Dr Wilmer Leon and I have been dissecting Dick Cheney for 25 years. Today we injected some reality to compensate for the encomia now given this self-confessed war criminal. Also discussed soon-to-be-dearly-departed from Congress Nancy Pelosi, and Venezuela
Crowned Craven Cog
In Sort-of Memoriam: Nancy Pelosi (Hillary Clinton Doppelgänger). Crowned craven cog created by the machine. Naïve me: I was scandalized when she refused to impeach GWB for invading Iraq on lies. Knowledgeable VIPS colleagues told me how cogs work and why. raymcgovern.com/2019/01/10/don
Honest Intel on Venezuela
Honest intel analysts gravitate to VIPS. Fulton Armstrong’s experience on Latin America is exceeded only by his integrity. As National Intelligence Officer for LA, he was a bulwark against politicization. Now retired, Fulton drafted this Memo on Venezuela:
How Dearly Departed Dick Destroyed the CIA
Schadenfreude is indecorous. But it needs saying, in passing, that dearly departed Dick Cheney in 2002-03 destroyed what little was left (after Bobby Gates) of the integrity of CIA analysts. VIPS reported this early. In July 2003 we urged Bush to fire him. consortiumnews.com/2003/07/14/int
The Opposite of Being Catholic
Some Catholic! JD Vance: If you’re different, go away! Brutal immigration policy says the same thing: Be rich, be white, be like us, or go away. That’s the opposite of Catholic, says Simcha Fisher, a Catholic mother, prophetically. Listen & learn, Pope Leo americamagazine.org/faithinfocus/2
America’s Peacemaker Cannot Act Without Permission
Putin adviser Dmitry Trenin in Kommersant https://kommersant.ru/doc/8158919?from=author_1. “What Trump’s Diplomacy Is All About”: personal glory, and “peace” with the nitty-gritty left to others. RT/ English adds a subtitle “America’s peacemaker cannot act without permission.” https://rt.com/news/627078-dmitry-trenin-trumps-diplomacy/
Russia’s New Missile
Putin-in-fatigues today noted Russia successfully tested long-duration flight of Burevestnik a nuclear-powered, unlimited-range intercontinental cruise missile. Defense News Aerospace: “Moscow’s push to evade air/missile defense” (as Oreshnik already does)
https://armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2025/russia-declares-9m730-burevestnik-nuclear-cruise-missile-test-marks-global-reach-capability
Nuance in the Ukraine Conversation
A nuanced look at Russia-US-Ukraine: 10k Ukr forces surrounded. No $. Enter “Burevestnik” (named after Gorky poem?). “The Storm Petrel soars proudly like black lightning, like arrow toward clouds.” en.home-task.com/summary-the-so I wax much less poetic with Judge:
Putin on the Surrounded Ukrainian Troops
Putin orders army first to ensure that the 10,000-plus Ukrainian troops now encircled are given every chance to surrender, acc to international & Russian law. “That said, the lives of our military personnel remain the priority.” (Someone pls tell Kellogg.)
Russia’s Core Interest in Ukraine
Why does Kremlin insist that the US factor in Russia’s core interests re Ukraine? I’m given time to explain those core interests. And I include specifics on early attempts by Moscow to ensure they were taken into account, to avoid having to resort to war.