Monday, October 20, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Guyana fears Maduro’s invasion

Published 15 December 2023
– By Editorial Staff
Nicolás Maduro and the disputed territory.
2 minute read

Recently, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro announced his intention to annex the disputed region of Essequibo and make it part of the Venezuelan state. Controlled by Guyana since independence in the 19th century, there is now widespread fear that Maduro is planning an imminent invasion.

– People are fearful of an invasion. You’re talking about a country with military power and resources against a country of 780,000 people, journalist Nazima Raghubir told The Guardian.

Venezuela recently held a referendum in which authorities said an overwhelming majority of the population supported the country’s claim to the 160,000 square kilometers of resource-rich rainforest.

Maduro hailed the referendum as a “total success”. He claimed that 95% of Venezuelans supported his plans to annex the region and defy the International Court of Justice, which is currently mediating the century-old territorial dispute.

– The Venezuelan people have spoken loud and clear, the Venezuelan leader declared, adding that the local population will be issued with Venezuelan identity cards.

Turning to the United States

– We are a diverse nation, but at the end of the day we are all one people: the Guyanese… We are not in need of Mr Maduro’s ID cards! We already have one. We are Guyanese! said Brentnol Ashley, governor of the Barima-Waini region.

Guyana’s foreign minister Hugh Todd says Venezuela’s actions are “direct threat to our sovereignty and territorial integrity” and has turned to its ally, the US, for support. Last week, the US also conducted a flyover of the border region, reportedly to demonstrate its military strength.

According to several media reports, Maduro has also ordered the national oil company, PDVSA, to begin exploring for oil in the region. He also appointed a member of parliament from the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, major general Alexis Rodríguez Cabello, to head a special military unit to oversee the new state of Guayana Esequiba.

Unclear goal

Guyana, part of the British Empire for some 200 years, is the only English-speaking country in South America and has close ties to the US and the Caribbean. Venezuela has never formally occupied the Essequibo, but has claimed that the borders drawn with the former British Guiana were the result of corruption.

However, international analysts say it is doubtful that Maduro will actually enter the area militarily, and the campaign could be seen as a way for the president to shore up support for next year’s presidential election. If Guyana is invaded, Venezuela is expected to become even more internationally isolated than it is today, and the US is expected to reintroduce economic sanctions against the country.

Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has tried to mediate the conflict, stating that “we do not want and we do not need war in South America”.

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Trump pressures Zelensky to accept Russia’s peace terms

The war in Ukraine

Published today 17:00
– By Editorial Staff
Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
3 minute read

Donald Trump has, according to multiple sources, urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to Russia’s demands to end the war in Ukraine. A stormy meeting at the White House on Friday was reportedly marked by raised voices, heated arguments, and Trump’s repeated echoing of Putin’s positions.

During the meeting, Trump allegedly warned Zelensky that Putin had threatened to “destroy Ukraine” if the country does not accept the terms, reports Financial Times.

Sources with insight say the meeting between the parties devolved several times into “shouting matches”, where Donald Trump used profanities and threw frontline maps across the room.

Trump reportedly insisted that Zelensky must hand over the entire Donbass region to Moscow, and repeated arguments that Putin had made in a phone call the day before. At the same time, he later supported freezing the current frontlines, reflecting his shifting stance on the issue.

Zelensky and his delegation had hoped to convince Trump to deliver Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, but the US president refused.

If the reports are accurate, the meeting can be compared to the contentious meeting in February, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Zelensky for lack of gratitude toward the United States.

Donald Trump Volodymyr Zelenskyj
The meeting between Zelensky and Trump in February earlier this year ended in open quarreling. Facsimile: Fox4

Zelensky’s position unchanged

European officials report that Trump repeatedly echoed Putin’s arguments word for word on several occasions, even when they contradicted his own previous statements about Russia’s weaknesses.

One official said Trump called the conflict a “special operation, not even a war” and warned Zelenskyy that Ukraine risked destruction.

Trump also expressed that Russia’s economy “is doing well”, which contrasts with his previous public statements that Putin’s economy is near collapse.

Zelensky commented to journalists:  Trump wants a quick victory – an end to the war – and that would be a victory for all reasonable people. Putin, however, wants the total occupation of Ukraine.

After the meeting, Zelensky stated that he had made clear to Trump that Ukraine’s position remains unchanged. Trump told Fox News on Sunday that he was convinced the conflict could be ended, adding that Putin “going to take something, he’s won certain property”.

Ukraina - ryska drönarattacker - juni 2025
While peace negotiations between the parties are marked by disagreement and stubbornness, fighting continues with undiminished intensity (archive image June 2025). Photo: screenshot/Youtube/@CNN

Donbass in exchange for other regions

Putin has proposed in talks with Trump that Ukraine hand over all of Donbass in exchange for smaller areas in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. However, Zelenskyy stated that there is still no clarity about exactly what Russia is willing to give up in these regions.

Ukrainian officials warn that giving up the remaining Donbass would give Moscow territory that it only partially controls, since the war began over three years ago.

Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of Ukraine’s foreign affairs committee, says: – To give the Donbas to Russia without a fight is unacceptable for Ukrainian society, and Putin knows that. It’s not about getting more territory for Russia; it’s about how to destroy us from within.

Trump’s repetition of Putin’s rhetoric dampened hopes among many European allies for increased support to Kiev, despite him previously expressing frustration over Putin’s unwillingness to negotiate directly with Zelensky.

Zelensky commented after returning home: – We have moved closer to a possible end to the war. That doesn’t mean it will definitely end, but President Trump has achieved a lot in the Middle East, and riding that wave he wants to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.

British field marshal: Ukraine cannot win against Russia

The war in Ukraine

Published yesterday 10:51
– By Editorial Staff
Even with expanded Western support, Lord David Richards assesses that Ukraine cannot win the war.
3 minute read

One of Britain’s highest-ranking military officers assesses that Ukraine will never be able to defeat Russia on the battlefield and should instead negotiate for peace.

In an interview with The Independent’s podcast World of Trouble, Field Marshal Lord David Richards argues that Ukraine simply does not have the capacity to drive Russian forces from its territory and should instead seek a negotiated solution.

Richards, who was promoted to the country’s most prestigious five-star military rank earlier this year and led NATO forces during the troop surge in Afghanistan, is critical of how Ukraine’s allies have managed their support.

— What we have done in the case of Ukraine is encourage Ukraine to fight, but not given them the means to win, says the former Chief of the Defence Staff.

When Richards is asked to reflect on Ukraine’s chances of success against Russia, he is clear.

— My view is that they would not win.

When the interviewer asks whether Ukraine could win even with the right resources, the answer is brief.

— No.

Pressed further on whether the right resources could make a difference, he repeated his answer and added:

— No, they haven’t got the manpower.

Not an existential issue for the West

Richards, who is the only British officer to have commanded large American combat forces since 1945, believes the prospects for Ukraine are bleak.

— Unless we were to go in with them – which we won’t do because Ukraine is not an existential issue for us. It clearly is for the Russians, by the way.

— We’ve decided because it’s not an existential issue, we will not go to war. We are, you can argue – and I absolutely accept it – in some sort of hybrid war. But that’s not the same as a shooting war in which our soldiers are dying in large numbers, Richards continues.

He emphasizes that despite sympathy for the Ukrainians and their achievements, he still believes the war is not in the West’s vital national interests.

— My instinct is that the best Ukraine can do, and you already see President Zelensky, who’s an inspirational leader … the best they can do is a sort of a score draw.

Zelensky met Trump

The statement comes after Volodymyr Zelensky flew to Washington DC to meet Donald Trump and try to convince him to give Ukraine Tomahawk cruise missiles.

But Zelensky’s plans to pressure Trump appear to have been undermined by Vladimir Putin, who spoke with the American president hours before the White House meeting with the Ukrainian leader.

At a packed press conference, Trump appeared hesitant to give away American weapons, while maintaining a friendly tone with Zelensky. The American president emphasized his own country’s need to maintain stockpiles.

Zelensky said very little, except to politely suggest that Ukraine could offer its drone technology in an exchange deal. Trump seemed open to the idea.

After the summit, Zelensky said that Trump had not said no to the idea of Tomahawk missiles – but not yes either.

Iraq war built on lies

In the extensive interview about his military life, the field marshal revealed that although his career has been successful, there have been occasions when he came into conflict with the establishment and often disagreed with his military and political superiors.

As a major general and deputy chief of the army under General Sir Mike Jackson, he says it was obvious to him that British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s government was lying about its claims that Saddam Hussein was developing nuclear weapons in Iraq.

Tony Blair’s government lied about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction to legitimize the invasion. Photo: World Economic Forum/CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Together with other senior officers, he questioned the legality of Britain’s decision to join American forces in the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Before the British joined the invasion, Blair presented an intelligence document to parliament claiming that the Iraqi dictator was developing nuclear weapons.

“This stinks”

The document, which has since been mocked as “the dodgy dossier” for its unfounded claims, caused dismay among senior officers who had access to the actual intelligence information.

— “I and others encouraged the chief of defence staff to query whether this was legal and what was the basis of this intelligence, says Lord Richards.

— I do remember one officer – who I won’t name but was on the intelligence side – saying, ‘Don’t worry. We’ll find something to put’. Yeah, ‘don’t worry. We’ll find something about that. We’ll justify what we were doing’, he recounts.

— I went back to say to Mike Jackson, ‘This stinks’.

Ambassador warns: US has underestimated China’s strength

The new multipolar world order

Published 18 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Former U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns believes that one of China's greatest advantages is the Chinese Communist Party's ability to think strategically and long-term.
3 minute read

Nicholas Burns, who served as U.S. Ambassador to China for three years, argues that the Western world has systematically underestimated the Chinese superpower’s capabilities in technology, military, and infrastructure.

In a recent interview, the experienced diplomat highlights several areas where China is far ahead of the United States – and warns that American policymakers still fail to see the full gravity of the situation from the perspective of U.S. strategic interests.

Nicholas Burns, 68, concluded his tenure as U.S. Ambassador to China in January 2025 after three intense years in Beijing. With a long career in American diplomacy behind him – having served under six presidents and nine secretaries of state – he returned to Harvard University where he is a professor of diplomacy and international relations.

Now he speaks openly about his experiences and observations from his time in China. And the picture he paints is more alarming than many are willing to acknowledge.

Impressive infrastructure

We’ve underestimated Chinese power in the world, Burns states bluntly. As an example, he highlights China’s high-speed rail system:

Those trains are fabulous. We rode those trains. You know, you can go from Beijing to Shanghai in four and a half hours.

The distance is over a thousand kilometers, he points out, drawing a clear comparison with the American rail system Amtrak:

We have Amtrak’s just not like that.

But it is in scientific and technological capacity that Burns sees the greatest challenge.

That’s the coin of the realm in our decade, he says and continues:

In the next few decades. Which society will turn out more scientists and engineers?

Former US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns shakes hands with Xu Kunlin, governor of Jiangsu Province in China during a meeting in 2023. Photo: US Department of State

“Alarming” education statistics

The statistics he presents are striking. 34 percent of first-year students at Chinese universities study engineering or STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). In the United States, the corresponding figure is 5.6 percent.

And they’re a much bigger country, Burns adds.

He also points to a peculiar paradox in American society. At Harvard’s graduation ceremony, where he himself teaches, the pattern is clear:

At Harvard graduation, where I teach, when we ask our graduate students to stand up as a class, chemistry majors, biology majors, physics majors, largely Asian Americans, Some American citizens, excuse me, Asians, American citizens of Asian ethnicity or Chinese.

The same pattern is visible in business.

Last week, when President Trump gathered all the tech titans of the United States in the White House, tremendous number of those tech titans are Indian Americans and Chinese Americans, Burns says.

His conclusion is scathing:

We’re not competing when it really matters for the future. And that’s on technology.

Overlooked military strength

Burns also addresses the Chinese military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), whose capabilities he believes the Western world underestimates.

Some people have said, well, it hasn’t fought since 1978. What is what it’s worth? I’ve seen the PLA, he says firmly.

I think we’ve underestimated their military strength, their technology strength.

Strategic long-term thinking

One of China’s greatest advantages, according to Burns, is the Chinese Communist Party’s ability to think strategically and long-term.

The Communist Party of China is strategic and they don’t have to worry about, you know, we want to worry about what the press says. I mean, that’s a good thing to have the press challenging the government. They have nobody opposing them. And so they can make big bets over 10, 20, 30 years.

As an example, he mentions China’s systematic Africa policy:

For 35 consecutive years, the Chinese foreign minister, whoever that person is, has made his first trip of the year in January to Africa to show the Africans you are our priority.

The contrast with the United States is striking.

I think President Trump never went to Africa in his first term. President Biden went once to Angola for two or three days in December, at the very end of his term, Burns says.

His conclusion is unequivocal:

They’re strategic, and we’re not competing on that level. So actually, I think the Chinese technology military economics are stronger than we think they are. And I think we’ve underestimated them, and we can’t do that any longer.

Bolton indicted – shared top secret information with family

Donald Trump's USA

Published 17 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
John Bolton has consistently argued for an aggressive and hawkish American foreign policy.
3 minute read

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton has been indicted for storing top secret documents in his home and sharing classified information with family members. Bolton’s hacked email account also gave unidentified hackers access to sensitive material.

The neoconservative figure John Bolton, who served as National Security Advisor during President Donald Trump’s first term and later became one of his sharpest critics, was indicted on Thursday for violations related to handling classified documents.

The indictment suggests that secret information was exposed when hackers – allegedly linked to the Iranian regime – broke into Bolton’s email account. A representative for Bolton informed the FBI in 2021 about the hack, according to prosecutors, but did not disclose that he had shared classified information via the account or that the hackers now had access to government secrets.

Bolton denied the charges in a defiant statement.

— Now, I have become the latest target in weaponizing the Justice Department to charge those he deems to be his enemies with charges that were declined before or distort the facts.

The indictment alleges that Bolton, between 2018 and August of this year, shared more than 1,000 pages of diary-like notes containing top secret information with two family members – identified as his wife and daughter. The material included information from meetings with US government officials, intelligence documents, and conversations with foreign leaders.

After sending one document, Bolton wrote to his relatives: “None of which we talk about!!!” In response, one of the relatives wrote: “Shhhhh”, prosecutors state.

— There is one tier of justice for all Americans. Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law, commented Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Neoconservative war hawk

Bolton’s attorney Abbe Lowell said that the underlying facts were investigated and resolved several years ago, and that the charges concern parts of Bolton’s personal diaries from his 45-year career in government.

He suggests that the case is linked to the Department of Justice’s failed attempt to block the publication of his 2020 book, “The Room Where It Happened”, which portrayed Trump as deeply ignorant about foreign policy.

— These charges are not just about his focus on me or my diaries, but his intensive effort to intimidate his opponents, to ensure that he alone determines what is said about his conduct, Bolton claimed.

Bolton has, throughout his long career in Republican foreign policy circles, become known as a neoconservative war hawk with hardline views on American military power.

He was, among other things, a strong advocate for the Iraq War and has consistently argued for an aggressive foreign policy toward Iran and North Korea. Trump once called him a “crazy” warmonger who would have led the country into “World War Six”.

When President Trump was asked about the indictment of his former National Security Advisor, he responded that he was not aware of it.

I didn’t know that. You’re telling me for the first time, but I think he’s, you know, a bad person. I think he’s a bad guy. Yeah, he’s a bad guy. Too bad. But that’s the way it goes, the president stated.

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