Honeywell International, Northrop Grumman, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, and General Dynamics topped the list of companies profiting from nuclear weapons expenditures.

That flood of public funds to private contractors was coupled by significant spending by these companies on efforts to shape the debate around government spending. The companies spent $118 million lobbying governments in the U.S. and France in 2023 and donated more than $6 million to think tanks researching and writing about nuclear weapons.

Lockheed Martin contributed to the most think tanks, including: Atlantic Council, Brookings Institution, Chatham House, Center for a New American Security, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Hudson Institute, and Observer Research Foundation.

Indonesia’s feared ex-general Prabowo claims victory in presidential election + Notes

February 14, 2024February 14, 2024 Ms. Cat

Indonesia’s feared ex-general Prabowo claims victory in presidential election

But the likely victory of Prabowo — an ex-general who was kicked out from the army and subjected to a two-decade ban from the U.S. over human rights violations — raises fears of the world’s third-largest democracy sliding backward into authoritarian rule.

Continuity and its risks

Prabowo is expected to largely continue the policies of President Widodo, or “Jokowi,” as Indonesians call him. President Widodo is not up for reelection as he’s serving his final term.

Through his two five-year terms, Indonesia’s economy — Southeast Asia’s largest — has grown at about 5% a year. His infrastructure building, cash and food assistance to the poor and health and education policies have been popular.

Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel, used in making electric vehicle batteries, and Jokowi has barred the export of raw nickel, to help Indonesia move up the value chain from mining to manufacturing.

…

Prabowo is Suharto’s son-in-law. He received training in the 1980s from the U.S. military at Fort Benning, Ga. (now Fort Moore) and Fort Bragg, N.C. (now Fort Liberty).

Indonesia’s presidential election emerges as key battleground in US-China rivalry

Sri Lanka’s debt trap and the vultures

November 6, 2023November 6, 2023 Ms. Cat

Last week a US district court granted Sri Lanka’s request for a six-month pause on a creditor lawsuit against the country. Hamilton Reserve Bank holds a big chunk of one of Sri Lanka’s now-defaulted bonds and had been suing it for immediate repayment.
Sri Lanka’s debt trap and the vultures

The Hannibal code and Dahiya doctrine: Israel’s controversial directives which are already in use in Gaza

October 18, 2023October 18, 2023 Ms. Cat

The doctrines are understood to allow for disproportionate force that may be in violation of international law
The Hannibal code and Dahiya doctrine: Israel’s controversial directives which could already be in use in Gaza

Politicians and commentators are blocked online in Brazil after censorship order targets Bolsonaro support

January 14, 2023January 14, 2023 Ms. Cat

The censorship power lies with a single judge, Alexandre de Moraes.
Politicians and commentators are blocked online in Brazil after censorship order targets Bolsonaro support

[SumOfUs] Researchers analyzed five livestream broadcasts from far-right YouTubers taking part in the riots and mapped how the content was posted across other platforms, mainly Facebook.

How Meta and Google enabled and profited from the terrorist attacks in Brazil’s capital (PDF)

Stop the Steal 2.0: How Meta and TikTok Are Promoting a Coup (PDF)

The Irony of Liberals Comparing Zelenskyy to Churchill

January 3, 2023January 3, 2023 Ms. Cat

Pageantry evoking Churchill greets Zelenskyy in Washington

He briefly struggled to find “the proper language” to describe the Russian invaders before settling on “these inhumans.” [Untermensch]

…

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., drew a connection between Zelenskyy and Churchill. Her father, Thomas D’Alesandro Jr., was a member of the House at the time of Churchill’s 1941 visit. The British leader addressed Congress on the day after Christmas.

[04-15-2022] How Zelenskiy’s team of TV writers helps his victory message hit home

[2021] Why can’t Britain handle the truth about Winston Churchill?

[2016] Winston Churchill Being On The £5 Note Is An Insult To British Values

The Biden Zelensky Relationship: Who to Trust?

November 25, 2022November 25, 2022 Ms. Cat

The Biden Zelensky Relationship: Who to Trust?

Is it destructive enough to shake Washington’s trust in Zelensky? Five days after the missile strike, former Australian ambassador to Poland and Cambodia Tony Kevin claimed that “There were unmistakeable signs this week of growing Western war-weariness and irritation with Zelensky’s endless demands for more weapons and money.” Then, echoing and amplifying Thomas Friedman’s report that “privately, U.S. officials are a lot more concerned about Ukraine’s leadership than they are letting on,” Kevin added that “There is growing speculation that Zelensky’s position as leader may be weakening. Washington may be considering replacing him, but it remains very unclear how and to what end.”

How the US is Using the Azeri-Armenian Conflict to “Extend” Russia

September 19, 2022September 19, 2022 Ms. Cat

Sep 19, 2022 – Many have noted the suspicious and very convenient timing regarding Azerbaijan-Armenia hostilities which serve as an additional distraction for Russia amid its special military operation in Ukraine and its ongoing operations in Syria.

In addition to a recent visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Armenia, anti-CSTO protests promoted by US government-funded media organizations in Armenia point toward events being much more than convenient timing and instead similar to US-engineered unrest seen in Ukraine in 2014.
How the US is Using the Azeri-Armenian Conflict to “Extend” Russia (Rumble) via The New Atlas

How Britain fueled Ukraine’s war machine and invited direct conflict with Russia

August 13, 2022August 13, 2022 Ms. Cat

By TJ Coles, Aug 12 2022

Britain has played a key role in NATO forward troop deployments and training exercises on Russia’s borders. With war underway, the UK sends billions in arms, special forces, and volunteers to ensure escalation.
How Britain fueled Ukraine’s war machine and invited direct conflict with Russia