CDL Associates
@cdlassociates.bsky.social
Watching the Clash of Civilizations, the Fall of Russia and the U.S. Four decades of Foreign Policy & International Security, Intelligence, Crude Oil, Energy. Inside knowledge. All retired or not much.
If 32 countries recognize the Holodomor, the mass famine in Ukraine in 1932–1933 organized by Stalin's leadership of the USSR, which resulted in millions of human casualties, as genocide, then Russia's current actions against the civilian population of Ukraine should also be classified as genocide.
📍Konstantinovka
Border guards pass a destroyed apartment building, and one of the soldiers recognizes the building - he once rented an apartment there.
While putin lies about the attack on his residence, russians destroy Ukrainian civilians and their homes every day.
Border guards pass a destroyed apartment building, and one of the soldiers recognizes the building - he once rented an apartment there.
While putin lies about the attack on his residence, russians destroy Ukrainian civilians and their homes every day.
January 5, 2026 at 9:52 AM
If 32 countries recognize the Holodomor, the mass famine in Ukraine in 1932–1933 organized by Stalin's leadership of the USSR, which resulted in millions of human casualties, as genocide, then Russia's current actions against the civilian population of Ukraine should also be classified as genocide.
We do need Greenland, absolutely, Cuba is a problem, Colombia, Mexico too. It’s our hemisphere. Lula should free Bolsonaro, he is my friend.
Europe? It's not our hemisphere. Russia and the Europeans can fight if they want. Half of Russia may be Europe, another half may be China. Let them fight.
>>>
Europe? It's not our hemisphere. Russia and the Europeans can fight if they want. Half of Russia may be Europe, another half may be China. Let them fight.
>>>
January 5, 2026 at 9:42 AM
We do need Greenland, absolutely, Cuba is a problem, Colombia, Mexico too. It’s our hemisphere. Lula should free Bolsonaro, he is my friend.
Europe? It's not our hemisphere. Russia and the Europeans can fight if they want. Half of Russia may be Europe, another half may be China. Let them fight.
>>>
Europe? It's not our hemisphere. Russia and the Europeans can fight if they want. Half of Russia may be Europe, another half may be China. Let them fight.
>>>
We heard it so many times with regards to Ukraine. 'As long as it takes', 'solidarity', 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine'. And then 'territorial compromise'.
The leaders of all Nordic countries - Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland - express their strong support for Denmark and Greenland.
What a time to live in, where this needs to be said.
What a time to live in, where this needs to be said.
January 5, 2026 at 9:15 AM
We heard it so many times with regards to Ukraine. 'As long as it takes', 'solidarity', 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine'. And then 'territorial compromise'.
Germany was not a problem. Russia was/is, their sigint works amazingly well.
Germany’s foreign intelligence agency (BND) intercepted phone conversations of former President Barack Obama while he was aboard Air Force One over several years. The interceptions exploited vulnerabilities in the aircraft’s encryption and known frequencies.
www.zeit.de/politik/ausl...
www.zeit.de/politik/ausl...
Spionage: BND hörte jahrelang US-Präsident Barack Obama ab
Der deutsche Geheimdienst überwachte regelmäßig Telefonate des damaligen US-Präsidenten an Bord der Air Force One. Erlaubnis von Angela Merkel hatte der BND nicht.
www.zeit.de
January 4, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Germany was not a problem. Russia was/is, their sigint works amazingly well.
"sin mención alguna a Estados Unidos o la Administración Trump" 😂
Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, and Spain have issued a joint statement about the US's military intervention in Venezuela.
elpais.com/america/2026...
elpais.com/america/2026...
January 4, 2026 at 7:48 PM
"sin mención alguna a Estados Unidos o la Administración Trump" 😂
Reposted by CDL Associates
Latvia PM says Baltic Sea optical cable has been damaged reut.rs/4aDINaF
Latvia PM says Baltic Sea optical cable has been damaged
An optical cable belonging to a private company has been damaged in the Baltic Sea, Latvia's Prime Minister Evika Silina said in a statement on Sunday, adding that the circumstances of the incident were under investigation.
reut.rs
January 4, 2026 at 6:50 PM
Latvia PM says Baltic Sea optical cable has been damaged reut.rs/4aDINaF
Reposted by CDL Associates
Another fiber optic cable has been damaged in the Baltic Sea, near Liepāja, the Latvian PM writes on the hellsite:
x.com/EvikaSilina/...
x.com/EvikaSilina/...
Evika Siliņa 🇱🇻🇺🇦 on X: "Baltijas jūrā netālu no Liepājas ir konstatēts privātuzņēmumam piederoša optiskā kabeļa bojājums. Latvijas sakaru lietotājus incidents nav ietekmējis. Esmu saziņā ar Krīzes vadības centru un atbildīgajiem dienestiem, kamēr Valsts policija ir uzsākusi pārbaudi un turpinās apstākļu" / X
Baltijas jūrā netālu no Liepājas ir konstatēts privātuzņēmumam piederoša optiskā kabeļa bojājums. Latvijas sakaru lietotājus incidents nav ietekmējis. Esmu saziņā ar Krīzes vadības centru un atbildīgajiem dienestiem, kamēr Valsts policija ir uzsākusi pārbaudi un turpinās apstākļu
x.com
January 4, 2026 at 6:44 PM
Another fiber optic cable has been damaged in the Baltic Sea, near Liepāja, the Latvian PM writes on the hellsite:
x.com/EvikaSilina/...
x.com/EvikaSilina/...
Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council, stable drunkard Dmitry Medvedev in an interview with TASS:
"Modern Russia is the largest nuclear power, capable of defending itself and its allies. If necessary, it will do so, including preemptively."
>>>
"Modern Russia is the largest nuclear power, capable of defending itself and its allies. If necessary, it will do so, including preemptively."
>>>
January 4, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council, stable drunkard Dmitry Medvedev in an interview with TASS:
"Modern Russia is the largest nuclear power, capable of defending itself and its allies. If necessary, it will do so, including preemptively."
>>>
"Modern Russia is the largest nuclear power, capable of defending itself and its allies. If necessary, it will do so, including preemptively."
>>>
Today, the Helsinki District Court authorized the arrest of a crew member of the dry cargo ship Fitburg suspected of damaging a telecommunications cable. This is an Armenian citizen, his position on the ship has not been disclosed. Three crew members have been banned from leaving the country.
January 4, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Today, the Helsinki District Court authorized the arrest of a crew member of the dry cargo ship Fitburg suspected of damaging a telecommunications cable. This is an Armenian citizen, his position on the ship has not been disclosed. Three crew members have been banned from leaving the country.
Reposted by CDL Associates
What might be next? Iran, or BELLA 1/MARINERA boarding?
🤔
🤔
January 4, 2026 at 3:45 PM
What might be next? Iran, or BELLA 1/MARINERA boarding?
🤔
🤔
Capturing Maduro solves absolutely nothing, zero, because all the key players in the drug industry remain in Venezuela and elsewhere. Read this (2023). www.yahoo.com/news/huge-cy...
Huge cyber leak offers new proof of how Maduro has turned Venezuela into a narco-state
Struggling after the collapse of Venezuela’s oil industry and under the weight of U.S. sanctions, the Maduro regime has become increasingly dependent on the drug trade.
www.yahoo.com
January 4, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Capturing Maduro solves absolutely nothing, zero, because all the key players in the drug industry remain in Venezuela and elsewhere. Read this (2023). www.yahoo.com/news/huge-cy...
Reposted by CDL Associates
"It is virtually certain that this Venezuela operation will turn into a big mess with a heaping side order of corruption. But it is also pretty clear that one of those giant errors can lead to further screw ups and even disasters."
What did those guys standing alongside Trump remind of you of yesterday? I had some thoughts...
open.substack.com/pub/davidrot...
open.substack.com/pub/davidrot...
The FAFO Boys Are About to Find Out
The US is being run by a bunch of guys from the back of high school detention room
open.substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 3:21 PM
"It is virtually certain that this Venezuela operation will turn into a big mess with a heaping side order of corruption. But it is also pretty clear that one of those giant errors can lead to further screw ups and even disasters."
They know that restoring the oil industry there will require huge investments, there are so many technical complications as well as risk; it's not Texas. Trump doesn't understand this at all.
shalemag.com/venezuela-oi...
shalemag.com/venezuela-oi...
January 4, 2026 at 4:19 PM
They know that restoring the oil industry there will require huge investments, there are so many technical complications as well as risk; it's not Texas. Trump doesn't understand this at all.
shalemag.com/venezuela-oi...
shalemag.com/venezuela-oi...
Most Putinesque-2022. Change 'Venezuela' to 'Ukraine', 'Maduro' to 'Zelensky'...
And 'Marco Rurio" to 'Sergey Lavrov'.
And 'Marco Rurio" to 'Sergey Lavrov'.
Marco Rubio: "It had to be done. And it's been done. And I assure you the people left behind in Venezuela now that are in charge of the police and everything else, I assure you they are gonna probably be a lot more compliant than Maduro was as a result of this."
January 4, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Most Putinesque-2022. Change 'Venezuela' to 'Ukraine', 'Maduro' to 'Zelensky'...
And 'Marco Rurio" to 'Sergey Lavrov'.
And 'Marco Rurio" to 'Sergey Lavrov'.
The US has lost all grounds for mediating between Russia and Ukraine, because it is doing in Venezuela what Russia wants to do in Ukraine. Russia will always bring this up in its contacts with the US. So, what are the options?
1/ Demand that Zelensky completely surrender Donbas.
>>>
1/ Demand that Zelensky completely surrender Donbas.
>>>
January 4, 2026 at 3:47 PM
The US has lost all grounds for mediating between Russia and Ukraine, because it is doing in Venezuela what Russia wants to do in Ukraine. Russia will always bring this up in its contacts with the US. So, what are the options?
1/ Demand that Zelensky completely surrender Donbas.
>>>
1/ Demand that Zelensky completely surrender Donbas.
>>>
Reposted by CDL Associates
One of the most maddening things about our current government is the way that they seem to think that if you find the right ambiguity of framing, they can continue to have it both ways and be everyone’s friend indefinitely.
Darren Jones is asked if the US bombing Venezuela & abducting its leader was lawful
Jones says he won't give a view on the action & he goes on to say its not up to politicians to make judgements on international law. Phillips points out thats exactly what they've done on Ukraine
Jones says he won't give a view on the action & he goes on to say its not up to politicians to make judgements on international law. Phillips points out thats exactly what they've done on Ukraine
January 4, 2026 at 1:19 PM
One of the most maddening things about our current government is the way that they seem to think that if you find the right ambiguity of framing, they can continue to have it both ways and be everyone’s friend indefinitely.
Reposted by CDL Associates
For Europe, the implications of Maduro´s capture are sobering. From Greenland to Ukraine to Taiwan, European leaders must prepare for a strategic environment in which US actions are less predictable & more unilateral. By @asliaydintasbas.bsky.social & @cwherrmann.bsky.social
ecfr.eu/article/vene...
ecfr.eu/article/vene...
Venezuela, Trump’s “Donroe Doctrine” and three dilemmas facing Europe – European Council on Foreign Relations
The American capture of Maduro is a signal event in world geopolitics. Europeans must confront three immediate dilemmas
ecfr.eu
January 4, 2026 at 3:14 PM
For Europe, the implications of Maduro´s capture are sobering. From Greenland to Ukraine to Taiwan, European leaders must prepare for a strategic environment in which US actions are less predictable & more unilateral. By @asliaydintasbas.bsky.social & @cwherrmann.bsky.social
ecfr.eu/article/vene...
ecfr.eu/article/vene...
Reposted by CDL Associates
Russia has sent another bulk carrier of stolen Ukrainian grain out of occupied Crimea. Bulk carrier Siberia under the Russian flag loaded grain in Feodosia after disabling AIS near Kerch on 21 December and is now transiting the Bosphorus toward Lebanon or Syria, SeaKrime reports.
January 4, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Russia has sent another bulk carrier of stolen Ukrainian grain out of occupied Crimea. Bulk carrier Siberia under the Russian flag loaded grain in Feodosia after disabling AIS near Kerch on 21 December and is now transiting the Bosphorus toward Lebanon or Syria, SeaKrime reports.
We see that Moscow is very confused about what has happened in Venezuela and has no idea what might happen next, both in Venezuela and in Latin America as a whole.
January 4, 2026 at 2:22 PM
We see that Moscow is very confused about what has happened in Venezuela and has no idea what might happen next, both in Venezuela and in Latin America as a whole.
Rubio: "Oil will not be allowed to come there [to Cuba from Venezuela]".
What about oil from Russia to Cuba?
What about oil from Russia to Cuba?
January 4, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Rubio: "Oil will not be allowed to come there [to Cuba from Venezuela]".
What about oil from Russia to Cuba?
What about oil from Russia to Cuba?
We want to point your attention to a number of statements made at the press conference in Mar-a-Lago on January 3 that were largely missed by the media for some reason, although they are extremely important.
They were made by three participants, but they need to be brought together >>>
They were made by three participants, but they need to be brought together >>>
January 4, 2026 at 1:32 PM
We want to point your attention to a number of statements made at the press conference in Mar-a-Lago on January 3 that were largely missed by the media for some reason, although they are extremely important.
They were made by three participants, but they need to be brought together >>>
They were made by three participants, but they need to be brought together >>>
Reposted by CDL Associates
The Governor of the 51st state of the United States of Trump, Keir "Lickspittle" Starmer on the UK's 'special relationship'.
Keir Starmer: "I constantly remind myself that 24/7 our defence, our security & our intelligent relationship with the US matters probably more than any other relationship we've got in the world and it would not be in our national interest to weaken that in any way"
January 4, 2026 at 1:04 PM
The Governor of the 51st state of the United States of Trump, Keir "Lickspittle" Starmer on the UK's 'special relationship'.
Reposted by CDL Associates
Starmer refuses to condemn the attack by the United States of Trump on a sovereign state.
That makes Starmer, the UK Government and Labour Party complicit in the undermining of the international rule of law and the undermining of the governance institutions that have so far prevented World War 3.
That makes Starmer, the UK Government and Labour Party complicit in the undermining of the international rule of law and the undermining of the governance institutions that have so far prevented World War 3.
#BBCLauraK to Keir Starmer: "You've been incredibly clear, that Putins attack on a sovereign country, Ukraine, was wrong & ought to be condemned. What about Trumps attack on a sovereign country of Venezuela.. will you condemn that action against a sovereign state?"
January 4, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Starmer refuses to condemn the attack by the United States of Trump on a sovereign state.
That makes Starmer, the UK Government and Labour Party complicit in the undermining of the international rule of law and the undermining of the governance institutions that have so far prevented World War 3.
That makes Starmer, the UK Government and Labour Party complicit in the undermining of the international rule of law and the undermining of the governance institutions that have so far prevented World War 3.
The fact that Russia abandoned (or sold out) yet another ally means that if the US, at Kiev's request and in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter on collective self-defense in the event of aggression, had sent the 82nd Airborne Division to Ukraine to defend Kiev, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhia, >>>
January 4, 2026 at 11:48 AM
The fact that Russia abandoned (or sold out) yet another ally means that if the US, at Kiev's request and in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter on collective self-defense in the event of aggression, had sent the 82nd Airborne Division to Ukraine to defend Kiev, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhia, >>>