The annual report that outlines global risks and threats to U.S. national security is titled the “Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community.” It is often referred to, in short, as the “Annual Threat Assessment” (ATA).
For many decades, Russia was the primary threat to the United States according to this report. Only recently has it shifted to second place, with China moving into the top spot.
In March 2014, an economic war—waged by the United States and its “allies” against the Russian Federation—officially began, triggered by the annexation of Crimea. Following the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the situation escalated with an unprecedented wave of sanctions aimed at isolating the Russian economy from the global financial system (including exclusion from SWIFT, the freezing of Central Bank reserves, embargoes on oil and natural gas, and the seizure of assets). In total, multiple packages of restrictive measures have been approved; the EU, the United States, and other Western allies have implemented at least 21 rounds of sanctions with the objective of economically weakening Moscow.
The First Defeat
After 12 years of intense economic warfare, the first defeat among the parties involved has been recorded. To the surprise of all naive observers, this is not a defeat for Russia, but for the USA!
President Trump—a man of the television spotlight—enthusiastically announced that he had reached an agreement with President Putin to purchase (initially) several million barrels of Russian oil. The goal is to provide relief to the domestic US fuel market—a market that would have already set the country ablaze had the tanks not run dry, with prices in some states reaching as high as 7 dollars per gallon of gasoline.
It is worth recalling that this brazen liar, during his election campaign, gave one interview after another, telling American voters that “the US has all the oil it wants” and that “we have more than we need.” He even promised to ramp up extraction, famously adopting the slogan: “Drill, baby, drill!”…
The Second Defeat
The reality, however—as evidenced by the actions of his administration—appears entirely different. First, he effectively “plundered” a neighboring state, Venezuela; through what amounted to a piratical boarding operation, he toppled the government, abducted the President, and installed puppets who handed over the country’s truly inexhaustible natural resources to him. It should be noted here that Venezuela’s abundant oil is somewhat “difficult”—it requires specialized processing, distinct from the capabilities of existing U.S. refineries, and therefore demands both time and capital to become profitable.
His success there served as a stepping stone toward launching a foolish, deceitful, and illegal war against Iran. But in this conflict—involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran—the aggressors suffered a crushing defeat, and the downward spiral began…
Initially, they claimed they needed to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program—a goal they later asserted had been achieved. Then, they argued they had to overthrow the “evil mullahs” who were supposedly tormenting the good people of Iran. You see, there is a metaphysical urge in the US to liberate and democratize peoples across the globe… by killing them… Yet, they failed.
Then, they told us that they once again needed to neutralize a nuclear program that had already been neutralized… Subsequently, they threatened every NATO member for failing to provide military support for the war in the Strait of Hormuz. In the end, while the Americans supposedly have full control of the Strait, they are abandoning their bases in the region and have withdrawn their fleets…
… And the Pivotal Defeat
The TV-personality US President has overseen the second major US military defeat of our time—following the Afghanistan fiasco, where the Americans and their allies spent 20 years fighting the Afghan mullahs, only to ultimately hand them full control of the country, along with a “gift” of over $80 billion in military equipment left behind during a panicked retreat.
The immediate consequence of this foolish war with Iran is the beginning of the collapse of the US economy—a collapse Trump is attempting to stall by purchasing oil from Russia, effectively swallowing his own threats, sanctions, and grandstanding.
Anyone who, defying common sense, refuses to acknowledge the pivotal defeat signaled by this oil purchase should consider the accompanying facts:
1. Trump suddenly seeks a revival of peace talks regarding Ukraine.
2. Lavrov states that economic cooperation with Iran will not cease, and he is traveling to Tehran to discuss the possibility of de-escalation.
3. Japan unilaterally announces that it will continue and upgrade its dialogue with Russia on issues concerning both nations.
4. Rubio announces that the U.S. is “postponing” new sanctions against Russia in order to “give diplomacy a chance.”
5. Suddenly—after four years of obscurity—the German Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office and judicial authorities have officially accused Ukraine of the Nord Stream sabotage near Denmark; they have brought to the dock 50-year-old Serhiy Kuznetsov, a former Ukrainian special forces officer who was arrested in Italy and extradited to Germany.
6. Equally striking is Netanyahu’s complete silence regarding the U.S. purchase of Russian diesel.
President Trump—a man of television fame—believed, and likely still believes, that by using blatant lies and mafia-style political deals (let us not forget his long-standing professional association with casinos, the flagship business of the American mafia), he could hoodwink leaders across the globe.
All he has managed to do is set the countdown clock ticking for the heavily indebted United States.
