Our Friday News Analysis | What the World Reads Now!

EDITORIAL | Are World Leaders Dumb, Stupid, Sociopaths, or Psychopaths, or All of the Above (Part 4)?

By Abraham A. van Kempen
13 June 2025

Click here for Part 1
Click here for Part 2
Click here for Part 3

_________________________

BREAKING NEWS | The Israeli Air Force attacked Iran, targeting "military and nuclear targets" purportedly due to its nuclear program posing an "essential threat to Israel."

_________________________

But first, let’s revisit my editorial from 17 March 2022, which I could have written yesterday. Its relevance is just as current today.

Ohrid, Macedonia, 17 March 2022 | Earlier today, while gorging on Pizza (and the Pizza here tastes even better than in New York), my Macedonian friend says, "Abraham, do you know that the name Vladimir in Russian is the same as Volodymyr in Ukrainian? And you know what 'Vladimir' means? “

"Tell me!"

"Ruler of Peace." (See Google)

My friend continues: "I honestly believe both Vladimirs or Volodymyrs should get a crack at working toward peace. Forget NATO. They'll add fuel to the fire."

And boy, if they're genuinely rulers of peace, they have their work cut out for them.

Volodymyr Putin is the President of Russia, the world's largest country, spanning 6.6 square miles and 6,000 miles in length with 11 time zones, and home to around 141.7 million people, representing over 100 ethnic groups. In contrast, Volodymyr Zelensky is the President of Ukraine, a sovereign nation with a population of under 44 million. About 7.5 million people in Ukraine identify as Russian, the largest ethnic group. Although most are born in Ukraine, many still speak and write Russian, feeling at home in both cultures.

Every Macedonian I've spoken to is anti-Zelensky but pro-Ukrainian. They genuinely care about every person in Ukraine, including those who speak Russian. The Balkan region is special - it's where East and West meet. Last night, at a friend's house, I watched the news from Russia (RT), the US (Fox, CNN, MSNBC), and the Eurovision contest. It was also the first time in years that I'd watched TV news. The Free World has blocked RT in the West, so we're led to believe Russia's stance on the war is propaganda, as if there's no propaganda anywhere else.

Western media depicts the war almost like an Olympian soccer match, with play-by-play accounts of something like the Cowboys (the good guys) on one team and the Indians (the bad guys) on the other. News is often so perfectly choreographed, with commercials strategically in between. Much that comes through the tube is more prepackaged noise than news.

On the streets of Ohrid, Macedonia, the conversation is dominated by deep disappointment and frustration. Around 70 percent of Macedonians disagree with their government's official stance. Skopje has been attempting to win over NATO to enhance its chances of joining the European Union (EU). However, the people of Macedonia have a long history of resentment toward NATO. Despite this, the EU has managed to bring Skopje into line with the Western world's agenda. Many locals are calling it "betrayal."

__________________________

Editor’s Note | Many in the West assume that nations in Eastern Europe join NATO due to fear of Russian aggression. The reality is quite different. To become an EU member, a country must first be a part of NATO. Essentially, they're required to join NATO and commit to paying NATO 2 percent of their GDP to qualify for EU membership.
___________________________

               "Now, we can't sell our apples and cherries – the world's tastiest – to Russia."

               "They stopped the non-stop flight to Moscow," blockading tourism, the primary income stream in Ohrid.

In exchange for anonymity, I got some juicy responses (in italics) to my questions here in Ohrid, Macedonia.

               "Isn't there one leader in the EU or the US who can outsmart Putin to prevent what is happening now, atrocities and crimes against humanity … caused by both sides," they ask.

               "How can the leaders of the Free World believe that supplying weapons of mass destruction to a tiny country with a pocket-sized military will save lives and win the war against a country with firepower that rivals that of the United States?

               "Why is the Free World so obsessed with Ukraine. Why does NATO need another satellite right at the doorstep of Russia? Haven't they done a cost-benefit and risk analysis? If Putin were to drop a Nagasaki or a Hiroshima, even in a rural area in Ukraine, the Free World would drop Zelensky like a hot potato."

Who entrapped whom? Has Putin or the Free World set the trap?

My friends in Ohrid all agree that NATO has dug a grave for Putin, but they've fallen into it themselves. Most people around here, caught up in the complexity, are on Ukraine's side and against NATO. Throughout their 4,000-year history, and even as recently as 2002, they've faced the same challenges that Ukraine is facing now, albeit intermittently.

               "It's only a question of time before Biden and the EU leadership will have to broker peace with their tails in between their legs."

Not even the world's most powerful economies can match up to an enemy with just one nuclear bomb, much less thousands.

And aren't we in a nuclear confrontation that might precipitate a nuclear war?

               "For Putin, NATO is too close for comfort. He doesn't want NATO's nuclear arsenal located a stone's throw away from the Russian border. He wants Ukraine to serve as a buffer nation."

               "Didn't Kennedy respond similarly to Khrushchev before he transplanted Russian Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) near the shores of Florida in Cuba?"

               "Would the United States allow Mexico or Canada, two neighboring countries, to sign a NATO-like pact with China, Russia, or both?"

               "Have the Free World and Russia ever asked the Ukrainians if they want to serve as cannon fodder and human shields for either the Free World or Russia?"

So, I asked: "Who on earth wants to be a sitting duck in a nuclear war between East and West? I mean, where is this war leading us? Doesn't proxy directly embroil us? Will it escalate from a localized nuclear confrontation to global annihilation?

               "A proxy war between East and West, using the Ukrainians as either human shields or cannon fodder, defeats itself."

               "This strategy is ruthlessly brutal, cold-blooded, vicious, and inhumane.

               "Who will win? Who will lose? What is the outcome?"

For many here in Ohrid, Macedonia, the answer is almost obvious. "NO ONE!"

So why war?

               "As soon as the world realizes that we're all in this together, we're all potentially cannon fodder in a nuclear holocaust; the Free World will drop Ukraine like a hot potato."

               "Is it again about money and might – oil and gas – masqueraded as 'democracy'?"

               Putin is invincible compared to the former Shah of Iran, Saddam Hussein, or Muammar Gaddafi.

Now, the coronavirus pandemic is being eclipsed by a war between the free world and Mother Russia, the former Soviet empire, with Ukraine at the center.

               "If all truly care about the Ukrainians – everyone says now they're our brothers and sisters – declare a cease-fire! The Free World and Russia must stop the bloodshed, carnage, and human suffering. Come to a solution!"

So what's the anticipated outcome discussed here in the many street cafes — there are two cafes on every street corner in the center of town.

               "All sides will gain some and lose some at the expense of the 'collateral damage.' Ukrainians are now dying for nothing."

My local barber said it all in three words when I asked him to compare Biden versus Putin: "I want peace." He had no further comment on the subject.

A young man, working in the Presidential Affairs Office on Red Square, said when we met three years ago, "President Putin has everything. He's been in power for 17 years. His only wish is that East and West meet and become one."

Are we witnessing a clash or a crash (misunderstanding) of civilizations? We are no longer in Stalin's Russia or Roosevelt's America. In relative terms, under Putin, Russia has become more democratic; the Free World, less. Will either ever become perfectly free? The world has changed whether we like it, want it, or not.

An Appeal to Both Vladimirs

Leaders of Peace guide us toward a peaceful path. It's up to you. In times of war, many people are needed to make a difference; in times of peace, fewer are required.

               "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13)."

What is the Side of the Story that is Not Yet Decisive? Edited by Abraham A. van Kempen

WAR WITH IRAN AND THE ATTACK ON RUSSIA'S NUCLEAR DETERRENT

Prof. Glenn Diesen interviewed by Judge Andrew Napolitano of Judging Freedom.

Watch the Video Here (24 minutes, 28 seconds)

Host: Judge Andrew Napolitano
Judging Freedom
12 June 2025

It was an honor to join Judge Napolitano on Judging Freedom to discuss the war with Iran and the West's role in Russia’s nuclear attack. What's striking about both these threats is the lack of reason and honesty.

Attacking Iran is justified by claims that the country is developing a nuclear weapon. However, US intelligence agencies confirm that Iran is not working on a nuclear weapon. A deal can be negotiated with Iran that includes inspections, but the US now demands that Iran give up its civilian nuclear power program.

As a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Iran is not allowed to develop nuclear weapons, but the treaty does allow Iran to have a civilian nuclear program. It's the US that breaks the NPT by trying to deny Iran’s right to a civilian nuclear program. Moreover, tying the nuclear talks to reducing Iran’s military capabilities and partnership with Yemen, Hezbollah, and Hamas is a way to use the nuclear issue to push Iran into surrender.

Attacking Russia’s nuclear deterrent was likely backed by Western intelligence services and governments. Claiming that an attack on nuclear forces is justified by self-defense is also a form of self-deception.

This marks a significant step toward nuclear war and the end of arms control.

GILBERT DOCTOROW: THE UKRAINE WAR IS RESHAPING THE WORLD

Prof. Glenn Diesen with Prof. Gilbert Doctorow

Watch the Video Here (36 minutes, 10 seconds)

Host Prof. Glenn Diesen

Substack.com
12 June 2025

Professor Gilbert Doctorow examines Russia's limited response to the attack on its nuclear forces and whether Ukraine could have acted on its own. Additionally, how much can the world return to its pre-war state?

Gilbert Doctorow's new book "War Diaries. Volume 1: The Russia-Ukraine War, 2022-2023" is now available on Amazon.

War Diaries, Volume 1, features the author's essays on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, spanning the months leading up to its outbreak in February 2022 through the end of 2023.

The material is diverse.

It features the author's travel notes about life back home in Russia, based on his regular trips to St. Petersburg, with a focus on the availability of consumer goods and services in the market.

He captures the shifting mood of both ordinary people and the intellectual class as the war unfolds and a surge of patriotism sweeps through Russian society, giving rise to new leaders. Meanwhile, the author keeps a close eye on Russian media, especially state-run news and political talk shows, which have a massive audience in Russia and often reflect the views of those close to the Kremlin.

His insights were intended to address the gap left by mainstream journalists who left Russia after the Special Military Operation began. He has also appeared on television programs and commentary broadcasts by major global English-language media outlets, including TRT in Turkey and WION in India, as well as on popular online channels.

BUILDING THE BRIDGE! | A WAY TO GET TO KNOW THE OTHER AND ONE ANOTHER

Making a Difference – The Means, Methods, and Mechanism for Many to Move Mountains

Photo Credit: Abraham A. van Kempen, our home away from home on the Dead Sea

By Abraham A. van Kempen
Senior Editor
Updated 19 January 2024

Those who commit to 'healing our broken humanity' build intercultural bridges to learn to know and understand one another and others. Readers who thumb through the Building the Bridge (BTB) pages are not mindless sheep following other mindless sheep. They THINK. They want to be at the forefront of making a difference. They're in search of the bigger picture to expand their horizons. They don't need BTB or anyone else to confirm their biases.

Making a Difference – The Means, Methods, and Mechanism for Many to Move Mountains

Accurate knowledge fosters understanding, dispels prejudice, and sparks a desire to learn more about the subject. Words have an extraordinary power to bring people together, divide them, forge bonds of friendship, or provoke hostility. Modern technology offers unprecedented possibilities for good, fostering harmony and reconciliation. Yet, its misuse can cause untold harm, leading to misunderstandings, prejudices, and conflicts.

Continue reading

A Free Trial for Life – SUBSCRIBE NOW!

• It's quick and straightforward.

• We won’t ask for your credit card number.

• Just enter your e-mail address to receive your complimentary free-for-life subscription to our newsletter.

• Please include your First and Last Name.

• We won’t share or sell your e-mail address.

_________________________

Related Articles Recently Posted on www.buildingthebridgefoundation.com:

OUR FRIDAY NEWS ANALYSIS

OUR WEDNESDAY NEWS ANALYSIS

OUR MONDAY EDITION

________________________

The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of the Building the Bridge Foundation