In 58 posts with close to 100k words, we shared a lot in 2024! Explore 2024’s biggest geopolitical shifts, cultural battles, and bold insights with Drishtikone’s year in review. See you in 2025! Happy New Year! Be safe!
When you see Russia get into existential war over Ukraine, or Israel bomb Syria or India battle with Pakistan or Bangladesh, it is not because of some whim. It has a historical and geographical context. That is critical to understand for analyzing geopolitics.
There is an unrest brewing in the US. And this unrest is from the high-handedness of Trump and his ways which are already threatening to unravel US and its international relations.
And those who express their unrest are only growing stronger and more creative in their ways. Irrespective of where one is with respect to Trump, widespread unrest is always very dangerous in any society! There are two ways this thing goes towards its logical end really:
Threatens and Engulfs Trump Presidency: That is if democratic norms and values are still left in this country. Given how widespread the whole unrest and protests are and the fact that ONLY 55% people voted for either Hillary or Trump, we can be staring into a situation where a very large population of people (45% voters who didn’t vote + Hillary supporters) who did or did not vote feel motivated to march and resent Trump. The crescendo in any democracy of such movements can be deafening and devastating.
Trump turns dictatorial and government reprisals start: That is the way of China. Or Iran or Pakistan or Venezuela. But that is how psychopathic leaders fight against those who try to question or undermine their rule. Instead of mending their ways to align with the country, they start a reign of terror and dictatorship of their own.
The sad thing is that if he doesn’t turn to the scenario #2, then scenario #1 is a certainty.
Two things have happened in public eye with respect to the unrest:
Women’s March: There were worldwide protests on January 21, 2017 for many agendas – women’s rights, immigration reform, healthcare reform, the natural environment, LGBTQ rights, racial equality, freedom of religion, and workers’ rights. Per some estimates 500,000 people participated in Washington DC alone. And globally some 4.8 mn participated. That is a large number where Trump is being resisted not just in his own country but the movement is finding resonance in masses across the globe. This not just obviously compromises his standing at home but his ability to influence agenda across the world. He may not care two hoots about women in US, but when he goes to deal with say Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull, he will be impacted by what women and people in his country think of Trump and their need and ways to engage with him.
Spontaneous Airport Protests: For many days crowds gathered at the major US airports like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Dallas, New York’s JFK, Raleigh, Houston, Seattle, Portland, Atlanta – to protest what has been called a #MuslimBan and a #TravelBan. Chanting slogans like “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here” – so many gathered at the airports to denounce the rather ill-conceived and badly executed Executive Order on Immigration by Trump. Tens of thousands have taken part in these protests!
There are however, two more event, which I find very significant. Before we go there, let us look at what the mood of the public is out there. In a recent poll out today, 40% registered voters now actually support impeaching of Trump. And 52% would like to have Obama in as opposed to only 43% who are happy to have Trump as their President!
Rogue POTUS Staff Twitter Handle
Did you know that some White House insiders have already created a secret and anonymous account and are tweeting the going ons from inside the WH? The twitter handle is @RoguePOTUSStaff. And it includes stuff on how obnoxious Trump is and where the whole Presidency is going given the mess inside the WH. Check these:
Trump is already selling his own merchandize as the US President:
and probably looking at women being a better “entertainment piece” by providing beautiful visuals?
And as if it wasn’t enough that Trump is goofing around with the world leaders and the global policies, he is continuing to refuse the intelligence briefings.
This is significant. Because it shows the level of hatred and stiffling that the main staff is already feeling around President Trump. They are disgruntled and mad enough to go out and risk their lives and careers by sharing what is going on inside. One can be certain of one thing though – such things and whistle-blowers will start to emerge from everywhere.
Hackers go against Trump:
In a first, hackers have gained access into local radio stations and shut down their programming replacing it with a YG and Nipsey Hussle’s anti-Trump rap song “Fuck Donald Trump,”
At least 5 radio stations have been impacted. Apparently it was done via the known vulnerability of the low power FM transmitters.
News outlet Heat Street has been able to confirm the hackings had taken place through a glitch in Barix Exstreamer devices, commonly used for decoding audio file formats before sending them along for transmission.
RadioInsight reports the breach affected multiple stations, but some were quick to shut down transmission in an attempt to to avoid getting in trouble for airing the anti-Trump song.
This comes close on heels of arrests of two individuals from London because they hacked into 70% of the CCTV cameras just before the Trump inauguration!
While protests and marches show the known and visible enemies. The latter two – rogue POTUS staff and hackers against Trump movements are invisible and hidden. Yet both the types of resistance movements are critical for the future of the US and indeed the world!
America's Justice Department and SEC have targeted India's Adani Group with a bribery case. Using Nationalistic sentiment doesn't help. Yes, law has been weaponized and India's sovereignty compromised but not how they think. A definitive guide to understanding the case.
There was a clear warning from Putin on provision of long range missiles that could hit deep into Russia to Ukraine. It would be consider as a direct attack by NATO on Russia. Biden has done just that!
The premise and the mindset apparent in the new Trump team points to an interesting world out there. Things will not be rosy, but they will be very different. Very, very different.
The US, and indeed the world has seen a watershed event of Donald Trump's victory. It will change the US direction and may have pushed a World War by at least 3-4 years.
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