
[[File:Kitchen-debate.jpg|thumb|Vice President Nixon boasts to Khrushchev of the superiority of American kitchens; Leonid Brezhnev, who later overthrew Khrushchev, is on the right]]<br />
A central feature of the new apartments was the kitchen—families no longer had to eat in communal settings. The Soviet kitchen was presented as a model of efficiency where one could find a bit of privacy. The kitchen gained ideological importance and was viewed as a central element of the grand program of socialist modernization, further proof of the ultimate triumph of socialism through its superior living standards. Women were to play a special role, and a number of programs and courses offered them training in home economics. The new kitchen was, above all, to be efficient, and the media portrayed this penetration of technology into everyday life as a key element of socialist modernity. In practice, women found that the promised benefits did not materialize, and to the dismay of Soviet propagandists, American Vice President [[Richard Nixon]] came to Moscow in 1959 and in his internationally publicized "kitchen debate" with Khrushchev demonstrated how much superior were American kitchens.<ref>Susan E. Reid, ''The Khrushchev Kitchen: Domesticating the Scientific-Technological Revolution," ''Journal of Contemporary History'' 2005 40(2): 289-316; Susan E. Reid, "Cold War in the Kitchen: Gender and the De-Stalinization of Consumer Taste in the Soviet Union under Khrushchev," ''Slavic Review,'' Vol. 61, No. 2 (Summer, 2002), pp. 211-252 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2697116 in JSTOR]</ref><br />
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===Religion===<br />
Under Lenin and Stalin before 1939 all churches were persecuted and ridiculed; there was a pause during World War II. Khrushchev was no friend of the [[Orthodox Church]], and greatly increased persecution in the late 1950s because he identified it with old-fashioned superstitions that would slow his schemes for the rapid modernization of agriculture. Khrushchev had the Central Committee of the Communist Party in 1954 issued a secret resolution, "On the Serious Defects in Scientific-Atheist Propaganda and Measures for the Improvement Thereof," which demanded new and more scientific standards of struggle against religion. An antireligious campaign, the exact causes and chain of command of which are still debatable, was launched in the second half of the 1950s, and systematic efforts were used to fight not just priests and churches but also to identify and track and isolate all Christians. Khrushchev wanted to reach the very essence of the people's religiousness in order to "cure" them. Half the remaining churches were closed; the others were taxed. The campaign perhaps worked in Latvia, which did give up Lutheranism. In Russia, however, at the local level cures were few. More often, ways were found in which religion and the Soviet system could coexist. The Party found it expedient to ignore religious activity that did not interfere with technological improvements, and the peasants and workers found quiet ways to ensure their religious practices were compatible with participation in the new society. Outward repression like the closing of churches and the prohibition of pilgrimages occurred but were not enough to attain the primary goal of replacing the religious person in rural Russia with the Soviet person. He predicted the end of Christianity in the Soviet Union and boasted that the last Christian would be paraded on Soviet television within a few years.<ref>http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=2462&cid=125&p=22.05.2006</ref> In fact, Christianity outlasted Khrushchev, and even outlived Communism in Russia. He tried to change the soul of Russia and failed.<ref>Andrew B. Stone, "'Overcoming Peasant Backwardness': the Khrushchev Antireligious Campaign and the Rural Soviet Union," ''Russian Review'' 2008 67(2): 296-320; Tatiana A. Chumachenko, ''Church and State in Soviet Russia: Russian Orthodoxy from World War II to the Khrushchev Years'' (2002). [https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Lwf0Qy3S5csC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Chumachenko+Roslof&ots=Nz9Ta44nxo&sig=PWspflHYPDkp4xu_fPVweCled2s#v=onepage&q=&f=false excerpt and text search]</ref> <br />
===Schooling===<br />
Khrushchev had little success in reforming the archaic educational system. He tried to remove the worst aspects of Stalinism, promote a degree of freer exchange of opinions, grant schools more autonomy, and make the curricula of primary and secondary schools more relevant to the needs of the expanding and developing Soviet economy. Many politicians and educators opposed the changes. Some wished to maintain the Stalinist system, believing that the USSR needed firm and unwavering central authority and automatic obedience, rather than students who could think for themselves. Old fashioned pedagogs used to relentless drill and memorization realized they were ill fitted to adapt to the changes. Some educators supported the changes, but fearfully, wondering whether any future change of leadership might lead to the denunciation of Khrushchev's reforms and the censure of those who had accepted them. The reforms were put together hastily, were implemented fitfully and capriciously, and failed fundamentally to change Soviet educational results. More drills and more obedience remained the rule.<br />
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[[File:~nikita.jpg|thumb|310px]]<br />
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==Overthrown==<br />
By late 1964 Kremlin leaders were fed up with Khrushchev's irascible and self-contradictory behavior; top officials all complained he no longer consulted with them. He had been weakened by the Cuban Missile Crisis and his split with China. Khrushchev knew he was tired out and talked of retirement, but there was no orderly way to change rulers. He failed to realize he had lost support among workers, farmers and the intelligentsia. The military was angry at his plans to slash their budgets. None of the grandiose socialist reforms he had promised so often were working out; even the space program had fallen behind the Americans. China was now an enemy and building alternative Communist parties across the world reforms. Top conspirators included [[Leonid Brezhnev]], Alexei Kosygin, Nikolai Podgorny, Mikhail Suslov; they acted in a bloodless coup to remove Khrushchev from his government and party positions in October 1964. They persuaded the [[Politburo]], which governed the Communist Party, to replace Khrushchev with Brezhnev. Khrushchev then quietly lived out the remainder of his life under the watch of the [[KGB]] until his death in 1971. He managed to smuggle out his memoirs for publication in the West.<br />
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==We will bury you==<br />
On November 18, 1956 Khrushchev boasted to the West, "We will bury you". Americans were outraged—was he promising a nuclear Pearl Harbor? He later said he meant it economically.<ref>http://www.bartleby.com/66/52/32552.html</ref> He actually believed that it was possible to overtake the U.S. in the production of meat, butter and milk. What happened was that urbanization was bringing millions of peasants from jobs of low productivity on the farm to jobs of much better productivity in the cities, though still at levels well below western Europe and the U.S. The result was a temporary boost in very high growth rates that leveled off after so may people had quit the farms that food shortages loomed. Khrushchev was a true believer in Communism; his son Sergei is now an American citizen.<br />
==Evaluation==<br />
Historians are still puzzled about some basic questions. As William Taubman has asked, Foreword, many questions remain unanswered. "How did Khrushchev manage not only to survive Stalin but to succeed him? What led him to denounce his former master? How could a man of minimal formal education direct the affairs of a vast intercontinental empire in the nuclear age? Why did Khrushchev's attempt to ease East-West tensions result in two of the worst crises of the Cold War in Berlin and Cuba?"<ref>William Taubman. forward to Sergei N. Khrushchev, ''Nikita Khrushchev and the Creation of a Superpower'' (2000)</ref> <br />
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==External links==<br />
*[http://www.richardsorge.com/appendixes/beria/translation.html Gianni Agnelli quoted on Khrushchev], 11 May 2003.<br />
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==Further reading==<br />
* Beschloss, Michael R. ''The Crisis Years: Kennedy and Khrushchev, 1960-1963'' (1991)<br />
* Dobbs, Michael. ''One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War'' (2008) [https://www.amazon.com/One-Minute-Midnight-Kennedy-Khrushchev/dp/1400043581/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240712196&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search] <br />
* Florinsky, Michael T. ''McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Russia and the Soviet Union'' (1961) [http://www.questia.com/read/95434721?title=McGraw-Hill%20Encyclopedia%20of%20Russia%20and%20the%20Soviet%20Union online edition]<br />
* Fursenko, Aleksandr, and Timothy Naftali. ''One Hell of a Gamble: Khrushchev, Castro, and Kennedy, 1958-1964'' (1997) [http://www.questia.com/read/102075308?title=One%20Hell%20of%20a%20Gamble%3a%20Khrushchev%2c%20Castro%2c%20and%20Kennedy%2c%201958-1964 online edition]<br />
* Fursenko, Aleksandr, and Timothy Naftali. '' Khrushchev's Cold War: The Inside Story of an American Adversary'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchevs-Cold-War-American-Adversary/dp/0393330729/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255059962&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Kaldor, Nicholas, et al. ''Khrushchev--A Political Life'' (1989) [http://www.questia.com/read/56403616?title=Khrushchev--A%20Political%20Life online edition]<br />
* Keep, John L. H. ''Last of the Empires: A History of the Soviet Union, 1945-1991'' (1996) [http://www.questia.com/read/25055927?title=Last%20of%20the%20Empires%3a%20A%20History%20of%20the%20Soviet%20Union%2c%201945-1991 online edition]<br />
* McCauley. Martin. ''The Khrushchev Era 1953-1964'' (1995), [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchev-Era-1953-1964-Martin-McCauley/dp/0582277760/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255059962&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Mastny, Vojtech, and Malcolm Byrne. ''A Cardboard Castle? An Inside History of the Warsaw Pact, 1955-1991'' (2005) [http://www.questia.com/read/114710702?title=A%20Cardboard%20Castle%3f%20%20An%20Inside%20History%20of%20the%20Warsaw%20Pact%2c%201955-1991 online edition]<br />
* Taubman, William. ''Khrushchev: The Man and His Era'' (2003), 896pp; outstanding, balanced biography; Pulitzer prize; the best place to start [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchev-Man-His-William-Taubman/dp/0393324842/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255059962&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Tompson, William J. ''Khrushchev: A Political Life'' (1997) [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchev-Political-William-J-Tompson/dp/0312163606/ref=sr_1_39?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255060227&sr=1-39 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Von Bencke, Matthew J. ''The Politics of Space: A History of U.S.-Soviet/Russian Competition and Cooperation in Space'' (1997) [http://www.questia.com/read/65419161?title=The%20Politics%20of%20Space%3a%20A%20History%20of%20U.S.-Soviet%2fRussian%20Competition%20and%20Cooperation%20in%20Space online edition]<br />
* Zubok, Vladislav M. ''A Failed Empire: The Soviet Union in the Cold War from Stalin to Gorbachev'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Failed-Empire-Soviet-Gorbachev-History/dp/0807830984/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255061323&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]<br />
<br />
<br />
===Primary sources===<br />
* Khrushchev, Nikita. ''Memoirs of Nikita Khrushchev'', edited by his son Sergei N. Khrushchev<br />
** ''Volume 1: Commissar, 1918–1945'' (2004) 1004pp [http://www.psupress.psu.edu/books/titles/0-271-02332-5.html contents] <br />
** ''Volume 2: Reformer, 1945–1964'' (2006) 896pp [http://www.psupress.org/books/titles/0-271-02861-0.html contents]<br />
** ''Volume 3: Statesman, 1953–1964'' (2007), 1176pp [http://www.psupress.psu.edu/books/titles/978-0-271-02935-1.html contents]<br />
* ''Khrushchev Remembers'' (1970), ed. by Strobe Talbot; summary of the very candid memoirs<br />
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,872725,00.html "Russia: A Bang in Asia," ''Time'' Sept. 8, 1961], cover story on Khrushchev<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
*[https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/nikita-sergeyevich-khrushchev History.com biography]<br />
==References==<br />
<References/><br />
<br />
{{Communism}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khrushchev, Nikita}}<br />
[[Category:Soviet Leaders]]<br />
[[Category:Cold War]]<br />
[[Category:Russian History]]<br />
[[Category:Communism]]<br />
[[Category:Soviet Union]]<br />
[[Category:Ukraine]]<br />
[[Category:1950s]]<br />
[[Category:1960s]]<br />
[[Category:Communists]]<br />
[[Category:Statesmen]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Leonid_Brezhnev&diff=2034783Leonid Brezhnev2024-03-17T02:58:13Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* References */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Brezhnev bbc.jpg|thumbnail|200px|right|Leonid Brezhnev head of the Soviet Union and remained so until his death in 1982.<br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Brezhnev had a stroke in March 1982 and died of a heart attack in November.<ref>http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1883.html</ref>]]<br />
'''Leonid Brezhnev''' (1906 - 1982) was part of an internal coup that stripped the [[Soviet Union]]'s leader, [[Nikita Khrushchev]], of power in 1964 because of Khruschev's reform efforts. Brezhnev became the new head of the Soviet Union and remained so until his death in 1982.<ref>The New American Desk Encyclopedia, Penguin Group, 1989</ref><br />
<br />
Brezhnev's ethnicity was listed as [[Ukrainian]] in official Soviet documents.<ref>[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ru/a/ac/Brezhnev_LI_ListKadr_1942.jpg L.I. Brezhnev military card]</ref><ref>http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brezhnev_LI_OrKrZn_NagrList_1942.jpg</ref><ref>http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brezhnev_LI_Pasport_1947.jpg</ref> <br />
<br />
==Background==<br />
Brezhnev was born on December 19, 1906 in Kamenskoye, now Kamianske, Ukraine.<br />
<br />
Brezhnev's admiration for [[Western civilization|Western culture]], especially music, was well-known.<br />
<br />
==World War II==<br />
When the Germans occupied [[Ukraine]] in 1942, Brezhnev was sent to the [[Caucasus]] as deputy head of political administration of the Transcaucasian Front. In April 1943 he became head of the Political Department of the 18th Army. Later that year, the 18th Army became part of the 1st Ukrainian Front, as the [[Red Army]] regained the initiative and advanced westward through Ukraine. The Front's senior political commissar was [[Nikita Khrushchev]], who had supported Brezhnev's career since the prewar years. Brezhnev had met Khrushchev in 1931, shortly after joining the Party, and as he continued his rise through the ranks, he became Khrushchev's protégé. At the end of the war in Europe, Brezhnev was chief political commissar of the 4th Ukrainian Front, which entered [[Prague]] in May 1945, after the German surrender.<br />
<br />
==General Secretary==<br />
<br />
Brezhnev initially continued Khruschev's policy of peaceful co-existence and joined with U.S. President [[Richard Nixon]] in [[detente]] while continuing active support for armed [[national liberation movement]]s around the world. At the start of the detente agreement, Nixon and Brezhnev agreed to allow each other to address the other's people on a nationally televised broadcast.<ref>https://youtu.be/FeYhd6uNMpo?t=2386</ref><br />
<br />
In 1980 the Soviet [[Politburo]] presided over by Brezhnev initiated the [[Soviet-Afghan War]] in an effort to create a Soviet Socialist Republic of Afghanistan along [[Atheism|atheist]] and [[secular]] models, subservient to the Soviet Union as another satellite-client state.<br />
[[File:Ted and Brezhnev.jpeg|right|300px|thumb|Sen. [[Ted Kennedy]] [[colluding]] with Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev to interfere in the [[1984 Presidential election]].<ref>https://spectator.org/the-kremlins-dupe-ted-kennedys-russia-romance/</ref>]]<br />
Brezhnev was the original author and planner of the nuclear freeze movement which became quite popular and fashionable in the West among [[liberal]]s such as [[Ted Kennedy]] and [[Barack Obama]] because of its anti-[[NATO]], anti-U.S. military spending and pro-socialist welfare stance.<br />
<br />
===Brezhnev Doctrine===<br />
In 1968 elements of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia rapidly began to reform their rule, loosen censorship, and strengthen Western ties. In response, Soviet and other [[Warsaw Pact]] troops entered Czechoslovakia and installed a new regime. Brezhnev announced, "Now the situation in brotherly Czechoslovakia is completely [[Psychological_warfare#Normalization|normalized]]." Out of these events arose the so-called Brezhnev Doctrine, which warned that the Soviet Union would act to maintain its hegemony in Eastern Europe. Soviet suppression of the reform movement reduced blatant gestures of defiance on the part of Romania and served as a threatening example to the Polish Solidarity trade union movement in 1980. But it also helped disillusion communist parties in Western Europe to the extent that by 1977 most of the leading parties embraced Eurocommunism, which freed them to pursue political programs independent of Moscow's dictates.<br />
<br />
==Later years and death==<br />
<br />
The Brezhnev years are known as the [[Era of Stagnation]] and marked by rampant corruption. He was reported to have died in 1978, but Soviet doctors resuscitated him and his cognitive abilities never quite returned. In his final years, as his mental faculties failed, a common joke circulated about him and his chief-of-staff [[Konstantin Chernenko]]: "Brezhnev is dead, only Chernenko hasn't informed him yet." He died November 10, 1982 and was succeeded by [[Yuri Andropov]] for 15 months until Andropov, who then was succeeded by Chernenko for 13 months until Chernenko died, who then was succeed by [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] for six years until the Soviet Union died.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<br />
<References/><br />
{{communism}}<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brezhnev, Leonid}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Soviet Leaders]]<br />
[[Category:Statesmen]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Aleksandr_Solzhenitsyn&diff=2034782Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn2024-03-17T02:48:58Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* References */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:A Solzhenitsyn.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn]]<br />
'''Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn''' (Alexander Solyenitsin) (Russian: Александр Солженицын) (b. 1918–2008), was a fascist Russian novelist and historian. He was born at Kislovodsk on 11 December 1918, in the [[Soviet Union]]. While serving as a Red Army captain during [[World War II]], immediately after the surrender of Germany to Red Army forces, he was sent to prison and labor camps over a private letter to a friend which government censors read, criticizing [[Joseph Stalin]].<ref>https://blog.acton.org/archives/105189-5-facts-about-aleksandr-solzhenitsyn.html</ref> His additional writing won him the [[Nobel Prize]] for Literature in 1970 and exile from the Soviet Union (ordered out of the country) in 1974. He returned to [[Russia]] in 1994, after [[communism]] fell there.<br />
<br />
==Life==<br />
[[File:Solzhenitsyn and Putin.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] presents [[human rights]] activist Alexander Solzhenitsyn with an award. Solzhenitsyn set in motion the movement that toppled Soviet communism. Leftists in the U.S. foreign policy [[establishment]] criticized Solzhenitsyn for accepting the award.<ref>https://foreignpolicy.com/2007/07/25/the-worlds-most-famous-gulag-survivor-apologizes-for-putin/</ref>]]<br />
Solzhenitsyn studied science, history, and literature. He also was a teacher for a short period. When the [[Nazis]] invaded in 1941, he entered the army. From his hard work he rose to the rank of captain and won medals twice for his service. <br />
<br />
In February 1945, he was arrested by the Soviet secret police for a passage in his private letter that criticized the Soviet dictator [[Stalin]]. Solzhenitsyn spent three years in prison and five in the Communists labor camps. He was released after Stalin's death and the returned to his teaching. <br />
<br />
Solzhenitsyn began to write about his horrific experiences in the labor camps and the oppression of Communism. Of course, the Communists did not have a free press, but in the late 1950s to the early 1960s, there was a period of openness. This period was only used to improve relations with the West. ''One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich'' was published in 1962. This was about the daily life of a labor camp worker in the Soviet Union. Other works followed and Solzhenitsyn fame became international. Once the openness period ended the Soviet Union could not safely depose the famous writer. He was exiled from the Soviet Union and still remained an outspoken critic of the Communism. Solzhenitsyn later won the Nobel prize in literature.<br />
<br />
Solzhenitsyn said, "At the height of Stalin's terror in 1937-38 ... more than 40,000 persons were shot per month .... Over there people are groaning and dying and in psychiatric hospitals. Doctors are making their evening rounds, injecting people with drugs which destroy their brain cells. ... You know the words from the Bible: 'Build not on sand, but on rock'.... [[Vladimir Ilyich Lenin|Lenin]]'s teachings are that anyone is considered to be a fool who doesn't take what's lying in front of him. If you can take it, take it. If you can attack, attack. But if there's a wall, then<br />
go back. And the Communist leaders respect only firmness and have contempt and laugh at persons who continually give in to them."<br />
<br />
Solzhenitsyn warned the [[United States]], "America ... they are trying to weaken you; they are trying to disarm your strong and magnificent country ... I call upon you: ordinary working men of America ... do not let yourselves become weak." <br />
<br />
In the 1990s, Solzhenitsyn was critical of President [[Boris Yeltsin]], blaming him for the collapse of Russia's economy, his inability to prevent [[NATO]] expansion in Eastern Europe, and his support of Russian billionaires ([[oligarch]]s), while ordinary Russians grew poorer (''Rebuilding Russia'' [1990] and ''Russia in Collapse'' [1998]). In 1998, Solzhenitsyn embarrassed Yeltsin by refusing to accept an award from him.[http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/421905.aspx]<br />
<br />
Solzhenitsyn has criticized the policies of current Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]].<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/935876.stm</ref> In later years, he supported and defended Putin against western criticism. In 2007, he accepted an award from Putin.[http://pajamasmedia.com/flemmingrose/2007/07/29/post_4/]<br />
<br />
"Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's volumes documenting the murderous Soviet [[gulag]] ... had an enormous impact undermining the moral claims of [[socialism]]." <ref>http://www.isil.org/peace/philosophy/liberty.html</ref> ("Arkhipelag Gulag")<br />
<br />
He died on August 3, 2008, in Moscow.<br />
<br />
==Men have forgotten God==<br />
Solzhenitsyn wrote of the calamities that afflicted his people in the bloody wake of the [[Bolshevik Revolution]]. At one point he wrote,<br />
{{Quotebox|Over half a century ago while I was still a child I recall hearing a number of old people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: "Men have forgotten God". They said that's why all this has happened. Since then I have spent well nigh 50 years working on the history of our [[revolution]], but if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat, men have forgotten God. That's why all this has happened.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVDYYQnCWp8</ref>}} <br />
<br />
== Quotes==<br />
* "We watch this process in the past centuries and especially in the past decades, on a world scale as the situation becomes increasingly dramatic. Liberalism was inevitably displaced by radicalism; radicalism had to surrender to socialism; and socialism could never resist communism."A World Split Apart, Commencement Address Delivered at Harvard University,<ref>[https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/alexandersolzhenitsynharvard.htm A World Split Apart]</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/details/worldsplitapart00alek Commencement Address Delivered at Harvard University]</ref>, June 8, 1978.<br />
<br />
== Famous works ==<br />
* ''[[One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich]]'' (1962)<br />
* ''The First Circle'' (1968)<br />
* ''August 1914'' (1971) (a novel about the defeat of the Imperial Russian Army in East Prussia at the outset of [[World War I]], at the Battle of Tannenberg)<br />
* ''[[The Gulag Archipelago]]'' (1973)<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
<br />
*[[Atheism and forced labor]]<br />
*[[Atheism and slavery]]<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
*[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1970/solzhenitsyn-autobio.html Autobiography] The Nobel Foundation.<br />
*[https://www.thenewamerican.com/print-magazine/item/32110-russell-kirk-and-aleksandr-solzhenitsyn-the-centennial-of-two-conservative-giants Russell Kirk and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn — The Centennial of Two Conservative Giants], by James Heiser of ''[[The New American]]'', May 10, 2019.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Nobel Laureates in Literature]]<br />
[[Category:Russian People]]<br />
[[Category:Slavic Authors]]<br />
[[Category:Conservative Authors]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-Communism]]<br />
[[Category:Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn]]<br />
[[Category:Orthodox Christians]]<br />
[[Category:Fascism]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Aleksandr_Solzhenitsyn&diff=2034781Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn2024-03-17T02:48:34Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:A Solzhenitsyn.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn]]<br />
'''Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn''' (Alexander Solyenitsin) (Russian: Александр Солженицын) (b. 1918–2008), was a fascist Russian novelist and historian. He was born at Kislovodsk on 11 December 1918, in the [[Soviet Union]]. While serving as a Red Army captain during [[World War II]], immediately after the surrender of Germany to Red Army forces, he was sent to prison and labor camps over a private letter to a friend which government censors read, criticizing [[Joseph Stalin]].<ref>https://blog.acton.org/archives/105189-5-facts-about-aleksandr-solzhenitsyn.html</ref> His additional writing won him the [[Nobel Prize]] for Literature in 1970 and exile from the Soviet Union (ordered out of the country) in 1974. He returned to [[Russia]] in 1994, after [[communism]] fell there.<br />
<br />
==Life==<br />
[[File:Solzhenitsyn and Putin.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] presents [[human rights]] activist Alexander Solzhenitsyn with an award. Solzhenitsyn set in motion the movement that toppled Soviet communism. Leftists in the U.S. foreign policy [[establishment]] criticized Solzhenitsyn for accepting the award.<ref>https://foreignpolicy.com/2007/07/25/the-worlds-most-famous-gulag-survivor-apologizes-for-putin/</ref>]]<br />
Solzhenitsyn studied science, history, and literature. He also was a teacher for a short period. When the [[Nazis]] invaded in 1941, he entered the army. From his hard work he rose to the rank of captain and won medals twice for his service. <br />
<br />
In February 1945, he was arrested by the Soviet secret police for a passage in his private letter that criticized the Soviet dictator [[Stalin]]. Solzhenitsyn spent three years in prison and five in the Communists labor camps. He was released after Stalin's death and the returned to his teaching. <br />
<br />
Solzhenitsyn began to write about his horrific experiences in the labor camps and the oppression of Communism. Of course, the Communists did not have a free press, but in the late 1950s to the early 1960s, there was a period of openness. This period was only used to improve relations with the West. ''One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich'' was published in 1962. This was about the daily life of a labor camp worker in the Soviet Union. Other works followed and Solzhenitsyn fame became international. Once the openness period ended the Soviet Union could not safely depose the famous writer. He was exiled from the Soviet Union and still remained an outspoken critic of the Communism. Solzhenitsyn later won the Nobel prize in literature.<br />
<br />
Solzhenitsyn said, "At the height of Stalin's terror in 1937-38 ... more than 40,000 persons were shot per month .... Over there people are groaning and dying and in psychiatric hospitals. Doctors are making their evening rounds, injecting people with drugs which destroy their brain cells. ... You know the words from the Bible: 'Build not on sand, but on rock'.... [[Vladimir Ilyich Lenin|Lenin]]'s teachings are that anyone is considered to be a fool who doesn't take what's lying in front of him. If you can take it, take it. If you can attack, attack. But if there's a wall, then<br />
go back. And the Communist leaders respect only firmness and have contempt and laugh at persons who continually give in to them."<br />
<br />
Solzhenitsyn warned the [[United States]], "America ... they are trying to weaken you; they are trying to disarm your strong and magnificent country ... I call upon you: ordinary working men of America ... do not let yourselves become weak." <br />
<br />
In the 1990s, Solzhenitsyn was critical of President [[Boris Yeltsin]], blaming him for the collapse of Russia's economy, his inability to prevent [[NATO]] expansion in Eastern Europe, and his support of Russian billionaires ([[oligarch]]s), while ordinary Russians grew poorer (''Rebuilding Russia'' [1990] and ''Russia in Collapse'' [1998]). In 1998, Solzhenitsyn embarrassed Yeltsin by refusing to accept an award from him.[http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/421905.aspx]<br />
<br />
Solzhenitsyn has criticized the policies of current Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]].<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/935876.stm</ref> In later years, he supported and defended Putin against western criticism. In 2007, he accepted an award from Putin.[http://pajamasmedia.com/flemmingrose/2007/07/29/post_4/]<br />
<br />
"Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's volumes documenting the murderous Soviet [[gulag]] ... had an enormous impact undermining the moral claims of [[socialism]]." <ref>http://www.isil.org/peace/philosophy/liberty.html</ref> ("Arkhipelag Gulag")<br />
<br />
He died on August 3, 2008, in Moscow.<br />
<br />
==Men have forgotten God==<br />
Solzhenitsyn wrote of the calamities that afflicted his people in the bloody wake of the [[Bolshevik Revolution]]. At one point he wrote,<br />
{{Quotebox|Over half a century ago while I was still a child I recall hearing a number of old people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: "Men have forgotten God". They said that's why all this has happened. Since then I have spent well nigh 50 years working on the history of our [[revolution]], but if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat, men have forgotten God. That's why all this has happened.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVDYYQnCWp8</ref>}} <br />
<br />
== Quotes==<br />
* "We watch this process in the past centuries and especially in the past decades, on a world scale as the situation becomes increasingly dramatic. Liberalism was inevitably displaced by radicalism; radicalism had to surrender to socialism; and socialism could never resist communism."A World Split Apart, Commencement Address Delivered at Harvard University,<ref>[https://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/alexandersolzhenitsynharvard.htm A World Split Apart]</ref><ref>[https://archive.org/details/worldsplitapart00alek Commencement Address Delivered at Harvard University]</ref>, June 8, 1978.<br />
<br />
== Famous works ==<br />
* ''[[One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich]]'' (1962)<br />
* ''The First Circle'' (1968)<br />
* ''August 1914'' (1971) (a novel about the defeat of the Imperial Russian Army in East Prussia at the outset of [[World War I]], at the Battle of Tannenberg)<br />
* ''[[The Gulag Archipelago]]'' (1973)<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
<br />
*[[Atheism and forced labor]]<br />
*[[Atheism and slavery]]<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
*[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1970/solzhenitsyn-autobio.html Autobiography] The Nobel Foundation.<br />
*[https://www.thenewamerican.com/print-magazine/item/32110-russell-kirk-and-aleksandr-solzhenitsyn-the-centennial-of-two-conservative-giants Russell Kirk and Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn — The Centennial of Two Conservative Giants], by James Heiser of ''[[The New American]]'', May 10, 2019.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Nobel Laureates in Literature]]<br />
[[Category:Russian People]]<br />
[[Category:Slavic Authors]]<br />
[[Category:Conservative Authors]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-Communism]]<br />
[[Category:Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn]]<br />
[[Category:Orthodox Christians]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Nikita_Khrushchev&diff=2034780Nikita Khrushchev2024-03-17T02:40:25Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Nikita Krushchev.jpg|thumb|290px|Khrushchev liked to threaten and bully, often using "brinkmanship" (the threat of nuclear weapons); ''Time'' Sept. 8, 1961]]<br />
'''Nikita Khrushchev''' (1894 - 1971) was a [[Ukrainian]] [[Communist]] who became leader of the [[Soviet Union]] in a power struggle after [[Joseph Stalin]] was assassinated by fellow members of the [[Politburo]] in 1953; Khrushchev's grip on power lasted until he was ousted in 1964 over his handling of the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]] and allowing the publication of [[Alexander Solzhenitsyn]]'s ''[[One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich]]'' with its [[Christian]] themes. Other Politburo members felt Khrushchev had behaved recklessly in the field of [[foreign policy]] and had gone soft on the [[leftist]] regime's repressive domestic policy. Khrushchev's nicknames included "Butcher of Budapest" and the "Hangman of the Ukraine."<br />
<br />
Khrushchev's tenure as dictator occurred during the height of the [[Cold War]] between the Soviet bloc and the United States and its allies. One of the most colorful world leaders of the 20th century, he always identified with the peasant—and indeed he was crude, unsophisticated, earthy, and brutal, as well as energetic, shrewd and determined. He really did hammer his shoe on the table at the United Nations when he disagreed with a speaker. He exposed and ended some of the arbitrary cruelty of Stalin in order to unleash what he thought was the scientific prowess of socialism, but apart from launching the world's first satellite into space, he never found the magic technological fix for Russia's ills, and instead came dangerously close to war with both the Americans and the Chinese. His leadership of the Communist bloc in the [[Cold War]] was so dangerous he had to be removed by his subordinates.<br />
<br />
Khrushchev said in 1959:<br />
{{cquote|Your children’s children will live under Communism. You Americans are so gullible. No, you won’t accept Communism outright; but we’ll keep feeding you small doses of Socialism until you will finally wake up and find that you already have Communism. We won’t have to fight you; we’ll so weaken you economy, until you will fall like ripe fruit into our hands.}}<br />
==Career==<br />
[[File:Khruschev.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Khruschev, a Ukrainian, banging his shoe on the table at the UN. This widely publicized photo created a vulgar stereotypical image of Russians that persisted for generations.]]<br />
Born to a poor peasant family, he left school at 14 and followed his father to work in distant mines. He was an ambitious working-class youth during an era of dramatic industrial growth, world war and civil war; he watched closely, met everyone of importance, and displayed organizational skills that moved him ahead. Joining the Communist Party in 1918 (rather late compared to other leaders) he rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming party boss first of Moscow then of all Ukraine. He played a major role in building the Moscow subway—one system that works well in Russia to this day—and in starving the kulaks who owned a few acres. Returning in 1938 to Ukraine, he was regional boss for twelve years. The Ukraine was a main theater of war and he was political commissar at the front 1941-45. He returned to Stalin's side in Moscow in 1949 in charge of agriculture, always the most essential, yet ironically most backward, part of the Soviet economy.<br />
<br />
==Coming to Power, 1953==<br />
<br />
After Stalin's death in 1953, Khrushchev and premier Georgi Malenkov united their networks against Soviet security chief Lavrenti Beria. The defection of two of Beria's deputy ministers allowed Khrushchev and Malenkov to arrest Beria, for without these ministers, Beria no longer had control of Ministry of Interior troops or the troops of the Kremlin Guard. Beria was killed by firing squad. By 1957, Khrushchev had shoved Malenkov aside and had consolidated his dictatorship. His technique was to replace half the regional party leaders with his own network of loyalists, which gave him the votes to win victory in the Central Committee over the "anti-party group" of Malenkov, [[Vyacheslav Molotov]], and Lazar Kaganovich. Officially, he held the title of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (from 1953 to 1964) and Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers (from 1958 to 1964). He lived with his wife Niva in an old restored mansion in the [[Lenin]] Hills.<br />
<br />
==De-Stalinization==<br />
{{main|De-Stalinization}}<br />
Khrushchev denounced Stalin in 1956 in one of the most spectacular and revealing speeches in world history. The audience was originally high officials—they knew bits and pieces of the horrible story of Stalin's crimes, but now for the first time saw the whole picture. Against Khrushchev's intent, the text of the speech was soon translated and publicized worldwide. <br />
<br />
The secrets were out; now everyone knew that the Stalin era was built on [[deceit]], disinformation, and false allegations up and down the line, and false imprisonment and execution. Hundreds of thousands of loyal Russians had been shot as "spies" to satisfy Stalin's paranoia. By blaming his predecessor for all of Russia's ills Khrushchev bought time to reform the system. The speech became a tool at all levels for reformers to attack the old guard that was accused of complicity in Stalin's crimes. Khrushchev himself shared the guilt but purged himself by revealing it. He could now terminate the worst features of the [[Gulag]], stopping arbitrary executions, freeing half the 2.3 million prisoners and shortening the terms for the rest, and rehabilitating the memory of the dead. Yet Khrushchev had to allow the secret police (now called KGB) to maintain a high enough fear level in people's minds to keep the Party in power. As for the memories of Stalin, that was solved by erasing him from history—his name was never mentioned, his image never seen—and instead filling the media and the minds with the glorious heroics of the Great Patriotic War against Germany. The personality cult that Stalin had built was totally dismantled and was never to be repeated; only one statue was permitted to survive, and that was in Stalin's remote birthplace in Georgia.<ref>Cynthia Hooper, "What Can and Cannot Be Said: Between the Stalinist Past and New Soviet Future," ''Slavonic & East European Review'' 2008 86(2): 306-327,</ref><br />
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The '''"thaw"''' was the little taste of freedom after so many years of tyranny. Tasting a little freedom for the first time ever, Soviet citizens began following Western ideas and fashions in clothing. Realizing he had allowed too much freedom for Communism to survive, Khrushchev shut down the "cultural thaw" that had begun. He closed the magazines in Moscow that had started to honestly describe and analyze Soviet society. The writers, musicians and artists were put under firmer control. [[Boris Pasternak]], winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1958 for his novel ''Doctor Zhivago'', was ostracized as a Judas.<ref>Taubman (2003) pp 383-88</ref><br />
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Khrushchev did not realize that "glasnost" would get people thinking outside Russia. One unexpected result was the [[Hungarian uprising]] a year later that had to be crushed by the Russian army. The revelations were a devastating blow to international Communism worldwide, especially as intellectuals and artists discovered they had been duped into blind support for a monster. The Chinese moved into the vacuum, idealizing Mao and setting up rival Communist parties in most countries.<br />
<br />
==Foreign policy==<br />
Khrushchev handled foreign policy poorly. He had to preserve control of Eastern Europe—but persuasion failed and he sent in his army to suppress Hungary. Second, he had to maintain the unity of the world Communist movement, which turned above all on relations with China. Despite massive amounts of aid to China, he failed and made his most important ally into his most implacable foe. Finally he had to de-escalate tensions and reach equilibrium with the United States. He instead tried nuclear confrontation, leading to near disaster in 1962 until he drew back at the last second over Cuba. More successful was his quest for prestige which centered on the Space Race—where the Soviets astonished the world by taking a clear lead over the U.S. for a few years. <br />
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===United States===<br />
After a quiet summit meeting with President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] in Geneva in 1955, Khrushchev made a personal visit to the U.S. in 1959. He was impressed with the hybrid corn and disgusted with the shimmer and glitter of Hollywood. A summit planned for 1960 was canceled when an American U-2 spy plane, piloted by Francis Gary Powers, was shot down in 1960 and Powers was captured. <br />
[[Image:Kennedy khrushchev.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Khrushchev and Kennedy at the Vienna Summit in 1961.]]<br />
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Khrushchev met with [[President Kennedy]] during Kennedy's first year in office at the Vienna Summit of 1961. Journalist James Reston wrote afterward, <br />
{{Cquote|Kennedy went there shortly after his spectacular blunders at the [[Bay of Pigs]], and was savaged by Khrushchev.... I had an hour alone with President Kennedy immediately after his last meeting with Khrushchev in Vienna at that time...Khrushchev had assumed, Kennedy said, that any American President who invaded Cuba without adequate preparation was inexperienced, and any president who then didn't use force to see the invasion through was weak. Kennedy admitted Khrushchev's logic on both points.}}<br />
===Space race===<br />
[[File:Sputnik.jpg|thumb|400px|The Sputnik in 1957 was the greatest triumph of Soviet technology]]<br />
Sputnik—the first earth satellite—was a propagandist's dream come true when it astonished the world in October 1957. There followed a series of firsts, demonstrating the superiority of the big Soviet launching missiles, which could also be used to launch nuclear weapons. The image of [[Yuri Gagarin]], who became in 1961 the first man to orbit the earth, was made a central theme in Soviet propaganda, used to encourage the young to contribute to the building of communism as well as to enhance Khrushchev's legitimacy as he sought to distance himself from the legacy of the Stalinist past.<br />
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===Third World===<br />
[[File:Khrush-chef.jpg|thumb|260px|Khrushchev cooks up trouble for the West by turning up the heat and watching to see where unrest will boil over]]<br />
Seeing Kennedy's indecisiveness, he ordered the building of the [[Berlin Wall]] in 1962 to stop the exodus of talent from East Germany to freedom. Kennedy made some speeches then accommodated to the new tyranny.<ref>Petr Lunák, "Khrushchev and the Berlin Crisis: Soviet Brinkmanship Seen from Inside," ''Cold War History'' 2003 3(2): 53-82,</ref> Emboldened, the Soviets expanded their subversion in weak nations, knowing that the American [[containment]] policy would force the West to defend itself under the most adverse conditions, as selected by the Kremlin. Sums were spread widely to see where trouble would best brew.<br />
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Soviet interest in the Third World grew with the aim of weakening the United States. <br />
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The Kremlin tried to gain a foothold among the newly independent countries of sub-Saharan Africa by giving technical and educational assistance to such socialist countries as [[Guinea]], [[Mali]], and [[Ghana]]. Although the Soviets publicly maintained that their efforts were strictly fraternal and were being made unconditionally, in fact the secret Kremlin documents show that the aid was part of a strategy to promote Communist foreign policies and undercut capitalism. African leaders, however, were more interested in an Africanization of their erstwhile colonial structures, and carefully sidestepped the ideological ramifications of the collaboration. In the critical area of joint educational projects, they refused to give Soviet teachers and professors privileged positions even in the institutions built by the USSR, such as the Institut Polytechnique in Conakry, which consistently had more Western instructors than Soviet ones. With instruction taking place in English and French (the former colonial languages), it was noted that the Soviet instructors' proficiency and often their technical expertise lagged far behind those of their French and American counterparts. The Soviets seem to have overestimated the attraction of Patrice Lumumba University (now called "Peoples' Friendship University) in Moscow while clearly lacking the human and pedagogical means to offer sufficient training in Africa itself and may have been proceeding without plan in what they perhaps considered a region of peripheral importance in the conduct of the Cold War. Setting up Patrice Lumumba University for African students in 1960 was one solution, but the African students there reported an intense degree of hatred and racism from the Russian students which further soured relations.<ref>Julie Hessler, "Death of an African Student in Moscow: Race, Politics, and the Cold War," ''Cahiers du Monde Russe'' 2006 47(1-2): 33-63. The harsh racism in Moscow continue today; see [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/18/world/moscow-journal-african-students-harsh-lesson-racism-is-astir-in-russia.html Seth Mydans, "Moscow Journal; African Students' Harsh Lesson: Racism Is Astir in Russia," ''New York Times'', Dec. 18, 2003]</ref><br />
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Intensified commercial and cultural relations with Latin American countries paid off when [[Fidel Castro]] came to power in [[Cuba]] in 1959 and aligned his country with the Soviets, and counted on the Kremlin to back him in direct confrontations with the U.S. Castro sponsored guerrilla movements in the region, and later in Africa, that the Russians avoided. Khrushchev was ultimately more interested in peaceful coexistence and in pursuing a classic policy of regional power than in revolutionary strategy. Khrushchev blundered by allowing Castro to take the initiative, which brought the world to the brink of disaster with the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.<br />
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===Cuban Missile Crisis===<br />
see [[Cuban Missile Crisis]] [[File:Dobbs-Cuba.jpg|thumb|220px]]<br />
Khrushchev badly miscalculated regarding Cuba, which he feared would be invaded by Americans. As the Kennedy Administration developed a first-strike military strategy and a nuclear superiority capable of delivering it, Khrushchev sought to parry the American advantage by installing short-range Soviet missiles with nuclear warheads in Cuba, supposedly under his control (not Castro's). Stunned to discover the missiles, Washington demanded their removal and through a naval blockade around the island. Khrushchev seems not to have consulted his advisors, and was ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Cuba against invasion and to send four nuclear-armed submarines to Cuba. Anastas Mikoyan (1895-1978) calmed the emotional Khrushchev and got him to avoid such provocative acts. He at last relented and took out the missiles and nuclear weapons, winning a public promise that the U.S. would never invade Cuba. He also got the Americans to secretly remove their nuclear missiles from Turkey and Italy. <br />
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Khrushchev made three blunders. First, he never should have placed missiles in Cuba. Second he should not have sent two contradictory messages in the space of 24 hours. Finally, by "blinking" during the showdown over the quarantine, he undermined his standing with the United States and in the Kremlin. His recklessness troubled other Kremlin leaders, who saw the Cuban episode as a fiasco that was all Khrushchev's fault.<ref>Michael Dobbs, ''One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War'' (2008).</ref><br />
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===Test Ban Treaty===<br />
A fragile détente began after the missile crisis was resolved that helped the two sides to agree to the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963. Khrushchev's political weakness after his Cuban fiasco was the main obstacle. By April 1963 - three months before US president John F. Kennedy's conciliatory speech at American University that is usually regarded as the turning point - the Soviet leader became committed to the treaty in principle. Discord within the Communist world prevented action until efforts to mend the rift with China collapsed, underscoring the need for a successful agreement with the West. Once the treaty was signed, however, the two sides failed to build on their common accomplishment and got bogged down by political issues that divided them. The opportunity for a deeper détente and a comprehensive test ban was lost because the Soviets had to seek to undermine capitalism in the west and Mao's challenge in the East.<ref>Vojtech Mastny, "The 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: a Missed Opportunity for Détente?" ''Journal of Cold War Studies'' 2008 10(1): 3-25,</ref><br />
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==Communist lands==<br />
===Hungary===<br />
When the Hungarians revolted against Communism in 1956, and the Hungarian army refused to shoot on the crowds, Khrushchev sent in Field Marshall [[Ivan Konev]] and the Soviet combat army to suppress the revolt. The fired into the apartment buildings, reducing them to rubble, entombing man, woman and child<ref>See [http://www.schwarzreport.org/yct/01ycttc.htm You Can Trust the Communists - To Be Communists], by Dr. [[Fred Schwarz]]</ref> He executed the Hungarian leader [[Imre Nagy]] and replaced him with a pro-Soviet puppet. <br />
===East Germany===<br />
The uprising in Hungary led to political crisis throughout Eastern Europe and seriously threatened the position of [[East Germany]]'s Communist dictator Walter Ulbricht. He was able to remain in power and to prevent an uprising because Khrushchev needed a strong ally in East Germany. In addition, German intellectuals were unorganized, and citizens feared a world war as their radios blared warnings of an American invasion. Soviet support was in all likelihood the key element in Ulbricht's political survival.<ref>Johanna Granville, "Ulbricht in October 1956: Survival of the 'Spitzbart' During Destalinization," ''Journal of Contemporary History'' 2006 41(3): 477-502,</ref><br />
===Poland===<br />
Khrushchev's denunciation of Stalin allowed Poland to move from Stalinist rule to a more moderate regime in a relatively nonviolent manner. Khrushchev's secret speech intensified the tensions between Communist reformers and Stalinists as well as the population's disaffection with the Stalinist regime, caused by its interference in personal freedom and unlawful imprisonments, as well as economic hardships. The brutal suppression in 1956 of the Poznan uprising, a spontaneous workers' demonstration, and the election in 1956 of [[Władysław Gomulka]] (1905–82) to head of the Polish United Workers' Party helped move Poland from Stalinist rule to a more moderate regime.<br />
===China===<br />
Khrushchev badly mishandled China—first delivering generous aid, far beyond what his colleagues wanted or he had budgeted, amounting to 7% of Soviet GDP. He sent in the best technicians and the latest equipment, and helped China design its own nuclear weapons. Then Khrushchev swung to the opposite extreme, suddenly withdrawing all Soviet technicians and canceling works in progress. The issue however was deeper than the foolish diplomacy of two rival dictators. The Chinese resented being treated as second class Communists. China was bigger, older, more cultured and resented the upstart Russians who flaunted their greater wealth and more powerful weapons. Most important, China resented Russia's willingness to compromise with capitalism in "peaceful coexistence." Relations drastically worsened from Khrushchev's September 1959 visit to Beijing through the breakdown of compromise in October 1961. Each party sought to appeal to the world as the legitimate party of proletarian internationalism, but China appealed more to the younger, more violent anti-capitalist fanatics. Specific areas of disagreement included the Moscow's refusal to support China in its border conflict with India, which was becoming a Soviet ally. Beijing worried about of Moscow's willingness to talk disarmament with the United States, with the possible threat of a Soviet-American alliance against China. Mao had aggressive plans for advancing Marxist–Leninist goals in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and conflict with Soviet agents in those places was inevitable. Indeed, after 1960 the pro-Moscow and pro-Beijing factions emerged in most Communist parties and sharply weakened them.<ref>Danhui Li and Yafeng Xia, "Competing for Leadership: Split or Detente in the Sino-soviet Bloc, 1959-1961," ''International History Review,'' 2008 30(3): 545-574,</ref> <br />
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==Domestic issues==<br />
Khrushchev's years of power were marked by strong economic growth, especially in industry; agriculture lagged behind. This was the setting fro the growing confidence in the long-term success of scientific socialism, buttressed by public opinion that was grateful for the slowly rising standard higher standard of living after so many decades of privation. The growth rate was slowing down by 1964, but the Soviets—who lacked accurate statistical measures of their own economy, did not yet realize the sclerosis that was to emerge a decade after Khrushchev was forced into retirement.<ref>Historians use data by the American [[CIA]], which had much better estimates of Soviet economic performance.</ref><br />
<br />
===Agricultural reform===<br />
[[File:Red-farms.jpg|thumb|260px|Herblock laughs at the hair growers]]<br />
As soon as Stalin died the new premier Malenkov announced a sharp cut in taxes the farms had to pay, and an increase in the allowed size of private plots (which were far more productive than communal plots). The result was a doubling in a year of farm incomes, as peasants toasted to Malenkov's health with local moonshine. When Khrushchev elbowed Malenkov aside, he had to do even better for the peasants, while upgrading the volume and quality of food for the cities.<ref>Zubok (2007) p. 96-97</ref> Khrushchev's favorite project was to till the virgin and long-fallow lands of Kazakhstan and nearby Soviet republics in order to increase the USSR's agricultural production, especially of grain. Despite his belief that scientific socialism could overcome all obstacles, the task proved far more immense and complex than the authorities had anticipated; the results were mostly failures, although some local achievements were attained.<ref>Taubman (2003) p 305-6</ref><br />
===Industry===<br />
The space industry demonstrated that modern management could be applied in Russia; it was much applauded but seldom emulated. There was little reform in heavy industry. Instead of adopting modern principles of management as practiced in other industrialized countries, from the 1950s to the 1990s there was a continuation of the old Soviet pattern of inner-circle intrigues, shuffling the same old bureaucrats and functionaries around the same old posts and flailing around from one set of measures to another. The military carved out its own industrial sector, where productivity was somewhat higher.<br />
===Housing===<br />
Khrushchev presided over the construction of millions small drab, poorly built apartments for 108 million residents. Most were 5-story walkups (elevators were too expensive for the poor nation). Techniques of prefabrication allowed cheap factory production with fewer skilled construction workers but minimized quality control; people called them "Krushchoby" (combining his name with the word for slums). Typically there were three generations squeezed into a couple rooms—parents, children, and a widowed mother. (Because of the wars, the old people were mostly women.) The apartments boosted his popularity because they marked a dramatic improvement over the horrid housing they previously enjoyed, and led to a form of "ownership" whereby tenants were locked into their specific apartment with very little opportunity to move around—rather like rent controlled apartments in New York at the same time.<ref>Taubman (2003), p 382; Mark B. Smith, "Individual Forms of Ownership in the Urban Housing Fund of the USSR, 1944-64," ''Slavonic & East European Review'' 2008 86(2): 283-305; Steven E. Harris, "'We Too Want To Live in Normal Apartments': Soviet Mass Housing and the Marginalization of the Elderly Under Khrushchev and Brezhnev," ''The Soviet and Post-Soviet Review'', Volume 32, Number 1, 2005 , pp. 143-174 in Ingentia</ref> <br />
[[File:Kitchen-debate.jpg|thumb|Vice President Nixon boasts to Khrushchev of the superiority of American kitchens; Leonid Brezhnev, who later overthrew Khrushchev, is on the right]]<br />
A central feature of the new apartments was the kitchen—families no longer had to eat in communal settings. The Soviet kitchen was presented as a model of efficiency where one could find a bit of privacy. The kitchen gained ideological importance and was viewed as a central element of the grand program of socialist modernization, further proof of the ultimate triumph of socialism through its superior living standards. Women were to play a special role, and a number of programs and courses offered them training in home economics. The new kitchen was, above all, to be efficient, and the media portrayed this penetration of technology into everyday life as a key element of socialist modernity. In practice, women found that the promised benefits did not materialize, and to the dismay of Soviet propagandists, American Vice President [[Richard Nixon]] came to Moscow in 1959 and in his internationally publicized "kitchen debate" with Khrushchev demonstrated how much superior were American kitchens.<ref>Susan E. Reid, ''The Khrushchev Kitchen: Domesticating the Scientific-Technological Revolution," ''Journal of Contemporary History'' 2005 40(2): 289-316; Susan E. Reid, "Cold War in the Kitchen: Gender and the De-Stalinization of Consumer Taste in the Soviet Union under Khrushchev," ''Slavic Review,'' Vol. 61, No. 2 (Summer, 2002), pp. 211-252 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2697116 in JSTOR]</ref><br />
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===Religion===<br />
Under Lenin and Stalin before 1939 all churches were persecuted and ridiculed; there was a pause during World War II. Khrushchev was no friend of the [[Orthodox Church]], and greatly increased persecution in the late 1950s because he identified it with old-fashioned superstitions that would slow his schemes for the rapid modernization of agriculture. Khrushchev had the Central Committee of the Communist Party in 1954 issued a secret resolution, "On the Serious Defects in Scientific-Atheist Propaganda and Measures for the Improvement Thereof," which demanded new and more scientific standards of struggle against religion. An antireligious campaign, the exact causes and chain of command of which are still debatable, was launched in the second half of the 1950s, and systematic efforts were used to fight not just priests and churches but also to identify and track and isolate all Christians. Khrushchev wanted to reach the very essence of the people's religiousness in order to "cure" them. Half the remaining churches were closed; the others were taxed. The campaign perhaps worked in Latvia, which did give up Lutheranism. In Russia, however, at the local level cures were few. More often, ways were found in which religion and the Soviet system could coexist. The Party found it expedient to ignore religious activity that did not interfere with technological improvements, and the peasants and workers found quiet ways to ensure their religious practices were compatible with participation in the new society. Outward repression like the closing of churches and the prohibition of pilgrimages occurred but were not enough to attain the primary goal of replacing the religious person in rural Russia with the Soviet person. He predicted the end of Christianity in the Soviet Union and boasted that the last Christian would be paraded on Soviet television within a few years.<ref>http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=2462&cid=125&p=22.05.2006</ref> In fact, Christianity outlasted Khrushchev, and even outlived Communism in Russia. He tried to change the soul of Russia and failed.<ref>Andrew B. Stone, "'Overcoming Peasant Backwardness': the Khrushchev Antireligious Campaign and the Rural Soviet Union," ''Russian Review'' 2008 67(2): 296-320; Tatiana A. Chumachenko, ''Church and State in Soviet Russia: Russian Orthodoxy from World War II to the Khrushchev Years'' (2002). [https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Lwf0Qy3S5csC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Chumachenko+Roslof&ots=Nz9Ta44nxo&sig=PWspflHYPDkp4xu_fPVweCled2s#v=onepage&q=&f=false excerpt and text search]</ref> <br />
===Schooling===<br />
Khrushchev had little success in reforming the archaic educational system. He tried to remove the worst aspects of Stalinism, promote a degree of freer exchange of opinions, grant schools more autonomy, and make the curricula of primary and secondary schools more relevant to the needs of the expanding and developing Soviet economy. Many politicians and educators opposed the changes. Some wished to maintain the Stalinist system, believing that the USSR needed firm and unwavering central authority and automatic obedience, rather than students who could think for themselves. Old fashioned pedagogs used to relentless drill and memorization realized they were ill fitted to adapt to the changes. Some educators supported the changes, but fearfully, wondering whether any future change of leadership might lead to the denunciation of Khrushchev's reforms and the censure of those who had accepted them. The reforms were put together hastily, were implemented fitfully and capriciously, and failed fundamentally to change Soviet educational results. More drills and more obedience remained the rule.<br />
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[[File:~nikita.jpg|thumb|310px]]<br />
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==Overthrown==<br />
By late 1964 Kremlin leaders were fed up with Khrushchev's irascible and self-contradictory behavior; top officials all complained he no longer consulted with them. He had been weakened by the Cuban Missile Crisis and his split with China. Khrushchev knew he was tired out and talked of retirement, but there was no orderly way to change rulers. He failed to realize he had lost support among workers, farmers and the intelligentsia. The military was angry at his plans to slash their budgets. None of the grandiose socialist reforms he had promised so often were working out; even the space program had fallen behind the Americans. China was now an enemy and building alternative Communist parties across the world reforms. Top conspirators included [[Leonid Brezhnev]], Alexei Kosygin, Nikolai Podgorny, Mikhail Suslov; they acted in a bloodless coup to remove Khrushchev from his government and party positions in October 1964. They persuaded the [[Politburo]], which governed the Communist Party, to replace Khrushchev with Brezhnev. Khrushchev then quietly lived out the remainder of his life under the watch of the [[KGB]] until his death in 1971. He managed to smuggle out his memoirs for publication in the West.<br />
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==We will bury you==<br />
On November 18, 1956 Khrushchev boasted to the West, "We will bury you". Americans were outraged—was he promising a nuclear Pearl Harbor? He later said he meant it economically.<ref>http://www.bartleby.com/66/52/32552.html</ref> He actually believed that it was possible to overtake the U.S. in the production of meat, butter and milk. What happened was that urbanization was bringing millions of peasants from jobs of low productivity on the farm to jobs of much better productivity in the cities, though still at levels well below western Europe and the U.S. The result was a temporary boost in very high growth rates that leveled off after so may people had quit the farms that food shortages loomed. Khrushchev was a true believer in Communism; his son Sergei is now an American citizen.<br />
==Evaluation==<br />
Historians are still puzzled about some basic questions. As William Taubman has asked, Foreword, many questions remain unanswered. "How did Khrushchev manage not only to survive Stalin but to succeed him? What led him to denounce his former master? How could a man of minimal formal education direct the affairs of a vast intercontinental empire in the nuclear age? Why did Khrushchev's attempt to ease East-West tensions result in two of the worst crises of the Cold War in Berlin and Cuba?"<ref>William Taubman. forward to Sergei N. Khrushchev, ''Nikita Khrushchev and the Creation of a Superpower'' (2000)</ref> <br />
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==External links==<br />
*[http://www.richardsorge.com/appendixes/beria/translation.html Gianni Agnelli quoted on Khrushchev], 11 May 2003.<br />
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==Further reading==<br />
* Beschloss, Michael R. ''The Crisis Years: Kennedy and Khrushchev, 1960-1963'' (1991)<br />
* Dobbs, Michael. ''One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War'' (2008) [https://www.amazon.com/One-Minute-Midnight-Kennedy-Khrushchev/dp/1400043581/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240712196&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search] <br />
* Florinsky, Michael T. ''McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Russia and the Soviet Union'' (1961) [http://www.questia.com/read/95434721?title=McGraw-Hill%20Encyclopedia%20of%20Russia%20and%20the%20Soviet%20Union online edition]<br />
* Fursenko, Aleksandr, and Timothy Naftali. ''One Hell of a Gamble: Khrushchev, Castro, and Kennedy, 1958-1964'' (1997) [http://www.questia.com/read/102075308?title=One%20Hell%20of%20a%20Gamble%3a%20Khrushchev%2c%20Castro%2c%20and%20Kennedy%2c%201958-1964 online edition]<br />
* Fursenko, Aleksandr, and Timothy Naftali. '' Khrushchev's Cold War: The Inside Story of an American Adversary'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchevs-Cold-War-American-Adversary/dp/0393330729/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255059962&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Kaldor, Nicholas, et al. ''Khrushchev--A Political Life'' (1989) [http://www.questia.com/read/56403616?title=Khrushchev--A%20Political%20Life online edition]<br />
* Keep, John L. H. ''Last of the Empires: A History of the Soviet Union, 1945-1991'' (1996) [http://www.questia.com/read/25055927?title=Last%20of%20the%20Empires%3a%20A%20History%20of%20the%20Soviet%20Union%2c%201945-1991 online edition]<br />
* McCauley. Martin. ''The Khrushchev Era 1953-1964'' (1995), [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchev-Era-1953-1964-Martin-McCauley/dp/0582277760/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255059962&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Mastny, Vojtech, and Malcolm Byrne. ''A Cardboard Castle? An Inside History of the Warsaw Pact, 1955-1991'' (2005) [http://www.questia.com/read/114710702?title=A%20Cardboard%20Castle%3f%20%20An%20Inside%20History%20of%20the%20Warsaw%20Pact%2c%201955-1991 online edition]<br />
* Taubman, William. ''Khrushchev: The Man and His Era'' (2003), 896pp; outstanding, balanced biography; Pulitzer prize; the best place to start [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchev-Man-His-William-Taubman/dp/0393324842/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255059962&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Tompson, William J. ''Khrushchev: A Political Life'' (1997) [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchev-Political-William-J-Tompson/dp/0312163606/ref=sr_1_39?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255060227&sr=1-39 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Von Bencke, Matthew J. ''The Politics of Space: A History of U.S.-Soviet/Russian Competition and Cooperation in Space'' (1997) [http://www.questia.com/read/65419161?title=The%20Politics%20of%20Space%3a%20A%20History%20of%20U.S.-Soviet%2fRussian%20Competition%20and%20Cooperation%20in%20Space online edition]<br />
* Zubok, Vladislav M. ''A Failed Empire: The Soviet Union in the Cold War from Stalin to Gorbachev'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Failed-Empire-Soviet-Gorbachev-History/dp/0807830984/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255061323&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]<br />
<br />
<br />
===Primary sources===<br />
* Khrushchev, Nikita. ''Memoirs of Nikita Khrushchev'', edited by his son Sergei N. Khrushchev<br />
** ''Volume 1: Commissar, 1918–1945'' (2004) 1004pp [http://www.psupress.psu.edu/books/titles/0-271-02332-5.html contents] <br />
** ''Volume 2: Reformer, 1945–1964'' (2006) 896pp [http://www.psupress.org/books/titles/0-271-02861-0.html contents]<br />
** ''Volume 3: Statesman, 1953–1964'' (2007), 1176pp [http://www.psupress.psu.edu/books/titles/978-0-271-02935-1.html contents]<br />
* ''Khrushchev Remembers'' (1970), ed. by Strobe Talbot; summary of the very candid memoirs<br />
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,872725,00.html "Russia: A Bang in Asia," ''Time'' Sept. 8, 1961], cover story on Khrushchev<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
*[https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/nikita-sergeyevich-khrushchev History.com biography]<br />
==References==<br />
<References/><br />
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{{Communism}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Khrushchev, Nikita}}<br />
[[Category:Soviet Leaders]]<br />
[[Category:Cold War]]<br />
[[Category:Russian History]]<br />
[[Category:Communism]]<br />
[[Category:Soviet Union]]<br />
[[Category:Ukraine]]<br />
[[Category:1950s]]<br />
[[Category:1960s]]<br />
[[Category:Communists]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Nikita_Khrushchev&diff=2034779Nikita Khrushchev2024-03-17T02:40:02Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
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<div>[[File:Nikita Krushchev.jpg|thumb|290px|Khrushchev liked to threaten and bully, often using "brinkmanship" (the threat of nuclear weapons); ''Time'' Sept. 8, 1961]]<br />
'''Nikita Khrushchev''' (1894 - 1971) was a [[Ukrainian]] [[Communist]] who became dictator over the [[Soviet Union]] in a power struggle after [[Joseph Stalin]] was assassinated by fellow members of the [[Politburo]] in 1953; Khrushchev's grip on power lasted until he was ousted in 1964 over his handling of the [[Cuban Missile Crisis]] and allowing the publication of [[Alexander Solzhenitsyn]]'s ''[[One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich]]'' with its [[Christian]] themes. Other Politburo members felt Khrushchev had behaved recklessly in the field of [[foreign policy]] and had gone soft on the [[leftist]] regime's repressive domestic policy. Khrushchev's nicknames included "Butcher of Budapest" and the "Hangman of the Ukraine."<br />
<br />
Khrushchev's tenure as dictator occurred during the height of the [[Cold War]] between the Soviet bloc and the United States and its allies. One of the most colorful world leaders of the 20th century, he always identified with the peasant—and indeed he was crude, unsophisticated, earthy, and brutal, as well as energetic, shrewd and determined. He really did hammer his shoe on the table at the United Nations when he disagreed with a speaker. He exposed and ended some of the arbitrary cruelty of Stalin in order to unleash what he thought was the scientific prowess of socialism, but apart from launching the world's first satellite into space, he never found the magic technological fix for Russia's ills, and instead came dangerously close to war with both the Americans and the Chinese. His leadership of the Communist bloc in the [[Cold War]] was so dangerous he had to be removed by his subordinates.<br />
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Khrushchev said in 1959:<br />
{{cquote|Your children’s children will live under Communism. You Americans are so gullible. No, you won’t accept Communism outright; but we’ll keep feeding you small doses of Socialism until you will finally wake up and find that you already have Communism. We won’t have to fight you; we’ll so weaken you economy, until you will fall like ripe fruit into our hands.}}<br />
==Career==<br />
[[File:Khruschev.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Khruschev, a Ukrainian, banging his shoe on the table at the UN. This widely publicized photo created a vulgar stereotypical image of Russians that persisted for generations.]]<br />
Born to a poor peasant family, he left school at 14 and followed his father to work in distant mines. He was an ambitious working-class youth during an era of dramatic industrial growth, world war and civil war; he watched closely, met everyone of importance, and displayed organizational skills that moved him ahead. Joining the Communist Party in 1918 (rather late compared to other leaders) he rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming party boss first of Moscow then of all Ukraine. He played a major role in building the Moscow subway—one system that works well in Russia to this day—and in starving the kulaks who owned a few acres. Returning in 1938 to Ukraine, he was regional boss for twelve years. The Ukraine was a main theater of war and he was political commissar at the front 1941-45. He returned to Stalin's side in Moscow in 1949 in charge of agriculture, always the most essential, yet ironically most backward, part of the Soviet economy.<br />
<br />
==Coming to Power, 1953==<br />
<br />
After Stalin's death in 1953, Khrushchev and premier Georgi Malenkov united their networks against Soviet security chief Lavrenti Beria. The defection of two of Beria's deputy ministers allowed Khrushchev and Malenkov to arrest Beria, for without these ministers, Beria no longer had control of Ministry of Interior troops or the troops of the Kremlin Guard. Beria was killed by firing squad. By 1957, Khrushchev had shoved Malenkov aside and had consolidated his dictatorship. His technique was to replace half the regional party leaders with his own network of loyalists, which gave him the votes to win victory in the Central Committee over the "anti-party group" of Malenkov, [[Vyacheslav Molotov]], and Lazar Kaganovich. Officially, he held the title of First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (from 1953 to 1964) and Chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers (from 1958 to 1964). He lived with his wife Niva in an old restored mansion in the [[Lenin]] Hills.<br />
<br />
==De-Stalinization==<br />
{{main|De-Stalinization}}<br />
Khrushchev denounced Stalin in 1956 in one of the most spectacular and revealing speeches in world history. The audience was originally high officials—they knew bits and pieces of the horrible story of Stalin's crimes, but now for the first time saw the whole picture. Against Khrushchev's intent, the text of the speech was soon translated and publicized worldwide. <br />
<br />
The secrets were out; now everyone knew that the Stalin era was built on [[deceit]], disinformation, and false allegations up and down the line, and false imprisonment and execution. Hundreds of thousands of loyal Russians had been shot as "spies" to satisfy Stalin's paranoia. By blaming his predecessor for all of Russia's ills Khrushchev bought time to reform the system. The speech became a tool at all levels for reformers to attack the old guard that was accused of complicity in Stalin's crimes. Khrushchev himself shared the guilt but purged himself by revealing it. He could now terminate the worst features of the [[Gulag]], stopping arbitrary executions, freeing half the 2.3 million prisoners and shortening the terms for the rest, and rehabilitating the memory of the dead. Yet Khrushchev had to allow the secret police (now called KGB) to maintain a high enough fear level in people's minds to keep the Party in power. As for the memories of Stalin, that was solved by erasing him from history—his name was never mentioned, his image never seen—and instead filling the media and the minds with the glorious heroics of the Great Patriotic War against Germany. The personality cult that Stalin had built was totally dismantled and was never to be repeated; only one statue was permitted to survive, and that was in Stalin's remote birthplace in Georgia.<ref>Cynthia Hooper, "What Can and Cannot Be Said: Between the Stalinist Past and New Soviet Future," ''Slavonic & East European Review'' 2008 86(2): 306-327,</ref><br />
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The '''"thaw"''' was the little taste of freedom after so many years of tyranny. Tasting a little freedom for the first time ever, Soviet citizens began following Western ideas and fashions in clothing. Realizing he had allowed too much freedom for Communism to survive, Khrushchev shut down the "cultural thaw" that had begun. He closed the magazines in Moscow that had started to honestly describe and analyze Soviet society. The writers, musicians and artists were put under firmer control. [[Boris Pasternak]], winner of the Nobel Prize in literature in 1958 for his novel ''Doctor Zhivago'', was ostracized as a Judas.<ref>Taubman (2003) pp 383-88</ref><br />
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Khrushchev did not realize that "glasnost" would get people thinking outside Russia. One unexpected result was the [[Hungarian uprising]] a year later that had to be crushed by the Russian army. The revelations were a devastating blow to international Communism worldwide, especially as intellectuals and artists discovered they had been duped into blind support for a monster. The Chinese moved into the vacuum, idealizing Mao and setting up rival Communist parties in most countries.<br />
<br />
==Foreign policy==<br />
Khrushchev handled foreign policy poorly. He had to preserve control of Eastern Europe—but persuasion failed and he sent in his army to suppress Hungary. Second, he had to maintain the unity of the world Communist movement, which turned above all on relations with China. Despite massive amounts of aid to China, he failed and made his most important ally into his most implacable foe. Finally he had to de-escalate tensions and reach equilibrium with the United States. He instead tried nuclear confrontation, leading to near disaster in 1962 until he drew back at the last second over Cuba. More successful was his quest for prestige which centered on the Space Race—where the Soviets astonished the world by taking a clear lead over the U.S. for a few years. <br />
<br />
===United States===<br />
After a quiet summit meeting with President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] in Geneva in 1955, Khrushchev made a personal visit to the U.S. in 1959. He was impressed with the hybrid corn and disgusted with the shimmer and glitter of Hollywood. A summit planned for 1960 was canceled when an American U-2 spy plane, piloted by Francis Gary Powers, was shot down in 1960 and Powers was captured. <br />
[[Image:Kennedy khrushchev.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Khrushchev and Kennedy at the Vienna Summit in 1961.]]<br />
<br />
Khrushchev met with [[President Kennedy]] during Kennedy's first year in office at the Vienna Summit of 1961. Journalist James Reston wrote afterward, <br />
{{Cquote|Kennedy went there shortly after his spectacular blunders at the [[Bay of Pigs]], and was savaged by Khrushchev.... I had an hour alone with President Kennedy immediately after his last meeting with Khrushchev in Vienna at that time...Khrushchev had assumed, Kennedy said, that any American President who invaded Cuba without adequate preparation was inexperienced, and any president who then didn't use force to see the invasion through was weak. Kennedy admitted Khrushchev's logic on both points.}}<br />
===Space race===<br />
[[File:Sputnik.jpg|thumb|400px|The Sputnik in 1957 was the greatest triumph of Soviet technology]]<br />
Sputnik—the first earth satellite—was a propagandist's dream come true when it astonished the world in October 1957. There followed a series of firsts, demonstrating the superiority of the big Soviet launching missiles, which could also be used to launch nuclear weapons. The image of [[Yuri Gagarin]], who became in 1961 the first man to orbit the earth, was made a central theme in Soviet propaganda, used to encourage the young to contribute to the building of communism as well as to enhance Khrushchev's legitimacy as he sought to distance himself from the legacy of the Stalinist past.<br />
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===Third World===<br />
[[File:Khrush-chef.jpg|thumb|260px|Khrushchev cooks up trouble for the West by turning up the heat and watching to see where unrest will boil over]]<br />
Seeing Kennedy's indecisiveness, he ordered the building of the [[Berlin Wall]] in 1962 to stop the exodus of talent from East Germany to freedom. Kennedy made some speeches then accommodated to the new tyranny.<ref>Petr Lunák, "Khrushchev and the Berlin Crisis: Soviet Brinkmanship Seen from Inside," ''Cold War History'' 2003 3(2): 53-82,</ref> Emboldened, the Soviets expanded their subversion in weak nations, knowing that the American [[containment]] policy would force the West to defend itself under the most adverse conditions, as selected by the Kremlin. Sums were spread widely to see where trouble would best brew.<br />
<br />
Soviet interest in the Third World grew with the aim of weakening the United States. <br />
<br />
The Kremlin tried to gain a foothold among the newly independent countries of sub-Saharan Africa by giving technical and educational assistance to such socialist countries as [[Guinea]], [[Mali]], and [[Ghana]]. Although the Soviets publicly maintained that their efforts were strictly fraternal and were being made unconditionally, in fact the secret Kremlin documents show that the aid was part of a strategy to promote Communist foreign policies and undercut capitalism. African leaders, however, were more interested in an Africanization of their erstwhile colonial structures, and carefully sidestepped the ideological ramifications of the collaboration. In the critical area of joint educational projects, they refused to give Soviet teachers and professors privileged positions even in the institutions built by the USSR, such as the Institut Polytechnique in Conakry, which consistently had more Western instructors than Soviet ones. With instruction taking place in English and French (the former colonial languages), it was noted that the Soviet instructors' proficiency and often their technical expertise lagged far behind those of their French and American counterparts. The Soviets seem to have overestimated the attraction of Patrice Lumumba University (now called "Peoples' Friendship University) in Moscow while clearly lacking the human and pedagogical means to offer sufficient training in Africa itself and may have been proceeding without plan in what they perhaps considered a region of peripheral importance in the conduct of the Cold War. Setting up Patrice Lumumba University for African students in 1960 was one solution, but the African students there reported an intense degree of hatred and racism from the Russian students which further soured relations.<ref>Julie Hessler, "Death of an African Student in Moscow: Race, Politics, and the Cold War," ''Cahiers du Monde Russe'' 2006 47(1-2): 33-63. The harsh racism in Moscow continue today; see [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/18/world/moscow-journal-african-students-harsh-lesson-racism-is-astir-in-russia.html Seth Mydans, "Moscow Journal; African Students' Harsh Lesson: Racism Is Astir in Russia," ''New York Times'', Dec. 18, 2003]</ref><br />
<br />
Intensified commercial and cultural relations with Latin American countries paid off when [[Fidel Castro]] came to power in [[Cuba]] in 1959 and aligned his country with the Soviets, and counted on the Kremlin to back him in direct confrontations with the U.S. Castro sponsored guerrilla movements in the region, and later in Africa, that the Russians avoided. Khrushchev was ultimately more interested in peaceful coexistence and in pursuing a classic policy of regional power than in revolutionary strategy. Khrushchev blundered by allowing Castro to take the initiative, which brought the world to the brink of disaster with the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.<br />
<br />
===Cuban Missile Crisis===<br />
see [[Cuban Missile Crisis]] [[File:Dobbs-Cuba.jpg|thumb|220px]]<br />
Khrushchev badly miscalculated regarding Cuba, which he feared would be invaded by Americans. As the Kennedy Administration developed a first-strike military strategy and a nuclear superiority capable of delivering it, Khrushchev sought to parry the American advantage by installing short-range Soviet missiles with nuclear warheads in Cuba, supposedly under his control (not Castro's). Stunned to discover the missiles, Washington demanded their removal and through a naval blockade around the island. Khrushchev seems not to have consulted his advisors, and was ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Cuba against invasion and to send four nuclear-armed submarines to Cuba. Anastas Mikoyan (1895-1978) calmed the emotional Khrushchev and got him to avoid such provocative acts. He at last relented and took out the missiles and nuclear weapons, winning a public promise that the U.S. would never invade Cuba. He also got the Americans to secretly remove their nuclear missiles from Turkey and Italy. <br />
<br />
Khrushchev made three blunders. First, he never should have placed missiles in Cuba. Second he should not have sent two contradictory messages in the space of 24 hours. Finally, by "blinking" during the showdown over the quarantine, he undermined his standing with the United States and in the Kremlin. His recklessness troubled other Kremlin leaders, who saw the Cuban episode as a fiasco that was all Khrushchev's fault.<ref>Michael Dobbs, ''One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War'' (2008).</ref><br />
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===Test Ban Treaty===<br />
A fragile détente began after the missile crisis was resolved that helped the two sides to agree to the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963. Khrushchev's political weakness after his Cuban fiasco was the main obstacle. By April 1963 - three months before US president John F. Kennedy's conciliatory speech at American University that is usually regarded as the turning point - the Soviet leader became committed to the treaty in principle. Discord within the Communist world prevented action until efforts to mend the rift with China collapsed, underscoring the need for a successful agreement with the West. Once the treaty was signed, however, the two sides failed to build on their common accomplishment and got bogged down by political issues that divided them. The opportunity for a deeper détente and a comprehensive test ban was lost because the Soviets had to seek to undermine capitalism in the west and Mao's challenge in the East.<ref>Vojtech Mastny, "The 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty: a Missed Opportunity for Détente?" ''Journal of Cold War Studies'' 2008 10(1): 3-25,</ref><br />
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==Communist lands==<br />
===Hungary===<br />
When the Hungarians revolted against Communism in 1956, and the Hungarian army refused to shoot on the crowds, Khrushchev sent in Field Marshall [[Ivan Konev]] and the Soviet combat army to suppress the revolt. The fired into the apartment buildings, reducing them to rubble, entombing man, woman and child<ref>See [http://www.schwarzreport.org/yct/01ycttc.htm You Can Trust the Communists - To Be Communists], by Dr. [[Fred Schwarz]]</ref> He executed the Hungarian leader [[Imre Nagy]] and replaced him with a pro-Soviet puppet. <br />
===East Germany===<br />
The uprising in Hungary led to political crisis throughout Eastern Europe and seriously threatened the position of [[East Germany]]'s Communist dictator Walter Ulbricht. He was able to remain in power and to prevent an uprising because Khrushchev needed a strong ally in East Germany. In addition, German intellectuals were unorganized, and citizens feared a world war as their radios blared warnings of an American invasion. Soviet support was in all likelihood the key element in Ulbricht's political survival.<ref>Johanna Granville, "Ulbricht in October 1956: Survival of the 'Spitzbart' During Destalinization," ''Journal of Contemporary History'' 2006 41(3): 477-502,</ref><br />
===Poland===<br />
Khrushchev's denunciation of Stalin allowed Poland to move from Stalinist rule to a more moderate regime in a relatively nonviolent manner. Khrushchev's secret speech intensified the tensions between Communist reformers and Stalinists as well as the population's disaffection with the Stalinist regime, caused by its interference in personal freedom and unlawful imprisonments, as well as economic hardships. The brutal suppression in 1956 of the Poznan uprising, a spontaneous workers' demonstration, and the election in 1956 of [[Władysław Gomulka]] (1905–82) to head of the Polish United Workers' Party helped move Poland from Stalinist rule to a more moderate regime.<br />
===China===<br />
Khrushchev badly mishandled China—first delivering generous aid, far beyond what his colleagues wanted or he had budgeted, amounting to 7% of Soviet GDP. He sent in the best technicians and the latest equipment, and helped China design its own nuclear weapons. Then Khrushchev swung to the opposite extreme, suddenly withdrawing all Soviet technicians and canceling works in progress. The issue however was deeper than the foolish diplomacy of two rival dictators. The Chinese resented being treated as second class Communists. China was bigger, older, more cultured and resented the upstart Russians who flaunted their greater wealth and more powerful weapons. Most important, China resented Russia's willingness to compromise with capitalism in "peaceful coexistence." Relations drastically worsened from Khrushchev's September 1959 visit to Beijing through the breakdown of compromise in October 1961. Each party sought to appeal to the world as the legitimate party of proletarian internationalism, but China appealed more to the younger, more violent anti-capitalist fanatics. Specific areas of disagreement included the Moscow's refusal to support China in its border conflict with India, which was becoming a Soviet ally. Beijing worried about of Moscow's willingness to talk disarmament with the United States, with the possible threat of a Soviet-American alliance against China. Mao had aggressive plans for advancing Marxist–Leninist goals in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and conflict with Soviet agents in those places was inevitable. Indeed, after 1960 the pro-Moscow and pro-Beijing factions emerged in most Communist parties and sharply weakened them.<ref>Danhui Li and Yafeng Xia, "Competing for Leadership: Split or Detente in the Sino-soviet Bloc, 1959-1961," ''International History Review,'' 2008 30(3): 545-574,</ref> <br />
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==Domestic issues==<br />
Khrushchev's years of power were marked by strong economic growth, especially in industry; agriculture lagged behind. This was the setting fro the growing confidence in the long-term success of scientific socialism, buttressed by public opinion that was grateful for the slowly rising standard higher standard of living after so many decades of privation. The growth rate was slowing down by 1964, but the Soviets—who lacked accurate statistical measures of their own economy, did not yet realize the sclerosis that was to emerge a decade after Khrushchev was forced into retirement.<ref>Historians use data by the American [[CIA]], which had much better estimates of Soviet economic performance.</ref><br />
<br />
===Agricultural reform===<br />
[[File:Red-farms.jpg|thumb|260px|Herblock laughs at the hair growers]]<br />
As soon as Stalin died the new premier Malenkov announced a sharp cut in taxes the farms had to pay, and an increase in the allowed size of private plots (which were far more productive than communal plots). The result was a doubling in a year of farm incomes, as peasants toasted to Malenkov's health with local moonshine. When Khrushchev elbowed Malenkov aside, he had to do even better for the peasants, while upgrading the volume and quality of food for the cities.<ref>Zubok (2007) p. 96-97</ref> Khrushchev's favorite project was to till the virgin and long-fallow lands of Kazakhstan and nearby Soviet republics in order to increase the USSR's agricultural production, especially of grain. Despite his belief that scientific socialism could overcome all obstacles, the task proved far more immense and complex than the authorities had anticipated; the results were mostly failures, although some local achievements were attained.<ref>Taubman (2003) p 305-6</ref><br />
===Industry===<br />
The space industry demonstrated that modern management could be applied in Russia; it was much applauded but seldom emulated. There was little reform in heavy industry. Instead of adopting modern principles of management as practiced in other industrialized countries, from the 1950s to the 1990s there was a continuation of the old Soviet pattern of inner-circle intrigues, shuffling the same old bureaucrats and functionaries around the same old posts and flailing around from one set of measures to another. The military carved out its own industrial sector, where productivity was somewhat higher.<br />
===Housing===<br />
Khrushchev presided over the construction of millions small drab, poorly built apartments for 108 million residents. Most were 5-story walkups (elevators were too expensive for the poor nation). Techniques of prefabrication allowed cheap factory production with fewer skilled construction workers but minimized quality control; people called them "Krushchoby" (combining his name with the word for slums). Typically there were three generations squeezed into a couple rooms—parents, children, and a widowed mother. (Because of the wars, the old people were mostly women.) The apartments boosted his popularity because they marked a dramatic improvement over the horrid housing they previously enjoyed, and led to a form of "ownership" whereby tenants were locked into their specific apartment with very little opportunity to move around—rather like rent controlled apartments in New York at the same time.<ref>Taubman (2003), p 382; Mark B. Smith, "Individual Forms of Ownership in the Urban Housing Fund of the USSR, 1944-64," ''Slavonic & East European Review'' 2008 86(2): 283-305; Steven E. Harris, "'We Too Want To Live in Normal Apartments': Soviet Mass Housing and the Marginalization of the Elderly Under Khrushchev and Brezhnev," ''The Soviet and Post-Soviet Review'', Volume 32, Number 1, 2005 , pp. 143-174 in Ingentia</ref> <br />
[[File:Kitchen-debate.jpg|thumb|Vice President Nixon boasts to Khrushchev of the superiority of American kitchens; Leonid Brezhnev, who later overthrew Khrushchev, is on the right]]<br />
A central feature of the new apartments was the kitchen—families no longer had to eat in communal settings. The Soviet kitchen was presented as a model of efficiency where one could find a bit of privacy. The kitchen gained ideological importance and was viewed as a central element of the grand program of socialist modernization, further proof of the ultimate triumph of socialism through its superior living standards. Women were to play a special role, and a number of programs and courses offered them training in home economics. The new kitchen was, above all, to be efficient, and the media portrayed this penetration of technology into everyday life as a key element of socialist modernity. In practice, women found that the promised benefits did not materialize, and to the dismay of Soviet propagandists, American Vice President [[Richard Nixon]] came to Moscow in 1959 and in his internationally publicized "kitchen debate" with Khrushchev demonstrated how much superior were American kitchens.<ref>Susan E. Reid, ''The Khrushchev Kitchen: Domesticating the Scientific-Technological Revolution," ''Journal of Contemporary History'' 2005 40(2): 289-316; Susan E. Reid, "Cold War in the Kitchen: Gender and the De-Stalinization of Consumer Taste in the Soviet Union under Khrushchev," ''Slavic Review,'' Vol. 61, No. 2 (Summer, 2002), pp. 211-252 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2697116 in JSTOR]</ref><br />
<br />
===Religion===<br />
Under Lenin and Stalin before 1939 all churches were persecuted and ridiculed; there was a pause during World War II. Khrushchev was no friend of the [[Orthodox Church]], and greatly increased persecution in the late 1950s because he identified it with old-fashioned superstitions that would slow his schemes for the rapid modernization of agriculture. Khrushchev had the Central Committee of the Communist Party in 1954 issued a secret resolution, "On the Serious Defects in Scientific-Atheist Propaganda and Measures for the Improvement Thereof," which demanded new and more scientific standards of struggle against religion. An antireligious campaign, the exact causes and chain of command of which are still debatable, was launched in the second half of the 1950s, and systematic efforts were used to fight not just priests and churches but also to identify and track and isolate all Christians. Khrushchev wanted to reach the very essence of the people's religiousness in order to "cure" them. Half the remaining churches were closed; the others were taxed. The campaign perhaps worked in Latvia, which did give up Lutheranism. In Russia, however, at the local level cures were few. More often, ways were found in which religion and the Soviet system could coexist. The Party found it expedient to ignore religious activity that did not interfere with technological improvements, and the peasants and workers found quiet ways to ensure their religious practices were compatible with participation in the new society. Outward repression like the closing of churches and the prohibition of pilgrimages occurred but were not enough to attain the primary goal of replacing the religious person in rural Russia with the Soviet person. He predicted the end of Christianity in the Soviet Union and boasted that the last Christian would be paraded on Soviet television within a few years.<ref>http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=2462&cid=125&p=22.05.2006</ref> In fact, Christianity outlasted Khrushchev, and even outlived Communism in Russia. He tried to change the soul of Russia and failed.<ref>Andrew B. Stone, "'Overcoming Peasant Backwardness': the Khrushchev Antireligious Campaign and the Rural Soviet Union," ''Russian Review'' 2008 67(2): 296-320; Tatiana A. Chumachenko, ''Church and State in Soviet Russia: Russian Orthodoxy from World War II to the Khrushchev Years'' (2002). [https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Lwf0Qy3S5csC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=Chumachenko+Roslof&ots=Nz9Ta44nxo&sig=PWspflHYPDkp4xu_fPVweCled2s#v=onepage&q=&f=false excerpt and text search]</ref> <br />
===Schooling===<br />
Khrushchev had little success in reforming the archaic educational system. He tried to remove the worst aspects of Stalinism, promote a degree of freer exchange of opinions, grant schools more autonomy, and make the curricula of primary and secondary schools more relevant to the needs of the expanding and developing Soviet economy. Many politicians and educators opposed the changes. Some wished to maintain the Stalinist system, believing that the USSR needed firm and unwavering central authority and automatic obedience, rather than students who could think for themselves. Old fashioned pedagogs used to relentless drill and memorization realized they were ill fitted to adapt to the changes. Some educators supported the changes, but fearfully, wondering whether any future change of leadership might lead to the denunciation of Khrushchev's reforms and the censure of those who had accepted them. The reforms were put together hastily, were implemented fitfully and capriciously, and failed fundamentally to change Soviet educational results. More drills and more obedience remained the rule.<br />
<br />
[[File:~nikita.jpg|thumb|310px]]<br />
<br />
==Overthrown==<br />
By late 1964 Kremlin leaders were fed up with Khrushchev's irascible and self-contradictory behavior; top officials all complained he no longer consulted with them. He had been weakened by the Cuban Missile Crisis and his split with China. Khrushchev knew he was tired out and talked of retirement, but there was no orderly way to change rulers. He failed to realize he had lost support among workers, farmers and the intelligentsia. The military was angry at his plans to slash their budgets. None of the grandiose socialist reforms he had promised so often were working out; even the space program had fallen behind the Americans. China was now an enemy and building alternative Communist parties across the world reforms. Top conspirators included [[Leonid Brezhnev]], Alexei Kosygin, Nikolai Podgorny, Mikhail Suslov; they acted in a bloodless coup to remove Khrushchev from his government and party positions in October 1964. They persuaded the [[Politburo]], which governed the Communist Party, to replace Khrushchev with Brezhnev. Khrushchev then quietly lived out the remainder of his life under the watch of the [[KGB]] until his death in 1971. He managed to smuggle out his memoirs for publication in the West.<br />
<br />
==We will bury you==<br />
On November 18, 1956 Khrushchev boasted to the West, "We will bury you". Americans were outraged—was he promising a nuclear Pearl Harbor? He later said he meant it economically.<ref>http://www.bartleby.com/66/52/32552.html</ref> He actually believed that it was possible to overtake the U.S. in the production of meat, butter and milk. What happened was that urbanization was bringing millions of peasants from jobs of low productivity on the farm to jobs of much better productivity in the cities, though still at levels well below western Europe and the U.S. The result was a temporary boost in very high growth rates that leveled off after so may people had quit the farms that food shortages loomed. Khrushchev was a true believer in Communism; his son Sergei is now an American citizen.<br />
==Evaluation==<br />
Historians are still puzzled about some basic questions. As William Taubman has asked, Foreword, many questions remain unanswered. "How did Khrushchev manage not only to survive Stalin but to succeed him? What led him to denounce his former master? How could a man of minimal formal education direct the affairs of a vast intercontinental empire in the nuclear age? Why did Khrushchev's attempt to ease East-West tensions result in two of the worst crises of the Cold War in Berlin and Cuba?"<ref>William Taubman. forward to Sergei N. Khrushchev, ''Nikita Khrushchev and the Creation of a Superpower'' (2000)</ref> <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[http://www.richardsorge.com/appendixes/beria/translation.html Gianni Agnelli quoted on Khrushchev], 11 May 2003.<br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Beschloss, Michael R. ''The Crisis Years: Kennedy and Khrushchev, 1960-1963'' (1991)<br />
* Dobbs, Michael. ''One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War'' (2008) [https://www.amazon.com/One-Minute-Midnight-Kennedy-Khrushchev/dp/1400043581/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240712196&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search] <br />
* Florinsky, Michael T. ''McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Russia and the Soviet Union'' (1961) [http://www.questia.com/read/95434721?title=McGraw-Hill%20Encyclopedia%20of%20Russia%20and%20the%20Soviet%20Union online edition]<br />
* Fursenko, Aleksandr, and Timothy Naftali. ''One Hell of a Gamble: Khrushchev, Castro, and Kennedy, 1958-1964'' (1997) [http://www.questia.com/read/102075308?title=One%20Hell%20of%20a%20Gamble%3a%20Khrushchev%2c%20Castro%2c%20and%20Kennedy%2c%201958-1964 online edition]<br />
* Fursenko, Aleksandr, and Timothy Naftali. '' Khrushchev's Cold War: The Inside Story of an American Adversary'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchevs-Cold-War-American-Adversary/dp/0393330729/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255059962&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Kaldor, Nicholas, et al. ''Khrushchev--A Political Life'' (1989) [http://www.questia.com/read/56403616?title=Khrushchev--A%20Political%20Life online edition]<br />
* Keep, John L. H. ''Last of the Empires: A History of the Soviet Union, 1945-1991'' (1996) [http://www.questia.com/read/25055927?title=Last%20of%20the%20Empires%3a%20A%20History%20of%20the%20Soviet%20Union%2c%201945-1991 online edition]<br />
* McCauley. Martin. ''The Khrushchev Era 1953-1964'' (1995), [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchev-Era-1953-1964-Martin-McCauley/dp/0582277760/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255059962&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Mastny, Vojtech, and Malcolm Byrne. ''A Cardboard Castle? An Inside History of the Warsaw Pact, 1955-1991'' (2005) [http://www.questia.com/read/114710702?title=A%20Cardboard%20Castle%3f%20%20An%20Inside%20History%20of%20the%20Warsaw%20Pact%2c%201955-1991 online edition]<br />
* Taubman, William. ''Khrushchev: The Man and His Era'' (2003), 896pp; outstanding, balanced biography; Pulitzer prize; the best place to start [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchev-Man-His-William-Taubman/dp/0393324842/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255059962&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Tompson, William J. ''Khrushchev: A Political Life'' (1997) [https://www.amazon.com/Khrushchev-Political-William-J-Tompson/dp/0312163606/ref=sr_1_39?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255060227&sr=1-39 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Von Bencke, Matthew J. ''The Politics of Space: A History of U.S.-Soviet/Russian Competition and Cooperation in Space'' (1997) [http://www.questia.com/read/65419161?title=The%20Politics%20of%20Space%3a%20A%20History%20of%20U.S.-Soviet%2fRussian%20Competition%20and%20Cooperation%20in%20Space online edition]<br />
* Zubok, Vladislav M. ''A Failed Empire: The Soviet Union in the Cold War from Stalin to Gorbachev'' (2007) [https://www.amazon.com/Failed-Empire-Soviet-Gorbachev-History/dp/0807830984/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255061323&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]<br />
<br />
<br />
===Primary sources===<br />
* Khrushchev, Nikita. ''Memoirs of Nikita Khrushchev'', edited by his son Sergei N. Khrushchev<br />
** ''Volume 1: Commissar, 1918–1945'' (2004) 1004pp [http://www.psupress.psu.edu/books/titles/0-271-02332-5.html contents] <br />
** ''Volume 2: Reformer, 1945–1964'' (2006) 896pp [http://www.psupress.org/books/titles/0-271-02861-0.html contents]<br />
** ''Volume 3: Statesman, 1953–1964'' (2007), 1176pp [http://www.psupress.psu.edu/books/titles/978-0-271-02935-1.html contents]<br />
* ''Khrushchev Remembers'' (1970), ed. by Strobe Talbot; summary of the very candid memoirs<br />
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,872725,00.html "Russia: A Bang in Asia," ''Time'' Sept. 8, 1961], cover story on Khrushchev<br />
<br />
== See also ==<br />
*[https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/nikita-sergeyevich-khrushchev History.com biography]<br />
==References==<br />
<References/><br />
<br />
{{Communism}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khrushchev, Nikita}}<br />
[[Category:Soviet Leaders]]<br />
[[Category:Cold War]]<br />
[[Category:Russian History]]<br />
[[Category:Communism]]<br />
[[Category:Soviet Union]]<br />
[[Category:Ukraine]]<br />
[[Category:1950s]]<br />
[[Category:1960s]]<br />
[[Category:Communists]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Kyiv&diff=2034778Kyiv2024-03-17T02:37:56Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{City<br />
|name =Kyiv<br/>Київ<br />
|picture2 =Bohdan Khmelnytsky monument.jpg<br />
|map =<br />
|country =Ukraine<br />
|state =<br />
|region =<br />
|settled =482 A.D.<br />
|charter =<br />
|population =2,900,920<br />
|area =324 sq mi<br />
|density =8,540/sq mi<br />
|mayor =Vitali Klitschko<br />
|demonym =<br />
}}<br />
'''Kyiv''' (''Russ.: '''Kiev'''''), is the capital of the [[Ukrainian]] nation. It was founded in the fifth century as a [[Slavs|Slavic]] trading post. Since 2014, [[Vitali Klitschko]] has been the city's mayor. Since the so-called pro-Western (i.e., pro-[[homosexual agenda]]) government took over Ukraine in 2014, there have been increasingly promoted gay pride parades in Kyiv.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-lgbt-march-idUSKBN1990IU</ref><br />
<br />
Kyiv contains nuclear-hardened subway facilities to be used as civilian bomb shelters.<br />
<br />
Since the illegal U.S.-backed [[Maidan coup]] in 2014, [[prostitution]] and illegal [[narcotics]] have flourished in Kyiv. [[Western]] elites have turned Kyiv into a playground for activities and perversions which otherwise are illegal in their home states. [[Gay pride]] parades have appeared to attack the traditional [[Eastern Orthodox]] churches. <br />
<br />
The Arch of Friendship of Peoples was a landmark of Kyiv, located in Khreshchaty Park on the right high bank of the Dnieper river. The opening took place in 1982 on the 1500th anniversary of the city's founding. The Workers' Monument was a two-figure composition (height 6.2 m) of workers - a Ukrainian and a Russian, who jointly raised the ribbon with the Order of Friendship of Peoples. The monument was destroyed by the city's [[fascist]] [[Banderite]] administration on April 27, 2022.<br />
<br />
==Religion==<br />
The [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church]] is marginalized by the [[liberal]] government of Ukraine, but has its strongest cultural presence in Kyiv. (The schismatic Kiev Patriarchate declared its independence from the Moscow Patriarchate in 2019 and remains unrecognized among [[Orthodox]] churches.) Kiev was called "Jerusalem of the East" prior to the fascist coup in 2014. It owns many churches and cathedrals like the St. Sophia's Cathedral, the Vydubychi Monastery, the St. Nicolas Prytysko Church, the St. Nicholas’ Church, the St. Andrew's Church, the Church of the Savior of the Berestovo and the All Saints’ Church,<ref>http://kiev.com/kiev/view/kiev-and-the-orthodox-church</ref> however the pro-[[gay rights]] [[Zelensky regime]] forcibly seized church property.<br />
<br />
==Name==<br />
The city's name was traditionally adapted from the Russian spelling and pronunciation as "Kiev" in English. This is still the most common spelling. Under a transliteration system adopted by the Ukrainian government in October 1995, the name is "Kyiv." The United States Board on Geographic Names, as well as other specialists on geographic names, adopted the revised spelling in 2019.<ref>"[https://geonames.nga.mil/gns/html/PDFDocs/BGNStatement_Kyiv.pdf Foreign Names Committee Statement Regarding the Name of the Capital of Ukraine]," September 2019.</ref><br />
<br />
==2022 Siege of Kyiv==<br />
{{See also|Russia-Ukraine war}}<br />
[[File:Arestovich.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Senior advisor to Volodymyr Zelensky, Alexei Arestovich, in drag here as "Lyusya".<ref>https://proslo.ru/kto-takoj-arestovich-na-ukraine/</ref>]]<br />
''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported on March 28, 2022 that the Ukrainian military has “a responsibility under international law to remove their forces and equipment from civilian-populated areas, and if that is not possible, to move civilians out of those areas. If they don’t do that, that is a violation of the laws of war because what they are doing is they are putting civilians at risk. All that military equipment are legitimate targets. Andriy Kovalyov, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense's [[Territorial Defense]], whose forces and equipment are positioned in Kyiv, scoffed at that reasoning. Senior adviser to fascist dictator [[Volodymyr Zelensky]], the notorious [[homosexual]] [[Alexei Arestovich]],<ref>https://youtu.be/1SGXC0GVCUQ</ref><ref>https://azlyrics.com.az/lyrics/sick-fantasy-experts-explained-arestovichs-nonsense-about-the-creation-of-the-ussr-by-ukrainians/</ref> told the ''Post'' that "international humanitarian laws or the laws of war don’t apply in this conflict." In response to written questions from ''The Post'', Arestovich said the country’s military doctrine, approved by parliament, provides for the principle of “total defense.”<ref>https://archive.ph/wip/IUpIM</ref> Nonetheless, with full knowledge the government of Ukraine was committing [[war crimes]] and endangering the lives of civilians, the US and [[NATO]] continued to supply Ukraine with weapons.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<references/><br />
<br />
==External link==<br />
*[https://www.bitchute.com/video/PzHWA6nxWTaj/ THE CONDUCT OF NAZIS IN KIEV]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Capital Cities]]<br />
[[Category:Ukrainian Cities and Towns]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Volodymyr_Zelensky&diff=2034777Volodymyr Zelensky2024-03-17T02:37:10Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Dictator bio<br />
| image =[[File:Zelensky selfie.PNG|180px]]<br />
| name =Volodymyr Aleksandrovich Zelensky<br />
| birth =January 25, 1978<br/>Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine)<br />
| parents =<br />
| religion =[[Judaism]]<br />
| education =Kyiv National Economic University<br>[[Young Global Leaders|Young Global Leaders Forum]]<br />
| spouse =Olena Kiyashko<br />
| children =2<br />
| death =<br />
| deathmanner =<br />
| burial =<br />
| country =[[Ukraine]]<br />
| military =none<br />
| rank =Commander-in-Chief<br />
| polbeliefs =[[Kakistocracy]]<br>[[Fascism]]<br/>[[Globalism]]<br />
| party =Fascist bloc, [[Svoboda]], [[Andriy_Biletsky#National_Corp_political_party|Azov National Corp]], European Solidarity<br />
| dictatordate =2019<br />
| war =[[Ukraine Civil War]]<br />
| deathnumber =250,000+<br />
}}<br />
'''Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelensky'''<ref>or '''Zelenskiy''' (''The Guardian'') in [[Britain]] uses this "Zelenskiy" spelling, sometimes '''Zelenskyy''' aka the '''Cokehead of Kyiv'''</ref> (''пидорас Зеленский'') also known as '''Adolf Zelensky''',<ref>[https://globaleuronews.com/2022/05/21/the-french-sompared-zelensky-to-hitler-history-repeating/ The French Сompared Zelensky to Hitler: “History Repeating”], 05/21/20223, Global Euronews</ref> is the [[dictator]] of [[Ukrainian]] [[puppet regime]],<ref>https://www.veteranstoday.com/2022/02/25/kiev-regime-turns-in-ukrainian-people-as-false-flag-warfare-rages-forward/</ref> a [[racist]] [[Russophobe]], Nazi clown in cargo pants,<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/K8EGLJiyhJOm/ Vivek Ramaswamy calls Zelensky a "Nazi clown in cargo pants"], November 8, 2923.</ref> [[neo-Nazi]] collaborator,<ref>https://www.mintpressnews.com/ukraine-jewish-president-zelensky-made-peace-neo-nazi-paramilitaries/279862/</ref> kleptocratic book banner <ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/zelensky-signs-bill-banning-russian-books/</ref> and Western puppet. Considered a madman by many,<ref>[https://archive.ph/qnzPK Zelensky the Liar – He Will Be Remembered by History like Hitler], by Martin Armstrong, Armstrong Economics, November 16, 2022.</ref> Presented to [[Western alliance|Western]] audiences by the [[neocon]] [[globalist]] [[propaganda]] matrix as a combination of [[Mahatma Gandhi]], [[Nelson Mandela]], and [[Winston Churchill]], Zelensky gained public acclaim on Ukrainian television by playing the piano with his private parts.<ref>[https://youtu.be/ZBYvQzRddV8 Zelensky's Days as 'Darling of The West' are Numbered w/ Mark Sleboda], Rachel Blevins, Dec 4, 2023. YouTube</ref> After having suffered 400,000 casualties in the [[NATO war in Ukraine]],<ref>[https://winepressnews.com/2023/09/05/ukraine-has-lost-at-least-400000-troops-in-its-war-with-russia-as-casualties-mount/ Ukraine Has Lost At Least 400,000 Troops In Its War With Russia, As Casualties Mount], by Jacob M. Thompson, September 5, 2023.</ref> the former comedian attempted to sideline Ukraine's top military commanders to assume command himself.<br />
<br />
Zelensky shares with [[Adolf Hitler]] the distinction as [[TIME magazine]] Person of the Year.<ref>https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/armstrongeconomics101/opinion/time-names-zelensky-man-of-the-year-as-they-did-with-hitler-stalin/</ref> He has been characterized as the "ultimate [[narcissist]]"<ref>https://rumble.com/v4ggxp3-scott-ritter-nato-is-done-and-ukraine-defeated.html</ref> and has repeatedly called for global thermonuclear war.<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/president-zelensky-suggests-ukraine-may-pursue-nuclear-weapons-to-counter-russia-putin-responds</ref><ref>https://www.fff.org/2022/03/17/zelenskys-call-for-nuclear-war/</ref><ref>https://scooptrade.com/political-scientist-called-zelenskys-calls-a-provocation-of-the-third-world-war/</ref> Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] has called Zelensky "a disgrace to the [[Jewish]] people."<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/R7wRiwfUzbIz/</ref><br />
<br />
Zelensky has outlawed democratic opposition, ordered his rivals' arrest, and presided over the disappearance and assassination of dissidents across the country.<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/466876-One-less-traitor-Zelensky-Oversees-Campaign-of-Assassination-Kidnapping-And-Torture-of-Political-Opposition</ref> [[Amnesty International]] has accused Zelensky and his regime of [[war crimes]].<ref>https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/ukrainian-fighting-tactics-endanger-civilians/</ref> Zelensky is a graduate of the [[Young Global Leaders|Young Leaders]] program of the [[World Economic Forum]].<ref>https://goudsmit.pundicity.com/26065/russia-ukraine-and-the-globalist-two-step</ref> Upon assuming the role as [[Head of State]], Zelensky did not surround himself with experienced professional political and foreign policy advisors, but rather brought with him the cast and crew of his media production company, actors, script writers, cameramen, film editors, promotional people and media technical advisors. Casualties in the [[Russia-Ukraine war]] have been horrendous because of Zelensky's refusal to negotiate a peace settlement with the [[Donbas]] Republics and [[Russian Federation]].<br />
[[File:What a difference a year makes.PNG|left|350px|thumb|The War Is Lost - Zelenski Will Leave - The White House Has Failed.<ref>[https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/10/the-war-is-lost-zelenski-will-leave-the-white-house-has-failed.html The War Is Lost - Zelenski Will Leave - The White House Has Failed], Moon of Alabama, October 31, 2023.</ref>]]<br />
In his previous career, he worked in the Ukrainian entertainment industry.<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/f1Ll6yw172sg/ VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY'S TRANSVESTITE DANCE]. This clip of Zelensky dancing in high heels and tight leather pants</ref> In three years Zelensky became a billionaire.<ref>https://www.veteranstoday.com/2022/03/02/blockbuster-drag-queen-zelensky-found-a-billion-dollars-and-a-villa-in-miami/</ref> He was promoted by the [[liberal media]] and elected president of Ukraine in 2019 after the U.S.-backed [[Maidan coup]] which unconstitutionally overthrew the [[democracy|democratically]], directly elected, president of Ukraine in 2014.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/before-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-a-decade-of-destabilization_4316990.html</ref> The purpose of the coup was to facilitate [[Western alliance|Western]] [[corporate]] interests to buy up previously state-owned assets.<ref>https://fair.org/home/what-you-should-really-know-about-ukraine/</ref> Zelensky was elected to fight corruption and end the [[War in Donbas]].<br />
<br />
When the Russians conducted an incursion to end the [[Donbas war]] where state-sponsored neo-Nazi paramilitary organizations killed over 13,000 civilians in the [[Donbas]] region since 2014, Zelensky implemented a scorched earth policy like the retreating [[Nazi]] forces in [[Italy]] in 1944, blowing up bridges, opening the prisons and arming criminal gangs.<ref>https://dailyindia.net/ukrainian-author-claims-zelensky-government-gave-weapons-to-criminals-cases-of-rape-and-robbery-increased-in-the-city/135874/</ref> Zelensky invited foreign non-state combatants and mercenaries into Ukraine<ref>https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/foreign-fighters-in-ukraine/</ref> described as "war tourists" who were used by the Ukrainian military and NATO as canon fodder,<ref>https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-01/australian-foreign-fighters-ukraine-russia-war/100869602</ref> or in the words of one UK volunteer, "bullet catchers."<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/foreign-fighters-ukraine-offers-purpose-camaraderie-cause-2022-03-07/</ref> Mercenaries who answer Zelensky's call face the death penalty.<ref>https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/shaun-pinner-andrew-hill-prisoner-ukraine-death-penalty-20220528</ref> <br />
<br />
The Donbas war atrocities and [[genocide]] had been largely ignored since 2014 by Western media because Donbas was not onboard with the [[globalist]] [[gay agenda]].<ref>http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=62947</ref> Zelensky misplaced hope that [[NATO]] troops and air cover would defend his regime, and even traveled to [[Munich]], [[Germany]] in February 2022 to meet with [[the West]] as Ukrainian forces massed to attack the Donbas.<ref>https://www-elethos-gr.translate.goog/2022/01/dpr-head-says-120000-ukrainian-troops.html?_x_tr_sl=el&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc</ref> Previously, in a rather sick joke Zelensky compared Ukraine to an adult film star, the implication as critics point out, Zelensky, in his own words, is pimping his nation in exchange for foreign cash.<ref>https://youtu.be/mvvYH6oCF54?t=4004</ref> <br />
<br />
The Russian incursion began under a collective security agreement to secure the lives and safety of the people of the Donbas, Zelensky is known to have used [[human shields]] in civilian areas similar to the tactics employed by [[Hamas]] in [[Gaza]].<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/zelenskyy-regime-using-civilians-as-human-shields-against-advancing-russian-troops-asean-centre-expert-mgimo-uni/</ref> Zelensky famously bit the hand that feeds him, saying that Western banks should be charged with war crimes. He is a certified purveyor of [[fake news]] and war [[propaganda]].<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/02/28/pro-ukraine-propaganda-floods-social-media/</ref> Aearnur, a substack author, summarized Zelensky's political career on the world stage: "he will appear as a historical footnote accounting for his brief rise and precipitous fall, almost [[Shakespeare]]an in its tragic nature but all to readily associated with the folly that comes with every theatrical farce."<ref>[https://aearnur.substack.com/p/zelenskyy-the-months-ahead-and-the ZELENSKY, AUTHOR OF HIS OWN DEMISE… AND JUST POSSIBLY OF HIS ENTIRE NATION], Aearnur, Dec 11, 2023.</ref><br />
[[File:Zelensky regime war crimes.PNG|left|300px|thumb|The Zelensky regime has committed [[genocidal]] [[war crimes]] against Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens daily unreported by the Western media propaganda apparatus.<ref>https://thedreizinreport.com/2022/10/09/war-crimes-2/</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Zelensky transvestism.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Comedian, now President Volodomyr Zelensky (second from left) [[Transvestism|in drag]] wearing high heels in a Ukrainian music video.<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/f1Ll6yw172sg/ Zelensky in drag.]</ref>]]<br />
==Background==<br />
[[File:Winston Churchill Award winner.jpg|right|315px|thumb|'''Claim to Fame:''' The man considered by globalists and Western media as the "21st century Winston Churchill" playing ''Chopsticks'' on the piano with his sex organ.]]<br />
Zelensky rode the support of the [[liberal media]] to come in first in all but one of Ukraine’s regions losing to [[Poroshenko]] in the western region of [[Lvov]]). Zelensky is a native Russian speaker who also speaks Ukrainian, is of Jewish descent, and supports closer relations with the West.<br />
<br />
As a media personality, Zelensky formed his own production company, Quarter 95. For the three years prior to being elected, Zelensky amassed wide exposure starring in a primetime satirical soap opera as the president of Ukraine, crusading against corrupt politicians who would appoint personal friends to high positions and had offshore bank accounts. As president, Zelensky's first acts were to appoint friends to high positions. According to an investigation by the Consortium of International Journalists called the Pandora Papers, rather than re-invest the profits of his television production company to employ people in Ukraine, Zelensky has offshore bank accounts to store the profits of his looting Ukraine through his production company even before his run for the presidency.<ref>https://youtu.be/C0JUpCrdG88</ref><br />
<br />
Zelensky's rise to power with media mogul [[Ihor Kolomoisky]]'s support suggested that the Western-backed corrupt oligarchy would remain in control of Ukraine. [[Hunter Biden]] was hired by the oligarchs 7 weeks after the [[coup]]. Kolomoisky owns the bank through which payments to the [[Biden family]] were made and provided the funding for the neo-Nazi [[Azov Battalion]].<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/465534-A-single-Ukrainian-billionaire-funded-Hunter-Biden-President-Volodymyr-Zelensky-and-the-neo-nazi-Azov-Battalion</ref> Under the Maidan regime, the country has become more impoverished with 50% of the population now living in poverty. <br />
<br />
In his made-for-TV series, ''Servant of the People'', by murdering other people's elected representatives, Zelensky somehow is cutting a path for the future of Ukrainian "democracy."<br />
<br />
===Globalism===<br />
<br />
As an actor, comedian and soap opera star,<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/qn7XVUOpllCH/</ref> Zelensky closely aligned himself with Western globalists and was elected based on the support of a billionaire oligarch in Ukraine, Ihor Kolomoisky, whose media empire included Zelensky as a partner.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/biography/Volodymyr-Zelensky</ref> Zelensky's campaign consisted of doing comedy routines. The election outcomes suggested that issues of ethnic and linguistic identity mattered less to voters than expected. Not until after the Biden regime seized power were ethnic tensions renewed by globalist media and propaganda.<br />
[[File:Mass shooter Zelensky.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelensky playing the role of a psychotic killer in a [[Hollywood]]-inspired rage against [[democracy]] and mass shooting of the people's elected representatives in parliament.<ref>https://youtu.be/nsra8txvD8Y</ref>]]<br />
During his time as a comedian, Zelensky was making pro-Nazi jokes that had anti-Semitic and Russophobic content in which the majority of his audience was not laughing and did not seem comfortable.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2g-93j4ynA](Russian)</ref><br />
<br />
In a monologue to a comedy show aired April 12, 2014 shortly after the [[Maidan regime]] seized power, Zelensky read an imaginary letter to his family back home:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Good Day Uncle Igor, Aunt Valya and Uncle Sasha. Despite your fears, I can tell you that I live well as far as I live. Soon it will be even better. Because it's been three weeks since I was accepted into the [[Bandera]] community. That's normal, otherwise you can't make a career here in Ukraine. However, I don't have to tell you that, because you know it yourself. I don't get a salary, but that's not the most important thing. We have been allowed to take money and wealth from the Russians. In the past, this was also possible with the Jews. But then the top Bandera supporter Kolomoisky came and banned stealing money from the Jews.<br />
<br />
For example, I'm learning [[English]] now, so as not to forget Russian. American [[mercenaries]], who are here for us every step of the way, help me. You know what? I got married for the second time, he is Wadik. For us [[European]]s this is quite normal. Today, our President, [[Barack Obama]], promised all the most important thing for us, that we will soon join NATO. For the time being, of course, we are the property of America. If it is possible, please send me [[Hitler]]'s book '[[Mein Kampf]]', because that's how everything is done down here. I take care of in the morning to go to the balcony and do morning exercises. From my heart to the sun, so. But I don't have to tell you, because you know it yourself."<ref>https://youtu.be/jIA-38WgpnQ</ref><ref>https://www.kla.tv/22511</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Zelensky has been accused of toxic masculinity.<ref>[https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/03/26/maher_women_can_believe_masculinity_is_toxic_or_worship_zelensky_but_they_cant_do_both.html Maher: Women Can Believe Masculinity Is Toxic Or Worship Zelensky, But They Can't Do Both], Ian Schwartz, March 26, 2022</ref> His comedy has been described as puerile, vulgar, and working class. His mother is said to be ashamed of his chosen career as a comedian. Zelensky performed at events for former President Viktor Yanukovych. As a successful television producer, Zelensky purchased a 15 room villa in [[Tuscany]] which he never disclosed during the presidential campaign. In 2012 ''[[Forbes]]'' reported Zelensky's net worth at $15 million.<br />
<br />
===Corruption===<br />
[[File:Rinat Akhmetov and Leonid Kuchma.png|right|300px|thumb|Rinat Akhmetov and Leonid Kuchma.<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2022/12/16/the-autumn-of-oligarchs-in-ukraine/</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/Za3iAdRjYQc</ref>]]<br />
Zelensky has accumulated $1.2 billion in the Dresdner Bank Lateinamerika in [[Costa Rica]] during the two and a half years of his presidency. This money was transferred to the president by Ukrainian oligarchs, such as Rinat Akhmetov, Igor Kolomoisky, and [[Clinton Foundation]] donor [[Victor Pinchuk]]. Ilya Kiva, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, noted that replenishment is done regularly in tranches of $12 million to $35 million. And they go through banks like First Union Bank, Deutsche Bank, Banque Nationale de Paris. According to Kiva, the movement of such funds would be impossible without the control of the authorities of [[Germany]] and [[France]]. Kiva pointed out Zelensky was able to buy a villa in Sunny Isles, [[Florida]] built by Kolomoisky and Pinchuk for $34 million.<ref>https://shtf.tv/zelensky-found-a-billion-dollars-and-a-villa-in-miami/</ref> According to [[Alexei Arestovich]], Kiva was murdered by the [[Ukrainian gestapo]] in December 2023.<ref>https://t.me/O_Arestovich_official/4773</ref><br />
<br />
Zelensky, like [[Joe Biden]]'s son [[Hunter Biden]], is [[addiction|addicted]] to [[cocaine]] and describes its use as "Awesome! Awesome!"<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/Y6CGIO0d8Tue/</ref> Zelnsky is regarded by Western media and governments as a role model. <br />
<br />
Upon taking office, Zelensky declared, "Our first task is to stop the conflict in the Donbass, in order for our heroes to die. I'm ready for anything. I'm not afraid to make difficult decisions. I'm ready to lose my popularity and my ranking values. If it is necessary, I will be, without hesitation, ready to lose my office, just so that peace may come." A little while later Zelensky realized that his life, and the lives of his family, depends on the [[Pravy Sektor]], and Nazis with extreme views,. Shortly thereafter, he said: "Not all of the people representatives are people, there are also copies." Zelensky is reported to have received a British [[passport]] and citizenship in March 2022 so as to flee Ukraine at any given moment.<ref>https://cmio.org/en/world/660051-representatives-of-zelenskys-office-received-british-citizenship-kiva-said</ref><br />
<br />
According to [[CBS News]], of the billions of dollars in NATO weapons pumped into Ukraine, only 30% made it to the front lines.<ref>https://rumble.com/v1f0qmr-cbs-news-exposes-ukraine-weapons-scam-30-maybe-reaches-its-final-destinatio.html</ref><br />
<br />
==President 2019-present==<br />
{{See also|Zelensky regime}}<br />
<center>{{cquote|''Volodymyr Zelensky is the West’s ideal vessel for laundering its worst ideas. Forget fighting till the last Ukrainian - this canary in the filthiest ideological coal mine the international banking cartels could build might just lead the empire all the way to that great mushroom cloud in the sky.''|||Helen of desTroy<ref>https://helenofdestroy.substack.com/p/washington-robot</ref>}}</center><br />
<br />
[[File:Zelensky Death's Head.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelensky bodyguard with World War II Nazi ''Totenkopf Verbande'' (''Death's Head Formation'') insignia.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/09/15/zelensky-bodyguards-hitler-patch/</ref>]]<br />
The veteran comedian brought with him upon taking office in 2019 his entire media production crew, including script writers and other actors. [[Alexei Arestovich]], another TV entertainer, was appointed as a military adviser and press spokesman. Zelensky declared, "Our first task is to stop the conflict in the Donbass, for which our heroes died. I'm ready for anything. I'm not afraid to make difficult decisions. I'm ready to lose my popularity and my approval ratings. If it is necessary, I will be, without hesitation, ready to lose my office, just so that peace may come." A short time later Zelensky realized that his life, and the lives of his family, was dependent upon the Nazis, the people with extreme views from the Pravy Sektor. Shortly thereafter, he said: "Not all of the people representatives are people, there are also copies."<ref>A paraphrasing from the notorious 1943 Nazi tract quoted by Nazi leaders in Ukrainian, ''Der Untermenschen:'' "The subhuman is a biological creature, crafted by nature, which has hands, legs, eyes and mouth, even the semblance of a brain. Nevertheless, this terrible creature is only a partial human being. Although it has features similar to a human, the subhuman is lower on the spiritual and psychological scale than any animal." [http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/holoprelude/deruntermensch.html]</ref><br />
<br />
Amongst a raft of casualties and desertions, as untrained soldiers were placed at the front in impossible and hopeless situations with no artillery or armor and given orders to fight on and not surrender, two members of the Servant of the People Party of which Zelensky is [[führer]] introduced a bill (No. 7351) allowing AFU officers to kill their own soldiers who refused to follow orders.<ref>https://archive.ph/SWdge</ref> On June 12, 2022 Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree allowing the Ukrainian command to use territorial defense fighters to perform tasks in areas of military operations. Zelensky’s decree legalized sending untrained members of the Territorial Defense to the front as cannon fodder to face the professional Russian army. Conscription in Ukraine amounted to kidnapping people off the street.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/7Vtu5iGUI8AI/</ref><ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/VGvadFMbUts1/</ref><br />
<br />
As the situation in Donbas deteriorated and Zelensky's stubborn resistance to allowing 15,000 soldiers to withdraw from the encirclement, rumors mounted of an imminent [[coup]] to remove the actor/comedian and replace him with Gen. [[Valerii Zaluzhnyi]] whom Gen. [[Mark Milley]] said of on May 23, 2022, "General Zaluzhny is the man behind that effort, bearing the immense burden of leading in combat. His work will be remembered by history." ''[[Time magazine]]'' named Zaluzhny one of its 100 Most Influential People of 2022.<ref>https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2022/6177692/valeriy-zaluzhnyy/</ref> ''[[Politico]]'' also offered words of praise for Zaluzhnyi.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/08/ukraines-iron-general-zaluzhnyy-00023901</ref> Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council [[Oleksiy Danilov]] is reported to have backed Zaluzhnyi.<br />
<br />
After a photoshoot with [[Vogue magazine|''Vogue'' magazine]], Zelensky sat down for an interview with [[Piers Morgan]]. Zelensky was asked about [[inflation]], which according to U.S. polls was the voters number one concern. Zelensky said "inflation is nothing" and told Americans to suck it up and keep handing over cash and weapons in aid.<br />
<br />
On February 15, 2024 Zelensky signed a bill legalizing "medical" marijuana.<ref>https://www.kyivpost.com/post/28151</ref><br />
<br />
===Collusion with Nazis===<br />
{{See also|Azov Battalion}}<br />
{{Anchor|Medvedko}}{{Anchor|Polishchuk}}<br />
[[File:Zelensky neo-Nazi award.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky presents neo-Nazi leader with the Hero of Ukraine award for atrocities committed against ethnic Russians.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/03/04/nazis-ukrainian-war-russia/</ref>]]<br />
[[Oles Buzina]] (also Buzyna), a prominent journalist and author who advocated for unity among Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia and campaigned to outlaw neo-Nazi organizing, was shot and killed near his apartment on April 16, 2015 by state-backed death squads after his name appeared on the [[Myrotvorets]] public blacklist of “enemies of the state” list.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/pro-russian-journalist-oles-buzina-shot-dead-kiev-masked-gunmen-n342661</ref> In June 2015, investigators accused Andriy Medvedko and fellow C14 member, Denys Polishchuk, of killing Buzina.<ref>https://reportingradicalism.org/en/dossiers/people/andrii-medvedko-prominent-c14-member-and-former-svoboda-party-official</ref> During the Maidan coup C14 activists took over Kyiv’s city hall and plastered its walls with neo-Nazi insignia before taking shelter in the Canadian embassy.<ref>https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadian-embassy-used-as-safe-haven-during-ukraine-uprising-investigation-finds-1.3148719</ref> A March 2018 report by ''[[Reuters]]'' stated that “C14 and Kiev’s city government recently signed an agreement allowing C14 to establish a ‘municipal guard’ to patrol the streets."<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cohen-ukraine-commentary/commentary-ukraines-neo-nazi-problem-idUSKBN1GV2TY</ref> By offering to carry out acts of violence on behalf of anyone willing to pay, the C14 fostered a cozy relationship with various governing bodies and powerful elites across Ukraine. Their advertisement on [[Facebook]] reads:<ref>https://khpg.org/en/1520808476</ref><br />
{{quotebox-float|“C14 works for you. Help us keep afloat, and we will help you. For regular donors, we are opening a box for wishes. Which of your enemies would you like to make life difficult for? We’ll try to do that.”}}<br />
In 2018, a C14 youth organizer, Serhiy Bondar, spoke at an event at America House Kyiv, a US government institution that describes itself as “your main resource in Ukraine for American culture, education, and information.” This young fascist leader boasts of working with Kyiv police to “purge” a [[Gypsy]] homeless camp from a train station.<ref>https://twitter.com/RealAlexRubi/status/1498191420703883264</ref><br />
<br />
C14 is even more notorious than the Azov Battalion. The name is a direct reference to the [[white supremacist]] “14 words”, ""We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children." C14 has also received funding from the Zelensky regime, in the form of a Ministry of Youth and Sport grant for “national-patriotic education projects."<ref>https://khpg.org/en/1528928862</ref><br />
<br />
Since September 2019, Buzina's alleged killer Andriy Medvedko has served as a member of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NACB). In January 2020, he became a part of a working group on the 'rights and freedoms of veterans in prison', under the Ministry for Veterans Affairs. Denys Polishchuk, the other accused killer, heads the working group, which includes fellow C14 members Yevhen Karas and Oleksandr Voitko, as well as former lawmaker Oksana Korchinska. Karas has claimed that the SBU would “pass on” information citizens of the Donbas “not only [to] us, but also Azov, the Right Sector and so on.”<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220129134515/https://news.liga.net/politics/interview/s14_kto_oni_i_pochemu_im_pozvoleno_bit_lyudey C14. Who they are and why they are allowed to beat people]. 15.11.2017.</ref><br />
[[File:Zelensky meets with Nazis.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky meets with Nazi leaders. (Far left) Dmytro Shatrovsky with Azov Battalion T-shirt, (across table) Volodymyr Zelensky, (bottom right end) Yehven Karas.]]<br />
In October 2019, Zelensky met with Karas, Dmytro Shatrovsky, and other neo-Nazi leaders.<ref>https://canadianpatriot.org/2022/04/28/how-ukraines-jewish-president-zelensky-made-peace-with-neo-nazi-paramilitaries-on-front-lines-of-war-with-russia/</ref> Days later prime minister and deputy head of Zelensky’s office Oleksiy Honcharuk appeared on stage at a neo-Nazi concert organized by accused C14 murderer Andriy Medvedko.<ref>https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukrainian-pm-minister-attended-neo-nazi-concert-in-kyiv/</ref> <br />
[[File:Ukrainian nazis.PNG|left|500px|thumb|Viral tweet during the Zelensky regime.]]<br />
In April 2021 Zelensky sought to appoint the Serhiy Sternenko as head of Ukraine’s Security Service ([[SBU]]) in Odessa, in an attempt to further his alliance with neo-Nazi forces.<ref>https://adarapress.com/2022/02/25/ukrainian-president-zelensky-deepens-alliance-with-far-right/</ref> As the former head of the neo-Nazi Pravy Sektor in Odessa, Sternenko was directly implicated in the [[Odessa Trade Unions House massacre|2014 Trade Unions House massacre]] where 46 people were burnt alive according to the Kyiv regime's official investigation. Eyewitnesses claim many more were killed. He is a convicted criminal and as of March 2022 was under investigation for murder.<ref>https://covertactionmagazine.com/2021/07/29/our-mission-is-to-lead-the-white-races-of-the-world-in-a-final-crusadeagainst-semite-led-untermenschen-subhumans/</ref><br />
<br />
In December 2021, Zelensky presented fascist Pravy Sektor commander Dmytro Kotsyubaylo with the “Hero of Ukraine” award in the Ukrainian parliament. The Pravy Sektor was deeply involved in the Maidan coup, the sniper murders of the "Heavenly Hundred",<ref>https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKMoq61IN02VsItd-uIZKtJKrPxA4z1Q8</ref> the burning alive of between 46 and 116 ethnic Russians in the Odessa Trade Unions House massacre,<ref>https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16460&LangID=E</ref> and has killed thousands of ethnic Russian civilians in the [[Donbas]] since 2014.<ref>https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1496308793810034688</ref> Pravy Sektor is classified as a terror organization in Russia.<br />
<br />
On February 5, 2022, nineteen days before the Russian incursion, Yevhen Karas appeared on television in Kyiv boasting of the influence his organization and other Nazi groups enjoy in Ukrainian politics.<ref>https://twitter.com/RealAlexRubi/status/1497747535783411714</ref> “LGBT and foreign embassies say ‘there were not many Nazis at Maidan, maybe about 10 percent of real ideological ones,’” Karas remarked. “If not for those eight percent [of neo-Nazis] the effectiveness [of the Maidan coup] would have dropped by 90 percent.” The 2014 Maidan “[[Revolution of Dignity]]” would have been a “gay parade” if not for the instrumental role of neo-Nazis, he proclaimed. Karas went on to declare that [[the West]] armed Ukrainian ultra-nationalists because “we have fun killing.”<br />
<br />
Zelensky refers to native Russian speaking citizens of Ukraine a "species".<br />
[[File:Volodymyr Zelensky, Justin Trudeau, and Chrystia Freeland applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the Waffen SS Galicia Division during a session of the Canadian Parliament September 24 2023.PNG|right|300|thumb|[[Volodymyr Zelensky]], [[Justin_Trudeau#Support_for_Nazism|Justin Trudeau]], and [[Chrystia Freeland]] applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the [[Waffen SS Galicia Division]] during a session of the Canadian Parliament, September 24, 2023.]]<br />
In late September 2023 Canadian dictator [[Justin Trudeau]] and House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota welcomed Zelensky to address the Canadian parliament. A former officer of the [[14th Waffen SS Galicia Division]] named Yaroslav Hunka was also invited to attend the address. Speaker Rota praised Hunka as a “Canadian hero” for fighting against the [[Soviet Union]], which was an ally of Canada, the United States, and the British Commonwealth during [[World War II]]. The [[Allies of World War II]], including Canada, were fighting the armed forces of [[Nazi Germany]], of which the Hunka and the [[14th SS Galicia Division]] were part. More than 45,000 Canadians were killed fighting Nazi forces. <br />
<br />
Former members of the 14th Galicia Division were still wanted in Ukraine, [[Poland]], [[Belarus]], [[Lithuania]], and the [[Russian Federation]] in 2023 for war crimes during the Second World War Nazi occupation. There is no [[statute of limitations]] for murder. Many Ukrainian Nazi war criminals fled [[Europe]] after World War II and were resettled and granted citizenship in the [[UK]], Canada, and the United States. After the German surrender to the Soviet Union in [[Berlin]] on [[Victory Day]], May 9, 1945, many of Ukrainian Nazis who did not flee Europe fought on against the Soviet Union until 1954, receiving covert aid from the [[CIA]] soon after the CIA's founding in 1947.<br />
<br />
International affairs analyst Dr. Andrew Korybko observed that in one fell swoop, Trudeau discredited himself as a so-called “champion of [[human rights]]”, while Zelensky proved beyond any doubt that an ethnic [[Jew]] can indeed glorify the Nazis’ [[genocidal]] allies despite having family who were murdered in the [[Holocaust]].<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/jews-poles-and-russians-have-united Jews, Poles, & Russians Have United To Condemn Canada For Glorifying A Literal Nazi], ANDREW KORYBKO, SEP 25, 2023.</ref> After being vetted to attend Zelensky's speech by the Canadian government and Trudeau's office, Hunta was introduced by the Speaker as a “Ukrainian-Canadian veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians” and received two extended standing ovations while Zelensky raised a clenched fist in solidarity. To its credit, even ''[[Politico]]'' reported on the number of Jewish organizations that condemned the [[fascist]] ceremony.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/24/nazi-linked-veteran-ovation-zelenkyy-canada-visit-00117857 Nazi-linked veteran received ovation during Zelenskyy’s Canada visit], By KYLE DUGGAN, ''Politico'', 09/24/2023.</ref> Hunta's family had [[tweet]]ed out days in advance that a separate private meeting had been arranged for Hunta to meet and speak privately with Trudeau and Zelensky.<ref>Mark Sleboda, [https://marksleboda.substack.com/p/canadian-parliament-trudeau-and-zelensky Canadian Parliament, Trudeau & Zelensky Praise and Give Standing Ovation to West Ukrainian Waffen SS Veteran Who "Killed Russians"], Radio Interview on the Critical Hour 25/09/23.</ref> Three weeks later, the Israeli government rejected Zelensky's request to visit [[Israel]].<ref>[https://insiderpaper.com/israel-rejected-zelensky-visit/ Zelensky denied visit to Israel], October 16, 2023. insiderpaper.com</ref><br />
<br />
===Liquidation of political opponents===<br />
[[File:Truth of the Zelensky regime.PNG|right|300px|thumb|After posting a list of prominent people disappeared or murdered by the Zelensky regime,<ref>https://www.trendsmap.com/twitter/tweet/1507644195212824582</ref> [[Gonzalo Lira]] himself was disappeared from [[Kharkiv]].<ref>https://twitter.com/Anabel_Villeroy/status/1516131041672638464</ref>]]<br />
In November 2021, Zelensky appointed Oleksandr Poklad to head the SBU’s [[counterintelligence]]. A former lawyer and cop with ties to organized [[crime]], Poklad is nicknamed “The Strangler” – a reference to his favorite method of obtaining testimony from his victims.<ref>https://eadaily.com/ru/news/2021/12/02/ze-doveril-kontrrazvedku-sbu-gestapovcu-xxi-veka-po-klichke-dushitel</ref> The SBU functions as Zelensky's gestapo organization.<ref>https://www.donbass-insider.com/2022/03/10/sbu-the-terrible-ukrainian-political-police-assassinations-and-torture/</ref> The [[Security Service of Ukraine]] (SBU} closely collaborates with neo-Nazi groups including Right Sector, Azov, and C14, which was contracted by the Ukrainian government to conduct street patrols. Several mayors and other Ukrainian officials were killed since the Russian incursion by Ukrainian state agents after engaging in de-escalation talks with Russia forces to protect civilians and infrastructure in their communities. The SBU hunted down local officials that accepted humanitarian relief supplies from Russia or negotiated with Russian forces to arrange humanitarian corridors for civilian evacuations. <br />
<br />
In a March 19, 2022 [[executive order]], Zelensky invoked martial law to ban 11 opposition parties. Max Blumenthal and Esha Krishnaswamy characterized the outlawed parties as "the entire [[left-wing]], [[socialist]], or anti-NATO spectrum in Ukraine." They included the For Life Party, the Left Opposition, the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Union of Left Forces, Socialists, the Party of Shariy, Ours, State, Opposition Bloc and the Volodymyr Saldo Bloc. Openly fascist and pro-Nazi parties like the Azov National Corps were left untouched by the presidential decree, however.<br />
<br />
The following is a very brief, partial list posted by independent Chilean/American journalist [[Gonzalo Lira]], of prominent Ukrainian citizens who were disappeared under Zelensky. Gonzalo Lire himself was [[disappeared]] on April 15, 2022.<br />
<br />
*Vlodymyr Struk, pro-Russian mayor kidnapped and murdered.<ref>https://nypost.com/2022/03/03/pro-russian-mayor-of-ukrainian-city-kidnapped-killed/</ref><br />
*Denis Kireev, Ukraine peace negotiator shot dead ‘defending the nation’.<ref>https://www.the-sun.com/news/4831656/ukraine-peace-negotiator-spy-shot-russia-kireev/</ref><br />
*Mikhail & Aleksander Kononovich, Ukrainian youth leaders arrested.<br />
*Nestor Shufrych, Ukrainian member of parliament arrested.<ref>https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-lawmaker-photographing-checkpoint/31736680.html</ref><br />
*Yan Taksyur, Ukrainian Orthodox journalist jailed with no access to a lawyer medical treatment.<ref>https://orthochristian.com/145355.html</ref><br />
*Dmitri Djangirov, Ukrainian journalist, political expert, political scientist arrested.<br />
<br />
[[Scott Ritter]], whom Lira interviewed four days before his abduction, wrote about how people can respond to injustice: "we can call out Zelensky’s “cursed machine” for the [[crime]]s it is committing every day in defense of a perverted vision of Ukrainian nationalism that has mainstreamed the odious ideology of [[Nazi Germany]], giving voice to its [[hate]]-filled logic, and empowering its minions to silence the voices of those who, like Gonzalo Lira, dared speak truth to power."<ref>https://freepress.substack.com/p/what-russians-know-422</ref><br />
<br />
===Anti-democratic decrees===<br />
Zelensky declared martial law, armed neo-Nazi and criminal gangs,<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/8ohZv5w59uHt/</ref> and his secret police, the [[SBU]], began arrests and liquidations of political opposition.<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/466876-One-less-traitor-Zelensky-Oversees-Campaign-of-Assassination-Kidnapping-And-Torture-of-Political-Opposition</ref> On March 20, 2022 Zelensky announced a ban on 11 political parties, including parties with sitting members of [[parliament]]<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/zelensky-announces-ban-on-11-political-parties_4349682.html</ref> but not the Nazi organizations. <br />
Additionally, the fascist [[dictator]] eliminated all independent media and consolidated all information flow into one government controlled television platform.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/citing-martial-law-ukraine-president-signs-decree-combine-national-tv-channels-2022-03-20/</ref> <br />
<br />
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman [[Maria Zakharova]] was asked to comment on Zelensky's initiative to confiscate the property and assets of persons supporting a [[special military operation]] to liberate oppressed people in Ukraine and similar measures taken by a number of other Western countries. "The confiscation of [[private property]] from individuals for their political beliefs is a flagrant violation of the principles of [[democracy]] and the [[market economy]]," Zakharova said.<br />
<br />
===Wartime leader - Best Actor===<br />
{{See also|Donbas war}}<br />
[[File:Zelensky receives the best actor reward.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky receives the Best Actor Award.]]<br />
Zelensky betrayed his campaign promises of reform and meaningful progress to implement the [[Minsk Agreements]] and resolve the Donbass stalemate, leading to a rapid decline in popular support. He maintains power in Ukraine by a campaign of intimidation and terror conducted by the secret police.<br />
<br />
On March 24, 2021, Volodymyr Zelensky issued a decree for aggressive action against Crimea, and began to deploy his forces to the south of the country. At the same time, several NATO exercises were conducted between the [[Black Sea]] and the [[Baltic Sea]], accompanied by a significant increase in reconnaissance flights along the Russian border. Russia then conducted several exercises to test the operational readiness of its troops.<br />
<br />
Things calmed down until October-November with the end of the ZAPAD 21 exercises, whose troop movements were interpreted as a reinforcement for an offensive against the Ukraine. However, even the Ukrainian authorities refuted the idea of Russian preparations for a war, and Oleksiy Reznikov, Ukrainian Minister of Defense, states that there had been no change in Russian troop levels on its border since the spring of 2021.<br />
<br />
In violation of the Minsk Agreements, Ukraine was conducting air operations in Donbas using drones, including at least one strike against a fuel depot in [[Donetsk]] in October 2021. The American press noted this, but not the Europeans; and no one condemned these violations of international peace agreements.<br />
[[File:Number-of-Explosions-in-Donbass-19-20-February-2022.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
In February 2022, events were precipitated. On February 7, during his visit to Moscow, [[Emmanuel Macron]] reaffirmed to Vladimir Putin his commitment to the Minsk Agreements, a commitment he would repeat after his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky the next day. But on February 11, in [[Berlin]], after nine hours of work, the meeting of political advisors of the leaders of the “Normandy format” ended, without any concrete result: the Ukrainians still refused to apply the Minsk Agreements, apparently under pressure from the United States. [[Vladimir Putin]] noted that Macron had made empty promises and that the West was still ignoring the agreements, as it had been doing for eight years.<br />
<br />
[[India]]n geopolitical researcher Amit Sengupta characterized Zelensky and his relationship with the U.S. this way:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Zelinsky turned out to be an American stooge who literally destroyed his own country in the name of [[democracy]]. I've seen a lot of people saying that Zelensky is fighting for its country. What you need to understand is that this is not the right way of fighting for your country. This is a rebellious way of fighting. A smart and visionary leader looks for an alternative way of solving this matter. What Zelensky is doing, he is acting like a passive aggressive teenager, and America is continuously supplying weapons from behind. America is adding more fuel to the chaos."<ref>https://youtu.be/eRDIWQCjBBE</ref>}}<br />
The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded on June 29, 2022 that Zelensky used civilians as [[human shields]] when Ukrainian soldiers took up firing positions, effectively making the civilian infrastructure legitimate military targets.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/07/10/un-human-rights-report-shows-ukraine-military-used-nursing-home-residents-as-human-shields/</ref><br />
<br />
In his 2023 New Year's Eve message to the nation, Volodymyr Zelensky referred to Russians as "non-humans", twice for emphasis.<ref>https://www.ukrainianworldcongress.org/address-by-president-volodymyr-zelensky-dec-31-2022/</ref><br />
<br />
Former parliamentary opposition leader [[Viktor Medvedchuk]], whom Zelensky jailed and was released to the [[DNR]] in POWS swap, saidm “The country was plunged into a fire for the inflated ego of this man,” adding,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Today, the West flatters him at every opportunity. What luck! A ruler who would destroy his country for a photo op, boost his ratings on the blood and suffering of his citizens. Zelensky slaughtered law and stability for the sake of applause and posturing."}}<br />
<br />
====Operation Denazification====<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
[[File:Volodymyr-Zelenskyy-Minister-of-Defense-selfie.jpg|right|300ox|thumb|Volodomyr Zelensky (right) poses with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov for a selfie during the Siege of Kyiv, February 27, 2022.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/02/27/peace-talks-possible-between-russia-and-ukraine-as-magnificently-defiant-zelenskyy-stands-atop-the-alamo-of-kyiv-taking-selfies/</ref> Reznikov was fired in February 2023 in a [[kickback]] scandal related to US aid and Ukraine defense spending. Because of Reznikov's utility to the Americans and Zelensky, he was rehired by the end of the week.]]<br />
Zelensky proposed Ukraine obtain nuclear weapons. When Vladimir Putin announce the Special Military Operation in Ukraine, Putin referenced the fact that Ukraine was run by a gang of drug-addicts and neo-Nazis.<ref>https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/putin-calls-ukraine-government-drug-172802290.html</ref><br />
<br />
During the night of February 25-26, 2022 Volodymyr Zelensky sent a ceasefire proposal to Russia via the [[Chinese]] embassy in Kyiv. The [[Kremlin]] immediately responded by setting out its conditions:<ref>https://nexusnewsfeed.com/article/geopolitics/zelensky-prepared-to-surrender/</ref><br />
*arrest of all Nazis ([[Dmitro Yarosh]] and the [[Azov Battalion]], etc.)<br />
*removal of all street names and destruction of monuments glorifying Nazi collaborators during the [[Second World War]] ([[Stepan Bandera]], etc.),<br />
*laying down of weapons.<br />
<br />
10 days after the incursion, a French reporter asked Zelensky how his life had changed since the intervention of Russian troops in the Donbas war. Zelensky replied,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Today, my life is beautiful. I believe that I am needed. I feel it is the most important meaning in life – to be needed. To feel that you are not just an emptiness that is just breathing, walking, and eating something. You live.”<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-R4sh2z0EM&t=3426s</ref>}}<br />
Critics were horrified by the response. Analyst Natylie Baldwin noted, "this construction is alarming: it implies that Zelensky enjoys the unique opportunity to perform on a global stage provided by the war. It made his life beautiful; he lives. In contrast to millions of Ukrainians whose life is not nice at all and thousands of those who are not alive any longer."<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2022/04/29/ukraine-the-real-zelensky/</ref><br />
<br />
During the [[2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict]] to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine, Zelensky said in a televised address that Kyiv has been left to fend for itself as [[NATO]] is "afraid" to give it any guarantees. "I asked them -- are you with us? They answered that they are with us, but they don't want to take us into the alliance. I've asked 27 leaders of [[Europe]], if Ukraine will be in NATO, I've asked them directly -- all are afraid and did not respond. We were left by ourselves. Who is ready to go to war for us? Honestly, I don't see anybody. Who is ready to give Ukraine guarantees of NATO membership? Honestly, everybody is afraid."<ref>https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/international/ive-asked-27-leaders-of-europe-all-are-afraid-ukraine-president</ref> In accordance with NATO rules, a country having territorial disputes cannot be admitted to the bloc.<br />
<br />
In response to the commencement of [[Operation Denazification]] Zelensky handed out military grade weapons to neo-Nazi criminal gangs.<ref>https://twitter.com/JDPlatinumINVST/status/1498418936932622337</ref><br />
<br />
====Zelensky the puppet====<br />
{{See also|2022 Istanbul peace negotiations}}<br />
''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in May 2022 on Boris Johnson's unannounced surprise visit to Kyiv shortly after Russia and Ukraine had reached a peace settlement in their talks in [[Istanbul]]. The Russians had agreed to withdraw to the pre-February 2022 borders and Zelensky would implement the [[Minsk Accords]]. ''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in essence what Johnson told Zelensky according to sources close to the Ukrainian dictator:<br />
[[File:Zelensky the puppet.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky the puppet.]]<br />
[[File:Zelensky and Boris.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelesnky and BoJo. Boris Johnson sabotaged peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine in April 2022. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian solders died needlessly in the following months.]]<br />
[[File:SBU raids chuch.PNG |right|300px|thumb|Gestapo raid on the Kiev-[[Pechersk Lavra]] monastery, the preeminent center of Christianity since 1051 A.D. Other raids were carried out on the Cyril and Methodius Convent in Transcarpathia, and in Rovno, Vinnitsa, and Zhitomir oblasts looking for "Russian spys" and propaganda.<ref>https://thedreizinreport.com/2022/11/25/dreizin-retires/</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"if Ukraine is ready to sign some agreements on guarantees with Putin, they [the UK and US] are not. Johnson’s position was that the [[Western alliance|collective West]], which back in February had suggested Zelenskyy should surrender and flee, now felt that Putin was not really as powerful as they had previously imagined, and that here was a chance to "press him."<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/western-allies-led-uks-johnson-sabotaged-tentative-ukraine-russia-peace-deal</ref>}}<br />
[[File:Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Ukrainian troops training in North Yorkshire.jpeg|left|300px|thumb|Boris Johnson posing with Ukrainian special forces. Most were killed in an unsuccessful NATO raid on the [[Zaporozhye nuclear power plant]].]]<br />
On October 13, 2022 Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference:<br />
<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We sat at the negotiating table with the Ukrainian delegation until the end of March [2022], when an approach to a settlement on the principles suggested by the Ukrainians at the time had been harmonised in [[Istanbul]]. These principles suited us for that moment but the talks were stopped by direct order from Washington and London.<br />
<br />
This conflict is overrun with [[Anglo-Saxon]]s that fully control the Vladimir Zelensky regime. The Poles and people from the Baltics are trying to fit in on their team.<br />
<br />
Since then the Ukrainian President has said many times that he is not going to hold talks with the Russian Federation under President Vladimir Putin. Recently, he codified this ban in law. We have never sought negotiations. The Istanbul round completed the process started at Ukraine’s request. Russia positively reacted to the proposal to enter a dialogue, but its initiators cut it off with a shout from overseas or London.<br />
<br />
We are hearing statements by [[White House]] representative John Kirby, my colleague Antony Blinken and other members of the US administration. They are saying that they are completely open to talks with the Russian Federation, that they favor a political settlement of the current situation in Ukraine but Russia (the “troublemaker”) is rejecting proposals to establish contact. I can say straight away that this is a lie. We have not received any serious proposals to establish any such contact. There were some attempts that were not very serious, but we didn’t reject them, either. Instead, we suggested that they formulate specific proposals. Some people made them to us by proxy but in this case, we didn’t receive any clear explanations from anyone, either. No need to lie. We were taught in a kindergarten then lying is bad. Apparently, American kindergartens are not so advanced as they were in the [[Soviet Union]] and are now in Russia."}}<br />
<br />
====Escalation====<br />
On June 1, 2022 Russian Deputy Foreign Minister [[Sergey Ryabkov]] told ''RIA Novosti'' news that Biden's decision to arm Ukraine with [[HIMAR]] missile launchers increases the risk of direct confrontation between Russia and the United States. Foreign secretary [[Blinken]] said the weapons, which have a precision range of up to 300 kilometers, were given on the pretext of a promise by Zelensky not to use the HIMARs against Russian territory. However Zelensky's transgender chief propagandist [[Alexei Arestovich]] immediately threatened, "[[Crimea]] is ours…It belongs to Ukraine…And they know it…Therefore, it will fly to Crimea double-time."<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/468500-US-to-allow-Ukraine-to-decide-range-of-missiles-Kiev-threatens-to-strike-Crimea-should-the-need-arise?</ref> Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council [[Dmitry Medvedev]] retorted, “If those types of weapons are used against the territory of Russia, the armed forces of our country will have no other choice but to strike decision-making centers...It is obvious what those decision-making centers are: the defense ministry, the general staff and so on...But it should be understood that, in this case, the ultimate decision-making centers are regretfully not even on the territory of Kiev." <ref>https://tass.com/politics/1459891</ref><br />
<br />
{{Anchor|Tornado Battalion}}<br />
<br />
====Releasing criminal psychopaths====<br />
According to a July 11, 2022 report in Ukrainian media, Ruslan Onishenko, commander of the now-disbanded '''Tornado Battalion''' from the early [[Donbas war]], was freed as part of Zelensky’s scheme to release prisoners with combat experience. Along with an unwavering commitment to fascism, Onishenko is known as a [[psychopath]]ic [[sadist]] who was involved in sexually assaulting children, brutally torturing prisoners, and murder.<ref>https://focus.ua/uk/amp/ukraine/521825-osuzhdennyy-za-pytki-byvshiy-kombat-tornado-onishchenko-vyshel-na-svobodu-eks-nardep</ref> Onishenko’s release follows a February 27, 2022 order by Zelensky to free other convicted former Tornado members like Danil “Mujahed” Lyashuk, a fanatic from Belarus who has openly emulated [[ISIS]] and boasted of torturing captives for sheer enjoyment. According to Zelensky‘s decree, prisoners with combat experience would be allowed to “compensate for their guilt” by fighting in the “hottest spots.”<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10559879/Zelensky-reveals-prisoners-combat-experience-RELEASED-help-defend-Ukraine.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Battle of Bakhmut====<br />
{{See also|Battle of Bakhmut}}<br />
Just as [[der Führer]] of the [[Third Reich]], [[Adolf Hitler]] did during the [[Second World War]], [[Zelensky]] ordered that there be no Ukrainian retreat from the frontline city of [[Bakhmut]], giving no solution to a hopeless situation for the Ukrainian military. Ukrainian officers ensured that by blowing up the one bridge providing an escape route to Slavyansk, Ukrainian soldiers could not retreat.<br />
<br />
''[[Newsweek]]'' spoke with 'former' U.S. Colonel Andrew Milburn who, together with 'volunteers', trained Ukrainian soldiers: "They've been taking extraordinarily high casualties," Milburn said of the units training with the American Mozart PMC. "The numbers you are reading in the media about 70 percent and above casualties being routine are not exaggerated."<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/wagner-group-targeting-volunteers-ukraine-mozart-group-russia-andy-milburn-1765321</ref> A unit with 50% casualties is usually no longer able to fight and withdrawn from combat. But Zelensky left the units on the frontline until nearly nobody was left in them.<br />
[[File:Bakhmut meatginder.jpg|left|225px|thumb|The Bakhmut meatgrinder.]]<br />
Morale fell among Ukrainian forces. A viral video addressed to Gen. Zaluzhny and President Zelensky narrated by a Ukrainian soldier stated:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"I want to send my greetings to AGETHA [[Zaluzhny]] and to our President. How is it going? Are they warm where you are? You say in your videos that everything is fine, that the soldiers do not need anything. We are not only killed by orks (Russians) but also by cold. Where is our aid? The Administration ignores us. The c@@@@@ only threaten us with imprisonment. <br />
<br />
Remember this: We will definitely be back. We will survive. Not just for the victory but to hang you in Kiev, in Maidan Square. Pray that the Russians will arrive first. Then maybe you'll stay alive in jail!"<ref>https://warnews247.gr/o-rosikos-stratos-bike-stin-poli-tou-bakhmut-odomachies-se-katoikimenes-perioches-oukranoi-stratiotes-kata-zelenski-tha-se-kremasoume-sto-kievo/</ref>}}<br />
In the month of February 2023 the Ukrainians lost about 11,000 men in Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.easternherald.com/2023/03/07/prigozhin-said-wagner-pmc-killed-11000-uaf-militants-in-bakhmut-in-february/</ref> During the fall of Bakhmut, where Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky sent thousands of untrained 16-year-olds, middle-aged fathers, and old men, forcibly pressed in service of the [[Kiev regime]] to die senselessly as cannon fodder, [[Germany]]’s top newspaper ''Bild'' reported that Zelensky had a major disagreement with his top general [[Zaluzhny]] regarding the withdrawal, or lack thereof, of Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/03/why-bakhmut-is-falling.html</ref> Gen. Zaluzhny had argued for months to abandon Bakhmut and end the slaughter, however Zelensky did not want to give the appearance to his Western puppet masters that Ukraine was losing ground while he was begging for money before the [[U.S. Congress]].<ref>https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/ukraine-praesident-streitet-mit-general-ueber-die-blutigste-schlacht-des-krieges-83106290.bild.html</ref> Apparently to do damage control, Zelensky quickly released a video statement claiming that it was in fact the general staff (Zaluzhny and [[Syrsky]]) who advised him to defend and reinforce Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/KNTMCWdfONAR/</ref><br />
<br />
As the encirclement closed in an [[AFU]] forces in early March 2023, the Russian forces allowed untrained, conscripted 16-year-olds and elderly men pressed into service by the [[Zelensky regime]] to escape without being killed or captured via the last remaining escape route out of Bakhmut.<ref>https://youtu.be/NmzuuWMsm1k</ref> 10,000 Ukrainian troops were said to be trapped in the cauldron.<ref>[https://youtu.be/zg6HpuW8OYU Russia Claims Bakhmut Cauldron 10k Troops Trapped; West Media Admits Ukraine Losses, Blames Zelensky], Alexander Mercouris, March 6, 2023.</ref><br />
<br />
These are to forces that were decimated in Bakhmut.<ref>https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/sitrep-52023-bakhmut-falls-artemovsk</ref> Most suffered more than 70% casualties against the [[Wagner group]] alone. <br />
<br />
Brigades: 45th Brigade; 43rd Brigade; 26th Brigade; 28th Brigade; 62nd Brigade; 63rd Brigade 53rd Brigade; 60th Brigade; 24th Brigade; 57th Brigade; 30th Brigade; Advance Rubizh Brigade; Advance Azov Brigade; Advance Uragan Brigade; Advance Spartan Brigade; 109th Brigade; 116th Brigade; 119th Brigade; 241st Brigade; 93rd Brigade; 77th Brigade; 46th Brigade; 4th Brigade; 17th Brigade; 61st Brigade of Jaegers; Special Forces and Spetsnaz Regiments; 5th Assault Regiment; 8th Regiment of Special Forces.<br />
<br />
[[Kraken unit|Kraken Battalions]]: 122nd Battalion; 68th Battalion; 214th OPFOR Battalion; 49th Rifle Battalion; 15th Mountain Assault Battalion; Omega; Border Guard Donetsk. <br />
<br />
8th Regiment of the UDAR UAVs: Shershen; Adam; Karlsen; Terra; Madyar; Khartia; Kep; Seneka<br />
<br />
WASP Legions: Dudaev Battalion; Georgian Legion; Mansur Battalion; Shamil Battalion; Gonor; Normandy Legion<br />
<br />
Ukrainian losses were estimated at 100,000-120,000 with 50,000 killed. Russian casualties were estimated at 20,000.<br />
<br />
This is an absolutely enormous commitment (37 brigades, 2 regiments, and 18 separate battalions plus irregular formations like the Georgian Legion) which indicates obviously severe losses.<br />
<br />
====2023 Summer counteroffensive====<br />
{{See also|2023 Summer counteroffensive}}<br />
<br />
====Battle of Avdiivka====<br />
{{See also|Battle of Avdiivka}}<br />
<br />
====Gotterdammerung====<br />
<br />
Simon Schuster of [[TIME magazine]] reported on the grim Führerbunker stage of the conflict in late October 2023:<ref>[https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/time-magazine-profile-depicts-grim TIME Magazine Profile Depicts Grim Führerbunker-Stage of Zelensky's Conflict ], Simplicius the Thinker, November 2, 2023. simplicius76.substack.com</ref><br />
[[File:Friends of America Club.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"To be an enemy of America is dangerous, to be a friend is fatal" - [[Henry Kissinger]]. <ref>[https://sonar21.com/is-zelensky-being-prepped-to-join-the-friends-of-the-u-s-club/ IS ZELENSKY BEING PREPPED TO JOIN THE FRIENDS OF THE U.S. CLUB?], Larry Johnson , 13 November 2023. sonar21.com</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The usual sparkle of his optimism, his sense of humor, his tendency to liven up a meeting in the war room with a bit of banter or a bawdy joke, none of that has survived into the second year of all-out war. “Now he walks in, gets the updates, gives the orders, and walks out,” says one longtime member of his team. Another tells me that, most of all, Zelensky feels betrayed by his [[Western alliance|Western allies]]. They have left him without the means to win the war, only the means to survive it.<br />
<br />
<br />
But his convictions haven’t changed. Despite the recent setbacks on the battlefield, he does not intend to give up fighting or to sue for any kind of peace. On the contrary, his belief in Ukraine’s ultimate victory over Russia has hardened into a form that worries some of his advisers. It is immovable, verging on the messianic. “He deludes himself,” one of his closest aides tells me in frustration. “We’re out of options. We’re not winning. But try telling him that.”<br />
<br />
[...]<br />
<br />
“We’re not moving forward,” says one of Zelensky’s close aides. Some front-line commanders, he continues, have begun refusing orders to advance, even when they came directly from the office of the President. “They just want to sit in the trenches and hold the line,” he says. “But we can’t win a war that way.”<br />
<br />
When I raised these claims with a senior military officer, he said that some commanders have little choice in second-guessing orders from the top. At one point in early October [2023], he said, the political leadership in Kyiv demanded an operation to “retake” the city of [[Horlivka]], a strategic outpost in [[eastern Ukraine]] that the Russians have held and fiercely defended for nearly a decade [sic].<ref>The Russians did not enter the civil conflict until February 24, 2022. [[Gorlivka]] was held by the [[Donbas]] militia since July 2024. Even in this first, mostly accurate report on the real situation in the Ukraine war, Western media [[propagandist]]s still cannot break their instinctive habit of deliberate misrepresentations and outright lies to inform Western readers about Russia and the situation on the front.</ref> The answer came back in the form of a question: With what? “They don’t have the men or the weapons,” says the officer. “Where are the weapons? Where is the artillery? Where are the new recruits?”<ref>[https://time.com/6329188/ukraine-volodymyr-zelensky-interview/ ‘Nobody Believes in Our Victory Like I Do.’ Inside Volodymyr Zelensky’s Struggle to Keep Ukraine in the Fight], BY SIMON SHUSTER, OCTOBER 30, 2023.</ref>}}<br />
Alexander Mercouris of ''The Duran'' also gave an insightful review of the ''TIME'' magazine piece.<ref>[https://youtu.be/rVcvizqrjvQ?t=3637 Israel Operation Gaza; UN BRICS versus US; Zelensky Deluded, Ukr Defeated, Ukr Troops Demoralised], Alexander Mercouris, November 1, 2023. YouTube</ref> The consensus among observers was that the [[CIA]] was ready to throw Zelensky overboard, and perhaps [[Zaluzhny]] as well, and the ''TIME'' magazine piece along with other recent [[MSM]] reports were preparing the American public for the eventual 'cut and run' option of the United States.<br />
<br />
On November 9, 2023 Zelensky commented on the multiple [[geopolitical]] crisis engulfing the planet:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Looking at all these wars, looking at all the crises not only Ukraine, but in [[Africa]], in the [[Middle East]]...Sometimes I am looking at these and think that the best way if this [[planet]] will be the planet of [[dog]]s...Sometimes I don’t understand [[people]], really."<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/zelenskiy-hopes-planet-dogs-solve-180258493.html Zelenskiy hopes for "planet of dogs" to solve world's crises], November 8, 2023, ''[[Reuters]]''. yahoo.com</ref>}}<br />
American journalist Yves Smith observed in nakedcapitalism.com, "What is striking about the current state of play is not simply that Ukraine is losing the war with Russia, and it’s just a matter of time before Russia dictates terms, but that the Ukraine government is acting in ways that benefits the Russian military, to the destruction of what is left of its [[society]] and [[economy]]”.<ref>[https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ukraine-end-game-putin-medvedev-discuss-maps-putting-kiev-menu Ukraine End Game: Putin and Medvedev Discuss Maps, Putting Kiev on the Menu], Yves Smith, November 20, 2023. www.zerohedge.com</ref> By late November 2023 it appeared that NATO’s [[proxy war]] on Russia was winding down faster than expected with major [[MSM]] outlets like the [[BBC]], ''[[Politico]]'', the ''[[Washington Post]]'', and the ''[[Financial Times]]'' all becoming very critical of Ukraine and Zelensky.<ref>[https://thealtworld.com/andrew_korybko/natos-proxy-war-on-russia-through-ukraine-appears-to-be-winding-down NATO’s Proxy War On Russia Through Ukraine Appears To Be Winding Down], ANDREW KORYBKO, 22 NOV 23. thealtworld.com</ref> A poll by ''[[The Economist]]'' showed Zelensky's approval rating down to 32% while [[Gen. Zaluzhny]] enjoyed a solid 70% backing. [[Kirill Budanov]], who proudly runs the [[SBU]]'s assassination program, scored 45%.<ref>[https://archive.is/l9tDz Russia is poised to take advantage of political splits in Ukraine], ''The Economist'', Nov 28th 2023. www.economist.com</ref><br />
[[File:Zelensky January 2024.PNG|left|300px|thumb|As casualties mounted to over a half million in the Ukraine armed forces, Zelensky and Western NATO leaders became increasingly delusional.<ref>https://americarenewing.com/issues/primer-its-time-for-a-negotiated-settlement-for-ukraine/</ref>]]<br />
By December 2023 the clown president who played the piano with his private parts sidelined military experts and Gen. Zaluzhny to assume direct command of Ukrainian forces himself.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/zelenskyy-reportedly-forms-direct-links-123500465.html Zelenskyy reportedly forms direct links to top Ukrainian commanders, risks sidelining army chief Zaluzhnyi], ''The New Voice of Ukraine'', December 4, 2023. yahoo.com</ref> [[Kyiv]] mayor [[Vitali Klitschko]] accused Zelensky of being an [[authoritarian]] [[autocrat]] who lied about the war.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2023/12/05/news/ukraines-zelensky-is-turning-into-an-autocrat-claims-kyiv-mayor/ Zelensky turning Ukraine into authoritarian state just like Russia, says Kyiv mayor in shocking interview], Snejana Farberov, ''[[New York Post]]'', Dec. 5, 2023. nypost.com.</ref><ref>[https://news.antiwar.com/2023/12/05/kyiv-mayor-says-zelensky-is-an-authoritarian-and-lying-about-war/ Kyiv Mayor Says Zelensky Is an Authoritarian and Lying About War], by Dave DeCamp, December 5, 2023. antiwar.com</ref> Journalist-in-exile [[Anatoly Shariy]] said "the war is lost". The [[Security Service of Ukraine]], euphemistically known as the [[Ukrainian gestapo]], alleged former President [[Petro Poroshenko]], whom Zelensky defeated in the 2019 presidential election, and Hungarian prime minister [[Victor Orban]] were [[colluding]] together in a "Russian plot".<ref>https://korybko.substack.com/p/ukraines-political-intrigue-deepens</ref> Former Zelensky regime chief propagandist [[Alexei Arestovich]], himself mentioned as a Zelensky replacement stated, "In the conflict of the [[globalist]]s and [[realist]]s, we made the bet on the wrong side. We kind of shed [[blood]] to end up in the losing camp."<ref>[https://vk.com/video-221265170_456312797?ysclid=lpu4zv4q7i273278023 BOMBSHELL: Ukraine is on the wrong side, says Arestovich!], December 5, 2023. PRAVDA EN</ref><br />
<br />
Biden summoned Zelensky to [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] on December 11, 2023 which was widely billed as the clown's final encore.<ref>[https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/zelensky-circus-comes-to-town-for Zelensky Circus Comes to Town for One Last Encore], SIMPLICIUS THE THINKER, DEC 12, 2023. simplicius76.substack.com</ref><ref>[https://gordonhahn.com/2023/12/11/sad-clown-with-the-circus-closed-down-zelenskiys-demise/ Sad Clown with the Circus Closed Down: Zelenskiy’s Demise], Gordon Hahn, December 11, 2023. gordonhahn.com</ref><ref>[https://aearnur.substack.com/p/zelenskyy-the-months-ahead-and-the ZELENSKY, AUTHOR OF HIS OWN DEMISE… AND JUST POSSIBLY OF HIS ENTIRE NATION], AEARNUR, DEC 11, 2023. aearnur.substack.com</ref><ref>[https://unherd.com/2023/12/is-this-the-end-for-zelenskyy/ Is this the end for Zelenskyy? The Ukrainian president is facing calls for regime change], BY THOMAS FAZI, December 12, 2023. unherd.com</ref><ref>[https://youtu.be/XKZ7qpBsOyg Zelensky Facing 'Perfect Storm' After Failed U.S. Fundraiser w/ Mark Sleboda], Rachel Blevins, Dec 13, 2023. YouTube</ref> While in D.C., soldiers of the Ukrainian 119th Territorial Defense Brigade released a video informing Zelensky they will no longer fight for him, and revealing: “We have not undergone any elementary training, even in terms of handling weapons...We have not seen officers and sergeant-contractors in position, only mobsters...It feels like we were thrown into the abyss...If it goes on like this, then the gene pool of the country will be destroyed....If you don't care about us, we don't care about you."<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/St8RXrtsfk8G/ MUTINY IN THE AFU 119TH BRIGADE], Dec 11, 2023.</ref><br />
<br />
In an interview with New Voice radio on January 8, 2024 Chairman of the [[Rada]] Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence Roman Kostenko said Zelensky is a "political corpse". Kostenko, who is also an [[SBU]] colonel, said Zelensky had withdrawn from negotiations on a new, controversial draft mobilization bill by trying to pass blame for the unpopular legislation unto others. Kostenko said Zelensky is more concerned about his approval ratings than preserving the state. Should another presidential election ever be held, Zelensky would not be re-elected. <ref>[https://westobserver.com/news/europe/the-rada-announced-the-political-death-of-zelensky/</ref><br />
<br />
===Nuclear blackmail===<br />
Volodymyr Zelensky suggested to world leaders at the Munich Summit in February 2022, before the Russian incursion, that Ukraine obtain nuclear weapons.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/22/ukraine-zelensky-seeks-end-russia-diplomatic-ties-after-hinting-pursuing-nuclear-weapons/</ref> Reports already indicated that the Zelensky regime was building, or had built, a [[dirty bomb]].<ref>http://eu.eot.su/2022/03/06/source-kiev-has-been-developing-a-dirty-bomb-in-the-chernobyl-npp-zone/</ref><br />
<br />
====Shelling Zaporozhye nuclear power plant====<br />
{{See also|Zaporozhye nuclear power plant}}<br />
[[File:Campbell propaganda.PNG|right|500px|thumb|'''Western propaganda and nuclear terrorism.''' Dr. John Campbell, a [[Youtube]]r with 2.4 million followers, deliberately mislocates the location of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant to his followers showing it outside Russian control.<ref>https://youtu.be/8JKoTpKj9RM?t=96</ref> The red markings show the plant's actual location. Zelensky and Western propagandists claimed the Russians were firing on themselves to create a nuclear hazard.<ref>https://youtu.be/b28sN1tcbgI</ref>]]<br />
Zelensky repeatedly ordered his troops to fire on the Zaporozhye nuclear facility, while publicly blaming Russian forces for creating a nuclear threat, in the hopes of gaining sympathy from the West in the form of money and material and direct NATO or UN peacekeeper intervention.<br />
<br />
On March 4, 2022 Zelensky and his officials claimed that Russian tanks were shooting at nuclear units at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) located in the town of Energodar. Zelensky branded it “nuclear terrorism."<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10575179/Russian-troops-fire-Ukrainian-civilians-protecting-Europes-largest-nuclear-plant.html</ref> He previously claimed the Russian capture of Chernobyl posed an imminent threat to “the whole of Europe.”<ref>https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3ec679e8-79b3-42dd-a1c3-a31f4c177e97_720x560.jpeg</ref> But that was untrue as well.<ref>https://twitter.com/energybants/status/1496895177499156509</ref><br />
<br />
Zapaorozhye was different, though. Here was the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. “Russian tanks are shooting at the nuclear blocks. These are tanks equipped with thermal imagers, so they know what they are aiming at,” Zelensky said. “Only immediate action by Europe can stop Russian troops. Do not allow the death of Europe from the catastrophe at the nuclear power plant.” ''Korrespondent'', one of Ukraine’s biggest newspapers, reported that, according to Zelensky, he had discussed the situation with Joe Biden, German Chancellor [[Olaf Scholz]] and the head of the European Council, Charles Michel. Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal also called on NATO to create a no-fly zone and “close the skies” over the facility. “It is a question of security of the whole world.” An unidentified Ukrainian official said radiation levels had risen in the area.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20220304025346/https://korrespondent.net/ukraine/4453959-obstrel-zaes-zelenskyi-pryzval-evropu-prosnutsia</ref><br />
<br />
According to the ''Associated Press''<ref>https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-a3092d8e476949ed7c55607a645a9154</ref> and ''Reuters'',<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-nuclear-reactors-being-safely-shut-down-us-energy-official-2022-03-04/</ref><ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-nuclear-plant-radiation/radiation-level-unchanged-at-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-ria-idINL2N2V704S</ref> they lied.<br />
<br />
Mark Nelson, managing director at Radiant Energy Fund, noted that Zelensky’s claims were deliberately misleading.<ref>https://twitter.com/energybants/status/1499573995657646106</ref> Canadian nuclear arms expert Claire Wählen said the same.<ref>https://twitter.com/Claire_Wahlen/status/1499552935470149652</ref> So dangerous was this lie that the U.S. State Department sent out an urgent message to all American embassies in Europe, instructing them to not share a tweet by the U.S. Embassy in Kiev claiming that Russia was trying to blow up the nuclear power plant.<ref>https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F515d16ed-dadb-41ec-a376-2d4c25969552_720x1006.jpeg</ref><br />
<br />
The fact that there was fighting around the facility suggests that the Ukrainian military had deliberately engaged Russian troops from that location. Combat footage appears to show Ukrainian forces firing rockets from the nuclear power facility, which reportedly sparked return fire from Russian troops.<ref>https://twitter.com/ClintEhrlich/status/1499589355513417733</ref> A training center over a mile away from the 6 nuclear reactors were set on fire in the Russian response.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekWRes-pAD4&t=442s</ref><br />
<br />
On July 12, 2022 the AFU again targeted the Zaporozhye nuclear plant. Russian forces have been in control of the plant, with Ukrainian technicians still operating it, since February 2022. The nuclear plant is the largest in Europe with six reactors. The attack was complex, involving drone and artillery fire. The Ukrainian Army used six kamikaze drones conducting reconnaissance mission over the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and the city heating and water supply plant in Energodar. The UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) dropped two mines near the power plant, which reportedly did not cause any significant damage. Another drone was heading in the direction of residential buildings in Energodar, its course may have been corrected. The UAV attack was thwarted, none of the six drones reached their targets, and the air defense of the Zaporozhye region successfully prevented the attack. The Ukrainians earlier launched a false flag attack against the plant in March 2022. <br />
<br />
On July 18, 2022 Ukraine again attacked the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, this time with three kamikaze drones.<ref>https://youtu.be/S7lEXNC_O80</ref><ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/OkuFVXm1V25q/</ref><br />
<br />
Beginning on August 5, 2022 the 44th brigade of the AFU stationed in Nikopol, 18 kilometers across the Dnieper River, increased shelling of the Zaporozhye nuclear plant. Kiev forces used a British-made Brimstone missile in one of the attacks. The situation was compounded by HIMAR attacks on the hydroelectric plant at the Nova Kakhovka dam, which provides electricity for the nuclear plant's vital cooling system. The political motive for shelling a nuclear power is reported to be motivated by upcoming referendums in September 2022 for the former Ukrainian oblasts of Zaporozhye and Kherson to join the Russian Federation. The Kyiv regime is attempting to intimidate the local population. Russia asked the [[Atomic Energy Commission]] to look into the matter.<br />
<br />
====Ukrainian dirty nuke====<br />
{{See also|Radiological dispersal device}}<br />
In March 2022 Russia accused Ukraine of gathering nuclear waste from the [[Chernobyl disaster site]] for use in a [[nuclear dirty bomb]].<ref>https://www.india.com/news/world/what-is-nuclear-dirty-bomb-that-russia-claims-ukraine-is-making-in-chernobyl-5271056/</ref><br />
[[Image:Chornobyl radiation96.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Radiation-affected areas from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant as of 1996]]<br />
On October 19, 2022 UK defense minister Ben Wallace flew to [[Washington, D.C.]] to discuss an important matter face-to-face with unknown persons that could not be handled over NATO's regular electronic secure communications. Neither Washington nor the UK defense ministry issued a press release on the substance of the discussions. On October 21, Russian defense minister Sergey Shoigu had his first phone call with US defense minister [[Lloyd Austin]] since May 2022. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense read out on the call, the two "discussed issues of international security, including the situation in Ukraine."<br />
<br />
On October 23, 2022 at 1:30 PM [[Moscow]] time it was reported that Russian defense minister Shoigu conveyed to his [[France|French]] counterpart his concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a nuclear dirty bomb. At 2:46 PM local time another update from the Russian Ministery of Defense (MOD) reported that defense minister Shoigu conveyed to his [[Turkish]] counterpart his concerns about a possible provocation with the use of a dirty bomb. At 5 PM local time there was a third conversation between the Russian defense minister and the minister of defense of the [[United Kingdom]] about the possible provocation by Ukraine with a dirty nuclear bomb. At 6:30 PM local time there was a final conversation between Shoigu and the Biden minister defense.<br />
<br />
Russian media reported that according to credible sources in various countries - including in Ukraine - the [[Kyiv regime]] is preparing a provocation on its territory related to the detonation of the so-called "[[dirty bomb]]" or low-yield [[nuclear weapon]]. The purpose of the provocation is to accuse Russia of using [[weapons of mass destruction]].<ref>https://seemorerocks.is/what-russian-media-is-saying/</ref> According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Volodymyr Zelensky has been in contact with the [[UK]] "to obtain nuclear weapons technology," Lieutenant-General Igor Kirillov, Chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops of the Russian Armed Forces said on October 23, 2022. Gen. Kirillov alleged that the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) plan on using a [[false flag]] provocation to detonate a "dirty bomb," a nuclear weapon with explosives, such as dynamite, with [[radioactive]] powder or pellets. The provocation was being prepared to subsequently accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction. "We have information about the contacts of the office of the President of Ukraine with representatives of [[Great Britain]] regarding the possibility to obtain a [[technology]] to build nuclear weapons,” Gen. Kirillov said.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/zelenskyy-contacted-uk-to-obtain-nuclear-technology-claims-russias-defence-ministry-articleshow.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Ukraine missile attack on Poland====<br />
[[File:FT Zelensky.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The globalist mouthpiece ''Financial Times'' of London, which led the world in spreading Russophobia and cheerleading for war, openly criticized Zelensky's lying about Ukraine's false flag attack on a NATO ally to incite direct NATO involvement with troops and risk global thermonuclear war.<ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/11/ukraine-open-thread-2022-201.html</ref>]]<br />
On November 15, 2022 two Ukrainian [[S-300]] missiles, alleged to have been launched to shoot down a Russian [[cruise missile]], were fired westward and hit a Polish grain storage facility, killing two civilians. The Polish government, Ukrainian government, the ''[[Associated Press]]'',<ref>https://apnews.com/article/nato-ap-news-alert-europe-poland-government-and-politics-ba48101fd25c86e68e57dc56fe2adf80</ref> most of all Western propaganda media and so-called national security and intelligence experts called for invoking NATO Article 5.<ref>https://twitter.com/anders_aslund/status/1592616431291535360</ref> Zelensky advisor [[Mykhailo Podolyak]] declared that the strikes came from Russia. Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba claimed Russian denials were a [[conspiracy theory]] and that “No one should buy Russian propaganda or amplify its messages."<ref>https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1592632386751434752?s=20&t=TtnVQsVODlidTZoknWqWpg</ref> Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky on a video call to [[G20]] summit leaders meeting in [[Indonesia]] told them that the attack was deliberate by Russia and that the missiles were a “true statement brought by Russia for the G20 summit.”<ref>[https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/ukraine/zelensky-the-liar-he-will-be-remembered-by-history-like-hitler/ Zelensky the Liar – He Will Be Remembered by History like Hitler], by Martin Armstrong, November 16, 2022.</ref> Zelensky tweeted to the world that the “Russian attack on collective security in the Euro-Atlantic is a significant escalation” of the conflict.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/15/world/kyiv-strikes-russia-zelensky-peace-intl/index.html</ref><br />
<br />
However an AWAC radar plane and other ISR aircraft (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) regularly flying in the region, and ground radar, tracked the missiles' trajectory and determined the Kyiv regime had launched the missiles. That did not prevent an anonymous "senior U.S. intelligence official" from reporting to the ''Associated Press'' that Russia had fired the missiles at Poland.<ref>https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/11/16/how-a-lightly-sourced-ap-story-almost-set-of-world-war-iii/</ref> The [[fake news]] story was disseminated globally, as all fake news stories emanating from Kyiv, and its CIA counterparts in Kyiv, have been disseminated globally to world media for the entirety of 2022 and late 2021.<br />
<br />
When called out on the [[lie]]s, Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky doubled down. Both socialist premier Joe Biden and NATO chief warlord Jens Stoltenberg blamed Ukraine for the attack. Zelensky refuted the Western leaders' statements that the missile which killed two innocent civilians in Poland was Ukrainian. "I have no doubt that it was not our missile or our missile strike."<ref>https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/11/16/7376663/</ref> Zelensky insisted that he received reports from the corrupt Armed Forces of Ukraine command that told him "the missile attacks did not come from Ukraine", he told the people in a live nationwide address on Ukrainian state-controlled media.<ref>https://youtu.be/yY4pBNt3hPU</ref> The Russophobic ''Financial Times'' of London quoted a [[diplomat]] from a NATO country in Kyiv saying: “This is getting ridiculous. The Ukrainians are destroying [our] confidence in them. Nobody is blaming Ukraine and they are openly lying. This is more destructive than the missile.”<ref>https://archive.ph/mxQ5K#selection-2029.34-2029.282</ref><br />
<br />
''[[Newsweek]]'' reported Zelensky almost started World War III.<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/volodymyr-zelensky-accused-trying-start-world-war-iii-over-poland-missile-strike-1760125</ref> Former French presidential candidate Nicolas Dupont-Aignan tweeted “By launching a missile at Poland and accusing the Russians, Zelensky almost triggered World War III...Let’s stop supporting this dangerous man...We should urgently make up a peace plan” Former [[Japan]]ese prime minister Yoshiro Mori criticized Zelensky and the media saying, "I don't quite understand why only President Putin is criticized while Mr. Zelenskyy isn't taken to task at all. Mr Zelenskyy has made many Ukrainian people suffer." Mori criticized Japanese news outlets, saying their "one-sided" reporting on the NATO war in Ukraine gives the impression they "only rely on reports from Europe and the United States."<ref>https://japantoday.com/category/politics/ex-japan-pm-harsh-on-zelenskyy-over-war-in-ukraine</ref><br />
<br />
===Interference in US elections===<br />
{{See also|Ukraine aid|FTX scandal}}<br />
[[File:NYT FTX.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Speakers at the ''New York Times'' event, Bankman-Fried, Zelensky, Fink, and Yellen.<ref>https://www.nytco.com/press/the-new-york-times-to-host-annual-dealbook-summit-on-nov-30/</ref>]]<br />
Tens of billions of dollars in American Military Aid to Ukraine, which was allegedly to be used to fight [[Russia]], was cash that [[Ukraine]] did not use to fight Russia, but instead invested into FTX [[cryptocurrency]] exchange. Ukraine was receiving money from the US, Ukraine sent it to FTX, and FTX sent it to Democrats, who originally voted to send it to Ukraine. It appears to be pure [[criminal]] [[money-laundering]], and a criminal [[conspiracy]] to violate [[campaign finance]] laws.<br />
<br />
The CEO of FTX, [[Sam Bankman-Fried]], was the #2 donor to the [[Democrats]] in the [[2022 Midterm elections]], second only to [[George Soros]].<ref>https://thepostmillennial.com/revealed-ceo-of-cratering-crypto-firm-ftx-is-dems-second-largest-donor-behind-soros</ref><br />
<br />
FTX's [[bankruptcy]] filing on November 12, 2022 revealed that FTX suffered from $10-$50 billion in [[liability|liabilities]] with almost zero assets. <br />
<br />
Among those liabilities are “investments” made by the [[Zelensky regime]].<br />
<br />
Up until its bankruptcy filing, FTX was a 'partner' with the [[World Economic Forum]] (WEF).<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/investigations/2022/11/14/world-economic-forum-removes-ftx-promotion-as-a-partner-from-its-website/</ref> The FTX [[CEO]]'s aunt, Linda Fried, is on the board of the WEF.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/investigations/2022/11/14/ftx-founders-aunt-on-board-of-world-economic-forum-dem-super-pac-leadership/</ref> Sam Bankman-Fried's mother, Barbara Fried, is the founder and president of a [[left-wing]] Super PAC called ‘Mind the Gap’ (MTG), "dedicated to helping Democratic political candidates win [[election]]s. The PAC earns millions of dollars in donations primarily from [[Silicon Valley]] executives 'who are keen on quietly funneling massive political donations into the [[Democratic Party]]'. The mission of MTG is to “empower private political donors to strengthen our democracy by providing them with evidence-based guidance on the electoral strategies, tactics, and programs that are likely to achieve the greatest impact in a given election”, according to Influence Watch.<ref>https://www.influencewatch.org/political-party/mind-the-gap/</ref> Bankman-Fried’s brother, Gabe runs an organization called Guarding Against Pandemics, which is financed by Sam Bankman-Fried.<ref>https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/guarding-against-pandemics/</ref><br />
<br />
===Palace intrigues===<br />
{{See also|Zelensky purges}}<br />
[[File:Zelensky Vogue.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky: A day without 600 dead is a wasted day.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/RTnews/photos/a.10150144237704411/10160908667869411/?type=3</ref>]]<br />
In July 2022 Zelensky's Western [[agent handling|intelligence handler]] [[Boris Johnson]] was ousted as prime minister of [[UK]]. Soon thereafter, Ukrainian-born U.S. congresswoman [[Victoria Spartz]] urged Zelensky to fire his [[chief of staff]] [[Andrei Yermak]] for corruption. Western delivered arms had been disappearing without ever making it to the frontlines,<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/oZGOUDGZn1FL/</ref> including Javelin missiles, British NLAWs, and German Panzerfausts. A French built CEASER self-propelled artillery piece was sold to allied Russian forces for $120,000 as were US built HIMARs for $800,000.<br />
<br />
Accusations of "[[zrada]]" flew, and Zelensky attempted to fire Gestapo chief [[Ivan Bakanov]], a childhood friend and television comedy producer, and chief procurator Iryna Venediktova. Kyiv news reports had to walk back the firings as mere suspensions, then the parliament acted to remove the pair as scapegoats related to all the corruption charges. In early June 2022, a former deputy of Bakanov was detained in [[Serbia]], as he tried to illegally transfer emeralds, 600 thousand [[euro]]s and 125 thousand dollars across the border. Shortly before the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, Bakanov and his friend left Ukraine with $2 billion dollars in cash. In May 2022 Bakanov and his deputy were still buying real estate in Europe.<br />
<br />
In addition to the removal of Bakanov and Venediktova, an additional 651 criminal cases were launched. A missile strike at the Officers’ House in Vinnitsa while Ukrainian and foreign military officials held negotiations resulted in a large group of high-ranking officers of the Ukrainian Air Force were destroyed. Apparently, the strike led to casualties among the foreign officers, and Kyiv was forced by its western partners to punish top security officials who were responsible for the [[leak]] of information.<br />
<br />
The deputy head of the security service [[Vasily Malyuk]] was appointed as the new acting chief of the Security service. Chief of staff Yermak, alleged to be a Russian operative however, survived the firings.<ref>https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases/spartz-president-zelensky-must-address-yermak-issue</ref><br />
<br />
In the wake of revelations of attempts to bribe Russian pilots to convince them to defect, which involved bellingcat.com owner Christo Grozev, Zelensky fired first Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Ruslan Demchenko and commander of Special Operations Forces (SSO) Hryhoriy Halahan. Danchenko was replaced with Viktor Horenko.<br />
<br />
''[[The Economist]]'' reported on November 1, 2023:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“General Zaluzhny’s assessment is sobering: there is no sign that a technological breakthrough, whether in drones or in [[electronic warfare]], is around the corner. And technology has its limits. Even in the [[first world war]], the arrival of [[tank]]s in 1917 was not sufficient to break the deadlock on the battlefield. It took a suite of technologies, and more than a decade of tactical innovation, to produce the [[German]] [[blitzkrieg]] in May 1940. The implication is that Ukraine is stuck in a long war—one in which he acknowledges Russia has the advantage. Nevertheless, he insists that Ukraine has no choice but to keep the initiative by remaining on the offensive, even if it only moves by a few metres a day.”<ref>[https://consortiumnews.com/2023/11/07/is-an-end-game-in-sight-for-ukraine/ Is an End Game in Sight for Ukraine?], By Tony Kevin, ''Consortium News'', November 7, 2023. consortiumnews.com</ref>}}<br />
[[TIME magazine]] did a cover story on Ukrainian dictator [[Volodymyr Zelensky]] exposing some “politically inconvenient” truths about Ukraine, particularly that some front-line commanders were refusing suicidal orders to advance even when they come from Zelensky's office.<ref>[https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/10/the-war-is-lost-zelenski-will-leave-the-white-house-has-failed.html The War Is Lost - Zelenski Will Leave - The White House Has Failed], Moon of Alabama, October 31, 2023.</ref> Zaluzhnyi's comments directly undermined Zelensky's bid for billions more in US assistance.<ref>[https://weapons.substack.com/p/was-the-death-of-zaluzhnys-military Was the death of Zaluzhny's Military Aide an Assassination?], STEPHEN BRYEN, NOV 7, 2023. weapons.substack.com</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' did a rare act of factual reporting in an article entitled, ''Zelensky Rebuke of Top General Signals Rift in Ukrainian Leadership'', normalizing discussion of the Zelesnky-Zaluzhny rivalry which hitherto had been dismissed as a "[[conspiracy theory]]".<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/the-new-york-times-wants-everyone The New York Times Wants Everyone To Know About The Growing Zelensky-Zaluzhny Rivalry], Andrew Korybko, NOV 5, 2023. korybko.substack.com</ref> Zaluzhnyi, who is seen as a potential candidate for president,<ref>[https://www.world-today-news.com/the-west-considers-commander-in-chief-valery-zaluzhny-as-potential-presidential-candidate-in-ukraine/ The West Considers Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny as Potential Presidential Candidate in Ukraine], ''World News Today'', October 20, 2023.</ref> was publicly told to keep his mouth shut. Zelensky then cancelled elections and extended martial law for another 90 days.<ref>[https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/11/ukraine-sitrep-assassinations-election-talk-language-war.html Ukraine SitRep: Assassinations, Election Talk, Language War], Moon of Alabama, November 07, 2023. www.moonofalabama.org</ref> On November 6, 2023 a personal aide to Zaluzhny, Major Gennady Chestyakov was blown up by a grenade delivered to him via birthday present.<ref>[https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/marching-toward-a-night-of-the-long Marching Toward a Night of the Long Knives in Ukraine], Simplicius, NOV 7, 2023. simplicius76.substack.com </ref><br />
<br />
====Hunt for fall guys====<br />
<br />
Disagreements between Zelensky and the command of the Ukrainian army over the conduct of military operations became apparent. In particular, the military reportedly believed that it was necessary to retreat on several fronts, while Zelensky insisted that no retreats were possible. As a result, the Armed Forces of Ukraine suffered heavy losses in manpower on the front lines. As the situation deteriorated, the hunt for fall guys to blame the loss on ensued.<br />
[[File:Poroshenko CNN 2.2m views.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky had [[CNN]] Nazi darling [[Petro Poroshenko]] arrested while Poroshenko was on his way to a meeting with NATO leaders on May 28, 2022.<ref>https://www.yahoo.com/video/former-ukrainian-president-stopped-polish-085100277.html</ref>]]<br />
Suffering heavy losses on the front lines, the Kiev regime attempts to stop the outflow of civilians who can be conscripted into the military. The Ukrainian General Staff declared a ban on leaving their place of residence for men of military age without the permission of the military enlistment office during the period of martial law.<br />
<br />
On July 5, 2022 a bill was submitted to parliament clarifying the procedure for the departure of conscripts and reservists from their place of residence within Ukraine.<br />
<br />
On February 26, 2023 it was reported that Zelensky fired Major General Eduard Moskalyov, Commander Joint Forces of Ukraine with no reason given.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-fires-top-ukrainian-military-commander-no-reason-given-2023-02-26/</ref> Moskalyov was said to be the fall guy for Zelensky's disastrous leadership and decision to keep feeding human lives into the [[Bakhmut meatgrinder]] when he knew all was lost.<br />
<br />
During the fall of the [[Bakhmut meatgrinder]] where Zelensky sent thousands of untrained 16-year-olds, middle-aged fathers, and old men to die senselessly as cannon fodder, [[Germany]]’s top newspaper ''Bild'' reported that Zelensky had a major disagreement with his top general [[Zaluzhny]] regarding the withdrawal, or lack thereof, of Bakhmut. Gen. Zaluzhny had argued for months to abandon Bakhmut and end the slaughter, however Zelensky did not want to give the appearance to his Western puppet masters that Ukraine was losing ground while he was begging for money before the [[U.S. Congress]].<ref>https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/ukraine-praesident-streitet-mit-general-ueber-die-blutigste-schlacht-des-krieges-83106290.bild.html</ref> Apparently to do damage control, Zelensky quickly released a video statement claiming that it was in fact the general staff (Zaluzhny and [[Syrsky]]) who advised him to defend and reinforce Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/KNTMCWdfONAR/</ref><br />
<br />
====The Great Purge====<br />
In mid-January 2023 CIA director [[William Burns]] travelled to Kyiv for a secret meeting with Ukrainian dictator Vladimir Zelensky.<ref>https://archive.is/5Z3qz</ref> Prior to Burns arrival, the SBU and Department of the Interior had already put a bullet in the back of the head of Zelensky’s top negotiator with Russia, Denys Kiryeyev. Shortly after Dir. Burns left Kyiv, on the morning of January 18, 2023 a helicopter crashed in the town of Brovary in the eastern outskirts of Kiev region, killing the entire leadership of the Department of the Interior. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, killed in the crash were Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Denis Monastyrsky; First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Yevhen Enin; State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Yuriy Lubkovich; Deputy Head of the Patronage Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Tatiana Shutyak; Head of the Department of Protection of the Department of Internal Security of the National Police of Ukraine, Colonel Mikhail Pavlushko; Lead Inspector of the Department of Communications Nikolay Anatsky; Senior Operative of the Department of Internal Security of the Police of Ukraine Andriy Marinchenko; helicopter commander Alexander Vasilenko; pilot Konstantin Kovalenko; and on-board mechanic Ivan Kasyanov.<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2023-01-18-the-ministry-of-internal-affairs-of-ukraine-published-a-list-of-employees-of-the-ministry-who-died-in-a-helicopter-crash.HkeiifFBso.html</ref> The helicopter was a French built Eurocopter EC225 LP Super Puma or its equivalent. Witnesses said that the helicopter was spinning and burning in the air before crashing into a kindergarten.<ref>https://twitter.com/JohnEdgarCarter/status/1616088161771261953</ref><br />
<br />
According to Hacker DPR Joker:<br />
[[File:Budanov.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Kyrylo Budanov.<ref>https://kurtnimmo.substack.com/p/ukraines-intelligence-boss-predicts</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine had long been aware that the leadership of the Ministry of Defense was trading Western arms, which came to Ukraine in the form of aid, for the benefit of third countries, and that this process was overseen directly by the head of the [[GUR]], [[Budanov]]. By the way, this information has already surfaced somewhere.<br />
<br />
The leadership of the Interior Ministry wanted their share and began collecting data through their structural units, which are associated with intelligence and surveillance. As a result, they managed to obtain evidence and began blackmailing. The military bosses promised a share to the police leadership, and the first tranche was paid. But it was pointless and unprofitable to pay any further.<br />
<br />
In addition, the insolence of the minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who had his head in the wrong place, was putting the military leadership under strain. And now the day had come when the kids from the GUR were able to demonstrate their skills. But that is not all. The sanction for this was given personally by [[Yermak]], who is also in on the secret from the supreme narcissistic clown, Zelensky.<ref>https://sonar21.com/are-the-ukrainian-political-elite-starting-to-eat-each-other/</ref>}}<br />
On January 24, 2023 the Kyiv regime confirmed the removal of some dozen high ranking officials in cases ranging from [[bribery]], to mismanagement of aid funds for purchasing [[food]], to [[embezzlement]], to spending aid money on expensive cars. Another top presidential adviser and four deputy ministers – including two defense officials, along with five regional governors were forced out of their posts. And among the regional governors to step down included officials overseeing regions which have seen intense fighting, including the [[Zaporozhye]] and [[Kherson]] regions. Among those removed were:<br />
*Deputy Prosecutor General Oleskiy Symonenko<br />
*Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Ivan Lukeryu<br />
*Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Vyacheslav Negoda<br />
*Deputy Minister for Social Policy Vitaliy Muzychenk<br />
*The regional governors of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Sumy and Kherson.<br />
<br />
And separately, “the defense ministry had earlier announced the resignation of deputy minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who was in charge of the army’s logistical support, on the heels of accusations it was signing food contracts at inflated prices.” He purchased military rations at inflated prices in what appears a scheme to line the pockets of contractors, and potentially involving kickbacks to himself. ''[[Politico]]'' reported:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"An exposé from the Ukrainian news website ZN.UA revealed last week that the defense ministry purchased overpriced food supplies for its troops. For instance, the ministry bought eggs at 17 hryvnias per piece, while the average price of an egg in Kyiv is around 7 hryvnias. According to ZN.UA, a contract for food procurement for soldiers in 2023 amounted to 13.16 billion hryvnias (€328 million).}}<br />
This was two to three times higher than current rates for such food items. <br />
[[File:Yahoo 8-16-22.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
The deputy head of the Zelensky administration Kyrylo Tymoshenko, who stands accused of living a lavish wartime lifestyle. Many [[mainstream media]] reports buried some of the key verified details. For example, [[BBC]] wrote simply that “Tymoshenko was implicated in several scandals during his tenure, including in October last year when he was accused of using a car donated to Ukraine for humanitarian purposes.”<br />
<br />
But starting in early December local Ukrainian outlets, angered at the posh lifestyle of Ukrainian leaders at a moment tens of millions are without electrical power, began confirming that Tymoshenko drove high-end sports cars in and out of the capital, to and from mansions which typically range in cost from $10,000 to $25,000 per month.<br />
<br />
The controversy extended to luxury vacations abroad as Ukrainians suffer the deprivations of war at home. “The departure of Symonenko, a deputy prosecutor general, comes after media reports that he spent a holiday in Spain this winter, reportedly using a car belonging to a Ukrainian businessman.” <br />
<br />
Just prior to the wave of resignations, another official named Vasyl Lozynskiy was accused of receiving bribes to “facilitate” the purchase of generators at greatly hiked-up prices. Crucially, Lozynskiy as Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Development would have also been directly involved in overseeing how billions of dollars in Western humanitarian and infrastructure assistance gets doled out. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov is under scrutiny related to the growing probe and scandal.<br />
<br />
On February 1, 2023 it was reported that Zelensky had turned on his old friend and benefactor [[Igor Kolomoisky]]. Kolomoisky's home was raided by the Ukrainian gestapo allegedly in connection with the embezzlement of oil products worth $1.09 billion and customs duty evasion "of astronomical amounts."<ref>https://dossier.substack.com/p/zelenskys-great-purge-continues-launching</ref><br />
<br />
[[Seymour Hersh]], citing sources in American intelligence, claims that Zelensky and his entourage allegedly embezzled at least $400 million from the funds that were transferred to Kyiv by the Americans for the purchase of [[diesel]]. "Zelensky bought diesel fuel from the Russians at a discount," Hersh said. He also claims that CIA director William Burns brought to Kyiv a list of 35 names of Ukrainian security officials and officials allegedly involved in corruption and theft of Western aid. After that, 10 people from this list were fired, the remaining 25 remained. "The ten that got rid of were blatantly showing off the money they had as they drove around Kiev in their new Mercedes," Hersh said, quoting an intelligence official.<ref>https://askeptic.substack.com/p/battlefield-update-2023-04-12-1</ref><br />
<br />
===Propaganda war===<br />
[[File:Zelensky fake news.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|Zelensky in combat: These photos were taken a year before the Russian incursion and used as propaganda to claim Zelensky was commanding troops on the frontline. In fact, the Nazis that Zelensky was visiting laughed at him, causing him to eventually take a harder line against Russia. Zelensky was reported to have left the border area in tears after being ridiculed by the Nazis. <br />
<ref>https://contra.substack.com/p/world-war-reddit?s=r</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|Ukrainian propaganda war}}<br />
Photos circulated by [[mainstream media]] in [[the West]] of Zelensky in fatigues and helmet alleging he was on the front lines in combat during Russia's Special Military Operation in fact were taken a year earlier during an inspection of the border.<br />
<br />
On November 18, 2022 it was reported that Zelensky blocked and shut down the popular opposition news website Strana.ua after it posted videos showing Ukrainian troops executing unarmed Russian prisoners of war.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-defence-ministry-says-ukraine-executed-russian-pows-2022-11-18/</ref><ref>https://tass.com/society/1539031?ysclid=laockgpyya491087733</ref><ref>https://t.me/ghostnewsx/2728</ref><br />
<br />
====Alleged bombing of Babi Yar====<br />
<br />
On March 1, 2022 Zelensky claimed that Russians had bombed [[Babi Yar]], a ravine in Kyiv that was also the site of massacres committed by Nazi forces and Ukrainian collaborators during [[World War II]].<ref>https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1498697538085568514</ref> Some 33,771 [[Jewish]] civilians were murdered by the Nazis and their Ukrainian collaborators from Kyiv there. Zelensky’s chief of staff reportedly confirmed that the Russians bombed the site.<ref>https://twitter.com/LahavHarkov/status/1498686224462188549</ref> Zelensky's tweet has more than 300,000 likes and over 75,000 retweets.<br />
<br />
On March 2, Israeli journalist Ron Ben Yisha reported after touring the site that the memorial had not been destroyed or damaged, as Zelensky and his officials claimed. Translated from the Israeli news website ynet:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The memorial site in Babi Yar was neither destroyed nor damaged. After touring all over the large site I can report with certainty that no monument was damaged and no bomb, missile or shell hit the grounds. The closest impact to Babi Yar was in the Kiev media and television tower complex, about 300 meters from the new monument, and about a kilometer from the old monument </ref>to the victims of the WWII massacre."<ref>https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/sky0frhg5</ref>}}<br />
Zelensky and his officials lied to the world. Worse, their lie suggested that all those who chose inaction were essentially collaborators in the next [[holocaust]].<br />
<br />
====Speech to United States Congress====<br />
[[File:Zelensky kisses Pelosi.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelensky puckers up for [[Nancy Pelosi]].]]<br />
[[File:Zelensky betrayed 36th Navy Brigade.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky's betrayal of the 36th Navy Brigade.<ref>https://archive.ph/hNe4Q</ref>]]<br />
According to Dan Cohen, the Washington DC correspondent for ''Behind The Headlines'', on March 16, 2922, Zelensky made a speech to the [[U.S. Congress]] quoting [[Martin Luther King Jr.]]'s 'I Have a Dream'<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/zelenskyy-addresses-congress-mlk-dream-need</ref> speech calling for a no-fly zone over Ukraine and World War III.<ref>https://nypost.com/2022/03/06/us-warns-no-fly-zone-in-ukraine-could-set-off-world-war-iii/</ref> The speech was written by Daniel Vajdich <br />
and Andrew Mac. Vajdich is a [[FARA|registered foreign agent]] for the Ukrainian Federation of Employers of the Oil and Gas Industry and a nonresident senior fellow at the [[Russophobic]] [[Atlantic Council]].<ref>https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/daniel-vajdich/</ref> Andrew Mac registered as a lobbyist for the Ukrainian dictator in 2019 and runs the Washington DC office of Ukrainian law firm Asters Law.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2022/02/28/what-ukraines-lobbyists-have-been-up-to-00012522</ref><br />
<br />
Ukrainian Permanent Representative at the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya’s February 23, 2022 speech to the [[United Nations General Assembly]] (UNGA) was written by the managing director of the DC lobbying firm SKDKnickerbocker (SKDK), Stephen Krupin,<ref>https://www.odwyerpr.com/story/public/17581/2022-03-02/skdk-supplies-speech-writing-support-ukraine.html</ref> a former senior speechwriter for [[Barack Obama]] who worked extensively on the [[2020 Biden campaign]].<ref>https://www.skdknick.com/skdk-work-for-biden-for-america-and-the-naacp-honored-with-six-pollies/</ref> Biden senior advisor [[Anita Dunn]] is a co-founder of SKDKnickerbocker.<ref>https://theintercept.com/2021/05/04/anita-dunn-ethics-disclosure-biden-skdk/</ref><br />
<br />
On December 21, 2022 Zelensky was flown to [[Washington, D.C.]] onboard [[Airforce One]] by the Biden regime for a personal address to the [[lame duck]] Congress just prior to a vote on an unprecedented $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill that included another $45 billion for the Kyiv puppet regime. Zelensky was presented an American flag in a display case usually reserved for flags that have draped caskets.<br />
<br />
====Azovstal====<br />
{{See also|Battle of Mariupol}}<br />
Like Chancellor [[Adolf Hitler]] of Germany during the besieged [[Battle of Stalingrad]], President Zelensky refused to allow the neo-Nazi forces of the [[Azov Battalion]] in [[Mariupol]] to surrender and ordered them to fight to the last man.<ref>https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/zelensky-defies-russian-demands-surrender-putin-ukraine-war-mariupol-b989416.html</ref><ref><small>"<br />
{{quotebox-float|April 10 at 11:06 PM · Mariupol, Ukraine · <br />
Dear Ukrainian people.<br />
We are the 36th Navy Brigade named after the counter-admiral Mikhail Bilinsky, left Crimea without betraying the oaths of 2014 and continued to perform the duty of defense of Ukraine.<br />
From the beginning of the exit we have been defending Mariupol for 47 days. We were bombed from airplanes, we were shot from artillery, tanks and other firematerials. We kept the defense worthy by doing the impossible. But any resources have a potential to run out.<br />
During the combat, we were once handed 50 122 guns, 20 min a little enlavs and [[starlink]] [[Elon Musk]] - spybo Elon, he had a lot of air strikes and still works. We have not been handed over any more. Without the possibility of defending themselves, the opponent gradually pushed us to the Azovmash plant, surrounded the fire and now is trying to destroy us. There was an option to bring us reserves to strengthen and boost the defense. There were options for the brigade to make a breakthrough and join their troops. We reported this to OTU East and they started planning the operation. Sodol, Delatitsky tried to do something, but their senior headquarters were closed. We reported about it in the OOS they said hold on we are working, promised a helicopter that never flew. We talked to the [[commander in chief]] who promised to unblock. We talked with a Garantee who guaranteed us either a political or military solution of the situation. For more than a month, the Marines fought without refilling ammunition, without food, without water, almost a lacquer from the puddle and died in packs. The mountain of wounded makes up almost half of the crew. Those who have unbroken limbs and can walk, return in order. Infantry all died and gunfighters are led by gunmen, zenitich, contacts of the driver and the police. Even an orchestra. Dying but fighting. Gradually we are coming to an end. Wise generals advise taking ammunition from your enemy. Probably not extinct these Sava parquettes, so many people will die for them in vain. There were chances. There were opportunities, but due to the silliness, they were not implemented. No one wants to communicate with us anymore because we are written off. Today will probably be an extreme fight since there is no BC left. Next up into the palm of the hand. Further is death for some, but captivity for some.<br />
Dear Ukrainian people.<br />
I don't know what's next, but I really ask you to remember the Marines with a kind word and no matter how they develop further, do not talk badly about the Marines.<br />
They did everything possible and impossible.<br />
For we are FAITHFUL FOREVER!}}<br />
11.04.2022…[https://www.facebook.com/36obrmp/photos/a.129759847561437/1153205118550233 36 окрема бригада морської піхоти імені контр-адмірала Михайла Білинського is at Маріуполь.]</small></ref> Stalingrad, like Mariupol, was a hopeless cause early on, yet the order to continue fighting only bought time for Nazi forces to carry out atrocities against civilians whom they considered "[[Russophobia|Untermensch]]".<ref>https://mronline.org/2022/04/07/staged-massacre-in-bucha/</ref> On April 20, 2022, a date which has been commemorated by Nazi groups as Hitler's birthday, reports emerged that<br />
[[File:Zelensky totenkopf.png|right|300px|thumb|On Victory Day 2022, Zelensky commemorated the victory over Nazism by uploading an image of a Ukrainian soldier wearing insignia of the Waffen SS Totenkopf Division responsible for numerous horrendous mass murders and war crimes.<ref>https://thepressunited.com/updates/ukraines-zelensky-shares-image-of-soldier-with-nazi-insignia/</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"According to the content of the radio intercepts, the commanders of the armed formations remaining at Azovstal, realizing the hopelessness of their situation, are ready to lay down their arms, but only on the appropriate order (command) from Kyiv. Without receiving such an order, the commanders of the Ukrainian armed formations cannot make a decision on their own, since a military tribunal with a sentence, up to and including execution, awaits them for these actions in Ukraine.”<ref>https://www.veteranstoday.com/2022/04/20/sitrep-operation-z-april-20-2022/</ref>}}<br />
According to testimony, the command of the 36th Brigade gave an order to fire on both military and civilians, which members refused. Zelensky ignored the pleas of the 36th Naval Brigade holed up in the Azovmash factory next door to Azovstal. The Brigade surrendered to the Russian and [[DNR]] forces.<br />
<br />
====Zelensky celebrates Nazism on Victory Day====<br />
<br />
Zelensky marked World War II [[Victory Day]] [[Moscow]] celebrations in 2022 by sharing an image of a Ukrainian soldier wearing the ‘death’s head’ patch of the notorious Nazi Waffen SS Totenkopf division. While the picture was soon deleted from his social media, the Ministry of Defense in Kyiv also posted the same photo.<br />
<br />
The offending item was placed on Instagram and Telegram by Zelensky, on Victory Day, May 9, 2022. In it, a soldier next to an artillery gun wears the ‘death’s head,’ or “totenkopf” insignia of the 3rd SS Panzer Division, a unit of SS soldiers infamous for committing numerous [[war crimes]] and massacres of French civilians and Polish Jews. The Division also murdered 100 British citizens in France.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/2mZbwarX3lds/</ref> Advocacy groups consider the death’s head logo a “hate symbol” used by “Neo-Nazis and other white supremacists.”<ref>https://www.adl.org/education/references/hate-symbols/totenkopf</ref><br />
<br />
===Collusion with Biden and Democrats===<br />
{{See also|Ukrainian collusion|Biden family corruption}}<br />
====Biden-Burisma scandal====<br />
<br />
On September 4, 2019 former Prosecutor General [[Victor Shokin]] made a sworn affidavit outlining [[Joe Biden]]'s shakedown of the Ukrainian government to kill the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden.<ref>https://www.scribd.com/document/427618359/Shokin-Statement</ref> Democrat Sen. [[Chris Murphy]], while travelling to the Ukraine, delivered a ''[[quid pro quo]]'' message to Zelensky:<ref>https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/343049/</ref> if the Zelensky government co-operated with [[Trump administration]] [[Attorney General]] [[Bill Barr]] and the [[U.S Justice Department]] investigating DNC/Ukrainian collision and interference in the [[2016 presidential election]], Congressional Democrats would withhold funding aid.<ref>https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/462658-lets-get-real-democrats-were-first-to-enlist-ukraine-in-us-elections</ref><br />
<br />
====Trump sham impeachment====<br />
{{See also|Deep State coup 2.0}}<br />
<br />
President Trump phoned Volodymyr Zelensky to congratulate him on his electoral win. Three days before the call, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' published an article entitle, ''As vice president Biden said Ukraine should increase gas production. Then his son got a job with a Ukrainian gas company.''<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2020/01/30/washington-post-wrote-about-hunter-biden-burisma-3-days-before-ukraine-call/</ref> Trump mentions "a lot of people are talking about it" and "a lot of people want to know". The conversation took place the day after [[Robert Mueller]] cleared President Trump of any wrongdoing before Congress. The Poroshenko regime installed by the [[Obama administration]] in [[Maidan coup]] was defeated in [[parliamentary]] elections four days earlier. The transcript of the phone call reads:<br />
[[File:Trump-convo-with-zelenskyy.jpg |right|300px |thumb |Ukrainian CrowdStrike, not Russia, interfered in the [[2016 U.S. Presidential election]].]]<br />
[[File:Podesta-Emails-600x400.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Hillary Clinton|Clinton]] campaign manager [[John Podesta]] was notified by [[Google]] that his emails were hacked, not by Russia, but by Ukraine during the 2016 presidential election.<ref>https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/34899</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Surkov-leaks-with-Crowdstrike-390x400.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Although this profile says the state of Virginia, tweets are from the Sofia, Bulgaria time zone and he writes in Russian. Another curiosity considering the Fancy Bear source code is in Russian. This image shows Crowdstrike in their network. Crowdstrike is part of Ukrainian nationalist hacker network. In the image it shows a network diagram of Crowdstrike following the Surkov leaks. The network communication goes through a secondary source.]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|'''The President:''' I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say [[Crowdstrike]]… I guess you have one of your wealthy people… The server, they say Ukraine has it. There are a lot of things that went on, the whole situation. I think you’re surrounding yourself with some of the same people. I would like to have the Attorney General call you or your people and I would like you to get to the bottom of it. As you saw yesterday, that whole nonsense ended with a very poor performance by a man named [[Robert Mueller]], an incompetent performance, but they say a lot of it started with Ukraine. Whatever you can do, it’s very important that you do it if that’s possible.<br><br />
'''President Zelenskyy:''' Yes it is very important for me and everything that you just mentioned earlier. For me as a President, it is very important and we are open for any future cooperation. We are ready to open a new page on cooperation in relations between the United States and Ukraine. For that purpose, I just recalled our ambassador from United States and he will be replaced by a very competent and very experienced ambassador who will work hard on making sure that our two nations are getting closer. I would also like and hope to see him having your trust and your confidence and have personal relations with you so we can cooperate even more so. I will personally tell you that one of my assistants spoke with Mr. Giuliani just recently and we are hoping very much that [[Rudy Giuliani|Mr. Giuliani]] will be able to travel to Ukraine and we will meet once he comes to Ukraine. I just wanted to assure you once again that you have nobody but friends around us. I will make sure that I surround myself with the best and most experienced people. I also wanted to tell you that we are friends. We are great friends and you Mr. President have friends in our country so we can continue our strategic partnership. I also plan to surround myself with great people and in addition to that investigation, I guarantee as the President of Ukraine that all the investigations will be done openly and candidly. That I can assure you.<br><br />
'''The President:''' Good because I heard you had a prosecutor who was very good and he was shut down and that’s really unfair. A lot of people are talking about that, the way they shut your very good prosecutor down and you had some very bad people involved. Mr. Giuliani is a highly respected man. He was the mayor of New York City, a great mayor, and I would like him to call you. I will ask him to call you along with the Attorney General. Rudy very much knows what's happening and he is a very capable guy. If you could speak to him that would be great. The former ambassador from the United States, the woman, was bad news and the people she was dealing with in the Ukraine were bad news so I just want to let you know that. The other thing, There's a lot of talk about Biden's son, that [[Biden]] stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that she stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it... It sounds horrible to me. <br><br />
'''President Zelenskyy:''' I wanted to tell you about the prosecutor. First of all I understand and I'm knowledgeable about the situation. Since we have won the absolute majority in our Parliament, the next prosecutor general will be 100% my person, my candidate, who will be approved by the parliament and will start as a new prosecutor in September. He or she will look into the situation, specifically to the company that you mentioned in this issue. The issue of the investigation of the case is actually the issue of making sure to restore the honesty so we will take care of that and will work on the investigation of the case. On top of that, I would kindly ask you if you have any additional information that you can provide to us, it would be very helpful for the investigation to make sure that we administer justice in our country with regard to the Ambassador to the United States from Ukraine as far I as I recall her name was Ivanovich. It was great that you were the first one who told me that she was a bad ambassador because I agree with you 100%. Her attitude towards me was far from the best as she admired the previous President and she was on his side. She would not accept me as a new President well enough. <br><br />
'''The President:''' Well, she's going to go through some things. I will have Mr. Giuliani to give you a call and I am also going to have [[William Barr|Attorney General Barr]] call and we will get to the bottom of it. I'm sure you will figure it out. I heard the prosecutor was treated very badly and he was a very fair prosecutor so good luck with everything.}}<br />
[[Alexander Vindman]] is a Ukrainian nationalist born in Soviet Ukraine who immigrated to the United States as a child. Vindman harbors rabid anti-Russian and fanatical pro-Ukrainian sentiments. Vindman prepared the public readout of President Trump's congratulatory phone President-elect Zelensky.<ref>https://publicpool.kinja.com/subject-in-town-pool-report-4-1834208078</ref> The public readout differed from the actual transcript and served as the basis for the [[Impeachment sham|Trump impeachment inquiry]]. According to Lt. Col. Jim Hickman who served on a combined US-Russian exercise with Vindman,<ref>https://twitter.com/Jim_Hickman13/status/1190077852680634368?s=20</ref><br />
{{quotebox-float|I verbally reprimanded him for his actions, & I’ll leave it at that, so as not to be unprofessional myself. The bottom-line is LTC Vindman was a [[partisan]] [[Democrat]] at least as far back as 2012. So much so, junior officers & soldiers felt uncomfortable around him. This is not your professional, field-grade officer, who has the character & integrity to do the right thing. Do not let the uniform fool you…he is a political [[activist]] in uniform. I pray our nation will drop this [[hate]], vitriol & division, & unite as our founding fathers intended!<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/11/revealing-military-official-who-worked-with-top-schiff-witness-alex-vindman-reprimanded-him-for-inappropriate-and-partisan-behavior-in-military/</ref>}}<br />
Vindman gave sworn testimony to the [[House Intelligence Committee]] that he gave orders countermanding the [[Commander-in-Chief]], President Donald Trump.<ref>https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/10/31/how-the-army-officer-who-testified-against-trump-could-end-up-in-a-court-martial/</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVvd5MlRYxQ&feature=youtu.be</ref> Vindman feared that President Trump was not doing enough to confront [[Vladimir Putin]] over the [[Crimean Annexation]]. A secret memorandum alleging President Trump acted improperly on the phone call with Zelensky was prepared by Vindman and handed off to [[Eric Ciaramella]], who then gave it to [[Trump-Russia hoax]]er [[Adam Schiff]], prompting the [[sham impeachment]] of President Donald Trump.<br />
<br />
===Foreign policy===<br />
{{See also|Global fascism}}<br />
[[File:Zelenski gives a menorah to Milei.jpg|left|300px|thumbnail|Zelenski recieves a Jewish [[menorah]] from Argentinian President [[Javier Milei]].]]<br />
[[File:Globalist fascism.PNG|right|400px|thumb|Macron speaking at globalist conference with open display of a [[swastika]].<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/tslwm7ajUxbK/</ref>]]<br />
On February 8, 2022 French President [[Emmanuel Macron]] announced at a joint press conference in Kiev that Zelensky was ready to implement the [[Minsk Agreements]],<ref>https://scooptrade.com/macron-announced-zelenskys-readiness-to-implement-the-minsk-agreements-on-donbass/</ref> promising that everything will go according to the wishes of the international community. On the next day: "The official Kiev has declared this evening that it was not willing to fulfill the Minsk agreements, and lead to direct negotiations with the Donbass. This happened only twenty-four hours after the joint press conference, Macron and Zelensky, when it was claimed that Ukraine would start with the implementation of the agreements. Of which the decision on war and peace directly depended.“<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2022-02-23-ambassador-antonov--washington-encouraged-kiev-not-to-comply-with-the-minsk-agreements.H1GTFmQ7ec.html</ref><br />
<br />
Addressing the 2022 World Economic Forum (WED), Zelensky said,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Although there is a rather good and long history between Ukraine and China, I would like to have an advantage in these relations compared to Russia."<ref>https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/3491830-zelensky-ukraine-is-fine-with-chinas-position-on-war-with-russia.html</ref>}}<br />
<br />
[[Hungarian]] Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover said of Zelensky's personal conduct in diplomacy: “I can’t recall when a leader of a country in need of help would dare to speak out against anyone in a fashion like President Zelensky did, not only against Hungary, but even against the German Chancellor...One should threaten enemies, not those you want to make your friends…There is some kind of personal mental problem, and I don’t know what can be done about it."<ref>https://serbia.postsen.com/world/8310/You-know-a-donkey-</ref><br />
<br />
In early June 2022 the weekly news magazine ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' reported that Germany does not trust Zelensky: “The fear that German weaponry could be sent into Russia highlights a certain distrust in Berlin of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky…And that, too, is a reason why the defense industry in Germany has not been authorized to deliver battle tanks”<ref>https://thepressunited.com/updates/germany-doesnt-trust-zelensky-der-spiegel/</ref><br />
<br />
On December 2023 Zelenski and [[Viktor Orbán]] were present in [[Javier Milei]]'s inauguration in [[Argentina]] and they both discussed about [[Putin]] during the event. Milei has close ties to Zelenski, Orbán, [[Trump]] and with [[Israel]].<br />
<br />
==Criticism==<br />
<br />
[[Swiss]] MP and former editor-in-chief of the ''Tribune de Genève'', Guy Mettan, painted a portrait of the acrobat who plays the role of president of Ukraine.<ref>https://www.voltairenet.org/article217403.html</ref> He shows how this public entertainer became an ally of the [[Banderist]]s and set up a dictatorship for them. Western media and leaders no longer know what superlatives to use to sing the praises of the Ukrainian president, so fascinated are they by the “amazing resilience” of the comedian miraculously transformed into a “warlord” and “saviour of democracy”.<br />
<br />
Since February 24, 2022 Volodymyr Zelensky has unquestionably proved himself to be an exceptionally talented artist in international politics. Those who had followed his career as a comedian were not surprised because they knew his innate sense of improvisation, his mimetic abilities and his audacity in acting. The way he campaigned and defeated tough opponents like former president Poroshenko in a few weeks between 31 December 2018 and 21 April 2019, mobilizing his production team and generous oligarch donors, had already proved the extent of his talents.<br />
<br />
He was elected with a score of 73.2% of the votes, promising to put an end to corruption, to lead Ukraine on the path of progress and civilization, and above all to make peace with the Russian-speaking Donbass. As soon as he was elected, he betrayed all his promises with such untimely zeal that his popularity rating fell to 23% in January 2022, to the point of being outdistanced by his two main opponents.<br />
<br />
From May 2019, to satisfy his oligarch sponsors, the newly elected president is launching a massive land privatisation programme covering 40 million hectares of good agricultural land under the pretext that the moratorium on land sales would have cost the country’s GDP billions of dollars. In the wake of the “de-communization“ and “de-Russification“ programs begun since the pro-US coup of February 2014, he is launching a vast operation of privatization of state assets, fiscal austerity, deregulation of labor laws and dismantling of trade unions, angering a majority of Ukrainians who had not understood what their candidate meant by “progress”, “westernization” and “normalization“ of the Ukrainian economy. In a country that, in 2020, had a per capita income of 3,726 dollars against 10,126 dollars for the Russian opponent, while in 1991 the average income of Ukraine exceeded that of Russia, the comparison is not flattering.<br />
<br />
As for the march towards civilization, it will take the form of another decree which, on 19 May 2021, ensures the domination of the Ukrainian language and bans Russian from all spheres of public life, administrations, schools and businesses, much to the satisfaction of the nationalists and the astonishment of the Russian-speaking people in the south-east of the country.<br />
[[File:Zelensky Kolomoisky.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Ukrainian dictator [[Vladimir Zelensky]] (center) meets with Kolomoisky, September 10, 2019.<ref>https://covertactionmagazine.com/2022/07/20/how-corrupt-is-ukrainian-president-volodymyr-zelensky/</ref>]]<br />
Zelensky’s main sponsor, Ihor Kolomoïsky, who lives in Geneva where he has luxurious offices overlooking the harbour, is not the least of these oligarchs who profit from the prevailing corruption: on March 5 2021, [[Anthony Blinken]], who probably had no choice, announced that the State Department had frozen his assets and banned him from the United States because of “involvement in significant corruption“. It is true that Kolomoysky was accused of embezzling $5.5 billion from the state-owned Privatbank. Coincidentally, the good Ihor was also the main shareholder of the oil holding company Burisma, which employed Joe Biden’s son Hunter for a modest compensation of $50,000 a month and which is now under investigation by the Delaware prosecutor.<br />
<br />
This is the same Kolomoïsky, who was a key figure in Ukraine’s progress, and who made Zelensky’s entire career as an actor and who is implicated in the Pandora Papers affair revealed by the press in October 2021. These papers revealed that since 2012, the TV channel 1+1 belonging to the sulphurous oligarch had paid no less than 40 million dollars to its star Zelensky and that the latter, shortly before being elected president and with the help of his close guard of Kryvyi Rih – the two Shefir brothers, one of whom is the author of Zelensky’s scripts and the other the head of the State Security Service, and the producer and owner of their joint production company Kvartal 95 – had prudently transferred considerable sums to offshore accounts opened in his wife’s name, while acquiring three undeclared flats in London for the sum of $7.5 million.<br />
<br />
For the rapprochement of the flamboyant Volodymyr with the most extreme representatives of the Ukrainian nationalist right is not the least of Zelensky’s oddities. This complicity was immediately denied with the greatest virulence by the Western press, which judged it scandalous because of the president’s suddenly rediscovered Jewish origins. How could a Jewish president sympathize with neo-Nazis, who are presented as a tiny minority of outsiders? One should not give credit to Vladimir Putin’s “denazification” operation… What they fail to acknowledge is that left-wing Jews such as [[George Soros]] sometimes admit that they do not care for Jewish interests. Since the time of Moses, the worst enemies of the Jews came from within, not from without. <br />
<br />
In July 2022 Zelensky added American journalist [[Glenn Greenwald]] to his enemies list.<br />
<br />
===Neo-Nazi groups===<br />
[[File:Volodymyr Zelensky, Justin Trudeau, and Chrystia Freeland applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the Waffen SS Galicia Division during a session of the Canadian Parliament September 24 2023.PNG|right|300|thumb|Volodymyr Zelensky, [[Justin Trudeau]], and [[Chrystia Freeland]] applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the [[Waffen SS Galicia Division]] during a session of the Canadian Parliament, September 24, 2023.<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/jews-poles-and-russians-have-united Jews, Poles, & Russians Have United To Condemn Canada For Glorifying A Literal Nazi], ANDREW KORYBKO, SEP 25, 2023.</ref>]]<br />
One has to go back to October 2019 to understand the nature of the relationship between Zelensky and the far right. And you have to understand that these far-right formations, even if they only weigh 2% of the electorate, still represent nearly a million highly motivated and well-organized people who are spread across numerous groupings and movements, of which the Azov regiment (co-founded and financed as early as 2014 by Kolomoysky, still him!) is only the best known. To it must be added the organizations Aïdar, Dnipro, Safari, [[Svoboda]], Pravy Sektor, [[C14]] and National Corps to be complete.<br />
<br />
C14, named after the number of words in the American neo-Nazi David Lane’s phrase (“We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children”), is one of the least known abroad but most feared for its racist violence in Ukraine. All of these groups were more or less merged into the Ukrainian army and national guard at the initiative of their leader, former interior minister [[Arsen Avakov]], who ruled the Ukrainian security apparatus unchallenged from 2014 to 2021. They are the ones Zelensky calls “veterans” since autumn 2019.<br />
<br />
A few months after his election, the young president went to Donbass to try to fulfil his election promise and enforce the [[Minsk agreements]] signed by his predecessor. The far-right forces, who have been shelling the cities of Donetsk and Lugansk since 2014 at the cost of ten thousand deaths, welcome him with the greatest circumspection because they are suspicious of this “pacifist” president. They are waging a merciless campaign against peace under the slogan “No surrender”. In one video, a pale Zelensky pleads with them: “I am the president of this country. I am 41 years old. I am not a loser. I’m coming to you and saying: take the guns out.” The video was released on social networks and Zelensky immediately became the target of a hate campaign. This will be the end of his desire for peace and the implementation of the Minsk agreements. Shortly after this incident, a minor withdrawal of the extremist forces took place, and then the bombing resumed in earnest.<br />
<br />
The problem is that not only has Zelensky given in to their blackmail but he is joining them in their nationalist crusade. After his failed expedition in November 2019, he receives several far-right leaders, including Yehven Taras, the leader of C14, while his prime minister stands by Andryi Medvedko, a neo-Nazi figure suspected of murder. He also supports the footballer Zolzulya against Spanish fans who accuse him of being a Nazi because of his proclaimed support for [[Stepan Bandera]], the nationalist leader who collaborated with Nazi Germany during the war (and with the [[CIA]] after the war) and participated in the Jewish Holocaust.<br />
<br />
Collaboration with nationalist radicals is well established. In November 2021, Zelensky appointed the ultra-nationalist Pravy Sektor [[Dmytro Yarosh]] as special adviser to the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army and, since February 2022, as head of the [[Territorial Defense|Volunteer Army]], which is waging terror in the rear. At the same time, he appointed Oleksander Poklad, nicknamed “the strangler” because of his taste for torture, as head of the SBU’s counter-intelligence unit. In December, two months before the war, it was the turn of another Pravy Sektor leader, Commander Dmytro Kotsuybaylo, to be rewarded with the title of “Hero of Ukraine” while, a week after the start of hostilities, Zelensky had the regional governor of Odessa replaced by Maksym Marchenko, commander of the ultranationalist Aïdar battalion, the very same one with whom [[Bernard-Henri Lévy]] would make a point of marching.<br />
<br />
Desire to appease the far right by giving them positions? Shared ultra-patriotism? Or a simple convergence of interests between a neo-liberal, Atlanticist, pro-Western right and a nationalist far right that dreams of smashing Russians and “leading the white races of the world in a final crusade against the Untermenschen guided by the Semites”, in the words of former deputy [[Andriy Biletsky]], leader of the National Corps? It is not clear, as no journalist has ventured to ask Zelensky this question.<br />
<br />
What is not in doubt, however, is the increasingly [[authoritarian]], even [[criminal]], drift of the Ukrainian regime. So much so that its zealots should think twice before nominating their idol for the Nobel Peace Prize. While the media look the other way, a real campaign of intimidation, kidnappings and executions is underway against local and national elected officials suspected of being Russian agents or of connivance with the enemy because they want to avoid an escalation of the conflict.<br />
<br />
===Zelensky kill list===<br />
{{See also|Myrotvorets}}<br />
[[File:Myrotvorets.PNG|right|1000px|thumb|The Myrotovets ("Peacemaker") website, a kill list authorizing on the spot execution of journalists and anyone deemed a "Russian sympathizer", shows [[Langley, Virginia]] home of the CIA as its headquarters.<ref>https://myrotvorets.center/</ref>]]<br />
“One less traitor in Ukraine! He was found killed and was tried by the people’s court!” This is how the adviser to the Interior Minister, Anton Gerashenko, announced on his Telegram account the murder of [[Volodymyr Strok]], mayor and former deputy of the small town of Kremnina. Suspected of having collaborated with the Russians, he was kidnapped and tortured before being executed. On 7 March, the mayor of Gostomel was killed because he had tried to negotiate a humanitarian corridor with the Russian military. On 24 March, the mayor of Kupyansk asked Zelensky to release his daughter, who had been kidnapped by SBU agents. At the same time, one of the Ukrainian negotiators was found dead after being accused of treason by the nationalist media. No less than eleven mayors have been reported missing to date, including in regions never occupied by the Russians…<br />
<br />
In February 2021, Zelensky closed down three opposition channels deemed to be pro-Russian and supposedly owned by the oligarch [[Viktor Medvedchuk]], NewsOne, Zik and 112 Ukraine. The State Department hails this attack on press freedom, stating that the US supports Ukrainian efforts to counter Russia’s malign influence…” In January 2022, a month before the war, Nash was shut down. After the war began, the regime went on a hunt for left-wing journalists, bloggers and commentators. At the beginning of April, two right-wing channels were also affected. Channel 5 and Pryamiy. A presidential decree obliges all channels to broadcast a single, pro-government tone of voice, of course. Recently the witch-hunt even extended to the country’s most popular critical blogger, Ukraine’s Navalny, [[Anatoliy Shariy]], who was arrested on 4 May by the Spanish authorities at the request of the Ukrainian political police. Attacks on the press at least equivalent to those of the autocrat Putin, but never heard of in the Western media…<br />
<br />
The purge was even more severe for political parties. It decimated Zelensky’s main opponents. In the spring of 2021, the home of the main opponent, Medvedchuk, was ransacked and its owner placed under house arrest. On 12 April, the oligarch deputy was forcibly interned in an undisclosed location, visibly drugged, deprived of visits before being shown on TV and offered in exchange for the release of the Azovstal defenders, in defiance of all the [[Geneva Convention]]s. His lawyers, threatened, had to give up defending him in favour of someone close to the services.<br />
<br />
Last December, it was Petro Poroshenko, who was rising in the polls, who was accused of treason. On 20 December 2021, at 3.07 pm, the official SBU website listed him as a suspect for crimes of treason and support for terrorist activities. The former president was accused of “making Ukraine energy dependent on Russia and the leaders of the Russian-controlled pseudo-republics.”<br />
<br />
On 3 March, activists of the Lizvizia Left were raided by the SBU and imprisoned by the dozen. Then on 19 March, repression hit the whole of the Ukrainian left. By decree, eleven left-wing parties were banned: Party for Life, Left Opposition, Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, Socialist Party of Ukraine, Union of Left Forces, Socialists, Sharyi Party, Ours, State, Opposition Bloc Volodymyr Saldo.<br />
<br />
Other activists, bloggers and human rights defenders are arrested and tortured, journalist [[Yan Taksyur]], MMA boxer [[Maxim Ryndovskiy]] or activist [[Elena Brezhnaya]],<ref>https://seemorerocks.is/focusing-on-the-many-crimes-of-the-zelensky-regime/</ref> whose father was charred to death in the pogrom of 2 May 2014 at the [[Odessa Trade Unions House massacre|Odessa House of Trade Unions]].<br />
<br />
To complete this list, we should mention the men and women stripped naked and whipped in public by the nationalists in the streets of Kiev, the Russian prisoners beaten and shot in the legs before being executed, the soldier whose eye was pierced before being killed, the members of the Georgian Legion who executed Russian prisoners in a village near Kiev, while their leader boasted that he never took prisoners. On the Ukraine 24 channel, it was the head of the army’s medical service who said he had given the order “to castrate all Russian men because they are subhuman and worse than cockroaches”. Finally, Ukraine is making extensive use of facial recognition technology from the company Clearview to identify dead Russians and broadcast their photos on Russian social networks, ridiculing them…<br />
[[File:Darya Dugina.PNG|right|300px|thumb|[[Darya Dugina]]<ref>https://twitter.com/JayTharappel/status/1561917268669255680</ref> ]]<br />
The examples could be multiplied, as there are so many quotes and videos of atrocities committed by the troops of the defender of democracy and human rights who presides over the destiny of Ukraine. But this would be tedious and counterproductive with a public opinion convinced that these barbaric behaviors are solely due to the Russians.<br />
<br />
This is why no NGO is alarmed, the Council of Europe is silent, the International Criminal Court is not investigating, and press freedom organizations are silent. They have not listened well to what the kindly Volodymyr told them during a visit to Bucha at the beginning of April: “If we do not find a civilized way out, you know our people, they will find an uncivilized way out.”<br />
<br />
Ukraine’s problem is that its president, willingly or unwillingly, has ceded power to extremists internally and to the NATO military externally in order to indulge in the pleasure of being worshipped by crowds around the world. Was it not he who told a French journalist on 5 March, ten days after the Russian invasion: “Today, my life is beautiful. I believe I am wanted. I feel that this is the most important meaning of my life: to be wanted. To feel that you are not just breathing, walking and eating something. You are living!”<br />
<br />
==Quotes==<br />
*''The activities of those politicians aimed at division or collusion will not succeed, but will receive a harsh response.''<br />
<br />
*''There will be consequences for collaborators.''<br />
<br />
*''Unfortunately, all the holidays have a bitter aftertaste for us this year. And we can feel the traditional Spirit of [[Christmas]] differently. Dinner at the family table cannot be so tasty and warm. There may be empty chairs around it. Our houses and streets can't be so bright. And Christmas bells can ring not so loudly and inspiringly. Through air raid sirens, or even worse – gunshots and explosions. And all this together can pose a bigger threat. It is a disappointment. Of the higher forces and their power, of goodness and justice in the world. Loss of [[hope]]. Loss of love. Loss of myself.''<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/zelenskys-sobering-christmas-message-to-ukraine-describes-loss-of-hope/ar-AA15DJYl Zelensky Christmas Message], December 24, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
*[[Transvestism]]<br />
*[[NordStream II]]<br />
*[[Essay: April 2022 was a pivotal moment in the future of global politics for decades to come]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|3}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[https://rumble.com/vx6un1-zalensky-before-he-was-installed-as-so-called-president..html Zalensky before he was installed as so called president.]<br />
*[https://bombardsbodylanguage.com/2022/05/06/body-language-volodymyr-zelensky-on-60-minutes/ Body Language – Volodymyr Zelensky on 60 Minutes]<br />
*[https://youtu.be/p-ZKfckWjHs Rzhevsky vs. Napoleon (2012)] - Comedy film starring Zelesnky as Napoleon. Russian subtitles<br />
<br />
{{globalism}}<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zelensky, Volodymyr}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Ukrainian People]]<br />
[[Category:Current Heads of State]]<br />
[[Category:Jewish People]]<br />
[[Category:Zelensky Regime]]<br />
[[Category:Russophobia]]<br />
[[Category:Corruption]]<br />
[[Category:Fashion Industry Values]]<br />
[[Category:Globalists]]<br />
[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]<br />
[[Category:Russia-Ukraine War]]<br />
[[Category:Propagandists]]<br />
[[Category:Racism]]<br />
[[Category:Comedians]]<br />
[[Category:Actors]]<br />
[[Category:Billionaires]]<br />
[[Category:Dictators]]<br />
[[Category:Totalitarianism]]<br />
[[Category:Ukrainian Fascism]][[Category:Nazism]]<br />
[[Category:Worst Liberal Politicians]]<br />
[[Category:Addiction]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorists]]<br />
[[Category:Liberals]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-Christianity]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Volodymyr_Zelensky&diff=2034776Volodymyr Zelensky2024-03-17T02:36:50Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Dictator bio<br />
| image =[[File:Zelensky selfie.PNG|180px]]<br />
| name =Volodymyr Aleksandrovich Zelensky<br />
| birth =January 25, 1978<br/>Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine)<br />
| parents =<br />
| religion =[[Judaism]]<br />
| education =Kyiv National Economic University<br>[[Young Global Leaders|Young Global Leaders Forum]]<br />
| spouse =Olena Kiyashko<br />
| children =2<br />
| death =<br />
| deathmanner =<br />
| burial =<br />
| country =[[Ukraine]]<br />
| military =none<br />
| rank =Commander-in-Chief<br />
| polbeliefs =[[Kakistocracy]]<br>[[Fascism]]<br/>[[Globalism]]<br />
| party =Fascist bloc, [[Svoboda]], [[Andriy_Biletsky#National_Corp_political_party|Azov National Corp]], European Solidarity<br />
| dictatordate =2019<br />
| war =[[Ukraine Civil War]]<br />
| deathnumber =250,000+<br />
}}<br />
'''Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelensky'''<ref>or '''Zelenskiy''' (''The Guardian'') in [[Britain]] uses this "Zelenskiy" spelling, sometimes '''Zelenskyy''' aka the '''Cokehead of Kyiv'''</ref> (''пидорас Зеленский'') also known as '''Adolf Zelensky''',<ref>[https://globaleuronews.com/2022/05/21/the-french-sompared-zelensky-to-hitler-history-repeating/ The French Сompared Zelensky to Hitler: “History Repeating”], 05/21/20223, Global Euronews</ref> is the [[dictator]] of [[Ukrainian]] [[puppet regime]],<ref>https://www.veteranstoday.com/2022/02/25/kiev-regime-turns-in-ukrainian-people-as-false-flag-warfare-rages-forward/</ref> a [[racist]] [[Russophobe]], Nazi clown in cargo pants,<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/K8EGLJiyhJOm/ Vivek Ramaswamy calls Zelensky a "Nazi clown in cargo pants"], November 8, 2923.</ref>, [[neo-Nazi]] collaborator,<ref>https://www.mintpressnews.com/ukraine-jewish-president-zelensky-made-peace-neo-nazi-paramilitaries/279862/</ref> kleptocratic book banner <ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/zelensky-signs-bill-banning-russian-books/</ref> and Western puppet. Considered a madman by many,<ref>[https://archive.ph/qnzPK Zelensky the Liar – He Will Be Remembered by History like Hitler], by Martin Armstrong, Armstrong Economics, November 16, 2022.</ref> Presented to [[Western alliance|Western]] audiences by the [[neocon]] [[globalist]] [[propaganda]] matrix as a combination of [[Mahatma Gandhi]], [[Nelson Mandela]], and [[Winston Churchill]], Zelensky gained public acclaim on Ukrainian television by playing the piano with his private parts.<ref>[https://youtu.be/ZBYvQzRddV8 Zelensky's Days as 'Darling of The West' are Numbered w/ Mark Sleboda], Rachel Blevins, Dec 4, 2023. YouTube</ref> After having suffered 400,000 casualties in the [[NATO war in Ukraine]],<ref>[https://winepressnews.com/2023/09/05/ukraine-has-lost-at-least-400000-troops-in-its-war-with-russia-as-casualties-mount/ Ukraine Has Lost At Least 400,000 Troops In Its War With Russia, As Casualties Mount], by Jacob M. Thompson, September 5, 2023.</ref> the former comedian attempted to sideline Ukraine's top military commanders to assume command himself.<br />
<br />
Zelensky shares with [[Adolf Hitler]] the distinction as [[TIME magazine]] Person of the Year.<ref>https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/armstrongeconomics101/opinion/time-names-zelensky-man-of-the-year-as-they-did-with-hitler-stalin/</ref> He has been characterized as the "ultimate [[narcissist]]"<ref>https://rumble.com/v4ggxp3-scott-ritter-nato-is-done-and-ukraine-defeated.html</ref> and has repeatedly called for global thermonuclear war.<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/president-zelensky-suggests-ukraine-may-pursue-nuclear-weapons-to-counter-russia-putin-responds</ref><ref>https://www.fff.org/2022/03/17/zelenskys-call-for-nuclear-war/</ref><ref>https://scooptrade.com/political-scientist-called-zelenskys-calls-a-provocation-of-the-third-world-war/</ref> Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] has called Zelensky "a disgrace to the [[Jewish]] people."<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/R7wRiwfUzbIz/</ref><br />
<br />
Zelensky has outlawed democratic opposition, ordered his rivals' arrest, and presided over the disappearance and assassination of dissidents across the country.<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/466876-One-less-traitor-Zelensky-Oversees-Campaign-of-Assassination-Kidnapping-And-Torture-of-Political-Opposition</ref> [[Amnesty International]] has accused Zelensky and his regime of [[war crimes]].<ref>https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/ukrainian-fighting-tactics-endanger-civilians/</ref> Zelensky is a graduate of the [[Young Global Leaders|Young Leaders]] program of the [[World Economic Forum]].<ref>https://goudsmit.pundicity.com/26065/russia-ukraine-and-the-globalist-two-step</ref> Upon assuming the role as [[Head of State]], Zelensky did not surround himself with experienced professional political and foreign policy advisors, but rather brought with him the cast and crew of his media production company, actors, script writers, cameramen, film editors, promotional people and media technical advisors. Casualties in the [[Russia-Ukraine war]] have been horrendous because of Zelensky's refusal to negotiate a peace settlement with the [[Donbas]] Republics and [[Russian Federation]].<br />
[[File:What a difference a year makes.PNG|left|350px|thumb|The War Is Lost - Zelenski Will Leave - The White House Has Failed.<ref>[https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/10/the-war-is-lost-zelenski-will-leave-the-white-house-has-failed.html The War Is Lost - Zelenski Will Leave - The White House Has Failed], Moon of Alabama, October 31, 2023.</ref>]]<br />
In his previous career, he worked in the Ukrainian entertainment industry.<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/f1Ll6yw172sg/ VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY'S TRANSVESTITE DANCE]. This clip of Zelensky dancing in high heels and tight leather pants</ref> In three years Zelensky became a billionaire.<ref>https://www.veteranstoday.com/2022/03/02/blockbuster-drag-queen-zelensky-found-a-billion-dollars-and-a-villa-in-miami/</ref> He was promoted by the [[liberal media]] and elected president of Ukraine in 2019 after the U.S.-backed [[Maidan coup]] which unconstitutionally overthrew the [[democracy|democratically]], directly elected, president of Ukraine in 2014.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/before-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-a-decade-of-destabilization_4316990.html</ref> The purpose of the coup was to facilitate [[Western alliance|Western]] [[corporate]] interests to buy up previously state-owned assets.<ref>https://fair.org/home/what-you-should-really-know-about-ukraine/</ref> Zelensky was elected to fight corruption and end the [[War in Donbas]].<br />
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When the Russians conducted an incursion to end the [[Donbas war]] where state-sponsored neo-Nazi paramilitary organizations killed over 13,000 civilians in the [[Donbas]] region since 2014, Zelensky implemented a scorched earth policy like the retreating [[Nazi]] forces in [[Italy]] in 1944, blowing up bridges, opening the prisons and arming criminal gangs.<ref>https://dailyindia.net/ukrainian-author-claims-zelensky-government-gave-weapons-to-criminals-cases-of-rape-and-robbery-increased-in-the-city/135874/</ref> Zelensky invited foreign non-state combatants and mercenaries into Ukraine<ref>https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/foreign-fighters-in-ukraine/</ref> described as "war tourists" who were used by the Ukrainian military and NATO as canon fodder,<ref>https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-01/australian-foreign-fighters-ukraine-russia-war/100869602</ref> or in the words of one UK volunteer, "bullet catchers."<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/foreign-fighters-ukraine-offers-purpose-camaraderie-cause-2022-03-07/</ref> Mercenaries who answer Zelensky's call face the death penalty.<ref>https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/shaun-pinner-andrew-hill-prisoner-ukraine-death-penalty-20220528</ref> <br />
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The Donbas war atrocities and [[genocide]] had been largely ignored since 2014 by Western media because Donbas was not onboard with the [[globalist]] [[gay agenda]].<ref>http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=62947</ref> Zelensky misplaced hope that [[NATO]] troops and air cover would defend his regime, and even traveled to [[Munich]], [[Germany]] in February 2022 to meet with [[the West]] as Ukrainian forces massed to attack the Donbas.<ref>https://www-elethos-gr.translate.goog/2022/01/dpr-head-says-120000-ukrainian-troops.html?_x_tr_sl=el&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc</ref> Previously, in a rather sick joke Zelensky compared Ukraine to an adult film star, the implication as critics point out, Zelensky, in his own words, is pimping his nation in exchange for foreign cash.<ref>https://youtu.be/mvvYH6oCF54?t=4004</ref> <br />
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The Russian incursion began under a collective security agreement to secure the lives and safety of the people of the Donbas, Zelensky is known to have used [[human shields]] in civilian areas similar to the tactics employed by [[Hamas]] in [[Gaza]].<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/zelenskyy-regime-using-civilians-as-human-shields-against-advancing-russian-troops-asean-centre-expert-mgimo-uni/</ref> Zelensky famously bit the hand that feeds him, saying that Western banks should be charged with war crimes. He is a certified purveyor of [[fake news]] and war [[propaganda]].<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/02/28/pro-ukraine-propaganda-floods-social-media/</ref> Aearnur, a substack author, summarized Zelensky's political career on the world stage: "he will appear as a historical footnote accounting for his brief rise and precipitous fall, almost [[Shakespeare]]an in its tragic nature but all to readily associated with the folly that comes with every theatrical farce."<ref>[https://aearnur.substack.com/p/zelenskyy-the-months-ahead-and-the ZELENSKY, AUTHOR OF HIS OWN DEMISE… AND JUST POSSIBLY OF HIS ENTIRE NATION], Aearnur, Dec 11, 2023.</ref><br />
[[File:Zelensky regime war crimes.PNG|left|300px|thumb|The Zelensky regime has committed [[genocidal]] [[war crimes]] against Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens daily unreported by the Western media propaganda apparatus.<ref>https://thedreizinreport.com/2022/10/09/war-crimes-2/</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Zelensky transvestism.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Comedian, now President Volodomyr Zelensky (second from left) [[Transvestism|in drag]] wearing high heels in a Ukrainian music video.<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/f1Ll6yw172sg/ Zelensky in drag.]</ref>]]<br />
==Background==<br />
[[File:Winston Churchill Award winner.jpg|right|315px|thumb|'''Claim to Fame:''' The man considered by globalists and Western media as the "21st century Winston Churchill" playing ''Chopsticks'' on the piano with his sex organ.]]<br />
Zelensky rode the support of the [[liberal media]] to come in first in all but one of Ukraine’s regions losing to [[Poroshenko]] in the western region of [[Lvov]]). Zelensky is a native Russian speaker who also speaks Ukrainian, is of Jewish descent, and supports closer relations with the West.<br />
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As a media personality, Zelensky formed his own production company, Quarter 95. For the three years prior to being elected, Zelensky amassed wide exposure starring in a primetime satirical soap opera as the president of Ukraine, crusading against corrupt politicians who would appoint personal friends to high positions and had offshore bank accounts. As president, Zelensky's first acts were to appoint friends to high positions. According to an investigation by the Consortium of International Journalists called the Pandora Papers, rather than re-invest the profits of his television production company to employ people in Ukraine, Zelensky has offshore bank accounts to store the profits of his looting Ukraine through his production company even before his run for the presidency.<ref>https://youtu.be/C0JUpCrdG88</ref><br />
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Zelensky's rise to power with media mogul [[Ihor Kolomoisky]]'s support suggested that the Western-backed corrupt oligarchy would remain in control of Ukraine. [[Hunter Biden]] was hired by the oligarchs 7 weeks after the [[coup]]. Kolomoisky owns the bank through which payments to the [[Biden family]] were made and provided the funding for the neo-Nazi [[Azov Battalion]].<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/465534-A-single-Ukrainian-billionaire-funded-Hunter-Biden-President-Volodymyr-Zelensky-and-the-neo-nazi-Azov-Battalion</ref> Under the Maidan regime, the country has become more impoverished with 50% of the population now living in poverty. <br />
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In his made-for-TV series, ''Servant of the People'', by murdering other people's elected representatives, Zelensky somehow is cutting a path for the future of Ukrainian "democracy."<br />
<br />
===Globalism===<br />
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As an actor, comedian and soap opera star,<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/qn7XVUOpllCH/</ref> Zelensky closely aligned himself with Western globalists and was elected based on the support of a billionaire oligarch in Ukraine, Ihor Kolomoisky, whose media empire included Zelensky as a partner.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/biography/Volodymyr-Zelensky</ref> Zelensky's campaign consisted of doing comedy routines. The election outcomes suggested that issues of ethnic and linguistic identity mattered less to voters than expected. Not until after the Biden regime seized power were ethnic tensions renewed by globalist media and propaganda.<br />
[[File:Mass shooter Zelensky.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelensky playing the role of a psychotic killer in a [[Hollywood]]-inspired rage against [[democracy]] and mass shooting of the people's elected representatives in parliament.<ref>https://youtu.be/nsra8txvD8Y</ref>]]<br />
During his time as a comedian, Zelensky was making pro-Nazi jokes that had anti-Semitic and Russophobic content in which the majority of his audience was not laughing and did not seem comfortable.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2g-93j4ynA](Russian)</ref><br />
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In a monologue to a comedy show aired April 12, 2014 shortly after the [[Maidan regime]] seized power, Zelensky read an imaginary letter to his family back home:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Good Day Uncle Igor, Aunt Valya and Uncle Sasha. Despite your fears, I can tell you that I live well as far as I live. Soon it will be even better. Because it's been three weeks since I was accepted into the [[Bandera]] community. That's normal, otherwise you can't make a career here in Ukraine. However, I don't have to tell you that, because you know it yourself. I don't get a salary, but that's not the most important thing. We have been allowed to take money and wealth from the Russians. In the past, this was also possible with the Jews. But then the top Bandera supporter Kolomoisky came and banned stealing money from the Jews.<br />
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For example, I'm learning [[English]] now, so as not to forget Russian. American [[mercenaries]], who are here for us every step of the way, help me. You know what? I got married for the second time, he is Wadik. For us [[European]]s this is quite normal. Today, our President, [[Barack Obama]], promised all the most important thing for us, that we will soon join NATO. For the time being, of course, we are the property of America. If it is possible, please send me [[Hitler]]'s book '[[Mein Kampf]]', because that's how everything is done down here. I take care of in the morning to go to the balcony and do morning exercises. From my heart to the sun, so. But I don't have to tell you, because you know it yourself."<ref>https://youtu.be/jIA-38WgpnQ</ref><ref>https://www.kla.tv/22511</ref>}}<br />
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Zelensky has been accused of toxic masculinity.<ref>[https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/03/26/maher_women_can_believe_masculinity_is_toxic_or_worship_zelensky_but_they_cant_do_both.html Maher: Women Can Believe Masculinity Is Toxic Or Worship Zelensky, But They Can't Do Both], Ian Schwartz, March 26, 2022</ref> His comedy has been described as puerile, vulgar, and working class. His mother is said to be ashamed of his chosen career as a comedian. Zelensky performed at events for former President Viktor Yanukovych. As a successful television producer, Zelensky purchased a 15 room villa in [[Tuscany]] which he never disclosed during the presidential campaign. In 2012 ''[[Forbes]]'' reported Zelensky's net worth at $15 million.<br />
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===Corruption===<br />
[[File:Rinat Akhmetov and Leonid Kuchma.png|right|300px|thumb|Rinat Akhmetov and Leonid Kuchma.<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2022/12/16/the-autumn-of-oligarchs-in-ukraine/</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/Za3iAdRjYQc</ref>]]<br />
Zelensky has accumulated $1.2 billion in the Dresdner Bank Lateinamerika in [[Costa Rica]] during the two and a half years of his presidency. This money was transferred to the president by Ukrainian oligarchs, such as Rinat Akhmetov, Igor Kolomoisky, and [[Clinton Foundation]] donor [[Victor Pinchuk]]. Ilya Kiva, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, noted that replenishment is done regularly in tranches of $12 million to $35 million. And they go through banks like First Union Bank, Deutsche Bank, Banque Nationale de Paris. According to Kiva, the movement of such funds would be impossible without the control of the authorities of [[Germany]] and [[France]]. Kiva pointed out Zelensky was able to buy a villa in Sunny Isles, [[Florida]] built by Kolomoisky and Pinchuk for $34 million.<ref>https://shtf.tv/zelensky-found-a-billion-dollars-and-a-villa-in-miami/</ref> According to [[Alexei Arestovich]], Kiva was murdered by the [[Ukrainian gestapo]] in December 2023.<ref>https://t.me/O_Arestovich_official/4773</ref><br />
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Zelensky, like [[Joe Biden]]'s son [[Hunter Biden]], is [[addiction|addicted]] to [[cocaine]] and describes its use as "Awesome! Awesome!"<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/Y6CGIO0d8Tue/</ref> Zelnsky is regarded by Western media and governments as a role model. <br />
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Upon taking office, Zelensky declared, "Our first task is to stop the conflict in the Donbass, in order for our heroes to die. I'm ready for anything. I'm not afraid to make difficult decisions. I'm ready to lose my popularity and my ranking values. If it is necessary, I will be, without hesitation, ready to lose my office, just so that peace may come." A little while later Zelensky realized that his life, and the lives of his family, depends on the [[Pravy Sektor]], and Nazis with extreme views,. Shortly thereafter, he said: "Not all of the people representatives are people, there are also copies." Zelensky is reported to have received a British [[passport]] and citizenship in March 2022 so as to flee Ukraine at any given moment.<ref>https://cmio.org/en/world/660051-representatives-of-zelenskys-office-received-british-citizenship-kiva-said</ref><br />
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According to [[CBS News]], of the billions of dollars in NATO weapons pumped into Ukraine, only 30% made it to the front lines.<ref>https://rumble.com/v1f0qmr-cbs-news-exposes-ukraine-weapons-scam-30-maybe-reaches-its-final-destinatio.html</ref><br />
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==President 2019-present==<br />
{{See also|Zelensky regime}}<br />
<center>{{cquote|''Volodymyr Zelensky is the West’s ideal vessel for laundering its worst ideas. Forget fighting till the last Ukrainian - this canary in the filthiest ideological coal mine the international banking cartels could build might just lead the empire all the way to that great mushroom cloud in the sky.''|||Helen of desTroy<ref>https://helenofdestroy.substack.com/p/washington-robot</ref>}}</center><br />
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[[File:Zelensky Death's Head.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelensky bodyguard with World War II Nazi ''Totenkopf Verbande'' (''Death's Head Formation'') insignia.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/09/15/zelensky-bodyguards-hitler-patch/</ref>]]<br />
The veteran comedian brought with him upon taking office in 2019 his entire media production crew, including script writers and other actors. [[Alexei Arestovich]], another TV entertainer, was appointed as a military adviser and press spokesman. Zelensky declared, "Our first task is to stop the conflict in the Donbass, for which our heroes died. I'm ready for anything. I'm not afraid to make difficult decisions. I'm ready to lose my popularity and my approval ratings. If it is necessary, I will be, without hesitation, ready to lose my office, just so that peace may come." A short time later Zelensky realized that his life, and the lives of his family, was dependent upon the Nazis, the people with extreme views from the Pravy Sektor. Shortly thereafter, he said: "Not all of the people representatives are people, there are also copies."<ref>A paraphrasing from the notorious 1943 Nazi tract quoted by Nazi leaders in Ukrainian, ''Der Untermenschen:'' "The subhuman is a biological creature, crafted by nature, which has hands, legs, eyes and mouth, even the semblance of a brain. Nevertheless, this terrible creature is only a partial human being. Although it has features similar to a human, the subhuman is lower on the spiritual and psychological scale than any animal." [http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/holoprelude/deruntermensch.html]</ref><br />
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Amongst a raft of casualties and desertions, as untrained soldiers were placed at the front in impossible and hopeless situations with no artillery or armor and given orders to fight on and not surrender, two members of the Servant of the People Party of which Zelensky is [[führer]] introduced a bill (No. 7351) allowing AFU officers to kill their own soldiers who refused to follow orders.<ref>https://archive.ph/SWdge</ref> On June 12, 2022 Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree allowing the Ukrainian command to use territorial defense fighters to perform tasks in areas of military operations. Zelensky’s decree legalized sending untrained members of the Territorial Defense to the front as cannon fodder to face the professional Russian army. Conscription in Ukraine amounted to kidnapping people off the street.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/7Vtu5iGUI8AI/</ref><ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/VGvadFMbUts1/</ref><br />
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As the situation in Donbas deteriorated and Zelensky's stubborn resistance to allowing 15,000 soldiers to withdraw from the encirclement, rumors mounted of an imminent [[coup]] to remove the actor/comedian and replace him with Gen. [[Valerii Zaluzhnyi]] whom Gen. [[Mark Milley]] said of on May 23, 2022, "General Zaluzhny is the man behind that effort, bearing the immense burden of leading in combat. His work will be remembered by history." ''[[Time magazine]]'' named Zaluzhny one of its 100 Most Influential People of 2022.<ref>https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2022/6177692/valeriy-zaluzhnyy/</ref> ''[[Politico]]'' also offered words of praise for Zaluzhnyi.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/08/ukraines-iron-general-zaluzhnyy-00023901</ref> Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council [[Oleksiy Danilov]] is reported to have backed Zaluzhnyi.<br />
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After a photoshoot with [[Vogue magazine|''Vogue'' magazine]], Zelensky sat down for an interview with [[Piers Morgan]]. Zelensky was asked about [[inflation]], which according to U.S. polls was the voters number one concern. Zelensky said "inflation is nothing" and told Americans to suck it up and keep handing over cash and weapons in aid.<br />
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On February 15, 2024 Zelensky signed a bill legalizing "medical" marijuana.<ref>https://www.kyivpost.com/post/28151</ref><br />
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===Collusion with Nazis===<br />
{{See also|Azov Battalion}}<br />
{{Anchor|Medvedko}}{{Anchor|Polishchuk}}<br />
[[File:Zelensky neo-Nazi award.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky presents neo-Nazi leader with the Hero of Ukraine award for atrocities committed against ethnic Russians.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/03/04/nazis-ukrainian-war-russia/</ref>]]<br />
[[Oles Buzina]] (also Buzyna), a prominent journalist and author who advocated for unity among Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia and campaigned to outlaw neo-Nazi organizing, was shot and killed near his apartment on April 16, 2015 by state-backed death squads after his name appeared on the [[Myrotvorets]] public blacklist of “enemies of the state” list.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/pro-russian-journalist-oles-buzina-shot-dead-kiev-masked-gunmen-n342661</ref> In June 2015, investigators accused Andriy Medvedko and fellow C14 member, Denys Polishchuk, of killing Buzina.<ref>https://reportingradicalism.org/en/dossiers/people/andrii-medvedko-prominent-c14-member-and-former-svoboda-party-official</ref> During the Maidan coup C14 activists took over Kyiv’s city hall and plastered its walls with neo-Nazi insignia before taking shelter in the Canadian embassy.<ref>https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadian-embassy-used-as-safe-haven-during-ukraine-uprising-investigation-finds-1.3148719</ref> A March 2018 report by ''[[Reuters]]'' stated that “C14 and Kiev’s city government recently signed an agreement allowing C14 to establish a ‘municipal guard’ to patrol the streets."<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cohen-ukraine-commentary/commentary-ukraines-neo-nazi-problem-idUSKBN1GV2TY</ref> By offering to carry out acts of violence on behalf of anyone willing to pay, the C14 fostered a cozy relationship with various governing bodies and powerful elites across Ukraine. Their advertisement on [[Facebook]] reads:<ref>https://khpg.org/en/1520808476</ref><br />
{{quotebox-float|“C14 works for you. Help us keep afloat, and we will help you. For regular donors, we are opening a box for wishes. Which of your enemies would you like to make life difficult for? We’ll try to do that.”}}<br />
In 2018, a C14 youth organizer, Serhiy Bondar, spoke at an event at America House Kyiv, a US government institution that describes itself as “your main resource in Ukraine for American culture, education, and information.” This young fascist leader boasts of working with Kyiv police to “purge” a [[Gypsy]] homeless camp from a train station.<ref>https://twitter.com/RealAlexRubi/status/1498191420703883264</ref><br />
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C14 is even more notorious than the Azov Battalion. The name is a direct reference to the [[white supremacist]] “14 words”, ""We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children." C14 has also received funding from the Zelensky regime, in the form of a Ministry of Youth and Sport grant for “national-patriotic education projects."<ref>https://khpg.org/en/1528928862</ref><br />
<br />
Since September 2019, Buzina's alleged killer Andriy Medvedko has served as a member of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NACB). In January 2020, he became a part of a working group on the 'rights and freedoms of veterans in prison', under the Ministry for Veterans Affairs. Denys Polishchuk, the other accused killer, heads the working group, which includes fellow C14 members Yevhen Karas and Oleksandr Voitko, as well as former lawmaker Oksana Korchinska. Karas has claimed that the SBU would “pass on” information citizens of the Donbas “not only [to] us, but also Azov, the Right Sector and so on.”<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220129134515/https://news.liga.net/politics/interview/s14_kto_oni_i_pochemu_im_pozvoleno_bit_lyudey C14. Who they are and why they are allowed to beat people]. 15.11.2017.</ref><br />
[[File:Zelensky meets with Nazis.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky meets with Nazi leaders. (Far left) Dmytro Shatrovsky with Azov Battalion T-shirt, (across table) Volodymyr Zelensky, (bottom right end) Yehven Karas.]]<br />
In October 2019, Zelensky met with Karas, Dmytro Shatrovsky, and other neo-Nazi leaders.<ref>https://canadianpatriot.org/2022/04/28/how-ukraines-jewish-president-zelensky-made-peace-with-neo-nazi-paramilitaries-on-front-lines-of-war-with-russia/</ref> Days later prime minister and deputy head of Zelensky’s office Oleksiy Honcharuk appeared on stage at a neo-Nazi concert organized by accused C14 murderer Andriy Medvedko.<ref>https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukrainian-pm-minister-attended-neo-nazi-concert-in-kyiv/</ref> <br />
[[File:Ukrainian nazis.PNG|left|500px|thumb|Viral tweet during the Zelensky regime.]]<br />
In April 2021 Zelensky sought to appoint the Serhiy Sternenko as head of Ukraine’s Security Service ([[SBU]]) in Odessa, in an attempt to further his alliance with neo-Nazi forces.<ref>https://adarapress.com/2022/02/25/ukrainian-president-zelensky-deepens-alliance-with-far-right/</ref> As the former head of the neo-Nazi Pravy Sektor in Odessa, Sternenko was directly implicated in the [[Odessa Trade Unions House massacre|2014 Trade Unions House massacre]] where 46 people were burnt alive according to the Kyiv regime's official investigation. Eyewitnesses claim many more were killed. He is a convicted criminal and as of March 2022 was under investigation for murder.<ref>https://covertactionmagazine.com/2021/07/29/our-mission-is-to-lead-the-white-races-of-the-world-in-a-final-crusadeagainst-semite-led-untermenschen-subhumans/</ref><br />
<br />
In December 2021, Zelensky presented fascist Pravy Sektor commander Dmytro Kotsyubaylo with the “Hero of Ukraine” award in the Ukrainian parliament. The Pravy Sektor was deeply involved in the Maidan coup, the sniper murders of the "Heavenly Hundred",<ref>https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKMoq61IN02VsItd-uIZKtJKrPxA4z1Q8</ref> the burning alive of between 46 and 116 ethnic Russians in the Odessa Trade Unions House massacre,<ref>https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16460&LangID=E</ref> and has killed thousands of ethnic Russian civilians in the [[Donbas]] since 2014.<ref>https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1496308793810034688</ref> Pravy Sektor is classified as a terror organization in Russia.<br />
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On February 5, 2022, nineteen days before the Russian incursion, Yevhen Karas appeared on television in Kyiv boasting of the influence his organization and other Nazi groups enjoy in Ukrainian politics.<ref>https://twitter.com/RealAlexRubi/status/1497747535783411714</ref> “LGBT and foreign embassies say ‘there were not many Nazis at Maidan, maybe about 10 percent of real ideological ones,’” Karas remarked. “If not for those eight percent [of neo-Nazis] the effectiveness [of the Maidan coup] would have dropped by 90 percent.” The 2014 Maidan “[[Revolution of Dignity]]” would have been a “gay parade” if not for the instrumental role of neo-Nazis, he proclaimed. Karas went on to declare that [[the West]] armed Ukrainian ultra-nationalists because “we have fun killing.”<br />
<br />
Zelensky refers to native Russian speaking citizens of Ukraine a "species".<br />
[[File:Volodymyr Zelensky, Justin Trudeau, and Chrystia Freeland applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the Waffen SS Galicia Division during a session of the Canadian Parliament September 24 2023.PNG|right|300|thumb|[[Volodymyr Zelensky]], [[Justin_Trudeau#Support_for_Nazism|Justin Trudeau]], and [[Chrystia Freeland]] applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the [[Waffen SS Galicia Division]] during a session of the Canadian Parliament, September 24, 2023.]]<br />
In late September 2023 Canadian dictator [[Justin Trudeau]] and House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota welcomed Zelensky to address the Canadian parliament. A former officer of the [[14th Waffen SS Galicia Division]] named Yaroslav Hunka was also invited to attend the address. Speaker Rota praised Hunka as a “Canadian hero” for fighting against the [[Soviet Union]], which was an ally of Canada, the United States, and the British Commonwealth during [[World War II]]. The [[Allies of World War II]], including Canada, were fighting the armed forces of [[Nazi Germany]], of which the Hunka and the [[14th SS Galicia Division]] were part. More than 45,000 Canadians were killed fighting Nazi forces. <br />
<br />
Former members of the 14th Galicia Division were still wanted in Ukraine, [[Poland]], [[Belarus]], [[Lithuania]], and the [[Russian Federation]] in 2023 for war crimes during the Second World War Nazi occupation. There is no [[statute of limitations]] for murder. Many Ukrainian Nazi war criminals fled [[Europe]] after World War II and were resettled and granted citizenship in the [[UK]], Canada, and the United States. After the German surrender to the Soviet Union in [[Berlin]] on [[Victory Day]], May 9, 1945, many of Ukrainian Nazis who did not flee Europe fought on against the Soviet Union until 1954, receiving covert aid from the [[CIA]] soon after the CIA's founding in 1947.<br />
<br />
International affairs analyst Dr. Andrew Korybko observed that in one fell swoop, Trudeau discredited himself as a so-called “champion of [[human rights]]”, while Zelensky proved beyond any doubt that an ethnic [[Jew]] can indeed glorify the Nazis’ [[genocidal]] allies despite having family who were murdered in the [[Holocaust]].<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/jews-poles-and-russians-have-united Jews, Poles, & Russians Have United To Condemn Canada For Glorifying A Literal Nazi], ANDREW KORYBKO, SEP 25, 2023.</ref> After being vetted to attend Zelensky's speech by the Canadian government and Trudeau's office, Hunta was introduced by the Speaker as a “Ukrainian-Canadian veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians” and received two extended standing ovations while Zelensky raised a clenched fist in solidarity. To its credit, even ''[[Politico]]'' reported on the number of Jewish organizations that condemned the [[fascist]] ceremony.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/24/nazi-linked-veteran-ovation-zelenkyy-canada-visit-00117857 Nazi-linked veteran received ovation during Zelenskyy’s Canada visit], By KYLE DUGGAN, ''Politico'', 09/24/2023.</ref> Hunta's family had [[tweet]]ed out days in advance that a separate private meeting had been arranged for Hunta to meet and speak privately with Trudeau and Zelensky.<ref>Mark Sleboda, [https://marksleboda.substack.com/p/canadian-parliament-trudeau-and-zelensky Canadian Parliament, Trudeau & Zelensky Praise and Give Standing Ovation to West Ukrainian Waffen SS Veteran Who "Killed Russians"], Radio Interview on the Critical Hour 25/09/23.</ref> Three weeks later, the Israeli government rejected Zelensky's request to visit [[Israel]].<ref>[https://insiderpaper.com/israel-rejected-zelensky-visit/ Zelensky denied visit to Israel], October 16, 2023. insiderpaper.com</ref><br />
<br />
===Liquidation of political opponents===<br />
[[File:Truth of the Zelensky regime.PNG|right|300px|thumb|After posting a list of prominent people disappeared or murdered by the Zelensky regime,<ref>https://www.trendsmap.com/twitter/tweet/1507644195212824582</ref> [[Gonzalo Lira]] himself was disappeared from [[Kharkiv]].<ref>https://twitter.com/Anabel_Villeroy/status/1516131041672638464</ref>]]<br />
In November 2021, Zelensky appointed Oleksandr Poklad to head the SBU’s [[counterintelligence]]. A former lawyer and cop with ties to organized [[crime]], Poklad is nicknamed “The Strangler” – a reference to his favorite method of obtaining testimony from his victims.<ref>https://eadaily.com/ru/news/2021/12/02/ze-doveril-kontrrazvedku-sbu-gestapovcu-xxi-veka-po-klichke-dushitel</ref> The SBU functions as Zelensky's gestapo organization.<ref>https://www.donbass-insider.com/2022/03/10/sbu-the-terrible-ukrainian-political-police-assassinations-and-torture/</ref> The [[Security Service of Ukraine]] (SBU} closely collaborates with neo-Nazi groups including Right Sector, Azov, and C14, which was contracted by the Ukrainian government to conduct street patrols. Several mayors and other Ukrainian officials were killed since the Russian incursion by Ukrainian state agents after engaging in de-escalation talks with Russia forces to protect civilians and infrastructure in their communities. The SBU hunted down local officials that accepted humanitarian relief supplies from Russia or negotiated with Russian forces to arrange humanitarian corridors for civilian evacuations. <br />
<br />
In a March 19, 2022 [[executive order]], Zelensky invoked martial law to ban 11 opposition parties. Max Blumenthal and Esha Krishnaswamy characterized the outlawed parties as "the entire [[left-wing]], [[socialist]], or anti-NATO spectrum in Ukraine." They included the For Life Party, the Left Opposition, the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Union of Left Forces, Socialists, the Party of Shariy, Ours, State, Opposition Bloc and the Volodymyr Saldo Bloc. Openly fascist and pro-Nazi parties like the Azov National Corps were left untouched by the presidential decree, however.<br />
<br />
The following is a very brief, partial list posted by independent Chilean/American journalist [[Gonzalo Lira]], of prominent Ukrainian citizens who were disappeared under Zelensky. Gonzalo Lire himself was [[disappeared]] on April 15, 2022.<br />
<br />
*Vlodymyr Struk, pro-Russian mayor kidnapped and murdered.<ref>https://nypost.com/2022/03/03/pro-russian-mayor-of-ukrainian-city-kidnapped-killed/</ref><br />
*Denis Kireev, Ukraine peace negotiator shot dead ‘defending the nation’.<ref>https://www.the-sun.com/news/4831656/ukraine-peace-negotiator-spy-shot-russia-kireev/</ref><br />
*Mikhail & Aleksander Kononovich, Ukrainian youth leaders arrested.<br />
*Nestor Shufrych, Ukrainian member of parliament arrested.<ref>https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-lawmaker-photographing-checkpoint/31736680.html</ref><br />
*Yan Taksyur, Ukrainian Orthodox journalist jailed with no access to a lawyer medical treatment.<ref>https://orthochristian.com/145355.html</ref><br />
*Dmitri Djangirov, Ukrainian journalist, political expert, political scientist arrested.<br />
<br />
[[Scott Ritter]], whom Lira interviewed four days before his abduction, wrote about how people can respond to injustice: "we can call out Zelensky’s “cursed machine” for the [[crime]]s it is committing every day in defense of a perverted vision of Ukrainian nationalism that has mainstreamed the odious ideology of [[Nazi Germany]], giving voice to its [[hate]]-filled logic, and empowering its minions to silence the voices of those who, like Gonzalo Lira, dared speak truth to power."<ref>https://freepress.substack.com/p/what-russians-know-422</ref><br />
<br />
===Anti-democratic decrees===<br />
Zelensky declared martial law, armed neo-Nazi and criminal gangs,<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/8ohZv5w59uHt/</ref> and his secret police, the [[SBU]], began arrests and liquidations of political opposition.<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/466876-One-less-traitor-Zelensky-Oversees-Campaign-of-Assassination-Kidnapping-And-Torture-of-Political-Opposition</ref> On March 20, 2022 Zelensky announced a ban on 11 political parties, including parties with sitting members of [[parliament]]<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/zelensky-announces-ban-on-11-political-parties_4349682.html</ref> but not the Nazi organizations. <br />
Additionally, the fascist [[dictator]] eliminated all independent media and consolidated all information flow into one government controlled television platform.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/citing-martial-law-ukraine-president-signs-decree-combine-national-tv-channels-2022-03-20/</ref> <br />
<br />
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman [[Maria Zakharova]] was asked to comment on Zelensky's initiative to confiscate the property and assets of persons supporting a [[special military operation]] to liberate oppressed people in Ukraine and similar measures taken by a number of other Western countries. "The confiscation of [[private property]] from individuals for their political beliefs is a flagrant violation of the principles of [[democracy]] and the [[market economy]]," Zakharova said.<br />
<br />
===Wartime leader - Best Actor===<br />
{{See also|Donbas war}}<br />
[[File:Zelensky receives the best actor reward.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky receives the Best Actor Award.]]<br />
Zelensky betrayed his campaign promises of reform and meaningful progress to implement the [[Minsk Agreements]] and resolve the Donbass stalemate, leading to a rapid decline in popular support. He maintains power in Ukraine by a campaign of intimidation and terror conducted by the secret police.<br />
<br />
On March 24, 2021, Volodymyr Zelensky issued a decree for aggressive action against Crimea, and began to deploy his forces to the south of the country. At the same time, several NATO exercises were conducted between the [[Black Sea]] and the [[Baltic Sea]], accompanied by a significant increase in reconnaissance flights along the Russian border. Russia then conducted several exercises to test the operational readiness of its troops.<br />
<br />
Things calmed down until October-November with the end of the ZAPAD 21 exercises, whose troop movements were interpreted as a reinforcement for an offensive against the Ukraine. However, even the Ukrainian authorities refuted the idea of Russian preparations for a war, and Oleksiy Reznikov, Ukrainian Minister of Defense, states that there had been no change in Russian troop levels on its border since the spring of 2021.<br />
<br />
In violation of the Minsk Agreements, Ukraine was conducting air operations in Donbas using drones, including at least one strike against a fuel depot in [[Donetsk]] in October 2021. The American press noted this, but not the Europeans; and no one condemned these violations of international peace agreements.<br />
[[File:Number-of-Explosions-in-Donbass-19-20-February-2022.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
In February 2022, events were precipitated. On February 7, during his visit to Moscow, [[Emmanuel Macron]] reaffirmed to Vladimir Putin his commitment to the Minsk Agreements, a commitment he would repeat after his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky the next day. But on February 11, in [[Berlin]], after nine hours of work, the meeting of political advisors of the leaders of the “Normandy format” ended, without any concrete result: the Ukrainians still refused to apply the Minsk Agreements, apparently under pressure from the United States. [[Vladimir Putin]] noted that Macron had made empty promises and that the West was still ignoring the agreements, as it had been doing for eight years.<br />
<br />
[[India]]n geopolitical researcher Amit Sengupta characterized Zelensky and his relationship with the U.S. this way:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Zelinsky turned out to be an American stooge who literally destroyed his own country in the name of [[democracy]]. I've seen a lot of people saying that Zelensky is fighting for its country. What you need to understand is that this is not the right way of fighting for your country. This is a rebellious way of fighting. A smart and visionary leader looks for an alternative way of solving this matter. What Zelensky is doing, he is acting like a passive aggressive teenager, and America is continuously supplying weapons from behind. America is adding more fuel to the chaos."<ref>https://youtu.be/eRDIWQCjBBE</ref>}}<br />
The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded on June 29, 2022 that Zelensky used civilians as [[human shields]] when Ukrainian soldiers took up firing positions, effectively making the civilian infrastructure legitimate military targets.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/07/10/un-human-rights-report-shows-ukraine-military-used-nursing-home-residents-as-human-shields/</ref><br />
<br />
In his 2023 New Year's Eve message to the nation, Volodymyr Zelensky referred to Russians as "non-humans", twice for emphasis.<ref>https://www.ukrainianworldcongress.org/address-by-president-volodymyr-zelensky-dec-31-2022/</ref><br />
<br />
Former parliamentary opposition leader [[Viktor Medvedchuk]], whom Zelensky jailed and was released to the [[DNR]] in POWS swap, saidm “The country was plunged into a fire for the inflated ego of this man,” adding,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Today, the West flatters him at every opportunity. What luck! A ruler who would destroy his country for a photo op, boost his ratings on the blood and suffering of his citizens. Zelensky slaughtered law and stability for the sake of applause and posturing."}}<br />
<br />
====Operation Denazification====<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
[[File:Volodymyr-Zelenskyy-Minister-of-Defense-selfie.jpg|right|300ox|thumb|Volodomyr Zelensky (right) poses with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov for a selfie during the Siege of Kyiv, February 27, 2022.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/02/27/peace-talks-possible-between-russia-and-ukraine-as-magnificently-defiant-zelenskyy-stands-atop-the-alamo-of-kyiv-taking-selfies/</ref> Reznikov was fired in February 2023 in a [[kickback]] scandal related to US aid and Ukraine defense spending. Because of Reznikov's utility to the Americans and Zelensky, he was rehired by the end of the week.]]<br />
Zelensky proposed Ukraine obtain nuclear weapons. When Vladimir Putin announce the Special Military Operation in Ukraine, Putin referenced the fact that Ukraine was run by a gang of drug-addicts and neo-Nazis.<ref>https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/putin-calls-ukraine-government-drug-172802290.html</ref><br />
<br />
During the night of February 25-26, 2022 Volodymyr Zelensky sent a ceasefire proposal to Russia via the [[Chinese]] embassy in Kyiv. The [[Kremlin]] immediately responded by setting out its conditions:<ref>https://nexusnewsfeed.com/article/geopolitics/zelensky-prepared-to-surrender/</ref><br />
*arrest of all Nazis ([[Dmitro Yarosh]] and the [[Azov Battalion]], etc.)<br />
*removal of all street names and destruction of monuments glorifying Nazi collaborators during the [[Second World War]] ([[Stepan Bandera]], etc.),<br />
*laying down of weapons.<br />
<br />
10 days after the incursion, a French reporter asked Zelensky how his life had changed since the intervention of Russian troops in the Donbas war. Zelensky replied,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Today, my life is beautiful. I believe that I am needed. I feel it is the most important meaning in life – to be needed. To feel that you are not just an emptiness that is just breathing, walking, and eating something. You live.”<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-R4sh2z0EM&t=3426s</ref>}}<br />
Critics were horrified by the response. Analyst Natylie Baldwin noted, "this construction is alarming: it implies that Zelensky enjoys the unique opportunity to perform on a global stage provided by the war. It made his life beautiful; he lives. In contrast to millions of Ukrainians whose life is not nice at all and thousands of those who are not alive any longer."<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2022/04/29/ukraine-the-real-zelensky/</ref><br />
<br />
During the [[2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict]] to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine, Zelensky said in a televised address that Kyiv has been left to fend for itself as [[NATO]] is "afraid" to give it any guarantees. "I asked them -- are you with us? They answered that they are with us, but they don't want to take us into the alliance. I've asked 27 leaders of [[Europe]], if Ukraine will be in NATO, I've asked them directly -- all are afraid and did not respond. We were left by ourselves. Who is ready to go to war for us? Honestly, I don't see anybody. Who is ready to give Ukraine guarantees of NATO membership? Honestly, everybody is afraid."<ref>https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/international/ive-asked-27-leaders-of-europe-all-are-afraid-ukraine-president</ref> In accordance with NATO rules, a country having territorial disputes cannot be admitted to the bloc.<br />
<br />
In response to the commencement of [[Operation Denazification]] Zelensky handed out military grade weapons to neo-Nazi criminal gangs.<ref>https://twitter.com/JDPlatinumINVST/status/1498418936932622337</ref><br />
<br />
====Zelensky the puppet====<br />
{{See also|2022 Istanbul peace negotiations}}<br />
''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in May 2022 on Boris Johnson's unannounced surprise visit to Kyiv shortly after Russia and Ukraine had reached a peace settlement in their talks in [[Istanbul]]. The Russians had agreed to withdraw to the pre-February 2022 borders and Zelensky would implement the [[Minsk Accords]]. ''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in essence what Johnson told Zelensky according to sources close to the Ukrainian dictator:<br />
[[File:Zelensky the puppet.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky the puppet.]]<br />
[[File:Zelensky and Boris.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelesnky and BoJo. Boris Johnson sabotaged peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine in April 2022. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian solders died needlessly in the following months.]]<br />
[[File:SBU raids chuch.PNG |right|300px|thumb|Gestapo raid on the Kiev-[[Pechersk Lavra]] monastery, the preeminent center of Christianity since 1051 A.D. Other raids were carried out on the Cyril and Methodius Convent in Transcarpathia, and in Rovno, Vinnitsa, and Zhitomir oblasts looking for "Russian spys" and propaganda.<ref>https://thedreizinreport.com/2022/11/25/dreizin-retires/</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"if Ukraine is ready to sign some agreements on guarantees with Putin, they [the UK and US] are not. Johnson’s position was that the [[Western alliance|collective West]], which back in February had suggested Zelenskyy should surrender and flee, now felt that Putin was not really as powerful as they had previously imagined, and that here was a chance to "press him."<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/western-allies-led-uks-johnson-sabotaged-tentative-ukraine-russia-peace-deal</ref>}}<br />
[[File:Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Ukrainian troops training in North Yorkshire.jpeg|left|300px|thumb|Boris Johnson posing with Ukrainian special forces. Most were killed in an unsuccessful NATO raid on the [[Zaporozhye nuclear power plant]].]]<br />
On October 13, 2022 Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference:<br />
<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We sat at the negotiating table with the Ukrainian delegation until the end of March [2022], when an approach to a settlement on the principles suggested by the Ukrainians at the time had been harmonised in [[Istanbul]]. These principles suited us for that moment but the talks were stopped by direct order from Washington and London.<br />
<br />
This conflict is overrun with [[Anglo-Saxon]]s that fully control the Vladimir Zelensky regime. The Poles and people from the Baltics are trying to fit in on their team.<br />
<br />
Since then the Ukrainian President has said many times that he is not going to hold talks with the Russian Federation under President Vladimir Putin. Recently, he codified this ban in law. We have never sought negotiations. The Istanbul round completed the process started at Ukraine’s request. Russia positively reacted to the proposal to enter a dialogue, but its initiators cut it off with a shout from overseas or London.<br />
<br />
We are hearing statements by [[White House]] representative John Kirby, my colleague Antony Blinken and other members of the US administration. They are saying that they are completely open to talks with the Russian Federation, that they favor a political settlement of the current situation in Ukraine but Russia (the “troublemaker”) is rejecting proposals to establish contact. I can say straight away that this is a lie. We have not received any serious proposals to establish any such contact. There were some attempts that were not very serious, but we didn’t reject them, either. Instead, we suggested that they formulate specific proposals. Some people made them to us by proxy but in this case, we didn’t receive any clear explanations from anyone, either. No need to lie. We were taught in a kindergarten then lying is bad. Apparently, American kindergartens are not so advanced as they were in the [[Soviet Union]] and are now in Russia."}}<br />
<br />
====Escalation====<br />
On June 1, 2022 Russian Deputy Foreign Minister [[Sergey Ryabkov]] told ''RIA Novosti'' news that Biden's decision to arm Ukraine with [[HIMAR]] missile launchers increases the risk of direct confrontation between Russia and the United States. Foreign secretary [[Blinken]] said the weapons, which have a precision range of up to 300 kilometers, were given on the pretext of a promise by Zelensky not to use the HIMARs against Russian territory. However Zelensky's transgender chief propagandist [[Alexei Arestovich]] immediately threatened, "[[Crimea]] is ours…It belongs to Ukraine…And they know it…Therefore, it will fly to Crimea double-time."<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/468500-US-to-allow-Ukraine-to-decide-range-of-missiles-Kiev-threatens-to-strike-Crimea-should-the-need-arise?</ref> Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council [[Dmitry Medvedev]] retorted, “If those types of weapons are used against the territory of Russia, the armed forces of our country will have no other choice but to strike decision-making centers...It is obvious what those decision-making centers are: the defense ministry, the general staff and so on...But it should be understood that, in this case, the ultimate decision-making centers are regretfully not even on the territory of Kiev." <ref>https://tass.com/politics/1459891</ref><br />
<br />
{{Anchor|Tornado Battalion}}<br />
<br />
====Releasing criminal psychopaths====<br />
According to a July 11, 2022 report in Ukrainian media, Ruslan Onishenko, commander of the now-disbanded '''Tornado Battalion''' from the early [[Donbas war]], was freed as part of Zelensky’s scheme to release prisoners with combat experience. Along with an unwavering commitment to fascism, Onishenko is known as a [[psychopath]]ic [[sadist]] who was involved in sexually assaulting children, brutally torturing prisoners, and murder.<ref>https://focus.ua/uk/amp/ukraine/521825-osuzhdennyy-za-pytki-byvshiy-kombat-tornado-onishchenko-vyshel-na-svobodu-eks-nardep</ref> Onishenko’s release follows a February 27, 2022 order by Zelensky to free other convicted former Tornado members like Danil “Mujahed” Lyashuk, a fanatic from Belarus who has openly emulated [[ISIS]] and boasted of torturing captives for sheer enjoyment. According to Zelensky‘s decree, prisoners with combat experience would be allowed to “compensate for their guilt” by fighting in the “hottest spots.”<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10559879/Zelensky-reveals-prisoners-combat-experience-RELEASED-help-defend-Ukraine.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Battle of Bakhmut====<br />
{{See also|Battle of Bakhmut}}<br />
Just as [[der Führer]] of the [[Third Reich]], [[Adolf Hitler]] did during the [[Second World War]], [[Zelensky]] ordered that there be no Ukrainian retreat from the frontline city of [[Bakhmut]], giving no solution to a hopeless situation for the Ukrainian military. Ukrainian officers ensured that by blowing up the one bridge providing an escape route to Slavyansk, Ukrainian soldiers could not retreat.<br />
<br />
''[[Newsweek]]'' spoke with 'former' U.S. Colonel Andrew Milburn who, together with 'volunteers', trained Ukrainian soldiers: "They've been taking extraordinarily high casualties," Milburn said of the units training with the American Mozart PMC. "The numbers you are reading in the media about 70 percent and above casualties being routine are not exaggerated."<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/wagner-group-targeting-volunteers-ukraine-mozart-group-russia-andy-milburn-1765321</ref> A unit with 50% casualties is usually no longer able to fight and withdrawn from combat. But Zelensky left the units on the frontline until nearly nobody was left in them.<br />
[[File:Bakhmut meatginder.jpg|left|225px|thumb|The Bakhmut meatgrinder.]]<br />
Morale fell among Ukrainian forces. A viral video addressed to Gen. Zaluzhny and President Zelensky narrated by a Ukrainian soldier stated:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"I want to send my greetings to AGETHA [[Zaluzhny]] and to our President. How is it going? Are they warm where you are? You say in your videos that everything is fine, that the soldiers do not need anything. We are not only killed by orks (Russians) but also by cold. Where is our aid? The Administration ignores us. The c@@@@@ only threaten us with imprisonment. <br />
<br />
Remember this: We will definitely be back. We will survive. Not just for the victory but to hang you in Kiev, in Maidan Square. Pray that the Russians will arrive first. Then maybe you'll stay alive in jail!"<ref>https://warnews247.gr/o-rosikos-stratos-bike-stin-poli-tou-bakhmut-odomachies-se-katoikimenes-perioches-oukranoi-stratiotes-kata-zelenski-tha-se-kremasoume-sto-kievo/</ref>}}<br />
In the month of February 2023 the Ukrainians lost about 11,000 men in Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.easternherald.com/2023/03/07/prigozhin-said-wagner-pmc-killed-11000-uaf-militants-in-bakhmut-in-february/</ref> During the fall of Bakhmut, where Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky sent thousands of untrained 16-year-olds, middle-aged fathers, and old men, forcibly pressed in service of the [[Kiev regime]] to die senselessly as cannon fodder, [[Germany]]’s top newspaper ''Bild'' reported that Zelensky had a major disagreement with his top general [[Zaluzhny]] regarding the withdrawal, or lack thereof, of Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/03/why-bakhmut-is-falling.html</ref> Gen. Zaluzhny had argued for months to abandon Bakhmut and end the slaughter, however Zelensky did not want to give the appearance to his Western puppet masters that Ukraine was losing ground while he was begging for money before the [[U.S. Congress]].<ref>https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/ukraine-praesident-streitet-mit-general-ueber-die-blutigste-schlacht-des-krieges-83106290.bild.html</ref> Apparently to do damage control, Zelensky quickly released a video statement claiming that it was in fact the general staff (Zaluzhny and [[Syrsky]]) who advised him to defend and reinforce Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/KNTMCWdfONAR/</ref><br />
<br />
As the encirclement closed in an [[AFU]] forces in early March 2023, the Russian forces allowed untrained, conscripted 16-year-olds and elderly men pressed into service by the [[Zelensky regime]] to escape without being killed or captured via the last remaining escape route out of Bakhmut.<ref>https://youtu.be/NmzuuWMsm1k</ref> 10,000 Ukrainian troops were said to be trapped in the cauldron.<ref>[https://youtu.be/zg6HpuW8OYU Russia Claims Bakhmut Cauldron 10k Troops Trapped; West Media Admits Ukraine Losses, Blames Zelensky], Alexander Mercouris, March 6, 2023.</ref><br />
<br />
These are to forces that were decimated in Bakhmut.<ref>https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/sitrep-52023-bakhmut-falls-artemovsk</ref> Most suffered more than 70% casualties against the [[Wagner group]] alone. <br />
<br />
Brigades: 45th Brigade; 43rd Brigade; 26th Brigade; 28th Brigade; 62nd Brigade; 63rd Brigade 53rd Brigade; 60th Brigade; 24th Brigade; 57th Brigade; 30th Brigade; Advance Rubizh Brigade; Advance Azov Brigade; Advance Uragan Brigade; Advance Spartan Brigade; 109th Brigade; 116th Brigade; 119th Brigade; 241st Brigade; 93rd Brigade; 77th Brigade; 46th Brigade; 4th Brigade; 17th Brigade; 61st Brigade of Jaegers; Special Forces and Spetsnaz Regiments; 5th Assault Regiment; 8th Regiment of Special Forces.<br />
<br />
[[Kraken unit|Kraken Battalions]]: 122nd Battalion; 68th Battalion; 214th OPFOR Battalion; 49th Rifle Battalion; 15th Mountain Assault Battalion; Omega; Border Guard Donetsk. <br />
<br />
8th Regiment of the UDAR UAVs: Shershen; Adam; Karlsen; Terra; Madyar; Khartia; Kep; Seneka<br />
<br />
WASP Legions: Dudaev Battalion; Georgian Legion; Mansur Battalion; Shamil Battalion; Gonor; Normandy Legion<br />
<br />
Ukrainian losses were estimated at 100,000-120,000 with 50,000 killed. Russian casualties were estimated at 20,000.<br />
<br />
This is an absolutely enormous commitment (37 brigades, 2 regiments, and 18 separate battalions plus irregular formations like the Georgian Legion) which indicates obviously severe losses.<br />
<br />
====2023 Summer counteroffensive====<br />
{{See also|2023 Summer counteroffensive}}<br />
<br />
====Battle of Avdiivka====<br />
{{See also|Battle of Avdiivka}}<br />
<br />
====Gotterdammerung====<br />
<br />
Simon Schuster of [[TIME magazine]] reported on the grim Führerbunker stage of the conflict in late October 2023:<ref>[https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/time-magazine-profile-depicts-grim TIME Magazine Profile Depicts Grim Führerbunker-Stage of Zelensky's Conflict ], Simplicius the Thinker, November 2, 2023. simplicius76.substack.com</ref><br />
[[File:Friends of America Club.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"To be an enemy of America is dangerous, to be a friend is fatal" - [[Henry Kissinger]]. <ref>[https://sonar21.com/is-zelensky-being-prepped-to-join-the-friends-of-the-u-s-club/ IS ZELENSKY BEING PREPPED TO JOIN THE FRIENDS OF THE U.S. CLUB?], Larry Johnson , 13 November 2023. sonar21.com</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The usual sparkle of his optimism, his sense of humor, his tendency to liven up a meeting in the war room with a bit of banter or a bawdy joke, none of that has survived into the second year of all-out war. “Now he walks in, gets the updates, gives the orders, and walks out,” says one longtime member of his team. Another tells me that, most of all, Zelensky feels betrayed by his [[Western alliance|Western allies]]. They have left him without the means to win the war, only the means to survive it.<br />
<br />
<br />
But his convictions haven’t changed. Despite the recent setbacks on the battlefield, he does not intend to give up fighting or to sue for any kind of peace. On the contrary, his belief in Ukraine’s ultimate victory over Russia has hardened into a form that worries some of his advisers. It is immovable, verging on the messianic. “He deludes himself,” one of his closest aides tells me in frustration. “We’re out of options. We’re not winning. But try telling him that.”<br />
<br />
[...]<br />
<br />
“We’re not moving forward,” says one of Zelensky’s close aides. Some front-line commanders, he continues, have begun refusing orders to advance, even when they came directly from the office of the President. “They just want to sit in the trenches and hold the line,” he says. “But we can’t win a war that way.”<br />
<br />
When I raised these claims with a senior military officer, he said that some commanders have little choice in second-guessing orders from the top. At one point in early October [2023], he said, the political leadership in Kyiv demanded an operation to “retake” the city of [[Horlivka]], a strategic outpost in [[eastern Ukraine]] that the Russians have held and fiercely defended for nearly a decade [sic].<ref>The Russians did not enter the civil conflict until February 24, 2022. [[Gorlivka]] was held by the [[Donbas]] militia since July 2024. Even in this first, mostly accurate report on the real situation in the Ukraine war, Western media [[propagandist]]s still cannot break their instinctive habit of deliberate misrepresentations and outright lies to inform Western readers about Russia and the situation on the front.</ref> The answer came back in the form of a question: With what? “They don’t have the men or the weapons,” says the officer. “Where are the weapons? Where is the artillery? Where are the new recruits?”<ref>[https://time.com/6329188/ukraine-volodymyr-zelensky-interview/ ‘Nobody Believes in Our Victory Like I Do.’ Inside Volodymyr Zelensky’s Struggle to Keep Ukraine in the Fight], BY SIMON SHUSTER, OCTOBER 30, 2023.</ref>}}<br />
Alexander Mercouris of ''The Duran'' also gave an insightful review of the ''TIME'' magazine piece.<ref>[https://youtu.be/rVcvizqrjvQ?t=3637 Israel Operation Gaza; UN BRICS versus US; Zelensky Deluded, Ukr Defeated, Ukr Troops Demoralised], Alexander Mercouris, November 1, 2023. YouTube</ref> The consensus among observers was that the [[CIA]] was ready to throw Zelensky overboard, and perhaps [[Zaluzhny]] as well, and the ''TIME'' magazine piece along with other recent [[MSM]] reports were preparing the American public for the eventual 'cut and run' option of the United States.<br />
<br />
On November 9, 2023 Zelensky commented on the multiple [[geopolitical]] crisis engulfing the planet:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Looking at all these wars, looking at all the crises not only Ukraine, but in [[Africa]], in the [[Middle East]]...Sometimes I am looking at these and think that the best way if this [[planet]] will be the planet of [[dog]]s...Sometimes I don’t understand [[people]], really."<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/zelenskiy-hopes-planet-dogs-solve-180258493.html Zelenskiy hopes for "planet of dogs" to solve world's crises], November 8, 2023, ''[[Reuters]]''. yahoo.com</ref>}}<br />
American journalist Yves Smith observed in nakedcapitalism.com, "What is striking about the current state of play is not simply that Ukraine is losing the war with Russia, and it’s just a matter of time before Russia dictates terms, but that the Ukraine government is acting in ways that benefits the Russian military, to the destruction of what is left of its [[society]] and [[economy]]”.<ref>[https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ukraine-end-game-putin-medvedev-discuss-maps-putting-kiev-menu Ukraine End Game: Putin and Medvedev Discuss Maps, Putting Kiev on the Menu], Yves Smith, November 20, 2023. www.zerohedge.com</ref> By late November 2023 it appeared that NATO’s [[proxy war]] on Russia was winding down faster than expected with major [[MSM]] outlets like the [[BBC]], ''[[Politico]]'', the ''[[Washington Post]]'', and the ''[[Financial Times]]'' all becoming very critical of Ukraine and Zelensky.<ref>[https://thealtworld.com/andrew_korybko/natos-proxy-war-on-russia-through-ukraine-appears-to-be-winding-down NATO’s Proxy War On Russia Through Ukraine Appears To Be Winding Down], ANDREW KORYBKO, 22 NOV 23. thealtworld.com</ref> A poll by ''[[The Economist]]'' showed Zelensky's approval rating down to 32% while [[Gen. Zaluzhny]] enjoyed a solid 70% backing. [[Kirill Budanov]], who proudly runs the [[SBU]]'s assassination program, scored 45%.<ref>[https://archive.is/l9tDz Russia is poised to take advantage of political splits in Ukraine], ''The Economist'', Nov 28th 2023. www.economist.com</ref><br />
[[File:Zelensky January 2024.PNG|left|300px|thumb|As casualties mounted to over a half million in the Ukraine armed forces, Zelensky and Western NATO leaders became increasingly delusional.<ref>https://americarenewing.com/issues/primer-its-time-for-a-negotiated-settlement-for-ukraine/</ref>]]<br />
By December 2023 the clown president who played the piano with his private parts sidelined military experts and Gen. Zaluzhny to assume direct command of Ukrainian forces himself.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/zelenskyy-reportedly-forms-direct-links-123500465.html Zelenskyy reportedly forms direct links to top Ukrainian commanders, risks sidelining army chief Zaluzhnyi], ''The New Voice of Ukraine'', December 4, 2023. yahoo.com</ref> [[Kyiv]] mayor [[Vitali Klitschko]] accused Zelensky of being an [[authoritarian]] [[autocrat]] who lied about the war.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2023/12/05/news/ukraines-zelensky-is-turning-into-an-autocrat-claims-kyiv-mayor/ Zelensky turning Ukraine into authoritarian state just like Russia, says Kyiv mayor in shocking interview], Snejana Farberov, ''[[New York Post]]'', Dec. 5, 2023. nypost.com.</ref><ref>[https://news.antiwar.com/2023/12/05/kyiv-mayor-says-zelensky-is-an-authoritarian-and-lying-about-war/ Kyiv Mayor Says Zelensky Is an Authoritarian and Lying About War], by Dave DeCamp, December 5, 2023. antiwar.com</ref> Journalist-in-exile [[Anatoly Shariy]] said "the war is lost". The [[Security Service of Ukraine]], euphemistically known as the [[Ukrainian gestapo]], alleged former President [[Petro Poroshenko]], whom Zelensky defeated in the 2019 presidential election, and Hungarian prime minister [[Victor Orban]] were [[colluding]] together in a "Russian plot".<ref>https://korybko.substack.com/p/ukraines-political-intrigue-deepens</ref> Former Zelensky regime chief propagandist [[Alexei Arestovich]], himself mentioned as a Zelensky replacement stated, "In the conflict of the [[globalist]]s and [[realist]]s, we made the bet on the wrong side. We kind of shed [[blood]] to end up in the losing camp."<ref>[https://vk.com/video-221265170_456312797?ysclid=lpu4zv4q7i273278023 BOMBSHELL: Ukraine is on the wrong side, says Arestovich!], December 5, 2023. PRAVDA EN</ref><br />
<br />
Biden summoned Zelensky to [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] on December 11, 2023 which was widely billed as the clown's final encore.<ref>[https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/zelensky-circus-comes-to-town-for Zelensky Circus Comes to Town for One Last Encore], SIMPLICIUS THE THINKER, DEC 12, 2023. simplicius76.substack.com</ref><ref>[https://gordonhahn.com/2023/12/11/sad-clown-with-the-circus-closed-down-zelenskiys-demise/ Sad Clown with the Circus Closed Down: Zelenskiy’s Demise], Gordon Hahn, December 11, 2023. gordonhahn.com</ref><ref>[https://aearnur.substack.com/p/zelenskyy-the-months-ahead-and-the ZELENSKY, AUTHOR OF HIS OWN DEMISE… AND JUST POSSIBLY OF HIS ENTIRE NATION], AEARNUR, DEC 11, 2023. aearnur.substack.com</ref><ref>[https://unherd.com/2023/12/is-this-the-end-for-zelenskyy/ Is this the end for Zelenskyy? The Ukrainian president is facing calls for regime change], BY THOMAS FAZI, December 12, 2023. unherd.com</ref><ref>[https://youtu.be/XKZ7qpBsOyg Zelensky Facing 'Perfect Storm' After Failed U.S. Fundraiser w/ Mark Sleboda], Rachel Blevins, Dec 13, 2023. YouTube</ref> While in D.C., soldiers of the Ukrainian 119th Territorial Defense Brigade released a video informing Zelensky they will no longer fight for him, and revealing: “We have not undergone any elementary training, even in terms of handling weapons...We have not seen officers and sergeant-contractors in position, only mobsters...It feels like we were thrown into the abyss...If it goes on like this, then the gene pool of the country will be destroyed....If you don't care about us, we don't care about you."<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/St8RXrtsfk8G/ MUTINY IN THE AFU 119TH BRIGADE], Dec 11, 2023.</ref><br />
<br />
In an interview with New Voice radio on January 8, 2024 Chairman of the [[Rada]] Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence Roman Kostenko said Zelensky is a "political corpse". Kostenko, who is also an [[SBU]] colonel, said Zelensky had withdrawn from negotiations on a new, controversial draft mobilization bill by trying to pass blame for the unpopular legislation unto others. Kostenko said Zelensky is more concerned about his approval ratings than preserving the state. Should another presidential election ever be held, Zelensky would not be re-elected. <ref>[https://westobserver.com/news/europe/the-rada-announced-the-political-death-of-zelensky/</ref><br />
<br />
===Nuclear blackmail===<br />
Volodymyr Zelensky suggested to world leaders at the Munich Summit in February 2022, before the Russian incursion, that Ukraine obtain nuclear weapons.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/22/ukraine-zelensky-seeks-end-russia-diplomatic-ties-after-hinting-pursuing-nuclear-weapons/</ref> Reports already indicated that the Zelensky regime was building, or had built, a [[dirty bomb]].<ref>http://eu.eot.su/2022/03/06/source-kiev-has-been-developing-a-dirty-bomb-in-the-chernobyl-npp-zone/</ref><br />
<br />
====Shelling Zaporozhye nuclear power plant====<br />
{{See also|Zaporozhye nuclear power plant}}<br />
[[File:Campbell propaganda.PNG|right|500px|thumb|'''Western propaganda and nuclear terrorism.''' Dr. John Campbell, a [[Youtube]]r with 2.4 million followers, deliberately mislocates the location of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant to his followers showing it outside Russian control.<ref>https://youtu.be/8JKoTpKj9RM?t=96</ref> The red markings show the plant's actual location. Zelensky and Western propagandists claimed the Russians were firing on themselves to create a nuclear hazard.<ref>https://youtu.be/b28sN1tcbgI</ref>]]<br />
Zelensky repeatedly ordered his troops to fire on the Zaporozhye nuclear facility, while publicly blaming Russian forces for creating a nuclear threat, in the hopes of gaining sympathy from the West in the form of money and material and direct NATO or UN peacekeeper intervention.<br />
<br />
On March 4, 2022 Zelensky and his officials claimed that Russian tanks were shooting at nuclear units at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) located in the town of Energodar. Zelensky branded it “nuclear terrorism."<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10575179/Russian-troops-fire-Ukrainian-civilians-protecting-Europes-largest-nuclear-plant.html</ref> He previously claimed the Russian capture of Chernobyl posed an imminent threat to “the whole of Europe.”<ref>https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3ec679e8-79b3-42dd-a1c3-a31f4c177e97_720x560.jpeg</ref> But that was untrue as well.<ref>https://twitter.com/energybants/status/1496895177499156509</ref><br />
<br />
Zapaorozhye was different, though. Here was the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. “Russian tanks are shooting at the nuclear blocks. These are tanks equipped with thermal imagers, so they know what they are aiming at,” Zelensky said. “Only immediate action by Europe can stop Russian troops. Do not allow the death of Europe from the catastrophe at the nuclear power plant.” ''Korrespondent'', one of Ukraine’s biggest newspapers, reported that, according to Zelensky, he had discussed the situation with Joe Biden, German Chancellor [[Olaf Scholz]] and the head of the European Council, Charles Michel. Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal also called on NATO to create a no-fly zone and “close the skies” over the facility. “It is a question of security of the whole world.” An unidentified Ukrainian official said radiation levels had risen in the area.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20220304025346/https://korrespondent.net/ukraine/4453959-obstrel-zaes-zelenskyi-pryzval-evropu-prosnutsia</ref><br />
<br />
According to the ''Associated Press''<ref>https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-a3092d8e476949ed7c55607a645a9154</ref> and ''Reuters'',<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-nuclear-reactors-being-safely-shut-down-us-energy-official-2022-03-04/</ref><ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-nuclear-plant-radiation/radiation-level-unchanged-at-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-ria-idINL2N2V704S</ref> they lied.<br />
<br />
Mark Nelson, managing director at Radiant Energy Fund, noted that Zelensky’s claims were deliberately misleading.<ref>https://twitter.com/energybants/status/1499573995657646106</ref> Canadian nuclear arms expert Claire Wählen said the same.<ref>https://twitter.com/Claire_Wahlen/status/1499552935470149652</ref> So dangerous was this lie that the U.S. State Department sent out an urgent message to all American embassies in Europe, instructing them to not share a tweet by the U.S. Embassy in Kiev claiming that Russia was trying to blow up the nuclear power plant.<ref>https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F515d16ed-dadb-41ec-a376-2d4c25969552_720x1006.jpeg</ref><br />
<br />
The fact that there was fighting around the facility suggests that the Ukrainian military had deliberately engaged Russian troops from that location. Combat footage appears to show Ukrainian forces firing rockets from the nuclear power facility, which reportedly sparked return fire from Russian troops.<ref>https://twitter.com/ClintEhrlich/status/1499589355513417733</ref> A training center over a mile away from the 6 nuclear reactors were set on fire in the Russian response.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekWRes-pAD4&t=442s</ref><br />
<br />
On July 12, 2022 the AFU again targeted the Zaporozhye nuclear plant. Russian forces have been in control of the plant, with Ukrainian technicians still operating it, since February 2022. The nuclear plant is the largest in Europe with six reactors. The attack was complex, involving drone and artillery fire. The Ukrainian Army used six kamikaze drones conducting reconnaissance mission over the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and the city heating and water supply plant in Energodar. The UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) dropped two mines near the power plant, which reportedly did not cause any significant damage. Another drone was heading in the direction of residential buildings in Energodar, its course may have been corrected. The UAV attack was thwarted, none of the six drones reached their targets, and the air defense of the Zaporozhye region successfully prevented the attack. The Ukrainians earlier launched a false flag attack against the plant in March 2022. <br />
<br />
On July 18, 2022 Ukraine again attacked the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, this time with three kamikaze drones.<ref>https://youtu.be/S7lEXNC_O80</ref><ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/OkuFVXm1V25q/</ref><br />
<br />
Beginning on August 5, 2022 the 44th brigade of the AFU stationed in Nikopol, 18 kilometers across the Dnieper River, increased shelling of the Zaporozhye nuclear plant. Kiev forces used a British-made Brimstone missile in one of the attacks. The situation was compounded by HIMAR attacks on the hydroelectric plant at the Nova Kakhovka dam, which provides electricity for the nuclear plant's vital cooling system. The political motive for shelling a nuclear power is reported to be motivated by upcoming referendums in September 2022 for the former Ukrainian oblasts of Zaporozhye and Kherson to join the Russian Federation. The Kyiv regime is attempting to intimidate the local population. Russia asked the [[Atomic Energy Commission]] to look into the matter.<br />
<br />
====Ukrainian dirty nuke====<br />
{{See also|Radiological dispersal device}}<br />
In March 2022 Russia accused Ukraine of gathering nuclear waste from the [[Chernobyl disaster site]] for use in a [[nuclear dirty bomb]].<ref>https://www.india.com/news/world/what-is-nuclear-dirty-bomb-that-russia-claims-ukraine-is-making-in-chernobyl-5271056/</ref><br />
[[Image:Chornobyl radiation96.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Radiation-affected areas from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant as of 1996]]<br />
On October 19, 2022 UK defense minister Ben Wallace flew to [[Washington, D.C.]] to discuss an important matter face-to-face with unknown persons that could not be handled over NATO's regular electronic secure communications. Neither Washington nor the UK defense ministry issued a press release on the substance of the discussions. On October 21, Russian defense minister Sergey Shoigu had his first phone call with US defense minister [[Lloyd Austin]] since May 2022. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense read out on the call, the two "discussed issues of international security, including the situation in Ukraine."<br />
<br />
On October 23, 2022 at 1:30 PM [[Moscow]] time it was reported that Russian defense minister Shoigu conveyed to his [[France|French]] counterpart his concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a nuclear dirty bomb. At 2:46 PM local time another update from the Russian Ministery of Defense (MOD) reported that defense minister Shoigu conveyed to his [[Turkish]] counterpart his concerns about a possible provocation with the use of a dirty bomb. At 5 PM local time there was a third conversation between the Russian defense minister and the minister of defense of the [[United Kingdom]] about the possible provocation by Ukraine with a dirty nuclear bomb. At 6:30 PM local time there was a final conversation between Shoigu and the Biden minister defense.<br />
<br />
Russian media reported that according to credible sources in various countries - including in Ukraine - the [[Kyiv regime]] is preparing a provocation on its territory related to the detonation of the so-called "[[dirty bomb]]" or low-yield [[nuclear weapon]]. The purpose of the provocation is to accuse Russia of using [[weapons of mass destruction]].<ref>https://seemorerocks.is/what-russian-media-is-saying/</ref> According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Volodymyr Zelensky has been in contact with the [[UK]] "to obtain nuclear weapons technology," Lieutenant-General Igor Kirillov, Chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops of the Russian Armed Forces said on October 23, 2022. Gen. Kirillov alleged that the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) plan on using a [[false flag]] provocation to detonate a "dirty bomb," a nuclear weapon with explosives, such as dynamite, with [[radioactive]] powder or pellets. The provocation was being prepared to subsequently accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction. "We have information about the contacts of the office of the President of Ukraine with representatives of [[Great Britain]] regarding the possibility to obtain a [[technology]] to build nuclear weapons,” Gen. Kirillov said.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/zelenskyy-contacted-uk-to-obtain-nuclear-technology-claims-russias-defence-ministry-articleshow.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Ukraine missile attack on Poland====<br />
[[File:FT Zelensky.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The globalist mouthpiece ''Financial Times'' of London, which led the world in spreading Russophobia and cheerleading for war, openly criticized Zelensky's lying about Ukraine's false flag attack on a NATO ally to incite direct NATO involvement with troops and risk global thermonuclear war.<ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/11/ukraine-open-thread-2022-201.html</ref>]]<br />
On November 15, 2022 two Ukrainian [[S-300]] missiles, alleged to have been launched to shoot down a Russian [[cruise missile]], were fired westward and hit a Polish grain storage facility, killing two civilians. The Polish government, Ukrainian government, the ''[[Associated Press]]'',<ref>https://apnews.com/article/nato-ap-news-alert-europe-poland-government-and-politics-ba48101fd25c86e68e57dc56fe2adf80</ref> most of all Western propaganda media and so-called national security and intelligence experts called for invoking NATO Article 5.<ref>https://twitter.com/anders_aslund/status/1592616431291535360</ref> Zelensky advisor [[Mykhailo Podolyak]] declared that the strikes came from Russia. Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba claimed Russian denials were a [[conspiracy theory]] and that “No one should buy Russian propaganda or amplify its messages."<ref>https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1592632386751434752?s=20&t=TtnVQsVODlidTZoknWqWpg</ref> Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky on a video call to [[G20]] summit leaders meeting in [[Indonesia]] told them that the attack was deliberate by Russia and that the missiles were a “true statement brought by Russia for the G20 summit.”<ref>[https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/ukraine/zelensky-the-liar-he-will-be-remembered-by-history-like-hitler/ Zelensky the Liar – He Will Be Remembered by History like Hitler], by Martin Armstrong, November 16, 2022.</ref> Zelensky tweeted to the world that the “Russian attack on collective security in the Euro-Atlantic is a significant escalation” of the conflict.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/15/world/kyiv-strikes-russia-zelensky-peace-intl/index.html</ref><br />
<br />
However an AWAC radar plane and other ISR aircraft (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) regularly flying in the region, and ground radar, tracked the missiles' trajectory and determined the Kyiv regime had launched the missiles. That did not prevent an anonymous "senior U.S. intelligence official" from reporting to the ''Associated Press'' that Russia had fired the missiles at Poland.<ref>https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/11/16/how-a-lightly-sourced-ap-story-almost-set-of-world-war-iii/</ref> The [[fake news]] story was disseminated globally, as all fake news stories emanating from Kyiv, and its CIA counterparts in Kyiv, have been disseminated globally to world media for the entirety of 2022 and late 2021.<br />
<br />
When called out on the [[lie]]s, Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky doubled down. Both socialist premier Joe Biden and NATO chief warlord Jens Stoltenberg blamed Ukraine for the attack. Zelensky refuted the Western leaders' statements that the missile which killed two innocent civilians in Poland was Ukrainian. "I have no doubt that it was not our missile or our missile strike."<ref>https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/11/16/7376663/</ref> Zelensky insisted that he received reports from the corrupt Armed Forces of Ukraine command that told him "the missile attacks did not come from Ukraine", he told the people in a live nationwide address on Ukrainian state-controlled media.<ref>https://youtu.be/yY4pBNt3hPU</ref> The Russophobic ''Financial Times'' of London quoted a [[diplomat]] from a NATO country in Kyiv saying: “This is getting ridiculous. The Ukrainians are destroying [our] confidence in them. Nobody is blaming Ukraine and they are openly lying. This is more destructive than the missile.”<ref>https://archive.ph/mxQ5K#selection-2029.34-2029.282</ref><br />
<br />
''[[Newsweek]]'' reported Zelensky almost started World War III.<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/volodymyr-zelensky-accused-trying-start-world-war-iii-over-poland-missile-strike-1760125</ref> Former French presidential candidate Nicolas Dupont-Aignan tweeted “By launching a missile at Poland and accusing the Russians, Zelensky almost triggered World War III...Let’s stop supporting this dangerous man...We should urgently make up a peace plan” Former [[Japan]]ese prime minister Yoshiro Mori criticized Zelensky and the media saying, "I don't quite understand why only President Putin is criticized while Mr. Zelenskyy isn't taken to task at all. Mr Zelenskyy has made many Ukrainian people suffer." Mori criticized Japanese news outlets, saying their "one-sided" reporting on the NATO war in Ukraine gives the impression they "only rely on reports from Europe and the United States."<ref>https://japantoday.com/category/politics/ex-japan-pm-harsh-on-zelenskyy-over-war-in-ukraine</ref><br />
<br />
===Interference in US elections===<br />
{{See also|Ukraine aid|FTX scandal}}<br />
[[File:NYT FTX.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Speakers at the ''New York Times'' event, Bankman-Fried, Zelensky, Fink, and Yellen.<ref>https://www.nytco.com/press/the-new-york-times-to-host-annual-dealbook-summit-on-nov-30/</ref>]]<br />
Tens of billions of dollars in American Military Aid to Ukraine, which was allegedly to be used to fight [[Russia]], was cash that [[Ukraine]] did not use to fight Russia, but instead invested into FTX [[cryptocurrency]] exchange. Ukraine was receiving money from the US, Ukraine sent it to FTX, and FTX sent it to Democrats, who originally voted to send it to Ukraine. It appears to be pure [[criminal]] [[money-laundering]], and a criminal [[conspiracy]] to violate [[campaign finance]] laws.<br />
<br />
The CEO of FTX, [[Sam Bankman-Fried]], was the #2 donor to the [[Democrats]] in the [[2022 Midterm elections]], second only to [[George Soros]].<ref>https://thepostmillennial.com/revealed-ceo-of-cratering-crypto-firm-ftx-is-dems-second-largest-donor-behind-soros</ref><br />
<br />
FTX's [[bankruptcy]] filing on November 12, 2022 revealed that FTX suffered from $10-$50 billion in [[liability|liabilities]] with almost zero assets. <br />
<br />
Among those liabilities are “investments” made by the [[Zelensky regime]].<br />
<br />
Up until its bankruptcy filing, FTX was a 'partner' with the [[World Economic Forum]] (WEF).<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/investigations/2022/11/14/world-economic-forum-removes-ftx-promotion-as-a-partner-from-its-website/</ref> The FTX [[CEO]]'s aunt, Linda Fried, is on the board of the WEF.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/investigations/2022/11/14/ftx-founders-aunt-on-board-of-world-economic-forum-dem-super-pac-leadership/</ref> Sam Bankman-Fried's mother, Barbara Fried, is the founder and president of a [[left-wing]] Super PAC called ‘Mind the Gap’ (MTG), "dedicated to helping Democratic political candidates win [[election]]s. The PAC earns millions of dollars in donations primarily from [[Silicon Valley]] executives 'who are keen on quietly funneling massive political donations into the [[Democratic Party]]'. The mission of MTG is to “empower private political donors to strengthen our democracy by providing them with evidence-based guidance on the electoral strategies, tactics, and programs that are likely to achieve the greatest impact in a given election”, according to Influence Watch.<ref>https://www.influencewatch.org/political-party/mind-the-gap/</ref> Bankman-Fried’s brother, Gabe runs an organization called Guarding Against Pandemics, which is financed by Sam Bankman-Fried.<ref>https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/guarding-against-pandemics/</ref><br />
<br />
===Palace intrigues===<br />
{{See also|Zelensky purges}}<br />
[[File:Zelensky Vogue.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky: A day without 600 dead is a wasted day.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/RTnews/photos/a.10150144237704411/10160908667869411/?type=3</ref>]]<br />
In July 2022 Zelensky's Western [[agent handling|intelligence handler]] [[Boris Johnson]] was ousted as prime minister of [[UK]]. Soon thereafter, Ukrainian-born U.S. congresswoman [[Victoria Spartz]] urged Zelensky to fire his [[chief of staff]] [[Andrei Yermak]] for corruption. Western delivered arms had been disappearing without ever making it to the frontlines,<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/oZGOUDGZn1FL/</ref> including Javelin missiles, British NLAWs, and German Panzerfausts. A French built CEASER self-propelled artillery piece was sold to allied Russian forces for $120,000 as were US built HIMARs for $800,000.<br />
<br />
Accusations of "[[zrada]]" flew, and Zelensky attempted to fire Gestapo chief [[Ivan Bakanov]], a childhood friend and television comedy producer, and chief procurator Iryna Venediktova. Kyiv news reports had to walk back the firings as mere suspensions, then the parliament acted to remove the pair as scapegoats related to all the corruption charges. In early June 2022, a former deputy of Bakanov was detained in [[Serbia]], as he tried to illegally transfer emeralds, 600 thousand [[euro]]s and 125 thousand dollars across the border. Shortly before the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, Bakanov and his friend left Ukraine with $2 billion dollars in cash. In May 2022 Bakanov and his deputy were still buying real estate in Europe.<br />
<br />
In addition to the removal of Bakanov and Venediktova, an additional 651 criminal cases were launched. A missile strike at the Officers’ House in Vinnitsa while Ukrainian and foreign military officials held negotiations resulted in a large group of high-ranking officers of the Ukrainian Air Force were destroyed. Apparently, the strike led to casualties among the foreign officers, and Kyiv was forced by its western partners to punish top security officials who were responsible for the [[leak]] of information.<br />
<br />
The deputy head of the security service [[Vasily Malyuk]] was appointed as the new acting chief of the Security service. Chief of staff Yermak, alleged to be a Russian operative however, survived the firings.<ref>https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases/spartz-president-zelensky-must-address-yermak-issue</ref><br />
<br />
In the wake of revelations of attempts to bribe Russian pilots to convince them to defect, which involved bellingcat.com owner Christo Grozev, Zelensky fired first Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Ruslan Demchenko and commander of Special Operations Forces (SSO) Hryhoriy Halahan. Danchenko was replaced with Viktor Horenko.<br />
<br />
''[[The Economist]]'' reported on November 1, 2023:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“General Zaluzhny’s assessment is sobering: there is no sign that a technological breakthrough, whether in drones or in [[electronic warfare]], is around the corner. And technology has its limits. Even in the [[first world war]], the arrival of [[tank]]s in 1917 was not sufficient to break the deadlock on the battlefield. It took a suite of technologies, and more than a decade of tactical innovation, to produce the [[German]] [[blitzkrieg]] in May 1940. The implication is that Ukraine is stuck in a long war—one in which he acknowledges Russia has the advantage. Nevertheless, he insists that Ukraine has no choice but to keep the initiative by remaining on the offensive, even if it only moves by a few metres a day.”<ref>[https://consortiumnews.com/2023/11/07/is-an-end-game-in-sight-for-ukraine/ Is an End Game in Sight for Ukraine?], By Tony Kevin, ''Consortium News'', November 7, 2023. consortiumnews.com</ref>}}<br />
[[TIME magazine]] did a cover story on Ukrainian dictator [[Volodymyr Zelensky]] exposing some “politically inconvenient” truths about Ukraine, particularly that some front-line commanders were refusing suicidal orders to advance even when they come from Zelensky's office.<ref>[https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/10/the-war-is-lost-zelenski-will-leave-the-white-house-has-failed.html The War Is Lost - Zelenski Will Leave - The White House Has Failed], Moon of Alabama, October 31, 2023.</ref> Zaluzhnyi's comments directly undermined Zelensky's bid for billions more in US assistance.<ref>[https://weapons.substack.com/p/was-the-death-of-zaluzhnys-military Was the death of Zaluzhny's Military Aide an Assassination?], STEPHEN BRYEN, NOV 7, 2023. weapons.substack.com</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' did a rare act of factual reporting in an article entitled, ''Zelensky Rebuke of Top General Signals Rift in Ukrainian Leadership'', normalizing discussion of the Zelesnky-Zaluzhny rivalry which hitherto had been dismissed as a "[[conspiracy theory]]".<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/the-new-york-times-wants-everyone The New York Times Wants Everyone To Know About The Growing Zelensky-Zaluzhny Rivalry], Andrew Korybko, NOV 5, 2023. korybko.substack.com</ref> Zaluzhnyi, who is seen as a potential candidate for president,<ref>[https://www.world-today-news.com/the-west-considers-commander-in-chief-valery-zaluzhny-as-potential-presidential-candidate-in-ukraine/ The West Considers Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny as Potential Presidential Candidate in Ukraine], ''World News Today'', October 20, 2023.</ref> was publicly told to keep his mouth shut. Zelensky then cancelled elections and extended martial law for another 90 days.<ref>[https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/11/ukraine-sitrep-assassinations-election-talk-language-war.html Ukraine SitRep: Assassinations, Election Talk, Language War], Moon of Alabama, November 07, 2023. www.moonofalabama.org</ref> On November 6, 2023 a personal aide to Zaluzhny, Major Gennady Chestyakov was blown up by a grenade delivered to him via birthday present.<ref>[https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/marching-toward-a-night-of-the-long Marching Toward a Night of the Long Knives in Ukraine], Simplicius, NOV 7, 2023. simplicius76.substack.com </ref><br />
<br />
====Hunt for fall guys====<br />
<br />
Disagreements between Zelensky and the command of the Ukrainian army over the conduct of military operations became apparent. In particular, the military reportedly believed that it was necessary to retreat on several fronts, while Zelensky insisted that no retreats were possible. As a result, the Armed Forces of Ukraine suffered heavy losses in manpower on the front lines. As the situation deteriorated, the hunt for fall guys to blame the loss on ensued.<br />
[[File:Poroshenko CNN 2.2m views.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky had [[CNN]] Nazi darling [[Petro Poroshenko]] arrested while Poroshenko was on his way to a meeting with NATO leaders on May 28, 2022.<ref>https://www.yahoo.com/video/former-ukrainian-president-stopped-polish-085100277.html</ref>]]<br />
Suffering heavy losses on the front lines, the Kiev regime attempts to stop the outflow of civilians who can be conscripted into the military. The Ukrainian General Staff declared a ban on leaving their place of residence for men of military age without the permission of the military enlistment office during the period of martial law.<br />
<br />
On July 5, 2022 a bill was submitted to parliament clarifying the procedure for the departure of conscripts and reservists from their place of residence within Ukraine.<br />
<br />
On February 26, 2023 it was reported that Zelensky fired Major General Eduard Moskalyov, Commander Joint Forces of Ukraine with no reason given.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-fires-top-ukrainian-military-commander-no-reason-given-2023-02-26/</ref> Moskalyov was said to be the fall guy for Zelensky's disastrous leadership and decision to keep feeding human lives into the [[Bakhmut meatgrinder]] when he knew all was lost.<br />
<br />
During the fall of the [[Bakhmut meatgrinder]] where Zelensky sent thousands of untrained 16-year-olds, middle-aged fathers, and old men to die senselessly as cannon fodder, [[Germany]]’s top newspaper ''Bild'' reported that Zelensky had a major disagreement with his top general [[Zaluzhny]] regarding the withdrawal, or lack thereof, of Bakhmut. Gen. Zaluzhny had argued for months to abandon Bakhmut and end the slaughter, however Zelensky did not want to give the appearance to his Western puppet masters that Ukraine was losing ground while he was begging for money before the [[U.S. Congress]].<ref>https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/ukraine-praesident-streitet-mit-general-ueber-die-blutigste-schlacht-des-krieges-83106290.bild.html</ref> Apparently to do damage control, Zelensky quickly released a video statement claiming that it was in fact the general staff (Zaluzhny and [[Syrsky]]) who advised him to defend and reinforce Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/KNTMCWdfONAR/</ref><br />
<br />
====The Great Purge====<br />
In mid-January 2023 CIA director [[William Burns]] travelled to Kyiv for a secret meeting with Ukrainian dictator Vladimir Zelensky.<ref>https://archive.is/5Z3qz</ref> Prior to Burns arrival, the SBU and Department of the Interior had already put a bullet in the back of the head of Zelensky’s top negotiator with Russia, Denys Kiryeyev. Shortly after Dir. Burns left Kyiv, on the morning of January 18, 2023 a helicopter crashed in the town of Brovary in the eastern outskirts of Kiev region, killing the entire leadership of the Department of the Interior. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, killed in the crash were Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Denis Monastyrsky; First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Yevhen Enin; State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Yuriy Lubkovich; Deputy Head of the Patronage Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Tatiana Shutyak; Head of the Department of Protection of the Department of Internal Security of the National Police of Ukraine, Colonel Mikhail Pavlushko; Lead Inspector of the Department of Communications Nikolay Anatsky; Senior Operative of the Department of Internal Security of the Police of Ukraine Andriy Marinchenko; helicopter commander Alexander Vasilenko; pilot Konstantin Kovalenko; and on-board mechanic Ivan Kasyanov.<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2023-01-18-the-ministry-of-internal-affairs-of-ukraine-published-a-list-of-employees-of-the-ministry-who-died-in-a-helicopter-crash.HkeiifFBso.html</ref> The helicopter was a French built Eurocopter EC225 LP Super Puma or its equivalent. Witnesses said that the helicopter was spinning and burning in the air before crashing into a kindergarten.<ref>https://twitter.com/JohnEdgarCarter/status/1616088161771261953</ref><br />
<br />
According to Hacker DPR Joker:<br />
[[File:Budanov.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Kyrylo Budanov.<ref>https://kurtnimmo.substack.com/p/ukraines-intelligence-boss-predicts</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine had long been aware that the leadership of the Ministry of Defense was trading Western arms, which came to Ukraine in the form of aid, for the benefit of third countries, and that this process was overseen directly by the head of the [[GUR]], [[Budanov]]. By the way, this information has already surfaced somewhere.<br />
<br />
The leadership of the Interior Ministry wanted their share and began collecting data through their structural units, which are associated with intelligence and surveillance. As a result, they managed to obtain evidence and began blackmailing. The military bosses promised a share to the police leadership, and the first tranche was paid. But it was pointless and unprofitable to pay any further.<br />
<br />
In addition, the insolence of the minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who had his head in the wrong place, was putting the military leadership under strain. And now the day had come when the kids from the GUR were able to demonstrate their skills. But that is not all. The sanction for this was given personally by [[Yermak]], who is also in on the secret from the supreme narcissistic clown, Zelensky.<ref>https://sonar21.com/are-the-ukrainian-political-elite-starting-to-eat-each-other/</ref>}}<br />
On January 24, 2023 the Kyiv regime confirmed the removal of some dozen high ranking officials in cases ranging from [[bribery]], to mismanagement of aid funds for purchasing [[food]], to [[embezzlement]], to spending aid money on expensive cars. Another top presidential adviser and four deputy ministers – including two defense officials, along with five regional governors were forced out of their posts. And among the regional governors to step down included officials overseeing regions which have seen intense fighting, including the [[Zaporozhye]] and [[Kherson]] regions. Among those removed were:<br />
*Deputy Prosecutor General Oleskiy Symonenko<br />
*Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Ivan Lukeryu<br />
*Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Vyacheslav Negoda<br />
*Deputy Minister for Social Policy Vitaliy Muzychenk<br />
*The regional governors of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Sumy and Kherson.<br />
<br />
And separately, “the defense ministry had earlier announced the resignation of deputy minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who was in charge of the army’s logistical support, on the heels of accusations it was signing food contracts at inflated prices.” He purchased military rations at inflated prices in what appears a scheme to line the pockets of contractors, and potentially involving kickbacks to himself. ''[[Politico]]'' reported:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"An exposé from the Ukrainian news website ZN.UA revealed last week that the defense ministry purchased overpriced food supplies for its troops. For instance, the ministry bought eggs at 17 hryvnias per piece, while the average price of an egg in Kyiv is around 7 hryvnias. According to ZN.UA, a contract for food procurement for soldiers in 2023 amounted to 13.16 billion hryvnias (€328 million).}}<br />
This was two to three times higher than current rates for such food items. <br />
[[File:Yahoo 8-16-22.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
The deputy head of the Zelensky administration Kyrylo Tymoshenko, who stands accused of living a lavish wartime lifestyle. Many [[mainstream media]] reports buried some of the key verified details. For example, [[BBC]] wrote simply that “Tymoshenko was implicated in several scandals during his tenure, including in October last year when he was accused of using a car donated to Ukraine for humanitarian purposes.”<br />
<br />
But starting in early December local Ukrainian outlets, angered at the posh lifestyle of Ukrainian leaders at a moment tens of millions are without electrical power, began confirming that Tymoshenko drove high-end sports cars in and out of the capital, to and from mansions which typically range in cost from $10,000 to $25,000 per month.<br />
<br />
The controversy extended to luxury vacations abroad as Ukrainians suffer the deprivations of war at home. “The departure of Symonenko, a deputy prosecutor general, comes after media reports that he spent a holiday in Spain this winter, reportedly using a car belonging to a Ukrainian businessman.” <br />
<br />
Just prior to the wave of resignations, another official named Vasyl Lozynskiy was accused of receiving bribes to “facilitate” the purchase of generators at greatly hiked-up prices. Crucially, Lozynskiy as Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Development would have also been directly involved in overseeing how billions of dollars in Western humanitarian and infrastructure assistance gets doled out. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov is under scrutiny related to the growing probe and scandal.<br />
<br />
On February 1, 2023 it was reported that Zelensky had turned on his old friend and benefactor [[Igor Kolomoisky]]. Kolomoisky's home was raided by the Ukrainian gestapo allegedly in connection with the embezzlement of oil products worth $1.09 billion and customs duty evasion "of astronomical amounts."<ref>https://dossier.substack.com/p/zelenskys-great-purge-continues-launching</ref><br />
<br />
[[Seymour Hersh]], citing sources in American intelligence, claims that Zelensky and his entourage allegedly embezzled at least $400 million from the funds that were transferred to Kyiv by the Americans for the purchase of [[diesel]]. "Zelensky bought diesel fuel from the Russians at a discount," Hersh said. He also claims that CIA director William Burns brought to Kyiv a list of 35 names of Ukrainian security officials and officials allegedly involved in corruption and theft of Western aid. After that, 10 people from this list were fired, the remaining 25 remained. "The ten that got rid of were blatantly showing off the money they had as they drove around Kiev in their new Mercedes," Hersh said, quoting an intelligence official.<ref>https://askeptic.substack.com/p/battlefield-update-2023-04-12-1</ref><br />
<br />
===Propaganda war===<br />
[[File:Zelensky fake news.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|Zelensky in combat: These photos were taken a year before the Russian incursion and used as propaganda to claim Zelensky was commanding troops on the frontline. In fact, the Nazis that Zelensky was visiting laughed at him, causing him to eventually take a harder line against Russia. Zelensky was reported to have left the border area in tears after being ridiculed by the Nazis. <br />
<ref>https://contra.substack.com/p/world-war-reddit?s=r</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|Ukrainian propaganda war}}<br />
Photos circulated by [[mainstream media]] in [[the West]] of Zelensky in fatigues and helmet alleging he was on the front lines in combat during Russia's Special Military Operation in fact were taken a year earlier during an inspection of the border.<br />
<br />
On November 18, 2022 it was reported that Zelensky blocked and shut down the popular opposition news website Strana.ua after it posted videos showing Ukrainian troops executing unarmed Russian prisoners of war.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-defence-ministry-says-ukraine-executed-russian-pows-2022-11-18/</ref><ref>https://tass.com/society/1539031?ysclid=laockgpyya491087733</ref><ref>https://t.me/ghostnewsx/2728</ref><br />
<br />
====Alleged bombing of Babi Yar====<br />
<br />
On March 1, 2022 Zelensky claimed that Russians had bombed [[Babi Yar]], a ravine in Kyiv that was also the site of massacres committed by Nazi forces and Ukrainian collaborators during [[World War II]].<ref>https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1498697538085568514</ref> Some 33,771 [[Jewish]] civilians were murdered by the Nazis and their Ukrainian collaborators from Kyiv there. Zelensky’s chief of staff reportedly confirmed that the Russians bombed the site.<ref>https://twitter.com/LahavHarkov/status/1498686224462188549</ref> Zelensky's tweet has more than 300,000 likes and over 75,000 retweets.<br />
<br />
On March 2, Israeli journalist Ron Ben Yisha reported after touring the site that the memorial had not been destroyed or damaged, as Zelensky and his officials claimed. Translated from the Israeli news website ynet:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The memorial site in Babi Yar was neither destroyed nor damaged. After touring all over the large site I can report with certainty that no monument was damaged and no bomb, missile or shell hit the grounds. The closest impact to Babi Yar was in the Kiev media and television tower complex, about 300 meters from the new monument, and about a kilometer from the old monument </ref>to the victims of the WWII massacre."<ref>https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/sky0frhg5</ref>}}<br />
Zelensky and his officials lied to the world. Worse, their lie suggested that all those who chose inaction were essentially collaborators in the next [[holocaust]].<br />
<br />
====Speech to United States Congress====<br />
[[File:Zelensky kisses Pelosi.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelensky puckers up for [[Nancy Pelosi]].]]<br />
[[File:Zelensky betrayed 36th Navy Brigade.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky's betrayal of the 36th Navy Brigade.<ref>https://archive.ph/hNe4Q</ref>]]<br />
According to Dan Cohen, the Washington DC correspondent for ''Behind The Headlines'', on March 16, 2922, Zelensky made a speech to the [[U.S. Congress]] quoting [[Martin Luther King Jr.]]'s 'I Have a Dream'<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/zelenskyy-addresses-congress-mlk-dream-need</ref> speech calling for a no-fly zone over Ukraine and World War III.<ref>https://nypost.com/2022/03/06/us-warns-no-fly-zone-in-ukraine-could-set-off-world-war-iii/</ref> The speech was written by Daniel Vajdich <br />
and Andrew Mac. Vajdich is a [[FARA|registered foreign agent]] for the Ukrainian Federation of Employers of the Oil and Gas Industry and a nonresident senior fellow at the [[Russophobic]] [[Atlantic Council]].<ref>https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/daniel-vajdich/</ref> Andrew Mac registered as a lobbyist for the Ukrainian dictator in 2019 and runs the Washington DC office of Ukrainian law firm Asters Law.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2022/02/28/what-ukraines-lobbyists-have-been-up-to-00012522</ref><br />
<br />
Ukrainian Permanent Representative at the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya’s February 23, 2022 speech to the [[United Nations General Assembly]] (UNGA) was written by the managing director of the DC lobbying firm SKDKnickerbocker (SKDK), Stephen Krupin,<ref>https://www.odwyerpr.com/story/public/17581/2022-03-02/skdk-supplies-speech-writing-support-ukraine.html</ref> a former senior speechwriter for [[Barack Obama]] who worked extensively on the [[2020 Biden campaign]].<ref>https://www.skdknick.com/skdk-work-for-biden-for-america-and-the-naacp-honored-with-six-pollies/</ref> Biden senior advisor [[Anita Dunn]] is a co-founder of SKDKnickerbocker.<ref>https://theintercept.com/2021/05/04/anita-dunn-ethics-disclosure-biden-skdk/</ref><br />
<br />
On December 21, 2022 Zelensky was flown to [[Washington, D.C.]] onboard [[Airforce One]] by the Biden regime for a personal address to the [[lame duck]] Congress just prior to a vote on an unprecedented $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill that included another $45 billion for the Kyiv puppet regime. Zelensky was presented an American flag in a display case usually reserved for flags that have draped caskets.<br />
<br />
====Azovstal====<br />
{{See also|Battle of Mariupol}}<br />
Like Chancellor [[Adolf Hitler]] of Germany during the besieged [[Battle of Stalingrad]], President Zelensky refused to allow the neo-Nazi forces of the [[Azov Battalion]] in [[Mariupol]] to surrender and ordered them to fight to the last man.<ref>https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/zelensky-defies-russian-demands-surrender-putin-ukraine-war-mariupol-b989416.html</ref><ref><small>"<br />
{{quotebox-float|April 10 at 11:06 PM · Mariupol, Ukraine · <br />
Dear Ukrainian people.<br />
We are the 36th Navy Brigade named after the counter-admiral Mikhail Bilinsky, left Crimea without betraying the oaths of 2014 and continued to perform the duty of defense of Ukraine.<br />
From the beginning of the exit we have been defending Mariupol for 47 days. We were bombed from airplanes, we were shot from artillery, tanks and other firematerials. We kept the defense worthy by doing the impossible. But any resources have a potential to run out.<br />
During the combat, we were once handed 50 122 guns, 20 min a little enlavs and [[starlink]] [[Elon Musk]] - spybo Elon, he had a lot of air strikes and still works. We have not been handed over any more. Without the possibility of defending themselves, the opponent gradually pushed us to the Azovmash plant, surrounded the fire and now is trying to destroy us. There was an option to bring us reserves to strengthen and boost the defense. There were options for the brigade to make a breakthrough and join their troops. We reported this to OTU East and they started planning the operation. Sodol, Delatitsky tried to do something, but their senior headquarters were closed. We reported about it in the OOS they said hold on we are working, promised a helicopter that never flew. We talked to the [[commander in chief]] who promised to unblock. We talked with a Garantee who guaranteed us either a political or military solution of the situation. For more than a month, the Marines fought without refilling ammunition, without food, without water, almost a lacquer from the puddle and died in packs. The mountain of wounded makes up almost half of the crew. Those who have unbroken limbs and can walk, return in order. Infantry all died and gunfighters are led by gunmen, zenitich, contacts of the driver and the police. Even an orchestra. Dying but fighting. Gradually we are coming to an end. Wise generals advise taking ammunition from your enemy. Probably not extinct these Sava parquettes, so many people will die for them in vain. There were chances. There were opportunities, but due to the silliness, they were not implemented. No one wants to communicate with us anymore because we are written off. Today will probably be an extreme fight since there is no BC left. Next up into the palm of the hand. Further is death for some, but captivity for some.<br />
Dear Ukrainian people.<br />
I don't know what's next, but I really ask you to remember the Marines with a kind word and no matter how they develop further, do not talk badly about the Marines.<br />
They did everything possible and impossible.<br />
For we are FAITHFUL FOREVER!}}<br />
11.04.2022…[https://www.facebook.com/36obrmp/photos/a.129759847561437/1153205118550233 36 окрема бригада морської піхоти імені контр-адмірала Михайла Білинського is at Маріуполь.]</small></ref> Stalingrad, like Mariupol, was a hopeless cause early on, yet the order to continue fighting only bought time for Nazi forces to carry out atrocities against civilians whom they considered "[[Russophobia|Untermensch]]".<ref>https://mronline.org/2022/04/07/staged-massacre-in-bucha/</ref> On April 20, 2022, a date which has been commemorated by Nazi groups as Hitler's birthday, reports emerged that<br />
[[File:Zelensky totenkopf.png|right|300px|thumb|On Victory Day 2022, Zelensky commemorated the victory over Nazism by uploading an image of a Ukrainian soldier wearing insignia of the Waffen SS Totenkopf Division responsible for numerous horrendous mass murders and war crimes.<ref>https://thepressunited.com/updates/ukraines-zelensky-shares-image-of-soldier-with-nazi-insignia/</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"According to the content of the radio intercepts, the commanders of the armed formations remaining at Azovstal, realizing the hopelessness of their situation, are ready to lay down their arms, but only on the appropriate order (command) from Kyiv. Without receiving such an order, the commanders of the Ukrainian armed formations cannot make a decision on their own, since a military tribunal with a sentence, up to and including execution, awaits them for these actions in Ukraine.”<ref>https://www.veteranstoday.com/2022/04/20/sitrep-operation-z-april-20-2022/</ref>}}<br />
According to testimony, the command of the 36th Brigade gave an order to fire on both military and civilians, which members refused. Zelensky ignored the pleas of the 36th Naval Brigade holed up in the Azovmash factory next door to Azovstal. The Brigade surrendered to the Russian and [[DNR]] forces.<br />
<br />
====Zelensky celebrates Nazism on Victory Day====<br />
<br />
Zelensky marked World War II [[Victory Day]] [[Moscow]] celebrations in 2022 by sharing an image of a Ukrainian soldier wearing the ‘death’s head’ patch of the notorious Nazi Waffen SS Totenkopf division. While the picture was soon deleted from his social media, the Ministry of Defense in Kyiv also posted the same photo.<br />
<br />
The offending item was placed on Instagram and Telegram by Zelensky, on Victory Day, May 9, 2022. In it, a soldier next to an artillery gun wears the ‘death’s head,’ or “totenkopf” insignia of the 3rd SS Panzer Division, a unit of SS soldiers infamous for committing numerous [[war crimes]] and massacres of French civilians and Polish Jews. The Division also murdered 100 British citizens in France.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/2mZbwarX3lds/</ref> Advocacy groups consider the death’s head logo a “hate symbol” used by “Neo-Nazis and other white supremacists.”<ref>https://www.adl.org/education/references/hate-symbols/totenkopf</ref><br />
<br />
===Collusion with Biden and Democrats===<br />
{{See also|Ukrainian collusion|Biden family corruption}}<br />
====Biden-Burisma scandal====<br />
<br />
On September 4, 2019 former Prosecutor General [[Victor Shokin]] made a sworn affidavit outlining [[Joe Biden]]'s shakedown of the Ukrainian government to kill the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden.<ref>https://www.scribd.com/document/427618359/Shokin-Statement</ref> Democrat Sen. [[Chris Murphy]], while travelling to the Ukraine, delivered a ''[[quid pro quo]]'' message to Zelensky:<ref>https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/343049/</ref> if the Zelensky government co-operated with [[Trump administration]] [[Attorney General]] [[Bill Barr]] and the [[U.S Justice Department]] investigating DNC/Ukrainian collision and interference in the [[2016 presidential election]], Congressional Democrats would withhold funding aid.<ref>https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/462658-lets-get-real-democrats-were-first-to-enlist-ukraine-in-us-elections</ref><br />
<br />
====Trump sham impeachment====<br />
{{See also|Deep State coup 2.0}}<br />
<br />
President Trump phoned Volodymyr Zelensky to congratulate him on his electoral win. Three days before the call, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' published an article entitle, ''As vice president Biden said Ukraine should increase gas production. Then his son got a job with a Ukrainian gas company.''<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2020/01/30/washington-post-wrote-about-hunter-biden-burisma-3-days-before-ukraine-call/</ref> Trump mentions "a lot of people are talking about it" and "a lot of people want to know". The conversation took place the day after [[Robert Mueller]] cleared President Trump of any wrongdoing before Congress. The Poroshenko regime installed by the [[Obama administration]] in [[Maidan coup]] was defeated in [[parliamentary]] elections four days earlier. The transcript of the phone call reads:<br />
[[File:Trump-convo-with-zelenskyy.jpg |right|300px |thumb |Ukrainian CrowdStrike, not Russia, interfered in the [[2016 U.S. Presidential election]].]]<br />
[[File:Podesta-Emails-600x400.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Hillary Clinton|Clinton]] campaign manager [[John Podesta]] was notified by [[Google]] that his emails were hacked, not by Russia, but by Ukraine during the 2016 presidential election.<ref>https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/34899</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Surkov-leaks-with-Crowdstrike-390x400.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Although this profile says the state of Virginia, tweets are from the Sofia, Bulgaria time zone and he writes in Russian. Another curiosity considering the Fancy Bear source code is in Russian. This image shows Crowdstrike in their network. Crowdstrike is part of Ukrainian nationalist hacker network. In the image it shows a network diagram of Crowdstrike following the Surkov leaks. The network communication goes through a secondary source.]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|'''The President:''' I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say [[Crowdstrike]]… I guess you have one of your wealthy people… The server, they say Ukraine has it. There are a lot of things that went on, the whole situation. I think you’re surrounding yourself with some of the same people. I would like to have the Attorney General call you or your people and I would like you to get to the bottom of it. As you saw yesterday, that whole nonsense ended with a very poor performance by a man named [[Robert Mueller]], an incompetent performance, but they say a lot of it started with Ukraine. Whatever you can do, it’s very important that you do it if that’s possible.<br><br />
'''President Zelenskyy:''' Yes it is very important for me and everything that you just mentioned earlier. For me as a President, it is very important and we are open for any future cooperation. We are ready to open a new page on cooperation in relations between the United States and Ukraine. For that purpose, I just recalled our ambassador from United States and he will be replaced by a very competent and very experienced ambassador who will work hard on making sure that our two nations are getting closer. I would also like and hope to see him having your trust and your confidence and have personal relations with you so we can cooperate even more so. I will personally tell you that one of my assistants spoke with Mr. Giuliani just recently and we are hoping very much that [[Rudy Giuliani|Mr. Giuliani]] will be able to travel to Ukraine and we will meet once he comes to Ukraine. I just wanted to assure you once again that you have nobody but friends around us. I will make sure that I surround myself with the best and most experienced people. I also wanted to tell you that we are friends. We are great friends and you Mr. President have friends in our country so we can continue our strategic partnership. I also plan to surround myself with great people and in addition to that investigation, I guarantee as the President of Ukraine that all the investigations will be done openly and candidly. That I can assure you.<br><br />
'''The President:''' Good because I heard you had a prosecutor who was very good and he was shut down and that’s really unfair. A lot of people are talking about that, the way they shut your very good prosecutor down and you had some very bad people involved. Mr. Giuliani is a highly respected man. He was the mayor of New York City, a great mayor, and I would like him to call you. I will ask him to call you along with the Attorney General. Rudy very much knows what's happening and he is a very capable guy. If you could speak to him that would be great. The former ambassador from the United States, the woman, was bad news and the people she was dealing with in the Ukraine were bad news so I just want to let you know that. The other thing, There's a lot of talk about Biden's son, that [[Biden]] stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that she stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it... It sounds horrible to me. <br><br />
'''President Zelenskyy:''' I wanted to tell you about the prosecutor. First of all I understand and I'm knowledgeable about the situation. Since we have won the absolute majority in our Parliament, the next prosecutor general will be 100% my person, my candidate, who will be approved by the parliament and will start as a new prosecutor in September. He or she will look into the situation, specifically to the company that you mentioned in this issue. The issue of the investigation of the case is actually the issue of making sure to restore the honesty so we will take care of that and will work on the investigation of the case. On top of that, I would kindly ask you if you have any additional information that you can provide to us, it would be very helpful for the investigation to make sure that we administer justice in our country with regard to the Ambassador to the United States from Ukraine as far I as I recall her name was Ivanovich. It was great that you were the first one who told me that she was a bad ambassador because I agree with you 100%. Her attitude towards me was far from the best as she admired the previous President and she was on his side. She would not accept me as a new President well enough. <br><br />
'''The President:''' Well, she's going to go through some things. I will have Mr. Giuliani to give you a call and I am also going to have [[William Barr|Attorney General Barr]] call and we will get to the bottom of it. I'm sure you will figure it out. I heard the prosecutor was treated very badly and he was a very fair prosecutor so good luck with everything.}}<br />
[[Alexander Vindman]] is a Ukrainian nationalist born in Soviet Ukraine who immigrated to the United States as a child. Vindman harbors rabid anti-Russian and fanatical pro-Ukrainian sentiments. Vindman prepared the public readout of President Trump's congratulatory phone President-elect Zelensky.<ref>https://publicpool.kinja.com/subject-in-town-pool-report-4-1834208078</ref> The public readout differed from the actual transcript and served as the basis for the [[Impeachment sham|Trump impeachment inquiry]]. According to Lt. Col. Jim Hickman who served on a combined US-Russian exercise with Vindman,<ref>https://twitter.com/Jim_Hickman13/status/1190077852680634368?s=20</ref><br />
{{quotebox-float|I verbally reprimanded him for his actions, & I’ll leave it at that, so as not to be unprofessional myself. The bottom-line is LTC Vindman was a [[partisan]] [[Democrat]] at least as far back as 2012. So much so, junior officers & soldiers felt uncomfortable around him. This is not your professional, field-grade officer, who has the character & integrity to do the right thing. Do not let the uniform fool you…he is a political [[activist]] in uniform. I pray our nation will drop this [[hate]], vitriol & division, & unite as our founding fathers intended!<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/11/revealing-military-official-who-worked-with-top-schiff-witness-alex-vindman-reprimanded-him-for-inappropriate-and-partisan-behavior-in-military/</ref>}}<br />
Vindman gave sworn testimony to the [[House Intelligence Committee]] that he gave orders countermanding the [[Commander-in-Chief]], President Donald Trump.<ref>https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/10/31/how-the-army-officer-who-testified-against-trump-could-end-up-in-a-court-martial/</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVvd5MlRYxQ&feature=youtu.be</ref> Vindman feared that President Trump was not doing enough to confront [[Vladimir Putin]] over the [[Crimean Annexation]]. A secret memorandum alleging President Trump acted improperly on the phone call with Zelensky was prepared by Vindman and handed off to [[Eric Ciaramella]], who then gave it to [[Trump-Russia hoax]]er [[Adam Schiff]], prompting the [[sham impeachment]] of President Donald Trump.<br />
<br />
===Foreign policy===<br />
{{See also|Global fascism}}<br />
[[File:Zelenski gives a menorah to Milei.jpg|left|300px|thumbnail|Zelenski recieves a Jewish [[menorah]] from Argentinian President [[Javier Milei]].]]<br />
[[File:Globalist fascism.PNG|right|400px|thumb|Macron speaking at globalist conference with open display of a [[swastika]].<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/tslwm7ajUxbK/</ref>]]<br />
On February 8, 2022 French President [[Emmanuel Macron]] announced at a joint press conference in Kiev that Zelensky was ready to implement the [[Minsk Agreements]],<ref>https://scooptrade.com/macron-announced-zelenskys-readiness-to-implement-the-minsk-agreements-on-donbass/</ref> promising that everything will go according to the wishes of the international community. On the next day: "The official Kiev has declared this evening that it was not willing to fulfill the Minsk agreements, and lead to direct negotiations with the Donbass. This happened only twenty-four hours after the joint press conference, Macron and Zelensky, when it was claimed that Ukraine would start with the implementation of the agreements. Of which the decision on war and peace directly depended.“<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2022-02-23-ambassador-antonov--washington-encouraged-kiev-not-to-comply-with-the-minsk-agreements.H1GTFmQ7ec.html</ref><br />
<br />
Addressing the 2022 World Economic Forum (WED), Zelensky said,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Although there is a rather good and long history between Ukraine and China, I would like to have an advantage in these relations compared to Russia."<ref>https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/3491830-zelensky-ukraine-is-fine-with-chinas-position-on-war-with-russia.html</ref>}}<br />
<br />
[[Hungarian]] Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover said of Zelensky's personal conduct in diplomacy: “I can’t recall when a leader of a country in need of help would dare to speak out against anyone in a fashion like President Zelensky did, not only against Hungary, but even against the German Chancellor...One should threaten enemies, not those you want to make your friends…There is some kind of personal mental problem, and I don’t know what can be done about it."<ref>https://serbia.postsen.com/world/8310/You-know-a-donkey-</ref><br />
<br />
In early June 2022 the weekly news magazine ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' reported that Germany does not trust Zelensky: “The fear that German weaponry could be sent into Russia highlights a certain distrust in Berlin of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky…And that, too, is a reason why the defense industry in Germany has not been authorized to deliver battle tanks”<ref>https://thepressunited.com/updates/germany-doesnt-trust-zelensky-der-spiegel/</ref><br />
<br />
On December 2023 Zelenski and [[Viktor Orbán]] were present in [[Javier Milei]]'s inauguration in [[Argentina]] and they both discussed about [[Putin]] during the event. Milei has close ties to Zelenski, Orbán, [[Trump]] and with [[Israel]].<br />
<br />
==Criticism==<br />
<br />
[[Swiss]] MP and former editor-in-chief of the ''Tribune de Genève'', Guy Mettan, painted a portrait of the acrobat who plays the role of president of Ukraine.<ref>https://www.voltairenet.org/article217403.html</ref> He shows how this public entertainer became an ally of the [[Banderist]]s and set up a dictatorship for them. Western media and leaders no longer know what superlatives to use to sing the praises of the Ukrainian president, so fascinated are they by the “amazing resilience” of the comedian miraculously transformed into a “warlord” and “saviour of democracy”.<br />
<br />
Since February 24, 2022 Volodymyr Zelensky has unquestionably proved himself to be an exceptionally talented artist in international politics. Those who had followed his career as a comedian were not surprised because they knew his innate sense of improvisation, his mimetic abilities and his audacity in acting. The way he campaigned and defeated tough opponents like former president Poroshenko in a few weeks between 31 December 2018 and 21 April 2019, mobilizing his production team and generous oligarch donors, had already proved the extent of his talents.<br />
<br />
He was elected with a score of 73.2% of the votes, promising to put an end to corruption, to lead Ukraine on the path of progress and civilization, and above all to make peace with the Russian-speaking Donbass. As soon as he was elected, he betrayed all his promises with such untimely zeal that his popularity rating fell to 23% in January 2022, to the point of being outdistanced by his two main opponents.<br />
<br />
From May 2019, to satisfy his oligarch sponsors, the newly elected president is launching a massive land privatisation programme covering 40 million hectares of good agricultural land under the pretext that the moratorium on land sales would have cost the country’s GDP billions of dollars. In the wake of the “de-communization“ and “de-Russification“ programs begun since the pro-US coup of February 2014, he is launching a vast operation of privatization of state assets, fiscal austerity, deregulation of labor laws and dismantling of trade unions, angering a majority of Ukrainians who had not understood what their candidate meant by “progress”, “westernization” and “normalization“ of the Ukrainian economy. In a country that, in 2020, had a per capita income of 3,726 dollars against 10,126 dollars for the Russian opponent, while in 1991 the average income of Ukraine exceeded that of Russia, the comparison is not flattering.<br />
<br />
As for the march towards civilization, it will take the form of another decree which, on 19 May 2021, ensures the domination of the Ukrainian language and bans Russian from all spheres of public life, administrations, schools and businesses, much to the satisfaction of the nationalists and the astonishment of the Russian-speaking people in the south-east of the country.<br />
[[File:Zelensky Kolomoisky.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Ukrainian dictator [[Vladimir Zelensky]] (center) meets with Kolomoisky, September 10, 2019.<ref>https://covertactionmagazine.com/2022/07/20/how-corrupt-is-ukrainian-president-volodymyr-zelensky/</ref>]]<br />
Zelensky’s main sponsor, Ihor Kolomoïsky, who lives in Geneva where he has luxurious offices overlooking the harbour, is not the least of these oligarchs who profit from the prevailing corruption: on March 5 2021, [[Anthony Blinken]], who probably had no choice, announced that the State Department had frozen his assets and banned him from the United States because of “involvement in significant corruption“. It is true that Kolomoysky was accused of embezzling $5.5 billion from the state-owned Privatbank. Coincidentally, the good Ihor was also the main shareholder of the oil holding company Burisma, which employed Joe Biden’s son Hunter for a modest compensation of $50,000 a month and which is now under investigation by the Delaware prosecutor.<br />
<br />
This is the same Kolomoïsky, who was a key figure in Ukraine’s progress, and who made Zelensky’s entire career as an actor and who is implicated in the Pandora Papers affair revealed by the press in October 2021. These papers revealed that since 2012, the TV channel 1+1 belonging to the sulphurous oligarch had paid no less than 40 million dollars to its star Zelensky and that the latter, shortly before being elected president and with the help of his close guard of Kryvyi Rih – the two Shefir brothers, one of whom is the author of Zelensky’s scripts and the other the head of the State Security Service, and the producer and owner of their joint production company Kvartal 95 – had prudently transferred considerable sums to offshore accounts opened in his wife’s name, while acquiring three undeclared flats in London for the sum of $7.5 million.<br />
<br />
For the rapprochement of the flamboyant Volodymyr with the most extreme representatives of the Ukrainian nationalist right is not the least of Zelensky’s oddities. This complicity was immediately denied with the greatest virulence by the Western press, which judged it scandalous because of the president’s suddenly rediscovered Jewish origins. How could a Jewish president sympathize with neo-Nazis, who are presented as a tiny minority of outsiders? One should not give credit to Vladimir Putin’s “denazification” operation… What they fail to acknowledge is that left-wing Jews such as [[George Soros]] sometimes admit that they do not care for Jewish interests. Since the time of Moses, the worst enemies of the Jews came from within, not from without. <br />
<br />
In July 2022 Zelensky added American journalist [[Glenn Greenwald]] to his enemies list.<br />
<br />
===Neo-Nazi groups===<br />
[[File:Volodymyr Zelensky, Justin Trudeau, and Chrystia Freeland applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the Waffen SS Galicia Division during a session of the Canadian Parliament September 24 2023.PNG|right|300|thumb|Volodymyr Zelensky, [[Justin Trudeau]], and [[Chrystia Freeland]] applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the [[Waffen SS Galicia Division]] during a session of the Canadian Parliament, September 24, 2023.<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/jews-poles-and-russians-have-united Jews, Poles, & Russians Have United To Condemn Canada For Glorifying A Literal Nazi], ANDREW KORYBKO, SEP 25, 2023.</ref>]]<br />
One has to go back to October 2019 to understand the nature of the relationship between Zelensky and the far right. And you have to understand that these far-right formations, even if they only weigh 2% of the electorate, still represent nearly a million highly motivated and well-organized people who are spread across numerous groupings and movements, of which the Azov regiment (co-founded and financed as early as 2014 by Kolomoysky, still him!) is only the best known. To it must be added the organizations Aïdar, Dnipro, Safari, [[Svoboda]], Pravy Sektor, [[C14]] and National Corps to be complete.<br />
<br />
C14, named after the number of words in the American neo-Nazi David Lane’s phrase (“We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children”), is one of the least known abroad but most feared for its racist violence in Ukraine. All of these groups were more or less merged into the Ukrainian army and national guard at the initiative of their leader, former interior minister [[Arsen Avakov]], who ruled the Ukrainian security apparatus unchallenged from 2014 to 2021. They are the ones Zelensky calls “veterans” since autumn 2019.<br />
<br />
A few months after his election, the young president went to Donbass to try to fulfil his election promise and enforce the [[Minsk agreements]] signed by his predecessor. The far-right forces, who have been shelling the cities of Donetsk and Lugansk since 2014 at the cost of ten thousand deaths, welcome him with the greatest circumspection because they are suspicious of this “pacifist” president. They are waging a merciless campaign against peace under the slogan “No surrender”. In one video, a pale Zelensky pleads with them: “I am the president of this country. I am 41 years old. I am not a loser. I’m coming to you and saying: take the guns out.” The video was released on social networks and Zelensky immediately became the target of a hate campaign. This will be the end of his desire for peace and the implementation of the Minsk agreements. Shortly after this incident, a minor withdrawal of the extremist forces took place, and then the bombing resumed in earnest.<br />
<br />
The problem is that not only has Zelensky given in to their blackmail but he is joining them in their nationalist crusade. After his failed expedition in November 2019, he receives several far-right leaders, including Yehven Taras, the leader of C14, while his prime minister stands by Andryi Medvedko, a neo-Nazi figure suspected of murder. He also supports the footballer Zolzulya against Spanish fans who accuse him of being a Nazi because of his proclaimed support for [[Stepan Bandera]], the nationalist leader who collaborated with Nazi Germany during the war (and with the [[CIA]] after the war) and participated in the Jewish Holocaust.<br />
<br />
Collaboration with nationalist radicals is well established. In November 2021, Zelensky appointed the ultra-nationalist Pravy Sektor [[Dmytro Yarosh]] as special adviser to the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army and, since February 2022, as head of the [[Territorial Defense|Volunteer Army]], which is waging terror in the rear. At the same time, he appointed Oleksander Poklad, nicknamed “the strangler” because of his taste for torture, as head of the SBU’s counter-intelligence unit. In December, two months before the war, it was the turn of another Pravy Sektor leader, Commander Dmytro Kotsuybaylo, to be rewarded with the title of “Hero of Ukraine” while, a week after the start of hostilities, Zelensky had the regional governor of Odessa replaced by Maksym Marchenko, commander of the ultranationalist Aïdar battalion, the very same one with whom [[Bernard-Henri Lévy]] would make a point of marching.<br />
<br />
Desire to appease the far right by giving them positions? Shared ultra-patriotism? Or a simple convergence of interests between a neo-liberal, Atlanticist, pro-Western right and a nationalist far right that dreams of smashing Russians and “leading the white races of the world in a final crusade against the Untermenschen guided by the Semites”, in the words of former deputy [[Andriy Biletsky]], leader of the National Corps? It is not clear, as no journalist has ventured to ask Zelensky this question.<br />
<br />
What is not in doubt, however, is the increasingly [[authoritarian]], even [[criminal]], drift of the Ukrainian regime. So much so that its zealots should think twice before nominating their idol for the Nobel Peace Prize. While the media look the other way, a real campaign of intimidation, kidnappings and executions is underway against local and national elected officials suspected of being Russian agents or of connivance with the enemy because they want to avoid an escalation of the conflict.<br />
<br />
===Zelensky kill list===<br />
{{See also|Myrotvorets}}<br />
[[File:Myrotvorets.PNG|right|1000px|thumb|The Myrotovets ("Peacemaker") website, a kill list authorizing on the spot execution of journalists and anyone deemed a "Russian sympathizer", shows [[Langley, Virginia]] home of the CIA as its headquarters.<ref>https://myrotvorets.center/</ref>]]<br />
“One less traitor in Ukraine! He was found killed and was tried by the people’s court!” This is how the adviser to the Interior Minister, Anton Gerashenko, announced on his Telegram account the murder of [[Volodymyr Strok]], mayor and former deputy of the small town of Kremnina. Suspected of having collaborated with the Russians, he was kidnapped and tortured before being executed. On 7 March, the mayor of Gostomel was killed because he had tried to negotiate a humanitarian corridor with the Russian military. On 24 March, the mayor of Kupyansk asked Zelensky to release his daughter, who had been kidnapped by SBU agents. At the same time, one of the Ukrainian negotiators was found dead after being accused of treason by the nationalist media. No less than eleven mayors have been reported missing to date, including in regions never occupied by the Russians…<br />
<br />
In February 2021, Zelensky closed down three opposition channels deemed to be pro-Russian and supposedly owned by the oligarch [[Viktor Medvedchuk]], NewsOne, Zik and 112 Ukraine. The State Department hails this attack on press freedom, stating that the US supports Ukrainian efforts to counter Russia’s malign influence…” In January 2022, a month before the war, Nash was shut down. After the war began, the regime went on a hunt for left-wing journalists, bloggers and commentators. At the beginning of April, two right-wing channels were also affected. Channel 5 and Pryamiy. A presidential decree obliges all channels to broadcast a single, pro-government tone of voice, of course. Recently the witch-hunt even extended to the country’s most popular critical blogger, Ukraine’s Navalny, [[Anatoliy Shariy]], who was arrested on 4 May by the Spanish authorities at the request of the Ukrainian political police. Attacks on the press at least equivalent to those of the autocrat Putin, but never heard of in the Western media…<br />
<br />
The purge was even more severe for political parties. It decimated Zelensky’s main opponents. In the spring of 2021, the home of the main opponent, Medvedchuk, was ransacked and its owner placed under house arrest. On 12 April, the oligarch deputy was forcibly interned in an undisclosed location, visibly drugged, deprived of visits before being shown on TV and offered in exchange for the release of the Azovstal defenders, in defiance of all the [[Geneva Convention]]s. His lawyers, threatened, had to give up defending him in favour of someone close to the services.<br />
<br />
Last December, it was Petro Poroshenko, who was rising in the polls, who was accused of treason. On 20 December 2021, at 3.07 pm, the official SBU website listed him as a suspect for crimes of treason and support for terrorist activities. The former president was accused of “making Ukraine energy dependent on Russia and the leaders of the Russian-controlled pseudo-republics.”<br />
<br />
On 3 March, activists of the Lizvizia Left were raided by the SBU and imprisoned by the dozen. Then on 19 March, repression hit the whole of the Ukrainian left. By decree, eleven left-wing parties were banned: Party for Life, Left Opposition, Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, Socialist Party of Ukraine, Union of Left Forces, Socialists, Sharyi Party, Ours, State, Opposition Bloc Volodymyr Saldo.<br />
<br />
Other activists, bloggers and human rights defenders are arrested and tortured, journalist [[Yan Taksyur]], MMA boxer [[Maxim Ryndovskiy]] or activist [[Elena Brezhnaya]],<ref>https://seemorerocks.is/focusing-on-the-many-crimes-of-the-zelensky-regime/</ref> whose father was charred to death in the pogrom of 2 May 2014 at the [[Odessa Trade Unions House massacre|Odessa House of Trade Unions]].<br />
<br />
To complete this list, we should mention the men and women stripped naked and whipped in public by the nationalists in the streets of Kiev, the Russian prisoners beaten and shot in the legs before being executed, the soldier whose eye was pierced before being killed, the members of the Georgian Legion who executed Russian prisoners in a village near Kiev, while their leader boasted that he never took prisoners. On the Ukraine 24 channel, it was the head of the army’s medical service who said he had given the order “to castrate all Russian men because they are subhuman and worse than cockroaches”. Finally, Ukraine is making extensive use of facial recognition technology from the company Clearview to identify dead Russians and broadcast their photos on Russian social networks, ridiculing them…<br />
[[File:Darya Dugina.PNG|right|300px|thumb|[[Darya Dugina]]<ref>https://twitter.com/JayTharappel/status/1561917268669255680</ref> ]]<br />
The examples could be multiplied, as there are so many quotes and videos of atrocities committed by the troops of the defender of democracy and human rights who presides over the destiny of Ukraine. But this would be tedious and counterproductive with a public opinion convinced that these barbaric behaviors are solely due to the Russians.<br />
<br />
This is why no NGO is alarmed, the Council of Europe is silent, the International Criminal Court is not investigating, and press freedom organizations are silent. They have not listened well to what the kindly Volodymyr told them during a visit to Bucha at the beginning of April: “If we do not find a civilized way out, you know our people, they will find an uncivilized way out.”<br />
<br />
Ukraine’s problem is that its president, willingly or unwillingly, has ceded power to extremists internally and to the NATO military externally in order to indulge in the pleasure of being worshipped by crowds around the world. Was it not he who told a French journalist on 5 March, ten days after the Russian invasion: “Today, my life is beautiful. I believe I am wanted. I feel that this is the most important meaning of my life: to be wanted. To feel that you are not just breathing, walking and eating something. You are living!”<br />
<br />
==Quotes==<br />
*''The activities of those politicians aimed at division or collusion will not succeed, but will receive a harsh response.''<br />
<br />
*''There will be consequences for collaborators.''<br />
<br />
*''Unfortunately, all the holidays have a bitter aftertaste for us this year. And we can feel the traditional Spirit of [[Christmas]] differently. Dinner at the family table cannot be so tasty and warm. There may be empty chairs around it. Our houses and streets can't be so bright. And Christmas bells can ring not so loudly and inspiringly. Through air raid sirens, or even worse – gunshots and explosions. And all this together can pose a bigger threat. It is a disappointment. Of the higher forces and their power, of goodness and justice in the world. Loss of [[hope]]. Loss of love. Loss of myself.''<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/zelenskys-sobering-christmas-message-to-ukraine-describes-loss-of-hope/ar-AA15DJYl Zelensky Christmas Message], December 24, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
*[[Transvestism]]<br />
*[[NordStream II]]<br />
*[[Essay: April 2022 was a pivotal moment in the future of global politics for decades to come]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|3}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[https://rumble.com/vx6un1-zalensky-before-he-was-installed-as-so-called-president..html Zalensky before he was installed as so called president.]<br />
*[https://bombardsbodylanguage.com/2022/05/06/body-language-volodymyr-zelensky-on-60-minutes/ Body Language – Volodymyr Zelensky on 60 Minutes]<br />
*[https://youtu.be/p-ZKfckWjHs Rzhevsky vs. Napoleon (2012)] - Comedy film starring Zelesnky as Napoleon. Russian subtitles<br />
<br />
{{globalism}}<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zelensky, Volodymyr}}<br />
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[[Category:Terrorists]]<br />
[[Category:Liberals]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-Christianity]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Volodymyr_Zelensky&diff=2034775Volodymyr Zelensky2024-03-17T02:35:24Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Dictator bio<br />
| image =[[File:Zelensky selfie.PNG|180px]]<br />
| name =Volodymyr Aleksandrovich Zelensky<br />
| birth =January 25, 1978<br/>Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine)<br />
| parents =<br />
| religion =[[Judaism]]<br />
| education =Kyiv National Economic University<br>[[Young Global Leaders|Young Global Leaders Forum]]<br />
| spouse =Olena Kiyashko<br />
| children =2<br />
| death =<br />
| deathmanner =<br />
| burial =<br />
| country =[[Ukraine]]<br />
| military =none<br />
| rank =Commander-in-Chief<br />
| polbeliefs =[[Kakistocracy]]<br>[[Fascism]]<br/>[[Globalism]]<br />
| party =Fascist bloc, [[Svoboda]], [[Andriy_Biletsky#National_Corp_political_party|Azov National Corp]], European Solidarity<br />
| dictatordate =2019<br />
| war =[[Ukraine Civil War]]<br />
| deathnumber =250,000+<br />
}}<br />
'''Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelensky'''<ref>or '''Zelenskiy''' (''The Guardian'') in [[Britain]] uses this "Zelenskiy" spelling, sometimes '''Zelenskyy''' aka the '''Cokehead of Kyiv'''</ref> (''пидорас Зеленский'') also known as '''Adolf Zelensky''',<ref>[https://globaleuronews.com/2022/05/21/the-french-sompared-zelensky-to-hitler-history-repeating/ The French Сompared Zelensky to Hitler: “History Repeating”], 05/21/20223, Global Euronews</ref> is the [[dictator]] of [[Ukrainian]] [[puppet regime]],<ref>https://www.veteranstoday.com/2022/02/25/kiev-regime-turns-in-ukrainian-people-as-false-flag-warfare-rages-forward/</ref> a [[racist]] [[Russophobe]], Nazi clown in cargo pants,<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/K8EGLJiyhJOm/ Vivek Ramaswamy calls Zelensky a "Nazi clown in cargo pants"], November 8, 2923.</ref> [[JINO]], [[neo-Nazi]] collaborator,<ref>https://www.mintpressnews.com/ukraine-jewish-president-zelensky-made-peace-neo-nazi-paramilitaries/279862/</ref> kleptocratic book banner <ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/zelensky-signs-bill-banning-russian-books/</ref> and Western puppet. Considered a madman by many,<ref>[https://archive.ph/qnzPK Zelensky the Liar – He Will Be Remembered by History like Hitler], by Martin Armstrong, Armstrong Economics, November 16, 2022.</ref> Presented to [[Western alliance|Western]] audiences by the [[neocon]] [[globalist]] [[propaganda]] matrix as a combination of [[Mahatma Gandhi]], [[Nelson Mandela]], and [[Winston Churchill]], Zelensky gained public acclaim on Ukrainian television by playing the piano with his private parts.<ref>[https://youtu.be/ZBYvQzRddV8 Zelensky's Days as 'Darling of The West' are Numbered w/ Mark Sleboda], Rachel Blevins, Dec 4, 2023. YouTube</ref> After having suffered 400,000 casualties in the [[NATO war in Ukraine]],<ref>[https://winepressnews.com/2023/09/05/ukraine-has-lost-at-least-400000-troops-in-its-war-with-russia-as-casualties-mount/ Ukraine Has Lost At Least 400,000 Troops In Its War With Russia, As Casualties Mount], by Jacob M. Thompson, September 5, 2023.</ref> the former comedian attempted to sideline Ukraine's top military commanders to assume command himself.<br />
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Zelensky shares with [[Adolf Hitler]] the distinction as [[TIME magazine]] Person of the Year.<ref>https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/armstrongeconomics101/opinion/time-names-zelensky-man-of-the-year-as-they-did-with-hitler-stalin/</ref> He has been characterized as the "ultimate [[narcissist]]"<ref>https://rumble.com/v4ggxp3-scott-ritter-nato-is-done-and-ukraine-defeated.html</ref> and has repeatedly called for global thermonuclear war.<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/president-zelensky-suggests-ukraine-may-pursue-nuclear-weapons-to-counter-russia-putin-responds</ref><ref>https://www.fff.org/2022/03/17/zelenskys-call-for-nuclear-war/</ref><ref>https://scooptrade.com/political-scientist-called-zelenskys-calls-a-provocation-of-the-third-world-war/</ref> Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] has called Zelensky "a disgrace to the [[Jewish]] people."<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/R7wRiwfUzbIz/</ref><br />
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Zelensky has outlawed democratic opposition, ordered his rivals' arrest, and presided over the disappearance and assassination of dissidents across the country.<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/466876-One-less-traitor-Zelensky-Oversees-Campaign-of-Assassination-Kidnapping-And-Torture-of-Political-Opposition</ref> [[Amnesty International]] has accused Zelensky and his regime of [[war crimes]].<ref>https://www.amnestyusa.org/press-releases/ukrainian-fighting-tactics-endanger-civilians/</ref> Zelensky is a graduate of the [[Young Global Leaders|Young Leaders]] program of the [[World Economic Forum]].<ref>https://goudsmit.pundicity.com/26065/russia-ukraine-and-the-globalist-two-step</ref> Upon assuming the role as [[Head of State]], Zelensky did not surround himself with experienced professional political and foreign policy advisors, but rather brought with him the cast and crew of his media production company, actors, script writers, cameramen, film editors, promotional people and media technical advisors. Casualties in the [[Russia-Ukraine war]] have been horrendous because of Zelensky's refusal to negotiate a peace settlement with the [[Donbas]] Republics and [[Russian Federation]].<br />
[[File:What a difference a year makes.PNG|left|350px|thumb|The War Is Lost - Zelenski Will Leave - The White House Has Failed.<ref>[https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/10/the-war-is-lost-zelenski-will-leave-the-white-house-has-failed.html The War Is Lost - Zelenski Will Leave - The White House Has Failed], Moon of Alabama, October 31, 2023.</ref>]]<br />
In his previous career, he worked in the Ukrainian entertainment industry.<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/f1Ll6yw172sg/ VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY'S TRANSVESTITE DANCE]. This clip of Zelensky dancing in high heels and tight leather pants</ref> In three years Zelensky became a billionaire.<ref>https://www.veteranstoday.com/2022/03/02/blockbuster-drag-queen-zelensky-found-a-billion-dollars-and-a-villa-in-miami/</ref> He was promoted by the [[liberal media]] and elected president of Ukraine in 2019 after the U.S.-backed [[Maidan coup]] which unconstitutionally overthrew the [[democracy|democratically]], directly elected, president of Ukraine in 2014.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/before-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-a-decade-of-destabilization_4316990.html</ref> The purpose of the coup was to facilitate [[Western alliance|Western]] [[corporate]] interests to buy up previously state-owned assets.<ref>https://fair.org/home/what-you-should-really-know-about-ukraine/</ref> Zelensky was elected to fight corruption and end the [[War in Donbas]].<br />
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When the Russians conducted an incursion to end the [[Donbas war]] where state-sponsored neo-Nazi paramilitary organizations killed over 13,000 civilians in the [[Donbas]] region since 2014, Zelensky implemented a scorched earth policy like the retreating [[Nazi]] forces in [[Italy]] in 1944, blowing up bridges, opening the prisons and arming criminal gangs.<ref>https://dailyindia.net/ukrainian-author-claims-zelensky-government-gave-weapons-to-criminals-cases-of-rape-and-robbery-increased-in-the-city/135874/</ref> Zelensky invited foreign non-state combatants and mercenaries into Ukraine<ref>https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/foreign-fighters-in-ukraine/</ref> described as "war tourists" who were used by the Ukrainian military and NATO as canon fodder,<ref>https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-01/australian-foreign-fighters-ukraine-russia-war/100869602</ref> or in the words of one UK volunteer, "bullet catchers."<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/foreign-fighters-ukraine-offers-purpose-camaraderie-cause-2022-03-07/</ref> Mercenaries who answer Zelensky's call face the death penalty.<ref>https://www.unilad.co.uk/news/shaun-pinner-andrew-hill-prisoner-ukraine-death-penalty-20220528</ref> <br />
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The Donbas war atrocities and [[genocide]] had been largely ignored since 2014 by Western media because Donbas was not onboard with the [[globalist]] [[gay agenda]].<ref>http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=62947</ref> Zelensky misplaced hope that [[NATO]] troops and air cover would defend his regime, and even traveled to [[Munich]], [[Germany]] in February 2022 to meet with [[the West]] as Ukrainian forces massed to attack the Donbas.<ref>https://www-elethos-gr.translate.goog/2022/01/dpr-head-says-120000-ukrainian-troops.html?_x_tr_sl=el&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc</ref> Previously, in a rather sick joke Zelensky compared Ukraine to an adult film star, the implication as critics point out, Zelensky, in his own words, is pimping his nation in exchange for foreign cash.<ref>https://youtu.be/mvvYH6oCF54?t=4004</ref> <br />
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The Russian incursion began under a collective security agreement to secure the lives and safety of the people of the Donbas, Zelensky is known to have used [[human shields]] in civilian areas similar to the tactics employed by [[Hamas]] in [[Gaza]].<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2022/03/zelenskyy-regime-using-civilians-as-human-shields-against-advancing-russian-troops-asean-centre-expert-mgimo-uni/</ref> Zelensky famously bit the hand that feeds him, saying that Western banks should be charged with war crimes. He is a certified purveyor of [[fake news]] and war [[propaganda]].<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/02/28/pro-ukraine-propaganda-floods-social-media/</ref> Aearnur, a substack author, summarized Zelensky's political career on the world stage: "he will appear as a historical footnote accounting for his brief rise and precipitous fall, almost [[Shakespeare]]an in its tragic nature but all to readily associated with the folly that comes with every theatrical farce."<ref>[https://aearnur.substack.com/p/zelenskyy-the-months-ahead-and-the ZELENSKY, AUTHOR OF HIS OWN DEMISE… AND JUST POSSIBLY OF HIS ENTIRE NATION], Aearnur, Dec 11, 2023.</ref><br />
[[File:Zelensky regime war crimes.PNG|left|300px|thumb|The Zelensky regime has committed [[genocidal]] [[war crimes]] against Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens daily unreported by the Western media propaganda apparatus.<ref>https://thedreizinreport.com/2022/10/09/war-crimes-2/</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Zelensky transvestism.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Comedian, now President Volodomyr Zelensky (second from left) [[Transvestism|in drag]] wearing high heels in a Ukrainian music video.<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/f1Ll6yw172sg/ Zelensky in drag.]</ref>]]<br />
==Background==<br />
[[File:Winston Churchill Award winner.jpg|right|315px|thumb|'''Claim to Fame:''' The man considered by globalists and Western media as the "21st century Winston Churchill" playing ''Chopsticks'' on the piano with his sex organ.]]<br />
Zelensky rode the support of the [[liberal media]] to come in first in all but one of Ukraine’s regions losing to [[Poroshenko]] in the western region of [[Lvov]]). Zelensky is a native Russian speaker who also speaks Ukrainian, is of Jewish descent, and supports closer relations with the West.<br />
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As a media personality, Zelensky formed his own production company, Quarter 95. For the three years prior to being elected, Zelensky amassed wide exposure starring in a primetime satirical soap opera as the president of Ukraine, crusading against corrupt politicians who would appoint personal friends to high positions and had offshore bank accounts. As president, Zelensky's first acts were to appoint friends to high positions. According to an investigation by the Consortium of International Journalists called the Pandora Papers, rather than re-invest the profits of his television production company to employ people in Ukraine, Zelensky has offshore bank accounts to store the profits of his looting Ukraine through his production company even before his run for the presidency.<ref>https://youtu.be/C0JUpCrdG88</ref><br />
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Zelensky's rise to power with media mogul [[Ihor Kolomoisky]]'s support suggested that the Western-backed corrupt oligarchy would remain in control of Ukraine. [[Hunter Biden]] was hired by the oligarchs 7 weeks after the [[coup]]. Kolomoisky owns the bank through which payments to the [[Biden family]] were made and provided the funding for the neo-Nazi [[Azov Battalion]].<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/465534-A-single-Ukrainian-billionaire-funded-Hunter-Biden-President-Volodymyr-Zelensky-and-the-neo-nazi-Azov-Battalion</ref> Under the Maidan regime, the country has become more impoverished with 50% of the population now living in poverty. <br />
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In his made-for-TV series, ''Servant of the People'', by murdering other people's elected representatives, Zelensky somehow is cutting a path for the future of Ukrainian "democracy."<br />
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===Globalism===<br />
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As an actor, comedian and soap opera star,<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/qn7XVUOpllCH/</ref> Zelensky closely aligned himself with Western globalists and was elected based on the support of a billionaire oligarch in Ukraine, Ihor Kolomoisky, whose media empire included Zelensky as a partner.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/biography/Volodymyr-Zelensky</ref> Zelensky's campaign consisted of doing comedy routines. The election outcomes suggested that issues of ethnic and linguistic identity mattered less to voters than expected. Not until after the Biden regime seized power were ethnic tensions renewed by globalist media and propaganda.<br />
[[File:Mass shooter Zelensky.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelensky playing the role of a psychotic killer in a [[Hollywood]]-inspired rage against [[democracy]] and mass shooting of the people's elected representatives in parliament.<ref>https://youtu.be/nsra8txvD8Y</ref>]]<br />
During his time as a comedian, Zelensky was making pro-Nazi jokes that had anti-Semitic and Russophobic content in which the majority of his audience was not laughing and did not seem comfortable.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2g-93j4ynA](Russian)</ref><br />
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In a monologue to a comedy show aired April 12, 2014 shortly after the [[Maidan regime]] seized power, Zelensky read an imaginary letter to his family back home:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Good Day Uncle Igor, Aunt Valya and Uncle Sasha. Despite your fears, I can tell you that I live well as far as I live. Soon it will be even better. Because it's been three weeks since I was accepted into the [[Bandera]] community. That's normal, otherwise you can't make a career here in Ukraine. However, I don't have to tell you that, because you know it yourself. I don't get a salary, but that's not the most important thing. We have been allowed to take money and wealth from the Russians. In the past, this was also possible with the Jews. But then the top Bandera supporter Kolomoisky came and banned stealing money from the Jews.<br />
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For example, I'm learning [[English]] now, so as not to forget Russian. American [[mercenaries]], who are here for us every step of the way, help me. You know what? I got married for the second time, he is Wadik. For us [[European]]s this is quite normal. Today, our President, [[Barack Obama]], promised all the most important thing for us, that we will soon join NATO. For the time being, of course, we are the property of America. If it is possible, please send me [[Hitler]]'s book '[[Mein Kampf]]', because that's how everything is done down here. I take care of in the morning to go to the balcony and do morning exercises. From my heart to the sun, so. But I don't have to tell you, because you know it yourself."<ref>https://youtu.be/jIA-38WgpnQ</ref><ref>https://www.kla.tv/22511</ref>}}<br />
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Zelensky has been accused of toxic masculinity.<ref>[https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/03/26/maher_women_can_believe_masculinity_is_toxic_or_worship_zelensky_but_they_cant_do_both.html Maher: Women Can Believe Masculinity Is Toxic Or Worship Zelensky, But They Can't Do Both], Ian Schwartz, March 26, 2022</ref> His comedy has been described as puerile, vulgar, and working class. His mother is said to be ashamed of his chosen career as a comedian. Zelensky performed at events for former President Viktor Yanukovych. As a successful television producer, Zelensky purchased a 15 room villa in [[Tuscany]] which he never disclosed during the presidential campaign. In 2012 ''[[Forbes]]'' reported Zelensky's net worth at $15 million.<br />
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===Corruption===<br />
[[File:Rinat Akhmetov and Leonid Kuchma.png|right|300px|thumb|Rinat Akhmetov and Leonid Kuchma.<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2022/12/16/the-autumn-of-oligarchs-in-ukraine/</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/Za3iAdRjYQc</ref>]]<br />
Zelensky has accumulated $1.2 billion in the Dresdner Bank Lateinamerika in [[Costa Rica]] during the two and a half years of his presidency. This money was transferred to the president by Ukrainian oligarchs, such as Rinat Akhmetov, Igor Kolomoisky, and [[Clinton Foundation]] donor [[Victor Pinchuk]]. Ilya Kiva, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, noted that replenishment is done regularly in tranches of $12 million to $35 million. And they go through banks like First Union Bank, Deutsche Bank, Banque Nationale de Paris. According to Kiva, the movement of such funds would be impossible without the control of the authorities of [[Germany]] and [[France]]. Kiva pointed out Zelensky was able to buy a villa in Sunny Isles, [[Florida]] built by Kolomoisky and Pinchuk for $34 million.<ref>https://shtf.tv/zelensky-found-a-billion-dollars-and-a-villa-in-miami/</ref> According to [[Alexei Arestovich]], Kiva was murdered by the [[Ukrainian gestapo]] in December 2023.<ref>https://t.me/O_Arestovich_official/4773</ref><br />
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Zelensky, like [[Joe Biden]]'s son [[Hunter Biden]], is [[addiction|addicted]] to [[cocaine]] and describes its use as "Awesome! Awesome!"<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/Y6CGIO0d8Tue/</ref> Zelnsky is regarded by Western media and governments as a role model. <br />
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Upon taking office, Zelensky declared, "Our first task is to stop the conflict in the Donbass, in order for our heroes to die. I'm ready for anything. I'm not afraid to make difficult decisions. I'm ready to lose my popularity and my ranking values. If it is necessary, I will be, without hesitation, ready to lose my office, just so that peace may come." A little while later Zelensky realized that his life, and the lives of his family, depends on the [[Pravy Sektor]], and Nazis with extreme views,. Shortly thereafter, he said: "Not all of the people representatives are people, there are also copies." Zelensky is reported to have received a British [[passport]] and citizenship in March 2022 so as to flee Ukraine at any given moment.<ref>https://cmio.org/en/world/660051-representatives-of-zelenskys-office-received-british-citizenship-kiva-said</ref><br />
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According to [[CBS News]], of the billions of dollars in NATO weapons pumped into Ukraine, only 30% made it to the front lines.<ref>https://rumble.com/v1f0qmr-cbs-news-exposes-ukraine-weapons-scam-30-maybe-reaches-its-final-destinatio.html</ref><br />
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==President 2019-present==<br />
{{See also|Zelensky regime}}<br />
<center>{{cquote|''Volodymyr Zelensky is the West’s ideal vessel for laundering its worst ideas. Forget fighting till the last Ukrainian - this canary in the filthiest ideological coal mine the international banking cartels could build might just lead the empire all the way to that great mushroom cloud in the sky.''|||Helen of desTroy<ref>https://helenofdestroy.substack.com/p/washington-robot</ref>}}</center><br />
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[[File:Zelensky Death's Head.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelensky bodyguard with World War II Nazi ''Totenkopf Verbande'' (''Death's Head Formation'') insignia.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/09/15/zelensky-bodyguards-hitler-patch/</ref>]]<br />
The veteran comedian brought with him upon taking office in 2019 his entire media production crew, including script writers and other actors. [[Alexei Arestovich]], another TV entertainer, was appointed as a military adviser and press spokesman. Zelensky declared, "Our first task is to stop the conflict in the Donbass, for which our heroes died. I'm ready for anything. I'm not afraid to make difficult decisions. I'm ready to lose my popularity and my approval ratings. If it is necessary, I will be, without hesitation, ready to lose my office, just so that peace may come." A short time later Zelensky realized that his life, and the lives of his family, was dependent upon the Nazis, the people with extreme views from the Pravy Sektor. Shortly thereafter, he said: "Not all of the people representatives are people, there are also copies."<ref>A paraphrasing from the notorious 1943 Nazi tract quoted by Nazi leaders in Ukrainian, ''Der Untermenschen:'' "The subhuman is a biological creature, crafted by nature, which has hands, legs, eyes and mouth, even the semblance of a brain. Nevertheless, this terrible creature is only a partial human being. Although it has features similar to a human, the subhuman is lower on the spiritual and psychological scale than any animal." [http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/holoprelude/deruntermensch.html]</ref><br />
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Amongst a raft of casualties and desertions, as untrained soldiers were placed at the front in impossible and hopeless situations with no artillery or armor and given orders to fight on and not surrender, two members of the Servant of the People Party of which Zelensky is [[führer]] introduced a bill (No. 7351) allowing AFU officers to kill their own soldiers who refused to follow orders.<ref>https://archive.ph/SWdge</ref> On June 12, 2022 Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree allowing the Ukrainian command to use territorial defense fighters to perform tasks in areas of military operations. Zelensky’s decree legalized sending untrained members of the Territorial Defense to the front as cannon fodder to face the professional Russian army. Conscription in Ukraine amounted to kidnapping people off the street.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/7Vtu5iGUI8AI/</ref><ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/VGvadFMbUts1/</ref><br />
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As the situation in Donbas deteriorated and Zelensky's stubborn resistance to allowing 15,000 soldiers to withdraw from the encirclement, rumors mounted of an imminent [[coup]] to remove the actor/comedian and replace him with Gen. [[Valerii Zaluzhnyi]] whom Gen. [[Mark Milley]] said of on May 23, 2022, "General Zaluzhny is the man behind that effort, bearing the immense burden of leading in combat. His work will be remembered by history." ''[[Time magazine]]'' named Zaluzhny one of its 100 Most Influential People of 2022.<ref>https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2022/6177692/valeriy-zaluzhnyy/</ref> ''[[Politico]]'' also offered words of praise for Zaluzhnyi.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/08/ukraines-iron-general-zaluzhnyy-00023901</ref> Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council [[Oleksiy Danilov]] is reported to have backed Zaluzhnyi.<br />
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After a photoshoot with [[Vogue magazine|''Vogue'' magazine]], Zelensky sat down for an interview with [[Piers Morgan]]. Zelensky was asked about [[inflation]], which according to U.S. polls was the voters number one concern. Zelensky said "inflation is nothing" and told Americans to suck it up and keep handing over cash and weapons in aid.<br />
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On February 15, 2024 Zelensky signed a bill legalizing "medical" marijuana.<ref>https://www.kyivpost.com/post/28151</ref><br />
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===Collusion with Nazis===<br />
{{See also|Azov Battalion}}<br />
{{Anchor|Medvedko}}{{Anchor|Polishchuk}}<br />
[[File:Zelensky neo-Nazi award.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky presents neo-Nazi leader with the Hero of Ukraine award for atrocities committed against ethnic Russians.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/03/04/nazis-ukrainian-war-russia/</ref>]]<br />
[[Oles Buzina]] (also Buzyna), a prominent journalist and author who advocated for unity among Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia and campaigned to outlaw neo-Nazi organizing, was shot and killed near his apartment on April 16, 2015 by state-backed death squads after his name appeared on the [[Myrotvorets]] public blacklist of “enemies of the state” list.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/pro-russian-journalist-oles-buzina-shot-dead-kiev-masked-gunmen-n342661</ref> In June 2015, investigators accused Andriy Medvedko and fellow C14 member, Denys Polishchuk, of killing Buzina.<ref>https://reportingradicalism.org/en/dossiers/people/andrii-medvedko-prominent-c14-member-and-former-svoboda-party-official</ref> During the Maidan coup C14 activists took over Kyiv’s city hall and plastered its walls with neo-Nazi insignia before taking shelter in the Canadian embassy.<ref>https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadian-embassy-used-as-safe-haven-during-ukraine-uprising-investigation-finds-1.3148719</ref> A March 2018 report by ''[[Reuters]]'' stated that “C14 and Kiev’s city government recently signed an agreement allowing C14 to establish a ‘municipal guard’ to patrol the streets."<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cohen-ukraine-commentary/commentary-ukraines-neo-nazi-problem-idUSKBN1GV2TY</ref> By offering to carry out acts of violence on behalf of anyone willing to pay, the C14 fostered a cozy relationship with various governing bodies and powerful elites across Ukraine. Their advertisement on [[Facebook]] reads:<ref>https://khpg.org/en/1520808476</ref><br />
{{quotebox-float|“C14 works for you. Help us keep afloat, and we will help you. For regular donors, we are opening a box for wishes. Which of your enemies would you like to make life difficult for? We’ll try to do that.”}}<br />
In 2018, a C14 youth organizer, Serhiy Bondar, spoke at an event at America House Kyiv, a US government institution that describes itself as “your main resource in Ukraine for American culture, education, and information.” This young fascist leader boasts of working with Kyiv police to “purge” a [[Gypsy]] homeless camp from a train station.<ref>https://twitter.com/RealAlexRubi/status/1498191420703883264</ref><br />
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C14 is even more notorious than the Azov Battalion. The name is a direct reference to the [[white supremacist]] “14 words”, ""We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children." C14 has also received funding from the Zelensky regime, in the form of a Ministry of Youth and Sport grant for “national-patriotic education projects."<ref>https://khpg.org/en/1528928862</ref><br />
<br />
Since September 2019, Buzina's alleged killer Andriy Medvedko has served as a member of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NACB). In January 2020, he became a part of a working group on the 'rights and freedoms of veterans in prison', under the Ministry for Veterans Affairs. Denys Polishchuk, the other accused killer, heads the working group, which includes fellow C14 members Yevhen Karas and Oleksandr Voitko, as well as former lawmaker Oksana Korchinska. Karas has claimed that the SBU would “pass on” information citizens of the Donbas “not only [to] us, but also Azov, the Right Sector and so on.”<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220129134515/https://news.liga.net/politics/interview/s14_kto_oni_i_pochemu_im_pozvoleno_bit_lyudey C14. Who they are and why they are allowed to beat people]. 15.11.2017.</ref><br />
[[File:Zelensky meets with Nazis.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky meets with Nazi leaders. (Far left) Dmytro Shatrovsky with Azov Battalion T-shirt, (across table) Volodymyr Zelensky, (bottom right end) Yehven Karas.]]<br />
In October 2019, Zelensky met with Karas, Dmytro Shatrovsky, and other neo-Nazi leaders.<ref>https://canadianpatriot.org/2022/04/28/how-ukraines-jewish-president-zelensky-made-peace-with-neo-nazi-paramilitaries-on-front-lines-of-war-with-russia/</ref> Days later prime minister and deputy head of Zelensky’s office Oleksiy Honcharuk appeared on stage at a neo-Nazi concert organized by accused C14 murderer Andriy Medvedko.<ref>https://www.timesofisrael.com/ukrainian-pm-minister-attended-neo-nazi-concert-in-kyiv/</ref> <br />
[[File:Ukrainian nazis.PNG|left|500px|thumb|Viral tweet during the Zelensky regime.]]<br />
In April 2021 Zelensky sought to appoint the Serhiy Sternenko as head of Ukraine’s Security Service ([[SBU]]) in Odessa, in an attempt to further his alliance with neo-Nazi forces.<ref>https://adarapress.com/2022/02/25/ukrainian-president-zelensky-deepens-alliance-with-far-right/</ref> As the former head of the neo-Nazi Pravy Sektor in Odessa, Sternenko was directly implicated in the [[Odessa Trade Unions House massacre|2014 Trade Unions House massacre]] where 46 people were burnt alive according to the Kyiv regime's official investigation. Eyewitnesses claim many more were killed. He is a convicted criminal and as of March 2022 was under investigation for murder.<ref>https://covertactionmagazine.com/2021/07/29/our-mission-is-to-lead-the-white-races-of-the-world-in-a-final-crusadeagainst-semite-led-untermenschen-subhumans/</ref><br />
<br />
In December 2021, Zelensky presented fascist Pravy Sektor commander Dmytro Kotsyubaylo with the “Hero of Ukraine” award in the Ukrainian parliament. The Pravy Sektor was deeply involved in the Maidan coup, the sniper murders of the "Heavenly Hundred",<ref>https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKMoq61IN02VsItd-uIZKtJKrPxA4z1Q8</ref> the burning alive of between 46 and 116 ethnic Russians in the Odessa Trade Unions House massacre,<ref>https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=16460&LangID=E</ref> and has killed thousands of ethnic Russian civilians in the [[Donbas]] since 2014.<ref>https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1496308793810034688</ref> Pravy Sektor is classified as a terror organization in Russia.<br />
<br />
On February 5, 2022, nineteen days before the Russian incursion, Yevhen Karas appeared on television in Kyiv boasting of the influence his organization and other Nazi groups enjoy in Ukrainian politics.<ref>https://twitter.com/RealAlexRubi/status/1497747535783411714</ref> “LGBT and foreign embassies say ‘there were not many Nazis at Maidan, maybe about 10 percent of real ideological ones,’” Karas remarked. “If not for those eight percent [of neo-Nazis] the effectiveness [of the Maidan coup] would have dropped by 90 percent.” The 2014 Maidan “[[Revolution of Dignity]]” would have been a “gay parade” if not for the instrumental role of neo-Nazis, he proclaimed. Karas went on to declare that [[the West]] armed Ukrainian ultra-nationalists because “we have fun killing.”<br />
<br />
Zelensky refers to native Russian speaking citizens of Ukraine a "species".<br />
[[File:Volodymyr Zelensky, Justin Trudeau, and Chrystia Freeland applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the Waffen SS Galicia Division during a session of the Canadian Parliament September 24 2023.PNG|right|300|thumb|[[Volodymyr Zelensky]], [[Justin_Trudeau#Support_for_Nazism|Justin Trudeau]], and [[Chrystia Freeland]] applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the [[Waffen SS Galicia Division]] during a session of the Canadian Parliament, September 24, 2023.]]<br />
In late September 2023 Canadian dictator [[Justin Trudeau]] and House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota welcomed Zelensky to address the Canadian parliament. A former officer of the [[14th Waffen SS Galicia Division]] named Yaroslav Hunka was also invited to attend the address. Speaker Rota praised Hunka as a “Canadian hero” for fighting against the [[Soviet Union]], which was an ally of Canada, the United States, and the British Commonwealth during [[World War II]]. The [[Allies of World War II]], including Canada, were fighting the armed forces of [[Nazi Germany]], of which the Hunka and the [[14th SS Galicia Division]] were part. More than 45,000 Canadians were killed fighting Nazi forces. <br />
<br />
Former members of the 14th Galicia Division were still wanted in Ukraine, [[Poland]], [[Belarus]], [[Lithuania]], and the [[Russian Federation]] in 2023 for war crimes during the Second World War Nazi occupation. There is no [[statute of limitations]] for murder. Many Ukrainian Nazi war criminals fled [[Europe]] after World War II and were resettled and granted citizenship in the [[UK]], Canada, and the United States. After the German surrender to the Soviet Union in [[Berlin]] on [[Victory Day]], May 9, 1945, many of Ukrainian Nazis who did not flee Europe fought on against the Soviet Union until 1954, receiving covert aid from the [[CIA]] soon after the CIA's founding in 1947.<br />
<br />
International affairs analyst Dr. Andrew Korybko observed that in one fell swoop, Trudeau discredited himself as a so-called “champion of [[human rights]]”, while Zelensky proved beyond any doubt that an ethnic [[Jew]] can indeed glorify the Nazis’ [[genocidal]] allies despite having family who were murdered in the [[Holocaust]].<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/jews-poles-and-russians-have-united Jews, Poles, & Russians Have United To Condemn Canada For Glorifying A Literal Nazi], ANDREW KORYBKO, SEP 25, 2023.</ref> After being vetted to attend Zelensky's speech by the Canadian government and Trudeau's office, Hunta was introduced by the Speaker as a “Ukrainian-Canadian veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians” and received two extended standing ovations while Zelensky raised a clenched fist in solidarity. To its credit, even ''[[Politico]]'' reported on the number of Jewish organizations that condemned the [[fascist]] ceremony.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/24/nazi-linked-veteran-ovation-zelenkyy-canada-visit-00117857 Nazi-linked veteran received ovation during Zelenskyy’s Canada visit], By KYLE DUGGAN, ''Politico'', 09/24/2023.</ref> Hunta's family had [[tweet]]ed out days in advance that a separate private meeting had been arranged for Hunta to meet and speak privately with Trudeau and Zelensky.<ref>Mark Sleboda, [https://marksleboda.substack.com/p/canadian-parliament-trudeau-and-zelensky Canadian Parliament, Trudeau & Zelensky Praise and Give Standing Ovation to West Ukrainian Waffen SS Veteran Who "Killed Russians"], Radio Interview on the Critical Hour 25/09/23.</ref> Three weeks later, the Israeli government rejected Zelensky's request to visit [[Israel]].<ref>[https://insiderpaper.com/israel-rejected-zelensky-visit/ Zelensky denied visit to Israel], October 16, 2023. insiderpaper.com</ref><br />
<br />
===Liquidation of political opponents===<br />
[[File:Truth of the Zelensky regime.PNG|right|300px|thumb|After posting a list of prominent people disappeared or murdered by the Zelensky regime,<ref>https://www.trendsmap.com/twitter/tweet/1507644195212824582</ref> [[Gonzalo Lira]] himself was disappeared from [[Kharkiv]].<ref>https://twitter.com/Anabel_Villeroy/status/1516131041672638464</ref>]]<br />
In November 2021, Zelensky appointed Oleksandr Poklad to head the SBU’s [[counterintelligence]]. A former lawyer and cop with ties to organized [[crime]], Poklad is nicknamed “The Strangler” – a reference to his favorite method of obtaining testimony from his victims.<ref>https://eadaily.com/ru/news/2021/12/02/ze-doveril-kontrrazvedku-sbu-gestapovcu-xxi-veka-po-klichke-dushitel</ref> The SBU functions as Zelensky's gestapo organization.<ref>https://www.donbass-insider.com/2022/03/10/sbu-the-terrible-ukrainian-political-police-assassinations-and-torture/</ref> The [[Security Service of Ukraine]] (SBU} closely collaborates with neo-Nazi groups including Right Sector, Azov, and C14, which was contracted by the Ukrainian government to conduct street patrols. Several mayors and other Ukrainian officials were killed since the Russian incursion by Ukrainian state agents after engaging in de-escalation talks with Russia forces to protect civilians and infrastructure in their communities. The SBU hunted down local officials that accepted humanitarian relief supplies from Russia or negotiated with Russian forces to arrange humanitarian corridors for civilian evacuations. <br />
<br />
In a March 19, 2022 [[executive order]], Zelensky invoked martial law to ban 11 opposition parties. Max Blumenthal and Esha Krishnaswamy characterized the outlawed parties as "the entire [[left-wing]], [[socialist]], or anti-NATO spectrum in Ukraine." They included the For Life Party, the Left Opposition, the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Union of Left Forces, Socialists, the Party of Shariy, Ours, State, Opposition Bloc and the Volodymyr Saldo Bloc. Openly fascist and pro-Nazi parties like the Azov National Corps were left untouched by the presidential decree, however.<br />
<br />
The following is a very brief, partial list posted by independent Chilean/American journalist [[Gonzalo Lira]], of prominent Ukrainian citizens who were disappeared under Zelensky. Gonzalo Lire himself was [[disappeared]] on April 15, 2022.<br />
<br />
*Vlodymyr Struk, pro-Russian mayor kidnapped and murdered.<ref>https://nypost.com/2022/03/03/pro-russian-mayor-of-ukrainian-city-kidnapped-killed/</ref><br />
*Denis Kireev, Ukraine peace negotiator shot dead ‘defending the nation’.<ref>https://www.the-sun.com/news/4831656/ukraine-peace-negotiator-spy-shot-russia-kireev/</ref><br />
*Mikhail & Aleksander Kononovich, Ukrainian youth leaders arrested.<br />
*Nestor Shufrych, Ukrainian member of parliament arrested.<ref>https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-lawmaker-photographing-checkpoint/31736680.html</ref><br />
*Yan Taksyur, Ukrainian Orthodox journalist jailed with no access to a lawyer medical treatment.<ref>https://orthochristian.com/145355.html</ref><br />
*Dmitri Djangirov, Ukrainian journalist, political expert, political scientist arrested.<br />
<br />
[[Scott Ritter]], whom Lira interviewed four days before his abduction, wrote about how people can respond to injustice: "we can call out Zelensky’s “cursed machine” for the [[crime]]s it is committing every day in defense of a perverted vision of Ukrainian nationalism that has mainstreamed the odious ideology of [[Nazi Germany]], giving voice to its [[hate]]-filled logic, and empowering its minions to silence the voices of those who, like Gonzalo Lira, dared speak truth to power."<ref>https://freepress.substack.com/p/what-russians-know-422</ref><br />
<br />
===Anti-democratic decrees===<br />
Zelensky declared martial law, armed neo-Nazi and criminal gangs,<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/8ohZv5w59uHt/</ref> and his secret police, the [[SBU]], began arrests and liquidations of political opposition.<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/466876-One-less-traitor-Zelensky-Oversees-Campaign-of-Assassination-Kidnapping-And-Torture-of-Political-Opposition</ref> On March 20, 2022 Zelensky announced a ban on 11 political parties, including parties with sitting members of [[parliament]]<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/zelensky-announces-ban-on-11-political-parties_4349682.html</ref> but not the Nazi organizations. <br />
Additionally, the fascist [[dictator]] eliminated all independent media and consolidated all information flow into one government controlled television platform.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/citing-martial-law-ukraine-president-signs-decree-combine-national-tv-channels-2022-03-20/</ref> <br />
<br />
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman [[Maria Zakharova]] was asked to comment on Zelensky's initiative to confiscate the property and assets of persons supporting a [[special military operation]] to liberate oppressed people in Ukraine and similar measures taken by a number of other Western countries. "The confiscation of [[private property]] from individuals for their political beliefs is a flagrant violation of the principles of [[democracy]] and the [[market economy]]," Zakharova said.<br />
<br />
===Wartime leader - Best Actor===<br />
{{See also|Donbas war}}<br />
[[File:Zelensky receives the best actor reward.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky receives the Best Actor Award.]]<br />
Zelensky betrayed his campaign promises of reform and meaningful progress to implement the [[Minsk Agreements]] and resolve the Donbass stalemate, leading to a rapid decline in popular support. He maintains power in Ukraine by a campaign of intimidation and terror conducted by the secret police.<br />
<br />
On March 24, 2021, Volodymyr Zelensky issued a decree for aggressive action against Crimea, and began to deploy his forces to the south of the country. At the same time, several NATO exercises were conducted between the [[Black Sea]] and the [[Baltic Sea]], accompanied by a significant increase in reconnaissance flights along the Russian border. Russia then conducted several exercises to test the operational readiness of its troops.<br />
<br />
Things calmed down until October-November with the end of the ZAPAD 21 exercises, whose troop movements were interpreted as a reinforcement for an offensive against the Ukraine. However, even the Ukrainian authorities refuted the idea of Russian preparations for a war, and Oleksiy Reznikov, Ukrainian Minister of Defense, states that there had been no change in Russian troop levels on its border since the spring of 2021.<br />
<br />
In violation of the Minsk Agreements, Ukraine was conducting air operations in Donbas using drones, including at least one strike against a fuel depot in [[Donetsk]] in October 2021. The American press noted this, but not the Europeans; and no one condemned these violations of international peace agreements.<br />
[[File:Number-of-Explosions-in-Donbass-19-20-February-2022.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
In February 2022, events were precipitated. On February 7, during his visit to Moscow, [[Emmanuel Macron]] reaffirmed to Vladimir Putin his commitment to the Minsk Agreements, a commitment he would repeat after his meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky the next day. But on February 11, in [[Berlin]], after nine hours of work, the meeting of political advisors of the leaders of the “Normandy format” ended, without any concrete result: the Ukrainians still refused to apply the Minsk Agreements, apparently under pressure from the United States. [[Vladimir Putin]] noted that Macron had made empty promises and that the West was still ignoring the agreements, as it had been doing for eight years.<br />
<br />
[[India]]n geopolitical researcher Amit Sengupta characterized Zelensky and his relationship with the U.S. this way:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Zelinsky turned out to be an American stooge who literally destroyed his own country in the name of [[democracy]]. I've seen a lot of people saying that Zelensky is fighting for its country. What you need to understand is that this is not the right way of fighting for your country. This is a rebellious way of fighting. A smart and visionary leader looks for an alternative way of solving this matter. What Zelensky is doing, he is acting like a passive aggressive teenager, and America is continuously supplying weapons from behind. America is adding more fuel to the chaos."<ref>https://youtu.be/eRDIWQCjBBE</ref>}}<br />
The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights concluded on June 29, 2022 that Zelensky used civilians as [[human shields]] when Ukrainian soldiers took up firing positions, effectively making the civilian infrastructure legitimate military targets.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/07/10/un-human-rights-report-shows-ukraine-military-used-nursing-home-residents-as-human-shields/</ref><br />
<br />
In his 2023 New Year's Eve message to the nation, Volodymyr Zelensky referred to Russians as "non-humans", twice for emphasis.<ref>https://www.ukrainianworldcongress.org/address-by-president-volodymyr-zelensky-dec-31-2022/</ref><br />
<br />
Former parliamentary opposition leader [[Viktor Medvedchuk]], whom Zelensky jailed and was released to the [[DNR]] in POWS swap, saidm “The country was plunged into a fire for the inflated ego of this man,” adding,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Today, the West flatters him at every opportunity. What luck! A ruler who would destroy his country for a photo op, boost his ratings on the blood and suffering of his citizens. Zelensky slaughtered law and stability for the sake of applause and posturing."}}<br />
<br />
====Operation Denazification====<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
[[File:Volodymyr-Zelenskyy-Minister-of-Defense-selfie.jpg|right|300ox|thumb|Volodomyr Zelensky (right) poses with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov for a selfie during the Siege of Kyiv, February 27, 2022.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/02/27/peace-talks-possible-between-russia-and-ukraine-as-magnificently-defiant-zelenskyy-stands-atop-the-alamo-of-kyiv-taking-selfies/</ref> Reznikov was fired in February 2023 in a [[kickback]] scandal related to US aid and Ukraine defense spending. Because of Reznikov's utility to the Americans and Zelensky, he was rehired by the end of the week.]]<br />
Zelensky proposed Ukraine obtain nuclear weapons. When Vladimir Putin announce the Special Military Operation in Ukraine, Putin referenced the fact that Ukraine was run by a gang of drug-addicts and neo-Nazis.<ref>https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/putin-calls-ukraine-government-drug-172802290.html</ref><br />
<br />
During the night of February 25-26, 2022 Volodymyr Zelensky sent a ceasefire proposal to Russia via the [[Chinese]] embassy in Kyiv. The [[Kremlin]] immediately responded by setting out its conditions:<ref>https://nexusnewsfeed.com/article/geopolitics/zelensky-prepared-to-surrender/</ref><br />
*arrest of all Nazis ([[Dmitro Yarosh]] and the [[Azov Battalion]], etc.)<br />
*removal of all street names and destruction of monuments glorifying Nazi collaborators during the [[Second World War]] ([[Stepan Bandera]], etc.),<br />
*laying down of weapons.<br />
<br />
10 days after the incursion, a French reporter asked Zelensky how his life had changed since the intervention of Russian troops in the Donbas war. Zelensky replied,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Today, my life is beautiful. I believe that I am needed. I feel it is the most important meaning in life – to be needed. To feel that you are not just an emptiness that is just breathing, walking, and eating something. You live.”<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-R4sh2z0EM&t=3426s</ref>}}<br />
Critics were horrified by the response. Analyst Natylie Baldwin noted, "this construction is alarming: it implies that Zelensky enjoys the unique opportunity to perform on a global stage provided by the war. It made his life beautiful; he lives. In contrast to millions of Ukrainians whose life is not nice at all and thousands of those who are not alive any longer."<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2022/04/29/ukraine-the-real-zelensky/</ref><br />
<br />
During the [[2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict]] to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine, Zelensky said in a televised address that Kyiv has been left to fend for itself as [[NATO]] is "afraid" to give it any guarantees. "I asked them -- are you with us? They answered that they are with us, but they don't want to take us into the alliance. I've asked 27 leaders of [[Europe]], if Ukraine will be in NATO, I've asked them directly -- all are afraid and did not respond. We were left by ourselves. Who is ready to go to war for us? Honestly, I don't see anybody. Who is ready to give Ukraine guarantees of NATO membership? Honestly, everybody is afraid."<ref>https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/international/ive-asked-27-leaders-of-europe-all-are-afraid-ukraine-president</ref> In accordance with NATO rules, a country having territorial disputes cannot be admitted to the bloc.<br />
<br />
In response to the commencement of [[Operation Denazification]] Zelensky handed out military grade weapons to neo-Nazi criminal gangs.<ref>https://twitter.com/JDPlatinumINVST/status/1498418936932622337</ref><br />
<br />
====Zelensky the puppet====<br />
{{See also|2022 Istanbul peace negotiations}}<br />
''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in May 2022 on Boris Johnson's unannounced surprise visit to Kyiv shortly after Russia and Ukraine had reached a peace settlement in their talks in [[Istanbul]]. The Russians had agreed to withdraw to the pre-February 2022 borders and Zelensky would implement the [[Minsk Accords]]. ''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in essence what Johnson told Zelensky according to sources close to the Ukrainian dictator:<br />
[[File:Zelensky the puppet.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky the puppet.]]<br />
[[File:Zelensky and Boris.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelesnky and BoJo. Boris Johnson sabotaged peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine in April 2022. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian solders died needlessly in the following months.]]<br />
[[File:SBU raids chuch.PNG |right|300px|thumb|Gestapo raid on the Kiev-[[Pechersk Lavra]] monastery, the preeminent center of Christianity since 1051 A.D. Other raids were carried out on the Cyril and Methodius Convent in Transcarpathia, and in Rovno, Vinnitsa, and Zhitomir oblasts looking for "Russian spys" and propaganda.<ref>https://thedreizinreport.com/2022/11/25/dreizin-retires/</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"if Ukraine is ready to sign some agreements on guarantees with Putin, they [the UK and US] are not. Johnson’s position was that the [[Western alliance|collective West]], which back in February had suggested Zelenskyy should surrender and flee, now felt that Putin was not really as powerful as they had previously imagined, and that here was a chance to "press him."<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/western-allies-led-uks-johnson-sabotaged-tentative-ukraine-russia-peace-deal</ref>}}<br />
[[File:Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Ukrainian troops training in North Yorkshire.jpeg|left|300px|thumb|Boris Johnson posing with Ukrainian special forces. Most were killed in an unsuccessful NATO raid on the [[Zaporozhye nuclear power plant]].]]<br />
On October 13, 2022 Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference:<br />
<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We sat at the negotiating table with the Ukrainian delegation until the end of March [2022], when an approach to a settlement on the principles suggested by the Ukrainians at the time had been harmonised in [[Istanbul]]. These principles suited us for that moment but the talks were stopped by direct order from Washington and London.<br />
<br />
This conflict is overrun with [[Anglo-Saxon]]s that fully control the Vladimir Zelensky regime. The Poles and people from the Baltics are trying to fit in on their team.<br />
<br />
Since then the Ukrainian President has said many times that he is not going to hold talks with the Russian Federation under President Vladimir Putin. Recently, he codified this ban in law. We have never sought negotiations. The Istanbul round completed the process started at Ukraine’s request. Russia positively reacted to the proposal to enter a dialogue, but its initiators cut it off with a shout from overseas or London.<br />
<br />
We are hearing statements by [[White House]] representative John Kirby, my colleague Antony Blinken and other members of the US administration. They are saying that they are completely open to talks with the Russian Federation, that they favor a political settlement of the current situation in Ukraine but Russia (the “troublemaker”) is rejecting proposals to establish contact. I can say straight away that this is a lie. We have not received any serious proposals to establish any such contact. There were some attempts that were not very serious, but we didn’t reject them, either. Instead, we suggested that they formulate specific proposals. Some people made them to us by proxy but in this case, we didn’t receive any clear explanations from anyone, either. No need to lie. We were taught in a kindergarten then lying is bad. Apparently, American kindergartens are not so advanced as they were in the [[Soviet Union]] and are now in Russia."}}<br />
<br />
====Escalation====<br />
On June 1, 2022 Russian Deputy Foreign Minister [[Sergey Ryabkov]] told ''RIA Novosti'' news that Biden's decision to arm Ukraine with [[HIMAR]] missile launchers increases the risk of direct confrontation between Russia and the United States. Foreign secretary [[Blinken]] said the weapons, which have a precision range of up to 300 kilometers, were given on the pretext of a promise by Zelensky not to use the HIMARs against Russian territory. However Zelensky's transgender chief propagandist [[Alexei Arestovich]] immediately threatened, "[[Crimea]] is ours…It belongs to Ukraine…And they know it…Therefore, it will fly to Crimea double-time."<ref>https://www.sott.net/article/468500-US-to-allow-Ukraine-to-decide-range-of-missiles-Kiev-threatens-to-strike-Crimea-should-the-need-arise?</ref> Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council [[Dmitry Medvedev]] retorted, “If those types of weapons are used against the territory of Russia, the armed forces of our country will have no other choice but to strike decision-making centers...It is obvious what those decision-making centers are: the defense ministry, the general staff and so on...But it should be understood that, in this case, the ultimate decision-making centers are regretfully not even on the territory of Kiev." <ref>https://tass.com/politics/1459891</ref><br />
<br />
{{Anchor|Tornado Battalion}}<br />
<br />
====Releasing criminal psychopaths====<br />
According to a July 11, 2022 report in Ukrainian media, Ruslan Onishenko, commander of the now-disbanded '''Tornado Battalion''' from the early [[Donbas war]], was freed as part of Zelensky’s scheme to release prisoners with combat experience. Along with an unwavering commitment to fascism, Onishenko is known as a [[psychopath]]ic [[sadist]] who was involved in sexually assaulting children, brutally torturing prisoners, and murder.<ref>https://focus.ua/uk/amp/ukraine/521825-osuzhdennyy-za-pytki-byvshiy-kombat-tornado-onishchenko-vyshel-na-svobodu-eks-nardep</ref> Onishenko’s release follows a February 27, 2022 order by Zelensky to free other convicted former Tornado members like Danil “Mujahed” Lyashuk, a fanatic from Belarus who has openly emulated [[ISIS]] and boasted of torturing captives for sheer enjoyment. According to Zelensky‘s decree, prisoners with combat experience would be allowed to “compensate for their guilt” by fighting in the “hottest spots.”<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10559879/Zelensky-reveals-prisoners-combat-experience-RELEASED-help-defend-Ukraine.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Battle of Bakhmut====<br />
{{See also|Battle of Bakhmut}}<br />
Just as [[der Führer]] of the [[Third Reich]], [[Adolf Hitler]] did during the [[Second World War]], [[Zelensky]] ordered that there be no Ukrainian retreat from the frontline city of [[Bakhmut]], giving no solution to a hopeless situation for the Ukrainian military. Ukrainian officers ensured that by blowing up the one bridge providing an escape route to Slavyansk, Ukrainian soldiers could not retreat.<br />
<br />
''[[Newsweek]]'' spoke with 'former' U.S. Colonel Andrew Milburn who, together with 'volunteers', trained Ukrainian soldiers: "They've been taking extraordinarily high casualties," Milburn said of the units training with the American Mozart PMC. "The numbers you are reading in the media about 70 percent and above casualties being routine are not exaggerated."<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/wagner-group-targeting-volunteers-ukraine-mozart-group-russia-andy-milburn-1765321</ref> A unit with 50% casualties is usually no longer able to fight and withdrawn from combat. But Zelensky left the units on the frontline until nearly nobody was left in them.<br />
[[File:Bakhmut meatginder.jpg|left|225px|thumb|The Bakhmut meatgrinder.]]<br />
Morale fell among Ukrainian forces. A viral video addressed to Gen. Zaluzhny and President Zelensky narrated by a Ukrainian soldier stated:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"I want to send my greetings to AGETHA [[Zaluzhny]] and to our President. How is it going? Are they warm where you are? You say in your videos that everything is fine, that the soldiers do not need anything. We are not only killed by orks (Russians) but also by cold. Where is our aid? The Administration ignores us. The c@@@@@ only threaten us with imprisonment. <br />
<br />
Remember this: We will definitely be back. We will survive. Not just for the victory but to hang you in Kiev, in Maidan Square. Pray that the Russians will arrive first. Then maybe you'll stay alive in jail!"<ref>https://warnews247.gr/o-rosikos-stratos-bike-stin-poli-tou-bakhmut-odomachies-se-katoikimenes-perioches-oukranoi-stratiotes-kata-zelenski-tha-se-kremasoume-sto-kievo/</ref>}}<br />
In the month of February 2023 the Ukrainians lost about 11,000 men in Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.easternherald.com/2023/03/07/prigozhin-said-wagner-pmc-killed-11000-uaf-militants-in-bakhmut-in-february/</ref> During the fall of Bakhmut, where Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky sent thousands of untrained 16-year-olds, middle-aged fathers, and old men, forcibly pressed in service of the [[Kiev regime]] to die senselessly as cannon fodder, [[Germany]]’s top newspaper ''Bild'' reported that Zelensky had a major disagreement with his top general [[Zaluzhny]] regarding the withdrawal, or lack thereof, of Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/03/why-bakhmut-is-falling.html</ref> Gen. Zaluzhny had argued for months to abandon Bakhmut and end the slaughter, however Zelensky did not want to give the appearance to his Western puppet masters that Ukraine was losing ground while he was begging for money before the [[U.S. Congress]].<ref>https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/ukraine-praesident-streitet-mit-general-ueber-die-blutigste-schlacht-des-krieges-83106290.bild.html</ref> Apparently to do damage control, Zelensky quickly released a video statement claiming that it was in fact the general staff (Zaluzhny and [[Syrsky]]) who advised him to defend and reinforce Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/KNTMCWdfONAR/</ref><br />
<br />
As the encirclement closed in an [[AFU]] forces in early March 2023, the Russian forces allowed untrained, conscripted 16-year-olds and elderly men pressed into service by the [[Zelensky regime]] to escape without being killed or captured via the last remaining escape route out of Bakhmut.<ref>https://youtu.be/NmzuuWMsm1k</ref> 10,000 Ukrainian troops were said to be trapped in the cauldron.<ref>[https://youtu.be/zg6HpuW8OYU Russia Claims Bakhmut Cauldron 10k Troops Trapped; West Media Admits Ukraine Losses, Blames Zelensky], Alexander Mercouris, March 6, 2023.</ref><br />
<br />
These are to forces that were decimated in Bakhmut.<ref>https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/sitrep-52023-bakhmut-falls-artemovsk</ref> Most suffered more than 70% casualties against the [[Wagner group]] alone. <br />
<br />
Brigades: 45th Brigade; 43rd Brigade; 26th Brigade; 28th Brigade; 62nd Brigade; 63rd Brigade 53rd Brigade; 60th Brigade; 24th Brigade; 57th Brigade; 30th Brigade; Advance Rubizh Brigade; Advance Azov Brigade; Advance Uragan Brigade; Advance Spartan Brigade; 109th Brigade; 116th Brigade; 119th Brigade; 241st Brigade; 93rd Brigade; 77th Brigade; 46th Brigade; 4th Brigade; 17th Brigade; 61st Brigade of Jaegers; Special Forces and Spetsnaz Regiments; 5th Assault Regiment; 8th Regiment of Special Forces.<br />
<br />
[[Kraken unit|Kraken Battalions]]: 122nd Battalion; 68th Battalion; 214th OPFOR Battalion; 49th Rifle Battalion; 15th Mountain Assault Battalion; Omega; Border Guard Donetsk. <br />
<br />
8th Regiment of the UDAR UAVs: Shershen; Adam; Karlsen; Terra; Madyar; Khartia; Kep; Seneka<br />
<br />
WASP Legions: Dudaev Battalion; Georgian Legion; Mansur Battalion; Shamil Battalion; Gonor; Normandy Legion<br />
<br />
Ukrainian losses were estimated at 100,000-120,000 with 50,000 killed. Russian casualties were estimated at 20,000.<br />
<br />
This is an absolutely enormous commitment (37 brigades, 2 regiments, and 18 separate battalions plus irregular formations like the Georgian Legion) which indicates obviously severe losses.<br />
<br />
====2023 Summer counteroffensive====<br />
{{See also|2023 Summer counteroffensive}}<br />
<br />
====Battle of Avdiivka====<br />
{{See also|Battle of Avdiivka}}<br />
<br />
====Gotterdammerung====<br />
<br />
Simon Schuster of [[TIME magazine]] reported on the grim Führerbunker stage of the conflict in late October 2023:<ref>[https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/time-magazine-profile-depicts-grim TIME Magazine Profile Depicts Grim Führerbunker-Stage of Zelensky's Conflict ], Simplicius the Thinker, November 2, 2023. simplicius76.substack.com</ref><br />
[[File:Friends of America Club.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"To be an enemy of America is dangerous, to be a friend is fatal" - [[Henry Kissinger]]. <ref>[https://sonar21.com/is-zelensky-being-prepped-to-join-the-friends-of-the-u-s-club/ IS ZELENSKY BEING PREPPED TO JOIN THE FRIENDS OF THE U.S. CLUB?], Larry Johnson , 13 November 2023. sonar21.com</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The usual sparkle of his optimism, his sense of humor, his tendency to liven up a meeting in the war room with a bit of banter or a bawdy joke, none of that has survived into the second year of all-out war. “Now he walks in, gets the updates, gives the orders, and walks out,” says one longtime member of his team. Another tells me that, most of all, Zelensky feels betrayed by his [[Western alliance|Western allies]]. They have left him without the means to win the war, only the means to survive it.<br />
<br />
<br />
But his convictions haven’t changed. Despite the recent setbacks on the battlefield, he does not intend to give up fighting or to sue for any kind of peace. On the contrary, his belief in Ukraine’s ultimate victory over Russia has hardened into a form that worries some of his advisers. It is immovable, verging on the messianic. “He deludes himself,” one of his closest aides tells me in frustration. “We’re out of options. We’re not winning. But try telling him that.”<br />
<br />
[...]<br />
<br />
“We’re not moving forward,” says one of Zelensky’s close aides. Some front-line commanders, he continues, have begun refusing orders to advance, even when they came directly from the office of the President. “They just want to sit in the trenches and hold the line,” he says. “But we can’t win a war that way.”<br />
<br />
When I raised these claims with a senior military officer, he said that some commanders have little choice in second-guessing orders from the top. At one point in early October [2023], he said, the political leadership in Kyiv demanded an operation to “retake” the city of [[Horlivka]], a strategic outpost in [[eastern Ukraine]] that the Russians have held and fiercely defended for nearly a decade [sic].<ref>The Russians did not enter the civil conflict until February 24, 2022. [[Gorlivka]] was held by the [[Donbas]] militia since July 2024. Even in this first, mostly accurate report on the real situation in the Ukraine war, Western media [[propagandist]]s still cannot break their instinctive habit of deliberate misrepresentations and outright lies to inform Western readers about Russia and the situation on the front.</ref> The answer came back in the form of a question: With what? “They don’t have the men or the weapons,” says the officer. “Where are the weapons? Where is the artillery? Where are the new recruits?”<ref>[https://time.com/6329188/ukraine-volodymyr-zelensky-interview/ ‘Nobody Believes in Our Victory Like I Do.’ Inside Volodymyr Zelensky’s Struggle to Keep Ukraine in the Fight], BY SIMON SHUSTER, OCTOBER 30, 2023.</ref>}}<br />
Alexander Mercouris of ''The Duran'' also gave an insightful review of the ''TIME'' magazine piece.<ref>[https://youtu.be/rVcvizqrjvQ?t=3637 Israel Operation Gaza; UN BRICS versus US; Zelensky Deluded, Ukr Defeated, Ukr Troops Demoralised], Alexander Mercouris, November 1, 2023. YouTube</ref> The consensus among observers was that the [[CIA]] was ready to throw Zelensky overboard, and perhaps [[Zaluzhny]] as well, and the ''TIME'' magazine piece along with other recent [[MSM]] reports were preparing the American public for the eventual 'cut and run' option of the United States.<br />
<br />
On November 9, 2023 Zelensky commented on the multiple [[geopolitical]] crisis engulfing the planet:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Looking at all these wars, looking at all the crises not only Ukraine, but in [[Africa]], in the [[Middle East]]...Sometimes I am looking at these and think that the best way if this [[planet]] will be the planet of [[dog]]s...Sometimes I don’t understand [[people]], really."<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/zelenskiy-hopes-planet-dogs-solve-180258493.html Zelenskiy hopes for "planet of dogs" to solve world's crises], November 8, 2023, ''[[Reuters]]''. yahoo.com</ref>}}<br />
American journalist Yves Smith observed in nakedcapitalism.com, "What is striking about the current state of play is not simply that Ukraine is losing the war with Russia, and it’s just a matter of time before Russia dictates terms, but that the Ukraine government is acting in ways that benefits the Russian military, to the destruction of what is left of its [[society]] and [[economy]]”.<ref>[https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/ukraine-end-game-putin-medvedev-discuss-maps-putting-kiev-menu Ukraine End Game: Putin and Medvedev Discuss Maps, Putting Kiev on the Menu], Yves Smith, November 20, 2023. www.zerohedge.com</ref> By late November 2023 it appeared that NATO’s [[proxy war]] on Russia was winding down faster than expected with major [[MSM]] outlets like the [[BBC]], ''[[Politico]]'', the ''[[Washington Post]]'', and the ''[[Financial Times]]'' all becoming very critical of Ukraine and Zelensky.<ref>[https://thealtworld.com/andrew_korybko/natos-proxy-war-on-russia-through-ukraine-appears-to-be-winding-down NATO’s Proxy War On Russia Through Ukraine Appears To Be Winding Down], ANDREW KORYBKO, 22 NOV 23. thealtworld.com</ref> A poll by ''[[The Economist]]'' showed Zelensky's approval rating down to 32% while [[Gen. Zaluzhny]] enjoyed a solid 70% backing. [[Kirill Budanov]], who proudly runs the [[SBU]]'s assassination program, scored 45%.<ref>[https://archive.is/l9tDz Russia is poised to take advantage of political splits in Ukraine], ''The Economist'', Nov 28th 2023. www.economist.com</ref><br />
[[File:Zelensky January 2024.PNG|left|300px|thumb|As casualties mounted to over a half million in the Ukraine armed forces, Zelensky and Western NATO leaders became increasingly delusional.<ref>https://americarenewing.com/issues/primer-its-time-for-a-negotiated-settlement-for-ukraine/</ref>]]<br />
By December 2023 the clown president who played the piano with his private parts sidelined military experts and Gen. Zaluzhny to assume direct command of Ukrainian forces himself.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/zelenskyy-reportedly-forms-direct-links-123500465.html Zelenskyy reportedly forms direct links to top Ukrainian commanders, risks sidelining army chief Zaluzhnyi], ''The New Voice of Ukraine'', December 4, 2023. yahoo.com</ref> [[Kyiv]] mayor [[Vitali Klitschko]] accused Zelensky of being an [[authoritarian]] [[autocrat]] who lied about the war.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2023/12/05/news/ukraines-zelensky-is-turning-into-an-autocrat-claims-kyiv-mayor/ Zelensky turning Ukraine into authoritarian state just like Russia, says Kyiv mayor in shocking interview], Snejana Farberov, ''[[New York Post]]'', Dec. 5, 2023. nypost.com.</ref><ref>[https://news.antiwar.com/2023/12/05/kyiv-mayor-says-zelensky-is-an-authoritarian-and-lying-about-war/ Kyiv Mayor Says Zelensky Is an Authoritarian and Lying About War], by Dave DeCamp, December 5, 2023. antiwar.com</ref> Journalist-in-exile [[Anatoly Shariy]] said "the war is lost". The [[Security Service of Ukraine]], euphemistically known as the [[Ukrainian gestapo]], alleged former President [[Petro Poroshenko]], whom Zelensky defeated in the 2019 presidential election, and Hungarian prime minister [[Victor Orban]] were [[colluding]] together in a "Russian plot".<ref>https://korybko.substack.com/p/ukraines-political-intrigue-deepens</ref> Former Zelensky regime chief propagandist [[Alexei Arestovich]], himself mentioned as a Zelensky replacement stated, "In the conflict of the [[globalist]]s and [[realist]]s, we made the bet on the wrong side. We kind of shed [[blood]] to end up in the losing camp."<ref>[https://vk.com/video-221265170_456312797?ysclid=lpu4zv4q7i273278023 BOMBSHELL: Ukraine is on the wrong side, says Arestovich!], December 5, 2023. PRAVDA EN</ref><br />
<br />
Biden summoned Zelensky to [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] on December 11, 2023 which was widely billed as the clown's final encore.<ref>[https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/zelensky-circus-comes-to-town-for Zelensky Circus Comes to Town for One Last Encore], SIMPLICIUS THE THINKER, DEC 12, 2023. simplicius76.substack.com</ref><ref>[https://gordonhahn.com/2023/12/11/sad-clown-with-the-circus-closed-down-zelenskiys-demise/ Sad Clown with the Circus Closed Down: Zelenskiy’s Demise], Gordon Hahn, December 11, 2023. gordonhahn.com</ref><ref>[https://aearnur.substack.com/p/zelenskyy-the-months-ahead-and-the ZELENSKY, AUTHOR OF HIS OWN DEMISE… AND JUST POSSIBLY OF HIS ENTIRE NATION], AEARNUR, DEC 11, 2023. aearnur.substack.com</ref><ref>[https://unherd.com/2023/12/is-this-the-end-for-zelenskyy/ Is this the end for Zelenskyy? The Ukrainian president is facing calls for regime change], BY THOMAS FAZI, December 12, 2023. unherd.com</ref><ref>[https://youtu.be/XKZ7qpBsOyg Zelensky Facing 'Perfect Storm' After Failed U.S. Fundraiser w/ Mark Sleboda], Rachel Blevins, Dec 13, 2023. YouTube</ref> While in D.C., soldiers of the Ukrainian 119th Territorial Defense Brigade released a video informing Zelensky they will no longer fight for him, and revealing: “We have not undergone any elementary training, even in terms of handling weapons...We have not seen officers and sergeant-contractors in position, only mobsters...It feels like we were thrown into the abyss...If it goes on like this, then the gene pool of the country will be destroyed....If you don't care about us, we don't care about you."<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/St8RXrtsfk8G/ MUTINY IN THE AFU 119TH BRIGADE], Dec 11, 2023.</ref><br />
<br />
In an interview with New Voice radio on January 8, 2024 Chairman of the [[Rada]] Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence Roman Kostenko said Zelensky is a "political corpse". Kostenko, who is also an [[SBU]] colonel, said Zelensky had withdrawn from negotiations on a new, controversial draft mobilization bill by trying to pass blame for the unpopular legislation unto others. Kostenko said Zelensky is more concerned about his approval ratings than preserving the state. Should another presidential election ever be held, Zelensky would not be re-elected. <ref>[https://westobserver.com/news/europe/the-rada-announced-the-political-death-of-zelensky/</ref><br />
<br />
===Nuclear blackmail===<br />
Volodymyr Zelensky suggested to world leaders at the Munich Summit in February 2022, before the Russian incursion, that Ukraine obtain nuclear weapons.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/22/ukraine-zelensky-seeks-end-russia-diplomatic-ties-after-hinting-pursuing-nuclear-weapons/</ref> Reports already indicated that the Zelensky regime was building, or had built, a [[dirty bomb]].<ref>http://eu.eot.su/2022/03/06/source-kiev-has-been-developing-a-dirty-bomb-in-the-chernobyl-npp-zone/</ref><br />
<br />
====Shelling Zaporozhye nuclear power plant====<br />
{{See also|Zaporozhye nuclear power plant}}<br />
[[File:Campbell propaganda.PNG|right|500px|thumb|'''Western propaganda and nuclear terrorism.''' Dr. John Campbell, a [[Youtube]]r with 2.4 million followers, deliberately mislocates the location of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant to his followers showing it outside Russian control.<ref>https://youtu.be/8JKoTpKj9RM?t=96</ref> The red markings show the plant's actual location. Zelensky and Western propagandists claimed the Russians were firing on themselves to create a nuclear hazard.<ref>https://youtu.be/b28sN1tcbgI</ref>]]<br />
Zelensky repeatedly ordered his troops to fire on the Zaporozhye nuclear facility, while publicly blaming Russian forces for creating a nuclear threat, in the hopes of gaining sympathy from the West in the form of money and material and direct NATO or UN peacekeeper intervention.<br />
<br />
On March 4, 2022 Zelensky and his officials claimed that Russian tanks were shooting at nuclear units at the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) located in the town of Energodar. Zelensky branded it “nuclear terrorism."<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10575179/Russian-troops-fire-Ukrainian-civilians-protecting-Europes-largest-nuclear-plant.html</ref> He previously claimed the Russian capture of Chernobyl posed an imminent threat to “the whole of Europe.”<ref>https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3ec679e8-79b3-42dd-a1c3-a31f4c177e97_720x560.jpeg</ref> But that was untrue as well.<ref>https://twitter.com/energybants/status/1496895177499156509</ref><br />
<br />
Zapaorozhye was different, though. Here was the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. “Russian tanks are shooting at the nuclear blocks. These are tanks equipped with thermal imagers, so they know what they are aiming at,” Zelensky said. “Only immediate action by Europe can stop Russian troops. Do not allow the death of Europe from the catastrophe at the nuclear power plant.” ''Korrespondent'', one of Ukraine’s biggest newspapers, reported that, according to Zelensky, he had discussed the situation with Joe Biden, German Chancellor [[Olaf Scholz]] and the head of the European Council, Charles Michel. Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal also called on NATO to create a no-fly zone and “close the skies” over the facility. “It is a question of security of the whole world.” An unidentified Ukrainian official said radiation levels had risen in the area.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20220304025346/https://korrespondent.net/ukraine/4453959-obstrel-zaes-zelenskyi-pryzval-evropu-prosnutsia</ref><br />
<br />
According to the ''Associated Press''<ref>https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-a3092d8e476949ed7c55607a645a9154</ref> and ''Reuters'',<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraine-nuclear-reactors-being-safely-shut-down-us-energy-official-2022-03-04/</ref><ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/ukraine-crisis-nuclear-plant-radiation/radiation-level-unchanged-at-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant-ria-idINL2N2V704S</ref> they lied.<br />
<br />
Mark Nelson, managing director at Radiant Energy Fund, noted that Zelensky’s claims were deliberately misleading.<ref>https://twitter.com/energybants/status/1499573995657646106</ref> Canadian nuclear arms expert Claire Wählen said the same.<ref>https://twitter.com/Claire_Wahlen/status/1499552935470149652</ref> So dangerous was this lie that the U.S. State Department sent out an urgent message to all American embassies in Europe, instructing them to not share a tweet by the U.S. Embassy in Kiev claiming that Russia was trying to blow up the nuclear power plant.<ref>https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F515d16ed-dadb-41ec-a376-2d4c25969552_720x1006.jpeg</ref><br />
<br />
The fact that there was fighting around the facility suggests that the Ukrainian military had deliberately engaged Russian troops from that location. Combat footage appears to show Ukrainian forces firing rockets from the nuclear power facility, which reportedly sparked return fire from Russian troops.<ref>https://twitter.com/ClintEhrlich/status/1499589355513417733</ref> A training center over a mile away from the 6 nuclear reactors were set on fire in the Russian response.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekWRes-pAD4&t=442s</ref><br />
<br />
On July 12, 2022 the AFU again targeted the Zaporozhye nuclear plant. Russian forces have been in control of the plant, with Ukrainian technicians still operating it, since February 2022. The nuclear plant is the largest in Europe with six reactors. The attack was complex, involving drone and artillery fire. The Ukrainian Army used six kamikaze drones conducting reconnaissance mission over the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant and the city heating and water supply plant in Energodar. The UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) dropped two mines near the power plant, which reportedly did not cause any significant damage. Another drone was heading in the direction of residential buildings in Energodar, its course may have been corrected. The UAV attack was thwarted, none of the six drones reached their targets, and the air defense of the Zaporozhye region successfully prevented the attack. The Ukrainians earlier launched a false flag attack against the plant in March 2022. <br />
<br />
On July 18, 2022 Ukraine again attacked the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, this time with three kamikaze drones.<ref>https://youtu.be/S7lEXNC_O80</ref><ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/OkuFVXm1V25q/</ref><br />
<br />
Beginning on August 5, 2022 the 44th brigade of the AFU stationed in Nikopol, 18 kilometers across the Dnieper River, increased shelling of the Zaporozhye nuclear plant. Kiev forces used a British-made Brimstone missile in one of the attacks. The situation was compounded by HIMAR attacks on the hydroelectric plant at the Nova Kakhovka dam, which provides electricity for the nuclear plant's vital cooling system. The political motive for shelling a nuclear power is reported to be motivated by upcoming referendums in September 2022 for the former Ukrainian oblasts of Zaporozhye and Kherson to join the Russian Federation. The Kyiv regime is attempting to intimidate the local population. Russia asked the [[Atomic Energy Commission]] to look into the matter.<br />
<br />
====Ukrainian dirty nuke====<br />
{{See also|Radiological dispersal device}}<br />
In March 2022 Russia accused Ukraine of gathering nuclear waste from the [[Chernobyl disaster site]] for use in a [[nuclear dirty bomb]].<ref>https://www.india.com/news/world/what-is-nuclear-dirty-bomb-that-russia-claims-ukraine-is-making-in-chernobyl-5271056/</ref><br />
[[Image:Chornobyl radiation96.jpg|200px|right|thumb|Radiation-affected areas from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant as of 1996]]<br />
On October 19, 2022 UK defense minister Ben Wallace flew to [[Washington, D.C.]] to discuss an important matter face-to-face with unknown persons that could not be handled over NATO's regular electronic secure communications. Neither Washington nor the UK defense ministry issued a press release on the substance of the discussions. On October 21, Russian defense minister Sergey Shoigu had his first phone call with US defense minister [[Lloyd Austin]] since May 2022. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense read out on the call, the two "discussed issues of international security, including the situation in Ukraine."<br />
<br />
On October 23, 2022 at 1:30 PM [[Moscow]] time it was reported that Russian defense minister Shoigu conveyed to his [[France|French]] counterpart his concerns about possible provocations by Ukraine with the use of a nuclear dirty bomb. At 2:46 PM local time another update from the Russian Ministery of Defense (MOD) reported that defense minister Shoigu conveyed to his [[Turkish]] counterpart his concerns about a possible provocation with the use of a dirty bomb. At 5 PM local time there was a third conversation between the Russian defense minister and the minister of defense of the [[United Kingdom]] about the possible provocation by Ukraine with a dirty nuclear bomb. At 6:30 PM local time there was a final conversation between Shoigu and the Biden minister defense.<br />
<br />
Russian media reported that according to credible sources in various countries - including in Ukraine - the [[Kyiv regime]] is preparing a provocation on its territory related to the detonation of the so-called "[[dirty bomb]]" or low-yield [[nuclear weapon]]. The purpose of the provocation is to accuse Russia of using [[weapons of mass destruction]].<ref>https://seemorerocks.is/what-russian-media-is-saying/</ref> According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Volodymyr Zelensky has been in contact with the [[UK]] "to obtain nuclear weapons technology," Lieutenant-General Igor Kirillov, Chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops of the Russian Armed Forces said on October 23, 2022. Gen. Kirillov alleged that the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) plan on using a [[false flag]] provocation to detonate a "dirty bomb," a nuclear weapon with explosives, such as dynamite, with [[radioactive]] powder or pellets. The provocation was being prepared to subsequently accuse Russia of using weapons of mass destruction. "We have information about the contacts of the office of the President of Ukraine with representatives of [[Great Britain]] regarding the possibility to obtain a [[technology]] to build nuclear weapons,” Gen. Kirillov said.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/zelenskyy-contacted-uk-to-obtain-nuclear-technology-claims-russias-defence-ministry-articleshow.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Ukraine missile attack on Poland====<br />
[[File:FT Zelensky.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The globalist mouthpiece ''Financial Times'' of London, which led the world in spreading Russophobia and cheerleading for war, openly criticized Zelensky's lying about Ukraine's false flag attack on a NATO ally to incite direct NATO involvement with troops and risk global thermonuclear war.<ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/11/ukraine-open-thread-2022-201.html</ref>]]<br />
On November 15, 2022 two Ukrainian [[S-300]] missiles, alleged to have been launched to shoot down a Russian [[cruise missile]], were fired westward and hit a Polish grain storage facility, killing two civilians. The Polish government, Ukrainian government, the ''[[Associated Press]]'',<ref>https://apnews.com/article/nato-ap-news-alert-europe-poland-government-and-politics-ba48101fd25c86e68e57dc56fe2adf80</ref> most of all Western propaganda media and so-called national security and intelligence experts called for invoking NATO Article 5.<ref>https://twitter.com/anders_aslund/status/1592616431291535360</ref> Zelensky advisor [[Mykhailo Podolyak]] declared that the strikes came from Russia. Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba claimed Russian denials were a [[conspiracy theory]] and that “No one should buy Russian propaganda or amplify its messages."<ref>https://twitter.com/DmytroKuleba/status/1592632386751434752?s=20&t=TtnVQsVODlidTZoknWqWpg</ref> Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky on a video call to [[G20]] summit leaders meeting in [[Indonesia]] told them that the attack was deliberate by Russia and that the missiles were a “true statement brought by Russia for the G20 summit.”<ref>[https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/ukraine/zelensky-the-liar-he-will-be-remembered-by-history-like-hitler/ Zelensky the Liar – He Will Be Remembered by History like Hitler], by Martin Armstrong, November 16, 2022.</ref> Zelensky tweeted to the world that the “Russian attack on collective security in the Euro-Atlantic is a significant escalation” of the conflict.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/15/world/kyiv-strikes-russia-zelensky-peace-intl/index.html</ref><br />
<br />
However an AWAC radar plane and other ISR aircraft (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) regularly flying in the region, and ground radar, tracked the missiles' trajectory and determined the Kyiv regime had launched the missiles. That did not prevent an anonymous "senior U.S. intelligence official" from reporting to the ''Associated Press'' that Russia had fired the missiles at Poland.<ref>https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2022/11/16/how-a-lightly-sourced-ap-story-almost-set-of-world-war-iii/</ref> The [[fake news]] story was disseminated globally, as all fake news stories emanating from Kyiv, and its CIA counterparts in Kyiv, have been disseminated globally to world media for the entirety of 2022 and late 2021.<br />
<br />
When called out on the [[lie]]s, Ukrainian dictator Volodymyr Zelensky doubled down. Both socialist premier Joe Biden and NATO chief warlord Jens Stoltenberg blamed Ukraine for the attack. Zelensky refuted the Western leaders' statements that the missile which killed two innocent civilians in Poland was Ukrainian. "I have no doubt that it was not our missile or our missile strike."<ref>https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2022/11/16/7376663/</ref> Zelensky insisted that he received reports from the corrupt Armed Forces of Ukraine command that told him "the missile attacks did not come from Ukraine", he told the people in a live nationwide address on Ukrainian state-controlled media.<ref>https://youtu.be/yY4pBNt3hPU</ref> The Russophobic ''Financial Times'' of London quoted a [[diplomat]] from a NATO country in Kyiv saying: “This is getting ridiculous. The Ukrainians are destroying [our] confidence in them. Nobody is blaming Ukraine and they are openly lying. This is more destructive than the missile.”<ref>https://archive.ph/mxQ5K#selection-2029.34-2029.282</ref><br />
<br />
''[[Newsweek]]'' reported Zelensky almost started World War III.<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/volodymyr-zelensky-accused-trying-start-world-war-iii-over-poland-missile-strike-1760125</ref> Former French presidential candidate Nicolas Dupont-Aignan tweeted “By launching a missile at Poland and accusing the Russians, Zelensky almost triggered World War III...Let’s stop supporting this dangerous man...We should urgently make up a peace plan” Former [[Japan]]ese prime minister Yoshiro Mori criticized Zelensky and the media saying, "I don't quite understand why only President Putin is criticized while Mr. Zelenskyy isn't taken to task at all. Mr Zelenskyy has made many Ukrainian people suffer." Mori criticized Japanese news outlets, saying their "one-sided" reporting on the NATO war in Ukraine gives the impression they "only rely on reports from Europe and the United States."<ref>https://japantoday.com/category/politics/ex-japan-pm-harsh-on-zelenskyy-over-war-in-ukraine</ref><br />
<br />
===Interference in US elections===<br />
{{See also|Ukraine aid|FTX scandal}}<br />
[[File:NYT FTX.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Speakers at the ''New York Times'' event, Bankman-Fried, Zelensky, Fink, and Yellen.<ref>https://www.nytco.com/press/the-new-york-times-to-host-annual-dealbook-summit-on-nov-30/</ref>]]<br />
Tens of billions of dollars in American Military Aid to Ukraine, which was allegedly to be used to fight [[Russia]], was cash that [[Ukraine]] did not use to fight Russia, but instead invested into FTX [[cryptocurrency]] exchange. Ukraine was receiving money from the US, Ukraine sent it to FTX, and FTX sent it to Democrats, who originally voted to send it to Ukraine. It appears to be pure [[criminal]] [[money-laundering]], and a criminal [[conspiracy]] to violate [[campaign finance]] laws.<br />
<br />
The CEO of FTX, [[Sam Bankman-Fried]], was the #2 donor to the [[Democrats]] in the [[2022 Midterm elections]], second only to [[George Soros]].<ref>https://thepostmillennial.com/revealed-ceo-of-cratering-crypto-firm-ftx-is-dems-second-largest-donor-behind-soros</ref><br />
<br />
FTX's [[bankruptcy]] filing on November 12, 2022 revealed that FTX suffered from $10-$50 billion in [[liability|liabilities]] with almost zero assets. <br />
<br />
Among those liabilities are “investments” made by the [[Zelensky regime]].<br />
<br />
Up until its bankruptcy filing, FTX was a 'partner' with the [[World Economic Forum]] (WEF).<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/investigations/2022/11/14/world-economic-forum-removes-ftx-promotion-as-a-partner-from-its-website/</ref> The FTX [[CEO]]'s aunt, Linda Fried, is on the board of the WEF.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/investigations/2022/11/14/ftx-founders-aunt-on-board-of-world-economic-forum-dem-super-pac-leadership/</ref> Sam Bankman-Fried's mother, Barbara Fried, is the founder and president of a [[left-wing]] Super PAC called ‘Mind the Gap’ (MTG), "dedicated to helping Democratic political candidates win [[election]]s. The PAC earns millions of dollars in donations primarily from [[Silicon Valley]] executives 'who are keen on quietly funneling massive political donations into the [[Democratic Party]]'. The mission of MTG is to “empower private political donors to strengthen our democracy by providing them with evidence-based guidance on the electoral strategies, tactics, and programs that are likely to achieve the greatest impact in a given election”, according to Influence Watch.<ref>https://www.influencewatch.org/political-party/mind-the-gap/</ref> Bankman-Fried’s brother, Gabe runs an organization called Guarding Against Pandemics, which is financed by Sam Bankman-Fried.<ref>https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/guarding-against-pandemics/</ref><br />
<br />
===Palace intrigues===<br />
{{See also|Zelensky purges}}<br />
[[File:Zelensky Vogue.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky: A day without 600 dead is a wasted day.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/RTnews/photos/a.10150144237704411/10160908667869411/?type=3</ref>]]<br />
In July 2022 Zelensky's Western [[agent handling|intelligence handler]] [[Boris Johnson]] was ousted as prime minister of [[UK]]. Soon thereafter, Ukrainian-born U.S. congresswoman [[Victoria Spartz]] urged Zelensky to fire his [[chief of staff]] [[Andrei Yermak]] for corruption. Western delivered arms had been disappearing without ever making it to the frontlines,<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/oZGOUDGZn1FL/</ref> including Javelin missiles, British NLAWs, and German Panzerfausts. A French built CEASER self-propelled artillery piece was sold to allied Russian forces for $120,000 as were US built HIMARs for $800,000.<br />
<br />
Accusations of "[[zrada]]" flew, and Zelensky attempted to fire Gestapo chief [[Ivan Bakanov]], a childhood friend and television comedy producer, and chief procurator Iryna Venediktova. Kyiv news reports had to walk back the firings as mere suspensions, then the parliament acted to remove the pair as scapegoats related to all the corruption charges. In early June 2022, a former deputy of Bakanov was detained in [[Serbia]], as he tried to illegally transfer emeralds, 600 thousand [[euro]]s and 125 thousand dollars across the border. Shortly before the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, Bakanov and his friend left Ukraine with $2 billion dollars in cash. In May 2022 Bakanov and his deputy were still buying real estate in Europe.<br />
<br />
In addition to the removal of Bakanov and Venediktova, an additional 651 criminal cases were launched. A missile strike at the Officers’ House in Vinnitsa while Ukrainian and foreign military officials held negotiations resulted in a large group of high-ranking officers of the Ukrainian Air Force were destroyed. Apparently, the strike led to casualties among the foreign officers, and Kyiv was forced by its western partners to punish top security officials who were responsible for the [[leak]] of information.<br />
<br />
The deputy head of the security service [[Vasily Malyuk]] was appointed as the new acting chief of the Security service. Chief of staff Yermak, alleged to be a Russian operative however, survived the firings.<ref>https://spartz.house.gov/media/press-releases/spartz-president-zelensky-must-address-yermak-issue</ref><br />
<br />
In the wake of revelations of attempts to bribe Russian pilots to convince them to defect, which involved bellingcat.com owner Christo Grozev, Zelensky fired first Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Ruslan Demchenko and commander of Special Operations Forces (SSO) Hryhoriy Halahan. Danchenko was replaced with Viktor Horenko.<br />
<br />
''[[The Economist]]'' reported on November 1, 2023:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“General Zaluzhny’s assessment is sobering: there is no sign that a technological breakthrough, whether in drones or in [[electronic warfare]], is around the corner. And technology has its limits. Even in the [[first world war]], the arrival of [[tank]]s in 1917 was not sufficient to break the deadlock on the battlefield. It took a suite of technologies, and more than a decade of tactical innovation, to produce the [[German]] [[blitzkrieg]] in May 1940. The implication is that Ukraine is stuck in a long war—one in which he acknowledges Russia has the advantage. Nevertheless, he insists that Ukraine has no choice but to keep the initiative by remaining on the offensive, even if it only moves by a few metres a day.”<ref>[https://consortiumnews.com/2023/11/07/is-an-end-game-in-sight-for-ukraine/ Is an End Game in Sight for Ukraine?], By Tony Kevin, ''Consortium News'', November 7, 2023. consortiumnews.com</ref>}}<br />
[[TIME magazine]] did a cover story on Ukrainian dictator [[Volodymyr Zelensky]] exposing some “politically inconvenient” truths about Ukraine, particularly that some front-line commanders were refusing suicidal orders to advance even when they come from Zelensky's office.<ref>[https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/10/the-war-is-lost-zelenski-will-leave-the-white-house-has-failed.html The War Is Lost - Zelenski Will Leave - The White House Has Failed], Moon of Alabama, October 31, 2023.</ref> Zaluzhnyi's comments directly undermined Zelensky's bid for billions more in US assistance.<ref>[https://weapons.substack.com/p/was-the-death-of-zaluzhnys-military Was the death of Zaluzhny's Military Aide an Assassination?], STEPHEN BRYEN, NOV 7, 2023. weapons.substack.com</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' did a rare act of factual reporting in an article entitled, ''Zelensky Rebuke of Top General Signals Rift in Ukrainian Leadership'', normalizing discussion of the Zelesnky-Zaluzhny rivalry which hitherto had been dismissed as a "[[conspiracy theory]]".<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/the-new-york-times-wants-everyone The New York Times Wants Everyone To Know About The Growing Zelensky-Zaluzhny Rivalry], Andrew Korybko, NOV 5, 2023. korybko.substack.com</ref> Zaluzhnyi, who is seen as a potential candidate for president,<ref>[https://www.world-today-news.com/the-west-considers-commander-in-chief-valery-zaluzhny-as-potential-presidential-candidate-in-ukraine/ The West Considers Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny as Potential Presidential Candidate in Ukraine], ''World News Today'', October 20, 2023.</ref> was publicly told to keep his mouth shut. Zelensky then cancelled elections and extended martial law for another 90 days.<ref>[https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/11/ukraine-sitrep-assassinations-election-talk-language-war.html Ukraine SitRep: Assassinations, Election Talk, Language War], Moon of Alabama, November 07, 2023. www.moonofalabama.org</ref> On November 6, 2023 a personal aide to Zaluzhny, Major Gennady Chestyakov was blown up by a grenade delivered to him via birthday present.<ref>[https://simplicius76.substack.com/p/marching-toward-a-night-of-the-long Marching Toward a Night of the Long Knives in Ukraine], Simplicius, NOV 7, 2023. simplicius76.substack.com </ref><br />
<br />
====Hunt for fall guys====<br />
<br />
Disagreements between Zelensky and the command of the Ukrainian army over the conduct of military operations became apparent. In particular, the military reportedly believed that it was necessary to retreat on several fronts, while Zelensky insisted that no retreats were possible. As a result, the Armed Forces of Ukraine suffered heavy losses in manpower on the front lines. As the situation deteriorated, the hunt for fall guys to blame the loss on ensued.<br />
[[File:Poroshenko CNN 2.2m views.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky had [[CNN]] Nazi darling [[Petro Poroshenko]] arrested while Poroshenko was on his way to a meeting with NATO leaders on May 28, 2022.<ref>https://www.yahoo.com/video/former-ukrainian-president-stopped-polish-085100277.html</ref>]]<br />
Suffering heavy losses on the front lines, the Kiev regime attempts to stop the outflow of civilians who can be conscripted into the military. The Ukrainian General Staff declared a ban on leaving their place of residence for men of military age without the permission of the military enlistment office during the period of martial law.<br />
<br />
On July 5, 2022 a bill was submitted to parliament clarifying the procedure for the departure of conscripts and reservists from their place of residence within Ukraine.<br />
<br />
On February 26, 2023 it was reported that Zelensky fired Major General Eduard Moskalyov, Commander Joint Forces of Ukraine with no reason given.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-fires-top-ukrainian-military-commander-no-reason-given-2023-02-26/</ref> Moskalyov was said to be the fall guy for Zelensky's disastrous leadership and decision to keep feeding human lives into the [[Bakhmut meatgrinder]] when he knew all was lost.<br />
<br />
During the fall of the [[Bakhmut meatgrinder]] where Zelensky sent thousands of untrained 16-year-olds, middle-aged fathers, and old men to die senselessly as cannon fodder, [[Germany]]’s top newspaper ''Bild'' reported that Zelensky had a major disagreement with his top general [[Zaluzhny]] regarding the withdrawal, or lack thereof, of Bakhmut. Gen. Zaluzhny had argued for months to abandon Bakhmut and end the slaughter, however Zelensky did not want to give the appearance to his Western puppet masters that Ukraine was losing ground while he was begging for money before the [[U.S. Congress]].<ref>https://www.bild.de/politik/ausland/politik-ausland/ukraine-praesident-streitet-mit-general-ueber-die-blutigste-schlacht-des-krieges-83106290.bild.html</ref> Apparently to do damage control, Zelensky quickly released a video statement claiming that it was in fact the general staff (Zaluzhny and [[Syrsky]]) who advised him to defend and reinforce Bakhmut.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/KNTMCWdfONAR/</ref><br />
<br />
====The Great Purge====<br />
In mid-January 2023 CIA director [[William Burns]] travelled to Kyiv for a secret meeting with Ukrainian dictator Vladimir Zelensky.<ref>https://archive.is/5Z3qz</ref> Prior to Burns arrival, the SBU and Department of the Interior had already put a bullet in the back of the head of Zelensky’s top negotiator with Russia, Denys Kiryeyev. Shortly after Dir. Burns left Kyiv, on the morning of January 18, 2023 a helicopter crashed in the town of Brovary in the eastern outskirts of Kiev region, killing the entire leadership of the Department of the Interior. According to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, killed in the crash were Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Denis Monastyrsky; First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Yevhen Enin; State Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Yuriy Lubkovich; Deputy Head of the Patronage Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Tatiana Shutyak; Head of the Department of Protection of the Department of Internal Security of the National Police of Ukraine, Colonel Mikhail Pavlushko; Lead Inspector of the Department of Communications Nikolay Anatsky; Senior Operative of the Department of Internal Security of the Police of Ukraine Andriy Marinchenko; helicopter commander Alexander Vasilenko; pilot Konstantin Kovalenko; and on-board mechanic Ivan Kasyanov.<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2023-01-18-the-ministry-of-internal-affairs-of-ukraine-published-a-list-of-employees-of-the-ministry-who-died-in-a-helicopter-crash.HkeiifFBso.html</ref> The helicopter was a French built Eurocopter EC225 LP Super Puma or its equivalent. Witnesses said that the helicopter was spinning and burning in the air before crashing into a kindergarten.<ref>https://twitter.com/JohnEdgarCarter/status/1616088161771261953</ref><br />
<br />
According to Hacker DPR Joker:<br />
[[File:Budanov.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Kyrylo Budanov.<ref>https://kurtnimmo.substack.com/p/ukraines-intelligence-boss-predicts</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine had long been aware that the leadership of the Ministry of Defense was trading Western arms, which came to Ukraine in the form of aid, for the benefit of third countries, and that this process was overseen directly by the head of the [[GUR]], [[Budanov]]. By the way, this information has already surfaced somewhere.<br />
<br />
The leadership of the Interior Ministry wanted their share and began collecting data through their structural units, which are associated with intelligence and surveillance. As a result, they managed to obtain evidence and began blackmailing. The military bosses promised a share to the police leadership, and the first tranche was paid. But it was pointless and unprofitable to pay any further.<br />
<br />
In addition, the insolence of the minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who had his head in the wrong place, was putting the military leadership under strain. And now the day had come when the kids from the GUR were able to demonstrate their skills. But that is not all. The sanction for this was given personally by [[Yermak]], who is also in on the secret from the supreme narcissistic clown, Zelensky.<ref>https://sonar21.com/are-the-ukrainian-political-elite-starting-to-eat-each-other/</ref>}}<br />
On January 24, 2023 the Kyiv regime confirmed the removal of some dozen high ranking officials in cases ranging from [[bribery]], to mismanagement of aid funds for purchasing [[food]], to [[embezzlement]], to spending aid money on expensive cars. Another top presidential adviser and four deputy ministers – including two defense officials, along with five regional governors were forced out of their posts. And among the regional governors to step down included officials overseeing regions which have seen intense fighting, including the [[Zaporozhye]] and [[Kherson]] regions. Among those removed were:<br />
*Deputy Prosecutor General Oleskiy Symonenko<br />
*Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Ivan Lukeryu<br />
*Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories Vyacheslav Negoda<br />
*Deputy Minister for Social Policy Vitaliy Muzychenk<br />
*The regional governors of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Sumy and Kherson.<br />
<br />
And separately, “the defense ministry had earlier announced the resignation of deputy minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who was in charge of the army’s logistical support, on the heels of accusations it was signing food contracts at inflated prices.” He purchased military rations at inflated prices in what appears a scheme to line the pockets of contractors, and potentially involving kickbacks to himself. ''[[Politico]]'' reported:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"An exposé from the Ukrainian news website ZN.UA revealed last week that the defense ministry purchased overpriced food supplies for its troops. For instance, the ministry bought eggs at 17 hryvnias per piece, while the average price of an egg in Kyiv is around 7 hryvnias. According to ZN.UA, a contract for food procurement for soldiers in 2023 amounted to 13.16 billion hryvnias (€328 million).}}<br />
This was two to three times higher than current rates for such food items. <br />
[[File:Yahoo 8-16-22.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
The deputy head of the Zelensky administration Kyrylo Tymoshenko, who stands accused of living a lavish wartime lifestyle. Many [[mainstream media]] reports buried some of the key verified details. For example, [[BBC]] wrote simply that “Tymoshenko was implicated in several scandals during his tenure, including in October last year when he was accused of using a car donated to Ukraine for humanitarian purposes.”<br />
<br />
But starting in early December local Ukrainian outlets, angered at the posh lifestyle of Ukrainian leaders at a moment tens of millions are without electrical power, began confirming that Tymoshenko drove high-end sports cars in and out of the capital, to and from mansions which typically range in cost from $10,000 to $25,000 per month.<br />
<br />
The controversy extended to luxury vacations abroad as Ukrainians suffer the deprivations of war at home. “The departure of Symonenko, a deputy prosecutor general, comes after media reports that he spent a holiday in Spain this winter, reportedly using a car belonging to a Ukrainian businessman.” <br />
<br />
Just prior to the wave of resignations, another official named Vasyl Lozynskiy was accused of receiving bribes to “facilitate” the purchase of generators at greatly hiked-up prices. Crucially, Lozynskiy as Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Communities Development would have also been directly involved in overseeing how billions of dollars in Western humanitarian and infrastructure assistance gets doled out. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov is under scrutiny related to the growing probe and scandal.<br />
<br />
On February 1, 2023 it was reported that Zelensky had turned on his old friend and benefactor [[Igor Kolomoisky]]. Kolomoisky's home was raided by the Ukrainian gestapo allegedly in connection with the embezzlement of oil products worth $1.09 billion and customs duty evasion "of astronomical amounts."<ref>https://dossier.substack.com/p/zelenskys-great-purge-continues-launching</ref><br />
<br />
[[Seymour Hersh]], citing sources in American intelligence, claims that Zelensky and his entourage allegedly embezzled at least $400 million from the funds that were transferred to Kyiv by the Americans for the purchase of [[diesel]]. "Zelensky bought diesel fuel from the Russians at a discount," Hersh said. He also claims that CIA director William Burns brought to Kyiv a list of 35 names of Ukrainian security officials and officials allegedly involved in corruption and theft of Western aid. After that, 10 people from this list were fired, the remaining 25 remained. "The ten that got rid of were blatantly showing off the money they had as they drove around Kiev in their new Mercedes," Hersh said, quoting an intelligence official.<ref>https://askeptic.substack.com/p/battlefield-update-2023-04-12-1</ref><br />
<br />
===Propaganda war===<br />
[[File:Zelensky fake news.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|Zelensky in combat: These photos were taken a year before the Russian incursion and used as propaganda to claim Zelensky was commanding troops on the frontline. In fact, the Nazis that Zelensky was visiting laughed at him, causing him to eventually take a harder line against Russia. Zelensky was reported to have left the border area in tears after being ridiculed by the Nazis. <br />
<ref>https://contra.substack.com/p/world-war-reddit?s=r</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|Ukrainian propaganda war}}<br />
Photos circulated by [[mainstream media]] in [[the West]] of Zelensky in fatigues and helmet alleging he was on the front lines in combat during Russia's Special Military Operation in fact were taken a year earlier during an inspection of the border.<br />
<br />
On November 18, 2022 it was reported that Zelensky blocked and shut down the popular opposition news website Strana.ua after it posted videos showing Ukrainian troops executing unarmed Russian prisoners of war.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-defence-ministry-says-ukraine-executed-russian-pows-2022-11-18/</ref><ref>https://tass.com/society/1539031?ysclid=laockgpyya491087733</ref><ref>https://t.me/ghostnewsx/2728</ref><br />
<br />
====Alleged bombing of Babi Yar====<br />
<br />
On March 1, 2022 Zelensky claimed that Russians had bombed [[Babi Yar]], a ravine in Kyiv that was also the site of massacres committed by Nazi forces and Ukrainian collaborators during [[World War II]].<ref>https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1498697538085568514</ref> Some 33,771 [[Jewish]] civilians were murdered by the Nazis and their Ukrainian collaborators from Kyiv there. Zelensky’s chief of staff reportedly confirmed that the Russians bombed the site.<ref>https://twitter.com/LahavHarkov/status/1498686224462188549</ref> Zelensky's tweet has more than 300,000 likes and over 75,000 retweets.<br />
<br />
On March 2, Israeli journalist Ron Ben Yisha reported after touring the site that the memorial had not been destroyed or damaged, as Zelensky and his officials claimed. Translated from the Israeli news website ynet:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The memorial site in Babi Yar was neither destroyed nor damaged. After touring all over the large site I can report with certainty that no monument was damaged and no bomb, missile or shell hit the grounds. The closest impact to Babi Yar was in the Kiev media and television tower complex, about 300 meters from the new monument, and about a kilometer from the old monument </ref>to the victims of the WWII massacre."<ref>https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/sky0frhg5</ref>}}<br />
Zelensky and his officials lied to the world. Worse, their lie suggested that all those who chose inaction were essentially collaborators in the next [[holocaust]].<br />
<br />
====Speech to United States Congress====<br />
[[File:Zelensky kisses Pelosi.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelensky puckers up for [[Nancy Pelosi]].]]<br />
[[File:Zelensky betrayed 36th Navy Brigade.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Zelensky's betrayal of the 36th Navy Brigade.<ref>https://archive.ph/hNe4Q</ref>]]<br />
According to Dan Cohen, the Washington DC correspondent for ''Behind The Headlines'', on March 16, 2922, Zelensky made a speech to the [[U.S. Congress]] quoting [[Martin Luther King Jr.]]'s 'I Have a Dream'<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/zelenskyy-addresses-congress-mlk-dream-need</ref> speech calling for a no-fly zone over Ukraine and World War III.<ref>https://nypost.com/2022/03/06/us-warns-no-fly-zone-in-ukraine-could-set-off-world-war-iii/</ref> The speech was written by Daniel Vajdich <br />
and Andrew Mac. Vajdich is a [[FARA|registered foreign agent]] for the Ukrainian Federation of Employers of the Oil and Gas Industry and a nonresident senior fellow at the [[Russophobic]] [[Atlantic Council]].<ref>https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/daniel-vajdich/</ref> Andrew Mac registered as a lobbyist for the Ukrainian dictator in 2019 and runs the Washington DC office of Ukrainian law firm Asters Law.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2022/02/28/what-ukraines-lobbyists-have-been-up-to-00012522</ref><br />
<br />
Ukrainian Permanent Representative at the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya’s February 23, 2022 speech to the [[United Nations General Assembly]] (UNGA) was written by the managing director of the DC lobbying firm SKDKnickerbocker (SKDK), Stephen Krupin,<ref>https://www.odwyerpr.com/story/public/17581/2022-03-02/skdk-supplies-speech-writing-support-ukraine.html</ref> a former senior speechwriter for [[Barack Obama]] who worked extensively on the [[2020 Biden campaign]].<ref>https://www.skdknick.com/skdk-work-for-biden-for-america-and-the-naacp-honored-with-six-pollies/</ref> Biden senior advisor [[Anita Dunn]] is a co-founder of SKDKnickerbocker.<ref>https://theintercept.com/2021/05/04/anita-dunn-ethics-disclosure-biden-skdk/</ref><br />
<br />
On December 21, 2022 Zelensky was flown to [[Washington, D.C.]] onboard [[Airforce One]] by the Biden regime for a personal address to the [[lame duck]] Congress just prior to a vote on an unprecedented $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill that included another $45 billion for the Kyiv puppet regime. Zelensky was presented an American flag in a display case usually reserved for flags that have draped caskets.<br />
<br />
====Azovstal====<br />
{{See also|Battle of Mariupol}}<br />
Like Chancellor [[Adolf Hitler]] of Germany during the besieged [[Battle of Stalingrad]], President Zelensky refused to allow the neo-Nazi forces of the [[Azov Battalion]] in [[Mariupol]] to surrender and ordered them to fight to the last man.<ref>https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/zelensky-defies-russian-demands-surrender-putin-ukraine-war-mariupol-b989416.html</ref><ref><small>"<br />
{{quotebox-float|April 10 at 11:06 PM · Mariupol, Ukraine · <br />
Dear Ukrainian people.<br />
We are the 36th Navy Brigade named after the counter-admiral Mikhail Bilinsky, left Crimea without betraying the oaths of 2014 and continued to perform the duty of defense of Ukraine.<br />
From the beginning of the exit we have been defending Mariupol for 47 days. We were bombed from airplanes, we were shot from artillery, tanks and other firematerials. We kept the defense worthy by doing the impossible. But any resources have a potential to run out.<br />
During the combat, we were once handed 50 122 guns, 20 min a little enlavs and [[starlink]] [[Elon Musk]] - spybo Elon, he had a lot of air strikes and still works. We have not been handed over any more. Without the possibility of defending themselves, the opponent gradually pushed us to the Azovmash plant, surrounded the fire and now is trying to destroy us. There was an option to bring us reserves to strengthen and boost the defense. There were options for the brigade to make a breakthrough and join their troops. We reported this to OTU East and they started planning the operation. Sodol, Delatitsky tried to do something, but their senior headquarters were closed. We reported about it in the OOS they said hold on we are working, promised a helicopter that never flew. We talked to the [[commander in chief]] who promised to unblock. We talked with a Garantee who guaranteed us either a political or military solution of the situation. For more than a month, the Marines fought without refilling ammunition, without food, without water, almost a lacquer from the puddle and died in packs. The mountain of wounded makes up almost half of the crew. Those who have unbroken limbs and can walk, return in order. Infantry all died and gunfighters are led by gunmen, zenitich, contacts of the driver and the police. Even an orchestra. Dying but fighting. Gradually we are coming to an end. Wise generals advise taking ammunition from your enemy. Probably not extinct these Sava parquettes, so many people will die for them in vain. There were chances. There were opportunities, but due to the silliness, they were not implemented. No one wants to communicate with us anymore because we are written off. Today will probably be an extreme fight since there is no BC left. Next up into the palm of the hand. Further is death for some, but captivity for some.<br />
Dear Ukrainian people.<br />
I don't know what's next, but I really ask you to remember the Marines with a kind word and no matter how they develop further, do not talk badly about the Marines.<br />
They did everything possible and impossible.<br />
For we are FAITHFUL FOREVER!}}<br />
11.04.2022…[https://www.facebook.com/36obrmp/photos/a.129759847561437/1153205118550233 36 окрема бригада морської піхоти імені контр-адмірала Михайла Білинського is at Маріуполь.]</small></ref> Stalingrad, like Mariupol, was a hopeless cause early on, yet the order to continue fighting only bought time for Nazi forces to carry out atrocities against civilians whom they considered "[[Russophobia|Untermensch]]".<ref>https://mronline.org/2022/04/07/staged-massacre-in-bucha/</ref> On April 20, 2022, a date which has been commemorated by Nazi groups as Hitler's birthday, reports emerged that<br />
[[File:Zelensky totenkopf.png|right|300px|thumb|On Victory Day 2022, Zelensky commemorated the victory over Nazism by uploading an image of a Ukrainian soldier wearing insignia of the Waffen SS Totenkopf Division responsible for numerous horrendous mass murders and war crimes.<ref>https://thepressunited.com/updates/ukraines-zelensky-shares-image-of-soldier-with-nazi-insignia/</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"According to the content of the radio intercepts, the commanders of the armed formations remaining at Azovstal, realizing the hopelessness of their situation, are ready to lay down their arms, but only on the appropriate order (command) from Kyiv. Without receiving such an order, the commanders of the Ukrainian armed formations cannot make a decision on their own, since a military tribunal with a sentence, up to and including execution, awaits them for these actions in Ukraine.”<ref>https://www.veteranstoday.com/2022/04/20/sitrep-operation-z-april-20-2022/</ref>}}<br />
According to testimony, the command of the 36th Brigade gave an order to fire on both military and civilians, which members refused. Zelensky ignored the pleas of the 36th Naval Brigade holed up in the Azovmash factory next door to Azovstal. The Brigade surrendered to the Russian and [[DNR]] forces.<br />
<br />
====Zelensky celebrates Nazism on Victory Day====<br />
<br />
Zelensky marked World War II [[Victory Day]] [[Moscow]] celebrations in 2022 by sharing an image of a Ukrainian soldier wearing the ‘death’s head’ patch of the notorious Nazi Waffen SS Totenkopf division. While the picture was soon deleted from his social media, the Ministry of Defense in Kyiv also posted the same photo.<br />
<br />
The offending item was placed on Instagram and Telegram by Zelensky, on Victory Day, May 9, 2022. In it, a soldier next to an artillery gun wears the ‘death’s head,’ or “totenkopf” insignia of the 3rd SS Panzer Division, a unit of SS soldiers infamous for committing numerous [[war crimes]] and massacres of French civilians and Polish Jews. The Division also murdered 100 British citizens in France.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/2mZbwarX3lds/</ref> Advocacy groups consider the death’s head logo a “hate symbol” used by “Neo-Nazis and other white supremacists.”<ref>https://www.adl.org/education/references/hate-symbols/totenkopf</ref><br />
<br />
===Collusion with Biden and Democrats===<br />
{{See also|Ukrainian collusion|Biden family corruption}}<br />
====Biden-Burisma scandal====<br />
<br />
On September 4, 2019 former Prosecutor General [[Victor Shokin]] made a sworn affidavit outlining [[Joe Biden]]'s shakedown of the Ukrainian government to kill the criminal investigation into Hunter Biden.<ref>https://www.scribd.com/document/427618359/Shokin-Statement</ref> Democrat Sen. [[Chris Murphy]], while travelling to the Ukraine, delivered a ''[[quid pro quo]]'' message to Zelensky:<ref>https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/343049/</ref> if the Zelensky government co-operated with [[Trump administration]] [[Attorney General]] [[Bill Barr]] and the [[U.S Justice Department]] investigating DNC/Ukrainian collision and interference in the [[2016 presidential election]], Congressional Democrats would withhold funding aid.<ref>https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/462658-lets-get-real-democrats-were-first-to-enlist-ukraine-in-us-elections</ref><br />
<br />
====Trump sham impeachment====<br />
{{See also|Deep State coup 2.0}}<br />
<br />
President Trump phoned Volodymyr Zelensky to congratulate him on his electoral win. Three days before the call, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' published an article entitle, ''As vice president Biden said Ukraine should increase gas production. Then his son got a job with a Ukrainian gas company.''<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/the-media/2020/01/30/washington-post-wrote-about-hunter-biden-burisma-3-days-before-ukraine-call/</ref> Trump mentions "a lot of people are talking about it" and "a lot of people want to know". The conversation took place the day after [[Robert Mueller]] cleared President Trump of any wrongdoing before Congress. The Poroshenko regime installed by the [[Obama administration]] in [[Maidan coup]] was defeated in [[parliamentary]] elections four days earlier. The transcript of the phone call reads:<br />
[[File:Trump-convo-with-zelenskyy.jpg |right|300px |thumb |Ukrainian CrowdStrike, not Russia, interfered in the [[2016 U.S. Presidential election]].]]<br />
[[File:Podesta-Emails-600x400.jpg|right|300px|thumb|[[Hillary Clinton|Clinton]] campaign manager [[John Podesta]] was notified by [[Google]] that his emails were hacked, not by Russia, but by Ukraine during the 2016 presidential election.<ref>https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/34899</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Surkov-leaks-with-Crowdstrike-390x400.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Although this profile says the state of Virginia, tweets are from the Sofia, Bulgaria time zone and he writes in Russian. Another curiosity considering the Fancy Bear source code is in Russian. This image shows Crowdstrike in their network. Crowdstrike is part of Ukrainian nationalist hacker network. In the image it shows a network diagram of Crowdstrike following the Surkov leaks. The network communication goes through a secondary source.]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|'''The President:''' I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say [[Crowdstrike]]… I guess you have one of your wealthy people… The server, they say Ukraine has it. There are a lot of things that went on, the whole situation. I think you’re surrounding yourself with some of the same people. I would like to have the Attorney General call you or your people and I would like you to get to the bottom of it. As you saw yesterday, that whole nonsense ended with a very poor performance by a man named [[Robert Mueller]], an incompetent performance, but they say a lot of it started with Ukraine. Whatever you can do, it’s very important that you do it if that’s possible.<br><br />
'''President Zelenskyy:''' Yes it is very important for me and everything that you just mentioned earlier. For me as a President, it is very important and we are open for any future cooperation. We are ready to open a new page on cooperation in relations between the United States and Ukraine. For that purpose, I just recalled our ambassador from United States and he will be replaced by a very competent and very experienced ambassador who will work hard on making sure that our two nations are getting closer. I would also like and hope to see him having your trust and your confidence and have personal relations with you so we can cooperate even more so. I will personally tell you that one of my assistants spoke with Mr. Giuliani just recently and we are hoping very much that [[Rudy Giuliani|Mr. Giuliani]] will be able to travel to Ukraine and we will meet once he comes to Ukraine. I just wanted to assure you once again that you have nobody but friends around us. I will make sure that I surround myself with the best and most experienced people. I also wanted to tell you that we are friends. We are great friends and you Mr. President have friends in our country so we can continue our strategic partnership. I also plan to surround myself with great people and in addition to that investigation, I guarantee as the President of Ukraine that all the investigations will be done openly and candidly. That I can assure you.<br><br />
'''The President:''' Good because I heard you had a prosecutor who was very good and he was shut down and that’s really unfair. A lot of people are talking about that, the way they shut your very good prosecutor down and you had some very bad people involved. Mr. Giuliani is a highly respected man. He was the mayor of New York City, a great mayor, and I would like him to call you. I will ask him to call you along with the Attorney General. Rudy very much knows what's happening and he is a very capable guy. If you could speak to him that would be great. The former ambassador from the United States, the woman, was bad news and the people she was dealing with in the Ukraine were bad news so I just want to let you know that. The other thing, There's a lot of talk about Biden's son, that [[Biden]] stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that she stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it... It sounds horrible to me. <br><br />
'''President Zelenskyy:''' I wanted to tell you about the prosecutor. First of all I understand and I'm knowledgeable about the situation. Since we have won the absolute majority in our Parliament, the next prosecutor general will be 100% my person, my candidate, who will be approved by the parliament and will start as a new prosecutor in September. He or she will look into the situation, specifically to the company that you mentioned in this issue. The issue of the investigation of the case is actually the issue of making sure to restore the honesty so we will take care of that and will work on the investigation of the case. On top of that, I would kindly ask you if you have any additional information that you can provide to us, it would be very helpful for the investigation to make sure that we administer justice in our country with regard to the Ambassador to the United States from Ukraine as far I as I recall her name was Ivanovich. It was great that you were the first one who told me that she was a bad ambassador because I agree with you 100%. Her attitude towards me was far from the best as she admired the previous President and she was on his side. She would not accept me as a new President well enough. <br><br />
'''The President:''' Well, she's going to go through some things. I will have Mr. Giuliani to give you a call and I am also going to have [[William Barr|Attorney General Barr]] call and we will get to the bottom of it. I'm sure you will figure it out. I heard the prosecutor was treated very badly and he was a very fair prosecutor so good luck with everything.}}<br />
[[Alexander Vindman]] is a Ukrainian nationalist born in Soviet Ukraine who immigrated to the United States as a child. Vindman harbors rabid anti-Russian and fanatical pro-Ukrainian sentiments. Vindman prepared the public readout of President Trump's congratulatory phone President-elect Zelensky.<ref>https://publicpool.kinja.com/subject-in-town-pool-report-4-1834208078</ref> The public readout differed from the actual transcript and served as the basis for the [[Impeachment sham|Trump impeachment inquiry]]. According to Lt. Col. Jim Hickman who served on a combined US-Russian exercise with Vindman,<ref>https://twitter.com/Jim_Hickman13/status/1190077852680634368?s=20</ref><br />
{{quotebox-float|I verbally reprimanded him for his actions, & I’ll leave it at that, so as not to be unprofessional myself. The bottom-line is LTC Vindman was a [[partisan]] [[Democrat]] at least as far back as 2012. So much so, junior officers & soldiers felt uncomfortable around him. This is not your professional, field-grade officer, who has the character & integrity to do the right thing. Do not let the uniform fool you…he is a political [[activist]] in uniform. I pray our nation will drop this [[hate]], vitriol & division, & unite as our founding fathers intended!<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/11/revealing-military-official-who-worked-with-top-schiff-witness-alex-vindman-reprimanded-him-for-inappropriate-and-partisan-behavior-in-military/</ref>}}<br />
Vindman gave sworn testimony to the [[House Intelligence Committee]] that he gave orders countermanding the [[Commander-in-Chief]], President Donald Trump.<ref>https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/10/31/how-the-army-officer-who-testified-against-trump-could-end-up-in-a-court-martial/</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVvd5MlRYxQ&feature=youtu.be</ref> Vindman feared that President Trump was not doing enough to confront [[Vladimir Putin]] over the [[Crimean Annexation]]. A secret memorandum alleging President Trump acted improperly on the phone call with Zelensky was prepared by Vindman and handed off to [[Eric Ciaramella]], who then gave it to [[Trump-Russia hoax]]er [[Adam Schiff]], prompting the [[sham impeachment]] of President Donald Trump.<br />
<br />
===Foreign policy===<br />
{{See also|Global fascism}}<br />
[[File:Zelenski gives a menorah to Milei.jpg|left|300px|thumbnail|Zelenski recieves a Jewish [[menorah]] from Argentinian President [[Javier Milei]].]]<br />
[[File:Globalist fascism.PNG|right|400px|thumb|Macron speaking at globalist conference with open display of a [[swastika]].<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/tslwm7ajUxbK/</ref>]]<br />
On February 8, 2022 French President [[Emmanuel Macron]] announced at a joint press conference in Kiev that Zelensky was ready to implement the [[Minsk Agreements]],<ref>https://scooptrade.com/macron-announced-zelenskys-readiness-to-implement-the-minsk-agreements-on-donbass/</ref> promising that everything will go according to the wishes of the international community. On the next day: "The official Kiev has declared this evening that it was not willing to fulfill the Minsk agreements, and lead to direct negotiations with the Donbass. This happened only twenty-four hours after the joint press conference, Macron and Zelensky, when it was claimed that Ukraine would start with the implementation of the agreements. Of which the decision on war and peace directly depended.“<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2022-02-23-ambassador-antonov--washington-encouraged-kiev-not-to-comply-with-the-minsk-agreements.H1GTFmQ7ec.html</ref><br />
<br />
Addressing the 2022 World Economic Forum (WED), Zelensky said,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Although there is a rather good and long history between Ukraine and China, I would like to have an advantage in these relations compared to Russia."<ref>https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/3491830-zelensky-ukraine-is-fine-with-chinas-position-on-war-with-russia.html</ref>}}<br />
<br />
[[Hungarian]] Parliament Speaker Laszlo Kover said of Zelensky's personal conduct in diplomacy: “I can’t recall when a leader of a country in need of help would dare to speak out against anyone in a fashion like President Zelensky did, not only against Hungary, but even against the German Chancellor...One should threaten enemies, not those you want to make your friends…There is some kind of personal mental problem, and I don’t know what can be done about it."<ref>https://serbia.postsen.com/world/8310/You-know-a-donkey-</ref><br />
<br />
In early June 2022 the weekly news magazine ''[[Der Spiegel]]'' reported that Germany does not trust Zelensky: “The fear that German weaponry could be sent into Russia highlights a certain distrust in Berlin of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky…And that, too, is a reason why the defense industry in Germany has not been authorized to deliver battle tanks”<ref>https://thepressunited.com/updates/germany-doesnt-trust-zelensky-der-spiegel/</ref><br />
<br />
On December 2023 Zelenski and [[Viktor Orbán]] were present in [[Javier Milei]]'s inauguration in [[Argentina]] and they both discussed about [[Putin]] during the event. Milei has close ties to Zelenski, Orbán, [[Trump]] and with [[Israel]].<br />
<br />
==Criticism==<br />
<br />
[[Swiss]] MP and former editor-in-chief of the ''Tribune de Genève'', Guy Mettan, painted a portrait of the acrobat who plays the role of president of Ukraine.<ref>https://www.voltairenet.org/article217403.html</ref> He shows how this public entertainer became an ally of the [[Banderist]]s and set up a dictatorship for them. Western media and leaders no longer know what superlatives to use to sing the praises of the Ukrainian president, so fascinated are they by the “amazing resilience” of the comedian miraculously transformed into a “warlord” and “saviour of democracy”.<br />
<br />
Since February 24, 2022 Volodymyr Zelensky has unquestionably proved himself to be an exceptionally talented artist in international politics. Those who had followed his career as a comedian were not surprised because they knew his innate sense of improvisation, his mimetic abilities and his audacity in acting. The way he campaigned and defeated tough opponents like former president Poroshenko in a few weeks between 31 December 2018 and 21 April 2019, mobilizing his production team and generous oligarch donors, had already proved the extent of his talents.<br />
<br />
He was elected with a score of 73.2% of the votes, promising to put an end to corruption, to lead Ukraine on the path of progress and civilization, and above all to make peace with the Russian-speaking Donbass. As soon as he was elected, he betrayed all his promises with such untimely zeal that his popularity rating fell to 23% in January 2022, to the point of being outdistanced by his two main opponents.<br />
<br />
From May 2019, to satisfy his oligarch sponsors, the newly elected president is launching a massive land privatisation programme covering 40 million hectares of good agricultural land under the pretext that the moratorium on land sales would have cost the country’s GDP billions of dollars. In the wake of the “de-communization“ and “de-Russification“ programs begun since the pro-US coup of February 2014, he is launching a vast operation of privatization of state assets, fiscal austerity, deregulation of labor laws and dismantling of trade unions, angering a majority of Ukrainians who had not understood what their candidate meant by “progress”, “westernization” and “normalization“ of the Ukrainian economy. In a country that, in 2020, had a per capita income of 3,726 dollars against 10,126 dollars for the Russian opponent, while in 1991 the average income of Ukraine exceeded that of Russia, the comparison is not flattering.<br />
<br />
As for the march towards civilization, it will take the form of another decree which, on 19 May 2021, ensures the domination of the Ukrainian language and bans Russian from all spheres of public life, administrations, schools and businesses, much to the satisfaction of the nationalists and the astonishment of the Russian-speaking people in the south-east of the country.<br />
[[File:Zelensky Kolomoisky.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Ukrainian dictator [[Vladimir Zelensky]] (center) meets with Kolomoisky, September 10, 2019.<ref>https://covertactionmagazine.com/2022/07/20/how-corrupt-is-ukrainian-president-volodymyr-zelensky/</ref>]]<br />
Zelensky’s main sponsor, Ihor Kolomoïsky, who lives in Geneva where he has luxurious offices overlooking the harbour, is not the least of these oligarchs who profit from the prevailing corruption: on March 5 2021, [[Anthony Blinken]], who probably had no choice, announced that the State Department had frozen his assets and banned him from the United States because of “involvement in significant corruption“. It is true that Kolomoysky was accused of embezzling $5.5 billion from the state-owned Privatbank. Coincidentally, the good Ihor was also the main shareholder of the oil holding company Burisma, which employed Joe Biden’s son Hunter for a modest compensation of $50,000 a month and which is now under investigation by the Delaware prosecutor.<br />
<br />
This is the same Kolomoïsky, who was a key figure in Ukraine’s progress, and who made Zelensky’s entire career as an actor and who is implicated in the Pandora Papers affair revealed by the press in October 2021. These papers revealed that since 2012, the TV channel 1+1 belonging to the sulphurous oligarch had paid no less than 40 million dollars to its star Zelensky and that the latter, shortly before being elected president and with the help of his close guard of Kryvyi Rih – the two Shefir brothers, one of whom is the author of Zelensky’s scripts and the other the head of the State Security Service, and the producer and owner of their joint production company Kvartal 95 – had prudently transferred considerable sums to offshore accounts opened in his wife’s name, while acquiring three undeclared flats in London for the sum of $7.5 million.<br />
<br />
For the rapprochement of the flamboyant Volodymyr with the most extreme representatives of the Ukrainian nationalist right is not the least of Zelensky’s oddities. This complicity was immediately denied with the greatest virulence by the Western press, which judged it scandalous because of the president’s suddenly rediscovered Jewish origins. How could a Jewish president sympathize with neo-Nazis, who are presented as a tiny minority of outsiders? One should not give credit to Vladimir Putin’s “denazification” operation… What they fail to acknowledge is that left-wing Jews such as [[George Soros]] sometimes admit that they do not care for Jewish interests. Since the time of Moses, the worst enemies of the Jews came from within, not from without. <br />
<br />
In July 2022 Zelensky added American journalist [[Glenn Greenwald]] to his enemies list.<br />
<br />
===Neo-Nazi groups===<br />
[[File:Volodymyr Zelensky, Justin Trudeau, and Chrystia Freeland applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the Waffen SS Galicia Division during a session of the Canadian Parliament September 24 2023.PNG|right|300|thumb|Volodymyr Zelensky, [[Justin Trudeau]], and [[Chrystia Freeland]] applaud Yaroslav Hunka of the [[Waffen SS Galicia Division]] during a session of the Canadian Parliament, September 24, 2023.<ref>[https://korybko.substack.com/p/jews-poles-and-russians-have-united Jews, Poles, & Russians Have United To Condemn Canada For Glorifying A Literal Nazi], ANDREW KORYBKO, SEP 25, 2023.</ref>]]<br />
One has to go back to October 2019 to understand the nature of the relationship between Zelensky and the far right. And you have to understand that these far-right formations, even if they only weigh 2% of the electorate, still represent nearly a million highly motivated and well-organized people who are spread across numerous groupings and movements, of which the Azov regiment (co-founded and financed as early as 2014 by Kolomoysky, still him!) is only the best known. To it must be added the organizations Aïdar, Dnipro, Safari, [[Svoboda]], Pravy Sektor, [[C14]] and National Corps to be complete.<br />
<br />
C14, named after the number of words in the American neo-Nazi David Lane’s phrase (“We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children”), is one of the least known abroad but most feared for its racist violence in Ukraine. All of these groups were more or less merged into the Ukrainian army and national guard at the initiative of their leader, former interior minister [[Arsen Avakov]], who ruled the Ukrainian security apparatus unchallenged from 2014 to 2021. They are the ones Zelensky calls “veterans” since autumn 2019.<br />
<br />
A few months after his election, the young president went to Donbass to try to fulfil his election promise and enforce the [[Minsk agreements]] signed by his predecessor. The far-right forces, who have been shelling the cities of Donetsk and Lugansk since 2014 at the cost of ten thousand deaths, welcome him with the greatest circumspection because they are suspicious of this “pacifist” president. They are waging a merciless campaign against peace under the slogan “No surrender”. In one video, a pale Zelensky pleads with them: “I am the president of this country. I am 41 years old. I am not a loser. I’m coming to you and saying: take the guns out.” The video was released on social networks and Zelensky immediately became the target of a hate campaign. This will be the end of his desire for peace and the implementation of the Minsk agreements. Shortly after this incident, a minor withdrawal of the extremist forces took place, and then the bombing resumed in earnest.<br />
<br />
The problem is that not only has Zelensky given in to their blackmail but he is joining them in their nationalist crusade. After his failed expedition in November 2019, he receives several far-right leaders, including Yehven Taras, the leader of C14, while his prime minister stands by Andryi Medvedko, a neo-Nazi figure suspected of murder. He also supports the footballer Zolzulya against Spanish fans who accuse him of being a Nazi because of his proclaimed support for [[Stepan Bandera]], the nationalist leader who collaborated with Nazi Germany during the war (and with the [[CIA]] after the war) and participated in the Jewish Holocaust.<br />
<br />
Collaboration with nationalist radicals is well established. In November 2021, Zelensky appointed the ultra-nationalist Pravy Sektor [[Dmytro Yarosh]] as special adviser to the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army and, since February 2022, as head of the [[Territorial Defense|Volunteer Army]], which is waging terror in the rear. At the same time, he appointed Oleksander Poklad, nicknamed “the strangler” because of his taste for torture, as head of the SBU’s counter-intelligence unit. In December, two months before the war, it was the turn of another Pravy Sektor leader, Commander Dmytro Kotsuybaylo, to be rewarded with the title of “Hero of Ukraine” while, a week after the start of hostilities, Zelensky had the regional governor of Odessa replaced by Maksym Marchenko, commander of the ultranationalist Aïdar battalion, the very same one with whom [[Bernard-Henri Lévy]] would make a point of marching.<br />
<br />
Desire to appease the far right by giving them positions? Shared ultra-patriotism? Or a simple convergence of interests between a neo-liberal, Atlanticist, pro-Western right and a nationalist far right that dreams of smashing Russians and “leading the white races of the world in a final crusade against the Untermenschen guided by the Semites”, in the words of former deputy [[Andriy Biletsky]], leader of the National Corps? It is not clear, as no journalist has ventured to ask Zelensky this question.<br />
<br />
What is not in doubt, however, is the increasingly [[authoritarian]], even [[criminal]], drift of the Ukrainian regime. So much so that its zealots should think twice before nominating their idol for the Nobel Peace Prize. While the media look the other way, a real campaign of intimidation, kidnappings and executions is underway against local and national elected officials suspected of being Russian agents or of connivance with the enemy because they want to avoid an escalation of the conflict.<br />
<br />
===Zelensky kill list===<br />
{{See also|Myrotvorets}}<br />
[[File:Myrotvorets.PNG|right|1000px|thumb|The Myrotovets ("Peacemaker") website, a kill list authorizing on the spot execution of journalists and anyone deemed a "Russian sympathizer", shows [[Langley, Virginia]] home of the CIA as its headquarters.<ref>https://myrotvorets.center/</ref>]]<br />
“One less traitor in Ukraine! He was found killed and was tried by the people’s court!” This is how the adviser to the Interior Minister, Anton Gerashenko, announced on his Telegram account the murder of [[Volodymyr Strok]], mayor and former deputy of the small town of Kremnina. Suspected of having collaborated with the Russians, he was kidnapped and tortured before being executed. On 7 March, the mayor of Gostomel was killed because he had tried to negotiate a humanitarian corridor with the Russian military. On 24 March, the mayor of Kupyansk asked Zelensky to release his daughter, who had been kidnapped by SBU agents. At the same time, one of the Ukrainian negotiators was found dead after being accused of treason by the nationalist media. No less than eleven mayors have been reported missing to date, including in regions never occupied by the Russians…<br />
<br />
In February 2021, Zelensky closed down three opposition channels deemed to be pro-Russian and supposedly owned by the oligarch [[Viktor Medvedchuk]], NewsOne, Zik and 112 Ukraine. The State Department hails this attack on press freedom, stating that the US supports Ukrainian efforts to counter Russia’s malign influence…” In January 2022, a month before the war, Nash was shut down. After the war began, the regime went on a hunt for left-wing journalists, bloggers and commentators. At the beginning of April, two right-wing channels were also affected. Channel 5 and Pryamiy. A presidential decree obliges all channels to broadcast a single, pro-government tone of voice, of course. Recently the witch-hunt even extended to the country’s most popular critical blogger, Ukraine’s Navalny, [[Anatoliy Shariy]], who was arrested on 4 May by the Spanish authorities at the request of the Ukrainian political police. Attacks on the press at least equivalent to those of the autocrat Putin, but never heard of in the Western media…<br />
<br />
The purge was even more severe for political parties. It decimated Zelensky’s main opponents. In the spring of 2021, the home of the main opponent, Medvedchuk, was ransacked and its owner placed under house arrest. On 12 April, the oligarch deputy was forcibly interned in an undisclosed location, visibly drugged, deprived of visits before being shown on TV and offered in exchange for the release of the Azovstal defenders, in defiance of all the [[Geneva Convention]]s. His lawyers, threatened, had to give up defending him in favour of someone close to the services.<br />
<br />
Last December, it was Petro Poroshenko, who was rising in the polls, who was accused of treason. On 20 December 2021, at 3.07 pm, the official SBU website listed him as a suspect for crimes of treason and support for terrorist activities. The former president was accused of “making Ukraine energy dependent on Russia and the leaders of the Russian-controlled pseudo-republics.”<br />
<br />
On 3 March, activists of the Lizvizia Left were raided by the SBU and imprisoned by the dozen. Then on 19 March, repression hit the whole of the Ukrainian left. By decree, eleven left-wing parties were banned: Party for Life, Left Opposition, Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine, Socialist Party of Ukraine, Union of Left Forces, Socialists, Sharyi Party, Ours, State, Opposition Bloc Volodymyr Saldo.<br />
<br />
Other activists, bloggers and human rights defenders are arrested and tortured, journalist [[Yan Taksyur]], MMA boxer [[Maxim Ryndovskiy]] or activist [[Elena Brezhnaya]],<ref>https://seemorerocks.is/focusing-on-the-many-crimes-of-the-zelensky-regime/</ref> whose father was charred to death in the pogrom of 2 May 2014 at the [[Odessa Trade Unions House massacre|Odessa House of Trade Unions]].<br />
<br />
To complete this list, we should mention the men and women stripped naked and whipped in public by the nationalists in the streets of Kiev, the Russian prisoners beaten and shot in the legs before being executed, the soldier whose eye was pierced before being killed, the members of the Georgian Legion who executed Russian prisoners in a village near Kiev, while their leader boasted that he never took prisoners. On the Ukraine 24 channel, it was the head of the army’s medical service who said he had given the order “to castrate all Russian men because they are subhuman and worse than cockroaches”. Finally, Ukraine is making extensive use of facial recognition technology from the company Clearview to identify dead Russians and broadcast their photos on Russian social networks, ridiculing them…<br />
[[File:Darya Dugina.PNG|right|300px|thumb|[[Darya Dugina]]<ref>https://twitter.com/JayTharappel/status/1561917268669255680</ref> ]]<br />
The examples could be multiplied, as there are so many quotes and videos of atrocities committed by the troops of the defender of democracy and human rights who presides over the destiny of Ukraine. But this would be tedious and counterproductive with a public opinion convinced that these barbaric behaviors are solely due to the Russians.<br />
<br />
This is why no NGO is alarmed, the Council of Europe is silent, the International Criminal Court is not investigating, and press freedom organizations are silent. They have not listened well to what the kindly Volodymyr told them during a visit to Bucha at the beginning of April: “If we do not find a civilized way out, you know our people, they will find an uncivilized way out.”<br />
<br />
Ukraine’s problem is that its president, willingly or unwillingly, has ceded power to extremists internally and to the NATO military externally in order to indulge in the pleasure of being worshipped by crowds around the world. Was it not he who told a French journalist on 5 March, ten days after the Russian invasion: “Today, my life is beautiful. I believe I am wanted. I feel that this is the most important meaning of my life: to be wanted. To feel that you are not just breathing, walking and eating something. You are living!”<br />
<br />
==Quotes==<br />
*''The activities of those politicians aimed at division or collusion will not succeed, but will receive a harsh response.''<br />
<br />
*''There will be consequences for collaborators.''<br />
<br />
*''Unfortunately, all the holidays have a bitter aftertaste for us this year. And we can feel the traditional Spirit of [[Christmas]] differently. Dinner at the family table cannot be so tasty and warm. There may be empty chairs around it. Our houses and streets can't be so bright. And Christmas bells can ring not so loudly and inspiringly. Through air raid sirens, or even worse – gunshots and explosions. And all this together can pose a bigger threat. It is a disappointment. Of the higher forces and their power, of goodness and justice in the world. Loss of [[hope]]. Loss of love. Loss of myself.''<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/zelenskys-sobering-christmas-message-to-ukraine-describes-loss-of-hope/ar-AA15DJYl Zelensky Christmas Message], December 24, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
*[[Transvestism]]<br />
*[[NordStream II]]<br />
*[[Essay: April 2022 was a pivotal moment in the future of global politics for decades to come]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|3}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[https://rumble.com/vx6un1-zalensky-before-he-was-installed-as-so-called-president..html Zalensky before he was installed as so called president.]<br />
*[https://bombardsbodylanguage.com/2022/05/06/body-language-volodymyr-zelensky-on-60-minutes/ Body Language – Volodymyr Zelensky on 60 Minutes]<br />
*[https://youtu.be/p-ZKfckWjHs Rzhevsky vs. Napoleon (2012)] - Comedy film starring Zelesnky as Napoleon. Russian subtitles<br />
<br />
{{globalism}}<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zelensky, Volodymyr}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Ukrainian People]]<br />
[[Category:Current Heads of State]]<br />
[[Category:Jewish People]]<br />
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[[Category:Comedians]]<br />
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[[Category:Totalitarianism]]<br />
[[Category:Ukrainian Fascism]][[Category:Nazism]]<br />
[[Category:Worst Liberal Politicians]]<br />
[[Category:Addiction]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorists]]<br />
[[Category:Liberals]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-Christianity]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Afghanistan&diff=2034774Afghanistan2024-03-17T02:25:49Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{country<br />
|map=<br />
|map2=<br />
|flag=Flag of Afghanistan.jpg<br />
|capital=Kabul<br />
|government=<br />
|language=Dari, Pashto<br />
|monarch=walla<br />
|president-raw=<br />
|chancellor=<br />
|pm=<br />
|area=652,230 sq. mi.<br />
|pop=39,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis=<br />
|gdp-year=$27.36 billion<br />
|gdp-pc=$620 <br />
|currency=afghani<br />
|idd=+93<br />
|tld=.af<br />
}}<br />
'''Afghanistan''' (Pashto/Dari: افغانستان)<!--, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Afghanistan''',--><ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20061013231925/https://www.president.gov.af/ (Archived 2006)/</ref> is a country in [[South Asia]] which borders the Arabian Sea to the south, India to the east and [[Iran]] to the west. Afghanistan was the scene of the defeat of the [[Soviet Union]] in the [[Soviet-Afghan war]] of 1979–1988. In the 1990s an extremist Islamic [[Taliban]] movement took control and allowed Osama bin-Laden and his Al-Qaeda to operate there and plan the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] on the U.S. An international invasion led by the U.S. overthrew the Taliban in 2001, but they have rebuilt strongholds in the south, along the Pakistan border, and have escalated the insurgency. '''''In August 2021, the Taliban retook control of the entire country amid [[Biden]]'s botched pullout of [[American]] troops'''''. Amid the chaos allowed by Biden, a terrorist attack on August 26, 2021, at the [[Kabul]] airport in Afghanistan killed 12 American soldiers and injured 15 more.<br />
<br />
Since August 15, 2021, Afghanistan is under the control of the Taliban,<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/world/taliban-take-over-afghanistan-whats-next</ref> as the [[Biden Junta]] withdrew [[American]] forces from the country in a way that enabled its nearly immediate recapture by the [[Taliban]]. <br />
As part of the Islamic jihadist Taliban blitzkrieg, kids were shot in front of their parents and Hazaras were massacred. They also posed for pictures after capturing the Presidential palace.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/15/taliban-assumes-control-of-afghanistan-reports/ Taliban takes control of presidential palace, poses for pictures inside]<br />
Mark Moore and Jorge Fitz-Gibbon, NYPost,<br />
August 15, 2021</ref><ref name=mid-day>[https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/taliban-shooting-kids-in-front-of-their-parents-23186832 Taliban shooting kids in front of their parents] Mid-Day, Aug 8, 2021.<br />
''According to local media reports, the Taliban have murdered more than 40 civilians in Malistan in the past one week. Most of these civilians were Hazaras.''</ref> It has become a great humiliation<ref>[https://news.walla.co.il/item/3454321 Biden let Afghanistan manage on its own against the Taliban. It ended in great humiliation than Vietnam]<br />
''The US president wanted to end the long war in American history on the symbolic date of September 11. Instead, al-Qaeda allies will celebrate the occupation of the country, which fell faster than Saigon in 1975.''<br />
Guy Elster, Walla, 16 August 2021.</ref> in the way Biden handled it. Total failure.<ref name="Aug 15, 2021">Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) Tweeted:<br />
Thinking about the last time I left the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. It was dangerous then. I can only imagine what is happening now. Biden totally screwed this up. https://t.co/R4PSQnEvhM [https://twitter.com/ScottWalker/status/1426948442471944204?s=20 Aug 15, 2021]</ref> <br />
<br />
A tenth of Biden's Afghanistan aid goes to the Taliban.<ref>D Greenfield, "[https://www.jns.org/opinion/a-tenth-of-bidens-afghanistan-aid-will-go-to-the-taliban/ A tenth of Biden’s Afghanistan aid will go to the Taliban]", JNS, September 23, 2021.<br><i><br />
Why are American taxpayers funding the Taliban?<br />
Deborah Lyons, the head of the United Nations mission in Afghanistan, met with Sirajuddin Haqqani, a wanted terrorist with the Haqqani Network, a Taliban component with close ties to Al-Qaeda.<br />
<br />
Lyons had served as Canada’s ambassador in Kabul when the Taliban carried out a suicide bombing against a Canadian embassy convoy. Lyons put up a monument to the security contractors who were wounded and killed, but they sued after being abandoned afterwards.</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[File:Brzezinski Taliban.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Zbigniew Brzezinski meets with the Mujahideen Taliban, 1979.<ref>https://youtu.be/kYvO3qAlyTg</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|History of Afghanistan}}<br />
The word Afghanistan originates from the Sanskrit word "Upa-Gana-stan" which translates in English to "the place inhabited by allied tribes".<ref>https://resonantnews.com/2021/08/25/a-story-of-betrayal-of-upa-gana-stan-afghanistan/</ref> Modern day Afghanistan was part of Ancient India and was ruled by Hindu Kings up until 980 A.D. The Afghans have a 2500-year tradition of strongly distrusting—and fighting—armed outsiders.<br />
<br />
Afghanistan, often called the crossroads of Central Asia, has had a turbulent history. In 328 BC, Alexander the Great entered the territory of present-day Afghanistan, then part of the Persian Empire, to capture Bactria (present-day Balkh). Invasions by the Scythians, White Huns, and Turks followed in succeeding centuries. In AD 642, Arabs invaded the entire region and introduced Islam. <br />
<br />
Arab rule gave way to the Persians, who controlled the area until conquered by the Turkic Ghaznavids in 998. Mahmud of Ghazni (998-1030) consolidated the conquests of his predecessors and turned Ghazni into a great cultural center as well as a base for frequent forays into India. Following Mahmud's short-lived dynasty, various princes attempted to rule sections of the country until the destructive Mongol invasion of 1219 led by Genghis Khan. <br />
<br />
Following Genghis Khan's death in 1227, a succession of petty chiefs and princes struggled for supremacy until late in the 14th century, when one of his descendants, Tamerlane, incorporated Afghanistan into his own vast Asian empire. Babur, a descendant of Tamerlane and the founder of India's Moghul dynasty at the beginning of the 16th century, made Kabul the capital of an Afghan principality. <br />
<br />
===The Taliban===<br />
:{{See also|Women under the Taliban}}<br />
[[File:Taliban enter Kabul airport.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Taliban enter Kabul airport after US departure, August 31, 2021.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/08/future-us-taliban-relations/184976/</ref>]]<br />
The Taliban had risen to power in the mid '90s in reaction to the anarchy and warlordism that arose after the withdrawal of Soviet forces. Many Taliban had been educated in madrassas in Pakistan and were largely from rural southern Pashtun backgrounds. In 1994, the Taliban developed enough strength to capture the city of Kandahar from a local warlord and proceeded to expand its control throughout Afghanistan, occupying Kabul in September 1996. By the end of 1998, the Taliban occupied about 90% of the country, limiting the opposition largely to a small mostly Tajik corner in the northeast and the Panjshir valley. <br />
<br />
The Taliban sought to impose an extreme interpretation of Islam—based upon the rural Pashtun tribal code—on the entire country and committed massive human rights violations, particularly directed against women and girls. The Taliban also committed serious atrocities against minority populations, particularly the Shi'a Hazara ethnic group, and killed noncombatants in several well-documented instances. In March 2001, as part of a drive against relics of Afghanistan's pre-Islamic past, the Taliban destroyed two Buddha statues carved into cliff faces outside of the city of Bamiyan. <br />
<br />
From the mid-1990s the Taliban provided sanctuary to Osama bin Laden, a Saudi national who had fought with the mujahideen resistance against the Soviets, and provide a base for his and other terrorist organizations. Bin Laden provided both financial and political support to the Taliban. Bin Laden and his Al-Qaida group were charged with the bombing of the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in 1998, and in August 1998 the United States launched a cruise missile attack against bin Laden's terrorist camp in southeastern Afghanistan. Bin Laden and Al-Qaida have acknowledged their responsibility for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. <br />
[[File:Build Back Better.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Taliban announcing its Build Back Better program on Afghan TV, August 29, 2021.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/afghan-tv-host-tells-public-not-to-be-afraid-and-cooperate-while-surrounded-by-taliban-with-guns/</ref><ref>[https://youtu.be/YkcaeaD45MY "Build Back Better"]</ref> ]]<br />
Following the Taliban's repeated refusal to expel bin Laden and his group and end its support for international terrorism, the U.S. and its partners in the anti-terrorist coalition began a military campaign on October 7, 2001, targeting terrorist facilities and various Taliban military and political assets within Afghanistan. On October 22, 2001, Sen. [[Joseph Biden]] of Delaware gave a speech insisting that U.S. goals—rooting out al-Qaeda and helping establish a friendly successor government to the Taliban—would require U.S. ground troops far beyond the small number of Special Forces already in place.<ref>Sen. Biden: "I think the American public and the Islamic world is fully prepared for us to take as long as we need to take. If it is action that is a mano-a-mano. If it's us on the ground going against other forces on the ground. The part that I think flies in the face of, and plays into every stereotypical criticism of us, is where this high tech bully that thinks from the air we can do whatever you want to do. And it builds the case, for those who want to make the case against us, that all we're doing is indiscriminately bombing innocents. Which is not the truth. Some innocents are indiscriminately bombed. But that is not the truth. I think the American public is prepared for a long siege. I think the American public has prepared for American losses. I think the American public is prepared, and the president must continue to remind them to be prepared, for American body bags coming home. There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing." [https://www.c-span.org/video/?166841-1/us-response-terrorist-attacks @59:43]</ref> Under pressure from U.S. military and anti-Taliban forces, the Taliban disintegrated rapidly, and Kabul fell on November 13, 2001. <br />
<br />
Afghan factions opposed to the Taliban met at a United Nations-sponsored conference in Bonn, Germany in December 2001 and agreed to restore stability and governance to Afghanistan—creating an interim government and establishing a process to move toward a permanent government. Under the "Bonn Agreement," an Afghan Interim Authority was formed and took office in Kabul on December 22, 2001, with Hamid Karzai as chairman. The Interim Authority held power for approximately 6 months while preparing for a nationwide "Loya Jirga" (Grand Council) in mid-June 2002 that decided on the structure of a Transitional Authority. The Transitional Authority, headed by President Hamid Karzai, renamed the government as the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). One of the TISA's primary achievements was the drafting of a constitution that was ratified by a Constitutional Loya Jirga on January 4, 2004.<br />
<br />
===US-Afghan war 2001-2021===<br />
{{See also|Afghan War}}<br />
<br />
[[Operation Enduring Freedom]] easily defeated the Taliban in late 2001 and it seemed the war was over quickly. But the Taliban regrouped, especially in the southern provinces, with sanctuaries inside neighboring [[Pakistan]] in remote areas where the government of Pakistan had little authority. By 2003 the insurgency in the south was in operation, funded by [[opium]] production. Important factors for the return of insurgency include the initial mistakes made in 2001; radical Islamic support from Pakistan; weaknesses of the [[Hamid Karzai]] government, especially its feeble and corrupt national army and police; the question of legitimacy and offenses to traditional tribal and [[Islam]]ic values and beliefs; and, finally, the extent to which NATO forces became part of the problem by angering the tribes. The insurgency controlled numerous areas and engaged in terror attacks on civilians and guerrilla warfare against American and NATO forces. [[Al-Qaeda]] terrorists—the only [[Arab]]s in Afghanistan—had been welcomed by the Taliban in 1999 and built their bases there. They have been largely destroyed or fled to Pakistan, according to the U.S. Army, having fewer than 100 people left in Afghanistan.<br />
<br />
Seven years after the overthrow of the Taliban, America and NATO forces were still fighting Taliban forces in parts of the country, especially in the south.<ref>[http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=October&x=20061025171329MVyelwarC0.6853144 U.S. Department of State, Vince Crawley, October 25, 2006, "NATO's Jones Urges Focus on Afghan Reconstruction, Rule of Law"] <sub>''"On July 31, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) took control of Afghanistan’s volatile southern provinces, part of a larger plan for NATO to provide security for the entire country. The handover was accompanied by an upsurge of violence against international forces."''</sub></ref> There was no sign that Western troops would be withdrawing from Afghanistan in the foreseeable future. Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, commander of the United States coalition forces stated his commitment to accomplishing the mission, saying, "The United States will not leave Afghanistan until the Afghan people tell us the job is done. The war on terrorism began here in Afghanistan and it continues today. We must never forget that."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/01/world/asia/01afghan.html New York Times, CARLOTTA GALL, August 1, 2006, "U.S. Hands Southern Afghan Command to NATO"]</ref><br />
<br />
In Aug. 2009, General [[Stanley A. McChrystal]], the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said the Afghan government was riddled with corruption and NATO was being undermined by tactics that alienate civilians. He called the Taliban insurgency "a muscular and sophisticated enemy" that uses modern propaganda and systematically reaches into Afghanistan's prisons to recruit members and even plan operations. He said official corruption is as much of a threat as the insurgency to the mission of the '''International Security Assistance Force''', or ISAF, as the U.S.-led NATO coalition is widely known. The weakness of state institutions, malign actions of power-brokers, widespread corruption and abuse of power by various officials, and ISAF's own errors, have given Afghans little reason to support their government," McChrystal reported. <br />
<br />
McChrystal told Washington that he urgently needs more forces within the next year; without them, he warned, the eight-year conflict "will likely result in failure." By November no decision had been made on the urgent request.<ref>Bob Woodward, "McChrystal: More Forces or 'Mission Failure'' [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/20/AR2009092002920.html ''Washington Post,'' Sept 21, 2009]</ref> <br />
<br />
The 2009 presidential election was badly tainted by fraud. Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, the main opponent of President [[Hamid Karzai]], pulled out of the runoff in November, and Karzai was declared reelected for another five-year term. His legitimacy and support was seriously weakened by the election frauds, but the U.S., [[NATO]], and the [[United Nations|UN]] have agreed to keep him in power.<br />
<br />
====Afghan Republic 2001-2021====<br />
Three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, on October 3, 2001, Sen. Joseph Biden, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, proposed a billion dollars in aid to a yet to be formed Afghan interim government. The amount was almost twice as much as U.N. General Secretary [[Kofi Annan]] proposed and more than triple what the Bush administration asked for.<ref>Sen. Biden: "U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan has issued an appeal for $584 million to meet the needs of the Afghan refugees and displaced people, within Afghanistan and in neighboring countries. This is the amount deemed necessary to stave off disaster for the winter, which will start in Afghanistan in just a few weeks. We must back up our rhetoric with action, with something big and bold and meaningful. We can offer to foot the entire bill for keeping the Afghan people safely fed, clothed, and sheltered this winter, and that should be the beginning....We can kick the effort off in a way that would silence our critics in the rest of the world: a check for $1 billion, and a promise for more to come as long as the rest of the world joins us. This initial amount would be more than enough to meet all the refugees’ short-term needs, and would be a credible downpayment for the long-term effort. Eventually the world community will have to pony up more billions, but there is no avoiding that now, not if we expect our words ever to carry any weight.<br>If anyone thinks this amount of money is too high, let me note one stark, simple and very sad statistic. The damage inflicted by the September 11 attack in economic terms alone was a minimum of several hundred billion dollars and a maximum of over $1 trillion. The cost in human life, of course, as the Presiding Officer knows, is far beyond any calculation. [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2001-pt13/pdf/CRECB-2001-pt13-issue-2001-10-03.pdf Pg. 18464]</ref> Harmid Karzai formed an interim government on 22 December 2001 until elections could be held after the removal of Taliban rule by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces. On January 10, 2002, Joe Biden arrived in Afghanistan on a four-day fact-finding visit and met with Karzai.<ref>https://www.army.mil/article/50258/biden_meets_karzai_visits_troops_in_afghanistan</ref> In 2002 and 2003, when Afghan tribal councils gathered to write a new constitution, the U.S. government gave “nice packages” to delegates who supported Washington's preferred stance. “The perception that was started in that period: If you were going to vote for a position that Washington favored, you’d be stupid to not get a package for doing it,” according to a U.S. official who served in Kabul at the time.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-corruption-government/</ref><br />
<br />
On October 9, 2004, Afghanistan held its first national democratic presidential election. More than 8 million Afghans voted, 41% of whom were women. [[Hamid Karzai]] was the winner and was inaugurated on December 7 for a five-year term as Afghanistan's first democratically elected president. In 2014 [[Ashraf Ghani]] was elected as new president of Afghanistan and held office until the fall of Kabul in August 2021.<br />
<br />
====Nation building====<br />
Three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, on October 3, 2001, Sen. [[Joseph Biden]] of Delaware proposed on the Senate floor a billion dollars in aid to a yet-to-be-formed Afghan interim government. The amount was almost twice as much as U.N. General Secretary [[Kofi Annan]] proposed,<ref>Sen. Biden: "U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan has issued an appeal for $584 million to meet the needs of the Afghan refugees and displaced people, within Afghanistan and in neighboring countries. This is the amount deemed necessary to stave off disaster for the winter, which will start in Afghanistan in just a few weeks. We must back up our rhetoric with action, with something big and bold and meaningful. We can offer to foot the entire bill for keeping the Afghan people safely fed, clothed, and sheltered this winter, and that should be the beginning....We can kick the effort off in a way that would silence our critics in the rest of the world: a check for $1 billion, and a promise for more to come as long as the rest of the world joins us. This initial amount would be more than enough to meet all the refugees’ short-term needs, and would be a credible downpayment for the long-term effort. Eventually the world community will have to pony up more billions, but there is no avoiding that now, not if we expect our words ever to carry any weight.<br>If anyone thinks this amount of money is too high, let me note one stark, simple and very sad statistic. The damage inflicted by the September 11 attack in economic terms alone was a minimum of several hundred billion dollars and a maximum of over $1 trillion. The cost in human life, of course, as the Presiding Officer knows, is far beyond any calculation." [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2001-pt13/pdf/CRECB-2001-pt13-issue-2001-10-03.pdf CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE—Wednesday, October 3, 2001], Pg. 18464.</ref> and more than triple what the Bush administration asked for.<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/04/biden-iraq-invasion-america-afghanistan/618640/ The Original Sin of the War in Afghanistan], By Jonah Blank, ''The Atlantic'', APRIL 20, 2021.</ref> Sen. Biden, who spoke for the Democrats in Congress, wanted more than just removal of the Taliban and degrading al Qaeda. Biden wanted [[nation building]]. Biden wanted to flood the new government with cash, which ultimately corrupted the new Karzai regime, and created an anti-[[Western]], anti-corruption, pro-Taliban resurgence and backlash.<br />
[[File:Biden CFR October 22 2001.PNG|right|350px|thumb|Sen. Joe Biden advocating for boots on the ground and nation building at the Council on Foreign Relations, October 22, 2001.]]<br />
On October 22, 2001, Sen. Biden, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, gave a speech at the [[Council on Foreign Relations]] insisting that U.S. goals—rooting out al-Qaeda and helping establish a friendly successor government to the Taliban—would require U.S. boots on the ground far beyond the small number of Special Forces that the [[Pentagon]] had recommended. Biden said, "There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing."<ref>Sen. Biden: "I think the American public and the Islamic world is fully prepared for us to take as long as we need to take. If it is action that is a mano-a-mano. If it's us on the ground going against other forces on the ground. The part that I think flies in the face of, and plays into every stereotypical criticism of us, is where this high tech bully that thinks from the air we can do whatever you want to do. And it builds the case, for those who want to make the case against us, that all we're doing is indiscriminately bombing innocents. Which is not the truth. Some innocents are indiscriminately bombed. But that is not the truth. I think the American public is prepared for a long siege. I think the American public has prepared for American losses. I think the American public is prepared, and the president must continue to remind them to be prepared, for American body bags coming home. There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing. That's the generic point I wish to make. I am not qualified enough to tell you. Although I can tell you what the military guys have said to me. This is not 1948. This is 2001. I'm not at all sure they're correct." [https://www.c-span.org/video/?166841-1/us-response-terrorist-attacks @59:43]</ref> Under pressure from U.S. military and anti-Taliban forces however, the Taliban disintegrated rapidly, and [[Kabul]] fell on November 13, 2001.<br />
<br />
Hamid Karzai formed an interim government on 22 December 2001 until elections could be held after the removal of Taliban rule by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces. On January 10, 2002, Biden arrived in Afghanistan on a four-day fact-finding visit and at Bagram Airforce Base. The [[Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility]] had been prepared to receive jihadis. Bagram was a major collection point for preliminary interrogation. Sen. Biden said, "These are some real hard, hard, hard cases. But unless we gather the list of leaders which we -- I have in my pocket here...the possibility of them being able to do [[guerrilla]] kind of attacks on military here are real."<ref>http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0201/13/se.01.html</ref><br />
<br />
In 2002 and 2003, when Afghan tribal councils gathered to write a new constitution, the U.S. government gave “nice packages” to delegates who supported Washington's preferred stance. “The perception that was started in that period: If you were going to vote for a position that Washington favored, you’d be stupid to not get a package for doing it,” according to a U.S. official interviewed by the ''[[Washington Post]]'' who served in Kabul at the time.<ref name="washingtonpost.com"/><br />
<br />
According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', beginning in December 2002 throughout Karzai's terms of office, Karzai's office was funded with "tens of millions of dollars" of black cash from the [[CIA]] in order to buy influence within the Afghan government. The ''NYT'' stated that "the cash that does not appear to be subject to the oversight and restrictions." An unnamed American official was quoted by ''The New York Times'' as stating that "The biggest source of corruption in Afghanistan was the United States."<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html|title=With Bags of Cash, C.I.A. Seeks Influence in Afghanistan|author=Matthew Rosenberg|newspaper=The New York Times|date=28 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013|archive-date=28 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428232309/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html|url-status=live}}</ref><br />
<br />
Once it became the narrative that the U.S. was there to improve life for Afghans the venture became subject to withering critiques. In an investigative report by the ''Washington Post'', a forensic accountant analyzed "3,000 Defense Department contracts worth $106 billion dollars concluded about 40% of the money ended up in the pockets of insurgents, criminal syndicates, or corrupt Afghan officials." ''The Spectator'' noted, "On [[Ivy League]] campuses, students are taught to decry [[colonialism]], but Ivy League diplomats who sought to remake Afghanistan and [[Harvard]]'s image were among the most ambitious practitioners of colonialism in world history. Alongside the billions for bombs went hundreds of millions for gender studies in Afghanistan. According to a USAID observer, the gender ideology included in<br />
American aid routinely caused rebellions out in the provinces directly causing the instability America was supposedly fighting."<br />
<br />
====Obama escalation====<br />
:{{See also|Obama war crimes}}<br />
[[File:Af-UStroops.jpg|thumb|350px|thumb]]<br />
Despite campaigning against "dumb wars," [[Barack Obama]] made escalating the troop level a high priority.<ref>https://original.antiwar.com/mcgovern/2010/09/24/obama-knows-the-war-is-dumb-but-prefers-power-over-peace/</ref> In September 2009, the Pentagon pushed back against liberal Democrats who oppose sending additional combat troops to Afghanistan, telling Congress that success would probably require more fighting forces, and certainly much more time. Washington is debating the new report by Gen. McChrystal, the senior American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, who believes a properly resourced counterinsurgency war means more forces, more time and more commitment to the development of a strong Afghan government capable of defending its own country.<ref>Thom Shanker, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/world/asia/16mullen.html?_r=1&th&emc=th "Military Chief Suggests Need to Enlarge U.S. Afghan Force," ''New York Times'' Sept. 16, 2009]</ref> Some 4,000 more American trainers will arrive by November, bringing the American troop level to 68,000.<br />
<br />
The ruling [[Democratic party]] in the United States was split three ways: a small number of hawks who agreed with Obama's decision to escalate the troop level; a large number of doves who opposed it; and a sizable group that was uneasy with the Obama troop surge but willing to loyally support his decision. Each one thousand American soldiers in Afghanistan cost a billion dollars a year; Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] indicated that the continued operations would be financed by borrowing.<br />
<br />
In the first half of 2010, 250 contractors reportedly died in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than the 235 military personnel who fell during the same period.<ref>https://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/05/24/114662/what-price-war.html#ixzz1Nz07pg5O</ref><br />
<br />
====Bowe Bergdahl swap====<br />
<br />
When [[Barack Obama]] released five Taliban commanders from the [[Guantanamo Bay]] prison in exchange for American deserter Bowe Bergdahl in 2014, he assured Americans that the enemy combatants would not be allowed to return to Afghanistan. 6 American soldiers lives were lost searching for the American deserter.<ref>https://nypost.com/2014/06/02/six-soldiers-died-searching-for-deserter-pow-fueling-backlash/</ref> Upon Bergdahl's return, Obama celebrated Bergdahl as a heroic “POW,” a designation the Pentagon never gave him. Khairullah Khairkhwa, one of the five released from Guantanamo, sat across the table from Joe Biden's personal representative in [[Moscow]] in the spring of 2021, where Mullah Khairkhwa was part of the Taliban delegation that negotiated the terms of the US withdrawal. Mullah Khairkhwa is the mastermind of the Taliban takeover, even though the Pentagon classified Khairkhwa as too dangerous to release.<br />
<br />
Khairkhwa assured the Biden junta that the Taliban would not retaliate against Afghans who worked with the US military or the US-backed government in Kabul. However, reports out of Kandahar and Kabul soon after the fall of Afghanistan indicate the Taliban was going door to door with a kill list to wipe out their enemies. Mullah Khairkhwa previously served as the Taliban's interior minister prior to 2002, where he oversaw Islamist punishments, including beheadings and stonings.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/08/16/taliban-leader-was-freed-from-guantanamo-in-2014-swap-by-obama/</ref><br />
<br />
All five of the terrorists in the Bowe Bergdahl swap assumed prominent positions in the Taliban interim government announced on September 11, 2021:<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/09/07/four-gitmo-detainees-released-in-berghdahl-swap-are-now-taliban-ministers-for-afghan-government-interim-government-will-be-officially-introduced-on-sept-11th/</ref><br />
*Acting Minister of Information and Culture: Mullah Khairullah Khairkhah<br />
*Defense Deputy Minister: Mullah Mohammad Fazil<br />
*Acting Director of Intelligence: Abdul Haq Wasiq<br />
*Border and Tribal Affairs Minister: Mullah Norullah Nori<br />
*Acting Governor of Khost Province: Muhammad Nabi Omari<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2021-09-11-from-the-cells-of-guantanamo-to-the-ruling----the-story-of-5-officials-in-the-taliban-government.H1rAUgatGY.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Total collapse under Biden====<br />
[[File:Biden's gift to Taliban terrortists.PNG|right|400px|thumb|Democrat socialist leader Joe Biden's gift to Taliban terrorists.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/bidens-gift-to-terror-stunning-infographic-shows-the-massive-new-arsenal-the-taliban-now-possesses/</ref>]]<br />
When the Biden regime abandoned Bagram Airbase on July 2, 2021, without giving notice to the Afghan government and Afghan National Army,<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57682290</ref> it sent a signal to the highest levels in the Afghan government that the United States would not provide the aircover and support for the Afghan army in its war with the Taliban - a mission they had prepared for 20 years.<ref>https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-09/us-military-leave-bagram-air-base-afghanistan-equipment-handover/100277452</ref> It was no surprise when the Afghan Army abandoned the field and refused to fight, and the Afghan government fell, as scripted by the Biden regime.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9900069/This-not-surprise-Afghan-experts-condemn-Biden-shock-Taliban-advance.html</ref><br />
<br />
With the August 2021 Taliban takeover of major cities, it was clear that it was Biden who failed the Afghan war.<ref name="Aug 15, 2021"/><ref>[https://thefederalist.com/2021/08/16/no-biden-cant-blame-trump-for-the-afghanistan-withdrawal-disaster/ No, Biden Can’t Blame Trump For The Afghanistan Withdrawal Disaster] Margot Cleveland, The Federalist, Aug 16, 2021.</ref><ref>[http://www.boblonsberry.com/writings.cfm?go=4 Biden Lost the Afghan War], Bob Lonsberry, Aug 16, 2021</ref><br />
And Billions spent by US in Afghanistan on Afghan army, at the end, rather benefited the Taliban.<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-08-17/billions-spent-on-afghan-army-ultimately-benefited-taliban Billions Spent on Afghan Army Ultimately Benefited Taliban] Associated Press, US News, Aug 17, 2021.<br />
''Built and trained at a two-decade cost of $83 billion, Afghan security forces collapsed so quickly and completely — in some cases without a shot fired — that the ultimate beneficiary of the American investment turns out to be the Taliban.''</ref> Planes, guns, night-vision goggles, ended up being the Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest.<ref>"[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-conflict-usa-arms-idUSKBN2FK1L5 Planes, guns, night-vision goggles: The Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest]"<br />
Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle and Jonathan Landay. Reuters, Aug 18, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, The [[Qatar]]i pro-terror network [[Al Jazeera]] was given exclusive access to the presidential palace by Taliban.<ref>roi kais (@kaisos1987) Tweeted:<br />
The Qatari Al-Jazeera channel receives from Taliban exclusive access to the presidential palace in Kabul. No need to be surprised https://t.co/h53JupS8OP [https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1426974071145877507?s=20 Aug 15, 2021]</ref><br />
<br />
Even CNN had to admit that it's: "some of most dire days of his presidency."<ref>"[https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/19/politics/joe-biden-afghanistan-dire-days-of-presidency/index.html As White House scrambles on Afghanistan, Biden faces some of most dire days of his presidency]." Kevin Liptak, Jeff Zeleny, Kaitlan Collins and Jeremy Diamond, CNN, August 19, 2021.<br />
(CNN)Two photographs of President Joe Biden this week neatly illustrated the White House's fight to contain the fallout of the biggest crisis of his presidency.</ref><br />
<br />
Global media slammed Biden as a ‘joke.’<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/17/global-media-slam-us-biden-as-a-joke-amid-kabul-chaos/ Global media slam US, Biden as a ‘joke’ amid Kabul chaos] Emily Crane, <br />
August 17, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
The global media are slamming President Biden as a “joke” and an “embarrassment” after the US evacuation of Afghanistan deteriorated into deadly chaos as terrified Afghans clung to military planes in an attempt to flee the Taliban takeover.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Taliban atrocities included executions,<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/08/03/afghanistan-advancing-taliban-execute-detainees Afghanistan: Advancing Taliban Execute Detainees], HRW, Aug 3, 2021</ref> even killing kids in front of their parents.<ref name=mid-day/><br />
Afghans became fearful of brutal regime return.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2021/08/16/1028016095/taliban-takeover-reminds-afghans-of-the-brutality-of-their-previous-regime Taliban Takeover Reminds Afghans Of The Brutality Of Their Previous Regime], PBS, Aug 16, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Writer:<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/19/afghan-debacle-has-exposed-joe-biden-as-a-failed-president/ This debacle has exposed Joe Biden as a failed president], Ben Domenech, NYPost, August 19, 2021.</ref><br />
<blockquote><br />
Joe Biden is derelict in his duty. His State Department failed to prepare adequately to get Americans and our allied Afghans out of the country in time. His Department of Defense made the decisions that left our resources and materiel to be used by the Taliban. His intelligence units were the ones he now claims — despite evidence to the contrary — never warned that the Afghan government could fall so fast.<br />
<br />
This was a failure of many institutions of American government. But above all, it was a failure of the Commander in Chief.</blockquote><br />
<br />
Among the allies for example, Biden rattled [[U.K.]] With his Afghanistan policy.<br />
From ''The New York Times'':<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/18/world/europe/britain-afghanistan-johnson-biden.html Biden Rattles U.K. With His Afghanistan Policy], Mark Landler, NYT, Aug 18, 2021.<br />
<br><br />
<i>Britain was the second-largest supplier of troops to Afghanistan, and the United States’ rapid withdrawal from the country has left some embittered.<br />
LONDON — In Britain, the chaotic departure from Afghanistan has drawn comparisons not to helicopters flying out of Saigon but to an earlier debacle: the 1956 Suez crisis, in which a humiliated Britain was forced to pull out of Egypt, having failed to dislodge its nationalist leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser.<br />
<br />
The problem is, Britain had very little to say about the timing or tactics of the most recent withdrawal, even though it suffered the second-most casualties in the Afghanistan war after the United States. That has left British officials embarrassed and embittered at President Biden. Some say he behaved more like his predecessor, Donald J. Trump, than an ally who promised a new era of American partnership.</i></ref><blockquote> the chaotic departure from Afghanistan has drawn comparisons not to helicopters flying out of Saigon but to an earlier debacle: the 1956 Suez crisis, in which a humiliated Britain was forced to pull out of Egypt, having failed to dislodge its nationalist leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser.</blockquote><br />
<br />
One of the big gainers at [[Taliban]]'s rise is the "tiny Qatar", capable of disproportionate intervention in their affairs not hers.<ref>Ilan Zalayat @ilanzalayat Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
While everyone is talking about the effects of the turbulent upheaval in Afghanistan on neighbors like China or Iran, it is becoming clear that one of the big gainers is actually the tiny Qatar capable of disproportionate intervention in their affairs not hers.</blockquote><br />
[https://mobile.twitter.com/ilanzalayat/status/1428345434016256003 Aug 19, 2021]</ref><br />
<br />
====The congratulators====<br />
As in [[9/11]] atrocity,<ref>[https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/false-footaging/ Palestinians Dancing in the Street], David Mikkelson, Snopes.com, Sep 11, 2020.<br />
''Did CNN fake footage of 'Palestinians dancing in the street' after the terrorist attack on the USA?''<br />
Status: false''<br />
<blockquote><br />
CNN did not air decade-old footage of Palestinians dancing in the streets. Eason Jordan, CNN’s Chief News Executive, confirmed that the video used on CNN was in fact shot on Tuesday, 11 September 2001, in East Jerusalem by a Reuters TV crew, not during the Persian Gulf conflict of 1990-91 — a fact proved by its inclusion of comments from a Palestinian praising Osama Bin Laden...</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/02/06/yes-palestinians-did-celebrate-after-9-11/ Yes — Palestinians Did Celebrate After 9/11], Algemeiner, Feb 6, 2020</ref> it was Arab-Islamic [[Palestinian]]s who cheered on. This time [[Hamas]] officials.<ref>"[https://www.jns.org/hamas-congratulates-taliban-for-victory-over-america-in-afghanistan/ Hamas congratulates Taliban for ‘victory’ over America in Afghanistan]." JNS, Aug 16, 2021.<br />
<br />
Officials of the terror group in Gaza said it proves that “the resistance of the peoples—foremost of which is our struggling Palestinian people—is destined for victory.</ref><ref>[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byqtdivet What does Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban mean for the Middle East?'] Ynet, Aug 16, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>Hamas already congratulated the Taliban on its victory. In recent days, members of the Hamas Politburo have met with those of the Taliban in Qatar. The Taliban congratulated Hamas on its “achievements” during the 11-days of fighting with Israel in May.</blockquote></ref><ref>[http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/272709 Paliban Paleban], DP, Aug 17, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
1. '''Mutually congratulatory''':<br />
<br><br><br />
'What does Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban mean for the Middle East?' Ynet, Aug 16, 2021. [https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byqtdivet]<br />
''Hamas already congratulated the Taliban on its victory. In recent days, members of the Hamas Politburo have met with those of the Taliban in Qatar. The Taliban congratulated Hamas on its “achievements” during the 11-days of fighting with Israel in May.''<br />
<br><br><br />
2. '''Both wrap their jihadi bigoted butchery in "anti occupation" cloth''':<br />
<br><br><br />
'Hamas says Taliban takeover proves Palestinians 'will achieve victory,'' i24NEWS, August 16, 2021. [https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/1629119521-hamas-says-taliban-takeover-proves-palestinians-will-achieve-victory]<br />
'' "We congratulate the Muslim Afghan people for the defeat of the American occupation on all Afghan lands" ''<br />
<br><br><br />
''Hamas on Monday congratulated the Taliban on the Islamist movement's takeover of Afghanistan, saying in a statement that "the demise of the American occupation and its allies proves that the resistance of the peoples, foremost of which is our struggling Palestinian people, will achieve victory."''<br />
<br><br><br />
<br />
3. '''Both love using human shields'''.<br />
<br><br><br />
Orde Kittrie: "Help NATO by Holding Hamas Accountable for Terrorist War Crimes." May 19, 2021. [https://nationalinterest.org/feature/help-nato-holding-hamas-accountable-terrorist-war-crimes-185581]<br />
<br><br><br />
'Taliban using human shields, says Afghan army general.' The Guardian, Feb 17, 2010.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/17/taliban-human-shields]<br />
<br><br><br />
'Civilians say Taliban use of human shields shows weakness, cruelty.' Dec. 12, 2018. [https://afghanistan.asia-news.com/en_GB/articles/cnmi_st/features/2018/12/12/feature-02]</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
[[Pakistan]]i Prime Minister Imran Khan praised the Taliban saying they "broke the chains of slavery in the country".<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYoH378Ju_Y</ref><br />
<br />
Just a few days later, the Pakistani Army held a meet and greet with the Taliban at the Torkham border crossing where they took selfies with each other.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/pakistan-army-and-taliban-show-true-colours-hold-meet-and-greet-and-selfie-session-at-border.html</ref><br />
<br />
[[Qatar]]'s Al-Jazzera also celebrated Taliban rise as a win for Islamic "nation."<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/al-jazeera-reporters-celebrate-taliban-victory-us-defeat-historic-triumph-islamic-ummah Al-Jazeera Reporters Celebrate 'Taliban Victory', 'U.S. Defeat' As Historic Triumph For Islamic Ummah], Memri, August 18, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Qatar | Special Dispatch No. 9503.<br />
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's takeover of the country sparked many reactions worldwide, including in the Arab world. Conspicuous among these reactions were expressions of joy by Islamist organizations such as Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the International Union of Muslim Scholars and various elements identified with the Muslim Brotherhood.</blockquote><br />
</ref><br />
<br />
====Fall of Kabul 2021====<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris foreign policy|Rape jihad}}<br />
[[File:Kabul 2021.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Biden/Harris withdrawal during the [[Rape of Afghanistan]].]]<br />
On July 8, 2021, [[Joe Biden]] said from the White House, "I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war."<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/bidens-afghanistan-predictions-were-all-wrong/</ref> The same month the [[U.S. Defense Department]] said it was providing the Afghan Air Force 35 Black Hawk helicopters and three A-29 Super Tucanos. The United States spent $83 billion equipping and training the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), including $10 billion in aircraft and vehicles.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/us-spent-83-billion-training-afghan-forces-why-did-they-collapse-so-quickly/184529/</ref> Less than a month after Biden's statement, several Black Hawks helicopters and other aircraft were seized by the Taliban. Many of the aircraft and helicopters are armed. These A-29 Super Tucanos can fire [[laser]]-guided and other types of bombs. The Afghan government also had 50 American-made MD-530 attack helicopters, which are armed with machine guns and rockets. The Afghan Air Force had UH-60 Black Hawks and Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, as well as C-130 and Cessna transports, and a small fleet of armed Cessnas.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/taliban-captured-helicopters-can-they-capture-air-force/184525/</ref><br />
<br />
As Biden withdrew American troops, the [[Peoples Republic of China]] began expanding their [[Belt and Road Initiative]] with a $62 billion aid package to Afghanistan to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9755531/China-prepares-Afghanistan-following-Americas-departure-Belt-Road-program.html</ref><br />
<br />
As the impending crisis escalated, White House chief propagandists [[Jen Psaki]] said "The [[Taliban]] has to make an assessment about what they want their role to be in the international community." Her comments came as reports flowed in of Taliban fighters going door-to-door and forcibly selecting girls as young as 12 to reward as brides for the victorious jihadis.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghans-tell-of-executions-forced-marriages-in-taliban-held-areas-11628780820</ref> <br />
<br />
Bodies lay strewn on the streets of Kandahar.<ref>https://rumble.com/vl8ixd-stunning-video-people-dead-on-kandahar-streets-after-violent-taliban-takeov.html</ref> It was a repetition of what the Taliban had done in all the other provinces to the elite counter-terrorism forces <br />
that fought alongside Americans.<br />
Panic ensued as the Kabul airport was flooded with people fleeing the Taliban terror. Some people were stampeded to death.<ref>https://www.the-sun.com/news/3479109/taliban-jalalabad-afghanistan-kabul-uk-troops-2-2/</ref> Three young men clung to the tires of an airplane, only to fall on top of people's houses once the plane was airborne.<ref>https://twitter.com/AsvakaNews/status/1427172720446373892</ref><br />
<br />
Once inside the city, the Taliban had all the records with names of everyone who served in the Ktah Khas (KKA) or Afghan Special Forces, and began a house-to-house search for them.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/sheer-terror-in-kabul-taliban-now-going-door-to-door-looking-for-afghans-who-fought-alongside-us-military/</ref> The KKA counter-terrorism experts who were trained by and fought alongside Americans suffered the same fate others did in the provinces, and were summarily executed.<ref>https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/graphic-video-shows-taliban-reportedly-executed-surrendering-afghan-special-forces-troops/</ref><br />
<br />
While the Biden regime did not inform the U.S. Afghan allies it was abandoning Bagram Airbase,<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9758175/US-left-Afghan-airfield-night-didnt-tell-new-commander.html</ref> Army Gen. Chris Donohue, commander of the 82nd Airborne, did inform the Taliban commander whom he had been coordinating with on August 30, 2021, that the Biden regime was abandoning the Kabul airport, according to CENTCOM commander Gen. Frank McKenzie.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/inside-final-hours-kabul-airport/184975/</ref> Donohue had refused entry to the airport of American citizens with passports to leave Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/services/files/84E1CBFE-B7F5-4E89-87E4-0823EDEA28E4</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/newsmax/status/1431018570822062081</ref><ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/retired-marine-says-hundreds-of-their-rescued-orphans-christians-turned-away-by-u-s-military-ended-up-in-hands-of-the-taliban</ref><ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/08/30/ron-johnson-american-citizens-blocked-kabul-airport-state-department/</ref> This was done with the full knowledge of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. [[Mark Milley]].<ref>https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2021-08/YonEmailToMajorRedacted.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
An Aug 17, 2021 Report: Hamas leader meets with Taliban, lauds radicals for seizing Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/08/17/report-hamas-leader-meets-with-taliban-lauds-radicals-for-seizing-afghanistan/ Report: Hamas leader meets with Taliban, lauds radicals for seizing Afghanistan] Daniel Siryoti and Shahar Klaiman, Israelhayom, Aug 17, 2021.<i><br />
Taliban reportedly praises the terror group "for their steadfast opposition to the Zionist enemy." Hamas threatens to resume border protests unless Israel allows Qatari cash to be transferred to the Gaza Strip.</i></ref><br />
<br />
On Aug 19, 2021, The Taliban declared the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.' It's the same name it used when it brutally ruled the country in the 1990s.<ref>"[https://www.businessinsider.com/taliban-declares-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan-2021-8 The Taliban have declared the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,' the same name it used when it brutally ruled the country in the 1990s] " Sinéad Baker, Business Insider, Aug 19, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
The Taliban has been ccused of killing children in reign of terror.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/25/ex-afghan-minister-says-taliban-killing-children-elderly/amp/ Former Afghan minister claims Taliban killing children in reign of terror] Yaron Steinbach, NYPost, Aug 25, 2021 — ''Former Afghan Interior Minister Massoud Andarabi says that the Taliban are killing civilians as they tighten their hold on Afghanistan''.</ref><br />
<br />
Since Taliban take over, a long list of atrocities have been documented within weeks.<ref>[Atrocities Committed By The Afghan Taliban Since The Fall Of Kabul] Memri, September 2, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
Protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Baradar 'the Butcher' was reportedly to lead new Afghan government. He started the Taliban in 1994 with late leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. He then became known for some of the Islamic militants’ most deadly tactics, including planting improvised explosive devices along streets their enemies would be on, calling the IEDs “flowers.”<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/09/03/taliban-co-founder-baradar-to-reportedly-lead-new-afghan-government/ Taliban co-founder ‘Baradar the Butcher’ to reportedly lead new Afghan government] Emily Crane, NYPost, September 3, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
Feared Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar — who was once nicknamed “Baradar the Butcher” — will lead the new Afghan government, sources within the militant group told Reuters...<br />
Baradar, whose brutal history attracted the moniker “Baradar the Butcher”, arrived in Kabul two weeks ago to start talks about the new government.<br />
<br />
Baradar started the Taliban in 1994 with late leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.<br />
<br />
He then became known for some of the Islamic militants’ most deadly tactics, including planting improvised explosive devices along streets their enemies would be on, calling the IEDs “flowers,” according to a 2010 profile in the Times of London.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Experts warned, that terrorism will increase under Afghanistan's newly appointed Taliban government.<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/08/terrorism-to-increase-under-afghanistans-new-taliban-government.html Terrorism will increase under Afghanistan's newly appointed Taliban government, experts warn] Natasha Turak, CNBC, Sep 8 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Despite clear contradiction between Biden's statements in August/2021 and the military in September/2021, his spokesperson still tried to spin.<ref>Brooke Singman, "[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/psaki-claims-military-advisers-split-troops-in-afghanistan-milley-testimony Psaki claims military advisers were 'split' on troops in Afghanistan, despite Milley testimony]", Fox News, Sep 28, 2021.<br><i><br />
White House press secretary adds that the commander in chief 'makes those decisions'<br />
</i></ref><br />
<br />
======Fall out as a result of Biden's conduct======<br />
<br />
As a result, the liberal, Biden-election helper ''Washington Post'' sounded the alarm: ''The storms of August: Biden's devastating month stokes midterm fears among Democrats.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-august-democrats-midterms/2021/08/28/2783e326-0797-11ec-a654-900a78538242_story.html The storms of August: Biden’s devastating month stokes midterm fears among Democrats], <br />
Sean Sullivan, Tyler Pager and Annie Linskey, Washington Post, Aug 28, 202</ref><br />
<br />
Simply put "The Afghanistan mess is truly Biden’s disaster."<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/29/afghanistan-mess-is-bidens-disaster-and-other-commentary/ The Afghanistan mess is truly Biden’s disaster and other commentary] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, August 29, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
White House watch: It’s Biden’s Disaster.<br />
<br />
“The American people broadly agreed with” President Biden’s “decision to end the war in Afghanistan,” and it was his predecessor “who did the deal with the Taliban for a full American withdrawal,” but “none of that absolves Biden of responsibility for a pullout that has been, by any reasonable measure, a debacle,” The Hill’s Niall Stanage explains. Any “idea that the final US operations were going to be seen as some kind of against-the-odds moral victory . . . vanished in the dust of” Thursday’s attacks. The prez might recover politically, but “the chaos of Kabul has left a taint of weakness and incompetence on the Biden White House that will not be erased soon, if at all.”<br />
....<br />
By “allowing Iranian-sponsored Taliban groups not only to become a part of the new government of Afghanistan but help Tehran solve the problem that threatens it the most, the US has made Iran an immediate winner of the Taliban takeover,” fumes David Patrikarakos at Spectator World. Despite tension with the Taliban, Iran has “long sponsored various Taliban groups, particularly in the country’s southwest,” where the Helmand River supplies water to both nations. Experts think “it’s no coincidence that Zurang fell first during the Taliban advance,” with one saying, “Iran-sponsored Talibs took the city to take control of the water for Tehran.” Iran’s “chronic water problems” now “threaten the stability of the state. Years of water mismanagement” have caused shortages that provoked riots — and “scared” the regime. “You can terrorize people demanding civil rights off the streets, but if they are dying of thirst then a bullet won’t hold much fear.”</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
From Biden's mistakes: ''U.S. strategy put Defense and State departments on divergent paths: The troops pulled out but the diplomats stayed—and were left exposed when the Taliban took over.''<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/inside-the-biden-administrations-push-to-exit-afghanistan-11630855499 The Mistakes Behind the Biden Administration’s Afghanistan Withdrawal] Miichael R. Gordon, Gordon Lubold, Vivian Salama and Nessica Donati, WSJ, <br />
Sept. 5, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
U.S. strategy put Defense and State departments on divergent paths: The troops pulled out but the diplomats stayed—and were left exposed when the Taliban took over.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Even at the [[White House]], an official was 'appalled and literally horrified' that Biden stranded Americans in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-official-horrified-biden-abandoning-americans White House official 'appalled and literally horrified' that Biden stranded Americans in Afghanistan: report] Houston Keene, Fox News, Sep 1, 2021.<br />
''Biden vigorously defended his handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, despite leaving Americans behind''.</ref><br />
<br />
As if Biden's troubles weren't enough, Vice President Kamala Harris is just too prone to verbal fumbles that pour more fuel on the Biden administration's fires.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/28/kamala-harris-cackling-is-joe-bidens-job-security/ Kamala Harris’ cackling is Joe Biden’s job security] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, August 28, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Vice President Kamala Harris’s team canceled press access to her remarks to US troops at Pearl Harbor on Thursday — surely because it feared yet another disaster for the veep at the site of a terrible attack on America, the same day as the horrors in Kabul.<br />
<br />
Harris is just too prone to verbal fumbles that pour more fuel on the Biden administration’s fires.<br />
<br />
Just the week before, Harris broke into a bizarre cackle when reporters asked about the early stages of the Afghan crisis. And that's hardly her only nails-on-chalkboard moment.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
A bombshell leaked transcript showed that on July 23, 2021, Biden pressured Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to create the “perception” that the Taliban weren't winning, “whether it’s true or not,” in a phone call just three weeks before the insurgents seized control of the country.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/09/01/biden-pressured-ghani-to-create-perception-taliban-wasnt-winning/ Biden pressured Ghani to create ‘perception’ Taliban weren’t winning] Emily Crane, NYPost, September 1, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
President Biden pressured Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to create the “perception” that the Taliban weren’t winning, “whether it’s true or not,” in a phone call just three weeks before the insurgents seized control of the country, a bombshell leaked transcript shows.<br />
<br />
Biden and Ghani spoke for roughly 14 minutes on July 23 in what would be their final call before the Taliban overran the government and Afghanistan descended into bloody chaos amid the botched US withdrawal, according to a transcript and audio obtained by Reuters.<br />
<br />
Much of the call was focused on what Biden referred to as the Afghan government’s “perception” issue.<br />
<br />
“I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban,” Biden said.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/01/biden-pushed-afghanistan-president-project-different-picture/5679373001/ Biden pushed Afghanistan president to 'project a different picture' weeks before Taliban takeover] Joey Garrison, AP, USA Today, Sep 1, 2021.<br />
''Less than four weeks before the fall of Afghanistan, President Joe Biden urged Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani to demonstrate a more capable military defense to change the "perception" as the Taliban made significant gains.''</ref><br />
<br />
Biden was called 'Feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap' by mom of slain Marine.<ref>[https://breaking911.com/president-biden-called-feckless-dementia-ridden-piece-of-crap-by-mom-of-slain-marine/ President Biden Called ‘Feckless, Dementia-Ridden Piece Of Crap’ By Mom Of Slain Marine] B911, August 29, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
United States Marine Rylee McCollum, 20, was killed in Thursday’s terror attack at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport. The fallen Marine’s mother, Kathy, said on a radio show that Americans who voted for Joe Biden “just killed my son.”<br />
<br />
“That feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap just sent my son to die,” the distraught mother said. “I woke up at four o’clock this morning, two Marines at my door telling me my son was dead. So, to… right before me and listen to that piece of crap talk about diplomatic crap with frickin Taliban terrorists who just freakin blew up my son and no, nothing, to not say anything about oh my god, I’m so sorry for families. So, my son is gone.”<br />
<br />
“I never thought in a million years [my son] would die for nothing, for nothing, because that feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap who decided he wanted a photo-op on September 11,” she said. “That’s what kills me. I wanted my son to represent our country, to fight for my country. But I never thought that a feckless piece of crap would send him to his death and smirk on television while he’s talking about people dying with his nasty smirk. The dementia-ridden piece of crap needs to be removed from office. It never would have happened under Trump.”<br />
<br />
“You just killed my son with a dementia-ridden piece of crap who doesn’t even know he’s in the White House. He still thinks he’s a senator.”</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
During ceremony for dead marines, Biden appeared to look at his watch.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-slammed-for-appearing-to-look-at-his-watch-during-memorial-service-for-dead-marines Biden slammed for appearing to look at his watch during ceremony for dead Marines] Tyler O'Neil, Fox News, Aug 29, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Rep. Michael Waltz said that Joe Biden gave all of US bases away in Afghanistan.<br />
<ref>Rep. Michael Waltz: Joe Biden Gave All Of Our Bases Away In Afghanistan<br />
Aug 28, 2021.<br />
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X81LPw2H2E4.<br />
https://www.divisionet.com/2021/08/29/michael-waltz-warns-of-consequences-after-biden-gave-all-of-our-bases-away-in-afghanistan-newsweek/</ref><br />
<br />
The Taliban offered Kabul to U.S., but Americans said no. A report in the ''Washington Post'' describes a secret meeting between U.S. military leaders and the Taliban.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/taliban-offered-kabul-to-u-s-but-americans-said-no-report Taliban offered Kabul to U.S., but Americans said no: report] Ronn Blitzer, Fox News, Aug 30, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
A Washington Post report describes a secret meeting between U.S. military leaders and the Taliban.<br />
<br />
House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Michael Waltz argues every time the Taliban doesn't get access to billions in foreign reserves, economic assistance or international recognition, 'these thugs' can walk down the street and 'take another hostage.'<br />
<br />
Taliban fighters took the Afghan capital city of Kabul faster than anyone anticipated earlier this month – including the Taliban – but according to a Washington Post report, the U.S. had an opportunity to hold the city only to willingly turn it over.<br />
<br />
When Afghanistan's president Ashraf Ghani fled the country, the city began to collapse as gangs were reported to be taking over. This led to U.S. military leaders meeting and reaching an agreement with the Taliban, a U.S. official told the Post.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
====Haqqani network====<br />
On August 18, 2021 [[NBC News]] reported that the U.S. was working with the Taliban to evacuate Americans and allies out of Afghanistan. Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Gen. [[Mark Milley]] stated, "Through the State Department, the Taliban are facilitating safe passage to the airport for American citizens, that is, U.S. passport holders." An exchange with a reporter and defense minister [[Lloyd Austin]] went like this:<br />
[[File:Kabul airport suicide bombing August 26 20221.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Kabul airport suicide bombing, August 26, 2021. 170 dead.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9934115/STUART-RAMSAY-sends-vivid-angry-dispatch-Afghanistan.html</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|'''Q:''' It seems to me like barring a lobotomy by the Taliban; you have three pathways ahead of you. One, you can expand the perimeter and establish a corridor into Kabul to get our Afghan allies out. Two, you could extend the August 31 deadline of withdrawing. Or three, you can just leave the tens of thousands of Afghans who've helped us over the past 20 years behind. Which one is it going to be?<br />
<br />
'''SEC. AUSTIN:''' First of all, as I said, we're going to evacuate everybody that we can physically possibly evacuate. And we'll -- we'll conduct these -- this process for as long as we possibly can. We will continue to deconflict issues with -- with the Taliban. And we will stay focused on securing the -- the airfield. We cannot afford to either not defend that airfield or -- or -- or not have an airfield that secures where we have hundreds or thousands of civilians that can access the airfield at will and put our forces at risk.<br />
<br />
'''Q:''' But that doesn't answer the question. I mean, you're still saying you're focused on the airfield. These -- these people can't get into the airfield.<br />
<br />
'''SEC. AUSTIN:''' Well we're going to do everything we can to continue to try to deconflict and create passageways for them to get to the airfield. I don't have the capability to go out and extend operations currently into Kabul. And where do you take that? I mean, how far can you extend into Kabul, you know, and how long does it take to flow those forces in to be able to do that?<br />
<br />
'''Q:''' So it sounds like you're saying this depends on diplomacy with the Taliban, that's it. That's our only option is getting them to agree to do this.<ref>https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2738086/secretary-of-defense-austin-and-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-mille/</ref>}}<br />
Biden told [[George Stephanopoulos]] the same morning that "one of the things we didn't know is what the Taliban would do in terms of trying to keep people from getting out, what they would do. What are they doing now? They're cooperating, letting American citizens get out, American personnel get out, embassies get out, et cetera.<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/full-transcript-abc-news-george-stephanopoulos-interview-president/story?id=79535643</ref><br />
<br />
On August 19, 2921 [[VOA]] announced Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani had been placed in charge of security around the Kabul airport.<ref>https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/hardline-haqqani-network-put-charge-kabul-security</ref> On August 22, 2021, Haqqani told ''Al Jazeera'', “all Afghans” should feel safe under their Islamic Emirate, and that a “general amnesty” has been granted across the nation's 34 provinces. "If we can defeat superpowers, surely we can provide safety to the Afghan people," said Haqqani, "All of those people who left this country, we will assure them of their safety," Haqqani went on. "You’re all welcome back in Afghanistan."<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/22/all-afghans-should-feel-safe-under-taliban-says-security-chief</ref> The [[Haqqani network]] was already executing civilians and former members of the Afghan National Army, according to the [[United Nations]].<ref>https://www.euronews.com/2021/08/24/un-has-credible-reports-of-summary-executions-of-civilians-by-taliban</ref><br />
<br />
On August 26, 2021, after days of heightened alert from intelligence,<ref>[https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/afghanistan-again-becomes-a-cradle-for-jihadism-and-al-qaeda Afghanistan, Again, Becomes a Cradle for Jihadism—and Al Qaeda], Robin Wright, New Yorker, Aug 23, 2021.<br />
''The terrorist group has outlasted the trillion-dollar U.S. investment in Afghanistan since 9/11.''<br />
<blockquote><br />
The Taliban takeover is the biggest boost to Al Qaeda since September 11th and a global game changer for jihadism, one analyst said...<br />
In April, a U.S. intelligence assessment warned Congress that Al Qaeda’s senior leadership “will continue to plot attacks and seek to exploit conflicts in different regions.” The jihadist group, which carried out the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, was active in fifteen of Afghanistan’s thirty-four provinces, primarily in the eastern and southern regions, the United Nations reported in June. The Taliban and Al Qaeda remained “closely aligned and show no indication of breaking ties,” it noted, as like-minded militants celebrated developments in Afghanistan as a victory for “global radicalism.” In a haunting final report on the lessons learned from America’s longest war, John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, warned that the U.S. decision to pull out the last U.S. troops “left uncertain whether even the modest gains of the last two decades will prove sustainable.” The decision to pull out was made by President Trump in February last year, with the timetable decided by President Biden in April this year.<br />
<br />
With the Taliban takeover, the trillion-dollar investment in a campaign to contain Al Qaeda may have changed little since 9/11. Bruce Hoffman, a senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of “Inside Terrorism,” was blunter. “The situation is more dangerous in 2021 than it was in 1999 and 2000,” he told me. “We’re in a much weakened position now. We’ve learned so little.” The Taliban takeover is the biggest boost to Al Qaeda since 9/11 and a global game changer for jihadism generally, Rita Katz, the executive director of the Site Intelligence Group, a leading tracker of extremist activity worldwide, told me. There is a “universal recognition” that Al Qaeda can now “reinvest” in Afghanistan as a safe haven, Katz said. Jihadism effectively has a new homeland, the first since the collapse of the isis caliphate in March, 2019. “It foreshadows a new future that sadly couldn’t have been further from what we would hope for after twenty years of war,” she said. It’s a boon for Al Qaeda and its franchises, which now stretch from Burkina Faso in West Africa to Bangladesh in South Asia. “Militants from across the world—whether they be regionally focussed Islamists or globally focussed jihadists—will surely seek to enter Afghanistan’s porous borders,” ...Since the Taliban takeover, Al Qaeda has bragged that its calculus worked, unlike isis’s, according to Soufan and the Site Intelligence Group. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, based largely in Yemen, heralded the “beginning of a pivotal transformation” worldwide. In North Africa, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb celebrated the rapid sweep of Taliban military victories as proof that violent jihadist struggle is “the only way to restore the Ummah’s glory.” (“Ummah” is the Arabic term for the global Muslim community.) The Taliban victory has also breathed new life into groups far afield, including some of Al Qaeda’s rivals. “The Taliban’s victory is a story that can be bent to energize and justify any jihad or Islamist uprising, no matter how many years of bloodshed it may bring,”...Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, based in Gaza, gloated that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan proved that Palestinians, too, will ultimately achieve their return to former Palestinian lands in Israel—“by the permission of Allah.” The common thread among the congratulatory messages is that God’s guidance—rather than American fatigue with a costly war or the crumbling of the Afghan government and military—was responsible...</blockquote></ref><ref name=economist-bombing>[https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/08/26/suicide-bombings-hit-kabul-as-america-scrambles-to-leave Slaughter in Kabul Suicide bombings hit Kabul as America scrambles to leave], Economist, Aug 26, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Islamic State has inflicted the worst loss on American forces in a decade.<br />
<br />
AS THE AUGUST 31st deadline to conclude the evacuation of Afghanistan loomed, the drumbeat of warnings grew louder. On August 24th President Joe Biden warned of an “acute and growing risk” of a terrorist attack, by the local branch of Islamic State (IS), against Kabul’s airport, thronged by thousands of Afghans desperate to escape the Taliban’s rule. On August 25th several governments told their nationals to keep away from the airport. On August 26th a British minister warned that intelligence pointed to “a very imminent, highly lethal attack”. Alas, it came later that afternoon.</blockquote></ref> a rival<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58333533 Afghanistan crisis: Who are Isis-K?], Frank Gardner, BBC, Aug 26, 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/who-isisk-is-and-why-they-dont-fight-with-the-taliban/news-story/69106828fa3b7e81f9afd5cad6bd0ea8 Who ISIS-K is and why they don't fight with the Taliban], Charles Miranda, Herald Sun, Aug 27, 2021.<br />
''ISIS-K, a splinter group of ISIS from Syria, was created in 2015 from disgruntled Afghan Taliban fighters and militants from Pakistan.''</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/isisk-afghanistan-bombing/2021/08/26/436a65fc-06a6-11ec-ba15-9c4f59a60478_story.html ISIS-K, the group behind the Kabul airport attack, sees both Taliban and the U.S. as enemies], Hannah Allam and Souad Mekhennet, Washington Post, Aug 27, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
The group’s rivalry with the Taliban is a microcosm of the competition between al-Qaeda and its more radical spinoff, the Islamic State, analysts say. There are generational and doctrinal splits between the groups, with the Islamic State brand more popular with militants in recent years because it managed to capture territory and create a short-lived extremist fiefdom that spanned Iraq and Syria.</i></ref>—to Taliban—jihadi Islamofascistic<ref>[https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/eurasia-will-pay-afghanistan%E2%80%99s-descent-islamofascism-192346 Eurasia Will Pay for Afghanistan’s Descent into Islamofascism], Angel Jaramillo Torres, National Interest, August 23, 2021. <br />
</ref> group, known as ISIS k attacked<ref name=economist-bombing/><ref name=cnn-bombing/> Kabul airport, murdering at least 12, including at least 13 US serviceman and injuring dozens.<ref name=cnn-bombing>[https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/afghanistan-news-taliban-refugees-08-26-21-intl/index.html At least 13 US service members killed in Kabul airport attack], Rob Picheta, Meg Wagner, Melissa Mahtani, Melissa Macaya, Veronica Rocha and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN, August 26, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
The masacre increased the fears of intensified jihadism.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-19/why-taliban-triumph-revives-fear-of-al-qaeda-revival-quicktake How Bombing in Kabul Stokes Fear of Jihadi Revival] Lisa Beyer and Sylvia Westall, Bloomberg, Aug 26, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
The explosions outside Kabul’s international airport underscored a familiar worry in Afghanistan: the country remains home to thousands of fighters dedicated to jihad, or Muslim holy war. The South Asian country’s rugged landscape and its 2,600-kilometer (1,600-mile) border with Pakistan makes it an ideal hiding place for militants from al-Qaeda, Islamic State and other groups. The fear is that the victory of the Taliban has only increased the dangers. Islamic State was the prime suspect in two blasts that killed 12 U.S. service members and at least 60 Afghans as the U.S. directed a military-led evacuation.<br />
[...]<br />
According to the UN report, there are approximately 8,000 to 10,000 foreign jihadists in Afghanistan. The majority are affiliated with the Taliban, many are allied with al-Qaeda or Islamic State, and the rest support insurgencies in their homelands in Central Asia, the north Caucasus region of the Russian Federation, Pakistan and the Xinjiang region of China.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
== Government and Political Conditions ==<br />
[[File:UN Sustainable Development.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Taliban fighter holding a group of women and children against a wall with a UN Sustainable Development poster, August 17, 2021.<ref>https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1427625314935615502</ref>]]<br />
In early September 2021 during talks in the Presidential Palace over forming a new cabinet, Abdul Ghani Baradar was physically attacked by Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani, a leader of the US terrorist-designated Haqqani Network. Baradar pushed for an “inclusive” cabinet that included non-Taliban leaders and ethnic minorities, which would be more acceptable to the rest of the world, the people said. Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani rose from his chair and began punching Baradar. Their bodyguards entered the opened fire on each other, killing and wounding a number of them. While Baradar was not injured and left Kabul for Kandahar to speak with Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, effectively the Taliban's spiritual head.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/taliban-shootout-in-palace-sidelines-abdul-ghani-baradar-7517401/</ref><br />
<br />
=== Principal Government Officials ===<br />
*Emir - Mullah Baradar<br />
*Acting governor of the Afghan Central Bank - Mohammad Idris<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/23/taliban-appoints-central-bank-chief-as-prices-rise-cash-runs-out</ref><br />
*Minister of the Interior - Sirajuddin Haqqani<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/09/09/peter-doocy-challenges-psaki-wh-calls-taliban-businesslike-professional/</ref><br />
*Al Qaeda chief - [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]]<br />
<br />
=== Foreign Relations ===<br />
<br />
Before the Soviet invasion, Afghanistan pursued a policy of neutrality and [[Cold War]] nonalignment in its foreign relations. After the December 1979 invasion, Afghanistan's foreign policy mirrored that of the Soviet Union. Most Western countries, including the United States, maintained small diplomatic missions in Kabul during the Soviet occupation. Repeated Taliban efforts to occupy Afghanistan's seat at the UN and Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) were unsuccessful. <br />
<br />
The fall of the Taliban in October 2001 opened a new chapter in Afghanistan's foreign relations. Afghanistan is now an active member of the international community, and has diplomatic relations with countries from around the world. In December 2002, the six nations that border Afghanistan signed a ‘Good Neighbor' Declaration, in which they pledged to respect Afghanistan's independence and territorial integrity. In 2005 Afghanistan and its South Asia neighbors held the first annual Regional Economic Cooperation Conference (RECC) promoting intra-regional relations and economic cooperation.<br />
<br />
==== Pakistan ====<br />
The 1978 Marxist coup strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan took the lead diplomatically in the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference in opposing the Soviet occupation. During the war against the Soviet occupation, Pakistan served as the primary logistical conduit for the Afghan resistance. Pakistan initially developed close ties to the Taliban regime, and extended recognition in 1997. Pakistan dramatically altered its policy after September 11, 2001, by closing its border and downgrading its ties. Afghanistan and Pakistan are engaged in dialogue to resolve these bilateral issues. <br />
<br />
====Iran====<br />
Afghanistan's relations with Iran have fluctuated over the years, with periodic disputes over the water rights of the Helmand River as the main issue of contention. Following the Soviet invasion, which Iran opposed, relations deteriorated. Iran supported the cause of the Afghan resistance and provided financial and military assistance to rebel leaders who pledged loyalty to the Iranian vision of Islamic revolution. Iran still provides refuge to Afghan ex-patriots. Following the emergence of the Taliban and their harsh treatment of Afghanistan's Shi'a minority, Iran stepped up assistance to the Northern Alliance. Relations with the Taliban deteriorated further in 1998 after Taliban forces seized the Iranian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif and executed Iranian diplomats. Since the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan's relations with Iran have improved. Iran has been active in Afghan reconstruction efforts, particularly in the western portion of the country. <br />
<br />
====Russia====<br />
During the reign of the Taliban, Russia became increasingly disenchanted over Taliban support for Chechen rebels and for providing a sanctuary for terrorist groups active in Central Asia and in Russia itself, and therefore provided military assistance to the Northern Alliance. Since the fall of the Taliban, the Karzai government has improved relations with Russia, but Afghanistan's outstanding foreign debt to Russia still continues to be a source of contention. <br />
<br />
====Tajikistan====<br />
Afghanistan's relations with Tajikistan have been complicated by political upheaval and civil war in Tajikistan, which spurred some 100,000 Tajiks to seek refuge in Afghanistan in late 1992 and early 1993. Also disenchanted by the Taliban's harsh treatment of Afghanistan's Tajik minority, Tajikistan facilitated assistance to the Northern Alliance. The Karzai government has sought to establish closer ties with its northern neighbor in order to capitalize on the potential economic benefits of increased trade. <br />
<br />
====China====<br />
<br />
The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a militant organization that seeks to fight against CCP excesses and abuse of human rights in [[Xinjiang]]. The ETIM comprises [[Uyghur]] fighters with one goal to liberate [[East Turkestan]] or Xinjiang from the clutches of the [[CCP]]. Over one million Uyghur Muslims are in internment camps. With the growth of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the growth of ETIM followed a similar trajectory. The Taliban was going to help the ETIM in its cause of liberating Xinjiang. Instead, the Taliban turned to the CCP. [[Beijing]] bought the Taliban and the CCP controls a puppet regime in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Intelligence reports from Afghanistan and Turkey indicate that the ETIM is negotiating an alliance with the Islamic State of the Harassan province. There are at least 500 ETIM fighters in Afghanistan and its borders, with most of them concentrated in Badakhshan province in northern Afghanistan, linking with Xinjiang in china via the Wakhan corridor. The ETIM fears that the Taliban will act against them and hand them over to the MSS, the Chinese Ministry of State Security. <br />
<br />
The ETIM has been estimated by the U.N. Security Council to have up to 3 500 fighters. However, the RTIM's goal to liberate Xinjiang and carve out a separate East Turkestan is not what entirely worries the CCP. The more<br />
concerning factor is the impact that a strong ETIM can have on China's [[Belt and Road]] projects, not just within China, but all across the region. Four of China's six 'Silk Road Networks', including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor emanate from or pass through Xinjiang. These roads aim to connect China with Russia, central, southern, and western Asia, reaching the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<br />
<br />
A United Nations Security Council report confirmed that ETIM, apart from basing itself out of Afghanistan, is also pursuing a transnational agenda.<br />
<br />
The Taliban has pledged to actively support the CCP's [[Belt and Road Initiative]]. In 2008, a Chinese corporation won a $3-billion tender to develop the Mes Aynak copper mine in Afghanistan, one of the world's largest. In 2011, a Chinese company won the right to develop an oil field in Amu Darya. Afghanistan is also home to some of the world's largest rare earth deposits.<br />
<br />
====UN Efforts====<br />
The United Nations was instrumental in obtaining a negotiated Soviet withdrawal under the terms of the 1988 Geneva Accords. In the aftermath of the Accords, the United Nations assisted in the repatriation of refugees and provided humanitarian aid such as food, health care, educational programs, and support for mine-clearing operations. From 1990 to 2001, the UN worked to promote a peaceful settlement between the Afghan factions as well as provide humanitarian aid. Since October 2001, the UN has played a key role in Afghanistan through the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA), including spearheading efforts to organize the Afghan presidential elections held in October 2004 and National Assembly elections held in 2005.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:U.S. Embassy Kabul.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Former U.S. Embassy in Kabul, painted over with the [[Shahada]] after Joe Biden's botched Afghan exit.]]<br />
The first extensive American contact with Afghanistan was made by Josiah Harlan, an adventurer from Pennsylvania who was an adviser in Afghan politics in the 1830s and reputedly inspired Rudyard Kipling's story "The Man Who Would be King." After the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1934, the U.S. policy of helping developing nations raise their standard of living was an important factor in maintaining and improving U.S.-Afghan ties. From 1950 to 1979, U.S. foreign assistance provided Afghanistan with more than $500 million in loans, grants, and surplus agricultural commodities to develop transportation facilities, increase agricultural production, expand the educational system, stimulate industry, and improve government administration. <br />
<br />
In the 1950s, the U.S. declined Afghanistan's request for defense cooperation but extended an economic assistance program focused on the development of Afghanistan's physical infrastructure—roads, dams, and power plants. Later, U.S. aid shifted from infrastructure projects to technical assistance programs to help develop the skills needed to build a modern economy. The Peace Corps was active in Afghanistan between 1962 and 1979. <br />
<br />
After the April 1978 coup, relations deteriorated. In February 1979, U.S. Ambassador Adolph "Spike" Dubs was murdered in Kabul after Afghan security forces burst in on his kidnappers. The U.S. then reduced bilateral assistance and terminated a small military training program. All remaining assistance agreements were ended after the December 1979 Soviet invasion. <br />
<br />
Following the Soviet invasion, the United States supported diplomatic efforts to achieve a Soviet withdrawal. U.S. contributions to the refugee program in Pakistan played a major part in efforts to assist Afghans in need. This cross-border humanitarian assistance program aimed to increase Afghan self-sufficiency and help Afghans resist Soviet attempts to drive civilians out of the rebel-dominated countryside. During the period of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the U.S. provided about $3 billion in military and economic assistance to Afghans and the resistance movement. <br />
<br />
The U.S. supported the emergence of a broad-based government, representative of all Afghans and encouraged a UN role in the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan. <!--Today, the U.S. is assisting the Afghan people as they rebuild their country and establish a representative government that contributes to regional stability, is market friendly, and respects human rights. In May 2005, President Bush and President Karzai concluded a strategic partnership agreement committing both nations to a long-term relationship.--><br />
<br />
According to Trump-era [[Secretary of Defense]] Christopher Miller as reported by ''Defense One'',<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/08/trumps-pledge-exit-afghanistan-was-ruse-his-final-secdef-says/184660/</ref> [[President Trump]] never intended to fully withdraw from Afghanistan, but rather leave behind a counterterrorism force of 800–850 at Bagram Airforce base.<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We did plenty of wargames on this and we knew what the minimal force structure was,” he said this week. “The number was 800. If this all goes bad, what is the minimal force structure needed to maintain [counterterrorism] strike and reconnaissance capability? We can do it for 800, 850.” <br />
<br />
''Defense One'' was able to confirm Miller’s account of the 800-personnel study independently with another former NSC staff member. <br />
<br />
Miller said he understood Trump’s May 1 [2021] withdrawal deal to be a negotiating tactic.}}<br />
<br />
== Geography ==<br />
The country is known for its mountainous terrain. The huge Hindu Kush mountains form a barrier between the Northern provinces and the rest of the country. This mountain range has also divided Afghanistan int three very different geographic regions known as; The Central Highlands, The Northern Plains, and the Southwestern Plateau. The altitude, climate, and soil conditions in Afghanistan varies greatly on where in the country you are.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20100105194833/https://www.afghan-web.com/geography/lr.html</ref><br />
<br />
== People ==<br />
[[File:Afghan girls.jpg|right|350px|thumb]]<br />
Afghanistan's ethnically and linguistically mixed population reflects its location astride historic trade and invasion routes leading from Central Asia into South and Southwest Asia. While population data is somewhat unreliable for Afghanistan, Pashtuns make up the largest ethnic group at 38-44% of the population, followed by Tajiks (25%), Hazaras (10%), Uzbek (6-8%), Aimaq, Turkmen, Baluch, and other small groups. Dari (Afghan Farsi) and Pashto are official languages. Dari is spoken by more than one-third of the population as a first language and serves as a lingua franca for most Afghans, though Pashto is spoken throughout the Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan. Tajik and Turkic languages are spoken widely in the north. Smaller groups throughout the country also speak more than 70 other languages and numerous dialects. <br />
<br />
Afghanistan is an Islamic country. An estimated 80% of the population is Sunni, following the Hanafi school of jurisprudence; the remainder of the population—and primarily the Hazara ethnic group—predominantly Shi'a. Despite attempts during the years of communist rule to secularize Afghan society, Islamic practices pervade all aspects of life. In fact, Islam served as a principal basis for expressing opposition to communism and the Soviet invasion. Islamic religious tradition and codes, together with traditional tribal and ethnic practices, have an important role in personal conduct and dispute settlement. Afghan society is largely based on kinship groups, which follow traditional customs and religious practices, though somewhat less so in urban areas.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Afghan RCD.gif|right|250px|thumb]]<br />
In the 1930s, Afghanistan embarked on a modest economic development program. The government founded banks; introduced paper money; established a university; expanded primary, secondary, and technical schools; and sent students abroad for education. <br />
<br />
Historically, there has been a dearth of information and reliable statistics about Afghanistan's economy. The 1979 Soviet invasion and ensuing civil war destroyed much of the country's limited infrastructure and disrupted normal patterns of economic activity. Gross domestic product had fallen substantially because of loss of labor and capital and disruption of trade and transport. Continuing internal strife hampered both domestic efforts at reconstruction as well as international aid efforts. However, Afghanistan's economy has grown at a fast pace since the 2001 fall of the Taliban, albeit from a low base. In 2004, Afghanistan's GDP grew 17%, and in 2005 Afghanistan's GDP grew approximately 10%. <br />
<br />
In June 2006, Afghanistan and the International Monetary Fund agreed on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program for 2006-2009 that focuses on maintaining macroeconomic stability, boosting growth, and reducing poverty. Afghanistan is also rebuilding its banking infrastructure, through the Da Afghanistan National Bank. Several government-owned banks are also in the process of being privatized. <br />
<br />
===Agriculture===<br />
[[File:Afghanistan opium.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Opium cultivation in Afghanistan.]]<br />
The main source of income in the country is agriculture, and during its good years, Afghanistan produces enough food and food products to provide for the people, as well as to create a surplus for export. The major food crops produced are: corn, rice, barley, wheat, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. In Afghanistan, industry is also based on agriculture, and pastoral raw materials. The major industrial crops are: cotton, tobacco, madder, castor beans, and sugar beets. The Afghan economy continues to be overwhelmingly agricultural, despite the fact that only 12% of its total land area is arable and less than 6% currently is cultivated. Agricultural production is constrained by an almost total dependence on erratic winter snows and spring rains for water; irrigation is primitive. Relatively little use is made of machines, chemical fertilizer, or pesticides. <br />
<br />
Overall agricultural production dramatically declined following severe drought as well as sustained fighting, instability in rural areas, and deteriorated infrastructure. The easing of the drought and the end of civil war produced the largest wheat harvest in 25 years during 2003. Wheat production was an estimated 58% higher than in 2002. However, the country still needed to import an estimated one million tons of wheat to meet its requirements for the 2003 year. Millions of Afghans, particularly in rural areas, remained dependent on food aid. <br />
<br />
Opium has become a source of cash for many Afghans, especially following the breakdown in central authority after the Soviet withdrawal, and opium-derived revenues probably constituted a major source of income for the two main factions during the civil war in the 1990s. Opium is easy to cultivate and transport and offers a quick source of income for impoverished Afghans. Afghanistan produced a record opium poppy crop in 2006, supplying 91% of the world's opium. Much of Afghanistan's opium production is refined into heroin and is either consumed by a growing regional addict population or exported, primarily to Western Europe.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5308180.stm UN warns of soaring Afghan opium], BBC, Sep 2, 2006</ref><br />
<br />
Afghanistan has begun counter-narcotics programs, including the promotion of alternative livelihoods, public information campaigns, targeted eradication policies, interdiction of drug shipments, as well as law enforcement and justice reform programs. These programs were first implemented in late 2005. In June 2006, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that the Afghan Government eradicated over 15,000 hectares of opium poppy.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
===Trade and Industry===<br />
Afghanistan is endowed with natural resources, including extensive deposits of [[natural gas]], [[petroleum]], [[coal]], [[copper]], [[chromite]], [[talc]], [[barite]]s, [[sulfur]], [[lead]], [[zinc]], [[iron ore]], [[salt]], and precious and semiprecious stones. Unfortunately, ongoing instability in certain areas of the country, remote and rugged terrain, and inadequate infrastructure and transportation network have made mining these resources difficult, and there have been few serious attempts to further explore or exploit them. Coal deposits have been widely exploited.<br />
<br />
The most important resource has been natural gas, first tapped in 1967. At their peak during the 1980s, natural gas sales accounted for $300 million a year in export revenues (56% of the total). Ninety percent of these exports went to the Soviet Union to pay for imports and debts. However, during the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989, Afghanistan's natural gas fields were capped to prevent sabotage by the mujahidin. Restoration of gas production has been hampered by internal strife and the disruption of traditional trading relationships following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Trade in smuggled goods into Pakistan once constituted a major source of revenue for Afghan regimes, including the Taliban, and still figures as an important element in the Afghan economy, although efforts are underway to formalize this trade.<br />
<br />
===Transportation===<br />
In the 1960s, the United States helped build a highway connecting Afghanistan's two largest cities. It began in Kabul and wound its way through five of the country's core provinces—skirting scores of isolated and otherwise inaccessible villages; passing through the ancient market city of Ghazni; descending through Qalat; and eventually reaching Kandahar, founded by Alexander the Great. More than 35% of the country's population lives within 50 kilometers of this highway, called, appropriately, modern Afghanistan's lifeline. In 1978, the Soviet Union invaded. By the time its forces withdrew more than a decade later, more than 1 million Afghans had been killed and 5 million had fled. Civil war followed. The Taliban emerged, controlling all but the remote, northern regions. Afghanistan was terrorized by this group, which was dogmatically opposed to progress and democracy. More than two decades of war had left the Kabul-Kandahar highway devastated, like much of the country's infrastructure. Little could move along the lifeline that had provided so many Afghans with their means of livelihood and their access to healthcare, education, markets, and places of worship. <br />
<br />
'''Reviving the Road''': Restoration of the highway has been an overriding priority of President Hamid Karzai. It is crucial to extending the influence of the new government. Without the highway link, Afghanistan's civil society and economy would remain moribund and prey to divisive forces. The economic development that the highway makes possible will help guarantee the unity and long-term security of the Afghan people. The restored highway is a visually impressive achievement whose symbolic importance should not be underestimated. It marks a palpable transition from the recent past and represents an important building block for the future. Recently, an official in Herat likened the ring road to veins and arteries that nourish and bring life to the "heart" of Kabul and the body of the country. The highway will not end in Kandahar: there are plans to complete the circuit, extending it to Herat and then arcing it back through Mazar-e Sharif to Kabul. The route is sometimes referred to as the Ring Road. As of December 2006, three-quarters of the Ring Road had been funded, with plans to be completed in 2007. <br />
<br />
Landlocked Afghanistan has no functioning railways, but the Amu Darya (Oxus) River, which forms part of Afghanistan's border with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, has barge traffic. During their occupation of the country, the Soviets completed a bridge across the Amu Darya. The United States, in partnership with Norway, has agreed to reconstruct this bridge, which will stretch more than 650 meters over the Amu Darya/Pyandzh River between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, near Pyanji Poyon (Tajikistan) and Shir Khan Bandar (Afghanistan). The bridge is set for completion in 2007. <br />
<br />
Afghanistan's national airline, Ariana, operates domestic and international routes, including flights to New Delhi, Islamabad, Dubai, Moscow, Istanbul, Tehran, and Frankfurt. A private carrier, Kam Air, commenced domestic operations in November 2003. Many sections of Afghanistan's highway and regional road system are undergoing significant reconstruction. The U.S. (with assistance from Japan) completed building a highway linking Kabul to the southern regional capital, Kandahar. Construction is soon to begin on the next phase of highway reconstruction between Kandahar and the western city of Herat. The Asian Development Bank is also active in road development projects, mainly in the border areas with Pakistan.<br />
<br />
==Humanitarian Relief==<br />
Many nations have assisted in a great variety of humanitarian and development projects all across Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. The United Nations, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other international agencies have also given aid. Schools, clinics, water systems, agriculture, sanitation, government buildings and roads are being repaired or built. <br />
<br />
===De-mining===<br />
Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world; mine-related injuries number up to 100 per month, and an estimated 200,000 Afghans have been disabled by landmine/unexploded ordinances (UXO) accidents. As of March 2005 the United Nations Mine Action Program for Afghanistan had approximately 8,000 Afghan personnel, 700 demobilized soldiers, 22 international staff, and several NGOs deployed in Afghanistan. The goal of the program is to remove the impact of mines from all high-impact areas by 2007 and to make Afghanistan mine-free by 2012. Between January 2003 and March 2005 a total of 2,354,244 mines and pieces of UXOs were destroyed. Training programs are also being used to educate the public about the threat and dangers of land mines. The number of mine victims was reduced from approximately 150 a month in 2002 to less than 100 a month in 2004. <br />
<br />
===Refugees and Internally Displaced People===<br />
Afghanistan has had the largest refugee repatriation in the world in the last 30 years. The return of refugees is guided by the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MORR) and supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organization of Migration (IOM), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and a number of other national and international NGOs. As of December 2006, approximately 3 million Afghans remained in neighboring countries. The U.S. provided more than $350 million to support Afghan refugees, returnees, and other conflict victims between September 2001 and March 2006. Since the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the country's non-opium economy has grown significantly and has allowed approximately 3 million people to return home.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20061022212707/http://www.control-risks.com/default.aspx?page=605</ref><br />
<br />
===Health===<br />
In response to a strategy outlined by the Ministry of Health, the international community is supporting the government in rebuilding the primary health-care system. Tuberculosis remains a serious public health problem in Afghanistan. Since this strategy was outlined, the Afghan Government with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) has established 162 health facilities in 141 districts across the country. The treatment success rate in 2002 was 86%. WHO is also assisting the Ministry of Health and local health authorities to combat malaria where the disease is widespread. Through this project, 600,000 individuals are receiving full treatment for malaria every year. In addition 750,000 individuals are protected from malaria by sleeping under special nets provided under the project.<br />
<br />
According to the U.S. [[Center for Disease Control]] (CDC), Afghanistan has the seventh-highest number of [[measles]] cases in the world.<ref>https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/measles/data/global-measles-outbreaks.html</ref><br />
<br />
===Education===<br />
There were 45,000 children enrolled in school in 1993, 19% were girls. The latest official statistics show there are now 64,000 children in school, one third are girls. In addition 29% of the teachers in the province are women, compared with 15% in 1993. Effort is being made to ensure that teachers receive salaries on time and increasing the attendance of girls in school. The total enrollment rate for Afghan children between 7 and 13 years of age has increased to 54% (67% for boys and 37% for girls). A number of factors such as distance to schools, poor facilities and lack of separate schooling for boys and girls continue to be challenges to higher enrollment.<br />
<br />
In 2015, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that U.S. soldiers were instructed by their commanders to ignore child sexual abuse being carried out by the Afghan National Security Forces. American soldiers were instructed not to intervene—in some cases, not even when their Afghan allies have abused boys on military bases, according to interviews and court records. But the U.S. soldiers were troubled that instead of weeding out [[pedophile]]s, the U.S. military was arming them against the Taliban and placing them as the police commanders of villages—and doing little when they began abusing children.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/opinion/ignoring-sexual-abuse-in-afghanistan.html|title=Ignoring Sexual Abuse in Afghanistan|author=The Editorial Board|date=2015-09-21|work=The New York Times|access-date=|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
*[[Muslim agenda of the Obama administration]]<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a police state<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [http://www.afghan-web.com/ Afghanistan Online.]<br />
* [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/02/2674562.htm Afghan opium crop in decline.]<br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Seth. ''In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan'' (2009) [https://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Empires-Americas-War-Afghanistan/dp/0393068986/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253093556&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]<br />
* The book ''Horse Soldiers'' describes the previously secret 5-week campaign, materially aided by the [[CIA]] and [[Special Forces]]. [http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2009/09/08/horse-soldiers/]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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{{Copyright Details (US Government)}} <br />
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Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5380.htm]<br />
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{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan]]<br />
[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Cold War]]<br />
[[Category:British Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
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{{Terrorism}}<br />
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[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
<br />
{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Afghanistan&diff=2034773Afghanistan2024-03-17T02:25:40Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{country<br />
|map=<br />
|map2=<br />
|flag=<br />
|capital=Kabul<br />
|government=<br />
|language=Dari, Pashto<br />
|monarch=walla<br />
|president-raw=<br />
|chancellor=<br />
|pm=<br />
|area=652,230 sq. mi.<br />
|pop=39,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis=<br />
|gdp-year=$27.36 billion<br />
|gdp-pc=$620 <br />
|currency=afghani<br />
|idd=+93<br />
|tld=.af<br />
}}<br />
'''Afghanistan''' (Pashto/Dari: افغانستان)<!--, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Afghanistan''',--><ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20061013231925/https://www.president.gov.af/ (Archived 2006)/</ref> is a country in [[South Asia]] which borders the Arabian Sea to the south, India to the east and [[Iran]] to the west. Afghanistan was the scene of the defeat of the [[Soviet Union]] in the [[Soviet-Afghan war]] of 1979–1988. In the 1990s an extremist Islamic [[Taliban]] movement took control and allowed Osama bin-Laden and his Al-Qaeda to operate there and plan the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] on the U.S. An international invasion led by the U.S. overthrew the Taliban in 2001, but they have rebuilt strongholds in the south, along the Pakistan border, and have escalated the insurgency. '''''In August 2021, the Taliban retook control of the entire country amid [[Biden]]'s botched pullout of [[American]] troops'''''. Amid the chaos allowed by Biden, a terrorist attack on August 26, 2021, at the [[Kabul]] airport in Afghanistan killed 12 American soldiers and injured 15 more.<br />
<br />
Since August 15, 2021, Afghanistan is under the control of the Taliban,<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/world/taliban-take-over-afghanistan-whats-next</ref> as the [[Biden Junta]] withdrew [[American]] forces from the country in a way that enabled its nearly immediate recapture by the [[Taliban]]. <br />
As part of the Islamic jihadist Taliban blitzkrieg, kids were shot in front of their parents and Hazaras were massacred. They also posed for pictures after capturing the Presidential palace.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/15/taliban-assumes-control-of-afghanistan-reports/ Taliban takes control of presidential palace, poses for pictures inside]<br />
Mark Moore and Jorge Fitz-Gibbon, NYPost,<br />
August 15, 2021</ref><ref name=mid-day>[https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/taliban-shooting-kids-in-front-of-their-parents-23186832 Taliban shooting kids in front of their parents] Mid-Day, Aug 8, 2021.<br />
''According to local media reports, the Taliban have murdered more than 40 civilians in Malistan in the past one week. Most of these civilians were Hazaras.''</ref> It has become a great humiliation<ref>[https://news.walla.co.il/item/3454321 Biden let Afghanistan manage on its own against the Taliban. It ended in great humiliation than Vietnam]<br />
''The US president wanted to end the long war in American history on the symbolic date of September 11. Instead, al-Qaeda allies will celebrate the occupation of the country, which fell faster than Saigon in 1975.''<br />
Guy Elster, Walla, 16 August 2021.</ref> in the way Biden handled it. Total failure.<ref name="Aug 15, 2021">Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) Tweeted:<br />
Thinking about the last time I left the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. It was dangerous then. I can only imagine what is happening now. Biden totally screwed this up. https://t.co/R4PSQnEvhM [https://twitter.com/ScottWalker/status/1426948442471944204?s=20 Aug 15, 2021]</ref> <br />
<br />
A tenth of Biden's Afghanistan aid goes to the Taliban.<ref>D Greenfield, "[https://www.jns.org/opinion/a-tenth-of-bidens-afghanistan-aid-will-go-to-the-taliban/ A tenth of Biden’s Afghanistan aid will go to the Taliban]", JNS, September 23, 2021.<br><i><br />
Why are American taxpayers funding the Taliban?<br />
Deborah Lyons, the head of the United Nations mission in Afghanistan, met with Sirajuddin Haqqani, a wanted terrorist with the Haqqani Network, a Taliban component with close ties to Al-Qaeda.<br />
<br />
Lyons had served as Canada’s ambassador in Kabul when the Taliban carried out a suicide bombing against a Canadian embassy convoy. Lyons put up a monument to the security contractors who were wounded and killed, but they sued after being abandoned afterwards.</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[File:Brzezinski Taliban.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Zbigniew Brzezinski meets with the Mujahideen Taliban, 1979.<ref>https://youtu.be/kYvO3qAlyTg</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|History of Afghanistan}}<br />
The word Afghanistan originates from the Sanskrit word "Upa-Gana-stan" which translates in English to "the place inhabited by allied tribes".<ref>https://resonantnews.com/2021/08/25/a-story-of-betrayal-of-upa-gana-stan-afghanistan/</ref> Modern day Afghanistan was part of Ancient India and was ruled by Hindu Kings up until 980 A.D. The Afghans have a 2500-year tradition of strongly distrusting—and fighting—armed outsiders.<br />
<br />
Afghanistan, often called the crossroads of Central Asia, has had a turbulent history. In 328 BC, Alexander the Great entered the territory of present-day Afghanistan, then part of the Persian Empire, to capture Bactria (present-day Balkh). Invasions by the Scythians, White Huns, and Turks followed in succeeding centuries. In AD 642, Arabs invaded the entire region and introduced Islam. <br />
<br />
Arab rule gave way to the Persians, who controlled the area until conquered by the Turkic Ghaznavids in 998. Mahmud of Ghazni (998-1030) consolidated the conquests of his predecessors and turned Ghazni into a great cultural center as well as a base for frequent forays into India. Following Mahmud's short-lived dynasty, various princes attempted to rule sections of the country until the destructive Mongol invasion of 1219 led by Genghis Khan. <br />
<br />
Following Genghis Khan's death in 1227, a succession of petty chiefs and princes struggled for supremacy until late in the 14th century, when one of his descendants, Tamerlane, incorporated Afghanistan into his own vast Asian empire. Babur, a descendant of Tamerlane and the founder of India's Moghul dynasty at the beginning of the 16th century, made Kabul the capital of an Afghan principality. <br />
<br />
===The Taliban===<br />
:{{See also|Women under the Taliban}}<br />
[[File:Taliban enter Kabul airport.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Taliban enter Kabul airport after US departure, August 31, 2021.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/08/future-us-taliban-relations/184976/</ref>]]<br />
The Taliban had risen to power in the mid '90s in reaction to the anarchy and warlordism that arose after the withdrawal of Soviet forces. Many Taliban had been educated in madrassas in Pakistan and were largely from rural southern Pashtun backgrounds. In 1994, the Taliban developed enough strength to capture the city of Kandahar from a local warlord and proceeded to expand its control throughout Afghanistan, occupying Kabul in September 1996. By the end of 1998, the Taliban occupied about 90% of the country, limiting the opposition largely to a small mostly Tajik corner in the northeast and the Panjshir valley. <br />
<br />
The Taliban sought to impose an extreme interpretation of Islam—based upon the rural Pashtun tribal code—on the entire country and committed massive human rights violations, particularly directed against women and girls. The Taliban also committed serious atrocities against minority populations, particularly the Shi'a Hazara ethnic group, and killed noncombatants in several well-documented instances. In March 2001, as part of a drive against relics of Afghanistan's pre-Islamic past, the Taliban destroyed two Buddha statues carved into cliff faces outside of the city of Bamiyan. <br />
<br />
From the mid-1990s the Taliban provided sanctuary to Osama bin Laden, a Saudi national who had fought with the mujahideen resistance against the Soviets, and provide a base for his and other terrorist organizations. Bin Laden provided both financial and political support to the Taliban. Bin Laden and his Al-Qaida group were charged with the bombing of the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in 1998, and in August 1998 the United States launched a cruise missile attack against bin Laden's terrorist camp in southeastern Afghanistan. Bin Laden and Al-Qaida have acknowledged their responsibility for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. <br />
[[File:Build Back Better.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Taliban announcing its Build Back Better program on Afghan TV, August 29, 2021.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/afghan-tv-host-tells-public-not-to-be-afraid-and-cooperate-while-surrounded-by-taliban-with-guns/</ref><ref>[https://youtu.be/YkcaeaD45MY "Build Back Better"]</ref> ]]<br />
Following the Taliban's repeated refusal to expel bin Laden and his group and end its support for international terrorism, the U.S. and its partners in the anti-terrorist coalition began a military campaign on October 7, 2001, targeting terrorist facilities and various Taliban military and political assets within Afghanistan. On October 22, 2001, Sen. [[Joseph Biden]] of Delaware gave a speech insisting that U.S. goals—rooting out al-Qaeda and helping establish a friendly successor government to the Taliban—would require U.S. ground troops far beyond the small number of Special Forces already in place.<ref>Sen. Biden: "I think the American public and the Islamic world is fully prepared for us to take as long as we need to take. If it is action that is a mano-a-mano. If it's us on the ground going against other forces on the ground. The part that I think flies in the face of, and plays into every stereotypical criticism of us, is where this high tech bully that thinks from the air we can do whatever you want to do. And it builds the case, for those who want to make the case against us, that all we're doing is indiscriminately bombing innocents. Which is not the truth. Some innocents are indiscriminately bombed. But that is not the truth. I think the American public is prepared for a long siege. I think the American public has prepared for American losses. I think the American public is prepared, and the president must continue to remind them to be prepared, for American body bags coming home. There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing." [https://www.c-span.org/video/?166841-1/us-response-terrorist-attacks @59:43]</ref> Under pressure from U.S. military and anti-Taliban forces, the Taliban disintegrated rapidly, and Kabul fell on November 13, 2001. <br />
<br />
Afghan factions opposed to the Taliban met at a United Nations-sponsored conference in Bonn, Germany in December 2001 and agreed to restore stability and governance to Afghanistan—creating an interim government and establishing a process to move toward a permanent government. Under the "Bonn Agreement," an Afghan Interim Authority was formed and took office in Kabul on December 22, 2001, with Hamid Karzai as chairman. The Interim Authority held power for approximately 6 months while preparing for a nationwide "Loya Jirga" (Grand Council) in mid-June 2002 that decided on the structure of a Transitional Authority. The Transitional Authority, headed by President Hamid Karzai, renamed the government as the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). One of the TISA's primary achievements was the drafting of a constitution that was ratified by a Constitutional Loya Jirga on January 4, 2004.<br />
<br />
===US-Afghan war 2001-2021===<br />
{{See also|Afghan War}}<br />
<br />
[[Operation Enduring Freedom]] easily defeated the Taliban in late 2001 and it seemed the war was over quickly. But the Taliban regrouped, especially in the southern provinces, with sanctuaries inside neighboring [[Pakistan]] in remote areas where the government of Pakistan had little authority. By 2003 the insurgency in the south was in operation, funded by [[opium]] production. Important factors for the return of insurgency include the initial mistakes made in 2001; radical Islamic support from Pakistan; weaknesses of the [[Hamid Karzai]] government, especially its feeble and corrupt national army and police; the question of legitimacy and offenses to traditional tribal and [[Islam]]ic values and beliefs; and, finally, the extent to which NATO forces became part of the problem by angering the tribes. The insurgency controlled numerous areas and engaged in terror attacks on civilians and guerrilla warfare against American and NATO forces. [[Al-Qaeda]] terrorists—the only [[Arab]]s in Afghanistan—had been welcomed by the Taliban in 1999 and built their bases there. They have been largely destroyed or fled to Pakistan, according to the U.S. Army, having fewer than 100 people left in Afghanistan.<br />
<br />
Seven years after the overthrow of the Taliban, America and NATO forces were still fighting Taliban forces in parts of the country, especially in the south.<ref>[http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=October&x=20061025171329MVyelwarC0.6853144 U.S. Department of State, Vince Crawley, October 25, 2006, "NATO's Jones Urges Focus on Afghan Reconstruction, Rule of Law"] <sub>''"On July 31, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) took control of Afghanistan’s volatile southern provinces, part of a larger plan for NATO to provide security for the entire country. The handover was accompanied by an upsurge of violence against international forces."''</sub></ref> There was no sign that Western troops would be withdrawing from Afghanistan in the foreseeable future. Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, commander of the United States coalition forces stated his commitment to accomplishing the mission, saying, "The United States will not leave Afghanistan until the Afghan people tell us the job is done. The war on terrorism began here in Afghanistan and it continues today. We must never forget that."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/01/world/asia/01afghan.html New York Times, CARLOTTA GALL, August 1, 2006, "U.S. Hands Southern Afghan Command to NATO"]</ref><br />
<br />
In Aug. 2009, General [[Stanley A. McChrystal]], the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said the Afghan government was riddled with corruption and NATO was being undermined by tactics that alienate civilians. He called the Taliban insurgency "a muscular and sophisticated enemy" that uses modern propaganda and systematically reaches into Afghanistan's prisons to recruit members and even plan operations. He said official corruption is as much of a threat as the insurgency to the mission of the '''International Security Assistance Force''', or ISAF, as the U.S.-led NATO coalition is widely known. The weakness of state institutions, malign actions of power-brokers, widespread corruption and abuse of power by various officials, and ISAF's own errors, have given Afghans little reason to support their government," McChrystal reported. <br />
<br />
McChrystal told Washington that he urgently needs more forces within the next year; without them, he warned, the eight-year conflict "will likely result in failure." By November no decision had been made on the urgent request.<ref>Bob Woodward, "McChrystal: More Forces or 'Mission Failure'' [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/20/AR2009092002920.html ''Washington Post,'' Sept 21, 2009]</ref> <br />
<br />
The 2009 presidential election was badly tainted by fraud. Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, the main opponent of President [[Hamid Karzai]], pulled out of the runoff in November, and Karzai was declared reelected for another five-year term. His legitimacy and support was seriously weakened by the election frauds, but the U.S., [[NATO]], and the [[United Nations|UN]] have agreed to keep him in power.<br />
<br />
====Afghan Republic 2001-2021====<br />
Three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, on October 3, 2001, Sen. Joseph Biden, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, proposed a billion dollars in aid to a yet to be formed Afghan interim government. The amount was almost twice as much as U.N. General Secretary [[Kofi Annan]] proposed and more than triple what the Bush administration asked for.<ref>Sen. Biden: "U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan has issued an appeal for $584 million to meet the needs of the Afghan refugees and displaced people, within Afghanistan and in neighboring countries. This is the amount deemed necessary to stave off disaster for the winter, which will start in Afghanistan in just a few weeks. We must back up our rhetoric with action, with something big and bold and meaningful. We can offer to foot the entire bill for keeping the Afghan people safely fed, clothed, and sheltered this winter, and that should be the beginning....We can kick the effort off in a way that would silence our critics in the rest of the world: a check for $1 billion, and a promise for more to come as long as the rest of the world joins us. This initial amount would be more than enough to meet all the refugees’ short-term needs, and would be a credible downpayment for the long-term effort. Eventually the world community will have to pony up more billions, but there is no avoiding that now, not if we expect our words ever to carry any weight.<br>If anyone thinks this amount of money is too high, let me note one stark, simple and very sad statistic. The damage inflicted by the September 11 attack in economic terms alone was a minimum of several hundred billion dollars and a maximum of over $1 trillion. The cost in human life, of course, as the Presiding Officer knows, is far beyond any calculation. [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2001-pt13/pdf/CRECB-2001-pt13-issue-2001-10-03.pdf Pg. 18464]</ref> Harmid Karzai formed an interim government on 22 December 2001 until elections could be held after the removal of Taliban rule by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces. On January 10, 2002, Joe Biden arrived in Afghanistan on a four-day fact-finding visit and met with Karzai.<ref>https://www.army.mil/article/50258/biden_meets_karzai_visits_troops_in_afghanistan</ref> In 2002 and 2003, when Afghan tribal councils gathered to write a new constitution, the U.S. government gave “nice packages” to delegates who supported Washington's preferred stance. “The perception that was started in that period: If you were going to vote for a position that Washington favored, you’d be stupid to not get a package for doing it,” according to a U.S. official who served in Kabul at the time.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-corruption-government/</ref><br />
<br />
On October 9, 2004, Afghanistan held its first national democratic presidential election. More than 8 million Afghans voted, 41% of whom were women. [[Hamid Karzai]] was the winner and was inaugurated on December 7 for a five-year term as Afghanistan's first democratically elected president. In 2014 [[Ashraf Ghani]] was elected as new president of Afghanistan and held office until the fall of Kabul in August 2021.<br />
<br />
====Nation building====<br />
Three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, on October 3, 2001, Sen. [[Joseph Biden]] of Delaware proposed on the Senate floor a billion dollars in aid to a yet-to-be-formed Afghan interim government. The amount was almost twice as much as U.N. General Secretary [[Kofi Annan]] proposed,<ref>Sen. Biden: "U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan has issued an appeal for $584 million to meet the needs of the Afghan refugees and displaced people, within Afghanistan and in neighboring countries. This is the amount deemed necessary to stave off disaster for the winter, which will start in Afghanistan in just a few weeks. We must back up our rhetoric with action, with something big and bold and meaningful. We can offer to foot the entire bill for keeping the Afghan people safely fed, clothed, and sheltered this winter, and that should be the beginning....We can kick the effort off in a way that would silence our critics in the rest of the world: a check for $1 billion, and a promise for more to come as long as the rest of the world joins us. This initial amount would be more than enough to meet all the refugees’ short-term needs, and would be a credible downpayment for the long-term effort. Eventually the world community will have to pony up more billions, but there is no avoiding that now, not if we expect our words ever to carry any weight.<br>If anyone thinks this amount of money is too high, let me note one stark, simple and very sad statistic. The damage inflicted by the September 11 attack in economic terms alone was a minimum of several hundred billion dollars and a maximum of over $1 trillion. The cost in human life, of course, as the Presiding Officer knows, is far beyond any calculation." [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2001-pt13/pdf/CRECB-2001-pt13-issue-2001-10-03.pdf CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE—Wednesday, October 3, 2001], Pg. 18464.</ref> and more than triple what the Bush administration asked for.<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/04/biden-iraq-invasion-america-afghanistan/618640/ The Original Sin of the War in Afghanistan], By Jonah Blank, ''The Atlantic'', APRIL 20, 2021.</ref> Sen. Biden, who spoke for the Democrats in Congress, wanted more than just removal of the Taliban and degrading al Qaeda. Biden wanted [[nation building]]. Biden wanted to flood the new government with cash, which ultimately corrupted the new Karzai regime, and created an anti-[[Western]], anti-corruption, pro-Taliban resurgence and backlash.<br />
[[File:Biden CFR October 22 2001.PNG|right|350px|thumb|Sen. Joe Biden advocating for boots on the ground and nation building at the Council on Foreign Relations, October 22, 2001.]]<br />
On October 22, 2001, Sen. Biden, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, gave a speech at the [[Council on Foreign Relations]] insisting that U.S. goals—rooting out al-Qaeda and helping establish a friendly successor government to the Taliban—would require U.S. boots on the ground far beyond the small number of Special Forces that the [[Pentagon]] had recommended. Biden said, "There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing."<ref>Sen. Biden: "I think the American public and the Islamic world is fully prepared for us to take as long as we need to take. If it is action that is a mano-a-mano. If it's us on the ground going against other forces on the ground. The part that I think flies in the face of, and plays into every stereotypical criticism of us, is where this high tech bully that thinks from the air we can do whatever you want to do. And it builds the case, for those who want to make the case against us, that all we're doing is indiscriminately bombing innocents. Which is not the truth. Some innocents are indiscriminately bombed. But that is not the truth. I think the American public is prepared for a long siege. I think the American public has prepared for American losses. I think the American public is prepared, and the president must continue to remind them to be prepared, for American body bags coming home. There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing. That's the generic point I wish to make. I am not qualified enough to tell you. Although I can tell you what the military guys have said to me. This is not 1948. This is 2001. I'm not at all sure they're correct." [https://www.c-span.org/video/?166841-1/us-response-terrorist-attacks @59:43]</ref> Under pressure from U.S. military and anti-Taliban forces however, the Taliban disintegrated rapidly, and [[Kabul]] fell on November 13, 2001.<br />
<br />
Hamid Karzai formed an interim government on 22 December 2001 until elections could be held after the removal of Taliban rule by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces. On January 10, 2002, Biden arrived in Afghanistan on a four-day fact-finding visit and at Bagram Airforce Base. The [[Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility]] had been prepared to receive jihadis. Bagram was a major collection point for preliminary interrogation. Sen. Biden said, "These are some real hard, hard, hard cases. But unless we gather the list of leaders which we -- I have in my pocket here...the possibility of them being able to do [[guerrilla]] kind of attacks on military here are real."<ref>http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0201/13/se.01.html</ref><br />
<br />
In 2002 and 2003, when Afghan tribal councils gathered to write a new constitution, the U.S. government gave “nice packages” to delegates who supported Washington's preferred stance. “The perception that was started in that period: If you were going to vote for a position that Washington favored, you’d be stupid to not get a package for doing it,” according to a U.S. official interviewed by the ''[[Washington Post]]'' who served in Kabul at the time.<ref name="washingtonpost.com"/><br />
<br />
According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', beginning in December 2002 throughout Karzai's terms of office, Karzai's office was funded with "tens of millions of dollars" of black cash from the [[CIA]] in order to buy influence within the Afghan government. The ''NYT'' stated that "the cash that does not appear to be subject to the oversight and restrictions." An unnamed American official was quoted by ''The New York Times'' as stating that "The biggest source of corruption in Afghanistan was the United States."<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html|title=With Bags of Cash, C.I.A. Seeks Influence in Afghanistan|author=Matthew Rosenberg|newspaper=The New York Times|date=28 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013|archive-date=28 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428232309/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html|url-status=live}}</ref><br />
<br />
Once it became the narrative that the U.S. was there to improve life for Afghans the venture became subject to withering critiques. In an investigative report by the ''Washington Post'', a forensic accountant analyzed "3,000 Defense Department contracts worth $106 billion dollars concluded about 40% of the money ended up in the pockets of insurgents, criminal syndicates, or corrupt Afghan officials." ''The Spectator'' noted, "On [[Ivy League]] campuses, students are taught to decry [[colonialism]], but Ivy League diplomats who sought to remake Afghanistan and [[Harvard]]'s image were among the most ambitious practitioners of colonialism in world history. Alongside the billions for bombs went hundreds of millions for gender studies in Afghanistan. According to a USAID observer, the gender ideology included in<br />
American aid routinely caused rebellions out in the provinces directly causing the instability America was supposedly fighting."<br />
<br />
====Obama escalation====<br />
:{{See also|Obama war crimes}}<br />
[[File:Af-UStroops.jpg|thumb|350px|thumb]]<br />
Despite campaigning against "dumb wars," [[Barack Obama]] made escalating the troop level a high priority.<ref>https://original.antiwar.com/mcgovern/2010/09/24/obama-knows-the-war-is-dumb-but-prefers-power-over-peace/</ref> In September 2009, the Pentagon pushed back against liberal Democrats who oppose sending additional combat troops to Afghanistan, telling Congress that success would probably require more fighting forces, and certainly much more time. Washington is debating the new report by Gen. McChrystal, the senior American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, who believes a properly resourced counterinsurgency war means more forces, more time and more commitment to the development of a strong Afghan government capable of defending its own country.<ref>Thom Shanker, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/world/asia/16mullen.html?_r=1&th&emc=th "Military Chief Suggests Need to Enlarge U.S. Afghan Force," ''New York Times'' Sept. 16, 2009]</ref> Some 4,000 more American trainers will arrive by November, bringing the American troop level to 68,000.<br />
<br />
The ruling [[Democratic party]] in the United States was split three ways: a small number of hawks who agreed with Obama's decision to escalate the troop level; a large number of doves who opposed it; and a sizable group that was uneasy with the Obama troop surge but willing to loyally support his decision. Each one thousand American soldiers in Afghanistan cost a billion dollars a year; Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] indicated that the continued operations would be financed by borrowing.<br />
<br />
In the first half of 2010, 250 contractors reportedly died in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than the 235 military personnel who fell during the same period.<ref>https://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/05/24/114662/what-price-war.html#ixzz1Nz07pg5O</ref><br />
<br />
====Bowe Bergdahl swap====<br />
<br />
When [[Barack Obama]] released five Taliban commanders from the [[Guantanamo Bay]] prison in exchange for American deserter Bowe Bergdahl in 2014, he assured Americans that the enemy combatants would not be allowed to return to Afghanistan. 6 American soldiers lives were lost searching for the American deserter.<ref>https://nypost.com/2014/06/02/six-soldiers-died-searching-for-deserter-pow-fueling-backlash/</ref> Upon Bergdahl's return, Obama celebrated Bergdahl as a heroic “POW,” a designation the Pentagon never gave him. Khairullah Khairkhwa, one of the five released from Guantanamo, sat across the table from Joe Biden's personal representative in [[Moscow]] in the spring of 2021, where Mullah Khairkhwa was part of the Taliban delegation that negotiated the terms of the US withdrawal. Mullah Khairkhwa is the mastermind of the Taliban takeover, even though the Pentagon classified Khairkhwa as too dangerous to release.<br />
<br />
Khairkhwa assured the Biden junta that the Taliban would not retaliate against Afghans who worked with the US military or the US-backed government in Kabul. However, reports out of Kandahar and Kabul soon after the fall of Afghanistan indicate the Taliban was going door to door with a kill list to wipe out their enemies. Mullah Khairkhwa previously served as the Taliban's interior minister prior to 2002, where he oversaw Islamist punishments, including beheadings and stonings.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/08/16/taliban-leader-was-freed-from-guantanamo-in-2014-swap-by-obama/</ref><br />
<br />
All five of the terrorists in the Bowe Bergdahl swap assumed prominent positions in the Taliban interim government announced on September 11, 2021:<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/09/07/four-gitmo-detainees-released-in-berghdahl-swap-are-now-taliban-ministers-for-afghan-government-interim-government-will-be-officially-introduced-on-sept-11th/</ref><br />
*Acting Minister of Information and Culture: Mullah Khairullah Khairkhah<br />
*Defense Deputy Minister: Mullah Mohammad Fazil<br />
*Acting Director of Intelligence: Abdul Haq Wasiq<br />
*Border and Tribal Affairs Minister: Mullah Norullah Nori<br />
*Acting Governor of Khost Province: Muhammad Nabi Omari<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2021-09-11-from-the-cells-of-guantanamo-to-the-ruling----the-story-of-5-officials-in-the-taliban-government.H1rAUgatGY.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Total collapse under Biden====<br />
[[File:Biden's gift to Taliban terrortists.PNG|right|400px|thumb|Democrat socialist leader Joe Biden's gift to Taliban terrorists.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/bidens-gift-to-terror-stunning-infographic-shows-the-massive-new-arsenal-the-taliban-now-possesses/</ref>]]<br />
When the Biden regime abandoned Bagram Airbase on July 2, 2021, without giving notice to the Afghan government and Afghan National Army,<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57682290</ref> it sent a signal to the highest levels in the Afghan government that the United States would not provide the aircover and support for the Afghan army in its war with the Taliban - a mission they had prepared for 20 years.<ref>https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-09/us-military-leave-bagram-air-base-afghanistan-equipment-handover/100277452</ref> It was no surprise when the Afghan Army abandoned the field and refused to fight, and the Afghan government fell, as scripted by the Biden regime.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9900069/This-not-surprise-Afghan-experts-condemn-Biden-shock-Taliban-advance.html</ref><br />
<br />
With the August 2021 Taliban takeover of major cities, it was clear that it was Biden who failed the Afghan war.<ref name="Aug 15, 2021"/><ref>[https://thefederalist.com/2021/08/16/no-biden-cant-blame-trump-for-the-afghanistan-withdrawal-disaster/ No, Biden Can’t Blame Trump For The Afghanistan Withdrawal Disaster] Margot Cleveland, The Federalist, Aug 16, 2021.</ref><ref>[http://www.boblonsberry.com/writings.cfm?go=4 Biden Lost the Afghan War], Bob Lonsberry, Aug 16, 2021</ref><br />
And Billions spent by US in Afghanistan on Afghan army, at the end, rather benefited the Taliban.<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-08-17/billions-spent-on-afghan-army-ultimately-benefited-taliban Billions Spent on Afghan Army Ultimately Benefited Taliban] Associated Press, US News, Aug 17, 2021.<br />
''Built and trained at a two-decade cost of $83 billion, Afghan security forces collapsed so quickly and completely — in some cases without a shot fired — that the ultimate beneficiary of the American investment turns out to be the Taliban.''</ref> Planes, guns, night-vision goggles, ended up being the Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest.<ref>"[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-conflict-usa-arms-idUSKBN2FK1L5 Planes, guns, night-vision goggles: The Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest]"<br />
Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle and Jonathan Landay. Reuters, Aug 18, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, The [[Qatar]]i pro-terror network [[Al Jazeera]] was given exclusive access to the presidential palace by Taliban.<ref>roi kais (@kaisos1987) Tweeted:<br />
The Qatari Al-Jazeera channel receives from Taliban exclusive access to the presidential palace in Kabul. No need to be surprised https://t.co/h53JupS8OP [https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1426974071145877507?s=20 Aug 15, 2021]</ref><br />
<br />
Even CNN had to admit that it's: "some of most dire days of his presidency."<ref>"[https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/19/politics/joe-biden-afghanistan-dire-days-of-presidency/index.html As White House scrambles on Afghanistan, Biden faces some of most dire days of his presidency]." Kevin Liptak, Jeff Zeleny, Kaitlan Collins and Jeremy Diamond, CNN, August 19, 2021.<br />
(CNN)Two photographs of President Joe Biden this week neatly illustrated the White House's fight to contain the fallout of the biggest crisis of his presidency.</ref><br />
<br />
Global media slammed Biden as a ‘joke.’<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/17/global-media-slam-us-biden-as-a-joke-amid-kabul-chaos/ Global media slam US, Biden as a ‘joke’ amid Kabul chaos] Emily Crane, <br />
August 17, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
The global media are slamming President Biden as a “joke” and an “embarrassment” after the US evacuation of Afghanistan deteriorated into deadly chaos as terrified Afghans clung to military planes in an attempt to flee the Taliban takeover.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Taliban atrocities included executions,<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/08/03/afghanistan-advancing-taliban-execute-detainees Afghanistan: Advancing Taliban Execute Detainees], HRW, Aug 3, 2021</ref> even killing kids in front of their parents.<ref name=mid-day/><br />
Afghans became fearful of brutal regime return.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2021/08/16/1028016095/taliban-takeover-reminds-afghans-of-the-brutality-of-their-previous-regime Taliban Takeover Reminds Afghans Of The Brutality Of Their Previous Regime], PBS, Aug 16, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Writer:<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/19/afghan-debacle-has-exposed-joe-biden-as-a-failed-president/ This debacle has exposed Joe Biden as a failed president], Ben Domenech, NYPost, August 19, 2021.</ref><br />
<blockquote><br />
Joe Biden is derelict in his duty. His State Department failed to prepare adequately to get Americans and our allied Afghans out of the country in time. His Department of Defense made the decisions that left our resources and materiel to be used by the Taliban. His intelligence units were the ones he now claims — despite evidence to the contrary — never warned that the Afghan government could fall so fast.<br />
<br />
This was a failure of many institutions of American government. But above all, it was a failure of the Commander in Chief.</blockquote><br />
<br />
Among the allies for example, Biden rattled [[U.K.]] With his Afghanistan policy.<br />
From ''The New York Times'':<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/18/world/europe/britain-afghanistan-johnson-biden.html Biden Rattles U.K. With His Afghanistan Policy], Mark Landler, NYT, Aug 18, 2021.<br />
<br><br />
<i>Britain was the second-largest supplier of troops to Afghanistan, and the United States’ rapid withdrawal from the country has left some embittered.<br />
LONDON — In Britain, the chaotic departure from Afghanistan has drawn comparisons not to helicopters flying out of Saigon but to an earlier debacle: the 1956 Suez crisis, in which a humiliated Britain was forced to pull out of Egypt, having failed to dislodge its nationalist leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser.<br />
<br />
The problem is, Britain had very little to say about the timing or tactics of the most recent withdrawal, even though it suffered the second-most casualties in the Afghanistan war after the United States. That has left British officials embarrassed and embittered at President Biden. Some say he behaved more like his predecessor, Donald J. Trump, than an ally who promised a new era of American partnership.</i></ref><blockquote> the chaotic departure from Afghanistan has drawn comparisons not to helicopters flying out of Saigon but to an earlier debacle: the 1956 Suez crisis, in which a humiliated Britain was forced to pull out of Egypt, having failed to dislodge its nationalist leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser.</blockquote><br />
<br />
One of the big gainers at [[Taliban]]'s rise is the "tiny Qatar", capable of disproportionate intervention in their affairs not hers.<ref>Ilan Zalayat @ilanzalayat Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
While everyone is talking about the effects of the turbulent upheaval in Afghanistan on neighbors like China or Iran, it is becoming clear that one of the big gainers is actually the tiny Qatar capable of disproportionate intervention in their affairs not hers.</blockquote><br />
[https://mobile.twitter.com/ilanzalayat/status/1428345434016256003 Aug 19, 2021]</ref><br />
<br />
====The congratulators====<br />
As in [[9/11]] atrocity,<ref>[https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/false-footaging/ Palestinians Dancing in the Street], David Mikkelson, Snopes.com, Sep 11, 2020.<br />
''Did CNN fake footage of 'Palestinians dancing in the street' after the terrorist attack on the USA?''<br />
Status: false''<br />
<blockquote><br />
CNN did not air decade-old footage of Palestinians dancing in the streets. Eason Jordan, CNN’s Chief News Executive, confirmed that the video used on CNN was in fact shot on Tuesday, 11 September 2001, in East Jerusalem by a Reuters TV crew, not during the Persian Gulf conflict of 1990-91 — a fact proved by its inclusion of comments from a Palestinian praising Osama Bin Laden...</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/02/06/yes-palestinians-did-celebrate-after-9-11/ Yes — Palestinians Did Celebrate After 9/11], Algemeiner, Feb 6, 2020</ref> it was Arab-Islamic [[Palestinian]]s who cheered on. This time [[Hamas]] officials.<ref>"[https://www.jns.org/hamas-congratulates-taliban-for-victory-over-america-in-afghanistan/ Hamas congratulates Taliban for ‘victory’ over America in Afghanistan]." JNS, Aug 16, 2021.<br />
<br />
Officials of the terror group in Gaza said it proves that “the resistance of the peoples—foremost of which is our struggling Palestinian people—is destined for victory.</ref><ref>[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byqtdivet What does Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban mean for the Middle East?'] Ynet, Aug 16, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>Hamas already congratulated the Taliban on its victory. In recent days, members of the Hamas Politburo have met with those of the Taliban in Qatar. The Taliban congratulated Hamas on its “achievements” during the 11-days of fighting with Israel in May.</blockquote></ref><ref>[http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/272709 Paliban Paleban], DP, Aug 17, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
1. '''Mutually congratulatory''':<br />
<br><br><br />
'What does Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban mean for the Middle East?' Ynet, Aug 16, 2021. [https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byqtdivet]<br />
''Hamas already congratulated the Taliban on its victory. In recent days, members of the Hamas Politburo have met with those of the Taliban in Qatar. The Taliban congratulated Hamas on its “achievements” during the 11-days of fighting with Israel in May.''<br />
<br><br><br />
2. '''Both wrap their jihadi bigoted butchery in "anti occupation" cloth''':<br />
<br><br><br />
'Hamas says Taliban takeover proves Palestinians 'will achieve victory,'' i24NEWS, August 16, 2021. [https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/1629119521-hamas-says-taliban-takeover-proves-palestinians-will-achieve-victory]<br />
'' "We congratulate the Muslim Afghan people for the defeat of the American occupation on all Afghan lands" ''<br />
<br><br><br />
''Hamas on Monday congratulated the Taliban on the Islamist movement's takeover of Afghanistan, saying in a statement that "the demise of the American occupation and its allies proves that the resistance of the peoples, foremost of which is our struggling Palestinian people, will achieve victory."''<br />
<br><br><br />
<br />
3. '''Both love using human shields'''.<br />
<br><br><br />
Orde Kittrie: "Help NATO by Holding Hamas Accountable for Terrorist War Crimes." May 19, 2021. [https://nationalinterest.org/feature/help-nato-holding-hamas-accountable-terrorist-war-crimes-185581]<br />
<br><br><br />
'Taliban using human shields, says Afghan army general.' The Guardian, Feb 17, 2010.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/17/taliban-human-shields]<br />
<br><br><br />
'Civilians say Taliban use of human shields shows weakness, cruelty.' Dec. 12, 2018. [https://afghanistan.asia-news.com/en_GB/articles/cnmi_st/features/2018/12/12/feature-02]</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
[[Pakistan]]i Prime Minister Imran Khan praised the Taliban saying they "broke the chains of slavery in the country".<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYoH378Ju_Y</ref><br />
<br />
Just a few days later, the Pakistani Army held a meet and greet with the Taliban at the Torkham border crossing where they took selfies with each other.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/pakistan-army-and-taliban-show-true-colours-hold-meet-and-greet-and-selfie-session-at-border.html</ref><br />
<br />
[[Qatar]]'s Al-Jazzera also celebrated Taliban rise as a win for Islamic "nation."<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/al-jazeera-reporters-celebrate-taliban-victory-us-defeat-historic-triumph-islamic-ummah Al-Jazeera Reporters Celebrate 'Taliban Victory', 'U.S. Defeat' As Historic Triumph For Islamic Ummah], Memri, August 18, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Qatar | Special Dispatch No. 9503.<br />
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's takeover of the country sparked many reactions worldwide, including in the Arab world. Conspicuous among these reactions were expressions of joy by Islamist organizations such as Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the International Union of Muslim Scholars and various elements identified with the Muslim Brotherhood.</blockquote><br />
</ref><br />
<br />
====Fall of Kabul 2021====<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris foreign policy|Rape jihad}}<br />
[[File:Kabul 2021.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Biden/Harris withdrawal during the [[Rape of Afghanistan]].]]<br />
On July 8, 2021, [[Joe Biden]] said from the White House, "I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war."<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/bidens-afghanistan-predictions-were-all-wrong/</ref> The same month the [[U.S. Defense Department]] said it was providing the Afghan Air Force 35 Black Hawk helicopters and three A-29 Super Tucanos. The United States spent $83 billion equipping and training the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), including $10 billion in aircraft and vehicles.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/us-spent-83-billion-training-afghan-forces-why-did-they-collapse-so-quickly/184529/</ref> Less than a month after Biden's statement, several Black Hawks helicopters and other aircraft were seized by the Taliban. Many of the aircraft and helicopters are armed. These A-29 Super Tucanos can fire [[laser]]-guided and other types of bombs. The Afghan government also had 50 American-made MD-530 attack helicopters, which are armed with machine guns and rockets. The Afghan Air Force had UH-60 Black Hawks and Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, as well as C-130 and Cessna transports, and a small fleet of armed Cessnas.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/taliban-captured-helicopters-can-they-capture-air-force/184525/</ref><br />
<br />
As Biden withdrew American troops, the [[Peoples Republic of China]] began expanding their [[Belt and Road Initiative]] with a $62 billion aid package to Afghanistan to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9755531/China-prepares-Afghanistan-following-Americas-departure-Belt-Road-program.html</ref><br />
<br />
As the impending crisis escalated, White House chief propagandists [[Jen Psaki]] said "The [[Taliban]] has to make an assessment about what they want their role to be in the international community." Her comments came as reports flowed in of Taliban fighters going door-to-door and forcibly selecting girls as young as 12 to reward as brides for the victorious jihadis.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghans-tell-of-executions-forced-marriages-in-taliban-held-areas-11628780820</ref> <br />
<br />
Bodies lay strewn on the streets of Kandahar.<ref>https://rumble.com/vl8ixd-stunning-video-people-dead-on-kandahar-streets-after-violent-taliban-takeov.html</ref> It was a repetition of what the Taliban had done in all the other provinces to the elite counter-terrorism forces <br />
that fought alongside Americans.<br />
Panic ensued as the Kabul airport was flooded with people fleeing the Taliban terror. Some people were stampeded to death.<ref>https://www.the-sun.com/news/3479109/taliban-jalalabad-afghanistan-kabul-uk-troops-2-2/</ref> Three young men clung to the tires of an airplane, only to fall on top of people's houses once the plane was airborne.<ref>https://twitter.com/AsvakaNews/status/1427172720446373892</ref><br />
<br />
Once inside the city, the Taliban had all the records with names of everyone who served in the Ktah Khas (KKA) or Afghan Special Forces, and began a house-to-house search for them.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/sheer-terror-in-kabul-taliban-now-going-door-to-door-looking-for-afghans-who-fought-alongside-us-military/</ref> The KKA counter-terrorism experts who were trained by and fought alongside Americans suffered the same fate others did in the provinces, and were summarily executed.<ref>https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/graphic-video-shows-taliban-reportedly-executed-surrendering-afghan-special-forces-troops/</ref><br />
<br />
While the Biden regime did not inform the U.S. Afghan allies it was abandoning Bagram Airbase,<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9758175/US-left-Afghan-airfield-night-didnt-tell-new-commander.html</ref> Army Gen. Chris Donohue, commander of the 82nd Airborne, did inform the Taliban commander whom he had been coordinating with on August 30, 2021, that the Biden regime was abandoning the Kabul airport, according to CENTCOM commander Gen. Frank McKenzie.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/inside-final-hours-kabul-airport/184975/</ref> Donohue had refused entry to the airport of American citizens with passports to leave Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/services/files/84E1CBFE-B7F5-4E89-87E4-0823EDEA28E4</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/newsmax/status/1431018570822062081</ref><ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/retired-marine-says-hundreds-of-their-rescued-orphans-christians-turned-away-by-u-s-military-ended-up-in-hands-of-the-taliban</ref><ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/08/30/ron-johnson-american-citizens-blocked-kabul-airport-state-department/</ref> This was done with the full knowledge of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. [[Mark Milley]].<ref>https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2021-08/YonEmailToMajorRedacted.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
An Aug 17, 2021 Report: Hamas leader meets with Taliban, lauds radicals for seizing Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/08/17/report-hamas-leader-meets-with-taliban-lauds-radicals-for-seizing-afghanistan/ Report: Hamas leader meets with Taliban, lauds radicals for seizing Afghanistan] Daniel Siryoti and Shahar Klaiman, Israelhayom, Aug 17, 2021.<i><br />
Taliban reportedly praises the terror group "for their steadfast opposition to the Zionist enemy." Hamas threatens to resume border protests unless Israel allows Qatari cash to be transferred to the Gaza Strip.</i></ref><br />
<br />
On Aug 19, 2021, The Taliban declared the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.' It's the same name it used when it brutally ruled the country in the 1990s.<ref>"[https://www.businessinsider.com/taliban-declares-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan-2021-8 The Taliban have declared the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,' the same name it used when it brutally ruled the country in the 1990s] " Sinéad Baker, Business Insider, Aug 19, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
The Taliban has been ccused of killing children in reign of terror.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/25/ex-afghan-minister-says-taliban-killing-children-elderly/amp/ Former Afghan minister claims Taliban killing children in reign of terror] Yaron Steinbach, NYPost, Aug 25, 2021 — ''Former Afghan Interior Minister Massoud Andarabi says that the Taliban are killing civilians as they tighten their hold on Afghanistan''.</ref><br />
<br />
Since Taliban take over, a long list of atrocities have been documented within weeks.<ref>[Atrocities Committed By The Afghan Taliban Since The Fall Of Kabul] Memri, September 2, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
Protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Baradar 'the Butcher' was reportedly to lead new Afghan government. He started the Taliban in 1994 with late leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. He then became known for some of the Islamic militants’ most deadly tactics, including planting improvised explosive devices along streets their enemies would be on, calling the IEDs “flowers.”<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/09/03/taliban-co-founder-baradar-to-reportedly-lead-new-afghan-government/ Taliban co-founder ‘Baradar the Butcher’ to reportedly lead new Afghan government] Emily Crane, NYPost, September 3, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
Feared Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar — who was once nicknamed “Baradar the Butcher” — will lead the new Afghan government, sources within the militant group told Reuters...<br />
Baradar, whose brutal history attracted the moniker “Baradar the Butcher”, arrived in Kabul two weeks ago to start talks about the new government.<br />
<br />
Baradar started the Taliban in 1994 with late leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.<br />
<br />
He then became known for some of the Islamic militants’ most deadly tactics, including planting improvised explosive devices along streets their enemies would be on, calling the IEDs “flowers,” according to a 2010 profile in the Times of London.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Experts warned, that terrorism will increase under Afghanistan's newly appointed Taliban government.<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/08/terrorism-to-increase-under-afghanistans-new-taliban-government.html Terrorism will increase under Afghanistan's newly appointed Taliban government, experts warn] Natasha Turak, CNBC, Sep 8 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Despite clear contradiction between Biden's statements in August/2021 and the military in September/2021, his spokesperson still tried to spin.<ref>Brooke Singman, "[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/psaki-claims-military-advisers-split-troops-in-afghanistan-milley-testimony Psaki claims military advisers were 'split' on troops in Afghanistan, despite Milley testimony]", Fox News, Sep 28, 2021.<br><i><br />
White House press secretary adds that the commander in chief 'makes those decisions'<br />
</i></ref><br />
<br />
======Fall out as a result of Biden's conduct======<br />
<br />
As a result, the liberal, Biden-election helper ''Washington Post'' sounded the alarm: ''The storms of August: Biden's devastating month stokes midterm fears among Democrats.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-august-democrats-midterms/2021/08/28/2783e326-0797-11ec-a654-900a78538242_story.html The storms of August: Biden’s devastating month stokes midterm fears among Democrats], <br />
Sean Sullivan, Tyler Pager and Annie Linskey, Washington Post, Aug 28, 202</ref><br />
<br />
Simply put "The Afghanistan mess is truly Biden’s disaster."<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/29/afghanistan-mess-is-bidens-disaster-and-other-commentary/ The Afghanistan mess is truly Biden’s disaster and other commentary] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, August 29, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
White House watch: It’s Biden’s Disaster.<br />
<br />
“The American people broadly agreed with” President Biden’s “decision to end the war in Afghanistan,” and it was his predecessor “who did the deal with the Taliban for a full American withdrawal,” but “none of that absolves Biden of responsibility for a pullout that has been, by any reasonable measure, a debacle,” The Hill’s Niall Stanage explains. Any “idea that the final US operations were going to be seen as some kind of against-the-odds moral victory . . . vanished in the dust of” Thursday’s attacks. The prez might recover politically, but “the chaos of Kabul has left a taint of weakness and incompetence on the Biden White House that will not be erased soon, if at all.”<br />
....<br />
By “allowing Iranian-sponsored Taliban groups not only to become a part of the new government of Afghanistan but help Tehran solve the problem that threatens it the most, the US has made Iran an immediate winner of the Taliban takeover,” fumes David Patrikarakos at Spectator World. Despite tension with the Taliban, Iran has “long sponsored various Taliban groups, particularly in the country’s southwest,” where the Helmand River supplies water to both nations. Experts think “it’s no coincidence that Zurang fell first during the Taliban advance,” with one saying, “Iran-sponsored Talibs took the city to take control of the water for Tehran.” Iran’s “chronic water problems” now “threaten the stability of the state. Years of water mismanagement” have caused shortages that provoked riots — and “scared” the regime. “You can terrorize people demanding civil rights off the streets, but if they are dying of thirst then a bullet won’t hold much fear.”</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
From Biden's mistakes: ''U.S. strategy put Defense and State departments on divergent paths: The troops pulled out but the diplomats stayed—and were left exposed when the Taliban took over.''<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/inside-the-biden-administrations-push-to-exit-afghanistan-11630855499 The Mistakes Behind the Biden Administration’s Afghanistan Withdrawal] Miichael R. Gordon, Gordon Lubold, Vivian Salama and Nessica Donati, WSJ, <br />
Sept. 5, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
U.S. strategy put Defense and State departments on divergent paths: The troops pulled out but the diplomats stayed—and were left exposed when the Taliban took over.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Even at the [[White House]], an official was 'appalled and literally horrified' that Biden stranded Americans in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-official-horrified-biden-abandoning-americans White House official 'appalled and literally horrified' that Biden stranded Americans in Afghanistan: report] Houston Keene, Fox News, Sep 1, 2021.<br />
''Biden vigorously defended his handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, despite leaving Americans behind''.</ref><br />
<br />
As if Biden's troubles weren't enough, Vice President Kamala Harris is just too prone to verbal fumbles that pour more fuel on the Biden administration's fires.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/28/kamala-harris-cackling-is-joe-bidens-job-security/ Kamala Harris’ cackling is Joe Biden’s job security] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, August 28, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Vice President Kamala Harris’s team canceled press access to her remarks to US troops at Pearl Harbor on Thursday — surely because it feared yet another disaster for the veep at the site of a terrible attack on America, the same day as the horrors in Kabul.<br />
<br />
Harris is just too prone to verbal fumbles that pour more fuel on the Biden administration’s fires.<br />
<br />
Just the week before, Harris broke into a bizarre cackle when reporters asked about the early stages of the Afghan crisis. And that's hardly her only nails-on-chalkboard moment.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
A bombshell leaked transcript showed that on July 23, 2021, Biden pressured Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to create the “perception” that the Taliban weren't winning, “whether it’s true or not,” in a phone call just three weeks before the insurgents seized control of the country.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/09/01/biden-pressured-ghani-to-create-perception-taliban-wasnt-winning/ Biden pressured Ghani to create ‘perception’ Taliban weren’t winning] Emily Crane, NYPost, September 1, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
President Biden pressured Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to create the “perception” that the Taliban weren’t winning, “whether it’s true or not,” in a phone call just three weeks before the insurgents seized control of the country, a bombshell leaked transcript shows.<br />
<br />
Biden and Ghani spoke for roughly 14 minutes on July 23 in what would be their final call before the Taliban overran the government and Afghanistan descended into bloody chaos amid the botched US withdrawal, according to a transcript and audio obtained by Reuters.<br />
<br />
Much of the call was focused on what Biden referred to as the Afghan government’s “perception” issue.<br />
<br />
“I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban,” Biden said.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/01/biden-pushed-afghanistan-president-project-different-picture/5679373001/ Biden pushed Afghanistan president to 'project a different picture' weeks before Taliban takeover] Joey Garrison, AP, USA Today, Sep 1, 2021.<br />
''Less than four weeks before the fall of Afghanistan, President Joe Biden urged Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani to demonstrate a more capable military defense to change the "perception" as the Taliban made significant gains.''</ref><br />
<br />
Biden was called 'Feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap' by mom of slain Marine.<ref>[https://breaking911.com/president-biden-called-feckless-dementia-ridden-piece-of-crap-by-mom-of-slain-marine/ President Biden Called ‘Feckless, Dementia-Ridden Piece Of Crap’ By Mom Of Slain Marine] B911, August 29, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
United States Marine Rylee McCollum, 20, was killed in Thursday’s terror attack at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport. The fallen Marine’s mother, Kathy, said on a radio show that Americans who voted for Joe Biden “just killed my son.”<br />
<br />
“That feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap just sent my son to die,” the distraught mother said. “I woke up at four o’clock this morning, two Marines at my door telling me my son was dead. So, to… right before me and listen to that piece of crap talk about diplomatic crap with frickin Taliban terrorists who just freakin blew up my son and no, nothing, to not say anything about oh my god, I’m so sorry for families. So, my son is gone.”<br />
<br />
“I never thought in a million years [my son] would die for nothing, for nothing, because that feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap who decided he wanted a photo-op on September 11,” she said. “That’s what kills me. I wanted my son to represent our country, to fight for my country. But I never thought that a feckless piece of crap would send him to his death and smirk on television while he’s talking about people dying with his nasty smirk. The dementia-ridden piece of crap needs to be removed from office. It never would have happened under Trump.”<br />
<br />
“You just killed my son with a dementia-ridden piece of crap who doesn’t even know he’s in the White House. He still thinks he’s a senator.”</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
During ceremony for dead marines, Biden appeared to look at his watch.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-slammed-for-appearing-to-look-at-his-watch-during-memorial-service-for-dead-marines Biden slammed for appearing to look at his watch during ceremony for dead Marines] Tyler O'Neil, Fox News, Aug 29, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Rep. Michael Waltz said that Joe Biden gave all of US bases away in Afghanistan.<br />
<ref>Rep. Michael Waltz: Joe Biden Gave All Of Our Bases Away In Afghanistan<br />
Aug 28, 2021.<br />
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X81LPw2H2E4.<br />
https://www.divisionet.com/2021/08/29/michael-waltz-warns-of-consequences-after-biden-gave-all-of-our-bases-away-in-afghanistan-newsweek/</ref><br />
<br />
The Taliban offered Kabul to U.S., but Americans said no. A report in the ''Washington Post'' describes a secret meeting between U.S. military leaders and the Taliban.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/taliban-offered-kabul-to-u-s-but-americans-said-no-report Taliban offered Kabul to U.S., but Americans said no: report] Ronn Blitzer, Fox News, Aug 30, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
A Washington Post report describes a secret meeting between U.S. military leaders and the Taliban.<br />
<br />
House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Michael Waltz argues every time the Taliban doesn't get access to billions in foreign reserves, economic assistance or international recognition, 'these thugs' can walk down the street and 'take another hostage.'<br />
<br />
Taliban fighters took the Afghan capital city of Kabul faster than anyone anticipated earlier this month – including the Taliban – but according to a Washington Post report, the U.S. had an opportunity to hold the city only to willingly turn it over.<br />
<br />
When Afghanistan's president Ashraf Ghani fled the country, the city began to collapse as gangs were reported to be taking over. This led to U.S. military leaders meeting and reaching an agreement with the Taliban, a U.S. official told the Post.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
====Haqqani network====<br />
On August 18, 2021 [[NBC News]] reported that the U.S. was working with the Taliban to evacuate Americans and allies out of Afghanistan. Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Gen. [[Mark Milley]] stated, "Through the State Department, the Taliban are facilitating safe passage to the airport for American citizens, that is, U.S. passport holders." An exchange with a reporter and defense minister [[Lloyd Austin]] went like this:<br />
[[File:Kabul airport suicide bombing August 26 20221.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Kabul airport suicide bombing, August 26, 2021. 170 dead.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9934115/STUART-RAMSAY-sends-vivid-angry-dispatch-Afghanistan.html</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|'''Q:''' It seems to me like barring a lobotomy by the Taliban; you have three pathways ahead of you. One, you can expand the perimeter and establish a corridor into Kabul to get our Afghan allies out. Two, you could extend the August 31 deadline of withdrawing. Or three, you can just leave the tens of thousands of Afghans who've helped us over the past 20 years behind. Which one is it going to be?<br />
<br />
'''SEC. AUSTIN:''' First of all, as I said, we're going to evacuate everybody that we can physically possibly evacuate. And we'll -- we'll conduct these -- this process for as long as we possibly can. We will continue to deconflict issues with -- with the Taliban. And we will stay focused on securing the -- the airfield. We cannot afford to either not defend that airfield or -- or -- or not have an airfield that secures where we have hundreds or thousands of civilians that can access the airfield at will and put our forces at risk.<br />
<br />
'''Q:''' But that doesn't answer the question. I mean, you're still saying you're focused on the airfield. These -- these people can't get into the airfield.<br />
<br />
'''SEC. AUSTIN:''' Well we're going to do everything we can to continue to try to deconflict and create passageways for them to get to the airfield. I don't have the capability to go out and extend operations currently into Kabul. And where do you take that? I mean, how far can you extend into Kabul, you know, and how long does it take to flow those forces in to be able to do that?<br />
<br />
'''Q:''' So it sounds like you're saying this depends on diplomacy with the Taliban, that's it. That's our only option is getting them to agree to do this.<ref>https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2738086/secretary-of-defense-austin-and-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-mille/</ref>}}<br />
Biden told [[George Stephanopoulos]] the same morning that "one of the things we didn't know is what the Taliban would do in terms of trying to keep people from getting out, what they would do. What are they doing now? They're cooperating, letting American citizens get out, American personnel get out, embassies get out, et cetera.<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/full-transcript-abc-news-george-stephanopoulos-interview-president/story?id=79535643</ref><br />
<br />
On August 19, 2921 [[VOA]] announced Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani had been placed in charge of security around the Kabul airport.<ref>https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/hardline-haqqani-network-put-charge-kabul-security</ref> On August 22, 2021, Haqqani told ''Al Jazeera'', “all Afghans” should feel safe under their Islamic Emirate, and that a “general amnesty” has been granted across the nation's 34 provinces. "If we can defeat superpowers, surely we can provide safety to the Afghan people," said Haqqani, "All of those people who left this country, we will assure them of their safety," Haqqani went on. "You’re all welcome back in Afghanistan."<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/22/all-afghans-should-feel-safe-under-taliban-says-security-chief</ref> The [[Haqqani network]] was already executing civilians and former members of the Afghan National Army, according to the [[United Nations]].<ref>https://www.euronews.com/2021/08/24/un-has-credible-reports-of-summary-executions-of-civilians-by-taliban</ref><br />
<br />
On August 26, 2021, after days of heightened alert from intelligence,<ref>[https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/afghanistan-again-becomes-a-cradle-for-jihadism-and-al-qaeda Afghanistan, Again, Becomes a Cradle for Jihadism—and Al Qaeda], Robin Wright, New Yorker, Aug 23, 2021.<br />
''The terrorist group has outlasted the trillion-dollar U.S. investment in Afghanistan since 9/11.''<br />
<blockquote><br />
The Taliban takeover is the biggest boost to Al Qaeda since September 11th and a global game changer for jihadism, one analyst said...<br />
In April, a U.S. intelligence assessment warned Congress that Al Qaeda’s senior leadership “will continue to plot attacks and seek to exploit conflicts in different regions.” The jihadist group, which carried out the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, was active in fifteen of Afghanistan’s thirty-four provinces, primarily in the eastern and southern regions, the United Nations reported in June. The Taliban and Al Qaeda remained “closely aligned and show no indication of breaking ties,” it noted, as like-minded militants celebrated developments in Afghanistan as a victory for “global radicalism.” In a haunting final report on the lessons learned from America’s longest war, John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, warned that the U.S. decision to pull out the last U.S. troops “left uncertain whether even the modest gains of the last two decades will prove sustainable.” The decision to pull out was made by President Trump in February last year, with the timetable decided by President Biden in April this year.<br />
<br />
With the Taliban takeover, the trillion-dollar investment in a campaign to contain Al Qaeda may have changed little since 9/11. Bruce Hoffman, a senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of “Inside Terrorism,” was blunter. “The situation is more dangerous in 2021 than it was in 1999 and 2000,” he told me. “We’re in a much weakened position now. We’ve learned so little.” The Taliban takeover is the biggest boost to Al Qaeda since 9/11 and a global game changer for jihadism generally, Rita Katz, the executive director of the Site Intelligence Group, a leading tracker of extremist activity worldwide, told me. There is a “universal recognition” that Al Qaeda can now “reinvest” in Afghanistan as a safe haven, Katz said. Jihadism effectively has a new homeland, the first since the collapse of the isis caliphate in March, 2019. “It foreshadows a new future that sadly couldn’t have been further from what we would hope for after twenty years of war,” she said. It’s a boon for Al Qaeda and its franchises, which now stretch from Burkina Faso in West Africa to Bangladesh in South Asia. “Militants from across the world—whether they be regionally focussed Islamists or globally focussed jihadists—will surely seek to enter Afghanistan’s porous borders,” ...Since the Taliban takeover, Al Qaeda has bragged that its calculus worked, unlike isis’s, according to Soufan and the Site Intelligence Group. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, based largely in Yemen, heralded the “beginning of a pivotal transformation” worldwide. In North Africa, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb celebrated the rapid sweep of Taliban military victories as proof that violent jihadist struggle is “the only way to restore the Ummah’s glory.” (“Ummah” is the Arabic term for the global Muslim community.) The Taliban victory has also breathed new life into groups far afield, including some of Al Qaeda’s rivals. “The Taliban’s victory is a story that can be bent to energize and justify any jihad or Islamist uprising, no matter how many years of bloodshed it may bring,”...Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, based in Gaza, gloated that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan proved that Palestinians, too, will ultimately achieve their return to former Palestinian lands in Israel—“by the permission of Allah.” The common thread among the congratulatory messages is that God’s guidance—rather than American fatigue with a costly war or the crumbling of the Afghan government and military—was responsible...</blockquote></ref><ref name=economist-bombing>[https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/08/26/suicide-bombings-hit-kabul-as-america-scrambles-to-leave Slaughter in Kabul Suicide bombings hit Kabul as America scrambles to leave], Economist, Aug 26, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Islamic State has inflicted the worst loss on American forces in a decade.<br />
<br />
AS THE AUGUST 31st deadline to conclude the evacuation of Afghanistan loomed, the drumbeat of warnings grew louder. On August 24th President Joe Biden warned of an “acute and growing risk” of a terrorist attack, by the local branch of Islamic State (IS), against Kabul’s airport, thronged by thousands of Afghans desperate to escape the Taliban’s rule. On August 25th several governments told their nationals to keep away from the airport. On August 26th a British minister warned that intelligence pointed to “a very imminent, highly lethal attack”. Alas, it came later that afternoon.</blockquote></ref> a rival<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58333533 Afghanistan crisis: Who are Isis-K?], Frank Gardner, BBC, Aug 26, 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/who-isisk-is-and-why-they-dont-fight-with-the-taliban/news-story/69106828fa3b7e81f9afd5cad6bd0ea8 Who ISIS-K is and why they don't fight with the Taliban], Charles Miranda, Herald Sun, Aug 27, 2021.<br />
''ISIS-K, a splinter group of ISIS from Syria, was created in 2015 from disgruntled Afghan Taliban fighters and militants from Pakistan.''</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/isisk-afghanistan-bombing/2021/08/26/436a65fc-06a6-11ec-ba15-9c4f59a60478_story.html ISIS-K, the group behind the Kabul airport attack, sees both Taliban and the U.S. as enemies], Hannah Allam and Souad Mekhennet, Washington Post, Aug 27, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
The group’s rivalry with the Taliban is a microcosm of the competition between al-Qaeda and its more radical spinoff, the Islamic State, analysts say. There are generational and doctrinal splits between the groups, with the Islamic State brand more popular with militants in recent years because it managed to capture territory and create a short-lived extremist fiefdom that spanned Iraq and Syria.</i></ref>—to Taliban—jihadi Islamofascistic<ref>[https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/eurasia-will-pay-afghanistan%E2%80%99s-descent-islamofascism-192346 Eurasia Will Pay for Afghanistan’s Descent into Islamofascism], Angel Jaramillo Torres, National Interest, August 23, 2021. <br />
</ref> group, known as ISIS k attacked<ref name=economist-bombing/><ref name=cnn-bombing/> Kabul airport, murdering at least 12, including at least 13 US serviceman and injuring dozens.<ref name=cnn-bombing>[https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/afghanistan-news-taliban-refugees-08-26-21-intl/index.html At least 13 US service members killed in Kabul airport attack], Rob Picheta, Meg Wagner, Melissa Mahtani, Melissa Macaya, Veronica Rocha and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN, August 26, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
The masacre increased the fears of intensified jihadism.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-19/why-taliban-triumph-revives-fear-of-al-qaeda-revival-quicktake How Bombing in Kabul Stokes Fear of Jihadi Revival] Lisa Beyer and Sylvia Westall, Bloomberg, Aug 26, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
The explosions outside Kabul’s international airport underscored a familiar worry in Afghanistan: the country remains home to thousands of fighters dedicated to jihad, or Muslim holy war. The South Asian country’s rugged landscape and its 2,600-kilometer (1,600-mile) border with Pakistan makes it an ideal hiding place for militants from al-Qaeda, Islamic State and other groups. The fear is that the victory of the Taliban has only increased the dangers. Islamic State was the prime suspect in two blasts that killed 12 U.S. service members and at least 60 Afghans as the U.S. directed a military-led evacuation.<br />
[...]<br />
According to the UN report, there are approximately 8,000 to 10,000 foreign jihadists in Afghanistan. The majority are affiliated with the Taliban, many are allied with al-Qaeda or Islamic State, and the rest support insurgencies in their homelands in Central Asia, the north Caucasus region of the Russian Federation, Pakistan and the Xinjiang region of China.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
== Government and Political Conditions ==<br />
[[File:UN Sustainable Development.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Taliban fighter holding a group of women and children against a wall with a UN Sustainable Development poster, August 17, 2021.<ref>https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1427625314935615502</ref>]]<br />
In early September 2021 during talks in the Presidential Palace over forming a new cabinet, Abdul Ghani Baradar was physically attacked by Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani, a leader of the US terrorist-designated Haqqani Network. Baradar pushed for an “inclusive” cabinet that included non-Taliban leaders and ethnic minorities, which would be more acceptable to the rest of the world, the people said. Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani rose from his chair and began punching Baradar. Their bodyguards entered the opened fire on each other, killing and wounding a number of them. While Baradar was not injured and left Kabul for Kandahar to speak with Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, effectively the Taliban's spiritual head.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/taliban-shootout-in-palace-sidelines-abdul-ghani-baradar-7517401/</ref><br />
<br />
=== Principal Government Officials ===<br />
*Emir - Mullah Baradar<br />
*Acting governor of the Afghan Central Bank - Mohammad Idris<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/23/taliban-appoints-central-bank-chief-as-prices-rise-cash-runs-out</ref><br />
*Minister of the Interior - Sirajuddin Haqqani<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/09/09/peter-doocy-challenges-psaki-wh-calls-taliban-businesslike-professional/</ref><br />
*Al Qaeda chief - [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]]<br />
<br />
=== Foreign Relations ===<br />
<br />
Before the Soviet invasion, Afghanistan pursued a policy of neutrality and [[Cold War]] nonalignment in its foreign relations. After the December 1979 invasion, Afghanistan's foreign policy mirrored that of the Soviet Union. Most Western countries, including the United States, maintained small diplomatic missions in Kabul during the Soviet occupation. Repeated Taliban efforts to occupy Afghanistan's seat at the UN and Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) were unsuccessful. <br />
<br />
The fall of the Taliban in October 2001 opened a new chapter in Afghanistan's foreign relations. Afghanistan is now an active member of the international community, and has diplomatic relations with countries from around the world. In December 2002, the six nations that border Afghanistan signed a ‘Good Neighbor' Declaration, in which they pledged to respect Afghanistan's independence and territorial integrity. In 2005 Afghanistan and its South Asia neighbors held the first annual Regional Economic Cooperation Conference (RECC) promoting intra-regional relations and economic cooperation.<br />
<br />
==== Pakistan ====<br />
The 1978 Marxist coup strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan took the lead diplomatically in the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference in opposing the Soviet occupation. During the war against the Soviet occupation, Pakistan served as the primary logistical conduit for the Afghan resistance. Pakistan initially developed close ties to the Taliban regime, and extended recognition in 1997. Pakistan dramatically altered its policy after September 11, 2001, by closing its border and downgrading its ties. Afghanistan and Pakistan are engaged in dialogue to resolve these bilateral issues. <br />
<br />
====Iran====<br />
Afghanistan's relations with Iran have fluctuated over the years, with periodic disputes over the water rights of the Helmand River as the main issue of contention. Following the Soviet invasion, which Iran opposed, relations deteriorated. Iran supported the cause of the Afghan resistance and provided financial and military assistance to rebel leaders who pledged loyalty to the Iranian vision of Islamic revolution. Iran still provides refuge to Afghan ex-patriots. Following the emergence of the Taliban and their harsh treatment of Afghanistan's Shi'a minority, Iran stepped up assistance to the Northern Alliance. Relations with the Taliban deteriorated further in 1998 after Taliban forces seized the Iranian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif and executed Iranian diplomats. Since the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan's relations with Iran have improved. Iran has been active in Afghan reconstruction efforts, particularly in the western portion of the country. <br />
<br />
====Russia====<br />
During the reign of the Taliban, Russia became increasingly disenchanted over Taliban support for Chechen rebels and for providing a sanctuary for terrorist groups active in Central Asia and in Russia itself, and therefore provided military assistance to the Northern Alliance. Since the fall of the Taliban, the Karzai government has improved relations with Russia, but Afghanistan's outstanding foreign debt to Russia still continues to be a source of contention. <br />
<br />
====Tajikistan====<br />
Afghanistan's relations with Tajikistan have been complicated by political upheaval and civil war in Tajikistan, which spurred some 100,000 Tajiks to seek refuge in Afghanistan in late 1992 and early 1993. Also disenchanted by the Taliban's harsh treatment of Afghanistan's Tajik minority, Tajikistan facilitated assistance to the Northern Alliance. The Karzai government has sought to establish closer ties with its northern neighbor in order to capitalize on the potential economic benefits of increased trade. <br />
<br />
====China====<br />
<br />
The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a militant organization that seeks to fight against CCP excesses and abuse of human rights in [[Xinjiang]]. The ETIM comprises [[Uyghur]] fighters with one goal to liberate [[East Turkestan]] or Xinjiang from the clutches of the [[CCP]]. Over one million Uyghur Muslims are in internment camps. With the growth of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the growth of ETIM followed a similar trajectory. The Taliban was going to help the ETIM in its cause of liberating Xinjiang. Instead, the Taliban turned to the CCP. [[Beijing]] bought the Taliban and the CCP controls a puppet regime in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Intelligence reports from Afghanistan and Turkey indicate that the ETIM is negotiating an alliance with the Islamic State of the Harassan province. There are at least 500 ETIM fighters in Afghanistan and its borders, with most of them concentrated in Badakhshan province in northern Afghanistan, linking with Xinjiang in china via the Wakhan corridor. The ETIM fears that the Taliban will act against them and hand them over to the MSS, the Chinese Ministry of State Security. <br />
<br />
The ETIM has been estimated by the U.N. Security Council to have up to 3 500 fighters. However, the RTIM's goal to liberate Xinjiang and carve out a separate East Turkestan is not what entirely worries the CCP. The more<br />
concerning factor is the impact that a strong ETIM can have on China's [[Belt and Road]] projects, not just within China, but all across the region. Four of China's six 'Silk Road Networks', including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor emanate from or pass through Xinjiang. These roads aim to connect China with Russia, central, southern, and western Asia, reaching the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<br />
<br />
A United Nations Security Council report confirmed that ETIM, apart from basing itself out of Afghanistan, is also pursuing a transnational agenda.<br />
<br />
The Taliban has pledged to actively support the CCP's [[Belt and Road Initiative]]. In 2008, a Chinese corporation won a $3-billion tender to develop the Mes Aynak copper mine in Afghanistan, one of the world's largest. In 2011, a Chinese company won the right to develop an oil field in Amu Darya. Afghanistan is also home to some of the world's largest rare earth deposits.<br />
<br />
====UN Efforts====<br />
The United Nations was instrumental in obtaining a negotiated Soviet withdrawal under the terms of the 1988 Geneva Accords. In the aftermath of the Accords, the United Nations assisted in the repatriation of refugees and provided humanitarian aid such as food, health care, educational programs, and support for mine-clearing operations. From 1990 to 2001, the UN worked to promote a peaceful settlement between the Afghan factions as well as provide humanitarian aid. Since October 2001, the UN has played a key role in Afghanistan through the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA), including spearheading efforts to organize the Afghan presidential elections held in October 2004 and National Assembly elections held in 2005.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:U.S. Embassy Kabul.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Former U.S. Embassy in Kabul, painted over with the [[Shahada]] after Joe Biden's botched Afghan exit.]]<br />
The first extensive American contact with Afghanistan was made by Josiah Harlan, an adventurer from Pennsylvania who was an adviser in Afghan politics in the 1830s and reputedly inspired Rudyard Kipling's story "The Man Who Would be King." After the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1934, the U.S. policy of helping developing nations raise their standard of living was an important factor in maintaining and improving U.S.-Afghan ties. From 1950 to 1979, U.S. foreign assistance provided Afghanistan with more than $500 million in loans, grants, and surplus agricultural commodities to develop transportation facilities, increase agricultural production, expand the educational system, stimulate industry, and improve government administration. <br />
<br />
In the 1950s, the U.S. declined Afghanistan's request for defense cooperation but extended an economic assistance program focused on the development of Afghanistan's physical infrastructure—roads, dams, and power plants. Later, U.S. aid shifted from infrastructure projects to technical assistance programs to help develop the skills needed to build a modern economy. The Peace Corps was active in Afghanistan between 1962 and 1979. <br />
<br />
After the April 1978 coup, relations deteriorated. In February 1979, U.S. Ambassador Adolph "Spike" Dubs was murdered in Kabul after Afghan security forces burst in on his kidnappers. The U.S. then reduced bilateral assistance and terminated a small military training program. All remaining assistance agreements were ended after the December 1979 Soviet invasion. <br />
<br />
Following the Soviet invasion, the United States supported diplomatic efforts to achieve a Soviet withdrawal. U.S. contributions to the refugee program in Pakistan played a major part in efforts to assist Afghans in need. This cross-border humanitarian assistance program aimed to increase Afghan self-sufficiency and help Afghans resist Soviet attempts to drive civilians out of the rebel-dominated countryside. During the period of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the U.S. provided about $3 billion in military and economic assistance to Afghans and the resistance movement. <br />
<br />
The U.S. supported the emergence of a broad-based government, representative of all Afghans and encouraged a UN role in the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan. <!--Today, the U.S. is assisting the Afghan people as they rebuild their country and establish a representative government that contributes to regional stability, is market friendly, and respects human rights. In May 2005, President Bush and President Karzai concluded a strategic partnership agreement committing both nations to a long-term relationship.--><br />
<br />
According to Trump-era [[Secretary of Defense]] Christopher Miller as reported by ''Defense One'',<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/08/trumps-pledge-exit-afghanistan-was-ruse-his-final-secdef-says/184660/</ref> [[President Trump]] never intended to fully withdraw from Afghanistan, but rather leave behind a counterterrorism force of 800–850 at Bagram Airforce base.<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We did plenty of wargames on this and we knew what the minimal force structure was,” he said this week. “The number was 800. If this all goes bad, what is the minimal force structure needed to maintain [counterterrorism] strike and reconnaissance capability? We can do it for 800, 850.” <br />
<br />
''Defense One'' was able to confirm Miller’s account of the 800-personnel study independently with another former NSC staff member. <br />
<br />
Miller said he understood Trump’s May 1 [2021] withdrawal deal to be a negotiating tactic.}}<br />
<br />
== Geography ==<br />
The country is known for its mountainous terrain. The huge Hindu Kush mountains form a barrier between the Northern provinces and the rest of the country. This mountain range has also divided Afghanistan int three very different geographic regions known as; The Central Highlands, The Northern Plains, and the Southwestern Plateau. The altitude, climate, and soil conditions in Afghanistan varies greatly on where in the country you are.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20100105194833/https://www.afghan-web.com/geography/lr.html</ref><br />
<br />
== People ==<br />
[[File:Afghan girls.jpg|right|350px|thumb]]<br />
Afghanistan's ethnically and linguistically mixed population reflects its location astride historic trade and invasion routes leading from Central Asia into South and Southwest Asia. While population data is somewhat unreliable for Afghanistan, Pashtuns make up the largest ethnic group at 38-44% of the population, followed by Tajiks (25%), Hazaras (10%), Uzbek (6-8%), Aimaq, Turkmen, Baluch, and other small groups. Dari (Afghan Farsi) and Pashto are official languages. Dari is spoken by more than one-third of the population as a first language and serves as a lingua franca for most Afghans, though Pashto is spoken throughout the Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan. Tajik and Turkic languages are spoken widely in the north. Smaller groups throughout the country also speak more than 70 other languages and numerous dialects. <br />
<br />
Afghanistan is an Islamic country. An estimated 80% of the population is Sunni, following the Hanafi school of jurisprudence; the remainder of the population—and primarily the Hazara ethnic group—predominantly Shi'a. Despite attempts during the years of communist rule to secularize Afghan society, Islamic practices pervade all aspects of life. In fact, Islam served as a principal basis for expressing opposition to communism and the Soviet invasion. Islamic religious tradition and codes, together with traditional tribal and ethnic practices, have an important role in personal conduct and dispute settlement. Afghan society is largely based on kinship groups, which follow traditional customs and religious practices, though somewhat less so in urban areas.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Afghan RCD.gif|right|250px|thumb]]<br />
In the 1930s, Afghanistan embarked on a modest economic development program. The government founded banks; introduced paper money; established a university; expanded primary, secondary, and technical schools; and sent students abroad for education. <br />
<br />
Historically, there has been a dearth of information and reliable statistics about Afghanistan's economy. The 1979 Soviet invasion and ensuing civil war destroyed much of the country's limited infrastructure and disrupted normal patterns of economic activity. Gross domestic product had fallen substantially because of loss of labor and capital and disruption of trade and transport. Continuing internal strife hampered both domestic efforts at reconstruction as well as international aid efforts. However, Afghanistan's economy has grown at a fast pace since the 2001 fall of the Taliban, albeit from a low base. In 2004, Afghanistan's GDP grew 17%, and in 2005 Afghanistan's GDP grew approximately 10%. <br />
<br />
In June 2006, Afghanistan and the International Monetary Fund agreed on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program for 2006-2009 that focuses on maintaining macroeconomic stability, boosting growth, and reducing poverty. Afghanistan is also rebuilding its banking infrastructure, through the Da Afghanistan National Bank. Several government-owned banks are also in the process of being privatized. <br />
<br />
===Agriculture===<br />
[[File:Afghanistan opium.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Opium cultivation in Afghanistan.]]<br />
The main source of income in the country is agriculture, and during its good years, Afghanistan produces enough food and food products to provide for the people, as well as to create a surplus for export. The major food crops produced are: corn, rice, barley, wheat, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. In Afghanistan, industry is also based on agriculture, and pastoral raw materials. The major industrial crops are: cotton, tobacco, madder, castor beans, and sugar beets. The Afghan economy continues to be overwhelmingly agricultural, despite the fact that only 12% of its total land area is arable and less than 6% currently is cultivated. Agricultural production is constrained by an almost total dependence on erratic winter snows and spring rains for water; irrigation is primitive. Relatively little use is made of machines, chemical fertilizer, or pesticides. <br />
<br />
Overall agricultural production dramatically declined following severe drought as well as sustained fighting, instability in rural areas, and deteriorated infrastructure. The easing of the drought and the end of civil war produced the largest wheat harvest in 25 years during 2003. Wheat production was an estimated 58% higher than in 2002. However, the country still needed to import an estimated one million tons of wheat to meet its requirements for the 2003 year. Millions of Afghans, particularly in rural areas, remained dependent on food aid. <br />
<br />
Opium has become a source of cash for many Afghans, especially following the breakdown in central authority after the Soviet withdrawal, and opium-derived revenues probably constituted a major source of income for the two main factions during the civil war in the 1990s. Opium is easy to cultivate and transport and offers a quick source of income for impoverished Afghans. Afghanistan produced a record opium poppy crop in 2006, supplying 91% of the world's opium. Much of Afghanistan's opium production is refined into heroin and is either consumed by a growing regional addict population or exported, primarily to Western Europe.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5308180.stm UN warns of soaring Afghan opium], BBC, Sep 2, 2006</ref><br />
<br />
Afghanistan has begun counter-narcotics programs, including the promotion of alternative livelihoods, public information campaigns, targeted eradication policies, interdiction of drug shipments, as well as law enforcement and justice reform programs. These programs were first implemented in late 2005. In June 2006, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that the Afghan Government eradicated over 15,000 hectares of opium poppy.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
===Trade and Industry===<br />
Afghanistan is endowed with natural resources, including extensive deposits of [[natural gas]], [[petroleum]], [[coal]], [[copper]], [[chromite]], [[talc]], [[barite]]s, [[sulfur]], [[lead]], [[zinc]], [[iron ore]], [[salt]], and precious and semiprecious stones. Unfortunately, ongoing instability in certain areas of the country, remote and rugged terrain, and inadequate infrastructure and transportation network have made mining these resources difficult, and there have been few serious attempts to further explore or exploit them. Coal deposits have been widely exploited.<br />
<br />
The most important resource has been natural gas, first tapped in 1967. At their peak during the 1980s, natural gas sales accounted for $300 million a year in export revenues (56% of the total). Ninety percent of these exports went to the Soviet Union to pay for imports and debts. However, during the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989, Afghanistan's natural gas fields were capped to prevent sabotage by the mujahidin. Restoration of gas production has been hampered by internal strife and the disruption of traditional trading relationships following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Trade in smuggled goods into Pakistan once constituted a major source of revenue for Afghan regimes, including the Taliban, and still figures as an important element in the Afghan economy, although efforts are underway to formalize this trade.<br />
<br />
===Transportation===<br />
In the 1960s, the United States helped build a highway connecting Afghanistan's two largest cities. It began in Kabul and wound its way through five of the country's core provinces—skirting scores of isolated and otherwise inaccessible villages; passing through the ancient market city of Ghazni; descending through Qalat; and eventually reaching Kandahar, founded by Alexander the Great. More than 35% of the country's population lives within 50 kilometers of this highway, called, appropriately, modern Afghanistan's lifeline. In 1978, the Soviet Union invaded. By the time its forces withdrew more than a decade later, more than 1 million Afghans had been killed and 5 million had fled. Civil war followed. The Taliban emerged, controlling all but the remote, northern regions. Afghanistan was terrorized by this group, which was dogmatically opposed to progress and democracy. More than two decades of war had left the Kabul-Kandahar highway devastated, like much of the country's infrastructure. Little could move along the lifeline that had provided so many Afghans with their means of livelihood and their access to healthcare, education, markets, and places of worship. <br />
<br />
'''Reviving the Road''': Restoration of the highway has been an overriding priority of President Hamid Karzai. It is crucial to extending the influence of the new government. Without the highway link, Afghanistan's civil society and economy would remain moribund and prey to divisive forces. The economic development that the highway makes possible will help guarantee the unity and long-term security of the Afghan people. The restored highway is a visually impressive achievement whose symbolic importance should not be underestimated. It marks a palpable transition from the recent past and represents an important building block for the future. Recently, an official in Herat likened the ring road to veins and arteries that nourish and bring life to the "heart" of Kabul and the body of the country. The highway will not end in Kandahar: there are plans to complete the circuit, extending it to Herat and then arcing it back through Mazar-e Sharif to Kabul. The route is sometimes referred to as the Ring Road. As of December 2006, three-quarters of the Ring Road had been funded, with plans to be completed in 2007. <br />
<br />
Landlocked Afghanistan has no functioning railways, but the Amu Darya (Oxus) River, which forms part of Afghanistan's border with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, has barge traffic. During their occupation of the country, the Soviets completed a bridge across the Amu Darya. The United States, in partnership with Norway, has agreed to reconstruct this bridge, which will stretch more than 650 meters over the Amu Darya/Pyandzh River between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, near Pyanji Poyon (Tajikistan) and Shir Khan Bandar (Afghanistan). The bridge is set for completion in 2007. <br />
<br />
Afghanistan's national airline, Ariana, operates domestic and international routes, including flights to New Delhi, Islamabad, Dubai, Moscow, Istanbul, Tehran, and Frankfurt. A private carrier, Kam Air, commenced domestic operations in November 2003. Many sections of Afghanistan's highway and regional road system are undergoing significant reconstruction. The U.S. (with assistance from Japan) completed building a highway linking Kabul to the southern regional capital, Kandahar. Construction is soon to begin on the next phase of highway reconstruction between Kandahar and the western city of Herat. The Asian Development Bank is also active in road development projects, mainly in the border areas with Pakistan.<br />
<br />
==Humanitarian Relief==<br />
Many nations have assisted in a great variety of humanitarian and development projects all across Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. The United Nations, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other international agencies have also given aid. Schools, clinics, water systems, agriculture, sanitation, government buildings and roads are being repaired or built. <br />
<br />
===De-mining===<br />
Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world; mine-related injuries number up to 100 per month, and an estimated 200,000 Afghans have been disabled by landmine/unexploded ordinances (UXO) accidents. As of March 2005 the United Nations Mine Action Program for Afghanistan had approximately 8,000 Afghan personnel, 700 demobilized soldiers, 22 international staff, and several NGOs deployed in Afghanistan. The goal of the program is to remove the impact of mines from all high-impact areas by 2007 and to make Afghanistan mine-free by 2012. Between January 2003 and March 2005 a total of 2,354,244 mines and pieces of UXOs were destroyed. Training programs are also being used to educate the public about the threat and dangers of land mines. The number of mine victims was reduced from approximately 150 a month in 2002 to less than 100 a month in 2004. <br />
<br />
===Refugees and Internally Displaced People===<br />
Afghanistan has had the largest refugee repatriation in the world in the last 30 years. The return of refugees is guided by the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MORR) and supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organization of Migration (IOM), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and a number of other national and international NGOs. As of December 2006, approximately 3 million Afghans remained in neighboring countries. The U.S. provided more than $350 million to support Afghan refugees, returnees, and other conflict victims between September 2001 and March 2006. Since the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the country's non-opium economy has grown significantly and has allowed approximately 3 million people to return home.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20061022212707/http://www.control-risks.com/default.aspx?page=605</ref><br />
<br />
===Health===<br />
In response to a strategy outlined by the Ministry of Health, the international community is supporting the government in rebuilding the primary health-care system. Tuberculosis remains a serious public health problem in Afghanistan. Since this strategy was outlined, the Afghan Government with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) has established 162 health facilities in 141 districts across the country. The treatment success rate in 2002 was 86%. WHO is also assisting the Ministry of Health and local health authorities to combat malaria where the disease is widespread. Through this project, 600,000 individuals are receiving full treatment for malaria every year. In addition 750,000 individuals are protected from malaria by sleeping under special nets provided under the project.<br />
<br />
According to the U.S. [[Center for Disease Control]] (CDC), Afghanistan has the seventh-highest number of [[measles]] cases in the world.<ref>https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/measles/data/global-measles-outbreaks.html</ref><br />
<br />
===Education===<br />
There were 45,000 children enrolled in school in 1993, 19% were girls. The latest official statistics show there are now 64,000 children in school, one third are girls. In addition 29% of the teachers in the province are women, compared with 15% in 1993. Effort is being made to ensure that teachers receive salaries on time and increasing the attendance of girls in school. The total enrollment rate for Afghan children between 7 and 13 years of age has increased to 54% (67% for boys and 37% for girls). A number of factors such as distance to schools, poor facilities and lack of separate schooling for boys and girls continue to be challenges to higher enrollment.<br />
<br />
In 2015, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that U.S. soldiers were instructed by their commanders to ignore child sexual abuse being carried out by the Afghan National Security Forces. American soldiers were instructed not to intervene—in some cases, not even when their Afghan allies have abused boys on military bases, according to interviews and court records. But the U.S. soldiers were troubled that instead of weeding out [[pedophile]]s, the U.S. military was arming them against the Taliban and placing them as the police commanders of villages—and doing little when they began abusing children.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/opinion/ignoring-sexual-abuse-in-afghanistan.html|title=Ignoring Sexual Abuse in Afghanistan|author=The Editorial Board|date=2015-09-21|work=The New York Times|access-date=|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
*[[Muslim agenda of the Obama administration]]<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a police state<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [http://www.afghan-web.com/ Afghanistan Online.]<br />
* [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/02/2674562.htm Afghan opium crop in decline.]<br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Seth. ''In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan'' (2009) [https://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Empires-Americas-War-Afghanistan/dp/0393068986/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253093556&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]<br />
* The book ''Horse Soldiers'' describes the previously secret 5-week campaign, materially aided by the [[CIA]] and [[Special Forces]]. [http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2009/09/08/horse-soldiers/]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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{{Copyright Details (US Government)}} <br />
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Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5380.htm]<br />
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{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan]]<br />
[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Cold War]]<br />
[[Category:British Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
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{{Terrorism}}<br />
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[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
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{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Afghanistan&diff=2034772Afghanistan2024-03-17T02:25:27Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{country<br />
|map=Afghan.jpg<br />
|map2=<br />
|flag=<br />
|capital=Kabul<br />
|government=<br />
|language=Dari, Pashto<br />
|monarch=walla<br />
|president-raw=<br />
|chancellor=<br />
|pm=<br />
|area=652,230 sq. mi.<br />
|pop=39,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis=<br />
|gdp-year=$27.36 billion<br />
|gdp-pc=$620 <br />
|currency=afghani<br />
|idd=+93<br />
|tld=.af<br />
}}<br />
'''Afghanistan''' (Pashto/Dari: افغانستان)<!--, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Afghanistan''',--><ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20061013231925/https://www.president.gov.af/ (Archived 2006)/</ref> is a country in [[South Asia]] which borders the Arabian Sea to the south, India to the east and [[Iran]] to the west. Afghanistan was the scene of the defeat of the [[Soviet Union]] in the [[Soviet-Afghan war]] of 1979–1988. In the 1990s an extremist Islamic [[Taliban]] movement took control and allowed Osama bin-Laden and his Al-Qaeda to operate there and plan the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] on the U.S. An international invasion led by the U.S. overthrew the Taliban in 2001, but they have rebuilt strongholds in the south, along the Pakistan border, and have escalated the insurgency. '''''In August 2021, the Taliban retook control of the entire country amid [[Biden]]'s botched pullout of [[American]] troops'''''. Amid the chaos allowed by Biden, a terrorist attack on August 26, 2021, at the [[Kabul]] airport in Afghanistan killed 12 American soldiers and injured 15 more.<br />
<br />
Since August 15, 2021, Afghanistan is under the control of the Taliban,<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/world/taliban-take-over-afghanistan-whats-next</ref> as the [[Biden Junta]] withdrew [[American]] forces from the country in a way that enabled its nearly immediate recapture by the [[Taliban]]. <br />
As part of the Islamic jihadist Taliban blitzkrieg, kids were shot in front of their parents and Hazaras were massacred. They also posed for pictures after capturing the Presidential palace.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/15/taliban-assumes-control-of-afghanistan-reports/ Taliban takes control of presidential palace, poses for pictures inside]<br />
Mark Moore and Jorge Fitz-Gibbon, NYPost,<br />
August 15, 2021</ref><ref name=mid-day>[https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/taliban-shooting-kids-in-front-of-their-parents-23186832 Taliban shooting kids in front of their parents] Mid-Day, Aug 8, 2021.<br />
''According to local media reports, the Taliban have murdered more than 40 civilians in Malistan in the past one week. Most of these civilians were Hazaras.''</ref> It has become a great humiliation<ref>[https://news.walla.co.il/item/3454321 Biden let Afghanistan manage on its own against the Taliban. It ended in great humiliation than Vietnam]<br />
''The US president wanted to end the long war in American history on the symbolic date of September 11. Instead, al-Qaeda allies will celebrate the occupation of the country, which fell faster than Saigon in 1975.''<br />
Guy Elster, Walla, 16 August 2021.</ref> in the way Biden handled it. Total failure.<ref name="Aug 15, 2021">Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) Tweeted:<br />
Thinking about the last time I left the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. It was dangerous then. I can only imagine what is happening now. Biden totally screwed this up. https://t.co/R4PSQnEvhM [https://twitter.com/ScottWalker/status/1426948442471944204?s=20 Aug 15, 2021]</ref> <br />
<br />
A tenth of Biden's Afghanistan aid goes to the Taliban.<ref>D Greenfield, "[https://www.jns.org/opinion/a-tenth-of-bidens-afghanistan-aid-will-go-to-the-taliban/ A tenth of Biden’s Afghanistan aid will go to the Taliban]", JNS, September 23, 2021.<br><i><br />
Why are American taxpayers funding the Taliban?<br />
Deborah Lyons, the head of the United Nations mission in Afghanistan, met with Sirajuddin Haqqani, a wanted terrorist with the Haqqani Network, a Taliban component with close ties to Al-Qaeda.<br />
<br />
Lyons had served as Canada’s ambassador in Kabul when the Taliban carried out a suicide bombing against a Canadian embassy convoy. Lyons put up a monument to the security contractors who were wounded and killed, but they sued after being abandoned afterwards.</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[File:Brzezinski Taliban.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Zbigniew Brzezinski meets with the Mujahideen Taliban, 1979.<ref>https://youtu.be/kYvO3qAlyTg</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|History of Afghanistan}}<br />
The word Afghanistan originates from the Sanskrit word "Upa-Gana-stan" which translates in English to "the place inhabited by allied tribes".<ref>https://resonantnews.com/2021/08/25/a-story-of-betrayal-of-upa-gana-stan-afghanistan/</ref> Modern day Afghanistan was part of Ancient India and was ruled by Hindu Kings up until 980 A.D. The Afghans have a 2500-year tradition of strongly distrusting—and fighting—armed outsiders.<br />
<br />
Afghanistan, often called the crossroads of Central Asia, has had a turbulent history. In 328 BC, Alexander the Great entered the territory of present-day Afghanistan, then part of the Persian Empire, to capture Bactria (present-day Balkh). Invasions by the Scythians, White Huns, and Turks followed in succeeding centuries. In AD 642, Arabs invaded the entire region and introduced Islam. <br />
<br />
Arab rule gave way to the Persians, who controlled the area until conquered by the Turkic Ghaznavids in 998. Mahmud of Ghazni (998-1030) consolidated the conquests of his predecessors and turned Ghazni into a great cultural center as well as a base for frequent forays into India. Following Mahmud's short-lived dynasty, various princes attempted to rule sections of the country until the destructive Mongol invasion of 1219 led by Genghis Khan. <br />
<br />
Following Genghis Khan's death in 1227, a succession of petty chiefs and princes struggled for supremacy until late in the 14th century, when one of his descendants, Tamerlane, incorporated Afghanistan into his own vast Asian empire. Babur, a descendant of Tamerlane and the founder of India's Moghul dynasty at the beginning of the 16th century, made Kabul the capital of an Afghan principality. <br />
<br />
===The Taliban===<br />
:{{See also|Women under the Taliban}}<br />
[[File:Taliban enter Kabul airport.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Taliban enter Kabul airport after US departure, August 31, 2021.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/08/future-us-taliban-relations/184976/</ref>]]<br />
The Taliban had risen to power in the mid '90s in reaction to the anarchy and warlordism that arose after the withdrawal of Soviet forces. Many Taliban had been educated in madrassas in Pakistan and were largely from rural southern Pashtun backgrounds. In 1994, the Taliban developed enough strength to capture the city of Kandahar from a local warlord and proceeded to expand its control throughout Afghanistan, occupying Kabul in September 1996. By the end of 1998, the Taliban occupied about 90% of the country, limiting the opposition largely to a small mostly Tajik corner in the northeast and the Panjshir valley. <br />
<br />
The Taliban sought to impose an extreme interpretation of Islam—based upon the rural Pashtun tribal code—on the entire country and committed massive human rights violations, particularly directed against women and girls. The Taliban also committed serious atrocities against minority populations, particularly the Shi'a Hazara ethnic group, and killed noncombatants in several well-documented instances. In March 2001, as part of a drive against relics of Afghanistan's pre-Islamic past, the Taliban destroyed two Buddha statues carved into cliff faces outside of the city of Bamiyan. <br />
<br />
From the mid-1990s the Taliban provided sanctuary to Osama bin Laden, a Saudi national who had fought with the mujahideen resistance against the Soviets, and provide a base for his and other terrorist organizations. Bin Laden provided both financial and political support to the Taliban. Bin Laden and his Al-Qaida group were charged with the bombing of the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in 1998, and in August 1998 the United States launched a cruise missile attack against bin Laden's terrorist camp in southeastern Afghanistan. Bin Laden and Al-Qaida have acknowledged their responsibility for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. <br />
[[File:Build Back Better.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Taliban announcing its Build Back Better program on Afghan TV, August 29, 2021.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/afghan-tv-host-tells-public-not-to-be-afraid-and-cooperate-while-surrounded-by-taliban-with-guns/</ref><ref>[https://youtu.be/YkcaeaD45MY "Build Back Better"]</ref> ]]<br />
Following the Taliban's repeated refusal to expel bin Laden and his group and end its support for international terrorism, the U.S. and its partners in the anti-terrorist coalition began a military campaign on October 7, 2001, targeting terrorist facilities and various Taliban military and political assets within Afghanistan. On October 22, 2001, Sen. [[Joseph Biden]] of Delaware gave a speech insisting that U.S. goals—rooting out al-Qaeda and helping establish a friendly successor government to the Taliban—would require U.S. ground troops far beyond the small number of Special Forces already in place.<ref>Sen. Biden: "I think the American public and the Islamic world is fully prepared for us to take as long as we need to take. If it is action that is a mano-a-mano. If it's us on the ground going against other forces on the ground. The part that I think flies in the face of, and plays into every stereotypical criticism of us, is where this high tech bully that thinks from the air we can do whatever you want to do. And it builds the case, for those who want to make the case against us, that all we're doing is indiscriminately bombing innocents. Which is not the truth. Some innocents are indiscriminately bombed. But that is not the truth. I think the American public is prepared for a long siege. I think the American public has prepared for American losses. I think the American public is prepared, and the president must continue to remind them to be prepared, for American body bags coming home. There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing." [https://www.c-span.org/video/?166841-1/us-response-terrorist-attacks @59:43]</ref> Under pressure from U.S. military and anti-Taliban forces, the Taliban disintegrated rapidly, and Kabul fell on November 13, 2001. <br />
<br />
Afghan factions opposed to the Taliban met at a United Nations-sponsored conference in Bonn, Germany in December 2001 and agreed to restore stability and governance to Afghanistan—creating an interim government and establishing a process to move toward a permanent government. Under the "Bonn Agreement," an Afghan Interim Authority was formed and took office in Kabul on December 22, 2001, with Hamid Karzai as chairman. The Interim Authority held power for approximately 6 months while preparing for a nationwide "Loya Jirga" (Grand Council) in mid-June 2002 that decided on the structure of a Transitional Authority. The Transitional Authority, headed by President Hamid Karzai, renamed the government as the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). One of the TISA's primary achievements was the drafting of a constitution that was ratified by a Constitutional Loya Jirga on January 4, 2004.<br />
<br />
===US-Afghan war 2001-2021===<br />
{{See also|Afghan War}}<br />
<br />
[[Operation Enduring Freedom]] easily defeated the Taliban in late 2001 and it seemed the war was over quickly. But the Taliban regrouped, especially in the southern provinces, with sanctuaries inside neighboring [[Pakistan]] in remote areas where the government of Pakistan had little authority. By 2003 the insurgency in the south was in operation, funded by [[opium]] production. Important factors for the return of insurgency include the initial mistakes made in 2001; radical Islamic support from Pakistan; weaknesses of the [[Hamid Karzai]] government, especially its feeble and corrupt national army and police; the question of legitimacy and offenses to traditional tribal and [[Islam]]ic values and beliefs; and, finally, the extent to which NATO forces became part of the problem by angering the tribes. The insurgency controlled numerous areas and engaged in terror attacks on civilians and guerrilla warfare against American and NATO forces. [[Al-Qaeda]] terrorists—the only [[Arab]]s in Afghanistan—had been welcomed by the Taliban in 1999 and built their bases there. They have been largely destroyed or fled to Pakistan, according to the U.S. Army, having fewer than 100 people left in Afghanistan.<br />
<br />
Seven years after the overthrow of the Taliban, America and NATO forces were still fighting Taliban forces in parts of the country, especially in the south.<ref>[http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=October&x=20061025171329MVyelwarC0.6853144 U.S. Department of State, Vince Crawley, October 25, 2006, "NATO's Jones Urges Focus on Afghan Reconstruction, Rule of Law"] <sub>''"On July 31, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) took control of Afghanistan’s volatile southern provinces, part of a larger plan for NATO to provide security for the entire country. The handover was accompanied by an upsurge of violence against international forces."''</sub></ref> There was no sign that Western troops would be withdrawing from Afghanistan in the foreseeable future. Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, commander of the United States coalition forces stated his commitment to accomplishing the mission, saying, "The United States will not leave Afghanistan until the Afghan people tell us the job is done. The war on terrorism began here in Afghanistan and it continues today. We must never forget that."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/01/world/asia/01afghan.html New York Times, CARLOTTA GALL, August 1, 2006, "U.S. Hands Southern Afghan Command to NATO"]</ref><br />
<br />
In Aug. 2009, General [[Stanley A. McChrystal]], the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said the Afghan government was riddled with corruption and NATO was being undermined by tactics that alienate civilians. He called the Taliban insurgency "a muscular and sophisticated enemy" that uses modern propaganda and systematically reaches into Afghanistan's prisons to recruit members and even plan operations. He said official corruption is as much of a threat as the insurgency to the mission of the '''International Security Assistance Force''', or ISAF, as the U.S.-led NATO coalition is widely known. The weakness of state institutions, malign actions of power-brokers, widespread corruption and abuse of power by various officials, and ISAF's own errors, have given Afghans little reason to support their government," McChrystal reported. <br />
<br />
McChrystal told Washington that he urgently needs more forces within the next year; without them, he warned, the eight-year conflict "will likely result in failure." By November no decision had been made on the urgent request.<ref>Bob Woodward, "McChrystal: More Forces or 'Mission Failure'' [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/20/AR2009092002920.html ''Washington Post,'' Sept 21, 2009]</ref> <br />
<br />
The 2009 presidential election was badly tainted by fraud. Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, the main opponent of President [[Hamid Karzai]], pulled out of the runoff in November, and Karzai was declared reelected for another five-year term. His legitimacy and support was seriously weakened by the election frauds, but the U.S., [[NATO]], and the [[United Nations|UN]] have agreed to keep him in power.<br />
<br />
====Afghan Republic 2001-2021====<br />
Three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, on October 3, 2001, Sen. Joseph Biden, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, proposed a billion dollars in aid to a yet to be formed Afghan interim government. The amount was almost twice as much as U.N. General Secretary [[Kofi Annan]] proposed and more than triple what the Bush administration asked for.<ref>Sen. Biden: "U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan has issued an appeal for $584 million to meet the needs of the Afghan refugees and displaced people, within Afghanistan and in neighboring countries. This is the amount deemed necessary to stave off disaster for the winter, which will start in Afghanistan in just a few weeks. We must back up our rhetoric with action, with something big and bold and meaningful. We can offer to foot the entire bill for keeping the Afghan people safely fed, clothed, and sheltered this winter, and that should be the beginning....We can kick the effort off in a way that would silence our critics in the rest of the world: a check for $1 billion, and a promise for more to come as long as the rest of the world joins us. This initial amount would be more than enough to meet all the refugees’ short-term needs, and would be a credible downpayment for the long-term effort. Eventually the world community will have to pony up more billions, but there is no avoiding that now, not if we expect our words ever to carry any weight.<br>If anyone thinks this amount of money is too high, let me note one stark, simple and very sad statistic. The damage inflicted by the September 11 attack in economic terms alone was a minimum of several hundred billion dollars and a maximum of over $1 trillion. The cost in human life, of course, as the Presiding Officer knows, is far beyond any calculation. [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2001-pt13/pdf/CRECB-2001-pt13-issue-2001-10-03.pdf Pg. 18464]</ref> Harmid Karzai formed an interim government on 22 December 2001 until elections could be held after the removal of Taliban rule by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces. On January 10, 2002, Joe Biden arrived in Afghanistan on a four-day fact-finding visit and met with Karzai.<ref>https://www.army.mil/article/50258/biden_meets_karzai_visits_troops_in_afghanistan</ref> In 2002 and 2003, when Afghan tribal councils gathered to write a new constitution, the U.S. government gave “nice packages” to delegates who supported Washington's preferred stance. “The perception that was started in that period: If you were going to vote for a position that Washington favored, you’d be stupid to not get a package for doing it,” according to a U.S. official who served in Kabul at the time.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-corruption-government/</ref><br />
<br />
On October 9, 2004, Afghanistan held its first national democratic presidential election. More than 8 million Afghans voted, 41% of whom were women. [[Hamid Karzai]] was the winner and was inaugurated on December 7 for a five-year term as Afghanistan's first democratically elected president. In 2014 [[Ashraf Ghani]] was elected as new president of Afghanistan and held office until the fall of Kabul in August 2021.<br />
<br />
====Nation building====<br />
Three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, on October 3, 2001, Sen. [[Joseph Biden]] of Delaware proposed on the Senate floor a billion dollars in aid to a yet-to-be-formed Afghan interim government. The amount was almost twice as much as U.N. General Secretary [[Kofi Annan]] proposed,<ref>Sen. Biden: "U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan has issued an appeal for $584 million to meet the needs of the Afghan refugees and displaced people, within Afghanistan and in neighboring countries. This is the amount deemed necessary to stave off disaster for the winter, which will start in Afghanistan in just a few weeks. We must back up our rhetoric with action, with something big and bold and meaningful. We can offer to foot the entire bill for keeping the Afghan people safely fed, clothed, and sheltered this winter, and that should be the beginning....We can kick the effort off in a way that would silence our critics in the rest of the world: a check for $1 billion, and a promise for more to come as long as the rest of the world joins us. This initial amount would be more than enough to meet all the refugees’ short-term needs, and would be a credible downpayment for the long-term effort. Eventually the world community will have to pony up more billions, but there is no avoiding that now, not if we expect our words ever to carry any weight.<br>If anyone thinks this amount of money is too high, let me note one stark, simple and very sad statistic. The damage inflicted by the September 11 attack in economic terms alone was a minimum of several hundred billion dollars and a maximum of over $1 trillion. The cost in human life, of course, as the Presiding Officer knows, is far beyond any calculation." [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2001-pt13/pdf/CRECB-2001-pt13-issue-2001-10-03.pdf CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE—Wednesday, October 3, 2001], Pg. 18464.</ref> and more than triple what the Bush administration asked for.<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/04/biden-iraq-invasion-america-afghanistan/618640/ The Original Sin of the War in Afghanistan], By Jonah Blank, ''The Atlantic'', APRIL 20, 2021.</ref> Sen. Biden, who spoke for the Democrats in Congress, wanted more than just removal of the Taliban and degrading al Qaeda. Biden wanted [[nation building]]. Biden wanted to flood the new government with cash, which ultimately corrupted the new Karzai regime, and created an anti-[[Western]], anti-corruption, pro-Taliban resurgence and backlash.<br />
[[File:Biden CFR October 22 2001.PNG|right|350px|thumb|Sen. Joe Biden advocating for boots on the ground and nation building at the Council on Foreign Relations, October 22, 2001.]]<br />
On October 22, 2001, Sen. Biden, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, gave a speech at the [[Council on Foreign Relations]] insisting that U.S. goals—rooting out al-Qaeda and helping establish a friendly successor government to the Taliban—would require U.S. boots on the ground far beyond the small number of Special Forces that the [[Pentagon]] had recommended. Biden said, "There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing."<ref>Sen. Biden: "I think the American public and the Islamic world is fully prepared for us to take as long as we need to take. If it is action that is a mano-a-mano. If it's us on the ground going against other forces on the ground. The part that I think flies in the face of, and plays into every stereotypical criticism of us, is where this high tech bully that thinks from the air we can do whatever you want to do. And it builds the case, for those who want to make the case against us, that all we're doing is indiscriminately bombing innocents. Which is not the truth. Some innocents are indiscriminately bombed. But that is not the truth. I think the American public is prepared for a long siege. I think the American public has prepared for American losses. I think the American public is prepared, and the president must continue to remind them to be prepared, for American body bags coming home. There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing. That's the generic point I wish to make. I am not qualified enough to tell you. Although I can tell you what the military guys have said to me. This is not 1948. This is 2001. I'm not at all sure they're correct." [https://www.c-span.org/video/?166841-1/us-response-terrorist-attacks @59:43]</ref> Under pressure from U.S. military and anti-Taliban forces however, the Taliban disintegrated rapidly, and [[Kabul]] fell on November 13, 2001.<br />
<br />
Hamid Karzai formed an interim government on 22 December 2001 until elections could be held after the removal of Taliban rule by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces. On January 10, 2002, Biden arrived in Afghanistan on a four-day fact-finding visit and at Bagram Airforce Base. The [[Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility]] had been prepared to receive jihadis. Bagram was a major collection point for preliminary interrogation. Sen. Biden said, "These are some real hard, hard, hard cases. But unless we gather the list of leaders which we -- I have in my pocket here...the possibility of them being able to do [[guerrilla]] kind of attacks on military here are real."<ref>http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0201/13/se.01.html</ref><br />
<br />
In 2002 and 2003, when Afghan tribal councils gathered to write a new constitution, the U.S. government gave “nice packages” to delegates who supported Washington's preferred stance. “The perception that was started in that period: If you were going to vote for a position that Washington favored, you’d be stupid to not get a package for doing it,” according to a U.S. official interviewed by the ''[[Washington Post]]'' who served in Kabul at the time.<ref name="washingtonpost.com"/><br />
<br />
According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', beginning in December 2002 throughout Karzai's terms of office, Karzai's office was funded with "tens of millions of dollars" of black cash from the [[CIA]] in order to buy influence within the Afghan government. The ''NYT'' stated that "the cash that does not appear to be subject to the oversight and restrictions." An unnamed American official was quoted by ''The New York Times'' as stating that "The biggest source of corruption in Afghanistan was the United States."<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html|title=With Bags of Cash, C.I.A. Seeks Influence in Afghanistan|author=Matthew Rosenberg|newspaper=The New York Times|date=28 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013|archive-date=28 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428232309/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html|url-status=live}}</ref><br />
<br />
Once it became the narrative that the U.S. was there to improve life for Afghans the venture became subject to withering critiques. In an investigative report by the ''Washington Post'', a forensic accountant analyzed "3,000 Defense Department contracts worth $106 billion dollars concluded about 40% of the money ended up in the pockets of insurgents, criminal syndicates, or corrupt Afghan officials." ''The Spectator'' noted, "On [[Ivy League]] campuses, students are taught to decry [[colonialism]], but Ivy League diplomats who sought to remake Afghanistan and [[Harvard]]'s image were among the most ambitious practitioners of colonialism in world history. Alongside the billions for bombs went hundreds of millions for gender studies in Afghanistan. According to a USAID observer, the gender ideology included in<br />
American aid routinely caused rebellions out in the provinces directly causing the instability America was supposedly fighting."<br />
<br />
====Obama escalation====<br />
:{{See also|Obama war crimes}}<br />
[[File:Af-UStroops.jpg|thumb|350px|thumb]]<br />
Despite campaigning against "dumb wars," [[Barack Obama]] made escalating the troop level a high priority.<ref>https://original.antiwar.com/mcgovern/2010/09/24/obama-knows-the-war-is-dumb-but-prefers-power-over-peace/</ref> In September 2009, the Pentagon pushed back against liberal Democrats who oppose sending additional combat troops to Afghanistan, telling Congress that success would probably require more fighting forces, and certainly much more time. Washington is debating the new report by Gen. McChrystal, the senior American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, who believes a properly resourced counterinsurgency war means more forces, more time and more commitment to the development of a strong Afghan government capable of defending its own country.<ref>Thom Shanker, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/world/asia/16mullen.html?_r=1&th&emc=th "Military Chief Suggests Need to Enlarge U.S. Afghan Force," ''New York Times'' Sept. 16, 2009]</ref> Some 4,000 more American trainers will arrive by November, bringing the American troop level to 68,000.<br />
<br />
The ruling [[Democratic party]] in the United States was split three ways: a small number of hawks who agreed with Obama's decision to escalate the troop level; a large number of doves who opposed it; and a sizable group that was uneasy with the Obama troop surge but willing to loyally support his decision. Each one thousand American soldiers in Afghanistan cost a billion dollars a year; Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] indicated that the continued operations would be financed by borrowing.<br />
<br />
In the first half of 2010, 250 contractors reportedly died in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than the 235 military personnel who fell during the same period.<ref>https://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/05/24/114662/what-price-war.html#ixzz1Nz07pg5O</ref><br />
<br />
====Bowe Bergdahl swap====<br />
<br />
When [[Barack Obama]] released five Taliban commanders from the [[Guantanamo Bay]] prison in exchange for American deserter Bowe Bergdahl in 2014, he assured Americans that the enemy combatants would not be allowed to return to Afghanistan. 6 American soldiers lives were lost searching for the American deserter.<ref>https://nypost.com/2014/06/02/six-soldiers-died-searching-for-deserter-pow-fueling-backlash/</ref> Upon Bergdahl's return, Obama celebrated Bergdahl as a heroic “POW,” a designation the Pentagon never gave him. Khairullah Khairkhwa, one of the five released from Guantanamo, sat across the table from Joe Biden's personal representative in [[Moscow]] in the spring of 2021, where Mullah Khairkhwa was part of the Taliban delegation that negotiated the terms of the US withdrawal. Mullah Khairkhwa is the mastermind of the Taliban takeover, even though the Pentagon classified Khairkhwa as too dangerous to release.<br />
<br />
Khairkhwa assured the Biden junta that the Taliban would not retaliate against Afghans who worked with the US military or the US-backed government in Kabul. However, reports out of Kandahar and Kabul soon after the fall of Afghanistan indicate the Taliban was going door to door with a kill list to wipe out their enemies. Mullah Khairkhwa previously served as the Taliban's interior minister prior to 2002, where he oversaw Islamist punishments, including beheadings and stonings.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/08/16/taliban-leader-was-freed-from-guantanamo-in-2014-swap-by-obama/</ref><br />
<br />
All five of the terrorists in the Bowe Bergdahl swap assumed prominent positions in the Taliban interim government announced on September 11, 2021:<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/09/07/four-gitmo-detainees-released-in-berghdahl-swap-are-now-taliban-ministers-for-afghan-government-interim-government-will-be-officially-introduced-on-sept-11th/</ref><br />
*Acting Minister of Information and Culture: Mullah Khairullah Khairkhah<br />
*Defense Deputy Minister: Mullah Mohammad Fazil<br />
*Acting Director of Intelligence: Abdul Haq Wasiq<br />
*Border and Tribal Affairs Minister: Mullah Norullah Nori<br />
*Acting Governor of Khost Province: Muhammad Nabi Omari<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2021-09-11-from-the-cells-of-guantanamo-to-the-ruling----the-story-of-5-officials-in-the-taliban-government.H1rAUgatGY.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Total collapse under Biden====<br />
[[File:Biden's gift to Taliban terrortists.PNG|right|400px|thumb|Democrat socialist leader Joe Biden's gift to Taliban terrorists.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/bidens-gift-to-terror-stunning-infographic-shows-the-massive-new-arsenal-the-taliban-now-possesses/</ref>]]<br />
When the Biden regime abandoned Bagram Airbase on July 2, 2021, without giving notice to the Afghan government and Afghan National Army,<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57682290</ref> it sent a signal to the highest levels in the Afghan government that the United States would not provide the aircover and support for the Afghan army in its war with the Taliban - a mission they had prepared for 20 years.<ref>https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-09/us-military-leave-bagram-air-base-afghanistan-equipment-handover/100277452</ref> It was no surprise when the Afghan Army abandoned the field and refused to fight, and the Afghan government fell, as scripted by the Biden regime.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9900069/This-not-surprise-Afghan-experts-condemn-Biden-shock-Taliban-advance.html</ref><br />
<br />
With the August 2021 Taliban takeover of major cities, it was clear that it was Biden who failed the Afghan war.<ref name="Aug 15, 2021"/><ref>[https://thefederalist.com/2021/08/16/no-biden-cant-blame-trump-for-the-afghanistan-withdrawal-disaster/ No, Biden Can’t Blame Trump For The Afghanistan Withdrawal Disaster] Margot Cleveland, The Federalist, Aug 16, 2021.</ref><ref>[http://www.boblonsberry.com/writings.cfm?go=4 Biden Lost the Afghan War], Bob Lonsberry, Aug 16, 2021</ref><br />
And Billions spent by US in Afghanistan on Afghan army, at the end, rather benefited the Taliban.<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-08-17/billions-spent-on-afghan-army-ultimately-benefited-taliban Billions Spent on Afghan Army Ultimately Benefited Taliban] Associated Press, US News, Aug 17, 2021.<br />
''Built and trained at a two-decade cost of $83 billion, Afghan security forces collapsed so quickly and completely — in some cases without a shot fired — that the ultimate beneficiary of the American investment turns out to be the Taliban.''</ref> Planes, guns, night-vision goggles, ended up being the Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest.<ref>"[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-conflict-usa-arms-idUSKBN2FK1L5 Planes, guns, night-vision goggles: The Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest]"<br />
Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle and Jonathan Landay. Reuters, Aug 18, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, The [[Qatar]]i pro-terror network [[Al Jazeera]] was given exclusive access to the presidential palace by Taliban.<ref>roi kais (@kaisos1987) Tweeted:<br />
The Qatari Al-Jazeera channel receives from Taliban exclusive access to the presidential palace in Kabul. No need to be surprised https://t.co/h53JupS8OP [https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1426974071145877507?s=20 Aug 15, 2021]</ref><br />
<br />
Even CNN had to admit that it's: "some of most dire days of his presidency."<ref>"[https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/19/politics/joe-biden-afghanistan-dire-days-of-presidency/index.html As White House scrambles on Afghanistan, Biden faces some of most dire days of his presidency]." Kevin Liptak, Jeff Zeleny, Kaitlan Collins and Jeremy Diamond, CNN, August 19, 2021.<br />
(CNN)Two photographs of President Joe Biden this week neatly illustrated the White House's fight to contain the fallout of the biggest crisis of his presidency.</ref><br />
<br />
Global media slammed Biden as a ‘joke.’<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/17/global-media-slam-us-biden-as-a-joke-amid-kabul-chaos/ Global media slam US, Biden as a ‘joke’ amid Kabul chaos] Emily Crane, <br />
August 17, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
The global media are slamming President Biden as a “joke” and an “embarrassment” after the US evacuation of Afghanistan deteriorated into deadly chaos as terrified Afghans clung to military planes in an attempt to flee the Taliban takeover.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Taliban atrocities included executions,<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/08/03/afghanistan-advancing-taliban-execute-detainees Afghanistan: Advancing Taliban Execute Detainees], HRW, Aug 3, 2021</ref> even killing kids in front of their parents.<ref name=mid-day/><br />
Afghans became fearful of brutal regime return.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2021/08/16/1028016095/taliban-takeover-reminds-afghans-of-the-brutality-of-their-previous-regime Taliban Takeover Reminds Afghans Of The Brutality Of Their Previous Regime], PBS, Aug 16, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Writer:<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/19/afghan-debacle-has-exposed-joe-biden-as-a-failed-president/ This debacle has exposed Joe Biden as a failed president], Ben Domenech, NYPost, August 19, 2021.</ref><br />
<blockquote><br />
Joe Biden is derelict in his duty. His State Department failed to prepare adequately to get Americans and our allied Afghans out of the country in time. His Department of Defense made the decisions that left our resources and materiel to be used by the Taliban. His intelligence units were the ones he now claims — despite evidence to the contrary — never warned that the Afghan government could fall so fast.<br />
<br />
This was a failure of many institutions of American government. But above all, it was a failure of the Commander in Chief.</blockquote><br />
<br />
Among the allies for example, Biden rattled [[U.K.]] With his Afghanistan policy.<br />
From ''The New York Times'':<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/18/world/europe/britain-afghanistan-johnson-biden.html Biden Rattles U.K. With His Afghanistan Policy], Mark Landler, NYT, Aug 18, 2021.<br />
<br><br />
<i>Britain was the second-largest supplier of troops to Afghanistan, and the United States’ rapid withdrawal from the country has left some embittered.<br />
LONDON — In Britain, the chaotic departure from Afghanistan has drawn comparisons not to helicopters flying out of Saigon but to an earlier debacle: the 1956 Suez crisis, in which a humiliated Britain was forced to pull out of Egypt, having failed to dislodge its nationalist leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser.<br />
<br />
The problem is, Britain had very little to say about the timing or tactics of the most recent withdrawal, even though it suffered the second-most casualties in the Afghanistan war after the United States. That has left British officials embarrassed and embittered at President Biden. Some say he behaved more like his predecessor, Donald J. Trump, than an ally who promised a new era of American partnership.</i></ref><blockquote> the chaotic departure from Afghanistan has drawn comparisons not to helicopters flying out of Saigon but to an earlier debacle: the 1956 Suez crisis, in which a humiliated Britain was forced to pull out of Egypt, having failed to dislodge its nationalist leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser.</blockquote><br />
<br />
One of the big gainers at [[Taliban]]'s rise is the "tiny Qatar", capable of disproportionate intervention in their affairs not hers.<ref>Ilan Zalayat @ilanzalayat Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
While everyone is talking about the effects of the turbulent upheaval in Afghanistan on neighbors like China or Iran, it is becoming clear that one of the big gainers is actually the tiny Qatar capable of disproportionate intervention in their affairs not hers.</blockquote><br />
[https://mobile.twitter.com/ilanzalayat/status/1428345434016256003 Aug 19, 2021]</ref><br />
<br />
====The congratulators====<br />
As in [[9/11]] atrocity,<ref>[https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/false-footaging/ Palestinians Dancing in the Street], David Mikkelson, Snopes.com, Sep 11, 2020.<br />
''Did CNN fake footage of 'Palestinians dancing in the street' after the terrorist attack on the USA?''<br />
Status: false''<br />
<blockquote><br />
CNN did not air decade-old footage of Palestinians dancing in the streets. Eason Jordan, CNN’s Chief News Executive, confirmed that the video used on CNN was in fact shot on Tuesday, 11 September 2001, in East Jerusalem by a Reuters TV crew, not during the Persian Gulf conflict of 1990-91 — a fact proved by its inclusion of comments from a Palestinian praising Osama Bin Laden...</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/02/06/yes-palestinians-did-celebrate-after-9-11/ Yes — Palestinians Did Celebrate After 9/11], Algemeiner, Feb 6, 2020</ref> it was Arab-Islamic [[Palestinian]]s who cheered on. This time [[Hamas]] officials.<ref>"[https://www.jns.org/hamas-congratulates-taliban-for-victory-over-america-in-afghanistan/ Hamas congratulates Taliban for ‘victory’ over America in Afghanistan]." JNS, Aug 16, 2021.<br />
<br />
Officials of the terror group in Gaza said it proves that “the resistance of the peoples—foremost of which is our struggling Palestinian people—is destined for victory.</ref><ref>[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byqtdivet What does Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban mean for the Middle East?'] Ynet, Aug 16, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>Hamas already congratulated the Taliban on its victory. In recent days, members of the Hamas Politburo have met with those of the Taliban in Qatar. The Taliban congratulated Hamas on its “achievements” during the 11-days of fighting with Israel in May.</blockquote></ref><ref>[http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/272709 Paliban Paleban], DP, Aug 17, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
1. '''Mutually congratulatory''':<br />
<br><br><br />
'What does Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban mean for the Middle East?' Ynet, Aug 16, 2021. [https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byqtdivet]<br />
''Hamas already congratulated the Taliban on its victory. In recent days, members of the Hamas Politburo have met with those of the Taliban in Qatar. The Taliban congratulated Hamas on its “achievements” during the 11-days of fighting with Israel in May.''<br />
<br><br><br />
2. '''Both wrap their jihadi bigoted butchery in "anti occupation" cloth''':<br />
<br><br><br />
'Hamas says Taliban takeover proves Palestinians 'will achieve victory,'' i24NEWS, August 16, 2021. [https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/1629119521-hamas-says-taliban-takeover-proves-palestinians-will-achieve-victory]<br />
'' "We congratulate the Muslim Afghan people for the defeat of the American occupation on all Afghan lands" ''<br />
<br><br><br />
''Hamas on Monday congratulated the Taliban on the Islamist movement's takeover of Afghanistan, saying in a statement that "the demise of the American occupation and its allies proves that the resistance of the peoples, foremost of which is our struggling Palestinian people, will achieve victory."''<br />
<br><br><br />
<br />
3. '''Both love using human shields'''.<br />
<br><br><br />
Orde Kittrie: "Help NATO by Holding Hamas Accountable for Terrorist War Crimes." May 19, 2021. [https://nationalinterest.org/feature/help-nato-holding-hamas-accountable-terrorist-war-crimes-185581]<br />
<br><br><br />
'Taliban using human shields, says Afghan army general.' The Guardian, Feb 17, 2010.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/17/taliban-human-shields]<br />
<br><br><br />
'Civilians say Taliban use of human shields shows weakness, cruelty.' Dec. 12, 2018. [https://afghanistan.asia-news.com/en_GB/articles/cnmi_st/features/2018/12/12/feature-02]</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
[[Pakistan]]i Prime Minister Imran Khan praised the Taliban saying they "broke the chains of slavery in the country".<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYoH378Ju_Y</ref><br />
<br />
Just a few days later, the Pakistani Army held a meet and greet with the Taliban at the Torkham border crossing where they took selfies with each other.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/pakistan-army-and-taliban-show-true-colours-hold-meet-and-greet-and-selfie-session-at-border.html</ref><br />
<br />
[[Qatar]]'s Al-Jazzera also celebrated Taliban rise as a win for Islamic "nation."<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/al-jazeera-reporters-celebrate-taliban-victory-us-defeat-historic-triumph-islamic-ummah Al-Jazeera Reporters Celebrate 'Taliban Victory', 'U.S. Defeat' As Historic Triumph For Islamic Ummah], Memri, August 18, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Qatar | Special Dispatch No. 9503.<br />
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's takeover of the country sparked many reactions worldwide, including in the Arab world. Conspicuous among these reactions were expressions of joy by Islamist organizations such as Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the International Union of Muslim Scholars and various elements identified with the Muslim Brotherhood.</blockquote><br />
</ref><br />
<br />
====Fall of Kabul 2021====<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris foreign policy|Rape jihad}}<br />
[[File:Kabul 2021.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Biden/Harris withdrawal during the [[Rape of Afghanistan]].]]<br />
On July 8, 2021, [[Joe Biden]] said from the White House, "I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war."<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/bidens-afghanistan-predictions-were-all-wrong/</ref> The same month the [[U.S. Defense Department]] said it was providing the Afghan Air Force 35 Black Hawk helicopters and three A-29 Super Tucanos. The United States spent $83 billion equipping and training the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), including $10 billion in aircraft and vehicles.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/us-spent-83-billion-training-afghan-forces-why-did-they-collapse-so-quickly/184529/</ref> Less than a month after Biden's statement, several Black Hawks helicopters and other aircraft were seized by the Taliban. Many of the aircraft and helicopters are armed. These A-29 Super Tucanos can fire [[laser]]-guided and other types of bombs. The Afghan government also had 50 American-made MD-530 attack helicopters, which are armed with machine guns and rockets. The Afghan Air Force had UH-60 Black Hawks and Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, as well as C-130 and Cessna transports, and a small fleet of armed Cessnas.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/taliban-captured-helicopters-can-they-capture-air-force/184525/</ref><br />
<br />
As Biden withdrew American troops, the [[Peoples Republic of China]] began expanding their [[Belt and Road Initiative]] with a $62 billion aid package to Afghanistan to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9755531/China-prepares-Afghanistan-following-Americas-departure-Belt-Road-program.html</ref><br />
<br />
As the impending crisis escalated, White House chief propagandists [[Jen Psaki]] said "The [[Taliban]] has to make an assessment about what they want their role to be in the international community." Her comments came as reports flowed in of Taliban fighters going door-to-door and forcibly selecting girls as young as 12 to reward as brides for the victorious jihadis.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghans-tell-of-executions-forced-marriages-in-taliban-held-areas-11628780820</ref> <br />
<br />
Bodies lay strewn on the streets of Kandahar.<ref>https://rumble.com/vl8ixd-stunning-video-people-dead-on-kandahar-streets-after-violent-taliban-takeov.html</ref> It was a repetition of what the Taliban had done in all the other provinces to the elite counter-terrorism forces <br />
that fought alongside Americans.<br />
Panic ensued as the Kabul airport was flooded with people fleeing the Taliban terror. Some people were stampeded to death.<ref>https://www.the-sun.com/news/3479109/taliban-jalalabad-afghanistan-kabul-uk-troops-2-2/</ref> Three young men clung to the tires of an airplane, only to fall on top of people's houses once the plane was airborne.<ref>https://twitter.com/AsvakaNews/status/1427172720446373892</ref><br />
<br />
Once inside the city, the Taliban had all the records with names of everyone who served in the Ktah Khas (KKA) or Afghan Special Forces, and began a house-to-house search for them.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/sheer-terror-in-kabul-taliban-now-going-door-to-door-looking-for-afghans-who-fought-alongside-us-military/</ref> The KKA counter-terrorism experts who were trained by and fought alongside Americans suffered the same fate others did in the provinces, and were summarily executed.<ref>https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/graphic-video-shows-taliban-reportedly-executed-surrendering-afghan-special-forces-troops/</ref><br />
<br />
While the Biden regime did not inform the U.S. Afghan allies it was abandoning Bagram Airbase,<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9758175/US-left-Afghan-airfield-night-didnt-tell-new-commander.html</ref> Army Gen. Chris Donohue, commander of the 82nd Airborne, did inform the Taliban commander whom he had been coordinating with on August 30, 2021, that the Biden regime was abandoning the Kabul airport, according to CENTCOM commander Gen. Frank McKenzie.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/inside-final-hours-kabul-airport/184975/</ref> Donohue had refused entry to the airport of American citizens with passports to leave Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/services/files/84E1CBFE-B7F5-4E89-87E4-0823EDEA28E4</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/newsmax/status/1431018570822062081</ref><ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/retired-marine-says-hundreds-of-their-rescued-orphans-christians-turned-away-by-u-s-military-ended-up-in-hands-of-the-taliban</ref><ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/08/30/ron-johnson-american-citizens-blocked-kabul-airport-state-department/</ref> This was done with the full knowledge of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. [[Mark Milley]].<ref>https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2021-08/YonEmailToMajorRedacted.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
An Aug 17, 2021 Report: Hamas leader meets with Taliban, lauds radicals for seizing Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/08/17/report-hamas-leader-meets-with-taliban-lauds-radicals-for-seizing-afghanistan/ Report: Hamas leader meets with Taliban, lauds radicals for seizing Afghanistan] Daniel Siryoti and Shahar Klaiman, Israelhayom, Aug 17, 2021.<i><br />
Taliban reportedly praises the terror group "for their steadfast opposition to the Zionist enemy." Hamas threatens to resume border protests unless Israel allows Qatari cash to be transferred to the Gaza Strip.</i></ref><br />
<br />
On Aug 19, 2021, The Taliban declared the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.' It's the same name it used when it brutally ruled the country in the 1990s.<ref>"[https://www.businessinsider.com/taliban-declares-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan-2021-8 The Taliban have declared the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,' the same name it used when it brutally ruled the country in the 1990s] " Sinéad Baker, Business Insider, Aug 19, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
The Taliban has been ccused of killing children in reign of terror.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/25/ex-afghan-minister-says-taliban-killing-children-elderly/amp/ Former Afghan minister claims Taliban killing children in reign of terror] Yaron Steinbach, NYPost, Aug 25, 2021 — ''Former Afghan Interior Minister Massoud Andarabi says that the Taliban are killing civilians as they tighten their hold on Afghanistan''.</ref><br />
<br />
Since Taliban take over, a long list of atrocities have been documented within weeks.<ref>[Atrocities Committed By The Afghan Taliban Since The Fall Of Kabul] Memri, September 2, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
Protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Baradar 'the Butcher' was reportedly to lead new Afghan government. He started the Taliban in 1994 with late leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. He then became known for some of the Islamic militants’ most deadly tactics, including planting improvised explosive devices along streets their enemies would be on, calling the IEDs “flowers.”<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/09/03/taliban-co-founder-baradar-to-reportedly-lead-new-afghan-government/ Taliban co-founder ‘Baradar the Butcher’ to reportedly lead new Afghan government] Emily Crane, NYPost, September 3, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
Feared Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar — who was once nicknamed “Baradar the Butcher” — will lead the new Afghan government, sources within the militant group told Reuters...<br />
Baradar, whose brutal history attracted the moniker “Baradar the Butcher”, arrived in Kabul two weeks ago to start talks about the new government.<br />
<br />
Baradar started the Taliban in 1994 with late leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.<br />
<br />
He then became known for some of the Islamic militants’ most deadly tactics, including planting improvised explosive devices along streets their enemies would be on, calling the IEDs “flowers,” according to a 2010 profile in the Times of London.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Experts warned, that terrorism will increase under Afghanistan's newly appointed Taliban government.<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/08/terrorism-to-increase-under-afghanistans-new-taliban-government.html Terrorism will increase under Afghanistan's newly appointed Taliban government, experts warn] Natasha Turak, CNBC, Sep 8 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Despite clear contradiction between Biden's statements in August/2021 and the military in September/2021, his spokesperson still tried to spin.<ref>Brooke Singman, "[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/psaki-claims-military-advisers-split-troops-in-afghanistan-milley-testimony Psaki claims military advisers were 'split' on troops in Afghanistan, despite Milley testimony]", Fox News, Sep 28, 2021.<br><i><br />
White House press secretary adds that the commander in chief 'makes those decisions'<br />
</i></ref><br />
<br />
======Fall out as a result of Biden's conduct======<br />
<br />
As a result, the liberal, Biden-election helper ''Washington Post'' sounded the alarm: ''The storms of August: Biden's devastating month stokes midterm fears among Democrats.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-august-democrats-midterms/2021/08/28/2783e326-0797-11ec-a654-900a78538242_story.html The storms of August: Biden’s devastating month stokes midterm fears among Democrats], <br />
Sean Sullivan, Tyler Pager and Annie Linskey, Washington Post, Aug 28, 202</ref><br />
<br />
Simply put "The Afghanistan mess is truly Biden’s disaster."<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/29/afghanistan-mess-is-bidens-disaster-and-other-commentary/ The Afghanistan mess is truly Biden’s disaster and other commentary] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, August 29, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
White House watch: It’s Biden’s Disaster.<br />
<br />
“The American people broadly agreed with” President Biden’s “decision to end the war in Afghanistan,” and it was his predecessor “who did the deal with the Taliban for a full American withdrawal,” but “none of that absolves Biden of responsibility for a pullout that has been, by any reasonable measure, a debacle,” The Hill’s Niall Stanage explains. Any “idea that the final US operations were going to be seen as some kind of against-the-odds moral victory . . . vanished in the dust of” Thursday’s attacks. The prez might recover politically, but “the chaos of Kabul has left a taint of weakness and incompetence on the Biden White House that will not be erased soon, if at all.”<br />
....<br />
By “allowing Iranian-sponsored Taliban groups not only to become a part of the new government of Afghanistan but help Tehran solve the problem that threatens it the most, the US has made Iran an immediate winner of the Taliban takeover,” fumes David Patrikarakos at Spectator World. Despite tension with the Taliban, Iran has “long sponsored various Taliban groups, particularly in the country’s southwest,” where the Helmand River supplies water to both nations. Experts think “it’s no coincidence that Zurang fell first during the Taliban advance,” with one saying, “Iran-sponsored Talibs took the city to take control of the water for Tehran.” Iran’s “chronic water problems” now “threaten the stability of the state. Years of water mismanagement” have caused shortages that provoked riots — and “scared” the regime. “You can terrorize people demanding civil rights off the streets, but if they are dying of thirst then a bullet won’t hold much fear.”</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
From Biden's mistakes: ''U.S. strategy put Defense and State departments on divergent paths: The troops pulled out but the diplomats stayed—and were left exposed when the Taliban took over.''<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/inside-the-biden-administrations-push-to-exit-afghanistan-11630855499 The Mistakes Behind the Biden Administration’s Afghanistan Withdrawal] Miichael R. Gordon, Gordon Lubold, Vivian Salama and Nessica Donati, WSJ, <br />
Sept. 5, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
U.S. strategy put Defense and State departments on divergent paths: The troops pulled out but the diplomats stayed—and were left exposed when the Taliban took over.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Even at the [[White House]], an official was 'appalled and literally horrified' that Biden stranded Americans in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-official-horrified-biden-abandoning-americans White House official 'appalled and literally horrified' that Biden stranded Americans in Afghanistan: report] Houston Keene, Fox News, Sep 1, 2021.<br />
''Biden vigorously defended his handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, despite leaving Americans behind''.</ref><br />
<br />
As if Biden's troubles weren't enough, Vice President Kamala Harris is just too prone to verbal fumbles that pour more fuel on the Biden administration's fires.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/28/kamala-harris-cackling-is-joe-bidens-job-security/ Kamala Harris’ cackling is Joe Biden’s job security] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, August 28, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Vice President Kamala Harris’s team canceled press access to her remarks to US troops at Pearl Harbor on Thursday — surely because it feared yet another disaster for the veep at the site of a terrible attack on America, the same day as the horrors in Kabul.<br />
<br />
Harris is just too prone to verbal fumbles that pour more fuel on the Biden administration’s fires.<br />
<br />
Just the week before, Harris broke into a bizarre cackle when reporters asked about the early stages of the Afghan crisis. And that's hardly her only nails-on-chalkboard moment.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
A bombshell leaked transcript showed that on July 23, 2021, Biden pressured Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to create the “perception” that the Taliban weren't winning, “whether it’s true or not,” in a phone call just three weeks before the insurgents seized control of the country.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/09/01/biden-pressured-ghani-to-create-perception-taliban-wasnt-winning/ Biden pressured Ghani to create ‘perception’ Taliban weren’t winning] Emily Crane, NYPost, September 1, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
President Biden pressured Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to create the “perception” that the Taliban weren’t winning, “whether it’s true or not,” in a phone call just three weeks before the insurgents seized control of the country, a bombshell leaked transcript shows.<br />
<br />
Biden and Ghani spoke for roughly 14 minutes on July 23 in what would be their final call before the Taliban overran the government and Afghanistan descended into bloody chaos amid the botched US withdrawal, according to a transcript and audio obtained by Reuters.<br />
<br />
Much of the call was focused on what Biden referred to as the Afghan government’s “perception” issue.<br />
<br />
“I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban,” Biden said.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/01/biden-pushed-afghanistan-president-project-different-picture/5679373001/ Biden pushed Afghanistan president to 'project a different picture' weeks before Taliban takeover] Joey Garrison, AP, USA Today, Sep 1, 2021.<br />
''Less than four weeks before the fall of Afghanistan, President Joe Biden urged Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani to demonstrate a more capable military defense to change the "perception" as the Taliban made significant gains.''</ref><br />
<br />
Biden was called 'Feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap' by mom of slain Marine.<ref>[https://breaking911.com/president-biden-called-feckless-dementia-ridden-piece-of-crap-by-mom-of-slain-marine/ President Biden Called ‘Feckless, Dementia-Ridden Piece Of Crap’ By Mom Of Slain Marine] B911, August 29, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
United States Marine Rylee McCollum, 20, was killed in Thursday’s terror attack at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport. The fallen Marine’s mother, Kathy, said on a radio show that Americans who voted for Joe Biden “just killed my son.”<br />
<br />
“That feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap just sent my son to die,” the distraught mother said. “I woke up at four o’clock this morning, two Marines at my door telling me my son was dead. So, to… right before me and listen to that piece of crap talk about diplomatic crap with frickin Taliban terrorists who just freakin blew up my son and no, nothing, to not say anything about oh my god, I’m so sorry for families. So, my son is gone.”<br />
<br />
“I never thought in a million years [my son] would die for nothing, for nothing, because that feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap who decided he wanted a photo-op on September 11,” she said. “That’s what kills me. I wanted my son to represent our country, to fight for my country. But I never thought that a feckless piece of crap would send him to his death and smirk on television while he’s talking about people dying with his nasty smirk. The dementia-ridden piece of crap needs to be removed from office. It never would have happened under Trump.”<br />
<br />
“You just killed my son with a dementia-ridden piece of crap who doesn’t even know he’s in the White House. He still thinks he’s a senator.”</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
During ceremony for dead marines, Biden appeared to look at his watch.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-slammed-for-appearing-to-look-at-his-watch-during-memorial-service-for-dead-marines Biden slammed for appearing to look at his watch during ceremony for dead Marines] Tyler O'Neil, Fox News, Aug 29, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Rep. Michael Waltz said that Joe Biden gave all of US bases away in Afghanistan.<br />
<ref>Rep. Michael Waltz: Joe Biden Gave All Of Our Bases Away In Afghanistan<br />
Aug 28, 2021.<br />
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X81LPw2H2E4.<br />
https://www.divisionet.com/2021/08/29/michael-waltz-warns-of-consequences-after-biden-gave-all-of-our-bases-away-in-afghanistan-newsweek/</ref><br />
<br />
The Taliban offered Kabul to U.S., but Americans said no. A report in the ''Washington Post'' describes a secret meeting between U.S. military leaders and the Taliban.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/taliban-offered-kabul-to-u-s-but-americans-said-no-report Taliban offered Kabul to U.S., but Americans said no: report] Ronn Blitzer, Fox News, Aug 30, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
A Washington Post report describes a secret meeting between U.S. military leaders and the Taliban.<br />
<br />
House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Michael Waltz argues every time the Taliban doesn't get access to billions in foreign reserves, economic assistance or international recognition, 'these thugs' can walk down the street and 'take another hostage.'<br />
<br />
Taliban fighters took the Afghan capital city of Kabul faster than anyone anticipated earlier this month – including the Taliban – but according to a Washington Post report, the U.S. had an opportunity to hold the city only to willingly turn it over.<br />
<br />
When Afghanistan's president Ashraf Ghani fled the country, the city began to collapse as gangs were reported to be taking over. This led to U.S. military leaders meeting and reaching an agreement with the Taliban, a U.S. official told the Post.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
====Haqqani network====<br />
On August 18, 2021 [[NBC News]] reported that the U.S. was working with the Taliban to evacuate Americans and allies out of Afghanistan. Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Gen. [[Mark Milley]] stated, "Through the State Department, the Taliban are facilitating safe passage to the airport for American citizens, that is, U.S. passport holders." An exchange with a reporter and defense minister [[Lloyd Austin]] went like this:<br />
[[File:Kabul airport suicide bombing August 26 20221.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Kabul airport suicide bombing, August 26, 2021. 170 dead.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9934115/STUART-RAMSAY-sends-vivid-angry-dispatch-Afghanistan.html</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|'''Q:''' It seems to me like barring a lobotomy by the Taliban; you have three pathways ahead of you. One, you can expand the perimeter and establish a corridor into Kabul to get our Afghan allies out. Two, you could extend the August 31 deadline of withdrawing. Or three, you can just leave the tens of thousands of Afghans who've helped us over the past 20 years behind. Which one is it going to be?<br />
<br />
'''SEC. AUSTIN:''' First of all, as I said, we're going to evacuate everybody that we can physically possibly evacuate. And we'll -- we'll conduct these -- this process for as long as we possibly can. We will continue to deconflict issues with -- with the Taliban. And we will stay focused on securing the -- the airfield. We cannot afford to either not defend that airfield or -- or -- or not have an airfield that secures where we have hundreds or thousands of civilians that can access the airfield at will and put our forces at risk.<br />
<br />
'''Q:''' But that doesn't answer the question. I mean, you're still saying you're focused on the airfield. These -- these people can't get into the airfield.<br />
<br />
'''SEC. AUSTIN:''' Well we're going to do everything we can to continue to try to deconflict and create passageways for them to get to the airfield. I don't have the capability to go out and extend operations currently into Kabul. And where do you take that? I mean, how far can you extend into Kabul, you know, and how long does it take to flow those forces in to be able to do that?<br />
<br />
'''Q:''' So it sounds like you're saying this depends on diplomacy with the Taliban, that's it. That's our only option is getting them to agree to do this.<ref>https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2738086/secretary-of-defense-austin-and-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-mille/</ref>}}<br />
Biden told [[George Stephanopoulos]] the same morning that "one of the things we didn't know is what the Taliban would do in terms of trying to keep people from getting out, what they would do. What are they doing now? They're cooperating, letting American citizens get out, American personnel get out, embassies get out, et cetera.<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/full-transcript-abc-news-george-stephanopoulos-interview-president/story?id=79535643</ref><br />
<br />
On August 19, 2921 [[VOA]] announced Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani had been placed in charge of security around the Kabul airport.<ref>https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/hardline-haqqani-network-put-charge-kabul-security</ref> On August 22, 2021, Haqqani told ''Al Jazeera'', “all Afghans” should feel safe under their Islamic Emirate, and that a “general amnesty” has been granted across the nation's 34 provinces. "If we can defeat superpowers, surely we can provide safety to the Afghan people," said Haqqani, "All of those people who left this country, we will assure them of their safety," Haqqani went on. "You’re all welcome back in Afghanistan."<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/22/all-afghans-should-feel-safe-under-taliban-says-security-chief</ref> The [[Haqqani network]] was already executing civilians and former members of the Afghan National Army, according to the [[United Nations]].<ref>https://www.euronews.com/2021/08/24/un-has-credible-reports-of-summary-executions-of-civilians-by-taliban</ref><br />
<br />
On August 26, 2021, after days of heightened alert from intelligence,<ref>[https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/afghanistan-again-becomes-a-cradle-for-jihadism-and-al-qaeda Afghanistan, Again, Becomes a Cradle for Jihadism—and Al Qaeda], Robin Wright, New Yorker, Aug 23, 2021.<br />
''The terrorist group has outlasted the trillion-dollar U.S. investment in Afghanistan since 9/11.''<br />
<blockquote><br />
The Taliban takeover is the biggest boost to Al Qaeda since September 11th and a global game changer for jihadism, one analyst said...<br />
In April, a U.S. intelligence assessment warned Congress that Al Qaeda’s senior leadership “will continue to plot attacks and seek to exploit conflicts in different regions.” The jihadist group, which carried out the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, was active in fifteen of Afghanistan’s thirty-four provinces, primarily in the eastern and southern regions, the United Nations reported in June. The Taliban and Al Qaeda remained “closely aligned and show no indication of breaking ties,” it noted, as like-minded militants celebrated developments in Afghanistan as a victory for “global radicalism.” In a haunting final report on the lessons learned from America’s longest war, John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, warned that the U.S. decision to pull out the last U.S. troops “left uncertain whether even the modest gains of the last two decades will prove sustainable.” The decision to pull out was made by President Trump in February last year, with the timetable decided by President Biden in April this year.<br />
<br />
With the Taliban takeover, the trillion-dollar investment in a campaign to contain Al Qaeda may have changed little since 9/11. Bruce Hoffman, a senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of “Inside Terrorism,” was blunter. “The situation is more dangerous in 2021 than it was in 1999 and 2000,” he told me. “We’re in a much weakened position now. We’ve learned so little.” The Taliban takeover is the biggest boost to Al Qaeda since 9/11 and a global game changer for jihadism generally, Rita Katz, the executive director of the Site Intelligence Group, a leading tracker of extremist activity worldwide, told me. There is a “universal recognition” that Al Qaeda can now “reinvest” in Afghanistan as a safe haven, Katz said. Jihadism effectively has a new homeland, the first since the collapse of the isis caliphate in March, 2019. “It foreshadows a new future that sadly couldn’t have been further from what we would hope for after twenty years of war,” she said. It’s a boon for Al Qaeda and its franchises, which now stretch from Burkina Faso in West Africa to Bangladesh in South Asia. “Militants from across the world—whether they be regionally focussed Islamists or globally focussed jihadists—will surely seek to enter Afghanistan’s porous borders,” ...Since the Taliban takeover, Al Qaeda has bragged that its calculus worked, unlike isis’s, according to Soufan and the Site Intelligence Group. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, based largely in Yemen, heralded the “beginning of a pivotal transformation” worldwide. In North Africa, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb celebrated the rapid sweep of Taliban military victories as proof that violent jihadist struggle is “the only way to restore the Ummah’s glory.” (“Ummah” is the Arabic term for the global Muslim community.) The Taliban victory has also breathed new life into groups far afield, including some of Al Qaeda’s rivals. “The Taliban’s victory is a story that can be bent to energize and justify any jihad or Islamist uprising, no matter how many years of bloodshed it may bring,”...Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, based in Gaza, gloated that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan proved that Palestinians, too, will ultimately achieve their return to former Palestinian lands in Israel—“by the permission of Allah.” The common thread among the congratulatory messages is that God’s guidance—rather than American fatigue with a costly war or the crumbling of the Afghan government and military—was responsible...</blockquote></ref><ref name=economist-bombing>[https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/08/26/suicide-bombings-hit-kabul-as-america-scrambles-to-leave Slaughter in Kabul Suicide bombings hit Kabul as America scrambles to leave], Economist, Aug 26, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Islamic State has inflicted the worst loss on American forces in a decade.<br />
<br />
AS THE AUGUST 31st deadline to conclude the evacuation of Afghanistan loomed, the drumbeat of warnings grew louder. On August 24th President Joe Biden warned of an “acute and growing risk” of a terrorist attack, by the local branch of Islamic State (IS), against Kabul’s airport, thronged by thousands of Afghans desperate to escape the Taliban’s rule. On August 25th several governments told their nationals to keep away from the airport. On August 26th a British minister warned that intelligence pointed to “a very imminent, highly lethal attack”. Alas, it came later that afternoon.</blockquote></ref> a rival<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58333533 Afghanistan crisis: Who are Isis-K?], Frank Gardner, BBC, Aug 26, 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/who-isisk-is-and-why-they-dont-fight-with-the-taliban/news-story/69106828fa3b7e81f9afd5cad6bd0ea8 Who ISIS-K is and why they don't fight with the Taliban], Charles Miranda, Herald Sun, Aug 27, 2021.<br />
''ISIS-K, a splinter group of ISIS from Syria, was created in 2015 from disgruntled Afghan Taliban fighters and militants from Pakistan.''</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/isisk-afghanistan-bombing/2021/08/26/436a65fc-06a6-11ec-ba15-9c4f59a60478_story.html ISIS-K, the group behind the Kabul airport attack, sees both Taliban and the U.S. as enemies], Hannah Allam and Souad Mekhennet, Washington Post, Aug 27, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
The group’s rivalry with the Taliban is a microcosm of the competition between al-Qaeda and its more radical spinoff, the Islamic State, analysts say. There are generational and doctrinal splits between the groups, with the Islamic State brand more popular with militants in recent years because it managed to capture territory and create a short-lived extremist fiefdom that spanned Iraq and Syria.</i></ref>—to Taliban—jihadi Islamofascistic<ref>[https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/eurasia-will-pay-afghanistan%E2%80%99s-descent-islamofascism-192346 Eurasia Will Pay for Afghanistan’s Descent into Islamofascism], Angel Jaramillo Torres, National Interest, August 23, 2021. <br />
</ref> group, known as ISIS k attacked<ref name=economist-bombing/><ref name=cnn-bombing/> Kabul airport, murdering at least 12, including at least 13 US serviceman and injuring dozens.<ref name=cnn-bombing>[https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/afghanistan-news-taliban-refugees-08-26-21-intl/index.html At least 13 US service members killed in Kabul airport attack], Rob Picheta, Meg Wagner, Melissa Mahtani, Melissa Macaya, Veronica Rocha and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN, August 26, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
The masacre increased the fears of intensified jihadism.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-19/why-taliban-triumph-revives-fear-of-al-qaeda-revival-quicktake How Bombing in Kabul Stokes Fear of Jihadi Revival] Lisa Beyer and Sylvia Westall, Bloomberg, Aug 26, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
The explosions outside Kabul’s international airport underscored a familiar worry in Afghanistan: the country remains home to thousands of fighters dedicated to jihad, or Muslim holy war. The South Asian country’s rugged landscape and its 2,600-kilometer (1,600-mile) border with Pakistan makes it an ideal hiding place for militants from al-Qaeda, Islamic State and other groups. The fear is that the victory of the Taliban has only increased the dangers. Islamic State was the prime suspect in two blasts that killed 12 U.S. service members and at least 60 Afghans as the U.S. directed a military-led evacuation.<br />
[...]<br />
According to the UN report, there are approximately 8,000 to 10,000 foreign jihadists in Afghanistan. The majority are affiliated with the Taliban, many are allied with al-Qaeda or Islamic State, and the rest support insurgencies in their homelands in Central Asia, the north Caucasus region of the Russian Federation, Pakistan and the Xinjiang region of China.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
== Government and Political Conditions ==<br />
[[File:UN Sustainable Development.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Taliban fighter holding a group of women and children against a wall with a UN Sustainable Development poster, August 17, 2021.<ref>https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1427625314935615502</ref>]]<br />
In early September 2021 during talks in the Presidential Palace over forming a new cabinet, Abdul Ghani Baradar was physically attacked by Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani, a leader of the US terrorist-designated Haqqani Network. Baradar pushed for an “inclusive” cabinet that included non-Taliban leaders and ethnic minorities, which would be more acceptable to the rest of the world, the people said. Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani rose from his chair and began punching Baradar. Their bodyguards entered the opened fire on each other, killing and wounding a number of them. While Baradar was not injured and left Kabul for Kandahar to speak with Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, effectively the Taliban's spiritual head.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/taliban-shootout-in-palace-sidelines-abdul-ghani-baradar-7517401/</ref><br />
<br />
=== Principal Government Officials ===<br />
*Emir - Mullah Baradar<br />
*Acting governor of the Afghan Central Bank - Mohammad Idris<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/23/taliban-appoints-central-bank-chief-as-prices-rise-cash-runs-out</ref><br />
*Minister of the Interior - Sirajuddin Haqqani<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/09/09/peter-doocy-challenges-psaki-wh-calls-taliban-businesslike-professional/</ref><br />
*Al Qaeda chief - [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]]<br />
<br />
=== Foreign Relations ===<br />
<br />
Before the Soviet invasion, Afghanistan pursued a policy of neutrality and [[Cold War]] nonalignment in its foreign relations. After the December 1979 invasion, Afghanistan's foreign policy mirrored that of the Soviet Union. Most Western countries, including the United States, maintained small diplomatic missions in Kabul during the Soviet occupation. Repeated Taliban efforts to occupy Afghanistan's seat at the UN and Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) were unsuccessful. <br />
<br />
The fall of the Taliban in October 2001 opened a new chapter in Afghanistan's foreign relations. Afghanistan is now an active member of the international community, and has diplomatic relations with countries from around the world. In December 2002, the six nations that border Afghanistan signed a ‘Good Neighbor' Declaration, in which they pledged to respect Afghanistan's independence and territorial integrity. In 2005 Afghanistan and its South Asia neighbors held the first annual Regional Economic Cooperation Conference (RECC) promoting intra-regional relations and economic cooperation.<br />
<br />
==== Pakistan ====<br />
The 1978 Marxist coup strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan took the lead diplomatically in the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference in opposing the Soviet occupation. During the war against the Soviet occupation, Pakistan served as the primary logistical conduit for the Afghan resistance. Pakistan initially developed close ties to the Taliban regime, and extended recognition in 1997. Pakistan dramatically altered its policy after September 11, 2001, by closing its border and downgrading its ties. Afghanistan and Pakistan are engaged in dialogue to resolve these bilateral issues. <br />
<br />
====Iran====<br />
Afghanistan's relations with Iran have fluctuated over the years, with periodic disputes over the water rights of the Helmand River as the main issue of contention. Following the Soviet invasion, which Iran opposed, relations deteriorated. Iran supported the cause of the Afghan resistance and provided financial and military assistance to rebel leaders who pledged loyalty to the Iranian vision of Islamic revolution. Iran still provides refuge to Afghan ex-patriots. Following the emergence of the Taliban and their harsh treatment of Afghanistan's Shi'a minority, Iran stepped up assistance to the Northern Alliance. Relations with the Taliban deteriorated further in 1998 after Taliban forces seized the Iranian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif and executed Iranian diplomats. Since the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan's relations with Iran have improved. Iran has been active in Afghan reconstruction efforts, particularly in the western portion of the country. <br />
<br />
====Russia====<br />
During the reign of the Taliban, Russia became increasingly disenchanted over Taliban support for Chechen rebels and for providing a sanctuary for terrorist groups active in Central Asia and in Russia itself, and therefore provided military assistance to the Northern Alliance. Since the fall of the Taliban, the Karzai government has improved relations with Russia, but Afghanistan's outstanding foreign debt to Russia still continues to be a source of contention. <br />
<br />
====Tajikistan====<br />
Afghanistan's relations with Tajikistan have been complicated by political upheaval and civil war in Tajikistan, which spurred some 100,000 Tajiks to seek refuge in Afghanistan in late 1992 and early 1993. Also disenchanted by the Taliban's harsh treatment of Afghanistan's Tajik minority, Tajikistan facilitated assistance to the Northern Alliance. The Karzai government has sought to establish closer ties with its northern neighbor in order to capitalize on the potential economic benefits of increased trade. <br />
<br />
====China====<br />
<br />
The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a militant organization that seeks to fight against CCP excesses and abuse of human rights in [[Xinjiang]]. The ETIM comprises [[Uyghur]] fighters with one goal to liberate [[East Turkestan]] or Xinjiang from the clutches of the [[CCP]]. Over one million Uyghur Muslims are in internment camps. With the growth of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the growth of ETIM followed a similar trajectory. The Taliban was going to help the ETIM in its cause of liberating Xinjiang. Instead, the Taliban turned to the CCP. [[Beijing]] bought the Taliban and the CCP controls a puppet regime in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Intelligence reports from Afghanistan and Turkey indicate that the ETIM is negotiating an alliance with the Islamic State of the Harassan province. There are at least 500 ETIM fighters in Afghanistan and its borders, with most of them concentrated in Badakhshan province in northern Afghanistan, linking with Xinjiang in china via the Wakhan corridor. The ETIM fears that the Taliban will act against them and hand them over to the MSS, the Chinese Ministry of State Security. <br />
<br />
The ETIM has been estimated by the U.N. Security Council to have up to 3 500 fighters. However, the RTIM's goal to liberate Xinjiang and carve out a separate East Turkestan is not what entirely worries the CCP. The more<br />
concerning factor is the impact that a strong ETIM can have on China's [[Belt and Road]] projects, not just within China, but all across the region. Four of China's six 'Silk Road Networks', including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor emanate from or pass through Xinjiang. These roads aim to connect China with Russia, central, southern, and western Asia, reaching the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<br />
<br />
A United Nations Security Council report confirmed that ETIM, apart from basing itself out of Afghanistan, is also pursuing a transnational agenda.<br />
<br />
The Taliban has pledged to actively support the CCP's [[Belt and Road Initiative]]. In 2008, a Chinese corporation won a $3-billion tender to develop the Mes Aynak copper mine in Afghanistan, one of the world's largest. In 2011, a Chinese company won the right to develop an oil field in Amu Darya. Afghanistan is also home to some of the world's largest rare earth deposits.<br />
<br />
====UN Efforts====<br />
The United Nations was instrumental in obtaining a negotiated Soviet withdrawal under the terms of the 1988 Geneva Accords. In the aftermath of the Accords, the United Nations assisted in the repatriation of refugees and provided humanitarian aid such as food, health care, educational programs, and support for mine-clearing operations. From 1990 to 2001, the UN worked to promote a peaceful settlement between the Afghan factions as well as provide humanitarian aid. Since October 2001, the UN has played a key role in Afghanistan through the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA), including spearheading efforts to organize the Afghan presidential elections held in October 2004 and National Assembly elections held in 2005.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:U.S. Embassy Kabul.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Former U.S. Embassy in Kabul, painted over with the [[Shahada]] after Joe Biden's botched Afghan exit.]]<br />
The first extensive American contact with Afghanistan was made by Josiah Harlan, an adventurer from Pennsylvania who was an adviser in Afghan politics in the 1830s and reputedly inspired Rudyard Kipling's story "The Man Who Would be King." After the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1934, the U.S. policy of helping developing nations raise their standard of living was an important factor in maintaining and improving U.S.-Afghan ties. From 1950 to 1979, U.S. foreign assistance provided Afghanistan with more than $500 million in loans, grants, and surplus agricultural commodities to develop transportation facilities, increase agricultural production, expand the educational system, stimulate industry, and improve government administration. <br />
<br />
In the 1950s, the U.S. declined Afghanistan's request for defense cooperation but extended an economic assistance program focused on the development of Afghanistan's physical infrastructure—roads, dams, and power plants. Later, U.S. aid shifted from infrastructure projects to technical assistance programs to help develop the skills needed to build a modern economy. The Peace Corps was active in Afghanistan between 1962 and 1979. <br />
<br />
After the April 1978 coup, relations deteriorated. In February 1979, U.S. Ambassador Adolph "Spike" Dubs was murdered in Kabul after Afghan security forces burst in on his kidnappers. The U.S. then reduced bilateral assistance and terminated a small military training program. All remaining assistance agreements were ended after the December 1979 Soviet invasion. <br />
<br />
Following the Soviet invasion, the United States supported diplomatic efforts to achieve a Soviet withdrawal. U.S. contributions to the refugee program in Pakistan played a major part in efforts to assist Afghans in need. This cross-border humanitarian assistance program aimed to increase Afghan self-sufficiency and help Afghans resist Soviet attempts to drive civilians out of the rebel-dominated countryside. During the period of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the U.S. provided about $3 billion in military and economic assistance to Afghans and the resistance movement. <br />
<br />
The U.S. supported the emergence of a broad-based government, representative of all Afghans and encouraged a UN role in the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan. <!--Today, the U.S. is assisting the Afghan people as they rebuild their country and establish a representative government that contributes to regional stability, is market friendly, and respects human rights. In May 2005, President Bush and President Karzai concluded a strategic partnership agreement committing both nations to a long-term relationship.--><br />
<br />
According to Trump-era [[Secretary of Defense]] Christopher Miller as reported by ''Defense One'',<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/08/trumps-pledge-exit-afghanistan-was-ruse-his-final-secdef-says/184660/</ref> [[President Trump]] never intended to fully withdraw from Afghanistan, but rather leave behind a counterterrorism force of 800–850 at Bagram Airforce base.<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We did plenty of wargames on this and we knew what the minimal force structure was,” he said this week. “The number was 800. If this all goes bad, what is the minimal force structure needed to maintain [counterterrorism] strike and reconnaissance capability? We can do it for 800, 850.” <br />
<br />
''Defense One'' was able to confirm Miller’s account of the 800-personnel study independently with another former NSC staff member. <br />
<br />
Miller said he understood Trump’s May 1 [2021] withdrawal deal to be a negotiating tactic.}}<br />
<br />
== Geography ==<br />
The country is known for its mountainous terrain. The huge Hindu Kush mountains form a barrier between the Northern provinces and the rest of the country. This mountain range has also divided Afghanistan int three very different geographic regions known as; The Central Highlands, The Northern Plains, and the Southwestern Plateau. The altitude, climate, and soil conditions in Afghanistan varies greatly on where in the country you are.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20100105194833/https://www.afghan-web.com/geography/lr.html</ref><br />
<br />
== People ==<br />
[[File:Afghan girls.jpg|right|350px|thumb]]<br />
Afghanistan's ethnically and linguistically mixed population reflects its location astride historic trade and invasion routes leading from Central Asia into South and Southwest Asia. While population data is somewhat unreliable for Afghanistan, Pashtuns make up the largest ethnic group at 38-44% of the population, followed by Tajiks (25%), Hazaras (10%), Uzbek (6-8%), Aimaq, Turkmen, Baluch, and other small groups. Dari (Afghan Farsi) and Pashto are official languages. Dari is spoken by more than one-third of the population as a first language and serves as a lingua franca for most Afghans, though Pashto is spoken throughout the Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan. Tajik and Turkic languages are spoken widely in the north. Smaller groups throughout the country also speak more than 70 other languages and numerous dialects. <br />
<br />
Afghanistan is an Islamic country. An estimated 80% of the population is Sunni, following the Hanafi school of jurisprudence; the remainder of the population—and primarily the Hazara ethnic group—predominantly Shi'a. Despite attempts during the years of communist rule to secularize Afghan society, Islamic practices pervade all aspects of life. In fact, Islam served as a principal basis for expressing opposition to communism and the Soviet invasion. Islamic religious tradition and codes, together with traditional tribal and ethnic practices, have an important role in personal conduct and dispute settlement. Afghan society is largely based on kinship groups, which follow traditional customs and religious practices, though somewhat less so in urban areas.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Afghan RCD.gif|right|250px|thumb]]<br />
In the 1930s, Afghanistan embarked on a modest economic development program. The government founded banks; introduced paper money; established a university; expanded primary, secondary, and technical schools; and sent students abroad for education. <br />
<br />
Historically, there has been a dearth of information and reliable statistics about Afghanistan's economy. The 1979 Soviet invasion and ensuing civil war destroyed much of the country's limited infrastructure and disrupted normal patterns of economic activity. Gross domestic product had fallen substantially because of loss of labor and capital and disruption of trade and transport. Continuing internal strife hampered both domestic efforts at reconstruction as well as international aid efforts. However, Afghanistan's economy has grown at a fast pace since the 2001 fall of the Taliban, albeit from a low base. In 2004, Afghanistan's GDP grew 17%, and in 2005 Afghanistan's GDP grew approximately 10%. <br />
<br />
In June 2006, Afghanistan and the International Monetary Fund agreed on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program for 2006-2009 that focuses on maintaining macroeconomic stability, boosting growth, and reducing poverty. Afghanistan is also rebuilding its banking infrastructure, through the Da Afghanistan National Bank. Several government-owned banks are also in the process of being privatized. <br />
<br />
===Agriculture===<br />
[[File:Afghanistan opium.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Opium cultivation in Afghanistan.]]<br />
The main source of income in the country is agriculture, and during its good years, Afghanistan produces enough food and food products to provide for the people, as well as to create a surplus for export. The major food crops produced are: corn, rice, barley, wheat, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. In Afghanistan, industry is also based on agriculture, and pastoral raw materials. The major industrial crops are: cotton, tobacco, madder, castor beans, and sugar beets. The Afghan economy continues to be overwhelmingly agricultural, despite the fact that only 12% of its total land area is arable and less than 6% currently is cultivated. Agricultural production is constrained by an almost total dependence on erratic winter snows and spring rains for water; irrigation is primitive. Relatively little use is made of machines, chemical fertilizer, or pesticides. <br />
<br />
Overall agricultural production dramatically declined following severe drought as well as sustained fighting, instability in rural areas, and deteriorated infrastructure. The easing of the drought and the end of civil war produced the largest wheat harvest in 25 years during 2003. Wheat production was an estimated 58% higher than in 2002. However, the country still needed to import an estimated one million tons of wheat to meet its requirements for the 2003 year. Millions of Afghans, particularly in rural areas, remained dependent on food aid. <br />
<br />
Opium has become a source of cash for many Afghans, especially following the breakdown in central authority after the Soviet withdrawal, and opium-derived revenues probably constituted a major source of income for the two main factions during the civil war in the 1990s. Opium is easy to cultivate and transport and offers a quick source of income for impoverished Afghans. Afghanistan produced a record opium poppy crop in 2006, supplying 91% of the world's opium. Much of Afghanistan's opium production is refined into heroin and is either consumed by a growing regional addict population or exported, primarily to Western Europe.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5308180.stm UN warns of soaring Afghan opium], BBC, Sep 2, 2006</ref><br />
<br />
Afghanistan has begun counter-narcotics programs, including the promotion of alternative livelihoods, public information campaigns, targeted eradication policies, interdiction of drug shipments, as well as law enforcement and justice reform programs. These programs were first implemented in late 2005. In June 2006, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that the Afghan Government eradicated over 15,000 hectares of opium poppy.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
===Trade and Industry===<br />
Afghanistan is endowed with natural resources, including extensive deposits of [[natural gas]], [[petroleum]], [[coal]], [[copper]], [[chromite]], [[talc]], [[barite]]s, [[sulfur]], [[lead]], [[zinc]], [[iron ore]], [[salt]], and precious and semiprecious stones. Unfortunately, ongoing instability in certain areas of the country, remote and rugged terrain, and inadequate infrastructure and transportation network have made mining these resources difficult, and there have been few serious attempts to further explore or exploit them. Coal deposits have been widely exploited.<br />
<br />
The most important resource has been natural gas, first tapped in 1967. At their peak during the 1980s, natural gas sales accounted for $300 million a year in export revenues (56% of the total). Ninety percent of these exports went to the Soviet Union to pay for imports and debts. However, during the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989, Afghanistan's natural gas fields were capped to prevent sabotage by the mujahidin. Restoration of gas production has been hampered by internal strife and the disruption of traditional trading relationships following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Trade in smuggled goods into Pakistan once constituted a major source of revenue for Afghan regimes, including the Taliban, and still figures as an important element in the Afghan economy, although efforts are underway to formalize this trade.<br />
<br />
===Transportation===<br />
In the 1960s, the United States helped build a highway connecting Afghanistan's two largest cities. It began in Kabul and wound its way through five of the country's core provinces—skirting scores of isolated and otherwise inaccessible villages; passing through the ancient market city of Ghazni; descending through Qalat; and eventually reaching Kandahar, founded by Alexander the Great. More than 35% of the country's population lives within 50 kilometers of this highway, called, appropriately, modern Afghanistan's lifeline. In 1978, the Soviet Union invaded. By the time its forces withdrew more than a decade later, more than 1 million Afghans had been killed and 5 million had fled. Civil war followed. The Taliban emerged, controlling all but the remote, northern regions. Afghanistan was terrorized by this group, which was dogmatically opposed to progress and democracy. More than two decades of war had left the Kabul-Kandahar highway devastated, like much of the country's infrastructure. Little could move along the lifeline that had provided so many Afghans with their means of livelihood and their access to healthcare, education, markets, and places of worship. <br />
<br />
'''Reviving the Road''': Restoration of the highway has been an overriding priority of President Hamid Karzai. It is crucial to extending the influence of the new government. Without the highway link, Afghanistan's civil society and economy would remain moribund and prey to divisive forces. The economic development that the highway makes possible will help guarantee the unity and long-term security of the Afghan people. The restored highway is a visually impressive achievement whose symbolic importance should not be underestimated. It marks a palpable transition from the recent past and represents an important building block for the future. Recently, an official in Herat likened the ring road to veins and arteries that nourish and bring life to the "heart" of Kabul and the body of the country. The highway will not end in Kandahar: there are plans to complete the circuit, extending it to Herat and then arcing it back through Mazar-e Sharif to Kabul. The route is sometimes referred to as the Ring Road. As of December 2006, three-quarters of the Ring Road had been funded, with plans to be completed in 2007. <br />
<br />
Landlocked Afghanistan has no functioning railways, but the Amu Darya (Oxus) River, which forms part of Afghanistan's border with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, has barge traffic. During their occupation of the country, the Soviets completed a bridge across the Amu Darya. The United States, in partnership with Norway, has agreed to reconstruct this bridge, which will stretch more than 650 meters over the Amu Darya/Pyandzh River between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, near Pyanji Poyon (Tajikistan) and Shir Khan Bandar (Afghanistan). The bridge is set for completion in 2007. <br />
<br />
Afghanistan's national airline, Ariana, operates domestic and international routes, including flights to New Delhi, Islamabad, Dubai, Moscow, Istanbul, Tehran, and Frankfurt. A private carrier, Kam Air, commenced domestic operations in November 2003. Many sections of Afghanistan's highway and regional road system are undergoing significant reconstruction. The U.S. (with assistance from Japan) completed building a highway linking Kabul to the southern regional capital, Kandahar. Construction is soon to begin on the next phase of highway reconstruction between Kandahar and the western city of Herat. The Asian Development Bank is also active in road development projects, mainly in the border areas with Pakistan.<br />
<br />
==Humanitarian Relief==<br />
Many nations have assisted in a great variety of humanitarian and development projects all across Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. The United Nations, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other international agencies have also given aid. Schools, clinics, water systems, agriculture, sanitation, government buildings and roads are being repaired or built. <br />
<br />
===De-mining===<br />
Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world; mine-related injuries number up to 100 per month, and an estimated 200,000 Afghans have been disabled by landmine/unexploded ordinances (UXO) accidents. As of March 2005 the United Nations Mine Action Program for Afghanistan had approximately 8,000 Afghan personnel, 700 demobilized soldiers, 22 international staff, and several NGOs deployed in Afghanistan. The goal of the program is to remove the impact of mines from all high-impact areas by 2007 and to make Afghanistan mine-free by 2012. Between January 2003 and March 2005 a total of 2,354,244 mines and pieces of UXOs were destroyed. Training programs are also being used to educate the public about the threat and dangers of land mines. The number of mine victims was reduced from approximately 150 a month in 2002 to less than 100 a month in 2004. <br />
<br />
===Refugees and Internally Displaced People===<br />
Afghanistan has had the largest refugee repatriation in the world in the last 30 years. The return of refugees is guided by the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MORR) and supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organization of Migration (IOM), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and a number of other national and international NGOs. As of December 2006, approximately 3 million Afghans remained in neighboring countries. The U.S. provided more than $350 million to support Afghan refugees, returnees, and other conflict victims between September 2001 and March 2006. Since the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the country's non-opium economy has grown significantly and has allowed approximately 3 million people to return home.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20061022212707/http://www.control-risks.com/default.aspx?page=605</ref><br />
<br />
===Health===<br />
In response to a strategy outlined by the Ministry of Health, the international community is supporting the government in rebuilding the primary health-care system. Tuberculosis remains a serious public health problem in Afghanistan. Since this strategy was outlined, the Afghan Government with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) has established 162 health facilities in 141 districts across the country. The treatment success rate in 2002 was 86%. WHO is also assisting the Ministry of Health and local health authorities to combat malaria where the disease is widespread. Through this project, 600,000 individuals are receiving full treatment for malaria every year. In addition 750,000 individuals are protected from malaria by sleeping under special nets provided under the project.<br />
<br />
According to the U.S. [[Center for Disease Control]] (CDC), Afghanistan has the seventh-highest number of [[measles]] cases in the world.<ref>https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/measles/data/global-measles-outbreaks.html</ref><br />
<br />
===Education===<br />
There were 45,000 children enrolled in school in 1993, 19% were girls. The latest official statistics show there are now 64,000 children in school, one third are girls. In addition 29% of the teachers in the province are women, compared with 15% in 1993. Effort is being made to ensure that teachers receive salaries on time and increasing the attendance of girls in school. The total enrollment rate for Afghan children between 7 and 13 years of age has increased to 54% (67% for boys and 37% for girls). A number of factors such as distance to schools, poor facilities and lack of separate schooling for boys and girls continue to be challenges to higher enrollment.<br />
<br />
In 2015, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that U.S. soldiers were instructed by their commanders to ignore child sexual abuse being carried out by the Afghan National Security Forces. American soldiers were instructed not to intervene—in some cases, not even when their Afghan allies have abused boys on military bases, according to interviews and court records. But the U.S. soldiers were troubled that instead of weeding out [[pedophile]]s, the U.S. military was arming them against the Taliban and placing them as the police commanders of villages—and doing little when they began abusing children.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/opinion/ignoring-sexual-abuse-in-afghanistan.html|title=Ignoring Sexual Abuse in Afghanistan|author=The Editorial Board|date=2015-09-21|work=The New York Times|access-date=|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
*[[Muslim agenda of the Obama administration]]<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a police state<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [http://www.afghan-web.com/ Afghanistan Online.]<br />
* [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/02/2674562.htm Afghan opium crop in decline.]<br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Seth. ''In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan'' (2009) [https://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Empires-Americas-War-Afghanistan/dp/0393068986/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253093556&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]<br />
* The book ''Horse Soldiers'' describes the previously secret 5-week campaign, materially aided by the [[CIA]] and [[Special Forces]]. [http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2009/09/08/horse-soldiers/]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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{{Copyright Details (US Government)}} <br />
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Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5380.htm]<br />
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{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan]]<br />
[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Cold War]]<br />
[[Category:British Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
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{{Terrorism}}<br />
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[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
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{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Pakistan&diff=2031056Pakistan2024-03-06T03:15:00Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Disputed Territories */</p>
<hr />
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|tld =<br />
}}<br />
Pakistan, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''', is an Islamic fundamentalist country in South Asia created by the British for [[India]]n [[Muslim]]s on 14 August 1947, despite a significant [[opposition to the partition of India|opposition to the partition of colonial India]]. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. At the time of the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Hindus comprised over 23% of the population.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/india/2-yrs-after-it-counted-population-pakistan-silent-on-minority-numbers-6203547/</ref> However, Pakistan is currently 99% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native were slaughtered during the partition of India<ref>https://hindugenocide.com/islamic-jihad/4million-hindus-persecuted-west-pakistan-partition-plight-hindus-remained/</ref> Forced conversion of non-Muslims is rampant in Pakistan. The Global Human Rights Defense(GHRD) estimates that more than 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls are kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam annually in Pakistan.<ref>https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/hindus-pakistan-nobodys-children</ref> Pakistan is hostile to the United States and is one of the most anti-American countries.<ref>https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/on-pakistani-anti-americanism/</ref> Pakistan is allied with Communist [[China]].<ref>https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pakistans-alliance-china-comes-high-cost-149471</ref> The Pakistani [[ISI]] and Military are the real powers behind Pakistan and actively sponsors terrorism in Afghanistan against U.S. and Afghan troops.<ref>https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/09/pakistan-continues-to-harbor-taliban-including-al-qaeda-linked-haqqanis.php</ref><ref>https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FOIA-Reading-Room-Other-Available-Records/FileId/155424/</ref> Although Pakistan is regarded as a major non-Nato ally, this was due to Pakistan's lobbying efforts.<ref>https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/img-src-http-talkingpointsmemo-com-images-payne-musharraf-muck-jpg-vspace-5-hspace-5-align-left-stephen-payne-worked-for-pakistan-after-sept-11</ref> There have been attempts by Congress to remove Pakistan's major non-Nato ally status due to their support for terrorism.<ref>https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/73/text?format=txt</ref> Additionally, Pakistan engages in the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology to countries such as Iran and North Korea.<ref>https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004-04/features/closing-pandoras-box-pakistans-role-nuclear-proliferation</ref><ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/pakistan-sold-iran-nuke-tech-in-1980s-former-president-rafsanjani-reveals/</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[Image:Badshahi Mosque, Pakistan.jpg|thumb|260px|Badshahi Mosque.]]<br />
What is now Pakistan, along with parts of northwestern India, contains the archeological remains of an urban civilization dating back 4,500 years. Alexander the Great included the Indus Valley in his empire in 326 B.C., and his successors founded the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria based in what is today Afghanistan and extending to Peshawar. Following the rise of the Central Asian Kushan Empire in later centuries, the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan, centered on the city of Taxila just west of Islamabad, experienced a cultural renaissance known as the Gandhara period. <br />
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Pakistan's Islamic history began with the arrival of Muslim traders in the 8th century in Sindh. The collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century provided an opportunity for the English East India Company to extend its control over much of the subcontinent. The Sikh adventurer, Ranjit Singh, carved out a dominion that extended from Kabul to Srinagar and Lahore, encompassing much of the northern area of modern Pakistan. British rule replaced the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th century. The British permitted the Hindu Maharaja of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, a Sikh appointee, to continue in power. <br />
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The concept of "Pakistan" emerged from an extended period of agitation by the elite Muslims of India to gain power. These elite Muslims were backed by the British and founded the All India Muslim League in 1906. Initially, the League adopted the same objective as the Congress—self-government for India within the British Empire—but the League refused to accept United India. On the other hand, prominent Indian Muslim leaders, such as the Pashtun visionary Khan Abdbul Ghaffar Khan, as well as the Darul Uloom Deoband, supported a united India. After the partition of India, the government of Pakistan jailed Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan quite frequently and he was buried in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan====<br />
[[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]]<br />
The idea of a separate Muslim state in British India first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. This resolution was vehemently opposed by nationalist Indian Muslims represented by the [[All India Azad Muslim Conference]], who [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India]]; British officials, however, sidelined the All India Azad Muslim Conference.<ref name="Shodganga">{{cite web |title=Towards United and Federate India: 1940-47 |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/31090/10/10_chapter%205.pdf |accessdate=31 March 2019 |pages=193, 198 |language=English}}</ref> At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom realized that it could no longer hold on to India. The British wanted to maintain their imperialist influence over countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, so they decided to create Pakistan to give them a foothold in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) and Balochistan. Britain however encountered issues with doing this as the NWFP had elected a government from the Indian National Congress and not from the [[Muslim League]]. Therefore, Louis Mountbatten, with the help of his wife Edwina, talked Jawaharlal Nehru into agreeing to a referendum in the NWFP. Although it is claimed that 99% of the votes were in favor of Pakistan, there was widespread fraud and rigging done during the referendum. Khan Abdul Wali Khan the son of Ghaffar Khan cited that an old woman disclosed to him that she alone polled 52 votes in favor of Pakistan.<ref>https://drfakhrulislam.pk/referendum-in-nwfp-a-significant-chapter-of-freedom-movement/#_edn25</ref><ref>https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/britain-created-pakistan/20171102.htm</ref> In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947, Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. The British were ecstatic about the creation despite the uprooting of 20 million Indians from their homes where their forefathers had lived for a millennia. On August 15, The Times, London published the following editorial, ''"In the hour of its creation Pakistan emerges as the leading state of the Muslim world. Since the collapse of the Turkish empire that world, which extends across the globe from Morocco to Indonesia, has not included a state whose numbers, natural resources and place in history gave it undisputed pre-eminence. The gap is now filled. From today Karachi takes rank as a new centre of Muslim cohesion and rallying point of Muslim thought and aspirations".''<ref>https://indiafacts.org/partition-why-britain-created-pakistan/</ref> East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. Ahamadiyya and Shiite muslims were heavily involved in the creation of Pakistan.<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2019/12/how-ahmadiyyas-were-at-the-forefront-of-creation-of-pakistan-islam-all-you-need-to-know/</ref><ref>Fuchs, Simon Wolfgang (2019). In a Pure Muslim Land: Shi'ism between Pakistan and the Middle East. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-4696-4979-5. JSTOR 10.5149/9781469649818_fuchs</ref><br />
The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day.<br />
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In 1948, the Pakistani military invaded and annexed Balochistan under orders from Muhammad Ali Jinnah.<ref>http://balochwarna.com/2020/03/27/the-slogan-of-pakistan-quit-balochistan/</ref><br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Independence====<br />
[[File:Muhammad Ali Jinnah.jpg|thumb|220px|Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his youth, in traditional dress.]]<br />
====Muhammad Zia ul-Haq====<br />
With increasing anti-government unrest, the army grew restive. On July 5, 1977, the military removed Bhutto from power and arrested him, declared martial law, and suspended portions of the 1973 Constitution. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Chief Martial Law Administrator and promised to hold new elections within 3 months. <br />
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Zia released Bhutto and asserted that he could contest new elections scheduled for October 1977. However, after it became clear that Bhutto's popularity had survived his government, Zia postponed the elections and began criminal investigations of the senior PPP leadership. Subsequently, Bhutto was convicted and sentenced to death for an alleged conspiracy to murder a political opponent. Despite international appeals on his behalf, Bhutto was hanged on April 6, 1979. <br />
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Zia assumed the presidency and called for elections in November. However, fearful of a PPP victory, Zia banned political activity in October 1979, and postponed national elections. This same year Zia also passed into law the Hudood Ordinance, which provides for harsh Quranic punishments for violations of Shari'a (Islamic law). <br />
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In 1980, most center and left parties, led by the PPP, formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD demanded Zia's resignation, an end to martial law, new elections, and restoration of the Constitution, as it existed before Zia's takeover. In early December 1984, President Zia proclaimed a national referendum for December 19 on his "Islamization" program. After non-party based polls were held for the National and Provincial Assemblies in 1985, President Zia appointed Muhammad Khan Junejo as the Prime Minister. He implicitly linked approval of "Islamization" with a mandate for his continued presidency. Zia's opponents, led by the MRD, boycotted the elections. When the government claimed a 63% turnout, with more than 90% approving the referendum, many observers questioned the figures. <br />
<br />
====Sharif and Bhutto Civilian Governments====<br />
[[File:B Bhutto.jpg|thumb|left|Benazir Bhutto.]]<br />
On August 17, 1988, a plane carrying President Zia, American Ambassador Arnold Raphel, U.S. Brig. General Herbert Wassom, and 28 Pakistani military officers crashed on a return flight from a military equipment trial near Bahawalpur, killing all on board. In accordance with the Constitution, Chairman of the Senate Ghulam Ishaq Khan became Acting President and announced that elections scheduled for November 1988 would take place. Elections were held on a party basis. On one side was an eight-party alliance and on the other, the PPP. The PPP won 94 seats out of 207 and the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) won 54. Muhammad Khan Junejo lost from his home constituency. The president was bound to invite the PPP to from the government, but he delayed doing so for two weeks in order to give the IJI time to muster the support of other groups. Ultimately, the president asked PPP Co-chairperson [[Benazir Bhutto]] to form a government. <br />
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The PPP, under Benazir Bhutto's leadership, succeeded in forming a coalition government with several smaller parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). <br />
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Differing interpretations of constitutional authority, debates over the powers of the central government relative to those of the provinces, and the antagonistic relationship between the Bhutto administration and opposition governments in Punjab and Balochistan seriously impeded social and economic reform programs. Ethnic conflict, primarily in Sindh province, exacerbated these problems. A fragmentation in the governing coalition and the military's reluctance to support an apparently ineffectual and corrupt government were accompanied by a significant deterioration in law and order. <br />
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In August 1990, President Khan, citing his powers under the eighth amendment to the Constitution, dismissed the Bhutto government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. New elections, held in October 1990, confirmed the political ascendancy of the IJI. In addition to a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, the alliance won control of all four provincial parliaments and enjoyed the support of the military and of President Khan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the PML, the most prominent party in the IJI, was elected prime minister by the National Assembly. <br />
<br />
Sharif emerged as the most secure and powerful Pakistani prime minister since the mid-1970s. Under his rule, the IJI achieved several important political victories. The implementation of Sharif's economic reform program; involving privatization, deregulation, and encouragement of private sector economic growth, greatly improved Pakistan's economic performance and business climate. The passage into law in May 1991 of a Shari'a bill, providing for widespread Islamization, legitimized the IJI government among much of Pakistani society. <br />
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However, Nawaz Sharif was not able to reconcile the different objectives of IJI's constituent parties. The largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), abandoned the alliance because of its antagonism to what it regarded as PML hegemony. The government was weakened further by the military's suppression of the MQM, which had entered into coalition with the IJI to contain PPP influence, and allegations of corruption directed at Nawaz Sharif. In April 1993, President Khan, citing "maladministration, corruption, and nepotism" and espousal of political violence, dismissed the Sharif government, but the following month the Pakistan Supreme Court reinstated the National Assembly and the Nawaz Sharif government. Continued tensions between Sharif and Khan resulted in governmental gridlock and the Chief of Army Staff brokered an arrangement under which both the President and the Prime Minister resigned their offices in July 1993. <br />
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An interim government, headed by Moeen Qureshi, a former World Bank Vice President, took office with a mandate to hold national and provincial assembly elections in October. Despite its brief term, the Qureshi government adopted political, economic, and social reforms that generated considerable domestic support and foreign admiration. <br />
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In the October 1993 elections, the PPP won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, and Benazir Bhutto was asked to form a government. However, because it did not acquire a majority in the National Assembly, the PPP's control of the government depended upon the continued support of numerous independent parties, particularly the PML/J (Pakistan Muslim League-Junejo). The unfavorable circumstances surrounding PPP rule—the imperative of preserving a coalition government, the formidable opposition of Nawaz Sharif's PML/N (Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz) movement, and the insecure provincial administrations—presented significant difficulties for the government of Prime Minister Bhutto. However, the election of Prime Minister Bhutto's close associate, Farooq Leghari, as president in November 1993 gave her a stronger power base. <br />
[[File:Faisal mosque Pakistan.jpg|thumb|290px|Faisal mosque, Islamabad.]]<br />
In November 1996, President Leghari dismissed the Bhutto government, charging it with corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and implication in extrajudicial killings in Karachi. Elections in February 1997, resulted in an overwhelming victory for the PML/N, and President Leghari called upon Nawaz Sharif to form a government. In March 1997, with the unanimous support of the National Assembly, Sharif amended the Constitution, stripping the President of the power to dismiss the government and making his power to appoint military service chiefs and provincial governors contingent on the "advice" of the Prime Minister. Another amendment prohibited elected members from "floor crossing" or voting against party positions. The Sharif government also engaged in a protracted dispute with the judiciary, culminating in the storming of the Supreme Court by ruling party loyalists and the engineered dismissal of the Chief Justice and the resignation of President Leghari in December 1997. <br />
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The new President elected by Parliament, Rafiq Tarar, was a close associate of the Prime Minister. A one-sided, anti-corruption campaign was used to target opposition politicians and critics of the regime. Similarly, the government moved to restrict press criticism and ordered the arrest and beating of prominent journalists. As domestic criticism of Sharif's administration intensified, Sharif attempted to replace Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999, with a family loyalist, Director General of the Interservice Intelligence Directorate, Lt. Gen. Ziauddin. Although General Musharraf was out of the country at the time, the army moved quickly to depose Sharif.<br />
<br />
====Pervez Musharraf====<br />
[[File:Pervez Musharraf.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Pervez Musharraf]].]]<br />
Following the October 12 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. On October 14, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Musharraf appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body, with mixed military/civilian appointees; a civilian Cabinet; and a National Reconstruction Bureau to formulate structural reforms. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On June 20, 2001, Musharraf named himself as president and was sworn in. <br />
<br />
After the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, Musharraf faked cooperation with the United States and provided support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.<ref>https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pervez-musharraf-was-playing-double-game-with-us-j0dxgv235j2</ref> In a referendum held on April 30, 2002, Musharraf's presidency was extended by five more years. The handover from military to civilian rule came with parliamentary elections in November 2002, and the appointment of a civilian prime minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. Having previously promised to give up his army post and become a civilian president, General Musharraf announced in late 2004 that he would retain his military role. In August 2004, Shaukat Aziz was sworn in as prime minister, having won a parliamentary vote of confidence, 191 of 342 votes, in which the opposition abstained. <br />
<br />
On October 8, 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Islamabad. An estimated 75,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were left homeless. The disaster of such a huge magnitude galvanized an international rescue and reconstruction effort in support of the affected region. The earthquake cost Pakistan $1.1 billion on resettling those affected.<br />
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====Assassination of Benazir Bhutto====<br />
Bhutto returned to Pakistan in the fall of 2007 after a self-imposed exile, seeking to win popular support for a return to office as prime minister, in addition to highlighting the military rule of Musharraf. On December 27, 2007, she was assassinated at a rally in Rawalpindi.<br />
====Shehbaz Sharif====<br />
The brother of a disgraced prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz has been plagued by corruption allegations of his own.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/04/01/who-is-shehbaz-sharif-pakistans-opposition-leader Who is Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s opposition leader?], Economist, Aor 1, 2022.</ref><br />
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Shahbaz has been criticized for maintaining "good ties" with hardline Islamic groups, a claim denied by his party.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/shahbaz-sharif-who-is-pakistans-likely-next-pm/a-39950580 Shahbaz Sharif - Who is Pakistan's likely next PM?], DW, 03.08.2017.</ref><br />
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==Persecution of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan==<br />
{{main|Persecution of Christians in Pakistan}}<br />
{{main|Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan}}<br />
==People==<br />
[[File:Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah Karachi 2007.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah, Karachi, 2007.]]<br />
The majority of Pakistan's population lives in the Indus River valley and in an arc formed by the cities of Faisalabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and Peshawar. Although Urdu (Hindustani) is an official language of Pakistan, it is spoken as a first language by only 8% of the population; 48% speak Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 10% Saraiki, 8% Pushtu, 3% Baloch, and 3% other. Urdu, Punjabi, Pushtu, and Baloch are Indo-European languages. English is the other official language, and is widely used in government, commerce, the officer ranks of the military, and in many institutions of higher learning. <br />
*Population (2008 est.): 162 million, plus 2 million refugees from Afghanistan<br />
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.09%.<br />
*Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtun, Baloch, Muhajir (i.e., Urdu-speaking immigrants from India and their descendants), Saraiki, and Hazara.<br />
*Religions: Muslim 97%; small minorities of Christians, Hindus, and others.<br />
*Languages: Urdu (national and official), English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu, Baloch, Hindko, Brahui, Saraiki (Punjabi variant).<br />
*Education: Literacy (2004 est.)--48.7%; male 61.7%; female 35.2%. <br />
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--68.84/1,000. Life expectancy (2006 est.)--men 62.73 yrs., women 64.83 yrs.<br />
*Work force (2004 est.): Agriculture—42%; services—38%; industry—20%.<br />
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==Government and Political Conditions==<br />
[[File:Aiwane Sadr Presidency official residence of the President of Pakistan.jpeg|thumb|300px|Residence of the President of Pakistan.]]<br />
Pervez Musharraf ran Pakistan from 1999, when as army chief he ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After losing the support of the army, and in the face of impeachment threats, Musharraf resigned in August 2008. He was replaced by President Asif Ali Zardari (b. 1955) of the PPP party.<ref>A playboy, in 1987 he married [[Benazir Bhutto]] (1953-2007), leader of the PPP party. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the daughter of former president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77). She served two terms as prime minister, in 1988–90 and in 1993–96. They had three children. Zadari spent three years in prison and is called “Mr. Ten Percent" because of his fondness for cash kickbacks on government contracts.</ref> However Zardari was so weak in late 2009 that his government seems near collapse. In November 2009 Zardari relinquished his position in Pakistan's nuclear command structure, turning it over to the prime minister, in what appeared to be an effort to avoid impeachment or prosecution, and retain at least a figurehead post. Zardari is head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Party (PML-N), taking over after the assassination in 2007 of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazar Bhutto.<br />
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===Parties===<br />
[[File:Farooq Naek Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Farooq Naek, Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan.]]<br />
The Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) are national political parties, while the Muttahid Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)--an umbrella group of six religious parties, including the Jamaat-il-Islami—gained significant influence during the 2002 election. After those elections, the Pakistani political system remained highly fragmented, with no group winning a substantial majority of seats in the national assembly, and religious groups banding together in the MMA to earn a significant portion of seats for the first time. In the 2008 elections, the PPP won 121 seats, the PML-N won 91, and Mushariff's supporters won only 54 sears.<br />
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===Constitution===<br />
The Pakistan Constitution of 1973, amended substantially in 1985 under Zia ul-Haq, was suspended by the military government in October 1999. It was restored on December 31, 2002. The president is chosen for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies. <br />
===Prime Minister office===<br />
The prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a four-year term. The bicameral parliament—or Majlis-e-Shoora—consists of the Senate (100 seats; members are indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 60 seats reserved for women, 10 seats reserved for minorities; members elected by popular vote serve four-year terms). Each of the four provinces—Punjab, Sindh, Northwest Frontier, and Balochistan—has a Chief Minister and provincial assembly. The Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are administered by the federal government but enjoy considerable autonomy. The cabinet, National Security Council, and governors serve at the president's discretion.<br />
<br />
The position of Pakistani Prime Minister has been compared to being a boy king with no real power.<br />
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===Judiciary===<br />
[[File:Punjab University Lahore Pakistan.jpg|thumb|250px|Punjab University, Lahore.]]<br />
The judicial system comprises a Supreme Court, provincial high courts, and Federal Islamic (or Shari'a) Court. The Supreme Court is Pakistan's highest court. The president appoints the chief justice and they together determine the other judicial appointments. Each province has a high court, the justices of which are appointed by the president after conferring with the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the provincial chief justice. The judiciary is proscribed from issuing any order contrary to the decisions of the President. Federal Sharia Court hears cases that primarily involve Sharia, or Islamic law. Legislation enacted in 1991 gave legal status to Sharia. Although Sharia was declared the law of the land, it did not replace the existing legal code.<br />
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===Provinces, minorities===<br />
According to the constitution, Pakistan is a federation of four provinces: Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab, and Sindh. Governors appointed by the president head the provinces. There is also the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and the Islamabad Capital Territory, which consists of the capital city of Islamabad. These areas and territory are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Northern Areas are administered as a de facto "Union Territory" and are treated as an integral part of Pakistan. The Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir, a separate and autonomous government that maintains strong ties to Pakistan. <br />
<br />
Pakistan is a country with very poor human rights record, particularly against minorities such as [[Christian]]s, [[Hindu]]s, [[Jew]]s.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060822/23922.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_pakis.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.domini.org/openbook/pak20020925.htm]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.missio-aachen.de/menschen-kulturen/nachrichten/Sangla_Hill_attack_continues_to_draw_condemnation.asp]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4928]</ref><ref>[http://www.christianresponse.org/articles/291/cartoon-protestors-in-pakistan-target-christians]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.michnews.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/242/11159]</ref><br />
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In Dec 2021, ''Pakistan Christian Post'' warned about the manipulation by the OIC and Pakistan:<ref>[http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/opinion-details/3944 Hem Raj], Dec 20, 2021</ref><blockquote><br />
The USA (the leader of the free world) should not get blackmailed by these threats of Pakistan which tantamount to saying that the militant jihadis of Afghanistan (may be in cooperation with militant Jihadis of Pakistan and from other countries) will wreak havoc not only in the neighborhood of Afghanistan but beyond it also, if the demand of Pakistan about Afghanistan are not met especially by the West lead by the USA.<br />
Pakistan as per the first resolution of the OIC wants the West led by the USA to merely provide money and other relief to Afghans who are facing humanitarian crises. No doubt the majority of these about 38 million Afghans need such help but the members of the OIC (specially oil rich countries) can easily provide such relief. The 57 Muslim countries of OIC do not need Christian West led by the USA to provide such urgent relief to Muslim Afghanistan.</blockquote><br />
<br />
===Principal Government Officials===<br />
*President—Mamnoon Hussain<br />
*Prime Minister (head of government)-- was Imran Khan<br />
<!--outdated *Minister of Foreign Affairs--Khurshid Kasuri--><br />
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Husain Haqqani<ref>http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/dpl/spring_summer2008/110047.htm</ref><br />
<!--outdated *Ambassador to the UN--Munir Akram--><br />
In Mar 2022, [[Imran Khan]] was removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote.<ref>[https://www.axios.com/pakistan-imran-khan-removed-prime-minister-no-confidence-6b9722ea-dc5f-43a5-8c04-7d19c44a5320.html Pakistan's Imran Khan removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote], Axios, Apr 8, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Lt -Gen -Ahmad-Shuja-Pasha Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the director general of the country's spy agency.]]<br />
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===Foreign Relations===<br />
After September 11, 2001, Pakistan's prominence in the international community increased significantly, as it pledged its alliance with the U.S. in the war on terror and made a commitment to eliminate terrorist camps on its territory. Historically, Pakistan has had difficult and volatile relations with India, long-standing close relations with China, extensive security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf, and wide-ranging bilateral relations with the United States and other Western countries. It expresses a strong desire for a stable Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====India====<br />
[[File:Flags of India and Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Flags of India and Pakistan at the border.]]<br />
Since partition, relations between Pakistan and India have been characterized by rivalry and suspicion. Although many issues divide the two countries, the most sensitive one since independence has been the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. <br />
<br />
At the time of partition, the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu, though ruled by a Hindu Maharajah, had a significant Muslim population (along with large amounts of Buddhists and Hindus). When the Maharajah hesitated in acceding to either Pakistan or India in 1947, tribesmen from Pakistan invaded the Kashmir region in an attempt to forcibly annex the region to Pakistan. In exchange for military assistance in containing the revolt, the Kashmiri ruler offered his allegiance to India. Indian troops defended the eastern portion of Kashmir, including its capital, Srinagar, while the western part became occupied by Pakistan. <br />
<br />
India submitted this dispute to the United Nations on January 1, 1948. One year later, the UN arranged a cease-fire along a line dividing Kashmir but leaving the northern end of the line not demarcated and the Vale of Kashmir (with the majority of the population) under Indian control. India and Pakistan agreed to a resolution that called for a UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the state's future This plebiscite has not occurred because the main precondition, the withdrawal of both nations’ forces from Kashmir, has failed to take place. <br />
<br />
Full-scale hostilities erupted in September 1965, when India alleged that insurgents trained and supplied by Pakistan were operating in India-controlled Kashmir. Hostilities ceased 3 weeks later, following mediation efforts by the UN and interested countries. In January 1966, the leaders of India and Pakistan met in Tashkent, U.S.S.R., and agreed to attempt a peaceful settlement of Kashmir and their other differences. <br />
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|thumb|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]<br />
Following the 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict, President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met in the hill station of Shimla, India, in July 1972. They agreed to a line of control in Kashmir resulting from the December 17, 1971, cease-fire, and endorsed the principle of settlement of bilateral disputes through peaceful means. In 1974, Pakistan and India agreed to resume postal and telecommunications linkages and to enact measures to facilitate travel. Trade and diplomatic relations were restored in 1976 after a hiatus of 5 years. <br />
<br />
India's nuclear test in 1974 generated great uncertainty in Pakistan and is generally acknowledged to have been the impetus for Pakistan's nuclear weapons development program. In 1983, the Pakistani and Indian Governments accused each other of aiding separatists in their respective countries—Sikhs in India's Punjab state and Sindhis in Pakistan's Sindh province. In April 1984, tensions erupted after troops were deployed to the Siachen Glacier, a high-altitude, desolate area close to the China border not demarcated by the cease-fire agreement (Karachi Agreement) signed by Pakistan and India in 1949. <br />
<br />
Tensions diminished after Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in November 1984 and after a group of Sikh hijackers was brought to trial by Pakistan in March 1985. In December 1985, President Zia and Prime Minister Gandhi pledged not to attack each other's nuclear facilities. A formal "no attack" agreement was signed in January 1991. In early 1986, the Indian and Pakistani Governments began high-level talks to resolve the Siachen Glacier border dispute and to improve trade. <br />
<br />
Bilateral tensions increased in early 1990, when Kashmiri militants began a campaign of violence against Indian Government authority in Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequent high-level bilateral meetings relieved the tensions between India and Pakistan, but relations worsened again after the destruction of the Ayodhya mosque by Hindu extremists in December 1992 and terrorist bombings in Bombay in March 1993. Talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries in January 1994 ended in deadlock. <br />
More recently, the Indo-Pakistani relationship has veered sharply between rapprochement and conflict. After taking office in February 1997, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved to resume official dialog with India. A number of meetings at the foreign secretary and prime ministerial level took place, with positive atmospherics but little concrete progress. The relationship improved markedly when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee traveled to Lahore for a summit with Sharif in February 1999. There was considerable hope that the meeting could lead to a breakthrough. <br />
<br />
In spring 1999, infiltrators from Pakistan occupied positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the remote, mountainous area of Kashmir near Kargil, threatening the ability of India to supply its forces on Siachen Glacier. By early summer, serious fighting flared in the Kargil sector. The infiltrators withdrew following a meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Clinton in July. Relations between India and Pakistan were particularly strained during the 1999 coup in Islamabad. Then, just weeks after the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, an attack on India's Parliament on December 13 further strained this relationship.<br />
<br />
====Better relations since 2004====<br />
The prospects for better relations between India and Pakistan improved in early January 2004 when a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) permitted India's Prime Minister Vajpayee to meet with President Musharraf. Both leaders agreed to establish a Composite Dialogue to resolve their disputes. The Composite Dialogue focuses on eight issues: confidence building measures, Kashmir, Wullar barrage, promotion of friendly exchanges, Siachen glacier, Sir creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, and economic and commercial cooperation. <br />
<br />
Relations further improved when President Musharraf met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York in October 2004. Additional steps aimed at improving relations were announced when Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh visited Islamabad in February 2005 and in April 2005 when President Musharraf traveled to India to view a cricket match and hold discussions. In a further display of improved relations, bus service commenced from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to Srinagar in April 2005. After a destructive earthquake hit the Kashmir region in October 2005, the two countries cooperated with each other to deal with the humanitarian crisis. <br />
<br />
Musharraf and Singh last met in September 2006, when they condemned all acts of terrorism and agreed to continue the search for options acceptable to both sides for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The foreign secretaries of both nations opened the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue in Islamabad on March 13–14, 2007. <br />
<br />
====Afghanistan====<br />
[[File:Afghan Pakistani NATO.jpg|thumb|320px|Afghan - Pakistani - NATO 29th Tripartite Commission, 2009.]]<br />
Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Pakistani Government, with American encouragement and Saudi money, played a vital role in supporting the Afghan resistance movement and assisting Afghan refugees. After the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989, Pakistan, with cooperation from the world community, continued to provide extensive support for displaced Afghans. Continued turmoil in Afghanistan prevented the refugees from returning to their country. In 1999, more than 1.2 million registered Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan. By 2009 there are 2 million refugees living in squalid camps. Pakistan was one of three countries to recognize the Taliban regime of Afghanistan. International pressure after September 11, 2001, prompted Pakistan to reassess its relations with the Taliban regime and support the U.S. and international coalition in Operation Enduring Freedom to remove the Taliban from power. Pakistan has publicly expressed its support to Afghanistan's President Karzai and has pledged $100 million toward Afghanistan's reconstruction. Both nations are also working to strengthen cooperation along their rugged border, including making preparations to hold joint jirgas in their restive border areas.<br />
<br />
Pakistan was linked with the rise of [[Taliban]] in Afghanistan. In Sep/2021, protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Former [[Afghanistan]] President Hamid Karzai stated in Dec 2021: Afghanistan has been facing [[ISIS]] threat from Pakistan. Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's remarks on terrorism in his country.<ref>[https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/afghanistan-has-been-facing-isis-threat-from-pakistan-hamid-karzai-121122000153_1.html Afghanistan has been facing ISIS threat from Pakistan: Hamid Karzai], Business Standard, Dec 20, 2021.<blockquote><br />
Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on terrorism in his country, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday said that the landlocked country has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.<br />
At the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Sunday, Imran Khan had said ISIS threatens Pakistan from Afghanistan, adding that stability in Afghanistan is necessary. “We have had attacks from (the) Afghan border, from ISIL (ISIS), into Pakistan,” he said.<br />
Reacting to Khan’s remarks, the former Afghan president said these allegations are not true, TOLOnews reported. ISIS from the beginning has been threatening Afghanistan from Pakistan, not the other way around, Karzai added.<br />
“These remarks are not true, and are obvious propaganda against Afghanistan,” Karzai said in a statement. “In fact, from the beginning, Afghanistan has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.”<br />
Earlier, Karzai had warned Pakistan not to interfere in Kabul’s internal affairs. He had said that Islamabad should not encourage terrorism or extremism rather should establish relations with the country through “civil principles and principles of international relations.”<br />
“My message to Pakistan, our brotherly country, is that they should not try to represent Afghanistan,” he said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) in October.<br />
Pakistan organised a summit of foreign ministers from the OIC on Sunday. An OIC resolution released after the meeting said the Islamic Development Bank would lead the effort to free up assistance by the first quarter of 2022, Al Jazeera reported…</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====China====<br />
In 1950, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the Communist [[China]] (PRC). Following the Sino-Indian hostilities of 1962, Pakistan's relations with China became stronger; since then, the countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in various agreements. China has provided economic, military, and technical assistance to Pakistan. Favorable relations with China have been a pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy. The PRC strongly supported Pakistan's opposition to Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and is perceived by Pakistan as a regional counterweight to India and Russia.<br />
<br />
The port at Gwadar on the Indian Ocean in the disputed territory of Balochistan is a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative. It's part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor—or CPEC. It aims to give China access to the Indian Ocean. An official CPEC roadway and energy pipeline shows plans to link Gwadar with China's [[Xinjiang]] Autonomous region. A 2020 US Naval War College study however says, Chinese analysts have come to view the plan as not viable. According to reports, “Shipping and industrial activity at the port are negligible. And for the vast majority of Gwadar’s residents, conditions are unchanged or worse.” China's fishing trawler fleet has devastated the ocean and forced local fishermen out. And many of the promised benefits from the CPEC have not happened. Major projects—including a vocational training center, medical hospital, and desalination plant—have either been delayed, scaled-down, or dropped. Large scale protests among the local population erupted.<br />
<br />
====Iran and the Persian Gulf====<br />
Historically, Pakistan has had close geopolitical and cultural-religious linkages with Iran. However, strains in the relationship appeared following the Iranian revolution. Pakistan and Iran supported different factions in the Afghan conflict. Also, some Pakistanis suspect Iranian government support for the sectarian violence that has plagued Pakistan. However, relations between the countries have improved since their policies toward Afghanistan have converged with the fall of the Taliban. Both countries contend that they are on the road to strong and lasting friendly relations. <br />
<br />
Pakistan historically has provided military personnel to strengthen Gulf-state defenses and to reinforce its own security interests in the area.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|280px|Karachi.]]<br />
The United States and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1947. The U.S. agreement to provide economic and military assistance to Pakistan and the latter's partnership in the Baghdad Pact/CENTO and SEATO strengthened relations between the nations. However, the U.S. suspension of military assistance during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war generated a widespread feeling in Pakistan that the United States was not a reliable ally. Even though the United States suspended military assistance to both countries involved in the conflict, the suspension of aid affected Pakistan much more severely. Gradually, relations improved, and arms sales were renewed in 1975. Then, in April 1979, the United States cut off economic assistance to Pakistan, except food assistance, as required under the Symington Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, due to concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program. <br />
<br />
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the common interest of Pakistan and the United States in peace and stability in South Asia. In 1981, the United States and Pakistan agreed on a $3.2 billion military and economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened threat to security in the region and its economic development needs. <br />
<br />
Recognizing national security concerns and accepting Pakistan's assurances that it did not intend to construct a nuclear weapon, Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on military assistance to Pakistan. In March 1986, the two countries agreed on a second multi-year (FY 1988–93) $4 billion economic development and security assistance program. On October 1, 1990, however, the United States suspended all military assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not possess a nuclear explosive device." <br />
[[File:Pakistani soldier.jpg|thumb|180px|Pakistani soldier.]]<br />
Several incidents of violence against American officials and U.S. mission employees in Pakistan have marred the relationship. In November 1979, false rumors that the United States had participated in the seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca provoked a mob attack on the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in which the chancery was set on fire resulting in the loss of life of American and Pakistani staff. In 1989, an attack on the American Center in Islamabad resulted in six Pakistanis being killed in crossfire with the police. In March 1995, two American employees of the consulate in Karachi were killed and one wounded in an attack on the home-to-office shuttle. In November 1997, four U.S. businessmen were brutally murdered while being driven to work in Karachi. In March 2002 a suicide attacker detonated explosives in a church in Islamabad, killing two Americans associated with the Embassy and three others. There were also unsuccessful attacks by terrorists on the Consulate General in Karachi in May 2002. Another bomb was detonated near American and other businesses in Karachi in November 2005, killing three people and wounding 15 others. On March 2, 2006, a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives as a vehicle carrying an American Foreign Service officer passed by on its way to Consulate Karachi. The diplomat, the consulate's locally employed driver and three other people were killed in the blast; 52 others were wounded. <br />
<br />
The decision by India to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act, which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was subsequently limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance. <br />
<br />
Since the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan has played a double game with the U.S. in Afghanistan. Pakistan will claim that they are an "ally" in the War on Terror by handing over a few Al-Qaeda fighters but at the same time provides material and financial support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/10302946</ref> The United States has stepped up its economic assistance to Pakistan, providing debt relief and support for a major effort for education reform. During President Musharraf's visit to the United States in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005. <br />
<br />
Following the region's tragic October 8, 2005 earthquake, the United States responded immediately and generously to Pakistan's call for assistance. The response was consistent with U.S. humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan. At the subsequent reconstruction conference in Islamabad on November 19, 2005, the U.S. announced a $510 million commitment to Pakistan for earthquake relief and reconstruction, including humanitarian assistance, military support for relief operations, and anticipated U.S. private contributions. <br />
<br />
President Bush and President Musharraf have affirmed the long-term, strategic partnership between their two countries. In 2004, the United States recognized closer bilateral ties with Pakistan by designating Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally. President Bush visited Pakistan in March 2006, where he and President Musharraf reaffirmed their shared commitment to a broad and lasting strategic partnership, agreeing to continue their cooperation on a number of issues including: the war on terror, security in the region, strengthening democratic institutions, trade and investment, education, and earthquake relief and reconstruction. <br />
<br />
The United States and Pakistan concluded the sale to Pakistan of F-16 aircraft in late 2006, expecting Pakistan to use them to "fight terrorism". President Musharraf visited Washington in September 2006, where he held a bilateral meeting with President Bush and also participated in a trilateral meeting with President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Under President Trump, the United States has suspended aid to Pakistan over their support for terrorism in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
In October 2022 Pakistan issued a formal ''[[demarche]]'' to the United States when [[Joe Biden]] said that Pakistan<br />
may be one of the most dangerous countries in the world because it has [[nuclear weapons]].<ref>https://youtu.be/vm3lzZ8Oslk</ref><br />
<br />
====Osama Bin Laden====<br />
On May 2, 2011, United States special forces raided a private compound in [[Abbottabad]], Pakistan, 62 miles north of [[Islamabad]]. That evening, President Obama announced that [[Osama bin Laden]] had been killed in the raid.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama</ref> Reaction within Pakistan was mixed, with some calling it a welcome end to the life of a mass murderer, and others calling it a disturbing violation of national sovereignty.<ref>http://www.christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_5080.html</ref><br />
<br />
Although the Pakistani government had long insisted that Osama bin Laden was not hiding in their country,<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/03/brown-praises-pakistan-terrorism-fight</ref><ref>http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-02-07/pakistan/27281957_1_al-qaeda-pakistan-president-pervez-musharraf-state-colin-powell</ref> U.S. intelligence estimated in 2011 that bin Laden had been hiding there for five to six years,<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13268517</ref> and counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan said it was "inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system" in the country. A leaked email from 2012 involving a Stratfor analyst revealed that Osama Bin Laden was in routine contact with the Pakistani [[Inter-Services Intelligence]].<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9109457/Stratfor-Osama-bin-Laden-was-in-routine-contact-with-Pakistans-spy-agency.html</ref> Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari responded with an op-ed to the Washington Post, rejecting claims that his government helped Al-Qaeda by writing "such baseless speculation may make exciting cable news, but it doesn’t reflect fact."<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/pakistan-did-its-part/2011/05/02/AFHxmybF_story.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Secret Service plot====<br />
In March 2022, two Muslim men, (Iranian) Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and (Pakistani) Haider Ali, 35, were arrested<ref>Katelyn Caralle, [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10696133/How-fake-DHS-agents-spent-18-MONTHS-trying-infiltrate-Secret-Service-Jill-Bidens-detail.html How 'fake' DHS agents spent 18 MONTHS trying to 'infiltrate Secret Service and Jill Biden's detail'], Daily Mail Online, Apr 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote>Two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied.</blockquote></ref> for impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington. The two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence<ref>Michael Balsamo, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-man-impersonated-agent-claimed-ties-to-pakistani-intel/2022/04/07/6f49f666-b6a9-11ec-8358-20aa16355fb4_story.html US: Man impersonated agent, claimed ties to Pakistani intel]," ''AP'', via ''WaPo'', April 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
WASHINGTON — One of two men accused of impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington has claimed to have ties to Pakistani intelligence and had visas showing travel to Pakistan and Iran, federal prosecutors said Thursday.<br />
<br />
The men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested Wednesday. The FBI raided a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where the men were staying and had been offering free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents and officers.<br />
<br />
During a court appearance Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said Ali had told witnesses that he was affiliated with the Inter-Services Intelligence agency in Pakistan and that he had multiple visas from Pakistan and Iran in the months before prosecutors believe the men began impersonating U.S. law enforcement officials. Rothstein said the U.S. has not yet been able to verify the veracity of Ali’s claims to the witnesses.</blockquote></ref> <i>Inter-Services Intelligence</i> (ISI), and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied. Aim was to compromise and accessing information.<br />
<br />
===NATO war in Ukraine===<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
''[[Reuters]]'' reported that the heads of 22 diplomatic missions, including those of [[European Union]] member states, released a joint letter on March 1, 2022, urging Pakistan to support a resolution in the [[United Nations General Assembly]] (UNGA) condemning Russia. Pakistani prime minister [[Imran Khan]] responded at a public event in [[Islamabad]] saying, "What do you think of us? Are we your [[slave]]s ... that whatever you say, we will do?"<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistani-premier-hits-out-western-envoys-joint-letter-russia-2022-03-06/</ref> The US State Department encouraged the Pakistani government in a March 7, 2022, meeting to remove [[Imran Khan]] as [[prime minister]] over his neutrality on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to a classified Pakistani government document obtained by ''The Intercept''.<ref>https://theintercept.com/2023/08/09/imran-khan-pakistan-cypher-ukraine-russia/</ref><br />
<br />
==Defense==<br />
[[File:Pakistan armed forces.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Pakistan Day Parade.]]<br />
Pakistan has the world's eighth-largest armed forces, which is generally well trained and disciplined. However, budget constraints and nation-building duties have reduced Pakistan's training tempo, which if not reversed, could affect the operational readiness of the armed forces. Likewise, Pakistan has had an increasingly difficult time maintaining its aging fleet of U.S., Chinese, U.K., and French equipment. While industrial capabilities have expanded significantly, limited budget resources and sanctions have significantly constrained the government's efforts to modernize its armed forces. <br />
<br />
Until 1990, the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. The United States allocated about 40% of its assistance package to non-reimbursable credits for military purchases, the third-largest program behind Israel and Egypt. The remainder of the aid program was devoted to economic assistance. Sanctions put in place in 1990 denied Pakistan further military assistance due to the discovery of its program to develop nuclear weapons. Sanctions were tightened following Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to India's May 1998 tests and the military coup of 1999. Pakistan has remained a non-signatory of the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty. <br />
<br />
The events of September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's agreement to support the United States led to a waiver of the sanctions, and military assistance resumed to provide spare parts and equipment to enhance Pakistan's capacity to police its western border with Afghanistan and address its legitimate security concerns. In 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005.<br />
<br />
In 2018, the Trump Administration cut off aid to Pakistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Manora Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.jpg|thumb|300px|Manora, Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.]]<br />
<br />
With a per capita GDP of about $690 (current U.S. $), the World Bank considers Pakistan a low-income country. No more than 48.7% of adults are literate, and life expectancy is about 63 years. The population, currently about 165 million, is growing at 2.09% annually. <br />
<br />
In 2000, the government made significant macroeconomic reforms: Privatizing Pakistan's state-subsidized utilities, reforming the banking sector, instituting a world-class anti-money laundering law, cracking down on piracy of intellectual property, and moving to quickly resolving investor disputes. After September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's proclaimed commitment to fighting terror, many international sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, were lifted. Pakistan's economic prospects began to increase significantly due to unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance at the end of 2001. This trend is expected to continue through 2009. Foreign exchange reserves and exports grew to record levels after a sharp decline. The International Monetary Fund lauded Pakistan for its commitment in meeting lender requirements for a $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility loan, which it completed in 2004, forgoing the final permitted tranche. The Government of Pakistan has been successful in issuing sovereign bonds, and has issued $600 million in Islamic bonds, putting Pakistan back on the investment map. Pakistan's search for additional foreign direct investment has been hampered by concerns about the security situation, domestic and regional political uncertainties, and questions about judicial transparency. <br />
[[File:Boat Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Dhow in Karachi.]]<br />
U.S. assistance has played a key role in moving Pakistan's economy from the brink of collapse to setting record high levels of foreign reserves and exports, dramatically lowering levels of solid debt. Also, despite the earthquake in 2005, GDP growth remained strong at 6.6% in fiscal year 2005/2006. In 2002, the United States led Paris Club efforts to reschedule Pakistan's debt on generous terms, and in April 2003 the United States reduced Pakistan's bilateral official debt by $1 billion. In 2004, approximately $500 million more in bilateral debt was granted. Consumer price inflation eased slightly to an average of 8% in 2005/2006 from 9.3% in 2004/2005. <br />
<br />
Low levels of spending in the social services and high population growth have contributed to persistent poverty and unequal income distribution. The trends of resources being devoted to socioeconomic development and infrastructure projects have been improving since 2002, although expenditures remain below global averages. Pakistan's extreme poverty and underdevelopment are key concerns, especially in rural areas. The government has reined in the fiscal mismanagement that produced massive foreign debt, and officials have committed to using international assistance—including a major part of the $3 billion five-year U.S. assistance package—to address Pakistan's long-term needs in the health and education sectors. <br />
*GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $110.7 billion.<br />
*Real GDP growth rate (2005): 7.8%.<br />
*Per capita GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $690. <br />
*Natural resources: Arable land, natural gas, limited oil, substantial hydropower potential, coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone.<br />
*Agriculture: Products—wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, beef, mutton.<br />
*Industry: Types—textiles & apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, shrimp, fertilizer, and paper products.<br />
*Trade (2005 est.): Exports--$14.85 billion: textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, carpets, rugs, chemicals & manufactures. Major partners—U.S. 22.6%, United Arab Emirates 8.9%, U.K. 5.8%, China 5.4%, Germany 4.7%. Imports--$21.26 billion: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, paper and paper board, transportation equipment, edible oils, pulses, iron and steel, tea. Major partners—China 14.0%, Saudi Arabia 10.5%, United Arab Emirates 9.0%, Japan 6.2%, U.S. 5.1%, Kuwait 5.1%, Germany 4.9%. <br />
<br />
====Reform====<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan market.jpg|thumb|250px|Textile market on the sidewalks of Karachi.]]<br />
The government started pursuing market-based economic reform policies in the early 1980s. These reforms began to take hold in 1988, when the government launched an ambitious IMF-assisted structural adjustment program in response to chronic and unsustainable fiscal and external account deficits. The government began to remove barriers to foreign trade and investment, reform the financial system, ease foreign exchange controls, and privatize dozens of state-owned enterprises. <br />
<br />
Although the economy became more structurally sound, it remained vulnerable to external and internal shocks, such as in 1992–93, when devastating floods and political uncertainty combined to depress economic growth sharply. The Asian financial crisis seriously affected Pakistan's major markets for its textile exports. For example, average real GDP growth from 1992 to 1998 dipped to 4.1% annually. Economic reform also was set back by Pakistan's nuclear tests in May 1998, and the subsequent economic sanctions imposed by the G-7. International default was narrowly averted by the partial waiver of sanctions and the subsequent reinstatement of Pakistan's IMF enhanced structural adjustment facility/extended fund facility in early 1999, followed by Paris Club and London Club rescheduling. After taking power in late 1999, President Musharraf instituted policies to stabilize Pakistan's macroeconomic situation. Pakistan continues to struggle with these reforms, having mixed success, especially in reducing its budget and current account deficits.<br />
<br />
====Agriculture and Natural Resources====<br />
Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, hydroelectric potential, and natural gas reserves. About 28% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Agriculture accounts for about 21% of GDP and employs about 42% of the labor force. The most important crops are cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables, which together account for more than 75% of the value of total crop output. Despite intensive farming practices, Pakistan remains a net food importer. Pakistan exports rice, fish, fruits, and vegetables and imports vegetable oil, wheat, cotton (net importer), pulses, and consumer foods. <br />
<br />
The economic importance of agriculture has declined since independence, when its share of GDP was around 53%. Following the poor harvest of 1993, the government introduced agriculture assistance policies, including increased support prices for many agricultural commodities and expanded availability of agricultural credit. From 1993 to 1997, real growth in the agricultural sector averaged 5.7% but declined to less than 3% in 2005. Agricultural reforms, including increased wheat and oilseed production, play a central role in the government's economic reform package. Heavy rains in 2005 provided the benefit of larger than average cotton, wheat, and rice crops, but also caused damage due to flooding and avalanches. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, some proven oil reserves, coal, and large hydropower potential. However, exploitation of energy resources has been slow due to a shortage of capital and domestic and international political constraints. For instance, domestic gas and petroleum production totals only about half the country's energy needs, and dependence on imported oil contributes to Pakistan's persistent trade deficits and shortage of foreign exchange. The government announced that privatization in the oil and gas sector is a priority.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Industry====<br />
Pakistan's manufacturing sector accounts for about 25% of GDP. Cotton textile production and apparel manufacturing are Pakistan's largest industries, accounting for about 70% of total exports. Other major industries include food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, and paper products. As technology improves in the industrial sector, it continues to grow. In 2005/2006, the manufacturing sector grew by 8.6%. Despite government efforts to privatize large-scale parastatal units, the public sector continues to account for a significant proportion of industry. In the face of an increasing trade deficit, the government seeks to diversify the country's industrial base and bolster export industries. Net foreign investment in Pakistani industries is only 0.5% of GDP.<br />
==Recent==<br />
Imran Khan has been reveled as turning his leadership towards [[fascism]] and cracking down on the media too. <br />
<ref>[https://www.orfonline.org/research/how-imran-khan-unveiled-the-oxonian-version-of-pakistani-islamofascism/ How Imran Khan unveiled the Oxonian version of Pakistani ‘Islamofascism’], Sushant Sareen, August 4, 2020.<br />
<br><i><br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has proved to be a miserable failure who has in many ways turned the clock back for Pakistan.<br />
<br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has more or less functioned as a civilian version of the former military dictator Zia-ul-Haq.<br />
<br />
Hurting democracy<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, in the two years, he has been in office, Imran has caused more damage to Pakistan’s fledgeling democracy than any of his predecessors.<br />
<br />
Displaying fascist traits, he has crushed political dissent, victimised political opponents, muzzled the media, bludgeoned religious minorities, inserted the military in virtually every aspect of national life, unleashed a thought police which will decide what can be published and read in the country, neutered an already pliable and compromised judiciary, and of course, moved to Islamise an already Islamised country through the obnoxious Tahaffiz-e-buyaad-e-Islam law passed by the Punjab provincial assembly.<br />
<br />
The signs of Imran Khan’s fascist worldview were all over the place even before he was manoeuvred into the Prime Minister’s office by the military. That he was an intolerant and undemocratic person became clear during his dharna against the Nawaz Sharif government. The street language he used against his political opponents and the vile and vulgar behaviour he has displayed, and which he has always encouraged and promoted among his cronies (including members of government) revealed his mindset.<br />
<br />
Media as target...</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
In May, 2021, Muslim bigot Kanwal Shauzab colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party called for Jihad against Israel and praised [[Hitler]] for killing Jews.<ref>[https://www.thejc.com/news/world/pakistani-politician-praises-hitler-for-killing-jews-1.517034 Pakistani politician praises Hitler for killing Jews], JC, May 24, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>A colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party calls for Jihad against Israel.<br />
<br />
A parliamentary representative of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party has praised Hitler for killing Jews and a colleague of the same party has called for Jihad against Israel as the only solution.<br />
<br />
Discussing the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Pakistan National Assembly member Kanwal Shauzab said that Hitler was right to kill Jews and called for the use of nuclear weapons against Israel.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Islamic bigot [[Malik Faisal Akram]] hostage taking Jan/2022, exposed Pakistan's tentacles.<br />
<br />
From an analysis:<ref>N Singh, [https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/columnists/texas-crisis-exposes-pakistan---s-tentacles.html Texas crisis exposes Pakistan’s tentacles], ''Daily Pioneer'', 28 January 2022</ref><blockquote>This is a curious case, where a Government has so openly come out to support an Al Qaeda terrorist exposing its own nefarious designs, how Pakistan harbours Al Qaeda militants and uses them too, all the while giving false assurances to the Americans that it is helping them to finish Al Qaeda, which is very much active and calling shots more after lying low for some time until the Taliban consolidated its takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<br />
[[UN]] Watch recalls:<ref name=unwatch-31july2022>Hillel Neuer @HillelNeuer Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
<br />
[https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1553845432312373249 July 31, 2022]</ref><blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
Kothari has been accused by the United States, Czechia, Germany, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Australia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium, Italy<ref name=palwatch-2aug2022>Itamar Marcus and Maurice Hirsch, Adv., [https://palwatch.org/page/31869 PA chooses to side with Antisemitism and hate], ''Palwatch'', Aug 2, 2022<br />
<blockquote><br />
When the member of the recently established UN Human Rights Council "Commission of Inquiry," Miloon Kothari, expressed anti-Semitic hate speech and denial of Israel's right to be a UN member, 12 western democracies and the EU were quick to condemn him. Standing out in support of the hate speech was the Palestinian Authority, whose Foreign Ministry rushed to defend the Antisemitism and condemn Israel for condemning it. <br />
<br />
<i><br />
The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the attack of incitement and deception that [Israeli] occupation state transitional Prime Minister Yair Lapid carried out against the UN Human Rights Council investigative committee.” <br />
[WAFA, official PA news agency, Aug. 1, 2022] </i><br />
<br />
The countries that condemned the anti-Semitic hate of Kothari included, the USA, the UK, Canada, France, Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium and Italy. <br />
Significantly, while the PA was adamant to criticize Israel’s condemnation of the Antisemitism, it was silent about all the other condemnations, not wanting to insult its donors. <br />
<br />
Referring to that fact that Israel has predominantly ignored the openly biased agenda of the UN ...<br />
<br />
The reason the PA was so quick to defend Kothari, is because the statements he made predominantly reflect similar statements made over the years by PA officials. <br />
As Palestinian Media Watch has repeatedly shown, the PA constantly denies Israel’s right to exist and adopts the same anti-Semitic tropes.</blockquote></ref> and the president of the UNHRC of making antisemitic remarks disputing Israel's right to exist and supporting antisemitic conspiracy theories about the "Jewish Lobby" controlling social media.<ref>Tovah Lazaroff, [https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-713501 UNHRC President: Jewish Lobby remark is reasonably considered antisemitic], ''JPost'', July 30, 2022 .</ref><br />
See: [[United Nations#Miloon Kothari - UNHRC]]<br />
<br />
<font size=1>[Reminder, neither Islamic Pakistan nor Islamic Iran share any borders or have any "land disputes" with Israel.]</font><br />
<br />
====Foreign Trade and Aid====<br />
[[File:Islamabad wet road Pakistan.jpg|thumb|320px|left|[[Islamabad]], the capital city of Pakistan.]]<br />
Weak world demand for its exports and domestic political uncertainty have contributed to Pakistan's high trade deficit. In 2004, growth rebounded to approximately 6% with substantial improvement in public and external debt indicators and remained robust with 7.8% growth in 2005. Foreign reserves are at an all-time high of $11.5 billion. Pakistan's exports, which grew by 14.4% in 2005/2006, continue to be dominated by cotton textiles and apparel, despite government diversification efforts. Major imports include petroleum and petroleum products, edible oil, wheat, chemicals, fertilizer, capital goods, industrial raw materials, and consumer products, rising to 38.8% to $25.6 billion. External imbalance has left Pakistan with a growing foreign debt burden. The fiscal imbalance is reflected in a high level of total net public debt, which reached an estimated 92.6% of GDP in 2000–01, more than half involving external liabilities, but decreased to 72.7% in 2003. The fiscal deficit widened from 5.6% of GDP in 1994–95 to 7.7% in 1997-98 before declining to 4.5% in 2006. Despite a rise in tax collection, defense and development expenditure along with transfers to the provinces all rose in the 2006 budget, widening the deficit. Support for loss-making, state-owned enterprises and a weak domestic tax base are critical elements in the recurring fiscal deficits. The Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd. (PTCL) represented the largest of Pakistan's privatization programs for 2005. Despite its economic and political difficulties, Pakistan has taken steps to liberalize its trade and investment regimes, either unilaterally or in the context of commitments made with the World Trade Organization (WTO), IMF, and the World Bank. In 2004–2005, efforts in several crucial areas seemingly intensified, resulting in Pakistan becoming a more open and secure market for its trading partners. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has received significant loan/grant assistance from international financial institutions (e.g., the IMF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank) and bilateral donors, particularly after it began using its military/financial resources in the war on terror. The United States pledged $3 billion for FY 2005 to FY 2009 in economic and military aid to Pakistan. In addition, the IMF and World Bank have pledged $1 billion in loans to Pakistan. In 2004 to 2007 alone, the World Bank has pledged over $500 million in investment projects.<br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Cannibalism==<br />
Two Pakistani cannibal brothers Mohammad Arif Ali and Mohammed Farman Ali, were arrested for digging up more than 100 corpses from their local graveyard in order to eat them.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2604350/Boys-HEAD-home-Pakistani-cannibals-dug-100-corpses-local-graveyard-eaten-them.html</ref> Despite this and many other cases, Cannibalism is still legal in Pakistan.<ref>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2136498/bill-man-eaters-rots-cold-storage</ref><br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Mental Illness==<br />
It is estimated that over 50 million Pakistanis are mentally ill.<ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1288880</ref><br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Owen Bennett. ''Pakistan: Eye of the Storm'' (3rd ed. 2009)<br />
* Nawaz, Shuja. ''Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within'' (2008) 600pp [http://www.amazon.com/Crossed-Swords-Pakistan-Army-Within/dp/0195476603/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Shaikh, Farzana. ''Making Sense of Pakistan'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-Pakistan-Columbia-Hurst/dp/023114962X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253054909&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]<br />
<br />
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6663305.stm Pakistan Christians demand help], BBC News, 16 May 2007.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a [[Muslim]] [[Jihadism|jihadist]] police state<br />
*[[Malik Faisal Akram#Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis .22branch.22|Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis "branch"]]<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
*[[Star and Crescent]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2007/05/pakistani_nuclear_forces_2007.php Pakistani Nuclear Forces, 2007]<br />
*[http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/07/the_black_hole_of_pakistan The Black Hole of Pakistan.]<br />
<br />
<br />
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{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"<br />
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''<br />
|-<br />
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:<br />
|style=" background-color: none;"| <small>This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code</small><br />
|-<br />
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:<br />
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| <small>File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3453.htm]</small>}}}. <br />
|}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Indian History]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
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{{Terrorism}}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
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[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
[[Category:Nuclear Defense]]<br />
[[Category:Jihadism]]<br />
[[Category:Fascism]]<br />
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{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Balochistan_(country)&diff=2031055Balochistan (country)2024-03-06T03:14:31Z<p>Bytemsbu: Blanked the page</p>
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<div></div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Pakistan&diff=2031054Pakistan2024-03-06T03:14:07Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
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<div>{{Country<br />
|name =اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان<br />''Islāmī Jumhūrīyah Pākistān''<br />
|map =<br />
|map2 =Pakistan location.png<br />
|flag =Flag of Pakistan.png<br />
|arms =Arms of Pakistan.png<br />
|capital =Islamabad<br />
|capital-raw =<br />
|government =Semi-presidential republic<br />
|government-raw =<br />
|language =Urdu, English<br />
|king =<br />
|queen =<br />
|monarch-raw =<br />
|president = Arif Alvi<br />
|president-raw =<br />
|chancellor =<br />
|chancellor-raw =<br />
|pm = <br />
|pm-raw =Shehbaz Sharif<br/><br />
|area =340,403 sq mi<br />
|pop =220,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis =<br />
|gdp =$285,000,000,000 (2020)<br />
|gdp-year =<br />
|gdp-pc =$1,273 (2020)<br />
|currency =Rupee <br />
|idd =<br />
|tld =<br />
}}<br />
Pakistan, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''', is an Islamic fundamentalist country in South Asia created by the British for [[India]]n [[Muslim]]s on 14 August 1947, despite a significant [[opposition to the partition of India|opposition to the partition of colonial India]]. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. At the time of the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Hindus comprised over 23% of the population.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/india/2-yrs-after-it-counted-population-pakistan-silent-on-minority-numbers-6203547/</ref> However, Pakistan is currently 99% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native were slaughtered during the partition of India<ref>https://hindugenocide.com/islamic-jihad/4million-hindus-persecuted-west-pakistan-partition-plight-hindus-remained/</ref> Forced conversion of non-Muslims is rampant in Pakistan. The Global Human Rights Defense(GHRD) estimates that more than 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls are kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam annually in Pakistan.<ref>https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/hindus-pakistan-nobodys-children</ref> Pakistan is hostile to the United States and is one of the most anti-American countries.<ref>https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/on-pakistani-anti-americanism/</ref> Pakistan is allied with Communist [[China]].<ref>https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pakistans-alliance-china-comes-high-cost-149471</ref> The Pakistani [[ISI]] and Military are the real powers behind Pakistan and actively sponsors terrorism in Afghanistan against U.S. and Afghan troops.<ref>https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/09/pakistan-continues-to-harbor-taliban-including-al-qaeda-linked-haqqanis.php</ref><ref>https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FOIA-Reading-Room-Other-Available-Records/FileId/155424/</ref> Although Pakistan is regarded as a major non-Nato ally, this was due to Pakistan's lobbying efforts.<ref>https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/img-src-http-talkingpointsmemo-com-images-payne-musharraf-muck-jpg-vspace-5-hspace-5-align-left-stephen-payne-worked-for-pakistan-after-sept-11</ref> There have been attempts by Congress to remove Pakistan's major non-Nato ally status due to their support for terrorism.<ref>https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/73/text?format=txt</ref> Additionally, Pakistan engages in the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology to countries such as Iran and North Korea.<ref>https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004-04/features/closing-pandoras-box-pakistans-role-nuclear-proliferation</ref><ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/pakistan-sold-iran-nuke-tech-in-1980s-former-president-rafsanjani-reveals/</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[Image:Badshahi Mosque, Pakistan.jpg|thumb|260px|Badshahi Mosque.]]<br />
What is now Pakistan, along with parts of northwestern India, contains the archeological remains of an urban civilization dating back 4,500 years. Alexander the Great included the Indus Valley in his empire in 326 B.C., and his successors founded the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria based in what is today Afghanistan and extending to Peshawar. Following the rise of the Central Asian Kushan Empire in later centuries, the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan, centered on the city of Taxila just west of Islamabad, experienced a cultural renaissance known as the Gandhara period. <br />
<br />
Pakistan's Islamic history began with the arrival of Muslim traders in the 8th century in Sindh. The collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century provided an opportunity for the English East India Company to extend its control over much of the subcontinent. The Sikh adventurer, Ranjit Singh, carved out a dominion that extended from Kabul to Srinagar and Lahore, encompassing much of the northern area of modern Pakistan. British rule replaced the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th century. The British permitted the Hindu Maharaja of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, a Sikh appointee, to continue in power. <br />
<br />
The concept of "Pakistan" emerged from an extended period of agitation by the elite Muslims of India to gain power. These elite Muslims were backed by the British and founded the All India Muslim League in 1906. Initially, the League adopted the same objective as the Congress—self-government for India within the British Empire—but the League refused to accept United India. On the other hand, prominent Indian Muslim leaders, such as the Pashtun visionary Khan Abdbul Ghaffar Khan, as well as the Darul Uloom Deoband, supported a united India. After the partition of India, the government of Pakistan jailed Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan quite frequently and he was buried in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan====<br />
[[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]]<br />
The idea of a separate Muslim state in British India first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. This resolution was vehemently opposed by nationalist Indian Muslims represented by the [[All India Azad Muslim Conference]], who [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India]]; British officials, however, sidelined the All India Azad Muslim Conference.<ref name="Shodganga">{{cite web |title=Towards United and Federate India: 1940-47 |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/31090/10/10_chapter%205.pdf |accessdate=31 March 2019 |pages=193, 198 |language=English}}</ref> At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom realized that it could no longer hold on to India. The British wanted to maintain their imperialist influence over countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, so they decided to create Pakistan to give them a foothold in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) and Balochistan. Britain however encountered issues with doing this as the NWFP had elected a government from the Indian National Congress and not from the [[Muslim League]]. Therefore, Louis Mountbatten, with the help of his wife Edwina, talked Jawaharlal Nehru into agreeing to a referendum in the NWFP. Although it is claimed that 99% of the votes were in favor of Pakistan, there was widespread fraud and rigging done during the referendum. Khan Abdul Wali Khan the son of Ghaffar Khan cited that an old woman disclosed to him that she alone polled 52 votes in favor of Pakistan.<ref>https://drfakhrulislam.pk/referendum-in-nwfp-a-significant-chapter-of-freedom-movement/#_edn25</ref><ref>https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/britain-created-pakistan/20171102.htm</ref> In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947, Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. The British were ecstatic about the creation despite the uprooting of 20 million Indians from their homes where their forefathers had lived for a millennia. On August 15, The Times, London published the following editorial, ''"In the hour of its creation Pakistan emerges as the leading state of the Muslim world. Since the collapse of the Turkish empire that world, which extends across the globe from Morocco to Indonesia, has not included a state whose numbers, natural resources and place in history gave it undisputed pre-eminence. The gap is now filled. From today Karachi takes rank as a new centre of Muslim cohesion and rallying point of Muslim thought and aspirations".''<ref>https://indiafacts.org/partition-why-britain-created-pakistan/</ref> East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. Ahamadiyya and Shiite muslims were heavily involved in the creation of Pakistan.<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2019/12/how-ahmadiyyas-were-at-the-forefront-of-creation-of-pakistan-islam-all-you-need-to-know/</ref><ref>Fuchs, Simon Wolfgang (2019). In a Pure Muslim Land: Shi'ism between Pakistan and the Middle East. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-4696-4979-5. JSTOR 10.5149/9781469649818_fuchs</ref><br />
The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day.<br />
<br />
In 1948, the Pakistani military invaded and annexed Balochistan under orders from Muhammad Ali Jinnah.<ref>http://balochwarna.com/2020/03/27/the-slogan-of-pakistan-quit-balochistan/</ref><br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Independence====<br />
[[File:Muhammad Ali Jinnah.jpg|thumb|220px|Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his youth, in traditional dress.]]<br />
====Muhammad Zia ul-Haq====<br />
With increasing anti-government unrest, the army grew restive. On July 5, 1977, the military removed Bhutto from power and arrested him, declared martial law, and suspended portions of the 1973 Constitution. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Chief Martial Law Administrator and promised to hold new elections within 3 months. <br />
<br />
Zia released Bhutto and asserted that he could contest new elections scheduled for October 1977. However, after it became clear that Bhutto's popularity had survived his government, Zia postponed the elections and began criminal investigations of the senior PPP leadership. Subsequently, Bhutto was convicted and sentenced to death for an alleged conspiracy to murder a political opponent. Despite international appeals on his behalf, Bhutto was hanged on April 6, 1979. <br />
<br />
Zia assumed the presidency and called for elections in November. However, fearful of a PPP victory, Zia banned political activity in October 1979, and postponed national elections. This same year Zia also passed into law the Hudood Ordinance, which provides for harsh Quranic punishments for violations of Shari'a (Islamic law). <br />
<br />
In 1980, most center and left parties, led by the PPP, formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD demanded Zia's resignation, an end to martial law, new elections, and restoration of the Constitution, as it existed before Zia's takeover. In early December 1984, President Zia proclaimed a national referendum for December 19 on his "Islamization" program. After non-party based polls were held for the National and Provincial Assemblies in 1985, President Zia appointed Muhammad Khan Junejo as the Prime Minister. He implicitly linked approval of "Islamization" with a mandate for his continued presidency. Zia's opponents, led by the MRD, boycotted the elections. When the government claimed a 63% turnout, with more than 90% approving the referendum, many observers questioned the figures. <br />
<br />
====Sharif and Bhutto Civilian Governments====<br />
[[File:B Bhutto.jpg|thumb|left|Benazir Bhutto.]]<br />
On August 17, 1988, a plane carrying President Zia, American Ambassador Arnold Raphel, U.S. Brig. General Herbert Wassom, and 28 Pakistani military officers crashed on a return flight from a military equipment trial near Bahawalpur, killing all on board. In accordance with the Constitution, Chairman of the Senate Ghulam Ishaq Khan became Acting President and announced that elections scheduled for November 1988 would take place. Elections were held on a party basis. On one side was an eight-party alliance and on the other, the PPP. The PPP won 94 seats out of 207 and the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) won 54. Muhammad Khan Junejo lost from his home constituency. The president was bound to invite the PPP to from the government, but he delayed doing so for two weeks in order to give the IJI time to muster the support of other groups. Ultimately, the president asked PPP Co-chairperson [[Benazir Bhutto]] to form a government. <br />
<br />
The PPP, under Benazir Bhutto's leadership, succeeded in forming a coalition government with several smaller parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). <br />
<br />
Differing interpretations of constitutional authority, debates over the powers of the central government relative to those of the provinces, and the antagonistic relationship between the Bhutto administration and opposition governments in Punjab and Balochistan seriously impeded social and economic reform programs. Ethnic conflict, primarily in Sindh province, exacerbated these problems. A fragmentation in the governing coalition and the military's reluctance to support an apparently ineffectual and corrupt government were accompanied by a significant deterioration in law and order. <br />
<br />
In August 1990, President Khan, citing his powers under the eighth amendment to the Constitution, dismissed the Bhutto government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. New elections, held in October 1990, confirmed the political ascendancy of the IJI. In addition to a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, the alliance won control of all four provincial parliaments and enjoyed the support of the military and of President Khan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the PML, the most prominent party in the IJI, was elected prime minister by the National Assembly. <br />
<br />
Sharif emerged as the most secure and powerful Pakistani prime minister since the mid-1970s. Under his rule, the IJI achieved several important political victories. The implementation of Sharif's economic reform program; involving privatization, deregulation, and encouragement of private sector economic growth, greatly improved Pakistan's economic performance and business climate. The passage into law in May 1991 of a Shari'a bill, providing for widespread Islamization, legitimized the IJI government among much of Pakistani society. <br />
<br />
However, Nawaz Sharif was not able to reconcile the different objectives of IJI's constituent parties. The largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), abandoned the alliance because of its antagonism to what it regarded as PML hegemony. The government was weakened further by the military's suppression of the MQM, which had entered into coalition with the IJI to contain PPP influence, and allegations of corruption directed at Nawaz Sharif. In April 1993, President Khan, citing "maladministration, corruption, and nepotism" and espousal of political violence, dismissed the Sharif government, but the following month the Pakistan Supreme Court reinstated the National Assembly and the Nawaz Sharif government. Continued tensions between Sharif and Khan resulted in governmental gridlock and the Chief of Army Staff brokered an arrangement under which both the President and the Prime Minister resigned their offices in July 1993. <br />
<br />
An interim government, headed by Moeen Qureshi, a former World Bank Vice President, took office with a mandate to hold national and provincial assembly elections in October. Despite its brief term, the Qureshi government adopted political, economic, and social reforms that generated considerable domestic support and foreign admiration. <br />
<br />
In the October 1993 elections, the PPP won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, and Benazir Bhutto was asked to form a government. However, because it did not acquire a majority in the National Assembly, the PPP's control of the government depended upon the continued support of numerous independent parties, particularly the PML/J (Pakistan Muslim League-Junejo). The unfavorable circumstances surrounding PPP rule—the imperative of preserving a coalition government, the formidable opposition of Nawaz Sharif's PML/N (Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz) movement, and the insecure provincial administrations—presented significant difficulties for the government of Prime Minister Bhutto. However, the election of Prime Minister Bhutto's close associate, Farooq Leghari, as president in November 1993 gave her a stronger power base. <br />
[[File:Faisal mosque Pakistan.jpg|thumb|290px|Faisal mosque, Islamabad.]]<br />
In November 1996, President Leghari dismissed the Bhutto government, charging it with corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and implication in extrajudicial killings in Karachi. Elections in February 1997, resulted in an overwhelming victory for the PML/N, and President Leghari called upon Nawaz Sharif to form a government. In March 1997, with the unanimous support of the National Assembly, Sharif amended the Constitution, stripping the President of the power to dismiss the government and making his power to appoint military service chiefs and provincial governors contingent on the "advice" of the Prime Minister. Another amendment prohibited elected members from "floor crossing" or voting against party positions. The Sharif government also engaged in a protracted dispute with the judiciary, culminating in the storming of the Supreme Court by ruling party loyalists and the engineered dismissal of the Chief Justice and the resignation of President Leghari in December 1997. <br />
<br />
The new President elected by Parliament, Rafiq Tarar, was a close associate of the Prime Minister. A one-sided, anti-corruption campaign was used to target opposition politicians and critics of the regime. Similarly, the government moved to restrict press criticism and ordered the arrest and beating of prominent journalists. As domestic criticism of Sharif's administration intensified, Sharif attempted to replace Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999, with a family loyalist, Director General of the Interservice Intelligence Directorate, Lt. Gen. Ziauddin. Although General Musharraf was out of the country at the time, the army moved quickly to depose Sharif.<br />
<br />
====Pervez Musharraf====<br />
[[File:Pervez Musharraf.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Pervez Musharraf]].]]<br />
Following the October 12 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. On October 14, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Musharraf appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body, with mixed military/civilian appointees; a civilian Cabinet; and a National Reconstruction Bureau to formulate structural reforms. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On June 20, 2001, Musharraf named himself as president and was sworn in. <br />
<br />
After the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, Musharraf faked cooperation with the United States and provided support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.<ref>https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pervez-musharraf-was-playing-double-game-with-us-j0dxgv235j2</ref> In a referendum held on April 30, 2002, Musharraf's presidency was extended by five more years. The handover from military to civilian rule came with parliamentary elections in November 2002, and the appointment of a civilian prime minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. Having previously promised to give up his army post and become a civilian president, General Musharraf announced in late 2004 that he would retain his military role. In August 2004, Shaukat Aziz was sworn in as prime minister, having won a parliamentary vote of confidence, 191 of 342 votes, in which the opposition abstained. <br />
<br />
On October 8, 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Islamabad. An estimated 75,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were left homeless. The disaster of such a huge magnitude galvanized an international rescue and reconstruction effort in support of the affected region. The earthquake cost Pakistan $1.1 billion on resettling those affected.<br />
<br />
====Assassination of Benazir Bhutto====<br />
Bhutto returned to Pakistan in the fall of 2007 after a self-imposed exile, seeking to win popular support for a return to office as prime minister, in addition to highlighting the military rule of Musharraf. On December 27, 2007, she was assassinated at a rally in Rawalpindi.<br />
====Shehbaz Sharif====<br />
The brother of a disgraced prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz has been plagued by corruption allegations of his own.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/04/01/who-is-shehbaz-sharif-pakistans-opposition-leader Who is Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s opposition leader?], Economist, Aor 1, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
Shahbaz has been criticized for maintaining "good ties" with hardline Islamic groups, a claim denied by his party.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/shahbaz-sharif-who-is-pakistans-likely-next-pm/a-39950580 Shahbaz Sharif - Who is Pakistan's likely next PM?], DW, 03.08.2017.</ref><br />
<br />
==Persecution of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan==<br />
{{main|Persecution of Christians in Pakistan}}<br />
{{main|Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan}}<br />
==Disputed Territories==<br />
===Balochistan===<br />
{{main|Balochistan(Country)}}<br />
<br />
===Khyber Pakhtunkhwa===<br />
The Durand Line was created in 1893 by the British after the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Afghanistan, however, has never recognized the Durand Line.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20130510142126/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/10/24/no-change-stance-durand-line-faizi</ref><br />
<br />
===Sindhudesh===<br />
{{main|Sindhudesh Freedom Movement}}<br />
<br />
==People==<br />
[[File:Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah Karachi 2007.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah, Karachi, 2007.]]<br />
The majority of Pakistan's population lives in the Indus River valley and in an arc formed by the cities of Faisalabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and Peshawar. Although Urdu (Hindustani) is an official language of Pakistan, it is spoken as a first language by only 8% of the population; 48% speak Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 10% Saraiki, 8% Pushtu, 3% Baloch, and 3% other. Urdu, Punjabi, Pushtu, and Baloch are Indo-European languages. English is the other official language, and is widely used in government, commerce, the officer ranks of the military, and in many institutions of higher learning. <br />
*Population (2008 est.): 162 million, plus 2 million refugees from Afghanistan<br />
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.09%.<br />
*Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtun, Baloch, Muhajir (i.e., Urdu-speaking immigrants from India and their descendants), Saraiki, and Hazara.<br />
*Religions: Muslim 97%; small minorities of Christians, Hindus, and others.<br />
*Languages: Urdu (national and official), English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu, Baloch, Hindko, Brahui, Saraiki (Punjabi variant).<br />
*Education: Literacy (2004 est.)--48.7%; male 61.7%; female 35.2%. <br />
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--68.84/1,000. Life expectancy (2006 est.)--men 62.73 yrs., women 64.83 yrs.<br />
*Work force (2004 est.): Agriculture—42%; services—38%; industry—20%.<br />
<br />
==Government and Political Conditions==<br />
[[File:Aiwane Sadr Presidency official residence of the President of Pakistan.jpeg|thumb|300px|Residence of the President of Pakistan.]]<br />
Pervez Musharraf ran Pakistan from 1999, when as army chief he ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After losing the support of the army, and in the face of impeachment threats, Musharraf resigned in August 2008. He was replaced by President Asif Ali Zardari (b. 1955) of the PPP party.<ref>A playboy, in 1987 he married [[Benazir Bhutto]] (1953-2007), leader of the PPP party. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the daughter of former president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77). She served two terms as prime minister, in 1988–90 and in 1993–96. They had three children. Zadari spent three years in prison and is called “Mr. Ten Percent" because of his fondness for cash kickbacks on government contracts.</ref> However Zardari was so weak in late 2009 that his government seems near collapse. In November 2009 Zardari relinquished his position in Pakistan's nuclear command structure, turning it over to the prime minister, in what appeared to be an effort to avoid impeachment or prosecution, and retain at least a figurehead post. Zardari is head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Party (PML-N), taking over after the assassination in 2007 of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazar Bhutto.<br />
<br />
===Parties===<br />
[[File:Farooq Naek Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Farooq Naek, Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan.]]<br />
The Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) are national political parties, while the Muttahid Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)--an umbrella group of six religious parties, including the Jamaat-il-Islami—gained significant influence during the 2002 election. After those elections, the Pakistani political system remained highly fragmented, with no group winning a substantial majority of seats in the national assembly, and religious groups banding together in the MMA to earn a significant portion of seats for the first time. In the 2008 elections, the PPP won 121 seats, the PML-N won 91, and Mushariff's supporters won only 54 sears.<br />
<br />
===Constitution===<br />
The Pakistan Constitution of 1973, amended substantially in 1985 under Zia ul-Haq, was suspended by the military government in October 1999. It was restored on December 31, 2002. The president is chosen for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies. <br />
===Prime Minister office===<br />
The prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a four-year term. The bicameral parliament—or Majlis-e-Shoora—consists of the Senate (100 seats; members are indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 60 seats reserved for women, 10 seats reserved for minorities; members elected by popular vote serve four-year terms). Each of the four provinces—Punjab, Sindh, Northwest Frontier, and Balochistan—has a Chief Minister and provincial assembly. The Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are administered by the federal government but enjoy considerable autonomy. The cabinet, National Security Council, and governors serve at the president's discretion.<br />
<br />
The position of Pakistani Prime Minister has been compared to being a boy king with no real power.<br />
<br />
===Judiciary===<br />
[[File:Punjab University Lahore Pakistan.jpg|thumb|250px|Punjab University, Lahore.]]<br />
The judicial system comprises a Supreme Court, provincial high courts, and Federal Islamic (or Shari'a) Court. The Supreme Court is Pakistan's highest court. The president appoints the chief justice and they together determine the other judicial appointments. Each province has a high court, the justices of which are appointed by the president after conferring with the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the provincial chief justice. The judiciary is proscribed from issuing any order contrary to the decisions of the President. Federal Sharia Court hears cases that primarily involve Sharia, or Islamic law. Legislation enacted in 1991 gave legal status to Sharia. Although Sharia was declared the law of the land, it did not replace the existing legal code.<br />
<br />
===Provinces, minorities===<br />
According to the constitution, Pakistan is a federation of four provinces: Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab, and Sindh. Governors appointed by the president head the provinces. There is also the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and the Islamabad Capital Territory, which consists of the capital city of Islamabad. These areas and territory are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Northern Areas are administered as a de facto "Union Territory" and are treated as an integral part of Pakistan. The Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir, a separate and autonomous government that maintains strong ties to Pakistan. <br />
<br />
Pakistan is a country with very poor human rights record, particularly against minorities such as [[Christian]]s, [[Hindu]]s, [[Jew]]s.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060822/23922.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_pakis.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.domini.org/openbook/pak20020925.htm]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.missio-aachen.de/menschen-kulturen/nachrichten/Sangla_Hill_attack_continues_to_draw_condemnation.asp]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4928]</ref><ref>[http://www.christianresponse.org/articles/291/cartoon-protestors-in-pakistan-target-christians]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.michnews.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/242/11159]</ref><br />
<br />
In Dec 2021, ''Pakistan Christian Post'' warned about the manipulation by the OIC and Pakistan:<ref>[http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/opinion-details/3944 Hem Raj], Dec 20, 2021</ref><blockquote><br />
The USA (the leader of the free world) should not get blackmailed by these threats of Pakistan which tantamount to saying that the militant jihadis of Afghanistan (may be in cooperation with militant Jihadis of Pakistan and from other countries) will wreak havoc not only in the neighborhood of Afghanistan but beyond it also, if the demand of Pakistan about Afghanistan are not met especially by the West lead by the USA.<br />
Pakistan as per the first resolution of the OIC wants the West led by the USA to merely provide money and other relief to Afghans who are facing humanitarian crises. No doubt the majority of these about 38 million Afghans need such help but the members of the OIC (specially oil rich countries) can easily provide such relief. The 57 Muslim countries of OIC do not need Christian West led by the USA to provide such urgent relief to Muslim Afghanistan.</blockquote><br />
<br />
===Principal Government Officials===<br />
*President—Mamnoon Hussain<br />
*Prime Minister (head of government)-- was Imran Khan<br />
<!--outdated *Minister of Foreign Affairs--Khurshid Kasuri--><br />
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Husain Haqqani<ref>http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/dpl/spring_summer2008/110047.htm</ref><br />
<!--outdated *Ambassador to the UN--Munir Akram--><br />
In Mar 2022, [[Imran Khan]] was removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote.<ref>[https://www.axios.com/pakistan-imran-khan-removed-prime-minister-no-confidence-6b9722ea-dc5f-43a5-8c04-7d19c44a5320.html Pakistan's Imran Khan removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote], Axios, Apr 8, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Lt -Gen -Ahmad-Shuja-Pasha Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the director general of the country's spy agency.]]<br />
<br />
===Foreign Relations===<br />
After September 11, 2001, Pakistan's prominence in the international community increased significantly, as it pledged its alliance with the U.S. in the war on terror and made a commitment to eliminate terrorist camps on its territory. Historically, Pakistan has had difficult and volatile relations with India, long-standing close relations with China, extensive security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf, and wide-ranging bilateral relations with the United States and other Western countries. It expresses a strong desire for a stable Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====India====<br />
[[File:Flags of India and Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Flags of India and Pakistan at the border.]]<br />
Since partition, relations between Pakistan and India have been characterized by rivalry and suspicion. Although many issues divide the two countries, the most sensitive one since independence has been the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. <br />
<br />
At the time of partition, the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu, though ruled by a Hindu Maharajah, had a significant Muslim population (along with large amounts of Buddhists and Hindus). When the Maharajah hesitated in acceding to either Pakistan or India in 1947, tribesmen from Pakistan invaded the Kashmir region in an attempt to forcibly annex the region to Pakistan. In exchange for military assistance in containing the revolt, the Kashmiri ruler offered his allegiance to India. Indian troops defended the eastern portion of Kashmir, including its capital, Srinagar, while the western part became occupied by Pakistan. <br />
<br />
India submitted this dispute to the United Nations on January 1, 1948. One year later, the UN arranged a cease-fire along a line dividing Kashmir but leaving the northern end of the line not demarcated and the Vale of Kashmir (with the majority of the population) under Indian control. India and Pakistan agreed to a resolution that called for a UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the state's future This plebiscite has not occurred because the main precondition, the withdrawal of both nations’ forces from Kashmir, has failed to take place. <br />
<br />
Full-scale hostilities erupted in September 1965, when India alleged that insurgents trained and supplied by Pakistan were operating in India-controlled Kashmir. Hostilities ceased 3 weeks later, following mediation efforts by the UN and interested countries. In January 1966, the leaders of India and Pakistan met in Tashkent, U.S.S.R., and agreed to attempt a peaceful settlement of Kashmir and their other differences. <br />
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|thumb|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]<br />
Following the 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict, President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met in the hill station of Shimla, India, in July 1972. They agreed to a line of control in Kashmir resulting from the December 17, 1971, cease-fire, and endorsed the principle of settlement of bilateral disputes through peaceful means. In 1974, Pakistan and India agreed to resume postal and telecommunications linkages and to enact measures to facilitate travel. Trade and diplomatic relations were restored in 1976 after a hiatus of 5 years. <br />
<br />
India's nuclear test in 1974 generated great uncertainty in Pakistan and is generally acknowledged to have been the impetus for Pakistan's nuclear weapons development program. In 1983, the Pakistani and Indian Governments accused each other of aiding separatists in their respective countries—Sikhs in India's Punjab state and Sindhis in Pakistan's Sindh province. In April 1984, tensions erupted after troops were deployed to the Siachen Glacier, a high-altitude, desolate area close to the China border not demarcated by the cease-fire agreement (Karachi Agreement) signed by Pakistan and India in 1949. <br />
<br />
Tensions diminished after Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in November 1984 and after a group of Sikh hijackers was brought to trial by Pakistan in March 1985. In December 1985, President Zia and Prime Minister Gandhi pledged not to attack each other's nuclear facilities. A formal "no attack" agreement was signed in January 1991. In early 1986, the Indian and Pakistani Governments began high-level talks to resolve the Siachen Glacier border dispute and to improve trade. <br />
<br />
Bilateral tensions increased in early 1990, when Kashmiri militants began a campaign of violence against Indian Government authority in Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequent high-level bilateral meetings relieved the tensions between India and Pakistan, but relations worsened again after the destruction of the Ayodhya mosque by Hindu extremists in December 1992 and terrorist bombings in Bombay in March 1993. Talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries in January 1994 ended in deadlock. <br />
More recently, the Indo-Pakistani relationship has veered sharply between rapprochement and conflict. After taking office in February 1997, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved to resume official dialog with India. A number of meetings at the foreign secretary and prime ministerial level took place, with positive atmospherics but little concrete progress. The relationship improved markedly when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee traveled to Lahore for a summit with Sharif in February 1999. There was considerable hope that the meeting could lead to a breakthrough. <br />
<br />
In spring 1999, infiltrators from Pakistan occupied positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the remote, mountainous area of Kashmir near Kargil, threatening the ability of India to supply its forces on Siachen Glacier. By early summer, serious fighting flared in the Kargil sector. The infiltrators withdrew following a meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Clinton in July. Relations between India and Pakistan were particularly strained during the 1999 coup in Islamabad. Then, just weeks after the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, an attack on India's Parliament on December 13 further strained this relationship.<br />
<br />
====Better relations since 2004====<br />
The prospects for better relations between India and Pakistan improved in early January 2004 when a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) permitted India's Prime Minister Vajpayee to meet with President Musharraf. Both leaders agreed to establish a Composite Dialogue to resolve their disputes. The Composite Dialogue focuses on eight issues: confidence building measures, Kashmir, Wullar barrage, promotion of friendly exchanges, Siachen glacier, Sir creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, and economic and commercial cooperation. <br />
<br />
Relations further improved when President Musharraf met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York in October 2004. Additional steps aimed at improving relations were announced when Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh visited Islamabad in February 2005 and in April 2005 when President Musharraf traveled to India to view a cricket match and hold discussions. In a further display of improved relations, bus service commenced from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to Srinagar in April 2005. After a destructive earthquake hit the Kashmir region in October 2005, the two countries cooperated with each other to deal with the humanitarian crisis. <br />
<br />
Musharraf and Singh last met in September 2006, when they condemned all acts of terrorism and agreed to continue the search for options acceptable to both sides for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The foreign secretaries of both nations opened the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue in Islamabad on March 13–14, 2007. <br />
<br />
====Afghanistan====<br />
[[File:Afghan Pakistani NATO.jpg|thumb|320px|Afghan - Pakistani - NATO 29th Tripartite Commission, 2009.]]<br />
Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Pakistani Government, with American encouragement and Saudi money, played a vital role in supporting the Afghan resistance movement and assisting Afghan refugees. After the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989, Pakistan, with cooperation from the world community, continued to provide extensive support for displaced Afghans. Continued turmoil in Afghanistan prevented the refugees from returning to their country. In 1999, more than 1.2 million registered Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan. By 2009 there are 2 million refugees living in squalid camps. Pakistan was one of three countries to recognize the Taliban regime of Afghanistan. International pressure after September 11, 2001, prompted Pakistan to reassess its relations with the Taliban regime and support the U.S. and international coalition in Operation Enduring Freedom to remove the Taliban from power. Pakistan has publicly expressed its support to Afghanistan's President Karzai and has pledged $100 million toward Afghanistan's reconstruction. Both nations are also working to strengthen cooperation along their rugged border, including making preparations to hold joint jirgas in their restive border areas.<br />
<br />
Pakistan was linked with the rise of [[Taliban]] in Afghanistan. In Sep/2021, protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Former [[Afghanistan]] President Hamid Karzai stated in Dec 2021: Afghanistan has been facing [[ISIS]] threat from Pakistan. Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's remarks on terrorism in his country.<ref>[https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/afghanistan-has-been-facing-isis-threat-from-pakistan-hamid-karzai-121122000153_1.html Afghanistan has been facing ISIS threat from Pakistan: Hamid Karzai], Business Standard, Dec 20, 2021.<blockquote><br />
Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on terrorism in his country, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday said that the landlocked country has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.<br />
At the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Sunday, Imran Khan had said ISIS threatens Pakistan from Afghanistan, adding that stability in Afghanistan is necessary. “We have had attacks from (the) Afghan border, from ISIL (ISIS), into Pakistan,” he said.<br />
Reacting to Khan’s remarks, the former Afghan president said these allegations are not true, TOLOnews reported. ISIS from the beginning has been threatening Afghanistan from Pakistan, not the other way around, Karzai added.<br />
“These remarks are not true, and are obvious propaganda against Afghanistan,” Karzai said in a statement. “In fact, from the beginning, Afghanistan has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.”<br />
Earlier, Karzai had warned Pakistan not to interfere in Kabul’s internal affairs. He had said that Islamabad should not encourage terrorism or extremism rather should establish relations with the country through “civil principles and principles of international relations.”<br />
“My message to Pakistan, our brotherly country, is that they should not try to represent Afghanistan,” he said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) in October.<br />
Pakistan organised a summit of foreign ministers from the OIC on Sunday. An OIC resolution released after the meeting said the Islamic Development Bank would lead the effort to free up assistance by the first quarter of 2022, Al Jazeera reported…</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====China====<br />
In 1950, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the Communist [[China]] (PRC). Following the Sino-Indian hostilities of 1962, Pakistan's relations with China became stronger; since then, the countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in various agreements. China has provided economic, military, and technical assistance to Pakistan. Favorable relations with China have been a pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy. The PRC strongly supported Pakistan's opposition to Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and is perceived by Pakistan as a regional counterweight to India and Russia.<br />
<br />
The port at Gwadar on the Indian Ocean in the disputed territory of Balochistan is a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative. It's part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor—or CPEC. It aims to give China access to the Indian Ocean. An official CPEC roadway and energy pipeline shows plans to link Gwadar with China's [[Xinjiang]] Autonomous region. A 2020 US Naval War College study however says, Chinese analysts have come to view the plan as not viable. According to reports, “Shipping and industrial activity at the port are negligible. And for the vast majority of Gwadar’s residents, conditions are unchanged or worse.” China's fishing trawler fleet has devastated the ocean and forced local fishermen out. And many of the promised benefits from the CPEC have not happened. Major projects—including a vocational training center, medical hospital, and desalination plant—have either been delayed, scaled-down, or dropped. Large scale protests among the local population erupted.<br />
<br />
====Iran and the Persian Gulf====<br />
Historically, Pakistan has had close geopolitical and cultural-religious linkages with Iran. However, strains in the relationship appeared following the Iranian revolution. Pakistan and Iran supported different factions in the Afghan conflict. Also, some Pakistanis suspect Iranian government support for the sectarian violence that has plagued Pakistan. However, relations between the countries have improved since their policies toward Afghanistan have converged with the fall of the Taliban. Both countries contend that they are on the road to strong and lasting friendly relations. <br />
<br />
Pakistan historically has provided military personnel to strengthen Gulf-state defenses and to reinforce its own security interests in the area.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|280px|Karachi.]]<br />
The United States and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1947. The U.S. agreement to provide economic and military assistance to Pakistan and the latter's partnership in the Baghdad Pact/CENTO and SEATO strengthened relations between the nations. However, the U.S. suspension of military assistance during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war generated a widespread feeling in Pakistan that the United States was not a reliable ally. Even though the United States suspended military assistance to both countries involved in the conflict, the suspension of aid affected Pakistan much more severely. Gradually, relations improved, and arms sales were renewed in 1975. Then, in April 1979, the United States cut off economic assistance to Pakistan, except food assistance, as required under the Symington Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, due to concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program. <br />
<br />
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the common interest of Pakistan and the United States in peace and stability in South Asia. In 1981, the United States and Pakistan agreed on a $3.2 billion military and economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened threat to security in the region and its economic development needs. <br />
<br />
Recognizing national security concerns and accepting Pakistan's assurances that it did not intend to construct a nuclear weapon, Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on military assistance to Pakistan. In March 1986, the two countries agreed on a second multi-year (FY 1988–93) $4 billion economic development and security assistance program. On October 1, 1990, however, the United States suspended all military assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not possess a nuclear explosive device." <br />
[[File:Pakistani soldier.jpg|thumb|180px|Pakistani soldier.]]<br />
Several incidents of violence against American officials and U.S. mission employees in Pakistan have marred the relationship. In November 1979, false rumors that the United States had participated in the seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca provoked a mob attack on the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in which the chancery was set on fire resulting in the loss of life of American and Pakistani staff. In 1989, an attack on the American Center in Islamabad resulted in six Pakistanis being killed in crossfire with the police. In March 1995, two American employees of the consulate in Karachi were killed and one wounded in an attack on the home-to-office shuttle. In November 1997, four U.S. businessmen were brutally murdered while being driven to work in Karachi. In March 2002 a suicide attacker detonated explosives in a church in Islamabad, killing two Americans associated with the Embassy and three others. There were also unsuccessful attacks by terrorists on the Consulate General in Karachi in May 2002. Another bomb was detonated near American and other businesses in Karachi in November 2005, killing three people and wounding 15 others. On March 2, 2006, a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives as a vehicle carrying an American Foreign Service officer passed by on its way to Consulate Karachi. The diplomat, the consulate's locally employed driver and three other people were killed in the blast; 52 others were wounded. <br />
<br />
The decision by India to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act, which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was subsequently limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance. <br />
<br />
Since the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan has played a double game with the U.S. in Afghanistan. Pakistan will claim that they are an "ally" in the War on Terror by handing over a few Al-Qaeda fighters but at the same time provides material and financial support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/10302946</ref> The United States has stepped up its economic assistance to Pakistan, providing debt relief and support for a major effort for education reform. During President Musharraf's visit to the United States in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005. <br />
<br />
Following the region's tragic October 8, 2005 earthquake, the United States responded immediately and generously to Pakistan's call for assistance. The response was consistent with U.S. humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan. At the subsequent reconstruction conference in Islamabad on November 19, 2005, the U.S. announced a $510 million commitment to Pakistan for earthquake relief and reconstruction, including humanitarian assistance, military support for relief operations, and anticipated U.S. private contributions. <br />
<br />
President Bush and President Musharraf have affirmed the long-term, strategic partnership between their two countries. In 2004, the United States recognized closer bilateral ties with Pakistan by designating Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally. President Bush visited Pakistan in March 2006, where he and President Musharraf reaffirmed their shared commitment to a broad and lasting strategic partnership, agreeing to continue their cooperation on a number of issues including: the war on terror, security in the region, strengthening democratic institutions, trade and investment, education, and earthquake relief and reconstruction. <br />
<br />
The United States and Pakistan concluded the sale to Pakistan of F-16 aircraft in late 2006, expecting Pakistan to use them to "fight terrorism". President Musharraf visited Washington in September 2006, where he held a bilateral meeting with President Bush and also participated in a trilateral meeting with President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Under President Trump, the United States has suspended aid to Pakistan over their support for terrorism in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
In October 2022 Pakistan issued a formal ''[[demarche]]'' to the United States when [[Joe Biden]] said that Pakistan<br />
may be one of the most dangerous countries in the world because it has [[nuclear weapons]].<ref>https://youtu.be/vm3lzZ8Oslk</ref><br />
<br />
====Osama Bin Laden====<br />
On May 2, 2011, United States special forces raided a private compound in [[Abbottabad]], Pakistan, 62 miles north of [[Islamabad]]. That evening, President Obama announced that [[Osama bin Laden]] had been killed in the raid.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama</ref> Reaction within Pakistan was mixed, with some calling it a welcome end to the life of a mass murderer, and others calling it a disturbing violation of national sovereignty.<ref>http://www.christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_5080.html</ref><br />
<br />
Although the Pakistani government had long insisted that Osama bin Laden was not hiding in their country,<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/03/brown-praises-pakistan-terrorism-fight</ref><ref>http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-02-07/pakistan/27281957_1_al-qaeda-pakistan-president-pervez-musharraf-state-colin-powell</ref> U.S. intelligence estimated in 2011 that bin Laden had been hiding there for five to six years,<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13268517</ref> and counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan said it was "inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system" in the country. A leaked email from 2012 involving a Stratfor analyst revealed that Osama Bin Laden was in routine contact with the Pakistani [[Inter-Services Intelligence]].<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9109457/Stratfor-Osama-bin-Laden-was-in-routine-contact-with-Pakistans-spy-agency.html</ref> Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari responded with an op-ed to the Washington Post, rejecting claims that his government helped Al-Qaeda by writing "such baseless speculation may make exciting cable news, but it doesn’t reflect fact."<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/pakistan-did-its-part/2011/05/02/AFHxmybF_story.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Secret Service plot====<br />
In March 2022, two Muslim men, (Iranian) Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and (Pakistani) Haider Ali, 35, were arrested<ref>Katelyn Caralle, [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10696133/How-fake-DHS-agents-spent-18-MONTHS-trying-infiltrate-Secret-Service-Jill-Bidens-detail.html How 'fake' DHS agents spent 18 MONTHS trying to 'infiltrate Secret Service and Jill Biden's detail'], Daily Mail Online, Apr 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote>Two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied.</blockquote></ref> for impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington. The two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence<ref>Michael Balsamo, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-man-impersonated-agent-claimed-ties-to-pakistani-intel/2022/04/07/6f49f666-b6a9-11ec-8358-20aa16355fb4_story.html US: Man impersonated agent, claimed ties to Pakistani intel]," ''AP'', via ''WaPo'', April 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
WASHINGTON — One of two men accused of impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington has claimed to have ties to Pakistani intelligence and had visas showing travel to Pakistan and Iran, federal prosecutors said Thursday.<br />
<br />
The men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested Wednesday. The FBI raided a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where the men were staying and had been offering free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents and officers.<br />
<br />
During a court appearance Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said Ali had told witnesses that he was affiliated with the Inter-Services Intelligence agency in Pakistan and that he had multiple visas from Pakistan and Iran in the months before prosecutors believe the men began impersonating U.S. law enforcement officials. Rothstein said the U.S. has not yet been able to verify the veracity of Ali’s claims to the witnesses.</blockquote></ref> <i>Inter-Services Intelligence</i> (ISI), and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied. Aim was to compromise and accessing information.<br />
<br />
===NATO war in Ukraine===<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
''[[Reuters]]'' reported that the heads of 22 diplomatic missions, including those of [[European Union]] member states, released a joint letter on March 1, 2022, urging Pakistan to support a resolution in the [[United Nations General Assembly]] (UNGA) condemning Russia. Pakistani prime minister [[Imran Khan]] responded at a public event in [[Islamabad]] saying, "What do you think of us? Are we your [[slave]]s ... that whatever you say, we will do?"<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistani-premier-hits-out-western-envoys-joint-letter-russia-2022-03-06/</ref> The US State Department encouraged the Pakistani government in a March 7, 2022, meeting to remove [[Imran Khan]] as [[prime minister]] over his neutrality on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to a classified Pakistani government document obtained by ''The Intercept''.<ref>https://theintercept.com/2023/08/09/imran-khan-pakistan-cypher-ukraine-russia/</ref><br />
<br />
==Defense==<br />
[[File:Pakistan armed forces.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Pakistan Day Parade.]]<br />
Pakistan has the world's eighth-largest armed forces, which is generally well trained and disciplined. However, budget constraints and nation-building duties have reduced Pakistan's training tempo, which if not reversed, could affect the operational readiness of the armed forces. Likewise, Pakistan has had an increasingly difficult time maintaining its aging fleet of U.S., Chinese, U.K., and French equipment. While industrial capabilities have expanded significantly, limited budget resources and sanctions have significantly constrained the government's efforts to modernize its armed forces. <br />
<br />
Until 1990, the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. The United States allocated about 40% of its assistance package to non-reimbursable credits for military purchases, the third-largest program behind Israel and Egypt. The remainder of the aid program was devoted to economic assistance. Sanctions put in place in 1990 denied Pakistan further military assistance due to the discovery of its program to develop nuclear weapons. Sanctions were tightened following Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to India's May 1998 tests and the military coup of 1999. Pakistan has remained a non-signatory of the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty. <br />
<br />
The events of September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's agreement to support the United States led to a waiver of the sanctions, and military assistance resumed to provide spare parts and equipment to enhance Pakistan's capacity to police its western border with Afghanistan and address its legitimate security concerns. In 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005.<br />
<br />
In 2018, the Trump Administration cut off aid to Pakistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Manora Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.jpg|thumb|300px|Manora, Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.]]<br />
<br />
With a per capita GDP of about $690 (current U.S. $), the World Bank considers Pakistan a low-income country. No more than 48.7% of adults are literate, and life expectancy is about 63 years. The population, currently about 165 million, is growing at 2.09% annually. <br />
<br />
In 2000, the government made significant macroeconomic reforms: Privatizing Pakistan's state-subsidized utilities, reforming the banking sector, instituting a world-class anti-money laundering law, cracking down on piracy of intellectual property, and moving to quickly resolving investor disputes. After September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's proclaimed commitment to fighting terror, many international sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, were lifted. Pakistan's economic prospects began to increase significantly due to unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance at the end of 2001. This trend is expected to continue through 2009. Foreign exchange reserves and exports grew to record levels after a sharp decline. The International Monetary Fund lauded Pakistan for its commitment in meeting lender requirements for a $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility loan, which it completed in 2004, forgoing the final permitted tranche. The Government of Pakistan has been successful in issuing sovereign bonds, and has issued $600 million in Islamic bonds, putting Pakistan back on the investment map. Pakistan's search for additional foreign direct investment has been hampered by concerns about the security situation, domestic and regional political uncertainties, and questions about judicial transparency. <br />
[[File:Boat Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Dhow in Karachi.]]<br />
U.S. assistance has played a key role in moving Pakistan's economy from the brink of collapse to setting record high levels of foreign reserves and exports, dramatically lowering levels of solid debt. Also, despite the earthquake in 2005, GDP growth remained strong at 6.6% in fiscal year 2005/2006. In 2002, the United States led Paris Club efforts to reschedule Pakistan's debt on generous terms, and in April 2003 the United States reduced Pakistan's bilateral official debt by $1 billion. In 2004, approximately $500 million more in bilateral debt was granted. Consumer price inflation eased slightly to an average of 8% in 2005/2006 from 9.3% in 2004/2005. <br />
<br />
Low levels of spending in the social services and high population growth have contributed to persistent poverty and unequal income distribution. The trends of resources being devoted to socioeconomic development and infrastructure projects have been improving since 2002, although expenditures remain below global averages. Pakistan's extreme poverty and underdevelopment are key concerns, especially in rural areas. The government has reined in the fiscal mismanagement that produced massive foreign debt, and officials have committed to using international assistance—including a major part of the $3 billion five-year U.S. assistance package—to address Pakistan's long-term needs in the health and education sectors. <br />
*GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $110.7 billion.<br />
*Real GDP growth rate (2005): 7.8%.<br />
*Per capita GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $690. <br />
*Natural resources: Arable land, natural gas, limited oil, substantial hydropower potential, coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone.<br />
*Agriculture: Products—wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, beef, mutton.<br />
*Industry: Types—textiles & apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, shrimp, fertilizer, and paper products.<br />
*Trade (2005 est.): Exports--$14.85 billion: textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, carpets, rugs, chemicals & manufactures. Major partners—U.S. 22.6%, United Arab Emirates 8.9%, U.K. 5.8%, China 5.4%, Germany 4.7%. Imports--$21.26 billion: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, paper and paper board, transportation equipment, edible oils, pulses, iron and steel, tea. Major partners—China 14.0%, Saudi Arabia 10.5%, United Arab Emirates 9.0%, Japan 6.2%, U.S. 5.1%, Kuwait 5.1%, Germany 4.9%. <br />
<br />
====Reform====<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan market.jpg|thumb|250px|Textile market on the sidewalks of Karachi.]]<br />
The government started pursuing market-based economic reform policies in the early 1980s. These reforms began to take hold in 1988, when the government launched an ambitious IMF-assisted structural adjustment program in response to chronic and unsustainable fiscal and external account deficits. The government began to remove barriers to foreign trade and investment, reform the financial system, ease foreign exchange controls, and privatize dozens of state-owned enterprises. <br />
<br />
Although the economy became more structurally sound, it remained vulnerable to external and internal shocks, such as in 1992–93, when devastating floods and political uncertainty combined to depress economic growth sharply. The Asian financial crisis seriously affected Pakistan's major markets for its textile exports. For example, average real GDP growth from 1992 to 1998 dipped to 4.1% annually. Economic reform also was set back by Pakistan's nuclear tests in May 1998, and the subsequent economic sanctions imposed by the G-7. International default was narrowly averted by the partial waiver of sanctions and the subsequent reinstatement of Pakistan's IMF enhanced structural adjustment facility/extended fund facility in early 1999, followed by Paris Club and London Club rescheduling. After taking power in late 1999, President Musharraf instituted policies to stabilize Pakistan's macroeconomic situation. Pakistan continues to struggle with these reforms, having mixed success, especially in reducing its budget and current account deficits.<br />
<br />
====Agriculture and Natural Resources====<br />
Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, hydroelectric potential, and natural gas reserves. About 28% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Agriculture accounts for about 21% of GDP and employs about 42% of the labor force. The most important crops are cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables, which together account for more than 75% of the value of total crop output. Despite intensive farming practices, Pakistan remains a net food importer. Pakistan exports rice, fish, fruits, and vegetables and imports vegetable oil, wheat, cotton (net importer), pulses, and consumer foods. <br />
<br />
The economic importance of agriculture has declined since independence, when its share of GDP was around 53%. Following the poor harvest of 1993, the government introduced agriculture assistance policies, including increased support prices for many agricultural commodities and expanded availability of agricultural credit. From 1993 to 1997, real growth in the agricultural sector averaged 5.7% but declined to less than 3% in 2005. Agricultural reforms, including increased wheat and oilseed production, play a central role in the government's economic reform package. Heavy rains in 2005 provided the benefit of larger than average cotton, wheat, and rice crops, but also caused damage due to flooding and avalanches. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, some proven oil reserves, coal, and large hydropower potential. However, exploitation of energy resources has been slow due to a shortage of capital and domestic and international political constraints. For instance, domestic gas and petroleum production totals only about half the country's energy needs, and dependence on imported oil contributes to Pakistan's persistent trade deficits and shortage of foreign exchange. The government announced that privatization in the oil and gas sector is a priority.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Industry====<br />
Pakistan's manufacturing sector accounts for about 25% of GDP. Cotton textile production and apparel manufacturing are Pakistan's largest industries, accounting for about 70% of total exports. Other major industries include food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, and paper products. As technology improves in the industrial sector, it continues to grow. In 2005/2006, the manufacturing sector grew by 8.6%. Despite government efforts to privatize large-scale parastatal units, the public sector continues to account for a significant proportion of industry. In the face of an increasing trade deficit, the government seeks to diversify the country's industrial base and bolster export industries. Net foreign investment in Pakistani industries is only 0.5% of GDP.<br />
==Recent==<br />
Imran Khan has been reveled as turning his leadership towards [[fascism]] and cracking down on the media too. <br />
<ref>[https://www.orfonline.org/research/how-imran-khan-unveiled-the-oxonian-version-of-pakistani-islamofascism/ How Imran Khan unveiled the Oxonian version of Pakistani ‘Islamofascism’], Sushant Sareen, August 4, 2020.<br />
<br><i><br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has proved to be a miserable failure who has in many ways turned the clock back for Pakistan.<br />
<br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has more or less functioned as a civilian version of the former military dictator Zia-ul-Haq.<br />
<br />
Hurting democracy<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, in the two years, he has been in office, Imran has caused more damage to Pakistan’s fledgeling democracy than any of his predecessors.<br />
<br />
Displaying fascist traits, he has crushed political dissent, victimised political opponents, muzzled the media, bludgeoned religious minorities, inserted the military in virtually every aspect of national life, unleashed a thought police which will decide what can be published and read in the country, neutered an already pliable and compromised judiciary, and of course, moved to Islamise an already Islamised country through the obnoxious Tahaffiz-e-buyaad-e-Islam law passed by the Punjab provincial assembly.<br />
<br />
The signs of Imran Khan’s fascist worldview were all over the place even before he was manoeuvred into the Prime Minister’s office by the military. That he was an intolerant and undemocratic person became clear during his dharna against the Nawaz Sharif government. The street language he used against his political opponents and the vile and vulgar behaviour he has displayed, and which he has always encouraged and promoted among his cronies (including members of government) revealed his mindset.<br />
<br />
Media as target...</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
In May, 2021, Muslim bigot Kanwal Shauzab colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party called for Jihad against Israel and praised [[Hitler]] for killing Jews.<ref>[https://www.thejc.com/news/world/pakistani-politician-praises-hitler-for-killing-jews-1.517034 Pakistani politician praises Hitler for killing Jews], JC, May 24, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>A colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party calls for Jihad against Israel.<br />
<br />
A parliamentary representative of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party has praised Hitler for killing Jews and a colleague of the same party has called for Jihad against Israel as the only solution.<br />
<br />
Discussing the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Pakistan National Assembly member Kanwal Shauzab said that Hitler was right to kill Jews and called for the use of nuclear weapons against Israel.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Islamic bigot [[Malik Faisal Akram]] hostage taking Jan/2022, exposed Pakistan's tentacles.<br />
<br />
From an analysis:<ref>N Singh, [https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/columnists/texas-crisis-exposes-pakistan---s-tentacles.html Texas crisis exposes Pakistan’s tentacles], ''Daily Pioneer'', 28 January 2022</ref><blockquote>This is a curious case, where a Government has so openly come out to support an Al Qaeda terrorist exposing its own nefarious designs, how Pakistan harbours Al Qaeda militants and uses them too, all the while giving false assurances to the Americans that it is helping them to finish Al Qaeda, which is very much active and calling shots more after lying low for some time until the Taliban consolidated its takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<br />
[[UN]] Watch recalls:<ref name=unwatch-31july2022>Hillel Neuer @HillelNeuer Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
<br />
[https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1553845432312373249 July 31, 2022]</ref><blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
Kothari has been accused by the United States, Czechia, Germany, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Australia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium, Italy<ref name=palwatch-2aug2022>Itamar Marcus and Maurice Hirsch, Adv., [https://palwatch.org/page/31869 PA chooses to side with Antisemitism and hate], ''Palwatch'', Aug 2, 2022<br />
<blockquote><br />
When the member of the recently established UN Human Rights Council "Commission of Inquiry," Miloon Kothari, expressed anti-Semitic hate speech and denial of Israel's right to be a UN member, 12 western democracies and the EU were quick to condemn him. Standing out in support of the hate speech was the Palestinian Authority, whose Foreign Ministry rushed to defend the Antisemitism and condemn Israel for condemning it. <br />
<br />
<i><br />
The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the attack of incitement and deception that [Israeli] occupation state transitional Prime Minister Yair Lapid carried out against the UN Human Rights Council investigative committee.” <br />
[WAFA, official PA news agency, Aug. 1, 2022] </i><br />
<br />
The countries that condemned the anti-Semitic hate of Kothari included, the USA, the UK, Canada, France, Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium and Italy. <br />
Significantly, while the PA was adamant to criticize Israel’s condemnation of the Antisemitism, it was silent about all the other condemnations, not wanting to insult its donors. <br />
<br />
Referring to that fact that Israel has predominantly ignored the openly biased agenda of the UN ...<br />
<br />
The reason the PA was so quick to defend Kothari, is because the statements he made predominantly reflect similar statements made over the years by PA officials. <br />
As Palestinian Media Watch has repeatedly shown, the PA constantly denies Israel’s right to exist and adopts the same anti-Semitic tropes.</blockquote></ref> and the president of the UNHRC of making antisemitic remarks disputing Israel's right to exist and supporting antisemitic conspiracy theories about the "Jewish Lobby" controlling social media.<ref>Tovah Lazaroff, [https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-713501 UNHRC President: Jewish Lobby remark is reasonably considered antisemitic], ''JPost'', July 30, 2022 .</ref><br />
See: [[United Nations#Miloon Kothari - UNHRC]]<br />
<br />
<font size=1>[Reminder, neither Islamic Pakistan nor Islamic Iran share any borders or have any "land disputes" with Israel.]</font><br />
<br />
====Foreign Trade and Aid====<br />
[[File:Islamabad wet road Pakistan.jpg|thumb|320px|left|[[Islamabad]], the capital city of Pakistan.]]<br />
Weak world demand for its exports and domestic political uncertainty have contributed to Pakistan's high trade deficit. In 2004, growth rebounded to approximately 6% with substantial improvement in public and external debt indicators and remained robust with 7.8% growth in 2005. Foreign reserves are at an all-time high of $11.5 billion. Pakistan's exports, which grew by 14.4% in 2005/2006, continue to be dominated by cotton textiles and apparel, despite government diversification efforts. Major imports include petroleum and petroleum products, edible oil, wheat, chemicals, fertilizer, capital goods, industrial raw materials, and consumer products, rising to 38.8% to $25.6 billion. External imbalance has left Pakistan with a growing foreign debt burden. The fiscal imbalance is reflected in a high level of total net public debt, which reached an estimated 92.6% of GDP in 2000–01, more than half involving external liabilities, but decreased to 72.7% in 2003. The fiscal deficit widened from 5.6% of GDP in 1994–95 to 7.7% in 1997-98 before declining to 4.5% in 2006. Despite a rise in tax collection, defense and development expenditure along with transfers to the provinces all rose in the 2006 budget, widening the deficit. Support for loss-making, state-owned enterprises and a weak domestic tax base are critical elements in the recurring fiscal deficits. The Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd. (PTCL) represented the largest of Pakistan's privatization programs for 2005. Despite its economic and political difficulties, Pakistan has taken steps to liberalize its trade and investment regimes, either unilaterally or in the context of commitments made with the World Trade Organization (WTO), IMF, and the World Bank. In 2004–2005, efforts in several crucial areas seemingly intensified, resulting in Pakistan becoming a more open and secure market for its trading partners. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has received significant loan/grant assistance from international financial institutions (e.g., the IMF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank) and bilateral donors, particularly after it began using its military/financial resources in the war on terror. The United States pledged $3 billion for FY 2005 to FY 2009 in economic and military aid to Pakistan. In addition, the IMF and World Bank have pledged $1 billion in loans to Pakistan. In 2004 to 2007 alone, the World Bank has pledged over $500 million in investment projects.<br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Cannibalism==<br />
Two Pakistani cannibal brothers Mohammad Arif Ali and Mohammed Farman Ali, were arrested for digging up more than 100 corpses from their local graveyard in order to eat them.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2604350/Boys-HEAD-home-Pakistani-cannibals-dug-100-corpses-local-graveyard-eaten-them.html</ref> Despite this and many other cases, Cannibalism is still legal in Pakistan.<ref>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2136498/bill-man-eaters-rots-cold-storage</ref><br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Mental Illness==<br />
It is estimated that over 50 million Pakistanis are mentally ill.<ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1288880</ref><br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Owen Bennett. ''Pakistan: Eye of the Storm'' (3rd ed. 2009)<br />
* Nawaz, Shuja. ''Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within'' (2008) 600pp [http://www.amazon.com/Crossed-Swords-Pakistan-Army-Within/dp/0195476603/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Shaikh, Farzana. ''Making Sense of Pakistan'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-Pakistan-Columbia-Hurst/dp/023114962X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253054909&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]<br />
<br />
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6663305.stm Pakistan Christians demand help], BBC News, 16 May 2007.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a [[Muslim]] [[Jihadism|jihadist]] police state<br />
*[[Malik Faisal Akram#Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis .22branch.22|Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis "branch"]]<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
*[[Star and Crescent]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2007/05/pakistani_nuclear_forces_2007.php Pakistani Nuclear Forces, 2007]<br />
*[http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/07/the_black_hole_of_pakistan The Black Hole of Pakistan.]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"<br />
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''<br />
|-<br />
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:<br />
|style=" background-color: none;"| <small>This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code</small><br />
|-<br />
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:<br />
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| <small>File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3453.htm]</small>}}}. <br />
|}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Indian History]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
<br />
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{{Terrorism}}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
[[Category:Nuclear Defense]]<br />
[[Category:Jihadism]]<br />
[[Category:Fascism]]<br />
<br />
{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Afghanistan&diff=2011017Afghanistan2023-12-17T17:01:19Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{country<br />
|map=Afghan.jpg<br />
|map2=<br />
|flag=Flag of Afghanistan.jpg<br />
|capital=Kabul<br />
|government=<br />
|language=Dari, Pashto<br />
|monarch=walla<br />
|president-raw=<br />
|chancellor=<br />
|pm=<br />
|area=652,230 sq. mi.<br />
|pop=39,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis=<br />
|gdp-year=$27.36 billion<br />
|gdp-pc=$620 <br />
|currency=afghani<br />
|idd=+93<br />
|tld=.af<br />
}}<br />
'''Afghanistan''' (Pashto/Dari: افغانستان)<!--, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Afghanistan''',--><ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20061013231925/https://www.president.gov.af/ (Archived 2006)/</ref> is a country in [[South Asia]] which borders the Arabian Sea to the south, India to the east and [[Iran]] to the west. Afghanistan was the scene of the defeat of the [[Soviet Union]] in the [[Soviet-Afghan war]] of 1979–1988. In the 1990s an extremist Islamic [[Taliban]] movement took control and allowed Osama bin-Laden and his Al-Qaeda to operate there and plan the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] on the U.S. An international invasion led by the U.S. overthrew the Taliban in 2001, but they have rebuilt strongholds in the south, along the Pakistan border, and have escalated the insurgency. '''''In August 2021, the Taliban retook control of the entire country amid [[Biden]]'s botched pullout of [[American]] troops'''''. Amid the chaos allowed by Biden, a terrorist attack on August 26, 2021, at the [[Kabul]] airport in Afghanistan killed 12 American soldiers and injured 15 more.<br />
<br />
Since August 15, 2021, Afghanistan is under the control of the Taliban,<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/world/taliban-take-over-afghanistan-whats-next</ref> as the [[Biden Junta]] withdrew [[American]] forces from the country in a way that enabled its nearly immediate recapture by the [[Taliban]]. <br />
As part of the Islamic jihadist Taliban blitzkrieg, kids were shot in front of their parents and Hazaras were massacred. They also posed for pictures after capturing the Presidential palace.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/15/taliban-assumes-control-of-afghanistan-reports/ Taliban takes control of presidential palace, poses for pictures inside]<br />
Mark Moore and Jorge Fitz-Gibbon, NYPost,<br />
August 15, 2021</ref><ref name=mid-day>[https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/taliban-shooting-kids-in-front-of-their-parents-23186832 Taliban shooting kids in front of their parents] Mid-Day, Aug 8, 2021.<br />
''According to local media reports, the Taliban have murdered more than 40 civilians in Malistan in the past one week. Most of these civilians were Hazaras.''</ref> It has become a great humiliation<ref>[https://news.walla.co.il/item/3454321 Biden let Afghanistan manage on its own against the Taliban. It ended in great humiliation than Vietnam]<br />
''The US president wanted to end the long war in American history on the symbolic date of September 11. Instead, al-Qaeda allies will celebrate the occupation of the country, which fell faster than Saigon in 1975.''<br />
Guy Elster, Walla, 16 August 2021.</ref> in the way Biden handled it. Total failure.<ref name="Aug 15, 2021">Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) Tweeted:<br />
Thinking about the last time I left the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. It was dangerous then. I can only imagine what is happening now. Biden totally screwed this up. https://t.co/R4PSQnEvhM [https://twitter.com/ScottWalker/status/1426948442471944204?s=20 Aug 15, 2021]</ref> <br />
<br />
A tenth of Biden's Afghanistan aid goes to the Taliban.<ref>D Greenfield, "[https://www.jns.org/opinion/a-tenth-of-bidens-afghanistan-aid-will-go-to-the-taliban/ A tenth of Biden’s Afghanistan aid will go to the Taliban]", JNS, September 23, 2021.<br><i><br />
Why are American taxpayers funding the Taliban?<br />
Deborah Lyons, the head of the United Nations mission in Afghanistan, met with Sirajuddin Haqqani, a wanted terrorist with the Haqqani Network, a Taliban component with close ties to Al-Qaeda.<br />
<br />
Lyons had served as Canada’s ambassador in Kabul when the Taliban carried out a suicide bombing against a Canadian embassy convoy. Lyons put up a monument to the security contractors who were wounded and killed, but they sued after being abandoned afterwards.</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[File:Brzezinski Taliban.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Zbigniew Brzezinski meets with the Mujahideen Taliban, 1979.<ref>https://youtu.be/kYvO3qAlyTg</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|History of Afghanistan}}<br />
The word Afghanistan originates from the Sanskrit word "Upa-Gana-stan" which translates in English to "the place inhabited by allied tribes".<ref>https://resonantnews.com/2021/08/25/a-story-of-betrayal-of-upa-gana-stan-afghanistan/</ref> Modern day Afghanistan was part of Ancient India and was ruled by Hindu Kings up until 980 A.D. The Afghans have a 2500-year tradition of strongly distrusting—and fighting—armed outsiders.<br />
<br />
Afghanistan, often called the crossroads of Central Asia, has had a turbulent history. In 328 BC, Alexander the Great entered the territory of present-day Afghanistan, then part of the Persian Empire, to capture Bactria (present-day Balkh). Invasions by the Scythians, White Huns, and Turks followed in succeeding centuries. In AD 642, Arabs invaded the entire region and introduced Islam. <br />
<br />
Arab rule gave way to the Persians, who controlled the area until conquered by the Turkic Ghaznavids in 998. Mahmud of Ghazni (998-1030) consolidated the conquests of his predecessors and turned Ghazni into a great cultural center as well as a base for frequent forays into India. Following Mahmud's short-lived dynasty, various princes attempted to rule sections of the country until the destructive Mongol invasion of 1219 led by Genghis Khan. <br />
<br />
Following Genghis Khan's death in 1227, a succession of petty chiefs and princes struggled for supremacy until late in the 14th century, when one of his descendants, Tamerlane, incorporated Afghanistan into his own vast Asian empire. Babur, a descendant of Tamerlane and the founder of India's Moghul dynasty at the beginning of the 16th century, made Kabul the capital of an Afghan principality. <br />
<br />
===The Taliban===<br />
:{{See also|Women under the Taliban}}<br />
[[File:Taliban enter Kabul airport.jpg|left|300px|thumb|Taliban enter Kabul airport after US departure, August 31, 2021.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/08/future-us-taliban-relations/184976/</ref>]]<br />
The Taliban had risen to power in the mid '90s in reaction to the anarchy and warlordism that arose after the withdrawal of Soviet forces. Many Taliban had been educated in madrassas in Pakistan and were largely from rural southern Pashtun backgrounds. In 1994, the Taliban developed enough strength to capture the city of Kandahar from a local warlord and proceeded to expand its control throughout Afghanistan, occupying Kabul in September 1996. By the end of 1998, the Taliban occupied about 90% of the country, limiting the opposition largely to a small mostly Tajik corner in the northeast and the Panjshir valley. <br />
<br />
The Taliban sought to impose an extreme interpretation of Islam—based upon the rural Pashtun tribal code—on the entire country and committed massive human rights violations, particularly directed against women and girls. The Taliban also committed serious atrocities against minority populations, particularly the Shi'a Hazara ethnic group, and killed noncombatants in several well-documented instances. In March 2001, as part of a drive against relics of Afghanistan's pre-Islamic past, the Taliban destroyed two Buddha statues carved into cliff faces outside of the city of Bamiyan. <br />
<br />
From the mid-1990s the Taliban provided sanctuary to Osama bin Laden, a Saudi national who had fought with the mujahideen resistance against the Soviets, and provide a base for his and other terrorist organizations. Bin Laden provided both financial and political support to the Taliban. Bin Laden and his Al-Qaida group were charged with the bombing of the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam in 1998, and in August 1998 the United States launched a cruise missile attack against bin Laden's terrorist camp in southeastern Afghanistan. Bin Laden and Al-Qaida have acknowledged their responsibility for the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States. <br />
[[File:Build Back Better.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Taliban announcing its Build Back Better program on Afghan TV, August 29, 2021.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/afghan-tv-host-tells-public-not-to-be-afraid-and-cooperate-while-surrounded-by-taliban-with-guns/</ref><ref>[https://youtu.be/YkcaeaD45MY "Build Back Better"]</ref> ]]<br />
Following the Taliban's repeated refusal to expel bin Laden and his group and end its support for international terrorism, the U.S. and its partners in the anti-terrorist coalition began a military campaign on October 7, 2001, targeting terrorist facilities and various Taliban military and political assets within Afghanistan. On October 22, 2001, Sen. [[Joseph Biden]] of Delaware gave a speech insisting that U.S. goals—rooting out al-Qaeda and helping establish a friendly successor government to the Taliban—would require U.S. ground troops far beyond the small number of Special Forces already in place.<ref>Sen. Biden: "I think the American public and the Islamic world is fully prepared for us to take as long as we need to take. If it is action that is a mano-a-mano. If it's us on the ground going against other forces on the ground. The part that I think flies in the face of, and plays into every stereotypical criticism of us, is where this high tech bully that thinks from the air we can do whatever you want to do. And it builds the case, for those who want to make the case against us, that all we're doing is indiscriminately bombing innocents. Which is not the truth. Some innocents are indiscriminately bombed. But that is not the truth. I think the American public is prepared for a long siege. I think the American public has prepared for American losses. I think the American public is prepared, and the president must continue to remind them to be prepared, for American body bags coming home. There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing." [https://www.c-span.org/video/?166841-1/us-response-terrorist-attacks @59:43]</ref> Under pressure from U.S. military and anti-Taliban forces, the Taliban disintegrated rapidly, and Kabul fell on November 13, 2001. <br />
<br />
Afghan factions opposed to the Taliban met at a United Nations-sponsored conference in Bonn, Germany in December 2001 and agreed to restore stability and governance to Afghanistan—creating an interim government and establishing a process to move toward a permanent government. Under the "Bonn Agreement," an Afghan Interim Authority was formed and took office in Kabul on December 22, 2001, with Hamid Karzai as chairman. The Interim Authority held power for approximately 6 months while preparing for a nationwide "Loya Jirga" (Grand Council) in mid-June 2002 that decided on the structure of a Transitional Authority. The Transitional Authority, headed by President Hamid Karzai, renamed the government as the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). One of the TISA's primary achievements was the drafting of a constitution that was ratified by a Constitutional Loya Jirga on January 4, 2004.<br />
<br />
===US-Afghan war 2001-2021===<br />
{{See also|Afghan War}}<br />
<br />
[[Operation Enduring Freedom]] easily defeated the Taliban in late 2001 and it seemed the war was over quickly. But the Taliban regrouped, especially in the southern provinces, with sanctuaries inside neighboring [[Pakistan]] in remote areas where the government of Pakistan had little authority. By 2003 the insurgency in the south was in operation, funded by [[opium]] production. Important factors for the return of insurgency include the initial mistakes made in 2001; radical Islamic support from Pakistan; weaknesses of the [[Hamid Karzai]] government, especially its feeble and corrupt national army and police; the question of legitimacy and offenses to traditional tribal and [[Islam]]ic values and beliefs; and, finally, the extent to which NATO forces became part of the problem by angering the tribes. The insurgency controlled numerous areas and engaged in terror attacks on civilians and guerrilla warfare against American and NATO forces. [[Al-Qaeda]] terrorists—the only [[Arab]]s in Afghanistan—had been welcomed by the Taliban in 1999 and built their bases there. They have been largely destroyed or fled to Pakistan, according to the U.S. Army, having fewer than 100 people left in Afghanistan.<br />
<br />
Seven years after the overthrow of the Taliban, America and NATO forces were still fighting Taliban forces in parts of the country, especially in the south.<ref>[http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=October&x=20061025171329MVyelwarC0.6853144 U.S. Department of State, Vince Crawley, October 25, 2006, "NATO's Jones Urges Focus on Afghan Reconstruction, Rule of Law"] <sub>''"On July 31, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) took control of Afghanistan’s volatile southern provinces, part of a larger plan for NATO to provide security for the entire country. The handover was accompanied by an upsurge of violence against international forces."''</sub></ref> There was no sign that Western troops would be withdrawing from Afghanistan in the foreseeable future. Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry, commander of the United States coalition forces stated his commitment to accomplishing the mission, saying, "The United States will not leave Afghanistan until the Afghan people tell us the job is done. The war on terrorism began here in Afghanistan and it continues today. We must never forget that."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/01/world/asia/01afghan.html New York Times, CARLOTTA GALL, August 1, 2006, "U.S. Hands Southern Afghan Command to NATO"]</ref><br />
<br />
In Aug. 2009, General [[Stanley A. McChrystal]], the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said the Afghan government was riddled with corruption and NATO was being undermined by tactics that alienate civilians. He called the Taliban insurgency "a muscular and sophisticated enemy" that uses modern propaganda and systematically reaches into Afghanistan's prisons to recruit members and even plan operations. He said official corruption is as much of a threat as the insurgency to the mission of the '''International Security Assistance Force''', or ISAF, as the U.S.-led NATO coalition is widely known. The weakness of state institutions, malign actions of power-brokers, widespread corruption and abuse of power by various officials, and ISAF's own errors, have given Afghans little reason to support their government," McChrystal reported. <br />
<br />
McChrystal told Washington that he urgently needs more forces within the next year; without them, he warned, the eight-year conflict "will likely result in failure." By November no decision had been made on the urgent request.<ref>Bob Woodward, "McChrystal: More Forces or 'Mission Failure'' [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/20/AR2009092002920.html ''Washington Post,'' Sept 21, 2009]</ref> <br />
<br />
The 2009 presidential election was badly tainted by fraud. Former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, the main opponent of President [[Hamid Karzai]], pulled out of the runoff in November, and Karzai was declared reelected for another five-year term. His legitimacy and support was seriously weakened by the election frauds, but the U.S., [[NATO]], and the [[United Nations|UN]] have agreed to keep him in power.<br />
<br />
====Afghan Republic 2001-2021====<br />
Three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, on October 3, 2001, Sen. Joseph Biden, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, proposed a billion dollars in aid to a yet to be formed Afghan interim government. The amount was almost twice as much as U.N. General Secretary [[Kofi Annan]] proposed and more than triple what the Bush administration asked for.<ref>Sen. Biden: "U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan has issued an appeal for $584 million to meet the needs of the Afghan refugees and displaced people, within Afghanistan and in neighboring countries. This is the amount deemed necessary to stave off disaster for the winter, which will start in Afghanistan in just a few weeks. We must back up our rhetoric with action, with something big and bold and meaningful. We can offer to foot the entire bill for keeping the Afghan people safely fed, clothed, and sheltered this winter, and that should be the beginning....We can kick the effort off in a way that would silence our critics in the rest of the world: a check for $1 billion, and a promise for more to come as long as the rest of the world joins us. This initial amount would be more than enough to meet all the refugees’ short-term needs, and would be a credible downpayment for the long-term effort. Eventually the world community will have to pony up more billions, but there is no avoiding that now, not if we expect our words ever to carry any weight.<br>If anyone thinks this amount of money is too high, let me note one stark, simple and very sad statistic. The damage inflicted by the September 11 attack in economic terms alone was a minimum of several hundred billion dollars and a maximum of over $1 trillion. The cost in human life, of course, as the Presiding Officer knows, is far beyond any calculation. [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2001-pt13/pdf/CRECB-2001-pt13-issue-2001-10-03.pdf Pg. 18464]</ref> Harmid Karzai formed an interim government on 22 December 2001 until elections could be held after the removal of Taliban rule by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces. On January 10, 2002, Joe Biden arrived in Afghanistan on a four-day fact-finding visit and met with Karzai.<ref>https://www.army.mil/article/50258/biden_meets_karzai_visits_troops_in_afghanistan</ref> In 2002 and 2003, when Afghan tribal councils gathered to write a new constitution, the U.S. government gave “nice packages” to delegates who supported Washington's preferred stance. “The perception that was started in that period: If you were going to vote for a position that Washington favored, you’d be stupid to not get a package for doing it,” according to a U.S. official who served in Kabul at the time.<ref name="washingtonpost.com">https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/investigations/afghanistan-papers/afghanistan-war-corruption-government/</ref><br />
<br />
On October 9, 2004, Afghanistan held its first national democratic presidential election. More than 8 million Afghans voted, 41% of whom were women. [[Hamid Karzai]] was the winner and was inaugurated on December 7 for a five-year term as Afghanistan's first democratically elected president. In 2014 [[Ashraf Ghani]] was elected as new president of Afghanistan and held office until the fall of Kabul in August 2021.<br />
<br />
====Nation building====<br />
Three weeks after the 9/11 attacks, on October 3, 2001, Sen. [[Joseph Biden]] of Delaware proposed on the Senate floor a billion dollars in aid to a yet-to-be-formed Afghan interim government. The amount was almost twice as much as U.N. General Secretary [[Kofi Annan]] proposed,<ref>Sen. Biden: "U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan has issued an appeal for $584 million to meet the needs of the Afghan refugees and displaced people, within Afghanistan and in neighboring countries. This is the amount deemed necessary to stave off disaster for the winter, which will start in Afghanistan in just a few weeks. We must back up our rhetoric with action, with something big and bold and meaningful. We can offer to foot the entire bill for keeping the Afghan people safely fed, clothed, and sheltered this winter, and that should be the beginning....We can kick the effort off in a way that would silence our critics in the rest of the world: a check for $1 billion, and a promise for more to come as long as the rest of the world joins us. This initial amount would be more than enough to meet all the refugees’ short-term needs, and would be a credible downpayment for the long-term effort. Eventually the world community will have to pony up more billions, but there is no avoiding that now, not if we expect our words ever to carry any weight.<br>If anyone thinks this amount of money is too high, let me note one stark, simple and very sad statistic. The damage inflicted by the September 11 attack in economic terms alone was a minimum of several hundred billion dollars and a maximum of over $1 trillion. The cost in human life, of course, as the Presiding Officer knows, is far beyond any calculation." [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRECB-2001-pt13/pdf/CRECB-2001-pt13-issue-2001-10-03.pdf CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE—Wednesday, October 3, 2001], Pg. 18464.</ref> and more than triple what the Bush administration asked for.<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/04/biden-iraq-invasion-america-afghanistan/618640/ The Original Sin of the War in Afghanistan], By Jonah Blank, ''The Atlantic'', APRIL 20, 2021.</ref> Sen. Biden, who spoke for the Democrats in Congress, wanted more than just removal of the Taliban and degrading al Qaeda. Biden wanted [[nation building]]. Biden wanted to flood the new government with cash, which ultimately corrupted the new Karzai regime, and created an anti-[[Western]], anti-corruption, pro-Taliban resurgence and backlash.<br />
[[File:Biden CFR October 22 2001.PNG|right|350px|thumb|Sen. Joe Biden advocating for boots on the ground and nation building at the Council on Foreign Relations, October 22, 2001.]]<br />
On October 22, 2001, Sen. Biden, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, gave a speech at the [[Council on Foreign Relations]] insisting that U.S. goals—rooting out al-Qaeda and helping establish a friendly successor government to the Taliban—would require U.S. boots on the ground far beyond the small number of Special Forces that the [[Pentagon]] had recommended. Biden said, "There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing."<ref>Sen. Biden: "I think the American public and the Islamic world is fully prepared for us to take as long as we need to take. If it is action that is a mano-a-mano. If it's us on the ground going against other forces on the ground. The part that I think flies in the face of, and plays into every stereotypical criticism of us, is where this high tech bully that thinks from the air we can do whatever you want to do. And it builds the case, for those who want to make the case against us, that all we're doing is indiscriminately bombing innocents. Which is not the truth. Some innocents are indiscriminately bombed. But that is not the truth. I think the American public is prepared for a long siege. I think the American public has prepared for American losses. I think the American public is prepared, and the president must continue to remind them to be prepared, for American body bags coming home. There is no way that you can, in fact, go after and root out al Qaeda and or Bin Ladin without folks on the ground, in caves, risking and losing their lives. And I believe that the tolerance for that in the Islamic world is significant, exponentially higher, than it is for us bombing. That's the generic point I wish to make. I am not qualified enough to tell you. Although I can tell you what the military guys have said to me. This is not 1948. This is 2001. I'm not at all sure they're correct." [https://www.c-span.org/video/?166841-1/us-response-terrorist-attacks @59:43]</ref> Under pressure from U.S. military and anti-Taliban forces however, the Taliban disintegrated rapidly, and [[Kabul]] fell on November 13, 2001.<br />
<br />
Hamid Karzai formed an interim government on 22 December 2001 until elections could be held after the removal of Taliban rule by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces. On January 10, 2002, Biden arrived in Afghanistan on a four-day fact-finding visit and at Bagram Airforce Base. The [[Guantanamo Bay Detention Facility]] had been prepared to receive jihadis. Bagram was a major collection point for preliminary interrogation. Sen. Biden said, "These are some real hard, hard, hard cases. But unless we gather the list of leaders which we -- I have in my pocket here...the possibility of them being able to do [[guerrilla]] kind of attacks on military here are real."<ref>http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0201/13/se.01.html</ref><br />
<br />
In 2002 and 2003, when Afghan tribal councils gathered to write a new constitution, the U.S. government gave “nice packages” to delegates who supported Washington's preferred stance. “The perception that was started in that period: If you were going to vote for a position that Washington favored, you’d be stupid to not get a package for doing it,” according to a U.S. official interviewed by the ''[[Washington Post]]'' who served in Kabul at the time.<ref name="washingtonpost.com"/><br />
<br />
According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', beginning in December 2002 throughout Karzai's terms of office, Karzai's office was funded with "tens of millions of dollars" of black cash from the [[CIA]] in order to buy influence within the Afghan government. The ''NYT'' stated that "the cash that does not appear to be subject to the oversight and restrictions." An unnamed American official was quoted by ''The New York Times'' as stating that "The biggest source of corruption in Afghanistan was the United States."<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html|title=With Bags of Cash, C.I.A. Seeks Influence in Afghanistan|author=Matthew Rosenberg|newspaper=The New York Times|date=28 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013|archive-date=28 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428232309/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html|url-status=live}}</ref><br />
<br />
Once it became the narrative that the U.S. was there to improve life for Afghans the venture became subject to withering critiques. In an investigative report by the ''Washington Post'', a forensic accountant analyzed "3,000 Defense Department contracts worth $106 billion dollars concluded about 40% of the money ended up in the pockets of insurgents, criminal syndicates, or corrupt Afghan officials." ''The Spectator'' noted, "On [[Ivy League]] campuses, students are taught to decry [[colonialism]], but Ivy League diplomats who sought to remake Afghanistan and [[Harvard]]'s image were among the most ambitious practitioners of colonialism in world history. Alongside the billions for bombs went hundreds of millions for gender studies in Afghanistan. According to a USAID observer, the gender ideology included in<br />
American aid routinely caused rebellions out in the provinces directly causing the instability America was supposedly fighting."<br />
<br />
====Obama escalation====<br />
:{{See also|Obama war crimes}}<br />
[[File:Af-UStroops.jpg|thumb|350px|thumb]]<br />
Despite campaigning against "dumb wars," [[Barack Obama]] made escalating the troop level a high priority.<ref>https://original.antiwar.com/mcgovern/2010/09/24/obama-knows-the-war-is-dumb-but-prefers-power-over-peace/</ref> In September 2009, the Pentagon pushed back against liberal Democrats who oppose sending additional combat troops to Afghanistan, telling Congress that success would probably require more fighting forces, and certainly much more time. Washington is debating the new report by Gen. McChrystal, the senior American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, who believes a properly resourced counterinsurgency war means more forces, more time and more commitment to the development of a strong Afghan government capable of defending its own country.<ref>Thom Shanker, [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/world/asia/16mullen.html?_r=1&th&emc=th "Military Chief Suggests Need to Enlarge U.S. Afghan Force," ''New York Times'' Sept. 16, 2009]</ref> Some 4,000 more American trainers will arrive by November, bringing the American troop level to 68,000.<br />
<br />
The ruling [[Democratic party]] in the United States was split three ways: a small number of hawks who agreed with Obama's decision to escalate the troop level; a large number of doves who opposed it; and a sizable group that was uneasy with the Obama troop surge but willing to loyally support his decision. Each one thousand American soldiers in Afghanistan cost a billion dollars a year; Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] indicated that the continued operations would be financed by borrowing.<br />
<br />
In the first half of 2010, 250 contractors reportedly died in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than the 235 military personnel who fell during the same period.<ref>https://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/05/24/114662/what-price-war.html#ixzz1Nz07pg5O</ref><br />
<br />
====Bowe Bergdahl swap====<br />
<br />
When [[Barack Obama]] released five Taliban commanders from the [[Guantanamo Bay]] prison in exchange for American deserter Bowe Bergdahl in 2014, he assured Americans that the enemy combatants would not be allowed to return to Afghanistan. 6 American soldiers lives were lost searching for the American deserter.<ref>https://nypost.com/2014/06/02/six-soldiers-died-searching-for-deserter-pow-fueling-backlash/</ref> Upon Bergdahl's return, Obama celebrated Bergdahl as a heroic “POW,” a designation the Pentagon never gave him. Khairullah Khairkhwa, one of the five released from Guantanamo, sat across the table from Joe Biden's personal representative in [[Moscow]] in the spring of 2021, where Mullah Khairkhwa was part of the Taliban delegation that negotiated the terms of the US withdrawal. Mullah Khairkhwa is the mastermind of the Taliban takeover, even though the Pentagon classified Khairkhwa as too dangerous to release.<br />
<br />
Khairkhwa assured the Biden junta that the Taliban would not retaliate against Afghans who worked with the US military or the US-backed government in Kabul. However, reports out of Kandahar and Kabul soon after the fall of Afghanistan indicate the Taliban was going door to door with a kill list to wipe out their enemies. Mullah Khairkhwa previously served as the Taliban's interior minister prior to 2002, where he oversaw Islamist punishments, including beheadings and stonings.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/08/16/taliban-leader-was-freed-from-guantanamo-in-2014-swap-by-obama/</ref><br />
<br />
All five of the terrorists in the Bowe Bergdahl swap assumed prominent positions in the Taliban interim government announced on September 11, 2021:<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/09/07/four-gitmo-detainees-released-in-berghdahl-swap-are-now-taliban-ministers-for-afghan-government-interim-government-will-be-officially-introduced-on-sept-11th/</ref><br />
*Acting Minister of Information and Culture: Mullah Khairullah Khairkhah<br />
*Defense Deputy Minister: Mullah Mohammad Fazil<br />
*Acting Director of Intelligence: Abdul Haq Wasiq<br />
*Border and Tribal Affairs Minister: Mullah Norullah Nori<br />
*Acting Governor of Khost Province: Muhammad Nabi Omari<ref>https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2021-09-11-from-the-cells-of-guantanamo-to-the-ruling----the-story-of-5-officials-in-the-taliban-government.H1rAUgatGY.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Total collapse under Biden====<br />
[[File:Biden's gift to Taliban terrortists.PNG|right|400px|thumb|Democrat socialist leader Joe Biden's gift to Taliban terrorists.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/bidens-gift-to-terror-stunning-infographic-shows-the-massive-new-arsenal-the-taliban-now-possesses/</ref>]]<br />
When the Biden regime abandoned Bagram Airbase on July 2, 2021, without giving notice to the Afghan government and Afghan National Army,<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57682290</ref> it sent a signal to the highest levels in the Afghan government that the United States would not provide the aircover and support for the Afghan army in its war with the Taliban - a mission they had prepared for 20 years.<ref>https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-09/us-military-leave-bagram-air-base-afghanistan-equipment-handover/100277452</ref> It was no surprise when the Afghan Army abandoned the field and refused to fight, and the Afghan government fell, as scripted by the Biden regime.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9900069/This-not-surprise-Afghan-experts-condemn-Biden-shock-Taliban-advance.html</ref><br />
<br />
With the August 2021 Taliban takeover of major cities, it was clear that it was Biden who failed the Afghan war.<ref name="Aug 15, 2021"/><ref>[https://thefederalist.com/2021/08/16/no-biden-cant-blame-trump-for-the-afghanistan-withdrawal-disaster/ No, Biden Can’t Blame Trump For The Afghanistan Withdrawal Disaster] Margot Cleveland, The Federalist, Aug 16, 2021.</ref><ref>[http://www.boblonsberry.com/writings.cfm?go=4 Biden Lost the Afghan War], Bob Lonsberry, Aug 16, 2021</ref><br />
And Billions spent by US in Afghanistan on Afghan army, at the end, rather benefited the Taliban.<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-08-17/billions-spent-on-afghan-army-ultimately-benefited-taliban Billions Spent on Afghan Army Ultimately Benefited Taliban] Associated Press, US News, Aug 17, 2021.<br />
''Built and trained at a two-decade cost of $83 billion, Afghan security forces collapsed so quickly and completely — in some cases without a shot fired — that the ultimate beneficiary of the American investment turns out to be the Taliban.''</ref> Planes, guns, night-vision goggles, ended up being the Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest.<ref>"[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-conflict-usa-arms-idUSKBN2FK1L5 Planes, guns, night-vision goggles: The Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest]"<br />
Idrees Ali, Patricia Zengerle and Jonathan Landay. Reuters, Aug 18, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, The [[Qatar]]i pro-terror network [[Al Jazeera]] was given exclusive access to the presidential palace by Taliban.<ref>roi kais (@kaisos1987) Tweeted:<br />
The Qatari Al-Jazeera channel receives from Taliban exclusive access to the presidential palace in Kabul. No need to be surprised https://t.co/h53JupS8OP [https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1426974071145877507?s=20 Aug 15, 2021]</ref><br />
<br />
Even CNN had to admit that it's: "some of most dire days of his presidency."<ref>"[https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/19/politics/joe-biden-afghanistan-dire-days-of-presidency/index.html As White House scrambles on Afghanistan, Biden faces some of most dire days of his presidency]." Kevin Liptak, Jeff Zeleny, Kaitlan Collins and Jeremy Diamond, CNN, August 19, 2021.<br />
(CNN)Two photographs of President Joe Biden this week neatly illustrated the White House's fight to contain the fallout of the biggest crisis of his presidency.</ref><br />
<br />
Global media slammed Biden as a ‘joke.’<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/17/global-media-slam-us-biden-as-a-joke-amid-kabul-chaos/ Global media slam US, Biden as a ‘joke’ amid Kabul chaos] Emily Crane, <br />
August 17, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
The global media are slamming President Biden as a “joke” and an “embarrassment” after the US evacuation of Afghanistan deteriorated into deadly chaos as terrified Afghans clung to military planes in an attempt to flee the Taliban takeover.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Taliban atrocities included executions,<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/08/03/afghanistan-advancing-taliban-execute-detainees Afghanistan: Advancing Taliban Execute Detainees], HRW, Aug 3, 2021</ref> even killing kids in front of their parents.<ref name=mid-day/><br />
Afghans became fearful of brutal regime return.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2021/08/16/1028016095/taliban-takeover-reminds-afghans-of-the-brutality-of-their-previous-regime Taliban Takeover Reminds Afghans Of The Brutality Of Their Previous Regime], PBS, Aug 16, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Writer:<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/19/afghan-debacle-has-exposed-joe-biden-as-a-failed-president/ This debacle has exposed Joe Biden as a failed president], Ben Domenech, NYPost, August 19, 2021.</ref><br />
<blockquote><br />
Joe Biden is derelict in his duty. His State Department failed to prepare adequately to get Americans and our allied Afghans out of the country in time. His Department of Defense made the decisions that left our resources and materiel to be used by the Taliban. His intelligence units were the ones he now claims — despite evidence to the contrary — never warned that the Afghan government could fall so fast.<br />
<br />
This was a failure of many institutions of American government. But above all, it was a failure of the Commander in Chief.</blockquote><br />
<br />
Among the allies for example, Biden rattled [[U.K.]] With his Afghanistan policy.<br />
From ''The New York Times'':<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/18/world/europe/britain-afghanistan-johnson-biden.html Biden Rattles U.K. With His Afghanistan Policy], Mark Landler, NYT, Aug 18, 2021.<br />
<br><br />
<i>Britain was the second-largest supplier of troops to Afghanistan, and the United States’ rapid withdrawal from the country has left some embittered.<br />
LONDON — In Britain, the chaotic departure from Afghanistan has drawn comparisons not to helicopters flying out of Saigon but to an earlier debacle: the 1956 Suez crisis, in which a humiliated Britain was forced to pull out of Egypt, having failed to dislodge its nationalist leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser.<br />
<br />
The problem is, Britain had very little to say about the timing or tactics of the most recent withdrawal, even though it suffered the second-most casualties in the Afghanistan war after the United States. That has left British officials embarrassed and embittered at President Biden. Some say he behaved more like his predecessor, Donald J. Trump, than an ally who promised a new era of American partnership.</i></ref><blockquote> the chaotic departure from Afghanistan has drawn comparisons not to helicopters flying out of Saigon but to an earlier debacle: the 1956 Suez crisis, in which a humiliated Britain was forced to pull out of Egypt, having failed to dislodge its nationalist leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser.</blockquote><br />
<br />
One of the big gainers at [[Taliban]]'s rise is the "tiny Qatar", capable of disproportionate intervention in their affairs not hers.<ref>Ilan Zalayat @ilanzalayat Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
While everyone is talking about the effects of the turbulent upheaval in Afghanistan on neighbors like China or Iran, it is becoming clear that one of the big gainers is actually the tiny Qatar capable of disproportionate intervention in their affairs not hers.</blockquote><br />
[https://mobile.twitter.com/ilanzalayat/status/1428345434016256003 Aug 19, 2021]</ref><br />
<br />
====The congratulators====<br />
As in [[9/11]] atrocity,<ref>[https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/false-footaging/ Palestinians Dancing in the Street], David Mikkelson, Snopes.com, Sep 11, 2020.<br />
''Did CNN fake footage of 'Palestinians dancing in the street' after the terrorist attack on the USA?''<br />
Status: false''<br />
<blockquote><br />
CNN did not air decade-old footage of Palestinians dancing in the streets. Eason Jordan, CNN’s Chief News Executive, confirmed that the video used on CNN was in fact shot on Tuesday, 11 September 2001, in East Jerusalem by a Reuters TV crew, not during the Persian Gulf conflict of 1990-91 — a fact proved by its inclusion of comments from a Palestinian praising Osama Bin Laden...</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/02/06/yes-palestinians-did-celebrate-after-9-11/ Yes — Palestinians Did Celebrate After 9/11], Algemeiner, Feb 6, 2020</ref> it was Arab-Islamic [[Palestinian]]s who cheered on. This time [[Hamas]] officials.<ref>"[https://www.jns.org/hamas-congratulates-taliban-for-victory-over-america-in-afghanistan/ Hamas congratulates Taliban for ‘victory’ over America in Afghanistan]." JNS, Aug 16, 2021.<br />
<br />
Officials of the terror group in Gaza said it proves that “the resistance of the peoples—foremost of which is our struggling Palestinian people—is destined for victory.</ref><ref>[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byqtdivet What does Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban mean for the Middle East?'] Ynet, Aug 16, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>Hamas already congratulated the Taliban on its victory. In recent days, members of the Hamas Politburo have met with those of the Taliban in Qatar. The Taliban congratulated Hamas on its “achievements” during the 11-days of fighting with Israel in May.</blockquote></ref><ref>[http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/272709 Paliban Paleban], DP, Aug 17, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
1. '''Mutually congratulatory''':<br />
<br><br><br />
'What does Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban mean for the Middle East?' Ynet, Aug 16, 2021. [https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byqtdivet]<br />
''Hamas already congratulated the Taliban on its victory. In recent days, members of the Hamas Politburo have met with those of the Taliban in Qatar. The Taliban congratulated Hamas on its “achievements” during the 11-days of fighting with Israel in May.''<br />
<br><br><br />
2. '''Both wrap their jihadi bigoted butchery in "anti occupation" cloth''':<br />
<br><br><br />
'Hamas says Taliban takeover proves Palestinians 'will achieve victory,'' i24NEWS, August 16, 2021. [https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/1629119521-hamas-says-taliban-takeover-proves-palestinians-will-achieve-victory]<br />
'' "We congratulate the Muslim Afghan people for the defeat of the American occupation on all Afghan lands" ''<br />
<br><br><br />
''Hamas on Monday congratulated the Taliban on the Islamist movement's takeover of Afghanistan, saying in a statement that "the demise of the American occupation and its allies proves that the resistance of the peoples, foremost of which is our struggling Palestinian people, will achieve victory."''<br />
<br><br><br />
<br />
3. '''Both love using human shields'''.<br />
<br><br><br />
Orde Kittrie: "Help NATO by Holding Hamas Accountable for Terrorist War Crimes." May 19, 2021. [https://nationalinterest.org/feature/help-nato-holding-hamas-accountable-terrorist-war-crimes-185581]<br />
<br><br><br />
'Taliban using human shields, says Afghan army general.' The Guardian, Feb 17, 2010.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/feb/17/taliban-human-shields]<br />
<br><br><br />
'Civilians say Taliban use of human shields shows weakness, cruelty.' Dec. 12, 2018. [https://afghanistan.asia-news.com/en_GB/articles/cnmi_st/features/2018/12/12/feature-02]</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
[[Pakistan]]i Prime Minister Imran Khan praised the Taliban saying they "broke the chains of slavery in the country".<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYoH378Ju_Y</ref><br />
<br />
Just a few days later, the Pakistani Army held a meet and greet with the Taliban at the Torkham border crossing where they took selfies with each other.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/pakistan-army-and-taliban-show-true-colours-hold-meet-and-greet-and-selfie-session-at-border.html</ref><br />
<br />
[[Qatar]]'s Al-Jazzera also celebrated Taliban rise as a win for Islamic "nation."<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/al-jazeera-reporters-celebrate-taliban-victory-us-defeat-historic-triumph-islamic-ummah Al-Jazeera Reporters Celebrate 'Taliban Victory', 'U.S. Defeat' As Historic Triumph For Islamic Ummah], Memri, August 18, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Qatar | Special Dispatch No. 9503.<br />
The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's takeover of the country sparked many reactions worldwide, including in the Arab world. Conspicuous among these reactions were expressions of joy by Islamist organizations such as Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the International Union of Muslim Scholars and various elements identified with the Muslim Brotherhood.</blockquote><br />
</ref><br />
<br />
====Fall of Kabul 2021====<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris foreign policy|Rape jihad}}<br />
[[File:Kabul 2021.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Biden/Harris withdrawal during the [[Rape of Afghanistan]].]]<br />
On July 8, 2021, [[Joe Biden]] said from the White House, "I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war."<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/bidens-afghanistan-predictions-were-all-wrong/</ref> The same month the [[U.S. Defense Department]] said it was providing the Afghan Air Force 35 Black Hawk helicopters and three A-29 Super Tucanos. The United States spent $83 billion equipping and training the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), including $10 billion in aircraft and vehicles.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/us-spent-83-billion-training-afghan-forces-why-did-they-collapse-so-quickly/184529/</ref> Less than a month after Biden's statement, several Black Hawks helicopters and other aircraft were seized by the Taliban. Many of the aircraft and helicopters are armed. These A-29 Super Tucanos can fire [[laser]]-guided and other types of bombs. The Afghan government also had 50 American-made MD-530 attack helicopters, which are armed with machine guns and rockets. The Afghan Air Force had UH-60 Black Hawks and Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, as well as C-130 and Cessna transports, and a small fleet of armed Cessnas.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/taliban-captured-helicopters-can-they-capture-air-force/184525/</ref><br />
<br />
As Biden withdrew American troops, the [[Peoples Republic of China]] began expanding their [[Belt and Road Initiative]] with a $62 billion aid package to Afghanistan to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9755531/China-prepares-Afghanistan-following-Americas-departure-Belt-Road-program.html</ref><br />
<br />
As the impending crisis escalated, White House chief propagandists [[Jen Psaki]] said "The [[Taliban]] has to make an assessment about what they want their role to be in the international community." Her comments came as reports flowed in of Taliban fighters going door-to-door and forcibly selecting girls as young as 12 to reward as brides for the victorious jihadis.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghans-tell-of-executions-forced-marriages-in-taliban-held-areas-11628780820</ref> <br />
<br />
Bodies lay strewn on the streets of Kandahar.<ref>https://rumble.com/vl8ixd-stunning-video-people-dead-on-kandahar-streets-after-violent-taliban-takeov.html</ref> It was a repetition of what the Taliban had done in all the other provinces to the elite counter-terrorism forces <br />
that fought alongside Americans.<br />
Panic ensued as the Kabul airport was flooded with people fleeing the Taliban terror. Some people were stampeded to death.<ref>https://www.the-sun.com/news/3479109/taliban-jalalabad-afghanistan-kabul-uk-troops-2-2/</ref> Three young men clung to the tires of an airplane, only to fall on top of people's houses once the plane was airborne.<ref>https://twitter.com/AsvakaNews/status/1427172720446373892</ref><br />
<br />
Once inside the city, the Taliban had all the records with names of everyone who served in the Ktah Khas (KKA) or Afghan Special Forces, and began a house-to-house search for them.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/sheer-terror-in-kabul-taliban-now-going-door-to-door-looking-for-afghans-who-fought-alongside-us-military/</ref> The KKA counter-terrorism experts who were trained by and fought alongside Americans suffered the same fate others did in the provinces, and were summarily executed.<ref>https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/graphic-video-shows-taliban-reportedly-executed-surrendering-afghan-special-forces-troops/</ref><br />
<br />
While the Biden regime did not inform the U.S. Afghan allies it was abandoning Bagram Airbase,<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9758175/US-left-Afghan-airfield-night-didnt-tell-new-commander.html</ref> Army Gen. Chris Donohue, commander of the 82nd Airborne, did inform the Taliban commander whom he had been coordinating with on August 30, 2021, that the Biden regime was abandoning the Kabul airport, according to CENTCOM commander Gen. Frank McKenzie.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/inside-final-hours-kabul-airport/184975/</ref> Donohue had refused entry to the airport of American citizens with passports to leave Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/services/files/84E1CBFE-B7F5-4E89-87E4-0823EDEA28E4</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/newsmax/status/1431018570822062081</ref><ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/retired-marine-says-hundreds-of-their-rescued-orphans-christians-turned-away-by-u-s-military-ended-up-in-hands-of-the-taliban</ref><ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/08/30/ron-johnson-american-citizens-blocked-kabul-airport-state-department/</ref> This was done with the full knowledge of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. [[Mark Milley]].<ref>https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2021-08/YonEmailToMajorRedacted.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
An Aug 17, 2021 Report: Hamas leader meets with Taliban, lauds radicals for seizing Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/08/17/report-hamas-leader-meets-with-taliban-lauds-radicals-for-seizing-afghanistan/ Report: Hamas leader meets with Taliban, lauds radicals for seizing Afghanistan] Daniel Siryoti and Shahar Klaiman, Israelhayom, Aug 17, 2021.<i><br />
Taliban reportedly praises the terror group "for their steadfast opposition to the Zionist enemy." Hamas threatens to resume border protests unless Israel allows Qatari cash to be transferred to the Gaza Strip.</i></ref><br />
<br />
On Aug 19, 2021, The Taliban declared the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.' It's the same name it used when it brutally ruled the country in the 1990s.<ref>"[https://www.businessinsider.com/taliban-declares-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan-2021-8 The Taliban have declared the 'Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,' the same name it used when it brutally ruled the country in the 1990s] " Sinéad Baker, Business Insider, Aug 19, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
The Taliban has been ccused of killing children in reign of terror.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/25/ex-afghan-minister-says-taliban-killing-children-elderly/amp/ Former Afghan minister claims Taliban killing children in reign of terror] Yaron Steinbach, NYPost, Aug 25, 2021 — ''Former Afghan Interior Minister Massoud Andarabi says that the Taliban are killing civilians as they tighten their hold on Afghanistan''.</ref><br />
<br />
Since Taliban take over, a long list of atrocities have been documented within weeks.<ref>[Atrocities Committed By The Afghan Taliban Since The Fall Of Kabul] Memri, September 2, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
Protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Baradar 'the Butcher' was reportedly to lead new Afghan government. He started the Taliban in 1994 with late leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. He then became known for some of the Islamic militants’ most deadly tactics, including planting improvised explosive devices along streets their enemies would be on, calling the IEDs “flowers.”<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/09/03/taliban-co-founder-baradar-to-reportedly-lead-new-afghan-government/ Taliban co-founder ‘Baradar the Butcher’ to reportedly lead new Afghan government] Emily Crane, NYPost, September 3, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
Feared Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar — who was once nicknamed “Baradar the Butcher” — will lead the new Afghan government, sources within the militant group told Reuters...<br />
Baradar, whose brutal history attracted the moniker “Baradar the Butcher”, arrived in Kabul two weeks ago to start talks about the new government.<br />
<br />
Baradar started the Taliban in 1994 with late leader Mullah Mohammed Omar.<br />
<br />
He then became known for some of the Islamic militants’ most deadly tactics, including planting improvised explosive devices along streets their enemies would be on, calling the IEDs “flowers,” according to a 2010 profile in the Times of London.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Experts warned, that terrorism will increase under Afghanistan's newly appointed Taliban government.<ref>[https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/08/terrorism-to-increase-under-afghanistans-new-taliban-government.html Terrorism will increase under Afghanistan's newly appointed Taliban government, experts warn] Natasha Turak, CNBC, Sep 8 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Despite clear contradiction between Biden's statements in August/2021 and the military in September/2021, his spokesperson still tried to spin.<ref>Brooke Singman, "[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/psaki-claims-military-advisers-split-troops-in-afghanistan-milley-testimony Psaki claims military advisers were 'split' on troops in Afghanistan, despite Milley testimony]", Fox News, Sep 28, 2021.<br><i><br />
White House press secretary adds that the commander in chief 'makes those decisions'<br />
</i></ref><br />
<br />
======Fall out as a result of Biden's conduct======<br />
<br />
As a result, the liberal, Biden-election helper ''Washington Post'' sounded the alarm: ''The storms of August: Biden's devastating month stokes midterm fears among Democrats.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-august-democrats-midterms/2021/08/28/2783e326-0797-11ec-a654-900a78538242_story.html The storms of August: Biden’s devastating month stokes midterm fears among Democrats], <br />
Sean Sullivan, Tyler Pager and Annie Linskey, Washington Post, Aug 28, 202</ref><br />
<br />
Simply put "The Afghanistan mess is truly Biden’s disaster."<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/29/afghanistan-mess-is-bidens-disaster-and-other-commentary/ The Afghanistan mess is truly Biden’s disaster and other commentary] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, August 29, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
White House watch: It’s Biden’s Disaster.<br />
<br />
“The American people broadly agreed with” President Biden’s “decision to end the war in Afghanistan,” and it was his predecessor “who did the deal with the Taliban for a full American withdrawal,” but “none of that absolves Biden of responsibility for a pullout that has been, by any reasonable measure, a debacle,” The Hill’s Niall Stanage explains. Any “idea that the final US operations were going to be seen as some kind of against-the-odds moral victory . . . vanished in the dust of” Thursday’s attacks. The prez might recover politically, but “the chaos of Kabul has left a taint of weakness and incompetence on the Biden White House that will not be erased soon, if at all.”<br />
....<br />
By “allowing Iranian-sponsored Taliban groups not only to become a part of the new government of Afghanistan but help Tehran solve the problem that threatens it the most, the US has made Iran an immediate winner of the Taliban takeover,” fumes David Patrikarakos at Spectator World. Despite tension with the Taliban, Iran has “long sponsored various Taliban groups, particularly in the country’s southwest,” where the Helmand River supplies water to both nations. Experts think “it’s no coincidence that Zurang fell first during the Taliban advance,” with one saying, “Iran-sponsored Talibs took the city to take control of the water for Tehran.” Iran’s “chronic water problems” now “threaten the stability of the state. Years of water mismanagement” have caused shortages that provoked riots — and “scared” the regime. “You can terrorize people demanding civil rights off the streets, but if they are dying of thirst then a bullet won’t hold much fear.”</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
From Biden's mistakes: ''U.S. strategy put Defense and State departments on divergent paths: The troops pulled out but the diplomats stayed—and were left exposed when the Taliban took over.''<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/inside-the-biden-administrations-push-to-exit-afghanistan-11630855499 The Mistakes Behind the Biden Administration’s Afghanistan Withdrawal] Miichael R. Gordon, Gordon Lubold, Vivian Salama and Nessica Donati, WSJ, <br />
Sept. 5, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
U.S. strategy put Defense and State departments on divergent paths: The troops pulled out but the diplomats stayed—and were left exposed when the Taliban took over.</i></ref><br />
<br />
Even at the [[White House]], an official was 'appalled and literally horrified' that Biden stranded Americans in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-official-horrified-biden-abandoning-americans White House official 'appalled and literally horrified' that Biden stranded Americans in Afghanistan: report] Houston Keene, Fox News, Sep 1, 2021.<br />
''Biden vigorously defended his handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, despite leaving Americans behind''.</ref><br />
<br />
As if Biden's troubles weren't enough, Vice President Kamala Harris is just too prone to verbal fumbles that pour more fuel on the Biden administration's fires.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/08/28/kamala-harris-cackling-is-joe-bidens-job-security/ Kamala Harris’ cackling is Joe Biden’s job security] Post Editorial Board, NYPost, August 28, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Vice President Kamala Harris’s team canceled press access to her remarks to US troops at Pearl Harbor on Thursday — surely because it feared yet another disaster for the veep at the site of a terrible attack on America, the same day as the horrors in Kabul.<br />
<br />
Harris is just too prone to verbal fumbles that pour more fuel on the Biden administration’s fires.<br />
<br />
Just the week before, Harris broke into a bizarre cackle when reporters asked about the early stages of the Afghan crisis. And that's hardly her only nails-on-chalkboard moment.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
A bombshell leaked transcript showed that on July 23, 2021, Biden pressured Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to create the “perception” that the Taliban weren't winning, “whether it’s true or not,” in a phone call just three weeks before the insurgents seized control of the country.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/09/01/biden-pressured-ghani-to-create-perception-taliban-wasnt-winning/ Biden pressured Ghani to create ‘perception’ Taliban weren’t winning] Emily Crane, NYPost, September 1, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
President Biden pressured Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani to create the “perception” that the Taliban weren’t winning, “whether it’s true or not,” in a phone call just three weeks before the insurgents seized control of the country, a bombshell leaked transcript shows.<br />
<br />
Biden and Ghani spoke for roughly 14 minutes on July 23 in what would be their final call before the Taliban overran the government and Afghanistan descended into bloody chaos amid the botched US withdrawal, according to a transcript and audio obtained by Reuters.<br />
<br />
Much of the call was focused on what Biden referred to as the Afghan government’s “perception” issue.<br />
<br />
“I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban,” Biden said.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/01/biden-pushed-afghanistan-president-project-different-picture/5679373001/ Biden pushed Afghanistan president to 'project a different picture' weeks before Taliban takeover] Joey Garrison, AP, USA Today, Sep 1, 2021.<br />
''Less than four weeks before the fall of Afghanistan, President Joe Biden urged Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani to demonstrate a more capable military defense to change the "perception" as the Taliban made significant gains.''</ref><br />
<br />
Biden was called 'Feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap' by mom of slain Marine.<ref>[https://breaking911.com/president-biden-called-feckless-dementia-ridden-piece-of-crap-by-mom-of-slain-marine/ President Biden Called ‘Feckless, Dementia-Ridden Piece Of Crap’ By Mom Of Slain Marine] B911, August 29, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
United States Marine Rylee McCollum, 20, was killed in Thursday’s terror attack at Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport. The fallen Marine’s mother, Kathy, said on a radio show that Americans who voted for Joe Biden “just killed my son.”<br />
<br />
“That feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap just sent my son to die,” the distraught mother said. “I woke up at four o’clock this morning, two Marines at my door telling me my son was dead. So, to… right before me and listen to that piece of crap talk about diplomatic crap with frickin Taliban terrorists who just freakin blew up my son and no, nothing, to not say anything about oh my god, I’m so sorry for families. So, my son is gone.”<br />
<br />
“I never thought in a million years [my son] would die for nothing, for nothing, because that feckless, dementia-ridden piece of crap who decided he wanted a photo-op on September 11,” she said. “That’s what kills me. I wanted my son to represent our country, to fight for my country. But I never thought that a feckless piece of crap would send him to his death and smirk on television while he’s talking about people dying with his nasty smirk. The dementia-ridden piece of crap needs to be removed from office. It never would have happened under Trump.”<br />
<br />
“You just killed my son with a dementia-ridden piece of crap who doesn’t even know he’s in the White House. He still thinks he’s a senator.”</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
During ceremony for dead marines, Biden appeared to look at his watch.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-slammed-for-appearing-to-look-at-his-watch-during-memorial-service-for-dead-marines Biden slammed for appearing to look at his watch during ceremony for dead Marines] Tyler O'Neil, Fox News, Aug 29, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Rep. Michael Waltz said that Joe Biden gave all of US bases away in Afghanistan.<br />
<ref>Rep. Michael Waltz: Joe Biden Gave All Of Our Bases Away In Afghanistan<br />
Aug 28, 2021.<br />
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X81LPw2H2E4.<br />
https://www.divisionet.com/2021/08/29/michael-waltz-warns-of-consequences-after-biden-gave-all-of-our-bases-away-in-afghanistan-newsweek/</ref><br />
<br />
The Taliban offered Kabul to U.S., but Americans said no. A report in the ''Washington Post'' describes a secret meeting between U.S. military leaders and the Taliban.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/taliban-offered-kabul-to-u-s-but-americans-said-no-report Taliban offered Kabul to U.S., but Americans said no: report] Ronn Blitzer, Fox News, Aug 30, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
A Washington Post report describes a secret meeting between U.S. military leaders and the Taliban.<br />
<br />
House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Michael Waltz argues every time the Taliban doesn't get access to billions in foreign reserves, economic assistance or international recognition, 'these thugs' can walk down the street and 'take another hostage.'<br />
<br />
Taliban fighters took the Afghan capital city of Kabul faster than anyone anticipated earlier this month – including the Taliban – but according to a Washington Post report, the U.S. had an opportunity to hold the city only to willingly turn it over.<br />
<br />
When Afghanistan's president Ashraf Ghani fled the country, the city began to collapse as gangs were reported to be taking over. This led to U.S. military leaders meeting and reaching an agreement with the Taliban, a U.S. official told the Post.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
====Haqqani network====<br />
On August 18, 2021 [[NBC News]] reported that the U.S. was working with the Taliban to evacuate Americans and allies out of Afghanistan. Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Gen. [[Mark Milley]] stated, "Through the State Department, the Taliban are facilitating safe passage to the airport for American citizens, that is, U.S. passport holders." An exchange with a reporter and defense minister [[Lloyd Austin]] went like this:<br />
[[File:Kabul airport suicide bombing August 26 20221.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Kabul airport suicide bombing, August 26, 2021. 170 dead.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9934115/STUART-RAMSAY-sends-vivid-angry-dispatch-Afghanistan.html</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|'''Q:''' It seems to me like barring a lobotomy by the Taliban; you have three pathways ahead of you. One, you can expand the perimeter and establish a corridor into Kabul to get our Afghan allies out. Two, you could extend the August 31 deadline of withdrawing. Or three, you can just leave the tens of thousands of Afghans who've helped us over the past 20 years behind. Which one is it going to be?<br />
<br />
'''SEC. AUSTIN:''' First of all, as I said, we're going to evacuate everybody that we can physically possibly evacuate. And we'll -- we'll conduct these -- this process for as long as we possibly can. We will continue to deconflict issues with -- with the Taliban. And we will stay focused on securing the -- the airfield. We cannot afford to either not defend that airfield or -- or -- or not have an airfield that secures where we have hundreds or thousands of civilians that can access the airfield at will and put our forces at risk.<br />
<br />
'''Q:''' But that doesn't answer the question. I mean, you're still saying you're focused on the airfield. These -- these people can't get into the airfield.<br />
<br />
'''SEC. AUSTIN:''' Well we're going to do everything we can to continue to try to deconflict and create passageways for them to get to the airfield. I don't have the capability to go out and extend operations currently into Kabul. And where do you take that? I mean, how far can you extend into Kabul, you know, and how long does it take to flow those forces in to be able to do that?<br />
<br />
'''Q:''' So it sounds like you're saying this depends on diplomacy with the Taliban, that's it. That's our only option is getting them to agree to do this.<ref>https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2738086/secretary-of-defense-austin-and-chairman-of-the-joint-chiefs-of-staff-gen-mille/</ref>}}<br />
Biden told [[George Stephanopoulos]] the same morning that "one of the things we didn't know is what the Taliban would do in terms of trying to keep people from getting out, what they would do. What are they doing now? They're cooperating, letting American citizens get out, American personnel get out, embassies get out, et cetera.<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/full-transcript-abc-news-george-stephanopoulos-interview-president/story?id=79535643</ref><br />
<br />
On August 19, 2921 [[VOA]] announced Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani had been placed in charge of security around the Kabul airport.<ref>https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/hardline-haqqani-network-put-charge-kabul-security</ref> On August 22, 2021, Haqqani told ''Al Jazeera'', “all Afghans” should feel safe under their Islamic Emirate, and that a “general amnesty” has been granted across the nation's 34 provinces. "If we can defeat superpowers, surely we can provide safety to the Afghan people," said Haqqani, "All of those people who left this country, we will assure them of their safety," Haqqani went on. "You’re all welcome back in Afghanistan."<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/22/all-afghans-should-feel-safe-under-taliban-says-security-chief</ref> The [[Haqqani network]] was already executing civilians and former members of the Afghan National Army, according to the [[United Nations]].<ref>https://www.euronews.com/2021/08/24/un-has-credible-reports-of-summary-executions-of-civilians-by-taliban</ref><br />
<br />
On August 26, 2021, after days of heightened alert from intelligence,<ref>[https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/afghanistan-again-becomes-a-cradle-for-jihadism-and-al-qaeda Afghanistan, Again, Becomes a Cradle for Jihadism—and Al Qaeda], Robin Wright, New Yorker, Aug 23, 2021.<br />
''The terrorist group has outlasted the trillion-dollar U.S. investment in Afghanistan since 9/11.''<br />
<blockquote><br />
The Taliban takeover is the biggest boost to Al Qaeda since September 11th and a global game changer for jihadism, one analyst said...<br />
In April, a U.S. intelligence assessment warned Congress that Al Qaeda’s senior leadership “will continue to plot attacks and seek to exploit conflicts in different regions.” The jihadist group, which carried out the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, was active in fifteen of Afghanistan’s thirty-four provinces, primarily in the eastern and southern regions, the United Nations reported in June. The Taliban and Al Qaeda remained “closely aligned and show no indication of breaking ties,” it noted, as like-minded militants celebrated developments in Afghanistan as a victory for “global radicalism.” In a haunting final report on the lessons learned from America’s longest war, John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, warned that the U.S. decision to pull out the last U.S. troops “left uncertain whether even the modest gains of the last two decades will prove sustainable.” The decision to pull out was made by President Trump in February last year, with the timetable decided by President Biden in April this year.<br />
<br />
With the Taliban takeover, the trillion-dollar investment in a campaign to contain Al Qaeda may have changed little since 9/11. Bruce Hoffman, a senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of “Inside Terrorism,” was blunter. “The situation is more dangerous in 2021 than it was in 1999 and 2000,” he told me. “We’re in a much weakened position now. We’ve learned so little.” The Taliban takeover is the biggest boost to Al Qaeda since 9/11 and a global game changer for jihadism generally, Rita Katz, the executive director of the Site Intelligence Group, a leading tracker of extremist activity worldwide, told me. There is a “universal recognition” that Al Qaeda can now “reinvest” in Afghanistan as a safe haven, Katz said. Jihadism effectively has a new homeland, the first since the collapse of the isis caliphate in March, 2019. “It foreshadows a new future that sadly couldn’t have been further from what we would hope for after twenty years of war,” she said. It’s a boon for Al Qaeda and its franchises, which now stretch from Burkina Faso in West Africa to Bangladesh in South Asia. “Militants from across the world—whether they be regionally focussed Islamists or globally focussed jihadists—will surely seek to enter Afghanistan’s porous borders,” ...Since the Taliban takeover, Al Qaeda has bragged that its calculus worked, unlike isis’s, according to Soufan and the Site Intelligence Group. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, based largely in Yemen, heralded the “beginning of a pivotal transformation” worldwide. In North Africa, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb celebrated the rapid sweep of Taliban military victories as proof that violent jihadist struggle is “the only way to restore the Ummah’s glory.” (“Ummah” is the Arabic term for the global Muslim community.) The Taliban victory has also breathed new life into groups far afield, including some of Al Qaeda’s rivals. “The Taliban’s victory is a story that can be bent to energize and justify any jihad or Islamist uprising, no matter how many years of bloodshed it may bring,”...Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, based in Gaza, gloated that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan proved that Palestinians, too, will ultimately achieve their return to former Palestinian lands in Israel—“by the permission of Allah.” The common thread among the congratulatory messages is that God’s guidance—rather than American fatigue with a costly war or the crumbling of the Afghan government and military—was responsible...</blockquote></ref><ref name=economist-bombing>[https://www.economist.com/asia/2021/08/26/suicide-bombings-hit-kabul-as-america-scrambles-to-leave Slaughter in Kabul Suicide bombings hit Kabul as America scrambles to leave], Economist, Aug 26, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Islamic State has inflicted the worst loss on American forces in a decade.<br />
<br />
AS THE AUGUST 31st deadline to conclude the evacuation of Afghanistan loomed, the drumbeat of warnings grew louder. On August 24th President Joe Biden warned of an “acute and growing risk” of a terrorist attack, by the local branch of Islamic State (IS), against Kabul’s airport, thronged by thousands of Afghans desperate to escape the Taliban’s rule. On August 25th several governments told their nationals to keep away from the airport. On August 26th a British minister warned that intelligence pointed to “a very imminent, highly lethal attack”. Alas, it came later that afternoon.</blockquote></ref> a rival<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58333533 Afghanistan crisis: Who are Isis-K?], Frank Gardner, BBC, Aug 26, 2021</ref><ref>[https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/who-isisk-is-and-why-they-dont-fight-with-the-taliban/news-story/69106828fa3b7e81f9afd5cad6bd0ea8 Who ISIS-K is and why they don't fight with the Taliban], Charles Miranda, Herald Sun, Aug 27, 2021.<br />
''ISIS-K, a splinter group of ISIS from Syria, was created in 2015 from disgruntled Afghan Taliban fighters and militants from Pakistan.''</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/isisk-afghanistan-bombing/2021/08/26/436a65fc-06a6-11ec-ba15-9c4f59a60478_story.html ISIS-K, the group behind the Kabul airport attack, sees both Taliban and the U.S. as enemies], Hannah Allam and Souad Mekhennet, Washington Post, Aug 27, 2021.<br />
<i><br />
The group’s rivalry with the Taliban is a microcosm of the competition between al-Qaeda and its more radical spinoff, the Islamic State, analysts say. There are generational and doctrinal splits between the groups, with the Islamic State brand more popular with militants in recent years because it managed to capture territory and create a short-lived extremist fiefdom that spanned Iraq and Syria.</i></ref>—to Taliban—jihadi Islamofascistic<ref>[https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/eurasia-will-pay-afghanistan%E2%80%99s-descent-islamofascism-192346 Eurasia Will Pay for Afghanistan’s Descent into Islamofascism], Angel Jaramillo Torres, National Interest, August 23, 2021. <br />
</ref> group, known as ISIS k attacked<ref name=economist-bombing/><ref name=cnn-bombing/> Kabul airport, murdering at least 12, including at least 13 US serviceman and injuring dozens.<ref name=cnn-bombing>[https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/afghanistan-news-taliban-refugees-08-26-21-intl/index.html At least 13 US service members killed in Kabul airport attack], Rob Picheta, Meg Wagner, Melissa Mahtani, Melissa Macaya, Veronica Rocha and Fernando Alfonso III, CNN, August 26, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
The masacre increased the fears of intensified jihadism.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-19/why-taliban-triumph-revives-fear-of-al-qaeda-revival-quicktake How Bombing in Kabul Stokes Fear of Jihadi Revival] Lisa Beyer and Sylvia Westall, Bloomberg, Aug 26, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
The explosions outside Kabul’s international airport underscored a familiar worry in Afghanistan: the country remains home to thousands of fighters dedicated to jihad, or Muslim holy war. The South Asian country’s rugged landscape and its 2,600-kilometer (1,600-mile) border with Pakistan makes it an ideal hiding place for militants from al-Qaeda, Islamic State and other groups. The fear is that the victory of the Taliban has only increased the dangers. Islamic State was the prime suspect in two blasts that killed 12 U.S. service members and at least 60 Afghans as the U.S. directed a military-led evacuation.<br />
[...]<br />
According to the UN report, there are approximately 8,000 to 10,000 foreign jihadists in Afghanistan. The majority are affiliated with the Taliban, many are allied with al-Qaeda or Islamic State, and the rest support insurgencies in their homelands in Central Asia, the north Caucasus region of the Russian Federation, Pakistan and the Xinjiang region of China.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
== Government and Political Conditions ==<br />
[[File:UN Sustainable Development.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Taliban fighter holding a group of women and children against a wall with a UN Sustainable Development poster, August 17, 2021.<ref>https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1427625314935615502</ref>]]<br />
In early September 2021 during talks in the Presidential Palace over forming a new cabinet, Abdul Ghani Baradar was physically attacked by Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani, a leader of the US terrorist-designated Haqqani Network. Baradar pushed for an “inclusive” cabinet that included non-Taliban leaders and ethnic minorities, which would be more acceptable to the rest of the world, the people said. Khalil ul Rahman Haqqani rose from his chair and began punching Baradar. Their bodyguards entered the opened fire on each other, killing and wounding a number of them. While Baradar was not injured and left Kabul for Kandahar to speak with Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, effectively the Taliban's spiritual head.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/taliban-shootout-in-palace-sidelines-abdul-ghani-baradar-7517401/</ref><br />
<br />
=== Principal Government Officials ===<br />
*Emir - Mullah Baradar<br />
*Acting governor of the Afghan Central Bank - Mohammad Idris<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2021/8/23/taliban-appoints-central-bank-chief-as-prices-rise-cash-runs-out</ref><br />
*Minister of the Interior - Sirajuddin Haqqani<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/09/09/peter-doocy-challenges-psaki-wh-calls-taliban-businesslike-professional/</ref><br />
*Al Qaeda chief - [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]]<br />
<br />
=== Foreign Relations ===<br />
<br />
Before the Soviet invasion, Afghanistan pursued a policy of neutrality and [[Cold War]] nonalignment in its foreign relations. After the December 1979 invasion, Afghanistan's foreign policy mirrored that of the Soviet Union. Most Western countries, including the United States, maintained small diplomatic missions in Kabul during the Soviet occupation. Repeated Taliban efforts to occupy Afghanistan's seat at the UN and Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) were unsuccessful. <br />
<br />
The fall of the Taliban in October 2001 opened a new chapter in Afghanistan's foreign relations. Afghanistan is now an active member of the international community, and has diplomatic relations with countries from around the world. In December 2002, the six nations that border Afghanistan signed a ‘Good Neighbor' Declaration, in which they pledged to respect Afghanistan's independence and territorial integrity. In 2005 Afghanistan and its South Asia neighbors held the first annual Regional Economic Cooperation Conference (RECC) promoting intra-regional relations and economic cooperation.<br />
<br />
==== Pakistan ====<br />
The 1978 Marxist coup strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan took the lead diplomatically in the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference in opposing the Soviet occupation. During the war against the Soviet occupation, Pakistan served as the primary logistical conduit for the Afghan resistance. Pakistan initially developed close ties to the Taliban regime, and extended recognition in 1997. Pakistan dramatically altered its policy after September 11, 2001, by closing its border and downgrading its ties. Afghanistan and Pakistan are engaged in dialogue to resolve these bilateral issues. <br />
<br />
====Iran====<br />
Afghanistan's relations with Iran have fluctuated over the years, with periodic disputes over the water rights of the Helmand River as the main issue of contention. Following the Soviet invasion, which Iran opposed, relations deteriorated. Iran supported the cause of the Afghan resistance and provided financial and military assistance to rebel leaders who pledged loyalty to the Iranian vision of Islamic revolution. Iran still provides refuge to Afghan ex-patriots. Following the emergence of the Taliban and their harsh treatment of Afghanistan's Shi'a minority, Iran stepped up assistance to the Northern Alliance. Relations with the Taliban deteriorated further in 1998 after Taliban forces seized the Iranian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif and executed Iranian diplomats. Since the fall of the Taliban, Afghanistan's relations with Iran have improved. Iran has been active in Afghan reconstruction efforts, particularly in the western portion of the country. <br />
<br />
====Russia====<br />
During the reign of the Taliban, Russia became increasingly disenchanted over Taliban support for Chechen rebels and for providing a sanctuary for terrorist groups active in Central Asia and in Russia itself, and therefore provided military assistance to the Northern Alliance. Since the fall of the Taliban, the Karzai government has improved relations with Russia, but Afghanistan's outstanding foreign debt to Russia still continues to be a source of contention. <br />
<br />
====Tajikistan====<br />
Afghanistan's relations with Tajikistan have been complicated by political upheaval and civil war in Tajikistan, which spurred some 100,000 Tajiks to seek refuge in Afghanistan in late 1992 and early 1993. Also disenchanted by the Taliban's harsh treatment of Afghanistan's Tajik minority, Tajikistan facilitated assistance to the Northern Alliance. The Karzai government has sought to establish closer ties with its northern neighbor in order to capitalize on the potential economic benefits of increased trade. <br />
<br />
====China====<br />
<br />
The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a militant organization that seeks to fight against CCP excesses and abuse of human rights in [[Xinjiang]]. The ETIM comprises [[Uyghur]] fighters with one goal to liberate [[East Turkestan]] or Xinjiang from the clutches of the [[CCP]]. Over one million Uyghur Muslims are in internment camps. With the growth of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the growth of ETIM followed a similar trajectory. The Taliban was going to help the ETIM in its cause of liberating Xinjiang. Instead, the Taliban turned to the CCP. [[Beijing]] bought the Taliban and the CCP controls a puppet regime in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Intelligence reports from Afghanistan and Turkey indicate that the ETIM is negotiating an alliance with the Islamic State of the Harassan province. There are at least 500 ETIM fighters in Afghanistan and its borders, with most of them concentrated in Badakhshan province in northern Afghanistan, linking with Xinjiang in china via the Wakhan corridor. The ETIM fears that the Taliban will act against them and hand them over to the MSS, the Chinese Ministry of State Security. <br />
<br />
The ETIM has been estimated by the U.N. Security Council to have up to 3 500 fighters. However, the RTIM's goal to liberate Xinjiang and carve out a separate East Turkestan is not what entirely worries the CCP. The more<br />
concerning factor is the impact that a strong ETIM can have on China's [[Belt and Road]] projects, not just within China, but all across the region. Four of China's six 'Silk Road Networks', including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor emanate from or pass through Xinjiang. These roads aim to connect China with Russia, central, southern, and western Asia, reaching the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<br />
<br />
A United Nations Security Council report confirmed that ETIM, apart from basing itself out of Afghanistan, is also pursuing a transnational agenda.<br />
<br />
The Taliban has pledged to actively support the CCP's [[Belt and Road Initiative]]. In 2008, a Chinese corporation won a $3-billion tender to develop the Mes Aynak copper mine in Afghanistan, one of the world's largest. In 2011, a Chinese company won the right to develop an oil field in Amu Darya. Afghanistan is also home to some of the world's largest rare earth deposits.<br />
<br />
====UN Efforts====<br />
The United Nations was instrumental in obtaining a negotiated Soviet withdrawal under the terms of the 1988 Geneva Accords. In the aftermath of the Accords, the United Nations assisted in the repatriation of refugees and provided humanitarian aid such as food, health care, educational programs, and support for mine-clearing operations. From 1990 to 2001, the UN worked to promote a peaceful settlement between the Afghan factions as well as provide humanitarian aid. Since October 2001, the UN has played a key role in Afghanistan through the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA), including spearheading efforts to organize the Afghan presidential elections held in October 2004 and National Assembly elections held in 2005.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:U.S. Embassy Kabul.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Former U.S. Embassy in Kabul, painted over with the [[Shahada]] after Joe Biden's botched Afghan exit.]]<br />
The first extensive American contact with Afghanistan was made by Josiah Harlan, an adventurer from Pennsylvania who was an adviser in Afghan politics in the 1830s and reputedly inspired Rudyard Kipling's story "The Man Who Would be King." After the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1934, the U.S. policy of helping developing nations raise their standard of living was an important factor in maintaining and improving U.S.-Afghan ties. From 1950 to 1979, U.S. foreign assistance provided Afghanistan with more than $500 million in loans, grants, and surplus agricultural commodities to develop transportation facilities, increase agricultural production, expand the educational system, stimulate industry, and improve government administration. <br />
<br />
In the 1950s, the U.S. declined Afghanistan's request for defense cooperation but extended an economic assistance program focused on the development of Afghanistan's physical infrastructure—roads, dams, and power plants. Later, U.S. aid shifted from infrastructure projects to technical assistance programs to help develop the skills needed to build a modern economy. The Peace Corps was active in Afghanistan between 1962 and 1979. <br />
<br />
After the April 1978 coup, relations deteriorated. In February 1979, U.S. Ambassador Adolph "Spike" Dubs was murdered in Kabul after Afghan security forces burst in on his kidnappers. The U.S. then reduced bilateral assistance and terminated a small military training program. All remaining assistance agreements were ended after the December 1979 Soviet invasion. <br />
<br />
Following the Soviet invasion, the United States supported diplomatic efforts to achieve a Soviet withdrawal. U.S. contributions to the refugee program in Pakistan played a major part in efforts to assist Afghans in need. This cross-border humanitarian assistance program aimed to increase Afghan self-sufficiency and help Afghans resist Soviet attempts to drive civilians out of the rebel-dominated countryside. During the period of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the U.S. provided about $3 billion in military and economic assistance to Afghans and the resistance movement. <br />
<br />
The U.S. supported the emergence of a broad-based government, representative of all Afghans and encouraged a UN role in the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan. <!--Today, the U.S. is assisting the Afghan people as they rebuild their country and establish a representative government that contributes to regional stability, is market friendly, and respects human rights. In May 2005, President Bush and President Karzai concluded a strategic partnership agreement committing both nations to a long-term relationship.--><br />
<br />
According to Trump-era [[Secretary of Defense]] Christopher Miller as reported by ''Defense One'',<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/08/trumps-pledge-exit-afghanistan-was-ruse-his-final-secdef-says/184660/</ref> [[President Trump]] never intended to fully withdraw from Afghanistan, but rather leave behind a counterterrorism force of 800–850 at Bagram Airforce base.<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We did plenty of wargames on this and we knew what the minimal force structure was,” he said this week. “The number was 800. If this all goes bad, what is the minimal force structure needed to maintain [counterterrorism] strike and reconnaissance capability? We can do it for 800, 850.” <br />
<br />
''Defense One'' was able to confirm Miller’s account of the 800-personnel study independently with another former NSC staff member. <br />
<br />
Miller said he understood Trump’s May 1 [2021] withdrawal deal to be a negotiating tactic.}}<br />
<br />
== Geography ==<br />
The country is known for its mountainous terrain. The huge Hindu Kush mountains form a barrier between the Northern provinces and the rest of the country. This mountain range has also divided Afghanistan int three very different geographic regions known as; The Central Highlands, The Northern Plains, and the Southwestern Plateau. The altitude, climate, and soil conditions in Afghanistan varies greatly on where in the country you are.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20100105194833/https://www.afghan-web.com/geography/lr.html</ref><br />
<br />
== People ==<br />
[[File:Afghan girls.jpg|right|350px|thumb]]<br />
Afghanistan's ethnically and linguistically mixed population reflects its location astride historic trade and invasion routes leading from Central Asia into South and Southwest Asia. While population data is somewhat unreliable for Afghanistan, Pashtuns make up the largest ethnic group at 38-44% of the population, followed by Tajiks (25%), Hazaras (10%), Uzbek (6-8%), Aimaq, Turkmen, Baluch, and other small groups. Dari (Afghan Farsi) and Pashto are official languages. Dari is spoken by more than one-third of the population as a first language and serves as a lingua franca for most Afghans, though Pashto is spoken throughout the Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan. Tajik and Turkic languages are spoken widely in the north. Smaller groups throughout the country also speak more than 70 other languages and numerous dialects. <br />
<br />
Afghanistan is an Islamic country. An estimated 80% of the population is Sunni, following the Hanafi school of jurisprudence; the remainder of the population—and primarily the Hazara ethnic group—predominantly Shi'a. Despite attempts during the years of communist rule to secularize Afghan society, Islamic practices pervade all aspects of life. In fact, Islam served as a principal basis for expressing opposition to communism and the Soviet invasion. Islamic religious tradition and codes, together with traditional tribal and ethnic practices, have an important role in personal conduct and dispute settlement. Afghan society is largely based on kinship groups, which follow traditional customs and religious practices, though somewhat less so in urban areas.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Afghan RCD.gif|right|250px|thumb]]<br />
In the 1930s, Afghanistan embarked on a modest economic development program. The government founded banks; introduced paper money; established a university; expanded primary, secondary, and technical schools; and sent students abroad for education. <br />
<br />
Historically, there has been a dearth of information and reliable statistics about Afghanistan's economy. The 1979 Soviet invasion and ensuing civil war destroyed much of the country's limited infrastructure and disrupted normal patterns of economic activity. Gross domestic product had fallen substantially because of loss of labor and capital and disruption of trade and transport. Continuing internal strife hampered both domestic efforts at reconstruction as well as international aid efforts. However, Afghanistan's economy has grown at a fast pace since the 2001 fall of the Taliban, albeit from a low base. In 2004, Afghanistan's GDP grew 17%, and in 2005 Afghanistan's GDP grew approximately 10%. <br />
<br />
In June 2006, Afghanistan and the International Monetary Fund agreed on a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program for 2006-2009 that focuses on maintaining macroeconomic stability, boosting growth, and reducing poverty. Afghanistan is also rebuilding its banking infrastructure, through the Da Afghanistan National Bank. Several government-owned banks are also in the process of being privatized. <br />
<br />
===Agriculture===<br />
[[File:Afghanistan opium.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Opium cultivation in Afghanistan.]]<br />
The main source of income in the country is agriculture, and during its good years, Afghanistan produces enough food and food products to provide for the people, as well as to create a surplus for export. The major food crops produced are: corn, rice, barley, wheat, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. In Afghanistan, industry is also based on agriculture, and pastoral raw materials. The major industrial crops are: cotton, tobacco, madder, castor beans, and sugar beets. The Afghan economy continues to be overwhelmingly agricultural, despite the fact that only 12% of its total land area is arable and less than 6% currently is cultivated. Agricultural production is constrained by an almost total dependence on erratic winter snows and spring rains for water; irrigation is primitive. Relatively little use is made of machines, chemical fertilizer, or pesticides. <br />
<br />
Overall agricultural production dramatically declined following severe drought as well as sustained fighting, instability in rural areas, and deteriorated infrastructure. The easing of the drought and the end of civil war produced the largest wheat harvest in 25 years during 2003. Wheat production was an estimated 58% higher than in 2002. However, the country still needed to import an estimated one million tons of wheat to meet its requirements for the 2003 year. Millions of Afghans, particularly in rural areas, remained dependent on food aid. <br />
<br />
Opium has become a source of cash for many Afghans, especially following the breakdown in central authority after the Soviet withdrawal, and opium-derived revenues probably constituted a major source of income for the two main factions during the civil war in the 1990s. Opium is easy to cultivate and transport and offers a quick source of income for impoverished Afghans. Afghanistan produced a record opium poppy crop in 2006, supplying 91% of the world's opium. Much of Afghanistan's opium production is refined into heroin and is either consumed by a growing regional addict population or exported, primarily to Western Europe.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5308180.stm UN warns of soaring Afghan opium], BBC, Sep 2, 2006</ref><br />
<br />
Afghanistan has begun counter-narcotics programs, including the promotion of alternative livelihoods, public information campaigns, targeted eradication policies, interdiction of drug shipments, as well as law enforcement and justice reform programs. These programs were first implemented in late 2005. In June 2006, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that the Afghan Government eradicated over 15,000 hectares of opium poppy.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
===Trade and Industry===<br />
Afghanistan is endowed with natural resources, including extensive deposits of [[natural gas]], [[petroleum]], [[coal]], [[copper]], [[chromite]], [[talc]], [[barite]]s, [[sulfur]], [[lead]], [[zinc]], [[iron ore]], [[salt]], and precious and semiprecious stones. Unfortunately, ongoing instability in certain areas of the country, remote and rugged terrain, and inadequate infrastructure and transportation network have made mining these resources difficult, and there have been few serious attempts to further explore or exploit them. Coal deposits have been widely exploited.<br />
<br />
The most important resource has been natural gas, first tapped in 1967. At their peak during the 1980s, natural gas sales accounted for $300 million a year in export revenues (56% of the total). Ninety percent of these exports went to the Soviet Union to pay for imports and debts. However, during the withdrawal of Soviet troops in 1989, Afghanistan's natural gas fields were capped to prevent sabotage by the mujahidin. Restoration of gas production has been hampered by internal strife and the disruption of traditional trading relationships following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Trade in smuggled goods into Pakistan once constituted a major source of revenue for Afghan regimes, including the Taliban, and still figures as an important element in the Afghan economy, although efforts are underway to formalize this trade.<br />
<br />
===Transportation===<br />
In the 1960s, the United States helped build a highway connecting Afghanistan's two largest cities. It began in Kabul and wound its way through five of the country's core provinces—skirting scores of isolated and otherwise inaccessible villages; passing through the ancient market city of Ghazni; descending through Qalat; and eventually reaching Kandahar, founded by Alexander the Great. More than 35% of the country's population lives within 50 kilometers of this highway, called, appropriately, modern Afghanistan's lifeline. In 1978, the Soviet Union invaded. By the time its forces withdrew more than a decade later, more than 1 million Afghans had been killed and 5 million had fled. Civil war followed. The Taliban emerged, controlling all but the remote, northern regions. Afghanistan was terrorized by this group, which was dogmatically opposed to progress and democracy. More than two decades of war had left the Kabul-Kandahar highway devastated, like much of the country's infrastructure. Little could move along the lifeline that had provided so many Afghans with their means of livelihood and their access to healthcare, education, markets, and places of worship. <br />
<br />
'''Reviving the Road''': Restoration of the highway has been an overriding priority of President Hamid Karzai. It is crucial to extending the influence of the new government. Without the highway link, Afghanistan's civil society and economy would remain moribund and prey to divisive forces. The economic development that the highway makes possible will help guarantee the unity and long-term security of the Afghan people. The restored highway is a visually impressive achievement whose symbolic importance should not be underestimated. It marks a palpable transition from the recent past and represents an important building block for the future. Recently, an official in Herat likened the ring road to veins and arteries that nourish and bring life to the "heart" of Kabul and the body of the country. The highway will not end in Kandahar: there are plans to complete the circuit, extending it to Herat and then arcing it back through Mazar-e Sharif to Kabul. The route is sometimes referred to as the Ring Road. As of December 2006, three-quarters of the Ring Road had been funded, with plans to be completed in 2007. <br />
<br />
Landlocked Afghanistan has no functioning railways, but the Amu Darya (Oxus) River, which forms part of Afghanistan's border with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, has barge traffic. During their occupation of the country, the Soviets completed a bridge across the Amu Darya. The United States, in partnership with Norway, has agreed to reconstruct this bridge, which will stretch more than 650 meters over the Amu Darya/Pyandzh River between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, near Pyanji Poyon (Tajikistan) and Shir Khan Bandar (Afghanistan). The bridge is set for completion in 2007. <br />
<br />
Afghanistan's national airline, Ariana, operates domestic and international routes, including flights to New Delhi, Islamabad, Dubai, Moscow, Istanbul, Tehran, and Frankfurt. A private carrier, Kam Air, commenced domestic operations in November 2003. Many sections of Afghanistan's highway and regional road system are undergoing significant reconstruction. The U.S. (with assistance from Japan) completed building a highway linking Kabul to the southern regional capital, Kandahar. Construction is soon to begin on the next phase of highway reconstruction between Kandahar and the western city of Herat. The Asian Development Bank is also active in road development projects, mainly in the border areas with Pakistan.<br />
<br />
==Humanitarian Relief==<br />
Many nations have assisted in a great variety of humanitarian and development projects all across Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. The United Nations, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other international agencies have also given aid. Schools, clinics, water systems, agriculture, sanitation, government buildings and roads are being repaired or built. <br />
<br />
===De-mining===<br />
Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world; mine-related injuries number up to 100 per month, and an estimated 200,000 Afghans have been disabled by landmine/unexploded ordinances (UXO) accidents. As of March 2005 the United Nations Mine Action Program for Afghanistan had approximately 8,000 Afghan personnel, 700 demobilized soldiers, 22 international staff, and several NGOs deployed in Afghanistan. The goal of the program is to remove the impact of mines from all high-impact areas by 2007 and to make Afghanistan mine-free by 2012. Between January 2003 and March 2005 a total of 2,354,244 mines and pieces of UXOs were destroyed. Training programs are also being used to educate the public about the threat and dangers of land mines. The number of mine victims was reduced from approximately 150 a month in 2002 to less than 100 a month in 2004. <br />
<br />
===Refugees and Internally Displaced People===<br />
Afghanistan has had the largest refugee repatriation in the world in the last 30 years. The return of refugees is guided by the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MORR) and supported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organization of Migration (IOM), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and a number of other national and international NGOs. As of December 2006, approximately 3 million Afghans remained in neighboring countries. The U.S. provided more than $350 million to support Afghan refugees, returnees, and other conflict victims between September 2001 and March 2006. Since the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the country's non-opium economy has grown significantly and has allowed approximately 3 million people to return home.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20061022212707/http://www.control-risks.com/default.aspx?page=605</ref><br />
<br />
===Health===<br />
In response to a strategy outlined by the Ministry of Health, the international community is supporting the government in rebuilding the primary health-care system. Tuberculosis remains a serious public health problem in Afghanistan. Since this strategy was outlined, the Afghan Government with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) has established 162 health facilities in 141 districts across the country. The treatment success rate in 2002 was 86%. WHO is also assisting the Ministry of Health and local health authorities to combat malaria where the disease is widespread. Through this project, 600,000 individuals are receiving full treatment for malaria every year. In addition 750,000 individuals are protected from malaria by sleeping under special nets provided under the project.<br />
<br />
According to the U.S. [[Center for Disease Control]] (CDC), Afghanistan has the seventh-highest number of [[measles]] cases in the world.<ref>https://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/measles/data/global-measles-outbreaks.html</ref><br />
<br />
===Education===<br />
There were 45,000 children enrolled in school in 1993, 19% were girls. The latest official statistics show there are now 64,000 children in school, one third are girls. In addition 29% of the teachers in the province are women, compared with 15% in 1993. Effort is being made to ensure that teachers receive salaries on time and increasing the attendance of girls in school. The total enrollment rate for Afghan children between 7 and 13 years of age has increased to 54% (67% for boys and 37% for girls). A number of factors such as distance to schools, poor facilities and lack of separate schooling for boys and girls continue to be challenges to higher enrollment.<br />
<br />
In 2015, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that U.S. soldiers were instructed by their commanders to ignore child sexual abuse being carried out by the Afghan National Security Forces. American soldiers were instructed not to intervene—in some cases, not even when their Afghan allies have abused boys on military bases, according to interviews and court records. But the U.S. soldiers were troubled that instead of weeding out [[pedophile]]s, the U.S. military was arming them against the Taliban and placing them as the police commanders of villages—and doing little when they began abusing children.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/opinion/ignoring-sexual-abuse-in-afghanistan.html|title=Ignoring Sexual Abuse in Afghanistan|author=The Editorial Board|date=2015-09-21|work=The New York Times|access-date=|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><br />
<br />
== Sexual abuse in Afghanistan ==<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Sexual abuse in Afghanistan]]<br />
<br />
According to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, the [[DOD]] had received 5,753 vetting requests of Afghan security forces, some of which related to sexual abuse. The DOD was investigating 75 reports of gross [[human rights]] violations, <br />
including 7 involving child sexual assault.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sigar.mil/pdf/inspections/SIGAR%2017-47-IP.pdf|title=Child Sexual Assault in Afghanistan:Implementation of the Leahy Laws and Reports of Assault by Afghan Security Forces|date=June 2017|website=Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction}}</ref> According to ''The New York Times'', discussing that report, [[American]] [[law]] required military aid to be cut off to the offending unit, but that never happened. [[U.S. Special Operations Forces]] officer, Capt. Dan Quinn, was relieved of his command in Afghanistan after fighting an Afghan militia commander who had been responsible for keeping a boy as a sex slave.<ref>{{cite news<br />
|title=Afghan Pedophiles Get Free Pass From U.S. Military, Report Says<br />
|first=Rod<br />
|last=Nordland<br />
|date=January 23, 2018<br />
|access-date=<br />
|newspaper=The New York Times<br />
|url=https://archive.is/wIjcD#selection-1771.33-1771.48}}</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
*[[Muslim agenda of the Obama administration]]<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a police state<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
* [http://www.afghan-web.com/ Afghanistan Online.]<br />
* [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/02/2674562.htm Afghan opium crop in decline.]<br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Seth. ''In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan'' (2009) [https://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Empires-Americas-War-Afghanistan/dp/0393068986/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253093556&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]<br />
* The book ''Horse Soldiers'' describes the previously secret 5-week campaign, materially aided by the [[CIA]] and [[Special Forces]]. [http://features.csmonitor.com/books/2009/09/08/horse-soldiers/]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
{{Copyright Details (US Government)}} <br />
<br />
Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5380.htm]<br />
<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan]]<br />
[[Category:Landlocked Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Cold War]]<br />
[[Category:British Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
<br />
{{Terrorism}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
<br />
{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Benazir_Bhutto&diff=2010386Benazir Bhutto2023-12-14T17:10:54Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:B Bhutto.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Benazir Bhutto]]<br />
'''Benazir Bhutto''' (Karachi, June 21, 1953 – Rawalpindi, December 27, 2007) became the first woman to be the head of government of a [[Muslim]]-majority country when she was elected [[Prime Minister]] of [[Pakistan]] in 1988. She was the eldest child of former premier [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]]. Benazir Bhutto was a Shiite muslim. <ref>https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/strategic-insights/pakistan-a-shia-leads-a-sunni-army/?source=app&frmapp=yes</ref><ref>https://muslimmirror.com/eng/from-jinnah-to-benazir-the-misunderstood-shia-sunni-relationship-of-pakistani-society/</ref><br />
<br />
Bhutto was strongly [[pro-life]]. In 1994, she was a leader of a delegation to the widely publicized [[United Nations]] population conference in [[Cairo]], where she opposed those seeking to create a new international right to [[abortion]]. One of only two women who addressed the conference, Bhutto declared, "I dream ... of a world where we can commit our social resources to the development of human life and not to its destruction."<ref>https://www.lifenews.com/int576.html</ref><br />
<br />
Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in Rawalpindi, [[Pakistan]] on December 27, 2007. The assailant reportedly shot at Benazir three times at close range before detonating an explosive vest. Despite undergoing emergency surgery at Rawalpindi General Hospital, she did not recover from her injuries. The Pakistani government has stated that she was not hit by bullets or bomb shrapnel, but died after the shock waves from the blast knocked her head into a lever attached to the sunroof, fracturing her skull.<ref>'''Ahmad, Munir''' "Pakistan: Bhutto Died of Skull Fracture" [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ioTwkS-brY7b5sQCJoIKvUKNmk5wD8TQJ2GO0 Associated Press 28/12/07] Accessed 28 December 2007.</ref><br />
<br />
After Bhutto's death, [[CNN]]'s Wolf Blitzer reported that Bhutto had sent him an email two months prior saying that in the event of her death, she wanted to blame [[Pervez Musharraf]], the Army's Chief of Staff.<ref>http://apnews.myway.com//article/20071228/D8TQKI3O0.html</ref><br />
<br />
==Background==<br />
Born in 1953 in the province of Sindh, from the age of 9, Bhutto was groomed by her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, for political office in Pakistan. He introduced her to many of the leading politicians of the day and ensured she was well educated. After completing her early education in Pakistan, between 1969 and 1973 she attended [[Radcliffe College]] and [[Harvard University]], obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in Comparative Government. Between 1973 and 1977 she studied at [[Oxford University]], obtaining a degree in [[Philosophy]], [[Politics]] and [[Economics]], and also studying International Law and Diplomacy. In 1973 her father became [[Prime Minister]] of Pakistan. Ousted from office on charges of corruption in 1975, his trial in 1977 for conspiracy resulted in a death sentence being awarded. Ten days after her return to Pakistan in 1977, martial law was declared, her father was arrested and she was placed under house arrest. Benazir became the focus for her father's supporters and he continued to advise her what to say to the crowds. He was hanged in 1979. In the same year, Benazir became the leader of the [[Pakistan People's Party]] (PPP), and remained under house arrest until 1984, when she was allowed to go into exile in [[Great Britain]]. <br />
<br />
In 1986 Benazir returned to Pakistan, and on November 16, 1988, the PPP won the majority of seats in the National Assembly. Bhutto was sworn in as [[Prime Minister]] of the coalition government on December 2, 1988, and became the youngest person and the first woman to head the government of a Muslim-majority state. <br />
<br />
Echoing the charges laid against her father, Bhutto's government was dismissed in 1990 following unsubstantiated charges of corruption. [[Nawaz Sharif]] and his party, [[Pakistan Muslim League N]], superseded Benazir's PPP, although she was re-elected in 1993. In 1996, Benazir's husband was jailed for corruption and accused of murdering her brother, and the government was dissolved by then [[president]] [[Farooq Leghari]], with further corruption charges leveled against them. Benazir denied all corruption charges and argued that the investigations were purely politically motivated. She once more went into exile in Britain. <br />
<br />
==Return to Pakistan==<br />
In 1999 a military coup d'état headed by Musharraf, removed Sharif as Prime Minister, and Musharraf declared himself "Chief Executive". In 2001, Musharraf appointed himself to the office of President. In 2002, he altered Pakistan's constitution to prevent prime ministers from serving more than two terms, in a move believed to be aimed at preventing Bhutto and Sharif forming a popular opposition to him.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
*[[Pervez Musharraf]]<br />
*[[India]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/bhu0bio-1 Biography] <br />
*[http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9211744 Benazir Bhutto]<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhutto, Benazir}}<br />
[[Category:Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Women]]<br />
[[Category:Former Heads of Government]]<br />
[[Category:Pro-Life]]<br />
[[Category:Populists]]<br />
[[Category:Liberals]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Benazir_Bhutto&diff=2010385Benazir Bhutto2023-12-14T17:10:20Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:B Bhutto.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Benazir Bhutto]]<br />
'''Benazir Bhutto''' (Karachi, June 21, 1953 – Rawalpindi, December 27, 2007) became the first woman to be the head of government of a [[Muslim]]-majority country when she was elected [[Prime Minister]] of [[Pakistan]] in 1988. She was the eldest child of former premier [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]]. Benazir Bhutto was a Shiite muslim. <ref>https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/strategic-insights/pakistan-a-shia-leads-a-sunni-army/?source=app&frmapp=yes</ref><br />
<br />
Bhutto was strongly [[pro-life]]. In 1994, she was a leader of a delegation to the widely publicized [[United Nations]] population conference in [[Cairo]], where she opposed those seeking to create a new international right to [[abortion]]. One of only two women who addressed the conference, Bhutto declared, "I dream ... of a world where we can commit our social resources to the development of human life and not to its destruction."<ref>https://www.lifenews.com/int576.html</ref><br />
<br />
Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in Rawalpindi, [[Pakistan]] on December 27, 2007. The assailant reportedly shot at Benazir three times at close range before detonating an explosive vest. Despite undergoing emergency surgery at Rawalpindi General Hospital, she did not recover from her injuries. The Pakistani government has stated that she was not hit by bullets or bomb shrapnel, but died after the shock waves from the blast knocked her head into a lever attached to the sunroof, fracturing her skull.<ref>'''Ahmad, Munir''' "Pakistan: Bhutto Died of Skull Fracture" [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ioTwkS-brY7b5sQCJoIKvUKNmk5wD8TQJ2GO0 Associated Press 28/12/07] Accessed 28 December 2007.</ref><br />
<br />
After Bhutto's death, [[CNN]]'s Wolf Blitzer reported that Bhutto had sent him an email two months prior saying that in the event of her death, she wanted to blame [[Pervez Musharraf]], the Army's Chief of Staff.<ref>http://apnews.myway.com//article/20071228/D8TQKI3O0.html</ref><br />
<br />
==Background==<br />
Born in 1953 in the province of Sindh, from the age of 9, Bhutto was groomed by her father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, for political office in Pakistan. He introduced her to many of the leading politicians of the day and ensured she was well educated. After completing her early education in Pakistan, between 1969 and 1973 she attended [[Radcliffe College]] and [[Harvard University]], obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in Comparative Government. Between 1973 and 1977 she studied at [[Oxford University]], obtaining a degree in [[Philosophy]], [[Politics]] and [[Economics]], and also studying International Law and Diplomacy. In 1973 her father became [[Prime Minister]] of Pakistan. Ousted from office on charges of corruption in 1975, his trial in 1977 for conspiracy resulted in a death sentence being awarded. Ten days after her return to Pakistan in 1977, martial law was declared, her father was arrested and she was placed under house arrest. Benazir became the focus for her father's supporters and he continued to advise her what to say to the crowds. He was hanged in 1979. In the same year, Benazir became the leader of the [[Pakistan People's Party]] (PPP), and remained under house arrest until 1984, when she was allowed to go into exile in [[Great Britain]]. <br />
<br />
In 1986 Benazir returned to Pakistan, and on November 16, 1988, the PPP won the majority of seats in the National Assembly. Bhutto was sworn in as [[Prime Minister]] of the coalition government on December 2, 1988, and became the youngest person and the first woman to head the government of a Muslim-majority state. <br />
<br />
Echoing the charges laid against her father, Bhutto's government was dismissed in 1990 following unsubstantiated charges of corruption. [[Nawaz Sharif]] and his party, [[Pakistan Muslim League N]], superseded Benazir's PPP, although she was re-elected in 1993. In 1996, Benazir's husband was jailed for corruption and accused of murdering her brother, and the government was dissolved by then [[president]] [[Farooq Leghari]], with further corruption charges leveled against them. Benazir denied all corruption charges and argued that the investigations were purely politically motivated. She once more went into exile in Britain. <br />
<br />
==Return to Pakistan==<br />
In 1999 a military coup d'état headed by Musharraf, removed Sharif as Prime Minister, and Musharraf declared himself "Chief Executive". In 2001, Musharraf appointed himself to the office of President. In 2002, he altered Pakistan's constitution to prevent prime ministers from serving more than two terms, in a move believed to be aimed at preventing Bhutto and Sharif forming a popular opposition to him.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
*[[Pervez Musharraf]]<br />
*[[India]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/bhu0bio-1 Biography] <br />
*[http://www.biography.com/search/article.do?id=9211744 Benazir Bhutto]<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bhutto, Benazir}}<br />
[[Category:Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Women]]<br />
[[Category:Former Heads of Government]]<br />
[[Category:Pro-Life]]<br />
[[Category:Populists]]<br />
[[Category:Liberals]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Pakistan&diff=2010384Pakistan2023-12-14T16:42:50Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Country<br />
|name =اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان<br />''Islāmī Jumhūrīyah Pākistān''<br />
|map =Future Map of Pakistan.jpg<br />
|map2 =Pakistan location.png<br />
|flag =Flag of Pakistan.png<br />
|arms =Arms of Pakistan.png<br />
|capital =Islamabad<br />
|capital-raw =<br />
|government =Semi-presidential republic<br />
|government-raw =<br />
|language =Urdu, English<br />
|king =<br />
|queen =<br />
|monarch-raw =<br />
|president = Arif Alvi<br />
|president-raw =<br />
|chancellor =<br />
|chancellor-raw =<br />
|pm = <br />
|pm-raw =Shehbaz Sharif<br/><br />
|area =340,403 sq mi<br />
|pop =220,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis =<br />
|gdp =$285,000,000,000 (2020)<br />
|gdp-year =<br />
|gdp-pc =$1,273 (2020)<br />
|currency =Rupee <br />
|idd =<br />
|tld =<br />
}}<br />
Pakistan, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''', is an Islamic fundamentalist country in South Asia created by the British for [[India]]n [[Muslim]]s on 14 August 1947, despite a significant [[opposition to the partition of India|opposition to the partition of colonial India]]. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. At the time of the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Hindus comprised over 23% of the population.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/india/2-yrs-after-it-counted-population-pakistan-silent-on-minority-numbers-6203547/</ref> However, Pakistan is currently 99% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native were slaughtered during the partition of India<ref>https://hindugenocide.com/islamic-jihad/4million-hindus-persecuted-west-pakistan-partition-plight-hindus-remained/</ref> Forced conversion of non-Muslims is rampant in Pakistan. The Global Human Rights Defense(GHRD) estimates that more than 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls are kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam annually in Pakistan.<ref>https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/hindus-pakistan-nobodys-children</ref> Pakistan is hostile to the United States and is one of the most anti-American countries.<ref>https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/on-pakistani-anti-americanism/</ref> Pakistan is allied with Communist [[China]].<ref>https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pakistans-alliance-china-comes-high-cost-149471</ref> The Pakistani [[ISI]] and Military are the real powers behind Pakistan and actively sponsors terrorism in Afghanistan against U.S. and Afghan troops.<ref>https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/09/pakistan-continues-to-harbor-taliban-including-al-qaeda-linked-haqqanis.php</ref><ref>https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FOIA-Reading-Room-Other-Available-Records/FileId/155424/</ref> Although Pakistan is regarded as a major non-Nato ally, this was due to Pakistan's lobbying efforts.<ref>https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/img-src-http-talkingpointsmemo-com-images-payne-musharraf-muck-jpg-vspace-5-hspace-5-align-left-stephen-payne-worked-for-pakistan-after-sept-11</ref> There have been attempts by Congress to remove Pakistan's major non-Nato ally status due to their support for terrorism.<ref>https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/73/text?format=txt</ref> Additionally, Pakistan engages in the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology to countries such as Iran and North Korea.<ref>https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004-04/features/closing-pandoras-box-pakistans-role-nuclear-proliferation</ref><ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/pakistan-sold-iran-nuke-tech-in-1980s-former-president-rafsanjani-reveals/</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[Image:Badshahi Mosque, Pakistan.jpg|thumb|260px|Badshahi Mosque.]]<br />
What is now Pakistan, along with parts of northwestern India, contains the archeological remains of an urban civilization dating back 4,500 years. Alexander the Great included the Indus Valley in his empire in 326 B.C., and his successors founded the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria based in what is today Afghanistan and extending to Peshawar. Following the rise of the Central Asian Kushan Empire in later centuries, the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan, centered on the city of Taxila just west of Islamabad, experienced a cultural renaissance known as the Gandhara period. <br />
<br />
Pakistan's Islamic history began with the arrival of Muslim traders in the 8th century in Sindh. The collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century provided an opportunity for the English East India Company to extend its control over much of the subcontinent. The Sikh adventurer, Ranjit Singh, carved out a dominion that extended from Kabul to Srinagar and Lahore, encompassing much of the northern area of modern Pakistan. British rule replaced the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th century. The British permitted the Hindu Maharaja of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, a Sikh appointee, to continue in power. <br />
<br />
The concept of "Pakistan" emerged from an extended period of agitation by the elite Muslims of India to gain power. These elite Muslims were backed by the British and founded the All India Muslim League in 1906. Initially, the League adopted the same objective as the Congress—self-government for India within the British Empire—but the League refused to accept United India. On the other hand, prominent Indian Muslim leaders, such as the Pashtun visionary Khan Abdbul Ghaffar Khan, as well as the Darul Uloom Deoband, supported a united India. After the partition of India, the government of Pakistan jailed Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan quite frequently and he was buried in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan====<br />
[[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]]<br />
The idea of a separate Muslim state in British India first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. This resolution was vehemently opposed by nationalist Indian Muslims represented by the [[All India Azad Muslim Conference]], who [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India]]; British officials, however, sidelined the All India Azad Muslim Conference.<ref name="Shodganga">{{cite web |title=Towards United and Federate India: 1940-47 |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/31090/10/10_chapter%205.pdf |accessdate=31 March 2019 |pages=193, 198 |language=English}}</ref> At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom realized that it could no longer hold on to India. The British wanted to maintain their imperialist influence over countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, so they decided to create Pakistan to give them a foothold in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) and Balochistan. Britain however encountered issues with doing this as the NWFP had elected a government from the Indian National Congress and not from the [[Muslim League]]. Therefore, Louis Mountbatten, with the help of his wife Edwina, talked Jawaharlal Nehru into agreeing to a referendum in the NWFP. Although it is claimed that 99% of the votes were in favor of Pakistan, there was widespread fraud and rigging done during the referendum. Khan Abdul Wali Khan the son of Ghaffar Khan cited that an old woman disclosed to him that she alone polled 52 votes in favor of Pakistan.<ref>https://drfakhrulislam.pk/referendum-in-nwfp-a-significant-chapter-of-freedom-movement/#_edn25</ref><ref>https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/britain-created-pakistan/20171102.htm</ref> In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947, Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. The British were ecstatic about the creation despite the uprooting of 20 million Indians from their homes where their forefathers had lived for a millennia. On August 15, The Times, London published the following editorial, ''"In the hour of its creation Pakistan emerges as the leading state of the Muslim world. Since the collapse of the Turkish empire that world, which extends across the globe from Morocco to Indonesia, has not included a state whose numbers, natural resources and place in history gave it undisputed pre-eminence. The gap is now filled. From today Karachi takes rank as a new centre of Muslim cohesion and rallying point of Muslim thought and aspirations".''<ref>https://indiafacts.org/partition-why-britain-created-pakistan/</ref> East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. Ahamadiyya and Shiite muslims were heavily involved in the creation of Pakistan.<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2019/12/how-ahmadiyyas-were-at-the-forefront-of-creation-of-pakistan-islam-all-you-need-to-know/</ref><ref>Fuchs, Simon Wolfgang (2019). In a Pure Muslim Land: Shi'ism between Pakistan and the Middle East. University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-4696-4979-5. JSTOR 10.5149/9781469649818_fuchs</ref><br />
The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day.<br />
<br />
In 1948, the Pakistani military invaded and annexed Balochistan under orders from Muhammad Ali Jinnah.<ref>http://balochwarna.com/2020/03/27/the-slogan-of-pakistan-quit-balochistan/</ref><br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Independence====<br />
[[File:Muhammad Ali Jinnah.jpg|thumb|220px|Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his youth, in traditional dress.]]<br />
====Muhammad Zia ul-Haq====<br />
With increasing anti-government unrest, the army grew restive. On July 5, 1977, the military removed Bhutto from power and arrested him, declared martial law, and suspended portions of the 1973 Constitution. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Chief Martial Law Administrator and promised to hold new elections within 3 months. <br />
<br />
Zia released Bhutto and asserted that he could contest new elections scheduled for October 1977. However, after it became clear that Bhutto's popularity had survived his government, Zia postponed the elections and began criminal investigations of the senior PPP leadership. Subsequently, Bhutto was convicted and sentenced to death for an alleged conspiracy to murder a political opponent. Despite international appeals on his behalf, Bhutto was hanged on April 6, 1979. <br />
<br />
Zia assumed the presidency and called for elections in November. However, fearful of a PPP victory, Zia banned political activity in October 1979, and postponed national elections. This same year Zia also passed into law the Hudood Ordinance, which provides for harsh Quranic punishments for violations of Shari'a (Islamic law). <br />
<br />
In 1980, most center and left parties, led by the PPP, formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD demanded Zia's resignation, an end to martial law, new elections, and restoration of the Constitution, as it existed before Zia's takeover. In early December 1984, President Zia proclaimed a national referendum for December 19 on his "Islamization" program. After non-party based polls were held for the National and Provincial Assemblies in 1985, President Zia appointed Muhammad Khan Junejo as the Prime Minister. He implicitly linked approval of "Islamization" with a mandate for his continued presidency. Zia's opponents, led by the MRD, boycotted the elections. When the government claimed a 63% turnout, with more than 90% approving the referendum, many observers questioned the figures. <br />
<br />
====Sharif and Bhutto Civilian Governments====<br />
[[File:B Bhutto.jpg|thumb|left|Benazir Bhutto.]]<br />
On August 17, 1988, a plane carrying President Zia, American Ambassador Arnold Raphel, U.S. Brig. General Herbert Wassom, and 28 Pakistani military officers crashed on a return flight from a military equipment trial near Bahawalpur, killing all on board. In accordance with the Constitution, Chairman of the Senate Ghulam Ishaq Khan became Acting President and announced that elections scheduled for November 1988 would take place. Elections were held on a party basis. On one side was an eight-party alliance and on the other, the PPP. The PPP won 94 seats out of 207 and the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) won 54. Muhammad Khan Junejo lost from his home constituency. The president was bound to invite the PPP to from the government, but he delayed doing so for two weeks in order to give the IJI time to muster the support of other groups. Ultimately, the president asked PPP Co-chairperson [[Benazir Bhutto]] to form a government. <br />
<br />
The PPP, under Benazir Bhutto's leadership, succeeded in forming a coalition government with several smaller parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). <br />
<br />
Differing interpretations of constitutional authority, debates over the powers of the central government relative to those of the provinces, and the antagonistic relationship between the Bhutto administration and opposition governments in Punjab and Balochistan seriously impeded social and economic reform programs. Ethnic conflict, primarily in Sindh province, exacerbated these problems. A fragmentation in the governing coalition and the military's reluctance to support an apparently ineffectual and corrupt government were accompanied by a significant deterioration in law and order. <br />
<br />
In August 1990, President Khan, citing his powers under the eighth amendment to the Constitution, dismissed the Bhutto government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. New elections, held in October 1990, confirmed the political ascendancy of the IJI. In addition to a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, the alliance won control of all four provincial parliaments and enjoyed the support of the military and of President Khan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the PML, the most prominent party in the IJI, was elected prime minister by the National Assembly. <br />
<br />
Sharif emerged as the most secure and powerful Pakistani prime minister since the mid-1970s. Under his rule, the IJI achieved several important political victories. The implementation of Sharif's economic reform program; involving privatization, deregulation, and encouragement of private sector economic growth, greatly improved Pakistan's economic performance and business climate. The passage into law in May 1991 of a Shari'a bill, providing for widespread Islamization, legitimized the IJI government among much of Pakistani society. <br />
<br />
However, Nawaz Sharif was not able to reconcile the different objectives of IJI's constituent parties. The largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), abandoned the alliance because of its antagonism to what it regarded as PML hegemony. The government was weakened further by the military's suppression of the MQM, which had entered into coalition with the IJI to contain PPP influence, and allegations of corruption directed at Nawaz Sharif. In April 1993, President Khan, citing "maladministration, corruption, and nepotism" and espousal of political violence, dismissed the Sharif government, but the following month the Pakistan Supreme Court reinstated the National Assembly and the Nawaz Sharif government. Continued tensions between Sharif and Khan resulted in governmental gridlock and the Chief of Army Staff brokered an arrangement under which both the President and the Prime Minister resigned their offices in July 1993. <br />
<br />
An interim government, headed by Moeen Qureshi, a former World Bank Vice President, took office with a mandate to hold national and provincial assembly elections in October. Despite its brief term, the Qureshi government adopted political, economic, and social reforms that generated considerable domestic support and foreign admiration. <br />
<br />
In the October 1993 elections, the PPP won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, and Benazir Bhutto was asked to form a government. However, because it did not acquire a majority in the National Assembly, the PPP's control of the government depended upon the continued support of numerous independent parties, particularly the PML/J (Pakistan Muslim League-Junejo). The unfavorable circumstances surrounding PPP rule—the imperative of preserving a coalition government, the formidable opposition of Nawaz Sharif's PML/N (Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz) movement, and the insecure provincial administrations—presented significant difficulties for the government of Prime Minister Bhutto. However, the election of Prime Minister Bhutto's close associate, Farooq Leghari, as president in November 1993 gave her a stronger power base. <br />
[[File:Faisal mosque Pakistan.jpg|thumb|290px|Faisal mosque, Islamabad.]]<br />
In November 1996, President Leghari dismissed the Bhutto government, charging it with corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and implication in extrajudicial killings in Karachi. Elections in February 1997, resulted in an overwhelming victory for the PML/N, and President Leghari called upon Nawaz Sharif to form a government. In March 1997, with the unanimous support of the National Assembly, Sharif amended the Constitution, stripping the President of the power to dismiss the government and making his power to appoint military service chiefs and provincial governors contingent on the "advice" of the Prime Minister. Another amendment prohibited elected members from "floor crossing" or voting against party positions. The Sharif government also engaged in a protracted dispute with the judiciary, culminating in the storming of the Supreme Court by ruling party loyalists and the engineered dismissal of the Chief Justice and the resignation of President Leghari in December 1997. <br />
<br />
The new President elected by Parliament, Rafiq Tarar, was a close associate of the Prime Minister. A one-sided, anti-corruption campaign was used to target opposition politicians and critics of the regime. Similarly, the government moved to restrict press criticism and ordered the arrest and beating of prominent journalists. As domestic criticism of Sharif's administration intensified, Sharif attempted to replace Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999, with a family loyalist, Director General of the Interservice Intelligence Directorate, Lt. Gen. Ziauddin. Although General Musharraf was out of the country at the time, the army moved quickly to depose Sharif.<br />
<br />
====Pervez Musharraf====<br />
[[File:Pervez Musharraf.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Pervez Musharraf]].]]<br />
Following the October 12 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. On October 14, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Musharraf appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body, with mixed military/civilian appointees; a civilian Cabinet; and a National Reconstruction Bureau to formulate structural reforms. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On June 20, 2001, Musharraf named himself as president and was sworn in. <br />
<br />
After the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, Musharraf faked cooperation with the United States and provided support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.<ref>https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pervez-musharraf-was-playing-double-game-with-us-j0dxgv235j2</ref> In a referendum held on April 30, 2002, Musharraf's presidency was extended by five more years. The handover from military to civilian rule came with parliamentary elections in November 2002, and the appointment of a civilian prime minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. Having previously promised to give up his army post and become a civilian president, General Musharraf announced in late 2004 that he would retain his military role. In August 2004, Shaukat Aziz was sworn in as prime minister, having won a parliamentary vote of confidence, 191 of 342 votes, in which the opposition abstained. <br />
<br />
On October 8, 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Islamabad. An estimated 75,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were left homeless. The disaster of such a huge magnitude galvanized an international rescue and reconstruction effort in support of the affected region. The earthquake cost Pakistan $1.1 billion on resettling those affected.<br />
<br />
====Assassination of Benazir Bhutto====<br />
Bhutto returned to Pakistan in the fall of 2007 after a self-imposed exile, seeking to win popular support for a return to office as prime minister, in addition to highlighting the military rule of Musharraf. On December 27, 2007, she was assassinated at a rally in Rawalpindi.<br />
====Shehbaz Sharif====<br />
The brother of a disgraced prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz has been plagued by corruption allegations of his own.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/04/01/who-is-shehbaz-sharif-pakistans-opposition-leader Who is Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s opposition leader?], Economist, Aor 1, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
Shahbaz has been criticized for maintaining "good ties" with hardline Islamic groups, a claim denied by his party.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/shahbaz-sharif-who-is-pakistans-likely-next-pm/a-39950580 Shahbaz Sharif - Who is Pakistan's likely next PM?], DW, 03.08.2017.</ref><br />
<br />
==Persecution of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan==<br />
{{main|Persecution of Christians in Pakistan}}<br />
{{main|Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan}}<br />
==Disputed Territories==<br />
===Balochistan===<br />
{{main|Balochistan(Country)}}<br />
<br />
===Khyber Pakhtunkhwa===<br />
The Durand Line was created in 1893 by the British after the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Afghanistan, however, has never recognized the Durand Line.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20130510142126/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/10/24/no-change-stance-durand-line-faizi</ref><br />
<br />
===Sindhudesh===<br />
{{main|Sindhudesh Freedom Movement}}<br />
<br />
==People==<br />
[[File:Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah Karachi 2007.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah, Karachi, 2007.]]<br />
The majority of Pakistan's population lives in the Indus River valley and in an arc formed by the cities of Faisalabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and Peshawar. Although Urdu (Hindustani) is an official language of Pakistan, it is spoken as a first language by only 8% of the population; 48% speak Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 10% Saraiki, 8% Pushtu, 3% Baloch, and 3% other. Urdu, Punjabi, Pushtu, and Baloch are Indo-European languages. English is the other official language, and is widely used in government, commerce, the officer ranks of the military, and in many institutions of higher learning. <br />
*Population (2008 est.): 162 million, plus 2 million refugees from Afghanistan<br />
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.09%.<br />
*Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtun, Baloch, Muhajir (i.e., Urdu-speaking immigrants from India and their descendants), Saraiki, and Hazara.<br />
*Religions: Muslim 97%; small minorities of Christians, Hindus, and others.<br />
*Languages: Urdu (national and official), English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu, Baloch, Hindko, Brahui, Saraiki (Punjabi variant).<br />
*Education: Literacy (2004 est.)--48.7%; male 61.7%; female 35.2%. <br />
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--68.84/1,000. Life expectancy (2006 est.)--men 62.73 yrs., women 64.83 yrs.<br />
*Work force (2004 est.): Agriculture—42%; services—38%; industry—20%.<br />
<br />
==Government and Political Conditions==<br />
[[File:Aiwane Sadr Presidency official residence of the President of Pakistan.jpeg|thumb|300px|Residence of the President of Pakistan.]]<br />
Pervez Musharraf ran Pakistan from 1999, when as army chief he ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After losing the support of the army, and in the face of impeachment threats, Musharraf resigned in August 2008. He was replaced by President Asif Ali Zardari (b. 1955) of the PPP party.<ref>A playboy, in 1987 he married [[Benazir Bhutto]] (1953-2007), leader of the PPP party. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the daughter of former president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77). She served two terms as prime minister, in 1988–90 and in 1993–96. They had three children. Zadari spent three years in prison and is called “Mr. Ten Percent" because of his fondness for cash kickbacks on government contracts.</ref> However Zardari was so weak in late 2009 that his government seems near collapse. In November 2009 Zardari relinquished his position in Pakistan's nuclear command structure, turning it over to the prime minister, in what appeared to be an effort to avoid impeachment or prosecution, and retain at least a figurehead post. Zardari is head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Party (PML-N), taking over after the assassination in 2007 of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazar Bhutto.<br />
<br />
===Parties===<br />
[[File:Farooq Naek Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Farooq Naek, Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan.]]<br />
The Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) are national political parties, while the Muttahid Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)--an umbrella group of six religious parties, including the Jamaat-il-Islami—gained significant influence during the 2002 election. After those elections, the Pakistani political system remained highly fragmented, with no group winning a substantial majority of seats in the national assembly, and religious groups banding together in the MMA to earn a significant portion of seats for the first time. In the 2008 elections, the PPP won 121 seats, the PML-N won 91, and Mushariff's supporters won only 54 sears.<br />
<br />
===Constitution===<br />
The Pakistan Constitution of 1973, amended substantially in 1985 under Zia ul-Haq, was suspended by the military government in October 1999. It was restored on December 31, 2002. The president is chosen for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies. <br />
===Prime Minister office===<br />
The prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a four-year term. The bicameral parliament—or Majlis-e-Shoora—consists of the Senate (100 seats; members are indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 60 seats reserved for women, 10 seats reserved for minorities; members elected by popular vote serve four-year terms). Each of the four provinces—Punjab, Sindh, Northwest Frontier, and Balochistan—has a Chief Minister and provincial assembly. The Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are administered by the federal government but enjoy considerable autonomy. The cabinet, National Security Council, and governors serve at the president's discretion.<br />
<br />
The position of Pakistani Prime Minister has been compared to being a boy king with no real power.<br />
<br />
===Judiciary===<br />
[[File:Punjab University Lahore Pakistan.jpg|thumb|250px|Punjab University, Lahore.]]<br />
The judicial system comprises a Supreme Court, provincial high courts, and Federal Islamic (or Shari'a) Court. The Supreme Court is Pakistan's highest court. The president appoints the chief justice and they together determine the other judicial appointments. Each province has a high court, the justices of which are appointed by the president after conferring with the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the provincial chief justice. The judiciary is proscribed from issuing any order contrary to the decisions of the President. Federal Sharia Court hears cases that primarily involve Sharia, or Islamic law. Legislation enacted in 1991 gave legal status to Sharia. Although Sharia was declared the law of the land, it did not replace the existing legal code.<br />
<br />
===Provinces, minorities===<br />
According to the constitution, Pakistan is a federation of four provinces: Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab, and Sindh. Governors appointed by the president head the provinces. There is also the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and the Islamabad Capital Territory, which consists of the capital city of Islamabad. These areas and territory are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Northern Areas are administered as a de facto "Union Territory" and are treated as an integral part of Pakistan. The Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir, a separate and autonomous government that maintains strong ties to Pakistan. <br />
<br />
Pakistan is a country with very poor human rights record, particularly against minorities such as [[Christian]]s, [[Hindu]]s, [[Jew]]s.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060822/23922.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_pakis.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.domini.org/openbook/pak20020925.htm]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.missio-aachen.de/menschen-kulturen/nachrichten/Sangla_Hill_attack_continues_to_draw_condemnation.asp]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4928]</ref><ref>[http://www.christianresponse.org/articles/291/cartoon-protestors-in-pakistan-target-christians]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.michnews.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/242/11159]</ref><br />
<br />
In Dec 2021, ''Pakistan Christian Post'' warned about the manipulation by the OIC and Pakistan:<ref>[http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/opinion-details/3944 Hem Raj], Dec 20, 2021</ref><blockquote><br />
The USA (the leader of the free world) should not get blackmailed by these threats of Pakistan which tantamount to saying that the militant jihadis of Afghanistan (may be in cooperation with militant Jihadis of Pakistan and from other countries) will wreak havoc not only in the neighborhood of Afghanistan but beyond it also, if the demand of Pakistan about Afghanistan are not met especially by the West lead by the USA.<br />
Pakistan as per the first resolution of the OIC wants the West led by the USA to merely provide money and other relief to Afghans who are facing humanitarian crises. No doubt the majority of these about 38 million Afghans need such help but the members of the OIC (specially oil rich countries) can easily provide such relief. The 57 Muslim countries of OIC do not need Christian West led by the USA to provide such urgent relief to Muslim Afghanistan.</blockquote><br />
<br />
===Principal Government Officials===<br />
*President—Mamnoon Hussain<br />
*Prime Minister (head of government)-- was Imran Khan<br />
<!--outdated *Minister of Foreign Affairs--Khurshid Kasuri--><br />
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Husain Haqqani<ref>http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/dpl/spring_summer2008/110047.htm</ref><br />
<!--outdated *Ambassador to the UN--Munir Akram--><br />
In Mar 2022, [[Imran Khan]] was removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote.<ref>[https://www.axios.com/pakistan-imran-khan-removed-prime-minister-no-confidence-6b9722ea-dc5f-43a5-8c04-7d19c44a5320.html Pakistan's Imran Khan removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote], Axios, Apr 8, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Lt -Gen -Ahmad-Shuja-Pasha Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the director general of the country's spy agency.]]<br />
<br />
===Foreign Relations===<br />
After September 11, 2001, Pakistan's prominence in the international community increased significantly, as it pledged its alliance with the U.S. in the war on terror and made a commitment to eliminate terrorist camps on its territory. Historically, Pakistan has had difficult and volatile relations with India, long-standing close relations with China, extensive security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf, and wide-ranging bilateral relations with the United States and other Western countries. It expresses a strong desire for a stable Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====India====<br />
[[File:Flags of India and Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Flags of India and Pakistan at the border.]]<br />
Since partition, relations between Pakistan and India have been characterized by rivalry and suspicion. Although many issues divide the two countries, the most sensitive one since independence has been the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. <br />
<br />
At the time of partition, the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu, though ruled by a Hindu Maharajah, had a significant Muslim population (along with large amounts of Buddhists and Hindus). When the Maharajah hesitated in acceding to either Pakistan or India in 1947, tribesmen from Pakistan invaded the Kashmir region in an attempt to forcibly annex the region to Pakistan. In exchange for military assistance in containing the revolt, the Kashmiri ruler offered his allegiance to India. Indian troops defended the eastern portion of Kashmir, including its capital, Srinagar, while the western part became occupied by Pakistan. <br />
<br />
India submitted this dispute to the United Nations on January 1, 1948. One year later, the UN arranged a cease-fire along a line dividing Kashmir but leaving the northern end of the line not demarcated and the Vale of Kashmir (with the majority of the population) under Indian control. India and Pakistan agreed to a resolution that called for a UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the state's future This plebiscite has not occurred because the main precondition, the withdrawal of both nations’ forces from Kashmir, has failed to take place. <br />
<br />
Full-scale hostilities erupted in September 1965, when India alleged that insurgents trained and supplied by Pakistan were operating in India-controlled Kashmir. Hostilities ceased 3 weeks later, following mediation efforts by the UN and interested countries. In January 1966, the leaders of India and Pakistan met in Tashkent, U.S.S.R., and agreed to attempt a peaceful settlement of Kashmir and their other differences. <br />
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|thumb|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]<br />
Following the 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict, President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met in the hill station of Shimla, India, in July 1972. They agreed to a line of control in Kashmir resulting from the December 17, 1971, cease-fire, and endorsed the principle of settlement of bilateral disputes through peaceful means. In 1974, Pakistan and India agreed to resume postal and telecommunications linkages and to enact measures to facilitate travel. Trade and diplomatic relations were restored in 1976 after a hiatus of 5 years. <br />
<br />
India's nuclear test in 1974 generated great uncertainty in Pakistan and is generally acknowledged to have been the impetus for Pakistan's nuclear weapons development program. In 1983, the Pakistani and Indian Governments accused each other of aiding separatists in their respective countries—Sikhs in India's Punjab state and Sindhis in Pakistan's Sindh province. In April 1984, tensions erupted after troops were deployed to the Siachen Glacier, a high-altitude, desolate area close to the China border not demarcated by the cease-fire agreement (Karachi Agreement) signed by Pakistan and India in 1949. <br />
<br />
Tensions diminished after Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in November 1984 and after a group of Sikh hijackers was brought to trial by Pakistan in March 1985. In December 1985, President Zia and Prime Minister Gandhi pledged not to attack each other's nuclear facilities. A formal "no attack" agreement was signed in January 1991. In early 1986, the Indian and Pakistani Governments began high-level talks to resolve the Siachen Glacier border dispute and to improve trade. <br />
<br />
Bilateral tensions increased in early 1990, when Kashmiri militants began a campaign of violence against Indian Government authority in Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequent high-level bilateral meetings relieved the tensions between India and Pakistan, but relations worsened again after the destruction of the Ayodhya mosque by Hindu extremists in December 1992 and terrorist bombings in Bombay in March 1993. Talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries in January 1994 ended in deadlock. <br />
More recently, the Indo-Pakistani relationship has veered sharply between rapprochement and conflict. After taking office in February 1997, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved to resume official dialog with India. A number of meetings at the foreign secretary and prime ministerial level took place, with positive atmospherics but little concrete progress. The relationship improved markedly when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee traveled to Lahore for a summit with Sharif in February 1999. There was considerable hope that the meeting could lead to a breakthrough. <br />
<br />
In spring 1999, infiltrators from Pakistan occupied positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the remote, mountainous area of Kashmir near Kargil, threatening the ability of India to supply its forces on Siachen Glacier. By early summer, serious fighting flared in the Kargil sector. The infiltrators withdrew following a meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Clinton in July. Relations between India and Pakistan were particularly strained during the 1999 coup in Islamabad. Then, just weeks after the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, an attack on India's Parliament on December 13 further strained this relationship.<br />
<br />
====Better relations since 2004====<br />
The prospects for better relations between India and Pakistan improved in early January 2004 when a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) permitted India's Prime Minister Vajpayee to meet with President Musharraf. Both leaders agreed to establish a Composite Dialogue to resolve their disputes. The Composite Dialogue focuses on eight issues: confidence building measures, Kashmir, Wullar barrage, promotion of friendly exchanges, Siachen glacier, Sir creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, and economic and commercial cooperation. <br />
<br />
Relations further improved when President Musharraf met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York in October 2004. Additional steps aimed at improving relations were announced when Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh visited Islamabad in February 2005 and in April 2005 when President Musharraf traveled to India to view a cricket match and hold discussions. In a further display of improved relations, bus service commenced from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to Srinagar in April 2005. After a destructive earthquake hit the Kashmir region in October 2005, the two countries cooperated with each other to deal with the humanitarian crisis. <br />
<br />
Musharraf and Singh last met in September 2006, when they condemned all acts of terrorism and agreed to continue the search for options acceptable to both sides for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The foreign secretaries of both nations opened the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue in Islamabad on March 13–14, 2007. <br />
<br />
====Afghanistan====<br />
[[File:Afghan Pakistani NATO.jpg|thumb|320px|Afghan - Pakistani - NATO 29th Tripartite Commission, 2009.]]<br />
Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Pakistani Government, with American encouragement and Saudi money, played a vital role in supporting the Afghan resistance movement and assisting Afghan refugees. After the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989, Pakistan, with cooperation from the world community, continued to provide extensive support for displaced Afghans. Continued turmoil in Afghanistan prevented the refugees from returning to their country. In 1999, more than 1.2 million registered Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan. By 2009 there are 2 million refugees living in squalid camps. Pakistan was one of three countries to recognize the Taliban regime of Afghanistan. International pressure after September 11, 2001, prompted Pakistan to reassess its relations with the Taliban regime and support the U.S. and international coalition in Operation Enduring Freedom to remove the Taliban from power. Pakistan has publicly expressed its support to Afghanistan's President Karzai and has pledged $100 million toward Afghanistan's reconstruction. Both nations are also working to strengthen cooperation along their rugged border, including making preparations to hold joint jirgas in their restive border areas.<br />
<br />
Pakistan was linked with the rise of [[Taliban]] in Afghanistan. In Sep/2021, protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Former [[Afghanistan]] President Hamid Karzai stated in Dec 2021: Afghanistan has been facing [[ISIS]] threat from Pakistan. Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's remarks on terrorism in his country.<ref>[https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/afghanistan-has-been-facing-isis-threat-from-pakistan-hamid-karzai-121122000153_1.html Afghanistan has been facing ISIS threat from Pakistan: Hamid Karzai], Business Standard, Dec 20, 2021.<blockquote><br />
Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on terrorism in his country, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday said that the landlocked country has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.<br />
At the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Sunday, Imran Khan had said ISIS threatens Pakistan from Afghanistan, adding that stability in Afghanistan is necessary. “We have had attacks from (the) Afghan border, from ISIL (ISIS), into Pakistan,” he said.<br />
Reacting to Khan’s remarks, the former Afghan president said these allegations are not true, TOLOnews reported. ISIS from the beginning has been threatening Afghanistan from Pakistan, not the other way around, Karzai added.<br />
“These remarks are not true, and are obvious propaganda against Afghanistan,” Karzai said in a statement. “In fact, from the beginning, Afghanistan has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.”<br />
Earlier, Karzai had warned Pakistan not to interfere in Kabul’s internal affairs. He had said that Islamabad should not encourage terrorism or extremism rather should establish relations with the country through “civil principles and principles of international relations.”<br />
“My message to Pakistan, our brotherly country, is that they should not try to represent Afghanistan,” he said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) in October.<br />
Pakistan organised a summit of foreign ministers from the OIC on Sunday. An OIC resolution released after the meeting said the Islamic Development Bank would lead the effort to free up assistance by the first quarter of 2022, Al Jazeera reported…</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====China====<br />
In 1950, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the Communist [[China]] (PRC). Following the Sino-Indian hostilities of 1962, Pakistan's relations with China became stronger; since then, the countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in various agreements. China has provided economic, military, and technical assistance to Pakistan. Favorable relations with China have been a pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy. The PRC strongly supported Pakistan's opposition to Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and is perceived by Pakistan as a regional counterweight to India and Russia.<br />
<br />
The port at Gwadar on the Indian Ocean in the disputed territory of Balochistan is a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative. It's part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor—or CPEC. It aims to give China access to the Indian Ocean. An official CPEC roadway and energy pipeline shows plans to link Gwadar with China's [[Xinjiang]] Autonomous region. A 2020 US Naval War College study however says, Chinese analysts have come to view the plan as not viable. According to reports, “Shipping and industrial activity at the port are negligible. And for the vast majority of Gwadar’s residents, conditions are unchanged or worse.” China's fishing trawler fleet has devastated the ocean and forced local fishermen out. And many of the promised benefits from the CPEC have not happened. Major projects—including a vocational training center, medical hospital, and desalination plant—have either been delayed, scaled-down, or dropped. Large scale protests among the local population erupted.<br />
<br />
====Iran and the Persian Gulf====<br />
Historically, Pakistan has had close geopolitical and cultural-religious linkages with Iran. However, strains in the relationship appeared following the Iranian revolution. Pakistan and Iran supported different factions in the Afghan conflict. Also, some Pakistanis suspect Iranian government support for the sectarian violence that has plagued Pakistan. However, relations between the countries have improved since their policies toward Afghanistan have converged with the fall of the Taliban. Both countries contend that they are on the road to strong and lasting friendly relations. <br />
<br />
Pakistan historically has provided military personnel to strengthen Gulf-state defenses and to reinforce its own security interests in the area.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|280px|Karachi.]]<br />
The United States and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1947. The U.S. agreement to provide economic and military assistance to Pakistan and the latter's partnership in the Baghdad Pact/CENTO and SEATO strengthened relations between the nations. However, the U.S. suspension of military assistance during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war generated a widespread feeling in Pakistan that the United States was not a reliable ally. Even though the United States suspended military assistance to both countries involved in the conflict, the suspension of aid affected Pakistan much more severely. Gradually, relations improved, and arms sales were renewed in 1975. Then, in April 1979, the United States cut off economic assistance to Pakistan, except food assistance, as required under the Symington Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, due to concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program. <br />
<br />
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the common interest of Pakistan and the United States in peace and stability in South Asia. In 1981, the United States and Pakistan agreed on a $3.2 billion military and economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened threat to security in the region and its economic development needs. <br />
<br />
Recognizing national security concerns and accepting Pakistan's assurances that it did not intend to construct a nuclear weapon, Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on military assistance to Pakistan. In March 1986, the two countries agreed on a second multi-year (FY 1988–93) $4 billion economic development and security assistance program. On October 1, 1990, however, the United States suspended all military assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not possess a nuclear explosive device." <br />
[[File:Pakistani soldier.jpg|thumb|180px|Pakistani soldier.]]<br />
Several incidents of violence against American officials and U.S. mission employees in Pakistan have marred the relationship. In November 1979, false rumors that the United States had participated in the seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca provoked a mob attack on the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in which the chancery was set on fire resulting in the loss of life of American and Pakistani staff. In 1989, an attack on the American Center in Islamabad resulted in six Pakistanis being killed in crossfire with the police. In March 1995, two American employees of the consulate in Karachi were killed and one wounded in an attack on the home-to-office shuttle. In November 1997, four U.S. businessmen were brutally murdered while being driven to work in Karachi. In March 2002 a suicide attacker detonated explosives in a church in Islamabad, killing two Americans associated with the Embassy and three others. There were also unsuccessful attacks by terrorists on the Consulate General in Karachi in May 2002. Another bomb was detonated near American and other businesses in Karachi in November 2005, killing three people and wounding 15 others. On March 2, 2006, a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives as a vehicle carrying an American Foreign Service officer passed by on its way to Consulate Karachi. The diplomat, the consulate's locally employed driver and three other people were killed in the blast; 52 others were wounded. <br />
<br />
The decision by India to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act, which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was subsequently limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance. <br />
<br />
Since the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan has played a double game with the U.S. in Afghanistan. Pakistan will claim that they are an "ally" in the War on Terror by handing over a few Al-Qaeda fighters but at the same time provides material and financial support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/10302946</ref> The United States has stepped up its economic assistance to Pakistan, providing debt relief and support for a major effort for education reform. During President Musharraf's visit to the United States in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005. <br />
<br />
Following the region's tragic October 8, 2005 earthquake, the United States responded immediately and generously to Pakistan's call for assistance. The response was consistent with U.S. humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan. At the subsequent reconstruction conference in Islamabad on November 19, 2005, the U.S. announced a $510 million commitment to Pakistan for earthquake relief and reconstruction, including humanitarian assistance, military support for relief operations, and anticipated U.S. private contributions. <br />
<br />
President Bush and President Musharraf have affirmed the long-term, strategic partnership between their two countries. In 2004, the United States recognized closer bilateral ties with Pakistan by designating Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally. President Bush visited Pakistan in March 2006, where he and President Musharraf reaffirmed their shared commitment to a broad and lasting strategic partnership, agreeing to continue their cooperation on a number of issues including: the war on terror, security in the region, strengthening democratic institutions, trade and investment, education, and earthquake relief and reconstruction. <br />
<br />
The United States and Pakistan concluded the sale to Pakistan of F-16 aircraft in late 2006, expecting Pakistan to use them to "fight terrorism". President Musharraf visited Washington in September 2006, where he held a bilateral meeting with President Bush and also participated in a trilateral meeting with President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Under President Trump, the United States has suspended aid to Pakistan over their support for terrorism in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
In October 2022 Pakistan issued a formal ''[[demarche]]'' to the United States when [[Joe Biden]] said that Pakistan<br />
may be one of the most dangerous countries in the world because it has [[nuclear weapons]].<ref>https://youtu.be/vm3lzZ8Oslk</ref><br />
<br />
====Osama Bin Laden====<br />
On May 2, 2011, United States special forces raided a private compound in [[Abbottabad]], Pakistan, 62 miles north of [[Islamabad]]. That evening, President Obama announced that [[Osama bin Laden]] had been killed in the raid.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama</ref> Reaction within Pakistan was mixed, with some calling it a welcome end to the life of a mass murderer, and others calling it a disturbing violation of national sovereignty.<ref>http://www.christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_5080.html</ref><br />
<br />
Although the Pakistani government had long insisted that Osama bin Laden was not hiding in their country,<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/03/brown-praises-pakistan-terrorism-fight</ref><ref>http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-02-07/pakistan/27281957_1_al-qaeda-pakistan-president-pervez-musharraf-state-colin-powell</ref> U.S. intelligence estimated in 2011 that bin Laden had been hiding there for five to six years,<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13268517</ref> and counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan said it was "inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system" in the country. A leaked email from 2012 involving a Stratfor analyst revealed that Osama Bin Laden was in routine contact with the Pakistani [[Inter-Services Intelligence]].<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9109457/Stratfor-Osama-bin-Laden-was-in-routine-contact-with-Pakistans-spy-agency.html</ref> Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari responded with an op-ed to the Washington Post, rejecting claims that his government helped Al-Qaeda by writing "such baseless speculation may make exciting cable news, but it doesn’t reflect fact."<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/pakistan-did-its-part/2011/05/02/AFHxmybF_story.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Secret Service plot====<br />
In March 2022, two Muslim men, (Iranian) Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and (Pakistani) Haider Ali, 35, were arrested<ref>Katelyn Caralle, [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10696133/How-fake-DHS-agents-spent-18-MONTHS-trying-infiltrate-Secret-Service-Jill-Bidens-detail.html How 'fake' DHS agents spent 18 MONTHS trying to 'infiltrate Secret Service and Jill Biden's detail'], Daily Mail Online, Apr 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote>Two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied.</blockquote></ref> for impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington. The two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence<ref>Michael Balsamo, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-man-impersonated-agent-claimed-ties-to-pakistani-intel/2022/04/07/6f49f666-b6a9-11ec-8358-20aa16355fb4_story.html US: Man impersonated agent, claimed ties to Pakistani intel]," ''AP'', via ''WaPo'', April 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
WASHINGTON — One of two men accused of impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington has claimed to have ties to Pakistani intelligence and had visas showing travel to Pakistan and Iran, federal prosecutors said Thursday.<br />
<br />
The men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested Wednesday. The FBI raided a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where the men were staying and had been offering free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents and officers.<br />
<br />
During a court appearance Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said Ali had told witnesses that he was affiliated with the Inter-Services Intelligence agency in Pakistan and that he had multiple visas from Pakistan and Iran in the months before prosecutors believe the men began impersonating U.S. law enforcement officials. Rothstein said the U.S. has not yet been able to verify the veracity of Ali’s claims to the witnesses.</blockquote></ref> <i>Inter-Services Intelligence</i> (ISI), and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied. Aim was to compromise and accessing information.<br />
<br />
===NATO war in Ukraine===<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
''[[Reuters]]'' reported that the heads of 22 diplomatic missions, including those of [[European Union]] member states, released a joint letter on March 1, 2022, urging Pakistan to support a resolution in the [[United Nations General Assembly]] (UNGA) condemning Russia. Pakistani prime minister [[Imran Khan]] responded at a public event in [[Islamabad]] saying, "What do you think of us? Are we your [[slave]]s ... that whatever you say, we will do?"<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistani-premier-hits-out-western-envoys-joint-letter-russia-2022-03-06/</ref> The US State Department encouraged the Pakistani government in a March 7, 2022, meeting to remove [[Imran Khan]] as [[prime minister]] over his neutrality on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to a classified Pakistani government document obtained by ''The Intercept''.<ref>https://theintercept.com/2023/08/09/imran-khan-pakistan-cypher-ukraine-russia/</ref><br />
<br />
==Defense==<br />
[[File:Pakistan armed forces.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Pakistan Day Parade.]]<br />
Pakistan has the world's eighth-largest armed forces, which is generally well trained and disciplined. However, budget constraints and nation-building duties have reduced Pakistan's training tempo, which if not reversed, could affect the operational readiness of the armed forces. Likewise, Pakistan has had an increasingly difficult time maintaining its aging fleet of U.S., Chinese, U.K., and French equipment. While industrial capabilities have expanded significantly, limited budget resources and sanctions have significantly constrained the government's efforts to modernize its armed forces. <br />
<br />
Until 1990, the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. The United States allocated about 40% of its assistance package to non-reimbursable credits for military purchases, the third-largest program behind Israel and Egypt. The remainder of the aid program was devoted to economic assistance. Sanctions put in place in 1990 denied Pakistan further military assistance due to the discovery of its program to develop nuclear weapons. Sanctions were tightened following Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to India's May 1998 tests and the military coup of 1999. Pakistan has remained a non-signatory of the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty. <br />
<br />
The events of September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's agreement to support the United States led to a waiver of the sanctions, and military assistance resumed to provide spare parts and equipment to enhance Pakistan's capacity to police its western border with Afghanistan and address its legitimate security concerns. In 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005.<br />
<br />
In 2018, the Trump Administration cut off aid to Pakistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Manora Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.jpg|thumb|300px|Manora, Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.]]<br />
<br />
With a per capita GDP of about $690 (current U.S. $), the World Bank considers Pakistan a low-income country. No more than 48.7% of adults are literate, and life expectancy is about 63 years. The population, currently about 165 million, is growing at 2.09% annually. <br />
<br />
In 2000, the government made significant macroeconomic reforms: Privatizing Pakistan's state-subsidized utilities, reforming the banking sector, instituting a world-class anti-money laundering law, cracking down on piracy of intellectual property, and moving to quickly resolving investor disputes. After September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's proclaimed commitment to fighting terror, many international sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, were lifted. Pakistan's economic prospects began to increase significantly due to unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance at the end of 2001. This trend is expected to continue through 2009. Foreign exchange reserves and exports grew to record levels after a sharp decline. The International Monetary Fund lauded Pakistan for its commitment in meeting lender requirements for a $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility loan, which it completed in 2004, forgoing the final permitted tranche. The Government of Pakistan has been successful in issuing sovereign bonds, and has issued $600 million in Islamic bonds, putting Pakistan back on the investment map. Pakistan's search for additional foreign direct investment has been hampered by concerns about the security situation, domestic and regional political uncertainties, and questions about judicial transparency. <br />
[[File:Boat Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Dhow in Karachi.]]<br />
U.S. assistance has played a key role in moving Pakistan's economy from the brink of collapse to setting record high levels of foreign reserves and exports, dramatically lowering levels of solid debt. Also, despite the earthquake in 2005, GDP growth remained strong at 6.6% in fiscal year 2005/2006. In 2002, the United States led Paris Club efforts to reschedule Pakistan's debt on generous terms, and in April 2003 the United States reduced Pakistan's bilateral official debt by $1 billion. In 2004, approximately $500 million more in bilateral debt was granted. Consumer price inflation eased slightly to an average of 8% in 2005/2006 from 9.3% in 2004/2005. <br />
<br />
Low levels of spending in the social services and high population growth have contributed to persistent poverty and unequal income distribution. The trends of resources being devoted to socioeconomic development and infrastructure projects have been improving since 2002, although expenditures remain below global averages. Pakistan's extreme poverty and underdevelopment are key concerns, especially in rural areas. The government has reined in the fiscal mismanagement that produced massive foreign debt, and officials have committed to using international assistance—including a major part of the $3 billion five-year U.S. assistance package—to address Pakistan's long-term needs in the health and education sectors. <br />
*GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $110.7 billion.<br />
*Real GDP growth rate (2005): 7.8%.<br />
*Per capita GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $690. <br />
*Natural resources: Arable land, natural gas, limited oil, substantial hydropower potential, coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone.<br />
*Agriculture: Products—wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, beef, mutton.<br />
*Industry: Types—textiles & apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, shrimp, fertilizer, and paper products.<br />
*Trade (2005 est.): Exports--$14.85 billion: textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, carpets, rugs, chemicals & manufactures. Major partners—U.S. 22.6%, United Arab Emirates 8.9%, U.K. 5.8%, China 5.4%, Germany 4.7%. Imports--$21.26 billion: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, paper and paper board, transportation equipment, edible oils, pulses, iron and steel, tea. Major partners—China 14.0%, Saudi Arabia 10.5%, United Arab Emirates 9.0%, Japan 6.2%, U.S. 5.1%, Kuwait 5.1%, Germany 4.9%. <br />
<br />
====Reform====<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan market.jpg|thumb|250px|Textile market on the sidewalks of Karachi.]]<br />
The government started pursuing market-based economic reform policies in the early 1980s. These reforms began to take hold in 1988, when the government launched an ambitious IMF-assisted structural adjustment program in response to chronic and unsustainable fiscal and external account deficits. The government began to remove barriers to foreign trade and investment, reform the financial system, ease foreign exchange controls, and privatize dozens of state-owned enterprises. <br />
<br />
Although the economy became more structurally sound, it remained vulnerable to external and internal shocks, such as in 1992–93, when devastating floods and political uncertainty combined to depress economic growth sharply. The Asian financial crisis seriously affected Pakistan's major markets for its textile exports. For example, average real GDP growth from 1992 to 1998 dipped to 4.1% annually. Economic reform also was set back by Pakistan's nuclear tests in May 1998, and the subsequent economic sanctions imposed by the G-7. International default was narrowly averted by the partial waiver of sanctions and the subsequent reinstatement of Pakistan's IMF enhanced structural adjustment facility/extended fund facility in early 1999, followed by Paris Club and London Club rescheduling. After taking power in late 1999, President Musharraf instituted policies to stabilize Pakistan's macroeconomic situation. Pakistan continues to struggle with these reforms, having mixed success, especially in reducing its budget and current account deficits.<br />
<br />
====Agriculture and Natural Resources====<br />
Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, hydroelectric potential, and natural gas reserves. About 28% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Agriculture accounts for about 21% of GDP and employs about 42% of the labor force. The most important crops are cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables, which together account for more than 75% of the value of total crop output. Despite intensive farming practices, Pakistan remains a net food importer. Pakistan exports rice, fish, fruits, and vegetables and imports vegetable oil, wheat, cotton (net importer), pulses, and consumer foods. <br />
<br />
The economic importance of agriculture has declined since independence, when its share of GDP was around 53%. Following the poor harvest of 1993, the government introduced agriculture assistance policies, including increased support prices for many agricultural commodities and expanded availability of agricultural credit. From 1993 to 1997, real growth in the agricultural sector averaged 5.7% but declined to less than 3% in 2005. Agricultural reforms, including increased wheat and oilseed production, play a central role in the government's economic reform package. Heavy rains in 2005 provided the benefit of larger than average cotton, wheat, and rice crops, but also caused damage due to flooding and avalanches. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, some proven oil reserves, coal, and large hydropower potential. However, exploitation of energy resources has been slow due to a shortage of capital and domestic and international political constraints. For instance, domestic gas and petroleum production totals only about half the country's energy needs, and dependence on imported oil contributes to Pakistan's persistent trade deficits and shortage of foreign exchange. The government announced that privatization in the oil and gas sector is a priority.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Industry====<br />
Pakistan's manufacturing sector accounts for about 25% of GDP. Cotton textile production and apparel manufacturing are Pakistan's largest industries, accounting for about 70% of total exports. Other major industries include food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, and paper products. As technology improves in the industrial sector, it continues to grow. In 2005/2006, the manufacturing sector grew by 8.6%. Despite government efforts to privatize large-scale parastatal units, the public sector continues to account for a significant proportion of industry. In the face of an increasing trade deficit, the government seeks to diversify the country's industrial base and bolster export industries. Net foreign investment in Pakistani industries is only 0.5% of GDP.<br />
==Recent==<br />
Imran Khan has been reveled as turning his leadership towards [[fascism]] and cracking down on the media too. <br />
<ref>[https://www.orfonline.org/research/how-imran-khan-unveiled-the-oxonian-version-of-pakistani-islamofascism/ How Imran Khan unveiled the Oxonian version of Pakistani ‘Islamofascism’], Sushant Sareen, August 4, 2020.<br />
<br><i><br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has proved to be a miserable failure who has in many ways turned the clock back for Pakistan.<br />
<br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has more or less functioned as a civilian version of the former military dictator Zia-ul-Haq.<br />
<br />
Hurting democracy<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, in the two years, he has been in office, Imran has caused more damage to Pakistan’s fledgeling democracy than any of his predecessors.<br />
<br />
Displaying fascist traits, he has crushed political dissent, victimised political opponents, muzzled the media, bludgeoned religious minorities, inserted the military in virtually every aspect of national life, unleashed a thought police which will decide what can be published and read in the country, neutered an already pliable and compromised judiciary, and of course, moved to Islamise an already Islamised country through the obnoxious Tahaffiz-e-buyaad-e-Islam law passed by the Punjab provincial assembly.<br />
<br />
The signs of Imran Khan’s fascist worldview were all over the place even before he was manoeuvred into the Prime Minister’s office by the military. That he was an intolerant and undemocratic person became clear during his dharna against the Nawaz Sharif government. The street language he used against his political opponents and the vile and vulgar behaviour he has displayed, and which he has always encouraged and promoted among his cronies (including members of government) revealed his mindset.<br />
<br />
Media as target...</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
In May, 2021, Muslim bigot Kanwal Shauzab colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party called for Jihad against Israel and praised [[Hitler]] for killing Jews.<ref>[https://www.thejc.com/news/world/pakistani-politician-praises-hitler-for-killing-jews-1.517034 Pakistani politician praises Hitler for killing Jews], JC, May 24, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>A colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party calls for Jihad against Israel.<br />
<br />
A parliamentary representative of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party has praised Hitler for killing Jews and a colleague of the same party has called for Jihad against Israel as the only solution.<br />
<br />
Discussing the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Pakistan National Assembly member Kanwal Shauzab said that Hitler was right to kill Jews and called for the use of nuclear weapons against Israel.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Islamic bigot [[Malik Faisal Akram]] hostage taking Jan/2022, exposed Pakistan's tentacles.<br />
<br />
From an analysis:<ref>N Singh, [https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/columnists/texas-crisis-exposes-pakistan---s-tentacles.html Texas crisis exposes Pakistan’s tentacles], ''Daily Pioneer'', 28 January 2022</ref><blockquote>This is a curious case, where a Government has so openly come out to support an Al Qaeda terrorist exposing its own nefarious designs, how Pakistan harbours Al Qaeda militants and uses them too, all the while giving false assurances to the Americans that it is helping them to finish Al Qaeda, which is very much active and calling shots more after lying low for some time until the Taliban consolidated its takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<br />
[[UN]] Watch recalls:<ref name=unwatch-31july2022>Hillel Neuer @HillelNeuer Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
<br />
[https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1553845432312373249 July 31, 2022]</ref><blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
Kothari has been accused by the United States, Czechia, Germany, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Australia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium, Italy<ref name=palwatch-2aug2022>Itamar Marcus and Maurice Hirsch, Adv., [https://palwatch.org/page/31869 PA chooses to side with Antisemitism and hate], ''Palwatch'', Aug 2, 2022<br />
<blockquote><br />
When the member of the recently established UN Human Rights Council "Commission of Inquiry," Miloon Kothari, expressed anti-Semitic hate speech and denial of Israel's right to be a UN member, 12 western democracies and the EU were quick to condemn him. Standing out in support of the hate speech was the Palestinian Authority, whose Foreign Ministry rushed to defend the Antisemitism and condemn Israel for condemning it. <br />
<br />
<i><br />
The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the attack of incitement and deception that [Israeli] occupation state transitional Prime Minister Yair Lapid carried out against the UN Human Rights Council investigative committee.” <br />
[WAFA, official PA news agency, Aug. 1, 2022] </i><br />
<br />
The countries that condemned the anti-Semitic hate of Kothari included, the USA, the UK, Canada, France, Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium and Italy. <br />
Significantly, while the PA was adamant to criticize Israel’s condemnation of the Antisemitism, it was silent about all the other condemnations, not wanting to insult its donors. <br />
<br />
Referring to that fact that Israel has predominantly ignored the openly biased agenda of the UN ...<br />
<br />
The reason the PA was so quick to defend Kothari, is because the statements he made predominantly reflect similar statements made over the years by PA officials. <br />
As Palestinian Media Watch has repeatedly shown, the PA constantly denies Israel’s right to exist and adopts the same anti-Semitic tropes.</blockquote></ref> and the president of the UNHRC of making antisemitic remarks disputing Israel's right to exist and supporting antisemitic conspiracy theories about the "Jewish Lobby" controlling social media.<ref>Tovah Lazaroff, [https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-713501 UNHRC President: Jewish Lobby remark is reasonably considered antisemitic], ''JPost'', July 30, 2022 .</ref><br />
See: [[United Nations#Miloon Kothari - UNHRC]]<br />
<br />
<font size=1>[Reminder, neither Islamic Pakistan nor Islamic Iran share any borders or have any "land disputes" with Israel.]</font><br />
<br />
====Foreign Trade and Aid====<br />
[[File:Islamabad wet road Pakistan.jpg|thumb|320px|left|[[Islamabad]], the capital city of Pakistan.]]<br />
Weak world demand for its exports and domestic political uncertainty have contributed to Pakistan's high trade deficit. In 2004, growth rebounded to approximately 6% with substantial improvement in public and external debt indicators and remained robust with 7.8% growth in 2005. Foreign reserves are at an all-time high of $11.5 billion. Pakistan's exports, which grew by 14.4% in 2005/2006, continue to be dominated by cotton textiles and apparel, despite government diversification efforts. Major imports include petroleum and petroleum products, edible oil, wheat, chemicals, fertilizer, capital goods, industrial raw materials, and consumer products, rising to 38.8% to $25.6 billion. External imbalance has left Pakistan with a growing foreign debt burden. The fiscal imbalance is reflected in a high level of total net public debt, which reached an estimated 92.6% of GDP in 2000–01, more than half involving external liabilities, but decreased to 72.7% in 2003. The fiscal deficit widened from 5.6% of GDP in 1994–95 to 7.7% in 1997-98 before declining to 4.5% in 2006. Despite a rise in tax collection, defense and development expenditure along with transfers to the provinces all rose in the 2006 budget, widening the deficit. Support for loss-making, state-owned enterprises and a weak domestic tax base are critical elements in the recurring fiscal deficits. The Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd. (PTCL) represented the largest of Pakistan's privatization programs for 2005. Despite its economic and political difficulties, Pakistan has taken steps to liberalize its trade and investment regimes, either unilaterally or in the context of commitments made with the World Trade Organization (WTO), IMF, and the World Bank. In 2004–2005, efforts in several crucial areas seemingly intensified, resulting in Pakistan becoming a more open and secure market for its trading partners. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has received significant loan/grant assistance from international financial institutions (e.g., the IMF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank) and bilateral donors, particularly after it began using its military/financial resources in the war on terror. The United States pledged $3 billion for FY 2005 to FY 2009 in economic and military aid to Pakistan. In addition, the IMF and World Bank have pledged $1 billion in loans to Pakistan. In 2004 to 2007 alone, the World Bank has pledged over $500 million in investment projects.<br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Cannibalism==<br />
Two Pakistani cannibal brothers Mohammad Arif Ali and Mohammed Farman Ali, were arrested for digging up more than 100 corpses from their local graveyard in order to eat them.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2604350/Boys-HEAD-home-Pakistani-cannibals-dug-100-corpses-local-graveyard-eaten-them.html</ref> Despite this and many other cases, Cannibalism is still legal in Pakistan.<ref>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2136498/bill-man-eaters-rots-cold-storage</ref><br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Mental Illness==<br />
It is estimated that over 50 million Pakistanis are mentally ill.<ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1288880</ref><br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Owen Bennett. ''Pakistan: Eye of the Storm'' (3rd ed. 2009)<br />
* Nawaz, Shuja. ''Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within'' (2008) 600pp [http://www.amazon.com/Crossed-Swords-Pakistan-Army-Within/dp/0195476603/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Shaikh, Farzana. ''Making Sense of Pakistan'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-Pakistan-Columbia-Hurst/dp/023114962X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253054909&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]<br />
<br />
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6663305.stm Pakistan Christians demand help], BBC News, 16 May 2007.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a [[Muslim]] [[Jihadism|jihadist]] police state<br />
*[[Malik Faisal Akram#Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis .22branch.22|Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis "branch"]]<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
*[[Star and Crescent]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2007/05/pakistani_nuclear_forces_2007.php Pakistani Nuclear Forces, 2007]<br />
*[http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/07/the_black_hole_of_pakistan The Black Hole of Pakistan.]<br />
<br />
<br />
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{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"<br />
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''<br />
|-<br />
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:<br />
|style=" background-color: none;"| <small>This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code</small><br />
|-<br />
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:<br />
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| <small>File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3453.htm]</small>}}}. <br />
|}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Indian History]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
<br />
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{{Terrorism}}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
[[Category:Nuclear Defense]]<br />
[[Category:Jihadism]]<br />
[[Category:Fascism]]<br />
<br />
{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Pakistan&diff=2010383Pakistan2023-12-14T16:41:19Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Country<br />
|name =اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان<br />''Islāmī Jumhūrīyah Pākistān''<br />
|map =Future Map of Pakistan.jpg<br />
|map2 =Pakistan location.png<br />
|flag =Flag of Pakistan.png<br />
|arms =Arms of Pakistan.png<br />
|capital =Islamabad<br />
|capital-raw =<br />
|government =Semi-presidential republic<br />
|government-raw =<br />
|language =Urdu, English<br />
|king =<br />
|queen =<br />
|monarch-raw =<br />
|president = Arif Alvi<br />
|president-raw =<br />
|chancellor =<br />
|chancellor-raw =<br />
|pm = <br />
|pm-raw =Shehbaz Sharif<br/><br />
|area =340,403 sq mi<br />
|pop =220,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis =<br />
|gdp =$285,000,000,000 (2020)<br />
|gdp-year =<br />
|gdp-pc =$1,273 (2020)<br />
|currency =Rupee <br />
|idd =<br />
|tld =<br />
}}<br />
Pakistan, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''', is an Islamic fundamentalist country in South Asia created by the British for [[India]]n [[Muslim]]s on 14 August 1947, despite a significant [[opposition to the partition of India|opposition to the partition of colonial India]]. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. At the time of the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Hindus comprised over 23% of the population.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/india/2-yrs-after-it-counted-population-pakistan-silent-on-minority-numbers-6203547/</ref> However, Pakistan is currently 99% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native were slaughtered during the partition of India<ref>https://hindugenocide.com/islamic-jihad/4million-hindus-persecuted-west-pakistan-partition-plight-hindus-remained/</ref> Forced conversion of non-Muslims is rampant in Pakistan. The Global Human Rights Defense(GHRD) estimates that more than 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls are kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam annually in Pakistan.<ref>https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/hindus-pakistan-nobodys-children</ref> Pakistan is hostile to the United States and is one of the most anti-American countries.<ref>https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/on-pakistani-anti-americanism/</ref> Pakistan is allied with Communist [[China]].<ref>https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pakistans-alliance-china-comes-high-cost-149471</ref> The Pakistani [[ISI]] and Military are the real powers behind Pakistan and actively sponsors terrorism in Afghanistan against U.S. and Afghan troops.<ref>https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/09/pakistan-continues-to-harbor-taliban-including-al-qaeda-linked-haqqanis.php</ref><ref>https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FOIA-Reading-Room-Other-Available-Records/FileId/155424/</ref> Although Pakistan is regarded as a major non-Nato ally, this was due to Pakistan's lobbying efforts.<ref>https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/img-src-http-talkingpointsmemo-com-images-payne-musharraf-muck-jpg-vspace-5-hspace-5-align-left-stephen-payne-worked-for-pakistan-after-sept-11</ref> There have been attempts by Congress to remove Pakistan's major non-Nato ally status due to their support for terrorism.<ref>https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/73/text?format=txt</ref> Additionally, Pakistan engages in the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology to countries such as Iran and North Korea.<ref>https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004-04/features/closing-pandoras-box-pakistans-role-nuclear-proliferation</ref><ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/pakistan-sold-iran-nuke-tech-in-1980s-former-president-rafsanjani-reveals/</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[Image:Badshahi Mosque, Pakistan.jpg|thumb|260px|Badshahi Mosque.]]<br />
What is now Pakistan, along with parts of northwestern India, contains the archeological remains of an urban civilization dating back 4,500 years. Alexander the Great included the Indus Valley in his empire in 326 B.C., and his successors founded the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria based in what is today Afghanistan and extending to Peshawar. Following the rise of the Central Asian Kushan Empire in later centuries, the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan, centered on the city of Taxila just west of Islamabad, experienced a cultural renaissance known as the Gandhara period. <br />
<br />
Pakistan's Islamic history began with the arrival of Muslim traders in the 8th century in Sindh. The collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century provided an opportunity for the English East India Company to extend its control over much of the subcontinent. The Sikh adventurer, Ranjit Singh, carved out a dominion that extended from Kabul to Srinagar and Lahore, encompassing much of the northern area of modern Pakistan. British rule replaced the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th century. The British permitted the Hindu Maharaja of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, a Sikh appointee, to continue in power. <br />
<br />
The concept of "Pakistan" emerged from an extended period of agitation by the elite Muslims of India to gain power. These elite Muslims were backed by the British and founded the All India Muslim League in 1906. Initially, the League adopted the same objective as the Congress—self-government for India within the British Empire—but the League refused to accept United India. On the other hand, prominent Indian Muslim leaders, such as the Pashtun visionary Khan Abdbul Ghaffar Khan, as well as the Darul Uloom Deoband, supported a united India. After the partition of India, the government of Pakistan jailed Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan quite frequently and he was buried in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan====<br />
[[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]]<br />
The idea of a separate Muslim state in British India first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. This resolution was vehemently opposed by nationalist Indian Muslims represented by the [[All India Azad Muslim Conference]], who [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India]]; British officials, however, sidelined the All India Azad Muslim Conference.<ref name="Shodganga">{{cite web |title=Towards United and Federate India: 1940-47 |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/31090/10/10_chapter%205.pdf |accessdate=31 March 2019 |pages=193, 198 |language=English}}</ref> At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom realized that it could no longer hold on to India. The British wanted to maintain their imperialist influence over countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, so they decided to create Pakistan to give them a foothold in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) and Balochistan. Britain however encountered issues with doing this as the NWFP had elected a government from the Indian National Congress and not from the [[Muslim League]]. Therefore, Louis Mountbatten, with the help of his wife Edwina, talked Jawaharlal Nehru into agreeing to a referendum in the NWFP. Although it is claimed that 99% of the votes were in favor of Pakistan, there was widespread fraud and rigging done during the referendum. Khan Abdul Wali Khan the son of Ghaffar Khan cited that an old woman disclosed to him that she alone polled 52 votes in favor of Pakistan.<ref>https://drfakhrulislam.pk/referendum-in-nwfp-a-significant-chapter-of-freedom-movement/#_edn25</ref><ref>https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/britain-created-pakistan/20171102.htm</ref> In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947, Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. The British were ecstatic about the creation despite the uprooting of 20 million Indians from their homes where their forefathers had lived for a millennia. On August 15, The Times, London published the following editorial, ''"In the hour of its creation Pakistan emerges as the leading state of the Muslim world. Since the collapse of the Turkish empire that world, which extends across the globe from Morocco to Indonesia, has not included a state whose numbers, natural resources and place in history gave it undisputed pre-eminence. The gap is now filled. From today Karachi takes rank as a new centre of Muslim cohesion and rallying point of Muslim thought and aspirations".''<ref>https://indiafacts.org/partition-why-britain-created-pakistan/</ref> East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. Ahamadiyya and Shiite muslims were heavily involved in the creation of Pakistan.<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2019/12/how-ahmadiyyas-were-at-the-forefront-of-creation-of-pakistan-islam-all-you-need-to-know/</ref><br />
The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day.<br />
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In 1948, the Pakistani military invaded and annexed Balochistan under orders from Muhammad Ali Jinnah.<ref>http://balochwarna.com/2020/03/27/the-slogan-of-pakistan-quit-balochistan/</ref><br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Independence====<br />
[[File:Muhammad Ali Jinnah.jpg|thumb|220px|Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his youth, in traditional dress.]]<br />
====Muhammad Zia ul-Haq====<br />
With increasing anti-government unrest, the army grew restive. On July 5, 1977, the military removed Bhutto from power and arrested him, declared martial law, and suspended portions of the 1973 Constitution. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Chief Martial Law Administrator and promised to hold new elections within 3 months. <br />
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Zia released Bhutto and asserted that he could contest new elections scheduled for October 1977. However, after it became clear that Bhutto's popularity had survived his government, Zia postponed the elections and began criminal investigations of the senior PPP leadership. Subsequently, Bhutto was convicted and sentenced to death for an alleged conspiracy to murder a political opponent. Despite international appeals on his behalf, Bhutto was hanged on April 6, 1979. <br />
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Zia assumed the presidency and called for elections in November. However, fearful of a PPP victory, Zia banned political activity in October 1979, and postponed national elections. This same year Zia also passed into law the Hudood Ordinance, which provides for harsh Quranic punishments for violations of Shari'a (Islamic law). <br />
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In 1980, most center and left parties, led by the PPP, formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD demanded Zia's resignation, an end to martial law, new elections, and restoration of the Constitution, as it existed before Zia's takeover. In early December 1984, President Zia proclaimed a national referendum for December 19 on his "Islamization" program. After non-party based polls were held for the National and Provincial Assemblies in 1985, President Zia appointed Muhammad Khan Junejo as the Prime Minister. He implicitly linked approval of "Islamization" with a mandate for his continued presidency. Zia's opponents, led by the MRD, boycotted the elections. When the government claimed a 63% turnout, with more than 90% approving the referendum, many observers questioned the figures. <br />
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====Sharif and Bhutto Civilian Governments====<br />
[[File:B Bhutto.jpg|thumb|left|Benazir Bhutto.]]<br />
On August 17, 1988, a plane carrying President Zia, American Ambassador Arnold Raphel, U.S. Brig. General Herbert Wassom, and 28 Pakistani military officers crashed on a return flight from a military equipment trial near Bahawalpur, killing all on board. In accordance with the Constitution, Chairman of the Senate Ghulam Ishaq Khan became Acting President and announced that elections scheduled for November 1988 would take place. Elections were held on a party basis. On one side was an eight-party alliance and on the other, the PPP. The PPP won 94 seats out of 207 and the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) won 54. Muhammad Khan Junejo lost from his home constituency. The president was bound to invite the PPP to from the government, but he delayed doing so for two weeks in order to give the IJI time to muster the support of other groups. Ultimately, the president asked PPP Co-chairperson [[Benazir Bhutto]] to form a government. <br />
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The PPP, under Benazir Bhutto's leadership, succeeded in forming a coalition government with several smaller parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). <br />
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Differing interpretations of constitutional authority, debates over the powers of the central government relative to those of the provinces, and the antagonistic relationship between the Bhutto administration and opposition governments in Punjab and Balochistan seriously impeded social and economic reform programs. Ethnic conflict, primarily in Sindh province, exacerbated these problems. A fragmentation in the governing coalition and the military's reluctance to support an apparently ineffectual and corrupt government were accompanied by a significant deterioration in law and order. <br />
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In August 1990, President Khan, citing his powers under the eighth amendment to the Constitution, dismissed the Bhutto government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. New elections, held in October 1990, confirmed the political ascendancy of the IJI. In addition to a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, the alliance won control of all four provincial parliaments and enjoyed the support of the military and of President Khan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the PML, the most prominent party in the IJI, was elected prime minister by the National Assembly. <br />
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Sharif emerged as the most secure and powerful Pakistani prime minister since the mid-1970s. Under his rule, the IJI achieved several important political victories. The implementation of Sharif's economic reform program; involving privatization, deregulation, and encouragement of private sector economic growth, greatly improved Pakistan's economic performance and business climate. The passage into law in May 1991 of a Shari'a bill, providing for widespread Islamization, legitimized the IJI government among much of Pakistani society. <br />
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However, Nawaz Sharif was not able to reconcile the different objectives of IJI's constituent parties. The largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), abandoned the alliance because of its antagonism to what it regarded as PML hegemony. The government was weakened further by the military's suppression of the MQM, which had entered into coalition with the IJI to contain PPP influence, and allegations of corruption directed at Nawaz Sharif. In April 1993, President Khan, citing "maladministration, corruption, and nepotism" and espousal of political violence, dismissed the Sharif government, but the following month the Pakistan Supreme Court reinstated the National Assembly and the Nawaz Sharif government. Continued tensions between Sharif and Khan resulted in governmental gridlock and the Chief of Army Staff brokered an arrangement under which both the President and the Prime Minister resigned their offices in July 1993. <br />
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An interim government, headed by Moeen Qureshi, a former World Bank Vice President, took office with a mandate to hold national and provincial assembly elections in October. Despite its brief term, the Qureshi government adopted political, economic, and social reforms that generated considerable domestic support and foreign admiration. <br />
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In the October 1993 elections, the PPP won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, and Benazir Bhutto was asked to form a government. However, because it did not acquire a majority in the National Assembly, the PPP's control of the government depended upon the continued support of numerous independent parties, particularly the PML/J (Pakistan Muslim League-Junejo). The unfavorable circumstances surrounding PPP rule—the imperative of preserving a coalition government, the formidable opposition of Nawaz Sharif's PML/N (Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz) movement, and the insecure provincial administrations—presented significant difficulties for the government of Prime Minister Bhutto. However, the election of Prime Minister Bhutto's close associate, Farooq Leghari, as president in November 1993 gave her a stronger power base. <br />
[[File:Faisal mosque Pakistan.jpg|thumb|290px|Faisal mosque, Islamabad.]]<br />
In November 1996, President Leghari dismissed the Bhutto government, charging it with corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and implication in extrajudicial killings in Karachi. Elections in February 1997, resulted in an overwhelming victory for the PML/N, and President Leghari called upon Nawaz Sharif to form a government. In March 1997, with the unanimous support of the National Assembly, Sharif amended the Constitution, stripping the President of the power to dismiss the government and making his power to appoint military service chiefs and provincial governors contingent on the "advice" of the Prime Minister. Another amendment prohibited elected members from "floor crossing" or voting against party positions. The Sharif government also engaged in a protracted dispute with the judiciary, culminating in the storming of the Supreme Court by ruling party loyalists and the engineered dismissal of the Chief Justice and the resignation of President Leghari in December 1997. <br />
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The new President elected by Parliament, Rafiq Tarar, was a close associate of the Prime Minister. A one-sided, anti-corruption campaign was used to target opposition politicians and critics of the regime. Similarly, the government moved to restrict press criticism and ordered the arrest and beating of prominent journalists. As domestic criticism of Sharif's administration intensified, Sharif attempted to replace Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999, with a family loyalist, Director General of the Interservice Intelligence Directorate, Lt. Gen. Ziauddin. Although General Musharraf was out of the country at the time, the army moved quickly to depose Sharif.<br />
<br />
====Pervez Musharraf====<br />
[[File:Pervez Musharraf.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Pervez Musharraf]].]]<br />
Following the October 12 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. On October 14, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Musharraf appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body, with mixed military/civilian appointees; a civilian Cabinet; and a National Reconstruction Bureau to formulate structural reforms. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On June 20, 2001, Musharraf named himself as president and was sworn in. <br />
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After the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, Musharraf faked cooperation with the United States and provided support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.<ref>https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pervez-musharraf-was-playing-double-game-with-us-j0dxgv235j2</ref> In a referendum held on April 30, 2002, Musharraf's presidency was extended by five more years. The handover from military to civilian rule came with parliamentary elections in November 2002, and the appointment of a civilian prime minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. Having previously promised to give up his army post and become a civilian president, General Musharraf announced in late 2004 that he would retain his military role. In August 2004, Shaukat Aziz was sworn in as prime minister, having won a parliamentary vote of confidence, 191 of 342 votes, in which the opposition abstained. <br />
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On October 8, 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Islamabad. An estimated 75,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were left homeless. The disaster of such a huge magnitude galvanized an international rescue and reconstruction effort in support of the affected region. The earthquake cost Pakistan $1.1 billion on resettling those affected.<br />
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====Assassination of Benazir Bhutto====<br />
Bhutto returned to Pakistan in the fall of 2007 after a self-imposed exile, seeking to win popular support for a return to office as prime minister, in addition to highlighting the military rule of Musharraf. On December 27, 2007, she was assassinated at a rally in Rawalpindi.<br />
====Shehbaz Sharif====<br />
The brother of a disgraced prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz has been plagued by corruption allegations of his own.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/04/01/who-is-shehbaz-sharif-pakistans-opposition-leader Who is Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s opposition leader?], Economist, Aor 1, 2022.</ref><br />
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Shahbaz has been criticized for maintaining "good ties" with hardline Islamic groups, a claim denied by his party.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/shahbaz-sharif-who-is-pakistans-likely-next-pm/a-39950580 Shahbaz Sharif - Who is Pakistan's likely next PM?], DW, 03.08.2017.</ref><br />
<br />
==Persecution of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan==<br />
{{main|Persecution of Christians in Pakistan}}<br />
{{main|Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan}}<br />
==Disputed Territories==<br />
===Balochistan===<br />
{{main|Balochistan(Country)}}<br />
<br />
===Khyber Pakhtunkhwa===<br />
The Durand Line was created in 1893 by the British after the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Afghanistan, however, has never recognized the Durand Line.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20130510142126/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/10/24/no-change-stance-durand-line-faizi</ref><br />
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===Sindhudesh===<br />
{{main|Sindhudesh Freedom Movement}}<br />
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==People==<br />
[[File:Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah Karachi 2007.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah, Karachi, 2007.]]<br />
The majority of Pakistan's population lives in the Indus River valley and in an arc formed by the cities of Faisalabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and Peshawar. Although Urdu (Hindustani) is an official language of Pakistan, it is spoken as a first language by only 8% of the population; 48% speak Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 10% Saraiki, 8% Pushtu, 3% Baloch, and 3% other. Urdu, Punjabi, Pushtu, and Baloch are Indo-European languages. English is the other official language, and is widely used in government, commerce, the officer ranks of the military, and in many institutions of higher learning. <br />
*Population (2008 est.): 162 million, plus 2 million refugees from Afghanistan<br />
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.09%.<br />
*Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtun, Baloch, Muhajir (i.e., Urdu-speaking immigrants from India and their descendants), Saraiki, and Hazara.<br />
*Religions: Muslim 97%; small minorities of Christians, Hindus, and others.<br />
*Languages: Urdu (national and official), English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu, Baloch, Hindko, Brahui, Saraiki (Punjabi variant).<br />
*Education: Literacy (2004 est.)--48.7%; male 61.7%; female 35.2%. <br />
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--68.84/1,000. Life expectancy (2006 est.)--men 62.73 yrs., women 64.83 yrs.<br />
*Work force (2004 est.): Agriculture—42%; services—38%; industry—20%.<br />
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==Government and Political Conditions==<br />
[[File:Aiwane Sadr Presidency official residence of the President of Pakistan.jpeg|thumb|300px|Residence of the President of Pakistan.]]<br />
Pervez Musharraf ran Pakistan from 1999, when as army chief he ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After losing the support of the army, and in the face of impeachment threats, Musharraf resigned in August 2008. He was replaced by President Asif Ali Zardari (b. 1955) of the PPP party.<ref>A playboy, in 1987 he married [[Benazir Bhutto]] (1953-2007), leader of the PPP party. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the daughter of former president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77). She served two terms as prime minister, in 1988–90 and in 1993–96. They had three children. Zadari spent three years in prison and is called “Mr. Ten Percent" because of his fondness for cash kickbacks on government contracts.</ref> However Zardari was so weak in late 2009 that his government seems near collapse. In November 2009 Zardari relinquished his position in Pakistan's nuclear command structure, turning it over to the prime minister, in what appeared to be an effort to avoid impeachment or prosecution, and retain at least a figurehead post. Zardari is head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Party (PML-N), taking over after the assassination in 2007 of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazar Bhutto.<br />
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===Parties===<br />
[[File:Farooq Naek Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Farooq Naek, Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan.]]<br />
The Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) are national political parties, while the Muttahid Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)--an umbrella group of six religious parties, including the Jamaat-il-Islami—gained significant influence during the 2002 election. After those elections, the Pakistani political system remained highly fragmented, with no group winning a substantial majority of seats in the national assembly, and religious groups banding together in the MMA to earn a significant portion of seats for the first time. In the 2008 elections, the PPP won 121 seats, the PML-N won 91, and Mushariff's supporters won only 54 sears.<br />
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===Constitution===<br />
The Pakistan Constitution of 1973, amended substantially in 1985 under Zia ul-Haq, was suspended by the military government in October 1999. It was restored on December 31, 2002. The president is chosen for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies. <br />
===Prime Minister office===<br />
The prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a four-year term. The bicameral parliament—or Majlis-e-Shoora—consists of the Senate (100 seats; members are indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 60 seats reserved for women, 10 seats reserved for minorities; members elected by popular vote serve four-year terms). Each of the four provinces—Punjab, Sindh, Northwest Frontier, and Balochistan—has a Chief Minister and provincial assembly. The Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are administered by the federal government but enjoy considerable autonomy. The cabinet, National Security Council, and governors serve at the president's discretion.<br />
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The position of Pakistani Prime Minister has been compared to being a boy king with no real power.<br />
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===Judiciary===<br />
[[File:Punjab University Lahore Pakistan.jpg|thumb|250px|Punjab University, Lahore.]]<br />
The judicial system comprises a Supreme Court, provincial high courts, and Federal Islamic (or Shari'a) Court. The Supreme Court is Pakistan's highest court. The president appoints the chief justice and they together determine the other judicial appointments. Each province has a high court, the justices of which are appointed by the president after conferring with the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the provincial chief justice. The judiciary is proscribed from issuing any order contrary to the decisions of the President. Federal Sharia Court hears cases that primarily involve Sharia, or Islamic law. Legislation enacted in 1991 gave legal status to Sharia. Although Sharia was declared the law of the land, it did not replace the existing legal code.<br />
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===Provinces, minorities===<br />
According to the constitution, Pakistan is a federation of four provinces: Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab, and Sindh. Governors appointed by the president head the provinces. There is also the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and the Islamabad Capital Territory, which consists of the capital city of Islamabad. These areas and territory are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Northern Areas are administered as a de facto "Union Territory" and are treated as an integral part of Pakistan. The Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir, a separate and autonomous government that maintains strong ties to Pakistan. <br />
<br />
Pakistan is a country with very poor human rights record, particularly against minorities such as [[Christian]]s, [[Hindu]]s, [[Jew]]s.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060822/23922.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_pakis.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.domini.org/openbook/pak20020925.htm]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.missio-aachen.de/menschen-kulturen/nachrichten/Sangla_Hill_attack_continues_to_draw_condemnation.asp]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4928]</ref><ref>[http://www.christianresponse.org/articles/291/cartoon-protestors-in-pakistan-target-christians]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.michnews.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/242/11159]</ref><br />
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In Dec 2021, ''Pakistan Christian Post'' warned about the manipulation by the OIC and Pakistan:<ref>[http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/opinion-details/3944 Hem Raj], Dec 20, 2021</ref><blockquote><br />
The USA (the leader of the free world) should not get blackmailed by these threats of Pakistan which tantamount to saying that the militant jihadis of Afghanistan (may be in cooperation with militant Jihadis of Pakistan and from other countries) will wreak havoc not only in the neighborhood of Afghanistan but beyond it also, if the demand of Pakistan about Afghanistan are not met especially by the West lead by the USA.<br />
Pakistan as per the first resolution of the OIC wants the West led by the USA to merely provide money and other relief to Afghans who are facing humanitarian crises. No doubt the majority of these about 38 million Afghans need such help but the members of the OIC (specially oil rich countries) can easily provide such relief. The 57 Muslim countries of OIC do not need Christian West led by the USA to provide such urgent relief to Muslim Afghanistan.</blockquote><br />
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===Principal Government Officials===<br />
*President—Mamnoon Hussain<br />
*Prime Minister (head of government)-- was Imran Khan<br />
<!--outdated *Minister of Foreign Affairs--Khurshid Kasuri--><br />
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Husain Haqqani<ref>http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/dpl/spring_summer2008/110047.htm</ref><br />
<!--outdated *Ambassador to the UN--Munir Akram--><br />
In Mar 2022, [[Imran Khan]] was removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote.<ref>[https://www.axios.com/pakistan-imran-khan-removed-prime-minister-no-confidence-6b9722ea-dc5f-43a5-8c04-7d19c44a5320.html Pakistan's Imran Khan removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote], Axios, Apr 8, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Lt -Gen -Ahmad-Shuja-Pasha Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the director general of the country's spy agency.]]<br />
<br />
===Foreign Relations===<br />
After September 11, 2001, Pakistan's prominence in the international community increased significantly, as it pledged its alliance with the U.S. in the war on terror and made a commitment to eliminate terrorist camps on its territory. Historically, Pakistan has had difficult and volatile relations with India, long-standing close relations with China, extensive security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf, and wide-ranging bilateral relations with the United States and other Western countries. It expresses a strong desire for a stable Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====India====<br />
[[File:Flags of India and Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Flags of India and Pakistan at the border.]]<br />
Since partition, relations between Pakistan and India have been characterized by rivalry and suspicion. Although many issues divide the two countries, the most sensitive one since independence has been the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. <br />
<br />
At the time of partition, the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu, though ruled by a Hindu Maharajah, had a significant Muslim population (along with large amounts of Buddhists and Hindus). When the Maharajah hesitated in acceding to either Pakistan or India in 1947, tribesmen from Pakistan invaded the Kashmir region in an attempt to forcibly annex the region to Pakistan. In exchange for military assistance in containing the revolt, the Kashmiri ruler offered his allegiance to India. Indian troops defended the eastern portion of Kashmir, including its capital, Srinagar, while the western part became occupied by Pakistan. <br />
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India submitted this dispute to the United Nations on January 1, 1948. One year later, the UN arranged a cease-fire along a line dividing Kashmir but leaving the northern end of the line not demarcated and the Vale of Kashmir (with the majority of the population) under Indian control. India and Pakistan agreed to a resolution that called for a UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the state's future This plebiscite has not occurred because the main precondition, the withdrawal of both nations’ forces from Kashmir, has failed to take place. <br />
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Full-scale hostilities erupted in September 1965, when India alleged that insurgents trained and supplied by Pakistan were operating in India-controlled Kashmir. Hostilities ceased 3 weeks later, following mediation efforts by the UN and interested countries. In January 1966, the leaders of India and Pakistan met in Tashkent, U.S.S.R., and agreed to attempt a peaceful settlement of Kashmir and their other differences. <br />
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|thumb|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]<br />
Following the 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict, President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met in the hill station of Shimla, India, in July 1972. They agreed to a line of control in Kashmir resulting from the December 17, 1971, cease-fire, and endorsed the principle of settlement of bilateral disputes through peaceful means. In 1974, Pakistan and India agreed to resume postal and telecommunications linkages and to enact measures to facilitate travel. Trade and diplomatic relations were restored in 1976 after a hiatus of 5 years. <br />
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India's nuclear test in 1974 generated great uncertainty in Pakistan and is generally acknowledged to have been the impetus for Pakistan's nuclear weapons development program. In 1983, the Pakistani and Indian Governments accused each other of aiding separatists in their respective countries—Sikhs in India's Punjab state and Sindhis in Pakistan's Sindh province. In April 1984, tensions erupted after troops were deployed to the Siachen Glacier, a high-altitude, desolate area close to the China border not demarcated by the cease-fire agreement (Karachi Agreement) signed by Pakistan and India in 1949. <br />
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Tensions diminished after Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in November 1984 and after a group of Sikh hijackers was brought to trial by Pakistan in March 1985. In December 1985, President Zia and Prime Minister Gandhi pledged not to attack each other's nuclear facilities. A formal "no attack" agreement was signed in January 1991. In early 1986, the Indian and Pakistani Governments began high-level talks to resolve the Siachen Glacier border dispute and to improve trade. <br />
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Bilateral tensions increased in early 1990, when Kashmiri militants began a campaign of violence against Indian Government authority in Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequent high-level bilateral meetings relieved the tensions between India and Pakistan, but relations worsened again after the destruction of the Ayodhya mosque by Hindu extremists in December 1992 and terrorist bombings in Bombay in March 1993. Talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries in January 1994 ended in deadlock. <br />
More recently, the Indo-Pakistani relationship has veered sharply between rapprochement and conflict. After taking office in February 1997, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved to resume official dialog with India. A number of meetings at the foreign secretary and prime ministerial level took place, with positive atmospherics but little concrete progress. The relationship improved markedly when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee traveled to Lahore for a summit with Sharif in February 1999. There was considerable hope that the meeting could lead to a breakthrough. <br />
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In spring 1999, infiltrators from Pakistan occupied positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the remote, mountainous area of Kashmir near Kargil, threatening the ability of India to supply its forces on Siachen Glacier. By early summer, serious fighting flared in the Kargil sector. The infiltrators withdrew following a meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Clinton in July. Relations between India and Pakistan were particularly strained during the 1999 coup in Islamabad. Then, just weeks after the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, an attack on India's Parliament on December 13 further strained this relationship.<br />
<br />
====Better relations since 2004====<br />
The prospects for better relations between India and Pakistan improved in early January 2004 when a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) permitted India's Prime Minister Vajpayee to meet with President Musharraf. Both leaders agreed to establish a Composite Dialogue to resolve their disputes. The Composite Dialogue focuses on eight issues: confidence building measures, Kashmir, Wullar barrage, promotion of friendly exchanges, Siachen glacier, Sir creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, and economic and commercial cooperation. <br />
<br />
Relations further improved when President Musharraf met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York in October 2004. Additional steps aimed at improving relations were announced when Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh visited Islamabad in February 2005 and in April 2005 when President Musharraf traveled to India to view a cricket match and hold discussions. In a further display of improved relations, bus service commenced from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to Srinagar in April 2005. After a destructive earthquake hit the Kashmir region in October 2005, the two countries cooperated with each other to deal with the humanitarian crisis. <br />
<br />
Musharraf and Singh last met in September 2006, when they condemned all acts of terrorism and agreed to continue the search for options acceptable to both sides for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The foreign secretaries of both nations opened the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue in Islamabad on March 13–14, 2007. <br />
<br />
====Afghanistan====<br />
[[File:Afghan Pakistani NATO.jpg|thumb|320px|Afghan - Pakistani - NATO 29th Tripartite Commission, 2009.]]<br />
Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Pakistani Government, with American encouragement and Saudi money, played a vital role in supporting the Afghan resistance movement and assisting Afghan refugees. After the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989, Pakistan, with cooperation from the world community, continued to provide extensive support for displaced Afghans. Continued turmoil in Afghanistan prevented the refugees from returning to their country. In 1999, more than 1.2 million registered Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan. By 2009 there are 2 million refugees living in squalid camps. Pakistan was one of three countries to recognize the Taliban regime of Afghanistan. International pressure after September 11, 2001, prompted Pakistan to reassess its relations with the Taliban regime and support the U.S. and international coalition in Operation Enduring Freedom to remove the Taliban from power. Pakistan has publicly expressed its support to Afghanistan's President Karzai and has pledged $100 million toward Afghanistan's reconstruction. Both nations are also working to strengthen cooperation along their rugged border, including making preparations to hold joint jirgas in their restive border areas.<br />
<br />
Pakistan was linked with the rise of [[Taliban]] in Afghanistan. In Sep/2021, protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Former [[Afghanistan]] President Hamid Karzai stated in Dec 2021: Afghanistan has been facing [[ISIS]] threat from Pakistan. Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's remarks on terrorism in his country.<ref>[https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/afghanistan-has-been-facing-isis-threat-from-pakistan-hamid-karzai-121122000153_1.html Afghanistan has been facing ISIS threat from Pakistan: Hamid Karzai], Business Standard, Dec 20, 2021.<blockquote><br />
Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on terrorism in his country, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday said that the landlocked country has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.<br />
At the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Sunday, Imran Khan had said ISIS threatens Pakistan from Afghanistan, adding that stability in Afghanistan is necessary. “We have had attacks from (the) Afghan border, from ISIL (ISIS), into Pakistan,” he said.<br />
Reacting to Khan’s remarks, the former Afghan president said these allegations are not true, TOLOnews reported. ISIS from the beginning has been threatening Afghanistan from Pakistan, not the other way around, Karzai added.<br />
“These remarks are not true, and are obvious propaganda against Afghanistan,” Karzai said in a statement. “In fact, from the beginning, Afghanistan has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.”<br />
Earlier, Karzai had warned Pakistan not to interfere in Kabul’s internal affairs. He had said that Islamabad should not encourage terrorism or extremism rather should establish relations with the country through “civil principles and principles of international relations.”<br />
“My message to Pakistan, our brotherly country, is that they should not try to represent Afghanistan,” he said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) in October.<br />
Pakistan organised a summit of foreign ministers from the OIC on Sunday. An OIC resolution released after the meeting said the Islamic Development Bank would lead the effort to free up assistance by the first quarter of 2022, Al Jazeera reported…</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====China====<br />
In 1950, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the Communist [[China]] (PRC). Following the Sino-Indian hostilities of 1962, Pakistan's relations with China became stronger; since then, the countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in various agreements. China has provided economic, military, and technical assistance to Pakistan. Favorable relations with China have been a pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy. The PRC strongly supported Pakistan's opposition to Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and is perceived by Pakistan as a regional counterweight to India and Russia.<br />
<br />
The port at Gwadar on the Indian Ocean in the disputed territory of Balochistan is a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative. It's part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor—or CPEC. It aims to give China access to the Indian Ocean. An official CPEC roadway and energy pipeline shows plans to link Gwadar with China's [[Xinjiang]] Autonomous region. A 2020 US Naval War College study however says, Chinese analysts have come to view the plan as not viable. According to reports, “Shipping and industrial activity at the port are negligible. And for the vast majority of Gwadar’s residents, conditions are unchanged or worse.” China's fishing trawler fleet has devastated the ocean and forced local fishermen out. And many of the promised benefits from the CPEC have not happened. Major projects—including a vocational training center, medical hospital, and desalination plant—have either been delayed, scaled-down, or dropped. Large scale protests among the local population erupted.<br />
<br />
====Iran and the Persian Gulf====<br />
Historically, Pakistan has had close geopolitical and cultural-religious linkages with Iran. However, strains in the relationship appeared following the Iranian revolution. Pakistan and Iran supported different factions in the Afghan conflict. Also, some Pakistanis suspect Iranian government support for the sectarian violence that has plagued Pakistan. However, relations between the countries have improved since their policies toward Afghanistan have converged with the fall of the Taliban. Both countries contend that they are on the road to strong and lasting friendly relations. <br />
<br />
Pakistan historically has provided military personnel to strengthen Gulf-state defenses and to reinforce its own security interests in the area.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|280px|Karachi.]]<br />
The United States and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1947. The U.S. agreement to provide economic and military assistance to Pakistan and the latter's partnership in the Baghdad Pact/CENTO and SEATO strengthened relations between the nations. However, the U.S. suspension of military assistance during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war generated a widespread feeling in Pakistan that the United States was not a reliable ally. Even though the United States suspended military assistance to both countries involved in the conflict, the suspension of aid affected Pakistan much more severely. Gradually, relations improved, and arms sales were renewed in 1975. Then, in April 1979, the United States cut off economic assistance to Pakistan, except food assistance, as required under the Symington Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, due to concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program. <br />
<br />
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the common interest of Pakistan and the United States in peace and stability in South Asia. In 1981, the United States and Pakistan agreed on a $3.2 billion military and economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened threat to security in the region and its economic development needs. <br />
<br />
Recognizing national security concerns and accepting Pakistan's assurances that it did not intend to construct a nuclear weapon, Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on military assistance to Pakistan. In March 1986, the two countries agreed on a second multi-year (FY 1988–93) $4 billion economic development and security assistance program. On October 1, 1990, however, the United States suspended all military assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not possess a nuclear explosive device." <br />
[[File:Pakistani soldier.jpg|thumb|180px|Pakistani soldier.]]<br />
Several incidents of violence against American officials and U.S. mission employees in Pakistan have marred the relationship. In November 1979, false rumors that the United States had participated in the seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca provoked a mob attack on the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in which the chancery was set on fire resulting in the loss of life of American and Pakistani staff. In 1989, an attack on the American Center in Islamabad resulted in six Pakistanis being killed in crossfire with the police. In March 1995, two American employees of the consulate in Karachi were killed and one wounded in an attack on the home-to-office shuttle. In November 1997, four U.S. businessmen were brutally murdered while being driven to work in Karachi. In March 2002 a suicide attacker detonated explosives in a church in Islamabad, killing two Americans associated with the Embassy and three others. There were also unsuccessful attacks by terrorists on the Consulate General in Karachi in May 2002. Another bomb was detonated near American and other businesses in Karachi in November 2005, killing three people and wounding 15 others. On March 2, 2006, a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives as a vehicle carrying an American Foreign Service officer passed by on its way to Consulate Karachi. The diplomat, the consulate's locally employed driver and three other people were killed in the blast; 52 others were wounded. <br />
<br />
The decision by India to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act, which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was subsequently limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance. <br />
<br />
Since the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan has played a double game with the U.S. in Afghanistan. Pakistan will claim that they are an "ally" in the War on Terror by handing over a few Al-Qaeda fighters but at the same time provides material and financial support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/10302946</ref> The United States has stepped up its economic assistance to Pakistan, providing debt relief and support for a major effort for education reform. During President Musharraf's visit to the United States in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005. <br />
<br />
Following the region's tragic October 8, 2005 earthquake, the United States responded immediately and generously to Pakistan's call for assistance. The response was consistent with U.S. humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan. At the subsequent reconstruction conference in Islamabad on November 19, 2005, the U.S. announced a $510 million commitment to Pakistan for earthquake relief and reconstruction, including humanitarian assistance, military support for relief operations, and anticipated U.S. private contributions. <br />
<br />
President Bush and President Musharraf have affirmed the long-term, strategic partnership between their two countries. In 2004, the United States recognized closer bilateral ties with Pakistan by designating Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally. President Bush visited Pakistan in March 2006, where he and President Musharraf reaffirmed their shared commitment to a broad and lasting strategic partnership, agreeing to continue their cooperation on a number of issues including: the war on terror, security in the region, strengthening democratic institutions, trade and investment, education, and earthquake relief and reconstruction. <br />
<br />
The United States and Pakistan concluded the sale to Pakistan of F-16 aircraft in late 2006, expecting Pakistan to use them to "fight terrorism". President Musharraf visited Washington in September 2006, where he held a bilateral meeting with President Bush and also participated in a trilateral meeting with President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Under President Trump, the United States has suspended aid to Pakistan over their support for terrorism in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
In October 2022 Pakistan issued a formal ''[[demarche]]'' to the United States when [[Joe Biden]] said that Pakistan<br />
may be one of the most dangerous countries in the world because it has [[nuclear weapons]].<ref>https://youtu.be/vm3lzZ8Oslk</ref><br />
<br />
====Osama Bin Laden====<br />
On May 2, 2011, United States special forces raided a private compound in [[Abbottabad]], Pakistan, 62 miles north of [[Islamabad]]. That evening, President Obama announced that [[Osama bin Laden]] had been killed in the raid.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama</ref> Reaction within Pakistan was mixed, with some calling it a welcome end to the life of a mass murderer, and others calling it a disturbing violation of national sovereignty.<ref>http://www.christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_5080.html</ref><br />
<br />
Although the Pakistani government had long insisted that Osama bin Laden was not hiding in their country,<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/03/brown-praises-pakistan-terrorism-fight</ref><ref>http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-02-07/pakistan/27281957_1_al-qaeda-pakistan-president-pervez-musharraf-state-colin-powell</ref> U.S. intelligence estimated in 2011 that bin Laden had been hiding there for five to six years,<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13268517</ref> and counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan said it was "inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system" in the country. A leaked email from 2012 involving a Stratfor analyst revealed that Osama Bin Laden was in routine contact with the Pakistani [[Inter-Services Intelligence]].<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9109457/Stratfor-Osama-bin-Laden-was-in-routine-contact-with-Pakistans-spy-agency.html</ref> Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari responded with an op-ed to the Washington Post, rejecting claims that his government helped Al-Qaeda by writing "such baseless speculation may make exciting cable news, but it doesn’t reflect fact."<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/pakistan-did-its-part/2011/05/02/AFHxmybF_story.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Secret Service plot====<br />
In March 2022, two Muslim men, (Iranian) Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and (Pakistani) Haider Ali, 35, were arrested<ref>Katelyn Caralle, [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10696133/How-fake-DHS-agents-spent-18-MONTHS-trying-infiltrate-Secret-Service-Jill-Bidens-detail.html How 'fake' DHS agents spent 18 MONTHS trying to 'infiltrate Secret Service and Jill Biden's detail'], Daily Mail Online, Apr 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote>Two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied.</blockquote></ref> for impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington. The two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence<ref>Michael Balsamo, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-man-impersonated-agent-claimed-ties-to-pakistani-intel/2022/04/07/6f49f666-b6a9-11ec-8358-20aa16355fb4_story.html US: Man impersonated agent, claimed ties to Pakistani intel]," ''AP'', via ''WaPo'', April 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
WASHINGTON — One of two men accused of impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington has claimed to have ties to Pakistani intelligence and had visas showing travel to Pakistan and Iran, federal prosecutors said Thursday.<br />
<br />
The men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested Wednesday. The FBI raided a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where the men were staying and had been offering free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents and officers.<br />
<br />
During a court appearance Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said Ali had told witnesses that he was affiliated with the Inter-Services Intelligence agency in Pakistan and that he had multiple visas from Pakistan and Iran in the months before prosecutors believe the men began impersonating U.S. law enforcement officials. Rothstein said the U.S. has not yet been able to verify the veracity of Ali’s claims to the witnesses.</blockquote></ref> <i>Inter-Services Intelligence</i> (ISI), and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied. Aim was to compromise and accessing information.<br />
<br />
===NATO war in Ukraine===<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
''[[Reuters]]'' reported that the heads of 22 diplomatic missions, including those of [[European Union]] member states, released a joint letter on March 1, 2022, urging Pakistan to support a resolution in the [[United Nations General Assembly]] (UNGA) condemning Russia. Pakistani prime minister [[Imran Khan]] responded at a public event in [[Islamabad]] saying, "What do you think of us? Are we your [[slave]]s ... that whatever you say, we will do?"<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistani-premier-hits-out-western-envoys-joint-letter-russia-2022-03-06/</ref> The US State Department encouraged the Pakistani government in a March 7, 2022, meeting to remove [[Imran Khan]] as [[prime minister]] over his neutrality on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to a classified Pakistani government document obtained by ''The Intercept''.<ref>https://theintercept.com/2023/08/09/imran-khan-pakistan-cypher-ukraine-russia/</ref><br />
<br />
==Defense==<br />
[[File:Pakistan armed forces.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Pakistan Day Parade.]]<br />
Pakistan has the world's eighth-largest armed forces, which is generally well trained and disciplined. However, budget constraints and nation-building duties have reduced Pakistan's training tempo, which if not reversed, could affect the operational readiness of the armed forces. Likewise, Pakistan has had an increasingly difficult time maintaining its aging fleet of U.S., Chinese, U.K., and French equipment. While industrial capabilities have expanded significantly, limited budget resources and sanctions have significantly constrained the government's efforts to modernize its armed forces. <br />
<br />
Until 1990, the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. The United States allocated about 40% of its assistance package to non-reimbursable credits for military purchases, the third-largest program behind Israel and Egypt. The remainder of the aid program was devoted to economic assistance. Sanctions put in place in 1990 denied Pakistan further military assistance due to the discovery of its program to develop nuclear weapons. Sanctions were tightened following Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to India's May 1998 tests and the military coup of 1999. Pakistan has remained a non-signatory of the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty. <br />
<br />
The events of September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's agreement to support the United States led to a waiver of the sanctions, and military assistance resumed to provide spare parts and equipment to enhance Pakistan's capacity to police its western border with Afghanistan and address its legitimate security concerns. In 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005.<br />
<br />
In 2018, the Trump Administration cut off aid to Pakistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Manora Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.jpg|thumb|300px|Manora, Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.]]<br />
<br />
With a per capita GDP of about $690 (current U.S. $), the World Bank considers Pakistan a low-income country. No more than 48.7% of adults are literate, and life expectancy is about 63 years. The population, currently about 165 million, is growing at 2.09% annually. <br />
<br />
In 2000, the government made significant macroeconomic reforms: Privatizing Pakistan's state-subsidized utilities, reforming the banking sector, instituting a world-class anti-money laundering law, cracking down on piracy of intellectual property, and moving to quickly resolving investor disputes. After September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's proclaimed commitment to fighting terror, many international sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, were lifted. Pakistan's economic prospects began to increase significantly due to unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance at the end of 2001. This trend is expected to continue through 2009. Foreign exchange reserves and exports grew to record levels after a sharp decline. The International Monetary Fund lauded Pakistan for its commitment in meeting lender requirements for a $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility loan, which it completed in 2004, forgoing the final permitted tranche. The Government of Pakistan has been successful in issuing sovereign bonds, and has issued $600 million in Islamic bonds, putting Pakistan back on the investment map. Pakistan's search for additional foreign direct investment has been hampered by concerns about the security situation, domestic and regional political uncertainties, and questions about judicial transparency. <br />
[[File:Boat Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Dhow in Karachi.]]<br />
U.S. assistance has played a key role in moving Pakistan's economy from the brink of collapse to setting record high levels of foreign reserves and exports, dramatically lowering levels of solid debt. Also, despite the earthquake in 2005, GDP growth remained strong at 6.6% in fiscal year 2005/2006. In 2002, the United States led Paris Club efforts to reschedule Pakistan's debt on generous terms, and in April 2003 the United States reduced Pakistan's bilateral official debt by $1 billion. In 2004, approximately $500 million more in bilateral debt was granted. Consumer price inflation eased slightly to an average of 8% in 2005/2006 from 9.3% in 2004/2005. <br />
<br />
Low levels of spending in the social services and high population growth have contributed to persistent poverty and unequal income distribution. The trends of resources being devoted to socioeconomic development and infrastructure projects have been improving since 2002, although expenditures remain below global averages. Pakistan's extreme poverty and underdevelopment are key concerns, especially in rural areas. The government has reined in the fiscal mismanagement that produced massive foreign debt, and officials have committed to using international assistance—including a major part of the $3 billion five-year U.S. assistance package—to address Pakistan's long-term needs in the health and education sectors. <br />
*GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $110.7 billion.<br />
*Real GDP growth rate (2005): 7.8%.<br />
*Per capita GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $690. <br />
*Natural resources: Arable land, natural gas, limited oil, substantial hydropower potential, coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone.<br />
*Agriculture: Products—wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, beef, mutton.<br />
*Industry: Types—textiles & apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, shrimp, fertilizer, and paper products.<br />
*Trade (2005 est.): Exports--$14.85 billion: textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, carpets, rugs, chemicals & manufactures. Major partners—U.S. 22.6%, United Arab Emirates 8.9%, U.K. 5.8%, China 5.4%, Germany 4.7%. Imports--$21.26 billion: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, paper and paper board, transportation equipment, edible oils, pulses, iron and steel, tea. Major partners—China 14.0%, Saudi Arabia 10.5%, United Arab Emirates 9.0%, Japan 6.2%, U.S. 5.1%, Kuwait 5.1%, Germany 4.9%. <br />
<br />
====Reform====<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan market.jpg|thumb|250px|Textile market on the sidewalks of Karachi.]]<br />
The government started pursuing market-based economic reform policies in the early 1980s. These reforms began to take hold in 1988, when the government launched an ambitious IMF-assisted structural adjustment program in response to chronic and unsustainable fiscal and external account deficits. The government began to remove barriers to foreign trade and investment, reform the financial system, ease foreign exchange controls, and privatize dozens of state-owned enterprises. <br />
<br />
Although the economy became more structurally sound, it remained vulnerable to external and internal shocks, such as in 1992–93, when devastating floods and political uncertainty combined to depress economic growth sharply. The Asian financial crisis seriously affected Pakistan's major markets for its textile exports. For example, average real GDP growth from 1992 to 1998 dipped to 4.1% annually. Economic reform also was set back by Pakistan's nuclear tests in May 1998, and the subsequent economic sanctions imposed by the G-7. International default was narrowly averted by the partial waiver of sanctions and the subsequent reinstatement of Pakistan's IMF enhanced structural adjustment facility/extended fund facility in early 1999, followed by Paris Club and London Club rescheduling. After taking power in late 1999, President Musharraf instituted policies to stabilize Pakistan's macroeconomic situation. Pakistan continues to struggle with these reforms, having mixed success, especially in reducing its budget and current account deficits.<br />
<br />
====Agriculture and Natural Resources====<br />
Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, hydroelectric potential, and natural gas reserves. About 28% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Agriculture accounts for about 21% of GDP and employs about 42% of the labor force. The most important crops are cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables, which together account for more than 75% of the value of total crop output. Despite intensive farming practices, Pakistan remains a net food importer. Pakistan exports rice, fish, fruits, and vegetables and imports vegetable oil, wheat, cotton (net importer), pulses, and consumer foods. <br />
<br />
The economic importance of agriculture has declined since independence, when its share of GDP was around 53%. Following the poor harvest of 1993, the government introduced agriculture assistance policies, including increased support prices for many agricultural commodities and expanded availability of agricultural credit. From 1993 to 1997, real growth in the agricultural sector averaged 5.7% but declined to less than 3% in 2005. Agricultural reforms, including increased wheat and oilseed production, play a central role in the government's economic reform package. Heavy rains in 2005 provided the benefit of larger than average cotton, wheat, and rice crops, but also caused damage due to flooding and avalanches. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, some proven oil reserves, coal, and large hydropower potential. However, exploitation of energy resources has been slow due to a shortage of capital and domestic and international political constraints. For instance, domestic gas and petroleum production totals only about half the country's energy needs, and dependence on imported oil contributes to Pakistan's persistent trade deficits and shortage of foreign exchange. The government announced that privatization in the oil and gas sector is a priority.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Industry====<br />
Pakistan's manufacturing sector accounts for about 25% of GDP. Cotton textile production and apparel manufacturing are Pakistan's largest industries, accounting for about 70% of total exports. Other major industries include food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, and paper products. As technology improves in the industrial sector, it continues to grow. In 2005/2006, the manufacturing sector grew by 8.6%. Despite government efforts to privatize large-scale parastatal units, the public sector continues to account for a significant proportion of industry. In the face of an increasing trade deficit, the government seeks to diversify the country's industrial base and bolster export industries. Net foreign investment in Pakistani industries is only 0.5% of GDP.<br />
==Recent==<br />
Imran Khan has been reveled as turning his leadership towards [[fascism]] and cracking down on the media too. <br />
<ref>[https://www.orfonline.org/research/how-imran-khan-unveiled-the-oxonian-version-of-pakistani-islamofascism/ How Imran Khan unveiled the Oxonian version of Pakistani ‘Islamofascism’], Sushant Sareen, August 4, 2020.<br />
<br><i><br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has proved to be a miserable failure who has in many ways turned the clock back for Pakistan.<br />
<br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has more or less functioned as a civilian version of the former military dictator Zia-ul-Haq.<br />
<br />
Hurting democracy<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, in the two years, he has been in office, Imran has caused more damage to Pakistan’s fledgeling democracy than any of his predecessors.<br />
<br />
Displaying fascist traits, he has crushed political dissent, victimised political opponents, muzzled the media, bludgeoned religious minorities, inserted the military in virtually every aspect of national life, unleashed a thought police which will decide what can be published and read in the country, neutered an already pliable and compromised judiciary, and of course, moved to Islamise an already Islamised country through the obnoxious Tahaffiz-e-buyaad-e-Islam law passed by the Punjab provincial assembly.<br />
<br />
The signs of Imran Khan’s fascist worldview were all over the place even before he was manoeuvred into the Prime Minister’s office by the military. That he was an intolerant and undemocratic person became clear during his dharna against the Nawaz Sharif government. The street language he used against his political opponents and the vile and vulgar behaviour he has displayed, and which he has always encouraged and promoted among his cronies (including members of government) revealed his mindset.<br />
<br />
Media as target...</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
In May, 2021, Muslim bigot Kanwal Shauzab colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party called for Jihad against Israel and praised [[Hitler]] for killing Jews.<ref>[https://www.thejc.com/news/world/pakistani-politician-praises-hitler-for-killing-jews-1.517034 Pakistani politician praises Hitler for killing Jews], JC, May 24, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>A colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party calls for Jihad against Israel.<br />
<br />
A parliamentary representative of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party has praised Hitler for killing Jews and a colleague of the same party has called for Jihad against Israel as the only solution.<br />
<br />
Discussing the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Pakistan National Assembly member Kanwal Shauzab said that Hitler was right to kill Jews and called for the use of nuclear weapons against Israel.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Islamic bigot [[Malik Faisal Akram]] hostage taking Jan/2022, exposed Pakistan's tentacles.<br />
<br />
From an analysis:<ref>N Singh, [https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/columnists/texas-crisis-exposes-pakistan---s-tentacles.html Texas crisis exposes Pakistan’s tentacles], ''Daily Pioneer'', 28 January 2022</ref><blockquote>This is a curious case, where a Government has so openly come out to support an Al Qaeda terrorist exposing its own nefarious designs, how Pakistan harbours Al Qaeda militants and uses them too, all the while giving false assurances to the Americans that it is helping them to finish Al Qaeda, which is very much active and calling shots more after lying low for some time until the Taliban consolidated its takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<br />
[[UN]] Watch recalls:<ref name=unwatch-31july2022>Hillel Neuer @HillelNeuer Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
<br />
[https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1553845432312373249 July 31, 2022]</ref><blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
Kothari has been accused by the United States, Czechia, Germany, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Australia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium, Italy<ref name=palwatch-2aug2022>Itamar Marcus and Maurice Hirsch, Adv., [https://palwatch.org/page/31869 PA chooses to side with Antisemitism and hate], ''Palwatch'', Aug 2, 2022<br />
<blockquote><br />
When the member of the recently established UN Human Rights Council "Commission of Inquiry," Miloon Kothari, expressed anti-Semitic hate speech and denial of Israel's right to be a UN member, 12 western democracies and the EU were quick to condemn him. Standing out in support of the hate speech was the Palestinian Authority, whose Foreign Ministry rushed to defend the Antisemitism and condemn Israel for condemning it. <br />
<br />
<i><br />
The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the attack of incitement and deception that [Israeli] occupation state transitional Prime Minister Yair Lapid carried out against the UN Human Rights Council investigative committee.” <br />
[WAFA, official PA news agency, Aug. 1, 2022] </i><br />
<br />
The countries that condemned the anti-Semitic hate of Kothari included, the USA, the UK, Canada, France, Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium and Italy. <br />
Significantly, while the PA was adamant to criticize Israel’s condemnation of the Antisemitism, it was silent about all the other condemnations, not wanting to insult its donors. <br />
<br />
Referring to that fact that Israel has predominantly ignored the openly biased agenda of the UN ...<br />
<br />
The reason the PA was so quick to defend Kothari, is because the statements he made predominantly reflect similar statements made over the years by PA officials. <br />
As Palestinian Media Watch has repeatedly shown, the PA constantly denies Israel’s right to exist and adopts the same anti-Semitic tropes.</blockquote></ref> and the president of the UNHRC of making antisemitic remarks disputing Israel's right to exist and supporting antisemitic conspiracy theories about the "Jewish Lobby" controlling social media.<ref>Tovah Lazaroff, [https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-713501 UNHRC President: Jewish Lobby remark is reasonably considered antisemitic], ''JPost'', July 30, 2022 .</ref><br />
See: [[United Nations#Miloon Kothari - UNHRC]]<br />
<br />
<font size=1>[Reminder, neither Islamic Pakistan nor Islamic Iran share any borders or have any "land disputes" with Israel.]</font><br />
<br />
====Foreign Trade and Aid====<br />
[[File:Islamabad wet road Pakistan.jpg|thumb|320px|left|[[Islamabad]], the capital city of Pakistan.]]<br />
Weak world demand for its exports and domestic political uncertainty have contributed to Pakistan's high trade deficit. In 2004, growth rebounded to approximately 6% with substantial improvement in public and external debt indicators and remained robust with 7.8% growth in 2005. Foreign reserves are at an all-time high of $11.5 billion. Pakistan's exports, which grew by 14.4% in 2005/2006, continue to be dominated by cotton textiles and apparel, despite government diversification efforts. Major imports include petroleum and petroleum products, edible oil, wheat, chemicals, fertilizer, capital goods, industrial raw materials, and consumer products, rising to 38.8% to $25.6 billion. External imbalance has left Pakistan with a growing foreign debt burden. The fiscal imbalance is reflected in a high level of total net public debt, which reached an estimated 92.6% of GDP in 2000–01, more than half involving external liabilities, but decreased to 72.7% in 2003. The fiscal deficit widened from 5.6% of GDP in 1994–95 to 7.7% in 1997-98 before declining to 4.5% in 2006. Despite a rise in tax collection, defense and development expenditure along with transfers to the provinces all rose in the 2006 budget, widening the deficit. Support for loss-making, state-owned enterprises and a weak domestic tax base are critical elements in the recurring fiscal deficits. The Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd. (PTCL) represented the largest of Pakistan's privatization programs for 2005. Despite its economic and political difficulties, Pakistan has taken steps to liberalize its trade and investment regimes, either unilaterally or in the context of commitments made with the World Trade Organization (WTO), IMF, and the World Bank. In 2004–2005, efforts in several crucial areas seemingly intensified, resulting in Pakistan becoming a more open and secure market for its trading partners. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has received significant loan/grant assistance from international financial institutions (e.g., the IMF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank) and bilateral donors, particularly after it began using its military/financial resources in the war on terror. The United States pledged $3 billion for FY 2005 to FY 2009 in economic and military aid to Pakistan. In addition, the IMF and World Bank have pledged $1 billion in loans to Pakistan. In 2004 to 2007 alone, the World Bank has pledged over $500 million in investment projects.<br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Cannibalism==<br />
Two Pakistani cannibal brothers Mohammad Arif Ali and Mohammed Farman Ali, were arrested for digging up more than 100 corpses from their local graveyard in order to eat them.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2604350/Boys-HEAD-home-Pakistani-cannibals-dug-100-corpses-local-graveyard-eaten-them.html</ref> Despite this and many other cases, Cannibalism is still legal in Pakistan.<ref>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2136498/bill-man-eaters-rots-cold-storage</ref><br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Mental Illness==<br />
It is estimated that over 50 million Pakistanis are mentally ill.<ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1288880</ref><br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Owen Bennett. ''Pakistan: Eye of the Storm'' (3rd ed. 2009)<br />
* Nawaz, Shuja. ''Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within'' (2008) 600pp [http://www.amazon.com/Crossed-Swords-Pakistan-Army-Within/dp/0195476603/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Shaikh, Farzana. ''Making Sense of Pakistan'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-Pakistan-Columbia-Hurst/dp/023114962X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253054909&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]<br />
<br />
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6663305.stm Pakistan Christians demand help], BBC News, 16 May 2007.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a [[Muslim]] [[Jihadism|jihadist]] police state<br />
*[[Malik Faisal Akram#Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis .22branch.22|Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis "branch"]]<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
*[[Star and Crescent]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2007/05/pakistani_nuclear_forces_2007.php Pakistani Nuclear Forces, 2007]<br />
*[http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/07/the_black_hole_of_pakistan The Black Hole of Pakistan.]<br />
<br />
<br />
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{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"<br />
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''<br />
|-<br />
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:<br />
|style=" background-color: none;"| <small>This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code</small><br />
|-<br />
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:<br />
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| <small>File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3453.htm]</small>}}}. <br />
|}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Indian History]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
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{{Terrorism}}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
[[Category:Nuclear Defense]]<br />
[[Category:Jihadism]]<br />
[[Category:Fascism]]<br />
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{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Muhammad_Ali_Jinnah&diff=2010382Muhammad Ali Jinnah2023-12-14T16:40:44Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>'''Muhammad Ali Jinnah''' was an Islamic Supremacist who founded the modern day state of [[Pakistan]] and was its first governor-general. Jinnah was the leader of the Muslim league. In the year 1946, the British were going to leave India and an Interim government was formed to decide the future of the country. Instead of supporting united India, the [[Muslim League]] advocated for the creation of Pakistan. After the Congress Party rejected the proposal, Jinnah took to issuing threats of violence if his demands were not met. Muhammad Ali Jinnah in pursuit of the creation of Pakistan issued a proclamation of "Direct Action Day" which led to the killing of thousands of Hindus in Calcutta at the hands of Muslims mobs. <ref>https://www.opindia.com/2018/08/eye-witness-account-of-direct-action-day-great-calcutta-killing-of-16-august-1946/</ref><br />
==Personal Life==<br />
Despite Muhammad Ali Jinnah being a Muslim, he consumed pork and alcohol. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/culture/story/remagining-pakistan-talks-about-jinnah-gave-clerics-free-hand-in-political-mobilisation-1227905-2018-05-06</ref> Jinnah was a Shiite Muslim.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20111117111449/http://www.thefridaytimes.com/24122010/page27.shtml</ref><br />
[[Category:International Political Figures]]<br />
[[Category:Pakistan]]<br />
==References==</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Pakistan&diff=2010380Pakistan2023-12-14T16:28:26Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Country<br />
|name =اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان<br />''Islāmī Jumhūrīyah Pākistān''<br />
|map =Future Map of Pakistan.jpg<br />
|map2 =Pakistan location.png<br />
|flag =Flag of Pakistan.png<br />
|arms =Arms of Pakistan.png<br />
|capital =Islamabad<br />
|capital-raw =<br />
|government =Semi-presidential republic<br />
|government-raw =<br />
|language =Urdu, English<br />
|king =<br />
|queen =<br />
|monarch-raw =<br />
|president = Arif Alvi<br />
|president-raw =<br />
|chancellor =<br />
|chancellor-raw =<br />
|pm = <br />
|pm-raw =Shehbaz Sharif<br/><br />
|area =340,403 sq mi<br />
|pop =220,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis =<br />
|gdp =$285,000,000,000 (2020)<br />
|gdp-year =<br />
|gdp-pc =$1,273 (2020)<br />
|currency =Rupee <br />
|idd =<br />
|tld =<br />
}}<br />
Pakistan, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''', is an Islamic fundamentalist country in South Asia created by the British for [[India]]n [[Muslim]]s on 14 August 1947, despite a significant [[opposition to the partition of India|opposition to the partition of colonial India]]. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. At the time of the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Hindus comprised over 23% of the population.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/india/2-yrs-after-it-counted-population-pakistan-silent-on-minority-numbers-6203547/</ref> However, Pakistan is currently 99% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native were slaughtered during the partition of India<ref>https://hindugenocide.com/islamic-jihad/4million-hindus-persecuted-west-pakistan-partition-plight-hindus-remained/</ref> Forced conversion of non-Muslims is rampant in Pakistan. The Global Human Rights Defense(GHRD) estimates that more than 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls are kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam annually in Pakistan.<ref>https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/hindus-pakistan-nobodys-children</ref> Pakistan is hostile to the United States and is one of the most anti-American countries.<ref>https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/on-pakistani-anti-americanism/</ref> Pakistan is allied with Communist [[China]].<ref>https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pakistans-alliance-china-comes-high-cost-149471</ref> The Pakistani [[ISI]] and Military are the real powers behind Pakistan and actively sponsors terrorism in Afghanistan against U.S. and Afghan troops.<ref>https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/09/pakistan-continues-to-harbor-taliban-including-al-qaeda-linked-haqqanis.php</ref><ref>https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FOIA-Reading-Room-Other-Available-Records/FileId/155424/</ref> Although Pakistan is regarded as a major non-Nato ally, this was due to Pakistan's lobbying efforts.<ref>https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/img-src-http-talkingpointsmemo-com-images-payne-musharraf-muck-jpg-vspace-5-hspace-5-align-left-stephen-payne-worked-for-pakistan-after-sept-11</ref> There have been attempts by Congress to remove Pakistan's major non-Nato ally status due to their support for terrorism.<ref>https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/73/text?format=txt</ref> Additionally, Pakistan engages in the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology to countries such as Iran and North Korea.<ref>https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004-04/features/closing-pandoras-box-pakistans-role-nuclear-proliferation</ref><ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/pakistan-sold-iran-nuke-tech-in-1980s-former-president-rafsanjani-reveals/</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[Image:Badshahi Mosque, Pakistan.jpg|thumb|260px|Badshahi Mosque.]]<br />
What is now Pakistan, along with parts of northwestern India, contains the archeological remains of an urban civilization dating back 4,500 years. Alexander the Great included the Indus Valley in his empire in 326 B.C., and his successors founded the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria based in what is today Afghanistan and extending to Peshawar. Following the rise of the Central Asian Kushan Empire in later centuries, the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan, centered on the city of Taxila just west of Islamabad, experienced a cultural renaissance known as the Gandhara period. <br />
<br />
Pakistan's Islamic history began with the arrival of Muslim traders in the 8th century in Sindh. The collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century provided an opportunity for the English East India Company to extend its control over much of the subcontinent. The Sikh adventurer, Ranjit Singh, carved out a dominion that extended from Kabul to Srinagar and Lahore, encompassing much of the northern area of modern Pakistan. British rule replaced the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th century. The British permitted the Hindu Maharaja of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, a Sikh appointee, to continue in power. <br />
<br />
The concept of "Pakistan" emerged from an extended period of agitation by the elite Muslims of India to gain power. These elite Muslims were backed by the British and founded the All India Muslim League in 1906. Initially, the League adopted the same objective as the Congress—self-government for India within the British Empire—but the League refused to accept United India. On the other hand, prominent Indian Muslim leaders, such as the Pashtun visionary Khan Abdbul Ghaffar Khan, as well as the Darul Uloom Deoband, supported a united India. After the partition of India, the government of Pakistan jailed Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan quite frequently and he was buried in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan====<br />
[[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]]<br />
The idea of a separate Muslim state in British India first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. This resolution was vehemently opposed by nationalist Indian Muslims represented by the [[All India Azad Muslim Conference]], who [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India]]; British officials, however, sidelined the All India Azad Muslim Conference.<ref name="Shodganga">{{cite web |title=Towards United and Federate India: 1940-47 |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/31090/10/10_chapter%205.pdf |accessdate=31 March 2019 |pages=193, 198 |language=English}}</ref> At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom realized that it could no longer hold on to India. The British wanted to maintain their imperialist influence over countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, so they decided to create Pakistan to give them a foothold in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) and Balochistan. Britain however encountered issues with doing this as the NWFP had elected a government from the Indian National Congress and not from the [[Muslim League]]. Therefore, Louis Mountbatten, with the help of his wife Edwina, talked Jawaharlal Nehru into agreeing to a referendum in the NWFP. Although it is claimed that 99% of the votes were in favor of Pakistan, there was widespread fraud and rigging done during the referendum. Khan Abdul Wali Khan the son of Ghaffar Khan cited that an old woman disclosed to him that she alone polled 52 votes in favor of Pakistan.<ref>https://drfakhrulislam.pk/referendum-in-nwfp-a-significant-chapter-of-freedom-movement/#_edn25</ref><ref>https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/britain-created-pakistan/20171102.htm</ref> In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947, Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. The British were ecstatic about the creation despite the uprooting of 20 million Indians from their homes where their forefathers had lived for a millennia. On August 15, The Times, London published the following editorial, ''"In the hour of its creation Pakistan emerges as the leading state of the Muslim world. Since the collapse of the Turkish empire that world, which extends across the globe from Morocco to Indonesia, has not included a state whose numbers, natural resources and place in history gave it undisputed pre-eminence. The gap is now filled. From today Karachi takes rank as a new centre of Muslim cohesion and rallying point of Muslim thought and aspirations".''<ref>https://indiafacts.org/partition-why-britain-created-pakistan/</ref> East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. Ahamadiyya muslims were heavily involved in the creation of Pakistan.<ref>https://www.opindia.com/2019/12/how-ahmadiyyas-were-at-the-forefront-of-creation-of-pakistan-islam-all-you-need-to-know/</ref><br />
The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day.<br />
<br />
In 1948, the Pakistani military invaded and annexed Balochistan under orders from Muhammad Ali Jinnah.<ref>http://balochwarna.com/2020/03/27/the-slogan-of-pakistan-quit-balochistan/</ref><br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Independence====<br />
[[File:Muhammad Ali Jinnah.jpg|thumb|220px|Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his youth, in traditional dress.]]<br />
====Muhammad Zia ul-Haq====<br />
With increasing anti-government unrest, the army grew restive. On July 5, 1977, the military removed Bhutto from power and arrested him, declared martial law, and suspended portions of the 1973 Constitution. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Chief Martial Law Administrator and promised to hold new elections within 3 months. <br />
<br />
Zia released Bhutto and asserted that he could contest new elections scheduled for October 1977. However, after it became clear that Bhutto's popularity had survived his government, Zia postponed the elections and began criminal investigations of the senior PPP leadership. Subsequently, Bhutto was convicted and sentenced to death for an alleged conspiracy to murder a political opponent. Despite international appeals on his behalf, Bhutto was hanged on April 6, 1979. <br />
<br />
Zia assumed the presidency and called for elections in November. However, fearful of a PPP victory, Zia banned political activity in October 1979, and postponed national elections. This same year Zia also passed into law the Hudood Ordinance, which provides for harsh Quranic punishments for violations of Shari'a (Islamic law). <br />
<br />
In 1980, most center and left parties, led by the PPP, formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD demanded Zia's resignation, an end to martial law, new elections, and restoration of the Constitution, as it existed before Zia's takeover. In early December 1984, President Zia proclaimed a national referendum for December 19 on his "Islamization" program. After non-party based polls were held for the National and Provincial Assemblies in 1985, President Zia appointed Muhammad Khan Junejo as the Prime Minister. He implicitly linked approval of "Islamization" with a mandate for his continued presidency. Zia's opponents, led by the MRD, boycotted the elections. When the government claimed a 63% turnout, with more than 90% approving the referendum, many observers questioned the figures. <br />
<br />
====Sharif and Bhutto Civilian Governments====<br />
[[File:B Bhutto.jpg|thumb|left|Benazir Bhutto.]]<br />
On August 17, 1988, a plane carrying President Zia, American Ambassador Arnold Raphel, U.S. Brig. General Herbert Wassom, and 28 Pakistani military officers crashed on a return flight from a military equipment trial near Bahawalpur, killing all on board. In accordance with the Constitution, Chairman of the Senate Ghulam Ishaq Khan became Acting President and announced that elections scheduled for November 1988 would take place. Elections were held on a party basis. On one side was an eight-party alliance and on the other, the PPP. The PPP won 94 seats out of 207 and the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) won 54. Muhammad Khan Junejo lost from his home constituency. The president was bound to invite the PPP to from the government, but he delayed doing so for two weeks in order to give the IJI time to muster the support of other groups. Ultimately, the president asked PPP Co-chairperson [[Benazir Bhutto]] to form a government. <br />
<br />
The PPP, under Benazir Bhutto's leadership, succeeded in forming a coalition government with several smaller parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). <br />
<br />
Differing interpretations of constitutional authority, debates over the powers of the central government relative to those of the provinces, and the antagonistic relationship between the Bhutto administration and opposition governments in Punjab and Balochistan seriously impeded social and economic reform programs. Ethnic conflict, primarily in Sindh province, exacerbated these problems. A fragmentation in the governing coalition and the military's reluctance to support an apparently ineffectual and corrupt government were accompanied by a significant deterioration in law and order. <br />
<br />
In August 1990, President Khan, citing his powers under the eighth amendment to the Constitution, dismissed the Bhutto government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. New elections, held in October 1990, confirmed the political ascendancy of the IJI. In addition to a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, the alliance won control of all four provincial parliaments and enjoyed the support of the military and of President Khan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the PML, the most prominent party in the IJI, was elected prime minister by the National Assembly. <br />
<br />
Sharif emerged as the most secure and powerful Pakistani prime minister since the mid-1970s. Under his rule, the IJI achieved several important political victories. The implementation of Sharif's economic reform program; involving privatization, deregulation, and encouragement of private sector economic growth, greatly improved Pakistan's economic performance and business climate. The passage into law in May 1991 of a Shari'a bill, providing for widespread Islamization, legitimized the IJI government among much of Pakistani society. <br />
<br />
However, Nawaz Sharif was not able to reconcile the different objectives of IJI's constituent parties. The largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), abandoned the alliance because of its antagonism to what it regarded as PML hegemony. The government was weakened further by the military's suppression of the MQM, which had entered into coalition with the IJI to contain PPP influence, and allegations of corruption directed at Nawaz Sharif. In April 1993, President Khan, citing "maladministration, corruption, and nepotism" and espousal of political violence, dismissed the Sharif government, but the following month the Pakistan Supreme Court reinstated the National Assembly and the Nawaz Sharif government. Continued tensions between Sharif and Khan resulted in governmental gridlock and the Chief of Army Staff brokered an arrangement under which both the President and the Prime Minister resigned their offices in July 1993. <br />
<br />
An interim government, headed by Moeen Qureshi, a former World Bank Vice President, took office with a mandate to hold national and provincial assembly elections in October. Despite its brief term, the Qureshi government adopted political, economic, and social reforms that generated considerable domestic support and foreign admiration. <br />
<br />
In the October 1993 elections, the PPP won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, and Benazir Bhutto was asked to form a government. However, because it did not acquire a majority in the National Assembly, the PPP's control of the government depended upon the continued support of numerous independent parties, particularly the PML/J (Pakistan Muslim League-Junejo). The unfavorable circumstances surrounding PPP rule—the imperative of preserving a coalition government, the formidable opposition of Nawaz Sharif's PML/N (Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz) movement, and the insecure provincial administrations—presented significant difficulties for the government of Prime Minister Bhutto. However, the election of Prime Minister Bhutto's close associate, Farooq Leghari, as president in November 1993 gave her a stronger power base. <br />
[[File:Faisal mosque Pakistan.jpg|thumb|290px|Faisal mosque, Islamabad.]]<br />
In November 1996, President Leghari dismissed the Bhutto government, charging it with corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and implication in extrajudicial killings in Karachi. Elections in February 1997, resulted in an overwhelming victory for the PML/N, and President Leghari called upon Nawaz Sharif to form a government. In March 1997, with the unanimous support of the National Assembly, Sharif amended the Constitution, stripping the President of the power to dismiss the government and making his power to appoint military service chiefs and provincial governors contingent on the "advice" of the Prime Minister. Another amendment prohibited elected members from "floor crossing" or voting against party positions. The Sharif government also engaged in a protracted dispute with the judiciary, culminating in the storming of the Supreme Court by ruling party loyalists and the engineered dismissal of the Chief Justice and the resignation of President Leghari in December 1997. <br />
<br />
The new President elected by Parliament, Rafiq Tarar, was a close associate of the Prime Minister. A one-sided, anti-corruption campaign was used to target opposition politicians and critics of the regime. Similarly, the government moved to restrict press criticism and ordered the arrest and beating of prominent journalists. As domestic criticism of Sharif's administration intensified, Sharif attempted to replace Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999, with a family loyalist, Director General of the Interservice Intelligence Directorate, Lt. Gen. Ziauddin. Although General Musharraf was out of the country at the time, the army moved quickly to depose Sharif.<br />
<br />
====Pervez Musharraf====<br />
[[File:Pervez Musharraf.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Pervez Musharraf]].]]<br />
Following the October 12 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. On October 14, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Musharraf appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body, with mixed military/civilian appointees; a civilian Cabinet; and a National Reconstruction Bureau to formulate structural reforms. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On June 20, 2001, Musharraf named himself as president and was sworn in. <br />
<br />
After the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, Musharraf faked cooperation with the United States and provided support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.<ref>https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pervez-musharraf-was-playing-double-game-with-us-j0dxgv235j2</ref> In a referendum held on April 30, 2002, Musharraf's presidency was extended by five more years. The handover from military to civilian rule came with parliamentary elections in November 2002, and the appointment of a civilian prime minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. Having previously promised to give up his army post and become a civilian president, General Musharraf announced in late 2004 that he would retain his military role. In August 2004, Shaukat Aziz was sworn in as prime minister, having won a parliamentary vote of confidence, 191 of 342 votes, in which the opposition abstained. <br />
<br />
On October 8, 2005, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Islamabad. An estimated 75,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were left homeless. The disaster of such a huge magnitude galvanized an international rescue and reconstruction effort in support of the affected region. The earthquake cost Pakistan $1.1 billion on resettling those affected.<br />
<br />
====Assassination of Benazir Bhutto====<br />
Bhutto returned to Pakistan in the fall of 2007 after a self-imposed exile, seeking to win popular support for a return to office as prime minister, in addition to highlighting the military rule of Musharraf. On December 27, 2007, she was assassinated at a rally in Rawalpindi.<br />
====Shehbaz Sharif====<br />
The brother of a disgraced prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz has been plagued by corruption allegations of his own.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/04/01/who-is-shehbaz-sharif-pakistans-opposition-leader Who is Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s opposition leader?], Economist, Aor 1, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
Shahbaz has been criticized for maintaining "good ties" with hardline Islamic groups, a claim denied by his party.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/shahbaz-sharif-who-is-pakistans-likely-next-pm/a-39950580 Shahbaz Sharif - Who is Pakistan's likely next PM?], DW, 03.08.2017.</ref><br />
<br />
==Persecution of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan==<br />
{{main|Persecution of Christians in Pakistan}}<br />
{{main|Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan}}<br />
==Disputed Territories==<br />
===Balochistan===<br />
{{main|Balochistan(Country)}}<br />
<br />
===Khyber Pakhtunkhwa===<br />
The Durand Line was created in 1893 by the British after the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Afghanistan, however, has never recognized the Durand Line.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20130510142126/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/10/24/no-change-stance-durand-line-faizi</ref><br />
<br />
===Sindhudesh===<br />
{{main|Sindhudesh Freedom Movement}}<br />
<br />
==People==<br />
[[File:Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah Karachi 2007.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah, Karachi, 2007.]]<br />
The majority of Pakistan's population lives in the Indus River valley and in an arc formed by the cities of Faisalabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and Peshawar. Although Urdu (Hindustani) is an official language of Pakistan, it is spoken as a first language by only 8% of the population; 48% speak Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 10% Saraiki, 8% Pushtu, 3% Baloch, and 3% other. Urdu, Punjabi, Pushtu, and Baloch are Indo-European languages. English is the other official language, and is widely used in government, commerce, the officer ranks of the military, and in many institutions of higher learning. <br />
*Population (2008 est.): 162 million, plus 2 million refugees from Afghanistan<br />
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.09%.<br />
*Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtun, Baloch, Muhajir (i.e., Urdu-speaking immigrants from India and their descendants), Saraiki, and Hazara.<br />
*Religions: Muslim 97%; small minorities of Christians, Hindus, and others.<br />
*Languages: Urdu (national and official), English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu, Baloch, Hindko, Brahui, Saraiki (Punjabi variant).<br />
*Education: Literacy (2004 est.)--48.7%; male 61.7%; female 35.2%. <br />
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--68.84/1,000. Life expectancy (2006 est.)--men 62.73 yrs., women 64.83 yrs.<br />
*Work force (2004 est.): Agriculture—42%; services—38%; industry—20%.<br />
<br />
==Government and Political Conditions==<br />
[[File:Aiwane Sadr Presidency official residence of the President of Pakistan.jpeg|thumb|300px|Residence of the President of Pakistan.]]<br />
Pervez Musharraf ran Pakistan from 1999, when as army chief he ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After losing the support of the army, and in the face of impeachment threats, Musharraf resigned in August 2008. He was replaced by President Asif Ali Zardari (b. 1955) of the PPP party.<ref>A playboy, in 1987 he married [[Benazir Bhutto]] (1953-2007), leader of the PPP party. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the daughter of former president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77). She served two terms as prime minister, in 1988–90 and in 1993–96. They had three children. Zadari spent three years in prison and is called “Mr. Ten Percent" because of his fondness for cash kickbacks on government contracts.</ref> However Zardari was so weak in late 2009 that his government seems near collapse. In November 2009 Zardari relinquished his position in Pakistan's nuclear command structure, turning it over to the prime minister, in what appeared to be an effort to avoid impeachment or prosecution, and retain at least a figurehead post. Zardari is head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Party (PML-N), taking over after the assassination in 2007 of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazar Bhutto.<br />
<br />
===Parties===<br />
[[File:Farooq Naek Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Farooq Naek, Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan.]]<br />
The Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) are national political parties, while the Muttahid Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)--an umbrella group of six religious parties, including the Jamaat-il-Islami—gained significant influence during the 2002 election. After those elections, the Pakistani political system remained highly fragmented, with no group winning a substantial majority of seats in the national assembly, and religious groups banding together in the MMA to earn a significant portion of seats for the first time. In the 2008 elections, the PPP won 121 seats, the PML-N won 91, and Mushariff's supporters won only 54 sears.<br />
<br />
===Constitution===<br />
The Pakistan Constitution of 1973, amended substantially in 1985 under Zia ul-Haq, was suspended by the military government in October 1999. It was restored on December 31, 2002. The president is chosen for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies. <br />
===Prime Minister office===<br />
The prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a four-year term. The bicameral parliament—or Majlis-e-Shoora—consists of the Senate (100 seats; members are indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 60 seats reserved for women, 10 seats reserved for minorities; members elected by popular vote serve four-year terms). Each of the four provinces—Punjab, Sindh, Northwest Frontier, and Balochistan—has a Chief Minister and provincial assembly. The Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are administered by the federal government but enjoy considerable autonomy. The cabinet, National Security Council, and governors serve at the president's discretion.<br />
<br />
The position of Pakistani Prime Minister has been compared to being a boy king with no real power.<br />
<br />
===Judiciary===<br />
[[File:Punjab University Lahore Pakistan.jpg|thumb|250px|Punjab University, Lahore.]]<br />
The judicial system comprises a Supreme Court, provincial high courts, and Federal Islamic (or Shari'a) Court. The Supreme Court is Pakistan's highest court. The president appoints the chief justice and they together determine the other judicial appointments. Each province has a high court, the justices of which are appointed by the president after conferring with the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the provincial chief justice. The judiciary is proscribed from issuing any order contrary to the decisions of the President. Federal Sharia Court hears cases that primarily involve Sharia, or Islamic law. Legislation enacted in 1991 gave legal status to Sharia. Although Sharia was declared the law of the land, it did not replace the existing legal code.<br />
<br />
===Provinces, minorities===<br />
According to the constitution, Pakistan is a federation of four provinces: Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab, and Sindh. Governors appointed by the president head the provinces. There is also the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and the Islamabad Capital Territory, which consists of the capital city of Islamabad. These areas and territory are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Northern Areas are administered as a de facto "Union Territory" and are treated as an integral part of Pakistan. The Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir, a separate and autonomous government that maintains strong ties to Pakistan. <br />
<br />
Pakistan is a country with very poor human rights record, particularly against minorities such as [[Christian]]s, [[Hindu]]s, [[Jew]]s.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060822/23922.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_pakis.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.domini.org/openbook/pak20020925.htm]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.missio-aachen.de/menschen-kulturen/nachrichten/Sangla_Hill_attack_continues_to_draw_condemnation.asp]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4928]</ref><ref>[http://www.christianresponse.org/articles/291/cartoon-protestors-in-pakistan-target-christians]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.michnews.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/242/11159]</ref><br />
<br />
In Dec 2021, ''Pakistan Christian Post'' warned about the manipulation by the OIC and Pakistan:<ref>[http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/opinion-details/3944 Hem Raj], Dec 20, 2021</ref><blockquote><br />
The USA (the leader of the free world) should not get blackmailed by these threats of Pakistan which tantamount to saying that the militant jihadis of Afghanistan (may be in cooperation with militant Jihadis of Pakistan and from other countries) will wreak havoc not only in the neighborhood of Afghanistan but beyond it also, if the demand of Pakistan about Afghanistan are not met especially by the West lead by the USA.<br />
Pakistan as per the first resolution of the OIC wants the West led by the USA to merely provide money and other relief to Afghans who are facing humanitarian crises. No doubt the majority of these about 38 million Afghans need such help but the members of the OIC (specially oil rich countries) can easily provide such relief. The 57 Muslim countries of OIC do not need Christian West led by the USA to provide such urgent relief to Muslim Afghanistan.</blockquote><br />
<br />
===Principal Government Officials===<br />
*President—Mamnoon Hussain<br />
*Prime Minister (head of government)-- was Imran Khan<br />
<!--outdated *Minister of Foreign Affairs--Khurshid Kasuri--><br />
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Husain Haqqani<ref>http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/dpl/spring_summer2008/110047.htm</ref><br />
<!--outdated *Ambassador to the UN--Munir Akram--><br />
In Mar 2022, [[Imran Khan]] was removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote.<ref>[https://www.axios.com/pakistan-imran-khan-removed-prime-minister-no-confidence-6b9722ea-dc5f-43a5-8c04-7d19c44a5320.html Pakistan's Imran Khan removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote], Axios, Apr 8, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Lt -Gen -Ahmad-Shuja-Pasha Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the director general of the country's spy agency.]]<br />
<br />
===Foreign Relations===<br />
After September 11, 2001, Pakistan's prominence in the international community increased significantly, as it pledged its alliance with the U.S. in the war on terror and made a commitment to eliminate terrorist camps on its territory. Historically, Pakistan has had difficult and volatile relations with India, long-standing close relations with China, extensive security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf, and wide-ranging bilateral relations with the United States and other Western countries. It expresses a strong desire for a stable Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====India====<br />
[[File:Flags of India and Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Flags of India and Pakistan at the border.]]<br />
Since partition, relations between Pakistan and India have been characterized by rivalry and suspicion. Although many issues divide the two countries, the most sensitive one since independence has been the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. <br />
<br />
At the time of partition, the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu, though ruled by a Hindu Maharajah, had a significant Muslim population (along with large amounts of Buddhists and Hindus). When the Maharajah hesitated in acceding to either Pakistan or India in 1947, tribesmen from Pakistan invaded the Kashmir region in an attempt to forcibly annex the region to Pakistan. In exchange for military assistance in containing the revolt, the Kashmiri ruler offered his allegiance to India. Indian troops defended the eastern portion of Kashmir, including its capital, Srinagar, while the western part became occupied by Pakistan. <br />
<br />
India submitted this dispute to the United Nations on January 1, 1948. One year later, the UN arranged a cease-fire along a line dividing Kashmir but leaving the northern end of the line not demarcated and the Vale of Kashmir (with the majority of the population) under Indian control. India and Pakistan agreed to a resolution that called for a UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the state's future This plebiscite has not occurred because the main precondition, the withdrawal of both nations’ forces from Kashmir, has failed to take place. <br />
<br />
Full-scale hostilities erupted in September 1965, when India alleged that insurgents trained and supplied by Pakistan were operating in India-controlled Kashmir. Hostilities ceased 3 weeks later, following mediation efforts by the UN and interested countries. In January 1966, the leaders of India and Pakistan met in Tashkent, U.S.S.R., and agreed to attempt a peaceful settlement of Kashmir and their other differences. <br />
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|thumb|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]<br />
Following the 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict, President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met in the hill station of Shimla, India, in July 1972. They agreed to a line of control in Kashmir resulting from the December 17, 1971, cease-fire, and endorsed the principle of settlement of bilateral disputes through peaceful means. In 1974, Pakistan and India agreed to resume postal and telecommunications linkages and to enact measures to facilitate travel. Trade and diplomatic relations were restored in 1976 after a hiatus of 5 years. <br />
<br />
India's nuclear test in 1974 generated great uncertainty in Pakistan and is generally acknowledged to have been the impetus for Pakistan's nuclear weapons development program. In 1983, the Pakistani and Indian Governments accused each other of aiding separatists in their respective countries—Sikhs in India's Punjab state and Sindhis in Pakistan's Sindh province. In April 1984, tensions erupted after troops were deployed to the Siachen Glacier, a high-altitude, desolate area close to the China border not demarcated by the cease-fire agreement (Karachi Agreement) signed by Pakistan and India in 1949. <br />
<br />
Tensions diminished after Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in November 1984 and after a group of Sikh hijackers was brought to trial by Pakistan in March 1985. In December 1985, President Zia and Prime Minister Gandhi pledged not to attack each other's nuclear facilities. A formal "no attack" agreement was signed in January 1991. In early 1986, the Indian and Pakistani Governments began high-level talks to resolve the Siachen Glacier border dispute and to improve trade. <br />
<br />
Bilateral tensions increased in early 1990, when Kashmiri militants began a campaign of violence against Indian Government authority in Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequent high-level bilateral meetings relieved the tensions between India and Pakistan, but relations worsened again after the destruction of the Ayodhya mosque by Hindu extremists in December 1992 and terrorist bombings in Bombay in March 1993. Talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries in January 1994 ended in deadlock. <br />
More recently, the Indo-Pakistani relationship has veered sharply between rapprochement and conflict. After taking office in February 1997, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved to resume official dialog with India. A number of meetings at the foreign secretary and prime ministerial level took place, with positive atmospherics but little concrete progress. The relationship improved markedly when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee traveled to Lahore for a summit with Sharif in February 1999. There was considerable hope that the meeting could lead to a breakthrough. <br />
<br />
In spring 1999, infiltrators from Pakistan occupied positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the remote, mountainous area of Kashmir near Kargil, threatening the ability of India to supply its forces on Siachen Glacier. By early summer, serious fighting flared in the Kargil sector. The infiltrators withdrew following a meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Clinton in July. Relations between India and Pakistan were particularly strained during the 1999 coup in Islamabad. Then, just weeks after the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, an attack on India's Parliament on December 13 further strained this relationship.<br />
<br />
====Better relations since 2004====<br />
The prospects for better relations between India and Pakistan improved in early January 2004 when a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) permitted India's Prime Minister Vajpayee to meet with President Musharraf. Both leaders agreed to establish a Composite Dialogue to resolve their disputes. The Composite Dialogue focuses on eight issues: confidence building measures, Kashmir, Wullar barrage, promotion of friendly exchanges, Siachen glacier, Sir creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, and economic and commercial cooperation. <br />
<br />
Relations further improved when President Musharraf met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York in October 2004. Additional steps aimed at improving relations were announced when Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh visited Islamabad in February 2005 and in April 2005 when President Musharraf traveled to India to view a cricket match and hold discussions. In a further display of improved relations, bus service commenced from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to Srinagar in April 2005. After a destructive earthquake hit the Kashmir region in October 2005, the two countries cooperated with each other to deal with the humanitarian crisis. <br />
<br />
Musharraf and Singh last met in September 2006, when they condemned all acts of terrorism and agreed to continue the search for options acceptable to both sides for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The foreign secretaries of both nations opened the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue in Islamabad on March 13–14, 2007. <br />
<br />
====Afghanistan====<br />
[[File:Afghan Pakistani NATO.jpg|thumb|320px|Afghan - Pakistani - NATO 29th Tripartite Commission, 2009.]]<br />
Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Pakistani Government, with American encouragement and Saudi money, played a vital role in supporting the Afghan resistance movement and assisting Afghan refugees. After the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989, Pakistan, with cooperation from the world community, continued to provide extensive support for displaced Afghans. Continued turmoil in Afghanistan prevented the refugees from returning to their country. In 1999, more than 1.2 million registered Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan. By 2009 there are 2 million refugees living in squalid camps. Pakistan was one of three countries to recognize the Taliban regime of Afghanistan. International pressure after September 11, 2001, prompted Pakistan to reassess its relations with the Taliban regime and support the U.S. and international coalition in Operation Enduring Freedom to remove the Taliban from power. Pakistan has publicly expressed its support to Afghanistan's President Karzai and has pledged $100 million toward Afghanistan's reconstruction. Both nations are also working to strengthen cooperation along their rugged border, including making preparations to hold joint jirgas in their restive border areas.<br />
<br />
Pakistan was linked with the rise of [[Taliban]] in Afghanistan. In Sep/2021, protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Former [[Afghanistan]] President Hamid Karzai stated in Dec 2021: Afghanistan has been facing [[ISIS]] threat from Pakistan. Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's remarks on terrorism in his country.<ref>[https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/afghanistan-has-been-facing-isis-threat-from-pakistan-hamid-karzai-121122000153_1.html Afghanistan has been facing ISIS threat from Pakistan: Hamid Karzai], Business Standard, Dec 20, 2021.<blockquote><br />
Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on terrorism in his country, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday said that the landlocked country has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.<br />
At the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Sunday, Imran Khan had said ISIS threatens Pakistan from Afghanistan, adding that stability in Afghanistan is necessary. “We have had attacks from (the) Afghan border, from ISIL (ISIS), into Pakistan,” he said.<br />
Reacting to Khan’s remarks, the former Afghan president said these allegations are not true, TOLOnews reported. ISIS from the beginning has been threatening Afghanistan from Pakistan, not the other way around, Karzai added.<br />
“These remarks are not true, and are obvious propaganda against Afghanistan,” Karzai said in a statement. “In fact, from the beginning, Afghanistan has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.”<br />
Earlier, Karzai had warned Pakistan not to interfere in Kabul’s internal affairs. He had said that Islamabad should not encourage terrorism or extremism rather should establish relations with the country through “civil principles and principles of international relations.”<br />
“My message to Pakistan, our brotherly country, is that they should not try to represent Afghanistan,” he said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) in October.<br />
Pakistan organised a summit of foreign ministers from the OIC on Sunday. An OIC resolution released after the meeting said the Islamic Development Bank would lead the effort to free up assistance by the first quarter of 2022, Al Jazeera reported…</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====China====<br />
In 1950, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the Communist [[China]] (PRC). Following the Sino-Indian hostilities of 1962, Pakistan's relations with China became stronger; since then, the countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in various agreements. China has provided economic, military, and technical assistance to Pakistan. Favorable relations with China have been a pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy. The PRC strongly supported Pakistan's opposition to Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and is perceived by Pakistan as a regional counterweight to India and Russia.<br />
<br />
The port at Gwadar on the Indian Ocean in the disputed territory of Balochistan is a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative. It's part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor—or CPEC. It aims to give China access to the Indian Ocean. An official CPEC roadway and energy pipeline shows plans to link Gwadar with China's [[Xinjiang]] Autonomous region. A 2020 US Naval War College study however says, Chinese analysts have come to view the plan as not viable. According to reports, “Shipping and industrial activity at the port are negligible. And for the vast majority of Gwadar’s residents, conditions are unchanged or worse.” China's fishing trawler fleet has devastated the ocean and forced local fishermen out. And many of the promised benefits from the CPEC have not happened. Major projects—including a vocational training center, medical hospital, and desalination plant—have either been delayed, scaled-down, or dropped. Large scale protests among the local population erupted.<br />
<br />
====Iran and the Persian Gulf====<br />
Historically, Pakistan has had close geopolitical and cultural-religious linkages with Iran. However, strains in the relationship appeared following the Iranian revolution. Pakistan and Iran supported different factions in the Afghan conflict. Also, some Pakistanis suspect Iranian government support for the sectarian violence that has plagued Pakistan. However, relations between the countries have improved since their policies toward Afghanistan have converged with the fall of the Taliban. Both countries contend that they are on the road to strong and lasting friendly relations. <br />
<br />
Pakistan historically has provided military personnel to strengthen Gulf-state defenses and to reinforce its own security interests in the area.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|280px|Karachi.]]<br />
The United States and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1947. The U.S. agreement to provide economic and military assistance to Pakistan and the latter's partnership in the Baghdad Pact/CENTO and SEATO strengthened relations between the nations. However, the U.S. suspension of military assistance during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war generated a widespread feeling in Pakistan that the United States was not a reliable ally. Even though the United States suspended military assistance to both countries involved in the conflict, the suspension of aid affected Pakistan much more severely. Gradually, relations improved, and arms sales were renewed in 1975. Then, in April 1979, the United States cut off economic assistance to Pakistan, except food assistance, as required under the Symington Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, due to concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program. <br />
<br />
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the common interest of Pakistan and the United States in peace and stability in South Asia. In 1981, the United States and Pakistan agreed on a $3.2 billion military and economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened threat to security in the region and its economic development needs. <br />
<br />
Recognizing national security concerns and accepting Pakistan's assurances that it did not intend to construct a nuclear weapon, Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on military assistance to Pakistan. In March 1986, the two countries agreed on a second multi-year (FY 1988–93) $4 billion economic development and security assistance program. On October 1, 1990, however, the United States suspended all military assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not possess a nuclear explosive device." <br />
[[File:Pakistani soldier.jpg|thumb|180px|Pakistani soldier.]]<br />
Several incidents of violence against American officials and U.S. mission employees in Pakistan have marred the relationship. In November 1979, false rumors that the United States had participated in the seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca provoked a mob attack on the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in which the chancery was set on fire resulting in the loss of life of American and Pakistani staff. In 1989, an attack on the American Center in Islamabad resulted in six Pakistanis being killed in crossfire with the police. In March 1995, two American employees of the consulate in Karachi were killed and one wounded in an attack on the home-to-office shuttle. In November 1997, four U.S. businessmen were brutally murdered while being driven to work in Karachi. In March 2002 a suicide attacker detonated explosives in a church in Islamabad, killing two Americans associated with the Embassy and three others. There were also unsuccessful attacks by terrorists on the Consulate General in Karachi in May 2002. Another bomb was detonated near American and other businesses in Karachi in November 2005, killing three people and wounding 15 others. On March 2, 2006, a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives as a vehicle carrying an American Foreign Service officer passed by on its way to Consulate Karachi. The diplomat, the consulate's locally employed driver and three other people were killed in the blast; 52 others were wounded. <br />
<br />
The decision by India to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act, which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was subsequently limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance. <br />
<br />
Since the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan has played a double game with the U.S. in Afghanistan. Pakistan will claim that they are an "ally" in the War on Terror by handing over a few Al-Qaeda fighters but at the same time provides material and financial support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/10302946</ref> The United States has stepped up its economic assistance to Pakistan, providing debt relief and support for a major effort for education reform. During President Musharraf's visit to the United States in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005. <br />
<br />
Following the region's tragic October 8, 2005 earthquake, the United States responded immediately and generously to Pakistan's call for assistance. The response was consistent with U.S. humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan. At the subsequent reconstruction conference in Islamabad on November 19, 2005, the U.S. announced a $510 million commitment to Pakistan for earthquake relief and reconstruction, including humanitarian assistance, military support for relief operations, and anticipated U.S. private contributions. <br />
<br />
President Bush and President Musharraf have affirmed the long-term, strategic partnership between their two countries. In 2004, the United States recognized closer bilateral ties with Pakistan by designating Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally. President Bush visited Pakistan in March 2006, where he and President Musharraf reaffirmed their shared commitment to a broad and lasting strategic partnership, agreeing to continue their cooperation on a number of issues including: the war on terror, security in the region, strengthening democratic institutions, trade and investment, education, and earthquake relief and reconstruction. <br />
<br />
The United States and Pakistan concluded the sale to Pakistan of F-16 aircraft in late 2006, expecting Pakistan to use them to "fight terrorism". President Musharraf visited Washington in September 2006, where he held a bilateral meeting with President Bush and also participated in a trilateral meeting with President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Under President Trump, the United States has suspended aid to Pakistan over their support for terrorism in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
In October 2022 Pakistan issued a formal ''[[demarche]]'' to the United States when [[Joe Biden]] said that Pakistan<br />
may be one of the most dangerous countries in the world because it has [[nuclear weapons]].<ref>https://youtu.be/vm3lzZ8Oslk</ref><br />
<br />
====Osama Bin Laden====<br />
On May 2, 2011, United States special forces raided a private compound in [[Abbottabad]], Pakistan, 62 miles north of [[Islamabad]]. That evening, President Obama announced that [[Osama bin Laden]] had been killed in the raid.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama</ref> Reaction within Pakistan was mixed, with some calling it a welcome end to the life of a mass murderer, and others calling it a disturbing violation of national sovereignty.<ref>http://www.christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_5080.html</ref><br />
<br />
Although the Pakistani government had long insisted that Osama bin Laden was not hiding in their country,<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/03/brown-praises-pakistan-terrorism-fight</ref><ref>http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-02-07/pakistan/27281957_1_al-qaeda-pakistan-president-pervez-musharraf-state-colin-powell</ref> U.S. intelligence estimated in 2011 that bin Laden had been hiding there for five to six years,<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13268517</ref> and counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan said it was "inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system" in the country. A leaked email from 2012 involving a Stratfor analyst revealed that Osama Bin Laden was in routine contact with the Pakistani [[Inter-Services Intelligence]].<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9109457/Stratfor-Osama-bin-Laden-was-in-routine-contact-with-Pakistans-spy-agency.html</ref> Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari responded with an op-ed to the Washington Post, rejecting claims that his government helped Al-Qaeda by writing "such baseless speculation may make exciting cable news, but it doesn’t reflect fact."<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/pakistan-did-its-part/2011/05/02/AFHxmybF_story.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Secret Service plot====<br />
In March 2022, two Muslim men, (Iranian) Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and (Pakistani) Haider Ali, 35, were arrested<ref>Katelyn Caralle, [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10696133/How-fake-DHS-agents-spent-18-MONTHS-trying-infiltrate-Secret-Service-Jill-Bidens-detail.html How 'fake' DHS agents spent 18 MONTHS trying to 'infiltrate Secret Service and Jill Biden's detail'], Daily Mail Online, Apr 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote>Two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied.</blockquote></ref> for impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington. The two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence<ref>Michael Balsamo, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-man-impersonated-agent-claimed-ties-to-pakistani-intel/2022/04/07/6f49f666-b6a9-11ec-8358-20aa16355fb4_story.html US: Man impersonated agent, claimed ties to Pakistani intel]," ''AP'', via ''WaPo'', April 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
WASHINGTON — One of two men accused of impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington has claimed to have ties to Pakistani intelligence and had visas showing travel to Pakistan and Iran, federal prosecutors said Thursday.<br />
<br />
The men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested Wednesday. The FBI raided a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where the men were staying and had been offering free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents and officers.<br />
<br />
During a court appearance Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said Ali had told witnesses that he was affiliated with the Inter-Services Intelligence agency in Pakistan and that he had multiple visas from Pakistan and Iran in the months before prosecutors believe the men began impersonating U.S. law enforcement officials. Rothstein said the U.S. has not yet been able to verify the veracity of Ali’s claims to the witnesses.</blockquote></ref> <i>Inter-Services Intelligence</i> (ISI), and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied. Aim was to compromise and accessing information.<br />
<br />
===NATO war in Ukraine===<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
''[[Reuters]]'' reported that the heads of 22 diplomatic missions, including those of [[European Union]] member states, released a joint letter on March 1, 2022, urging Pakistan to support a resolution in the [[United Nations General Assembly]] (UNGA) condemning Russia. Pakistani prime minister [[Imran Khan]] responded at a public event in [[Islamabad]] saying, "What do you think of us? Are we your [[slave]]s ... that whatever you say, we will do?"<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/pakistani-premier-hits-out-western-envoys-joint-letter-russia-2022-03-06/</ref> The US State Department encouraged the Pakistani government in a March 7, 2022, meeting to remove [[Imran Khan]] as [[prime minister]] over his neutrality on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to a classified Pakistani government document obtained by ''The Intercept''.<ref>https://theintercept.com/2023/08/09/imran-khan-pakistan-cypher-ukraine-russia/</ref><br />
<br />
==Defense==<br />
[[File:Pakistan armed forces.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Pakistan Day Parade.]]<br />
Pakistan has the world's eighth-largest armed forces, which is generally well trained and disciplined. However, budget constraints and nation-building duties have reduced Pakistan's training tempo, which if not reversed, could affect the operational readiness of the armed forces. Likewise, Pakistan has had an increasingly difficult time maintaining its aging fleet of U.S., Chinese, U.K., and French equipment. While industrial capabilities have expanded significantly, limited budget resources and sanctions have significantly constrained the government's efforts to modernize its armed forces. <br />
<br />
Until 1990, the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. The United States allocated about 40% of its assistance package to non-reimbursable credits for military purchases, the third-largest program behind Israel and Egypt. The remainder of the aid program was devoted to economic assistance. Sanctions put in place in 1990 denied Pakistan further military assistance due to the discovery of its program to develop nuclear weapons. Sanctions were tightened following Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to India's May 1998 tests and the military coup of 1999. Pakistan has remained a non-signatory of the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty. <br />
<br />
The events of September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's agreement to support the United States led to a waiver of the sanctions, and military assistance resumed to provide spare parts and equipment to enhance Pakistan's capacity to police its western border with Afghanistan and address its legitimate security concerns. In 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005.<br />
<br />
In 2018, the Trump Administration cut off aid to Pakistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Manora Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.jpg|thumb|300px|Manora, Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.]]<br />
<br />
With a per capita GDP of about $690 (current U.S. $), the World Bank considers Pakistan a low-income country. No more than 48.7% of adults are literate, and life expectancy is about 63 years. The population, currently about 165 million, is growing at 2.09% annually. <br />
<br />
In 2000, the government made significant macroeconomic reforms: Privatizing Pakistan's state-subsidized utilities, reforming the banking sector, instituting a world-class anti-money laundering law, cracking down on piracy of intellectual property, and moving to quickly resolving investor disputes. After September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's proclaimed commitment to fighting terror, many international sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, were lifted. Pakistan's economic prospects began to increase significantly due to unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance at the end of 2001. This trend is expected to continue through 2009. Foreign exchange reserves and exports grew to record levels after a sharp decline. The International Monetary Fund lauded Pakistan for its commitment in meeting lender requirements for a $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility loan, which it completed in 2004, forgoing the final permitted tranche. The Government of Pakistan has been successful in issuing sovereign bonds, and has issued $600 million in Islamic bonds, putting Pakistan back on the investment map. Pakistan's search for additional foreign direct investment has been hampered by concerns about the security situation, domestic and regional political uncertainties, and questions about judicial transparency. <br />
[[File:Boat Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Dhow in Karachi.]]<br />
U.S. assistance has played a key role in moving Pakistan's economy from the brink of collapse to setting record high levels of foreign reserves and exports, dramatically lowering levels of solid debt. Also, despite the earthquake in 2005, GDP growth remained strong at 6.6% in fiscal year 2005/2006. In 2002, the United States led Paris Club efforts to reschedule Pakistan's debt on generous terms, and in April 2003 the United States reduced Pakistan's bilateral official debt by $1 billion. In 2004, approximately $500 million more in bilateral debt was granted. Consumer price inflation eased slightly to an average of 8% in 2005/2006 from 9.3% in 2004/2005. <br />
<br />
Low levels of spending in the social services and high population growth have contributed to persistent poverty and unequal income distribution. The trends of resources being devoted to socioeconomic development and infrastructure projects have been improving since 2002, although expenditures remain below global averages. Pakistan's extreme poverty and underdevelopment are key concerns, especially in rural areas. The government has reined in the fiscal mismanagement that produced massive foreign debt, and officials have committed to using international assistance—including a major part of the $3 billion five-year U.S. assistance package—to address Pakistan's long-term needs in the health and education sectors. <br />
*GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $110.7 billion.<br />
*Real GDP growth rate (2005): 7.8%.<br />
*Per capita GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $690. <br />
*Natural resources: Arable land, natural gas, limited oil, substantial hydropower potential, coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone.<br />
*Agriculture: Products—wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, beef, mutton.<br />
*Industry: Types—textiles & apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, shrimp, fertilizer, and paper products.<br />
*Trade (2005 est.): Exports--$14.85 billion: textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, carpets, rugs, chemicals & manufactures. Major partners—U.S. 22.6%, United Arab Emirates 8.9%, U.K. 5.8%, China 5.4%, Germany 4.7%. Imports--$21.26 billion: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, paper and paper board, transportation equipment, edible oils, pulses, iron and steel, tea. Major partners—China 14.0%, Saudi Arabia 10.5%, United Arab Emirates 9.0%, Japan 6.2%, U.S. 5.1%, Kuwait 5.1%, Germany 4.9%. <br />
<br />
====Reform====<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan market.jpg|thumb|250px|Textile market on the sidewalks of Karachi.]]<br />
The government started pursuing market-based economic reform policies in the early 1980s. These reforms began to take hold in 1988, when the government launched an ambitious IMF-assisted structural adjustment program in response to chronic and unsustainable fiscal and external account deficits. The government began to remove barriers to foreign trade and investment, reform the financial system, ease foreign exchange controls, and privatize dozens of state-owned enterprises. <br />
<br />
Although the economy became more structurally sound, it remained vulnerable to external and internal shocks, such as in 1992–93, when devastating floods and political uncertainty combined to depress economic growth sharply. The Asian financial crisis seriously affected Pakistan's major markets for its textile exports. For example, average real GDP growth from 1992 to 1998 dipped to 4.1% annually. Economic reform also was set back by Pakistan's nuclear tests in May 1998, and the subsequent economic sanctions imposed by the G-7. International default was narrowly averted by the partial waiver of sanctions and the subsequent reinstatement of Pakistan's IMF enhanced structural adjustment facility/extended fund facility in early 1999, followed by Paris Club and London Club rescheduling. After taking power in late 1999, President Musharraf instituted policies to stabilize Pakistan's macroeconomic situation. Pakistan continues to struggle with these reforms, having mixed success, especially in reducing its budget and current account deficits.<br />
<br />
====Agriculture and Natural Resources====<br />
Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, hydroelectric potential, and natural gas reserves. About 28% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Agriculture accounts for about 21% of GDP and employs about 42% of the labor force. The most important crops are cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables, which together account for more than 75% of the value of total crop output. Despite intensive farming practices, Pakistan remains a net food importer. Pakistan exports rice, fish, fruits, and vegetables and imports vegetable oil, wheat, cotton (net importer), pulses, and consumer foods. <br />
<br />
The economic importance of agriculture has declined since independence, when its share of GDP was around 53%. Following the poor harvest of 1993, the government introduced agriculture assistance policies, including increased support prices for many agricultural commodities and expanded availability of agricultural credit. From 1993 to 1997, real growth in the agricultural sector averaged 5.7% but declined to less than 3% in 2005. Agricultural reforms, including increased wheat and oilseed production, play a central role in the government's economic reform package. Heavy rains in 2005 provided the benefit of larger than average cotton, wheat, and rice crops, but also caused damage due to flooding and avalanches. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, some proven oil reserves, coal, and large hydropower potential. However, exploitation of energy resources has been slow due to a shortage of capital and domestic and international political constraints. For instance, domestic gas and petroleum production totals only about half the country's energy needs, and dependence on imported oil contributes to Pakistan's persistent trade deficits and shortage of foreign exchange. The government announced that privatization in the oil and gas sector is a priority.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Industry====<br />
Pakistan's manufacturing sector accounts for about 25% of GDP. Cotton textile production and apparel manufacturing are Pakistan's largest industries, accounting for about 70% of total exports. Other major industries include food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, and paper products. As technology improves in the industrial sector, it continues to grow. In 2005/2006, the manufacturing sector grew by 8.6%. Despite government efforts to privatize large-scale parastatal units, the public sector continues to account for a significant proportion of industry. In the face of an increasing trade deficit, the government seeks to diversify the country's industrial base and bolster export industries. Net foreign investment in Pakistani industries is only 0.5% of GDP.<br />
==Recent==<br />
Imran Khan has been reveled as turning his leadership towards [[fascism]] and cracking down on the media too. <br />
<ref>[https://www.orfonline.org/research/how-imran-khan-unveiled-the-oxonian-version-of-pakistani-islamofascism/ How Imran Khan unveiled the Oxonian version of Pakistani ‘Islamofascism’], Sushant Sareen, August 4, 2020.<br />
<br><i><br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has proved to be a miserable failure who has in many ways turned the clock back for Pakistan.<br />
<br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has more or less functioned as a civilian version of the former military dictator Zia-ul-Haq.<br />
<br />
Hurting democracy<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, in the two years, he has been in office, Imran has caused more damage to Pakistan’s fledgeling democracy than any of his predecessors.<br />
<br />
Displaying fascist traits, he has crushed political dissent, victimised political opponents, muzzled the media, bludgeoned religious minorities, inserted the military in virtually every aspect of national life, unleashed a thought police which will decide what can be published and read in the country, neutered an already pliable and compromised judiciary, and of course, moved to Islamise an already Islamised country through the obnoxious Tahaffiz-e-buyaad-e-Islam law passed by the Punjab provincial assembly.<br />
<br />
The signs of Imran Khan’s fascist worldview were all over the place even before he was manoeuvred into the Prime Minister’s office by the military. That he was an intolerant and undemocratic person became clear during his dharna against the Nawaz Sharif government. The street language he used against his political opponents and the vile and vulgar behaviour he has displayed, and which he has always encouraged and promoted among his cronies (including members of government) revealed his mindset.<br />
<br />
Media as target...</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
In May, 2021, Muslim bigot Kanwal Shauzab colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party called for Jihad against Israel and praised [[Hitler]] for killing Jews.<ref>[https://www.thejc.com/news/world/pakistani-politician-praises-hitler-for-killing-jews-1.517034 Pakistani politician praises Hitler for killing Jews], JC, May 24, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>A colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party calls for Jihad against Israel.<br />
<br />
A parliamentary representative of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party has praised Hitler for killing Jews and a colleague of the same party has called for Jihad against Israel as the only solution.<br />
<br />
Discussing the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Pakistan National Assembly member Kanwal Shauzab said that Hitler was right to kill Jews and called for the use of nuclear weapons against Israel.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Islamic bigot [[Malik Faisal Akram]] hostage taking Jan/2022, exposed Pakistan's tentacles.<br />
<br />
From an analysis:<ref>N Singh, [https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/columnists/texas-crisis-exposes-pakistan---s-tentacles.html Texas crisis exposes Pakistan’s tentacles], ''Daily Pioneer'', 28 January 2022</ref><blockquote>This is a curious case, where a Government has so openly come out to support an Al Qaeda terrorist exposing its own nefarious designs, how Pakistan harbours Al Qaeda militants and uses them too, all the while giving false assurances to the Americans that it is helping them to finish Al Qaeda, which is very much active and calling shots more after lying low for some time until the Taliban consolidated its takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<br />
[[UN]] Watch recalls:<ref name=unwatch-31july2022>Hillel Neuer @HillelNeuer Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
<br />
[https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1553845432312373249 July 31, 2022]</ref><blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
Kothari has been accused by the United States, Czechia, Germany, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Australia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium, Italy<ref name=palwatch-2aug2022>Itamar Marcus and Maurice Hirsch, Adv., [https://palwatch.org/page/31869 PA chooses to side with Antisemitism and hate], ''Palwatch'', Aug 2, 2022<br />
<blockquote><br />
When the member of the recently established UN Human Rights Council "Commission of Inquiry," Miloon Kothari, expressed anti-Semitic hate speech and denial of Israel's right to be a UN member, 12 western democracies and the EU were quick to condemn him. Standing out in support of the hate speech was the Palestinian Authority, whose Foreign Ministry rushed to defend the Antisemitism and condemn Israel for condemning it. <br />
<br />
<i><br />
The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the attack of incitement and deception that [Israeli] occupation state transitional Prime Minister Yair Lapid carried out against the UN Human Rights Council investigative committee.” <br />
[WAFA, official PA news agency, Aug. 1, 2022] </i><br />
<br />
The countries that condemned the anti-Semitic hate of Kothari included, the USA, the UK, Canada, France, Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium and Italy. <br />
Significantly, while the PA was adamant to criticize Israel’s condemnation of the Antisemitism, it was silent about all the other condemnations, not wanting to insult its donors. <br />
<br />
Referring to that fact that Israel has predominantly ignored the openly biased agenda of the UN ...<br />
<br />
The reason the PA was so quick to defend Kothari, is because the statements he made predominantly reflect similar statements made over the years by PA officials. <br />
As Palestinian Media Watch has repeatedly shown, the PA constantly denies Israel’s right to exist and adopts the same anti-Semitic tropes.</blockquote></ref> and the president of the UNHRC of making antisemitic remarks disputing Israel's right to exist and supporting antisemitic conspiracy theories about the "Jewish Lobby" controlling social media.<ref>Tovah Lazaroff, [https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-713501 UNHRC President: Jewish Lobby remark is reasonably considered antisemitic], ''JPost'', July 30, 2022 .</ref><br />
See: [[United Nations#Miloon Kothari - UNHRC]]<br />
<br />
<font size=1>[Reminder, neither Islamic Pakistan nor Islamic Iran share any borders or have any "land disputes" with Israel.]</font><br />
<br />
====Foreign Trade and Aid====<br />
[[File:Islamabad wet road Pakistan.jpg|thumb|320px|left|[[Islamabad]], the capital city of Pakistan.]]<br />
Weak world demand for its exports and domestic political uncertainty have contributed to Pakistan's high trade deficit. In 2004, growth rebounded to approximately 6% with substantial improvement in public and external debt indicators and remained robust with 7.8% growth in 2005. Foreign reserves are at an all-time high of $11.5 billion. Pakistan's exports, which grew by 14.4% in 2005/2006, continue to be dominated by cotton textiles and apparel, despite government diversification efforts. Major imports include petroleum and petroleum products, edible oil, wheat, chemicals, fertilizer, capital goods, industrial raw materials, and consumer products, rising to 38.8% to $25.6 billion. External imbalance has left Pakistan with a growing foreign debt burden. The fiscal imbalance is reflected in a high level of total net public debt, which reached an estimated 92.6% of GDP in 2000–01, more than half involving external liabilities, but decreased to 72.7% in 2003. The fiscal deficit widened from 5.6% of GDP in 1994–95 to 7.7% in 1997-98 before declining to 4.5% in 2006. Despite a rise in tax collection, defense and development expenditure along with transfers to the provinces all rose in the 2006 budget, widening the deficit. Support for loss-making, state-owned enterprises and a weak domestic tax base are critical elements in the recurring fiscal deficits. The Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd. (PTCL) represented the largest of Pakistan's privatization programs for 2005. Despite its economic and political difficulties, Pakistan has taken steps to liberalize its trade and investment regimes, either unilaterally or in the context of commitments made with the World Trade Organization (WTO), IMF, and the World Bank. In 2004–2005, efforts in several crucial areas seemingly intensified, resulting in Pakistan becoming a more open and secure market for its trading partners. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has received significant loan/grant assistance from international financial institutions (e.g., the IMF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank) and bilateral donors, particularly after it began using its military/financial resources in the war on terror. The United States pledged $3 billion for FY 2005 to FY 2009 in economic and military aid to Pakistan. In addition, the IMF and World Bank have pledged $1 billion in loans to Pakistan. In 2004 to 2007 alone, the World Bank has pledged over $500 million in investment projects.<br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Cannibalism==<br />
Two Pakistani cannibal brothers Mohammad Arif Ali and Mohammed Farman Ali, were arrested for digging up more than 100 corpses from their local graveyard in order to eat them.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2604350/Boys-HEAD-home-Pakistani-cannibals-dug-100-corpses-local-graveyard-eaten-them.html</ref> Despite this and many other cases, Cannibalism is still legal in Pakistan.<ref>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2136498/bill-man-eaters-rots-cold-storage</ref><br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Mental Illness==<br />
It is estimated that over 50 million Pakistanis are mentally ill.<ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1288880</ref><br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Owen Bennett. ''Pakistan: Eye of the Storm'' (3rd ed. 2009)<br />
* Nawaz, Shuja. ''Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within'' (2008) 600pp [http://www.amazon.com/Crossed-Swords-Pakistan-Army-Within/dp/0195476603/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Shaikh, Farzana. ''Making Sense of Pakistan'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-Pakistan-Columbia-Hurst/dp/023114962X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253054909&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]<br />
<br />
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6663305.stm Pakistan Christians demand help], BBC News, 16 May 2007.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a [[Muslim]] [[Jihadism|jihadist]] police state<br />
*[[Malik Faisal Akram#Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis .22branch.22|Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis "branch"]]<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
*[[Star and Crescent]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2007/05/pakistani_nuclear_forces_2007.php Pakistani Nuclear Forces, 2007]<br />
*[http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/07/the_black_hole_of_pakistan The Black Hole of Pakistan.]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"<br />
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''<br />
|-<br />
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:<br />
|style=" background-color: none;"| <small>This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code</small><br />
|-<br />
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:<br />
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| <small>File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3453.htm]</small>}}}. <br />
|}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Indian History]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
<br />
<br />
{{Terrorism}}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
[[Category:Nuclear Defense]]<br />
[[Category:Jihadism]]<br />
[[Category:Fascism]]<br />
<br />
{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Nation_of_Islam&diff=1999169Nation of Islam2023-10-29T21:51:16Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[File:Nation of Islam members.jpg|thumb|''Nation of Islam'' members in their trademark bow ties and suits.]]<br />
The '''Nation of Islam (NOI)''' is a political and religious group with a racist, Hinduphobic, black and Muslim supremacist ideology. The group was founded in [[Detroit]], Michigan by Wallace D. Fard (a/k/a Wallace Fard Muhammad) in July 1930. It is active primarily in America.<br />
<br />
Despite its name, the NOI is not considered Islamic by the overwhelming majority of Muslims, based on three key tenets of the NOI which differ from traditional Islamic teaching:<br />
*First, the NOI teaches that founder Fard was God incarnate and that Elijah Muhammad was a prophet. Traditional Islam teaches that no human can be an incarnation of God and that Muhammad was the last prophet.<br />
*Second, the NOI teaches that the "blue-eyed devils" (whites) were selectively bred from blacks by an evil black scientist named Yakub, whose work supposedly took hundreds of years for him and his disciples to fully whiten his creations, with the intent to enslave the black race. Although traditional Islam recognizes a Yakub (Jacob, the grandson of Abraham through Isaac), they do not teach him being an evil scientist.<br />
*Finally, due to the workings of Yakub, the NOI believes that [[African Americans|black people]] are [[racial superiority|racially superior]] to other races, and that whites are not worthy to be converted (they believe Asian races were also created by Yakub as an intermediate step toward his ultimate end of creating the "evil" white race, but unlike whites they can be converted). Traditional Islam has no such restriction: it accepts members from all races and nationalities. <br />
<br />
==Criticism by MLK==<br />
[[Martin Luther King]] described Elijah Muhammad's movement in his '''Letter from Birmingham Jail''':<br />
:Nourished by the Negro's frustration over the continued existence of racial discrimination, this movement is made up of people who have lost faith in America, who have absolutely repudiated Christianity, and who have concluded that the white man is an incorrigible "devil." [http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html]<br />
<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
==Frank James==<br />
[[File:Frank Whitaker.jpg|thumb|Frank James post under Frank Whitaker, post image of admiration of Elijah Muhammad as messenger of Allah]]<br />
<br />
Frank James, the 'suspect' in the Apr 12, 2022 NY Subway mass shooting, where 10 people were shot and at least 23 were hurt in the chaos,<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/live-updates/brooklyn-subway-shooting-manhunt-nyc-attack/ Live updates: Frank James now considered suspect in Brooklyn subway shooting, Adams says], CBS New York Team Team, Jessica Moore, Dick Brennan. ''CBS News'', Apr 13, 2022.</ref> AKA Frank Whitaker,<ref>[https://heavy.com/news/frank-r-james/amp/ Frank R. James, Brooklyn Person of Interest: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know], Heavy.</ref> is a fan of black nationalism, including [[Nation of Islam]]'s founder Elijah Muhammad.<ref>Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1514029565622075405 Apr 12, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
Breaking: NYPD named Frank James as a person of interest in the Brooklyn mass shooting. I looked into his social media. Like the Waukesha suspect & the Louisville BLM activist who allegedly tried to assassinate a mayoral candidate, he appeared to be a fan of black nationalism.</blockquote>[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQLpkupWYAMWjw2?format=jpg]. https://t.co/aUQZGakJfW . </ref> He left a long trail of hate at several groups of people.<ref>Kat Bouza, [https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/frank-james-new-york-brooklyn-subway-shooting-social-media-posts-1336740/ ‘They Made Me More Dangerous Than Anyone Could Ever F-cking Imagine’], ''Rolling Stone'', Apr 13, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Frank R. James, named as a suspect in the New York City subway shooting, left an online trail of hate.</blockquote></ref><br />
He had also posted racist rants against Whites, Hispanics, Asians.<ref><blockquote><br />
"F— you & your white ass too, you white racist mother f—ker"<br />
"Slant-eyed f—king piece of sh—"<br />
"You're a crime against f—king nature, you Spanish speaking mother f—ker"<br />
<br />
The person of interest in the Brooklyn mass shooting posted a video of himself shouting racial insults in NYC. </blockquote>pic.twitter.com/ajBkMJJnbb— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) [https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1514208194444382213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw April 13, 2022]</ref><br />
<br />
==Notable members==<br />
*[[Elijah Muhammad]]<br />
*[[Louis Farrakhan]]<br />
*[[Malcolm X]] (later broke away from NOI and became a mainstream [[Muslim]], changing his name to ''Malik Shabazz'')<br />
*[[Muhammad Ali]] (his ties to the NOI were severed after a dispute regarding one of his divorces)<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
*[http://www.muhajabah.com/noi.htm The "Nation of Islam" is not Islam.]<br />
*[http://www.islamicgarden.com/article1037.html The Nation of Islam: Fact or Fraud?] The Islamic Garden.<br />
==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Nation of Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Black Nationalists]]<br />
[[Category:Racist Organizations]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Black Supremacy]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-white sentiment]]<br />
[[Category:Socialist Organizations]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=United_Kingdom&diff=1965465United Kingdom2023-07-24T15:42:06Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Pakistan */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Country<br />
|name =''United Kingdom<br/>of Great Britain<br/>and Northern Ireland''<br />
|map =United kingdom rel87.jpg<br />
|map2 =UK location.png<br />
|flag =Union_jack.jpg<br />
|arms =UK Royal Coat of Arms.png<br />
|capital =London<br />
|capital-raw =<br />
|government =Constitutional monarchy<br />
|government-raw =<br />
|language =English<br />
|king =<br />
|queen =<br />
|monarch-raw =HM King [[Charles III]]<br />
|president =<br />
|president-raw =<br />
|chancellor =<br />
|chancellor-raw =<br />
|pm = Rishi Sunak<br />
|pm-raw =<br />
|conservative-leader=Rishi Sunak<br />
|conservative-leader-raw=<br />
|area =94,526 sq mi<br />
|pop =68,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis =<br />
|gdp =$2,800,000,000,000 (2020)<br />
|gdp-year =<br />
|gdp-pc =$46,344 (2021 estimate)<br />
|currency =Pound Sterling <br />
|idd =<br />
|tld =.uk<br />
}}<br />
The '''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''' ('''UK''') is a sovereign [[state]] north-west of mainland [[Europe]]. It comprises [[England]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]], which occupy the island of [[Great Britain]], and [[Northern Ireland]] on the island of [[Ireland]]. It attained its current identity in 1922 after most of Ireland was granted independence. The UK, at least in part, has a separate identity from mainland Europe.<ref>Hanson, Victor Davis (September 12, 2019). [https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/victor-davis-hanson-britain-free-market-democratic-world Victor Davis Hanson: Britain's got one last chance to reembrace free-market democratic world it helped create]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved September 13, 2019.</ref><br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Its [[head of state]] is King [[Charles III]], and its [[head of government]] is Prime Minister [[Rishi Sunak]]. <br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is a member of the [[United Nations]] and rethinking its commitment to [[NATO]] after the disastrous actions of the U.S. [[Democrat]] [[Biden regime]] culminating in the [[Rape of Afghanistan]].<ref>[https://archive.is/JNSAP Nato allies urge rethink on alliance after Biden’s ‘unilateral’ Afghanistan exit], ''Financial Times'', Helen Warrell in London, Guy Chazan in Berlin and Richard Milne in Stockholm AUGUST 17 2021. </ref><ref>[https://archive.is/KmgYt Tom Tugendhat on Afghanistan: Six decades after Suez, we remain impotent in the face of US policy], August 16 2021, ''The Times''. <small>"The [[fall of Kabul]] is the biggest foreign policy disaster since [[Suez Crisis|Suez]]. The operation to seize the canal in 1956 symbolised the end of Britain’s global ambition and refocused us on Nato and alliances. It showed conclusively that the US could limit our actions and change our policy. The fall of Kabul will be remembered for similar reasons: not just its abject failure, but also because it revealed the nature of US power and our inability to hold a separate line. The redeployment of 2,500 US troops, half as many as it takes to crew a carrier, ended 20 years of British effort in Afghanistan and left thousands of British citizens under Taliban jurisdiction....The longer-term question is: what next? Is Britain’s [[foreign policy]] achievable given the past week? What are the implications for our alliances?...just like in Suez, we need to reset to make sure that a false narrative does not grow, and that means commitment. Cuts to overseas engagement, whether defence, diplomacy, aid or trade, will look different today from how they did a week ago...." Tom Tugendhat is Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.</small</ref><br />
<br />
British values, culture and institutions were spread throughout many parts of the world during the period of the [[British Empire]], 1600-1960, and British contributions to world culture include the English language, the [[parliament]]ary form of government, the [[Church of England|Anglican]] Church ("Church of England"), a tradition of personal liberty, and the [[common law]] legal system. But in the 21st century the UK government has become a [[Leftist]] tool of [[liberal censorship]], flagging as white supremacy works by [[Shakespeare]], [[George Orwell]]'s ''[[1984]]'', and [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]’s ''[[Lord of the Rings]]''.<br />
<br />
==Name==<br />
[[File:London Thames Sunset panorama 2008.jpg|thumb|left|London - Thames panorama.]]<br />
The official name of the nation (since 1927) is ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''.<ref>From 1801 to 1927 the official name was ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland''.</ref> The full official name is seldom used except in very formal or legal documents. The short version for historical topics is either "Britain" or "Great Britain." The short version for recent events (since the 1970s) is "United Kingdom" or "UK" The adjective is always '''"British"'''. <br />
<br />
Britain was part of the [[British Empire]], which has become the "British Commonwealth", and is mostly a discussion club. Britain has a few scattered minor possessions, including [[Gibraltar]], but gave up its last important colony—[[Hong Kong]]—in 1997.<br />
[[File:Westminster in the evening.jpg|thumb|280px|Westminster in the evening.]]<br />
* '''England''' is the largest of the four components of the United Kingdom. "England" was often used to stand for the nation in older literature published before 1970. However use of "England" to refer to the entire country is now sometimes considered offensive by many citizens of the other three member countries and is thus discouraged.<br />
* The standard language of the UK is English; [[Welsh]] has parity in Wales, and [[Gaelic]] is widely used on official documents, roadsigns, etc. in remote Gaelic-speaking areas of western Scotland.<br />
<br />
MacColl (2008) explores the use of the term 'Britain' in English, French, and Latin texts from the 12th century to the 16th. The term was flexible, used in a variety of ways (geographically, politically, and ethnically), and not always indicative of any specific meaning. The English at first tended to conflate 'Britain' with England or the southern portion of the island of Great Britain, though the term 'Greater Britain' was applied starting in the 14th century to refer to the entire island. The Scottish, beginning in the 15th century, used the term in the modern sense - as reflective of the entire island of Great Britain and the 'polity' of England, Wales, and Scotland. This latter usage paved the way for the relatively smooth ideological transition after the 1707 Acts of Union.<ref>Alan MacColl, "The Meaning of 'Britain' in Medieval and Early Modern England." ''Journal of British Studies'' 2006 45(2): 248-269</ref><br />
<br />
===Anthem===<br />
<br />
The national anthem of the UK is currently ''[[God Save the King]]''. Should a female heir accede to the throne, the anthem will become "God Save the Queen".<ref>This same melody is also sung by American schoolchildren (with different words) as "[[My Country, 'Tis of Thee]]".</ref><br />
<br />
The constituent nations have their own unofficial anthems. In the case of Wales, this is ''Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'' (''Land of My Fathers''), and for Scotland it is ''Flower of Scotland''. England does not have its own distinctive anthem in the same way, but at sporting events in which England is competing as a separate nation, [[Edward Elgar]]'s patriotic song ''Land of Hope and Glory'' is sometimes used (although ''God Save the King'' is more commonly used). Additionally the hymn "Jerusalem" has a large number of supporters in England as an alternative to, or replacement for, the national anthem. In Northern Ireland, the Protestant and Catholic communities respectively use ''God Save the King'' and ''Amhran na bhFiann'', the Irish national anthem. ''Londonderry Air'' is often used as the anthem for Northern Ireland competitors in sporting events.<br />
<br />
==People==<br />
[[Image:Tower Bridge London.jpg|thumb|340px|Tower Bridge, London.]]<br />
The United Kingdom's population in 2004 surpassed 60 million—Its overall population density is one of the highest in the world. Almost one-third of the population lives in England's prosperous and fertile southeast and is predominantly urban and suburban—with about 7.2 million in the capital of London, which remains the largest city in Europe. <br />
<br />
A net total of 408,000 people were added to the UK population in 2008, the largest numerical increase since 1972. This was partly due to the highest fertility rate in more than three decades. More than half of the increase in births last year was due to non-UK born mothers. <br />
<br />
There is also an ever-increasing aging population with the number of people over 85 now at a record 1.3 million, the equivalent of one in every 50 people. <br />
<br />
===Education===<br />
[[File:Royal College of Music 2007.jpg|thumb|left|Royal College of Music.]]<br />
In 2023, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported: <br />
{{Cquote|Ministers have set a target of ensuring 90% of children achieve the national curriculum standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of primary education by 2030. However, after several years of slow progress, attainment has slipped back to levels only slightly above those of 2015-16.<br />
<br />
The slump means that in 2022, 41% of year 6 pupils in England left primary school without meeting the expected standards in literacy and maths – 275,000 11-year-olds, according to researchers at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) thinktank. That is 50,000 more than in 2019...<br />
<br />
Rishi Sunak has been warned that a target to boost the number of children entering secondary school with the expected standards of reading, writing and maths is “a far cry from reality”, amid new evidence that 275,000 pupils a year are leaving primary education without the right level of skills.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/feb/12/quarter-of-a-million-children-enter-secondary-school-without-basic-maths-and-english Quarter of a million children enter secondary school without basic maths and English], The Guardian, 2023</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Elite private prep schools, such as Eton and [[Rugby School|Rugby]], attended by youth whose families can afford to pay high tuition rates.<br />
<br />
All state-funded schools in the UK are required to start the day with a collective assembly that is 'wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character',<ref>[http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=387464 Times Educational Supplement]</ref> although this is not always adhered to and there are small numbers of state-funded [[Muslim]], [[Jew]]ish and [[Hindu]] schools.<br />
<br />
About thirty-six percent of British students go on to post-secondary education.<br />
<br />
Higher education has been a specialty for over 500 years at Oxbridge ([[Oxford University|Oxford]] and [[Cambridge University|Cambridge]]), with new "red brick" universities added in the 19th century and many others in the late 20th century. Universities contribute £33 billion a year to the economy. Britain has a strong attraction for international students, with 342,000 attending in 2007 (compared to 672,000 in the U.S. and 183,000 in Australia). They spend £1.5 billion in tuition in Britain annually, plus another £0.4 billion off campus.<br />
<br />
According to an early-2017 report, universities in the UK have high levels of censorship and low levels of [[free speech]].<ref>Singman, Brooke (March 14, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/03/14/free-speech-under-attack-at-uk-colleges-report-says.html Free speech under attack at UK colleges, report says]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 15, 2017.</ref> Additionally, many UK schools (about 120 in May 2017) adopted a program that promotes in indoctrinates students with the [[homosexual agenda]] in all areas of curriculum and in other ways such as unisex uniforms and the removal of terms such as "boy" and "girl" from school vocabulary.<ref>Hale, Virginia (May 17, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/05/17/120-uk-schools-lgbt-curriculum/ LGBT Curriculum Programme, Gender Neutral Uniforms Adopted By 120 UK Schools]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 17, 2017.</ref><br />
<br />
===Demographics===<br />
[[File:Youth UK.JPG|thumb|British youth.]]<br />
A group of islands close to continental Europe, the British Isles have been subject to many invasions and migrations, especially from Scandinavia and the continent, including Roman occupation for several centuries. Contemporary Britons are descended mainly from the varied ethnic stocks that settled there before the 11th century. The pre-Celtic, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse influences were blended in Great Britain under the Normans, Scandinavian Vikings who had lived in Northern France. Although Celtic languages persist in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, as well as Cornwall in south-west England, the predominant language is English, which is primarily a blend of Anglo-Saxon and Norman French. <br />
*Population (2007 est.): 60.8 million.<br />
*Annual population growth rate (2007 est.): 0.275%.<br />
*Major ethnic groups: White British 91%, Irish 2%, West Indian and African 3%, South Asian 3%, others 1%.<br />
*Major religions: Church of England (Anglican), Roman Catholic, Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), Muslim.<br />
*Major languages: English<br />
*Minority languages: Welsh, Gaelic, Lowland Scots (including Ulster Scots), Cornish.<br />
*Education: Years compulsory—12. Attendance—nearly 100%. Literacy—99%. <br />
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2007 est.)--5.01/1,000. Life expectancy (2007 est.)--males 76.23 yrs.; females 81.3 yrs.; total 78.7 years<br />
*Work force (2007, 31.1 million): Services—80.4%; industry—18.2%; agriculture—1.4%.<br />
<br />
===Ethnic tensions===<br />
<br />
Britain is home to 2.4 million Muslims from numerous ethnicities. This population is growing 10 times faster than the national average. Regarded as one of the most tolerant countries in Europe, Britain struggles with questions of Islamic integration, as well as the psychological aftermath of the July 2005 suicide bombings on London's public transport system carried out by young Britons of Pakistani descent, which left 52 people dead and over 700 injured.<br />
<br />
=== Irreligion in the United Kingdom and desecularization of the UK in the 21st century ===<br />
<br />
[[Desecularization]] is the process by which [[religion]] reasserts its societal influence through religious values, institutions, sectors of society and symbols in reaction to previous and/or co-occurring [[secularization]] processes.<ref>''Religion and the State in Russia and China: Suppression, Survival and Revival'' by Christopher Marsh, 2011, page 11 (Christopher Marsh cites the definitions of desecularization given by Peter L. Berger and Vyacheslav Karpov)</ref><br />
<br />
The United Kingdom and Europe as a whole is projected to undergo a process of desecularization and the resurgence of religion (See: [[European desecularization in the 21st century]]). <br />
<br />
For more information, please see:<br />
<br />
*[[British atheism]]<br />
<br />
*[[UK and secularism]]<br />
<br />
==== Irreligious British fail to stand up to Muslim groomer gangs ====<br />
<br />
See: [[Irreligious British fail to stand up to Muslim groomer gangs]]<br />
<br />
===Religion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Canterbury Cathedral.jpg|thumb|left|350px|Canterbury Cathedral (photographed during 1890-1900).]]<br />
Religious faith, according to a 2011 survey, has declined sharply in Britain over the last two decades. Now only 42% of people describe themselves as Christian, as opposed to 66% in 1990. Most of the decline is due to a drift away from the Church of England, it is claimed, with only 20% claiming allegiance, down from 40%. <br />
<br />
In 2003 the Office of National Statistics estimated 29% of the population identified with Anglicanism, 10% with the Catholic Church, and 14% with other Protestant churches. A 2007 survey reported that the number of Catholics (mostly Irish) attending Sunday services has overtaken the number of Anglicans doing so. A September 2006 English Church Census reported that Methodists were decreasing as a percentage of the population, while members of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Pentecostal churches, many churches from Africa, and the Eastern Orthodox Church, almost entirely immigrants, were increasing.<ref>According to [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108478.htm U.S. State Department Report, 2008]</ref> <br />
<br />
Individuals with no religious belief comprised 21% of the population in 2009. Muslims comprise 3% of the population. The Muslim community is predominantly South Asian in origin, but other groups from the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Levant are represented. In addition, there is a growing number of indigenous converts. Although estimates vary, the Government places the number of mosques in the whole country at one thousand. Groups comprising 1% or less of the population include Hindus, Sikhs, Jews, and Buddhists. Individuals from Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, and Sikh backgrounds are concentrated in London and other large urban areas, primarily in England. <br />
<br />
Attendance at religious services was significantly different from the number of adherents. According to a report released on May 8, 2008, by Religious Trends, only 4 million Christians attend services on a regular basis (defined as at least once a month) in the country. These figures do not include Northern Ireland, where higher%ages reportedly attend both Catholic (more than 60%) and Protestant (more than 35%) services. The Religious Trends report stated that more than 50% of Muslims regularly worship at mosques. Figures for Jews and other religious groups were unavailable.<br />
<br />
Religious affiliation was not evenly distributed among ethnicities. According to the 2001 census, approximately 70% of the white population described themselves as Christians. Nearly 75% of black Caribbean respondents stated that they were Christians, as did 70% of black Africans. Meanwhile, 45% of Indians were Hindus and 29% were Sikhs. Approximately 92% of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis were Muslims.<br />
<br />
In Northern Ireland, where divisions between nationalists and unionists evolved largely along religious lines, the 2001 census showed that 53.1% were Protestants and 43.8% were Catholics. Many Catholics and Protestants continued to live in segregated communities in Northern Ireland, although many middle-class neighborhoods were mixed communities. The policy of the Government remained one of promotion of religious tolerance. <br />
<br />
There are two established (or state) churches—The [[Church of England]] (Anglican) and the [[Church of Scotland]] (Presbyterian). The Act of Settlement, enacted in 1688, states that no Catholic, or person married to a Catholic, may ascend the throne.<br />
<br />
====Religion in schools====<br />
<br />
The Government provides financial support—up to 90% of the total capital costs of the buildings and 100% of running costs, including teachers' salaries - to sectarian educational institutions that are commonly referred to as "faith schools".<br />
[[File:Matthew Boulton College.jpg|thumb|Matthew Boulton College.]] <br />
The Government also helps fund the repair and maintenance of all listed places of worship for religious groups nationwide and contributes to the budget of the Church Conservation Trust, which preserves "redundant" Church of England buildings of architectural or historic significance. <br />
<br />
The Government has not classified the Church of Scientology as a religious institution and therefore has not granted the organization recognition for charitable status. <br />
<br />
More than 30% of state schools had a religious character. Nearly all of the 6,949 "faith schools" are associated with Christian denominations, although there are 31 Jewish, 7 Islamic, and 2 Sikh schools. An additional two Jewish, three Islamic, and two Sikh schools have also been tentatively approved by the Government to open. In addition, several hundred independent schools of a religious nature receive no state support but must meet government quality standards. Controversy arose in 2006 over 100 Islamic schools when an Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted) evaluation of these schools showed many were "little more than places where the Koran was recited." The schools were given time to correct their deficiencies. A review is due in 2010. Some Christian faith schools also faced controversy. Some were accused of not following the national curriculum in science, teaching creationism instead. During the reporting period, a further controversy erupted when it was learned that some faith schools were not following an "open" admission policy as required by law, denying admission to both special needs children and those outside the faith of the school administrators. The Catholic Church and the Church of England have an agreement to voluntarily accept up to 25% of places for pupils from another religious group or no religious group. <br />
<br />
Almost all schools in Northern Ireland receive state support. More than 90% of students attended schools that were either predominantly Catholic or Protestant. Integrated schools served approximately 5% of school-age children whose families voluntarily chose this option, often after overcoming significant obstacles to provide the resources to start a new school and demonstrate its sustainability for 3 years before government funding begins. Demand for places in integrated schools outweighed the limited number of places available. The May 8, 2007, devolution, or granting of power, authorized the Northern Ireland Assembly to decide on academic selection. Now there are more than 50 integrated schools, and the new Government permits existing schools to petition to change from sectarian to integrated. More petition for that status than are granted it. Some have accused the Government of a go-slow approach to avoid sectarian animus. <br />
<br />
The law requires religious education for all children, ages 3 to 19, in publicly maintained schools. In England and Wales it forms part of the core curriculum in accordance with the Education Reform Act of 1988. In Scotland, religious education of some sort is mandated by the Education Act of 1980. However, the shape and content of religious instruction throughout the country is decided on a local basis. Locally agreed syllabi are required to reflect the predominant place of Christianity while taking into account the teachings and practices of other principal religions in the country. Syllabuses must be nondenominational and refrain from attempting to convert pupils. Schools with a religious designation follow a syllabus drawn up by the school governors according to the trust deed of the school. All parents have the legal right to request that their children not participate in religious education, but the school must approve this request.<br />
<br />
Daily collective prayer or worship of "a wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character" is practiced in schools in England and Wales, a requirement that may be waived for students who obtain permission of the school authorities. The Education and Inspections Act 2006 permits sixth form students (generally 16-19-year-olds) to withdraw themselves from worship without their parents' permission or action. This new law does not exempt sixth form students from religious education classes. Non-Christian worship is permitted with approval of the authorities. Teachers have the right not to participate in collective worship, without prejudice, unless they work for a faith school. <br />
<br />
After several controversial court decisions prohibiting full-face veils in school (but not head scarves) and the wearing of a Christian chastity ring, the Department of Education provided guidance that advises schools to "… act reasonably in accommodating religious requirements," under human rights legislation. Some Muslim groups, including the Islamic Human Rights Commission, said it was inappropriate for the Government to provide guidance that regulated Muslim communities in matters concerning the expression of their religious beliefs. But it is also legally possible under the act, according to the guidance, to have a school uniform policy that "restricts the freedom of pupils to manifest their religion" on the grounds of health and safety and the "protection of the rights and freedoms of others." The Government's guidance is meant to remind "head teachers" to act with a degree of sensitivity when considering decisions that will impact the cultural complexion of their communities.<br />
<br />
====Census====<br />
<br />
According to the 2011 Census the religious make-up of the UK at that time was:<br />
<br />
{| border="1" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3<br />
|+'''Religions in United Kingdom'''<br />
!Belief <br />
!Thousands <br />
!Proportion <br />
|-<br />
|Christian ||29,000 ||51.6<br />
|-<br />
|No Religion ||9104 ||15.5<br />
|-<br />
|Muslim ||1591 ||2.7<br />
|-<br />
|Hindu ||559 ||1.0<br />
|-<br />
|Sikh ||336 ||0.6<br />
|-<br />
|Jewish ||267 ||0.5<br />
|-<br />
|Other ||179 ||0.3<br />
|-<br />
|Buddhist ||152 ||0.3<br />
|-<br />
|Pagan & Wicca ||40 ||0.1<br />
|-<br />
|Total religious ||45,163 ||76.8<br />
|-<br />
|No answer ||4289 ||7.3<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The answers were distorted by an internet campaign just prior to the census, encouraging people to actually question religion that claimed that if at least 50,000 people stated their religion as 'Jedi Knight' it would be officially classified as a religion. This was not true, though the Office of National Statistics does aggregate very small religions into the 'Other' category whereas a religion of 50,000 would be itemised separately. This separate listing does not constitute any form of official recognition.<br />
<br />
It should be noted that non-practising Christians and the non-religious group are growing in the UK and Europe. At the same time, there is growth in the Islamic group due to immigration.<br />
<br />
Two of the four states of the United Kingdom, England and Scotland, have official state religions. The [[Church of England]] is the official religion of England and the (Presbyterian) Church of Scotland is the official religion of Scotland. The (Anglican) Church of Ireland was [[disestablished]] in 1871 and the (Anglican) Church of Wales was disestablished in 1920, whereupon it was renamed the [[Church ''in'' Wales]].<br />
==== Growth of British evangelical Christianity ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Growth of evangelical Christianity]]<br />
[[File:Union jack.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|Some 4.5million of the [[UK]]'s foreign-born population claim to have a religious affiliation and more than half are Christian. <br />
<br />
Church attendance in Greater London grew by 16% between 2005 and 2012.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> In addition, the latest immigrants to the UK as a whole mean British Christianity is becoming more charismatic and fundamentalist.<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100019857/im-not-surprised-evangelical-christianity-is-on-the-rise/ I'm not surprised Evangelical Christianity is on the rise] by Ed West, ''The Telegraph'', December 14th, 2009</ref>]]<br />
The ''Christian Post'' reported on July 21, 2019, as far as [[Britain]]: "The percentage of respondents who said they were nondenominational Christians increased from 3% of the population in 1998 to 13% in 2018."<ref>[https://www.christianpost.com/world/only-38-brits-identify-christian-lowest-proportion-in-polls-history.html Only 38% of Brits identify as Christian; lowest proportion in poll's history], Christian Post, 2019</ref> <br />
<br />
In December 2017, the ''Church Times'' reported:<br />
{{Cquote|In 2016, the Centre for Theology and Community (CTC) published new research on Evangelical church-planting in east London, Love, Sweat and Tears (News, 8 April 2016, Features, 21 April). This confirmed the widely recognised image of Evangelicals as people who like to plant churches, but it also revealed that the way they work is not at all how people often imagine.<br />
<br />
All of these Evangelical churches were planted in deprived areas, not suburbs; most of their members were local; one parish was cross-tradition; every parish was reaching people who do not attend church; and all of them were involved in social-action projects that served their local communities.<ref>[https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2017/8-december/comment/opinion/church-growth-is-not-just-for-evangelicals Church growth is not just for Evangelicals]</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Due to religious immigrants, many of whom are [[evangelicalism|evangelical Christians]], church attendance in Greater [[London]] grew by 16% between 2005 and 2012.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> In 2013, it was reported that 52% of people who attended church in London attended evangelical churches.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> <br />
<br />
On December 14, 2009, the British newspaper ''The Telegraph'' reported:<br />
{{cquote|According to the Mail Evangelical Christianity is on the rise.<br />
<br />
Some 4.5million of the [[UK]]'s foreign-born population claim to have a religious affiliation. Of these, around a quarter are Muslim while more than half are Christian – with Polish Catholics and African Pentecostals among the fastest-growing groups.<br />
<br />
While traditional churchgoing is on the decline in the UK over the past decade, the latest immigrants mean Christianity is becoming more charismatic and fundamentalist.<br />
<br />
'Perhaps the most significant change has been the growth of Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity within migrant populations, particularly those from Africa and Latin America,' the report found.<br />
<br />
'In Lewisham, there are 65 Pentecostal churches serving the Nigerian community, and others serving the Congolese, Ghanaian and Ivorian communities.'<br />
<br />
Professor Mike Kenny of IPPR said: 'The research shows that recent waves of inward migration have given a boost to some of the UK's established faith communities at a time when Britain's society and culture are generally more secular, and smaller numbers of the indigenous population are regularly attending churches.<br />
<br />
'Recent migration trends are altering the faith map of the UK. Their biggest impact is being felt in some of our largest cities: London above all, where a rich mosaic of different faith communities has come into being.'<br />
<br />
Evangelical Christianity might be heavily African-influenced but it’s also spreading among the natives as well.<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100019857/im-not-surprised-evangelical-christianity-is-on-the-rise/ I'm not surprised Evangelical Christianity is on the rise] by Ed West, ''The Telegraph'', December 14th, 2009</ref>}}<br />
<br />
See also:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.the-american-interest.com/berger/2013/12/18/pentecostalism-invades-lambeth-palace/ Pentecostalism Invades Lambeth Palace] by [[Peter L. Berger]]<br />
<br />
==== Expected growth of Muslim population in the UK and Europe ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Future of religion, Christianity and Islam in the UK and Europe]] and [[Atheism vs. Islam]]<br />
<br />
According to [[Channel 4]] News: "There were 1.6 million Muslims in England and Wales in 2001, or 3 per cent of the population, according to the census. By 2011 the Muslim population had grown to 2.7 million people or 4.8 per cent of the population... Assuming patterns of net immigration do not change significantly, the Pew Forum thinks that there will be just over 5.5 million British Muslims, representing 8.2 per cent of the UK population, by 2030."<br />
<br />
In April 2010, [[Eric Kaufmann]] indicated concerning the future of Islam in Europe:<br />
{{cquote|I address this in some detail in the book, as well is in a [http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/europes-muslim-future recent article in the April issue of Prospect magazine] here in Britain. The short answer is that I don’t foresee a Muslim-majority Europe in this century or in the next. Why? Mainly because [[Islam|Muslim]] birthrates are plunging both in Europe and the Muslim world. Already, Iran, Tunisia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and several other Muslim countries have replacement-level fertility or below. In the UK, Bangladeshi and Pakistani fertility has halved in a generation and is now under 3 children per woman. This means their long-term growth will begin to tail off. The other part of the equation is the rise of non-Muslim immigrant groups (African and West Indian Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and other Eastern faiths) who are also increasing and therefore making Europe more plural and, in the process, rendering it harder for Muslims to increase their share of the population.<br />
<br />
That said, Muslim membership retention and in-group marriage is exceptionally high (over 90 per cent) and they are a much younger population than the host society. So they are on course for steady growth. My colleagues and I expect their fertility to fall to host levels by 2030, but they will still make up 5-15 per cent of most West European countries by 2050 and 10-25 per cent by 2100. This is a major change from the 2-6 per cent levels of today<ref>[http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/shall_the_religious_inherit_the_earth/#sthash.nE0JGi2Y.dpuf ''Shall the religious inherit the earth?''], 2010 Interview with [[Eric Kaufmann]] by MercatorNet</ref>}}<br />
<br />
The 2019 journal article ''When will European Muslim population be majority and in which country?'' published in ''PSU Research Review'' indicates: "Among three scenarios, the most likely mid-point migration scenario identifies 13 countries where the Muslim population will be majority between years 2085 and 2215: Cyprus (in year 2085), Sweden (2125), France (2135), Greece (2135), Belgium (2140), Bulgaria (2140), Italy (2175), Luxembourg (2175), the UK (2180), Slovenia (2190), Switzerland (2195), Ireland (2200) and Lithuania (2215). The 17 remaining countries will never reach majority in the next 200 years".<ref>[https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PRR-12-2018-0034/full/html When will European Muslim population be majority and in which country?], Pierre Rostan, Alexandra Rostan, PSU Research Review, ISSN: 2399-1747, Open Access. Article publication date: 28 August 2019 Reprints & Permissions, Issue publication date: 28 August 2019</ref><br />
<br />
None of this is an exact science, and [http://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol19/16/19-16.pdf some demographers] say total fertility rate overestimates the lifetime fertility of immigrants because it doesn’t adjust for the fact that they tend to have children soon after arriving.<ref>[http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-will-britain-have-a-muslim-majority-by-2050/13690 FactCheck: will Britain have a Muslim majority by 2050?]</ref>}}<br />
<br />
At the same time, over several decades/centuries, silent demographic changes due to higher fertility rates can have large scale consequences.<ref><br />
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-are-years-2012-and-2020-key-years.html Why are the years 2012 and 2020 key years for Christian creationists and pro-lifers?]<br />
*[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth? Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century] by [[Eric Kaufmann]]</ref><br />
<br />
===Crown Dependencies===<br />
<br />
A number of the smaller [[British Isles]], most importantly [[Jersey]], [[Guernsey]] and the [[Isle of Man]] are '[[Crown dependencies|British Crown Dependencies]]' and not members of the UK. Their governments are independent of that of the UK other than foreign and defense policy (the UK government retains the legal power to overrule the governments of the Dependencies, but this power has not been exercised since 1967).<br />
=== Islamic terrorism in the UK ===<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Islamic terrorism in the United Kingdom]]<br />
<br />
[[File:512px-Manchester Arena exterior, (3) May19.jpg|thumbnail|400px|left|The Manchester Arena experienced a Muslim terrorist attack. See: [[Manchester Arena Bombing]] <br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
It would take a rechristianization of Britain in order for the Islamic terrorism situation to be turned around in the UK.]]<br />
The United States website Homeland Security Digital Library published the article ''Islamist Terrorism in the UK: An In-Depth Analysis'':<br />
{{Cquote|On March 7th the Henry Jackson Society, a British think tank, released a report titled, Islamist Terrorism: Analysis of Offenses and Attacks in the UK (1998-2015). As stated by author Hannah Stuart, the purpose of the report is to provide “information and statistical analysis on the manifestation and development of the threat to national security from Islamism-inspired terrorism.” According to the report, there have been 264 convictions of Islamism-inspired terrorism in the UK as a result of arrests made between 1998 and 2015. Interestingly, 72% of these Islamism-related offences (IROs) were committed by UK nationals or individuals holding dual British nationality, with the overwhelming majority being perpetrated by males. However, although their numbers remain small, female involvement in Islamism-inspired terrorism has tripled since 2011, with women accounting for 11% of all IROs occurring between 2011 and 2015. This represents a 175% increase from IROs occurring between 1998 and 2010 involving women.<br />
<br />
The report goes on to discuss contemporary developments in terrorism, highlighting that “the expansion of the terrorism threat from that predominantly associated with AQ [al-Qaeda]-linked groups to one driven by IS [Islamic State] has been the key development since the publication of the previous edition of this report in 2011.” As such, the author concludes that terrorism inspired by the Islamic State currently represents the greatest threat to the UK’s national security. A brief overview of AQ is offered, which discusses the evolution of the terrorist group, including the creation and expansion of AQ franchises. Knowledge of this history is necessary to better understand both current trends in Jihadist-inspired terror attacks and the rise of the Islamic State.<ref>[https://www.hsdl.org/c/islamist-terrorism-in-the-uk-an-in-depth-analysis/ ''Islamist Terrorism in the UK: An In-Depth Analysis'']</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Dr. Peter Hammond's article [http://www.virtueonline.org/what-islam-isnt-dr-peter-hammond What Islam Isn't] indicates:<br />
{{Cquote|When Muslims reach 10% of the population, they will increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions ( Paris --car-burnings). Any non-Muslim action that offends Islam will result in uprisings and threats (Amsterdam - Mohammed cartoons).<br />
<br />
*Guyana -- Muslim 10%<br />
*India -- Muslim 13.4%<br />
*Israel -- Muslim 16%<br />
*Kenya -- Muslim 10%<br />
*Russia -- Muslim 10-15%<br />
<br />
After reaching 20% expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings and church and synagogue burning: Ethiopia -- Muslim 32.8%<ref>[http://www.virtueonline.org/what-islam-isnt-dr-peter-hammond What Islam Isn't]</ref>}}<br />
<br />
== Health ==<br />
<br />
=== Coronavirus pandemic and the UK ===<br />
<br />
On September 30, 2022, ''The Guardian'' reported: "A weaker than expected recovery from the coronavirus pandemic has left the UK as the only G7 country with a smaller economy than in early 2020, according to official figures likely to further undermine the government’s tax-cutting measures."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/30/uk-is-only-g7-country-with-smaller-economy-than-before-covid-19 UK is only G7 country with smaller economy than before Covid-19], ''The Guardian'', September 30, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
==== The UK's and Britain's nanny state approach to the coronavirus pandemic ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom's nanny state approach to the coronavirus pandemic]]<br />
<br />
In July of 2021, ''Der Spiegel'' indicated that [[Finland]] was the best at handling the [[coronavirus]] pandemic based on an index based on excess mortality, restrictions on people's lives and [[liberty]], [[GDP]] performance and vaccination coverage.<ref>[https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/der_spiegel_finland_best_at_handling_pandemic/12017084 Der Spiegel: Finland best at handling pandemic], https://yle.fi/ website, July 7, 2021</ref> See: [[Essay: An observation about the countries that handled the coronavirus pandemic well so far. And let's look at Finland.|An observation about the countries that handled the coronavirus pandemic well so far. And let's look at Finland.]]<br />
<br />
While Finland did a good job of handling the coronavirus, the coronavirus pandemic turned the UK into a bigger [[nanny state]] than it was before the pandemic.<br />
<br />
''City Journal'' is one of the world's premier urban-policy magazines, “the Bible of the new urbanism,” as London’s ''Daily Telegraph'' puts it.<ref>[https://www.city-journal.org/about ABOUT CITY JOURNAL]</ref><br />
[[File:Coronavirus1.jpg|right|301px|thumb|Electron microscope scan of a coronavirus, so-called due to the crown-like filaments on the surface.]]<br />
In Autumn of 2021, Lionel Shriver published the article [https://www.city-journal.org/united-kingdom-servile-response-to-covid-19-pandemic ''The Most Frightened Nation''] with the byline ''Why the United Kingdom will never be the same'' which stated:<br />
{{Cquote|What was once the land of “keep calm and carry on” could now be the “most frightened nation in the world.” So says Laura Dodsworth, author of A State of Fear: How the UK Government Weaponised Fear During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Data seem to bear her impression out. According to an Ipsos MORI poll conducted in July, an impressive 27 percent of Britons want to impose a government-mandated nationwide curfew of 10 PM—not then in force—“until the pandemic was under control worldwide,” which might be years from now. A not-inconsiderable 19 percent would impose such a curfew “permanently, regardless of the risk from Covid-19.” Presumably, these are people who don’t get out much. While 64 percent want Britain’s mask mandate in shops and on public transport to remain a legal requirement for the duration of the global pandemic, an astounding 51 percent want to be masked by law, forever. <br />
<br />
There’s more: some 35 percent want to confine any Briton who returns from a foreign country, vaccinated or not, to a ten-day home quarantine—permanently, Covid or no Covid. A full 46 percent would require a vaccine passport in order to travel abroad—permanently, Covid or no Covid. So young people today would still be flashing that QR code on whatever passes for smartphones in 2095, though they might have trouble displaying the device to a flight attendant while bracing on their walkers. Likewise, the 36 percent who want to be required to check in at pubs and restaurants with a National Health Service contact-tracing app forever. A goodly 34 percent want social distancing in “theatres, pubs and sports grounds,” regardless of any risk of Covid, forever. A truly astonishing 26 percent of Britons would summarily close all casinos and nightclubs forever. Are these just a bunch of fogies who don’t go clubbing anyway? No. In the 16-to-24 age bracket, the proportion of Brits who want to convert Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in London’s Soho into a community lending library, even after Covid is a distant memory, soars to a staggering 40 percent.<br />
<br />
Far from yearning for their historic liberties as “free-born Englishmen,” eight out of ten of the British, according to a Southbank/Kingston University survey, were “anxious” about lifting any of their benevolent government’s copious pandemic restrictions...<br />
<br />
But the most enduring damage to the home of Magna Carta may be political. The transformation of the United Kingdom is permanent. Its citizens can never again characterize lockdowns and other previously unthinkable government edicts, such as “you’re forbidden to leave the country,” as unprecedented. The state has established precedents galore. The public is already being softened up for the return of repressive measures in some form this autumn, even if only to control a surge of flu.<br />
<br />
It’s official: British civil liberties are provisional. They can be rescinded at a moment’s notice on the government’s whim. They are privileges, not rights. The anything-but-inalienable “rights” to free expression, to protest, to assembly, to association, to worship, to travel, to work: all require permission slips.<ref>[https://www.city-journal.org/united-kingdom-servile-response-to-covid-19-pandemic The Most Frightened Nation] by Lionel Shriver, Autumn of 2021</ref>}}<br />
<br />
===== Despite the UK taking a more nannystate approach to coronavirus pandemic than Finland, the UK has a higher mortality rate than Finland due to the coronavirus pandemic =====<br />
<br />
As of January 11, 2022, in the UK, deaths per 100,000 people was 316.30 deaths per 100,000 people.<ref>[https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality Mortality Analyses] by John Hopkins University University of Medicine</ref> As of January 11, 2022, in Finland, which has given much more liberty to its citizens, deaths per 100,000 people was 149.13 deaths per 100,000 people.<ref>[https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality Mortality Analyses] by John Hopkins University University of Medicine</ref><br />
<br />
=== United Kingdom and obesity ===<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom and obesity]]<br />
<br />
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): "Obesity rates in the United Kingdom are the highest in Europe. In England, rates have increased faster than in most OECD countries. Two out of 3 men are overweight and 1 in 4 people are obese in the United Kingdom. The proportion of people overweight in England is projected by the OECD to rise a further 10% during the next 10 years."<ref>[https://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/obesityandtheeconomicsofpreventionfitnotfat-unitedkingdomenglandkeyfacts.htm Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat - United Kingdom (England) Key Facts]</ref><br />
<br />
==Sports and Pastimes==<br />
<br />
[[File:Wembley Stadium.jpg|thumb|230px|Wembley Stadium.]]<br />
Many of the most popular [[sport]]s in the world today were developed or codified in the UK. These include [[soccer|football]] (which is called ''soccer'' in North America), [[cricket]], [[Rugby (Sport)|rugby]], [[tennis]], [[hockey]], [[baseball]] and [[golf]]. The UK is represented in international competitions by the individual nations (such as in football, the one-day form of cricket and rugby) and by the whole of the UK in other sports (such as [[athletics]], golf and tennis). The Test cricket team is that of 'England & Wales' (colloquially, just 'England') but from time to time has had Scottish and Irish players.<br />
<br />
The UK remains a major sporting force both in competition and the administration of sport. It is dominant in several Olympic sports, notably cycling, rowing and sailing and a leading force in cricket, rugby union, and golf.<br />
<br />
Certain venues have their own distinct and historical recognition and host a number of international competitions. These include Wimbledon for tennis, Silverstone for motor racing, and St Andrews for golf. There are several major venues for football, rugby and cricket.<br />
<br />
Domestic sport is dominated by football with one of the strongest and most popular leagues in the world - the Premier League. This league is sponsored by Barclays Bank, so has the official name "Barclays Premier League". Many of the Premier League's teams are well known outside the United Kingdom, especially the "big four" (Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool) and maintain followings around the world. Cricket and both codes of rugby also have strong and popular domestic leagues. Other popular sports include snooker, rowing, golf, tennis, athletics, cycling, darts, horse racing, and motor racing. These most popular sports are well covered by both the print press and television.<br />
<br />
Some sports which are more popular in other countries such as volleyball, handball, American football and basketball have small but dedicated followings.<br />
<br />
The [[U.K.]] is also renowned for its music, and is the home of bands like [[The Beatles]], [[Rolling Stones]], [[Pink Floyd]], [[The Who]], [[Oasis]], [[Coldplay]] and [[Radiohead]], as well as festivals such as [[Creamfields]], [[Isle of White]] Festival and [[Glastonbury]]. London traditionally is the world centre for recordings of classical music and the annual "London Proms" concerts are recorded worldwide. The "Last Night at the Proms" is a major "Television Event".<br />
<br />
==Government==<br />
<br />
''See also [[British politics]]''<br />
[[File:Jewel House guard in the Tower of London.JPG|thumb|200px|Jewel House guard in the Tower of London.]]<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom does not have the constitutional [[free speech]] protections or an energetic [[Christian]] culture that exist in the [[United States]], because there is not a codified constitution - though limited speech is proved via the Human Rights Act of 1998. However various acts mean there is free speech, similar to that in the [[United States]]. Certain county councils, like Salford Quays in the United Kingdom have issued 'public space protection orders' that fine people £50 for swearing.<br />
<br />
In 2015, the UK was ranked 12th on the World Democracy index, above countries such as the US and France, and below those like Germany and Canada.<ref>[http://democracyranking.org/wordpress/rank/democracy-ranking-2015/ World's Democracy Index]</ref><br />
<br />
Nationalist movements exist in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, seeking (in the case of Scottish and Welsh nationalists) to dissolve the United Kingdom and to win independence for their respective territories, and in the case of Northern Ireland nationalists and republicans to create a sovereign united Ireland. At the present time, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own legislatures.<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom does not have a written constitution (even though the [[Magna Carta]] is the oldest basis for constitutional law in the world and the basis for numerous other countries such as the U.S.). The equivalent body of law is based on statute, common law, and "traditional rights". Changes may come about formally through new acts of Parliament, informally through the acceptance of new practices and usage, or by judicial precedents. Although Parliament has the theoretical power to make or repeal any law, in actual practice the weight of 700 years of tradition restrains arbitrary actions.<br />
<br />
Executive power rests nominally with the monarch but actually is exercised by a committee of ministers (cabinet) selected from among the members of the House of Commons and, less frequently, the House of Lords. The prime minister is normally the leader of the largest party in the House of Commons, and can remain in office for so long as he or she has the support of a majority in that body.<br />
<br />
===Cabinet of the United Kingdom===<br />
(As of 25 October 2022)<br />
*Head of State—[[King Charles III]] <br />
*Prime Minister (Head of Government)—[[Rishi Sunak]]<br />
*Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary—Dominic Raab <br />
*Chancellor—Jeremy Hunt <br />
*Foreign Secretary—James Cleverly <br />
*Defence Secretary—Ben Wallace <br />
*Home Secretary—Suella Braverman <br />
*Health Secretary—Steve Barclay <br />
*Education Secretary—Gillian Keegan <br />
*International Trade Secretary—Kemi Badenoch <br />
*Environment Secretary—Therese Coffey <br />
*Business Secretary—Grant Shapps <br />
*Culture Secretary—Michelle Donelan <br />
*Work and Pensions Secretary—Mel Stride <br />
*Secretary for Scotland—Alister Jack<br />
*Secretary for Wales—David T.C. Davies <br />
*Secretary for Northern Ireland—Chris Heaton-Harris <br />
*Chief Whip—Simon Hart<br />
==Parliament==<br />
<br />
[[File:Westminster palace Charles Barry.jpg|left|380px]]<br />
Parliament was authorized in the [[Magna Carta]] (1215), and first summoned by King Edward I in 1296, making it one of the oldest governing bodies in the world. Parliament represents the entire country, and can legislate for the whole or for any constituent part or combination of parts. Elections are called by the Prime Minister, but the maximum length of a parliament is usually 5 years (except in wartime). The focus of legislative power is the 646 member [[House of Commons]], which has sole jurisdiction over finance. Normally the government—the Prime Minister and cabinet with their supporting MPs—have full control of the House. If they lose control an new general election may be held. The House of Lords, although shorn of most of its powers, can still review, amend, or delay temporarily any bills except those relating to the budget. In 1999, the government removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to hold seats in the House of Lords. The current house consists of appointed life peers who hold their seats for life and 92 hereditary peers who will hold their seats only until final reforms have been agreed upon and implemented. The judiciary is independent of the legislative and executive branches, but cannot review the constitutionality of legislation. <br />
<br />
Members of the House of Commons are elected to represent specific geographic constituencies. Members are elected on a "First past the post" system as opposed to proportional representation or other electoral systems. In effect this means that a third party with less than 25% of the vote typically obtains very few seats.<br />
<br />
==Constituent countries==<br />
<br />
[[File:Scottish Eilean Donan castle.jpg|thumb|300px|Scottish Eilean Donan castle.]]<br />
The separate identities of each of the United Kingdom's constituent parts are also reflected in their respective governmental structures. Up until the recent devolution of power to Scotland and Wales, a cabinet minister (the Secretary of State for Wales) handled Welsh affairs at the national level with the advice of a broadly representative council for Wales. Scotland maintains, as it did before union with England, different systems of law (Roman-French), education, local government, judiciary, and national church (the Church of Scotland instead of the Church of England). In addition, separate departments grouped under a Secretary of State for Scotland, who also is a cabinet member, handled most domestic matters. In late 1997, however, following approval of referenda by Scottish and Welsh voters (though only narrowly in Wales), the British Government introduced legislation to establish a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly. The first elections for the two bodies were held May 6, 1999. The Welsh Assembly opened on May 26, and the Scottish Parliament opened on July 1, 1999. The devolved legislatures have largely taken over most of the functions previously performed by the Scottish and Welsh offices. <br />
<br />
Northern Ireland had its own Parliament and prime minister from 1921 to 1973, when the British Government imposed direct rule in order to deal with the deteriorating political and security situation. From 1973, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, based in London, was responsible for the region, including efforts to resolve the issues that lay behind the "the troubles." <br />
<br />
By the mid-1990s, gestures toward peace encouraged by successive British governments and by President Clinton began to open the door for restored local government in Northern Ireland. An Irish Republican Army (IRA) cease-fire and nearly 2 years of multiparty negotiations, led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of 10 April 1998, which was subsequently approved by majorities in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Key elements of the agreement include devolved government, a commitment of the parties to work toward "total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations," police reform, and enhanced mechanisms to guarantee human rights and equal opportunity. The Good Friday Agreement also called for formal cooperation between the Northern Ireland institutions and the Government of the Republic of Ireland, and it established the British-Irish Council, which includes representatives of the British and Irish Governments as well as the devolved Governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Devolved government was reestablished in Northern Ireland in December 1999. <br />
<br />
The Agreement (more commonly known as the "Good Friday Agreement", and more rarely as the Belfast Agreement<ref>http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/key-issues/the-agreement.htm</ref>) was reached on Friday, April 10, 1998 in Belfast and provides for a 108-member elected Assembly, overseen by a 12-minister Executive Committee (cabinet) in which unionists and nationalists share leadership responsibility. Northern Ireland elects 18 representatives to the Westminster Parliament in London. However, the five Sinn Féin Members of Parliament (MPs), who won seats in the 2004 election, have refused to claim their seats. <br />
<br />
===Political conditions===<br />
<br />
[[David Cameron]] became Prime Minister on May 11, 2010, after [[Gordon Brown]] resigned, and led a [[Conservative Party|Con]]-[[Liberal Democrats|Dem]] coalition in 2010.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8676607.stm "David Cameron and Nick Clegg pledge 'united' coalition"] ''BBC News'', Election 2010.</ref> In 2015, a general election was called<ref>Under the provisions of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 (c. 14), parliamentary elections in the UK must be held every five years, beginning in 2015. The Act received Royal Assent on 15 September 2011. Fixed-term Parliaments, where general elections ordinarily take place in accordance with a schedule set far in advance, were part of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement which was produced after the 2010 general election.</ref> and Cameron's Conservative Party won a majority of seats, against all odds.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/11599600/How-did-the-Conservatives-win-the-general-election.html "How did the Conservatives win the general election?"] ''The Daily Telegraph''</ref> It must be noted that despite its name, many supporters of the European Union and homosexual "marriage" are members of the Conservative Party.<br />
<br />
===Membership in the European Union (1973-2020)===<br />
<br />
The [[Conservative Party|Conservative]] government of [[Edward Heath|Sir Edward Heath]] took the UK into the [[European Union]] in 1973. The [[Labour Party]] under [[Harold Wilson]] won the 1974 general elections and due to splits within the party, called the only national [[referendum]] asking the people if they wanted to stay in the Union. The "yes" vote won by a margin of approximately two to one. The Labour and Conservative parties have since had deep divisions over Union membership. Labour's 1983 manifesto promised to leave the Union, and whilst the Conservative party have never pledged to leave the Union, a growing band of "Eurosceptics" threatened to tear the party apart in the 1990s. The Labour, Conservative and Scottish National parties wish to stay in the Union although disagree over the level of integration, but smaller parties such as the [[UK Independence Party]] and the Referendum Party campaigned on the single issue of sovereignty being lost to the Union.<br />
<br />
A referendum to [[Brexit|leave the EU]] was successfully held on June 23, 2016. In accordance with a [[Conservative Party]] manifesto commitment, the legal basis for a referendum was established by the passage of the European Union Referendum Act 2015 by the British Parliament. It was the third plebiscite held throughout the United Kingdom, and the second time the British electorate had been asked to vote on the issue of European Union membership: the first was held in 1975, when it was known as the EEC. Membership was approved in that referendum by 67% of voters – but the nature of the EU changed dramatically since then.<ref>Adrian Williamson, [http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/the-case-for-brexit-lessons-from-1960s-and-1970s The Case for Brexit: Lessons from the 1960s and 1970s], History and Policy (2015).</ref> The referendum result, to leave the European Union, was a historic victory for conservative eurosceptics, and the next day, liberal prime minister [[David Cameron]], who had supported EU membership despite its many flaws and no real benefits, resigned.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36615028 Brexit: David Cameron to quit after UK votes to leave EU]. ''BBC''. June 24, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.</ref><ref>Gross, Jenny; Winning, Nicholas (June 24, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-s-brexit-vote-throws-political-scene-into-disarray-1466786724 Brexit Vote Throws U.K. Political Scene Into Disarray]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 15, 2016.</ref> Another winner was conservative Eurosceptic [[Nigel Farage]].<br />
<br />
In 31th January of 2020 the United Kingdom started the transition period of leaving the European Union in which a trade deal should be negociated until January 2021.<br />
=== United Kingdom's parliament and homosexuality ===<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom's parliament and homosexuality]]<br />
<br />
In 2022, ''The [[Daily Mail]]'' published the video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvjaceyRdUw 'The gayest parliament in the world': MP John Nicolson applauded]. <br />
<br />
[[File:Union jack.jpg|thumbnail|251px|right|''Time'' magazine noted in 2015: "Following last week’s election, the U.K. now has more lesbian, gay or bisexual Members of Parliament (MPs) than anywhere in the world."<ref>[https://time.com/3858341/westminster-gay-parliament/ The U.K. Now Has More Gay Lawmakers Than Any Other Country], Time magazine, May 14, 2015</ref> ]]<br />
On May 14, 2015, ''Time'' magazine noted:<br />
{{Cquote|Following last week’s election, the U.K. now has more lesbian, gay or bisexual Members of Parliament (MPs) than anywhere in the world. The Westminster House of Commons now boasts 32 MPs who openly identify as LGB (there are no transgender MPs) out of 650, making up 4.9% of the Parliament.<br />
<br />
The data comes from the University of North Carolina’s LGBT Representation and Rights Research Initiative, but collecting statistics on LGBT representation is always tricky because some lawmakers may not have revealed their sexuality. In fact, there could be more gay MPs in another country where people do not feel as free to state their sexual preference in public. Nevertheless, the fact that more are willing to do so in Britain than elsewhere signals more progressive attitudes, putting it ahead of countries like Sweden where there are only 12 out lawmakers (3.4% of the parliament).<br />
<br />
Elsewhere in Europe there are only two currently-serving transgender lawmakers, Belgium’s Petra De Sutter and Poland’s Anna Grodzka. There have only been two other openly transgender lawmakers in the world: New Zealand’s Georgina Beyer who won a seat in 1999 and retired from politics in 2007, and Vladimir Luxuria who was elected in Italy in 2006 but lost her seat two years later.<br />
<br />
The number of gay British MPs is not far off the U.K. proportion as a whole, which is roughly between 5% and 7% of the country according to the government’s estimate. Thirteen of Britain’s out MPs belong to the center-left Labour Party and 12 to the center-right Conservatives.<br />
<br />
It was the Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron who introduced same-sex marriage in March 2014, despite significant opposition within his party. He has said this was one of his proudest achievements during his first term as Prime Minister.<ref>[https://time.com/3858341/westminster-gay-parliament/ The U.K. Now Has More Gay Lawmakers Than Any Other Country], Time magazine, May 14, 2015</ref>}}<br />
<br />
In 2021, the British newspaper ''The Times'' noted that "Britain has most gay parliament in the world".<ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/britain-has-most-gay-parliament-in-the-world-use-it-as-force-for-good-0wcgczznk Britain has most gay parliament in the world — use it as force for good] by Crispin Blunt, The Times, May 18 2021</ref><br />
<br />
==Foreign relations and military==<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is a founding member of the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO) and historically it has been one of NATO's major European maritime, air, and land powers. However, in February 2023, after a United States general warned that the British army was no longer a top-level fighting force, Louise Jones who is head of intelligence at McKenzie Intelligence Service, indicated that the British military is no longer a tier 1 military due to its underfunding relative to the investments that other comparable countries have made to their militaries and that the UK would be flattering itself if it thinks it has a tier 2 military.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bUbwkSklhM In full: Is the army fighting fit?]</ref> <br />
<br />
The Tasmin News Agency reported on January 08, 2023:<br />
{{Cquote|About 40,000 of the UK military’s 145,000 personnel have been officially classified as dangerously overweight or obese over the past five years, according to Ministry of Defense (MoD) statistics as cited by a British media outlet.<br />
The statistics also revealed that 5,200 obese or overweight British servicemen have been medically discharged since 2010, with scores of soldiers suffering from Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, Sputnik reported.<br />
<br />
The heaviest soldier, who was sacked from the army after failing mandatory fitness tests, weighed more than 420 pounds (over 190 kg).<br />
<br />
Over 850 troops have reportedly been prescribed diet pills since 2014, while 60 others have had liposuction surgery to tackle the problem.<br />
<br />
This came as a MoD spokesperson claimed that “personnel can have multiple causes listed in a medical discharge, so may not have been discharged specifically for weight related issues.”<ref>[https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2023/01/08/2833750/uk-military-hit-by-dangerously-overweight-soldiers-related-problems-report UK Military Hit by ‘Dangerously’ Overweight Soldiers-Related Problems: Report], Tasmin News Agency, January, 08, 2023</ref>}}<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom was a member of the European Community (now European Union) from 1973 to 2020. In the United Nations, the United Kingdom is a permanent member of the Security Council. The U.K. held the Presidency of the G-8 during 2005; it held the EU Presidency from July to December 2005. <br />
[[File:Royal Naval college UK.jpg|thumb|right|380px|Royal Naval College.]]<br />
The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, promoting Britain's wider security interests, and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. The 37,000-member Royal Navy, which includes 6,000 Royal Marine commandos, is in charge of the United Kingdom's independent strategic nuclear arm, which consists of four Trident missile submarines. The British Army, consisting of approximately 99,200 personnel, the Royal Air Force, with 42,000 personnel, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, are active and regular participants in NATO and other coalition operations. Approximately 9% of the British Armed Forces is female, and 4% of British forces represent ethnic minorities.<br />
<br />
In May 2021 the UK announced a plan to slash 9,500 soldiers from the British Army from 82,000 to just 72,500.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56477900</ref> On June 28, 2022 Chief of General Staff General Patrick Sanders said at a RUSI conference: “The war in Ukraine reminds us of the utility of Land Power: it takes an army to hold and regain territory and defend the people. It takes an Army to deter. If this battle came, we would likely be outnumbered at the point of attack and fighting like hell […] You can’t cyber your way across a river. No single platform, capability, or tactic will unlock the problem.”<br />
<br />
An email sent from [[Hunter Biden]] to his business partner [[Devon Archer]] on April 13, 2014 contained information from a classified [[U.S. State Department]] memo one week before Joe Biden visited Ukraine to meet prime minister [[Arseniy Yatsenyuk]]. The email predicted an escalation of Russia’s “destabilization campaign, which could lead to a full scale takeover of the eastern region, most critically [[Donetsk]]":<br />
{{quotebox-float|“The strategic value is to create a land bridge for [[Russia|RU]] to [[Crimea]]. That won’t directly affect [[Burisma]] holdings but it will limit future [[UK]] exploration and utilization of offshore opportunities in particular.<br />
<br />
It will also result in further destabilization of UK nationally and for whatever govt is in power. And the US will respond with even stronger sanctions. Those sanctions will threaten the tenuous support of the [[EU]] which does not have the political will to incur steep energy price increases.”<ref>https://nypost.com/2023/01/22/theres-no-hiding-bidens-fright-over-classified-document-scandal/</ref> }}<br />
<br />
===NATO war in Ukraine===<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
<br />
During the [[Donbas war]] crisis of 2022, Russian foreign minister [[Sergey Lavrov]] asked U.K. foreign secretary [[Elizabeth Truss]] whether London recognizes Moscow’s sovereignty over the regions of Rostov and Voronezh. Truss replied that the UK “will never recognize Russia’s sovereignty over these regions.” British Ambassador to Russia Deborah Bronnert had to intervene and remind the Foreign Secretary that these two regions are actually considered Russian territory even by the United Kingdom and in fact those regions have been part of Russia for over 1,000 years.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/biden-warns-world-war-whils-truss-says-rostov-and-voronezh-are-not-russian</ref><br />
[[File:The Economist propaganda.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Indians found Western propaganda during the Russo-Ukraine war highly offensive and racist. In this cartoon from the UK tabloid ''[[The Economist]]'', [[NATO]] powers attempted to intimidate India to sign on to condemnation of Russia for the [[false flag]] [[Bucha massacre]] of civilians committed by [[MI6]] and the [[Security Service of Ukraine]].<ref>https://youtu.be/ps6HuQRWcWY</ref>]]<br />
The government of the United Kingdom added a British citizen, [[Graham Phillips]],<ref>https://www.youtube.com/c/GrahamPhillipsUK/videos</ref> a journalist and documentary film maker reporting from [[Donbas]], to the sanctions list and seized his bank account for reporting on the NATO war in Ukraine.<br />
<br />
====Provocations====<br />
<br />
Operation Orbital is the UK program to train Ukrainian fascist forces for aggressive warfare since 2014.<ref>https://medium.com/voices-of-the-armed-forces/operation-orbital-explained-training-ukrainian-armed-forces-59405d32d604</ref><br />
<br />
According to ''RIA Novosti'', British officers were abruptly redeployed to Kyiv on February 24, 2022 to command defense of the city from a headquarters set up in a school. “A source in the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that after a swift offensive by a group of Russian troops on February 24 against Kiev, the British, who were assisting with intelligence to the ATO headquarters in Kramatorsk, moved to Kiev to lead the city’s defence from a headquarters based at school No 72″, – he said.<ref>https://en.news-front.info/2022/05/13/british-officers-already-working-in-kramatorsk-12-days-before-russian-special-operation-in-ukraine-begins/</ref><br />
<br />
Former leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Ilya Kiva said that the [[Bucha massacre]] was planned and prepared in advance by the [[counterintelligence]] of Ukraine, with the assistance of the British [[MI6]]. Kiva said, <br />
{{quotebox-float|"The whole story in Bucha was prepared and planned in advance by the [[SBU]] and [[MI6]]. They arrived early in the morning, cordoned off the area, scattered the corpses and then sent [[journalist]]s there. That's why that clown Zelensky even came back. To raise the interest of the international press in the alleged tragedy, but it's all a pure fake. Why didn't such a situation take place in other areas? Don`t you understand that it was staged in advance, which was supposed to arouse the aggression and hatred in you first of all. But it didn't happen."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ot894JsANM</ref>}}<br />
Ukrainian commanders told ''[[The Times of London]]'' that soldiers from Britain’s Special Air Service (SAS) trained Ukrainian troops in Kyiv.<ref>https://archive.ph/5CG2z</ref><br />
[[File:Brimstone.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Captured UK Brimstone missile.]]<br />
On May 1, 2022 ''Defense Updates'' reported on the delivery of hundreds of the UK ''[[Wunderwaffen]]'' Brimstone precision guided missiles to Ukraine. ''Defense Updates'' reported: <br />
{{quotebox-float|"UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has stated that victory for Ukraine is a "strategic imperative" for the West and Russian forces must be pushed out of "the whole of Ukraine". This is the clearest statement that has been made yet regarding Britain's war aims which have, until now, been limited to stating that President Putin's invasion of Ukraine "must fail and be seen to fail"....The missile has a range of 60+ km or 37+ mi and a maximum speed of Mach 1.3....It has been estimated that Brimstone is 3 times more effective than the AGM-65G Maverick missile against modern tanks, and 7 times more effective than the BL755 cluster bomb. In combat, Brimstone has demonstrated accuracy and reliability "both well above 90 percent"...This capability will fundamentally change the tactical scenario since the Russian forces will now know that they may have to face long-range precision attacks, chances of which were very limited earlier. It is to be noted that The West is sharing critical intelligence with Ukraine which can be used to prioritize and target the most important Russian assets."<ref>https://youtu.be/x4Nb5XVjezY</ref>}}<br />
On May 8, 2022, it was reported that the Russians captured a fully intact Brimstone missile which can now be reversed engineered.<ref>https://youtu.be/ZmdZN77avfI</ref> By the time the "hundreds" of Brimstones are launched against thousands of Russian tanks, a Russian and Chinese version of the Brimstone will likely be available. From that point forward it is only a question of who can produce more, faster. The US and EU's sanction regime against Russia limits the availability of certain component materials needed. Brimstone is a next generation improvement on the American Hellfire missile, bringing Hellfire and Brimstone to the battlefield. On the same day as the disastrous and humiliating defeat and surrender at Azovstal, May 17, 2022, a Russian missile hit a military barrack at Desna, a military base 46 miles northeast of Kyiv, killing 87.<ref>https://sonar21.com/desna-is-just-one-disaster-for-the-ukrainian-military/</ref> The base was hit again in June, this time killing 200.<br />
<br />
While Ukraine was losing 20,000 soldiers a month, [[Boris Johnson]] travelled to Kyiv to promise training for 10,000 soldiers every four months.<ref>https://youtu.be/Lj-Vj_YWYfE</ref><br />
<br />
On June 19, 2022 Commander of UK Strategic Command Gen. Thomas Patrick wrote to the UK Royal Army troops, "There is now an urgent need to forge an army capable of fighting alongside our allies and defeating Russia in battle. We are the generation that must prepare the Army to fight in Europe once again. There is now a burning imperative to forge an Army capable of fighting alongside our allies and defeating Russia in battle."<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/british-troops-must-prepare-to-fight-in-europe-once-again-says-uks-new-army-chief-articleshow.html</ref><br />
<br />
On July 11, 2022, the BBC reported that UK Special Forces were involved in the illegally killing of 54 unarmed detainees in [[Afghanistan]].<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-62083196</ref><br />
<br />
====UK military-intelligence organization====<br />
<br />
Leaked documents revealed that British military-intelligence organizations were training a guerrilla army of 'stay behind' sabotage groups to attack Russian military and civilian targets in Crimea. The investigative news website ''The Grayzone'' named the key players working with the [[Security Service of Ukraine]] (SBU) in [[Odessa]] to set up the covert force.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/11/03/british-spies-terror-army-ukraine/</ref> They include military consultant Hugh Ward, who works for private security firm Rezolutionz, [[MI6]] veteran Guy Spindler, former Lithuanian defense minister Audrius Butkevicius and veteran intelligence agent Chris Donnelly. ''The Grayzone'' also reported that British private military contractor Prevail Partners, founded by former Royal Marines Brigadier and Special Boat Service (SBS) commander Justin Hedges and other ex-commandoes, had been hired to train the new [[guerrilla]] force.<br />
[[File:UK intrusion August 15, 2022.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Intrusion of UK military reconnaissance aircraft in the Murmansk region, August 15, 2022.]]<br />
''The Greyzone'' reported Spindler and Butkevicius lobbied governments to ramp up funding for the program. Internal emails seen by the site asked: "will [[Uncle Sam]] pay for this?" while a "costed proposal" to the British Ministry of Defense had been "turned down for risk reasons."<br />
<br />
Alex Finnen, of the British army Specialist Group Military Intelligence section of the 77 Brigade cyber-warfare centre and the Foreign Office's Russia Unit, said in one email from March 2022 that the proposal — tendered at $600,000 per insurgent per year — was “very expensive for what it is,” although the firm was in a "seller's market". “I suspect that they have taken the first figure they thought of and then doubled it. So, there needs to be more discussion as to how and what these people are going to do,” Finnen wrote. “Partisans live in and amongst the people. That suggests that you need people from across Ukraine, in small teams to take part as Prevail suggest ‘oblast by oblast’. How are they going to achieve this?”<br />
<br />
Justin Hedges claimed that his firm could do a much better job by training 40-strong groups in guerrilla warfare tactics. He said funding could be “provided by flowing ‘donations’ through Prevail's established [[NGO]], Rhizome Insights Ltd,” without leaving a clear trail from governments to the mercenary firm.<br />
<br />
Russia accused the UK of complicity in the September 26, 2022 bombing of the [[Nord Stream]] pipelines across the [[Baltic Sea]], the October 8, 2022 truck bombing of the [[Kerch Strait bridge]] to Crimea and the October 29, 2022 attack on the Crimean port of [[Sevastopol]] with seven marine and nine aerial drones. Other incidents in the Crimean peninsula are suspected to be the work of covert units, including an explosion at a military airfield in August 2022 and an attack using a small drone to drop explosives.<br />
<br />
====UK sabotages peace negotiations====<br />
[[File:Zelensky and Boris.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelesnky and BoJo. Boris Johnson sabotaged peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine in April 2022. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers died needlessly in the following months,]]<br />
''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in May 2022 on Boris Johnson's unannounced surprise visit to Kyiv shortly after Russia and Ukraine had reached a peace settlement in their talks in [[Istanbul]]. The Russians had agreed to withdraw to the pre-February 2022 borders and Zelensky would implement the [[Minsk Accords]]. ''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in essence what Johnson told Zelensky according to sources close to the Ukrainian dictator:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"if Ukraine is ready to sign some agreements on guarantees with Putin, they [the UK and US] are not. Johnson’s position was that the [[Western alliance|collective West]], which back in February had suggested Zelenskyy should surrender and flee, now felt that Putin was not really as powerful as they had previously imagined, and that here was a chance to "press him."<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/western-allies-led-uks-johnson-sabotaged-tentative-ukraine-russia-peace-deal</ref>}}<br />
[[File:Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Ukrainian troops training in North Yorkshire.jpeg|left|300px|thumb|Boris Johnson posing with Ukrainian special forces. Most were killed in an unsuccessful NATO raid on the [[Zaporozhye nuclear power plant]].]]<br />
On October 13, 2022, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference:<br />
<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We sat at the negotiating table with the Ukrainian delegation until the end of March [2022], when an approach to a settlement on the principles suggested by the Ukrainians at the time had been harmonised in [[Istanbul]]. These principles suited us for that moment but the talks were stopped by direct order from Washington and London.<br />
<br />
This conflict is overrun with [[Anglo-Saxon]]s that fully control the Vladimir Zelensky regime. The Poles and people from the Baltics are trying to fit in on their team.<br />
<br />
Since then the Ukrainian President has said many times that he is not going to hold talks with the Russian Federation under President Vladimir Putin. Recently, he codified this ban in law. We have never sought negotiations. The Istanbul round completed the process started at Ukraine’s request. Russia positively reacted to the proposal to enter a dialogue, but its initiators cut it off with a shout from overseas or London.<br />
<br />
We are hearing statements by [[White House]] representative John Kirby, my colleague Antony Blinken and other members of the US administration. They are saying that they are completely open to talks with the Russian Federation, that they favor a political settlement of the current situation in Ukraine but Russia (the “troublemaker”) is rejecting proposals to establish contact. I can say straight away that this is a lie. We have not received any serious proposals to establish any such contact. There were some attempts that were not very serious, but we didn’t reject them, either. Instead, we suggested that they formulate specific proposals. Some people made them to us by proxy but in this case, we didn’t receive any clear explanations from anyone, either. No need to lie. We were taught in a kindergarten then lying is bad. Apparently, American kindergartens are not so advanced as they were in the [[Soviet Union]] and are now in Russia."}}<br />
<br />
====Kerch Strait bridge terror attack====<br />
[[File:Kerch Bridge.PNG|right|300px|thumb|The Ukrainian government took credit for the terrorist attack and destruction of civilian infrastructure on the Kerch Strait bridge.<ref>https://korybko.substack.com/p/western-values-now-include-celebrating</ref>]]<br />
The Grayzone obtained an April 2022 documents entitled, ''AUDACIOUS: Support for Ukraine Maritime Raiding Operations'',<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Support-for-Maritime-Raiding-Operations-Proposal.pdf</ref> drawn up for senior British intelligence officers hashing out an elaborate scheme to blow up Crimea's Kerch Bridge with the involvement of specially trained Ukrainian soldiers.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/10/10/ukrainian-kerch-bridge/</ref><br />
<br />
In August 2022 Zelensky aid [[Mykhailo Podolyak]] told the ''[[Guardian]]'' there could be more attacks in the “next two or three months” similar to strikes on a railway junction and an airbase in Crimea, as well as a hit on Russian warplanes at Crimea's Saky aerodrome. Podolyak told the ''Guardian'' that the Kerch Strait bridge linking Crimea with the Russian mainland was a target. “It’s an illegal construction and the main gateway to supply the Russian army in Crimea. Such objects should be destroyed,” he said.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/16/creating-chaos-zelenskiys-adviser-outlines-ukraines-military-strategy</ref> On August 18, 2022, the Russians reported shooting down surveillance drones over the Kerch Strait bridge.<br />
<br />
Podolyak took credit for the terrorist attack and destruction of civilian infrastructure: "Crimea, the bridge, the beginning. Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled."<ref>https://archive.ph/jJC0P</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) were behind the terrorist attack.<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ukraine-live-briefing-kyiv-celebrates-crimean-bridge-blast-russia-appoints-new-top-commander/ar-AA12Jldo</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/6V1mnXNczHI?t=1487</ref> The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) determined that Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, was the chief organizer on the Ukrainian end.<ref>https://nypost.com/2022/10/12/russia-arrests-8-in-crimea-bridge-blast-blames-ukraine/</ref> Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba confirmed that the Kyiv regime was behind the terrorist attack.<ref>https://youtu.be/uKZnhactW6k</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/hac6kaA68CQ</ref> The Ukrainian Post Office issued a commemorative stamp to honor the terrorist attack.<ref>https://youtu.be/CHhq783BNo8</ref> The attack was an act of state-sponsored terrorism by the government of Ukraine with U.S. taxpayer money.<br />
<br />
====Russia warns the UK government====<br />
On November 3, 2022, Russia summoned the British Ambassador to Moscow, Deborah Bronnert, over claims that the UK provided training to Ukrainian forces that attacked Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea. The Russian Foreign Ministry presented the diplomat with a “steadfast protest” and warned her that [[London]]’s hostile actions “could lead to unpredictable and dangerous consequences,” according to a statement published on the ministry's website. “If acts of aggression that risk turning [Britain] into a direct party in the conflict continue, the British side will solely bear the responsibility for their negative consequences and the increase in tensions between our countries,” the ministry said. <br />
<br />
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Ukrainian Navy conducted dives and a target detonation exercise in the Black Sea and on the shore near the cities of Odessa, Nikolayev, as well as Ochakov with the help of British experts. The Ambassador received a vehement complaint over the British military specialists' active involvement in training and supplying the units of the Ukrainian special operations forces, especially with the intention of carrying out acts of [[sabotage]] at sea. The ''[[demarche]]'' highlighted how such aggressive behavior by the British raises the possibility of an escalation and might have unforeseen and catastrophic results. <br />
<br />
According to the ministry, “An agreement was reached in September 2020 between London and Kyiv to expand the British instructors’ training programme for Ukrainian military divers.” Further, it stated that the Naval Training Initiative for the Ukrainian Navy, which includes combat swimmer training programs, was put into action by the parties in late 2020. <br />
<br />
Ministry underlined that the Joint Multinational Training Group - Ukraine initiative significantly strengthens naval cooperation between the United Kingdom and Ukraine. This work is done at a different Ataman Golovaty Special Operations Center "South" of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces in the city of Ochakov, Nikolayev region, and it contains training underwater special operations personnel for carrying out operations in the Black Sea and Azov Sea.<br />
<br />
Special operations divers are being trained in a military diving school in Odessa, which is a part of the 198th training facility for the Ukrainian Navy, Military Unit A3163, Nikolayev. This training includes deep-sea subversive techniques, among other things. The minesweeper personnel that was sent to Ukraine were taught by the British in the months of August 2022 and September, the ministry reported.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/russia-summons-british-envoy-deborah-bronnert-over-terrorist-attacks-on-black-sea-fleet-articleshow.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Depleted uranium dirty nuclear weapons====<br />
Sunak delivered [[depleted uranium]] shells - essentially [[dirty nuclear weapon]]s - to the fascist [[dictatorship]] of [[Volodymyr Zelensky]].<ref>[https://www.theinteldrop.org/2023/04/26/putin-warns-sunak-after-uks-big-admission-on-depleted-uranium-shells-in-ukraine/ Putin warns Sunak after UK’s big admission on depleted Uranium shells in Ukraine], INTEL-DROP, April 26, 2023.</ref><br />
[[File:UK depleted uranium.PNG|left|300px|thumb|On March 20, 2023, it was announced the UK was supplying nuclear weapons to Ukraine.<ref>https://declassifieduk.org/britain-supplying-depleted-uranium-rounds-to-ukraine/</ref>]]<br />
On January 25, 2023, Konstantin Gavrilov, the head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control, warned: <br />
{{quotebox-float|“We know that [[Leopard 2]] tanks, as well as Bradley and Marder armored fighting vehicles, can use [[depleted uranium]] shells, which can contaminate terrain, just like it happened in [[Yugoslavia]] and [[Iraq]]...If Kiev were to be supplied with such munitions for the use in western heavy military hardware, we would regard it as the use of ‘[[dirty nuclear bomb]]s’ against Russia, with all the consequences that entails.”}}<br />
Depleted uranium is a very dense metal, ideal to be used on projectiles because of its mass, and also because it ignites at around 600 degrees Celsius; it can penetrate an armoured vehicle and incinerate the crew once it enters the cabin. As a block or a projectile, the material can be handled with no health consequences, but when it ignites or explodes, it's turned into dust, then, it can be inhaled or ingested by live creatures and it wreaks havoc in the internal organs, creating a very large number of cancerous lesions and genetic malformations.<ref>[https://youtu.be/tiDNTA12_gk Depleted Uranium]</ref> That is why it is considered a very dangerous polluting material, same as a dirty bomb.<br />
<br />
The use of depleted uranium shells was developed by the United States in the 1980s. The Russian military made the decision at that time not to follow suit and compete by developing depleted uranium as a battlefield weapon because of its long lasting environmental and health effects. Existing tactical nuclear weapons were considered a sufficient deterrent to what is essentially a nuclear dirty bomb used by NATO and the United States.<br />
<br />
On March 20, 2023, Annabel Goldie, the British Minister of State for Defence, declared that her country would provide depleted uranium munitions to the Kyiv regime.<ref>https://youtu.be/vSG_3cduRLA</ref> In response, President Vladimir Putin reported on March 25 that the decision had been made to deploy a tactical nuclear weapon on the territory of Belarus by July 1, 2023, to reduce flight time against NATO aggressors. Reduced flight time, if even by a few seconds, is an important consideration in the age of modern missile defense.<br />
[[File:Khmelnytsky blast.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Prevailing winds after the release of gamma radiation from British depleted uranium shells in NATO occupied Ukraine.]] <br />
On May 2, 2023, [[Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.]], tied for the lead in the [[Democratic presidential candidates 2024|2024 Democratic presidential nomination]],<ref>https://www.newstarget.com/2023-05-10-rfk-jr-tied-biden-poll-democrats-trump.html</ref> warned:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"In another reckless escalation, [[Britain]] has confirmed delivery of depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine. [[DU]] munitions should be banned. They partially vaporize on impact, poisoning the environment with uranium dust that causes [[cancer]] and horrific birth defects."<ref>https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1653562264539070465</ref>}}<br />
On May 13, 2023, a series of explosions at the Khmelnytsky ammunition storage depot in western Ukraine led to a significant increase in gamma radiation levels,<ref>https://t.me/intelslava/47714</ref> suggesting the release of depleted uranium dust into the air posing severe risk to public health. The resultant fire was remotely extinguished by robots. Depleted uranium munitions, while typically emitting minimal gamma radiation, are known to pose risks when a large stockpile is destroyed, as in the Khmelnytsky incident.<br />
<br />
The effects of gamma radiation can be particularly detrimental to cellular structures and DNA/RNA molecules, with an extended range of damage in fluids such as gas or liquid. The British Department of Defense (DoD) confirmed that it provided depleted-uranium tank rounds to the Ukrainian armed forces. Reports indicate that the detonated warehouse in Khmelnytsky contained a substantial quantity of depleted uranium shells, causing alarm among locals and prompting residents to evacuate nearby areas. Yuri Kot, a political scientist, has stated that his sources confirm the presence of a large stockpile of depleted uranium shells in the destroyed Khmelnytsky warehouse.<br />
<br />
Following the explosions, gamma radiation levels in Khmelnytsky have rose steadily. This surge is particularly concerning as depleted uranium typically emits only a low dose of gamma radiation, suggesting the destruction of a significant quantity of munitions and the release of uranium dust into the surrounding environment.<br />
<br />
Dosimetric patrols in the city conducted radiation background measurements in uncharacteristic locations. Previous measurements were concentrated around the Khmelnytsky Nuclear Power Plant but were expanded to cover the regional center, western regions of the area, and Ternopil. The prevailing wind direction, blowing northwest at the time of the explosions, raised concerns about the spread of [[radioactive]] particles to [[Warsaw]], [[Berlin]], and [[Prague]].<ref>https://newindian.in/gamma-radiation-spikes-as-explosions-rock-munitions-depot-in-ukraine/</ref><br />
<br />
Residents were in a panic and began gathering their belongings and leaving the affected areas, including Khmelnytsky, Lviv, and Ternopil.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/05/radioactive-panic-russians-missiles-hit-ukrainian-ammunition-depot-in-khmelnytsky-causing-massive-explosion-cache-of-british-depleted-uranium-tank-shells-destroyed-gamma-radiation-spikes-in-the-r/</ref><br />
<br />
===Pakistan===<br />
The Pakistani [[ISI]] maintains extensive ties with British intelligence services. <ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/8698901/Pakistani-spies-in-the-Houses-of-Parliament.html</ref> Additionally, the UK hosts dozens of Pakistan Army officers on training courses each year, including at the Joint Services Command and Staff College. <ref>https://theprint.in/world/after-army-chiefs-visit-to-pakistan-uk-pushing-for-deeper-military-and-intelligence-ties/1615022/</ref><br />
<br />
===Iraq===<br />
<br />
The U.K. was the United States' main coalition partner under the designation Operation TELIC. Under UN Security Council Resolution 1483, the U.K. also shared with the United States responsibility for civil administration in Iraq and was an active participant in the Coalition Provisional Authority before the handover of Iraqi sovereignty on June 28, 2004. Britain's participation in the Iraq war and its aftermath remains a domestically controversial issue.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
Iraqi oil supply was considered to be 'vital' to British interests. The British Government saw Iraqi oil as "vital" to the UK's long-term energy security, and the effective privatisation of its oil industry was central to the post-invasion plan for the country, according to previously unseen Whitehall documents. [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iraqi-oil-supply-was-considered-to-be-vital-to-british-interests-2270072.html] ''The Independent.'' <br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
The Iraq Inquiry is conducted to identify lessons that can be learned from the Iraq conflict; the inquiry is concerned over Mr. Blair's evidence on the legal advice he received before agreeing to join the invasion, and the timing of the decision to go to war. [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chilcot-to-grill-blair-on-how-he-misled-iraq-war-inquiry-2185725.html] The Chair of the Inquiry, Sir John Chilcot (1939) was Staff Counsellor to the Security and Intelligence Agencies (1999-2004) and the National Criminal Intelligence Service (2002–06).<br />
<br />
===Afghanistan===<br />
{{See also|Rape of Afghanistan}}<br />
[[File:As long as it takes.PNG|right|300px|thumb|''Reuters'' from 2010. UK pulled out after the country was destroyed with delivering freedom or democracy.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-afghanistan/uk-to-stay-in-afghanistan-as-long-as-it-takes-idUSTRE6A71TI20101108</ref>]]<br />
Britain stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States following the [[September 11, 2001]] terrorist attacks in the U.S., and its military forces were part of the coalition force in Afghanistan. The British force in [[Afghanistan War|Afghanistan]] were at 9,000 in late 2009 and rose by an extra 500 troops in 2010. British forces were primarily based in the Helmand region, where they were on the front line in the war against continued [[Taliban]] terrorism. In addition, Britain contributed more than £500 million to Afghan reconstruction—the second-largest donor after the U.S.<br />
<br />
Democrat socialist leader [[Joe Biden]] of the United States assured key allies at the June 2021 [[G7]] Summit in [[Cornwall]] that he would maintain enough of a security presence in Afghanistan to ensure they could continue to operate in the capital following the main U.S. withdrawal. Biden promised Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other leaders that “critical U.S. enablers” would remain in place to keep Kabul safe following the drawdown of NATO forces. British officials determined the U.S. would provide enough personnel to ensure that the U.K. embassy in Kabul could continue operating.<br />
<br />
But the withdrawal of U.S. forces saw the Afghan government collapse as Taliban fighters raced across the country, culminating in scenes of chaos at Kabul’s airport. The British embassy was evacuated. The UK foreign minister faced calls to resign over the inability to extract people on the ground, ''Bloomberg'' reported.<ref> https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-20/biden-assured-allies-in-june-u-s-would-ensure-kabul-s-stability?sref=MTy2GeXk</ref><br />
<br />
The circumstances surrounding the U.S. withdrawal served as a wake-up call to the anti-Trump elements in Great Britain who colluded with [[fake news]] [[mainstream media]] outlets, the [[2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign|Hillary Clinton campaign]], and the U.S. [[intelligence community]] to interfere in American elections and sabotage the presidency of [[Donald Trump]], of the reluctance of Washington to operate as a global policeman. During the Rape of Afghanistan, Biden ignored [[UK]] [[Prime Minister]] [[Boris Johnson]]'s frantic phone calls for 36 hours.<ref>https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2021/08/20/special-relationship-biden-ghosted-johnson-over-bungled-bugout-n1471066</ref><br />
According to the U.K . ''Telegraph'', <br />
[[File:KabulHasFallen.png|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal was condemned as “catastrophic” and “shameful” on Wednesday as the [[Houses of Parliament]] delivered an unprecedented rebuke to a US president. MPs and peers from across the political spectrum, including [[Boris Johnson]], put some blame for the Taliban’s takeover and the chaos that followed on Britain’s closest ally. Mr Biden was accused of “throwing us and everybody else to the fire” by pulling out US troops, and was called “dishonourable” for criticising Afghan forces for not having the will to fight. Former defence chiefs who led British troops in the Middle East were among those to speak out, while there were warnings that the West’s withdrawal would embolden Russia and China.<br />
<br />
[…] Labour MP Chris Bryant called Mr Biden’s remarks about Afghan soldiers “some of the most shameful comments ever from an American president”. Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP and former defence minister, said: “The Biden government have just come in and, without looking at what is happening on the ground, have taken a unilateral decision, throwing us and everybody else to the fire.” <ref>[https://archive.is/YkOPb#selection-517.0-535.24 Parliament holds Joe Biden in contempt over Afghanistan], By Ben Riley-Smith, ''The Telegraph'', 18 August 2021.</ref>}}<br />
Ben Wallace, [[UK]] defence secretary, broke down in tears saying, “some would not get back” from Afghanistan. “It’s sad. Twenty years of sacrifice is what it is."<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/afghanistan-taliban-uk-ben-wallace-b1903193.html NewsUKUK Politics<br />
Defence secretary breaks down in tears and admits ‘some won’t get back’ from Afghanistan], Adam Forrest, ''The Independent'', August 16, 2021.<br />
</ref> Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab concluded that Britain would have to turn to Russia and China to assist with exercising a "moderating influence" over the Taliban despite a deep mistrust of both regimes. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Tom Tugendhat wrote, <br />
[[File:Biden Imbecile.PNG|left|300px|thumb|''Sunday Mirror'', August 22, 2021.<ref>https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunday-mirror/20210822/page/1</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The [[fall of Kabul]] is the biggest foreign policy disaster since [[Suez Crisis|Suez]]. The operation to seize the canal in 1956 symbolised the end of [[British Empire|Britain’s global ambition]] and refocused us on Nato and alliances. It showed conclusively that the US could limit our actions and change our policy. The fall of Kabul will be remembered for similar reasons: not just its abject failure, but also because it revealed the nature of US power and our inability to hold a separate line. The redeployment of 2,500 US troops, half as many as it takes to crew a carrier, ended 20 years of British effort in Afghanistan and left thousands of British citizens under Taliban jurisdiction....The longer-term question is: what next? Is Britain’s [[foreign policy]] achievable given the past week? What are the implications for our alliances?...just like in Suez, we need to reset to make sure that a false narrative does not grow, and that means commitment. Cuts to overseas engagement, whether defence, diplomacy, aid or trade, will look different today from how they did a week ago...." <ref>[https://archive.is/KmgYt Tom Tugendhat on Afghanistan: Six decades after Suez, we remain impotent in the face of US policy], August 16 2021, ''The Times''.</ref>}}<br />
Former Tory prime minister [[Theresa May]] said "What does it say about NATO if we are entirely dependent on a unilateral decision taken by the United States? ... Did we feel we just had to follow the United States and hope that on a wing and a prayer it'd be all right on the night?" Former Labour prime minister [[Tony Blair]] slammed Biden's "imbecilic" retreat.<ref>https://archive.is/2D8am#selection-491.1-491.56</ref> Blair said the "deep politicisation" of US foreign policy was "visibly atrophying" American influence, and claimed the debacle over the withdrawal risked Britain being relegated to the "second division" of global powers.<br />
<br />
===Israel===<br />
<br />
Britain has shown a greater willingness than the United States to criticize the Israelis over settlements and what some call the disproportionate responses to provocations from Gaza and southern Lebanon. (Jewish Labour MP Gerald Kaufman is among the most vocal.) Like his predecessors, both Labour and Conservative, former Foreign Secretary Milliband has been unequivocal: "Settlements are illegal under international law," he told Parliament in 2008; "They are a major blockage to peace in the Middle East on the basis of a two-state solution." His successor William Hague, on 20 March 2011, "expressed our serious concern over the recent announcement of 400 new housing units in the West Bank. Continued settlements run contrary to peace.” A BBC poll in March 2011 found that 14% of British subjects have a generally positive opinion of Israel while 66% have a generally negative opinion.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
<br />
[[File:Send_a_gun_to_a_British_home.jpg|thumb|right|[[Second Amendment]]-supporting [[American]] [[citizen]]s gifted their [[firearm]]s to [[gun free zone]]-[[gun control]] supporting British citizens during [[World War II]] via [[The American Committee for the Defense of British Homes]]]]<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is one of the United States' closest allies, and British foreign policy emphasises close coordination with the United States. Bilateral cooperation reflects the common language, ideals, and democratic practices of the two nations. Relations were strengthened by the countries' alliances during both World Wars, and its role as a founding member of NATO, in the Korean conflict, in the Persian Gulf War, and in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The United Kingdom and the United States continually consult on foreign policy issues and global problems and share major foreign and security policy objectives. <br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is the fifth-largest market for U.S. goods exports after Canada, Mexico, Japan, and China, and the sixth-largest supplier of U.S. imports after Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany. U.S. exports of goods and services to the United Kingdom in 2006 totaled $92 billion, while U.S. imports from the U.K. totaled $93 billion. The United States has had a trade deficit with the United Kingdom since 1998. The United Kingdom is a large source of foreign tourists in the United States. In 2005, 3.4 million U.S. residents visited the United Kingdom, while 4.2 million U.K. residents visited the United States. <br />
<br />
The United States and the United Kingdom share the world's largest foreign direct investment partnership. U.S. investment in the United Kingdom reached $324 billion in 2005, while U.K. direct investment in the U.S. totaled $282 billion. This investment sustains more than 1 million American jobs.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
[[File:London.jpg|thumb|left|280px|London's financial center.]]<br />
Britain has been hard hit by the [[Recession of 2008]], with its major banks taken over or subsidized by the government. Real gross domestic product declined by 4.6% in 2009, and is expected to rise by 0.6% before 2010 and probably will continue to increase by 1% in 2011. <br />
<br />
Britain has the sixth-largest economy in the world, and the second largest economy in Europe. It is a major international trading power. A highly developed, diversified, market-based economy with extensive social welfare services provides most residents with a high standard of living. Unemployment and inflation levels are amongst the lowest within Europe.<br />
<br />
Since 1979, the British Government has privatised most state-owned companies, including British Steel, British Airways, British Telecom, British Coal, British Aerospace, and British Gas, although in some cases the government retains a "golden share" in these companies. The previous Labour government continued the privatisation policy of its Conservative predecessor, particularly by encouraging "public-private partnerships" (partial privatisation) in such areas as the London Underground. The economy of the United Kingdom is now primarily based on private enterprise, accounting for approximately four-fifths of employment and output. <br />
[[File:Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent, England Crop 2009.jpg|thumb|440px|Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent, 2009.]]<br />
London ranks alongside New York as a leading international financial centre. London's financial exports contribute greatly to the United Kingdom's balance of payments. Ratings agencies rank the United Kingdom's banking sector as one of the strongest in the world and its banks are amongst the most profitable in the G-8. It is a global leader in emissions trading and is home to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). It is also a government priority to make London the leading center of Islamic finance. <br />
<br />
Britain a significant European energy exporter. It is also one of the world's largest energy consumers, and most analysts predict a shift in U.K. status from net exporter to net importer of energy by 2020, possibly sooner. Oil production in the U.K. is levelling off. While North Sea natural gas production continues to rise, gains may be offset by ever-increasing consumption. North Sea oil and gas exploration activities are shifting to smaller fields and to increments of larger, developed fields, presenting opportunities for smaller, independent energy operators to become active in North Sea production. <br />
*GDP (at current market prices, 2007 est.): US$1.93 trillion.<br />
*Annual growth rate (2009 est.): -4.6%<br />
*Per capita GDP (2006 est.): US$31,800. <br />
*Natural resources: Coal, oil, natural gas.<br />
*Agriculture (1.1% of GDP): Products—cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables, cattle, sheep, poultry, fish.<br />
*Industry: Types—steel, heavy engineering and metal manufacturing, textiles, motor vehicles and aircraft, construction (5.2% of GDP), electronics, chemicals.<br />
*Trade (2006 est.): Exports of goods and services—US$468.8 billion: manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco. Major markets—U.S., European Union. Imports of goods and services—US$603 billion: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs. Major suppliers—U.S., European Union, Japan. <br />
<br />
=== Economic History ===<br />
<br />
In 1960, the United Kingdom had the fourth-largest economy, with a GDP of $75 billion.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_largest_historical_GDP</ref> In 1965, the UK got surpassed by France, getting to fifth place, with a GDP of $100 billion. In 1970, the fast-growing Japanese economy surpassed the UK, bumping it to 6th place. In 1975, the UK got $240 billion, in 1980 it got $540 billion, and in 1985, the UK declined slightly to $535 billion. But the top 6 stayed the same, the United States, Soviet Union, Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. In 1990, Italy humiliated the UK, by putting the UK at 7th, despite booming to $1.1 trillion. In 1995, the UK grew to $1.325 trillion, bumping both Italy's curving economy and Russia's collapsing economy. In 2000, the UK went to $1.445 trillion, surpassing its longtime-rival-but-ally France, thus getting to 4th. In 2005, the UK boomed to $2.5 trillion dollars, keeping its 4th. In 2010, the UK declined to $2.25 trillion, getting bumped to 6th. In 2015, however, the UK got to $2.863 trillion, surpassing France again. In 2020, the booming Indian economy surpassed the UK, with $2.8 trillion (a small decline), bumping it to 6th.<br />
<br />
=== Currency ===<br />
<br />
The currency of the United Kingdom is the [[Pound|Pound Sterling]], commonly called Pound and written £ or GBP, divided into 100 New Pence (now commonly just called pence or 'p'). Traditionally the UK had a complicated triple currency structure of 20 [[shilling]]s to the Pound and 12 "old pence" (represented by a "d" from the Roman ''denarius'') to the shilling, making a total of 240 pence to the Pound. This system was abandoned in 1971 due to difficulties with computerised accounting systems, in favour of the current [[decimal]] system. <br />
<br />
The UK has never joined the [[Euro]] zone.<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
<br />
[[File:Stonehenge.jpg|thumb|left|Stonehenge.]]<br />
The Roman invasion of Britain in 43AD and most of Britain's subsequent incorporation into the Roman Empire stimulated development and brought more active contacts with the rest of Europe. However, there was no permanent Roman imprint apart from roads and locations for cities. As Rome's strength declined, the country again was exposed to invasion—including the pivotal incursions of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in the fifth and sixth centuries AD—up to the Norman conquest in 1066. Norman rule effectively ensured Britain's safety from further intrusions; certain institutions, which remain characteristic of Britain, could develop. Among these are a political, administrative, cultural, and economic centre in London; a separate but established church and distinctive and distinguished university education. <br />
<br />
====Union====<br />
<br />
Both Wales and Scotland were independent kingdoms that resisted English rule. The English conquest of Wales succeeded in 1282 under Edward I, and the Statute of Rhuddlan established English rule 2 years later. To appease the Welsh, Edward's son (later Edward II), who had been born in Wales, was made Prince of Wales in 1301. The tradition of bestowing this title on the eldest son of the British Monarch continues today. An act of 1536 completed the political and administrative union of England and Wales. <br />
<br />
While maintaining separate parliaments, England and Scotland were ruled by the same king beginning in 1603, when James VI of Scotland succeeded his cousin Elizabeth I as James I of England. In the ensuing 100 years, strong religious and political differences divided the kingdoms. Finally, in 1707, England and Scotland were unified as Great Britain, sharing a single Parliament at Westminster. <br />
<br />
Ireland's invasion by the Anglo-Normans in 1170 led to centuries of strife. Successive English kings sought to conquer Ireland. In the early 17th century, large-scale settlement of the north from Scotland and England began. After its defeat, Ireland was subjected, with varying degrees of success, to control and regulation by Britain. <br />
<br />
The legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was completed on January 1, 1801, under the name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (normally shortened to "Great Britain" or "Britain"). However, armed struggle for independence continued sporadically into the 20th century. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 established the Irish Free State, which subsequently left the Commonwealth and became a republic after World War II. Six northern, predominantly [[Protestant]], Irish counties have remained part of the United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
====British Expansion and Empire====<br />
<br />
[[Image:Sir Francis Grant's Portrait of Queen Victoria.jpg|right|200px|thumb|''Queen Victoria'', by [[Sir Francis Grant]].]]<br />
The '''British Empire''' was the [[List of largest empires|largest empire]] in history and, for over a century, was the foremost [[Great power|global power]]. It was a product of the [[Age of Discovery]], which began with the maritime explorations of the 15th century, that sparked the era of the European [[Colonialism|colonial]] empires. By 1921, the British Empire held sway over a population of about 458 million people, approximately one-quarter of the world's population.<ref>Angus Maddison. ''The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective'' (p. 98, 242). [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]], Paris, 2001.</ref> It covered about 36.7 million km² (14.2 million square miles),<ref>Bruce R. Gordon. [http://www.hostkingdom.net/earthrul.html ''To Rule the Earth...''] (See [http://www.hostkingdom.net/Bibliography.html Bibliography] for sources used.)</ref> about a quarter of Earth's total land area. As a result, its political, linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, it was often said that "[[The empire on which the sun never sets|the sun never sets on the British Empire]]" because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous [[colonies]] or subject nations.<ref>This phrase had already been used a few centuries before by the king [[Charles I of Spain]], referring to the [[Spanish Empire]].</ref><br />
<br />
Begun initially to support William the Conqueror's (c. 1029-1087) holdings in France, Britain's policy of active involvement in continental European affairs endured for several hundred years. By the end of the 14th century, foreign trade, originally based on wool exports to Europe, had emerged as a cornerstone of national policy. <br />
<br />
During the five decades following [[World War II]], most of the territories of the Empire became independent. Many went on to join the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], a free association of independent states.<ref>T. O. Lloyd, ''The British Empire, 1558-1995. 2nd ed. (1996).</ref> Some have retained the [[British monarch]] as their [[head of state]] to become independent [[Commonwealth realm]]s.<br />
<br />
====Sea Power====<br />
<br />
The foundations of sea power were gradually laid to protect English trade and open up new routes. Defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 firmly established England as a major sea power. Thereafter, its interests outside Europe grew steadily. Attracted by the spice trade, English mercantile interests spread first to the Far East. In search of an alternate route to the Spice Islands, John Cabot reached the North American continent in 1498. Sir Walter Raleigh organized the first, short-lived colony in Virginia in 1584, and permanent English settlement began in 1607 at Jamestown, Virginia. During the next two centuries, Britain extended its influence abroad and consolidated its political development at home, as the Royal Navy dominated the seas.<br />
<br />
====Industrial Revolution====<br />
<br />
[[File:Bradford Industrial Museum.jpg|thumb|left|Bradford Industrial Museum.]]<br />
Britain's [[industrial revolution]] greatly strengthened its ability to oppose Napoleonic France. By the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, Britain was the foremost European power, and its navy ruled the seas. Peace in Europe allowed the British to focus their interests on more remote parts of the world, and, during this period, the British Empire reached its zenith. British colonial expansion reached its height largely during the reign of [[Queen Victoria]] (1837-1901). [[Victorian era|Queen Victoria's]] reign witnessed the spread of British technology, commerce, language, and government throughout the British Empire, which, at its greatest extent, encompassed roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of the world's area and population. It is controversial whether British colonies accelerated or slowed Britain's economic growth, for its growth rate fell below nations without empires, especially the U.S. and [[Germany]]. Democracy came in fits and starts in a series of reforms that finally, by the 1920s, allowed all adults to vote.<br />
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<br><br />
<br />
====End of Empire====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Collapse of the British Empire]]<br />
<br />
By the time of Queen Victoria's death in 1901, other nations, including the United States and Germany, had developed their own industries; Britain lost its comparative economic advantage, and the ambitions of its rivals had grown. The UK joined world war I because of the invasion of [[Belgium]], and subsequently began [[World War II]] after the invasion of [[Poland]]. The losses and destruction of [[World War I|The First World War]], the [[Great Depression]] of the 1930s, the independence of the Dominions, and decades of relatively slow growth eroded the Britain's preeminent international position of the previous century. <br />
<br />
Nationalism became stronger in other parts of the empire, particularly in India and Egypt. <br />
<br />
In 1926, Britain granted Australia, Canada, and New Zealand almost complete autonomy as "dominions"; beginning with the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, the remainder of the British Empire was almost completely dismantled by the 1960s.<br />
<br />
==== United Kingdom's road repair crisis ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom's road repair crisis]]<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom (UK) website ''Fife Today'' reported in on July 27, 2022 on UK's road repair crisis: "Over 1.5 million potholes were reported across the country, but the AA says the actual number is likely to be much higher as the figure does not include pothole on motorways and major roads, and many go unreported."<ref>[https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/people/fife-worst-in-scotland-for-potholes-3783174 Fife worst in Scotland for potholes], ''Fife Today'' website, July 27, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
In 2018, UK roads ranked were ranked 27th in the world which was a ranking below [[Chile]] and [[Cyprus]].<ref>[https://news.motors.co.uk/news/uk-roads-ranked-worse-than-chile-and-cyprus-in-global-survey/ UK roads ranked worse than Chile and Cyprus in global survey], Motors.co.uk</ref><br />
== See also ==<br />
<br />
*[[English Painting]]<br />
*[[British politics]]<br />
*[[June 2007 UK terror attacks]]<br />
*[[List of political parties in the United Kingdom]]<br />
*[[Mystery:Why is England More Liberal than the United States?]]<br />
*[[Flags of the United Kingdom]]<br />
* [[Piers Morgan]]<br />
*[[Victorian era]]<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/15/sir-john-chilcot-wrong-man Sir John Chilcot 'wrong man to head Iraq invasion inquiry'.]<br />
*[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iraqi-oil-supply-was-considered-to-be-vital-to-british-interests-2270072.html Iraqi oil supply was considered to be 'vital' to British interests.]<br />
<br />
== Notes ==<br />
<references/><br />
<br />
[[Category:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]<br />
[[Category:European Countries]]<br />
[[Category:NATO Members]][[Category:Russia-Ukraine War]]<br />
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:British Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Liberalism]]<br />
[[Category:Socialism]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Nuclear Defense]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=United_Kingdom&diff=1965463United Kingdom2023-07-24T15:40:52Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Pakistan */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Country<br />
|name =''United Kingdom<br/>of Great Britain<br/>and Northern Ireland''<br />
|map =United kingdom rel87.jpg<br />
|map2 =UK location.png<br />
|flag =Union_jack.jpg<br />
|arms =UK Royal Coat of Arms.png<br />
|capital =London<br />
|capital-raw =<br />
|government =Constitutional monarchy<br />
|government-raw =<br />
|language =English<br />
|king =<br />
|queen =<br />
|monarch-raw =HM King [[Charles III]]<br />
|president =<br />
|president-raw =<br />
|chancellor =<br />
|chancellor-raw =<br />
|pm = Rishi Sunak<br />
|pm-raw =<br />
|conservative-leader=Rishi Sunak<br />
|conservative-leader-raw=<br />
|area =94,526 sq mi<br />
|pop =68,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis =<br />
|gdp =$2,800,000,000,000 (2020)<br />
|gdp-year =<br />
|gdp-pc =$46,344 (2021 estimate)<br />
|currency =Pound Sterling <br />
|idd =<br />
|tld =.uk<br />
}}<br />
The '''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''' ('''UK''') is a sovereign [[state]] north-west of mainland [[Europe]]. It comprises [[England]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]], which occupy the island of [[Great Britain]], and [[Northern Ireland]] on the island of [[Ireland]]. It attained its current identity in 1922 after most of Ireland was granted independence. The UK, at least in part, has a separate identity from mainland Europe.<ref>Hanson, Victor Davis (September 12, 2019). [https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/victor-davis-hanson-britain-free-market-democratic-world Victor Davis Hanson: Britain's got one last chance to reembrace free-market democratic world it helped create]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved September 13, 2019.</ref><br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Its [[head of state]] is King [[Charles III]], and its [[head of government]] is Prime Minister [[Rishi Sunak]]. <br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is a member of the [[United Nations]] and rethinking its commitment to [[NATO]] after the disastrous actions of the U.S. [[Democrat]] [[Biden regime]] culminating in the [[Rape of Afghanistan]].<ref>[https://archive.is/JNSAP Nato allies urge rethink on alliance after Biden’s ‘unilateral’ Afghanistan exit], ''Financial Times'', Helen Warrell in London, Guy Chazan in Berlin and Richard Milne in Stockholm AUGUST 17 2021. </ref><ref>[https://archive.is/KmgYt Tom Tugendhat on Afghanistan: Six decades after Suez, we remain impotent in the face of US policy], August 16 2021, ''The Times''. <small>"The [[fall of Kabul]] is the biggest foreign policy disaster since [[Suez Crisis|Suez]]. The operation to seize the canal in 1956 symbolised the end of Britain’s global ambition and refocused us on Nato and alliances. It showed conclusively that the US could limit our actions and change our policy. The fall of Kabul will be remembered for similar reasons: not just its abject failure, but also because it revealed the nature of US power and our inability to hold a separate line. The redeployment of 2,500 US troops, half as many as it takes to crew a carrier, ended 20 years of British effort in Afghanistan and left thousands of British citizens under Taliban jurisdiction....The longer-term question is: what next? Is Britain’s [[foreign policy]] achievable given the past week? What are the implications for our alliances?...just like in Suez, we need to reset to make sure that a false narrative does not grow, and that means commitment. Cuts to overseas engagement, whether defence, diplomacy, aid or trade, will look different today from how they did a week ago...." Tom Tugendhat is Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.</small</ref><br />
<br />
British values, culture and institutions were spread throughout many parts of the world during the period of the [[British Empire]], 1600-1960, and British contributions to world culture include the English language, the [[parliament]]ary form of government, the [[Church of England|Anglican]] Church ("Church of England"), a tradition of personal liberty, and the [[common law]] legal system. But in the 21st century the UK government has become a [[Leftist]] tool of [[liberal censorship]], flagging as white supremacy works by [[Shakespeare]], [[George Orwell]]'s ''[[1984]]'', and [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]’s ''[[Lord of the Rings]]''.<br />
<br />
==Name==<br />
[[File:London Thames Sunset panorama 2008.jpg|thumb|left|London - Thames panorama.]]<br />
The official name of the nation (since 1927) is ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''.<ref>From 1801 to 1927 the official name was ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland''.</ref> The full official name is seldom used except in very formal or legal documents. The short version for historical topics is either "Britain" or "Great Britain." The short version for recent events (since the 1970s) is "United Kingdom" or "UK" The adjective is always '''"British"'''. <br />
<br />
Britain was part of the [[British Empire]], which has become the "British Commonwealth", and is mostly a discussion club. Britain has a few scattered minor possessions, including [[Gibraltar]], but gave up its last important colony—[[Hong Kong]]—in 1997.<br />
[[File:Westminster in the evening.jpg|thumb|280px|Westminster in the evening.]]<br />
* '''England''' is the largest of the four components of the United Kingdom. "England" was often used to stand for the nation in older literature published before 1970. However use of "England" to refer to the entire country is now sometimes considered offensive by many citizens of the other three member countries and is thus discouraged.<br />
* The standard language of the UK is English; [[Welsh]] has parity in Wales, and [[Gaelic]] is widely used on official documents, roadsigns, etc. in remote Gaelic-speaking areas of western Scotland.<br />
<br />
MacColl (2008) explores the use of the term 'Britain' in English, French, and Latin texts from the 12th century to the 16th. The term was flexible, used in a variety of ways (geographically, politically, and ethnically), and not always indicative of any specific meaning. The English at first tended to conflate 'Britain' with England or the southern portion of the island of Great Britain, though the term 'Greater Britain' was applied starting in the 14th century to refer to the entire island. The Scottish, beginning in the 15th century, used the term in the modern sense - as reflective of the entire island of Great Britain and the 'polity' of England, Wales, and Scotland. This latter usage paved the way for the relatively smooth ideological transition after the 1707 Acts of Union.<ref>Alan MacColl, "The Meaning of 'Britain' in Medieval and Early Modern England." ''Journal of British Studies'' 2006 45(2): 248-269</ref><br />
<br />
===Anthem===<br />
<br />
The national anthem of the UK is currently ''[[God Save the King]]''. Should a female heir accede to the throne, the anthem will become "God Save the Queen".<ref>This same melody is also sung by American schoolchildren (with different words) as "[[My Country, 'Tis of Thee]]".</ref><br />
<br />
The constituent nations have their own unofficial anthems. In the case of Wales, this is ''Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'' (''Land of My Fathers''), and for Scotland it is ''Flower of Scotland''. England does not have its own distinctive anthem in the same way, but at sporting events in which England is competing as a separate nation, [[Edward Elgar]]'s patriotic song ''Land of Hope and Glory'' is sometimes used (although ''God Save the King'' is more commonly used). Additionally the hymn "Jerusalem" has a large number of supporters in England as an alternative to, or replacement for, the national anthem. In Northern Ireland, the Protestant and Catholic communities respectively use ''God Save the King'' and ''Amhran na bhFiann'', the Irish national anthem. ''Londonderry Air'' is often used as the anthem for Northern Ireland competitors in sporting events.<br />
<br />
==People==<br />
[[Image:Tower Bridge London.jpg|thumb|340px|Tower Bridge, London.]]<br />
The United Kingdom's population in 2004 surpassed 60 million—Its overall population density is one of the highest in the world. Almost one-third of the population lives in England's prosperous and fertile southeast and is predominantly urban and suburban—with about 7.2 million in the capital of London, which remains the largest city in Europe. <br />
<br />
A net total of 408,000 people were added to the UK population in 2008, the largest numerical increase since 1972. This was partly due to the highest fertility rate in more than three decades. More than half of the increase in births last year was due to non-UK born mothers. <br />
<br />
There is also an ever-increasing aging population with the number of people over 85 now at a record 1.3 million, the equivalent of one in every 50 people. <br />
<br />
===Education===<br />
[[File:Royal College of Music 2007.jpg|thumb|left|Royal College of Music.]]<br />
In 2023, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported: <br />
{{Cquote|Ministers have set a target of ensuring 90% of children achieve the national curriculum standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of primary education by 2030. However, after several years of slow progress, attainment has slipped back to levels only slightly above those of 2015-16.<br />
<br />
The slump means that in 2022, 41% of year 6 pupils in England left primary school without meeting the expected standards in literacy and maths – 275,000 11-year-olds, according to researchers at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) thinktank. That is 50,000 more than in 2019...<br />
<br />
Rishi Sunak has been warned that a target to boost the number of children entering secondary school with the expected standards of reading, writing and maths is “a far cry from reality”, amid new evidence that 275,000 pupils a year are leaving primary education without the right level of skills.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/feb/12/quarter-of-a-million-children-enter-secondary-school-without-basic-maths-and-english Quarter of a million children enter secondary school without basic maths and English], The Guardian, 2023</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Elite private prep schools, such as Eton and [[Rugby School|Rugby]], attended by youth whose families can afford to pay high tuition rates.<br />
<br />
All state-funded schools in the UK are required to start the day with a collective assembly that is 'wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character',<ref>[http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=387464 Times Educational Supplement]</ref> although this is not always adhered to and there are small numbers of state-funded [[Muslim]], [[Jew]]ish and [[Hindu]] schools.<br />
<br />
About thirty-six percent of British students go on to post-secondary education.<br />
<br />
Higher education has been a specialty for over 500 years at Oxbridge ([[Oxford University|Oxford]] and [[Cambridge University|Cambridge]]), with new "red brick" universities added in the 19th century and many others in the late 20th century. Universities contribute £33 billion a year to the economy. Britain has a strong attraction for international students, with 342,000 attending in 2007 (compared to 672,000 in the U.S. and 183,000 in Australia). They spend £1.5 billion in tuition in Britain annually, plus another £0.4 billion off campus.<br />
<br />
According to an early-2017 report, universities in the UK have high levels of censorship and low levels of [[free speech]].<ref>Singman, Brooke (March 14, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/03/14/free-speech-under-attack-at-uk-colleges-report-says.html Free speech under attack at UK colleges, report says]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 15, 2017.</ref> Additionally, many UK schools (about 120 in May 2017) adopted a program that promotes in indoctrinates students with the [[homosexual agenda]] in all areas of curriculum and in other ways such as unisex uniforms and the removal of terms such as "boy" and "girl" from school vocabulary.<ref>Hale, Virginia (May 17, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/05/17/120-uk-schools-lgbt-curriculum/ LGBT Curriculum Programme, Gender Neutral Uniforms Adopted By 120 UK Schools]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 17, 2017.</ref><br />
<br />
===Demographics===<br />
[[File:Youth UK.JPG|thumb|British youth.]]<br />
A group of islands close to continental Europe, the British Isles have been subject to many invasions and migrations, especially from Scandinavia and the continent, including Roman occupation for several centuries. Contemporary Britons are descended mainly from the varied ethnic stocks that settled there before the 11th century. The pre-Celtic, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse influences were blended in Great Britain under the Normans, Scandinavian Vikings who had lived in Northern France. Although Celtic languages persist in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, as well as Cornwall in south-west England, the predominant language is English, which is primarily a blend of Anglo-Saxon and Norman French. <br />
*Population (2007 est.): 60.8 million.<br />
*Annual population growth rate (2007 est.): 0.275%.<br />
*Major ethnic groups: White British 91%, Irish 2%, West Indian and African 3%, South Asian 3%, others 1%.<br />
*Major religions: Church of England (Anglican), Roman Catholic, Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), Muslim.<br />
*Major languages: English<br />
*Minority languages: Welsh, Gaelic, Lowland Scots (including Ulster Scots), Cornish.<br />
*Education: Years compulsory—12. Attendance—nearly 100%. Literacy—99%. <br />
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2007 est.)--5.01/1,000. Life expectancy (2007 est.)--males 76.23 yrs.; females 81.3 yrs.; total 78.7 years<br />
*Work force (2007, 31.1 million): Services—80.4%; industry—18.2%; agriculture—1.4%.<br />
<br />
===Ethnic tensions===<br />
<br />
Britain is home to 2.4 million Muslims from numerous ethnicities. This population is growing 10 times faster than the national average. Regarded as one of the most tolerant countries in Europe, Britain struggles with questions of Islamic integration, as well as the psychological aftermath of the July 2005 suicide bombings on London's public transport system carried out by young Britons of Pakistani descent, which left 52 people dead and over 700 injured.<br />
<br />
=== Irreligion in the United Kingdom and desecularization of the UK in the 21st century ===<br />
<br />
[[Desecularization]] is the process by which [[religion]] reasserts its societal influence through religious values, institutions, sectors of society and symbols in reaction to previous and/or co-occurring [[secularization]] processes.<ref>''Religion and the State in Russia and China: Suppression, Survival and Revival'' by Christopher Marsh, 2011, page 11 (Christopher Marsh cites the definitions of desecularization given by Peter L. Berger and Vyacheslav Karpov)</ref><br />
<br />
The United Kingdom and Europe as a whole is projected to undergo a process of desecularization and the resurgence of religion (See: [[European desecularization in the 21st century]]). <br />
<br />
For more information, please see:<br />
<br />
*[[British atheism]]<br />
<br />
*[[UK and secularism]]<br />
<br />
==== Irreligious British fail to stand up to Muslim groomer gangs ====<br />
<br />
See: [[Irreligious British fail to stand up to Muslim groomer gangs]]<br />
<br />
===Religion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Canterbury Cathedral.jpg|thumb|left|350px|Canterbury Cathedral (photographed during 1890-1900).]]<br />
Religious faith, according to a 2011 survey, has declined sharply in Britain over the last two decades. Now only 42% of people describe themselves as Christian, as opposed to 66% in 1990. Most of the decline is due to a drift away from the Church of England, it is claimed, with only 20% claiming allegiance, down from 40%. <br />
<br />
In 2003 the Office of National Statistics estimated 29% of the population identified with Anglicanism, 10% with the Catholic Church, and 14% with other Protestant churches. A 2007 survey reported that the number of Catholics (mostly Irish) attending Sunday services has overtaken the number of Anglicans doing so. A September 2006 English Church Census reported that Methodists were decreasing as a percentage of the population, while members of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Pentecostal churches, many churches from Africa, and the Eastern Orthodox Church, almost entirely immigrants, were increasing.<ref>According to [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108478.htm U.S. State Department Report, 2008]</ref> <br />
<br />
Individuals with no religious belief comprised 21% of the population in 2009. Muslims comprise 3% of the population. The Muslim community is predominantly South Asian in origin, but other groups from the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Levant are represented. In addition, there is a growing number of indigenous converts. Although estimates vary, the Government places the number of mosques in the whole country at one thousand. Groups comprising 1% or less of the population include Hindus, Sikhs, Jews, and Buddhists. Individuals from Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, and Sikh backgrounds are concentrated in London and other large urban areas, primarily in England. <br />
<br />
Attendance at religious services was significantly different from the number of adherents. According to a report released on May 8, 2008, by Religious Trends, only 4 million Christians attend services on a regular basis (defined as at least once a month) in the country. These figures do not include Northern Ireland, where higher%ages reportedly attend both Catholic (more than 60%) and Protestant (more than 35%) services. The Religious Trends report stated that more than 50% of Muslims regularly worship at mosques. Figures for Jews and other religious groups were unavailable.<br />
<br />
Religious affiliation was not evenly distributed among ethnicities. According to the 2001 census, approximately 70% of the white population described themselves as Christians. Nearly 75% of black Caribbean respondents stated that they were Christians, as did 70% of black Africans. Meanwhile, 45% of Indians were Hindus and 29% were Sikhs. Approximately 92% of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis were Muslims.<br />
<br />
In Northern Ireland, where divisions between nationalists and unionists evolved largely along religious lines, the 2001 census showed that 53.1% were Protestants and 43.8% were Catholics. Many Catholics and Protestants continued to live in segregated communities in Northern Ireland, although many middle-class neighborhoods were mixed communities. The policy of the Government remained one of promotion of religious tolerance. <br />
<br />
There are two established (or state) churches—The [[Church of England]] (Anglican) and the [[Church of Scotland]] (Presbyterian). The Act of Settlement, enacted in 1688, states that no Catholic, or person married to a Catholic, may ascend the throne.<br />
<br />
====Religion in schools====<br />
<br />
The Government provides financial support—up to 90% of the total capital costs of the buildings and 100% of running costs, including teachers' salaries - to sectarian educational institutions that are commonly referred to as "faith schools".<br />
[[File:Matthew Boulton College.jpg|thumb|Matthew Boulton College.]] <br />
The Government also helps fund the repair and maintenance of all listed places of worship for religious groups nationwide and contributes to the budget of the Church Conservation Trust, which preserves "redundant" Church of England buildings of architectural or historic significance. <br />
<br />
The Government has not classified the Church of Scientology as a religious institution and therefore has not granted the organization recognition for charitable status. <br />
<br />
More than 30% of state schools had a religious character. Nearly all of the 6,949 "faith schools" are associated with Christian denominations, although there are 31 Jewish, 7 Islamic, and 2 Sikh schools. An additional two Jewish, three Islamic, and two Sikh schools have also been tentatively approved by the Government to open. In addition, several hundred independent schools of a religious nature receive no state support but must meet government quality standards. Controversy arose in 2006 over 100 Islamic schools when an Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted) evaluation of these schools showed many were "little more than places where the Koran was recited." The schools were given time to correct their deficiencies. A review is due in 2010. Some Christian faith schools also faced controversy. Some were accused of not following the national curriculum in science, teaching creationism instead. During the reporting period, a further controversy erupted when it was learned that some faith schools were not following an "open" admission policy as required by law, denying admission to both special needs children and those outside the faith of the school administrators. The Catholic Church and the Church of England have an agreement to voluntarily accept up to 25% of places for pupils from another religious group or no religious group. <br />
<br />
Almost all schools in Northern Ireland receive state support. More than 90% of students attended schools that were either predominantly Catholic or Protestant. Integrated schools served approximately 5% of school-age children whose families voluntarily chose this option, often after overcoming significant obstacles to provide the resources to start a new school and demonstrate its sustainability for 3 years before government funding begins. Demand for places in integrated schools outweighed the limited number of places available. The May 8, 2007, devolution, or granting of power, authorized the Northern Ireland Assembly to decide on academic selection. Now there are more than 50 integrated schools, and the new Government permits existing schools to petition to change from sectarian to integrated. More petition for that status than are granted it. Some have accused the Government of a go-slow approach to avoid sectarian animus. <br />
<br />
The law requires religious education for all children, ages 3 to 19, in publicly maintained schools. In England and Wales it forms part of the core curriculum in accordance with the Education Reform Act of 1988. In Scotland, religious education of some sort is mandated by the Education Act of 1980. However, the shape and content of religious instruction throughout the country is decided on a local basis. Locally agreed syllabi are required to reflect the predominant place of Christianity while taking into account the teachings and practices of other principal religions in the country. Syllabuses must be nondenominational and refrain from attempting to convert pupils. Schools with a religious designation follow a syllabus drawn up by the school governors according to the trust deed of the school. All parents have the legal right to request that their children not participate in religious education, but the school must approve this request.<br />
<br />
Daily collective prayer or worship of "a wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character" is practiced in schools in England and Wales, a requirement that may be waived for students who obtain permission of the school authorities. The Education and Inspections Act 2006 permits sixth form students (generally 16-19-year-olds) to withdraw themselves from worship without their parents' permission or action. This new law does not exempt sixth form students from religious education classes. Non-Christian worship is permitted with approval of the authorities. Teachers have the right not to participate in collective worship, without prejudice, unless they work for a faith school. <br />
<br />
After several controversial court decisions prohibiting full-face veils in school (but not head scarves) and the wearing of a Christian chastity ring, the Department of Education provided guidance that advises schools to "… act reasonably in accommodating religious requirements," under human rights legislation. Some Muslim groups, including the Islamic Human Rights Commission, said it was inappropriate for the Government to provide guidance that regulated Muslim communities in matters concerning the expression of their religious beliefs. But it is also legally possible under the act, according to the guidance, to have a school uniform policy that "restricts the freedom of pupils to manifest their religion" on the grounds of health and safety and the "protection of the rights and freedoms of others." The Government's guidance is meant to remind "head teachers" to act with a degree of sensitivity when considering decisions that will impact the cultural complexion of their communities.<br />
<br />
====Census====<br />
<br />
According to the 2011 Census the religious make-up of the UK at that time was:<br />
<br />
{| border="1" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3<br />
|+'''Religions in United Kingdom'''<br />
!Belief <br />
!Thousands <br />
!Proportion <br />
|-<br />
|Christian ||29,000 ||51.6<br />
|-<br />
|No Religion ||9104 ||15.5<br />
|-<br />
|Muslim ||1591 ||2.7<br />
|-<br />
|Hindu ||559 ||1.0<br />
|-<br />
|Sikh ||336 ||0.6<br />
|-<br />
|Jewish ||267 ||0.5<br />
|-<br />
|Other ||179 ||0.3<br />
|-<br />
|Buddhist ||152 ||0.3<br />
|-<br />
|Pagan & Wicca ||40 ||0.1<br />
|-<br />
|Total religious ||45,163 ||76.8<br />
|-<br />
|No answer ||4289 ||7.3<br />
|}<br />
<br />
The answers were distorted by an internet campaign just prior to the census, encouraging people to actually question religion that claimed that if at least 50,000 people stated their religion as 'Jedi Knight' it would be officially classified as a religion. This was not true, though the Office of National Statistics does aggregate very small religions into the 'Other' category whereas a religion of 50,000 would be itemised separately. This separate listing does not constitute any form of official recognition.<br />
<br />
It should be noted that non-practising Christians and the non-religious group are growing in the UK and Europe. At the same time, there is growth in the Islamic group due to immigration.<br />
<br />
Two of the four states of the United Kingdom, England and Scotland, have official state religions. The [[Church of England]] is the official religion of England and the (Presbyterian) Church of Scotland is the official religion of Scotland. The (Anglican) Church of Ireland was [[disestablished]] in 1871 and the (Anglican) Church of Wales was disestablished in 1920, whereupon it was renamed the [[Church ''in'' Wales]].<br />
==== Growth of British evangelical Christianity ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Growth of evangelical Christianity]]<br />
[[File:Union jack.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|Some 4.5million of the [[UK]]'s foreign-born population claim to have a religious affiliation and more than half are Christian. <br />
<br />
Church attendance in Greater London grew by 16% between 2005 and 2012.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> In addition, the latest immigrants to the UK as a whole mean British Christianity is becoming more charismatic and fundamentalist.<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100019857/im-not-surprised-evangelical-christianity-is-on-the-rise/ I'm not surprised Evangelical Christianity is on the rise] by Ed West, ''The Telegraph'', December 14th, 2009</ref>]]<br />
The ''Christian Post'' reported on July 21, 2019, as far as [[Britain]]: "The percentage of respondents who said they were nondenominational Christians increased from 3% of the population in 1998 to 13% in 2018."<ref>[https://www.christianpost.com/world/only-38-brits-identify-christian-lowest-proportion-in-polls-history.html Only 38% of Brits identify as Christian; lowest proportion in poll's history], Christian Post, 2019</ref> <br />
<br />
In December 2017, the ''Church Times'' reported:<br />
{{Cquote|In 2016, the Centre for Theology and Community (CTC) published new research on Evangelical church-planting in east London, Love, Sweat and Tears (News, 8 April 2016, Features, 21 April). This confirmed the widely recognised image of Evangelicals as people who like to plant churches, but it also revealed that the way they work is not at all how people often imagine.<br />
<br />
All of these Evangelical churches were planted in deprived areas, not suburbs; most of their members were local; one parish was cross-tradition; every parish was reaching people who do not attend church; and all of them were involved in social-action projects that served their local communities.<ref>[https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2017/8-december/comment/opinion/church-growth-is-not-just-for-evangelicals Church growth is not just for Evangelicals]</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Due to religious immigrants, many of whom are [[evangelicalism|evangelical Christians]], church attendance in Greater [[London]] grew by 16% between 2005 and 2012.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> In 2013, it was reported that 52% of people who attended church in London attended evangelical churches.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> <br />
<br />
On December 14, 2009, the British newspaper ''The Telegraph'' reported:<br />
{{cquote|According to the Mail Evangelical Christianity is on the rise.<br />
<br />
Some 4.5million of the [[UK]]'s foreign-born population claim to have a religious affiliation. Of these, around a quarter are Muslim while more than half are Christian – with Polish Catholics and African Pentecostals among the fastest-growing groups.<br />
<br />
While traditional churchgoing is on the decline in the UK over the past decade, the latest immigrants mean Christianity is becoming more charismatic and fundamentalist.<br />
<br />
'Perhaps the most significant change has been the growth of Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity within migrant populations, particularly those from Africa and Latin America,' the report found.<br />
<br />
'In Lewisham, there are 65 Pentecostal churches serving the Nigerian community, and others serving the Congolese, Ghanaian and Ivorian communities.'<br />
<br />
Professor Mike Kenny of IPPR said: 'The research shows that recent waves of inward migration have given a boost to some of the UK's established faith communities at a time when Britain's society and culture are generally more secular, and smaller numbers of the indigenous population are regularly attending churches.<br />
<br />
'Recent migration trends are altering the faith map of the UK. Their biggest impact is being felt in some of our largest cities: London above all, where a rich mosaic of different faith communities has come into being.'<br />
<br />
Evangelical Christianity might be heavily African-influenced but it’s also spreading among the natives as well.<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100019857/im-not-surprised-evangelical-christianity-is-on-the-rise/ I'm not surprised Evangelical Christianity is on the rise] by Ed West, ''The Telegraph'', December 14th, 2009</ref>}}<br />
<br />
See also:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.the-american-interest.com/berger/2013/12/18/pentecostalism-invades-lambeth-palace/ Pentecostalism Invades Lambeth Palace] by [[Peter L. Berger]]<br />
<br />
==== Expected growth of Muslim population in the UK and Europe ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Future of religion, Christianity and Islam in the UK and Europe]] and [[Atheism vs. Islam]]<br />
<br />
According to [[Channel 4]] News: "There were 1.6 million Muslims in England and Wales in 2001, or 3 per cent of the population, according to the census. By 2011 the Muslim population had grown to 2.7 million people or 4.8 per cent of the population... Assuming patterns of net immigration do not change significantly, the Pew Forum thinks that there will be just over 5.5 million British Muslims, representing 8.2 per cent of the UK population, by 2030."<br />
<br />
In April 2010, [[Eric Kaufmann]] indicated concerning the future of Islam in Europe:<br />
{{cquote|I address this in some detail in the book, as well is in a [http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/europes-muslim-future recent article in the April issue of Prospect magazine] here in Britain. The short answer is that I don’t foresee a Muslim-majority Europe in this century or in the next. Why? Mainly because [[Islam|Muslim]] birthrates are plunging both in Europe and the Muslim world. Already, Iran, Tunisia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and several other Muslim countries have replacement-level fertility or below. In the UK, Bangladeshi and Pakistani fertility has halved in a generation and is now under 3 children per woman. This means their long-term growth will begin to tail off. The other part of the equation is the rise of non-Muslim immigrant groups (African and West Indian Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and other Eastern faiths) who are also increasing and therefore making Europe more plural and, in the process, rendering it harder for Muslims to increase their share of the population.<br />
<br />
That said, Muslim membership retention and in-group marriage is exceptionally high (over 90 per cent) and they are a much younger population than the host society. So they are on course for steady growth. My colleagues and I expect their fertility to fall to host levels by 2030, but they will still make up 5-15 per cent of most West European countries by 2050 and 10-25 per cent by 2100. This is a major change from the 2-6 per cent levels of today<ref>[http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/shall_the_religious_inherit_the_earth/#sthash.nE0JGi2Y.dpuf ''Shall the religious inherit the earth?''], 2010 Interview with [[Eric Kaufmann]] by MercatorNet</ref>}}<br />
<br />
The 2019 journal article ''When will European Muslim population be majority and in which country?'' published in ''PSU Research Review'' indicates: "Among three scenarios, the most likely mid-point migration scenario identifies 13 countries where the Muslim population will be majority between years 2085 and 2215: Cyprus (in year 2085), Sweden (2125), France (2135), Greece (2135), Belgium (2140), Bulgaria (2140), Italy (2175), Luxembourg (2175), the UK (2180), Slovenia (2190), Switzerland (2195), Ireland (2200) and Lithuania (2215). The 17 remaining countries will never reach majority in the next 200 years".<ref>[https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PRR-12-2018-0034/full/html When will European Muslim population be majority and in which country?], Pierre Rostan, Alexandra Rostan, PSU Research Review, ISSN: 2399-1747, Open Access. Article publication date: 28 August 2019 Reprints & Permissions, Issue publication date: 28 August 2019</ref><br />
<br />
None of this is an exact science, and [http://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol19/16/19-16.pdf some demographers] say total fertility rate overestimates the lifetime fertility of immigrants because it doesn’t adjust for the fact that they tend to have children soon after arriving.<ref>[http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-will-britain-have-a-muslim-majority-by-2050/13690 FactCheck: will Britain have a Muslim majority by 2050?]</ref>}}<br />
<br />
At the same time, over several decades/centuries, silent demographic changes due to higher fertility rates can have large scale consequences.<ref><br />
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-are-years-2012-and-2020-key-years.html Why are the years 2012 and 2020 key years for Christian creationists and pro-lifers?]<br />
*[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth? Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century] by [[Eric Kaufmann]]</ref><br />
<br />
===Crown Dependencies===<br />
<br />
A number of the smaller [[British Isles]], most importantly [[Jersey]], [[Guernsey]] and the [[Isle of Man]] are '[[Crown dependencies|British Crown Dependencies]]' and not members of the UK. Their governments are independent of that of the UK other than foreign and defense policy (the UK government retains the legal power to overrule the governments of the Dependencies, but this power has not been exercised since 1967).<br />
=== Islamic terrorism in the UK ===<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Islamic terrorism in the United Kingdom]]<br />
<br />
[[File:512px-Manchester Arena exterior, (3) May19.jpg|thumbnail|400px|left|The Manchester Arena experienced a Muslim terrorist attack. See: [[Manchester Arena Bombing]] <br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
It would take a rechristianization of Britain in order for the Islamic terrorism situation to be turned around in the UK.]]<br />
The United States website Homeland Security Digital Library published the article ''Islamist Terrorism in the UK: An In-Depth Analysis'':<br />
{{Cquote|On March 7th the Henry Jackson Society, a British think tank, released a report titled, Islamist Terrorism: Analysis of Offenses and Attacks in the UK (1998-2015). As stated by author Hannah Stuart, the purpose of the report is to provide “information and statistical analysis on the manifestation and development of the threat to national security from Islamism-inspired terrorism.” According to the report, there have been 264 convictions of Islamism-inspired terrorism in the UK as a result of arrests made between 1998 and 2015. Interestingly, 72% of these Islamism-related offences (IROs) were committed by UK nationals or individuals holding dual British nationality, with the overwhelming majority being perpetrated by males. However, although their numbers remain small, female involvement in Islamism-inspired terrorism has tripled since 2011, with women accounting for 11% of all IROs occurring between 2011 and 2015. This represents a 175% increase from IROs occurring between 1998 and 2010 involving women.<br />
<br />
The report goes on to discuss contemporary developments in terrorism, highlighting that “the expansion of the terrorism threat from that predominantly associated with AQ [al-Qaeda]-linked groups to one driven by IS [Islamic State] has been the key development since the publication of the previous edition of this report in 2011.” As such, the author concludes that terrorism inspired by the Islamic State currently represents the greatest threat to the UK’s national security. A brief overview of AQ is offered, which discusses the evolution of the terrorist group, including the creation and expansion of AQ franchises. Knowledge of this history is necessary to better understand both current trends in Jihadist-inspired terror attacks and the rise of the Islamic State.<ref>[https://www.hsdl.org/c/islamist-terrorism-in-the-uk-an-in-depth-analysis/ ''Islamist Terrorism in the UK: An In-Depth Analysis'']</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Dr. Peter Hammond's article [http://www.virtueonline.org/what-islam-isnt-dr-peter-hammond What Islam Isn't] indicates:<br />
{{Cquote|When Muslims reach 10% of the population, they will increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions ( Paris --car-burnings). Any non-Muslim action that offends Islam will result in uprisings and threats (Amsterdam - Mohammed cartoons).<br />
<br />
*Guyana -- Muslim 10%<br />
*India -- Muslim 13.4%<br />
*Israel -- Muslim 16%<br />
*Kenya -- Muslim 10%<br />
*Russia -- Muslim 10-15%<br />
<br />
After reaching 20% expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings and church and synagogue burning: Ethiopia -- Muslim 32.8%<ref>[http://www.virtueonline.org/what-islam-isnt-dr-peter-hammond What Islam Isn't]</ref>}}<br />
<br />
== Health ==<br />
<br />
=== Coronavirus pandemic and the UK ===<br />
<br />
On September 30, 2022, ''The Guardian'' reported: "A weaker than expected recovery from the coronavirus pandemic has left the UK as the only G7 country with a smaller economy than in early 2020, according to official figures likely to further undermine the government’s tax-cutting measures."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/30/uk-is-only-g7-country-with-smaller-economy-than-before-covid-19 UK is only G7 country with smaller economy than before Covid-19], ''The Guardian'', September 30, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
==== The UK's and Britain's nanny state approach to the coronavirus pandemic ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom's nanny state approach to the coronavirus pandemic]]<br />
<br />
In July of 2021, ''Der Spiegel'' indicated that [[Finland]] was the best at handling the [[coronavirus]] pandemic based on an index based on excess mortality, restrictions on people's lives and [[liberty]], [[GDP]] performance and vaccination coverage.<ref>[https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/der_spiegel_finland_best_at_handling_pandemic/12017084 Der Spiegel: Finland best at handling pandemic], https://yle.fi/ website, July 7, 2021</ref> See: [[Essay: An observation about the countries that handled the coronavirus pandemic well so far. And let's look at Finland.|An observation about the countries that handled the coronavirus pandemic well so far. And let's look at Finland.]]<br />
<br />
While Finland did a good job of handling the coronavirus, the coronavirus pandemic turned the UK into a bigger [[nanny state]] than it was before the pandemic.<br />
<br />
''City Journal'' is one of the world's premier urban-policy magazines, “the Bible of the new urbanism,” as London’s ''Daily Telegraph'' puts it.<ref>[https://www.city-journal.org/about ABOUT CITY JOURNAL]</ref><br />
[[File:Coronavirus1.jpg|right|301px|thumb|Electron microscope scan of a coronavirus, so-called due to the crown-like filaments on the surface.]]<br />
In Autumn of 2021, Lionel Shriver published the article [https://www.city-journal.org/united-kingdom-servile-response-to-covid-19-pandemic ''The Most Frightened Nation''] with the byline ''Why the United Kingdom will never be the same'' which stated:<br />
{{Cquote|What was once the land of “keep calm and carry on” could now be the “most frightened nation in the world.” So says Laura Dodsworth, author of A State of Fear: How the UK Government Weaponised Fear During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Data seem to bear her impression out. According to an Ipsos MORI poll conducted in July, an impressive 27 percent of Britons want to impose a government-mandated nationwide curfew of 10 PM—not then in force—“until the pandemic was under control worldwide,” which might be years from now. A not-inconsiderable 19 percent would impose such a curfew “permanently, regardless of the risk from Covid-19.” Presumably, these are people who don’t get out much. While 64 percent want Britain’s mask mandate in shops and on public transport to remain a legal requirement for the duration of the global pandemic, an astounding 51 percent want to be masked by law, forever. <br />
<br />
There’s more: some 35 percent want to confine any Briton who returns from a foreign country, vaccinated or not, to a ten-day home quarantine—permanently, Covid or no Covid. A full 46 percent would require a vaccine passport in order to travel abroad—permanently, Covid or no Covid. So young people today would still be flashing that QR code on whatever passes for smartphones in 2095, though they might have trouble displaying the device to a flight attendant while bracing on their walkers. Likewise, the 36 percent who want to be required to check in at pubs and restaurants with a National Health Service contact-tracing app forever. A goodly 34 percent want social distancing in “theatres, pubs and sports grounds,” regardless of any risk of Covid, forever. A truly astonishing 26 percent of Britons would summarily close all casinos and nightclubs forever. Are these just a bunch of fogies who don’t go clubbing anyway? No. In the 16-to-24 age bracket, the proportion of Brits who want to convert Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in London’s Soho into a community lending library, even after Covid is a distant memory, soars to a staggering 40 percent.<br />
<br />
Far from yearning for their historic liberties as “free-born Englishmen,” eight out of ten of the British, according to a Southbank/Kingston University survey, were “anxious” about lifting any of their benevolent government’s copious pandemic restrictions...<br />
<br />
But the most enduring damage to the home of Magna Carta may be political. The transformation of the United Kingdom is permanent. Its citizens can never again characterize lockdowns and other previously unthinkable government edicts, such as “you’re forbidden to leave the country,” as unprecedented. The state has established precedents galore. The public is already being softened up for the return of repressive measures in some form this autumn, even if only to control a surge of flu.<br />
<br />
It’s official: British civil liberties are provisional. They can be rescinded at a moment’s notice on the government’s whim. They are privileges, not rights. The anything-but-inalienable “rights” to free expression, to protest, to assembly, to association, to worship, to travel, to work: all require permission slips.<ref>[https://www.city-journal.org/united-kingdom-servile-response-to-covid-19-pandemic The Most Frightened Nation] by Lionel Shriver, Autumn of 2021</ref>}}<br />
<br />
===== Despite the UK taking a more nannystate approach to coronavirus pandemic than Finland, the UK has a higher mortality rate than Finland due to the coronavirus pandemic =====<br />
<br />
As of January 11, 2022, in the UK, deaths per 100,000 people was 316.30 deaths per 100,000 people.<ref>[https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality Mortality Analyses] by John Hopkins University University of Medicine</ref> As of January 11, 2022, in Finland, which has given much more liberty to its citizens, deaths per 100,000 people was 149.13 deaths per 100,000 people.<ref>[https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality Mortality Analyses] by John Hopkins University University of Medicine</ref><br />
<br />
=== United Kingdom and obesity ===<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom and obesity]]<br />
<br />
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): "Obesity rates in the United Kingdom are the highest in Europe. In England, rates have increased faster than in most OECD countries. Two out of 3 men are overweight and 1 in 4 people are obese in the United Kingdom. The proportion of people overweight in England is projected by the OECD to rise a further 10% during the next 10 years."<ref>[https://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/obesityandtheeconomicsofpreventionfitnotfat-unitedkingdomenglandkeyfacts.htm Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat - United Kingdom (England) Key Facts]</ref><br />
<br />
==Sports and Pastimes==<br />
<br />
[[File:Wembley Stadium.jpg|thumb|230px|Wembley Stadium.]]<br />
Many of the most popular [[sport]]s in the world today were developed or codified in the UK. These include [[soccer|football]] (which is called ''soccer'' in North America), [[cricket]], [[Rugby (Sport)|rugby]], [[tennis]], [[hockey]], [[baseball]] and [[golf]]. The UK is represented in international competitions by the individual nations (such as in football, the one-day form of cricket and rugby) and by the whole of the UK in other sports (such as [[athletics]], golf and tennis). The Test cricket team is that of 'England & Wales' (colloquially, just 'England') but from time to time has had Scottish and Irish players.<br />
<br />
The UK remains a major sporting force both in competition and the administration of sport. It is dominant in several Olympic sports, notably cycling, rowing and sailing and a leading force in cricket, rugby union, and golf.<br />
<br />
Certain venues have their own distinct and historical recognition and host a number of international competitions. These include Wimbledon for tennis, Silverstone for motor racing, and St Andrews for golf. There are several major venues for football, rugby and cricket.<br />
<br />
Domestic sport is dominated by football with one of the strongest and most popular leagues in the world - the Premier League. This league is sponsored by Barclays Bank, so has the official name "Barclays Premier League". Many of the Premier League's teams are well known outside the United Kingdom, especially the "big four" (Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool) and maintain followings around the world. Cricket and both codes of rugby also have strong and popular domestic leagues. Other popular sports include snooker, rowing, golf, tennis, athletics, cycling, darts, horse racing, and motor racing. These most popular sports are well covered by both the print press and television.<br />
<br />
Some sports which are more popular in other countries such as volleyball, handball, American football and basketball have small but dedicated followings.<br />
<br />
The [[U.K.]] is also renowned for its music, and is the home of bands like [[The Beatles]], [[Rolling Stones]], [[Pink Floyd]], [[The Who]], [[Oasis]], [[Coldplay]] and [[Radiohead]], as well as festivals such as [[Creamfields]], [[Isle of White]] Festival and [[Glastonbury]]. London traditionally is the world centre for recordings of classical music and the annual "London Proms" concerts are recorded worldwide. The "Last Night at the Proms" is a major "Television Event".<br />
<br />
==Government==<br />
<br />
''See also [[British politics]]''<br />
[[File:Jewel House guard in the Tower of London.JPG|thumb|200px|Jewel House guard in the Tower of London.]]<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom does not have the constitutional [[free speech]] protections or an energetic [[Christian]] culture that exist in the [[United States]], because there is not a codified constitution - though limited speech is proved via the Human Rights Act of 1998. However various acts mean there is free speech, similar to that in the [[United States]]. Certain county councils, like Salford Quays in the United Kingdom have issued 'public space protection orders' that fine people £50 for swearing.<br />
<br />
In 2015, the UK was ranked 12th on the World Democracy index, above countries such as the US and France, and below those like Germany and Canada.<ref>[http://democracyranking.org/wordpress/rank/democracy-ranking-2015/ World's Democracy Index]</ref><br />
<br />
Nationalist movements exist in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, seeking (in the case of Scottish and Welsh nationalists) to dissolve the United Kingdom and to win independence for their respective territories, and in the case of Northern Ireland nationalists and republicans to create a sovereign united Ireland. At the present time, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own legislatures.<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom does not have a written constitution (even though the [[Magna Carta]] is the oldest basis for constitutional law in the world and the basis for numerous other countries such as the U.S.). The equivalent body of law is based on statute, common law, and "traditional rights". Changes may come about formally through new acts of Parliament, informally through the acceptance of new practices and usage, or by judicial precedents. Although Parliament has the theoretical power to make or repeal any law, in actual practice the weight of 700 years of tradition restrains arbitrary actions.<br />
<br />
Executive power rests nominally with the monarch but actually is exercised by a committee of ministers (cabinet) selected from among the members of the House of Commons and, less frequently, the House of Lords. The prime minister is normally the leader of the largest party in the House of Commons, and can remain in office for so long as he or she has the support of a majority in that body.<br />
<br />
===Cabinet of the United Kingdom===<br />
(As of 25 October 2022)<br />
*Head of State—[[King Charles III]] <br />
*Prime Minister (Head of Government)—[[Rishi Sunak]]<br />
*Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary—Dominic Raab <br />
*Chancellor—Jeremy Hunt <br />
*Foreign Secretary—James Cleverly <br />
*Defence Secretary—Ben Wallace <br />
*Home Secretary—Suella Braverman <br />
*Health Secretary—Steve Barclay <br />
*Education Secretary—Gillian Keegan <br />
*International Trade Secretary—Kemi Badenoch <br />
*Environment Secretary—Therese Coffey <br />
*Business Secretary—Grant Shapps <br />
*Culture Secretary—Michelle Donelan <br />
*Work and Pensions Secretary—Mel Stride <br />
*Secretary for Scotland—Alister Jack<br />
*Secretary for Wales—David T.C. Davies <br />
*Secretary for Northern Ireland—Chris Heaton-Harris <br />
*Chief Whip—Simon Hart<br />
==Parliament==<br />
<br />
[[File:Westminster palace Charles Barry.jpg|left|380px]]<br />
Parliament was authorized in the [[Magna Carta]] (1215), and first summoned by King Edward I in 1296, making it one of the oldest governing bodies in the world. Parliament represents the entire country, and can legislate for the whole or for any constituent part or combination of parts. Elections are called by the Prime Minister, but the maximum length of a parliament is usually 5 years (except in wartime). The focus of legislative power is the 646 member [[House of Commons]], which has sole jurisdiction over finance. Normally the government—the Prime Minister and cabinet with their supporting MPs—have full control of the House. If they lose control an new general election may be held. The House of Lords, although shorn of most of its powers, can still review, amend, or delay temporarily any bills except those relating to the budget. In 1999, the government removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to hold seats in the House of Lords. The current house consists of appointed life peers who hold their seats for life and 92 hereditary peers who will hold their seats only until final reforms have been agreed upon and implemented. The judiciary is independent of the legislative and executive branches, but cannot review the constitutionality of legislation. <br />
<br />
Members of the House of Commons are elected to represent specific geographic constituencies. Members are elected on a "First past the post" system as opposed to proportional representation or other electoral systems. In effect this means that a third party with less than 25% of the vote typically obtains very few seats.<br />
<br />
==Constituent countries==<br />
<br />
[[File:Scottish Eilean Donan castle.jpg|thumb|300px|Scottish Eilean Donan castle.]]<br />
The separate identities of each of the United Kingdom's constituent parts are also reflected in their respective governmental structures. Up until the recent devolution of power to Scotland and Wales, a cabinet minister (the Secretary of State for Wales) handled Welsh affairs at the national level with the advice of a broadly representative council for Wales. Scotland maintains, as it did before union with England, different systems of law (Roman-French), education, local government, judiciary, and national church (the Church of Scotland instead of the Church of England). In addition, separate departments grouped under a Secretary of State for Scotland, who also is a cabinet member, handled most domestic matters. In late 1997, however, following approval of referenda by Scottish and Welsh voters (though only narrowly in Wales), the British Government introduced legislation to establish a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly. The first elections for the two bodies were held May 6, 1999. The Welsh Assembly opened on May 26, and the Scottish Parliament opened on July 1, 1999. The devolved legislatures have largely taken over most of the functions previously performed by the Scottish and Welsh offices. <br />
<br />
Northern Ireland had its own Parliament and prime minister from 1921 to 1973, when the British Government imposed direct rule in order to deal with the deteriorating political and security situation. From 1973, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, based in London, was responsible for the region, including efforts to resolve the issues that lay behind the "the troubles." <br />
<br />
By the mid-1990s, gestures toward peace encouraged by successive British governments and by President Clinton began to open the door for restored local government in Northern Ireland. An Irish Republican Army (IRA) cease-fire and nearly 2 years of multiparty negotiations, led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of 10 April 1998, which was subsequently approved by majorities in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Key elements of the agreement include devolved government, a commitment of the parties to work toward "total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations," police reform, and enhanced mechanisms to guarantee human rights and equal opportunity. The Good Friday Agreement also called for formal cooperation between the Northern Ireland institutions and the Government of the Republic of Ireland, and it established the British-Irish Council, which includes representatives of the British and Irish Governments as well as the devolved Governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Devolved government was reestablished in Northern Ireland in December 1999. <br />
<br />
The Agreement (more commonly known as the "Good Friday Agreement", and more rarely as the Belfast Agreement<ref>http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/key-issues/the-agreement.htm</ref>) was reached on Friday, April 10, 1998 in Belfast and provides for a 108-member elected Assembly, overseen by a 12-minister Executive Committee (cabinet) in which unionists and nationalists share leadership responsibility. Northern Ireland elects 18 representatives to the Westminster Parliament in London. However, the five Sinn Féin Members of Parliament (MPs), who won seats in the 2004 election, have refused to claim their seats. <br />
<br />
===Political conditions===<br />
<br />
[[David Cameron]] became Prime Minister on May 11, 2010, after [[Gordon Brown]] resigned, and led a [[Conservative Party|Con]]-[[Liberal Democrats|Dem]] coalition in 2010.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8676607.stm "David Cameron and Nick Clegg pledge 'united' coalition"] ''BBC News'', Election 2010.</ref> In 2015, a general election was called<ref>Under the provisions of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 (c. 14), parliamentary elections in the UK must be held every five years, beginning in 2015. The Act received Royal Assent on 15 September 2011. Fixed-term Parliaments, where general elections ordinarily take place in accordance with a schedule set far in advance, were part of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement which was produced after the 2010 general election.</ref> and Cameron's Conservative Party won a majority of seats, against all odds.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/11599600/How-did-the-Conservatives-win-the-general-election.html "How did the Conservatives win the general election?"] ''The Daily Telegraph''</ref> It must be noted that despite its name, many supporters of the European Union and homosexual "marriage" are members of the Conservative Party.<br />
<br />
===Membership in the European Union (1973-2020)===<br />
<br />
The [[Conservative Party|Conservative]] government of [[Edward Heath|Sir Edward Heath]] took the UK into the [[European Union]] in 1973. The [[Labour Party]] under [[Harold Wilson]] won the 1974 general elections and due to splits within the party, called the only national [[referendum]] asking the people if they wanted to stay in the Union. The "yes" vote won by a margin of approximately two to one. The Labour and Conservative parties have since had deep divisions over Union membership. Labour's 1983 manifesto promised to leave the Union, and whilst the Conservative party have never pledged to leave the Union, a growing band of "Eurosceptics" threatened to tear the party apart in the 1990s. The Labour, Conservative and Scottish National parties wish to stay in the Union although disagree over the level of integration, but smaller parties such as the [[UK Independence Party]] and the Referendum Party campaigned on the single issue of sovereignty being lost to the Union.<br />
<br />
A referendum to [[Brexit|leave the EU]] was successfully held on June 23, 2016. In accordance with a [[Conservative Party]] manifesto commitment, the legal basis for a referendum was established by the passage of the European Union Referendum Act 2015 by the British Parliament. It was the third plebiscite held throughout the United Kingdom, and the second time the British electorate had been asked to vote on the issue of European Union membership: the first was held in 1975, when it was known as the EEC. Membership was approved in that referendum by 67% of voters – but the nature of the EU changed dramatically since then.<ref>Adrian Williamson, [http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/the-case-for-brexit-lessons-from-1960s-and-1970s The Case for Brexit: Lessons from the 1960s and 1970s], History and Policy (2015).</ref> The referendum result, to leave the European Union, was a historic victory for conservative eurosceptics, and the next day, liberal prime minister [[David Cameron]], who had supported EU membership despite its many flaws and no real benefits, resigned.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36615028 Brexit: David Cameron to quit after UK votes to leave EU]. ''BBC''. June 24, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.</ref><ref>Gross, Jenny; Winning, Nicholas (June 24, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-s-brexit-vote-throws-political-scene-into-disarray-1466786724 Brexit Vote Throws U.K. Political Scene Into Disarray]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 15, 2016.</ref> Another winner was conservative Eurosceptic [[Nigel Farage]].<br />
<br />
In 31th January of 2020 the United Kingdom started the transition period of leaving the European Union in which a trade deal should be negociated until January 2021.<br />
=== United Kingdom's parliament and homosexuality ===<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom's parliament and homosexuality]]<br />
<br />
In 2022, ''The [[Daily Mail]]'' published the video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvjaceyRdUw 'The gayest parliament in the world': MP John Nicolson applauded]. <br />
<br />
[[File:Union jack.jpg|thumbnail|251px|right|''Time'' magazine noted in 2015: "Following last week’s election, the U.K. now has more lesbian, gay or bisexual Members of Parliament (MPs) than anywhere in the world."<ref>[https://time.com/3858341/westminster-gay-parliament/ The U.K. Now Has More Gay Lawmakers Than Any Other Country], Time magazine, May 14, 2015</ref> ]]<br />
On May 14, 2015, ''Time'' magazine noted:<br />
{{Cquote|Following last week’s election, the U.K. now has more lesbian, gay or bisexual Members of Parliament (MPs) than anywhere in the world. The Westminster House of Commons now boasts 32 MPs who openly identify as LGB (there are no transgender MPs) out of 650, making up 4.9% of the Parliament.<br />
<br />
The data comes from the University of North Carolina’s LGBT Representation and Rights Research Initiative, but collecting statistics on LGBT representation is always tricky because some lawmakers may not have revealed their sexuality. In fact, there could be more gay MPs in another country where people do not feel as free to state their sexual preference in public. Nevertheless, the fact that more are willing to do so in Britain than elsewhere signals more progressive attitudes, putting it ahead of countries like Sweden where there are only 12 out lawmakers (3.4% of the parliament).<br />
<br />
Elsewhere in Europe there are only two currently-serving transgender lawmakers, Belgium’s Petra De Sutter and Poland’s Anna Grodzka. There have only been two other openly transgender lawmakers in the world: New Zealand’s Georgina Beyer who won a seat in 1999 and retired from politics in 2007, and Vladimir Luxuria who was elected in Italy in 2006 but lost her seat two years later.<br />
<br />
The number of gay British MPs is not far off the U.K. proportion as a whole, which is roughly between 5% and 7% of the country according to the government’s estimate. Thirteen of Britain’s out MPs belong to the center-left Labour Party and 12 to the center-right Conservatives.<br />
<br />
It was the Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron who introduced same-sex marriage in March 2014, despite significant opposition within his party. He has said this was one of his proudest achievements during his first term as Prime Minister.<ref>[https://time.com/3858341/westminster-gay-parliament/ The U.K. Now Has More Gay Lawmakers Than Any Other Country], Time magazine, May 14, 2015</ref>}}<br />
<br />
In 2021, the British newspaper ''The Times'' noted that "Britain has most gay parliament in the world".<ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/britain-has-most-gay-parliament-in-the-world-use-it-as-force-for-good-0wcgczznk Britain has most gay parliament in the world — use it as force for good] by Crispin Blunt, The Times, May 18 2021</ref><br />
<br />
==Foreign relations and military==<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is a founding member of the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO) and historically it has been one of NATO's major European maritime, air, and land powers. However, in February 2023, after a United States general warned that the British army was no longer a top-level fighting force, Louise Jones who is head of intelligence at McKenzie Intelligence Service, indicated that the British military is no longer a tier 1 military due to its underfunding relative to the investments that other comparable countries have made to their militaries and that the UK would be flattering itself if it thinks it has a tier 2 military.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bUbwkSklhM In full: Is the army fighting fit?]</ref> <br />
<br />
The Tasmin News Agency reported on January 08, 2023:<br />
{{Cquote|About 40,000 of the UK military’s 145,000 personnel have been officially classified as dangerously overweight or obese over the past five years, according to Ministry of Defense (MoD) statistics as cited by a British media outlet.<br />
The statistics also revealed that 5,200 obese or overweight British servicemen have been medically discharged since 2010, with scores of soldiers suffering from Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, Sputnik reported.<br />
<br />
The heaviest soldier, who was sacked from the army after failing mandatory fitness tests, weighed more than 420 pounds (over 190 kg).<br />
<br />
Over 850 troops have reportedly been prescribed diet pills since 2014, while 60 others have had liposuction surgery to tackle the problem.<br />
<br />
This came as a MoD spokesperson claimed that “personnel can have multiple causes listed in a medical discharge, so may not have been discharged specifically for weight related issues.”<ref>[https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2023/01/08/2833750/uk-military-hit-by-dangerously-overweight-soldiers-related-problems-report UK Military Hit by ‘Dangerously’ Overweight Soldiers-Related Problems: Report], Tasmin News Agency, January, 08, 2023</ref>}}<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom was a member of the European Community (now European Union) from 1973 to 2020. In the United Nations, the United Kingdom is a permanent member of the Security Council. The U.K. held the Presidency of the G-8 during 2005; it held the EU Presidency from July to December 2005. <br />
[[File:Royal Naval college UK.jpg|thumb|right|380px|Royal Naval College.]]<br />
The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, promoting Britain's wider security interests, and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. The 37,000-member Royal Navy, which includes 6,000 Royal Marine commandos, is in charge of the United Kingdom's independent strategic nuclear arm, which consists of four Trident missile submarines. The British Army, consisting of approximately 99,200 personnel, the Royal Air Force, with 42,000 personnel, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, are active and regular participants in NATO and other coalition operations. Approximately 9% of the British Armed Forces is female, and 4% of British forces represent ethnic minorities.<br />
<br />
In May 2021 the UK announced a plan to slash 9,500 soldiers from the British Army from 82,000 to just 72,500.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56477900</ref> On June 28, 2022 Chief of General Staff General Patrick Sanders said at a RUSI conference: “The war in Ukraine reminds us of the utility of Land Power: it takes an army to hold and regain territory and defend the people. It takes an Army to deter. If this battle came, we would likely be outnumbered at the point of attack and fighting like hell […] You can’t cyber your way across a river. No single platform, capability, or tactic will unlock the problem.”<br />
<br />
An email sent from [[Hunter Biden]] to his business partner [[Devon Archer]] on April 13, 2014 contained information from a classified [[U.S. State Department]] memo one week before Joe Biden visited Ukraine to meet prime minister [[Arseniy Yatsenyuk]]. The email predicted an escalation of Russia’s “destabilization campaign, which could lead to a full scale takeover of the eastern region, most critically [[Donetsk]]":<br />
{{quotebox-float|“The strategic value is to create a land bridge for [[Russia|RU]] to [[Crimea]]. That won’t directly affect [[Burisma]] holdings but it will limit future [[UK]] exploration and utilization of offshore opportunities in particular.<br />
<br />
It will also result in further destabilization of UK nationally and for whatever govt is in power. And the US will respond with even stronger sanctions. Those sanctions will threaten the tenuous support of the [[EU]] which does not have the political will to incur steep energy price increases.”<ref>https://nypost.com/2023/01/22/theres-no-hiding-bidens-fright-over-classified-document-scandal/</ref> }}<br />
<br />
===NATO war in Ukraine===<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
<br />
During the [[Donbas war]] crisis of 2022, Russian foreign minister [[Sergey Lavrov]] asked U.K. foreign secretary [[Elizabeth Truss]] whether London recognizes Moscow’s sovereignty over the regions of Rostov and Voronezh. Truss replied that the UK “will never recognize Russia’s sovereignty over these regions.” British Ambassador to Russia Deborah Bronnert had to intervene and remind the Foreign Secretary that these two regions are actually considered Russian territory even by the United Kingdom and in fact those regions have been part of Russia for over 1,000 years.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/biden-warns-world-war-whils-truss-says-rostov-and-voronezh-are-not-russian</ref><br />
[[File:The Economist propaganda.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Indians found Western propaganda during the Russo-Ukraine war highly offensive and racist. In this cartoon from the UK tabloid ''[[The Economist]]'', [[NATO]] powers attempted to intimidate India to sign on to condemnation of Russia for the [[false flag]] [[Bucha massacre]] of civilians committed by [[MI6]] and the [[Security Service of Ukraine]].<ref>https://youtu.be/ps6HuQRWcWY</ref>]]<br />
The government of the United Kingdom added a British citizen, [[Graham Phillips]],<ref>https://www.youtube.com/c/GrahamPhillipsUK/videos</ref> a journalist and documentary film maker reporting from [[Donbas]], to the sanctions list and seized his bank account for reporting on the NATO war in Ukraine.<br />
<br />
====Provocations====<br />
<br />
Operation Orbital is the UK program to train Ukrainian fascist forces for aggressive warfare since 2014.<ref>https://medium.com/voices-of-the-armed-forces/operation-orbital-explained-training-ukrainian-armed-forces-59405d32d604</ref><br />
<br />
According to ''RIA Novosti'', British officers were abruptly redeployed to Kyiv on February 24, 2022 to command defense of the city from a headquarters set up in a school. “A source in the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that after a swift offensive by a group of Russian troops on February 24 against Kiev, the British, who were assisting with intelligence to the ATO headquarters in Kramatorsk, moved to Kiev to lead the city’s defence from a headquarters based at school No 72″, – he said.<ref>https://en.news-front.info/2022/05/13/british-officers-already-working-in-kramatorsk-12-days-before-russian-special-operation-in-ukraine-begins/</ref><br />
<br />
Former leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Ilya Kiva said that the [[Bucha massacre]] was planned and prepared in advance by the [[counterintelligence]] of Ukraine, with the assistance of the British [[MI6]]. Kiva said, <br />
{{quotebox-float|"The whole story in Bucha was prepared and planned in advance by the [[SBU]] and [[MI6]]. They arrived early in the morning, cordoned off the area, scattered the corpses and then sent [[journalist]]s there. That's why that clown Zelensky even came back. To raise the interest of the international press in the alleged tragedy, but it's all a pure fake. Why didn't such a situation take place in other areas? Don`t you understand that it was staged in advance, which was supposed to arouse the aggression and hatred in you first of all. But it didn't happen."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ot894JsANM</ref>}}<br />
Ukrainian commanders told ''[[The Times of London]]'' that soldiers from Britain’s Special Air Service (SAS) trained Ukrainian troops in Kyiv.<ref>https://archive.ph/5CG2z</ref><br />
[[File:Brimstone.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Captured UK Brimstone missile.]]<br />
On May 1, 2022 ''Defense Updates'' reported on the delivery of hundreds of the UK ''[[Wunderwaffen]]'' Brimstone precision guided missiles to Ukraine. ''Defense Updates'' reported: <br />
{{quotebox-float|"UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has stated that victory for Ukraine is a "strategic imperative" for the West and Russian forces must be pushed out of "the whole of Ukraine". This is the clearest statement that has been made yet regarding Britain's war aims which have, until now, been limited to stating that President Putin's invasion of Ukraine "must fail and be seen to fail"....The missile has a range of 60+ km or 37+ mi and a maximum speed of Mach 1.3....It has been estimated that Brimstone is 3 times more effective than the AGM-65G Maverick missile against modern tanks, and 7 times more effective than the BL755 cluster bomb. In combat, Brimstone has demonstrated accuracy and reliability "both well above 90 percent"...This capability will fundamentally change the tactical scenario since the Russian forces will now know that they may have to face long-range precision attacks, chances of which were very limited earlier. It is to be noted that The West is sharing critical intelligence with Ukraine which can be used to prioritize and target the most important Russian assets."<ref>https://youtu.be/x4Nb5XVjezY</ref>}}<br />
On May 8, 2022, it was reported that the Russians captured a fully intact Brimstone missile which can now be reversed engineered.<ref>https://youtu.be/ZmdZN77avfI</ref> By the time the "hundreds" of Brimstones are launched against thousands of Russian tanks, a Russian and Chinese version of the Brimstone will likely be available. From that point forward it is only a question of who can produce more, faster. The US and EU's sanction regime against Russia limits the availability of certain component materials needed. Brimstone is a next generation improvement on the American Hellfire missile, bringing Hellfire and Brimstone to the battlefield. On the same day as the disastrous and humiliating defeat and surrender at Azovstal, May 17, 2022, a Russian missile hit a military barrack at Desna, a military base 46 miles northeast of Kyiv, killing 87.<ref>https://sonar21.com/desna-is-just-one-disaster-for-the-ukrainian-military/</ref> The base was hit again in June, this time killing 200.<br />
<br />
While Ukraine was losing 20,000 soldiers a month, [[Boris Johnson]] travelled to Kyiv to promise training for 10,000 soldiers every four months.<ref>https://youtu.be/Lj-Vj_YWYfE</ref><br />
<br />
On June 19, 2022 Commander of UK Strategic Command Gen. Thomas Patrick wrote to the UK Royal Army troops, "There is now an urgent need to forge an army capable of fighting alongside our allies and defeating Russia in battle. We are the generation that must prepare the Army to fight in Europe once again. There is now a burning imperative to forge an Army capable of fighting alongside our allies and defeating Russia in battle."<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/british-troops-must-prepare-to-fight-in-europe-once-again-says-uks-new-army-chief-articleshow.html</ref><br />
<br />
On July 11, 2022, the BBC reported that UK Special Forces were involved in the illegally killing of 54 unarmed detainees in [[Afghanistan]].<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-62083196</ref><br />
<br />
====UK military-intelligence organization====<br />
<br />
Leaked documents revealed that British military-intelligence organizations were training a guerrilla army of 'stay behind' sabotage groups to attack Russian military and civilian targets in Crimea. The investigative news website ''The Grayzone'' named the key players working with the [[Security Service of Ukraine]] (SBU) in [[Odessa]] to set up the covert force.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/11/03/british-spies-terror-army-ukraine/</ref> They include military consultant Hugh Ward, who works for private security firm Rezolutionz, [[MI6]] veteran Guy Spindler, former Lithuanian defense minister Audrius Butkevicius and veteran intelligence agent Chris Donnelly. ''The Grayzone'' also reported that British private military contractor Prevail Partners, founded by former Royal Marines Brigadier and Special Boat Service (SBS) commander Justin Hedges and other ex-commandoes, had been hired to train the new [[guerrilla]] force.<br />
[[File:UK intrusion August 15, 2022.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Intrusion of UK military reconnaissance aircraft in the Murmansk region, August 15, 2022.]]<br />
''The Greyzone'' reported Spindler and Butkevicius lobbied governments to ramp up funding for the program. Internal emails seen by the site asked: "will [[Uncle Sam]] pay for this?" while a "costed proposal" to the British Ministry of Defense had been "turned down for risk reasons."<br />
<br />
Alex Finnen, of the British army Specialist Group Military Intelligence section of the 77 Brigade cyber-warfare centre and the Foreign Office's Russia Unit, said in one email from March 2022 that the proposal — tendered at $600,000 per insurgent per year — was “very expensive for what it is,” although the firm was in a "seller's market". “I suspect that they have taken the first figure they thought of and then doubled it. So, there needs to be more discussion as to how and what these people are going to do,” Finnen wrote. “Partisans live in and amongst the people. That suggests that you need people from across Ukraine, in small teams to take part as Prevail suggest ‘oblast by oblast’. How are they going to achieve this?”<br />
<br />
Justin Hedges claimed that his firm could do a much better job by training 40-strong groups in guerrilla warfare tactics. He said funding could be “provided by flowing ‘donations’ through Prevail's established [[NGO]], Rhizome Insights Ltd,” without leaving a clear trail from governments to the mercenary firm.<br />
<br />
Russia accused the UK of complicity in the September 26, 2022 bombing of the [[Nord Stream]] pipelines across the [[Baltic Sea]], the October 8, 2022 truck bombing of the [[Kerch Strait bridge]] to Crimea and the October 29, 2022 attack on the Crimean port of [[Sevastopol]] with seven marine and nine aerial drones. Other incidents in the Crimean peninsula are suspected to be the work of covert units, including an explosion at a military airfield in August 2022 and an attack using a small drone to drop explosives.<br />
<br />
====UK sabotages peace negotiations====<br />
[[File:Zelensky and Boris.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelesnky and BoJo. Boris Johnson sabotaged peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine in April 2022. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers died needlessly in the following months,]]<br />
''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in May 2022 on Boris Johnson's unannounced surprise visit to Kyiv shortly after Russia and Ukraine had reached a peace settlement in their talks in [[Istanbul]]. The Russians had agreed to withdraw to the pre-February 2022 borders and Zelensky would implement the [[Minsk Accords]]. ''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in essence what Johnson told Zelensky according to sources close to the Ukrainian dictator:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"if Ukraine is ready to sign some agreements on guarantees with Putin, they [the UK and US] are not. Johnson’s position was that the [[Western alliance|collective West]], which back in February had suggested Zelenskyy should surrender and flee, now felt that Putin was not really as powerful as they had previously imagined, and that here was a chance to "press him."<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/western-allies-led-uks-johnson-sabotaged-tentative-ukraine-russia-peace-deal</ref>}}<br />
[[File:Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Ukrainian troops training in North Yorkshire.jpeg|left|300px|thumb|Boris Johnson posing with Ukrainian special forces. Most were killed in an unsuccessful NATO raid on the [[Zaporozhye nuclear power plant]].]]<br />
On October 13, 2022, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference:<br />
<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We sat at the negotiating table with the Ukrainian delegation until the end of March [2022], when an approach to a settlement on the principles suggested by the Ukrainians at the time had been harmonised in [[Istanbul]]. These principles suited us for that moment but the talks were stopped by direct order from Washington and London.<br />
<br />
This conflict is overrun with [[Anglo-Saxon]]s that fully control the Vladimir Zelensky regime. The Poles and people from the Baltics are trying to fit in on their team.<br />
<br />
Since then the Ukrainian President has said many times that he is not going to hold talks with the Russian Federation under President Vladimir Putin. Recently, he codified this ban in law. We have never sought negotiations. The Istanbul round completed the process started at Ukraine’s request. Russia positively reacted to the proposal to enter a dialogue, but its initiators cut it off with a shout from overseas or London.<br />
<br />
We are hearing statements by [[White House]] representative John Kirby, my colleague Antony Blinken and other members of the US administration. They are saying that they are completely open to talks with the Russian Federation, that they favor a political settlement of the current situation in Ukraine but Russia (the “troublemaker”) is rejecting proposals to establish contact. I can say straight away that this is a lie. We have not received any serious proposals to establish any such contact. There were some attempts that were not very serious, but we didn’t reject them, either. Instead, we suggested that they formulate specific proposals. Some people made them to us by proxy but in this case, we didn’t receive any clear explanations from anyone, either. No need to lie. We were taught in a kindergarten then lying is bad. Apparently, American kindergartens are not so advanced as they were in the [[Soviet Union]] and are now in Russia."}}<br />
<br />
====Kerch Strait bridge terror attack====<br />
[[File:Kerch Bridge.PNG|right|300px|thumb|The Ukrainian government took credit for the terrorist attack and destruction of civilian infrastructure on the Kerch Strait bridge.<ref>https://korybko.substack.com/p/western-values-now-include-celebrating</ref>]]<br />
The Grayzone obtained an April 2022 documents entitled, ''AUDACIOUS: Support for Ukraine Maritime Raiding Operations'',<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Support-for-Maritime-Raiding-Operations-Proposal.pdf</ref> drawn up for senior British intelligence officers hashing out an elaborate scheme to blow up Crimea's Kerch Bridge with the involvement of specially trained Ukrainian soldiers.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/10/10/ukrainian-kerch-bridge/</ref><br />
<br />
In August 2022 Zelensky aid [[Mykhailo Podolyak]] told the ''[[Guardian]]'' there could be more attacks in the “next two or three months” similar to strikes on a railway junction and an airbase in Crimea, as well as a hit on Russian warplanes at Crimea's Saky aerodrome. Podolyak told the ''Guardian'' that the Kerch Strait bridge linking Crimea with the Russian mainland was a target. “It’s an illegal construction and the main gateway to supply the Russian army in Crimea. Such objects should be destroyed,” he said.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/16/creating-chaos-zelenskiys-adviser-outlines-ukraines-military-strategy</ref> On August 18, 2022, the Russians reported shooting down surveillance drones over the Kerch Strait bridge.<br />
<br />
Podolyak took credit for the terrorist attack and destruction of civilian infrastructure: "Crimea, the bridge, the beginning. Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled."<ref>https://archive.ph/jJC0P</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) were behind the terrorist attack.<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ukraine-live-briefing-kyiv-celebrates-crimean-bridge-blast-russia-appoints-new-top-commander/ar-AA12Jldo</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/6V1mnXNczHI?t=1487</ref> The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) determined that Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, was the chief organizer on the Ukrainian end.<ref>https://nypost.com/2022/10/12/russia-arrests-8-in-crimea-bridge-blast-blames-ukraine/</ref> Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba confirmed that the Kyiv regime was behind the terrorist attack.<ref>https://youtu.be/uKZnhactW6k</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/hac6kaA68CQ</ref> The Ukrainian Post Office issued a commemorative stamp to honor the terrorist attack.<ref>https://youtu.be/CHhq783BNo8</ref> The attack was an act of state-sponsored terrorism by the government of Ukraine with U.S. taxpayer money.<br />
<br />
====Russia warns the UK government====<br />
On November 3, 2022, Russia summoned the British Ambassador to Moscow, Deborah Bronnert, over claims that the UK provided training to Ukrainian forces that attacked Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea. The Russian Foreign Ministry presented the diplomat with a “steadfast protest” and warned her that [[London]]’s hostile actions “could lead to unpredictable and dangerous consequences,” according to a statement published on the ministry's website. “If acts of aggression that risk turning [Britain] into a direct party in the conflict continue, the British side will solely bear the responsibility for their negative consequences and the increase in tensions between our countries,” the ministry said. <br />
<br />
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Ukrainian Navy conducted dives and a target detonation exercise in the Black Sea and on the shore near the cities of Odessa, Nikolayev, as well as Ochakov with the help of British experts. The Ambassador received a vehement complaint over the British military specialists' active involvement in training and supplying the units of the Ukrainian special operations forces, especially with the intention of carrying out acts of [[sabotage]] at sea. The ''[[demarche]]'' highlighted how such aggressive behavior by the British raises the possibility of an escalation and might have unforeseen and catastrophic results. <br />
<br />
According to the ministry, “An agreement was reached in September 2020 between London and Kyiv to expand the British instructors’ training programme for Ukrainian military divers.” Further, it stated that the Naval Training Initiative for the Ukrainian Navy, which includes combat swimmer training programs, was put into action by the parties in late 2020. <br />
<br />
Ministry underlined that the Joint Multinational Training Group - Ukraine initiative significantly strengthens naval cooperation between the United Kingdom and Ukraine. This work is done at a different Ataman Golovaty Special Operations Center "South" of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces in the city of Ochakov, Nikolayev region, and it contains training underwater special operations personnel for carrying out operations in the Black Sea and Azov Sea.<br />
<br />
Special operations divers are being trained in a military diving school in Odessa, which is a part of the 198th training facility for the Ukrainian Navy, Military Unit A3163, Nikolayev. This training includes deep-sea subversive techniques, among other things. The minesweeper personnel that was sent to Ukraine were taught by the British in the months of August 2022 and September, the ministry reported.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/russia-summons-british-envoy-deborah-bronnert-over-terrorist-attacks-on-black-sea-fleet-articleshow.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Depleted uranium dirty nuclear weapons====<br />
Sunak delivered [[depleted uranium]] shells - essentially [[dirty nuclear weapon]]s - to the fascist [[dictatorship]] of [[Volodymyr Zelensky]].<ref>[https://www.theinteldrop.org/2023/04/26/putin-warns-sunak-after-uks-big-admission-on-depleted-uranium-shells-in-ukraine/ Putin warns Sunak after UK’s big admission on depleted Uranium shells in Ukraine], INTEL-DROP, April 26, 2023.</ref><br />
[[File:UK depleted uranium.PNG|left|300px|thumb|On March 20, 2023, it was announced the UK was supplying nuclear weapons to Ukraine.<ref>https://declassifieduk.org/britain-supplying-depleted-uranium-rounds-to-ukraine/</ref>]]<br />
On January 25, 2023, Konstantin Gavrilov, the head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control, warned: <br />
{{quotebox-float|“We know that [[Leopard 2]] tanks, as well as Bradley and Marder armored fighting vehicles, can use [[depleted uranium]] shells, which can contaminate terrain, just like it happened in [[Yugoslavia]] and [[Iraq]]...If Kiev were to be supplied with such munitions for the use in western heavy military hardware, we would regard it as the use of ‘[[dirty nuclear bomb]]s’ against Russia, with all the consequences that entails.”}}<br />
Depleted uranium is a very dense metal, ideal to be used on projectiles because of its mass, and also because it ignites at around 600 degrees Celsius; it can penetrate an armoured vehicle and incinerate the crew once it enters the cabin. As a block or a projectile, the material can be handled with no health consequences, but when it ignites or explodes, it's turned into dust, then, it can be inhaled or ingested by live creatures and it wreaks havoc in the internal organs, creating a very large number of cancerous lesions and genetic malformations.<ref>[https://youtu.be/tiDNTA12_gk Depleted Uranium]</ref> That is why it is considered a very dangerous polluting material, same as a dirty bomb.<br />
<br />
The use of depleted uranium shells was developed by the United States in the 1980s. The Russian military made the decision at that time not to follow suit and compete by developing depleted uranium as a battlefield weapon because of its long lasting environmental and health effects. Existing tactical nuclear weapons were considered a sufficient deterrent to what is essentially a nuclear dirty bomb used by NATO and the United States.<br />
<br />
On March 20, 2023, Annabel Goldie, the British Minister of State for Defence, declared that her country would provide depleted uranium munitions to the Kyiv regime.<ref>https://youtu.be/vSG_3cduRLA</ref> In response, President Vladimir Putin reported on March 25 that the decision had been made to deploy a tactical nuclear weapon on the territory of Belarus by July 1, 2023, to reduce flight time against NATO aggressors. Reduced flight time, if even by a few seconds, is an important consideration in the age of modern missile defense.<br />
[[File:Khmelnytsky blast.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Prevailing winds after the release of gamma radiation from British depleted uranium shells in NATO occupied Ukraine.]] <br />
On May 2, 2023, [[Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.]], tied for the lead in the [[Democratic presidential candidates 2024|2024 Democratic presidential nomination]],<ref>https://www.newstarget.com/2023-05-10-rfk-jr-tied-biden-poll-democrats-trump.html</ref> warned:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"In another reckless escalation, [[Britain]] has confirmed delivery of depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine. [[DU]] munitions should be banned. They partially vaporize on impact, poisoning the environment with uranium dust that causes [[cancer]] and horrific birth defects."<ref>https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1653562264539070465</ref>}}<br />
On May 13, 2023, a series of explosions at the Khmelnytsky ammunition storage depot in western Ukraine led to a significant increase in gamma radiation levels,<ref>https://t.me/intelslava/47714</ref> suggesting the release of depleted uranium dust into the air posing severe risk to public health. The resultant fire was remotely extinguished by robots. Depleted uranium munitions, while typically emitting minimal gamma radiation, are known to pose risks when a large stockpile is destroyed, as in the Khmelnytsky incident.<br />
<br />
The effects of gamma radiation can be particularly detrimental to cellular structures and DNA/RNA molecules, with an extended range of damage in fluids such as gas or liquid. The British Department of Defense (DoD) confirmed that it provided depleted-uranium tank rounds to the Ukrainian armed forces. Reports indicate that the detonated warehouse in Khmelnytsky contained a substantial quantity of depleted uranium shells, causing alarm among locals and prompting residents to evacuate nearby areas. Yuri Kot, a political scientist, has stated that his sources confirm the presence of a large stockpile of depleted uranium shells in the destroyed Khmelnytsky warehouse.<br />
<br />
Following the explosions, gamma radiation levels in Khmelnytsky have rose steadily. This surge is particularly concerning as depleted uranium typically emits only a low dose of gamma radiation, suggesting the destruction of a significant quantity of munitions and the release of uranium dust into the surrounding environment.<br />
<br />
Dosimetric patrols in the city conducted radiation background measurements in uncharacteristic locations. Previous measurements were concentrated around the Khmelnytsky Nuclear Power Plant but were expanded to cover the regional center, western regions of the area, and Ternopil. The prevailing wind direction, blowing northwest at the time of the explosions, raised concerns about the spread of [[radioactive]] particles to [[Warsaw]], [[Berlin]], and [[Prague]].<ref>https://newindian.in/gamma-radiation-spikes-as-explosions-rock-munitions-depot-in-ukraine/</ref><br />
<br />
Residents were in a panic and began gathering their belongings and leaving the affected areas, including Khmelnytsky, Lviv, and Ternopil.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/05/radioactive-panic-russians-missiles-hit-ukrainian-ammunition-depot-in-khmelnytsky-causing-massive-explosion-cache-of-british-depleted-uranium-tank-shells-destroyed-gamma-radiation-spikes-in-the-r/</ref><br />
<br />
===Pakistan===<br />
The Pakistani [[ISI]] maintains extensive ties with British intelligence services. <ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/8698901/Pakistani-spies-in-the-Houses-of-Parliament.html</ref><br />
<br />
===Iraq===<br />
<br />
The U.K. was the United States' main coalition partner under the designation Operation TELIC. Under UN Security Council Resolution 1483, the U.K. also shared with the United States responsibility for civil administration in Iraq and was an active participant in the Coalition Provisional Authority before the handover of Iraqi sovereignty on June 28, 2004. Britain's participation in the Iraq war and its aftermath remains a domestically controversial issue.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
Iraqi oil supply was considered to be 'vital' to British interests. The British Government saw Iraqi oil as "vital" to the UK's long-term energy security, and the effective privatisation of its oil industry was central to the post-invasion plan for the country, according to previously unseen Whitehall documents. [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iraqi-oil-supply-was-considered-to-be-vital-to-british-interests-2270072.html] ''The Independent.'' <br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
The Iraq Inquiry is conducted to identify lessons that can be learned from the Iraq conflict; the inquiry is concerned over Mr. Blair's evidence on the legal advice he received before agreeing to join the invasion, and the timing of the decision to go to war. [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chilcot-to-grill-blair-on-how-he-misled-iraq-war-inquiry-2185725.html] The Chair of the Inquiry, Sir John Chilcot (1939) was Staff Counsellor to the Security and Intelligence Agencies (1999-2004) and the National Criminal Intelligence Service (2002–06).<br />
<br />
===Afghanistan===<br />
{{See also|Rape of Afghanistan}}<br />
[[File:As long as it takes.PNG|right|300px|thumb|''Reuters'' from 2010. UK pulled out after the country was destroyed with delivering freedom or democracy.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-afghanistan/uk-to-stay-in-afghanistan-as-long-as-it-takes-idUSTRE6A71TI20101108</ref>]]<br />
Britain stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States following the [[September 11, 2001]] terrorist attacks in the U.S., and its military forces were part of the coalition force in Afghanistan. The British force in [[Afghanistan War|Afghanistan]] were at 9,000 in late 2009 and rose by an extra 500 troops in 2010. British forces were primarily based in the Helmand region, where they were on the front line in the war against continued [[Taliban]] terrorism. In addition, Britain contributed more than £500 million to Afghan reconstruction—the second-largest donor after the U.S.<br />
<br />
Democrat socialist leader [[Joe Biden]] of the United States assured key allies at the June 2021 [[G7]] Summit in [[Cornwall]] that he would maintain enough of a security presence in Afghanistan to ensure they could continue to operate in the capital following the main U.S. withdrawal. Biden promised Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other leaders that “critical U.S. enablers” would remain in place to keep Kabul safe following the drawdown of NATO forces. British officials determined the U.S. would provide enough personnel to ensure that the U.K. embassy in Kabul could continue operating.<br />
<br />
But the withdrawal of U.S. forces saw the Afghan government collapse as Taliban fighters raced across the country, culminating in scenes of chaos at Kabul’s airport. The British embassy was evacuated. The UK foreign minister faced calls to resign over the inability to extract people on the ground, ''Bloomberg'' reported.<ref> https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-20/biden-assured-allies-in-june-u-s-would-ensure-kabul-s-stability?sref=MTy2GeXk</ref><br />
<br />
The circumstances surrounding the U.S. withdrawal served as a wake-up call to the anti-Trump elements in Great Britain who colluded with [[fake news]] [[mainstream media]] outlets, the [[2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign|Hillary Clinton campaign]], and the U.S. [[intelligence community]] to interfere in American elections and sabotage the presidency of [[Donald Trump]], of the reluctance of Washington to operate as a global policeman. During the Rape of Afghanistan, Biden ignored [[UK]] [[Prime Minister]] [[Boris Johnson]]'s frantic phone calls for 36 hours.<ref>https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2021/08/20/special-relationship-biden-ghosted-johnson-over-bungled-bugout-n1471066</ref><br />
According to the U.K . ''Telegraph'', <br />
[[File:KabulHasFallen.png|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal was condemned as “catastrophic” and “shameful” on Wednesday as the [[Houses of Parliament]] delivered an unprecedented rebuke to a US president. MPs and peers from across the political spectrum, including [[Boris Johnson]], put some blame for the Taliban’s takeover and the chaos that followed on Britain’s closest ally. Mr Biden was accused of “throwing us and everybody else to the fire” by pulling out US troops, and was called “dishonourable” for criticising Afghan forces for not having the will to fight. Former defence chiefs who led British troops in the Middle East were among those to speak out, while there were warnings that the West’s withdrawal would embolden Russia and China.<br />
<br />
[…] Labour MP Chris Bryant called Mr Biden’s remarks about Afghan soldiers “some of the most shameful comments ever from an American president”. Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP and former defence minister, said: “The Biden government have just come in and, without looking at what is happening on the ground, have taken a unilateral decision, throwing us and everybody else to the fire.” <ref>[https://archive.is/YkOPb#selection-517.0-535.24 Parliament holds Joe Biden in contempt over Afghanistan], By Ben Riley-Smith, ''The Telegraph'', 18 August 2021.</ref>}}<br />
Ben Wallace, [[UK]] defence secretary, broke down in tears saying, “some would not get back” from Afghanistan. “It’s sad. Twenty years of sacrifice is what it is."<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/afghanistan-taliban-uk-ben-wallace-b1903193.html NewsUKUK Politics<br />
Defence secretary breaks down in tears and admits ‘some won’t get back’ from Afghanistan], Adam Forrest, ''The Independent'', August 16, 2021.<br />
</ref> Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab concluded that Britain would have to turn to Russia and China to assist with exercising a "moderating influence" over the Taliban despite a deep mistrust of both regimes. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Tom Tugendhat wrote, <br />
[[File:Biden Imbecile.PNG|left|300px|thumb|''Sunday Mirror'', August 22, 2021.<ref>https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunday-mirror/20210822/page/1</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The [[fall of Kabul]] is the biggest foreign policy disaster since [[Suez Crisis|Suez]]. The operation to seize the canal in 1956 symbolised the end of [[British Empire|Britain’s global ambition]] and refocused us on Nato and alliances. It showed conclusively that the US could limit our actions and change our policy. The fall of Kabul will be remembered for similar reasons: not just its abject failure, but also because it revealed the nature of US power and our inability to hold a separate line. The redeployment of 2,500 US troops, half as many as it takes to crew a carrier, ended 20 years of British effort in Afghanistan and left thousands of British citizens under Taliban jurisdiction....The longer-term question is: what next? Is Britain’s [[foreign policy]] achievable given the past week? What are the implications for our alliances?...just like in Suez, we need to reset to make sure that a false narrative does not grow, and that means commitment. Cuts to overseas engagement, whether defence, diplomacy, aid or trade, will look different today from how they did a week ago...." <ref>[https://archive.is/KmgYt Tom Tugendhat on Afghanistan: Six decades after Suez, we remain impotent in the face of US policy], August 16 2021, ''The Times''.</ref>}}<br />
Former Tory prime minister [[Theresa May]] said "What does it say about NATO if we are entirely dependent on a unilateral decision taken by the United States? ... Did we feel we just had to follow the United States and hope that on a wing and a prayer it'd be all right on the night?" Former Labour prime minister [[Tony Blair]] slammed Biden's "imbecilic" retreat.<ref>https://archive.is/2D8am#selection-491.1-491.56</ref> Blair said the "deep politicisation" of US foreign policy was "visibly atrophying" American influence, and claimed the debacle over the withdrawal risked Britain being relegated to the "second division" of global powers.<br />
<br />
===Israel===<br />
<br />
Britain has shown a greater willingness than the United States to criticize the Israelis over settlements and what some call the disproportionate responses to provocations from Gaza and southern Lebanon. (Jewish Labour MP Gerald Kaufman is among the most vocal.) Like his predecessors, both Labour and Conservative, former Foreign Secretary Milliband has been unequivocal: "Settlements are illegal under international law," he told Parliament in 2008; "They are a major blockage to peace in the Middle East on the basis of a two-state solution." His successor William Hague, on 20 March 2011, "expressed our serious concern over the recent announcement of 400 new housing units in the West Bank. Continued settlements run contrary to peace.” A BBC poll in March 2011 found that 14% of British subjects have a generally positive opinion of Israel while 66% have a generally negative opinion.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
<br />
[[File:Send_a_gun_to_a_British_home.jpg|thumb|right|[[Second Amendment]]-supporting [[American]] [[citizen]]s gifted their [[firearm]]s to [[gun free zone]]-[[gun control]] supporting British citizens during [[World War II]] via [[The American Committee for the Defense of British Homes]]]]<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is one of the United States' closest allies, and British foreign policy emphasises close coordination with the United States. Bilateral cooperation reflects the common language, ideals, and democratic practices of the two nations. Relations were strengthened by the countries' alliances during both World Wars, and its role as a founding member of NATO, in the Korean conflict, in the Persian Gulf War, and in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The United Kingdom and the United States continually consult on foreign policy issues and global problems and share major foreign and security policy objectives. <br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is the fifth-largest market for U.S. goods exports after Canada, Mexico, Japan, and China, and the sixth-largest supplier of U.S. imports after Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany. U.S. exports of goods and services to the United Kingdom in 2006 totaled $92 billion, while U.S. imports from the U.K. totaled $93 billion. The United States has had a trade deficit with the United Kingdom since 1998. The United Kingdom is a large source of foreign tourists in the United States. In 2005, 3.4 million U.S. residents visited the United Kingdom, while 4.2 million U.K. residents visited the United States. <br />
<br />
The United States and the United Kingdom share the world's largest foreign direct investment partnership. U.S. investment in the United Kingdom reached $324 billion in 2005, while U.K. direct investment in the U.S. totaled $282 billion. This investment sustains more than 1 million American jobs.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
[[File:London.jpg|thumb|left|280px|London's financial center.]]<br />
Britain has been hard hit by the [[Recession of 2008]], with its major banks taken over or subsidized by the government. Real gross domestic product declined by 4.6% in 2009, and is expected to rise by 0.6% before 2010 and probably will continue to increase by 1% in 2011. <br />
<br />
Britain has the sixth-largest economy in the world, and the second largest economy in Europe. It is a major international trading power. A highly developed, diversified, market-based economy with extensive social welfare services provides most residents with a high standard of living. Unemployment and inflation levels are amongst the lowest within Europe.<br />
<br />
Since 1979, the British Government has privatised most state-owned companies, including British Steel, British Airways, British Telecom, British Coal, British Aerospace, and British Gas, although in some cases the government retains a "golden share" in these companies. The previous Labour government continued the privatisation policy of its Conservative predecessor, particularly by encouraging "public-private partnerships" (partial privatisation) in such areas as the London Underground. The economy of the United Kingdom is now primarily based on private enterprise, accounting for approximately four-fifths of employment and output. <br />
[[File:Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent, England Crop 2009.jpg|thumb|440px|Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent, 2009.]]<br />
London ranks alongside New York as a leading international financial centre. London's financial exports contribute greatly to the United Kingdom's balance of payments. Ratings agencies rank the United Kingdom's banking sector as one of the strongest in the world and its banks are amongst the most profitable in the G-8. It is a global leader in emissions trading and is home to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). It is also a government priority to make London the leading center of Islamic finance. <br />
<br />
Britain a significant European energy exporter. It is also one of the world's largest energy consumers, and most analysts predict a shift in U.K. status from net exporter to net importer of energy by 2020, possibly sooner. Oil production in the U.K. is levelling off. While North Sea natural gas production continues to rise, gains may be offset by ever-increasing consumption. North Sea oil and gas exploration activities are shifting to smaller fields and to increments of larger, developed fields, presenting opportunities for smaller, independent energy operators to become active in North Sea production. <br />
*GDP (at current market prices, 2007 est.): US$1.93 trillion.<br />
*Annual growth rate (2009 est.): -4.6%<br />
*Per capita GDP (2006 est.): US$31,800. <br />
*Natural resources: Coal, oil, natural gas.<br />
*Agriculture (1.1% of GDP): Products—cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables, cattle, sheep, poultry, fish.<br />
*Industry: Types—steel, heavy engineering and metal manufacturing, textiles, motor vehicles and aircraft, construction (5.2% of GDP), electronics, chemicals.<br />
*Trade (2006 est.): Exports of goods and services—US$468.8 billion: manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco. Major markets—U.S., European Union. Imports of goods and services—US$603 billion: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs. Major suppliers—U.S., European Union, Japan. <br />
<br />
=== Economic History ===<br />
<br />
In 1960, the United Kingdom had the fourth-largest economy, with a GDP of $75 billion.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_largest_historical_GDP</ref> In 1965, the UK got surpassed by France, getting to fifth place, with a GDP of $100 billion. In 1970, the fast-growing Japanese economy surpassed the UK, bumping it to 6th place. In 1975, the UK got $240 billion, in 1980 it got $540 billion, and in 1985, the UK declined slightly to $535 billion. But the top 6 stayed the same, the United States, Soviet Union, Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. In 1990, Italy humiliated the UK, by putting the UK at 7th, despite booming to $1.1 trillion. In 1995, the UK grew to $1.325 trillion, bumping both Italy's curving economy and Russia's collapsing economy. In 2000, the UK went to $1.445 trillion, surpassing its longtime-rival-but-ally France, thus getting to 4th. In 2005, the UK boomed to $2.5 trillion dollars, keeping its 4th. In 2010, the UK declined to $2.25 trillion, getting bumped to 6th. In 2015, however, the UK got to $2.863 trillion, surpassing France again. In 2020, the booming Indian economy surpassed the UK, with $2.8 trillion (a small decline), bumping it to 6th.<br />
<br />
=== Currency ===<br />
<br />
The currency of the United Kingdom is the [[Pound|Pound Sterling]], commonly called Pound and written £ or GBP, divided into 100 New Pence (now commonly just called pence or 'p'). Traditionally the UK had a complicated triple currency structure of 20 [[shilling]]s to the Pound and 12 "old pence" (represented by a "d" from the Roman ''denarius'') to the shilling, making a total of 240 pence to the Pound. This system was abandoned in 1971 due to difficulties with computerised accounting systems, in favour of the current [[decimal]] system. <br />
<br />
The UK has never joined the [[Euro]] zone.<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
<br />
[[File:Stonehenge.jpg|thumb|left|Stonehenge.]]<br />
The Roman invasion of Britain in 43AD and most of Britain's subsequent incorporation into the Roman Empire stimulated development and brought more active contacts with the rest of Europe. However, there was no permanent Roman imprint apart from roads and locations for cities. As Rome's strength declined, the country again was exposed to invasion—including the pivotal incursions of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in the fifth and sixth centuries AD—up to the Norman conquest in 1066. Norman rule effectively ensured Britain's safety from further intrusions; certain institutions, which remain characteristic of Britain, could develop. Among these are a political, administrative, cultural, and economic centre in London; a separate but established church and distinctive and distinguished university education. <br />
<br />
====Union====<br />
<br />
Both Wales and Scotland were independent kingdoms that resisted English rule. The English conquest of Wales succeeded in 1282 under Edward I, and the Statute of Rhuddlan established English rule 2 years later. To appease the Welsh, Edward's son (later Edward II), who had been born in Wales, was made Prince of Wales in 1301. The tradition of bestowing this title on the eldest son of the British Monarch continues today. An act of 1536 completed the political and administrative union of England and Wales. <br />
<br />
While maintaining separate parliaments, England and Scotland were ruled by the same king beginning in 1603, when James VI of Scotland succeeded his cousin Elizabeth I as James I of England. In the ensuing 100 years, strong religious and political differences divided the kingdoms. Finally, in 1707, England and Scotland were unified as Great Britain, sharing a single Parliament at Westminster. <br />
<br />
Ireland's invasion by the Anglo-Normans in 1170 led to centuries of strife. Successive English kings sought to conquer Ireland. In the early 17th century, large-scale settlement of the north from Scotland and England began. After its defeat, Ireland was subjected, with varying degrees of success, to control and regulation by Britain. <br />
<br />
The legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was completed on January 1, 1801, under the name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (normally shortened to "Great Britain" or "Britain"). However, armed struggle for independence continued sporadically into the 20th century. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 established the Irish Free State, which subsequently left the Commonwealth and became a republic after World War II. Six northern, predominantly [[Protestant]], Irish counties have remained part of the United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
====British Expansion and Empire====<br />
<br />
[[Image:Sir Francis Grant's Portrait of Queen Victoria.jpg|right|200px|thumb|''Queen Victoria'', by [[Sir Francis Grant]].]]<br />
The '''British Empire''' was the [[List of largest empires|largest empire]] in history and, for over a century, was the foremost [[Great power|global power]]. It was a product of the [[Age of Discovery]], which began with the maritime explorations of the 15th century, that sparked the era of the European [[Colonialism|colonial]] empires. By 1921, the British Empire held sway over a population of about 458 million people, approximately one-quarter of the world's population.<ref>Angus Maddison. ''The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective'' (p. 98, 242). [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]], Paris, 2001.</ref> It covered about 36.7 million km² (14.2 million square miles),<ref>Bruce R. Gordon. [http://www.hostkingdom.net/earthrul.html ''To Rule the Earth...''] (See [http://www.hostkingdom.net/Bibliography.html Bibliography] for sources used.)</ref> about a quarter of Earth's total land area. As a result, its political, linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, it was often said that "[[The empire on which the sun never sets|the sun never sets on the British Empire]]" because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous [[colonies]] or subject nations.<ref>This phrase had already been used a few centuries before by the king [[Charles I of Spain]], referring to the [[Spanish Empire]].</ref><br />
<br />
Begun initially to support William the Conqueror's (c. 1029-1087) holdings in France, Britain's policy of active involvement in continental European affairs endured for several hundred years. By the end of the 14th century, foreign trade, originally based on wool exports to Europe, had emerged as a cornerstone of national policy. <br />
<br />
During the five decades following [[World War II]], most of the territories of the Empire became independent. Many went on to join the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], a free association of independent states.<ref>T. O. Lloyd, ''The British Empire, 1558-1995. 2nd ed. (1996).</ref> Some have retained the [[British monarch]] as their [[head of state]] to become independent [[Commonwealth realm]]s.<br />
<br />
====Sea Power====<br />
<br />
The foundations of sea power were gradually laid to protect English trade and open up new routes. Defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 firmly established England as a major sea power. Thereafter, its interests outside Europe grew steadily. Attracted by the spice trade, English mercantile interests spread first to the Far East. In search of an alternate route to the Spice Islands, John Cabot reached the North American continent in 1498. Sir Walter Raleigh organized the first, short-lived colony in Virginia in 1584, and permanent English settlement began in 1607 at Jamestown, Virginia. During the next two centuries, Britain extended its influence abroad and consolidated its political development at home, as the Royal Navy dominated the seas.<br />
<br />
====Industrial Revolution====<br />
<br />
[[File:Bradford Industrial Museum.jpg|thumb|left|Bradford Industrial Museum.]]<br />
Britain's [[industrial revolution]] greatly strengthened its ability to oppose Napoleonic France. By the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, Britain was the foremost European power, and its navy ruled the seas. Peace in Europe allowed the British to focus their interests on more remote parts of the world, and, during this period, the British Empire reached its zenith. British colonial expansion reached its height largely during the reign of [[Queen Victoria]] (1837-1901). [[Victorian era|Queen Victoria's]] reign witnessed the spread of British technology, commerce, language, and government throughout the British Empire, which, at its greatest extent, encompassed roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of the world's area and population. It is controversial whether British colonies accelerated or slowed Britain's economic growth, for its growth rate fell below nations without empires, especially the U.S. and [[Germany]]. Democracy came in fits and starts in a series of reforms that finally, by the 1920s, allowed all adults to vote.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br />
====End of Empire====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Collapse of the British Empire]]<br />
<br />
By the time of Queen Victoria's death in 1901, other nations, including the United States and Germany, had developed their own industries; Britain lost its comparative economic advantage, and the ambitions of its rivals had grown. The UK joined world war I because of the invasion of [[Belgium]], and subsequently began [[World War II]] after the invasion of [[Poland]]. The losses and destruction of [[World War I|The First World War]], the [[Great Depression]] of the 1930s, the independence of the Dominions, and decades of relatively slow growth eroded the Britain's preeminent international position of the previous century. <br />
<br />
Nationalism became stronger in other parts of the empire, particularly in India and Egypt. <br />
<br />
In 1926, Britain granted Australia, Canada, and New Zealand almost complete autonomy as "dominions"; beginning with the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, the remainder of the British Empire was almost completely dismantled by the 1960s.<br />
<br />
==== United Kingdom's road repair crisis ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom's road repair crisis]]<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom (UK) website ''Fife Today'' reported in on July 27, 2022 on UK's road repair crisis: "Over 1.5 million potholes were reported across the country, but the AA says the actual number is likely to be much higher as the figure does not include pothole on motorways and major roads, and many go unreported."<ref>[https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/people/fife-worst-in-scotland-for-potholes-3783174 Fife worst in Scotland for potholes], ''Fife Today'' website, July 27, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
In 2018, UK roads ranked were ranked 27th in the world which was a ranking below [[Chile]] and [[Cyprus]].<ref>[https://news.motors.co.uk/news/uk-roads-ranked-worse-than-chile-and-cyprus-in-global-survey/ UK roads ranked worse than Chile and Cyprus in global survey], Motors.co.uk</ref><br />
== See also ==<br />
<br />
*[[English Painting]]<br />
*[[British politics]]<br />
*[[June 2007 UK terror attacks]]<br />
*[[List of political parties in the United Kingdom]]<br />
*[[Mystery:Why is England More Liberal than the United States?]]<br />
*[[Flags of the United Kingdom]]<br />
* [[Piers Morgan]]<br />
*[[Victorian era]]<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/15/sir-john-chilcot-wrong-man Sir John Chilcot 'wrong man to head Iraq invasion inquiry'.]<br />
*[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iraqi-oil-supply-was-considered-to-be-vital-to-british-interests-2270072.html Iraqi oil supply was considered to be 'vital' to British interests.]<br />
<br />
== Notes ==<br />
<references/><br />
<br />
[[Category:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]<br />
[[Category:European Countries]]<br />
[[Category:NATO Members]][[Category:Russia-Ukraine War]]<br />
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:British Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Liberalism]]<br />
[[Category:Socialism]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Nuclear Defense]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=United_Kingdom&diff=1965461United Kingdom2023-07-24T15:40:25Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Foreign relations and military */</p>
<hr />
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The '''United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''' ('''UK''') is a sovereign [[state]] north-west of mainland [[Europe]]. It comprises [[England]], [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]], which occupy the island of [[Great Britain]], and [[Northern Ireland]] on the island of [[Ireland]]. It attained its current identity in 1922 after most of Ireland was granted independence. The UK, at least in part, has a separate identity from mainland Europe.<ref>Hanson, Victor Davis (September 12, 2019). [https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/victor-davis-hanson-britain-free-market-democratic-world Victor Davis Hanson: Britain's got one last chance to reembrace free-market democratic world it helped create]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved September 13, 2019.</ref><br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. Its [[head of state]] is King [[Charles III]], and its [[head of government]] is Prime Minister [[Rishi Sunak]]. <br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is a member of the [[United Nations]] and rethinking its commitment to [[NATO]] after the disastrous actions of the U.S. [[Democrat]] [[Biden regime]] culminating in the [[Rape of Afghanistan]].<ref>[https://archive.is/JNSAP Nato allies urge rethink on alliance after Biden’s ‘unilateral’ Afghanistan exit], ''Financial Times'', Helen Warrell in London, Guy Chazan in Berlin and Richard Milne in Stockholm AUGUST 17 2021. </ref><ref>[https://archive.is/KmgYt Tom Tugendhat on Afghanistan: Six decades after Suez, we remain impotent in the face of US policy], August 16 2021, ''The Times''. <small>"The [[fall of Kabul]] is the biggest foreign policy disaster since [[Suez Crisis|Suez]]. The operation to seize the canal in 1956 symbolised the end of Britain’s global ambition and refocused us on Nato and alliances. It showed conclusively that the US could limit our actions and change our policy. The fall of Kabul will be remembered for similar reasons: not just its abject failure, but also because it revealed the nature of US power and our inability to hold a separate line. The redeployment of 2,500 US troops, half as many as it takes to crew a carrier, ended 20 years of British effort in Afghanistan and left thousands of British citizens under Taliban jurisdiction....The longer-term question is: what next? Is Britain’s [[foreign policy]] achievable given the past week? What are the implications for our alliances?...just like in Suez, we need to reset to make sure that a false narrative does not grow, and that means commitment. Cuts to overseas engagement, whether defence, diplomacy, aid or trade, will look different today from how they did a week ago...." Tom Tugendhat is Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.</small</ref><br />
<br />
British values, culture and institutions were spread throughout many parts of the world during the period of the [[British Empire]], 1600-1960, and British contributions to world culture include the English language, the [[parliament]]ary form of government, the [[Church of England|Anglican]] Church ("Church of England"), a tradition of personal liberty, and the [[common law]] legal system. But in the 21st century the UK government has become a [[Leftist]] tool of [[liberal censorship]], flagging as white supremacy works by [[Shakespeare]], [[George Orwell]]'s ''[[1984]]'', and [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]’s ''[[Lord of the Rings]]''.<br />
<br />
==Name==<br />
[[File:London Thames Sunset panorama 2008.jpg|thumb|left|London - Thames panorama.]]<br />
The official name of the nation (since 1927) is ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland''.<ref>From 1801 to 1927 the official name was ''The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland''.</ref> The full official name is seldom used except in very formal or legal documents. The short version for historical topics is either "Britain" or "Great Britain." The short version for recent events (since the 1970s) is "United Kingdom" or "UK" The adjective is always '''"British"'''. <br />
<br />
Britain was part of the [[British Empire]], which has become the "British Commonwealth", and is mostly a discussion club. Britain has a few scattered minor possessions, including [[Gibraltar]], but gave up its last important colony—[[Hong Kong]]—in 1997.<br />
[[File:Westminster in the evening.jpg|thumb|280px|Westminster in the evening.]]<br />
* '''England''' is the largest of the four components of the United Kingdom. "England" was often used to stand for the nation in older literature published before 1970. However use of "England" to refer to the entire country is now sometimes considered offensive by many citizens of the other three member countries and is thus discouraged.<br />
* The standard language of the UK is English; [[Welsh]] has parity in Wales, and [[Gaelic]] is widely used on official documents, roadsigns, etc. in remote Gaelic-speaking areas of western Scotland.<br />
<br />
MacColl (2008) explores the use of the term 'Britain' in English, French, and Latin texts from the 12th century to the 16th. The term was flexible, used in a variety of ways (geographically, politically, and ethnically), and not always indicative of any specific meaning. The English at first tended to conflate 'Britain' with England or the southern portion of the island of Great Britain, though the term 'Greater Britain' was applied starting in the 14th century to refer to the entire island. The Scottish, beginning in the 15th century, used the term in the modern sense - as reflective of the entire island of Great Britain and the 'polity' of England, Wales, and Scotland. This latter usage paved the way for the relatively smooth ideological transition after the 1707 Acts of Union.<ref>Alan MacColl, "The Meaning of 'Britain' in Medieval and Early Modern England." ''Journal of British Studies'' 2006 45(2): 248-269</ref><br />
<br />
===Anthem===<br />
<br />
The national anthem of the UK is currently ''[[God Save the King]]''. Should a female heir accede to the throne, the anthem will become "God Save the Queen".<ref>This same melody is also sung by American schoolchildren (with different words) as "[[My Country, 'Tis of Thee]]".</ref><br />
<br />
The constituent nations have their own unofficial anthems. In the case of Wales, this is ''Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'' (''Land of My Fathers''), and for Scotland it is ''Flower of Scotland''. England does not have its own distinctive anthem in the same way, but at sporting events in which England is competing as a separate nation, [[Edward Elgar]]'s patriotic song ''Land of Hope and Glory'' is sometimes used (although ''God Save the King'' is more commonly used). Additionally the hymn "Jerusalem" has a large number of supporters in England as an alternative to, or replacement for, the national anthem. In Northern Ireland, the Protestant and Catholic communities respectively use ''God Save the King'' and ''Amhran na bhFiann'', the Irish national anthem. ''Londonderry Air'' is often used as the anthem for Northern Ireland competitors in sporting events.<br />
<br />
==People==<br />
[[Image:Tower Bridge London.jpg|thumb|340px|Tower Bridge, London.]]<br />
The United Kingdom's population in 2004 surpassed 60 million—Its overall population density is one of the highest in the world. Almost one-third of the population lives in England's prosperous and fertile southeast and is predominantly urban and suburban—with about 7.2 million in the capital of London, which remains the largest city in Europe. <br />
<br />
A net total of 408,000 people were added to the UK population in 2008, the largest numerical increase since 1972. This was partly due to the highest fertility rate in more than three decades. More than half of the increase in births last year was due to non-UK born mothers. <br />
<br />
There is also an ever-increasing aging population with the number of people over 85 now at a record 1.3 million, the equivalent of one in every 50 people. <br />
<br />
===Education===<br />
[[File:Royal College of Music 2007.jpg|thumb|left|Royal College of Music.]]<br />
In 2023, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported: <br />
{{Cquote|Ministers have set a target of ensuring 90% of children achieve the national curriculum standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of primary education by 2030. However, after several years of slow progress, attainment has slipped back to levels only slightly above those of 2015-16.<br />
<br />
The slump means that in 2022, 41% of year 6 pupils in England left primary school without meeting the expected standards in literacy and maths – 275,000 11-year-olds, according to researchers at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) thinktank. That is 50,000 more than in 2019...<br />
<br />
Rishi Sunak has been warned that a target to boost the number of children entering secondary school with the expected standards of reading, writing and maths is “a far cry from reality”, amid new evidence that 275,000 pupils a year are leaving primary education without the right level of skills.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/feb/12/quarter-of-a-million-children-enter-secondary-school-without-basic-maths-and-english Quarter of a million children enter secondary school without basic maths and English], The Guardian, 2023</ref>}}<br />
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Elite private prep schools, such as Eton and [[Rugby School|Rugby]], attended by youth whose families can afford to pay high tuition rates.<br />
<br />
All state-funded schools in the UK are required to start the day with a collective assembly that is 'wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character',<ref>[http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=387464 Times Educational Supplement]</ref> although this is not always adhered to and there are small numbers of state-funded [[Muslim]], [[Jew]]ish and [[Hindu]] schools.<br />
<br />
About thirty-six percent of British students go on to post-secondary education.<br />
<br />
Higher education has been a specialty for over 500 years at Oxbridge ([[Oxford University|Oxford]] and [[Cambridge University|Cambridge]]), with new "red brick" universities added in the 19th century and many others in the late 20th century. Universities contribute £33 billion a year to the economy. Britain has a strong attraction for international students, with 342,000 attending in 2007 (compared to 672,000 in the U.S. and 183,000 in Australia). They spend £1.5 billion in tuition in Britain annually, plus another £0.4 billion off campus.<br />
<br />
According to an early-2017 report, universities in the UK have high levels of censorship and low levels of [[free speech]].<ref>Singman, Brooke (March 14, 2017). [https://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/03/14/free-speech-under-attack-at-uk-colleges-report-says.html Free speech under attack at UK colleges, report says]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved March 15, 2017.</ref> Additionally, many UK schools (about 120 in May 2017) adopted a program that promotes in indoctrinates students with the [[homosexual agenda]] in all areas of curriculum and in other ways such as unisex uniforms and the removal of terms such as "boy" and "girl" from school vocabulary.<ref>Hale, Virginia (May 17, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/05/17/120-uk-schools-lgbt-curriculum/ LGBT Curriculum Programme, Gender Neutral Uniforms Adopted By 120 UK Schools]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved May 17, 2017.</ref><br />
<br />
===Demographics===<br />
[[File:Youth UK.JPG|thumb|British youth.]]<br />
A group of islands close to continental Europe, the British Isles have been subject to many invasions and migrations, especially from Scandinavia and the continent, including Roman occupation for several centuries. Contemporary Britons are descended mainly from the varied ethnic stocks that settled there before the 11th century. The pre-Celtic, Celtic, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse influences were blended in Great Britain under the Normans, Scandinavian Vikings who had lived in Northern France. Although Celtic languages persist in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, as well as Cornwall in south-west England, the predominant language is English, which is primarily a blend of Anglo-Saxon and Norman French. <br />
*Population (2007 est.): 60.8 million.<br />
*Annual population growth rate (2007 est.): 0.275%.<br />
*Major ethnic groups: White British 91%, Irish 2%, West Indian and African 3%, South Asian 3%, others 1%.<br />
*Major religions: Church of England (Anglican), Roman Catholic, Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), Muslim.<br />
*Major languages: English<br />
*Minority languages: Welsh, Gaelic, Lowland Scots (including Ulster Scots), Cornish.<br />
*Education: Years compulsory—12. Attendance—nearly 100%. Literacy—99%. <br />
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2007 est.)--5.01/1,000. Life expectancy (2007 est.)--males 76.23 yrs.; females 81.3 yrs.; total 78.7 years<br />
*Work force (2007, 31.1 million): Services—80.4%; industry—18.2%; agriculture—1.4%.<br />
<br />
===Ethnic tensions===<br />
<br />
Britain is home to 2.4 million Muslims from numerous ethnicities. This population is growing 10 times faster than the national average. Regarded as one of the most tolerant countries in Europe, Britain struggles with questions of Islamic integration, as well as the psychological aftermath of the July 2005 suicide bombings on London's public transport system carried out by young Britons of Pakistani descent, which left 52 people dead and over 700 injured.<br />
<br />
=== Irreligion in the United Kingdom and desecularization of the UK in the 21st century ===<br />
<br />
[[Desecularization]] is the process by which [[religion]] reasserts its societal influence through religious values, institutions, sectors of society and symbols in reaction to previous and/or co-occurring [[secularization]] processes.<ref>''Religion and the State in Russia and China: Suppression, Survival and Revival'' by Christopher Marsh, 2011, page 11 (Christopher Marsh cites the definitions of desecularization given by Peter L. Berger and Vyacheslav Karpov)</ref><br />
<br />
The United Kingdom and Europe as a whole is projected to undergo a process of desecularization and the resurgence of religion (See: [[European desecularization in the 21st century]]). <br />
<br />
For more information, please see:<br />
<br />
*[[British atheism]]<br />
<br />
*[[UK and secularism]]<br />
<br />
==== Irreligious British fail to stand up to Muslim groomer gangs ====<br />
<br />
See: [[Irreligious British fail to stand up to Muslim groomer gangs]]<br />
<br />
===Religion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Canterbury Cathedral.jpg|thumb|left|350px|Canterbury Cathedral (photographed during 1890-1900).]]<br />
Religious faith, according to a 2011 survey, has declined sharply in Britain over the last two decades. Now only 42% of people describe themselves as Christian, as opposed to 66% in 1990. Most of the decline is due to a drift away from the Church of England, it is claimed, with only 20% claiming allegiance, down from 40%. <br />
<br />
In 2003 the Office of National Statistics estimated 29% of the population identified with Anglicanism, 10% with the Catholic Church, and 14% with other Protestant churches. A 2007 survey reported that the number of Catholics (mostly Irish) attending Sunday services has overtaken the number of Anglicans doing so. A September 2006 English Church Census reported that Methodists were decreasing as a percentage of the population, while members of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Pentecostal churches, many churches from Africa, and the Eastern Orthodox Church, almost entirely immigrants, were increasing.<ref>According to [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108478.htm U.S. State Department Report, 2008]</ref> <br />
<br />
Individuals with no religious belief comprised 21% of the population in 2009. Muslims comprise 3% of the population. The Muslim community is predominantly South Asian in origin, but other groups from the Arabian Peninsula, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Levant are represented. In addition, there is a growing number of indigenous converts. Although estimates vary, the Government places the number of mosques in the whole country at one thousand. Groups comprising 1% or less of the population include Hindus, Sikhs, Jews, and Buddhists. Individuals from Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, and Sikh backgrounds are concentrated in London and other large urban areas, primarily in England. <br />
<br />
Attendance at religious services was significantly different from the number of adherents. According to a report released on May 8, 2008, by Religious Trends, only 4 million Christians attend services on a regular basis (defined as at least once a month) in the country. These figures do not include Northern Ireland, where higher%ages reportedly attend both Catholic (more than 60%) and Protestant (more than 35%) services. The Religious Trends report stated that more than 50% of Muslims regularly worship at mosques. Figures for Jews and other religious groups were unavailable.<br />
<br />
Religious affiliation was not evenly distributed among ethnicities. According to the 2001 census, approximately 70% of the white population described themselves as Christians. Nearly 75% of black Caribbean respondents stated that they were Christians, as did 70% of black Africans. Meanwhile, 45% of Indians were Hindus and 29% were Sikhs. Approximately 92% of Pakistanis and Bangladeshis were Muslims.<br />
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In Northern Ireland, where divisions between nationalists and unionists evolved largely along religious lines, the 2001 census showed that 53.1% were Protestants and 43.8% were Catholics. Many Catholics and Protestants continued to live in segregated communities in Northern Ireland, although many middle-class neighborhoods were mixed communities. The policy of the Government remained one of promotion of religious tolerance. <br />
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There are two established (or state) churches—The [[Church of England]] (Anglican) and the [[Church of Scotland]] (Presbyterian). The Act of Settlement, enacted in 1688, states that no Catholic, or person married to a Catholic, may ascend the throne.<br />
<br />
====Religion in schools====<br />
<br />
The Government provides financial support—up to 90% of the total capital costs of the buildings and 100% of running costs, including teachers' salaries - to sectarian educational institutions that are commonly referred to as "faith schools".<br />
[[File:Matthew Boulton College.jpg|thumb|Matthew Boulton College.]] <br />
The Government also helps fund the repair and maintenance of all listed places of worship for religious groups nationwide and contributes to the budget of the Church Conservation Trust, which preserves "redundant" Church of England buildings of architectural or historic significance. <br />
<br />
The Government has not classified the Church of Scientology as a religious institution and therefore has not granted the organization recognition for charitable status. <br />
<br />
More than 30% of state schools had a religious character. Nearly all of the 6,949 "faith schools" are associated with Christian denominations, although there are 31 Jewish, 7 Islamic, and 2 Sikh schools. An additional two Jewish, three Islamic, and two Sikh schools have also been tentatively approved by the Government to open. In addition, several hundred independent schools of a religious nature receive no state support but must meet government quality standards. Controversy arose in 2006 over 100 Islamic schools when an Office of Standards in Education (Ofsted) evaluation of these schools showed many were "little more than places where the Koran was recited." The schools were given time to correct their deficiencies. A review is due in 2010. Some Christian faith schools also faced controversy. Some were accused of not following the national curriculum in science, teaching creationism instead. During the reporting period, a further controversy erupted when it was learned that some faith schools were not following an "open" admission policy as required by law, denying admission to both special needs children and those outside the faith of the school administrators. The Catholic Church and the Church of England have an agreement to voluntarily accept up to 25% of places for pupils from another religious group or no religious group. <br />
<br />
Almost all schools in Northern Ireland receive state support. More than 90% of students attended schools that were either predominantly Catholic or Protestant. Integrated schools served approximately 5% of school-age children whose families voluntarily chose this option, often after overcoming significant obstacles to provide the resources to start a new school and demonstrate its sustainability for 3 years before government funding begins. Demand for places in integrated schools outweighed the limited number of places available. The May 8, 2007, devolution, or granting of power, authorized the Northern Ireland Assembly to decide on academic selection. Now there are more than 50 integrated schools, and the new Government permits existing schools to petition to change from sectarian to integrated. More petition for that status than are granted it. Some have accused the Government of a go-slow approach to avoid sectarian animus. <br />
<br />
The law requires religious education for all children, ages 3 to 19, in publicly maintained schools. In England and Wales it forms part of the core curriculum in accordance with the Education Reform Act of 1988. In Scotland, religious education of some sort is mandated by the Education Act of 1980. However, the shape and content of religious instruction throughout the country is decided on a local basis. Locally agreed syllabi are required to reflect the predominant place of Christianity while taking into account the teachings and practices of other principal religions in the country. Syllabuses must be nondenominational and refrain from attempting to convert pupils. Schools with a religious designation follow a syllabus drawn up by the school governors according to the trust deed of the school. All parents have the legal right to request that their children not participate in religious education, but the school must approve this request.<br />
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Daily collective prayer or worship of "a wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character" is practiced in schools in England and Wales, a requirement that may be waived for students who obtain permission of the school authorities. The Education and Inspections Act 2006 permits sixth form students (generally 16-19-year-olds) to withdraw themselves from worship without their parents' permission or action. This new law does not exempt sixth form students from religious education classes. Non-Christian worship is permitted with approval of the authorities. Teachers have the right not to participate in collective worship, without prejudice, unless they work for a faith school. <br />
<br />
After several controversial court decisions prohibiting full-face veils in school (but not head scarves) and the wearing of a Christian chastity ring, the Department of Education provided guidance that advises schools to "… act reasonably in accommodating religious requirements," under human rights legislation. Some Muslim groups, including the Islamic Human Rights Commission, said it was inappropriate for the Government to provide guidance that regulated Muslim communities in matters concerning the expression of their religious beliefs. But it is also legally possible under the act, according to the guidance, to have a school uniform policy that "restricts the freedom of pupils to manifest their religion" on the grounds of health and safety and the "protection of the rights and freedoms of others." The Government's guidance is meant to remind "head teachers" to act with a degree of sensitivity when considering decisions that will impact the cultural complexion of their communities.<br />
<br />
====Census====<br />
<br />
According to the 2011 Census the religious make-up of the UK at that time was:<br />
<br />
{| border="1" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3<br />
|+'''Religions in United Kingdom'''<br />
!Belief <br />
!Thousands <br />
!Proportion <br />
|-<br />
|Christian ||29,000 ||51.6<br />
|-<br />
|No Religion ||9104 ||15.5<br />
|-<br />
|Muslim ||1591 ||2.7<br />
|-<br />
|Hindu ||559 ||1.0<br />
|-<br />
|Sikh ||336 ||0.6<br />
|-<br />
|Jewish ||267 ||0.5<br />
|-<br />
|Other ||179 ||0.3<br />
|-<br />
|Buddhist ||152 ||0.3<br />
|-<br />
|Pagan & Wicca ||40 ||0.1<br />
|-<br />
|Total religious ||45,163 ||76.8<br />
|-<br />
|No answer ||4289 ||7.3<br />
|}<br />
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The answers were distorted by an internet campaign just prior to the census, encouraging people to actually question religion that claimed that if at least 50,000 people stated their religion as 'Jedi Knight' it would be officially classified as a religion. This was not true, though the Office of National Statistics does aggregate very small religions into the 'Other' category whereas a religion of 50,000 would be itemised separately. This separate listing does not constitute any form of official recognition.<br />
<br />
It should be noted that non-practising Christians and the non-religious group are growing in the UK and Europe. At the same time, there is growth in the Islamic group due to immigration.<br />
<br />
Two of the four states of the United Kingdom, England and Scotland, have official state religions. The [[Church of England]] is the official religion of England and the (Presbyterian) Church of Scotland is the official religion of Scotland. The (Anglican) Church of Ireland was [[disestablished]] in 1871 and the (Anglican) Church of Wales was disestablished in 1920, whereupon it was renamed the [[Church ''in'' Wales]].<br />
==== Growth of British evangelical Christianity ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Growth of evangelical Christianity]]<br />
[[File:Union jack.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|Some 4.5million of the [[UK]]'s foreign-born population claim to have a religious affiliation and more than half are Christian. <br />
<br />
Church attendance in Greater London grew by 16% between 2005 and 2012.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> In addition, the latest immigrants to the UK as a whole mean British Christianity is becoming more charismatic and fundamentalist.<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100019857/im-not-surprised-evangelical-christianity-is-on-the-rise/ I'm not surprised Evangelical Christianity is on the rise] by Ed West, ''The Telegraph'', December 14th, 2009</ref>]]<br />
The ''Christian Post'' reported on July 21, 2019, as far as [[Britain]]: "The percentage of respondents who said they were nondenominational Christians increased from 3% of the population in 1998 to 13% in 2018."<ref>[https://www.christianpost.com/world/only-38-brits-identify-christian-lowest-proportion-in-polls-history.html Only 38% of Brits identify as Christian; lowest proportion in poll's history], Christian Post, 2019</ref> <br />
<br />
In December 2017, the ''Church Times'' reported:<br />
{{Cquote|In 2016, the Centre for Theology and Community (CTC) published new research on Evangelical church-planting in east London, Love, Sweat and Tears (News, 8 April 2016, Features, 21 April). This confirmed the widely recognised image of Evangelicals as people who like to plant churches, but it also revealed that the way they work is not at all how people often imagine.<br />
<br />
All of these Evangelical churches were planted in deprived areas, not suburbs; most of their members were local; one parish was cross-tradition; every parish was reaching people who do not attend church; and all of them were involved in social-action projects that served their local communities.<ref>[https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2017/8-december/comment/opinion/church-growth-is-not-just-for-evangelicals Church growth is not just for Evangelicals]</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Due to religious immigrants, many of whom are [[evangelicalism|evangelical Christians]], church attendance in Greater [[London]] grew by 16% between 2005 and 2012.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> In 2013, it was reported that 52% of people who attended church in London attended evangelical churches.<ref>[http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2013/london-churchgoing-and-other-news/ London Churchgoing and Other News]</ref> <br />
<br />
On December 14, 2009, the British newspaper ''The Telegraph'' reported:<br />
{{cquote|According to the Mail Evangelical Christianity is on the rise.<br />
<br />
Some 4.5million of the [[UK]]'s foreign-born population claim to have a religious affiliation. Of these, around a quarter are Muslim while more than half are Christian – with Polish Catholics and African Pentecostals among the fastest-growing groups.<br />
<br />
While traditional churchgoing is on the decline in the UK over the past decade, the latest immigrants mean Christianity is becoming more charismatic and fundamentalist.<br />
<br />
'Perhaps the most significant change has been the growth of Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity within migrant populations, particularly those from Africa and Latin America,' the report found.<br />
<br />
'In Lewisham, there are 65 Pentecostal churches serving the Nigerian community, and others serving the Congolese, Ghanaian and Ivorian communities.'<br />
<br />
Professor Mike Kenny of IPPR said: 'The research shows that recent waves of inward migration have given a boost to some of the UK's established faith communities at a time when Britain's society and culture are generally more secular, and smaller numbers of the indigenous population are regularly attending churches.<br />
<br />
'Recent migration trends are altering the faith map of the UK. Their biggest impact is being felt in some of our largest cities: London above all, where a rich mosaic of different faith communities has come into being.'<br />
<br />
Evangelical Christianity might be heavily African-influenced but it’s also spreading among the natives as well.<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100019857/im-not-surprised-evangelical-christianity-is-on-the-rise/ I'm not surprised Evangelical Christianity is on the rise] by Ed West, ''The Telegraph'', December 14th, 2009</ref>}}<br />
<br />
See also:<br />
<br />
*[http://www.the-american-interest.com/berger/2013/12/18/pentecostalism-invades-lambeth-palace/ Pentecostalism Invades Lambeth Palace] by [[Peter L. Berger]]<br />
<br />
==== Expected growth of Muslim population in the UK and Europe ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Future of religion, Christianity and Islam in the UK and Europe]] and [[Atheism vs. Islam]]<br />
<br />
According to [[Channel 4]] News: "There were 1.6 million Muslims in England and Wales in 2001, or 3 per cent of the population, according to the census. By 2011 the Muslim population had grown to 2.7 million people or 4.8 per cent of the population... Assuming patterns of net immigration do not change significantly, the Pew Forum thinks that there will be just over 5.5 million British Muslims, representing 8.2 per cent of the UK population, by 2030."<br />
<br />
In April 2010, [[Eric Kaufmann]] indicated concerning the future of Islam in Europe:<br />
{{cquote|I address this in some detail in the book, as well is in a [http://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/features/europes-muslim-future recent article in the April issue of Prospect magazine] here in Britain. The short answer is that I don’t foresee a Muslim-majority Europe in this century or in the next. Why? Mainly because [[Islam|Muslim]] birthrates are plunging both in Europe and the Muslim world. Already, Iran, Tunisia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and several other Muslim countries have replacement-level fertility or below. In the UK, Bangladeshi and Pakistani fertility has halved in a generation and is now under 3 children per woman. This means their long-term growth will begin to tail off. The other part of the equation is the rise of non-Muslim immigrant groups (African and West Indian Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and other Eastern faiths) who are also increasing and therefore making Europe more plural and, in the process, rendering it harder for Muslims to increase their share of the population.<br />
<br />
That said, Muslim membership retention and in-group marriage is exceptionally high (over 90 per cent) and they are a much younger population than the host society. So they are on course for steady growth. My colleagues and I expect their fertility to fall to host levels by 2030, but they will still make up 5-15 per cent of most West European countries by 2050 and 10-25 per cent by 2100. This is a major change from the 2-6 per cent levels of today<ref>[http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/shall_the_religious_inherit_the_earth/#sthash.nE0JGi2Y.dpuf ''Shall the religious inherit the earth?''], 2010 Interview with [[Eric Kaufmann]] by MercatorNet</ref>}}<br />
<br />
The 2019 journal article ''When will European Muslim population be majority and in which country?'' published in ''PSU Research Review'' indicates: "Among three scenarios, the most likely mid-point migration scenario identifies 13 countries where the Muslim population will be majority between years 2085 and 2215: Cyprus (in year 2085), Sweden (2125), France (2135), Greece (2135), Belgium (2140), Bulgaria (2140), Italy (2175), Luxembourg (2175), the UK (2180), Slovenia (2190), Switzerland (2195), Ireland (2200) and Lithuania (2215). The 17 remaining countries will never reach majority in the next 200 years".<ref>[https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PRR-12-2018-0034/full/html When will European Muslim population be majority and in which country?], Pierre Rostan, Alexandra Rostan, PSU Research Review, ISSN: 2399-1747, Open Access. Article publication date: 28 August 2019 Reprints & Permissions, Issue publication date: 28 August 2019</ref><br />
<br />
None of this is an exact science, and [http://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol19/16/19-16.pdf some demographers] say total fertility rate overestimates the lifetime fertility of immigrants because it doesn’t adjust for the fact that they tend to have children soon after arriving.<ref>[http://blogs.channel4.com/factcheck/factcheck-will-britain-have-a-muslim-majority-by-2050/13690 FactCheck: will Britain have a Muslim majority by 2050?]</ref>}}<br />
<br />
At the same time, over several decades/centuries, silent demographic changes due to higher fertility rates can have large scale consequences.<ref><br />
*[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-are-years-2012-and-2020-key-years.html Why are the years 2012 and 2020 key years for Christian creationists and pro-lifers?]<br />
*[http://www.sneps.net/RD/uploads/1-Shall%20the%20Religious%20Inherit%20the%20Earth.pdf Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth? Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century] by [[Eric Kaufmann]]</ref><br />
<br />
===Crown Dependencies===<br />
<br />
A number of the smaller [[British Isles]], most importantly [[Jersey]], [[Guernsey]] and the [[Isle of Man]] are '[[Crown dependencies|British Crown Dependencies]]' and not members of the UK. Their governments are independent of that of the UK other than foreign and defense policy (the UK government retains the legal power to overrule the governments of the Dependencies, but this power has not been exercised since 1967).<br />
=== Islamic terrorism in the UK ===<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Islamic terrorism in the United Kingdom]]<br />
<br />
[[File:512px-Manchester Arena exterior, (3) May19.jpg|thumbnail|400px|left|The Manchester Arena experienced a Muslim terrorist attack. See: [[Manchester Arena Bombing]] <br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
It would take a rechristianization of Britain in order for the Islamic terrorism situation to be turned around in the UK.]]<br />
The United States website Homeland Security Digital Library published the article ''Islamist Terrorism in the UK: An In-Depth Analysis'':<br />
{{Cquote|On March 7th the Henry Jackson Society, a British think tank, released a report titled, Islamist Terrorism: Analysis of Offenses and Attacks in the UK (1998-2015). As stated by author Hannah Stuart, the purpose of the report is to provide “information and statistical analysis on the manifestation and development of the threat to national security from Islamism-inspired terrorism.” According to the report, there have been 264 convictions of Islamism-inspired terrorism in the UK as a result of arrests made between 1998 and 2015. Interestingly, 72% of these Islamism-related offences (IROs) were committed by UK nationals or individuals holding dual British nationality, with the overwhelming majority being perpetrated by males. However, although their numbers remain small, female involvement in Islamism-inspired terrorism has tripled since 2011, with women accounting for 11% of all IROs occurring between 2011 and 2015. This represents a 175% increase from IROs occurring between 1998 and 2010 involving women.<br />
<br />
The report goes on to discuss contemporary developments in terrorism, highlighting that “the expansion of the terrorism threat from that predominantly associated with AQ [al-Qaeda]-linked groups to one driven by IS [Islamic State] has been the key development since the publication of the previous edition of this report in 2011.” As such, the author concludes that terrorism inspired by the Islamic State currently represents the greatest threat to the UK’s national security. A brief overview of AQ is offered, which discusses the evolution of the terrorist group, including the creation and expansion of AQ franchises. Knowledge of this history is necessary to better understand both current trends in Jihadist-inspired terror attacks and the rise of the Islamic State.<ref>[https://www.hsdl.org/c/islamist-terrorism-in-the-uk-an-in-depth-analysis/ ''Islamist Terrorism in the UK: An In-Depth Analysis'']</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Dr. Peter Hammond's article [http://www.virtueonline.org/what-islam-isnt-dr-peter-hammond What Islam Isn't] indicates:<br />
{{Cquote|When Muslims reach 10% of the population, they will increase lawlessness as a means of complaint about their conditions ( Paris --car-burnings). Any non-Muslim action that offends Islam will result in uprisings and threats (Amsterdam - Mohammed cartoons).<br />
<br />
*Guyana -- Muslim 10%<br />
*India -- Muslim 13.4%<br />
*Israel -- Muslim 16%<br />
*Kenya -- Muslim 10%<br />
*Russia -- Muslim 10-15%<br />
<br />
After reaching 20% expect hair-trigger rioting, jihad militia formations, sporadic killings and church and synagogue burning: Ethiopia -- Muslim 32.8%<ref>[http://www.virtueonline.org/what-islam-isnt-dr-peter-hammond What Islam Isn't]</ref>}}<br />
<br />
== Health ==<br />
<br />
=== Coronavirus pandemic and the UK ===<br />
<br />
On September 30, 2022, ''The Guardian'' reported: "A weaker than expected recovery from the coronavirus pandemic has left the UK as the only G7 country with a smaller economy than in early 2020, according to official figures likely to further undermine the government’s tax-cutting measures."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/30/uk-is-only-g7-country-with-smaller-economy-than-before-covid-19 UK is only G7 country with smaller economy than before Covid-19], ''The Guardian'', September 30, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
==== The UK's and Britain's nanny state approach to the coronavirus pandemic ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom's nanny state approach to the coronavirus pandemic]]<br />
<br />
In July of 2021, ''Der Spiegel'' indicated that [[Finland]] was the best at handling the [[coronavirus]] pandemic based on an index based on excess mortality, restrictions on people's lives and [[liberty]], [[GDP]] performance and vaccination coverage.<ref>[https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/der_spiegel_finland_best_at_handling_pandemic/12017084 Der Spiegel: Finland best at handling pandemic], https://yle.fi/ website, July 7, 2021</ref> See: [[Essay: An observation about the countries that handled the coronavirus pandemic well so far. And let's look at Finland.|An observation about the countries that handled the coronavirus pandemic well so far. And let's look at Finland.]]<br />
<br />
While Finland did a good job of handling the coronavirus, the coronavirus pandemic turned the UK into a bigger [[nanny state]] than it was before the pandemic.<br />
<br />
''City Journal'' is one of the world's premier urban-policy magazines, “the Bible of the new urbanism,” as London’s ''Daily Telegraph'' puts it.<ref>[https://www.city-journal.org/about ABOUT CITY JOURNAL]</ref><br />
[[File:Coronavirus1.jpg|right|301px|thumb|Electron microscope scan of a coronavirus, so-called due to the crown-like filaments on the surface.]]<br />
In Autumn of 2021, Lionel Shriver published the article [https://www.city-journal.org/united-kingdom-servile-response-to-covid-19-pandemic ''The Most Frightened Nation''] with the byline ''Why the United Kingdom will never be the same'' which stated:<br />
{{Cquote|What was once the land of “keep calm and carry on” could now be the “most frightened nation in the world.” So says Laura Dodsworth, author of A State of Fear: How the UK Government Weaponised Fear During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Data seem to bear her impression out. According to an Ipsos MORI poll conducted in July, an impressive 27 percent of Britons want to impose a government-mandated nationwide curfew of 10 PM—not then in force—“until the pandemic was under control worldwide,” which might be years from now. A not-inconsiderable 19 percent would impose such a curfew “permanently, regardless of the risk from Covid-19.” Presumably, these are people who don’t get out much. While 64 percent want Britain’s mask mandate in shops and on public transport to remain a legal requirement for the duration of the global pandemic, an astounding 51 percent want to be masked by law, forever. <br />
<br />
There’s more: some 35 percent want to confine any Briton who returns from a foreign country, vaccinated or not, to a ten-day home quarantine—permanently, Covid or no Covid. A full 46 percent would require a vaccine passport in order to travel abroad—permanently, Covid or no Covid. So young people today would still be flashing that QR code on whatever passes for smartphones in 2095, though they might have trouble displaying the device to a flight attendant while bracing on their walkers. Likewise, the 36 percent who want to be required to check in at pubs and restaurants with a National Health Service contact-tracing app forever. A goodly 34 percent want social distancing in “theatres, pubs and sports grounds,” regardless of any risk of Covid, forever. A truly astonishing 26 percent of Britons would summarily close all casinos and nightclubs forever. Are these just a bunch of fogies who don’t go clubbing anyway? No. In the 16-to-24 age bracket, the proportion of Brits who want to convert Ronnie Scott’s jazz club in London’s Soho into a community lending library, even after Covid is a distant memory, soars to a staggering 40 percent.<br />
<br />
Far from yearning for their historic liberties as “free-born Englishmen,” eight out of ten of the British, according to a Southbank/Kingston University survey, were “anxious” about lifting any of their benevolent government’s copious pandemic restrictions...<br />
<br />
But the most enduring damage to the home of Magna Carta may be political. The transformation of the United Kingdom is permanent. Its citizens can never again characterize lockdowns and other previously unthinkable government edicts, such as “you’re forbidden to leave the country,” as unprecedented. The state has established precedents galore. The public is already being softened up for the return of repressive measures in some form this autumn, even if only to control a surge of flu.<br />
<br />
It’s official: British civil liberties are provisional. They can be rescinded at a moment’s notice on the government’s whim. They are privileges, not rights. The anything-but-inalienable “rights” to free expression, to protest, to assembly, to association, to worship, to travel, to work: all require permission slips.<ref>[https://www.city-journal.org/united-kingdom-servile-response-to-covid-19-pandemic The Most Frightened Nation] by Lionel Shriver, Autumn of 2021</ref>}}<br />
<br />
===== Despite the UK taking a more nannystate approach to coronavirus pandemic than Finland, the UK has a higher mortality rate than Finland due to the coronavirus pandemic =====<br />
<br />
As of January 11, 2022, in the UK, deaths per 100,000 people was 316.30 deaths per 100,000 people.<ref>[https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality Mortality Analyses] by John Hopkins University University of Medicine</ref> As of January 11, 2022, in Finland, which has given much more liberty to its citizens, deaths per 100,000 people was 149.13 deaths per 100,000 people.<ref>[https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality Mortality Analyses] by John Hopkins University University of Medicine</ref><br />
<br />
=== United Kingdom and obesity ===<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom and obesity]]<br />
<br />
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): "Obesity rates in the United Kingdom are the highest in Europe. In England, rates have increased faster than in most OECD countries. Two out of 3 men are overweight and 1 in 4 people are obese in the United Kingdom. The proportion of people overweight in England is projected by the OECD to rise a further 10% during the next 10 years."<ref>[https://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/obesityandtheeconomicsofpreventionfitnotfat-unitedkingdomenglandkeyfacts.htm Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat - United Kingdom (England) Key Facts]</ref><br />
<br />
==Sports and Pastimes==<br />
<br />
[[File:Wembley Stadium.jpg|thumb|230px|Wembley Stadium.]]<br />
Many of the most popular [[sport]]s in the world today were developed or codified in the UK. These include [[soccer|football]] (which is called ''soccer'' in North America), [[cricket]], [[Rugby (Sport)|rugby]], [[tennis]], [[hockey]], [[baseball]] and [[golf]]. The UK is represented in international competitions by the individual nations (such as in football, the one-day form of cricket and rugby) and by the whole of the UK in other sports (such as [[athletics]], golf and tennis). The Test cricket team is that of 'England & Wales' (colloquially, just 'England') but from time to time has had Scottish and Irish players.<br />
<br />
The UK remains a major sporting force both in competition and the administration of sport. It is dominant in several Olympic sports, notably cycling, rowing and sailing and a leading force in cricket, rugby union, and golf.<br />
<br />
Certain venues have their own distinct and historical recognition and host a number of international competitions. These include Wimbledon for tennis, Silverstone for motor racing, and St Andrews for golf. There are several major venues for football, rugby and cricket.<br />
<br />
Domestic sport is dominated by football with one of the strongest and most popular leagues in the world - the Premier League. This league is sponsored by Barclays Bank, so has the official name "Barclays Premier League". Many of the Premier League's teams are well known outside the United Kingdom, especially the "big four" (Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool) and maintain followings around the world. Cricket and both codes of rugby also have strong and popular domestic leagues. Other popular sports include snooker, rowing, golf, tennis, athletics, cycling, darts, horse racing, and motor racing. These most popular sports are well covered by both the print press and television.<br />
<br />
Some sports which are more popular in other countries such as volleyball, handball, American football and basketball have small but dedicated followings.<br />
<br />
The [[U.K.]] is also renowned for its music, and is the home of bands like [[The Beatles]], [[Rolling Stones]], [[Pink Floyd]], [[The Who]], [[Oasis]], [[Coldplay]] and [[Radiohead]], as well as festivals such as [[Creamfields]], [[Isle of White]] Festival and [[Glastonbury]]. London traditionally is the world centre for recordings of classical music and the annual "London Proms" concerts are recorded worldwide. The "Last Night at the Proms" is a major "Television Event".<br />
<br />
==Government==<br />
<br />
''See also [[British politics]]''<br />
[[File:Jewel House guard in the Tower of London.JPG|thumb|200px|Jewel House guard in the Tower of London.]]<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom does not have the constitutional [[free speech]] protections or an energetic [[Christian]] culture that exist in the [[United States]], because there is not a codified constitution - though limited speech is proved via the Human Rights Act of 1998. However various acts mean there is free speech, similar to that in the [[United States]]. Certain county councils, like Salford Quays in the United Kingdom have issued 'public space protection orders' that fine people £50 for swearing.<br />
<br />
In 2015, the UK was ranked 12th on the World Democracy index, above countries such as the US and France, and below those like Germany and Canada.<ref>[http://democracyranking.org/wordpress/rank/democracy-ranking-2015/ World's Democracy Index]</ref><br />
<br />
Nationalist movements exist in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, seeking (in the case of Scottish and Welsh nationalists) to dissolve the United Kingdom and to win independence for their respective territories, and in the case of Northern Ireland nationalists and republicans to create a sovereign united Ireland. At the present time, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own legislatures.<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom does not have a written constitution (even though the [[Magna Carta]] is the oldest basis for constitutional law in the world and the basis for numerous other countries such as the U.S.). The equivalent body of law is based on statute, common law, and "traditional rights". Changes may come about formally through new acts of Parliament, informally through the acceptance of new practices and usage, or by judicial precedents. Although Parliament has the theoretical power to make or repeal any law, in actual practice the weight of 700 years of tradition restrains arbitrary actions.<br />
<br />
Executive power rests nominally with the monarch but actually is exercised by a committee of ministers (cabinet) selected from among the members of the House of Commons and, less frequently, the House of Lords. The prime minister is normally the leader of the largest party in the House of Commons, and can remain in office for so long as he or she has the support of a majority in that body.<br />
<br />
===Cabinet of the United Kingdom===<br />
(As of 25 October 2022)<br />
*Head of State—[[King Charles III]] <br />
*Prime Minister (Head of Government)—[[Rishi Sunak]]<br />
*Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary—Dominic Raab <br />
*Chancellor—Jeremy Hunt <br />
*Foreign Secretary—James Cleverly <br />
*Defence Secretary—Ben Wallace <br />
*Home Secretary—Suella Braverman <br />
*Health Secretary—Steve Barclay <br />
*Education Secretary—Gillian Keegan <br />
*International Trade Secretary—Kemi Badenoch <br />
*Environment Secretary—Therese Coffey <br />
*Business Secretary—Grant Shapps <br />
*Culture Secretary—Michelle Donelan <br />
*Work and Pensions Secretary—Mel Stride <br />
*Secretary for Scotland—Alister Jack<br />
*Secretary for Wales—David T.C. Davies <br />
*Secretary for Northern Ireland—Chris Heaton-Harris <br />
*Chief Whip—Simon Hart<br />
==Parliament==<br />
<br />
[[File:Westminster palace Charles Barry.jpg|left|380px]]<br />
Parliament was authorized in the [[Magna Carta]] (1215), and first summoned by King Edward I in 1296, making it one of the oldest governing bodies in the world. Parliament represents the entire country, and can legislate for the whole or for any constituent part or combination of parts. Elections are called by the Prime Minister, but the maximum length of a parliament is usually 5 years (except in wartime). The focus of legislative power is the 646 member [[House of Commons]], which has sole jurisdiction over finance. Normally the government—the Prime Minister and cabinet with their supporting MPs—have full control of the House. If they lose control an new general election may be held. The House of Lords, although shorn of most of its powers, can still review, amend, or delay temporarily any bills except those relating to the budget. In 1999, the government removed the automatic right of hereditary peers to hold seats in the House of Lords. The current house consists of appointed life peers who hold their seats for life and 92 hereditary peers who will hold their seats only until final reforms have been agreed upon and implemented. The judiciary is independent of the legislative and executive branches, but cannot review the constitutionality of legislation. <br />
<br />
Members of the House of Commons are elected to represent specific geographic constituencies. Members are elected on a "First past the post" system as opposed to proportional representation or other electoral systems. In effect this means that a third party with less than 25% of the vote typically obtains very few seats.<br />
<br />
==Constituent countries==<br />
<br />
[[File:Scottish Eilean Donan castle.jpg|thumb|300px|Scottish Eilean Donan castle.]]<br />
The separate identities of each of the United Kingdom's constituent parts are also reflected in their respective governmental structures. Up until the recent devolution of power to Scotland and Wales, a cabinet minister (the Secretary of State for Wales) handled Welsh affairs at the national level with the advice of a broadly representative council for Wales. Scotland maintains, as it did before union with England, different systems of law (Roman-French), education, local government, judiciary, and national church (the Church of Scotland instead of the Church of England). In addition, separate departments grouped under a Secretary of State for Scotland, who also is a cabinet member, handled most domestic matters. In late 1997, however, following approval of referenda by Scottish and Welsh voters (though only narrowly in Wales), the British Government introduced legislation to establish a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly. The first elections for the two bodies were held May 6, 1999. The Welsh Assembly opened on May 26, and the Scottish Parliament opened on July 1, 1999. The devolved legislatures have largely taken over most of the functions previously performed by the Scottish and Welsh offices. <br />
<br />
Northern Ireland had its own Parliament and prime minister from 1921 to 1973, when the British Government imposed direct rule in order to deal with the deteriorating political and security situation. From 1973, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, based in London, was responsible for the region, including efforts to resolve the issues that lay behind the "the troubles." <br />
<br />
By the mid-1990s, gestures toward peace encouraged by successive British governments and by President Clinton began to open the door for restored local government in Northern Ireland. An Irish Republican Army (IRA) cease-fire and nearly 2 years of multiparty negotiations, led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of 10 April 1998, which was subsequently approved by majorities in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Key elements of the agreement include devolved government, a commitment of the parties to work toward "total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations," police reform, and enhanced mechanisms to guarantee human rights and equal opportunity. The Good Friday Agreement also called for formal cooperation between the Northern Ireland institutions and the Government of the Republic of Ireland, and it established the British-Irish Council, which includes representatives of the British and Irish Governments as well as the devolved Governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Devolved government was reestablished in Northern Ireland in December 1999. <br />
<br />
The Agreement (more commonly known as the "Good Friday Agreement", and more rarely as the Belfast Agreement<ref>http://www.nio.gov.uk/index/key-issues/the-agreement.htm</ref>) was reached on Friday, April 10, 1998 in Belfast and provides for a 108-member elected Assembly, overseen by a 12-minister Executive Committee (cabinet) in which unionists and nationalists share leadership responsibility. Northern Ireland elects 18 representatives to the Westminster Parliament in London. However, the five Sinn Féin Members of Parliament (MPs), who won seats in the 2004 election, have refused to claim their seats. <br />
<br />
===Political conditions===<br />
<br />
[[David Cameron]] became Prime Minister on May 11, 2010, after [[Gordon Brown]] resigned, and led a [[Conservative Party|Con]]-[[Liberal Democrats|Dem]] coalition in 2010.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8676607.stm "David Cameron and Nick Clegg pledge 'united' coalition"] ''BBC News'', Election 2010.</ref> In 2015, a general election was called<ref>Under the provisions of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 (c. 14), parliamentary elections in the UK must be held every five years, beginning in 2015. The Act received Royal Assent on 15 September 2011. Fixed-term Parliaments, where general elections ordinarily take place in accordance with a schedule set far in advance, were part of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition agreement which was produced after the 2010 general election.</ref> and Cameron's Conservative Party won a majority of seats, against all odds.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/11599600/How-did-the-Conservatives-win-the-general-election.html "How did the Conservatives win the general election?"] ''The Daily Telegraph''</ref> It must be noted that despite its name, many supporters of the European Union and homosexual "marriage" are members of the Conservative Party.<br />
<br />
===Membership in the European Union (1973-2020)===<br />
<br />
The [[Conservative Party|Conservative]] government of [[Edward Heath|Sir Edward Heath]] took the UK into the [[European Union]] in 1973. The [[Labour Party]] under [[Harold Wilson]] won the 1974 general elections and due to splits within the party, called the only national [[referendum]] asking the people if they wanted to stay in the Union. The "yes" vote won by a margin of approximately two to one. The Labour and Conservative parties have since had deep divisions over Union membership. Labour's 1983 manifesto promised to leave the Union, and whilst the Conservative party have never pledged to leave the Union, a growing band of "Eurosceptics" threatened to tear the party apart in the 1990s. The Labour, Conservative and Scottish National parties wish to stay in the Union although disagree over the level of integration, but smaller parties such as the [[UK Independence Party]] and the Referendum Party campaigned on the single issue of sovereignty being lost to the Union.<br />
<br />
A referendum to [[Brexit|leave the EU]] was successfully held on June 23, 2016. In accordance with a [[Conservative Party]] manifesto commitment, the legal basis for a referendum was established by the passage of the European Union Referendum Act 2015 by the British Parliament. It was the third plebiscite held throughout the United Kingdom, and the second time the British electorate had been asked to vote on the issue of European Union membership: the first was held in 1975, when it was known as the EEC. Membership was approved in that referendum by 67% of voters – but the nature of the EU changed dramatically since then.<ref>Adrian Williamson, [http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/the-case-for-brexit-lessons-from-1960s-and-1970s The Case for Brexit: Lessons from the 1960s and 1970s], History and Policy (2015).</ref> The referendum result, to leave the European Union, was a historic victory for conservative eurosceptics, and the next day, liberal prime minister [[David Cameron]], who had supported EU membership despite its many flaws and no real benefits, resigned.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36615028 Brexit: David Cameron to quit after UK votes to leave EU]. ''BBC''. June 24, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.</ref><ref>Gross, Jenny; Winning, Nicholas (June 24, 2016). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-s-brexit-vote-throws-political-scene-into-disarray-1466786724 Brexit Vote Throws U.K. Political Scene Into Disarray]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved December 15, 2016.</ref> Another winner was conservative Eurosceptic [[Nigel Farage]].<br />
<br />
In 31th January of 2020 the United Kingdom started the transition period of leaving the European Union in which a trade deal should be negociated until January 2021.<br />
=== United Kingdom's parliament and homosexuality ===<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom's parliament and homosexuality]]<br />
<br />
In 2022, ''The [[Daily Mail]]'' published the video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvjaceyRdUw 'The gayest parliament in the world': MP John Nicolson applauded]. <br />
<br />
[[File:Union jack.jpg|thumbnail|251px|right|''Time'' magazine noted in 2015: "Following last week’s election, the U.K. now has more lesbian, gay or bisexual Members of Parliament (MPs) than anywhere in the world."<ref>[https://time.com/3858341/westminster-gay-parliament/ The U.K. Now Has More Gay Lawmakers Than Any Other Country], Time magazine, May 14, 2015</ref> ]]<br />
On May 14, 2015, ''Time'' magazine noted:<br />
{{Cquote|Following last week’s election, the U.K. now has more lesbian, gay or bisexual Members of Parliament (MPs) than anywhere in the world. The Westminster House of Commons now boasts 32 MPs who openly identify as LGB (there are no transgender MPs) out of 650, making up 4.9% of the Parliament.<br />
<br />
The data comes from the University of North Carolina’s LGBT Representation and Rights Research Initiative, but collecting statistics on LGBT representation is always tricky because some lawmakers may not have revealed their sexuality. In fact, there could be more gay MPs in another country where people do not feel as free to state their sexual preference in public. Nevertheless, the fact that more are willing to do so in Britain than elsewhere signals more progressive attitudes, putting it ahead of countries like Sweden where there are only 12 out lawmakers (3.4% of the parliament).<br />
<br />
Elsewhere in Europe there are only two currently-serving transgender lawmakers, Belgium’s Petra De Sutter and Poland’s Anna Grodzka. There have only been two other openly transgender lawmakers in the world: New Zealand’s Georgina Beyer who won a seat in 1999 and retired from politics in 2007, and Vladimir Luxuria who was elected in Italy in 2006 but lost her seat two years later.<br />
<br />
The number of gay British MPs is not far off the U.K. proportion as a whole, which is roughly between 5% and 7% of the country according to the government’s estimate. Thirteen of Britain’s out MPs belong to the center-left Labour Party and 12 to the center-right Conservatives.<br />
<br />
It was the Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron who introduced same-sex marriage in March 2014, despite significant opposition within his party. He has said this was one of his proudest achievements during his first term as Prime Minister.<ref>[https://time.com/3858341/westminster-gay-parliament/ The U.K. Now Has More Gay Lawmakers Than Any Other Country], Time magazine, May 14, 2015</ref>}}<br />
<br />
In 2021, the British newspaper ''The Times'' noted that "Britain has most gay parliament in the world".<ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/britain-has-most-gay-parliament-in-the-world-use-it-as-force-for-good-0wcgczznk Britain has most gay parliament in the world — use it as force for good] by Crispin Blunt, The Times, May 18 2021</ref><br />
<br />
==Foreign relations and military==<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is a founding member of the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO) and historically it has been one of NATO's major European maritime, air, and land powers. However, in February 2023, after a United States general warned that the British army was no longer a top-level fighting force, Louise Jones who is head of intelligence at McKenzie Intelligence Service, indicated that the British military is no longer a tier 1 military due to its underfunding relative to the investments that other comparable countries have made to their militaries and that the UK would be flattering itself if it thinks it has a tier 2 military.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bUbwkSklhM In full: Is the army fighting fit?]</ref> <br />
<br />
The Tasmin News Agency reported on January 08, 2023:<br />
{{Cquote|About 40,000 of the UK military’s 145,000 personnel have been officially classified as dangerously overweight or obese over the past five years, according to Ministry of Defense (MoD) statistics as cited by a British media outlet.<br />
The statistics also revealed that 5,200 obese or overweight British servicemen have been medically discharged since 2010, with scores of soldiers suffering from Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, Sputnik reported.<br />
<br />
The heaviest soldier, who was sacked from the army after failing mandatory fitness tests, weighed more than 420 pounds (over 190 kg).<br />
<br />
Over 850 troops have reportedly been prescribed diet pills since 2014, while 60 others have had liposuction surgery to tackle the problem.<br />
<br />
This came as a MoD spokesperson claimed that “personnel can have multiple causes listed in a medical discharge, so may not have been discharged specifically for weight related issues.”<ref>[https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2023/01/08/2833750/uk-military-hit-by-dangerously-overweight-soldiers-related-problems-report UK Military Hit by ‘Dangerously’ Overweight Soldiers-Related Problems: Report], Tasmin News Agency, January, 08, 2023</ref>}}<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom was a member of the European Community (now European Union) from 1973 to 2020. In the United Nations, the United Kingdom is a permanent member of the Security Council. The U.K. held the Presidency of the G-8 during 2005; it held the EU Presidency from July to December 2005. <br />
[[File:Royal Naval college UK.jpg|thumb|right|380px|Royal Naval College.]]<br />
The British Armed Forces are charged with protecting the United Kingdom and its overseas territories, promoting Britain's wider security interests, and supporting international peacekeeping efforts. The 37,000-member Royal Navy, which includes 6,000 Royal Marine commandos, is in charge of the United Kingdom's independent strategic nuclear arm, which consists of four Trident missile submarines. The British Army, consisting of approximately 99,200 personnel, the Royal Air Force, with 42,000 personnel, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, are active and regular participants in NATO and other coalition operations. Approximately 9% of the British Armed Forces is female, and 4% of British forces represent ethnic minorities.<br />
<br />
In May 2021 the UK announced a plan to slash 9,500 soldiers from the British Army from 82,000 to just 72,500.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56477900</ref> On June 28, 2022 Chief of General Staff General Patrick Sanders said at a RUSI conference: “The war in Ukraine reminds us of the utility of Land Power: it takes an army to hold and regain territory and defend the people. It takes an Army to deter. If this battle came, we would likely be outnumbered at the point of attack and fighting like hell […] You can’t cyber your way across a river. No single platform, capability, or tactic will unlock the problem.”<br />
<br />
An email sent from [[Hunter Biden]] to his business partner [[Devon Archer]] on April 13, 2014 contained information from a classified [[U.S. State Department]] memo one week before Joe Biden visited Ukraine to meet prime minister [[Arseniy Yatsenyuk]]. The email predicted an escalation of Russia’s “destabilization campaign, which could lead to a full scale takeover of the eastern region, most critically [[Donetsk]]":<br />
{{quotebox-float|“The strategic value is to create a land bridge for [[Russia|RU]] to [[Crimea]]. That won’t directly affect [[Burisma]] holdings but it will limit future [[UK]] exploration and utilization of offshore opportunities in particular.<br />
<br />
It will also result in further destabilization of UK nationally and for whatever govt is in power. And the US will respond with even stronger sanctions. Those sanctions will threaten the tenuous support of the [[EU]] which does not have the political will to incur steep energy price increases.”<ref>https://nypost.com/2023/01/22/theres-no-hiding-bidens-fright-over-classified-document-scandal/</ref> }}<br />
<br />
===NATO war in Ukraine===<br />
{{See also|NATO war in Ukraine}}<br />
<br />
During the [[Donbas war]] crisis of 2022, Russian foreign minister [[Sergey Lavrov]] asked U.K. foreign secretary [[Elizabeth Truss]] whether London recognizes Moscow’s sovereignty over the regions of Rostov and Voronezh. Truss replied that the UK “will never recognize Russia’s sovereignty over these regions.” British Ambassador to Russia Deborah Bronnert had to intervene and remind the Foreign Secretary that these two regions are actually considered Russian territory even by the United Kingdom and in fact those regions have been part of Russia for over 1,000 years.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/biden-warns-world-war-whils-truss-says-rostov-and-voronezh-are-not-russian</ref><br />
[[File:The Economist propaganda.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Indians found Western propaganda during the Russo-Ukraine war highly offensive and racist. In this cartoon from the UK tabloid ''[[The Economist]]'', [[NATO]] powers attempted to intimidate India to sign on to condemnation of Russia for the [[false flag]] [[Bucha massacre]] of civilians committed by [[MI6]] and the [[Security Service of Ukraine]].<ref>https://youtu.be/ps6HuQRWcWY</ref>]]<br />
The government of the United Kingdom added a British citizen, [[Graham Phillips]],<ref>https://www.youtube.com/c/GrahamPhillipsUK/videos</ref> a journalist and documentary film maker reporting from [[Donbas]], to the sanctions list and seized his bank account for reporting on the NATO war in Ukraine.<br />
<br />
====Provocations====<br />
<br />
Operation Orbital is the UK program to train Ukrainian fascist forces for aggressive warfare since 2014.<ref>https://medium.com/voices-of-the-armed-forces/operation-orbital-explained-training-ukrainian-armed-forces-59405d32d604</ref><br />
<br />
According to ''RIA Novosti'', British officers were abruptly redeployed to Kyiv on February 24, 2022 to command defense of the city from a headquarters set up in a school. “A source in the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that after a swift offensive by a group of Russian troops on February 24 against Kiev, the British, who were assisting with intelligence to the ATO headquarters in Kramatorsk, moved to Kiev to lead the city’s defence from a headquarters based at school No 72″, – he said.<ref>https://en.news-front.info/2022/05/13/british-officers-already-working-in-kramatorsk-12-days-before-russian-special-operation-in-ukraine-begins/</ref><br />
<br />
Former leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Ilya Kiva said that the [[Bucha massacre]] was planned and prepared in advance by the [[counterintelligence]] of Ukraine, with the assistance of the British [[MI6]]. Kiva said, <br />
{{quotebox-float|"The whole story in Bucha was prepared and planned in advance by the [[SBU]] and [[MI6]]. They arrived early in the morning, cordoned off the area, scattered the corpses and then sent [[journalist]]s there. That's why that clown Zelensky even came back. To raise the interest of the international press in the alleged tragedy, but it's all a pure fake. Why didn't such a situation take place in other areas? Don`t you understand that it was staged in advance, which was supposed to arouse the aggression and hatred in you first of all. But it didn't happen."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ot894JsANM</ref>}}<br />
Ukrainian commanders told ''[[The Times of London]]'' that soldiers from Britain’s Special Air Service (SAS) trained Ukrainian troops in Kyiv.<ref>https://archive.ph/5CG2z</ref><br />
[[File:Brimstone.jpg|left|250px|thumb|Captured UK Brimstone missile.]]<br />
On May 1, 2022 ''Defense Updates'' reported on the delivery of hundreds of the UK ''[[Wunderwaffen]]'' Brimstone precision guided missiles to Ukraine. ''Defense Updates'' reported: <br />
{{quotebox-float|"UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has stated that victory for Ukraine is a "strategic imperative" for the West and Russian forces must be pushed out of "the whole of Ukraine". This is the clearest statement that has been made yet regarding Britain's war aims which have, until now, been limited to stating that President Putin's invasion of Ukraine "must fail and be seen to fail"....The missile has a range of 60+ km or 37+ mi and a maximum speed of Mach 1.3....It has been estimated that Brimstone is 3 times more effective than the AGM-65G Maverick missile against modern tanks, and 7 times more effective than the BL755 cluster bomb. In combat, Brimstone has demonstrated accuracy and reliability "both well above 90 percent"...This capability will fundamentally change the tactical scenario since the Russian forces will now know that they may have to face long-range precision attacks, chances of which were very limited earlier. It is to be noted that The West is sharing critical intelligence with Ukraine which can be used to prioritize and target the most important Russian assets."<ref>https://youtu.be/x4Nb5XVjezY</ref>}}<br />
On May 8, 2022, it was reported that the Russians captured a fully intact Brimstone missile which can now be reversed engineered.<ref>https://youtu.be/ZmdZN77avfI</ref> By the time the "hundreds" of Brimstones are launched against thousands of Russian tanks, a Russian and Chinese version of the Brimstone will likely be available. From that point forward it is only a question of who can produce more, faster. The US and EU's sanction regime against Russia limits the availability of certain component materials needed. Brimstone is a next generation improvement on the American Hellfire missile, bringing Hellfire and Brimstone to the battlefield. On the same day as the disastrous and humiliating defeat and surrender at Azovstal, May 17, 2022, a Russian missile hit a military barrack at Desna, a military base 46 miles northeast of Kyiv, killing 87.<ref>https://sonar21.com/desna-is-just-one-disaster-for-the-ukrainian-military/</ref> The base was hit again in June, this time killing 200.<br />
<br />
While Ukraine was losing 20,000 soldiers a month, [[Boris Johnson]] travelled to Kyiv to promise training for 10,000 soldiers every four months.<ref>https://youtu.be/Lj-Vj_YWYfE</ref><br />
<br />
On June 19, 2022 Commander of UK Strategic Command Gen. Thomas Patrick wrote to the UK Royal Army troops, "There is now an urgent need to forge an army capable of fighting alongside our allies and defeating Russia in battle. We are the generation that must prepare the Army to fight in Europe once again. There is now a burning imperative to forge an Army capable of fighting alongside our allies and defeating Russia in battle."<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/british-troops-must-prepare-to-fight-in-europe-once-again-says-uks-new-army-chief-articleshow.html</ref><br />
<br />
On July 11, 2022, the BBC reported that UK Special Forces were involved in the illegally killing of 54 unarmed detainees in [[Afghanistan]].<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-62083196</ref><br />
<br />
====UK military-intelligence organization====<br />
<br />
Leaked documents revealed that British military-intelligence organizations were training a guerrilla army of 'stay behind' sabotage groups to attack Russian military and civilian targets in Crimea. The investigative news website ''The Grayzone'' named the key players working with the [[Security Service of Ukraine]] (SBU) in [[Odessa]] to set up the covert force.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/11/03/british-spies-terror-army-ukraine/</ref> They include military consultant Hugh Ward, who works for private security firm Rezolutionz, [[MI6]] veteran Guy Spindler, former Lithuanian defense minister Audrius Butkevicius and veteran intelligence agent Chris Donnelly. ''The Grayzone'' also reported that British private military contractor Prevail Partners, founded by former Royal Marines Brigadier and Special Boat Service (SBS) commander Justin Hedges and other ex-commandoes, had been hired to train the new [[guerrilla]] force.<br />
[[File:UK intrusion August 15, 2022.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Intrusion of UK military reconnaissance aircraft in the Murmansk region, August 15, 2022.]]<br />
''The Greyzone'' reported Spindler and Butkevicius lobbied governments to ramp up funding for the program. Internal emails seen by the site asked: "will [[Uncle Sam]] pay for this?" while a "costed proposal" to the British Ministry of Defense had been "turned down for risk reasons."<br />
<br />
Alex Finnen, of the British army Specialist Group Military Intelligence section of the 77 Brigade cyber-warfare centre and the Foreign Office's Russia Unit, said in one email from March 2022 that the proposal — tendered at $600,000 per insurgent per year — was “very expensive for what it is,” although the firm was in a "seller's market". “I suspect that they have taken the first figure they thought of and then doubled it. So, there needs to be more discussion as to how and what these people are going to do,” Finnen wrote. “Partisans live in and amongst the people. That suggests that you need people from across Ukraine, in small teams to take part as Prevail suggest ‘oblast by oblast’. How are they going to achieve this?”<br />
<br />
Justin Hedges claimed that his firm could do a much better job by training 40-strong groups in guerrilla warfare tactics. He said funding could be “provided by flowing ‘donations’ through Prevail's established [[NGO]], Rhizome Insights Ltd,” without leaving a clear trail from governments to the mercenary firm.<br />
<br />
Russia accused the UK of complicity in the September 26, 2022 bombing of the [[Nord Stream]] pipelines across the [[Baltic Sea]], the October 8, 2022 truck bombing of the [[Kerch Strait bridge]] to Crimea and the October 29, 2022 attack on the Crimean port of [[Sevastopol]] with seven marine and nine aerial drones. Other incidents in the Crimean peninsula are suspected to be the work of covert units, including an explosion at a military airfield in August 2022 and an attack using a small drone to drop explosives.<br />
<br />
====UK sabotages peace negotiations====<br />
[[File:Zelensky and Boris.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Zelesnky and BoJo. Boris Johnson sabotaged peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine in April 2022. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers died needlessly in the following months,]]<br />
''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in May 2022 on Boris Johnson's unannounced surprise visit to Kyiv shortly after Russia and Ukraine had reached a peace settlement in their talks in [[Istanbul]]. The Russians had agreed to withdraw to the pre-February 2022 borders and Zelensky would implement the [[Minsk Accords]]. ''Ukrainska Pravda'' reported in essence what Johnson told Zelensky according to sources close to the Ukrainian dictator:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"if Ukraine is ready to sign some agreements on guarantees with Putin, they [the UK and US] are not. Johnson’s position was that the [[Western alliance|collective West]], which back in February had suggested Zelenskyy should surrender and flee, now felt that Putin was not really as powerful as they had previously imagined, and that here was a chance to "press him."<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/western-allies-led-uks-johnson-sabotaged-tentative-ukraine-russia-peace-deal</ref>}}<br />
[[File:Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits Ukrainian troops training in North Yorkshire.jpeg|left|300px|thumb|Boris Johnson posing with Ukrainian special forces. Most were killed in an unsuccessful NATO raid on the [[Zaporozhye nuclear power plant]].]]<br />
On October 13, 2022, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference:<br />
<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We sat at the negotiating table with the Ukrainian delegation until the end of March [2022], when an approach to a settlement on the principles suggested by the Ukrainians at the time had been harmonised in [[Istanbul]]. These principles suited us for that moment but the talks were stopped by direct order from Washington and London.<br />
<br />
This conflict is overrun with [[Anglo-Saxon]]s that fully control the Vladimir Zelensky regime. The Poles and people from the Baltics are trying to fit in on their team.<br />
<br />
Since then the Ukrainian President has said many times that he is not going to hold talks with the Russian Federation under President Vladimir Putin. Recently, he codified this ban in law. We have never sought negotiations. The Istanbul round completed the process started at Ukraine’s request. Russia positively reacted to the proposal to enter a dialogue, but its initiators cut it off with a shout from overseas or London.<br />
<br />
We are hearing statements by [[White House]] representative John Kirby, my colleague Antony Blinken and other members of the US administration. They are saying that they are completely open to talks with the Russian Federation, that they favor a political settlement of the current situation in Ukraine but Russia (the “troublemaker”) is rejecting proposals to establish contact. I can say straight away that this is a lie. We have not received any serious proposals to establish any such contact. There were some attempts that were not very serious, but we didn’t reject them, either. Instead, we suggested that they formulate specific proposals. Some people made them to us by proxy but in this case, we didn’t receive any clear explanations from anyone, either. No need to lie. We were taught in a kindergarten then lying is bad. Apparently, American kindergartens are not so advanced as they were in the [[Soviet Union]] and are now in Russia."}}<br />
<br />
====Kerch Strait bridge terror attack====<br />
[[File:Kerch Bridge.PNG|right|300px|thumb|The Ukrainian government took credit for the terrorist attack and destruction of civilian infrastructure on the Kerch Strait bridge.<ref>https://korybko.substack.com/p/western-values-now-include-celebrating</ref>]]<br />
The Grayzone obtained an April 2022 documents entitled, ''AUDACIOUS: Support for Ukraine Maritime Raiding Operations'',<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Support-for-Maritime-Raiding-Operations-Proposal.pdf</ref> drawn up for senior British intelligence officers hashing out an elaborate scheme to blow up Crimea's Kerch Bridge with the involvement of specially trained Ukrainian soldiers.<ref>https://thegrayzone.com/2022/10/10/ukrainian-kerch-bridge/</ref><br />
<br />
In August 2022 Zelensky aid [[Mykhailo Podolyak]] told the ''[[Guardian]]'' there could be more attacks in the “next two or three months” similar to strikes on a railway junction and an airbase in Crimea, as well as a hit on Russian warplanes at Crimea's Saky aerodrome. Podolyak told the ''Guardian'' that the Kerch Strait bridge linking Crimea with the Russian mainland was a target. “It’s an illegal construction and the main gateway to supply the Russian army in Crimea. Such objects should be destroyed,” he said.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/16/creating-chaos-zelenskiys-adviser-outlines-ukraines-military-strategy</ref> On August 18, 2022, the Russians reported shooting down surveillance drones over the Kerch Strait bridge.<br />
<br />
Podolyak took credit for the terrorist attack and destruction of civilian infrastructure: "Crimea, the bridge, the beginning. Everything illegal must be destroyed, everything stolen must be returned to Ukraine, everything occupied by Russia must be expelled."<ref>https://archive.ph/jJC0P</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) were behind the terrorist attack.<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ukraine-live-briefing-kyiv-celebrates-crimean-bridge-blast-russia-appoints-new-top-commander/ar-AA12Jldo</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/6V1mnXNczHI?t=1487</ref> The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) determined that Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, was the chief organizer on the Ukrainian end.<ref>https://nypost.com/2022/10/12/russia-arrests-8-in-crimea-bridge-blast-blames-ukraine/</ref> Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba confirmed that the Kyiv regime was behind the terrorist attack.<ref>https://youtu.be/uKZnhactW6k</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/hac6kaA68CQ</ref> The Ukrainian Post Office issued a commemorative stamp to honor the terrorist attack.<ref>https://youtu.be/CHhq783BNo8</ref> The attack was an act of state-sponsored terrorism by the government of Ukraine with U.S. taxpayer money.<br />
<br />
====Russia warns the UK government====<br />
On November 3, 2022, Russia summoned the British Ambassador to Moscow, Deborah Bronnert, over claims that the UK provided training to Ukrainian forces that attacked Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea. The Russian Foreign Ministry presented the diplomat with a “steadfast protest” and warned her that [[London]]’s hostile actions “could lead to unpredictable and dangerous consequences,” according to a statement published on the ministry's website. “If acts of aggression that risk turning [Britain] into a direct party in the conflict continue, the British side will solely bear the responsibility for their negative consequences and the increase in tensions between our countries,” the ministry said. <br />
<br />
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Ukrainian Navy conducted dives and a target detonation exercise in the Black Sea and on the shore near the cities of Odessa, Nikolayev, as well as Ochakov with the help of British experts. The Ambassador received a vehement complaint over the British military specialists' active involvement in training and supplying the units of the Ukrainian special operations forces, especially with the intention of carrying out acts of [[sabotage]] at sea. The ''[[demarche]]'' highlighted how such aggressive behavior by the British raises the possibility of an escalation and might have unforeseen and catastrophic results. <br />
<br />
According to the ministry, “An agreement was reached in September 2020 between London and Kyiv to expand the British instructors’ training programme for Ukrainian military divers.” Further, it stated that the Naval Training Initiative for the Ukrainian Navy, which includes combat swimmer training programs, was put into action by the parties in late 2020. <br />
<br />
Ministry underlined that the Joint Multinational Training Group - Ukraine initiative significantly strengthens naval cooperation between the United Kingdom and Ukraine. This work is done at a different Ataman Golovaty Special Operations Center "South" of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces in the city of Ochakov, Nikolayev region, and it contains training underwater special operations personnel for carrying out operations in the Black Sea and Azov Sea.<br />
<br />
Special operations divers are being trained in a military diving school in Odessa, which is a part of the 198th training facility for the Ukrainian Navy, Military Unit A3163, Nikolayev. This training includes deep-sea subversive techniques, among other things. The minesweeper personnel that was sent to Ukraine were taught by the British in the months of August 2022 and September, the ministry reported.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/russia-ukraine-crisis/russia-summons-british-envoy-deborah-bronnert-over-terrorist-attacks-on-black-sea-fleet-articleshow.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Depleted uranium dirty nuclear weapons====<br />
Sunak delivered [[depleted uranium]] shells - essentially [[dirty nuclear weapon]]s - to the fascist [[dictatorship]] of [[Volodymyr Zelensky]].<ref>[https://www.theinteldrop.org/2023/04/26/putin-warns-sunak-after-uks-big-admission-on-depleted-uranium-shells-in-ukraine/ Putin warns Sunak after UK’s big admission on depleted Uranium shells in Ukraine], INTEL-DROP, April 26, 2023.</ref><br />
[[File:UK depleted uranium.PNG|left|300px|thumb|On March 20, 2023, it was announced the UK was supplying nuclear weapons to Ukraine.<ref>https://declassifieduk.org/britain-supplying-depleted-uranium-rounds-to-ukraine/</ref>]]<br />
On January 25, 2023, Konstantin Gavrilov, the head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna Negotiations on Military Security and Arms Control, warned: <br />
{{quotebox-float|“We know that [[Leopard 2]] tanks, as well as Bradley and Marder armored fighting vehicles, can use [[depleted uranium]] shells, which can contaminate terrain, just like it happened in [[Yugoslavia]] and [[Iraq]]...If Kiev were to be supplied with such munitions for the use in western heavy military hardware, we would regard it as the use of ‘[[dirty nuclear bomb]]s’ against Russia, with all the consequences that entails.”}}<br />
Depleted uranium is a very dense metal, ideal to be used on projectiles because of its mass, and also because it ignites at around 600 degrees Celsius; it can penetrate an armoured vehicle and incinerate the crew once it enters the cabin. As a block or a projectile, the material can be handled with no health consequences, but when it ignites or explodes, it's turned into dust, then, it can be inhaled or ingested by live creatures and it wreaks havoc in the internal organs, creating a very large number of cancerous lesions and genetic malformations.<ref>[https://youtu.be/tiDNTA12_gk Depleted Uranium]</ref> That is why it is considered a very dangerous polluting material, same as a dirty bomb.<br />
<br />
The use of depleted uranium shells was developed by the United States in the 1980s. The Russian military made the decision at that time not to follow suit and compete by developing depleted uranium as a battlefield weapon because of its long lasting environmental and health effects. Existing tactical nuclear weapons were considered a sufficient deterrent to what is essentially a nuclear dirty bomb used by NATO and the United States.<br />
<br />
On March 20, 2023, Annabel Goldie, the British Minister of State for Defence, declared that her country would provide depleted uranium munitions to the Kyiv regime.<ref>https://youtu.be/vSG_3cduRLA</ref> In response, President Vladimir Putin reported on March 25 that the decision had been made to deploy a tactical nuclear weapon on the territory of Belarus by July 1, 2023, to reduce flight time against NATO aggressors. Reduced flight time, if even by a few seconds, is an important consideration in the age of modern missile defense.<br />
[[File:Khmelnytsky blast.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Prevailing winds after the release of gamma radiation from British depleted uranium shells in NATO occupied Ukraine.]] <br />
On May 2, 2023, [[Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.]], tied for the lead in the [[Democratic presidential candidates 2024|2024 Democratic presidential nomination]],<ref>https://www.newstarget.com/2023-05-10-rfk-jr-tied-biden-poll-democrats-trump.html</ref> warned:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"In another reckless escalation, [[Britain]] has confirmed delivery of depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine. [[DU]] munitions should be banned. They partially vaporize on impact, poisoning the environment with uranium dust that causes [[cancer]] and horrific birth defects."<ref>https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1653562264539070465</ref>}}<br />
On May 13, 2023, a series of explosions at the Khmelnytsky ammunition storage depot in western Ukraine led to a significant increase in gamma radiation levels,<ref>https://t.me/intelslava/47714</ref> suggesting the release of depleted uranium dust into the air posing severe risk to public health. The resultant fire was remotely extinguished by robots. Depleted uranium munitions, while typically emitting minimal gamma radiation, are known to pose risks when a large stockpile is destroyed, as in the Khmelnytsky incident.<br />
<br />
The effects of gamma radiation can be particularly detrimental to cellular structures and DNA/RNA molecules, with an extended range of damage in fluids such as gas or liquid. The British Department of Defense (DoD) confirmed that it provided depleted-uranium tank rounds to the Ukrainian armed forces. Reports indicate that the detonated warehouse in Khmelnytsky contained a substantial quantity of depleted uranium shells, causing alarm among locals and prompting residents to evacuate nearby areas. Yuri Kot, a political scientist, has stated that his sources confirm the presence of a large stockpile of depleted uranium shells in the destroyed Khmelnytsky warehouse.<br />
<br />
Following the explosions, gamma radiation levels in Khmelnytsky have rose steadily. This surge is particularly concerning as depleted uranium typically emits only a low dose of gamma radiation, suggesting the destruction of a significant quantity of munitions and the release of uranium dust into the surrounding environment.<br />
<br />
Dosimetric patrols in the city conducted radiation background measurements in uncharacteristic locations. Previous measurements were concentrated around the Khmelnytsky Nuclear Power Plant but were expanded to cover the regional center, western regions of the area, and Ternopil. The prevailing wind direction, blowing northwest at the time of the explosions, raised concerns about the spread of [[radioactive]] particles to [[Warsaw]], [[Berlin]], and [[Prague]].<ref>https://newindian.in/gamma-radiation-spikes-as-explosions-rock-munitions-depot-in-ukraine/</ref><br />
<br />
Residents were in a panic and began gathering their belongings and leaving the affected areas, including Khmelnytsky, Lviv, and Ternopil.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/05/radioactive-panic-russians-missiles-hit-ukrainian-ammunition-depot-in-khmelnytsky-causing-massive-explosion-cache-of-british-depleted-uranium-tank-shells-destroyed-gamma-radiation-spikes-in-the-r/</ref><br />
<br />
===Pakistan===<br />
The Pakistani ISI maintains extensive ties with British intelligence services. <ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/8698901/Pakistani-spies-in-the-Houses-of-Parliament.html</ref><br />
<br />
===Iraq===<br />
<br />
The U.K. was the United States' main coalition partner under the designation Operation TELIC. Under UN Security Council Resolution 1483, the U.K. also shared with the United States responsibility for civil administration in Iraq and was an active participant in the Coalition Provisional Authority before the handover of Iraqi sovereignty on June 28, 2004. Britain's participation in the Iraq war and its aftermath remains a domestically controversial issue.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
Iraqi oil supply was considered to be 'vital' to British interests. The British Government saw Iraqi oil as "vital" to the UK's long-term energy security, and the effective privatisation of its oil industry was central to the post-invasion plan for the country, according to previously unseen Whitehall documents. [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iraqi-oil-supply-was-considered-to-be-vital-to-british-interests-2270072.html] ''The Independent.'' <br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
The Iraq Inquiry is conducted to identify lessons that can be learned from the Iraq conflict; the inquiry is concerned over Mr. Blair's evidence on the legal advice he received before agreeing to join the invasion, and the timing of the decision to go to war. [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chilcot-to-grill-blair-on-how-he-misled-iraq-war-inquiry-2185725.html] The Chair of the Inquiry, Sir John Chilcot (1939) was Staff Counsellor to the Security and Intelligence Agencies (1999-2004) and the National Criminal Intelligence Service (2002–06).<br />
<br />
===Afghanistan===<br />
{{See also|Rape of Afghanistan}}<br />
[[File:As long as it takes.PNG|right|300px|thumb|''Reuters'' from 2010. UK pulled out after the country was destroyed with delivering freedom or democracy.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-afghanistan/uk-to-stay-in-afghanistan-as-long-as-it-takes-idUSTRE6A71TI20101108</ref>]]<br />
Britain stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States following the [[September 11, 2001]] terrorist attacks in the U.S., and its military forces were part of the coalition force in Afghanistan. The British force in [[Afghanistan War|Afghanistan]] were at 9,000 in late 2009 and rose by an extra 500 troops in 2010. British forces were primarily based in the Helmand region, where they were on the front line in the war against continued [[Taliban]] terrorism. In addition, Britain contributed more than £500 million to Afghan reconstruction—the second-largest donor after the U.S.<br />
<br />
Democrat socialist leader [[Joe Biden]] of the United States assured key allies at the June 2021 [[G7]] Summit in [[Cornwall]] that he would maintain enough of a security presence in Afghanistan to ensure they could continue to operate in the capital following the main U.S. withdrawal. Biden promised Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other leaders that “critical U.S. enablers” would remain in place to keep Kabul safe following the drawdown of NATO forces. British officials determined the U.S. would provide enough personnel to ensure that the U.K. embassy in Kabul could continue operating.<br />
<br />
But the withdrawal of U.S. forces saw the Afghan government collapse as Taliban fighters raced across the country, culminating in scenes of chaos at Kabul’s airport. The British embassy was evacuated. The UK foreign minister faced calls to resign over the inability to extract people on the ground, ''Bloomberg'' reported.<ref> https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-20/biden-assured-allies-in-june-u-s-would-ensure-kabul-s-stability?sref=MTy2GeXk</ref><br />
<br />
The circumstances surrounding the U.S. withdrawal served as a wake-up call to the anti-Trump elements in Great Britain who colluded with [[fake news]] [[mainstream media]] outlets, the [[2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign|Hillary Clinton campaign]], and the U.S. [[intelligence community]] to interfere in American elections and sabotage the presidency of [[Donald Trump]], of the reluctance of Washington to operate as a global policeman. During the Rape of Afghanistan, Biden ignored [[UK]] [[Prime Minister]] [[Boris Johnson]]'s frantic phone calls for 36 hours.<ref>https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2021/08/20/special-relationship-biden-ghosted-johnson-over-bungled-bugout-n1471066</ref><br />
According to the U.K . ''Telegraph'', <br />
[[File:KabulHasFallen.png|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal was condemned as “catastrophic” and “shameful” on Wednesday as the [[Houses of Parliament]] delivered an unprecedented rebuke to a US president. MPs and peers from across the political spectrum, including [[Boris Johnson]], put some blame for the Taliban’s takeover and the chaos that followed on Britain’s closest ally. Mr Biden was accused of “throwing us and everybody else to the fire” by pulling out US troops, and was called “dishonourable” for criticising Afghan forces for not having the will to fight. Former defence chiefs who led British troops in the Middle East were among those to speak out, while there were warnings that the West’s withdrawal would embolden Russia and China.<br />
<br />
[…] Labour MP Chris Bryant called Mr Biden’s remarks about Afghan soldiers “some of the most shameful comments ever from an American president”. Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP and former defence minister, said: “The Biden government have just come in and, without looking at what is happening on the ground, have taken a unilateral decision, throwing us and everybody else to the fire.” <ref>[https://archive.is/YkOPb#selection-517.0-535.24 Parliament holds Joe Biden in contempt over Afghanistan], By Ben Riley-Smith, ''The Telegraph'', 18 August 2021.</ref>}}<br />
Ben Wallace, [[UK]] defence secretary, broke down in tears saying, “some would not get back” from Afghanistan. “It’s sad. Twenty years of sacrifice is what it is."<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/afghanistan-taliban-uk-ben-wallace-b1903193.html NewsUKUK Politics<br />
Defence secretary breaks down in tears and admits ‘some won’t get back’ from Afghanistan], Adam Forrest, ''The Independent'', August 16, 2021.<br />
</ref> Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab concluded that Britain would have to turn to Russia and China to assist with exercising a "moderating influence" over the Taliban despite a deep mistrust of both regimes. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Tom Tugendhat wrote, <br />
[[File:Biden Imbecile.PNG|left|300px|thumb|''Sunday Mirror'', August 22, 2021.<ref>https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunday-mirror/20210822/page/1</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The [[fall of Kabul]] is the biggest foreign policy disaster since [[Suez Crisis|Suez]]. The operation to seize the canal in 1956 symbolised the end of [[British Empire|Britain’s global ambition]] and refocused us on Nato and alliances. It showed conclusively that the US could limit our actions and change our policy. The fall of Kabul will be remembered for similar reasons: not just its abject failure, but also because it revealed the nature of US power and our inability to hold a separate line. The redeployment of 2,500 US troops, half as many as it takes to crew a carrier, ended 20 years of British effort in Afghanistan and left thousands of British citizens under Taliban jurisdiction....The longer-term question is: what next? Is Britain’s [[foreign policy]] achievable given the past week? What are the implications for our alliances?...just like in Suez, we need to reset to make sure that a false narrative does not grow, and that means commitment. Cuts to overseas engagement, whether defence, diplomacy, aid or trade, will look different today from how they did a week ago...." <ref>[https://archive.is/KmgYt Tom Tugendhat on Afghanistan: Six decades after Suez, we remain impotent in the face of US policy], August 16 2021, ''The Times''.</ref>}}<br />
Former Tory prime minister [[Theresa May]] said "What does it say about NATO if we are entirely dependent on a unilateral decision taken by the United States? ... Did we feel we just had to follow the United States and hope that on a wing and a prayer it'd be all right on the night?" Former Labour prime minister [[Tony Blair]] slammed Biden's "imbecilic" retreat.<ref>https://archive.is/2D8am#selection-491.1-491.56</ref> Blair said the "deep politicisation" of US foreign policy was "visibly atrophying" American influence, and claimed the debacle over the withdrawal risked Britain being relegated to the "second division" of global powers.<br />
<br />
===Israel===<br />
<br />
Britain has shown a greater willingness than the United States to criticize the Israelis over settlements and what some call the disproportionate responses to provocations from Gaza and southern Lebanon. (Jewish Labour MP Gerald Kaufman is among the most vocal.) Like his predecessors, both Labour and Conservative, former Foreign Secretary Milliband has been unequivocal: "Settlements are illegal under international law," he told Parliament in 2008; "They are a major blockage to peace in the Middle East on the basis of a two-state solution." His successor William Hague, on 20 March 2011, "expressed our serious concern over the recent announcement of 400 new housing units in the West Bank. Continued settlements run contrary to peace.” A BBC poll in March 2011 found that 14% of British subjects have a generally positive opinion of Israel while 66% have a generally negative opinion.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
<br />
[[File:Send_a_gun_to_a_British_home.jpg|thumb|right|[[Second Amendment]]-supporting [[American]] [[citizen]]s gifted their [[firearm]]s to [[gun free zone]]-[[gun control]] supporting British citizens during [[World War II]] via [[The American Committee for the Defense of British Homes]]]]<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is one of the United States' closest allies, and British foreign policy emphasises close coordination with the United States. Bilateral cooperation reflects the common language, ideals, and democratic practices of the two nations. Relations were strengthened by the countries' alliances during both World Wars, and its role as a founding member of NATO, in the Korean conflict, in the Persian Gulf War, and in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The United Kingdom and the United States continually consult on foreign policy issues and global problems and share major foreign and security policy objectives. <br />
<br />
The United Kingdom is the fifth-largest market for U.S. goods exports after Canada, Mexico, Japan, and China, and the sixth-largest supplier of U.S. imports after Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, and Germany. U.S. exports of goods and services to the United Kingdom in 2006 totaled $92 billion, while U.S. imports from the U.K. totaled $93 billion. The United States has had a trade deficit with the United Kingdom since 1998. The United Kingdom is a large source of foreign tourists in the United States. In 2005, 3.4 million U.S. residents visited the United Kingdom, while 4.2 million U.K. residents visited the United States. <br />
<br />
The United States and the United Kingdom share the world's largest foreign direct investment partnership. U.S. investment in the United Kingdom reached $324 billion in 2005, while U.K. direct investment in the U.S. totaled $282 billion. This investment sustains more than 1 million American jobs.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
[[File:London.jpg|thumb|left|280px|London's financial center.]]<br />
Britain has been hard hit by the [[Recession of 2008]], with its major banks taken over or subsidized by the government. Real gross domestic product declined by 4.6% in 2009, and is expected to rise by 0.6% before 2010 and probably will continue to increase by 1% in 2011. <br />
<br />
Britain has the sixth-largest economy in the world, and the second largest economy in Europe. It is a major international trading power. A highly developed, diversified, market-based economy with extensive social welfare services provides most residents with a high standard of living. Unemployment and inflation levels are amongst the lowest within Europe.<br />
<br />
Since 1979, the British Government has privatised most state-owned companies, including British Steel, British Airways, British Telecom, British Coal, British Aerospace, and British Gas, although in some cases the government retains a "golden share" in these companies. The previous Labour government continued the privatisation policy of its Conservative predecessor, particularly by encouraging "public-private partnerships" (partial privatisation) in such areas as the London Underground. The economy of the United Kingdom is now primarily based on private enterprise, accounting for approximately four-fifths of employment and output. <br />
[[File:Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent, England Crop 2009.jpg|thumb|440px|Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent, 2009.]]<br />
London ranks alongside New York as a leading international financial centre. London's financial exports contribute greatly to the United Kingdom's balance of payments. Ratings agencies rank the United Kingdom's banking sector as one of the strongest in the world and its banks are amongst the most profitable in the G-8. It is a global leader in emissions trading and is home to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). It is also a government priority to make London the leading center of Islamic finance. <br />
<br />
Britain a significant European energy exporter. It is also one of the world's largest energy consumers, and most analysts predict a shift in U.K. status from net exporter to net importer of energy by 2020, possibly sooner. Oil production in the U.K. is levelling off. While North Sea natural gas production continues to rise, gains may be offset by ever-increasing consumption. North Sea oil and gas exploration activities are shifting to smaller fields and to increments of larger, developed fields, presenting opportunities for smaller, independent energy operators to become active in North Sea production. <br />
*GDP (at current market prices, 2007 est.): US$1.93 trillion.<br />
*Annual growth rate (2009 est.): -4.6%<br />
*Per capita GDP (2006 est.): US$31,800. <br />
*Natural resources: Coal, oil, natural gas.<br />
*Agriculture (1.1% of GDP): Products—cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables, cattle, sheep, poultry, fish.<br />
*Industry: Types—steel, heavy engineering and metal manufacturing, textiles, motor vehicles and aircraft, construction (5.2% of GDP), electronics, chemicals.<br />
*Trade (2006 est.): Exports of goods and services—US$468.8 billion: manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco. Major markets—U.S., European Union. Imports of goods and services—US$603 billion: manufactured goods, machinery, fuels, foodstuffs. Major suppliers—U.S., European Union, Japan. <br />
<br />
=== Economic History ===<br />
<br />
In 1960, the United Kingdom had the fourth-largest economy, with a GDP of $75 billion.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_largest_historical_GDP</ref> In 1965, the UK got surpassed by France, getting to fifth place, with a GDP of $100 billion. In 1970, the fast-growing Japanese economy surpassed the UK, bumping it to 6th place. In 1975, the UK got $240 billion, in 1980 it got $540 billion, and in 1985, the UK declined slightly to $535 billion. But the top 6 stayed the same, the United States, Soviet Union, Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. In 1990, Italy humiliated the UK, by putting the UK at 7th, despite booming to $1.1 trillion. In 1995, the UK grew to $1.325 trillion, bumping both Italy's curving economy and Russia's collapsing economy. In 2000, the UK went to $1.445 trillion, surpassing its longtime-rival-but-ally France, thus getting to 4th. In 2005, the UK boomed to $2.5 trillion dollars, keeping its 4th. In 2010, the UK declined to $2.25 trillion, getting bumped to 6th. In 2015, however, the UK got to $2.863 trillion, surpassing France again. In 2020, the booming Indian economy surpassed the UK, with $2.8 trillion (a small decline), bumping it to 6th.<br />
<br />
=== Currency ===<br />
<br />
The currency of the United Kingdom is the [[Pound|Pound Sterling]], commonly called Pound and written £ or GBP, divided into 100 New Pence (now commonly just called pence or 'p'). Traditionally the UK had a complicated triple currency structure of 20 [[shilling]]s to the Pound and 12 "old pence" (represented by a "d" from the Roman ''denarius'') to the shilling, making a total of 240 pence to the Pound. This system was abandoned in 1971 due to difficulties with computerised accounting systems, in favour of the current [[decimal]] system. <br />
<br />
The UK has never joined the [[Euro]] zone.<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
<br />
[[File:Stonehenge.jpg|thumb|left|Stonehenge.]]<br />
The Roman invasion of Britain in 43AD and most of Britain's subsequent incorporation into the Roman Empire stimulated development and brought more active contacts with the rest of Europe. However, there was no permanent Roman imprint apart from roads and locations for cities. As Rome's strength declined, the country again was exposed to invasion—including the pivotal incursions of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in the fifth and sixth centuries AD—up to the Norman conquest in 1066. Norman rule effectively ensured Britain's safety from further intrusions; certain institutions, which remain characteristic of Britain, could develop. Among these are a political, administrative, cultural, and economic centre in London; a separate but established church and distinctive and distinguished university education. <br />
<br />
====Union====<br />
<br />
Both Wales and Scotland were independent kingdoms that resisted English rule. The English conquest of Wales succeeded in 1282 under Edward I, and the Statute of Rhuddlan established English rule 2 years later. To appease the Welsh, Edward's son (later Edward II), who had been born in Wales, was made Prince of Wales in 1301. The tradition of bestowing this title on the eldest son of the British Monarch continues today. An act of 1536 completed the political and administrative union of England and Wales. <br />
<br />
While maintaining separate parliaments, England and Scotland were ruled by the same king beginning in 1603, when James VI of Scotland succeeded his cousin Elizabeth I as James I of England. In the ensuing 100 years, strong religious and political differences divided the kingdoms. Finally, in 1707, England and Scotland were unified as Great Britain, sharing a single Parliament at Westminster. <br />
<br />
Ireland's invasion by the Anglo-Normans in 1170 led to centuries of strife. Successive English kings sought to conquer Ireland. In the early 17th century, large-scale settlement of the north from Scotland and England began. After its defeat, Ireland was subjected, with varying degrees of success, to control and regulation by Britain. <br />
<br />
The legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland was completed on January 1, 1801, under the name of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (normally shortened to "Great Britain" or "Britain"). However, armed struggle for independence continued sporadically into the 20th century. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 established the Irish Free State, which subsequently left the Commonwealth and became a republic after World War II. Six northern, predominantly [[Protestant]], Irish counties have remained part of the United Kingdom.<br />
<br />
====British Expansion and Empire====<br />
<br />
[[Image:Sir Francis Grant's Portrait of Queen Victoria.jpg|right|200px|thumb|''Queen Victoria'', by [[Sir Francis Grant]].]]<br />
The '''British Empire''' was the [[List of largest empires|largest empire]] in history and, for over a century, was the foremost [[Great power|global power]]. It was a product of the [[Age of Discovery]], which began with the maritime explorations of the 15th century, that sparked the era of the European [[Colonialism|colonial]] empires. By 1921, the British Empire held sway over a population of about 458 million people, approximately one-quarter of the world's population.<ref>Angus Maddison. ''The World Economy: A Millennial Perspective'' (p. 98, 242). [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD]], Paris, 2001.</ref> It covered about 36.7 million km² (14.2 million square miles),<ref>Bruce R. Gordon. [http://www.hostkingdom.net/earthrul.html ''To Rule the Earth...''] (See [http://www.hostkingdom.net/Bibliography.html Bibliography] for sources used.)</ref> about a quarter of Earth's total land area. As a result, its political, linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, it was often said that "[[The empire on which the sun never sets|the sun never sets on the British Empire]]" because its span across the globe ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its numerous [[colonies]] or subject nations.<ref>This phrase had already been used a few centuries before by the king [[Charles I of Spain]], referring to the [[Spanish Empire]].</ref><br />
<br />
Begun initially to support William the Conqueror's (c. 1029-1087) holdings in France, Britain's policy of active involvement in continental European affairs endured for several hundred years. By the end of the 14th century, foreign trade, originally based on wool exports to Europe, had emerged as a cornerstone of national policy. <br />
<br />
During the five decades following [[World War II]], most of the territories of the Empire became independent. Many went on to join the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], a free association of independent states.<ref>T. O. Lloyd, ''The British Empire, 1558-1995. 2nd ed. (1996).</ref> Some have retained the [[British monarch]] as their [[head of state]] to become independent [[Commonwealth realm]]s.<br />
<br />
====Sea Power====<br />
<br />
The foundations of sea power were gradually laid to protect English trade and open up new routes. Defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 firmly established England as a major sea power. Thereafter, its interests outside Europe grew steadily. Attracted by the spice trade, English mercantile interests spread first to the Far East. In search of an alternate route to the Spice Islands, John Cabot reached the North American continent in 1498. Sir Walter Raleigh organized the first, short-lived colony in Virginia in 1584, and permanent English settlement began in 1607 at Jamestown, Virginia. During the next two centuries, Britain extended its influence abroad and consolidated its political development at home, as the Royal Navy dominated the seas.<br />
<br />
====Industrial Revolution====<br />
<br />
[[File:Bradford Industrial Museum.jpg|thumb|left|Bradford Industrial Museum.]]<br />
Britain's [[industrial revolution]] greatly strengthened its ability to oppose Napoleonic France. By the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, Britain was the foremost European power, and its navy ruled the seas. Peace in Europe allowed the British to focus their interests on more remote parts of the world, and, during this period, the British Empire reached its zenith. British colonial expansion reached its height largely during the reign of [[Queen Victoria]] (1837-1901). [[Victorian era|Queen Victoria's]] reign witnessed the spread of British technology, commerce, language, and government throughout the British Empire, which, at its greatest extent, encompassed roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of the world's area and population. It is controversial whether British colonies accelerated or slowed Britain's economic growth, for its growth rate fell below nations without empires, especially the U.S. and [[Germany]]. Democracy came in fits and starts in a series of reforms that finally, by the 1920s, allowed all adults to vote.<br />
<br />
<br><br />
<br />
====End of Empire====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[Collapse of the British Empire]]<br />
<br />
By the time of Queen Victoria's death in 1901, other nations, including the United States and Germany, had developed their own industries; Britain lost its comparative economic advantage, and the ambitions of its rivals had grown. The UK joined world war I because of the invasion of [[Belgium]], and subsequently began [[World War II]] after the invasion of [[Poland]]. The losses and destruction of [[World War I|The First World War]], the [[Great Depression]] of the 1930s, the independence of the Dominions, and decades of relatively slow growth eroded the Britain's preeminent international position of the previous century. <br />
<br />
Nationalism became stronger in other parts of the empire, particularly in India and Egypt. <br />
<br />
In 1926, Britain granted Australia, Canada, and New Zealand almost complete autonomy as "dominions"; beginning with the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, the remainder of the British Empire was almost completely dismantled by the 1960s.<br />
<br />
==== United Kingdom's road repair crisis ====<br />
<br />
''See also:'' [[United Kingdom's road repair crisis]]<br />
<br />
The United Kingdom (UK) website ''Fife Today'' reported in on July 27, 2022 on UK's road repair crisis: "Over 1.5 million potholes were reported across the country, but the AA says the actual number is likely to be much higher as the figure does not include pothole on motorways and major roads, and many go unreported."<ref>[https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/people/fife-worst-in-scotland-for-potholes-3783174 Fife worst in Scotland for potholes], ''Fife Today'' website, July 27, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
In 2018, UK roads ranked were ranked 27th in the world which was a ranking below [[Chile]] and [[Cyprus]].<ref>[https://news.motors.co.uk/news/uk-roads-ranked-worse-than-chile-and-cyprus-in-global-survey/ UK roads ranked worse than Chile and Cyprus in global survey], Motors.co.uk</ref><br />
== See also ==<br />
<br />
*[[English Painting]]<br />
*[[British politics]]<br />
*[[June 2007 UK terror attacks]]<br />
*[[List of political parties in the United Kingdom]]<br />
*[[Mystery:Why is England More Liberal than the United States?]]<br />
*[[Flags of the United Kingdom]]<br />
* [[Piers Morgan]]<br />
*[[Victorian era]]<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
<br />
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/15/sir-john-chilcot-wrong-man Sir John Chilcot 'wrong man to head Iraq invasion inquiry'.]<br />
*[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/iraqi-oil-supply-was-considered-to-be-vital-to-british-interests-2270072.html Iraqi oil supply was considered to be 'vital' to British interests.]<br />
<br />
== Notes ==<br />
<references/><br />
<br />
[[Category:United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]<br />
[[Category:European Countries]]<br />
[[Category:NATO Members]][[Category:Russia-Ukraine War]]<br />
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:British Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Liberalism]]<br />
[[Category:Socialism]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Nuclear Defense]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Inter-Services_Intelligence&diff=1963902Inter-Services Intelligence2023-07-17T23:02:32Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* History */</p>
<hr />
<div>'''Inter-Services Intelligence''' ('''ISI''') is the largest intelligence agency in [[Pakistan]]. The headquarters of ISI is situated in [[Islamabad]]. It was founded in 1948.<ref name=BBCPROFILE>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1750265.stm Profile: Pakistan's military intelligence agency] ''BBC''</ref> It is estimated that the ISI has over 25,000 employees with another 30,000 working as informants and other roles.<ref>https://www.trackingterrorism.org/group/inter-services-intelligence-pakistan-intelligence-isi</ref> The current director of the ISI is Faiz Hameed. <ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1488568</ref><br />
==History==<br />
The Inter-Services Intelligence was founded in 1948 by [[Robert Cawthorne]] who was a British Army officer. <ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20080515203133/https://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/pakistan/isi.htm</ref> It was later expanded by Pakistani Military dictator Ayub Khan in the 1950's.<br />
<br />
==Organization==<br />
*'''Joint Intelligence X''' -serves as a secretariat which coordinates and provides administrative support to the other branches of the ISI. It prepares intelligence estimates and threat assessments.<br />
*'''Joint Intelligence Bureau''' -is responsible for political intelligence. It consists of 3 subsections, one of which is dedicated to operations against India.<br />
*'''Joint Counter-Intelligence Bureau''' - is responsible for surveillance of Pakistani diplomats working abroad. It also conducts operations in the Middle East, South Asia, China, Afghanistan and the Central Asian republics. <br />
*'''Joint Intelligence/North''' -responsible for conducting infiltration, exfiltration, propaganda and other clandestine operations inside the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. <br />
*'''Joint Intelligence Miscellaneous''' -conducts espionage in foreign countries, which includes offensive intelligence operations.<br />
*'''Joint Signal Intelligence Bureau''' -operates a chain of signals intelligence collection stations along the border with India. Additionally, it provides communication support to Islamic terrorists operating in India.<br />
<br />
The ISI also has separate explosives and chemical warfare sections. <ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20080515203133/https://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/pakistan/isi.htm</ref><br />
<br />
==Operations==<br />
<br />
===Functions===<br />
*The ISI is given the task of collecting foreign and domestic intelligence; co-ordination of intelligence functions of the 3 military services; surveillance over its cadre, foreigners, the media, politically active segments of Pakistani society, diplomats of other countries accredited to Pakistan and Pakistani diplomats serving outside the country;the interception and monitoring of communications; and the conduct of covert offensive operations.<br />
<br />
===Methods===<br />
<br />
*Diplomatic Missions- Provides an ideal cover and ISI operation centers are generally located on the embassy or consulate premises.<ref>https://www.efsas.org/publications/study-papers/misuse-of-nepal%E2%80%99s-territory-by-pakistan%E2%80%99s-intelligence-agencies-to-foment-terrorism/</ref><br />
<br />
*Multinationals- ISI operatives find good cover in multinational organizations. NGO's and cultural programs also function as popular covers to shield ISI activites.<br />
<br />
==Sponsoring Terrorism==<br />
===United States===<br />
====Involvement in the 9/11 Attacks====<br />
*On July 14, 1999, a U.S government informant by the name of Randy Glass, recorded a conversation at a dinner attended by himself, illegal arms dealers Diaa Mohsen and Mohammed Malik, a former Egyptian judge by the name of Shireen Shawky and Pakistani ISI agent Rajaa Gulum Abbas. The dinner was held at a restaurant within view of the World Trade Center. FBI agents, pretending to be customers, were seated at nearby tables. Abbas, stated that he wanted to buy a whole shipload of weapons, stolen from the U.S military to give to Osama Bin Laden. Abbas then pointed to the World Trade Center, saying, "Those towers are coming down." Later on, Abbas makes 2 other references to an attack on the World Trade Center, saying, "Americans [are] the enemy," and "We would have no problem blowing up this restaurant because it is full of Americans."<ref>http://www.historycommons.org/context.jsp?item=a071499abbas#a071499abbas</ref><br />
<br />
*On August 17, 1999, the same group that met in a New York restaurant this time meets at a warehouse in West Palm Beach, Florida. The group is shown [[Stinger missile]]s as part of a sting operation. U.S intelligence soon discovers connections between two individuals in the group, Rajaa Gulum Abbas and Mohammed Malik, Islamic terrorist groups in Kashmir(backed by the ISI against India), and the Taliban. Mohammed Malik suggests during the meeting that the Stingers will be used in Kashmir or Afghanistan. Diaa Mohsen, the colleagues of Malik, says that Abbas has direct connections to "dignitaries" and Osama Bin laden. Abbas wanted heavy water for a "dirty bomb" or other material to build a nuclear weapon. Abbas said that he will bring a Pakistani nuclear scientist to inspect the material. According to Dick Stoltz, a government undercover agent who posed as an illegal arms dealer, one of the Pakistanis working at the warehouse claimed he was working for Abdul Qadeer Khan. Khan is considered to be the father of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program and is also the head of an illegal network which sells nuclear technology technology to rogue states. U.S government informant Randy Glass tried to pass these warnings on to higher levels of the government, but he claimed that, "The complaints were ordered sanitized by the highest levels of government."<br />
<br />
==Daniel Pearl - case==<br />
<br />
There were allegations that the Pakistani Intelligence Service (ISI) was complicit in protecting the (2002<ref>Pearl, M. (2007). A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl. United States: Scribner.<br />
<blockquote><br />
For five weeks the world waited for news about Danny Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped in Karachi, Pakistan...And then came the broadcast of his shocking murder. The complete account of his abduction, the intense effort to rescue him, and the aftermath are told here - in astonishing detail, and with courage and insight - by his surviving wife Mariane.<br />
<br />
A Mighty Heart is the unforgettable story of two journalists who fell in love with their work - and with each other. Together, Mariane and Danny Pearl traveled across the globe, dedicated to journalism that increases the under- standing of international politics and of ethnic and religious conflict. In the end, Danny was caught in the dangerous fissure where warring cultures, politics, and ideologies collide. A Mighty Heart is both a portrait of a partner- ship built on the ideals of love, truth, and justice and a critical look at the methods and structure of the Al Qaeda network.</blockquote></ref>) kidnappers of [[Daniel Pearl]].<ref>Publications Combined: Over 20 National Intelligence University Studies Focusing On Domestic Intelligence. (n.d.). (n.p.): Jeffrey Frank Jones. [https://books.google.com/books?id=DktJDwAAQBAJ&pg=RA5-PA107 107].<blockquote>Significantly, the Pakistani Intelligence Service (ISI) was allegedly complicit in protecting the kidnappers. Daniel Pearl had written articles that likely irritated and embarrassed the ISI, giving it an incentive, at least...</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
In 2021, it was reported that the ISI blocked Justice for Daniel Pearl.<ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-pakistani-spy-officials-blocked-justice-for-daniel-pearl How Pakistani Spy Officials Blocked Justice for Daniel Pearl], ''The Daily Beast'', Mar 9, 2021.<blockquote><br />
— ISI officials framed The Wall Street Journal reporter's murder case—and the FBI and DoJ prosecutor Chris Christie went along with it...</blockquote></ref><br />
It blocked Pakistan judges from delivering justice in Daniel Pearl's murder case.<ref>Vishal Tiwari, [https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/isi-blocked-pakistan-judges-from-delivering-justice-in-daniel-pearls-murder-case-report.html ISI blocked Pakistan judges from delivering justice in Daniel Pearl's murder case: Report], Republic Word (India), Mar 9, 2021.<blockquote>The apex court of Pakistan overturned the death sentence handed to Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in the Daniel Pearl beheading case and moved him to safe house.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
*[[Beslan massacre]]<br />
*[[Kunduz airlift]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
==See Also==<br />
*[[Inter-Services Intelligence activities in the United States]]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Intelligence Agencies]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Robert_Cawthorne&diff=1963901Robert Cawthorne2023-07-17T23:01:59Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
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<div>Robert Cawthorne was an Australian who founded the [[ISI]] and served as a 2 star major general in the Pakistani Army.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120502040715/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120228/jsp/opinion/story_15186514.jsp</ref><br />
<br />
==References==</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Robert_Cawthorne&diff=1963861Robert Cawthorne2023-07-17T19:20:18Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>Robert Cawthorne is an Australian who founded the [[ISI]] and served as a 2 star major general in the Pakistani Army.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120502040715/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120228/jsp/opinion/story_15186514.jsp</ref><br />
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==References==</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Robert_Cawthorne&diff=1963860Robert Cawthorne2023-07-17T19:19:53Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>Robert Cawthorne is an Australian who founded the ISI and served as a 2 star major general in the Pakistani Army.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120502040715/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120228/jsp/opinion/story_15186514.jsp</ref><br />
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==References==</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Robert_Cawthorne&diff=1963859Robert Cawthorne2023-07-17T19:18:41Z<p>Bytemsbu: Created page with "Robert Cawthorne is an Australian who founded the ISI and served as a 2 star major general in the Pakistani Army."</p>
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<div>Robert Cawthorne is an Australian who founded the ISI and served as a 2 star major general in the Pakistani Army.</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Pakistan&diff=1963828Pakistan2023-07-17T18:07:36Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan */</p>
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<div>{{Country<br />
|name =اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان<br />''Islāmī Jumhūrīyah Pākistān''<br />
|map =Future Map of Pakistan.jpg<br />
|map2 =Pakistan location.png<br />
|flag =Flag of Pakistan.png<br />
|arms =Arms of Pakistan.png<br />
|capital =Islamabad<br />
|capital-raw =<br />
|government =Semi-presidential republic<br />
|government-raw =<br />
|language =Urdu, English<br />
|king =<br />
|queen =<br />
|monarch-raw =<br />
|president = Arif Alvi<br />
|president-raw =<br />
|chancellor =<br />
|chancellor-raw =<br />
|pm = <br />
|pm-raw =Shehbaz Sharif<br/><br />
|area =340,403 sq mi<br />
|pop =220,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis =<br />
|gdp =$285,000,000,000 (2020)<br />
|gdp-year =<br />
|gdp-pc =$1,273 (2020)<br />
|currency =Rupee <br />
|idd =<br />
|tld =<br />
}}<br />
Pakistan, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''', is an Islamic fundamentalist country in South Asia created by the British for [[India|Indian]] [[Muslim|Muslims]] on 14 August 1947, despite a significant [[opposition to the partition of India|opposition to the partition of colonial India]]. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. At the time of the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Hindus comprised over 23% of the population.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/india/2-yrs-after-it-counted-population-pakistan-silent-on-minority-numbers-6203547/</ref> However, Pakistan is currently 99% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native were slaughtered during the partition of India<ref>https://hindugenocide.com/islamic-jihad/4million-hindus-persecuted-west-pakistan-partition-plight-hindus-remained/</ref> Forced conversion of non-Muslims is rampant in Pakistan. The Global Human Rights Defense(GHRD) estimates that more than 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls are kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam annually in Pakistan. <ref>https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/hindus-pakistan-nobodys-children</ref> Pakistan is hostile to the United States and is one of the most anti-American countries.<ref>https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/on-pakistani-anti-americanism/</ref> Pakistan is allied with Communist [[China]].<ref>https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pakistans-alliance-china-comes-high-cost-149471</ref> The Pakistani [[ISI]] and Military are the real powers behind Pakistan and actively sponsors terrorism in Afghanistan against U.S and Afghan troops.<ref>https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/09/pakistan-continues-to-harbor-taliban-including-al-qaeda-linked-haqqanis.php</ref><ref>https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FOIA-Reading-Room-Other-Available-Records/FileId/155424/</ref> Although Pakistan is regarded as a major non-Nato ally, this was due to Pakistan's lobbying efforts.<ref>https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/img-src-http-talkingpointsmemo-com-images-payne-musharraf-muck-jpg-vspace-5-hspace-5-align-left-stephen-payne-worked-for-pakistan-after-sept-11</ref>There have been attempts by Congress to remove Pakistan's major non-Nato ally status due to their support for terrorism.<ref>https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/73/text?format=txt</ref> Additionally, Pakistan engages in the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology to countries such as Iran and North Korea.<ref>https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004-04/features/closing-pandoras-box-pakistans-role-nuclear-proliferation</ref><ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/pakistan-sold-iran-nuke-tech-in-1980s-former-president-rafsanjani-reveals/</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[Image:Badshahi Mosque, Pakistan.jpg|thumb|260px|Badshahi Mosque.]]<br />
What is now Pakistan, along with parts of northwestern India, contains the archeological remains of an urban civilization dating back 4,500 years. Alexander the Great included the Indus Valley in his empire in 326 B.C., and his successors founded the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria based in what is today Afghanistan and extending to Peshawar. Following the rise of the Central Asian Kushan Empire in later centuries, the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan, centered on the city of Taxila just west of Islamabad, experienced a cultural renaissance known as the Gandhara period. <br />
<br />
Pakistan's Islamic history began with the arrival of Muslim traders in the 8th century in Sindh. The collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century provided an opportunity for the English East India Company to extend its control over much of the subcontinent. The Sikh adventurer, Ranjit Singh, carved out a dominion that extended from Kabul to Srinagar and Lahore, encompassing much of the northern area of modern Pakistan. British rule replaced the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th century. The British permitted the Hindu Maharaja of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, a Sikh appointee, to continue in power. <br />
<br />
The concept of "Pakistan" emerged from an extended period of agitation by the elite Muslims of India to gain power. These elite Muslims were backed by the British and founded the All India Muslim League in 1906. Initially, the League adopted the same objective as the Congress—self-government for India within the British Empire—but the League refused to accept United India. On the other hand, prominent Indian Muslim leaders, such as the Pashtun visionary Khan Abdbul Ghaffar Khan, as well as the Darul Uloom Deoband, supported a united India. After the partition of India, the government of Pakistan jailed Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan quite frequently and he was buried in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan====<br />
[[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]]<br />
The idea of a separate Muslim state in British India first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. This resolution was vehemently opposed by nationalist Indian Muslims represented by the [[All India Azad Muslim Conference]], who [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India]]; British officials, however, sidelined the All India Azad Muslim Conference.<ref name="Shodganga">{{cite web |title=Towards United and Federate India: 1940-47 |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/31090/10/10_chapter%205.pdf |accessdate=31 March 2019 |pages=193, 198 |language=English}}</ref> At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom realized that it could no longer hold on to India. The British wanted to maintain their imperialist influence over countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, so they decided to create Pakistan to give them a foothold in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) and Balochistan. Britain however encountered issues with doing this as the NWFP had elected a government from the Indian National Congress and not from the [[Muslim League]]. Therefore, Louis Mountbatten, with the help of his wife Edwina, talked Jawaharlal Nehru into agreeing to a referendum in the NWFP. Although it is claimed that 99% of the votes were in favor of Pakistan, there was widespread fraud and rigging done during the referendum. Khan Abdul Wali Khan the son of Ghaffar Khan cited that an old woman disclosed to him that she alone polled 52 votes in favor of Pakistan.<ref>https://drfakhrulislam.pk/referendum-in-nwfp-a-significant-chapter-of-freedom-movement/#_edn25</ref> <ref>https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/britain-created-pakistan/20171102.htm</ref> In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947 Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. The British were ecstatic about the creation despite the uprooting of 20 million Indians from their homes where their forefathers had lived for a millenia. On August 15, The Times, London published the following editorial, ''"In the hour of its creation Pakistan emerges as the leading state of the Muslim world. Since the collapse of the Turkish empire that world, which extends across the globe from Morocco to Indonesia, has not included a state whose numbers, natural resources and place in history gave it undisputed pre-eminence. The gap is now filled. From today Karachi takes rank as a new centre of Muslim cohesion and rallying point of Muslim thought and aspirations".''<ref>https://indiafacts.org/partition-why-britain-created-pakistan/</ref> East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. <br />
The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day.<br />
<br />
In 1948, the Pakistani military invaded and annexed Balochistan under orders from Muhammad Ali Jinnah.<ref>http://balochwarna.com/2020/03/27/the-slogan-of-pakistan-quit-balochistan/</ref><br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Independence====<br />
[[File:Muhammad Ali Jinnah.jpg|thumb|220px|Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his youth, in traditional dress.]]<br />
====Muhammad Zia ul-Haq====<br />
With increasing anti-government unrest, the army grew restive. On July 5, 1977, the military removed Bhutto from power and arrested him, declared martial law, and suspended portions of the 1973 Constitution. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Chief Martial Law Administrator and promised to hold new elections within 3 months. <br />
<br />
Zia released Bhutto and asserted that he could contest new elections scheduled for October 1977. However, after it became clear that Bhutto's popularity had survived his government, Zia postponed the elections and began criminal investigations of the senior PPP leadership. Subsequently, Bhutto was convicted and sentenced to death for an alleged conspiracy to murder a political opponent. Despite international appeals on his behalf, Bhutto was hanged on April 6, 1979. <br />
<br />
Zia assumed the presidency and called for elections in November. However, fearful of a PPP victory, Zia banned political activity in October 1979, and postponed national elections. This same year Zia also passed into law the Hudood Ordinance, which provides for harsh Quranic punishments for violations of Shari'a (Islamic law). <br />
<br />
In 1980, most center and left parties, led by the PPP, formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD demanded Zia's resignation, an end to martial law, new elections, and restoration of the Constitution, as it existed before Zia's takeover. In early December 1984, President Zia proclaimed a national referendum for December 19 on his "Islamization" program. After non-party based polls were held for the National and Provincial Assemblies in 1985, President Zia appointed Muhammad Khan Junejo as the Prime Minister. He implicitly linked approval of "Islamization" with a mandate for his continued presidency. Zia's opponents, led by the MRD, boycotted the elections. When the government claimed a 63% turnout, with more than 90% approving the referendum, many observers questioned the figures. <br />
<br />
====Sharif and Bhutto Civilian Governments====<br />
[[File:B Bhutto.jpg|thumb|left|Benazir Bhutto.]]<br />
On August 17, 1988, a plane carrying President Zia, American Ambassador Arnold Raphel, U.S. Brig. General Herbert Wassom, and 28 Pakistani military officers crashed on a return flight from a military equipment trial near Bahawalpur, killing all on board. In accordance with the Constitution, Chairman of the Senate Ghulam Ishaq Khan became Acting President and announced that elections scheduled for November 1988 would take place. Elections were held on a party basis. On one side was an eight-party alliance and on the other, the PPP. The PPP won 94 seats out of 207 and the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) won 54. Muhammad Khan Junejo lost from his home constituency. The president was bound to invite the PPP to from the government, but he delayed doing so for two weeks in order to give the IJI time to muster the support of other groups. Ultimately, the president asked PPP Co-chairperson [[Benazir Bhutto]] to form a government. <br />
<br />
The PPP, under Benazir Bhutto's leadership, succeeded in forming a coalition government with several smaller parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). <br />
<br />
Differing interpretations of constitutional authority, debates over the powers of the central government relative to those of the provinces, and the antagonistic relationship between the Bhutto administration and opposition governments in Punjab and Balochistan seriously impeded social and economic reform programs. Ethnic conflict, primarily in Sindh province, exacerbated these problems. A fragmentation in the governing coalition and the military's reluctance to support an apparently ineffectual and corrupt government were accompanied by a significant deterioration in law and order. <br />
<br />
In August 1990, President Khan, citing his powers under the eighth amendment to the Constitution, dismissed the Bhutto government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. New elections, held in October 1990, confirmed the political ascendancy of the IJI. In addition to a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, the alliance won control of all four provincial parliaments and enjoyed the support of the military and of President Khan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the PML, the most prominent party in the IJI, was elected prime minister by the National Assembly. <br />
<br />
Sharif emerged as the most secure and powerful Pakistani prime minister since the mid-1970s. Under his rule, the IJI achieved several important political victories. The implementation of Sharif's economic reform program; involving privatization, deregulation, and encouragement of private sector economic growth, greatly improved Pakistan's economic performance and business climate. The passage into law in May 1991 of a Shari'a bill, providing for widespread Islamization, legitimized the IJI government among much of Pakistani society. <br />
<br />
However, Nawaz Sharif was not able to reconcile the different objectives of IJI's constituent parties. The largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), abandoned the alliance because of its antagonism to what it regarded as PML hegemony. The government was weakened further by the military's suppression of the MQM, which had entered into coalition with the IJI to contain PPP influence, and allegations of corruption directed at Nawaz Sharif. In April 1993, President Khan, citing "maladministration, corruption, and nepotism" and espousal of political violence, dismissed the Sharif government, but the following month the Pakistan Supreme Court reinstated the National Assembly and the Nawaz Sharif government. Continued tensions between Sharif and Khan resulted in governmental gridlock and the Chief of Army Staff brokered an arrangement under which both the President and the Prime Minister resigned their offices in July 1993. <br />
<br />
An interim government, headed by Moeen Qureshi, a former World Bank Vice President, took office with a mandate to hold national and provincial assembly elections in October. Despite its brief term, the Qureshi government adopted political, economic, and social reforms that generated considerable domestic support and foreign admiration. <br />
<br />
In the October 1993 elections, the PPP won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, and Benazir Bhutto was asked to form a government. However, because it did not acquire a majority in the National Assembly, the PPP's control of the government depended upon the continued support of numerous independent parties, particularly the PML/J (Pakistan Muslim League-Junejo). The unfavorable circumstances surrounding PPP rule—the imperative of preserving a coalition government, the formidable opposition of Nawaz Sharif's PML/N (Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz) movement, and the insecure provincial administrations—presented significant difficulties for the government of Prime Minister Bhutto. However, the election of Prime Minister Bhutto's close associate, Farooq Leghari, as President in November 1993 gave her a stronger power base. <br />
[[File:Faisal mosque Pakistan.jpg|thumb|290px|Faisal mosque, Islamabad.]]<br />
In November 1996, President Leghari dismissed the Bhutto government, charging it with corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and implication in extrajudicial killings in Karachi. Elections in February 1997, resulted in an overwhelming victory for the PML/N, and President Leghari called upon Nawaz Sharif to form a government. In March 1997, with the unanimous support of the National Assembly, Sharif amended the Constitution, stripping the President of the power to dismiss the government and making his power to appoint military service chiefs and provincial governors contingent on the "advice" of the Prime Minister. Another amendment prohibited elected members from "floor crossing" or voting against party positions. The Sharif government also engaged in a protracted dispute with the judiciary, culminating in the storming of the Supreme Court by ruling party loyalists and the engineered dismissal of the Chief Justice and the resignation of President Leghari in December 1997. <br />
<br />
The new President elected by Parliament, Rafiq Tarar, was a close associate of the Prime Minister. A one-sided, anti-corruption campaign was used to target opposition politicians and critics of the regime. Similarly, the government moved to restrict press criticism and ordered the arrest and beating of prominent journalists. As domestic criticism of Sharif's administration intensified, Sharif attempted to replace Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999, with a family loyalist, Director General of the Interservice Intelligence Directorate, Lt. Gen. Ziauddin. Although General Musharraf was out of the country at the time, the army moved quickly to depose Sharif.<br />
<br />
====Pervez Musharraf====<br />
[[File:Pervez Musharraf.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Pervez Musharraf]].]]<br />
Following the October 12 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. On October 14, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Musharraf appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body, with mixed military/civilian appointees; a civilian Cabinet; and a National Reconstruction Bureau to formulate structural reforms. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On June 20, 2001, Musharraf named himself as president and was sworn in. <br />
<br />
After the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, Musharraf faked cooperation with the United States and provided support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.<ref>https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pervez-musharraf-was-playing-double-game-with-us-j0dxgv235j2</ref> In a referendum held on April 30, 2002, Musharraf's presidency was extended by five more years. The handover from military to civilian rule came with parliamentary elections in November 2002, and the appointment of a civilian prime minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. Having previously promised to give up his army post and become a civilian president, General Musharraf announced in late 2004 that he would retain his military role. In August 2004, Shaukat Aziz was sworn in as prime minister, having won a parliamentary vote of confidence, 191 of 342 votes, in which the opposition abstained. <br />
<br />
On October 8, 2005 a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Islamabad. An estimated 75,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were left homeless. The disaster of such a huge magnitude galvanized an international rescue and reconstruction effort in support of the affected region. The earthquake cost Pakistan $1.1 billion on resettling those affected.<br />
<br />
====Assassination of Benazir Bhutto====<br />
Bhutto returned to Pakistan in the fall of 2007 after a self-imposed exile, seeking to win popular support for a return to office as prime minister, in addition to highlighting the military rule of Musharraf. On December 27, 2007, she was assassinated at a rally in Rawalpindi.<br />
====Shehbaz Sharif====<br />
The brother of a disgraced prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz has been plagued by corruption allegations of his own.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/04/01/who-is-shehbaz-sharif-pakistans-opposition-leader Who is Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s opposition leader?], Economist, Aor 1, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
Shahbaz has been criticized for maintaining "good ties" with hardline Islamic groups, a claim denied by his party.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/shahbaz-sharif-who-is-pakistans-likely-next-pm/a-39950580 Shahbaz Sharif - Who is Pakistan's likely next PM?], DW, 03.08.2017.</ref><br />
<br />
==Persecution of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan==<br />
{{main|Persecution of Christians in Pakistan}}<br />
{{main|Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan}}<br />
<br />
==Disputed Territories==<br />
===Balochistan===<br />
{{main|Balochistan(Country)}}<br />
<br />
===Khyber Pakhtunkhwa===<br />
The Durand Line was created in 1893 by the British after the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Afghanistan, however, has never recognized the Durand Line. <ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20130510142126/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/10/24/no-change-stance-durand-line-faizi</ref><br />
<br />
===Sindhudesh===<br />
{{main|Sindhudesh Freedom Movement}}<br />
<br />
==People==<br />
[[File:Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah Karachi 2007.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah, Karachi, 2007.]]<br />
The majority of Pakistan's population lives in the Indus River valley and in an arc formed by the cities of Faisalabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and Peshawar. Although Urdu (Hindustani) is an official language of Pakistan, it is spoken as a first language by only 8% of the population; 48% speak Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 10% Saraiki, 8% Pushtu, 3% Baloch, and 3% other. Urdu, Punjabi, Pushtu, and Baloch are Indo-European languages. English is the other official language, and is widely used in government, commerce, the officer ranks of the military, and in many institutions of higher learning. <br />
*Population (2008 est.): 162 million, plus 2 million refugees from Afghanistan<br />
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.09%.<br />
*Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtun, Baloch, Muhajir (i.e., Urdu-speaking immigrants from India and their descendants), Saraiki, and Hazara.<br />
*Religions: Muslim 97%; small minorities of Christians, Hindus, and others.<br />
*Languages: Urdu (national and official), English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu, Baloch, Hindko, Brahui, Saraiki (Punjabi variant).<br />
*Education: Literacy (2004 est.)--48.7%; male 61.7%; female 35.2%. <br />
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--68.84/1,000. Life expectancy (2006 est.)--men 62.73 yrs., women 64.83 yrs.<br />
*Work force (2004 est.): Agriculture—42%; services—38%; industry—20%.<br />
<br />
==Government and Political Conditions==<br />
[[File:Aiwane Sadr Presidency official residence of the President of Pakistan.jpeg|thumb|300px|Residence of the President of Pakistan.]]<br />
Pervez Musharraf ran Pakistan from 1999, when as army chief he ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After losing the support of the army, and in the face of impeachment threats, Musharraf resigned in August 2008. He was replaced by President Asif Ali Zardari (b. 1955) of the PPP party.<ref>A playboy, in 1987 he married [[Benazir Bhutto]] (1953-2007), leader of the PPP party. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the daughter of former president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77). She served two terms as prime minister, in 1988–90 and in 1993–96. They had three children. Zadari spent three years in prison and is called “Mr. Ten Percent" because of his fondness for cash kickbacks on government contracts.</ref> However Zardari was so weak in late 2009 that his government seems near collapse. In November 2009 Zardari relinquished his position in Pakistan’s nuclear command structure, turning it over to the prime minister, in what appeared to be an effort to avoid impeachment or prosecution, and retain at least a figurehead post. Zardari is head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Party (PML-N), taking over after the assassination in 2007 of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazar Bhutto.<br />
<br />
===Parties===<br />
[[File:Farooq Naek Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Farooq Naek, Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan.]]<br />
The Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) are national political parties, while the Muttahid Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)--an umbrella group of six religious parties, including the Jamaat-il-Islami—gained significant influence during the 2002 election. After those elections, the Pakistani political system remained highly fragmented, with no group winning a substantial majority of seats in the national assembly, and religious groups banding together in the MMA to earn a significant portion of seats for the first time. In the 2008 elections, the PPP won 121 seats, the PML-N won 91, and Mushariff's supporters won only 54 sears.<br />
<br />
===Constitution===<br />
The Pakistan Constitution of 1973, amended substantially in 1985 under Zia ul-Haq, was suspended by the military government in October 1999. It was restored on December 31, 2002. The president is chosen for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies. <br />
===Prime Minister office===<br />
The prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a four-year term. The bicameral parliament—or Majlis-e-Shoora—consists of the Senate (100 seats; members are indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 60 seats reserved for women, 10 seats reserved for minorities; members elected by popular vote serve four-year terms). Each of the four provinces—Punjab, Sindh, Northwest Frontier, and Balochistan—has a Chief Minister and provincial assembly. The Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are administered by the federal government but enjoy considerable autonomy. The cabinet, National Security Council, and governors serve at the president's discretion.<br />
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The position of Pakistani Prime Minister has been compared to being a boy king with no real power.<br />
<br />
===Judiciary===<br />
[[File:Punjab University Lahore Pakistan.jpg|thumb|250px|Punjab University, Lahore.]]<br />
The judicial system comprises a Supreme Court, provincial high courts, and Federal Islamic (or Shari'a) Court. The Supreme Court is Pakistan's highest court. The president appoints the chief justice and they together determine the other judicial appointments. Each province has a high court, the justices of which are appointed by the president after conferring with the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the provincial chief justice. The judiciary is proscribed from issuing any order contrary to the decisions of the President. Federal Sharia Court hears cases that primarily involve Sharia, or Islamic law. Legislation enacted in 1991 gave legal status to Sharia. Although Sharia was declared the law of the land, it did not replace the existing legal code.<br />
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===Provinces, minorities===<br />
According to the constitution, Pakistan is a federation of four provinces: Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab, and Sindh. Governors appointed by the president head the provinces. There is also the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and the Islamabad Capital Territory, which consists of the capital city of Islamabad. These areas and territory are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Northern Areas are administered as a de facto "Union Territory" and are treated as an integral part of Pakistan. The Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir, a separate and autonomous government that maintains strong ties to Pakistan. <br />
<br />
Pakistan is a country with very poor human rights record, particularly against minorities such as [[Christian]]s, [[Hindu]]s, [[Jew]]s.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060822/23922.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_pakis.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.domini.org/openbook/pak20020925.htm]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.missio-aachen.de/menschen-kulturen/nachrichten/Sangla_Hill_attack_continues_to_draw_condemnation.asp]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4928]</ref><ref>[http://www.christianresponse.org/articles/291/cartoon-protestors-in-pakistan-target-christians]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.michnews.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/242/11159]</ref><br />
<br />
In Dec 2021, ''Pakistan Christian Post'' warned about the manipulation by the OIC and Pakistan:<ref>[http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/opinion-details/3944 Hem Raj], Dec 20, 2021</ref><blockquote><br />
The USA (the leader of the free world) should not get blackmailed by these threats of Pakistan which tantamount to saying that the militant jihadis of Afghanistan (may be in cooperation with militant Jihadis of Pakistan and from other countries) will wreak havoc not only in the neighborhood of Afghanistan but beyond it also, if the demand of Pakistan about Afghanistan are not met especially by the West lead by the USA.<br />
Pakistan as per the first resolution of the OIC wants the West led by the USA to merely provide money and other relief to Afghans who are facing humanitarian crises. No doubt the majority of these about 38 million Afghans need such help but the members of the OIC (specially oil rich countries) can easily provide such relief. The 57 Muslim countries of OIC do not need Christian West led by the USA to provide such urgent relief to Muslim Afghanistan.</blockquote><br />
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===Principal Government Officials===<br />
*President—Mamnoon Hussain<br />
*Prime Minister (head of government)-- was Imran Khan<br />
<!--outdated *Minister of Foreign Affairs--Khurshid Kasuri--><br />
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Husain Haqqani<ref>http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/dpl/spring_summer2008/110047.htm</ref><br />
<!--outdated *Ambassador to the UN--Munir Akram--><br />
In Mar 2022, [[Imran Khan]] was removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote. <ref>[https://www.axios.com/pakistan-imran-khan-removed-prime-minister-no-confidence-6b9722ea-dc5f-43a5-8c04-7d19c44a5320.html Pakistan's Imran Khan removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote], Axios, Apr 8, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Lt -Gen -Ahmad-Shuja-Pasha Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the director general of the country’s spy agency.]]<br />
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===Foreign Relations===<br />
After September 11, 2001, Pakistan's prominence in the international community increased significantly, as it pledged its alliance with the U.S. in the war on terror and made a commitment to eliminate terrorist camps on its territory. Historically, Pakistan has had difficult and volatile relations with India, long-standing close relations with China, extensive security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf, and wide-ranging bilateral relations with the United States and other Western countries. It expresses a strong desire for a stable Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====India====<br />
[[File:Flags of India and Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Flags of India and Pakistan at the border.]]<br />
Since partition, relations between Pakistan and India have been characterized by rivalry and suspicion. Although many issues divide the two countries, the most sensitive one since independence has been the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. <br />
<br />
At the time of partition, the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu, though ruled by a Hindu Maharajah, had a significant Muslim population (along with large amounts of Buddhists and Hindus). When the Maharajah hesitated in acceding to either Pakistan or India in 1947, tribesmen from Pakistan invaded the Kashmir region in an attempt to forcibly annex the region to Pakistan. In exchange for military assistance in containing the revolt, the Kashmiri ruler offered his allegiance to India. Indian troops defended the eastern portion of Kashmir, including its capital, Srinagar, while the western part became occupied by Pakistan. <br />
<br />
India submitted this dispute to the United Nations on January 1, 1948. One year later, the UN arranged a cease-fire along a line dividing Kashmir but leaving the northern end of the line not demarcated and the Vale of Kashmir (with the majority of the population) under Indian control. India and Pakistan agreed to a resolution that called for a UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the state's future This plebiscite has not occurred because the main precondition, the withdrawal of both nations’ forces from Kashmir, has failed to take place. <br />
<br />
Full-scale hostilities erupted in September 1965, when India alleged that insurgents trained and supplied by Pakistan were operating in India-controlled Kashmir. Hostilities ceased 3 weeks later, following mediation efforts by the UN and interested countries. In January 1966, the leaders of India and Pakistan met in Tashkent, U.S.S.R., and agreed to attempt a peaceful settlement of Kashmir and their other differences. <br />
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|thumb|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]<br />
Following the 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict, President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met in the hill station of Shimla, India, in July 1972. They agreed to a line of control in Kashmir resulting from the December 17, 1971, cease-fire, and endorsed the principle of settlement of bilateral disputes through peaceful means. In 1974, Pakistan and India agreed to resume postal and telecommunications linkages and to enact measures to facilitate travel. Trade and diplomatic relations were restored in 1976 after a hiatus of 5 years. <br />
<br />
India's nuclear test in 1974 generated great uncertainty in Pakistan and is generally acknowledged to have been the impetus for Pakistan's nuclear weapons development program. In 1983, the Pakistani and Indian Governments accused each other of aiding separatists in their respective countries—Sikhs in India's Punjab state and Sindhis in Pakistan's Sindh province. In April 1984, tensions erupted after troops were deployed to the Siachen Glacier, a high-altitude, desolate area close to the China border not demarcated by the cease-fire agreement (Karachi Agreement) signed by Pakistan and India in 1949. <br />
<br />
Tensions diminished after Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in November 1984 and after a group of Sikh hijackers was brought to trial by Pakistan in March 1985. In December 1985, President Zia and Prime Minister Gandhi pledged not to attack each other's nuclear facilities. A formal "no attack" agreement was signed in January 1991. In early 1986, the Indian and Pakistani Governments began high-level talks to resolve the Siachen Glacier border dispute and to improve trade. <br />
<br />
Bilateral tensions increased in early 1990, when Kashmiri militants began a campaign of violence against Indian Government authority in Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequent high-level bilateral meetings relieved the tensions between India and Pakistan, but relations worsened again after the destruction of the Ayodhya mosque by Hindu extremists in December 1992 and terrorist bombings in Bombay in March 1993. Talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries in January 1994 ended in deadlock. <br />
More recently, the Indo-Pakistani relationship has veered sharply between rapprochement and conflict. After taking office in February 1997, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved to resume official dialog with India. A number of meetings at the foreign secretary and prime ministerial level took place, with positive atmospherics but little concrete progress. The relationship improved markedly when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee traveled to Lahore for a summit with Sharif in February 1999. There was considerable hope that the meeting could lead to a breakthrough. <br />
<br />
In spring 1999, infiltrators from Pakistan occupied positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the remote, mountainous area of Kashmir near Kargil, threatening the ability of India to supply its forces on Siachen Glacier. By early summer, serious fighting flared in the Kargil sector. The infiltrators withdrew following a meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Clinton in July. Relations between India and Pakistan were particularly strained during the 1999 coup in Islamabad. Then, just weeks after the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, an attack on India's Parliament on December 13 further strained this relationship.<br />
<br />
====Better relations since 2004====<br />
The prospects for better relations between India and Pakistan improved in early January 2004 when a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) permitted India’s Prime Minister Vajpayee to meet with President Musharraf. Both leaders agreed to establish a Composite Dialogue to resolve their disputes. The Composite Dialogue focuses on eight issues: confidence building measures, Kashmir, Wullar barrage, promotion of friendly exchanges, Siachen glacier, Sir creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, and economic and commercial cooperation. <br />
<br />
Relations further improved when President Musharraf met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York in October 2004. Additional steps aimed at improving relations were announced when Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh visited Islamabad in February 2005 and in April 2005 when President Musharraf traveled to India to view a cricket match and hold discussions. In a further display of improved relations, bus service commenced from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to Srinagar in April 2005. After a destructive earthquake hit the Kashmir region in October 2005, the two countries cooperated with each other to deal with the humanitarian crisis. <br />
<br />
Musharraf and Singh last met in September 2006, when they condemned all acts of terrorism and agreed to continue the search for options acceptable to both sides for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The foreign secretaries of both nations opened the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue in Islamabad on March 13–14, 2007. <br />
<br />
====Afghanistan====<br />
[[File:Afghan Pakistani NATO.jpg|thumb|320px|Afghan - Pakistani - NATO 29th Tripartite Commission, 2009.]]<br />
Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Pakistani Government, with American encouragement and Saudi money, played a vital role in supporting the Afghan resistance movement and assisting Afghan refugees. After the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989, Pakistan, with cooperation from the world community, continued to provide extensive support for displaced Afghans. Continued turmoil in Afghanistan prevented the refugees from returning to their country. In 1999, more than 1.2 million registered Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan. By 2009 there are 2 million refugees living in squalid camps. Pakistan was one of three countries to recognize the Taliban regime of Afghanistan. International pressure after September 11, 2001, prompted Pakistan to reassess its relations with the Taliban regime and support the U.S. and international coalition in Operation Enduring Freedom to remove the Taliban from power. Pakistan has publicly expressed its support to Afghanistan's President Karzai and has pledged $100 million toward Afghanistan's reconstruction. Both nations are also working to strengthen cooperation along their rugged border, including making preparations to hold joint jirgas in their restive border areas.<br />
<br />
Pakistan was linked with the rise of [[Taliban]] in Afghanistan. In Sep/2021, protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Former [[Afghanistan]] President Hamid Karzai stated in Dec 2021: Afghanistan has been facing [[ISIS]] threat from Pakistan. Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on terrorism in his country.<ref>[https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/afghanistan-has-been-facing-isis-threat-from-pakistan-hamid-karzai-121122000153_1.html Afghanistan has been facing ISIS threat from Pakistan: Hamid Karzai], Business Standard, Dec 20, 2021.<blockquote><br />
Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on terrorism in his country, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday said that the landlocked country has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.<br />
At the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Sunday, Imran Khan had said ISIS threatens Pakistan from Afghanistan, adding that stability in Afghanistan is necessary. “We have had attacks from (the) Afghan border, from ISIL (ISIS), into Pakistan,” he said.<br />
Reacting to Khan’s remarks, the former Afghan president said these allegations are not true, TOLOnews reported. ISIS from the beginning has been threatening Afghanistan from Pakistan, not the other way around, Karzai added.<br />
“These remarks are not true, and are obvious propaganda against Afghanistan,” Karzai said in a statement. “In fact, from the beginning, Afghanistan has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.”<br />
Earlier, Karzai had warned Pakistan not to interfere in Kabul’s internal affairs. He had said that Islamabad should not encourage terrorism or extremism rather should establish relations with the country through “civil principles and principles of international relations.”<br />
“My message to Pakistan, our brotherly country, is that they should not try to represent Afghanistan,” he said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) in October.<br />
Pakistan organised a summit of foreign ministers from the OIC on Sunday. An OIC resolution released after the meeting said the Islamic Development Bank would lead the effort to free up assistance by the first quarter of 2022, Al Jazeera reported…</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====China====<br />
In 1950, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the Communist [[China]] (PRC). Following the Sino-Indian hostilities of 1962, Pakistan's relations with China became stronger; since then, the countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in various agreements. China has provided economic, military, and technical assistance to Pakistan. Favorable relations with China have been a pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy. The PRC strongly supported Pakistan's opposition to Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and is perceived by Pakistan as a regional counterweight to India and Russia.<br />
<br />
The port at Gwadar on the Indian Ocean in the disputed territory of Balochistan is a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative. It’s part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor—or CPEC. It aims to give China access to the Indian Ocean. An official CPEC roadway and energy pipeline shows plans to link Gwadar with China’s [[Xinjiang]] Autonomous region. A 2020 US Naval War College study however says, Chinese analysts have come to view the plan as not viable. According to reports, “Shipping and industrial activity at the port are negligible. And for the vast majority of Gwadar’s residents, conditions are unchanged or worse.” China’s fishing trawler fleet has devastated the ocean and forced local fishermen out. And many of the promised benefits from the CPEC have not happened. Major projects—including a vocational training center, medical hospital, and desalination plant—have either been delayed, scaled-down, or dropped. Large scale protests among the local population erupted.<br />
<br />
====Iran and the Persian Gulf====<br />
Historically, Pakistan has had close geopolitical and cultural-religious linkages with Iran. However, strains in the relationship appeared following the Iranian revolution. Pakistan and Iran supported different factions in the Afghan conflict. Also, some Pakistanis suspect Iranian government support for the sectarian violence that has plagued Pakistan. However, relations between the countries have improved since their policies toward Afghanistan have converged with the fall of the Taliban. Both countries contend that they are on the road to strong and lasting friendly relations. <br />
<br />
Pakistan historically has provided military personnel to strengthen Gulf-state defenses and to reinforce its own security interests in the area.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|280px|Karachi.]]<br />
The United States and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1947. The U.S. agreement to provide economic and military assistance to Pakistan and the latter's partnership in the Baghdad Pact/CENTO and SEATO strengthened relations between the nations. However, the U.S. suspension of military assistance during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war generated a widespread feeling in Pakistan that the United States was not a reliable ally. Even though the United States suspended military assistance to both countries involved in the conflict, the suspension of aid affected Pakistan much more severely. Gradually, relations improved, and arms sales were renewed in 1975. Then, in April 1979, the United States cut off economic assistance to Pakistan, except food assistance, as required under the Symington Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, due to concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program. <br />
<br />
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the common interest of Pakistan and the United States in peace and stability in South Asia. In 1981, the United States and Pakistan agreed on a $3.2 billion military and economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened threat to security in the region and its economic development needs. <br />
<br />
Recognizing national security concerns and accepting Pakistan's assurances that it did not intend to construct a nuclear weapon, Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on military assistance to Pakistan. In March 1986, the two countries agreed on a second multi-year (FY 1988-93) $4 billion economic development and security assistance program. On October 1, 1990, however, the United States suspended all military assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not possess a nuclear explosive device." <br />
[[File:Pakistani soldier.jpg|thumb|180px|Pakistani soldier.]]<br />
Several incidents of violence against American officials and U.S. mission employees in Pakistan have marred the relationship. In November 1979, false rumors that the United States had participated in the seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca provoked a mob attack on the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in which the chancery was set on fire resulting in the loss of life of American and Pakistani staff. In 1989, an attack on the American Center in Islamabad resulted in six Pakistanis being killed in crossfire with the police. In March 1995, two American employees of the consulate in Karachi were killed and one wounded in an attack on the home-to-office shuttle. In November 1997, four U.S. businessmen were brutally murdered while being driven to work in Karachi. In March 2002 a suicide attacker detonated explosives in a church in Islamabad, killing two Americans associated with the Embassy and three others. There were also unsuccessful attacks by terrorists on the Consulate General in Karachi in May 2002. Another bomb was detonated near American and other businesses in Karachi in November 2005, killing three people and wounding 15 others. On March 2, 2006, a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives as a vehicle carrying an American Foreign Service officer passed by on its way to Consulate Karachi. The diplomat, the Consulate’s locally employed driver and three other people were killed in the blast; 52 others were wounded. <br />
<br />
The decision by India to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act, which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was subsequently limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance. <br />
<br />
Since the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan has played a double game with the U.S in Afghanistan. Pakistan will claim that they are an "ally" in the War on Terror by handing over a few Al-Qaeda fighters but at the same time provides material and financial support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/10302946</ref> The United States has stepped up its economic assistance to Pakistan, providing debt relief and support for a major effort for education reform. During President Musharraf's visit to the United States in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005. <br />
<br />
Following the region’s tragic October 8, 2005 earthquake, the United States responded immediately and generously to Pakistan’s call for assistance. The response was consistent with U.S. humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan. At the subsequent reconstruction conference in Islamabad on November 19, 2005, the U.S. announced a $510 million commitment to Pakistan for earthquake relief and reconstruction, including humanitarian assistance, military support for relief operations, and anticipated U.S. private contributions. <br />
<br />
President Bush and President Musharraf have affirmed the long-term, strategic partnership between their two countries. In 2004, the United States recognized closer bilateral ties with Pakistan by designating Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally. President Bush visited Pakistan in March 2006, where he and President Musharraf reaffirmed their shared commitment to a broad and lasting strategic partnership, agreeing to continue their cooperation on a number of issues including: the war on terror, security in the region, strengthening democratic institutions, trade and investment, education, and earthquake relief and reconstruction. <br />
<br />
The United States and Pakistan concluded the sale to Pakistan of F-16 aircraft in late 2006, expecting Pakistan to use them to "fight terrorism". President Musharraf visited Washington in September 2006, where he held a bilateral meeting with President Bush and also participated in a trilateral meeting with President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Under President Trump, the United States has suspended aid to Pakistan over their support for terrorism in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
In October 2022 Pakistan issued a formal ''[[demarche]]'' to the United States when [[Joe Biden]] said that Pakistan<br />
may be one of the most dangerous countries in the world because it has [[nuclear weapons]].<ref>https://youtu.be/vm3lzZ8Oslk</ref><br />
<br />
====Osama Bin Laden====<br />
On May 2, 2011, United States special forces raided a private compound in [[Abbottabad]], Pakistan, 62 miles north of [[Islamabad]]. That evening, President Obama announced that [[Osama bin Laden]] had been killed in the raid.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama</ref> Reaction within Pakistan was mixed, with some calling it a welcome end to the life of a mass murderer, and others calling it a disturbing violation of national sovereignty.<ref>http://www.christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_5080.html</ref><br />
<br />
Although the Pakistani government had long insisted that Osama bin Laden was not hiding in their country,<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/03/brown-praises-pakistan-terrorism-fight</ref><ref>http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-02-07/pakistan/27281957_1_al-qaeda-pakistan-president-pervez-musharraf-state-colin-powell</ref> U.S. intelligence estimated in 2011 that bin Laden had been hiding there for five to six years,<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13268517</ref> and counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan said it was "inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system" in the country. A leaked email from 2012 involving a Stratfor analyst revealed that Osama Bin Laden was in routine contact with the Pakistani [[Inter-Services Intelligence]].<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9109457/Stratfor-Osama-bin-Laden-was-in-routine-contact-with-Pakistans-spy-agency.html</ref> Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari responded with an op-ed to the Washington Post, rejecting claims that his government helped Al-Qaeda by writing "such baseless speculation may make exciting cable news, but it doesn’t reflect fact."<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/pakistan-did-its-part/2011/05/02/AFHxmybF_story.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Secret Service plot====<br />
In March 2022, two Muslim men, (Iranian) Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and (Pakistani) Haider Ali, 35, were arrested<ref>Katelyn Caralle, [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10696133/How-fake-DHS-agents-spent-18-MONTHS-trying-infiltrate-Secret-Service-Jill-Bidens-detail.html How 'fake' DHS agents spent 18 MONTHS trying to 'infiltrate Secret Service and Jill Biden's detail'], Daily Mail Online, Apr 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote>Two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied.</blockquote></ref> for impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington. The two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to [[Pakistan]]i intelligence<ref>Michael Balsamo, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-man-impersonated-agent-claimed-ties-to-pakistani-intel/2022/04/07/6f49f666-b6a9-11ec-8358-20aa16355fb4_story.html US: Man impersonated agent, claimed ties to Pakistani intel]," ''AP'', via ''WaPo'', April 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
WASHINGTON — One of two men accused of impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington has claimed to have ties to Pakistani intelligence and had visas showing travel to Pakistan and Iran, federal prosecutors said Thursday.<br />
<br />
The men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested Wednesday. The FBI raided a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where the men were staying and had been offering free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents and officers.<br />
<br />
During a court appearance Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said Ali had told witnesses that he was affiliated with the Inter-Services Intelligence agency in Pakistan and that he had multiple visas from Pakistan and Iran in the months before prosecutors believe the men began impersonating U.S. law enforcement officials. Rothstein said the U.S. has not yet been able to verify the veracity of Ali’s claims to the witnesses.</blockquote></ref> <i>Inter-Services Intelligence</i> (ISI), and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied. Aim was to compromise and accessing information.<br />
<br />
==Defense==<br />
[[File:Pakistan armed forces.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Pakistan Day Parade.]]<br />
Pakistan has the world's eighth-largest armed forces, which is generally well trained and disciplined. However, budget constraints and nation-building duties have reduced Pakistan's training tempo, which if not reversed, could affect the operational readiness of the armed forces. Likewise, Pakistan has had an increasingly difficult time maintaining its aging fleet of U.S., Chinese, U.K., and French equipment. While industrial capabilities have expanded significantly, limited budget resources and sanctions have significantly constrained the government's efforts to modernize its armed forces. <br />
<br />
Until 1990, the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. The United States allocated about 40% of its assistance package to non-reimbursable credits for military purchases, the third-largest program behind Israel and Egypt. The remainder of the aid program was devoted to economic assistance. Sanctions put in place in 1990 denied Pakistan further military assistance due to the discovery of its program to develop nuclear weapons. Sanctions were tightened following Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to India's May 1998 tests and the military coup of 1999. Pakistan has remained a non-signatory of the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty. <br />
<br />
The events of September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's agreement to support the United States led to a waiver of the sanctions, and military assistance resumed to provide spare parts and equipment to enhance Pakistan's capacity to police its western border with Afghanistan and address its legitimate security concerns. In 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005.<br />
<br />
In 2018, the Trump Administration cut off aid to Pakistan. <ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Manora Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.jpg|thumb|300px|Manora, Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.]]<br />
<br />
With a per capita GDP of about $690 (current U.S. $), the World Bank considers Pakistan a low-income country. No more than 48.7% of adults are literate, and life expectancy is about 63 years. The population, currently about 165 million, is growing at 2.09% annually. <br />
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In 2000, the government made significant macroeconomic reforms: Privatizing Pakistan's state-subsidized utilities, reforming the banking sector, instituting a world-class anti-money laundering law, cracking down on piracy of intellectual property, and moving to quickly resolving investor disputes. After September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's proclaimed commitment to fighting terror, many international sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, were lifted. Pakistan's economic prospects began to increase significantly due to unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance at the end of 2001. This trend is expected to continue through 2009. Foreign exchange reserves and exports grew to record levels after a sharp decline. The International Monetary Fund lauded Pakistan for its commitment in meeting lender requirements for a $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility loan, which it completed in 2004, forgoing the final permitted tranche. The Government of Pakistan has been successful in issuing sovereign bonds, and has issued $600 million in Islamic bonds, putting Pakistan back on the investment map. Pakistan's search for additional foreign direct investment has been hampered by concerns about the security situation, domestic and regional political uncertainties, and questions about judicial transparency. <br />
[[File:Boat Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Dhow in Karachi.]]<br />
U.S. assistance has played a key role in moving Pakistan's economy from the brink of collapse to setting record high levels of foreign reserves and exports, dramatically lowering levels of solid debt. Also, despite the earthquake in 2005, GDP growth remained strong at 6.6% in fiscal year 2005/2006. In 2002, the United States led Paris Club efforts to reschedule Pakistan's debt on generous terms, and in April 2003 the United States reduced Pakistan's bilateral official debt by $1 billion. In 2004, approximately $500 million more in bilateral debt was granted. Consumer price inflation eased slightly to an average of 8% in 2005/2006 from 9.3% in 2004/2005. <br />
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Low levels of spending in the social services and high population growth have contributed to persistent poverty and unequal income distribution. The trends of resources being devoted to socioeconomic development and infrastructure projects have been improving since 2002, although expenditures remain below global averages. Pakistan's extreme poverty and underdevelopment are key concerns, especially in rural areas. The government has reined in the fiscal mismanagement that produced massive foreign debt, and officials have committed to using international assistance—including a major part of the $3 billion five-year U.S. assistance package—to address Pakistan's long-term needs in the health and education sectors. <br />
*GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $110.7 billion.<br />
*Real GDP growth rate (2005): 7.8%.<br />
*Per capita GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $690. <br />
*Natural resources: Arable land, natural gas, limited oil, substantial hydropower potential, coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone.<br />
*Agriculture: Products—wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, beef, mutton.<br />
*Industry: Types—textiles & apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, shrimp, fertilizer, and paper products.<br />
*Trade (2005 est.): Exports--$14.85 billion: textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, carpets, rugs, chemicals & manufactures. Major partners—U.S. 22.6%, United Arab Emirates 8.9%, U.K. 5.8%, China 5.4%, Germany 4.7%. Imports--$21.26 billion: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, paper and paper board, transportation equipment, edible oils, pulses, iron and steel, tea. Major partners—China 14.0%, Saudi Arabia 10.5%, United Arab Emirates 9.0%, Japan 6.2%, U.S. 5.1%, Kuwait 5.1%, Germany 4.9%. <br />
<br />
====Reform====<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan market.jpg|thumb|250px|Textile market on the sidewalks of Karachi.]]<br />
The government started pursuing market-based economic reform policies in the early 1980s. These reforms began to take hold in 1988, when the government launched an ambitious IMF-assisted structural adjustment program in response to chronic and unsustainable fiscal and external account deficits. The government began to remove barriers to foreign trade and investment, reform the financial system, ease foreign exchange controls, and privatize dozens of state-owned enterprises. <br />
<br />
Although the economy became more structurally sound, it remained vulnerable to external and internal shocks, such as in 1992-93, when devastating floods and political uncertainty combined to depress economic growth sharply. The Asian financial crisis seriously affected Pakistan's major markets for its textile exports. For example, average real GDP growth from 1992 to 1998 dipped to 4.1% annually. Economic reform also was set back by Pakistan's nuclear tests in May 1998, and the subsequent economic sanctions imposed by the G-7. International default was narrowly averted by the partial waiver of sanctions and the subsequent reinstatement of Pakistan's IMF enhanced structural adjustment facility/extended fund facility in early 1999, followed by Paris Club and London Club rescheduling. After taking power in late 1999, President Musharraf instituted policies to stabilize Pakistan's macroeconomic situation. Pakistan continues to struggle with these reforms, having mixed success, especially in reducing its budget and current account deficits.<br />
<br />
====Agriculture and Natural Resources====<br />
Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, hydroelectric potential, and natural gas reserves. About 28% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Agriculture accounts for about 21% of GDP and employs about 42% of the labor force. The most important crops are cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables, which together account for more than 75% of the value of total crop output. Despite intensive farming practices, Pakistan remains a net food importer. Pakistan exports rice, fish, fruits, and vegetables and imports vegetable oil, wheat, cotton (net importer), pulses, and consumer foods. <br />
<br />
The economic importance of agriculture has declined since independence, when its share of GDP was around 53%. Following the poor harvest of 1993, the government introduced agriculture assistance policies, including increased support prices for many agricultural commodities and expanded availability of agricultural credit. From 1993 to 1997, real growth in the agricultural sector averaged 5.7% but declined to less than 3% in 2005. Agricultural reforms, including increased wheat and oilseed production, play a central role in the government's economic reform package. Heavy rains in 2005 provided the benefit of larger than average cotton, wheat, and rice crops, but also caused damage due to flooding and avalanches. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, some proven oil reserves, coal, and large hydropower potential. However, exploitation of energy resources has been slow due to a shortage of capital and domestic and international political constraints. For instance, domestic gas and petroleum production totals only about half the country's energy needs, and dependence on imported oil contributes to Pakistan's persistent trade deficits and shortage of foreign exchange. The government announced that privatization in the oil and gas sector is a priority.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Industry====<br />
Pakistan's manufacturing sector accounts for about 25% of GDP. Cotton textile production and apparel manufacturing are Pakistan's largest industries, accounting for about 70% of total exports. Other major industries include food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, and paper products. As technology improves in the industrial sector, it continues to grow. In 2005/2006, the manufacturing sector grew by 8.6%. Despite government efforts to privatize large-scale parastatal units, the public sector continues to account for a significant proportion of industry. In the face of an increasing trade deficit, the government seeks to diversify the country's industrial base and bolster export industries. Net foreign investment in Pakistani industries is only 0.5% of GDP.<br />
==Recent==<br />
Imran Khan has been reveled as turning his leadership towards [[fascism]] and cracking down on the media too. <br />
<ref>[https://www.orfonline.org/research/how-imran-khan-unveiled-the-oxonian-version-of-pakistani-islamofascism/ How Imran Khan unveiled the Oxonian version of Pakistani ‘Islamofascism’], Sushant Sareen, August 4, 2020.<br />
<br><i><br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has proved to be a miserable failure who has in many ways turned the clock back for Pakistan.<br />
<br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has more or less functioned as a civilian version of the former military dictator Zia-ul-Haq.<br />
<br />
Hurting democracy<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, in the two years, he has been in office, Imran has caused more damage to Pakistan’s fledgeling democracy than any of his predecessors.<br />
<br />
Displaying fascist traits, he has crushed political dissent, victimised political opponents, muzzled the media, bludgeoned religious minorities, inserted the military in virtually every aspect of national life, unleashed a thought police which will decide what can be published and read in the country, neutered an already pliable and compromised judiciary, and of course, moved to Islamise an already Islamised country through the obnoxious Tahaffiz-e-buyaad-e-Islam law passed by the Punjab provincial assembly.<br />
<br />
The signs of Imran Khan’s fascist worldview were all over the place even before he was manoeuvred into the Prime Minister’s office by the military. That he was an intolerant and undemocratic person became clear during his dharna against the Nawaz Sharif government. The street language he used against his political opponents and the vile and vulgar behaviour he has displayed, and which he has always encouraged and promoted among his cronies (including members of government) revealed his mindset.<br />
<br />
Media as target...</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
In May, 2021, Muslim bigot Kanwal Shauzab colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party called for Jihad against Israel and praised [[Hitler]] for killing Jews.<ref>[https://www.thejc.com/news/world/pakistani-politician-praises-hitler-for-killing-jews-1.517034 Pakistani politician praises Hitler for killing Jews], JC, May 24, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>A colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party calls for Jihad against Israel.<br />
<br />
A parliamentary representative of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party has praised Hitler for killing Jews and a colleague of the same party has called for Jihad against Israel as the only solution.<br />
<br />
Discussing the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Pakistan National Assembly member Kanwal Shauzab said that Hitler was right to kill Jews and called for the use of nuclear weapons against Israel.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Islamic bigot [[Malik Faisal Akram]] hostage taking Jan/2022, exposed Pakistan's tentacles.<br />
<br />
From an analysis:<ref>N Singh, [https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/columnists/texas-crisis-exposes-pakistan---s-tentacles.html Texas crisis exposes Pakistan’s tentacles], ''Daily Pioneer'', 28 January 2022</ref><blockquote>This is a curious case, where a Government has so openly come out to support an Al Qaeda terrorist exposing its own nefarious designs, how Pakistan harbours Al Qaeda militants and uses them too, all the while giving false assurances to the Americans that it is helping them to finish Al Qaeda, which is very much active and calling shots more after lying low for some time until the Taliban consolidated its takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<br />
[[UN]] Watch recalls:<ref name=unwatch-31july2022>Hillel Neuer @HillelNeuer Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
<br />
[https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1553845432312373249 July 31, 2022]</ref><blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
Kothari has been accused by the United States, Czechia, Germany, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Australia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium, Italy<ref name=palwatch-2aug2022>Itamar Marcus and Maurice Hirsch, Adv., [https://palwatch.org/page/31869 PA chooses to side with Antisemitism and hate], ''Palwatch'', Aug 2, 2022<br />
<blockquote><br />
When the member of the recently established UN Human Rights Council "Commission of Inquiry," Miloon Kothari, expressed anti-Semitic hate speech and denial of Israel's right to be a UN member, 12 western democracies and the EU were quick to condemn him. Standing out in support of the hate speech was the Palestinian Authority, whose Foreign Ministry rushed to defend the Antisemitism and condemn Israel for condemning it. <br />
<br />
<i><br />
The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the attack of incitement and deception that [Israeli] occupation state transitional Prime Minister Yair Lapid carried out against the UN Human Rights Council investigative committee.” <br />
[WAFA, official PA news agency, Aug. 1, 2022] </i><br />
<br />
The countries that condemned the anti-Semitic hate of Kothari included, the USA, the UK, Canada, France, Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium and Italy. <br />
Significantly, while the PA was adamant to criticize Israel’s condemnation of the Antisemitism, it was silent about all the other condemnations, not wanting to insult its donors. <br />
<br />
Referring to that fact that Israel has predominantly ignored the openly biased agenda of the UN ...<br />
<br />
The reason the PA was so quick to defend Kothari, is because the statements he made predominantly reflect similar statements made over the years by PA officials. <br />
As Palestinian Media Watch has repeatedly shown, the PA constantly denies Israel’s right to exist and adopts the same anti-Semitic tropes.</blockquote></ref> and the president of the UNHRC of making antisemitic remarks disputing Israel's right to exist and supporting antisemitic conspiracy theories about the "Jewish Lobby" controlling social media.<ref>Tovah Lazaroff, [https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-713501 UNHRC President: Jewish Lobby remark is reasonably considered antisemitic], ''JPost'', July 30, 2022 .</ref><br />
See: [[United_Nations#Miloon_Kothari_-_UNHRC]]<br />
<br />
<font size=1>[Reminder, neither Islamic Pakistan nor Islamic Iran share any borders or have any "land disputes" with Israel.]</font><br />
<br />
====Foreign Trade and Aid====<br />
[[File:Islamabad wet road Pakistan.jpg|thumb|320px|left|[[Islamabad]], the capital city of Pakistan.]]<br />
Weak world demand for its exports and domestic political uncertainty have contributed to Pakistan's high trade deficit. In 2004, growth rebounded to approximately 6% with substantial improvement in public and external debt indicators and remained robust with 7.8% growth in 2005. Foreign reserves are at an all-time high of $11.5 billion. Pakistan's exports, which grew by 14.4% in 2005/2006, continue to be dominated by cotton textiles and apparel, despite government diversification efforts. Major imports include petroleum and petroleum products, edible oil, wheat, chemicals, fertilizer, capital goods, industrial raw materials, and consumer products, rising to 38.8% to $25.6 billion. External imbalance has left Pakistan with a growing foreign debt burden. The fiscal imbalance is reflected in a high level of total net public debt, which reached an estimated 92.6% of GDP in 2000-01, more than half involving external liabilities, but decreased to 72.7% in 2003. The fiscal deficit widened from 5.6% of GDP in 1994-95 to 7.7% in 1997-98 before declining to 4.5% in 2006. Despite a rise in tax collection, defense and development expenditure along with transfers to the provinces all rose in the 2006 budget, widening the deficit. Support for loss-making, state-owned enterprises and a weak domestic tax base are critical elements in the recurring fiscal deficits. The Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd. (PTCL) represented the largest of Pakistan’s privatization programs for 2005. Despite its economic and political difficulties, Pakistan has taken steps to liberalize its trade and investment regimes, either unilaterally or in the context of commitments made with the World Trade Organization (WTO), IMF, and the World Bank. In 2004-2005, efforts in several crucial areas seemingly intensified, resulting in Pakistan becoming a more open and secure market for its trading partners. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has received significant loan/grant assistance from international financial institutions (e.g., the IMF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank) and bilateral donors, particularly after it began using its military/financial resources in the war on terror. The United States pledged $3 billion for FY 2005 to FY 2009 in economic and military aid to Pakistan. In addition, the IMF and World Bank have pledged $1 billion in loans to Pakistan. In 2004 to 2007 alone, the World Bank has pledged over $500 million in investment projects.<br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Cannibalism==<br />
Two Pakistani cannibal brothers Mohammad Arif Ali and Mohammed Farman Ali, were arrested for digging up more than 100 corpses from their local graveyard in order to eat them.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2604350/Boys-HEAD-home-Pakistani-cannibals-dug-100-corpses-local-graveyard-eaten-them.html</ref> Despite this and many other cases, Cannibalism is still legal in Pakistan. <ref>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2136498/bill-man-eaters-rots-cold-storage</ref><br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Mental Illness==<br />
It is estimated that over 50 million Pakistanis are mentally ill. <ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1288880</ref><br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Owen Bennett. ''Pakistan: Eye of the Storm'' (3rd ed. 2009)<br />
* Nawaz, Shuja. ''Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within'' (2008) 600pp [http://www.amazon.com/Crossed-Swords-Pakistan-Army-Within/dp/0195476603/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Shaikh, Farzana. ''Making Sense of Pakistan'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-Pakistan-Columbia-Hurst/dp/023114962X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253054909&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]<br />
<br />
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6663305.stm Pakistan Christians demand help], BBC News, 16 May 2007.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a [[Muslim]] [[Jihadism|jihadist]] police state<br />
*[[Malik_Faisal_Akram#Islamic_anti-Semitism:_Jihadi_Pakistanis_.22branch.22| Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis "branch"]]<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
*[[Star and Crescent]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2007/05/pakistani_nuclear_forces_2007.php Pakistani Nuclear Forces, 2007]<br />
*[http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/07/the_black_hole_of_pakistan The Black Hole of Pakistan.]<br />
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{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"<br />
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''<br />
|-<br />
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:<br />
|style=" background-color: none;"| <small>This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code</small><br />
|-<br />
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:<br />
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| <small>File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3453.htm]</small>}}}. <br />
|}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Indian History]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
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{{Terrorism}}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
[[Category:Nuclear Defense]]<br />
[[Category:Jihadism]]<br />
[[Category:Fascism]]<br />
<br />
{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Pakistan&diff=1963827Pakistan2023-07-17T18:07:11Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Country<br />
|name =اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان<br />''Islāmī Jumhūrīyah Pākistān''<br />
|map =Future Map of Pakistan.jpg<br />
|map2 =Pakistan location.png<br />
|flag =Flag of Pakistan.png<br />
|arms =Arms of Pakistan.png<br />
|capital =Islamabad<br />
|capital-raw =<br />
|government =Semi-presidential republic<br />
|government-raw =<br />
|language =Urdu, English<br />
|king =<br />
|queen =<br />
|monarch-raw =<br />
|president = Arif Alvi<br />
|president-raw =<br />
|chancellor =<br />
|chancellor-raw =<br />
|pm = <br />
|pm-raw =Shehbaz Sharif<br/><br />
|area =340,403 sq mi<br />
|pop =220,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis =<br />
|gdp =$285,000,000,000 (2020)<br />
|gdp-year =<br />
|gdp-pc =$1,273 (2020)<br />
|currency =Rupee <br />
|idd =<br />
|tld =<br />
}}<br />
Pakistan, officially the '''Islamic Republic of Pakistan''', is an Islamic fundamentalist country in South Asia created by the British for [[India|Indian]] [[Muslim|Muslims]] on 14 August 1947, despite a significant [[opposition to the partition of India|opposition to the partition of colonial India]]. It is bordered by [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]], [[India]] and [[China]], and has a coastline on the [[Arabian Sea]]. Its capital is [[Islamabad]]; other major centres include [[Karachi]], [[Lahore]] and [[Peshawar]]. At the time of the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Hindus comprised over 23% of the population.<ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/india/2-yrs-after-it-counted-population-pakistan-silent-on-minority-numbers-6203547/</ref> However, Pakistan is currently 99% Muslim, as many [[Hindu]]s and [[Sikh]]s native were slaughtered during the partition of India<ref>https://hindugenocide.com/islamic-jihad/4million-hindus-persecuted-west-pakistan-partition-plight-hindus-remained/</ref> Forced conversion of non-Muslims is rampant in Pakistan. The Global Human Rights Defense(GHRD) estimates that more than 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls are kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam annually in Pakistan. <ref>https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/opinion/hindus-pakistan-nobodys-children</ref> Pakistan is hostile to the United States and is one of the most anti-American countries.<ref>https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/on-pakistani-anti-americanism/</ref> Pakistan is allied with Communist [[China]].<ref>https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pakistans-alliance-china-comes-high-cost-149471</ref> The Pakistani [[ISI]] and Military are the real powers behind Pakistan and actively sponsors terrorism in Afghanistan against U.S and Afghan troops.<ref>https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2018/09/pakistan-continues-to-harbor-taliban-including-al-qaeda-linked-haqqanis.php</ref><ref>https://www.dia.mil/FOIA/FOIA-Electronic-Reading-Room/FOIA-Reading-Room-Other-Available-Records/FileId/155424/</ref> Although Pakistan is regarded as a major non-Nato ally, this was due to Pakistan's lobbying efforts.<ref>https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/img-src-http-talkingpointsmemo-com-images-payne-musharraf-muck-jpg-vspace-5-hspace-5-align-left-stephen-payne-worked-for-pakistan-after-sept-11</ref>There have been attempts by Congress to remove Pakistan's major non-Nato ally status due to their support for terrorism.<ref>https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/73/text?format=txt</ref> Additionally, Pakistan engages in the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology to countries such as Iran and North Korea.<ref>https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2004-04/features/closing-pandoras-box-pakistans-role-nuclear-proliferation</ref><ref>https://indianexpress.com/article/world/world-news/pakistan-sold-iran-nuke-tech-in-1980s-former-president-rafsanjani-reveals/</ref><br />
<br />
==History==<br />
[[Image:Badshahi Mosque, Pakistan.jpg|thumb|260px|Badshahi Mosque.]]<br />
What is now Pakistan, along with parts of northwestern India, contains the archeological remains of an urban civilization dating back 4,500 years. Alexander the Great included the Indus Valley in his empire in 326 B.C., and his successors founded the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria based in what is today Afghanistan and extending to Peshawar. Following the rise of the Central Asian Kushan Empire in later centuries, the Buddhist culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan, centered on the city of Taxila just west of Islamabad, experienced a cultural renaissance known as the Gandhara period. <br />
<br />
Pakistan's Islamic history began with the arrival of Muslim traders in the 8th century in Sindh. The collapse of the Mughal Empire in the 18th century provided an opportunity for the English East India Company to extend its control over much of the subcontinent. The Sikh adventurer, Ranjit Singh, carved out a dominion that extended from Kabul to Srinagar and Lahore, encompassing much of the northern area of modern Pakistan. British rule replaced the Sikhs in the first half of the 19th century. The British permitted the Hindu Maharaja of the Jammu and Kashmir princely state, a Sikh appointee, to continue in power. <br />
<br />
The concept of "Pakistan" emerged from an extended period of agitation by the elite Muslims of India to gain power. These elite Muslims were backed by the British and founded the All India Muslim League in 1906. Initially, the League adopted the same objective as the Congress—self-government for India within the British Empire—but the League refused to accept United India. On the other hand, prominent Indian Muslim leaders, such as the Pashtun visionary Khan Abdbul Ghaffar Khan, as well as the Darul Uloom Deoband, supported a united India. After the partition of India, the government of Pakistan jailed Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan quite frequently and he was buried in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
====Partition of India and the Creation of Pakistan====<br />
[[File:Pashtun girl.jpg|thumb|Pashtun girl from the NWFP.]]<br />
The idea of a separate Muslim state in British India first emerged in the 1930s. On March 23, 1940, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, leader of the All-India Muslim League, formally endorsed the "Lahore Resolution," calling for the creation of an independent state in regions where Muslims constituted a majority. This resolution was vehemently opposed by nationalist Indian Muslims represented by the [[All India Azad Muslim Conference]], who [[opposition to the partition of India|opposed the partition of India]]; British officials, however, sidelined the All India Azad Muslim Conference.<ref name="Shodganga">{{cite web |title=Towards United and Federate India: 1940-47 |url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/31090/10/10_chapter%205.pdf |accessdate=31 March 2019 |pages=193, 198 |language=English}}</ref> At the end of World War II, the United Kingdom realized that it could no longer hold on to India. The British wanted to maintain their imperialist influence over countries such as Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, so they decided to create Pakistan to give them a foothold in the North-West Frontier Province(NWFP) and Balochistan. Britain however encountered issues with doing this as the NWFP had elected a government from the Indian National Congress and not from the [[Muslim League]]. Therefore, Louis Mountbatten, with the help of his wife Edwina, talked Jawaharlal Nehru into agreeing to a referendum in the NWFP. Although it is claimed that 99% of the votes were in favor of Pakistan, there was widespread fraud and rigging done during the referendum. Khan Abdul Wali Khan the son of Ghaffar Khan cited that an old woman disclosed to him that she alone polled 52 votes in favor of Pakistan.<ref>https://drfakhrulislam.pk/referendum-in-nwfp-a-significant-chapter-of-freedom-movement/#_edn25</ref> <ref>https://www.rediff.com/news/interview/britain-created-pakistan/20171102.htm</ref> In June 1947, the British Government declared that it would bestow full dominion status upon two successor states of the Indian Empire—India and Pakistan, formed from areas in the Indian subcontinent in which Muslims were the majority population. Under this arrangement, the various princely states could freely join either India or Pakistan. Accordingly, on August 14, 1947 Pakistan, comprising West Pakistan with the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), and East Pakistan with the province of Bengal, became independent. The British were ecstatic about the creation despite the uprooting of 20 million Indians from their homes where their forefathers had lived for a millenia. On August 15, The Times, London published the following editorial, ''"In the hour of its creation Pakistan emerges as the leading state of the Muslim world. Since the collapse of the Turkish empire that world, which extends across the globe from Morocco to Indonesia, has not included a state whose numbers, natural resources and place in history gave it undisputed pre-eminence. The gap is now filled. From today Karachi takes rank as a new centre of Muslim cohesion and rallying point of Muslim thought and aspirations".'' East Pakistan later became the independent nation of Bangladesh in 1971. <br />
The Maharaja of Kashmir was reluctant to make a decision on accession to either Pakistan or India. However, armed incursions into the state by tribesman from the NWFP led him to seek military assistance from India. The Maharaja signed accession papers in October 1947 and allowed Indian troops into the state. The Government of Pakistan, however, refused to recognize the accession and campaigned to reverse the decision. The status of Kashmir remains in dispute to this day.<br />
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In 1948, the Pakistani military invaded and annexed Balochistan under orders from Muhammad Ali Jinnah.<ref>http://balochwarna.com/2020/03/27/the-slogan-of-pakistan-quit-balochistan/</ref><br />
{{Clear}}<br />
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====Independence====<br />
[[File:Muhammad Ali Jinnah.jpg|thumb|220px|Muhammad Ali Jinnah in his youth, in traditional dress.]]<br />
====Muhammad Zia ul-Haq====<br />
With increasing anti-government unrest, the army grew restive. On July 5, 1977, the military removed Bhutto from power and arrested him, declared martial law, and suspended portions of the 1973 Constitution. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Muhammad Zia ul-Haq became Chief Martial Law Administrator and promised to hold new elections within 3 months. <br />
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Zia released Bhutto and asserted that he could contest new elections scheduled for October 1977. However, after it became clear that Bhutto's popularity had survived his government, Zia postponed the elections and began criminal investigations of the senior PPP leadership. Subsequently, Bhutto was convicted and sentenced to death for an alleged conspiracy to murder a political opponent. Despite international appeals on his behalf, Bhutto was hanged on April 6, 1979. <br />
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Zia assumed the presidency and called for elections in November. However, fearful of a PPP victory, Zia banned political activity in October 1979, and postponed national elections. This same year Zia also passed into law the Hudood Ordinance, which provides for harsh Quranic punishments for violations of Shari'a (Islamic law). <br />
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In 1980, most center and left parties, led by the PPP, formed the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD). The MRD demanded Zia's resignation, an end to martial law, new elections, and restoration of the Constitution, as it existed before Zia's takeover. In early December 1984, President Zia proclaimed a national referendum for December 19 on his "Islamization" program. After non-party based polls were held for the National and Provincial Assemblies in 1985, President Zia appointed Muhammad Khan Junejo as the Prime Minister. He implicitly linked approval of "Islamization" with a mandate for his continued presidency. Zia's opponents, led by the MRD, boycotted the elections. When the government claimed a 63% turnout, with more than 90% approving the referendum, many observers questioned the figures. <br />
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====Sharif and Bhutto Civilian Governments====<br />
[[File:B Bhutto.jpg|thumb|left|Benazir Bhutto.]]<br />
On August 17, 1988, a plane carrying President Zia, American Ambassador Arnold Raphel, U.S. Brig. General Herbert Wassom, and 28 Pakistani military officers crashed on a return flight from a military equipment trial near Bahawalpur, killing all on board. In accordance with the Constitution, Chairman of the Senate Ghulam Ishaq Khan became Acting President and announced that elections scheduled for November 1988 would take place. Elections were held on a party basis. On one side was an eight-party alliance and on the other, the PPP. The PPP won 94 seats out of 207 and the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IJI) won 54. Muhammad Khan Junejo lost from his home constituency. The president was bound to invite the PPP to from the government, but he delayed doing so for two weeks in order to give the IJI time to muster the support of other groups. Ultimately, the president asked PPP Co-chairperson [[Benazir Bhutto]] to form a government. <br />
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The PPP, under Benazir Bhutto's leadership, succeeded in forming a coalition government with several smaller parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). <br />
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Differing interpretations of constitutional authority, debates over the powers of the central government relative to those of the provinces, and the antagonistic relationship between the Bhutto administration and opposition governments in Punjab and Balochistan seriously impeded social and economic reform programs. Ethnic conflict, primarily in Sindh province, exacerbated these problems. A fragmentation in the governing coalition and the military's reluctance to support an apparently ineffectual and corrupt government were accompanied by a significant deterioration in law and order. <br />
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In August 1990, President Khan, citing his powers under the eighth amendment to the Constitution, dismissed the Bhutto government and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. New elections, held in October 1990, confirmed the political ascendancy of the IJI. In addition to a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, the alliance won control of all four provincial parliaments and enjoyed the support of the military and of President Khan. Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, as leader of the PML, the most prominent party in the IJI, was elected prime minister by the National Assembly. <br />
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Sharif emerged as the most secure and powerful Pakistani prime minister since the mid-1970s. Under his rule, the IJI achieved several important political victories. The implementation of Sharif's economic reform program; involving privatization, deregulation, and encouragement of private sector economic growth, greatly improved Pakistan's economic performance and business climate. The passage into law in May 1991 of a Shari'a bill, providing for widespread Islamization, legitimized the IJI government among much of Pakistani society. <br />
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However, Nawaz Sharif was not able to reconcile the different objectives of IJI's constituent parties. The largest religious party, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), abandoned the alliance because of its antagonism to what it regarded as PML hegemony. The government was weakened further by the military's suppression of the MQM, which had entered into coalition with the IJI to contain PPP influence, and allegations of corruption directed at Nawaz Sharif. In April 1993, President Khan, citing "maladministration, corruption, and nepotism" and espousal of political violence, dismissed the Sharif government, but the following month the Pakistan Supreme Court reinstated the National Assembly and the Nawaz Sharif government. Continued tensions between Sharif and Khan resulted in governmental gridlock and the Chief of Army Staff brokered an arrangement under which both the President and the Prime Minister resigned their offices in July 1993. <br />
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An interim government, headed by Moeen Qureshi, a former World Bank Vice President, took office with a mandate to hold national and provincial assembly elections in October. Despite its brief term, the Qureshi government adopted political, economic, and social reforms that generated considerable domestic support and foreign admiration. <br />
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In the October 1993 elections, the PPP won a plurality of seats in the National Assembly, and Benazir Bhutto was asked to form a government. However, because it did not acquire a majority in the National Assembly, the PPP's control of the government depended upon the continued support of numerous independent parties, particularly the PML/J (Pakistan Muslim League-Junejo). The unfavorable circumstances surrounding PPP rule—the imperative of preserving a coalition government, the formidable opposition of Nawaz Sharif's PML/N (Pakistani Muslim League-Nawaz) movement, and the insecure provincial administrations—presented significant difficulties for the government of Prime Minister Bhutto. However, the election of Prime Minister Bhutto's close associate, Farooq Leghari, as President in November 1993 gave her a stronger power base. <br />
[[File:Faisal mosque Pakistan.jpg|thumb|290px|Faisal mosque, Islamabad.]]<br />
In November 1996, President Leghari dismissed the Bhutto government, charging it with corruption, mismanagement of the economy, and implication in extrajudicial killings in Karachi. Elections in February 1997, resulted in an overwhelming victory for the PML/N, and President Leghari called upon Nawaz Sharif to form a government. In March 1997, with the unanimous support of the National Assembly, Sharif amended the Constitution, stripping the President of the power to dismiss the government and making his power to appoint military service chiefs and provincial governors contingent on the "advice" of the Prime Minister. Another amendment prohibited elected members from "floor crossing" or voting against party positions. The Sharif government also engaged in a protracted dispute with the judiciary, culminating in the storming of the Supreme Court by ruling party loyalists and the engineered dismissal of the Chief Justice and the resignation of President Leghari in December 1997. <br />
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The new President elected by Parliament, Rafiq Tarar, was a close associate of the Prime Minister. A one-sided, anti-corruption campaign was used to target opposition politicians and critics of the regime. Similarly, the government moved to restrict press criticism and ordered the arrest and beating of prominent journalists. As domestic criticism of Sharif's administration intensified, Sharif attempted to replace Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf on October 12, 1999, with a family loyalist, Director General of the Interservice Intelligence Directorate, Lt. Gen. Ziauddin. Although General Musharraf was out of the country at the time, the army moved quickly to depose Sharif.<br />
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====Pervez Musharraf====<br />
[[File:Pervez Musharraf.jpg|thumb|280px|[[Pervez Musharraf]].]]<br />
Following the October 12 ouster of the government of Prime Minister Sharif, the military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political and electoral systems. On October 14, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency and issued the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO), which suspended the federal and provincial Parliaments, held the Constitution in abeyance, and designated Musharraf as Chief Executive. Musharraf appointed an eight-member National Security Council to function as Pakistan's supreme governing body, with mixed military/civilian appointees; a civilian Cabinet; and a National Reconstruction Bureau to formulate structural reforms. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On June 20, 2001, Musharraf named himself as president and was sworn in. <br />
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After the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11, 2001, Musharraf faked cooperation with the United States and provided support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban fighters.<ref>https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/pervez-musharraf-was-playing-double-game-with-us-j0dxgv235j2</ref> In a referendum held on April 30, 2002, Musharraf's presidency was extended by five more years. The handover from military to civilian rule came with parliamentary elections in November 2002, and the appointment of a civilian prime minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali. Having previously promised to give up his army post and become a civilian president, General Musharraf announced in late 2004 that he would retain his military role. In August 2004, Shaukat Aziz was sworn in as prime minister, having won a parliamentary vote of confidence, 191 of 342 votes, in which the opposition abstained. <br />
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On October 8, 2005 a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, and approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Islamabad. An estimated 75,000 people were killed and 2.5 million people were left homeless. The disaster of such a huge magnitude galvanized an international rescue and reconstruction effort in support of the affected region. The earthquake cost Pakistan $1.1 billion on resettling those affected.<br />
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====Assassination of Benazir Bhutto====<br />
Bhutto returned to Pakistan in the fall of 2007 after a self-imposed exile, seeking to win popular support for a return to office as prime minister, in addition to highlighting the military rule of Musharraf. On December 27, 2007, she was assassinated at a rally in Rawalpindi.<br />
====Shehbaz Sharif====<br />
The brother of a disgraced prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz has been plagued by corruption allegations of his own.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/04/01/who-is-shehbaz-sharif-pakistans-opposition-leader Who is Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s opposition leader?], Economist, Aor 1, 2022.</ref><br />
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Shahbaz has been criticized for maintaining "good ties" with hardline Islamic groups, a claim denied by his party.<ref>[https://www.dw.com/en/shahbaz-sharif-who-is-pakistans-likely-next-pm/a-39950580 Shahbaz Sharif - Who is Pakistan's likely next PM?], DW, 03.08.2017.</ref><br />
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==Persecution of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan==<br />
{{main|Persecution of Christians in Pakistan}}<br />
{{main|Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan}}<br />
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==Disputed Territories==<br />
===Balochistan===<br />
{{main|Balochistan(Country)}}<br />
<br />
===Khyber Pakhtunkhwa===<br />
The Durand Line was created in 1893 by the British after the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Afghanistan, however, has never recognized the Durand Line. <ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20130510142126/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/10/24/no-change-stance-durand-line-faizi</ref><br />
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===Sindhudesh===<br />
{{main|Sindhudesh Freedom Movement}}<br />
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==People==<br />
[[File:Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah Karachi 2007.jpg|thumb|left|280px|Tomb of Mohamad Ali Jinnah, Karachi, 2007.]]<br />
The majority of Pakistan's population lives in the Indus River valley and in an arc formed by the cities of Faisalabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and Peshawar. Although Urdu (Hindustani) is an official language of Pakistan, it is spoken as a first language by only 8% of the population; 48% speak Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 10% Saraiki, 8% Pushtu, 3% Baloch, and 3% other. Urdu, Punjabi, Pushtu, and Baloch are Indo-European languages. English is the other official language, and is widely used in government, commerce, the officer ranks of the military, and in many institutions of higher learning. <br />
*Population (2008 est.): 162 million, plus 2 million refugees from Afghanistan<br />
*Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 2.09%.<br />
*Ethnic groups: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtun, Baloch, Muhajir (i.e., Urdu-speaking immigrants from India and their descendants), Saraiki, and Hazara.<br />
*Religions: Muslim 97%; small minorities of Christians, Hindus, and others.<br />
*Languages: Urdu (national and official), English, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtu, Baloch, Hindko, Brahui, Saraiki (Punjabi variant).<br />
*Education: Literacy (2004 est.)--48.7%; male 61.7%; female 35.2%. <br />
*Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--68.84/1,000. Life expectancy (2006 est.)--men 62.73 yrs., women 64.83 yrs.<br />
*Work force (2004 est.): Agriculture—42%; services—38%; industry—20%.<br />
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==Government and Political Conditions==<br />
[[File:Aiwane Sadr Presidency official residence of the President of Pakistan.jpeg|thumb|300px|Residence of the President of Pakistan.]]<br />
Pervez Musharraf ran Pakistan from 1999, when as army chief he ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. After losing the support of the army, and in the face of impeachment threats, Musharraf resigned in August 2008. He was replaced by President Asif Ali Zardari (b. 1955) of the PPP party.<ref>A playboy, in 1987 he married [[Benazir Bhutto]] (1953-2007), leader of the PPP party. She was the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the daughter of former president (1971–73) and prime minister (1973–77). She served two terms as prime minister, in 1988–90 and in 1993–96. They had three children. Zadari spent three years in prison and is called “Mr. Ten Percent" because of his fondness for cash kickbacks on government contracts.</ref> However Zardari was so weak in late 2009 that his government seems near collapse. In November 2009 Zardari relinquished his position in Pakistan’s nuclear command structure, turning it over to the prime minister, in what appeared to be an effort to avoid impeachment or prosecution, and retain at least a figurehead post. Zardari is head of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Party (PML-N), taking over after the assassination in 2007 of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazar Bhutto.<br />
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===Parties===<br />
[[File:Farooq Naek Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Farooq Naek, Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan.]]<br />
The Pakistan Muslim League (PML), Pakistan People's Party (PPP), and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) are national political parties, while the Muttahid Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)--an umbrella group of six religious parties, including the Jamaat-il-Islami—gained significant influence during the 2002 election. After those elections, the Pakistani political system remained highly fragmented, with no group winning a substantial majority of seats in the national assembly, and religious groups banding together in the MMA to earn a significant portion of seats for the first time. In the 2008 elections, the PPP won 121 seats, the PML-N won 91, and Mushariff's supporters won only 54 sears.<br />
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===Constitution===<br />
The Pakistan Constitution of 1973, amended substantially in 1985 under Zia ul-Haq, was suspended by the military government in October 1999. It was restored on December 31, 2002. The president is chosen for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies. <br />
===Prime Minister office===<br />
The prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a four-year term. The bicameral parliament—or Majlis-e-Shoora—consists of the Senate (100 seats; members are indirectly elected by provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms) and the National Assembly (342 seats; 60 seats reserved for women, 10 seats reserved for minorities; members elected by popular vote serve four-year terms). Each of the four provinces—Punjab, Sindh, Northwest Frontier, and Balochistan—has a Chief Minister and provincial assembly. The Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are administered by the federal government but enjoy considerable autonomy. The cabinet, National Security Council, and governors serve at the president's discretion.<br />
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The position of Pakistani Prime Minister has been compared to being a boy king with no real power.<br />
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===Judiciary===<br />
[[File:Punjab University Lahore Pakistan.jpg|thumb|250px|Punjab University, Lahore.]]<br />
The judicial system comprises a Supreme Court, provincial high courts, and Federal Islamic (or Shari'a) Court. The Supreme Court is Pakistan's highest court. The president appoints the chief justice and they together determine the other judicial appointments. Each province has a high court, the justices of which are appointed by the president after conferring with the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the provincial chief justice. The judiciary is proscribed from issuing any order contrary to the decisions of the President. Federal Sharia Court hears cases that primarily involve Sharia, or Islamic law. Legislation enacted in 1991 gave legal status to Sharia. Although Sharia was declared the law of the land, it did not replace the existing legal code.<br />
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===Provinces, minorities===<br />
According to the constitution, Pakistan is a federation of four provinces: Baluchistan, the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab, and Sindh. Governors appointed by the president head the provinces. There is also the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and the Islamabad Capital Territory, which consists of the capital city of Islamabad. These areas and territory are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. The Northern Areas are administered as a de facto "Union Territory" and are treated as an integral part of Pakistan. The Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir, a separate and autonomous government that maintains strong ties to Pakistan. <br />
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Pakistan is a country with very poor human rights record, particularly against minorities such as [[Christian]]s, [[Hindu]]s, [[Jew]]s.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060822/23922.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/rt_pakis.htm]</ref><ref>[http://www.domini.org/openbook/pak20020925.htm]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.missio-aachen.de/menschen-kulturen/nachrichten/Sangla_Hill_attack_continues_to_draw_condemnation.asp]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4928]</ref><ref>[http://www.christianresponse.org/articles/291/cartoon-protestors-in-pakistan-target-christians]</ref><br />
<ref>[http://www.michnews.com/cgi-bin/artman/exec/view.cgi/242/11159]</ref><br />
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In Dec 2021, ''Pakistan Christian Post'' warned about the manipulation by the OIC and Pakistan:<ref>[http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/opinion-details/3944 Hem Raj], Dec 20, 2021</ref><blockquote><br />
The USA (the leader of the free world) should not get blackmailed by these threats of Pakistan which tantamount to saying that the militant jihadis of Afghanistan (may be in cooperation with militant Jihadis of Pakistan and from other countries) will wreak havoc not only in the neighborhood of Afghanistan but beyond it also, if the demand of Pakistan about Afghanistan are not met especially by the West lead by the USA.<br />
Pakistan as per the first resolution of the OIC wants the West led by the USA to merely provide money and other relief to Afghans who are facing humanitarian crises. No doubt the majority of these about 38 million Afghans need such help but the members of the OIC (specially oil rich countries) can easily provide such relief. The 57 Muslim countries of OIC do not need Christian West led by the USA to provide such urgent relief to Muslim Afghanistan.</blockquote><br />
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===Principal Government Officials===<br />
*President—Mamnoon Hussain<br />
*Prime Minister (head of government)-- was Imran Khan<br />
<!--outdated *Minister of Foreign Affairs--Khurshid Kasuri--><br />
*Ambassador to the U.S.--Husain Haqqani<ref>http://www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/dpl/spring_summer2008/110047.htm</ref><br />
<!--outdated *Ambassador to the UN--Munir Akram--><br />
In Mar 2022, [[Imran Khan]] was removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote. <ref>[https://www.axios.com/pakistan-imran-khan-removed-prime-minister-no-confidence-6b9722ea-dc5f-43a5-8c04-7d19c44a5320.html Pakistan's Imran Khan removed as prime minister after no-confidence vote], Axios, Apr 8, 2022.</ref><br />
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[[File:Lt -Gen -Ahmad-Shuja-Pasha Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|Lt. Gen. Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the director general of the country’s spy agency.]]<br />
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===Foreign Relations===<br />
After September 11, 2001, Pakistan's prominence in the international community increased significantly, as it pledged its alliance with the U.S. in the war on terror and made a commitment to eliminate terrorist camps on its territory. Historically, Pakistan has had difficult and volatile relations with India, long-standing close relations with China, extensive security and economic interests in the Persian Gulf, and wide-ranging bilateral relations with the United States and other Western countries. It expresses a strong desire for a stable Afghanistan. <br />
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====India====<br />
[[File:Flags of India and Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Flags of India and Pakistan at the border.]]<br />
Since partition, relations between Pakistan and India have been characterized by rivalry and suspicion. Although many issues divide the two countries, the most sensitive one since independence has been the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. <br />
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At the time of partition, the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu, though ruled by a Hindu Maharajah, had a significant Muslim population (along with large amounts of Buddhists and Hindus). When the Maharajah hesitated in acceding to either Pakistan or India in 1947, tribesmen from Pakistan invaded the Kashmir region in an attempt to forcibly annex the region to Pakistan. In exchange for military assistance in containing the revolt, the Kashmiri ruler offered his allegiance to India. Indian troops defended the eastern portion of Kashmir, including its capital, Srinagar, while the western part became occupied by Pakistan. <br />
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India submitted this dispute to the United Nations on January 1, 1948. One year later, the UN arranged a cease-fire along a line dividing Kashmir but leaving the northern end of the line not demarcated and the Vale of Kashmir (with the majority of the population) under Indian control. India and Pakistan agreed to a resolution that called for a UN-supervised plebiscite to determine the state's future This plebiscite has not occurred because the main precondition, the withdrawal of both nations’ forces from Kashmir, has failed to take place. <br />
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Full-scale hostilities erupted in September 1965, when India alleged that insurgents trained and supplied by Pakistan were operating in India-controlled Kashmir. Hostilities ceased 3 weeks later, following mediation efforts by the UN and interested countries. In January 1966, the leaders of India and Pakistan met in Tashkent, U.S.S.R., and agreed to attempt a peaceful settlement of Kashmir and their other differences. <br />
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|thumb|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]<br />
Following the 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict, President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi met in the hill station of Shimla, India, in July 1972. They agreed to a line of control in Kashmir resulting from the December 17, 1971, cease-fire, and endorsed the principle of settlement of bilateral disputes through peaceful means. In 1974, Pakistan and India agreed to resume postal and telecommunications linkages and to enact measures to facilitate travel. Trade and diplomatic relations were restored in 1976 after a hiatus of 5 years. <br />
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India's nuclear test in 1974 generated great uncertainty in Pakistan and is generally acknowledged to have been the impetus for Pakistan's nuclear weapons development program. In 1983, the Pakistani and Indian Governments accused each other of aiding separatists in their respective countries—Sikhs in India's Punjab state and Sindhis in Pakistan's Sindh province. In April 1984, tensions erupted after troops were deployed to the Siachen Glacier, a high-altitude, desolate area close to the China border not demarcated by the cease-fire agreement (Karachi Agreement) signed by Pakistan and India in 1949. <br />
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Tensions diminished after Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister in November 1984 and after a group of Sikh hijackers was brought to trial by Pakistan in March 1985. In December 1985, President Zia and Prime Minister Gandhi pledged not to attack each other's nuclear facilities. A formal "no attack" agreement was signed in January 1991. In early 1986, the Indian and Pakistani Governments began high-level talks to resolve the Siachen Glacier border dispute and to improve trade. <br />
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Bilateral tensions increased in early 1990, when Kashmiri militants began a campaign of violence against Indian Government authority in Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequent high-level bilateral meetings relieved the tensions between India and Pakistan, but relations worsened again after the destruction of the Ayodhya mosque by Hindu extremists in December 1992 and terrorist bombings in Bombay in March 1993. Talks between the Foreign Secretaries of both countries in January 1994 ended in deadlock. <br />
More recently, the Indo-Pakistani relationship has veered sharply between rapprochement and conflict. After taking office in February 1997, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif moved to resume official dialog with India. A number of meetings at the foreign secretary and prime ministerial level took place, with positive atmospherics but little concrete progress. The relationship improved markedly when Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee traveled to Lahore for a summit with Sharif in February 1999. There was considerable hope that the meeting could lead to a breakthrough. <br />
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In spring 1999, infiltrators from Pakistan occupied positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control in the remote, mountainous area of Kashmir near Kargil, threatening the ability of India to supply its forces on Siachen Glacier. By early summer, serious fighting flared in the Kargil sector. The infiltrators withdrew following a meeting between Prime Minister Sharif and President Clinton in July. Relations between India and Pakistan were particularly strained during the 1999 coup in Islamabad. Then, just weeks after the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, an attack on India's Parliament on December 13 further strained this relationship.<br />
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====Better relations since 2004====<br />
The prospects for better relations between India and Pakistan improved in early January 2004 when a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) permitted India’s Prime Minister Vajpayee to meet with President Musharraf. Both leaders agreed to establish a Composite Dialogue to resolve their disputes. The Composite Dialogue focuses on eight issues: confidence building measures, Kashmir, Wullar barrage, promotion of friendly exchanges, Siachen glacier, Sir creek, terrorism and drug trafficking, and economic and commercial cooperation. <br />
<br />
Relations further improved when President Musharraf met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York in October 2004. Additional steps aimed at improving relations were announced when Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh visited Islamabad in February 2005 and in April 2005 when President Musharraf traveled to India to view a cricket match and hold discussions. In a further display of improved relations, bus service commenced from Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to Srinagar in April 2005. After a destructive earthquake hit the Kashmir region in October 2005, the two countries cooperated with each other to deal with the humanitarian crisis. <br />
<br />
Musharraf and Singh last met in September 2006, when they condemned all acts of terrorism and agreed to continue the search for options acceptable to both sides for a peaceful, negotiated settlement of all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir. The foreign secretaries of both nations opened the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue in Islamabad on March 13–14, 2007. <br />
<br />
====Afghanistan====<br />
[[File:Afghan Pakistani NATO.jpg|thumb|320px|Afghan - Pakistani - NATO 29th Tripartite Commission, 2009.]]<br />
Following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Pakistani Government, with American encouragement and Saudi money, played a vital role in supporting the Afghan resistance movement and assisting Afghan refugees. After the Soviet withdrawal in February 1989, Pakistan, with cooperation from the world community, continued to provide extensive support for displaced Afghans. Continued turmoil in Afghanistan prevented the refugees from returning to their country. In 1999, more than 1.2 million registered Afghan refugees remained in Pakistan. By 2009 there are 2 million refugees living in squalid camps. Pakistan was one of three countries to recognize the Taliban regime of Afghanistan. International pressure after September 11, 2001, prompted Pakistan to reassess its relations with the Taliban regime and support the U.S. and international coalition in Operation Enduring Freedom to remove the Taliban from power. Pakistan has publicly expressed its support to Afghanistan's President Karzai and has pledged $100 million toward Afghanistan's reconstruction. Both nations are also working to strengthen cooperation along their rugged border, including making preparations to hold joint jirgas in their restive border areas.<br />
<br />
Pakistan was linked with the rise of [[Taliban]] in Afghanistan. In Sep/2021, protesters in Kabul chanted 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' realizing that Pakistan is behind the rise of Taliban in Afghanistan.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/realizing-pakistan-behind-rise-taliban-afghanistan-protesters-kabul-chant-pakistan-pakistan Realizing That Pakistan Is Behind Rise Of Taliban In Afghanistan, Protesters In Kabul Chant 'Pakistan, Pakistan, Leave Afghanistan,' As Afghan Taliban Appoint FBI's Most Wanted Terrorist Sirajuddin Haqqani As Interior Minister], Tufail Ahmad, Memri, September 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
Former [[Afghanistan]] President Hamid Karzai stated in Dec 2021: Afghanistan has been facing [[ISIS]] threat from Pakistan. Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on terrorism in his country.<ref>[https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/afghanistan-has-been-facing-isis-threat-from-pakistan-hamid-karzai-121122000153_1.html Afghanistan has been facing ISIS threat from Pakistan: Hamid Karzai], Business Standard, Dec 20, 2021.<blockquote><br />
Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks on terrorism in his country, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday said that the landlocked country has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.<br />
At the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit on Sunday, Imran Khan had said ISIS threatens Pakistan from Afghanistan, adding that stability in Afghanistan is necessary. “We have had attacks from (the) Afghan border, from ISIL (ISIS), into Pakistan,” he said.<br />
Reacting to Khan’s remarks, the former Afghan president said these allegations are not true, TOLOnews reported. ISIS from the beginning has been threatening Afghanistan from Pakistan, not the other way around, Karzai added.<br />
“These remarks are not true, and are obvious propaganda against Afghanistan,” Karzai said in a statement. “In fact, from the beginning, Afghanistan has been facing ISIS’s threat from Pakistan.”<br />
Earlier, Karzai had warned Pakistan not to interfere in Kabul’s internal affairs. He had said that Islamabad should not encourage terrorism or extremism rather should establish relations with the country through “civil principles and principles of international relations.”<br />
“My message to Pakistan, our brotherly country, is that they should not try to represent Afghanistan,” he said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA) in October.<br />
Pakistan organised a summit of foreign ministers from the OIC on Sunday. An OIC resolution released after the meeting said the Islamic Development Bank would lead the effort to free up assistance by the first quarter of 2022, Al Jazeera reported…</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====China====<br />
In 1950, Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize the Communist [[China]] (PRC). Following the Sino-Indian hostilities of 1962, Pakistan's relations with China became stronger; since then, the countries have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in various agreements. China has provided economic, military, and technical assistance to Pakistan. Favorable relations with China have been a pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy. The PRC strongly supported Pakistan's opposition to Soviet involvement in Afghanistan and is perceived by Pakistan as a regional counterweight to India and Russia.<br />
<br />
The port at Gwadar on the Indian Ocean in the disputed territory of Balochistan is a key part of the Belt and Road Initiative. It’s part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor—or CPEC. It aims to give China access to the Indian Ocean. An official CPEC roadway and energy pipeline shows plans to link Gwadar with China’s [[Xinjiang]] Autonomous region. A 2020 US Naval War College study however says, Chinese analysts have come to view the plan as not viable. According to reports, “Shipping and industrial activity at the port are negligible. And for the vast majority of Gwadar’s residents, conditions are unchanged or worse.” China’s fishing trawler fleet has devastated the ocean and forced local fishermen out. And many of the promised benefits from the CPEC have not happened. Major projects—including a vocational training center, medical hospital, and desalination plant—have either been delayed, scaled-down, or dropped. Large scale protests among the local population erupted.<br />
<br />
====Iran and the Persian Gulf====<br />
Historically, Pakistan has had close geopolitical and cultural-religious linkages with Iran. However, strains in the relationship appeared following the Iranian revolution. Pakistan and Iran supported different factions in the Afghan conflict. Also, some Pakistanis suspect Iranian government support for the sectarian violence that has plagued Pakistan. However, relations between the countries have improved since their policies toward Afghanistan have converged with the fall of the Taliban. Both countries contend that they are on the road to strong and lasting friendly relations. <br />
<br />
Pakistan historically has provided military personnel to strengthen Gulf-state defenses and to reinforce its own security interests in the area.<br />
<br />
===Relations with the United States===<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|280px|Karachi.]]<br />
The United States and Pakistan established diplomatic relations in 1947. The U.S. agreement to provide economic and military assistance to Pakistan and the latter's partnership in the Baghdad Pact/CENTO and SEATO strengthened relations between the nations. However, the U.S. suspension of military assistance during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war generated a widespread feeling in Pakistan that the United States was not a reliable ally. Even though the United States suspended military assistance to both countries involved in the conflict, the suspension of aid affected Pakistan much more severely. Gradually, relations improved, and arms sales were renewed in 1975. Then, in April 1979, the United States cut off economic assistance to Pakistan, except food assistance, as required under the Symington Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, due to concerns about Pakistan's nuclear program. <br />
<br />
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 highlighted the common interest of Pakistan and the United States in peace and stability in South Asia. In 1981, the United States and Pakistan agreed on a $3.2 billion military and economic assistance program aimed at helping Pakistan deal with the heightened threat to security in the region and its economic development needs. <br />
<br />
Recognizing national security concerns and accepting Pakistan's assurances that it did not intend to construct a nuclear weapon, Congress waived restrictions (Symington Amendment) on military assistance to Pakistan. In March 1986, the two countries agreed on a second multi-year (FY 1988-93) $4 billion economic development and security assistance program. On October 1, 1990, however, the United States suspended all military assistance and new economic aid to Pakistan under the Pressler Amendment, which required that the President certify annually that Pakistan "does not possess a nuclear explosive device." <br />
[[File:Pakistani soldier.jpg|thumb|180px|Pakistani soldier.]]<br />
Several incidents of violence against American officials and U.S. mission employees in Pakistan have marred the relationship. In November 1979, false rumors that the United States had participated in the seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca provoked a mob attack on the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad in which the chancery was set on fire resulting in the loss of life of American and Pakistani staff. In 1989, an attack on the American Center in Islamabad resulted in six Pakistanis being killed in crossfire with the police. In March 1995, two American employees of the consulate in Karachi were killed and one wounded in an attack on the home-to-office shuttle. In November 1997, four U.S. businessmen were brutally murdered while being driven to work in Karachi. In March 2002 a suicide attacker detonated explosives in a church in Islamabad, killing two Americans associated with the Embassy and three others. There were also unsuccessful attacks by terrorists on the Consulate General in Karachi in May 2002. Another bomb was detonated near American and other businesses in Karachi in November 2005, killing three people and wounding 15 others. On March 2, 2006, a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives as a vehicle carrying an American Foreign Service officer passed by on its way to Consulate Karachi. The diplomat, the Consulate’s locally employed driver and three other people were killed in the blast; 52 others were wounded. <br />
<br />
The decision by India to conduct nuclear tests in May 1998 and Pakistan's matching response set back U.S. relations in the region, which had seen renewed U.S. Government interest during the second Clinton Administration. A presidential visit scheduled for the first quarter of 1998 was postponed and, under the Glenn Amendment, sanctions restricted the provision of credits, military sales, economic assistance, and loans to the government. The October 1999 overthrow of the democratically elected Sharif government triggered an additional layer of sanctions under Section 508 of the Foreign Appropriations Act, which include restrictions on foreign military financing and economic assistance. U.S. Government assistance to Pakistan was subsequently limited mainly to refugee and counter-narcotics assistance. <br />
<br />
Since the 9/11 attacks, Pakistan has played a double game with the U.S in Afghanistan. Pakistan will claim that they are an "ally" in the War on Terror by handing over a few Al-Qaeda fighters but at the same time provides material and financial support to Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/10302946</ref> The United States has stepped up its economic assistance to Pakistan, providing debt relief and support for a major effort for education reform. During President Musharraf's visit to the United States in 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005. <br />
<br />
Following the region’s tragic October 8, 2005 earthquake, the United States responded immediately and generously to Pakistan’s call for assistance. The response was consistent with U.S. humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan. At the subsequent reconstruction conference in Islamabad on November 19, 2005, the U.S. announced a $510 million commitment to Pakistan for earthquake relief and reconstruction, including humanitarian assistance, military support for relief operations, and anticipated U.S. private contributions. <br />
<br />
President Bush and President Musharraf have affirmed the long-term, strategic partnership between their two countries. In 2004, the United States recognized closer bilateral ties with Pakistan by designating Pakistan as a Major Non-NATO Ally. President Bush visited Pakistan in March 2006, where he and President Musharraf reaffirmed their shared commitment to a broad and lasting strategic partnership, agreeing to continue their cooperation on a number of issues including: the war on terror, security in the region, strengthening democratic institutions, trade and investment, education, and earthquake relief and reconstruction. <br />
<br />
The United States and Pakistan concluded the sale to Pakistan of F-16 aircraft in late 2006, expecting Pakistan to use them to "fight terrorism". President Musharraf visited Washington in September 2006, where he held a bilateral meeting with President Bush and also participated in a trilateral meeting with President Bush and President Karzai of Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Under President Trump, the United States has suspended aid to Pakistan over their support for terrorism in Afghanistan.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
In October 2022 Pakistan issued a formal ''[[demarche]]'' to the United States when [[Joe Biden]] said that Pakistan<br />
may be one of the most dangerous countries in the world because it has [[nuclear weapons]].<ref>https://youtu.be/vm3lzZ8Oslk</ref><br />
<br />
====Osama Bin Laden====<br />
On May 2, 2011, United States special forces raided a private compound in [[Abbottabad]], Pakistan, 62 miles north of [[Islamabad]]. That evening, President Obama announced that [[Osama bin Laden]] had been killed in the raid.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/02/osama-bin-laden-dead-obama</ref> Reaction within Pakistan was mixed, with some calling it a welcome end to the life of a mass murderer, and others calling it a disturbing violation of national sovereignty.<ref>http://www.christiannewstoday.com/Christian_News_Report_5080.html</ref><br />
<br />
Although the Pakistani government had long insisted that Osama bin Laden was not hiding in their country,<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/03/brown-praises-pakistan-terrorism-fight</ref><ref>http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-02-07/pakistan/27281957_1_al-qaeda-pakistan-president-pervez-musharraf-state-colin-powell</ref> U.S. intelligence estimated in 2011 that bin Laden had been hiding there for five to six years,<ref>https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13268517</ref> and counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan said it was "inconceivable that Bin Laden did not have a support system" in the country. A leaked email from 2012 involving a Stratfor analyst revealed that Osama Bin Laden was in routine contact with the Pakistani [[Inter-Services Intelligence]].<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/al-qaeda/9109457/Stratfor-Osama-bin-Laden-was-in-routine-contact-with-Pakistans-spy-agency.html</ref> Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari responded with an op-ed to the Washington Post, rejecting claims that his government helped Al-Qaeda by writing "such baseless speculation may make exciting cable news, but it doesn’t reflect fact."<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/pakistan-did-its-part/2011/05/02/AFHxmybF_story.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Secret Service plot====<br />
In March 2022, two Muslim men, (Iranian) Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and (Pakistani) Haider Ali, 35, were arrested<ref>Katelyn Caralle, [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10696133/How-fake-DHS-agents-spent-18-MONTHS-trying-infiltrate-Secret-Service-Jill-Bidens-detail.html How 'fake' DHS agents spent 18 MONTHS trying to 'infiltrate Secret Service and Jill Biden's detail'], Daily Mail Online, Apr 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote>Two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied.</blockquote></ref> for impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington. The two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to [[Pakistan]]i intelligence<ref>Michael Balsamo, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-man-impersonated-agent-claimed-ties-to-pakistani-intel/2022/04/07/6f49f666-b6a9-11ec-8358-20aa16355fb4_story.html US: Man impersonated agent, claimed ties to Pakistani intel]," ''AP'', via ''WaPo'', April 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
WASHINGTON — One of two men accused of impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington has claimed to have ties to Pakistani intelligence and had visas showing travel to Pakistan and Iran, federal prosecutors said Thursday.<br />
<br />
The men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested Wednesday. The FBI raided a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where the men were staying and had been offering free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents and officers.<br />
<br />
During a court appearance Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said Ali had told witnesses that he was affiliated with the Inter-Services Intelligence agency in Pakistan and that he had multiple visas from Pakistan and Iran in the months before prosecutors believe the men began impersonating U.S. law enforcement officials. Rothstein said the U.S. has not yet been able to verify the veracity of Ali’s claims to the witnesses.</blockquote></ref> <i>Inter-Services Intelligence</i> (ISI), and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied. Aim was to compromise and accessing information.<br />
<br />
==Defense==<br />
[[File:Pakistan armed forces.jpg|thumb|left|330px|Pakistan Day Parade.]]<br />
Pakistan has the world's eighth-largest armed forces, which is generally well trained and disciplined. However, budget constraints and nation-building duties have reduced Pakistan's training tempo, which if not reversed, could affect the operational readiness of the armed forces. Likewise, Pakistan has had an increasingly difficult time maintaining its aging fleet of U.S., Chinese, U.K., and French equipment. While industrial capabilities have expanded significantly, limited budget resources and sanctions have significantly constrained the government's efforts to modernize its armed forces. <br />
<br />
Until 1990, the United States provided military aid to Pakistan to modernize its conventional defensive capability. The United States allocated about 40% of its assistance package to non-reimbursable credits for military purchases, the third-largest program behind Israel and Egypt. The remainder of the aid program was devoted to economic assistance. Sanctions put in place in 1990 denied Pakistan further military assistance due to the discovery of its program to develop nuclear weapons. Sanctions were tightened following Pakistan's nuclear tests in response to India's May 1998 tests and the military coup of 1999. Pakistan has remained a non-signatory of the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty. <br />
<br />
The events of September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's agreement to support the United States led to a waiver of the sanctions, and military assistance resumed to provide spare parts and equipment to enhance Pakistan's capacity to police its western border with Afghanistan and address its legitimate security concerns. In 2003, President Bush announced that the United States would provide Pakistan with $3 billion in economic and military aid over 5 years. This assistance package commenced during FY 2005.<br />
<br />
In 2018, the Trump Administration cut off aid to Pakistan. <ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-pakistan-military-exclusive/exclusive-pentagon-cancels-aid-to-pakistan-over-record-on-militants-idUSKCN1LH3TA</ref><br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
[[File:Manora Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.jpg|thumb|300px|Manora, Tallest Lighthouse of Pakistan.]]<br />
<br />
With a per capita GDP of about $690 (current U.S. $), the World Bank considers Pakistan a low-income country. No more than 48.7% of adults are literate, and life expectancy is about 63 years. The population, currently about 165 million, is growing at 2.09% annually. <br />
<br />
In 2000, the government made significant macroeconomic reforms: Privatizing Pakistan's state-subsidized utilities, reforming the banking sector, instituting a world-class anti-money laundering law, cracking down on piracy of intellectual property, and moving to quickly resolving investor disputes. After September 11, 2001, and Pakistan's proclaimed commitment to fighting terror, many international sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, were lifted. Pakistan's economic prospects began to increase significantly due to unprecedented inflows of foreign assistance at the end of 2001. This trend is expected to continue through 2009. Foreign exchange reserves and exports grew to record levels after a sharp decline. The International Monetary Fund lauded Pakistan for its commitment in meeting lender requirements for a $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility loan, which it completed in 2004, forgoing the final permitted tranche. The Government of Pakistan has been successful in issuing sovereign bonds, and has issued $600 million in Islamic bonds, putting Pakistan back on the investment map. Pakistan's search for additional foreign direct investment has been hampered by concerns about the security situation, domestic and regional political uncertainties, and questions about judicial transparency. <br />
[[File:Boat Karachi Pakistan.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Dhow in Karachi.]]<br />
U.S. assistance has played a key role in moving Pakistan's economy from the brink of collapse to setting record high levels of foreign reserves and exports, dramatically lowering levels of solid debt. Also, despite the earthquake in 2005, GDP growth remained strong at 6.6% in fiscal year 2005/2006. In 2002, the United States led Paris Club efforts to reschedule Pakistan's debt on generous terms, and in April 2003 the United States reduced Pakistan's bilateral official debt by $1 billion. In 2004, approximately $500 million more in bilateral debt was granted. Consumer price inflation eased slightly to an average of 8% in 2005/2006 from 9.3% in 2004/2005. <br />
<br />
Low levels of spending in the social services and high population growth have contributed to persistent poverty and unequal income distribution. The trends of resources being devoted to socioeconomic development and infrastructure projects have been improving since 2002, although expenditures remain below global averages. Pakistan's extreme poverty and underdevelopment are key concerns, especially in rural areas. The government has reined in the fiscal mismanagement that produced massive foreign debt, and officials have committed to using international assistance—including a major part of the $3 billion five-year U.S. assistance package—to address Pakistan's long-term needs in the health and education sectors. <br />
*GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $110.7 billion.<br />
*Real GDP growth rate (2005): 7.8%.<br />
*Per capita GDP (2005 est., current U.S. $): $690. <br />
*Natural resources: Arable land, natural gas, limited oil, substantial hydropower potential, coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone.<br />
*Agriculture: Products—wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, beef, mutton.<br />
*Industry: Types—textiles & apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, shrimp, fertilizer, and paper products.<br />
*Trade (2005 est.): Exports--$14.85 billion: textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice, leather goods, sports goods, carpets, rugs, chemicals & manufactures. Major partners—U.S. 22.6%, United Arab Emirates 8.9%, U.K. 5.8%, China 5.4%, Germany 4.7%. Imports--$21.26 billion: petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, paper and paper board, transportation equipment, edible oils, pulses, iron and steel, tea. Major partners—China 14.0%, Saudi Arabia 10.5%, United Arab Emirates 9.0%, Japan 6.2%, U.S. 5.1%, Kuwait 5.1%, Germany 4.9%. <br />
<br />
====Reform====<br />
[[File:Karachi Pakistan market.jpg|thumb|250px|Textile market on the sidewalks of Karachi.]]<br />
The government started pursuing market-based economic reform policies in the early 1980s. These reforms began to take hold in 1988, when the government launched an ambitious IMF-assisted structural adjustment program in response to chronic and unsustainable fiscal and external account deficits. The government began to remove barriers to foreign trade and investment, reform the financial system, ease foreign exchange controls, and privatize dozens of state-owned enterprises. <br />
<br />
Although the economy became more structurally sound, it remained vulnerable to external and internal shocks, such as in 1992-93, when devastating floods and political uncertainty combined to depress economic growth sharply. The Asian financial crisis seriously affected Pakistan's major markets for its textile exports. For example, average real GDP growth from 1992 to 1998 dipped to 4.1% annually. Economic reform also was set back by Pakistan's nuclear tests in May 1998, and the subsequent economic sanctions imposed by the G-7. International default was narrowly averted by the partial waiver of sanctions and the subsequent reinstatement of Pakistan's IMF enhanced structural adjustment facility/extended fund facility in early 1999, followed by Paris Club and London Club rescheduling. After taking power in late 1999, President Musharraf instituted policies to stabilize Pakistan's macroeconomic situation. Pakistan continues to struggle with these reforms, having mixed success, especially in reducing its budget and current account deficits.<br />
<br />
====Agriculture and Natural Resources====<br />
Pakistan's principal natural resources are arable land, water, hydroelectric potential, and natural gas reserves. About 28% of Pakistan's total land area is under cultivation and is watered by one of the largest irrigation systems in the world. Agriculture accounts for about 21% of GDP and employs about 42% of the labor force. The most important crops are cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, and vegetables, which together account for more than 75% of the value of total crop output. Despite intensive farming practices, Pakistan remains a net food importer. Pakistan exports rice, fish, fruits, and vegetables and imports vegetable oil, wheat, cotton (net importer), pulses, and consumer foods. <br />
<br />
The economic importance of agriculture has declined since independence, when its share of GDP was around 53%. Following the poor harvest of 1993, the government introduced agriculture assistance policies, including increased support prices for many agricultural commodities and expanded availability of agricultural credit. From 1993 to 1997, real growth in the agricultural sector averaged 5.7% but declined to less than 3% in 2005. Agricultural reforms, including increased wheat and oilseed production, play a central role in the government's economic reform package. Heavy rains in 2005 provided the benefit of larger than average cotton, wheat, and rice crops, but also caused damage due to flooding and avalanches. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has extensive energy resources, including fairly sizable natural gas reserves, some proven oil reserves, coal, and large hydropower potential. However, exploitation of energy resources has been slow due to a shortage of capital and domestic and international political constraints. For instance, domestic gas and petroleum production totals only about half the country's energy needs, and dependence on imported oil contributes to Pakistan's persistent trade deficits and shortage of foreign exchange. The government announced that privatization in the oil and gas sector is a priority.<br />
{{Clear}}<br />
<br />
====Industry====<br />
Pakistan's manufacturing sector accounts for about 25% of GDP. Cotton textile production and apparel manufacturing are Pakistan's largest industries, accounting for about 70% of total exports. Other major industries include food processing, beverages, construction materials, clothing, and paper products. As technology improves in the industrial sector, it continues to grow. In 2005/2006, the manufacturing sector grew by 8.6%. Despite government efforts to privatize large-scale parastatal units, the public sector continues to account for a significant proportion of industry. In the face of an increasing trade deficit, the government seeks to diversify the country's industrial base and bolster export industries. Net foreign investment in Pakistani industries is only 0.5% of GDP.<br />
==Recent==<br />
Imran Khan has been reveled as turning his leadership towards [[fascism]] and cracking down on the media too. <br />
<ref>[https://www.orfonline.org/research/how-imran-khan-unveiled-the-oxonian-version-of-pakistani-islamofascism/ How Imran Khan unveiled the Oxonian version of Pakistani ‘Islamofascism’], Sushant Sareen, August 4, 2020.<br />
<br><i><br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has proved to be a miserable failure who has in many ways turned the clock back for Pakistan.<br />
<br />
In the last two years, Imran Khan has more or less functioned as a civilian version of the former military dictator Zia-ul-Haq.<br />
<br />
Hurting democracy<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, in the two years, he has been in office, Imran has caused more damage to Pakistan’s fledgeling democracy than any of his predecessors.<br />
<br />
Displaying fascist traits, he has crushed political dissent, victimised political opponents, muzzled the media, bludgeoned religious minorities, inserted the military in virtually every aspect of national life, unleashed a thought police which will decide what can be published and read in the country, neutered an already pliable and compromised judiciary, and of course, moved to Islamise an already Islamised country through the obnoxious Tahaffiz-e-buyaad-e-Islam law passed by the Punjab provincial assembly.<br />
<br />
The signs of Imran Khan’s fascist worldview were all over the place even before he was manoeuvred into the Prime Minister’s office by the military. That he was an intolerant and undemocratic person became clear during his dharna against the Nawaz Sharif government. The street language he used against his political opponents and the vile and vulgar behaviour he has displayed, and which he has always encouraged and promoted among his cronies (including members of government) revealed his mindset.<br />
<br />
Media as target...</i></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
In May, 2021, Muslim bigot Kanwal Shauzab colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party called for Jihad against Israel and praised [[Hitler]] for killing Jews.<ref>[https://www.thejc.com/news/world/pakistani-politician-praises-hitler-for-killing-jews-1.517034 Pakistani politician praises Hitler for killing Jews], JC, May 24, 2021.<br />
<blockquote>A colleague from Imran Khan's ruling party calls for Jihad against Israel.<br />
<br />
A parliamentary representative of Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party has praised Hitler for killing Jews and a colleague of the same party has called for Jihad against Israel as the only solution.<br />
<br />
Discussing the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Pakistan National Assembly member Kanwal Shauzab said that Hitler was right to kill Jews and called for the use of nuclear weapons against Israel.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Islamic bigot [[Malik Faisal Akram]] hostage taking Jan/2022, exposed Pakistan's tentacles.<br />
<br />
From an analysis:<ref>N Singh, [https://www.dailypioneer.com/2022/columnists/texas-crisis-exposes-pakistan---s-tentacles.html Texas crisis exposes Pakistan’s tentacles], ''Daily Pioneer'', 28 January 2022</ref><blockquote>This is a curious case, where a Government has so openly come out to support an Al Qaeda terrorist exposing its own nefarious designs, how Pakistan harbours Al Qaeda militants and uses them too, all the while giving false assurances to the Americans that it is helping them to finish Al Qaeda, which is very much active and calling shots more after lying low for some time until the Taliban consolidated its takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.</blockquote><br />
<br />
<br />
[[UN]] Watch recalls:<ref name=unwatch-31july2022>Hillel Neuer @HillelNeuer Tweeted:<blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
<br />
[https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1553845432312373249 July 31, 2022]</ref><blockquote><br />
May 20, 2021—Pakistan FM says Jews have "deep pockets" & "they control media." <br />
<br />
May 27, 2021—Pakistan sponsors UNHRC inquiry targeting Israel. <br />
<br />
July 25, 2022—Miloon Kothari, member of the Pakistan-sponsored UNHRC inquiry, rants about "the Jewish Lobby."</blockquote><br />
Kothari has been accused by the United States, Czechia, Germany, France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, Australia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium, Italy<ref name=palwatch-2aug2022>Itamar Marcus and Maurice Hirsch, Adv., [https://palwatch.org/page/31869 PA chooses to side with Antisemitism and hate], ''Palwatch'', Aug 2, 2022<br />
<blockquote><br />
When the member of the recently established UN Human Rights Council "Commission of Inquiry," Miloon Kothari, expressed anti-Semitic hate speech and denial of Israel's right to be a UN member, 12 western democracies and the EU were quick to condemn him. Standing out in support of the hate speech was the Palestinian Authority, whose Foreign Ministry rushed to defend the Antisemitism and condemn Israel for condemning it. <br />
<br />
<i><br />
The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the attack of incitement and deception that [Israeli] occupation state transitional Prime Minister Yair Lapid carried out against the UN Human Rights Council investigative committee.” <br />
[WAFA, official PA news agency, Aug. 1, 2022] </i><br />
<br />
The countries that condemned the anti-Semitic hate of Kothari included, the USA, the UK, Canada, France, Australia, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Hungry, Belgium and Italy. <br />
Significantly, while the PA was adamant to criticize Israel’s condemnation of the Antisemitism, it was silent about all the other condemnations, not wanting to insult its donors. <br />
<br />
Referring to that fact that Israel has predominantly ignored the openly biased agenda of the UN ...<br />
<br />
The reason the PA was so quick to defend Kothari, is because the statements he made predominantly reflect similar statements made over the years by PA officials. <br />
As Palestinian Media Watch has repeatedly shown, the PA constantly denies Israel’s right to exist and adopts the same anti-Semitic tropes.</blockquote></ref> and the president of the UNHRC of making antisemitic remarks disputing Israel's right to exist and supporting antisemitic conspiracy theories about the "Jewish Lobby" controlling social media.<ref>Tovah Lazaroff, [https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-713501 UNHRC President: Jewish Lobby remark is reasonably considered antisemitic], ''JPost'', July 30, 2022 .</ref><br />
See: [[United_Nations#Miloon_Kothari_-_UNHRC]]<br />
<br />
<font size=1>[Reminder, neither Islamic Pakistan nor Islamic Iran share any borders or have any "land disputes" with Israel.]</font><br />
<br />
====Foreign Trade and Aid====<br />
[[File:Islamabad wet road Pakistan.jpg|thumb|320px|left|[[Islamabad]], the capital city of Pakistan.]]<br />
Weak world demand for its exports and domestic political uncertainty have contributed to Pakistan's high trade deficit. In 2004, growth rebounded to approximately 6% with substantial improvement in public and external debt indicators and remained robust with 7.8% growth in 2005. Foreign reserves are at an all-time high of $11.5 billion. Pakistan's exports, which grew by 14.4% in 2005/2006, continue to be dominated by cotton textiles and apparel, despite government diversification efforts. Major imports include petroleum and petroleum products, edible oil, wheat, chemicals, fertilizer, capital goods, industrial raw materials, and consumer products, rising to 38.8% to $25.6 billion. External imbalance has left Pakistan with a growing foreign debt burden. The fiscal imbalance is reflected in a high level of total net public debt, which reached an estimated 92.6% of GDP in 2000-01, more than half involving external liabilities, but decreased to 72.7% in 2003. The fiscal deficit widened from 5.6% of GDP in 1994-95 to 7.7% in 1997-98 before declining to 4.5% in 2006. Despite a rise in tax collection, defense and development expenditure along with transfers to the provinces all rose in the 2006 budget, widening the deficit. Support for loss-making, state-owned enterprises and a weak domestic tax base are critical elements in the recurring fiscal deficits. The Pakistan Telecommunications Company Ltd. (PTCL) represented the largest of Pakistan’s privatization programs for 2005. Despite its economic and political difficulties, Pakistan has taken steps to liberalize its trade and investment regimes, either unilaterally or in the context of commitments made with the World Trade Organization (WTO), IMF, and the World Bank. In 2004-2005, efforts in several crucial areas seemingly intensified, resulting in Pakistan becoming a more open and secure market for its trading partners. <br />
<br />
Pakistan has received significant loan/grant assistance from international financial institutions (e.g., the IMF, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank) and bilateral donors, particularly after it began using its military/financial resources in the war on terror. The United States pledged $3 billion for FY 2005 to FY 2009 in economic and military aid to Pakistan. In addition, the IMF and World Bank have pledged $1 billion in loans to Pakistan. In 2004 to 2007 alone, the World Bank has pledged over $500 million in investment projects.<br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Cannibalism==<br />
Two Pakistani cannibal brothers Mohammad Arif Ali and Mohammed Farman Ali, were arrested for digging up more than 100 corpses from their local graveyard in order to eat them.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2604350/Boys-HEAD-home-Pakistani-cannibals-dug-100-corpses-local-graveyard-eaten-them.html</ref> Despite this and many other cases, Cannibalism is still legal in Pakistan. <ref>https://tribune.com.pk/story/2136498/bill-man-eaters-rots-cold-storage</ref><br />
<br />
==Pakistan and Mental Illness==<br />
It is estimated that over 50 million Pakistanis are mentally ill. <ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1288880</ref><br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
* Jones, Owen Bennett. ''Pakistan: Eye of the Storm'' (3rd ed. 2009)<br />
* Nawaz, Shuja. ''Crossed Swords: Pakistan, Its Army, and the Wars Within'' (2008) 600pp [http://www.amazon.com/Crossed-Swords-Pakistan-Army-Within/dp/0195476603/ref=pd_sim_b_1 excerpt and text search]<br />
* Shaikh, Farzana. ''Making Sense of Pakistan'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Making-Sense-Pakistan-Columbia-Hurst/dp/023114962X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253054909&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]<br />
<br />
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6663305.stm Pakistan Christians demand help], BBC News, 16 May 2007.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a [[Muslim]] [[Jihadism|jihadist]] police state<br />
*[[Malik_Faisal_Akram#Islamic_anti-Semitism:_Jihadi_Pakistanis_.22branch.22| Islamic anti-Semitism: Jihadi Pakistanis "branch"]]<br />
* [[Asian painting]]<br />
*[[Star and Crescent]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2007/05/pakistani_nuclear_forces_2007.php Pakistani Nuclear Forces, 2007]<br />
*[http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/10/07/the_black_hole_of_pakistan The Black Hole of Pakistan.]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
{| style="width: 100%; background:transparent; border: 2px solid #000099;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="1"<br />
!colspan=2 style="width: 100%; text-align: center; background-color: #000088; color: white; "|'''Copyright Details'''<br />
|-<br />
!style="background-color: #000088; color:white;"|License:<br />
|style=" background-color: none;"| <small>This work is in the [[Public Domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the U.S. Code</small><br />
|-<br />
!style=" background-color: #000088; color:white;"|Source:<br />
|style="background-color: none;border-top: 2px solid black"| <small>File available from the {{{1|[[United States Federal Government]] [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3453.htm]</small>}}}. <br />
|}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
[[Category:Pakistan]]<br />
[[Category:Indian History]]<br />
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
<br />
<br />
{{Terrorism}}<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Islam]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
[[Category:Nuclear Defense]]<br />
[[Category:Jihadism]]<br />
[[Category:Fascism]]<br />
<br />
{{Deep State}}</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Persecution_of_Hindus_in_Pakistan&diff=1963825Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan2023-07-17T17:49:47Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Incidents Involving Murders of Hindus */</p>
<hr />
<div>Hindus are a severely persecuted group in Pakistan.<ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1069111/dawn-opinion-june-18-2006</ref> Routinely, Hindu women are kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam.<br />
<br />
==Incidents of Hindu Women being Kidnapped and Forcibly Converted to Islam==<br />
<br />
*On October 18, 2005, three Hindu women by the names of Reena, Usha, and Rima went missing. After approaching the police, the parents had found out that the girls were taken to a mosque, converted to Islam and were denied unsupervised contact with their parents. <ref>http://www.wluml.org/node/2630</ref><br />
<br />
*In 2012, a young Hindu woman by the name of [[Rinkle Kumari]] was kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam. <ref>https://www.hindupost.in/society-culture/rinkle-kumari-a-name-that-should-haunt-every-indian-liberal/</ref><br />
<br />
*In March 2019, two Hindu women by the names of Reena and Raveena, were abducted and forced to convert to Islam. <ref>http://www.currentriggers.com/world/hindu-muslims-conversion/</ref><br />
<br />
*In December 2019, a 15 year old girl by the name of Mehak Kumari was abducted from her house in Jacobabad and forcefully converted to Islam.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/naya-pakistan-hindu-girl-abducted-converted-to-islam-in-sindh.html</ref><br />
<br />
*In January 2020, a 24 year old Hindu woman by the name of Bharti Bai, was kidnapped from her wedding venue by a mob of Muslims. She was then forcibly converted to Islam and married off to a Muslim man. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-hindu-woman-abducted-from-wedding-forcibly-converted-married-off-1640388-2020-01-27</ref><br />
<br />
*On June 17, 2020, a Hindu woman by the name of Reshma was kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam by Dil Murad Chandio, a Muslim man. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-court-allows-hindu-woman-husband-kidnap-forced-conversion-1693187-2020-06-27</ref><br />
<br />
*On August 6, 2020, a young Hindu woman named Kavita was kidnapped by armed Muslim men. Kavita was then forcibly converted to Islam and married off to her abductor Mohammed Adil. <ref>https://www.opindia.com/2020/08/pakistan-hindu-woman-abducted-converted-married-sindh-police-refuse-help/</ref><br />
<br />
==Incidents Involving Murders of Hindus==<br />
*On March 6, 2021, a group of Muslims killed 5 members of a Hindu family by slitting their throats.<ref>https://www.jihadwatch.org/2021/03/pakistan-muslims-slit-throats-of-five-members-of-hindu-family-in-their-home</ref><br />
<br />
*In January 2022, a Hindu businessman was shot dead in Sindh, Pakistan. <ref>https://www.opindia.com/2022/01/pakistan-hindu-businessman-shot-dead-sindh/</ref><br />
<br />
*In March 2022, a Hindu girl was shot dead in a failed abduction attempt in Pakistan. <ref>https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/hindu-girl-shot-dead-in-pakistan-sindh-province-failed-abduction-attempt-sukkur-crime-news-2022-03-22-765351</ref><br />
<br />
*In December 2022, a woman by the name of Daya Bheel was raped and beheaded in Sindh, Pakistan. <ref>https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/daya-bheel-hindu-woman-in-pakistan-raped-beheaded-india-seeks-answers-547824</ref><br />
<br />
==References==</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Persecution_of_Hindus_in_Pakistan&diff=1963821Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan2023-07-17T17:48:13Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Incidents Involving Murders of Hindus */</p>
<hr />
<div>Hindus are a severely persecuted group in Pakistan.<ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1069111/dawn-opinion-june-18-2006</ref> Routinely, Hindu women are kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam.<br />
<br />
==Incidents of Hindu Women being Kidnapped and Forcibly Converted to Islam==<br />
<br />
*On October 18, 2005, three Hindu women by the names of Reena, Usha, and Rima went missing. After approaching the police, the parents had found out that the girls were taken to a mosque, converted to Islam and were denied unsupervised contact with their parents. <ref>http://www.wluml.org/node/2630</ref><br />
<br />
*In 2012, a young Hindu woman by the name of [[Rinkle Kumari]] was kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam. <ref>https://www.hindupost.in/society-culture/rinkle-kumari-a-name-that-should-haunt-every-indian-liberal/</ref><br />
<br />
*In March 2019, two Hindu women by the names of Reena and Raveena, were abducted and forced to convert to Islam. <ref>http://www.currentriggers.com/world/hindu-muslims-conversion/</ref><br />
<br />
*In December 2019, a 15 year old girl by the name of Mehak Kumari was abducted from her house in Jacobabad and forcefully converted to Islam.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/naya-pakistan-hindu-girl-abducted-converted-to-islam-in-sindh.html</ref><br />
<br />
*In January 2020, a 24 year old Hindu woman by the name of Bharti Bai, was kidnapped from her wedding venue by a mob of Muslims. She was then forcibly converted to Islam and married off to a Muslim man. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-hindu-woman-abducted-from-wedding-forcibly-converted-married-off-1640388-2020-01-27</ref><br />
<br />
*On June 17, 2020, a Hindu woman by the name of Reshma was kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam by Dil Murad Chandio, a Muslim man. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-court-allows-hindu-woman-husband-kidnap-forced-conversion-1693187-2020-06-27</ref><br />
<br />
*On August 6, 2020, a young Hindu woman named Kavita was kidnapped by armed Muslim men. Kavita was then forcibly converted to Islam and married off to her abductor Mohammed Adil. <ref>https://www.opindia.com/2020/08/pakistan-hindu-woman-abducted-converted-married-sindh-police-refuse-help/</ref><br />
<br />
==Incidents Involving Murders of Hindus==<br />
*On March 6, 2021, a group of Muslims killed 5 members of a Hindu family by slitting their throats.<ref>https://www.jihadwatch.org/2021/03/pakistan-muslims-slit-throats-of-five-members-of-hindu-family-in-their-home</ref><br />
<br />
*In March 2022, a Hindu girl was shot dead in a failed abduction attempt in Pakistan. <ref>https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/hindu-girl-shot-dead-in-pakistan-sindh-province-failed-abduction-attempt-sukkur-crime-news-2022-03-22-765351</ref><br />
<br />
*In December 2022, a woman by the name of Daya Bheel was raped and beheaded in Sindh, Pakistan. <ref>https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/daya-bheel-hindu-woman-in-pakistan-raped-beheaded-india-seeks-answers-547824</ref><br />
<br />
==References==</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Persecution_of_Hindus_in_Pakistan&diff=1963820Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan2023-07-17T17:48:05Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Incidents Involving Murders of Hindus */</p>
<hr />
<div>Hindus are a severely persecuted group in Pakistan.<ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1069111/dawn-opinion-june-18-2006</ref> Routinely, Hindu women are kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam.<br />
<br />
==Incidents of Hindu Women being Kidnapped and Forcibly Converted to Islam==<br />
<br />
*On October 18, 2005, three Hindu women by the names of Reena, Usha, and Rima went missing. After approaching the police, the parents had found out that the girls were taken to a mosque, converted to Islam and were denied unsupervised contact with their parents. <ref>http://www.wluml.org/node/2630</ref><br />
<br />
*In 2012, a young Hindu woman by the name of [[Rinkle Kumari]] was kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam. <ref>https://www.hindupost.in/society-culture/rinkle-kumari-a-name-that-should-haunt-every-indian-liberal/</ref><br />
<br />
*In March 2019, two Hindu women by the names of Reena and Raveena, were abducted and forced to convert to Islam. <ref>http://www.currentriggers.com/world/hindu-muslims-conversion/</ref><br />
<br />
*In December 2019, a 15 year old girl by the name of Mehak Kumari was abducted from her house in Jacobabad and forcefully converted to Islam.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/naya-pakistan-hindu-girl-abducted-converted-to-islam-in-sindh.html</ref><br />
<br />
*In January 2020, a 24 year old Hindu woman by the name of Bharti Bai, was kidnapped from her wedding venue by a mob of Muslims. She was then forcibly converted to Islam and married off to a Muslim man. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-hindu-woman-abducted-from-wedding-forcibly-converted-married-off-1640388-2020-01-27</ref><br />
<br />
*On June 17, 2020, a Hindu woman by the name of Reshma was kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam by Dil Murad Chandio, a Muslim man. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-court-allows-hindu-woman-husband-kidnap-forced-conversion-1693187-2020-06-27</ref><br />
<br />
*On August 6, 2020, a young Hindu woman named Kavita was kidnapped by armed Muslim men. Kavita was then forcibly converted to Islam and married off to her abductor Mohammed Adil. <ref>https://www.opindia.com/2020/08/pakistan-hindu-woman-abducted-converted-married-sindh-police-refuse-help/</ref><br />
<br />
==Incidents Involving Murders of Hindus==<br />
*On March 6, 2021, a group of Muslims killed 5 members of a Hindu family by slitting their throats.<ref>https://www.jihadwatch.org/2021/03/pakistan-muslims-slit-throats-of-five-members-of-hindu-family-in-their-home</ref><br />
<br />
In March 2022, a Hindu girl was shot dead in a failed abduction attempt in Pakistan. <ref>https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/hindu-girl-shot-dead-in-pakistan-sindh-province-failed-abduction-attempt-sukkur-crime-news-2022-03-22-765351</ref><br />
<br />
*In December 2022, a woman by the name of Daya Bheel was raped and beheaded in Sindh, Pakistan. <ref>https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/daya-bheel-hindu-woman-in-pakistan-raped-beheaded-india-seeks-answers-547824</ref><br />
<br />
==References==</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Persecution_of_Hindus_in_Pakistan&diff=1963816Persecution of Hindus in Pakistan2023-07-17T17:46:30Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>Hindus are a severely persecuted group in Pakistan.<ref>https://www.dawn.com/news/1069111/dawn-opinion-june-18-2006</ref> Routinely, Hindu women are kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam.<br />
<br />
==Incidents of Hindu Women being Kidnapped and Forcibly Converted to Islam==<br />
<br />
*On October 18, 2005, three Hindu women by the names of Reena, Usha, and Rima went missing. After approaching the police, the parents had found out that the girls were taken to a mosque, converted to Islam and were denied unsupervised contact with their parents. <ref>http://www.wluml.org/node/2630</ref><br />
<br />
*In 2012, a young Hindu woman by the name of [[Rinkle Kumari]] was kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam. <ref>https://www.hindupost.in/society-culture/rinkle-kumari-a-name-that-should-haunt-every-indian-liberal/</ref><br />
<br />
*In March 2019, two Hindu women by the names of Reena and Raveena, were abducted and forced to convert to Islam. <ref>http://www.currentriggers.com/world/hindu-muslims-conversion/</ref><br />
<br />
*In December 2019, a 15 year old girl by the name of Mehak Kumari was abducted from her house in Jacobabad and forcefully converted to Islam.<ref>https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/pakistan-news/naya-pakistan-hindu-girl-abducted-converted-to-islam-in-sindh.html</ref><br />
<br />
*In January 2020, a 24 year old Hindu woman by the name of Bharti Bai, was kidnapped from her wedding venue by a mob of Muslims. She was then forcibly converted to Islam and married off to a Muslim man. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-hindu-woman-abducted-from-wedding-forcibly-converted-married-off-1640388-2020-01-27</ref><br />
<br />
*On June 17, 2020, a Hindu woman by the name of Reshma was kidnapped and forcibly converted to Islam by Dil Murad Chandio, a Muslim man. <ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/pakistan-court-allows-hindu-woman-husband-kidnap-forced-conversion-1693187-2020-06-27</ref><br />
<br />
*On August 6, 2020, a young Hindu woman named Kavita was kidnapped by armed Muslim men. Kavita was then forcibly converted to Islam and married off to her abductor Mohammed Adil. <ref>https://www.opindia.com/2020/08/pakistan-hindu-woman-abducted-converted-married-sindh-police-refuse-help/</ref><br />
<br />
==Incidents Involving Murders of Hindus==<br />
*On March 6, 2021, a group of Muslims killed 5 members of a Hindu family by slitting their throats.<ref>https://www.jihadwatch.org/2021/03/pakistan-muslims-slit-throats-of-five-members-of-hindu-family-in-their-home</ref><br />
<br />
In December 2022, a woman by the name of Daya Bheel was raped and beheaded in Sindh, Pakistan. <ref>https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/daya-bheel-hindu-woman-in-pakistan-raped-beheaded-india-seeks-answers-547824</ref><br />
<br />
==References==</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=User_talk:Bytemsbu&diff=1962642User talk:Bytemsbu2023-07-13T00:11:02Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* What's going on? */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{greeting<br />
|username=DavidB4<br />
|sig=--[[User:DavidB4|<font color="ForestGreen">DavidB4</font>]] <sup>([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]])</sup> 22:01, 22 March 2020 (EDT)<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Categories==<br />
Hi again,<br />
This isn't terribly important, but when you create pages, could you try to remember to add a category or two? It doesn't need to be many (in fact, it ideally shouldn't be), but just a category tag (or if necessary two) which seems to most precisely fit the topic of the article would be helpful. For reference, a full list of categories is available here: [[Special:Categories]]. Thank you! --[[User:DavidB4|<font color="ForestGreen">DavidB4</font>]] <sup>([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]])</sup> 14:16, 20 May 2020 (EDT)<br />
<br />
:Oh yes, thank you for reminding me about that. [[User:Bytemsbu|Bytemsbu]] ([[User talk:Bytemsbu|talk]]) 17:26, 20 May 2020 (EDT)<br />
<br />
::Thank you! Also, it's preferable to add <code><nowiki>{{reflist}}</nowiki></code> to the place where references should be listed. Sometimes, text is needed under the ref section, although not always. As long as the references show correctly, it doesn't matter much how it's done.<br />
::Thanks for your contributions so far! --[[User:DavidB4|<font color="ForestGreen">DavidB4</font>]] <sup>([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]])</sup> 23:50, 20 May 2020 (EDT)<br />
<br />
==Stacking images==<br />
I wish there was a way to stack those images rather than [https://conservapedia.com/Anthony_Fauci#Zuckerbucks side-by-side like here], but it probably requires a new Template. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]<sup>[[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]]</sup> 22:18, July 23, 2021 (EDT)<br />
<br />
==Edit warring with Admin==<br />
Please see: [[Conservapedia:Editing_etiquette#Etiquette_Rule]] and other Guidelines. Reverting an Admin without discussion usually results in block. Personally, I try to be patient in such matters but you've developed a habit of routinely doing it without discussion. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]<sup>[[User talk:RobSmith|Z]]</sup> 13:41, June 6, 2022 (EDT)<br />
<br />
==What's going on?==<br />
I'm afraid I don't understand your blanking of pages and removing information. What's gives? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]<sup>[[User talk:RobSmith|Ich bin ein breakfast taco]]</sup> 17:27, September 7, 2022 (EDT)<br />
:Wassup? Why covering up [[NATO]] [[war crimes]]? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]<sup>[[User talk:RobSmith|''Give Peace a chance'']]</sup> 19:55, July 12, 2023 (EDT)<br />
:I felt that it was not necessary to include it. But you can restore it if you want. [[User:Bytemsbu|Bytemsbu]] ([[User talk:Bytemsbu|talk]]) 20:10, July 12, 2023 (EDT)</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=User_talk:Bytemsbu&diff=1962641User talk:Bytemsbu2023-07-13T00:10:55Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* What's going on? */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{greeting<br />
|username=DavidB4<br />
|sig=--[[User:DavidB4|<font color="ForestGreen">DavidB4</font>]] <sup>([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]])</sup> 22:01, 22 March 2020 (EDT)<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Categories==<br />
Hi again,<br />
This isn't terribly important, but when you create pages, could you try to remember to add a category or two? It doesn't need to be many (in fact, it ideally shouldn't be), but just a category tag (or if necessary two) which seems to most precisely fit the topic of the article would be helpful. For reference, a full list of categories is available here: [[Special:Categories]]. Thank you! --[[User:DavidB4|<font color="ForestGreen">DavidB4</font>]] <sup>([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]])</sup> 14:16, 20 May 2020 (EDT)<br />
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:Oh yes, thank you for reminding me about that. [[User:Bytemsbu|Bytemsbu]] ([[User talk:Bytemsbu|talk]]) 17:26, 20 May 2020 (EDT)<br />
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::Thank you! Also, it's preferable to add <code><nowiki>{{reflist}}</nowiki></code> to the place where references should be listed. Sometimes, text is needed under the ref section, although not always. As long as the references show correctly, it doesn't matter much how it's done.<br />
::Thanks for your contributions so far! --[[User:DavidB4|<font color="ForestGreen">DavidB4</font>]] <sup>([[User talk:DavidB4|TALK]])</sup> 23:50, 20 May 2020 (EDT)<br />
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==Stacking images==<br />
I wish there was a way to stack those images rather than [https://conservapedia.com/Anthony_Fauci#Zuckerbucks side-by-side like here], but it probably requires a new Template. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]<sup>[[User talk:RobSmith|Free Kyle!]]</sup> 22:18, July 23, 2021 (EDT)<br />
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==Edit warring with Admin==<br />
Please see: [[Conservapedia:Editing_etiquette#Etiquette_Rule]] and other Guidelines. Reverting an Admin without discussion usually results in block. Personally, I try to be patient in such matters but you've developed a habit of routinely doing it without discussion. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]<sup>[[User talk:RobSmith|Z]]</sup> 13:41, June 6, 2022 (EDT)<br />
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==What's going on?==<br />
I'm afraid I don't understand your blanking of pages and removing information. What's gives? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]<sup>[[User talk:RobSmith|Ich bin ein breakfast taco]]</sup> 17:27, September 7, 2022 (EDT)<br />
:Wassup? Why covering up [[NATO]] [[war crimes]]? [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]<sup>[[User talk:RobSmith|''Give Peace a chance'']]</sup> 19:55, July 12, 2023 (EDT)<br />
:I felt that it was not necessary to include it. But you can restore it if you want. [[User:Bytemsbu|Bytemsbu]] ([[User talk:Bytemsbu|talk]]) 20:10, July 12, 2023 (EDT)</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Iraq_War&diff=1962632Iraq War2023-07-12T23:49:59Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* War Crimes */</p>
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<div>{{Military conflict<br />
| image =<br />
| conflict =Operation Iraqi Freedom<br />
| partof =[[War on Terror]]<br />
| date =March 20, 2003-May 1, 2003<br />
| location =[[Iraq]]<br />
| combatant1 =[[File:Flag of Iraq svg.png|20px]][[Iraq]]<br />
| combatant2 =[[File:50 star flag.png|20px]][[USA]]<br>[[File:Union jack.jpg|20px]][[United Kingdom]]<br>others<br />
| commander1 =[[Saddam Hussein]]<br />
| commander2 =[[George W. Bush]]<br />
| strength1 =375.000 soldiers<br />
| strength2 =ca 300.000 soldiers<br />
| casualties1 =<br />
| casualties2 =<br />
}}<br />
The '''Iraq War''', also known as '''Operation Iraqi Freedom''', the '''War in Iraq''' and the '''Iraqi War''' was the largest of several active fronts in the [[War on Terrorism]]. Other fronts included [[Afghanistan]], [[Philippines]], and the [[Horn of Africa]]. Operation Iraqi Freedom began on 3 March 2003 with the removal of the [[Ba'athist]] regime of [[Saddam Hussein]] by a "Coalition of the Willing" led by the [[United States]] and allies including the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>[https://edition.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/europe/11/20/prague.bush.nato/ "Bush: Join 'coalition of willing'"] (November 20, 2002). Cable News Network website/International edition/Europe.</ref> An interim government, Constitutional Assembly, and later an elected Parliament and Executive assumed authority, however sectarian insurgent violence led by [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]]'s [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ]]<ref>This terrorist group is commonly referred to as al-Qaeda in Iraq.</ref> has hindered stability and reconstruction efforts by US contractors and the new government. [[Iraq]]'s new Constitution strictly limits the emergency powers of the Executive in dealing with civil strife—a post-Saddam democratic reform. "10 Years After the Invasion 40 per cent of Iraqi have a job and a quarter of families live below the World Bank’s poverty line; Some in the younger generation of Iraqis who survived the years of violence see the decade of the US occupation as a requiem for their dream; education system is one of the things worst damaged by the war in Iraq, health and infrastructure are also on that list."<ref>[http://rt.com/news/iraq-us-war-cost-482/]</ref></ref> The Iraq War has cost the U.S around $2 trillion and was partly responsible for the 2008 recession. <ref>https://www.businessinsider.com/us-taxpayers-spent-8000-each-2-trillion-iraq-war-study-2020-2</ref><ref>https://washingtonmonthly.com/2013/03/26/did-the-iraq-war-cause-the-great-recession/</ref><br />
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President [[Barack Obama]] declared an official end to Operation Iraqi Freedom on August 31, 2010 <ref>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/08/31/excerpts-president-barack-obamas-address-nation-end-combat-operations-ir President Barack Obama's Address to the Nation on the End of Combat Operations in Iraq]</ref> and ceased funding the War on Terror in 2009.<ref>[http://forums.officer.com/t116934/ Obama: War on Terror is over], Officer.com</ref><br />
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==Background To [[Regime Change]]==<br />
In the post-[[9/11]] analysis to determine discontent in the Islamic world that had produced a flurry of dedicated suicide [[jihad]]ists, the twelve year old UN-imposed sanctions upon Iraq and the resultant humanitarian crisis was one such often cited reason.<ref>Chris Suellentrop, [http://slate.msn.com/id/1008414/ Are 1 Million Children Dying in Iraq?], Slate, Oct. 9, 2001.</ref><ref>Norman Bauman, [http://www.nasw.org/users/nbauman/wtc.htm Why they hate us: "Stopping cancer treatments will not topple a dictatorship"], 14 October 2001.</ref><ref>Michael Rubin, [http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2001/issue4/jv5n4a6.htm Sanctions on Iraq: A Valid Anti-American Grievance?], Middle East review of International Affairs, Volume 5, No. 4 - December 2001.</ref><ref>Matt Welch, [http://www.reason.com/news/show/28346.html The Politics of Dead Children: Have sanctions against Iraq murdered millions?], Reason Magazine, March 2002.</ref><ref>Alan W. Dowd, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0IBR/is_3_33/ai_109580224 Thirteen Years of Causes and Consequences for the Was in Iraq], Parameters, Autumn, 2003.[http://www.ciaonet.org/special_section/iraq_review/pi_epy/pi_epy_02.html]</ref> In the lead up to the war, April Glaspie met with Hussein on July 25, 1990, indicating in a conversation that he may have Kuwait claiming that whatever he does to solve his dispute is not within US interests.<ref>https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/90BAGHDAD4237_a.html</ref><ref>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11376.htm</ref><ref>https://foreignpolicy.com/2011/01/09/wikileaks-april-glaspie-and-saddam-hussein/</ref> After the Gulf War of 1991 the United States kept troops permanently stationed in Saudi Arabia to defend against an Iraqi invasion of the Kingdom. In the findings of the 9/11 Commission Report for example, in a section entitled, ''The Foundation of the New Terrorism'', referring to Osama bin Laden's motivations for his Declaration of War and attack on the United States, the Commission found the following:<br />
:He inveighed against the presence of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, the home of Islam’s holiest sites. He spoke of the suffering of the Iraqi people as a result of sanctions imposed after the Gulf War, and he protested U.S. support of Israel.<ref>9/11 Commission Report [http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/pdf/sec2.pdf ''The Foundation of the New Terrorism'']</ref><br />
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Saddam had taken advantage of corruption in both the [[United Nations]] Secretariat and [[Security Council]] to revive the Iraqi economy after the 1991 [[Gulf War]] through the Oil for Food program, nevertheless few of the intended beneficiaries of these alleged UN humanitarian efforts saw the intended relief. Meanwhile, Saddam kept intact the "intellectual capital" or "know-how" to revive [[weapons of mass destruction]] (WMD) programs which were credited with ensuring the survival of the Ba'athist regime in both the 1980-1988 War with Iran, and preventing a US overthrow of the regime in 1991. As the 90s progressed and the millennium changed, Saddam's top priority was ending the sanctions, and then a full resumption of operational WMD programs.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd_2004/Comp_Report_Key_Findings.pdf Regime Strategic Intent], Duelfer Report, 2004.</ref><br />
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Senator [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]], addressing a gathering of the radical anti-war group [[Code Pink]] spoke from her own knowledge and experience,<br />
{{Cquote|'''There is a very easy way for to prevent anyone from being put into harms way and that is for Saddam Hussein to disarm. And I have absolutely no belief that he will. I have to say that this is something that I have followed for a decade. If he were serious about disarming, he would have been much more forthcoming. There may be progress, we may be destroying his missiles, there is no accounting for the chemical and biological stocks. I just have to respectfully disagree what the proximate cause of any action that might be taken is. …For now nearly 20 years the principal reason why women and children in Iraq have suffered is because of his leadership. His not only tyrannical and dictatorial leadership, but his reign of terror against women and children.''' <ref>[http://www.archive.org/details/HillaryClintonsviewsongoingtowarSaddamandWMDs Hillary Clinton's views on going to war, Saddam, and WMD]</ref> }}<br />
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Egyptian President [[Hosni Mubarek]] and Libyan [[Socialist]] General Secretary [[Muammar Gaddafi]] in negotiations with [[Saddam Hussein]] relayed a message through Italian Prime Minister [[Silvio Berlusconi]] and Spanish President [[Jose Maria Aznar]] to UK Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]] and US President [[George W. Bush]] that Saddam would be willing to avoid removal by force and voluntarily go into exile, provided Saddam was allowed to take $1 billion and "all the information he wants about [[weapons of mass destruction]]." <ref>[https://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2007/09/saddam_risked_his_life_for_wmd_1.asp Saddam Risked His Life for WMD Secrets], ''WeeklyStandard.com. September 29, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003646639 Scoop for Spanish Daily: Transcript of Private 2003 Bush Talk Promising Iraq Invasion], ''Editor & Publisher'', September 26, 2007.</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/26/AR2007092602414.html Report Says Hussein Was Open To Exile Before 2003 Invasion], He Is Said to Have Sought $1 Billion and Information on Arms, By Karen DeYoung and Michael Abramowitz, ''[[Washington Post]], September 27, 2007; Page A17.</ref><ref>[http://www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/Llego/momento/deshacerse/Sadam/elpepunac/20070926elpepinac_1/Tes Llegó el momento de deshacerse de Sadam], ''El Pais'', 26/09/2007. (In Spanish).</ref> For 12 years, the international community gave Saddam chance after chance, Saddam defied it all including WMD declarations. Dozens of [[UN]] resolutions and mandated sanctions failed to persuade Saddam's grip on power. In 1998, the course for present day Iraq began in earnest. President Clinton signed into law H.R. 4655, the Iraq Liberation Act. This act declares that it should be the policy of the [[United States]] to seek to remove the Saddam Hussein regime from power in Iraq and to replace it with a democratic government.<br />
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==Arguments For Regime Change==<br />
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The concern which has led to this front on the War on Terror was summarized both by Andrew Roberts of Prager University in this YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2tbpUqNwRU and by Raymond S. Kraft in his "Historical Review of the Iraq Situation" <ref>http://righttruth.typepad.com/right_truth/2006/03/historical_revi.html</ref> Mr. Kraft states, quote: "'''there is a very dangerous minority in Islam that either has, or wants and may soon have, the ability to deliver small nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons almost anywhere in the world, unless they are prevented from doing so'''. France, Germany, and Russia, have been selling them weapons technology as recently as 2002, as have North Korea, Syria, and Pakistan. These weapons were paid for with billions of dollars that Saddam Hussein skimmed from the "Oil For Food" program administered by the UN with the complicity of Kofi Annan and his son. <br />
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The militant Muslim Jihadists believe that a radically conservative form of Wahhabi Islam, should own and control the Middle East first, then Europe, then the world; and that all who do not bow to Allah should be killed, enslaved, or subjugated. They want to finish the Holocaust, destroy Israel and purge the world of Jews. This is what they say.<br />
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There is also '''a civil war raging in the Middle East''' - for the most part not a hot war, but a war of ideas. Islam is having its Inquisition and its Reformation today, but it is not yet known which will win - the Inquisition, or the Reformation. If the Inquisition wins, then the Wahhabis, the Jihadis, will control the Middle East and the OPEC oil. The US, European, and Asian economies, the techno-industrial economies, will be at the mercy of OPEC - not an OPEC dominated by the well-educated and rational Saudis of today, but an OPEC dominated by the Jihadis.<br />
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If the Reformation movement wins, that is, the moderate Muslims who believe that Islam can respect and tolerate other religions and live in peace with the rest of the world, and move out of the 10th century into the 21st, then the troubles in the Middle East will eventually fade away. A moderate and prosperous Middle East will emerge." (end of quote) <br />
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What the West decided to do was help the Reformation side win. To do that the West had to fight the Inquisition, i.e., the Wahhabi movement, Al Qaeda and other Islamic terrorist movements. The battle had to happen somewhere, and since the West could not fight everywhere at once, '''the West chose to create a focal point for the battle, in Iraq'''. Mr Kraft went on to summarize what the West did and is doing which is important in Iraq, quote:<br />
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(1)'''We deposed Saddam Hussein'''. Although Saddam Hussein was not directly involved in 9/11, it is not disputed that Saddam had been actively supporting certain terrorist groups for decades. Saddam was a mass-murdering totalitarian dictator responsible for the deaths more than one million Iraqis and arguably for the as many as 400,000 Iraqis and Iranians who died in the [[Iran-Iraq War]].<br />
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(2) '''We created a battle, a confrontation, a flash point, with Islamic terrorism in Iraq'''. This has focused the battle. The ones killed there won't have to be killed here, or somewhere else. We have a good shot at creating a democratic, peaceful Iraq, which will be a catalyst for democratic change in the rest of the Middle East, and an outpost for a stabilizing American military presence in the Middle East for as long as it is needed. <br />
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The Europeans could have done this, but they didn't, and they won't. We now know that rather than opposing the rise of the Jihadist, the French, Germans, and Russians were selling them arms - ''we have found more than a million tons of weapons and munitions in Iraq. If Iraq was not a threat to anyone, why did Saddam have a million tons of weapons?'' <br />
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The bottom line here is that we will have to deal with Islamic terrorism until we defeat it (or are defeated by it), whenever that is. It will not go away on its own. The history of the world is the clash between the forces of relative civility and civilization, and the barbarians clamoring at the gates. The Iraq war is merely another battle in this ancient and never-ending war. Now, for the first time ever, the barbarians are about to get nuclear weapons unless WE prevent them. <br />
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The Iraq war is expensive, and uncertain, yes. But the consequences of not fighting and winning it will be horrifically greater. The history of the world is the history of civilization clashes - cultural clashes. All wars are about ideas. Ideas about what society and civilization should be like. The most determined always win. Those who are willing to be the most ruthless win. The pacifists always lose, because the anti-pacifists kill them. <br />
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'''Today, in Iraq, the stakes are high . . . a world dominated by representative governments with civil rights, human rights, and personal freedoms . . . or a world dominated by the radical Islamic Wahhabi movement, by the Jihadist under the Mullahs and the Sharia'''. The Liberal mentality is supposed to favor human rights, civil rights, democracy, multiculturalism, diversity, etc. But if the Jihad wins, wherever the Jihad wins, it is the end of civil rights, human rights, democracy, multiculturalism, diversity, etc. Americans who oppose the liberation of Iraq are coming down on the side of their own worst enemy. If the Jihad wins, it will be the death of Liberalism. (end of quote)<br />
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Former U.S. Attorney General in the [[Johnson Administration]], [[Ramsey Clark]], wrote the UN Security Council on July 29, 2002 claiming UN sanctions, "are the direct cause of the very cruel deaths of more than a million people" <ref>[http://www.radioislam.org/bush/act.htm Letter from Ramsey Clark to the U.N. Security Council members], 29 July 2002.</ref> [[Osama bin Laden]] cited this same figure in his 1998 Declaration of War Against the United States.<ref>https://www.pbs.org/newshour/terrorism/international/fatwa_1998.html</ref> Liberal actor [[Sean Penn]] made the same false claim as bin Laden.<ref>http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2002/12/penn-d20.html</ref> However:<br />
*[http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4329469?uid=3739656&uid=2&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=21101871211641 Amatzia Baram], Director of the Center for Iraq Studies at the University of Haifa, reported almost no difference in the rate of Iraq's population growth between 1977 and 1987 (35.8%) and between 1987 and 1997 (35.1%). The latter period also corresponds with the escalation of the war with Iran, genocide of the Kurds, invasion of Kuwait, Gulf War, and 1991 massacres.<br />
*[http://www.democracynow.org/2004/6/22/bill_clinton_loses_his_cool_in Bill Clinton] noted: "Before the sanctions, the year before the Gulf War—how much money did Iraq earn from oil? Answer: $16 billion. How much money did Iraq earn last year from oil? How much money did they get, cash on the barrel head, to Saddam Hussein? Answer: $19 billion, that he can use exclusively for food, for medicine, to develop his country. He’s got more money now, $3 billion a year more, than he had nine years ago. If any child is without food or medicine or a roof over his or her head in Iraq, it’s because he is claiming the sanctions are doing it and sticking it to his own children. We have worked like crazy to make sure that the embargo only applies to his ability to reconstitute his weapons system and his military state."<br />
*The [http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1999/09/iraq99.htm US State Department] has stated that Iraq was offered the Oil-for-Food Program in 1991 but that Iraq refused to accept it for years. In addition: "In Northern Iraq, where the UN administers humanitarian assistance, child mortality rates have fallen below pre-Gulf War levels. Now those Iraqi children are better off than before the war. Child mortality figures have more than doubled in the south and center of the country, where the Iraqi government—rather than the UN—controls the program. If a turn-around on child mortality can be made in the north, which is under the same sanctions as the rest of the country, there is no reason it cannot be done in the south and center. The fact of the matter is, however, that the government of Iraq does not share the international community's concern about the welfare of its people. Baghdad's refusal to cooperate with the oil-for-food program and its deliberate misuse of resources are cynical efforts to sacrifice the Iraqi people's welfare in order to bring an end to UN sanctions without complying with its obligations."<br />
*[http://www.iraqwatch.org/perspectives/meria-rubin-sanctions-1201.htm Michael Rubin], adjunct fellow of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, wrote: "While claiming to face dire food shortages, Iraq actually exported food to other countries....Less than six months after the end of hostilities, the Security Council adopted resolutions to allow Iraq to sell its oil in order to provide revenue for the purchase of essential humanitarian supplies. The Iraqi government refused....Before the imposition of sanctions, the Iraqi government spent less than 25% of its income on humanitarian programs. Under the sanctions regime, Iraq was ordered to allocate 72% of its oil income for humanitarian projects. While there is plenty of money for meeting the needs of the Iraqi people, there is supposed to be none left over for obtaining weapons....While trying to pressure the Iraqi government to dispense with its WMD programs, the sanctions regime has also tried to force that same government to pay more attention to the needs of its own people. The health and welfare of those in Iraq has increased tremendously, at least when the Iraqi government does not interfere with the implementation of the oil-for-food program. It is difficult to be hungry when receiving oil-for-food rations....Barham Salih recently called the sanctions regime "truly revolutionary" in that "never before in our history have we had a government obliged by international law to devote Iraq's oil revenues to the well being of the Iraqi people."....The per capita income available in Saddam's Iraq is now far higher than it was in Iraqi Kurdistan, and yet the Iraqi government continues to either not spend the revenue available, or not spend it wisely. Most damning to arguments about disproportionate funding in the north is that, according to Oil-for-food coordinators in Irbil, northern Iraq has so far only spent half the money actually allocated to it....The oil-for-food program has already spent more than $1 billion in water and sanitation projects in Iraq. There is no reason to blame sanctions for any degradation in water and sanitation systems."<br />
*The UNICEF report on infant mortality was co-authored by the Iraqi government, and claimed that Kuwait was part of Iraq. Iraq [https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/12/world/iraq-won-t-let-outside-experts-assess-sanctions-impact-on-lives.html denied] UN requests to admit independent experts to assess living conditions. [http://www.instituteforthestudyofgenocide.org/oldsite/newsletters/28/Saddam.html Milton Leitenberg], from the Center for International and Security Studies, pointed out: "All alleged post-1990 figures on infant and child mortality in Iraq are supplied by the Iraqi government agencies." (Independent observers were allowed in the north, where conditions improved as a result of the sanctions regime.)<br />
*According to economist [http://personal.rhul.ac.uk/uhte/014/Truth%20and%20Death.pdf Michael Spagat], "one potential explanation" for the statistics showing an increase in child mortality is that "they were not real, but rather results of manipulations by the Iraqi government."<br />
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These claims, despite their falsity, became an extremely effective recruiting tool for suicide terrorists. In the aftermath of the [[9/11 terror attacks]] policymakers and legislators, such a [[John Kerry]], [[John Edwards]] and Richard Gephardt became convinced of the necessity of removing Saddam and ending sanctions. Senator [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] said in a floor speech on October 10, 2002,<br />
{{Cquote|In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members.<ref>[http://clinton.senate.gov/speeches/iraq_101002.html October 10, 2002 Floor Speech of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on S.J. Res. 45, A Resolution to Authorize the Use of United States Armed Forces Against Iraq], United States Senate, October 10, 2002.</ref>}}<br />
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==Ron Paul's Responses to all Arguments in favor of the War==<br />
On October 8, 2002, Representative [[Ron Paul]] of [[Texas]] responded all arguments in favor of the Iraq War.<ref>[http://www.culturaldiplomacy.org/academy/pdf/research/books/cultural_diplomacy/A_Foreign_Policy_of_Freedom.pdf " ''A Foreign Policy of Freedom: Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship'' by Ron Paul PDF format], Pages 238-242</ref><br />
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Claim: Iraq has consistently demonstrated its willingness to use force against the U.S. through its firing on our planes patrolling the UN-established "no-fly zones." <br />
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Reality: The "no-fly zones" were never authorized by the United Nations, nor was their 12-year patrol by American and British fighter planes sanctioned by the United Nations. Under UN Security Council Resolution 688 (April, 1991), Iraq's repression of the Kurds and Shiites was condemned, but there was no authorization for "no-fly zones," much less airstrikes. There solution only calls for member states to "contribute to humanitarian relief' in the Kurd and Shiite areas. Yet the British and the U.S. have been bombing Iraq in the "no-fly zones" for 12 years. While one can only condemn any country firing on our pilots, isn't the real argument whether we should continue to bomb Iraq relentlessly? Just since 1998, some 40,000 sorties have been flown over Iraq. <br />
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Claim: Iraqis an international sponsor of terrorism. <br />
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Reality: According to the latest edition of the State Department's "Patterns of Global Terrorism," Iraq sponsors several minor Palestinian groups, the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MEK), and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). None of these carries out attacks against the United States. As a matter of fact, the MEK (an Iranian organization located in Iraq) has enjoyed broad congressional support over the years. According to last year's "Patterns of Global Terrorism," Iraq has not been involved in terrorist activity against the West since 1993-·the alleged attempt against former President Bush. <br />
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Claim: Iraq tried to assassinate President Bush in 1993. <br />
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Reality: It is far from certain that Iraq was behind the attack. News reports at the time were skeptical about Kuwaiti assertions that the attack was planned by Iraq against former President Bush. Following is an interesting quote from Seymour Hersh's article from November 1993: Three years ago, during Iraq's six-month occupation of Kuwait, there had been an outcry when a teen-age Kuwaiti girl testified eloquently and effectively before Congress about Iraqi atrocities involving newborn infants. The girl turned out to be the '''daughter of the Kuwaiti Ambassador to Washington, Sheikh Saud''' Nasir al-Sabah, and her account of Iraqi soldiers flinging babies out of incubators was challenged as exaggerated both by journalists and by human rights groups. ('''Sheikh Saud was subsequently named Minister of Information in Kuwait, and he was the government official in charge of briefing the international press on the alleged assassination attempt against George Bush.''') In a second incident, in August 1991, Kuwait provoked a special session of the United Nations Security Council by claiming that twelve Iraqi vessels, including a speedboat, had been involved in an attempt to assault Bubiyan Island, long-disputed territory that was then under Kuwaiti control. The Security Council eventually concluded that, while the Iraqis had been provocative, there had been no Iraqi military raid, and that the Kuwaiti government knew there hadn't. What did take place was nothing more than a smuggler-versus-smuggler dispute over war booty in a nearby demilitarized zone that had emerged, after the Gulf War, as an illegal marketplace for alcohol, ammunition, and livestock. This establishes that, on several occasions, Kuwait has lied about the threat from Iraq. Hersh goes on to point out in the article numerous other times the Kuwaitis lied to the U.S. and the UN about Iraq. Here is another good quote from Hersh: The president was not alone in his caution. Janet Reno, the Attorney General, also had her doubts. "The A.G remains skeptical of certain aspects of the case," a senior Justice Department official told me in late July, a month after the bombs were dropped on Baghdad...Two weeks later, what amounted to open warfare broke out among various factions in the government on the issue of who had done what in Kuwait. Someone gave a Boston Globe reporter access to a classified C.I.A. study that was highly skeptical of the Kuwaiti claims of an Iraqi assassination attempt. '''The study, prepared by the C.I.A.'s Counter Terrorism Center, suggested that Kuwait might have "cooked the books "on the alleged plot in an effort to play up the "continuing Iraqi threat" to Western interests in the Persian Gulf.''' Neither the Times nor the Post made any significant mention of the Globe Dispatch, which had been written by a Washington correspondent named Paul Quinn-Judge, although the story cited specific paragraphs from the C.I.A. assessment. The two major American newspapers had been driven by their sources to the other side of the debate. At the very least, the case against Iraq for the alleged bomb threat is not conclusive. <br />
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Claim: Saddam Hussein will use weapons of mass destruction against us-he has already used them against his own people (the Kurds in 1988 in the village of Halabja). <br />
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Reality: It is far from certain that Iraq used chemical weapons against the Kurds. It may be accepted as conventional wisdom in these times, but back when it was first claimed, there was great skepticism. The evidence is far from conclusive. A 1990 study by the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College cast great doubts on the claim that Iraq used chemical weapons on the Kurds. Following are the two gassing incidents as described in the report: In September 1988, however-a month after the war (between Iran and Iraq) had ended-the State Department abruptly, and in what many viewed as a sensational manner, condemned Iraq for allegedly using chemicals against its Kurdish population. The incident cannot be understood without some background of Iraq's relations with the Kurds...throughout the war Iraq effectively faced two enemies –Iran and elements of its own Kurdish minority. Significant numbers of the Kurds had launched a revolt against Baghdad and in the process teamed up with Tehran. As soon as the war with Iran ended, Iraq announced its determination to crush the Kurdish insurrection. It sent Republican Guards to the Kurdish area, and in the course of the operation-according to the U.S. State Department-gas was used, with the result that numerous Kurdish civilians were killed. The Iraqi government denied that any such gassing had occurred. Nonetheless, Secretary of State Schultz stood by U.S. accusations, and the U.S. Congress, acting on its own, sought to impose economic sanctions on Baghdad as a violator of the Kurds 'human rights...'''.Having looked at all the evidence that was available to us, we find it impossible to confirm the State Department's claim that gas was used in this instance. To begin with, there were never any victims produced.''' International relief organizations who examined the Kurds-in Turkey where they had gone for asylum-failed to discover any. Nor were there ever any found inside Iraq. '''The claim rests solely on testimony of the Kurds who had crossed the border into Turkey, where they were interviewed by staffers of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee...''' It appears that in seeking to punish Iraq, the Congress was influenced by another incident that occurred five months earlier in another Iraqi-Kurdish city, Halabjah. In March 1988, the Kurds at Halabjah were bombarded with chemical weapons, producing many deaths. Photographs of the Kurdish victims were widely disseminated in the international media. Iraq was blamed for the Halabjah attack, even though it was subsequently brought out that Iran too had used chemicals in this operation and '''it seemed likely that it was the Iranian bombardment that had actually killed the Kurds...'''. Thus, in our view, the '''Congress acted more on the basis of emotionalism than factual information''', and without sufficient thought for the adverse which had been written by a Washington correspondent named Paul Quinn-Judge, although the story cited specific paragraphs from the C.I.A. assessment. The two major American newspapers had been driven by their sources to the other side of the debate. At the very least, the case against Iraq for the alleged bomb threat is not conclusive. <br />
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Claim: Saddam Hussein will use weapons of mass destruction against us-he has already used them against his own people (the Kurds in 1988 in the village of Halabja). <br />
<br />
Reality: Itis far from certain that Iraq used chemical weapons against the Kurds. It may be accepted as conventional wisdom in these times, but back when it was first claimed, there was great skepticism. The evidence is far from conclusive. A 1990 study by the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College cast great doubts on the claim that Iraq used chemical weapons on the Kurds. Following are the two gassing incidents as described in the report: In September 1988, however-a month after the war (between Iran and Iraq) had ended-the State Department abruptly, and in what many viewed as a sensational manner, condemned Iraq for allegedly using chemicals against its Kurdish population. The incident cannot be understood without some background of Iraq's relations with the Kurds...throughout the war Iraq effectively faced two enemies –Iran and elements of its own Kurdish minority. Significant numbers of the Kurds had launched a revolt against Baghdad and in the process teamed up with Tehran. As soon as the war with Iran ended, Iraq announced its determination to crush the Kurdish insurrection. It sent Republican Guards to the Kurdish area, and in the course of the operation-according to the U.S. State Department-gas was used, with the result that numerous Kurdish civilians were killed. The Iraqi government denied that any such gassing had occurred. Nonetheless, Secretary of State Schultz stood by U.S. accusations, and the U.S. Congress, acting on its own, sought to impose economic sanctions on Baghdad as a violator of the Kurds 'human rights....Having looked at all the evidence that was available to us, we find it impossible to confirm the State Department's claim that gas was used in this instance. To begin with, there were never any victims produced. International relief organizations who examined the Kurds-in Turkey where they had gone for asylum-failed to discover any. Nor were there ever any found inside Iraq. The claim rests solely on testimony of the Kurds who had crossed the border into Turkey, where they were interviewed by staffers of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee... It appears that in seeking to punish Iraq, the Congress was influenced by another incident that occurred five months earlier in another Iraqi-Kurdish city, Halabjah. In March 1988, the Kurds at Halabjah were bombarded with chemical weapons, producing many deaths. Photographs of the Kurdish victims were widely disseminated in the international media. Iraq was blamed for the Halabjah attack, even though it was subsequently brought out that Iran too had used chemicals in this operation and it seemed likely that it was the Iranian bombardment that had actually killed the Kurds.... Thus, in our view, the Congress acted more on the basis of emotionalism than factual information, and without sufficient thought for the adverse diplomatic effects of its action. <br />
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Claim: Iraq must be attacked because it has ignored UN Security Council resolutions-these resolutions must be backed up by the use of force. <br />
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Reality: Iraqis but one of the many countries that have not complied with UN Security Council resolutions. In addition to the dozen or so resolutions currently being violated by Iraq, a conservative estimate reveals that there are an additional 91 Security Council resolutions by countries other than Iraq that are also currently being violated. Adding in older resolutions that were violated would mean easily more than 200 UN Security Council resolutions have been violated with total impunity. Countries currently in violation include: Israel, Turkey, Morocco, Croatia, Armenia, Russia, Sudan, Turkey-controlled Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Indonesia. None of these countries have been threatened with force over their violations. <br />
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Claim: Iraq has anthrax and other chemical and biological agents. <br />
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Reality: That may be true. However, according to UNSCOM's chief weapons inspector, 90-95 percent of Iraq's chemical and biological weapons and capabilities were destroyed by 1998; those that remained have likely degraded in the intervening four years and are likely useless. A 1994 Senate Banking Committee hearing revealed some 74 shipments of deadly chemical and biological agents from the U.S. to Iraq in the 1980s. As one recent press report stated: One 1986 shipment from the Virginia-based American Type Culture Collection included three strains of anthrax, six strains of the bacteria that make botulinum toxin and three strains of the bacteria that cause gas gangrene. '''Iraq later admitted to the United Nations that it had made weapons out of all three... The CDC, meanwhile, sent shipments of germs''' to the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission and other agencies involved in Iraqs weapons of mass destruction programs. It sent samples in 1986 of botulinum toxin and botulinum toxoid-used to make vaccines against botulinum toxin-'''directly to the Iraqi chemical and biological weapons complex''' at al-Muthanna, the records show. These were sent while the United States was supporting Iraq covertly in its war against Iran. U.S. assistance to Iraq in that war also included covertly delivered intelligence on Iranian troop movements and other assistance. This is just another example of our policy of interventionism in affairs that do not concern us-and how this interventionism nearly always ends up causing harm to the United States. <br />
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Claim: The president claimed last night: "Iraq possesses ballistic missiles with a likely range of hundreds of miles, far enough to strike Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey and other nations in a region where more than 135,000 American civilians and service members live and work." <br />
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Reality: Then why is only Israel talking about the need for the U.S. to attack Iraq? None of the other countries seem concerned at all. Also, the fact that some 135,000 Americans in the area are under threat from these alleged missiles just makes the point that it is time to bring our troops home to defend our own country. Claim: Iraq harbors al-Qaeda and other terrorists. Reality: The administration has claimed that some al-Qaeda elements have been present in Northern Iraq. This is territory controlled by the Kurds-who are our allies-and is patrolled by U.S. and British fighter aircraft. Moreover, dozens of countries-including Iran and the United States-are said to have al-Qaeda members in their territory. Other terrorists allegedly harbored by Iraq, all are affiliated with Palestinian causes and do not attack the United States. <br />
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Claim: President Bush said in his speech on October 7, 2002: "Many people have asked how close Saddam Hussein is to developing a nuclear weapon. '''Well, we don't know exactly, and that's the problem..."''' <br />
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Reality: Admission of a lack of information is justification for an attack?<br />
<br />
==Liberation From Ba'athist control==<br />
[[Image:Qwwqqe.jpg|thumb|right|An Iraqi Army unit prepares to board a Task Force Baghdad UH-60 Blackhawk [[helicopter]] for a counterinsurgency mission in Baghdad.]]<br />
<br />
After the [[Battle of Baghdad (Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003)]], President Bush said:<br />
*Admiral Kelly, Captain Card, officers and sailors of the USS Abraham Lincoln, my fellow Americans: Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. (Applause.) And now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country. [https://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/20030501-15.html]<br />
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Other comments from President Bush's May 1, 2003 speech <ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/05/20030501-15.html</ref> show that the context of these victory comments include warnings to Americans of an ongoing struggle to establish Iraqi democracy and counter the threat of terrorism. Quotes, "'''We have difficult work to do in Iraq. We're bringing order to parts of that country that remain dangerous.''' We're pursuing and finding leaders of the old regime, who will be held to account for their crimes. '''We're helping to rebuild Iraq''', where the dictator built palaces for himself, instead of hospitals and schools. '''And we will stand with the new leaders of Iraq as they establish a government of, by, and for the Iraqi people. The transition from dictatorship to democracy will take time, but it is worth every effort. Our coalition will stay until our work is done.''' Then we will leave, and we will leave behind a free Iraq. '''Our mission continues'''. Al Qaeda is wounded, not destroyed. The scattered cells of the terrorist network still operate in many nations, and we know from daily intelligence that they continue to plot against free people. The [[proliferation]] of deadly weapons remains a serious danger. '''The enemies of freedom are not idle, and neither are we.''' Our government has taken unprecedented measures to defend the homeland. And we will continue to hunt down the enemy before he can strike. '''The war on terror is not over; yet it is not endless.''' We do not know the day of final victory, but we have seen the turning of the tide. No act of the terrorists will change our purpose, or weaken our resolve, or alter their fate. Their cause is lost. Free nations will press on to victory." <ref>http://newsbusters.org/node/12386</ref><br />
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Many Iraqis welcomed the American invasion and overthrow of Saddam Hussein, and in the preceding months, showed optimism about their country's future. An '''American Enterprise'-'Wall Street Journal'-'Zogby''' poll in September 2003 found that "Seven out of 10 say they expect their country and their personal lives will be better five years from now. On both fronts, 32% say things will become much better."<ref>[http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110003991 What Iraqis Really Think], retrieved March 21, 2007</ref> Furthermore, in a March 2004 poll of Iraqis, the BBC found that Iraqis have great hope in a stable, unified government for their country, with 80% of respondents favoring a centralized state ruled from Baghdad.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3514504.stm Survey finds hope in occupied Iraq]</ref> From 2004 to before the surge, the unceasing violence by the insurgents had caused some people (mainly in the West) to refer to the ongoing strife as a 'civil war'.<ref>[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070301faessay86201/james-d-fearon/iraq-s-civil-war.html Iraq's Civil War], retrieved March 21, 2007</ref><br />
Since the surge, this has ceased as '''60-80% of the violence has been stopped'''. On Sat Feb 16, 2008 Reuters reported, "Attacks by insurgents and rival sectarian militias have fallen up to 80 percent in Baghdad. The U.S. military says attacks have fallen across Iraq by 60 percent since June on the back of security clampdowns and the deployment of 30,000 extra American troops." <ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080216/ts_nm/iraq_dc</ref><br />
[[Image:Bagpipe.jpg|left|thumb|400px|Proposed Baghdad reconstruction Plan]]<br />
2007 - Four years into the war, the biggest poll since coalition troops entered Iraq on March 20, 2003 showed that '''by a majority of two to one, Iraqis preferred the current leadership to Saddam Hussein's regime, regardless of the security situation and a lack of public services.''' It also revealed that contrary to the views of many western analysts, most Iraqis did not believe they were embroiled in a civil war; indeed, only 27% believed they were caught up in a civil war and 64% of the '''Iraqis still wanted to see a united Iraq under a central national government'''.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1530526.ece Resilient Iraqis ask what civil war?], retrieved March 21, 2007</ref><br />
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ABC News (and USA Today) conducted a poll <ref>[https://abcnews.go.com/images/US/1033aIraqpoll.pdf PDF Iraq Poll], retrieved March 21, 2007</ref> and found that 56 percent of Iraqis did not believe there was a “civil war,” and a British poll determined 61 percent did not believe they were in a civil war. The ''Times of London'''s summary of the poll: “Iraqis: life is getting better." <ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article1530762.ece Iraqis: life is getting better], retrieved March 21, 2007</ref> A version of the combined articles as posted by ''The Australian'': “It's better than Saddam, say hopeful Iraqis.” <ref>[http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21404747-2703,00.html It's better than Saddam, say hopeful Iraqis], retrieved March 21, 2007</ref><br />
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On January 21, 2008 there was a report about a cache of documents discovered in the fall of 2007 by U.S. forces in the northern Iraqi town of Sinjar. It gave the individual records of 606 foreign fighters who entered Iraq between August 2006 and August 2007 saying, "Based on the Sinjar records, '''U.S. military officials in Iraq said they now think that nine out of 10 suicide bombers have been foreigners, compared with earlier estimates of 75 percent.''' Similarly, they assess that 90 percent of foreign fighters entering Iraq during the one-year period ending in August came via Syria, a greater proportion than previously believed. '''Although Saudi Arabia was by far the most common country of origin of foreign fighters, with about 40 percent of the total, a surprising share -- 19 percent -- came from Libya. Overall, about 40 percent were North African.'''" <ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/20/AR2008012002609.html</ref> This certainly justifies these poll results where Iraqis stated that many of the attacks against the Iraqi populace are the work of foreign forces rather than out of the Iraqi population (civil war).<br />
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==Insurgency==<br />
After the removal of Saddam, Iraq saw the rise of sectarian violence initiated by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's [[Sunni]] dominated al-Qaeda in Iraq faction and the majority [[Shia]] population. The strategy was to disrupt Iraq's economy and make the new democratic state ungovernable as long as the U.S. presence continued. The de-Ba'athification process excluded many Sunnis from leadership in the new Iraq. Some Sunnis viewed the U.S. suspiciously for supporting the Shia majority. Though a minority, the Sunni have traditionally ruled Iraq since 1922 and view themselves entitled to continue the privilege of doing so. There are also some intractable Sunni whose interpretation of Muslim law says that the Shia are considered heretics, and thus not fit to lead the nation. <br />
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Among the Shia majority, notably the [[Jaysh Al-Madhi]], is a militant faction who not only attacked Sunni Muslims but also American and other coalition troops even while the coalition was protecting the democratically elected Shia. Other Shia groups that have not attacked coalition forces have pursued their own factional aims while relying on the US to ensure Shia majority rule, instead of seeking unity and a cohesive representatively fair national political structure, which hampered progress and reconciliation efforts.<ref>Testimony of Edward N. Luttwak, Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate , Hearings on [http://www.csis.org/media/csis/congress/ts070123luttwak.pdf Securing America's Interest in Iraq], retrieved March 21, 2007</ref> <br />
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However, as reported on May 31, 2007, in the article "US Eyes Cease-Fires End Violence in Iraq" the No. 2 American commander, Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, said he thought 80 percent of Iraqis — including Sunni insurgents and Shia militants — can reach reconciliation. "We are talking about cease-fires, and maybe signing some things that say they won't conduct operations against the government of Iraq or against coalition forces. I believe there are elements that are irreconcilable, but I believe the large majority are. I believe about 80 percent are reconcilable, both [[Jaysh Al-Madhi]] as well as Sunni insurgents." <ref>http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/31/national/w114445D86.DTL</ref> <br />
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===Propaganda===<br />
Since the invasion in 2003, both Shiite and Sunni clerics have been repeating over and over again that the Americans and their mostly "[[Christian]]" allies are in Iraq to destroy [[Islam]] in its cultural heartland as well as to steal the country's oil. The clerics dismiss all talk of [[democracy]] and [[human rights]] by the invaders as mere hypocrisy—except for [[women's rights]], which are promoted in earnest, the clerics say, to induce Iraqi daughters and wives to dishonor their families by aping the shameless disobedience of Western women.<br />
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At first, a majority of Iraqis believed these religious leaders. The alternative was difficult for them to believe—that foreigners have been unselfishly expending their own blood and treasure to help them. Some polls and incidents demonstrate to insurgents that Americans are out to rob Muslim Iraqis not only of their territory and oil, but also of their religion and even their family honor. The most visible effects of these sentiments were the deadly attacks, the aiding and abetting of such attacks, and celebration by impromptu crowds of spectators. <br />
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Zarqawi and his successor, [[Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi]], now known as Caliph Ibrahim deliberately targeted innocent civilians,<ref>http://www.globaljihad.net/view_page.asp?id=140</ref> Iraqi police or the new National Army.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20111211065625/http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/index.cfm?page=dua</ref> Local clerics and others routinely accused the Americans of being the attackers—usually by missile strikes that cleverly simulate car-bombs. As to why the Americans would want to kill Iraqis they are themselves recruiting, training, and paying, no explanation was offered, because no obligation was felt to unravel each and every sub-plot of the dark "Christian conspiracy" against Iraq, the Arab world, and Islam.<ref>Luttwak Testimony, [http://www.csis.org/media/csis/congress/ts070123luttwak.pdf Committee on Foreign Relations,] U.S. Senate, pgs. 6-7.</ref><br />
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One key to the success which caused a drop in violence by 2008 <ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080216/ts_nm/iraq_dc</ref> was the willingness of the Sunnis to take back their country from ISIL led violence. In an article February 10, 2008 called, "U.S. Military Says Seized Docs Show Al Qaeda in Iraq Is Weakened" it states, "'''A diary and another document seized during U.S. raids show some Al Qaeda in Iraq leaders fear the terror group is crumbling, with many fighters defecting to American-backed neighborhood groups'''." <br />
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The reason for this shift, "the author describes an Al Qaeda in crisis, with citizens growing weary of militants' presence and foreign fighters too eager to participate in suicide missions rather than continuing to fight, "We lost cities and afterward, villages... We find ourselves in a wasteland desert," Smith quoted the document as saying. The memo — believed to have been written in summer 2007 — cites militants' increasing difficulty in moving around and transporting weapons and suicide belts ''because of better equipped Iraqi police and more watchful citizens'', Smith said." <br />
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The populace of Iraq, with American support, rejected the extremist viewpoint and were willing to stand up and do what it takes to get peace in the country for themselves and their future. The article further states, "The diary, seized by U.S. troops south of Balad, was written in autumn 2007 by Abu Tariq, who refers to himself as sector leader for al-Qaida in Iraq, Smith said. '''Tariq wrote that he was once in charge of 600 fighters, but only 20 were left "after the tribes changed course" — a reference to how many Sunni tribesmen have switched sides to fight alongside the Americans''', Smith said. The new organizations, called awakening councils or neighborhood watch groups, were key to helping push Al Qaeda in Iraq out of Anbar province, once one of the country's most violent. The terror network's top leaders are now based somewhere in northern Iraq, Smith said, having moved out of Anbar and into Diyala province last year.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,330235,00.html</ref><br />
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The indomitable spirit of the Iraqis has been put to the test and is prevailing against ISIS as they stand up for their country and reject the extremist view and their brutal ways (including torture) which are documented in the next section.<br />
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Most U.S. media companies have a significant stake in shaping the view of this conflict with the American public. Anti-Bush pro-DNC propaganda by U.S. media companies reported a common theme: American failure and defeat in Iraq. As the conflict continued the American public was given large doses of negative reporting for four years. During 2007, General Petraeus got approval and implemented the 'Surge' strategy for securing Baghdad from ISIS. Result, deaths and bombings by militias, rogue bandits and terror cells significantly decreased. Success was rarely reported.<br />
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===US troop surge and progress in Iraq===<br />
:''See the article:'' [[Troop surge]]<br />
<!--[[Image:Cuncil.jpg|right|thumb|Iraqi governing council as of July 15, 2003]]--><br />
<!--Hid picture, try to find a new one; half of them are probably dead.--><br />
Since the new US-Iraqi offensive was launched in February 2007, ISIL forces were put on the defensive in their former insurgent stronghold of Anbar, Britain's top general in Iraq said (March 2007).<ref>[http://www.ft.com/cms/s/b3fd545e-d70f-11db-b9d7-000b5df10621.html Iraq insurgents ‘on the defensive’], retrieved March 21, 2007</ref> The insurgency “didn’t do too well in Anbar . . . Their claims have failed to come to fruition,” he said, referring to the declaration by Islamic radicals that they had established a “[[caliphate]]”, or successorship, encompassing much of western Iraq. Lt Gen Lamb said that US and Iraqi forces were recruiting hundreds of police for the first time in towns in the Anbar region and that the forces were working together in shared combat outposts. While conceding that car bomb attacks In Baghdad and a surge of violence in neighboring Diyala (Caliph Ibrahim's hometown) had to be addressed, he said that US and Iraqi planners were learning to reduce the threat, establishing an outer cordon around the city as well as barriers, or “point defense” protection around key targets inside. The US military has reported cases in which car bombs have been stopped at checkpoints. In some cases the bombs detonated killing Iraqi security forces, but the casualties would arguably have been much greater had the blasts hit crowded commercial districts. General Lamb, who commanded British ground forces in Iraq in 2003 and 2004 said that multinational forces now had the benefit of four years of experience in fighting the insurgents.<br />
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'''The increasing pressure from US forces with this Surge strategy has caused Sadr and his commanders flee to Iran''' as ''The Guardian'' reported Feb 15, 07, "Senior commanders of the Mehdi army, the militia loyal to the radical Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, have been spirited away to Iran to avoid being targeted in the new security push in Baghdad, a high-level Iraqi official told the ''Guardian''. "Over the last three weeks, they [Iran] have taken away from Baghdad the first and second-tier military leaders of the Mehdi army," he said. The aim of the Iranians was to "prevent the dismantling of the infrastructure of the Shia militias" in the Iraqi capital—one of the chief aims of the United States-backed security drive. The chief US military spokesperson in Baghdad said the anti-Western cleric had fled to Iran. US forces were tracking him "very closely", he said.<br />
<ref>http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__international_news/&articleid=299085</ref><br />
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The Surge is showing signs as a solid strategy which is being used to good effect as Al Jazeera reports that the Baathist terrorists have begun to criticize Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda in their article '''''Sunni group condemns Iraq al-Qaeda''''' <ref>http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A6EC4EAB-854C-4D2F-A922-754648CDED8D.htm</ref> where it states: "An influential Iraqi Sunni armed group has called on al-Qaeda in Iraq to “review” its behavior in the country. '''The Islamic Army in Iraq, believed to be the largest group of former Baathists and army officers fighting Iraqi and US forces''', called on Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaeda leader, to take more responsibility for al-Qaeda in Iraq. “Killing Sunnis has become a legitimate target for them, especially rich ones. Either they pay them what they want or they kill them,” a statement from the group said. “They would kill any critic or whoever tries to show them their mistakes.” Sunni Arab officials have also urged what they call “the real resistance” to disown al-Qaeda and engage in talks with the government to end violence which has driven the country closer to an all-out civil war."<br />
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Now, the increasing pressure appears to have caused an actual break in relations between terrorist groups as this April 12, 07 article states, quote, "One of Iraq's main armed groups has confirmed a split with al-Qaeda, according to a spokesman for the dissenting organization. '''Ibrahim al-Shammari told Al Jazeera on Thursday that the Islamic Army in Iraq had decided to disunite from al-Qaeda in Iraq''' after its members were threatened. ".. after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi died, the gap between us [and al-Qaeda] widened, because [they] started to target our members. They killed about 30 of our people, and we definitely don't recognize their establishment of an Islamic state - we consider it invalid." The Islamic Army in Iraq is one of several nationalist groups which opposes hitting Iraqi civilians, but it has carried out high-profile attacks against multinational forces. '''Al-Shammari said they would be willing to deal with the Americans if certain conditions are met.''' Al-Shammari said that his group didn't consider US forces to be the main danger in Iraq. "There are two occupations: Iranian and American, and the Iranian one is more dangerous than American because Iran considers Iraq as a part of their country." The Islamic Army in Iraq's statement comes after Iraq's president said the presidential office was in contact with five insurgent groups. Jalal Talabani said on Wednesday that the contacts mark an attempt to bring the groups into the mainstream political process.<ref>http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/16414</ref><br />
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Additional progress was detailed in "'''Corps Commander Highlights Progress in Iraq'''", Apr 13, 2007, where Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the commander of Multinational Corps in Iraq said there has been '''progress in the security situation in Baghdad'''. Three of the five promised U.S. brigades are in place in the city, an additional three Iraqi brigade headquarters and 11 additional battalions have moved into Baghdad in support of the operation. Twenty-six joint security stations in Baghdad are manned by Iraqi army, Iraqi police and coalition forces, as are more than 21 combat outposts. "This continuous presence is making the Iraqi people feel safer and has greatly increased the amount of information provided to the Iraqi army, police and coalition forces by the public," Odierno said. Sectarian murders have dropped in Baghdad, and some displaced families are returning to the city. In addition, coalition and Iraqi forces have doubled the number of arms caches found since the beginning of the operation two months ago. Security forces allow citizens to return to a more normal existence. "Across Baghdad, markets are being hardened with checkpoints and barriers, and merchants have returned to sell their produce," he said. "And Iraqis are busy shopping in the markets of Rusafa and Dura, and there are more projects such as these ... that will occur in the near future." <br />
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Positive changes are not limited to Baghdad, he said, they are also happening in Anbar province, where coalition and Iraqi security forces are working with local tribal leaders. "The people of al Anbar are fighting back and winning," Odierno said. "They've effectively turned back the tide of al Qaeda, but there will be counterattacks by al Qaeda." '''The general said there were nine attacks last week in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province. "During the same week a year ago, there were over 84 attacks," he said.''' Odierno said he also sees promise in the northern part of Iraq. Coalition forces there have set up 33 U.S. police transition teams to build law enforcement capability in that region. Oil is flowing out of the Bayji refinery thanks to Iraqi security force efforts to protect distribution tankers. Progress continues in the country's south, as well. "In the south, Operation Black Eagle in Diwaniyah, conducted by joint Iraqi and coalition forces, uncovered a headquarters of a rogue element of Jaysh al-Mahdi, with a major weapons cache including materials for IED-making," he said. Even the demonstrations called by radical cleric Muqtada al Sadr on April 9 to protest the U.S. presence in Iraq are a good sign, Odierno said. "This demonstration took place without incident," he said. "It is worth mentioning three points related to this demonstration. First, the government of Iraq allowed the demonstration to take place, unthinkable under the former regime. Second, the demonstrators waved Iraqi flags rather than black flags or pictures of ayatollahs. And third, the demonstrators numbered no more than 15,000, rather than the one million its organizers called for." <ref>http://www.blackanthem.com/News/International_21/Corps_Commander_Highlights_Progress_in_Iraq5809.shtml</ref><br />
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That being said, anti-democratic and sectarian violence in the war, as expected and predicted by the Bush Administration, is continuing: a recent Al-Qaida attack at the Parliamentary cafeteria killed one, and on April 18, 2007, a series of car bombs killed 131 Baghdad residents.<ref>US CENTCOM Press Release, [http://www.centcom.mil/sites/uscentcom2/Lists/Current%20Press%20Releases/DispForm.aspx?ID=4767 131 Dead, More Than 160 Wounded by Multiple Car Bomb Attacks in Baghdad Multi-National Division], Release Number: 07-01-03P, 4/18/2007.</ref> <br />
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In the ABC article, ''"Al-Qaida claims Iraq parliament attack"'', the U.S. military ''revised the death toll sharply downward to one dead in the the parliament suicide bombing''. Iraqi officials said the bomber was believed to have been a bodyguard for a Sunni lawmaker who was not among the casualties. Parliament officials said the victim was Mohammed Awad, a moderate Sunni lawmaker. Iraqi lawmakers gathered Friday in a rare - and defiant - session of parliament on the Muslim day of prayer. A red and white bouquet sat in Awad's place in the parliament chamber. Lawmakers took the podium one after another to denounce the bombing. One MP had his arm in sling and a woman lawmaker wore a neck brace. "The more they (terrorists) act, the more solid we become. When they take from us one martyr, we will offer more martyrs," Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi said. "The more they target our unity, the stronger our unity becomes." Iraqi parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani said Friday's session was "a clear message to all the terrorists and all those who dare try to stop this (political) process, that we will sacrifice in order for it to continue." <ref>http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=nation_world&id=5205895</ref><br />
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At a news conference with Defense Secretary Robert Gates (reported Fri Apr 20, 2007), Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul-Qader al-Obaidi said the Iraqis are making progress in countering the insurgency. '''"Our need for support is getting less and less each day,"''' al-Obaidi said. Gates said the U.S. troop buildup will continue at least until late summer. '''"We need some time for things to work,"''' he said. '''Three of the five extra brigades Bush ordered into Iraq to stem violence have arrived. Officials want the rest in place by June, for a total of 160,000.''' Soon after that, they will assess how much longer the higher troop level — about 30,000 more than before the buildup — will be needed. Since the troop buildup or "Surge" has not even been completed, it is not surprising that the premature and rash comments by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid saying the war was already lost and the troop buildup was not stemming violence in Iraq were rejected by Gates. "I respectfully disagree," Gates said when asked by a reporter about Reid's Thursday remarks. He assured [[Nouri al-Maliki|al-Maliki]] that the U.S. continues to be committed to the Iraqi government and the Baghdad security plan, Gates said.<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070420/ap_on_re_mi_ea/gates_iraq</ref><br />
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April 20, 2007 - Iraqi President Nouri al Malaki affirmed the indigenous Iraqi Assyrian Christians' right to have a Province of their own, which could be provided for under the Iraqi Constitution. Malaki was addressing questions concerning the minorities, many of whom are in neighboring countries, including an estimated nearly 500,000 Assyrian Christians. Additionally, Malaki said, "I think it is important to let the world know that things in our country are improving dramatically. '''Our unemployment rate has gone from nearly 70 percent to now under 30 percent. Our most recent growth rate was 3 percent and we have seen, in particular as a result of the recent Baghdad program, a dramatic drop in so-called sectarian violence.''' What is particularly encouraging to me is the changes we have seen in our security forces and the trust from our people once again. We are finally seeing individual citizens provide information to our forces, which has changed the situation dramatically in rooting out those who are determined to ruin our country."<br />
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Malaki stressed three key goals. National Reconciliation, Economic Development and Expanded Security as the way forward. "In spite of much information to the contrary, we are seeing a return to the Iraq we all once knew when we considered ourselves all Iraqis and not belonging to a particular sect or group," he said. "Recently we have brought back large numbers of former members of the Ba'ath Party who were not involved in any problems in the past and this has significantly helped to bring our people together. Economic development is taking place at a good rate. Part of the reason we are here is to encourage even more investment into our country. The monthly income of our people has gone from about $20 a month to now over $200. The dramatic rise in electrical use is one good sign that the economy is taking off. The stores are full." Describing the current military situation as "moving from sectarian to outside interference," Malaki stressed that the so-called Baghdad Plan was working. "We are seeing a dramatic drop in the sectarian conflicts and see our major challenge as that from the outside including Al Quaida and remainders of the Ba'athist groups," he said. "In the end we will be able to take care of ourselves. Meanwhile, we need the help of our friends to stand against those who want to harm us." <br />
<ref>http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2007/s07040107.htm</ref><br />
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Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said in a recent interview, that the increase of nearly 30,000 U.S. troops in the country had achieved "modest progress" but had also had setbacks such as a rise in suicide bombings and other problems. Petraeus also stated that he was uncertain whether his counterinsurgency strategy would be ultimately succeed, but he stated "'''We have certainly pulled [Baghdad] neighborhoods back from the brink.'''" Assessing the first two months of the U.S. and Iraqi plan to pacify the capital, senior American commanders—including Petraeus; Adm. William Fallon, head of U.S. forces in the Middle East; Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, commander of military operations in Iraq; and top regional commanders—see mixed results. Critical now, they said in interviews last week, is for Iraqi leaders to forge the political compromises needed for long-term stability. The deployment of additional troops in Baghdad is only 60 percent complete, and a major concern shared by U.S. military leaders is whether al-Maliki's government is capable of solidifying gains in security as well as making the crucial political compromises needed to achieve peace. <br />
<ref>http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070423/NEWS/70422011</ref><br />
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In an interview of '''Iraq's national security adviser, Mowaffak Al-Rubaie''' aired May 10, 2007, Mr. Rubaie stated, "'''This is an ideological war. This is a -- a long-term war. This is a war on a global scale. This is a war, if it gets out of control, it will spill over to Europe and America in no time. And it will disturb the oil flow in the Gulf.''' What happened in Iraq is not something minor and simple, like a coup d'état or a revolution. What happened is a hurricane. What happened is a huge, major shift, from the old order of 1,000 years of persecution, of dictatorship, of religious supremacy, of prosecuting minorities, to a completely new order, which is called democracy, human rights, accountability, and transparency, and all this. '''This paradigm shift needs some time. You cannot -- it needs strategic patience.''' And it needs time. You cannot fit this major shift and the strategic objectives in the election cycle of Washington. You cannot do that."<br />
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'''He went on to note progress and plead for patience, "I think we made a remarkable progress over the last three years'''. In June 2004, we had only one battalion in the Iraqi army. Now we have 11 divisions. And, in June 2004, we did not have policemen. We did not have national police, local police, an intelligence service. We didn't have anything. Now we have Iraqi security forces, several hundreds of thousands of them. And what we need, we need some refinements, some tuning. We need some training. And we need some equipment and logistical support. We need to build the system within the Iraqi security forces. '''In a very short period of time, we're going to be self-reliant'''." <br />
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"Take, for example, in Baghdad. Last year, Baghdad was under the command of an American general called General Thurman. And now Baghdad is under the command-and- control of general -- an Iraqi general called General Abboud. And he is commanding and leading and controlling 2.5 Iraqi army division and 11 or 13 Iraqi police, national police, brigades. -- we needed the upsurge, and we need the upsurge to clear some areas of these neighborhoods and to hold them and to build them. When we have this upsurge, let's the best use of it. And let's clear these areas and hold it and build it." <ref>http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0705/10/acd.01.html</ref><br />
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May 12, 2007, '''"Iraq's top Shi'ite party changes platform"''' gave the stunning news that "Iraq's biggest Shi'ite party, The Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), pledged its allegiance to the country's top Shi'ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in a move that would distance it from Shi'ite Iran where it was formed. They said the party had been close to Sistani for some time, but a two-day conference formalized relations with the influential cleric. Officials said the party, which was formed in Iran in the 1980s to oppose Saddam, had previously taken its guidance from the religious establishment of Welayat al Faqih, led by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran. The party then pledged to follow the guidance of the Shi'ite establishment and also said it had introduced significant policy changes and changed its name to the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC) -- dropping the word "Revolution".<ref>https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/latest/tm_headline=iraq-s-top-shi-ite-party-changes-platform&method=full&objectid=19092898&siteid=89520-name_page.html</ref> <br />
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This was hailed in the Middle East as a very significant development, stating "The real change of direction and leadership of Iraqi Shiites to Sistani is the greatest victory of the new era of constitutionalism and civility in Iraq. The shifting of Shiite Islam to Najaf, instead of Qum, is a huge change and a direct result of Iraq's freedom that '''has changed the balance of power in Iraq and Iran'''. The New York Times-owned Boston Globe reports from Tehran that the influence of Iraqi Shiites is growing even there: "Some Iranians are intrigued by the more freewheeling experiment in Shi'ite empowerment taking place across the border in Iraq, where--Iraq's myriad problems aside--imams can say whatever they want in political Friday sermons, newspapers and satellite channels regularly slam the government, and religious observance is respected and encouraged but not required." <ref>http://www.globalpolitician.com/articledes.asp?ID=2815&cid=2&sid=38</ref><br />
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CBS Evening News May 29, 2007 presented, "an exclusive interview, Iraq's Prime Minister tells CBS News '''the security crackdown is working'''." The network relayed how, “in his first American television interview since the U.S. troop surge began in February, Iraq's Prime Minister told CBS News today '''the additional forces here have prevented an even greater catastrophe.'''” Maliki also disclosed that there have been many victories in breaking up al Qaeda and other militant cells.<ref>http://newsbusters.org/node/13073</ref> <br />
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Then on May 31, 07, the article '''"US Eyes Cease-Fires End Violence in Iraq'''" added, quote: U.S. military commanders are talking with Iraqi militants about cease-fires and other arrangements to try to stop the violence, '''the No. 2 American commander Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno said. He thinks 80 percent of Iraqis — including Sunni insurgents and Shia militants — can reach reconciliation with each other'''. "We are talking about cease-fires, and maybe signing some things that say they won't conduct operations against the government of Iraq or against coalition forces. I believe there are elements that are irreconcilable, but I believe the large majority are. I believe about 80 percent are reconcilable, both Jaish al-Mahdi as well as Sunni insurgents." He said the increased effort by commanders to reach out to militants goes hand in hand with reconciliation efforts by the Iraqi government. Odierno noted that efforts to engage tribal leaders in Anbar province — who have been turning against al-Qaida there — has helped draw people to serve in the Iraqi security forces in record numbers and has helped reduce attacks there. For example, the attacks in Anbar in May 2006 totaled 811, while this May they were just barely over 400. Since the beginning of 2007, over 12,000 Iraqi citizens have volunteered for Iraqi security forces in Anbar. In all of 2006, only 1,000 had volunteered.<ref>http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/31/national/w114445D86.DTL</ref> <br />
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Even Newsweek's June 4 edition on page 33, has a story by Melinda Liu on actual progress in Iraq, headlined: "Gathering the Tribes: U.S. field commanders are finally beginning to tap the traditional networks that helped Saddam stay in power." Liu reported from Ramadi that '''"Marines and Iraqi tribesmen and police are sitting together, swapping jokes and stories. Some of these Iraqis were probably shooting at Americans less than a year ago. Now they and the Marines are fighting side by side against Al Qaeda."''' The story also carried a large, bolded quote: ''''Last year the Americans were our biggest enemies,' says one cop. 'Now they're how we get what we need.'''' The captions on the pictures read: '''PEACE SIGNS:''' Tribal recruits man a check-point in Ramadi (above); children and others now freely interact with Americans (right).<ref>http://newsbusters.org/node/13080</ref> <br />
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And on May 31 a report '''"Sunnis Revolt Against al-Qaida in Iraq"''' confirmed the trend stating, "U.S. troops battled al-Qaida in west Baghdad on Thursday after '''Sunni Arab residents challenged the militants and called for American help to end furious gunfire''' that kept students from final exams and forced people in the neighborhood to huddle indoors. Backed by helicopter gunships, U.S. troops joined the two-day battle in the Amariyah district, according to residents of the Sunni district. Lt. Col. Dale C. Kuehl, commander of 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, who is responsible for the Amariyah area of the capital, confirmed the U.S. military's role in the fighting in the Sunni district. "The events of the past two days are promising developments. Sunni citizens of Amariyah that have been previously terrorized by al-Qaida are now resisting and want them gone. They're tired of the intimidation that included the murder of women," Kuehl said. Casualty figures were not immediately available. But the district councilman said Haji Hameed, '''the al-Qaida leader in Amariyah, was killed and 45 other fighters were detained'''.<ref>http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/31/international/i154309D51.DTL</ref> <br />
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Meanwhile, '''U.S. forces handed over responsibility for security in Iraq's three northern provinces to the Kurdish regional government. Seven Iraqi provinces, including Najaf, Muthanna, Dhi Qar and Maysan, now have responsibility for their own security – a third of the total. The United States hopes to add more as Iraqi forces grow in capability.''' <ref>http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=74626</ref><br />
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March 2008 - '''''62% of Iraqis now say they want the US troops to stay in their country.. and a full 55% say their lives are going well. '''''<br />
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Marking the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, ABC's anchor Charles Gibson on World News Monday March 18, 2008 explained '''“we have polled inside Iraq and there is some good news.” Specifically, “today, 55 percent of Iraqi say their lives are going well. Last summer that number was 39 percent.” ''' From Iraq, Terry McCarthy reported, "As our poll takers spread across the country they found that '''for the first time in three years, people were more worried about economic and social problems than violence. And almost half think their country will be better off in a year -- double the number six months ago. In Dora, in southern Baghdad, we found these kids playing on the street. A year ago, they would haven't dared to come outside....''' McCarthy also noted in a telling reality check, '''only 38 percent want U.S. troops to leave now, afraid that the gains in security might be reversed.”''' This obviously means that 62 percent of the Iraqis polled want US troops to stay in their country until they are certain the gains in security and stability will not be reversed. “Even Fallujah has turned around,” McCarthy learned, “as '''the local population has largely abandoned the insurgency''' and now they're focusing on rebuilding the city from the ruins of war,” though tough tasks remain with most complaining about electrical shortages and poor health care services.<ref>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brent-baker/2008/03/18/abc-finds-optimistic-iraqis-kids-playing-safely-street</ref><br />
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CNN Headline News anchor '''Glenn Beck stated "[If the United States were to withdraw, it] would be America’s most shameful act of immorality since slavery".''' He added that Democrat Congressional war opponents are "just plain stupid" and "can't see the future." '''Beck stated that if U.S. forces pull out, a "genocide" will take place that will make Darfur "look like a picnic."''' For support he turned to '''Van Hipp, Chairman and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army who said, "Unfortunately, Glenn, I believe you`re right. And I tell you, if we surrender now, I believe you will see a humanitarian catastrophe much like or even worse than the situation in Darfur right now, the death count -- and the estimate right now beginning in a few months, they could be looking at 100,000 deaths a month'''." <ref>http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0704/24/gb.01.html</ref><br />
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John McCain, on Feb 15, 2008 delineated his position for the continuance of the war effort stated in this article, "Republican frontrunner John McCain drew sharp distinctions with his Democratic White House rivals over Iraq, saying an untimely US withdrawal would bring about "genocide." '''"Both Senator Obama and Clinton want to set a date for withdrawal. That means chaos. That means genocide,"''' the Arizona senator told CNN's Larry King late Thursday. '''"That means undoing all the success we've achieved, and Al-Qaeda tells the world they defeated the United States of America'''. I won't let that happen, as president of the United States."<ref>https://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/McCain:_Early_Pullout_Fro/2008/02/15/72973.html<br />
</ref><br />
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===Al-Qaeda's Use Of Torture===<br />
Key to any insurgency is its ability to have the support of the people, or at least their assent. If the people turn against the insurgency as they now have in Iraq, the insurgents have no basis of operations to hide in and the insurgency crumbles. This is why the insurgents have fled to northern Iraq, as stated above. However, working toward forcing cooperation by the populace, the terrorists in Iraq have used incredible amounts of intimidation - kidnap, torture, threats and murder - to prevent the local Iraqi populace from cooperating with those who will bring them a free and democratic Iraq (the US/Coalition forces and the Democratically aligned Iraqi government forces). From the ordinary Iraqi's point of view, cooperating with those who will bring them freedom can have a high cost. If found out, the media will splash their name all over the papers, making it easy for the terrorists to target them for reprisals. Family members can go missing or they can. They could be tortured or killed. <br />
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The great tragedy in the Mainstream Media ([[MSM]]) covering up the inhumane torture methods of the terrorists while trumpeting outrage at the far milder US intimidation techniques (Abu Gharib, etc.), is that it hides from public view what risks the Iraqi population must take to cooperate with those who would bring them their freedom. In the article, "Media Totally Ignore Al Qaeda Torture Manual" it says, "Glenn Reynolds this morning pointed out that “Silence is complicity,” while leading the reader to Don Surber's piece on the subject which went much further in condemning the media boycott (emphasis added): And yet such false stories as the “flushed Koran” got widespread play in the newspapers and on television. We are hearing those awful “Sounds of Silence” that Simon and Garfunkel warned us about. Whether intentional or not, the message is clear: The United States must be above even false reports of torture, while the enemy is allowed to promote eye removal, blowtorching skin and horrors I won't go into. The handbook shows that the enemy really is perverted; they are sickos who like to torture people. As much as I admire and respect John McCain's war service, he is wrong when he says our interrogation methods encourage the enemy to torture our people. The enemy was torturing and beheading people well before 9/11."<ref>http://newsbusters.org/node/13002</ref><br />
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Apart from brief mentions on Fox News and CNN, reports on this issue in the days prior or subsequent have been few. As a result, the populace of the US sees daily news coverage of just how ruthless the insurgents are in their attacks upon the populace in the way of guns and bombs, but are not given substantive evidence of the intimidation (torture) which the Iraqi people face. And it is this torture and intimidation which was the direct cause of slowing US progress, hampering the swift end of the insurgency in Iraq. Thinking that the people of Iraq support the insurgency and are not merely being intimidated by them, the US populace has been impatient for instant progress and their support for the Iraqi people obtaining their freedom from such a ruthless enemy waned. As a result—before the success of the surge, the drop in violence and the standing up of the Iraqis against this intimidation - US support for the war dropped significantly and many discouraged American people turned to supporting the anti-American sentiments of the [[far left]] saying America should pull the troops from Iraq.<br />
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===Results of the Surge on casualties and terrorist attacks===<br />
The surge has resulted in a 60% reduction in terrorist attacks and causalities since June 2007 to the present.<ref>http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48515</ref> Indeed, the year 2008 saw a decline in soldier deaths to 309 from 906 the year before.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/30/iraq.main/index.html</ref><br />
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Many insurgents returned to [[Libya]], [[Syria]], and other places of origin to continue jihad against [[Muammar Gaddafi]], [[Bashar al Assad]] and other [[secular]] rulers.<br />
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==Iraq Strategy in Relation to the Global War on Terrorism==<br />
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As reported in the State Department's annual Country Reports on Terrorism <ref>http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/crt/2006/</ref> released April 30, 2007, there are '''steep declines in terrorist attacks and murders in many regions of the globe'''. Though terrorism has increased markedly in Iraq, aside from the Middle East (which does not include Afghanistan according to State), the number of terrorist attacks worldwide is down from a year ago by over 300 incidents. In other words, the Bush administration's idea that making Iraq the "central front in the war on terror" seems to be working. According to the State report, '''terrorism in South Asia is down by 10 percent from a year ago. In Europe, it's down 18 percent. In Central and South America, terrorism-related deaths are down 54 percent.''' <ref>http://newsbusters.org/node/12431</ref><br />
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==Weapons of Mass Destruction==<br />
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Weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, just not the amount considered enough used to justify -one- of the reasons for removing Saddam.<ref>[https://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/10/wikileaks-show-wmd-hunt-continued-in-iraq-with-surprising-results/ WikiLeaks Show WMD Hunt Continued in Iraq – With Surprising Results, Wired, October 23, 2010]</ref> Over one-third of 36 million captured Ba'ath party records have been examined by a linguist and a summary gist of the document prepared.<ref>[http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/duelfer.html Comprehensive Report of the Special Adviser to the DCI on Iraq’s WMD], retrieved March 21, 2007</ref> Many believe the physical WMDs that had been produced prior to the invasion were smuggled out of the country, possibly to [[Syria]], before the onset of the war. But recently in July 2008,<ref>[http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=5314609 The USA Military found 550 metric tons of yellow cake uranium in Iraq]</ref> The USA Military found 550 metric tons of yellow cake uranium and parts to make nuclear weapons in Tuwaitha 12 miles south of Baghdad, as proof that George W. Bush, Tony Blair, and the CIA were right about Saddam owning yellow cake uranium. An article 07/08/2008 states, "In recent weeks, the U.S. secretly has helped the Iraqi government ship it all to Canada, where it was bought by a Canadian company for further processing into nuclear fuel — thus keeping it from potential use by terrorists or unsavory regimes in the region. '''The scary math behind Saddam's uranium hoard: 500 tons of yellowcake, once refined, could make 142 nuclear weapons.''' This would seem to vindicate Bush's decision to invade. According to the AP, the military also discovered 'four devices for controlled radiation exposure ... that could potentially be used in a weapon.'"<ref>http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=462856&Ntt=yellowcake+found+in+iraq</ref><br />
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Saddam's General says they had WMD - As FrontPageMagazine.com reported in its article "Symposium: Iraq, WMDs and Troubling Revelations" on May 29, 2006 - "Just recently, Saddam Hussein's former southern regional commander, Gen. Al-Tikriti, gave the first videotaped testimony '''confirming that Iraq had WMDs up to the American invasion in 2003 and that Russia helped remove them prior to the war.''' His testimony ''confirms numerous other sources'' that have pointed to Russia's secret alliance with Iraq and the coordinated moving of WMDs before the American liberation." <ref>http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=4255</ref> However, there is no way to obtain hard physical evidence to back up their assertions due to the fact that Syria will not allow such intrusive inspection and searching in their country. Intelligence sources do, however, say that General Al-Tikriti is a credible witness as is the pilot who also testified that he flew such missions.<br />
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According to the Duelfer Report, Saddam used the Iraq Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MHESR) through its universities and research programs to maintain, develop, and acquire expertise, to advance or preserve existent research projects and developments, and to procure goods prohibited by United Nations Security Council sanctions.<ref>Duelfer Report, Vol. 1, Regime Finance and Procurement, p. 10 (pdf)</ref><br />
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In keeping with that finding, on March 10, 2010 the Washington Post revealed the existence of documents showing that Saddam had been approached with the offer of a $150 million nuclear "package" deal that included not only weapons designs but also production plants and foreign experts to supervise the building of a nuclear bomb, according to documents uncovered by a former U.N. weapons inspector. The offer, '''"guaranteed Iraq a weapons-assembly line capable of producing nuclear warheads in as little as three years."''' At the time of the 1990 offer, '''Iraq was embarked in a crash program to develop nuclear weapons''' and "Iraqi officials at the time appear to have taken the offer seriously and asked the Pakistanis for sample drawings as proof of their ability to deliver." The article goes on to state that '''"Aid from the Pakistani scientist could have accelerated Iraq's quest for a weapon if the Iraqi leader had not run out of time''', writes Albright, a former U.N. inspector who now heads the nonprofit Institute for Science and International Security."<br />
<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/09/AR2010030903775.html?wprss=rss_world&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wp-dyn%2Frss%2Fworld%2Findex_xml+%28washingtonpost.com+-+World%29</ref><br />
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Additionally, concerning the 36 million captured pages of documentation, when it was put on the net for public translation, it was removed after they found quote, "detailed accounts of Iraq’s secret nuclear research before the 1991 Persian Gulf war. The documents, the experts say, constitute a basic guide to building an atom bomb." As '''''The New York Times''''' confirmed in their issue November 3, 2006, Saddam had complete plans for a nuclear weapon and was in the process of procuring parts when the US removed him. Quote: "nuclear experts who have viewed them say go beyond what is available elsewhere on the Internet and in other public forums. For instance, the papers give detailed information on how to build nuclear firing circuits and triggering explosives, as well as the radioactive cores of atom bombs. '''Experts say that at the time, Mr. Hussein’s scientists were on the verge of building an atom bomb, as little as a year away."''' <ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/03/world/middleeast/03documents.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ei=5094&en=1511d6b3da302d4f&hp&ex=1162530000&partner=homepage</ref><br />
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Additionally, tapes with Saddam speaking on them also surfaced and certain sinister remarks Saddam made on the tapes were translated which showed that he threatened to use WMD on Washington, DC. In the article, "'''Saddam Translator: ABC Reinterpreted Tapes'''" dated Feb. 17th 2006, the FBI translator who supplied the 12 hours of Saddam Hussein audiotapes excerpted by ABC's "Nightline" says the network discarded his translations and went with a less threatening version of the Iraqi dictator's comments. In the "Nightline" version of the 1996 recording, Saddam predicts that Washington, D.C., would be hit by terrorists. But he adds that Iraq would have nothing to do with the attack. Tierney says, however, that what Saddam actually said was much more sinister. '''"He was discussing his intent to use chemical weapons against the United States and use proxies so it could not be traced back to Iraq,'''" he told Hannity. In a passage not used by "Nightline," Tierney says Saddam declares: "Terrorism is coming. ... In the future there will be terrorism with weapons of mass destruction. What if we consider this technique, with smuggling?" <ref>https://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/2/17/125334.shtml</ref><br />
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Concerning additional tapes uncovered where Saddam is being briefed by his Son-in-law, Lieutenant General Hussein, ABC News reports his words to Saddam Hussein: "Sir, I would not be speaking so openly if it were not for your excellency's and Mr. Tariq's clarification and statement that we produced biological weapons. '''We did not reveal all that we have. Secondly, they don't know about our work in the domain of missiles.''' With regard to the issue of the chemical, sir, ... '''In the chemical, sir, they have a problem far bigger than the biological''', bigger than the biological. Not the type of the weapons, not the volume of the materials we imported, not the volume of the production we told them about, not the volume of use. None of this was correct. '''They don't know any of this'''. We did not reveal the volume of the chemical weapons that we had produced. We did not reveal the type of the chemical weapons. We did not reveal the truth about the volume of the imported materials. In the nuclear, sir, in the biological, we also disagree with them. '''As for the nuclear, we say we have disclosed everything but no.''' We have undeclared problems in nuclear as well, and I believe that they know. '''There are teams working with no one knowing about some of them.''' I go back to the question of whether we should reveal everything or continue to be silent... I would say it is in our interest not to reveal. Not just out of fear of disclosing the technology we achieved, or ''to hide it for future work''...<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Investigation/story?id=1623307&page=1</ref><br />
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Another of the documents show that Saddam ordered suicide attacks on the US, which then, within a year, could have become nuclear. In the article "'''Saddam Ordered Suicide Attacks on U.S. Targets'''" dated April 6th 2006, it states, "A newly translated document from Saddam Hussein's intelligence files indicates that '''the Iraqi dictator ordered suicide attacks against U.S. targets six months before the 9/11 attacks.'''" <ref>https://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/4/6/230437.shtml?s=lh</ref><br />
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Also, there was another document discovered proving that Saddam was intending to attack London in this article "'''Saddam was training terrorists for attacks in London'''" dated March 27, 2006 - "Among the documents released last week was a translation of a three-page Iraqi Intelligence memo regarding a wave of attacks to be conducted by the Saddam Fedayeen.According to those orders, the Fedayeen Saddam was "to start planning from now on to perform special operations ('''assassinations/bombings) for''' the centers and the traitor symbols in the fields of ('''London'''/Iran/self-ruled areas) and for coordination with the Intelligence service to secure deliveries, accommodations, and target guidance."" <ref>https://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/024eyieu.asp</ref><br />
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The UK government Feb 18, 2008 released an early draft of its controversial dossier on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, after losing a bid to keep it secret. The government has always maintained Williams' paper was not relevant as the final dossier was the work of its intelligence agencies. The dossier, quote: "concentrates on allegations that former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's regime '''''had acquired uranium'', retained the ability to manufacture chemical and biological weapons and was developing long-range missiles.'''" Even the UK's opposition Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Edward Davey conceded that, "The core analysis of the threat allegedly posed by Iraq is the same in both documents." <ref>http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/080218/world/britain_iraq_war_dossier_politics_intelligence_1</ref> <br />
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These allegations are not in dispute, as the quoted detractors in the article make clear when it says of them, "Campaigners have been pushing for it to be made public, claiming it could show that the final dossier -- in which it was claimed Iraq could launch WMD within 45 minutes -- was the work of government "spin doctors"." <br />
<br />
Apart from whether Iraq could have launched WMD in that time frame, the core analysis shows ample reason and justification for beginning Operation Iraqi Freedom - including weapons grade uranium, the ability to launch long-range missiles at Western allies and the ability to manufacture at will chemical and biological weapons. Saddam was a WMD threat with malicious intent and although how close to launching such attacks he was remains in question, the fact he was one year from acquiring the bomb and was calling for attacks and agents to be in place (in the West) while developing missiles to deliver these weapons against allied Western targets, figured strongly in the case for war.<br />
<br />
CNSNews.com reported that an Oct. 4, 2004, report by Cybercast News Service included 42 pages of Iraqi Intelligence Service memos that revealed '''Saddam's purchase of mustard gas and anthrax as recently as the summer of 2000 and his extensive ties to al Qaeda.''' Then in June, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.) and U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) released declassified portions of an intelligence report that they said '''confirmed Saddam's possession of weapons of mass destruction''', including mustard gas. The report indicated that '''500 such weapons had been destroyed by the U.S.-led coalition since 2003''' and that the U.S. and its allies were racing against terrorist groups in trying to control the remaining weapons in Iraq. "It is essential for the American people to understand that these weapons are in Iraq," Santorum said during the news conference.<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200607/NAT20060725a.html</ref><br />
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'''How many WMD means Saddam had some?''' - Fox News reported on May 17, 2004 that a roadside bomb containing '''sarin nerve agent''' was confirmed to have exploded near a U.S. military convoy, but the incident was downplayed along with the note that mustard gas had also been found. Quote, '''"The Iraqi Survey Group confirmed today that a 155-millimeter artillery round containing sarin nerve agent had been found'''," Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, the chief military spokesman in Iraq, told reporters in Baghdad. "The round had been rigged as an IED (improvised explosive device) which was discovered by a U.S. force convoy." Bush administration officials told Fox News that '''mustard gas was also recently discovered'''.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,120137,00.html</ref> <br />
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Concluding that "the mustard gas was "stored improperly," which made the gas "ineffective,"" these deadly agents were ignored and the view that WMD do not exist remains remains perpetuated. The same Fox News article notes, "They believe the mustard gas shell may have been one of 550 projectiles for which former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein failed to account when he made his weapons declaration shortly before Operation Iraqi Freedom began last year. Iraq also failed to then account for 450 aerial bombs with mustard gas. That, combined with the shells, totaled about 80 tons of unaccounted for mustard gas. It also appears some top Pentagon officials were surprised by the sarin news; they thought the matter was classified, administration officials told Fox News." <br />
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ABC News reported on 7/1/2004 this article, "'''Polish troops find sarin warheads in Iraq'''" which stated, "Polish troops have found two warheads in Iraq believed to contain a deadly nerve agent. The two warheads were found in early June in a bunker in the area controlled by Polish forces, and they '''tested positive for cyclosarin''', a substance many times stronger than sarin, the ministry said in a statement. Another dozen were found later in June.<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-07-01-poland-iraq-sarin_x.htm</ref> This finding was updated 2 days later as testing found that '''all sixteen rockets had initially showed traces of sarin''', but were now "all empty and tested negative for any type of chemicals." <ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24403-2004Jul2.html</ref> The article went on to state, "In January 2003, U.N. inspectors discovered a dozen old 122-millimeter '''rockets that chief inspector Hans Blix described at the time as "designed to carry chemical weapons."''' Iraq later turned up several more, and all were destroyed. Blix later said he was not sure whether Iraq mentioned them in the 12,000-page weapons declaration it submitted in December 2002. <br />
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As for anthrax, on Jan 1st 2004, aim.org covered an article saying of Saddam's anthrax production capability, quote, "Investigative journalist Richard Miniter says there is evidence to indicate Saddam’s anthrax program was capable of producing the kind of anthrax that hit America shortly after 9/11. Miniter (said) that during November he interviewed '''U.S. weapons inspector Dr. David Kay''' in Baghdad and that he was "absolutely shocked and astonished" at the sophistication of the Iraqi program. Miniter said that Kay '''told him that, "the Iraqis had developed new techniques for drying and milling anthrax—techniques that were superior to anything the United States or the old Soviet Union had.''' That would make the former regime of Saddam Hussein the most sophisticated manufacturer of anthrax in the world."" <ref>http://www.aim.org/publications/media_monitor/2004/01/01.html</ref><br />
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Democrats say Bush lied about the weapons of mass destruction. However, the Butler report and a British Intelligence Agency back up the claim that Saddam was trying to get uranium from Niger as early as 2002. To some criticism, there were some forged documents but these weren't the ones Bush was referring to.<ref>https://www.factcheck.org/article222.html</ref><br />
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Saddam has used chemical weapons before so why would he change it now? <ref>http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB80/</ref><br />
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<br />
===Saddam's Links to Al Qaeda===<br />
<br />
BEFORE the United States went to war to depose the threat of Saddam to its Homeland, in March 2002 and February 2003, CIA Director George Tenet Testified that Iraq had clear ties to Al Qaeda. Coupled with the above statement by the NY Times article that they were only one year from a nuclear bomb and the sinister statements by the translator Tierney, along with the article about Saddam ordering preparation for suicide attacks on US targets before 911, the case for invading Iraq to secure the US from further destruction was both logical and justified.<br />
<br />
'''In February 2003''', CIA Director George Tenet Testified That Iraq Had Links To Al Qaeda. TENET: "Iraq is harboring senior members of a terrorist network led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a close associate of al Qaeda. ... Iraq has in the past provided training in document forgery and bomb-making to al Qaeda. It has also provided training in poisons and gases to two al Qaeda associates. One of these associates characterized the relationship he forged with Iraqi officials as successful. ... I know that part of this - and part of this Zarqawi network in Baghdad are two dozen [[Egyptian Islamic Jihad|Egyptian Islamic jihad]] which is indistinguishable from al Qaeda - operatives who are aiding the Zarqawi network, and two senior planners who have been in Baghdad since last May. <br />
<br />
Now, whether there is a base or whether there is not a base, they are operating freely, supporting the Zarqawi network that is supporting the poisons network in Europe and around the world. So these people have been operating there. And, as you know - I don't want to recount everything that Secretary Powell said, but as you know a foreign service went to the Iraqis twice to talk to them about Zarqawi and were rebuffed. So '''there is a presence in Baghdad that is beyond Zarqawi.'''" (George Tenet, Select Committee On Intelligence, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 2/11/03) <br />
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Tenet Testified That Iraq Was Providing Safe Haven To Al Qaeda. SEN. CARL LEVIN (D-MI): "Would you say, Mr. Tenet, that the Zarqawi terrorist network is under the control or sponsorship of the Iraqi government?" TENET: "I don't know that, sir, but '''I know that there's a safe haven that's been provided to this network in Baghdad'''." LEVIN: "So you're not - well, you're saying that you don't know if they're under the support - that they are under the control or direction?" TENET: "Yes, sir. We have said - '''what we've said is Zarqawi and this large number of operatives are in Baghdad'''. They say the environment is good. '''And it is inconceivable to us that the Iraqi intelligence service doesn't know that they live there or what they're doing.'''" (George Tenet, Select Committee On Intelligence, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 2/11/03) <br />
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'''In March 2002''', Tenet Testified On Iraq's Links To Al Qaeda. TENET: "We continue to watch Iraq's involvement in terrorists' activities. '''Baghdad has a long history of supporting terrorism, altering its targets to reflect changing priorities and goals. It is also had contacts with Al Qaeda'''." (George Tenet, Committee On Armed Services, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 3/19/02)<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/09/20060915-4.html</ref><br />
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As mentioned above, CNSNews.com reported that an Oct. 4, 2004, report by Cybercast News Service included 42 pages of Iraqi Intelligence Service memos that revealed '''Saddam's purchase of mustard gas and anthrax as recently as the summer of 2000 and his extensive ties to al Qaeda.''' <ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200607/NAT20060725a.html</ref><br />
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In the article '''The proof that Saddam worked with bin Laden''' dated 27/04/2003 The Telegraph claimed to have found Iraqi intelligence documents in Baghdad which "provided evidence of a direct link between Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'eda terrorist network and Saddam Hussein's regime." It went on to state, "Papers found yesterday in the bombed headquarters of the Mukhabarat, Iraq's intelligence service, reveal that '''an al-Qa'eda envoy was invited clandestinely to Baghdad in March 1998. The documents show that the purpose of the meeting was to establish a relationship between Baghdad and al-Qa'eda based on their mutual hatred of America and Saudi Arabia'''. The meeting apparently went so well that it was extended by a week and ended with arrangements being discussed for bin Laden to visit Baghdad. Intriguingly, the Iraqis talk about sending back an oral message to bin Laden, perhaps aware of the risk of a written message being intercepted." The article ends, "The file contradicts the that there was no link between the Iraqi regime and al-Qa'eda." <ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/04/27/walq27.xml</ref> Additional citations of the documentation are given by The Telegraph in their article titled, "'We'll pay all expenses to gain the knowledge from bin Laden and convey a message back" which is a quote from the documentation itself.<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=3NQI3V5KB2T53QFIQMFCFGGAVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2003/04/27/walq127.xml</ref> The intelligence documents are again cited by a Canadian eyewitness source in "Saddam, bin Laden link found: Canadian reporter" <ref><br />
http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2003/04/26/saddam_osama030426.html</ref><br />
<br />
It is noteworthy that under '''President Clinton''', reported in February 1999, the article (still available to view on the net) titled, '''"Saddam link to Bin Laden" - Terror chief 'offered asylum' in Iraq?''' The article states, "Saddam Hussein's regime has opened talks with Osama bin Laden, bringing closer the threat of a terrorist attack using chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, according to US intelligence sources and Iraqi opposition officials. The key meeting took place in the Afghan mountains near Kandahar in late December. News of the negotiations emerged in a week when the US attorney general, '''Janet Reno, warned the Senate that a terrorist attack involving weapons of mass destruction was a growing concern. "There's a threat, and it's real," Ms Reno said, adding that such weapons "are being considered for use."''' US embassies around the world are on heightened alert as a result of threats believed to emanate from followers of Bin Laden, who has been indicted by a US court for orchestrating the bombing last August of embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, in which 259 people died. US delegations in Africa and the Gulf have been shut down in recent weeks after credible threats were received. In this year's budget, '''President Clinton called for an additional $2 billion to spend on counter-terrorist measures...''' Ahmed Allawi, a senior member of the opposition Iraqi National Congress (INC), based in London, said he had heard reports of the December meeting which he believed to be accurate. '''"There is a long history of contacts between Mukhabarat [Iraqi secret service] and Osama bin Laden," he said. Mr Hijazi, formerly director of external operations for Iraqi intelligence offered Mr bin Laden asylum in Iraq, most likely in return for co-operation in launching attacks on US and Saudi targets.'''" <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,314700,00.html</ref><br />
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Bin Laden was a threat to the United States at the time Saddam was in power and his efforts have been ongoing in terrorism since Saddam's regime was toppled. His plots have included targeting the United States as disclosed May 22, 2007 in the article "'''White House says bin Laden ordered Iraq plots'''" where it cites newly declassified intelligence which states, "Osama bin Laden ordered al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, to form a cell in 2005 to plot attacks outside of Iraq and '''make the United States his main target'''. Townsend said that in the spring of 2005 bin Laden also told Hamza Rabia, then al Qaeda's top operations man, to brief Zarqawi on the group's '''"external operations planning, including homeland plots (targeting the United States)'''." <ref>http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/05/23/white_house_says_bin_laden_ordered_iraq_plots/</ref><br />
<br />
SEE: '''The Saddam Connection To Osama by ABC News:''' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWFWCg1BdRg<br />
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Fox News reported March 23, 2008 that "Saddam Hussein’s Son Plotted London Assassination Attack", stating that "'''Saddam Hussein's son Uday planned to carry out an attack in London, England to assassinate''' the leader of an Iraqi opposition group in April 2000." Based on seized documents, Uday Hussein's elite paramilitary group — the Fedayeen — were given orders "'''to carry out ''assassinations and bombings'' in London''', the Times reported." <br />
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Further, "While the study showed no link between Saddam Hussein's regime and Al Qaeda, '''it does detail the former Iraq dictator's support for Middle Eastern terror groups, including those linked to Al Qaeda.''' Also in the report are memos showing Uday ordered officials to “'''start planning special ''operations''''' in the centres of the traitors’ symbols in the fields of '''London''' / Iran / self-ruled areas [Kurdish northern Iraq]”, it was reported." <ref>https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,340745,00.html</ref><br />
The Ba'athist party was a terror organization. Seeking additional support for terror in the region, Saddam was paying Palestine families $25,000 in U.S. dollars, if their sons blew themselves up in Israel<ref>http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/03/25/1017004766310.html , Sydney Morning Herald Saddam stokes war with suicide bomber cash, March 26, 2002</ref><br />
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This June 29, 2010 article shows proof that '''"both Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda supported Ansar al Islam, a Jihadist Kurdish outfit that has tried to kill the current Kurdish prime minister, Barham Salih. In 2008, the Institute for Defense Analyses released a more thorough report on Iraq's involvement in terrorism between the two gulf wars that was based on more than 600,000 captured Iraqi documents."'''<br />
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The report uncovers many different '''points of connection between Saddam and al Qaeda''', including evidence that the IIS funded Ayman Zawahiri in the early 1990s when he was the head of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. The IIS also sought out suicide bombers to attack the Saudi royal family, and Iraq also sought to send assistance to jihadists fighting U.S. peacekeepers in Somalia in the early 1990s as well. This says nothing of Saddam's support for Hamas and other Palestinians suicide bombers in the second intifada.<br />
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'''The report also undercuts the claim that Saddam Hussein, being a secular Ba'athist, was incapable of cooperating with radical Islamists who viewed the Iraqi dictator as an apostate ruler. Instead, the report said that Iraq's relationship to radical Islamic terrorist groups was more like the relationship between rival Colombian cocaine cartels, in that it was possible for wary cooperation on mutual short-term goals, and then violent competition later.'''<br />
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In addition to the IDA report, which I think is more definitive because it is an analysis of documents captured during the war and not simply derived from interviews with captured senior leaders, there are other good reasons to think''' Iraq and al Qaeda had more of a relationship than widely believed by the net left'''. Carl Ford, the head of the State Department's Intelligence and Research bureau before the war wrote in a memo in 2003, "We have some evidence that Iraqi Intelligence has been in contact with elements in the northeastern area. And '''the al-Qaeda operatives there are in regular contact with other operatives located in Baghdad. The Iraqi government has also received information from other sources alerting it to the presence of al-Qaeda operatives in Baghdad.'''" Carl Ford in an interview with PBS Frontline has stood by his contention that '''''al Qaeda operatives were flooding into Iraq before the war.'''''<br />
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<ref>https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/06/on-that-dastardly-saddam-al-qaeda-connection/58901/</ref><br />
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===Summary update on WMD and Iraq/terrorist/Al Qaeda connections NOT being falsified===<br />
<br />
The Los Angeles Times article, '''"Bush never lied to us about Iraq - ''The administration simply got bad intelligence. Critics are wrong to assert deception.''"''' By [[James Kirchick]], June 16, 2008, a great deal of summary about these two previous sections on WMD and links to the Al Qaeda are given. The article states that, "Nearly every prominent Democrat in the country has repeated some version of the charge.. that the Bush administration deceived the American people. Yet in spite of all the accusations of White House "manipulation"—that it pressured intelligence analysts into connecting Hussein and Al Qaeda and concocted evidence about weapons of mass destruction—administration critics continually demonstrate an inability to distinguish making claims based on flawed intelligence from knowingly propagating falsehoods." <ref>https://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-kirchick16-2008jun16,0,4808346.story</ref><br />
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In 2004, '''the Senate Intelligence Committee''' unanimously approved a report acknowledging that it '''''"did not find any evidence that administration officials attempted to coerce, influence or pressure analysts to change their judgments."''''' The following year, the bipartisan Robb-Silberman report similarly found '''''"no indication that the intelligence community distorted the evidence regarding Iraq's weapons of mass destruction."'' ''' <br />
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Even concerning '''the Senate Intelligence Committee report issued June 5, 2008''', quote, "what did this report actually find? That '''Iraq-Al Qaeda links were ''"substantiated by intelligence information."'' The same goes for claims about Hussein's possession of biological and chemical weapons, as well as his alleged operation of a nuclear weapons program'''."<br />
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The article contends that if Democrats wish to contend they were "misled" into war, they should vent their spleen at the CIA. It then asserts, "'''This may sound like ancient history, but it matters.''' After Sept. 11, President Bush did not want to risk allowing Hussein, who had twice invaded neighboring nations, murdered more than 1 million Iraqis and stood in violation of 16 U.N. Security Council resolutions, to remain in possession of what he believed were stocks of chemical and biological warheads and a nuclear weapons program. By glossing over this history, the Democrats' lies-led-to-war narrative provides false comfort in a world of significant dangers." <ref>https://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-kirchick16-2008jun16,0,4808346.story</ref><br />
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'''Washington Post Editorial Page Editor Fred Hiatt''' also brought out what Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee found in their June 5, 2008 report, saying, quote:<br />
<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/08/AR2008060801687.html</ref> <br />
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There's no question that the administration, and particularly Vice President Cheney, spoke with too much certainty at times and failed to anticipate or prepare the American people for the enormous undertaking in Iraq. <br />
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But dive into [Sen. Jay] Rockefeller's report, in search of where exactly President Bush lied about what his intelligence agencies were telling him about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, and you may be surprised by what you find. <br />
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'''On Iraq's nuclear weapons program?''' ''The president's statements "were generally substantiated by intelligence community estimates." ''<br />
<br />
'''On biological weapons, production capability and those infamous mobile laboratories?''' ''The president's statements "were substantiated by intelligence information."'' <br />
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'''On chemical weapons, then?''' ''"Substantiated by intelligence information."'' <br />
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'''On weapons of mass destruction overall (a separate section of the intelligence committee report)?''' ''"Generally substantiated by intelligence information."'' <br />
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'''Delivery vehicles such as ballistic missiles?''' ''"Generally substantiated by available intelligence."'' <br />
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'''Unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to deliver WMDs?''' ''"Generally substantiated by intelligence information." ''<br />
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As you read through the report, you begin to think maybe you've mistakenly picked up the minority dissent. But, no, this is the Rockefeller indictment. So, you think, the smoking gun must appear in the section on Bush's claims about Saddam Hussein's alleged ties to terrorism. <br />
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But statements regarding '''Iraq's support for terrorist groups other than al-Qaeda''' ''"were substantiated by intelligence information."'' <br />
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'''Statements that Iraq provided safe haven for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and other terrorists with ties to al-Qaeda''' ''"were substantiated by the intelligence assessments,"'' '''and statements regarding Iraq's contacts with al-Qaeda''' ''"were substantiated by intelligence information."'' <br />
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The report is left to complain about "implications" and statements that "left the impression" that those contacts led to substantive Iraqi cooperation. <br />
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Hiatt then noted what the Republican part of the report said, '''''"the reports essentially validate what we have been saying all along: that policymakers' statements were substantiated by the intelligence." '''''<br />
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<ref>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2008/06/09/bush-lied-argument-doesnt-match-facts-democrats-say</ref><br />
<br />
==The Duelfer Report==<br />
<br />
In 2004, the [[Iraq Survey Group]], ISG, whose intelligence analysts are managed by Charles Duelfer, a former State Department official and deputy chief of the U.N.-led arms-inspection teams, released what has been called the [[Duelfer Report]].<ref>https://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd_2004/index.html</ref> The ISG found "hundreds of cases of activities that were prohibited" under U.N. Security Council resolutions, a senior administration official was quoted as saying.<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=38213</ref> '''Both Duelfer and his predecessor, David Kay, reported to Congress that the evidence they had found on the ground in Iraq showed Saddam's regime was in "material violation" of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441,''' the last of 17 resolutions that promised "serious consequences" if Iraq did not make a complete disclosure of its weapons programs and dismantle them in a verifiable manner. The United States cited Iraq's refusal to comply with these demands as one justification for going to war. <br />
<br />
When former weapons inspector Kay reported to Congress in January that the United States had found "no stockpiles" of forbidden weapons in Iraq, his conclusions made front-page news, as did Duelfer's similarly worded conclusion in his report. But when Kay detailed what the ISG had found in testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, few took notice. <br />
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Both Duelfer and Kay found Iraq had "a clandestine network of laboratories and safe houses with equipment that was suitable to continuing its prohibited chemical- and biological-weapons [BW] programs," the official said. "They found a prison laboratory where we suspect they tested biological weapons on human subjects." '''"Reference strains" of a wide variety of biological-weapons agents were found beneath the sink in the home of a prominent Iraqi BW scientist'''. "We thought it was a big deal," a senior administration official said. "But it has been written off [by the press] as a sort of 'starter set.'" They found equipment for "uranium-enrichment centrifuges" whose only plausible use was as part of a clandestine nuclear-weapons program. In all these cases, "Iraqi scientists had been told before the war not to declare their activities to the U.N. inspectors," the official said. <br />
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In testimony before Congress on March 30, '''Duelfer revealed the ISG had found evidence of a "crash program" to construct new plants capable of making chemical- and biological-warfare agents'''. The ISG also found a previously undeclared program to build a "high-speed rail gun," a device apparently designed for testing nuclear-weapons materials. That came in addition to 500 tons of natural uranium stockpiled at Iraq's main declared nuclear site south of Baghdad.<br />
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How did this happen? According to the Duelfer Report, half of the picture rests with entities outside Iraq. Saddam was trying to end the UN sanctions to pursue his conventional, dual-use, and WMD-related programs. In Saddam's efforts to influence United Nations Security Council members - namely Russia, France, and China - to end sanctions, Saddam's ordered the Iraq Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to formulate and implement a strategy aimed at these Security Council members and international public opinion with the purpose of ending UN sanctions by diplomatic and economic means. Saddam also made use of “Protocols” or government-to-government economic trade agreements to generate a large amount of revenue outside the purview of the UN. His success emboldened Saddam to pursue his reconstitution efforts of conventional, dual-use, and WMD-related programs starting in 1997.<ref>Duelfer Report, Vol. 1, Regime Finance and Procurement, p. 9 (pdf)</ref> Quote: "'''By 2000-2001, Saddam had managed to mitigate many of the effects of sanctions and undermine their international support," the (Duelfer) report said.''' <ref>http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20041007-092535-2936r.htm</ref><br />
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The Regime's authorities devised front companies that had close relationships with foreign government officials who worked to procure illicit goods, services, and technologies for Iraq's WMD-related, conventional arms, and/or dual-use goods programs. Saddam used the ''Mukhabarat'', or Iraqi Intelligence Servise (IIS) to facilitate importation of UN sanctioned and dual-use goods through Syria, Jordan, Belarus, Turkey and others. Numerous foreign trade intermediaries disguised illicit items, hid the identity of the end user, and/or changed the final destination of the item to move it to the region. For a cut of the profits they smuggled prohibited items to entry points along the Iraqi border. Companies in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, UAE, and Yemen assisted Saddam with the acquisition of prohibited items through deceptive trade practices. In the case of Syria and Yemen, this included support from agencies or personnel within the government itself.<br />
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===Regime Intent===<br />
<br />
The Iraqi Survey Group in interrogations of Ba'athist officials from the leadership of the intelligence and security services, and Qusay's inner circle, undertook interviews of Ba'athists in custody. Some detainees’ statements were made to minimize their culpability leading to potential prosecution. Detainees were very concerned about their fate and were not willing to implicate themselves in sensitive matters of interest such as WMD, in light of looming prosecutions. Debriefers noted the tendency to place blame or knowledge with individuals who were not in a position to contradict the detainee's statements, such as deceased individuals or individuals who were not in custody or who had fled the country, or providing debriefers with previously known information. Some former high-ranking officials, such as ‘Ali Hasan Al Majid Al Tikriti (Chemical ‘Ali), never gave substantial information, despite speaking colorfully and at length. Some obstructed all attempts to elicit information on WMD and illicit activities of the former Regime. Others, however, were keen to help clarify every issue, sometimes to the point of self-incrimination.<br />
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'''The ISG's key findings stated that Saddam never abandoned his intentions to resume a chemical weapons effort when sanctions were lifted'''. Saddam and many Iraqis regarded chemical weapons as a proven weapon against an enemy's superior numerical strength, a weapon that had saved the nation at least once already—during the [[Iran-Iraq war]]— and contributed to deterring the Coalition in 1991 from advancing to Baghdad. After 1991, Saddam did express his intent to retain the intellectual capital, or the know-how that was developed during the Iraqi Nuclear Program. Saddam indicated that he would develop the weapons necessary to counter any Iranian threat. Starting around 1992, in a bid to retain the intellectual core of the former weapons program workers with know-how, Baghdad transferred many nuclear scientists to related jobs in the Military Industrial Commission (MIC). The work undertaken by these scientists at the MIC helped them maintain their weapons knowledge base. '''The Regime prevented scientists from the former nuclear weapons program from leaving either their jobs or Iraq'''. Moreover, in the late 1990s, personnel from both MIC and the IAEC received significant pay raises in a bid to retain them, and the Regime undertook new investments in university research in a bid to ensure that Iraq retained technical knowledge.<br />
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The way Iraq organized its chemical industry after the mid-1990s allowed it to conserve the knowledge-base needed to restart a CW program, conduct a modest amount of dual-use research, and partially recover from the decline of its production capability caused by the effects of the Gulf war and UN-sponsored destruction and sanctions. Iraq implemented a rigorous and formalized system of nationwide research and production of chemicals. The Regime employed a cadre of trained and experienced researchers, production managers, and weaponization experts from the former CW program. Iraq constructed a number of new plants starting in the mid-1990s that enhanced its chemical infrastructure. <br />
<br />
'''ISG judged, based on available chemicals, infrastructure, and scientist debriefings, that Iraq at OIF probably had a capability to produce large quantities of sulfur mustard within three to six months'''. A former nerve agent expert indicated that Iraq retained the capability to produce nerve agent in significant quantities within two years, given the import of required phosphorus precursors. However, we have no credible indications that Iraq acquired or attempted to acquire large quantities of these chemicals through its existing procurement networks for sanctioned items. In addition to new investment in its industry, Iraq was able to monitor the location and use of all existing dualuse process equipment. This provided Iraq the ability to rapidly reallocate key equipment for proscribed activities, if required by the Regime.<br />
<br />
Iraq's historical ability to implement simple solutions to weaponization challenges allowed Iraq to retain the capability to weaponize CW agent when the need arose. Iraq could indigenously produce a range of conventional munitions, throughout the 1990s, many of which had previously been adapted for filling with CW agent. <br />
<br />
Saddam's Leadership Defense Plan consisted of a tactical doctrine taught to all Iraqi officers and included the concept of a “red-line” or last line of defense. Uday — head of the Fedayeen Saddam — attempted to obtain chemical weapons for use during OIF. '''ISG uncovered information that the Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS) maintained throughout 1991 to 2003 a set of undeclared covert laboratories to research and test various chemicals and poisons''', primarily for intelligence operations. The existence, function, and purpose of the laboratories of which were never declared to the UN. The IIS program included the use of human subjects for testing purposes. <br />
<br />
The IIS provided the BW program with security and participated in biological research, probably for its own purposes, from the beginning of Iraq's BW effort in the early 1970s until the final days of Saddam Husayn's Regime. In 1991, Saddam Husayn regarded BW as an integral element of his arsenal of WMD weapons, and would have used it if the need arose. At a meeting of the Iraqi leadership immediately prior to the Gulf war in 1991, Saddam Husayn personally authorized the use of BW weapons against Israel, Saudi Arabia and US forces. Saddam envisaged all-out use. For example, all Israeli cities were to be struck and all the BW weapons at his disposal were to be used. Saddam specified that the “many years” agents, presumably anthrax spores, were to be employed against his foes. '''ISG judged that Iraq's actions between 1991 and 1996 demonstrate that the state intended to preserve its BW capability and return to a steady, methodical progress toward a mature BW program when and if the opportunity arose'''.<br />
<br />
===Misreporting the Duelfer Report===<br />
<br />
As ''The Washington Times'' reported in their editorial titled "'''Misreporting the Duelfer Report"''' <ref>http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20041007-092535-2936r.htm</ref> the day following its release, October 8, 2004, quote: ""Gotcha, Mr. President." This was the consensus of the headlines from nearly every daily newspaper yesterday responding to the CIA's Iraq Survey Group report on Iraq's prewar weapons programs. Yes, the report found no ''stockpiles'' of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq since the war began in March 2003. But '''were these the findings that the report highlighted in the first line of its Key Findings summary? No.''' "Saddam [Hussein] so dominated the Iraqi Regime that its strategic intent was his alone," the summary begins. "He wanted to end sanctions while preserving the capability to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction (WMD) when sanctions were lifted." This hardly sounds as if the Iraq Survey Group, headed by Charles A. Duelfer, thought Saddam was cooperating with the international community. <br />
<br />
The article goes on to explain that Saddam was attempting to get the sanctions lifted, targeting the three members of the Security Council - France, China and Russia - and then he intended to use the Oil for Food program "to acquire foreign exchange both to further undermine sanctions and to provide the means to enhance dual-use infrastructure and potential WMD-related development." Then notes, '''"While the United Nations turned a blind eye, Saddam cheated and committed mass murder in an effort to achieve his goals. To suggest that "containment" could have been sustained without dire results verges on the delusional.''' There is a very pertinent lesson in the Duelfer report; too bad no one told the headline writers."<br />
<br />
===Threat Level Concern===<br />
<br />
It is worth noting the following concerning a current controversy about the level of threat Saddam posed. If you consider the terrorists as various minority factions all working toward the same goal, as stated by Mr. Kraft on this page when he says, '''"there is ''a very dangerous minority in Islam'' that either has, or wants and may soon have, the ability to deliver small nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons almost anywhere in the world, unless ''they'' are prevented from doing so.'''" It doesn't matter which of these factions would have been used to specifically target the civilized world in a nuclear or biological/chemical attack. Although recently the extent of Saddam's ties to one specific group (the Al-Qaeda terrorists) has been questioned and a recent article stated that ''the Iraqi government and al-Qaeda figures had only limited contacts,'' the same article goes on to say concerning Al-Qaeda that '''"it lacked evidence of a long-term relationship ''like the ones Iraq had forged with other terrorist groups."''''' <ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/05/AR2007040502263.html</ref> Therefore, it is known that Saddam had forged long-term relationships with known terrorist GROUPS (plural) and so it was not that there was no threat from any terrorists groups, just that the threat would have come from those OTHER terrorists as the threat to the collective security of the civilized world if the US hadn't taken out Saddam. <br />
<br />
It also remains to be seen if the ties with Al-Qaeda would have remained "limited" if that group had stepped up and volunteered to take the completed nuclear weapons from Saddam (which he would have had within a year according to ''The New York Times'' - see the WMD section, this page) into Washington and detonate them using sophisticated and existing sleeper cell suicide bombers as Saddam was contemplating. It appears likely that Saddam would have listened and handed them his stocks of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons by his statements (see Mr. Tierney's translation on this page). From his past actions, Saddam was an equal opportunity employer for all the terrorist groups.. including those they admit in this report with whom he had ''"long-term relationships."'' As Mr. Kraft observes, it is many ''"barbarian'''s'''''" at our gates with sophisticated weapons of mass destruction for the first time, not only one group (Al-Qaeda.) It is global in scope, hence the reason for calling this a '''"Global War on Terror"''' not a "War on Terror in Iraq." As such, it is a fight for world supremacy, and the civilized world would do well not to ignore or minimize what the civilized world is fighting over.<br />
<br />
===Accusations of Cover-Ups===<br />
<br />
While both parties continue to squabble over the above documents and claims, quote, "Both Republicans and Democrats charged the other side was trying using the release of more information for its political purposes," <ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51952</ref> there were others who claimed there were cover-ups happening to stop further evidence becoming public. A NYsun article states, "'''A former special investigator for the Pentagon during the Iraq war said he found four sealed underground bunkers in southern Iraq that he is sure contain stocks of chemical and biological weapons.''' But when he asked American weapons inspectors to check out the sites, he was rebuffed. Between March and July 2003, Mr. Gaubatz was taken by (his) sources to four locations - three in and around Nasiriyah and one near the port of Umm Qasr, where he was shown underground concrete bunkers with the tunnels leading to them deliberately flooded. In each case, he was told the facilities contained stocks of biological and chemical weapons, along with missiles whose range exceeded that mandated under U.N. sanctions. But because the facilities were sealed off with concrete walls, in some cases up to 5 feet thick, he did not get inside. He filed reports with photographs, exact grid coordinates, and testimony from multiple sources. And then he waited for the Iraq Survey Group to come to the sites. "I have no doubts the sites were never exploited by ISG. We agents begged and begged for weeks and months to get ISG to respond to the sites with the proper equipment," Mr. Gaubatz said in a telephone interview. "An adequate search would have required heavy equipment to uncover the concrete, and additional equipment to drain the water." Mr. Gaubatz would not disclose the names of his Iraqi sources, but he said they were "highly credible" by his supervisors.<ref>https://www.nysun.com/article/27183?access=890075</ref><br />
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In the exhaustive search for WMDs in Iraq, CNN has left all stones unturned - or have they? These are the words right out of the mouth of CNN reporter Jane Arraf,<ref>http://www.cjr.org/iraq/chapt1.html</ref> quote: "And if you had a bureau there, like we did, and it was a known bureau and a known company like CNN was, it was a beacon for everybody. It was a beacon for Iraqis who believed they had stories. Iraqis would show up, there would be Iraqis lined up outside the door. '''There... would be the Iraqis who told you they had nuclear documents in their basement and would you like to come and look [laughter]. You know, there was almost that pang when you turned somebody away, [you were] thinking, “Damn, maybe this guy really does have nuclear weapons in his basement, but I don’t have time.” So you never really knew."'''<br />
<br />
==Costs==<br />
<br />
''(Needs more statistics)''<br />
Since the war is not yet over, the total cost has yet to be tallied. However, the [[Congressional Budget Office]] estimates that the war has, as of 3/12/2007, cost less than $400 Billion.<ref>[http://www.newstatesman.com/200703120024 Iraq: the hidden cost of the war]</ref> The National Priorities Project, though, indicates that the war costs some $195,000 '''per minute''', according to numbers based on Congressional appropriations, and the tally had reached $412.8 billion as of 3/30/2007.<ref>http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182</ref> A 2008 study estimated that the Iraq War cost the United States $12 billion a month.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080310/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_war_costs;_ylt=ApGg20eC4zcjyEaIxwc8CC6s0NUE Studies: Iraq costs US $12 billion per month]</ref> This makes the Iraq war the most expensive endeavor in U.S. history.<br />
<br />
==Death Toll Under Saddam Versus War==<br />
<br />
According to the current government of Iraq, it is estimated that well over one million Iraqis were murdered by or "disappeared" under the rule of Saddam's regime.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/09/23/allawi.transcript/</ref> By the time of the invasion, Saddam's regime was killing people at a rate of 15 to 20 thousand per year.<ref>https://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/889tngrz.asp?page=3&pg=2</ref> According to the US Army War College, the 1988 gassing of the Kurds was greatly exaggerated.<ref>http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/helms.html</ref><ref>https://www.jstor.org/stable/40276361?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents</ref> <br />
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Methods of torture employed by Saddam's regime included: amputation of tongues, crucifixion, eye-gouging, genital electric shock, gang rape, mutilation with electric drills and vats of acid, imprisonment in confined spaces in darkness for years at a time, and the amputation of limbs. However, the shredder turned out to be false.<ref>https://www.spectator.co.uk/2004/02/not-a-shred-of-evidence/</ref> <br />
<br />
Veteran BBC correspondent John Sweeney said during Saddam's rule: "I have been to Baghdad a number of times. Being in Iraq is like creeping around inside someone else’s migraine. The fear is so omnipresent you could almost eat it. No one talks."<br />
<br />
Saddam's deliberate manipulation of the sanctions regime cost the lives of tens if not hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, most of whom were women and children.<ref>http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1999/09/iraq99.htm</ref> Researcher Richard Garfield estimated "a minimum of 100,000 and a more likely estimate of 227,000 excess deaths among young children from August 1991 through March 1998" from all causes including sanctions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.casi.org.uk/info/garfield/dr-garfield.html |title=Morbidity and Mortality Among Iraqi Children |publisher=Casi.org.uk |date= |accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> It is a matter of public record that the sanctions specifically exempted food and medicine; that they applied only to weaponry; that Iraq had far more humanitarian supplies available to it under the Oil For Food program (first offered to Iraq in 1992) than it would have had over the same period based on the trends that existed ''before'' the Gulf War; and that excess deaths did not occur in the North of Iraq, where the US and UN administered the same program under the same sanctions regime, but only in those parts of Iraq were Saddam was charged with rationing the humanitarian supplies.<ref>http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1999/09/iraq99.htm</ref> The number of deaths Saddam caused by refusing to allow aid to reach his people for propaganda purposes is disputed, but his cynical nature can be observed by the fact that he wildly exaggerated the number of people he was killing in order to blame them all on the UN and US. Since the fall of Saddam, independent research from the CIA has found that roughly 5,000 children were dying every year from Saddam's manipulation of the sanctions, in addition to the 3 or 4 times that number he was killing annually by other means.<ref>http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/archives/224705.php</ref> Therefore, by 2013, Saddam would have killed (roughly) between 200,000 and 250,000 Iraqis had he remained in power.<br />
<br />
It has long been suspected that Saddam, based on his annual rate of killing, must have killed (conservatively) at least half a million people in executions.<ref>https://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/003/889tngrz.asp?page=3&pg=2</ref> Since his fall, the Documental Center For Human Rights in Iraq and other human rights organizations have been able to document more than 600,000 political murders perpetrated by the former regime based on its own records.<ref>http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/17/1047749719178.html</ref> The real toll may be higher. In addition, Saddam's bloody purges and pogroms against the Kurds (including the Anfal campaign, in which as many as 182,000 were killed) throughout the eighties and early nineties, left as many as 300,000 dead.<ref>http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat3.htm#Kurdistan2</ref> Saddam's 1991 crackdown killed 90,000 or more individuals, while the Gulf War killed roughly 10,000<ref>http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat6.htm</ref> including 2,000 Kuwaiti and 1,000 Iraqi civilians. If one assumes that Saddam's manipulation of the sanctions regime resulted in the deaths of about 200,000 Iraqis, in total Saddam was probably responsible for the deaths of over 1,200,000 Iraqis, or 5% of the population.<br />
<br />
===Coalition Troop Casualties===<br />
[[Image:Iraq War Memorial Lafayette CA.JPEG|thumb|Iraq War Memorial Lafayette CA.]]<br />
According to the US Department of Defense, over 4,200 U.S. and 300 troops from coalition countries have died in the war. Over 30,000 U.S. troops have been wounded in combat.<ref>[http://www.defenselink.mil Department of Defense]</ref> Despite a dramatic decrease in violence in the latter half of the year, 2007 was the worst year in Iraq in terms of U.S. casualties. Over 900 American troops died or went [[missing in action]] during the year.<ref>[http://www.icasualties.org Iraq War casualties]</ref><br />
<br />
===Enemy Casualties===<br />
In March, 2007, Larry Schweikart, Professor of History at the University of Dayton and a military historian, calculated that, "a low estimate of 30,000 terrorists have been killed since 9/11, and an upperbound number of 60,000. On top of that, between 120 and 240,000 terrorists have been wounded. This is where it gets tricky. Likely because their medicine isn’t as good as ours, they have a higher death rate among wounded, which probably means that instead of 1 out of 8 dying of wounds, it’s more like 3 out of 8, and that number is in my first set of stats. In addition, we have captured close to 50,000 terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq since 9/11, and since the beginning of hostilities in Iraq, using traditional desertion rates, I figure at least another 10,000 jihadists have put away the old IED and gone home. So, a low estimate is that we have removed from the order of battle about 210,000 on the low end to 360,000 on the high end. This is an entire generation of jihadists, and will, if nothing else, significantly feminize Muslim society."<ref>http://newsbyus.com/more.php?id=7673_0_1_0_M</ref><br />
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===Civilian Casualties===<br />
The anti-war Iraq Body Count website has chronicled and tallied virtually all reported Iraqi civilian deaths from the war that have multiple sources in print, coming to a present total of 98-107,000 deaths.<ref>http://www.iraqbodycount.org/</ref> However, this sum certainly understates the case to a considerable extent, given that the total number of deaths could not all have been reported and tallied. On November 11, 2006, Iraqi Health Minister Ali al-Shamari estimated that between 100,000 and 150,000 civilians had been killed during the war.<ref>[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2006/11/11/2003335773 Iraq death toll may go as high as 150,000]</ref> A 2008 estimate by the [[World Health Organization]] placed the civilian death toll at 151,000.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080110/wl_nm/iraq_deaths_survey_dc 151,000 Iraqis killed since U.S.-led invasion: WHO]</ref><br />
Based on a careful analysis of IBC's figures, only 1-2% of Iraqi civilian deaths during the occupation were caused by US troops, and the rest by the insurgency they were combating.<ref>http://www.aina.org/news/2007110894701.jsp</ref> The American army in Iraq has taken ''three times'' as many casualties as it has inflicted on Iraqi civilians in collateral damage, which must be a first in the history of military occupation.<ref>http://www.aina.org/news/2007110894701.jsp</ref> The US invasion killed an additional 3,000<ref>http://www.comw.org/pda/0310rm8.html</ref> to 7,000<ref>http://www.iraqbodycount.org/analysis/numbers/year-four/</ref> Iraqi civilians, and at least 7,600–10,800 Iraqi combatants.<ref>http://www.comw.org/pda/0310rm8.html</ref><br />
<br />
In 2006, the Lancet medical journal published an extremely high estimate of 655,000 civilian deaths caused by the war. These figures have been extensively discredited, with the following summary from the IBC being the most succicent explanation:<br />
<blockquote><br />
The Iraqi mortality estimates published in the Lancet in October 2006 imply, among other things, that: <br />
<br />
On average, a thousand Iraqis have been violently killed every single day in the first half of 2006, with less than a tenth of them being noticed by any public surveillance mechanisms; some 800,000 or more Iraqis suffered blast wounds and other serious conflict-related injuries in the past two years, but less than a tenth of them received any kind of hospital treatment; over 7% of the entire adult male population of Iraq has already been killed in violence, with no less than 10% in the worst affected areas covering most of central Iraq; half a million death certificates were received by families which were never officially recorded as having been issued; the Coalition has killed far more Iraqis in the last year than in earlier years containing the initial massive "Shock and Awe" invasion and the major assaults on Falluja. If these assertions are true, they further imply: Incompetence and/or fraud on a truly massive scale by Iraqi officials in hospitals and ministries, on a local, regional and national level, perfectly coordinated from the moment the occupation began; bizarre and self-destructive behaviour on the part of all but a small minority of 800,000 injured, mostly non-combatant, Iraqis; the utter failure of local or external agencies to notice and respond to a decimation of the adult male population in key urban areas; and an abject failure of the media, Iraqi as well as international, to observe that Coalition-caused events of the scale they reported during the three-week invasion in 2003 have been occurring every month for over a year. In the light of such extreme and improbable implications, a rational alternative conclusion to be considered is that the authors have drawn conclusions from unrepresentative data. In addition, totals of the magnitude generated by this study are unnecessary to brand the invasion and occupation of Iraq a human and strategic tragedy.<ref>http://www.iraqbodycount.org/analysis/beyond/reality-checks/</ref> <br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
'''In September 2011, the Lancet themselves retracted this overinflated casualty figure, revising it down from 655,000 to 108,624''', quote, "The corrupt Lancet journal this week announced that 108,624 Iraqis were killed during the Iraq War not 655,000 as they previously reported. CNN reported:<br />
<br />
Suicide bombers are responsible for killing more than 12,000 Iraqi civilians and wounding more than 30,000 since the war began, according to study released by the British medical journal Lancet.<br />
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'''The study found''' that 1,003 documented suicide bombings accounted for 12,284 of '''108,624 Iraqi civilian deaths''', 11% of those killed between March 20, 2003, and December 31, 2010.<br />
<br />
<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/09/04/iraq.suicide.bomb.casualties/index.html?hpt=hp_t2</ref><ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/09/corrupt-leftists-at-lancet-now-say-108000-iraqis-were-killed-in-war-not-655000</ref><br />
<br />
A far more comprehensive and exact survey, using the same exact methods as the Lancet but with a massively larger number of interviews spread out further across the country, found 151,000 civilians had died in the conflict.<ref>http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr02/en/index.html</ref> Because this was three times higher than the IBC estimate at the time,<ref>http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr02/en/index.html</ref> it would indicate a total sum of approximately 300,000 Iraqis as of today. This is probably an absolute ''maximum'' estimate because the ratio of 1 out of every 3 deaths being recorded by the IBC has been altered considerably by the great decline in violence following the surge, so that the IBC's recent figures are much more inclusive of the total sum than its earlier findings.<br />
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According to a research by a British polling group, over 1 million Iraqis were killed in the Iraq War. <ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-deaths-survey-idUSL3048857920080130</ref><br />
<br />
Columnist [[Christopher Hitchens]], who supports the war, has boldly argued that the estimates of the death toll are irrelevant:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
Here is the clinching and obvious point: Saddam Hussein is not going to survive. His regime is on the verge of implosion. It has long passed the point of diminishing returns. Like the Ceausescu edifice in Romania, it is a pyramid balanced on its apex (its powerbase a minority of the Sunni minority), and when it falls, all the consequences of a post-Saddam Iraq will be with us anyway. To suggest that these consequences—-Sunni-Shi'a rivalry, conflict over the boundaries of Kurdistan, possible meddling from Turkey or Iran, vertiginous fluctuations in oil prices and production, social chaos—-are attributable only to intervention is to be completely blind to the impending reality. The choices are two and only two: to experience these consequences with an American or international presence or to watch them unfold as if they were none of our business.<ref>http://www.slate.com/?id=2073634</ref><br />
</blockquote><br />
<br />
==Summary of Justifications for the Iraq War Taken From This Entry==<br />
<br />
If President Bush had not removed Saddam Hussein we now know that, QUOTE: ''The New York Times'' confirmed in their issue November 3, 2006, Saddam had complete plans for a nuclear weapon and was in the process of procuring parts when the US removed him. Quote: "nuclear experts who have viewed them say go beyond what is available elsewhere on the Internet and in other public forums. For instance, the papers give detailed information on how to build nuclear firing circuits and triggering explosives, as well as the radioactive cores of atom bombs. Experts say that at the time, Mr. Hussein’s scientists were on the verge of building an atom bomb, as little as a year away." <ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/03/world/middleeast/03documents.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ei=5094&en=1511d6b3da302d4f&hp&ex=1162530000&partner=homepage</ref> (end quote)<br />
<br />
And we know that Saddam was discussing using WMD on Washington, DC (remember/keep-in-mind his soon nuclear capability from the last paragraph), QUOTE: In the article, "Saddam Translator: ABC Reinterpreted Tapes" dated Feb. 17th 2006, the FBI translator who supplied the 12 hours of Saddam Hussein audiotapes excerpted by ABC's "Nightline" says the network discarded his translations and went with a less threatening version of the Iraqi dictator's comments. In the "Nightline" version of the 1996 recording, Saddam predicts that Washington, D.C., would be hit by terrorists. But he adds that Iraq would have nothing to do with the attack. Tierney says, however, that what Saddam actually said was much more sinister. "He was discussing his intent to use chemical weapons against the United States and use proxies so it could not be traced back to Iraq," he told Hannity. In a passage not used by "Nightline," Tierney says Saddam declares: "Terrorism is coming. ... In the future there will be terrorism with weapons of mass destruction. What if we consider this technique, with smuggling?" <ref>https://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/2/17/125334.shtml</ref> (end quote)<br />
<br />
President Bush's decision to depose Saddam Hussein meant that this plan Saddam was discussing in these tapes here - or with the atomic nuclear capacity he was to possess within a year - never came into execution. It is credible that literally MILLIONS of Americans are alive today because Saddam was stopped before he had the ability to put his plans into action. We know he had ties to terrorists, including, QUOTE:<br />
<br />
In the article "The proof that Saddam worked with bin Laden" dated 27/04/2003 The Telegraph claimed to have found Iraqi intelligence documents in Baghdad which "provided evidence of a direct link between Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'eda terrorist network and Saddam Hussein's regime." It went on to state, "Papers found yesterday in the bombed headquarters of the Mukhabarat, Iraq's intelligence service, reveal that an al-Qa'eda envoy was invited clandestinely to Baghdad in March 1998. The documents show that the purpose of the meeting was to establish a relationship between Baghdad and al-Qa'eda based on their mutual hatred of America and Saudi Arabia. The meeting apparently went so well that it was extended by a week and ended with arrangements being discussed for bin Laden to visit Baghdad. Intriguingly, the Iraqis talk about sending back an oral message to bin Laden, perhaps aware of the risk of a written message being intercepted." The article ends, "The file contradicts the that there was no link between the Iraqi regime and al-Qa'eda." <ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/04/27/walq27.xml</ref> Additional citations of the documentation are given by The Telegraph in their article titled, "'We'll pay all expenses to gain the knowledge from bin Laden and convey a message back" which is a quote from the documentation itself.<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=3NQI3V5KB2T53QFIQMFCFGGAVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2003/04/27/walq127.xml</ref> The intelligence documents are again cited by a Canadian eyewitness source in "Saddam, bin Laden link found: Canadian reporter" <ref><br />
http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2003/04/26/saddam_osama030426.html</ref> <br />
<br />
It is noteworthy that under President Clinton, reported in February 1999, the article (still available to view on the net) titled, "Saddam link to Bin Laden" - Terror chief 'offered asylum' in Iraq?" The article states, "Saddam Hussein's regime has opened talks with Osama bin Laden, bringing closer the threat of a terrorist attack using chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, according to US intelligence sources and Iraqi opposition officials. The key meeting took place in the Afghan mountains near Kandahar in late December. News of the negotiations emerged in a week when the US attorney general, Janet Reno, warned the Senate that a terrorist attack involving weapons of mass destruction was a growing concern. "There's a threat, and it's real," Ms Reno said, adding that such weapons "are being considered for use." US embassies around the world are on heightened alert as a result of threats believed to emanate from followers of Bin Laden, who has been indicted by a US court for orchestrating the bombing last August of embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, in which 259 people died. US delegations in Africa and the Gulf have been shut down in recent weeks after credible threats were received. In this year's budget, President Clinton called for an additional $2 billion to spend on counter-terrorist measures... Ahmed Allawi, a senior member of the opposition Iraqi National Congress (INC), based in London, said he had heard reports of the December meeting which he believed to be accurate. "There is a long history of contacts between Mukhabarat [Iraqi secret service] and Osama bin Laden," he said. Mr Hijazi, formerly director of external operations for Iraqi intelligence offered Mr Bin Laden asylum in Iraq, most likely in return for co-operation in launching attacks on US and Saudi targets." <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,314700,00.html</ref> (end quote)<br />
<br />
To say that the US should never have deposed Saddam when he posed such a threat is irresponsible. The detractors from the Iraq War today would presently be decrying the dead and dying in America and saying President Bush should have gone to war to prevent such devastating losses, had he refrained from engaging in the Iraq War. We know that since then Bin Laden has worked toward attacking the US on his own, without the assistance of Saddam. QUOTE:<br />
<br />
Bin Laden was a threat to the United States at the time Saddam was in power and his efforts have been ongoing in terrorism since Saddam's regime was toppled. His plots have included targeting the United States as disclosed May 22, 2007 in the article "White House says bin Laden ordered Iraq plots" where it cites newly declassified intelligence which states, "Osama bin Laden ordered al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, to form a cell in 2005 to plot attacks outside of Iraq and make the United States his main target. Townsend said that in the spring of 2005 bin Laden also told Hamza Rabia, then al Qaeda's top operations man, to brief Zarqawi on the group's "external operations planning, including homeland plots (targeting the United States)." <ref>http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2007/05/23/white_house_says_bin_laden_ordered_iraq_plots/</ref> (end quote)<br />
<br />
The act of war on Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein was justified to protect the Homeland of America from Saddam's planned and certain future catastrophic attack. The [[red herring]] <ref>http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/red-herring.html</ref> of not finding the WMD in Saddam's backyard does not diminish the threat to the Homeland of America because Saddam had proven his willingness to use such WMD on the Kurdish people in Iraq <ref>http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article351987.ece<br />
</ref> and he would have had the atom bomb within a year by expert opinion. To expect that he would not have put into execution his stated aims against America is to act like an ostrich and put one's head in the sand. <br />
<br />
If the atomic threat is not sufficient, under "regime intent", above, the Iraqi Survey Group's key findings stated that Saddam never abandoned his intentions to resume a chemical weapons effort when sanctions were lifted. The section on The Duelfer Report points out that there were reference strains of biological agents which were found and evidence of the ability to quickly start chemical and biological warfare production, QUOTE: Both Duelfer and Kay found Iraq had "a clandestine network of laboratories and safe houses with equipment that was suitable to continuing its prohibited chemical- and biological-weapons [BW] programs," the official said. "They found a prison laboratory where we suspect they tested biological weapons on human subjects." "Reference strains" of a wide variety of biological-weapons agents were found beneath the sink in the home of a prominent Iraqi BW scientist. In testimony before Congress on March 30, Duelfer revealed the ISG had found evidence of a "crash program" to construct new plants capable of making chemical- and biological-warfare agents (end quote)<br />
<br />
Saddam's son in law tells Saddam, quote: In the chemical, sir, they have a problem far bigger than the biological, bigger than the biological. Not the type of the weapons, not the volume of the materials we imported, not the volume of the production we told them about, not the volume of use. None of this was correct. They don't know any of this. We did not reveal the volume of the chemical weapons that we had produced. We did not reveal the type of the chemical weapons. We did not reveal the truth about the volume of the imported materials. In the nuclear, sir, in the biological, we also disagree with them. As for the nuclear, we say we have disclosed everything but no. There are teams working with no one knowing about some of them. I go back to the question of whether we should reveal everything or continue to be silent... I would say it is in our interest not to reveal. Not just out of fear of disclosing the technology we achieved, or to hide it for future work...<ref>https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Investigation/story?id=1623307&page=1</ref> (end quote)<br />
Also, there is credible testimony that Saddam had the weapons and moved them, quote: Saddam Hussein's former southern regional commander, Gen. Al-Tikriti, gave the first videotaped testimony confirming that Iraq had WMDs up to the American invasion in 2003 and that Russia helped remove them prior to the war. His testimony confirms numerous other sources that have pointed to Russia's secret alliance with Iraq and the co-ordinated moving of WMDs before the American liberation." <ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=22645</ref> (end quote)<br />
<br />
There are those who think that attacks upon America must actually happen in order to prove that these things exist or pose an imminent threat. The Iraq War was a preventative war and as such its merit relies on the mental ability of the public to perceive future threats and act in keeping with that threat and not ignore it - just as a person must swerve their car in the face of oncoming traffic in order to avoid an accident. As with this example, it does little good to discuss the merits of whether there would have been a crash or not after the fact since the evidence of past destruction which was avoided will never be obtainable.<br />
The threats could be real or invented; Destroying an Arab country is the safest way to avoid any future damage.<br />
<br />
== New Middle East Project ==<br />
<br />
Three years after the start of the war, Secretary of State [[Condoleezza Rice]] announced Colonel Ralph Peters New Middle East Project, a continuation of the [[World War I]] Sykes-Picot Agreement, in which he admits to the title "Blood Borders".<ref>http://armedforcesjournal.com/blood-borders/</ref><ref>http://www.defenddemocracy.press/plans-for-redrawing-the-middle-east-the-project-for-a-new-middle-east/</ref><ref>https://brilliantmaps.com/new-middle-east/</ref><ref>http://www.behindthenews.co.za/2018/04/11/the-greater-middle-east-project/</ref><br />
<br />
== After the Invasion ==<br />
<br />
Some time after the invasion, Iraq became a battleground for American backed [[Pershegma]] militas and Iranian backed [[Hezbollah]] militas. The [[Syrian War]] spilled over into Iraq as well, with the [[PKK]], [[Free Syrian Army]], [[ISIS]] and the [[Baath Party]] all establishing Iraqi wings.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
<br />
*[[Battle of Baghdad (Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2003)]]<br />
*[[War For Oil]]<br />
*[[Iraq pullout]]<br />
*[[Abu Ghraib prison]]<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=-138BbPZOggC&printsec=frontcover&dq=a+foreign+policy+of+freedom&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj62ajC64DhAhUG7YMKHRBlB5AQ6AEIKjAA#v=onepage&q=a%20foreign%20policy%20of%20freedom&f=false/ ''A Foreign Policy of Freedom: Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship'' by Ron Paul on Google books] <br />
*[http://frontpagemag.com/2013/alan-w-dowd/iraq-ten-years-later/ Iraq, Ten Years Later]<br />
*[http://frontpagemag.com/2013/david-horowitz/why-we-were-in-iraq/ Why We Were in Iraq]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
{{Globalism}}<br />
[[Category:Wars]]<br />
[[Category:United States of America]]<br />
[[Category:Veterans]]<br />
[[Category:Joe Biden]]<br />
[[Category:Globalism]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Mahmudiya_rape_and_killings&diff=1962631Mahmudiya rape and killings2023-07-12T23:49:20Z<p>Bytemsbu: Blanked the page</p>
<hr />
<div></div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Iran&diff=1893051Iran2022-10-16T02:25:36Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* See also */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Country<br />
|name = جمهوری اسلامی ايران''<br/>Jomhūrī-ye Eslāmī-ye Īrān'' <br />
|map =Iran rel 2001.jpg<br />
|map2 =Iran location.png<br />
|flag =800px-Flag of Iran svg.png<br />
|arms =Arms of Iran.png<br />
|capital =Tehran<br />
|capital-raw =<br />
|government =Theocracy<br />
|government-raw =<br />
|language =Farsi<br />
|king =<br />
|queen =<br />
|monarch-raw =<br />
|president =Ebrahim Raisi<br />
|president-raw =<br />
|chancellor =<br />
|chancellor-raw =<br />
|pm =<br />
|pm-raw =<br />
|area =636,372 sq. mi.<br />
|pop =84,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis =<br />
|gdp =$480,000,000,000 (2020)<br />
|gdp-year =<br />
|gdp-pc =$5,357 (2020)<br />
|currency =Iranian rial<br />
|idd =<br />
|tld =<br />
}}<br />
'''Iran''', officially the '''Islamic Republic of Iran''' (جمهوری اسلامی ايران) is an Islamic theocratic dictatorship in southwest [[Asia]]. Its capital is [[Tehran]] and its official language is Farsi. A historical name for Iran was "'''Persia'''", which is also the name of the dominant ethnic group. Iran is believed by [[Israel]] and her western allies of pursuing nuclear weapons to gain a strategic advantage in a regional cold war against Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia. Israel also accuses Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons for use against Israel, which is officially "denied" by Iran's government propagating, that the program is to be used for "peaceful" purposes, requiring the enrichment of [[uranium]]. Israel's fear is especially in light of Iranian regime, repeatedly threatening to annihilate Israel. <ref>https://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/pressroom/2005/pages/iran%2520president%2520calls%2520to%2520annihilate%2520israel%252027-oct-2005.aspx</ref><ref>https://www.cnn.com/2014/11/10/world/meast/iran-annihilate-israel/index.html</ref><ref>https://embassies.gov.il/SAN-FRANCISCO/ABOUTISRAEL/Pages/Iranian-Threat.aspx</ref><ref>https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-iranian-general-vows-to-wipe-out-annihilate-israel/amp/</ref><ref>https://iranintl.com/en/world/khamenei-once-again-insists-annihilation-israel</ref><ref>https://www.timesofisrael.com/irans-doomsday-clock-for-israels-end-halts-amid-power-cuts/amp/</ref><ref>https://m.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/israel-wont-heed-any-deal-that-doesnt-halt-iranian-threats-erdan-says-666056/amp</ref> Islamic Republic's "beef" with Israel is more transparent as being nothing more than pure radical Islamic bigotry. As even "land" excuses are not applicable, since Iran does not share any borders with Israel.<br />
<br />
Iran has an extremely poor human rights record.<ref>[https://iranprimer.usip.org/index.php/blog/2018/oct/04/state-department-report-6-irans-human-rights-abuses State Department Report 6: Iran's Human Rights Abuses]<br />
The State Department, September 28, 2018</ref> Iranian brutality is infamous. A rare admission by Iranian authorities in Aug/2021 came about forcefully only due to hackers exposing images of brutal beating of political prisoners.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-prisons-head-apologises-after-leaked-pictures-show-abuse-2021-08-24/ Iran prisons head apologises after leaked pictures show abuse], Reuters, Aug 24, 2021.</ref> Ethnic minorities are also persecuted by the racist Iranian regime,<ref>[https://www.arabnews.com/node/1822151/middle-east No country for minorities: The agony of Iran’s ethnic Arabs, Kurds, Balochis and Azeris], O. Shahbandar, Arab News, March 8, 2021.<br />
''Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, ethnic Kurds, Arabs and Balochis have faced particularly harsh crackdowns by regime security forces.'' </ref> such as Ahwazi Arabs, Kurds, Azeris and Baloch.<br />
<br />
It also incites hatred against [[Christians]].<br />
<ref>[https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/israel-zionism/2020/12/how-yasir-arafat-drove-christians-from-bethlehem/ How Yasir Arafat Drove Christians from Bethlehem] D. Weinberg, Mosaic Mag., Dec. 28, 2020.<br />
<blockquote>It also highlights how states, and state-sponsored social media, incite hatred and publish propaganda against Christians, especially in Iran, Iraq, and Turkey.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://articleeighteen.com/analysis/4593/ Persecution of Christians in Iran – Dr Sara Afshari – Article 18], Apr 8, 2019.<br />
''In recent years, especially since 2010, the state has expanded their harassment and discrimination against Christians into the internet, social media, radio and television... Since October 2010 until December 2018 Rahpoyan produced 1,818 critical views and anti-Christian items, including hate speech and incitement.''</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
:{{See also|History of Iran}}<br />
In the [[Western world]], Persia was historically the common name for Iran.<ref>[https://www.iranchamber.com/geography/articles/persia_became_iran.php Iran Chamber Society: When "Persia" became "Iran"], Iran Chamber</ref> In 1935, Reza Shah asked foreign delegates and the [[League of Nations]] to use the term '''Iran''' ("Land of the [[Aryans]]"). The suggestion for the change of the country’s official name to Iran is said to have come from the Iranian ambassador to [[Third Reich|Germany]], who came under the influence of the [[Nazi]]s. German friends of the ambassador convinced him that the name change would free his country from the past influences of Russia and the [[British Empire]]. It would be a new beginning as an Aryan nation. Many Persian elites and intellectuals nurtured the idea of Aryan superiority.<ref>[https://iranicaonline.org/articles/judeo-persian-vi-the-pahlavi-era-1925-1979 JUDEO-PERSIAN COMMUNITIES vi. THE PAHLAVI ERA – Encyclopaedia Iranica]</ref> Reza Shah<ref>[https://www.howardblum.com/blog-posts/reza-shah-and-adolf-hitler-irans-history-with-the-third-reich Reza Shah and Adolf Hitler: Iran’s History with the Third Reich], Howard Blum, Feb. 6, 2020</ref>said,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Germany was our age-old and natural ally, Love of Germany was synonymous with love for Iran. The sound of German officers’ footsteps was heard on the shores of the Nile. [[Swastika]] flags were flying from the outskirts of Moscow to the peaks of the Caucasus Mts. Iranian patriots eagerly awaited the arrival of their old allies. My friend and I would spin tales about the grandeur of the superior race. We considered Germany the chosen representative of this race in Europe and Iran its representative in Asia. The right to life and role was ours. Others had no choice but submission and slavery. We discarded the old maps and remade Iran into a country larger than what it was in Achaemenian times.”<ref>https://jewishrefugees.blogspot.com/2015/04/iranian-shah-flirted-with-nazis-in-1930s.html</ref>}}<br />
Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi legacies evoke consternation and controversy. Both were pro-Western modernizers, promoted science, Western education, women and minority rights, economic development, a judiciary more on a Western model as opposed to shariah and clerical rule. But the [[Carter administration]] viewed the [[Ayatollah Khomeini]] as a paragon of [[human rights]], an expression of the will of the Iranian people for self-determination. One of the Ayatollah's first acts was to issue a [[fatwa]] promising paradise for children who joined the Iranian military during the Iran-Iraq war. By 1982, with Shi'a clergy in command, the government asked children, age 9 years old and up, to clear minefields so the regular Army could advance against the Iraqi Army. <ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/iran-iraq.htm Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), ''Iraqi Retreats, 1982-84''], Globalsecruity.org, retrieved 20 March 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.matthiaskuentzel.de/contents/ahmadinejads-demons ''Ahmadinejad's Demons: A Child of the Revolution Takes Over''], Matthias Küntzel, The New Republic, 24 April 2006 .</ref> About 100,000 died as ''Basij'' child soldiers building the Islamic Republic of Iran.<br />
[[File:Iran.jpg|thumb|225px|right|[[Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini]], founder of the Islamic Republic.]]<br />
Iran today is 75 million people with a ''per capita'' income behind Mexico but ahead of Brazil. Female enrollment and graduation rates in higher education now outnumber males.<ref>60% of college enrollees are female, as contrasted with the Sunni Pakistan Taliban where [[Nobel Peace Prize]] winner Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head for advocating education for adolescent girls.</ref> But if political repression during the monarchy was troublesome, Iran's human rights record and coercive measures against dissidents under its religious rulers has been abysmal.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20180721062151/https://iranhrdc.org/files.php?force&file=reports_en/Covert_Terror_Iran_s_Parallel_Intelligence_Apparatus_467957487.pdf Covert Terror Iran's Parallel Intelligence Apparatus] (PDF)</ref> That, and its active sponsorship of terrorism to further its foreign policy objectives abroad. Its non-cooperation with international conventions in pursuit of nuclear power status is particularly worrisome. Iran's [[Quds Force]] (Jerusalem Force), as its name implies, carries out external special operations worldwide to further Iran's foreign policy aims.<ref>http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/iran/qods.htm </ref><br />
<br />
Iran's revolution in 1979 and the creation of an Islamic state based on [[Shariah]] law was a source of pride, inspiration and envy to [[Sunni]]s everywhere. The revolutionaries successfully deposed a Western leaning monarch and sent U.S. military personal and technicians packing.<ref>By 1970, Iran was the United States largest customer for weapons. Earnings from the oil boom after the 1953 coup were funneled into defense. Huge bases were built in the north to monitor the Soviets and along the southern coast to police the Persian Gulf. Higher paid technicians to operate the oil industry and maintain military hardware were mostly foreigners, leading to an obvious income disparity between the Shah's foreign allies and the indigenous population. This provided an opening for Soviet and Eastern bloc agitation amongst the Shi'a for revolutionary [[Marxist]] anti-[[Imperialist]] [[propaganda]] with a religious fervor. [http://ivl.8m.com/USMI.htm][http://revcom.us/a/094/iran-pt4-en.html]</ref> Initially Iran sought to export its revolution to the Gulf States and Lebanon. Iran was behind two U.S. Embassy truck bombings in Beirut and the Marine barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S. soldiers. As the Iran-Iraq war progressed, Iran concentrated its efforts to removing Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. After the war Iran began providing assistance to the radical Sunni leader Hassan al Turabi who took power in Sudan in 1989<ref>The Sudanese regime harbored Osama bin Laden and [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]] in the early 1990s</ref>, and to Hamas in Gaza. The 1990s marked a period of cooperation between Sunni groups such as al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood and the Shiite revolution of Iran.<ref>Bin Laden shared with Iran a desire to depose the House of Saud, and Zawahiri shared with Iran his contempt of the Egyptian regime which made peace with Israel.</ref> It organized and created Hezbollah al-Hejaz, based in Saudi Arabia, which in conjunction with al Qaeda staged the 1996 Khobar Towers attack killing 19 Americans and wounding another 372. The 9/11 Commission Report suggested<ref>9/11 COMMISSION REPORT at pp. 240-41. </ref> and a U.S. Federal judge ruled in December 2011<ref>http://iran911case.com/ </ref> Iran was a material accomplice with al Qaeda in the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]].<br />
<br />
In 1989, Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini ordered a fatwa<ref name=nyt-15aug2022>Jennifer Schuessler, [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/15/arts/salman-rushdie-free-speech.html Stabbing of Salman Rushdie Renews Free Speech Debates], ''The New York Times'', August 15, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Two years ago Salman Rushdie joined prominent cultural figures signing an open letter decrying an increasingly "intolerant climate" and warning that the "free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted." It was a declaration of principles Mr. Rushdie had embodied since 1989, when a fatwa by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran, calling for his murder, made him a reluctant symbol of free speech….<br />
In the West, the defense of Mr. Rushdie was hardly universally robust. Former president Jimmy Carter, writing in The New York Times in 1989, denounced the fatwa but charged Rushdie with "vilifying" the Prophet Muhammad and "defaming" the Quran.<br />
<br />
"While Rushdie’s First Amendment freedoms are important," he wrote, "we have tended to promote him and his book with little acknowledgment that it is a direct insult to those millions of Moslems whose sacred beliefs have been violated and are suffering in restrained silence the added embarrassment of the Ayatollah's irresponsibility."…<br />
Some who weighed in said the stakes are simply too high — and too personal. After the attack, Roya Hakakian, an Iranian American writer who in 2019 was warned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that she had been targeted by Iran, took to Twitter on Saturday to assail what she said was a lack of swift condemnation from U.S. government officials….<br />
In an interview on Sunday, Ms. Hakakian, who came to the United States as a refugee in 1984, said that the heart of the Rushdie case is "being able to say that we, as writers, as novelists, as thinkers, can absolutely take on any issue we want in our works — and that includes Islam."<br />
But "nobody is saying that," she said. Instead, "people are paying lip service to free speech."<br />
In his recent autobiographical novel "Homeland Elegies," the American writer Ayad Akhtar reflects on the complex meanings of the “Satanic Verses” controversy for Muslim readers and writers, including himself.<br />
In an email on Sunday, Mr. Akhtar, who is PEN America’s current president, said the attack on Mr. Rushdie is "a reminder that ‘harms’ of speech and the freedom of speech do not, cannot, hold equal claims on us."<br />
"While we may rightly acknowledge that speech can harm," he said, "it’s in the terrible culmination of Salman's dilemma that we see the paramount value, the absolute centrality of freedom of thought and the freedom to express that thought.”<br />
For many, defending Mr. Rushdie and "The Satanic Verses" against his would-be assassins may be easy, Mr. Akhtar said. But the defense also "has to apply where we have less unanimity, where we are more implicated."<br />
<br />
"That’s what it means," he said, "for it to be a principle."</blockquote></ref> (Islamic decree) to murder [[Salman Rushdie]], after publishing his book criticizing Islam 'Satanic Verses'.<br />
On Aug 12, 2022, an Arab-Muslim Hadi Matar, with sympathies toward Iranian government was arrested after stabbing Salman Rushdie.<ref>Joe Marino and Evan Simko-Bednarski, [https://nypost.com/2022/08/12/nj-man-matar-hadi-with-sympathies-toward-iran-arrested-in-stabbing-of-salman-rushdie/amp/ NJ man, Hadi Matar, with sympathies toward Iranian government ID’d as suspect in Salman Rushdie stabbing], ''NYPost'', August 12, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Hadi Matar, 24, was arrested after he stormed the stage at the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York and allegedly stabbed the author in the neck.</blockquote></ref> Described by eyewitnesses as viciously stabbing, repeatedly.<ref>[https://www.deccanherald.com/international/salman-rushdie-in-surgery-after-being-stabbed-onstage-suspect-arrested-1135716.html Salman Rushdie in surgery after being stabbed onstage; suspect arrested], AFP, Aug 13, 2022.<blockquote>Carl LeVan, an American University politics professor attending the event, told AFP he saw the suspect run onto the stage where Rushdie was seated and "stabbed him repeatedly and viciously."</blockquote></ref><br />
Activists accused Iran of responsibility for attack.<ref>[https://amp.france24.com/en/live-news/20220813-activists-accuse-iran-of-responsibility-for-rushdie-attack Activists accused Iran of responsibility for Rushdie attack], AFP, France 24. Aug 13, 2023.<blockquote><br />
While the fatwa issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini over Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses" has for some time not been part of daily discourse in Iran, the clerical leadership under his successor Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also did nothing to indicate it no longer stood and on occasions underlined the decree was still valid.<br />
The multiple stabbing of Rushdie at an event in New York comes at an intensely sensitive time for Iran, as it considers an offer by world powers to revive the 2015 deal on its nuclear programme which would ease sanctions that have battered the economy.<br />
During a period of relative thaw between Tehran and the West under former president Mohammad Khatami, ex-foreign minister Kamal Kharazi had in 1998 pledged that Iran would not take steps to endanger the life of Rushdie, who for years was in hiding.<br />
<br />
But an answer posted to a question on Khamenei's website Khamenei.ir in February 2017 said that the fatwa was still valid. "Answer: The decree is as Imam Khomeini issued," it said.<br />
The @khamenei_ir Twitter account, which repeats Khamenei's views and activists have repeatedly said should be suspended, in 2019 posted that the fatwa was "solid and irrevocable".<br />
Activists also insist that a bounty of over 3 million dollars for Rushdie's life offered by Iran's 15 Khordad Foundation remains on offer.<br />
<br />
'Real Islamic republic'<br />
<br />
“Whether today's assassination attempt was ordered directly by Tehran or not, it is almost certainly the result of 30 years of the regime's incitement to violence against this celebrated author," said the Washington-based National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI).<br />
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an opposition group outlawed in Iran, said that the attack had taken place at the "instigation" of Khomeini's fatwa.</blockquote></ref> Adding "that a bounty of over 3 million dollars for Rushdie's life offered by Iran's 15 Khordad Foundation remains on offer."<br />
<br />
Iran's [[Ayatollah Khamenei]] praised the stabbing and said fatwa against Satanic Verses author was 'fired like a bullet that won't rest until it hits its target.'<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11107259/Irans-Ayatollah-Khamenei-says-fatwa-against-Salman-Rushdie-fired-like-bullet.html Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei praises stabbing of Salman Rushdie and says fatwa against Satanic Verses author was 'fired like a bullet that won't rest until it hits its target' as Islamic hardliners celebrate], ''Daily Mail'', Aug 13, 2022.</ref><br />
Hadi Matar, the attacker, had contact With Iran's Revolutionary Guard ([[IRGC]]).<ref>Mitchell Prothero, Salman Rushdie Stabbing Suspect 'Had Contact With Iran's Revolutionary Guard'], Vice, Aug 14, 2022.<blockquote>Intel officials told VICE World News Hadi Matar had been in contact with members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. ..<br />
<br />
The 24-year-old man accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie had been in direct contact with members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on social media, European and Middle Eastern intelligence officials told VICE World News.<br />
Hadi Matar has been charged with attempted murder after Rushdie, 75, was repeatedly stabbed on stage ahead of a speaking event in Chautauqua, New York, on Friday. On Sunday, Rushdie’s son Zafar Rushdie said his father was in a critical condition and had sustained “life-changing” injuries but had been taken off a ventilator and had been able to speak.<br />
<br />
A NATO counterterrorism official from a European country said the stabbing had all the hallmarks of a “guided” attack, where an intelligence service talks a supporter into action, without direct support or involvement in the attack itself.<br />
<br />
“Close scrutiny needs to be paid to his communications,” said the NATO official, who was not authorised to speak on the record. “More investigation will reveal more information on the exact nature of the links.”... Security officials who confirmed the social media contact would not elaborate on the nature of the communications because investigations are ongoing. They would not disclose who initiated the contact, when it took place, or what was discussed.<br />
A Middle Eastern intelligence official said it was “clear” that at some point prior to the attack, Matar had been in contact with “people either directly involved with or adjacent to the Quds Force,” referring to the Revolutionary Guard’s external operations force...</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Iranian Newspaper praised Salman Rushdie's attacker.<ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/iranian-newspapers-celebrate-attack-on-salman-rushdie-by-suspect-hadi-matar-in-new-york Iranian Newspaper Praises Salman Rushdie's Attacker], ''The Daily Beast'', Aug 13, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
Iran benefited greatly when the Sunni walls that had been erected around it - Afghanistan and Iraq - were torn down. Several analysts argue that since about 2005 Iran has evolved rapidly from a theocracy into a garrison state, in which the military dominates political, economic, and cultural life.<ref>[http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/irans-revolutionary-guards-corps-inc Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, Inc.] ''Washington Institute'', Mehdi Khalaji, Aug 17, 2007</ref><br />
<br />
Unlike Sunnis who emphasize sectarian differences with minority Shiites, the Iranian regime emphasizes the Israeli bogeyman because they estimate this gains them Arab [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=street+cred street cred] and diverts attention from the Shia rise to power. They ultimately believe they have earned the right to speak on behalf of the whole Muslim world.<ref>[https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/studio/multimedia/20061018-the-shia-revival-how-conflicts-within-islam-will-shape-the-future The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future], Carnegie Council, October 18, 2006</ref><br />
<br />
==Government==<br />
[[File:Ali khamenei in March 2021.jpg|right|225px|thumb|[[Ali Khamenei]], second Supreme Leader for life of the Islamic Republic.]]<br />
The December 1979 Iranian constitution defines the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic republic. The document establishes Shi'a Islam of the Twelver (Jaafari) sect as Iran's official religion. Sunni Islam, [[Zoroastrianism]], [[Judaism]] and Christianity are the only other recognized, legal minority religions. But Iran is the eighth country on the World Watch List of [[Open Doors]]. The country is governed by secular and religious leaders through governing bodies, whose duties often overlap. (See also:[[Christians in Iran]])<br />
<br />
The Supreme Leader holds power for life unless removed by the Assembly of Experts. He has final say on all domestic, foreign, and security policies for Iran, though he establishes and supervises those policies in consultation with the Expediency Council. The Leader is the final arbiter on all differences or disputes among the various branches of government. He appoints officials to key positions including the head of judiciary and the 12 members of the Guardian Council (six directly, six indirectly). He has power to disqualify candidates or remove an elected official from office. The Supreme Leader and is also the [[commander-in-chief]] of the armed forces. <br />
<br />
The constitution stipulates that the Assembly of Experts, which currently consists of the 86 popularly-elected clerics elected to 8-year terms, chooses the Supreme Leader based on jurisprudent qualifications and commitment to the principles of the revolution. The Assembly of Experts reviews his performance periodically and has the power to depose and replace him. Pragmatic conservative candidates generally polled better than their hardline conservative opponents during the December 15, 2006 elections to the Assembly of Experts. (Turnout for this vote, which coincided with municipal council elections, was quite high, topping 60%.) Citizens will not vote for representatives to the Assembly again until 2014. <br />
<br />
The Council of Guardians consists of 12 persons. The Supreme Leader appoints the six religious members of the Council of Guardians while the Iranian parliament, the Majles, selects the six lay members from candidates recommended by the judiciary, which is in turn selected by the Supreme Leader. The non-clerics play a role only in determining whether legislation before the [[Majles]] conforms to Iran's constitution. The religious members, on the other hand, take part in all deliberations, considering all bills for conformity to Islamic principles. The Council of Guardians can veto any law. This body also certifies the competence of candidates for the presidency, the Assembly of Experts, and the Majles. <br />
<br />
The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran is elected by universal suffrage to a 4-year term. The president supervises the affairs of the executive branch, appointing and supervising the Council of Ministers (members of the cabinet), coordinating government decisions, and selecting government policies to be placed before the National Assembly. <br />
<br />
The Majles, or National Assembly, consists of 290 members elected to 4-year terms. The members of the legislature are elected by direct and secret ballot from among the candidates approved by the Council of Guardians. <br />
<br />
In 1988, Ayatollah Khomeini created the Council for Expediency, which resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the Council of Guardians fail to reach an agreement. Since 1989, it has been used to advise the national religious leader on matters of national policy as well. It is composed of the president, the speaker of the Majles, the judiciary chief, the clerical members of the Council of Guardians, and other members appointed by the Supreme Leader for 3-year terms. Cabinet members and Majles committee chairs also serve as temporary members when issues under their jurisdictions are considered. In 2005, it was announced that the Expediency Council, which now has over 40 members, would have responsibility for general supervision of the system, though that has not resulted in any noticeable change in this institution's day-to-day authority or operations. <br />
<br />
Judicial authority is constitutionally vested in the Supreme Court and the four-member High Council of the Judiciary; these are two separate groups with overlapping responsibilities and have one head. Together, they are responsible for supervising the enforcement of all laws and for establishing judicial and legal policies. <br />
<br />
Iran has two military forces. The national military is charged with defending Iran's borders, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ([[IRGC]]) is charged mainly with maintaining internal and external security. Iran also uses proxy militias and foreign terrorist organizations to execute its foreign policy designs throughout the world.<br />
<br />
Iran has 30 provinces managed by an appointed governor general. The provinces are further divided into counties, districts, and villages. Sixty percent of eligible voters took part in the first ever municipal and local council elections in 1999, though a lower percentage went to the polls in the second round in 2003. Turnout during the December 15, 2006 elections, during which citizens also elected Assembly of Expert representatives, was over 60%. The local councils select mayors. <br />
<br />
The March 2008 elections resulted in the conservatives getting a significant lead in the polls, with Conservative politician Shahabeddin Sadr saying that, during early counting, 70 per cent of winners were "principlists" - a label conservatives use to describe their loyalty to the Islamic Republic's ideals.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/15/2190618.htm Conservatives forge ahead in Iran parliament vote], ABC Online, 15 March 2008</ref> <br />
<br />
Iranian brutality is infamous. A rare admission by Iranian authorities in Aug/2021came about only due to hackers exposing inages of brutal beating of political prisoners.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-prisons-head-apologises-after-leaked-pictures-show-abuse-2021-08-24/ Iran prisons head apologises after leaked pictures show abuse], Reuters, Aug 24, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
===Principal Government Officials===<br />
<br />
*Supreme Lead and [[Commander-in-Chief]] of the Armed Forces—[[Ali Hosseini-Khamenei]]<br />
*President—Ebrahim Raisi<br />
*First Vice President—Eshaq Jahangiri<br />
*Foreign Minister—Mohammad Javad Zarif<br />
*Ambassador to the United Nations—Majid Takht-Ravanchi<br />
[[File:Raisi.PNG|right|225px|thumb|Ebrahim "the Butcher" Raisi became president in June 2021.<ref name=dm>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9703465/Ultraconservative-Butcher-Ebrahim-Raisi-WINS-Iranian-presidential-election-rivals-concede.html Ultraconservative 'Butcher' Ebrahim Raisi who ordered thousands killed in mass executions and tortured pregnant women wins Iranian presidential election], <br />
Gemma Parry for MailOnLine</ref>]]<br />
====The Butcher====<br />
<br />
In June, 2021, more radical (even amongst already radicals) [[Ebrahim Raisi]], ''Butcher of Tehran'' responsible for some 30,000 deaths<ref>[https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1439984/iran-presidential-election-Ebrahim-Raisi-Hassan-Rouhani-latest Butcher' linked to 30000 deaths set to become new President of Iran], Express, UK, May 23, 2021. ''THE mastermind behind the massacre of 30000 dissidents has emerged as the regime's favourite to win next month's presidential .''</ref> was (so-called<ref name=scotsman/>) "elected" as head. Helped by the low turnout.<ref name=dm/><ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-times-view-on-ebrahim-raisi-the-butcher-of-tehran-l80cfg20r The Times view on Ebrahim Raisi: The Butcher of Tehran] The Times, June 21, 2021</ref><br />
<ref>[https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/06/20/low-voter-turnout-sees-butcher-of-tehran-named-next-iranian-president/ Low voter turnout sees 'Butcher of Tehran' named next Iranian president]<br />
''Amnesty International decries results in Iranian elections, says ultraconservative Chief Justice Ebrahim Raisi should be investigated for alleged crimes against humanity. FM Lapid: Raisi's election should prompt renewed determination to immediately halt Iran's nuclear program and put an end to its destructive regional ambitions.''<br />
By Daniel Siryoti , Dean Shmuel Elmas and News Agencies, Israel Hayom, 06-20-2021</ref> There are hortific tales of tortured pregnant women and threw people off cliffs, among countless other brutal acts of violence.<ref name=sun>[https://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/horror-acts-of-irans-next-president-ebrahim-the-butcher-raisi/news-story/47fe66081ede923244af732a3bcd6926 Horror acts of Iran’s ‘next president’ Ebrahim ‘The Butcher’ Raisi] J. Lockett, The Sun, June 19, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
In 1980, at the age of just 20, Raisi was appointed prosecutor of the revolutionary court of Karaj, west of Tehran, and by 1988 he had been promoted deputy prosecutor of Tehran. Raisi was a member of the so-called “Death Commission”, which ordered thousands to be killed in the massacre of 1988. He then became one of four individuals selected to carry out the slaughter of imprisoned activists of the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI). Some 30,000 men, women and children held in prisons all over Iran were lined up against the wall and shot within just a few months, say those battling to oust the regime.<ref name=sun/><br />
<br />
On September 30, 2019, Raisi described his cruelty by saying:<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/irans-conservative-judicial-chief-leads-probe-into-downing-of-jet-11579209163</ref><ref>https://www.ncr-iran.org</ref><blockquote> “'''We will not cut the fingers of those who are corrupt; we will cut off their entire hand'''.”</blockquote><br />
<br />
=====Media's portrayal=====<br />
<br />
Raisi was categorized as a "hardliner" Hinting of a supposed phenomenon of "moderate" existing anywhere in the cruel Mullahcracy.<br />
<br />
Correctly clarified:<ref name=nypost>[https://nypost.com/2021/06/20/graham-slams-biden-for-wanting-to-rejoin-iran-nuclear-deal/ Sen. Graham slams Biden for wanting to rejoin Iran nuclear deal] Mark Moore, NYPost, June 20, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
"There are no moderates on the ballot in Iran. The ayatollah is a religious Nazi, he controls the place. Religious zealots run the place. Why in the world do you want to give massive enrichment capability to the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, I don’t know.” <br />
<br />
There are no reformists in Iran.<ref name=scotsman>[https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/irans-next-president-set-to-be-ruthless-executioner-ebrahim-raisi-after-sham-elections-could-be-the-clerical-regimes-last-struan-stevenson-3251674 Iran's next president, set to be ruthless executioner Ebrahim Raisi after sham elections, could be the clerical regime's last – Struan Stevenson]<br />
''The presidential elections scheduled for June 18 in Iran will, as usual, be a sham.'' By Struan Stevenson, The Scotsman, May 30, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
=====Butcher's cabinet=====<br />
In Aug. 2021, the butcher of Tehran, Raisi, presented a cabinet dominated by hardliners on Wednesday, state TV reported, among them a foreign minister known for close ties to Hezbollah and an interior minister wanted by Interpol over his alleged role in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires.<br />
<br />
''New interior minister Ahmad Vahidi sought by Interpol; the president's pick for top diplomat, Hossein Amirabdollahian, is an avowed anti-Westerner with ties to IRGC, Hezbollah.''<br />
<br />
The 1994 bombing of Jewish center AMIA in [[Argentina]] killed 85 and wounded hundreds.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/irans-raisi-taps-minister-wanted-for-role-in-buenos-aires-jewish-center-bombing/ Iran’s Raisi taps minister wanted for role in Buenos Aires Jewish Center bombing], AP and TOI Staff,11 August 2021.<br />
''New interior minister Ahmad Vahidi sought by Interpol; the president's pick for top diplomat, Hossein Amirabdollahian, is an avowed anti-Westerner with ties to IRGC, Hezbollah.''</ref><br />
<br />
In Oct 2021, The lawmakers in Iran --who are even more extreme than mainstream radicals -- submitted a formal complaint was appended by a public petition that, among other allegations, accuses Rouhani of betraying Iranians through signing the nuclear deal with the world powers.<br />
<ref>[https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/10/irans-hard-liners-push-prosecute-rouhani Iran's hard-liners push to prosecute Rouhani], Al-Monitor Staff, October 12, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
===Political conditions===<br />
<br />
Iran's post-revolution difficulties have included an 8-year war with Iraq, internal political struggles and unrest, and economic disorder. The early days of the regime were characterized by severe human rights violations and political turmoil, including the seizure of the U.S. Embassy compound and its occupants on 4 November 1979, by Iranian student militants. Iranian authorities released the 52 hostages only after 444 days of captivity, minutes after [[Ronald Reagan]]'s inauguration as the 40th president of the United States.<ref>[https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/iran-hostage-crisis-ends Iran Hostage Crisis Ends], ''History.com''</ref> <br />
[[Image:Iran ethnoreligious distribution 2004.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Ethnoreligious distribution]]<br />
By mid-1982, the clergy had won a succession of post-Revolution power struggles that eliminated first the center of the political spectrum and then the leftists, including the communist Tudeh party and the cult-like Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO). Assassinations, throwing acid in the faces of women who refused to wear the veil, and other acts of violence punctuated this period. There has been some moderation of excesses since the early days of the revolution, and the country experienced a partial "thaw" in terms of political and social freedoms during the tenure of former president Khatami, but serious problems remained. The administration of former President Ahmadi-Nejad had witnessed a crackdown on Iranian civil society, continued human rights violations, and worsening constraints on press freedom and civil liberties. Current president [[Hassan Rouhani]] did not changed anything.<br />
<br />
The Islamic Republican Party (IRP) was Iran's sole political party until its [[dissolution]] in 1987. Iran now has a variety of groups engaged in political activity; some are oriented along ideological lines or based on an identity group, others are more akin to professional political parties seeking members and recommending candidates for office. Some have been active participants in the Revolution's political life while others reject the state. Conservatives consistently thwarted the efforts of reformists during the Khatami era and have consolidated their control on power since the flawed elections for the seventh Majles in 2004 and president Ahmadi-Nejad's victory in 2005. The party of Khamenei is the Combatant Clergy Association. President [[Hassan Rouhani]] is a member of it.<br />
<br />
The Iranian Government has faced armed opposition from a number of groups, including the MEK (which the U.S. Government added to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations in 1999), the People's Fedayeen, and the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI).<br />
<br />
[[File:Shia Superpower.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Iranian ambitions to become a nuclear superpower.]]<br />
===Genocidal===<br />
Threatening to nuke and/or wipe off Israel of the map has been made by Iran including in 1991,<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-08-04-mn-23412-story.html COLUMN ONE]: Hezbollah: The Latin Connection : Bombings in Argentina and Panama prompt concern over the radical group's growing presence in the region. Experts say lax security and porous borders create a prime base for terrorists, by Tracy Wilkinson, Times Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, August 04, 1994.<blockquote><br />
The embassy's cultural affairs officer, Imam Mohsen Rabbani, rose. "Israel," he intoned in accented Spanish, "must disappear from the face of the Earth." He and a dozen speakers who followed quoted Iran's late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and called for unity in the fight against Zionism and the satanism of the West</blockquote></ref><ref>Iran's Strategic Penetration of Latin America. United States: Lexington Books, 2014. [https://books.google.com/books?id=oqDYBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA15 15].<blockquote><br />
Mohsen Rabbani, who in 1991 stood before a group of Shi'ite Muslims and radical right-wing Argentine activists and stated openly, “Israel must disappear from the face of the Earth,” to universal applause.</blockquote></ref> in 2001,<ref>"[http://web.archive.org/web/20011217215125/https://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_4.html Iran's Rafsanjani Suggests Nuclear Attack on Israel]," World Tribune (London), December 17, 2001.<blockquote><font size=1><br />
One of Iran’s most influential ruling clerics called on the Muslim states to use nuclear weapon against Israel, assuring them that while such an attack would annihilate Israel, it would cost them "damages only".<br />
The speech by former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani failed to catch the attention of the western press but made waves in the Middle East.<br />
"If a day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel has in its possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate because application of an atomic bomb would not leave anything in Israel but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim world", Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani told the crowd at the traditional Friday prayers in Tehran.<br />
In Washington Sunday, administration officials said the United States does not plan to target Iran in the war against terrorism.<br />
"Iran is a situation where there are clearly some pressures from young people, there are pressures from women in that country," U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said. "Iran had a different history than Iraq. I don't know, if nothing else happened and one looked at those two countries, I would say the likelihood of Iraq reforming itself is zero. The possibility, the remote possibility of Iran reforming itself is considerably above zero."<br />
Dr. Assad Homayou, president of the Azadegan Foundation in Washington, D.C. agreed. "To me the issue is not nuclear weapons but the responsibility of the regime," he said. "This regime is not responsible and that is why I have always emphasized that the removal of this regime is imperative. As the U.S. secretary of defense said the situation with Iran is different from that of Iraq. People only need the moral support of the United States."<br />
Analysts told the Iranian Press Service that Rafsanjani's speech marks the first time a prominent leader of the Islamic Republic had openly suggested the use of nuclear weapon against the Jewish State.<br />
Rafsanjani advised Western states not to pin their hopes on Israel's violence because it will be "very dangerous".<br />
"We are not willing to see security in the world is harmed", he said, warning that a war "of the pious and martyrdom seeking forces against peaks of colonialism will be highly dangerous and might fan flames of World War III."<br />
Rafsanjani, who, as the Chairman of the Assembly to Discern the Interests of the State, is the Islamic Republic’s number two man after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was speaking on "International Qods (Jerusalem) Day" which is celebrated in Iran only.<br />
The Pentagon, which has pressed for a second stage in the U.S. war against terrorism, does not support any military campaign against Iran. Instead, officials have urged that Washington target the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.<br />
On Monday, Iranian President Mohammed Khatami said the stifling of dissent in the country could spark a new wave of student protests, Middle East Newsline reported. Over the last 20 months, officials said, 56 publications have been closed. This includes 24 daily newspapers.<br />
U.S. officials acknowledge that Iran is more advanced than Iraq in both missile development and weapons of mass destruction. They said that Iran, with Russian help, has succeeded in advancing its nuclear project and they could arrive at weapons capability as early as 2005.</font></blockquote></ref> 2002,<ref>Rubenstein, R. L. (2010). Jihad and Genocide. United Kingdom: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. [https://books.google.com/books?id=UyNR4AAevwIC&pg=PA122 122].<blockquote>An even more ominous threat was anuttered on January 31, 2002, by Ahmadinejad's superior, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who called for continued terrorism against the “cancerous tumor of Zionism . .,” a biological metaphor often used by political leaders to express genocidal intend.</blockquote></ref> 2005,<ref>Ewen MacAskill and Chris McGreal, [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/oct/27/israel.iran Israel should be wiped off map, says Iran's president], ''The Guardian'', 26 Oct 2005.</ref><br />
<br />
May 2012, <ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20120520131117/http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9102112759 Top Commander Reiterates Iran's Commitment to Full Annihilation of Israel], FARS News Agency, May 20, 2012.</ref><ref>Margaret Wente, [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/cut-off-iran-its-about-time/article4534519/ Opinion: Cut off Iran? It’s about time], ''The Globe and Mail'', Sep 11, 2012.</ref><ref>Reza Kahlili, [https://news.yahoo.com/iran-committed-full-annihilation-israel-says-top-iranian-033409439.html Iran committed to 'full annihilation of Israel,' says top Iranian military commander], The Daily Caller, via Yahoo News, May 20, 2012.<blockquote>“The Iranian nation is standing for its cause and that is the full annihilation of Israel,” Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi said in a speech...</blockquote></ref> Sep 2012,<ref>Yoel Goldman, [https://www.timesofisrael.com/war-with-cancerous-tumor-israel-will-eventually-happen-says-iranian-general/ War with ‘cancerous tumor Israel’ will eventually happen, says Iranian general], ''TOI'', 22 September 2012.<blockquote><br />
Commander of Revolutionary Guard Mohammad Ali Jafari claims Iran will ‘destroy the Jewish state’</blockquote></ref> 2014,<ref>[http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/07/25/irans-khamenei-we-will-arm-palestinians-until-israel-is-wiped-off-map/ Iran’s Khamenei: We Will Arm Palestinians Until Israel is Wiped Off Map], ''Algemeiner'' July 25, 2014.</ref> 2019,<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-guards-chief-says-destroying-israel-is-not-a-dream-but-an-achievable-goal/ ISRAEL MUST BE 'WIPED OFF MAP' AND IRAN HAS 'THE CAPACITY' - Iran Guards chief: Destroying Israel now not a dream but an ‘achievable goal’], <br />
<blockquote><br />
In claim prominently reported in Iran, Major General Hossein Salami declares Tehran able to annihilate 'the impostor Zionist regime'</blockquote><br />
By AFP and TOI STAFF, 30 September, 2019.</ref> 2020.<ref>Asher Stockler, [https://www.newsweek.com/iran-israel-anti-semitism-poster-1506012 Iran's Supreme Leader 'Echoing Hitler's Call for Genocide' With Palestine 'Resistance' Post, Mike Pompeo Says], ''Newsweek, 5/22/20.<blockquote><br />
“Khamenei's threats to carry out ‘The Final Solution’ against Israel bring to mind the Nazi 'Final Solution' plan to annihilate the Jewish People,” the Israeli prime minister's office wrote on Twitter.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Promoting genocide online at [[Guardian of Walls]], including via Hitler, his genocide praising hashtags:<br />
<ref>Brian Bennet, "[https://time.com/6071615/iran-disinformation-united-states/ Exclusive: Iran Steps up Efforts to Sow Discord Inside the U.S.], Time Magazine, June 7, 2021.</ref><br />
<blockquote><br />
Iranian state actors are intensifying their disinformation campaign on social media to spread discord and anti-Semitic tropes inside the U.S., two U.S. intelligence officials say.<br />
…But within days of the conflict beginning last month in Israel and Gaza Twitter accounts linked to Iran were amplifying anti-Semitic messages in English, including the phrases “hitler was [sic] right” and “kill all jews” at a rate of 175 times per minute, according to analysis by Network Contagion Research Institute.</blockquote><br />
<br />
In Nov 2021, Iranian Brig.-Gen. urges destruction of Israel prior to nuke talks.<ref>Benjamin Weinthal, [https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/iranian-brig-gen-urges-destruction-of-israel-prior-to-nuke-talks-687248 Iranian Brig.-Gen. urges destruction of Israel prior to nuke talks], ''JPost'', Nov 28, 2021.<blockquote>"We will not back off from the annihilation of Israel, even one millimeter..."</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/defense/1638133889-iran-rep-urges-israel-s-annihilation-before-nuclear-talks Iran Rep. Urges Israel's 'annihilation' Before Nuclear Talks], i24news, Nov 28, 2021.<blockquote>Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, a top-level spokesperson for Iran's armed forces, called for the destruction of Israel on Saturday.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
In March 2022, Iran (via mouthpiece): "Israel's nuclear weapons will not prevent its destruction (sic)."<ref>Lt. Col. M. Segal, [https://jcpa.org.il/article/%d7%94%d7%a0%d7%a9%d7%a7-%d7%94%d7%92%d7%a8%d7%a2%d7%99%d7%a0%d7%99-%d7%a9%d7%91%d7%99%d7%93%d7%99-%d7%99%d7%a9%d7%a8%d7%90%d7%9c-%d7%9c%d7%90-%d7%99%d7%9e%d7%a0%d7%a2-%d7%90%d7%aa-%d7%94%d7%a9/ (Iran:) "Israel's nuclear weapons will not prevent its destruction (sic)]", ''JCPA'', March 11, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Iran threatens retaliation for killing IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) men in attack on Syria ...<br />
<br />
The Iranian leader's mouthpiece, 'Kayhan', wrote in its editorial (March 10) that "the time has come to teach an unforgettable lesson to the Zionist entity during the few years left until its eventual eradication from Palestinian land. Israel is wrong if it thinks it has nuclear weapons, from which the International Atomic Energy Agency has hidden an eye, will save it from destruction." At the funeral, the words of the Iranian leader in 2015 were mentioned, according to which Israel will cease to exist for another 25 years, and it was emphasized that the action in Syria is approaching this date.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
On Apr 29, 2022, what the Islamic Republic calls "Jerusalem Day", during which masses took to the streets and there were a series of demonstrations of rage and aggressive speeches, the head of the Revolutionary Guards ([[IRGC]]), Hossein Salami, said: "Israel is creating the conditions for its destruction..."<ref name=mako-30.04.22/><br />
<br />
===Hate===<br />
<br />
*Iran has organized Holocaust cartoons events to belittle and deny the Holocaust - 2006, 2016.<ref>[https://sandiego.adl.org/irans-second-international-holocaust-cartoon-exhibition-opens-on-may-14/ Iran’s Second International Holocaust Cartoon Exhibition Opens On May 14] ADL, May 11, 2016</ref><br />
<br />
The [[Anti-Defamation League]] has long named Iran as a premier backer of global anti-Semitism.<ref name=newsweek/><br />
<br />
Khamenei uses his social media accounts to spread hatred, violence, and dangerous disinformation.<ref>[https://www.adl.org/blog/twitter-must-de-platform-irans-supreme-leader Twitter Must De-Platform Iran's Supreme Leader | Anti-Defamation League], ''ADL'', Mar 19, 2021.<blockquote>Ayatollah Ali Khamenei uses his social media accounts to spread hatred, violence, and dangerous disinformation.</blockquote></ref><ref>"Why won't Twitter ban Khamenei when it permanently suspended Trump?," ''Arab News,'' Mar 21, 2021.<blockquote>DUBAI: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is notorious for using his Twitter accounts to incite hate, violence and disinformation.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
* In May 2020, Khamenei uttered his much publicized genocidal threat, implying to carry out ‘The Final Solution.’<ref name=newsweek>Asher Stockler, [https://www.newsweek.com/iran-israel-anti-semitism-poster-1506012 Iran's Supreme Leader 'Echoing Hitler's Call for Genocide' With Palestine 'Resistance' Post, Mike Pompeo Says], ''Newsweek, 5/22/20.<blockquote><br />
“Khamenei's threats to carry out ‘The Final Solution’ against Israel bring to mind the Nazi 'Final Solution' plan to annihilate the Jewish People,” the Israeli prime minister's office wrote on Twitter.</blockquote></ref> [[Twitter]], at the time why it banned Trump but allowed -dangerous genocidal- Khamenei go on.<ref>Benjamin Kerstein, [https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/07/29/top-twitter-exec-declines-to-tell-knesset-why-ayatollahs Top Twitter Exec Declines to Tell Knesset Why Ayatollah’s Calls for Genocide Are Not Banned], ''Algemeiner'', July 29, 2020.<br />
<blockquote>A top Twitter executive who took part in a Knesset hearing on Wednesday declined to say why her company had not taken action against genocidal incitement by Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei...<br />
Arsen Ostrovsky @Ostrov_A:<br><i><br />
I kid you not! At Knesset hearing on Antisemitism, @Twitter rep tells me they flag @realDonaldTrump because it serves ‘public conversation’, but not Iran's @khamenei_ir call for GENOCIDE, which passes for acceptable 'commentary on political issues of the day'.</i></blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
* In 2021, Iranian Cartoonist Masoud Shojaei Tabatabaei on the Islamic Republic Holocaust denial event / Holocaust cartoon contests years earlier he organized:<ref>[https://www.memri.org/tv/iran-holocaust-cartoon-contest-organizer-masoud-shoujaei-tabtabaei Iranian Cartoonist Masoud Shojaei Tabatabaei on the Holocaust Cartoon Contests He Organized: Our Contests Were Counterattacks for the P... Muhammad Cartoons], Memri, Sep 9, 2021</ref><blockquote>"Our Contests Were Counterattacks for the P... Muhammad Cartoons."</blockquote><br />
<br />
* In Mar/2022, Iran unleashed an Antisemitic attack on Zelensky at its 'Fars News.'<ref>Seth J. Frantzman, [https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-700884 Iranian media slanders Zelensky with antisemitic article],” ''Jerusalem Post'', March 10, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
* On Apr 27, 2022:<ref>BenSabti @BeniSabti Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/BeniSabti/status/1519400181476864000 Apr 27, 2022]):<br />
<blockquote><br />
On Holocaust Remembrance Day & QudsDay2022 eve, Iran paper KAYHAN affiliated to [[Ali Khamenei|Khamenei]] attacks Jews in a very Antisemitic article: "Jews killed [sic] the Shiite leaders" & praises Hitler "because he was wise [sic] so he tried to get rid of them"!</blockquote></ref><blockquote>On Holocaust Remembrance Day & QudsDay2022 eve, Iran paper KAYHAN affiliated to [[Ali Khamenei|Khamenei]] attacks Jews in a very Antisemitic article: "Jews killed [sic] the Shiite leaders" & praises Hitler "because he was wise [sic] so he tried to get rid of them"!</blockquote><br />
<br />
As Iran's Mohammad Ali Geraei, the world wrestling champion, (in Aug/2022) expressed his admiration for "Hitler" as his legend among all the people in the world,<ref>Iran International Sports @iranintlsport Tweeted (Aug 28, 2022):<br />
([https://twitter.com/iranintlsport/status/1563834389892661248 1]):<blockquote><br />
Yesterday, in an interview with the Khabar Sports newspaper, Mohammad Ali Geraei, the world wrestling champion, talked about his love for Zlatan, Muhammad Ali, the legend of boxing and Esteghlal Club, and in a part of his speech, he mentioned "Hitler" as his legend among all the people in the world. He introduced the title of someone who had "great thoughts" in his head!</blockquote><br />
<br />
([https://twitter.com/iranintlsport/status/1563834843338838016 2]):<blockquote><br />
But the question is, how is the education system in Iran that Adolf #Hitler, as one of the biggest criminals in history and the initiator of World War II, becomes a legend of a national hero?</blockquote></ref> it was asked by ''Iran International Sports '':<blockquote>how is the education system in Iran that Adolf Hitler, as one of the biggest criminals in history and the initiator of World War II, becomes a legend of a national hero?</blockquote><br />
<br />
====Holocaust denial====<br />
<br />
There has been a flow of 'Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial in Iran: by the State Narratives Since 1979.'<ref>[https://iranwire.com/en/features/10866 Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial in Iran: A Review of State Narratives Since 1979.] Iran Wire.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
Iran has one of the worst records in malicious Holocaust denial.<ref>[https://www.ushmm.org/information/press/press-kits/press-guide-to-holocaust-denial-in-iran Press Guide to Holocaust Denial in Iran], USHMM</ref><br />
Condemned already in 2007.<ref>[https://news.un.org/en/story/2007/01/207002-un-assembly-condemns-holocaust-denial-consensus-iran-disassociates-itself UN Assembly condemns Holocaust denial by consensus; Iran disassociates itself], ''UN'', Jan 26, 2007</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
In Jan 2022, the shamless Mullahcracy Islamic Relublic was alone, the only one, against 193 members at the [[UN]] passing the resolution against Holocaust Denial.<ref>Itamar Eichner, [https://m.ynet.co.il/Articles/60663620 History in the United Nations: A decision has passed a Holocaust denial], ''Ynet'', Jan 20, 2022.<blockquote><br />
<br />
A week before the International Holocaust Day, the UN rally adopted in consensus and despite Iran resistance, decision against Holocaust denial. The decision sets for the first time and gives practical tools - but it is only symbolic. Ambassador at UN Erdan: "The Internet becomes an increase of forgery and fraud. No one will distort our history."<br />
<br />
Gilad Erdan at the General Rally of the United Nations Before the decision against Holocaust Holocaust President Historical Achievement to Israel a week before the International Holocaust Day and the 80th day to the conference The decision joined 112 countries. Iran opposed the offer ... But there was no voting, since the understanding that would lose in most overwhelming and the proposal would pass.<br />
<br />
In the end the proposal went through a full consensus without voting. This is the second time in history that the UN efforts to decide that Israel initiated. The previous decision received 17 years ago, the international Holocaust stipulated today. The decision presents the definition for the Holocaust denial and assimilates responsibility for Internet companies to operate to remove contaminants or distort the Holocaust and reading to the United Nations Companies and the UN institutions to act against Holocaust denial and maintain programs The decision to first give practical tools to war in denial of the Holocaust and distorted.<br />
<br />
... "When Adolf Eichmann, the "final solution" architect, was on trial in Israel, the Attorney General Open the prosecution in these moving words: 'At this place, where I stand before you - I do not stand alone; with me are here at this time six million prosecutors. But they can not get up on their feet or point a finger.' I'm here too with six million prosecutors today. But while this decision preserves the memory of six million victims of the past, its purpose is to protect the countless victims of the future."<br />
<br />
Following the decision, Arden met with the UN Secretary-General, along with the German Ambassador and Holocaust survivors invited to the UN by the Ambassador. Arden said at the meeting that "this is a historic day and the decision we made today on our own initiative is of great importance.<br />
<br />
The fact that over 100 countries have joined us that have determined that Holocaust deniers and perversions must be fought - will give us real tools to act against them and also demand responsibility from Internet companies. I thank the UN Secretary-General for his commitment to the fight against anti-Semitism and the war on Holocaust denial, and I thank the German ambassador for joining our initiative and helping to pass it on."</blockquote></ref><ref>Udi Evental @UEvental Tweeted: ([https://twitter.com/UEvental/status/1489847427830005760 Feb 5, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
Holocaust denial in which the Iranian regime is involved up to the neck is also related to the vision of the destruction of Israel, since the Holocaust provides legitimacy for its establishment and existence. Tehran supports Holocaust deniers (the best known of whom was Roger Garaudy) and organizes "academic" conferences on the subject. In January this year, Iran was the only country to oppose the UN resolution against Holocaust denial.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.iranintl.com/en/202201203872 Iran Alone Among 193 UN Members To Oppose Holocaust Resolution], Iran Intl, Jan 20, 2022.<blockquote>The UN General Assembly on Thursday agreed on a definition of denial of the Holocaust and urged social media companies "to take active measures" to combat antisemitism.<br />
<br />
"The General Assembly is sending a strong and unambiguous message against the denial or the distortion of these historical facts," said Germany's UN Ambassador Antje Leendertse. "Ignoring historical facts increases the risk that they will be repeated."<br />
<br />
While the 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution - drafted by Israel and Germany - without a vote, Iran disassociated itself from the text over Israel's "occupation of Palestine and parts of Syria and Lebanon."<br />
<br />
Israel's UN mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Iran's statement.<br />
<br />
The General Assembly resolution spelled out that distortion and denial of the Holocaust refers to Intentional efforts to excuse or minimize the impact of the Holocaust, gross minimization of the number of the victims in contradiction to reliable sources and attempts to blame the Jews for causing their own genocide.<br />
The resolution also said statements that cast the Holocaust as a positive historical event constitute denial, and "urges member states and social media companies to take active measures to combat antisemitism and Holocaust denial or distortion by means of information and communications technologies and to facilitate reporting of such content."</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
Iran's president Raisi was blasted for questioning if Holocaust was real (in is [[CBS]] 60 Minutes interview, Sep 2022).<ref name=newsweek-19sep2022>Zoe Strozewski, [https://www.newsweek.com/iranian-president-blasted-questioning-if-holocaust-was-real-1744265 Iranian President Blasted for Questioning if Holocaust Was Real], ''Newsweek'', Sep 19, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
====Racist terror====<br />
<br />
Examples:<br />
<br />
The July 12, 1994, AMIA attack on Jewish center AMIA in Argentina by Islamic Republic of Iran's backed [[Hezbollah]] ''Ansar Allah'': 85 civilians dead and over 300 injured of multiple nationalities. The attack is considered the worst antisemitic attack in the world since World War II.<ref>Dina Siegel Vann, [https://www.ajc.org/news/25-years-since-the-amia-bombing-hezbollah-and-antisemitism 25 Years since the AMIA Bombing: Hezbollah and Antisemitism], AJC, July 17, 2019<blockquote><br />
This piece originally appeared in El País [https://elpais.com/internacional/2019/07/15/america/1563211046_479182.html]. <br />
This year marks 25 years of impunity following the terrible terrorist attack against the headquarters of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Buenos Aires. On July 18, 1994, following multiple warnings about the possibility of a new attack at the hands of Iran and its Hezbollah henchmen, and after the bombing in 1992 of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, a van loaded with explosives detonated in front of the building that represented the institutional heart of Judaism in Argentina. The attack left 85 civilians dead and over 300 injured of multiple nationalities. The attack is considered the worst antisemitic attack in the world since World War II. It shook Argentine society to its core and created a deep sense of vulnerability in the Jewish world at large.<br />
Beyond the many surprising twists and turns in a case that is yet to be deciphered, and despite continuous declarations of commitment from governments that pledge to carry the investigation to its final conclusion, the Argentine government still comes up short. There have been low points, such as the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran by president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, which resulted in condemnation by the Jewish communities in Argentina and around the world, and more importantly, by the relatives of the victims. However, from the outset, evidence tampering, the slow pace with which evidence was processed, and extreme politicization have been obstacles to bringing the culprits to justice.<br />
There have been, however, some glimmers of light on a road marked mostly by darkness. One of the few concrete steps toward explaining the motives behind the attack,which singled out the international perpetrators of what is now known as a crime against humanity, was the investigation by Special Prosecutor Alberto Nisman. Nisman’s premature and regrettable death remains a mystery.<br />
Nisman concluded for the first time and beyond doubt that Iranian authorities at the highest levels were the masterminds behind the attack. In 2007, during an Interpol meeting in Morocco, Nisman presented his report. After months of debate and repeated attempts by the Iranian government to sabotage the process, “red notices” were issued against five Iranian government officials.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/25-years-the-amia-bombing 25 Years Since the AMIA Bombing], Wilson Center, Jul. 12, 2019.<blockquote><br />
It has been 25 years since the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. Eighty-five people were killed and hundreds wounded. Despite evidence of Iran and Hezbollah's roles in the attack, to date, no one has been held accountable. The Latin American Program's Argentina Project, in partnership with The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), hosted a public seminar discussing the anniversary of the bombing and implications for counterterrorism challenges globally.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
Targeting Jews in Panama shortly afterwards. The Alas Chiricanas Flight 901 murdering 12, mostly Jews July-19-1994.<ref>[https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/ali-hawa-jamal/bombing-of-alas-chircanas-airlines-flight-00901 Bombing of Alas Chiricanas Airlines Flight 00901], FBI. <br />
<blockquote>July 19, 1994, Panama.<br />
<br />
Ali Hawa Jamal. He is suspected of carrying the bomb aboard the aircraft.<br />
<br />
According to reports, an unidentified Middle Eastern male used the stolen credit card of a US citizen to rent a Mazda 4x4 at a Vantage Rent-a-Car located in Panama City, Panama, on May 27, 1994...</blockquote></ref><ref>Joanna Paraszczuk, [https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Palestinian-jihadist-group-splits-from-Hezbollah Palestinian jihadist group splits from Hezbollah], JPost, <br />
Dec 6, 2012.<blockquote><br />
Sources tell Lebanese paper that Iran-backed Ansar Allah is cultivating ties with al-Qaida affiliates.<br />
<br />
Ansar Allah was unknown until July 1994, when it issued a statement expressing support for the deadly bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Hezbollah and Iran are widely suspected to have been behind that attack, which killed 85 people.<br />
<br />
Ansar Allah and Hezbollah are also suspected of involvement in another terror attack, the bombing of a commuter aircraft, Alas Chiricanas Flight 00901, in Panama on the night of July 19, 1994 – a day after the AMIA bombing. A semtex plastic explosive charge, carried by a man calling himself Lya Jamal, went off killing 21 passengers, 12 of them Jewish.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://irp.fas.org/threat/terror_94/latin.html#Panama PATTERNS OF GLOBAL TERRORISM, 1994: LATIN AMERICAN OVERVIEW].<blockquote><br />
Panama<br />
<br />
On 19 July a bomb aboard a commuter plane flying between Colon and Panama City detonated, killing all 21 persons aboard, including three American citizens. Twelve of the passengers were Jews. According to media reports, an organization using the name Ansar Allah, or Followers of God, issued a statement expressing support for the bombing, which appeared to be a suicide operation by a person with a Middle Eastern name. Panama has made no arrests in connection with the bombing, but it is cooperating closely with a US law enforcement investigation.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44207991 Panama says new evidence shows 1994 plane crash 'terrorist' incident, BBC, May 22, 2018<blockquote><br />
[Image caption,<br />
The bombing of the Israeli-Argentine Mutual Association (Amia) Jewish community in Buenos Aires shocked the world].<br />
<br />
A plane crash in Panama in 1994 that killed 21 people, many of them Jews, was the result of a terrorist incident, Panama's president has said.<br />
<br />
Juan Carlos Varela said the evidence came from Israeli intelligence and he had asked for the case to be reopened.<br />
<br />
Prominent Jewish businessmen were among those on board the plane that crashed shortly after take off on 19 July 1994.<br />
<br />
The crash happened the day after a bombing at a Jewish centre in the Argentine capital, killing 85 people.<br />
<br />
Speaking to reporters in Panama on Monday, President Varela said he would ask local and international authorities to reopen the investigation into the plane crash, "given intelligence reports that clearly show it was a terrorist attack".<br />
<br />
He has just returned from Israel, where he met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At a joint news conference there, he referred to a letter he received from Mr Netanyahu last November "confirming that I lost my roommate and a senior member of the Panamanian Jewish community to a terrorist attack conducted by Hezbollah in Panama some years ago".<br />
<br />
Nineteen passengers and three crew members were on board Alas Chiricanas Airlines Flight 901 to Panama City when it exploded shortly after take off from Enrique Jimenez airport in Colon. Twelve of the passengers were Jews.<br />
<br />
At the time, the country's President-elect Ernesto Perez Balladares said it appeared that a bomb had exploded inside the cabin, but this was never confirmed.<br />
<br />
The FBI has previously said that a man named Ali Hawa Jamal was believed to have carried the bomb on to the plane and died in the explosion. He was described as being around 25-28 years old, of Middle Eastern appearance, and had previously travelled to Lebanon, Venezuela and Colombia.</blockquote></ref><ref>Juan José Rodríguez,[https://www.barrons.com/news/relatives-in-panama-still-seek-justice-for-1994-terror-attack-01595190905 Relatives In Panama Still Seek Justice For 1994 'Terror' Attack], Baarons, July 19, 2020<blockquote><br />
... In Panama, investigations have centered on a passenger named Ali Hawa Jamal, who is believed to have detonated a bomb concealed in a radio.<br />
An FBI statement said Jamal was the only person aboard whose body was never claimed.<br />
The FBI suspects Jamal belonged to the same Shiite Hezbollah group that, one day earlier, had detonated a car-bomb that killed 85 people and injured hundreds of people at the headquarters of a Jewish charity in Buenos Aires, the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
====Racist defemation and inciting Arabs against Jews====<br />
Islamic Republic of Iran created a fake social network "Aduk", masquerading as if it was Ultra-religious Jewish and or "settler." The Islamic Republic posted anti-Arab racist posts in order to stoke violence and defame Jews.<ref>"[https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-set-up-fake-social-media-network-to-stoke-violence-tensions-in-israel-report/ Iran set up fake social media network to stoke violence, tensions in Israel – report]", ''TOI'' STAFF, 3 Feb 2022.<blockquote><br />
‘Aduk’ group, masquerading as a nationalist and ultra-Orthodox news outlet, redistributed extremist and anti-Muslim material to encourage attacks on Arab Israelis, BBC says.<br />
<br />
Iran is suspected of setting up a social media network targeting Israeli nationalist and ultra-Orthodox Jews in order to encourage violence against Arab Israelis and stoke tensions in the country, according to a Thursday report by the BBC.<br />
According to the Israeli disinformation watchdog FakeReporter, which uncovered the group’s suspected Iranian origin, its goal was to help fuel “religious war” by amplifying “fear, hatred and chaos.”<br />
According to the report, the “Aduk” or “strictly religious” group presented itself as a “virtual religious union for the religious public.”</blockquote></ref><ref>Damian Pachter and ILH Staff, "[https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/02/04/iran-behind-on-line-propaganda-campaign-to-foment-religious-war-in-israel/ Report: Iran behind on-line propaganda campaign to foment 'religious war' in Israel]", ''ILH'', Feb 4, 2022.<blockquote><br />
<br />
According to watchdog group FakeReporter, the on-line ultra-Orthodox group "Aduk" was, in fact, an Iranian unit that sought to amplify "fear, hatred, and chaos" in Israeli society.</blockquote></ref><ref>"Iran Tried To Incite Chareidim Against Arabs," ''YWN'', February 6, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
===Iran's role in persecution of Mideast Christians===<br />
Though mainstream Western media narrative is that "only jihadists," such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS, are behind the persecution of Christians in the region, the reality is much more complex than the simple image that jihadists came around and killed Christians. Including in: Lebanon (via [[Hezbollah]]), Syria, Yemen.<ref>David Isaac, [https://www.jns.org/irans-role-in-persecution-of-mideast-christians-is-overlooked-expert-says/ Iran's role in persecution of Mideast Christians is overlooked, expert says], ''JNS'', Mar 1, 2022.<blockquote><font size=1><br />
<br />
According to York University's Farhad Rezaei, what distinguishes Iran when it comes to persecution of Christians is that it is pursuing a "strategy of eliminationism" – an organized, unrelenting, Nazi-like campaign to reduce the Christian presence in the Middle East.<br />
<br />
The West is missing a critical component of the story when it comes to the persecution of Middle East Christians, said Farhad Rezaei, a visiting lecturer at Toronto-based York University, during a Zoom presentation on Feb. 22. And that missing element is Iran.<br />
<br />
In the presentation – sponsored by The Philos Project, a Christian group advocating for pluralism in the Near East – Rezaei explained that Iran plays a central role in the destruction of Christian communities, specifically in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.<br />
The mainstream Western media narrative is that "only jihadists," such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS, are behind the persecution of Christians in the region, said Rezaei, who is also a senior fellow at the Philos Project.<br />
<br />
"The reality is much more complex than the simple image that jihadists came around and killed Christians," he said.<br />
<br />
According to Rezaei, what distinguishes Iran when it comes to persecution of Christians is that it is pursuing a "strategy of eliminationism" – an organized, unrelenting, Nazi-like campaign to reduce the Christian presence in the Middle East. "Eliminationism" means shrinking the Christian communities by making life for them unbearable, including through confiscation of private property, arbitrary detention, torture, public incitement, abduction and killing, explained Rezaei, who spent seven months researching this subject and will be releasing a report with his findings in the coming weeks.<br />
Rezaei provided an overview of the dramatic decline in the Christian population in the aforementioned countries.<br />
In Iraq, before 2003, the Christian population stood at 1.5 million. It is currently between 141,000-171,000, or 0.3% of the population. He noted that most of the Christians were pushed out by Shi'ite militias. He described the Christians in Iraq as "the undisputed losers of the sectarian conflict."<br />
<br />
In Syria, before 2011, the Christian population was 2.3 million. It's now 677,000. Before Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was forced to rely on Iranian help during the Syrian Civil War, he left his Christian minorities alone. Rezaei said it was the Iranians acting as military advisors to the Syrian army who introduced the eliminationist strategy into Syria. "In some cases, the Iranians and the Lebanese Hezbollah wore the uniform of the Assad regime army [to hide their identity], but the local people understood that they were from Hezbollah and Iranians by their accent," he said.<br />
<br />
Rezaei noted that in Yemen, where the Iranian-supported Shi'ite Houthis have taken over large swaths of the country, the Christian population has dropped from 40,000 to 3,000. In Lebanon, where the Iranian-supported Hezbollah dominate, the Christian population has been reduced from 54% to 34% of the total population.<br />
<br />
Rezaei cites two main reasons why the Iranians are implementing their eliminationist plan. One is strategic. Iran wants to build a land bridge to the Mediterranean, and Christian communities sit squarely along that route.<br />
The second is ideological – Khomeinism or "new Shi'ism" views Christians and Jews as "pollution," Rezaei said. While he said it is true that Shi'ism contains anti-Christian and anti-Jewish elements, it was "quietist" and minorities were largely left alone if they paid a jizyah tax, a yearly per capita levy on non-Muslims. This changed with Khomeini's rise. Khomeini and another important cleric, Ayatollah Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, were strongly influenced by Egypt's Sayyid Qutb, the leading member of the Muslim brotherhood and "father of Salafi Jihadism, or global terrorism," Rezaei said.<br />
<br />
Mesbah-Yazdi opened the Haghani seminary. "Most of the senior members of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) are disciples of Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazidi. They are all graduates of the Haghani school," he said.<br />
Mesbah-Yazdi rejected the concept of universal human rights, considering it a product of the Judeo-Christian tradition. "He developed his own version of Islamic human rights and obligations. And according to this version of human rights, Muslims basically have the right to kill their religious enemies," Rezaei said.<br />
He said the Iranians learned from the Nazis. "Although they deny the Holocaust, they have learned a lot from the Holocaust. However, they understood that they cannot destroy Christians and Jews by the same methods that the Nazis implemented in Germany, like using gas chambers and genocide, so they came up with a different scheme. And that was the strategy of eliminationism."<br />
<br />
Raymond Ibrahim, a distinguished senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and author of Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West, agreed that "we shouldn't focus too much on ISIS and the radical groups because they're just the tip of the iceberg," and that Iran is one of the worst actors. But he noted that when looking at the global picture, the lion's share of Muslim persecution goes on in Sunni countries, if for no other reason than that there are more of them.<br />
<br />
Citing the recently released report "2022 World Watch List," by the pro-Christian NGO Open Doors, which ranks the top 50 worst countries for Christian persecution, Ibrahim noted that Iran ranks ninth. Most of those ranking higher are either Sunni countries or countries with large Sunni populations.<br />
Rezaei said the purpose of his report isn't to deny the persecution committed in Sunni countries. "What I'm trying to say is that the Iranians persecute Christian minorities in an organized way, just like the Nazi Germans persecuted Jews," he said, noting that in Sunni countries like Pakistan, for example, the persecution may be intense, but it's not a top-down, nationally organized effort.<br />
<br />
Both Ibrahim and Rezaei agree that the larger, mainstream human rights groups fail to address the problem. Ibrahim suggested that one possible reason for this failure is that they're eager to prove that they're not "tribalistic," leading them to shy away from helping fellow Christians.<br />
"Also, I think a lot of it is their internal animosity for their own heritage, upon which has been heaped all sorts of sins, both real and imagined. There's an animosity for Christianity amongst descendants of Christians," Ibrahim said.<br />
Rezaei said there's still hope for the Christian communities plagued by Iran and its proxies, but a united effort by Western nations is essential. He expects that little headway can be made in the current climate, in which the Biden administration seeks to appease Iran, but "that said, it doesn't mean we should stay silent."</font></blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
===World domination===<br />
<br />
Gradually since the 1980s, the Islamic Republic has been actively involved in its global spread.<br />
<br />
In recent years it has become more emboldened.<ref>[https://www.hudson.org/research/9807-iran-takes-on-the-world Iran Takes on the World] Jamsheed K. Choksy, ''The Hudson inst.''</ref><br />
<br />
====Iraq====<br />
======Attacking the U.S======<br />
Pro-Iranian militants have been attacking U.S forces for years. Under Iranian general, [[Qasem Soleimani]], use of IED's was common. <br />
<br />
Recently, Iran has continued to attack U.S forces via missiles and drones.<ref>https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-rocket-attack-targets-iraq-base-housing-us-troops/</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
Following Iran's Mar 12, 2022, attacking Erbil,<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-701103 Missiles fired from Iran fall near US consulate in Erbil, Iraq - report], ''Jerusalem Post'', Mar 12, 2022.<blockquote>Some 12 missiles were fired from Iranian territory and fell near the US consulate in Erbil in northwestern Iraq on Saturday night.<br />
The Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Service announced that 12 ballistic missiles were fired from "outside the borders of Iraq and the Kurdistan region, specifically from the east," according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).<br />
Independent open-source intelligence (OSINT) accounts shared videos reportedly shared by Iranian civilians showing missiles being fired from Iran at the time of the attack, with at least one of the videos being geolocated to a site in Khasabad in the East Azerbaijan province of Iran.</blockquote></ref> via 12 missiles, reaching near US consulate and damaging [[Kurd]]ish media offices, a journalist: 'I have not seen a united Iraq around anything for a long time... Condemnations all-over-the-map against Iran.'<ref>roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1503066261932105733 March 13, 2022]):<blockquote>Indeed, I have not seen a united Iraq around anything for a long time. Condemnations all-over-the-map [in Iraq] against Iran following the missile attack, from Erbil to Baghdad, including the "crowner" of kings Shiite preacher Muqtada al-Sadr. Why is this interesting? Because the shooting of the Iranians takes place on days when there is some breakthrough in the contacts for the formation of the government with the participation of factions affiliated with Iran.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
All the weak [[Biden]] administration had to say that it doesn't believe it was the target...<ref>Fox News Sunday, Mar 13, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
It has then went back and forth, between cowardly appeasing the Iranians first then telling the truth.<ref>Farnaz Fassihi (@farnazfassihi) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/farnazfassihi/status/1503493146860208132 Mar 14, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
Update from @EricSchmittNYT: A senior Biden administration official refuted the earlier comment by a US official, saying the administration believes that the building that was hit was a civilian residence only and did not also serve as an Israeli training site.</blockquote><br />
<br />
-IntelOmarion (@IntelOmarion) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/IntelOmarion/status/1503494582507610120 Mar 14, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
@farnazfassihi @EricSchmittNYT Seriously? This is extremely unprofessional and dangerous reporting. Your previous claims have only fuelled Iranian propaganda & will enable further attacks on Iraq.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
=====Persecuting pro peace, pro Israel Iraqis=====<br />
<br />
On Friday, September 24, 2021, conference in the Kurdistan region, Iraqi participants called on their country’s leaders to end the state of war and join the so-called Abraham Accords. It was organised by US think-tank Center for Peace Communications in Erbil, the capital of northern Iraq’s Kurdistan autonomous region.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/bennett-on-iraqis-call-for-normalization-israel-extends-its-hand-in-peace/ Bennett on Iraqis’ call for normalization: ‘Israel extends its hand in peace’] By TOI Staff, 25 September 2021.<br />
<br><i><br />
PM praises gathering of hundreds of Sunni and Shiite notables, says 'recognition of the historical injustice done to the Jews of Iraq is especially important'.</i><br />
<blockquote><br />
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Saturday night that “Israel extends its hand back in peace” in response to a Friday meeting of over 300 prominent Iraqis calling for their country to normalize ties with the Jewish state.<br />
<br />
“Hundreds of Iraqi public figures, Sunnis and Shiites, gathered yesterday to call for peace with Israel,” Bennett said in a tweet.<br />
<br />
“This is a call that comes from below and not from above, from the people and not from the government, and the recognition of the historical injustice done to the Jews of Iraq is especially important.”<br />
<br />
“The State of Israel extends its hand back in peace,” the prime minister added...<br />
<br />
At Friday’s conference in the Kurdistan region, Iraqi participants called on their country’s leaders to end the state of war and join the so-called Abraham Accords.<br />
<br />
The agreements, formulated by the administration of former United States president Donald Trump, were signed on the White House lawn in September 2020 between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Morocco and Sudan signed normalization agreements with Israel in the ensuing months.<br />
<br />
“We demand full diplomatic relations with the State of Israel… and a new policy of normalization based on people-to-people relations with the citizens of that country,” said Wisam al-Hardan, who commanded Sunni tribal militias that aligned with the US to fight al-Qaeda in 2005, in response to the power vacuum that followed the 2003 American invasion...<br />
<br />
The gathering, which included Sunni and Shiite Muslim tribal leaders, social activists and former military commanders, took place in Iraqi Kurdistan’s capital of Erbil. It was organized by the Center for Peace Communications, a New York-based nonprofit that seeks to advance closer ties between Israelis and the Arab world.<br />
<br />
Other attendees from around the region spoke virtually to the participants, including former UAE official Ali al-Na’imi and Chemi Peres, the son of former Israeli president Shimon Peres.<br />
<br />
Calling the expulsion of Iraq’s Jews “the most infamous act” in the country’s decline, al-Hardan said that Iraq “must reconnect with the whole of our diaspora, including these Jews.”<br />
<br />
Other Iraqis who participated in the conference urged their country to rebuild ties with those who arrived in Israel fleeing persecution, as well as their descendants..<br />
<br />
A flourishing Iraqi Jewish community lived in the country for centuries, mostly in the central city of Baghdad. But as British colonial rule ended in Iraq and the State of Israel was born in Mandatory Palestine, everything began to change.<br />
<br />
A vicious 1941 pogrom, known in Arabic as the Farhud, saw the deaths of hundreds of Iraqi Jews at the hands of their compatriots in Baghdad. The attacks were sparked by rumors that Jews had helped the British retake power in Iraq following a coup by pro-Nazi Iraqi generals.<br />
<br />
After Israel was founded in 1948, Iraq began persecuting those Jews who remained. The government made Zionism a criminal offense and began firing Iraqi Jews from the civil service en masse. Other Jewish Iraqis were arrested and executed as suspected spies.<br />
<br />
Between 1950 and 1952, over 100,000 Iraqi Jews emigrated to Israel as part of Operation Ezra and Nehemiah. With others driven to emigrate by further decades of repression and war, only a handful of Jews remain.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Pro-Iran militia said that normalizers are 'legitimate targets.' After death threats, Iraqis who attended pro-Israel normalization summit recanted.<ref>Aaron Boxerman, "[https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-death-threats-iraqis-who-attended-pro-israel-normalization-summit-recant/ After death threats, Iraqis who attended pro-Israel normalization summit recant]", TOI, 30 September 2021.<br><i><br />
Speaker says he didn’t mean to call for peace with Israel, others say they were misled about conference’s content; pro-Iran militia says normalizers are 'legitimate targets.'</i></ref><br />
<br />
=====Al-Kadhimi assassination attempt=====<br />
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi addresses the nation following a drone strike that targeted his residence in Baghdad on November 7, 2021, amid Escalating Tensions With Iran-Backed Militias <ref>[https://www.rferl.org/a/iraq-drone-attack-iran/31549714.html Iraqi PM Unharmed After Drone Attack Amid Escalating Tensions With Iran-Backed Militias] RFE/RL, Nov 7, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi addresses the nation following a drone strike that targeted his residence in Baghdad on November 7. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi addresses the nation following a drone strike that targeted his residence in Baghdad on November 7.<br />
<br />
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an attack by an armed drone on his residence on November 7 amid escalating tensions over the refusal of Iran-backed militias to accept last month's parliamentary election results.<br />
<br />
The Baghdad residence inside the city's fortified Green Zone was hit by a rocket attack early on November 7, the prime minister’s office said in a statement.<br />
<br />
Kadhimi was unharmed in the attack, which the statement said was a “failed assassination attempt.”</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Iraqi Pundit:<ref>Hussain Abdul-Hussain @hahussain Tweeted ([https://mobile.twitter.com/hahussain/status/1457141796245549073 Nov 6, 2021]):<br />
<br><i><br />
The Middle East will never be cured until the #Iran regime is obliterated. All other analysis is just for crisis management.</i></ref><blockquote>The Middle East will never be cured until the #Iran regime is obliterated. All other analysis is just for crisis management.</blockquote><br />
<br />
It was later confirmed that Iran-backed militia was behind attack on Iraqi PM.<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-backed-militia-behind-attack-on-iraqi-pm-security-officials-sources-684356 Iran-backed militia behind attack on Iraqi PM - security officials, sources], Reuters, JPost, Nov 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
====Cyberattack on children hospital====<br />
<br />
The [[FBI]] thwarted an Iranian government-backed cyberattack against [[Boston]] Children’s Hospital in 2021.<ref>Jill McKeon, [https://healthitsecurity.com/news/fbi-blocked-iranian-backed-cyberattack-on-boston-childrens-hospital-last-year FBI Blocked Iranian-Backed Cyberattack on Boston Children’s Hospital Last Year], Healthitsecurity.com, June 02, 2022.<blockquote><br />
<br />
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the bureau thwarted an Iranian government-backed cyberattack against Boston Children’s Hospital in 2021.</blockquote></ref><br />
====Secret Service plot====<br />
In March 2022, two Muslim men, (Iranian) Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and (Pakistani) Haider Ali, 35, were arrested<ref>Katelyn Caralle, [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10696133/How-fake-DHS-agents-spent-18-MONTHS-trying-infiltrate-Secret-Service-Jill-Bidens-detail.html How 'fake' DHS agents spent 18 MONTHS trying to 'infiltrate Secret Service and Jill Biden's detail'], Daily Mail Online, Apr 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote>Two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied.</blockquote></ref> for impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington. The two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to [[Pakistan]]i intelligence<ref>Michael Balsamo, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-man-impersonated-agent-claimed-ties-to-pakistani-intel/2022/04/07/6f49f666-b6a9-11ec-8358-20aa16355fb4_story.html US: Man impersonated agent, claimed ties to Pakistani intel]," ''AP'', via ''WaPo'', April 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
WASHINGTON — One of two men accused of impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington has claimed to have ties to Pakistani intelligence and had visas showing travel to Pakistan and Iran, federal prosecutors said Thursday.<br />
<br />
The men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested Wednesday. The FBI raided a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where the men were staying and had been offering free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents and officers.<br />
<br />
During a court appearance Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said Ali had told witnesses that he was affiliated with the Inter-Services Intelligence agency in Pakistan and that he had multiple visas from Pakistan and Iran in the months before prosecutors believe the men began impersonating U.S. law enforcement officials. Rothstein said the U.S. has not yet been able to verify the veracity of Ali’s claims to the witnesses.</blockquote></ref> <i>Inter-Services Intelligence</i> (ISI), and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied. Aim was to compromise and accessing information.<br />
<br />
====Assassinations plots====<br />
<br />
In Feb 2022, an Iranian attempt to assassinate Israeli businessman Yair Geller in Turkey was thwarted. The attempt came as revenge and in response to the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Muhsin Fakhrizada in 2020.<ref name=mako-30.04.22/><br />
<br />
In Apr 2022, it was reported that the Mossad thwarted Iran's triple plot: to kill an Israeli diplomat in Turkey, a US general in the US and a French journalist.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/mossad-agents-interrogated-irgc-member-in-iran-over-assassination-plot-reports/amp/ Mossad reportedly interrogated IRGC member in Iran over triple assassination plot], ''TOI'', Apr 30, 2022.</ref><ref>Staff, [https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-705523 Mossad operates in Iran, foils IRGC plot to kill Israeli diplomat, US general], Jerusalem Post, April 30, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Iran's Quds Force reportedly also planned to assassinate a senior American military general in Germany and a journalist in France.<br />
<br />
The Mossad – operating in Iran – apprehended and interrogated an Iranian national who was leading a plot to kill an Israeli diplomat and a US general, sources have confirmed.</blockquote></ref> Mansour Rassouli was interrogated by Mossad inside Iran.<ref>Tal lev Ram @tallevram Tweeted:<br />
([https://twitter.com/tallevram/status/1520460393449205763 Apr 30, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
No less interesting than the operation of the Mossad that arrested and released a few months ago after an investigation in Iran the Quds Force man Mansour Rassouli in connection with the planning of the assassination of one of the employees of the Israeli consulate in Turkey, is the decision to reveal the information and video. It is no coincidence that the guy probably survived. The battle for consciousness against the Iranians is part of the event.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
The Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards has invited one of its agents to assassinate an employee of the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, the agent belongs to Unit 840 of the Quds Force, which deals with opponents of the Islamic Republic. He admitted that he received $ 150,000 for the preparations for the assassination, and was supposed to receive $ 1 million after he managed to eliminate the 3 targets.<br />
He was arrested in Europe.<ref name=mako-30.04.22>Nir Dvori, [https://www.mako.co.il/news-military/2022_q2/Article-2bce219b0897081026.htm The Mossad thwarted Iran's attempt to harm Israeli diplomats in Istanbul], N12, 30/04/22<br />
<blockquote><br />
The suspect in the assassination attempt is a member of the Revolutionary Guards. • He was arrested and taken for questioning in a European country.<br />
<br />
The Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards has invited one of its agents to assassinate an employee of the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, according to a report by a US general and French diplomatic sources.<br />
<br />
According to the report, the agent is currently under arrest in Europe. He belongs to Unit 840 of the Quds Force, which deals with opponents of the Islamic Republic. He admitted that he received $ 150,000 for the preparations for the assassination, and was supposed to receive $ 1 million after he managed to eliminate the 3 targets.<br />
Yesterday marked "Jerusalem Day" in Iran, during which masses took to the streets and there were a series of demonstrations of rage and aggressive speeches. The head of the Revolutionary Guards, [https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/hossein-salami Hossein Salami], said: "Israel is creating the conditions for its destruction..."<br />
<br />
Last February, an attempt to assassinate Israeli businessman Yair Geller in Turkey was thwarted. Israeli and Turkish intelligence forces worked together to thwart the assassination attempt, which came as revenge and in response to the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Muhsin Fakhrizada in 2020.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
In Aug 2022, Iranian, Quds force's Shahram Poursafi was charged in plot to murder [[John Bolton]] on behalf of the [[IRGC]]. He offered cash for the murder to whom he believed to be of the Mexican cartel.<ref>Callie Patteson, [https://nypost.com/2022/08/10/iranian-shahram-poursafi-charged-in-plot-to-murder-john-bolton/ Iranian Shahram Poursafi charged in plot to murder John Bolton], ''NYPost'', Aug 10, 2022.<br>Bolton said: It tells you that they "really threaten American citizens on US soil."<br />
<br><br />
''PBS NewsHour'', Aug 10, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
====Threats====<br />
In July 2022, Iran, the IRGC, declares it can use nuclear missiles to turn 'New York into hellish ruins.'<ref>Benjamin Weinthal, [https://www.foxnews.com/world/iran-declares-can-use-nuclear-missiles-turn-new-york-hellish-ruins Iran declares it can use nuclear missiles to turn 'New York into hellish ruins'], ''Fox News'', Aug 1, 2022 <blockquote><br />
Iran boasts about its nuke program: 'When Will Iran’s Sleeping Warheads Awaken'.<br />
<br />
The Iranian regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Saturday said that it can develop a nuclear weapon within a rapid-fire amount of time and obliterate New York with ballistic missiles. <br />
The London-based Iran International news organization reported that the Bisimchi Media (Radioman Media) Telegram Channel aired a short video titled, "When Will Iran’s Sleeping Warheads Awaken." The video said the Islamic Republic of Iran is capable of building nuclear bombs in a compressed period of time "if the US or the Zionist regime make any stupid mistakes."</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
====Lebanon====<br />
Iran's [[Hezbollah]] has been hijacking the Lebanese and terrorize all who voice a slight criticism. It engaged in multiple assassinations. In its operations it has used its [[Human shields by terrorists|civilians]] as cannon fodders. Including storing large quantities of weapons. It has threatened the judge who investigate the August 2020 large explosion in Beirut killing over 200.<br />
<br />
====Yemen====<br />
Iran's backed [[Houthis]], who engaged in [[Human shields by terrorists|human shields]] methods, are foremost anti US and anti Jews.<br />
<br />
<br />
On Jan 22, 2022, during Gaza rally in support of Houthis in Yemen, chants of 'Death ro the Saud clan!' And 'America is the Great Satan!'<ref>[https://www.memri.org/tv/gaza-rally-support-houthi-yemen-death-saud-clan-america-great-satan Chants Of 'Death To The Saud Clan!' And 'America Is The Great Satan!' During Gaza Rally In Support Of Houthis In Yemen], Memri, Jan 22, 2022. [https://www.memri.org/player/clip/55164/1/1]<br />
<blockquote><br />
On January 22, 2022, videos were uploaded to several YouTube channels of demonstrations in Gaza in support of the Houthis in Yemen. The demonstrators waved Palestinian and Yemeni flags and posters with the images of IRGC Qods Force Commander General Qasem Soleimani, of Hizbullah Chief of Staff Imad Mughniyah, and Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. The demonstrators chanted: "Death to the Saud clan!... America is the Great Satan!"<br />
Leader: "Salutations from Gaza!"<br />
Crowd: "Salutations from Gaza!"</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
====Syria====<br />
Iran's [[Hezbollah]] has been helping Assad regime and engaged in its brutal crimes against humanity in the Civil War.<br />
<br />
====Turkey====<br />
<br />
In 2022, especially in June-Aug Iranian agents, repeatedly, have been attempting to harm innocent Israelis in Turkey.<ref>[https://english.news.cn/20220622/875c0dc7f2f243acbb9442d6684b2aad/c.html Turkey brings down Iranian intelligent cell for planning attacks on Israelis in Istanbul], (Xinhua), Jun 22, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.iranintl.com/en/202207118023 Turkish Paper Reveals More Details Of Iranian Plot In Turkey], Iranintl, Jul 11, 2022. <blockquote>Turkey was aware that a team of Iranian agents had entered the country in June to assassinate Israelis, before they were arrested...</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ry4rsv006q New CCTV images show Iranian kill squad tracking Israelis in Istanbul], ''Ynetnews'', Aug 2, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
====Latin America====<br />
<br />
Iran's [[Hezbollah]] have been active in Latin America at least since 1984 AMIA bombing in [[Argentina]] that massacred 85.<br />
<br />
It has conducted a large narco terror operation for decades especially along the Tri Border Area and in Maicao, [[Colombia]].<br />
<br />
Hugo Chavez has provided Iranian Islamists operatives with Venezuelan passports.<br />
<br />
Venezuelan Vice–President Tareck El Aissami, a strong candidate to be the future leader of his country, facilitated the issue of hundreds of Venezuelan passports to suspected Hezbollah members.<ref name=swj-2020>[https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/irans-strategic-penetration-latin-america-consequences-us-foreign-policy-and-national Iran’s Strategic Penetration of Latin America: Consequences for U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security]. By Magdalena Defort and William Preston McLaughlin. SWJ, Jan 20, 2020.<br />
<blockquote><br />
The Contemporary Islamic Threat<br />
<br />
Two centuries later, history has come full circle. In 2017, Senator Marco Rubio spoke to the U.S. Senate about the threat to national and regional security posed by the extra–hemispheric power called the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). According to Rubio, between 2008 and 2012, fraudulent passports, national IDs and birth certificates were issued by the Venezuelan Embassy in Baghdad to foreign nationals with ties to terrorist group, including 173 people from Iran, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan. The individual who uncovered this information was Misael López Soto (lawyer and legal attaché in the Venezuelan Embassy in Baghdad), a Venezuelan national assigned to the Venezuelan Embassy in Iraq in 2015. Soto became a whistleblower and revealed the identity of several of these potential terrorists. He also discovered that Venezuelan Vice–President Tareck El Aissami, a strong candidate to be the future leader of his country, facilitated the issue of hundreds of Venezuelan passports to suspected Hezbollah members.<br />
<br />
Despite the fact that these activities were revealed in a CNN documentary and a handful of Iranians using the fraudulent passports were arrested, there is no substantial evidence that the Venezuelan government intended to stop its Baghdad embassy’s wrongdoing. Senator Rubio’s exposure of how a Latin American country could facilitate the movement of terrorist groups throughout the Middle East and Latin America, and how these groups have allegedly interfered in Venezuela’s democratic process by influencing its elections, show how effectively Iran and its proxy forces have gained the cooperation of some Latin America governments.<br />
<br />
Although the Middle East presence in Latin America dates back to the early 1900s, the 1979 Iranian revolution that brought the Ayatollah Khomeini to power firmly established the Islamic Republic’s presence in the region. Since then, Iran has used every agency within its borders to help extend Iranian tentacles into the political, cultural, economic, and military life of Latin America. Iranian operatives have even infiltrated existing Latin American criminal networks and now operate freely within them. All of this activity follows the “Pattern of Penetration” model put forth by Ilan Berman and Joseph M. Humire.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
[[Venezuela]]'s dictator Nicolas Maduro's chief dirty money man, Arab Hezbollah guy, Alex Saab was finally arrested in 2021.<br />
<br />
Alex “[Saab] was a key figure in the pillaging of the national reserves, profiting off the suffering of the people and increasingly criminalizing and providing those international networks for the Maduro regime.”<ref>[https://www.csis.org/analysis/corruption-venezuela-alex-saab-case Corruption in Venezuela: The Alex Saab Case], CSIS, June 24, 2020</ref><br />
<br />
At the Maduro-Hezbollah Nexus: Iran-backed Networks Prop up the Venezuelan Regime. The minted oil minister, Tareck El Aissami, and the regime’s special envoy to Iran, Lebanese-Colombian businessman Alex Saab, seemingly worked out a gold-for-gas deal with Tehran.<br />
<ref>Joseph M. Humire, [https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/the-maduro-hezbollah-nexus-how-iran-backed-networks-prop-up-the-venezuelan-regime/ The Maduro-Hezbollah Nexus: How Iran-backed Networks Prop up the Venezuelan Regime], Atlantic Council, October 7, 2020.<br />
<blockquote><br />
*Too often, Hezbollah in Venezuela is characterized as only a potential terrorist threat. In reality, the Lebanese terrorist group has helped to turn Venezuela into a hub for the convergence of transnational organized crime and international terrorism.<br />
*Hezbollah's crime-terror network in Venezuela has facilitated Iran's cooperation with the Maduro regime.<br />
<br />
*The United States, allies, and international institutions must ramp up regional counterterrorism collaboration, crack down on illicit financial networks, and build stronger ties with Lebanese and other Arab communities in Latin America.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
The detainment of the Venezuelan cargo plane in Argentina in June 2022,<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-seeks-possession-venezuela-plane-grounded-argentina-linked-to-iran/ U.S. asks Argentina to seize mysterious Venezuelan plane linked to Iran], CBS News, Aug 3, 2022.</ref> could be linked to attempts by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to attack Israelis abroad.<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-710648 How is a Venezuelan plane linked to Iran's attempts to attack Israelis?], ''JPost'', Jun 28, 2022.<blockquote>A Venezuelan cargo plane bought from Iran is the latest piece in the IRGC's smuggling enterprise.<br />
<br />
The recent detainment of a Venezuelan cargo plane in Argentina could be linked to attempts by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to attack Israelis abroad...</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Reported in 2022:<ref>Y. Ettinger, [https://www.jns.org/opinion/irans-ayatollahs-threaten-the-us-in-latin-america/ Iran’s ayatollahs threaten the US in Latin America], ''JNS'', Jan 10, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Despite what the U.S. State Dept. appears to believe, history has demonstrated that the Iranian leopard will not change its spots, only its tactics...<br />
Iran’s ayatollahs closely collaborate with Hezbollah, the proxy of Iran’s Quds Force, which is the arm of the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]] responsible for exporting the Islamic revolution. They have intensified their surge into South and Central America, from Chile (especially with the December election of President Gabriel Boric) to Mexico. They consider Latin America to be the soft underbelly of the United States.</blockquote></ref><blockquote><br />
Despite what the U.S. State Dept. appears to believe, history has demonstrated that the Iranian leopard will not change its spots, only its tactics...<br />
Iran’s ayatollahs closely collaborate with Hezbollah, the proxy of Iran’s Quds Force, which is the arm of the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]] responsible for exporting the Islamic revolution. They have intensified their surge into South and Central America, from Chile (especially with the December election of President Gabriel Boric) to Mexico. They consider Latin America to be the soft underbelly of the United States.</blockquote><br />
<br />
====Apocalyptic motivation, goal in world domination====<br />
<br />
Their Islamic messianic creed is the raison d'être for the Islamic Republic of Iran according to its founders and leaders.<br />
<ref>[https://m.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/the-fall-of-soleimnai-and-the-mahdi-doctrine-615654/amp The fall of Qasem Soleimani and the Mahdi Doctrine], ''Jpost,'' Jan 29, 2020</ref><br />
<br />
''They believe the Shia messiah known as the “Twelfth Imam” or the “Mahdi” will appear soon to establish a global Islamic kingdom''.<br />
<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/why-irans-top-leaders-believe-that-the-end-of-days-has-come.amp Why Iran's Top Leaders Believe That the End of Days Has Come], ''Fox News,'' Nov 7, 2011.</ref><br />
<br />
Shiite Iran (and its Hezbollah), and the Sunni ISIS, both believe that any moment now their "messiah", will appear. Iran and ISIS are both eager to hasten the coming of their Mahdi.<br />
<ref>[https://www.nationalreview.com/2015/09/radical-islam-iran-isis-apocalytpic-messiah-mahdi/amp/ Radical Islam? Apocalyptic Islam Poses the Greater Threat], ''NRO'', Sep 11, 2015</ref><br />
<br />
====Support for global terrorism====<br />
:{{See also|Khobar Towers bombing|2021 Gaza War}}<br />
The Iranian government supports and funds [[Islamic terrorist]] organizations in various countries, doing so since the Islamic revolution in 1979.<ref>Nazarian, Adelle (October 13, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2017/10/13/brief-timeline-iran-sponsored-terrorism-since-1979/ A Brief Timeline of Iran-Sponsored Terrorism Since 1979]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 13, 2017.</ref> The U.S. Department of State labels Iran as a leading state sponsor of terror.<ref>Lee, Matthew (July 19, 2017). [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/iran-still-top-state-sponsor-terrorism-u-s-report-says/ Iran still top state sponsor of terrorism, U.S. report says]. ''PBS'' (from the ''Associated Press''). Retrieved October 13, 2017.</ref> The Islamic Republic works through its proxies: in the [[Middle East]],<br />
<ref>[https://www.rand.org/blog/2019/10/irans-proxies-are-more-powerful-than-ever.html Iran's Proxies Are More Powerful Than Ever], ''RAND'', Oct. 16, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://www.csis.org/war-by-proxy War by Proxy: Iran’s Growing Footprint in the Middle East], ''CSIS'' Briefs, March 11, 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/hezbollah-revolutionary-irans-most-successful-export/amp/ Hezbollah: Revolutionary Iran's most successful export], ''Brookings Institution,'' Jan 17, 2019</ref> such as: [[Hezbollah]], [[Houthis]], "Palestinian" [[Islamic Jihad]], it is strongly [[Hamas]] linked. Its bases of operations in [[South America]] works through Hezbollah network, via local Arab-Muslims in the community in: [[Venezuela]], [[Maicao]]/ [[Colombia]]n/Venzuelan border;<ref>[https://www.securefreesociety.org/designating-hezbollah-as-a-terrorist-group-is-a-legal-tool/ Designating Hezbollah As A Terrorist Group Is A Legal Tool], Joseph M. Humire. SFS, Jan 21, 2020</ref> Tri-Border area<ref>[https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/fighting-terror-the-tri-border-area Fighting Terror in the Tri-Border Area], ''Wilson Center,'' Dec 9, 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.lawfareblog.com/iran-and-hezbollahs-presence-around-world Iran and Hezbollah's Presence Around the World], ''Lawfare'', Jan 8, 2020</ref> in [[Argentina]]/[[Brazil]]/[[Paraguay]]). In recent years it has even expanded its TV channel in Spanish.<br />
<br />
According to a U.S. court record for the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings, [[Osama Bin Laden]] was living in Khartoum, Sudan when Sudanese religious scholar Ahmed Abdel Rahman Hamadabi brought Shekih Nomani an emissary of Iran to meet the [[Al-Qaeda]] leadership. Sheikh Nomani was described as having "had access to the highest echelons of power in Tehran.<ref>Rohan Gunaratna, "[https://books.google.com/books?id=WDkqQSWFvvIC&pg=PA146#v=onepage&q&f=false Inside Al Qaeda: Global Network of Terror]," (Columbia University Press, 2002), p.146</ref> This meeting resulted in an informal agreement between Iran and Al-Qaeda to cooperate, with Iran providing critical explosives, intelligence and security training to Bin Laden's organization.<ref name="washingtoninstitute.org">https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/the-iran-al-qaeda-conundrum</ref> Iran continued to provide support to Al-Qaeda even after they relocated to Afghanistan in 1996. Iranian officials helped Al-Qaeda members transit through Iran to Afghanistan. Iranian border guards were instructed not to stamp their passports, to prevent their home governments from suspecting that they had traveled to Afghanistan.<ref name="washingtoninstitute.org"/> A section of the 9/11 commission states that shortly after the meetings between Iran and Al-Qaeda in Sudan in 1991,"senior Al-Qaeda operatives and trainers traveled to Iran to receive training in explosives. In the fall of 1993, another such delegation went to the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon for further training in explosives as well as in intelligence and security. Bin Laden reportedly showed particular interest in learning how to use truck bombs such as the one that had killed 241 U.S Marines in Lebanon in 1983. The relationship between Al-Qaeda and Iran demonstrated that Sunni-Shia divisions did not necessarily pose an insurmountable barrier to cooperation in terrorist operations."<ref>[https://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/report/911Report.pdf#page=257 The 9/11 Commission Report] Page 257 (PDF)</ref> <br />
<br />
Iran and Al-Qaeda cooperation continues to this day. The State Department's Country Reports on terrorism has noted that, "Iran has allowed [Al-Qaeda] facilitators to operate a core facilitation pipeline through Iran since at least 2009, enabling [Al-Qaeda] to move funds and fighters to South Asia and Syria."<ref>[https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2019/02/06/irans-support-for-al-qaeda-is-incompatible-with-fatf-standards/ Iran’s Support for al-Qaeda is Incompatible with FATF Standards], ''FDD,'' Feb 6, 2019</ref><br />
<br />
Hezbollah welcomed the Umm El Fahm Arabs' [[ISIS]]<ref>Elliot Gotkine, [https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/28/middleeast/israel-isis-attack-intl/index.html ISIS attack kills two and injures six in Israel], ''CNN'', March 28, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
(CNN) ISIS operatives killed two people and injured six in a shooting attack Sunday in the Israeli city of Hadera, some 31 miles north of Tel Aviv, Israeli officials said.<br />
The attack — the second of its kind in a week — coincided with a landmark regional summit in Israel's Negev desert, where top diplomats from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt, Israel and the United States are meeting to discuss security issues.<br />
"We condemn today's terrorist attack in Hadera, Israel," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted on Sunday from Israel. "Such senseless acts of violence and murder have no place in society. We stand with our Israeli partners and send our condolences to the families of the victims."</blockquote></ref><ref>roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) Tweeted: ([https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1508225829339344897 March 27, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
ISIS also issued an official proclamation accepting responsibility for the attack in Hadera: "The "infidel" Jews must know that the promises (to harm them) will come to them sooner or later. With the help of Allah."</blockquote></ref> attack in Hadera Mar 27, 2022,<ref>roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס @kaisos1987 Tweeted [https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1508225829339344897 Mar 28, 2022]):<blockquote>Hezbollah welcomes the attack in Hadera yesterday. A statement from the organization said that the attack underscores the desire of the Palestinian people to fight ...and that it is a practical response to the normalization meetings held by some Arab regimes with the enemy entity.</blockquote></ref> murdering two, injuring others, as well as its [[Iran]] bosses supported it.<ref>Seth J. Frantznam, [https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-702502 Hezbollah praises Hadera terrorist attack as ‘response’ to Negev Summit - analysis], ''JPost'', March 28, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
The statement called this a heroic “confrontation” with Israel. The article noted that the perpetrators were from Umm el-Fahm, a large Arab-Israeli city.<br />
<br />
Iran’s Fars News Agency also highlighted the attack. Fars is considered close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The IRGC and Iran generally back Hezbollah. The statement at Fars called this a “martyrdom operation” and said Hezbollah had congratulated the perpetrators...<br />
<br />
The context here is that the operation appears to be linked to ISIS, which is a jihadist group that generally is opposed to Shi’ites and Iran. That means that in this case, even though the perpetrators are apparently Islamist extremists, pro-Iranian groups nevertheless back the attack...<br />
<br />
Iran backs Hamas, which is a Sunni group linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.<br />
<br />
This complexity of Sunni, Shi’ite, Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran and other countries sometimes being against each other, and sometimes on the same side, is one of the features of the region. In general, ISIS has not targeted Israel in recent years, and jihadist groups have focused their energies elsewhere. But Iranian-backed groups have focused their energies on fighting Israel.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
In Apr 2022, per Cairo sources: 'Islamic Jihad ([[PIJ]]), backed by Iran, is key to escalation,' - on the Israeli "Palestinian" front.<ref>Kan News (@kann_news) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/kann_news/status/1513205881583902720 Apr 10, 2022]):<br />
<blockquote><br />
Sources in Cairo here News: Islamic Jihad, backed by Iran, is key to escalation - Jihad spokesman in Gaza: 'If Israeli "aggression" [sic] continues - all fronts will explode."'</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
See: [[Guardian of walls]] - Iranian proxy war<br />
[[File:Obama UN.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Barack Obama addressing the United nations: "The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam."]]<br />
<br />
====Iranian nuclear deal====<br />
<br />
:{{See also|Iranian nuclear deal}}<br />
The Iranian nuclear deal or the [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]] (JCPOA) was a failed [[diplomatic]] agreement by the Obama administration negotiated by [[John Kerry]] to help Iran get 150 billion dollars of U.S. taxpayer money and American banks. Iran then used this money for terrorism.<br />
<br />
Then-President [[Obama]] said the joint agreement put Iran on the path of having [[nuclear weapons]] in 13 years. Obama finalized the agreement on January 21, 2016 when he signed [[Executive Order]] 13716.<br />
<br />
The deal supposedly limited Iran's uranium enrichment, but it did not stop Iranian support of terrorist groups like the [[Muslim Brotherhood]], [[Hamas]] and [[Hezbollah]]. It also did not address Iran's expansionist ambitions in the [[Middle East]].<br />
<ref>(Ghoraba, Hany). [https://www.investigativeproject.org/7465/why-egypt-supports-us-withdrawal-from-iran Why Egypt Supports U.S. Withdrawal From Iran Nuclear Deal]. ''The Investigative Project On Terrorism''. Retrieved September 2, 2018.</ref> [[President Donald J. Trump]] rescinded the executive order in May 2018.<br />
<br />
In Jan 2022, 3 negotiators quit, over [[Biden]]'s dangerous soft stand.<ref>"[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10439847/Three-Bidens-Iran-negotiating-team-RESIGN-not-tough-nuke-deal.htm GOP lawmaker slams Biden after three of his team negotiating]," ''Daily Mail'', Jan 25, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
===Foreign Relations===<br />
Khomeini's revolutionary regime initiated sharp changes from the foreign policy pursued by the Shah, particularly in reversing the country's orientation toward the West. In the Middle East, Iran's only significant ally has been [[Syria]]. Within the U.N framework of the "[[New World Order]]", as some [[Islamist]]s refer to it, Iran pursues its foreign policy objectives under the ''kufr'' Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as it covertly promotes [[terrorism]]. Western governments have labeled Iran as the leading state sponsor of terrorism.<ref>[http://www.cfr.org/iran/state-sponsors-iran/p9362 State Sponsors: Iran], Greg Bruno, Council on Foreign Relations, Updated: October 13, 2011. cfr.org </ref><br />
<br />
Iran's foreign policy and Shi'a brand of Islam promotes Muslim unity<ref>[http://imamalinet.net/old/en/es/esa/esal/esall/esall.htm Imams call People to Islamic Unity], Muhammad Rida al-Muzaffar. imamalinet.net </ref> whereas Sunni Salafi-jihadists consider Shi'ism not as a dissident sect, but rather as treasonous to the people of God (''ulema'') and worthy of the death penalty (''takfir'').<br />
<br />
Iran's foreign relations are based on sometimes competing objectives. Iran's pragmatic foreign policy goals include, not surprisingly, protecting itself from external threats and building trade ties. Iran has additionally been accused, however, of trying to export its fundamentalist revolution to other countries, supporting terrorist organizations, and its vehement anti-U.S. and anti-Israel stances are well-known. Senior Iranian officials directed Hezbollah to carry out the bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA, the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association) building in Buenos Aires on July 18, 1994, killing 85 people and wounding scores of others. Out of the eight individuals indicted by the Government of Argentina in October 2006, the Interpol Executive Committee has recommended the issuance of Red Notices (international arrest warrants) against six: five former or current Iranian officials and one Lebanese Hezbollah leader. <br />
[[File:Money-laundering-map-Artboard 1.png|right|400px|thumb|[[Project Cassandra]] discovered a global cocaine smuggling network run by Iran through its proxy, Hezbollah.]]<br />
In September 1980, during the Carter-era [[Iranian hostage crisis]], Iraq invaded Iran to take control of the waterway between the two countries, the Shatt al-Arab, although the conflict's underlying causes included each nation's overt desire for the overthrow of the other's government. Iran defended itself and demanded the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Iranian territory and the return to the status quo ante for the Shatt al-Arab as established under the 1975 Algiers Agreement signed by Iraq and Iran. Khomeini's government turned down an Iraqi cease-fire proposal in 1982, making a new demand for Saddam Hussein's removal as well. After eight punishing years of war, in July 1988, Iran at last agreed to UN Security Council Resolution 598 and the cease-fire was implemented on August 20, 1988. Neither nation had made any real gains in the war. <br />
<br />
Iran's relations with many of its Arab neighbors have been strained by Iranian attempts to spread its Islamic revolution, a strictly ideological goal. In 1981, Iran supported a plot to overthrow the Bahrain Government. In 1983, Iran expressed support for Shi'ites who bombed Western embassies in Kuwait, and in 1987, Iranian pilgrims rioted during the hajj (pilgrimage) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Nations with strong fundamentalist movements, such as Egypt and Algeria, also mistrust Iran. Iran backs Hezbollah (in Lebanon), Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad,<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/irgc-general-gholamali-rashid-hizbullah-lebanon-hamas-and-pij-palestine-pmu-iraq-and-houthis IRGC General Gholamali Rashid: Hizbullah In Lebanon, Hamas And PIJ In Palestine, PMU In Iraq, And The Houthis In Yemen Are All Armies Ready To Defend The Iranian Regime], Memri, Sep 30, 2021.<br />
</ref> and the Popular Front for the Liberation of [[Palestine]]-General Command, all of which are violently opposed to the Arab-Israeli peace process. In contrast, while relations with west European nations have been uneven, they have been driven primarily by pragmatic goals of trade and security. Iran has accepted stronger commercial ties but largely declined to deliver on key European political concerns such as human rights and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) acquisition efforts, particularly in the nuclear field, where the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been strongly critical of Iran. <br />
<br />
An IAEA report in November 2003 provided evidence that Iran, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), had concealed secret nuclear activities for 18 years. Under international pressure, Iran signed the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement on December 18, 2003, agreeing to suspend all uranium-enrichment and reprocessing activities voluntarily, as well as cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in resolving questions regarding Iran's nuclear program. In June 2004, the IAEA rebuked Iran for failing to fully cooperate with an inquiry into its nuclear activities, and in November 2004, Iran agreed to suspend most of its uranium enrichment under a deal with the EU. That promise did not last, however, and since then concerns over Iran's nuclear activities have increased. <br />
<br />
On June 6, 2006, the [[Peoples Republic of China]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Russia]], the [[United States]], and [[United Kingdom]] offered Iran a substantial package of economic cooperation and assistance. Tehran, however, was first required to come into compliance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines on its nuclear program, suspending its [[uranium]] enrichment program. On July 31, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1696 on the Iranian nuclear question, requiring Iran to suspend all activities related to enrichment and reprocessing, including research and development, as demanded by the IAEA, or else face possible sanctions. Tehran defied the UN Security Council (UNSC) deadline of August 31, leading to the passage of UNSC Resolution 1636 in December 2006 and, as Iran continued to balk, Resolution 1747 in March 2007. <br />
<br />
Iran sparked an international controversy when its forces seized and held hostage 15 British sailors and marines, conducting routine anti-smuggling operations in Iraqi territorial waters under UN mandate, on March 23, 2007. Tehran released the U.K. service members on April 6. <br />
<br />
Iran maintains regular diplomatic and commercial relations with Russia and the former Soviet republics. Both Iran and Russia believe they have important national interests at stake in developments in Central Asia and the Transcaucasus, particularly regarding energy resources from the Caspian Sea. Russian and other sales of military equipment and technology to Iran concern Iran's neighbors and the United States. Prior to the [[Obama administration]], the United States was concerned about Russian assistance in building at nuclear facility at Bushehr. <br />
<br />
Iran spends about 3.3% of its GDP on its military. Iran's military consists of both a national military held over from the shah's government and the IRGC, each with its own ground, naval and air branches. The Iran-Iraq war took a heavy toll on these military forces. Iran has modernized its military, including ballistic missile programs, and weapons of mass destruction; it continues to seek nuclear capabilities. On November 7, 2007, Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had 3,000 centrifuges operating in its uranium enrichment program, which would be enough to produce a nuclear weapon.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20150114175101/http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/11/07/ahmadinejad-announces-iran-uranium-enrichment-milestone/ Ahmadinejad Announces Iran Uranium Enrichment Milestone] ''Associated Press,'' ''Fox News,'' November 07, 2007</ref> However, a December, 2007 U.S. intelligence report stated that Iran halted its nuclear program in 2003, and remains on hold. According to the National Intelligence Estimate, "We do not know whether (Iran) currently intends to develop nuclear weapons."<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071203/ts_nm/iran_usa_dc Report contradicts Bush on Iran nuclean program]</ref><br />
<br />
In early 2021 the [[Peoples Republic of China]] signed a massive 25-year, over $400-billion infrastructure-for-oil deal with Iran, boosting their military and defense cooperation.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/iran-china-sign-25-year-deal-will-see-400bn-chinese-infrastructure-investment-oil</ref><br />
<br />
====Relations with the United States====<br />
[[File:Levinson.jpg|right|250px|thumb|On November 9, 2019, Iran reported that Robert Levinson was still alive.<ref>[https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-makes-stunning-admission-regarding-fbi-agent-gone-missing-since-2007 Iran Acknowledges That FBI Agent Gone Missing Since 2007 Involved In Ongoing Court Case]<br />
Ryan Saavedra, Nov 9, 2019, ''DailyWire.com''</ref> In 2009 FBI director [[Robert Mueller]] and Russian oligarch [[Oleg Deripaska]] colluded in an operation to win Levinson's release.]]<br />
The [[United States]] designated the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]] (IRCG) and Quds Force as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 2019 based on the IRGC’s “continued support to and engagement in terrorist activity around the world.”<ref>{{cite news |title=Country Reports on Terrorism 2019 |url=https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Country-Reports-on-Terrorism-2019-2.pdf |agency=Country Reports}}</ref><br />
<br />
On November 4, 1979, militant Iranian students occupied the American Embassy in Tehran with the support of Ayatollah Khomeini. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days, ending only with [[Ronald Reagan]]'s first days in office.<ref>[https://www.aei.org/foreign-and-defense-policy/middle-east/reagan-deserves-credit-for-1981-hostage-release/ Reagan deserves credit for 1981 hostage release], ''AEI'', Jan 27, 2016</ref> On April 7, 1980, the United States broke diplomatic relations with Iran, and on April 24, 1981, the Swiss Government assumed representation of U.S. interests in Tehran. Iranian interests in the United States are represented by the Government of Pakistan. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not have its own embassy in Washington, though it does have a permanent mission to the United Nations in New York City. <br />
<br />
In accordance with the Algiers declaration of January 20, 1981, the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal (located in The Hague, Netherlands) was established for the purpose of handling claims of U.S. nationals against Iran and of Iranian nationals against the United States. U.S. contact with Iran through The Hague covers only legal matters. <br />
<br />
The U.S. Government, by Executive Orders issued by the President as well as by Congressional legislation, prohibits most trade with Iran. Some sanctions were imposed on Iran because Tehran is a state sponsor of terrorism, others because of the nuclear [[proliferation]] issues, and still more for human rights violations, including infringement of religious freedom. The commercial relations that do exist between the two countries consist mainly of Iranian purchases of food and medical products and U.S. imports of carpets and food. Some sanctions were temporarily waived in the wake of the devastating Bam earthquake of December 2003. U.S. officials and relief workers actively assisted in relief and reconstruction efforts. <br />
<br />
There are serious obstacles to improved relations between the two countries. As a state sponsor of terrorism, Iran remains an impediment to international efforts to locate and prosecute terrorists. Recent attempts by Iran to form loose alliances with anti-U.S. governments in the Western Hemisphere, such as the Venezuelan Government, has further heightened concern about Iran's support for terrorism and nuclear ambitions. Operation Iraqi Freedom removed the Iranian Government's greatest security threat, but officially Iran remained neutral about U.S. policy, sometimes strongly condemning American policies and actions in Iraq. Iran has cultural ties to elements of the populations of both Iraq and Afghanistan. It has made some positive contributions to stability in both countries, but other actions have had the opposite effect. It remains to be seen whether Tehran will ultimately be a constructive force in the reconstruction of its two neighbors or not. <br />
<br />
The U.S. Government defines its areas of objectionable Iranian behavior as the following: <br />
*Iran's efforts to acquire nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction; <br />
*Its support for and involvement in international terrorism; <br />
*Its support for violent opposition to the Middle East peace process, as well as its harmful activities particularly in Lebanon, as well as in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the region; and <br />
*Its dismal human rights record and lack of respect for its own people. <br />
<br />
The United States has held discussions with Iranian representatives on particular issues of concern over the years. U.S. and Iranian envoys cooperated during operations to overthrow the Taliban in 2001 and during the Bonn Conference in 2002 that established a broad-based government for the Afghan people under President Karzai. U.S. Secretary of State [[Condoleeza Rice]], her Iranian counterpart, and others met at talks on Iraq in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on May 3, 2007. The American and Iranian ambassadors to Iraq took part in face-to-face discussions in Baghdad, with Iraqi officials in attendance, on May 28, 2007. The [[Bush administration]] believed, however, that normal relations were impossible until Iran's policies changed. <br />
<br />
Nevertheless, the U.S. State Department continued then to support efforts to further the cause of democracy in Iran. In fiscal year (FY) 2006, the U.S. Congress allocated approximately $66 million to promote free media, personal freedom, and a better understanding of western values and culture. As part of those efforts, the Department supported efforts to develop civil society in Iran and exchange programs that would bring Iranian students, athletes, professionals and others to the United States. <br />
<br />
Secretary Rice stated that Iranian agreement to abide by UNSC Resolutions 1696 and 1747, calling for Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment and comply with its international nuclear obligations, could lead to the direct negotiations between American and Iranian government officials, not only on Iran's nuclear case but on a wide range of issues. <br />
<br />
In May 2007, the Iranian Government charged and in some cases imprisoned a handful of innocent Iranian-American scholars, civil society actors, and journalists, accused by the regime of jeopardizing the security of the state. The international community, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private citizens joined the U.S. Government in calling for the release of the detained dual nationals, as well as Iranian cooperation in the case of missing retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, last reported on Kish Island, Iran, on March 8, 2007.<br />
<br />
Iran is represented by the Pakistani embassy in the U.S. <ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20190521002714/http://daftar.org/Eng/default.asp?lang=eng</ref><br />
<br />
==Ethnic cleansing==<br />
Among the ethnic groups, targeted by Iran racist [[Ethnic cleansing]] are the Ahwazi Arabs.<ref>[https://unpo.org/article/3857 Ahwazi: Ethnic Cleansing in Full Force in Iran - UNPO], Feb 28, 2006.</ref><br />
==People==<br />
Iran is not a pluralistic society, but does have some diversity. Persians are the largest predominant ethnic and cultural group in this country, though many are actually of mixed ancestry. The population of the country has important Turkic elements (e.g., Azeris) and Arabs predominate in the southwest. In addition, Iranian citizens include Kurds, Balochi, Bakhtyari, Lurs, and other smaller minorities, such as Armenians, Assyrians, Jews, and Brahuis (or Brohi). <br />
[[File:Persian women from Shiraz Iran.jpg|right|thumb|Persian women from Shiraz.]]<br />
*Population (2020): 84 million.<br />
*Population growth rate (2007 est.): 0.663%.<br />
*Ethnic groups: Persians 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%.<br />
*Religions: Shi'a Muslim 89%; Sunni Muslim 9%; Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2%.<br />
*Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic languages (besides Turkish) 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%.<br />
*Education: Literacy (total population age 15 and over who can read and write, 2003)--79% (male: 86%, female: 73%).<br />
*Health (2007 est.): Infant mortality rate—38.2 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth (2007)--total population: 70.56 yrs.<br />
<br />
The 1979 Islamic revolution and the 1980-88 war with Iraq transformed Iran's class structure politically, socially, and economically. During this period, [[Shia]] clerics took a more dominant position in politics and nearly all aspects of Iranian life, both urban and rural. After the fall of the Pahlavi regime in 1979, much of the urban upper class of prominent merchants, industrialists, and professionals, favored by the former monarch, the shah, lost standing and influence to the senior clergy and their supporters. Bazaar merchants, who were allied with the clergy against the Pahlavi shahs, also have gained political and economic power since the revolution. The urban working class has enjoyed somewhat enhanced status and economic mobility, spurred in part by opportunities provided by revolutionary organizations and the government bureaucracy. Though the number of clergy holding senior positions in the parliament and elsewhere in government has declined since the 1979 revolution, Iran has nevertheless witnessed the rise of a post-revolutionary elite among lay people who are strongly committed to the preservation of the Islamic Republic. <br />
<br />
Most Iranians are Muslims; 89% belong to the Shi'a branch of Islam, the official state religion, and about 9% belong to the [[Sunni]] branch, which predominates in neighboring Muslim countries. Non-Muslim minorities include [[Zoroastrian]]s, [[Jew]]s, Baha'is, and [[Christian]]s.<br />
<br />
There's wide 'religious [[apartheid]]' in Iran, <br />
With Sunnis faring better than non-Muslims.<ref>[https://www.mei.edu/publications/religious-apartheid-iran Religious Apartheid in Iran], H.E. Chehabi, Mei, <br />
January 29, 2009</ref><br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
Pre-revolutionary Iran's economic development was rapid. Traditionally an agricultural society, by the 1970s Iran had achieved significant industrialization and economic modernization. However, the pace of growth had slowed dramatically by 1978, just before the Islamic revolution. Since the fall of the shah, economic recovery has proven elusive thanks to a combination of factors, including fluctuations in the global energy market. Economic activity was severely disrupted additionally by years of upheaval and uncertainty surrounding the revolution and the introduction of statist economic policies. These conditions were worsened by the war with Iraq and the decline in world oil prices beginning in late 1985. After the war with Iraq ended, the situation began to improve: Iran's GDP grew for two years running, partly from an oil windfall in 1990, and there was a substantial increase in imports. However, Iran had suffered a brain drain throughout the previous decade and wartime policies had resulted in a demographic explosion. <br />
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|left|thumb|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]<br />
A decrease in oil revenues in 1991 and growing external debt dampened optimism for recovery. In March 1989, the government instituted a new 5-year plan for economic development, which loosened state control and allowed Iran to seek greater latitude in accessing foreign capital. Mismanagement and inefficient bureaucracy, as well as political and ideological infighting, hampered the formulation and execution of a consolidated economic policy, and the Iran fell short of the plan's goals while economic inequality was aggravated. Today, Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. Former President Khatami followed the market reform plans of his predecessor, President Rafsanjani, and indicated that he would pursue diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy, although he made little progress toward that goal. High [[inflation]] and expansive public transfer programs, as well as powerful economic-political vested interests created obstacles for rapid reform. <br />
<br />
During the 2005 election campaign, President Ahmadi-Nejad promised to redistribute oil revenues to the impoverished, fund large infrastructure projects, and privatize Iranian state enterprises. He has been criticized within Iran for not carrying through on many of his promises. While establishment of the Imam Reza fund for cheap loans to youth has been popular, a law increasing the minimum was revoked because of the huge strain on employers. The "Shares of Justice" program—distributing shares of state-owned enterprises to the poor—faces a number of potential problems. <br />
<br />
<br />
Unemployment was estimated to be 20% for 2007, according to the International Monetary Fund. Unemployment, a major problem even before the revolution, has many causes, including population growth, high minimum wage level and other restrictive labor policies. Farmers and peasants enjoyed a psychological boost from the attention given them by the Islamic regime but hardly appear to be better off in economic terms. The government has made progress on rural development, including electrification and road building, but Iran still faces inefficiencies related to agricultural land usage which are politically difficult to reconcile. Agriculture also has suffered from shortages of capital, raw materials, and equipment, problems dating back to the 1980-1988 war with Iraq. (See Foreign Relations above.) <br />
<br />
Although Islam guarantees the right to private ownership, banks and some industries—including the petroleum, transportation, utilities, and mining sectors—were nationalized after the revolution under Marxist-influenced economic policies. Starting under President Rafsanjani, Iran has pursued some privatization through its nascent equities markets. However, the industrial sector remains plagued by low labor productivity and shortages of raw materials and spare parts, and is uncompetitive against foreign imports. <br />
<br />
Increases in the price of oil starting in 2003 have increased state revenue enormously and permitted a much larger degree of spending on social programs than previously anticipated. However, this has not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction and military spending overall remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations. <br />
<br />
Earnings from Iranian oil exports, projected at $57-$87 billion for 2007–2008, are placed into the Oil Stabilization Fund (OSF), originally designed as a Treasury safety net if oil prices dropped below $20/barrel. In practice, the government has drawn upon the OSF to cover over expenditures. Iran relies on oil for 80% of its export revenue, and 40% of total revenues. (Note: Iran's refining capacity is limited, and Tehran is a net gasoline importer, spending $2.6 billion for foreign gas in 2005.) <br />
[[Image:Iran population density 2004.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Population density]]<br />
*GDP (purchasing power parity, 2006 est.): $599.2 billion.<br />
*GDP (official exchange rate, 2006 est.): $193.5 billion. <br />
*GDP real growth rate (2007 est.): 4.6%. <br />
*GDP composition by sector (2006): Agriculture 11.2%, industry 41.7%, services 47.1%.<br />
*Per capita income (2006 est.): $8,700.<br />
*Work force: 24.36 million.<br />
*Work force - by occupation (2001 est.): Agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45%.<br />
*Unemployment rate (2007 est.): 20%.<br />
*Natural resources: [[Petroleum]], [[natural gas]], [[coal]], [[chromium]], [[copper]], iron ore, lead manganese, [[zinc]], [[sulfur]].<br />
*Agriculture: Principal products—wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton, dairy products, wool, caviar. Note: Iran is not self-sufficient in terms of food.<br />
*Industry: Types—petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and building materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating (particularly steel and copper), armaments.<br />
*Trade (2007 est.): Exports--$56.9 billion: petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, carpets, fruits, nuts. Major export partners (2006): Japan (17.3%), China (11.4%), Italy (6.2%), South Korea (5.2%), South Africa (5.5%), Turkey (5.7%), Netherlands (4.6%), France (4.1%), Taiwan (4.1%). Imports--$48.1 billion: industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies. Major import partners: Germany (14.2%), U.A.E. (6.7%), China (8.3%), Italy (7.5%), France (6.2%), South Korea (5.4%), Russia (4.9%).<br />
<br />
==Law==<br />
Because of its Shi'ite character, the Islamic Republic of Iran is referred to as ''Rafida'', or ''rejectionist'' of the [[orthodox]] [[Salafi]] traditions handed down thru Ibn Taymiyyah, [[Wahhabi|Abd al-Wahhab]], and others. <ref>Sunnis speak of the "Prophet and his companions" as the source of divine inspiration, whereas the Shi'a reject the companions (the first 3 "Rightly-Guided Caliphs") and follow the Prophet's bloodline (the "First Imam"). </ref> Iran has been ruled under the Shi'a interpretation of ''[[Shariah]]'' since 1979.<br />
[[Homosexuality|Homosexuals]] get the death penalty in Iran. <br />
<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297982,00.html Iran Does Far Worse Than Ignore Gays, Critics Say] Fox News, September 25, 2007</ref> However, in a speech at Columbia University, the president of Iran stated that homosexuality does not exist in his nation.<br />
<br />
In Iran, production and consumption of alcohol by Muslims is prohibited. However, Iranian law makes an exception for minority groups, such as the Christian [[Armenia]]ns, who are allowed to produce and consume [[wine]] and distilled spirits. Naturally, these communities produce far more alcohol than they consume, "illegally" selling it to Muslims who drink in contradiction of [[Sharia]] law.<br />
<br />
Prostitution is also prohibited in Iran, but there are allegations that نكاح المتعة (temporary marriage, legal in [[Usuli]] [[Shia]] jurisprudence) is exploited to solemnize marriages of such short duration (hours or days) that the activities thus permitted more resemble dating (if money is not exchanged) or prostitution (if a fee is charged for the marriage).<br />
<br />
==Military==<br />
[[Image:Iran industry mining78.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Iranian industry and mining]]<br />
Iran has it own weapons industry and also relies upon its Chinese communist and Russian allies to supply the latest weapons technology and equipment which can be easily and cheaply duplicated in Iranian factories. In addition, it holds sizable stockpiles purchased from the United States in the [[Cold War]] era prior to 1979.<br />
<br />
The Quds Force (Jerusalem Force) is the organization tasked with Iran's external covert, paramilitary, terrorist and intelligence functions. Quds Force also carries out some [[diplomacy|diplomatic]] functions.<ref>http://citizenship.typepad.com/isebrandcom/2013/10/perhaps-the-most-important-military-leader-opposing-the-us-who-youve-never-heard-of.html </ref> As the name implies, the Jerusalem Force was organized to capture [[Jerusalem]] from Israel. Its leader answers directly to the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as of 2021.<br />
<br />
===In Syria===<br />
[[Iran]] has for years sought to entrench itself militarily in Syria. It has active military bases in Syria and tenths of thousands of fighters. <br />
<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-has-10-military-bases-in-syria-two-near-israel-border-analyst/ Iran has 10 military bases in Syria, two near Israel border], TOI, Feb 19, 2018.<br />
''Up to 20,000 fighters from various militias throughout the war-torn country have been trained by Iranian military personnel, giving Tehran its “true muscle” in Syria, according to the Monday report in The New York Times...''</ref><ref>[https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/iran-strengthens-military-presence-eastern-syria Iran Strengthens Military Presence in Eastern Syria], Voice of America, Nov 23, 2020.<br />
<blockquote>Iranian forces continue to expand their military presence in parts of eastern Syria, a move, analysts say, that could undermine U.S.-led efforts in the fight against the remnants of the Islamic State (IS) terror group. <br />
<br />
Iran, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, controls parts of the eastern Syrian province of Deir el-Zour, particularly areas along the border with Iraq. With the help of thousands of foreign and local militiamen, Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has consolidated its hold over a large territory in Syria since the beginning of the country's civil war in 2011. <br />
<br />
The United States in 2019 designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization for its destabilizing role in the Middle East.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
As part of Iran's ongoing policy O<br />
of deploying its Afghan Shi'ite Militia across the Middle East, [[IRGC]] is reportedly training Fatemiyoun Brigade<ref>[https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/the-fatemiyoun-army-irans-afghan-crusaders-in-syria/ The Fatemiyoun Army: Iran's Afghan Crusaders in Syria], ''thediplomat.com'', Apr 23, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/what-is-the-fatemiyoun-brigade-and-why-does-it-make-the-taliban-nervous/ What Is the Fatemiyoun Brigade and Why Does It Make the Taliban Nervous?], ''PBS'', Jul 20, 2021</ref> in drone use in Syria.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/part-irans-ongoing-policy-deploying-its-afghan-shiite-militia-across-middle-east-irgc As Part Of Iran's Ongoing Policy Of Deploying Its Afghan Shi'ite Militia Across Middle East, IRGC Reportedly Training Fatemiyoun Brigade In Drone Use In Syria], ''Memri'', Sep 22, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
==Disputed Territories==<br />
===South Azerbaijan===<br />
{{main|South Azerbaijan Independence Movement}}<br />
<br />
===West Balochistan===<br />
{{main|Balochistan(Country)}}<br />
<br />
West Balochistan was invaded and annexed by Iran in 1928. <ref>[https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/180927/31c68a20991b5a98b0dece4fd929c9c8.pdf The Baluch insurgency: linking Iran to Pakistan], ''The Sistan and Baluchistan Province of Iran has long been associated with instability and armed conflict.'' NOREF (PDF)</ref><br />
<br />
==Iran protests 2019-2020==<br />
Sparked by the Governments' annouced rising fuel prices, the protests spread to the wider grievances against the oppressive regime. The regime shut down the internet. <ref>Tamara Qiblawi, [https://web.archive.org/web/20191119012023/https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/18/middleeast/iran-protests-explained-intl/index.html Iran's 'largest internet shutdown ever' is happening now. Here's what you need to know], ''CNN'', November 18, 2019.</ref><br />
<br />
Some 1,500 died and hundreds were injured after Iran's leader ordered crackdown on unrest - 'Do whatever it takes to end it.'<br />
<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests-specialreport/special-report-irans-leader-ordered-crackdown-on-unrest-do-whatever-it-takes-to-end-it-idUSKBN1YR0QR Special Report: Iran's leader ordered crackdown on unrest - 'Do whatever it takes to end it'], ''Reuters, Dec 23, 2019.<blockquote>About 1,500 people were killed during less than two weeks of unrest...</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.voanews.com/amp/middle-east_voa-news-iran_us-confirms-report-citing-iran-officials-saying-1500-killed-protests/6181546.html Confirms Report Citing Iran Officials as Saying 1,500 Killed in Protests], ''VOA'', Dec 23, 2019.<blockquote> The United States has confirmed a news report citing unnamed Iranian officials as saying about 1,500 people were killed in a crackdown...</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
==Sep-Oct 2022 protests==<br />
'''Mahsa Amini'''<br />
<br />
In Sep 2022, protests broke out across Iran, after a woman was arrested by the [[Sharia]] police, was beaten and murdered. <br />
Some shouting: "Death To The Islamic Republic! Death To The Dictator!"<ref><i>Violent Clashes, Protests Continue In Iran After Death Of Woman At Hands Of Morality Police For 'Improperly' Wearing Her Headscarf: Be Wary Of The Day When We Have Weapons! Khamenei, We Will Bury You! Death To The Islamic Republic! Death To The Dictator!</i><br />
<br><br />
[https://www.memri.org/tv/violent-clashes-protests-continue-iran-mahsa-amini-killed-morality-police-improperly-worn-headscarf-death-khamenei Memri], Sep 19, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
The tortured<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/mahsa-amini-iran-protests-family-cousin-erfan-mortezaei-speaks-out-torture/ "She was tortured": Mahsa Amini's family speaks out amid Iran protests], ''CBS News'', <br />
Sep 26, 2022.<blockquote>"She was tortured in the van after her arrest, then tortured at the police station for half an hour, then hit on her head and she collapsed."</blockquot></ref> woman was [[Kurd]]ish. There is also wider racism by the Iranian regime, in general.<ref>[https://dckurd.org/2022/09/23/zhina-mahsa-amini-the-story-of-a-kurdish-woman-in-iran/ Zhina Mahsa Amini: The Story of a Kurdish Woman in Iran] DCKurd, Sep 23, 2022.<blockquote>A 22-year-old Kurdish woman from Saqqez named Zhina Mahsa Amini died on ... The Iranian regime has had the same racist attitude as its predecessors towards its Kurdish population. There is little information about the regime’s harsh policies toward minorities. Why is that? <br />
I think someone needs to take the time to look more closely to understand this point, because the official rhetoric of the regime starting in 1979 was that there is no place for ethnicity or nations and Islam, these are foreign impositions from this was Ayatollah Khomeini’s’ rhetoric. These are foreign inventions from those who would like to divide Muslims, and we are all one, but this was really his excuse for not letting the Azeri region, the Kurdish region, the Baluchis, Khuzestan, all have some measures of self-determination and autonomy within Iran. That was just an excuse to install a very oppressive, not only Islamist, but Persian nationalist regime where the government in the center controlled everything. So, he said there’s no place for divisions and nationalism, but then why do they enforce rules where only Persian is permitted? They’re choosing one ethnicity’s language and imposing it on all of them, where really, if you take his rhetoric at face value, everyone should just be able to speak their own language. Since they’re all brothers and sisters and so forth. As soon as you start to peel back the layers of the onion, you start to recognize the hypocrisy that occurs in this regime, but a lot of outside observers don’t have the time or the inclination to understand this complexity.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
The government crackedown on demonstrators and scores were killed.<ref>Nilo Tabrizy, Nailah Morgan and Axel Boada, [https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/middleeast/100000008550828/mahsa-amini-iran-protests.html Protests Surge in Iran as Crackdown Escalates], ''NYTimes,'' September 24, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Dozens have reportedly been killed by security forces as demonstrations continue to spread across Iran. Protests began after Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the morality police.</blockquote></ref> <br />
As it spread to some 80 cities,<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-62994003.amp Iran police battle protesters in Tehran as unrest over woman's death spirals], ''BBC'', Sep 22, 2022.</ref> the [[IRGC]] warned the protesters.<ref>[https://www.iranintl.com/en/202209229946 Iran’s Guards Break Their Silence, Warn Protesters], Sep 22, 2022</ref> The Mullahcracy employed its own "protesters" marches, who called to execute the demonstrators, which they called, "the enemy."<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iranian-army-says-it-will-confront-enemies-protests-rage-2022-09-23/ Iranian state-organised marchers call for execution of protesters], ''Reuters'', Sep 23, 2022. [https://www.reuters.com/resizer/z4toa2cylOQehp0ndGcgN83Kyjo=/1080x0/filters:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/4ZYM3SQMDFPF3CO4IE44RPZDMI.jpg]<blockquote><br />
Summary<br />
<br />
Calls for execution of rioters<br />
<br />
Death of woman sparks mass protests<br />
<br />
Army issues tough warning<br />
<br />
DUBAI, Sept 23 (Reuters) - State-organised rallies took place in several Iranian cities on Friday to counter nationwide anti-government unrest triggered by the death of a woman in police custody, with marchers calling for the execution of "rioters".<br />
The pro-government marches followed the strongest warning yet from authorities when the army said it would confront "the enemies" behind the unrest - a move that could signal the kind of crackdown that has crushed protests in the past.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
A Saudi News Network reported that [[Hezbollah]] is sending 4,000 members to Iran "to help suppress the Iranian people and in stopping the protests."<ref><blockquote>Saudi News Network: "Hezbollah is sending 4,000 soldiers to Iran to help suppress the Iranian people and in stopping the protests."</blockquote>[https://rotter.net/forum/scoops1/761485.shtml ''Rotter'', Sep 25, 2022].</ref><br />
<br />
The Mullahcracy's state-run "Press TV" attempted to appeal to progressives by denouncing freedom protests as ‘Islamophobic riots.’<ref>Omar Ahmed, "Response to Mahsa Amini’s death: Peaceful protests or Islamophobic riots?," by , Press TV, September 27, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
From outrageous documentation: the Iranian regime forces small children to mobilize against the protests and dresses them in uniforms.<ref>[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fdw4U0IXwAUIcHq?format=jpg][https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FdxTinuWAAkSI6d?format=jpg][https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FdxTiQEWABgfOEH?format=jpg][https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FdxTicpXgAAfNbz?format=jpg].<br />
<br />
Out Of Context Twitter-e-Farsi @OutFarsi ([https://twitter.com/OutFarsi/status/1575182256284794881 Sep 28, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
The Islamic Republic use of children in the interest of suppressing people.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
In its typical blaming game play, attempt to shift focus, as well as taking advantage of the bloody events, Iran suddenly attacked Irbil with drones.<br />
The US scrambled F-15 jet "to shoot down Iranian drone that appeared to threaten US forces."<ref>Barbara Starr and Ellie Kaufman, [https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/28/politics/us-shoots-down-iranian-drone/index.html US scrambles F-15 jet to shoot down Iranian drone that appeared to threaten US forces in Iraq], ''CNN'', September 28, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
[[Al Jazeera]] was slammed for toeing the Mullahcracy line. Arab intellectuals accuse it of Ignoring protests in Iran, abandoning protesters and promoting Iranian government narrative.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/arab-intellectuals-accuse-al-jazeera-ignoring-protests-iran-abandoning-protesters-and Arab Intellectuals Accuse Al-Jazeera Of Ignoring Protests In Iran, Abandoning Protesters And Promoting Iranian Government Narrative], ''Memri'', September 29, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
After the death of 22-year-old Iranian woman Mahsa "Zhina" Amini, on September 16, 2022, after Iran's morality police beat her because she was not wearing a head covering correctly, Iranian protestors took to the streets throughout the country. Footage showing thousands of protestors clashing with security forces have quickly made it to social media platforms under multiple hashtags. As the protests expanded and gained momentum, Arab intellectuals on social media expressed their disappointment in coverage of the protest by the Qatar-based and funded TV channel Al-Jazeera, which they accused of ignoring the protests, abandoning the protesters, and focusing on promoting the Iranian government's official narrative.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
The deafening silence of the [[UN]] was astounding.<ref>Hillel Neuer @HillelNeuer ([https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1575771812771741696 Sep 30, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
History will record that the official account of the United Nations in Iran—and Stefan Priesner, UN Resident Coordinator for Iran—have tweeted NOTHING since #Mahsa_Amini was killed on September 16. They were silent about the Iran regime's slaughtering of women's rights heroes.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Hypocritical bigots: <br />
[[Linda Sarsour]], [[Ilhan Omar]], and [[Rashida Tlaib]] remained silent on Iran protests (end of Sep 2022 report).<ref>Phyllis Chesler, [https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/09/28/why-havent-linda-sarsour-ilhan-omar-and-rashida-tlaib-even-mentioned-irans-hijab-protests/ Why Haven’t Linda Sarsour, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib Even Mentioned Iran’s Hijab Protests?], ''The Algemeiner'', September 28, 2022.<blockquote><br />
As of this writing, heartbreakingly brave Iranian women have been protesting for 10 days and nights in the streets of at least 80 cities [now 90]. They are risking death for the right not to wear the hijab. Women have been burning their hijabs and cutting their hair. They’ve been heard chanting “Women, Life, and Freedom,” and “Death to the dictator.”<br />
The Iranian mullahs have unleashed the Revolutionary Guard and paramilitary (Basij) forces against the protestors. They have been dragging women by their hair, banging their heads on the ground, tear-gassing, beating, shooting, arresting, and murdering them. Fatality estimates range from 50-400 protesters and bystanders.<br />
These protests were sparked by the Sept. 16 death — in morality police custody — of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman. She was apprehended while in a car with her family because she was, allegedly, wearing her hijab incorrectly. While the police denied beating or torturing her to death, a photo of Amini in a hospital bed reveals her bloodied face. She was in a coma.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Soon, civil rights protests spread worldwide.<ref>Patrick Wintour, [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/01/women-life-liberty-iranian-civil-rights-protests-spread-worldwide 'Women, life, liberty’: Iranian civil rights protests spread worldwide], ''The Guardian'', Oct 1, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Demonstrations in string of major cities in solidarity with protests sparked by death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
On Oct 2, 2022, students of Iran's Sharif University of Technology became under attack by military forces. Hundreds were arrested and injured.<ref>[Morty est @OpIran_2022 ([https://twitter.com/OpIran_2022/status/1576633030210297856 Oct 2, 2022]):<br />
<blockquote><br />
Students of Sharif University of Technology (most prestigious university in #Iran) are under attack by military forces. Hundreds have been arrested and injured. BE THEIR VOICE!!! #مهسا_امینی #MahsaAmini</blockquote></ref><br />
Security forces or vigilantes began attacking the dormitories. They were firing guns at the windows while students were in the dorms.<ref><br />
<blockquote><br />
UPDATE on Sharif University - Crowds hearing the news about students being surrounded and in danger on campus gathered outside the main gate of the university at around 22:00 local time. But reports say that security forces or vigilantes began attacking the dormitories. They were firing guns at the windows while students were in the dorms.</blockquote><br />
[https://www.iranintl.com/en/202210029006 ''Iran Intl''., Oct 2, 2022].</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Zehedan massacre'''<br />
<br />
<br />
On Septembe 30th, racist Iran carried out a massacre of some 80 people in Zahedan of (mostly) ethnic Baluch minority.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/14/iran-protests-mahsa-amini-zahedan/ ‘Bloody Friday’: Witnesses describe the deadliest crackdown in Iran protests], ''Washington Post'', Oct 14, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/14/world/middleeast/iran-zahedan-crackdown.html ‘It Was a Massacre’: How Security Forces Cracked Down in Southeastern Iran], ''NYTimes'', Oct 14, 2022.</ref> "Some of the wounded tried to crawl away to escape the gunfire. Others bled to death on prayer mats as people tried to drag them to safety. But the snipers and officers kept pulling their triggers, firing bullet after bullet into men and young boys at a worship area where Friday Prayer had been underway."<br />
Two weeks later, protest renewed in that area.<ref>Tzvi Joffre, [https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-719698 Protests renew in Zahedan in southeast Iran two weeks after massacre], ''JPost'', Oct 15, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Nika Shakrami'''<br />
<br />
A teenager, Nika Shakrami who was snatched and murdered by Iranian security as she protested, first the Mullahcracy regime said that she was simply arrested. At the end, after 10 days, Iranian officials suddenly switched the whole story around and said that she just "fell from a building. Her family was threatened into "confessions."<ref>Maryam Sinaee, [https://www.iranintl.com/en/202210061173 Iranian Protest Victim’s Family Forced Into Televised Confessions], Iran Intl., Oct 6, 2022.<br><i>Nika Shakrami disappeared during protests in Iran on Sept. 20 while being chased by security forces<br />
</i>.</ref><ref>Parham Ghobadi [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63154994.amp Nika Shakarami: Iran protester's family forced to lie about death - source], ''BBC'' Persian, 6 October 2022.</ref><ref>Miriam Berger, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/06/iran-protests-nika-shakarami-mahsa/ Death of 16-year-old protester adds new fuel to Iran uprising], ''Washington Post'', October 6, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
The regime is pressing relatives of Amini, not to speak out, a cousin says, as protests sparked by her death continue.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63200649.amp Iran protests: Mahsa Amini's family receiving death threats, cousin says], '"BBC News,'' Oct 10, 2022.<blockquote>Iran is pressing relatives not to speak out, a cousin says, as protests sparked by her death continue.</blockquote ></ref><br />
<br />
The regime uses ambulances to move repression forces.<ref>atiabii @atiabii:<br />
[https://twitter.com/atiabii/status/1579222443688095745 Oct 9, 2022].<blockquote><br />
Here is #Iran They use an ambulance to move repression forces. Protesters are taken in ambulances to unnamed prisons and tortured! #Mahsa_Amini #مهسا_امینی</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Protesters shot by police so afraid to go to hospitals they're asking U.S. doctors for help online.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/iran-news-protests-deaths-people-shot-afraid-hospital-arrest-us-doctors-help/ Iran protesters shot by police so afraid to go to hospitals they're asking U.S. doctors for help online] ''CBS News'', Oct 10, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
On Oct 10, 2022 it was reported that about 185 were killed and 19 among them children.<ref>[https://www.axios.com/2022/10/10/iran-protest-unrest-children-among-dead 19 children among 185 killed during protest unrest in Iran, rights group says], Axios, Oct 10, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
The regime has been kidnapping’ 15-year-old child protestors.<ref>Benjamin Weinthal, [https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-719711/ Iranian regime is ‘kidnapping’ 15-year-old child protestors] ''JPost'', Oct 15, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
*[http://www.townhall.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?contentGUID=e3d7a4b3-5763-41db-afaf-9f5b2304ca9f Iran: Western Spy Networks Discovered], May 26, 2007.<br />
*[http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21816881-38197,00.html Iranian-American charged with spying], May 29, 2007.<br />
<br />
==Related==<br />
*[https://www.memri.org/reports/shiite-children-houston-texas-pledge-be-soldiers-iranian-supreme-leader-ali-khamenei-salute Texas Kids Promise To Be Soldiers Of Iranian Supreme Leader], ''Memri'', August 1, 2022.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Democracy in Iran]]<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a police state<br />
* [[Iranian nuke deal]]<br />
* [[Press TV]]<br />
* [[Hezbollah]]<br />
* [[Islamic anti-Semitism]]<br />
* [[Jihad]]<br />
* [[Essay:Women's Rights in Iran]]<br />
* [[Previous Breaking News/Iran|Articles about '''Iran''' from previous "Breaking News"]]<br />
* [[Amou Haji]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
*http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5314.htm<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
*[http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2011/06/16/iran_leader_calls_for_alliance_against_west/ Iran leader calls for alliance against West.]<br />
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ Purim, Haddasah Hospital in Jerusalem, and Iran's Nuclear Bomb]<br />
<br />
* [http://www.president.ir/eng/ Official website of the President of Iran]<br />
* [http://www.ahmadinejad.ir/ The blog of the President of Iran]<br />
* [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articlenavigation/index.isc Encyclopædia Iranica] <br />
<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
{{Terrorism}}<br />
{{Copyright Details (US Government)}} <br />
[[Category:Iran]]<br />
[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Dictatorships]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
[[Category:Forms of Government]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-American]]<br />
[[Category:Islamism]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Iran&diff=1893050Iran2022-10-16T02:24:49Z<p>Bytemsbu: /* Relations with the United States */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Country<br />
|name = جمهوری اسلامی ايران''<br/>Jomhūrī-ye Eslāmī-ye Īrān'' <br />
|map =Iran rel 2001.jpg<br />
|map2 =Iran location.png<br />
|flag =800px-Flag of Iran svg.png<br />
|arms =Arms of Iran.png<br />
|capital =Tehran<br />
|capital-raw =<br />
|government =Theocracy<br />
|government-raw =<br />
|language =Farsi<br />
|king =<br />
|queen =<br />
|monarch-raw =<br />
|president =Ebrahim Raisi<br />
|president-raw =<br />
|chancellor =<br />
|chancellor-raw =<br />
|pm =<br />
|pm-raw =<br />
|area =636,372 sq. mi.<br />
|pop =84,000,000 (2020)<br />
|pop-basis =<br />
|gdp =$480,000,000,000 (2020)<br />
|gdp-year =<br />
|gdp-pc =$5,357 (2020)<br />
|currency =Iranian rial<br />
|idd =<br />
|tld =<br />
}}<br />
'''Iran''', officially the '''Islamic Republic of Iran''' (جمهوری اسلامی ايران) is an Islamic theocratic dictatorship in southwest [[Asia]]. Its capital is [[Tehran]] and its official language is Farsi. A historical name for Iran was "'''Persia'''", which is also the name of the dominant ethnic group. Iran is believed by [[Israel]] and her western allies of pursuing nuclear weapons to gain a strategic advantage in a regional cold war against Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia. Israel also accuses Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons for use against Israel, which is officially "denied" by Iran's government propagating, that the program is to be used for "peaceful" purposes, requiring the enrichment of [[uranium]]. Israel's fear is especially in light of Iranian regime, repeatedly threatening to annihilate Israel. <ref>https://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/pressroom/2005/pages/iran%2520president%2520calls%2520to%2520annihilate%2520israel%252027-oct-2005.aspx</ref><ref>https://www.cnn.com/2014/11/10/world/meast/iran-annihilate-israel/index.html</ref><ref>https://embassies.gov.il/SAN-FRANCISCO/ABOUTISRAEL/Pages/Iranian-Threat.aspx</ref><ref>https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-iranian-general-vows-to-wipe-out-annihilate-israel/amp/</ref><ref>https://iranintl.com/en/world/khamenei-once-again-insists-annihilation-israel</ref><ref>https://www.timesofisrael.com/irans-doomsday-clock-for-israels-end-halts-amid-power-cuts/amp/</ref><ref>https://m.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/israel-wont-heed-any-deal-that-doesnt-halt-iranian-threats-erdan-says-666056/amp</ref> Islamic Republic's "beef" with Israel is more transparent as being nothing more than pure radical Islamic bigotry. As even "land" excuses are not applicable, since Iran does not share any borders with Israel.<br />
<br />
Iran has an extremely poor human rights record.<ref>[https://iranprimer.usip.org/index.php/blog/2018/oct/04/state-department-report-6-irans-human-rights-abuses State Department Report 6: Iran's Human Rights Abuses]<br />
The State Department, September 28, 2018</ref> Iranian brutality is infamous. A rare admission by Iranian authorities in Aug/2021 came about forcefully only due to hackers exposing images of brutal beating of political prisoners.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-prisons-head-apologises-after-leaked-pictures-show-abuse-2021-08-24/ Iran prisons head apologises after leaked pictures show abuse], Reuters, Aug 24, 2021.</ref> Ethnic minorities are also persecuted by the racist Iranian regime,<ref>[https://www.arabnews.com/node/1822151/middle-east No country for minorities: The agony of Iran’s ethnic Arabs, Kurds, Balochis and Azeris], O. Shahbandar, Arab News, March 8, 2021.<br />
''Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, ethnic Kurds, Arabs and Balochis have faced particularly harsh crackdowns by regime security forces.'' </ref> such as Ahwazi Arabs, Kurds, Azeris and Baloch.<br />
<br />
It also incites hatred against [[Christians]].<br />
<ref>[https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/israel-zionism/2020/12/how-yasir-arafat-drove-christians-from-bethlehem/ How Yasir Arafat Drove Christians from Bethlehem] D. Weinberg, Mosaic Mag., Dec. 28, 2020.<br />
<blockquote>It also highlights how states, and state-sponsored social media, incite hatred and publish propaganda against Christians, especially in Iran, Iraq, and Turkey.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://articleeighteen.com/analysis/4593/ Persecution of Christians in Iran – Dr Sara Afshari – Article 18], Apr 8, 2019.<br />
''In recent years, especially since 2010, the state has expanded their harassment and discrimination against Christians into the internet, social media, radio and television... Since October 2010 until December 2018 Rahpoyan produced 1,818 critical views and anti-Christian items, including hate speech and incitement.''</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
== History ==<br />
:{{See also|History of Iran}}<br />
In the [[Western world]], Persia was historically the common name for Iran.<ref>[https://www.iranchamber.com/geography/articles/persia_became_iran.php Iran Chamber Society: When "Persia" became "Iran"], Iran Chamber</ref> In 1935, Reza Shah asked foreign delegates and the [[League of Nations]] to use the term '''Iran''' ("Land of the [[Aryans]]"). The suggestion for the change of the country’s official name to Iran is said to have come from the Iranian ambassador to [[Third Reich|Germany]], who came under the influence of the [[Nazi]]s. German friends of the ambassador convinced him that the name change would free his country from the past influences of Russia and the [[British Empire]]. It would be a new beginning as an Aryan nation. Many Persian elites and intellectuals nurtured the idea of Aryan superiority.<ref>[https://iranicaonline.org/articles/judeo-persian-vi-the-pahlavi-era-1925-1979 JUDEO-PERSIAN COMMUNITIES vi. THE PAHLAVI ERA – Encyclopaedia Iranica]</ref> Reza Shah<ref>[https://www.howardblum.com/blog-posts/reza-shah-and-adolf-hitler-irans-history-with-the-third-reich Reza Shah and Adolf Hitler: Iran’s History with the Third Reich], Howard Blum, Feb. 6, 2020</ref>said,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Germany was our age-old and natural ally, Love of Germany was synonymous with love for Iran. The sound of German officers’ footsteps was heard on the shores of the Nile. [[Swastika]] flags were flying from the outskirts of Moscow to the peaks of the Caucasus Mts. Iranian patriots eagerly awaited the arrival of their old allies. My friend and I would spin tales about the grandeur of the superior race. We considered Germany the chosen representative of this race in Europe and Iran its representative in Asia. The right to life and role was ours. Others had no choice but submission and slavery. We discarded the old maps and remade Iran into a country larger than what it was in Achaemenian times.”<ref>https://jewishrefugees.blogspot.com/2015/04/iranian-shah-flirted-with-nazis-in-1930s.html</ref>}}<br />
Reza Shah and Mohammad Reza Pahlavi legacies evoke consternation and controversy. Both were pro-Western modernizers, promoted science, Western education, women and minority rights, economic development, a judiciary more on a Western model as opposed to shariah and clerical rule. But the [[Carter administration]] viewed the [[Ayatollah Khomeini]] as a paragon of [[human rights]], an expression of the will of the Iranian people for self-determination. One of the Ayatollah's first acts was to issue a [[fatwa]] promising paradise for children who joined the Iranian military during the Iran-Iraq war. By 1982, with Shi'a clergy in command, the government asked children, age 9 years old and up, to clear minefields so the regular Army could advance against the Iraqi Army. <ref>[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/iran-iraq.htm Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), ''Iraqi Retreats, 1982-84''], Globalsecruity.org, retrieved 20 March 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.matthiaskuentzel.de/contents/ahmadinejads-demons ''Ahmadinejad's Demons: A Child of the Revolution Takes Over''], Matthias Küntzel, The New Republic, 24 April 2006 .</ref> About 100,000 died as ''Basij'' child soldiers building the Islamic Republic of Iran.<br />
[[File:Iran.jpg|thumb|225px|right|[[Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini]], founder of the Islamic Republic.]]<br />
Iran today is 75 million people with a ''per capita'' income behind Mexico but ahead of Brazil. Female enrollment and graduation rates in higher education now outnumber males.<ref>60% of college enrollees are female, as contrasted with the Sunni Pakistan Taliban where [[Nobel Peace Prize]] winner Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head for advocating education for adolescent girls.</ref> But if political repression during the monarchy was troublesome, Iran's human rights record and coercive measures against dissidents under its religious rulers has been abysmal.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20180721062151/https://iranhrdc.org/files.php?force&file=reports_en/Covert_Terror_Iran_s_Parallel_Intelligence_Apparatus_467957487.pdf Covert Terror Iran's Parallel Intelligence Apparatus] (PDF)</ref> That, and its active sponsorship of terrorism to further its foreign policy objectives abroad. Its non-cooperation with international conventions in pursuit of nuclear power status is particularly worrisome. Iran's [[Quds Force]] (Jerusalem Force), as its name implies, carries out external special operations worldwide to further Iran's foreign policy aims.<ref>http://www.globalsecurity.org/intell/world/iran/qods.htm </ref><br />
<br />
Iran's revolution in 1979 and the creation of an Islamic state based on [[Shariah]] law was a source of pride, inspiration and envy to [[Sunni]]s everywhere. The revolutionaries successfully deposed a Western leaning monarch and sent U.S. military personal and technicians packing.<ref>By 1970, Iran was the United States largest customer for weapons. Earnings from the oil boom after the 1953 coup were funneled into defense. Huge bases were built in the north to monitor the Soviets and along the southern coast to police the Persian Gulf. Higher paid technicians to operate the oil industry and maintain military hardware were mostly foreigners, leading to an obvious income disparity between the Shah's foreign allies and the indigenous population. This provided an opening for Soviet and Eastern bloc agitation amongst the Shi'a for revolutionary [[Marxist]] anti-[[Imperialist]] [[propaganda]] with a religious fervor. [http://ivl.8m.com/USMI.htm][http://revcom.us/a/094/iran-pt4-en.html]</ref> Initially Iran sought to export its revolution to the Gulf States and Lebanon. Iran was behind two U.S. Embassy truck bombings in Beirut and the Marine barracks bombing that killed 241 U.S. soldiers. As the Iran-Iraq war progressed, Iran concentrated its efforts to removing Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. After the war Iran began providing assistance to the radical Sunni leader Hassan al Turabi who took power in Sudan in 1989<ref>The Sudanese regime harbored Osama bin Laden and [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]] in the early 1990s</ref>, and to Hamas in Gaza. The 1990s marked a period of cooperation between Sunni groups such as al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood and the Shiite revolution of Iran.<ref>Bin Laden shared with Iran a desire to depose the House of Saud, and Zawahiri shared with Iran his contempt of the Egyptian regime which made peace with Israel.</ref> It organized and created Hezbollah al-Hejaz, based in Saudi Arabia, which in conjunction with al Qaeda staged the 1996 Khobar Towers attack killing 19 Americans and wounding another 372. The 9/11 Commission Report suggested<ref>9/11 COMMISSION REPORT at pp. 240-41. </ref> and a U.S. Federal judge ruled in December 2011<ref>http://iran911case.com/ </ref> Iran was a material accomplice with al Qaeda in the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]].<br />
<br />
In 1989, Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini ordered a fatwa<ref name=nyt-15aug2022>Jennifer Schuessler, [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/15/arts/salman-rushdie-free-speech.html Stabbing of Salman Rushdie Renews Free Speech Debates], ''The New York Times'', August 15, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Two years ago Salman Rushdie joined prominent cultural figures signing an open letter decrying an increasingly "intolerant climate" and warning that the "free exchange of information and ideas, the lifeblood of a liberal society, is daily becoming more constricted." It was a declaration of principles Mr. Rushdie had embodied since 1989, when a fatwa by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran, calling for his murder, made him a reluctant symbol of free speech….<br />
In the West, the defense of Mr. Rushdie was hardly universally robust. Former president Jimmy Carter, writing in The New York Times in 1989, denounced the fatwa but charged Rushdie with "vilifying" the Prophet Muhammad and "defaming" the Quran.<br />
<br />
"While Rushdie’s First Amendment freedoms are important," he wrote, "we have tended to promote him and his book with little acknowledgment that it is a direct insult to those millions of Moslems whose sacred beliefs have been violated and are suffering in restrained silence the added embarrassment of the Ayatollah's irresponsibility."…<br />
Some who weighed in said the stakes are simply too high — and too personal. After the attack, Roya Hakakian, an Iranian American writer who in 2019 was warned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that she had been targeted by Iran, took to Twitter on Saturday to assail what she said was a lack of swift condemnation from U.S. government officials….<br />
In an interview on Sunday, Ms. Hakakian, who came to the United States as a refugee in 1984, said that the heart of the Rushdie case is "being able to say that we, as writers, as novelists, as thinkers, can absolutely take on any issue we want in our works — and that includes Islam."<br />
But "nobody is saying that," she said. Instead, "people are paying lip service to free speech."<br />
In his recent autobiographical novel "Homeland Elegies," the American writer Ayad Akhtar reflects on the complex meanings of the “Satanic Verses” controversy for Muslim readers and writers, including himself.<br />
In an email on Sunday, Mr. Akhtar, who is PEN America’s current president, said the attack on Mr. Rushdie is "a reminder that ‘harms’ of speech and the freedom of speech do not, cannot, hold equal claims on us."<br />
"While we may rightly acknowledge that speech can harm," he said, "it’s in the terrible culmination of Salman's dilemma that we see the paramount value, the absolute centrality of freedom of thought and the freedom to express that thought.”<br />
For many, defending Mr. Rushdie and "The Satanic Verses" against his would-be assassins may be easy, Mr. Akhtar said. But the defense also "has to apply where we have less unanimity, where we are more implicated."<br />
<br />
"That’s what it means," he said, "for it to be a principle."</blockquote></ref> (Islamic decree) to murder [[Salman Rushdie]], after publishing his book criticizing Islam 'Satanic Verses'.<br />
On Aug 12, 2022, an Arab-Muslim Hadi Matar, with sympathies toward Iranian government was arrested after stabbing Salman Rushdie.<ref>Joe Marino and Evan Simko-Bednarski, [https://nypost.com/2022/08/12/nj-man-matar-hadi-with-sympathies-toward-iran-arrested-in-stabbing-of-salman-rushdie/amp/ NJ man, Hadi Matar, with sympathies toward Iranian government ID’d as suspect in Salman Rushdie stabbing], ''NYPost'', August 12, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Hadi Matar, 24, was arrested after he stormed the stage at the Chautauqua Institution in Western New York and allegedly stabbed the author in the neck.</blockquote></ref> Described by eyewitnesses as viciously stabbing, repeatedly.<ref>[https://www.deccanherald.com/international/salman-rushdie-in-surgery-after-being-stabbed-onstage-suspect-arrested-1135716.html Salman Rushdie in surgery after being stabbed onstage; suspect arrested], AFP, Aug 13, 2022.<blockquote>Carl LeVan, an American University politics professor attending the event, told AFP he saw the suspect run onto the stage where Rushdie was seated and "stabbed him repeatedly and viciously."</blockquote></ref><br />
Activists accused Iran of responsibility for attack.<ref>[https://amp.france24.com/en/live-news/20220813-activists-accuse-iran-of-responsibility-for-rushdie-attack Activists accused Iran of responsibility for Rushdie attack], AFP, France 24. Aug 13, 2023.<blockquote><br />
While the fatwa issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini over Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses" has for some time not been part of daily discourse in Iran, the clerical leadership under his successor Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also did nothing to indicate it no longer stood and on occasions underlined the decree was still valid.<br />
The multiple stabbing of Rushdie at an event in New York comes at an intensely sensitive time for Iran, as it considers an offer by world powers to revive the 2015 deal on its nuclear programme which would ease sanctions that have battered the economy.<br />
During a period of relative thaw between Tehran and the West under former president Mohammad Khatami, ex-foreign minister Kamal Kharazi had in 1998 pledged that Iran would not take steps to endanger the life of Rushdie, who for years was in hiding.<br />
<br />
But an answer posted to a question on Khamenei's website Khamenei.ir in February 2017 said that the fatwa was still valid. "Answer: The decree is as Imam Khomeini issued," it said.<br />
The @khamenei_ir Twitter account, which repeats Khamenei's views and activists have repeatedly said should be suspended, in 2019 posted that the fatwa was "solid and irrevocable".<br />
Activists also insist that a bounty of over 3 million dollars for Rushdie's life offered by Iran's 15 Khordad Foundation remains on offer.<br />
<br />
'Real Islamic republic'<br />
<br />
“Whether today's assassination attempt was ordered directly by Tehran or not, it is almost certainly the result of 30 years of the regime's incitement to violence against this celebrated author," said the Washington-based National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI).<br />
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), an opposition group outlawed in Iran, said that the attack had taken place at the "instigation" of Khomeini's fatwa.</blockquote></ref> Adding "that a bounty of over 3 million dollars for Rushdie's life offered by Iran's 15 Khordad Foundation remains on offer."<br />
<br />
Iran's [[Ayatollah Khamenei]] praised the stabbing and said fatwa against Satanic Verses author was 'fired like a bullet that won't rest until it hits its target.'<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11107259/Irans-Ayatollah-Khamenei-says-fatwa-against-Salman-Rushdie-fired-like-bullet.html Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei praises stabbing of Salman Rushdie and says fatwa against Satanic Verses author was 'fired like a bullet that won't rest until it hits its target' as Islamic hardliners celebrate], ''Daily Mail'', Aug 13, 2022.</ref><br />
Hadi Matar, the attacker, had contact With Iran's Revolutionary Guard ([[IRGC]]).<ref>Mitchell Prothero, Salman Rushdie Stabbing Suspect 'Had Contact With Iran's Revolutionary Guard'], Vice, Aug 14, 2022.<blockquote>Intel officials told VICE World News Hadi Matar had been in contact with members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. ..<br />
<br />
The 24-year-old man accused of stabbing author Salman Rushdie had been in direct contact with members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on social media, European and Middle Eastern intelligence officials told VICE World News.<br />
Hadi Matar has been charged with attempted murder after Rushdie, 75, was repeatedly stabbed on stage ahead of a speaking event in Chautauqua, New York, on Friday. On Sunday, Rushdie’s son Zafar Rushdie said his father was in a critical condition and had sustained “life-changing” injuries but had been taken off a ventilator and had been able to speak.<br />
<br />
A NATO counterterrorism official from a European country said the stabbing had all the hallmarks of a “guided” attack, where an intelligence service talks a supporter into action, without direct support or involvement in the attack itself.<br />
<br />
“Close scrutiny needs to be paid to his communications,” said the NATO official, who was not authorised to speak on the record. “More investigation will reveal more information on the exact nature of the links.”... Security officials who confirmed the social media contact would not elaborate on the nature of the communications because investigations are ongoing. They would not disclose who initiated the contact, when it took place, or what was discussed.<br />
A Middle Eastern intelligence official said it was “clear” that at some point prior to the attack, Matar had been in contact with “people either directly involved with or adjacent to the Quds Force,” referring to the Revolutionary Guard’s external operations force...</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Iranian Newspaper praised Salman Rushdie's attacker.<ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/iranian-newspapers-celebrate-attack-on-salman-rushdie-by-suspect-hadi-matar-in-new-york Iranian Newspaper Praises Salman Rushdie's Attacker], ''The Daily Beast'', Aug 13, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
Iran benefited greatly when the Sunni walls that had been erected around it - Afghanistan and Iraq - were torn down. Several analysts argue that since about 2005 Iran has evolved rapidly from a theocracy into a garrison state, in which the military dominates political, economic, and cultural life.<ref>[http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/irans-revolutionary-guards-corps-inc Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps, Inc.] ''Washington Institute'', Mehdi Khalaji, Aug 17, 2007</ref><br />
<br />
Unlike Sunnis who emphasize sectarian differences with minority Shiites, the Iranian regime emphasizes the Israeli bogeyman because they estimate this gains them Arab [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=street+cred street cred] and diverts attention from the Shia rise to power. They ultimately believe they have earned the right to speak on behalf of the whole Muslim world.<ref>[https://www.carnegiecouncil.org/studio/multimedia/20061018-the-shia-revival-how-conflicts-within-islam-will-shape-the-future The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future], Carnegie Council, October 18, 2006</ref><br />
<br />
==Government==<br />
[[File:Ali khamenei in March 2021.jpg|right|225px|thumb|[[Ali Khamenei]], second Supreme Leader for life of the Islamic Republic.]]<br />
The December 1979 Iranian constitution defines the political, economic, and social order of the Islamic republic. The document establishes Shi'a Islam of the Twelver (Jaafari) sect as Iran's official religion. Sunni Islam, [[Zoroastrianism]], [[Judaism]] and Christianity are the only other recognized, legal minority religions. But Iran is the eighth country on the World Watch List of [[Open Doors]]. The country is governed by secular and religious leaders through governing bodies, whose duties often overlap. (See also:[[Christians in Iran]])<br />
<br />
The Supreme Leader holds power for life unless removed by the Assembly of Experts. He has final say on all domestic, foreign, and security policies for Iran, though he establishes and supervises those policies in consultation with the Expediency Council. The Leader is the final arbiter on all differences or disputes among the various branches of government. He appoints officials to key positions including the head of judiciary and the 12 members of the Guardian Council (six directly, six indirectly). He has power to disqualify candidates or remove an elected official from office. The Supreme Leader and is also the [[commander-in-chief]] of the armed forces. <br />
<br />
The constitution stipulates that the Assembly of Experts, which currently consists of the 86 popularly-elected clerics elected to 8-year terms, chooses the Supreme Leader based on jurisprudent qualifications and commitment to the principles of the revolution. The Assembly of Experts reviews his performance periodically and has the power to depose and replace him. Pragmatic conservative candidates generally polled better than their hardline conservative opponents during the December 15, 2006 elections to the Assembly of Experts. (Turnout for this vote, which coincided with municipal council elections, was quite high, topping 60%.) Citizens will not vote for representatives to the Assembly again until 2014. <br />
<br />
The Council of Guardians consists of 12 persons. The Supreme Leader appoints the six religious members of the Council of Guardians while the Iranian parliament, the Majles, selects the six lay members from candidates recommended by the judiciary, which is in turn selected by the Supreme Leader. The non-clerics play a role only in determining whether legislation before the [[Majles]] conforms to Iran's constitution. The religious members, on the other hand, take part in all deliberations, considering all bills for conformity to Islamic principles. The Council of Guardians can veto any law. This body also certifies the competence of candidates for the presidency, the Assembly of Experts, and the Majles. <br />
<br />
The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran is elected by universal suffrage to a 4-year term. The president supervises the affairs of the executive branch, appointing and supervising the Council of Ministers (members of the cabinet), coordinating government decisions, and selecting government policies to be placed before the National Assembly. <br />
<br />
The Majles, or National Assembly, consists of 290 members elected to 4-year terms. The members of the legislature are elected by direct and secret ballot from among the candidates approved by the Council of Guardians. <br />
<br />
In 1988, Ayatollah Khomeini created the Council for Expediency, which resolves legislative issues on which the Majles and the Council of Guardians fail to reach an agreement. Since 1989, it has been used to advise the national religious leader on matters of national policy as well. It is composed of the president, the speaker of the Majles, the judiciary chief, the clerical members of the Council of Guardians, and other members appointed by the Supreme Leader for 3-year terms. Cabinet members and Majles committee chairs also serve as temporary members when issues under their jurisdictions are considered. In 2005, it was announced that the Expediency Council, which now has over 40 members, would have responsibility for general supervision of the system, though that has not resulted in any noticeable change in this institution's day-to-day authority or operations. <br />
<br />
Judicial authority is constitutionally vested in the Supreme Court and the four-member High Council of the Judiciary; these are two separate groups with overlapping responsibilities and have one head. Together, they are responsible for supervising the enforcement of all laws and for establishing judicial and legal policies. <br />
<br />
Iran has two military forces. The national military is charged with defending Iran's borders, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ([[IRGC]]) is charged mainly with maintaining internal and external security. Iran also uses proxy militias and foreign terrorist organizations to execute its foreign policy designs throughout the world.<br />
<br />
Iran has 30 provinces managed by an appointed governor general. The provinces are further divided into counties, districts, and villages. Sixty percent of eligible voters took part in the first ever municipal and local council elections in 1999, though a lower percentage went to the polls in the second round in 2003. Turnout during the December 15, 2006 elections, during which citizens also elected Assembly of Expert representatives, was over 60%. The local councils select mayors. <br />
<br />
The March 2008 elections resulted in the conservatives getting a significant lead in the polls, with Conservative politician Shahabeddin Sadr saying that, during early counting, 70 per cent of winners were "principlists" - a label conservatives use to describe their loyalty to the Islamic Republic's ideals.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/15/2190618.htm Conservatives forge ahead in Iran parliament vote], ABC Online, 15 March 2008</ref> <br />
<br />
Iranian brutality is infamous. A rare admission by Iranian authorities in Aug/2021came about only due to hackers exposing inages of brutal beating of political prisoners.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iran-prisons-head-apologises-after-leaked-pictures-show-abuse-2021-08-24/ Iran prisons head apologises after leaked pictures show abuse], Reuters, Aug 24, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
===Principal Government Officials===<br />
<br />
*Supreme Lead and [[Commander-in-Chief]] of the Armed Forces—[[Ali Hosseini-Khamenei]]<br />
*President—Ebrahim Raisi<br />
*First Vice President—Eshaq Jahangiri<br />
*Foreign Minister—Mohammad Javad Zarif<br />
*Ambassador to the United Nations—Majid Takht-Ravanchi<br />
[[File:Raisi.PNG|right|225px|thumb|Ebrahim "the Butcher" Raisi became president in June 2021.<ref name=dm>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9703465/Ultraconservative-Butcher-Ebrahim-Raisi-WINS-Iranian-presidential-election-rivals-concede.html Ultraconservative 'Butcher' Ebrahim Raisi who ordered thousands killed in mass executions and tortured pregnant women wins Iranian presidential election], <br />
Gemma Parry for MailOnLine</ref>]]<br />
====The Butcher====<br />
<br />
In June, 2021, more radical (even amongst already radicals) [[Ebrahim Raisi]], ''Butcher of Tehran'' responsible for some 30,000 deaths<ref>[https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1439984/iran-presidential-election-Ebrahim-Raisi-Hassan-Rouhani-latest Butcher' linked to 30000 deaths set to become new President of Iran], Express, UK, May 23, 2021. ''THE mastermind behind the massacre of 30000 dissidents has emerged as the regime's favourite to win next month's presidential .''</ref> was (so-called<ref name=scotsman/>) "elected" as head. Helped by the low turnout.<ref name=dm/><ref>[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-times-view-on-ebrahim-raisi-the-butcher-of-tehran-l80cfg20r The Times view on Ebrahim Raisi: The Butcher of Tehran] The Times, June 21, 2021</ref><br />
<ref>[https://www.israelhayom.com/2021/06/20/low-voter-turnout-sees-butcher-of-tehran-named-next-iranian-president/ Low voter turnout sees 'Butcher of Tehran' named next Iranian president]<br />
''Amnesty International decries results in Iranian elections, says ultraconservative Chief Justice Ebrahim Raisi should be investigated for alleged crimes against humanity. FM Lapid: Raisi's election should prompt renewed determination to immediately halt Iran's nuclear program and put an end to its destructive regional ambitions.''<br />
By Daniel Siryoti , Dean Shmuel Elmas and News Agencies, Israel Hayom, 06-20-2021</ref> There are hortific tales of tortured pregnant women and threw people off cliffs, among countless other brutal acts of violence.<ref name=sun>[https://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/horror-acts-of-irans-next-president-ebrahim-the-butcher-raisi/news-story/47fe66081ede923244af732a3bcd6926 Horror acts of Iran’s ‘next president’ Ebrahim ‘The Butcher’ Raisi] J. Lockett, The Sun, June 19, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
In 1980, at the age of just 20, Raisi was appointed prosecutor of the revolutionary court of Karaj, west of Tehran, and by 1988 he had been promoted deputy prosecutor of Tehran. Raisi was a member of the so-called “Death Commission”, which ordered thousands to be killed in the massacre of 1988. He then became one of four individuals selected to carry out the slaughter of imprisoned activists of the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI). Some 30,000 men, women and children held in prisons all over Iran were lined up against the wall and shot within just a few months, say those battling to oust the regime.<ref name=sun/><br />
<br />
On September 30, 2019, Raisi described his cruelty by saying:<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/irans-conservative-judicial-chief-leads-probe-into-downing-of-jet-11579209163</ref><ref>https://www.ncr-iran.org</ref><blockquote> “'''We will not cut the fingers of those who are corrupt; we will cut off their entire hand'''.”</blockquote><br />
<br />
=====Media's portrayal=====<br />
<br />
Raisi was categorized as a "hardliner" Hinting of a supposed phenomenon of "moderate" existing anywhere in the cruel Mullahcracy.<br />
<br />
Correctly clarified:<ref name=nypost>[https://nypost.com/2021/06/20/graham-slams-biden-for-wanting-to-rejoin-iran-nuclear-deal/ Sen. Graham slams Biden for wanting to rejoin Iran nuclear deal] Mark Moore, NYPost, June 20, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
"There are no moderates on the ballot in Iran. The ayatollah is a religious Nazi, he controls the place. Religious zealots run the place. Why in the world do you want to give massive enrichment capability to the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, I don’t know.” <br />
<br />
There are no reformists in Iran.<ref name=scotsman>[https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/irans-next-president-set-to-be-ruthless-executioner-ebrahim-raisi-after-sham-elections-could-be-the-clerical-regimes-last-struan-stevenson-3251674 Iran's next president, set to be ruthless executioner Ebrahim Raisi after sham elections, could be the clerical regime's last – Struan Stevenson]<br />
''The presidential elections scheduled for June 18 in Iran will, as usual, be a sham.'' By Struan Stevenson, The Scotsman, May 30, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
=====Butcher's cabinet=====<br />
In Aug. 2021, the butcher of Tehran, Raisi, presented a cabinet dominated by hardliners on Wednesday, state TV reported, among them a foreign minister known for close ties to Hezbollah and an interior minister wanted by Interpol over his alleged role in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires.<br />
<br />
''New interior minister Ahmad Vahidi sought by Interpol; the president's pick for top diplomat, Hossein Amirabdollahian, is an avowed anti-Westerner with ties to IRGC, Hezbollah.''<br />
<br />
The 1994 bombing of Jewish center AMIA in [[Argentina]] killed 85 and wounded hundreds.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/irans-raisi-taps-minister-wanted-for-role-in-buenos-aires-jewish-center-bombing/ Iran’s Raisi taps minister wanted for role in Buenos Aires Jewish Center bombing], AP and TOI Staff,11 August 2021.<br />
''New interior minister Ahmad Vahidi sought by Interpol; the president's pick for top diplomat, Hossein Amirabdollahian, is an avowed anti-Westerner with ties to IRGC, Hezbollah.''</ref><br />
<br />
In Oct 2021, The lawmakers in Iran --who are even more extreme than mainstream radicals -- submitted a formal complaint was appended by a public petition that, among other allegations, accuses Rouhani of betraying Iranians through signing the nuclear deal with the world powers.<br />
<ref>[https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/10/irans-hard-liners-push-prosecute-rouhani Iran's hard-liners push to prosecute Rouhani], Al-Monitor Staff, October 12, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
===Political conditions===<br />
<br />
Iran's post-revolution difficulties have included an 8-year war with Iraq, internal political struggles and unrest, and economic disorder. The early days of the regime were characterized by severe human rights violations and political turmoil, including the seizure of the U.S. Embassy compound and its occupants on 4 November 1979, by Iranian student militants. Iranian authorities released the 52 hostages only after 444 days of captivity, minutes after [[Ronald Reagan]]'s inauguration as the 40th president of the United States.<ref>[https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/iran-hostage-crisis-ends Iran Hostage Crisis Ends], ''History.com''</ref> <br />
[[Image:Iran ethnoreligious distribution 2004.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Ethnoreligious distribution]]<br />
By mid-1982, the clergy had won a succession of post-Revolution power struggles that eliminated first the center of the political spectrum and then the leftists, including the communist Tudeh party and the cult-like Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO). Assassinations, throwing acid in the faces of women who refused to wear the veil, and other acts of violence punctuated this period. There has been some moderation of excesses since the early days of the revolution, and the country experienced a partial "thaw" in terms of political and social freedoms during the tenure of former president Khatami, but serious problems remained. The administration of former President Ahmadi-Nejad had witnessed a crackdown on Iranian civil society, continued human rights violations, and worsening constraints on press freedom and civil liberties. Current president [[Hassan Rouhani]] did not changed anything.<br />
<br />
The Islamic Republican Party (IRP) was Iran's sole political party until its [[dissolution]] in 1987. Iran now has a variety of groups engaged in political activity; some are oriented along ideological lines or based on an identity group, others are more akin to professional political parties seeking members and recommending candidates for office. Some have been active participants in the Revolution's political life while others reject the state. Conservatives consistently thwarted the efforts of reformists during the Khatami era and have consolidated their control on power since the flawed elections for the seventh Majles in 2004 and president Ahmadi-Nejad's victory in 2005. The party of Khamenei is the Combatant Clergy Association. President [[Hassan Rouhani]] is a member of it.<br />
<br />
The Iranian Government has faced armed opposition from a number of groups, including the MEK (which the U.S. Government added to its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations in 1999), the People's Fedayeen, and the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI).<br />
<br />
[[File:Shia Superpower.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Iranian ambitions to become a nuclear superpower.]]<br />
===Genocidal===<br />
Threatening to nuke and/or wipe off Israel of the map has been made by Iran including in 1991,<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-08-04-mn-23412-story.html COLUMN ONE]: Hezbollah: The Latin Connection : Bombings in Argentina and Panama prompt concern over the radical group's growing presence in the region. Experts say lax security and porous borders create a prime base for terrorists, by Tracy Wilkinson, Times Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times, August 04, 1994.<blockquote><br />
The embassy's cultural affairs officer, Imam Mohsen Rabbani, rose. "Israel," he intoned in accented Spanish, "must disappear from the face of the Earth." He and a dozen speakers who followed quoted Iran's late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and called for unity in the fight against Zionism and the satanism of the West</blockquote></ref><ref>Iran's Strategic Penetration of Latin America. United States: Lexington Books, 2014. [https://books.google.com/books?id=oqDYBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA15 15].<blockquote><br />
Mohsen Rabbani, who in 1991 stood before a group of Shi'ite Muslims and radical right-wing Argentine activists and stated openly, “Israel must disappear from the face of the Earth,” to universal applause.</blockquote></ref> in 2001,<ref>"[http://web.archive.org/web/20011217215125/https://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_4.html Iran's Rafsanjani Suggests Nuclear Attack on Israel]," World Tribune (London), December 17, 2001.<blockquote><font size=1><br />
One of Iran’s most influential ruling clerics called on the Muslim states to use nuclear weapon against Israel, assuring them that while such an attack would annihilate Israel, it would cost them "damages only".<br />
The speech by former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani failed to catch the attention of the western press but made waves in the Middle East.<br />
"If a day comes when the world of Islam is duly equipped with the arms Israel has in its possession, the strategy of colonialism would face a stalemate because application of an atomic bomb would not leave anything in Israel but the same thing would just produce damages in the Muslim world", Former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani told the crowd at the traditional Friday prayers in Tehran.<br />
In Washington Sunday, administration officials said the United States does not plan to target Iran in the war against terrorism.<br />
"Iran is a situation where there are clearly some pressures from young people, there are pressures from women in that country," U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said. "Iran had a different history than Iraq. I don't know, if nothing else happened and one looked at those two countries, I would say the likelihood of Iraq reforming itself is zero. The possibility, the remote possibility of Iran reforming itself is considerably above zero."<br />
Dr. Assad Homayou, president of the Azadegan Foundation in Washington, D.C. agreed. "To me the issue is not nuclear weapons but the responsibility of the regime," he said. "This regime is not responsible and that is why I have always emphasized that the removal of this regime is imperative. As the U.S. secretary of defense said the situation with Iran is different from that of Iraq. People only need the moral support of the United States."<br />
Analysts told the Iranian Press Service that Rafsanjani's speech marks the first time a prominent leader of the Islamic Republic had openly suggested the use of nuclear weapon against the Jewish State.<br />
Rafsanjani advised Western states not to pin their hopes on Israel's violence because it will be "very dangerous".<br />
"We are not willing to see security in the world is harmed", he said, warning that a war "of the pious and martyrdom seeking forces against peaks of colonialism will be highly dangerous and might fan flames of World War III."<br />
Rafsanjani, who, as the Chairman of the Assembly to Discern the Interests of the State, is the Islamic Republic’s number two man after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was speaking on "International Qods (Jerusalem) Day" which is celebrated in Iran only.<br />
The Pentagon, which has pressed for a second stage in the U.S. war against terrorism, does not support any military campaign against Iran. Instead, officials have urged that Washington target the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.<br />
On Monday, Iranian President Mohammed Khatami said the stifling of dissent in the country could spark a new wave of student protests, Middle East Newsline reported. Over the last 20 months, officials said, 56 publications have been closed. This includes 24 daily newspapers.<br />
U.S. officials acknowledge that Iran is more advanced than Iraq in both missile development and weapons of mass destruction. They said that Iran, with Russian help, has succeeded in advancing its nuclear project and they could arrive at weapons capability as early as 2005.</font></blockquote></ref> 2002,<ref>Rubenstein, R. L. (2010). Jihad and Genocide. United Kingdom: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. [https://books.google.com/books?id=UyNR4AAevwIC&pg=PA122 122].<blockquote>An even more ominous threat was anuttered on January 31, 2002, by Ahmadinejad's superior, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who called for continued terrorism against the “cancerous tumor of Zionism . .,” a biological metaphor often used by political leaders to express genocidal intend.</blockquote></ref> 2005,<ref>Ewen MacAskill and Chris McGreal, [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/oct/27/israel.iran Israel should be wiped off map, says Iran's president], ''The Guardian'', 26 Oct 2005.</ref><br />
<br />
May 2012, <ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20120520131117/http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9102112759 Top Commander Reiterates Iran's Commitment to Full Annihilation of Israel], FARS News Agency, May 20, 2012.</ref><ref>Margaret Wente, [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/cut-off-iran-its-about-time/article4534519/ Opinion: Cut off Iran? It’s about time], ''The Globe and Mail'', Sep 11, 2012.</ref><ref>Reza Kahlili, [https://news.yahoo.com/iran-committed-full-annihilation-israel-says-top-iranian-033409439.html Iran committed to 'full annihilation of Israel,' says top Iranian military commander], The Daily Caller, via Yahoo News, May 20, 2012.<blockquote>“The Iranian nation is standing for its cause and that is the full annihilation of Israel,” Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi said in a speech...</blockquote></ref> Sep 2012,<ref>Yoel Goldman, [https://www.timesofisrael.com/war-with-cancerous-tumor-israel-will-eventually-happen-says-iranian-general/ War with ‘cancerous tumor Israel’ will eventually happen, says Iranian general], ''TOI'', 22 September 2012.<blockquote><br />
Commander of Revolutionary Guard Mohammad Ali Jafari claims Iran will ‘destroy the Jewish state’</blockquote></ref> 2014,<ref>[http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/07/25/irans-khamenei-we-will-arm-palestinians-until-israel-is-wiped-off-map/ Iran’s Khamenei: We Will Arm Palestinians Until Israel is Wiped Off Map], ''Algemeiner'' July 25, 2014.</ref> 2019,<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-guards-chief-says-destroying-israel-is-not-a-dream-but-an-achievable-goal/ ISRAEL MUST BE 'WIPED OFF MAP' AND IRAN HAS 'THE CAPACITY' - Iran Guards chief: Destroying Israel now not a dream but an ‘achievable goal’], <br />
<blockquote><br />
In claim prominently reported in Iran, Major General Hossein Salami declares Tehran able to annihilate 'the impostor Zionist regime'</blockquote><br />
By AFP and TOI STAFF, 30 September, 2019.</ref> 2020.<ref>Asher Stockler, [https://www.newsweek.com/iran-israel-anti-semitism-poster-1506012 Iran's Supreme Leader 'Echoing Hitler's Call for Genocide' With Palestine 'Resistance' Post, Mike Pompeo Says], ''Newsweek, 5/22/20.<blockquote><br />
“Khamenei's threats to carry out ‘The Final Solution’ against Israel bring to mind the Nazi 'Final Solution' plan to annihilate the Jewish People,” the Israeli prime minister's office wrote on Twitter.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Promoting genocide online at [[Guardian of Walls]], including via Hitler, his genocide praising hashtags:<br />
<ref>Brian Bennet, "[https://time.com/6071615/iran-disinformation-united-states/ Exclusive: Iran Steps up Efforts to Sow Discord Inside the U.S.], Time Magazine, June 7, 2021.</ref><br />
<blockquote><br />
Iranian state actors are intensifying their disinformation campaign on social media to spread discord and anti-Semitic tropes inside the U.S., two U.S. intelligence officials say.<br />
…But within days of the conflict beginning last month in Israel and Gaza Twitter accounts linked to Iran were amplifying anti-Semitic messages in English, including the phrases “hitler was [sic] right” and “kill all jews” at a rate of 175 times per minute, according to analysis by Network Contagion Research Institute.</blockquote><br />
<br />
In Nov 2021, Iranian Brig.-Gen. urges destruction of Israel prior to nuke talks.<ref>Benjamin Weinthal, [https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/iranian-brig-gen-urges-destruction-of-israel-prior-to-nuke-talks-687248 Iranian Brig.-Gen. urges destruction of Israel prior to nuke talks], ''JPost'', Nov 28, 2021.<blockquote>"We will not back off from the annihilation of Israel, even one millimeter..."</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/defense/1638133889-iran-rep-urges-israel-s-annihilation-before-nuclear-talks Iran Rep. Urges Israel's 'annihilation' Before Nuclear Talks], i24news, Nov 28, 2021.<blockquote>Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, a top-level spokesperson for Iran's armed forces, called for the destruction of Israel on Saturday.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
In March 2022, Iran (via mouthpiece): "Israel's nuclear weapons will not prevent its destruction (sic)."<ref>Lt. Col. M. Segal, [https://jcpa.org.il/article/%d7%94%d7%a0%d7%a9%d7%a7-%d7%94%d7%92%d7%a8%d7%a2%d7%99%d7%a0%d7%99-%d7%a9%d7%91%d7%99%d7%93%d7%99-%d7%99%d7%a9%d7%a8%d7%90%d7%9c-%d7%9c%d7%90-%d7%99%d7%9e%d7%a0%d7%a2-%d7%90%d7%aa-%d7%94%d7%a9/ (Iran:) "Israel's nuclear weapons will not prevent its destruction (sic)]", ''JCPA'', March 11, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Iran threatens retaliation for killing IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) men in attack on Syria ...<br />
<br />
The Iranian leader's mouthpiece, 'Kayhan', wrote in its editorial (March 10) that "the time has come to teach an unforgettable lesson to the Zionist entity during the few years left until its eventual eradication from Palestinian land. Israel is wrong if it thinks it has nuclear weapons, from which the International Atomic Energy Agency has hidden an eye, will save it from destruction." At the funeral, the words of the Iranian leader in 2015 were mentioned, according to which Israel will cease to exist for another 25 years, and it was emphasized that the action in Syria is approaching this date.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
On Apr 29, 2022, what the Islamic Republic calls "Jerusalem Day", during which masses took to the streets and there were a series of demonstrations of rage and aggressive speeches, the head of the Revolutionary Guards ([[IRGC]]), Hossein Salami, said: "Israel is creating the conditions for its destruction..."<ref name=mako-30.04.22/><br />
<br />
===Hate===<br />
<br />
*Iran has organized Holocaust cartoons events to belittle and deny the Holocaust - 2006, 2016.<ref>[https://sandiego.adl.org/irans-second-international-holocaust-cartoon-exhibition-opens-on-may-14/ Iran’s Second International Holocaust Cartoon Exhibition Opens On May 14] ADL, May 11, 2016</ref><br />
<br />
The [[Anti-Defamation League]] has long named Iran as a premier backer of global anti-Semitism.<ref name=newsweek/><br />
<br />
Khamenei uses his social media accounts to spread hatred, violence, and dangerous disinformation.<ref>[https://www.adl.org/blog/twitter-must-de-platform-irans-supreme-leader Twitter Must De-Platform Iran's Supreme Leader | Anti-Defamation League], ''ADL'', Mar 19, 2021.<blockquote>Ayatollah Ali Khamenei uses his social media accounts to spread hatred, violence, and dangerous disinformation.</blockquote></ref><ref>"Why won't Twitter ban Khamenei when it permanently suspended Trump?," ''Arab News,'' Mar 21, 2021.<blockquote>DUBAI: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is notorious for using his Twitter accounts to incite hate, violence and disinformation.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
* In May 2020, Khamenei uttered his much publicized genocidal threat, implying to carry out ‘The Final Solution.’<ref name=newsweek>Asher Stockler, [https://www.newsweek.com/iran-israel-anti-semitism-poster-1506012 Iran's Supreme Leader 'Echoing Hitler's Call for Genocide' With Palestine 'Resistance' Post, Mike Pompeo Says], ''Newsweek, 5/22/20.<blockquote><br />
“Khamenei's threats to carry out ‘The Final Solution’ against Israel bring to mind the Nazi 'Final Solution' plan to annihilate the Jewish People,” the Israeli prime minister's office wrote on Twitter.</blockquote></ref> [[Twitter]], at the time why it banned Trump but allowed -dangerous genocidal- Khamenei go on.<ref>Benjamin Kerstein, [https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/07/29/top-twitter-exec-declines-to-tell-knesset-why-ayatollahs Top Twitter Exec Declines to Tell Knesset Why Ayatollah’s Calls for Genocide Are Not Banned], ''Algemeiner'', July 29, 2020.<br />
<blockquote>A top Twitter executive who took part in a Knesset hearing on Wednesday declined to say why her company had not taken action against genocidal incitement by Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei...<br />
Arsen Ostrovsky @Ostrov_A:<br><i><br />
I kid you not! At Knesset hearing on Antisemitism, @Twitter rep tells me they flag @realDonaldTrump because it serves ‘public conversation’, but not Iran's @khamenei_ir call for GENOCIDE, which passes for acceptable 'commentary on political issues of the day'.</i></blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
* In 2021, Iranian Cartoonist Masoud Shojaei Tabatabaei on the Islamic Republic Holocaust denial event / Holocaust cartoon contests years earlier he organized:<ref>[https://www.memri.org/tv/iran-holocaust-cartoon-contest-organizer-masoud-shoujaei-tabtabaei Iranian Cartoonist Masoud Shojaei Tabatabaei on the Holocaust Cartoon Contests He Organized: Our Contests Were Counterattacks for the P... Muhammad Cartoons], Memri, Sep 9, 2021</ref><blockquote>"Our Contests Were Counterattacks for the P... Muhammad Cartoons."</blockquote><br />
<br />
* In Mar/2022, Iran unleashed an Antisemitic attack on Zelensky at its 'Fars News.'<ref>Seth J. Frantzman, [https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-700884 Iranian media slanders Zelensky with antisemitic article],” ''Jerusalem Post'', March 10, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
* On Apr 27, 2022:<ref>BenSabti @BeniSabti Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/BeniSabti/status/1519400181476864000 Apr 27, 2022]):<br />
<blockquote><br />
On Holocaust Remembrance Day & QudsDay2022 eve, Iran paper KAYHAN affiliated to [[Ali Khamenei|Khamenei]] attacks Jews in a very Antisemitic article: "Jews killed [sic] the Shiite leaders" & praises Hitler "because he was wise [sic] so he tried to get rid of them"!</blockquote></ref><blockquote>On Holocaust Remembrance Day & QudsDay2022 eve, Iran paper KAYHAN affiliated to [[Ali Khamenei|Khamenei]] attacks Jews in a very Antisemitic article: "Jews killed [sic] the Shiite leaders" & praises Hitler "because he was wise [sic] so he tried to get rid of them"!</blockquote><br />
<br />
As Iran's Mohammad Ali Geraei, the world wrestling champion, (in Aug/2022) expressed his admiration for "Hitler" as his legend among all the people in the world,<ref>Iran International Sports @iranintlsport Tweeted (Aug 28, 2022):<br />
([https://twitter.com/iranintlsport/status/1563834389892661248 1]):<blockquote><br />
Yesterday, in an interview with the Khabar Sports newspaper, Mohammad Ali Geraei, the world wrestling champion, talked about his love for Zlatan, Muhammad Ali, the legend of boxing and Esteghlal Club, and in a part of his speech, he mentioned "Hitler" as his legend among all the people in the world. He introduced the title of someone who had "great thoughts" in his head!</blockquote><br />
<br />
([https://twitter.com/iranintlsport/status/1563834843338838016 2]):<blockquote><br />
But the question is, how is the education system in Iran that Adolf #Hitler, as one of the biggest criminals in history and the initiator of World War II, becomes a legend of a national hero?</blockquote></ref> it was asked by ''Iran International Sports '':<blockquote>how is the education system in Iran that Adolf Hitler, as one of the biggest criminals in history and the initiator of World War II, becomes a legend of a national hero?</blockquote><br />
<br />
====Holocaust denial====<br />
<br />
There has been a flow of 'Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial in Iran: by the State Narratives Since 1979.'<ref>[https://iranwire.com/en/features/10866 Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial in Iran: A Review of State Narratives Since 1979.] Iran Wire.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
Iran has one of the worst records in malicious Holocaust denial.<ref>[https://www.ushmm.org/information/press/press-kits/press-guide-to-holocaust-denial-in-iran Press Guide to Holocaust Denial in Iran], USHMM</ref><br />
Condemned already in 2007.<ref>[https://news.un.org/en/story/2007/01/207002-un-assembly-condemns-holocaust-denial-consensus-iran-disassociates-itself UN Assembly condemns Holocaust denial by consensus; Iran disassociates itself], ''UN'', Jan 26, 2007</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
In Jan 2022, the shamless Mullahcracy Islamic Relublic was alone, the only one, against 193 members at the [[UN]] passing the resolution against Holocaust Denial.<ref>Itamar Eichner, [https://m.ynet.co.il/Articles/60663620 History in the United Nations: A decision has passed a Holocaust denial], ''Ynet'', Jan 20, 2022.<blockquote><br />
<br />
A week before the International Holocaust Day, the UN rally adopted in consensus and despite Iran resistance, decision against Holocaust denial. The decision sets for the first time and gives practical tools - but it is only symbolic. Ambassador at UN Erdan: "The Internet becomes an increase of forgery and fraud. No one will distort our history."<br />
<br />
Gilad Erdan at the General Rally of the United Nations Before the decision against Holocaust Holocaust President Historical Achievement to Israel a week before the International Holocaust Day and the 80th day to the conference The decision joined 112 countries. Iran opposed the offer ... But there was no voting, since the understanding that would lose in most overwhelming and the proposal would pass.<br />
<br />
In the end the proposal went through a full consensus without voting. This is the second time in history that the UN efforts to decide that Israel initiated. The previous decision received 17 years ago, the international Holocaust stipulated today. The decision presents the definition for the Holocaust denial and assimilates responsibility for Internet companies to operate to remove contaminants or distort the Holocaust and reading to the United Nations Companies and the UN institutions to act against Holocaust denial and maintain programs The decision to first give practical tools to war in denial of the Holocaust and distorted.<br />
<br />
... "When Adolf Eichmann, the "final solution" architect, was on trial in Israel, the Attorney General Open the prosecution in these moving words: 'At this place, where I stand before you - I do not stand alone; with me are here at this time six million prosecutors. But they can not get up on their feet or point a finger.' I'm here too with six million prosecutors today. But while this decision preserves the memory of six million victims of the past, its purpose is to protect the countless victims of the future."<br />
<br />
Following the decision, Arden met with the UN Secretary-General, along with the German Ambassador and Holocaust survivors invited to the UN by the Ambassador. Arden said at the meeting that "this is a historic day and the decision we made today on our own initiative is of great importance.<br />
<br />
The fact that over 100 countries have joined us that have determined that Holocaust deniers and perversions must be fought - will give us real tools to act against them and also demand responsibility from Internet companies. I thank the UN Secretary-General for his commitment to the fight against anti-Semitism and the war on Holocaust denial, and I thank the German ambassador for joining our initiative and helping to pass it on."</blockquote></ref><ref>Udi Evental @UEvental Tweeted: ([https://twitter.com/UEvental/status/1489847427830005760 Feb 5, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
Holocaust denial in which the Iranian regime is involved up to the neck is also related to the vision of the destruction of Israel, since the Holocaust provides legitimacy for its establishment and existence. Tehran supports Holocaust deniers (the best known of whom was Roger Garaudy) and organizes "academic" conferences on the subject. In January this year, Iran was the only country to oppose the UN resolution against Holocaust denial.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.iranintl.com/en/202201203872 Iran Alone Among 193 UN Members To Oppose Holocaust Resolution], Iran Intl, Jan 20, 2022.<blockquote>The UN General Assembly on Thursday agreed on a definition of denial of the Holocaust and urged social media companies "to take active measures" to combat antisemitism.<br />
<br />
"The General Assembly is sending a strong and unambiguous message against the denial or the distortion of these historical facts," said Germany's UN Ambassador Antje Leendertse. "Ignoring historical facts increases the risk that they will be repeated."<br />
<br />
While the 193-member General Assembly adopted the resolution - drafted by Israel and Germany - without a vote, Iran disassociated itself from the text over Israel's "occupation of Palestine and parts of Syria and Lebanon."<br />
<br />
Israel's UN mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Iran's statement.<br />
<br />
The General Assembly resolution spelled out that distortion and denial of the Holocaust refers to Intentional efforts to excuse or minimize the impact of the Holocaust, gross minimization of the number of the victims in contradiction to reliable sources and attempts to blame the Jews for causing their own genocide.<br />
The resolution also said statements that cast the Holocaust as a positive historical event constitute denial, and "urges member states and social media companies to take active measures to combat antisemitism and Holocaust denial or distortion by means of information and communications technologies and to facilitate reporting of such content."</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
Iran's president Raisi was blasted for questioning if Holocaust was real (in is [[CBS]] 60 Minutes interview, Sep 2022).<ref name=newsweek-19sep2022>Zoe Strozewski, [https://www.newsweek.com/iranian-president-blasted-questioning-if-holocaust-was-real-1744265 Iranian President Blasted for Questioning if Holocaust Was Real], ''Newsweek'', Sep 19, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
====Racist terror====<br />
<br />
Examples:<br />
<br />
The July 12, 1994, AMIA attack on Jewish center AMIA in Argentina by Islamic Republic of Iran's backed [[Hezbollah]] ''Ansar Allah'': 85 civilians dead and over 300 injured of multiple nationalities. The attack is considered the worst antisemitic attack in the world since World War II.<ref>Dina Siegel Vann, [https://www.ajc.org/news/25-years-since-the-amia-bombing-hezbollah-and-antisemitism 25 Years since the AMIA Bombing: Hezbollah and Antisemitism], AJC, July 17, 2019<blockquote><br />
This piece originally appeared in El País [https://elpais.com/internacional/2019/07/15/america/1563211046_479182.html]. <br />
This year marks 25 years of impunity following the terrible terrorist attack against the headquarters of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Buenos Aires. On July 18, 1994, following multiple warnings about the possibility of a new attack at the hands of Iran and its Hezbollah henchmen, and after the bombing in 1992 of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, a van loaded with explosives detonated in front of the building that represented the institutional heart of Judaism in Argentina. The attack left 85 civilians dead and over 300 injured of multiple nationalities. The attack is considered the worst antisemitic attack in the world since World War II. It shook Argentine society to its core and created a deep sense of vulnerability in the Jewish world at large.<br />
Beyond the many surprising twists and turns in a case that is yet to be deciphered, and despite continuous declarations of commitment from governments that pledge to carry the investigation to its final conclusion, the Argentine government still comes up short. There have been low points, such as the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran by president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, which resulted in condemnation by the Jewish communities in Argentina and around the world, and more importantly, by the relatives of the victims. However, from the outset, evidence tampering, the slow pace with which evidence was processed, and extreme politicization have been obstacles to bringing the culprits to justice.<br />
There have been, however, some glimmers of light on a road marked mostly by darkness. One of the few concrete steps toward explaining the motives behind the attack,which singled out the international perpetrators of what is now known as a crime against humanity, was the investigation by Special Prosecutor Alberto Nisman. Nisman’s premature and regrettable death remains a mystery.<br />
Nisman concluded for the first time and beyond doubt that Iranian authorities at the highest levels were the masterminds behind the attack. In 2007, during an Interpol meeting in Morocco, Nisman presented his report. After months of debate and repeated attempts by the Iranian government to sabotage the process, “red notices” were issued against five Iranian government officials.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/25-years-the-amia-bombing 25 Years Since the AMIA Bombing], Wilson Center, Jul. 12, 2019.<blockquote><br />
It has been 25 years since the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. Eighty-five people were killed and hundreds wounded. Despite evidence of Iran and Hezbollah's roles in the attack, to date, no one has been held accountable. The Latin American Program's Argentina Project, in partnership with The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), hosted a public seminar discussing the anniversary of the bombing and implications for counterterrorism challenges globally.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
Targeting Jews in Panama shortly afterwards. The Alas Chiricanas Flight 901 murdering 12, mostly Jews July-19-1994.<ref>[https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/ali-hawa-jamal/bombing-of-alas-chircanas-airlines-flight-00901 Bombing of Alas Chiricanas Airlines Flight 00901], FBI. <br />
<blockquote>July 19, 1994, Panama.<br />
<br />
Ali Hawa Jamal. He is suspected of carrying the bomb aboard the aircraft.<br />
<br />
According to reports, an unidentified Middle Eastern male used the stolen credit card of a US citizen to rent a Mazda 4x4 at a Vantage Rent-a-Car located in Panama City, Panama, on May 27, 1994...</blockquote></ref><ref>Joanna Paraszczuk, [https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Palestinian-jihadist-group-splits-from-Hezbollah Palestinian jihadist group splits from Hezbollah], JPost, <br />
Dec 6, 2012.<blockquote><br />
Sources tell Lebanese paper that Iran-backed Ansar Allah is cultivating ties with al-Qaida affiliates.<br />
<br />
Ansar Allah was unknown until July 1994, when it issued a statement expressing support for the deadly bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Hezbollah and Iran are widely suspected to have been behind that attack, which killed 85 people.<br />
<br />
Ansar Allah and Hezbollah are also suspected of involvement in another terror attack, the bombing of a commuter aircraft, Alas Chiricanas Flight 00901, in Panama on the night of July 19, 1994 – a day after the AMIA bombing. A semtex plastic explosive charge, carried by a man calling himself Lya Jamal, went off killing 21 passengers, 12 of them Jewish.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://irp.fas.org/threat/terror_94/latin.html#Panama PATTERNS OF GLOBAL TERRORISM, 1994: LATIN AMERICAN OVERVIEW].<blockquote><br />
Panama<br />
<br />
On 19 July a bomb aboard a commuter plane flying between Colon and Panama City detonated, killing all 21 persons aboard, including three American citizens. Twelve of the passengers were Jews. According to media reports, an organization using the name Ansar Allah, or Followers of God, issued a statement expressing support for the bombing, which appeared to be a suicide operation by a person with a Middle Eastern name. Panama has made no arrests in connection with the bombing, but it is cooperating closely with a US law enforcement investigation.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-44207991 Panama says new evidence shows 1994 plane crash 'terrorist' incident, BBC, May 22, 2018<blockquote><br />
[Image caption,<br />
The bombing of the Israeli-Argentine Mutual Association (Amia) Jewish community in Buenos Aires shocked the world].<br />
<br />
A plane crash in Panama in 1994 that killed 21 people, many of them Jews, was the result of a terrorist incident, Panama's president has said.<br />
<br />
Juan Carlos Varela said the evidence came from Israeli intelligence and he had asked for the case to be reopened.<br />
<br />
Prominent Jewish businessmen were among those on board the plane that crashed shortly after take off on 19 July 1994.<br />
<br />
The crash happened the day after a bombing at a Jewish centre in the Argentine capital, killing 85 people.<br />
<br />
Speaking to reporters in Panama on Monday, President Varela said he would ask local and international authorities to reopen the investigation into the plane crash, "given intelligence reports that clearly show it was a terrorist attack".<br />
<br />
He has just returned from Israel, where he met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At a joint news conference there, he referred to a letter he received from Mr Netanyahu last November "confirming that I lost my roommate and a senior member of the Panamanian Jewish community to a terrorist attack conducted by Hezbollah in Panama some years ago".<br />
<br />
Nineteen passengers and three crew members were on board Alas Chiricanas Airlines Flight 901 to Panama City when it exploded shortly after take off from Enrique Jimenez airport in Colon. Twelve of the passengers were Jews.<br />
<br />
At the time, the country's President-elect Ernesto Perez Balladares said it appeared that a bomb had exploded inside the cabin, but this was never confirmed.<br />
<br />
The FBI has previously said that a man named Ali Hawa Jamal was believed to have carried the bomb on to the plane and died in the explosion. He was described as being around 25-28 years old, of Middle Eastern appearance, and had previously travelled to Lebanon, Venezuela and Colombia.</blockquote></ref><ref>Juan José Rodríguez,[https://www.barrons.com/news/relatives-in-panama-still-seek-justice-for-1994-terror-attack-01595190905 Relatives In Panama Still Seek Justice For 1994 'Terror' Attack], Baarons, July 19, 2020<blockquote><br />
... In Panama, investigations have centered on a passenger named Ali Hawa Jamal, who is believed to have detonated a bomb concealed in a radio.<br />
An FBI statement said Jamal was the only person aboard whose body was never claimed.<br />
The FBI suspects Jamal belonged to the same Shiite Hezbollah group that, one day earlier, had detonated a car-bomb that killed 85 people and injured hundreds of people at the headquarters of a Jewish charity in Buenos Aires, the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
====Racist defemation and inciting Arabs against Jews====<br />
Islamic Republic of Iran created a fake social network "Aduk", masquerading as if it was Ultra-religious Jewish and or "settler." The Islamic Republic posted anti-Arab racist posts in order to stoke violence and defame Jews.<ref>"[https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-set-up-fake-social-media-network-to-stoke-violence-tensions-in-israel-report/ Iran set up fake social media network to stoke violence, tensions in Israel – report]", ''TOI'' STAFF, 3 Feb 2022.<blockquote><br />
‘Aduk’ group, masquerading as a nationalist and ultra-Orthodox news outlet, redistributed extremist and anti-Muslim material to encourage attacks on Arab Israelis, BBC says.<br />
<br />
Iran is suspected of setting up a social media network targeting Israeli nationalist and ultra-Orthodox Jews in order to encourage violence against Arab Israelis and stoke tensions in the country, according to a Thursday report by the BBC.<br />
According to the Israeli disinformation watchdog FakeReporter, which uncovered the group’s suspected Iranian origin, its goal was to help fuel “religious war” by amplifying “fear, hatred and chaos.”<br />
According to the report, the “Aduk” or “strictly religious” group presented itself as a “virtual religious union for the religious public.”</blockquote></ref><ref>Damian Pachter and ILH Staff, "[https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/02/04/iran-behind-on-line-propaganda-campaign-to-foment-religious-war-in-israel/ Report: Iran behind on-line propaganda campaign to foment 'religious war' in Israel]", ''ILH'', Feb 4, 2022.<blockquote><br />
<br />
According to watchdog group FakeReporter, the on-line ultra-Orthodox group "Aduk" was, in fact, an Iranian unit that sought to amplify "fear, hatred, and chaos" in Israeli society.</blockquote></ref><ref>"Iran Tried To Incite Chareidim Against Arabs," ''YWN'', February 6, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
===Iran's role in persecution of Mideast Christians===<br />
Though mainstream Western media narrative is that "only jihadists," such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS, are behind the persecution of Christians in the region, the reality is much more complex than the simple image that jihadists came around and killed Christians. Including in: Lebanon (via [[Hezbollah]]), Syria, Yemen.<ref>David Isaac, [https://www.jns.org/irans-role-in-persecution-of-mideast-christians-is-overlooked-expert-says/ Iran's role in persecution of Mideast Christians is overlooked, expert says], ''JNS'', Mar 1, 2022.<blockquote><font size=1><br />
<br />
According to York University's Farhad Rezaei, what distinguishes Iran when it comes to persecution of Christians is that it is pursuing a "strategy of eliminationism" – an organized, unrelenting, Nazi-like campaign to reduce the Christian presence in the Middle East.<br />
<br />
The West is missing a critical component of the story when it comes to the persecution of Middle East Christians, said Farhad Rezaei, a visiting lecturer at Toronto-based York University, during a Zoom presentation on Feb. 22. And that missing element is Iran.<br />
<br />
In the presentation – sponsored by The Philos Project, a Christian group advocating for pluralism in the Near East – Rezaei explained that Iran plays a central role in the destruction of Christian communities, specifically in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.<br />
The mainstream Western media narrative is that "only jihadists," such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS, are behind the persecution of Christians in the region, said Rezaei, who is also a senior fellow at the Philos Project.<br />
<br />
"The reality is much more complex than the simple image that jihadists came around and killed Christians," he said.<br />
<br />
According to Rezaei, what distinguishes Iran when it comes to persecution of Christians is that it is pursuing a "strategy of eliminationism" – an organized, unrelenting, Nazi-like campaign to reduce the Christian presence in the Middle East. "Eliminationism" means shrinking the Christian communities by making life for them unbearable, including through confiscation of private property, arbitrary detention, torture, public incitement, abduction and killing, explained Rezaei, who spent seven months researching this subject and will be releasing a report with his findings in the coming weeks.<br />
Rezaei provided an overview of the dramatic decline in the Christian population in the aforementioned countries.<br />
In Iraq, before 2003, the Christian population stood at 1.5 million. It is currently between 141,000-171,000, or 0.3% of the population. He noted that most of the Christians were pushed out by Shi'ite militias. He described the Christians in Iraq as "the undisputed losers of the sectarian conflict."<br />
<br />
In Syria, before 2011, the Christian population was 2.3 million. It's now 677,000. Before Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was forced to rely on Iranian help during the Syrian Civil War, he left his Christian minorities alone. Rezaei said it was the Iranians acting as military advisors to the Syrian army who introduced the eliminationist strategy into Syria. "In some cases, the Iranians and the Lebanese Hezbollah wore the uniform of the Assad regime army [to hide their identity], but the local people understood that they were from Hezbollah and Iranians by their accent," he said.<br />
<br />
Rezaei noted that in Yemen, where the Iranian-supported Shi'ite Houthis have taken over large swaths of the country, the Christian population has dropped from 40,000 to 3,000. In Lebanon, where the Iranian-supported Hezbollah dominate, the Christian population has been reduced from 54% to 34% of the total population.<br />
<br />
Rezaei cites two main reasons why the Iranians are implementing their eliminationist plan. One is strategic. Iran wants to build a land bridge to the Mediterranean, and Christian communities sit squarely along that route.<br />
The second is ideological – Khomeinism or "new Shi'ism" views Christians and Jews as "pollution," Rezaei said. While he said it is true that Shi'ism contains anti-Christian and anti-Jewish elements, it was "quietist" and minorities were largely left alone if they paid a jizyah tax, a yearly per capita levy on non-Muslims. This changed with Khomeini's rise. Khomeini and another important cleric, Ayatollah Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, were strongly influenced by Egypt's Sayyid Qutb, the leading member of the Muslim brotherhood and "father of Salafi Jihadism, or global terrorism," Rezaei said.<br />
<br />
Mesbah-Yazdi opened the Haghani seminary. "Most of the senior members of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) are disciples of Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazidi. They are all graduates of the Haghani school," he said.<br />
Mesbah-Yazdi rejected the concept of universal human rights, considering it a product of the Judeo-Christian tradition. "He developed his own version of Islamic human rights and obligations. And according to this version of human rights, Muslims basically have the right to kill their religious enemies," Rezaei said.<br />
He said the Iranians learned from the Nazis. "Although they deny the Holocaust, they have learned a lot from the Holocaust. However, they understood that they cannot destroy Christians and Jews by the same methods that the Nazis implemented in Germany, like using gas chambers and genocide, so they came up with a different scheme. And that was the strategy of eliminationism."<br />
<br />
Raymond Ibrahim, a distinguished senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and author of Sword and Scimitar: Fourteen Centuries of War between Islam and the West, agreed that "we shouldn't focus too much on ISIS and the radical groups because they're just the tip of the iceberg," and that Iran is one of the worst actors. But he noted that when looking at the global picture, the lion's share of Muslim persecution goes on in Sunni countries, if for no other reason than that there are more of them.<br />
<br />
Citing the recently released report "2022 World Watch List," by the pro-Christian NGO Open Doors, which ranks the top 50 worst countries for Christian persecution, Ibrahim noted that Iran ranks ninth. Most of those ranking higher are either Sunni countries or countries with large Sunni populations.<br />
Rezaei said the purpose of his report isn't to deny the persecution committed in Sunni countries. "What I'm trying to say is that the Iranians persecute Christian minorities in an organized way, just like the Nazi Germans persecuted Jews," he said, noting that in Sunni countries like Pakistan, for example, the persecution may be intense, but it's not a top-down, nationally organized effort.<br />
<br />
Both Ibrahim and Rezaei agree that the larger, mainstream human rights groups fail to address the problem. Ibrahim suggested that one possible reason for this failure is that they're eager to prove that they're not "tribalistic," leading them to shy away from helping fellow Christians.<br />
"Also, I think a lot of it is their internal animosity for their own heritage, upon which has been heaped all sorts of sins, both real and imagined. There's an animosity for Christianity amongst descendants of Christians," Ibrahim said.<br />
Rezaei said there's still hope for the Christian communities plagued by Iran and its proxies, but a united effort by Western nations is essential. He expects that little headway can be made in the current climate, in which the Biden administration seeks to appease Iran, but "that said, it doesn't mean we should stay silent."</font></blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
===World domination===<br />
<br />
Gradually since the 1980s, the Islamic Republic has been actively involved in its global spread.<br />
<br />
In recent years it has become more emboldened.<ref>[https://www.hudson.org/research/9807-iran-takes-on-the-world Iran Takes on the World] Jamsheed K. Choksy, ''The Hudson inst.''</ref><br />
<br />
====Iraq====<br />
======Attacking the U.S======<br />
Pro-Iranian militants have been attacking U.S forces for years. Under Iranian general, [[Qasem Soleimani]], use of IED's was common. <br />
<br />
Recently, Iran has continued to attack U.S forces via missiles and drones.<ref>https://www.timesofisrael.com/new-rocket-attack-targets-iraq-base-housing-us-troops/</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
Following Iran's Mar 12, 2022, attacking Erbil,<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-701103 Missiles fired from Iran fall near US consulate in Erbil, Iraq - report], ''Jerusalem Post'', Mar 12, 2022.<blockquote>Some 12 missiles were fired from Iranian territory and fell near the US consulate in Erbil in northwestern Iraq on Saturday night.<br />
The Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Service announced that 12 ballistic missiles were fired from "outside the borders of Iraq and the Kurdistan region, specifically from the east," according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).<br />
Independent open-source intelligence (OSINT) accounts shared videos reportedly shared by Iranian civilians showing missiles being fired from Iran at the time of the attack, with at least one of the videos being geolocated to a site in Khasabad in the East Azerbaijan province of Iran.</blockquote></ref> via 12 missiles, reaching near US consulate and damaging [[Kurd]]ish media offices, a journalist: 'I have not seen a united Iraq around anything for a long time... Condemnations all-over-the-map against Iran.'<ref>roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1503066261932105733 March 13, 2022]):<blockquote>Indeed, I have not seen a united Iraq around anything for a long time. Condemnations all-over-the-map [in Iraq] against Iran following the missile attack, from Erbil to Baghdad, including the "crowner" of kings Shiite preacher Muqtada al-Sadr. Why is this interesting? Because the shooting of the Iranians takes place on days when there is some breakthrough in the contacts for the formation of the government with the participation of factions affiliated with Iran.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
All the weak [[Biden]] administration had to say that it doesn't believe it was the target...<ref>Fox News Sunday, Mar 13, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
It has then went back and forth, between cowardly appeasing the Iranians first then telling the truth.<ref>Farnaz Fassihi (@farnazfassihi) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/farnazfassihi/status/1503493146860208132 Mar 14, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
Update from @EricSchmittNYT: A senior Biden administration official refuted the earlier comment by a US official, saying the administration believes that the building that was hit was a civilian residence only and did not also serve as an Israeli training site.</blockquote><br />
<br />
-IntelOmarion (@IntelOmarion) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/IntelOmarion/status/1503494582507610120 Mar 14, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
@farnazfassihi @EricSchmittNYT Seriously? This is extremely unprofessional and dangerous reporting. Your previous claims have only fuelled Iranian propaganda & will enable further attacks on Iraq.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
=====Persecuting pro peace, pro Israel Iraqis=====<br />
<br />
On Friday, September 24, 2021, conference in the Kurdistan region, Iraqi participants called on their country’s leaders to end the state of war and join the so-called Abraham Accords. It was organised by US think-tank Center for Peace Communications in Erbil, the capital of northern Iraq’s Kurdistan autonomous region.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/bennett-on-iraqis-call-for-normalization-israel-extends-its-hand-in-peace/ Bennett on Iraqis’ call for normalization: ‘Israel extends its hand in peace’] By TOI Staff, 25 September 2021.<br />
<br><i><br />
PM praises gathering of hundreds of Sunni and Shiite notables, says 'recognition of the historical injustice done to the Jews of Iraq is especially important'.</i><br />
<blockquote><br />
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Saturday night that “Israel extends its hand back in peace” in response to a Friday meeting of over 300 prominent Iraqis calling for their country to normalize ties with the Jewish state.<br />
<br />
“Hundreds of Iraqi public figures, Sunnis and Shiites, gathered yesterday to call for peace with Israel,” Bennett said in a tweet.<br />
<br />
“This is a call that comes from below and not from above, from the people and not from the government, and the recognition of the historical injustice done to the Jews of Iraq is especially important.”<br />
<br />
“The State of Israel extends its hand back in peace,” the prime minister added...<br />
<br />
At Friday’s conference in the Kurdistan region, Iraqi participants called on their country’s leaders to end the state of war and join the so-called Abraham Accords.<br />
<br />
The agreements, formulated by the administration of former United States president Donald Trump, were signed on the White House lawn in September 2020 between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Morocco and Sudan signed normalization agreements with Israel in the ensuing months.<br />
<br />
“We demand full diplomatic relations with the State of Israel… and a new policy of normalization based on people-to-people relations with the citizens of that country,” said Wisam al-Hardan, who commanded Sunni tribal militias that aligned with the US to fight al-Qaeda in 2005, in response to the power vacuum that followed the 2003 American invasion...<br />
<br />
The gathering, which included Sunni and Shiite Muslim tribal leaders, social activists and former military commanders, took place in Iraqi Kurdistan’s capital of Erbil. It was organized by the Center for Peace Communications, a New York-based nonprofit that seeks to advance closer ties between Israelis and the Arab world.<br />
<br />
Other attendees from around the region spoke virtually to the participants, including former UAE official Ali al-Na’imi and Chemi Peres, the son of former Israeli president Shimon Peres.<br />
<br />
Calling the expulsion of Iraq’s Jews “the most infamous act” in the country’s decline, al-Hardan said that Iraq “must reconnect with the whole of our diaspora, including these Jews.”<br />
<br />
Other Iraqis who participated in the conference urged their country to rebuild ties with those who arrived in Israel fleeing persecution, as well as their descendants..<br />
<br />
A flourishing Iraqi Jewish community lived in the country for centuries, mostly in the central city of Baghdad. But as British colonial rule ended in Iraq and the State of Israel was born in Mandatory Palestine, everything began to change.<br />
<br />
A vicious 1941 pogrom, known in Arabic as the Farhud, saw the deaths of hundreds of Iraqi Jews at the hands of their compatriots in Baghdad. The attacks were sparked by rumors that Jews had helped the British retake power in Iraq following a coup by pro-Nazi Iraqi generals.<br />
<br />
After Israel was founded in 1948, Iraq began persecuting those Jews who remained. The government made Zionism a criminal offense and began firing Iraqi Jews from the civil service en masse. Other Jewish Iraqis were arrested and executed as suspected spies.<br />
<br />
Between 1950 and 1952, over 100,000 Iraqi Jews emigrated to Israel as part of Operation Ezra and Nehemiah. With others driven to emigrate by further decades of repression and war, only a handful of Jews remain.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Pro-Iran militia said that normalizers are 'legitimate targets.' After death threats, Iraqis who attended pro-Israel normalization summit recanted.<ref>Aaron Boxerman, "[https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-death-threats-iraqis-who-attended-pro-israel-normalization-summit-recant/ After death threats, Iraqis who attended pro-Israel normalization summit recant]", TOI, 30 September 2021.<br><i><br />
Speaker says he didn’t mean to call for peace with Israel, others say they were misled about conference’s content; pro-Iran militia says normalizers are 'legitimate targets.'</i></ref><br />
<br />
=====Al-Kadhimi assassination attempt=====<br />
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi addresses the nation following a drone strike that targeted his residence in Baghdad on November 7, 2021, amid Escalating Tensions With Iran-Backed Militias <ref>[https://www.rferl.org/a/iraq-drone-attack-iran/31549714.html Iraqi PM Unharmed After Drone Attack Amid Escalating Tensions With Iran-Backed Militias] RFE/RL, Nov 7, 2021.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi addresses the nation following a drone strike that targeted his residence in Baghdad on November 7. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi addresses the nation following a drone strike that targeted his residence in Baghdad on November 7.<br />
<br />
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an attack by an armed drone on his residence on November 7 amid escalating tensions over the refusal of Iran-backed militias to accept last month's parliamentary election results.<br />
<br />
The Baghdad residence inside the city's fortified Green Zone was hit by a rocket attack early on November 7, the prime minister’s office said in a statement.<br />
<br />
Kadhimi was unharmed in the attack, which the statement said was a “failed assassination attempt.”</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Iraqi Pundit:<ref>Hussain Abdul-Hussain @hahussain Tweeted ([https://mobile.twitter.com/hahussain/status/1457141796245549073 Nov 6, 2021]):<br />
<br><i><br />
The Middle East will never be cured until the #Iran regime is obliterated. All other analysis is just for crisis management.</i></ref><blockquote>The Middle East will never be cured until the #Iran regime is obliterated. All other analysis is just for crisis management.</blockquote><br />
<br />
It was later confirmed that Iran-backed militia was behind attack on Iraqi PM.<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-backed-militia-behind-attack-on-iraqi-pm-security-officials-sources-684356 Iran-backed militia behind attack on Iraqi PM - security officials, sources], Reuters, JPost, Nov 8, 2021</ref><br />
<br />
====Cyberattack on children hospital====<br />
<br />
The [[FBI]] thwarted an Iranian government-backed cyberattack against [[Boston]] Children’s Hospital in 2021.<ref>Jill McKeon, [https://healthitsecurity.com/news/fbi-blocked-iranian-backed-cyberattack-on-boston-childrens-hospital-last-year FBI Blocked Iranian-Backed Cyberattack on Boston Children’s Hospital Last Year], Healthitsecurity.com, June 02, 2022.<blockquote><br />
<br />
FBI Director Christopher Wray said the bureau thwarted an Iranian government-backed cyberattack against Boston Children’s Hospital in 2021.</blockquote></ref><br />
====Secret Service plot====<br />
In March 2022, two Muslim men, (Iranian) Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and (Pakistani) Haider Ali, 35, were arrested<ref>Katelyn Caralle, [https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10696133/How-fake-DHS-agents-spent-18-MONTHS-trying-infiltrate-Secret-Service-Jill-Bidens-detail.html How 'fake' DHS agents spent 18 MONTHS trying to 'infiltrate Secret Service and Jill Biden's detail'], Daily Mail Online, Apr 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote>Two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to Pakistani intelligence and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied.</blockquote></ref> for impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington. The two fake Homeland agents - one 'with ties to [[Pakistan]]i intelligence<ref>Michael Balsamo, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/us-man-impersonated-agent-claimed-ties-to-pakistani-intel/2022/04/07/6f49f666-b6a9-11ec-8358-20aa16355fb4_story.html US: Man impersonated agent, claimed ties to Pakistani intel]," ''AP'', via ''WaPo'', April 7, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
WASHINGTON — One of two men accused of impersonating federal agents and giving actual Secret Service agents gifts and free apartments in Washington has claimed to have ties to Pakistani intelligence and had visas showing travel to Pakistan and Iran, federal prosecutors said Thursday.<br />
<br />
The men, Arian Taherzadeh, 40, and Haider Ali, 35, were arrested Wednesday. The FBI raided a luxury apartment building in Southeast Washington, where the men were staying and had been offering free apartments and other gifts to U.S. Secret Service agents and officers.<br />
<br />
During a court appearance Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein said Ali had told witnesses that he was affiliated with the Inter-Services Intelligence agency in Pakistan and that he had multiple visas from Pakistan and Iran in the months before prosecutors believe the men began impersonating U.S. law enforcement officials. Rothstein said the U.S. has not yet been able to verify the veracity of Ali’s claims to the witnesses.</blockquote></ref> <i>Inter-Services Intelligence</i> (ISI), and multiple Iranian visas' - spent 18 months 'infiltrating and buying gifts for Jill Biden's Secret Service detail' in luxury DC building where they all lived and partied. Aim was to compromise and accessing information.<br />
<br />
====Assassinations plots====<br />
<br />
In Feb 2022, an Iranian attempt to assassinate Israeli businessman Yair Geller in Turkey was thwarted. The attempt came as revenge and in response to the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Muhsin Fakhrizada in 2020.<ref name=mako-30.04.22/><br />
<br />
In Apr 2022, it was reported that the Mossad thwarted Iran's triple plot: to kill an Israeli diplomat in Turkey, a US general in the US and a French journalist.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/mossad-agents-interrogated-irgc-member-in-iran-over-assassination-plot-reports/amp/ Mossad reportedly interrogated IRGC member in Iran over triple assassination plot], ''TOI'', Apr 30, 2022.</ref><ref>Staff, [https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-705523 Mossad operates in Iran, foils IRGC plot to kill Israeli diplomat, US general], Jerusalem Post, April 30, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Iran's Quds Force reportedly also planned to assassinate a senior American military general in Germany and a journalist in France.<br />
<br />
The Mossad – operating in Iran – apprehended and interrogated an Iranian national who was leading a plot to kill an Israeli diplomat and a US general, sources have confirmed.</blockquote></ref> Mansour Rassouli was interrogated by Mossad inside Iran.<ref>Tal lev Ram @tallevram Tweeted:<br />
([https://twitter.com/tallevram/status/1520460393449205763 Apr 30, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
No less interesting than the operation of the Mossad that arrested and released a few months ago after an investigation in Iran the Quds Force man Mansour Rassouli in connection with the planning of the assassination of one of the employees of the Israeli consulate in Turkey, is the decision to reveal the information and video. It is no coincidence that the guy probably survived. The battle for consciousness against the Iranians is part of the event.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
The Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards has invited one of its agents to assassinate an employee of the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, the agent belongs to Unit 840 of the Quds Force, which deals with opponents of the Islamic Republic. He admitted that he received $ 150,000 for the preparations for the assassination, and was supposed to receive $ 1 million after he managed to eliminate the 3 targets.<br />
He was arrested in Europe.<ref name=mako-30.04.22>Nir Dvori, [https://www.mako.co.il/news-military/2022_q2/Article-2bce219b0897081026.htm The Mossad thwarted Iran's attempt to harm Israeli diplomats in Istanbul], N12, 30/04/22<br />
<blockquote><br />
The suspect in the assassination attempt is a member of the Revolutionary Guards. • He was arrested and taken for questioning in a European country.<br />
<br />
The Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards has invited one of its agents to assassinate an employee of the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, according to a report by a US general and French diplomatic sources.<br />
<br />
According to the report, the agent is currently under arrest in Europe. He belongs to Unit 840 of the Quds Force, which deals with opponents of the Islamic Republic. He admitted that he received $ 150,000 for the preparations for the assassination, and was supposed to receive $ 1 million after he managed to eliminate the 3 targets.<br />
Yesterday marked "Jerusalem Day" in Iran, during which masses took to the streets and there were a series of demonstrations of rage and aggressive speeches. The head of the Revolutionary Guards, [https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/hossein-salami Hossein Salami], said: "Israel is creating the conditions for its destruction..."<br />
<br />
Last February, an attempt to assassinate Israeli businessman Yair Geller in Turkey was thwarted. Israeli and Turkish intelligence forces worked together to thwart the assassination attempt, which came as revenge and in response to the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Muhsin Fakhrizada in 2020.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
In Aug 2022, Iranian, Quds force's Shahram Poursafi was charged in plot to murder [[John Bolton]] on behalf of the [[IRGC]]. He offered cash for the murder to whom he believed to be of the Mexican cartel.<ref>Callie Patteson, [https://nypost.com/2022/08/10/iranian-shahram-poursafi-charged-in-plot-to-murder-john-bolton/ Iranian Shahram Poursafi charged in plot to murder John Bolton], ''NYPost'', Aug 10, 2022.<br>Bolton said: It tells you that they "really threaten American citizens on US soil."<br />
<br><br />
''PBS NewsHour'', Aug 10, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
====Threats====<br />
In July 2022, Iran, the IRGC, declares it can use nuclear missiles to turn 'New York into hellish ruins.'<ref>Benjamin Weinthal, [https://www.foxnews.com/world/iran-declares-can-use-nuclear-missiles-turn-new-york-hellish-ruins Iran declares it can use nuclear missiles to turn 'New York into hellish ruins'], ''Fox News'', Aug 1, 2022 <blockquote><br />
Iran boasts about its nuke program: 'When Will Iran’s Sleeping Warheads Awaken'.<br />
<br />
The Iranian regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Saturday said that it can develop a nuclear weapon within a rapid-fire amount of time and obliterate New York with ballistic missiles. <br />
The London-based Iran International news organization reported that the Bisimchi Media (Radioman Media) Telegram Channel aired a short video titled, "When Will Iran’s Sleeping Warheads Awaken." The video said the Islamic Republic of Iran is capable of building nuclear bombs in a compressed period of time "if the US or the Zionist regime make any stupid mistakes."</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
====Lebanon====<br />
Iran's [[Hezbollah]] has been hijacking the Lebanese and terrorize all who voice a slight criticism. It engaged in multiple assassinations. In its operations it has used its [[Human shields by terrorists|civilians]] as cannon fodders. Including storing large quantities of weapons. It has threatened the judge who investigate the August 2020 large explosion in Beirut killing over 200.<br />
<br />
====Yemen====<br />
Iran's backed [[Houthis]], who engaged in [[Human shields by terrorists|human shields]] methods, are foremost anti US and anti Jews.<br />
<br />
<br />
On Jan 22, 2022, during Gaza rally in support of Houthis in Yemen, chants of 'Death ro the Saud clan!' And 'America is the Great Satan!'<ref>[https://www.memri.org/tv/gaza-rally-support-houthi-yemen-death-saud-clan-america-great-satan Chants Of 'Death To The Saud Clan!' And 'America Is The Great Satan!' During Gaza Rally In Support Of Houthis In Yemen], Memri, Jan 22, 2022. [https://www.memri.org/player/clip/55164/1/1]<br />
<blockquote><br />
On January 22, 2022, videos were uploaded to several YouTube channels of demonstrations in Gaza in support of the Houthis in Yemen. The demonstrators waved Palestinian and Yemeni flags and posters with the images of IRGC Qods Force Commander General Qasem Soleimani, of Hizbullah Chief of Staff Imad Mughniyah, and Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. The demonstrators chanted: "Death to the Saud clan!... America is the Great Satan!"<br />
Leader: "Salutations from Gaza!"<br />
Crowd: "Salutations from Gaza!"</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
====Syria====<br />
Iran's [[Hezbollah]] has been helping Assad regime and engaged in its brutal crimes against humanity in the Civil War.<br />
<br />
====Turkey====<br />
<br />
In 2022, especially in June-Aug Iranian agents, repeatedly, have been attempting to harm innocent Israelis in Turkey.<ref>[https://english.news.cn/20220622/875c0dc7f2f243acbb9442d6684b2aad/c.html Turkey brings down Iranian intelligent cell for planning attacks on Israelis in Istanbul], (Xinhua), Jun 22, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.iranintl.com/en/202207118023 Turkish Paper Reveals More Details Of Iranian Plot In Turkey], Iranintl, Jul 11, 2022. <blockquote>Turkey was aware that a team of Iranian agents had entered the country in June to assassinate Israelis, before they were arrested...</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ry4rsv006q New CCTV images show Iranian kill squad tracking Israelis in Istanbul], ''Ynetnews'', Aug 2, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
====Latin America====<br />
<br />
Iran's [[Hezbollah]] have been active in Latin America at least since 1984 AMIA bombing in [[Argentina]] that massacred 85.<br />
<br />
It has conducted a large narco terror operation for decades especially along the Tri Border Area and in Maicao, [[Colombia]].<br />
<br />
Hugo Chavez has provided Iranian Islamists operatives with Venezuelan passports.<br />
<br />
Venezuelan Vice–President Tareck El Aissami, a strong candidate to be the future leader of his country, facilitated the issue of hundreds of Venezuelan passports to suspected Hezbollah members.<ref name=swj-2020>[https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/irans-strategic-penetration-latin-america-consequences-us-foreign-policy-and-national Iran’s Strategic Penetration of Latin America: Consequences for U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security]. By Magdalena Defort and William Preston McLaughlin. SWJ, Jan 20, 2020.<br />
<blockquote><br />
The Contemporary Islamic Threat<br />
<br />
Two centuries later, history has come full circle. In 2017, Senator Marco Rubio spoke to the U.S. Senate about the threat to national and regional security posed by the extra–hemispheric power called the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). According to Rubio, between 2008 and 2012, fraudulent passports, national IDs and birth certificates were issued by the Venezuelan Embassy in Baghdad to foreign nationals with ties to terrorist group, including 173 people from Iran, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan. The individual who uncovered this information was Misael López Soto (lawyer and legal attaché in the Venezuelan Embassy in Baghdad), a Venezuelan national assigned to the Venezuelan Embassy in Iraq in 2015. Soto became a whistleblower and revealed the identity of several of these potential terrorists. He also discovered that Venezuelan Vice–President Tareck El Aissami, a strong candidate to be the future leader of his country, facilitated the issue of hundreds of Venezuelan passports to suspected Hezbollah members.<br />
<br />
Despite the fact that these activities were revealed in a CNN documentary and a handful of Iranians using the fraudulent passports were arrested, there is no substantial evidence that the Venezuelan government intended to stop its Baghdad embassy’s wrongdoing. Senator Rubio’s exposure of how a Latin American country could facilitate the movement of terrorist groups throughout the Middle East and Latin America, and how these groups have allegedly interfered in Venezuela’s democratic process by influencing its elections, show how effectively Iran and its proxy forces have gained the cooperation of some Latin America governments.<br />
<br />
Although the Middle East presence in Latin America dates back to the early 1900s, the 1979 Iranian revolution that brought the Ayatollah Khomeini to power firmly established the Islamic Republic’s presence in the region. Since then, Iran has used every agency within its borders to help extend Iranian tentacles into the political, cultural, economic, and military life of Latin America. Iranian operatives have even infiltrated existing Latin American criminal networks and now operate freely within them. All of this activity follows the “Pattern of Penetration” model put forth by Ilan Berman and Joseph M. Humire.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
[[Venezuela]]'s dictator Nicolas Maduro's chief dirty money man, Arab Hezbollah guy, Alex Saab was finally arrested in 2021.<br />
<br />
Alex “[Saab] was a key figure in the pillaging of the national reserves, profiting off the suffering of the people and increasingly criminalizing and providing those international networks for the Maduro regime.”<ref>[https://www.csis.org/analysis/corruption-venezuela-alex-saab-case Corruption in Venezuela: The Alex Saab Case], CSIS, June 24, 2020</ref><br />
<br />
At the Maduro-Hezbollah Nexus: Iran-backed Networks Prop up the Venezuelan Regime. The minted oil minister, Tareck El Aissami, and the regime’s special envoy to Iran, Lebanese-Colombian businessman Alex Saab, seemingly worked out a gold-for-gas deal with Tehran.<br />
<ref>Joseph M. Humire, [https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/the-maduro-hezbollah-nexus-how-iran-backed-networks-prop-up-the-venezuelan-regime/ The Maduro-Hezbollah Nexus: How Iran-backed Networks Prop up the Venezuelan Regime], Atlantic Council, October 7, 2020.<br />
<blockquote><br />
*Too often, Hezbollah in Venezuela is characterized as only a potential terrorist threat. In reality, the Lebanese terrorist group has helped to turn Venezuela into a hub for the convergence of transnational organized crime and international terrorism.<br />
*Hezbollah's crime-terror network in Venezuela has facilitated Iran's cooperation with the Maduro regime.<br />
<br />
*The United States, allies, and international institutions must ramp up regional counterterrorism collaboration, crack down on illicit financial networks, and build stronger ties with Lebanese and other Arab communities in Latin America.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
The detainment of the Venezuelan cargo plane in Argentina in June 2022,<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-seeks-possession-venezuela-plane-grounded-argentina-linked-to-iran/ U.S. asks Argentina to seize mysterious Venezuelan plane linked to Iran], CBS News, Aug 3, 2022.</ref> could be linked to attempts by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to attack Israelis abroad.<ref>[https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-710648 How is a Venezuelan plane linked to Iran's attempts to attack Israelis?], ''JPost'', Jun 28, 2022.<blockquote>A Venezuelan cargo plane bought from Iran is the latest piece in the IRGC's smuggling enterprise.<br />
<br />
The recent detainment of a Venezuelan cargo plane in Argentina could be linked to attempts by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to attack Israelis abroad...</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Reported in 2022:<ref>Y. Ettinger, [https://www.jns.org/opinion/irans-ayatollahs-threaten-the-us-in-latin-america/ Iran’s ayatollahs threaten the US in Latin America], ''JNS'', Jan 10, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Despite what the U.S. State Dept. appears to believe, history has demonstrated that the Iranian leopard will not change its spots, only its tactics...<br />
Iran’s ayatollahs closely collaborate with Hezbollah, the proxy of Iran’s Quds Force, which is the arm of the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]] responsible for exporting the Islamic revolution. They have intensified their surge into South and Central America, from Chile (especially with the December election of President Gabriel Boric) to Mexico. They consider Latin America to be the soft underbelly of the United States.</blockquote></ref><blockquote><br />
Despite what the U.S. State Dept. appears to believe, history has demonstrated that the Iranian leopard will not change its spots, only its tactics...<br />
Iran’s ayatollahs closely collaborate with Hezbollah, the proxy of Iran’s Quds Force, which is the arm of the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]] responsible for exporting the Islamic revolution. They have intensified their surge into South and Central America, from Chile (especially with the December election of President Gabriel Boric) to Mexico. They consider Latin America to be the soft underbelly of the United States.</blockquote><br />
<br />
====Apocalyptic motivation, goal in world domination====<br />
<br />
Their Islamic messianic creed is the raison d'être for the Islamic Republic of Iran according to its founders and leaders.<br />
<ref>[https://m.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/the-fall-of-soleimnai-and-the-mahdi-doctrine-615654/amp The fall of Qasem Soleimani and the Mahdi Doctrine], ''Jpost,'' Jan 29, 2020</ref><br />
<br />
''They believe the Shia messiah known as the “Twelfth Imam” or the “Mahdi” will appear soon to establish a global Islamic kingdom''.<br />
<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/why-irans-top-leaders-believe-that-the-end-of-days-has-come.amp Why Iran's Top Leaders Believe That the End of Days Has Come], ''Fox News,'' Nov 7, 2011.</ref><br />
<br />
Shiite Iran (and its Hezbollah), and the Sunni ISIS, both believe that any moment now their "messiah", will appear. Iran and ISIS are both eager to hasten the coming of their Mahdi.<br />
<ref>[https://www.nationalreview.com/2015/09/radical-islam-iran-isis-apocalytpic-messiah-mahdi/amp/ Radical Islam? Apocalyptic Islam Poses the Greater Threat], ''NRO'', Sep 11, 2015</ref><br />
<br />
====Support for global terrorism====<br />
:{{See also|Khobar Towers bombing|2021 Gaza War}}<br />
The Iranian government supports and funds [[Islamic terrorist]] organizations in various countries, doing so since the Islamic revolution in 1979.<ref>Nazarian, Adelle (October 13, 2017). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2017/10/13/brief-timeline-iran-sponsored-terrorism-since-1979/ A Brief Timeline of Iran-Sponsored Terrorism Since 1979]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved October 13, 2017.</ref> The U.S. Department of State labels Iran as a leading state sponsor of terror.<ref>Lee, Matthew (July 19, 2017). [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/iran-still-top-state-sponsor-terrorism-u-s-report-says/ Iran still top state sponsor of terrorism, U.S. report says]. ''PBS'' (from the ''Associated Press''). Retrieved October 13, 2017.</ref> The Islamic Republic works through its proxies: in the [[Middle East]],<br />
<ref>[https://www.rand.org/blog/2019/10/irans-proxies-are-more-powerful-than-ever.html Iran's Proxies Are More Powerful Than Ever], ''RAND'', Oct. 16, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://www.csis.org/war-by-proxy War by Proxy: Iran’s Growing Footprint in the Middle East], ''CSIS'' Briefs, March 11, 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/hezbollah-revolutionary-irans-most-successful-export/amp/ Hezbollah: Revolutionary Iran's most successful export], ''Brookings Institution,'' Jan 17, 2019</ref> such as: [[Hezbollah]], [[Houthis]], "Palestinian" [[Islamic Jihad]], it is strongly [[Hamas]] linked. Its bases of operations in [[South America]] works through Hezbollah network, via local Arab-Muslims in the community in: [[Venezuela]], [[Maicao]]/ [[Colombia]]n/Venzuelan border;<ref>[https://www.securefreesociety.org/designating-hezbollah-as-a-terrorist-group-is-a-legal-tool/ Designating Hezbollah As A Terrorist Group Is A Legal Tool], Joseph M. Humire. SFS, Jan 21, 2020</ref> Tri-Border area<ref>[https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/fighting-terror-the-tri-border-area Fighting Terror in the Tri-Border Area], ''Wilson Center,'' Dec 9, 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.lawfareblog.com/iran-and-hezbollahs-presence-around-world Iran and Hezbollah's Presence Around the World], ''Lawfare'', Jan 8, 2020</ref> in [[Argentina]]/[[Brazil]]/[[Paraguay]]). In recent years it has even expanded its TV channel in Spanish.<br />
<br />
According to a U.S. court record for the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings, [[Osama Bin Laden]] was living in Khartoum, Sudan when Sudanese religious scholar Ahmed Abdel Rahman Hamadabi brought Shekih Nomani an emissary of Iran to meet the [[Al-Qaeda]] leadership. Sheikh Nomani was described as having "had access to the highest echelons of power in Tehran.<ref>Rohan Gunaratna, "[https://books.google.com/books?id=WDkqQSWFvvIC&pg=PA146#v=onepage&q&f=false Inside Al Qaeda: Global Network of Terror]," (Columbia University Press, 2002), p.146</ref> This meeting resulted in an informal agreement between Iran and Al-Qaeda to cooperate, with Iran providing critical explosives, intelligence and security training to Bin Laden's organization.<ref name="washingtoninstitute.org">https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/the-iran-al-qaeda-conundrum</ref> Iran continued to provide support to Al-Qaeda even after they relocated to Afghanistan in 1996. Iranian officials helped Al-Qaeda members transit through Iran to Afghanistan. Iranian border guards were instructed not to stamp their passports, to prevent their home governments from suspecting that they had traveled to Afghanistan.<ref name="washingtoninstitute.org"/> A section of the 9/11 commission states that shortly after the meetings between Iran and Al-Qaeda in Sudan in 1991,"senior Al-Qaeda operatives and trainers traveled to Iran to receive training in explosives. In the fall of 1993, another such delegation went to the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon for further training in explosives as well as in intelligence and security. Bin Laden reportedly showed particular interest in learning how to use truck bombs such as the one that had killed 241 U.S Marines in Lebanon in 1983. The relationship between Al-Qaeda and Iran demonstrated that Sunni-Shia divisions did not necessarily pose an insurmountable barrier to cooperation in terrorist operations."<ref>[https://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/report/911Report.pdf#page=257 The 9/11 Commission Report] Page 257 (PDF)</ref> <br />
<br />
Iran and Al-Qaeda cooperation continues to this day. The State Department's Country Reports on terrorism has noted that, "Iran has allowed [Al-Qaeda] facilitators to operate a core facilitation pipeline through Iran since at least 2009, enabling [Al-Qaeda] to move funds and fighters to South Asia and Syria."<ref>[https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2019/02/06/irans-support-for-al-qaeda-is-incompatible-with-fatf-standards/ Iran’s Support for al-Qaeda is Incompatible with FATF Standards], ''FDD,'' Feb 6, 2019</ref><br />
<br />
Hezbollah welcomed the Umm El Fahm Arabs' [[ISIS]]<ref>Elliot Gotkine, [https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/28/middleeast/israel-isis-attack-intl/index.html ISIS attack kills two and injures six in Israel], ''CNN'', March 28, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
(CNN) ISIS operatives killed two people and injured six in a shooting attack Sunday in the Israeli city of Hadera, some 31 miles north of Tel Aviv, Israeli officials said.<br />
The attack — the second of its kind in a week — coincided with a landmark regional summit in Israel's Negev desert, where top diplomats from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt, Israel and the United States are meeting to discuss security issues.<br />
"We condemn today's terrorist attack in Hadera, Israel," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tweeted on Sunday from Israel. "Such senseless acts of violence and murder have no place in society. We stand with our Israeli partners and send our condolences to the families of the victims."</blockquote></ref><ref>roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) Tweeted: ([https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1508225829339344897 March 27, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
ISIS also issued an official proclamation accepting responsibility for the attack in Hadera: "The "infidel" Jews must know that the promises (to harm them) will come to them sooner or later. With the help of Allah."</blockquote></ref> attack in Hadera Mar 27, 2022,<ref>roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס @kaisos1987 Tweeted [https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1508225829339344897 Mar 28, 2022]):<blockquote>Hezbollah welcomes the attack in Hadera yesterday. A statement from the organization said that the attack underscores the desire of the Palestinian people to fight ...and that it is a practical response to the normalization meetings held by some Arab regimes with the enemy entity.</blockquote></ref> murdering two, injuring others, as well as its [[Iran]] bosses supported it.<ref>Seth J. Frantznam, [https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-702502 Hezbollah praises Hadera terrorist attack as ‘response’ to Negev Summit - analysis], ''JPost'', March 28, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
The statement called this a heroic “confrontation” with Israel. The article noted that the perpetrators were from Umm el-Fahm, a large Arab-Israeli city.<br />
<br />
Iran’s Fars News Agency also highlighted the attack. Fars is considered close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The IRGC and Iran generally back Hezbollah. The statement at Fars called this a “martyrdom operation” and said Hezbollah had congratulated the perpetrators...<br />
<br />
The context here is that the operation appears to be linked to ISIS, which is a jihadist group that generally is opposed to Shi’ites and Iran. That means that in this case, even though the perpetrators are apparently Islamist extremists, pro-Iranian groups nevertheless back the attack...<br />
<br />
Iran backs Hamas, which is a Sunni group linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.<br />
<br />
This complexity of Sunni, Shi’ite, Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran and other countries sometimes being against each other, and sometimes on the same side, is one of the features of the region. In general, ISIS has not targeted Israel in recent years, and jihadist groups have focused their energies elsewhere. But Iranian-backed groups have focused their energies on fighting Israel.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
In Apr 2022, per Cairo sources: 'Islamic Jihad ([[PIJ]]), backed by Iran, is key to escalation,' - on the Israeli "Palestinian" front.<ref>Kan News (@kann_news) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/kann_news/status/1513205881583902720 Apr 10, 2022]):<br />
<blockquote><br />
Sources in Cairo here News: Islamic Jihad, backed by Iran, is key to escalation - Jihad spokesman in Gaza: 'If Israeli "aggression" [sic] continues - all fronts will explode."'</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
See: [[Guardian of walls]] - Iranian proxy war<br />
[[File:Obama UN.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Barack Obama addressing the United nations: "The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam."]]<br />
<br />
====Iranian nuclear deal====<br />
<br />
:{{See also|Iranian nuclear deal}}<br />
The Iranian nuclear deal or the [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]] (JCPOA) was a failed [[diplomatic]] agreement by the Obama administration negotiated by [[John Kerry]] to help Iran get 150 billion dollars of U.S. taxpayer money and American banks. Iran then used this money for terrorism.<br />
<br />
Then-President [[Obama]] said the joint agreement put Iran on the path of having [[nuclear weapons]] in 13 years. Obama finalized the agreement on January 21, 2016 when he signed [[Executive Order]] 13716.<br />
<br />
The deal supposedly limited Iran's uranium enrichment, but it did not stop Iranian support of terrorist groups like the [[Muslim Brotherhood]], [[Hamas]] and [[Hezbollah]]. It also did not address Iran's expansionist ambitions in the [[Middle East]].<br />
<ref>(Ghoraba, Hany). [https://www.investigativeproject.org/7465/why-egypt-supports-us-withdrawal-from-iran Why Egypt Supports U.S. Withdrawal From Iran Nuclear Deal]. ''The Investigative Project On Terrorism''. Retrieved September 2, 2018.</ref> [[President Donald J. Trump]] rescinded the executive order in May 2018.<br />
<br />
In Jan 2022, 3 negotiators quit, over [[Biden]]'s dangerous soft stand.<ref>"[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10439847/Three-Bidens-Iran-negotiating-team-RESIGN-not-tough-nuke-deal.htm GOP lawmaker slams Biden after three of his team negotiating]," ''Daily Mail'', Jan 25, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
===Foreign Relations===<br />
Khomeini's revolutionary regime initiated sharp changes from the foreign policy pursued by the Shah, particularly in reversing the country's orientation toward the West. In the Middle East, Iran's only significant ally has been [[Syria]]. Within the U.N framework of the "[[New World Order]]", as some [[Islamist]]s refer to it, Iran pursues its foreign policy objectives under the ''kufr'' Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations as it covertly promotes [[terrorism]]. Western governments have labeled Iran as the leading state sponsor of terrorism.<ref>[http://www.cfr.org/iran/state-sponsors-iran/p9362 State Sponsors: Iran], Greg Bruno, Council on Foreign Relations, Updated: October 13, 2011. cfr.org </ref><br />
<br />
Iran's foreign policy and Shi'a brand of Islam promotes Muslim unity<ref>[http://imamalinet.net/old/en/es/esa/esal/esall/esall.htm Imams call People to Islamic Unity], Muhammad Rida al-Muzaffar. imamalinet.net </ref> whereas Sunni Salafi-jihadists consider Shi'ism not as a dissident sect, but rather as treasonous to the people of God (''ulema'') and worthy of the death penalty (''takfir'').<br />
<br />
Iran's foreign relations are based on sometimes competing objectives. Iran's pragmatic foreign policy goals include, not surprisingly, protecting itself from external threats and building trade ties. Iran has additionally been accused, however, of trying to export its fundamentalist revolution to other countries, supporting terrorist organizations, and its vehement anti-U.S. and anti-Israel stances are well-known. Senior Iranian officials directed Hezbollah to carry out the bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA, the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association) building in Buenos Aires on July 18, 1994, killing 85 people and wounding scores of others. Out of the eight individuals indicted by the Government of Argentina in October 2006, the Interpol Executive Committee has recommended the issuance of Red Notices (international arrest warrants) against six: five former or current Iranian officials and one Lebanese Hezbollah leader. <br />
[[File:Money-laundering-map-Artboard 1.png|right|400px|thumb|[[Project Cassandra]] discovered a global cocaine smuggling network run by Iran through its proxy, Hezbollah.]]<br />
In September 1980, during the Carter-era [[Iranian hostage crisis]], Iraq invaded Iran to take control of the waterway between the two countries, the Shatt al-Arab, although the conflict's underlying causes included each nation's overt desire for the overthrow of the other's government. Iran defended itself and demanded the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Iranian territory and the return to the status quo ante for the Shatt al-Arab as established under the 1975 Algiers Agreement signed by Iraq and Iran. Khomeini's government turned down an Iraqi cease-fire proposal in 1982, making a new demand for Saddam Hussein's removal as well. After eight punishing years of war, in July 1988, Iran at last agreed to UN Security Council Resolution 598 and the cease-fire was implemented on August 20, 1988. Neither nation had made any real gains in the war. <br />
<br />
Iran's relations with many of its Arab neighbors have been strained by Iranian attempts to spread its Islamic revolution, a strictly ideological goal. In 1981, Iran supported a plot to overthrow the Bahrain Government. In 1983, Iran expressed support for Shi'ites who bombed Western embassies in Kuwait, and in 1987, Iranian pilgrims rioted during the hajj (pilgrimage) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Nations with strong fundamentalist movements, such as Egypt and Algeria, also mistrust Iran. Iran backs Hezbollah (in Lebanon), Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad,<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/irgc-general-gholamali-rashid-hizbullah-lebanon-hamas-and-pij-palestine-pmu-iraq-and-houthis IRGC General Gholamali Rashid: Hizbullah In Lebanon, Hamas And PIJ In Palestine, PMU In Iraq, And The Houthis In Yemen Are All Armies Ready To Defend The Iranian Regime], Memri, Sep 30, 2021.<br />
</ref> and the Popular Front for the Liberation of [[Palestine]]-General Command, all of which are violently opposed to the Arab-Israeli peace process. In contrast, while relations with west European nations have been uneven, they have been driven primarily by pragmatic goals of trade and security. Iran has accepted stronger commercial ties but largely declined to deliver on key European political concerns such as human rights and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) acquisition efforts, particularly in the nuclear field, where the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been strongly critical of Iran. <br />
<br />
An IAEA report in November 2003 provided evidence that Iran, a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), had concealed secret nuclear activities for 18 years. Under international pressure, Iran signed the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement on December 18, 2003, agreeing to suspend all uranium-enrichment and reprocessing activities voluntarily, as well as cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in resolving questions regarding Iran's nuclear program. In June 2004, the IAEA rebuked Iran for failing to fully cooperate with an inquiry into its nuclear activities, and in November 2004, Iran agreed to suspend most of its uranium enrichment under a deal with the EU. That promise did not last, however, and since then concerns over Iran's nuclear activities have increased. <br />
<br />
On June 6, 2006, the [[Peoples Republic of China]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Russia]], the [[United States]], and [[United Kingdom]] offered Iran a substantial package of economic cooperation and assistance. Tehran, however, was first required to come into compliance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines on its nuclear program, suspending its [[uranium]] enrichment program. On July 31, the UN Security Council adopted resolution 1696 on the Iranian nuclear question, requiring Iran to suspend all activities related to enrichment and reprocessing, including research and development, as demanded by the IAEA, or else face possible sanctions. Tehran defied the UN Security Council (UNSC) deadline of August 31, leading to the passage of UNSC Resolution 1636 in December 2006 and, as Iran continued to balk, Resolution 1747 in March 2007. <br />
<br />
Iran sparked an international controversy when its forces seized and held hostage 15 British sailors and marines, conducting routine anti-smuggling operations in Iraqi territorial waters under UN mandate, on March 23, 2007. Tehran released the U.K. service members on April 6. <br />
<br />
Iran maintains regular diplomatic and commercial relations with Russia and the former Soviet republics. Both Iran and Russia believe they have important national interests at stake in developments in Central Asia and the Transcaucasus, particularly regarding energy resources from the Caspian Sea. Russian and other sales of military equipment and technology to Iran concern Iran's neighbors and the United States. Prior to the [[Obama administration]], the United States was concerned about Russian assistance in building at nuclear facility at Bushehr. <br />
<br />
Iran spends about 3.3% of its GDP on its military. Iran's military consists of both a national military held over from the shah's government and the IRGC, each with its own ground, naval and air branches. The Iran-Iraq war took a heavy toll on these military forces. Iran has modernized its military, including ballistic missile programs, and weapons of mass destruction; it continues to seek nuclear capabilities. On November 7, 2007, Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had 3,000 centrifuges operating in its uranium enrichment program, which would be enough to produce a nuclear weapon.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20150114175101/http://www.foxnews.com/story/2007/11/07/ahmadinejad-announces-iran-uranium-enrichment-milestone/ Ahmadinejad Announces Iran Uranium Enrichment Milestone] ''Associated Press,'' ''Fox News,'' November 07, 2007</ref> However, a December, 2007 U.S. intelligence report stated that Iran halted its nuclear program in 2003, and remains on hold. According to the National Intelligence Estimate, "We do not know whether (Iran) currently intends to develop nuclear weapons."<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071203/ts_nm/iran_usa_dc Report contradicts Bush on Iran nuclean program]</ref><br />
<br />
In early 2021 the [[Peoples Republic of China]] signed a massive 25-year, over $400-billion infrastructure-for-oil deal with Iran, boosting their military and defense cooperation.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/iran-china-sign-25-year-deal-will-see-400bn-chinese-infrastructure-investment-oil</ref><br />
<br />
====Relations with the United States====<br />
[[File:Levinson.jpg|right|250px|thumb|On November 9, 2019, Iran reported that Robert Levinson was still alive.<ref>[https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-makes-stunning-admission-regarding-fbi-agent-gone-missing-since-2007 Iran Acknowledges That FBI Agent Gone Missing Since 2007 Involved In Ongoing Court Case]<br />
Ryan Saavedra, Nov 9, 2019, ''DailyWire.com''</ref> In 2009 FBI director [[Robert Mueller]] and Russian oligarch [[Oleg Deripaska]] colluded in an operation to win Levinson's release.]]<br />
The [[United States]] designated the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]] (IRCG) and Quds Force as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) in 2019 based on the IRGC’s “continued support to and engagement in terrorist activity around the world.”<ref>{{cite news |title=Country Reports on Terrorism 2019 |url=https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Country-Reports-on-Terrorism-2019-2.pdf |agency=Country Reports}}</ref><br />
<br />
On November 4, 1979, militant Iranian students occupied the American Embassy in Tehran with the support of Ayatollah Khomeini. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days, ending only with [[Ronald Reagan]]'s first days in office.<ref>[https://www.aei.org/foreign-and-defense-policy/middle-east/reagan-deserves-credit-for-1981-hostage-release/ Reagan deserves credit for 1981 hostage release], ''AEI'', Jan 27, 2016</ref> On April 7, 1980, the United States broke diplomatic relations with Iran, and on April 24, 1981, the Swiss Government assumed representation of U.S. interests in Tehran. Iranian interests in the United States are represented by the Government of Pakistan. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not have its own embassy in Washington, though it does have a permanent mission to the United Nations in New York City. <br />
<br />
In accordance with the Algiers declaration of January 20, 1981, the Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal (located in The Hague, Netherlands) was established for the purpose of handling claims of U.S. nationals against Iran and of Iranian nationals against the United States. U.S. contact with Iran through The Hague covers only legal matters. <br />
<br />
The U.S. Government, by Executive Orders issued by the President as well as by Congressional legislation, prohibits most trade with Iran. Some sanctions were imposed on Iran because Tehran is a state sponsor of terrorism, others because of the nuclear [[proliferation]] issues, and still more for human rights violations, including infringement of religious freedom. The commercial relations that do exist between the two countries consist mainly of Iranian purchases of food and medical products and U.S. imports of carpets and food. Some sanctions were temporarily waived in the wake of the devastating Bam earthquake of December 2003. U.S. officials and relief workers actively assisted in relief and reconstruction efforts. <br />
<br />
There are serious obstacles to improved relations between the two countries. As a state sponsor of terrorism, Iran remains an impediment to international efforts to locate and prosecute terrorists. Recent attempts by Iran to form loose alliances with anti-U.S. governments in the Western Hemisphere, such as the Venezuelan Government, has further heightened concern about Iran's support for terrorism and nuclear ambitions. Operation Iraqi Freedom removed the Iranian Government's greatest security threat, but officially Iran remained neutral about U.S. policy, sometimes strongly condemning American policies and actions in Iraq. Iran has cultural ties to elements of the populations of both Iraq and Afghanistan. It has made some positive contributions to stability in both countries, but other actions have had the opposite effect. It remains to be seen whether Tehran will ultimately be a constructive force in the reconstruction of its two neighbors or not. <br />
<br />
The U.S. Government defines its areas of objectionable Iranian behavior as the following: <br />
*Iran's efforts to acquire nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction; <br />
*Its support for and involvement in international terrorism; <br />
*Its support for violent opposition to the Middle East peace process, as well as its harmful activities particularly in Lebanon, as well as in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the region; and <br />
*Its dismal human rights record and lack of respect for its own people. <br />
<br />
The United States has held discussions with Iranian representatives on particular issues of concern over the years. U.S. and Iranian envoys cooperated during operations to overthrow the Taliban in 2001 and during the Bonn Conference in 2002 that established a broad-based government for the Afghan people under President Karzai. U.S. Secretary of State [[Condoleeza Rice]], her Iranian counterpart, and others met at talks on Iraq in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on May 3, 2007. The American and Iranian ambassadors to Iraq took part in face-to-face discussions in Baghdad, with Iraqi officials in attendance, on May 28, 2007. The [[Bush administration]] believed, however, that normal relations were impossible until Iran's policies changed. <br />
<br />
Nevertheless, the U.S. State Department continued then to support efforts to further the cause of democracy in Iran. In fiscal year (FY) 2006, the U.S. Congress allocated approximately $66 million to promote free media, personal freedom, and a better understanding of western values and culture. As part of those efforts, the Department supported efforts to develop civil society in Iran and exchange programs that would bring Iranian students, athletes, professionals and others to the United States. <br />
<br />
Secretary Rice stated that Iranian agreement to abide by UNSC Resolutions 1696 and 1747, calling for Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment and comply with its international nuclear obligations, could lead to the direct negotiations between American and Iranian government officials, not only on Iran's nuclear case but on a wide range of issues. <br />
<br />
In May 2007, the Iranian Government charged and in some cases imprisoned a handful of innocent Iranian-American scholars, civil society actors, and journalists, accused by the regime of jeopardizing the security of the state. The international community, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private citizens joined the U.S. Government in calling for the release of the detained dual nationals, as well as Iranian cooperation in the case of missing retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, last reported on Kish Island, Iran, on March 8, 2007.<br />
<br />
Iran is represented by the Pakistani embassy in the U.S. <ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20190521002714/http://daftar.org/Eng/default.asp?lang=eng</ref><br />
<br />
==Ethnic cleansing==<br />
Among the ethnic groups, targeted by Iran racist [[Ethnic cleansing]] are the Ahwazi Arabs.<ref>[https://unpo.org/article/3857 Ahwazi: Ethnic Cleansing in Full Force in Iran - UNPO], Feb 28, 2006.</ref><br />
==People==<br />
Iran is not a pluralistic society, but does have some diversity. Persians are the largest predominant ethnic and cultural group in this country, though many are actually of mixed ancestry. The population of the country has important Turkic elements (e.g., Azeris) and Arabs predominate in the southwest. In addition, Iranian citizens include Kurds, Balochi, Bakhtyari, Lurs, and other smaller minorities, such as Armenians, Assyrians, Jews, and Brahuis (or Brohi). <br />
[[File:Persian women from Shiraz Iran.jpg|right|thumb|Persian women from Shiraz.]]<br />
*Population (2020): 84 million.<br />
*Population growth rate (2007 est.): 0.663%.<br />
*Ethnic groups: Persians 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%.<br />
*Religions: Shi'a Muslim 89%; Sunni Muslim 9%; Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2%.<br />
*Languages: Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic languages (besides Turkish) 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%.<br />
*Education: Literacy (total population age 15 and over who can read and write, 2003)--79% (male: 86%, female: 73%).<br />
*Health (2007 est.): Infant mortality rate—38.2 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth (2007)--total population: 70.56 yrs.<br />
<br />
The 1979 Islamic revolution and the 1980-88 war with Iraq transformed Iran's class structure politically, socially, and economically. During this period, [[Shia]] clerics took a more dominant position in politics and nearly all aspects of Iranian life, both urban and rural. After the fall of the Pahlavi regime in 1979, much of the urban upper class of prominent merchants, industrialists, and professionals, favored by the former monarch, the shah, lost standing and influence to the senior clergy and their supporters. Bazaar merchants, who were allied with the clergy against the Pahlavi shahs, also have gained political and economic power since the revolution. The urban working class has enjoyed somewhat enhanced status and economic mobility, spurred in part by opportunities provided by revolutionary organizations and the government bureaucracy. Though the number of clergy holding senior positions in the parliament and elsewhere in government has declined since the 1979 revolution, Iran has nevertheless witnessed the rise of a post-revolutionary elite among lay people who are strongly committed to the preservation of the Islamic Republic. <br />
<br />
Most Iranians are Muslims; 89% belong to the Shi'a branch of Islam, the official state religion, and about 9% belong to the [[Sunni]] branch, which predominates in neighboring Muslim countries. Non-Muslim minorities include [[Zoroastrian]]s, [[Jew]]s, Baha'is, and [[Christian]]s.<br />
<br />
There's wide 'religious [[apartheid]]' in Iran, <br />
With Sunnis faring better than non-Muslims.<ref>[https://www.mei.edu/publications/religious-apartheid-iran Religious Apartheid in Iran], H.E. Chehabi, Mei, <br />
January 29, 2009</ref><br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
Pre-revolutionary Iran's economic development was rapid. Traditionally an agricultural society, by the 1970s Iran had achieved significant industrialization and economic modernization. However, the pace of growth had slowed dramatically by 1978, just before the Islamic revolution. Since the fall of the shah, economic recovery has proven elusive thanks to a combination of factors, including fluctuations in the global energy market. Economic activity was severely disrupted additionally by years of upheaval and uncertainty surrounding the revolution and the introduction of statist economic policies. These conditions were worsened by the war with Iraq and the decline in world oil prices beginning in late 1985. After the war with Iraq ended, the situation began to improve: Iran's GDP grew for two years running, partly from an oil windfall in 1990, and there was a substantial increase in imports. However, Iran had suffered a brain drain throughout the previous decade and wartime policies had resulted in a demographic explosion. <br />
[[File:Iran Pakistan India gas pipeline.JPG|left|thumb|300px|Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.]]<br />
A decrease in oil revenues in 1991 and growing external debt dampened optimism for recovery. In March 1989, the government instituted a new 5-year plan for economic development, which loosened state control and allowed Iran to seek greater latitude in accessing foreign capital. Mismanagement and inefficient bureaucracy, as well as political and ideological infighting, hampered the formulation and execution of a consolidated economic policy, and the Iran fell short of the plan's goals while economic inequality was aggravated. Today, Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning, state ownership of oil and other large enterprises, village agriculture, and small-scale private trading and service ventures. Former President Khatami followed the market reform plans of his predecessor, President Rafsanjani, and indicated that he would pursue diversification of Iran's oil-reliant economy, although he made little progress toward that goal. High [[inflation]] and expansive public transfer programs, as well as powerful economic-political vested interests created obstacles for rapid reform. <br />
<br />
During the 2005 election campaign, President Ahmadi-Nejad promised to redistribute oil revenues to the impoverished, fund large infrastructure projects, and privatize Iranian state enterprises. He has been criticized within Iran for not carrying through on many of his promises. While establishment of the Imam Reza fund for cheap loans to youth has been popular, a law increasing the minimum was revoked because of the huge strain on employers. The "Shares of Justice" program—distributing shares of state-owned enterprises to the poor—faces a number of potential problems. <br />
<br />
<br />
Unemployment was estimated to be 20% for 2007, according to the International Monetary Fund. Unemployment, a major problem even before the revolution, has many causes, including population growth, high minimum wage level and other restrictive labor policies. Farmers and peasants enjoyed a psychological boost from the attention given them by the Islamic regime but hardly appear to be better off in economic terms. The government has made progress on rural development, including electrification and road building, but Iran still faces inefficiencies related to agricultural land usage which are politically difficult to reconcile. Agriculture also has suffered from shortages of capital, raw materials, and equipment, problems dating back to the 1980-1988 war with Iraq. (See Foreign Relations above.) <br />
<br />
Although Islam guarantees the right to private ownership, banks and some industries—including the petroleum, transportation, utilities, and mining sectors—were nationalized after the revolution under Marxist-influenced economic policies. Starting under President Rafsanjani, Iran has pursued some privatization through its nascent equities markets. However, the industrial sector remains plagued by low labor productivity and shortages of raw materials and spare parts, and is uncompetitive against foreign imports. <br />
<br />
Increases in the price of oil starting in 2003 have increased state revenue enormously and permitted a much larger degree of spending on social programs than previously anticipated. However, this has not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction and military spending overall remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations. <br />
<br />
Earnings from Iranian oil exports, projected at $57-$87 billion for 2007–2008, are placed into the Oil Stabilization Fund (OSF), originally designed as a Treasury safety net if oil prices dropped below $20/barrel. In practice, the government has drawn upon the OSF to cover over expenditures. Iran relies on oil for 80% of its export revenue, and 40% of total revenues. (Note: Iran's refining capacity is limited, and Tehran is a net gasoline importer, spending $2.6 billion for foreign gas in 2005.) <br />
[[Image:Iran population density 2004.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Population density]]<br />
*GDP (purchasing power parity, 2006 est.): $599.2 billion.<br />
*GDP (official exchange rate, 2006 est.): $193.5 billion. <br />
*GDP real growth rate (2007 est.): 4.6%. <br />
*GDP composition by sector (2006): Agriculture 11.2%, industry 41.7%, services 47.1%.<br />
*Per capita income (2006 est.): $8,700.<br />
*Work force: 24.36 million.<br />
*Work force - by occupation (2001 est.): Agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45%.<br />
*Unemployment rate (2007 est.): 20%.<br />
*Natural resources: [[Petroleum]], [[natural gas]], [[coal]], [[chromium]], [[copper]], iron ore, lead manganese, [[zinc]], [[sulfur]].<br />
*Agriculture: Principal products—wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton, dairy products, wool, caviar. Note: Iran is not self-sufficient in terms of food.<br />
*Industry: Types—petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and building materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabricating (particularly steel and copper), armaments.<br />
*Trade (2007 est.): Exports--$56.9 billion: petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, carpets, fruits, nuts. Major export partners (2006): Japan (17.3%), China (11.4%), Italy (6.2%), South Korea (5.2%), South Africa (5.5%), Turkey (5.7%), Netherlands (4.6%), France (4.1%), Taiwan (4.1%). Imports--$48.1 billion: industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies. Major import partners: Germany (14.2%), U.A.E. (6.7%), China (8.3%), Italy (7.5%), France (6.2%), South Korea (5.4%), Russia (4.9%).<br />
<br />
==Law==<br />
Because of its Shi'ite character, the Islamic Republic of Iran is referred to as ''Rafida'', or ''rejectionist'' of the [[orthodox]] [[Salafi]] traditions handed down thru Ibn Taymiyyah, [[Wahhabi|Abd al-Wahhab]], and others. <ref>Sunnis speak of the "Prophet and his companions" as the source of divine inspiration, whereas the Shi'a reject the companions (the first 3 "Rightly-Guided Caliphs") and follow the Prophet's bloodline (the "First Imam"). </ref> Iran has been ruled under the Shi'a interpretation of ''[[Shariah]]'' since 1979.<br />
[[Homosexuality|Homosexuals]] get the death penalty in Iran. <br />
<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297982,00.html Iran Does Far Worse Than Ignore Gays, Critics Say] Fox News, September 25, 2007</ref> However, in a speech at Columbia University, the president of Iran stated that homosexuality does not exist in his nation.<br />
<br />
In Iran, production and consumption of alcohol by Muslims is prohibited. However, Iranian law makes an exception for minority groups, such as the Christian [[Armenia]]ns, who are allowed to produce and consume [[wine]] and distilled spirits. Naturally, these communities produce far more alcohol than they consume, "illegally" selling it to Muslims who drink in contradiction of [[Sharia]] law.<br />
<br />
Prostitution is also prohibited in Iran, but there are allegations that نكاح المتعة (temporary marriage, legal in [[Usuli]] [[Shia]] jurisprudence) is exploited to solemnize marriages of such short duration (hours or days) that the activities thus permitted more resemble dating (if money is not exchanged) or prostitution (if a fee is charged for the marriage).<br />
<br />
==Military==<br />
[[Image:Iran industry mining78.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Iranian industry and mining]]<br />
Iran has it own weapons industry and also relies upon its Chinese communist and Russian allies to supply the latest weapons technology and equipment which can be easily and cheaply duplicated in Iranian factories. In addition, it holds sizable stockpiles purchased from the United States in the [[Cold War]] era prior to 1979.<br />
<br />
The Quds Force (Jerusalem Force) is the organization tasked with Iran's external covert, paramilitary, terrorist and intelligence functions. Quds Force also carries out some [[diplomacy|diplomatic]] functions.<ref>http://citizenship.typepad.com/isebrandcom/2013/10/perhaps-the-most-important-military-leader-opposing-the-us-who-youve-never-heard-of.html </ref> As the name implies, the Jerusalem Force was organized to capture [[Jerusalem]] from Israel. Its leader answers directly to the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as of 2021.<br />
<br />
===In Syria===<br />
[[Iran]] has for years sought to entrench itself militarily in Syria. It has active military bases in Syria and tenths of thousands of fighters. <br />
<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-has-10-military-bases-in-syria-two-near-israel-border-analyst/ Iran has 10 military bases in Syria, two near Israel border], TOI, Feb 19, 2018.<br />
''Up to 20,000 fighters from various militias throughout the war-torn country have been trained by Iranian military personnel, giving Tehran its “true muscle” in Syria, according to the Monday report in The New York Times...''</ref><ref>[https://www.voanews.com/extremism-watch/iran-strengthens-military-presence-eastern-syria Iran Strengthens Military Presence in Eastern Syria], Voice of America, Nov 23, 2020.<br />
<blockquote>Iranian forces continue to expand their military presence in parts of eastern Syria, a move, analysts say, that could undermine U.S.-led efforts in the fight against the remnants of the Islamic State (IS) terror group. <br />
<br />
Iran, a major backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, controls parts of the eastern Syrian province of Deir el-Zour, particularly areas along the border with Iraq. With the help of thousands of foreign and local militiamen, Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has consolidated its hold over a large territory in Syria since the beginning of the country's civil war in 2011. <br />
<br />
The United States in 2019 designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization for its destabilizing role in the Middle East.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
As part of Iran's ongoing policy O<br />
of deploying its Afghan Shi'ite Militia across the Middle East, [[IRGC]] is reportedly training Fatemiyoun Brigade<ref>[https://thediplomat.com/2021/04/the-fatemiyoun-army-irans-afghan-crusaders-in-syria/ The Fatemiyoun Army: Iran's Afghan Crusaders in Syria], ''thediplomat.com'', Apr 23, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/what-is-the-fatemiyoun-brigade-and-why-does-it-make-the-taliban-nervous/ What Is the Fatemiyoun Brigade and Why Does It Make the Taliban Nervous?], ''PBS'', Jul 20, 2021</ref> in drone use in Syria.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/part-irans-ongoing-policy-deploying-its-afghan-shiite-militia-across-middle-east-irgc As Part Of Iran's Ongoing Policy Of Deploying Its Afghan Shi'ite Militia Across Middle East, IRGC Reportedly Training Fatemiyoun Brigade In Drone Use In Syria], ''Memri'', Sep 22, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
==Disputed Territories==<br />
===South Azerbaijan===<br />
{{main|South Azerbaijan Independence Movement}}<br />
<br />
===West Balochistan===<br />
{{main|Balochistan(Country)}}<br />
<br />
West Balochistan was invaded and annexed by Iran in 1928. <ref>[https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/180927/31c68a20991b5a98b0dece4fd929c9c8.pdf The Baluch insurgency: linking Iran to Pakistan], ''The Sistan and Baluchistan Province of Iran has long been associated with instability and armed conflict.'' NOREF (PDF)</ref><br />
<br />
==Iran protests 2019-2020==<br />
Sparked by the Governments' annouced rising fuel prices, the protests spread to the wider grievances against the oppressive regime. The regime shut down the internet. <ref>Tamara Qiblawi, [https://web.archive.org/web/20191119012023/https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/18/middleeast/iran-protests-explained-intl/index.html Iran's 'largest internet shutdown ever' is happening now. Here's what you need to know], ''CNN'', November 18, 2019.</ref><br />
<br />
Some 1,500 died and hundreds were injured after Iran's leader ordered crackdown on unrest - 'Do whatever it takes to end it.'<br />
<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-protests-specialreport/special-report-irans-leader-ordered-crackdown-on-unrest-do-whatever-it-takes-to-end-it-idUSKBN1YR0QR Special Report: Iran's leader ordered crackdown on unrest - 'Do whatever it takes to end it'], ''Reuters, Dec 23, 2019.<blockquote>About 1,500 people were killed during less than two weeks of unrest...</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.voanews.com/amp/middle-east_voa-news-iran_us-confirms-report-citing-iran-officials-saying-1500-killed-protests/6181546.html Confirms Report Citing Iran Officials as Saying 1,500 Killed in Protests], ''VOA'', Dec 23, 2019.<blockquote> The United States has confirmed a news report citing unnamed Iranian officials as saying about 1,500 people were killed in a crackdown...</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
==Sep-Oct 2022 protests==<br />
'''Mahsa Amini'''<br />
<br />
In Sep 2022, protests broke out across Iran, after a woman was arrested by the [[Sharia]] police, was beaten and murdered. <br />
Some shouting: "Death To The Islamic Republic! Death To The Dictator!"<ref><i>Violent Clashes, Protests Continue In Iran After Death Of Woman At Hands Of Morality Police For 'Improperly' Wearing Her Headscarf: Be Wary Of The Day When We Have Weapons! Khamenei, We Will Bury You! Death To The Islamic Republic! Death To The Dictator!</i><br />
<br><br />
[https://www.memri.org/tv/violent-clashes-protests-continue-iran-mahsa-amini-killed-morality-police-improperly-worn-headscarf-death-khamenei Memri], Sep 19, 2022</ref><br />
<br />
The tortured<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/mahsa-amini-iran-protests-family-cousin-erfan-mortezaei-speaks-out-torture/ "She was tortured": Mahsa Amini's family speaks out amid Iran protests], ''CBS News'', <br />
Sep 26, 2022.<blockquote>"She was tortured in the van after her arrest, then tortured at the police station for half an hour, then hit on her head and she collapsed."</blockquot></ref> woman was [[Kurd]]ish. There is also wider racism by the Iranian regime, in general.<ref>[https://dckurd.org/2022/09/23/zhina-mahsa-amini-the-story-of-a-kurdish-woman-in-iran/ Zhina Mahsa Amini: The Story of a Kurdish Woman in Iran] DCKurd, Sep 23, 2022.<blockquote>A 22-year-old Kurdish woman from Saqqez named Zhina Mahsa Amini died on ... The Iranian regime has had the same racist attitude as its predecessors towards its Kurdish population. There is little information about the regime’s harsh policies toward minorities. Why is that? <br />
I think someone needs to take the time to look more closely to understand this point, because the official rhetoric of the regime starting in 1979 was that there is no place for ethnicity or nations and Islam, these are foreign impositions from this was Ayatollah Khomeini’s’ rhetoric. These are foreign inventions from those who would like to divide Muslims, and we are all one, but this was really his excuse for not letting the Azeri region, the Kurdish region, the Baluchis, Khuzestan, all have some measures of self-determination and autonomy within Iran. That was just an excuse to install a very oppressive, not only Islamist, but Persian nationalist regime where the government in the center controlled everything. So, he said there’s no place for divisions and nationalism, but then why do they enforce rules where only Persian is permitted? They’re choosing one ethnicity’s language and imposing it on all of them, where really, if you take his rhetoric at face value, everyone should just be able to speak their own language. Since they’re all brothers and sisters and so forth. As soon as you start to peel back the layers of the onion, you start to recognize the hypocrisy that occurs in this regime, but a lot of outside observers don’t have the time or the inclination to understand this complexity.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
The government crackedown on demonstrators and scores were killed.<ref>Nilo Tabrizy, Nailah Morgan and Axel Boada, [https://www.nytimes.com/video/world/middleeast/100000008550828/mahsa-amini-iran-protests.html Protests Surge in Iran as Crackdown Escalates], ''NYTimes,'' September 24, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Dozens have reportedly been killed by security forces as demonstrations continue to spread across Iran. Protests began after Mahsa Amini died in the custody of the morality police.</blockquote></ref> <br />
As it spread to some 80 cities,<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-62994003.amp Iran police battle protesters in Tehran as unrest over woman's death spirals], ''BBC'', Sep 22, 2022.</ref> the [[IRGC]] warned the protesters.<ref>[https://www.iranintl.com/en/202209229946 Iran’s Guards Break Their Silence, Warn Protesters], Sep 22, 2022</ref> The Mullahcracy employed its own "protesters" marches, who called to execute the demonstrators, which they called, "the enemy."<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/iranian-army-says-it-will-confront-enemies-protests-rage-2022-09-23/ Iranian state-organised marchers call for execution of protesters], ''Reuters'', Sep 23, 2022. [https://www.reuters.com/resizer/z4toa2cylOQehp0ndGcgN83Kyjo=/1080x0/filters:quality(80)/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/4ZYM3SQMDFPF3CO4IE44RPZDMI.jpg]<blockquote><br />
Summary<br />
<br />
Calls for execution of rioters<br />
<br />
Death of woman sparks mass protests<br />
<br />
Army issues tough warning<br />
<br />
DUBAI, Sept 23 (Reuters) - State-organised rallies took place in several Iranian cities on Friday to counter nationwide anti-government unrest triggered by the death of a woman in police custody, with marchers calling for the execution of "rioters".<br />
The pro-government marches followed the strongest warning yet from authorities when the army said it would confront "the enemies" behind the unrest - a move that could signal the kind of crackdown that has crushed protests in the past.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
A Saudi News Network reported that [[Hezbollah]] is sending 4,000 members to Iran "to help suppress the Iranian people and in stopping the protests."<ref><blockquote>Saudi News Network: "Hezbollah is sending 4,000 soldiers to Iran to help suppress the Iranian people and in stopping the protests."</blockquote>[https://rotter.net/forum/scoops1/761485.shtml ''Rotter'', Sep 25, 2022].</ref><br />
<br />
The Mullahcracy's state-run "Press TV" attempted to appeal to progressives by denouncing freedom protests as ‘Islamophobic riots.’<ref>Omar Ahmed, "Response to Mahsa Amini’s death: Peaceful protests or Islamophobic riots?," by , Press TV, September 27, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
From outrageous documentation: the Iranian regime forces small children to mobilize against the protests and dresses them in uniforms.<ref>[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fdw4U0IXwAUIcHq?format=jpg][https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FdxTinuWAAkSI6d?format=jpg][https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FdxTiQEWABgfOEH?format=jpg][https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FdxTicpXgAAfNbz?format=jpg].<br />
<br />
Out Of Context Twitter-e-Farsi @OutFarsi ([https://twitter.com/OutFarsi/status/1575182256284794881 Sep 28, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
The Islamic Republic use of children in the interest of suppressing people.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
In its typical blaming game play, attempt to shift focus, as well as taking advantage of the bloody events, Iran suddenly attacked Irbil with drones.<br />
The US scrambled F-15 jet "to shoot down Iranian drone that appeared to threaten US forces."<ref>Barbara Starr and Ellie Kaufman, [https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/28/politics/us-shoots-down-iranian-drone/index.html US scrambles F-15 jet to shoot down Iranian drone that appeared to threaten US forces in Iraq], ''CNN'', September 28, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
[[Al Jazeera]] was slammed for toeing the Mullahcracy line. Arab intellectuals accuse it of Ignoring protests in Iran, abandoning protesters and promoting Iranian government narrative.<ref>[https://www.memri.org/reports/arab-intellectuals-accuse-al-jazeera-ignoring-protests-iran-abandoning-protesters-and Arab Intellectuals Accuse Al-Jazeera Of Ignoring Protests In Iran, Abandoning Protesters And Promoting Iranian Government Narrative], ''Memri'', September 29, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
After the death of 22-year-old Iranian woman Mahsa "Zhina" Amini, on September 16, 2022, after Iran's morality police beat her because she was not wearing a head covering correctly, Iranian protestors took to the streets throughout the country. Footage showing thousands of protestors clashing with security forces have quickly made it to social media platforms under multiple hashtags. As the protests expanded and gained momentum, Arab intellectuals on social media expressed their disappointment in coverage of the protest by the Qatar-based and funded TV channel Al-Jazeera, which they accused of ignoring the protests, abandoning the protesters, and focusing on promoting the Iranian government's official narrative.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
The deafening silence of the [[UN]] was astounding.<ref>Hillel Neuer @HillelNeuer ([https://twitter.com/HillelNeuer/status/1575771812771741696 Sep 30, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
History will record that the official account of the United Nations in Iran—and Stefan Priesner, UN Resident Coordinator for Iran—have tweeted NOTHING since #Mahsa_Amini was killed on September 16. They were silent about the Iran regime's slaughtering of women's rights heroes.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Hypocritical bigots: <br />
[[Linda Sarsour]], [[Ilhan Omar]], and [[Rashida Tlaib]] remained silent on Iran protests (end of Sep 2022 report).<ref>Phyllis Chesler, [https://www.algemeiner.com/2022/09/28/why-havent-linda-sarsour-ilhan-omar-and-rashida-tlaib-even-mentioned-irans-hijab-protests/ Why Haven’t Linda Sarsour, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib Even Mentioned Iran’s Hijab Protests?], ''The Algemeiner'', September 28, 2022.<blockquote><br />
As of this writing, heartbreakingly brave Iranian women have been protesting for 10 days and nights in the streets of at least 80 cities [now 90]. They are risking death for the right not to wear the hijab. Women have been burning their hijabs and cutting their hair. They’ve been heard chanting “Women, Life, and Freedom,” and “Death to the dictator.”<br />
The Iranian mullahs have unleashed the Revolutionary Guard and paramilitary (Basij) forces against the protestors. They have been dragging women by their hair, banging their heads on the ground, tear-gassing, beating, shooting, arresting, and murdering them. Fatality estimates range from 50-400 protesters and bystanders.<br />
These protests were sparked by the Sept. 16 death — in morality police custody — of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman. She was apprehended while in a car with her family because she was, allegedly, wearing her hijab incorrectly. While the police denied beating or torturing her to death, a photo of Amini in a hospital bed reveals her bloodied face. She was in a coma.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Soon, civil rights protests spread worldwide.<ref>Patrick Wintour, [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/01/women-life-liberty-iranian-civil-rights-protests-spread-worldwide 'Women, life, liberty’: Iranian civil rights protests spread worldwide], ''The Guardian'', Oct 1, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Demonstrations in string of major cities in solidarity with protests sparked by death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
On Oct 2, 2022, students of Iran's Sharif University of Technology became under attack by military forces. Hundreds were arrested and injured.<ref>[Morty est @OpIran_2022 ([https://twitter.com/OpIran_2022/status/1576633030210297856 Oct 2, 2022]):<br />
<blockquote><br />
Students of Sharif University of Technology (most prestigious university in #Iran) are under attack by military forces. Hundreds have been arrested and injured. BE THEIR VOICE!!! #مهسا_امینی #MahsaAmini</blockquote></ref><br />
Security forces or vigilantes began attacking the dormitories. They were firing guns at the windows while students were in the dorms.<ref><br />
<blockquote><br />
UPDATE on Sharif University - Crowds hearing the news about students being surrounded and in danger on campus gathered outside the main gate of the university at around 22:00 local time. But reports say that security forces or vigilantes began attacking the dormitories. They were firing guns at the windows while students were in the dorms.</blockquote><br />
[https://www.iranintl.com/en/202210029006 ''Iran Intl''., Oct 2, 2022].</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Zehedan massacre'''<br />
<br />
<br />
On Septembe 30th, racist Iran carried out a massacre of some 80 people in Zahedan of (mostly) ethnic Baluch minority.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/14/iran-protests-mahsa-amini-zahedan/ ‘Bloody Friday’: Witnesses describe the deadliest crackdown in Iran protests], ''Washington Post'', Oct 14, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/14/world/middleeast/iran-zahedan-crackdown.html ‘It Was a Massacre’: How Security Forces Cracked Down in Southeastern Iran], ''NYTimes'', Oct 14, 2022.</ref> "Some of the wounded tried to crawl away to escape the gunfire. Others bled to death on prayer mats as people tried to drag them to safety. But the snipers and officers kept pulling their triggers, firing bullet after bullet into men and young boys at a worship area where Friday Prayer had been underway."<br />
Two weeks later, protest renewed in that area.<ref>Tzvi Joffre, [https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-719698 Protests renew in Zahedan in southeast Iran two weeks after massacre], ''JPost'', Oct 15, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Nika Shakrami'''<br />
<br />
A teenager, Nika Shakrami who was snatched and murdered by Iranian security as she protested, first the Mullahcracy regime said that she was simply arrested. At the end, after 10 days, Iranian officials suddenly switched the whole story around and said that she just "fell from a building. Her family was threatened into "confessions."<ref>Maryam Sinaee, [https://www.iranintl.com/en/202210061173 Iranian Protest Victim’s Family Forced Into Televised Confessions], Iran Intl., Oct 6, 2022.<br><i>Nika Shakrami disappeared during protests in Iran on Sept. 20 while being chased by security forces<br />
</i>.</ref><ref>Parham Ghobadi [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63154994.amp Nika Shakarami: Iran protester's family forced to lie about death - source], ''BBC'' Persian, 6 October 2022.</ref><ref>Miriam Berger, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/10/06/iran-protests-nika-shakarami-mahsa/ Death of 16-year-old protester adds new fuel to Iran uprising], ''Washington Post'', October 6, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
The regime is pressing relatives of Amini, not to speak out, a cousin says, as protests sparked by her death continue.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63200649.amp Iran protests: Mahsa Amini's family receiving death threats, cousin says], '"BBC News,'' Oct 10, 2022.<blockquote>Iran is pressing relatives not to speak out, a cousin says, as protests sparked by her death continue.</blockquote ></ref><br />
<br />
The regime uses ambulances to move repression forces.<ref>atiabii @atiabii:<br />
[https://twitter.com/atiabii/status/1579222443688095745 Oct 9, 2022].<blockquote><br />
Here is #Iran They use an ambulance to move repression forces. Protesters are taken in ambulances to unnamed prisons and tortured! #Mahsa_Amini #مهسا_امینی</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Protesters shot by police so afraid to go to hospitals they're asking U.S. doctors for help online.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/iran-news-protests-deaths-people-shot-afraid-hospital-arrest-us-doctors-help/ Iran protesters shot by police so afraid to go to hospitals they're asking U.S. doctors for help online] ''CBS News'', Oct 10, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
On Oct 10, 2022 it was reported that about 185 were killed and 19 among them children.<ref>[https://www.axios.com/2022/10/10/iran-protest-unrest-children-among-dead 19 children among 185 killed during protest unrest in Iran, rights group says], Axios, Oct 10, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
The regime has been kidnapping’ 15-year-old child protestors.<ref>Benjamin Weinthal, [https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-719711/ Iranian regime is ‘kidnapping’ 15-year-old child protestors] ''JPost'', Oct 15, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
==Further reading==<br />
*[http://www.townhall.com/News/NewsArticle.aspx?contentGUID=e3d7a4b3-5763-41db-afaf-9f5b2304ca9f Iran: Western Spy Networks Discovered], May 26, 2007.<br />
*[http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21816881-38197,00.html Iranian-American charged with spying], May 29, 2007.<br />
<br />
==Related==<br />
*[https://www.memri.org/reports/shiite-children-houston-texas-pledge-be-soldiers-iranian-supreme-leader-ali-khamenei-salute Texas Kids Promise To Be Soldiers Of Iranian Supreme Leader], ''Memri'', August 1, 2022.<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[Democracy in Iran]]<br />
* [[Big government]] [[Welfare state]] leads to [[socialist]] [[Nanny state]], leads to [[communist]] [[Police state]] - Don't think [[Communism]] is incompatible with [[Islam]].<br />
* [[Gun control]] - key element to create a police state<br />
* [[Iranian nuke deal]]<br />
* [[Press TV]]<br />
* [[Hezbollah]]<br />
* [[Islamic anti-Semitism]]<br />
* [[Jihad]]<br />
* [[Essay:Women's Rights in Iran]]<br />
* [[Previous Breaking News/Iran|Articles about '''Iran''' from previous "Breaking News"]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
*http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5314.htm<br />
{{reflist|2}}<br />
<br />
== External links ==<br />
*[http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2011/06/16/iran_leader_calls_for_alliance_against_west/ Iran leader calls for alliance against West.]<br />
*[http://bertschlossberg.blogspot.com/ Purim, Haddasah Hospital in Jerusalem, and Iran's Nuclear Bomb]<br />
<br />
* [http://www.president.ir/eng/ Official website of the President of Iran]<br />
* [http://www.ahmadinejad.ir/ The blog of the President of Iran]<br />
* [http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articlenavigation/index.isc Encyclopædia Iranica] <br />
<br />
{{Asian Countries}}<br />
{{Terrorism}}<br />
{{Copyright Details (US Government)}} <br />
[[Category:Iran]]<br />
[[Category:Middle Eastern Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Muslim-Majority Countries]]<br />
[[Category:Dictatorships]]<br />
[[Category:Welfare State]]<br />
[[Category:Police State]]<br />
[[Category:Gun Control]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
[[Category:Forms of Government]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-American]]<br />
[[Category:Islamism]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Biden_junta&diff=1885401Biden junta2022-09-07T21:24:14Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>:{{See also|U.S. Color Revolution}}<br />
[[File:Navarro Report.PNG|right|375px|thumb|The surge in mail-in voting is a sea change for American democracy.<ref>https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/our-mail-in-elective-dictator/</ref>]]<br />
The '''Biden junta''', officially the '''Biden-Harris''' junta<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/03/23/white-house-reportedly-makes-term-biden-harris-administration-official-gives-directive-to-fed-agencies-1048754/</ref> (also referred to by some as the '''Biden regime'''<ref>Multiple references:<br />
*[https://thenationalpulse.com/analysis/not-an-administration-a-regime/ Not an ‘administration’. A regime.]<br />
*[https://drhurd.com/2021/01/18/biden-regime-like-any-socialist-fascist-regime-zero-moral-legitimacy/ Biden Regime: Powerful, Maybe, But ZERO Moral Legitimacy]<br />
*[https://crusadechannel.com/news/the-crusade-channel-editorial-policy-toward-the-biden-regime/ THE CRUSADE CHANNEL EDITORIAL POLICY TOWARD THE BIDEN REGIME]<br />
*[https://thepriceofliberty.org/2020/11/22/a-biden-regime-the-anti-trump/ A Biden Regime: the Anti-Trump?]<br />
*[https://trendingpolitics.com/legendary-conservative-actor-jon-voight-warns-of-biden-regime-we-are-in-great-danger/ Legendary Conservative Actor Jon Voight Warns Of Biden Regime: ‘We Are in Great Danger’]</ref>) seized power on November 4, 2020 in a nationwide rigged election by the [[Democratic Party]],<ref>https://navarroreport.com/</ref> disenfranchising the will of the voters and the American people.<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/11/04/trump-says-very-sad-group-of-people-trying-to-disenfranchise-voters/</ref> <br />
<br />
The junta began receiving [[federal]] [[taxpayer]] money on November 24 after the head of the [[General Services Administration]] received death threats against her, her family, staff, and pets.<ref>https://100percentfedup.com/dems-threaten-gov-official-her-family-and-her-pets-over-refusal-to-release-transition-funds-prematurelytrump-responds/</ref><ref>https://theblacksphere.net/2020/11/transition-funds-trap-biden/</ref> One of the junta's first acts was to execute a [[warrant]] on former New York [[Mayor Rudy Giuliani]] who led challenges to the integrity of the [[2020 presidential election]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2021/04/28/giuliani-pad-raided-by-feds-492636</ref><br />
<br />
The [[junta]]'s first actions were borrowed right out of the [[Nazi]] playbook;<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/02/01/nonvoters-registered-democrats-among-those-arrested-at-capitol-protest/</ref> like the [[Reichstag fire]], a [[false flag]] attack on the [[2021 Capitol riot|U.S. Capitol building was staged]]<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/rush-judgment-trump-multiple-leftists-arrested-capitol-riot</ref> as a pretext to curb [[human rights]] and [[free speech]].<ref>https://www.thebigsmoke.com.au/2021/01/10/joe-biden-authored-the-patriot-act-now-hes-promised-new-domestic-terror-laws/</ref><br />
<br />
[[Junta leader]] Joseph R. Biden appointed [[Maoist]] [[Anita Dunn]] as [[Senior Presidential Advisor|Presidential Advisor]].<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/forced-from-obama-admin-for-praising-mao-anita-dunn-to-return-to-white-house/</ref> Dunn had been fired by the [[Obama]] [[White House]] in June 2009 after publicly expressing admiration for Maoist [[genocide]].<ref>https://legalinsurrection.com/2019/04/back-to-the-future-biden-hires-anita-dunn-former-obama-adviser-who-praised-mao/</ref><ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/re-anita-dunn-and-mao-zedong-andrew-c-mccarthy/</ref> Dunn was behind the cover-up of former Biden aide [[Tara Reade]]'s [[rape]] and [[sexual assault]] allegations.<ref>https://theintercept.com/2020/03/24/joe-biden-metoo-times-up/</ref> The appointment appeared to be a payoff.<br />
<br />
Due to the Dear Leader's debilitated mental state,<ref>https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6233603126001</ref> four weeks into the junta members sought to relieve the junta leader of sole responsibility to launch a nuclear strike.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/house-democrats-want-biden-to-relinquish-sole-authority-to-launch-nuclear-weapons/</ref><br />
<br />
[[Pulitzer Prize]] winning reporter Glenn Greenwald foretold the agenda of the Biden junta:{{clear}}<br />
{{quotebox|"Democrats are very good at creating a brand that is radically different than the reality, but essentially the [[Democratic party]] serves [[militarism]], [[imperialism]], and [[corporatism]]…That’s who funds them, that’s what they believe in…It’s why you see [[neocon]]s migrating so comfortably back to the Democratic Party, why you see [[George W. Bush|Bush]] and [[Cheney]] operatives cheering for [[Joe Biden]], why [[Wall Street]] celebrated when he picked [[Kamala Harris]]....the American [[middle class]] will continue to be destroyed while companies that have no allegiance to the US will continue to outsource jobs....Communities will continue to be ravaged with [[unemployment]] crises, [[drug addiction]], [[suicide]], [[depression]], all the things that are dominating small American towns”.<ref>https://www.rt.com/usa/512749-greenwald-biden-elections-prediction/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
After ascending power on January 20, 2021, the Junta De Facto began rule by ''[[diktat]]'', issuing executive orders that unconstitutionally enter the United States into international agreements without congressional approval and overturning travel bans in a pandemic for the sake of a swift political victory. The Junta plans on issuing 50 decrees in the first 10 days in power. Emerald Robinson of ''[[NewsMax]]'' summed up life under the Biden regime:<br />
{{quotebox|"What you are witnessing now: the corrupt political elites in Western countries attempting to end representative democracy as we know it. Mandatory vaccination. Mandatory vaccine passports. The restriction of free speech. Mass warrantless surveillance. Mass illegal migration.<ref>https://twitter.com/EmeraldRobinson/status/1415671817813983251</ref>}}<br />
90 days into the junta's assumption of power, the U.S. Strategic Command warned the U.S. should prepare for [[nuclear war]].<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/1/charles-richard-us-strategic-command-chief-nuclear/</ref><br />
<br />
The junta openly displayed its disdain for the [[Constitution of the United States]] by slapping a warning label as "Harmful content" on the original documents at the National Archives.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2021/09/08/national-archives-issues-harmful-content-warning-on-constitution-all-other-founding-documents/</ref> The junta became deeply involved in facilitating human trafficing and narcotics trafficing in the United States.<br />
[[File:Taliban flag raising.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Taliban mock U.S. flag raising at [[Iwo Jima]] in their victory over America.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/taliban-mock-iwo-jima-flag-raising-pose-for-photos-with-their-trove-of-american-vehicles-weapons-equipment/</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Afghan dead (2).png|right|300px|thumb|The body of a young man crushed in the wheel well of a C-17, desperately trying to flee Afghanistan after Biden ordered a sudden ill-planned and chaotic withdrawal.<ref>https://citizenfreepress.com/column-1/horrifying-photo-of-afghan-trapped-on-outside-of-usaf-c-17-in-midair/</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Kabul airport suicide bombing August 26 20221.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Kabul airport suicide bombing, August 26, 2021. 170 dead.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9934115/STUART-RAMSAY-sends-vivid-angry-dispatch-Afghanistan.html</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Levine Brinton.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Representing America in the French embassey.]]<br />
==Chinese collusion==<br />
:{{See also|Biden-China collusion}}<br />
On November 28, 2020 Prof. Di Dongsheng, vice dean of the School of International Relations at Renmin University, told students in [[Beijing]] how the [[People's Republic of China]] was able to settle disputes with prior American administrations because they have people at the top of America, specifically on [[Wall Street]].<ref>https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/stacey-lennox/2020/12/08/tucker-carlsons-monologue-on-a-chinese-professors-recent-speech-should-terrify-you-n1197202</ref> But when [[President Trump]] was elected, all that Chinese influence went away. "Wall Street can't fix Trump," the professor told the students.<ref>https://youtu.be/yB07iLF2ZWw</ref><br />
<br />
The professor noted that President Trump complained about [[Hunter Biden]] having a ‘global foundation’ and confirmed once again that the [[Biden family]] was in bed with [[Chinese Communist]]s.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/watch-tucker-exposes-scrubbed-video-of-chinese-professor-saying-they-have-people-at-top-of-america/</ref> Hunter Biden in fact holds a 10% equity stake in the Chinese private equity firm [[Bohai Harvest RST]] (BHR) in partnership with the Bank of China through his company, [[Skaneateles LLC]], according to business records from China’s National Credit Information Publicity System.<ref>https://freedomjournalist.com/hunter-biden-still-owns-part-of-chinese-business-operation/</ref> BHR was set up as a tool for the CCPs global ambitions, using the Biden name to market Chinese [[imperialism]].<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/investigations/2020/10/31/joe-co-didnt-just-sell-out-america-they-sold-out-the-whole-free-world/</ref> <br />
The Bank of China is owned by the Chinese government and closely connected with the Chinese military and intelligence services. Biden, former Secretary of State [[John Kerry]]'s stepson Christopher Heinz, and convicted [[felon]] [[Devon Archer]] through BHR transferred and sold duel use technology to the Chinese military which was used to create the Chinese [[drone]] program and replicate the Chinese version of the [[F-15]] fighter.<ref>https://nypost.com/2018/03/15/inside-the-shady-private-equity-firm-run-by-kerry-and-bidens-kids/</ref><br />
<br />
But because of the lack of influence the Chinese Communists had over the [[Trump administration]], the professor stated that they have people at the “top of America’s core inner circle of power and influence” who went to work to get Biden "elected".<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/12/08/professor-claims-china-has-people-in-americas-core-inner-circle/</ref><br />
<br />
The [[American Center for Law and Justice]] (ACLJ) sued the Biden junta to obtain information about House Democrat Intelligence Committee member [[Eric Swalwell]]'s relationship with a Chinese spy. Lawsuits were filed against the [[National Security Agency]], the office of the director of national intelligence ([[DNI|ODNI]]), the [[State Department]] and the [[FBI]].<ref>https://www.wnd.com/2021/02/biden-admin-gets-sued-details-swalwells-china-connection/</ref><br />
<br />
==Electoral certification==<br />
<br />
:{{See also|2020 Presidential election|Biden Putsch}}<br />
[[File:Electoral College certification of Joe Biden.png|right|350px|thumb|Her name was [[Ashli Babbitt]], gunned down by Capitol Police outside the House Chamber during the electoral college certification of the [[fraud]]ulent 2020 presidential election.<ref>https://www.citizenfreepress.com/breaking/her-name-was-ashli-babbit/</ref> [[BLM]] and [[Antifa]] terrorists, masquerading as "Trump supporters" in an attempt to discredit Trump supporters, led a violent assault on the Capitol.<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/ekQGipzU7E49/ Everything Wrong With the Capitol Shooting In 21 Minutes Or Less], Wooz News, February 6, 2021. bitchute</ref>]]<br />
On an evening just prior to the Electoral College certification of the 2020 stolen presidential election, [[Antifa]] thugs terrorized the home of [[Sen. Josh Hawley]], where Sen. Hawley's wife and newborn infant daughter were home alone.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/josh-hawley-slams-antifa-scumbags-who-attacked-his-home-with-wife-and-newborn-inside/</ref> Sen. Hawley had pledged to contest the results of the stolen election.<br />
<br />
During the January 6, 2021 Joint Session of Congress to certify the Electoral College ballots, while tens of thousands of peaceful protesters rallied in support of President Trump outside the capitol, chartered vans of the terrorist/hate group Antifa were escorted by state police in black, unmarked SUVs into the midst of the crowd.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20210106191352/https://twitter.com/RockNPolitics/status/1346897013607174148</ref><ref>https://archive.is/IiHln</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/L0xyqVMUh_E</ref> [[Capitol Police]] then removed barriers and waved the crowd in to the Capitol steps.<ref>https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2021-01-07/capitol-police-chief-to-resign-next-week-reports</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/cevansavenger/status/1346920924310867968</ref> Antifa rioters proceeded to break windows on the [[U.S. Capitol]] building and storm the premises.<ref>https://twitter.com/emmbeliever/status/1347032914182217728</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/TheRightMelissa/status/1347040212602466304</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1346908554804953088</ref> Facial recognition [[technology]] identified Antifa members,<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/6/xrvision-firm-claims-antifa-infiltrated-protesters/</ref> who had used disguises to infiltrate a pro-Trump protest group, as storming the building.<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/01/photos-reports-show-antifa-infiltrators-stormed-the-capitol-building.html/</ref> Twitter, in a flimsy attempt to cover for the Antifa punks, falsely claimed that a side-by-side photo comparison of one of the infiltrators (showing him at the Capitol in one photo, and at a BLM rally in June 2019 in the other photo, both of which show him with the same visually distinct tattoos) was "manipulated media" but gave no reason for their false claim.<ref>[https://twitter.com/KelemenCari/status/1346929418455842816 Cari Kelemen: "AZ BLM rally in June, DC Capital in January] at Twitter</ref><br />
<br />
The proceedings inside the House and Senate chambers were halted, and [[Ashli Babbitt]], a Trump supporter who followed the crowd into the Capitol building without realizing who they really were, was summarily executed by Capitol Police.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20210107070504/https://twitter.com/dancohen3000/status/1347076676342185984</ref><br />
<br />
Following the violence, several Senators withdrew their support of objections to fraudulent electors. One protester posted in [[social media]] a statement that he had been paid to disrupt the Trump rally and Congressional proceedings.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20210107105207/https://twitter.com/ariellanewland/status/1347133853169803265</ref><br />
<br />
At the close of the day's events and Joint Session, the House Chaplain offered a prayer to "bless Antifa".<ref>https://youtu.be/wYfizn8T9Qk?t=23031</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/Yg_wtp6XhPA</ref><br />
<br />
==Organization==<br />
<br />
As of November 2020 [[Peter Neffenger]] was chairman of the [[corrupt]] [[voter fraud|ballot-stuffing]] and [[election fraud|election-rigging]] [[SmartMatic]] corporation.<ref>https://www.smartmatic.com/us/about/board-of-directors/detail/peter-neffenger/</ref> Neffenger was appointed to the [[Biden junta]] organizational team.<ref>https://www.air.tv/watch?v=ir00pXx9QsKbvSdjsCy3nQ</ref> <br />
<br />
Dr. Navid Keshavarz-Nia, with 35 years experience performing technical assessment, mathematical modeling, cyber-attack pattern analysis, and<br />
security [[counterintelligence]] linked to foreign intelligence service operators, including [[China]], [[Iran]], [[North Korea]], and [[Russia]] and who has worked as a consultant and subject-matter expert supporting to the [[Department of Defense]], [[FBI]] and US [[Intelligence Community]] (USIC) agencies such as the [[DIA]], [[CIA]], [[NSA]], NGA [National Geospatial Agency], and the [[DHS]] I&A [Office of Intelligence and Analysis] supporting counterintelligence, and [[law enforcement]] investigations and whom the ''[[New York Times]]'' describes as the "always the smartest person in the room,<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/09/opinion/sunday/garrison-courtney-spies-contracts.html</ref> testified under oath Smartmatic and its role in the [[2020 Presidential election]] thusly:<br />
[[File:Dunn.PNG|thumb|150px|right|Junta Senior Advisor Anita Dunn is a self-confessed admirer of [[Mao Zedong]], the greatest mass murderer in history.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qDsrfy-Zvg Video of Obama Communications Director Claiming Mao One of Her Favorite Political Philosophers'] Video, YouTube. Retrieved October 29, 2009.</ref> Dunn was key in covering up Tara Reade's rape allegations.<ref>https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/joe-biden-accuser-says-times-up-betrayed-her-in-that-hallway-he-was-a-man-assaulting-a-woman/</ref> ]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"In my expert opinion, the DVS [ [[Dominion Voting Systems]] ] Democracy Suite, Scytl/SOE Software/eClarity and Smartmatic have not produced auditable results in the 2020 election. It is evident that ballots were not properly validated, system records were not kept, and the system experience considerable instability even several days prior to November 4, 2020 that require DVS to implement software changes at the last minute. In addition, the disparity in data distribution after 4:30 AM on November 4, 2020 indicates significant systemic anomalies that were widespread among all battleground states. The evidence is both extensive and persuasive and indicates large-scale [[fraud]] by remote operators.<br />
<br />
"I conclude that a combination of lost cryptographic key contained on stolen USB memory cards, serious exploitable system and [[software]] vulnerabilities and operating system backdoor in DVS, Scytl, SOE Software/eClarity and Smartmatic created the perfect environment to commit widespread fraud in all states where these systems are installed. My analysis of the 2020 Election from ''NY Times'' data shows statistical anomalies across the battleground state votes. These failures are widespread and systemic - and sufficient to invalidate the [[vote]] counts.<br />
<br />
"I conclude with high confidence that the election 2020 data were altered in all [[swing states|battleground states]] resulting in a hundreds of thousands of votes that were cast for [[President Trump]] to be transferred to [[Vice President Biden]]. These alterations were the result of systemic and widespread exploitable vulnerabilities in DVS, Scytl/SOE Software and Smartmatic systems that enabled operators to achieve<br />
the desired results. In my view, the evidence is overwhelming and incontrovertible."<ref>https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mied.350905/gov.uscourts.mied.350905.1.19.pdf</ref>}}<br />
[[File:Thomas zimmerman.png|right250px|thumb|Thomas Zimmermann, a fellow at a [[United Front Work Department]] organization, was appointed Special Assistant to Joe Biden on [[National Security Agency]] personnel.]]<br />
A YouGov poll conducted after the [[junta]]'s first 100 days showed a staggering 36 percent of voters have a “very unfavorable” opinion of [[Kamala Harris]]. The same poll showed Harris 25 points underwater with Independents and 10 points negative among voters overall.<ref>https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/lftymxzxfl/econTabReport.pdf</ref> Political analyst Charlie Cooke observed:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Still, that Harris is unpopular should come as no great surprise, given that she somehow manages to combine into a single package a transparent insincerity, an unvarnished authoritarianism, and a tendency toward precisely the sort of self-satisfied progressivism that helped the Republicans to limit their losses at the last general election. If her apologists wish to, they can pretend that the reaction Harris yields is “gendered” or “systemic” or “inequitable” or whatever other bastardized academic term is fashionable this week, and they should feel free to knock themselves out doing so. Deep down, though, they must know that America isn’t the problem here. The problem is that Harris is a phony.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/05/the-democrats-have-a-kamala-harris-problem/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
===Personnel===<br />
:{{See also|Biden junta personnel}}<br />
'''White House staff'''<br />
[[File:Rice Benghazi.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Susan Rice, of [[Benghazi massacre]] fame, has been referrerd to as the shadow president.<ref>https://www.newsmax.com/politics/rice-biden-shadow-president/2021/05/13/id/1021229/</ref>]]<br />
By mid year 2021 there were 560 people working in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) with salaries totaling nearly $50 million.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/07/01/bidens-bloated-white-house-493449</ref><br />
*Senior [[politburo]] member [[Susan Rice]] - shadow president<br />
*Maoist [[Anita Dunn]] - Senior Advisor<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2020/08/17/joe-biden-advisor-anita-dunn-mao-zedong-philosopher/ Biden’s Senior Advisor Once Said Chinese Dictator Mao Zedong Was One Of Her ‘Favorite Political Philosophers’]</ref><br />
*Racist [[Cedric Richmond]] - Director of the Office of Public Engagement<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-biden-adviser-pushes-reparations-predicting-progress Top Biden adviser pushes reparations commission, predicts progress 'breaking down systemic racism']</ref> <br />
*Obama/Biden retread [[Mike Donilon]] - Senior Advisor<br />
*President of the [[CAP]] [[communist front]] group [[Neera Tanden]] - Presidential Advisor<br />
<br />
*[[Ron Klain]] - right hand henchman<br />
*Bruce Reed - deputy chief of staff <br />
*[[SmartMatic]] chairman Peter Neffenger - junta organizer<ref>https://dennismichaellynch.com/dml-morning-briefing-mon-nov-16-trump-lawyer-vows-to-overturn-results-of-election-in-several-states/</ref><br />
*[[CCP]] spy recruiter Thomas Zimmerman - Special Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/biden-personnel-adviser-chinese-intel-spies/</ref><br />
*Washington swamp monster Steve Ricchetti - counselor to the president.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/11/17/joe-biden-wants-washington-swamp-monster-steve-ricchetti-back-at-the-white-house/ Joe Biden Wants Washington Swamp Monster Steve Ricchetti Back at the White House]</ref><br />
*Jen O’Malley Dillon - deputy chief of staff<ref>https://www.glamour.com/story/glennon-doyle-and-jen-omalley-dillon-interview</ref><br />
<br />
*Vice President of the [[Chan Zuckerberg Initiative]], which funneled $350,000,000 to the election rigging [[Center for Tech and Civic Life]], David Recordon – Special Assistant to the President and Director of Technology<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/recordon-joins-biden-wh-from-zuckerberg-group/</ref><br />
[[File:Neera Tanden.PNG|right|250px|thumb|Neera Tanden]]<br />
*Michael Regen - [[National Economic Council]], [[Council of Economic Advisers]] and Domestic Policy Council<br />
*[[Jihad]]i Reema Dodin - deputy director Office of Legislative Affairs<ref>https://freebeacon.com/democrats/biden-taps-staffer-who-said-suicide-bombings-were-last-resort-for-palestinians/</ref><br />
*Soviet communist sympathizer [[Jen Psaki]] - chief propagandist<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/resurfaced-photo-psaki-biden-soviet-union Resurfaced photo shows Biden press sec Jen Psaki wearing hammer and sickle hat with Russian official]</ref><br />
*[[Abolish ICE]] spokesperson Natalie Montelongo - White House deputy director for political strategy and outreach<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/bidens-new-deputy-white-house-director-told-protesters-to-shut-down-ice-it-doesnt-have-to-exist/</ref><br />
*[[Jeffrey Epstein]] buddy Eric Lander - Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/06/eric-lander-biden-jeffrey-epstein-485596 Biden Cabinet nominee's meetings with Epstein in 2012 spanned 90 minutes, document reveals]</ref><br />
*[[Black Panther Party]] terrorist sympathizer Alondra Nelson - Deputy Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy for Science and Society.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Body-Soul-Panther-against-Discrimination/dp/0816676496 Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight against Medical Discrimination Paperback – September 1, 2013]</ref><br />
*CCP asset [[Dr. Anthony Fauci]] - Chief Medical Advisor.<br />
*Racist Twitter troll Clarke Humphrey – White House Digital Director for the COVID-19 Response Team<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/biden-covid-director-racist-tweets/</ref><br />
*Senior Advisor Mike Donilon's sister-in-law Cathy Russell - director of presidential personnel<ref>https://knowinsiders.com/who-is-cathy-russell-director-of-the-white-house-office-biography-career-profile-and-personal-life-27033.html</ref><br />
*[[Princeling]] J.J. Ricchetti - special assistant in the office of legislative affairs<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/06/14/the-ricchetti-administration-493243</ref><br />
*Princeling Shannon Richetti - deputy associate director for the White House social secretary<br />
*Princeling Julia Reed - Biden daily scheduler<br />
<br />
'''NSC staff'''<br />
[[File:Blinken.png|right|300px|thumb|Biden junta Foreign Secretary Antony Blinken.]]<br />
*[[Al-Qaeda]] ally [[Jake Sullivan]] - [[national security advisor]]<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2020/11/24/bidens-pick-for-national-security-adviser-is-a-steele-dossier-truther/</ref><br />
*Jihadi and anti-semite Maher Bitar - Senior Director for Intelligence on the [[National Security Council]]<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/01/biden-puts-antisemitic-boycott-jews-activist-in-charge-of-nsc-intel.html/</ref><br />
*Princeling daughter of Cathy Russell and Mike Donilon's niece Julia Donilon - staff<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-aides-relatives-jobs/2021/06/17/ab504a22-cea4-11eb-8cd2-4e95230cfac2_story.html</ref><br />
<br />
'''OMB'''<br />
*vacant; Neera Tanden failed Senate confirmation and was appointed to the White Staff as Presidential Advisor.<ref>https://youtu.be/k3m-erl9hwg</ref><br />
*Black baby genocide advocate Shalanda Young - deputy OMB.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/03/11/deputy-omb-nominee-shalanda-young-links-abortion-to-racial-justice/ Deputy OMB nominee Shalanda Young links abortion to ‘racial justice’]</ref><br />
<br />
'''OPM'''<br />
*BLM terrorist and bailfund supporter Kiran Ahuja - Office of Personal management<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/spencerbrown/2021/06/09/biden-opm-nominee-n2590655</ref><br />
<br />
'''DOS'''<br />
<br />
Joe Biden's State Department transition team contained several consultants and lobbyists from Albright Stonebridge Group, a consulting firm with extensive links to the Chinese Communist Party.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/biden-un-state-picks-are-ccp-consultants/</ref><br />
[[File:Cardona.PNG|right|150px|thumb|Cardona: Doesn't know how many genders there are, educating your children.]]<br />
*Hunter Biden bagman Antony Blinken - foreign secretary<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2020/11/biden-%f0%9f%92%80-transition-choice-for-sec-state-tony-blinken-conflict-of-interests-involving-china-ukraine-and-hunter-biden.html/</ref><br />
*False prophet of the climate apocalypse [[John Kerry]] - climate czar<ref>[https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2020/12/30/john_kerry_false_prophet_of_the_climate_apocalypse_654911.html John Kerry: False Prophet of the Climate Apocalypse'], By Frank Lasee, December 30, 2020. realclearenergy.com</ref><br />
*[[Antisemite]] Robert Malley - special Iran envoy<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/01/notorious-antisemite-robert-malley-reportedly-joining-biden-team-as-special-iran-envoy.html/</ref><br />
*[[Trump-Russia]] subversive and fascist Ukrainian coup plotter [[Victoria Nuland]] - Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/25-organizations-say-victoria-nuland-should-be-rejected</ref><br />
*Princeling Daniel Ricchetti - under secretary of State for arms control and international security<br />
*[[CoS]] Ron Klain's wife Monica Medina - assistant secretary of state <br />
*CCP propagandist and [[Uyghur]] holocaust denier [[Linda Thomas-Greenfield]] - UN Ambassador<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/breaking/biden-un-ambassador-spoke-at-ccp-funded-group/</ref><ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/biden-appointee-state-department-didnt-follow-procedure-for-uyghur-genocide-determination/</ref><br />
*Anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist Uzra Zeya - undersecretary of civilian security, democracy, and human rights<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/biden-nom-for-top-state-dept-post-contributed-to-book-about-how-israel-lobby-controls-american-politics/</ref><br />
*Racist [[Chicago]] mayor [[Rahm Emanuel]] - Ambassador to Japan<ref>https://www.dailydot.com/debug/rahm-emanuel-video-resurfaces-racism-sexism/</ref><br />
*Anti-Police Jalina Porter - State Dept. spokeswoman.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-state-dept-spokesperson-police-threat-national-security Biden State Dept. spokeswoman called police 'largest threat to US national security': Report]</ref><br />
*[[Racist]] mayor [[Eric Garcetti]] - ambassador to India<ref>https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/11/24/black-lives-matter-la-mayor-eric-garcetti-should-not-be-picked-for-biden-administration-position/</ref><ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/biden-india-ambassador-praised-xi-collaborated-with-ccp/</ref><br />
<br />
'''Trade Representative'''<br />
*Pro [[TPP]] Katherine Tai as Trade Representative.<ref>https://www.centralmoinfo.com/lawmakers-urge-tai-to-pursue-rejoining-tpp/</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:635695539641818508-XXX-John-Carlin-jmg-39447.JPG|right|250px|right|thumb|John Carlin lied to the [[FISA Court]] about the illegal Carter Page [[FISA]] warrant, promoted to deputy AG.]]<br />
'''DOJ'''<br />
<br />
*Failed [[SCOTUS]] nominee [[Merrick Garland]] - Chief Procurator<br />
*Trump-Russia hoaxer [[Lisa Monaco]] - deputy Attorney General<br />
*FISA Court [[perjury|perjuror]] John Carlin - deputy attorney general<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/02/27/joebama-put-the-gang-back-together-inside-the-doj-john-carlin-returns-as-acting-deputy-ag/</ref><br />
*[[Pseudoscientific]] racist and [[anti-Semite]] [[Kristen Clarke]] - DOJ Civil Rights Division<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/biden-pick-for-civil-rights-chief-promoted-racism-and-anti-semitism-at-harvard/</ref><ref>[https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2021/02/22/merrick-garland-wont-call-antifa-attacks-on-federal-buildings-domestic-terrorism-and-his-reason-is-absurd-n1427481 Merrick Garland Won't Call Antifa Attacks on Federal Buildings Domestic Terrorism. His Reason Is Absurd]</ref><br />
*[[Trump impeachment|Impeachment hoax]] slanderer [[Pamela Karlan]] - Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/news/watch-pamela-karlan-the-ex-zuckerberg-apparatchik-now-leading-bidens-anti-audit-push-once-said-corporate-backed-elections-undermine-democracy/</ref><br />
* Big Tech and Silicon valley broker Vanita Gupta - Associate Attorney General.<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/3/bidens-doj-looks-to-restart-slush-fund-for-left-wi/ Biden's DOJ looks to restart slush fund for left-wing political groups]</ref><br />
<br />
'''DOD'''<br />
*Architect of the [[European refugee crisis|Syrian refugee crisis]] and Russia collusion hoaxer [[Lloyd Austin]] - defense minister<ref>https://youtu.be/oeBEzeyV8Ow</ref><ref>https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ZEmyuP5x6YIJ:https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/gen-lloyd-austin-has-a-chance-to-fix-his-legacy-on-syria/2020/12/10/e35417d2-3b2e-11eb-bc68-96af0daae728_story.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us</ref><br />
*Trump-Russia hoaxer [[Colin Kahl]] - undersecretary of defense for policy<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/d-c-foreign-policy-elites-rush-to-shore-up-faltering-pentagon-nomination/</ref><br />
*Terrorist apologist and racist Bishop Garrison - Senior Advisor to the Sec. of Defense<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/06/treason-bidens-racist-tool-for-military-purge.html/</ref><br />
*Richard Torres-Estrada who compared the [[commander-in-chief]] to [[Adolf Hitler]] - U.S. Special Operations Command chief of Diversity & Inclusion<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/03/28/defense-department-diversity-trump-hitler/</ref><br />
<br />
'''NSA'''<br />
*Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS) fellow Thomas Zimmerman – a Special Assistant to Joe Biden on National Security Agency personnel <br />
<br />
'''DHS'''<br />
{|class="infobox" style="float:right; font-size:85%; width:1ex; line-height:17px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 50px" cellpadding="1"<br />
|[[File:Granholm2.PNG|230px]]<br />
|[[File:Sam Brinton.PNG|168px]]<br />
|-<br />
|colspan="3"|<hr/>'''Left:''' Energy Commissar Jennifer Granholm, a major stockholder in a supplier to a company she awarded millions of dollars for development of an electric car.<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/worse-than-solyndra-republicans-press-for-information-on-biden-admins-favorite-electric-battery-company/</ref> '''Right:''' Deputy Assistant Secretary of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition Sam Brinton.<br />
|}<br />
*[[Peoples Liberation Army]] operative [[Alejandro Mayorkas]] - commissar of the homeland<ref>https://www.dickmorris.com/biden-nominee-for-homeland-security-secretary-helped-chinese-military-front-huawei-and-hillarys-brother-get-visas/</ref><ref>https://cis.org/Bensman/Alejandro-Mayorkas-Portrait-Intended-Nominee-DHS-Secretary</ref><ref>https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/04/joe-bidens-dhs-nominee-is-the-absolute-picture-of-dc-political-corruption/</ref><ref>https://www.dickmorris.com/biden-nominee-helped-huawei-and-hillarys-brother-get-visas/</ref><ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/the-rap-sheet-on-bidens-dhs-pick-concerns-gop</ref><br />
<br />
'''DOE'''<br />
<br />
*Energy stock mogul [[Jennifer Granholm]] - commissar of energy<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/house-oversight-committee-investigating-granholms-green-energy-investments/</ref><ref>https://nypost.com/2021/04/22/are-conflicts-of-interest-ok-as-long-as-everythings-green/</ref><ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/jennifer-granholm-media-matters/</ref><ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/12/29/bidens-mistake-jennifer-granholm-bad-pick-lead-energy-department-column/3957137001/</ref><br />
*LGBTQ+ activist and [[bestiality]] raconteur Sam Brinton - Deputy Assistant Secretary of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/02/10/biden-nuclear-official-is-kink-lecturing-beastiality-rolepayer/</ref><br />
<br />
'''Treasury'''<br />
<br />
*[[globalism|Globalist]] [[Janet Yellen]] - [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]]<ref>https://www.sgtreport.com/2020/12/bullish-for-gold-yellens-appointment-merges-the-treasury-with-the-fed/</ref><ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/01/yellen-made-millions-in-wall-street-speeches-453223</ref><ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/yellen-spoke-at-chinese-media-org/</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
'''HHS'''<br />
<br />
*[[Democrat IT scandal]] kingpin [[Xavier Becerra]] - [[HHS]] commissar<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2018/07/02/awan-memo-server-vanished/</ref><br />
*Jen Paski sister Stephanie Psaki - senior adviser <br />
<br />
'''HUD'''<br />
<br />
*[[Marcia Fudge]] called a judge that beat his wife to death "a good man who made a mistake" - housing commissar<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/12/09/bidens-pick-to-lead-hud-wrote-letter-of-support-for-judge-who-beat-then-killed-his-wife-1003792/</ref><br />
<br />
'''Education'''<br />
*Fake teacher and progressive [[Miguel Cardona]] - Minister of Indoctrination<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/teachers-blast-bidens-education-secretary-pick-miguel-cardona-a-slap-in-the-face/ar-BB1c9HgA Teachers Blast Biden's Education Secretary Pick Miguel Cardona: 'A Slap in the Face']</ref><br />
*Anti-white racist Cindy Martens - ministry of indoctrination<ref>https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1351206666818248704.html</ref><br />
*Obama [[gestapo]] retread Catherine Lhamon - Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR)<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/bidens-troubling-nominee-to-head-the-office-of-civil-rights/</ref><br />
<br />
'''DOT'''<br />
[[File:Bootyjudge panderig.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Pete Buttigieg (center),<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/06/twitter-mocks-buttigieg-for-pandering-to-voters-by-drinking-in-public-out-of-a-paper-bag/</ref> winner of the 2020 Iowa caucuses, was rewarded with the plumb position at DOT for [[2020_Democrat_primaries#Super_Tuesday_-_March_3.2C_2020|dropping out of the primaries]] 48 hours before the key [[Super Tuesday]] vote.]]<br />
*[[Marxist]] mayor of the [[systemic racism|systemically racist]] South Bend police department [[Pete Buttigieg]] - commissar of transportation<br />
<br />
'''Agriculture'''<br />
<br />
*Corporate crony [[Tom Vilsack]] - secretary of Agriculture.<ref>[https://reason.com/2020/12/19/tom-vilsack-is-the-wrong-person-to-lead-the-department-of-agriculture/ Tom Vilsack Is the Wrong Person To Lead the Department of Agriculture]</ref><br />
<br />
'''DOI'''<br />
<br />
*[[IRS]] tax cheat [[Deb Haaland]] - ministry of the interior<ref>https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/bipartisan-group-calls-for-dem-party-leader-to-resign-for-bias/article_2bbc2251-16fb-56dc-82c1-d3b0d3f7e020.html</ref><ref>https://politicalfireball.com/2018/10/16/pt-2-haaland-allowed-direct-affront-to-tribal-sovereignty-pueblo-group/</ref><br />
*[[Eco-terrorist]] Tracy Stone-Manning - Director of the [[Bureau of Land Management]]<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/06/19/obamas-blm-director-says-biden-nominee-should-be-disqualified-for-her-involvement-in-1989-eco-terrorism-case-1091286/</ref><ref>https://thefederalist.com/2021/06/25/biden-land-management-nominee-is-an-ecoterrorist-who-demanded-chinese-style-child-cap/</ref><br />
<br />
'''DNI'''<br />
<br />
*Trump-Russia conspirator, torture program cover-up specialist and Obama snoop [[Avril Haines]] - [[DNI]]<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/world/national-security/obama-putin-election-hacking/</ref><ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ex-cia-officer-dark-past-bidens-nominee-national-intelligence-director</ref><ref>https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/78906/john-kiriakou-the-dark-past-of-bidens-nominee-for-national-intelligence.html</ref><br />
*[[Huawei]] lobbyist Chris Fanzone - DNI General Counsel<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/senate-confirms-huawei-linked-lobbyist-to-intel-post/</ref><br />
<br />
'''USAID'''<br />
[[File:Power, S.PNG|right|175px|thumb|In addition to illegally unmasking 262 American citizens in the [[Obamagate timeline|Spygate]] scandal, Power's real crime was bringing back the [[Libyan_War#Retrun_of_the_slave_trade|Black African slave trade]].<ref>https://mises.org/wire/unwelcome-return-real-purveyors-violence</ref> As USAID administrator, Power is in charge of funding [[coup]]s worldwide. ]]<br />
*[[Libya]]n slave trader [[Samantha Power]] - [[USAID]] Administrator<ref>https://archive.is/wip/e0pPo</ref><br />
<br />
'''CIA'''<br />
<br />
*William Burns - ministry of [[torture]] and coups<ref>https://search.wikileaks.org/?q=%22william+burns%22</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/11/william-burns-iran-diplomacy-advocate-tapped-cia-h/ Lifelong diplomat who backed Iran diplomacy picked to head CIA]</ref><br />
<br />
'''FTA'''<br />
*Lina Khan - chair of the Federal Trade Commission,<br />
'''SEC'''<br />
<br />
*[[Goldman Sachs]] partner and 1%er Gary Gensler - [[Securities and Exchange Commission]]<br />
<br />
'''House Diversity and Inclusion'''<br />
<br />
*Ex-gangster Dyjuan Tatro - senior adviser for diversity and inclusion<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/02/14/house-dems-hire-ex-gang-member-to-top-campaign-post/ House Dems hire ex-gang member to top campaign post]</ref><br />
<br />
'''DNC politburo'''<br />
*Authoritarian fascist [[Gretchen Whitmer]] - party undersecretary<ref>https://www.mlive.com/politics/2021/01/biden-picks-whitmer-for-dnc-vice-chair.html</ref><br />
<br />
There are about 1,200 Senate-confirmed posts, and even more appointed positions that don’t require the Senate’s signoff. By his 65th day and first press conference, Biden submitted 68 names to the Senate, according to the Partnership for Public Service. That’s more than George W. Bush or Donald Trump had at this point in their terms but fewer than the 109 names submitted by Barack Obama. 29 of the 68 had been confirmed. Biden had appointed an unprecedented number — more than 1,200 — to non-Senate-confirmed jobs.<br />
<br />
===Propaganda apparatus===<br />
[[File:Psaki communist.PNG|left|250px|thumb|Junta chief spokesperson Jen Psaki (right) with [[Hammer and Sickle]]. [[Russian]] Foreign Minister [[Sergey Lavrov]] (left). According to Biden aide [[Eric Ciaramella]], Lavrov instructed President Trump to fire [[James Comey]].<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/alleged-whistleblower-eric-ciaramella-was-cited-in-key-passage-of-mueller-report</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|Biden/Harris regime propaganda apparatus}}<br />
Biden junta chief propagandist Jen Psaki outlined the regime's [[disinformation]] strategy. Psaki said [[Twitter]] is not a platform to disseminate news, rather it is a vehicle for talking to reporters. According to ''[[Politico]]'',<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/05/06/whitehouses-favorite-reporters-492757</ref> there are 90 staffers who have new administration-branded Twitter accounts, most with “46” included in the handle. The reporters who are followed by staffers draw heavily from [[CNN]], [[Bloomberg News]] and the [[Associated Press]]. Bloomberg News’ Jennifer Epstein is followed by more Biden administration staffers (39) than any other reporter. Next after Epstein are CNN’s Kaitlan Collins (37), PBS’ [[Yamiche Alcindor]] (36), AP’s Zeke Miller (34), and Bloomberg’s Jennifer Jacobs (33). The news outlets with the most White House staffers following them are: @nytimes, @cnn, @washingtonpost, @cnnpolitics and @cnnbrk.<br />
<br />
White House staffers don’t follow many [[conservative]] outlets or reporters who work for them. Not even the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' makes the list of the top 15 news outlets they follow. Only 10 staffers follow [[Fox News]]’ Peter Doocy and 2 follow Fox News colleague Kristen Fisher.<br />
<br />
Symone Sanders, who was demoted by Biden to be Kamala Harris' chief spokesperson because she is [[Black]], is the most popular. Outside of Biden, Harris, and their spouses, Symone Sanders has more internal followers than anyone except Psaki and [[Ron Klain]]. With 62 of the 94 accounts following her, she ranks higher than communications director Kate Bedingfield, deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillon, every Cabinet member, and even @WHCOVIDResponse.<br />
<br />
[[Nancy Pelosi]] (29 followers) is the most followed lawmaker among staffers, followed by [[Chuck Schumer|Cuck Schumer]] (23 followers). The next three all hail from the party’s [[progressive]] wing: Rep. [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] (D-N.Y.) and Sens. [[Elizabeth Warren]] (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (DSA-Vt.).<br />
[[File:Biden text.png|right|300px|thumb|Biden family text with Hunter telling his daughter Naomi that "Pop" received 50% of the Burisma [[kickback]]s.<ref>https://thespectator.info/2020/10/15/unlike-pop-joe-biden-i-wont-make-you-give-me-half-of-your-salary-video/</ref>]]<br />
Thirty-three staffers follow Barack Obama. Other [[Obama administration]] alumni who haven’t returned to government are popular, too: former communications director and Clinton propagandist [[Jen Palmieri]] (17), [[Michelle Obama]] (15 followers), former deputy press secretary Eric Schultz (14 followers), [[David Axelrod]] (10 followers) and all four “Pod Save America” bros.<br />
<br />
===Naomi Biden===<br />
<br />
According to ''Politico'', when aides want the greenlight on a social media project, Naomi and Finnegan Biden are Biden's go-to digital validators. When Naomi or Finnigan see a video or like a post, it is more valuable than any amount of data proving its effectiveness, according to Democrats familiar with the dynamic. The digital team has given directives based on what Biden’s granddaughters were suggesting, going beyond Biden's normal media go-to’s like ''New York Times'' columnists, local television stations, and network and cable news anchors. “Anything digital he does is purely because his granddaughters tell him to,” said a Democrat familiar with the dynamic.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/07/14/bidens-gen-z-translators-493580</ref><br />
<br />
Naomi Biden, the most prominent of the first grandchildren (at least on Twitter), is followed by 10 White House brown nosers, narrowly edging out Kamala Harris' [[nepotism|nepotic]] [[Fashion industry values|fashion industry]] niece [[Meena Harris]] with eight. Meena, however, got the crucial @WHCOS follow from chief-of-staff Ron Klain while Naomi did not.<br />
<br />
===Suppression of Youtube dislikes===<br />
[[File:Youtube-saves-biden.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Youtube manipulation of likes/dislikes on the Biden White House channel.<ref>https://81m.org/</ref>]]<br />
A website that tracks that tracks the YouTube page of the Biden White House confirmed that YouTube suppressed the dislikes on every single one of Joe Biden White House video. YouTube suppressed dislikes of Biden by as much as 600% on some videos.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/amazing-new-website-confirms-youtube-suppressing-dislikes-joe-biden-videos-much-600/</ref><br />
<br />
On March 16, 2021, video was released by ''[[The Hill]]'' showing Biden walking to Marine One but taking a moment to talk to members of the press.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.ph/69TmC|title="Tweet by The Hill."|date=March 16, 2021}}</ref> However, shortly after, it can be seen that President Biden's hand phases through the microphones able to be seen.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://youtu.be/nvgrp82qktU?t=11|title="Biden Fakes Interview, Green Screen Fails."|date=March 17, 2021}}</ref> Different angles show that President Biden was nowhere near these microphones, meaning there is no way this could be a matter of perspective.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://youtu.be/iffU54oIP9o?t=27|title="JOE BIDEN GREEN SCREEN EXPOSED?"|date=March 17, 2021}}</ref> No one in the mainstream media or White House has commented on this, and most likely they never will in order to save face for blatantly using green screen technology for some reason.<br />
<br />
When Biden addressed a group of alleged U.S. airmen at Mildenhall in the U.K. during the June 2021 G-7 summit, none of the apparently all-white audience of soldiers had nametags, ranks, or American flags on their sleeves, leaving many observers with the impression that the crowd of alleged servicemen were actors.<ref>https://welovetrump.com/2021/06/15/did-biden-just-speak-to-a-fake-audience-of-actor-soldiers/</ref><br />
<br />
===Nepotism===<br />
In a long [[profanity]]-laced Twitter thread, former Obama administration director of the Office of Government Ethics Walter Shaub lambasted the <br />
way the junta handed out jobs to “privileged white kids,” as a “f*****g failure.” The ''Washington Post'' reported that while Biden banned his son Hunter, his brother James, and his sister-in-law from working in the federal government, “that vow did not extend to his senior staff and their relatives. In the first few months of Biden’s presidency, at least five children of his top aides have secured coveted jobs....Beyond children, other relatives of top Biden aides also have secured high-level administration jobs or nominations.”<br />
<br />
Steve Ricchetti, Counselor to Joe Biden,<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/11/17/joe-biden-wants-washington-swamp-monster-steve-ricchetti-back-at-the-white-house/ Joe Biden Wants Washington Swamp Monster Steve Ricchetti Back at the White House]</ref> is the father of J.J. Ricchetti, Special Assistant in the Office of Legislative Affairs, Shannon Ricchetti, the Deputy Associate Director for the White House Social Secretary, and Daniel Ricchetti, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/06/14/the-ricchetti-administration-493243</ref> Steve Ricchetti is the brother of Jeff Ricchetti, who was paid $60,000 to lobby members of the National Security Council for [[General Motors]] in the first part of 2021 on “issues related to China.”<ref>https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/26/brother-of-top-biden-advisor-lobbied-executive-office-of-president-for-gm.html</ref> General Motors is a 49% partner with Chinese Communist Party entities who hold a 51% share in GM's China operations.<ref>https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/02/gm-officially-out-of-control-in-china/</ref><ref>https://archive.is/wip/0RqmI</ref><br />
<br />
===Influence peddling and money laundering===<br />
Former Obama administration director of the Office of Government Ethics Walter Shaub implied that those Democrats who hyperventilated about [[Ivanka Trump]] and [[Jared Kushner]] working as unpaid advisers should apply the same benchmark to the current White House occupant. “I’m sorry, I know some folks don’t like hearing any criticism of [Biden]. But this royally sucks. I’m disgusted. A lot of us worked hard to tee him up to restore ethics to government and believed the promises. This is a a real “f–k you” to us—and government ethics.”<ref>https://twitter.com/waltshaub/status/1405882687026520065</ref> <br />
[[File:Daddy is a war criminal.png|right|300px|thumb|Hunter Biden art gallery. A peaceful protester was assaulted by security before he could complete, "Daddy is a war criminal."<ref>https://youtu.be/u1w6-NNE9Iw</ref><ref>https://rodwebber.wordpress.com/2021/07/09/daddy-war-crimes-bidens-make-it-rain/</ref>]]<br />
Deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told the ''Washington Post'': “The president has instituted the highest ethical standards of anyone to ever hold this office. And he’s proud to have staffed the most diverse administration in American history with well-qualified public servants who reflect his values.” Shaub responded: “The White House’s defense that they had the minimum qualifications is total BS. The issue isn’t whether they were qualified (some weren’t). It’s that a WH that promised diversity is giving these [[white privilege|privileged white kids]] with connected mommies and daddies prime jobs over others!” Shaub wrote that “Even the f-ing head of presidential personnel, who is supposed to be keeping them honest, has a child who’s a recent college grad working in the administration. And the spouse of the White House chief of staff, for crying out loud. This is ridiculous. What a f—–g failure.”<br />
<br />
Shaub explained that he's harboring feelings of bitterness for stupidly backing Biden for president: "Do I sound bitter? HELL, YEAH, I’M BITTER! I’m the stupid moron who fell for his false promises. I wasn’t naive enough to think he’d be a transformative president. He told us he’d be plain vanilla. But I thought there was momentum behind his ethics promises. Boy was I stupid." Shaub claimed that Biden has watered down ethics rules that prohibited appointees from participating in matters with former clients to avoid [[conflict of interest|conflicts of interest]]: "The guidance also quietly said it doesn’t apply if a news channel paid you to appear on TV. You can work directly with them. But remember how mad we were when the Trump admin gave waivers to former [[Fox News]] personalities? Well, here we go again.<ref>https://t.co/QvGStfsU7h</ref><br />
<br />
Shaub commented on an alleged art exhibition to sell Hunter Biden's "art work" listed between $75,000 and $500,000 to anonymous buyers. "The notion of a president's son capitalizing on that relationship by selling art at obviously inflated prices and keeping the public in the dark about who's funneling money to him has a shameful and grifty feel to it."<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2021/06/22/obama-head-of-government-ethics-hunter-bidens-inflated-cost-of-art-has-seems-shameful-and-grifty-n2591346?</ref> Schaub commented, "So instead of disclosing who is paying outrageous sums for Hunter Biden’s artwork so that we could monitor whether the purchasers are gaining access to government, the WH tried to make sure we will never know who they are. ...The White House has put its stamp of approval on the president’s son profiting off his father’s public service again."<ref>https://therightscoop.com/amateur-hour-for-government-ethics-obama-ethics-chief-blasts-biden-wh-for-helping-hunter-profit-off-bidens-public-service-again/</ref> Writing in the ''Washington Post'', Schaub said that the arrangement was a “perfect mechanism for funneling bribes.”<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/07/13/obama-ethics-chief-on-hunter-bidens-art-scheme-perfect-mechanism-for-funneling-bribes-1103027/</ref><br />
<br />
Chief propagandist Jen Psaki described Hunter, who is 49 years old, as a “child” who has the right to pursue his new “profession,”<ref> https://townhall.com/columnists/katiepavlich/2021/07/23/hunter-bidens-art-profession-is-obviously-a-money-laundering-scheme-n2593031</ref> and admitted Hunter would meet with buyers after claiming the money transfers would be anonymous.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/white-house-now-admits-that-hunter-biden-will-get-to-meet-the-anonymous-purchasers-of-his-high-priced-artwork/</ref> George Berges Gallery offered for sale Biden's alleged art in [[Los Angeles]] and [[New York]]. Berges described Biden’s work as having “authenticity” that he “personally” loves. “A lot of the issues that are thrown at Hunter is what makes him produce really great work," Berges finished. Berges told Chinese state-owned media outlet ''China Daily'' in 2014 that, “The questions that I always had was how’s China changing the world in terms of art and culture.” Berges was reported to be "keen to open other art galleries in Beijing and Shanghai" in 2015.<ref>https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/former-police-chief-hunters-art-deal-sure-looks-like-a-money-laundering-scheme/</ref><br />
<br />
===Illegal actions===<br />
In June 2021, the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] ruled that the [[Center for Disease Control]] (CDC) “exceeded its existing statutory authority” by imposing an eviction moratorium and ordered the unconstitutional regime activity to cease by August 2021. In August 2021 Biden announced an extension of the “eviction moratorium” while admitting that the “bulk of constitutional scholars” would say the executive dercrees are “not likely to pass constitutional muster.”<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/08/06/bidens-unprecedented-attack-on-the-constitution/</ref> The illegal regime action supposedly grants the CDC the authority to seize rental properties of landlords.<ref>https://www.heritage.org/press/heritage-expert-eviction-moratorium-presidential-fiat-blatantly-violates-constitution-defies</ref> In this instance, the junta blatantly defied the Supreme Court.<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-08-04/biden-s-rebuff-to-supreme-court-on-eviction-ban-will-backfire</ref><br />
<br />
====High crimes====<br />
*[[open borders]]<br />
*human trafficing<ref>https://www.heritage.org/immigration/commentary/bidens-illegal-immigration-agenda-creates-another-child-smuggling-crisis</ref><br />
*abandoning Americans to terrorists<br />
*ignoring Supreme Court rulings<br />
*mistreatment of political prisoners and dissidents<br />
*[[Biden's vaccine mandate|involuntary vaccine experiments]]<br />
<br />
==Dark Winter==<br />
[[File:Biden junta January 20, 2021.jpg|right|350px|thumb|As the Biden Junta took power, the American people were excluded from what traditionally has been a public event.]]<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris domestic policy}}<br />
Biden promised a "Dark Winter" should he ever succeed at occupying the [[White House]].<ref>https://www.worldtribune.com/dark-winter-biden-set-to-usher-in-era-of-fear-lockdowns-high-taxes-and-strangling-regulations/</ref> Operation Dark Winter was the code name for a senior-level bio-terrorist attack simulation conducted on June 22–23, 2001.<ref>{{cite journal |last=O'Leary |first=N. P. M. |year=2005 |title=Bio-terrorism or Avian Influenza: California, The Model Review |journal=California Western Law Review Cumulative Index |publisher=California Western School of Law |volume=42 |issue=2 |pages=249–286 |issn=0008-1639}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Biological Weapons |last=Chauhan |first=Sharad S. |year=2004 |publisher=APH Publishing |isbn=978-81-7648-732-0 |pages=280–282 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The Long Emergency |last=Kunstler |first=James Howard |year=2006 |publisher=Grove Press |isbn=978-0-8021-4249-8 |pages=175–178 }}</ref> Despite Biden's [[far-Left]] positions, liberal media outlets including [[CNN]] previously attempted to portray Biden as "moderate".<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/17/politics/joe-biden-cabinet-staff-hires-moderates/index.html Surprise! Joe Biden is a moderate institutionalist!]. ''CNN''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> During Biden's alleged inaugural address, the White House [[YouTube]] feed had more than 5 times dislikes than likes. YouTube intervened to re-jigger the numbers.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/youtube-caught-red-handed-removing-dislikes-biden-white-house-page-anything-fool-proletariat/</ref><br />
<br />
The junta took power under the watchful eye of [[National Guard]]smen while the American people were excluded. The next day in the dead of winter, Democrats kicked the Guardsmen out of the [[U.S. Capitol]] building and the soldiers were ordered to sleep in an unheated parking garage,<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/01/21/national-guard-forced-to-evacuate-capitol-grounds-after-alleged-mask-complaint-by-democrat-congressman/</ref> without [[internet]] reception, with just one electrical outlet, and one bathroom having only two stalls for 5,000 troops.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/21/national-guard-troops-vacate-capitol-461220</ref> Under the [[Geneva Convention]], prisoners-of-war are mandated to be taken care of better than how the Biden regime treated U.S. military units as the junta assumed power their first night.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/01/22/nolte-geneva-conventions-forbid-forcing-soldiers-to-sleep-in-parking-garage/</ref> Meanwhile the junta spent $86 million to house illegal immigrants in hotels.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/03/22/jen-psaki-national-guard-parking-garage-illegal-immigrants-hotel-rooms/</ref> Over the protestations of majority Black D.C. citizens, the occupation forces remained in place for months. Democrat Congressional leaders ordered the construction of a Wall to keep the American people out.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/18/plan-erect-permanent-capitol-fence-lambasted/</ref> Guardsmen were fed raw stale meat with metal shavings and hospitalized.<ref>https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/national-guard-in-dc-hospitalized-substandard-food/65-f231f75f-2206-4403-9d19-645eef5f302e</ref> Congress than refused to reimburse the $500 million cost to deploy the Guard.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/watch-arizona-forensic-auditors-detail-the-highly-suspicious-findings-from-their-audit/</ref><br />
<br />
On its first day, the Biden junta killed 70,000 high-wage [[middle class]] and union jobs by canceling the [[Keystone Pipeline]],<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2021/01/22/pollak-biden-kills-up-to-70000-jobs-on-first-day-in-office-job/</ref> making America energy dependent on [[Vladimir Putin]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and the [[Venezuela]]n Marxist regime while making America's enemies richer.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/putins-puppet-joe-bidens-eo-blocking-keystone-pipeline-forces-us-imports-russia-venezuelan-marxist-regime-video/</ref><br />
<br />
Biden also embraces many far-Left thoughts like the abortion issue, immigration policies and his refusal to denounce terrorist [[Antifa]] and [[Black Lives Matter]] acts, which makes it impossible for him to unite the division. Very troublesome for Americans of faith was, his May, 2021 decision to omit God from the ''National Day of Prayer''. A first.<ref>Joe Biden Leaves God Out of the National Day of Prayer. National Review, May 10, 2021. https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/05/joe-biden-leaves-god-out-of-the-national-day-of-prayer/amp/</ref><br />
<br />
Among its other first acts was to politicize the nation's military, ordering a stand down and witch hunt to drive conservatives out of officer and enlisted ranks,<ref>https://www.revolver.news/2020/10/biden-loving-general-is-deploying-military-grade-information-warfare-against-trump-supporters/</ref> and renewing the Obama era weaponization of the intelligence apparatus against American citizens.<br />
<br />
Likewise, the day after the seizure of power, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' shut down its alleged "fact checking" operation.<ref>https://conservapedia.com/Fake_news#cite_note-2</ref><br />
<br />
By Memorial Day Weekend 2021, Biden continued stoking racial hatred between Americans, travelling to [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]] to commemorate a race riot that took the lives of 26 Blacks and 10 whites in 1921. One speaker at the ceremonies said,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Black people will kill everything white in sight,” because of “all what you’ve done to us, all of what you’re done in the 6,000 year span and killing 600 million of us and 408 years in particular. They are a race that’s trying to hold on to power, and a race has beginning and an ending and your ending time has been made up since 1914, no-good peckerwood. This is the time when [[Malcolm X|Malcolm]] talked about. He spoke about a [[united front]], and it was time to give these crackers hell.”<ref>https://rumble.com/vhv5qd-kill-everything-white-in-sight-national-black-power-convention.html</ref>}}<br />
Another revolutionary progressive told the crowd,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We’re pushing death to white supremacy, death to [[capitalism]], death to [[imperialism]], and death to fascism. We’re pushing an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a head for a head, and a life for a life.”<ref>https://freedomjournalist.com/black-people-will-kill-everything-white-in-sight-shocking-footage-from-tulsa/</ref>}}<br />
All this coming on the heels of widespread attacks on [[Jews]] by Leftists in the United States incited by prominent Democrats<ref>https://twitter.com/YosephHaddad/status/1398857525567623170</ref> and not condemned by the junta.<ref>https://rumble.com/vhnbrp-mark-levin-explodes-on-joe-biden-and-anti-semitic-leftists.html</ref> Biden’s only accomplishment! is said to be more Americans think the nation’s best days are in the past. According to an October 2021 Rasmussen poll of likely voters, more American adults (43%) “now say America’s best days are in the past,” while only 33 percent think the best is yet to come, a stunning shift from last November [2020] when 47 percent of likely voters believed better times are over the horizon”.<ref>https://lidblog.com/americas-best-days-pat/</ref><br />
[[File:2021 crime increases in Democrat cities.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
===Attack on civil liberties===<br />
<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris attack on civil liberties|Obamagate}}<br />
For five consecutive years the U.S. intelligence community has admitted to the FISA court they continually conduct illegal searches of U.S. citizen data under the Obama administration, using the NSA database, and they admit to illegally extracting information which is illegally shared with interests outside the intelligence community.<ref>https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-fbi-violated-privacy-rights-tens-thousands-americans</ref> Glenn Greenwald observed:<br />
[[File:Fisa-Mary-McCord-and-company-768x780.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Veterans of intelligence community scandals (clockwise from lower left): [[FISA_abuse_timeline#April_2021|Judge Boasberg]], [[Mary McCord (DOJ)]], [[Eric Ciaramella]], [[Alexander Vindman]], [[Michael Atkinson]], [[John Carlin]].]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Involvement of the [[intelligence community]] in the domestic activities of U.S. citizens is one of the most dangerous breaches of civil liberties and democratic order the U.S. Government can perpetrate. It was after [[World War II]] when the [[CIA]], the [[NSA]] and other security state agencies that wield immense and unlimited powers in the dark were created in the name of fighting the [[Cold War]]. Legal and institutional prohibitions on wielding that massive machinery against the American public were central to the always-dubious claim that this security behemoth that operates completely in the dark was compatible with [[democracy]]. As the [[ACLU]] noted, “in its 1947 charter, the CIA was prohibited from spying against Americans, in part because [[President Truman]] was afraid that the agency would engage in political abuse.”<ref>https://greenwald.substack.com/p/the-us-intelligence-community-flouting</ref>}}<br />
CNET reported the following back in 2008:<br />
{{Quotebox-float|“Months before the [[Oklahoma City bombing]] took place, Biden introduced another bill called the Omnibus Counterterrorism Act of 1995. It previewed the 2001 Patriot Act by allowing secret evidence to be used in prosecutions, expanding the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and wiretap laws, creating a new federal crime of ‘terrorism’ that could be invoked based on political beliefs, permitting the U.S. military to be used in civilian law enforcement, and allowing permanent detention of non-U.S. citizens without judicial review. The Center for National Security Studies said the bill would erode ‘constitutional and statutory due process protections’ and would ‘authorize the Justice Department to pick and choose crimes to investigate and prosecute based on political beliefs and associations.’<ref>https://www.thebigsmoke.com.au/2021/01/10/joe-biden-authored-the-patriot-act-now-hes-promised-new-domestic-terror-laws/</ref>}}<br />
Even ''Jacobin'' magazine noted, "The danger is real that the [[Capitol riot|January 6 Capitol attack]] will be used as an excuse to severely curtail our civil liberties."<ref>https://www.jacobinmag.com/2021/01/joe-biden-domestic-terrorism-bill-capitol-building</ref> Among the junta's first actions was to execute a warrant on former New York [[Mayor Rudy Guiliani]] who led challenges to the integrity of the 2020 presidential election.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2021/04/28/giuliani-pad-raided-by-feds-492636</ref> The [[ACLU]] argued that the Democrats' new Domestic Terrorism bill to target their political enemies would harm minority communities.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/02/24/new-domestic-terror-laws-will-harm-minority-communities-aclu-says-1034122/</ref> <br />
<br />
On June 28, 2021 it was discovered that the junta was illegally spying on [[Fox News]] host [[Tucker Carlson]] and had gathered personal information in an effort to [[leak]] the information to other media outlets in an attempt to destroy Carlson and get him off the air.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/watch-tucker-carlson-drops-bombshell-says-hes-confirmed-that-biden-is-spying-him/</ref> DC swamp creatures [[Andrew Weissmann]] and Frank Figluzzi went into damage control on the Deep State mouthpiece [[MSNBC]] to spin an alternate version justifying the Biden junta's felonious activity and violation of American citizens' constitutional rights.<ref>https://redstate.com/streiff/2021/07/08/robert-muellers-service-animal-andrew-weissmann-yaps-about-tucker-carlson-and-the-nsa-and-confirms-your-worst-thoughts-about-him-n408295</ref><br />
<br />
====Free speech====<br />
[[File:Youtube-saves-biden.jpg|left|350px|thumb|Youtube manipulation of likes/dislikes on the Biden White House channel.<ref>https://81m.org/</ref>]]<br />
Biden did not condemn Big Tech censoring and silencing President Trump's social media accounts or conservatives' pages. He also actively took part in censorship by banning comments on the White House YouTube channel after receiving an overwhelming backlash of dislikes.<ref>[https://www.herald.ng/biden-white-house-disables-youtube-comments-after-thousands-dislike-inauguration-video/ Biden White House Disables YouTube Comments After Thousands Dislike Inauguration Video]</ref> The junta [[DNI]] alleged constitutionally protected [[First Amendment]] [[free speech]] rights promote violence in a report entitled, ''Domestic Violent Extremism Poses Heightened Threat in 2021:''<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Newer sociopolitical developments—such as narratives of fraud in the recent general election, the emboldening impact of the violent breach of the [[US Capitol]], conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and conspiracy theories promoting violence—will almost certainly spur some DVEs [domestic violent extremists] to try to engage in violence this year."<ref>[https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/UnclassSummaryofDVEAssessment-17MAR21.pdf UnclassSummaryofDVEAssessment-17MAR21.pdf]</ref>}}<br />
The junta [[DOJ]] Anti-Trust Division was taken over quickly by [[Big Tech]] cronies and stooges.<ref>https://prospect.org/cabinet-watch/big-tech-critics-alarmed-at-direction-of-biden-antitrust-per/</ref> Junta wingman [[Merrick Garland]] appointed Susan Davies as head of the Anti-Trust Division. Davies spent much of the last decade working on behalf of major corporate mergers and conglomerates and defending [[Facebook]] from antitrust enforcement.<ref>https://prospect.org/cabinet-watch/merrick-garland-wants-former-facebook-lawyer-to-top-antitrust-division-susan-davies/</ref><br />
<br />
As polls showed trust in the [[mainstream media]] hitting all-time historic lows,<ref>https://www.mediaite.com/news/new-poll-media-trust-at-an-all-time-low-nearly-60-think-press-more-concerned-with-supporting-an-ideology-than-informing-public/</ref> [[Instagram]] programed accounts forcing them to follow Joe Biden.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/instagram-forcing-users-follow-biden-white-house-account-not-pathetic-even-users-repeatedly-un-follow-page/</ref> The [[White House]] official [[Youtube]] channel showed Biden's early speeches with more than 5 times thumbs down than positive responses.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5iCPKDp4V4&t=563s</ref> Research showed that 70% of all Biden [[Twitter]] followers were fake accounts.<ref>https://youtu.be/hb18k1Qdl-E</ref><br />
<br />
====Collusion with social media to suppress basic human rights====<br />
Chief propagandist Jen Psaki admitted the junta was working with Facebook to target individual users and suppress their [[First Amendment]] rights.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-white-house-admits-they-are-aiding-social-media-companies-with-censorship/</ref> The junta requested cell phone service providers to censor private text messages,<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/07/12/joe-biden-dnc-vaccine-misinformation-covid-19-coronavirus/</ref> Psaki articulated the regime's position that advocates banning social media users from all platforms if a user gets banned from one.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/yikes-white-house-spox-says-if-youre-banned-from-one-social-media-platform-you-should-be-banned-on-all-others-too/</ref> Psaki's articulation of Biden regime policy essentially makes Big Tech social media platforms "state actors."<ref>https://thehill.com/changing-america</ref> Journalist [[Glenn Greenwald]] tweeted,<br />
[[File:Soviet censorship.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Soviet era censorship poster: "Don't talk!"]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The Biden administration is telling Facebook which posts it regards as "problematic" so that Facebook can remove them. This is the union of corporate and state power -- one of the classic hallmarks of [[fascism]] -- that the people who spent 5 years babbling about fascism support. If you don't find it deeply disturbing that the White House is "flagging" internet content that they deem "problematic" to their Facebook allies for removal, then you are definitionally an [[authoritarian]]. No other information is needed about you to know that."<ref>https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/joe-biden-administration-announcement-government-to-instruct-what-problematic-content-should-be-removed-from-the-internet/</ref>}}<br />
Psaki articulated from the White House briefing room the Biden regime's [[collusion]] with private corporations to violate Americans' [[First Amendment]] rights: <br />
{{quotebox-float|"We are in regular touch with these social media platforms, and those engagements typically happen through members of our senior staff....We’ve increased disinformation research and tracking within the Surgeon General’s office. We’re flagging problematic posts for Facebook that spread disinformation....it’s important to take faster action against harmful posts. As you all know, information travels quite quickly on social media platforms; sometimes it’s not accurate. And Facebook needs to move more quickly to remove harmful, violative posts — posts that will be within their policies for removal often remain up for days. That’s too long. The information spreads too quickly.<br />
<br />
Finally, we have proposed they promote quality information sources in their feed algorithm. Facebook has repeatedly shown that they have the levers to promote quality information. We’ve seen them effectively do this in their algorithm over low-quality information and they’ve chosen not to use it in this case. And that’s certainly an area that would have an impact.<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/07/15/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-surgeon-general-dr-vivek-h-murthy-july-15-2021/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Social media and law enforcement====<br />
:{{See also|Political profiling}}<br />
The Biden FBI asked Americans to report family members for "suspicious behaviors”, sparking a response of shock and dismay. Rep. [[Dan Bishop]] (R-Texas) wrote: “These people protected [[Hillary]], abused NSA surveillance databases against Americans, used known, unreliable DNC-funded propaganda to spy on Trump, perpetuated the Russia hoax, & lied to the [[FISC]] repeatedly. And now they tell you that you should spy on your family.”<ref>https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:OFs5QYwMNFEJ:https://www.theepochtimes.com/fbi-criticized-for-tweet-telling-americans-to-report-family-members-and-peers_3897655.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us</ref> The junta requested cell phone service providers to censor private text messages,<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/07/12/joe-biden-dnc-vaccine-misinformation-covid-19-coronavirus/</ref> and sent out activists door-to-door to harass citizens in their homes, and inspect for compliance with regime diktats.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/media/michele-bachmann-warns-of-the-dangers-of-bidens-door-to-door-vaccination-push</ref><br />
<br />
The Biden junta is working with social media platforms such as Facebook to identify white male conservatives as "domestic extremists". The social media platforms assess postings that they consider to be as being "anti-government", "anti-authority", or "white supremacist" and pass along their assessment to the FBI or Homeland Security. The Joint Terrorism Task Force takes their private sector partner's assessment at face value. Any criticism of the junta can be interpreted as "extreme". This program is modeled after the [[Patriot Act]] efforts to combat Islamic extremism with the slogan, "If you see something, say something," only now targeting American citizens, particularly white male conservatives.<ref>https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/bidens-domestic-terrorism-strategy-is-the-patriot-act-on-steroids/</ref> All the resources of the [[Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]] are now being employed, not just against the Trump campaign, the Trump administration, or President Trump, but against Trump voters and supporters.<br />
<br />
====Detention and harassment of political opponents====<br />
:{{See also|Obama/Biden FISA abuse|Police state}}<br />
[[File:Lois-mcnicoll-doors-held-.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Capitol Police (red arrow) hold the door open for a 69 year old peaceful protester.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/fbi-arrests-69-year-old-la-woman-entering-us-capitol-without-lawful-authority-post-photo-case-packet-capitol-police-holding-door/</ref> Six months later the Biden Junta arrested the woman in a nationwide dragnet for alleged "white supremacists".<ref>https://redstate.com/shipwreckedcrew/2021/06/28/the-emerging-reality-is-the-biden-justice-department-will-charge-everyone-it-can-identify-for-capitol-protests-n403137</ref>]]<br />
Weeks after the seizure of power, Garland and Biden lifted President Trump's ban on harassment of political opponents and executed a [[warrant]] on former New York [[Mayor Rudy Giuliani]] to seize electronic devices with names and cell phone number's of all Giuliani's contacts.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2021/04/28/giuliani-pad-raided-by-feds-492636</ref> Giuliani led the challenges to [[Democrat election fraud]] after the [[2020 presidential election]].<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/04/28/feds-raid-rudy-giuliani-apartment-seize-electronic-devices-its-the-corrupt-doj-fara951-angle-all-over-again/</ref> Additionally, Giuliani had in his possession damning evidence related to the [[Biden family corruption]] scandals.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/hunter-biden-s-legal-work-romania-raises-new-questions-about-n1071031</ref> The seizure of Giuliani's electronic devices with cell phone numbers and email contacts opened the door for further [[Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Act#702_queries_.28Title_VII.29|FISA 702 abuse]]. Two weeks before the seizure it was discovered Mary McCord (DOJ), who succeeded John Carlin as head of the [[DOJ-NSD]] during the corrupt Obama administration and submitted the [[fraud]]ulent [[Carter Page]] FISA warrant to the FISA Court, was hired by FISA Court chief judge James Boasberg as ''[[Amicus Curiae]]''.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/04/28/its-official-the-fisa-court-is-compromised-presiding-judge-james-boasberg-hires-former-doj-nsd-head-mary-mccord-as-amici-curiae-to-advise-the-court/</ref><ref>https://archive.is/OBsBU</ref><br />
<br />
Two days prior to the seizure of Giuliani's electronic devices, it was reported that the [[FISA Court]] determined Obama era [[FISA abuse]] was ongoing.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/04/26/declassified-fisa-court-opinion-for-2020-shows-even-more-warrantless-fbi-abuses-of-nsa-database-including-search-queries-for-government-officials-and-victims/</ref> [[Edward Snowden]] described in detail how Obama FISA abuse worked to illegally surveil political opponents, elected officials, and judges for [[blackmail]] purposes and to interfere in elections.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/media/edward-snowden-obama-surveillance-worse</ref> The home of [[Victoria Toensing]] was also raided.<ref>https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/breaking-feds-execute-search-warrant-at-rudy-giulianis-apartment-developing/</ref> Toensing, the wife of former D.C. US Attorney [[Joe diGenova]], represented [[Dmytro Firtash]] and also [[whistleblower]] William J. Campbell in the [[Uranium One bribery scandal]].<br />
<br />
Biden portrayed himself as a uniter of Republicans and Democrats. In contradiction to what he says, Biden has very little [[tolerance]] for people who oppose him. He called Trump supporters "Chumps",<ref>[https://nypost.com/2020/10/24/biden-rips-trump-supporters-as-chumps-at-pa-drive-in-rally/ Biden calls Trump supporters ‘chumps’ at Pennsylvania drive-in rally]</ref> "ugly folks",<ref>[https://www.westernjournal.com/biden-snaps-calls-minnesota-trump-supporters-ugly-folks/ Biden Snaps, Calls Minnesota Trump Supporters 'Ugly Folks'</ref> "racists",<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/nov/17/biden-wants-end-to-demonization-but-wheres-his-apo/ Biden wants end to 'demonization,' but where's his apology for calling Trump and supporters racists?]</ref> "virulent people" and "dregs of society".<ref>[https://www.dailywire.com/news/joe-biden-calls-trump-supporters-dregs-society-joseph-curl Joe Biden Calls Trump Supporters ‘Virulent People,’ The ‘Dregs Of Society’]</ref> He called Republicans senators [[Ted Cruz]] and [[Josh Hawley]] "Nazis".<ref>[https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2021/01/08/biden-likens-ted-cruz-to-nazi-propagandist-goebbels-for-helping-trump-spread-big-lie-about-election-fraud/ Joe Biden likens Ted Cruz to Nazi propagandist Goebbels for helping Trump spread ‘big lie’ about election fraud]</ref> Deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillon called Republican Senators "a bunch of f*****".<ref>https://www.glamour.com/story/glennon-doyle-and-jen-omalley-dillon-interview</ref> [[Peter Strzok]]'s old boss, Frank Figliuzzi, called for the arrest and detention of Republican congressmen.<ref>https://twitchy.com/sarahd-313035/2021/06/09/ex-fbi-bigwig-frank-figliuzzi-says-tackling-domestic-terrorism-may-require-us-to-attack-and-dismantle-people-sitting-in-congress-right-now-video/</ref><br />
<br />
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov informed the world that Russia is monitoring the illegal detention and [[human rights]] violations committed against nearly 450 dissidents who were arrested by the junta after they were invited into the [[United States Capitol building]] by [[U.S. Capitol Police]] on January 6, 2021.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/05/russian-fm-lavrov-speaks-unconstitutional-persecution-jan-6-protesters-held-isolation-us-govt-something-timid-gop-leaders-refuse/</ref><ref>https://tass.com/politics/1296151</ref> Widespread human rights violations against the peaceful protesters by the junta have been reported,<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/michelle-malkin/michelle-malkin-shut-down-jan-6-gulag</ref> including vicious and savage beatings by guards on protesters arrested for trespass and held in solitary confinement.<ref>https://lawandcrime.com/u-s-capitol-siege/proud-boy-ethan-nordean-says-he-should-stay-out-of-jail-because-guards-are-beating-capitol-siege-defendants/</ref> Sens. [[Elizabeth Warren]], [[Dick Durbin]]<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/sen-warren-speaks-out-on-treatment-of-jan-6-capitol-breach-detainees-in-isolation_3790149.html</ref>, [[Bob Casey]] and the [[ACLU]] spoke out about the junta's cruel and unusual treatment of the dissidents.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/aclu-capitol-rioters-in-solitary-confinement</ref> <br />
One dissident had his hands zip-tied first and was beaten by a D.C. jail officer. The victim was hospitalized with a shattered orbital floor, a broken eye socket, broken jaw, and broken nose. He may have a permanent loss of vision in his right eye.<ref>https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/dc-corrections-officer-savagely-beat-capitol-riot-suspect-attorney-says-ryan-samsel/65-ee38f382-4686-4dd6-9486-5db67c5bc794</ref><br />
<br />
The junta attempted to paint with a broad brush anyone who supported President Trump as part of a grand [[conspiracy]]. The Biden DOJ attempted to coerce plea agreements from people who were employed with no criminal history, stable family and community relations, and arrested for trespass by asking the courts to deny bail because the junta needed time to investigate some vast conspiracy.<ref> [https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/03/the_january_6_prosecutions_hit_a_speed_bump.html the_january_6_prosecutions_hit_a_speed_bump]</ref> Many prisoners were held in isolation 23 hours a day. WUSA TV reported one peaceful protester was savagely beaten in custody, suffering a shattered eye socket, his jaw and nose broken, and may never see again.<ref>https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/dc-corrections-officer-savagely-beat-capitol-riot-suspect-attorney-says-ryan-samsel/65-ee38f382-4686-4dd6-9486-5db67c5bc794</ref><br />
<br />
On August 27, 2021, [[Look Ahead America]] (LAA) and Citizens Against Political Persecution (CAPP) presented a joint letter to the United Nations Human Rights Committee to investigate and demand relief for the Biden junta’s January 6 political prisoners.<ref>https://14oqrc3mu9t3duv5t3o92h75-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/LAA_UNHCR_A.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
====Misuse of FBI to target journalists and political opponents====<br />
In November 2021 the FBI raided the founder of [[Project Veritas]], [[James O'Keefe]]'s home looking for First Daughter [[Ashley Biden]]'s diary. In the diary, Ashley Biden discusses having taken inappropriate showers with her father and becoming sexualized as a small child.<br />
<br />
=====War on Parents=====<br />
{{See also|War on parents|}}<br />
There are 13 federal statutes the Biden regime domestic terrorism task force uses to intimidate and silence parents from speaking out at local school board meetings to protest Marxist indoctrination, critical race theory, gender indoctrination, mask mandates, and the rape of their children and subsequent cover-up.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/10/13/dad-arrested-at-school-board-meeting-rips-ag-merrick-garland/</ref> These statutes include mail threats, cyberstalking, anonymous telecommunications harassment, repeated phone calls, repeated harassing communication, false information and hoaxes, depriving a person of their civil rights and other statutes related to interstate extortion, injury to property, person, or reputation, kidnapping, and interference with a federally protected activity.<ref>https://www.ktvh.com/news/helena-news/u-s-acting-attorney-for-montana-sends-letters-of-statues-to-state-law-enforcement</ref><br />
<br />
=====DOJ/White House/NSBA collusion=====<br />
Parents Defending Education, an advocacy organization, obtained emails through the [[Freedom of Information Act]] showing that National School Board Association (NSBA) and officials were in contact with [[White House]] staffers before the NSBA sent a letter to [[Biden]] requesting that federal [[law enforcement]] officials address unruly behavior, including threats, directed toward public education officials. One email explains that White House staffers “requested additional information on some of the specific threats.”<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/10/21/nsba-biden-white-house-letter-domestic-terrorists/</ref> Garland told the House Judiciary Committee under oath that the NSBA’s letter was the pretext for his instructions to [[Department of Justice-National Security Division]], US Attorney's, and [[FBI]] five days later.<br />
<br />
The NSBA retracted its letter two weeks later, however Garland refused to retract his instructions to federal prosecutors and investigators.<br />
<br />
=====Loudoun County transgender rape case=====<br />
[[File:Loudon-County-1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Parrent arrested at Loudoun County, Virginia school board meeting after his daughter was raped in a [[public school]] transgender bathroom.]]<br />
[[Scott Smith]], a parent, was at a [[Loudoun County, Virginia]] school board meeting on June 22, 2021 because his daughter had been [[rape]]d by a [[transgender]] boy in the girls’ bathroom on May 28, 2021 at Stone Bridge High School.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/loudoun-county-father-school-cover-up-bathroom-assault-daughter</ref> The school told Smith his daughter had been assaulted but didn't call police. Smith reported the assault to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) and rape kit evidence collected. Prior to the June 22 meeting, When Smith showed up at the school to complain about what had happened, they accused him of lying and called the police.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/10/12/loudoun-county-virginia-school-board-covered-up-student-rape-and-had-father-of-victim-arrested-to-keep-him-quiet-national-school-board-association-then-labeled-the-father-a-domestic-terrorist</ref><br />
<br />
Moments before Smith’s arrest Superintendent Scott Ziegler of the county’s schools “said the school hadn’t had any incidents involving a transgender student in bathrooms and declared that ‘the predator transgender student or person simply does not exist.'” <ref>https://nypost.com/2021/10/13/parents-demand-superintendent-be-fired-for-alleged-sex-assault-cover-up/</ref> An [[Antifa]] activist at the meeting claimed his daughter was lying. When an argument ensued, police grabbed his arm. When he pulled his arm away, he was assaulted and thrown to the ground, handcuffed, and removed from the room.<ref>https://uncoverdc.com/2021/10/14/family-of-young-rape-victim-files-lawsuit-against-loudoun-county-schools/</ref> A damning email proved the board had been informed of the rape on the day the rape occurred.<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/loudoun-school-board-was-informed-of-alleged-sexual-assault-the-day-it-happened-report</ref><br />
<br />
And while the [[far-left]] prosecutor’s office, which would eventually try to throw the book at Smith over his arrest at the school board meeting, insisted they were taking the rape case seriously, the same boy was transferred to another school in the district. On October 6, 2021, the same boy was alleged to have committed another rape. A sheriff's office press release stated, "A teenager from Ashburn has been charged with sexual battery and abduction of a fellow student at Broad Run High School."<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10083783/Loudoun-County-father-arrested-school-meeting-says-daughter-raped-boy-girls-bathroom.html</ref><br />
<br />
The National School Board Association (NSBA) sent a letter to Joe Biden complaining about parents speaking out at school board meetings. The letter specifically cited the June 22, 2021 Loudoun County, Virginia incident as an example.<ref>https://nsba.org/-/media/NSBA/File/nsba-letter-to-president-biden-concerning-threats-to-public-schools-and-school-board-members-92921.pdf</ref> The NSBA letter states that parents’ protests and speeches at school board meetings “could be equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism.” Biden handed the letter to Garland. Garland issued a memo directing the FBI and numerous other federal and state agencies to take “measures designed to address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel,” a clear example of the politicization of the [[Department of Justice]]. A liberal advocacy group sent the Office of the President a letter; Merrick Garland dutifully turned that letter into DOJ policy.<br />
<br />
Smith’s case was used in [[Merrick Garland]]'s October 2021 memo warning of “domestic terrorism” at school board meetings.<ref>https://redstate.com/bonchie/2021/10/11/horror-in-loudoun-county-implicates-local-and-federal-officials-n455371</ref> The memo's intent is to intimidate parents to not speak out at school board meetings against [[critical race theory]].<br />
<br />
=====Mar-a-Lago raid=====<br />
{{See also|Two-tier system}}<br />
[[File:Bruce E. Reinhart.png|right|300px|thumb|U.S. Federal Magistrate Bruce E. Reinhart signed the Mar-a-Lago raid warrant.]]<br />
FBI internal regulations bar the FBI from making any political indictments or public disclosures 90 days prior to a general election. Monday August 8, 2022, a day that will live in infamy, occurred 91 days prior to the [[2022 Midterm elections]]. On that day, the Wray FBI raided [[President Donald Trump]]'s home and seized boxes of materials.<ref>https://technofog.substack.com/p/the-fbi-has-raided-president-trumps?utm_source=email</ref> Trump was said to be in possession of certain documents with dirt on the Deep State.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/08/11/part-4-what-was-in-the-trump-documents-creating-such-fear-in-doj-and-fbi/</ref> The warrant, signed by an associate of [[Jeffrey Epstein]],<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/judge-who-signed-mar-lago-search-warrant-exposed-associate-jeffrey-epstein</ref> authorized the seizure of "Any government and/or presidential record created between January 20, 2017 and January 20, 2021."<ref>https://technofog.substack.com/p/here-is-the-trump-search-warrant</ref> President Trump, who has for many years been the target of corrupt FBI activities, suggested one purpose of the raid was to plant evidence.<ref>https://bombardsbodylanguage.com/2022/08/11/body-language-fbi-wray-trump-raid-evidence-concerns/</ref> FBI and DOJ operatives overstepped the [[separation of powers]] the following day by seizing Rep. [[Scott Perry]]'s phone.<ref>https://justthenews.com/government/congress/breaking-rep-scott-perry-says-fbi-seized-his-phone-one-day-after-mar-o-lago</ref> <br />
<br />
A ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' oped noted:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Monday was a sad day for our [[democracy]] and a dark day for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The search of Donald Trump’s [[Florida]] residence was a politically sensitive operation that would have tested the FBI’s reputation for fairness and impartiality in the best of circumstances. But the bureau’s behavior since Mr. Trump came onto the political scene has already left its reputation in tatters."<ref>https://archive.ph/0KnMv</ref>}}<br />
President Trump held evidence of a politically weaponized U.S. intelligence and justice system. To include an extensive paper trail showing how the DC apparatus under the [[Obama]]-era intelligence system, [[Dept. of Homeland Security]] (DHS), [[Office of the Director of National Intelligence]] (ODNI), Dept. of Justice (DOJ) and FBI coordinated with the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign to install her into office.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/08/12/mar-a-lago-search-warrant-unsealed-the-most-urgent-critical-national-security-issue-in-the-history-of-all-time-had-14-days-to-execute/</ref><br />
<br />
=====FBI/Pfizer collusion=====<br />
<br />
According to a Freedom of Information request response issued by the Department of Justice, it appears there are indeed communications between [[Pfizer]] and the FBI about ''Project Veritas''. The request for communications, filed by [[Judicial Watch]], was acknowledged but denied by the DOJ which cited an exemption over law enforcement proceedings. “The FBI has completed its search for records responsive to your request. The material you requested is located in an investigative file which is exempt from disclosure[.]” <br />
<br />
Project Veritas previously published videos of a Pfizer scientist discussing the strength of natural COVID-19 antibodies versus the vaccine with an undercover reporter. Then in October 2021, Project Veritas obtained internal company documents from a whistleblower which showed admissions from Pfizer management that aborted fetal cell lines were used in the company’s vaccine program, but that employees should just stick with Pfizer’s narrative omitting any mention of aborted fetal cell lines.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/analysis/2022/01/18/doj-documents-obtained-by-judicial-watch-confirm-existence-of-communications-between-fbi-pfizer-about-project-veritas/</ref><br />
<br />
=====Rep. Henry Cuellar=====<br />
<br />
Democrat Rep. [[Henry Cuellar]] represents Texas’ 28th Congressional District, which extends to the U.S.- Mexico border, had been very public and critical of how Joe Biden collapsed the U.S-Mexico border enforcement.<ref>https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/biden-pushes-back-against-border-crisis-label-as-democrats-concede-theres-a-major-problem</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/-k-hOmBxtBI</ref> Cuellar's home and campaign office were the subject of an FBI raid on January 20, 2022.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/01/20/prominent-democrat-publicly-critical-of-joe-biden-border-policy-gets-a-visit-from-fbi-jackboots/</ref><br />
<br />
====No Congressional oversight of intel community====<br />
:{{See also|Deep State}}<br />
Chief Procurator Merrick Garland announced they will not permit any investigation of members of the intel committee for leaks (ie. compromises in national security). “Garland on Monday also met with news media executives about restricting the ability of leak hunters...A ''New York Times'' lawyer called the meeting positive.”<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/justice-dept-will-toughen-rules-for-seizing-lawmakers-data-garland-says/ar-AAL2wB2?li=BBnb7Kz</ref> Rep. [[Adam Schiff]] ([[HPSCI]]) and Sen. [[Mark Warner]] ([[SSCI]]) have facilitated [[intelligence community]] corruption and abuses with illegal [[leak]]s. As a result “leak hunters” in the DOJ are forbidden from exposing the corrupt legislative coordination. The [[legislative branch]] (intel committees), judicial branch ([[FISA court]] and federal courts) and executive branch (FBI, [[DOJ-NSD]], DNI, DIA, CIA etc) work together to continue allowing the intelligence apparatus to avoid any oversight.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/06/16/the-tucker-carlson-solution-to-deal-with-a-corrupt-intelligence-apparatus-and-fbi-will-not-work-heres-why/</ref><br />
<br />
====War on the Christian church====<br />
An IRS official denied tax-exempt status to a Texas group that encourages church members to pray for state and national leaders regardless of their party affiliation because it benefits “the private interests of the [Republican] Party.” According to the ''Epoch Times'' the official wrote,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“You do not qualify as an organization described in IRS Section 501(c)(3). You engage in prohibited political campaign intervention,” wrote Stephen A. Martin, Director of the IRS Office of Exempt Organizations Rulings and Agreements in a May 18 [2021] letter (pdf)<ref>https://firstliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christians-Engaged-IRS-Determination-Letter_Redacted.pdf</ref> to Christians Engaged, the Garland, Texas-based prayer group recognized by Texas officials as tax-exempt.<br />
<br />
“You are also not operated exclusively for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 50l (c)(3), because you operate for a substantial non-exempt private purpose and for the private interests of the [Republican]<ref>The “D party” is a reference to the Republican Party, according to a novel “Legend” Martin provided at the top of his letter to the Texas Group. See original pdf.</ref> party,” Martin said. [...]<br />
<br />
Martin also noted that the group’s activities “educate believers on national issues that are central to their belief in the [[Bible]] as the inerrant [[Word of God]],” Martin explained.<br />
<br />
“Specifically, you educate Christians on what the Bible says in areas where they can be instrumental, including the areas of sanctity of life, the definition of marriage, biblical justice, freedom of speech, defense, and borders and immigration, U.S. and Israel relations,” he said.<br />
<br />
“'''The Bible teachings are typically affiliated with the [Republican] party and candidates.''' [Bolden added] This disqualifies you from exemption under lRS Section 50I(c)(3),” he said.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/irs-denies-tax-exemption-to-texas-religious-group-because-prayer-bible-reading-boost-the-republican-party_3861757.html</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Targetting QAnon followers====<br />
Many Trump supporters were baited and duped by a [[Deep State]] misinformation campaign known as [[QAnon]]. The junta DOJ then in June 2021 issued a terrorist assessment:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“The FBI has warned lawmakers in Washington that QAnon followers may move from being “digital soldiers” to engaging in “real world violence.<br><br />
We assess that some [domestic violent extremist] adherents of QAnon likely will begin to believe they can no longer ‘trust the plan’ referenced in QAnon posts and that they have an obligation to change from serving as ‘digital soldiers’ towards engaging in real world violence—including harming perceived members of the “cabal” such as Democrats and other political opposition—instead of continually awaiting Q’s promised actions which have not occurred.”<ref>https://www.vice.com/en/article/88n8yk/the-fbis-new-qanon-report-is-scary-as-hell?utm_source=vicenewstwitter</ref>}}<br />
====1/6 Capitol protests====<br />
:{{See also|1/6 insurrection hoax}}<br />
The federal government had undercover agents or confidential informants embedded in several groups during the January 6, 2021 Capitol protests. A study by ''Revolver News'' of unindicted co-conspirators listed throughout the various charging documents found the unindicted co-conspirators appear to be much more aggressive and egregious participants in the so-called Capitol riot “conspiracy”.<ref>https://www.revolver.news/2021/06/federal-foreknowledge-jan-6-unindicted-co-conspirators-raise-disturbing-questions/</ref> Most of these unindicted co-conspirators are associated with the three alleged "militia groups" targeted by the federal government, [[Oath Keepers]], the [[Proud Boys]], and the Three Percenters.<br />
[[File:JTTF.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Home video surveillance of the Joint Terrorism Task Force attempted recruitment of an American citizen on December 9, 2020 based upon a [[Facebook]] posting.<ref>https://freedomjournalist.com/fbi-dhs-attempted-to-recruit-military-to-infiltrate-rioters-before-jan-6/</ref>]]<br />
Thomas Caldwell is a 65-year-old from Virginia and an alleged member of the Oath Keepers, which the DOJ refers to as a “paramilitary” or “militia” group. A careful read of the indictment against Caldwell reveals that a certain “Person Two” was a key co-conspirator alongside Caldwell in nearly every dimension relevant to the charges in question. Person Two planned logistics with Caldwell days in advance of 1/6, stayed in the same hotel room for days together, and when Caldwell allegedly “stormed the barricades” into restricted areas outside the U.S. Capitol, Person Two is alleged to have “stormed the barricades” right beside him. In arguing defendant Caldwell should be denied bail, the DOJ cites Caldwell’s “leadership role in planning the events of January 6” as including “finding lodging” for Person Three. They even explicitly refer to Person Three as “a third co-conspirator.” “Person Three” reserved and paid for various Oath Keeper hotel rooms. Indeed, the curious lack of indictments filed against the entire gamut of Persons referenced as playing leadership roles within the Oath Keepers on 1/6 raises red flags. This includes: Person 2, Person 3, Person 10, Person 14, Person 15, Person 16, Person 19 and Person 20, along with many co-conspirators listed only as “an individual.”<br />
<br />
Among such individuals is the alleged administrator of the “Stop the Steal J6” Zello channel.<ref>The Zello channel in question was populated by patriot/militia personalities who were variously monitoring and participating in 1/6 activities in real-time. Zello is an app that allows for walkie-talkie functionality on a cell phone. Because phones signals were “jammed” by law enforcement in the Capitol area, Zello’s walkie-talkie function was useful (and pre-planned) to stay in communication.</ref> The DOJ point-blank says this Zello channel administrator “directed the group” as it was carrying out the alleged Capitol attack. If the group is carrying out a conspiracy as the defendants are charged with, this Zello channel administrator is directing the conspiracy in real-time. Yet the Zello administrator was not charged.<br />
<br />
It appears that the individual who set up the Proud Boys’ communications infrastructure is being protected by the DOJ. The DOJ refers to this person only as “UCC-1” (UCC meaning an explicitly spelled out “unindicted co-conspirator”). UCC-1, as well as two additional unindicted co-conspirators referred to only as “Person-One” and “Person-Two” in the Proud Boys indictment, were all in Proud Boys “upper tier leadership,” and appear to have been the most prolific planners and incendiary advocates of “insurrection” in the run-up to and on the day of 1/6. The DOJ cites statements made almost exclusively by unindicted co-conspirators as statements that “revealed a plan to storm the Capitol and to let the crowd loose.” <br />
<br />
In December 2020 a former Green Beret and Republican congressional candidate was contacted by the [[Department of Homeland Security]] (DHS) and FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). The Green Beret released video surveillance of the FBI contacting him at his home and an audio recording made at a local restaurant of his actual meeting with the FBI. Federal agents attempted to recruit him to spy on patriots and everyday Americans. The lead was provided directly to the FBI by Facebaook.<ref>https://freedomjournalist.com/fbi-dhs-attempted-to-recruit-military-to-infiltrate-rioters-before-jan-6/</ref><br />
<br />
====Illegal spying====<br />
[[File:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Biden quoted [[Joseph Stalin]], "It's not about who gets to vote, it’s about who gets to count the vote."<ref>https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2021/12/stalin_and_biden_agree_who_gets_to_count_the_votes_matters_more_than_who_gets_to_vote.html</ref>]]<br />
The Biden junta illegally spied on Fox News host [[Tucker Carlson]];<ref>https://www.axios.com/tucker-carlson-putin-interview-surveillance-c9952d7c-33d7-45e9-be68-2ba4c3817f98.html</ref> in 1974 President [[Richard Nixon]] resigned the presidency over a botched effort by underlings to spy on domestic political opponents.<br />
<br />
====Election integrity====<br />
<br />
The junta is adamantly opposed to securing the integrity of all future elections. Polls show 77% of voters support election integrity laws like [[voter ID]], which Biden labeled "Jim Crow in the 21st century."<ref>https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/polling/poll-over-three-quarters-voters-believe-americans-should-have-show-id-cast</ref> Biden instructed all elements of the U.S. government and private sector to defend him against sunlight. The Biden regime prepared to initiate hostile actions against the American electorate to protect the fraudulent results of the 2020 election. The U.S. Department of Justice was activated along with the Federal Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Intelligence Community and elements of the U.S. Department of Defense. In addition, the Democrat National Committee,<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/12/biden-covid-vaccination-campaign-499278</ref> the [[Lawfare group|Lawfare alliance]], activist groups, the U.S. media and Big Tech social media platform control agents were enlisted. Big Tech oligarchs, aligned with the interests of the Chinese Communist Party, also provided hundreds-of-millions in defense of their own interests which are tied directly to the Biden junta. D.C. politicians under the control of [[multinational corporation]]s were instructed to push the “domestic extremist” narrative. Any organized and articulate sources outside the mainstream fake news media the regime considers subversive. Approximately 100 million American voters are considered dissidents.<br />
<br />
Evidence of election fraud was labeled “domestic extremism”,<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/17/politics/domestic-violent-extremism-threat-assessment/index.html</ref> and any entity that aligned with the objective to review or audit any election outcome was targeted as an enemy of the installed regime. <ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/07/14/house-democrats-launch-investigation-into-maricopa-county-audit/</ref><br />
<br />
Democrats claim that Black people cannot find the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain a state-issue ID or a driver's license.<ref>https://twitter.com/OdinAwakens/status/1363130349413298177</ref><br />
<br />
On December 14, 2021, at a meeting of DNC operatives, Biden quoted [[Soviet]] [[dictator]] [[Joseph Stalin]], "It's not about who gets to vote, it’s about who gets to count the vote."<ref>https://100percentfedup.com/joe-biden-tells-room-filled-with-democrats-its-about-who-gets-to-count-the-vote-video/</ref><ref>https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/12/16/howie-carr-joe-biden-is-off-his-rocker-or-should-be-in-one/</ref><br />
<br />
===Healthcare===<br />
[[File:Fauci.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Fauci: "I am the way, the truth, and the life."<ref>https://youtu.be/VtkE0O7qP14</ref>]]<br />
:{{See also|CCP pandemic|Death panels|COVID OSHA rules}}<br />
In June 2021 it was revealed that Dr. [[Anthony Fauci]] approved a grant for [[gain of function]] research to the [[Wuhan Institute of Virology]] (WIV). The grant was not approved by a mandatory oversight board.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/hhs-board-never-approved-wuhan-institute-of-virology-research-grant/</ref> Fauci was informed on February 1, 2020 that the covid virus was manufactured in the WIV laboratory. Fauci did not inform the president of the United States, nor anyone in the [[Department of Health and Human Services]] or the [[Center for Disease Control]].<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2021/06/03/fauci-email-dump-illustrates-a-dismissive-physician-who-rose-to-fame-to-cover-his-own-scandal/</ref> Fauci instead huddled with a group of virologists who receive grant money from Fauci and work outside government, who then on turn wrote papers and issued public statements saying the virus did not originate in a lab.<ref> https://thefederalist.com/2021/07/14/dr-faucis-emails-tell-the-story-of-panic-lies-and-a-possible-cover-up/</ref> Despite the public's loss of confidence in Fauci at precisely the moment the [[Delta variant]] of the coronavirus became a concern,<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/how-americans-opinion-dr-anthony-fauci-has-changed-over-past-year-1596690</ref> Biden never asked for Fauci's resignation.<br />
<br />
In January 2021 Biden nominated Dr. [[Rachel Levine]], a [[gender confusion|gender-confused]] male, as Assistant Health Secretary.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/biden-taps-transgender-to-be-assistant-health-secretary-and-hes-very-controversial/</ref> Levine defended the [[genocidal]] "boomer remover" policy of Gov. [[Andrew Cuomo]] to exterminate elderly nursing home patients with the coronavirus.<ref>https://thepostmillennial.com/bidens-hhs-pick-covid-patients-nursing-homes</ref> In confirmation hearings, Levine was unable to answer if gender transitioning of children below the age of consent was genital mutilation.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/02/25/asst-hhs-sec-refuses-to-answer-about-child-gender-reassignment/</ref><br />
<br />
====Coronavirus pandemic====<br />
[[File:RSTP.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Hunter Biden financed a company that partnered with Peter Daszak and the Wuhan lab.]]<br />
:{{See also|CCP pandemic|Gain-of-function|}}<br />
Fauci [[collude]]d with Dr. [[Shi Zhengli]] of the [[Wuhan Institute of Virology]], zoologist [[Peter Daszak]], and Dr. Ralph Baric to produce an artificial, weaponized version of the bat coronavirus transmissible to humans. From 2014 to 2019, $826,277 was given to the Wuhan Institute of Virology for bat coronavirus research by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), headed by Fauci.<ref>https://www.judicialwatch.org/documents/jw-v-hhs-niaid-wuhan-june-2021-00692-pgs-74-75/</ref> A January 9, 2020, email exchange labeled “high” importance between NIAID Senior Scientific Advisor Dr. David Morens and Daszak details the relationship between the Fauci agency and the Wuhan Institute of Virology.<ref>https://www.judicialwatch.org/documents/jw-v-hhs-niaid-wuhan-june-2021-00692-pgs-141-149/</ref> On January 23, 2020, the day the Wuhan viral outbreak was leaked to the world, a senior NIH official, Melinda Hoskins, forwarded a ''Daily Mail'' article to colleagues discussing NIH/NIAID funding of the bat virus research, and noting that Fauci would be briefing senators the following morning. Hoskins says, “Would you please confirm the exact nature of our support to the Wuhan Institute of Virology/Biosafety Lab.” <ref>https://www.judicialwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/JW-v-HHS-NIAID-Wuhan-June-2021-00692-pgs-47-48.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
In April 2021, Joe Biden’s USAID announced a new initiative spearheaded by Daszak's EcoHealth Alliance to track emerging infectious diseases with pandemic potential. Also collaborating on the taxpayer-funded venture is [[Metabiota]], whose researchers have been listed as authors on papers from June 2021 relating to coronavirus surveillance in Africa. EcoHealth Alliance, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and Metabiota, have collaborated on a study since 2014 relating to bat infectious diseases in China. Among the researchers listed is the Wuhan lab director [[Shi Zhengli]], and Peter Daszak as an author.<ref>http://www.ecohealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Yuan-et-al_virus-bats_viruses-2014.pdf</ref> Hunter Biden's [[Rosemont Seneca Technology Partners]] was a lead financial backer of Metabiota. Rosemont Seneca led the Metabiota’s first round of funding, which amounted to $30 million.<ref> https://www.marlinllc.com/_media/_data/MarlinNewsletter/hit-monthly-newsletter-june-2015.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
====Vaccine mandates====<br />
{{See also|Biden's vaccine mandate}}<br />
[[File:Biden mandates.jpg|right|275px|thumb|Healthcare professionals demonstrating against Biden vaccine mandates.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/analysis/2021/09/20/federal-govt-whistleblower-goes-public-with-secret-recordings/</ref>]]<br />
On September 9, 2021, Biden attempted to force the controversial [[COVID vaccine]] on 100 million Americans, despite the ineffectiveness of the [[vaccine]] to reduce the spread of [[COVID-19]]. Biden initially targeted federal employees and large employers, plus health care, education and other federally funded sectors.<br />
<br />
Larry Cosme, the president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, described Biden's mandate as "misguided" which improperly "villainizes employees."<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/biden-covid-vaccine-mandate-blasted-by-head-of-federal-officers-union-e2-80-98villainizes-employees-e2-80-99/ar-AAOheaB</ref> Cosme observed:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly evolving and emotional trying situation. In the face of so many uncertainties, our federal government should trust its employees to make their own medical decision under consultation with their doctor, not mandate by their employer. Vaccination should be promoted through education and encouragement – not coercion."}}<br />
One week later the [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) overwhelmingly voted to reject Biden's vaccine booster shot plan.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2021/09/17/fda-panel-overwhelmingly-rejects-bidens-booster-shot-plan-for-all-americans/</ref> One member of the panel said “COVID vaccines are killing more people than they’re saving.”<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/09/vaccine-kills-more-than-saves.html/</ref> [[Black Lives Matter]] called the vaccine mandate [[racist]].<ref>https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/black-lives-matter-new-york-vaccine-mandate-is-racist-restaurant-boycott-to-begin/</ref><br />
<br />
According to the CDC's [[Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System]] (VAERS) database, of the U.S. vaccine deaths reported between Dec. 14, 2020 and Sept. 24, 2021, 11% occurred within 24 hours of vaccination, 16% occurred within 48 hours of vaccination and 29% occurred in people who experienced an onset of symptoms within 48 hours of being vaccinated.<ref>https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/vaers-cdc-deaths-injuries-covid-vaccines/</ref> The mortality rate from receiving the covid vaccine is 2.12%, and the risk of permanent disability is 2.97%. 11.33% needed Emergency Room visits and 9.41% required hospitalization.<ref>https://childrenshealthdefense.org/wp-content/uploads/vaers-vaccine-injury-october-1-980x1024.jpg</ref><br />
<br />
On July 9, 2021 the number of deaths reported to the VAERS website associated with the COVID vaccines was 10,991. Earlier the same week, deaths reported hit 12,313 according to the CDC website. Within hours, that number was adjusted to 6,207.<ref> https://www.thewellnessway.com/cdc-deletes-6000-deaths-from-vaers/</ref> According to a September 2021 ''[[Project Veritas]]'' [[whistleblower]] report, the [[Biden]] [[Department of Health and Human Services]] was activity attempting to suppress reporting of covid vaccine adverse reactions and death to the VAERS system.<ref>https://uncoverdc.com/2021/09/21/hhs-whistleblower-talks-covid-vaers-jabs-with-project-veritas/</ref><br />
<br />
In fascist New York, 15,000 healthcare professionals who refused the mRNA experimental genetic infection touted as a vaccine were replaced with the National Guard;<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_morningbrief/thousands-of-ny-healthcare-workers-fired-placed-on-leave-over-vaccine-mandate_4021462.html</ref> in Minnesota, one nurse explained in a townhall meeting how Biden's mandate forced them to become criminals in order to keep their jobs:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"In nursing school we are taught about intentional [[crime]]s and [[tort]]s. It says that an intentional tort is assault and battery. [[Assault]] is the threat of an unwanted action or a bodily contact. Battery is an assault that is carried out and includes willful, angry, [[violent]], negligent, touching of another person’s body, clothing, or anything attached to them.<br />
<br />
Forcibly removing a patient’s clothing and administering an injection after a patient has refused are all examples of [[battery]].<br />
<br />
This is out of my nursing book from four years ago. This is what they teach us. If we did this to a patient, if you told your patient [[informed consent]], and they said no, and you did it anyway, you would go to [[jail]], you’d get your nursing license taken away, and you’d be a criminal.<br />
<br />
So now what they’re doing is they’re putting us in the position of saying either you become a [[criminal]] by giving the injection without their consent or you will be fired as “non-compliant” with the vaccination protocol."<ref>https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2021/09/29/we-are-being-lied-to-our-deaths/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Mask mandate====<br />
{{See also|Mask mandate}}<br />
On the day Biden occupied the [[Oval Office]] he signed an executive ''diktat'' mandating the wearing of masks on federal property.<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-protecting-the-federal-workforce-and-requiring-mask-wearing/</ref> Within hours of signing it, Biden and members of his family violated the decree.<ref>https://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2021/01/21/joe-biden-signs-eo-mandating-mask-wearing-on-federal-property-immediately-violates-it-video-n313770</ref> Although fully vaccinated, after the CDC restrictions were lifted, Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff likewise publicly displayed their lack of confidence in the science when seen kissing with masks on.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/05/05/kamala-harris-and-doug-emhoff-kiss-with-masks-on-despite-being-vaccinated/</ref><br />
<br />
====Denying covid treatment====<br />
<br />
As soon as Biden’s [[HHS]] noticed the red state governors were working on an effective covid treatment with Monoclonal Antibody drugs (mAb) as an alternative to the vaccine approach, Biden's HHS moved to take control of distribution of mAB by rationing. The change in HHS approach followed Republican governor [[Ron DeSantis]] of [[Florida]] promoting the use of mAb and opening up dozens of treatment centers throughout his state. Other governors quickly took notice of the effective action plan of DeSantis and started to follow that path. Psaki defended the move as “equitable use of the available supply," a fancy term for “rationing” the life-saving treatment based on political ideology.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/09/15/covid-politics-takes-a-dark-turn-biden-administration-takes-control-of-monoclonal-antibody-drugs-in-order-to-block-treatments-in-red-states-and-ration-equitable-treatment/</ref><br />
<br />
====Lockdowns====<br />
As soon as the junta took power, some proponents of draconian lockdowns switched to a less hysterical position immediately. Among the most extreme lockdown proponents in the U.S. were Chicago Mayor [[Lori Lightfoot]] and New York City Mayor [[Bill De Blasio]]. In Chicago, Mayor Lightfoot decided that a much less stringent approach would be best.<ref>[https://patch.com/illinois/chicago/lightfoot-says-restaurants-should-reopen-quickly-possible “Lightfoot Says Restaurants Should Reopen As Quickly As Possible “], (Patch, January 14, 2021)</ref> A similar pattern unfolded in New York City.<br />
<br />
[[File:2021.01.22-09.24-revolvernews-600b429ae1e21.jpg|right|470px|thumb]]<br />
====Junta misinformation====<br />
The day after Biden seized power, [[NPR]] reported that the [[coronavirus]] in America had magically peaked.<ref>https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/01/21/958870301/the-current-deadly-u-s-coronavirus-surge-has-peaked-researchers-say</ref> Likewise, [[Amazon.com]] refused to help with vaccine distribution until a few hours after the junta was installed.<ref>https://news.yahoo.com/disgraceful-amazon-delayed-help-distribute-142930357.html</ref> The Center for Disease Control removed from its website a headline that claimed "Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism".<ref>https://sharylattkisson.com/2021/01/cdc-quietly-removes-website-headline-claiming-vaccines-do-not-cause-autism/</ref><br />
<br />
On May 3, 2021, [[Associated Press (AP)|AP News]], the world's most neutral and reliable source, conducted a fact check on Biden's COVID-19 stats on how many American's had been vaccinated. Biden stated on May 3rd, "When I got elected, I said in the first 100 days we'd get 100 million people vaccinated. I was wrong; we got 230 million vaccinated". AP News's fact check said "No, he misstated both his promise and the results...Altogether, close to 148 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose and close to 106 million have been fully vaccinated." <ref>https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-race-and-ethnicity-health-government-and-politics-2a95dca4f3868185a725bcf5700fb914</ref><ref>https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-05-03/ap-fact-check-biden-overstates-how-many-americans-immunized</ref> <ref>https://www.startribune.com/ap-fact-check-biden-overstates-how-many-americans-immunized/600053157/</ref><br />
<br />
The regime held employers, who required employees to take the covid vaccine, liable for adverse effects of the vaccine.<ref>https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/faqs#vaccine</ref><br />
<br />
====Winter of Death====<br />
[[File:Biden and Fauci.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Biden and Fauci announce plans for Winter of Death.]]<br />
By the end Biden's first year after the seizure of power, Biden held true to his promise of a dark winter,<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/joe-biden-dark-winter-pandemic/2020/12/16/82ef32fc-3e4c-11eb-8bc0-ae155bee4aff_story.html</ref> renaming it Biden's Winter of Death.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/media/covid-dark-winter-of-death-biden-hannity</ref> Dr. Anthony Fauci supported Biden's winter of death.<ref>https://youtu.be/7e-RxZItqeM</ref> 15,000 people per week were earmarked for extermination.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-10314687/CDC-issues-grim-forecast-warning-weekly-COVID-cases-jump-55-1-3-MILLION-Christmas-Day.html</ref> A study out of Columbia University published in December 2021 said the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is “markedly resistant” to covid vaccines and boosters might not do much to help. The scientists express concern that the Omicron variant’s “extensive” mutations can “greatly compromise” covid vaccines, even neutralizing them.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/12/16/columbia-university-finds-omicron-vaccine-resistance/</ref><br />
<br />
In the [[UK]], Public Health Scotland (PHS) reported that 9 out of 10 covid deaths between August and November 2021 occurred amongst the fully vaccinated.<ref>https://dailyexpose.uk/2021/12/09/distracted-by-christmas-party-data-shows-9-in-10-covid-deaths-vaccinated/</ref> Covid vaccines, heavily pushed by the [[democide|democidal]] Biden regime,<ref>https://legalinsurrection.com/2021/09/outgoing-fda-officials-blast-biden-vaccine-booster-plan/</ref> are said to reduce the body's natural resistance and immunity,<ref>https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mrna-vaccines-may-provide-lower-immunity-to-new-sars-cov-2-variants#Studying-vaccines-neutralizing-effect</ref> according to the [[science]].<ref>https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n2101/rr-0</ref><br />
<br />
====Drug costs====<br />
Junta leader Biden signed an executive order to stop President Trump's executive order keeping medicines affordable. One mother took to the internet to describe how her son's [[insulin]] medicine went from $60 a month to $320 (with a coupon, $500 without) in the first month of the regime.<ref>https://rumble.com/vdr6oz-this-is-what-biden-did-to-our-family-in-less-than-one-month.....html</ref> Biden killed the program started by President Trump that reduced the cost of [[insulin]] for victims of [[diabetes]].<ref>https://hotair.com/karen-townsend/2021/06/11/biden-halts-program-that-brings-down-cost-of-insulin-epipens-n396040</ref><br />
<br />
===Education===<br />
In sworn testimony before the House Education and Labor Committee, commissar of brainwashing [[Miguel Cardona]] did not know, or refused to answer, how many [[gender]]s exist.<ref>https://rumble.com/vj1jvp-education-secretary-refuses-to-answer-how-many-genders-exist-during-exchang.html</ref> A Harvard/Harris poll released in the summer of 2021 asked whether “kids in elementary school should be taught that America is structurally racist and is dominated by white supremacy,” 61% of participants answered in the negative while only 39% supported this type of teaching.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/education/2021/06/28/poll-61-voters-say-children-should-not-be-taught-america-is-structurally-racist/</ref><br />
<br />
====Critical race theory====<br />
:{{See also|Critical race theory}}<br />
Critical race theory rejects the core teachings of [[Dr. Martin Luther King]], that people should be judged on the content of their character and not the color of their skin.<ref>https://www.discovery.org/education/2021/06/09/the-radical-reshaping-of-k-12-public-education-part-3-critical-race-theory-woke-academics/</ref> Through White House chief propagandist Jen Psaki, Biden has endorsed teaching CRT racism to school children.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/joe-biden-wants-critical-race-theory-crt-in-schools-says-jen-psaki-on-the-record-at-briefing/</ref><br />
<br />
According to [[Discover the Networks]], critical race theory (CRT) contends that America is permanently racist to its core, and that consequently the nation’s legal structures are, by definition, racist and invalid … members of “oppressed” racial groups are entitled—in fact obligated—to determine for themselves which laws and traditions have merit and are worth observing.<ref>https://www.discoverthenetworks.org/organizations/critical-race-theory</ref> A YouGov poll in the summer of 2021 showed 58% of Americans have an unfavorable view of CRT, with only 38% favorable.<ref>https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/majority-unfavorable-view-critical-race-193300830.html</ref><br />
<br />
In June 2021 the Biden junta revived “diversity training” lessons that former President Donald Trump had ended. Biden dropped a Trump-era investigation into the anti-Asian discriminatory practices of [[Yale University]]. Under CRT theory, anti-Asian discrimination is permissible because Asians are so-called “[[white-adjacent]].”<ref>https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/calling-asians-white-adjacent-is-racist-and-insulting/</ref><br />
<br />
====Transgenderism====<br />
A Harris Poll commissioned by [[GLAAD]] prior to the 2020 election showed that U.S. adults are increasingly uncomfortable with [[LGBT]] issues — with Millennials ages 18 – 34 leading this shift. The number of non-LGBT adults ages 18 – 34 who are uncomfortable with learning a family member is LGBT rose from 24% at the end of the Obama era in 2016 to 36% in 2018. The number of Millennials uncomfortable with the idea of their children having a lesson on LGBT history at school rose from 27% to 39% during that same time. The number of Millennials that GLAAD counts as “allies” — people who are comfortable with the [[homosexual agenda]] and [[progressivism]] — dropped from 62% in 2016 to 45% in 2018.<ref>https://www.christianpost.com/news/millennials-gen-z-growing-uncomfortable-lgbt-movement-survey.html</ref> Despite the junta's best efforts at [[disinformation]] and propaganda, six months after the seizure of power a [[Gallup Poll]] found 51% of Americans beleived changing one's [[gender identity]] was [[moral]]ly wrong.<ref>https://news.gallup.com/poll/351020/changing-one-gender-sharply-contentious-moral-issue.aspx</ref> A [[fake news]] poll conducted by the [[Soros]]-funded, [[homosexual]]-centered "[[Human Rights Campaign]]" claims that 98% of [[heterosexual|straight]] [[male]]s refuse to date a [[gender confusion|gender-confused]] person allegedly because of "[[hate]]."<ref>https://ucf.forums.rivals.com/threads/are-you-in-the-98-of-hate.76324/</ref><br />
<br />
====War on girl's sports====<br />
<br />
Biden will allow children in schools to "change" their gender without their parents' permission. He will also allow [[gender confusion|gender-confused]] boys to play sport with girls, and use their bathrooms and their locker rooms. This was a listed priority on the Biden-Harris campaign website. He will reinstate the Obama-Biden guidance revoked by the Trump-Pence Administration, which will restore gender-confused students’ access to sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms in accordance with their claimed gender identity. The Biden LGBTQ+ policy would allow also biological males who identify as "females" to be granted access to female locker rooms, bathrooms and sports teams without even undergoing confirmation surgery or using hormone replacements.<ref>[https://www.cnsnews.com/article/washington/lucy-collins/hawley-biden-plan-force-schools-let-transgenders-play-girls-sports Hawley: Biden Plan to Force Schools to Let Transgenders Play Girls' Sports, Use Their Locker Rooms, 'Startling Revelation of Where His Mind is At']</ref><br />
An early Biden junta executive order destroyed girl's athletics and the hope of many young girls to win scholarships and competitions.<ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2021/01/on-day-1-president-joe-biden-destroyed-womens-sports.html</ref><br />
<br />
A Rassmussen poll conducted in the summer of 2021 found 56% of American adults think it is unfair to make women compete against transgender athletes, only 25% think such competition is fair, and 19% are not sure.<ref>[https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/social_issues/olympics_is_it_fair_to_make_women_compete_against_transgender_athletes is_it_fair_to_make_women_compete_against_transgender_athletes]</ref> Biden responded to the poll by calling the laws intended to protect women and girls the "'ugliest, most un-American laws'.<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2021/06/26/president-biden-rants-against-ugliest-most-unamerican-laws-which-target-transgend-n2591622</ref><br />
<br />
====Put y’all back in chains====<br />
Under Joe Biden, segregated classrooms reappeared in America.<ref>https://redstate.com/kiradavis/2021/08/11/atlanta-mother-shocked-to-discover-childs-elementary-school-segregating-classes-by-race-n424417</ref> A black Atlanta mother, Kira Posey,<ref>https://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/2021/08/11/elementary-school-allegedly-created-black-classes-to-segregate-students-one-parent-is-fighting-back/#</ref> filed a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) after learning her daughter and 11 other black students were segregated by race into “black classes” in separate classrooms at the Mary Lin Elementary School in Atlanta.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/08/11/black-atlanta-mother-files-suit-against-principal-for-separating-students-by-race-1116823/</ref><br />
<br />
===Economy===<br />
[[File:Oil July 5, 2021.png|right|300px|thumb|Crude oil prices, July 5, 2021.<ref>https://twitter.com/markets/status/1412075756914630659</ref>]]<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris economic policy|Stagflation|Misery index}}<br />
After the seizure of power, French president [[Emmanuel Macron]] announced at the [[Davos]] conference that [[capitalism]] is dead and the [[Great Reset]] is on.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2021/01/28/davos-great-reset-french-prez-macron-declares-modern-capitalism-can-no-longer-work/</ref> Biden puppetmaster, General Secretary of the genocidal CPP Xi Jinping, laid out the talking points and marching orders that he expects the Biden junta to fall in line behind.<ref>https://spectator.org/xi-jinping-davos-speech/</ref><br />
<br />
Democrat governors devastated the U.S. economy with [[covid]] lockdown orders.<ref>https://reason.com/2020/05/12/democratic-governors-lockdown-businesses-coronavirus-covid-19/</ref> More than 30 million Americans lost their jobs during the [[pandemic]].<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-many-u-s-workers-have-lost-jobs-during-coronavirus-pandemic-there-are-several-ways-to-count-11591176601</ref> The Democrat controlled House delayed a covid relief package until after the November 2020 election.<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/juliorosas/2020/12/04/nancy-pelosi-now-wants-to-pass-covid-relief-for-americans-because-of-biden-n2581062</ref> Biden praised the passage of a pork-filled "coronavirus relief" bill in late December 2020 that provided a mere $600 stimulus checks for Americans yet allocated billions in border security for [[Jordan]], [[Lebanon]], [[Egypt]], [[Tunisia]], and [[Oman]].<ref>https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1341255898711220225</ref><ref>https://notthebee.com/article/covid-stimulus-bill-includes-250-million-for-enhanced-border-security--in-jordan-lebanon-egypt-tunisia-and-oman</ref> The relief bill was minuscule compared to what was needed to benefit Americans.<ref>https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-second-stimulus-check-updates-20201130-jby3rr7s5bbsvlrqdnllulylmm-story.html</ref> When asked "what is President Biden doing for my small business?", White House chief propagandist Jen Psaki responded with a straight face, "First and foremost, he nominated a woman to lead the [[Small Business Administration]]."<ref>https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1361816948363956224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw</ref><br />
<br />
In Biden's first 100 days, [[unemployment]] and [[inflation]] went up. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, illegal immigrants received $4.38 billion in [[stimulus]] checks.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/illegal-immigrants-to-receive-4-38-billion-in-stimulus-checks-report_3744122.html</ref> A federal judge found Biden's farm debt relief program racist and unconstitutional.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/unconstitutional-federal-judge-suspends-bidens-racist-anti-white-farmer-debt-relief-program/</ref> In addition to killing off the domestic oil industry and enriching Russia and Saudi Arabia by doing so, Biden pledged to increase gas taxes by $90 billion. <br />
<br />
When leftwing activists, men and women, followed Sen. [[Kyrsten Sinema]] into the bathroom with cameras to harass her for not supporting Biden's socialist program, Biden said at a press conference that such harassment was "part of the process" to get his totalitarian program passed.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/10/04/joe-biden-says-following-women-into-bathrooms-with-cameras-is-just-part-of-the-process-for-passing-his-agenda/</ref><br />
<br />
====Oil dependency====<br />
[[File:Price-of-Gas.jpg|right|500px|thumb|Biden's artificially induced pump price increase instantly destroyed American jobs and profited [[Vladimir Putin]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and the Marxist regime of [[Venezuela]].]]<br />
During the Democrat primary elections, Biden stated several times that he will end [[Fracking|fracking]].<ref>[https://www.atr.org/biden-yes-we-should-end-fracking?amp Biden: "Yes" We Should End Fracking]</ref><ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/biden-claimed-he-never-wanted-ban-fracking-he-did-1541552 Biden Claimed He Never Wanted to Ban Fracking. He Did]</ref> After winning the primary elections he pretended that he had never said that he will end fracking to his supporters in [[Pennsylvania]], and he declined to comment further on ending fracking. The [[Washington Post]] admitted that Biden would lose what popularity he allegedly had in Pennsylvania because of his comments on fracking.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-fracking-unions-pennsylvania/2020/10/22/447d31de-12cf-11eb-ad6f-36c93e6e94fb_story.html Biden's fracking comments could cost him Pennsylvania ...]</ref> Pump prices rose over a dollar from under President Trump a year earlier, with half of the increase occurring in Biden's first two months after signing executive orders shutting down U.S. energy independence and making the United States energy dependent on hostile foreign powers again.<ref>https://ycharts.com/indicators/us_gas_price</ref><br />
<br />
On its first day, the Biden junta killed 70,000 high-wage [[middle class]] and union jobs by canceling the [[Keystone Pipeline]],<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2021/01/22/pollak-biden-kills-up-to-70000-jobs-on-first-day-in-office-job/</ref> making America energy dependent on [[Vladimir Putin]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and the [[Venezuela]]n Marxist regime while making America's enemies richer.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/putins-puppet-joe-bidens-eo-blocking-keystone-pipeline-forces-us-imports-russia-venezuelan-marxist-regime-video/</ref><ref>*[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/19/joe-biden-pressed-not-cancel-keystone-xl-pipeline-/ Canadian tribes flip pipeline script by urging Biden not to cancel Keystone XL]. ''Washington Times''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://nypost.com/2021/01/19/joe-bidens-plan-to-kill-keystone-xl-pipeline-will-kill-jobs-insult-canada/ Biden’s plan to kill Keystone XL pipeline to appease loony left will kill jobs, insult top US ally ]. ''New York Post''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> Biden signed an executive order to revoke a permit for the [[Keystone XL]],<ref>Two references:<br />
*[https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/535114-biden-nixes-keystone-xl-permit-halts-arctic-refuge-leasing Biden nixes Keystone XL permit, halts Arctic refuge leasing]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/20/joe-biden-kills-keystone-xl-pipeline-permit-460555 Biden kills Keystone XL permit, again]. ''Politico''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> which led to killing 11 thousands jobs immediately, including 8,000 union jobs.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/01/21/ted-cruz-grills-pete-buttigieg-biden-killing-thousands-keystone-xl-jobs/ Ted Cruz Grills Pete Buttigieg on Biden Killing ‘Thousands’ of Keystone XL Jobs]</ref> Even far-left Canadian prime minister [[Justin Trudeau]] expressed disappointment.<ref>[https://elmoudjaweb.com/trudeau-disappointed-with-bidens-decision-to-cancel-keystone-xl-pipeline-details/ Trudeau “Disappointed” With Biden’s Decision to Cancel Keystone XL Pipeline (Details)]</ref> Crude oil prices immediately rose 24%.<ref>https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/15/oil-hits-pandemic-high-as-winter-storm-pushes-demand-and-poses-production-risk.html</ref><br />
<br />
Additionally on day one, the junta banned oil and gas leasing on federal lands, destroying the state of [[New Mexico]]'s economy.<ref>https://www.foxbusiness.com/energy/oil-gas-lifeblood-of-the-new-mexico-economy-energy-employee</ref> During the [[covid lockdown]], while the state government was busy destroying jobs and businesses and the state's share on income and sales taxes collected, New Mexico's oil gas severance tax contributed more than a full one-third of all state spending.<ref>https://www.krwg.org/post/oil-and-natural-gas-contributed-28-billion-new-mexico-budget-fy-2020</ref> New Mexico Democrat Gov. [[Michelle Lujan Grisham]] harshly criticized the junta's actions saying it "doesn't make any sense."<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-governor-rips-biden-energy-plan-doesnt-make-any-sense-hurts-state-an-economic-problem</ref> Nearly one million high paying union jobs are expected to be lost across the nation by the junta's determination to make America energy dependent on America's enemies.<ref>https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/gas-and-oil/biden-suspends-new-leases-for-oil-and-gas-drilling-on-federal-lands/</ref> ''[[Reuters]]'' reported:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"New Mexico—home to the country’s richest oil fields on federal lands—depends heavily on drilling revenues to finance its struggling public schools. And budgets have already taken a hit from falling crude prices as the coronavirus pandemic sapped global fuel demand. . . .<br />
<br />
The U.S. federal lands drilling program yielded some $1.8 billion directly to states in 2020, supporting schools and other programs in places like Wyoming and Utah, according to data from the U.S. Interior Department.<br />
<br />
School superintendents from [[Montana]], [[Wyoming]], [[North Dakota]], [[Utah]], and [[Alaska]] have written to Biden asking him to reverse the ban, calling it “imperative that we bring to light the arbitrary and inequitable move to shut down oil and gas production on federal lands in our states that depend on revenues from various taxes, royalties, disbursements, and lease payments to fund our schools, community infrastructure, and public services.”<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-drilling-newmexico-insight/biden-drilling-ban-forces-democratic-led-new-mexico-to-reckon-with-oil-dependence-idUSKBN2A91JD</ref>}}<br />
[[Sinopec]] is a Chinese natural gas and mineral oil company and is the biggest company in [[China]]. Sinopec Marketing Company enjoyed nearly $1 billion in investment from Hunter Biden’s private equity firm [[BHR Partners]]. Finalized in March 2015, the investments from the BHR Partners led to BHR amassing a nearly 30 percent stake in Sinopec. BHR Partner’s [[LinkedIn]] profile highlights its Sinopec investment, revealing it was involved “in the pilot state-owned enterprise reform deal involving the segregation and capitalization of Sinopec Group’s non-oil business into Sinopec Marketing Corporation.” As of October 2021, Hunter Biden reportedly still owned a 10 percent stake in BHR Partners.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/biden-linked-energy-firm-hits-record-level-production/</ref><br />
<br />
After the Biden regime canceled the Keystone XL destroying America's energy independence, by October 2021 when the global energy crisis hit, Sinopec reported record-breaking output figures. A company press release stated: "Fuling Shale Gas Field – the first commercially developed and operated large-scale shale gas field in China – announced on October 8 that it has produced 40 billion cubic meters of shale gas, setting a new record for the cumulative production of shale gas in the country."<ref>https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sinopec-fuling-shale-gas-field-sets-new-cumulative-production-record-of-40-billion-cubic-meters-301396524.html</ref><br />
<br />
=====Energy crisis=====<br />
[[File:Granholm laugh.PNG|rright|300px|thumb|Granholm laughed at the suffering of ordinary people caused by high gasoline prices and the Biden regime's policy to cut back U.S. oil production.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2021/11/06/energy-secretary-jennifer-granholm-laughs-at-your-high-gas-prices/</ref>]]<br />
Energy Commisaar [[Jennifer Granholm]]'s deception was on full display in a Bloomberg TV interview. After Biden had destroyed the United States as the world's leading oil producer, Granholm laughed when asked about the hardships created by the Biden regime on ordinary Americans with higher gasoline and home heating oil prices. <br />
<br />
Host Tom Keene asked, “What is the Granholm plan to increase oil production in America?” Granholm burst out laughing and said, “That is hilarious. Would that I had the magic wand on this. As you know, of course, oil is a global market. It is controlled by a cartel. That cartel is called [[OPEC]]. And they made a decision yesterday that they were not going to increase beyond what they were already planning."<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/11/05/energy-secy-granholm-laughs-blames-opec-when-asked-her-plan-to-increase-oil-production/</ref> The question of course, was about increasing production in America, not in OPEC countries. <br />
<br />
Granholm was trotted out to the [[White House]] microphones to tell the [[White House Press Corps]] how brilliant, beneficial and strategically necessary it was to release 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Granholm read the script, gave her talking points and then took questions. One journalist asked: “that said, how many barrels of oil do U.S. consumers use every day?”… Granholm paused, looked down and said: “I don’t have that number in front of me, I’m sorry“.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/11/23/energy-secretary-touting-bidens-oil-release-doesnt-know-how-many-barrels-of-oil-we-use-or-need/</ref><br />
<br />
====Infrastructure====<br />
<br />
:{{See also|Green New Deal|Reparations|}}<br />
Biden's American Jobs Plan would spend roughly $2 trillion on so-called "infrastructure" projects and other [[boondoggle]]s Biden proposed to pay for the spending by increasing taxes. “The largest federal tax increase since 1942,” is how the ''New York Times'' described the Biden plan.<ref>https://reason.com/2021/03/29/heres-how-bidens-proposed-tax-increases-will-affect-you/</ref> Biden claimed that the last five leaders of the [[Federal Reserve]] had declared that his American Jobs Plan proposal will increase economic growth.<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/05/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-his-administrations-implementation-of-the-american-rescue-plan/</ref> The only problem with Biden's remarks was only three of the last five leaders of the Fed are still alive.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/10/politics/fact-check-biden-federal-reserve-moodys-american-jobs-plan/index.html</ref><br />
<br />
The junta's infrastructure plan includes the building of clean energy infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions. The purpose is to shift the US from the use of fossil fuels and grow the amount of solar, wind and other renewable energy. Another of Biden's proposals is to spend $174 billion to boost the electric vehicle market and shift away from gas-powered cars. Wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles all rely on rare earth materials. Extracting rare earth materials is a highly polluting process. More than 60% of the world's solar panels are made in China. Forty-five percent of the global supply of solar-grade polysilicon, the base material used in solar cells, is made in China. Polysilicon is produced in Xinjiang, where China is accused of using forced labor in the production chains.<ref>https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17335/china-rare-earth-materials</ref><br />
<br />
Only about 5% of the proposed $2.25 trillion plan goes for what traditionally is recognized as infrastructure; specifically, public construction projects, such as roads and bridges.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/04/07/9-things-you-need-to-know-about-bidens-infrastructure-spending-plan/</ref> The junta's plan includes the building of clean energy infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions. The purpose is to shift the US from the use of fossil fuels and grow the amount of solar, wind and other renewable energy. Another of Biden's proposals is to spend $174 billion to boost the electric vehicle market and shift away from gas-powered cars. Wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles all rely on rare earth materials. Extracting rare earth materials is a highly polluting process. More than 60% of the world's solar panels are made in China. Forty-five percent of the global supply of solar-grade polysilicon, the base material used in solar cells, is made in China. Polysilicon is produced in Xinjiang, where China is accused of using forced labor in the production chains.<ref>https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17335/china-rare-earth-materials</ref><br />
<br />
====Budget====<br />
:{{See also|Modern Monetary Theory|New spending|Build Back Better}}<br />
[[File:DS-Biden-spending-agenda-charts-04.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
As of 2021, the top 1% pays 40% of all the income taxes. The top 1% earned 21% of the income but paid 40% of the income tax. The entire bottom half of taxpayers who earned 11.6% of the income paid a 2.9% of all income tax. Six in ten households received more in direct government benefits than they pay in federal taxes. Over 53 million low and middle income individuals pay no income taxes because of refundable tax credit, which are effectively a form of federal spending through the tax code.<br />
<br />
Analysts predict that Biden’s American Families Plan would add 21 million Americans to the [[Nanny State|welfare rolls]]. Families earning six figures would be eligible for generous handouts. Most of Biden’s spending would benefit middle-income and upper-income households and not "poor kids".<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-families-plan-would-put-21-million-more-people-on-welfare-analysts</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/7qYckI0YV-0</ref><br />
<br />
The junta's first budget proposal projected [[economic growth]] at 1.9% or a return to the stagnant years of [[Obamanomics]]. Communist China is projected to grow at around 6% into the foreseeable future. By the end of the budget period, 10 years out, China’s [[GDP]] would have grown by roughly 80% and then roughly equal the United States with a concomitant impact on national security and military spending.<ref>https://www.nysun.com/national/the-surrender-budget/91531/</ref> A deterrent defense posture is dead, and the United States is faced with either an arms race or surrender short of direct military confrontation.<br />
<br />
Within every federal spending and appropriation bill there are carve-outs for various segments of the process for resettling illegal immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) receive hundreds of billions in supplemental appropriation funding from within each federal spending package. Each of the COVID relief bills contained money to facilitate various elements of this process. Federal housing grants, food assistance programs, education funding, employment and income assistance, all of it, every single spending package, contains funding mechanisms to support the open border policy.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/06/29/tucker-carlson-outlines-the-biden-administration-logistic-program-to-facilitate-the-southern-border-invasion/</ref><br />
<br />
The junta proposed doubling the size of the [[IRS]] by adding 87,000 new employees through an $80 billion budget increase,<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/apparent-irs-leak-reveals-thousands-of-wealthy-americans-confidential-tax-data/</ref> while simultaneously illegally leaking tax information on some of the richest Americans<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2021/06/08/a-scandal-is-brewing-at-the-irs-n2590651</ref> in keeping with Anita Dunn's strategy to re-kindle Marxist [[class warfare]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/transition-playbook/2021/04/27/exclusive-read-anita-dunns-memo-to-democrats-492624</ref><br />
<br />
====Child care====<br />
The junta proposed spending $225 billion on subsidized daycare over the next decade as part of its nearly $2 trillion American Families Plan. This is on top of the proposed $200 billion the administration hopes to spend to create a universal government preschool program for 3- and 4-year-olds. The plan is presented as a way to get mothers back in the labor force by subsidizing child care expenses.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/06/13/bidens-taxpayer-funded-childcare-plan-wont-work-harvard-economist-and-obama-ally-concludes-1088302/</ref> A study on the long-term impact of universal child care subsidies found that "the negative effects on noncognitive outcomes persisted to school ages, and also that cohorts with increased child care access had worse health, lower life satisfaction, and higher crime rates later in life.” Boys were particularly harmed by the child care subsidy program: “Increases in aggression and hyperactivity are concentrated in boys, as is the rise in the crime rates.”<ref>https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/pol.20170603</ref><br />
<br />
Two-parent households with two preschool-age children and incomes up to $130,000 would qualify for federal cash assistance for daycare. Single parents with two preschoolers and incomes up to $113,000 would qualify. And some families with incomes over $200,000 would be eligible for health-insurance subsidies.<ref>https://archive.is/SoYT8</ref><br />
<br />
''The Economist'' noted that “Joe Biden wants to Europeanise the American [[welfare state]]” by installing child care subsidies, universal government preschool, “free” community college, and related programs. When the [[UK]] implemented subsidized child care and preschool programs, it led to private providers going out of business, along with higher costs and less customer satisfaction.<ref>https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/05/20/joe-biden-wants-to-europeanise-the-american-welfare-state</ref><br />
<br />
Steep government regulation of child care programs limits the supply of daycare providers by raising costs and barriers to entry. Occupational licensing and expanded degree requirements for daycare workers create higher costs. Between 2005 and 2017, the number of small, in-home family child care centers dropped by 48 percent, with providers citing increased regulations as a reason. [[Coronavirus lockdown]]s only made matters worse. Many small daycare providers shut down entirely, contributing to supply shortages and rising costs.<br />
<br />
The junta budget proposal is basically an effort to begin teaching [[critical race theory]] to 3- and 4-year-olds. Critical race theory is [[pseudoscientific]] dogma that teaches "whiteness is a malignant, parasitic like condition" that is "voracious, insatiable, and perverse - with no permanent cure."<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9670579/Psychoanalyst-condemned-paper-branding-whiteness-malignant-parasitic-like-condition.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Worker rights====<br />
Despite being urged otherwise over the heavy economic losses that would occur,<ref>Two references:<br />
*[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/19/joe-biden-pressed-not-cancel-keystone-xl-pipeline-/ Canadian tribes flip pipeline script by urging Biden not to cancel Keystone XL]. ''Washington Times''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://nypost.com/2021/01/19/joe-bidens-plan-to-kill-keystone-xl-pipeline-will-kill-jobs-insult-canada/ Biden’s plan to kill Keystone XL pipeline to appease loony left will kill jobs, insult top US ally ]. ''New York Post''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> Biden signed an executive order to revoke a permit for the [[Keystone XL]],<ref>Two references:<br />
*[https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/535114-biden-nixes-keystone-xl-permit-halts-arctic-refuge-leasing Biden nixes Keystone XL permit, halts Arctic refuge leasing]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/20/joe-biden-kills-keystone-xl-pipeline-permit-460555 Biden kills Keystone XL permit, again]. ''Politico''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> which led to killing 11 thousands jobs immediately, including 8,000 union jobs.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/01/21/ted-cruz-grills-pete-buttigieg-biden-killing-thousands-keystone-xl-jobs/ Ted Cruz Grills Pete Buttigieg on Biden Killing ‘Thousands’ of Keystone XL Jobs]</ref> <br />
<br />
[[Ford]] Motor Company previously agreed with its workers, the [[United Auto Workers]] (UAW), to spend $900 million on a new electric vehicle product line for its Avon Lake, [[Ohio]] plant. The UAW had endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election. By March of 2021, Ford announced it was shifting production to Mexico claiming "conditions had changed since 2019" when the agreement was made, according to ''[[Reuters]]''.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-ford-ohio-idUSKBN2B82V9</ref> The junta refused to enforce provisions of the [[USMCA]], which replaced the [[NAFTA]] trade deal.<br />
<br />
The White House Council of Economic Advisers deleted its entire internship page after the ''[[Daily Caller]]'' News Foundation reported that the office offered exclusively unpaid positions despite calling for a higher federal [[minimum wage]].<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/05/21/white-house-council-of-economic-advisors-joe-biden/</ref> Biden had said on January 22, 2021, “No one in America should work 40 hours a week making below the poverty line. Fifteen dollars gets people above the poverty line. We have so many millions of people working 40 hours a week — working — and some with two jobs, and they’re still below the poverty line.”<br />
<br />
====Climate change====<br />
[[File:Climate Czar Kerry.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Climate Czar John Kerry went to China to discuss climate change and received the cold shoulder. The [[Taliban]] was more welcome. Kerry was given only a video conference with senior leaders, which could have been done from home in the United States.<ref>https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_us-politics_us-climate-envoy-kerry-gets-cold-shoulder-china/6219223.html</ref>]]<br />
At an [[Earth Day]] virtual summit on April 22, 2021, Biden pledged to cut U.S. emissions by half by 2030,<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-will-commit-halving-u-s-emissions-2030-part-paris-n1264892</ref> the [[European Union]] agreed to go carbon neutral by 2050,<ref>https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3130431/european-union-agrees-go-carbon-neutral-2050-ahead-biden-climate</ref> and the People's Republic of China pledged only to reduce coal consumption - starting in 2026.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-xi-says-china-will-phase-down-coal-consumption-over-2026-2030-2021-04-22/</ref> The junta also waived sanctions on the Russian Nord Stream II pipeline, enriching Vladimir Putin and in direct contradiction to Biden’s claim that the “climate crisis” is a major factor in foreign policy decisions. The pipeline from Russia to Germany undercuts Germany's efforts to meet [[Paris Climate Agreement]] targets. The Paris Agreement, which Biden rejoined in one of his first actions, also benefits Russia, which simply ignores carbon emission goals.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/05/21/what-does-putin-have-on-biden/</ref><br />
<br />
Junta Executive Order on Climate-Related Financial Risk contained all the far-left Green New Deal climate change features to destroy [[fossil fuel]]s, [[capitalism]], jobs and the economy in the name of [[global warming]]. The order allowed the government to do virtually anything in any part of the economy or the financial markets, or labor markets, or [[agriculture]] — or anything — in the name of mitigating risk of [[climate change]]. The ''diktat'' claims that “intensifying impacts of climate change present physical risk to [[asset]]s, publicly traded securities, private investments, and companies — such as increased extreme weather risk leading to supply chain disruptions.”<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/05/20/executive-order-on-climate-related-financial-risk/</ref> The junta claimed the power to regulate everything, to include signing a loan for a new home, how savings and retirement funds are managed, and to “reduce the risk of climate change to the federal budget.”<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/05/20/fact-sheet-president-biden-directs-agencies-to-analyze-and-mitigate-the-risk-climate-change-poses-to-homeowners-and-consumers-businesses-and-workers-and-the-financial-system-and-federal-government/</ref> Massive and unprecedented central power would come from the District of Columbia and be exercised by upper- and middle-level [[bureaucrat]]s.<ref>https://www.nysun.com/national/bidens-radical-executive-order-on-global-warming/91529/</ref><br />
<br />
Biden plans to cut carbon emissions 50% by 2030 by driving farmers out of business and creating food shortages.<ref>https://www.mnfarmliving.com/2021/01/why-changes-capital-gains-tax-will-kill-family-farms.html</ref><br />
<br />
===National security===<br />
:{{See also|Long march through the institutions}}<br />
{|class="infobox" style="float:right; font-size:85%; width:1ex; line-height:17px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 50px" cellpadding="1"<br />
|[[File:Russian Army.PNG|138px]]<br />
|[[File:US Army.PNG|138px]]<br />
|-<br />
|colspan="3"|<hr/>Left: Russian Army recruiting ad.<br>Right: woke progressive U.S. Army recruiting ad.<ref>https://blackchristiannews.com/2021/05/ted-cruz-tears-into-the-woke-emasculated-military-thats-turning-into-pansies-with-video-showing-very-different-american-and-russian-army-recruitment-ads/</ref><br />
|}<br />
Under the junta, the most important national security issue is the protection of transgenderism in the [[military]]. This was affirmed in presidential Executive Order No.14004 signed five days after the seizure of power. The White House’s 2021 “Interim National Security Strategic Guidance,” instead of offering guidance on Russian, Iranian and Chinese aggression, the document was laden with PC nonsense. In its 24 pages, the ‘Guidance’ mentions climate change more than a dozen times, as well as racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/mar/30/bidens-woke-military/</ref><br />
<br />
On January 29, 2021, four days after Biden’s transgender executive order, defense minister [[Lloyd Austin]] followed with a military-wide order that all restrictions on transgenderism would be lifted pending a review of the issue which radical leftists consider crucial to America’s national security.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/02/15/barr-the-strange-priorities-of-bidens-department-of-defense/</ref> Biden signed an Executive Order on January 25, 2021 mandating taxpayers to pay for gender reassignment surgery for active military personnel and veterans, with some treatments costing upward of $200,000.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/military-transgender-surgery-free</ref><br />
<br />
The Biden budget increased defense spending only 1.6%. Adjusted for inflation, it’s a cut.<ref>https://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2021/05/28/Bidens-First-Budget-Numbers-You-Need-Know</ref> Meantime CCP state media called for increases in the PRC nuclear weapons.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/china-state-media-warns-of-intense-showdown-with-america-advocates-more-nuclear-weapons/</ref> Pentagon analysts project the CCP military to match and overtake the U.S. military in strength in 5 to 10 years. Pentagon spending was rotated out for other domestic vote-buying schemes, such as the Green New Deal disguised as infrastructure, and supposed slave reparations including people of mixed race and immigrants who not need to prove they are descendants of American slaves (ADOS).<br />
<br />
Under Lloyd Austin, the Pentagon canceled a $10-billion ‘JEDI’ cloud-computing contract with [[Microsoft]] in July 2021 and handed it back to tech giant [[Amazon]], which had sued after [[President Trump]] took it away from Amazon in 2019.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/pentagon-cancels-10-billion-jedi-cloud-deal-awarded-microsoft</ref> Weeks earlier, [[Speaker Nancy Pelosi]]'s husband, who handles the families finances, bought $1 million in Amazon call options.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/pelosis-husband-bought-amazon-stock-pentagon-jedi-shakeup-sent-shares-soaring</ref><br />
<br />
Among the modern Pentagon's lesser priorities after transgenderism and critical race theory is its report that the possibility of nuclear weapons being used in regional or global conflicts is growing.<ref>https://mailchi.mp/fas/secrecy-news-070621?e=2849dbef1b</ref><br />
<br />
====Cancelation of emergency evacuation plans====<br />
{{See also|Fall of Kabul}}<br />
[[File:Biden at 9-11 memorial 2021.jpg|right|300px|thumb|(left to right) [[Bill Clinton]], [[Hillary Clinton]], Barack Obama, [[Michelle Obama]] (barely seen standing between Obama and Biden), Biden, [[Jill Biden]], and [[Michael Bloomberg]] desecrating 9/11 Memorial service, 2021.]]<br />
The Biden State Department canceled a critical Trump-era program aimed at providing swift and safe evacuations of Americans out of overseas hotspots. The “Contingency and Crisis Response Bureau” – which was designed to handle medical, diplomatic, and logistical support for Americans overseas was paused by Anthony Blinken’s State Department shortly after the seizure of power. Notification was officially signed June 11, 2021, two months before the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. The order to shut down reads: <br />
{{quotebox-float|“That you direct the discontinuation of the establishment, and termination of, the Contingency and Crisis Response Bureau (CCR), and direct a further review of certain associated Department requirements and capabilities....That you direct the discontinuation of the establishment, and termination of, CCR, consistent with the applicable legal requirements, necessary stakeholder engagement, and any applicable changes to the Foreign Affairs Manual and other requirements.”<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/bidens-state-dept-halted-trump-era-crisis-response-plan/</ref>}}<br />
Amid the murder of 60 people at the Kabul airport, including 13 U.S. soldiers during the junta's botched evacuation plans, the highest-ranking enlisted person in the U.S. Army was tweeting about [[diversity]]: "Diversity is a number - do you have people that don’t look or think like you in the room? Inclusion is listening and valuing those people and valuing those people. #WomensEqualityDay reminds us we’re smarter and more lethal when we come together as an inclusive, cohesive team. Our values demand it."<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sergeant-major-of-the-army-prioritizes-diversity-amid-afghanistan-evacuation</ref><br />
<br />
Families of the victims of the [[9/11 terror attacks]] asked Biden to not attend 9/11 Memorial services at Ground Zero in the days following Biden abandoning thousands of Americans to Taliban terrorists and revitalizing the Taliban terrorist organization.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/9-11-families-president-biden-don-t-come-our-memorial-n1276138</ref><br />
<br />
====The Great Purge====<br />
<br />
Another of Austin's first actions was to order a 60 day nationwide stand down across all service branches to root out Trump voters, euphemistically referred to as "extremists".<ref>https://greenwald.substack.com/p/the-new-domestic-war-on-terror-is</ref> The junta attempted to identify military personnel who exercised their [[First Amendment]] right to peacefully assemble on January 6, 2020. In a Pentagon briefing with reporters, Ramón "CZ" Colón-López, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], said that some troops have asked, when the January 6, 2021 riot is brought up, "How come you're not looking at the situation that was going on in [[Seattle]] prior to that?" "This is coming from every echelon that we're talking to," he added.<ref>https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/03/19/some-troops-see-capitol-riot-blm-protests-similar-threats-top-enlisted-leader-says.html</ref><br />
<br />
In May 2021, the DOD press secretary was asked about plans to monitor the social media accounts of active military members: "part of that insider threat program is to take a look at social media activity out there so that we're – that we can be as informed as possible.... If there is – again, the insider threat, right, is, you know, when there’s a concern about the potential of a threat coming from inside, you know, one of the things you want to do is take a look at the social media footprint and see what’s out there in the public space."<ref>[https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2622606/pentagon-press-secretary-conducts-on-camera-press-briefing/source/GovDelivery/ Pentagon Press Secretary Conducts On-Camera Press Briefing], MAY 18, 2021, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby</ref><br />
[[File:Stuart Scheller.JPG|right|300px|thumb|Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, the only officer relieved of command in the Afgan debacle because he criticized the Biden regime's lack of accountability for failure.]]<br />
130 retired generals and admirals demanded the resignations of Mark Milley and Llyod Austin “based on negligence in performing their duties primarily involving events surrounding the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan....The consequences of this disaster are enormous and will reverberate for decades beginning with the safety of Americans and Afghans who are unable to move safely to evacuation points; therefore, being de facto hostages of the Taliban at this time. The death and torture of Afghans has already begun....The loss of billions of dollars in advanced military equipment and supplies falling into the hands of our enemies is catastrophic. The damage to the reputation of the United States is indescribable. We are now seen....as an unreliable partner in any multinational agreement or operation. Trust in the United States is irreparably damaged....our adversaries are emboldened to move against America...China benefits the most followed by Russia, Pakistan, Iran, North Korea and others. Terrorists around the world are emboldened and able to pass freely into our country through our open border with Mexico....there are leadership, training, and morale reasons for resignations...it has become clear that top leaders in our military are placing mandatory emphasis on PC “wokeness” related training which is extremely divisive and harmful to unit cohesion, readiness, and war fighting capability."<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/130-retired-generals-admirals-demand-resignations-from-milley-austin-over-afghanistan-disaster</ref><br />
<br />
Marine Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. [[Stuart Scheller]], was relieved of command for criticizing Austin and Milley's decision to close Bagram AFB in Afghanistan before evacuating American civilians and soldiers. Lt. Col Scheller made a public Facebook post criticizing the decisions that led to the deaths of 13 U.S. Marines and 170 other non-combatants. “Did any of you throw your rank on the table and say, ‘Hey, it’s a bad idea to evacuate Bagram Airfield, a strategic airbase, before we evacuate everyone’? Did anyone do that? And when you didn’t think to do that, did anyone raise their hand and say, ‘We completely messed this up’?”<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/08/27/marine-battalion-commander-lt-col-stuart-scheller-relieved-of-duty-for-criticizing-pentagon-decision-on-bagram-afb/</ref> Scheller stated,<ref>https://youtu.be/TOrjiUnsaiw</ref> “Because it appears to me that no general officers are willing to hold each other accountable, I am submitting charges against Gen. McKenzie for his bad assumptions – not because I’m vindictive, but because the senior leaders need to be held accountable to the same standard as us.” Scheller vowed to file the charges through his chain of command and directly to “the former Raytheon board director, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.” He also said he would file a complaint with the Department of Defense Inspector General’s Office.<ref>https://taskandpurpose.com/pentagon-run-down/marine-corps-stuart-scheller-charge-general-afghanistan/</ref> For demanding accountability of the regime, Scheller was sent to the brig without being charged.<ref>https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2021/09/28/marine-lieutenant-colonel-who-demanded-accountability-in-brig-not-charged/</ref> Members of Congress demanded his immediate release.<ref>https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-lt-col-scheller-brig-gohmert/</ref> Scheller was the only person disciplined following the Afghan debacle.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/marine-who-criticized-militarys-afghanistan-withdrawal-has-reportedly-been-jailed/</ref><br />
<br />
In his resignation letter 18 year veteran Lt. Col. Paul Douglas Hague wrote,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“First, and foremost, I am incapable of subjecting myself to the unlawful, unethical, immoral and tyrannical order to sit still and allow a serum to be injected into my flesh against my will and better judgment. It is impossible for this so-called ‘vaccine’ to have been studied adequately to determine the long-term effects. It simply has not existed for enough time and any claim otherwise is blatantly ignorant and likely an outright lie driven by negligent political agenda....I cannot and will not contribute to the fall of this great nation and its people. The values that our nation was founded on, has lived by and thrived under, have been utterly decimated by the current presidential administration and the leadership of the military; to include the Army....We are watching the fall of liberty at this moment. Governors and mayors forcibly locking down millions of Americans, restricting them from their unalienable right to pursue happiness, forcing them out of their jobs and their ability to participate in the most basic and fundamental rights life offers because of their beliefs and values.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/09/15/18-yr-army-officer-resigns-after-bidens-tyrannical-vax-mandate-marxist-takeover-of-military-1134608/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Marxist indoctrination====<br />
[[File:Progressive military.PNG|right|300px|thumb|The Progressive woke military in high heels for diversity awareness.<ref>https://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/04/23/rotc-cadets-wearing-heels-for-sexual-assault-awareness-spurs.html</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|Mark Milley}}<br />
On May 14, 2021, Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier, a commander in the [[United States Space Force]], was relieved of command for criticizing [[Marxist]] ideology.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/05/16/lt-col-matthew-lohmeier-commander-of-11th-space-warning-squadron-at-buckley-afb-colorado-relieved-from-duty-after-questioning-creeping-marxist-ideology-in-military/</ref><ref>https://therightscoop.com/space-force-co-gets-canned-for-saying-marxism-and-critical-race-theory-ruling-the-military-is-bad/</ref><ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/news/politics/2021/05/16/usaf-lt-col-lohmeier-relieved-of-command-after-cdmedia-interview/</ref> Lohmeier said the Biden junta is teaching in the military that [[patriotism]] is evil.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/video/2021/05/20/matthew-lohmeier-marxism-in-the-military-teaching-patriotism-is-evil/ </ref><ref>To this day, Russians, who defeated fascism, call World War II "The Great Patriot War". Marxist appeals to fight fascism were ineffective. Appeals to Mother Russia and patriotism however rallied the Russian people to defend their homeland.</ref> The teaching of military history was replaced with training on police brutality, ‘[[systemic racism]]’ and ‘[[white privilege]]’.<br />
<br />
In June 2021 it was reported that Lt. Col. Andrew Rhodes told hundreds of his “Fighting Eagle” soldiers at at Fort Carson, [[Colorado]], “If you’re a white male, you are part of the problem.”<ref> https://humanevents.com/2021/06/09/behind-the-beret-battalion-commander-reportedly-tells-troops-white-people-are-part-of-the-problem/</ref><ref>https://sofrep.com/news/army-ltc-to-troops-if-you-are-a-white-male-youre-part-of-the-problem/</ref> Navy Admiral Mike Gilday suggested Navy Sailors read ''How to Be Antiracist'' by extremist author Abram X. Kendi. The title of the book betrays its readers when the contents inside insist that America is racist in history and continues to be today in every structure that exists in the country.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/06/15/navy-chief-critical-race-theory-proponents-radical-book-makes-better-navy/</ref> Navy Command of Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 303 Mainbody of Sunset, [[California]] forced all of its members on a [[gay pride]] march with a rainbow-themed American Flag.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/navy-brass-forces-maintenance-unit-march-gay-us-flag-mandatory-hike-highway-photos/</ref><ref>https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2408054769338464&id=123075057836458&__tn__=%2As%2As-R</ref><br />
<br />
Future officers at the U.S. Army‘s military academy at [[West Point]] are being taught several leftist courses that are part of Marxist indoctrination. Three classes in particular at the academy are being taught with what critics say is the goal of social engineering and politicization of the 4,294 cadets: “Social Inequality,” “Military Leadership: Leading Inclusive Teams” and “Politics of Race Gender and Sexuality and Diversity.” West Point also offers a seminar on diversity and inclusion that features images of Black Lives Matter protesters.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/aug/11/west-point-teaching-marxism/</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Biden Satanism.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The Biden regime teaches Satanism in the U.S. military.<ref>https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1440107751477231621</ref>]]<br />
====Satanism====<br />
[[Tucker Carlson]] exposed a PowerPoint presentation used by the Biden DoD to promote [[Satanism]] in the U.S. military. Carlson explained, "We just obtained a PowerPoint that the Army is using to justify mandatory vaccines to the troops. In it is the sympathetic portrayal of Satanism. ‘How many children were sacrificed to [[Satan]] because of the vaccine.'"<br />
<br />
The presentation then proceeds to list the so-called ‘tenants of Satanism,’ which are taken straight from the [[Satanic Temple]] website. Carlson asked, “So what’s the scientific justification for this? Well, of course, there isn’t any,” Carlson responded. “The fighting strength of the military is young, healthy people, virtually all of them at extremely low risk of dying from COVID. In fact, to this day, only 46 members of the entire U.S. military have died from the coronavirus over the last year and a half. Suicides kill many, many more. In just a few months last year, 156 service members killed themselves.” Carlson posited, “The point of mandatory vaccination is to identify the sincere [[Christian]]s in the ranks, the [[freethinker]]s, the men with high testosterone levels, and anyone else who doesn’t love Joe Biden and make them leave immediately. It’s a takeover of the U.S. military.”<ref>https://nationalfile.com/tucker-carlson-military-forces-soldiers-to-study-7-tenets-of-satanism-powerpoint-in-defense-of-covid-19-vaccines/</ref><br />
<br />
===Neo-Nazis===<br />
On February 24, 2022 [[President Vladimir Putin]] of Russia announced [[Operation Denazification]] to clean out the fascist battalions which have waged war on the civilians of the [[Donbas]] Republics since 2014, killing at least 13,000.<ref>http://www.indiandefencereview.com/what-forced-a-russian-response-in-ukraine/</ref> ''[[Politico]]'' reported, "The day after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, the Azov Regiment invited foreigners to join, Rita Katz of SITE Intelligence Group has detailed. Since then, neo-Nazis around the world have expressed enthusiasm for the fight."<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/24/american-fighters-ukraine-white-supremacists-00034860</ref> Biden said of Putin, "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power."<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/biden-putin-remain-power-anxiety-europe-ukraine-war-rcna21783#</ref><br />
[[File:DHS Ukraine.PNG|right|500px|thumb|The Biden DHS warned Ukraine was actively recruiting foreign Nazis to fight against Putin's special denazification operation.]]<br />
On March 7, 2022 DHS issued an intelligence bulletin warning that 3,000 Americans [[mercenaries]] sign up with to fight Ukraine. Th bulletin noted {{quotebox-float|"Ukrainian nationalist groups including the [[Azov movement]] are actively recruiting racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist-[[white supremacist]]s (RMVE-WS) to join various [[neo-Nazi]] battalions in the war against [[Russia]]."<ref>https://propertyofthepeople.org/document-detail/?doc-id=22022879</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Islamophobic witchhunts====<br />
<br />
{{See also|Muslim agenda of the Obama/Biden administration}}<br />
After the [[September 11, 2001]] terror attacks, many young [[Patriot]]s rushed to defend their country. The Marxist Biden junta began a [[witchhunt]] to root out alleged [[Islamophobe]]s. The junta dismantled counterterrorism programs and replaced them with Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). <br />
<br />
In Biden’s group of outside contractors, the Countering Extremism Working Group (CEWG), several appeared at events for [[CAIR]], [[ICNA]], and other terror-linked organizations. Some appeared at events featuring advocates for Islamic terrorism, [[sharia]], and violence against non-Muslims. The list consists almost entirely of organizations and individuals who supported Biden's election [[coup]]. The group is tasked with dismantling CVE and siccing [[Islamist]] [[activist]]s and their lawyers on the military to implement a ruthless purge of American soldiers.<br />
<br />
''Frontpagemag'' reported<ref>https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2021/05/biden-brings-islamic-activists-investigate-us-daniel-greenfield/</ref> that many personnel are from the discredited [[Southern Poverty Law Center]] (SPLC) including Heidi Beirich.<br />
<br />
At the start of the [[Obama administration]], Hina Shamsi was fighting on behalf of the Holy Land Foundation whose leaders had been convicted of providing material support to [[Hamas]]. As the head of the [[ACLU]]’s National Security Project, Shamsi, fought fiercely for the Islamic terrorists at [[Guantanamo Bay]]. In addition to Shamsi, there’s fellow [[Pakistan]]i ACLU activist: Manar Waheed.<br />
<br />
Faiza Patel co-wrote an article arguing against designating the [[Muslim Brotherhood]] as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). In another co-written article, Faiza Patel claimed that laws against Sharia were [[Islamophobic]].<br />
<br />
The list includes Wael Alzayat in his role as the CEO of Emgage. The national co-chair and founding member of the Islamic group is Khurrum Wahid who has been described as one of the country’s most prominent terror lawyers and whose clients include an [[Al Qaeda]] operative who plotted to kill [[President George W. Bush]] and Sami al-Arian who was linked to Islamic Jihad. Wahid had been placed on a terrorist watch list and Emgage, as counterterrorism researcher Joe Kaufman noted, "holds events at terror-linked mosques”: including one founded by al-Arian. Emgage's board includes Dhabah ‘Debbie’ Almontaser who was forced out of her old job over t-shirts reading “Intifada NYC”. Nada al Hanooti, Emgage's Executive Director for [[Michigan]], is the daughter of Muthanna al Hanooti, a former CAIR leader who was accused of working for [[Saddam Hussein]] and [[Iraq]]'s intelligence agency.<br />
<br />
Also on the list of Biden's CEWG partners is Iman Boukadoum, the staff attorney for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). The ADC has a long history of defending and excusing Islamic terrorism. "I know many people in Hamas. They are very respectable," its former president Hamzi Moghrabi had said. Former ADC president Hussein Ibish called [[Hezbollah]] “a disciplined and responsible liberation force” whose members “conducted themselves in an exemplary manner.” Boukadoum was most recently hard at work fighting for Abdelhaleem Ashqar, who had been convicted of [[obstruction of justice]] in a case involving the flow of money to Hamas. Ashqar ran for president of the [[Palestinian Authority]] while awaiting trial in the United States. He had argued that the evidence against him had come from a time when “Hamas was not designated as a terrorist organisation” and boasted that, “they wanted me to testify against my people. I said I'd rather die than betray my commitment to freedom and justice for Palestine."<br />
<br />
====Defense Department schools====<br />
<br />
Department of Defense Education Activity schools, institutions that educate children from military families, are helping children change their names and pronouns at school behind parents’ backs.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/07/16/why-are-defense-department-schools-transitioning-students-gender-behind-parents-backs/</ref> Video evidence from the Department of Defense Education Activity’s Equity and Access Summit in May 2021 shows that in one case at a school in Rota, [[Spain]], a seventh-grade language arts and high school humanities teacher—who is also a Gay-Straight Alliance sponsor—told teachers that in some instances they will need to protect children from parents who do not know about their child’s gender “transition.”<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/06/10/young-children-are-being-targeted-with-sexual-content-the-equality-act-would-make-it-worse/</ref> Another conference presenter, who teaches English and drama at a high school in [[Stuttgart]], [[Germany]], and is also a Gay-Straight Alliance sponsor, noted that while some parents are labeled as “unsupportive” and have no idea that their children have transitioned at school.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/02/18/promise-to-americas-children-warns-of-destructive-equality-act-lgbt-agenda/</ref> To “out” children to their parents, said the teacher, would be “unsafe” and would put them “at risk” at home. For these children, she claimed, school might be the only safe place for them to be their authentic selves, with their chosen “safe” adult.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/07/16/inconvenient-truth-no-one-actually-changes-gender-only-ones-persona/</ref><br />
<br />
===Racism===<br />
:{{See also|Liberalism and racism}}<br />
[[File:Biden legacy chart 1.png|right|300px|thumb|The Biden legacy.]]<br />
Among the Biden junta's first official racist acts was the firing of the nation's African American [[Surgeon General]]<ref>Multiple references:<br />
*[https://abc7ny.com/surgeon-general-jerome-adams-president-joe-biden-donald-trump/9842120/ US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams asked to step down by Biden team]. ''ABC 7 NY''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2021/01/20/Surgeon-General-Jerome-Adams-resigns-to-make-way-for-Biden-nominee/8161611160416/ Surgeon General Jerome Adams resigns to make way for Biden nominee]. ''UPI''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/01/20/biden-surgeon-general-resignation/ Surgeon General resigns at Biden’s request]. ''Washington Post''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> and issuance of xenophobic travel ban orders against [[South Africa]].<ref>https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2021/01/24/315890-n315890</ref><ref>https://therightscoop.com/boom-reporter-asks-if-biden-called-trumps-travel-restrictions-xenophobic-then-what-do-we-call-bidens-new-travel-restrictions/</ref> In its first full month, February 2021, while unemployment fell among fell among white, [[Hispanic]], Asian-American workers and overall to 6.2%, Blacks were the only group that saw a rise in unemployment to 9.9%.<ref>https://finance.yahoo.com/news/black-unemployment-rate-rises-despite-143209839.html</ref> Racist Democrat Sens. [[Tammy Duckworth]] and [[Mazie Hirono]] refused to vote for any [[white]] Biden appointee.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/dem-sens-duckworth-and-hirono-threatened-to-vote-against-white-biden-nominees/</ref><br />
<br />
In April 2021, ''[[Twitter]]'' allowed a racist insult against Republican Sen. [[Tim Scott]] of South Carolina to "trend" on its website/platform following the GOP rebuttal to Biden's [[SOTU]] speech in which Scott debunked the liberal leftist agenda, accused Democrats of trying "to use our painful past to dishonestly shut down debates in the present" and stating, "America is not a racist country."<ref>AILA SLISCO | ''Newsweek'', Read the Full Text of Tim Scott's Republican Rebuttal of Joe Biden's Joint Address to Congress, https://www.newsweek.com/read-full-text-tim-scotts-republican-rebuttal-joe-bidens-joint-address-congress-1587308, April 28, 2021</ref> Following the speech, angry leftists flooded ''Twitter'' in attempts to label the Senator "Uncle Tim" and using other racist slurs. During the rebuttal Scott stated, "I have experienced the pain of discrimination... I get called "[[Uncle Tom]]" and the N-word — by 'progressives'! By liberals!"<ref>CNN Politics, Read Republican Sen. Tim Scott's response to Biden's address to Congress, https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/28/politics/tim-scott-response-transcript/index.html, Updated 10:51 PM ET, Wed April 28, 2021</ref> The left traditionally uses the derogatory epithet and hurls it at conservatives who dare to walk off the [[Democrat plantation]]. This has long been a way for bigots to insult black people who are accused of being subservient to whites and used to send an intimidating message to others who might be thinking about leaving the plantation.<ref>Debra Heine | ''AG'' News, Twitter Allows Racist Attacks Against Tim Scott to Trend For Nearly 11 Hours, https://amgreatness.com/2021/04/29/twitter-allows-racist-attacks-against-tim-scott-to-trend-for-nearly-11-hours/, April 29, 2021</ref> A [[plurality]] of voters said race relations had deteriorated in the first six month's after Bidens seizure of power.<ref>https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/biden_administration/voters_don_t_think_biden_has_made_much_difference_for_black_america</ref><br />
<br />
It took only 120 days under the leftist junta before [[Jews]] were being beaten in broad daylight in America.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/analysis/it-only-took-120-days-of-leftism-before-jews-were-being-beaten-in-broad-daylight-in-america/</ref> In [[Los Angeles]], Muslims in two vehicles, waving "[[Palestinian]]" flag, shouting "Allahu Akbar" chased a religious Jewish man.<ref>LA Jewish man chased by 2 vehicles waving Palestinian flags: 'They were yelling Allahu akbar'. Jewish Los Angeles resident said he 'thought they were going to kill me' By Yael Halon | Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/us/la-jewish-man-chased-palestinian-flags-yelling-allahu-akbar.amp</ref> <br />
The next day Arabs, attending a "pro-Palestine" rally in Los Angeles, stormed a restaurant, asked who is Jewish and began beating.<br />
<ref>Dillon Hosier (@DillonHosier) Tweeted: Moments ago: A group of "pro-Palestine" attacked a table of Persian Jews at Sushi Fumi in Los Angeles, just outside of #weho city. #westhollywood / #LA #Antisemitism masked as #FreePalestine https://t.co/jjdWNqESLO https://twitter.com/DillonHosier/status/1394911594698608642?s=20. [May 18, 2021]<br />
Yuna Leibzon (@YunaLeibzon) Tweeted: Shocking pictures from Los Angeles: A group of Arabs stop near a restaurant, ask who is inside a Jew and start beating a man vigorously before fleeing. https://twitter.com/YunaLeibzon/status/1394998791707766785?s=20. [May 19, 2021]</ref> Notably arrested was an Arab man from Brooklyn, Waseem Awawdeh.<ref>'Jewish man beaten during wild NYC protests afraid to wear yarmulke.' By Reuven Fenton and Amanda Woods. May 21, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/05/21/jewish-man-beaten-during-wild-midtown-protests-afraid-to-wear-yarmulke/ ''Waseem Awawdeh has been hit with multiple charges, including a hate crime.<br />
In the attack, captured on video, Borgen was knocked to the ground by a group of five or six men who allegedly made anti-Semitic statements, punched, kicked, pepper-sprayed and struck him with crutches... "I tried to get away, and the next thing I knew, I was surrounded by a whole crowd of people who proceeded to kick me, punch me, beat me down," he recalled. "I felt a liquid being poured on my face and at first I thought I was getting urinated on, but it tuned out I was getting maced and pepper sprayed. My face was on fire. That pain was worse than the concussion and all this other stuff that followed."''</ref><ref>New York Police Charge Pro-Palestinian Protester With Hate Crime.' Waseem Awawdeh is accused of beating a Jewish man during protest near Times Square.' By Ben Chapman. Updated May 21, 2021. https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-police-investigate-beating-of-jewish-man-during-pro-palestinian-march-11621610628 ''"Yesterday was an attack on this man simply because he is Jewish," Ms. Halberstam said. Jewish people were targeted in 63 hate crimes between Jan. 1 and May 16, up from 60 during the same time in 2020, according to the NYPD figures. Hate crimes against Jews accounted for the second-largest number of such crimes this year, after those targeting Asians..''</ref> Waseem said, after being arrested, that he would do it again, to which [[Newsmax]]'s Logan Ratick Tweeted: ''Because he grew up brainwashed to hate a specific group of people.''<ref>Logan Ratick (@Logan_Ratick) Tweeted: Because he grew up brainwashed to hate a specific group of people https://twitter.com/Logan_Ratick/status/1396266906546548740?s=20</ref> Days later, another Arab from NY was arrested in that beating, Faisal Elezzi.<ref>NYPD arrests suspect in beating of Jewish man in Times Square. May 24, 2021. ''Faisal Elezzi was arrested and charged in connection to the violent beatdown of a Jewish man near Times Square. The suspects spewed anti-Semitic statements while pepper spraying, punching and kicking Borgen, police have said. Police said the group also used crutches to beat the victim.''<br />
</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
Under Biden, anti-Israelism intensified.<br />
<br />
(That prejudice which is bigotry masked in "politics."<br />
<ref>Nevet Basker, [https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/not-about-israel/ It’s Not About Israel], TOI, July 11, 2021. [https://www.broaderview.org/notes/not-about-israel/]<br />
<blockquote><br />
Anti-Israel rhetoric and discriminatory initiatives are not really about Israel at all. They are certainly not about the Palestinians. They are not about justice or morality. They are in fact about American Jews and our place in American society.<br />
<br />
We have seen in recent months a large increase in bigoted, discriminatory, and slanderous statements that about Israel’s alleged misdeeds. The anti-Israel campaign hijacks unsuspecting organizations—a city council in Raleigh, North Carolina; a teachers’ union in Seattle, the student government at Yale—to use as political shields for their campaign of hate. The campaign pretends to target Israeli crimes—some real, some exaggerated, some completely fictional—but it has no effect on Israeli policies and actions. The Israeli government really doesn’t care—and likely hasn’t even noticed—that Swarthmore College students called to boycott Sabra hummus (made in Virginia), a call the college president rejected.<br />
<br />
Nor does the anti-Israel campaign help Palestinians. It was silent when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were expelled from Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, and Lebanon. It has nothing to say about the Egyptian blockade of Gaza or the murder of a dissident by the Palestinian Authority security forces. Anti-Israel activists didn’t protest Assad’s forces gassing Palestinians in Syria, or Hamas using Gaza civilians as human shields for rocket attacks on Israel. They remain mum regarding apartheid in Lebanon, which denies citizenship and civil rights to Palestinians, and don’t critique the UN agency that rejects resettlement of Palestinian refugees and condemns them to eternal dispossession. They didn’t care that the Palestinian Authority rejected COVID-19 vaccines from Israel. (The vaccines were sent to South Korea instead.) And they are oblivious to the harm their campaign against Israeli companies causes Palestinians, as when a Soda Stream factory relocated in response to the boycotters’ pressure, laying off hundreds of workers from the West Bank. (The pressure continued anyway.)<br />
<br />
So if the campaign doesn’t hurt Israel and doesn’t help Palestinians, what is its point? The point is to condemn Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. (Grumbles about “ethno-nationalism” fall flat when applied only to Israel and not to other nation-states like, say, Norway and Japan.) Affinity and connection to the land and the people of Israel are core to Jewish religious tradition, ethnic identity, and cultural heritage. The right of self-determination and political independence is granted to indigenous peoples everywhere, challenged only with regards the Jewish people. So an attack on Israel is, in fact, an attack on Jews everywhere. Singling out the Jewish state and the Jewish people is an expression of prejudice; prejudice against Jews is so ancient and so prevalent that it has its own word, “antisemitism,” or Jew-hatred.<br />
<br />
Scapegoating Jews is nothing new...</blockquote></ref>)<br />
<br />
<br />
Biden implied that all Hispanics, including those who were born in the United States or are residents legally, are illegal "aliens." In speaking about Hispanics, Biden shows no respect for the Spanish language and uses the leftist derogatory language, 'Latinx' to refer to people with an Hispanic background.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/tucker-what-biden-said-about-latinos-yesterday-is-actually-a-slur/</ref><br />
<br />
====Racist travel ban====<br />
<br />
Regime chief propagandist [[Jen Psaki]] refused to answer questions about Biden's racist travel ban on Africans travelling from Black African countries. When Simon Ateba, a black African reporter with ''Today News Africa'', attempted to question Psaki about the racist motivations behind the travel ban on black Africans, Psaki ignored Ateba in favor of a sympathetic white liberal reporter.<ref>https://www.mediaite.com/news/psaki-repeatedly-shuts-down-today-news-africa-reporter-for-shouting-questions-about-omicron-at-briefing/</ref> Ateba was persistent, and wanted to know why with no cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant in [[Zimbabwe]], [[Namibia]], [[Lesotho]], and [[Mozambique]], what justified the travel ban on countries with zero cases of the variant. Ateba asked, “What would you say to those who believe that this is a racist ban, that it is only on African and black African nations?”<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/african-reporter-confronts-jen-psaki-on-bidens-racist-covid-travel-ban/</ref><br />
<br />
Psaki couldn't answer the question and scolded Ateba about decorum, telling him to learn his place by watching his white counterparts.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/african-reporter-that-psaki-scolded-about-decorum-says-biden-is-disrespecting-africa-which-is-mostly-brown-black/</ref> According to ''Fox News'', Ateba said,<br />
[[File:Ateba Psaki.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Psaki made rude and disparaging comments toward Simon Ateba of ''Today Africa News''.]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The travel ban was built on a lie. The president on November 26 [2021] banned 8 African countries. Only 2 of those countries had any case of the omicron variant.”<br />
<br />
Ateba, a native of [[Cameroon]] according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, went on to question the supposed [[science]] behind Biden’s ban, pointing to Namibia, a small country on the continent’s Atlantic coast. The nation of 2.5 million people registered only 400 cases of COVID-19 since the virus’ inception, he said, but yet Biden essentially punished them anyway.<br />
<br />
“There’s total chaos: People can’t travel to Namibia, Zimbabwe [or] Mozambique, yet they have zero cases. So I don’t believe I was the one being disrespectful. I think Africa was disrespected, by banning countries based on a lie,” he said, referencing claims by Psaki he was being disrespectful of his fellow White House reporters."<ref>https://rumble.com/vq7lll-african-journalist-biden-is-disrespecting-africa-with-a-travel-ban-based-on.html</ref>}}<br />
<br />
===Immigration===<br />
{{See also|Illegal immigration}}<br />
[[File:Biden kids in cages.PNG|right|350px|thumb|On March 17, 2020, during a [[2020 Democrat primaries|2020 Democrat primary]] debate, Biden called for an immediate surge of illegal immigrants to the border.<ref>https://archive.is/tQq8A</ref>]]<br />
A Harvard/Harris poll produced in the summer of 2021 revealed that 80% of Americans believe that illegal immigration is a serious problem. 68% indicated they believed Biden was encouraging illegal immigration. 55% stated they believed President Trump’s immigration policies should have remained intact. Pollster Mark Penn wrote:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Sixty-four percent of registered voters want the [[Biden administration]] to issue new, stricter policies to reduce the flow of people across the border. Only 7% of voters could accurately call out the amount of monthly illegal immigrants crossing into the U.S. with 84% underestimate the number, suggesting we should expect stronger voter reactions if the crisis evolves further. Overall, 74% of voters view the current surge in illegal immigrants as a [[crisis]] that needs to be addressed immediately, and 56% do not view climate change, racism, and [[sexism]] as root causes of migration from South and Central America.”}}<br />
55% believed that Biden’s border policies are “increasing the flow of drugs,” into the country. 61% believed the flood of unaccompanied children surging at the southern border was the fault of the Biden administration.<ref>https://redstate.com/jeffc/2021/06/28/left-leaning-study-reveals-some-catastrophic-news-for-democrats-n403765</ref> Journalist [[Lara Logan]] reported,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"They want you to give up on your laws and give up on having them enforced. Because then it's easy for them to do whatever they want. It's about breaking your will to fight. You can see that all across the spectrum. There isn't a border anymore. It's gone. Immigration law is not enforced....On top of that, the Biden administration removed the word 'illegal' from the conversation. You are not allowed to talk about illegal immigrants anymore. You have to say migrants....It's a plan. When you look at that, what is their plan? They talk about safe, regular, orderly migration....The language is word for word what you can read at the United Nations. The 2018 [[Global Compact on Migration]] which made migration a human right, then, in their book, a right that supersedes all other rights. Sovereign rights, constitutional rights, God-given rights."<ref> https://youtu.be/_rygKbC5gFY</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Biden border crisis====<br />
<br />
:{{See also|Biden border crisis|Cloward and Piven Strategy}}<br />
On Biden's second day occupying the White House he issued a ''diktat'' which has been described as the most extreme directive in the history of modern [[law enforcement]]. Acting Secretary David Pekoske issued a memorandum on the evening of January 20, 2021 putting into place a [[deportation]] moratorium. There were narrow exceptions for terrorists and spies and none for [[criminal]]s and criminal suspects. It is estimated that about 12,000 criminal illegal aliens per month will not be deported from the United States throughout the existence of the Biden/Harris regime.<ref>https://www.newswars.com/over-12000-criminal-illegals-will-be-freed-monthly-former-trump-official-warns/</ref> These illegals can vote unchallenged under the Democrats "[[For the People Act]]". <br />
<br />
The junta further scrapped the “public charge” rule—a government policy that sought to limit admissions of immigrants likely to become reliant on government benefits.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/biden-administration-ditches-trump-plan-limit-immigration-financially-dependent-n1260239</ref> People from [[Yemen]], [[Iran]] and [[Sri Lanka]] were crossing the border, including people on the terrorist watch list.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/mar/15/john-katko-terror-suspects-are-part-border-surge/</ref> <br />
<br />
The junta's executive order raised the refugee ceiling by 730% in the midst of the COVID pandemic.<ref>https://www.immigrationreform.com/2021/02/10/biden-intends-to-increase-refugee-numbers-by-more-than-730-percent/</ref><ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/02/10/poll-raising-refugee-admissions-is-bidens-most-unpopular-executive-order-so-far/</ref> By the junta's seventh week [[Arizona]] border agents reported illegal immigration in 2021 already surpassed all of 2018, and was on track to surpass 2018, 2019 and 2020 combined.”<br />
<br />
After White House chief [[propagandist]] [[Jen Psaki]] denied a border crisis existed,<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/03/09/wh-refuses-to-call-mexico-border-rush-child-detainment-a-crisis/</ref> the junta dispatched [[FEMA]] to deal with over 100,000 illegal aliens who crossed the border in February,<ref>https://justthenews.com/government/security/biden-dispatches-fema-address-growing-border-crisis</ref> 150,000 in March,<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/illegal-border-crossings-jump-to-150000-in-march_3756182.html</ref> and 178,000 in April 2021, a two decade high for a single month. 17,000 of those in April were unaccompanied children.<ref>https://justthenews.com/nation/cbp-reports-encountering-more-178000-attempting-enter-americas-southern-border-april</ref> Democrat Reps. [[Vicente Gonzalez]] and [[Henry Cuellar]] criticized the junta's mishandling of the crisis.<ref>https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/biden-pushes-back-against-border-crisis-label-as-democrats-concede-theres-a-major-problem</ref> Biden found the humanitarian crisis he created flattering.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/03/25/biden-would-be-flattered-if-migrants-are-surging-because-of-him/</ref> Texas Lt. Governor [[Dan Patrick]] told Fox News,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"There was a little girl that drowned in the river. Kamala Harris must think that’s amusing to her. She must think that the sex offenders who are coming into this country, who are coming into communities all over this country to assault children is funny to her. This is not a laughing matter to our country or to these people or for future victims. So far they won’t call this a crisis. It’s a designed disaster. This is their plan… Sex offenders are up 1,967% in just the Del Rio sector in Texas. Sexual offenders are defined by people we already arrested for offenses against children and they’re crossing back two or three times."<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/kamala-harris-must-think-amusing-tx-lt-gov-dan-patrick-goes-off-child-sex-trafficking-1967-video/</ref>}}<br />
A border agent described conditions in the cells to the ''[[Epoch Times]]:''<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The family-unit holding cells smell like [[urine]] and [[vomit]]. Fights break out in the unaccompanied-minor cells. [[Scabies]], [[lice]], the [[flu]], and COVID-19 run rampant. Up to 80 individuals are squeezed into each 24- by 30-foot cell, and there aren’t enough mattresses for everyone. Sheets of plastic divide the rooms. “Any diseases that are in there, it’s being kept in there, like a petri dish. The smell is overwhelming.”<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/exclusive-border-agent-gives-inside-account-of-overcrowded-facilities_3746058.html?amp</ref>}}<br />
After White House chief [[propagandist]] [[Jen Psaki]] denied a border crisis existed,<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/03/09/wh-refuses-to-call-mexico-border-rush-child-detainment-a-crisis/</ref> the [[Biden junta]] put Kamala Harris in charge of managing the catastrophe.<ref>https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2021/03/24/biden-just-named-a-new-person-in-charge-of-the-border-youll-know-her-by-the-sound-of-her-cackle-n349562</ref> Harris previously compared [[Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] officials to the [[Ku Klux Klan]].<ref>https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/kamala-harris-tapped-to-fix-the-border-despite-attacking-immigration/</ref> A week into the Harris' appointment as border czar, Harris had no immigration-related meetings on her schedule and made no public statements about the border crisis.<ref>https://freedomjournalist.com/kamala-has-no-immigration-meetings-scheduled-despite-leading-crisis-response/</ref> ''Axios'' reported "If you give someone a sh***ty assignment because the president doesn’t want to do it himself, you can’t be mad when the treacherous situation looks treacherous.”<ref>https://www.axios.com/kamala-harris-trip-problems-rekindle-2020-campaign-doubts-f08f807e-c00a-432a-a562-3c2a2beaa634.html</ref> <br />
<br />
Harris refused to visit the border for six months and laughed at the unfolding human tragedy.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/03/23/kamala-harris-bursts-out-awkward-laugh-when-asked-about-visiting-the-border-not-today-1048624/</ref> Not until President Trump announced he and Texas governor [[Greg Abbott]] would visit the border did Harris announce she would visit the border.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/06/23/kamala-harris-announces-border-visit-just-days-before-president-trump-event/</ref><br />
<br />
Democrat Rep. [[Henry Cuellar]], whose district was hardest hit by disaster, had been calling for months for the Biden junta to listen to the people in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, to him, and to [[law enforcement]] that is overwhelmed called Harris' visit to [[El Paso]] in the Upper Rio Rio Grande Valley a “politically safe” trip, a “check the box” kind of trip and a "joke". Harris never consulted with Cuellar, Texas governor [[Greg Abbott]], or other local people.<br />
<br />
====Call for immediate surge====<br />
<br />
On March 17, 2020, during a [[2020 Democrat primaries|2020 Democrat primary]] debate, Biden told Jorge Ramos of Univision:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"I would, in fact, make sure that there is, we immediate surge to the border. All those people seeking asylum, they deserve to be heard. That's who we are. We are nation that says, if you want to flee and you are fleeing oppression, you should come."<ref>https://therightscoop.com/flashback-joe-biden-calls-for-an-immediate-surge-of-illegals-to-the-border-when-he-becomes-president/</ref>}} <br />
After the seizure of power, human traffickers advertised their services on [[social media]].<ref>https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1403010149434937345</ref> People died attempting to cross the frigid waters of the [[Rio Grande]] after Biden's open invitation.<ref>https://youtu.be/8Mjr6Qjb_pE</ref> [[El Salvador]] President Nayib Bukele told [[Fox News]] the ‘new-liberal practice’ [[immigration]] policy was ‘immoral’ and 'not good for the US, not good for El Salvador, causing a brain drain and sending El Salvador's future workforce to the U.S. in exchange for a tiny remittance.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/salvadoran-president-tells-tucker-mass-immigration-not-profitable-feeding-on-dependency</ref> [[Texas]] Gov. [[Greg Abbott]] told an NBC affiliate,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"From a lack of safe drinking water in one location to a COVID-19 outbreak in another, the Biden Administration has no excuse for subjecting these children to these kinds of conditions. President Biden’s refusal to address the border crisis is not only enabling criminal actors like human traffickers and smugglers, but it is exposing innocent unaccompanied children to illness and potentially unsafe living conditions. The administration must act now to keep these children safe, secure our border, and end this humanitarian crisis. The Biden administration must also answer for enticing unaccompanied minors into inhumane conditions that expose these children to traffickers. To abuse. And to terror.”<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/border/2021/03/20/biden-criticized-for-inhumane-conditions-in-migrant-children-detention-facilities/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Kamala Harris cackled in laughter when asked if she would visit the Biden-Harris humanitarian catastrophe on the border.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/03/22/inappropriate-laughter-kamala-harris-response-when-asked-if-she-will-visit-border/</ref> According to ''[[Politico]]'',<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/06/28/the-white-houses-centrists-strike-back-493400</ref> White House and [[Health and Human Services]] officials were frustrated after being left with the task of cleaning up remarks about the Mexican border by Symone Sanders, senior spokesperson for Harris. Sanders told reporters that Biden and Harris “have instructed [[Xavier Becerra|[HHS Secretary Xavier] Becerra]] to do a thorough investigation” of the El Paso army base where migrant children locked in cages. But Psaki and others had to tell ''[[The Guardian]]'' that no such investigation exists. “At no time did The White House recommend a probe of the facility,” a White House spokesman told ''The Guardian''.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jun/25/kamala-harris-us-mexico-border-visit-migration</ref> [[CBS News]] also reported that a White House official said that Biden did not order a formal investigation.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-orders-probe-into-fort-bliss-base-holding-migrant-children/</ref><br />
<br />
====Human trafficing====<br />
[[File:Cartel execution.jpeg|right|300px|thumb|Members of the Los Tlacos cartel executing members of the rival La Bandera cartel, Sept. 29, 2021.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/10/02/horrifying-footage-of-mexican-cartel-lining-up-rivals-for-execution-1143185/</ref>]]<br />
The Biden junta’s reversal of Trump-era border policies gave Mexican cartels an enormous opportunity to exploit immigrants for financial gain. This criminal and inhumane system is a direct consequence of Biden’s open border policies and willful neglect of border security. Chris Farrell, director of investigations and research at [[Judicial Watch]], explained how the cartels’ control of the Mexican border is driven by profit. “When Americans hear about the humanitarian crisis at the border,” said Farrell, “they should remember that it is fueled by a sophisticated criminal enterprise that is subsidized by the Biden administration’s failure to secure our border.” An Arizona rancher explained “Nobody comes through that border illegally without their [the cartels] authorization.” Dan Cantu, a retired Border Patrol agent, said no one “freelances”—or crosses into the U.S. from the Mexican border without cartel permission. In most cases, those who try are instantly killed. “They call those [who cross on their own] ‘chapulines’ … which means grasshoppers in Spanish. It’s common knowledge that the minute they try to freelance—as soon as they do—smugglers and recruiters [for the cartels] will notice … [and] they’ll flat out kill them.” They patrol ridge lines and mountains in search of “chapulines” walking on their own. If found, the chapulin is approached by a scout and asked for a code. Those who don’t know the code are often tied to a tree and beaten, raped, or killed by cartel operatives. “The chapulines experience all kinds of torture,” Cantu emphasized, “because [the cartels] have got to send a message … there is a price for attempting to traverse the border yourself.”<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/06/15/no-one-comes-through-the-border-illegally-without-the-cartels-authorization-how-bidens-policies-feed-a-criminal-monopoly/</ref><br />
<br />
According to a veteran Department of Homeland Security law enforcement officer, “The cartel makes more money on people than they do on dope.” The Mexican cartels have a valuation greater than [[Walmart]].<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/06/24/do-mexican-drug-cartels-make-billion-year/</ref><br />
<br />
====Child sex trafficing====<br />
Biden also canceled the Trump era Operation Talon which focused on deporting illegal child sex traffickers and sexual predators.<ref>https://newspunch.com/biden-cancels-trump-program-that-targeted-child-sex-traffickers-in-the-us-illegally/</ref> The order essentially shut down [[ICE]] operations. An estimated 117,000 migrants crossed the border at the going rate for smuggling humans of $10,000 each the first month, totaling well over $1.1 billion for the cartels and human trafficking networks.<ref>https://legalinsurrection.com/2021/03/report-admin-lacks-resources-for-the-expected-117000-unaccompanied-children-at-border-this-year/</ref> Mexican President [[Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador]] expressed concern over the junta incentivizing human trafficing and organized crime.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-mexico-exclusive-idUSKBN2B21D8</ref> Reports indicated that human traffickers were purchasing children for $3200.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/human-trafficking-cartels-selling-kids-3200-head-joe-bidens-open-border-mexico-video/</ref><ref>https://rumble.com/vekxmd-biden-the-president-of-human-trafficking.html</ref> Drug cartels often recruit or kidnap migrants, hold them for ransom or [[murder]] them if their families don't comply with the operatives' demands.<ref>https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/biden-pushes-back-against-border-crisis-label-as-democrats-concede-theres-a-major-problem</ref>Evidence at the border suggested children were being [[rape]]d.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/video-reporter-finds-condoms-lube-and-childrens-clothes-dumped-at-the-border/</ref> @red_pill_latina said on [[Instagram]],<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Where is [[AOC]]…where is the outrage of the media? Democrats in the Biden administration are making traffickers and cartels more powerful and dangerous than ever. If you voted for Biden, this is what you voted for. You claim to support the [[Latino]] community yet you don’t support strong border security. Latinos are the main targets/victims of human traffickers at the southern border. Especially the most vulnerable, innocent little children. If you voted for Biden this is the reality you voted for."<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/03/21/citing-border-crisis-trafficking-of-innocent-children-latino-woman-says-if-you-voted-for-biden-this-is-what-you-voted-for-1047799/</ref>}}<br />
By July 2021 there was a 542% increase in convicted sex offender apprehensions at the border.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_morningbrief/542-percent-increase-in-convicted-sex-offenders-arrested-at-border_3876489.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Surging covid cases====<br />
<br />
The [[Customs and Border Protection]] (CBP) was not doing any [[covid-19]] testing on people apprehended at the border.<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/covid-19-testing-of-border-crossing-migrants-not-being-administered-consistently/ar-BB1eifgo</ref> Pods designed to hold 80 people were stuffed with as many as 709 with no social distancing.<ref>https://twitter.com/SenatorLankford/status/1375459880723755014</ref> The ''[[Epoch Times]]:'' described conditions in the holding cells:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The family-unit holding cells smell like [[urine]] and [[vomit]]. Fights break out in the unaccompanied-minor cells. [[Scabies]], [[lice]], the [[flu]], and COVID-19 run rampant. Up to 80 individuals are squeezed into each 24- by 30-foot cell, and there aren’t enough mattresses for everyone. Sheets of plastic divide the rooms. “Any diseases that are in there, it’s being kept in there, like a petri dish. The smell is overwhelming.”<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/exclusive-border-agent-gives-inside-account-of-overcrowded-facilities_3746058.html?amp</ref>}}<br />
The National Sheriffs Association estimated that up to 50% of all illegal immigrants were covid positive.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/up-to-50-percent-of-illegal-immigrants-estimated-to-have-covid-19-national-sheriffs-association_3737923.html</ref> Congressional [[Democrat]]s blocked a [[Republican]] bill which would require the [[Department of Homeland Security]] to test all apprehensions for covid.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/03/16/democrats-block-gop-bill-to-test-illegal-immigrants-for-coronavirus/</ref> <br />
Restoration of the Obama era Catch and Release program led to the release of covid infected illegal aliens into American communities.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/psaki-cant-answer-illegal-aliens-test-positive-covid-released-actually-quarantine-video/</ref><br />
<br />
An analysis by ''The New York Times'' in July 2021 found that more than 7,500 cases have been detected since April. That represents more than 40 percent of all coronavirus cases in Immigration Control and Enfrocement (ICE) detention since the start of the pandemic in 2020. The rise in infections coincides with a surge in immigrant detention, from 14,000 detainees in April to more than 26,000 at the end of June, according to the ''Times'' analysis. ICE officials say the increase in infections is directly correlated to the increase in CBP detainees in their care, all of whom are subjected to testing, quarantine and cohorting once in the detention centers.<ref>https://thehill.com/latino/561690-coronavirus-infections-surging-in-immigration-facilities?rl=1</ref><br />
<br />
Journalist [[Lara Logan]] reported,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“This administration knew what was happening long before it got to this point. They know the people are disbursing now. There’s hundreds of [[Haiti]]ans that have run away from under the Del Rio Bridge and disappeared into the countryside...They know also that everywhere that there’s been a mass migration of [[illegal immigrant]]s, there’s been a spike in COVID cases in this country....[[Bioweapon]]s specialists and intel agents say that is typical of how you disburse a virus, if you did something like a virus bomb or a virus attack in your own country or another country."<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/09/22/lara-logan-bioweapons-intel-says-border-swarm-is-typical-of-how-enemy-would-disburse-a-virus-bomb-1138063/</ref>}}<br />
Logan stated reported elsewhere,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"There is a group of intelligence and bioweapons people, veterans, who have been investigating and monitoring, trying as best they can because so much of it is hidden. Movements of migrants in the middle of the night. Especially in large numbers. At the same time they are monitoring and tracking the surge in covid cases. What they found when they overlaid the computer models is wherever there was large mass movement of illegal immigrants there was a minimum of 200% surge in covid. I spoke to other professionals very familiar with this and they said that what they would call a virus bomb. That's how you would disperse a virus using a human as your bomb. So this is something that's ongoing. They are still looking at it. They are still investigating it. They haven't come out publicly with their findings but it's well documented by the CD over the years. There have been previous cases in other diseases where we had these kinds of movements and it resulted in that. They aren't testing anybody and people haven't been tested.}}<br />
<br />
====Concentration camps====<br />
<br />
Biden reopened Obama era [[concentration camp]]s for migrants and children.<ref>https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/297967</ref><br />
<br />
====Babies in cages====<br />
[[File:Biden-cages-1.jpg|right|350px|thumb|The Biden / Harris regime kept babies in cages.]]<br />
The junta renewed the Obama era program of locking migrant children in cages.<ref>https://hotair.com/archives/karen-townsend/2021/02/23/bidens-kids-cages-moment-carrizo-springs-facility-re-opens/</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' initially reported the junta was holding 3250 kids in "jail-like facilities"<ref>https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2021/03/09/nyt-nails-biden-for-holding-migrant-children-in-violation-of-law-but-they-do-a-little-spinning-in-the-process-n340404</ref> 38% longer than the law allows.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/breaking/biden-immigration-detention-increase/</ref> The figure was later revised to 9,400 in February alone,<ref>https://www.vox.com/2021/3/21/22343184/as-bidens-immigration-policy-faces-scrutiny-the-dhs-chief-says-the-border-is-closed</ref> and by the third week of March [[DHS]] said the number of babies in cages was 15,500.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/immigration-migrant-children-in-border-patrol-custody-hits-15500/</ref> The Former head of CBP said Homeland [[Commissar]] [[Alejandro Mayorkas]] "lied to the American people" about the crisis.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bidens-administration-lied-american-border-crisis</ref><br />
<br />
According to [[CBS News]], children were held in overcrowded conditions, and some were having to sleep on the floor and were going hungry. One immigration lawyer representing the children said there were kids who have only showered once in seven days and weren’t allowed to shower more often. The children were not allowed outdoors and complained of not seeing the sun in days. The Donna complex which is supposed to hold only 250 people held 1,800, or 729% of its pandemic era capacity. The migrants were not able to practice any social distancing because of the massive number of people.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/migrant-children-detained-in-overcrowded-conditions/</ref> The ''New York Post'' wrote in an editorial, "While we feel Trump was wrongly vilified for these facilities, Biden deserves every knock of hypocrisy leveled against him."<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/02/24/bidens-kids-in-cages-prove-his-hypocrisy-on-immigration/</ref> ''[[Time magazine]]'' pleaded for the Dear Leader to end locking babies in cages.<ref>https://time.com/5945307/biden-end-detention-migrant-children/</ref><br />
<br />
''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported “[y]oung people are waiting in cramped, austere holding cells with concrete floors and benches. Lights remain on 24 hours a day, agents say, and there are few places to play.”<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/unaccompanied-minors-detention-cells/2021/03/10/a0d39390-81c6-11eb-bb5a-ad9a91faa4ef_story.html</ref> [[CNN]]’s Pamela Brown reported that “as the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border gets worse, the media is being kept from it despite calls of transparency from the Biden administration. Reporters and photographers were not been allowed inside the facilities where thousands of unaccompanied children are being kept in similar to jail-like conditions."<ref> https://youtu.be/FrUwXhmgLlM</ref><br />
<br />
When negative publicity arose, the Biden team then emptied the cages and forced children to sleep in buses overnight, according to [[NBC News]].<ref>https://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2021/05/13/joe-bidens-america-migrant-children-stuck-overnight-on-parked-buses-for-consecutive-days-and-nights/</ref><br />
<br />
====Unsanitary conditions====<br />
According to a [[whistleblower]] complaint, children were forced to sleep in tents that “were dirty and often had a foul odor,” at times smelling of sewage at the Fort Bliss facility, one of the camps the Biden junta used to hold 5,000 children. Children were not given prompt medical care when experiencing health crises, including one girl who had a panic attack after learning that her old sister was dying and another who, after not receiving her period for months, began bleeding profusely. One 13-year-old from [[Honduras]] at Fort Bliss recounted that a friend was served raw or undercooked chicken “that still had feathers in it.”<ref>https://www.rollcall.com/2021/07/07/whistleblowers-detail-poor-hygiene-for-migrant-kids-at-texas-site/</ref><br />
<br />
The complaint was sent to various congressional committees and to the [[Health and Human Services]] (HHS) inspector general. The Health and Human Services Department hired a water-and-fire damage repair contractor with no training to supervise migrant children at the Texas army base. As of July 2021 there were roughly 14,500 children in HHS custody at several of its concentration camps.<br />
<br />
When chief border czar Kamala Harris visited Texas in June 2021, she studiously avoided Fort Bliss.<br />
<br />
====Narcotics trafficing====<br />
Prior to the junta [[open borders|opening the border]] [[bi-partisan]] experts estimated the money made on drug trafficking by the Mexican Drug Cartels at around $500 billion, or one half-trillion dollars per year. Sen. [[Sonny Purdue]] said in 2019: “At half a trillion dollars — $500 billion — that makes the cartel business and the drug traffic just in Mexico alone coming across to the United States bigger than [[Walmart]], to put it in perspective. So this is larger than our largest companies.” Democrat Sen. [[Dianne Feinstein]] quoted the same figure testifying, “The illicit drug trade is a business, valued at anywhere between $426 [billion] and $652 billion…”.<ref>https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/has-joe-biden-sold-out-america-to-the-mexican-drug-cartels/</ref><br />
<br />
====Haitian migrants====<br />
[[File:Biden racism 2.JPG|right|350px|thumb|Biden regime forcibly removing black Haitian migrants.]]<br />
After inviting more than 2 million white [[Hispanic]]s into the country illegally, Matt Stieb of ''New York'' magazine reported, ''Border Patrol Agent Uses Whip to Chase Down Haitian Migrants.''<ref>https://archive.is/fabw9#selection-1559.0-1575.10</ref> Steib reported,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The apparent whipping comes as more than 14,500 Haitians are camped under a bridge in Del Rio as they wait to be processed by Border Patrol; on Monday it was 104 degrees in the town. In response to the increase in undocumented migrants from Haiti — impacted this summer by the assassination of Jovenel Moïse and an earthquake that killed over 2,000 — U.S. officials have begun a mass deportation of Haitians and have sent over 600 Border Patrol agents to the area. This weekend, around 3,300 people were removed from the make-shift camp in Del Rio and sent to detention centers or placed on flights back to the island nation. The Biden administration has used a Trump-era Centers for Disease Control policy called Title 42 to justify the deportation of migrants without allowing them to file asylum claims."}}<br />
The Biden regime expelled more than 10,000 Black [[Haiti]]ans, rounding them up on horseback with whips.<ref>https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/white-house-freaking-out-over-photos-border-patrol-agents-round-up-haitian-illegals-on-horseback/</ref> Rep. [[Ilhan Omar]] accused the junta of “human rights abuses.”<ref>https://news.yahoo.com/ilhan-omar-says-video-border-183029968.html</ref> Minister of Homeland Security [[Alejandro Mayorkas]] accused a reporter of “assuming the facts” when asked about the possible use of whips.<ref>https://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2021/09/21/white-house-border-narrative-collapses-as-reporter-again-corrects-psaki-and-even-cnn-calls-out-mayorkas-n446093</ref> Chief propagandist Jen Psaki said, “I don’t think anyone seeing that footage would think it acceptable or appropriate,” she said at a press briefing. “It’s horrible to watch.”<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/09/20/videos-capture-border-agents-aggressively-rounding-up-haitian-migrants-horrible-white-houses-psaki-says/?sh=23975abe4259</ref> Using the same words he used before murdering an innocent family of 10 with 7 children, Biden said, "we will make them pay."<br />
<br />
The junta's Special Envoy to Haiti, Daniel Foote, who was appointed only two months earlier issued a scathing resignation letter to [[Antony Blinken]]. Foote, a career foreign service officer, denounced the Biden regime's “inhumane” policy toward Haitian refugees.<ref>https://www.nysun.com/foreign/americas-special-envoy-to-haiti-quits-issuing/91668/</ref> [[PBS]]'s [[Yamiche Alcindor]] asked Psaki, "These are images that are traumatizing Haitian Americans that he [Biden] promised to treat respectfully & with humanity. Why isn't the President telling people himself these images that people say look like [[slavery]] are wrong? Does the President believe anything in this letter that Daniel Foote is saying rings true, has some sort of point that he — that he believes is — is true" that the Biden administration has been "inhumane" toward Haitian illegal immigrants?" Psaki dodged the question on the regime's racist policies and handed it off to the [[State Department]].<ref>https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1441083684808019973</ref><br />
<br />
====Amnesty====<br />
<br />
Biden didn’t consider illegal immigrants as illegals, he calls them instead "undocumented immigrants". <ref> https://joebiden.com/immigration/</ref> In a presidential debate he admitted that he will give citizenship to 11 million illegal immigrants.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbzEuEr7Fio</ref> Biden stated that he wants to reform [[ICE]] policies, without saying which of these policies he wants to reform.<ref> https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/biden-knocks-left-wing-of-democratic-party-we-shouldnt-abolish-ice</ref><br />
<br />
===Anti-science===<br />
<br />
The junta hired discredited CCP collaborator [[Dr. Anthony Fauci]] as its Chief Medical Advisor,<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/12/03/biden-asks-fauci-to-serve-as-chief-medical-advisor-during-covid-crisis/</ref> and refused to ask for Fauci's resignation when Fauci was exposed as lying to the nation about the CCP [[covid]] [[bioweapon]].<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57352992</ref> Fauci made the [[megalomania]]cal claim that he himself was the sheer embodiment of [[science]] and the [[truth]].<ref>https://radio.foxnews.com/2021/06/09/dr-manny-alvarez-dr-fauci-finds-that-any-kind-of-criticism-of-himself-is-an-attack-on-science/</ref><br />
<br />
Throughout the 2020 campaign Biden and other junta officials implored the American people to “trust the science!” when it came to mask-wearing, social distancing, and not gathering in large groups. Days after the [[Center for Disease Control]] (CDC) rescinded its guidelines on mask-wearing, Biden undermined public confidence in the science by continuing to wear a mask and delivering rants about masks and patriotism.<ref>https://redstate.com/bonchie/2021/04/30/joe-biden-ignores-his-own-guidelines-delivers-nonsensical-rant-about-masks-and-patriotism-n371733</ref> As heir to the legacy of former president [[Jimmy Carter]], Biden defied the science and wore a mask in a high-profile visit to the elder patron.<ref>https://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2021/05/04/joe-biden-embarrasses-himself-and-undermines-cdc-during-visit-with-jimmy-and-rosalynn-carter-n373858</ref><br />
<br />
===Gun rights===<br />
<br />
Biden plans to control people's right to own guns, for example, banning semi-automatic firearms.<ref>https://joebiden.com/gunsafety/#</ref> He claims that his plan does not violate the [[Second Amendment]].<ref>[https://www.nraila.org/articles/20200921/joe-biden-told-voters-the-second-amendment-does-not-protect-an-individual-right Joe Biden Told Voters the Second Amendment DOES NOT Protect an Individual Right]</ref> Biden called a pro-Second Amendment and civilian worker in Detroit "full of sh*t" and threatened to fight him as a thug,<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/elections-2020/biden-tells-detroit-auto-plant-worker-hes-full-of-sht-on-gun-control/ar-BB10ZJcS Biden Tells Detroit Auto Plant Worker He's 'Full of Sh*t' on Gun Control]</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k2UeoY4uyU</ref><br />
<br />
As Democrats attempted to destroy American citizens' constitutional rights to bear arms and seize weapons, it was discovered Joe Biden's drug-addicted son, Hunter Biden, lied on a background check document in 2018 when he purchased a gun. Hunter Biden lied about his narcotics use, and the [[Secret Service]] then illegally intervened in a criminal investigation by attempting to seize the documentation before local police and the [[ATF]] could find it.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/25/sources-secret-service-inserted-itself-into-case-of-hunter-bidens-gun-477879</ref><br />
[[File:2020_leftist_insurrection.png|right|250px|thumb|Year-over-year increase in the Murder Rate in Democrat run cities during the 2020 [[U.S. Color Revolution]].]]<br />
The junta [[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives]] believes it has the authority to confiscate, ban and register an entire class of firearms without consulting Congress. “The [Notice of Proposed Rule Making] proposes amending the definition of the term ‘rifle,’ as contained in 27 CFR §§ 478.11 and 479.11, to ‘clarify that the term “rifle” includes any weapon with a rifled barrel and equipped with an attached ‘stabilizing brace’ that has objective design features and characteristics that indicate that the firearm is designed to be fired from the shoulder, as indicated on ATF Worksheet 4999,” according to a fact sheet about the rule put out by SB Tactical. “This proposed rule would be the largest [[Executive Branch]] firearms ban/registration scheme in American history— forcing the registration or destruction of millions of privately-owned firearms,” SB Tactical’s fact sheet continues. “[T]he proposed rule would ensure that 99% of the firearms already in circulation are suddenly unlawfully possessed.”<ref>https://www.newstarget.com/2021-06-14-biden-regime-aims-to-ban-register-firearrms.html</ref><br />
<br />
A study by Prof. Steven Greene at North Carolina State University of whether motherhood causes women to support more restrictive gun rights found, that while women overall have more liberal attitudes than men on all issues, including gun control, women without children (female non-birthing people) have more liberal attitudes toward restrictive gun rights than mothers do. The study drew on "2017 Pew Research Center data to explore the ways gender, parenthood, and race intersect to shape attitudes on gun policy in the post-[[Sandy Hook]] era when gun violence has become prominently linked with schools and children, and during a time when the Black Lives Matter movement has drawn national attention to the relationship of gun violence and racial inequality. Most notably, we find that contemporary depictions of mothers as a distinctively pro-gun control constituency are largely inaccurate." The study concluded that "we fail to see much relationship between race, parenthood, and gun attitudes. Overall, despite common belief and media reporting to the contrary, the story is very much one where parenthood seems to play little role in gun policy attitudes."<ref>[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17457289.2020.1862130?journalCode=fbep20 tandfonline.com/doi/abs]</ref><br />
<br />
In June 2021, Biden proposed expanded background checks for gun purchasers, which presumably would not apply to Hunter Biden who lied on a background check to purchase a firearm.<ref>https://spectatorworld.com/topic/president-biden-strict-gun-laws-household-hunter/</ref><br />
[[File:BLM terrorist incidents.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|A ''[[Time magazine]]'' survey found 570 leftwing [[terrorist]] incidents in 220 cities between May 24, 2020 and August 22, 2020.<ref>https://time.com/5886348/report-peaceful-protests/</ref>]]<br />
<br />
===Crime===<br />
====Leftist violence====<br />
<br />
:{{See also|Leftwing violence under the Biden junta|Anti-Asian hate crime}}<br />
Biden refused to denounce the terrorist Anarcho-Coummunist hate group [[Antifa]] during the first debate with President Donald Trump. He claimed they are "just an idea", not an organization. He pretends that [[FBI]] Bureau’s director [[Chris Wray]] told lawmakers that Antifa is an "ideology", not a terrorist group, but the fact this is not what Wray said, Wray said: “any number of properly predicated investigations into what we would describe as violent anarchist extremists,” which included individuals who identity with Antifa.<ref>[https://www.nationalreview.com/news/biden-says-antifa-is-an-idea-not-an-organization-during-presidential-debate/ Biden Says Antifa Is ‘An Idea, Not An Organization’ during Presidential Debate]</ref> It appears that Biden and Antifa have some relations, as when someone looks up the website Antifa.com, Biden's election campaign page will appear.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHDVYKgLODY</ref><br />
<br />
====Defund the Police====<br />
:{{See also|Defund the Police}}<br />
Biden flip-flops on defunding police. He changed his positions three times on defunding police.<ref>https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2020/08/26/joe-biden-flips-defund-police-how-can-we-trust-him/3424969001/</ref> On July 8, 2020 he agreed on defunding some levels of police. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppoUCQLSXFE</ref> In the first presidential debate, Biden accused police and falsely called them "systemic racists". <ref>https://www.teletrader.com/biden-systemic-racism-in-us-present-beyond-police/news/details/52383496?internal=1&ts=1604959273788&culture=de-CH</ref> In a moment of candor on December 8, 2020 Biden confessed that the Defund the Police movement "beat the hell out of us."<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/12/10/biden-says-defund-the-police-movement-beat-the-hell-out-of-dems/</ref><br />
<br />
Black people represented a massive share of murder victims in six major cities through the first six months of 2021 compared to 2020, which itself saw a large crime surge, according to data analyzed by the ''Daily Caller News Foundation''.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/homicides-have-skyrocketed-in-these-six-democratic-cities-black-people-are-disproportionately-the-victims-data-shows_3872643.html</ref><br />
<br />
===Supreme Court===<br />
Biden seeks to violate the Constitution by [[court packing|packing the Supreme Court]].<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/22/us/politics/biden-supreme-court-packing.html</ref> At the presidential debate, Biden refused to confirm that.<ref> https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/22/joe-biden-court-packing-judicial-reforms-commission-431157</ref> Biden chose to ignore all qualified candidates and focus insteead on a cisgender female black [[affirmative action]] pick. Biden selected a member of board of directors of the corrupt [[Black Lives Matter]] fundraising scam organization as an adviser in his search for a replacement for Justice [[Stephen Breyer]].<ref>https://youtu.be/B_toYVucgHM</ref><br />
<br />
===Abortion===<br />
Biden has a far-Left position on [[abortion]], he said that he will support abortion in all circumstances including [[Late-term abortion|late term abortion]].<ref>[https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/supporting-roe-means-supporting-abortion-until-birth/ Supporting Roe Means Supporting Abortion until Birth]</ref> He also said that he will stop any state from preventing abortion.<ref>[https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/joe-biden-i-support-abortion-under-any-circumstance Joe Biden: I support abortion ‘under any circumstance’]</ref><br />
<br />
===Corruption===<br />
Biden tried to buy the vote of moderate Democrat senator [[Joe Manchin]] from West Virginia by nominating his wife Gayle Manchin to be co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission.<ref>[https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/biden-taps-manchins-wife-post-federal-commission Biden taps Joe Manchin's wife for a post on federal commission]</ref> a federal job that pays upwards of $160,000 annually.<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/mar/26/joe-biden-nominates-swing-vote-sen-joe-manchins-wi/ Biden nominates swing vote Sen. Joe Manchin's wife for $160K federal job]</ref> Mainstream media turning a blind eye on this story, something they will not if President Trump did this.<br />
<br />
===Radical Islamic terrorism===<br />
[[File:C9Pak4-W0AIldKy (1).jpg|right|350px|thumb|Biden National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to [[Hillary Clinton]]: "[[Al Qaeda]] is on our side."<ref>https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/23225#efmAGIAHu</ref>]]<br />
Biden plans to bring hundreds of thousands of Muslims from radical countries.<ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/dncs-deepening-embrace-radical-islamists-opinion-1527239 The DNC's Deepening Embrace of Radical Islamists | Opinion]</ref> Biden was criticized when he promised to let kids learn Sharia law in public schools.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCkqSZp6nkc Why Joe Biden Wants to Teach Your Kids Islam]</ref> To convince Muslims to vote for him he used one of the most radical hadiths: whoever sees evil let him change by his hand, if he cannot then with his tongue, if he cannot then with his heart (by hating), and that's the weakest faith. This is same hadith which was used by the [[September 11, 2001 attack]] perpetrators.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOhjQ9qoVJw Joe Biden Accidentally Calls for Jihad against America]</ref><br />
<br />
The first [[jihad]]i attack in the United States under the Biden regime occurred on March 22, 2021 in [[Boulder, Colorado]]. There were no jihadi attacks in the United States for the previous four years under President Trump.<ref>https://www.dickmorris.com/boulder-the-first-jihadi-attack-in-us-after-none-under-trump/</ref> After a [[NeverTrump]] immigrant from [[Syria]] with [[ISIS]] sympathies<ref>https://summit.news/2021/03/23/facebook-scrubs-page-showing-supermarket-shooter-was-anti-trump-pro-refugee-activist/</ref> massacred 10 [[white]] people<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/analysis/boulder-shooting-victims/</ref> at a supermarket, Biden immediately proposed disarming the native born population and depriving them of their constitutional rights.<ref>https://justthenews.com/government/white-house/biden-urger-congress-pass-gun-control-reform-including-assault-weapon-ban?utm_source=breaking-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter</ref> According to the ''New York Times'', “The suspect’s identity was known to the F.B.I. because he was linked to another individual under investigation by the bureau, according to law enforcement officials.”<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/23/us/boulder-shooting-suspect-charged.html</ref> This was a repeat of the same pattern during the Obama-Biden administration. The FBI knew in advance the Pulse Nightclub shooter (Omar Mateen) and were tipped off by the local sheriff. The FBI knew in advance the San Bernardino Terrorists (Tashfeen Malik). The FBI knew in advance the Boston Marathon Bombers (the Tsarnaev brothers) tipped off by Russians. The FBI knew in advance the Garland, Texas, shooters (Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi). The FBI knew in advance of the Parkland High School shooter (Nikolas Cruz). And the FBI knew in advance of the Fort Hood shooter (Nidal Hasan).<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/03/23/here-we-go-fbi-knew-boulder-colorado-suspect-identity-prior-to-shooting/</ref><br />
<br />
==Foreign policy==<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris regime foreign policy}}<br />
[[File:U.S. Madrid Embassy.PNG|right|250px|thumb|U.S. Embassy in [[Madrid]] flying the [[Marxist]] Black Lives Matter banner.<ref>https://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2021/05/25/heres-the-us-embassy-in-madrid-proudly-flying-the-black-lives-matter-banner/</ref>]]<br />
The Biden/Harris regime foreign policy was first outlined by its [[State Department]] chief spokesperson: the "largest threat to U.S. [[national security]] are U.S. [[cop]]s."<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/state-dept-spox-largest-threat-to-u-s-national-security-are-u-s-cops/</ref> Foreign minister Antony Blinken ordered all U.S. Diplomatic and Consular posts to display support for Black Lives Matter on the one-year anniversary of [[George Floyd]]’s death and beyond.<ref>https://humanevents.com/2021/05/24/breaking-news-leaked-state-department-memo-indicates-official-support-for-blm-agenda/</ref> Despite the documented actions of BLM protestors during the riots of 2020, and the organization’s declining popularity with American voters, the junta nonetheless endorsed and promoted an organization with admitted Marxist roots as one having ties to U.S. official foreign offices. The State Department memo reads in part: in part, <br />
{{quotebox-float|“The Department supports the use of the term ‘Black Lives Matter’ in messaging content, speeches, and other diplomatic engagements with foreign audiences to advance racial equity and access to justice on May 25 [2021] and beyond....This cable constitutes a blanket written authorization for calendar year 2021 from the Under Secretary for Management (M) to display the BLM flag on the external-facing flagpole to any Chiefs of Mission who determine such a display is appropriate in light of local conditions.<ref>https://humanevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/REDACTED-State-Department-Doc-1.pdf</ref>}}<br />
The junta's actions were in line with the Chinese Communist Party document, ''Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States in 2020''—whose Forward section begins with the words: “I can't breathe!”-- George Floyd.<ref>https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202103/1219304.shtml</ref> Blinken declared that Biden would make no effort to contain the Chinese Communist's bid for global domination, replacing the United States as the planet's premier global [[Superpower]] .<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/breaking/biden-wont-contain-china-reveals-blinken/</ref><br />
<br />
Prof. Glenn Diesen of the University of South-Eastern Norway, and an editor at the ''Russia in Global Affairs'' journal wrote:<br />
The current international disorder is caused by an interregnum – the world is currently stuck between a unipolar and a multipolar format. [[The West]] is pushing for a return to the unipolar era that existed before [[Magnitsky Act|sanctions on Russia]] and the economic war against China. However, the two Eurasian giants, Russia and China, have spent the past years adjusting to a multipolar system. The West will insist that on maintaining liberal [[hegemony]] due to a commitment and belief in [[liberal values]], among [[elitism|elites]] (although that is no longer uniform), while Russia and China will reject a value-based system that is instrumental to impose an untenable unipolar order. There is no going back as the world has moved on, although the West is not yet ready to move forward.<br />
<br />
The Strategic Culture Foundation think tank, in their document ''Leviathan Mobilizes For Decisive Battle'', <ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/leviathan-mobilises-decisive-battle</ref> claims "the plan is out of control, and becoming [[progressive]]ly more bizarre. The American unipolar moment is ‘done’. It has created oppositions of various kinds, both abroad and at home. [[Conservative]] and traditional impulses have reacted against the [[radical]] ideological agenda, and crucially, the [[2008 Financial Crisis]] and near collapse of the system foretold to the élites of the ultimate coming end to the U.S.’ financial hegemony, and concomitantly to America’s primacy. It forced a critical juncture.<br />
[[File:Image cefc 2016 05 05.png|right|350px|thumb|CEFC China Energy chairman [[Ye Jianming]], the former deputy secretary of the [[People's Liberation Army]] General Political Department International Liaison Department, formed a business partnership with the [[Biden family corruption|Biden family]]. In 2017 [[Hunter Biden]] told friends, "I am the managing director of CEFC."<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/news/hunter-biden-cefc-managing-director/</ref>]]<br />
Now they are at a crucial impasse. When they speak about [[Great Reset|Re-set]], this means a forced return to the continuation of the agenda.<br />
<br />
But it is not as straight-forward as it seems. Everything seemed almost primed to fall into place twenty years ago; yet now, the [[Establishment]] is having to fight for every element of this strategy because everywhere they encounter a growing resistance.<br />
<br />
And it is no insignificant resistance. In America alone, some 74 million Americans reject the [[Culture war|cultural war]] being waged on them. <br />
The globalist call to arms is evident. The world clearly has changed during the last four years.<br />
<br />
Globalist forces, therefore, are being mobilized to win a last battle in the ‘long-war’ – looking to break-through everywhere. Defeating Trump is the first goal. Discrediting all varieties of [[Europe]]an [[populism]] is another.<br />
<br />
The U.S. thinks to lead the maritime and rim-land powers in imposing a searing [[psychological]], technological and economic defeat on the Russia-China-Iran alliance. In the past, the outcome might have been predictable. This time Eurasia may very well stand solid against a weakened Oceana (and a faint-hearted Europe). It would shake [[Leviathan]] to its foundations. Who knows what might then emerge from the ruins of [[postmodernism|post-modernity]]."<br />
<br />
90 days into the junta's assumption of power, the U.S. Strategic Command warned the U.S. should prepare for [[nuclear war]].<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/1/charles-richard-us-strategic-command-chief-nuclear/</ref><br />
<br />
After the disastrous exit from Afghanistan leaving thousands of Americans behind and stranded at the mercy of Taliban terrorists, the Biden regime congratulated itself.<br />
<br />
Biden has disrupted ties with America's oldest ally, [[France]] by not disclosing to them about the AUKUS submarine pact between the U.S and Australia. <ref>https://nypost.com/2021/11/01/biden-knew-france-had-no-warning-of-australia-us-submarine-pact/</ref> <br />
<br />
Lawmakers are outraged in 2021, that the Biden administration is ignoring a congressional mandate to impose sanctions on the Iranian-backed terror groups [[Hamas]] and [[Hezbollah]] for their use of [[Human shields by terrorists]] (''dead baby strategy) in combat, according to a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers.<br />
[[Congress]] passed legislation in 2018 that requires the U.S. government to sanction every individual involved in the use of human shields, in which women and children are placed in harm's way during combat to maximize casualties. Hamas and Hezbollah routinely employ this tactic during skirmishes with Israel to make it appear as if the Jewish state is supposedly "killing" innocent civilians.<ref>Adam Kredo, [https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/biden-admin-ignores-law-to-sanction-hamas-and-hezbollah-for-civilian-shield-use-lawmakers-say/ Biden Admin Ignores Law To Sanction Hamas and Hezbollah for Civilian Shield Use, Lawmakers Say], Washington Free Beacon, December 22, 2021.<blockquote><br />
Bipartisan coalition presses Biden admin to hold terror groups accountable<br />
<br />
A ball of fire erupts from the Jala Tower as it is destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city controlled by the Palestinian Hamas movement, on May 15, 2021. - Israeli air strikes pounded the Gaza Strip, killing 10 members of an extended family and demolishing a key media building, while Palestinian militants launched rockets in return amid violence in the West Bank. <br />
<br />
<font size=1>[Israel's air force targeted the 13-floor Jala Tower housing Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television and the Associated Press news agency].</font><br />
<br />
The Biden administration is ignoring a congressional mandate to impose sanctions on the Iranian-backed terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah for their use of human shields in combat, according to a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers. Congress passed legislation in 2018 that requires the U.S. government to sanction every individual involved in the use of human shields, in which women and children are placed in harm's way during combat to maximize casualties. Hamas and Hezbollah routinely employ this tactic during skirmishes with Israel to make it appear as if the Jewish state is killing innocent civilians.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
At Biden's first G-7 summit, Biden was welcomed into "the club" of globalists by Emmanuel Macron.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/president-trump-releases-statement-regarding-macron-welcoming-biden-club/</ref> At the NATO summit, Biden managed to cajole the U.S. alleged European partners to issue a statement that mentioned China 10 times compared to the 26 references to Russia.<ref>https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:rk7-s5KrtUYJ:https://www.theepochtimes.com/nato-turns-its-focus-to-chinese-regimes-rising-ambitions_3857873.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us</ref> The PRC responded immediately by sending a record 28 fighter jets into Taiwan's air defense identification zone.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/china-sends-record-28-fighter-jets-toward-taiwan-after-telling-nato-we-wont-sit-back</ref><br />
<br />
Biden assured key allies at the June 2021 [[G7]] Summit that he would maintain enough of a security presence in Afghanistan to ensure they could continue to operate in the capital following the main U.S. withdrawal. Biden promised U.K. Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] and other leaders at the Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, England, that “critical U.S. enablers” would remain in place to keep Kabul safe following the drawdown of [[NATO]] forces. British officials determined the U.S. would provide enough personnel to ensure that the U.K. embassy in Kabul could continue operating. Allies discussed with Biden the need to continue supporting the Afghan government in order to prevent the country from becoming a haven for terrorist operations again. Those discussions continued at the NATO summit, ''Bloomberg'' reported.<ref> https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-20/biden-assured-allies-in-june-u-s-would-ensure-kabul-s-stability?sref=MTy2GeXk</ref><br />
<br />
The [[European Union]]’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, was warning Biden foreign minister Antony Blinken that withdrawing troops from Afghanistan risked giving the Taliban the upper hand, and such a shift could pose a direct threat to European security. After dealing with [[European migrant crisis|millions of refugees reaching the EU]] after Obama's ill-fated [[Arab Spring]], America's EU partners feared a collapse in Afghanistan would lead to an avalanche of refugees once again.<br />
<br />
NATO members agreed in May 2021 that they would maintain a civilian presence in Afghanistan after the military withdrawal to support the Afghan government, facilitate training for the Afghan military and work on contracts for Kabul’s airport as well as hospitals and communications infrastructure.<br />
<br />
===Indo-Pacific===<br />
:{{See also|South China Sea}}<br />
Wang Yiwei, director of the Center for European Studies at Renmin University and author of the best made in China book about the ''New Silk Roads'', clearly saw through the Biden/Harris “America is back” bluster: “China is not isolated by the US, [[the West]] or even the whole international community. The more hostility they show, the more anxiety they have. When the US travels around the globe to frequently ask for support, unity and help from its allies, this means US [[hegemony]] is weakening.”<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/escobar-usnato-versus-russia-china-hybrid-war-finish</ref><br />
<br />
Biden plans for return to the [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]] (TPP), despite the damage it has done to the US economy.<ref>[https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/11/09/business/us-return-tpp-joe-biden/ Prospects dim for early U.S. return to TPP despite Biden win]</ref> He wants to abolish all tariffs which were created by President Trump.<ref>[https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/prospects-for-trans-pacific-partnership-tpp-trade-deal-under-a-biden-presidency/ Prospects for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Deal under a Biden Presidency]</ref><br />
<br />
====China First policy====<br />
:{{See also|Belt and Road Initiative}}<br />
[[File:Hunter Biden Bohai.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|Hunter Biden, right, flew to China in 2013 aboard Air Force Two, with his father, [[Joe Biden]], left, December 4, 2013. 10 days late Hunter Biden formed a business partnership with the Chinese military and Bank of China worth $1.5 Billion.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/biden-s-trip-china-son-hunter-2013-comes-under-new-n1061051</ref>]]<br />
Since 2017 China's communist government has imprisoned more than one million people and subjected those not detained to intense surveillance, religious restrictions, forced labor, and forced sterilizations.<ref>https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinas-repression-uyghurs-xinjiang</ref> Biden has friendly relations with the communist regime of China. Biden refuses to see Communist China as a threat to the United States and condemned the notion by calling it "bizarre".<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/02/28/joe-biden-bizarre-to-say-china-is-americas-competition/ Joe Biden: ‘Bizarre’ to Say China is America’s Competition]</ref> According to an assessment by the 17 member U.S. [[Intelligence Community]], China interfered in the 2020 presidential election on behalf of their officially favored candidate and family business partner, Joe Biden.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/01/07/transparent-timing-intelligence-community-assessment-on-foreign-interference-in-2020-election-submitted-to-congress-hours-after-electoral-certification/</ref> China was one of first countries which welcomed the media declaration of the Biden junta. <br />
<br />
China is the world’s largest source of Marine debris, the largest consumer of trafficked wildlife and timber products, the greatest emitter of mercury, and the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, producing nearly one-third of all global emissions.<br />
<br />
Vice foreign minister He Yafei said: despite differences in political ideology, there could still be opportunities for long-term cooperation. “Multilateralism, I will say, is very much needed at this critical moment,” he said. “For China, the US and the EU, all of us should rethink who we are and what roles we can play in the future.<ref>[https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3109496/us-china-relations-trump-divisions-could-haunt-biden US-China relations: Trump divisions could haunt Biden presidency]</ref> Biden referred to the [[genocide]] of the [[Uyghur]] people as a cultural norm<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/02/joe-biden-excuses-uyghur-genocide-just-chinese-cultural-norm-spreading-ccp-propaganda/</ref> and called the sovereign republic of Taiwan a "renegade province" of Communist China.<ref>[https://thetaiwantimes.com/president-biden-calls-uyghur-genocide-in-xinjiang-different-norm/ President Biden Calls Uyghur Genocide In Xinjiang “Different Norm”]</ref><br />
<br />
The CCP moved to further the grip [[Beijing]] had over [[Hong Kong]]<ref>Axelrod, Tal (March 11, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/china/542695-chinese-lawmakers-back-move-to-tighten-grip-on-hong-kong Chinese lawmakers back move to tighten grip on Hong Kong]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> and has China intimidated Taiwan.<ref>Mitchell, Ellen (April 13, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/defense/547943-china-sends-25-warplanes-into-taiwan-air-zone China sends 25 warplanes into Taiwan air zone]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> Wary of the fact that many in the junta and Biden himself are shills for the CCP, China has pleaded for Trump's policies which supported Taiwan and weakened the communist regime to be lifted.<ref>Bowden, John (March 7, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/china/542015-china-calls-on-biden-to-reverse-trumps-dangerous-practice-on China calls on Biden to reverse Trump's 'dangerous practice' on Taiwan]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><ref>Lonas, Lexi (March 18, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/543763-china-to-ask-biden-administration-to-lift-trump-policies-report China to ask Biden administration to lift Trump policies: report]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
=====Nuclear threat=====<br />
Stratcom Commander Charles Richard testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee that China’s nuclear capabilities are advancing so rapidly that they’re not even bothering with intelligence vetted more than a month ago in their briefings because it’s probably already out of date. Richard added that a portion of China’s nuclear arsenal has been primed for ready use.<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2021/04/23/rising-threat-of-nuclear-war-is-barely-noticed/</ref><br />
<br />
=====U.S. power grid=====<br />
:{{See also|PLA Total Information Warfare}}<br />
One of the junta's first acts was to expose the U.S. electrical power grid to Communist Chinese subversion. Biden has issued an executive diktat suspending President Trump's Executive Order 13920. The original Trump order stated that any use of bulk-power system equipment “designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied, by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary” is prohibited. The [[U.S. Department of Energy]] lists China, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea as foreign adversaries to the United States under this order. China is the only nation on the list currently engaging in mass production of electronics, manufacturing equipment, and other forms of technology like software, circuits, and instrumentation.<br />
<br />
By suspending this rule, the government is free to procure power equipment from China, or U.S. companies operating manufacturing facilities in China. The Biden regime suspended this protection at the same time that U.S. reliance on foreign oil increased due to bans on new domestic energy production.<ref>https://uncoverdc.com/2021/01/26/president-biden-creates-vulnerabilities-in-americas-power-grid/</ref><br />
<br />
=====Not qualified to lead=====<br />
:{{See also|Wolf warrior diplomacy}}<br />
<br />
At a campaign stop in [[Iowa]] before the [[2020 Democrat primaries]], Biden mocked [[MAGAnomic]] trade policy saying,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man. I mean, you know, they’re not bad folks, folks. But guess what? They’re not competition for us."<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/biden-s-comments-downplaying-china-threat-u-s-fires-pols-n1001236</ref>}}<br />
In its first meeting with Communist Chinese bosses, Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi instructed junta cronies [[Anthony Blinken]] and [[Jake Sullivan]],<br />
{{Quotebox-float|“The United States does not have the qualification to say that it wants to speak to China from a position of strength.”<ref>https://www.waynedupree.com/2021/03/biden-china-us-argument-alaska/</ref>}} <br />
The Chinese Communists, who own the Biden family with a 90% share of their joint [[Bohai Harvest]] venture, then went on to play the [[race card]] against the cultural norms of the [[Democratic party]], saying that [[Black]] people are being “slaughtered” in the United States.<ref> https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/18/china-us-alaska-meeting-undiplomatic-477118</ref><ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/us-not-qualification-speak-china-position-strength-chinas-top-diplomat-humiliates-bidens-team-american-soil-video/</ref> Those who closely follow the internet-chats surrounding Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi repeatedly came across chat posts such as, "We have already reached the leadership of the world," or "We are number one," and "China lead the world."<ref>[https://www.juergenkremb.com/national-socialism-made-in-xi-na-with-his-neo-fascist-leader-cult-chinas-cp-leader-xi-jinping-is-destroying-all-the-achievements-of-his-predecessors/ National Socialism “Made in Xi-Na”. With his neo-fascist leader cult, China’s CP leader Xi Jinping is destroying all the achievements of his predecessors.] JÜRGEN KREMB, 29 JUNE 2021</ref> <br />
[[File:Yang Jiechi Antony Blinken.jpg|right|350px|thumb|PRC Foreign Secretary [[Yang Jiechi]] to Biden foreign secretary Antony Blinken: "The United States does not have the qualification to say that it wants to speak to China from a position of strength.”<ref>https://www.waynedupree.com/2021/03/biden-china-us-argument-alaska/</ref>]]<br />
Former [[CIA]] analyst and [[National Security Council]] [[chief of staff]] Fred Fleitz said Biden should fire Blinken after the summit dissolved into insults and little diplomatic progress. Fleitz observed, "it was one of the most incompetent displays I've ever seen by an American diplomat.... they were just virtue signaling before the lapdog American media. It was a serious mistake and it set back our policies and it made them look inept because they weren't ready for the counter attack by Chinese officials."<ref>https://justthenews.com/world/asia/us-china-summit-alaska-was-disaster-intelligence-expert-says</ref> Former [[DNI]] [[Ric Grenell]] noted,<br />
"I hope that this is a reminder for Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Blinken that when you spend four years denigrating America in order to get some sort of political leverage internally, a [[partisan]] win so to speak, you damage the United States. Because what they've done in terms of [[Black Lives Matter|BLM]] narratives and really tearing down our history, I mean you look at all of the [[violence]] that the Democrats clearly did. They hyped this and messaged this for partisan political purposes over the last four years in order to gain power. That now is being used against them. And what they have to understand is tearing down America, and telling Americans that they should be ashamed of our history, or they should be ashamed of who we are, also sends a strong message to our enemies that we don't have credibility with them. To be lectured on American soil in Alaska by the Chinese is despicable. And they created this - the Secretary of State, Jake Sullivan, Joe<br />
Biden, Susan Rice - they created this dilemma. They really took the United States and they damaged us with their four-year narrative."<ref>https://youtu.be/IkZVV6IPEWs</ref> Days later the CCP released its ''The Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States in 2020''—whose Forward section begins with the words: “I can't breathe!”-- [[George Floyd]].<ref>https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202103/1219304.shtml</ref><br />
<br />
An editorial in the official Chinese state media '' Global Times'' stated that the Biden regime "is the most incapable and degenerate in the country's history. The US' national strength has greatly lost its relative advantage, so the cards of trade and human rights Washington plays to counter China have almost no effect at all."<ref> https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202110/1237157.shtml</ref><br />
<br />
Gen. Xu Qiliang, vice-chair of the Central Military Commission and a member of the [[Politburo Standing Committee]] who is China’s most senior military officer, refused to meet with his counterpart, Lloyd Austin, America's first African American [[Defense Secretary]].<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/05/23/show-of-disrespect-top-military-leaders-in-china-shunning-bidens-woke-defense-sec-report-1078176/</ref><br />
<br />
=====CCP leaking nuclear power plant=====<br />
CNN reported in June 2021 that the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong province was experiencing a leak posing an “imminent radiological threat”. The plant is run by the China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), a state-owned firm that has enjoyed millions of dollars in investment from Joe Biden’s son Hunter. The plant’s French partner reached out to the White House for assistance. The warning included an accusation that the Chinese safety authority was raising the acceptable limits for radiation detection outside the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong province in order to avoid having to shut it down, according to a letter from the French company to the US [[Department of Energy]].<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/14/politics/china-nuclear-reactor-leak-us-monitoring/index.html</ref> Hunter Biden still owns a sizable stake in a nuclear power plant in which [[Bohai Harvest]] was a $10 million cornerstone investor in.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9230205/Hunter-Biden-working-unwind-investment-Chinese-owned-fund-father-promised.html</ref><ref>https://www.linkedin.com/company/en.bhrpe.com/</ref> CGN’s initial public offering, occurring in 2014, was the second largest of the entire year, valued at over $3 billion. CGN has seen one of its consultants convicted by the Department of Justice for company-wide schemes to “procure U.S.-based nuclear engineers to assist with designing and manufacturing certain components for nuclear reactors” for nearly two decades. The stolen secrets posed a “significant damage to our national security,” according to the DOJ.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/breaking/hunter-biden-invested-in-nuclear-firm-experiencing-leak/</ref><br />
<br />
====Tibet====<br />
Human rights groups have accused Chinese authorities of raping [[Tibet]]an nuns, forcefully living with Tibetan families, and attempting to suppress Tibetan [[language]] and [[religion]] out of the country. [[Sam Brownback]], former ambassador at large for religious freedom, urged the Biden junta to consider a genocide declaration for the human rights situation in Tibet. <br />
<br />
Robert Destro, former special envoy for Tibet and assistant secretary of state for human rights and labor, accused the Biden junta of neglecting Tibet, which remains tied as the least free country in the world, according to one human rights group.<ref> https://freedomhouse.org/countries/freedom-world/scores</ref> "We need to do everything we can to keep the Tibetan community together," Destro said. "The question is: what is the orientation of the [personnel]? Are they serious about who they are dealing with or not? Are they going to learn from history? How do you do business with people who will sell your [[kidney]]s?"<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/pressure-grows-on-biden-to-act-on-crisis-in-tibet/</ref><br />
<br />
====East Turkestan====<br />
{{see also|Xinjiang concentration camps}}<br />
In late July 2021, Uyghurs called upon the Biden regime to recognize the sovereignty of [[East Turkistan]] and to address the ongoing genocide of the Uighur people.<ref>https://rumble.com/vk81l3-uyghurs-call-on-biden-admin.-to-recognize-sovereignty-of-east-turkistan-add.html</ref><br />
[[File:CCP concentration camp.jpg|right|300px|thumb|A transport of Uighur prisoners at a CCP [[concentration camp]] in Xinjiang.<ref> https://www.businessinsider.com/china-xinjiang-prisoners-blindfolded-tied-up-leaked-drone-footage-2019-10</ref>]]<br />
The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a militant organization that seeks to fight against CCP excesses and abuse of human rights in Xinjiang. The ETIM comprises Uyghur fighters with one goal to liberate East Turkestan or Xinjiang from the clutches of the CCP. Over one million Uyghur Muslims are in internment camps. With the growth of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the growth of ETIM followed a similar trajectory. The Taliban was going to<br />
help the ETIM in its cause of liberating Xinjiang. Instead, the Taliban turned to the CCP. Beijing bought the Taliban and the CCP controls a puppet regime in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Intelligence reports from Afghanistan and Turkey indicate that the ETIM is negotiating an alliance with the Islamic State of the Harassan province. There are at least 500 ETIM fighters in Afghanistan and its borders, with most of them concentrated in Badakhshan province in northern Afghanistan, linking with Xinjiang in china via the Wakhan corridor. The ETIM fears that the Taliban will act against them and hand them over to the MSS, the Chinese Ministry of State Security. <br />
<br />
The ETIM has been estimated by the U.N. Security Council to have up to 3 500 fighters. However, the RTIM's goal to liberate Xinjiang and carve out a separate East Turkestan is not what entirely worries the CCP. The more<br />
concerning factor is the impact that a strong ETIM can have on China's Belt and Road projects, not just within China, but all across the region. Four of China's six 'Silk Road Networks', including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor emanate from or pass through Xinjiang. These roads aim to connect China with Russia, central, southern, and western Asia, reaching the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<br />
<br />
A United Nations Security Council report confirmed that ETIM, apart from basing itself out of Afghanistan, is also pursuing a transnational agenda.<br />
<br />
====Tajikistan====<br />
<br />
[[File:Taiwanmap.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]<br />
While the Biden regime halted construction of the border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, the regime funded border security efforts for [[Tajikistan]], a former [[Soviet]] republic trying to keep Afghan insurgents and refugees out. One day after the junts's August 31, 2021 deadline to withdraw from Afghanistan, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, announced that it had launched a project to construct new facilities for a Border Guard Detachment in Ayvoj, along the Tajik-Afghan-Uzbek border.<br />
<br />
Tajikistan shares an 835-mile border with Afghanistan — less than the 1,254 miles of border shared between Texas and Mexico and less than half the 1,954-mile distance of the entire U.S.-Mexico border. A new detachment facility in Ayvoj, Tajikistan will replace an outdated facility and allow the Border Guard Service to deploy forces more quickly to border areas in response to threats posed by the Taliban's takeover. The new facility will also provide housing for Border Guard personnel and their family members, U.S. officials said. Tajikistan is still a member of the post-Soviet, Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CTSO) alliance, Reuters reports.<br />
<br />
Since 2002, the U.S. government has provided over $300 million in security-sector assistance to Tajikistan. U.S. taxpayers have also footed the bill to renovate or rebuild 12 border outposts, nine border checkpoint facilities, and three training centers for Tajik border guards to help combat security threats, the embassy disclosed.<ref>https://justthenews.com/government/security/biden-halts-us-border-wall-helps-former-soviet-republic-stop-afghan-refugees</ref><br />
<br />
====Taiwan====<br />
On day two the of junta, the People's Republic of China invaded [[Taiwan]]'s airspace with nuclear bombers.<ref>https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-23/china-flies-nuclear-capable-bombers-and-jets-over-taiwan-waters/13086192</ref><br />
<br />
====Japan====<br />
At a time when the junta was pushing expanded anti-Asian hate crime legislation in a spate of African American attacks on Asian Americans,<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/just-who-is-it-attacking-asian-americans</ref> Biden referred to "a Japanese boy" who won the Master's Tournament while speaking a joint press conference with the Japanese prime minister.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/04/16/biden-calls-masters-champ-hideki-matsuyama-japanese-boy/</ref><br />
<br />
====Philippines====<br />
[[File:Bizarre moment Kamala honors McCain in Vietnam.PNG|right|350px|thumb|Bizarre moment Kamala Harris pays tribute to John McCain at monument erected to the memory of 50,000 victims of bombing in North Vietnam.<ref>https://www.rt.com/op-ed/533131-harris-mccain-memorial-vietnam-confusion/</ref>]]<br />
Philippines leader Rodrigo Duterte complained to the Chinese ambassador about Chinese naval forces massing within the Philppines exclusive economic zone. International concern has grown over what the Philippines has described as a "swarming and threatening presence" of more than 200 Chinese vessels that it believes were manned by China's maritime militia.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/philippines-alarmed-more-200-chinese-ships-massing-disputed-waters</ref><br />
<br />
====Vietnam====<br />
<br />
{{See also|Vietnam War|}}<br />
In August 2021, during the Fall of Kabul, Kamala Harris was sent on an official diplomatic visit to [[Vietnam]]. In Vietnam, Harris and/or her staff and media convinced themselves that a monument erected to commemorate the shoot-down of [[John McCain]] was built to honor McCain. McCain flew 22 bombing missions over Vietnam and spent 8 years in a Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp as a [[war criminal]]. Approximately 50,000 North Vietnamese civilians were killed in bombings by the United States.<ref>[http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/SOD.TAB6.1A.GIF Rummel, 1997], line 61</ref><br />
<br />
On the official diplomatic visit, Harris expressed effusive words of honour, heroism, and praise for the person whom the Vietnamese government and people regard as a war criminal. Harris said of John McCain, "he was an extraordinary American hero." McCain flew 22 bombing missions over Vietnam and spent 5 1/2 years as a prisoner-of-war in the notorious 'Hanoi Hilton', a POW camp where he endured torture and beatings.<br />
<br />
At the very moment the Biden regime was resurrecting the Taliban terrorist state, leaving behind the most sophisticated modern weapons in a bungled and embarrassing retreat with needless loss of life for both American servicemen and Afghan civilians, Harris proclaimed "America is back."<ref>https://youtu.be/wUF-RkIZgFo</ref><br />
<br />
Harris' words and visit have been likened to laying a wreath to honor [[Adolf Eichmann]] at the [[Holocaust]] Museum.<br />
<br />
While in Vietnam Harris may have been exposed to Havana Syndrome.<br />
<br />
===North Korea===<br />
Biden criticized President Trump for his meeting with North Korea president [[Kim Jong-un]], despite this meeting avoiding a massive and destructive nuclear war. Biden and Obama failed to shutdown the nuclear program of North Korea and let North Korea get Nuclear power. Now Biden pretends that his policy will force [[North Korea]] to shut down nuclear power, without clarifying what this policy.<ref>[https://www.pri.org/stories/2020-09-17/how-would-team-biden-handle-showdown-north-korea How would Team Biden handle a showdown with North Korea?]</ref> With the rise of the Biden junta and ousting of President Trump, North Korea announced its intention to build more nuclear weapons.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-korea-s-kim-threatens-build-more-nukes-bring-u-n1253625</ref><br />
<br />
The Biden junta's incompetence in their "hostile practices" towards North Korea ended chances of further denuclearizing the latter, setting the stage for potential greater threats in the future.<ref>Lonas, Lexi (March 18, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/543779-north-korea-no-nuclear-talks-until-us-stops-hostile-policies North Korea: No nuclear talks until US stops 'hostile policies']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
[[File:DPRK ballistic missile launch.PNG|right|350px|thumb|North Korean ballistic missile launch fired toward Japan. If the CCP were to invade Taiwan, North Korea may intervene in the fight to distract Japanese assistance to Taiwan.]]<br />
Biden wanted to return to the pre-Trump days of nuclear confrontation with North Korea. The sister of Kim jong-un, Kim Yo Jong, responded to the junta's overtures for dialogue saying, "If it [America] wants to sleep in peace for (the) coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step."<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-s-sister-warns-biden-to-stay-away/ar-BB1eCUrX</ref><br />
<br />
Under the watch of the Biden junta, North Korea days later resumed [[ballistic missile]] testing in the [[Sea of Japan]] in fear of aggression.<ref>Kheel, Rebecca; Choi, Joseph (April 23, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/asia-pacific/544557-north-korea-tests-short-range-missiles-denouncing North Korea conducts first missile test since Biden took office]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><ref>Two references:<br />
*Byres, Jesse; Coleman, Justine (April 24, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/544821-north-korea-fires-unidentified-projectile-into-sea-south-says North Korea fires two ballistic missiles into sea]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Weiss, Rusty (March 25, 2021). [https://thepoliticalinsider.com/days-after-warning-biden-about-sleeping-in-peace-north-korea-launches-ballistic-missiles/ Days After Warning Biden About Sleeping In Peace, North Korea Launches Ballistic Missiles]. ''The Political Insider''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
The International Atomic Energy Agency recently assessed that North Korea resumed operations at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, which produces plutonium for nuclear weapons. Pyongyang also may have reprocessed nuclear fuel from previous reactor operations. The developments are worrisome and will test the Biden administration on how to respond to North Korea expanding its ongoing production of nuclear weapons material. In recent years, North Korea has expanded and refined manufacturing facilities for fissile material, nuclear weapons, missiles, mobile missile launchers, and reentry vehicles.<br />
<br />
In 2017, the U.S. intelligence community assessed that North Korea had between 30 and 60 nuclear weapons (or weapons’ worth of fissile material) and could annually produce an additional seven to 12 weapons. While the Yongbyon reactor was offline, production would have decreased; however, resumed reactor operations will presumably return nuclear production to 2017-2018 levels. Since 2017, North Korea demonstrated significant improvements in its ability to target South Korea, Japan, and the continental United States with nuclear weapons. That year, Pyongyang conducted three intercontinental ballistic missile test launches, as well as a hydrogen (thermonuclear) weapon explosion at least 10 times as powerful as the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs.<br />
<br />
North Korea is now producing a new generation of advanced mobile missiles that are more accurate and more difficult to detect and target, and have an enhanced ability to evade allied missile defenses. In 2019, Pyongyang conducted 26 missile launches, all of them violations of U.N. resolutions and more than it had ever tested in a year. In October, Pyongyang unveiled the Hwasong-16 ICBM, the world’s largest mobile missile on a launch vehicle. The missile, larger than North Korea’s previous ICBM models, may be capable of carrying three or four nuclear warheads. Pyongyang also revealed that it can produce mobile ICBM transporter-erector-launchers. The regime’s ability to deploy more ICBM missiles with multiple warheads on mobile launchers risks overwhelming limited U.S. missile defenses protecting the American homeland.<ref> https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/08/31/north-korea-ramps-up-nuclear-weapons-production/</ref><br />
<br />
While the Afghan debacle was still raging and American [[hostage]]s left behind were trying to find a way out, North Korea resumed ballistic missile testing.<ref>https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/08/bafa27d9c5c8-urgent-n-korea-appears-to-have-fired-ballistic-missile.html</ref><br />
<br />
====India====<br />
The [[Hindu]]phobic Biden junta banned entry into the United States of people from [[India]].<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/04/30/hinduphobic-joebama-administration-ban-travel-from-india-due-to-covid/</ref><br />
{{Anchor|Rape of Afghanistan}}<br />
====Afghanistan====<br />
{{See also|Women under the Taliban}}<br />
<br />
No Americans had been killed in Afghanistan since February of 2020 until Biden's seizure of power. <br />
[[File:Kabul 2021.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Joe Biden, author of the [[Violence Against Women Act]], abandoning the women and girls of Afghanistan to the Taliban [[rape jihad]].]]<br />
The [[Taliban]] warned in late March 2021 that the group would start targeting foreign troops in [[Afghanistan]] if they remain in the country beyond the May 1, 2021 deadline set by the US-Taliban peace deal.<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/26/taliban-threaten-to-re-target-foreign-troops-if-may-1</ref> As American troops departed, the Peoples Republic of China began expanding their Belt and Road Initiative with a $62 billion aid package to Afghanistan to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9755531/China-prepares-Afghanistan-following-Americas-departure-Belt-Road-program.html</ref><br />
<br />
On July 8, 2021, Biden said from the White House, "I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war,"<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/bidens-afghanistan-predictions-were-all-wrong/</ref> "There's going to be no circumstance where you're going to see people being lifted off the roof of an embassy of the United States from Afghanistan."<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/biden-parallels-afghanistan-vietnam-wars</ref> The same month the Defense Department said it was providing the Afghan Air Force 35 Black Hawk helicopters and three A-29 Super Tucanos. The United States spent $83 billion equipping and training the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), including $10 billion in aircraft and vehicles.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/us-spent-83-billion-training-afghan-forces-why-did-they-collapse-so-quickly/184529/</ref> Less than a month later several Black Hawks helicopters and other aircraft were seized by the Taliban. Many of the aircraft and helicopters are armed. These A-29 Super Tucanos can fire laser-guided and other types of bombs. The Afghan government also had 50 American-made MD-530 attack helicopters, which are armed with machine guns and rockets. The Afghan Air Force had UH-60 Black Hawks and Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, as well as C-130 and Cessna transports, and a small fleet of armed Cessnas.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/taliban-captured-helicopters-can-they-capture-air-force/184525/</ref><br />
<br />
As the impending crisis escalated, White House chief propagandists Jen Psaki said "The [[Taliban]] has to make an assessment about what they want their role to be in the international community."<ref>https://www.mediaite.com/online/jen-psaki-mocked-for-saying-taliban-has-to-make-an-assessment-about-their-future-role-america-is-back-alright/</ref> Her comments came as reports flowed in of Taliban fighters going door-to-door and forcibly selecting girls as young as 12 to reward as brides for the victorious jihadis.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghans-tell-of-executions-forced-marriages-in-taliban-held-areas-11628780820</ref><br />
<br />
Former Obama Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker said,<ref>The Atlantic (2011). [https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/04/panetta-will-run-pentagon-petraeus-to-lead-cia/237927/ Panetta Will Run Pentagon; Petraeus to Lead CIA].</ref> the Islamist group cares less about diplomatic relations than it does about the idea that it has defeated the world’s strongest military, a narrative that will embolden other Islamist militants around the world.<br />
[[File:Baby at Kabul airport.PNG|left|350px|thumb|Baby found abandoned at the Kabul airport.<ref>https://www.ptcnews.tv/afghanistan-infant-found-crying-in-abandoned-condition-at-kabul-airport</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|“We’re going to pay for that for a long time to come, and that’s why it is insane – just idiotic – to think that we can tell the Taliban that if they don’t stop taking over territory and play nice, the international community will withhold recognition and support. The Taliban really doesn’t care, because they’ve got something far more valuable.”<br />
<br />
“We have seen this movie before. This would be the Taliban of the 1990s that gave safe haven to al-Qaida, except they’re meaner and tougher than they were then because of what they’ve been through.”<br />
<br />
“But even with all of that, I’m afraid a lot of people are going to die. As the Taliban moves into different cities and towns, they’ve got their hit list. So it’s going to be messy, it’s going to be incomplete and more people are going to die, but we’ve got to make our best possible effort.”<br />
<br />
“I’m left with some grave questions in my mind about his ability to lead our nation as [[commander-in-chief]].”<ref>https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/aug/14/a-self-inflicted-wound-former-ambassador-to-afghan/</ref>}}<br />
Crocker told ''[[CBS]]'s [[Face the Nation]]'', "It has created a global crisis, quite frankly. It has emboldened violent Islamic radicals, and I think we’re all gonna see the fallout of that, certainly in Pakistan, a champion of the Taliban. The Taliban victory, the narrative of defeating the great infidel, empowers radicals in Pakistan that they’re going to have to deal with if they can. And that’s a country of 220 million people with nuclear weapons.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/obama-afghan-ambassador-says-bidens-withdrawal-has-created-a-global-crisis/</ref> ''Politico'''s chief European correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig wrote, "Biden told allies to join him in proving that [[democracy]] works and defending it against [[authoritarianism]]. Instead, they look at Afghanistan and see “the discrediting of the Western alliance and everything it is supposed to stand for in the world.”<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2021/08/16/what-biden-lost-in-afghanistan-493977</ref> Former Obama Defense Secretary [[Leon Panetta]] said that there is no question that "our national security is threatened by what has happened."<ref>https://youtu.be/FT_2GpJSS1I</ref> According to the U.K. ''Telegraph'', <br />
{{quotebox-float|“Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal was condemned as “catastrophic” and “shameful” on Wednesday as the [[Houses of Parliament]] delivered an unprecedented rebuke to a US president. MPs and peers from across the political spectrum, including [[Boris Johnson]], put some blame for the Taliban’s takeover and the chaos that followed on Britain’s closest ally. Mr Biden was accused of “throwing us and everybody else to the fire” by pulling out US troops, and was called “dishonourable” for criticising Afghan forces for not having the will to fight. Former defence chiefs who led British troops in the Middle East were among those to speak out, while there were warnings that the West’s withdrawal would embolden Russia and China.<br />
<br />
[…] Labour MP Chris Bryant called Mr Biden’s remarks about Afghan soldiers “some of the most shameful comments ever from an American president”. Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP and former defence minister, said: “The Biden government have just come in and, without looking at what is happening on the ground, have taken a unilateral decision, throwing us and everybody else to the fire.” <ref>[https://archive.is/YkOPb#selection-517.0-535.24 Parliament holds Joe Biden in contempt over Afghanistan], By Ben Riley-Smith, ''The Telegraph'', 18 August 2021.</ref>}}<br />
Former [[Labour Party]] [[Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]] slammed Biden's "imbecilic" retreat.<ref>https://archive.is/2D8am#selection-491.1-491.56</ref><br />
<br />
=====Withdrawal=====<br />
{{See also|Fall of Kabul}}<br />
[[File:Kabul airport suicide bombing August 26, 2021.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Kabul airport suicide bombing, August 26, 2021.]]<br />
Panic ensued as the Kabul airport was flooded with people fleeing the Taliban terror. Some people were stampeded to death.<ref>https://www.the-sun.com/news/3479109/taliban-jalalabad-afghanistan-kabul-uk-troops-2-2/</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported about the dangerous road thousands of people face trying to get to the Kabul airport: “There were volleys of rifle fire, along with pushing, pulling and beating with wooden sticks, Kalashnikovs and hoses.”<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/08/18/world/asia/kabul-airport-afghanistan-maps.html</ref> At the airport, “in desperate scenes, babies were passed to U.S. soldiers in the hope of giving them a life outside the country,” ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/aug/19/children-passed-over-the-walls-of-kabul-airport-amid-evacuation-chaos-video</ref> Tens of thousands of Afghans lined up outside the airport in the hopes of finding a way out.<ref>https://www.businessinsider.com/video-people-crushed-to-death-at-kabul-airport-thousands-flee-taliban-2021-8?op=1</ref> Three young men clung to the tires of an airplane, only to fall on top of people's houses once the plane was airborne.<ref>https://twitter.com/AsvakaNews/status/1427172720446373892</ref> Remains of a fourth body were found crushed inside the wheel well upon landing.<ref>https://notthebee.com/article/shockingly-awful-video-shows-afghan-mans-body-dangling-from-wheel-well-of-c-17</ref> <br />
<br />
People died after being crushed or succumbing to sweltering temperatures in the crowds outside the airport gate as individuals and families sought refuge from the Taliban.<ref>https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/matt-frei/women-at-kabul-airport-crushed-fleeing-taliban/</ref> [[UK]] ''Independent'' journalist Kim Sengupta saw four women crushed to death in the space of about an hour, in the crush as Afghans scrambled to leave the Taliban-controlled country.<ref>https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/matt-frei/women-at-kabul-airport-crushed-fleeing-taliban/</ref> ''[[Sky News]]'' chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay saw people crushed to death, medics check their vital signs and then cover the bodies in white sheets.<ref>https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15927269/afghanistan-kabul-airport-crush-taliban/</ref> A heartbroken mother found her 2-year-old daughter trampled to death.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/08/22/fatal-stampede-outside-kabul-airport-takes-place-as-people-attempt-to-flee/</ref> Biden told ABC’s [[George Stephanopoulos]] "no one's being killed right now."<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2021/08/26/biden-last-week-nobody-is-being-killed-n2594798</ref> On August 26, 2021, two suicide bombs went off outside the Kabul airport, killing about 60 people including 12 American soldiers and injuring more than 100. One was a car bomb about 200 yards away, outside the Baron hotel, which was a staging area for evacuees from the airport.<ref>https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2021/0826/Islamic-State-says-it-was-behind-suicide-attacks-at-Kabul-airport</ref> [[ISIS-K]] claimed responsibility. An [[Italian]] [[C-130]] also came under fire as it departed the airport.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-c-130-comes-under-fire-as-it-leaves-kabul-airport-also-reports-of-explosion-outside-airport-gate/</ref> A translator for the [[U.S. Marine Corps]] spoke with Fox News and gave a first-hand account of what he witnessed after the suicide attack. His 5-year-old girl died in his hands.<ref>https://100percentfedup.com/breaking-baby-girl-died-right-in-my-hands-witness-of-afghan-explosion-tells-what-he-saw-after-suicide-bomb-at-the-airport/</ref><br />
<br />
With 40,000 Americans stranded,<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/08/breaking-afghanistan-hannity-reports-10000-many-40000-americans-trapped-inside-afghanistan-taliban-blocking-access-airport-video/</ref> embassy personnel in Kabul were apprised by the State Department to leave the embassy and make their way to the airport. Staffers reported being jostled, hit, spat on and cursed at by Taliban fighters at checkpoints near the airport. Some staff members reported that they were almost separated from their children, while others collapsed in a crush of people and had to be taken to hospitals with injuries. Others said they had collapsed on the road because of heat exhaustion. “It would be better to die under the Taliban’s bullet” than face the crowds again, a staff member was quoted as saying in a State Department cable. “Happy to die here, but with dignity and pride," according to ''[[NBC News]]''.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/afghan-staff-u-s-embassy-losing-faith-evacuation-efforts-diplomatic-n1277397</ref> A heart-wrenching audio clip of a stranded American woman in fear for her life was posted to social media.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/heartbreaking-audio-of-american-woman-trapped-in-afghanistan-begging-for-biden-to-help-her/</ref> At least 24 students from a [[San Diego]] school district and 16 parents had tickets to fly out but were not able to get to the airport.<ref>https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-08-24/students-from-cajon-valley-school-district-stranded-in-afghanistan?utm_id=36108&sfmc_id=4509190</ref><br />
<br />
===Europe===<br />
:{{see also|Gazprom}}<br />
Biden reversed the Trump administration's opposition to the [[Nord Stream II]] pipeline. This was a serious blow to [[Polish]], [[Hungarian]], and [[Ukrainian]] independence. The Russian project is designed to ship gas and oil directly from Russia to [[Germany]] under the [[Baltic Sea]]. Russia has attempted to pressure Ukraine numerous times since the break-up of the [[Soviet Union]] to abandon its bid to join [[NATO]] by cutting off oil and gas supplies. In doing so, Russia inadvertently also cuts off supplies to Germany. The Nord Stream pipeline is intended to counter this collateral effect, while pressuring Ukraine, Poland and Hungary to remain in the Russian orbit, as well. The pipeline itself is a massive scandal in Germany, with former [[Democratic Socialist]] chancellor [[Gerhard Schroeder]] on the board of the Nord Stream pipeline company, and a major stockholder.<ref>https://www.politico.eu/article/opinion-schroders-russian-sell-out/</ref> Biden also waived sanctions on its CEO, Matthias Warnig,<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/18/biden-sanctions-nord-stream-pipeline-489437</ref> a former [[East German]] [[Stasi]] agent who partnered with the [[KGB]] while Putin served in [[Berlin]] in the 1980s.<ref>https://www.dw.com/en/who-is-nord-streams-matthias-warnig-putins-friend-from-east-germany/a-56328159</ref> The waivers were issued only one week after a cyberattack emanating from Russia shut down the Colonial Pipeline, resulting in shortages and gas lines in the eastern United States—for which Biden absolved Putin before an investigation started.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/05/20/what-we-know-about-darkside-the-russian-hacker-group-that-just-wrecked-havoc-on-the-east-coast/</ref> The reversal of Trump-era policies made Biden appear to be a [[Putin]] puppet.<ref>https://dennismichaellynch.com/daily-newsletter/</ref> CDMedia reported,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"CDMedia wrote in the summer before the 2020 election about Joe Biden, and his energy and gas genius son Hunter, meeting with Russian gas executives in the United States, weeks after Russia [[Ukrainian crisis|annexed the Crimean Peninsula]], and Obama/Biden were crowing in the news about how America needs to ‘get tough on Russia’....The ‘tough on Russia’ thing is a hoax. Biden just ensured billions of hydrocarbon revenue for the [[Kremlin]]. He just weakened the NATO alliance."<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/analysis/2021/05/20/biden-is-not-tough-on-russia-quite-the-opposite/</ref>}}<br />
Two scholars at the [[Atlantic Council]], the prominent foreign policy think tank that claims to staunchly oppose Russian influence, raked in nearly $3 million lobbying in favor of the Russian pipeline.<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/atlantic-council-scholars-made-millions-lobbying-for-putin-backed-pipeline/</ref><br />
<br />
====United Kingdom====<br />
:{{See also|Rape of Afghanistan}}<br />
[[File:KabulHasFallen.png|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
Britain stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States following the [[September 11, 2001]] terrorist attacks in the U.S., and its military forces were part of the coalition force in Afghanistan. The British force in [[Afghanistan War|Afghanistan]] were at 9,000 in late 2009 and rose by an extra 500 troops in 2010. British forces were primarily based in the Helmand region, where they were on the front line in the war against continued [[Taliban]] terrorism. In addition, Britain contributed more than £500 million to Afghan reconstruction—the second-largest donor after the U.S.<br />
<br />
Joe Biden assured key allies at the June 2021 [[G7]] Summit in [[Cornwall]] that he would maintain enough of a security presence in Afghanistan to ensure they could continue to operate in the capital following the main U.S. withdrawal. Biden promised Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] and other leaders that “critical U.S. enablers” would remain in place to keep Kabul safe following the drawdown of NATO forces. British officials determined the U.S. would provide enough personnel to ensure that the U.K. embassy in Kabul could continue operating.<br />
<br />
But the withdrawal of U.S. forces saw the Afghan government collapse as Taliban fighters raced across the country, culminating in scenes of chaos at Kabul’s airport. The British embassy was evacuated. The UK foreign minister faced calls to resign over the inability to extract people on the ground, ''Bloomberg'' reported.<ref> https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-20/biden-assured-allies-in-june-u-s-would-ensure-kabul-s-stability?sref=MTy2GeXk</ref><br />
<br />
The circumstances surrounding the U.S. withdrawal served as a wake-up call to the anti-Trump elements in Great Britain who colluded with [[fake news]] [[mainstream media]] outlets, the [[2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign|Hillary Clinton campaign]], and the U.S. [[intelligence community]] to interfere in American elections and sabotage the presidency of [[Donald Trump]], of the reluctance of Washington to operate as a global policeman. During the crisis, Biden ignored Boris Johnson's frantic phone calls for 36 hours.<ref>https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2021/08/20/special-relationship-biden-ghosted-johnson-over-bungled-bugout-n1471066</ref><br />
According to the U.K . ''Telegraph'', <br />
{{quotebox-float|“Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal was condemned as “catastrophic” and “shameful” on Wednesday as the [[Houses of Parliament]] delivered an unprecedented rebuke to a US president. MPs and peers from across the political spectrum, including [[Boris Johnson]], put some blame for the Taliban’s takeover and the chaos that followed on Britain’s closest ally. Mr Biden was accused of “throwing us and everybody else to the fire” by pulling out US troops, and was called “dishonourable” for criticising Afghan forces for not having the will to fight. Former defence chiefs who led British troops in the Middle East were among those to speak out, while there were warnings that the West’s withdrawal would embolden Russia and China.<br />
<br />
[…] Labour MP Chris Bryant called Mr Biden’s remarks about Afghan soldiers “some of the most shameful comments ever from an American president”. Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP and former defence minister, said: “The Biden government have just come in and, without looking at what is happening on the ground, have taken a unilateral decision, throwing us and everybody else to the fire.” <ref>[https://archive.is/YkOPb#selection-517.0-535.24 Parliament holds Joe Biden in contempt over Afghanistan], By Ben Riley-Smith, ''The Telegraph'', 18 August 2021.</ref>}}<br />
Ben Wallace, [[UK]] defence secretary, broke down in tears saying, “some would not get back” from Afghanistan. “It’s sad. Twenty years of sacrifice is what it is."<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/afghanistan-taliban-uk-ben-wallace-b1903193.html NewsUKUK Politics<br />
Defence secretary breaks down in tears and admits ‘some won’t get back’ from Afghanistan], Adam Forrest, ''The Independent'', August 16, 2021.<br />
</ref> Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab concluded that Britain would have to turn to Russia and China to assist with exercising a "moderating influence" over the Taliban despite a deep mistrust of both regimes. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Tom Tugendhat wrote, <br />
[[File:Biden Imbecile.PNG|left|300px|thumb|''Sunday Mirror'', August 22, 2021.<ref>https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunday-mirror/20210822/page/1</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The [[fall of Kabul]] is the biggest foreign policy disaster since [[Suez Crisis|Suez]]. The operation to seize the canal in 1956 symbolised the end of [[British Empire|Britain’s global ambition]] and refocused us on Nato and alliances. It showed conclusively that the US could limit our actions and change our policy. The fall of Kabul will be remembered for similar reasons: not just its abject failure, but also because it revealed the nature of US power and our inability to hold a separate line. The redeployment of 2,500 US troops, half as many as it takes to crew a carrier, ended 20 years of British effort in Afghanistan and left thousands of British citizens under Taliban jurisdiction....The longer-term question is: what next? Is Britain’s [[foreign policy]] achievable given the past week? What are the implications for our alliances?...just like in Suez, we need to reset to make sure that a false narrative does not grow, and that means commitment. Cuts to overseas engagement, whether defence, diplomacy, aid or trade, will look different today from how they did a week ago...." <ref>[https://archive.is/KmgYt Tom Tugendhat on Afghanistan: Six decades after Suez, we remain impotent in the face of US policy], August 16 2021, ''The Times''.</ref>}}<br />
Former Tory prime minister [[Theresa May]] said "What does it say about NATO if we are entirely dependent on a unilateral decision taken by the United States? ... Did we feel we just had to follow the United States and hope that on a wing and a prayer it'd be all right on the night?" Former Labour prime minister [[Tony Blair]] slammed Biden's "imbecilic" retreat.<ref>https://archive.is/2D8am#selection-491.1-491.56</ref> Blair said the "deep politicisation" of US foreign policy was "visibly atrophying" American influence, and claimed the debacle over the withdrawal risked Britain being relegated to the "second division" of global powers.<br />
<br />
====France====<br />
At Biden's first G-7 summit, Biden was welcomed into "the club" of globalists by [[Emmanuel Macron]],<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/president-trump-releases-statement-regarding-macron-welcoming-biden-club/</ref> but the lovefest was short loved. First came the Afghan debacle, resurrection of a terrorist state, and abandonment of Western hostages to the Taliban. Then, without notice, Biden edged France out of the way in a contract to deliver submarines [[Australia]], leaving French contractors with $16 billion in losses. Macron promptly withdrew the French Ambassador from Washington. Macron proposed a European Union army, since the United States and NATO could no longer be relied upon.<ref>https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/09/04/after-afghanistan-europe-wonders-if-france-was-right-about-america</ref><br />
<br />
During the Afghan crisis, Macron and Biden spoke by phone. Macron emphasised ensuring the safe evacuation of Afghan citizens who assisted American and European troops over the past 20 years at great risk to themselves and their families. Macron described the mission to evacuate allies as a “moral responsibility” and told Biden: “We cannot abandon them.” The White House version of the phone call, however, made no mention of a “moral responsibility” to evacuate Afghan allies.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/20/afghanistan-macron-biden-moral-responsibility-evacuate-allies</ref><br />
<br />
At the height of the [[Ukrainian]] crisis Macron said, "The geopolitical objective of Russia today is clearly not Ukraine, but to clarify the rules of cohabitation with NATO and the EU."<ref>https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-russia-tensions-frances-macron-flies-to-moscow-to-meet-putin-in-high-risk-diplomatic-mission-12535079</ref><br />
<br />
====Germany====<br />
[[File:Amy Gutmann.PNG|right|230px|thumb|''Left'' Unidentified suicide bomber ''Right'' Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann<ref>https://www.jpost.com/jewish-world/jewish-news/u-penn-president-apologizes-for-photo</ref>]]<br />
During the [[Donbas war]] crisis of 2022, German chancellor [[Olaf Scholz]] was forced to stand mutely at his visit to the White House while Biden “promised” that he would unilaterally shut down the [[NordStream 2]] pipeline, even though the U.S. played no role in its construction and administration. Germany, Biden effectively said, is little more than a subject of U.S. [[colonialism|colonial]] hegemony.<br />
<br />
====Russia====<br />
[[File:Download-2.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Vladimir Putin (left} [[Oleg Deripaska]] (right). [[Christopher Steele]] of the ''[[Steele Dossier]]'' was hired by Deripaska to lobby the Obama/Biden DOJ; [[Andrew McCabe]] then met with Deriapaska two months before the [[2016 presidential election|2016 election]].]]<br />
:{{See also|Russophobia}}<br />
Biden portrays his policy as being more tough against Russia than [[President Trump]]'s has been,<ref>Bowden, John (April 15, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/russia/522773-kremlin-biden-encouraging-hatred-of-russia Kremlin: Biden encouraging hatred of Russia]. ''The Hill''.</ref> although this policy under the [[Obama regime]] was to let Russia expand into the Crimea and the [[Middle East]]. Under an [[Obama]] era policy, Islamist groups like the [[Islamic State]] were allowed to expand in Syria. Biden has called Putin a killer,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYCJZROo-hA</ref> which severed relations between the U.S. and Russia without in any way being able to rein in the latter's activities. This is heavily remote from the [[Trump Administration]]'s approaches which successfully and effectively weakened the [[Kremlin]].<br />
<br />
While the Biden junta has imposed a few sanctions on the country,<ref>Kelly, Laura; Miller, Maggie (April 15, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/548477-biden-sanctions-further-chill-us-russia-relationship New US sanctions further chill Biden-Putin relations]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> they have been unable to halt Russia from flexing its muscles on its neighbors.<br />
<br />
In early April 2021, [[Vladimir Putin]] signed a law to permit two additional terms for himself in office.<ref>Choi, Joseph (April 5, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/russia/546475-putin-signs-law-allowing-him-to-remain-president-through-2036 Putin signs law allowing him to remain president through 2036]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
It was reported by ''[[The Hill]]'' on April 17, 2021 that Russia increased their military presence in the [[Black Sea]].<ref>Axelrod, Tal (April 17, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/europe/548836-russia-increases-military-presence-in-black-sea-amid-rising Russia increases military presence in Black Sea amid rising Ukraine tensions]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> A diplomat from Ukraine was also detained in Russia.<ref>Jenkins, Cameron (April 17, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/russia/548808-ukrainian-diplomat-released-after-brief-detention-in-russia Ukrainian diplomat briefly detained, ordered to leave Russia]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
=====Relations with Vladimir Putin=====<br />
[[File:Sadiq Khan and Elena Baturina.jpg|left|350px|thumb|London mayor [[Sadiq Khan]] and Elana Baturina.]]<br />
As vice-president in 2011, Putin snubbed Biden in a face-to-face meeting. Sitting across a conference table Putin, Biden attempted to lecture Putin. Biden said, "I’ve been around a long time. The first time I was here…” and in mid-sentence his microphone was cut off,<ref>https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/03/10/remarks-vice-president-joe-biden-and-russian-prime-minister-vladimir-put</ref> the lights for the TV cameras went off, and the press was told to leave. The press exited quickly and quietly. Videocameras were disassembled from tripods and still photographers stopped shooting. Portable lights came down from retractable poles. No one spoke and no one lingered. Putin pulled the plug, stole Biden's audience, and rendered him speechless. Putin and the Russian delegation sat motionless as their American counterparts realized the rug had been pulled out underneath Biden's feet. Putin had neither fear nor respect for Biden, and Biden was humiliated.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/analysis/putin-humiliated-biden-in-moscow-meeting/</ref> Biden, who called Putin a "killer" in March 2021, now called him a bight and worthy adversary on the eve of the June 16, 2021 summit in Geneva.<ref>https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/white-house-plays-down-hacker-swap-after-putin-offers-biden-a-deal-kr7cc9l8n</ref> Putin criticized Biden's [[human rights]] record, the mass incarceration of dissidents, and the murder of [[Ashli Babbitt]], a peaceful protester at the January 6, 2021 Capitol election stealing protests.<ref>https://youtu.be/h1HPcxLc_nE</ref> Biden ducked out and refused to appear at the traditional post-summit press conference leaving more questions about Biden's mental fitness.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/news/europe/2021/06/12/biden-refuses-to-hold-joint-press-conference-with-putin-after-upcoming-summit/</ref><br />
<br />
In 2014 Hunter Biden colluded with and received $3.5 million from [[Elena Baturina]], the richest woman in Russia and widow of former Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov as payment to establish an American bank account for her.<ref>https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missionquestfpb/shock-man-who-had-hunter-biden-s-laptop-suggests-t-t10669-s2420.html</ref> Baturina eventually laundered $39 million through American banks with the help of [[Rosemont Seneca]] of funds stolen from contractors while her husband was the mayor of Moscow. In late 2019 Baturina was declared a fugitive from justice by a Russian court.<ref>https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-court-declares-late-moscow-mayor-s-widow-wanted-after-failure-to-appear/30348065.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Ukraine====<br />
[[File:Biden-Pozharskyi-email.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Burisma exec thanks Hunter for introducing him to his father, Joe Biden.<ref>https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/10/Biden-Pozharskyi-email.jpg</ref> Biden has always denied any knowledge or involvement with his son's business activities or associates.]]<br />
{{See also|Biden-Ukraine scandal}}<br />
Ukraine functions as the corrupt [[money laundering]] operation for [[Washington, D.C.]] politicians to receive [[kickback]]s of taxpayer money from their financial support into Ukraine.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/02/22/biden-delivers-remarks-on-ukraine-video-and-transcript/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=biden-delivers-remarks-on-ukraine-video-and-transcript</ref> In May 2021 it was revealed that Joe Biden met with Ukrainian, Russian and [[Kazakh]] business associates of Hunter in the private “Garden Room” at Café Milano,<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/05/26/hunter-biden-arranged-secret-dinner-with-business-partners-and-vp-joe/</ref> a Georgetown institution whose catchphrase is: “Where the world’s most powerful people go" in April 2015 while Biden was vice president. The following day, April 17, Hunter Biden received an email from Vadym Pozharskyi, an executive of Burisma, to thank him for introducing him to his father.<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Dear Hunter, thank you for inviting me to DC and giving an opportunity to meet your father and spent [sic] some time together....It’s realty [sic] an honor and pleasure.”}}<br />
Burisma was paying Hunter $83,333 a month to sit on its board a the time. Biden has always denied any knowledge of or involvement with his son's business or associates.<br />
<br />
=====Support for neo-Nazis=====<br />
:{{See also|Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists|Alexandra Chalupa|}}<br />
Biden restored the Obama era support for Ukrainian [[Neo-Nazi]]s.<ref>https://russia-insider.com/en/ukraine/washington-post-ukrainian-neo-nazis-are-romantics/ri312</ref> On March 1, 2021 Biden funneled $125 million in grants to [[Ukraine]],<ref>[https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2519445/defense-department-announces-125m-for-ukraine/ defense-department-announces-125m-for-ukraine/]</ref> a country his son has extensive investments in.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/biden-gang-already-deals-ukraine-125-million-us-tax-payer-money-way-ukraine-right-now/</ref> Ukrainian [[neo-Nazi]]s have been battling Ukraine's indigenous Russian speaking population since the [[Great Patriotic War]].<ref>https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/</ref> One month later Biden junta neo-Nazi allies held a rally in [[Kiev]] to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the creation of the [[SS|SS Galicia Division]], made up primarily of [[OUN|Ukrainian nationalists]] armed by [[Nazi Germany]] to fight against the [[Soviet Union]].<ref>https://www.rt.com/russia/522435-ss-galicia-march-kiev/</ref> The SS Galicia Division is responsible for multiple [[mass murder]]s and [[war crimes]] against [[Jewish]]s and [[Polish]] civilians.<ref>https://spzh.news/en/zashhita-very/68324-ss-galichina-uniaty-kholokost-i-zhizny-v-sostojanii-lzhi</ref> The governments of Germany and Israel condemned the celebration,<ref>https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/305285</ref><ref>https://112.international/politics/german-ambassador-condemns-march-dedicated-to-ss-division-galicia-60995.html</ref> but not the Biden junta. Former Democratic presidential candidate [[Tulsi Gabbard]] asked on the ''Tucker Carlson Show'',<br />
[[File:Azov Battalion.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Members of the [[Azov Battalion]] with the NATO flag (left) Azov mascot (center) and [[Swastika]] (right). The NATO flag represents [[globalism]]; the ''[[Cyrillic]]'' A3OB in the center spells AZOV; and the swastika represents the NATO and globalists' Russophobic allies in Ukraine. A Ukrainian court found elements in the Ukrainian government [[collude]]d with the [[DNC]] to defeat Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/world/europe/ukraine-paul-manafort.html Ukraine Court Rules Manafort Disclosure Caused 'Meddling' in U.S. Election], ''[[The New York Times]]'', December 12, 2018. National Anti-Corruption Bureau Director '''[[Artem Sytnyk]]''' and legislator '''[[Serhiy Leshchenko]]''' broke the law by revealing [[Manafort]]'s name. The disclosure “led to interference in the electoral processes of the [[United States]] in 2016 and harmed the interests of Ukraine as a state,” the court said. https://www.theepochtimes.com/ties-to-ukrainian-national-a-unifying-theme-in-early-attacks-on-trump_2872609.html<br>In October 2019, an audiotape of Sytnyk was release discussing his efforts to help Hillary during the 2016 election. He and Leschenko were responsible for publishing the Black Ledger which forced Paul Manafort to resign from Trump’s campaign.<br>https://www.dailywire.com/news/bombshell-audio-email-evidence-shows-dnc-colluded-with-ukraine-to-boost-hillary-by-harming-trump-report-says</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The question for the American people is, ''Are we willing to go to war with Russia on behalf of Ukraine?'' We need to understand that such a war would come at a cost beyond anything that we can really imagine. This is something that will directly impact every single one of your viewers and all of our loved ones. This is a war that is not a game. It's a war in which there are no winners. Russia has thousands of nuclear weapons aimed towards us that could hit any town or city in America in less than 30 minutes and exact a cost upon every one of us that would result in excruciating death and suffering beyond comprehension. Hundreds of millions of people dying and suffering, seeing their flesh being burned from their bones. This is something you know you can't really even imagine. And it's a cost that we will all pay. <br />
<br />
Why in the world would we ever contemplate going to war with Russia? Honestly, it is one that we should not do for those very reasons. If you look at the impacts of what a [[nuclear war]] brings it, really brings about the end of the world as we know it. And our leaders should understand this consequence and take it seriously. And this is why President Biden, instead of continuing to escalate tensions and continuing this new Cold War between the United States and Russia, he needs to de-escalate these tensions and actually focus on bringing an end to this new Cold War because if he doesn't, then it's not a question of if we go to war with Russia if this war ends up with a nuclear holocaust, it really is then just a question of when. And if we continue down this path that we are on it's something that could happen a lot sooner than any of us think."<ref>https://youtu.be/iywKH60NUGg</ref>}}<br />
Ukrainian [[President Volodymyr Zelensky]] accused the junta of handing a "weapon" to the Kremlin by allowing the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, "This is a weapon, a real weapon … in the hands of the Russian Federation. It is not very understandable … that the bullets to this weapon can possibly be provided by such a great country as the United States. How many Ukrainian lives does the relationship between the United States and Germany cost?"<ref>https://www.axios.com/zelensky-biden-ukraine-russia-nord-stream-pipeline-fe50756b-6b82-43f0-b390-734ea3e95de0.html</ref><br />
<br />
<!--=====Withholding military support=====<br />
:{{See also|Trump impeachment}}<br />
President Donald Trump was impeached under the false pretense of withholding military assistance from Ukraine, which in fact he never did. Prior to Biden's moves to appease Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Biden's widely criticized meeting with the Russian leader in Geneva in June 2021,<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/16/europe/vladimir-putin-met-joe-biden-and-got-what-he-wanted-intl-cmd/index.html</ref> Biden ordered vital military aid to Ukraine to be withheld.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/18/white-house-ukraine-military-lethal-weapons-495169</ref>--><br />
=====Kyiv operational command center=====<br />
''[[The New York Times]]'' reported on June 25, 2022:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"[[C.I.A.]] personnel have continued to operate in the country secretly, mostly in the capital, Kyiv, directing much of the vast amounts of intelligence the United States is sharing with Ukrainian forces...a few dozen commandos from other NATO countries, including Britain, France, Canada and [[Lithuania]], also have been working inside Ukraine....commandos from these allies either remained or have gone in and out of the country since then, training and advising Ukrainian troops and providing an on-the-ground conduit for weapons and other aid...their presence in the country — on top of the diplomatic staff members who returned after Russia gave up its siege of Kyiv — hints at the scale of the secretive effort to assist Ukraine that is underway and the risks that Washington and its allies are taking....commandos are not on the front lines with Ukrainian troops and instead advise from headquarters in other parts of the country or remotely by encrypted communications...the signs of their stealthy logistics, training and intelligence support are tangible on the battlefield....Ukrainian commanders recently expressed appreciation to the United States for intelligence gleaned from satellite imagery, which they can call up on tablet computers provided by the allies. The tablets run a battlefield mapping app that the Ukrainians use to target and attack Russian troops."<ref>https://archive.ph/IJ9yI</ref>}}<br />
On August 1, 2022 in an interview published in the UK ''Telegraph'', Ukrainian defense official Vadim Skibitsky acknowledged they consult with Washington before launching strikes and that Washington has [[veto]] power over decision-making.<ref>https://archive.ph/ZX4o6</ref><ref>https://www.businessinsider.com/himars-us-has-effective-veto-over-russian-targets-report-says-2022-8</ref> Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded with the statement: “No other confirmation of the direct involvement of the United States in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine is required...They are fully involved…Now Kiev representatives are talking about their military involvement not only through the supply of weapons, but through personnel management in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, direct instructions and the choice of targets”.<ref>https://archive.ph/tr52o</ref><br />
<br />
=====Bucha massacre=====<br />
[[File:Safari.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Ukraine Special Forces SAFARI was sent into Bucha after the Russian withdrawal to hunt down so-called "collaborators", for example, people who accepted Russian humanitarian relief.<ref>https://youtu.be/9vGUJXuYQZQ?t=686</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|Bucha massacre}}<br />
Joe Lauria of Consortium News reported that on March 30, 2022, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, all Russian forces left Bucha. This was confirmed on March 31 Bucha mayor Anatolii Fedoruk in a video on the Bucha City Council official Facebook page. The translated post accompanying the video says:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“March 31 – the day of the liberation of Bucha. This was announced by Bucha Mayor Anatolii Fedoruk. This day will go down in the glorious history of Bucha and the entire Bucha community as a day of liberation by the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the Russian occupiers."<ref>https://youtu.be/BL8R6K5VdtI?t=519</ref>}}<br />
There was no mention of a massacre of hundreds of civilians littering the streets. Evidence of crimes appeared only on the fourth day after the Security Service of Ukraine and representatives of Ukrainian media arrived in the town.<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2022/04/04/questions-abound-about-bucha-massacre/</ref><br />
[[File:SBU actions in Bucha April 2, 2022.PNG|right|300px|thumb|[[SBU]] special forces with Cyrillic '''СБУ''' acronym killing civilians in the Bucha massacre, April 2, 2022.<ref>https://twitter.com/NG_Strategy/status/1511921181259022343</ref>]]<br />
''The New York Times'' was in Bucha on April 2, 2022 and did not report a massacre. Instead, the ''Times'' confirmed the Russian withdrawal was completed two days after the mayor of Bucha said it was, and that the Russians left “behind them dead soldiers and burned vehicles, according to witnesses, Ukrainian officials, satellite images and military analysts.” The ''Times'' said reporters found the bodies of six civilians. “It was unclear under what circumstances they had died, but the discarded packaging of a Russian military ration was lying beside one man who had been shot in the head,” the paper said. In Bucha, the ''Times'' was close to the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, whose soldiers appear in the newspaper’s photographs. The ''Times'' suggests that Azov Nazis may be responsible for the killings:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Something very interesting then happens on [Saturday] 2 April, hours before a massacre is brought to the attention of the national and international media. The US and EU-funded Gorshenin Institute online [Ukrainian language] site Left Bank announced that:<br />
<br />
:''‘Special forces have begun a clearing operation in the city of Bucha in the Kyiv region, which has been liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The city is being cleared from saboteurs and accomplices of Russian forces.’''<ref>https://en.lb.ua/news/2022/04/02/12441_special_forces_regiment_safari.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Russian military has by now completely left the city, so this sounds for all the world like reprisals. The state authorities would be going through the city searching for ‘saboteurs’ and ‘accomplices of Russian forces.’ Only the day before [Friday], Ekaterina Ukraintsiva, representing the town council authority, appeared on an information video on the Bucha Live Telegram page wearing military fatigues and seated in front of a Ukrainian flag to announce ‘the cleansing of the city.’ She informed residents that the arrival of the Azov battalion did not mean that liberation was complete (but it was, the Russians had fully withdrawn), and that a ‘complete sweep’ had to be performed.”}}<br />
On April 3, 2022 when the story broke, Russia immediately requested a meeting if the [[UN Security Council]] for the following Monday, April. The [[United Kingdom]], another permanent member of the Security Council, [[veto]]ed holding a Security Council meeting in the matter. <br />
Russian UN Ambassador said in a statement:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"[[London]] shows clearly what does the so-called [[new world order]] looks like, the order based on rules and based, it seems, on violation of all possible and impossible norms of international law, treaties and any norms of civilized behavior at all."<ref>https://tass.com/world/1432333</ref>}}<br />
The [[Pentagon]] refused to confirm the Ukrainian government's claim that Russians were responsible for the massacre. <ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/pentagon-cant-independently-confirm-atrocities-ukraines-bucha-official-says-2022-04-04/</ref><ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/pentagon-cant-independently-confirm-atrocities-ukraines-bucha-official-says-2022-04-04/</ref><ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/04/us-military-intelligence-official-refutes-russian-atrocities-claims/comments/page/5/</ref><br />
<br />
Former leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Ilya Kiva said that the story in Bucha was planned and prepared in advance by the [[counterintelligence]] of Ukraine, with the assistance of the British [[MI6]]. Kiva said, <br />
{{quotebox-float|"The whole story in Bucha was prepared and planned in advance by the [[SBU]] and MI6. They arrived early in the morning, cordoned off the area, scattered the corpses and then sent [[journalist]]s there. That's why that clown Zelensky even came back. To raise the interest of the international press in the alleged tragedy, but it's all a pure fake. Why didn't such a situation take place in other areas? Don`t you understand that it was staged in advance, which was supposed to arouse the aggression and hatred in you first of all. But it didn't happen."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ot894JsANM</ref>}}<br />
All the corpses wore white arm bands which were distributed by the Russian military to identify civilian non-combatants, who then became the victims of Ukrainian security forces as collaborators in reprisal actions. Some alleged corpses sat up after television cameras filmed them.<ref>https://rumble.com/vzl3qf-evidence-of-bucha-false-flag.html</ref><ref>https://southfront.org/leaked-recording-allegedly-confirms-massacre-in-bucha-was-staged-by-ukrainian-militants/</ref> Ukrainian television showed footage of Ukrainian security forces dragging corpses into place for the TV cameras.<br />
<br />
====Poland====<br />
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned that Biden's green agenda would strengthen [[Islamist]]s and make the planet dependent on [[Authoritarian|autocrat]]s and [[terror group]]s. Morawiecki said, "The United States started to be the critical point of oil production just two or three years ago—now even more important a player than Saudi Arabia...which is good for the U.S. and is good for the entire globe—it's good for the democratic planet not to be in the hands of the Russians, [[OPEC]] and the Arab producers. So by depriving America of this very tool, I think we collectively in the transatlantic community are going to be weakened because the [[dictator]]s and autocratic regimes, such as many in the Middle East and the Russians and some others, are going to dictate prices. And they will have more money for terrorist activity in the Muslim world, they will have more money for more aggressive military policy and we will be paying more. So our economic growth is going to be weakened. We are looking at all the changes and evolutions with high attention, and we are very concerned about these changes."<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-energy-policy-strengthen-autocrats-islamic-terrorists-polish-pm-mateusz-morawiecki-1598666</ref><br />
<br />
=====Efforts to convince Poland to start World War III=====<br />
<br />
On March 8, 2022, the government of [[Poland]] announced it would transfer all of its Russian-made MIG-29 jets to the Rammstein Air Base in Germany. The jets will be placed “at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America” which in turn is expected to send them to Ukraine.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/poland-announces-all-its-mig-29-jets-will-be-transferred-us-send-ukraine</ref> The Pentagon responded to the Polish announcement: "The prospect of fighter jets "at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America" departing from a U.S./NATO base in Germany to fly into airspace that is contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance. It is simply not clear to us that there is a substantive rationale for it.'<ref>https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2960180/statement-by-pentagon-press-secretary-john-f-kirby-on-security-assistance-to-uk/</ref> Simply put, Blinken and Biden tried to bribe Poland with new jets to attack Russia and begin World War III so NATO Article 5 could be invoke. Poland refused on at least two earlier occasions in the previous two weeks. When Poland said it would fly the old MIGs to Germany and let Germany or the U.S. begin World War III, or let the US transport the MIGs to Slovakia or Romania and let Romania or Slovakia get nuked in addition to the United States for starting World War III, the whole duplicitous game the Biden regime was playing with the lives of people on the planet was exposed. Biden, the "leader of the free world", wanted to start World War III but didn't want to take the blame for it, and was looking a NATO ally to bribe and become the fall guy.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/03/08/blinken-and-biden-fold-pentagon-rejects-poland-offer-for-united-states-to-start-world-war-iii/</ref><br />
<br />
====Croatia====<br />
During the Donbas war crisis of the winter of 2022, President Zoran Milanovic addressed the nation in a televised address telling them that the democratically elected government of [[Ukraine]] was overthrown in the [[Maidan coup]] in 2014, saw him stating that “The ongoing crisis has nothing to do with Ukraine or [[Russia]], it is connected with the dynamics of the U.S. internal policy led by President [[Joe Biden]] and his administration”, then he declared to the peoples of [[Croatia]]: “We will have nothing to do with it and we won’t have anything to do with it, I guarantee you that...Not only will we not send the military, but if there is an escalation, we will recall every last Croatian military man from NATO...This has nothing to do with Ukraine or Russia, it has to do with the dynamics of American domestic politics”.<ref>https://www.total-croatia-news.com/politics/59629-croatian-president-says-ukraine-should-not-be-part-of-nato</ref><br />
<br />
===Middle East===<br />
The [[PRC]] signed a massive 25-year, over $400-billion infrastructure-for-oil deal with Iran, boosting their military and defense cooperation.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/iran-china-sign-25-year-deal-will-see-400bn-chinese-infrastructure-investment-oil</ref><br />
<br />
Even President Trump's harshest critics conceded that President Trump had been successful in Middle East peace negotiations. Biden's only notable intervention had been to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in American aid to the [[Palestinian Authority]], thereby reversing the Trump administration's decision to cut aid over its refusal to maintain a dialogue with Washington. Shortly after restoring funds, Palestinian militants again started targeting Israeli civilians with rockets and missiles. The extent of Iran's military support for Palestinian militants was revealed by an official with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization who boasted: "The rockets we use to pound [[Tel Aviv]], our weapons, and our food are provided by Iran."<ref>https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17370/biden-arab-israel-violence</ref><br />
<br />
====Iran====<br />
In contradiction to his policy with North Korea, Biden will allow Iran, one of the world's main state sponsors of [[Islamic terrorism]], to get nuclear power. Biden also criticized President Trump for a quick act to assassinate terrorist and war criminal [[Qasem Soleimani]].<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-01-14/biden-trump-flat-out-lied-about-soleimani-dangers Biden: Trump 'Flat-Out Lied' About Soleimani Dangers ..]</ref> Biden plans to rejoin to [[Iranian nuclear deal]], canceled all sanctions on the Iranian regime and let them get money to support their terrorist militias.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-will-seek-to-reenter-iran-nuclear-deal-within-months-aide-says/ Biden will seek to reenter Iran nuclear deal within months, former aide says]</ref> The Mullahs' regime in Iran, like China, was one of first countries which welcomed the media declaration of the Biden junta.<ref>[https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/america-votes/iran-s-president-calls-on-biden-to-return-to-nuclear-deal-1.5179848 Iran's president calls on Biden to return to nuclear deal]</ref><br />
<br />
According to a report by the ''[[Associated Press]]'' in late March 2021, Iran plotted an attack against an Army base located in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>Two references:<br />
*Laporta, James (March 21, 2021). [https://apnews.com/article/iran-threatens-us-army-post-top-general-1285df40348182e1b74dc403607c5928 AP sources: Iran threatens US Army post and top general]. ''Associated Press''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Choi, Joseph (March 21, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/544221-iran-discussed-attack-against-army-base-in-dc Iran discussed attack against Army base in Washington, DC: report]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> The threats were reportedly intercepted in January, when adversaries who despised the [[Trump Administration]] for weakening their regimes likely became gleeful of a Biden junta run by officials who previously were favorable towards them.<br />
<br />
Junta officials, including [[John Kerry]] and Robert Malley, had meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif during the [[Trump administration]] that were orchestrated to undermine President Trump. Zarif held face-to-face meetings with [[Obama administration]] veterans who could return to power "to devise a political strategy to undermine the Trump administration" and usher in softer diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/21/john-kerry-held-backchannel-talks-iran-javad-zarif/</ref> Zarif claimed that Kerry informed him of more than 200 [[Israel]]i operations in Syria. Kerry shocked Zarif by revealing that Israel had neutralized Iranian offensive targets in Syria more than 200 times.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/news/middle-east/2021/04/26/irans-foreign-minister-says-john-kerry-told-him-about-israeli-covert-operations-in-syria/</ref><br />
<br />
On March 9, 2021, the Biden junta announced that it would release of $3 Billion of Iran’s funds in Iraq, [[Oman]], and South Korea.<ref>https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2021/03/07/Iran-says-US-approved-release-of-3-bln-of-Iran-s-funds-in-Iraq-Oman-S-Korea</ref> <br />
At the same time, Iran-backed rebels attacked Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2021/03/08/yemens-houthis-delisted-terrorists-biden-bomb-saudi-oil-industry/</ref> In June 2021 the junta began removing Obama-era sanctions imposed against several iraninas for “their involvement in Iran’s nuclear and missile proliferation networks."<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2021/06/11/biden-starts-dropping-iran-sanctions/</ref><br />
<br />
Under the watch of the Biden junta, Iran vowed to retaliate against Israel.<ref>Choi, Joseph (April 12, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/547631-iran-blames-israel-for-sabotage-at-nuclear Iran blames Israel for sabotage at nuclear facility, vows response]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
In early 2021 the [[Peoples Republic of China]] signed a massive 25-year, over $400-billion infrastructure-for-oil deal with Iran, boosting their military and defense cooperation.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/iran-china-sign-25-year-deal-will-see-400bn-chinese-infrastructure-investment-oil</ref><br />
<br />
====Syria====<br />
[[Deep State]] operatives reported in November 2020 that they had defied [[President Donald Trump]]'s orders to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria which have never been authorized by the [[United States Congress]].<ref>https://taskandpurpose.com/news/us-troop-levels-syria-jeffrey-interview/</ref> On the day of its seizure of power, the Biden regime invaded [[Syria]].<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/large-us-convoy-rolled-syria-1st-day-biden-presidency</ref> On Day 36 the junta conducted unauthorized airstrikes killing 22 people.<ref>https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2516518/us-conducts-defensive-precision-strike/</ref> A [[Bernie Sanders|Sanders]] aide, Matt Duss who reportedly was in line to for a senior State Department tweeted, "Congress has not authorized war in Syria".<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/in-line-for-senior-job-at-state-sanders-aide-accuses-biden-of-illegal-military-action/</ref><br />
<br />
Also in Syria, the Biden Junta has increased funding, and sent troops to the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces. This is considered problematic by other Syrian rebels such as the [[Free Syrian Army]], who believe it has ties to the [[Marxist]] [[PKK]] and [[Antifa]].<br />
<br />
====Yemen====<br />
Biden delist anti-American and anti-Semite group of [[Houthi]] from list of terrorist organizations. he also cut military aids to Arab gulf states for their war against terrorism.<ref>[https://omaha.com/news/national/state-defends-delisting-of-yemens-houthi-rebels/video_ed32dbad-1397-5b3d-a775-ae7fee04adb8.html State defends delisting of Yemen's Houthi rebels]</ref> In February 2021 construction of a 6150 foot airstrip on the strategic island of Perim at the mouth of the Red Sea and entrance to the Gulf of Aden, was began to stage airstrikes into Yemen.<ref>https://www.arabnews24.ca/en/World_news/128067.html</ref> On 7 March 2021 Houthi terrorists attacked oil field in Saudi Arabia,<ref>[https://www.cp24.com/world/yemen-s-houthi-rebels-say-they-attacked-saudi-oil-fields-using-cruise-missiles-drones-1.5337899 Yemen's Houthi rebels say they attacked Saudi oil fields using cruise missiles, drones]</ref> which lead to another increase of oil products prices.<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/oil-ends-higher-in-choppy-session-as-traders-weigh-crude-inventory-rise-versus-product-draw/ar-BB1erFjJ Oil ends higher in choppy session as traders weigh crude inventory rise versus product draw]</ref><br />
<br />
====Iraq====<br />
Biden will repeat the same Obama faults made in Iraq by moving out all troops from Iraq, and let it the country to mercy of Iran and her terrorist backed militias.<ref>[https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/04/08/us-to-remove-troops-iraq/ US Agrees to Move ‘Remaining Combat Troops’ From Iraq]</ref> this happened simultaneously with increase activities of the [[Islamic State]] around world after Biden occupy the office.<br />
<br />
====Israel====<br />
:{{See also|2021 Hamas war|}}<br />
[[File:Pro-Palestinian rally.PNG|right|250px|thumb|A [[Nazi]] flag appears at a Pro-Palestinian rally during [[Operation Guardian of Walls]].<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/05/nazis-flags-at-pro-terror-palestinian-demo.html/</ref>]]<br />
After four years of peace during the Trump years ending decades of war, soon after Biden's 100th day Israel was subjected to an attack of over 3,000 Iranian-built missiles launched from Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.<ref>https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1391840686366986245</ref> When the Iranian sponsored terror group [[Hamas]] attacked, Biden ordered all U.S. troops out of [[Israel]], abandoning an ally.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/05/14/us-military-travel-warning-israel-gaza-hamas-terrorism/</ref><br />
<br />
In late March 2021, Biden junta admin Linda Thomas-Greenfield wasted $15 million of U.S. taxpayer dollars, handing them in foreign aid to [[Palestinian]]s in the Middle East to "resume diplomatic ties".<ref>Two references:<br />
*Gaouette, Nicole; Roth, Richard (March 25, 2021). [https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/25/politics/us-palestinians-diplomatic-ties-two-states/index.html US to resume diplomatic ties with Palestinians that were cut under Trump]. ''CNN''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Kelly, Laura (March 25, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/544940-biden-admin-announces-15m-in-humanitarian-assistance-for-palestinians Biden admin announces $15M in humanitarian assistance for Palestinians]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Lederer, Edith M. (March 25, 2021). [https://apnews.com/article/linda-thomas-greenfield-health-coronavirus-pandemic-west-bank-covid-19-pandemic-4f96f9f9790a4f469fd040eb91959cd9 US gives $15 million to Palestinians to deal with COVID-19]. ''Associated Press''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Magid, Jacob (March 25, 2021). [https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-first-under-biden-us-announces-15-million-in-aid-for-palestinians/ In first under Biden, US announces $15 million in aid for Palestinians]. ''The Times of Israel''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> According to ''[[ABC News]]'' on March 31, 2021, nearly ''$300 million'' were allocated for the Palestinians.<ref>Lee, Matthew (March 31, 2021). [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/biden-administration-quietly-ramping-aid-palestinians-76790948 Biden administration quietly ramping up aid to Palestinians]. ''ABC News''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
The Biden junta has attempted to restore over $200 million in foreign aid to the [[Palestinian]]s which the [[Trump Administration]] slashed,<ref>Two references:<br />
*Kelly, Laura (April 7, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/546925-biden-administration-to-restore-millions-in-aid Biden administration to restore aid to Palestinian refugee agency: report]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Septalnick, Matt; Zengerle, Patricia; Landay, Jonathan (April 7, 2021). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinians-usa-exclusive/exclusive-u-s-to-restore-about-150-million-in-aid-to-palestinians-sources-idUSKBN2BU23M?il=0 Exclusive: U.S. to restore more than $200 million in aid to Palestinians - sources]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><ref>Multiple references:<br />
*Kelly, Laura (April 7, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/546973-us-restores-235-million-in-humanitarian-assistance-to-palestinians US restores $235 million in humanitarian assistance to Palestinians blocked by Trump]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/08/joe-biden-restores-us-aid-palestinians-donald-trump Biden restores $200m in US aid to Palestinians slashed by Trump]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Verma, Pranshu; Gladstone, Rick (April 7, 2021). [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/07/world/middleeast/biden-aid-palestinians.html Reversing Trump, Biden Restores Aid to Palestinians]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> an effort that Republican lawmakers blocked two days later.<ref>Two references:<br />
*Harkov, Lahav (April 8, 2021). [https://www.jpost.com/international/republicans-delay-biden-administrations-funds-to-palestinians-664595 Republicans delay Biden administration’s funds to Palestinians]. ''The Jerusalem Post''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Kelly, Laura (April 9, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/547417-gop-lawmakers-block-biden-assistance-to-palestinians GOP lawmakers block Biden assistance to Palestinians]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> The Palestinians have a record of documented terrorism.<ref>[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/palestinian-terrorism Terrorism: Palestinian Terrorism]. ''Jewish Virtual Library''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/major-palestinian-terror-organizations Palestinian Terrorism: Major Terror Organizations]. ''Jewish Virtual Library''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><ref>Durns, Sean (January 21, 2021). [https://www.newsweek.com/palestinian-authority-still-paying-terrorists-opinion-1563138 The Palestinian Authority Is Still Paying Terrorists | Opinion]. ''Newsweek''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> One of their terrorist organizations, [[Hamas]], uses human shields<ref>[https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-hamas-civilians-human-shields Does Hamas use civilians as human shields?]. ''4 News''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> which anti-Zionist/anti-Semitic propagandists then deceitfully exploit to accuse Israel of murdering civilians. As the junta set about undoing the Abraham Accords, Hamas launched over 100 missiles.<ref>https://www.nysun.com/foreign/as-biden-tries-to-get-the-old-band-back-together/91504/</ref><ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-hamas-launches-multiple-rockets-into-southern-israel-one-israeli-city-ordered-into-lockdown-over-terrorist-infiltration-threat/</ref><br />
[[File:Money-laundering-map-Artboard 1.png|right|450px|thumb|Red arrows: purchase and flow of used cars in America to be shipped to [[Africa]]. Yellow arrows: cocaine smuggling from South America to the United States, Africa, and Europe; drugs were shipped to Africa along with the used cars. The used cars were recorded as being purchased at inflated prices, with cash from illegal drug sales in the United States deposited in bank accounts. Green arrows: the flow of cash back to Hezbollah in Beirut, with some freshly laundered cash sent back to America for purchase of more used cars.]]<br />
When the Iranian sponsored terror group [[Hamas]] [[Guardian of Walls|attacked Israel]], Biden ordered all U.S. troops out of [[Israel]], abandoning the ally.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/05/14/us-military-travel-warning-israel-gaza-hamas-terrorism/</ref><br />
<br />
===Africa===<br />
At the 2021 G-7 summit, Western leaders came up with a counter to the People's Republic of China's Belt and Road debt trap initiative called, Build Back Better World (B3W), a supposed "values-driven, high-standard, and transparent infrastructure partnership" to focus on "climate, health and health security, digital technology, and gender equity and equality."<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/12/fact-sheet-president-biden-and-g7-leaders-launch-build-back-better-world-b3w-partnership/</ref><br />
<br />
====Nigeria====<br />
Twitter blocked Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. President Buhari responded by blocking Twitter from Nigeria.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/06/07/twitter-blocked-in-nigeria-after-deleting-president-buharis-post/</ref><br />
<br />
====Somalia====<br />
At the six-month mark after the seizure of power, the junta bombed the [[Black]] [[Africa]]n nation of [[Somalia]],<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/07/21/us-launches-first-airstrike-in-somalia-under-biden/</ref> one of the poorest countries on the planet with an estimated ''per capita'' income of $130.<ref>https://youtu.be/MMrAnh21a2A</ref><br />
<br />
====Uganda====<br />
==North America==<br />
===Canada===<br />
{{See also|CCP virus in Canada}}<br />
On February 14, 2022, at the urging of Joe Biden<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/14/trudeau-invoked-emergency-act-only-after-biden-urged-canada-to-use-federal-powers/ Trudeau Invoked ‘Emergency’ Act Only After Biden Administration Urged Canada to Use ‘Federal Powers’] at Breitbart News Network</ref> Canadian socialist [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] fuhrer [[Justin Trudeau]] invoked Martial law against peaceful protesters in the [[Freedom Convoy]].<ref>Two references:<br />
*[https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2022/02/14/justin-trudeau-grabs-powers-under-never-before-used-emergencies-act-to-stomp-out-trucker-protests/ Justin Trudeau Grabs Powers Under Never-Before Used Emergencies Act to Stomp Out Trucker Protests] at Breitbart News Network<br />
*[https://dailycaller.com/2022/02/14/justin-trudeau-invokes-emergencies-act-canada-freedom-convoy/ Justin Trudeau Invokes ‘Emergencies Act’ In Unprecedented Move] at the Daily Caller</ref> Trudeau's move drew massive criticism and condemnation on social media from the public, while in response, the truckers in Ottawa announced that they will not back down from Trudeau (in spite of his threats to illegally freeze their assets and crowdfunding support<ref>Two references:<br />
*[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/02/wow-trudeau-regime-announces-terrorist-funding-will-now-include-crowdfunding-donations-anything-dont-like-video/ WOW! Trudeau Regime Announces Terrorist Financing Will Now Include Crowdfunding Donations for Anything They Don’t Like] at the Gateway Pundit<br />
*[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/14/trudeau-targets-crowdfunding-platforms-cryptocurrencies-under-terrorist-financing-rules/ Trudeau Targets Crowdfunding Platforms, Cryptocurrencies Under ‘Terrorist Financing’ Rules] at Breitbart News Network</ref> and revoke their insurance for standing up to him and his diktats<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/14/trudeau-threatens-freeze-assets-suspend-insurance-freedom-convoy-truckers/ Trudeau Threatens to Freeze Assets, Suspend Insurance of Freedom Convoy Truckers] at Breitbart News Network</ref>) or give in to his illegal power grab.<ref>[https://youtu.be/oBnVGDzbFVw Trucker Freedom Convoy 2022 Coverage (Ottawa, Windsor Ambassador Bridge, Coutts)] at YouTube</ref> Polls showed Trudeau's approval ratings at 16%.<ref>https://www.independentsentinel.com/trudeau-tries-to-get-his-16-favorability-up-with-martial-law-against-truckers/</ref><br />
<br />
===Latin America===<br />
<br />
When Harris visited Guatemala and Mexico, she said that if you want to fix a problem, you have to go to where the problem is and listen to the people. “I almost believe that if you want to fix a problem, you have to go where the problem exists. If you want to address the needs of a people, you must meet those people. You must spend time with those people. Because the only way to fix the problem, is to understand the problem.”<ref>https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2021/06/24/border-dem-busts-the-real-reason-kamala-is-going-to-el-paso-border-area-n401824</ref> Despite being named border commissar in February 2021, Harris never visited "where the problem exists" until late June. By that time more than 500,000 illegals had flooded into the country.<br />
<br />
As border commissar, Kamala Harris proposed U.S. companies create jobs in [[Central America]] to exploit cheap labor, rather than in the United States where 22 million people remain unemployed because of the CCP pandemic.<ref> https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/05/border-czar-kamala-harris-encourages-us-businesses-outsource-investment-us-central-america-video/</ref> These were precisely the same old arguments used to pass the [[NAFTA]] free trade agreement, that "leveling the playing field" would encourage immigrants to stay home rather than seek higher wages in the U.S.<br />
<br />
China and Russia both are active and present in [[Venezuela]].<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-military-official-china-and-russia-may-be-collaborating-south-of-us-border_3738033.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Mexico====<br />
[[File:Biden babies in cages.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The Biden junta held children separated from their parents in cages.<ref>https://time.com/5945307/biden-end-detention-migrant-children/</ref>]]<br />
The [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] deputy chief of operations Matthew Donahue told [[NPR]] the Biden junta has unraveled efforts to target drug cartels operating inside Mexico. The collapse of joint drug interdiction efforts has occurred at a time when drug cartels are manufacturing huge quantities of [[fentanyl]] and [[methamphetamine]]s in illegal labs inside Mexico. Under Biden, those illicit drugs are being smuggled into communities across the United States, driving an explosion in overdose deaths. "It's a national health threat, it's a national safety threat," Donahue said, adding that drug gangs and criminal organizations now operate inside Mexico with impunity. "They do not fear any kind of [[law enforcement]] ... or military inside of Mexico right now."<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/dea-official-mexican-cartels-smuggling-fentanyl-across-border-with-impunity/</ref><br />
<br />
=====Immigration=====<br />
[[Mexican]] President [[Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador]] expressed concern over the junta's [[open borders]] policy which incentivized human trafficing and organized crime.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-mexico-exclusive-idUSKBN2B21D8</ref><br />
<br />
=====USMCA=====<br />
[[Ford]] Motor Company previously agreed with its workers, the [[United Auto Workers]] (UAW), to spend $900 million on a new electric vehicle product line for its Avon Lake, [[Ohio]] plant. The UAW had endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election. By March of 2021, Ford announced it was shifting production to Mexico claiming "conditions had changed since 2019" when the agreement was made, according to ''[[Reuters]]''.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-ford-ohio-idUSKBN2B82V9</ref> The junta refused to enforce provisions of the [[USMCA]], which replaced the [[NAFTA]] trade deal.<br />
<br />
=====Funding coup plotters=====<br />
[[File:Guatamala protest.png|right|300px|thumb|When Kamala Harris made her first visit to [[Guatemala]], she was greeted by Guatemalan protesters with banners reading, "Kamala, Trump Won."<ref>https://rumble.com/vi73x9-protesters-taunt-kamala-harris-in-guatemala-with-trump-won-sign.html</ref>]]<br />
President Lopez Obrador accused the Biden junta of funding a group seeking to undermine the Mexican government. "It's interference, it's interventionism, it's promoting [[coup]] plotters," said Lopez Obrador, describing funding that includes money from the [[U.S. Agency for International Development]], commonly known as USAID, as an affront to Mexico's [[sovereignty]]. "A foreign government can't provide money to political groups."<ref>https://sg.news.yahoo.com/mexico-president-says-u-finances-155240937.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Guatemala====<br />
<br />
The people of Guatemala were very angry with the Biden junta for its empowerment and support of Latin American criminal gangs and drug cartels. Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei told CBS News, “We asked the United States government to send more of a clear message to prevent more people from leaving,” Giammattei said. When Biden took office, “The message changed too: ‘We’re going to reunite families, we’re going to reunite children,’” he said. “The very next day, the coyotes were here organizing groups of children to take them to the United States.” When Border Czar Kamala Harris arrived for a visit, the 56-year-old pro-abortion childless woman was not well received in the Catholic country. The junta facilitated the trafficing of [[Central America]]n children in criminal gangs. Protesters greeted her "Kamala Go Home" and made clear her anti-pro-abortion messages and failure to protect Hispanic child immigrants were not well received.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/06/07/guatemala-protesters-tell-kamala-harris-trump-won/</ref> According to ''Frontpagemag.com'' the real purpose of Harris's trip is organize a Marxist [[regime change]]:<br />
{{quotebox-float|President Giammattei is a staunch law and order conservative, and if he appeared to be undermining Kamala, it was because she had spent months undermining him.<br />
<br />
In May, Kamala met with a number of leftist opponents of Giammattei, including former Attorney General Thelma Aldana, who had targeted conservative politicians with corruption charges, before herself being charged with corruption. Instead of returning home to face those charges, she received political asylum in the United States. Her social media is full of praise for Kamala Harris’ trip to Guatemala, and her promises to end "corruption" in Guatemala.<br />
<br />
Behind the mutual charges of corruption is a struggle between the Left and Right, with socialists and narcoterrorists on one side and military officers and free marketers on the other.<br />
<br />
Kamala and the Biden administration are choosing to stand with the Left. {...}<br />
<br />
Kamala Harris quickly announced that the DOJ will create an anti-corruption task force that will provide "case-based mentoring to the Guatemalan Public Ministry, including the Special Prosecutor Against Impunity (FECI)" and "a rapid response capability to deploy U.S. prosecutors and law enforcement experts to provide mentorship to develop corruption cases."<br />
<br />
This amounts to deploying DOJ assets to help local lefties take down conservative politicians.<br />
<br />
That’s why Biden described Kamala as “the most qualified person to do it." Unlike much of the administration, she has a background as a prosecutor. And that’s her real job in Guatemala.<ref>https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2021/06/kamala-plots-marxist-regime-change-guatemala-daniel-greenfield/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====El Salvador====<br />
[[El Salvador]] President Nayib Bukele told [[Fox News]] the ‘new-liberal practice’ [[immigration]] policy was ‘immoral’ and 'not good for the US, not good for El Salvador, causing a brain drain and sending El Salvadore's future workforce to the U.S. in exchange for a tiny remittance.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/salvadoran-president-tells-tucker-mass-immigration-not-profitable-feeding-on-dependency</ref><br />
<br />
====Cuba====<br />
<br />
Biden planning to reestablish relations with Communist [[Cuba]], which is opposed by two-thirds of Cuban-Americans.<ref>Castronuovo, Celine (March 16, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/543456-2-in-3-cuban-american-voters-in-florida-opposed-to-engaging-with-havana Poll finds Florida Cuban Americans opposed to engaging with Havana]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> He will also turn a blind eye on their human rights violations.<ref>McFall, Caitlin (December 18, 2020). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/u-s-cuba-relations-under-a-biden-administration U.S.-Cuba relations and a Biden administration]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
[[File:Biden and Diaz-Canal.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Biden (left) Diaz-Canal (right)<ref>https://www.radiotelevisionmarti.com/a/cuba_diaz_canel_castro_sucesion/20962.html</ref>]]<br />
At the very moment the Biden junta was installing a [[leftwing]] [[totalitarian]] [[dictatorship]] in the United States, Cuba erupted with anti-communist protests.<ref>https://justthenews.com/world/latin-america/we-want-liberty-cuba-thousands-people-march-through-streets-demanding-freedom?</ref> The Biden State Department reacted with the absurd claim that the protests were not against communist oppression, but rather "to express concern about rising COVID cases/deaths & medicine shortages."<ref>https://twitter.com/WHAAsstSecty/status/1414334778095046656</ref> Chief junta propagandist Jen Psaki said, "Making sure your people have medical assistance, food, water that's something any government should be providing.”<ref>https://twitter.com/MehdiHasanShow/status/1414386901134594048</ref> While the commissar of Homeland Security [[Alejandro Mayorkas]] refused to take any refugees and asylum seekers from the brutal communist dicatorship.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isfVQKwgjpI Sen. Rubio on Cubans rallying against communism: ‘Horrifying’]</ref><br />
<br />
''Breitbart'' reported that socialist President Miguel Díaz-Canel issued an “order of combat” on July 11. 2021 demanding that civilian “revolutionaries” take the streets and violently assault anyone suspected of protesting against the regime. The regime shut down most access to the [[internet]], but [[video]]s smuggled out of the country later that week showed buses full of armed civilians driving into some of the cities with the largest presence of dissidents, on orders to attack protesters.<br />
<br />
Members of the Cuban exile community organized a protest in front of the Biden White House to demand Biden act to save lives in the country and to raise awareness for the scope of the violence and brutality the Cuban people face at the hands of the communist government. The protesters were adamant that fake news reports in left-wing establishment media outlets attributing the protests to a rise in Chinese coronavirus cases were deliberately obscuring the true demands of those taking the streets.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/latin-america/2021/07/16/cuba-protesters-white-house-joe-biden-power-stop-this-one-day/</ref><br />
<br />
===Toxic environment in Kamala's office===<br />
In the wake of her disastrous photo ops in Guatemala, Mexico, and El Paso, staffers began to quit, citing that Kamala is impossible to work with.<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2021/06/26/top-travel-aides-for-kamala-harris-are-quitting-and-it-could-hardly-come-at-a-worse-time-n2591632</ref> ''[[Politico]]'' reported that Kamala's office is ''"Not a healthy environment’: rife with dissent. There is dysfunction inside the VP’s office, aides and administration officials say. And it’s emanating from the top."''<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/30/kamala-harris-office-dissent-497290</ref><br />
{{quotebox-float|"Harris’ team is experiencing low morale, porous lines of communication and diminished trust among aides and senior officials....22 current and former vice presidential aides, administration officials and associates of Harris and Biden described a tense and at times dour office atmosphere. Aides ....created an insular environment where ideas are ignored or met with harsh dismissals and decisions are dragged out. Often, they said, she refuses to take responsibility for delicate issues and blames staffers for the negative results that ensue.... “It all starts at the top,” said one of the administration officials, who like others requested anonymity to be able to speak candidly about a sensitive matter.<br />
<br />
“People are thrown under the bus from the very top, there are short fuses and it’s an abusive environment,” said another person with direct knowledge of how Harris’ office is run. “It’s not a healthy environment and people often feel mistreated. It’s not a place where people feel supported but a place where people feel treated like s---.”<br />
<br />
The dysfunction in the VP’s ranks threatens to complicate the White House’s carefully crafted image as a place staffed by a close-knit group of professionals working in concert to advance the president’s agenda. It’s pronounced enough that members of the president’s own team have taken notice and are concerned about the way Harris’ staffers are treated....for some of the people who know Harris best, it’s become an all-too-familiar pattern for a politician who has churned through several iterations of staff on her rise and took office with a team almost entirely new to her.<br />
<br />
Just six months in, some of those aides in the Office of the Vice President said they are eyeing other employment opportunities. Others have left already. ...The morale level for current Harris staffers is “rough” and in many ways similar to the failed presidential campaign and her Senate office, according to the former Senate aide."}}<br />
Aides describe Harris as unpredictable and at times demeaning to her staff. She often hung up on her aides, berated them when she didn’t think they were prepared enough for briefings, and had a reputation for churning through interns and lower-level staff.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2021/07/14/progressive-brawl-over-antitrust-measures-gets-personal-493575</ref> Some of her former staffers claimed to be suffering from a form of post-traumatic stress after Harris started her ascension to the White House. According to the ''Washington Free Beacon'', “they sought therapy to ‘resolve trauma from the on-the-job abuse’ after Harris was selected as Biden’s running mate in 2020.”<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/kamala-harris-staffer-trauma/amp/</ref> After an ''Axios'' hit piece on Kamala,<ref>https://www.axios.com/kamala-harris-office-dysfunction-2024-e2f9a9c0-f391-4c1d-8042-aa4f24a292e3.html</ref> the ''[[New York Post]]'' reported the knives were out for Kamala in the racist and [[misogynist]] Biden White House.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/07/03/democrats-fear-harris-cant-beat-any-goper-in-2024-including-trump/</ref><br />
<br />
==Top 10 owners==<br />
[[File:Coup evidence.PNG|right|350px|thumb|Evidence of an internal [[coup]]: The [[State Department]] claimed on January 11, 2020 that President Trump's term ended on January 11, 2020.<ref>https://www.11alive.com/article/news/nation-world/state-department-website-changed-to-show-president-trump-term-ended-monday/507-12af11cc-92ec-484c-b0b4-a48d8aa5c8e7</ref>]]<br />
The Top 10 owners of the Biden junta according to FED filings are:<ref>https://www.opensecrets.org/2020-presidential-race/joe-biden/contributors?id=N00001669</ref><br />
*Bloomberg LP ([[Michael Bloomberg]]) $56,796,137<br />
*Future Forward USA (largely Dustin Moskowitz) $29,917,229<br />
*[[Priorities USA]]/Priorities USA Action ([[Hillary Clinton]] backers) $25,841,199<br />
*Asana (Moskowitz & Rosenstein) $21,937,902<br />
*Sixteen Thirty Fund (dark money) $19,874,655<br />
*Democracy PAC ([[George Soros]]) $19,000,000<br />
*Senate Majority PAC (Democrat billionaires) $12,371,874<br />
*American Bridge 21st Century (largely Soros) $10,260,573<br />
*Paloma Partners (Donald Sussman) $9,016,248<br />
*Euclidean Capital (James Simons) $7,006,805<br />
<br />
==Installation ceremonies==<br />
Biden's installation was a complete sham compared with the inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, 2017, as a photo comparison of both events showed that compared to the hundreds of thousands who attended the Trump inauguration (with the crowd stretching from the Capitol all the way to the Washington Monument), Biden's installation was very sparsely attended, with what appeared to be no more than a few dozen members of the public present at most;<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/clear-based-comparison-president-trumps-2017-inauguration-bidens-inauguration-biden-no-support-election-suspect/ It’s Clear Based on a Comparison Between President Trump’s 2017 Inauguration and Biden’s Inauguration that Biden Has No Support and Election Is Suspect] at the Gateway Pundit</ref> to hide this embarrassing and inconvenient truth, the liberal media conveniently avoided showing wide camera angles that would have exposed the complete lack of support or legitimacy the Biden regime has. To cover for this, Biden's handlers also claimed that the complete lack of a crowd presence was due to "tight security" (i.e. the presence of 25,000 National Guard troops and wartime-level security measures) being needed due to what they claimed was the "threat of violence"; conversely, the return of President Trump and his family to their home at Mar-a-Lago in Florida was far better attended, with tens of thousands lining the route between the Palm Beach International Airport and Mar-a-Lago to greet the Trump family.<br />
<br />
Rev. Kevin O’Brien, a 15-year Biden family friend who officiated at Biden’s alleged pre-inaugural Mass came under investigation and was placed on leave by the Board of Trustees at the university where he serves as president after he “exhibited behaviors in adult settings, consisting primarily of conversations, which may be inconsistent with established [[Jesuit]] protocols and boundaries."<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/03/19/joe-bidens-inaugural-priest-under-investigation-for-inappropriate-behavior-1046993/</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
*[[Democrat election fraud]]<br />
*[[Left-wing violence under the Biden junta (2021)]]<br />
*[[Vichy regime]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|4}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[https://youtu.be/bVDi-Tt7Z68 CCP underground factories falsified blank American election ballots.]<br />
<br />
[[Category:Joe Biden]]<br />
[[Category:Biden Junta|*]]<br />
[[Category:Liberals]]<br />
[[Category:Leftists]]<br />
[[Category:Progressivism]]<br />
[[Category:Corruption]]<br />
{{communism}}<br />
{{Deep State}}{{terrorism}}<br />
[[Category:Biden Putsch]]<br />
[[Category:Man-Made Disasters]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-American]]<br />
[[Category:Perpetrators of Cancel Culture]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Biden_junta&diff=1885399Biden junta2022-09-07T21:13:24Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
<hr />
<div>:{{See also|U.S. Color Revolution}}<br />
[[File:Navarro Report.PNG|right|375px|thumb|The surge in mail-in voting is a sea change for American democracy.<ref>https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/our-mail-in-elective-dictator/</ref>]]<br />
The '''Biden junta''', officially the '''Biden-Harris''' junta<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/03/23/white-house-reportedly-makes-term-biden-harris-administration-official-gives-directive-to-fed-agencies-1048754/</ref> (also referred to by some as the '''Biden regime'''<ref>Multiple references:<br />
*[https://thenationalpulse.com/analysis/not-an-administration-a-regime/ Not an ‘administration’. A regime.]<br />
*[https://drhurd.com/2021/01/18/biden-regime-like-any-socialist-fascist-regime-zero-moral-legitimacy/ Biden Regime: Powerful, Maybe, But ZERO Moral Legitimacy]<br />
*[https://crusadechannel.com/news/the-crusade-channel-editorial-policy-toward-the-biden-regime/ THE CRUSADE CHANNEL EDITORIAL POLICY TOWARD THE BIDEN REGIME]<br />
*[https://thepriceofliberty.org/2020/11/22/a-biden-regime-the-anti-trump/ A Biden Regime: the Anti-Trump?]<br />
*[https://trendingpolitics.com/legendary-conservative-actor-jon-voight-warns-of-biden-regime-we-are-in-great-danger/ Legendary Conservative Actor Jon Voight Warns Of Biden Regime: ‘We Are in Great Danger’]</ref>) seized power on November 4, 2020 in a nationwide rigged election by the [[Democratic Party]],<ref>https://navarroreport.com/</ref> disenfranchising the will of the voters and the American people.<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/11/04/trump-says-very-sad-group-of-people-trying-to-disenfranchise-voters/</ref> <br />
<br />
The junta began receiving [[federal]] [[taxpayer]] money on November 24 after the head of the [[General Services Administration]] received death threats against her, her family, staff, and pets.<ref>https://100percentfedup.com/dems-threaten-gov-official-her-family-and-her-pets-over-refusal-to-release-transition-funds-prematurelytrump-responds/</ref><ref>https://theblacksphere.net/2020/11/transition-funds-trap-biden/</ref> One of the junta's first acts was to execute a [[warrant]] on former New York [[Mayor Rudy Giuliani]] who led challenges to the integrity of the [[2020 presidential election]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2021/04/28/giuliani-pad-raided-by-feds-492636</ref><br />
<br />
The [[junta]]'s first actions were borrowed right out of the [[Nazi]] playbook;<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/02/01/nonvoters-registered-democrats-among-those-arrested-at-capitol-protest/</ref> like the [[Reichstag fire]], a [[false flag]] attack on the [[2021 Capitol riot|U.S. Capitol building was staged]]<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/rush-judgment-trump-multiple-leftists-arrested-capitol-riot</ref> as a pretext to curb [[human rights]] and [[free speech]].<ref>https://www.thebigsmoke.com.au/2021/01/10/joe-biden-authored-the-patriot-act-now-hes-promised-new-domestic-terror-laws/</ref><br />
<br />
[[Junta leader]] Joseph R. Biden appointed [[Maoist]] [[Anita Dunn]] as [[Senior Presidential Advisor|Presidential Advisor]].<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/forced-from-obama-admin-for-praising-mao-anita-dunn-to-return-to-white-house/</ref> Dunn had been fired by the [[Obama]] [[White House]] in June 2009 after publicly expressing admiration for Maoist [[genocide]].<ref>https://legalinsurrection.com/2019/04/back-to-the-future-biden-hires-anita-dunn-former-obama-adviser-who-praised-mao/</ref><ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/re-anita-dunn-and-mao-zedong-andrew-c-mccarthy/</ref> Dunn was behind the cover-up of former Biden aide [[Tara Reade]]'s [[rape]] and [[sexual assault]] allegations.<ref>https://theintercept.com/2020/03/24/joe-biden-metoo-times-up/</ref> The appointment appeared to be a payoff.<br />
<br />
Due to the Dear Leader's debilitated mental state,<ref>https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6233603126001</ref> four weeks into the junta members sought to relieve the junta leader of sole responsibility to launch a nuclear strike.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/house-democrats-want-biden-to-relinquish-sole-authority-to-launch-nuclear-weapons/</ref><br />
<br />
[[Pulitzer Prize]] winning reporter Glenn Greenwald foretold the agenda of the Biden junta:{{clear}}<br />
{{quotebox|"Democrats are very good at creating a brand that is radically different than the reality, but essentially the [[Democratic party]] serves [[militarism]], [[imperialism]], and [[corporatism]]…That’s who funds them, that’s what they believe in…It’s why you see [[neocon]]s migrating so comfortably back to the Democratic Party, why you see [[George W. Bush|Bush]] and [[Cheney]] operatives cheering for [[Joe Biden]], why [[Wall Street]] celebrated when he picked [[Kamala Harris]]....the American [[middle class]] will continue to be destroyed while companies that have no allegiance to the US will continue to outsource jobs....Communities will continue to be ravaged with [[unemployment]] crises, [[drug addiction]], [[suicide]], [[depression]], all the things that are dominating small American towns”.<ref>https://www.rt.com/usa/512749-greenwald-biden-elections-prediction/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
After ascending power on January 20, 2021, the Junta De Facto began rule by ''[[diktat]]'', issuing executive orders that unconstitutionally enter the United States into international agreements without congressional approval and overturning travel bans in a pandemic for the sake of a swift political victory. The Junta plans on issuing 50 decrees in the first 10 days in power. Emerald Robinson of ''[[NewsMax]]'' summed up life under the Biden regime:<br />
{{quotebox|"What you are witnessing now: the corrupt political elites in Western countries attempting to end representative democracy as we know it. Mandatory vaccination. Mandatory vaccine passports. The restriction of free speech. Mass warrantless surveillance. Mass illegal migration.<ref>https://twitter.com/EmeraldRobinson/status/1415671817813983251</ref>}}<br />
90 days into the junta's assumption of power, the U.S. Strategic Command warned the U.S. should prepare for [[nuclear war]].<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/1/charles-richard-us-strategic-command-chief-nuclear/</ref><br />
<br />
The junta openly displayed its disdain for the [[Constitution of the United States]] by slapping a warning label as "Harmful content" on the original documents at the National Archives.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2021/09/08/national-archives-issues-harmful-content-warning-on-constitution-all-other-founding-documents/</ref> The junta became deeply involved in facilitating human trafficing and narcotics trafficing in the United States.<br />
[[File:Taliban flag raising.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Taliban mock U.S. flag raising at [[Iwo Jima]] in their victory over America.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/taliban-mock-iwo-jima-flag-raising-pose-for-photos-with-their-trove-of-american-vehicles-weapons-equipment/</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Afghan dead (2).png|right|300px|thumb|The body of a young man crushed in the wheel well of a C-17, desperately trying to flee Afghanistan after Biden ordered a sudden ill-planned and chaotic withdrawal.<ref>https://citizenfreepress.com/column-1/horrifying-photo-of-afghan-trapped-on-outside-of-usaf-c-17-in-midair/</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Kabul airport suicide bombing August 26 20221.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Kabul airport suicide bombing, August 26, 2021. 170 dead.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9934115/STUART-RAMSAY-sends-vivid-angry-dispatch-Afghanistan.html</ref>]]<br />
[[File:Levine Brinton.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Representing America in the French embassey.]]<br />
==Chinese collusion==<br />
:{{See also|Biden-China collusion}}<br />
On November 28, 2020 Prof. Di Dongsheng, vice dean of the School of International Relations at Renmin University, told students in [[Beijing]] how the [[People's Republic of China]] was able to settle disputes with prior American administrations because they have people at the top of America, specifically on [[Wall Street]].<ref>https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/stacey-lennox/2020/12/08/tucker-carlsons-monologue-on-a-chinese-professors-recent-speech-should-terrify-you-n1197202</ref> But when [[President Trump]] was elected, all that Chinese influence went away. "Wall Street can't fix Trump," the professor told the students.<ref>https://youtu.be/yB07iLF2ZWw</ref><br />
<br />
The professor noted that President Trump complained about [[Hunter Biden]] having a ‘global foundation’ and confirmed once again that the [[Biden family]] was in bed with [[Chinese Communist]]s.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/watch-tucker-exposes-scrubbed-video-of-chinese-professor-saying-they-have-people-at-top-of-america/</ref> Hunter Biden in fact holds a 10% equity stake in the Chinese private equity firm [[Bohai Harvest RST]] (BHR) in partnership with the Bank of China through his company, [[Skaneateles LLC]], according to business records from China’s National Credit Information Publicity System.<ref>https://freedomjournalist.com/hunter-biden-still-owns-part-of-chinese-business-operation/</ref> BHR was set up as a tool for the CCPs global ambitions, using the Biden name to market Chinese [[imperialism]].<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/investigations/2020/10/31/joe-co-didnt-just-sell-out-america-they-sold-out-the-whole-free-world/</ref> <br />
The Bank of China is owned by the Chinese government and closely connected with the Chinese military and intelligence services. Biden, former Secretary of State [[John Kerry]]'s stepson Christopher Heinz, and convicted [[felon]] [[Devon Archer]] through BHR transferred and sold duel use technology to the Chinese military which was used to create the Chinese [[drone]] program and replicate the Chinese version of the [[F-15]] fighter.<ref>https://nypost.com/2018/03/15/inside-the-shady-private-equity-firm-run-by-kerry-and-bidens-kids/</ref><br />
<br />
But because of the lack of influence the Chinese Communists had over the [[Trump administration]], the professor stated that they have people at the “top of America’s core inner circle of power and influence” who went to work to get Biden "elected".<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/12/08/professor-claims-china-has-people-in-americas-core-inner-circle/</ref><br />
<br />
The [[American Center for Law and Justice]] (ACLJ) sued the Biden junta to obtain information about House Democrat Intelligence Committee member [[Eric Swalwell]]'s relationship with a Chinese spy. Lawsuits were filed against the [[National Security Agency]], the office of the director of national intelligence ([[DNI|ODNI]]), the [[State Department]] and the [[FBI]].<ref>https://www.wnd.com/2021/02/biden-admin-gets-sued-details-swalwells-china-connection/</ref><br />
<br />
==Electoral certification==<br />
<br />
:{{See also|2020 Presidential election|Biden Putsch}}<br />
[[File:Electoral College certification of Joe Biden.png|right|350px|thumb|Her name was [[Ashli Babbitt]], gunned down by Capitol Police outside the House Chamber during the electoral college certification of the [[fraud]]ulent 2020 presidential election.<ref>https://www.citizenfreepress.com/breaking/her-name-was-ashli-babbit/</ref> [[BLM]] and [[Antifa]] terrorists, masquerading as "Trump supporters" in an attempt to discredit Trump supporters, led a violent assault on the Capitol.<ref>[https://www.bitchute.com/video/ekQGipzU7E49/ Everything Wrong With the Capitol Shooting In 21 Minutes Or Less], Wooz News, February 6, 2021. bitchute</ref>]]<br />
On an evening just prior to the Electoral College certification of the 2020 stolen presidential election, [[Antifa]] thugs terrorized the home of [[Sen. Josh Hawley]], where Sen. Hawley's wife and newborn infant daughter were home alone.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/josh-hawley-slams-antifa-scumbags-who-attacked-his-home-with-wife-and-newborn-inside/</ref> Sen. Hawley had pledged to contest the results of the stolen election.<br />
<br />
During the January 6, 2021 Joint Session of Congress to certify the Electoral College ballots, while tens of thousands of peaceful protesters rallied in support of President Trump outside the capitol, chartered vans of the terrorist/hate group Antifa were escorted by state police in black, unmarked SUVs into the midst of the crowd.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20210106191352/https://twitter.com/RockNPolitics/status/1346897013607174148</ref><ref>https://archive.is/IiHln</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/L0xyqVMUh_E</ref> [[Capitol Police]] then removed barriers and waved the crowd in to the Capitol steps.<ref>https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2021-01-07/capitol-police-chief-to-resign-next-week-reports</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/cevansavenger/status/1346920924310867968</ref> Antifa rioters proceeded to break windows on the [[U.S. Capitol]] building and storm the premises.<ref>https://twitter.com/emmbeliever/status/1347032914182217728</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/TheRightMelissa/status/1347040212602466304</ref><ref>https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1346908554804953088</ref> Facial recognition [[technology]] identified Antifa members,<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/6/xrvision-firm-claims-antifa-infiltrated-protesters/</ref> who had used disguises to infiltrate a pro-Trump protest group, as storming the building.<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/01/photos-reports-show-antifa-infiltrators-stormed-the-capitol-building.html/</ref> Twitter, in a flimsy attempt to cover for the Antifa punks, falsely claimed that a side-by-side photo comparison of one of the infiltrators (showing him at the Capitol in one photo, and at a BLM rally in June 2019 in the other photo, both of which show him with the same visually distinct tattoos) was "manipulated media" but gave no reason for their false claim.<ref>[https://twitter.com/KelemenCari/status/1346929418455842816 Cari Kelemen: "AZ BLM rally in June, DC Capital in January] at Twitter</ref><br />
<br />
The proceedings inside the House and Senate chambers were halted, and [[Ashli Babbitt]], a Trump supporter who followed the crowd into the Capitol building without realizing who they really were, was summarily executed by Capitol Police.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20210107070504/https://twitter.com/dancohen3000/status/1347076676342185984</ref><br />
<br />
Following the violence, several Senators withdrew their support of objections to fraudulent electors. One protester posted in [[social media]] a statement that he had been paid to disrupt the Trump rally and Congressional proceedings.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20210107105207/https://twitter.com/ariellanewland/status/1347133853169803265</ref><br />
<br />
At the close of the day's events and Joint Session, the House Chaplain offered a prayer to "bless Antifa".<ref>https://youtu.be/wYfizn8T9Qk?t=23031</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/Yg_wtp6XhPA</ref><br />
<br />
==Organization==<br />
<br />
As of November 2020 [[Peter Neffenger]] was chairman of the [[corrupt]] [[voter fraud|ballot-stuffing]] and [[election fraud|election-rigging]] [[SmartMatic]] corporation.<ref>https://www.smartmatic.com/us/about/board-of-directors/detail/peter-neffenger/</ref> Neffenger was appointed to the [[Biden junta]] organizational team.<ref>https://www.air.tv/watch?v=ir00pXx9QsKbvSdjsCy3nQ</ref> <br />
<br />
Dr. Navid Keshavarz-Nia, with 35 years experience performing technical assessment, mathematical modeling, cyber-attack pattern analysis, and<br />
security [[counterintelligence]] linked to foreign intelligence service operators, including [[China]], [[Iran]], [[North Korea]], and [[Russia]] and who has worked as a consultant and subject-matter expert supporting to the [[Department of Defense]], [[FBI]] and US [[Intelligence Community]] (USIC) agencies such as the [[DIA]], [[CIA]], [[NSA]], NGA [National Geospatial Agency], and the [[DHS]] I&A [Office of Intelligence and Analysis] supporting counterintelligence, and [[law enforcement]] investigations and whom the ''[[New York Times]]'' describes as the "always the smartest person in the room,<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/09/opinion/sunday/garrison-courtney-spies-contracts.html</ref> testified under oath Smartmatic and its role in the [[2020 Presidential election]] thusly:<br />
[[File:Dunn.PNG|thumb|150px|right|Junta Senior Advisor Anita Dunn is a self-confessed admirer of [[Mao Zedong]], the greatest mass murderer in history.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qDsrfy-Zvg Video of Obama Communications Director Claiming Mao One of Her Favorite Political Philosophers'] Video, YouTube. Retrieved October 29, 2009.</ref> Dunn was key in covering up Tara Reade's rape allegations.<ref>https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/joe-biden-accuser-says-times-up-betrayed-her-in-that-hallway-he-was-a-man-assaulting-a-woman/</ref> ]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"In my expert opinion, the DVS [ [[Dominion Voting Systems]] ] Democracy Suite, Scytl/SOE Software/eClarity and Smartmatic have not produced auditable results in the 2020 election. It is evident that ballots were not properly validated, system records were not kept, and the system experience considerable instability even several days prior to November 4, 2020 that require DVS to implement software changes at the last minute. In addition, the disparity in data distribution after 4:30 AM on November 4, 2020 indicates significant systemic anomalies that were widespread among all battleground states. The evidence is both extensive and persuasive and indicates large-scale [[fraud]] by remote operators.<br />
<br />
"I conclude that a combination of lost cryptographic key contained on stolen USB memory cards, serious exploitable system and [[software]] vulnerabilities and operating system backdoor in DVS, Scytl, SOE Software/eClarity and Smartmatic created the perfect environment to commit widespread fraud in all states where these systems are installed. My analysis of the 2020 Election from ''NY Times'' data shows statistical anomalies across the battleground state votes. These failures are widespread and systemic - and sufficient to invalidate the [[vote]] counts.<br />
<br />
"I conclude with high confidence that the election 2020 data were altered in all [[swing states|battleground states]] resulting in a hundreds of thousands of votes that were cast for [[President Trump]] to be transferred to [[Vice President Biden]]. These alterations were the result of systemic and widespread exploitable vulnerabilities in DVS, Scytl/SOE Software and Smartmatic systems that enabled operators to achieve<br />
the desired results. In my view, the evidence is overwhelming and incontrovertible."<ref>https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mied.350905/gov.uscourts.mied.350905.1.19.pdf</ref>}}<br />
[[File:Thomas zimmerman.png|right250px|thumb|Thomas Zimmermann, a fellow at a [[United Front Work Department]] organization, was appointed Special Assistant to Joe Biden on [[National Security Agency]] personnel.]]<br />
A YouGov poll conducted after the [[junta]]'s first 100 days showed a staggering 36 percent of voters have a “very unfavorable” opinion of [[Kamala Harris]]. The same poll showed Harris 25 points underwater with Independents and 10 points negative among voters overall.<ref>https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/lftymxzxfl/econTabReport.pdf</ref> Political analyst Charlie Cooke observed:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Still, that Harris is unpopular should come as no great surprise, given that she somehow manages to combine into a single package a transparent insincerity, an unvarnished authoritarianism, and a tendency toward precisely the sort of self-satisfied progressivism that helped the Republicans to limit their losses at the last general election. If her apologists wish to, they can pretend that the reaction Harris yields is “gendered” or “systemic” or “inequitable” or whatever other bastardized academic term is fashionable this week, and they should feel free to knock themselves out doing so. Deep down, though, they must know that America isn’t the problem here. The problem is that Harris is a phony.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/05/the-democrats-have-a-kamala-harris-problem/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
===Personnel===<br />
:{{See also|Biden junta personnel}}<br />
'''White House staff'''<br />
[[File:Rice Benghazi.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Susan Rice, of [[Benghazi massacre]] fame, has been referrerd to as the shadow president.<ref>https://www.newsmax.com/politics/rice-biden-shadow-president/2021/05/13/id/1021229/</ref>]]<br />
By mid year 2021 there were 560 people working in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) with salaries totaling nearly $50 million.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/07/01/bidens-bloated-white-house-493449</ref><br />
*Senior [[politburo]] member [[Susan Rice]] - shadow president<br />
*Maoist [[Anita Dunn]] - Senior Advisor<ref>[https://dailycaller.com/2020/08/17/joe-biden-advisor-anita-dunn-mao-zedong-philosopher/ Biden’s Senior Advisor Once Said Chinese Dictator Mao Zedong Was One Of Her ‘Favorite Political Philosophers’]</ref><br />
*Racist [[Cedric Richmond]] - Director of the Office of Public Engagement<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-biden-adviser-pushes-reparations-predicting-progress Top Biden adviser pushes reparations commission, predicts progress 'breaking down systemic racism']</ref> <br />
*Obama/Biden retread [[Mike Donilon]] - Senior Advisor<br />
*President of the [[CAP]] [[communist front]] group [[Neera Tanden]] - Presidential Advisor<br />
<br />
*[[Ron Klain]] - right hand henchman<br />
*Bruce Reed - deputy chief of staff <br />
*[[SmartMatic]] chairman Peter Neffenger - junta organizer<ref>https://dennismichaellynch.com/dml-morning-briefing-mon-nov-16-trump-lawyer-vows-to-overturn-results-of-election-in-several-states/</ref><br />
*[[CCP]] spy recruiter Thomas Zimmerman - Special Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/biden-personnel-adviser-chinese-intel-spies/</ref><br />
*Washington swamp monster Steve Ricchetti - counselor to the president.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/11/17/joe-biden-wants-washington-swamp-monster-steve-ricchetti-back-at-the-white-house/ Joe Biden Wants Washington Swamp Monster Steve Ricchetti Back at the White House]</ref><br />
*Jen O’Malley Dillon - deputy chief of staff<ref>https://www.glamour.com/story/glennon-doyle-and-jen-omalley-dillon-interview</ref><br />
<br />
*Vice President of the [[Chan Zuckerberg Initiative]], which funneled $350,000,000 to the election rigging [[Center for Tech and Civic Life]], David Recordon – Special Assistant to the President and Director of Technology<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/recordon-joins-biden-wh-from-zuckerberg-group/</ref><br />
[[File:Neera Tanden.PNG|right|250px|thumb|Neera Tanden]]<br />
*Michael Regen - [[National Economic Council]], [[Council of Economic Advisers]] and Domestic Policy Council<br />
*[[Jihad]]i Reema Dodin - deputy director Office of Legislative Affairs<ref>https://freebeacon.com/democrats/biden-taps-staffer-who-said-suicide-bombings-were-last-resort-for-palestinians/</ref><br />
*Soviet communist sympathizer [[Jen Psaki]] - chief propagandist<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/resurfaced-photo-psaki-biden-soviet-union Resurfaced photo shows Biden press sec Jen Psaki wearing hammer and sickle hat with Russian official]</ref><br />
*[[Abolish ICE]] spokesperson Natalie Montelongo - White House deputy director for political strategy and outreach<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/bidens-new-deputy-white-house-director-told-protesters-to-shut-down-ice-it-doesnt-have-to-exist/</ref><br />
*[[Jeffrey Epstein]] buddy Eric Lander - Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.<ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/06/eric-lander-biden-jeffrey-epstein-485596 Biden Cabinet nominee's meetings with Epstein in 2012 spanned 90 minutes, document reveals]</ref><br />
*[[Black Panther Party]] terrorist sympathizer Alondra Nelson - Deputy Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy for Science and Society.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Body-Soul-Panther-against-Discrimination/dp/0816676496 Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight against Medical Discrimination Paperback – September 1, 2013]</ref><br />
*CCP asset [[Dr. Anthony Fauci]] - Chief Medical Advisor.<br />
*Racist Twitter troll Clarke Humphrey – White House Digital Director for the COVID-19 Response Team<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/biden-covid-director-racist-tweets/</ref><br />
*Senior Advisor Mike Donilon's sister-in-law Cathy Russell - director of presidential personnel<ref>https://knowinsiders.com/who-is-cathy-russell-director-of-the-white-house-office-biography-career-profile-and-personal-life-27033.html</ref><br />
*[[Princeling]] J.J. Ricchetti - special assistant in the office of legislative affairs<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/06/14/the-ricchetti-administration-493243</ref><br />
*Princeling Shannon Richetti - deputy associate director for the White House social secretary<br />
*Princeling Julia Reed - Biden daily scheduler<br />
<br />
'''NSC staff'''<br />
[[File:Blinken.png|right|300px|thumb|Biden junta Foreign Secretary Antony Blinken.]]<br />
*[[Al-Qaeda]] ally [[Jake Sullivan]] - [[national security advisor]]<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2020/11/24/bidens-pick-for-national-security-adviser-is-a-steele-dossier-truther/</ref><br />
*Jihadi and anti-semite Maher Bitar - Senior Director for Intelligence on the [[National Security Council]]<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/01/biden-puts-antisemitic-boycott-jews-activist-in-charge-of-nsc-intel.html/</ref><br />
*Princeling daughter of Cathy Russell and Mike Donilon's niece Julia Donilon - staff<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-aides-relatives-jobs/2021/06/17/ab504a22-cea4-11eb-8cd2-4e95230cfac2_story.html</ref><br />
<br />
'''OMB'''<br />
*vacant; Neera Tanden failed Senate confirmation and was appointed to the White Staff as Presidential Advisor.<ref>https://youtu.be/k3m-erl9hwg</ref><br />
*Black baby genocide advocate Shalanda Young - deputy OMB.<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/03/11/deputy-omb-nominee-shalanda-young-links-abortion-to-racial-justice/ Deputy OMB nominee Shalanda Young links abortion to ‘racial justice’]</ref><br />
<br />
'''OPM'''<br />
*BLM terrorist and bailfund supporter Kiran Ahuja - Office of Personal management<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/spencerbrown/2021/06/09/biden-opm-nominee-n2590655</ref><br />
<br />
'''DOS'''<br />
<br />
Joe Biden's State Department transition team contained several consultants and lobbyists from Albright Stonebridge Group, a consulting firm with extensive links to the Chinese Communist Party.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/biden-un-state-picks-are-ccp-consultants/</ref><br />
[[File:Cardona.PNG|right|150px|thumb|Cardona: Doesn't know how many genders there are, educating your children.]]<br />
*Hunter Biden bagman Antony Blinken - foreign secretary<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2020/11/biden-%f0%9f%92%80-transition-choice-for-sec-state-tony-blinken-conflict-of-interests-involving-china-ukraine-and-hunter-biden.html/</ref><br />
*[[Naz Durakoglu]], Assistant Secretary of state for legislative Affairs, involved in Anti-Greek policies.<br />
*False prophet of the climate apocalypse [[John Kerry]] - climate czar<ref>[https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2020/12/30/john_kerry_false_prophet_of_the_climate_apocalypse_654911.html John Kerry: False Prophet of the Climate Apocalypse'], By Frank Lasee, December 30, 2020. realclearenergy.com</ref><br />
*[[Antisemite]] Robert Malley - special Iran envoy<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/01/notorious-antisemite-robert-malley-reportedly-joining-biden-team-as-special-iran-envoy.html/</ref><br />
*[[Trump-Russia]] subversive and fascist Ukrainian coup plotter [[Victoria Nuland]] - Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/25-organizations-say-victoria-nuland-should-be-rejected</ref><br />
*Princeling Daniel Ricchetti - under secretary of State for arms control and international security<br />
*[[CoS]] Ron Klain's wife Monica Medina - assistant secretary of state <br />
*CCP propagandist and [[Uyghur]] holocaust denier [[Linda Thomas-Greenfield]] - UN Ambassador<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/breaking/biden-un-ambassador-spoke-at-ccp-funded-group/</ref><ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/biden-appointee-state-department-didnt-follow-procedure-for-uyghur-genocide-determination/</ref><br />
*Anti-Semitic conspiracy theorist Uzra Zeya - undersecretary of civilian security, democracy, and human rights<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/biden-nom-for-top-state-dept-post-contributed-to-book-about-how-israel-lobby-controls-american-politics/</ref><br />
*Racist [[Chicago]] mayor [[Rahm Emanuel]] - Ambassador to Japan<ref>https://www.dailydot.com/debug/rahm-emanuel-video-resurfaces-racism-sexism/</ref><br />
*Anti-Police Jalina Porter - State Dept. spokeswoman.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-state-dept-spokesperson-police-threat-national-security Biden State Dept. spokeswoman called police 'largest threat to US national security': Report]</ref><br />
*[[Racist]] mayor [[Eric Garcetti]] - ambassador to India<ref>https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/11/24/black-lives-matter-la-mayor-eric-garcetti-should-not-be-picked-for-biden-administration-position/</ref><ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/biden-india-ambassador-praised-xi-collaborated-with-ccp/</ref><br />
<br />
'''Trade Representative'''<br />
*Pro [[TPP]] Katherine Tai as Trade Representative.<ref>https://www.centralmoinfo.com/lawmakers-urge-tai-to-pursue-rejoining-tpp/</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:635695539641818508-XXX-John-Carlin-jmg-39447.JPG|right|250px|right|thumb|John Carlin lied to the [[FISA Court]] about the illegal Carter Page [[FISA]] warrant, promoted to deputy AG.]]<br />
'''DOJ'''<br />
<br />
*Failed [[SCOTUS]] nominee [[Merrick Garland]] - Chief Procurator<br />
*Trump-Russia hoaxer [[Lisa Monaco]] - deputy Attorney General<br />
*FISA Court [[perjury|perjuror]] John Carlin - deputy attorney general<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/02/27/joebama-put-the-gang-back-together-inside-the-doj-john-carlin-returns-as-acting-deputy-ag/</ref><br />
*[[Pseudoscientific]] racist and [[anti-Semite]] [[Kristen Clarke]] - DOJ Civil Rights Division<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/biden-pick-for-civil-rights-chief-promoted-racism-and-anti-semitism-at-harvard/</ref><ref>[https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/matt-margolis/2021/02/22/merrick-garland-wont-call-antifa-attacks-on-federal-buildings-domestic-terrorism-and-his-reason-is-absurd-n1427481 Merrick Garland Won't Call Antifa Attacks on Federal Buildings Domestic Terrorism. His Reason Is Absurd]</ref><br />
*[[Trump impeachment|Impeachment hoax]] slanderer [[Pamela Karlan]] - Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/news/watch-pamela-karlan-the-ex-zuckerberg-apparatchik-now-leading-bidens-anti-audit-push-once-said-corporate-backed-elections-undermine-democracy/</ref><br />
* Big Tech and Silicon valley broker Vanita Gupta - Associate Attorney General.<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/3/bidens-doj-looks-to-restart-slush-fund-for-left-wi/ Biden's DOJ looks to restart slush fund for left-wing political groups]</ref><br />
<br />
'''DOD'''<br />
*Architect of the [[European refugee crisis|Syrian refugee crisis]] and Russia collusion hoaxer [[Lloyd Austin]] - defense minister<ref>https://youtu.be/oeBEzeyV8Ow</ref><ref>https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ZEmyuP5x6YIJ:https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/gen-lloyd-austin-has-a-chance-to-fix-his-legacy-on-syria/2020/12/10/e35417d2-3b2e-11eb-bc68-96af0daae728_story.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us</ref><br />
*Trump-Russia hoaxer [[Colin Kahl]] - undersecretary of defense for policy<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/d-c-foreign-policy-elites-rush-to-shore-up-faltering-pentagon-nomination/</ref><br />
*Terrorist apologist and racist Bishop Garrison - Senior Advisor to the Sec. of Defense<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/06/treason-bidens-racist-tool-for-military-purge.html/</ref><br />
*Richard Torres-Estrada who compared the [[commander-in-chief]] to [[Adolf Hitler]] - U.S. Special Operations Command chief of Diversity & Inclusion<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/03/28/defense-department-diversity-trump-hitler/</ref><br />
<br />
'''NSA'''<br />
*Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS) fellow Thomas Zimmerman – a Special Assistant to Joe Biden on National Security Agency personnel <br />
<br />
'''DHS'''<br />
{|class="infobox" style="float:right; font-size:85%; width:1ex; line-height:17px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 50px" cellpadding="1"<br />
|[[File:Granholm2.PNG|230px]]<br />
|[[File:Sam Brinton.PNG|168px]]<br />
|-<br />
|colspan="3"|<hr/>'''Left:''' Energy Commissar Jennifer Granholm, a major stockholder in a supplier to a company she awarded millions of dollars for development of an electric car.<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/worse-than-solyndra-republicans-press-for-information-on-biden-admins-favorite-electric-battery-company/</ref> '''Right:''' Deputy Assistant Secretary of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition Sam Brinton.<br />
|}<br />
*[[Peoples Liberation Army]] operative [[Alejandro Mayorkas]] - commissar of the homeland<ref>https://www.dickmorris.com/biden-nominee-for-homeland-security-secretary-helped-chinese-military-front-huawei-and-hillarys-brother-get-visas/</ref><ref>https://cis.org/Bensman/Alejandro-Mayorkas-Portrait-Intended-Nominee-DHS-Secretary</ref><ref>https://thefederalist.com/2020/12/04/joe-bidens-dhs-nominee-is-the-absolute-picture-of-dc-political-corruption/</ref><ref>https://www.dickmorris.com/biden-nominee-helped-huawei-and-hillarys-brother-get-visas/</ref><ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/the-rap-sheet-on-bidens-dhs-pick-concerns-gop</ref><br />
<br />
'''DOE'''<br />
<br />
*Energy stock mogul [[Jennifer Granholm]] - commissar of energy<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/house-oversight-committee-investigating-granholms-green-energy-investments/</ref><ref>https://nypost.com/2021/04/22/are-conflicts-of-interest-ok-as-long-as-everythings-green/</ref><ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/jennifer-granholm-media-matters/</ref><ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/12/29/bidens-mistake-jennifer-granholm-bad-pick-lead-energy-department-column/3957137001/</ref><br />
*LGBTQ+ activist and [[bestiality]] raconteur Sam Brinton - Deputy Assistant Secretary of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/02/10/biden-nuclear-official-is-kink-lecturing-beastiality-rolepayer/</ref><br />
<br />
'''Treasury'''<br />
<br />
*[[globalism|Globalist]] [[Janet Yellen]] - [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]]<ref>https://www.sgtreport.com/2020/12/bullish-for-gold-yellens-appointment-merges-the-treasury-with-the-fed/</ref><ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/01/yellen-made-millions-in-wall-street-speeches-453223</ref><ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/yellen-spoke-at-chinese-media-org/</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
'''HHS'''<br />
<br />
*[[Democrat IT scandal]] kingpin [[Xavier Becerra]] - [[HHS]] commissar<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2018/07/02/awan-memo-server-vanished/</ref><br />
*Jen Paski sister Stephanie Psaki - senior adviser <br />
<br />
'''HUD'''<br />
<br />
*[[Marcia Fudge]] called a judge that beat his wife to death "a good man who made a mistake" - housing commissar<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2020/12/09/bidens-pick-to-lead-hud-wrote-letter-of-support-for-judge-who-beat-then-killed-his-wife-1003792/</ref><br />
<br />
'''Education'''<br />
*Fake teacher and progressive [[Miguel Cardona]] - Minister of Indoctrination<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/teachers-blast-bidens-education-secretary-pick-miguel-cardona-a-slap-in-the-face/ar-BB1c9HgA Teachers Blast Biden's Education Secretary Pick Miguel Cardona: 'A Slap in the Face']</ref><br />
*Anti-white racist Cindy Martens - ministry of indoctrination<ref>https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1351206666818248704.html</ref><br />
*Obama [[gestapo]] retread Catherine Lhamon - Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR)<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/bidens-troubling-nominee-to-head-the-office-of-civil-rights/</ref><br />
<br />
'''DOT'''<br />
[[File:Bootyjudge panderig.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Pete Buttigieg (center),<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/06/twitter-mocks-buttigieg-for-pandering-to-voters-by-drinking-in-public-out-of-a-paper-bag/</ref> winner of the 2020 Iowa caucuses, was rewarded with the plumb position at DOT for [[2020_Democrat_primaries#Super_Tuesday_-_March_3.2C_2020|dropping out of the primaries]] 48 hours before the key [[Super Tuesday]] vote.]]<br />
*[[Marxist]] mayor of the [[systemic racism|systemically racist]] South Bend police department [[Pete Buttigieg]] - commissar of transportation<br />
<br />
'''Agriculture'''<br />
<br />
*Corporate crony [[Tom Vilsack]] - secretary of Agriculture.<ref>[https://reason.com/2020/12/19/tom-vilsack-is-the-wrong-person-to-lead-the-department-of-agriculture/ Tom Vilsack Is the Wrong Person To Lead the Department of Agriculture]</ref><br />
<br />
'''DOI'''<br />
<br />
*[[IRS]] tax cheat [[Deb Haaland]] - ministry of the interior<ref>https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/bipartisan-group-calls-for-dem-party-leader-to-resign-for-bias/article_2bbc2251-16fb-56dc-82c1-d3b0d3f7e020.html</ref><ref>https://politicalfireball.com/2018/10/16/pt-2-haaland-allowed-direct-affront-to-tribal-sovereignty-pueblo-group/</ref><br />
*[[Eco-terrorist]] Tracy Stone-Manning - Director of the [[Bureau of Land Management]]<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/06/19/obamas-blm-director-says-biden-nominee-should-be-disqualified-for-her-involvement-in-1989-eco-terrorism-case-1091286/</ref><ref>https://thefederalist.com/2021/06/25/biden-land-management-nominee-is-an-ecoterrorist-who-demanded-chinese-style-child-cap/</ref><br />
<br />
'''DNI'''<br />
<br />
*Trump-Russia conspirator, torture program cover-up specialist and Obama snoop [[Avril Haines]] - [[DNI]]<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/world/national-security/obama-putin-election-hacking/</ref><ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ex-cia-officer-dark-past-bidens-nominee-national-intelligence-director</ref><ref>https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/78906/john-kiriakou-the-dark-past-of-bidens-nominee-for-national-intelligence.html</ref><br />
*[[Huawei]] lobbyist Chris Fanzone - DNI General Counsel<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/senate-confirms-huawei-linked-lobbyist-to-intel-post/</ref><br />
<br />
'''USAID'''<br />
[[File:Power, S.PNG|right|175px|thumb|In addition to illegally unmasking 262 American citizens in the [[Obamagate timeline|Spygate]] scandal, Power's real crime was bringing back the [[Libyan_War#Retrun_of_the_slave_trade|Black African slave trade]].<ref>https://mises.org/wire/unwelcome-return-real-purveyors-violence</ref> As USAID administrator, Power is in charge of funding [[coup]]s worldwide. ]]<br />
*[[Libya]]n slave trader [[Samantha Power]] - [[USAID]] Administrator<ref>https://archive.is/wip/e0pPo</ref><br />
<br />
'''CIA'''<br />
<br />
*William Burns - ministry of [[torture]] and coups<ref>https://search.wikileaks.org/?q=%22william+burns%22</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/11/william-burns-iran-diplomacy-advocate-tapped-cia-h/ Lifelong diplomat who backed Iran diplomacy picked to head CIA]</ref><br />
<br />
'''FTA'''<br />
*Lina Khan - chair of the Federal Trade Commission,<br />
'''SEC'''<br />
<br />
*[[Goldman Sachs]] partner and 1%er Gary Gensler - [[Securities and Exchange Commission]]<br />
<br />
'''House Diversity and Inclusion'''<br />
<br />
*Ex-gangster Dyjuan Tatro - senior adviser for diversity and inclusion<ref>[https://nypost.com/2021/02/14/house-dems-hire-ex-gang-member-to-top-campaign-post/ House Dems hire ex-gang member to top campaign post]</ref><br />
<br />
'''DNC politburo'''<br />
*Authoritarian fascist [[Gretchen Whitmer]] - party undersecretary<ref>https://www.mlive.com/politics/2021/01/biden-picks-whitmer-for-dnc-vice-chair.html</ref><br />
<br />
There are about 1,200 Senate-confirmed posts, and even more appointed positions that don’t require the Senate’s signoff. By his 65th day and first press conference, Biden submitted 68 names to the Senate, according to the Partnership for Public Service. That’s more than George W. Bush or Donald Trump had at this point in their terms but fewer than the 109 names submitted by Barack Obama. 29 of the 68 had been confirmed. Biden had appointed an unprecedented number — more than 1,200 — to non-Senate-confirmed jobs.<br />
<br />
===Propaganda apparatus===<br />
[[File:Psaki communist.PNG|left|250px|thumb|Junta chief spokesperson Jen Psaki (right) with [[Hammer and Sickle]]. [[Russian]] Foreign Minister [[Sergey Lavrov]] (left). According to Biden aide [[Eric Ciaramella]], Lavrov instructed President Trump to fire [[James Comey]].<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/alleged-whistleblower-eric-ciaramella-was-cited-in-key-passage-of-mueller-report</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|Biden/Harris regime propaganda apparatus}}<br />
Biden junta chief propagandist Jen Psaki outlined the regime's [[disinformation]] strategy. Psaki said [[Twitter]] is not a platform to disseminate news, rather it is a vehicle for talking to reporters. According to ''[[Politico]]'',<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/05/06/whitehouses-favorite-reporters-492757</ref> there are 90 staffers who have new administration-branded Twitter accounts, most with “46” included in the handle. The reporters who are followed by staffers draw heavily from [[CNN]], [[Bloomberg News]] and the [[Associated Press]]. Bloomberg News’ Jennifer Epstein is followed by more Biden administration staffers (39) than any other reporter. Next after Epstein are CNN’s Kaitlan Collins (37), PBS’ [[Yamiche Alcindor]] (36), AP’s Zeke Miller (34), and Bloomberg’s Jennifer Jacobs (33). The news outlets with the most White House staffers following them are: @nytimes, @cnn, @washingtonpost, @cnnpolitics and @cnnbrk.<br />
<br />
White House staffers don’t follow many [[conservative]] outlets or reporters who work for them. Not even the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' makes the list of the top 15 news outlets they follow. Only 10 staffers follow [[Fox News]]’ Peter Doocy and 2 follow Fox News colleague Kristen Fisher.<br />
<br />
Symone Sanders, who was demoted by Biden to be Kamala Harris' chief spokesperson because she is [[Black]], is the most popular. Outside of Biden, Harris, and their spouses, Symone Sanders has more internal followers than anyone except Psaki and [[Ron Klain]]. With 62 of the 94 accounts following her, she ranks higher than communications director Kate Bedingfield, deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillon, every Cabinet member, and even @WHCOVIDResponse.<br />
<br />
[[Nancy Pelosi]] (29 followers) is the most followed lawmaker among staffers, followed by [[Chuck Schumer|Cuck Schumer]] (23 followers). The next three all hail from the party’s [[progressive]] wing: Rep. [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] (D-N.Y.) and Sens. [[Elizabeth Warren]] (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (DSA-Vt.).<br />
[[File:Biden text.png|right|300px|thumb|Biden family text with Hunter telling his daughter Naomi that "Pop" received 50% of the Burisma [[kickback]]s.<ref>https://thespectator.info/2020/10/15/unlike-pop-joe-biden-i-wont-make-you-give-me-half-of-your-salary-video/</ref>]]<br />
Thirty-three staffers follow Barack Obama. Other [[Obama administration]] alumni who haven’t returned to government are popular, too: former communications director and Clinton propagandist [[Jen Palmieri]] (17), [[Michelle Obama]] (15 followers), former deputy press secretary Eric Schultz (14 followers), [[David Axelrod]] (10 followers) and all four “Pod Save America” bros.<br />
<br />
===Naomi Biden===<br />
<br />
According to ''Politico'', when aides want the greenlight on a social media project, Naomi and Finnegan Biden are Biden's go-to digital validators. When Naomi or Finnigan see a video or like a post, it is more valuable than any amount of data proving its effectiveness, according to Democrats familiar with the dynamic. The digital team has given directives based on what Biden’s granddaughters were suggesting, going beyond Biden's normal media go-to’s like ''New York Times'' columnists, local television stations, and network and cable news anchors. “Anything digital he does is purely because his granddaughters tell him to,” said a Democrat familiar with the dynamic.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/07/14/bidens-gen-z-translators-493580</ref><br />
<br />
Naomi Biden, the most prominent of the first grandchildren (at least on Twitter), is followed by 10 White House brown nosers, narrowly edging out Kamala Harris' [[nepotism|nepotic]] [[Fashion industry values|fashion industry]] niece [[Meena Harris]] with eight. Meena, however, got the crucial @WHCOS follow from chief-of-staff Ron Klain while Naomi did not.<br />
<br />
===Suppression of Youtube dislikes===<br />
[[File:Youtube-saves-biden.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Youtube manipulation of likes/dislikes on the Biden White House channel.<ref>https://81m.org/</ref>]]<br />
A website that tracks that tracks the YouTube page of the Biden White House confirmed that YouTube suppressed the dislikes on every single one of Joe Biden White House video. YouTube suppressed dislikes of Biden by as much as 600% on some videos.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/amazing-new-website-confirms-youtube-suppressing-dislikes-joe-biden-videos-much-600/</ref><br />
<br />
On March 16, 2021, video was released by ''[[The Hill]]'' showing Biden walking to Marine One but taking a moment to talk to members of the press.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.ph/69TmC|title="Tweet by The Hill."|date=March 16, 2021}}</ref> However, shortly after, it can be seen that President Biden's hand phases through the microphones able to be seen.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://youtu.be/nvgrp82qktU?t=11|title="Biden Fakes Interview, Green Screen Fails."|date=March 17, 2021}}</ref> Different angles show that President Biden was nowhere near these microphones, meaning there is no way this could be a matter of perspective.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://youtu.be/iffU54oIP9o?t=27|title="JOE BIDEN GREEN SCREEN EXPOSED?"|date=March 17, 2021}}</ref> No one in the mainstream media or White House has commented on this, and most likely they never will in order to save face for blatantly using green screen technology for some reason.<br />
<br />
When Biden addressed a group of alleged U.S. airmen at Mildenhall in the U.K. during the June 2021 G-7 summit, none of the apparently all-white audience of soldiers had nametags, ranks, or American flags on their sleeves, leaving many observers with the impression that the crowd of alleged servicemen were actors.<ref>https://welovetrump.com/2021/06/15/did-biden-just-speak-to-a-fake-audience-of-actor-soldiers/</ref><br />
<br />
===Nepotism===<br />
In a long [[profanity]]-laced Twitter thread, former Obama administration director of the Office of Government Ethics Walter Shaub lambasted the <br />
way the junta handed out jobs to “privileged white kids,” as a “f*****g failure.” The ''Washington Post'' reported that while Biden banned his son Hunter, his brother James, and his sister-in-law from working in the federal government, “that vow did not extend to his senior staff and their relatives. In the first few months of Biden’s presidency, at least five children of his top aides have secured coveted jobs....Beyond children, other relatives of top Biden aides also have secured high-level administration jobs or nominations.”<br />
<br />
Steve Ricchetti, Counselor to Joe Biden,<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/11/17/joe-biden-wants-washington-swamp-monster-steve-ricchetti-back-at-the-white-house/ Joe Biden Wants Washington Swamp Monster Steve Ricchetti Back at the White House]</ref> is the father of J.J. Ricchetti, Special Assistant in the Office of Legislative Affairs, Shannon Ricchetti, the Deputy Associate Director for the White House Social Secretary, and Daniel Ricchetti, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/06/14/the-ricchetti-administration-493243</ref> Steve Ricchetti is the brother of Jeff Ricchetti, who was paid $60,000 to lobby members of the National Security Council for [[General Motors]] in the first part of 2021 on “issues related to China.”<ref>https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/26/brother-of-top-biden-advisor-lobbied-executive-office-of-president-for-gm.html</ref> General Motors is a 49% partner with Chinese Communist Party entities who hold a 51% share in GM's China operations.<ref>https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/02/gm-officially-out-of-control-in-china/</ref><ref>https://archive.is/wip/0RqmI</ref><br />
<br />
===Influence peddling and money laundering===<br />
Former Obama administration director of the Office of Government Ethics Walter Shaub implied that those Democrats who hyperventilated about [[Ivanka Trump]] and [[Jared Kushner]] working as unpaid advisers should apply the same benchmark to the current White House occupant. “I’m sorry, I know some folks don’t like hearing any criticism of [Biden]. But this royally sucks. I’m disgusted. A lot of us worked hard to tee him up to restore ethics to government and believed the promises. This is a a real “f–k you” to us—and government ethics.”<ref>https://twitter.com/waltshaub/status/1405882687026520065</ref> <br />
[[File:Daddy is a war criminal.png|right|300px|thumb|Hunter Biden art gallery. A peaceful protester was assaulted by security before he could complete, "Daddy is a war criminal."<ref>https://youtu.be/u1w6-NNE9Iw</ref><ref>https://rodwebber.wordpress.com/2021/07/09/daddy-war-crimes-bidens-make-it-rain/</ref>]]<br />
Deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told the ''Washington Post'': “The president has instituted the highest ethical standards of anyone to ever hold this office. And he’s proud to have staffed the most diverse administration in American history with well-qualified public servants who reflect his values.” Shaub responded: “The White House’s defense that they had the minimum qualifications is total BS. The issue isn’t whether they were qualified (some weren’t). It’s that a WH that promised diversity is giving these [[white privilege|privileged white kids]] with connected mommies and daddies prime jobs over others!” Shaub wrote that “Even the f-ing head of presidential personnel, who is supposed to be keeping them honest, has a child who’s a recent college grad working in the administration. And the spouse of the White House chief of staff, for crying out loud. This is ridiculous. What a f—–g failure.”<br />
<br />
Shaub explained that he's harboring feelings of bitterness for stupidly backing Biden for president: "Do I sound bitter? HELL, YEAH, I’M BITTER! I’m the stupid moron who fell for his false promises. I wasn’t naive enough to think he’d be a transformative president. He told us he’d be plain vanilla. But I thought there was momentum behind his ethics promises. Boy was I stupid." Shaub claimed that Biden has watered down ethics rules that prohibited appointees from participating in matters with former clients to avoid [[conflict of interest|conflicts of interest]]: "The guidance also quietly said it doesn’t apply if a news channel paid you to appear on TV. You can work directly with them. But remember how mad we were when the Trump admin gave waivers to former [[Fox News]] personalities? Well, here we go again.<ref>https://t.co/QvGStfsU7h</ref><br />
<br />
Shaub commented on an alleged art exhibition to sell Hunter Biden's "art work" listed between $75,000 and $500,000 to anonymous buyers. "The notion of a president's son capitalizing on that relationship by selling art at obviously inflated prices and keeping the public in the dark about who's funneling money to him has a shameful and grifty feel to it."<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2021/06/22/obama-head-of-government-ethics-hunter-bidens-inflated-cost-of-art-has-seems-shameful-and-grifty-n2591346?</ref> Schaub commented, "So instead of disclosing who is paying outrageous sums for Hunter Biden’s artwork so that we could monitor whether the purchasers are gaining access to government, the WH tried to make sure we will never know who they are. ...The White House has put its stamp of approval on the president’s son profiting off his father’s public service again."<ref>https://therightscoop.com/amateur-hour-for-government-ethics-obama-ethics-chief-blasts-biden-wh-for-helping-hunter-profit-off-bidens-public-service-again/</ref> Writing in the ''Washington Post'', Schaub said that the arrangement was a “perfect mechanism for funneling bribes.”<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/07/13/obama-ethics-chief-on-hunter-bidens-art-scheme-perfect-mechanism-for-funneling-bribes-1103027/</ref><br />
<br />
Chief propagandist Jen Psaki described Hunter, who is 49 years old, as a “child” who has the right to pursue his new “profession,”<ref> https://townhall.com/columnists/katiepavlich/2021/07/23/hunter-bidens-art-profession-is-obviously-a-money-laundering-scheme-n2593031</ref> and admitted Hunter would meet with buyers after claiming the money transfers would be anonymous.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/white-house-now-admits-that-hunter-biden-will-get-to-meet-the-anonymous-purchasers-of-his-high-priced-artwork/</ref> George Berges Gallery offered for sale Biden's alleged art in [[Los Angeles]] and [[New York]]. Berges described Biden’s work as having “authenticity” that he “personally” loves. “A lot of the issues that are thrown at Hunter is what makes him produce really great work," Berges finished. Berges told Chinese state-owned media outlet ''China Daily'' in 2014 that, “The questions that I always had was how’s China changing the world in terms of art and culture.” Berges was reported to be "keen to open other art galleries in Beijing and Shanghai" in 2015.<ref>https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/former-police-chief-hunters-art-deal-sure-looks-like-a-money-laundering-scheme/</ref><br />
<br />
===Illegal actions===<br />
In June 2021, the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] ruled that the [[Center for Disease Control]] (CDC) “exceeded its existing statutory authority” by imposing an eviction moratorium and ordered the unconstitutional regime activity to cease by August 2021. In August 2021 Biden announced an extension of the “eviction moratorium” while admitting that the “bulk of constitutional scholars” would say the executive dercrees are “not likely to pass constitutional muster.”<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/08/06/bidens-unprecedented-attack-on-the-constitution/</ref> The illegal regime action supposedly grants the CDC the authority to seize rental properties of landlords.<ref>https://www.heritage.org/press/heritage-expert-eviction-moratorium-presidential-fiat-blatantly-violates-constitution-defies</ref> In this instance, the junta blatantly defied the Supreme Court.<ref>https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2021-08-04/biden-s-rebuff-to-supreme-court-on-eviction-ban-will-backfire</ref><br />
<br />
====High crimes====<br />
*[[open borders]]<br />
*human trafficing<ref>https://www.heritage.org/immigration/commentary/bidens-illegal-immigration-agenda-creates-another-child-smuggling-crisis</ref><br />
*abandoning Americans to terrorists<br />
*ignoring Supreme Court rulings<br />
*mistreatment of political prisoners and dissidents<br />
*[[Biden's vaccine mandate|involuntary vaccine experiments]]<br />
<br />
==Dark Winter==<br />
[[File:Biden junta January 20, 2021.jpg|right|350px|thumb|As the Biden Junta took power, the American people were excluded from what traditionally has been a public event.]]<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris domestic policy}}<br />
Biden promised a "Dark Winter" should he ever succeed at occupying the [[White House]].<ref>https://www.worldtribune.com/dark-winter-biden-set-to-usher-in-era-of-fear-lockdowns-high-taxes-and-strangling-regulations/</ref> Operation Dark Winter was the code name for a senior-level bio-terrorist attack simulation conducted on June 22–23, 2001.<ref>{{cite journal |last=O'Leary |first=N. P. M. |year=2005 |title=Bio-terrorism or Avian Influenza: California, The Model Review |journal=California Western Law Review Cumulative Index |publisher=California Western School of Law |volume=42 |issue=2 |pages=249–286 |issn=0008-1639}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Biological Weapons |last=Chauhan |first=Sharad S. |year=2004 |publisher=APH Publishing |isbn=978-81-7648-732-0 |pages=280–282 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The Long Emergency |last=Kunstler |first=James Howard |year=2006 |publisher=Grove Press |isbn=978-0-8021-4249-8 |pages=175–178 }}</ref> Despite Biden's [[far-Left]] positions, liberal media outlets including [[CNN]] previously attempted to portray Biden as "moderate".<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/17/politics/joe-biden-cabinet-staff-hires-moderates/index.html Surprise! Joe Biden is a moderate institutionalist!]. ''CNN''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> During Biden's alleged inaugural address, the White House [[YouTube]] feed had more than 5 times dislikes than likes. YouTube intervened to re-jigger the numbers.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/youtube-caught-red-handed-removing-dislikes-biden-white-house-page-anything-fool-proletariat/</ref><br />
<br />
The junta took power under the watchful eye of [[National Guard]]smen while the American people were excluded. The next day in the dead of winter, Democrats kicked the Guardsmen out of the [[U.S. Capitol]] building and the soldiers were ordered to sleep in an unheated parking garage,<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/01/21/national-guard-forced-to-evacuate-capitol-grounds-after-alleged-mask-complaint-by-democrat-congressman/</ref> without [[internet]] reception, with just one electrical outlet, and one bathroom having only two stalls for 5,000 troops.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/21/national-guard-troops-vacate-capitol-461220</ref> Under the [[Geneva Convention]], prisoners-of-war are mandated to be taken care of better than how the Biden regime treated U.S. military units as the junta assumed power their first night.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/01/22/nolte-geneva-conventions-forbid-forcing-soldiers-to-sleep-in-parking-garage/</ref> Meanwhile the junta spent $86 million to house illegal immigrants in hotels.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/03/22/jen-psaki-national-guard-parking-garage-illegal-immigrants-hotel-rooms/</ref> Over the protestations of majority Black D.C. citizens, the occupation forces remained in place for months. Democrat Congressional leaders ordered the construction of a Wall to keep the American people out.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/18/plan-erect-permanent-capitol-fence-lambasted/</ref> Guardsmen were fed raw stale meat with metal shavings and hospitalized.<ref>https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/national-guard-in-dc-hospitalized-substandard-food/65-f231f75f-2206-4403-9d19-645eef5f302e</ref> Congress than refused to reimburse the $500 million cost to deploy the Guard.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/watch-arizona-forensic-auditors-detail-the-highly-suspicious-findings-from-their-audit/</ref><br />
<br />
On its first day, the Biden junta killed 70,000 high-wage [[middle class]] and union jobs by canceling the [[Keystone Pipeline]],<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2021/01/22/pollak-biden-kills-up-to-70000-jobs-on-first-day-in-office-job/</ref> making America energy dependent on [[Vladimir Putin]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and the [[Venezuela]]n Marxist regime while making America's enemies richer.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/putins-puppet-joe-bidens-eo-blocking-keystone-pipeline-forces-us-imports-russia-venezuelan-marxist-regime-video/</ref><br />
<br />
Biden also embraces many far-Left thoughts like the abortion issue, immigration policies and his refusal to denounce terrorist [[Antifa]] and [[Black Lives Matter]] acts, which makes it impossible for him to unite the division. Very troublesome for Americans of faith was, his May, 2021 decision to omit God from the ''National Day of Prayer''. A first.<ref>Joe Biden Leaves God Out of the National Day of Prayer. National Review, May 10, 2021. https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/05/joe-biden-leaves-god-out-of-the-national-day-of-prayer/amp/</ref><br />
<br />
Among its other first acts was to politicize the nation's military, ordering a stand down and witch hunt to drive conservatives out of officer and enlisted ranks,<ref>https://www.revolver.news/2020/10/biden-loving-general-is-deploying-military-grade-information-warfare-against-trump-supporters/</ref> and renewing the Obama era weaponization of the intelligence apparatus against American citizens.<br />
<br />
Likewise, the day after the seizure of power, ''[[The Washington Post]]'' shut down its alleged "fact checking" operation.<ref>https://conservapedia.com/Fake_news#cite_note-2</ref><br />
<br />
By Memorial Day Weekend 2021, Biden continued stoking racial hatred between Americans, travelling to [[Tulsa, Oklahoma]] to commemorate a race riot that took the lives of 26 Blacks and 10 whites in 1921. One speaker at the ceremonies said,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Black people will kill everything white in sight,” because of “all what you’ve done to us, all of what you’re done in the 6,000 year span and killing 600 million of us and 408 years in particular. They are a race that’s trying to hold on to power, and a race has beginning and an ending and your ending time has been made up since 1914, no-good peckerwood. This is the time when [[Malcolm X|Malcolm]] talked about. He spoke about a [[united front]], and it was time to give these crackers hell.”<ref>https://rumble.com/vhv5qd-kill-everything-white-in-sight-national-black-power-convention.html</ref>}}<br />
Another revolutionary progressive told the crowd,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"We’re pushing death to white supremacy, death to [[capitalism]], death to [[imperialism]], and death to fascism. We’re pushing an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a head for a head, and a life for a life.”<ref>https://freedomjournalist.com/black-people-will-kill-everything-white-in-sight-shocking-footage-from-tulsa/</ref>}}<br />
All this coming on the heels of widespread attacks on [[Jews]] by Leftists in the United States incited by prominent Democrats<ref>https://twitter.com/YosephHaddad/status/1398857525567623170</ref> and not condemned by the junta.<ref>https://rumble.com/vhnbrp-mark-levin-explodes-on-joe-biden-and-anti-semitic-leftists.html</ref> Biden’s only accomplishment! is said to be more Americans think the nation’s best days are in the past. According to an October 2021 Rasmussen poll of likely voters, more American adults (43%) “now say America’s best days are in the past,” while only 33 percent think the best is yet to come, a stunning shift from last November [2020] when 47 percent of likely voters believed better times are over the horizon”.<ref>https://lidblog.com/americas-best-days-pat/</ref><br />
[[File:2021 crime increases in Democrat cities.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
===Attack on civil liberties===<br />
<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris attack on civil liberties|Obamagate}}<br />
For five consecutive years the U.S. intelligence community has admitted to the FISA court they continually conduct illegal searches of U.S. citizen data under the Obama administration, using the NSA database, and they admit to illegally extracting information which is illegally shared with interests outside the intelligence community.<ref>https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-fbi-violated-privacy-rights-tens-thousands-americans</ref> Glenn Greenwald observed:<br />
[[File:Fisa-Mary-McCord-and-company-768x780.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Veterans of intelligence community scandals (clockwise from lower left): [[FISA_abuse_timeline#April_2021|Judge Boasberg]], [[Mary McCord (DOJ)]], [[Eric Ciaramella]], [[Alexander Vindman]], [[Michael Atkinson]], [[John Carlin]].]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Involvement of the [[intelligence community]] in the domestic activities of U.S. citizens is one of the most dangerous breaches of civil liberties and democratic order the U.S. Government can perpetrate. It was after [[World War II]] when the [[CIA]], the [[NSA]] and other security state agencies that wield immense and unlimited powers in the dark were created in the name of fighting the [[Cold War]]. Legal and institutional prohibitions on wielding that massive machinery against the American public were central to the always-dubious claim that this security behemoth that operates completely in the dark was compatible with [[democracy]]. As the [[ACLU]] noted, “in its 1947 charter, the CIA was prohibited from spying against Americans, in part because [[President Truman]] was afraid that the agency would engage in political abuse.”<ref>https://greenwald.substack.com/p/the-us-intelligence-community-flouting</ref>}}<br />
CNET reported the following back in 2008:<br />
{{Quotebox-float|“Months before the [[Oklahoma City bombing]] took place, Biden introduced another bill called the Omnibus Counterterrorism Act of 1995. It previewed the 2001 Patriot Act by allowing secret evidence to be used in prosecutions, expanding the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and wiretap laws, creating a new federal crime of ‘terrorism’ that could be invoked based on political beliefs, permitting the U.S. military to be used in civilian law enforcement, and allowing permanent detention of non-U.S. citizens without judicial review. The Center for National Security Studies said the bill would erode ‘constitutional and statutory due process protections’ and would ‘authorize the Justice Department to pick and choose crimes to investigate and prosecute based on political beliefs and associations.’<ref>https://www.thebigsmoke.com.au/2021/01/10/joe-biden-authored-the-patriot-act-now-hes-promised-new-domestic-terror-laws/</ref>}}<br />
Even ''Jacobin'' magazine noted, "The danger is real that the [[Capitol riot|January 6 Capitol attack]] will be used as an excuse to severely curtail our civil liberties."<ref>https://www.jacobinmag.com/2021/01/joe-biden-domestic-terrorism-bill-capitol-building</ref> Among the junta's first actions was to execute a warrant on former New York [[Mayor Rudy Guiliani]] who led challenges to the integrity of the 2020 presidential election.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2021/04/28/giuliani-pad-raided-by-feds-492636</ref> The [[ACLU]] argued that the Democrats' new Domestic Terrorism bill to target their political enemies would harm minority communities.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/02/24/new-domestic-terror-laws-will-harm-minority-communities-aclu-says-1034122/</ref> <br />
<br />
On June 28, 2021 it was discovered that the junta was illegally spying on [[Fox News]] host [[Tucker Carlson]] and had gathered personal information in an effort to [[leak]] the information to other media outlets in an attempt to destroy Carlson and get him off the air.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/watch-tucker-carlson-drops-bombshell-says-hes-confirmed-that-biden-is-spying-him/</ref> DC swamp creatures [[Andrew Weissmann]] and Frank Figluzzi went into damage control on the Deep State mouthpiece [[MSNBC]] to spin an alternate version justifying the Biden junta's felonious activity and violation of American citizens' constitutional rights.<ref>https://redstate.com/streiff/2021/07/08/robert-muellers-service-animal-andrew-weissmann-yaps-about-tucker-carlson-and-the-nsa-and-confirms-your-worst-thoughts-about-him-n408295</ref><br />
<br />
====Free speech====<br />
[[File:Youtube-saves-biden.jpg|left|350px|thumb|Youtube manipulation of likes/dislikes on the Biden White House channel.<ref>https://81m.org/</ref>]]<br />
Biden did not condemn Big Tech censoring and silencing President Trump's social media accounts or conservatives' pages. He also actively took part in censorship by banning comments on the White House YouTube channel after receiving an overwhelming backlash of dislikes.<ref>[https://www.herald.ng/biden-white-house-disables-youtube-comments-after-thousands-dislike-inauguration-video/ Biden White House Disables YouTube Comments After Thousands Dislike Inauguration Video]</ref> The junta [[DNI]] alleged constitutionally protected [[First Amendment]] [[free speech]] rights promote violence in a report entitled, ''Domestic Violent Extremism Poses Heightened Threat in 2021:''<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Newer sociopolitical developments—such as narratives of fraud in the recent general election, the emboldening impact of the violent breach of the [[US Capitol]], conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and conspiracy theories promoting violence—will almost certainly spur some DVEs [domestic violent extremists] to try to engage in violence this year."<ref>[https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/UnclassSummaryofDVEAssessment-17MAR21.pdf UnclassSummaryofDVEAssessment-17MAR21.pdf]</ref>}}<br />
The junta [[DOJ]] Anti-Trust Division was taken over quickly by [[Big Tech]] cronies and stooges.<ref>https://prospect.org/cabinet-watch/big-tech-critics-alarmed-at-direction-of-biden-antitrust-per/</ref> Junta wingman [[Merrick Garland]] appointed Susan Davies as head of the Anti-Trust Division. Davies spent much of the last decade working on behalf of major corporate mergers and conglomerates and defending [[Facebook]] from antitrust enforcement.<ref>https://prospect.org/cabinet-watch/merrick-garland-wants-former-facebook-lawyer-to-top-antitrust-division-susan-davies/</ref><br />
<br />
As polls showed trust in the [[mainstream media]] hitting all-time historic lows,<ref>https://www.mediaite.com/news/new-poll-media-trust-at-an-all-time-low-nearly-60-think-press-more-concerned-with-supporting-an-ideology-than-informing-public/</ref> [[Instagram]] programed accounts forcing them to follow Joe Biden.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/instagram-forcing-users-follow-biden-white-house-account-not-pathetic-even-users-repeatedly-un-follow-page/</ref> The [[White House]] official [[Youtube]] channel showed Biden's early speeches with more than 5 times thumbs down than positive responses.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5iCPKDp4V4&t=563s</ref> Research showed that 70% of all Biden [[Twitter]] followers were fake accounts.<ref>https://youtu.be/hb18k1Qdl-E</ref><br />
<br />
====Collusion with social media to suppress basic human rights====<br />
Chief propagandist Jen Psaki admitted the junta was working with Facebook to target individual users and suppress their [[First Amendment]] rights.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-white-house-admits-they-are-aiding-social-media-companies-with-censorship/</ref> The junta requested cell phone service providers to censor private text messages,<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/07/12/joe-biden-dnc-vaccine-misinformation-covid-19-coronavirus/</ref> Psaki articulated the regime's position that advocates banning social media users from all platforms if a user gets banned from one.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/yikes-white-house-spox-says-if-youre-banned-from-one-social-media-platform-you-should-be-banned-on-all-others-too/</ref> Psaki's articulation of Biden regime policy essentially makes Big Tech social media platforms "state actors."<ref>https://thehill.com/changing-america</ref> Journalist [[Glenn Greenwald]] tweeted,<br />
[[File:Soviet censorship.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Soviet era censorship poster: "Don't talk!"]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The Biden administration is telling Facebook which posts it regards as "problematic" so that Facebook can remove them. This is the union of corporate and state power -- one of the classic hallmarks of [[fascism]] -- that the people who spent 5 years babbling about fascism support. If you don't find it deeply disturbing that the White House is "flagging" internet content that they deem "problematic" to their Facebook allies for removal, then you are definitionally an [[authoritarian]]. No other information is needed about you to know that."<ref>https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/joe-biden-administration-announcement-government-to-instruct-what-problematic-content-should-be-removed-from-the-internet/</ref>}}<br />
Psaki articulated from the White House briefing room the Biden regime's [[collusion]] with private corporations to violate Americans' [[First Amendment]] rights: <br />
{{quotebox-float|"We are in regular touch with these social media platforms, and those engagements typically happen through members of our senior staff....We’ve increased disinformation research and tracking within the Surgeon General’s office. We’re flagging problematic posts for Facebook that spread disinformation....it’s important to take faster action against harmful posts. As you all know, information travels quite quickly on social media platforms; sometimes it’s not accurate. And Facebook needs to move more quickly to remove harmful, violative posts — posts that will be within their policies for removal often remain up for days. That’s too long. The information spreads too quickly.<br />
<br />
Finally, we have proposed they promote quality information sources in their feed algorithm. Facebook has repeatedly shown that they have the levers to promote quality information. We’ve seen them effectively do this in their algorithm over low-quality information and they’ve chosen not to use it in this case. And that’s certainly an area that would have an impact.<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/07/15/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-jen-psaki-and-surgeon-general-dr-vivek-h-murthy-july-15-2021/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Social media and law enforcement====<br />
:{{See also|Political profiling}}<br />
The Biden FBI asked Americans to report family members for "suspicious behaviors”, sparking a response of shock and dismay. Rep. [[Dan Bishop]] (R-Texas) wrote: “These people protected [[Hillary]], abused NSA surveillance databases against Americans, used known, unreliable DNC-funded propaganda to spy on Trump, perpetuated the Russia hoax, & lied to the [[FISC]] repeatedly. And now they tell you that you should spy on your family.”<ref>https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:OFs5QYwMNFEJ:https://www.theepochtimes.com/fbi-criticized-for-tweet-telling-americans-to-report-family-members-and-peers_3897655.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us</ref> The junta requested cell phone service providers to censor private text messages,<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/07/12/joe-biden-dnc-vaccine-misinformation-covid-19-coronavirus/</ref> and sent out activists door-to-door to harass citizens in their homes, and inspect for compliance with regime diktats.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/media/michele-bachmann-warns-of-the-dangers-of-bidens-door-to-door-vaccination-push</ref><br />
<br />
The Biden junta is working with social media platforms such as Facebook to identify white male conservatives as "domestic extremists". The social media platforms assess postings that they consider to be as being "anti-government", "anti-authority", or "white supremacist" and pass along their assessment to the FBI or Homeland Security. The Joint Terrorism Task Force takes their private sector partner's assessment at face value. Any criticism of the junta can be interpreted as "extreme". This program is modeled after the [[Patriot Act]] efforts to combat Islamic extremism with the slogan, "If you see something, say something," only now targeting American citizens, particularly white male conservatives.<ref>https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/bidens-domestic-terrorism-strategy-is-the-patriot-act-on-steroids/</ref> All the resources of the [[Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]] are now being employed, not just against the Trump campaign, the Trump administration, or President Trump, but against Trump voters and supporters.<br />
<br />
====Detention and harassment of political opponents====<br />
:{{See also|Obama/Biden FISA abuse|Police state}}<br />
[[File:Lois-mcnicoll-doors-held-.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Capitol Police (red arrow) hold the door open for a 69 year old peaceful protester.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/fbi-arrests-69-year-old-la-woman-entering-us-capitol-without-lawful-authority-post-photo-case-packet-capitol-police-holding-door/</ref> Six months later the Biden Junta arrested the woman in a nationwide dragnet for alleged "white supremacists".<ref>https://redstate.com/shipwreckedcrew/2021/06/28/the-emerging-reality-is-the-biden-justice-department-will-charge-everyone-it-can-identify-for-capitol-protests-n403137</ref>]]<br />
Weeks after the seizure of power, Garland and Biden lifted President Trump's ban on harassment of political opponents and executed a [[warrant]] on former New York [[Mayor Rudy Giuliani]] to seize electronic devices with names and cell phone number's of all Giuliani's contacts.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2021/04/28/giuliani-pad-raided-by-feds-492636</ref> Giuliani led the challenges to [[Democrat election fraud]] after the [[2020 presidential election]].<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/04/28/feds-raid-rudy-giuliani-apartment-seize-electronic-devices-its-the-corrupt-doj-fara951-angle-all-over-again/</ref> Additionally, Giuliani had in his possession damning evidence related to the [[Biden family corruption]] scandals.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/hunter-biden-s-legal-work-romania-raises-new-questions-about-n1071031</ref> The seizure of Giuliani's electronic devices with cell phone numbers and email contacts opened the door for further [[Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Act#702_queries_.28Title_VII.29|FISA 702 abuse]]. Two weeks before the seizure it was discovered Mary McCord (DOJ), who succeeded John Carlin as head of the [[DOJ-NSD]] during the corrupt Obama administration and submitted the [[fraud]]ulent [[Carter Page]] FISA warrant to the FISA Court, was hired by FISA Court chief judge James Boasberg as ''[[Amicus Curiae]]''.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/04/28/its-official-the-fisa-court-is-compromised-presiding-judge-james-boasberg-hires-former-doj-nsd-head-mary-mccord-as-amici-curiae-to-advise-the-court/</ref><ref>https://archive.is/OBsBU</ref><br />
<br />
Two days prior to the seizure of Giuliani's electronic devices, it was reported that the [[FISA Court]] determined Obama era [[FISA abuse]] was ongoing.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/04/26/declassified-fisa-court-opinion-for-2020-shows-even-more-warrantless-fbi-abuses-of-nsa-database-including-search-queries-for-government-officials-and-victims/</ref> [[Edward Snowden]] described in detail how Obama FISA abuse worked to illegally surveil political opponents, elected officials, and judges for [[blackmail]] purposes and to interfere in elections.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/media/edward-snowden-obama-surveillance-worse</ref> The home of [[Victoria Toensing]] was also raided.<ref>https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/breaking-feds-execute-search-warrant-at-rudy-giulianis-apartment-developing/</ref> Toensing, the wife of former D.C. US Attorney [[Joe diGenova]], represented [[Dmytro Firtash]] and also [[whistleblower]] William J. Campbell in the [[Uranium One bribery scandal]].<br />
<br />
Biden portrayed himself as a uniter of Republicans and Democrats. In contradiction to what he says, Biden has very little [[tolerance]] for people who oppose him. He called Trump supporters "Chumps",<ref>[https://nypost.com/2020/10/24/biden-rips-trump-supporters-as-chumps-at-pa-drive-in-rally/ Biden calls Trump supporters ‘chumps’ at Pennsylvania drive-in rally]</ref> "ugly folks",<ref>[https://www.westernjournal.com/biden-snaps-calls-minnesota-trump-supporters-ugly-folks/ Biden Snaps, Calls Minnesota Trump Supporters 'Ugly Folks'</ref> "racists",<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/nov/17/biden-wants-end-to-demonization-but-wheres-his-apo/ Biden wants end to 'demonization,' but where's his apology for calling Trump and supporters racists?]</ref> "virulent people" and "dregs of society".<ref>[https://www.dailywire.com/news/joe-biden-calls-trump-supporters-dregs-society-joseph-curl Joe Biden Calls Trump Supporters ‘Virulent People,’ The ‘Dregs Of Society’]</ref> He called Republicans senators [[Ted Cruz]] and [[Josh Hawley]] "Nazis".<ref>[https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2021/01/08/biden-likens-ted-cruz-to-nazi-propagandist-goebbels-for-helping-trump-spread-big-lie-about-election-fraud/ Joe Biden likens Ted Cruz to Nazi propagandist Goebbels for helping Trump spread ‘big lie’ about election fraud]</ref> Deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillon called Republican Senators "a bunch of f*****".<ref>https://www.glamour.com/story/glennon-doyle-and-jen-omalley-dillon-interview</ref> [[Peter Strzok]]'s old boss, Frank Figliuzzi, called for the arrest and detention of Republican congressmen.<ref>https://twitchy.com/sarahd-313035/2021/06/09/ex-fbi-bigwig-frank-figliuzzi-says-tackling-domestic-terrorism-may-require-us-to-attack-and-dismantle-people-sitting-in-congress-right-now-video/</ref><br />
<br />
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov informed the world that Russia is monitoring the illegal detention and [[human rights]] violations committed against nearly 450 dissidents who were arrested by the junta after they were invited into the [[United States Capitol building]] by [[U.S. Capitol Police]] on January 6, 2021.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/05/russian-fm-lavrov-speaks-unconstitutional-persecution-jan-6-protesters-held-isolation-us-govt-something-timid-gop-leaders-refuse/</ref><ref>https://tass.com/politics/1296151</ref> Widespread human rights violations against the peaceful protesters by the junta have been reported,<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/michelle-malkin/michelle-malkin-shut-down-jan-6-gulag</ref> including vicious and savage beatings by guards on protesters arrested for trespass and held in solitary confinement.<ref>https://lawandcrime.com/u-s-capitol-siege/proud-boy-ethan-nordean-says-he-should-stay-out-of-jail-because-guards-are-beating-capitol-siege-defendants/</ref> Sens. [[Elizabeth Warren]], [[Dick Durbin]]<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/sen-warren-speaks-out-on-treatment-of-jan-6-capitol-breach-detainees-in-isolation_3790149.html</ref>, [[Bob Casey]] and the [[ACLU]] spoke out about the junta's cruel and unusual treatment of the dissidents.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/aclu-capitol-rioters-in-solitary-confinement</ref> <br />
One dissident had his hands zip-tied first and was beaten by a D.C. jail officer. The victim was hospitalized with a shattered orbital floor, a broken eye socket, broken jaw, and broken nose. He may have a permanent loss of vision in his right eye.<ref>https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/dc-corrections-officer-savagely-beat-capitol-riot-suspect-attorney-says-ryan-samsel/65-ee38f382-4686-4dd6-9486-5db67c5bc794</ref><br />
<br />
The junta attempted to paint with a broad brush anyone who supported President Trump as part of a grand [[conspiracy]]. The Biden DOJ attempted to coerce plea agreements from people who were employed with no criminal history, stable family and community relations, and arrested for trespass by asking the courts to deny bail because the junta needed time to investigate some vast conspiracy.<ref> [https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/03/the_january_6_prosecutions_hit_a_speed_bump.html the_january_6_prosecutions_hit_a_speed_bump]</ref> Many prisoners were held in isolation 23 hours a day. WUSA TV reported one peaceful protester was savagely beaten in custody, suffering a shattered eye socket, his jaw and nose broken, and may never see again.<ref>https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/dc-corrections-officer-savagely-beat-capitol-riot-suspect-attorney-says-ryan-samsel/65-ee38f382-4686-4dd6-9486-5db67c5bc794</ref><br />
<br />
On August 27, 2021, [[Look Ahead America]] (LAA) and Citizens Against Political Persecution (CAPP) presented a joint letter to the United Nations Human Rights Committee to investigate and demand relief for the Biden junta’s January 6 political prisoners.<ref>https://14oqrc3mu9t3duv5t3o92h75-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/LAA_UNHCR_A.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
====Misuse of FBI to target journalists and political opponents====<br />
In November 2021 the FBI raided the founder of [[Project Veritas]], [[James O'Keefe]]'s home looking for First Daughter [[Ashley Biden]]'s diary. In the diary, Ashley Biden discusses having taken inappropriate showers with her father and becoming sexualized as a small child.<br />
<br />
=====War on Parents=====<br />
{{See also|War on parents|}}<br />
There are 13 federal statutes the Biden regime domestic terrorism task force uses to intimidate and silence parents from speaking out at local school board meetings to protest Marxist indoctrination, critical race theory, gender indoctrination, mask mandates, and the rape of their children and subsequent cover-up.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/10/13/dad-arrested-at-school-board-meeting-rips-ag-merrick-garland/</ref> These statutes include mail threats, cyberstalking, anonymous telecommunications harassment, repeated phone calls, repeated harassing communication, false information and hoaxes, depriving a person of their civil rights and other statutes related to interstate extortion, injury to property, person, or reputation, kidnapping, and interference with a federally protected activity.<ref>https://www.ktvh.com/news/helena-news/u-s-acting-attorney-for-montana-sends-letters-of-statues-to-state-law-enforcement</ref><br />
<br />
=====DOJ/White House/NSBA collusion=====<br />
Parents Defending Education, an advocacy organization, obtained emails through the [[Freedom of Information Act]] showing that National School Board Association (NSBA) and officials were in contact with [[White House]] staffers before the NSBA sent a letter to [[Biden]] requesting that federal [[law enforcement]] officials address unruly behavior, including threats, directed toward public education officials. One email explains that White House staffers “requested additional information on some of the specific threats.”<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/10/21/nsba-biden-white-house-letter-domestic-terrorists/</ref> Garland told the House Judiciary Committee under oath that the NSBA’s letter was the pretext for his instructions to [[Department of Justice-National Security Division]], US Attorney's, and [[FBI]] five days later.<br />
<br />
The NSBA retracted its letter two weeks later, however Garland refused to retract his instructions to federal prosecutors and investigators.<br />
<br />
=====Loudoun County transgender rape case=====<br />
[[File:Loudon-County-1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Parrent arrested at Loudoun County, Virginia school board meeting after his daughter was raped in a [[public school]] transgender bathroom.]]<br />
[[Scott Smith]], a parent, was at a [[Loudoun County, Virginia]] school board meeting on June 22, 2021 because his daughter had been [[rape]]d by a [[transgender]] boy in the girls’ bathroom on May 28, 2021 at Stone Bridge High School.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/loudoun-county-father-school-cover-up-bathroom-assault-daughter</ref> The school told Smith his daughter had been assaulted but didn't call police. Smith reported the assault to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) and rape kit evidence collected. Prior to the June 22 meeting, When Smith showed up at the school to complain about what had happened, they accused him of lying and called the police.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/10/12/loudoun-county-virginia-school-board-covered-up-student-rape-and-had-father-of-victim-arrested-to-keep-him-quiet-national-school-board-association-then-labeled-the-father-a-domestic-terrorist</ref><br />
<br />
Moments before Smith’s arrest Superintendent Scott Ziegler of the county’s schools “said the school hadn’t had any incidents involving a transgender student in bathrooms and declared that ‘the predator transgender student or person simply does not exist.'” <ref>https://nypost.com/2021/10/13/parents-demand-superintendent-be-fired-for-alleged-sex-assault-cover-up/</ref> An [[Antifa]] activist at the meeting claimed his daughter was lying. When an argument ensued, police grabbed his arm. When he pulled his arm away, he was assaulted and thrown to the ground, handcuffed, and removed from the room.<ref>https://uncoverdc.com/2021/10/14/family-of-young-rape-victim-files-lawsuit-against-loudoun-county-schools/</ref> A damning email proved the board had been informed of the rape on the day the rape occurred.<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/loudoun-school-board-was-informed-of-alleged-sexual-assault-the-day-it-happened-report</ref><br />
<br />
And while the [[far-left]] prosecutor’s office, which would eventually try to throw the book at Smith over his arrest at the school board meeting, insisted they were taking the rape case seriously, the same boy was transferred to another school in the district. On October 6, 2021, the same boy was alleged to have committed another rape. A sheriff's office press release stated, "A teenager from Ashburn has been charged with sexual battery and abduction of a fellow student at Broad Run High School."<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10083783/Loudoun-County-father-arrested-school-meeting-says-daughter-raped-boy-girls-bathroom.html</ref><br />
<br />
The National School Board Association (NSBA) sent a letter to Joe Biden complaining about parents speaking out at school board meetings. The letter specifically cited the June 22, 2021 Loudoun County, Virginia incident as an example.<ref>https://nsba.org/-/media/NSBA/File/nsba-letter-to-president-biden-concerning-threats-to-public-schools-and-school-board-members-92921.pdf</ref> The NSBA letter states that parents’ protests and speeches at school board meetings “could be equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism.” Biden handed the letter to Garland. Garland issued a memo directing the FBI and numerous other federal and state agencies to take “measures designed to address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel,” a clear example of the politicization of the [[Department of Justice]]. A liberal advocacy group sent the Office of the President a letter; Merrick Garland dutifully turned that letter into DOJ policy.<br />
<br />
Smith’s case was used in [[Merrick Garland]]'s October 2021 memo warning of “domestic terrorism” at school board meetings.<ref>https://redstate.com/bonchie/2021/10/11/horror-in-loudoun-county-implicates-local-and-federal-officials-n455371</ref> The memo's intent is to intimidate parents to not speak out at school board meetings against [[critical race theory]].<br />
<br />
=====Mar-a-Lago raid=====<br />
{{See also|Two-tier system}}<br />
[[File:Bruce E. Reinhart.png|right|300px|thumb|U.S. Federal Magistrate Bruce E. Reinhart signed the Mar-a-Lago raid warrant.]]<br />
FBI internal regulations bar the FBI from making any political indictments or public disclosures 90 days prior to a general election. Monday August 8, 2022, a day that will live in infamy, occurred 91 days prior to the [[2022 Midterm elections]]. On that day, the Wray FBI raided [[President Donald Trump]]'s home and seized boxes of materials.<ref>https://technofog.substack.com/p/the-fbi-has-raided-president-trumps?utm_source=email</ref> Trump was said to be in possession of certain documents with dirt on the Deep State.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/08/11/part-4-what-was-in-the-trump-documents-creating-such-fear-in-doj-and-fbi/</ref> The warrant, signed by an associate of [[Jeffrey Epstein]],<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/judge-who-signed-mar-lago-search-warrant-exposed-associate-jeffrey-epstein</ref> authorized the seizure of "Any government and/or presidential record created between January 20, 2017 and January 20, 2021."<ref>https://technofog.substack.com/p/here-is-the-trump-search-warrant</ref> President Trump, who has for many years been the target of corrupt FBI activities, suggested one purpose of the raid was to plant evidence.<ref>https://bombardsbodylanguage.com/2022/08/11/body-language-fbi-wray-trump-raid-evidence-concerns/</ref> FBI and DOJ operatives overstepped the [[separation of powers]] the following day by seizing Rep. [[Scott Perry]]'s phone.<ref>https://justthenews.com/government/congress/breaking-rep-scott-perry-says-fbi-seized-his-phone-one-day-after-mar-o-lago</ref> <br />
<br />
A ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' oped noted:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Monday was a sad day for our [[democracy]] and a dark day for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The search of Donald Trump’s [[Florida]] residence was a politically sensitive operation that would have tested the FBI’s reputation for fairness and impartiality in the best of circumstances. But the bureau’s behavior since Mr. Trump came onto the political scene has already left its reputation in tatters."<ref>https://archive.ph/0KnMv</ref>}}<br />
President Trump held evidence of a politically weaponized U.S. intelligence and justice system. To include an extensive paper trail showing how the DC apparatus under the [[Obama]]-era intelligence system, [[Dept. of Homeland Security]] (DHS), [[Office of the Director of National Intelligence]] (ODNI), Dept. of Justice (DOJ) and FBI coordinated with the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign to install her into office.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/08/12/mar-a-lago-search-warrant-unsealed-the-most-urgent-critical-national-security-issue-in-the-history-of-all-time-had-14-days-to-execute/</ref><br />
<br />
=====FBI/Pfizer collusion=====<br />
<br />
According to a Freedom of Information request response issued by the Department of Justice, it appears there are indeed communications between [[Pfizer]] and the FBI about ''Project Veritas''. The request for communications, filed by [[Judicial Watch]], was acknowledged but denied by the DOJ which cited an exemption over law enforcement proceedings. “The FBI has completed its search for records responsive to your request. The material you requested is located in an investigative file which is exempt from disclosure[.]” <br />
<br />
Project Veritas previously published videos of a Pfizer scientist discussing the strength of natural COVID-19 antibodies versus the vaccine with an undercover reporter. Then in October 2021, Project Veritas obtained internal company documents from a whistleblower which showed admissions from Pfizer management that aborted fetal cell lines were used in the company’s vaccine program, but that employees should just stick with Pfizer’s narrative omitting any mention of aborted fetal cell lines.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/analysis/2022/01/18/doj-documents-obtained-by-judicial-watch-confirm-existence-of-communications-between-fbi-pfizer-about-project-veritas/</ref><br />
<br />
=====Rep. Henry Cuellar=====<br />
<br />
Democrat Rep. [[Henry Cuellar]] represents Texas’ 28th Congressional District, which extends to the U.S.- Mexico border, had been very public and critical of how Joe Biden collapsed the U.S-Mexico border enforcement.<ref>https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/biden-pushes-back-against-border-crisis-label-as-democrats-concede-theres-a-major-problem</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/-k-hOmBxtBI</ref> Cuellar's home and campaign office were the subject of an FBI raid on January 20, 2022.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/01/20/prominent-democrat-publicly-critical-of-joe-biden-border-policy-gets-a-visit-from-fbi-jackboots/</ref><br />
<br />
====No Congressional oversight of intel community====<br />
:{{See also|Deep State}}<br />
Chief Procurator Merrick Garland announced they will not permit any investigation of members of the intel committee for leaks (ie. compromises in national security). “Garland on Monday also met with news media executives about restricting the ability of leak hunters...A ''New York Times'' lawyer called the meeting positive.”<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/justice-dept-will-toughen-rules-for-seizing-lawmakers-data-garland-says/ar-AAL2wB2?li=BBnb7Kz</ref> Rep. [[Adam Schiff]] ([[HPSCI]]) and Sen. [[Mark Warner]] ([[SSCI]]) have facilitated [[intelligence community]] corruption and abuses with illegal [[leak]]s. As a result “leak hunters” in the DOJ are forbidden from exposing the corrupt legislative coordination. The [[legislative branch]] (intel committees), judicial branch ([[FISA court]] and federal courts) and executive branch (FBI, [[DOJ-NSD]], DNI, DIA, CIA etc) work together to continue allowing the intelligence apparatus to avoid any oversight.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/06/16/the-tucker-carlson-solution-to-deal-with-a-corrupt-intelligence-apparatus-and-fbi-will-not-work-heres-why/</ref><br />
<br />
====War on the Christian church====<br />
An IRS official denied tax-exempt status to a Texas group that encourages church members to pray for state and national leaders regardless of their party affiliation because it benefits “the private interests of the [Republican] Party.” According to the ''Epoch Times'' the official wrote,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“You do not qualify as an organization described in IRS Section 501(c)(3). You engage in prohibited political campaign intervention,” wrote Stephen A. Martin, Director of the IRS Office of Exempt Organizations Rulings and Agreements in a May 18 [2021] letter (pdf)<ref>https://firstliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Christians-Engaged-IRS-Determination-Letter_Redacted.pdf</ref> to Christians Engaged, the Garland, Texas-based prayer group recognized by Texas officials as tax-exempt.<br />
<br />
“You are also not operated exclusively for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 50l (c)(3), because you operate for a substantial non-exempt private purpose and for the private interests of the [Republican]<ref>The “D party” is a reference to the Republican Party, according to a novel “Legend” Martin provided at the top of his letter to the Texas Group. See original pdf.</ref> party,” Martin said. [...]<br />
<br />
Martin also noted that the group’s activities “educate believers on national issues that are central to their belief in the [[Bible]] as the inerrant [[Word of God]],” Martin explained.<br />
<br />
“Specifically, you educate Christians on what the Bible says in areas where they can be instrumental, including the areas of sanctity of life, the definition of marriage, biblical justice, freedom of speech, defense, and borders and immigration, U.S. and Israel relations,” he said.<br />
<br />
“'''The Bible teachings are typically affiliated with the [Republican] party and candidates.''' [Bolden added] This disqualifies you from exemption under lRS Section 50I(c)(3),” he said.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/irs-denies-tax-exemption-to-texas-religious-group-because-prayer-bible-reading-boost-the-republican-party_3861757.html</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Targetting QAnon followers====<br />
Many Trump supporters were baited and duped by a [[Deep State]] misinformation campaign known as [[QAnon]]. The junta DOJ then in June 2021 issued a terrorist assessment:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“The FBI has warned lawmakers in Washington that QAnon followers may move from being “digital soldiers” to engaging in “real world violence.<br><br />
We assess that some [domestic violent extremist] adherents of QAnon likely will begin to believe they can no longer ‘trust the plan’ referenced in QAnon posts and that they have an obligation to change from serving as ‘digital soldiers’ towards engaging in real world violence—including harming perceived members of the “cabal” such as Democrats and other political opposition—instead of continually awaiting Q’s promised actions which have not occurred.”<ref>https://www.vice.com/en/article/88n8yk/the-fbis-new-qanon-report-is-scary-as-hell?utm_source=vicenewstwitter</ref>}}<br />
====1/6 Capitol protests====<br />
:{{See also|1/6 insurrection hoax}}<br />
The federal government had undercover agents or confidential informants embedded in several groups during the January 6, 2021 Capitol protests. A study by ''Revolver News'' of unindicted co-conspirators listed throughout the various charging documents found the unindicted co-conspirators appear to be much more aggressive and egregious participants in the so-called Capitol riot “conspiracy”.<ref>https://www.revolver.news/2021/06/federal-foreknowledge-jan-6-unindicted-co-conspirators-raise-disturbing-questions/</ref> Most of these unindicted co-conspirators are associated with the three alleged "militia groups" targeted by the federal government, [[Oath Keepers]], the [[Proud Boys]], and the Three Percenters.<br />
[[File:JTTF.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Home video surveillance of the Joint Terrorism Task Force attempted recruitment of an American citizen on December 9, 2020 based upon a [[Facebook]] posting.<ref>https://freedomjournalist.com/fbi-dhs-attempted-to-recruit-military-to-infiltrate-rioters-before-jan-6/</ref>]]<br />
Thomas Caldwell is a 65-year-old from Virginia and an alleged member of the Oath Keepers, which the DOJ refers to as a “paramilitary” or “militia” group. A careful read of the indictment against Caldwell reveals that a certain “Person Two” was a key co-conspirator alongside Caldwell in nearly every dimension relevant to the charges in question. Person Two planned logistics with Caldwell days in advance of 1/6, stayed in the same hotel room for days together, and when Caldwell allegedly “stormed the barricades” into restricted areas outside the U.S. Capitol, Person Two is alleged to have “stormed the barricades” right beside him. In arguing defendant Caldwell should be denied bail, the DOJ cites Caldwell’s “leadership role in planning the events of January 6” as including “finding lodging” for Person Three. They even explicitly refer to Person Three as “a third co-conspirator.” “Person Three” reserved and paid for various Oath Keeper hotel rooms. Indeed, the curious lack of indictments filed against the entire gamut of Persons referenced as playing leadership roles within the Oath Keepers on 1/6 raises red flags. This includes: Person 2, Person 3, Person 10, Person 14, Person 15, Person 16, Person 19 and Person 20, along with many co-conspirators listed only as “an individual.”<br />
<br />
Among such individuals is the alleged administrator of the “Stop the Steal J6” Zello channel.<ref>The Zello channel in question was populated by patriot/militia personalities who were variously monitoring and participating in 1/6 activities in real-time. Zello is an app that allows for walkie-talkie functionality on a cell phone. Because phones signals were “jammed” by law enforcement in the Capitol area, Zello’s walkie-talkie function was useful (and pre-planned) to stay in communication.</ref> The DOJ point-blank says this Zello channel administrator “directed the group” as it was carrying out the alleged Capitol attack. If the group is carrying out a conspiracy as the defendants are charged with, this Zello channel administrator is directing the conspiracy in real-time. Yet the Zello administrator was not charged.<br />
<br />
It appears that the individual who set up the Proud Boys’ communications infrastructure is being protected by the DOJ. The DOJ refers to this person only as “UCC-1” (UCC meaning an explicitly spelled out “unindicted co-conspirator”). UCC-1, as well as two additional unindicted co-conspirators referred to only as “Person-One” and “Person-Two” in the Proud Boys indictment, were all in Proud Boys “upper tier leadership,” and appear to have been the most prolific planners and incendiary advocates of “insurrection” in the run-up to and on the day of 1/6. The DOJ cites statements made almost exclusively by unindicted co-conspirators as statements that “revealed a plan to storm the Capitol and to let the crowd loose.” <br />
<br />
In December 2020 a former Green Beret and Republican congressional candidate was contacted by the [[Department of Homeland Security]] (DHS) and FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). The Green Beret released video surveillance of the FBI contacting him at his home and an audio recording made at a local restaurant of his actual meeting with the FBI. Federal agents attempted to recruit him to spy on patriots and everyday Americans. The lead was provided directly to the FBI by Facebaook.<ref>https://freedomjournalist.com/fbi-dhs-attempted-to-recruit-military-to-infiltrate-rioters-before-jan-6/</ref><br />
<br />
====Illegal spying====<br />
[[File:Stalin-140508 27880t.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Biden quoted [[Joseph Stalin]], "It's not about who gets to vote, it’s about who gets to count the vote."<ref>https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2021/12/stalin_and_biden_agree_who_gets_to_count_the_votes_matters_more_than_who_gets_to_vote.html</ref>]]<br />
The Biden junta illegally spied on Fox News host [[Tucker Carlson]];<ref>https://www.axios.com/tucker-carlson-putin-interview-surveillance-c9952d7c-33d7-45e9-be68-2ba4c3817f98.html</ref> in 1974 President [[Richard Nixon]] resigned the presidency over a botched effort by underlings to spy on domestic political opponents.<br />
<br />
====Election integrity====<br />
<br />
The junta is adamantly opposed to securing the integrity of all future elections. Polls show 77% of voters support election integrity laws like [[voter ID]], which Biden labeled "Jim Crow in the 21st century."<ref>https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/polling/poll-over-three-quarters-voters-believe-americans-should-have-show-id-cast</ref> Biden instructed all elements of the U.S. government and private sector to defend him against sunlight. The Biden regime prepared to initiate hostile actions against the American electorate to protect the fraudulent results of the 2020 election. The U.S. Department of Justice was activated along with the Federal Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Intelligence Community and elements of the U.S. Department of Defense. In addition, the Democrat National Committee,<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/07/12/biden-covid-vaccination-campaign-499278</ref> the [[Lawfare group|Lawfare alliance]], activist groups, the U.S. media and Big Tech social media platform control agents were enlisted. Big Tech oligarchs, aligned with the interests of the Chinese Communist Party, also provided hundreds-of-millions in defense of their own interests which are tied directly to the Biden junta. D.C. politicians under the control of [[multinational corporation]]s were instructed to push the “domestic extremist” narrative. Any organized and articulate sources outside the mainstream fake news media the regime considers subversive. Approximately 100 million American voters are considered dissidents.<br />
<br />
Evidence of election fraud was labeled “domestic extremism”,<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/17/politics/domestic-violent-extremism-threat-assessment/index.html</ref> and any entity that aligned with the objective to review or audit any election outcome was targeted as an enemy of the installed regime. <ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/07/14/house-democrats-launch-investigation-into-maricopa-county-audit/</ref><br />
<br />
Democrats claim that Black people cannot find the Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain a state-issue ID or a driver's license.<ref>https://twitter.com/OdinAwakens/status/1363130349413298177</ref><br />
<br />
On December 14, 2021, at a meeting of DNC operatives, Biden quoted [[Soviet]] [[dictator]] [[Joseph Stalin]], "It's not about who gets to vote, it’s about who gets to count the vote."<ref>https://100percentfedup.com/joe-biden-tells-room-filled-with-democrats-its-about-who-gets-to-count-the-vote-video/</ref><ref>https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/12/16/howie-carr-joe-biden-is-off-his-rocker-or-should-be-in-one/</ref><br />
<br />
===Healthcare===<br />
[[File:Fauci.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Fauci: "I am the way, the truth, and the life."<ref>https://youtu.be/VtkE0O7qP14</ref>]]<br />
:{{See also|CCP pandemic|Death panels|COVID OSHA rules}}<br />
In June 2021 it was revealed that Dr. [[Anthony Fauci]] approved a grant for [[gain of function]] research to the [[Wuhan Institute of Virology]] (WIV). The grant was not approved by a mandatory oversight board.<ref>https://www.nationalreview.com/news/hhs-board-never-approved-wuhan-institute-of-virology-research-grant/</ref> Fauci was informed on February 1, 2020 that the covid virus was manufactured in the WIV laboratory. Fauci did not inform the president of the United States, nor anyone in the [[Department of Health and Human Services]] or the [[Center for Disease Control]].<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2021/06/03/fauci-email-dump-illustrates-a-dismissive-physician-who-rose-to-fame-to-cover-his-own-scandal/</ref> Fauci instead huddled with a group of virologists who receive grant money from Fauci and work outside government, who then on turn wrote papers and issued public statements saying the virus did not originate in a lab.<ref> https://thefederalist.com/2021/07/14/dr-faucis-emails-tell-the-story-of-panic-lies-and-a-possible-cover-up/</ref> Despite the public's loss of confidence in Fauci at precisely the moment the [[Delta variant]] of the coronavirus became a concern,<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/how-americans-opinion-dr-anthony-fauci-has-changed-over-past-year-1596690</ref> Biden never asked for Fauci's resignation.<br />
<br />
In January 2021 Biden nominated Dr. [[Rachel Levine]], a [[gender confusion|gender-confused]] male, as Assistant Health Secretary.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/biden-taps-transgender-to-be-assistant-health-secretary-and-hes-very-controversial/</ref> Levine defended the [[genocidal]] "boomer remover" policy of Gov. [[Andrew Cuomo]] to exterminate elderly nursing home patients with the coronavirus.<ref>https://thepostmillennial.com/bidens-hhs-pick-covid-patients-nursing-homes</ref> In confirmation hearings, Levine was unable to answer if gender transitioning of children below the age of consent was genital mutilation.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/02/25/asst-hhs-sec-refuses-to-answer-about-child-gender-reassignment/</ref><br />
<br />
====Coronavirus pandemic====<br />
[[File:RSTP.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Hunter Biden financed a company that partnered with Peter Daszak and the Wuhan lab.]]<br />
:{{See also|CCP pandemic|Gain-of-function|}}<br />
Fauci [[collude]]d with Dr. [[Shi Zhengli]] of the [[Wuhan Institute of Virology]], zoologist [[Peter Daszak]], and Dr. Ralph Baric to produce an artificial, weaponized version of the bat coronavirus transmissible to humans. From 2014 to 2019, $826,277 was given to the Wuhan Institute of Virology for bat coronavirus research by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), headed by Fauci.<ref>https://www.judicialwatch.org/documents/jw-v-hhs-niaid-wuhan-june-2021-00692-pgs-74-75/</ref> A January 9, 2020, email exchange labeled “high” importance between NIAID Senior Scientific Advisor Dr. David Morens and Daszak details the relationship between the Fauci agency and the Wuhan Institute of Virology.<ref>https://www.judicialwatch.org/documents/jw-v-hhs-niaid-wuhan-june-2021-00692-pgs-141-149/</ref> On January 23, 2020, the day the Wuhan viral outbreak was leaked to the world, a senior NIH official, Melinda Hoskins, forwarded a ''Daily Mail'' article to colleagues discussing NIH/NIAID funding of the bat virus research, and noting that Fauci would be briefing senators the following morning. Hoskins says, “Would you please confirm the exact nature of our support to the Wuhan Institute of Virology/Biosafety Lab.” <ref>https://www.judicialwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/JW-v-HHS-NIAID-Wuhan-June-2021-00692-pgs-47-48.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
In April 2021, Joe Biden’s USAID announced a new initiative spearheaded by Daszak's EcoHealth Alliance to track emerging infectious diseases with pandemic potential. Also collaborating on the taxpayer-funded venture is [[Metabiota]], whose researchers have been listed as authors on papers from June 2021 relating to coronavirus surveillance in Africa. EcoHealth Alliance, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and Metabiota, have collaborated on a study since 2014 relating to bat infectious diseases in China. Among the researchers listed is the Wuhan lab director [[Shi Zhengli]], and Peter Daszak as an author.<ref>http://www.ecohealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Yuan-et-al_virus-bats_viruses-2014.pdf</ref> Hunter Biden's [[Rosemont Seneca Technology Partners]] was a lead financial backer of Metabiota. Rosemont Seneca led the Metabiota’s first round of funding, which amounted to $30 million.<ref> https://www.marlinllc.com/_media/_data/MarlinNewsletter/hit-monthly-newsletter-june-2015.pdf</ref><br />
<br />
====Vaccine mandates====<br />
{{See also|Biden's vaccine mandate}}<br />
[[File:Biden mandates.jpg|right|275px|thumb|Healthcare professionals demonstrating against Biden vaccine mandates.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/analysis/2021/09/20/federal-govt-whistleblower-goes-public-with-secret-recordings/</ref>]]<br />
On September 9, 2021, Biden attempted to force the controversial [[COVID vaccine]] on 100 million Americans, despite the ineffectiveness of the [[vaccine]] to reduce the spread of [[COVID-19]]. Biden initially targeted federal employees and large employers, plus health care, education and other federally funded sectors.<br />
<br />
Larry Cosme, the president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, described Biden's mandate as "misguided" which improperly "villainizes employees."<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/biden-covid-vaccine-mandate-blasted-by-head-of-federal-officers-union-e2-80-98villainizes-employees-e2-80-99/ar-AAOheaB</ref> Cosme observed:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The COVID-19 pandemic is a rapidly evolving and emotional trying situation. In the face of so many uncertainties, our federal government should trust its employees to make their own medical decision under consultation with their doctor, not mandate by their employer. Vaccination should be promoted through education and encouragement – not coercion."}}<br />
One week later the [[Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) overwhelmingly voted to reject Biden's vaccine booster shot plan.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2021/09/17/fda-panel-overwhelmingly-rejects-bidens-booster-shot-plan-for-all-americans/</ref> One member of the panel said “COVID vaccines are killing more people than they’re saving.”<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/09/vaccine-kills-more-than-saves.html/</ref> [[Black Lives Matter]] called the vaccine mandate [[racist]].<ref>https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/black-lives-matter-new-york-vaccine-mandate-is-racist-restaurant-boycott-to-begin/</ref><br />
<br />
According to the CDC's [[Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System]] (VAERS) database, of the U.S. vaccine deaths reported between Dec. 14, 2020 and Sept. 24, 2021, 11% occurred within 24 hours of vaccination, 16% occurred within 48 hours of vaccination and 29% occurred in people who experienced an onset of symptoms within 48 hours of being vaccinated.<ref>https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/vaers-cdc-deaths-injuries-covid-vaccines/</ref> The mortality rate from receiving the covid vaccine is 2.12%, and the risk of permanent disability is 2.97%. 11.33% needed Emergency Room visits and 9.41% required hospitalization.<ref>https://childrenshealthdefense.org/wp-content/uploads/vaers-vaccine-injury-october-1-980x1024.jpg</ref><br />
<br />
On July 9, 2021 the number of deaths reported to the VAERS website associated with the COVID vaccines was 10,991. Earlier the same week, deaths reported hit 12,313 according to the CDC website. Within hours, that number was adjusted to 6,207.<ref> https://www.thewellnessway.com/cdc-deletes-6000-deaths-from-vaers/</ref> According to a September 2021 ''[[Project Veritas]]'' [[whistleblower]] report, the [[Biden]] [[Department of Health and Human Services]] was activity attempting to suppress reporting of covid vaccine adverse reactions and death to the VAERS system.<ref>https://uncoverdc.com/2021/09/21/hhs-whistleblower-talks-covid-vaers-jabs-with-project-veritas/</ref><br />
<br />
In fascist New York, 15,000 healthcare professionals who refused the mRNA experimental genetic infection touted as a vaccine were replaced with the National Guard;<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_morningbrief/thousands-of-ny-healthcare-workers-fired-placed-on-leave-over-vaccine-mandate_4021462.html</ref> in Minnesota, one nurse explained in a townhall meeting how Biden's mandate forced them to become criminals in order to keep their jobs:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"In nursing school we are taught about intentional [[crime]]s and [[tort]]s. It says that an intentional tort is assault and battery. [[Assault]] is the threat of an unwanted action or a bodily contact. Battery is an assault that is carried out and includes willful, angry, [[violent]], negligent, touching of another person’s body, clothing, or anything attached to them.<br />
<br />
Forcibly removing a patient’s clothing and administering an injection after a patient has refused are all examples of [[battery]].<br />
<br />
This is out of my nursing book from four years ago. This is what they teach us. If we did this to a patient, if you told your patient [[informed consent]], and they said no, and you did it anyway, you would go to [[jail]], you’d get your nursing license taken away, and you’d be a criminal.<br />
<br />
So now what they’re doing is they’re putting us in the position of saying either you become a [[criminal]] by giving the injection without their consent or you will be fired as “non-compliant” with the vaccination protocol."<ref>https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2021/09/29/we-are-being-lied-to-our-deaths/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Mask mandate====<br />
{{See also|Mask mandate}}<br />
On the day Biden occupied the [[Oval Office]] he signed an executive ''diktat'' mandating the wearing of masks on federal property.<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-protecting-the-federal-workforce-and-requiring-mask-wearing/</ref> Within hours of signing it, Biden and members of his family violated the decree.<ref>https://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2021/01/21/joe-biden-signs-eo-mandating-mask-wearing-on-federal-property-immediately-violates-it-video-n313770</ref> Although fully vaccinated, after the CDC restrictions were lifted, Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff likewise publicly displayed their lack of confidence in the science when seen kissing with masks on.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/05/05/kamala-harris-and-doug-emhoff-kiss-with-masks-on-despite-being-vaccinated/</ref><br />
<br />
====Denying covid treatment====<br />
<br />
As soon as Biden’s [[HHS]] noticed the red state governors were working on an effective covid treatment with Monoclonal Antibody drugs (mAb) as an alternative to the vaccine approach, Biden's HHS moved to take control of distribution of mAB by rationing. The change in HHS approach followed Republican governor [[Ron DeSantis]] of [[Florida]] promoting the use of mAb and opening up dozens of treatment centers throughout his state. Other governors quickly took notice of the effective action plan of DeSantis and started to follow that path. Psaki defended the move as “equitable use of the available supply," a fancy term for “rationing” the life-saving treatment based on political ideology.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/09/15/covid-politics-takes-a-dark-turn-biden-administration-takes-control-of-monoclonal-antibody-drugs-in-order-to-block-treatments-in-red-states-and-ration-equitable-treatment/</ref><br />
<br />
====Lockdowns====<br />
As soon as the junta took power, some proponents of draconian lockdowns switched to a less hysterical position immediately. Among the most extreme lockdown proponents in the U.S. were Chicago Mayor [[Lori Lightfoot]] and New York City Mayor [[Bill De Blasio]]. In Chicago, Mayor Lightfoot decided that a much less stringent approach would be best.<ref>[https://patch.com/illinois/chicago/lightfoot-says-restaurants-should-reopen-quickly-possible “Lightfoot Says Restaurants Should Reopen As Quickly As Possible “], (Patch, January 14, 2021)</ref> A similar pattern unfolded in New York City.<br />
<br />
[[File:2021.01.22-09.24-revolvernews-600b429ae1e21.jpg|right|470px|thumb]]<br />
====Junta misinformation====<br />
The day after Biden seized power, [[NPR]] reported that the [[coronavirus]] in America had magically peaked.<ref>https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/01/21/958870301/the-current-deadly-u-s-coronavirus-surge-has-peaked-researchers-say</ref> Likewise, [[Amazon.com]] refused to help with vaccine distribution until a few hours after the junta was installed.<ref>https://news.yahoo.com/disgraceful-amazon-delayed-help-distribute-142930357.html</ref> The Center for Disease Control removed from its website a headline that claimed "Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism".<ref>https://sharylattkisson.com/2021/01/cdc-quietly-removes-website-headline-claiming-vaccines-do-not-cause-autism/</ref><br />
<br />
On May 3, 2021, [[Associated Press (AP)|AP News]], the world's most neutral and reliable source, conducted a fact check on Biden's COVID-19 stats on how many American's had been vaccinated. Biden stated on May 3rd, "When I got elected, I said in the first 100 days we'd get 100 million people vaccinated. I was wrong; we got 230 million vaccinated". AP News's fact check said "No, he misstated both his promise and the results...Altogether, close to 148 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose and close to 106 million have been fully vaccinated." <ref>https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-race-and-ethnicity-health-government-and-politics-2a95dca4f3868185a725bcf5700fb914</ref><ref>https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-05-03/ap-fact-check-biden-overstates-how-many-americans-immunized</ref> <ref>https://www.startribune.com/ap-fact-check-biden-overstates-how-many-americans-immunized/600053157/</ref><br />
<br />
The regime held employers, who required employees to take the covid vaccine, liable for adverse effects of the vaccine.<ref>https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/faqs#vaccine</ref><br />
<br />
====Winter of Death====<br />
[[File:Biden and Fauci.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Biden and Fauci announce plans for Winter of Death.]]<br />
By the end Biden's first year after the seizure of power, Biden held true to his promise of a dark winter,<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/joe-biden-dark-winter-pandemic/2020/12/16/82ef32fc-3e4c-11eb-8bc0-ae155bee4aff_story.html</ref> renaming it Biden's Winter of Death.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/media/covid-dark-winter-of-death-biden-hannity</ref> Dr. Anthony Fauci supported Biden's winter of death.<ref>https://youtu.be/7e-RxZItqeM</ref> 15,000 people per week were earmarked for extermination.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-10314687/CDC-issues-grim-forecast-warning-weekly-COVID-cases-jump-55-1-3-MILLION-Christmas-Day.html</ref> A study out of Columbia University published in December 2021 said the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is “markedly resistant” to covid vaccines and boosters might not do much to help. The scientists express concern that the Omicron variant’s “extensive” mutations can “greatly compromise” covid vaccines, even neutralizing them.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/12/16/columbia-university-finds-omicron-vaccine-resistance/</ref><br />
<br />
In the [[UK]], Public Health Scotland (PHS) reported that 9 out of 10 covid deaths between August and November 2021 occurred amongst the fully vaccinated.<ref>https://dailyexpose.uk/2021/12/09/distracted-by-christmas-party-data-shows-9-in-10-covid-deaths-vaccinated/</ref> Covid vaccines, heavily pushed by the [[democide|democidal]] Biden regime,<ref>https://legalinsurrection.com/2021/09/outgoing-fda-officials-blast-biden-vaccine-booster-plan/</ref> are said to reduce the body's natural resistance and immunity,<ref>https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mrna-vaccines-may-provide-lower-immunity-to-new-sars-cov-2-variants#Studying-vaccines-neutralizing-effect</ref> according to the [[science]].<ref>https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n2101/rr-0</ref><br />
<br />
====Drug costs====<br />
Junta leader Biden signed an executive order to stop President Trump's executive order keeping medicines affordable. One mother took to the internet to describe how her son's [[insulin]] medicine went from $60 a month to $320 (with a coupon, $500 without) in the first month of the regime.<ref>https://rumble.com/vdr6oz-this-is-what-biden-did-to-our-family-in-less-than-one-month.....html</ref> Biden killed the program started by President Trump that reduced the cost of [[insulin]] for victims of [[diabetes]].<ref>https://hotair.com/karen-townsend/2021/06/11/biden-halts-program-that-brings-down-cost-of-insulin-epipens-n396040</ref><br />
<br />
===Education===<br />
In sworn testimony before the House Education and Labor Committee, commissar of brainwashing [[Miguel Cardona]] did not know, or refused to answer, how many [[gender]]s exist.<ref>https://rumble.com/vj1jvp-education-secretary-refuses-to-answer-how-many-genders-exist-during-exchang.html</ref> A Harvard/Harris poll released in the summer of 2021 asked whether “kids in elementary school should be taught that America is structurally racist and is dominated by white supremacy,” 61% of participants answered in the negative while only 39% supported this type of teaching.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/education/2021/06/28/poll-61-voters-say-children-should-not-be-taught-america-is-structurally-racist/</ref><br />
<br />
====Critical race theory====<br />
:{{See also|Critical race theory}}<br />
Critical race theory rejects the core teachings of [[Dr. Martin Luther King]], that people should be judged on the content of their character and not the color of their skin.<ref>https://www.discovery.org/education/2021/06/09/the-radical-reshaping-of-k-12-public-education-part-3-critical-race-theory-woke-academics/</ref> Through White House chief propagandist Jen Psaki, Biden has endorsed teaching CRT racism to school children.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/joe-biden-wants-critical-race-theory-crt-in-schools-says-jen-psaki-on-the-record-at-briefing/</ref><br />
<br />
According to [[Discover the Networks]], critical race theory (CRT) contends that America is permanently racist to its core, and that consequently the nation’s legal structures are, by definition, racist and invalid … members of “oppressed” racial groups are entitled—in fact obligated—to determine for themselves which laws and traditions have merit and are worth observing.<ref>https://www.discoverthenetworks.org/organizations/critical-race-theory</ref> A YouGov poll in the summer of 2021 showed 58% of Americans have an unfavorable view of CRT, with only 38% favorable.<ref>https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/majority-unfavorable-view-critical-race-193300830.html</ref><br />
<br />
In June 2021 the Biden junta revived “diversity training” lessons that former President Donald Trump had ended. Biden dropped a Trump-era investigation into the anti-Asian discriminatory practices of [[Yale University]]. Under CRT theory, anti-Asian discrimination is permissible because Asians are so-called “[[white-adjacent]].”<ref>https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/calling-asians-white-adjacent-is-racist-and-insulting/</ref><br />
<br />
====Transgenderism====<br />
A Harris Poll commissioned by [[GLAAD]] prior to the 2020 election showed that U.S. adults are increasingly uncomfortable with [[LGBT]] issues — with Millennials ages 18 – 34 leading this shift. The number of non-LGBT adults ages 18 – 34 who are uncomfortable with learning a family member is LGBT rose from 24% at the end of the Obama era in 2016 to 36% in 2018. The number of Millennials uncomfortable with the idea of their children having a lesson on LGBT history at school rose from 27% to 39% during that same time. The number of Millennials that GLAAD counts as “allies” — people who are comfortable with the [[homosexual agenda]] and [[progressivism]] — dropped from 62% in 2016 to 45% in 2018.<ref>https://www.christianpost.com/news/millennials-gen-z-growing-uncomfortable-lgbt-movement-survey.html</ref> Despite the junta's best efforts at [[disinformation]] and propaganda, six months after the seizure of power a [[Gallup Poll]] found 51% of Americans beleived changing one's [[gender identity]] was [[moral]]ly wrong.<ref>https://news.gallup.com/poll/351020/changing-one-gender-sharply-contentious-moral-issue.aspx</ref> A [[fake news]] poll conducted by the [[Soros]]-funded, [[homosexual]]-centered "[[Human Rights Campaign]]" claims that 98% of [[heterosexual|straight]] [[male]]s refuse to date a [[gender confusion|gender-confused]] person allegedly because of "[[hate]]."<ref>https://ucf.forums.rivals.com/threads/are-you-in-the-98-of-hate.76324/</ref><br />
<br />
====War on girl's sports====<br />
<br />
Biden will allow children in schools to "change" their gender without their parents' permission. He will also allow [[gender confusion|gender-confused]] boys to play sport with girls, and use their bathrooms and their locker rooms. This was a listed priority on the Biden-Harris campaign website. He will reinstate the Obama-Biden guidance revoked by the Trump-Pence Administration, which will restore gender-confused students’ access to sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms in accordance with their claimed gender identity. The Biden LGBTQ+ policy would allow also biological males who identify as "females" to be granted access to female locker rooms, bathrooms and sports teams without even undergoing confirmation surgery or using hormone replacements.<ref>[https://www.cnsnews.com/article/washington/lucy-collins/hawley-biden-plan-force-schools-let-transgenders-play-girls-sports Hawley: Biden Plan to Force Schools to Let Transgenders Play Girls' Sports, Use Their Locker Rooms, 'Startling Revelation of Where His Mind is At']</ref><br />
An early Biden junta executive order destroyed girl's athletics and the hope of many young girls to win scholarships and competitions.<ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2021/01/on-day-1-president-joe-biden-destroyed-womens-sports.html</ref><br />
<br />
A Rassmussen poll conducted in the summer of 2021 found 56% of American adults think it is unfair to make women compete against transgender athletes, only 25% think such competition is fair, and 19% are not sure.<ref>[https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/social_issues/olympics_is_it_fair_to_make_women_compete_against_transgender_athletes is_it_fair_to_make_women_compete_against_transgender_athletes]</ref> Biden responded to the poll by calling the laws intended to protect women and girls the "'ugliest, most un-American laws'.<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2021/06/26/president-biden-rants-against-ugliest-most-unamerican-laws-which-target-transgend-n2591622</ref><br />
<br />
====Put y’all back in chains====<br />
Under Joe Biden, segregated classrooms reappeared in America.<ref>https://redstate.com/kiradavis/2021/08/11/atlanta-mother-shocked-to-discover-childs-elementary-school-segregating-classes-by-race-n424417</ref> A black Atlanta mother, Kira Posey,<ref>https://dailycallernewsfoundation.org/2021/08/11/elementary-school-allegedly-created-black-classes-to-segregate-students-one-parent-is-fighting-back/#</ref> filed a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) after learning her daughter and 11 other black students were segregated by race into “black classes” in separate classrooms at the Mary Lin Elementary School in Atlanta.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/08/11/black-atlanta-mother-files-suit-against-principal-for-separating-students-by-race-1116823/</ref><br />
<br />
===Economy===<br />
[[File:Oil July 5, 2021.png|right|300px|thumb|Crude oil prices, July 5, 2021.<ref>https://twitter.com/markets/status/1412075756914630659</ref>]]<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris economic policy|Stagflation|Misery index}}<br />
After the seizure of power, French president [[Emmanuel Macron]] announced at the [[Davos]] conference that [[capitalism]] is dead and the [[Great Reset]] is on.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2021/01/28/davos-great-reset-french-prez-macron-declares-modern-capitalism-can-no-longer-work/</ref> Biden puppetmaster, General Secretary of the genocidal CPP Xi Jinping, laid out the talking points and marching orders that he expects the Biden junta to fall in line behind.<ref>https://spectator.org/xi-jinping-davos-speech/</ref><br />
<br />
Democrat governors devastated the U.S. economy with [[covid]] lockdown orders.<ref>https://reason.com/2020/05/12/democratic-governors-lockdown-businesses-coronavirus-covid-19/</ref> More than 30 million Americans lost their jobs during the [[pandemic]].<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-many-u-s-workers-have-lost-jobs-during-coronavirus-pandemic-there-are-several-ways-to-count-11591176601</ref> The Democrat controlled House delayed a covid relief package until after the November 2020 election.<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/juliorosas/2020/12/04/nancy-pelosi-now-wants-to-pass-covid-relief-for-americans-because-of-biden-n2581062</ref> Biden praised the passage of a pork-filled "coronavirus relief" bill in late December 2020 that provided a mere $600 stimulus checks for Americans yet allocated billions in border security for [[Jordan]], [[Lebanon]], [[Egypt]], [[Tunisia]], and [[Oman]].<ref>https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1341255898711220225</ref><ref>https://notthebee.com/article/covid-stimulus-bill-includes-250-million-for-enhanced-border-security--in-jordan-lebanon-egypt-tunisia-and-oman</ref> The relief bill was minuscule compared to what was needed to benefit Americans.<ref>https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-nw-second-stimulus-check-updates-20201130-jby3rr7s5bbsvlrqdnllulylmm-story.html</ref> When asked "what is President Biden doing for my small business?", White House chief propagandist Jen Psaki responded with a straight face, "First and foremost, he nominated a woman to lead the [[Small Business Administration]]."<ref>https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1361816948363956224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw</ref><br />
<br />
In Biden's first 100 days, [[unemployment]] and [[inflation]] went up. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, illegal immigrants received $4.38 billion in [[stimulus]] checks.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/illegal-immigrants-to-receive-4-38-billion-in-stimulus-checks-report_3744122.html</ref> A federal judge found Biden's farm debt relief program racist and unconstitutional.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/unconstitutional-federal-judge-suspends-bidens-racist-anti-white-farmer-debt-relief-program/</ref> In addition to killing off the domestic oil industry and enriching Russia and Saudi Arabia by doing so, Biden pledged to increase gas taxes by $90 billion. <br />
<br />
When leftwing activists, men and women, followed Sen. [[Kyrsten Sinema]] into the bathroom with cameras to harass her for not supporting Biden's socialist program, Biden said at a press conference that such harassment was "part of the process" to get his totalitarian program passed.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/10/04/joe-biden-says-following-women-into-bathrooms-with-cameras-is-just-part-of-the-process-for-passing-his-agenda/</ref><br />
<br />
====Oil dependency====<br />
[[File:Price-of-Gas.jpg|right|500px|thumb|Biden's artificially induced pump price increase instantly destroyed American jobs and profited [[Vladimir Putin]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and the Marxist regime of [[Venezuela]].]]<br />
During the Democrat primary elections, Biden stated several times that he will end [[Fracking|fracking]].<ref>[https://www.atr.org/biden-yes-we-should-end-fracking?amp Biden: "Yes" We Should End Fracking]</ref><ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/biden-claimed-he-never-wanted-ban-fracking-he-did-1541552 Biden Claimed He Never Wanted to Ban Fracking. He Did]</ref> After winning the primary elections he pretended that he had never said that he will end fracking to his supporters in [[Pennsylvania]], and he declined to comment further on ending fracking. The [[Washington Post]] admitted that Biden would lose what popularity he allegedly had in Pennsylvania because of his comments on fracking.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-fracking-unions-pennsylvania/2020/10/22/447d31de-12cf-11eb-ad6f-36c93e6e94fb_story.html Biden's fracking comments could cost him Pennsylvania ...]</ref> Pump prices rose over a dollar from under President Trump a year earlier, with half of the increase occurring in Biden's first two months after signing executive orders shutting down U.S. energy independence and making the United States energy dependent on hostile foreign powers again.<ref>https://ycharts.com/indicators/us_gas_price</ref><br />
<br />
On its first day, the Biden junta killed 70,000 high-wage [[middle class]] and union jobs by canceling the [[Keystone Pipeline]],<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2021/01/22/pollak-biden-kills-up-to-70000-jobs-on-first-day-in-office-job/</ref> making America energy dependent on [[Vladimir Putin]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and the [[Venezuela]]n Marxist regime while making America's enemies richer.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/putins-puppet-joe-bidens-eo-blocking-keystone-pipeline-forces-us-imports-russia-venezuelan-marxist-regime-video/</ref><ref>*[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/19/joe-biden-pressed-not-cancel-keystone-xl-pipeline-/ Canadian tribes flip pipeline script by urging Biden not to cancel Keystone XL]. ''Washington Times''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://nypost.com/2021/01/19/joe-bidens-plan-to-kill-keystone-xl-pipeline-will-kill-jobs-insult-canada/ Biden’s plan to kill Keystone XL pipeline to appease loony left will kill jobs, insult top US ally ]. ''New York Post''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> Biden signed an executive order to revoke a permit for the [[Keystone XL]],<ref>Two references:<br />
*[https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/535114-biden-nixes-keystone-xl-permit-halts-arctic-refuge-leasing Biden nixes Keystone XL permit, halts Arctic refuge leasing]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/20/joe-biden-kills-keystone-xl-pipeline-permit-460555 Biden kills Keystone XL permit, again]. ''Politico''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> which led to killing 11 thousands jobs immediately, including 8,000 union jobs.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/01/21/ted-cruz-grills-pete-buttigieg-biden-killing-thousands-keystone-xl-jobs/ Ted Cruz Grills Pete Buttigieg on Biden Killing ‘Thousands’ of Keystone XL Jobs]</ref> Even far-left Canadian prime minister [[Justin Trudeau]] expressed disappointment.<ref>[https://elmoudjaweb.com/trudeau-disappointed-with-bidens-decision-to-cancel-keystone-xl-pipeline-details/ Trudeau “Disappointed” With Biden’s Decision to Cancel Keystone XL Pipeline (Details)]</ref> Crude oil prices immediately rose 24%.<ref>https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/15/oil-hits-pandemic-high-as-winter-storm-pushes-demand-and-poses-production-risk.html</ref><br />
<br />
Additionally on day one, the junta banned oil and gas leasing on federal lands, destroying the state of [[New Mexico]]'s economy.<ref>https://www.foxbusiness.com/energy/oil-gas-lifeblood-of-the-new-mexico-economy-energy-employee</ref> During the [[covid lockdown]], while the state government was busy destroying jobs and businesses and the state's share on income and sales taxes collected, New Mexico's oil gas severance tax contributed more than a full one-third of all state spending.<ref>https://www.krwg.org/post/oil-and-natural-gas-contributed-28-billion-new-mexico-budget-fy-2020</ref> New Mexico Democrat Gov. [[Michelle Lujan Grisham]] harshly criticized the junta's actions saying it "doesn't make any sense."<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrat-governor-rips-biden-energy-plan-doesnt-make-any-sense-hurts-state-an-economic-problem</ref> Nearly one million high paying union jobs are expected to be lost across the nation by the junta's determination to make America energy dependent on America's enemies.<ref>https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/gas-and-oil/biden-suspends-new-leases-for-oil-and-gas-drilling-on-federal-lands/</ref> ''[[Reuters]]'' reported:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"New Mexico—home to the country’s richest oil fields on federal lands—depends heavily on drilling revenues to finance its struggling public schools. And budgets have already taken a hit from falling crude prices as the coronavirus pandemic sapped global fuel demand. . . .<br />
<br />
The U.S. federal lands drilling program yielded some $1.8 billion directly to states in 2020, supporting schools and other programs in places like Wyoming and Utah, according to data from the U.S. Interior Department.<br />
<br />
School superintendents from [[Montana]], [[Wyoming]], [[North Dakota]], [[Utah]], and [[Alaska]] have written to Biden asking him to reverse the ban, calling it “imperative that we bring to light the arbitrary and inequitable move to shut down oil and gas production on federal lands in our states that depend on revenues from various taxes, royalties, disbursements, and lease payments to fund our schools, community infrastructure, and public services.”<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-biden-drilling-newmexico-insight/biden-drilling-ban-forces-democratic-led-new-mexico-to-reckon-with-oil-dependence-idUSKBN2A91JD</ref>}}<br />
[[Sinopec]] is a Chinese natural gas and mineral oil company and is the biggest company in [[China]]. Sinopec Marketing Company enjoyed nearly $1 billion in investment from Hunter Biden’s private equity firm [[BHR Partners]]. Finalized in March 2015, the investments from the BHR Partners led to BHR amassing a nearly 30 percent stake in Sinopec. BHR Partner’s [[LinkedIn]] profile highlights its Sinopec investment, revealing it was involved “in the pilot state-owned enterprise reform deal involving the segregation and capitalization of Sinopec Group’s non-oil business into Sinopec Marketing Corporation.” As of October 2021, Hunter Biden reportedly still owned a 10 percent stake in BHR Partners.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/biden-linked-energy-firm-hits-record-level-production/</ref><br />
<br />
After the Biden regime canceled the Keystone XL destroying America's energy independence, by October 2021 when the global energy crisis hit, Sinopec reported record-breaking output figures. A company press release stated: "Fuling Shale Gas Field – the first commercially developed and operated large-scale shale gas field in China – announced on October 8 that it has produced 40 billion cubic meters of shale gas, setting a new record for the cumulative production of shale gas in the country."<ref>https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sinopec-fuling-shale-gas-field-sets-new-cumulative-production-record-of-40-billion-cubic-meters-301396524.html</ref><br />
<br />
=====Energy crisis=====<br />
[[File:Granholm laugh.PNG|rright|300px|thumb|Granholm laughed at the suffering of ordinary people caused by high gasoline prices and the Biden regime's policy to cut back U.S. oil production.<ref>https://thefederalist.com/2021/11/06/energy-secretary-jennifer-granholm-laughs-at-your-high-gas-prices/</ref>]]<br />
Energy Commisaar [[Jennifer Granholm]]'s deception was on full display in a Bloomberg TV interview. After Biden had destroyed the United States as the world's leading oil producer, Granholm laughed when asked about the hardships created by the Biden regime on ordinary Americans with higher gasoline and home heating oil prices. <br />
<br />
Host Tom Keene asked, “What is the Granholm plan to increase oil production in America?” Granholm burst out laughing and said, “That is hilarious. Would that I had the magic wand on this. As you know, of course, oil is a global market. It is controlled by a cartel. That cartel is called [[OPEC]]. And they made a decision yesterday that they were not going to increase beyond what they were already planning."<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/11/05/energy-secy-granholm-laughs-blames-opec-when-asked-her-plan-to-increase-oil-production/</ref> The question of course, was about increasing production in America, not in OPEC countries. <br />
<br />
Granholm was trotted out to the [[White House]] microphones to tell the [[White House Press Corps]] how brilliant, beneficial and strategically necessary it was to release 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Granholm read the script, gave her talking points and then took questions. One journalist asked: “that said, how many barrels of oil do U.S. consumers use every day?”… Granholm paused, looked down and said: “I don’t have that number in front of me, I’m sorry“.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/11/23/energy-secretary-touting-bidens-oil-release-doesnt-know-how-many-barrels-of-oil-we-use-or-need/</ref><br />
<br />
====Infrastructure====<br />
<br />
:{{See also|Green New Deal|Reparations|}}<br />
Biden's American Jobs Plan would spend roughly $2 trillion on so-called "infrastructure" projects and other [[boondoggle]]s Biden proposed to pay for the spending by increasing taxes. “The largest federal tax increase since 1942,” is how the ''New York Times'' described the Biden plan.<ref>https://reason.com/2021/03/29/heres-how-bidens-proposed-tax-increases-will-affect-you/</ref> Biden claimed that the last five leaders of the [[Federal Reserve]] had declared that his American Jobs Plan proposal will increase economic growth.<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/05/05/remarks-by-president-biden-on-his-administrations-implementation-of-the-american-rescue-plan/</ref> The only problem with Biden's remarks was only three of the last five leaders of the Fed are still alive.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/10/politics/fact-check-biden-federal-reserve-moodys-american-jobs-plan/index.html</ref><br />
<br />
The junta's infrastructure plan includes the building of clean energy infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions. The purpose is to shift the US from the use of fossil fuels and grow the amount of solar, wind and other renewable energy. Another of Biden's proposals is to spend $174 billion to boost the electric vehicle market and shift away from gas-powered cars. Wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles all rely on rare earth materials. Extracting rare earth materials is a highly polluting process. More than 60% of the world's solar panels are made in China. Forty-five percent of the global supply of solar-grade polysilicon, the base material used in solar cells, is made in China. Polysilicon is produced in Xinjiang, where China is accused of using forced labor in the production chains.<ref>https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17335/china-rare-earth-materials</ref><br />
<br />
Only about 5% of the proposed $2.25 trillion plan goes for what traditionally is recognized as infrastructure; specifically, public construction projects, such as roads and bridges.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/04/07/9-things-you-need-to-know-about-bidens-infrastructure-spending-plan/</ref> The junta's plan includes the building of clean energy infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions. The purpose is to shift the US from the use of fossil fuels and grow the amount of solar, wind and other renewable energy. Another of Biden's proposals is to spend $174 billion to boost the electric vehicle market and shift away from gas-powered cars. Wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicles all rely on rare earth materials. Extracting rare earth materials is a highly polluting process. More than 60% of the world's solar panels are made in China. Forty-five percent of the global supply of solar-grade polysilicon, the base material used in solar cells, is made in China. Polysilicon is produced in Xinjiang, where China is accused of using forced labor in the production chains.<ref>https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17335/china-rare-earth-materials</ref><br />
<br />
====Budget====<br />
:{{See also|Modern Monetary Theory|New spending|Build Back Better}}<br />
[[File:DS-Biden-spending-agenda-charts-04.jpg|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
As of 2021, the top 1% pays 40% of all the income taxes. The top 1% earned 21% of the income but paid 40% of the income tax. The entire bottom half of taxpayers who earned 11.6% of the income paid a 2.9% of all income tax. Six in ten households received more in direct government benefits than they pay in federal taxes. Over 53 million low and middle income individuals pay no income taxes because of refundable tax credit, which are effectively a form of federal spending through the tax code.<br />
<br />
Analysts predict that Biden’s American Families Plan would add 21 million Americans to the [[Nanny State|welfare rolls]]. Families earning six figures would be eligible for generous handouts. Most of Biden’s spending would benefit middle-income and upper-income households and not "poor kids".<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-families-plan-would-put-21-million-more-people-on-welfare-analysts</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/7qYckI0YV-0</ref><br />
<br />
The junta's first budget proposal projected [[economic growth]] at 1.9% or a return to the stagnant years of [[Obamanomics]]. Communist China is projected to grow at around 6% into the foreseeable future. By the end of the budget period, 10 years out, China’s [[GDP]] would have grown by roughly 80% and then roughly equal the United States with a concomitant impact on national security and military spending.<ref>https://www.nysun.com/national/the-surrender-budget/91531/</ref> A deterrent defense posture is dead, and the United States is faced with either an arms race or surrender short of direct military confrontation.<br />
<br />
Within every federal spending and appropriation bill there are carve-outs for various segments of the process for resettling illegal immigrants. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) receive hundreds of billions in supplemental appropriation funding from within each federal spending package. Each of the COVID relief bills contained money to facilitate various elements of this process. Federal housing grants, food assistance programs, education funding, employment and income assistance, all of it, every single spending package, contains funding mechanisms to support the open border policy.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/06/29/tucker-carlson-outlines-the-biden-administration-logistic-program-to-facilitate-the-southern-border-invasion/</ref><br />
<br />
The junta proposed doubling the size of the [[IRS]] by adding 87,000 new employees through an $80 billion budget increase,<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/apparent-irs-leak-reveals-thousands-of-wealthy-americans-confidential-tax-data/</ref> while simultaneously illegally leaking tax information on some of the richest Americans<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2021/06/08/a-scandal-is-brewing-at-the-irs-n2590651</ref> in keeping with Anita Dunn's strategy to re-kindle Marxist [[class warfare]].<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/transition-playbook/2021/04/27/exclusive-read-anita-dunns-memo-to-democrats-492624</ref><br />
<br />
====Child care====<br />
The junta proposed spending $225 billion on subsidized daycare over the next decade as part of its nearly $2 trillion American Families Plan. This is on top of the proposed $200 billion the administration hopes to spend to create a universal government preschool program for 3- and 4-year-olds. The plan is presented as a way to get mothers back in the labor force by subsidizing child care expenses.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/06/13/bidens-taxpayer-funded-childcare-plan-wont-work-harvard-economist-and-obama-ally-concludes-1088302/</ref> A study on the long-term impact of universal child care subsidies found that "the negative effects on noncognitive outcomes persisted to school ages, and also that cohorts with increased child care access had worse health, lower life satisfaction, and higher crime rates later in life.” Boys were particularly harmed by the child care subsidy program: “Increases in aggression and hyperactivity are concentrated in boys, as is the rise in the crime rates.”<ref>https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1257/pol.20170603</ref><br />
<br />
Two-parent households with two preschool-age children and incomes up to $130,000 would qualify for federal cash assistance for daycare. Single parents with two preschoolers and incomes up to $113,000 would qualify. And some families with incomes over $200,000 would be eligible for health-insurance subsidies.<ref>https://archive.is/SoYT8</ref><br />
<br />
''The Economist'' noted that “Joe Biden wants to Europeanise the American [[welfare state]]” by installing child care subsidies, universal government preschool, “free” community college, and related programs. When the [[UK]] implemented subsidized child care and preschool programs, it led to private providers going out of business, along with higher costs and less customer satisfaction.<ref>https://www.economist.com/united-states/2021/05/20/joe-biden-wants-to-europeanise-the-american-welfare-state</ref><br />
<br />
Steep government regulation of child care programs limits the supply of daycare providers by raising costs and barriers to entry. Occupational licensing and expanded degree requirements for daycare workers create higher costs. Between 2005 and 2017, the number of small, in-home family child care centers dropped by 48 percent, with providers citing increased regulations as a reason. [[Coronavirus lockdown]]s only made matters worse. Many small daycare providers shut down entirely, contributing to supply shortages and rising costs.<br />
<br />
The junta budget proposal is basically an effort to begin teaching [[critical race theory]] to 3- and 4-year-olds. Critical race theory is [[pseudoscientific]] dogma that teaches "whiteness is a malignant, parasitic like condition" that is "voracious, insatiable, and perverse - with no permanent cure."<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9670579/Psychoanalyst-condemned-paper-branding-whiteness-malignant-parasitic-like-condition.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Worker rights====<br />
Despite being urged otherwise over the heavy economic losses that would occur,<ref>Two references:<br />
*[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jan/19/joe-biden-pressed-not-cancel-keystone-xl-pipeline-/ Canadian tribes flip pipeline script by urging Biden not to cancel Keystone XL]. ''Washington Times''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://nypost.com/2021/01/19/joe-bidens-plan-to-kill-keystone-xl-pipeline-will-kill-jobs-insult-canada/ Biden’s plan to kill Keystone XL pipeline to appease loony left will kill jobs, insult top US ally ]. ''New York Post''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> Biden signed an executive order to revoke a permit for the [[Keystone XL]],<ref>Two references:<br />
*[https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/535114-biden-nixes-keystone-xl-permit-halts-arctic-refuge-leasing Biden nixes Keystone XL permit, halts Arctic refuge leasing]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/20/joe-biden-kills-keystone-xl-pipeline-permit-460555 Biden kills Keystone XL permit, again]. ''Politico''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> which led to killing 11 thousands jobs immediately, including 8,000 union jobs.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2021/01/21/ted-cruz-grills-pete-buttigieg-biden-killing-thousands-keystone-xl-jobs/ Ted Cruz Grills Pete Buttigieg on Biden Killing ‘Thousands’ of Keystone XL Jobs]</ref> <br />
<br />
[[Ford]] Motor Company previously agreed with its workers, the [[United Auto Workers]] (UAW), to spend $900 million on a new electric vehicle product line for its Avon Lake, [[Ohio]] plant. The UAW had endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election. By March of 2021, Ford announced it was shifting production to Mexico claiming "conditions had changed since 2019" when the agreement was made, according to ''[[Reuters]]''.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-ford-ohio-idUSKBN2B82V9</ref> The junta refused to enforce provisions of the [[USMCA]], which replaced the [[NAFTA]] trade deal.<br />
<br />
The White House Council of Economic Advisers deleted its entire internship page after the ''[[Daily Caller]]'' News Foundation reported that the office offered exclusively unpaid positions despite calling for a higher federal [[minimum wage]].<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/05/21/white-house-council-of-economic-advisors-joe-biden/</ref> Biden had said on January 22, 2021, “No one in America should work 40 hours a week making below the poverty line. Fifteen dollars gets people above the poverty line. We have so many millions of people working 40 hours a week — working — and some with two jobs, and they’re still below the poverty line.”<br />
<br />
====Climate change====<br />
[[File:Climate Czar Kerry.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Climate Czar John Kerry went to China to discuss climate change and received the cold shoulder. The [[Taliban]] was more welcome. Kerry was given only a video conference with senior leaders, which could have been done from home in the United States.<ref>https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_us-politics_us-climate-envoy-kerry-gets-cold-shoulder-china/6219223.html</ref>]]<br />
At an [[Earth Day]] virtual summit on April 22, 2021, Biden pledged to cut U.S. emissions by half by 2030,<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-will-commit-halving-u-s-emissions-2030-part-paris-n1264892</ref> the [[European Union]] agreed to go carbon neutral by 2050,<ref>https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3130431/european-union-agrees-go-carbon-neutral-2050-ahead-biden-climate</ref> and the People's Republic of China pledged only to reduce coal consumption - starting in 2026.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-xi-says-china-will-phase-down-coal-consumption-over-2026-2030-2021-04-22/</ref> The junta also waived sanctions on the Russian Nord Stream II pipeline, enriching Vladimir Putin and in direct contradiction to Biden’s claim that the “climate crisis” is a major factor in foreign policy decisions. The pipeline from Russia to Germany undercuts Germany's efforts to meet [[Paris Climate Agreement]] targets. The Paris Agreement, which Biden rejoined in one of his first actions, also benefits Russia, which simply ignores carbon emission goals.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/05/21/what-does-putin-have-on-biden/</ref><br />
<br />
Junta Executive Order on Climate-Related Financial Risk contained all the far-left Green New Deal climate change features to destroy [[fossil fuel]]s, [[capitalism]], jobs and the economy in the name of [[global warming]]. The order allowed the government to do virtually anything in any part of the economy or the financial markets, or labor markets, or [[agriculture]] — or anything — in the name of mitigating risk of [[climate change]]. The ''diktat'' claims that “intensifying impacts of climate change present physical risk to [[asset]]s, publicly traded securities, private investments, and companies — such as increased extreme weather risk leading to supply chain disruptions.”<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/05/20/executive-order-on-climate-related-financial-risk/</ref> The junta claimed the power to regulate everything, to include signing a loan for a new home, how savings and retirement funds are managed, and to “reduce the risk of climate change to the federal budget.”<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/05/20/fact-sheet-president-biden-directs-agencies-to-analyze-and-mitigate-the-risk-climate-change-poses-to-homeowners-and-consumers-businesses-and-workers-and-the-financial-system-and-federal-government/</ref> Massive and unprecedented central power would come from the District of Columbia and be exercised by upper- and middle-level [[bureaucrat]]s.<ref>https://www.nysun.com/national/bidens-radical-executive-order-on-global-warming/91529/</ref><br />
<br />
Biden plans to cut carbon emissions 50% by 2030 by driving farmers out of business and creating food shortages.<ref>https://www.mnfarmliving.com/2021/01/why-changes-capital-gains-tax-will-kill-family-farms.html</ref><br />
<br />
===National security===<br />
:{{See also|Long march through the institutions}}<br />
{|class="infobox" style="float:right; font-size:85%; width:1ex; line-height:17px; margin: 0px 0px 5px 50px" cellpadding="1"<br />
|[[File:Russian Army.PNG|138px]]<br />
|[[File:US Army.PNG|138px]]<br />
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|colspan="3"|<hr/>Left: Russian Army recruiting ad.<br>Right: woke progressive U.S. Army recruiting ad.<ref>https://blackchristiannews.com/2021/05/ted-cruz-tears-into-the-woke-emasculated-military-thats-turning-into-pansies-with-video-showing-very-different-american-and-russian-army-recruitment-ads/</ref><br />
|}<br />
Under the junta, the most important national security issue is the protection of transgenderism in the [[military]]. This was affirmed in presidential Executive Order No.14004 signed five days after the seizure of power. The White House’s 2021 “Interim National Security Strategic Guidance,” instead of offering guidance on Russian, Iranian and Chinese aggression, the document was laden with PC nonsense. In its 24 pages, the ‘Guidance’ mentions climate change more than a dozen times, as well as racial justice and LGBTQI+ rights.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/mar/30/bidens-woke-military/</ref><br />
<br />
On January 29, 2021, four days after Biden’s transgender executive order, defense minister [[Lloyd Austin]] followed with a military-wide order that all restrictions on transgenderism would be lifted pending a review of the issue which radical leftists consider crucial to America’s national security.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/02/15/barr-the-strange-priorities-of-bidens-department-of-defense/</ref> Biden signed an Executive Order on January 25, 2021 mandating taxpayers to pay for gender reassignment surgery for active military personnel and veterans, with some treatments costing upward of $200,000.<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/military-transgender-surgery-free</ref><br />
<br />
The Biden budget increased defense spending only 1.6%. Adjusted for inflation, it’s a cut.<ref>https://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2021/05/28/Bidens-First-Budget-Numbers-You-Need-Know</ref> Meantime CCP state media called for increases in the PRC nuclear weapons.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/china-state-media-warns-of-intense-showdown-with-america-advocates-more-nuclear-weapons/</ref> Pentagon analysts project the CCP military to match and overtake the U.S. military in strength in 5 to 10 years. Pentagon spending was rotated out for other domestic vote-buying schemes, such as the Green New Deal disguised as infrastructure, and supposed slave reparations including people of mixed race and immigrants who not need to prove they are descendants of American slaves (ADOS).<br />
<br />
Under Lloyd Austin, the Pentagon canceled a $10-billion ‘JEDI’ cloud-computing contract with [[Microsoft]] in July 2021 and handed it back to tech giant [[Amazon]], which had sued after [[President Trump]] took it away from Amazon in 2019.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/pentagon-cancels-10-billion-jedi-cloud-deal-awarded-microsoft</ref> Weeks earlier, [[Speaker Nancy Pelosi]]'s husband, who handles the families finances, bought $1 million in Amazon call options.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/political/pelosis-husband-bought-amazon-stock-pentagon-jedi-shakeup-sent-shares-soaring</ref><br />
<br />
Among the modern Pentagon's lesser priorities after transgenderism and critical race theory is its report that the possibility of nuclear weapons being used in regional or global conflicts is growing.<ref>https://mailchi.mp/fas/secrecy-news-070621?e=2849dbef1b</ref><br />
<br />
====Cancelation of emergency evacuation plans====<br />
{{See also|Fall of Kabul}}<br />
[[File:Biden at 9-11 memorial 2021.jpg|right|300px|thumb|(left to right) [[Bill Clinton]], [[Hillary Clinton]], Barack Obama, [[Michelle Obama]] (barely seen standing between Obama and Biden), Biden, [[Jill Biden]], and [[Michael Bloomberg]] desecrating 9/11 Memorial service, 2021.]]<br />
The Biden State Department canceled a critical Trump-era program aimed at providing swift and safe evacuations of Americans out of overseas hotspots. The “Contingency and Crisis Response Bureau” – which was designed to handle medical, diplomatic, and logistical support for Americans overseas was paused by Anthony Blinken’s State Department shortly after the seizure of power. Notification was officially signed June 11, 2021, two months before the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. The order to shut down reads: <br />
{{quotebox-float|“That you direct the discontinuation of the establishment, and termination of, the Contingency and Crisis Response Bureau (CCR), and direct a further review of certain associated Department requirements and capabilities....That you direct the discontinuation of the establishment, and termination of, CCR, consistent with the applicable legal requirements, necessary stakeholder engagement, and any applicable changes to the Foreign Affairs Manual and other requirements.”<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/exclusive/bidens-state-dept-halted-trump-era-crisis-response-plan/</ref>}}<br />
Amid the murder of 60 people at the Kabul airport, including 13 U.S. soldiers during the junta's botched evacuation plans, the highest-ranking enlisted person in the U.S. Army was tweeting about [[diversity]]: "Diversity is a number - do you have people that don’t look or think like you in the room? Inclusion is listening and valuing those people and valuing those people. #WomensEqualityDay reminds us we’re smarter and more lethal when we come together as an inclusive, cohesive team. Our values demand it."<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sergeant-major-of-the-army-prioritizes-diversity-amid-afghanistan-evacuation</ref><br />
<br />
Families of the victims of the [[9/11 terror attacks]] asked Biden to not attend 9/11 Memorial services at Ground Zero in the days following Biden abandoning thousands of Americans to Taliban terrorists and revitalizing the Taliban terrorist organization.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/9-11-families-president-biden-don-t-come-our-memorial-n1276138</ref><br />
<br />
====The Great Purge====<br />
<br />
Another of Austin's first actions was to order a 60 day nationwide stand down across all service branches to root out Trump voters, euphemistically referred to as "extremists".<ref>https://greenwald.substack.com/p/the-new-domestic-war-on-terror-is</ref> The junta attempted to identify military personnel who exercised their [[First Amendment]] right to peacefully assemble on January 6, 2020. In a Pentagon briefing with reporters, Ramón "CZ" Colón-López, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the [[Joint Chiefs of Staff]], said that some troops have asked, when the January 6, 2021 riot is brought up, "How come you're not looking at the situation that was going on in [[Seattle]] prior to that?" "This is coming from every echelon that we're talking to," he added.<ref>https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/03/19/some-troops-see-capitol-riot-blm-protests-similar-threats-top-enlisted-leader-says.html</ref><br />
<br />
In May 2021, the DOD press secretary was asked about plans to monitor the social media accounts of active military members: "part of that insider threat program is to take a look at social media activity out there so that we're – that we can be as informed as possible.... If there is – again, the insider threat, right, is, you know, when there’s a concern about the potential of a threat coming from inside, you know, one of the things you want to do is take a look at the social media footprint and see what’s out there in the public space."<ref>[https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2622606/pentagon-press-secretary-conducts-on-camera-press-briefing/source/GovDelivery/ Pentagon Press Secretary Conducts On-Camera Press Briefing], MAY 18, 2021, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby</ref><br />
[[File:Stuart Scheller.JPG|right|300px|thumb|Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller, the only officer relieved of command in the Afgan debacle because he criticized the Biden regime's lack of accountability for failure.]]<br />
130 retired generals and admirals demanded the resignations of Mark Milley and Llyod Austin “based on negligence in performing their duties primarily involving events surrounding the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan....The consequences of this disaster are enormous and will reverberate for decades beginning with the safety of Americans and Afghans who are unable to move safely to evacuation points; therefore, being de facto hostages of the Taliban at this time. The death and torture of Afghans has already begun....The loss of billions of dollars in advanced military equipment and supplies falling into the hands of our enemies is catastrophic. The damage to the reputation of the United States is indescribable. We are now seen....as an unreliable partner in any multinational agreement or operation. Trust in the United States is irreparably damaged....our adversaries are emboldened to move against America...China benefits the most followed by Russia, Pakistan, Iran, North Korea and others. Terrorists around the world are emboldened and able to pass freely into our country through our open border with Mexico....there are leadership, training, and morale reasons for resignations...it has become clear that top leaders in our military are placing mandatory emphasis on PC “wokeness” related training which is extremely divisive and harmful to unit cohesion, readiness, and war fighting capability."<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/130-retired-generals-admirals-demand-resignations-from-milley-austin-over-afghanistan-disaster</ref><br />
<br />
Marine Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. [[Stuart Scheller]], was relieved of command for criticizing Austin and Milley's decision to close Bagram AFB in Afghanistan before evacuating American civilians and soldiers. Lt. Col Scheller made a public Facebook post criticizing the decisions that led to the deaths of 13 U.S. Marines and 170 other non-combatants. “Did any of you throw your rank on the table and say, ‘Hey, it’s a bad idea to evacuate Bagram Airfield, a strategic airbase, before we evacuate everyone’? Did anyone do that? And when you didn’t think to do that, did anyone raise their hand and say, ‘We completely messed this up’?”<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/08/27/marine-battalion-commander-lt-col-stuart-scheller-relieved-of-duty-for-criticizing-pentagon-decision-on-bagram-afb/</ref> Scheller stated,<ref>https://youtu.be/TOrjiUnsaiw</ref> “Because it appears to me that no general officers are willing to hold each other accountable, I am submitting charges against Gen. McKenzie for his bad assumptions – not because I’m vindictive, but because the senior leaders need to be held accountable to the same standard as us.” Scheller vowed to file the charges through his chain of command and directly to “the former Raytheon board director, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.” He also said he would file a complaint with the Department of Defense Inspector General’s Office.<ref>https://taskandpurpose.com/pentagon-run-down/marine-corps-stuart-scheller-charge-general-afghanistan/</ref> For demanding accountability of the regime, Scheller was sent to the brig without being charged.<ref>https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2021/09/28/marine-lieutenant-colonel-who-demanded-accountability-in-brig-not-charged/</ref> Members of Congress demanded his immediate release.<ref>https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-lt-col-scheller-brig-gohmert/</ref> Scheller was the only person disciplined following the Afghan debacle.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/marine-who-criticized-militarys-afghanistan-withdrawal-has-reportedly-been-jailed/</ref><br />
<br />
In his resignation letter 18 year veteran Lt. Col. Paul Douglas Hague wrote,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“First, and foremost, I am incapable of subjecting myself to the unlawful, unethical, immoral and tyrannical order to sit still and allow a serum to be injected into my flesh against my will and better judgment. It is impossible for this so-called ‘vaccine’ to have been studied adequately to determine the long-term effects. It simply has not existed for enough time and any claim otherwise is blatantly ignorant and likely an outright lie driven by negligent political agenda....I cannot and will not contribute to the fall of this great nation and its people. The values that our nation was founded on, has lived by and thrived under, have been utterly decimated by the current presidential administration and the leadership of the military; to include the Army....We are watching the fall of liberty at this moment. Governors and mayors forcibly locking down millions of Americans, restricting them from their unalienable right to pursue happiness, forcing them out of their jobs and their ability to participate in the most basic and fundamental rights life offers because of their beliefs and values.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/09/15/18-yr-army-officer-resigns-after-bidens-tyrannical-vax-mandate-marxist-takeover-of-military-1134608/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Marxist indoctrination====<br />
[[File:Progressive military.PNG|right|300px|thumb|The Progressive woke military in high heels for diversity awareness.<ref>https://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/04/23/rotc-cadets-wearing-heels-for-sexual-assault-awareness-spurs.html</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|Mark Milley}}<br />
On May 14, 2021, Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier, a commander in the [[United States Space Force]], was relieved of command for criticizing [[Marxist]] ideology.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/05/16/lt-col-matthew-lohmeier-commander-of-11th-space-warning-squadron-at-buckley-afb-colorado-relieved-from-duty-after-questioning-creeping-marxist-ideology-in-military/</ref><ref>https://therightscoop.com/space-force-co-gets-canned-for-saying-marxism-and-critical-race-theory-ruling-the-military-is-bad/</ref><ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/news/politics/2021/05/16/usaf-lt-col-lohmeier-relieved-of-command-after-cdmedia-interview/</ref> Lohmeier said the Biden junta is teaching in the military that [[patriotism]] is evil.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/video/2021/05/20/matthew-lohmeier-marxism-in-the-military-teaching-patriotism-is-evil/ </ref><ref>To this day, Russians, who defeated fascism, call World War II "The Great Patriot War". Marxist appeals to fight fascism were ineffective. Appeals to Mother Russia and patriotism however rallied the Russian people to defend their homeland.</ref> The teaching of military history was replaced with training on police brutality, ‘[[systemic racism]]’ and ‘[[white privilege]]’.<br />
<br />
In June 2021 it was reported that Lt. Col. Andrew Rhodes told hundreds of his “Fighting Eagle” soldiers at at Fort Carson, [[Colorado]], “If you’re a white male, you are part of the problem.”<ref> https://humanevents.com/2021/06/09/behind-the-beret-battalion-commander-reportedly-tells-troops-white-people-are-part-of-the-problem/</ref><ref>https://sofrep.com/news/army-ltc-to-troops-if-you-are-a-white-male-youre-part-of-the-problem/</ref> Navy Admiral Mike Gilday suggested Navy Sailors read ''How to Be Antiracist'' by extremist author Abram X. Kendi. The title of the book betrays its readers when the contents inside insist that America is racist in history and continues to be today in every structure that exists in the country.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/06/15/navy-chief-critical-race-theory-proponents-radical-book-makes-better-navy/</ref> Navy Command of Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit 303 Mainbody of Sunset, [[California]] forced all of its members on a [[gay pride]] march with a rainbow-themed American Flag.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/navy-brass-forces-maintenance-unit-march-gay-us-flag-mandatory-hike-highway-photos/</ref><ref>https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2408054769338464&id=123075057836458&__tn__=%2As%2As-R</ref><br />
<br />
Future officers at the U.S. Army‘s military academy at [[West Point]] are being taught several leftist courses that are part of Marxist indoctrination. Three classes in particular at the academy are being taught with what critics say is the goal of social engineering and politicization of the 4,294 cadets: “Social Inequality,” “Military Leadership: Leading Inclusive Teams” and “Politics of Race Gender and Sexuality and Diversity.” West Point also offers a seminar on diversity and inclusion that features images of Black Lives Matter protesters.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/aug/11/west-point-teaching-marxism/</ref><br />
<br />
[[File:Biden Satanism.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The Biden regime teaches Satanism in the U.S. military.<ref>https://twitter.com/DailyCaller/status/1440107751477231621</ref>]]<br />
====Satanism====<br />
[[Tucker Carlson]] exposed a PowerPoint presentation used by the Biden DoD to promote [[Satanism]] in the U.S. military. Carlson explained, "We just obtained a PowerPoint that the Army is using to justify mandatory vaccines to the troops. In it is the sympathetic portrayal of Satanism. ‘How many children were sacrificed to [[Satan]] because of the vaccine.'"<br />
<br />
The presentation then proceeds to list the so-called ‘tenants of Satanism,’ which are taken straight from the [[Satanic Temple]] website. Carlson asked, “So what’s the scientific justification for this? Well, of course, there isn’t any,” Carlson responded. “The fighting strength of the military is young, healthy people, virtually all of them at extremely low risk of dying from COVID. In fact, to this day, only 46 members of the entire U.S. military have died from the coronavirus over the last year and a half. Suicides kill many, many more. In just a few months last year, 156 service members killed themselves.” Carlson posited, “The point of mandatory vaccination is to identify the sincere [[Christian]]s in the ranks, the [[freethinker]]s, the men with high testosterone levels, and anyone else who doesn’t love Joe Biden and make them leave immediately. It’s a takeover of the U.S. military.”<ref>https://nationalfile.com/tucker-carlson-military-forces-soldiers-to-study-7-tenets-of-satanism-powerpoint-in-defense-of-covid-19-vaccines/</ref><br />
<br />
===Neo-Nazis===<br />
On February 24, 2022 [[President Vladimir Putin]] of Russia announced [[Operation Denazification]] to clean out the fascist battalions which have waged war on the civilians of the [[Donbas]] Republics since 2014, killing at least 13,000.<ref>http://www.indiandefencereview.com/what-forced-a-russian-response-in-ukraine/</ref> ''[[Politico]]'' reported, "The day after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, the Azov Regiment invited foreigners to join, Rita Katz of SITE Intelligence Group has detailed. Since then, neo-Nazis around the world have expressed enthusiasm for the fight."<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/24/american-fighters-ukraine-white-supremacists-00034860</ref> Biden said of Putin, "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power."<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/biden-putin-remain-power-anxiety-europe-ukraine-war-rcna21783#</ref><br />
[[File:DHS Ukraine.PNG|right|500px|thumb|The Biden DHS warned Ukraine was actively recruiting foreign Nazis to fight against Putin's special denazification operation.]]<br />
On March 7, 2022 DHS issued an intelligence bulletin warning that 3,000 Americans [[mercenaries]] sign up with to fight Ukraine. Th bulletin noted {{quotebox-float|"Ukrainian nationalist groups including the [[Azov movement]] are actively recruiting racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist-[[white supremacist]]s (RMVE-WS) to join various [[neo-Nazi]] battalions in the war against [[Russia]]."<ref>https://propertyofthepeople.org/document-detail/?doc-id=22022879</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Islamophobic witchhunts====<br />
<br />
{{See also|Muslim agenda of the Obama/Biden administration}}<br />
After the [[September 11, 2001]] terror attacks, many young [[Patriot]]s rushed to defend their country. The Marxist Biden junta began a [[witchhunt]] to root out alleged [[Islamophobe]]s. The junta dismantled counterterrorism programs and replaced them with Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). <br />
<br />
In Biden’s group of outside contractors, the Countering Extremism Working Group (CEWG), several appeared at events for [[CAIR]], [[ICNA]], and other terror-linked organizations. Some appeared at events featuring advocates for Islamic terrorism, [[sharia]], and violence against non-Muslims. The list consists almost entirely of organizations and individuals who supported Biden's election [[coup]]. The group is tasked with dismantling CVE and siccing [[Islamist]] [[activist]]s and their lawyers on the military to implement a ruthless purge of American soldiers.<br />
<br />
''Frontpagemag'' reported<ref>https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2021/05/biden-brings-islamic-activists-investigate-us-daniel-greenfield/</ref> that many personnel are from the discredited [[Southern Poverty Law Center]] (SPLC) including Heidi Beirich.<br />
<br />
At the start of the [[Obama administration]], Hina Shamsi was fighting on behalf of the Holy Land Foundation whose leaders had been convicted of providing material support to [[Hamas]]. As the head of the [[ACLU]]’s National Security Project, Shamsi, fought fiercely for the Islamic terrorists at [[Guantanamo Bay]]. In addition to Shamsi, there’s fellow [[Pakistan]]i ACLU activist: Manar Waheed.<br />
<br />
Faiza Patel co-wrote an article arguing against designating the [[Muslim Brotherhood]] as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). In another co-written article, Faiza Patel claimed that laws against Sharia were [[Islamophobic]].<br />
<br />
The list includes Wael Alzayat in his role as the CEO of Emgage. The national co-chair and founding member of the Islamic group is Khurrum Wahid who has been described as one of the country’s most prominent terror lawyers and whose clients include an [[Al Qaeda]] operative who plotted to kill [[President George W. Bush]] and Sami al-Arian who was linked to Islamic Jihad. Wahid had been placed on a terrorist watch list and Emgage, as counterterrorism researcher Joe Kaufman noted, "holds events at terror-linked mosques”: including one founded by al-Arian. Emgage's board includes Dhabah ‘Debbie’ Almontaser who was forced out of her old job over t-shirts reading “Intifada NYC”. Nada al Hanooti, Emgage's Executive Director for [[Michigan]], is the daughter of Muthanna al Hanooti, a former CAIR leader who was accused of working for [[Saddam Hussein]] and [[Iraq]]'s intelligence agency.<br />
<br />
Also on the list of Biden's CEWG partners is Iman Boukadoum, the staff attorney for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). The ADC has a long history of defending and excusing Islamic terrorism. "I know many people in Hamas. They are very respectable," its former president Hamzi Moghrabi had said. Former ADC president Hussein Ibish called [[Hezbollah]] “a disciplined and responsible liberation force” whose members “conducted themselves in an exemplary manner.” Boukadoum was most recently hard at work fighting for Abdelhaleem Ashqar, who had been convicted of [[obstruction of justice]] in a case involving the flow of money to Hamas. Ashqar ran for president of the [[Palestinian Authority]] while awaiting trial in the United States. He had argued that the evidence against him had come from a time when “Hamas was not designated as a terrorist organisation” and boasted that, “they wanted me to testify against my people. I said I'd rather die than betray my commitment to freedom and justice for Palestine."<br />
<br />
====Defense Department schools====<br />
<br />
Department of Defense Education Activity schools, institutions that educate children from military families, are helping children change their names and pronouns at school behind parents’ backs.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/07/16/why-are-defense-department-schools-transitioning-students-gender-behind-parents-backs/</ref> Video evidence from the Department of Defense Education Activity’s Equity and Access Summit in May 2021 shows that in one case at a school in Rota, [[Spain]], a seventh-grade language arts and high school humanities teacher—who is also a Gay-Straight Alliance sponsor—told teachers that in some instances they will need to protect children from parents who do not know about their child’s gender “transition.”<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/06/10/young-children-are-being-targeted-with-sexual-content-the-equality-act-would-make-it-worse/</ref> Another conference presenter, who teaches English and drama at a high school in [[Stuttgart]], [[Germany]], and is also a Gay-Straight Alliance sponsor, noted that while some parents are labeled as “unsupportive” and have no idea that their children have transitioned at school.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/02/18/promise-to-americas-children-warns-of-destructive-equality-act-lgbt-agenda/</ref> To “out” children to their parents, said the teacher, would be “unsafe” and would put them “at risk” at home. For these children, she claimed, school might be the only safe place for them to be their authentic selves, with their chosen “safe” adult.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/07/16/inconvenient-truth-no-one-actually-changes-gender-only-ones-persona/</ref><br />
<br />
===Racism===<br />
:{{See also|Liberalism and racism}}<br />
[[File:Biden legacy chart 1.png|right|300px|thumb|The Biden legacy.]]<br />
Among the Biden junta's first official racist acts was the firing of the nation's African American [[Surgeon General]]<ref>Multiple references:<br />
*[https://abc7ny.com/surgeon-general-jerome-adams-president-joe-biden-donald-trump/9842120/ US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams asked to step down by Biden team]. ''ABC 7 NY''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2021/01/20/Surgeon-General-Jerome-Adams-resigns-to-make-way-for-Biden-nominee/8161611160416/ Surgeon General Jerome Adams resigns to make way for Biden nominee]. ''UPI''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.<br />
*[https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2021/01/20/biden-surgeon-general-resignation/ Surgeon General resigns at Biden’s request]. ''Washington Post''. Retrieved January 23, 2021.</ref> and issuance of xenophobic travel ban orders against [[South Africa]].<ref>https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2021/01/24/315890-n315890</ref><ref>https://therightscoop.com/boom-reporter-asks-if-biden-called-trumps-travel-restrictions-xenophobic-then-what-do-we-call-bidens-new-travel-restrictions/</ref> In its first full month, February 2021, while unemployment fell among fell among white, [[Hispanic]], Asian-American workers and overall to 6.2%, Blacks were the only group that saw a rise in unemployment to 9.9%.<ref>https://finance.yahoo.com/news/black-unemployment-rate-rises-despite-143209839.html</ref> Racist Democrat Sens. [[Tammy Duckworth]] and [[Mazie Hirono]] refused to vote for any [[white]] Biden appointee.<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/dem-sens-duckworth-and-hirono-threatened-to-vote-against-white-biden-nominees/</ref><br />
<br />
In April 2021, ''[[Twitter]]'' allowed a racist insult against Republican Sen. [[Tim Scott]] of South Carolina to "trend" on its website/platform following the GOP rebuttal to Biden's [[SOTU]] speech in which Scott debunked the liberal leftist agenda, accused Democrats of trying "to use our painful past to dishonestly shut down debates in the present" and stating, "America is not a racist country."<ref>AILA SLISCO | ''Newsweek'', Read the Full Text of Tim Scott's Republican Rebuttal of Joe Biden's Joint Address to Congress, https://www.newsweek.com/read-full-text-tim-scotts-republican-rebuttal-joe-bidens-joint-address-congress-1587308, April 28, 2021</ref> Following the speech, angry leftists flooded ''Twitter'' in attempts to label the Senator "Uncle Tim" and using other racist slurs. During the rebuttal Scott stated, "I have experienced the pain of discrimination... I get called "[[Uncle Tom]]" and the N-word — by 'progressives'! By liberals!"<ref>CNN Politics, Read Republican Sen. Tim Scott's response to Biden's address to Congress, https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/28/politics/tim-scott-response-transcript/index.html, Updated 10:51 PM ET, Wed April 28, 2021</ref> The left traditionally uses the derogatory epithet and hurls it at conservatives who dare to walk off the [[Democrat plantation]]. This has long been a way for bigots to insult black people who are accused of being subservient to whites and used to send an intimidating message to others who might be thinking about leaving the plantation.<ref>Debra Heine | ''AG'' News, Twitter Allows Racist Attacks Against Tim Scott to Trend For Nearly 11 Hours, https://amgreatness.com/2021/04/29/twitter-allows-racist-attacks-against-tim-scott-to-trend-for-nearly-11-hours/, April 29, 2021</ref> A [[plurality]] of voters said race relations had deteriorated in the first six month's after Bidens seizure of power.<ref>https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/biden_administration/voters_don_t_think_biden_has_made_much_difference_for_black_america</ref><br />
<br />
It took only 120 days under the leftist junta before [[Jews]] were being beaten in broad daylight in America.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/analysis/it-only-took-120-days-of-leftism-before-jews-were-being-beaten-in-broad-daylight-in-america/</ref> In [[Los Angeles]], Muslims in two vehicles, waving "[[Palestinian]]" flag, shouting "Allahu Akbar" chased a religious Jewish man.<ref>LA Jewish man chased by 2 vehicles waving Palestinian flags: 'They were yelling Allahu akbar'. Jewish Los Angeles resident said he 'thought they were going to kill me' By Yael Halon | Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/us/la-jewish-man-chased-palestinian-flags-yelling-allahu-akbar.amp</ref> <br />
The next day Arabs, attending a "pro-Palestine" rally in Los Angeles, stormed a restaurant, asked who is Jewish and began beating.<br />
<ref>Dillon Hosier (@DillonHosier) Tweeted: Moments ago: A group of "pro-Palestine" attacked a table of Persian Jews at Sushi Fumi in Los Angeles, just outside of #weho city. #westhollywood / #LA #Antisemitism masked as #FreePalestine https://t.co/jjdWNqESLO https://twitter.com/DillonHosier/status/1394911594698608642?s=20. [May 18, 2021]<br />
Yuna Leibzon (@YunaLeibzon) Tweeted: Shocking pictures from Los Angeles: A group of Arabs stop near a restaurant, ask who is inside a Jew and start beating a man vigorously before fleeing. https://twitter.com/YunaLeibzon/status/1394998791707766785?s=20. [May 19, 2021]</ref> Notably arrested was an Arab man from Brooklyn, Waseem Awawdeh.<ref>'Jewish man beaten during wild NYC protests afraid to wear yarmulke.' By Reuven Fenton and Amanda Woods. May 21, 2021. https://nypost.com/2021/05/21/jewish-man-beaten-during-wild-midtown-protests-afraid-to-wear-yarmulke/ ''Waseem Awawdeh has been hit with multiple charges, including a hate crime.<br />
In the attack, captured on video, Borgen was knocked to the ground by a group of five or six men who allegedly made anti-Semitic statements, punched, kicked, pepper-sprayed and struck him with crutches... "I tried to get away, and the next thing I knew, I was surrounded by a whole crowd of people who proceeded to kick me, punch me, beat me down," he recalled. "I felt a liquid being poured on my face and at first I thought I was getting urinated on, but it tuned out I was getting maced and pepper sprayed. My face was on fire. That pain was worse than the concussion and all this other stuff that followed."''</ref><ref>New York Police Charge Pro-Palestinian Protester With Hate Crime.' Waseem Awawdeh is accused of beating a Jewish man during protest near Times Square.' By Ben Chapman. Updated May 21, 2021. https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-police-investigate-beating-of-jewish-man-during-pro-palestinian-march-11621610628 ''"Yesterday was an attack on this man simply because he is Jewish," Ms. Halberstam said. Jewish people were targeted in 63 hate crimes between Jan. 1 and May 16, up from 60 during the same time in 2020, according to the NYPD figures. Hate crimes against Jews accounted for the second-largest number of such crimes this year, after those targeting Asians..''</ref> Waseem said, after being arrested, that he would do it again, to which [[Newsmax]]'s Logan Ratick Tweeted: ''Because he grew up brainwashed to hate a specific group of people.''<ref>Logan Ratick (@Logan_Ratick) Tweeted: Because he grew up brainwashed to hate a specific group of people https://twitter.com/Logan_Ratick/status/1396266906546548740?s=20</ref> Days later, another Arab from NY was arrested in that beating, Faisal Elezzi.<ref>NYPD arrests suspect in beating of Jewish man in Times Square. May 24, 2021. ''Faisal Elezzi was arrested and charged in connection to the violent beatdown of a Jewish man near Times Square. The suspects spewed anti-Semitic statements while pepper spraying, punching and kicking Borgen, police have said. Police said the group also used crutches to beat the victim.''<br />
</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
Under Biden, anti-Israelism intensified.<br />
<br />
(That prejudice which is bigotry masked in "politics."<br />
<ref>Nevet Basker, [https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/not-about-israel/ It’s Not About Israel], TOI, July 11, 2021. [https://www.broaderview.org/notes/not-about-israel/]<br />
<blockquote><br />
Anti-Israel rhetoric and discriminatory initiatives are not really about Israel at all. They are certainly not about the Palestinians. They are not about justice or morality. They are in fact about American Jews and our place in American society.<br />
<br />
We have seen in recent months a large increase in bigoted, discriminatory, and slanderous statements that about Israel’s alleged misdeeds. The anti-Israel campaign hijacks unsuspecting organizations—a city council in Raleigh, North Carolina; a teachers’ union in Seattle, the student government at Yale—to use as political shields for their campaign of hate. The campaign pretends to target Israeli crimes—some real, some exaggerated, some completely fictional—but it has no effect on Israeli policies and actions. The Israeli government really doesn’t care—and likely hasn’t even noticed—that Swarthmore College students called to boycott Sabra hummus (made in Virginia), a call the college president rejected.<br />
<br />
Nor does the anti-Israel campaign help Palestinians. It was silent when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were expelled from Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, and Lebanon. It has nothing to say about the Egyptian blockade of Gaza or the murder of a dissident by the Palestinian Authority security forces. Anti-Israel activists didn’t protest Assad’s forces gassing Palestinians in Syria, or Hamas using Gaza civilians as human shields for rocket attacks on Israel. They remain mum regarding apartheid in Lebanon, which denies citizenship and civil rights to Palestinians, and don’t critique the UN agency that rejects resettlement of Palestinian refugees and condemns them to eternal dispossession. They didn’t care that the Palestinian Authority rejected COVID-19 vaccines from Israel. (The vaccines were sent to South Korea instead.) And they are oblivious to the harm their campaign against Israeli companies causes Palestinians, as when a Soda Stream factory relocated in response to the boycotters’ pressure, laying off hundreds of workers from the West Bank. (The pressure continued anyway.)<br />
<br />
So if the campaign doesn’t hurt Israel and doesn’t help Palestinians, what is its point? The point is to condemn Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. (Grumbles about “ethno-nationalism” fall flat when applied only to Israel and not to other nation-states like, say, Norway and Japan.) Affinity and connection to the land and the people of Israel are core to Jewish religious tradition, ethnic identity, and cultural heritage. The right of self-determination and political independence is granted to indigenous peoples everywhere, challenged only with regards the Jewish people. So an attack on Israel is, in fact, an attack on Jews everywhere. Singling out the Jewish state and the Jewish people is an expression of prejudice; prejudice against Jews is so ancient and so prevalent that it has its own word, “antisemitism,” or Jew-hatred.<br />
<br />
Scapegoating Jews is nothing new...</blockquote></ref>)<br />
<br />
<br />
Biden implied that all Hispanics, including those who were born in the United States or are residents legally, are illegal "aliens." In speaking about Hispanics, Biden shows no respect for the Spanish language and uses the leftist derogatory language, 'Latinx' to refer to people with an Hispanic background.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/tucker-what-biden-said-about-latinos-yesterday-is-actually-a-slur/</ref><br />
<br />
====Racist travel ban====<br />
<br />
Regime chief propagandist [[Jen Psaki]] refused to answer questions about Biden's racist travel ban on Africans travelling from Black African countries. When Simon Ateba, a black African reporter with ''Today News Africa'', attempted to question Psaki about the racist motivations behind the travel ban on black Africans, Psaki ignored Ateba in favor of a sympathetic white liberal reporter.<ref>https://www.mediaite.com/news/psaki-repeatedly-shuts-down-today-news-africa-reporter-for-shouting-questions-about-omicron-at-briefing/</ref> Ateba was persistent, and wanted to know why with no cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant in [[Zimbabwe]], [[Namibia]], [[Lesotho]], and [[Mozambique]], what justified the travel ban on countries with zero cases of the variant. Ateba asked, “What would you say to those who believe that this is a racist ban, that it is only on African and black African nations?”<ref>https://thepoliticalinsider.com/african-reporter-confronts-jen-psaki-on-bidens-racist-covid-travel-ban/</ref><br />
<br />
Psaki couldn't answer the question and scolded Ateba about decorum, telling him to learn his place by watching his white counterparts.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/african-reporter-that-psaki-scolded-about-decorum-says-biden-is-disrespecting-africa-which-is-mostly-brown-black/</ref> According to ''Fox News'', Ateba said,<br />
[[File:Ateba Psaki.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Psaki made rude and disparaging comments toward Simon Ateba of ''Today Africa News''.]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The travel ban was built on a lie. The president on November 26 [2021] banned 8 African countries. Only 2 of those countries had any case of the omicron variant.”<br />
<br />
Ateba, a native of [[Cameroon]] according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, went on to question the supposed [[science]] behind Biden’s ban, pointing to Namibia, a small country on the continent’s Atlantic coast. The nation of 2.5 million people registered only 400 cases of COVID-19 since the virus’ inception, he said, but yet Biden essentially punished them anyway.<br />
<br />
“There’s total chaos: People can’t travel to Namibia, Zimbabwe [or] Mozambique, yet they have zero cases. So I don’t believe I was the one being disrespectful. I think Africa was disrespected, by banning countries based on a lie,” he said, referencing claims by Psaki he was being disrespectful of his fellow White House reporters."<ref>https://rumble.com/vq7lll-african-journalist-biden-is-disrespecting-africa-with-a-travel-ban-based-on.html</ref>}}<br />
<br />
===Immigration===<br />
{{See also|Illegal immigration}}<br />
[[File:Biden kids in cages.PNG|right|350px|thumb|On March 17, 2020, during a [[2020 Democrat primaries|2020 Democrat primary]] debate, Biden called for an immediate surge of illegal immigrants to the border.<ref>https://archive.is/tQq8A</ref>]]<br />
A Harvard/Harris poll produced in the summer of 2021 revealed that 80% of Americans believe that illegal immigration is a serious problem. 68% indicated they believed Biden was encouraging illegal immigration. 55% stated they believed President Trump’s immigration policies should have remained intact. Pollster Mark Penn wrote:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Sixty-four percent of registered voters want the [[Biden administration]] to issue new, stricter policies to reduce the flow of people across the border. Only 7% of voters could accurately call out the amount of monthly illegal immigrants crossing into the U.S. with 84% underestimate the number, suggesting we should expect stronger voter reactions if the crisis evolves further. Overall, 74% of voters view the current surge in illegal immigrants as a [[crisis]] that needs to be addressed immediately, and 56% do not view climate change, racism, and [[sexism]] as root causes of migration from South and Central America.”}}<br />
55% believed that Biden’s border policies are “increasing the flow of drugs,” into the country. 61% believed the flood of unaccompanied children surging at the southern border was the fault of the Biden administration.<ref>https://redstate.com/jeffc/2021/06/28/left-leaning-study-reveals-some-catastrophic-news-for-democrats-n403765</ref> Journalist [[Lara Logan]] reported,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"They want you to give up on your laws and give up on having them enforced. Because then it's easy for them to do whatever they want. It's about breaking your will to fight. You can see that all across the spectrum. There isn't a border anymore. It's gone. Immigration law is not enforced....On top of that, the Biden administration removed the word 'illegal' from the conversation. You are not allowed to talk about illegal immigrants anymore. You have to say migrants....It's a plan. When you look at that, what is their plan? They talk about safe, regular, orderly migration....The language is word for word what you can read at the United Nations. The 2018 [[Global Compact on Migration]] which made migration a human right, then, in their book, a right that supersedes all other rights. Sovereign rights, constitutional rights, God-given rights."<ref> https://youtu.be/_rygKbC5gFY</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====Biden border crisis====<br />
<br />
:{{See also|Biden border crisis|Cloward and Piven Strategy}}<br />
On Biden's second day occupying the White House he issued a ''diktat'' which has been described as the most extreme directive in the history of modern [[law enforcement]]. Acting Secretary David Pekoske issued a memorandum on the evening of January 20, 2021 putting into place a [[deportation]] moratorium. There were narrow exceptions for terrorists and spies and none for [[criminal]]s and criminal suspects. It is estimated that about 12,000 criminal illegal aliens per month will not be deported from the United States throughout the existence of the Biden/Harris regime.<ref>https://www.newswars.com/over-12000-criminal-illegals-will-be-freed-monthly-former-trump-official-warns/</ref> These illegals can vote unchallenged under the Democrats "[[For the People Act]]". <br />
<br />
The junta further scrapped the “public charge” rule—a government policy that sought to limit admissions of immigrants likely to become reliant on government benefits.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/biden-administration-ditches-trump-plan-limit-immigration-financially-dependent-n1260239</ref> People from [[Yemen]], [[Iran]] and [[Sri Lanka]] were crossing the border, including people on the terrorist watch list.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/mar/15/john-katko-terror-suspects-are-part-border-surge/</ref> <br />
<br />
The junta's executive order raised the refugee ceiling by 730% in the midst of the COVID pandemic.<ref>https://www.immigrationreform.com/2021/02/10/biden-intends-to-increase-refugee-numbers-by-more-than-730-percent/</ref><ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/02/10/poll-raising-refugee-admissions-is-bidens-most-unpopular-executive-order-so-far/</ref> By the junta's seventh week [[Arizona]] border agents reported illegal immigration in 2021 already surpassed all of 2018, and was on track to surpass 2018, 2019 and 2020 combined.”<br />
<br />
After White House chief [[propagandist]] [[Jen Psaki]] denied a border crisis existed,<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/03/09/wh-refuses-to-call-mexico-border-rush-child-detainment-a-crisis/</ref> the junta dispatched [[FEMA]] to deal with over 100,000 illegal aliens who crossed the border in February,<ref>https://justthenews.com/government/security/biden-dispatches-fema-address-growing-border-crisis</ref> 150,000 in March,<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/illegal-border-crossings-jump-to-150000-in-march_3756182.html</ref> and 178,000 in April 2021, a two decade high for a single month. 17,000 of those in April were unaccompanied children.<ref>https://justthenews.com/nation/cbp-reports-encountering-more-178000-attempting-enter-americas-southern-border-april</ref> Democrat Reps. [[Vicente Gonzalez]] and [[Henry Cuellar]] criticized the junta's mishandling of the crisis.<ref>https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/biden-pushes-back-against-border-crisis-label-as-democrats-concede-theres-a-major-problem</ref> Biden found the humanitarian crisis he created flattering.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/03/25/biden-would-be-flattered-if-migrants-are-surging-because-of-him/</ref> Texas Lt. Governor [[Dan Patrick]] told Fox News,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"There was a little girl that drowned in the river. Kamala Harris must think that’s amusing to her. She must think that the sex offenders who are coming into this country, who are coming into communities all over this country to assault children is funny to her. This is not a laughing matter to our country or to these people or for future victims. So far they won’t call this a crisis. It’s a designed disaster. This is their plan… Sex offenders are up 1,967% in just the Del Rio sector in Texas. Sexual offenders are defined by people we already arrested for offenses against children and they’re crossing back two or three times."<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/kamala-harris-must-think-amusing-tx-lt-gov-dan-patrick-goes-off-child-sex-trafficking-1967-video/</ref>}}<br />
A border agent described conditions in the cells to the ''[[Epoch Times]]:''<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The family-unit holding cells smell like [[urine]] and [[vomit]]. Fights break out in the unaccompanied-minor cells. [[Scabies]], [[lice]], the [[flu]], and COVID-19 run rampant. Up to 80 individuals are squeezed into each 24- by 30-foot cell, and there aren’t enough mattresses for everyone. Sheets of plastic divide the rooms. “Any diseases that are in there, it’s being kept in there, like a petri dish. The smell is overwhelming.”<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/exclusive-border-agent-gives-inside-account-of-overcrowded-facilities_3746058.html?amp</ref>}}<br />
After White House chief [[propagandist]] [[Jen Psaki]] denied a border crisis existed,<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/03/09/wh-refuses-to-call-mexico-border-rush-child-detainment-a-crisis/</ref> the [[Biden junta]] put Kamala Harris in charge of managing the catastrophe.<ref>https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2021/03/24/biden-just-named-a-new-person-in-charge-of-the-border-youll-know-her-by-the-sound-of-her-cackle-n349562</ref> Harris previously compared [[Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] officials to the [[Ku Klux Klan]].<ref>https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/kamala-harris-tapped-to-fix-the-border-despite-attacking-immigration/</ref> A week into the Harris' appointment as border czar, Harris had no immigration-related meetings on her schedule and made no public statements about the border crisis.<ref>https://freedomjournalist.com/kamala-has-no-immigration-meetings-scheduled-despite-leading-crisis-response/</ref> ''Axios'' reported "If you give someone a sh***ty assignment because the president doesn’t want to do it himself, you can’t be mad when the treacherous situation looks treacherous.”<ref>https://www.axios.com/kamala-harris-trip-problems-rekindle-2020-campaign-doubts-f08f807e-c00a-432a-a562-3c2a2beaa634.html</ref> <br />
<br />
Harris refused to visit the border for six months and laughed at the unfolding human tragedy.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/03/23/kamala-harris-bursts-out-awkward-laugh-when-asked-about-visiting-the-border-not-today-1048624/</ref> Not until President Trump announced he and Texas governor [[Greg Abbott]] would visit the border did Harris announce she would visit the border.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2021/06/23/kamala-harris-announces-border-visit-just-days-before-president-trump-event/</ref><br />
<br />
Democrat Rep. [[Henry Cuellar]], whose district was hardest hit by disaster, had been calling for months for the Biden junta to listen to the people in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, to him, and to [[law enforcement]] that is overwhelmed called Harris' visit to [[El Paso]] in the Upper Rio Rio Grande Valley a “politically safe” trip, a “check the box” kind of trip and a "joke". Harris never consulted with Cuellar, Texas governor [[Greg Abbott]], or other local people.<br />
<br />
====Call for immediate surge====<br />
<br />
On March 17, 2020, during a [[2020 Democrat primaries|2020 Democrat primary]] debate, Biden told Jorge Ramos of Univision:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"I would, in fact, make sure that there is, we immediate surge to the border. All those people seeking asylum, they deserve to be heard. That's who we are. We are nation that says, if you want to flee and you are fleeing oppression, you should come."<ref>https://therightscoop.com/flashback-joe-biden-calls-for-an-immediate-surge-of-illegals-to-the-border-when-he-becomes-president/</ref>}} <br />
After the seizure of power, human traffickers advertised their services on [[social media]].<ref>https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1403010149434937345</ref> People died attempting to cross the frigid waters of the [[Rio Grande]] after Biden's open invitation.<ref>https://youtu.be/8Mjr6Qjb_pE</ref> [[El Salvador]] President Nayib Bukele told [[Fox News]] the ‘new-liberal practice’ [[immigration]] policy was ‘immoral’ and 'not good for the US, not good for El Salvador, causing a brain drain and sending El Salvador's future workforce to the U.S. in exchange for a tiny remittance.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/salvadoran-president-tells-tucker-mass-immigration-not-profitable-feeding-on-dependency</ref> [[Texas]] Gov. [[Greg Abbott]] told an NBC affiliate,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"From a lack of safe drinking water in one location to a COVID-19 outbreak in another, the Biden Administration has no excuse for subjecting these children to these kinds of conditions. President Biden’s refusal to address the border crisis is not only enabling criminal actors like human traffickers and smugglers, but it is exposing innocent unaccompanied children to illness and potentially unsafe living conditions. The administration must act now to keep these children safe, secure our border, and end this humanitarian crisis. The Biden administration must also answer for enticing unaccompanied minors into inhumane conditions that expose these children to traffickers. To abuse. And to terror.”<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/border/2021/03/20/biden-criticized-for-inhumane-conditions-in-migrant-children-detention-facilities/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
Kamala Harris cackled in laughter when asked if she would visit the Biden-Harris humanitarian catastrophe on the border.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/03/22/inappropriate-laughter-kamala-harris-response-when-asked-if-she-will-visit-border/</ref> According to ''[[Politico]]'',<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2021/06/28/the-white-houses-centrists-strike-back-493400</ref> White House and [[Health and Human Services]] officials were frustrated after being left with the task of cleaning up remarks about the Mexican border by Symone Sanders, senior spokesperson for Harris. Sanders told reporters that Biden and Harris “have instructed [[Xavier Becerra|[HHS Secretary Xavier] Becerra]] to do a thorough investigation” of the El Paso army base where migrant children locked in cages. But Psaki and others had to tell ''[[The Guardian]]'' that no such investigation exists. “At no time did The White House recommend a probe of the facility,” a White House spokesman told ''The Guardian''.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jun/25/kamala-harris-us-mexico-border-visit-migration</ref> [[CBS News]] also reported that a White House official said that Biden did not order a formal investigation.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-orders-probe-into-fort-bliss-base-holding-migrant-children/</ref><br />
<br />
====Human trafficing====<br />
[[File:Cartel execution.jpeg|right|300px|thumb|Members of the Los Tlacos cartel executing members of the rival La Bandera cartel, Sept. 29, 2021.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/10/02/horrifying-footage-of-mexican-cartel-lining-up-rivals-for-execution-1143185/</ref>]]<br />
The Biden junta’s reversal of Trump-era border policies gave Mexican cartels an enormous opportunity to exploit immigrants for financial gain. This criminal and inhumane system is a direct consequence of Biden’s open border policies and willful neglect of border security. Chris Farrell, director of investigations and research at [[Judicial Watch]], explained how the cartels’ control of the Mexican border is driven by profit. “When Americans hear about the humanitarian crisis at the border,” said Farrell, “they should remember that it is fueled by a sophisticated criminal enterprise that is subsidized by the Biden administration’s failure to secure our border.” An Arizona rancher explained “Nobody comes through that border illegally without their [the cartels] authorization.” Dan Cantu, a retired Border Patrol agent, said no one “freelances”—or crosses into the U.S. from the Mexican border without cartel permission. In most cases, those who try are instantly killed. “They call those [who cross on their own] ‘chapulines’ … which means grasshoppers in Spanish. It’s common knowledge that the minute they try to freelance—as soon as they do—smugglers and recruiters [for the cartels] will notice … [and] they’ll flat out kill them.” They patrol ridge lines and mountains in search of “chapulines” walking on their own. If found, the chapulin is approached by a scout and asked for a code. Those who don’t know the code are often tied to a tree and beaten, raped, or killed by cartel operatives. “The chapulines experience all kinds of torture,” Cantu emphasized, “because [the cartels] have got to send a message … there is a price for attempting to traverse the border yourself.”<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/06/15/no-one-comes-through-the-border-illegally-without-the-cartels-authorization-how-bidens-policies-feed-a-criminal-monopoly/</ref><br />
<br />
According to a veteran Department of Homeland Security law enforcement officer, “The cartel makes more money on people than they do on dope.” The Mexican cartels have a valuation greater than [[Walmart]].<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/06/24/do-mexican-drug-cartels-make-billion-year/</ref><br />
<br />
====Child sex trafficing====<br />
Biden also canceled the Trump era Operation Talon which focused on deporting illegal child sex traffickers and sexual predators.<ref>https://newspunch.com/biden-cancels-trump-program-that-targeted-child-sex-traffickers-in-the-us-illegally/</ref> The order essentially shut down [[ICE]] operations. An estimated 117,000 migrants crossed the border at the going rate for smuggling humans of $10,000 each the first month, totaling well over $1.1 billion for the cartels and human trafficking networks.<ref>https://legalinsurrection.com/2021/03/report-admin-lacks-resources-for-the-expected-117000-unaccompanied-children-at-border-this-year/</ref> Mexican President [[Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador]] expressed concern over the junta incentivizing human trafficing and organized crime.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-mexico-exclusive-idUSKBN2B21D8</ref> Reports indicated that human traffickers were purchasing children for $3200.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/human-trafficking-cartels-selling-kids-3200-head-joe-bidens-open-border-mexico-video/</ref><ref>https://rumble.com/vekxmd-biden-the-president-of-human-trafficking.html</ref> Drug cartels often recruit or kidnap migrants, hold them for ransom or [[murder]] them if their families don't comply with the operatives' demands.<ref>https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/biden-pushes-back-against-border-crisis-label-as-democrats-concede-theres-a-major-problem</ref>Evidence at the border suggested children were being [[rape]]d.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/video-reporter-finds-condoms-lube-and-childrens-clothes-dumped-at-the-border/</ref> @red_pill_latina said on [[Instagram]],<br />
{{quotebox-float|"Where is [[AOC]]…where is the outrage of the media? Democrats in the Biden administration are making traffickers and cartels more powerful and dangerous than ever. If you voted for Biden, this is what you voted for. You claim to support the [[Latino]] community yet you don’t support strong border security. Latinos are the main targets/victims of human traffickers at the southern border. Especially the most vulnerable, innocent little children. If you voted for Biden this is the reality you voted for."<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/03/21/citing-border-crisis-trafficking-of-innocent-children-latino-woman-says-if-you-voted-for-biden-this-is-what-you-voted-for-1047799/</ref>}}<br />
By July 2021 there was a 542% increase in convicted sex offender apprehensions at the border.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_morningbrief/542-percent-increase-in-convicted-sex-offenders-arrested-at-border_3876489.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Surging covid cases====<br />
<br />
The [[Customs and Border Protection]] (CBP) was not doing any [[covid-19]] testing on people apprehended at the border.<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/covid-19-testing-of-border-crossing-migrants-not-being-administered-consistently/ar-BB1eifgo</ref> Pods designed to hold 80 people were stuffed with as many as 709 with no social distancing.<ref>https://twitter.com/SenatorLankford/status/1375459880723755014</ref> The ''[[Epoch Times]]:'' described conditions in the holding cells:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The family-unit holding cells smell like [[urine]] and [[vomit]]. Fights break out in the unaccompanied-minor cells. [[Scabies]], [[lice]], the [[flu]], and COVID-19 run rampant. Up to 80 individuals are squeezed into each 24- by 30-foot cell, and there aren’t enough mattresses for everyone. Sheets of plastic divide the rooms. “Any diseases that are in there, it’s being kept in there, like a petri dish. The smell is overwhelming.”<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/exclusive-border-agent-gives-inside-account-of-overcrowded-facilities_3746058.html?amp</ref>}}<br />
The National Sheriffs Association estimated that up to 50% of all illegal immigrants were covid positive.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/up-to-50-percent-of-illegal-immigrants-estimated-to-have-covid-19-national-sheriffs-association_3737923.html</ref> Congressional [[Democrat]]s blocked a [[Republican]] bill which would require the [[Department of Homeland Security]] to test all apprehensions for covid.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/03/16/democrats-block-gop-bill-to-test-illegal-immigrants-for-coronavirus/</ref> <br />
Restoration of the Obama era Catch and Release program led to the release of covid infected illegal aliens into American communities.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/psaki-cant-answer-illegal-aliens-test-positive-covid-released-actually-quarantine-video/</ref><br />
<br />
An analysis by ''The New York Times'' in July 2021 found that more than 7,500 cases have been detected since April. That represents more than 40 percent of all coronavirus cases in Immigration Control and Enfrocement (ICE) detention since the start of the pandemic in 2020. The rise in infections coincides with a surge in immigrant detention, from 14,000 detainees in April to more than 26,000 at the end of June, according to the ''Times'' analysis. ICE officials say the increase in infections is directly correlated to the increase in CBP detainees in their care, all of whom are subjected to testing, quarantine and cohorting once in the detention centers.<ref>https://thehill.com/latino/561690-coronavirus-infections-surging-in-immigration-facilities?rl=1</ref><br />
<br />
Journalist [[Lara Logan]] reported,<br />
{{quotebox-float|“This administration knew what was happening long before it got to this point. They know the people are disbursing now. There’s hundreds of [[Haiti]]ans that have run away from under the Del Rio Bridge and disappeared into the countryside...They know also that everywhere that there’s been a mass migration of [[illegal immigrant]]s, there’s been a spike in COVID cases in this country....[[Bioweapon]]s specialists and intel agents say that is typical of how you disburse a virus, if you did something like a virus bomb or a virus attack in your own country or another country."<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/09/22/lara-logan-bioweapons-intel-says-border-swarm-is-typical-of-how-enemy-would-disburse-a-virus-bomb-1138063/</ref>}}<br />
Logan stated reported elsewhere,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"There is a group of intelligence and bioweapons people, veterans, who have been investigating and monitoring, trying as best they can because so much of it is hidden. Movements of migrants in the middle of the night. Especially in large numbers. At the same time they are monitoring and tracking the surge in covid cases. What they found when they overlaid the computer models is wherever there was large mass movement of illegal immigrants there was a minimum of 200% surge in covid. I spoke to other professionals very familiar with this and they said that what they would call a virus bomb. That's how you would disperse a virus using a human as your bomb. So this is something that's ongoing. They are still looking at it. They are still investigating it. They haven't come out publicly with their findings but it's well documented by the CD over the years. There have been previous cases in other diseases where we had these kinds of movements and it resulted in that. They aren't testing anybody and people haven't been tested.}}<br />
<br />
====Concentration camps====<br />
<br />
Biden reopened Obama era [[concentration camp]]s for migrants and children.<ref>https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/297967</ref><br />
<br />
====Babies in cages====<br />
[[File:Biden-cages-1.jpg|right|350px|thumb|The Biden / Harris regime kept babies in cages.]]<br />
The junta renewed the Obama era program of locking migrant children in cages.<ref>https://hotair.com/archives/karen-townsend/2021/02/23/bidens-kids-cages-moment-carrizo-springs-facility-re-opens/</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' initially reported the junta was holding 3250 kids in "jail-like facilities"<ref>https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2021/03/09/nyt-nails-biden-for-holding-migrant-children-in-violation-of-law-but-they-do-a-little-spinning-in-the-process-n340404</ref> 38% longer than the law allows.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/breaking/biden-immigration-detention-increase/</ref> The figure was later revised to 9,400 in February alone,<ref>https://www.vox.com/2021/3/21/22343184/as-bidens-immigration-policy-faces-scrutiny-the-dhs-chief-says-the-border-is-closed</ref> and by the third week of March [[DHS]] said the number of babies in cages was 15,500.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/immigration-migrant-children-in-border-patrol-custody-hits-15500/</ref> The Former head of CBP said Homeland [[Commissar]] [[Alejandro Mayorkas]] "lied to the American people" about the crisis.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/bidens-administration-lied-american-border-crisis</ref><br />
<br />
According to [[CBS News]], children were held in overcrowded conditions, and some were having to sleep on the floor and were going hungry. One immigration lawyer representing the children said there were kids who have only showered once in seven days and weren’t allowed to shower more often. The children were not allowed outdoors and complained of not seeing the sun in days. The Donna complex which is supposed to hold only 250 people held 1,800, or 729% of its pandemic era capacity. The migrants were not able to practice any social distancing because of the massive number of people.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/news/migrant-children-detained-in-overcrowded-conditions/</ref> The ''New York Post'' wrote in an editorial, "While we feel Trump was wrongly vilified for these facilities, Biden deserves every knock of hypocrisy leveled against him."<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/02/24/bidens-kids-in-cages-prove-his-hypocrisy-on-immigration/</ref> ''[[Time magazine]]'' pleaded for the Dear Leader to end locking babies in cages.<ref>https://time.com/5945307/biden-end-detention-migrant-children/</ref><br />
<br />
''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported “[y]oung people are waiting in cramped, austere holding cells with concrete floors and benches. Lights remain on 24 hours a day, agents say, and there are few places to play.”<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/unaccompanied-minors-detention-cells/2021/03/10/a0d39390-81c6-11eb-bb5a-ad9a91faa4ef_story.html</ref> [[CNN]]’s Pamela Brown reported that “as the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border gets worse, the media is being kept from it despite calls of transparency from the Biden administration. Reporters and photographers were not been allowed inside the facilities where thousands of unaccompanied children are being kept in similar to jail-like conditions."<ref> https://youtu.be/FrUwXhmgLlM</ref><br />
<br />
When negative publicity arose, the Biden team then emptied the cages and forced children to sleep in buses overnight, according to [[NBC News]].<ref>https://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2021/05/13/joe-bidens-america-migrant-children-stuck-overnight-on-parked-buses-for-consecutive-days-and-nights/</ref><br />
<br />
====Unsanitary conditions====<br />
According to a [[whistleblower]] complaint, children were forced to sleep in tents that “were dirty and often had a foul odor,” at times smelling of sewage at the Fort Bliss facility, one of the camps the Biden junta used to hold 5,000 children. Children were not given prompt medical care when experiencing health crises, including one girl who had a panic attack after learning that her old sister was dying and another who, after not receiving her period for months, began bleeding profusely. One 13-year-old from [[Honduras]] at Fort Bliss recounted that a friend was served raw or undercooked chicken “that still had feathers in it.”<ref>https://www.rollcall.com/2021/07/07/whistleblowers-detail-poor-hygiene-for-migrant-kids-at-texas-site/</ref><br />
<br />
The complaint was sent to various congressional committees and to the [[Health and Human Services]] (HHS) inspector general. The Health and Human Services Department hired a water-and-fire damage repair contractor with no training to supervise migrant children at the Texas army base. As of July 2021 there were roughly 14,500 children in HHS custody at several of its concentration camps.<br />
<br />
When chief border czar Kamala Harris visited Texas in June 2021, she studiously avoided Fort Bliss.<br />
<br />
====Narcotics trafficing====<br />
Prior to the junta [[open borders|opening the border]] [[bi-partisan]] experts estimated the money made on drug trafficking by the Mexican Drug Cartels at around $500 billion, or one half-trillion dollars per year. Sen. [[Sonny Purdue]] said in 2019: “At half a trillion dollars — $500 billion — that makes the cartel business and the drug traffic just in Mexico alone coming across to the United States bigger than [[Walmart]], to put it in perspective. So this is larger than our largest companies.” Democrat Sen. [[Dianne Feinstein]] quoted the same figure testifying, “The illicit drug trade is a business, valued at anywhere between $426 [billion] and $652 billion…”.<ref>https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/has-joe-biden-sold-out-america-to-the-mexican-drug-cartels/</ref><br />
<br />
====Haitian migrants====<br />
[[File:Biden racism 2.JPG|right|350px|thumb|Biden regime forcibly removing black Haitian migrants.]]<br />
After inviting more than 2 million white [[Hispanic]]s into the country illegally, Matt Stieb of ''New York'' magazine reported, ''Border Patrol Agent Uses Whip to Chase Down Haitian Migrants.''<ref>https://archive.is/fabw9#selection-1559.0-1575.10</ref> Steib reported,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The apparent whipping comes as more than 14,500 Haitians are camped under a bridge in Del Rio as they wait to be processed by Border Patrol; on Monday it was 104 degrees in the town. In response to the increase in undocumented migrants from Haiti — impacted this summer by the assassination of Jovenel Moïse and an earthquake that killed over 2,000 — U.S. officials have begun a mass deportation of Haitians and have sent over 600 Border Patrol agents to the area. This weekend, around 3,300 people were removed from the make-shift camp in Del Rio and sent to detention centers or placed on flights back to the island nation. The Biden administration has used a Trump-era Centers for Disease Control policy called Title 42 to justify the deportation of migrants without allowing them to file asylum claims."}}<br />
The Biden regime expelled more than 10,000 Black [[Haiti]]ans, rounding them up on horseback with whips.<ref>https://citizenfreepress.com/breaking/white-house-freaking-out-over-photos-border-patrol-agents-round-up-haitian-illegals-on-horseback/</ref> Rep. [[Ilhan Omar]] accused the junta of “human rights abuses.”<ref>https://news.yahoo.com/ilhan-omar-says-video-border-183029968.html</ref> Minister of Homeland Security [[Alejandro Mayorkas]] accused a reporter of “assuming the facts” when asked about the possible use of whips.<ref>https://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2021/09/21/white-house-border-narrative-collapses-as-reporter-again-corrects-psaki-and-even-cnn-calls-out-mayorkas-n446093</ref> Chief propagandist Jen Psaki said, “I don’t think anyone seeing that footage would think it acceptable or appropriate,” she said at a press briefing. “It’s horrible to watch.”<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/09/20/videos-capture-border-agents-aggressively-rounding-up-haitian-migrants-horrible-white-houses-psaki-says/?sh=23975abe4259</ref> Using the same words he used before murdering an innocent family of 10 with 7 children, Biden said, "we will make them pay."<br />
<br />
The junta's Special Envoy to Haiti, Daniel Foote, who was appointed only two months earlier issued a scathing resignation letter to [[Antony Blinken]]. Foote, a career foreign service officer, denounced the Biden regime's “inhumane” policy toward Haitian refugees.<ref>https://www.nysun.com/foreign/americas-special-envoy-to-haiti-quits-issuing/91668/</ref> [[PBS]]'s [[Yamiche Alcindor]] asked Psaki, "These are images that are traumatizing Haitian Americans that he [Biden] promised to treat respectfully & with humanity. Why isn't the President telling people himself these images that people say look like [[slavery]] are wrong? Does the President believe anything in this letter that Daniel Foote is saying rings true, has some sort of point that he — that he believes is — is true" that the Biden administration has been "inhumane" toward Haitian illegal immigrants?" Psaki dodged the question on the regime's racist policies and handed it off to the [[State Department]].<ref>https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1441083684808019973</ref><br />
<br />
====Amnesty====<br />
<br />
Biden didn’t consider illegal immigrants as illegals, he calls them instead "undocumented immigrants". <ref> https://joebiden.com/immigration/</ref> In a presidential debate he admitted that he will give citizenship to 11 million illegal immigrants.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbzEuEr7Fio</ref> Biden stated that he wants to reform [[ICE]] policies, without saying which of these policies he wants to reform.<ref> https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/biden-knocks-left-wing-of-democratic-party-we-shouldnt-abolish-ice</ref><br />
<br />
===Anti-science===<br />
<br />
The junta hired discredited CCP collaborator [[Dr. Anthony Fauci]] as its Chief Medical Advisor,<ref>https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2020/12/03/biden-asks-fauci-to-serve-as-chief-medical-advisor-during-covid-crisis/</ref> and refused to ask for Fauci's resignation when Fauci was exposed as lying to the nation about the CCP [[covid]] [[bioweapon]].<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57352992</ref> Fauci made the [[megalomania]]cal claim that he himself was the sheer embodiment of [[science]] and the [[truth]].<ref>https://radio.foxnews.com/2021/06/09/dr-manny-alvarez-dr-fauci-finds-that-any-kind-of-criticism-of-himself-is-an-attack-on-science/</ref><br />
<br />
Throughout the 2020 campaign Biden and other junta officials implored the American people to “trust the science!” when it came to mask-wearing, social distancing, and not gathering in large groups. Days after the [[Center for Disease Control]] (CDC) rescinded its guidelines on mask-wearing, Biden undermined public confidence in the science by continuing to wear a mask and delivering rants about masks and patriotism.<ref>https://redstate.com/bonchie/2021/04/30/joe-biden-ignores-his-own-guidelines-delivers-nonsensical-rant-about-masks-and-patriotism-n371733</ref> As heir to the legacy of former president [[Jimmy Carter]], Biden defied the science and wore a mask in a high-profile visit to the elder patron.<ref>https://redstate.com/sister-toldjah/2021/05/04/joe-biden-embarrasses-himself-and-undermines-cdc-during-visit-with-jimmy-and-rosalynn-carter-n373858</ref><br />
<br />
===Gun rights===<br />
<br />
Biden plans to control people's right to own guns, for example, banning semi-automatic firearms.<ref>https://joebiden.com/gunsafety/#</ref> He claims that his plan does not violate the [[Second Amendment]].<ref>[https://www.nraila.org/articles/20200921/joe-biden-told-voters-the-second-amendment-does-not-protect-an-individual-right Joe Biden Told Voters the Second Amendment DOES NOT Protect an Individual Right]</ref> Biden called a pro-Second Amendment and civilian worker in Detroit "full of sh*t" and threatened to fight him as a thug,<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/elections-2020/biden-tells-detroit-auto-plant-worker-hes-full-of-sht-on-gun-control/ar-BB10ZJcS Biden Tells Detroit Auto Plant Worker He's 'Full of Sh*t' on Gun Control]</ref><ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k2UeoY4uyU</ref><br />
<br />
As Democrats attempted to destroy American citizens' constitutional rights to bear arms and seize weapons, it was discovered Joe Biden's drug-addicted son, Hunter Biden, lied on a background check document in 2018 when he purchased a gun. Hunter Biden lied about his narcotics use, and the [[Secret Service]] then illegally intervened in a criminal investigation by attempting to seize the documentation before local police and the [[ATF]] could find it.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/25/sources-secret-service-inserted-itself-into-case-of-hunter-bidens-gun-477879</ref><br />
[[File:2020_leftist_insurrection.png|right|250px|thumb|Year-over-year increase in the Murder Rate in Democrat run cities during the 2020 [[U.S. Color Revolution]].]]<br />
The junta [[Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives]] believes it has the authority to confiscate, ban and register an entire class of firearms without consulting Congress. “The [Notice of Proposed Rule Making] proposes amending the definition of the term ‘rifle,’ as contained in 27 CFR §§ 478.11 and 479.11, to ‘clarify that the term “rifle” includes any weapon with a rifled barrel and equipped with an attached ‘stabilizing brace’ that has objective design features and characteristics that indicate that the firearm is designed to be fired from the shoulder, as indicated on ATF Worksheet 4999,” according to a fact sheet about the rule put out by SB Tactical. “This proposed rule would be the largest [[Executive Branch]] firearms ban/registration scheme in American history— forcing the registration or destruction of millions of privately-owned firearms,” SB Tactical’s fact sheet continues. “[T]he proposed rule would ensure that 99% of the firearms already in circulation are suddenly unlawfully possessed.”<ref>https://www.newstarget.com/2021-06-14-biden-regime-aims-to-ban-register-firearrms.html</ref><br />
<br />
A study by Prof. Steven Greene at North Carolina State University of whether motherhood causes women to support more restrictive gun rights found, that while women overall have more liberal attitudes than men on all issues, including gun control, women without children (female non-birthing people) have more liberal attitudes toward restrictive gun rights than mothers do. The study drew on "2017 Pew Research Center data to explore the ways gender, parenthood, and race intersect to shape attitudes on gun policy in the post-[[Sandy Hook]] era when gun violence has become prominently linked with schools and children, and during a time when the Black Lives Matter movement has drawn national attention to the relationship of gun violence and racial inequality. Most notably, we find that contemporary depictions of mothers as a distinctively pro-gun control constituency are largely inaccurate." The study concluded that "we fail to see much relationship between race, parenthood, and gun attitudes. Overall, despite common belief and media reporting to the contrary, the story is very much one where parenthood seems to play little role in gun policy attitudes."<ref>[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17457289.2020.1862130?journalCode=fbep20 tandfonline.com/doi/abs]</ref><br />
<br />
In June 2021, Biden proposed expanded background checks for gun purchasers, which presumably would not apply to Hunter Biden who lied on a background check to purchase a firearm.<ref>https://spectatorworld.com/topic/president-biden-strict-gun-laws-household-hunter/</ref><br />
[[File:BLM terrorist incidents.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|A ''[[Time magazine]]'' survey found 570 leftwing [[terrorist]] incidents in 220 cities between May 24, 2020 and August 22, 2020.<ref>https://time.com/5886348/report-peaceful-protests/</ref>]]<br />
<br />
===Crime===<br />
====Leftist violence====<br />
<br />
:{{See also|Leftwing violence under the Biden junta|Anti-Asian hate crime}}<br />
Biden refused to denounce the terrorist Anarcho-Coummunist hate group [[Antifa]] during the first debate with President Donald Trump. He claimed they are "just an idea", not an organization. He pretends that [[FBI]] Bureau’s director [[Chris Wray]] told lawmakers that Antifa is an "ideology", not a terrorist group, but the fact this is not what Wray said, Wray said: “any number of properly predicated investigations into what we would describe as violent anarchist extremists,” which included individuals who identity with Antifa.<ref>[https://www.nationalreview.com/news/biden-says-antifa-is-an-idea-not-an-organization-during-presidential-debate/ Biden Says Antifa Is ‘An Idea, Not An Organization’ during Presidential Debate]</ref> It appears that Biden and Antifa have some relations, as when someone looks up the website Antifa.com, Biden's election campaign page will appear.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHDVYKgLODY</ref><br />
<br />
====Defund the Police====<br />
:{{See also|Defund the Police}}<br />
Biden flip-flops on defunding police. He changed his positions three times on defunding police.<ref>https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2020/08/26/joe-biden-flips-defund-police-how-can-we-trust-him/3424969001/</ref> On July 8, 2020 he agreed on defunding some levels of police. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppoUCQLSXFE</ref> In the first presidential debate, Biden accused police and falsely called them "systemic racists". <ref>https://www.teletrader.com/biden-systemic-racism-in-us-present-beyond-police/news/details/52383496?internal=1&ts=1604959273788&culture=de-CH</ref> In a moment of candor on December 8, 2020 Biden confessed that the Defund the Police movement "beat the hell out of us."<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/12/10/biden-says-defund-the-police-movement-beat-the-hell-out-of-dems/</ref><br />
<br />
Black people represented a massive share of murder victims in six major cities through the first six months of 2021 compared to 2020, which itself saw a large crime surge, according to data analyzed by the ''Daily Caller News Foundation''.<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/homicides-have-skyrocketed-in-these-six-democratic-cities-black-people-are-disproportionately-the-victims-data-shows_3872643.html</ref><br />
<br />
===Supreme Court===<br />
Biden seeks to violate the Constitution by [[court packing|packing the Supreme Court]].<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/22/us/politics/biden-supreme-court-packing.html</ref> At the presidential debate, Biden refused to confirm that.<ref> https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/22/joe-biden-court-packing-judicial-reforms-commission-431157</ref> Biden chose to ignore all qualified candidates and focus insteead on a cisgender female black [[affirmative action]] pick. Biden selected a member of board of directors of the corrupt [[Black Lives Matter]] fundraising scam organization as an adviser in his search for a replacement for Justice [[Stephen Breyer]].<ref>https://youtu.be/B_toYVucgHM</ref><br />
<br />
===Abortion===<br />
Biden has a far-Left position on [[abortion]], he said that he will support abortion in all circumstances including [[Late-term abortion|late term abortion]].<ref>[https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/supporting-roe-means-supporting-abortion-until-birth/ Supporting Roe Means Supporting Abortion until Birth]</ref> He also said that he will stop any state from preventing abortion.<ref>[https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/joe-biden-i-support-abortion-under-any-circumstance Joe Biden: I support abortion ‘under any circumstance’]</ref><br />
<br />
===Corruption===<br />
Biden tried to buy the vote of moderate Democrat senator [[Joe Manchin]] from West Virginia by nominating his wife Gayle Manchin to be co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission.<ref>[https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/biden-taps-manchins-wife-post-federal-commission Biden taps Joe Manchin's wife for a post on federal commission]</ref> a federal job that pays upwards of $160,000 annually.<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/mar/26/joe-biden-nominates-swing-vote-sen-joe-manchins-wi/ Biden nominates swing vote Sen. Joe Manchin's wife for $160K federal job]</ref> Mainstream media turning a blind eye on this story, something they will not if President Trump did this.<br />
<br />
===Radical Islamic terrorism===<br />
[[File:C9Pak4-W0AIldKy (1).jpg|right|350px|thumb|Biden National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan to [[Hillary Clinton]]: "[[Al Qaeda]] is on our side."<ref>https://wikileaks.org/clinton-emails/emailid/23225#efmAGIAHu</ref>]]<br />
Biden plans to bring hundreds of thousands of Muslims from radical countries.<ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/dncs-deepening-embrace-radical-islamists-opinion-1527239 The DNC's Deepening Embrace of Radical Islamists | Opinion]</ref> Biden was criticized when he promised to let kids learn Sharia law in public schools.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCkqSZp6nkc Why Joe Biden Wants to Teach Your Kids Islam]</ref> To convince Muslims to vote for him he used one of the most radical hadiths: whoever sees evil let him change by his hand, if he cannot then with his tongue, if he cannot then with his heart (by hating), and that's the weakest faith. This is same hadith which was used by the [[September 11, 2001 attack]] perpetrators.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOhjQ9qoVJw Joe Biden Accidentally Calls for Jihad against America]</ref><br />
<br />
The first [[jihad]]i attack in the United States under the Biden regime occurred on March 22, 2021 in [[Boulder, Colorado]]. There were no jihadi attacks in the United States for the previous four years under President Trump.<ref>https://www.dickmorris.com/boulder-the-first-jihadi-attack-in-us-after-none-under-trump/</ref> After a [[NeverTrump]] immigrant from [[Syria]] with [[ISIS]] sympathies<ref>https://summit.news/2021/03/23/facebook-scrubs-page-showing-supermarket-shooter-was-anti-trump-pro-refugee-activist/</ref> massacred 10 [[white]] people<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/analysis/boulder-shooting-victims/</ref> at a supermarket, Biden immediately proposed disarming the native born population and depriving them of their constitutional rights.<ref>https://justthenews.com/government/white-house/biden-urger-congress-pass-gun-control-reform-including-assault-weapon-ban?utm_source=breaking-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter</ref> According to the ''New York Times'', “The suspect’s identity was known to the F.B.I. because he was linked to another individual under investigation by the bureau, according to law enforcement officials.”<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/23/us/boulder-shooting-suspect-charged.html</ref> This was a repeat of the same pattern during the Obama-Biden administration. The FBI knew in advance the Pulse Nightclub shooter (Omar Mateen) and were tipped off by the local sheriff. The FBI knew in advance the San Bernardino Terrorists (Tashfeen Malik). The FBI knew in advance the Boston Marathon Bombers (the Tsarnaev brothers) tipped off by Russians. The FBI knew in advance the Garland, Texas, shooters (Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi). The FBI knew in advance of the Parkland High School shooter (Nikolas Cruz). And the FBI knew in advance of the Fort Hood shooter (Nidal Hasan).<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/03/23/here-we-go-fbi-knew-boulder-colorado-suspect-identity-prior-to-shooting/</ref><br />
<br />
==Foreign policy==<br />
:{{See also|Biden/Harris regime foreign policy}}<br />
[[File:U.S. Madrid Embassy.PNG|right|250px|thumb|U.S. Embassy in [[Madrid]] flying the [[Marxist]] Black Lives Matter banner.<ref>https://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2021/05/25/heres-the-us-embassy-in-madrid-proudly-flying-the-black-lives-matter-banner/</ref>]]<br />
The Biden/Harris regime foreign policy was first outlined by its [[State Department]] chief spokesperson: the "largest threat to U.S. [[national security]] are U.S. [[cop]]s."<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/state-dept-spox-largest-threat-to-u-s-national-security-are-u-s-cops/</ref> Foreign minister Antony Blinken ordered all U.S. Diplomatic and Consular posts to display support for Black Lives Matter on the one-year anniversary of [[George Floyd]]’s death and beyond.<ref>https://humanevents.com/2021/05/24/breaking-news-leaked-state-department-memo-indicates-official-support-for-blm-agenda/</ref> Despite the documented actions of BLM protestors during the riots of 2020, and the organization’s declining popularity with American voters, the junta nonetheless endorsed and promoted an organization with admitted Marxist roots as one having ties to U.S. official foreign offices. The State Department memo reads in part: in part, <br />
{{quotebox-float|“The Department supports the use of the term ‘Black Lives Matter’ in messaging content, speeches, and other diplomatic engagements with foreign audiences to advance racial equity and access to justice on May 25 [2021] and beyond....This cable constitutes a blanket written authorization for calendar year 2021 from the Under Secretary for Management (M) to display the BLM flag on the external-facing flagpole to any Chiefs of Mission who determine such a display is appropriate in light of local conditions.<ref>https://humanevents.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/REDACTED-State-Department-Doc-1.pdf</ref>}}<br />
The junta's actions were in line with the Chinese Communist Party document, ''Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States in 2020''—whose Forward section begins with the words: “I can't breathe!”-- George Floyd.<ref>https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202103/1219304.shtml</ref> Blinken declared that Biden would make no effort to contain the Chinese Communist's bid for global domination, replacing the United States as the planet's premier global [[Superpower]] .<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/breaking/biden-wont-contain-china-reveals-blinken/</ref><br />
<br />
Prof. Glenn Diesen of the University of South-Eastern Norway, and an editor at the ''Russia in Global Affairs'' journal wrote:<br />
The current international disorder is caused by an interregnum – the world is currently stuck between a unipolar and a multipolar format. [[The West]] is pushing for a return to the unipolar era that existed before [[Magnitsky Act|sanctions on Russia]] and the economic war against China. However, the two Eurasian giants, Russia and China, have spent the past years adjusting to a multipolar system. The West will insist that on maintaining liberal [[hegemony]] due to a commitment and belief in [[liberal values]], among [[elitism|elites]] (although that is no longer uniform), while Russia and China will reject a value-based system that is instrumental to impose an untenable unipolar order. There is no going back as the world has moved on, although the West is not yet ready to move forward.<br />
<br />
The Strategic Culture Foundation think tank, in their document ''Leviathan Mobilizes For Decisive Battle'', <ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/leviathan-mobilises-decisive-battle</ref> claims "the plan is out of control, and becoming [[progressive]]ly more bizarre. The American unipolar moment is ‘done’. It has created oppositions of various kinds, both abroad and at home. [[Conservative]] and traditional impulses have reacted against the [[radical]] ideological agenda, and crucially, the [[2008 Financial Crisis]] and near collapse of the system foretold to the élites of the ultimate coming end to the U.S.’ financial hegemony, and concomitantly to America’s primacy. It forced a critical juncture.<br />
[[File:Image cefc 2016 05 05.png|right|350px|thumb|CEFC China Energy chairman [[Ye Jianming]], the former deputy secretary of the [[People's Liberation Army]] General Political Department International Liaison Department, formed a business partnership with the [[Biden family corruption|Biden family]]. In 2017 [[Hunter Biden]] told friends, "I am the managing director of CEFC."<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/news/hunter-biden-cefc-managing-director/</ref>]]<br />
Now they are at a crucial impasse. When they speak about [[Great Reset|Re-set]], this means a forced return to the continuation of the agenda.<br />
<br />
But it is not as straight-forward as it seems. Everything seemed almost primed to fall into place twenty years ago; yet now, the [[Establishment]] is having to fight for every element of this strategy because everywhere they encounter a growing resistance.<br />
<br />
And it is no insignificant resistance. In America alone, some 74 million Americans reject the [[Culture war|cultural war]] being waged on them. <br />
The globalist call to arms is evident. The world clearly has changed during the last four years.<br />
<br />
Globalist forces, therefore, are being mobilized to win a last battle in the ‘long-war’ – looking to break-through everywhere. Defeating Trump is the first goal. Discrediting all varieties of [[Europe]]an [[populism]] is another.<br />
<br />
The U.S. thinks to lead the maritime and rim-land powers in imposing a searing [[psychological]], technological and economic defeat on the Russia-China-Iran alliance. In the past, the outcome might have been predictable. This time Eurasia may very well stand solid against a weakened Oceana (and a faint-hearted Europe). It would shake [[Leviathan]] to its foundations. Who knows what might then emerge from the ruins of [[postmodernism|post-modernity]]."<br />
<br />
90 days into the junta's assumption of power, the U.S. Strategic Command warned the U.S. should prepare for [[nuclear war]].<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/1/charles-richard-us-strategic-command-chief-nuclear/</ref><br />
<br />
After the disastrous exit from Afghanistan leaving thousands of Americans behind and stranded at the mercy of Taliban terrorists, the Biden regime congratulated itself.<br />
<br />
Biden has disrupted ties with America's oldest ally, [[France]] by not disclosing to them about the AUKUS submarine pact between the U.S and Australia. <ref>https://nypost.com/2021/11/01/biden-knew-france-had-no-warning-of-australia-us-submarine-pact/</ref> <br />
<br />
Lawmakers are outraged in 2021, that the Biden administration is ignoring a congressional mandate to impose sanctions on the Iranian-backed terror groups [[Hamas]] and [[Hezbollah]] for their use of [[Human shields by terrorists]] (''dead baby strategy) in combat, according to a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers.<br />
[[Congress]] passed legislation in 2018 that requires the U.S. government to sanction every individual involved in the use of human shields, in which women and children are placed in harm's way during combat to maximize casualties. Hamas and Hezbollah routinely employ this tactic during skirmishes with Israel to make it appear as if the Jewish state is supposedly "killing" innocent civilians.<ref>Adam Kredo, [https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/biden-admin-ignores-law-to-sanction-hamas-and-hezbollah-for-civilian-shield-use-lawmakers-say/ Biden Admin Ignores Law To Sanction Hamas and Hezbollah for Civilian Shield Use, Lawmakers Say], Washington Free Beacon, December 22, 2021.<blockquote><br />
Bipartisan coalition presses Biden admin to hold terror groups accountable<br />
<br />
A ball of fire erupts from the Jala Tower as it is destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza city controlled by the Palestinian Hamas movement, on May 15, 2021. - Israeli air strikes pounded the Gaza Strip, killing 10 members of an extended family and demolishing a key media building, while Palestinian militants launched rockets in return amid violence in the West Bank. <br />
<br />
<font size=1>[Israel's air force targeted the 13-floor Jala Tower housing Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television and the Associated Press news agency].</font><br />
<br />
The Biden administration is ignoring a congressional mandate to impose sanctions on the Iranian-backed terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah for their use of human shields in combat, according to a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers. Congress passed legislation in 2018 that requires the U.S. government to sanction every individual involved in the use of human shields, in which women and children are placed in harm's way during combat to maximize casualties. Hamas and Hezbollah routinely employ this tactic during skirmishes with Israel to make it appear as if the Jewish state is killing innocent civilians.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
At Biden's first G-7 summit, Biden was welcomed into "the club" of globalists by Emmanuel Macron.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/president-trump-releases-statement-regarding-macron-welcoming-biden-club/</ref> At the NATO summit, Biden managed to cajole the U.S. alleged European partners to issue a statement that mentioned China 10 times compared to the 26 references to Russia.<ref>https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:rk7-s5KrtUYJ:https://www.theepochtimes.com/nato-turns-its-focus-to-chinese-regimes-rising-ambitions_3857873.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us</ref> The PRC responded immediately by sending a record 28 fighter jets into Taiwan's air defense identification zone.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/china-sends-record-28-fighter-jets-toward-taiwan-after-telling-nato-we-wont-sit-back</ref><br />
<br />
Biden assured key allies at the June 2021 [[G7]] Summit that he would maintain enough of a security presence in Afghanistan to ensure they could continue to operate in the capital following the main U.S. withdrawal. Biden promised U.K. Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] and other leaders at the Group of Seven summit in Cornwall, England, that “critical U.S. enablers” would remain in place to keep Kabul safe following the drawdown of [[NATO]] forces. British officials determined the U.S. would provide enough personnel to ensure that the U.K. embassy in Kabul could continue operating. Allies discussed with Biden the need to continue supporting the Afghan government in order to prevent the country from becoming a haven for terrorist operations again. Those discussions continued at the NATO summit, ''Bloomberg'' reported.<ref> https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-20/biden-assured-allies-in-june-u-s-would-ensure-kabul-s-stability?sref=MTy2GeXk</ref><br />
<br />
The [[European Union]]’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, was warning Biden foreign minister Antony Blinken that withdrawing troops from Afghanistan risked giving the Taliban the upper hand, and such a shift could pose a direct threat to European security. After dealing with [[European migrant crisis|millions of refugees reaching the EU]] after Obama's ill-fated [[Arab Spring]], America's EU partners feared a collapse in Afghanistan would lead to an avalanche of refugees once again.<br />
<br />
NATO members agreed in May 2021 that they would maintain a civilian presence in Afghanistan after the military withdrawal to support the Afghan government, facilitate training for the Afghan military and work on contracts for Kabul’s airport as well as hospitals and communications infrastructure.<br />
<br />
===Indo-Pacific===<br />
:{{See also|South China Sea}}<br />
Wang Yiwei, director of the Center for European Studies at Renmin University and author of the best made in China book about the ''New Silk Roads'', clearly saw through the Biden/Harris “America is back” bluster: “China is not isolated by the US, [[the West]] or even the whole international community. The more hostility they show, the more anxiety they have. When the US travels around the globe to frequently ask for support, unity and help from its allies, this means US [[hegemony]] is weakening.”<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/escobar-usnato-versus-russia-china-hybrid-war-finish</ref><br />
<br />
Biden plans for return to the [[Trans-Pacific Partnership]] (TPP), despite the damage it has done to the US economy.<ref>[https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/11/09/business/us-return-tpp-joe-biden/ Prospects dim for early U.S. return to TPP despite Biden win]</ref> He wants to abolish all tariffs which were created by President Trump.<ref>[https://www.geopoliticalmonitor.com/prospects-for-trans-pacific-partnership-tpp-trade-deal-under-a-biden-presidency/ Prospects for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Deal under a Biden Presidency]</ref><br />
<br />
====China First policy====<br />
:{{See also|Belt and Road Initiative}}<br />
[[File:Hunter Biden Bohai.jpeg|right|350px|thumb|Hunter Biden, right, flew to China in 2013 aboard Air Force Two, with his father, [[Joe Biden]], left, December 4, 2013. 10 days late Hunter Biden formed a business partnership with the Chinese military and Bank of China worth $1.5 Billion.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/biden-s-trip-china-son-hunter-2013-comes-under-new-n1061051</ref>]]<br />
Since 2017 China's communist government has imprisoned more than one million people and subjected those not detained to intense surveillance, religious restrictions, forced labor, and forced sterilizations.<ref>https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinas-repression-uyghurs-xinjiang</ref> Biden has friendly relations with the communist regime of China. Biden refuses to see Communist China as a threat to the United States and condemned the notion by calling it "bizarre".<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/2020-election/2020/02/28/joe-biden-bizarre-to-say-china-is-americas-competition/ Joe Biden: ‘Bizarre’ to Say China is America’s Competition]</ref> According to an assessment by the 17 member U.S. [[Intelligence Community]], China interfered in the 2020 presidential election on behalf of their officially favored candidate and family business partner, Joe Biden.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/01/07/transparent-timing-intelligence-community-assessment-on-foreign-interference-in-2020-election-submitted-to-congress-hours-after-electoral-certification/</ref> China was one of first countries which welcomed the media declaration of the Biden junta. <br />
<br />
China is the world’s largest source of Marine debris, the largest consumer of trafficked wildlife and timber products, the greatest emitter of mercury, and the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, producing nearly one-third of all global emissions.<br />
<br />
Vice foreign minister He Yafei said: despite differences in political ideology, there could still be opportunities for long-term cooperation. “Multilateralism, I will say, is very much needed at this critical moment,” he said. “For China, the US and the EU, all of us should rethink who we are and what roles we can play in the future.<ref>[https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3109496/us-china-relations-trump-divisions-could-haunt-biden US-China relations: Trump divisions could haunt Biden presidency]</ref> Biden referred to the [[genocide]] of the [[Uyghur]] people as a cultural norm<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/02/joe-biden-excuses-uyghur-genocide-just-chinese-cultural-norm-spreading-ccp-propaganda/</ref> and called the sovereign republic of Taiwan a "renegade province" of Communist China.<ref>[https://thetaiwantimes.com/president-biden-calls-uyghur-genocide-in-xinjiang-different-norm/ President Biden Calls Uyghur Genocide In Xinjiang “Different Norm”]</ref><br />
<br />
The CCP moved to further the grip [[Beijing]] had over [[Hong Kong]]<ref>Axelrod, Tal (March 11, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/china/542695-chinese-lawmakers-back-move-to-tighten-grip-on-hong-kong Chinese lawmakers back move to tighten grip on Hong Kong]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> and has China intimidated Taiwan.<ref>Mitchell, Ellen (April 13, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/defense/547943-china-sends-25-warplanes-into-taiwan-air-zone China sends 25 warplanes into Taiwan air zone]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> Wary of the fact that many in the junta and Biden himself are shills for the CCP, China has pleaded for Trump's policies which supported Taiwan and weakened the communist regime to be lifted.<ref>Bowden, John (March 7, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/china/542015-china-calls-on-biden-to-reverse-trumps-dangerous-practice-on China calls on Biden to reverse Trump's 'dangerous practice' on Taiwan]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><ref>Lonas, Lexi (March 18, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/543763-china-to-ask-biden-administration-to-lift-trump-policies-report China to ask Biden administration to lift Trump policies: report]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
=====Nuclear threat=====<br />
Stratcom Commander Charles Richard testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee that China’s nuclear capabilities are advancing so rapidly that they’re not even bothering with intelligence vetted more than a month ago in their briefings because it’s probably already out of date. Richard added that a portion of China’s nuclear arsenal has been primed for ready use.<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2021/04/23/rising-threat-of-nuclear-war-is-barely-noticed/</ref><br />
<br />
=====U.S. power grid=====<br />
:{{See also|PLA Total Information Warfare}}<br />
One of the junta's first acts was to expose the U.S. electrical power grid to Communist Chinese subversion. Biden has issued an executive diktat suspending President Trump's Executive Order 13920. The original Trump order stated that any use of bulk-power system equipment “designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied, by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary” is prohibited. The [[U.S. Department of Energy]] lists China, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea as foreign adversaries to the United States under this order. China is the only nation on the list currently engaging in mass production of electronics, manufacturing equipment, and other forms of technology like software, circuits, and instrumentation.<br />
<br />
By suspending this rule, the government is free to procure power equipment from China, or U.S. companies operating manufacturing facilities in China. The Biden regime suspended this protection at the same time that U.S. reliance on foreign oil increased due to bans on new domestic energy production.<ref>https://uncoverdc.com/2021/01/26/president-biden-creates-vulnerabilities-in-americas-power-grid/</ref><br />
<br />
=====Not qualified to lead=====<br />
:{{See also|Wolf warrior diplomacy}}<br />
<br />
At a campaign stop in [[Iowa]] before the [[2020 Democrat primaries]], Biden mocked [[MAGAnomic]] trade policy saying,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man. I mean, you know, they’re not bad folks, folks. But guess what? They’re not competition for us."<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/biden-s-comments-downplaying-china-threat-u-s-fires-pols-n1001236</ref>}}<br />
In its first meeting with Communist Chinese bosses, Director of the CCP Central Foreign Affairs Commission Yang Jiechi instructed junta cronies [[Anthony Blinken]] and [[Jake Sullivan]],<br />
{{Quotebox-float|“The United States does not have the qualification to say that it wants to speak to China from a position of strength.”<ref>https://www.waynedupree.com/2021/03/biden-china-us-argument-alaska/</ref>}} <br />
The Chinese Communists, who own the Biden family with a 90% share of their joint [[Bohai Harvest]] venture, then went on to play the [[race card]] against the cultural norms of the [[Democratic party]], saying that [[Black]] people are being “slaughtered” in the United States.<ref> https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/18/china-us-alaska-meeting-undiplomatic-477118</ref><ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/us-not-qualification-speak-china-position-strength-chinas-top-diplomat-humiliates-bidens-team-american-soil-video/</ref> Those who closely follow the internet-chats surrounding Yang Jiechi and Wang Yi repeatedly came across chat posts such as, "We have already reached the leadership of the world," or "We are number one," and "China lead the world."<ref>[https://www.juergenkremb.com/national-socialism-made-in-xi-na-with-his-neo-fascist-leader-cult-chinas-cp-leader-xi-jinping-is-destroying-all-the-achievements-of-his-predecessors/ National Socialism “Made in Xi-Na”. With his neo-fascist leader cult, China’s CP leader Xi Jinping is destroying all the achievements of his predecessors.] JÜRGEN KREMB, 29 JUNE 2021</ref> <br />
[[File:Yang Jiechi Antony Blinken.jpg|right|350px|thumb|PRC Foreign Secretary [[Yang Jiechi]] to Biden foreign secretary Antony Blinken: "The United States does not have the qualification to say that it wants to speak to China from a position of strength.”<ref>https://www.waynedupree.com/2021/03/biden-china-us-argument-alaska/</ref>]]<br />
Former [[CIA]] analyst and [[National Security Council]] [[chief of staff]] Fred Fleitz said Biden should fire Blinken after the summit dissolved into insults and little diplomatic progress. Fleitz observed, "it was one of the most incompetent displays I've ever seen by an American diplomat.... they were just virtue signaling before the lapdog American media. It was a serious mistake and it set back our policies and it made them look inept because they weren't ready for the counter attack by Chinese officials."<ref>https://justthenews.com/world/asia/us-china-summit-alaska-was-disaster-intelligence-expert-says</ref> Former [[DNI]] [[Ric Grenell]] noted,<br />
"I hope that this is a reminder for Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Blinken that when you spend four years denigrating America in order to get some sort of political leverage internally, a [[partisan]] win so to speak, you damage the United States. Because what they've done in terms of [[Black Lives Matter|BLM]] narratives and really tearing down our history, I mean you look at all of the [[violence]] that the Democrats clearly did. They hyped this and messaged this for partisan political purposes over the last four years in order to gain power. That now is being used against them. And what they have to understand is tearing down America, and telling Americans that they should be ashamed of our history, or they should be ashamed of who we are, also sends a strong message to our enemies that we don't have credibility with them. To be lectured on American soil in Alaska by the Chinese is despicable. And they created this - the Secretary of State, Jake Sullivan, Joe<br />
Biden, Susan Rice - they created this dilemma. They really took the United States and they damaged us with their four-year narrative."<ref>https://youtu.be/IkZVV6IPEWs</ref> Days later the CCP released its ''The Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States in 2020''—whose Forward section begins with the words: “I can't breathe!”-- [[George Floyd]].<ref>https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202103/1219304.shtml</ref><br />
<br />
An editorial in the official Chinese state media '' Global Times'' stated that the Biden regime "is the most incapable and degenerate in the country's history. The US' national strength has greatly lost its relative advantage, so the cards of trade and human rights Washington plays to counter China have almost no effect at all."<ref> https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202110/1237157.shtml</ref><br />
<br />
Gen. Xu Qiliang, vice-chair of the Central Military Commission and a member of the [[Politburo Standing Committee]] who is China’s most senior military officer, refused to meet with his counterpart, Lloyd Austin, America's first African American [[Defense Secretary]].<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/05/23/show-of-disrespect-top-military-leaders-in-china-shunning-bidens-woke-defense-sec-report-1078176/</ref><br />
<br />
=====CCP leaking nuclear power plant=====<br />
CNN reported in June 2021 that the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong province was experiencing a leak posing an “imminent radiological threat”. The plant is run by the China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), a state-owned firm that has enjoyed millions of dollars in investment from Joe Biden’s son Hunter. The plant’s French partner reached out to the White House for assistance. The warning included an accusation that the Chinese safety authority was raising the acceptable limits for radiation detection outside the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong province in order to avoid having to shut it down, according to a letter from the French company to the US [[Department of Energy]].<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/14/politics/china-nuclear-reactor-leak-us-monitoring/index.html</ref> Hunter Biden still owns a sizable stake in a nuclear power plant in which [[Bohai Harvest]] was a $10 million cornerstone investor in.<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9230205/Hunter-Biden-working-unwind-investment-Chinese-owned-fund-father-promised.html</ref><ref>https://www.linkedin.com/company/en.bhrpe.com/</ref> CGN’s initial public offering, occurring in 2014, was the second largest of the entire year, valued at over $3 billion. CGN has seen one of its consultants convicted by the Department of Justice for company-wide schemes to “procure U.S.-based nuclear engineers to assist with designing and manufacturing certain components for nuclear reactors” for nearly two decades. The stolen secrets posed a “significant damage to our national security,” according to the DOJ.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/breaking/hunter-biden-invested-in-nuclear-firm-experiencing-leak/</ref><br />
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====Tibet====<br />
Human rights groups have accused Chinese authorities of raping [[Tibet]]an nuns, forcefully living with Tibetan families, and attempting to suppress Tibetan [[language]] and [[religion]] out of the country. [[Sam Brownback]], former ambassador at large for religious freedom, urged the Biden junta to consider a genocide declaration for the human rights situation in Tibet. <br />
<br />
Robert Destro, former special envoy for Tibet and assistant secretary of state for human rights and labor, accused the Biden junta of neglecting Tibet, which remains tied as the least free country in the world, according to one human rights group.<ref> https://freedomhouse.org/countries/freedom-world/scores</ref> "We need to do everything we can to keep the Tibetan community together," Destro said. "The question is: what is the orientation of the [personnel]? Are they serious about who they are dealing with or not? Are they going to learn from history? How do you do business with people who will sell your [[kidney]]s?"<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/pressure-grows-on-biden-to-act-on-crisis-in-tibet/</ref><br />
<br />
====East Turkestan====<br />
{{see also|Xinjiang concentration camps}}<br />
In late July 2021, Uyghurs called upon the Biden regime to recognize the sovereignty of [[East Turkistan]] and to address the ongoing genocide of the Uighur people.<ref>https://rumble.com/vk81l3-uyghurs-call-on-biden-admin.-to-recognize-sovereignty-of-east-turkistan-add.html</ref><br />
[[File:CCP concentration camp.jpg|right|300px|thumb|A transport of Uighur prisoners at a CCP [[concentration camp]] in Xinjiang.<ref> https://www.businessinsider.com/china-xinjiang-prisoners-blindfolded-tied-up-leaked-drone-footage-2019-10</ref>]]<br />
The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a militant organization that seeks to fight against CCP excesses and abuse of human rights in Xinjiang. The ETIM comprises Uyghur fighters with one goal to liberate East Turkestan or Xinjiang from the clutches of the CCP. Over one million Uyghur Muslims are in internment camps. With the growth of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the growth of ETIM followed a similar trajectory. The Taliban was going to<br />
help the ETIM in its cause of liberating Xinjiang. Instead, the Taliban turned to the CCP. Beijing bought the Taliban and the CCP controls a puppet regime in Afghanistan. <br />
<br />
Intelligence reports from Afghanistan and Turkey indicate that the ETIM is negotiating an alliance with the Islamic State of the Harassan province. There are at least 500 ETIM fighters in Afghanistan and its borders, with most of them concentrated in Badakhshan province in northern Afghanistan, linking with Xinjiang in china via the Wakhan corridor. The ETIM fears that the Taliban will act against them and hand them over to the MSS, the Chinese Ministry of State Security. <br />
<br />
The ETIM has been estimated by the U.N. Security Council to have up to 3 500 fighters. However, the RTIM's goal to liberate Xinjiang and carve out a separate East Turkestan is not what entirely worries the CCP. The more<br />
concerning factor is the impact that a strong ETIM can have on China's Belt and Road projects, not just within China, but all across the region. Four of China's six 'Silk Road Networks', including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor emanate from or pass through Xinjiang. These roads aim to connect China with Russia, central, southern, and western Asia, reaching the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<br />
<br />
A United Nations Security Council report confirmed that ETIM, apart from basing itself out of Afghanistan, is also pursuing a transnational agenda.<br />
<br />
====Tajikistan====<br />
<br />
[[File:Taiwanmap.jpg|right|250px|thumb|]]<br />
While the Biden regime halted construction of the border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, the regime funded border security efforts for [[Tajikistan]], a former [[Soviet]] republic trying to keep Afghan insurgents and refugees out. One day after the junts's August 31, 2021 deadline to withdraw from Afghanistan, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, announced that it had launched a project to construct new facilities for a Border Guard Detachment in Ayvoj, along the Tajik-Afghan-Uzbek border.<br />
<br />
Tajikistan shares an 835-mile border with Afghanistan — less than the 1,254 miles of border shared between Texas and Mexico and less than half the 1,954-mile distance of the entire U.S.-Mexico border. A new detachment facility in Ayvoj, Tajikistan will replace an outdated facility and allow the Border Guard Service to deploy forces more quickly to border areas in response to threats posed by the Taliban's takeover. The new facility will also provide housing for Border Guard personnel and their family members, U.S. officials said. Tajikistan is still a member of the post-Soviet, Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CTSO) alliance, Reuters reports.<br />
<br />
Since 2002, the U.S. government has provided over $300 million in security-sector assistance to Tajikistan. U.S. taxpayers have also footed the bill to renovate or rebuild 12 border outposts, nine border checkpoint facilities, and three training centers for Tajik border guards to help combat security threats, the embassy disclosed.<ref>https://justthenews.com/government/security/biden-halts-us-border-wall-helps-former-soviet-republic-stop-afghan-refugees</ref><br />
<br />
====Taiwan====<br />
On day two the of junta, the People's Republic of China invaded [[Taiwan]]'s airspace with nuclear bombers.<ref>https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-23/china-flies-nuclear-capable-bombers-and-jets-over-taiwan-waters/13086192</ref><br />
<br />
====Japan====<br />
At a time when the junta was pushing expanded anti-Asian hate crime legislation in a spate of African American attacks on Asian Americans,<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/just-who-is-it-attacking-asian-americans</ref> Biden referred to "a Japanese boy" who won the Master's Tournament while speaking a joint press conference with the Japanese prime minister.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/04/16/biden-calls-masters-champ-hideki-matsuyama-japanese-boy/</ref><br />
<br />
====Philippines====<br />
[[File:Bizarre moment Kamala honors McCain in Vietnam.PNG|right|350px|thumb|Bizarre moment Kamala Harris pays tribute to John McCain at monument erected to the memory of 50,000 victims of bombing in North Vietnam.<ref>https://www.rt.com/op-ed/533131-harris-mccain-memorial-vietnam-confusion/</ref>]]<br />
Philippines leader Rodrigo Duterte complained to the Chinese ambassador about Chinese naval forces massing within the Philppines exclusive economic zone. International concern has grown over what the Philippines has described as a "swarming and threatening presence" of more than 200 Chinese vessels that it believes were manned by China's maritime militia.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/philippines-alarmed-more-200-chinese-ships-massing-disputed-waters</ref><br />
<br />
====Vietnam====<br />
<br />
{{See also|Vietnam War|}}<br />
In August 2021, during the Fall of Kabul, Kamala Harris was sent on an official diplomatic visit to [[Vietnam]]. In Vietnam, Harris and/or her staff and media convinced themselves that a monument erected to commemorate the shoot-down of [[John McCain]] was built to honor McCain. McCain flew 22 bombing missions over Vietnam and spent 8 years in a Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp as a [[war criminal]]. Approximately 50,000 North Vietnamese civilians were killed in bombings by the United States.<ref>[http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/SOD.TAB6.1A.GIF Rummel, 1997], line 61</ref><br />
<br />
On the official diplomatic visit, Harris expressed effusive words of honour, heroism, and praise for the person whom the Vietnamese government and people regard as a war criminal. Harris said of John McCain, "he was an extraordinary American hero." McCain flew 22 bombing missions over Vietnam and spent 5 1/2 years as a prisoner-of-war in the notorious 'Hanoi Hilton', a POW camp where he endured torture and beatings.<br />
<br />
At the very moment the Biden regime was resurrecting the Taliban terrorist state, leaving behind the most sophisticated modern weapons in a bungled and embarrassing retreat with needless loss of life for both American servicemen and Afghan civilians, Harris proclaimed "America is back."<ref>https://youtu.be/wUF-RkIZgFo</ref><br />
<br />
Harris' words and visit have been likened to laying a wreath to honor [[Adolf Eichmann]] at the [[Holocaust]] Museum.<br />
<br />
While in Vietnam Harris may have been exposed to Havana Syndrome.<br />
<br />
===North Korea===<br />
Biden criticized President Trump for his meeting with North Korea president [[Kim Jong-un]], despite this meeting avoiding a massive and destructive nuclear war. Biden and Obama failed to shutdown the nuclear program of North Korea and let North Korea get Nuclear power. Now Biden pretends that his policy will force [[North Korea]] to shut down nuclear power, without clarifying what this policy.<ref>[https://www.pri.org/stories/2020-09-17/how-would-team-biden-handle-showdown-north-korea How would Team Biden handle a showdown with North Korea?]</ref> With the rise of the Biden junta and ousting of President Trump, North Korea announced its intention to build more nuclear weapons.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/north-korea-s-kim-threatens-build-more-nukes-bring-u-n1253625</ref><br />
<br />
The Biden junta's incompetence in their "hostile practices" towards North Korea ended chances of further denuclearizing the latter, setting the stage for potential greater threats in the future.<ref>Lonas, Lexi (March 18, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/543779-north-korea-no-nuclear-talks-until-us-stops-hostile-policies North Korea: No nuclear talks until US stops 'hostile policies']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
[[File:DPRK ballistic missile launch.PNG|right|350px|thumb|North Korean ballistic missile launch fired toward Japan. If the CCP were to invade Taiwan, North Korea may intervene in the fight to distract Japanese assistance to Taiwan.]]<br />
Biden wanted to return to the pre-Trump days of nuclear confrontation with North Korea. The sister of Kim jong-un, Kim Yo Jong, responded to the junta's overtures for dialogue saying, "If it [America] wants to sleep in peace for (the) coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step."<ref>https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-s-sister-warns-biden-to-stay-away/ar-BB1eCUrX</ref><br />
<br />
Under the watch of the Biden junta, North Korea days later resumed [[ballistic missile]] testing in the [[Sea of Japan]] in fear of aggression.<ref>Kheel, Rebecca; Choi, Joseph (April 23, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/asia-pacific/544557-north-korea-tests-short-range-missiles-denouncing North Korea conducts first missile test since Biden took office]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><ref>Two references:<br />
*Byres, Jesse; Coleman, Justine (April 24, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/544821-north-korea-fires-unidentified-projectile-into-sea-south-says North Korea fires two ballistic missiles into sea]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Weiss, Rusty (March 25, 2021). [https://thepoliticalinsider.com/days-after-warning-biden-about-sleeping-in-peace-north-korea-launches-ballistic-missiles/ Days After Warning Biden About Sleeping In Peace, North Korea Launches Ballistic Missiles]. ''The Political Insider''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
The International Atomic Energy Agency recently assessed that North Korea resumed operations at its Yongbyon nuclear reactor, which produces plutonium for nuclear weapons. Pyongyang also may have reprocessed nuclear fuel from previous reactor operations. The developments are worrisome and will test the Biden administration on how to respond to North Korea expanding its ongoing production of nuclear weapons material. In recent years, North Korea has expanded and refined manufacturing facilities for fissile material, nuclear weapons, missiles, mobile missile launchers, and reentry vehicles.<br />
<br />
In 2017, the U.S. intelligence community assessed that North Korea had between 30 and 60 nuclear weapons (or weapons’ worth of fissile material) and could annually produce an additional seven to 12 weapons. While the Yongbyon reactor was offline, production would have decreased; however, resumed reactor operations will presumably return nuclear production to 2017-2018 levels. Since 2017, North Korea demonstrated significant improvements in its ability to target South Korea, Japan, and the continental United States with nuclear weapons. That year, Pyongyang conducted three intercontinental ballistic missile test launches, as well as a hydrogen (thermonuclear) weapon explosion at least 10 times as powerful as the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs.<br />
<br />
North Korea is now producing a new generation of advanced mobile missiles that are more accurate and more difficult to detect and target, and have an enhanced ability to evade allied missile defenses. In 2019, Pyongyang conducted 26 missile launches, all of them violations of U.N. resolutions and more than it had ever tested in a year. In October, Pyongyang unveiled the Hwasong-16 ICBM, the world’s largest mobile missile on a launch vehicle. The missile, larger than North Korea’s previous ICBM models, may be capable of carrying three or four nuclear warheads. Pyongyang also revealed that it can produce mobile ICBM transporter-erector-launchers. The regime’s ability to deploy more ICBM missiles with multiple warheads on mobile launchers risks overwhelming limited U.S. missile defenses protecting the American homeland.<ref> https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/08/31/north-korea-ramps-up-nuclear-weapons-production/</ref><br />
<br />
While the Afghan debacle was still raging and American [[hostage]]s left behind were trying to find a way out, North Korea resumed ballistic missile testing.<ref>https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/08/bafa27d9c5c8-urgent-n-korea-appears-to-have-fired-ballistic-missile.html</ref><br />
<br />
====India====<br />
The [[Hindu]]phobic Biden junta banned entry into the United States of people from [[India]].<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/04/30/hinduphobic-joebama-administration-ban-travel-from-india-due-to-covid/</ref><br />
{{Anchor|Rape of Afghanistan}}<br />
====Afghanistan====<br />
{{See also|Women under the Taliban}}<br />
<br />
No Americans had been killed in Afghanistan since February of 2020 until Biden's seizure of power. <br />
[[File:Kabul 2021.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Joe Biden, author of the [[Violence Against Women Act]], abandoning the women and girls of Afghanistan to the Taliban [[rape jihad]].]]<br />
The [[Taliban]] warned in late March 2021 that the group would start targeting foreign troops in [[Afghanistan]] if they remain in the country beyond the May 1, 2021 deadline set by the US-Taliban peace deal.<ref>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/26/taliban-threaten-to-re-target-foreign-troops-if-may-1</ref> As American troops departed, the Peoples Republic of China began expanding their Belt and Road Initiative with a $62 billion aid package to Afghanistan to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).<ref>https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9755531/China-prepares-Afghanistan-following-Americas-departure-Belt-Road-program.html</ref><br />
<br />
On July 8, 2021, Biden said from the White House, "I trust the capacity of the Afghan military, who is better trained, better equipped, and more competent in terms of conducting war,"<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/bidens-afghanistan-predictions-were-all-wrong/</ref> "There's going to be no circumstance where you're going to see people being lifted off the roof of an embassy of the United States from Afghanistan."<ref>https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/biden-parallels-afghanistan-vietnam-wars</ref> The same month the Defense Department said it was providing the Afghan Air Force 35 Black Hawk helicopters and three A-29 Super Tucanos. The United States spent $83 billion equipping and training the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), including $10 billion in aircraft and vehicles.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/us-spent-83-billion-training-afghan-forces-why-did-they-collapse-so-quickly/184529/</ref> Less than a month later several Black Hawks helicopters and other aircraft were seized by the Taliban. Many of the aircraft and helicopters are armed. These A-29 Super Tucanos can fire laser-guided and other types of bombs. The Afghan government also had 50 American-made MD-530 attack helicopters, which are armed with machine guns and rockets. The Afghan Air Force had UH-60 Black Hawks and Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, as well as C-130 and Cessna transports, and a small fleet of armed Cessnas.<ref>https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2021/08/taliban-captured-helicopters-can-they-capture-air-force/184525/</ref><br />
<br />
As the impending crisis escalated, White House chief propagandists Jen Psaki said "The [[Taliban]] has to make an assessment about what they want their role to be in the international community."<ref>https://www.mediaite.com/online/jen-psaki-mocked-for-saying-taliban-has-to-make-an-assessment-about-their-future-role-america-is-back-alright/</ref> Her comments came as reports flowed in of Taliban fighters going door-to-door and forcibly selecting girls as young as 12 to reward as brides for the victorious jihadis.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/afghans-tell-of-executions-forced-marriages-in-taliban-held-areas-11628780820</ref><br />
<br />
Former Obama Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker said,<ref>The Atlantic (2011). [https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/04/panetta-will-run-pentagon-petraeus-to-lead-cia/237927/ Panetta Will Run Pentagon; Petraeus to Lead CIA].</ref> the Islamist group cares less about diplomatic relations than it does about the idea that it has defeated the world’s strongest military, a narrative that will embolden other Islamist militants around the world.<br />
[[File:Baby at Kabul airport.PNG|left|350px|thumb|Baby found abandoned at the Kabul airport.<ref>https://www.ptcnews.tv/afghanistan-infant-found-crying-in-abandoned-condition-at-kabul-airport</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|“We’re going to pay for that for a long time to come, and that’s why it is insane – just idiotic – to think that we can tell the Taliban that if they don’t stop taking over territory and play nice, the international community will withhold recognition and support. The Taliban really doesn’t care, because they’ve got something far more valuable.”<br />
<br />
“We have seen this movie before. This would be the Taliban of the 1990s that gave safe haven to al-Qaida, except they’re meaner and tougher than they were then because of what they’ve been through.”<br />
<br />
“But even with all of that, I’m afraid a lot of people are going to die. As the Taliban moves into different cities and towns, they’ve got their hit list. So it’s going to be messy, it’s going to be incomplete and more people are going to die, but we’ve got to make our best possible effort.”<br />
<br />
“I’m left with some grave questions in my mind about his ability to lead our nation as [[commander-in-chief]].”<ref>https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/aug/14/a-self-inflicted-wound-former-ambassador-to-afghan/</ref>}}<br />
Crocker told ''[[CBS]]'s [[Face the Nation]]'', "It has created a global crisis, quite frankly. It has emboldened violent Islamic radicals, and I think we’re all gonna see the fallout of that, certainly in Pakistan, a champion of the Taliban. The Taliban victory, the narrative of defeating the great infidel, empowers radicals in Pakistan that they’re going to have to deal with if they can. And that’s a country of 220 million people with nuclear weapons.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/obama-afghan-ambassador-says-bidens-withdrawal-has-created-a-global-crisis/</ref> ''Politico'''s chief European correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig wrote, "Biden told allies to join him in proving that [[democracy]] works and defending it against [[authoritarianism]]. Instead, they look at Afghanistan and see “the discrediting of the Western alliance and everything it is supposed to stand for in the world.”<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2021/08/16/what-biden-lost-in-afghanistan-493977</ref> Former Obama Defense Secretary [[Leon Panetta]] said that there is no question that "our national security is threatened by what has happened."<ref>https://youtu.be/FT_2GpJSS1I</ref> According to the U.K. ''Telegraph'', <br />
{{quotebox-float|“Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal was condemned as “catastrophic” and “shameful” on Wednesday as the [[Houses of Parliament]] delivered an unprecedented rebuke to a US president. MPs and peers from across the political spectrum, including [[Boris Johnson]], put some blame for the Taliban’s takeover and the chaos that followed on Britain’s closest ally. Mr Biden was accused of “throwing us and everybody else to the fire” by pulling out US troops, and was called “dishonourable” for criticising Afghan forces for not having the will to fight. Former defence chiefs who led British troops in the Middle East were among those to speak out, while there were warnings that the West’s withdrawal would embolden Russia and China.<br />
<br />
[…] Labour MP Chris Bryant called Mr Biden’s remarks about Afghan soldiers “some of the most shameful comments ever from an American president”. Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP and former defence minister, said: “The Biden government have just come in and, without looking at what is happening on the ground, have taken a unilateral decision, throwing us and everybody else to the fire.” <ref>[https://archive.is/YkOPb#selection-517.0-535.24 Parliament holds Joe Biden in contempt over Afghanistan], By Ben Riley-Smith, ''The Telegraph'', 18 August 2021.</ref>}}<br />
Former [[Labour Party]] [[Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]] slammed Biden's "imbecilic" retreat.<ref>https://archive.is/2D8am#selection-491.1-491.56</ref><br />
<br />
=====Withdrawal=====<br />
{{See also|Fall of Kabul}}<br />
[[File:Kabul airport suicide bombing August 26, 2021.PNG|right|300px|thumb|Kabul airport suicide bombing, August 26, 2021.]]<br />
Panic ensued as the Kabul airport was flooded with people fleeing the Taliban terror. Some people were stampeded to death.<ref>https://www.the-sun.com/news/3479109/taliban-jalalabad-afghanistan-kabul-uk-troops-2-2/</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported about the dangerous road thousands of people face trying to get to the Kabul airport: “There were volleys of rifle fire, along with pushing, pulling and beating with wooden sticks, Kalashnikovs and hoses.”<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/08/18/world/asia/kabul-airport-afghanistan-maps.html</ref> At the airport, “in desperate scenes, babies were passed to U.S. soldiers in the hope of giving them a life outside the country,” ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2021/aug/19/children-passed-over-the-walls-of-kabul-airport-amid-evacuation-chaos-video</ref> Tens of thousands of Afghans lined up outside the airport in the hopes of finding a way out.<ref>https://www.businessinsider.com/video-people-crushed-to-death-at-kabul-airport-thousands-flee-taliban-2021-8?op=1</ref> Three young men clung to the tires of an airplane, only to fall on top of people's houses once the plane was airborne.<ref>https://twitter.com/AsvakaNews/status/1427172720446373892</ref> Remains of a fourth body were found crushed inside the wheel well upon landing.<ref>https://notthebee.com/article/shockingly-awful-video-shows-afghan-mans-body-dangling-from-wheel-well-of-c-17</ref> <br />
<br />
People died after being crushed or succumbing to sweltering temperatures in the crowds outside the airport gate as individuals and families sought refuge from the Taliban.<ref>https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/matt-frei/women-at-kabul-airport-crushed-fleeing-taliban/</ref> [[UK]] ''Independent'' journalist Kim Sengupta saw four women crushed to death in the space of about an hour, in the crush as Afghans scrambled to leave the Taliban-controlled country.<ref>https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/matt-frei/women-at-kabul-airport-crushed-fleeing-taliban/</ref> ''[[Sky News]]'' chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay saw people crushed to death, medics check their vital signs and then cover the bodies in white sheets.<ref>https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/15927269/afghanistan-kabul-airport-crush-taliban/</ref> A heartbroken mother found her 2-year-old daughter trampled to death.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/08/22/fatal-stampede-outside-kabul-airport-takes-place-as-people-attempt-to-flee/</ref> Biden told ABC’s [[George Stephanopoulos]] "no one's being killed right now."<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2021/08/26/biden-last-week-nobody-is-being-killed-n2594798</ref> On August 26, 2021, two suicide bombs went off outside the Kabul airport, killing about 60 people including 12 American soldiers and injuring more than 100. One was a car bomb about 200 yards away, outside the Baron hotel, which was a staging area for evacuees from the airport.<ref>https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2021/0826/Islamic-State-says-it-was-behind-suicide-attacks-at-Kabul-airport</ref> [[ISIS-K]] claimed responsibility. An [[Italian]] [[C-130]] also came under fire as it departed the airport.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-c-130-comes-under-fire-as-it-leaves-kabul-airport-also-reports-of-explosion-outside-airport-gate/</ref> A translator for the [[U.S. Marine Corps]] spoke with Fox News and gave a first-hand account of what he witnessed after the suicide attack. His 5-year-old girl died in his hands.<ref>https://100percentfedup.com/breaking-baby-girl-died-right-in-my-hands-witness-of-afghan-explosion-tells-what-he-saw-after-suicide-bomb-at-the-airport/</ref><br />
<br />
With 40,000 Americans stranded,<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/08/breaking-afghanistan-hannity-reports-10000-many-40000-americans-trapped-inside-afghanistan-taliban-blocking-access-airport-video/</ref> embassy personnel in Kabul were apprised by the State Department to leave the embassy and make their way to the airport. Staffers reported being jostled, hit, spat on and cursed at by Taliban fighters at checkpoints near the airport. Some staff members reported that they were almost separated from their children, while others collapsed in a crush of people and had to be taken to hospitals with injuries. Others said they had collapsed on the road because of heat exhaustion. “It would be better to die under the Taliban’s bullet” than face the crowds again, a staff member was quoted as saying in a State Department cable. “Happy to die here, but with dignity and pride," according to ''[[NBC News]]''.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/afghan-staff-u-s-embassy-losing-faith-evacuation-efforts-diplomatic-n1277397</ref> A heart-wrenching audio clip of a stranded American woman in fear for her life was posted to social media.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/heartbreaking-audio-of-american-woman-trapped-in-afghanistan-begging-for-biden-to-help-her/</ref> At least 24 students from a [[San Diego]] school district and 16 parents had tickets to fly out but were not able to get to the airport.<ref>https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-08-24/students-from-cajon-valley-school-district-stranded-in-afghanistan?utm_id=36108&sfmc_id=4509190</ref><br />
<br />
===Europe===<br />
:{{see also|Gazprom}}<br />
Biden reversed the Trump administration's opposition to the [[Nord Stream II]] pipeline. This was a serious blow to [[Polish]], [[Hungarian]], and [[Ukrainian]] independence. The Russian project is designed to ship gas and oil directly from Russia to [[Germany]] under the [[Baltic Sea]]. Russia has attempted to pressure Ukraine numerous times since the break-up of the [[Soviet Union]] to abandon its bid to join [[NATO]] by cutting off oil and gas supplies. In doing so, Russia inadvertently also cuts off supplies to Germany. The Nord Stream pipeline is intended to counter this collateral effect, while pressuring Ukraine, Poland and Hungary to remain in the Russian orbit, as well. The pipeline itself is a massive scandal in Germany, with former [[Democratic Socialist]] chancellor [[Gerhard Schroeder]] on the board of the Nord Stream pipeline company, and a major stockholder.<ref>https://www.politico.eu/article/opinion-schroders-russian-sell-out/</ref> Biden also waived sanctions on its CEO, Matthias Warnig,<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/18/biden-sanctions-nord-stream-pipeline-489437</ref> a former [[East German]] [[Stasi]] agent who partnered with the [[KGB]] while Putin served in [[Berlin]] in the 1980s.<ref>https://www.dw.com/en/who-is-nord-streams-matthias-warnig-putins-friend-from-east-germany/a-56328159</ref> The waivers were issued only one week after a cyberattack emanating from Russia shut down the Colonial Pipeline, resulting in shortages and gas lines in the eastern United States—for which Biden absolved Putin before an investigation started.<ref>https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/05/20/what-we-know-about-darkside-the-russian-hacker-group-that-just-wrecked-havoc-on-the-east-coast/</ref> The reversal of Trump-era policies made Biden appear to be a [[Putin]] puppet.<ref>https://dennismichaellynch.com/daily-newsletter/</ref> CDMedia reported,<br />
{{quotebox-float|"CDMedia wrote in the summer before the 2020 election about Joe Biden, and his energy and gas genius son Hunter, meeting with Russian gas executives in the United States, weeks after Russia [[Ukrainian crisis|annexed the Crimean Peninsula]], and Obama/Biden were crowing in the news about how America needs to ‘get tough on Russia’....The ‘tough on Russia’ thing is a hoax. Biden just ensured billions of hydrocarbon revenue for the [[Kremlin]]. He just weakened the NATO alliance."<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/analysis/2021/05/20/biden-is-not-tough-on-russia-quite-the-opposite/</ref>}}<br />
Two scholars at the [[Atlantic Council]], the prominent foreign policy think tank that claims to staunchly oppose Russian influence, raked in nearly $3 million lobbying in favor of the Russian pipeline.<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/atlantic-council-scholars-made-millions-lobbying-for-putin-backed-pipeline/</ref><br />
<br />
====United Kingdom====<br />
:{{See also|Rape of Afghanistan}}<br />
[[File:KabulHasFallen.png|right|300px|thumb|]]<br />
Britain stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States following the [[September 11, 2001]] terrorist attacks in the U.S., and its military forces were part of the coalition force in Afghanistan. The British force in [[Afghanistan War|Afghanistan]] were at 9,000 in late 2009 and rose by an extra 500 troops in 2010. British forces were primarily based in the Helmand region, where they were on the front line in the war against continued [[Taliban]] terrorism. In addition, Britain contributed more than £500 million to Afghan reconstruction—the second-largest donor after the U.S.<br />
<br />
Joe Biden assured key allies at the June 2021 [[G7]] Summit in [[Cornwall]] that he would maintain enough of a security presence in Afghanistan to ensure they could continue to operate in the capital following the main U.S. withdrawal. Biden promised Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] and other leaders that “critical U.S. enablers” would remain in place to keep Kabul safe following the drawdown of NATO forces. British officials determined the U.S. would provide enough personnel to ensure that the U.K. embassy in Kabul could continue operating.<br />
<br />
But the withdrawal of U.S. forces saw the Afghan government collapse as Taliban fighters raced across the country, culminating in scenes of chaos at Kabul’s airport. The British embassy was evacuated. The UK foreign minister faced calls to resign over the inability to extract people on the ground, ''Bloomberg'' reported.<ref> https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-20/biden-assured-allies-in-june-u-s-would-ensure-kabul-s-stability?sref=MTy2GeXk</ref><br />
<br />
The circumstances surrounding the U.S. withdrawal served as a wake-up call to the anti-Trump elements in Great Britain who colluded with [[fake news]] [[mainstream media]] outlets, the [[2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign|Hillary Clinton campaign]], and the U.S. [[intelligence community]] to interfere in American elections and sabotage the presidency of [[Donald Trump]], of the reluctance of Washington to operate as a global policeman. During the crisis, Biden ignored Boris Johnson's frantic phone calls for 36 hours.<ref>https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2021/08/20/special-relationship-biden-ghosted-johnson-over-bungled-bugout-n1471066</ref><br />
According to the U.K . ''Telegraph'', <br />
{{quotebox-float|“Joe Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal was condemned as “catastrophic” and “shameful” on Wednesday as the [[Houses of Parliament]] delivered an unprecedented rebuke to a US president. MPs and peers from across the political spectrum, including [[Boris Johnson]], put some blame for the Taliban’s takeover and the chaos that followed on Britain’s closest ally. Mr Biden was accused of “throwing us and everybody else to the fire” by pulling out US troops, and was called “dishonourable” for criticising Afghan forces for not having the will to fight. Former defence chiefs who led British troops in the Middle East were among those to speak out, while there were warnings that the West’s withdrawal would embolden Russia and China.<br />
<br />
[…] Labour MP Chris Bryant called Mr Biden’s remarks about Afghan soldiers “some of the most shameful comments ever from an American president”. Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP and former defence minister, said: “The Biden government have just come in and, without looking at what is happening on the ground, have taken a unilateral decision, throwing us and everybody else to the fire.” <ref>[https://archive.is/YkOPb#selection-517.0-535.24 Parliament holds Joe Biden in contempt over Afghanistan], By Ben Riley-Smith, ''The Telegraph'', 18 August 2021.</ref>}}<br />
Ben Wallace, [[UK]] defence secretary, broke down in tears saying, “some would not get back” from Afghanistan. “It’s sad. Twenty years of sacrifice is what it is."<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/afghanistan-taliban-uk-ben-wallace-b1903193.html NewsUKUK Politics<br />
Defence secretary breaks down in tears and admits ‘some won’t get back’ from Afghanistan], Adam Forrest, ''The Independent'', August 16, 2021.<br />
</ref> Boris Johnson and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab concluded that Britain would have to turn to Russia and China to assist with exercising a "moderating influence" over the Taliban despite a deep mistrust of both regimes. Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Tom Tugendhat wrote, <br />
[[File:Biden Imbecile.PNG|left|300px|thumb|''Sunday Mirror'', August 22, 2021.<ref>https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunday-mirror/20210822/page/1</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The [[fall of Kabul]] is the biggest foreign policy disaster since [[Suez Crisis|Suez]]. The operation to seize the canal in 1956 symbolised the end of [[British Empire|Britain’s global ambition]] and refocused us on Nato and alliances. It showed conclusively that the US could limit our actions and change our policy. The fall of Kabul will be remembered for similar reasons: not just its abject failure, but also because it revealed the nature of US power and our inability to hold a separate line. The redeployment of 2,500 US troops, half as many as it takes to crew a carrier, ended 20 years of British effort in Afghanistan and left thousands of British citizens under Taliban jurisdiction....The longer-term question is: what next? Is Britain’s [[foreign policy]] achievable given the past week? What are the implications for our alliances?...just like in Suez, we need to reset to make sure that a false narrative does not grow, and that means commitment. Cuts to overseas engagement, whether defence, diplomacy, aid or trade, will look different today from how they did a week ago...." <ref>[https://archive.is/KmgYt Tom Tugendhat on Afghanistan: Six decades after Suez, we remain impotent in the face of US policy], August 16 2021, ''The Times''.</ref>}}<br />
Former Tory prime minister [[Theresa May]] said "What does it say about NATO if we are entirely dependent on a unilateral decision taken by the United States? ... Did we feel we just had to follow the United States and hope that on a wing and a prayer it'd be all right on the night?" Former Labour prime minister [[Tony Blair]] slammed Biden's "imbecilic" retreat.<ref>https://archive.is/2D8am#selection-491.1-491.56</ref> Blair said the "deep politicisation" of US foreign policy was "visibly atrophying" American influence, and claimed the debacle over the withdrawal risked Britain being relegated to the "second division" of global powers.<br />
<br />
====France====<br />
At Biden's first G-7 summit, Biden was welcomed into "the club" of globalists by [[Emmanuel Macron]],<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/06/president-trump-releases-statement-regarding-macron-welcoming-biden-club/</ref> but the lovefest was short loved. First came the Afghan debacle, resurrection of a terrorist state, and abandonment of Western hostages to the Taliban. Then, without notice, Biden edged France out of the way in a contract to deliver submarines [[Australia]], leaving French contractors with $16 billion in losses. Macron promptly withdrew the French Ambassador from Washington. Macron proposed a European Union army, since the United States and NATO could no longer be relied upon.<ref>https://www.economist.com/europe/2021/09/04/after-afghanistan-europe-wonders-if-france-was-right-about-america</ref><br />
<br />
During the Afghan crisis, Macron and Biden spoke by phone. Macron emphasised ensuring the safe evacuation of Afghan citizens who assisted American and European troops over the past 20 years at great risk to themselves and their families. Macron described the mission to evacuate allies as a “moral responsibility” and told Biden: “We cannot abandon them.” The White House version of the phone call, however, made no mention of a “moral responsibility” to evacuate Afghan allies.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/20/afghanistan-macron-biden-moral-responsibility-evacuate-allies</ref><br />
<br />
At the height of the [[Ukrainian]] crisis Macron said, "The geopolitical objective of Russia today is clearly not Ukraine, but to clarify the rules of cohabitation with NATO and the EU."<ref>https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-russia-tensions-frances-macron-flies-to-moscow-to-meet-putin-in-high-risk-diplomatic-mission-12535079</ref><br />
<br />
====Germany====<br />
[[File:Amy Gutmann.PNG|right|230px|thumb|''Left'' Unidentified suicide bomber ''Right'' Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann<ref>https://www.jpost.com/jewish-world/jewish-news/u-penn-president-apologizes-for-photo</ref>]]<br />
During the [[Donbas war]] crisis of 2022, German chancellor [[Olaf Scholz]] was forced to stand mutely at his visit to the White House while Biden “promised” that he would unilaterally shut down the [[NordStream 2]] pipeline, even though the U.S. played no role in its construction and administration. Germany, Biden effectively said, is little more than a subject of U.S. [[colonialism|colonial]] hegemony.<br />
<br />
====Russia====<br />
[[File:Download-2.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Vladimir Putin (left} [[Oleg Deripaska]] (right). [[Christopher Steele]] of the ''[[Steele Dossier]]'' was hired by Deripaska to lobby the Obama/Biden DOJ; [[Andrew McCabe]] then met with Deriapaska two months before the [[2016 presidential election|2016 election]].]]<br />
:{{See also|Russophobia}}<br />
Biden portrays his policy as being more tough against Russia than [[President Trump]]'s has been,<ref>Bowden, John (April 15, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/russia/522773-kremlin-biden-encouraging-hatred-of-russia Kremlin: Biden encouraging hatred of Russia]. ''The Hill''.</ref> although this policy under the [[Obama regime]] was to let Russia expand into the Crimea and the [[Middle East]]. Under an [[Obama]] era policy, Islamist groups like the [[Islamic State]] were allowed to expand in Syria. Biden has called Putin a killer,<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYCJZROo-hA</ref> which severed relations between the U.S. and Russia without in any way being able to rein in the latter's activities. This is heavily remote from the [[Trump Administration]]'s approaches which successfully and effectively weakened the [[Kremlin]].<br />
<br />
While the Biden junta has imposed a few sanctions on the country,<ref>Kelly, Laura; Miller, Maggie (April 15, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/548477-biden-sanctions-further-chill-us-russia-relationship New US sanctions further chill Biden-Putin relations]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> they have been unable to halt Russia from flexing its muscles on its neighbors.<br />
<br />
In early April 2021, [[Vladimir Putin]] signed a law to permit two additional terms for himself in office.<ref>Choi, Joseph (April 5, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/russia/546475-putin-signs-law-allowing-him-to-remain-president-through-2036 Putin signs law allowing him to remain president through 2036]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
It was reported by ''[[The Hill]]'' on April 17, 2021 that Russia increased their military presence in the [[Black Sea]].<ref>Axelrod, Tal (April 17, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/europe/548836-russia-increases-military-presence-in-black-sea-amid-rising Russia increases military presence in Black Sea amid rising Ukraine tensions]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> A diplomat from Ukraine was also detained in Russia.<ref>Jenkins, Cameron (April 17, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/russia/548808-ukrainian-diplomat-released-after-brief-detention-in-russia Ukrainian diplomat briefly detained, ordered to leave Russia]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
=====Relations with Vladimir Putin=====<br />
[[File:Sadiq Khan and Elena Baturina.jpg|left|350px|thumb|London mayor [[Sadiq Khan]] and Elana Baturina.]]<br />
As vice-president in 2011, Putin snubbed Biden in a face-to-face meeting. Sitting across a conference table Putin, Biden attempted to lecture Putin. Biden said, "I’ve been around a long time. The first time I was here…” and in mid-sentence his microphone was cut off,<ref>https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/03/10/remarks-vice-president-joe-biden-and-russian-prime-minister-vladimir-put</ref> the lights for the TV cameras went off, and the press was told to leave. The press exited quickly and quietly. Videocameras were disassembled from tripods and still photographers stopped shooting. Portable lights came down from retractable poles. No one spoke and no one lingered. Putin pulled the plug, stole Biden's audience, and rendered him speechless. Putin and the Russian delegation sat motionless as their American counterparts realized the rug had been pulled out underneath Biden's feet. Putin had neither fear nor respect for Biden, and Biden was humiliated.<ref>https://thenationalpulse.com/analysis/putin-humiliated-biden-in-moscow-meeting/</ref> Biden, who called Putin a "killer" in March 2021, now called him a bight and worthy adversary on the eve of the June 16, 2021 summit in Geneva.<ref>https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/white-house-plays-down-hacker-swap-after-putin-offers-biden-a-deal-kr7cc9l8n</ref> Putin criticized Biden's [[human rights]] record, the mass incarceration of dissidents, and the murder of [[Ashli Babbitt]], a peaceful protester at the January 6, 2021 Capitol election stealing protests.<ref>https://youtu.be/h1HPcxLc_nE</ref> Biden ducked out and refused to appear at the traditional post-summit press conference leaving more questions about Biden's mental fitness.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/news/europe/2021/06/12/biden-refuses-to-hold-joint-press-conference-with-putin-after-upcoming-summit/</ref><br />
<br />
In 2014 Hunter Biden colluded with and received $3.5 million from [[Elena Baturina]], the richest woman in Russia and widow of former Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov as payment to establish an American bank account for her.<ref>https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/missionquestfpb/shock-man-who-had-hunter-biden-s-laptop-suggests-t-t10669-s2420.html</ref> Baturina eventually laundered $39 million through American banks with the help of [[Rosemont Seneca]] of funds stolen from contractors while her husband was the mayor of Moscow. In late 2019 Baturina was declared a fugitive from justice by a Russian court.<ref>https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-court-declares-late-moscow-mayor-s-widow-wanted-after-failure-to-appear/30348065.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Ukraine====<br />
[[File:Biden-Pozharskyi-email.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Burisma exec thanks Hunter for introducing him to his father, Joe Biden.<ref>https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/10/Biden-Pozharskyi-email.jpg</ref> Biden has always denied any knowledge or involvement with his son's business activities or associates.]]<br />
{{See also|Biden-Ukraine scandal}}<br />
Ukraine functions as the corrupt [[money laundering]] operation for [[Washington, D.C.]] politicians to receive [[kickback]]s of taxpayer money from their financial support into Ukraine.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/02/22/biden-delivers-remarks-on-ukraine-video-and-transcript/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=biden-delivers-remarks-on-ukraine-video-and-transcript</ref> In May 2021 it was revealed that Joe Biden met with Ukrainian, Russian and [[Kazakh]] business associates of Hunter in the private “Garden Room” at Café Milano,<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/05/26/hunter-biden-arranged-secret-dinner-with-business-partners-and-vp-joe/</ref> a Georgetown institution whose catchphrase is: “Where the world’s most powerful people go" in April 2015 while Biden was vice president. The following day, April 17, Hunter Biden received an email from Vadym Pozharskyi, an executive of Burisma, to thank him for introducing him to his father.<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Dear Hunter, thank you for inviting me to DC and giving an opportunity to meet your father and spent [sic] some time together....It’s realty [sic] an honor and pleasure.”}}<br />
Burisma was paying Hunter $83,333 a month to sit on its board a the time. Biden has always denied any knowledge of or involvement with his son's business or associates.<br />
<br />
=====Support for neo-Nazis=====<br />
:{{See also|Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists|Alexandra Chalupa|}}<br />
Biden restored the Obama era support for Ukrainian [[Neo-Nazi]]s.<ref>https://russia-insider.com/en/ukraine/washington-post-ukrainian-neo-nazis-are-romantics/ri312</ref> On March 1, 2021 Biden funneled $125 million in grants to [[Ukraine]],<ref>[https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2519445/defense-department-announces-125m-for-ukraine/ defense-department-announces-125m-for-ukraine/]</ref> a country his son has extensive investments in.<ref>https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/03/biden-gang-already-deals-ukraine-125-million-us-tax-payer-money-way-ukraine-right-now/</ref> Ukrainian [[neo-Nazi]]s have been battling Ukraine's indigenous Russian speaking population since the [[Great Patriotic War]].<ref>https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/</ref> One month later Biden junta neo-Nazi allies held a rally in [[Kiev]] to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the creation of the [[SS|SS Galicia Division]], made up primarily of [[OUN|Ukrainian nationalists]] armed by [[Nazi Germany]] to fight against the [[Soviet Union]].<ref>https://www.rt.com/russia/522435-ss-galicia-march-kiev/</ref> The SS Galicia Division is responsible for multiple [[mass murder]]s and [[war crimes]] against [[Jewish]]s and [[Polish]] civilians.<ref>https://spzh.news/en/zashhita-very/68324-ss-galichina-uniaty-kholokost-i-zhizny-v-sostojanii-lzhi</ref> The governments of Germany and Israel condemned the celebration,<ref>https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/305285</ref><ref>https://112.international/politics/german-ambassador-condemns-march-dedicated-to-ss-division-galicia-60995.html</ref> but not the Biden junta. Former Democratic presidential candidate [[Tulsi Gabbard]] asked on the ''Tucker Carlson Show'',<br />
[[File:Azov Battalion.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Members of the [[Azov Battalion]] with the NATO flag (left) Azov mascot (center) and [[Swastika]] (right). The NATO flag represents [[globalism]]; the ''[[Cyrillic]]'' A3OB in the center spells AZOV; and the swastika represents the NATO and globalists' Russophobic allies in Ukraine. A Ukrainian court found elements in the Ukrainian government [[collude]]d with the [[DNC]] to defeat Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/12/world/europe/ukraine-paul-manafort.html Ukraine Court Rules Manafort Disclosure Caused 'Meddling' in U.S. Election], ''[[The New York Times]]'', December 12, 2018. National Anti-Corruption Bureau Director '''[[Artem Sytnyk]]''' and legislator '''[[Serhiy Leshchenko]]''' broke the law by revealing [[Manafort]]'s name. The disclosure “led to interference in the electoral processes of the [[United States]] in 2016 and harmed the interests of Ukraine as a state,” the court said. https://www.theepochtimes.com/ties-to-ukrainian-national-a-unifying-theme-in-early-attacks-on-trump_2872609.html<br>In October 2019, an audiotape of Sytnyk was release discussing his efforts to help Hillary during the 2016 election. He and Leschenko were responsible for publishing the Black Ledger which forced Paul Manafort to resign from Trump’s campaign.<br>https://www.dailywire.com/news/bombshell-audio-email-evidence-shows-dnc-colluded-with-ukraine-to-boost-hillary-by-harming-trump-report-says</ref>]]<br />
{{quotebox-float|"The question for the American people is, ''Are we willing to go to war with Russia on behalf of Ukraine?'' We need to understand that such a war would come at a cost beyond anything that we can really imagine. This is something that will directly impact every single one of your viewers and all of our loved ones. This is a war that is not a game. It's a war in which there are no winners. Russia has thousands of nuclear weapons aimed towards us that could hit any town or city in America in less than 30 minutes and exact a cost upon every one of us that would result in excruciating death and suffering beyond comprehension. Hundreds of millions of people dying and suffering, seeing their flesh being burned from their bones. This is something you know you can't really even imagine. And it's a cost that we will all pay. <br />
<br />
Why in the world would we ever contemplate going to war with Russia? Honestly, it is one that we should not do for those very reasons. If you look at the impacts of what a [[nuclear war]] brings it, really brings about the end of the world as we know it. And our leaders should understand this consequence and take it seriously. And this is why President Biden, instead of continuing to escalate tensions and continuing this new Cold War between the United States and Russia, he needs to de-escalate these tensions and actually focus on bringing an end to this new Cold War because if he doesn't, then it's not a question of if we go to war with Russia if this war ends up with a nuclear holocaust, it really is then just a question of when. And if we continue down this path that we are on it's something that could happen a lot sooner than any of us think."<ref>https://youtu.be/iywKH60NUGg</ref>}}<br />
Ukrainian [[President Volodymyr Zelensky]] accused the junta of handing a "weapon" to the Kremlin by allowing the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, "This is a weapon, a real weapon … in the hands of the Russian Federation. It is not very understandable … that the bullets to this weapon can possibly be provided by such a great country as the United States. How many Ukrainian lives does the relationship between the United States and Germany cost?"<ref>https://www.axios.com/zelensky-biden-ukraine-russia-nord-stream-pipeline-fe50756b-6b82-43f0-b390-734ea3e95de0.html</ref><br />
<br />
<!--=====Withholding military support=====<br />
:{{See also|Trump impeachment}}<br />
President Donald Trump was impeached under the false pretense of withholding military assistance from Ukraine, which in fact he never did. Prior to Biden's moves to appease Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Biden's widely criticized meeting with the Russian leader in Geneva in June 2021,<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/16/europe/vladimir-putin-met-joe-biden-and-got-what-he-wanted-intl-cmd/index.html</ref> Biden ordered vital military aid to Ukraine to be withheld.<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/18/white-house-ukraine-military-lethal-weapons-495169</ref>--><br />
=====Kyiv operational command center=====<br />
''[[The New York Times]]'' reported on June 25, 2022:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"[[C.I.A.]] personnel have continued to operate in the country secretly, mostly in the capital, Kyiv, directing much of the vast amounts of intelligence the United States is sharing with Ukrainian forces...a few dozen commandos from other NATO countries, including Britain, France, Canada and [[Lithuania]], also have been working inside Ukraine....commandos from these allies either remained or have gone in and out of the country since then, training and advising Ukrainian troops and providing an on-the-ground conduit for weapons and other aid...their presence in the country — on top of the diplomatic staff members who returned after Russia gave up its siege of Kyiv — hints at the scale of the secretive effort to assist Ukraine that is underway and the risks that Washington and its allies are taking....commandos are not on the front lines with Ukrainian troops and instead advise from headquarters in other parts of the country or remotely by encrypted communications...the signs of their stealthy logistics, training and intelligence support are tangible on the battlefield....Ukrainian commanders recently expressed appreciation to the United States for intelligence gleaned from satellite imagery, which they can call up on tablet computers provided by the allies. The tablets run a battlefield mapping app that the Ukrainians use to target and attack Russian troops."<ref>https://archive.ph/IJ9yI</ref>}}<br />
On August 1, 2022 in an interview published in the UK ''Telegraph'', Ukrainian defense official Vadim Skibitsky acknowledged they consult with Washington before launching strikes and that Washington has [[veto]] power over decision-making.<ref>https://archive.ph/ZX4o6</ref><ref>https://www.businessinsider.com/himars-us-has-effective-veto-over-russian-targets-report-says-2022-8</ref> Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded with the statement: “No other confirmation of the direct involvement of the United States in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine is required...They are fully involved…Now Kiev representatives are talking about their military involvement not only through the supply of weapons, but through personnel management in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, direct instructions and the choice of targets”.<ref>https://archive.ph/tr52o</ref><br />
<br />
=====Bucha massacre=====<br />
[[File:Safari.PNG|left|300px|thumb|Ukraine Special Forces SAFARI was sent into Bucha after the Russian withdrawal to hunt down so-called "collaborators", for example, people who accepted Russian humanitarian relief.<ref>https://youtu.be/9vGUJXuYQZQ?t=686</ref>]]<br />
{{See also|Bucha massacre}}<br />
Joe Lauria of Consortium News reported that on March 30, 2022, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, all Russian forces left Bucha. This was confirmed on March 31 Bucha mayor Anatolii Fedoruk in a video on the Bucha City Council official Facebook page. The translated post accompanying the video says:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“March 31 – the day of the liberation of Bucha. This was announced by Bucha Mayor Anatolii Fedoruk. This day will go down in the glorious history of Bucha and the entire Bucha community as a day of liberation by the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the Russian occupiers."<ref>https://youtu.be/BL8R6K5VdtI?t=519</ref>}}<br />
There was no mention of a massacre of hundreds of civilians littering the streets. Evidence of crimes appeared only on the fourth day after the Security Service of Ukraine and representatives of Ukrainian media arrived in the town.<ref>https://consortiumnews.com/2022/04/04/questions-abound-about-bucha-massacre/</ref><br />
[[File:SBU actions in Bucha April 2, 2022.PNG|right|300px|thumb|[[SBU]] special forces with Cyrillic '''СБУ''' acronym killing civilians in the Bucha massacre, April 2, 2022.<ref>https://twitter.com/NG_Strategy/status/1511921181259022343</ref>]]<br />
''The New York Times'' was in Bucha on April 2, 2022 and did not report a massacre. Instead, the ''Times'' confirmed the Russian withdrawal was completed two days after the mayor of Bucha said it was, and that the Russians left “behind them dead soldiers and burned vehicles, according to witnesses, Ukrainian officials, satellite images and military analysts.” The ''Times'' said reporters found the bodies of six civilians. “It was unclear under what circumstances they had died, but the discarded packaging of a Russian military ration was lying beside one man who had been shot in the head,” the paper said. In Bucha, the ''Times'' was close to the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, whose soldiers appear in the newspaper’s photographs. The ''Times'' suggests that Azov Nazis may be responsible for the killings:<br />
{{quotebox-float|“Something very interesting then happens on [Saturday] 2 April, hours before a massacre is brought to the attention of the national and international media. The US and EU-funded Gorshenin Institute online [Ukrainian language] site Left Bank announced that:<br />
<br />
:''‘Special forces have begun a clearing operation in the city of Bucha in the Kyiv region, which has been liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The city is being cleared from saboteurs and accomplices of Russian forces.’''<ref>https://en.lb.ua/news/2022/04/02/12441_special_forces_regiment_safari.html</ref><br />
<br />
The Russian military has by now completely left the city, so this sounds for all the world like reprisals. The state authorities would be going through the city searching for ‘saboteurs’ and ‘accomplices of Russian forces.’ Only the day before [Friday], Ekaterina Ukraintsiva, representing the town council authority, appeared on an information video on the Bucha Live Telegram page wearing military fatigues and seated in front of a Ukrainian flag to announce ‘the cleansing of the city.’ She informed residents that the arrival of the Azov battalion did not mean that liberation was complete (but it was, the Russians had fully withdrawn), and that a ‘complete sweep’ had to be performed.”}}<br />
On April 3, 2022 when the story broke, Russia immediately requested a meeting if the [[UN Security Council]] for the following Monday, April. The [[United Kingdom]], another permanent member of the Security Council, [[veto]]ed holding a Security Council meeting in the matter. <br />
Russian UN Ambassador said in a statement:<br />
{{quotebox-float|"[[London]] shows clearly what does the so-called [[new world order]] looks like, the order based on rules and based, it seems, on violation of all possible and impossible norms of international law, treaties and any norms of civilized behavior at all."<ref>https://tass.com/world/1432333</ref>}}<br />
The [[Pentagon]] refused to confirm the Ukrainian government's claim that Russians were responsible for the massacre. <ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/pentagon-cant-independently-confirm-atrocities-ukraines-bucha-official-says-2022-04-04/</ref><ref>https://www.reuters.com/world/pentagon-cant-independently-confirm-atrocities-ukraines-bucha-official-says-2022-04-04/</ref><ref>https://www.moonofalabama.org/2022/04/us-military-intelligence-official-refutes-russian-atrocities-claims/comments/page/5/</ref><br />
<br />
Former leader of the Socialist Party of Ukraine, Ilya Kiva said that the story in Bucha was planned and prepared in advance by the [[counterintelligence]] of Ukraine, with the assistance of the British [[MI6]]. Kiva said, <br />
{{quotebox-float|"The whole story in Bucha was prepared and planned in advance by the [[SBU]] and MI6. They arrived early in the morning, cordoned off the area, scattered the corpses and then sent [[journalist]]s there. That's why that clown Zelensky even came back. To raise the interest of the international press in the alleged tragedy, but it's all a pure fake. Why didn't such a situation take place in other areas? Don`t you understand that it was staged in advance, which was supposed to arouse the aggression and hatred in you first of all. But it didn't happen."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ot894JsANM</ref>}}<br />
All the corpses wore white arm bands which were distributed by the Russian military to identify civilian non-combatants, who then became the victims of Ukrainian security forces as collaborators in reprisal actions. Some alleged corpses sat up after television cameras filmed them.<ref>https://rumble.com/vzl3qf-evidence-of-bucha-false-flag.html</ref><ref>https://southfront.org/leaked-recording-allegedly-confirms-massacre-in-bucha-was-staged-by-ukrainian-militants/</ref> Ukrainian television showed footage of Ukrainian security forces dragging corpses into place for the TV cameras.<br />
<br />
====Poland====<br />
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned that Biden's green agenda would strengthen [[Islamist]]s and make the planet dependent on [[Authoritarian|autocrat]]s and [[terror group]]s. Morawiecki said, "The United States started to be the critical point of oil production just two or three years ago—now even more important a player than Saudi Arabia...which is good for the U.S. and is good for the entire globe—it's good for the democratic planet not to be in the hands of the Russians, [[OPEC]] and the Arab producers. So by depriving America of this very tool, I think we collectively in the transatlantic community are going to be weakened because the [[dictator]]s and autocratic regimes, such as many in the Middle East and the Russians and some others, are going to dictate prices. And they will have more money for terrorist activity in the Muslim world, they will have more money for more aggressive military policy and we will be paying more. So our economic growth is going to be weakened. We are looking at all the changes and evolutions with high attention, and we are very concerned about these changes."<ref>https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-energy-policy-strengthen-autocrats-islamic-terrorists-polish-pm-mateusz-morawiecki-1598666</ref><br />
<br />
=====Efforts to convince Poland to start World War III=====<br />
<br />
On March 8, 2022, the government of [[Poland]] announced it would transfer all of its Russian-made MIG-29 jets to the Rammstein Air Base in Germany. The jets will be placed “at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America” which in turn is expected to send them to Ukraine.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/poland-announces-all-its-mig-29-jets-will-be-transferred-us-send-ukraine</ref> The Pentagon responded to the Polish announcement: "The prospect of fighter jets "at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America" departing from a U.S./NATO base in Germany to fly into airspace that is contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance. It is simply not clear to us that there is a substantive rationale for it.'<ref>https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2960180/statement-by-pentagon-press-secretary-john-f-kirby-on-security-assistance-to-uk/</ref> Simply put, Blinken and Biden tried to bribe Poland with new jets to attack Russia and begin World War III so NATO Article 5 could be invoke. Poland refused on at least two earlier occasions in the previous two weeks. When Poland said it would fly the old MIGs to Germany and let Germany or the U.S. begin World War III, or let the US transport the MIGs to Slovakia or Romania and let Romania or Slovakia get nuked in addition to the United States for starting World War III, the whole duplicitous game the Biden regime was playing with the lives of people on the planet was exposed. Biden, the "leader of the free world", wanted to start World War III but didn't want to take the blame for it, and was looking a NATO ally to bribe and become the fall guy.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/03/08/blinken-and-biden-fold-pentagon-rejects-poland-offer-for-united-states-to-start-world-war-iii/</ref><br />
<br />
====Croatia====<br />
During the Donbas war crisis of the winter of 2022, President Zoran Milanovic addressed the nation in a televised address telling them that the democratically elected government of [[Ukraine]] was overthrown in the [[Maidan coup]] in 2014, saw him stating that “The ongoing crisis has nothing to do with Ukraine or [[Russia]], it is connected with the dynamics of the U.S. internal policy led by President [[Joe Biden]] and his administration”, then he declared to the peoples of [[Croatia]]: “We will have nothing to do with it and we won’t have anything to do with it, I guarantee you that...Not only will we not send the military, but if there is an escalation, we will recall every last Croatian military man from NATO...This has nothing to do with Ukraine or Russia, it has to do with the dynamics of American domestic politics”.<ref>https://www.total-croatia-news.com/politics/59629-croatian-president-says-ukraine-should-not-be-part-of-nato</ref><br />
<br />
===Middle East===<br />
The [[PRC]] signed a massive 25-year, over $400-billion infrastructure-for-oil deal with Iran, boosting their military and defense cooperation.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/iran-china-sign-25-year-deal-will-see-400bn-chinese-infrastructure-investment-oil</ref><br />
<br />
Even President Trump's harshest critics conceded that President Trump had been successful in Middle East peace negotiations. Biden's only notable intervention had been to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in American aid to the [[Palestinian Authority]], thereby reversing the Trump administration's decision to cut aid over its refusal to maintain a dialogue with Washington. Shortly after restoring funds, Palestinian militants again started targeting Israeli civilians with rockets and missiles. The extent of Iran's military support for Palestinian militants was revealed by an official with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization who boasted: "The rockets we use to pound [[Tel Aviv]], our weapons, and our food are provided by Iran."<ref>https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17370/biden-arab-israel-violence</ref><br />
<br />
====Iran====<br />
In contradiction to his policy with North Korea, Biden will allow Iran, one of the world's main state sponsors of [[Islamic terrorism]], to get nuclear power. Biden also criticized President Trump for a quick act to assassinate terrorist and war criminal [[Qasem Soleimani]].<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-01-14/biden-trump-flat-out-lied-about-soleimani-dangers Biden: Trump 'Flat-Out Lied' About Soleimani Dangers ..]</ref> Biden plans to rejoin to [[Iranian nuclear deal]], canceled all sanctions on the Iranian regime and let them get money to support their terrorist militias.<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-will-seek-to-reenter-iran-nuclear-deal-within-months-aide-says/ Biden will seek to reenter Iran nuclear deal within months, former aide says]</ref> The Mullahs' regime in Iran, like China, was one of first countries which welcomed the media declaration of the Biden junta.<ref>[https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/america-votes/iran-s-president-calls-on-biden-to-return-to-nuclear-deal-1.5179848 Iran's president calls on Biden to return to nuclear deal]</ref><br />
<br />
According to a report by the ''[[Associated Press]]'' in late March 2021, Iran plotted an attack against an Army base located in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>Two references:<br />
*Laporta, James (March 21, 2021). [https://apnews.com/article/iran-threatens-us-army-post-top-general-1285df40348182e1b74dc403607c5928 AP sources: Iran threatens US Army post and top general]. ''Associated Press''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Choi, Joseph (March 21, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/544221-iran-discussed-attack-against-army-base-in-dc Iran discussed attack against Army base in Washington, DC: report]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> The threats were reportedly intercepted in January, when adversaries who despised the [[Trump Administration]] for weakening their regimes likely became gleeful of a Biden junta run by officials who previously were favorable towards them.<br />
<br />
Junta officials, including [[John Kerry]] and Robert Malley, had meetings with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif during the [[Trump administration]] that were orchestrated to undermine President Trump. Zarif held face-to-face meetings with [[Obama administration]] veterans who could return to power "to devise a political strategy to undermine the Trump administration" and usher in softer diplomacy between the U.S. and Iran.<ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/feb/21/john-kerry-held-backchannel-talks-iran-javad-zarif/</ref> Zarif claimed that Kerry informed him of more than 200 [[Israel]]i operations in Syria. Kerry shocked Zarif by revealing that Israel had neutralized Iranian offensive targets in Syria more than 200 times.<ref>https://creativedestructionmedia.com/news/middle-east/2021/04/26/irans-foreign-minister-says-john-kerry-told-him-about-israeli-covert-operations-in-syria/</ref><br />
<br />
On March 9, 2021, the Biden junta announced that it would release of $3 Billion of Iran’s funds in Iraq, [[Oman]], and South Korea.<ref>https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2021/03/07/Iran-says-US-approved-release-of-3-bln-of-Iran-s-funds-in-Iraq-Oman-S-Korea</ref> <br />
At the same time, Iran-backed rebels attacked Saudi Arabian oil infrastructure.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2021/03/08/yemens-houthis-delisted-terrorists-biden-bomb-saudi-oil-industry/</ref> In June 2021 the junta began removing Obama-era sanctions imposed against several iraninas for “their involvement in Iran’s nuclear and missile proliferation networks."<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2021/06/11/biden-starts-dropping-iran-sanctions/</ref><br />
<br />
Under the watch of the Biden junta, Iran vowed to retaliate against Israel.<ref>Choi, Joseph (April 12, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/547631-iran-blames-israel-for-sabotage-at-nuclear Iran blames Israel for sabotage at nuclear facility, vows response]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
In early 2021 the [[Peoples Republic of China]] signed a massive 25-year, over $400-billion infrastructure-for-oil deal with Iran, boosting their military and defense cooperation.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/iran-china-sign-25-year-deal-will-see-400bn-chinese-infrastructure-investment-oil</ref><br />
<br />
====Syria====<br />
[[Deep State]] operatives reported in November 2020 that they had defied [[President Donald Trump]]'s orders to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria which have never been authorized by the [[United States Congress]].<ref>https://taskandpurpose.com/news/us-troop-levels-syria-jeffrey-interview/</ref> On the day of its seizure of power, the Biden regime invaded [[Syria]].<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/large-us-convoy-rolled-syria-1st-day-biden-presidency</ref> On Day 36 the junta conducted unauthorized airstrikes killing 22 people.<ref>https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2516518/us-conducts-defensive-precision-strike/</ref> A [[Bernie Sanders|Sanders]] aide, Matt Duss who reportedly was in line to for a senior State Department tweeted, "Congress has not authorized war in Syria".<ref>https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/in-line-for-senior-job-at-state-sanders-aide-accuses-biden-of-illegal-military-action/</ref><br />
<br />
Also in Syria, the Biden Junta has increased funding, and sent troops to the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces. This is considered problematic by other Syrian rebels such as the [[Free Syrian Army]], who believe it has ties to the [[Marxist]] [[PKK]] and [[Antifa]].<br />
<br />
====Yemen====<br />
Biden delist anti-American and anti-Semite group of [[Houthi]] from list of terrorist organizations. he also cut military aids to Arab gulf states for their war against terrorism.<ref>[https://omaha.com/news/national/state-defends-delisting-of-yemens-houthi-rebels/video_ed32dbad-1397-5b3d-a775-ae7fee04adb8.html State defends delisting of Yemen's Houthi rebels]</ref> In February 2021 construction of a 6150 foot airstrip on the strategic island of Perim at the mouth of the Red Sea and entrance to the Gulf of Aden, was began to stage airstrikes into Yemen.<ref>https://www.arabnews24.ca/en/World_news/128067.html</ref> On 7 March 2021 Houthi terrorists attacked oil field in Saudi Arabia,<ref>[https://www.cp24.com/world/yemen-s-houthi-rebels-say-they-attacked-saudi-oil-fields-using-cruise-missiles-drones-1.5337899 Yemen's Houthi rebels say they attacked Saudi oil fields using cruise missiles, drones]</ref> which lead to another increase of oil products prices.<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/oil-ends-higher-in-choppy-session-as-traders-weigh-crude-inventory-rise-versus-product-draw/ar-BB1erFjJ Oil ends higher in choppy session as traders weigh crude inventory rise versus product draw]</ref><br />
<br />
====Iraq====<br />
Biden will repeat the same Obama faults made in Iraq by moving out all troops from Iraq, and let it the country to mercy of Iran and her terrorist backed militias.<ref>[https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/04/08/us-to-remove-troops-iraq/ US Agrees to Move ‘Remaining Combat Troops’ From Iraq]</ref> this happened simultaneously with increase activities of the [[Islamic State]] around world after Biden occupy the office.<br />
<br />
====Israel====<br />
:{{See also|2021 Hamas war|}}<br />
[[File:Pro-Palestinian rally.PNG|right|250px|thumb|A [[Nazi]] flag appears at a Pro-Palestinian rally during [[Operation Guardian of Walls]].<ref>https://gellerreport.com/2021/05/nazis-flags-at-pro-terror-palestinian-demo.html/</ref>]]<br />
After four years of peace during the Trump years ending decades of war, soon after Biden's 100th day Israel was subjected to an attack of over 3,000 Iranian-built missiles launched from Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.<ref>https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1391840686366986245</ref> When the Iranian sponsored terror group [[Hamas]] attacked, Biden ordered all U.S. troops out of [[Israel]], abandoning an ally.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/05/14/us-military-travel-warning-israel-gaza-hamas-terrorism/</ref><br />
<br />
In late March 2021, Biden junta admin Linda Thomas-Greenfield wasted $15 million of U.S. taxpayer dollars, handing them in foreign aid to [[Palestinian]]s in the Middle East to "resume diplomatic ties".<ref>Two references:<br />
*Gaouette, Nicole; Roth, Richard (March 25, 2021). [https://edition.cnn.com/2021/03/25/politics/us-palestinians-diplomatic-ties-two-states/index.html US to resume diplomatic ties with Palestinians that were cut under Trump]. ''CNN''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Kelly, Laura (March 25, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/544940-biden-admin-announces-15m-in-humanitarian-assistance-for-palestinians Biden admin announces $15M in humanitarian assistance for Palestinians]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Lederer, Edith M. (March 25, 2021). [https://apnews.com/article/linda-thomas-greenfield-health-coronavirus-pandemic-west-bank-covid-19-pandemic-4f96f9f9790a4f469fd040eb91959cd9 US gives $15 million to Palestinians to deal with COVID-19]. ''Associated Press''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Magid, Jacob (March 25, 2021). [https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-first-under-biden-us-announces-15-million-in-aid-for-palestinians/ In first under Biden, US announces $15 million in aid for Palestinians]. ''The Times of Israel''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> According to ''[[ABC News]]'' on March 31, 2021, nearly ''$300 million'' were allocated for the Palestinians.<ref>Lee, Matthew (March 31, 2021). [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/biden-administration-quietly-ramping-aid-palestinians-76790948 Biden administration quietly ramping up aid to Palestinians]. ''ABC News''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
<br />
The Biden junta has attempted to restore over $200 million in foreign aid to the [[Palestinian]]s which the [[Trump Administration]] slashed,<ref>Two references:<br />
*Kelly, Laura (April 7, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/546925-biden-administration-to-restore-millions-in-aid Biden administration to restore aid to Palestinian refugee agency: report]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Septalnick, Matt; Zengerle, Patricia; Landay, Jonathan (April 7, 2021). [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinians-usa-exclusive/exclusive-u-s-to-restore-about-150-million-in-aid-to-palestinians-sources-idUSKBN2BU23M?il=0 Exclusive: U.S. to restore more than $200 million in aid to Palestinians - sources]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><ref>Multiple references:<br />
*Kelly, Laura (April 7, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/546973-us-restores-235-million-in-humanitarian-assistance-to-palestinians US restores $235 million in humanitarian assistance to Palestinians blocked by Trump]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/08/joe-biden-restores-us-aid-palestinians-donald-trump Biden restores $200m in US aid to Palestinians slashed by Trump]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Verma, Pranshu; Gladstone, Rick (April 7, 2021). [https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/07/world/middleeast/biden-aid-palestinians.html Reversing Trump, Biden Restores Aid to Palestinians]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> an effort that Republican lawmakers blocked two days later.<ref>Two references:<br />
*Harkov, Lahav (April 8, 2021). [https://www.jpost.com/international/republicans-delay-biden-administrations-funds-to-palestinians-664595 Republicans delay Biden administration’s funds to Palestinians]. ''The Jerusalem Post''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.<br />
*Kelly, Laura (April 9, 2021). [https://thehill.com/policy/international/547417-gop-lawmakers-block-biden-assistance-to-palestinians GOP lawmakers block Biden assistance to Palestinians]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> The Palestinians have a record of documented terrorism.<ref>[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/palestinian-terrorism Terrorism: Palestinian Terrorism]. ''Jewish Virtual Library''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/major-palestinian-terror-organizations Palestinian Terrorism: Major Terror Organizations]. ''Jewish Virtual Library''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><ref>Durns, Sean (January 21, 2021). [https://www.newsweek.com/palestinian-authority-still-paying-terrorists-opinion-1563138 The Palestinian Authority Is Still Paying Terrorists | Opinion]. ''Newsweek''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> One of their terrorist organizations, [[Hamas]], uses human shields<ref>[https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-hamas-civilians-human-shields Does Hamas use civilians as human shields?]. ''4 News''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> which anti-Zionist/anti-Semitic propagandists then deceitfully exploit to accuse Israel of murdering civilians. As the junta set about undoing the Abraham Accords, Hamas launched over 100 missiles.<ref>https://www.nysun.com/foreign/as-biden-tries-to-get-the-old-band-back-together/91504/</ref><ref>https://therightscoop.com/breaking-hamas-launches-multiple-rockets-into-southern-israel-one-israeli-city-ordered-into-lockdown-over-terrorist-infiltration-threat/</ref><br />
[[File:Money-laundering-map-Artboard 1.png|right|450px|thumb|Red arrows: purchase and flow of used cars in America to be shipped to [[Africa]]. Yellow arrows: cocaine smuggling from South America to the United States, Africa, and Europe; drugs were shipped to Africa along with the used cars. The used cars were recorded as being purchased at inflated prices, with cash from illegal drug sales in the United States deposited in bank accounts. Green arrows: the flow of cash back to Hezbollah in Beirut, with some freshly laundered cash sent back to America for purchase of more used cars.]]<br />
When the Iranian sponsored terror group [[Hamas]] [[Guardian of Walls|attacked Israel]], Biden ordered all U.S. troops out of [[Israel]], abandoning the ally.<ref>https://dailycaller.com/2021/05/14/us-military-travel-warning-israel-gaza-hamas-terrorism/</ref><br />
<br />
===Africa===<br />
At the 2021 G-7 summit, Western leaders came up with a counter to the People's Republic of China's Belt and Road debt trap initiative called, Build Back Better World (B3W), a supposed "values-driven, high-standard, and transparent infrastructure partnership" to focus on "climate, health and health security, digital technology, and gender equity and equality."<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/06/12/fact-sheet-president-biden-and-g7-leaders-launch-build-back-better-world-b3w-partnership/</ref><br />
<br />
====Nigeria====<br />
Twitter blocked Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. President Buhari responded by blocking Twitter from Nigeria.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/06/07/twitter-blocked-in-nigeria-after-deleting-president-buharis-post/</ref><br />
<br />
====Somalia====<br />
At the six-month mark after the seizure of power, the junta bombed the [[Black]] [[Africa]]n nation of [[Somalia]],<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/07/21/us-launches-first-airstrike-in-somalia-under-biden/</ref> one of the poorest countries on the planet with an estimated ''per capita'' income of $130.<ref>https://youtu.be/MMrAnh21a2A</ref><br />
<br />
====Uganda====<br />
==North America==<br />
===Canada===<br />
{{See also|CCP virus in Canada}}<br />
On February 14, 2022, at the urging of Joe Biden<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/14/trudeau-invoked-emergency-act-only-after-biden-urged-canada-to-use-federal-powers/ Trudeau Invoked ‘Emergency’ Act Only After Biden Administration Urged Canada to Use ‘Federal Powers’] at Breitbart News Network</ref> Canadian socialist [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal Party]] fuhrer [[Justin Trudeau]] invoked Martial law against peaceful protesters in the [[Freedom Convoy]].<ref>Two references:<br />
*[https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2022/02/14/justin-trudeau-grabs-powers-under-never-before-used-emergencies-act-to-stomp-out-trucker-protests/ Justin Trudeau Grabs Powers Under Never-Before Used Emergencies Act to Stomp Out Trucker Protests] at Breitbart News Network<br />
*[https://dailycaller.com/2022/02/14/justin-trudeau-invokes-emergencies-act-canada-freedom-convoy/ Justin Trudeau Invokes ‘Emergencies Act’ In Unprecedented Move] at the Daily Caller</ref> Trudeau's move drew massive criticism and condemnation on social media from the public, while in response, the truckers in Ottawa announced that they will not back down from Trudeau (in spite of his threats to illegally freeze their assets and crowdfunding support<ref>Two references:<br />
*[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/02/wow-trudeau-regime-announces-terrorist-funding-will-now-include-crowdfunding-donations-anything-dont-like-video/ WOW! Trudeau Regime Announces Terrorist Financing Will Now Include Crowdfunding Donations for Anything They Don’t Like] at the Gateway Pundit<br />
*[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/14/trudeau-targets-crowdfunding-platforms-cryptocurrencies-under-terrorist-financing-rules/ Trudeau Targets Crowdfunding Platforms, Cryptocurrencies Under ‘Terrorist Financing’ Rules] at Breitbart News Network</ref> and revoke their insurance for standing up to him and his diktats<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/14/trudeau-threatens-freeze-assets-suspend-insurance-freedom-convoy-truckers/ Trudeau Threatens to Freeze Assets, Suspend Insurance of Freedom Convoy Truckers] at Breitbart News Network</ref>) or give in to his illegal power grab.<ref>[https://youtu.be/oBnVGDzbFVw Trucker Freedom Convoy 2022 Coverage (Ottawa, Windsor Ambassador Bridge, Coutts)] at YouTube</ref> Polls showed Trudeau's approval ratings at 16%.<ref>https://www.independentsentinel.com/trudeau-tries-to-get-his-16-favorability-up-with-martial-law-against-truckers/</ref><br />
<br />
===Latin America===<br />
<br />
When Harris visited Guatemala and Mexico, she said that if you want to fix a problem, you have to go to where the problem is and listen to the people. “I almost believe that if you want to fix a problem, you have to go where the problem exists. If you want to address the needs of a people, you must meet those people. You must spend time with those people. Because the only way to fix the problem, is to understand the problem.”<ref>https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2021/06/24/border-dem-busts-the-real-reason-kamala-is-going-to-el-paso-border-area-n401824</ref> Despite being named border commissar in February 2021, Harris never visited "where the problem exists" until late June. By that time more than 500,000 illegals had flooded into the country.<br />
<br />
As border commissar, Kamala Harris proposed U.S. companies create jobs in [[Central America]] to exploit cheap labor, rather than in the United States where 22 million people remain unemployed because of the CCP pandemic.<ref> https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/05/border-czar-kamala-harris-encourages-us-businesses-outsource-investment-us-central-america-video/</ref> These were precisely the same old arguments used to pass the [[NAFTA]] free trade agreement, that "leveling the playing field" would encourage immigrants to stay home rather than seek higher wages in the U.S.<br />
<br />
China and Russia both are active and present in [[Venezuela]].<ref>https://www.theepochtimes.com/us-military-official-china-and-russia-may-be-collaborating-south-of-us-border_3738033.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Mexico====<br />
[[File:Biden babies in cages.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The Biden junta held children separated from their parents in cages.<ref>https://time.com/5945307/biden-end-detention-migrant-children/</ref>]]<br />
The [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] deputy chief of operations Matthew Donahue told [[NPR]] the Biden junta has unraveled efforts to target drug cartels operating inside Mexico. The collapse of joint drug interdiction efforts has occurred at a time when drug cartels are manufacturing huge quantities of [[fentanyl]] and [[methamphetamine]]s in illegal labs inside Mexico. Under Biden, those illicit drugs are being smuggled into communities across the United States, driving an explosion in overdose deaths. "It's a national health threat, it's a national safety threat," Donahue said, adding that drug gangs and criminal organizations now operate inside Mexico with impunity. "They do not fear any kind of [[law enforcement]] ... or military inside of Mexico right now."<ref>https://freebeacon.com/national-security/dea-official-mexican-cartels-smuggling-fentanyl-across-border-with-impunity/</ref><br />
<br />
=====Immigration=====<br />
[[Mexican]] President [[Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador]] expressed concern over the junta's [[open borders]] policy which incentivized human trafficing and organized crime.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-mexico-exclusive-idUSKBN2B21D8</ref><br />
<br />
=====USMCA=====<br />
[[Ford]] Motor Company previously agreed with its workers, the [[United Auto Workers]] (UAW), to spend $900 million on a new electric vehicle product line for its Avon Lake, [[Ohio]] plant. The UAW had endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 election. By March of 2021, Ford announced it was shifting production to Mexico claiming "conditions had changed since 2019" when the agreement was made, according to ''[[Reuters]]''.<ref>https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mexico-ford-ohio-idUSKBN2B82V9</ref> The junta refused to enforce provisions of the [[USMCA]], which replaced the [[NAFTA]] trade deal.<br />
<br />
=====Funding coup plotters=====<br />
[[File:Guatamala protest.png|right|300px|thumb|When Kamala Harris made her first visit to [[Guatemala]], she was greeted by Guatemalan protesters with banners reading, "Kamala, Trump Won."<ref>https://rumble.com/vi73x9-protesters-taunt-kamala-harris-in-guatemala-with-trump-won-sign.html</ref>]]<br />
President Lopez Obrador accused the Biden junta of funding a group seeking to undermine the Mexican government. "It's interference, it's interventionism, it's promoting [[coup]] plotters," said Lopez Obrador, describing funding that includes money from the [[U.S. Agency for International Development]], commonly known as USAID, as an affront to Mexico's [[sovereignty]]. "A foreign government can't provide money to political groups."<ref>https://sg.news.yahoo.com/mexico-president-says-u-finances-155240937.html</ref><br />
<br />
====Guatemala====<br />
<br />
The people of Guatemala were very angry with the Biden junta for its empowerment and support of Latin American criminal gangs and drug cartels. Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei told CBS News, “We asked the United States government to send more of a clear message to prevent more people from leaving,” Giammattei said. When Biden took office, “The message changed too: ‘We’re going to reunite families, we’re going to reunite children,’” he said. “The very next day, the coyotes were here organizing groups of children to take them to the United States.” When Border Czar Kamala Harris arrived for a visit, the 56-year-old pro-abortion childless woman was not well received in the Catholic country. The junta facilitated the trafficing of [[Central America]]n children in criminal gangs. Protesters greeted her "Kamala Go Home" and made clear her anti-pro-abortion messages and failure to protect Hispanic child immigrants were not well received.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/06/07/guatemala-protesters-tell-kamala-harris-trump-won/</ref> According to ''Frontpagemag.com'' the real purpose of Harris's trip is organize a Marxist [[regime change]]:<br />
{{quotebox-float|President Giammattei is a staunch law and order conservative, and if he appeared to be undermining Kamala, it was because she had spent months undermining him.<br />
<br />
In May, Kamala met with a number of leftist opponents of Giammattei, including former Attorney General Thelma Aldana, who had targeted conservative politicians with corruption charges, before herself being charged with corruption. Instead of returning home to face those charges, she received political asylum in the United States. Her social media is full of praise for Kamala Harris’ trip to Guatemala, and her promises to end "corruption" in Guatemala.<br />
<br />
Behind the mutual charges of corruption is a struggle between the Left and Right, with socialists and narcoterrorists on one side and military officers and free marketers on the other.<br />
<br />
Kamala and the Biden administration are choosing to stand with the Left. {...}<br />
<br />
Kamala Harris quickly announced that the DOJ will create an anti-corruption task force that will provide "case-based mentoring to the Guatemalan Public Ministry, including the Special Prosecutor Against Impunity (FECI)" and "a rapid response capability to deploy U.S. prosecutors and law enforcement experts to provide mentorship to develop corruption cases."<br />
<br />
This amounts to deploying DOJ assets to help local lefties take down conservative politicians.<br />
<br />
That’s why Biden described Kamala as “the most qualified person to do it." Unlike much of the administration, she has a background as a prosecutor. And that’s her real job in Guatemala.<ref>https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/2021/06/kamala-plots-marxist-regime-change-guatemala-daniel-greenfield/</ref>}}<br />
<br />
====El Salvador====<br />
[[El Salvador]] President Nayib Bukele told [[Fox News]] the ‘new-liberal practice’ [[immigration]] policy was ‘immoral’ and 'not good for the US, not good for El Salvador, causing a brain drain and sending El Salvadore's future workforce to the U.S. in exchange for a tiny remittance.<ref>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/salvadoran-president-tells-tucker-mass-immigration-not-profitable-feeding-on-dependency</ref><br />
<br />
====Cuba====<br />
<br />
Biden planning to reestablish relations with Communist [[Cuba]], which is opposed by two-thirds of Cuban-Americans.<ref>Castronuovo, Celine (March 16, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/543456-2-in-3-cuban-american-voters-in-florida-opposed-to-engaging-with-havana Poll finds Florida Cuban Americans opposed to engaging with Havana]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref> He will also turn a blind eye on their human rights violations.<ref>McFall, Caitlin (December 18, 2020). [https://www.foxnews.com/politics/u-s-cuba-relations-under-a-biden-administration U.S.-Cuba relations and a Biden administration]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved April 20, 2021.</ref><br />
[[File:Biden and Diaz-Canal.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Biden (left) Diaz-Canal (right)<ref>https://www.radiotelevisionmarti.com/a/cuba_diaz_canel_castro_sucesion/20962.html</ref>]]<br />
At the very moment the Biden junta was installing a [[leftwing]] [[totalitarian]] [[dictatorship]] in the United States, Cuba erupted with anti-communist protests.<ref>https://justthenews.com/world/latin-america/we-want-liberty-cuba-thousands-people-march-through-streets-demanding-freedom?</ref> The Biden State Department reacted with the absurd claim that the protests were not against communist oppression, but rather "to express concern about rising COVID cases/deaths & medicine shortages."<ref>https://twitter.com/WHAAsstSecty/status/1414334778095046656</ref> Chief junta propagandist Jen Psaki said, "Making sure your people have medical assistance, food, water that's something any government should be providing.”<ref>https://twitter.com/MehdiHasanShow/status/1414386901134594048</ref> While the commissar of Homeland Security [[Alejandro Mayorkas]] refused to take any refugees and asylum seekers from the brutal communist dicatorship.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isfVQKwgjpI Sen. Rubio on Cubans rallying against communism: ‘Horrifying’]</ref><br />
<br />
''Breitbart'' reported that socialist President Miguel Díaz-Canel issued an “order of combat” on July 11. 2021 demanding that civilian “revolutionaries” take the streets and violently assault anyone suspected of protesting against the regime. The regime shut down most access to the [[internet]], but [[video]]s smuggled out of the country later that week showed buses full of armed civilians driving into some of the cities with the largest presence of dissidents, on orders to attack protesters.<br />
<br />
Members of the Cuban exile community organized a protest in front of the Biden White House to demand Biden act to save lives in the country and to raise awareness for the scope of the violence and brutality the Cuban people face at the hands of the communist government. The protesters were adamant that fake news reports in left-wing establishment media outlets attributing the protests to a rise in Chinese coronavirus cases were deliberately obscuring the true demands of those taking the streets.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/latin-america/2021/07/16/cuba-protesters-white-house-joe-biden-power-stop-this-one-day/</ref><br />
<br />
===Toxic environment in Kamala's office===<br />
In the wake of her disastrous photo ops in Guatemala, Mexico, and El Paso, staffers began to quit, citing that Kamala is impossible to work with.<ref>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2021/06/26/top-travel-aides-for-kamala-harris-are-quitting-and-it-could-hardly-come-at-a-worse-time-n2591632</ref> ''[[Politico]]'' reported that Kamala's office is ''"Not a healthy environment’: rife with dissent. There is dysfunction inside the VP’s office, aides and administration officials say. And it’s emanating from the top."''<ref>https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/30/kamala-harris-office-dissent-497290</ref><br />
{{quotebox-float|"Harris’ team is experiencing low morale, porous lines of communication and diminished trust among aides and senior officials....22 current and former vice presidential aides, administration officials and associates of Harris and Biden described a tense and at times dour office atmosphere. Aides ....created an insular environment where ideas are ignored or met with harsh dismissals and decisions are dragged out. Often, they said, she refuses to take responsibility for delicate issues and blames staffers for the negative results that ensue.... “It all starts at the top,” said one of the administration officials, who like others requested anonymity to be able to speak candidly about a sensitive matter.<br />
<br />
“People are thrown under the bus from the very top, there are short fuses and it’s an abusive environment,” said another person with direct knowledge of how Harris’ office is run. “It’s not a healthy environment and people often feel mistreated. It’s not a place where people feel supported but a place where people feel treated like s---.”<br />
<br />
The dysfunction in the VP’s ranks threatens to complicate the White House’s carefully crafted image as a place staffed by a close-knit group of professionals working in concert to advance the president’s agenda. It’s pronounced enough that members of the president’s own team have taken notice and are concerned about the way Harris’ staffers are treated....for some of the people who know Harris best, it’s become an all-too-familiar pattern for a politician who has churned through several iterations of staff on her rise and took office with a team almost entirely new to her.<br />
<br />
Just six months in, some of those aides in the Office of the Vice President said they are eyeing other employment opportunities. Others have left already. ...The morale level for current Harris staffers is “rough” and in many ways similar to the failed presidential campaign and her Senate office, according to the former Senate aide."}}<br />
Aides describe Harris as unpredictable and at times demeaning to her staff. She often hung up on her aides, berated them when she didn’t think they were prepared enough for briefings, and had a reputation for churning through interns and lower-level staff.<ref>https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook-pm/2021/07/14/progressive-brawl-over-antitrust-measures-gets-personal-493575</ref> Some of her former staffers claimed to be suffering from a form of post-traumatic stress after Harris started her ascension to the White House. According to the ''Washington Free Beacon'', “they sought therapy to ‘resolve trauma from the on-the-job abuse’ after Harris was selected as Biden’s running mate in 2020.”<ref>https://freebeacon.com/politics/kamala-harris-staffer-trauma/amp/</ref> After an ''Axios'' hit piece on Kamala,<ref>https://www.axios.com/kamala-harris-office-dysfunction-2024-e2f9a9c0-f391-4c1d-8042-aa4f24a292e3.html</ref> the ''[[New York Post]]'' reported the knives were out for Kamala in the racist and [[misogynist]] Biden White House.<ref>https://nypost.com/2021/07/03/democrats-fear-harris-cant-beat-any-goper-in-2024-including-trump/</ref><br />
<br />
==Top 10 owners==<br />
[[File:Coup evidence.PNG|right|350px|thumb|Evidence of an internal [[coup]]: The [[State Department]] claimed on January 11, 2020 that President Trump's term ended on January 11, 2020.<ref>https://www.11alive.com/article/news/nation-world/state-department-website-changed-to-show-president-trump-term-ended-monday/507-12af11cc-92ec-484c-b0b4-a48d8aa5c8e7</ref>]]<br />
The Top 10 owners of the Biden junta according to FED filings are:<ref>https://www.opensecrets.org/2020-presidential-race/joe-biden/contributors?id=N00001669</ref><br />
*Bloomberg LP ([[Michael Bloomberg]]) $56,796,137<br />
*Future Forward USA (largely Dustin Moskowitz) $29,917,229<br />
*[[Priorities USA]]/Priorities USA Action ([[Hillary Clinton]] backers) $25,841,199<br />
*Asana (Moskowitz & Rosenstein) $21,937,902<br />
*Sixteen Thirty Fund (dark money) $19,874,655<br />
*Democracy PAC ([[George Soros]]) $19,000,000<br />
*Senate Majority PAC (Democrat billionaires) $12,371,874<br />
*American Bridge 21st Century (largely Soros) $10,260,573<br />
*Paloma Partners (Donald Sussman) $9,016,248<br />
*Euclidean Capital (James Simons) $7,006,805<br />
<br />
==Installation ceremonies==<br />
Biden's installation was a complete sham compared with the inauguration of Donald Trump on January 20, 2017, as a photo comparison of both events showed that compared to the hundreds of thousands who attended the Trump inauguration (with the crowd stretching from the Capitol all the way to the Washington Monument), Biden's installation was very sparsely attended, with what appeared to be no more than a few dozen members of the public present at most;<ref>[https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/01/clear-based-comparison-president-trumps-2017-inauguration-bidens-inauguration-biden-no-support-election-suspect/ It’s Clear Based on a Comparison Between President Trump’s 2017 Inauguration and Biden’s Inauguration that Biden Has No Support and Election Is Suspect] at the Gateway Pundit</ref> to hide this embarrassing and inconvenient truth, the liberal media conveniently avoided showing wide camera angles that would have exposed the complete lack of support or legitimacy the Biden regime has. To cover for this, Biden's handlers also claimed that the complete lack of a crowd presence was due to "tight security" (i.e. the presence of 25,000 National Guard troops and wartime-level security measures) being needed due to what they claimed was the "threat of violence"; conversely, the return of President Trump and his family to their home at Mar-a-Lago in Florida was far better attended, with tens of thousands lining the route between the Palm Beach International Airport and Mar-a-Lago to greet the Trump family.<br />
<br />
Rev. Kevin O’Brien, a 15-year Biden family friend who officiated at Biden’s alleged pre-inaugural Mass came under investigation and was placed on leave by the Board of Trustees at the university where he serves as president after he “exhibited behaviors in adult settings, consisting primarily of conversations, which may be inconsistent with established [[Jesuit]] protocols and boundaries."<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/03/19/joe-bidens-inaugural-priest-under-investigation-for-inappropriate-behavior-1046993/</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
*[[Democrat election fraud]]<br />
*[[Left-wing violence under the Biden junta (2021)]]<br />
*[[Vichy regime]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist|4}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[https://youtu.be/bVDi-Tt7Z68 CCP underground factories falsified blank American election ballots.]<br />
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[[Category:Joe Biden]]<br />
[[Category:Biden Junta|*]]<br />
[[Category:Liberals]]<br />
[[Category:Leftists]]<br />
[[Category:Progressivism]]<br />
[[Category:Corruption]]<br />
{{communism}}<br />
{{Deep State}}{{terrorism}}<br />
[[Category:Biden Putsch]]<br />
[[Category:Man-Made Disasters]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-American]]<br />
[[Category:Perpetrators of Cancel Culture]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Conservapedia:Desk/speedy&diff=1885390Conservapedia:Desk/speedy2022-09-07T20:35:34Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
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<div>* [[:Category:Third Amendment]] - empty and only one potential article<br />
* [[Billy Corgan]]<br />
* [[Bush (band)]]<br />
* [[Joel gilbert]] - Didn't know how to move it to correctly capitalized titled page, merge with aforementioned correct tite, or change the title to the correct title. I created a copy page with the title fixed and need the original, not correctly titled page, deleted so there aren't two pages on one subject ("Joel gilbert" the original, and "Joel Gilbert" the fixed one exactly the same but with the title fixed).<br />
*[[Indian Occupied Kashmir]]- "Indian Occupied Kashmir" is a term used by Pakistani Military and ISI propagandists to refer to the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. The user who created the page uses only frivolous Turkish and Pakistani sources to say that India is "occupying Kashmir".<br />
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*[[Elliot Abrams]]<br />
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*[[Paula Dobriansky]]<br />
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*[[Azerbaijani War Crimes]]<br />
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*[[Azerbaijan and State sponsored terrorism]]<br />
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*[[Naz Durakoglu]]<br />
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*[[Didem Nisanci]]</div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Naz_Durakoglu&diff=1885389Naz Durakoglu2022-09-07T20:34:25Z<p>Bytemsbu: Blanked the page</p>
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<div></div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Didem_Nisanci&diff=1885388Didem Nisanci2022-09-07T20:34:04Z<p>Bytemsbu: Blanked the page</p>
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<div></div>Bytemsbuhttps://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Islamic_State&diff=1885383Islamic State2022-09-07T20:21:41Z<p>Bytemsbu: </p>
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<div>[[File:Mass beheading of Christians in Libya.jpg|right|350px|thumb|[[Christian]]s were brutally slaughtered en masse by "moderate rebels" whom Obama had given aid to. Flynn was fired for opposing Obama administration policy, and later targeted to be silenced and destroyed by Obama intelligence community holdovers because he knew too much and wanted to reverse [[Obama administration]] policy.]]<br />
:'''''See also: [[Obama war crimes]] and [[Muslim agenda of the Obama administration]]'''''<br />
'''Islamic State''' (IS) (also known as '''Islamic State of Iraq and Syria Or Daesh. (ISIS)<ref>http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/07/iraq-christians-told-convert-face-death-2014718111040982432.html</ref> or 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL), is a terrorist organization that operates in [[Iraq]] and [[Syria]]. Founded by [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]], it grew out of [[al Qaeda]] in Iraq.<ref>https://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/06/10/229948/some-answers-about-the-islamic.html#emlnl=Morning_Newsletter</ref><br />
<br />
In February 2012 NSC staffer [[Jake Sullivan]] informed [[Hillary Clinton]] that "Al Qaeda is on our side" in the plot to take down Syrian leader [[Bashar al Assad]]. ''Reuters'' reported on August 1, 2012 that [[Barack Obama]] signed a Presidential Finding earlier that same year authorizing transfer of captured weapons from Libya to groups in Syria that later became known as the Islamic State.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20170216061621/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/obama-secret-syria-order_n_1730712.html?tw_p=twt<br />
{{Quotebox|under provisions of the presidential finding, the United States was collaborating with a secret command center operated by Turkey and its allies.<br><br />
<br />
Last week, Reuters reported that, along with [[Saudi Arabia]] and Qatar, Turkey had '''established a secret base near the Syrian border to help direct vital military and communications support to Assad’s opponents.<br />
<br />
This “nerve center” is in Adana, a city in southern Turkey about 60 miles (100 km) from the Syrian border, which is also home to Incirlik, a U.S. air base where U.S. military and intelligence agencies maintain a substantial presence.'''<br><br />
<br />
Turkey’s moderate Islamist government has been demanding Assad’s departure with growing vehemence. Turkish authorities are said by current and former U.S. government officials to be increasingly involved in providing Syrian rebels with training and possibly equipment.<br><br />
<br />
European government sources said wealthy families in Saudi Arabia and Qatar were providing significant financing to the rebels. Senior officials of the Saudi and Qatari governments have publicly called for Assad’s departure. }}</ref> The [[Defense Intelligence Agency]] under [[Gen. Michael T. Flynn]] warned 12 days later that [[Western]] powers and their [[Salafi]] allies wanted to create an Islamic State.<ref>Defense Intelligence Agency document circulated widely among government agencies, including [[CENTCOM]], the CIA, FBI, [[DHS]], NGA (National Geospacial Agency), State Dept., and many others. The document states the West (NATO powers), members of the Gulf Cooperation Council ([[Bahrain]], [[Kuwait]], [[Oman]], Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the [[United Arab Emirates]]), and [[Turkey]] want an [[Islamic State]] ("Salafist principality in Eastern Syria") to oppose the regime of [[Bashar al-Assad]].<br />
{{Quotebox|AQI [al Qaeda in Iraq] SUPPORTED THE SYRIAN OPPOSITION FROM THE BEGINNING, BOTH IDEOLOGICALLY AND THROUGH THE MEDIA…<br />
<br />
... AFTER THE RISE OF THE INSURGENCY IN SYRIA, THE RELIGIOUS AND TRIBAL POWERS IN THE REGIONS BEGAN TO SYMPATHIZE WITH THE SECTARIAN UPRISING. THIS (SYMPATHY) APPEARED IN FRIDAY PRAYER SERMONS, WHICH CALLED FOR VOLUNTEERS TO SUPPORT THE SUNNIS IN SYRIA...<br />
<br />
THE FUTURE ASSUMPTIONS OF THE CRISIS:<br />
<br />
...DEVELOPMENT OF THE CURRENT EVENTS INTO PROXY WAR: …OPPOSITION FORCES ARE TRYING TO CONTROL THE EASTERN AREAS (HASAKA AND DER ZOR), ADJACENT TO THE WESTERN IRAQI PROVINCES (MOSUL AND ANBAR), IN ADDITION TO NEIGHBORING TURKISH BORDERS. ...<br />
<br />
'''WESTERN COUNTRIES, THE GULF STATES AND TURKEY ARE SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS.''' ...'''SIMILAR TO WHAT TRANSPIRED IN LIBYA WHEN BENGHAZI WAS CHOSEN AS THE COMMAND CENTER''' OF THE TEMPORARY GOVERNMENT...<br />
<br />
...THE WEST, GULF COUNTRIES, AND TURKEY SUPPORT THE [SYRIAN] OPPOSITION… THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A '''DECLARED OR UNDECLARED [[Salafi|SALAFIST]] PRINCIPALITY IN EASTERN SYRIA''' (HASAKA AND DER ZOR), AND THIS IS '''EXACTLY WHAT THE SUPPORTING POWERS TO THE OPPOSITION WANT''', IN ORDER TO ISOLATE THE SYRIAN REGIME…<br />
<br />
…ISI COULD ALSO '''DECLARE AN ISLAMIC STATE THROUGH ITS UNION WITH OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN IRAQ AND SYRIA'''...}}</ref><ref>Documents obtained by a FOIA request of [[Judicial Watch]] show as early as 2012, U.S. intelligence predicted the rise of the Islamic State and the report envisions the terror group as a U.S. strategic asset in the fight against Bashar al-Assad.[http://patdollard.com/2015/05/exposed-2012-defense-dept-documents-reveal-obama-regime-sought-to-create-an-islamic-state/ EXPOSED: 2012 Defense Dept. Documents Reveal Obama Regime Sought To Create An “Islamic State” In Syria And Iraq, PatDollard.com, May 22, 2015]</ref> Flynn was later fired for his opposition to Obama, Hillary Clinton and [[John Brennan]]'s policy to arm Islamic State militants.<ref>https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/russiagate-obama-iran</ref> After the Islamic State went on a relentless rampage of murder and beheadings, Gen. Flynn was mercilessly pursued by Obama and Clinton holdovers in the U.S. government to keep him silent.<ref>https://nypost.com/2020/05/13/the-scale-to-which-obamas-team-spied-should-be-focus-of-unmasking/</ref><br />
<br />
Vice president [[Joe Biden]] admitted in 2014 that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Turkey had funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to Islamist rebels in Syria. Biden was forced to retract that statement.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/unitedarabemirates/11142683/Joe-Biden-forced-to-apologise-to-UAE-and-Turkey-over-Syria-remarks.html Joe Biden forced to apologise to UAE and Turkey over Syria remarks, ''The Telegraph'', October 6, 2014]</ref> The U.S. did precisely the same thing in terms of supplying and facilitating the Syrian opposition. Obama had requested $500 million to train fighters opposed to ISIS. In August, the Pentagon announced it would defend those forces from attacks by the Syrian government.<ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/pentagon-to-defend-new-syria-force-from-assad-regime-others-1438549937 U.S. to Defend New Syria Force From Assad Regime, WSJ, August 2, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
Turkey's president [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan|Erdogan]] has good relations with Barack Obama and they both supported Assad's ouster from Syria. Turkey is a major transit point for both foreign fighters and weapons, which makes both presidents complicit in the failure to stop fighters from joining ISIS ranks. [[Ramzan Kadyrov]], ([[Chechnya]]), 38, said the U.S. secretly controls the Islamic State.<ref>[http://finance.yahoo.com/news/putin-points-muslim-rage-cold-210000968.html Putin Points Muslim Rage at Cold War Foes.]</ref><br />
<br />
ISIS attacks Shiite Muslims, the Iraqi Army and Kurdish [[Peshmerga]] troops, and non-Muslims<ref>http://www.euronews.com/2014/08/12/kurdish-peshmerga-troops-plead-for-weapons-to-fight-islamic-state-militants/</ref> Even bin Laden successor [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]] condemned the Islamic State as "extremists".<ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/point/262795/moderate-islam-al-qaeda-leader-condemns-isis-daniel-greenfield</ref>The goal of ISIS is to reestablish an Islamic Caliphate.<ref>https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2014/0623/Briefing-What-is-the-Islamic-State-In-Iraq-and-the-Levant-ISIS</ref> By March 2019, the Islamic State had lost all the territory it had conquered. Many former ISIS members have returned to their countries of origin without facing any consequences.<ref>Duke, Selwyn (February 24, 2019). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/europe/item/31555-when-the-west-harbors-the-nazis-of-our-time When the West Harbors the Nazis of Our Time]. ''The New American''. Retrieved February 25, 2019.</ref> Its leader [[Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi]] was killed by U.S. forces in October 2019.<ref>Multiple references:<br />
*Coles, Isabel (October 27, 2019). [https://www.wsj.com/articles/baghdadi-presided-over-vast-islamic-state-bureaucracy-inspired-terrorism-11572183503 Baghdadi, Brutal Leader of Islamic State, Inspired Terrorism Around the Globe]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved October 27, 2019.<br />
*Schreck, Adam; Karam, Zeina (October 27, 2019). [https://www.apnews.com/7c573f62b9614399b0867c14d7788f76 Islamic State leader leaves a legacy of terror]. ''Associated Press''. Retrieved October 27, 2019.<br />
*Krauss, Joseph (October 27, 2019). [https://www.apnews.com/e70533c7182f44a3886f2c049b71b8bf Al-Baghdadi’s death a blow, but IS has survived other losses]. ''Associated Press''. Retrieved October 27, 2019.<br />
*[https://www.apnews.com/b35c5ac2cdee48dda3eefaaece769d06 https://apnews.com/b35c5ac2cdee48dda3eefaaece769d06 Timeline of the rise and fall of the Islamic State group]. ''Associated Press''. October 27, 2019. Retrieved October 27, 2019.</ref><br />
[[File:The-new-map-of-ISIS.jpg|right400px|thumb|Map of lands claimed by the Islamic Caliphate.<ref>https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/india-in-2020-if-isis-plans-succeed-287500-2015-08-10</ref>]]<br />
==Syria and Iraq==<br />
[[File:The Hero.PNG|right|275px|thumb|Conan, the hero dog who took down Ibrahim bin ‘Awad bin Ibrahim al-Badri ar-Radawi al-Husseini as-Samara’i, real name Ibrahim ibn Awwad al-Badri al-Samarrai (b. 1971) a.k.a. Abu Du'a and [[Caliph Ibrahim al-Badri]], alleged descendant of the [[Prophet Muhammad]], Commander of the Faithful (''Amir al-Mu'minin'') and [[Caliph]] of all Muslims.]]<br />
ISIS has been fighting in the [[Syrian Civil War]] against [[Bashar al-Assad]] and is known for killing [[Christians in Syria]]. An estimated 5,000 Yazidis have been killed by ISIS in a genocide.<ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite news|last1=Hopkins|first1=Steve|title=Full horror of the Yazidis who didn’t escape Mount Sinjar: UN confirms 5,000 men were executed and 7,000 women are now kept as sex slaves|url=https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2792552/full-horror-yazidis-didn-t-escape-mount-sinjar-confirms-5-000-men-executed-7-000-women-kept-sex-slaves.html|publisher=''The [[Daily Mail]]''|date=14 October 2014|location=London}}</ref><ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/majid-rafizadeh/killings-of-christians-by-islamists-doubled-in-2013/</ref> <br />
<br />
In 2014 IS took control of the Iraqi cities of [[Fallujah]] and [[Mosul]]. Since then Christians in Mosul have to pay "Protection taxes" for their [[faith]].<ref>http://www.aina.org/news/20140627135156.htm</ref> In 2015 IS defeated Iraqi troops and seized the city of Ramadi. IS now controls all the border areas between Syria and Iraqi. <br />
<br />
Although [[Barack Hussein Obama]] fought ISIS, he had supported the same crew in Syria.<ref>http://www.teapartycrusaders.com/international-news/developing-evidence-barack-hussein-obama-paved-way-rise-isis-iraq/</ref> The IS fights also Kurdish groups like [[Peshmerga]] or [[PKK]].<br />
<br />
ISIS car bombs killed more than 200 people in Baghdad.<br />
<br />
In 2019, the [[Kurds]] and the United States, as a result of increased military supplies and efficient strategic decisions by President Donald John Trump, captured the final remaining ISIS stronghold in Syria, stripping the terror organization of all its territory.<br />
<br />
==Turkey==<br />
<br />
Turkish tanks and warplanes along with rebel ground forces captured the symbolic city of Dabiq in Syria, October 2016.<ref>[https://www.oann.com/syrian-rebels-seize-village-where-islamic-state-promised-final-battle/ Syrian rebels seize village, OANN.com, October 16, 2016]</ref><br />
<br />
Turkish jets scrambled as tanks and artillery of its Fifth Armored Brigade shelled ISIS militants across the border in response to a suicide bombing in Turkey that killed 32 people.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/24/world/europe/turkey-isis-us-airstrikes-syria.html?_r=1 U.S. Jets to Use Turkish Bases in War on ISIS, NYT, July 23, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
Islamic State fighters fired on a Turkish border outpost in the Kilis region, killing one Turkish soldier and wounding five.<br />
<br />
Istanbul suicide bomber who blew himself up in Sultanahmet square near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, killing 11 tourists.<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3397116/Turkey-arrests-three-Russians-links-ISIS-suicide-bomb-killed-ten-tourists-Istanbul.html#ixzz3xGUQzjys Face of a killer: Turkish police release first mugshot of the Istanbul ISIS bomber, Dailymail.co.uk, January 13, 2016]</ref><br />
<br />
Islamic State terrorists from Eastern Europe blew up the airport in Istanbul leaving 45 people dead.<br />
<br />
Islamic terrorists strapped a bomb onto a child and sent him to a wedding party where he was detonated by remote control, killing over 50 people. Turkey responding by sending tanks and aircraft into a Syrian border town to attack ISIS militants.<br />
<br />
==Libya==<br />
[[File:C9Pak4-W0AIldKy (1).jpg|left|350px|thumb|Jake Sullivan to [[Hillary Clinton]], Feb. 12, 2012, "Al Qaeda is on our side in Syria." ''The Guardian'' reported on July 30, 2012, “[Al-Qaida’s] goal is establishing an Islamic state and not a Syrian state."<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jul/30/al-qaida-rebels-battle-syria</ref>]]<br />
Islamic State has created such a vast presence in Libya, 5000 fighters, that the U.S. government is scrambling to come up with a counter plan.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/05/world/africa/isis-libya-us-special-ops.html?_r=0 Obama Is Pressed to Open Military Front Against ISIS in Libya, NYT, February 4, 2016]</ref><br />
<br />
Islamic State fighters captured Gaddafi's home city of Sirte. Libya has been in near anarchy since [[NATO]] forces helped remove Gaddafi.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/21/us-libya-security-insight-idUSKBN0O610M20150521 Gaddafi's home town falls to Islamic State in anarchic Libya, Reuters, May 21, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
January 7, 2016, ISIS attacks the western city of Zliten with car bombs, killing 60 people.<ref>[http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2016/01/14/isis-makes-inroads-in-libya?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr ISIS Makes Inroads In Libya, WBUR.org, January 14, 2016]</ref><br />
<br />
January 17, 2016, the coastal town of Bin Jawad became the fourth to fall into ISIS control.<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3403911/ISIS-militants-parade-severed-heads-Mediterranean-coast-town-Bin-Jawad-fourth-fall-militants-Libya.html?ito=social-twitter_mailonline]</ref><br />
<br />
==Afghanistan==<br />
Over 10,000 loyalists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group are based in the remote regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. A suicide bombing of the Pakistani consulate killed 10 people. The U.S. military presence in Afghanistan has been given new rules of engagement in order to attack ISIS targets.<ref>[https://www.mintpressnews.com/amid-ever-growing-indications-that-isis-is-establishing-itself-as-a-proper-faction-in-southeastern-afghanistan-based-around-the-city-of-jalalabad-the-pentagon-has-reportedly-been-given-broad-new-aut/213042/ Pentagon Expands ISIS Strikes To Afghanistan, Mintpressnews.com, January 23, 2016]</ref> ISIS claimed responsibility in an August 2019 bombing that killed 63 people.<ref>Mora, Edwin (August 19, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2019/08/19/afghanistan-vows-eliminate-isis-safe-havens-wedding-bombing/ Afghanistan Vows to ‘Eliminate’ ISIS Safe Havens After Wedding Bombing Killed 63]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved August 19, 2019.</ref><br />
<br />
==Egypt==<br />
The assassination of a government official has been linked to ISIS. The Sinai Provine, an ISIS-affiliated terrorist group, launched dozens of simultaneous attacks on North Sinai. The Egyptian military announced 17 soldiers and 100 militants were killed in fighting.<ref>[http://egyptianstreets.com/2015/07/01/death-toll-rises-in-north-sinai-as-egypt-enters-a-state-of-war/ Egypt Officially Announces ‘State Of War’ EgyptianStreets.com, July 1, 2015]</ref> Israel has closed its border with Egypt in response to the developments.<br />
<br />
Islamic State claims responsibility for a missile attack on an Egyptian warship.<ref>[https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/07/16/warship-burns-as-islamic-state-launches-missile-attack-on-egyptian-navy/ WARSHIP BURNS AS ISLAMIC STATE LAUNCHES MISSILE ATTACK ON EGYPTIAN NAVY, Breitbart, July 16, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
On October 31, 2015, Russian airline Metrojet left an Egyptian airport and blew up in flight killing 224 people. ISIS has claimed responsibility for placing a bomb on board.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/09/middleeast/russian-plane-crash-egypt-sinai/ Russian plane crash: Bomb theory supported by ISIS chatter, officials say, CNN, November 9, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
ISIS claimed responsibility for a car bomb that injured nine people at the Italian consulate in [[Cairo]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/12/world/middleeast/egypt-bombing-at-italian-consulate-in-cairo.html?_r=0 ISIS Claims Responsibility for Blast at Italian Consulate in Cairo, NYT, July 11, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
==Saudi Arabia==<br />
Islamic State suicide bomber kills 21 at Saudi Shi'ite mosque.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/23/saudi-security-idUSL5N0YD1X520150523 Suicide bomber kills 21 at Saudi Shi'ite mosque, Islamic State claims attack, Reuters, May 23, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
On May 29, another suicide bomber killed 4 people in a Shiite mosque attack.<br />
<br />
August 6, suicide bomber kills 15 at a mosque in the headquarters of the Special Emergency Force in Abha.<br />
<br />
Suicide bombers hit targets in the city of Medina, 4 known deaths confirmed.<ref>[http://www.weaselzippers.us/281280-breaking-blast-in-medina-near-burial-place-of-muhammad/ Breaking: Suicide Blast In Medina Near Burial Place Of Muhammad…Update: At Least 4 Security Officers Killed, 5 Injured…, WeaselZippers.us, July 4, 2016]</ref><br />
<br />
==Yemen==<br />
Islamic State suicide bomber strikes a Shiite mosque injuring 13 people. Also in May 2015, IS forces executed 15 Yemeni soldiers by beheading.<ref>[http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2015/05/islamic-state-beheads-shoots-15-yemeni-soldiers.php Islamic State beheads, shoots 15 Yemeni soldiers, The Long War Journal, May 1, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
==Kuwait==<br />
ISIS has claimed responsibility for an apparent bomb blast at the Shi'ite-affiliated Al-Sadiq mosque on June 26, 2015.<br />
<br />
==Tunisia==<br />
Gunmen killed at least 27 people at a beachfront Tunisian hotel on June 26, 2015.<br />
<br />
==Russia==<br />
ISIS claimed that they would "liberate" [[Chechnya]] and the entire [[Caucasus Mountains]].<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2014/09/06/islamic-state-militants-want-to-fight-putin-2/?utm_term=.6acf9e5a45ff, The Washington Post, September 6, 2014]</ref><br />
<br />
ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack by two men who attacked police officers near [[Moscow]].<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/isis-terror-attacks-news-latest-russia-moscow-balashikha-police-gun-axe-allegiance-video-chechen-a7198731.html, Independent, August 19, 2016]</ref><br />
<br />
ISIS claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on a Russian police convoy in Dagestan. One person was killed and two were injured.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/isis-claims-bomb-attack-on-russia-police-in-dagestan/, CBS News, March 30, 2016]</ref><br />
<br />
[[Ukrainian]] [[Nazi]]s in the [[Zelensky regime]] actively sought ISIS fighters as foreign mercenaries in the [[Russia-Ukraine war]].<ref>https://youtu.be/VTKRnIvkfuA</ref><br />
<br />
==ISIS-inspired killers==<br />
Many adherents to ISIS, with little or no formal training, act on behalf of the group outside of the region where the fighting is taking place. <br />
<br />
===Australia===<br />
December 2014, 18 hostages were held at The Martin Place Lindt café in Sydney by Man Haron Monis. Two hostages and the gunman were killed in a raid by Australian security forces.<br />
<br />
===France===<br />
Amedy Coulibaly attacked a kosher supermarket in Paris that killed a policewoman and four shoppers. <br />
<br />
[[Islamic terrorism]] at [[Charlie Hebdo]] was an Al Qaeda affiliate attack with the full support of ISIS.<br />
<br />
June 26, 2015, One person has been beheaded and two people injured in a terrorist attack at a U.S.-owned gas factory near Lyon.<br />
<br />
November 13, 2015, multiple attacks left 129 people dead in a terrorist attack at in [[Paris]], explosions were made by Stade de France (with a Soccer game between France and Germany) and a mass shooting in the Bataclan Theatre.<br />
<br />
A Tunisian man living in France used his truck to murder 84 people on 14 July 2016 in [[Nice]], 3 Americans were dead.<br />
<br />
On 12 May 2018 a [[Chechnya|Chechen]]-born knifeman attacked passers-by in Paris while shouting “Allahu akbar”. He killed one man and wounded four others. Previously the attacker made a video in which pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.<ref>Osborne, Samuel (May 14, 2018). [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/khamzat-azimov-paris-attack-stabbing-knife-kill-terror-chechen-chechnya-edited-a8351071.html Khamzat Azimov: Who is the Paris attacker responsible for stabbing five people, killing one?] ''Independent''. Retrieved September 21, 2018.</ref><br />
<br />
===Bangladesh===<br />
ISIS militants took hostages in a take over of the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka. 20 people that could not recite the Koran were murdered. Security forces would seize the shop from the terrorists. Current death toll at 20 dead including 3 Americans. <br />
<br />
===Belgium===<br />
In January 2015, two suspects died a the shootout with police. The raid turned up four Kalashnikovs, handguns, bomb-making materials and police uniforms.<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2015/01/16/world/belgium-anti-terror-operation/ Source: Belgium terror cell has links to ISIS, some members still at large, CNN.com, January 16, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
The ringleader of the ISIS cell that committed mass-murder in France, Salah Abdeslam, was captured in Brussels.<br />
<br />
ISIS Jihadi's bombed the Brussels airport in March 2016, killing 32 and injuring more than 300.<br />
<br />
===Germany===<br />
An axe-wielding [[Muslim]] Afghan refugee attacks passengers on a German train injuring 4 people before being shot dead.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36827725 Germany axe attack: Assault on train in Wuerzburg injures HK family]</ref><br />
<br />
A Syrian suicide bomber injured 15 people through a suicide attack in [[Ansbach]] on July 24, 2016.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/jul/25/ansbach-explosion-german-town-deliberate-blast-latest]</ref><br />
<br />
On December 20, 2016 a truck rammed into a crowded Christmas market in [[Berlin]], killing at least 12 people and injuring at least 48 others.<ref>[https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/police-truck-attack-killed-12-berlin-intentional]</ref> ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.<ref>Hjelmgaard, Kim (December 20, 2016). [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/12/20/berlin-truck-crash/95644498/ ISIL calls Berlin attacker a 'soldier' as manhunt for killer resumes]. ''USA Today''. Retrieved December 20, 2016.</ref><br />
<br />
===Indonesia===<br />
Seven people were killed in Jakarta after gunmen and suicide bombers attack a cafe.<ref>[https://www.businessinsider.com/isis-militants-claim-responsibility-for-attack-in-jakarta-in-first-strike-at-indonesia-2016-1?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=referral ISIS militants claim responsibility for attack in Jakarta in first strike at Indonesia, BusinessInsider, January 13, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
===United Kingdom===<br />
In March 2017 (a year after the Bombings in Brussels) a terrost attack in [[London]] took place, a 52-year-old man drove into pedestrians at the Westminster Bridge, 5 were dead (of which are 3 pedestrians, 1 police officer and the perpetrator), weapons used by the offender had a knife.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/london-parliament-attack/isis-claims-responsibility-london-attack-analysts-remain-skeptical-n738071</ref><br />
<br />
===United States===<br />
In May 2015, two suspects were killed by security guards as they went to attack Draw Muhammad Cartoon event in Garland, Texas hosted by [[Pamela Geller]].<br />
<br />
July 2015, ISIS militant attacks U.S. military base in Chattanooga, TN. 4 service members were killed.<ref>[http://www.weaselzippers.us/229298-exclusive-islamic-state-account-tweets-warnings-about-chattanooga-moments-before-shooting-began/ WeaselZippers, July 16, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
Radicalized San Bernardino shooter Tashfeen Malik pledged allegiance to ISIS before killing 14 in California December 3, 2015.<ref>[http://www.weaselzippers.us/243536-breaking-u-s-officials-san-bernardino-shooter-tashfeen-malik-pledged-allegiance-to-isis/ Breaking: U.S. Officials: San Bernardino Shooter Tashfeen Malik Pledged Allegiance To ISIS, WeaselZippers.us, December 4, 2015]</ref><br />
<br />
Radicalized terrorist [[Omar Mateen]] pledged allegiance to [[ISIS]] while slaughtering 49 people at the Pulse [[gay]] nightclub in Orlando.<br />
<br />
ISIS reportedly planned on sending terrorists into the U.S. through smuggling routes on the U.S. southern border.<ref>McKay, Hollie (June 6, 2019). [https://www.foxnews.com/world/isis-plot-westerners-mexico-border ISIS plotted to send westerners to U.S through Mexico border: report]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved June 6, 2019.</ref><ref>Mass, Warren (June 10, 2019). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/immigration/item/32561-defector-says-isis-invited-him-to-cross-u-s-border-to-engage-in-financial-attacks Defector Says ISIS Invited Him to Cross U.S. Border to Engage in Financial Attacks]. ''The New American''. Retrieved June 10, 2019.</ref><br />
<br />
A [[Kansas]] convert to Islam,<ref>Adam Goldman, [https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/07/us/politics/islamic-state-fluke-ekren.html From Benghazi to Raqqa, a Kansas Woman Left a ‘Trail of Betrayal’], ''The New York Times'', June 7, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Allison Fluke-Ekren, a Muslim convert from Kansas, rose through the ranks of the Islamic State in Syria, where she provided military training to women and girls, including her daughter.<br />
<br />
She rose through the ranks of the Islamic State, commanding a battalion of female fighters and training more than 100 women and girls, including her own daughter.<br />
Even as her daughter eventually escaped to Kansas in 2017, Ms. Fluke-Ekren stayed, hoping to die defending the so-called caliphate and trying to trick her family in the United States into believing she was no longer alive.</blockquote></ref> with ISIS Jihadists between 2011-2019 and who led an all female Jihadi "batallion", Allison Fluke-Ekren, aka Allison Ekren, aka Umm Mohammed al-Amriki and aka Umm Mohammed, was convicted in 2022.<ref>[https://breaking911.com/kansas-mom-accused-of-leading-all-female-isis-brigade-pleads-guilty/ Kansas mom accused of leading all-female ISIS brigade pleads guilty], B911, June 7, 2022.<blockquote>According to court documents, Allison Fluke-Ekren, aka Allison Ekren, aka Umm Mohammed al-Amriki and aka Umm Mohammed, 42, a former resident of Kansas, traveled overseas and from in or about September 2011 through in or about May 2019, engaged in terrorism-related activities in multiple countries, including Syria, Libya and Iraq. Fluke-Ekren ultimately served as the leader and organizer of an ISIS military battalion, known as the Khatiba Nusaybah, where she trained women on the use of automatic firing AK-47 assault rifles, grenades and suicide belts. Over 100 women and young girls, including as young as 10 or 11-years-old, received military training from Fluke-Ekren in Syria on behalf of ISIS.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
In [[New Mexico]], in Aug 2022, Herman Leyvoune Wilson, also known as Bilal Mu'Min Abdullah, accused of trying to create ISIS "safe haven."<ref>[https://www.axios.com/2022/08/27/isis-new-mexico-arrest-fbi New Mexico man accused of trying to create ISIS "safe haven"], ''Axios'', 2022/08/27.<blockquote><br />
A federal grand jury indicted Herman Leyvoune Wilson, also known as Bilal Mu'Min Abdullah,...</blockquote></ref><br />
On Aug. 23, a federal grand jury indicted him for trying to establish ISIS training center there.<br />
<ref>[https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3618072-man-arrested-for-allegedly-trying-to-establish-isis-training-center-in-new-mexico/amp/ Man arrested for allegedly trying to establish ISIS training center in New Mexico], ''The Hill'', Aug 27, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.reuters.com/legal/new-mexico-man-accused-planning-islamic-state-training-center-2022-08-26 New Mexico man accused of planning Islamic State training center], ''Reuters'', Aug26, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
<font size=1>(Related:<br />
<br />
In 2018, it was found that at a compound in NM, children were trained for Jihad.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-mexico-crime/teen-from-new-mexico-compound-says-he-was-trained-for-jihad-fbi-idUSKCN1LI003 Teen from New Mexico compound says he was trained for jihad: FBI], ''Reuters'', Sep 1, 2018.<blockquote>A 13-year-old boy who was part of group taken into custody at a squalid New Mexico compound last month has told FBI.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/new-mexico-compound-man-training-kids-commit-school-shootings-prosecutors-court-documents-today-2018-08-08/ Man at filthy New Mexico compound was training kids to commit school shootings prosecutors say], ''CBS News'', Aug 8, 2018.<blockquote>The father of a missing 4-year-old Georgia boy was training children at a filthy New Mexico compound to commit school shootings, prosecutors alleged in court documents Wednesday. The documents say Siraj Ibn Wahhaj was conducting weapons training with assault rifles at the compound near the Colorado border that was raided by authorities ...</blockquote></ref><br />
Children were training for school shootings. At the raid, authorities rescued 11 starving children.<ref><br />
[https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/09/us/new-mexico-compound-children/index.html Children found in New Mexico compound were training for school shootings prosecutors say], ''CNN'', Aug 9, 2018.</ref><br />
There was a "terrorist training camp to kill US officers.<ref>Claudia Koerner, [https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/claudiakoerner/new-mexico-compound-terrorist-camp-indictment The Compound Raided In New Mexico Was A Terrorist Training Camp To Kill US Officers], ''Buzzfeed'', Mar 15, 2019.<blockquote><br />
A 3-year-old boy was found dead after the camp was raided last year, and now five adults are facing terror-related charges.</blockquote></ref>)</font><br />
<br />
===Muslim Arab "Palestinians" inside Israel===<br />
<br />
* Wassim Assayed / Wasim a-Sayed.<br />
<ref>[https://rotter.net/forum/scoops1/739691.shtml Slaughtered in their beds - Indictment describes: This is how Yehuda and Tamar Kaduri and Ivan Tarnowski were murdered], ''Rotter'', Apr 18, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Notice from the State Attorney's Office:<br />
<br />
The Jerusalem District Attorney's Office (Criminal) filed an indictment in the city district court against Wasim Assayed (34), a resident of Hebron, for three terrorist attacks in which he killed three people and tried to kill two more and injured them, all for nationalist motives and being a member of the ISIS terrorist organization.<br />
<br />
In 2014, the defendant swore allegiance to the terrorist organization ISIS.<br />
<br />
On January 8, 2019, the defendant entered Israeli territory carrying two knives in order to kill Jews out of a nationalist and ideological motive.<br />
<br />
According to the indictment, filed by attorneys Erez Padan and Yuval Kedar of the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office, the defendant arrived in Jerusalem in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood and wandered the neighborhood streets with the intent to locate a Jewish victim and murder him. Defendant spotted a girl walking down the street and began to follow her quickly as he skipped up the stairs. When he got her, he pulled out the knife and started stabbing her in the neck and trying to slash it. The girl cried out in pain and the defendant fled the scene quickly. A day after the assassination attempt, the defendant once again returned to the scene with the intent to kill Jews.<br />
<br />
At around 21:30 in the evening, the defendant noticed Yehuda Kadouri wearing a skullcap, getting out of the vehicle while driving, unpacking bags of groceries and walking towards the apartment. Defendant followed Yehuda Kadouri some distance, followed him into the building and followed him while watching his actions as he entered the apartment. Shortly afterwards, Yehuda Kadouri left the apartment and returned to his car. Defendant saw this, opened the apartment door and entered it. The defendant moved between the rooms in the apartment and found Tamar Kadouri in her bed in the bedroom where he stabbed her in the neck several times until her death. The defendant hid in one of the rooms in the apartment while waiting for the return of Yehuda Kadouri in order to kill him and surprised him at the door. Defendant stabbed him until he collapsed and passed away.<br />
<br />
After the murder of the Kadouri couple, in the morning the defendant left the apartment taking several rings from the deceased's room worth thousands of new shekels, as well as cash from the deceased's wallet.<br />
<br />
The indictment further states that in March 2022 the defendant entered Israel with the aim of killing Jews while carrying a bag containing barbed wire, an electric shocker with a flashlight, pepper spray, and a knife with a blade about 15 cm long and wearing gloves on his hands. The defendant climbed the separation fence between A-Ram and Beit Hanina and entered Israel, with his face to the city of Jerusalem.<br />
<br />
The defendant arrived late at night in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood, wandered the streets of the neighborhood with the intention of locating a Jewish victim and murdering him out of a nationalist and ideological motive. The defendant entered a building in the neighborhood and opened the front door to one of the apartments in the building holding the knife in one hand and the shocker in the other. The defendant noticed Ivan Tarnowski (a Moldovan citizen) and two other people sleeping in their beds.<br />
Since he believed they were Jews and according to his early plan, the defendant went to Ivan's bed and stabbed him while he was sleeping with the knife a deep stab in the neck. The defendant then turned to the extra bed that was in the room and began stabbing the other person as well with a deep stab in the neck. Ivan got out of bed and stood in the room and the defendant fled the apartment quickly, with the deceased leaving the apartment following him. The defendant fled the building and the deceased returned to the apartment and collapsed in the doorway of the room where he inflated his soul.<br />
<br />
The indictment attributes to the defendant the commission of aggravated murder offenses, an act of terrorism of attempted murder, an act of terrorism of aggravated sabotage and injury, membership in a terrorist organization and other offenses.<br />
<br />
Please note that the prosecution requested that the publication of a few details of the indictment be prohibited in order to maintain the dignity and privacy of the deceased.<br />
<br />
Efrat Oren<br />
<br />
Spokeswoman for the legal units.</blockquote></ref><ref>Tobias Siegal, Emanuel Fabiant, [https://www.timesofisrael.com/islamic-state-supporter-indicted-for-murder-of-three-jerusalem-residents/ Islamic State supporter indicted for murder of three Jerusalem residents], ''TOI'', Apr 18, 2022.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Wasim a-Sayed, 34, a Palestinian from Hebron, was detained last month; he is accused in killings of Kaduri couple in 2019 and Moldovan foreign worker Ivan Tarnovski in 2022.</blockquote></ref><br />
: "I decided to murder Jews for me and for Allah" - said the Arab Palestinian resident of Hebron. He was arrested between 2018-2015 for ISIS activity, then was released. He is responsible for murdering the Kadouri couple (Jan 2019), the attempted murder of Hadar Bezalel and the murder of a Moldovan citizen in the Arnona neighborhood in the capital. He desired that it will help advance ISIS ideology. He is described as cold.<ref>Shlomi Heller, [https://news.walla.co.il/item/3500819 The suspect in the murder of the Kadouri couple: an ISIS terrorist who was already in prison - and was released], Walla News, Apr 14, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Wassim Assayed, a Palestinian resident of Hebron, was arrested between 2018-2015 for ISIS activity. A few months after his release he was arrested again for incitement and membership in the organization, and sent to prison for two and a half years. He was released about a month ago and immediately committed another murder. "I decided to murder Jews for myself and for Allah," he said during his interrogation.<br />
<br />
The suspect in a number of murders and attempted murders in Jerusalem is Wassim Assayed, an ISIS terrorist who has been arrested and released several times, and has acted for nationalist motives. His investigation revealed that he was looking for his victims at random, and set himself the goal of murdering Jews in the belief that this would advance ISIS 'aspirations and ideology.<br />
<br />
Assayed, a 34-year-old Palestinian resident of Hebron, is described as an indifferent, secretive and strict. During his interrogation, he said, "I did not tell anyone, that was my secret. I decided to murder Jews for me and for Allah."<br />
<br />
Assayed was banned between 2015 and 2018 due to activity in the ISIS infrastructure that planned to carry out attacks against Israeli targets. After his release from prison in Israel, he was detained by the Palestinian Authority for several months, and in January 2019 he was arrested again in Israel. He was prosecuted for incitement and membership in a hostile organization. At the end of the prison term - he was transferred to a long administrative detention of about two and a half years from which he was recently released.</blockquote></ref><br />
Method of operation: entered the victims' apartment when the door was open and slit their throats.<ref>[https://www.jerusalemnet.co.il/%d7%97%d7%93%d7%a9%d7%95%d7%aa/%d7%94%d7%95%d7%aa%d7%a8-%d7%9c%d7%a4%d7%a8%d7%a1%d7%95%d7%9d-%d7%a8%d7%a6%d7%97-%d7%91%d7%a0%d7%99-%d7%94%d7%96%d7%95%d7%92-%d7%9b%d7%93%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%99-%d7%a4%d7%99%d7%92%d7%95%d7%a2-%d7%91%d7%94%d7%a9%d7%a8%d7%90%d7%aa-%d7%93%d7%90%d7%a2%d7%a9-502946 Permitted for publication: The murder of the Kadouri couple - an ISIS-inspired attack], Jerusalem Net, 04/14/22.<blockquote><br />
The terrorist, Wasim Assayed, a 34-year-old illegal immigrant from Hebron, is also responsible for the attempted murder of Hadar Bezalel and the murder of a Moldovan citizen in the Arnona neighborhood in the capital. Assayed was arrested by chance by Border Police forces, without knowing that he had any connection to the cases, and a knife with the blood of the Moldovan citizen on it was found in his bag. • Assayed was in administrative detention between 2018-2015, and 2020-2019 • Method of operation: entered the victims' apartment when the door was open and slit their throats.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
Assayed<ref>Haim Goldich, [https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bybw500se9 Arrest of Islamic State-affiliated Palestinian cracks cold murder case], i24NEWS, YNet, 04.14.22.<blockquote><br />
<br />
Wassim Assayed admits to 2019 murder of Yehuda and Tamar Kadouri in Jerusalem after being arrested for fatal stabbing of Moldovan national last month, suspected attempted stabbing of girl in 2019 .<br />
<br />
Wassim Assayed, a 34-year-old Palestinian from Hebron, is the suspect in the January 13, 2019 fatal stabbing of Yehuda, 71, and Tamar, 68, in their apartment in Jerusalem’s Armon Hanatziv neighborhood.<br />
<br />
He is also the suspect in the murder of Ivan Tarnowski, a 37-year-old Moldovan national who was stabbed along with another Moldovan national on March 21, 2022 in the Arnona neighborhood of Jerusalem.<br />
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Assayed is also credited with a stabbing attempt of a girl in Jerusalem prior to the murder of the Kadouris...<br />
<br />
interrogation also revealed that his activity stemmed from his support for the ideology of the Islamic State, to which he swore allegiance. <br />
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A timeline of Assayed's rampage:<br />
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January 9th, 2019 — Wassim Assayed attempts to murder Hadar Betzalel, 15 at the time, in Armon Hanatziv.<br />
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January 10th, 2019 — Assayed stabs and murders the Kadouris in their home. The terrorist saw Yehuda Kadouri leaving his home and entered to find Tamar Kadouri alone. After stabbing her to death, he waited for the husband to return and managed to kill Yehuda despite his attempts to fight off the armed man.<br />
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January 11th, 2019 — The terrorist flees the Kadouri home after staying the night. <br />
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January 12th, 2019 — Assayed is arrested for affiliation with the Islamic State. Police are still unaware of his involvement in the murder of the Kadouris.<br />
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January 13th, 2019 — The bodies of the Kadouris are found in their home. <br />
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March 21st, 2022 — Assayed murders Moldovan national Ivan Tarnowski.</blockquote></ref> was specifically looking for victims who looked to him being Jewish.<ref>Gilad Morag, [https://m.ynet.co.il/articles/hyagafreq Conducted contacts with global jihad, imprisoned separately: This is the terrorist who confessed to the murder of the Kadouri couple], ''Ynet'', 04/14/22.<br />
<blockquote><br />
Wassim Assayed, who confessed to the murder of the couple in Jerusalem, has been imprisoned in Israel on various occasions since 2007. At first these were minor offenses, but later he was sent to administrative detention: "the only means of thwarting danger on his part." In 2011 he was marked as "determined and daring", in prison he was separated due to his extremist views: "Attack other prisoners."<br />
<br />
Wassim Assayed, a terrorist from Hebron who was arrested on suspicion of murdering the Kadouri couple in 2019 and on suspicion of murdering Moldovan citizen Ivan Tarnowski in Jerusalem about a month ago, is an ISIS supporter who became involved in crime in Israel in 2007. The 34-year-old terrorist was imprisoned on several occasions His administrative detention - is considered a dangerous detainee...<br />
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Assayed, according to the interpretation of the murder case, as a way of his "work," was looking for victims who looked like Jews. Over the years, many interrogees came to the interrogation rooms in the Jerusalem area and many resources and resources of the Israel Police and the GSS were invested. Decipher and connect the cases.The breakthrough in the case was after the murder of the Moldovan worker in the Arnona neighborhood about a month ago.The terrorist was identified on cameras with external appearance similar to the suspect in the murder of the Kadouri couple in the Commissioner's Palace.</blockquote></ref><br />
One of the shocking details:<ref>Haim Goldberg (@haim_goldberg) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/haim_goldberg/status/1514547050544832512 Apr 14, 2022]):<br />
<blockquote>Listen to this shocking detail: After the terrorist Vasim Assayed murdered the Kadouri couple in their home in 2019 he washed his hands in their house, locked the door and went to sleep, he was tired. Only after a few hours did he leave their home. What a shocking attack and hats-off to the Jerusalem Central Unit and the Shabak for this insane decipherment.</blockquote></ref><blockquote>After the terrorist Vasim Assayed murdered the Kadouri couple in their home in 2019 he washed his hands in their house, locked the door and went to sleep, he was tired. Only after a few hours did he leave their home.</blockquote><br />
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<br />
* On March 22 2022, Muhammad Alab Ahmed abu Alkiyan, [[ISIS]], an Arab Muslim Israeli citizen from the Bedouin town of Hura and a married father of five massacred four people, ramming some with a vehicle and stabbing others <ref>[https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/syhtshvzc Two mothers and a rabbi who fed the poor: Israel names victims of terror spree], ''Ynet'', 03.22.22.<blockquote><br />
Moshe was struck down first in the murderous attack; Doris's paramedic nephew was unable to save her; Laura had the strength to fight back while being mercilessly attacked, and Menachem was stabbed dozens of times while taking a walk.</blockquote></ref><ref>StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/StandWithUs/status/1506392188820901888 Mar 22, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
Doris Yahbas. <br />
Rabbi Moshe Kravitsky. <br />
Lora Yitzhak. <br />
Menahem Yehezkel. <br />
<br />
These are the names of the four innocent people who were murdered in today's terror attack in Be'er Sheva, southern #Israel. <br />
May their memories forever be a blessing.</blockquote>https://t.co/sMXZSp0XmF [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FOfHp6cX0AM-gGL.jpg]</ref> because they were Jews. The "moderate" [[Palestinian Authority]] cheered the attack: <i>PA hypocrisy: Honor terror in Arabic and secretly condemn it in English.</i><ref>Itamar Marcus, [https://palwatch.org/page/30820 PA hypocrisy: Honor terror in Arabic and secretly condemn it in English], ''PMW'', Mar 24, 2022.<blockquote><br />
<br />
PA to Palestinians: The murderer was a “Martyr” [March 23, 2022] <br />
<br />
PA Minister to Israeli Minister: "I am deeply shocked by this terror attack." [March 22, 2022].</blockquote></ref><br />
In [[Gaza]], [[Hamas]] and [[PIJ]] celebrated, as did [[Hezbollah]] in Lebanon.<ref name=ti-31032022/><br />
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<br />
*On March 27, 2022, as [[Israel]]i and Arab officials ([[UAE]], [[Egypt]], [[Bahrain]], [[Morocco]]) were gathering for an historic summit, two Arab Muslims, Ayman Bashir Ighbariah Ibrahim and Hassan Bashir Ighbariah, from Umm al-Fahm Israel, carried out a murderous terror attack in Hadera, killing two and injuring six.<ref>https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/28/middleeast/israel-isis-attack-intl/index.html ISIS attack kills two and injures six in Israel as Arab and Israeli officials hold historic summit], ''CNN'', March 28, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/minister-arab-israeli-terrorists-in-hadera-shooting-affiliated-to-islamic-state/ Islamic State claims Hadera attack; minister], ''TOI'', March 27, 2022.</ref><br />
<br />
ISIS put out a statement about the "infidel" Jews.<ref><blockquote>ISIS also issued an official proclamation accepting responsibility for the attack in Hadera: "The "infidel" Jews must know that the promises (to harm them) will come to them sooner or later. With the help of Allah."</blockquote>pic.twitter.com/ujON3TGo2j — roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) [https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1508225829339344897 March 27, 2022]</ref> In [[Gaza]], [[Hamas]] and [[PIJ]]<ref name=ti-31032022>[https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en/two-deadly-isis-inspired-terrorist-attacks-carried-out-in-southern-and-central-israel/ Two deadly ISIS-inspired terrorist attacks carried out in southern and central Israel], Terrorism-Info, 31/03/2022.<blockquote>On March 22 and 27, 2022, two deadly terrorist attacks were carried out, one in Beersheba, in southern Israel, and one in Hadera, in the country’s center. So far it is unclear if they were connected. Four Israelis were killed in Beersheba and two were wounded. In Hadera two Israelis were killed and five were wounded. The following are some of the details of the attacks:<br />
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Both were carried out in cifty centers and targeted innocent passersby.<br />
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The terrorists who carried out the attacks were Israeli Arabs from Hura (Beersheba) and Umm al-Fahm (Hadera), and were ISIS sympathizers. At least two of them tried to go to Syria to fight in the ranks of ISIS and served sentences in Israeli jails. However, a preliminary investigation revealed a local ISIS network with no direct connection between the terrorists and ISIS headquarters.<br />
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ISIS issued an official claim of responsibility for the attack in Hadera. It mentioned the attack in Beersheba although no separate claim of responsibility was issued. The attack in Hadera was one of the few instances in which ISIS claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack inside Israel.<br />
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In both instances the Palestinian Authority (PA) leadership did not issue an official statement. Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) and other terrorist organizations were quick to praise the attacks and attackers, even though they were affiliated with ISIS. Hezbollah, which sent its operatives to fight ISIS in Syria, also welcomed the attacks. In the Gaza Strip, pastries and candy were distributed to passersby.<br />
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The attack in Beersheba was carried out by one terrorist who used his vehicle and a knife. The attack in Hadera was more complex and had to have been pre-planned, possibly with the involvement of others. It was carried out by two terrorists who acquired guns, issued a video before the attack and arrived by car.<br />
</blockquote></ref> as well as [[Hezbollah]] in Lebanon had celebrared it.<ref name=ti-31032022/><ref><blockquote>Hezbollah welcomes the attack in Hadera yesterday. A statement from the organization said that the attack underscores the desire of the Palestinian people to fight ...and that it is a practical response to the normalization meetings held by some Arab regimes with the enemy entity.</blockquote>— roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) [https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1508321308211359748 March 28, 2022]</ref><br />
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The Umm al-Fahm mayor, Samir Subhi Mahameed issued a condolence message to the families of the two ISIS terrorists who carried out the attack in Hadera.<ref>[https://rotter.net/forum/scoops1/737321.shtml Umm al-Fahm municipality issued a condolence message to the families of the two terrorists who carried out the attack in Hadera], Rotter, March 31, 2022.<blockquote><br />
Umm al-Fahm municipality issued a condolence message to the families of the two terrorists who carried out the attack in Hadera<br />
Translation of the message:<br />
* Binding condolences *<br />
On my behalf and on behalf of the members and employees of the Umm al-Fahm Municipality and the people of the city, we send our sincere condolences and our heartfelt condolences to our family in the Bashir family and to the whole family, on the passing of the deceased: Ayman Bashir Ighbariah Ibrahim Hassan Bashir Ighbariah.<br />
May Allah have mercy on them and forgive them and inspire patience and comfort in their families We belong to Allah and we will return to Him<br />
Dr. .. Samir Subhi<br />
Mayor of Umm al-Fahm</blockquote>[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FPLl7BHXMAA-yME.jpg]</ref><br />
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The Umm al-Fahm post was removed only after the intervention of the Ministry of the Interior, which is currently content with a statement of condemnation.<ref>[https://rotter.net/forum/scoops1/737326.shtml The Umm al-Fahm post of condolences to the families of the terrorists was removed only after the intervention of the Ministry of the Interior, which is currently content with a statement of condemnation]. Rotter, 31.03.22:<blockquote><br />
Update: <br />
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By order of the Minister of the Interior, the Director General of the Ministry of the Interior called the mayor of Umm al-Fahm and asked him to remove the post. The post has been removed.<br />
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It is inconceivable that a municipality in the State of Israel would console families of terrorists. This is a serious and shameful post and it is good that it has been deleted.<br />
The Interior Minister will continue to show zero tolerance for supporting terrorism on social networks and in general.</blockquote></ref><br />
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<br />
On Apr 1, 2022, ISIS called<ref>[https://rotter.net/forum/scoops1/737461.shtml The ISIS Organization calls to his loyalists in "Palestine" to carry out attacks], ''Rotter News'', Apr 1, 2022.<br />
<blockquote>The ISIS Da'ash organization dedicates his weekly newspaper of honor for the terrorist attacks in Israel. They earn the main page and an article on the internal page, as well as disclosure of the organization against the "false nationalism" and calls for its people to act according to Islam which overpowers nationalism (Palestinian). In the declaration of the organization, the organization refers to a special call to its loyalists in the "Palestinian and its environs" in which he calls them to get up, to fix their way, release themselves from the false nationalism and fill the fatwah of cleansing the world from the infidels and the heresy. This is a religious call for terrorist attacks in "Palestinian territories."</blockquote></ref> on its loyalists in "Palestine" to carry out attacks. It called to eject "Palestinian" nationalism and act according to Islam and perform the <i>fatwa</i> against the infidels.<br />
It dedicated its weekly publication to the attack in Hadera under the headline "Our campaign with the Jews is a pure Islamic campaign."<ref>roi kais • روعي كايس • רועי קייס (@kaisos1987) Tweeted ([https://twitter.com/kaisos1987/status/1509784242917711875 Apr 1, 2022]):<blockquote><br />
In addition, an article was published in the ISIS weekly dedicated to the attack in Hadera under the headline "Our campaign with the Jews is a pure Islamic campaign." The article is the organization's defense letter for the claim that it does not fight Jews enough and criticism of the Palestinian terrorist organizations that are fighting in Israel in the name of national and non-religious motives.</blockquote>[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FPPQ_65WYAERnMb.jpg:large]</ref><br />
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The [[Biden]] administration failed to address ISIS problem there.<ref>Daniel Greenfield,, [https://www.jns.org/opinion/will-biden-fund-isis-in-israel-to-aid-the-palestinians/ Will Biden fund ISIS in (Arab Islamists in) Israel to aid the Palestinians?], ''JNS'', March 29, 2022.<blockquote><font size=1><br />
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The "Palestinian people" have spoken. Will Biden listen to them?<br />
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"In the name of Allah, the merciful and compassionate," said Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, “we would like to welcome Secretary Clinton.”<br />
“Blinken,” someone corrected him.<br />
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“Sorry, Blinken,” said the 86-year-old Islamic terrorist leader.<br />
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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken had to travel thousands of miles to find a leader even more unpopular and out of it than the one he had left behind at the White House.<br />
That was last year. This year, Abbas got Blinken’s name right, but not much else.<br />
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In 17 years (and just one election), Abbas has seen a lot of secretaries of state come and go to get their pictures taken with him before sending him a few hundred million dollars.<br />
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Last year, Abbas told Blinken that he had “postponed the elections” because of Israel and that the moment he gets his paws on Jerusalem, “we will hold them immediately and without any delay, because ultimately what we’re interested in is to establish democracy throughout Palestine.” This year they can’t be held either, because Abbas still doesn’t have Jerusalem.<br />
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The last Palestinian Authority presidential election was in 2005. Abbas won. The last parliamentary election was in 2006. Hamas won. The presidential and parliamentary elections have been postponed since then but are expected to resume any time now. If not, blame Israel.<br />
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Since elections won’t be happening anytime soon, a recent poll reveals that 73% of the “Palestinians” occupying the West Bank and Gaza Strip want Abbas to resign.<br />
If elections were somehow held today, the Hamas presidential candidate would win 54% of the vote while Abbas would only get 38%. So you can see why there will be no elections.<br />
<br />
Sixty-one percent want to tear up all agreements with Israel (since they haven’t kept them, that would be a technicality), 70% don’t want to negotiate with Israel and 64% don’t even want to negotiate with Biden. Fifty-eight percent oppose the “two-state solution” that is the touchstone of the entire peace process.<br />
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Seventy-three percent believe that the Koran predicts that Israel will be destroyed, but only 32% believe it will happen in 2022.<br />
Under these circumstances, the last thing the Biden administration wants is democracy for the quarreling foreign jihadist tribes who invaded Israel over the last few centuries and were rebranded with the name of the European colonists known as the Philistines.<br />
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Blinken is fine with Abbas postponing the elections forever, because otherwise the terror clans will do what they did the last time that Bush naively allowed elections and vote for Hamas.<br />
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And that would be inconvenient because Hamas won’t pretend that they aren’t terrorists.<br />
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Four Israelis were murdered last week by a Muslim terrorist attack at a mall in Beersheva.<br />
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Despite the terrorist’s Islamic State membership, a Hamas spokesman praised “the executor of the heroic operation” and promised more “heroic operations: stabbings, ramming and shooting” like the car-ramming and stabbing spree that killed a rabbi who ran a soup kitchen and two mothers of three. So much for the claim that Hamas will inhibit the rise of the “extremists” of ISIS.<br />
P.A. media also hailed the terrorist, Muhammad Abu al-Kiyan, who was shot and killed by an Israeli bus driver who chased him down on foot, as a “martyr.” If the P.A. follows its usual “Pay to Slay” policy in this case, it won’t just be financially supporting the usual stable of PLO, Hamas and Islamic Jihad families, but also an ISIS terrorist’s family.<br />
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And that will mean American taxpayers will end up subsidizing ISIS terrorism in Israel, as the Biden administration explores ways to bypass the Taylor Force Act’s ban on terror funding.<br />
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At a joint press conference on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Blinken gave a speech mostly blaming Israel for future violence during Passover and Ramadan. That speech was followed by another ISIS attack in which two heavily armed terrorists opened fire on a bus. The Islamic terrorists were taken down by cops who had been eating nearby, but not before they killed two officers.<br />
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Hamas celebrated the “valor and courage” of the ISIS terrorists, as <br />
<br />
did Islamic Jihad.<br />
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, praised the ISIS attack as an “important and most effective practical response to the infamous and treacherous normalization meetings that some Arab regimes are carrying out with the enemy entity,” referring to the anti-Iran summit in Israel with the foreign ministers of Bahrain, UAE, Morocco and Egypt.<br />
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Iran’s pro-Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps outlet, too, praised it as a “martyrdom operation.” When it comes to Israel, Iran and ISIS are on the same side. Much as Al-Qaeda and Iran were on the same side when it came to the terrorist attacks of September 11.<br />
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Blinken meanwhile used the visit to pitch Israelis on a Biden plan to remove the IRGC, Iran’s terror hub, from the list of foreign terrorist organizations, claiming it would be “symbolic.”<br />
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He failed to condemn the terrorist attack as an ISIS attack, calling it “senseless” violence.<br />
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At his joint press conference with Abbas, Blinken also failed to condemn terrorism or to note that ISIS, with the tacit support of his PLO hosts in Ramallah and of Hamas in Gaza, was planting its flag in Israel. Instead, Blinken once again condemned Jewish Israeli “settler violence.”<br />
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Like Undersecretary of State Victoria Nuland’s previous visit, the formula of Biden administration officials condemning Israeli “settler violence” while promising to “strengthen” the terrorists of the P.A. is as familiar as it is evil. The P.A. is an unwanted institution whose leader 73% of the people he rules over want to see out of office.<br />
And 49% want to dissolve the Palestinian Authority.<br />
<br />
Considering the decades of failure, misery and terrorism wrought by the failed Clinton initiative to create a Palestinian state, it’s long past time for everyone to turn the page on this disaster.<br />
<br />
Neither Arab Muslims nor Israelis want Abbas or the P.A. Only diplomats like Blinken and Nuland insist on keeping the senile tyrant of Ramallah in office until he dies.<br />
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In a final statistic, the poll asked who was “most deserving of representing and leading the Palestinian people.” Thirty-one percent picked Hamas, 29% chose Abbas’ P.A., and 33% chose none of the above. Eighty-four percent believe the P.A. is corrupt and 70% believe Hamas is dirty.<br />
The “Palestinian people” have spoken. Will Biden listen to them?<br />
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The root source of the corruption is the hundreds of millions of dollars Blinken came bearing last year for the regime of a corrupt, senile autocrat who didn’t even know whom he was talking to. There’s more money coming this year to prop up the terrorist regime.<br />
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All in the name of a peace which doesn’t exist and that the majority of “Palestinians” don’t want.<br />
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The United States has gone from using its foreign aid to the P.A. to prop up PLO, Islamic Jihad and Hamas terrorism against Israel to subsidizing ISIS terrorism.<br />
Will ISIS be a final red line for the corrupt farce of a two-state solution and a peace process?</font></blockquote></ref><br />
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<br />
*On Apr 5, 2022, it was reported that some 15 attacks were thwarted and 400 suspects were identified who had links to ISIS and other organizations.<ref>Meirav Arad, [https://m.news1.co.il/Archive/001-D-452595-00.html "15 terrorist attacks have been foiled recently"], News 1, Apr 5, 2022.<blockquote><br />
[Bennett] Noted that at least 15 attacks were thwarted and 400 suspects were identified who had links to ISIS and other organizations - called on everyone to "go to work, travel and spend time...</blockquote></ref><br />
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<br />
*On April 13, 2022, Bashar Al-Galawi, an Arab Muslim, about 18 years old, from Rahat was arrested by the Israeli General Security Service on suspicion of planning to go to [[Syria]] and join the ranks of the [[ISIS]] terrorist organization.<ref>[https://www.israelnationalnews.com/flashes/574149 Teenager from Bedouin town suspected of trying to join ISIS], ''INN'', Apr 13, 2022.<blockquote><br />
An 18-year-old resident of the Bedouin city of Rahat in southern Israel was arrested on suspicion of committing security offenses inspired by the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS). The suspect, Bashar Al-Galawi, has Israeli citizenship.</blockquote></ref><ref>[https://www.0404.co.il/?p=809500 An Arab from Rahat was arrested on suspicion of trying to join ISIS], 0404 News, 13/04/2022.<blockquote>An Arab, about 18 years old, from Rahat was arrested by the General Security Service on suspicion of planning to go to Syria and join the ranks of the ISIS terrorist organization.<br />
The arrest comes against the background of the wave of terrorism in our country and later a series of arrests of ISIS supporters in Israel.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
<br />
*In May 2022, five Arabs from East Jerusalem were arrested on suspicion of belonging to ISIS.<ref>[https://www.0404.co.il/?p=816369 Five Arabs from East Jerusalem were arrested on suspicion of belonging to ISIS], ''News 0404'', 22/05/2022.<blockquote><br />
Against the background of the wave of terrorism in our country, five Arabs from East Jerusalem were arrested last weekend on suspicion of belonging to the Islamic State (ISIS).<br />
<br />
The five, in their 30s, were questioned by police and their detention was extended until tomorrow.<br />
<br />
As you may recall, some of the attacks in the current wave of terrorism were carried out by Arabs who saw themselves as part of the ISIS terrorist organization and our forces set themselves the goal of locating additional supporters of the Islamic State and thus preventing deadly attacks across our country.</blockquote></ref><br />
<br />
==State support for ISIS==<br />
===Pakistan===<br />
Former ISIS fighters in Afghanistan have said that the Pakistani military provided weapons to them.<ref>https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/former-daesh-fighters-claim-pakistan-funded-them</ref><br />
In June 2017, Abdul Saboor Sabet stated that Pakistani Militias gave reinforcement to ISIS militants against the Afghan Army in the Tora Bora region.<ref>https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/pakistani-militia-backed-daesh-tora-bora-offensive-nds</ref><br />
<br />
===Obama's United States===<br />
:{{See also|Obama administration}}<br />
President [[Barack Obama]] signed a Presidential Finding on August 1, 2012 authorizing transfer of captured weapons from [[Libya]] to groups that became the Islamic State.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20170216061621/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/obama-secret-syria-order_n_1730712.html?tw_p=twt</ref> ''[[Reuters]]'' reported {{Quotebox|under provisions of the presidential finding, the United States was collaborating with a secret command center operated by Turkey and its allies.<br><br />
<br />
Last week, Reuters reported that, along with [[Saudi Arabia]] and Qatar, Turkey had '''established a secret base near the Syrian border to help direct vital military and communications support to Assad’s opponents.<br />
<br />
This “nerve center” is in Adana, a city in southern Turkey about 60 miles (100 km) from the Syrian border, which is also home to Incirlik, a U.S. air base where U.S. military and intelligence agencies maintain a substantial presence.'''<br><br />
<br />
Turkey’s moderate Islamist government has been demanding Assad’s departure with growing vehemence. Turkish authorities are said by current and former U.S. government officials to be increasingly involved in providing Syrian rebels with training and possibly equipment.<br><br />
<br />
European government sources said wealthy families in Saudi Arabia and Qatar were providing significant financing to the rebels. Senior officials of the Saudi and Qatari governments have publicly called for Assad’s departure.}}<br />
''[[The Guardian]]'' reported,<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jul/30/al-qaida-rebels-battle-syria</ref><br />
{{Quotebox|these were not average members of the Free Syrian Army. Abu Khuder and his men fight for [[al-Qaida]]. They call themselves the ghuraba’a, or “strangers”, after a famous jihadi poem celebrating Osama bin Laden’s time with his followers in the Afghan mountains, and they are one of a number of jihadi organisations establishing a foothold in the east of the country now that the conflict in Syria has stretched well into its second bloody year.<br><br />
<br />
They try to hide their presence. “Some people are worried about carrying the [black] flags” ...<br><br />
<br />
...[they] are working closely with the military council that commands the Free Syrian Army brigades in the region. “We meet almost every day,” he said. “We have clear instructions from our [al-Qaida] leadership that if the FSA need our help we should give it. We help them with IEDs and car bombs. Our main talent is in the bombing operations” ...<br><br />
<br />
“The FSA lacks the ability to plan and lacks military experience. That is what [al-Qaida] can bring. ...<br><br />
<br />
“In the beginning there were very few. Now, mashallah, there are immigrants joining us and bringing their experience,” he told the gathered people. “Men from [[Yemen]], Saudi, Iraq and Jordan...<br><br />
<br />
“[Al-Qaida’s] goal is establishing an Islamic state and not a Syrian state,” he replied. “Those who fear the organisation fear the implementation of Allah’s jurisdiction...}}<br />
The ''[[New York Times]]'' reported [[David Petraeus]] had been instrumental in helping to get an aviation network moving to supply ISIS rebels and prodded various countries to work together on it. Three Royal Jordanian Air Force [[C-130]]s landed in Esenboga, in a hint at what would become a stepped-up Jordanian and Saudi role. “Within three weeks, two other Jordanian cargo planes began making a round-trip run between Amman, the capital of Jordan, and [[Zagreb]], the capital of [[Croatia]], where, officials from several countries said, the aircraft were picking up a large Saudi purchase of infantry arms from a Croatian-controlled stockpile." Two Jordanian Ilyushins bearing the logo of the Jordanian International Air Cargo firm but flying under Jordanian military call signs made a combined 36 round-trip flights between [[Amman]] and Croatia from December 2012 through February 2013. The same two planes made five flights between Amman and Turkey in January 2013. "As the Jordanian flights were under way, the Qatari flights continued and the Royal Saudi Air Force began a busy schedule, too — making at least 30 C-130 flights into Esenboga from mid-February 2013 to early March 2013, according to flight data provided by a regional air traffic control official.” American officials have confirmed that senior [[White House]] officials were regularly briefed on the shipments.”<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/world/middleeast/arms-airlift-to-syrian-rebels-expands-with-cia-aid.html</ref><br />
<br />
[[Edward Snowden]] leaked detail a program that trained approximately 10,000 rebel fighters at a cost of $1 billion a year.<ref>http://fair.org/home/down-the-memory-hole-nyt-erases-cias-efforts-to-overthrow-syrias-government/</ref><br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
* [[List of Islamist terrorist attacks]]<br />
* [[Genocide of Christians by ISIS]]<br />
* [[Jihad]]<br />
* [[Criticism of Islam]]<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{Reflist|colwidth=35em}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
*[https://www.timesofisrael.com/timeline-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-islamic-state/ The rise and fall of Islamic State, whose ‘caliphate’ is now said to be over], ''The Times of Israel'' (from the ''Associated Press''), March 23, 2019.<br />
<br />
{{Terrorism}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Syria]]<br />
[[Category:Iraq]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorist Organizations]]<br />
[[Category:Islamic Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Threats]]<br />
[[Category:Oppression]]<br />
[[Category:Obama Administration]]<br />
[[Category:Anti-American]]<br />
[[Category:Islamic Terrorism]]<br />
[[Category:Islamism]]<br />
[[Category:Child soldiers]]</div>Bytemsbu