The story of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recovering in the hospital broke Friday afternoon when the Pentagon first released a statement {SEE HERE}.   It was a bizarre first notification considering that Secretary Austin had been hospitalized since January 1st, and no official notification came until yesterday.   However, the story has grown even more bizarre.

Secretary Austin was in intensive care for four days following complications that stemmed from an elective procedure.

Today, it is discovered that the Pentagon never informed the White House that the Defense Secretary was not in command.  The National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and the National Security Council were unaware of Austin’s incapacity until January 4th.  This is very strange.  Politico has the update:

WASHINGTON DC – The Pentagon did not tell President Joe Biden and other top officials about Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization for three days, three U.S. officials said.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan and other senior White House aides didn’t know of Austin’s Jan. 1 hospitalization until the Defense Department sent over word Jan. 4, two other U.S. officials said. Sullivan informed Biden shortly after DOD’s Thursday notification.

The officials said it was highly unlikely that Austin conveyed word to Biden privately before Sullivan’s briefing. “If Jake didn’t know, no way the president knew,” one of them said. “Who would have told him of Austin’s condition if not Jake? And if someone did tell the president, Jake would’ve been his first call.”

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These guys keep providing me super timely and apropos fuel for my arguments about the structure of the next Trump administration.

Appearing on CNN, former Defense Secretary Mark Esper outlines his greatest concern that within our constitutionally provided civilian-led military structure, a President Trump Defense Secretary might actually be loyal to the Commander in Chief.

In his own words, Mark Esper views this possibility as a very serious problem.  I’m not kidding, WATCH (prompted):

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Perhaps people might understand why I wrote:

[…] “Many people understandably freak out with a Def Sec with no experience in military.  However, the Def Sec is designed to be civilian led military; the President is the commander in chief.  The Def Sec executes military efforts to support the President.  This is the problem with having career military as Def Sec, they regard the institution as more important than the instructions they receive. [See Mark Milley and/or James Mattis and/or Alexander Vindman, they go rogue.]  The U.S. military needs to be managed now, brought to heel and Wokeism removed.” (MORE)

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Given the nature of U.S. led NATO efforts, this collaborative move by Russia and Belarus is as subtle as a brick through a window.

Joe Biden policy, actually the policy of the US State Dept/CIA, like the policy of Barack Obama before him (same institutions), is contingent upon the targeted nations participating in a great pretending that U.S. moves are not intentionally adversarial.  Unfortunately, the era of pretend foreign policy pressure has ended, but the State Dept and CIA refuse to modify their playbook.

Russia, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, et al, are not pretending.

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The president of Belarus said Monday that Russia has completed its shipments of tactical nuclear weapons to his country, an initiative that raised strong concerns in neighboring Poland and elsewhere in the region.

President Alexander Lukashenko said at a meeting of a Moscow-led economic bloc in St. Petersburg that the shipments were completed in October, but he did not give details of how many weapons were sent or where they have been deployed.

Tactical nuclear weapons, which are intended for use on the battlefield, have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia said it would maintain control over those it sends to Belarus.

Lukashenko has said that hosting Russian nuclear weapons in his country is meant to deter aggression by Poland, a NATO member. Poland is offering neighbor Ukraine military, humanitarian and political backing in its struggle against Russia’s invasion and is taking part in international sanctions on Russia and Belarus. (read more)

All of Eastern Europe is praying for President Donald J Trump.

For most of Western Europe it’s already too late.

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In the world of tracking geopolitical maneuvers closely, particularly as it relates to military intervention, it becomes critical at a certain point to get more deliberate.

Two fronts seem like they are about to open on the geopolitical stage. The first in Yemen, the second in Moldova.  We can watch them unfold together if we begin from the same baseline.

Against the background of the Israeli-Gaza war against Hamas terrorists, the U.S. military is about to begin a large-scale operation in the Red Sea under the auspices of combating Houthi rebels and terrorist attacks.  Against the background of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, we can also anticipate NATO opening a new front using Moldova.

♦ YEMEN – As the U.S. and “coalition partners” begin military engagement against the Houthi rebels, no one in Western media will draw contrast to the State Dept earlier this year sending another $444 million via USAID (a CIA front group) to Yemen.  Factually, the U.S. has spent $5.4 billion, yes that’s with a “b”, in Yemen through the State Dept {link}.

We are now going to begin military operations against elements within Yemen as part of something called “Operation Prosperity Guardian,” a new international effort deal with Houthi threats.”  As this announcement is made, likely tomorrow, ask yourself what we spent $5.4 billion to achieve in Yemen, if we are now forced to use the U.S. military.

WASHINGTON – Top Biden administration officials are actively weighing options to strike back at Houthis in Yemen after the Iran-backed group launched new attacks on naval and commercial ships in the Red Sea on Saturday, according to two U.S. officials.

The Pentagon has in recent days moved the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group from the Persian Gulf into the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Yemen, to support a potential U.S. response to attacks, said one of the officials, both of whom were granted anonymity to speak about sensitive plans. The military has also provided options to commanders to strike the Houthis, the official said.

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Finally, almost two months later, CTH suspicions are confirmed {GO DEEP}.   You might remember when the USS Carney intercepted 15 drones and cruise missiles in the Red Sea in October, we said something was sketchy about the Western media reporting on it.  The political narrative (not from the Pentagon) was that the missiles were heading to Israel, but that didn’t pass the proverbial sniff test {GO DEEP ##2}.

Given the nature of the political climate at the time, and accepting the limited range of Yemeni cruise missiles, CTH surmised the actual target of the October 19th attack was the U.S. naval fleet, not Israel.   However, people poo-pooed our analysis and said, unlikely.  Well, today the Pentagon admits the U.S. naval fleet is being targeted.

This is a very big deal, because the reality of the U.S. being targeted changes the political calculation and risk metric.  The Biden administration would not want American citizens to think about our own military being involved in an expanded Israel-Hamas war directly, but that’s exactly what is happening.  THAT my friends was the motive for being obtuse in the first wave of attacks in October.

The AP is correct when they say, “the attack potentially marks a major escalation in a series of maritime attacks in the Mideast linked to the Israel-Hamas war.”  ‘Potentially’? Nonsense. It is a major escalation.  The other big revelation is that WE were the likely target two months ago.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Three commercial ships in the Red Sea were struck by ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen on Sunday and a U.S. warship shot down three drones in self-defense during the hourslong assault, the U.S. military said. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran.

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Again, something not feeling right about this story from The Daily Mail relay.  Apparently, at some recent moment before the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attack, a reporter from Russia Today was given a tour of Hamas tunnels below Gaza.  According to the article, there are approximately 300 miles of the tunnels, with some reaching 200 ft below the surface.

The engineering to build tunnels at a depth of 200 ft (60 meters) below the surface is a remarkable claim (think proximity to sea level).  The scale of the tunnels at 300 miles under such a small geographic region is another element that seems quite remarkable.  The report, originating from Russia Today, coming on the heels of western intelligence trying to frame Russia in connection to an alignment with Hamas, puts another element into the Suspicious Cat review.  The report almost seems too defensive and conveniently timed.  That said, it’s not impossible, just remarkable if true.

(Via Daily Mail) – […] A Russia Today (RT) reporter was allowed a rare visit inside the so-called ‘Gaza Metro’ which snakes for up to 300 miles under the war-torn enclave.

As the clip emerged, senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouk was asked by another RT interviewer why they didn’t allow the beleaguered civilian population to shelter from the bombing in the tunnels.

His reply spoke volumes: ‘Protecting Gaza civilians is the responsibility of the UN and Israel…We have built the tunnels to protect ourselves from getting targeted and killed. These are meant to protect us from the airplanes.’

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It looks like the manhunt for the Maine mass shooter Robert Card is over.

Apparently, his body was found near Lisbon where he abandoned his vehicle.  A self-inflicted gunshot to the head.

(Daily Mail) – Maine mass shooter Robert Card has been found dead in the woods with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head, multiple sources told CNN.

Card, 40, was found near Lisbon, where his car was abandoned shortly after Wednesday’s massacre.

Eighteen people died when Card, an army reservist who had suffered a recent mental breakdown, opened fire at a bowling alley and bar in Lewiston.

Card went on the run, sparking a 48-hour manhunt. (link)

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It’s not the ground invasion; it’s a larger tactical strike operation with pauses to gain overhead intel.  Without any doubt, the targeting and ordnance is from the command and control of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), but the aerial feeds (in review) are likely U.S. DoD support flowing directly back to the IDF.

Israel appears to be ramping up the direct targeting of Hamas operations in Gaza.  Unfortunately, Hamas has the mechanics of their terror machine enmeshed with the civilian population centers and key infrastructure.  This allows Hamas to conduct Pallywood propaganda operations in the aftermath.  Culturally, the Palestinian people live amid a social value system that rewards victimhood – the more dramatic, the more useful.

(Via Daily Mail) –  Israeli warplanes have tonight unleashed airstrikes of ‘unprecedented’ intensity across all parts of the Gaza strip, as it announced it was ‘expanding’ its ground forces’ operations.

The aerial onslaught came with a warning from the IDF to Palestinian civilians still living in Gaza to move south as soon as possible, amid fears that the long-awaited ground invasion of the enclave may take place within hours. 

The bombing, which observers described as much more ferocious and louder than previous days, coincided with electricity and communications blackouts in much of the besieged enclave. 

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This could be the beginning of World War III, or just another step in the general direction.

According to the Pentagon, the U.S. just launched airstrikes against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Syria.

PENTAGON – Today, at President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted self-defense strikes on two facilities in eastern Syria used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups. These precision self-defense strikes are a response to a series of ongoing and mostly unsuccessful attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-backed militia groups that began on October 17.

As a result of these attacks, one U.S. citizen contractor died from a cardiac incident while sheltering in place; 21 U.S. personnel suffered from minor injuries, but all have since returned to duty. The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will not tolerate such attacks and will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests.

The United States does not seek conflict and has no intention nor desire to engage in further hostilities, but these Iranian-backed attacks against U.S. forces are unacceptable and must stop. Iran wants to hide its hand and deny its role in these attacks against our forces. We will not let them. If attacks by Iran’s proxies against U.S. forces continue, we will not hesitate to take further necessary measures to protect our people.

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I’m not going to narrate against this Pentagon announcement {HERE} today, I’m just going to share.

Something is happening that is beyond just Israel going into Gaza.

[Defense Dept] – Following detailed discussions with President Biden on recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East Region, today I directed a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense posture in the region. These steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for U.S. forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel.

First, I redirected the movement of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Central Command area of responsibility. This carrier strike group is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It will further increase our force posture and strengthen our capabilities and ability to respond to a range of contingencies.

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