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john webster's avatar

I think that Brian Berletic is closest to the mark in analysing Trump. He is just a variation of US Foreign Policy to try and maintain global dominance.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

I agree that Berletic is closest to the mark on most things. Yes, of course the hegemon is trying to maintain global dominance as I have said once or twice. But I am still puzzled by Trump's reluctance to end the war in Ukraine because I can't see how it benefits the US. As I said, it could be that Trump simply doesn't know what to do in a difficult situation. I'm neither supporting Trump nor vilifying him: I'm simply trying to understand what's going on. Cheers.

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Ray-SoCa's avatar

Trump got kneecapped in his first administration by Russiagate / Ukraine, so believes he needs to undermine the political strength of Ukraine, and this takes time. Ukraine and its supporters have an outsized political influence in the U.S.

Trump understands Russia will establish terms on the battlefield, and the U.S. has demonstrated (Libya - Khadify agreed to Bush to de-nuke, in exchange for no U.S. attack. Obama broke that promise, and Khadify ended up dead and sodomized), that any agreement can be revoked by the next President. So Trump’s strategy is restore relations with Russia, while avoiding blame for Ukraine’s fall. And not be seen as a Russian stooge.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

I understand what you are saying Ray, Russiagate hurt Trump politically. Thanks.

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Anthony's avatar

Thanks for the update Rob and Happy Easter.

Interesting comments by Rubio about the US walking away from the Ukraine war soon if peace is not agreed.

I wonder who the comments were aimed at?

I also wonder how the US delegation faired with the Euro nazi sympathisers at the recent meeting.

Zelensky keeps coming up with his updates about Chinese involvement and the fact that Ukraine will not give up land.

I don't want to sound too despondent but there never was a real exit strategy from any of the players.

Is the US truly giving up on poking the bear? Or backing off, perhaps, as it's patsy, Germany, wants to double down on stupid and give Taurus missiles to the Ukro-nationalists.

Who, as Simplicus highlighted are in the process of forming another nazi army corps to overrule their serfs whilst avoiding prolonged fighting on the front lines.

It also seems like the media in the US is being (a little) more truthful when reporting on the Russo/Ukraine war.

What with CBS stating the 100,000 dead Ukraine soldiers which the coke king denied saying afterwards.

Odd times-with Kellogg also following the Western propaganda hit on the Russians after the 117th brigade ceremony was attacked in Sumy.

Our so called leaders make the situation more dangerous week by week.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

I get the impression that the US has been putting pressure on the Russians for a while by raising expectations through the media. But that won't bother the Russians. 'Which part of demilitarisation and de-Nazification did you not understand' they will say. And which part of 'dealing with the root causes' is not clear to you. Rubio's comments were those delivered by someone who expects to be obeyed. 'If you naughty children don't behave, we are taking the ball away'. I didn't have much on the meeting when I published but it seems the meeting was in favour of the 'ceasefire without conditions' option - which they must know the Russians will not accept. The Exit strategy may turn out to be a military one by default because there is too much disagreement between the various parties for any other outcome to be achieved. The divisions are obvious when Kellogg goes along with the propaganda while Trump said 'it was an accident'. Happy Easter Anthony.

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Anthony's avatar

Yes Rob. If it ever was Trump's real desire to bring an end to the war he must see now that it is not what the deep state, Ukrainians and Euros want.

Or for that matter the stooges present in his own administration.

So the best plan would be to get resources instead?

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

The forces of the DS are strong even in its defeat. This will take a long, long time to work through. We will need plenty of popcorn to satisfy our voyeuristic urges. The Update may morph into a World Affairs blog but I think the focus on Ukraine will endure for some time after the military conflict ends.

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Tilly's avatar

Thanks so much for this excellent weekly update, Dr. Rob. Everything in your report is valuable, but this time I am also really grateful to you for that short video of Dmitri Peskov and his wife. I love figure skating and I didn't know his wife was a figure skating champion and that he also can skate. It was a delightful video.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

A human dimension in an inhuman world. Thanks Tilly.

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William Bowles's avatar

I don't understand the apparent confusion surrounding Trump's actions, that somehow, because he is an ignorant, racist shit, that somehow this makes Trump's US foreign policy objectives something other than that of a continuation of US imperialist objectives. So for example, Trump's public utterences about ending the US/NATO proxy war on Russia, in Ukraine,are nothing more than that, utterances, the objectives haven't changed, just the tactics. It seems that some critics of Trump, can't distinguish between stupidity and policy.

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Giuseppe Corvo's avatar

What one might observe vis a vis Trump and most of the leaders in “the West” is that none of them seems to be acting in the best interests of their citizens nor do they seem to care what said citizens desire…..Orban and Fico possibly excepted. Trump specifically seems driven by a high pressure salesman instinct ignoring advice from more knowledgeable sources. To use ad hominem tactics like calling him racist do little to advance your argument. Americans suffer from lack of real choice in political “leaders” and lack of power to resist the machinations of the bureaucratic deep state that really runs the country. Same goes in spades for Europeans. This move by Kallas is a prime example.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

Yes - Western leaders have never operated in the interests of the majority: i.e. the workers. But nowadays ignoring the wishes of the people who elected you is a 'badge of honour' among our globalist leaders who serve the interests of their masters in the DS. Interesting about Trump operating like a pressure salesman: it rings true. I wonder, is Witkoff operating like a real estate agent?

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

Yes - of course, it could be simply a continuation of US Imperial policy but I don't know that to be the case. I don't have your certainty. I didn't say that Trump is racist btw but he could be. Thanks William.

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William Bowles's avatar

He could be racist? Do you not have any idea of the history of this man and what he thinks? And I never said that you said he's a racist, I said he's a racist.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

I misunderstood what you were saying - thanks for clearing that up.

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Giuseppe Corvo's avatar

What I responded to was use of ad hominem not being a rational argument, like calling someone who opposes the actions of the Israeli government in Gaza an antisemite is not one. There’s plenty to criticize about Trump but use of such tactics like Clinton calling Trump supporters a basket of deplorables is a losing tactic…..just ask Hillary Clinton.

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William Bowles's avatar

So you're saying calling him a racist is not rational, even if he is? Okay, I have nothing to add to this exchange.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

Is your name Richard by any chance? If not, you sound just like a Richard who used to post on here.

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William Bowles's avatar

My name is what you see

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Giuseppe Corvo's avatar

No….I’m simply pointing out that calling people names is ineffective…..further it is lazy. BTW using the “so you’re saying” method is also inaccurate. Finally, neither you nor I truly know if Trump is a racist and in any case how would that be relevant?

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Trappedbehindenemylines's avatar

Brilliant read thank you 🙏

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

I think you may have read last week's update not this week's.

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Trappedbehindenemylines's avatar

Probably, I'm new to Substack. I subscribe to Patrick Lancaster and your Substack came up as a recommendation so I read the first article. If only the Western mainstream media would report the truth of the tragic Russia/Ukraine conflict it may have never escalated to where it is.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

Thanks. If only the MSM would tell the truth eh - lots of problems would never arise. I've been following Patrick since Mariupol two and a half years ago. I've no idea why he recommended me but have gained many subscriptions through him. In case you don't know Patrick was on Tucker Carlson's show: https://youtu.be/NObi_e3yf3U?si=NfU88cZ0KeG4L0fI

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Trappedbehindenemylines's avatar

Good old MSM 🤣 probably because your updates are so good. I've followed Patrick since Mariupol also. Thanks I'll check it out.

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Don Midwest's avatar

Lots of interesting things today. What is Trump up to? This from MOA struck me. Copied from MOA

I severly doubt that a wealth grab of the elites really is the driving force here. Wealth disparities are already higher than they ever were, the issue is more that there is nothing else to loot so the greed focused inward and against former allies/vassals now.

What Trump and his ilk are really destroying here is the liberal, democratic power base of the coasts. This is both a fascist power grab, renunciation of globalism but not of subjugation and colonialism.

Project 2025 is a project of isolationist America, which coincidentally also is the christofascist, racist WASP America.

What's new this time is the eschatological aspect, the "end of times", rapture part of things - this element of ideology is the idea that believers should help the end of times along as to live on earth when rapture happens - and those faithful will be elevated. Hardship does not matter as it either gets inflicted on outsiders. This is tautological, as gods will is expressed through material wealth, anyone failing wasn't faithful enough anyway. Similar to Nazi ideology where consequences only happen to the weak and are a consequence of not enough will or weakness.

And yes, there is a plan to dimantle large parts of US federal structure, "stick it to the man". At least that drives the base, the elites just want to get rich and kill to get there.

The whole rebuilding aspect is an afterthought at best, for now it is the thanatic thrill of destruction and the will to power.

The less conscious part is the unintelligent, brutal/brutish lashing out against the intellectuals. This is a uniquely American streak going back to conquistador and frontier days.

The vision of the believer, physical, forceful, agressive, fascist but somehow suppressed hero beating the weak, decadent but intellectually superior, scheming and successful liberal is the cultural image.

As destruction is far easier than building the results are predictable.

The empire will fall apart as the soft and hard power are complex structures. Anti-intellectualism and Anti-humanism will not lead to building anything.

Insert any set of images here, Rome, Byzantium, Planet of the Apes..

The intent of MAGA doesn't matter any more.

Posted by: SOS | Apr 19 2025 9:08 utc | 248

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

Thanks for that Don - good to hear from you.

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Don Midwest's avatar

Brain drain in the US. I left university teaching in 1978 and joined AT&T Bell Labs. Bell Labs at that time had the reputation as "the best R&D lab in the world. Sometime in the 1980's I added a subtext "for a regulated monopoly." Now Bell Labs is gone and even Western Electric, the manufacturing arm of AT&T for 140 years, is not only gone, but the brand name was not even retained. In 1978 AT&T had a million employees with good paying jobs. Now it is a marketing company.

During the 90's many, many PhD's in physics went into finance and some created the financial derivatives.

My comment was prompted by this from MOA today

"One of the reasons manufacturing declined in the U.S. is the result of a brain drain towards sectors that make more money, so it is difficult to see where the managers actually are, where they actually exist right now, and what could induce them to segue their skills into becoming floor-managers in industry.

Keep in mind that an unemployment rate of 4% means we’re talking about 12 million potential employees, all of whom are scattered about.

People trained in high-productivity sectors are not going to migrate down on the employment food chain to low-skilled work. Those who make money in insurance, real estate, in banking, in investment capital and in entrepreneurial start-ups are not suddenly going to begin sewing shirts on a factory line.

Posted by: steel_porcupine | Apr 19 2025 6:46 utc | 225"

*** Lets compare this with Russia today which prizes expertise.

"Putin's Visit to Bauman Moscow State Technical University: Talks with Students & Space Activities

Several combined events

Karl Sanchez Apr 18, 2025"

https://karlof1.substack.com/p/putins-visit-to-bauman-moscow-state

Physicists and other very technical scientists and engineers are heroes in Russia. Putin discusses technical issues with students and in the US Trump only gets one page summaries of issues.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

Some interesting stuff there. Thanks.

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Don Midwest's avatar

Law and politics are two modes of existence that hold actors accountable for their action.

Trump is risking defeat from both.

Something from Reason magazine in the US. About them from the web "Is reason magazine right-wing? Reason is an American libertarian monthly magazine published by the Reason Foundation, with the tagline "Free Minds and Free Markets"."

"Supreme Court Unanimously Orders Trump To 'Facilitate' the Return of Wrongly Deported Man

Trump lost on his most aggressive claims of executive power for the second time in a week.

Damon Root | 4.11.2025 1:05 PM"

https://reason.com/2025/04/11/supreme-court-unanimously-orders-trump-to-facilitate-the-return-of-wrongly-deported-man/

And a later Supreme Court decision on Venezuelans, only one 1 judge supported Trump. He lost that one as well. Is the legal system worried about the Constitution?

On the economy, the impending inflation will hurt Trump supporters more than the rest of the people. China's refusal to buy any more Boeing aircraft, including parts, could lead to the final nail in the coffin of one of US's premier manufacturing companies. This fulfills a death wish several years ago when they could have built an entirely new plane from the ground up, but instead chose to send profits to the financial sector.

And, as even Putin has said, the base costs in the US, e.g., housing, medical care, transportation, etc., make few areas that US can compete globally on making products. Hence Trump's policies are a pipe dream. Well, maybe like poor countries, the US can learn to produce locally.

One of Trump's advisers is eagerly supporting ship building which has for the most part disappeared. On Karlof1's substack he features Putin's trip to the Artic and the discussion of their initial plans for the next 50 years of their Navy.

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kam's avatar

No consequences to the Politicians letting illegals into the United State by the millions. Consequences, including Individual Hearings for those millions that came in in groups, for the Politician who is sending them back.

Yet, one more brick on the weak American Camel.

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Sue's avatar

Dear Dr. Rob. Your ñewspaper is bery co*plete oñly *issiñg publicity añd & obituaries so fañtastic

without propagañda but iñcludes bigñettes Wow!

I absolutely lobed the use of Gaulatier.

Your Patagoñiañ-Spañish follower

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

Sounds very complimentary Sue - thanks.

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Golden Mean's avatar

I'd strongly recommend you place your faith in your own counsel and ignore these people - Crooke; Ritter; Johnson; Martyanov; Sachs; Mearsheimer; Marandi; Doctorow; Marouf; Wolff; Escobar; Wilkerson; McGovern; Baud; Norfield; Krainer; Roberts; Mercouris; MacGregor; Davis; Berletic; Diesen and others - seek out ORIGINAL source information and make your own judgments!

Especially avoid Simplicius and Bernhard + Moon of Alabama like they were the plague.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

Well - I was trying to make my own judgements out of source material to an extent but I also wanted to acquaint people with different the points of view held. Thanks.

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kam's avatar

It is always amusing when being upbraided for what and who you read.

I have always recommended Das Kapital and Mein Kampf. Better than a sleeping pill.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

I've read more of the former than the latter but I know what you mean.

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parameter9's avatar

'2026' is 18 months away, Rob (not '2006')

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

Thanks for that: I've edited it.

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Golden Mean's avatar

Thanks again for your good work.

But about "We live in hope." I cannot agree with you. There is nothing to be optimistic about Rob. Everything is unraveling at speed. Humpty Dumpty will not be put back together again.

May through October the shit shall hit the fan like never before. Pick anywhere, any issue. From Ukraine to climate to tariffs to the US and Europe. No peace anywhere. Key point being Israel has won hands down against Hamas and the Palestinians, and the entire Axis of Resistance is now dead and gone. I expect the Iran regime to not last the year out unless they choose to totally comply to US Israeli demands forthwith.

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Golden Mean's avatar

RE "This shows that the original plan was not thought through properly. "

Not so. Again I do not agree. The Plan was and still is to blow everything up, to destabilize everything and everyone. Project2025 is being implemented to the letter. It's a set up, the Tariffs are not supposed to work as claimed - they know that - it's planned not to work.

Meanwhile there will be no Ukr ceasefire or peace agreements and that was planned too. That Putin is even talking with Trump and the US should tell all how stupid and gullible the Russians still are. This Ukr war will continue unresolved for decades as a basket case situation. That's good for the US billionaire class elites and the Zionists everywhere-it keeps everything unstable as a result with the US seemingly in 'control' of the bigger events that matter. Like energy and finance and Russia contained unable to act beyond it's own territory now.

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Dr. Rob Campbell's avatar

Thanks for that. What you say is possible but I hope you are wrong. Time will tell.

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