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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 7h

Always the best way to celebrate getting $20 billion from the Trump administration to screw US soybean farmers.

Michael @therightarticle.bsky.social · 1d

Argentina's Milei launches new book with rock concert amid political turmoil

He wrecks the country. It's what the far right do.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY8s...

Argentina's Milei launches new book with rock concert amid political turmoil

YouTube video by Al Jazeera English

www.youtube.com

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Reposted by Phillips OBrien

ItWillGetWorse @blackkettle.bsky.social · 1d

From OBrien's post:

"One thing I have learned about myself over the last three and a half years of writing pieces of analysis is that my greatest errors almost always emerge from optimism."

Uff. I'd have to say the same.

Short and well worth a read. Don't ignore the embedded links.

Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 1d

Just sent out this post. Three and a half years after Bucha, after mass child abductions started, after nightly attacks on civilians, the political strength of parties sympathetic to Russia (which is doing these things) is growing not declining. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Does Europe Really Want to Save Itself?

We will know Sooner Than Many Understand.

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Phillips OBrien

🇩🇰🇺🇦🇬🇪Tordenskjold🔔 @tordenskjoldcph.bsky.social · 1d

Europeans voting for extremes must understand this. They’ll start with ones you might not like: muslims, homosexuals etc.

But as Amen in the church even light destillations of fascism will continue with journalism, courts and eventually physically threaten any kind of opposition. Even you.

Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 1d

Just sent out this post. Three and a half years after Bucha, after mass child abductions started, after nightly attacks on civilians, the political strength of parties sympathetic to Russia (which is doing these things) is growing not declining. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Does Europe Really Want to Save Itself?

We will know Sooner Than Many Understand.

open.substack.com

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 1d

They lead the polls in Germany, France and the UK.

The question therefore needs to be asked. Does Europe Really Want To Save Itself?

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 1d

Just sent out this post. Three and a half years after Bucha, after mass child abductions started, after nightly attacks on civilians, the political strength of parties sympathetic to Russia (which is doing these things) is growing not declining. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Does Europe Really Want to Save Itself?

We will know Sooner Than Many Understand.

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Phillips OBrien

Michael Henderson @trendyhendy.bsky.social · 2d

The paradox of "I am all powerful God-King" and "Democrats won't let me open the government" may finally be hitting his voters

Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 2d

Some major miscalculations by Trump
and the GOP here. First, after spending ages praising to Trump, letting him rule by executive order, letting him boast about his great power, they thought voters would say the government shutdown was the Dems fault. Americans see the Government as Trump’s.

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 2d

Dems should now aggressively move to force more climbdowns from Trump and the GOP to let them off the hook.

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 2d

Second; Trump and the GOP have been excellent at mostly shielding their voters from any economic harm by blowing up the deficit and bailing them int of needs be (see soybean farmers), but in this case they were about to stick their voters with a massive bill.

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 2d

Some major miscalculations by Trump
and the GOP here. First, after spending ages praising to Trump, letting him rule by executive order, letting him boast about his great power, they thought voters would say the government shutdown was the Dems fault. Americans see the Government as Trump’s.

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 2d

Dems would have been better showing this fighting spirit from the start

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 2d

Why the Democrats were right to force the Republicans hand on the gov't shutdown. Trump is freaking out because the GOP will be blamed for bankrupting many Americans over healthcare. The Democrats should force a full and humiliating climb down on Trump and the GOP.

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Reposted by Phillips OBrien

Alice Stollmeyer @stollmeyer.bsky.social · 4d

🔥 Finally an EU leader says it out loud:

“We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies.”

Defend Democracy @defenddemocracy.bsky.social · 4d

President Macron: “Europeans, let's wake up!

We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”

defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 3d

When people start doubting that Trump actually wants to work with dictators, they might ask themselves why the two states he is working hard to limit military sales to are Taiwan and Ukraine.

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Reposted by Phillips OBrien

warriorseamstress.bsky.social @warriorseamstress.bsky.social · 3d

"And what the Russians at the same time is trying to make civilian life unbearable in the east. They are hunting down civilians in Kherson, for instance, and yesterday did a particularly grotesque double tap attack on a civilian train in Sumy."

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Reposted by Phillips OBrien

Dr Gráinne Nic An tSaoi @justgronya.bsky.social · 3d

As predictable as a dawn sunrise.

Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 3d

Also, all the hopes that Trump would provide concrete aid to Ukraine began to ebb away this week (as predicted). Trump still does not want to help Ukraine and still wants to work with Putin--he just wants Putin to love him in return. And you know who knows this? Putin does.

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 3d

Also, all the hopes that Trump would provide concrete aid to Ukraine began to ebb away this week (as predicted). Trump still does not want to help Ukraine and still wants to work with Putin--he just wants Putin to love him in return. And you know who knows this? Putin does.

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 3d

Its why those who argued Ukraine needs to throw all its young people into the military do not understand war.

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 3d

HI all, just sent out my free weekend update. It was one of those weeks (months really) which confirmed how the war is evolving. The land war is getting more frozen and destructive for those in it, the strategic air war is broadening and expanding. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Weekend Update #153: The Land War Is Hardening; The Air War Is Broadening

Has Trump's Rhetorical Change Meant Anything Concrete?

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Phillips OBrien

PKs Powerfromspace1 🚀 Twitter ‘X’ refugee thank you 'Elon' 🙄 @powerfromspace1.bsky.social · 3d

Brutally honest 👇

And Putler now knows and has confirmed the weak under belly of West is #NATO-1

No capital including London could handle any Drone/Missile attack the Kyiv takes every night.

Receipt MoD 🇬🇧 🧾 thedefensepost.com/2025/04/25/b...

Unless NATO goes on offense

#SlavaUkraine 💪🏽🇺🇦

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 3d

These signs are ominous, and people are trying to pretend they are no big deal.

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 3d

The Russian drones operations reveal two things that Europeans seem unable to admit to themselves. The first is that they are unwilling/incapable of stopping these operations and seem helpless to keep them from multiplying. The second is that the US government doesnt care and will not help Europe.

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Reposted by Phillips OBrien

Minna Ålander 🌻 @alanderminna.bsky.social · 4d

This week’s short Europe Dispatch with @phillipspobrien.bsky.social:

Deterrence by denial doesn’t work in hybrid warfare because denying effect doesn’t stop Russia from continuing the attacks. What a nice life we all could have had if Russia had just become a normal country after the Cold War. Alas

The Resilience Dilemma

In this week’s Europe Dispatch, Minna Ålander reflects on the fact that deterrence by resilience clearly does not work.

open.substack.com

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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 4d

The Latest Europe Dispatch by @alanderminna.bsky.social just appeared (free as always). Russian hybrid attacks cannot be met just by resilience, Europe must now seriously consider deterrence by punishment. If only Russia had become a normal state.... open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

The Resilience Dilemma

In this week’s Europe Dispatch, Minna Ålander reflects on the fact that deterrence by resilience clearly does not work.

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Phillips OBrien

Henrik Olsen @henrikolsen1971.bsky.social · 5d

"On why refineries are being attacked—and what matters in refinery attacks [...] Not only is the cracker invaluable to the functioning of the refinery, its an extremely expensive piece of equipment (made up of lots of high grade, very costly metals), and exceedingly difficult to replace"

Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 5d

Hi all, just sent out this free post to explain what matters (and what does not) in the Ukrainian campaign against Russian oil refineries. It discusses why the campaign now seems more successful, but also what else needs to happen to have a greater strategic effect. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Attacking An Oil Production System

Some Of The Nuts And Bolts--Starting With Refineries

open.substack.com

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Reposted by Phillips OBrien

Elio España @elioespana.bsky.social · 5d

Really interesting detail on Ukraine’s campaign targeting Russian oil refineries.

I wonder if this type of campaign can be co-ordinated with the sanctions and other activity on the part of the European states, in order to further disrupt global movement of Russian oil & accelerate the pain.

Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 5d

Hi all, just sent out this free post to explain what matters (and what does not) in the Ukrainian campaign against Russian oil refineries. It discusses why the campaign now seems more successful, but also what else needs to happen to have a greater strategic effect. open.substack.com/pub/phillips...

Attacking An Oil Production System

Some Of The Nuts And Bolts--Starting With Refineries

open.substack.com

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