USA Attacks and Occupies Venezuela
The New York Post wrote on January 3:
“President Trump told the nation Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro [and his wife Cilia Flores were] captured ‘in the dead of night’ and that the US would now take over running the South American country… The 63-year-old, who has held power in the country since 2013, was taken by the US military after President Trump ordered airstrikes on several military bases across the Venezuelan capital of Caracas
“… the American raid on Caracas to capture President Nicolás Maduro and his wife produced initial reactions of shock, outrage and skepticism from international leaders, many of them troubled by an exercise of American gunboat diplomacy… Allies of Mr. Maduro like Cuba and Russia predictably condemned the American intervention, despite Russia’s own invasion of sovereign Ukraine nearly four years ago…
“President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil… condemned the U.S. action and said it ‘recalls the worst moments of interference in the politics’ of the region… President Gustavo Petro of Colombia wrote on X that he ‘rejects the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America.’ … Iran, which has also been threatened in the last few days by Mr. Trump, issued a statement on Saturday condemning the U.S. attack and accusing the United States of violating the United Nations Charter…
“The Venezuela intervention in the name of countering drug smuggling recalled to many the invasion of Panama in 1989. Back then, American forces captured Manuel Antonio Noriega, the ruler of Panama, and brought him to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking. He was convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison, ultimately serving 17 years after a reduction in his sentence for good behavior. He died in Panamanian custody in 2017….
“But perhaps the most interesting criticism of Mr. Trump came from Jordan Bardella, the likely presidential candidate of France’s far right National Rally party, which has received support from Mr. Trump and Vice President JD Vance… ‘The forcible overthrow of a government from the outside cannot constitute an acceptable response…’ In the face of such intervention, he added, France must ‘rearm our nation, to strengthen our industrial and military capabilities,’ in order to ‘make its independent voice heard on the international stage, one that respects sovereignties.’”
Trump’s actions will lead to the establishment of a strong military in Europe.
Illegal Action?
Deutsche Welle wrote on January 4:
“The Trump administration’s unilateral action to extract Maduro from his country… reportedly involved the use of 150 aircraft to strike locations in northern Venezuela, including the capital Caracas. Some reports suggest 40 people have died as a result of the US strikes…
“The US led the establishment of the United Nations and, in 1945, signed its foundational document, the UN Charter, which underpins many principles of international law, including territorial integrity. Scholars have pointed to Article 2(4) of that charter to suggest the US’ actions violated international law. That article forbids the ‘threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence’ of another country.
“‘This was a use of force,’ said Marko Milanovic, Director of Global Law at the University of Reading in the UK. ‘If you send 150 airplanes into another state, if you start bombing its air defenses, if you kidnap its president, if you kill dozens of people, that is a use of force in the sense of Article 2, paragraph 4.’
“There are exceptions, the most notable being authorization by the UN Security Council to proceed with military action against another country. However, this approval wasn’t sought prior to Maduro’s seizure.
“Another is self-defence, though given the US’ outsized military strength relative to Venezuela, it is again unclear how this argument would hold up. Even labelling fentanyl as a WMD, branding Maduro a narco-terrorist and charging him with conspiracy against the US is unlikely to be accepted by any international standard as a rationale for self-defence. ‘Self-defense requires the existence of an armed attack,’ Milanovic told DW. ‘Simply allowing the exports of drugs from one country to another is not an armed attack and has never been treated as an armed attack.’
“Using the US military to attack a foreign country… would also require congressional approval. That approval was not secured.
“At a press conference led by Trump, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to cast the operation as one of law enforcement, rather than a war declaration, saying ‘… at its core, this was an arrest of two indicted fugitives of American justice and the Department of War supported the Department of Justice in that job.’ Jeremy Paul, an expert on constitutional law at Northeastern University in the US, said Rubio’s argument was ‘plausible,’ but subsequent statements by the president about the US ‘running’ Venezuela and its oil fields ‘completely undermined’ that rationale…. ‘It’s totally inconsistent.’”
It was stated that long legal battles will ensue in the USA pertaining to the trials of Maduro and his wife, probably ending up before the US Supreme Court.
VP Defies Trump
The New York Post wrote on January 3:
“Venezuela’s vice president [Delcy Rodtríguez] declared that Nicolás Maduro is the ‘only president of Venezuela’ in a defiant speech that appeared to throw cold water on President Trump’s claims she was cooperating with his administration… The VP made her remarks flanked by high ranking generals and government officials in a televised address to the nation after convening an emergency meeting. She demanded the immediate release of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores…”
The New York Post wrote on January 4:
“Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodtriguez, [who was sworn in by Venezuela’s Supreme Court on Saturday for 90 days] is not the country’s legitimate leader, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. Rubio… suggested the US will not support her staying in power. He called for elections to determine the next leader of the beleaguered South American country.”
Alarabiya wrote on January 4:
“President Donald Trump threatened Sunday that Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez will pay a ‘very big price’ [‘probably bigger than Maduro’] if she doesn’t cooperate with the United States…
“Venezuela’s military on Sunday recognized Rodriguez as the country’s acting leader…”
A long battle appears to lie ahead. Note the next article.
Chaos in Venezuela
The Daily Mail wrote on January 4:
“Venezuela was plunged into chaos on Saturday as armed supporters of captured Nicolas Maduro flooded the streets, sparking riots, shuttering transport networks and forcing terrified residents to barricade themselves inside their homes… The unrest followed a large-scale US strike on Caracas, which targeted Fuerte Tiuna – Venezuela’s largest military complex… Dramatic aerial images showed entire buildings obliterated, with scorched land and plumes of smoke hanging over the city…
“As armed supporters continue to roam the streets and food supplies dwindle, many Venezuelans fear the country is once again sliding into a dark and uncertain chapter, even with Maduro now behind bars.”
The chaos is continuing. Fears of civil war manifest themselves. Wars, violence and occupations never solve anything.
Miller: We Are in Charge!
Politico wrote on January 5:
“White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller says the U.S. is in charge of Venezuela. ‘… we have the United States military stationed outside the country. We set the terms and conditions,’ Miller said. ‘We have a complete embargo on all of their oil and their ability to do commerce. So for them to do commerce, they need our permission.’”
“It’s the Oil…”
Fox News wrote on January 6:
“President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the interim authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of ‘high-quality,’ sanctioned oil to the U.S… Trump said the oil will be sold at market price, and he will control the proceeds to ensure it is ‘used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!’”
ABC News wrote on January 6:
“The Trump administration has told Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez that the regime must meet the White House’s demands before being allowed to pump more oil… First, the country must kick out China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba and sever economic ties… Second, Venezuela must agree to partner exclusively with the U.S. on oil production and favor America when selling heavy crude oil…”
ABC News wrote on January 7:
“The U.S. on Wednesday seized… [off the coast of Europe] the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker… The U.S. on Wednesday also seized another tanker in the Caribbean… The Russian Ministry of Transport condemned the seizure of the oil tanker in the North Atlantic…”
War Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the blockade of Venezuelan oil is in full effect and that no ship is safe anywhere in the world.
Strategically Mad
The Independent wrote on January 3:
“What no one in the White House can see is that this invasion, this apparent political decapitation, this violation of international law, is strategically mad. Outside the White House and Magaland, the only cheering will be in the Kremlin and in Beijing. In Nato there will be horror….
“[Trump] said he would attack Venezuela’s mainland, and he has. His claim to be knocking over a narco-terrorist state that has exported vast quantities of opiates to the US, and killed hundreds of thousands of its citizens, is nonsense. Opiates get into the US from Mexico, not Venezuela.
“As a premise for regime change and invasion, it is as false as the claims that Saddam Hussein was making a nuclear weapon. The invasion of that nation set off decades of pain and murder, terror and mayhem, and gave birth to Isis. It also tore at the fabric of Western democracies…
“Now, Trump has attacked a neighbour without any international support. He has aped the behaviour of his great hero and friend, Vladimir Putin… mere anarchy is loosed upon the world…”
America’s Past Failed Attempts
National Post wrote on January 4, 2026
“The United States has a really bad record when it comes to regime change. Time and again, it’s sought to oust foreign leaders and replace them with more favoured replacements…
“It was a disaster in Vietnam, at a horrendous cost in life. Cuba, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, … defeat, disappointment, debacle… Just four years ago, the Biden administration orchestrated the most recent example, before Saturday’s dramatic events in Venezuela. The hasty and chaotic retreat from Afghanistan damaged Biden’s image so badly he never really recovered…
“There’s no dispute that Maduro has been a calamity for his country. By all the evidence, he’s been as grasping and pitiless a despot as you could find this side of Moscow. He’s been in power since 2013, holding onto office through a mix of corruption, violence and fixed elections, driving the economy into the ground, impoverishing millions and prompting a veritable stampede of desperate Venezuelans fleeing the country. No one outside his small circle of avaricious cronies is likely to miss him much. His support from Russia, China and Iran drew mainly from his ability to irritate the U.S…
“If U.S. strategists have a well thought-out plan for supporting and advancing the shattered country Maduro leaves behind, they haven’t mentioned it beyond Trump’s assertion that ‘we’re going to run the country.’… There is no guarantee the Maduro establishment will disappear with him….
“Iraq remains host to 2,000 U.S. troops and an array of hostile armed militias loyal to Iran, with an insecure government caught between the two, struggling to avoid an explosion. More than a decade after its “liberation,” Libya is a divided country, riven by civil war, with competing warlords and rival governments at opposite ends of the country. Afghanistan, meanwhile, is back in the hands of the Taliban, 20 years and thousands of deaths after Washington and its allies set out to evict them…”
“Emperor Trump’s Imperial Ambitions Should Send a Shiver Down the Spine of America’s Neighbors”
On January 5, the Daily Mail published the following article by Andrew Neil:
“… when Trump says, ‘We are going to run the country [Venezuela] now’, there is not only cause for concern but reason to fear for the worst… He has put no time limit on how long he plans to be Venezuela’s imperator… Venezuela faces the prospect of moving from being a domestic dictatorship to a US colony.
“… it was especially chilling to hear Trump so easily dismiss the hugely respected Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela’s main opposition leader, a centre-Right democratic heroine and last year’s winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. He claimed that she lacked the ‘support’ or ‘respect’ of the people, which is palpable nonsense… Clearly – and absurdly – it still rankles that she won the Nobel Peace Prize, not him. It is beyond pathetic…
“Venezuela’s regime has not changed. Maduro has gone but the government is still in the hands of his vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, a hardline socialist surrounded by Maduro’s nastiest enforcers… Just how Trump thinks he can wrestle power from her without a massive deployment of US boots on the ground – for which he has no mandate, not even from his own MAGA base, which abhors foreign interventions – is just one of many mysteries now surrounding Trump’s approach to Venezuela, a country of 28million people that is twice the size of California…”
Newsmax added on January 4:
“President Donald Trump insisted Sunday the United States is ‘in charge’ of Venezuela… Asked whether the operation was about oil or regime change, Trump replied: ‘It’s about peace on earth.’… Trump said elections in Venezuela would have to wait… Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez said she was ready to work together… The Trump administration says it is willing to work with the remainder of Maduro’s government as long as Washington’s goals, particularly opening access to US investment in Venezuela’s enormous crude oil reserves, are met…”
Threatening NATO
Donald Trump wrote the following on January 7 on his Truth Social website:
“Remember, for all of those big NATO fans, they were at 2% GDP, and most weren’t paying their bills, UNTIL I CAME ALONG… Remember, also, I single-handedly ENDED 8 WARS, and Norway, a NATO Member, foolishly chose not to give me the Noble Peace Prize… RUSSIA AND CHINA HAVE ZERO FEAR OF NATO WITHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND I DOUBT NATO WOULD BE THERE FOR US IF WE REALLY NEEDED THEM… We will always be there for NATO, even if they won’t be there for us…”
This does not sound very reassuring…
Threatening Cuba
The Hill wrote on January 3:
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday warned Cuba’s leaders that ‘I’d be concerned’ following the United States’ capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro… The secretary accused Cuba of being ‘run by incompetent, senile men…’ He claimed Maduro’s guards and Venezuela’s ‘whole spy agency’ were ‘full of Cubans,’ and that ‘this poor island took over Venezuela.’”
Threatening Mexico and Colombia
The Daily Beast wrote on January 3:
“President Donald Trump has hinted that the surprise abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro may not be his last operation in Latin America. Trump, 79, suggested on Fox & Friends Saturday that action could be taken against Mexico… which he said is run by drug cartels—a similar allegation he made against Maduro and Venezuela. ‘Something’s going to have to be done with Mexico,’ he said.
“Trump then issued an even more explicit threat to Colombia, which borders Venezuela to the west, and its president, Gustavo Petro, during a Mar-a-Lago news conference. ‘I stick by my first statement. He’s making cocaine,’ Trump said of Petro. ‘They’re sending it into the United States, so he does have to watch his a–.’
“Claudia Sheinbaum, the president of Mexico… immediately condemned Trump’s attack on Venezuela…”
Focus wrote on January 3:
“Spain and a number of Latin American states [Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay] have [in a joint statement] condemned the US operation to arrest the authoritarian head of state Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela…”
German and European Reactions
Die Welt wrote on January 3:
“The German government expressed concern regarding the US military intervention… The chairwoman of the EU Parliament’s Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), condemned the attack…
“The attack was also ‘a warning from Trump to Denmark and Greenland as well’: He was showing what he was prepared to do if he didn’t get what he wanted voluntarily… The SPD foreign policy expert Adis Ahmetovic sharply criticized the US attack on Venezuela…”
The Huffington Post wrote on January 3:
“RODERICH KIESEWETTER, PROMINENT MP FROM GERMANY’S CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATIC UNION: ‘With President Trump, the U.S. are abandoning the rules-based order that has shaped us since 1945.’ ‘The coup in Venezuela marks a return to the old U.S. doctrine from before 1940: a mindset of thinking in terms of spheres of influence, where the law of force rules, not international law. Trump is destroying what was left of any trust in the U.S.’
“BRITAIN’S REFORM UK PARTY LEADER NIGEL FARAGE: ‘The American actions in Venezuela overnight are unorthodox and contrary to international law – but if they make China and Russia think twice, it may be a good thing.’
“ITALIAN OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER AND FORMER PRIME MINISTER GIUSEPPE CONTE: ‘The American aggression against Venezuela has no legal basis. We are facing a blatant violation of international law, which certifies the dominance of the strongest and best equipped militarily… I hope that the entire international community will make its voice heard and that everyone will understand that if rules only apply to enemies and not to friends, no one can feel safe anymore.’”
Merz Too Timid
Deutschlandfunk reported on January 4:
“After the Chancellor and CDU leader [Friedrich] Merz spoke of a complex legal assessment that would require time, Vice-Chancellor Klingbeil of the SPD declared that the fact that Maduro had led an authoritarian regime could not justify disregarding international law. This also applied to the actions of the USA.
“Direct criticism of Merz’s statement came from the Greens. Parliamentary group leader Dröge expressed her incomprehension that the Chancellor had not clearly described the US operation as a violation of international law. Avoiding the issue in this situation would be a fatal strategy.”
Bild Online wrote on January 4:
“CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn expressed a similarly reserved view of the US strike against Venezuela as Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU).”
Merz and Spahn act again as proverbial chameleons. But they won’t be able to continue doing this for much longer, as the anger in Germany against America gets stronger and stronger. Note the next commentary.
Don’t Dismiss Trump’s Threats
Bild Online published the following commentary by Paul Ronzheimer and Filipp Platov on January 4:
“Europe urgently needs to understand the messages emanating from this historic day… Whether in Iran or Venezuela: Donald Trump is making it clear that he is prepared to use his military when it comes to American interests… Trump won’t even consult us [Europeans] before taking action…
“It must be clear: If the Americans… want to strengthen the ‘resistance’ against the EU in order to politically transform our continent, then it would be naive to dismiss this as an empty threat… If Europe does not learn to defend and assert its own interests, it risks becoming a sphere of influence for foreign powers.”
This Will End Badly
ntv wrote on January 3:
“…the goal was not only Maduro’s arrest, but also control of the country and its oil… After the disaster the US caused in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, there was generally a consensus in the West that it’s best to stay away from regime-change wars. Now the most erratic US president in living memory is trying his hand at it. In his boundless vanity, Trump apparently thinks he will succeed where others have failed. This will end badly.”
Canada Beware!
On January 3, Focus published the following comments from US expert Josef Braml:
“The Monroe Doctrine, formulated in the 19th century to keep European colonial powers at bay, essentially means today that the US claims dominance over the so-called Western Hemisphere. Originally, this primarily referred to South America. However, Trump has updated and adapted the doctrine. And I’m not sure if he still only means South America. So, if you live in Canada or Greenland, you should definitely start giving this some thought…
“During the so-called peace negotiations regarding Ukraine, it was clear that both Putin and Trump wanted to divide up business interests over the heads of the Ukrainians and the Europeans… America has become a threat to world peace, and incidentally, also to Europe, if you consider Greenland.”
Threatening Greenland
CBS News wrote on January 4:
“Denmark on Sunday made its displeasure known after the wife of one of President Trump’s most influential aides posted a social media picture of Greenland painted in the colors of the United States flag. Katie Miller — wife of Mr. Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller – put the contentiously altered image of the Danish autonomous territory on her X feed late Saturday, hours after the U.S. military operation against Venezuela. Her post had a single word above it: ‘SOON.’…
“Mr. Trump has repeatedly made clear that he wants Greenland to become an annexed part of the United States… Stephen Miller is widely seen as the architect of much of Mr. Trump’s policies, guiding the president on his hardline immigration policies and domestic agenda…. (Stephen Miller is perceived as one of the most dangerous and radical politicians in the Trump Administration.)
“In Greenland’s case, Mr. Trump has claimed that making the Danish territory part of the United States would serve U.S. national security interests, given its strategic location in the Arctic. Greenland is also rich in key critical minerals used in high-tech sectors. Katie Miller was deputy press secretary under Mr. Trump at the Department of Homeland Security during his first term.”
On Sunday, Trump repeated his threat, saying, “We need Greenland, definitely.”
Trump Wants Greenland
t-online reported on January 5:
“Trump wants Greenland – and is putting Denmark and the inhabitants of the Arctic island on high alert. For the Greenlanders, one thing is clear: ‘We have to prepare for the worst.’… For Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, there is no doubt that Trump is serious… ‘if the USA attacks another NATO country, then everything stops.’ Trump had not ruled out the use of military force in Greenland in the past.”
Deutsche Welle wrote on January 5:
“Trump has framed his interest as a matter of national security, claiming Greenland is ‘surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships.’ That assertion is false… Greenland does, however, possess vast untapped natural resources, including oil and critical minerals — a similarity it shares with Venezuela…
“European leaders could make clear what is at stake: the collapse of NATO, the closure of US bases in Europe, and potential sanctions on US companies operating in the EU… The case of Venezuela underscores just how unpredictable the US president can be. As 2026 gets underway, European leaders are bracing for a difficult year…”
The Telegraph wrote on January 5: “If we can’t defend Greenland, Europe is truly finished.”
Miller Questions Denmark’s Territorial Claim
Daily Mail wrote on January 5:
“Stephen Miller stunned US allies and rattled NATO on Monday night after flatly declaring that Greenland ‘should be part of the United States’ – and insisting that no country would dare fight Washington over the Arctic territory’s future… Instead, he challenged Denmark’s sovereignty over the island.
“‘What is the basis of their territorial claim?’ Miller asked. [He also said: “The real question is by what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland?”] ‘What is their basis of having Greenland as a colony of Denmark?’”
Shoot First, Ask Questions Later
The Telegraph wrote on January 7:
“[The] Danish defence ministry confirms 1952 rule of engagement requiring soldiers to attack invading forces, following [the] threat from [the] US… Danish soldiers will be required to shoot first and ask questions later if the United States invades Greenland, under the army’s rules of engagement…”
Rubio backpedaled and said the USA is going to buy Greenland. But Greenland has already said, they are not for sale. Further, the White House said again that military action is always an option.
On January 4, Bild Online published a list of countries and areas which have been threatened by Trump, including: Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Greenland and Iran. They could have added Europe (Germany), Canada and Panama (for now).
Trump Declares the World Open Season
t-online wrote on January 5:
“Under Donald Trump… what was considered unthinkable for decades is changing. A US president is openly abandoning the international order… Trump offered no justifications for his actions… For him, alliances do not entail any strategic obligations. In his view, they are, in most cases, bad deals. He considers institutions… a burdensome constraint on America. Trump violates norms and radically questions them.
“…Trump is exerting pressure to eliminate regulations in the European Union that are burdensome for US companies… He relies solely on selective withdrawal from international institutions and on the aggressive exercise of American power.
“…This development presents other states, particularly the Europeans, with a crucial challenge… They must jointly develop their own economic and military strength in order to defend themselves. Otherwise, they will be left with nothing but moralizing commentary, which amounts to surrender.”
Steve Bannon’s Stunning Attack on Trump in Light of Trump’s Iranian Threats
Mediaite wrote on January 2:
“MAGA media personality and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon compared President Donald Trump to Hillary Clinton in a scathing attack on his old boss on Friday. During a discussion about Trump’s threat to use the U.S. military to come to the defense of Iranian civilians protesting against the brutal Islamist regime in charge of their country, Bannon expressed his strong disapproval. ‘Aren’t people teasing right now that Samantha Powers [sic] and Hillary Clinton must somehow have gotten invited to the Mar-a-Lago New Year’s Eve celebration because the president coming out today saying, “Hey, we’re locked and loaded [towards Iran],” isn’t that straight from the Samantha Powers and Hillary Clinton playbook?’ asked Bannon.
“At another point during Friday’s edition of his show, War Room, Bannon argued:… ‘Let the Persian people take care of this. You can’t intrude on this thing. The more you intrude, the more the Mullahs are gonna dig in and say, “This is the great Satan that’s doing this,” and you’re gonna have a bigger and longer mess than you can have. You’ve got the opportunity right now for the people in Persia to overthrow these demons, right? Let them get on with it. The Persians have been around a long time. They know how to do it, they did it in ’79.’
“Trump’s threat… read, ‘If Iran [shoots] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.’”
Trump did not explain HOW he would come to their rescue. But if Venezuela is a guide… Interestingly, Bannon supported Trump’s strike on Venezuela.
Angela Merkel Established Lasting Authoritarianism in Germany Because of Corona
Apollo News published the following commentary by Max Roland on December 10:
“Baden-Württemberg’s Minister-President Kretschmann is awarding Merkel a [medal of merit] for her actions during the Corona period. One couldn’t mock accountability any better…
“Bavaria and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have already bestowed honors on the former Chancellor – now Baden-Württemberg has followed suit. On Tuesday, Minister-President Winfried Kretschmann awarded Merkel the Staufer Medal, an award given by the Minister-President for ‘services to Baden-Württemberg.’
“… Kretschmann has a very special justification for this: Merkel’s actions during the Corona period. In his laudatory speech, Kretschmann praised the CDU politician for ‘her decisive, prudent, and effective leadership as Federal Chancellor during this crisis.’ According to the Green Party politician, Merkel’s effective actions prevented significantly higher numbers [of cases/deaths]. He particularly praised her ‘consistently clear and coherent argumentation.’
“She didn’t deserve a medal for this, but rather the opposite. She certainly didn’t do anyone a service with her policies – neither Baden-Württemberg nor Germany as a whole. On the contrary: Corona was the birth of the authoritarian state, and Merkel was its midwife.
“Merkel turned the executive branch into an established instrument of power: Since the founding of the Federal Republic, no chancellor has governed the country as autocratically as Merkel did during the Corona pandemic. Parliament was sidelined, power was not democratically controlled, but centralized in the Chancellery – within the framework of an executive committee… Now one might say that it was all an exceptional situation – but the way politics was conducted during this exceptional situation cannot be excused by any pandemic in the world.
“This is also evident in how often the last remaining boundaries of the law and the Basic Law were actually crossed. Merkel’s curfews? Illegal and unconstitutional. Blanket restrictions on the freedom of demonstration and assembly? Unconstitutional. Even the general mask mandates, lacking evidence, did not stand up in court. All of this was characteristic of Merkel, and apparently, none of it mattered. The end justified the means – that was Corona…
“Winfried Kretschmann was right at the forefront of this policy, the empowerment of those who violated fundamental rights and disregarded the constitution – for him, the measures couldn’t be harsh enough. Evidence and proportionality? At best, secondary considerations. Merkel thought the same way, and she acted accordingly…
“Measures soon became an end in themselves. No one really questioned the purpose of a curfew between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.: it simply had to be implemented… And the right to demonstrate? That, too, was simply overridden; protests were sometimes prevented with brutal force.
“Whether the total exclusion of the unvaccinated was truly justifiable or not, or whether it was a fundamental transgression for a liberal-democratic state – no one considered that either, because ‘the unvaccinated’ were to blame themselves, as Merkel also conveyed…”
“Being German means seeing something through completely and ruthlessly for its own sake, even at the risk of significant losses – in this respect, Angela Merkel was very German. The damage her coronavirus policies have caused has not even begun to be acknowledged, let alone addressed. Those responsible saw and still see it, at best, as collateral damage. After all, the goal was to ‘save lives.’
“How many lives were saved – and how many were ruined? The fact that this question is no longer even being asked is Merkel’s achievement:… The politics of the strong hand, which keeps the country firmly under control. And woe to anyone who doesn’t toe the line.
“Merkel’s coronavirus policy has established authoritarianism as a political blueprint in the Federal Republic of Germany. Instead of a critical review, she receives awards?… This sends a fatal signal for an overreaching, authoritarian state and all the corresponding tendencies that we are still experiencing after the pandemic. It sends a fatal signal to a society that has not yet overcome the divisions of the coronavirus era – divisions largely caused by Merkel – and will never do so as a result.”
Merkel’s appalling example was supported by the likes of Jens Spahn, and in the USA, by the likes of Joe Biden, Gavin Newsom and Anthony Fauci. There has not been any accounting in this regard either. So again, the guilty remain free, and may be preparing for another coup.
Germany’s Agenda for 2026
Deutsche Welle wrote on January 1, 2026:
“At the beginning of 2026, young people in Germany aged 18 and over will receive mail from the government. Men must then complete the enclosed questionnaire, while women can do so voluntarily. The questions will focus on personal details, educational qualifications and other competences, as well as willingness to perform military service. Participation in a medical examination to assess their overall health and fitness will be mandatory.
“The government is counting on finding enough volunteers to increase the number of Bundeswehr soldiers from approximately 184,000 now to between 255,000 and 270,000 over the next decade, and to increase the number of reservists to 200,000. If all this does not work on a voluntary basis, the government will move to reinstate conscription, which has been suspended since 2011…
“The… AfD… is already the strongest opposition party in the Bundestag. With several regional elections scheduled for 2026, it’s expected to do well. In [some] eastern German states…, the AfD is currently polling around 40%… if the AfD becomes the strongest party by a wide margin in [some] states, will the promise made by the conservative CDU to never cooperate with the AfD hold true? Both elections are not until September, but they will dominate the debates about how to deal with the AfD until then. State elections in [some] western states… will kick off an exciting election year in March…
“The issue of migration will continue to be high on the agenda in 2026… Germany is now pursuing a tough policy toward irregular immigrants… so-called ‘return centers’ are now planned again in countries outside the European Union, even though previous attempts… have not been successful…”
Some hot potatoes. And Germany does not look good in regard to any of them. It should be noted that the AfD is for compulsory military service, as a sign of “patriotism.”
“The German Armed Forces Must Become Europe’s Strongest Army”
ntv reported on January 3:
“The CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag wants to transform the German Armed Forces into the strongest conventional army in Europe… [They] envision equipping the Bundeswehr with, among other things, cruise missiles, long-range drones, and small, inexpensive guided missiles. The development of its own hypersonic missiles is also planned. The goal, they say, is to build ‘a European arsenal of long-range conventional precision weapons’ that ‘can strike the enemy deep in their territory’…
“Based on the experiences of the war in Ukraine, the German armed forces should become ‘a true drone army.’ They should be equipped with at least 100,000 drones, whose effectiveness should be enhanced through the use of artificial intelligence and ‘space-based capabilities’… To protect Germany, an air defense system similar to the Israeli ‘Iron Dome’ missile defense system is planned, with at least 2,000 interceptor missiles.
“According to the plans, the Baltic Sea is to be made ‘completely transparent’ through real-time monitoring. Specifically, ‘cost-effective unmanned underwater drones’ are to ‘patrol large areas’ for this purpose.”
…and they don’t know what they are talking about…
How Would a European Army Fare Against Russia?
Le Figaro wrote on January 1, 2026:
“After Ukraine, could Russia decide to attack Europe? Vladimir Putin recently reiterated that he had no intention of doing so. However, the 2025 National Strategic Review, an official document that guides French defense policy, states in black and white that ‘by 2030, the main threat to France and Europeans is the risk of open warfare against the heart of Europe.’
“In the meantime, Europe intends to accelerate its rearmament and strengthen its defense industry. In the event of a confrontation, how would its combined military forces fare against Russia’s? Such is the question addressed by experts at the French Institute of International Relations (Ifri) in a study entitled ‘Europe-Russia: Assessment of the Balance of Power.’… Ifri aggregated the personnel and equipment of all European NATO member countries, i.e., 23 EU states and seven other European countries, excluding Turkey…
“In terms of a land confrontation, Russia has the advantage in numbers. Its ground forces are estimated at around 950,000 soldiers, compared to 750,000 for the European countries of NATO…
“In terms of aerospace,… Europe has a clear superiority over Russia, both quantitatively and qualitatively… At sea, Europe has an ‘indisputable qualitative advantage’ thanks to its hundred or so large surface vessels — three times more than the Russian navy… Moscow’s great strength lies in its submarines, a ‘serious threat’ given Europe’s ‘limited’ anti-submarine capabilities…
“Another area of confrontation is space. Here, the balance of power is ‘more nuanced,’ notes Ifri. Russia inherited a large fleet of military satellites from the USSR, exceeding that of Europe (100 to 60)… But Europe has enjoyed a satellite navigation system that is… ‘certainly superior’ to the Russian GLONASS system…
“Russia, a ‘nuclear superpower,’ has approximately 1,700 strategic nuclear warheads deployed and approximately 2,600 in reserve, according to the authors of the study. This ‘plethora’ of weapons is intended, in Russia’s view, to ensure its ‘escalation superiority.’ In response to this, most European countries benefit from the United States’ so-called ‘extended’ nuclear deterrence, which takes the form of nuclear sharing agreements and the stationing of around 100 B61-12 tactical nuclear bombs.
“This bulwark is complemented by the arsenal of the two independent nuclear powers in Europe, France and the United Kingdom, which have ‘several hundred strategic warheads each.’ However, ‘if the credibility of the United States’ extended deterrence were to be seriously undermined or prove to be failing, Europe would suffer […] from a strategic imbalance with Russia,’ warns Ifri.”
But Europe will first attack the USA and the UK, before fighting a war with Russia.
Chinese Dictatorship and Aggression
Breitbart wrote on January 2:
“Xi Jinping proclaimed that the Chinese… and the nation of Taiwan ‘share a bond of blood and kinship,’ insisting that China’s colonization of Taiwan was ‘unstoppable’ in an address to mark the new year… Xi also emphasized the importance of Beijing imposing itself on Hong Kong… ‘We Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a bond of blood and kinship. The reunification of our motherland… is unstoppable!’ Xi declared. Xi also celebrated his government’s destructive policies towards the indigenous people of Tibet and East Turkistan…
“Xi has spearheaded an ongoing campaign of genocide against the indigenous Turkic people of East Turkistan, in particular the local Uyghur population, fueled by mass forced sterilization, the imprisoning of millions in concentration camps, and state-sponsored slavery. In Tibet, Xi has effectively outlawed Tibetan ethnic identity, including banning Tibetan Buddhism… Tibetans have also, on a slightly smaller scale, been forced into labor camps…”
China’s goals are blatantly obvious.
Mamdani New York Mayor
Breitbart wrote on January 1:
“Socialist Zohran Mamdani became mayor of New York City just after midnight Thursday, taking the oath of office as he placed his hand on the Islamic Quran in a private ceremony. In doing so Mamdani, a Democrat, was confirmed as the first Muslim leader of America’s biggest city.
“The strictly invitation-only gathering [was] overseen by New York Attorney General Letitia James… AP further reports the immigrant from Uganda will be sworn in again, in much grander style, in a public ceremony at City Hall… by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, one of the mayor’s confessed political heroes.”
What a gathering of controversial left-wing politicians!
Mamdani Revokes Orders Protecting Israel
Fox News added on January 2:
“Israel tore into New York City Mayor… Mamdani after he revoked a pair of executive orders signed by former Mayor Eric Adams that supported the Jewish state [and which were created to fight Antisemitism.].
“‘On his very first day as New York City mayor, Mamdani shows his true face: He scraps the IHRA definition of antisemitism and lifts restrictions on boycotting Israel,’ Israel’s Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X. ‘This isn’t leadership. It’s antisemitic gasoline on an open fire.’…
“Mamdani has repeatedly described Israel as an apartheid state, accused it of committing genocide in Gaza, and said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested..”
Whatever happened to the “friendly” meeting between Trump and Mamdani at the White House? What a joke that was! Mamdani said he called Trump to voice his strong disagreement with America’s invasion of Venezuela.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.