Kind of a one-two punch isn't it?
Not only the tariffs but the whole "Your Defense is your problem and you want to take military action against another country spend your Blood & Treasure to do it"
Oh look, Haaretz, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel all together right in the first image
Horseshit Trifecta achieved
Once again Liechtenstein skips by unnoticed
Canada #82
Germany gives up on idea of sending troops to Ukraine – Bild
31 Aug, 2025
The plans were reportedly scrapped after US President Donald Trump vowed there won’t be US boots on the ground in the region
Berlin has shelved plans to possibly deploy German soldiers to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, Bild reported on Sunday, citing government sources.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had earlier signaled openness to Berlin joining a possible peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. The idea had been floated by the so-called “coalition of the willing” – a group of Western states pushing for continued aid to Kiev. The group has proposed deploying NATO troops to monitor a potential future ceasefire with Russia as part of security guarantees for Ukraine, despite Moscow’s consistent rejection of any Western military presence in Ukraine under any guise.
Trump, however, said last week that American troops would not be deployed to Ukraine, insisting that the EU should “front load” security guarantees for Kiev, not the US, including with regard to peacekeepers.
According to Bild, Trump’s stance put a halt to Berlin’s discussions about deployment “until further notice.” Sources told the outlet the idea could return “should Trump take action” or once Moscow and Kiev reach a settlement.
In an interview with ZDF on Sunday, Merz confirmed the U-turn, saying “nobody is talking about ground troops at this point” and indicating discussions could resume once a ceasefire is in place.
Instead, Germany reportedly plans to provide financial security guarantees to Ukraine. Sources claimed Berlin intends for the Bundeswehr to continue training Ukrainian soldiers, expand weapons production in Ukraine with German arms firms, and potentially cover part of Ukrainian soldiers’ salaries after a ceasefire to ensure Kiev maintains sufficient forces.
Kiev has demanded security guarantees from Western backers as a precondition for a peace deal. Moscow has not ruled out such guarantees in principle but rejects efforts made without its participation. It has also opposed any Western troop presence in Ukraine, stressing that NATO’s expansion toward its borders was one of the key causes of the conflict.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday that guarantees must be the result of a settlement, not a precondition, and must take into account Russia’s security. She added that any deal should ensure Ukraine’s demilitarization, denazification, neutral and non-nuclear status, and recognition of territorial realities.
https://www.rt.com/news/623760-germany-no-troops-ukraine-bild/
>>23532228 (me)
Maybe it's because those they want to conscript are not going to obey?
Canada #82
German police disperse protest against militarization
Activists in Cologne rallied against Berlin’s plans to boost defense spending and aid for Ukraine and Israel
31 Aug, 2025
An initially peaceful anti-war march in Cologne descended into violence on Saturday after activists clashed with police. Protesters were rallying against Berlin’s plans to boost military spending and aid for Ukraine and Israel.
The rally, which reportedly drew nearly 3,000 people, was organized by the anti-war group Disarm Rheinmetall, a reference to Germany’s top defense supplier. The group staged multiple demonstrations this week, including blocking access to a Bundeswehr building on Wednesday and protesting outside Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger’s home in Meerbusch, near Dusseldorf.
The activists said they were opposing the government’s plans to increase defense spending, expand the army through conscription, and provide military support to Ukraine and Israel.
Footage from Saturday’s protest showed banners reading “lay down your arms” and “We won’t die in your wars.” One protester told the video agency Ruptly that German militarization and NATO’s role in the Ukraine conflict marked “a significant step towards World War III.” Another criticized the government for channeling funds into the arms industry instead of social needs and education.
According to reports, citing the local authorities, the march was repeatedly halted after police reported seeing protesters masking themselves and setting off smoke bombs. Police also said it intercepted an escort vehicle carrying pyrotechnics, methylated spirits, and gas cylinders. It claimed it was eventually forced to disperse the crowd after some demonstrators attacked officers.
Videos posted online showed police using their fists, batons and tear gas, with several activists visibly injured. A number of protesters were reportedly detained, though no figure was given.
A spokesman for the demonstrators accused the police of attacking activists, claiming between 40 and 60 people were injured.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suspended borrowing limits to ramp up defense spending, pledging to raise it to 3.5% of GDP by 2029. He also announced plans to expand the Bundeswehr from about 182,000 to 240,000 active troops by 2031, and introduced mandatory registration for 18-year-olds to prepare for a potential return to conscription. He has further suggested that German troops could be deployed to Ukraine as part of a European peacekeeping force, despite Russia’s rejection of any Western troop presence in Ukraine under any guise.
https://www.rt.com/news/623752-german-police-protest-militarization/
Canada #82
Meet Herb Sandler: The Mysterious Leftist Billionaire Responsible for Bankrolling the Lawfare Superstructure
by Alexander Marlow 26 Aug 2025
While researching Breaking the Law: Exposing the Weaponization of America’s Legal System Against Donald Trump, I uncovered a list of billionaire “philanthropists” who were using their immense wealth to fund the lawfare superstructure.
Some are familiar to this audience, like George Soros and Reid Hoffman, but others are likely unknown to you. I summarize some key findings here.
One name that was new to me prior to beginning work on Breaking the Law was Herb Sandler. (Sandler and Soros collaborate, as I explain below.)
I did a long interview with Dr. Michael Savage for his podcast, which just appeared on his Newsmax television show, where he specifically wanted to zero in on Sandler and the Sandler Foundation.
Here is what you need to know about Herb Sandler:
In recent years, no one has done more to weaponize fake news against conservative jurists than ProPublica. ProPublica is a nonprofit largely funded by the Sandler Foundation, which was founded by late leftist banking magnate and billionaire Herb Sandler. Sandler was one of the pioneers of using the veneer of philanthropy to fund activist organizations.
Herb Sandler built a fortune through Golden West Financial Corporation (which operated branches as World Savings Bank). It was, at one time, the second-largest savings and loan association in the United States and thrived for decades partially by selling “Pick-a-Pay” loans, a type of ARM designed to give borrowers flexibility in their payments. These types of loans drew heavy criticism and are widely considered “predatory.”
The Pick-a-Pay criticism ramped up substantially after the 2008 financial crisis, which happened to be just after Sandler cashed out, selling Golden West to Wachovia for over $25 billion in 2006 (Herb and his wife Marion would have bagged about ten percent of that). Wachovia factored significantly into the 2008 financial crisis due to a heavy portfolio of risky mortgage assets. (The Sandlers have defended themselves, saying their Pick-a-Pay product did better under their stewardship — i.e., a lower default rate than Wachovia.)
In summation, Herb Sandler got rich off pioneering a risky loan product, cashed out before the financial crisis, and started a foundation to fund leftist activism with the money.
Without Herb Sandler, there would be no ProPublica, which has, for years, attempted to destabilize the Supreme Court with its exposés.
ProPublica is essentially a glorified opposition research-gathering entity that finds dirt on the political targets of its ultra-wealthy donors. Essentially, it is activism with journalism characteristics, and it has its sights set on conservative justices. This is not a bad business model (we on the right should have more publications like this). Just because someone gathered the information specifically to attack a political target, that doesn’t mean the information isn’t true.
Media reports often failed to note that ProPublica’s top donors are on the activist left. George Soros’s Foundation to Promote Open Society has given more than $3 million to ProPublica, for example.
ProPublica exists for the express purpose of advancing causes associated with modern liberalism and leftism. That means they cherry-pick their targets.
More:
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/08/26/meet-herb-sandler-the-mysterious-leftist-billionaire-responsible-for-bankrolling-the-lawfare-superstructure/
>The cause of death was not disclosed