Talked Iran, Ukraine, Putin: https://www.youtube.com/live/kiWqcTeLaIQ?si=FFRenxMGJPDRCDDS
Marked the 59th anniversary of Israel’s attempt to sink the USS Liberty, when Israel learned it could get away with murder, literally, including US sailors. Rep Massie ended the long US coverup at noon:
Judging Freedom Intel Roundable June 5
ended on jocular, if hirsute, note. (The Germans say, Ein bisschen Spass muss sein – a little fun is necessary). Photo of me w/unkempt beard in solidarity with good friend Julian Assange. See: https://raymcgovern.com/2019/05/28/the-julian-assange-beard-jab-movement-a-suggestion/
Putin rejects meeting with Zelensky and Israel losing their conflicts on many fronts I discuss this and more with Nima of Dialogue Works
In St. Petersburg this week, the Russian president spoke frankly about Ukraine, NATO and the course of the war: there’s no end in sight. Scott Ritter in St. Petersburg joins Ray McGovern and Patrick Lawrence, Sat. 8 pm EDT.
Putin: from Anger/Angst to Confidence in 10 yrs https://raymcgovern.com/2026/06/03/western-journalists-dismissive-a-decade-ago/Quotes Mark Twain on “death” of Russian economy. Needles gas-deprived Germans: Just push the button to open the intact NordStream line tomorrow; don’t have to take orders from Brussels
At St. Petersburg International Economic Summit in 2016, Putin warned Western journalists the West’s dismissive approach to arms control had forced Russia to field new kinds of sophisticated weapons to gain advantage. War in Ukraine = QED. Don’t miss:
LTC Aguilar assesses latest exchanges of fire in Iran “ceasefire”; hypothesizes re next US military operations. Ray reverts to old role as infantry/intel officer; delighted that some ops planners are still taught how to assess enemy capabilities/intentions.
Israeli influence: examples from 1963-2026, amid pending legislation tying US-Israel militaries even closer together. How long will we let Israel drive US foreign policy? At end, short video clips suggesting the kind of “intervention” that is now required.
Putin uncharacteristically dyspeptic re drones http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/79910
Asked if drones were launched from Latvia: “All locations would be “legitimate targets”, implying, as Russian Intel has already done publicly, that NATO membership conveys no immunity.
On Dialogue Works Friday, Nima and I tried to make some sense out of Trump’s behavior on Iran after three months of war. Also discussed: what Moscow’s reaction to killing of 21 students at the teachers college in Lugansk is likely to be over the near term.