Mark Fitzpatrick
@marktfitz.bsky.social
Grandpa. Ex-Exec Director of IISS-Americas & head of IISS NonProlif & Nuclear Policy Program. Ex-expat in UK. Former State Dept.
Lamentable that highly qualified experts like Joel Rayburn and Tim Lenderking have been shown the door, leaving State's NEA Bureau in the hands of a non-substantive hack.
tinyurl.com/78edeb6b
tinyurl.com/78edeb6b
Is there a brewing crisis in the State Dept’s Mideast Bureau?
Trump may have yanked Joel Rayburn for being too hawkish on Syria, but now an Iran hawk is left guarding the hen house
tinyurl.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Lamentable that highly qualified experts like Joel Rayburn and Tim Lenderking have been shown the door, leaving State's NEA Bureau in the hands of a non-substantive hack.
tinyurl.com/78edeb6b
tinyurl.com/78edeb6b
"this administration is ...the most corrupt in American history. It’s not subtle. It’s not hidden. And it’s not even denied. Trump and his allies are running the government as a family business."
It’s All a Grift open.substack.com/pub/steadyst... Trump’s presidency is a con job in plain sight, an ... enterprise dressed...as patriotism. He’s not serving America. He’s selling it. And the rest of us are paying the price.”
It’s All a Grift
The Steady State | by Bruce G. Berton
open.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:50 AM
"this administration is ...the most corrupt in American history. It’s not subtle. It’s not hidden. And it’s not even denied. Trump and his allies are running the government as a family business."
The State Department's intell unit (INR) paid a price for its integrity and correctly judging that Putin wasn't ready for peace.
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
Exclusive | State Department Intelligence Agency Dissented Over Putin’s Appetite for Peace
The Central Intelligence Agency had a more positive assessment of the Russian leader’s willingness to talk.
www.wsj.com
November 2, 2025 at 1:19 PM
The State Department's intell unit (INR) paid a price for its integrity and correctly judging that Putin wasn't ready for peace.
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
www.wsj.com/politics/nat...
Pretty scary that a dottering man who wrongly thinks Russia and China are testing nukes, who doesn’t know which part of his government is in charge of US nukes, and assumes they can be tested “immediately” has sole authority to order their launch.
October 30, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Pretty scary that a dottering man who wrongly thinks Russia and China are testing nukes, who doesn’t know which part of his government is in charge of US nukes, and assumes they can be tested “immediately” has sole authority to order their launch.
Imagine the additional tariffs Trump will impose if Toronto wins the World Series.
October 25, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Imagine the additional tariffs Trump will impose if Toronto wins the World Series.
It’s shocking to read of Ashley Tellis being arrested, but he is innocent until proven guilty. While retaining classified documents is unforgivable, there is nothing wrong, per se, in meeting with foreign officials.
October 17, 2025 at 8:22 AM
It’s shocking to read of Ashley Tellis being arrested, but he is innocent until proven guilty. While retaining classified documents is unforgivable, there is nothing wrong, per se, in meeting with foreign officials.
"This cosplay with armed troops flooding the streets of
American cities is a tragedy waiting to happen."
American cities is a tragedy waiting to happen."
Trump’s plan to flood cities with troops is a lose-lose: it erodes trust in the military, undermines local authority, weakens readiness, and risks another Kent State. Using soldiers as political props degrades U.S. national security.
October 10, 2025 at 10:51 PM
"This cosplay with armed troops flooding the streets of
American cities is a tragedy waiting to happen."
American cities is a tragedy waiting to happen."
“The US Intelligence Community is under attack,” warns a respected intelligence authority at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. “What is new is that this adversary now sits in Washington, D.C: the current administration,”
October 10, 2025 at 10:46 PM
“The US Intelligence Community is under attack,” warns a respected intelligence authority at the London-based Royal United Services Institute. “What is new is that this adversary now sits in Washington, D.C: the current administration,”
It's unsettling that after America's ally (Israel) bombed Qatar, Trump gave Qatar a security guarantee (without Congressional buy-in). If such a guarantee meant anything wouldn't the US have been able to stop Israel from violating Qatar's sovereignty in the first place?
October 2, 2025 at 11:49 PM
It's unsettling that after America's ally (Israel) bombed Qatar, Trump gave Qatar a security guarantee (without Congressional buy-in). If such a guarantee meant anything wouldn't the US have been able to stop Israel from violating Qatar's sovereignty in the first place?
"Stupid" rules of engagement?
The Geneva Convention and “Rules of Engagement” -They Protect People at Both Ends of the Weapon
open.substack.com/pub/steadyst...
"We should be focusing on what kind of military we really want... do we[really]want a military of people who ‘shoot first, and ID the corpses?"
open.substack.com/pub/steadyst...
"We should be focusing on what kind of military we really want... do we[really]want a military of people who ‘shoot first, and ID the corpses?"
The Geneva Convention and “Rules of Engagement” -They Protect People at Both Ends of the Weapon
The Steady State | by Charles A. Ray
open.substack.com
October 1, 2025 at 10:49 PM
"Stupid" rules of engagement?
"Hegseth is dangerous to America. He was installed only to be a vicious toady for Trump."
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth – A Grave Danger to America “Strategy:"...a rigorously thought-out determination of one’s goals, objectives...goals...means, and mechanisms to stay on track despite...unanticipated consequences."
Hegseth lacks the skills for this critical job requirement.
Hegseth lacks the skills for this critical job requirement.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth – A Grave Danger to America
The Steady State | by Tom Wolfson
substack.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:52 AM
"Hegseth is dangerous to America. He was installed only to be a vicious toady for Trump."
Indeed!
"If you talk about accountability…he needs to start with himself. He should have resigned after the Signalgate disaster…Every single person in that room knows that they would have been fired had they done the same thing."
www.rawstory.com/hegseth-2674...
www.rawstory.com/hegseth-2674...
'I traveled 8K miles to hear this?' Retired general rips into Hegseth's 'canned' speech
Retired Brig. Gen. Steve Anderson had nothing but scathing words on CNN Tuesday morning for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's all-hands speech to generals and admirals who had been called off their ass...
www.rawstory.com
October 1, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Indeed!
Unacceptable on so many grounds.
* US "cities as training grounds” for military forces.
* Basic training should be "scary.
* Using the *miltiary as a political prop.
* Condoning use of force against spitters.
* Lie after lie.
www.economist.com/united-state...
* US "cities as training grounds” for military forces.
* Basic training should be "scary.
* Using the *miltiary as a political prop.
* Condoning use of force against spitters.
* Lie after lie.
www.economist.com/united-state...
Donald Trump tries to enlist the top brass for “the war from within”
A gathering of generals turns into a surreal, and worrying, political show
www.economist.com
October 1, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Unacceptable on so many grounds.
* US "cities as training grounds” for military forces.
* Basic training should be "scary.
* Using the *miltiary as a political prop.
* Condoning use of force against spitters.
* Lie after lie.
www.economist.com/united-state...
* US "cities as training grounds” for military forces.
* Basic training should be "scary.
* Using the *miltiary as a political prop.
* Condoning use of force against spitters.
* Lie after lie.
www.economist.com/united-state...
"Americans’ safety is a top concern for every U.S. ambassador and the whole of their Missions."
US Diplomats: While keeping our foreign policy on track, they keep Americans safe around the world.
The Steady State (@steadystate1)
US Diplomats: While keeping our foreign policy on track, they keep Americans safe around the world.
substack.com
September 30, 2025 at 11:16 PM
"Americans’ safety is a top concern for every U.S. ambassador and the whole of their Missions."
This is not what I envisioned successful US-Iran diplomacy would achieve.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/w...
U.S. Deports Planeload of Iranians After Deal With Tehran, Officials Say
www.nytimes.com
September 30, 2025 at 5:24 PM
This is not what I envisioned successful US-Iran diplomacy would achieve.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/30/w...
Good discussion on AlJazeera Saturday about the sad demise of the Iran nuclear deal and what’s next.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=iAL5...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=iAL5...
What's the fallout from the latest UN sanctions on Iran? | Inside Story
YouTube video by Al Jazeera English
m.youtube.com
September 29, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Good discussion on AlJazeera Saturday about the sad demise of the Iran nuclear deal and what’s next.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=iAL5...
m.youtube.com/watch?v=iAL5...
No surprise that Hegseth wanted to honor the soldiers who massacred Sioux women and children at Wounded Knee. This is the guy who advocated for POW murderer Eddie Gallagher.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/27/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/27/u...
Hegseth Says Honors for Soldiers in Wounded Knee Massacre Will Remain
www.nytimes.com
September 27, 2025 at 11:43 PM
No surprise that Hegseth wanted to honor the soldiers who massacred Sioux women and children at Wounded Knee. This is the guy who advocated for POW murderer Eddie Gallagher.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/27/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/27/u...
“Why is this administration going to war against the very professionals sworn to keep our country safe?”
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
“The Politicization of Intelligence: A Threat to Our National Security” U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner
STATEMENT ON THE SENATE FLOOR, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18,2025
substack.com
September 22, 2025 at 2:04 AM
“Why is this administration going to war against the very professionals sworn to keep our country safe?”
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
Britain, Australia and Canada Recognize a Palestinian State
www.nytimes.com
September 21, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Unprecedented.
“Under [Yemen’s] authoritarian president, journalists weren’t targeted like this. Under the Houthis, journalists weren’t targeted like this. The U.S., the Saudis — none of them have done this,”
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
Israel killed 31 journalists in Yemen strike, press freedom group says
Last week’s attack was “the deadliest strike on journalists in the Middle East” documented by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 20, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Unprecedented.
“Under [Yemen’s] authoritarian president, journalists weren’t targeted like this. Under the Houthis, journalists weren’t targeted like this. The U.S., the Saudis — none of them have done this,”
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
