"Qatar, a small but powerful gas station dictatorship, and a leading financier of terrorists. Once diplomatically isolated for its links to fellow terror-state Iran as well as groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS, Qatar has been back in business, brokering nuclear talks with Russia and Iran, investing billions with the Kremlin, propping up Hamas, and gifting Trump a $400,000 luxury jet, dubbed a “flying palace.” National security risk? Absolutely. Surveillance threat? Almost certainly. Bribery? Looks like it. But what is Qatar getting in return?

Qatar, the 2nd-largest buyer of U.S. weapons, after its nemesis Saudi Arabia, recently secured a $2B U.S. arms deal, thanks to Trump. It also invested $10 billion in a Texas-based natural gas venture that requires federal oversight, under Trump. Andrea and Olga go through all the ways Trump and Qatar enjoy kleptocratic quid-pro-quo, and years of Trump’s Middle East-linked corruption that illegally helped him come to power in 2016, enriching him & his family, Kremlin-style."—Gaslit Nation

The Qatar/Trump Super Special >

https://sites.libsyn.com/124622/the-qatartrump-super-special

#podcast #kleptocracy #Qatar #Trump_Regime #flying_palace #weapons #Middle_East #Saudi_Arabia #Donald_Trump #ISIS #USA #power #profits #Al_Qaeda #Russia #Hamas #luxury_jet #bribery #national_security

Jeffrey Sachs: The Geopolitics of Peace (Consortium News)

Longread. Very worthwhile! Read or watch the video.

The author explains manipulative U.S. post-war foreign policy to European MPs, explodes myths about Ukraine and urges an independent European foreign policy.

https://consortiumnews.com/2025/02/27/jeffrey-sachs-the-geopolitics-of-peace/

#us #united_states #geopolitics #russia #ukraine #israel #palestine #palestinians #gaza #genocide #neocons #middle_east #sudan #nato #nato_expansion #eu #european_union #europa #un #united_nations

---
The **geopolitical** situation as of February 23, 2025, remains extremely tense. The world faces active conflicts that pose new challenges to **#global_security**.
## War in #Ukraine
The war has been ongoing for **11 years**, and the situation continues to escalate. **#Ukrainian_forces** maintain their defense with support from **#NATO** and other allies. NATO is expanding its presence in **#Eastern_Europe**, increasing its rapid reaction forces to **300,000 troops**. **#Sweden** and **#Finland** have joined the alliance, while **#Ukraine** has officially applied for membership. The EU has granted candidate status to Ukraine and **#Moldova** [1].
## Conflict in the #Middle_East
Since October 2023, war has raged between **#Israel** and the **#Hamas** group in **#Gaza_Strip**. The conflict has caused massive destruction and civilian casualties. Meanwhile, **#Iran** supports Hamas and other militant groups, threatening further escalation [2].
## Global Consequences
- **#Energy_crisis**: The war in Ukraine and sanctions against **#Russia** have disrupted energy supplies, driving up prices and forcing nations to seek alternative sources [3].
- **#Arms_race**: European and Asian nations are increasing **military spending**, reaching a record **$2.24 trillion** in 2022 [4].
- **#Political_instability**: Rising tensions in **#Balkans**, **#South_America**, and **#Africa** create new threats to global stability [5].
## Sources:
1. [Geopolitical consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine](https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%93%D0%B5%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B5_%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B4%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%B2_%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7%D1%83%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5_%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE_%D0%B2%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%A3%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%83)
2. [Gaza War (since 2023)](https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%BE%D0%B9%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%B2_%D0%93%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B5_%28%D1%81_2023%29)
3. [Global energy crisis](https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%AD%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B3%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%BA%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%81)
4. [Worldwide military expenditures](https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%BE%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8B%D0%B5_%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%85%D0%BE%D0%B4%D1%8B)
5. [Political instability worldwide](https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BD%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8C)

Social media podcasts are filled with white aging male Middle East political analysts. They focus not surprisingly on the actions of strong male leaders. I was looking for a fresh, broader, perspective and found this.
#middle_east
#palestine
#syria
#Israel
#iran
#turkiye
#saudi_arabia
#jordan
#lebanon
#Yemen
#Iraq

Women of Middle East network for peacebuilding | ECFR https://ecfr.eu/special/mena-women/

Can the Constitution Curb Trump’s “Frightening” Payback Plans?

Ahead of a second Trump term, former FBI counterterrorism agent Ali Soufan speaks to Vanity Fair about his fears the Middle East could shift “further towards chaos”—and his hopes that the president-elect’s talk of retribution will be just that. “I think I trust the institutions to manage this storm,” he says.
#TrumpIsARussianAsset #TrumpIsNotWell #middle_east
#TrumpIsUnfitForOffice https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/trump-frightening-payback-plans-fbi-middle-east

Syrian government falls in end to 50-year rule of Assad family
https://apnews.com/article/syria-assad-sweida-daraa-homs-hts-qatar-7f65823bbf0a7bd331109e8dff419430
#ycombinator #Syria_government #Bashar_Assad #Syria #Damascus #Joe_Biden #Donald_Trump #Mohammed_bin_Rashid_Al_Maktoum #Sergey_Lavrov #War_and_unrest #General_news #Middle_East #Mohammed_Ghazi_Jalali #Politics #Rebellions_and_uprisings #Hassan_Abdul_Ghani #Prisons #Omar_Daher #World_news #Abu_Mohammad_al_Golani

#MIDDLE_EAST Twelve people were killed and eight wounded in Israeli strikes in two areas of the Tyre district in southern Lebanon, the Lebanese Health Ministry announced. In statements, it reported "six dead" and "human remains" requiring identification, as well as four wounded in a strike on a road near the city of Tyre. Another raid in the town of Maaraka left "six dead and four wounded", including one in intensive care.

Η κινηματική απάντηση που εαν πετύχαινε και γενικευόταν ανα τον κοσμο θα μπορουσε να αποτρέψει πολλούς θανάτους στην Μέση Ανατολή. Οι Λιμενεργάτες ξερουν απο αλληλεγγύη
https://www.efsyn.gr/ellada/koinonia/450237_limenergates-empodizoyn-na-fortothei-container-me-stratiotiko-yliko-gia

#war #Gaza #Middle_east #Lebanon #Israel

Muslim Woman Harassed Near Pro-Israel Rally

Two men harassing a Muslim woman near a pro-Israel rally in Arizona, US, despite her repeated attempts to get away from them were identified as Jonathan Yudelman, an assistant professor at Arizona State University (ASU) and Sammy Ben, a reserve soldier in the Israeli army

Source: Middle East Eye

#palestine, #freepalestine, #free_palestine, #stand_with_palestine, #palestine_news, #palestine_information, #stop_genocide, #middle_east

Rafah Is under the Israeli Attack

Source: Palestine International Broadcast

#palestine , #freepalestine , #free_palestine , #stand_with_palestine , #pro_palestine , #palestine_news , #palestine_will_be_free , #palestine_forever , #palestine_freedom , #palestine_support , #palestine_information , #stop_genocide , #rafah , #rafah_genocide , #rafah_news , #middle_east