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Fox News
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
MORNING GLORY: Has President Trump ordered the big re-think?
Neither President Franklin Delano Roosevelt nor British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, nor any of their senior military or political advisors, saw the Japanese attacks of late 1941 coming. The forces of Imperial Japan achieved total surprise across the intelligence failures in the U.S. leading up to Pearl Harbor were catastrophic. So was Great Britain's general underestimation of the threat from Imperial Japan. The U.K.'s fortress outpost in the Pacific at Singapore was thought to be, if not impregnable, than as close to it as all Americans know the disaster of December 7, 1941. The Battle of Singapore lasted seven days. The British forces surrendered Singapore on February 15, 1942. No one had thought to fortify the peninsula's "back door," assuming the Malayan jungle to be impenetrable. It wasn't. Surprise at this level wins battles, but does not guarantee success in a war, of course, as the defeat of Imperial Japan by the Allies in 1945 demonstrates. Still, this scale of intelligence failure has proven catastrophic again and again, as on 9/11 and 10/7. Ukraine awakened the world to the far-reaching implications of new technology for warfare when, on June 1 of this year, it launched a surprise drone attack targeting multiple Russian airbases deep inside Russian territory, including locations in Siberia. More than 100 small, commercially available drones were smuggled into Russia and launched from trucks near the airbases, striking and damaging or destroying many bombers in Russia's fleet of strategic bombers. Ukrainian drones attacked airfields in five regions stretching across five time zones: Murmansk, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Ryazan and Amur. Less than two weeks later, Israel activated drones smuggled into Iran in parts over a long period of time by its Mossad intelligence agency. When assembled inside of Iran, the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) were launched from inside Iran in tandem with Israel's opening decapitation strikes on Iranian regime targets on June 13. Sources familiar with the operation told the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies that Israel utilized suitcases, trucks, and shipping containers to clandestinely ship the parts into Iran. Welcome to the new surprise attack —one that comes in the shape of small projectiles fired from within a country not from outside of it. Russia and Iran are, of course, closed societies that are authoritarian tended towards the totalitarian. The United States is, by contrast, an open society which as recently as January 19, 2025 —the day prior to President Trump's Inauguration— had a wide-open Southern Border. Drones wouldn't even need to be smuggled across that border so much as hidden in plain sight in boxes marked "drones." What the United States' domestic counter-terrorism forces, as well as the United States military, is doing to prevent such attacks within the United States isn't known. What is known in bits and pieces is alarming. The New York Post, for example, reported in June 2024 that Chinese-owned farmland is located next to 19 U.S. military bases, including Fort Liberty in North Carolina and Fort Cavazos in Texas. An illegal, Chinese-owned biolab was discovered in Reedley, California in late 2022. Within the lab's dozens of freezers and blast coolers, capable of reaching negative 80 degrees Fahrenheit, were biological agents like HIV, COVID, chlamydia, rubella, malaria, and about sixteen other infectious agents, all of which were identified by the CDC. The owner of the lab was subsequently charged with distributing adulterated and misbranded COVID-19 test kits and with making false statements to authorities about his identity and involvement with the biolabs. Sometimes farmland is acquired for farming, drones are just recreational drones, and labs are just testing facilities. It would be nice to know, however, that the feds are on top of the threat and are treating the formerly improbable as not merely the stuff of thrillers and streaming services but the future of warfare. Hugh Hewitt is a Fox News contributor, and host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show," heard weekdays from 3 pm to 6 pm ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on Salem News Channel. Hugh drives America home on the East Coast and to lunch on the West Coast on over 400 affiliates nationwide, and on all the streaming platforms where SNC can be seen. He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel's news roundtable hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET. A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has been a Professor of Law at Chapman University's Fowler School of Law since 1996 where he teaches Constitutional Law. Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990. Hewitt has frequently appeared on every major national news television network, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American paper, has authored a dozen books and moderated a score of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-16 cycle. Hewitt focuses his radio show and his column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump over his 40 years in broadcast, and this column previews the lead story that will drive his radio/ TV show today.
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Kremlin does not rule out Putin-Trump meeting in China in September - War in Ukraine
The Kremlin on Monday said it was not ruling out a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in September in China. Putin is due to visit China in early September for celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. "If it so happens that in the end the US president decides to visit China during those days, then of course such a meeting cannot in theory be excluded," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters including AFP at a briefing. Chinese troops will parade through Beijing's Tiananmen Square alongside aircraft flypasts and high-tech weaponry to mark the anniversary on September 3, Chinese officials said last month. Millions of Chinese people were killed during a prolonged war with imperial Japan in the 1930s and 40s, which merged with the global conflagration following Tokyo's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The war ended with Japan's surrender. Beijing's Communist Party has held a series of blockbuster events in recent years to commemorate its wartime resistance, vowing that China will never be brought to its knees in such a way again. The Kremlin has confirmed Putin will attend the celebrations and Chinese officials said other world leaders are also expected. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Kremlin does not rule out Putin-Trump meeting in China in September
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to visit China in early September for celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. MOSCOW - The Kremlin on July 28 said it was not ruling out a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in September in China. Mr Putin is due to visit China in early September for celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. 'If it so happens that in the end, the US president decides to visit China during those days, then of course such a meeting cannot in theory be excluded,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters including AFP at a briefing. Chinese troops will parade through Beijing's Tiananmen Square alongside aircraft flypasts and high-tech weaponry to mark the anniversary on Sept 3, Chinese officials said in June . Millions of Chinese people were killed during a prolonged war with imperial Japan in the 1930s and 40s, which merged with the global conflagration following Tokyo's attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The war ended with Japan's surrender. Beijing's Communist Party has held a series of blockbuster events in recent years to commemorate its wartime resistance, vowing that China will never be brought to its knees in such a way again. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Thailand, Cambodia agree to 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire' to de-escalate border row Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after PUB tests Singapore Foreign workers who rescued woman from sinkhole given tokens of appreciation Asia Gunman kills 5 security guards near Bangkok's Chatuchak market before taking own life Singapore COE quota up 2.6% to 18,701 for August to October Singapore Ong Beng Seng set to plead guilty on Aug 4 in case linked to ex-transport minister Iswaran Singapore HPB looking for vaping, smoking counselling services for up to 175 secondary school students Singapore Jail for former pre-school teacher who tripped toddler repeatedly, causing child to bleed from nose The Kremlin has confirmed Mr Putin will attend the celebrations and Chinese officials said other world leaders are also expected. AFP
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russiagate was America's other Pearl Harbor
US Senator Ted Cruz has compared the launch of the Trump-Russia investigation to the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, calling it a moment of 'infamy' in American political history. The Texas Republican made the remark on Fox News on Wednesday, accusing former President Barack Obama's administration of lying to the public and using federal agencies to undermine Donald Trump's presidency. 'December 9 should be a day that lives in infamy,' Cruz said, referencing the date in 2016 when the FBI opened its inquiry and the famous wording Franklin D. Roosevelt used in a speech following a surprise Japanese attack on the US naval base in Hawaii. 'That's a moment when senior members of our government decided to lie to the American people and sabotage President Donald Trump.' During a meeting on December 9, 2016, then President Obama ordered National Security Council officials to discard intelligence assessments that found no Russian involvement in Trump's campaign and replace them with claims blaming Moscow based on fabricated data, according to declassified documents released by US National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard last week. Trump had defeated Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in the presidential election that November. The scandal led to the years-long Trump-Russia probe known as 'Russiagate'. It severely damaged relations between Moscow and Washington, leading to sanctions, asset seizures, and a breakdown in normal diplomacy. Russia has not yet commented on Gabbard's revelations. It has however consistently denied allegations that it interfered in the 2016 US election. The Kremlin has described the Russiagate affair as a politically motivated smear campaign intended to justify sanctions and worsen relations with Moscow.
The Star
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Jake Larson, US WWII veteran with 1.2 million TikTok followers, dies at 102
He became an unexpected social media star when his granddaughter opened a TikTok account in his name. Photo: Jake Larson/Instagram Jake Larson, a World War II veteran who had over 1.2 million followers on TikTok, has died at the age of 102, as announced by his granddaughter on social media. Affectionately known online as "Papa Jake," Larson helped plan the Normandy landings and stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. He became an unexpected social media star when his granddaughter opened a TikTok account in his name, followed by his autobiography. "Our beloved Papa Jake passed away on July 17th at the age of 102. Please know that he went peacefully and continued to make jokes until the very end," his granddaughter, McKaela Larson, wrote on Instagram. "At this time, my family and I are asking for some privacy as we process this loss." "I am so grateful that I got to share my Papa Jake with all of you. You were the world to him. When the time is right, I will continue to share Papa Jake's stories and keep his memory alive," she added. "We appreciate all of your kind words and posts. As Papa would say, I love you a bushel and a peck." Born on December 20, 1922, in Owatonna, Minnesota, Larson grew up on a farm without electricity or running water during the Great Depression. He enlisted in the National Guard in 1938 at the age of 15, lying about his age, according to the Best Defense Foundation. His unit was transferred to federal service in 1941 following Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In January 1942, he was sent overseas and stationed in Northern Ireland. He became an operations sergeant and prepared plans for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. Larson was among the Allied troops who stormed the Normandy coast on June 6, 1944, surviving machine-gun fire as he landed on Omaha Beach. He made it unscathed to the bluffs overlooking the beach, then littered with German artillery positions that mowed down American soldiers. After D-Day, he fought during the Battle of the Bulge. He and his beloved Lola later settled in California, where they raised a family after the war. In 2020, his granddaughter started a TikTok account, "storytimewithpapajake," through which he amassed online fame. In 2021, he wrote an autobiography titled The Luckiest Man Alive: Stories From Papa Jake's Life . Larson returned to Normandy for several commemorative celebrations and for the anniversary of D-Day in recent years. – Adnkronos International/Tribune News Service
