//The Wire//2200Z May 20, 2024////PRIORITY////BLUF: IRANIAN PRESIDENT KILLED IN HELICOPTER CRASH. SAUDI KING HOSPITALIZED WITH INFECTION. SOUTH CAROLINA PORTS OFFLINE DUE TO CYBER ISSUE.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Iran: Yesterday a helicopter carrying the Iranian President (and other VIPs) crashed in the mountains just north of Tavil. According to Iranian state media, one of the survivors was able to make a distress call via satellite phone before contact was lost. Upon notification of the incident, a neighboring Turkish military drone was dispatched to conduct an aerial search of the extremely remote terrain just south of the Iran/Azerbaijan border. The Turkish drone identified a large heat signature IVO grid: 38SPH4703992367. Ground search crews later identified this location as the crash site. No survivors were found at the site, and Iranian state media has confirmed the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, among others.Saudi Arabia: Saudi state media confirmed that King Salman has been hospitalized following a recent illness. AC: Though reports are contradictory, King Salman has possibly been hospitalized due to pneumonia and/or a more general respiratory infection. Due to contradicting reports, it’s not clear as to if King Salman is currently hospitalized, or if he was merely examined at a hospital as an outpatient. Regardless, this is his second hospitalization in less than a month. As a reminder, King Salman handed over most royal duties to his son, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, a few years ago. However, King Salman still wields considerable status throughout the Middle East, in similar fashion to most aging monarchs that have provided an air of generational stability throughout the continent for decades. If King Salman’s health is declining, this could signal a new era of instability as the world seeks to test the Crown Prince as he fully steps into the role of monarch.Slovakia: Various governmental ministers have indicated that Prime Minister Fico’s situation is improving, and that the most serious risks to his life have been averted. However, it will take more time to determine his overall condition, due to the continuing severity of his wounds.Burkina Faso: Various anti-establishment media channels reported another attack on Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s residence Saturday night. Multiple gunmen conducted small arms attacks at the main gate of the Presidential Palace in Ouagadougou. AC: It’s not clear as to if this was a substantial attack, or a shoot-and-shoot style skirmish. This is at least the 6th attempt on Captain Ibrahim’s life since seizing power two years ago.Red Sea/HOA: Over the weekend, Houthi forces successfully struck another oil tanker, the M/V WIND. Per CENTCOM’s statements Saturday night, coalition vessels responded to the WIND’s distress call as the WIND had lost steering and was taking on water. After a few hours, the crew was able to restore functionality and egress from the area under her own power.-HomeFront-South Carolina: A collection of ports have been shut down temporarily following undisclosed software issues. The South Carolina Port Authority originally stated this morning that cargo terminals would only be offline for a few hours, however the timeline for recovery has been pushed back multiple times today. AC: It is unclear as to if this software issue is affecting all South Carolina ports, or just the main North Charleston Terminal. In any case, cargo on and offloading has come to a halt while the issue is being mitigated.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Many technical details surrounding the Iranian helicopter crash do not fit within known Iranian military doctrine, or otherwise do not make sense. Based on the aerial imagery provided by Iranian media after search crews located the cras

00:00 - Southwestern Region 03:12 - Western Region 09:12 - Eastern Europe 18:01 - Far East 25:01 - GhostNet ReportsThe text version of the Wire can be found on Twitter: https://twitter.com/s2_underground And on our Wire Telegram page here: https://t.me/S2undergroundWire If you would like to support us, we're on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=30479515 And if you don't like Patreon, we're also on Playeur! https://playeur.com/c/S2Underground Disclaimer: No company sponsored this video. In fact, we have ZERO sponsors. We are funded 100% by you, the viewer. All of our funding comes from direct support from platforms like Patreon, or from ad revenue on YouTube. Please note that even though it hurts our income, we still offer ad-free watching via alternative platforms like Odysee, Gab, and (for now) Rumble. Odysee: https://odysee.com/@S2Underground:7 Gab: https://gab.com/S2underground Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/theunderground BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/P2NMGFdt3gf3/ Just a few reminders for everyone who's just become aware of us, in order to keep these briefings from being several hours long, we can't cover everything. We're probably covering 1% of the world events when we conduct these briefings, so please remember that if we left it out, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's unimportant. Also, remember that we do these briefings quite often, so we might have covered an issue previously that you might not see if you are only watching our most recent videos. We're also doing this in our spare time, so again we fully admit that these briefings aren't even close to being perfect; we're going for a healthy blend of speed and quality. If we were to wait and only post a brief when it's "perfect" we would never post anything at all. So expect some minor errors here and there. If there is a major error or correction that needs to be made, we will post it here in the description, and verbally address it in the next briefing, whenever that is. Also, thanks for reading this far. It is always surprising the number of people that don't actually read the description box to find more information. This content is purely educational and does not advocate for violating any laws. Do not violate any laws or regulations. This is not legal advice. Consult with your attorney. Our Reading List! https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/133747963-s2-actual The War Kitchen Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmtpjXT22tAWGIlg_xDDPA

//The Wire//1800Z May 17, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: PM FICO REMAINS IN SERIOUS CONDITION. RUSSIA ANNOUNCES, IMMEDIATELY CANCELS NOTAM OFF CALIFORNIA COAST.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Slovakia: PM Robert Fico remains in serious condition following multiple surgeries since his assassination attempt. Local sources claim his condition remains uncertain, and that it will take several more days before his outcome becomes more clear.-HomeFront-Texas: The Pelican Island Causeway Bridge remains closed pending safety inspections. No timeline has been given for its reopening or repair.California: Yesterday afternoon, the Russian Federation announced (via NOTAM) an area that would be host to rocket activity in international waters, approximately 500nm off the coast of Los Angeles. The notice (A1922/24) went active yesterday, and at the time of posting would be active until May 26. However, as of this morning, the NOTAM has been canceled per the Defense Internet NOTAM Service (DINS) portal.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: As to the original reason for the Russian NOTAM, few details were provided in the initial notice (which is typical). It could have been to designate the debris field for a Russian space launch, but the language in the initial notice was not typical of such launches and indicated a more military use. On the other hand, the factors provided equally support a space launch, which are frequently rescheduled due to weather (and thus changing the expected booster debris field location).However, if a Russian military missile launch was planned, announced, and abruptly canceled within a few hours, this would be par for the course with regards to the current strategic tensions between the United States and Russia.As a reminder, Russia did almost exactly the same in 2022 off the coast of Ireland. Missile drills were announced, planned, then abruptly canceled without comment from Russia. As such, while Russian activities in international waters are generally concerning power-projection moves, the far more concerning military activities are those which are not announced in advance. More strategically, even though virtually zero information is made public regarding the detection of Russian submarines close to American waters, an observable increase in U.S. Navy ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) aircraft has been noted throughout the Atlantic over the past few months. It is very challenging to discern training operations or routine patrols from real-world sub-hunting activity; sometimes the only indicator is a lone P-3C Orion or P-8A Poseidon ASW aircraft flying out to sea, out of range of ADS-B trackers, only to return a few hours later with most Americans none the wiser as to their activities. However, considering the extremely tense situation throughout Europe (especially the war in Ukraine), it only makes sense for Russia to have stepped up clandestine power-projection activities close to America’s borders…and for the United States to quietly be doing likewise.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

//The Wire//2030Z May 16, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: SLOVAKIAN PM IN SERIOUS CONDITION FOLLOWING ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT. DOMESTIC CONFLICT BEGINS IN NEW CALEDONIA.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Slovakia: Local media reports that PM Fico’s condition is still very serious, and it is not yet clear as to if he will survive the assassination attempt. The attacker has been identified as Juraj Cintula, a 71 year old far-left poet of local notoriety for being heavily involved in anti-government rallies. Cintula’s wife has allegedly also been arrested by authorities in connection with the attack. Far East: Chinese incursion flights in the Taiwan Strait continue. 27x PLA aircraft, 7x PLAN vessels were detected operating in the Strait last night. AC: Again falling short of a major imminent wartime indicator, these incursions are taking place during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to China.South Pacific: Mass violence and riots have broken out in the French territory of New Caledonia following a potential change of the electoral system that locals say will increase French power in the former colony. Hundreds of police have been deployed throughout the island as curfews and other restrictions on movement take effect.-HomeFront-Texas: Yesterday morning, an oil barge collided with a bridge in Galveston after its tow line parted. The barge collapsed a portion of the rail line on the Pelican Island Causeway Bridge, and the bridge will be out of action pending safety inspections.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Though all eyes are rightfully attentive to critical infrastructure events, tow lines parting and/or mooring lines slipping is a fairly common occurrence throughout America’s waterways. Though the details of this incident are few (like most maritime accidents/incidents), this collision is likely not on the scale of previous disasters. The Pelican Island Causeway Bridge was in bad shape before the incident. The bridge doesn’t host much traffic regularly, and the rail line (which collapsed as a result of the collision) had been out of service for some time due to the aging bridge. However, this bridge is the only way on or off Pelican Island, so the local population of 9,000 people (and the Texas A&M campus on the island) will be affected by the bridge being closed while it is being inspected for damage.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1630Z May 15, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: SLOVAKIAN PM SHOT, IN SERIOUS CONDITION. PLA ACTIVITY INCREASES IN TAIWAN STRAIT.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Slovakia: Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times by a gunman on the street following a meeting in Handlová. The assailant was detained at the scene IVO grid coordinate: 34UCU3523199538. Per governmental press statements, PM Fico is in serious condition after being airlifted to the university hospital in Banská Bystrica. AC: Flying to the nearest local trauma center instead of back to higher level care in the opposite direction (as the crow flies) in the capital city of Bratislava indicates the severity of Fico’s wounds.Far East: Last night, Taiwanese Defense Forces detected 6 PLAN ships and 45x PLA aircraft operating in the Taiwan Strait. This follows the 23x PLA aircraft detected the previous day.-HomeFront-Washington D.C. – The White House has announced another round of foreign aid packages. Reportedly, Ukraine will get another $2 billion and Israel another $1 billion, both in the form of military aid.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: PM Fico’s attempted assassination comes after months of statements critical of the World Economic Forum, COVID vaccination, and the Ukrainian war. Last month, Fico’s government halted military aid to Ukraine, triggering mass protests throughout the nation.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

//The Wire//2030Z May 14, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: RUSSIAN MOD CHANGES. HOUTHI ATTACKS CONTINUE AND INCREASE IN RANGE.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Russia: MoD Sergei Shoigu has transitioned into a new role as Secretary of the Russian Security Council, following his service as Defense Minister for over a decade. AC: Sources vary widely in even the description of this transition. Western media sources claim Shoigu was fired (or promoted out of the way), whereas pro-Russian sources claim he was promoted into a more substantial and strategic position. Either way, this move is significant as any personnel change (especially at high levels within the defense industry) signals a change in stance, policy, intent, and strategy. However, only time will tell which of these factors Shoigu’s positional change is indicative of.Georgia: Discontent continues to grow in Tbilisi following weeks of protests. Thousands of protesters demonstrated outside governmental buildings in the capital city over the weekend. AC: As a reminder, these demonstrations are largely in response to Georgia’s parliament potentially adopting a new law which is perceived as granting more power to government to crack down on dissent. However, supporters of the bill claim it will reduce western influence as the bill will require media organizations and NGOs to register as foreign agents if over 20% of their funding originates from outside of Georgia.Red Sea/HOA: Attacks on commercial shipping continue as Houthi forces demonstrate increasing targeting capabilities.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: A few weeks ago, the M/V MSC ORION was targeted by Houthi forces with virtually zero comment from western media sources or official maritime agencies. However, over the past few days the reasoning behind this lack of coverage (or even confirmation of the attack) has become apparent…at the time of the attack the MSC ORION was roughly 800 miles off the coast of Yemen. A successful drone attack this far from Houthi territory signals a significant increase in Houthi capabilities (though the indicators of these capabilities have been present since the conflict began, via other similar incidents that likewise received little attention from the west). Consequently, several maritime security firms and organizations are recommending commercial shipping give Yemeni waters an even wider berth with regards to what has become the main shipping route for western-affiliated companies, the Cape of Good Hope shipping corridor.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1600Z May 13, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: CHINA FLEXES MUSCLE IN SOUTH CHINA SEA. PROTESTS CONTINUE AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Far East: Tensions rise in the South China Sea following Chinese military activities in the region. Last Thursday (and somewhat continuing over the weekend), 11x Chinese Coast Guard vessels entered the territorial waters of Kinmen Island in a sharp escalation within the waters of Taiwan’s outlying island county. In the south, conflict with the Philippines has reignited following PLAN vessels both blockading Scarborough Shoal again, and indicating interest in Sabina Shoal (another potential site for China to create another artificial island).-HomeFront-USA: Demonstrations at universities continue with varying impact around the nation. Most encampment operations have been shut down at Ivy League institutions, but some persistent demonstrations/protests remain.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The tensions in the South China Sea are above the typical baseline for the region, but fall short of exhibiting major immediate wartime indicators. However, it must be noted that China’s activities to increase the baseline of observable activity are a wartime goal; normalizing the militarization of the region is a valuable strategic advantage for China. As such, China will likely seek to continue expansion in the South China Sea, to the ire of other nations such as the Philippines. Of note, Germany has committed two additional ships to the region, and U.S. Navy freedom-of-navigation patrols have increased in response to China’s activities.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

00:00 - Northeast Region 08:24 - West Central Midwest Region 10:00 - Western Europe 19:50 - The Mediterranean 23:33 - GhostNet Reporting The text version of the Wire can be found on Twitter: https://twitter.com/s2_underground And on our Wire Telegram page here: https://t.me/S2undergroundWire If you would like to support us, we're on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=30479515 And if you don't like Patreon, we're also on Playeur! https://playeur.com/c/S2Underground Disclaimer: No company sponsored this video. In fact, we have ZERO sponsors. We are funded 100% by you, the viewer. All of our funding comes from direct support from platforms like Patreon, or from ad revenue on YouTube. Please note that even though it hurts our income, we still offer ad-free watching via alternative platforms like Odysee, Gab, and (for now) Rumble. Odysee: https://odysee.com/@S2Underground:7 Gab: https://gab.com/S2underground Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/theunderground BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/P2NMGFdt3gf3/ Just a few reminders for everyone who's just become aware of us, in order to keep these briefings from being several hours long, we can't cover everything. We're probably covering 1% of the world events when we conduct these briefings, so please remember that if we left it out, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's unimportant. Also, remember that we do these briefings quite often, so we might have covered an issue previously that you might not see if you are only watching our most recent videos. We're also doing this in our spare time, so again we fully admit that these briefings aren't even close to being perfect; we're going for a healthy blend of speed and quality. If we were to wait and only post a brief when it's "perfect" we would never post anything at all. So expect some minor errors here and there. If there is a major error or correction that needs to be made, we will post it here in the description, and verbally address it in the next briefing, whenever that is. Also, thanks for reading this far. It is always surprising the number of people that don't actually read the description box to find more information. This content is purely educational and does not advocate for violating any laws. Do not violate any laws or regulations. This is not legal advice. Consult with your attorney. Our Reading List! https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/133747963-s2-actual The War Kitchen Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmtpjXT22tAWGIlg_xDDPA

//The Wire//1500Z May 10, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: SALVAGE OPERATIONS REGARDING M/V DALI CONTINUE. G4 GEOMAGNETIC STORM EXPECTED OVER THE WEEKEND.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Global: Solar weather conditions indicate possible degradation of radio comms worldwide over the weekend. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a G4 geomagnetic storm watch due to 5x Earth-bound Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) observed over the past 24 hours.South America: Yesterday the U.S. Embassy in Guyana confirmed that two American aircraft from the USS George Washington CSG conducted a flyover of the capital city of Georgetown. AC: This action is a reminder that tensions in Guyana continue to simmer, as Venezuelan forces continue to build airfields on the border with Guyana’s oil-rich Essequibo region.-HomeFront-Maryland: Crews continue to work to remove the wreckage of the M/V DALI from the debris of the destroyed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Salvage operations have been slow going due to the sheer magnitude of the incident. The Unified Command in control of the salvage efforts has announced a major phase of the operation, to remove a major section of the bridge from the bow section of the DALI. Explosives will be used as part of this controlled demolition. As such, locals will hear several explosions in the vicinity of the bridge on Saturday, after 5:30 pm.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The G4 solar storm forecast is significant, but probably won’t have much impact on everyday citizens. This is an unusual event as this is the third G4 storm watch issued since 2019, and the most significant solar event in the past decade.The biggest impact this may have to citizens around the world (which will vary due to time of day) is the potential loss of grid power, to include power surges. As such, it is recommended to ensure surge protectors are used for sensitive electronics, and the basic preparedness of a power-loss plan is in place just in case limited blackouts occur. As almost all solar events generate panic in the public sphere, it is important to remember that these are regular events that occur at the peak of the solar cycle every few years. A very similar geomagnetic storm event occurred back in March, and very few people noticed or were impacted by it.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1600Z May 9, 2024////SPECIAL REPORT////BLUF: BIDEN CONFIRMS ILLEGAL USE OF AMERICAN BOMBS IN GAZA. CONGRESS INTRODUCES BILLS TO DEPORT UNIVERSITY PROTEST PARTICIPANTS TO GAZA.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------HomeFront-Washington D.C. – For the first time, in an interview with CNN, President Biden has confirmed that American munitions have been illegally used by Israel in Gaza to kill civilians, including children. AC: Of course, taking the direct words of the POTUS is probably not a direct indication of U.S. policy, and should be weighed as such. However, if true, this is also a de facto admission of everything that has been obvious to anyone who is familiar with U.S. kinetic targeting policy (such as described in JP-360).In Congress, Reps. Andrew Ogles (R-TN), Randy Weber (R-TX), and Jeff Duncan (R-SC) introduced two bills yesterday that are of note for every American. The full text has not been provided for either bill, but the one-sentence summaries have been provided, pending the full text. The titles of the bills are as follows:H.R.8321 - To require person convicted of unlawful activity on the campus of an institution of higher education beginning on and after October 7, 2023, to provide community service in Gaza. H.R.8322 - To revoke visas of certain aliens for rioting or unlawful protests, and for other purposes.AC: This is the entirety of the information present on the Congressional website tracking these bills. All further details surrounding the contents of these bills has originated from direct statements made by the bill’s sponsors themselves.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: From time to time, events transpire in the world that are so outside social norms that it is challenging to choose language with which to describe these events that is not considered to be fallible in some way. So be advised that the mere ideas of these bills (8321 in particular) is not something that can be discussed in a rational or neutral manner due to the implications contained within.Though the full text of H.R. 8321 is not yet available, statements by Reps. Ogles, Duncan, and Weber strongly indicate the intent of the bill. These primary-source statements strongly indicate that if there ever was a bill that goes beyond the pale of social norms and current laws in the United States, it's this one.As extreme as this language appears, the language and ideas allegedly contained within these bills are even more extreme. One would be hard pressed to find a bill more dystopian, outright illegal, and the antithesis of everything the United States stands for, the mere introduction of which should (per the U.S. Constitution) be considered to be an act of treason.One of the bill’s sponsors Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX), has openly admitted this bill is intended to result in the harm and/or death of American citizens by placing them in a warzone where war crimes are being committed, stating: "I am going to bet that these pro-Hamas supporters wouldn’t last a day, but let’s give them the opportunity". Considering the context of Biden himself verbally stating in a CNN interview on the same exact day that American bombs are being used to target civilians in Gaza in violation of U.S. and international law, this is a very serious implication that could not be a more direct message to the American people.Even though the text of this bill hasn’t been published, the intent and statements about it indicate this bill is already illegal in at least a dozen different ways. But, as that fact has never stopped any bill from eventually becoming law, even ridiculous proposals such as this one must be taken seriously.As a reminder, Hamas was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997, and there are already entire sections of US code dedicated to banning American citizens from providing support to such groups. Likewise, “unlaw

//The Wire//2100Z May 8, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: ASTRAZENECA PULLS COVID VACCINE FROM MARKET.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Europe: The AstraZeneca COVID vaccine Covishield has been withdrawn from worldwide production. AstraZeneca claims that this drug was pulled from the market due to declining demand and a wide surplus of similar products from other brands.-HomeFront-USA: Pro-Palestine demonstrations continue at a variety of universities around the United States. Over the weekend, graduation ceremonies were disrupted at many universities as demonstrators begin to solidify what has so far been a less-than-coherent collection of positions/causes related to the pro-Palestine movement. AC: Lately, demonstrations in some cities have shifted to demanding universities divest from financial investment in (or any cooperation with) Israel as a condition for ceasing demonstrations. These efforts are unlikely to achieve the desired result, as 38 states have enacted anti-BDS laws specifically outlawing divestment from the state of Israel only. Consequently demonstrations, disruptions, and general unrest are likely to continue as the various controlling interests (from all participating factions) continue to entrench in varying ideological positions, and dig in for the long-haul this protest season.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: AstraZeneca claims there is no link whatsoever to their drug being pulled from the market a few days after multiple international health groups (and AstraZeneca themselves) have admitted that a major side-effect of this vaccine is Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), which results in “severe blood clotting events”. Before being pulled from the market, this vaccine was administered in over 150 nations.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1400Z May 7, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: ISRAEL BEGINS INVASION OF RAFAH, SEIZES BORDER CROSSING WITH EGYPT.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Europe: France states that claims of Foreign Legion soldiers deploying to Ukraine are false. However, the track record of French statements vs. actions is often very contradictory. For instance, Macron himself stated a few weeks ago that French soldiers may be required to deploy to Ukraine, before immediately recanting the statements and stating the opposite. AC: The initial claims of FFL soldiers being deployed to Ukraine are probably half-truths. Right now, France’s official stance is that no FFL soldiers are, or are planned to be, deployed in Ukraine. France also claims that these statements are “Russian disinformation”. This is likely half-true. Right now, almost every single NATO member has troops on the ground in Ukraine, under the excuse of being “advisors” or “observers”. Russian sources probably heard about a couple of battalions of French mercenaries being trained for service in Ukraine, but rather than waiting to embarrass France more directly, the initial sources lost credibility by fabricating details of the alleged deployment, citing details of specific units that are obviously false. France deploying a few hundred FFL soldiers to Ukraine is within reason, highly likely in any case, and has probably already happened. However, by failing to obtain hard evidence, reports of FFL soldiers in Ukraine remain unconfirmable, and easily walked-back by France in the event that these claims were indeed true in the first place. Now, only time will tell how true these claims were, or will be. In short, this story may have been “Russian disinformation” as France claims…but that doesn’t mean that elements of the story aren’t true.Middle East: The Israeli invasion of Rafah has begun amid very high diplomatic tensions surrounding the proposed ceasefire agreement. Hamas rocket and IED attacks in the north have allegedly intensified following IDF combat actions in the south. IDF forces have conducted a pincer movement along the Philadelphi Corridor, seizing the Rafah Border Crossing and assaulting north into the suburbs of Rafah.-HomeFront-USA: Various protests and counter protests continue at various universities throughout the nation. Many of the more high-profile demonstrations and encampments have been cleared out, while others continue on a plethora of issues. The number of universities switching to online classes for the rest of the quarter/semester continues to grow, as do the list of universities that have canceled graduation ceremonies altogether.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Though details are impossible to verify, a complex situation appears to have developed surrounding the recent peace talks in Israel. Hamas has claimed that they actually agreed to Israel’s terms (for the most part, including the return of 33 Israeli hostages, the exact number sought by Israel). However, even as the deal was being considered, Israeli troops were in the process of invading Rafah. At the moment, even some Israeli media sources are claiming that Netanyahu never planned for the ceasefire to go through, and made outlandish demands in Israel’s peace proposal with the intent of Hamas denying the deal. Hamas called Israel’s bluff, and actually did agree to almost all of Israel’s demands. As such, many media groups are claiming that Netanyahu is continuing the war solely to save his own government, and that Hamas has been willing to enact a truce for some time. Whether or not these claims are true remains to be seen,

//The Wire//1800Z May 06, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: ISRAEL/GAZA PEACE TALKS FAIL. FRANCE DEPLOYS FOREIGN LEGION TO UKRAINE. PROTESTS ESCALATE IN IRELAND.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Europe: France begins deploying French Foreign Legion soldiers to frontline combat service in Ukraine. Approximately 1,500 troops will be sent to Ukraine at first, beginning with a few hundred artillery spotters and intelligence personnel.Middle East: Following the collapse of the latest peace talks in Cairo, Israeli forces have reportedly begun the final phases of the operation to invade Rafah. Locals report mass evacuations have begun as IDF troops stage to take the city. AC: Israel has been planning this operation for weeks, and likely did not fully commit to peace talks as a method of providing a solution to this conflict.Ireland: Counter-immigration protests continue to grow in size and number following months of building tensions resulting from governmental policies. Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Dublin this morning to protest against immigration, as well as a variety of other issues. Protesters demonstrating against the escalation of the Ukrainian War (and against providing support for Ukraine) were also observed taking part in the overall demonstrations. AC: So far, these are some of the largest demonstrations seen in Ireland in many years. Consequently, various counter-protests (and counter-counter-protests) have begun as well, encompassing a wide variety of unrelated issues.-HomeFront-Washington D.C. – Saturday night a man rammed his vehicle into a security barricade at the White House. The man, who has not yet been identified, was discovered to be deceased inside the vehicle. AC: At this time, it is not clear as to if the man was killed in the crash, or if he died prior to the crash. It is also not clear as to if this was a deliberate attack, or an accident.Pennsylvania: A gunman attempted to murder a local pastor at the Jesus' Dwelling Place Church in North Braddock during a livestream of services on Sunday. The assailant’s firearm suffered a malfunction during the attack, resulting in it failing to fire. After the weapon failed, the assailant was apprehended by churchgoers. The assailant has been identified as Bernard Junior Polite. AC: This attack appears to possibly be the result of a mental health incident, however the assailant did admit that the church was selected as a target of opportunity. As such, constant and overwhelming vigilance and situational awareness continues to be strongly recommended, particularly at religious institutions.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The deployment of the French Foreign Legion, while a serious escalation of the war, is also one which is politically safe for Macron. As Foreign Legion soldiers are not French citizens, there will likely be little backlash against this escalation in France (whereas deploying actual French Army soldiers would cause outrage). Russia’s response to this announcement is not clear, but operationally Russia will almost certainly seek to target the Legion deliberately, simply to make a point.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1400Z May 03, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: UCLA ENCAMPMENT DISPERSED. RUSSIAN TROOPS ENTER AMERICAN BASE IN NIGER. TAIWAN DETECTS PLAN EXERCISES IN STRAIT.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Far East: Taiwanese forces noted an increase in Chinese activity in the Taiwan Strait overnight. 26x aircraft of varying types (including medium-bombers and UAVs) were noted conducting exercises in coordination with 5x PLAN surface vessels. AC: This increase in activity above baseline is likely in accordance with China’s observance of traditional Communist holidays, which usually serve as a vector for military drills or exercises. China also launched their latest carrier (the Fujian, CV-18) on the May Day holiday, where she has been conducting sea trials over the past 24 hours.Niger: The situation regarding American presence in the country continues to deteriorate. Overnight, the Pentagon confirmed that Russian troops (likely PMCs) have entered Base 201 at Agadez. Pentagon officials claim the Russians have occupied a compound within the base separate from American forces that remain on site.-HomeFront-California: The main encampment at UCLA has been completely dispersed by police. AC: So far, most of the demonstrators have either been arrested and immediately released, and/or (likely) have dispersed to other occupied zones around the United States. This may be worthy of note considering the recent mice incident. Regardless of the potential nefariousness of recent events, malign actors now know with high confidence that someone can approach a large crowd of people, disperse an unidentified object without any investigation or media coverage, and the crowd will disperse a few days later to locations all around the United States. This incident, if it was indeed a simple prank, at minimum provides valuable operational data for malign actors seeking to cause major incidents around the United States. -----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Though the situation in Niger results in very little media coverage, this situation has the potential for extremely serious consequences to develop. So far, diplomats are attempting to mitigate the situation, while defense officials do what they can to ease this transition. Though the strategic value of the Agadez base is quite significant to American military operations throughout the Sahel, from the information that has become public surrounding this scandal, the DoD prerogative of waiting out the storm and somehow cutting a deal with Niger seems to be faltering with each passing day. The arrival of Russia on the stage seals the deal for any American hopes to remain strategically emplaced within Niger. Unfortunately, this creates an exceptionally dangerous situation for the troops on the ground due to the logistics of a departure; everyone knows the U.S. contingent in Niger can’t remain…the question is no longer “if” the U.S. will leave, but “when”. This is especially challenging for both the troops in Agadez, as well as the contingent at the Embassy compound in Niamey. The logistical challenges alone greatly complicate the security situation on the ground, and highlight many of the same military concerns that the United States has faced throughout Africa over the past few decades.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1800Z May 02, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: U.S. HOUSE PASSES H.R. 6090. SECOND BOEING WHISTLEBLOWER DIES UNEXPECTEDLY.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: Turkey has announced the severing of economic ties with Israel. AC: If this is true, and Turkey really does intend to shut down trade with Israel, this could be a significant development as Turkey is/was a major trade partner for Israel. Additionally, the move appears to include the total restriction of Israel’s use of the port of Cehyan, which Israel depends on for oil shipments from Azerbaijan.-HomeFront-Washington D.C. – Last night, H.R. 6090 was overwhelmingly passed by the House of Representatives. The bill now heads to the Senate.California: LACOFD Station 164 in Huntington Park caught fire last night, resulting in a two alarm fire at the fire station. AC: The fire caused significant damage to the fire station, which will be out-of-action for the foreseeable future.Kansas: Boeing whistleblower Joshua Dean has died after being hospitalized in Wichita following a sudden series of infections, pneumonia, and MRSA. Dean was airlifted to Oklahoma City Tuesday night, where he died shortly after. He was 45 years old. AC: Dean was taking part in proceedings against Boeing and Spirit Aerosystems, after being fired by Spirit for exposing safety problems within the assembly process for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Reading the contents of H.R. 6090 (to include the definitions contained within) is extremely recommended for all Americans. This bill will, without question, have the exact opposite intended effect on the desired audience. In addition to strengthening resolve, this bill now causes questions to be asked that can no longer be avoided by average citizens and pundits alike.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

Hey everyone, back again with an ambitious (but helpful) reading this month. Though there are probably a lot of nitpicking issues that kind of make it hard to fully endorse the ideas in this book, I think overall it was a pretty good discussion-instigator. I did want to keep this one under 4 hours long, so I kept it as short as humanly possible lol.How to have the poll out for May by tomorrow; I'm still working on selections and will be out of the office most of today.Youtube link: https://youtu.be/goqfpWlYnlM00:00 - Introduction and Overview 04:00 - Main Thesis 05:25 - The Turnings 09:30 - Predictions for 2005 16:15 - Preparing for the Fourth Turning 27:46 - Issues 42:20 - Closing Thoughts

//The Wire//2130Z May 01, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: STABBING ATTACK STRIKES LONDON SUBURB. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY PROTESTS REMAIN KINETIC.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-United Kingdom: A stabbing attack was carried out in a London suburb by an assailant with a sword. The attack took place in the largely residential district of Hainault, with the assailant stabbing at least 6 people. One victim, a 14 year old, was killed in the attack. The other victims remain hospitalized. The suspect was arrested at the scene.-HomeFront-North Carolina: A substantial engagement occurred during the serving of a warrant in east Charlotte Sunday afternoon. The shootout occurred when the sought-after individual met the approaching officers with small arms fire. At least four officers were killed in the encounter and five other casualties were reported, from varying jurisdictions and agencies.USA: University protests continue as before, with some demonstrations becoming more kinetic. At Columbia University in New York City, NYPD forces were deployed to shut down the expansion of demonstrations into university buildings and structures. Protesters gained entry to several buildings on campus, which resulted in efforts to oust demonstrators from this key terrain. In California, no new details surrounding the UCLA mice incident, almost all of the reporting on social media remains circular, and no press statements from official agencies have provided clarification or indicated that any investigation is underway.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: As protests continue, care should be taken to observe the vulnerabilities and concerns that will emerge if demonstrations expand. For now, most demonstrations are confined to major universities. However, as almost all of these efforts are directly funded and coordinated from higher command and control nodes within NGO’s all it takes is a series of phone calls for riots to shift into cities, or even suburbs. As already discovered by the arrests made at Columbia, a significant portion of the rioters and protesters aren’t even students at the institutions they are protesting at. As such, the link to universities is circumstantial, and with minimal effort riots can take place off campus as well.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

//The Wire//1400Z April 30, 2024////SPECIAL REPORT////BLUF: SECURITY INCIDENTS INTENSIFY AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------HomeFront-California: As the protests at UCLA continue, an incident occurred last night at the main encampment on campus when an unknown individual approached the site, and placed an open backpack full of mice in the vicinity of the main encampment structures. Many sources on the ground claim that the mice have round unidentified red marks on their backs, possibly indicating the use in some sort of scientific research. In any case, the released mice are the breed commonly used for research purposes. Photos and videos of the incident corroborate these claims, however the quality is not good enough on most of the media to determine any solid details of the markings on the mice. It is not currently known if faculty have reported any mice missing that were part of any research projects. Visual geolocation of the raw video evidence provided on social media indicates that the backpack was placed in the vicinity of grid: 11SLT6697371102.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Though details are extremely sketchy and unconfirmed, this incident is worthy of close and immediate attention (even without knowing all of the details) due to the potential for this to be a serious biological incident. This incident also raises many questions and highlights many concerns regarding the potential for very serious incidents to occur elsewhere at this time of heightened risk.Unfortunately, almost all of the sources for content surrounding this incident are protesters living at the UCLA encampment, and therefore not the most reliable or trustworthy sources for information. Much of the raw data making the rounds on social media is also circular reporting, and therefore not helpful. Nevertheless, the potential impact of this action presents a potentially exceptionally grave risk to national security, and is absolutely worthy of investigation by CBRNE specialists at the first opportunity. Local protesters indicate that authorities are aware of the incident, and at least two security guards witnessed the act in its entirety.In any case, this act is not something one normally does in the spirit of good fellowship, and tends to raise the pucker-factor considerably, considering all factors. Many people are put-off by the nature of the protests all around, forgetting the national context and high tensions that mandate the more severe possibilities being considered. If mice were indeed injected with a mystery substance, then set loose intentionally into a protest encampment, this incident could rapidly become a very serious problem. Therefore, as terrifying as the prospect seems, assuming the worst-case scenario (while hoping for the most likely scenario) is always operationally prudent, until more information becomes available to put minds at ease. The potential for serious incidents occurring at these encampments is exceptionally high, and compounded by the fact that demonstrators have cornered themselves as unreliable sources, and police are not inclined to help them or break any speed records during an investigation of activities within the encampments. UCLA is not publicly known to conduct infectious disease research using lab mice. However, nothing suggests the mice actually came from a lab at UCLA. This would be the first common-sense assessment at any other time, but considering all facts and currently developing situations, we must remember the recent discovery of illegal CCP-linked biolabs in this exact region of the country. Consequently, this exact nightmare scenario should be taken more seriously even considering the extremely minimal (and often circular) reporting on the incident.Militarily speaking, the constant movement of people living in close (and unsanitary) quarters, and a population which has raised the

//The Wire//2130Z April 29, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: HOUTHIS DOWN ANOTHER AMERICAN DRONE. PROTESTS INTENSIFY IN IRELAND. THE HAGUE ESCALATES INVESTIGATION OF ISRAEL’S ACTIONS IN GAZA.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Red Sea/HOA: Over the weekend Houthi forces released proof of their shootdown of yet another American MQ-9 Reaper drone in Yemen. AC: This marks the third shootdown of a $30+ million drone in Yemen since the conflict began in October.Ireland: Mass protests against immigration continue as authorities crack down on demonstrations. Since protests began, Gardaí forces have responded with a heavy-hand in many instances, causing further outrage throughout the nation. On the other hand, demonstrators set fire to an immigrant processing site in Newtown Mount Kennedy last week, as anti-immigration demonstrations become more deliberate and organized.Scotland: First Minister Humza Yousef has resigned following months of struggle to maintain his coalition government.The Hauge: Israeli media has reported that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is preparing arrest warrants for those who have engaged in widespread war crimes. Though no details have been made public with any reliability, various high-ranking Israeli defense officials and politicians are rumored to be on the list, to include PM Netanyahu.-HomeFront-Arizona: A BNSF Railway train derailed in Lupton, near the New Mexico border. As the train was carrying a cargo of propane and gasoline the subsequent fire resulted in the complete closure of I-40. Currently, the eastbound lanes of I-40 are still closed pending the investigation and incident recovery. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The recent rumors surrounding the ICC potentially getting involved in the Gaza conflict is substantial and vastly more impacting than the previous judgements against Israel from the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Of note, the ICC has also publicly stated they are examining the same investigation for Hamas leadership. However, if the Hague becomes involved to the point of issuing arrest warrants this will continue to highlight the vast differences in the style of warfare that Israel engages in.On the other hand, various pro-Palestine movements around the world have succeeded in overshadowing and warping what would have been a legitimate series of concerns, had a more deliberate separation of issues taken place. As it stands, there are very few public movements who do not support Israel’s actions as they pertain to the Geneva Conventions, but also do not support a global intifada or Islamic jihad. Protests and demonstrations around the United States and Europe are incapable of separating the two issues, which often results in apathy or exasperation with both sides of the issue. There are absolutely zero protests around the United States that desire to call attention to Israel’s actions in Gaza, without simultaneously and immediately turning into a protest supporting a global jihad. This is likely intentional, based on the funding sources of these protests, and intended to detract from the legitimate concerns present as the conflict rages on. Admittedly, this series of issues runs much deeper than the recent flaring of tensions in the Middle East. However, the impacts of these observations will become more apparent as current American foreign policy is shaped for the future.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//

//The Wire Weekly Rollup//April 21-27, 2024//-----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Niger: The situation regarding American military presence at Base 201 and at the Embassy compound in Niamey has deteriorated significantly following weeks of increased tensions in the region. A few weeks ago, Niger demanded that the United States leave Niger, and has in effect created primitive blockades around the Embassy compound, as well as Base 201. This has created logistical difficulties and food and water have become hot commodities among the soldiers and diplomats who have been stationed in Niger.Taiwan: This week saw a continuation of substantial earthquakes throughout the nation following the recent cluster of earthquakes that struck the region a few weeks ago.-HomeFront-USA: This week large scale demonstrations and have begun in accordance with the traditional unrest coinciding with American election seasons. Most of the demonstrations have been confined to universities and Ivy League institutions as extremely well-funded professional protesters organize encampment and sit-in operations on campuses around the country.Following recent Congressional actions to force TikTok to divest their company to American ownership or face an outright ban, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has indicated that TikTok will not be divesting and would rather halt service to the United States than cede their company to American interests.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: As protest season continues throughout the United States, the nature of protests has varied widely, with often contradictory messages and causes being rallied for or against. As such, chaos has often been the result for one reason or another at these demonstrations. The impact of media has also been instrumental in shaping information operations on all sides. In some situations, genuine and inexcusable police brutality has resulted in innocent people being harmed. However, in other situations violent demonstrators who were assaulting everyone in sight mere seconds before the camera turns on, suddenly claim victimhood when they themselves were the aggressors. In some situations, peaceful demonstrators have been arrested for exercising free speech. In other situations, demonstrators have engaged in violent acts, while claiming on social media that they were peaceful. Consequently, wading through social media to determine aggressors and victims in each specific circumstance is often a futile effort while the chaos continues.Analyst: S2A1//END REPORT//