Arieh Kovler
@ariehkovler.com
Writer, political analyst, comms consultant. UK, Israeli, US. Politics, current affairs and technology. arieh@ariehkovler.com. https://linktr.ee/ariehkovler
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
The replication of think tank world, a version which doesn’t do any actual research but has the nominal trappings to gain entry to media, is sadly a great research project for someone.
December 26, 2025 at 9:35 AM
The replication of think tank world, a version which doesn’t do any actual research but has the nominal trappings to gain entry to media, is sadly a great research project for someone.
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
someone once accused me of having the levels of self-confidence of a privately educated white man and.....I mean I'll take that actually yeah, cheers
What's an insult you'll never forget?
December 26, 2025 at 10:11 AM
someone once accused me of having the levels of self-confidence of a privately educated white man and.....I mean I'll take that actually yeah, cheers
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
We've always had these dead-eyed socipaths around. It's just a few years ago they were ignored and now they're "senior fellow" at places funded by evil millionaires + going on podcasts with a brain-rotted ex-PM.
Harrison Pitt accuses the King of treachery. Pitt is a Senior Policy Fellow for Rupert Lowe's Restore Britain, who also regularly co-hosts podcasts with his ally Tomlinson (who advocates banning all ethnic and faith minorities from public office). Like Lowe, Pitt is keen to dissolve boundaries/norms
December 26, 2025 at 9:08 AM
We've always had these dead-eyed socipaths around. It's just a few years ago they were ignored and now they're "senior fellow" at places funded by evil millionaires + going on podcasts with a brain-rotted ex-PM.
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
First-ever US airstrikes in Nigeria put the second Trump admin’s 2025 combat actions at:
—Nigeria—tonight’s strikes
—Yemen—1,000+ strikes (Mar-Apr)
—Somalia—120 strikes, 1 ground raid
—Syria—78+ strikes, 3 ground raids
—Caribbean—11 strikes
—Eastern Pacific—20 strikes
—Iran—3 strikes
—Iraq—1 strike
—Nigeria—tonight’s strikes
—Yemen—1,000+ strikes (Mar-Apr)
—Somalia—120 strikes, 1 ground raid
—Syria—78+ strikes, 3 ground raids
—Caribbean—11 strikes
—Eastern Pacific—20 strikes
—Iran—3 strikes
—Iraq—1 strike
December 26, 2025 at 12:09 AM
First-ever US airstrikes in Nigeria put the second Trump admin’s 2025 combat actions at:
—Nigeria—tonight’s strikes
—Yemen—1,000+ strikes (Mar-Apr)
—Somalia—120 strikes, 1 ground raid
—Syria—78+ strikes, 3 ground raids
—Caribbean—11 strikes
—Eastern Pacific—20 strikes
—Iran—3 strikes
—Iraq—1 strike
—Nigeria—tonight’s strikes
—Yemen—1,000+ strikes (Mar-Apr)
—Somalia—120 strikes, 1 ground raid
—Syria—78+ strikes, 3 ground raids
—Caribbean—11 strikes
—Eastern Pacific—20 strikes
—Iran—3 strikes
—Iraq—1 strike
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
ICE detain father shopping on Christmas Eve—then steal his family's groceries.
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
December 25, 2025 at 7:03 PM
ICE detain father shopping on Christmas Eve—then steal his family's groceries.
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
Then 3 agents divvy up his paid for food—taking what they want for themselves.
"Can I just get the wife's number to call and let her know?" woman asks.
"No, guess he should've complied," agent says.
Yakima, Washington
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
I did not understand this: one of the five Europeans the US has barred from traveling to the United States...is a permanent resident who lives with his family in the US.
Now he is worried about being arrested and deported for the crime of monitoring online hate.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/u...
Now he is worried about being arrested and deported for the crime of monitoring online hate.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/u...
Judge Blocks Detention of British Researcher Who Scrutinizes Online Hate
www.nytimes.com
December 26, 2025 at 3:55 AM
I did not understand this: one of the five Europeans the US has barred from traveling to the United States...is a permanent resident who lives with his family in the US.
Now he is worried about being arrested and deported for the crime of monitoring online hate.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/u...
Now he is worried about being arrested and deported for the crime of monitoring online hate.
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/u...
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
The blatant selling of pardons is perhaps the clearest instance of criminal conduct authorized by SCOTUS. Pardons are a quintessential "official act." So, even when Trump takes a bribe to issue one, he is presumably above the criminal law.
The president’s own chief of staff was reportedly stunned by his pardon of a former Honduran president.
Trump’s Ice Maiden Blindsided by President’s Controversial Pardon
The president’s own chief of staff was reportedly stunned by his pardon of a former Honduran president.
trib.al
December 25, 2025 at 4:23 PM
The blatant selling of pardons is perhaps the clearest instance of criminal conduct authorized by SCOTUS. Pardons are a quintessential "official act." So, even when Trump takes a bribe to issue one, he is presumably above the criminal law.
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
This is what it took to shame Kristi Noem into letting an Irish green card holder who bouncing $80 in 2 checks 10 years ago free after 5 months in detention:
A veteran, Trump-voting spouse
9 US descendants
Letter signed by 18 Senators
30 character witnesses
www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-...
A veteran, Trump-voting spouse
9 US descendants
Letter signed by 18 Senators
30 character witnesses
www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-...
ICE Releases Grandma With Green Card After 5 Months in Time for Christmas
Donna Hughes Brown's case was highlighted during a hearing with Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.
www.star-telegram.com
December 25, 2025 at 5:02 PM
This is what it took to shame Kristi Noem into letting an Irish green card holder who bouncing $80 in 2 checks 10 years ago free after 5 months in detention:
A veteran, Trump-voting spouse
9 US descendants
Letter signed by 18 Senators
30 character witnesses
www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-...
A veteran, Trump-voting spouse
9 US descendants
Letter signed by 18 Senators
30 character witnesses
www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-...
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
You will be visited by three spirits
December 25, 2025 at 5:11 PM
You will be visited by three spirits
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
You will be visited by three spirits
December 25, 2025 at 5:11 PM
You will be visited by three spirits
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
You will be visited by three spirits
December 25, 2025 at 5:15 PM
You will be visited by three spirits
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
You will be visited by three spirits
December 25, 2025 at 5:07 PM
You will be visited by three spirits
You will be visited by three spirits
December 25, 2025 at 5:02 PM
You will be visited by three spirits
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
So this is something I've been noticing more lately: people seeing an image, wrongly assuming it's AI, and then confidently raging about it being AI when it wasn't.
Example: the replies to this Pluribus-themed image Tim Cook posted on X.
Example: the replies to this Pluribus-themed image Tim Cook posted on X.
December 25, 2025 at 4:04 PM
So this is something I've been noticing more lately: people seeing an image, wrongly assuming it's AI, and then confidently raging about it being AI when it wasn't.
Example: the replies to this Pluribus-themed image Tim Cook posted on X.
Example: the replies to this Pluribus-themed image Tim Cook posted on X.
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
And… TRO granted!
A sweet Christmas present for @imranahmed.bsky.social, @counterhate.com--& for their mission of fighting antisemitism & protecting kids online. Also nice for our all-star legal team.
A lump of coal in the stockings of authoritarians & the merchants of disinformation
A sweet Christmas present for @imranahmed.bsky.social, @counterhate.com--& for their mission of fighting antisemitism & protecting kids online. Also nice for our all-star legal team.
A lump of coal in the stockings of authoritarians & the merchants of disinformation
December 25, 2025 at 4:17 PM
And… TRO granted!
A sweet Christmas present for @imranahmed.bsky.social, @counterhate.com--& for their mission of fighting antisemitism & protecting kids online. Also nice for our all-star legal team.
A lump of coal in the stockings of authoritarians & the merchants of disinformation
A sweet Christmas present for @imranahmed.bsky.social, @counterhate.com--& for their mission of fighting antisemitism & protecting kids online. Also nice for our all-star legal team.
A lump of coal in the stockings of authoritarians & the merchants of disinformation
"I think they probably just believe in *big* Jesus, Arieh"
My wife in exasperation after listening to me speculate at length on how the Whos of Whoville, microscopic beings living on a speck of dust, came to celebrate Christmas.
My wife in exasperation after listening to me speculate at length on how the Whos of Whoville, microscopic beings living on a speck of dust, came to celebrate Christmas.
December 25, 2025 at 4:08 PM
"I think they probably just believe in *big* Jesus, Arieh"
My wife in exasperation after listening to me speculate at length on how the Whos of Whoville, microscopic beings living on a speck of dust, came to celebrate Christmas.
My wife in exasperation after listening to me speculate at length on how the Whos of Whoville, microscopic beings living on a speck of dust, came to celebrate Christmas.
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
Here’s the U.S. government being officially religious in a country with no official religion.
December 25, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Here’s the U.S. government being officially religious in a country with no official religion.
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
And Nicolae Ceauceacu ...
...who DID die!
...who DID die!
My father in law has done his traditional Christmas Day Facebook post to remind us of the true meaning of the day:
Reminding us of the greatest Christmas of all, December 25th, 1989, when they shot that bastard Ceaușescu
Reminding us of the greatest Christmas of all, December 25th, 1989, when they shot that bastard Ceaușescu
December 25, 2025 at 9:46 AM
And Nicolae Ceauceacu ...
...who DID die!
...who DID die!
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
Thanks to the new MAGA ban on the import of all new foreign drones, and thus on all even somewhat affordable drones, this may be the last real American Drone Crashmas for a very long time.
December 25, 2025 at 5:34 AM
Thanks to the new MAGA ban on the import of all new foreign drones, and thus on all even somewhat affordable drones, this may be the last real American Drone Crashmas for a very long time.
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
That peanut worm is a little too exciting for me you got anything else?
December 24, 2025 at 8:22 PM
That peanut worm is a little too exciting for me you got anything else?
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
TikTok just randomly gave me a popup advertising a swastika necklace. Then on the TikTok shop homepage, that and an Iron Cross necklace are the top two recommended item 🫠
December 24, 2025 at 8:50 PM
TikTok just randomly gave me a popup advertising a swastika necklace. Then on the TikTok shop homepage, that and an Iron Cross necklace are the top two recommended item 🫠
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
Hamlet: and I, Hamlet, vow to honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and ...
Ghost: wait ... did you say Hamlet?
Hamlet: yes?
Ghost: not Scrooge?
Hamlet: ... no?
Ghost (scrolling increasingly desperately through Google calendar) oh shiii..
Ghost: wait ... did you say Hamlet?
Hamlet: yes?
Ghost: not Scrooge?
Hamlet: ... no?
Ghost (scrolling increasingly desperately through Google calendar) oh shiii..
December 24, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Hamlet: and I, Hamlet, vow to honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and ...
Ghost: wait ... did you say Hamlet?
Hamlet: yes?
Ghost: not Scrooge?
Hamlet: ... no?
Ghost (scrolling increasingly desperately through Google calendar) oh shiii..
Ghost: wait ... did you say Hamlet?
Hamlet: yes?
Ghost: not Scrooge?
Hamlet: ... no?
Ghost (scrolling increasingly desperately through Google calendar) oh shiii..
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
An enraging trend right now, from CBS to the CDC, of people actively undermining institutions, then taking the reins of those institutions and claiming they need to rebuild the trust they helped destroy. (Also, people already trusted 60 Minutes.) bsky.app/profile/just...
Bari Weiss just sent this Christmas Eve email to the CBS News staff about "building trust," which includes her tripling down on spiking the CECOT piece "to make sure it's comprehensive and fair."
One CBS staffer tells me: "She really has no idea how insulting she comes across."
One CBS staffer tells me: "She really has no idea how insulting she comes across."
December 24, 2025 at 6:52 PM
An enraging trend right now, from CBS to the CDC, of people actively undermining institutions, then taking the reins of those institutions and claiming they need to rebuild the trust they helped destroy. (Also, people already trusted 60 Minutes.) bsky.app/profile/just...
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
Why Christmas is a Christian Holiday
A thread for Nittel Nacht ♟️
A thread for Nittel Nacht ♟️
December 24, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Why Christmas is a Christian Holiday
A thread for Nittel Nacht ♟️
A thread for Nittel Nacht ♟️
Reposted by Arieh Kovler
A small (personal) example of this book’s intellectual dishonesty:
My father-in-law is reading In Covid’s Wake, and excitedly told me he found a passage where I’m quoted. The quote in question is me saying the FBI worked to censor speech on social media.
Huh? When did I say that?!
My father-in-law is reading In Covid’s Wake, and excitedly told me he found a passage where I’m quoted. The quote in question is me saying the FBI worked to censor speech on social media.
Huh? When did I say that?!
December 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
A small (personal) example of this book’s intellectual dishonesty:
My father-in-law is reading In Covid’s Wake, and excitedly told me he found a passage where I’m quoted. The quote in question is me saying the FBI worked to censor speech on social media.
Huh? When did I say that?!
My father-in-law is reading In Covid’s Wake, and excitedly told me he found a passage where I’m quoted. The quote in question is me saying the FBI worked to censor speech on social media.
Huh? When did I say that?!