@geopolresearch.bsky.social
Reposted
They're using the confinement box, one of the most horrific methods of CIA torture in the post-9/11 black sites, against migrants now. This is the direct result of the lack of consequences for the architects of the torture program. Either there will be criminal penalties for this or it will expand.
Torture Techniques from CIA Black Sites Were Used at Alligator Alcatraz
Amnesty International, interviewing migrant detainees, identifies use of the confinement box. There can be no denying it is a torture prison
www.forever-wars.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:40 PM
They're using the confinement box, one of the most horrific methods of CIA torture in the post-9/11 black sites, against migrants now. This is the direct result of the lack of consequences for the architects of the torture program. Either there will be criminal penalties for this or it will expand.
Reposted
this is something that individual members of Congress could do tomorrow. The government is shut down so they could use their district offices. I suggested in January that they turn those offices into full on community centers where people could find each other re: mutual aid etc...
If I were running the DNC, there would be Democratic Party sponsored food relief banks across the country right now that specifically welcomed anyone regardless of party affiliation.
Along with the food, there could be voter registration and links to runforsomething.net
Along with the food, there could be voter registration and links to runforsomething.net
October 27, 2025 at 12:01 AM
this is something that individual members of Congress could do tomorrow. The government is shut down so they could use their district offices. I suggested in January that they turn those offices into full on community centers where people could find each other re: mutual aid etc...
"senior business strategist at Throughline Inc."
What the actual fuck are we even doing politico?
What the actual fuck are we even doing politico?
Thomas P. M. Barnett has always been a hack but this is hacky even for him. And I say this as someone more sympathetic to efforts to combat China’s influence region and the need for a military response to cartels than most.
I hereby question the premise of this headline. www.politico.com/news/magazin...
October 26, 2025 at 1:04 AM
"senior business strategist at Throughline Inc."
What the actual fuck are we even doing politico?
What the actual fuck are we even doing politico?
The Trump admin solution to all intractable problems is to freeze them in place in a way that ensures it's not over. But it's more convenient to US foreign policy.
Only an American with no appreciation of Europe or its history could come up with this.
🥴🤡Trump envoy Witkoff pressed the Ukrainian delegation on handing over Donetsk region to Russia during a meeting on Friday, - WP.
He used the Kremlin's key argument that the region is predominantly Russian-speaking.
He used the Kremlin's key argument that the region is predominantly Russian-speaking.
October 19, 2025 at 1:28 PM
The Trump admin solution to all intractable problems is to freeze them in place in a way that ensures it's not over. But it's more convenient to US foreign policy.
They tapped a jr. rep and former state treasurer to write a piece claiming this is something new and different.
nationalinterest.org/feature/prio...
nationalinterest.org/feature/prio...
“Prioritized Deterrence”: A Roadmap for US Foreign Policy
President Trump’s recent strike on Iran provides a model for America’s future military engagement around the world—balancing strategic interests with industrial capacity and political will.
nationalinterest.org
August 20, 2025 at 4:40 AM
They tapped a jr. rep and former state treasurer to write a piece claiming this is something new and different.
nationalinterest.org/feature/prio...
nationalinterest.org/feature/prio...
From Bloomberg
The Department of Housing and Urban Development is planning changes to public housing rules that would evict families with at least one undocumented member and rescinding access to other housing assistance. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
The Department of Housing and Urban Development is planning changes to public housing rules that would evict families with at least one undocumented member and rescinding access to other housing assistance. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Trump Takes Second Swing at Cutting Housing Assistance for Immigrants
A pending HUD rule change targeting aid for families with undocumented members revisits an idea that housing advocates fought off in Trump’s first term.
www.bloomberg.com
August 20, 2025 at 4:20 AM
From Bloomberg
The Department of Housing and Urban Development is planning changes to public housing rules that would evict families with at least one undocumented member and rescinding access to other housing assistance. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
The Department of Housing and Urban Development is planning changes to public housing rules that would evict families with at least one undocumented member and rescinding access to other housing assistance. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted
congratulations once again to the Trump-backing China hawks for their very well thought out decision
Our bureau CI SA already has a mountain of work on his plate. How is this going to help? New MSS related espionage cases are opened in the HUNDREDS every week. Not to mention the Russians, DPRK, etc.
August 16, 2025 at 10:07 PM
congratulations once again to the Trump-backing China hawks for their very well thought out decision
$200,000,000 million ballroom divided by a $100,000 cost to employ annually = 2,000 years worth of federal employment. I'd take finding 500 fed salaries over a ballroom (that will definitely cost more as building materials are tariffed).
July 31, 2025 at 11:31 PM
$200,000,000 million ballroom divided by a $100,000 cost to employ annually = 2,000 years worth of federal employment. I'd take finding 500 fed salaries over a ballroom (that will definitely cost more as building materials are tariffed).
If even one MTF trans kid wins a competition the entire cultural fabric of the country is fucked according to the same people who elected DJT.
Why do intelligent people not see that it's not about taking sides in the debate of the day? It's entirely about who sets the field of play.
Why do intelligent people not see that it's not about taking sides in the debate of the day? It's entirely about who sets the field of play.
Gut-wrenching investigation here in which @mattshuham.bsky.social and @jessicaschulberg.bsky.social tell the human stories behind Trump's aggressive deportation campaign — hundreds of detentions without charge, trial or sentencing
www.huffpost.com/entry/cecot-...
www.huffpost.com/entry/cecot-...
Trump Sent Them To Hell. Now He's Erasing Them Altogether.
Dozens of U.S. CECOT detainees’ immigration cases have been dismissed – denying Trump’s victims their day in court.
www.huffpost.com
June 23, 2025 at 1:06 AM
If even one MTF trans kid wins a competition the entire cultural fabric of the country is fucked according to the same people who elected DJT.
Why do intelligent people not see that it's not about taking sides in the debate of the day? It's entirely about who sets the field of play.
Why do intelligent people not see that it's not about taking sides in the debate of the day? It's entirely about who sets the field of play.
Reposted
June 10, 2025 at 12:32 AM
During the Great Leap Forward, people were asked to being metal from their kitchens to turn into desperately needed steel. It didn't work.
President Trump wants to revive factories, using tariffs as a tool. Companies that want to re-shore manufacturing are grappling with how to do it.
Trump Wants America to Make Things Again. Does It Have What It Takes?
President Trump wants to revive factories, using tariffs as a tool. Companies that want to re-shore manufacturing are grappling with how to do it.
trib.al
June 4, 2025 at 7:48 AM
During the Great Leap Forward, people were asked to being metal from their kitchens to turn into desperately needed steel. It didn't work.
"Staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were left baffled on Monday after the head of the U.S. disaster agency said he had not been aware the country has a hurricane season, according to four sources familiar with the situation."
www.reuters.com/world/us/fem...
www.reuters.com/world/us/fem...
reuters.com
www.reuters.com
June 3, 2025 at 1:32 PM
"Staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were left baffled on Monday after the head of the U.S. disaster agency said he had not been aware the country has a hurricane season, according to four sources familiar with the situation."
www.reuters.com/world/us/fem...
www.reuters.com/world/us/fem...
I find myself thinking about Kaiser Wilhelm a lot recently. I can't be the first to make the comparison.
May 16, 2025 at 9:46 AM
I find myself thinking about Kaiser Wilhelm a lot recently. I can't be the first to make the comparison.
It's a scramble for partners. The US finally realized it was losing the race it kicked off.
(Reuters) - China is willing to work with Mexico to resist and oppose "unilateral acts" and defend free trade rules, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Mexican counterpart Juan Ramon de la Fuente in Beijing on Wednesday.
May 15, 2025 at 2:43 AM
It's a scramble for partners. The US finally realized it was losing the race it kicked off.
Reposted
Again every time they make a change to tariffs I am required to remind you THEY COULD EXEMPT BANANAS AT ANY TIME IT WOULD TAKE FIVE SECONDS AND THEY WON’T DO IT
TRUMP TO EXEMPT CARMAKERS FROM SOME US TARIFFS - FT
April 23, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Again every time they make a change to tariffs I am required to remind you THEY COULD EXEMPT BANANAS AT ANY TIME IT WOULD TAKE FIVE SECONDS AND THEY WON’T DO IT
Reposted
Another day, another violation of international law by the US? The US is party to the ILO Convention 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999.
Florida isn’t an aberration. The Economic Policy Institute think-tank says 31 US states introduced bills to weaken child labour protections between 2021 and 2024. #childlabor www.ft.com/content/e341...
The US may be reversing course on child labour
Acute strain on the jobs market has encouraged some states to consider reducing restrictions on employing minors
www.ft.com
April 18, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Another day, another violation of international law by the US? The US is party to the ILO Convention 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, 1999.
Reposted
This is terrible for the US and its major trading partners. But the biggest impact on quality of life will mostly be in countries that are a tiny part of the US trade deficit —like Guyana, Cambodia, Nicaragua, Honduras, Lesotho.
Very rough and ready estimate of the most affected countries by the new tariffs, apologies for errors. Sources in thread. Cambodia, Vietnam, Nicaragua Guyana all *highly* dependent on exports to US (= to 25%+ GNI), facing tariffs 18-38%.
April 3, 2025 at 12:37 AM
This is terrible for the US and its major trading partners. But the biggest impact on quality of life will mostly be in countries that are a tiny part of the US trade deficit —like Guyana, Cambodia, Nicaragua, Honduras, Lesotho.
Reposted
LOL -- White House econ adviser Kevin Hassett admits on Fox News Sunday that on tariffs "I can't give you any forward-looking guidance on what's gonna happen this week. The president has got a heck of a lot of analysis before him, and he's gonna make the right choice I'm sure."
March 30, 2025 at 2:17 PM
LOL -- White House econ adviser Kevin Hassett admits on Fox News Sunday that on tariffs "I can't give you any forward-looking guidance on what's gonna happen this week. The president has got a heck of a lot of analysis before him, and he's gonna make the right choice I'm sure."
And that's why calling it a trade war is ridiculous. It's not a war, it's entrenchment.
People are overthinking this. Trump believes tariffs will make the US rich by protecting domestic industry from competition, raising revenue, and providing negotiating leverage. He's wrong about them making the US rich, but that's what he believes. It's not more complicated than that.
March 28, 2025 at 2:24 AM
And that's why calling it a trade war is ridiculous. It's not a war, it's entrenchment.
Reposted
BTW in the historically-chaotic car market of the last five years prices have only risen by…21%. For many makes & models the Trump tariffs are going to cause a larger price spike than what they saw throughout the entire pandemic supply-chain shortage era.
March 26, 2025 at 11:58 PM
BTW in the historically-chaotic car market of the last five years prices have only risen by…21%. For many makes & models the Trump tariffs are going to cause a larger price spike than what they saw throughout the entire pandemic supply-chain shortage era.
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust (yeah)
Another one bites the dust (yeah)
As they said they would last week, the commission has now tightened the safeguard on steel imports, as it looks to stop Chinese shipments being rerouted from the US to Europe due to Trump's tariffs
eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-conten...
eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-conten...
March 26, 2025 at 2:57 AM
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust (yeah)
Another one bites the dust (yeah)
I think people often get confused by this and I think at least one source of that confusion is the power that CAN come from scarce commodities exports. China is interestingly trying to wield its intermediates in a similar way right now but their location isn't immutable.
"It was the country with the trade deficit that won the war, not the country with the surplus"
China's Trade Surpluses are Not a Source of Strength - Econlib
In his new book Dawn’s Early Light: Taking Back Washington to Save America, Kevin Roberts of the Heritage Foundation argues that, “China believes it has a mandate to rule the world,” and that it is…
www.econlib.org
March 26, 2025 at 2:50 AM
I think people often get confused by this and I think at least one source of that confusion is the power that CAN come from scarce commodities exports. China is interestingly trying to wield its intermediates in a similar way right now but their location isn't immutable.
Really the latest signal that countries shouldn't expect to negotiate back to no tariffs. A lot of what the trump admin is asking for is politically untenable and I think that's probably a feature, not a bug.
"While Trump has complained of foreign countries’ unfair treatment of the US, his officials are more focused on using tariffs to raise revenues for planned tax cuts rather than as a bargaining chip with foreign capitals, say people familiar with the discussions."
Gift link: on.ft.com/4kV02ad
Gift link: on.ft.com/4kV02ad
March 26, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Really the latest signal that countries shouldn't expect to negotiate back to no tariffs. A lot of what the trump admin is asking for is politically untenable and I think that's probably a feature, not a bug.
This is the key point. Remember Rubio's assertion that trade policy is foreign policy? Sounds like a great way to have a 25% tier if they already have a 15% tier with Section 122.
A possibly important point about the "secondary tariffs" on purchases of Venezuelan oil is the discretion involved:
"The Secretary of State ... is hereby authorized to determine in his discretion whether the tariff of 25 percent will be imposed on goods from any country that imports Venezuelan oil"
"The Secretary of State ... is hereby authorized to determine in his discretion whether the tariff of 25 percent will be imposed on goods from any country that imports Venezuelan oil"
By threatening what he dubbed “secondary tariffs” on countries that buy oil from Venezuela to choke off its oil trade with other nations, Trump appeared to invent a new weapon of economic statecraft
March 26, 2025 at 2:39 AM
This is the key point. Remember Rubio's assertion that trade policy is foreign policy? Sounds like a great way to have a 25% tier if they already have a 15% tier with Section 122.
Lower than 2024
Lower than 2023
Lower than 2022
Lower than March 2021.
In March 2021, 60k people were dying a week from covid. This was the year of Jan 6th and the second impeachment. The Biden admin was rushing out his first round of stimulus. This is impressive.
Lower than 2023
Lower than 2022
Lower than March 2021.
In March 2021, 60k people were dying a week from covid. This was the year of Jan 6th and the second impeachment. The Biden admin was rushing out his first round of stimulus. This is impressive.
US consumer confidence plunged to the lowest level in more than four years in March, with households fearing a recession in the future and higher inflation because of tariffs reut.rs/4l12zj5
Rising fears of tariffs pummel US consumer confidence to four-year low
U.S. consumer confidence plunged to the lowest level in more than four years in March, with households fearing a recession in the future and higher inflation because of tariffs.
reut.rs
March 26, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Lower than 2024
Lower than 2023
Lower than 2022
Lower than March 2021.
In March 2021, 60k people were dying a week from covid. This was the year of Jan 6th and the second impeachment. The Biden admin was rushing out his first round of stimulus. This is impressive.
Lower than 2023
Lower than 2022
Lower than March 2021.
In March 2021, 60k people were dying a week from covid. This was the year of Jan 6th and the second impeachment. The Biden admin was rushing out his first round of stimulus. This is impressive.