Russia, Russia, Russia… More Russia meddling in Africa? Angola arrested two Russian suspects, Igor Racthin and Lev Lakshtanov, as agents provocateurs allegedly working for the Wagner Group’s disinformation and propaganda company ‘Africa Politology‘ (sanctioned by the US Treasury since January 2023). (Apparently, Wagner Group technically no longer exists in some…
Africa
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ISIS Affiliate ADF Murder An Estimated 52 People With Machetes in Eastern DRC… Never Ending
The ISIS affiliate ADF (Re: Islamic State’s Central Africa Province [ISCAP]) is up to its usual brutal, merciless, evil savagery. Imagine, the ADF claims it targeted innocent civilians in retaliation for the DRC’s security forces’ recent successes against the Jihadis. Ain’t that right? I can’t say it enough, the ADF,…
Hamas-Israel War
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Former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Shtayyeh Let’s the Cat Out of the Bag About Hamas, Deception, Peace and No Peace…
There have been, de facto, two separate Palestinian states/entities since 2007, i.e. the West Bank and Gaza. So, this is rich coming from the former PA Prime Minister Shtayyeh, to say Hamas should go under the PLO’s wing, considering that the PLO’s armed wing, Fatah, had fought Hamas for control…
History
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Aquino Tank Weekend 2025, British Armour and Veterans, Volunteers, Steel Aces, MAG, and More
For all the tank nerds out there, here is a short informative and fascinating tidbit clip (below) by Australian Lottie The Tank Whisperer about the British armour and the British veterans participating in the Aquino Tank Weekend this past weekend in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. This year, Aquino Tank Weekend was…
Libya
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ADF Report: ‘With Eyes on Sahel, Russia Shifts From Syria to Libya’, and The Chadian–Libyan War, and an American in Cairo
This tall, thin American, with longish blonde hair, standing in front of me in a t-shirt and jeans, drinking a beer from a bottle, looked almost like a California surfer dude. He raised his left arm and pointed to scars on one side of his forearm and the other side….
History, Conflict, Terrorism, Political Talk and Anecdotes
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Podcast: The Ora Report: Talking Geopolitics with Ian Thornton-Trump and Royce de Melo
Join the Ora Report for a robust conversation Talking Geopolitics with cybersecurity expert and international speaker Ian Thornton-Trump, and Middle Eastern and African geopolitics and defence analyst, Royce de Melo. This was a fun and great conversation. I thank Marie-Ora de Villiers and Ian Thornton-Trump of inviting me to converse….
Iran
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US President Has Decided Not to Lift Sanctions on Iran; Iran’s Dogmatic Raison D’être Isn’t Likely to Change
This is a follow-up: On the 28th of June, and three days after I wrote the article below, the POTUS announced that he will not be lifting sanctions on Iran. His hopes for peace and normalization with Iran are likely dashed by the reality that Iran will not change its…
Mozambique
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Former CSIS terrorism analyst Phil Gurski and I had a great discussion on his Borealis podcast about the Jihadi insurgency in Mozambique.
How serious is the jihadi threat in Mozambique? ▶Have a listen: https://borealisthreatandrisk.com/how-serious-is-the-jihadi-threat-in-mozambique/ Episode 279 – What, another ISIS affiliate in Africa? ‘Mozambique achieved independence in 1974 after a long civil war with its former Portuguese colonial power. Like most African nations, however, peace and stability are not that common in the…
Iran
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POTUS Foresees Trade and Some Form of Normalized Relations with Iran; Possible? But What About The Regime’s Dogmatic Raison D’être?
If “normal” relations are established, what would that look like considering all the factors and variables involved? A moment ago, I watched the POTUS press conference at the Hague. Naturally, there were a number of questions about The 12-Day War, as it’s being called, i.e. the Iran-Israel war, the US…
Iran
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Iran, Strong Horse Culture, Staying on Point…
About Iran, as I always say, Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast Understanding culture and how it dictates societies, moulds groupthink, influences people’s thoughts, rationalizations (or lack thereof), behaviour, habits, customs, world view, mentality, beliefs, history, conflicts, etc., particularly as it applies to the Middle East, is something that can’t be…