The Rising Tide

During the past few weeks, there have been several reveals of corruption in many forms. The subject of this posting will attempt to formulate a system/diagram the higher order of the hidden organization, members, and past domestic terror events.

In a sense, this further advances the primary objective and function of observation.

It is a fact, that as a group pursues radical objectives it grows in membership until a point of disarray occurs. That is to say that the group and their activities can no longer be controlled.

The terror actives identified in previous postings appear to be linked and controlled by national and international members loosely working together. Their identities and activities have been in the open without public recognition.

This posting will take time to evolve and is currently in the mass media market. There are no secrets here.

IntelRag will begin acknowledging and responding to comments in May 2024.

Potential events and issues are identified and indexed in several postings under the War and Terrorism Category. Consult them for a background in this upcoming effort.

There is an indication that these events and issues are initiated to create instability and profit via terrorist activities. From where does the initiative and support originate? Questions to be researched.

There have been insinuations that extend the tree to major elected political members inside the administration, to outside influencer’s, national and international.

What are the issues?

The possibility that terrorist attacks in the U.S. were a joint operation of foreign adversaries and members of the U.S., and possibly members of the U.S. administration. (9/11)?

Are current political/media attacks designed to preempt exposure of who participated in U.S. terrorist attacks?

Who facilitated the sale of U.S. land to the CCP?

Is it a coincidence land sales are located near sensitive military installations?

To be continued.

Nuclear War – The Horizon

Weakness of the Biden administration is encouraging terrorist nations to challenge the United States with Nuclear Warfare.

China Issues Ominous War Warning to U.S. (msn.com)

China has reacted to a recent U.S. report weighing up the possibility of simultaneous wars against both Moscow and Beijing by warning Washington that “those who play with fire will perish by it.”

The U.S. is not ready to face the challenge of the growing nuclear threat posed by Russia and China. This is according to a 145-page report released by the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States on Thursday.

“It is an existential challenge for which the United States is ill-prepared, unless its leaders make decisions now,” the report states. The panel behind the report, led by a bipartisan panel of six Democrats and six Republicans, produced the document after a year of research into the topic.

In the report, the behavior of both Russia and China is described as “militarily troubling and increasingly aggressive,” something that in turn has increased “the risk of conflict with two nuclear peers.” China is expected to reach nuclear parity with the U.S. by the mid-2030s, according to the report.

Russia/China Diplomacy

Psychotic - The Twisted Tongue: While Russia has invaded the Ukraine, and China is threating to invade Taiwan, Putin makes the following statements.

"China, Russia ties are aimed at global good" while slamming the West for making an enemy out of everyone.

US-led Western alliance's always force others to accept their ‘norms and rules’, Russian president tells Valdai think tank’s annual forum in Sochi.

Russia-China ties ‘very important’ for global stability, Vladimir Putin says ahead of planned visit to Beijing and meeting with China’s Xi Jinping.

“They are trying to create the image of an enemy out of everyone who is not ready to blindly follow these Western elites”, with Russia and China often pointed out as targets, Putin told the Valdai International Discussion Club’s annual forum, hosted by the Moscow-based think tank in the Black Sea resort town this year.

“The West always needs an enemy … the fight against which can explain the need for forceful action and expansion.”

Comment: Following this logic, the terror visited on attendees to the festival in Israel by Hamas would be interpreted as a peace gesture for regional stability!

Mask of Sanity

I: Historical Perspective

The following video presentation demonstrates the progressive change in norms from reporting observations to analyzing observations, and finally promoting opinions on news items of interest to benefit a hidden objective. This becomes the Mask of Sanity.

Moving Forward II: Identifying the Process

Nonparticipatory observation researchers may find it difficult to remain neutral. Recall the objective is to note and report observations, not indicate the intent of actions observed. However, what is observed can be difficult to identify. There may be a transformation occurring where acceptable norms will be redefined, possibly in response to influences outside of the constitutional intent.

Cleckley's Mask of Sanity may be occurring where what is seen is provided for the observer and public but does not show the process occurring or coordinating relationships in the background. This practice is defined as Psychopathy, or a psychopath personality which is a mix of superficial charm, poor judgment, and failure to learn from experience.

The following Mask of Sanity issues continue while congress seems impudent in providing solutions. It appears what occurs in the background may benefit members of congress and other influencers, while the public sees a staged presentation prepared specifically for them. The educational system appears to be in lockstep with this process.

It is said that most of the public business conducted by congress occurs during luncheon sessions. Thanks to YouTube and CNN here is a purported example of such sessions.

The video is an opportunity for viewers to perform nonparticipative observation research of possible background issues. In a non-opinion manner, record your unbiased observations of the content.

Moving Forward III: Potential Issues

The background and process patterns observed may establish a future forecasting model based on the possible continuation of activities by (1) marketing performers and the effect of the (2) Mask of Sanity.

The metaphor of a tree is helpful in defining political processes internal and external to the United States, and outcomes posted in the War and Terrorism category. The significant number of issues listed in the posts will not be repeated here. Review them to understand the basis for the following discussion.

    • Roots of the tree represent the background issues of the Mask of Sanity. They are the unseen cause of the observable issues.

    • Trunk of the tree represents the media newscasters and marketing performers that for most, but not all media sources, convey the intended interpretation of the issues for the benefit their supporters and donors.

    • Branches and leaves are the issues outside the of mask which the general public observes. It is the task of the media members of the trunk to persuade or misdirect viewers to their intended interpretation.

Putting it in short terms, roots are the cause, the trunk is the spin, and branches and leaves are the effect.

Two of the top branch and leaves issues that fit into the metaphor of the tree are immigration and drugs. The following video represents the spin of the trunk.

Viewers can easily spot the branches and leaves. It is the function of the White House briefing to put the spin on the issues and misdirect responsibility elsewhere.

The question still arises, "where are the roots of the trees" causing the issues?

Summary: Seeking the Root Causes

Until recently, observers found it difficult to identify the cause of historical issues which are significant enough in scope to be of national and international concern. The reason for this appears to be the shielding of root causes by the previously identified "marketing performers" of most, but not all of the media and the White House.

Citizens of all countries do not have access to background sources (the roots) initiating the issues. A few current observable issues of a significant nature are:

The KGB vs. CIA: World-Class Spies? Provides a look behind issues over many years. Few of today's citizens are aware of the documented occurrences. What was an international concern has now become a national concern in the tactics used. 1,000-page document alleges politicization of FBI and DOJ.

The above issues are treated as routine occurrences in the media. Calls for responses to the issues are not immediate or significant. News reporting has become a 7/24 presentation by marketing performers.

Citizens will have to wait-out government healing itself. The ball of yarn is unwinding, and future revelations may be very serious.

Prior Notes:

[1]. Observation research can be initiated and continued when the researcher views unplanned occurrences of potential significance.

[2]. Control or regulate proper and acceptable behavior.

Students Become Terrorists

There are times, when to maintain a neutral mindset during research, breaks are necessary for self-introspection. During twenty-eight years’ experience in military aviation, and twenty years in higher education, the main lesson learned is that observable problems are not the problem. They are the effect for which there are causes.

Students becoming terrorists have causes:

The above list does not address all the causes however, they are the main topics.

Student learning environments have become more unsafe places recently, requiring institution of preventive measures. This very fact causes students to feel unsafe and obviously impacts the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

The U.S. Department of Education: Administers multiple federal programs designed to improve school safety, address critical areas of need for improving the conditions for learning and school climate, and to improve access to systems of support for schools, such as mental health services, trauma, violence prevention, social emotional and behavioral learning, school climate, and school emergency management planning.

Primary School: Attacks that have occurred on school property or related primarily to school issues or events.

Secondary School: Attacks that have occurred on school property or related primarily to school issues or events.

Post-Secondary School: Attacks related to postsecondary schools, such as universities or colleges. These are attacks that occurred on school property, faculty or related primarily to school issues or events.

Education Week: Shadowy criminal gangs with sinister names like The Dark Overlord are terrorizing schools. They hack into district networks and then demand hundreds of thousands of dollars in ransom payments, making threats of terrible consequences if schools do not agree to hand over the money.

Very Well Family: Comprehensive Sexuality Education is a program that starts in early childhood and continues through high school. It teaches that sexuality is a natural, normal part of healthy living and brings up age-appropriate sexuality topics.

Critical Race Theory: The Communist Marxist Left built its political program on the theory of class conflict. Critical race theory (CRT) has become a divisive ideology-based on race as a form of class conflict. It pits proponents and opponents against each other.

CRT: Has become a racially charged debate which is a misguided way to examine the inequalities in American society through the lens of racial injustice. Marxist-style revolutions based on race, ended in disaster. Socialist governments in the Soviet Union, China, Cambodia, Cuba, and elsewhere racked up a body count of nearly 100 million of their own people.

National Education Association (NEA): Education is political. When teaching about U.S. elections or politics, many educators will strive for neutrality. They may insist these discussions have no place in the classroom.

NEA: Adopted an agenda item stating, “It is reasonable and appropriate for curriculum to be informed by academic frameworks for understanding and interpreting the impact of the past on current society, including critical race theory.” This is considered a socialist political propaganda approach by some, not neutral.

Political Corruption in the United States: There’s a lot of corruption associated with political machines, particularly though not exclusively in urban areas. The political machines provide jobs for supporters, who use their positions to generate illicit income for themselves and the party bosses.

Public Education is Political: School is a hazardous environment. Poor quality education, unhealthy environments, narcotics easily available, and sex crimes. U.S. schools rank very poorly in international testing with a science and math ranking of 37th while China ranks first. Even in the arts and humanities, U.S. students rank 25th.

National Institute on Drug Abuse: In 2021, provisional data from CDC estimate more than 107,000 people died of a drug overdose, with 75% of those deaths involving an opioid. The overall rise in overdose deaths is largely attributable to the proliferation in the drug supply of illicit fentanyl.

In-School Surveys for Drugs Prevalence trends by drug for 8th, 10th, and 12th Grade Students. People who reported multiple symptoms consistent with severe substance use disorder at age 18 exhibited two or more of these symptoms in adulthood according to a new analysis of a nationwide survey.

Sex Crimes: An analysis found that at least 135 teachers and teachers’ aides have been arrested in 41 states between January 1 and May 13, which works out to about an arrest a day on average. The vast majority of the arrested educators were men.

National Center for Education Statistics: It is apparent the environment and experiences students encounter are not friendly in many instances. In conjunction with the internal environment on campus, there is the external environment off campus.  Annual Reports . and Information Staff.

Research.com: Forty (40) Student crime statistics for 2021/2022, analysis and predictions. Reported incidents of violence in schools over the past few years have left parents, students, and even educators to question how safe campuses really are.

The Squad: Four members of Congress representing themselves as progressive women of color may have much in common with student protestors. They may be the image that student protesters emulate, however, in a violent way.

Student Protests: Theft, robbery, rape, carjacking, arson, gang activity, use and sale of drugs and many more activities, may be a response to the perceived and real environment. The negative issues addressed above are abnormal in an advanced, enlightened society.

COVID-19: Education, the lingering effects of unfinished learning. U.S. states and districts have the opportunity to not only help students catch up on unfinished learning from the pandemic but also tackle long-standing historical inequities in education.

American Psychological Association:  Students and others who are more open to terrorist recruitment and radicalization tend to:

  • Feel angry, alienated or disenfranchised.
  • Believe that their current political involvement does not give them the power to effect real change.
  • Identify with perceived victims of the social injustice they are fighting.
  • Feel the need to take action rather than just talking about the problem.
  • Believe that engaging in violence against the state is not immoral.
  • Have friends or family sympathetic to the cause.
  • Believe that joining a movement offers social and psychological rewards such as adventure, camaraderie and a heightened sense of identity.

Terrorism and Schools: As terrorism evolves and as more youth embrace extremist ideologies, there is a growing need to include processes to assess, prepare, protect, mitigate, respond, and ultimately recover from terrorism-motivated incidents within district and school safety plans.

On a good note:

American Heart Association: The House Education and Labor Committee approved the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act, which would reauthorize federal child nutrition programs and help guarantee that kids are not only fed but have access to the healthy meals they need to learn. The American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health.

SOTU 2023: Domestic Events

Observations of past and present events. Narratives are not intended to indicate an order of significance. Depending on the individual reviewer or organization, summaries may have a different order of importance. In time each of the items below will be expanded.

(a). U.S. Capital Attack – On January 6, 2021, President Trump claimed the election had been stolen and mounted legal challenges in several states that he had lost. More than 2,000 entered the capital, many of whom occupied, vandalized, looted, and assaulted Capitol Police. Wikipedia.

(b). Congressional Baseball Game – On June 14, 2017, the FBI, federal, state, and local law enforcement partner agencies investigated a shooting at the Eugene Simpson Stadium Park. The mass shooting occurred during a practice session for the annual Congressional Baseball Game in Alexandria, Virginia. Wikipedia.

(c). San Bernadino – On December 2, 2015, a terrorist attack consisting of a mass shooting and an attempted bombing occurred at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernadino, California. ATF conducted traces on the weapons and has determined that they were purchased by the shooter from federal firearms licensees. No evidence that the weapons were purchased unlawfully.

(d). Fort Hood – On April 2, 2014, a mass shooting spree was perpetrated at several locations on the Fort Hood military base near Killeen, Texas. Four people, including the gunman, were killed while14 additional people were injured.

(e). Boston Marathon Bombing – On April 15, 2013, two terrorists planted two homemade pressure cooker bombs which detonated near the finish line of the race, killing three people and injuring hundreds of others, including 17 who lost limbs. The attack took place during the annual race.

(f). Fort Hood – On November 5, 2009, a mass shooting took place. A U.S. Army major and psychiatrist, fatally shot 13 people and injured more than 30 others. It was the deadliest mass shooting on an American military base.

(g). Oklahoma City Bombing – On April 19, 1995, perpetrated by two anti-extremists, killed at least 168 people, injured more than 680 others, and destroyed more than one-third of the building, which had to be demolished. The blast destroyed or damaged 324 other buildings within a 16-block radius. Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building,

 

SOTU 2023: International Events

Observations of past and present events. Narratives are not intended to indicate an order of significance. Depending on the individual reviewer or organization, summaries may have a different order of importance. In time each of the items below will be expanded.

(a). New York Twin Towers. September 11, 2001 (9/11). Attorney General John Ashcroft blames Clinton-era FBI, CIA. The 9/11Executive Summary. The Commission Report.

Review of THE 9/11 COMMISSION REPORT titled: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks on the United States. The commission consisted of eight senior members (senators, governors and lawyers), and eighty commission staff in support of the effort. The most significant statement in the executive summary is that another attack is expected. Reasons for this are stated problems with foresight, planning and support.

Although there was an overall sense of discomfort that “something” was occurring, the ability to identify, track and impede unknown events was not supported by FBI (domestic), CIA (international) security efforts. Reasons stated were insufficient resources, inability to share information between the entities and ineffective tracking of alien movement within the United States.

Although a significant number of personnel were assigned to create the Commission Report, it reads as a summary. The main Commission Report is significantly more detailed with respect to FAA procedures, however, could not accurately track the hijacked aircraft.

Additional sections of both the summary and main report were superficial regarding real data. Tracking movement of terrorist members was essentially nonexistent. There was advanced indication that significant members of the group were known to be present on the east coast and west coast, routinely moving between locations. The fact that there were groups was unknown prior to the terrorist attack.

As stated, the Executive Summary indicates additional attacks are expected within the United States. The inability to track alien movement today is far more difficult given the growth in millions of aliens, documented and undocumented, entering the country. Are there terrorists entering the country?

Current efforts to control alien entry and movement does not appear to have improved, and may be interpreted as aiding alien movement, and potential terrorists.

(b). World Trade Center Bombing. Occurred on February 26, 1993. Later investigation revealed that Yousef’s Trade Center plot was far more sinister. He wanted the bomb to topple one tower, with the collapsing debris knocking down the second. The attack turned out to be something of a deadly dress rehearsal for 9/11. With the help of Yousef’s uncle Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, al Qaeda would later return to realize Yousef’s nightmarish vision.

(c). War in Ukraine. Ongoing international conflict between Russia, alongside Russian backed separatists, and Ukraine, which began in February 2014. Following Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and supported pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainian military in the Donbas war. The first eight years of conflict also included naval incidents, cyberwarfare, and heightened political tensions. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

(d). Afghan War. Biden administration’s decision in April 2021 to pull out all US troops by September 2021 without leaving a residual force, were the two critical events that caused the collapse of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Following the deal, the US dramatically reduced the number of air attacks and deprived the ANSF of a critical edge in fighting the Taliban insurgency, leading to the Taliban takeover of Kabul on 15 August 2021.

(e). EgyptAir Flight 990. October 31, 1999 The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) recorded the captain excusing himself to go to the lavatory, followed 30 seconds later by the first officer saying in Egyptian Arabic “Tawkalt ala Allah,” which can be translated as “I put my trust in God.” A minute later, the autopilot was disengaged, immediately followed by the first officer again repeating the same Arabic phrase which can be also translated as, “I rely on God.” Three seconds later, the throttles for both engines were reduced to idle, and both elevators were moved 3° nose down. The first officer repeated “I rely on God” seven more times.

(f). Pam Am Flight 103. Shortly after 19:00 on 21 December 1988, while the aircraft was in flight over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, it was destroyed by a bomb that had been planted on board, killing all 243 passengers and 16 crew in what became known as the Lockerbie bombing. Large sections of the aircraft crashed in a residential street in Lockerbie, killing 11 residents. With a total of 270 fatalities, it is the deadliest terrorist attack in the history of the United Kingdom, as well as its deadliest aviation disaster.

(g). Beirut Barracks Bombings. Early on a Sunday morning, October 23, 1983, two truck bombs struck buildings in Beirut, Lebanon, housing American and French service members of the Multinational Force in (MNF) Lebanon, a military peacekeeping operation during the Lebanese Civil War. The attack killed 307 people: 241 U.S. and 58 French military personnel, six civilians, and two attackers.

SOTU 2023: Domestic Issues

Observations of past and present long-term issues. Narratives are not intended to indicate an order of significance. Depending on the individual reviewer or organization, summaries may have a different order of importance. In time each of the items below will be expanded.

(a). Border Security: Homeland Security’s mission is to protect U.S. borders from the illegal movement of weapons, drugs, contraband, and people, while promoting lawful entry and exit. Key findings about U.S. immigrants are rapidly becoming outdated. Immigration appears to be used as a political issue by all sides without any indication of rectification.

The failure of economic science is a main contributor to the problem. To be addressed under the Issue Summary for the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

(b). FBI Cyber Strategy: Security is a complex and rapidly changing subject. In essence, it is a fulltime 7/24 function to safeguard citizens, businesses and government from becoming victims. Consult their website for current information and how to report cyber-crime. Additionally, the link Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency is applicable. Cyber Crime – Credit Cards and Fraud.

(c). Bureau of Economic Analysis; BEA provides current data on the status of the economy, which may seem to the general reader, to be an obscure mystery of how the economy functions. Economics is a highly complex issue. There are thousands of economists at work in government, business and academia. The following is a very limited explanation of the topic.

Fundamentally, economists look for, and recommend, the least cost approach to producing products and providing services. In that regard, automation and robotics have proven to be more efficient than labor. That may appear to provide least cost, and therefore lower prices for the consumer, be they individuals, organizations or the government.

The least product and service cost approach is a fallacy and has led to a negative trade balance with more dollar value of products and services imported than exported. The negative trade balance is over $17 Trillion and is a main cost driver of the higher national debt. It does not consider cost impacts to the environment, lost labor income, taxes and fees not paid as a result of automation.

The loss of taxes and fees also drive the need to borrow to upgrade the infrastructure (roads, railroads, waterways, bridges, airports . . . etc.). It has been suggested that automation in the form of robotics should be taxed to partially make up for the loss of taxes and fees.

In reality, the efficiencies of automation create a REAL excess in the labor market. This excess can be expressed in terms of lower income service sector jobs.

Still, the open border concept is importing millions of lower skilled workers. The result of this combination of automation, lower skilled and lower paying service jobs, and increase in availably of workers as a result of excessive immigration, is leading to increased homeless and immigrants seeking government support, and eventually higher taxes to the citizens.

The real picture of unbalanced trade with foreign markets will, over time, result in imported products and services to effectively be more expensive than domestic production.

Profiteering by members of congress, business and finance markets indicate the driver of these issues may be acts performed for the benefit of self-proclaimed adversaries of the United States. In that event, they may have unintentionally acted as agents on behalf of an enemy state.

However, the result of highly unbalanced international trade is a complex issue which appears to be deeply rooted and leading to aggression toward the United States and other democratic nations via profits earned through excessive exports to these markets.

(d). Education – The Nation’s Report Card Data indicate outcomes in mathematics and reading for grades 4 and 8 continues to decrease. Although assessment of effectiveness of distance education ranked high, it reflects teacher confidence in their mastery of the process, not student outcomes.

U.S. Department of Education USA Facts must be evaluated carefully. Student-to-teacher ratios have decreased from 26.89 students per teacher in 1956, to 15.9 students per teacher in 2020. However, mathematics and reading scores are lower in 2020 than they were in 1956, averaging around 40 percent of expected outcomes. This situation existed prior to COVID-19.

Comparison of U.S. students to international outcomes places U.S. students in the middle-of-the-pack, nearly thirty (30) points behind Chinese students which rank highest on test outcomes. Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Day: Global Lessons for the U.S. Education System and Economy: Published on Dec 8, 2018.

It appears that with offshoring of manufacturing, the U.S. has become a consumer-focused, service sector market, while China is a design, engineering and manufacturing environment.

(e). Law and Order – U.S. Department of Justice. The average citizen and many in government are unaware of the responsibilities of the department. The organization structure is quite cumbersome. The expectation created is that the Attorney General is knowledgeable of everything that takes place, whenever and wherever it occurs.

The legal system has ridged procedures when it comes to decisions and following actions. It seems somehow unusual that institutions of higher learning considered dropping courses on the constitution or dropping the subject to the status of an elective course.

As a result, high school and college students increasingly demonstrate failure to adhere to the rule of law. The point is that the intensity of criminal activity of every definition is increasing. As before, the data require close scrutiny. When group violence of all kinds is ignored, the data in the above references are not included that data. Effectiveness of the legal system reflects the failure of the education system. Accountability appears to be too difficult to address. FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting System (UCR).

SOTU 2023: International Issues

Observations of past and present long-term issues. Narratives are not intended to indicate an order of significance. Depending on the individual reviewer or organization, summaries may have a different order of importance.

(a). Biological Warfare – China COVID-19.

(b). Chemical Warfare – China illicit fentanyl imported via Mexico.

(c). Cyber Warfare – Nation States Cyber Threats – China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. Department of Justice Disruptive Technology Strike Force.

(d). Nuclear War ThreatChina, Russia, North Korea, Iran – Is the question if/or when?

(e). Trade Wars – What seems positive, may be a negative. New Rules – Economics for Politicians.

(f). Undocumented Immigration – DACA Benefits and Restrictions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Summary of War and Terrorism

Postings within this category indicate that war and terrorism are a combined set of activities.

War is generally considered to be an armed conflict between at least two independent nations. However, the larger the conflict, the more nations that may become involved.

Terrorism is generally considered to be actions taken to intimidate or harm citizens of one nation by another nation. This may also include activities within a nation such as organized riots, looting, burning, robbery and more.

The first stage of conflict appears to be terrorism. When terrorism does not produce the desired results, war may follow.

Contents of postings speak for themselves and will not be repeated here.

Key Points:

  1. Funding for war and terrorism activities pursued by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), Russia, and Islamic States are primarily acquired by trade deficits of the free world.
  2. The U.S. alone has accumulated a $17 trillion trade deficit for the period of 1992-2021.
  3. Significant illegal activities in drugs, human trafficking and slave labor by countries identified in (1) above, also fund war and terrorism.
  4. The free world is funding the economies, building cities, and developing militaries of self-proclaimed enemies.
  5. Some members of congress, the administration, and international business, appear to have created this situation for personal profit, possibly through the misuse or misdirection of federal funds, leaving the citizens with a massive debt.
  6. The loss of life is in the millions, and government by failure to stop or prevent indirect funding of illegal activities is essentially aiding them and may be considered complicit in the crimes.
  7. In many respects, the U.S. is dependent on defensive material support from organizations listed in (1) above. This is a result of offshoring manufacturing to the least cost market. Doing so significantly diminishes the ability to be self-sustaining in military efforts.
  8. The education system does not provide well educated graduates. As a result, the U.S. is rated in the middle of the pack at around thirtieth (30th) place worldwide in math, science, and the social sciences. China ranks in first (1st) place.
  9. U.S. education, research, and technology organizations depend on graduates from countries listed in number one (1) above. Reason for this appears to be the structure of education systems outside the U.S. with a focus on math and science.
  10. Theft of trade secrets by members of (1) above occurs externally to the U.S. via digital communications and within domestic industry and academic organizations.
  11. On average U.S. schools and colleges are not as intensive, and overall educators are not as qualified. Educators in many competitive countries continually upgrade competencies by advancing to higher levels of instruction throughout their careers.
  12. Therefore, many of U.S. corporations depend on graduates from foreign adversaries to lead research and development activities and advance to senior management positions.

Refer to the following “intelrag postings” which demonstrate the effects of Key Points identified above:

  • International Cyber Security: Worldwide roadmap of an interconnected system of universities specializing in computer science and cyber security developed in India, sponsored by UNESCO and funded by the USSR.
  • Status of the U.S. Economy: Data indicate much of the $30+ trillion national debt is, in fact, an outcome of taking a global perspective, where China and other countries have not reciprocated. A case could be made this is also funding Chinese and Russian aggression.
  • SOTU Backdrop Part VIII – Education: Education in the future must be in the real-world so students can experience at the pace of change, not locked in a classroom environment where learning is static. Students must learn advanced concepts earlier.

Read the postings in the War and Terrorism category for an in-depth understanding.

Postings are subject to update.

End of Posting

War and Terrorism

The United States is a Democracy with private ownership or control of property. Nations which are current aggressors towards the U.S. and democratic governments typically practice a form of Socialism, Communism, and Islam, which establish public (state) ownership or control of property.

Economics of War:

World War I, $334 billion was spent fighting the enemy. World War II, $4.1 trillion was spent. The disparity in spending is partially explained by the fact that U.S. was actively engaged in fighting during the final 4 years of WW II.

War on Terrorism, $1.5 to $1.7 trillion was spent between 2001 and 2014, but the War on Terrorism is stretched out over a much longer period of time.

Nearly 20 years after the United States invasion of Afghanistan, the cost of global war on terror stands at $8 trillion.

The number of men and women deployed to fight these wars during the same three periods was 4.7M, 12.2M, and 2.5M, respectively.

World War I: Began on 28 July 1914 and ended on 11 November 1918. Referred to by contemporaries as the “Great War”, its belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fighting also expanding into the Middle EastAfrica, and parts of Asia. One of the deadliest conflicts in history, an estimated 9 million people were killed in combat, while over 5 million civilians died from military occupation, bombardment, hunger, and disease.

World War II: A global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world’s countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. In a total war directly involving more than 100 million personnel from more than 30 countries, the major participants threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources.

Korean War: Fought between North Korea and South Korea from 1950 to 1953. The war began on 25 June 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea following clashes along the border and rebellions in South Korea. North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union while South Korea was supported by the United Nations, principally the United States. The fighting ended with an armistice on 27 July 1953.

Vietnam War: A conflict in VietnamLaos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet UnionChina, and other communist allies. South Vietnam was supported by the United States and other anti-communist allies. The war is widely considered to be a Cold War-era proxy war. It lasted almost 20 years, with direct U.S. involvement ending in 1973.

Iraq War: A protracted armed conflict in Iraq from 2003 to 2011 that began with the invasion of Iraq by the United States–led coalition which overthrew the Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein. The conflict continued for much of the next decade as an insurgency emerged to oppose the coalition forces and the post-invasion Iraqi government. US troops were officially withdrawn in 2011. The United States became re-involved in 2014 at the head of a new coalition, and the insurgency and many dimensions of the armed conflict continue today. The invasion occurred as part of the George W. Bush administration‘s War on Terror following the September 11 attacks.

Afghanistan War: Armed conflict in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021. It began when an international military coalition led by the United States launched an invasion of Afghanistan, subsequently toppling the Taliban-ruled Islamic Emirate and establishing the internationally recognized Islamic Republic three years later. The 20-year-long conflict ultimately ended with the 2021 Taliban offensive

Current Situation:

Big Question: In 2000, Congress made the fateful decision to extend “permanent normal trade relations,” or PNTR, to China. With PNTR in hand, the floodgates of investment were opened, and U.S. multinationals worked hand in glove with Beijing to create new China-centric supply chains. This resulted in a swift decline of U.S. manufacturing employment.

Why did congress create a relationship with the PRC and U.S.S.R. given their aggressive behavior against the U.S.? Maybe greed and other goodies? Maybe for stock advantages or, maybe some members of congress, consultants and media propagandists, are Unregistered Foreign Agents?

The alarm clock should have gone off when congress established Most Favored Nation (MFN) for China. However, congress slept. Actually, it would be unfair to lay current failures at the foot of congress alone. Business and academic sectors are equally responsible.

Historically, war has usually been considered armed conflict between at least two separate nations. At this time in history, this conflict has taken on additional forms for power and profit including:

Who knows what greed and evil lurks in the hearts of men?

Propaganda agents are paid for and profit by misrepresenting issues in the media. Over time, citizens are programmed by the propaganda and become dysfunctional and unable to think clearly. Call it misdirection.

The question that needs to be answered, “is it too late” to wake up?

This series of posts may provoke emotional reactions from readers. It is similar to the metaphor of the boiling frog. Government leads business and education communities into the pot of boiling water. The difference is the frog reacts by jumping out before being cooked. Are politicians, business and education too greedy to realize they are going to be cooked.

Horizon signal events are periods of time that indicate the influence and activities confronting democracy. During the signal events, actions were taken by the U.S. Congress to create open access to U.S. markets.

World Trade Organization: Agreements contain special provisions for developing countries, including longer time periods to implement commitments. Developing countries including China comprise a majority of the WTO membership.

China and the WTO: Search by the “Country Tab” indicates China is involved in the significant number of trade disputes (3996). Whereas most other countries involved in trade disputes may average less than (100). The inability of the U.S. to maintain a balance in foreign trade has accumulated a negative balance of $17 trillion for the period from 1992-2020.

This imbalance has provided the funding necessary for adversaries of the U.S. to monopolize shipping, mineral resources, manufacturing, digital communications and financing worldwide. This advantage may indirectly fund terrorism activities, compromise international security and provide for international criminal activity.

Terror: A state or feeling of overwhelming fear by a nation or its citizens. Currently, invasion of the Ukraine by Russia is causing fear as citizens flee to safety in neighboring countries. Host countries sense fear in anticipation of Russia’s future ventures and destruction.

Terrorists: Advocates or practitioners of terrorism as a means of coercion. An individual, group leader, head of state and their accomplices.

Terrorism: China shares in the invasion of the Ukraine by supporting the action of Russia. Why does China support the current terror activities by Russia? At the time of the Olympics, Russia signed an agreement to provide grain to China. Russia needed more land to uphold the agreement and the Ukraine is a supplier of 20% of the world consumption of grain.

Vision of Humanity: Provides more information on the subject of the Russia, China relationship. Included on the website is an Overall Global Peace Index Score which lists countries by the level of peacefulness. Some of the least peaceful countries are Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Russia, Iraq, Ukraine, North Korea and others. None of the least peaceful countries are democratic and many of their leaders are considered terrorists. Surprisingly, China is ranked 89th out of 160, in the middle of the pack.

State Sponsors of Terrorism: Lists only Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Iran, and Syria. The Peoples Republic of China (PRC) is not listed despite the issues identified above.

United Nations: Office of Counter-Terrorism Tasks:

Items have been simplified for reading. Refer to the link above.

  • Enhance Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination.
  • Strengthen counter-terrorism capacity.
  • Improve visibility of efforts.
  • Ensure priority across the United Nations.
  • Ensure preventing violent extremism is rooted in Strategy.

Financing terrorism and criminal activity are generally considered separate issues. The attack on 9/11 and possibly COVID-19 are considered acts of terrorism for political and financial influence. The illegal importation of narcotics, money laundering, human trafficking and organ harvesting are examples of criminal acts for profit. These activities may become intertwined. Terrorist organizations may use criminal organizations to fund their terrorist activities.

Groups conducting terrorist activities, and criminal organizations may have separate legal business entities that are listed on the stock exchanges. Investors may be indirectly funding organizations involved in terrorism or criminal activities. In some instances, these organizations may also receive government grants, as with research at the Wuhan laboratory for the COVID-19 issue.

Accumulated Costs: The cost items addressed above total $31,634,000,000,000. That is 31 trillion, 634 billion dollars spent, projected to be spent or lost. This amount is equal to the total U.S. trade deficit.

Personnel Involved: Total number of military and civilian personnel involved in above wars 19,605,080. That is 19 million, 605 thousand, and 080.

Personnel Losses: The estimated number of military and other personnel died, wounded or missing 205,080.

Signal events will be published as independent posts which are complex and interrelated.

Horizon of Signal Events:

  • War and Terrorism.
  • Far East and European Terrorism.
  • International Terrorism.
  • Financing War and Terrorism.
  • Students Become Terrorists.

This post is the foundation for the war category. Content and links will be modified when information changes.

Target Prediction:

Institute for The Study of War: The West should pay close attention to the Chinese military’s preparations for urban combat, as these efforts will have profound effects on China’s policy toward Taiwan and elsewhere.

The editors forecast based on averages of all service levels over major wars indicates the military force to sustain free nations under attack during WWIII is as follows:

  • Minimum of 600 combatant ships and support facilities.
  • Minimum of 4,000 combatant and transport aviation assets and support facilities.
  • Minimum of 6,000,000 military and civilian support personnel.
  • Time to target is three years based on the current state of worldwide conflict.

The U.S. has repeated a catastrophic failure. Prior to every war, optimistic thinking has created situations wherein aggression is much more costly to standup to. The myth that, in relation to current events, Socialism, Shintoism, Nazism, Communism, and Islam countries will not attack is unreasonable. This is currently the case. Congress has created a situation where the U.S. is not self-stainable in warfare.

U.S. Strategy: Failure to prepare for two wars—one in the Indo-Pacific and one in Europe—“sends the exact wrong message” to America’s adversaries, Failure to prepare for two wars may actually “invite” China and Russia to take advantage of a conflict in the other’s sphere of influence. Research and development-heavy fiscal 2022 budget.

Frequently, it is stated that as a result of today’s complex weapons systems, the need for a significant military with accompanying noncombatant civilian support is unnecessary. Current aggression by waring nations and their accompanying criminal activity disproves that thought. Unless of course, the intent is to go nuclear, which is where the world is headed. Without conventional deterrence, that is the result.

Treasury Secretary wrong about inflation. The liberal attitude of the administration took advantage of the opportunity to make money by selling-out to China . . . money in the pocket and false greatness of the mind. The financial market in stocks and banking which was the cause the collapse in 1929 has run amuck again. Some will laugh and point to their holy bibles of finance and economics which never see it coming!

Economics is a failed science. It does not consider strength of the nation, and takes advantage of every opportunity, even with the enemy, to make a buck. New Rules: Economics For Politicians explains.

Posts represent opinions of the editor based solely on available public information.

Notes:

  • Posts are designed to be quick reads and represents the third cut on subjects.
  • Textual material consists of modified entries from the linked-to resources.
  • Postings are an index of detailed information accessed by selecting included links.
  • Organizations linked-to maintain ownership and are responsible for accuracy.
  • Posts are based on Horizon / Environmental Scanning futurist research methods.

End of Posting

International Terrorism

FBI: The FBI’s Number one priority is protecting the U.S. from terrorist attack and categorizes issues as international or domestic.

International terrorism: Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups who are inspired by, or associated with, designated foreign terrorist organizations or nations (state-sponsored).

International Terrorism: Joint address by MI5 and FBI Director’s warn of the growing threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to UK and US interests. The CCP is covertly applying pressure across the globe. Rather than lone actors, a coordinated campaign on a grand scale. Rather than proceeding at a lightning pace, the CCP has a strategic contest across decades. Rather than the actions of volatile individuals, there is planned, professional activity.

This plan may include planting agents (one ) – (two) within government organizations, compromising public and private citizens with payoffs and other unmentionable activities, and theft of intellectual property etc.

Domestic terrorism: Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature.

Domestic Terrorist Attacks: Related incidents in the United States since the 1800’s. In addition to the terrorist attacks listed, it can also be searched as follows:

Lone Offender Terrorism: The FBI’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime and Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) describes the results of investigative research and media accounts since 1972. Data indicate that most likely offenders are between the ages of 18-44.

The Internet and social media: International and domestic violent extremists have developed an extensive presence on the Internet through messaging platforms and online images, videos, and publications. These facilitate the groups’ ability to radicalize and recruit individuals who are receptive to extremist messaging.

Social media has also allowed both international and domestic terrorists to gain unprecedented, virtual access to people living in the United States in an effort to enable homeland attacks.

The Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), in particular, encourages sympathizers to carry out simple attacks wherever they are located—or to travel to ISIS-held territory in Iraq and Syria and join its ranks as foreign fighters. This message has resonated with supporters in the United States and abroad.

CIA: The world’s premier foreign intelligence agency, focusing on international terrorism. The CIA collects and analyzes foreign intelligence and conducts covert actions. U.S. policymakers, including the President of the United States, make policy decisions informed by the information provided by the CIA.

Separation of terrorism into international or domestic is a significant issue. At first reading it may seem that there is an ideological difference. However, it is most likely that this separation in designations is a result of the resources assigned to each agency. 

NSA: The National Security Agency leverages advantages in technology and cybersecurity to strengthen the nations defense and secure national security systems. The NSA Cybersecurity Collaboration Center prevents and eradicates threats to U.S. national security systems with a focus on the Defense Industrial Base and the improvement of our weapons’ security and partners with allies, private industry, academics, and researchers to strengthen awareness and collaboration to advance the state of cybersecurity.

Interactive Constitution: Far-out at this point in time. However, the question occasionally arises in comments. The question is, “are any of the U.S. trading partners considered enemies of the U.S.?” If they commit terrorist activities or war against the U.S., “are investors supporting terrorist organizations or governments guilty of treason?” If so, does the Treason Clause of the Constitution apply to investors, and is the slope slippery enough to get there if they take treason actions or make war against the U.S.? This is one for the legal experts to ruminate over!

9-11 Commission Report: The table lists the content by chapter and provides download links and HTML links for viewing online. The first three chapters are linked below. Interested researchers can view or print online.

Chapter 1: “We Have Some Planes” is the background setting for the attack on World Trade Center Complex in New York City. The report is a significant read.

Chapter 2: “The Foundation of the New Terrorism” continues and provides the background setting for international terrorism.

Chapter 3: “Counterterrorism Evolves” may be of significant interest as it identifies a progressive listing of attacks prior to and including the 911. Chapter 3 narrative indicates indecision and disagreement over which agency is responsible for what, and within each agency which office is responsible. This disagreement seems to have been resolved.

National Library of Medicine: Who is to blame for COVID-19? Well, blame is unknown, however the global effects are somewhat known. Occurrences of pathogens appear to be in the future.

The Last- And Only Foreign Scientist in the Wuhan Lab Speaks Out. It appears an insider agrees with the indefinite results of pursuit for answers. Whatever the cause, it is international terrorism. World Health Organization data on COVID-19.

List of wars: 2003-present: Reflects the definition of war in the foundation post on WWIII. Terrorism is frequently reported during indicated events. International and domestic terrorism activities continue by the aggressor to intimidate the opponent and gain access without the need to finance a war between nations, or within nations. However, war and terrorism appear to be the current approach. The table includes links to the history of individual wars.

Education Research:

TraCCC: Transnational Crime and Corruption Center is the first center in the United States devoted to understanding the links among terrorism, transnational crime and corruption, and to teaching, researching, training and helping to formulate policy on these critical issues. TraCCC is a research center within the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University.

NSI: The National Security Institute at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School

START: Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism website. A Department of Homeland Security Emeritus Center of Excellence led by the University of Maryland.

Norwich University Online: State-of-the-art offerings with a 200-year history of academic excellence and innovation. The nation’s first private college to offer civil engineering instruction to being one of the first institutions to receive designation as an NSA Center of Excellence in Information Security Education,

DEGREE CHOICES: Counterterrorism degrees, programs, and careers.

Posts represent opinions of the editor based solely on available public information.

Notes:

  • Posts are designed to be quick reads and represent the initial cuts on subjects.
  • Textual material consists of modified entries from the linked-to resources.
  • Postings are an index of detailed information accessed by selecting included links.
  • Organizations linked-to maintain ownership and are responsible for accuracy.
  • Posts are based on Horizon / Environmental Scanning futurist research methods.

End of Posting