cuba

Cuban and North Korean Mercenary forces

by Dave

Russia is paying citizens of North Korea and Cuba to fight, and die on the battlefields of Ukraine. Why? Because the desperate economic conditions in these countries means the $2000 per month salary looks good. As explained in the link, many of them are killed within five months, and there are grieving families in Russia when they are gone. Apparently, Russia only says they are missing, not dead.

Andriy Yusov is a Ukrainian spokeperson for the Ukrainian intelligence. He shared information with US Representatives at a briefing on the use of mercenaries in Ukraine.

“Taking into account the totalitarian nature of Cuban regimes, such recruitment could not have taken part without the blessing of the Cuban regime,” Yusov said. He also added many recruits are victims of fraud, with some being held even after their contracts expire.

Ukraine estimates that 20,000 foreign mercenaries are fighting in Ukraine. See September 19 link: Cuba sends thousands of its people to fight for Russia in war with Ukraine, say Ukrainian officials

But, estimates vary on how many Cubans and North Koreans are currently fighting in Ukraine. From the link above, Ukrainian intelligences estimates more than 1,000 Cubans mercenaries have signed contracts to fight in Ukraine. North Korea initially supplied 10,000 troops in fall of 2024, of which it is believed that 4,000 have died in combat. The meeting between Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Kim Jong-un in North Korea on July 6, 2025 was pivotal, as a few day later North Korea pledged to triple the number of troops, to 25,000 to 30,000. It is unknown how many North Koreans Kim Jong-un will actually send to Ukraine. See link below:

The Second North Korean Wave in Ukraine: What Next as Pyongyang’s Troops Arrive on Russia’s Front Lines?

The drone and missile aerial war continues with one of the largest “swarm” attacks ever. See link below:

Russia attacks Ukraine with one of the largest aerial assaults of the war, killing four and injuring dozens

I will end on a positive note, and that is the Moldova elections went in favor of the pro-EU party despite Russia’s attempt to sway the population. See link:

Moldova’s ruling pro-EU party wins election marred by claims of Russian meddling

This is not a cold war, but a hot one. Had pro-Russian party won the elections, Russia would have a strong base, SW of Ukraine, to continue its invasion of Ukraine.

Stay tuned,

Dave

Winning

by Dave

Trump hit upon a very simple analogy to politics- sports.  You support your local team.  You don’t say anything good about the New York Yankees if you support the Chicago Cubs.

But Trump’s analogy just doesn’t work in politics.   What gets big results is diplomacy and consistency.  – and that  takes a lot of time and international cooperation.  You can’t slam China one day for currency exchange manipulation  with hostile trade  policies aimed at coercing them into changing, and then the next minute, expect their assistance in an embargo of goods to North Korea.  That’s Trump’s plan apparently.  It really makes no sense.

This “punch them in the mouth and then hug and praise them next , and ask them for a favor”  destroys trust and cooperation.

“To jaw-jaw is always better than war-war” is a famous quote from Winston Churchill.   International cooperation is a buzz word to many, but it is exactly what happens everyday in government.  A lot has happened in the last month that makes me optimistic.

It is not a case of wanting to win,  but how to do it.  The choice is “winning alone” or “winning together.”  The arrests of ISIL terrorists in Belgium made headline news.  But, the capture Khalid Al-Barnawi with Ansaru, a radical terrorist group associated with Boko Haram  in Nigeria and neighboring countries called for celebrations in the street.

“Put your money where your mouth is”, is a great saying.  The US  put a 5 million dollar bounty on Al-Barnawi’s capture.  It is obvious  terrorism doesn’t respect the boundaries of any country.    Boko Haram has caused the death of 17,000 people and caused millions to flee their homes.   Al-Barnawi- may you rest in peace along with your insane and barbarous gang of thugs.

The announcement that China was not going to import coal from North Korea, appears to be another big win for nuclear non-proliferation.  It is part of the UN sanctions against North Korea for their nuclear program.   I suspect a lot of credit goes to John Kerry and Sandra Powers (US Ambassador to the UN) for this  “win” – but it will be a long and frustrating road ahead.  A carrot and stick approach  must be applied and this requires cooperation of the major world powers working within the framework of the UN.  This is why the UN was created,  to resolve disputes without war.  You may get talks going through “stick” policy, but if the carrot isn’t there, nothing will change.    The carrot is a lifting of the sanctions, once North Korea gives up its nuclear weapons program and agrees to highly intrusive inspections.

The US international policy has been to villainize a country to a point, where there is no incentive to change.  The “jaws-jaws” approach has resulted in a better relationship with Cuba- and it was badly overdue. It will take time for many in the US to adjust to the new policy.    Efforts in international cooperation are really bearing fruits, with advances in world health and control of epidemics,  the space exploration and the international  agreements on  climate change.

Mr. Trump should know, the “jaw-jaw”  approach is working.  But, there are no quick wins, or home runs in diplomacy.  Translating talk into action takes time to achieve the necessary unity  and a lot of perseverance.

It is “together wins” not the US wins which will determine the future.

Stay tuned,

Dave

Commie Sanders

by Dave

Bernie Sanders, commie.   Or commie lover.  Or commie sympathizer.  Ok, this is from Trump, who is still explaining how he’s going to get the Mexican government to pay for a 2,000 mile wall.   More on that later.

Of course,  New York Republicans can be outdone by Texas Republicans any day of the week, even if they are competing in the area of stupidity.  Rep Jason Villalba accused Bernie Sanders of being a Nazi,  pretty nutsy given Sanders is Jewish.

http://www.rawstory.com/2015/10/texas-republicans-idiotic-tweet-jewish-bernie-sanders-is-a-democratic-socialist-just-like-the-nazis/

Well Hitler’s party was the National Socialist Workers Party.  Actually,  the Nazi’s greatest enemy was the Democratic Socialist Party, which he destroyed by brute force.   But who  cares. This is just more dumb zingers –    Sanders is a Commie by day, Nazi by night.   I wish the election could be next week.

But Trumps zingers are just name calling, and are particularly  embarrassing. Of course Jason’s are laughable.      Laissez faire capitalism is a dead concept.   Yes, government has been regulating industry since the early 1940’s.   The child labor laws and  health and safety regulations for workers were all considered government encroaching on the rights of private industry, or communism.   The most contentious laws, the right of workers to unionize and go on strike, was held in the 1950’s as a communist plot.

Undemocratic socialism is what has been practiced in Cuba, Russia and Eastern Europe,  with disastrous results.  If anything Bernie has done, is to promote reforms in campaign finance- thus  increasing the  democratic process.

I guess since the Democrats had their attention grabbing debate and  Trump really feels out of the limelight.   There is a time to speak, and a time to sit down and shut up.

Stay tuned,

Dave Lord