The Friday Edition

Our Friday News Analysis | What the World Reads Now!

June 25, 2026

Helping to Heal a Broken Humanity (Part 99)

The Hague, 26 June 2026 | If you know of a decisive story, tell the world! We're still searching.

Our Friday News Analysis | What the World Reads Now!

Despite Plagues and Famines … A Future More Worthy of the Human Person

"We must not be afraid of the future...
We have within us the capacities for wisdom and virtue.

The Vatican, 24 January 2001. If we cast a glance at the world and its history, at first sight, the banner of war, violence, oppression, injustice, and moral decay seems to predominate. It seems, as in the vision of chapter 6 of Revelation, that horsemen are riding through the barren lands of the earth, bearing now the crown of victorious power, now the sword of violence, now the scales of poverty and famine, now death's sharp sickle (Revelation 6: 1-8).

With these gifts, and with the help of God's grace, we can build in the next century and the next millennium a civilization worthy of the human person, a true culture of freedom.

We can and must do so!

And in doing so, we shall see that the tears of this century have prepared
the ground for a new springtime of the human spirit"

Saint Pope John Paul II
The Vatican
24 January 2001

Building the Bridge Foundation

This week’s reflection: “Despite Plagues and Famines … A Future More Worthy of the Human Person”

Click here for Part 1

Click here for Part 50
Click here for Part 51
Click here for Part 52

Click here for Part 53
Click here for Part 54

Click here for Part 55

Click here for Part 56

Click here for Part 57

Click here for Part 58

Click here for Part 59

Click here for Part 60

OUR WEDNESDAY NEWS ANALYSIS | NETANYAHU'S LAST STAND: WHEN REALITY IS LOW, GO LOWER

With his latest Orwellian political ads, Netanyahu is trying to frighten Israelis with the prospect of what awaits them if the opposition wins. Ironically, the horrors he warns of have already happened – under him

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a news conference in Jerusalem on Monday. Credit: Ronen Zvulun/AFP

Editorial |

By Abraham A. van Kempen
26 June 2026

To be continued on Monday, 29 June 2026.

Enjoy your weekend,

Abraham A. van Kempen
Senior Editor

Building the Bridge Foundation, The Hague
A Way to Get to Know One Another and the Other

Remember! Diplomacy is catalytic—transformative —while military action is cataclysmic—destructive and catastrophic.

When faced with the options to be good, bad, or ugly, let’s build bridges, not burn them. After all, mutual deterrence reigns.

IS EUROPE PREPARING FOR WAR? - JUDGE NAPOLITANO & GLENN DIESEN

Judge Andrew Napolitano welcomes Prof. Glenn Diesen, who provides an analysis and a preview of the EU's noticeable preparations for war.

Watch the Video Here (24 minutes, 29 seconds)

Host: Judge Andrew Napolitano
Judging Freedom
24 June 2026

Russia warns that the Europeans are pushing for war. Putin is not wrong.

Judge Napolitano’s discussion with Prof. Glenn Diesen offers a stark and highly escalatory interpretation of the Russia-Ukraine war and of Europe’s role in it.

Professor Diesen contends that Western and NATO roles have shifted from indirect aid to direct confrontation with Russia, evidenced by support in long-range missiles, intelligence sharing, and European military expansion.

The discussion presents European policy as motivated by Russophobia, economic downturns, and the idea that military expansion can restore strategic importance.

Diesen warns that Europe might believe it can manage escalation, but Russia could eventually strike European targets if attacks on Russian land persist.

He also indicates that Ukraine is dealing with significant manpower shortages and that diplomatic opportunities are unlikely to improve unless Ukraine’s military or political situation deteriorates.

The final discussion on Iran remains equally skeptical, describing the U.S.-Iran memorandum as fragile, politically challenging for Washington, and susceptible to reinterpretation or sabotage.

WEST NO LONGER HIDING PLANS FOR WAR WITH RUSSIA – PUTIN

NATO countries have forced Moscow to take action to defend its interests and label it as a threat to justify increased military spending, the president says

President Vladimir Putin gestures as he addresses graduates of Russia’s military, security, and law enforcement academies in the Kremlin on June 23, 2026. © Sputnik/Yuri Kochetkov

HomeRussia & FSU
23 June 2026

Western nations are no longer concealing their preparations for war with Russia, President Vladimir Putin has said, adding that NATO and EU leaders are using “false claims” about the supposed ‘Russian threat’ to justify rampant militarization.

Putin made the remarks on Tuesday during a Kremlin ceremony for graduates of Russia’s military, security, and law enforcement academies, saying NATO’s posture has shifted from supporting Kiev with weapons and funding to outright preparations for war.

“Now, they are openly saying that they are preparing for war with us, increasing military offensive budgets,” Putin said.

He argued that Western governments are using the same playbook that has long been used against Russia.

Read more
Ukraine launches almost 200 drones at Moscow

“At first, they create threats for our country, force us to take actions necessary for self-defense, and then immediately accuse us of all mortal sins to justify the continuation of their aggressive policy,” he said, drawing parallels to the attempts by Nazi Germany and other Western countries to label the Soviet Union as the aggressor after Germany launched a surprise invasion in 1941.

Putin’s comments coincide with NATO’s European members and Canada increasing their defense spending by 20% in real terms for 2025, totaling $574 billion, citing the alleged ‘Russian threat’. Moscow has dismissed any rumors of plans to attack NATO countries as ‘nonsense’.

Turning to Ukraine’s drone campaign against Russian cities, Putin said the strikes on civilian infrastructure are intended “to rock society” rather than achieve military objectives. “When the whole West is working for them, with this huge flow of drones, [the aim is] to create doubt about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces,” he said.

However, Putin noted that European nations remain reluctant to launch strikes on Russia from their own territory because “they understand that there will be retaliation.”

Putin’s comments came as Ukraine continues to conduct long-range strikes deep into Russia, often resulting in civilian casualties. Last week, Kiev launched a drone raid on Moscow – the largest in two years – and Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported the destruction of 194 drones. The attack damaged an oil refinery, a shopping center, and several residential buildings, leaving more than a dozen people injured.

‘KARMA’S A B***H: STARMER BETRAYED AND WAS BETRAYED. HE WAS THE MOST HATED PM’ - GEORGE GALLOWAY

‘Karma’s a b***h: Starmer betrayed and was betrayed. Brits are rejoicing at his resignation; he was the most hated PM’ - George Galloway.

Watch the Video Here (55 minutes, 10 seconds)

Host Rick Sanchez
HomeShowsSanchez Effect
22 June 2026

In the latest episode of ‘Sanchez Effect’, ex-UK MP George Galloway criticizes the current British government, claiming it is descending into an ‘authoritarian hellhole’ under Keir Starmer. He believes Starmer couldn’t have stayed afloat with such low approval ratings, saying, “The writing was on the wall for him.”

MP Galloway also criticizes the country’s falling democratic standards, arguing that media freedom has been compromised and that the regime will imprison anyone who speaks inconvenient truths.
He contends that politicians are handpicked from a vault rather than elected by the people, and he lists a long string of ineffective leaders—Boris Johnson, Truss, Sunak—each a failure in Britain’s tumultuous leadership rotation.
He warns that without real elections, the system may ultimately fail.

We examine what a change in PM means for the UK’s political future and review the recent updates in the Iran-Israel-US situation, now on RT.

OPERATION BARBAROSSA: THEN AND NOW

The past that refuses to pass

Alexander Dugin explains why the spirit of June 22, 1941, is returning today and how Russia must finally overcome the illusions of the 1990s to secure its future.

By Alexander Dugin
Substack.com
24 June 2026

Respectfully annotated by Abraham A. van Kempen from a word count of 5,225 to 674.

Alexander Dugin’s treatise presents Operation Barbarossa not merely as a historical tragedy but as a living symbol within Russian historical consciousness. For Dugin, June 22, 1941, marks the moment when geopolitical illusion, misplaced trust, and civilizational vulnerability converged. He argues that Russia must remember this event not only as a military catastrophe overcome by sacrifice but also as a warning about the recurring dangers of strategic complacency. When he says that Russia is “living once again” in the historical moment of June 22, he expresses a distinctly Russian concern that memory, sovereignty, and survival remain inseparable.

Dugin’s interpretation of the Second World War is deeply shaped by a Eurasian and anti-liberal worldview. He argues that Stalin misjudged Hitler, that British and “Anglo-Saxon” influence helped redirect Nazi aggression eastward, and that Hitler’s continental Europe was a coercive precursor to today’s European structures. These historical claims are controversial. They are important because they reveal how Dugin understands Russian vulnerability: as the result not only of military pressure but also of ideological manipulation, elite naivety, and the failure to perceive hostile intentions in time.

The treatise’s power lies in the breadth of its civilizational frame. Dugin links Barbarossa, the Soviet collapse, the liberal reforms of the 1990s, contemporary Ukraine, information warfare, artificial intelligence, and Middle Eastern diplomacy into a single narrative about the struggle for sovereignty. This expansive approach can be analytically risky, as it compresses very different events into one overarching pattern. Still, it reflects Dugin’s distinctive philosophical approach: he does not view politics as merely institutional or economic, but as a struggle over historical meaning, metaphysical orientation, and the right of civilizations to define themselves.

His historical analogies are often sweeping. Comparisons among Nazi Germany, the contemporary West, the European Union, Ukraine, liberalism, and digital modernity can obscure important differences across eras, regimes, and ideologies. His comparison of Trump’s unpredictability to Hitler’s shifting positions and his claim that modern Western Russophobia echoes earlier racial contempt are rhetorically forceful and historically verifiable. These analogies serve a clear purpose in Dugin’s worldview: they dramatize what he sees as a recurring Western tendency to deny Russia full civilizational legitimacy.

Dugin’s critique of the modern West is severe, especially in his discussions of accelerationism, media spectacle, Trump, Israel, Iran, artificial intelligence, and the cultural imagery of “Idiocracy.” His language about insects, robots, degeneration, and quarantine is deliberately provocative and can seem excessive or dehumanizing. Yet beneath the polemical style lies a serious philosophical concern: that technologically advanced societies may lose continuity, memory, discipline, and moral seriousness. His remarks on AI similarly reflect both anxiety and fascination; he sees artificial intelligence as exposing the decline of human rationality while also making societies vulnerable to ideological restriction.

The treatise is more of a call for civilization than a mere historical essay. It advocates Russia’s right to tell its story, emphasizes the importance of 1945, and opposes Western efforts to change Russian history and sovereignty, as Dugin suggests. While it may overgeneralize, it also offers hope: history can be biased, memory powerful, sovereignty cultural and territorial, and a multipolar world enables civilizations to find their true meanings. Dugin’s passionate stance makes him influential. Of course, no one has a perfect sense of reality.

Key Points

Dugin presents Operation Barbarossa as a living symbol of Russian vulnerability, sacrifice, and the need for strategic vigilance.
His analysis reflects a Eurasian and anti-liberal worldview in which sovereignty includes historical memory, culture, philosophy, and control over national meaning.
The treatise connects World War II, the Soviet collapse, the 1990s, Ukraine, Western power, AI, and Middle Eastern diplomacy into one civilizational narrative.
Some of Dugin’s analogies reveal his belief that Russia faces a recurring struggle for recognition and survival.
His critique of the West is provocative and prompts important questions about accelerationism, media politics, technological change, and the decline of civilization.
The essay is most valuable as a window into Dugin’s philosophical and geopolitical orientation: history is power, memory is sovereignty, and multipolarity requires civilizations to define themselves.

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

ALASTAIR CROOKE: A NEW MIDDLE EAST IS BORN & NATO ATTACKS MOSCOW

Alastair Crooke discusses the defeat of the US and Israel, and NATO's attack on Moscow. Crooke is a former British diplomat and the Founder of the Conflicts Forum based in Beirut. He was formerly an advisor on Middle East issues to Javier Solana, the EU Foreign Policy Chief.

Watch or Listen to the Video Here (57 minutes, 53 seconds)

Glenn Diesen

Substack.com
20 June 2026

Prof. Glenn Diesen’s discussion with former British diplomat Alastair Crook highlights the Iran-related framework agreement as a potentially pivotal moment in Middle Eastern politics.

Its significance lies more in the geopolitical message it conveys than in its legal authority. Crooke contends that the framework recognizes Iran as a sovereign actor rather than an illegitimate adversary, challenging long-held beliefs in both Israel and Washington. For Iran, the key concern is whether this framework can avoid past failures such as the JCPOA, particularly by safeguarding Iranian interests around the Strait of Hormuz and resisting incremental reinterpretations by outside powers.

The analysis emphasizes Israel’s encounter with a significant strategic shock. Crooke notes that Trump’s openly criticizing Israeli actions in Lebanon and prioritizing engagement with Iran, rather than backing Israeli escalation, has broken a crucial psychological and political assumption: that the U.S. would reliably support Israel’s regional military ambitions. This developments put pressure on Netanyahu, whose domestic popularity appears fragile and increasingly dependent on demonstrating strength, particularly against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A key focus is handling escalation. In the Middle East, renewed Israeli actions in Lebanon could undermine the broader stability, provoke Iranian responses around Hormuz, and increase the divide between the U.S. and Israel. Likewise, in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, there's a parallel: Europe appears to be using Ukraine to draw the U.S. into a direct conflict with Russia, similar to the idea that Israel seeks U.S. involvement against Iran. The Moscow bombing is seen as a major escalation intended to shape perceptions ahead of important Western meetings.

The overall discussion indicates that Western policymakers often underestimate their adversaries’ resilience, sovereignty concerns, and willingness to escalate conflicts. The key warning is that depending on pressure tactics, maximal demands, and expecting swift capitulation may cause conflicts to spiral out of control. In regions such as Iran, Lebanon, or Russia, speakers note that traditional methods are ineffective, yet no new, definitive strategy has been developed to replace them.

ISRAEL'S BLEAK FUTURE

John Mearsheimer:

“On June 23, 2026, I appeared on “Judging Freedom” discussing with the Judge the ongoing efforts to end the Iran war, President Trump’s antics—which hinder negotiations—and Israel’s reckless and deadly actions, which continue without improvement.”

Watch the Video Here (30 minutes, 36 seconds)

Host: Judge Andrew Napolitano
Judging Freedom
23 June 2026

Judge Napolitano’s conversation with Prof. Mearsheimer offers a strongly critical view of the regional tensions involving Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and the U.S., highlighting the Strait of Hormuz as the key strategic element.

Iran’s capacity to control or restrict the Strait has unexpectedly increased its leverage over the US and Israel. American and Israeli strategists initially underestimated this power, expecting a swift victory primarily through air strikes. However, Iran’s missile strength and its control over a crucial global energy chokepoint have altered the power dynamics and posed significant economic threats.

The speakers contend that Israel has endured considerable damage but has hidden the extent of its losses to maintain a facade of strength. They also indicate that Israel’s ongoing operations in Lebanon might hinder negotiations and exacerbate global economic instability. A key theme is the rising tension between the Trump administration and the Israeli government, particularly as Trump and Vance seem focused on ending the conflict to prevent economic disaster. The discussion portrays Iran as having a stronger bargaining leverage than expected, while Israel is shown as becoming more reliant on American support.

The analysis describes Israeli policy as both strategically reckless and morally questionable, highlighting U.S. support as enabling. It also criticizes American diplomacy, particularly confrontational rhetoric toward Iran, for undermining trust and negotiations. The interview depicts the war as a pivotal moment: Iran’s regional influence has increased, U.S. influence over Israel may become more coercive, and ongoing conflict might push toward a political settlement due to economic pressures. The key idea is that Washington and Tel Aviv's military strategies have failed, and now economic vulnerabilities and control over strategic regions are crucial in shaping the outcome.

GUEST EDITORIAL | GERMANY IS ITCHING TO GET REVENGE ON RUSSIA FOR 1945

Germany’s top brass is proclaiming its readiness to “fight tonight,” seemingly eager to rush toward total annihilation

© Morris MacMatzen / Getty Images

By Tarik Cyril Amar, a historian from Germany working at Koç University, Istanbul, on Russia, Ukraine, and Eastern Europe, the history of World War II, the cultural Cold War, and the politics of memory

@tarikcyrilamartarikcyrilamar.substack.comtarikcyrilamar.com

HomeWorld News
21 June 2026

Recall Taurusgate?

When multiple German officers, including the former head of the air force, were caught devising ridiculous and childish plans to bombard Russia with German missiles from Ukraine? The immature way these supposed strategists, caught in a prankster spirit, behaved was both foolish and painfully humorous. Yet the lessons have not been absorbed, even with the German Air Force now under new leadership.

Recently, the new commander-in-chief gave a provocative and somewhat naive interview.

In an interview with Britain’s Telegraph, General Holger Neumann made several controversial statements. The most attention-grabbing was his proud assertion that his pilots are prepared not only to engage Russia immediately but also to carry out large-scale, devastating attacks—an outlook some might see as bold, even overly confident, reflecting a typical German military optimism.

Neumann, who keeps a Lego helmet of Luke Skywalker in his office and has said that Star Wars inspired his desire to become a fighter pilot, likely fantasizes about destroying a Death Star or two alone. However, in real life, his actual targets include the Black Sea region, the Kola Peninsula, the Kaliningrad exclave, St. Petersburg, and Moscow. These locations are of such military and political significance that any attack would trigger rapid and intense Russian retaliation.

Neumann added a slight hedge: Before proposing his innovative idea to escalate Germany's situation from distant hostilities—such as in Estonia—or minor conflicts (“every inch,' as former US President Joe Biden said, a phrase Neumann echoed) to full-scale, potentially nuclear war, the air force chief issued a standard disclaimer: all of this would only occur if Russia attacked NATO.

Read more
Germany struggles to find volunteers to confront Russia – media

It's difficult to believe anyone would genuinely fall for that rhetorical trick and feel reassured. For multiple reasons:

In general, the line ‘all we want is to defend ourselves and keep others from attacking us, just trust us’ has historically been the favorite of every warmonger since ancient times.

Looking at German history, the two world wars that Germany initiated within less than thirty years were also preceded by numerous similar assurances.

As taught in political science or international relations 101 – except perhaps where Germany’s top military leaders are trained — there's such a thing as a security dilemma: what one side considers just defensive armament, the opponent might view as threatening preparations for attack. However, let’s not single out Neumann here: the stubborn refusal to acknowledge how one’s own aggressive armament efforts appear from the other side’s perspective isn’t just a personal flaw of one German officer but a characteristic of Berlin’s approach now.

Neumann deliberately made his input extremely reckless and incendiary. Consider this thought experiment: What if the head of the German air force had simply stated, "Germany is a member of NATO, and the German air force is prepared to meet our commitments to our allies"?

Hearing this, you might disagree or feel upset. I believe it’s time Germany withdraws from NATO. The organization is largely controlled by the US, which is currently both aggressively confrontational (notably towards ‘Iran’) and visibly declining. Furthermore, NATO’s expansion, which was both unnecessary and provocative, triggered the Ukraine conflict. Additionally, Berlin’s NATO allies have been damaging German infrastructure, aided by Ukrainian terrorist groups.

The core issue with Neumann’s statement, and what makes it genuinely alarming, is its excessive nature. A German officer claiming that Germany will meet existing obligations? Even if one dislikes those — like NATO commitments — it’s not a major concern. In fact, it reflects a military officer sticking to his role and leaving political matters to the politicians.

Read more
Russia not looking for conflict – top NATO general

Neumann's actions go far beyond the facts, and his interpretation of NATO's Article 5 is incorrect. Contrary to his claims, Article 5 does not mandate a rapid, automatic military response.

Instead, it states:

All NATO members will regard an armed attack on one of them as an attack on all, but each member individually decides on the appropriate response, which may include military force but is not limited to it, nor is it automatically assumed.

Understanding the treaty as it was actually written and signed doesn't imply naivety: of course, NATO’s planning is entirely focused on fighting. However, it’s also true that this single-mindedness rests on a somewhat weaker foundation in the treaty than many think.

Neumann faces additional issues when we ignore the absence of automatic military responses in the NATO treaty. Suppose a conflict breaks out and a military solution is sought—whether rightly or, more likely, wrongly. Responsible decision-makers should then ask: what kind of action is appropriate, on what scale, and for what specific goal at that exact time? Importantly, are there limited military measures that allow for a swift return to negotiations?

Unlike others who would avoid rushing up what is often called the ‘escalation ladder’ — which could lead to a nuclear death spiral — Germany’s top air force officer is eager to reach the end and does not bother to pause and reflect.

Neumann is eager to declare he's ready to 'fight tonight'—a foolish and embarrassing slogan popular among NATO’s Germans—expressing willingness to deploy 'everything we have.' This means going all-in immediately, escalating from a dire situation to disaster or possible annihilation faster than one can say ‘jawohl!’ Such statements reveal a dangerous level of recklessness and immature bravado. This attitude isn't limited to Neumann but extends to his boss, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, official Berlin, and many in NATO-EU Europe’s elite circles.

Neumann’s blatant lack of caution was evident in his decision to speak on the very day marking Nazi Germany’s 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union anniversary. Was this poor timing intentional? If so, it makes it even more disgraceful.

Unfortunately, Neumann symbolizes the current German leadership and mainstream media, both politically and psychologically, due to their shortsightedness, belligerence, and apparent hatred of Russia.

Read more
Eight-year-old girl killed in Ukrainian drone raid on Moscow – governor

Observe the recent photo posted confidently by Ukrainian Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov: it features Pistorius kindly looking at Fedorov’s phone, where Fedorov is proudly displaying the results of recent Ukrainian drone strikes on Moscow. Russia and Ukraine are engaged in war. It’s unclear why a German defense minister appears approving, like a proud local teacher endorsing his favorite student’s progress, or how he envisions future ties with Russia. Perhaps Pistorius is only interested in one outcome: increasing open conflict.

The fundamental question is: Has the Ukraine conflict been used as a reason by certain German politicians and military officers—whether intentionally or not—to seek revenge for their defeat in 1945?

Not everything is negative. There is noticeable opposition to Neumann’s intervention and the militarism it promotes, characterized by high risks and little reflection. Politically, this opposition comes from both the left and right challengers to Germany’s version of ‘radical Centrism’. On the left, a prominent figure from the BSW (Buendnis Sarah Wagenknecht) has taken the lead. On the right, a co-leader of the AfD party has strongly criticized Neumann’s “war threats” and urged Pistorius to distance himself from them. The AfD currently leads in polls, and it’s likely the BSW isn’t in the Bundestag due to suspicious ‘miscounts’. Clearly, their objections are significant and will become even more so.

Some former high-ranking officers are publicly opposing the aggressive stance. Admiral Kay-Achim Schoenbach, who was dismissed four years ago for making sensible, heretical statements about Russia, has now called for renewed diplomacy and warned that Germany risks unknowingly slipping into a conflict.

However, Germany remains entrenched in its new militarism. How much longer this lasts—that could prove to be a crucial issue for the country.

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

Making a Difference – The Means, Methods, and Mechanisms 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 seeking 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 Mechanisms 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.

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