Views From The Outside For September 15, 2026

 Views From The Outside

The purpose of this page is to list news stories and reports from mostly Western sources outside of the U.S. You can use Google Translate to translate articles that are printed in another language. 

So far, news sources include:

International

• Médecins Sans Frontieres
1. Europe Is Failing Its Legal And Moral Obligation To Save Lives At Sea
2. As Communities In Nepal Turn To Recovery, Immediate Needs Do Not Require MSF Response
3. Aid Cuts Force Mass Clinic Closures Across Sudan, Leaving Millions Without Healthcare
4. Sudanese Refugees Face The Effects Of Humanitarian Funding Cuts On Ouré-Cassoni, Chad
5. MSF Assists Migrants In Distress Who Disembarked On West African Shores

• UN News
1. ‘The Water Comes Up To Our Knees’: Climate Hazards Shut Millions Of Children Out Of School In 2025
2. Flood-Ravaged Nepal Calls For Climate Justice
3. Plight Of Afghans Going ‘From Bad To Worse’, But The World Is Looking Away
4. UN Hails Libya Election Deal As Security Council Urges Libyans To Seize The Moment
5. Guterres Urges Leaders To Invest In Peace As Conflicts Deepen

From Canada

• Le Devoir
1. La CIA Déclassifie Des Notes Concernant Al-Qaïda 25 Ans Après Le 11-Septembre
2. Mise En Cause Dans Un Documentaire Sur Ses Pratiques À Gaza, L’armée Israélienne Se Défend
3. En Inde, Poutine Et Pezeshkian Ouvrent Les Échanges Des Dirigeants Des BRICS
4. Des Combattants Houthis Scandent Des Slogans Lors D’un Rassemblement Visant À Recruter De Nouveaux Combattants, Jeudi, À Sanaa
5. Plus De 500 000 Soldats Russes Ont Été Tués En Ukraine, Selon L’armée Britannique

• Le Journal de Montréal
1. New York Commémore Le 11-Septembre, Sans Trump
2. Perspective D'une Réunion Sur Ormuz: Les Cours Du Pétrole Reculent Vendredi
3. Chrétien Adresse Un Message ferme Aux Américains: «Ne Confondez Jamais Notre Gentillesse Avec De La Faiblesse»
4. Des Images Du Président Font Sourciller: Trump Endormi Et Le Visage Qui Semble Affaissé
5. Une «Guerre Mondiale» Perdure, Selon Un Militaire

• Toronto Star
1. MapQuest Doubles Down On Lake Ontario, Posts Giant Old-School Printed Directions To The Lake In Toronto, U.S. cities
2. Federal Court Rejects Trump Order Keeping Michigan Coal Plant Open
3. Judge Rejects Bid To Release Arizona Sheriff’s Office From Supervision In Racial Profiling Case
4. Brazil’s Flávio Bolsonaro Faces Corruption Investigation Weeks Before Elections
5. A look At False And Misleading Claims During The Republican Midterm Convention

• CBC
1. Why Trump Likely Won't Have To Fulfil His $5,000 'Dividend' Promise
2. Who Are The Houthis? How They Could Send Oil Prices Surging Even Further
3. Houthis Seize Strategic Island, Saudis Close Pipeline As Fighting Escalates
4. Kimmel Says Interview With Democratic Candidate Won't Air On His Network Show, Cites FCC Threats
5. U.S. Federal Officials Declare End To Cyclospora Outbreak That Sickened Thousands In 21 States

From England

•  BBC
1. Five Minutes To Steal A Renoir: Why Museum Thefts Are Becoming Bolder Across Europe
2. Passenger Train Derails In France Leaving At Least 44 Injured
3. Spies, Strategies And Missed Opportunities: How The Lessons Of 9/11 Are Still Being Learnt
4. Modern Life Is Ruining Our Wrists. We Can Do Something About It
5. Close Race In Sweden As Hard Right Eyes Role In Government

• Reuters
1. Saudi Crown Prince Sought US Military Help From Trump With Houthis, Sources Say
2. What's Happened To Al Qaeda In The 25 Years Since 9/11?
3. Crypto Investor Qardoned By Trump Donates £36 Million To Farage's Reform UK
4. Nvidia In Talks To Invest In Anthropic’s Mega IPO, Sources Say
5. US Consumer Prices Accelerate In August, Push Fed Closer To Rate Hike

From France

• France24
1. Elections In Russia: The 1001 Tricks To Remove Inconvenient Candidates
2. 25 Years After 9/11, Al Qaeda Remains A Threat – Even As Washington Looks Away
3. Zelensky Urges Trump To Impose New Russia Sanctions 'Now', After Deadly Ukraine Strikes
4. Hong Kong Court Sentences Tiananmen Vigil Activists To Between 5 And 7 Years In Jail
5. Israel Gives UK 30 Days To Close Consulate In Jerusalem

• Les Echos
1. L'entrée De L'extrême Droite Au Gouvernement : La Question Qui Pèse Sur Les Élections En Suède
2. Royaume-Uni : Le Parti De Nigel Farage Reçoit Deux Dons Colossaux De Milliardaires De La Crypto
3. Le Risque De Froisser Trump : Au Sommet Des BRICS, Le Difficile Jeu D'équilibriste De L'Inde
4. La Somalie redevient l'épicentre mondial de la piraterie maritime
5. Pétrole : L'Arabie Saoudite, Visée Par Des Drones, Coupe Son Pipeline Stratégique Qui Contourne Ormuz

• Le Monde
1. 2027 Presidential Election: Bruno Retailleau Takes Free-Market Approach To Climate Change
2. Thomas Piketty: 'To Solve Today's Contradictions, We Must Rethink Prosperity While Respecting Planetary Boundaries'
3. Summer 2026 Becomes, By Far, The Hottest Ever Recorded In France: 'Beating The Record By Almost 1°C In A Single Season Is Huge'
4. Ukraine Experiences Surge In Private Security Firms Specializing In Anti-Drone Protection For Businesses
5. Isolated By Iran And Yemeni Houthi Rebels, Saudi Arabia Seeks US Backing

From Germany

• DW
1. BRICS Declaration Urges 'Maximum Restraint' In Middle East
2. Iran War Tests BRICS Unity
3. Thousands Protest Against AfD In Düsseldorf
4. Russian GRU Spies Behind Failed Leipzig Attack: Reports
5. Why Canada's Trust In The US May Not Recover Anytime Soon

• DER SPIEGEL
1. How Europe Is Bowing To A Libyan Warlord On Migration
2. 'Our Country Was A Hostage State'
3. OpenAI Verschiebt Börsengang Wegen Sicherheitsbedenken
4. Anthropic-Chef Hält Tempo Der KI-Entwicklung Für Zu Gefährlich Und Will Seine Firma Für Prüfer Öffnen

From Russian Source 

• Novaya Gazeta Europe
1. ‘We Are Russians, And God Is With Us!’
2. Russia Detains Former British Embassy Guard On Treason Charges, A Day After UK Charges Man Over Alleged Russian Sabotage Plot
3. How Russia Tries To Recruit Women Into War By Promising To Write Off Their Debt
4. Putin Endorsed A Plan To Let Russians Deemed ‘Unfit For Service’ Join Anti-Drone Units. What Could Go Wrong?

From Spain

• El Mundo
1. Alianza Atlántica. Suecia, El Guerrero Reacio Que Despierta En El Báltico
2. Statu Quo. Recuerda, América, Que Reinas Sobre El Mar
3. Oriente Próximo. Turquía Da El Mayor Paso Hacia El Fin Del Conflicto Con El PKK, Pero El Escepticismo Persiste
4. Guerra. Los Dos 'Ganchos' (De Derecha Y De Izquierda) De Irán Con Lo Que Ha Logrado Bloquear El Petróleo De Oriente Próximo
5. Europa. El Bloque De Izquierdas, Cerca De La Victoria En Suecia

• El País
1. Los Socialdemócratas Ganan En Suecia, Pero Las Proyecciones Apuntan A Un Escenario De Igualdad Máxima Entre Bloques
2. Marine Le Pen Exorciza Fantasmas En El Feudo Que Alumbró Su Proyecto Político
3. Rusia ataca la zona fronteriza entre Polonia y Ucrania, a dos kilómetros de territorio OTAN
4. AfD, El Socio Díscolo De La Internacional Reaccionaria
5. La Ultraderecha Captura El Relato Político En Europa

From Switzerland

• Neue Zürcher Zeitung
1. «Die Menschen In Russland Verstehen Den Sinn Dieses Krieges Nicht Und Warum Dafür So Grosse Opfer Notwendig Sind»
2. Was Bedeuten Die Endzeit-Warnungen? Der Börsengang Von Anthropic Wird Zum Ultimativen Test Für Den KI-Boom
3. Chinas Minister Für Staatssicherheit Warnt Vor KI-Risiken
4. «Wir Werden Mit Dem Terror Weiter Leben Müssen. Aber Er Wird Spontaner Und Unberechenbarer»
5. Die Linke Liegt Bei Den Wahlen In Schweden Hauchdünn Vorne – Doch Der Bürgerliche Ministerpräsident Ulf Kristersson Will Nicht Gehen

From Ukraine

• UATV English
1. Russia Can't Hide It Anymore: Siberia Without Gasoline, Unseen Rush At Moscow Gas Stations!
2. NO MOBILIZATION? PUTIN'S Biggest LIE Before THE DRAFT & Imaginary CAPTURE Of Sviatohirsk!
3. Russia Attacks ODESA, Casualties RISE Ministry Sounds Alarm Over Strike Near NATO Border
4. First State DUMA "Elections" During The War: PANICKED PUTIN Bans Anti-War "YABLOKO" Party!
5. Russia Loses 200 km² While Putin Claims A Fake Victory The War Costs $29 Million An Hour

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RL: American Voters Are Easy

 The title of this article was inspired by the Earth Girls Are Easy movie title with 'RL' standing for Real Life.

Of course, saying that any girl is easy in today's venacular means that it does not take much time or effort to gain sexual favors from them. And so when one says that American voters are easy, what is being said is that their voting favors are easy to win.

There are a variety of reasons why American voters are easy. One reason is that we have, for as long as I have been alive which goes back to the Eisenhower Presidency and that preceded the 9/11 attacks,  a lazy, bipolar Democracy. BTW, I actually had to confirm the timing of Eisenhower's Presidency to a high school kid when we were discussing history.

By lazy, I mean that we take relatively little to no both time and effort in deciding for whom to vote. For too many of us, our party affiliation determines how we vote. For too many of the rest of Americans, political commercials settle our decisions.

I use the word 'bipolar' because of our two-party system that consists of the Repubican and Democratic parties. Both of those parties hate third party competition from their respective share of voters from the conservative-liberal divide in our nation. Each of those parties has worked to suppress the exposure of names of third party candidates on the election ballots. And so for almost 100% of the time, the behaviors of the major political parties  during the elections fixes the election. In addition, either party loyaty or fear/hatred of the opposing party keeps us voting for either Democrat or Republican candidates. In addition, the viability of a third candidate also keeps us corralled into the Republican or Democratic herd.

But what about "independent voters"? Here, we should also focus on the laziness of American voters. Certainly, our two-party system makes our voting choices easy to make. And so it makes us lazy voters. Lazy voters are easy voters. And so, again, what about the independent voters? Have they escaped the laziness of other voters?

The answer is a firm 'NO!' They might be a bit less lazy than our counterparts who are too loyal to their respective parties. but they are not off the hook. Why is that the case? For most independent voters, their laziness has to do with the kind of society we have.

There are two factors that drive our society that can cause voters to be lazy. The first factor is that we have a consumer society. And in a consumer society, the tendency is for people to find a large part of their personal significance in what and how much we consume. Our consumerism not only dulls our concerns for higher values, it bestows on us a political Attention Deficit Disorder so that we don't have the patience or interest to weigh through the details of the tradeoffs that each candidate brings to the table. Those previously mentioned higher values incluse human rights, a non-toxic environment, a good education system especially for low income neighborhoods, law enforcement and the justice systems, and an economic system that, tragically,  currently revolves around shareholders. That reductionism eliminates other stakeholders of our economic system from consideration like the environment, respect and adequate compensation for all employees both foreign and domestic, consumers, neighborhoods and even educational institutions. 

Now add to that the role that advertising plays in our purchases. Advertising relies on selling a statu, that possession of a product can bring, or it relies on a single benefits that owning a given product brings. What we will never hear from any political advertisements are the tradeoffs that come with the selection of any candidate. And so our political advertisements mirror our product advertisements in that they rely on, using a Rush Limbaugh phrase, symbolism over substance.

Think of many of the car advertisements we are shown. They often focus both on the looks of a car and the image it projects more than on any other quality. Think of how our food is advertised. Restaurants focus on the taste of the food so that its nutritional provision and its safety in terms of preparation and added contents are overlooked. And what about the advertisements for clothes? Advertisements of focus on the status that wearing such clothes will bring and neglect to inform us about the plight of those who actually make the clothes.

Now think about how our political candidates are advertised in their commercials. Again, it's all about image. When political issues are included, they are greatly reduced to perhaps  one or two positions so that the potential of a given candidate is based on overly simplistic thinking. Candidates must project a strong, patriotic image who will help return America to a place of strength and leadership while reducing taxes and normal costs.  

But what makes our nation strong? Is it military capabilities or dominating others? Also, what is the price of reduced taxes if such reductions require that our national debt continues to spike so that it can cause our economy to collapse?

Like the claims made by the advertisements for the products we buy, the tradeoffs of the suggestions of the advertisements are not in sight. And the same goes for obeying the political campaign advertisements.

BTW, what are tradeoffs? A tradeoff includes the costs and benefits of any choice we make. For example, I am told that while I might enjoy the taste of the food and the speed at which fast food is delivered, there are costs. The fast food might have unnecesary ingredients that improve the appearance and taste of the food while toxically prolonging food storage. And its preparation might be harmful to my health, especially in the long-run. Such food might also not be as nutritious as I have been led to believe. Or so I have been told.

Because we have been consumed with consuming and advertising has been designed to kill our curiosity, we tend to put little effort into discovering the tradeoffs that come with electing the candidates we are favoring. 

Take the 2024 election of Donald Trump as an example. We had already seen, first-hand, how his first administration left the nation in utter chaos. And that state existed before the January 6th attempted coup. But because the Repubs painted such a negative image of Biden and Harris while strongly promoting Trump's abilities and positions, too many of us fell for the Republican claims for Trump hook, line, and sinker. 

For the most part, American voters are easy. And because of that, we have Trump as President and a worsening of the candidates we choose from in our elections. The old line, 'you get what you pay for,' applies here. That is because the quality of our candidates corresponds not with money, but with disruption, patience, research, anxiety, reflecting, and investigating the candidates and the issues before we vote. Though right now, not voting for Trump seems like the best alternative, perhaps some day in the future, neither of our two political parties will be way off the rails like today's Republican Party. And should that time occur, it would serve us well to consider voting for third party candidates as much as we feel comfortable with voting for candidates from our nation's two major political parties.

Views From The Outside For September 8, 2026

 Views From The Outside

The purpose of this page is to list news stories and reports from mostly Western sources outside of the U.S. You can use Google Translate to translate articles that are printed in another language. 

So far, news sources include:

International

• Médecins Sans Frontieres
1. Urgent Needs Persist Three Weeks After Earthquake In Colombia
2. Bringing Water And Healthcare To Displaced People In Abu Jubayhah, South Kordofan
3. Communities In Cameroon Take An Active Role In Preventing Cholera
4. Unaccompanied Minors In Marseille Need Continued Support As MSF Teams Shift Focus
5. Uganda Marks End Of Ebola Disease Outbreak

• UN News
1. General Assembly Backs Creation Of New UN Learning Institute Under UN80 Reforms
2. Lebanon–Israel Tensions Escalate As Gaza Sees Major Aid Delivery
3. Gloria Steinem: A voice For Women, To The Very End
4. Outside Forces Fuel Sudan War, New Report Finds
5. Nepal Floods Leave 22,000 Children Without Safe Water: UNICEF

From Canada

• Le Devoir
1. En Campagne, Un Ministre Israélien Présente Une Brochure Pour Vider Gaza De Ses Habitants
2. Existe-T-Il Des Pistes Cyclables «EDI» ? Selon Trump, Oui
3. Les États-Unis Assurent Ne Pas Vouloir «Voler» Le Pétrole Du Venezuela
4. L’Iran Jure De «Briser» Les États-Unis Après Des Bombardements Meurtriers
5. Les États-Unis Appellent À Cesser D’échanger Avec Le Nicaragua, Dénonçant Une « Dictature Brutale »

• Le Journal de Montréal
1. Donald Trump Met En Garde Mark Carney
2. Trump Redemande De Pouvoir Le Restreindre
3. Cuba: Des Lois Pour Concrétiser Les Réformes
4. Favoritisme Envers Des Groupes Ethniques: Le Gouvernement Trump Veut Imposer Des Écoles
5. En Juillet: Le Déficit Commercial Américain Se Creuse 

• CBC
1. Trump Wants Europe To Retroactively Pay U.S. For Past Ukraine Aid
2. Venezuelans Of All Stripes Are Denouncing Trump's 'Biggest Oil Deal Ever'
3. Drone Video Reveals Flood Devastation In Devighat, Nepal
4. Republicans Back Trump In His Trade War With Canada
5. Climate Change Past The Point Of No Return, UN Says, As Worst Impacts Are Now Unavoidable

From England

•  BBC
1. How Could US-Iran Conflict End? Three Experts Give Their Views
2. US Investigating If Missile Hit Iran Wedding, Vance Says
3. BBC Travels Inside Occupied Lebanon As Officials Say Israel Expanding Positions
4. Europe Targeted By Spiralling Campaign Of Sabotage - And Russia Is The Chief Suspect
5. Germany's Far-Right AfD Bids For First Taste Of Power In Eastern Vote

• Reuters
1. OpenAI Agents Hijacked German Website In Previously Undisclosed AI Breakout
2. US, China Gear Up For Mid-September AI Safety Talks
3. Latino Voter Backlash Puts Texas Governor's Race On Democrats' Midterm Map
4. Strong Job Gains Signal Fed Hike As Trump Levels New Rate-Cut Demand
5. Trump Says US May Hit Iran's Pickaxe Mountain Soon

From France

• France24

1. Germany’s Domestic Spy Agency Designates AfD As 'Right-Wing Extremist' Party
2. Russian Drone Strikes Ukraine Security Service HQ
3. Why Early Warning Signs Of Glacier Collapse In Nepal Were Difficult To Detect
4. Iran Hits US Targets In Mideast, Wedding Strikes Being Probed, Vance Says
5. Israeli Attacks In West Bank At 'Unprecedented' Level, PNI Leader Barghouti Says

• Les Echos
1. Face Aux Ambitions De Trump, L'Europe Prête À Investir Davantage Au Groenland
2. « La Fracture Divise Les Familles Et Les Amis » : En Allemagne, L'extrême Droite Et Les Conservateurs S'affrontent Lors D'un Scrutin Régional Historique 
3.  Comment La Biélorussie Arme La Russie En Microélectronique
4. Alerte Niveau Jaune, Alerte Niveau Rouge… L'Ukraine Revoit Son Système De Sirènes À Cause Des Vagues Incessantes De Drones Russes
5. On Ne Peut Pas S'arrêter De Vivre » : Avec La Recrudescence Des Drones Russes, Kiev Apprend À Vivre Sous Alerte Permanente

• Le Monde
1. Germany's Soviet Past Looms Over High-Stakes Election In Saxony-Anhalt: 'I Do Not Consider Russians To Be Enemies'
2. Germany Accuses Russia Of Orchestrating Attempted Drone Attack In Leipzig
3. French Left Renews Push To Raise Inheritance Taxes, From Forced Philanthropy To Wealth Transfer Cap
4. US Ambassador Says Israel Has Responsibility For Palestinians During West Bank Visit
5. 'We Risk Going Through The Cold Season Without A Real Safety Net': European Gas Reserves At Historic Lows

From Germany

• DW
1. Russia To Pause Strikes Against Kyiv Amid Ukraine Talks
2. UN Approves World Map Reflecting True Size Of Africa
3. Iran War: Explosions Reported Near Kharg Island
4. Majority Of Germans See Russia As A Threat
5. What Would An AfD Government In Saxony-Anhalt Really Mean?

• DER SPIEGEL
1. How Taiwan Satisfies China's Lust For Pornography
2. Merz Ist Offenkundig Der Falsche Mann In Diesem Amt In Diesen Zeiten
3. CDU Stürzt Ab, AfD Kratzt An Der Absoluten Mehrheit, BSW Bangt
4. Nach Der Niederlage Droht Schulze Der Nächste Schlag
5. Wahlmanipulation? Diese Menschen Zählen Genau Nach

From Russian Source 

• Novaya Gazeta Europe
1. ‘Even A Strong Case Can Fall Apart’
2. Russian Authorities Add Novaya Gazeta To ‘Foreign Agents’ Registry
3. ‘They Just Threw The Book At Me’: Inside Russia's Campaign To Push Teenagers Out Of The Classroom And Into Trade Schools
4. Ukrainian Drone Attacks Target Port Of Sochi And Moscow Region, Hitting Residential Buildings
5. Russia’s Turn Against Attorneys

From Spain

• El Mundo
1. Diplomacia & Geopolítica. El amigo íntimo canadiense
2. Guerra En Ucrania. Los Enviados De Trump Dejan Kiev Con Un Plan Para Volver A Negociar, Pero Sin Un Acuerdo
3. Cuba. Raúl Castro Reaparece En Público A Sus 95 Años En Un Acto Militar
4. Internacional. Ocho Países Musulmanes Acusan A Israel De "Expulsar Por La Fuerza" A Los Palestinos De Gaza Y De Amenazar Así El Plan De Paz De Trump
5. Indonesia. La Erupción Del Volcán Anak Krakatoa Obliga A Cerrar El Aeropuerto De Yakarta
• El País
1. La Victoria De La Extrema Derecha En Sajonia-Anhalt Sacude A La Coalición De Gobierno En Alemania: “Tendrá Consecuencias”
2. Monti Rompe La Timidez De La Derecha Italiana Con El Ultraderechista Vannacci: “Veo En Usted La Retórica Y El Espíritu Del Fascismo”
3. Bruselas Teme Que La Polarización En Alemania Condicione Los Grandes Consensos En La UE
4. Zelenski Da Por Hecho Que La Guerra Con Rusia Continuará Durante El Invierno
5. El Ejército Israelí Mata Al Menos A 11 Personas En Nuevos Bombardeos En El Sur De Líbano

From Switzerland

• Neue Zürcher Zeitung
1. Three Takes On Trump's Tariff Deal With The EU
2. As Russia Encircles Key Defensive City, Ukraine Faces Most Serious Loss In Years
3. Raising Children Isn’t About Pleasure, Say Pronatalists – It’s A Civic Duty
4. Israel’s New Ambassador To Switzerland Is A Kibbutznik. His Job Is To Explain The Gaza War To The Swiss
5. «Bloodshed, Bedlam And Squalor» In Washington, D.C. – Just How Dangerous Is America's Capital?

From Ukraine

• UATV English
1. TRUMP, ZELENSKYY AND EUROPE AT ONE TABLE: Secret Plan For A JUST PEACE!
2. ‘72 Hours Until Kyiv Falls’ – How US Intelligence Spectacularly Misjudged Ukraine
3. Russian Rebellion Already Begun? Portraits Of Putin TORN DOWN As Allies Oppose The War!
4. Are Talks Futile? Putin Demands New Concessions From US On Ukraine And NATO

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In These Midterms, A Vote For A Republican Is A Vote For ...

Trump and his agenda. Why is that? It is because Republican members of Congress have overwhelmingly supported Trump's agenda and appointments. Look past the commercials describing how a Republican candidate is on your side because of a particular issue they supported, that candidate is more concerned with Trump's approval than yours. And that is despite the fact that there are only a few instances in which enough Republicans broke ranks to challenge a Trump supported  policy. And so a vote for a Republican is a vote for the following.

• Climate Change Denial
• Medical Science Denial
• Using threats of withdrawing important research funds to coerce Universities to submit to his will.
• An increasingly authoritarian Executive Branch
• A hierarchical society where some groups are privileged over other groups. A hierarchical society comes with authoritarian governments.
• Opposition to the basic foundation of Democracy which is diversity, equity, and inclusion (a.k.a., equality) without which there is no Democracy regardless of the democratic procedures being followed.
• An increase in systemic racism. This is evidenced by gerrymandering that reduces black representation in government and restricting blacks from the telling of black history in America in order to promote an American history that is approved of by conservative whites.
• An future increase in sexism as is evident in the Project 2025 proposals.
• An increased intensity in oligarchic control of the government and the economy. To find our shadow government, one must follow the money, not the bureaucracy. An attack on the bureaucracy has resulted in attacks on democratic controls on business.
• A foreign policy that is cozying up to dictators and attacks  now former allies. That is because the criteria that Trump uses for a successful President consists of domination and acquisition. This is primarily seen in the use of tariffs. But it is also seen in the use of military force and military foreign aid.
• A domestic policy that rewards oligarchs and slashes social safety net programs for those who are vulnerable. Trump has already publicly said that because of his plans for the military, social safety nets like Medicare, Medicaid, and other programs must be turned over to the states because his federal government cannot support social safetnet programs and what he is planing for the military. It is the Military Industrial complex that most benefits from many of Trump's plans.
• A ballooing National Debt that could, in the near future, cause our nation's economy to collapse.
• A President who constantly, lies and gaslights us about the news, and berates almost every source of dissent.
• A country that is becoming more and more like Russia whose government is an oligarchy that displays a religious façade.
• Putin and his agenda. After all, Putin wants a weak America and E.U. Trump seems to be doing his best to weaken both entities.

Obviously, the above list is incomplete, but it should be adequate enough to deter rational voters from voting for those Republicans who have supported and enabled Trump's agenda.

Under the Republican control, Congress has simply provided a rubber stamp to what Trump wants. In other words, Congress no longer functions as a check on the Executive branch. If we want to Make Congress Relevant Again, we cannot afford to vote for almost any Republican candidate. Because Congress has been bowing down at Trump's feet, we are watching our government, political system, and nation become like a truck heading down a mountain road with no brakes and no steering. It is only a matter of time before the damage done by Donald Trump to our government and nation becomes irreversible.

Finally, we should be able to ascertain that Trump needs professional help, not power. He is a very damaged person who should be encouraged and invited to resign in order to be able to acquire the help he needs.

Blog Break

Please note that the dates from the last posting of this blogpost have changed.

For personal reasons I am taking a blog break from posting from Saturday, August 15th to Thursday, September 3rd. The next new post will be on Friday, September 4th. In the meantime, you can visit some of the other pages on this blog accessed through the tabs shown above or the incomplete list below. 

Other Pages

1. Audio-Visual Library Page (this is my favorite page on the website)--has recently been updated
2. Activism page
       Needs updating
3. Favorite Articles page
       Needs updating
4. Favorite Websites page
       Needs updating
5. Past Blog Posts page
      Needs updating

Has Iran Been Using A Rope-A-Dope Strategy On The U.S.

The Rope-A-Dope was a fighting approach that came from Muhammad Ali's training for his fight with George Foreman. That fight was entitled, The Rumble In The Jungle.

The fight occurred when I was in college. I remember talking to a friend about it and we both thought that Ali had bitten off way more than he could chew. Why? Ali had, by that time, 2 epic fights with Joe Frazier. Frazier won the first fight and it took Ali all he could muster to beat Frazier in their second fight. They fought a third time after Ali's fight with Foreman.

Meanwhile, Foreman easily disposed of Frazier in their first match in the second round. Their second match occurred after Ali's fight with Foreman. Foreman knocked down Frazier 3 times in each of the first two rounds. The 6th knock down ended the fight.

And then we considered the age difference. Ali was in his early 30s and Foreman was in his mid 20s. And so the end of the fight seemed almost predestined in favor of Foreman. However, Ali shocked the world. 

How did Ali win? One of the tactics he used was the Rope-A-Dope. That is where Ali would cover himself and lean back on the ropes while letting Foreman to flail away. By minimizing the damage that Foreman did while letting Foreman exhaust himself, Ali took control of the fight and knocked out Foreman in the 8th round.

The question becomes whether Iran is employing an equivalent Rope-A-Dope strategy. Is Iran allow America to continually attack it until America is too exhausted to continue the fight? Being too exhausted in this war would mean that America would no longer have enough weapons and/or the political will power to continue the fight. We should note that America has experienced that kind of defeat before such as in Vietnam and Afghanistan.

My one source tells me that the Iranian people are very proud people who will not surrender. Perhaps, neither Trump nor Netanyahu considered that resolve before deciding to start the war. In the meantime, being as transactional as he is, Trump sees the war as both a boon for the Military Industrial Complex and somewhat of political liability. That degree of liability will be mitigated by the level of control which he tries to exert over the midterms.

Yes, every nation has a limit as to how many attacks it can survive and Iran is no exception. Perhaps, the damage that America has inflicted is not counted as being as crucial to Iran as Trump hopes. And that leaves us with the question of which nation can outlast the other. Trump's taste of blood from the Venezuela incursion is still strong. And his strategy for how to protect himself from the midterm results may help strengthen his resolve. In the meantime, Trump's spending on the military and internal security for the US is putting our nation perilously close to a financial knockdown if not a knockout. And one has to wonder whether putting our nation at such financial risk is part of Trump's plan and his vision for America's future. After all, no one really knows what Trump owes Putin for the latter's help in his past election efforts. And we can already see that despite some of his rhetoric, Trump has taken no significant steps to pressure Putin into stopping his invasion of and atrocities in Ukraine.

Views From The Outside For August 11, 2026

Views From The Outside

The purpose of this page is to list news stories and reports from mostly Western sources outside of the U.S. You can use Google Translate to translate articles that are printed in another language. 

So far, news sources include:

International

• Médecins Sans Frontieres
1. MSF Leaves A Legacy Of Community-Led Tuberculosis Response In Manila
2. MSF Hands Over Youth-Friendly Healthcare Project In Mombasa, Kenya
3. Three Years, No Decision: EU Inaction While Italy’s Rules Obstruct Sea Rescues
4. Anti-Migrant Violence Triggers Trauma And Medical Emergency On The South Africa-Zimbabwe Border
5. One In Five Pregnant Women In Eastern Chad Are Malnourished Amid Funding Cuts

• UN News
1. Strengthening El Niño To Push 49 Million More People Into Acute Hunger
2. Africans Bear The Brunt Of Biodiversity Loss
3. Gaza ‘Unsafe For Civilians’ As Israeli Attacks Hit Homes And Classrooms
4. ‘A Playground, A Beach, A Home’: UNICEF Demands End To Child Deaths In Russia-Ukraine War
5. Strait Of Hormuz Disruption Hits Energy, Fertilizer And Industrial Trade

From Canada

• Le Devoir
1. Les Navires De Guerre Au Nom De Trump Pourraient Coûter 275 Milliards De Dollars
2. L’ancien Avocat De Donald Trump En Voie D’être Confirmé Comme Procureur Général
3. Les Droits De Douane De Trump Á Nouveau Contestés En Justice Aux États-Unis
4. L’Iran Dit Avoir Conclu Un Accord Avec Oman Sur Le Détroit D’Ormuz
5. Le Hamas Troublé Par Une Mise Au Point Du «Conseil De Paix» Sur Son Désarmement

• Le Journal de Montréal
1. Trump Infirme Une Pénurie D'armements Américains Et Aurait Une «Quantités Énormes De Munitions»
2. La Corée Du Nord A Tiré Un «Projectile Non Identifié», Selon L'armée Sud-Coréenne
3. Colombie: Le Gouvernement Met En Garde Contre De Possibles «Actes Terroristes» Lors De L'investiture Du Président
4. «Le Canada Est Désagréable»: Trump S’attaque De Nouveau Au Gouvernement Carney
5. Près de Jérusalem: Israël Mène Une Incursion Dans Un Camp De Réfugiés

• Toronto Star
1. What To Know As Germany Investigates An Explosive Drone At A Key Cargo Airport
2. Where Extreme Heat Is Having The Biggest Impact On Americans’ Lives, According To A New AP-NORC Poll
3. Europe Heat Wave Puts All Major Italian Cities On Red Alert As Austria Sets Heat Record
4. A New Tennessee Congressional Map That Splits Memphis Is Making Its Debut In The State’s Primary
5. Iran War Renews Concerns About The Lasting Toll Of Traumatic Brain Injuries To US Troops

• CBC
1. Britain's 'Exceptionally Serious' Drought Tests A Country Famous For Its Rain
2. Spokane Wildfires Displace Thousands, But Crews Make Progress Containing Flames
3. In Gaza City, A Funeral For 112 Family Members Takes Place 3 Years After Their Deaths
4. Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan's Democratic Senate Primary In Major Victory For Party's Progressive Wing
5. Record-Breaking Heat Grips North Korea, South Korea And Japan

From England

•  BBC
1. Seven Killed After Thai Student Opens Fire At Home And School
2. US Appeals Court Halts Trump Ballroom Project Paving Way For Supreme Court Showdown
3. ‘We Have Nowhere To Return To’: How Russia Is Seizing Homes In Occupied Ukraine
4. Trump Administration To Pay German Firm $1.2bn To Halt US Wind Projects
5. Surprise Fall In US Jobs Last Month As Slow Summer Continues

• Reuters
1. US Stocks, Bonds Rally After Soft Jobs Report; Yen Bounces Back
2. Trump Loses 21 Straight Court Battles For State Voter Rolls As Midterms Near
3. Canada Posts Monster Jobs Gain, Unemployment Rate Hits Two-Year Low
4. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan Pledge Mutual Defence As Middle East Turmoil Escalates
5. Ukrainian Attacks On Wildberries Strike At Heart Of Russia Inc

From France

• France24
1. WFP To Extend Palantir Contract Despite Concerns Raised In Leaked Audit
2. Houthi Attacks Kill At Least 10 In Yemen As Iran-Backed Rebels Target Marib
3. Spain Imposes Border Checks On Italy Amid Ceuta Migration Row
4. In Pictures: Drought Exposes Word War II Ships, Strands Boats As Europe’s River Levels Plunge
5. How Can You Keep Yourself Safe From Forever Chemicals And Cadmium In Food? (Part 2/2)

• Les Echos
1. Pourquoi Deux Arrestations Dans La Région Du Michoacan Ont Enrayé La Grande Machine Des Exportations D'avocats Mexicains Aux Etats-Unis
2. Chine : Ces Dix Provinces Qui Concentrent La Croissance De L'atelier Du Monde 
3. IA Et Électronique : Les Deux Moteurs Qui Stimulent Le Commerce Extérieur De La Chine
4. « Une Situation Très Difficile » : L'Allemagne Face Au Casse-Tête De L'assèchement Du Rhin
5. Stocks De Secours, Murs De Béton, Dispersion Des Capacités… L'Ukraine Tente De Blinder Son Réseau Énergétique Avant L'hiver

• Le Monde
1. Jeffrey Epstein And Saint-Tropez: The Sex Predator's Other Hunting Ground In France
2. The Lessons From The Blaze That Defied French Firefighters For 18 Days
3. Russian Interference Becomes Campaign Issue For French Presidential Candidates
4. France Heatwave Expected To Intensify In Coming Days
5. Africa On The Front Line Of Trump's Toughened US Migration Policy

From Germany

• DW
1. IRGC Says Hormuz To Open If US Accepts Iran's Terms
2. Why Young Moroccans Risked Everything To Reach Ceuta
3. Congo's Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 4,000 Cases
4. WSJ: Russia Could Attack NATO Next Month
5. War, Terror, Diplomacy: What If Israel Takes Al-Aqsa Mosque?

• DER SPIEGEL
1. Was Marx Right? How AI Threatens Our Economy And Democracy Itself
2. »Die Menschen Müssen Wissen, Wie Groß Die Bedrohung Durch Russland Heute Ist«
3. Die Kindheit Endet, Sobald Man Versteht, Dass Eltern Nicht Für Immer Bleiben
4. Drohne Explodiert Zwischen Rumänien Und Bulgarien Nahe Einer Gaspipeline

From Russian Source 

• Novaya Gazeta Europe
1. ‘Stoking Feelings Of Abandonment And Helplessness’
2. Russian Émigrés Face Deportation After Being Detained While Vacationing In Sweden
3. ‘A Legal Way To Say No To The War And To Putin’
4. Russian Missile And Drone Attack On Kyiv Kills At Least 17 People
5. At Least 77 Russian Conscripts Were Killed During Ukraine’s Kursk Incursion, Investigation Finds

From Spain

• El Mundo
1. Europa En guerra. El Frutero De Jersón Y La Práctica Rusa De Cazar Civiles Con Drones
2. Crimen Organizado. Emiratos Árabes Unidos Extradita A Daniel Kinahan, Capo De La Droga Irlandés Y Uno De Los Hombres Más Buscados De Europa
3. Oriente Próximo. Netanyahu Rechaza La Hoja De Ruta Del Plan De Trump Para La Paz En Gaza
4. Europa En Guerra. La Inteligencia Estadounidense Confirma Que El Dron Con Explosivos Hallado En Un Aeropuerto Alemán Es Ruso
5. China Entrena A Miles De Robots Para Cubrir 700 Millones De Puestos De Trabajo

• El País
1. Las Primarias Demócratas Muestran La Decreciente Influencia Política De Israel En Estados Unidos
2. Las Afganas Resisten Solas Tras Cinco Años De Terror Talibán: “Guardar Silencio Representaría Aceptar La Injusticia”
3. La Rebelión De La Generación Z Sacude El Sur Del Mundo
4. Damasco Acuerda Con Moscú Mantener La Presencia Rusa En Dos Bases En El Mediterráneo Sirio
5. Colombia Inicia Una Nueva Era Marcada Por Dios Y Los Uniformes

From Switzerland

• Neue Zürcher Zeitung
1. ETH-Nuklearforscher: «Zehn Weitere Jahre Betrieb Von Altanlagen Sind Riskanter Als Ein Neues AKW»
2. Pekings Langer Arm: Der Westen Sollte China Beim Wort Nehmen Und Die Einmischung In Innere Angelegenheiten Nicht Mehr Dulden
3. Was Sich Menschen Wünschen, Wenn Sie Wissen, Dass Sie Sterben
4. Waren Es Profis Oder Doch Nur Amateure? Liechtenstein Ringt Mit Der Aufklärung Der Cyberattacke – Und Möglichen Versäumnissen Bei Der Sicherheit
5. Der Chef Von Swiss Re kritisiert: «Das Risiko Einer Hitzewelle Wurde Unterschätzt»

From Ukraine

• UATV English
1. Ukrainian Ballistics Will Force Kremlin To Negotiate! A Response Is Coming!
2. HOW ARE THE OIL REFINERIES DOING, PUTIN? New Ukrainian FP-7.X Missiles To Deal DECISIVE BLOW
3. THIS FALL! PUTIN To Draft HALF A MILLION Soldiers — Without Declaring MOBILIZATION
4. 11 DAYS In The "GREY ZONE": Ukrainian FPV Crew Hunts Saboteurs & DEFENDS ZAPORIZHZHIA
5. EXCLUSIVE! PUTIN Lost SERBIA And Will Not Get DONBAS | ZELENSKYY'S Interview With Ukrainian Media

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