Day: September 30, 2022

Wisconsin Army National Guard headed to Horn of Africa for 10 months

Ms. Cat

Wisconsin Army National Guard headed to Horn of Africa for 10 months

Related:

Virginia National Guard soldiers return home from Africa

[11-2021] 1,000 National Guard Soldiers to Deploy to Africa as Mid East Wars Wind Down

It is unclear if the 1,000 Guardsmen is an increase in the Pentagon’s force in Africa, or if those troops are replacing others currently deployed. The U.S. has been increasingly operating in countries like Somalia and Niger as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have drawn down.

There are some 6,000 American troops, Defense Department civilians and contractors across Africa, an Army spokesperson told Military.com. About 3,400 of those people operate from Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, which serves as the major hub for the U.S. military on the continent.

Biden administration scales back student debt relief for millions amid legal concerns

Ms. Cat

Biden administration scales back student debt relief for millions amid legal concerns

But there are significant business interests that depend on the federally guaranteed loan program — a wide range of private lenders, banks, guaranty agencies, loan servicers and investors. That industry is widely seen, both inside and outside the administration, as presenting the greatest legal risk to the debt relief program.

Many of those companies face economic losses when they lose borrowers who convert their federally guaranteed loans into new loans that are made directly by the Education Department through a process known as consolidation.

Can’t afford to lose those campaign donations!

Musk’s Pledge To Bring Starlink To Iran Didn’t Actually Do Anything. That Didn’t Stop The Hype Machine.

Ms. Cat

Despite Elon Musk’s disdain for the press, his legend wouldn’t exist without the media’s need to hyperventilate over every last thing that comes out of the billionaire’s mouth. We’re at the point where the dumbest offhand comment by Musk becomes its own three week news cycle (see the entire news cycle based on Musk’s comments on a baseless story about somebody cheating at chess with anal beads).

Musk’s Pledge To Bring Starlink To Iran Didn’t Actually Do Anything. That Didn’t Stop The Hype Machine.

Ukraine applies for NATO membership as Biden warns Putin US will defend ‘every inch’ of NATO land

Ms. Cat

Ukraine applies for NATO membership, rules out Putin talks

“We understand that this requires the consensus of all the alliance’s members… and therefore, while this is happening, we propose the realization of our proposals regarding security guarantees for Ukraine and all of Europe according to the Kyiv Security Compact,” he said.

Related:

Biden warns Putin US will defend ‘every inch’ of NATO land after Ukraine annexation

Volodymyr Zelensky Has the Worst Idea—Ever

But the latest aid package includes $1 billion in immediate military assistance to Ukraine itself—ammunition, vehicles, etc.—and another $2 billion to be split among 18 NATO members whose lawns face out onto Putin’s disputed property.

These are not things you do unless you’re expecting trouble—a lot of trouble. It’s more than a reassurance that the United States is however far behind you, that’s real money to those countries—even if it’s far less than one hundredth of an Elon Musk to us.

At the highest levels, the U.S. thinks there’s a good chance there’s going to be a fight, as Thomas Hobbes said, of “all against all.”

EU parliamentarian calls to sanction Vanessa Beeley and all observers of Donbass referendums

Ms. Cat

MEP Nathalie Loiseau of France is lobbying for individual sanctions on all observers of the Russian-organized referendums in the Donbass region. She has singled out journalist Vanessa Beeley not only for her coverage of the vote, but for her reporting on the foreign-back war against Syria’s government.

EU parliamentarian calls to sanction Vanessa Beeley and all observers of Donbass referendums