Lone Candle
Champion of Truth
The U.S., being the more innovative and intellectual property driven country, gets more value in trade from many countries even when we have a trade deficit. Trump trying to mess with such relationships is foolish. China really was/is a bad actor and needs to be dealt with strategically.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHL7Kqz9tSM
Trump’s threatened tariffs on Brazil for them prosecuting a former president for crimes he appears to have committed have appeared to backfire as the current president is getting a polling bump from Trump’s unjustified threats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bowcbk9W50A
“Trump on Monday went further than he ever has in helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia, greenlighting a European purchase of Patriot missile defense systems and other weapons for Ukraine.
…
Even as Trump wants to up the pressure on Moscow, bucking the isolationist wing of the MAGA movement, he is insisting that this latest move aligns with his “America First” strategy and fits into a decades-long view that America has been ripped off by allies and that Europe, in particular, has gotten a free ride on defense.
Trump, during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday, exaggerated how much money the U.S. has already spent on aid to Ukraine and emphasized that Europeans would finally pay their fair share.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/14/trumps-ukraine-aid-fits-america-first-00452809
Russian Power in the Caucasus is Collapsing. Azerbaijan is Just the Start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGuNQq9wD1Q
NATO’s New 5% Spending Target – U.S Pressure, Rearmament, Loopholes & Russia’s Dilemma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQPQJUdKPec
Trump getting fed up with good calls with Putin where Putin says he is working toward peace and then turns around and attacks civilians. Trump is selling weapons to NATO who will give them to Ukraine, and says Putin has 50 days to end the war or 100% tariffs will go on countries buying from Russia, like India and China.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR554Exl1eY
Iran’s attack on Qatar air base hit geodesic dome used for US communications, satellite photos show
https://www.yahoo.com/news/satellite-photos-suggest-iran-attack-080943268.html
“in fairness, tariff-free trade into Vietnam is good news for American farmers and manufacturers that export goods to that country, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has argued. And the reduction in tariffs may marginally increase our exports to Vietnam.
For the vast majority of Americans, however, trade with Vietnam matters on the buying side, not the selling side. For them, this deal accomplishes very little.
The deal also sends a clear signal to other countries that Trump’s promise of reciprocity was bullshit.
…
Free trade between the U.S. and Vietnam would be a win-win for both countries. That’s not what Trump has delivered with this deal. Vietnamese businesses and consumers got free trade. Americans got more taxes.”
https://reason.com/2025/07/03/trumps-new-trade-deal-has-a-clear-winner-vietnam/
Former Iranian diplomat says Iran was not deeply enriching before Trump unilaterally left the Iran nuclear deal. They enriched to 60% recently as a bargaining chip with Trump.
Also says their nuclear program was damaged, but they can rebuild.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkp6j7eeXVI
“despite its scale, the bloc remains ideologically and strategically fragmented. “It’s a group of countries that hate each other,” Burack said bluntly. “China is harming many of them through unfair trade practices. There’s not a lot of incentive for real unity.”
The alliance’s aspirations to challenge the U.S. dollar through alternative payment systems and a potential BRICS currency have gained media traction — but experts caution against overestimating this threat.
“There’s been a lot of fearmongering about a BRICS currency,” said Burack. “But the interests of these countries are completely divergent. There’s more smoke than fire when it comes to a currency challenge to the dollar.””
…
“While its cohesion remains questionable, BRICS poses a long-term challenge to U.S. influence — particularly in regions where Washington has retreated diplomatically and economically.
“China filled the void left by the U.S. in places like Africa,” said Briggs. “Now it controls about 38% of the world’s minerals. Meanwhile, Russia’s economy has doubled despite sanctions, because they preemptively reduced reliance on the dollar.”
Yet Chang sees India as a brake on any aggressive anti-Western tilt. “BRICS has an ‘I’ in it—and that’s India. Modi doesn’t want to be part of an anti-Western bloc. As long as India’s in BRICS, the rest of the world is safe.””
https://www.yahoo.com/news/xi-jinping-surprise-no-show-140004411.html