Missing you

 

 

Tina Turner, Amsterdam 1996.*1

Karma

Eergisteren kwam ik op de BBC toevallig in een concert van Tina Turner terecht, precies op het moment dat ze dit nummer zong. Het was al laat en ik verveelde me, dus was ik aan het zappen geslagen. Op de een of andere manier was het vuur van Tina precies wat ik op dat moment nodig had. Een paar uur eerder had Nederland met 5-1 van Zweden gewonnen, maar euforisch was ik daar niet van geworden, in tegenstelling tot de rest van de natie. Van Tina werd ik dat wel, meteen al vanaf de eerste seconde. Ik kijk vrijwel nooit naar programma's op de BBC, dus laten we het maar karma noemen.

Tina zingt over missen, een gevoel dat elk jaar omstreeks deze tijd een bepaalde impact op me heeft. Het dringt zich op, neemt langzaam bezit van me, zonder dat ik me er onmiddellijk bewust van ben. Het is er sowieso altijd wel een beetje, maar dan opeens wordt het veel sterker. Het is een wonderlijk fenomeen, een jaarlijks terugkerend natuurverschijnsel, waar ik geen enkele controle over heb. Missen is een werkwoord, net zoals bijvoorbeeld 'wonen'. Pas als je geen huis meer hebt begin je te beseffen wat de essentie van ergens wonen is. De essentie ervaren van iemand die er niet meer is, ook daarin ligt een belangrijke betekenis vervat van missen. Je 'voelt' de ziel van die persoon. Niet meteen, maar na verloop van tijd, als missen eenmaal rouwen geworden is. Missen impliceert dus veel meer dan het alleen maar hebben van herinneringen, of het hevig terugverlangen naar iemand of iets.

Missen is een niet zo makkelijk begrip. Het kan je tot in alle uiteinden vervullen en zich dan weer een poosje naar achteren bewegen, het kan als de beruchte steen op de maag gaan liggen, zich vermommen als een zwaarte onder alles, of een ondoordringbare afstand scheppen tot de vroeger zo bewoonbare wereld. Alsof je er niet meer in thuis bent, zoals in het gedicht 'Iep aan een kade' waarin het gaat over een zieke iep die steeds slechter wordt. 'De boom laat ons het uitzicht na op zijn afwezigheid,' schreef Tom van Deel:

(...) Schim van zich-
zelf gaf hij ten slotte ruimte aan
het grotere dat in hem drong. Wie
hem mist voelt zich met hem verhuisd.

Ja, zo is het, de rouw heeft jezelf ook verhuisd, naar je weer niet waar. Naar ergens waar je dus niet thuis bent, ook al beweert de voordeur nog zo: hier is het, al glimlacht je fiets in zijn vetrouwde rekje dat hij hier altijd staat. Toch weet je de weg niet meer, niet meer echt. De boom is weg. Metafoor. En daarmee is een deel van de grond onder je voeten ook verdwenen. Andere metafoor. Men voelt zich met de boom verhuisd, en je wilt ook niet dat dat verandert. Die lege plek in het uitzicht moet een lege plek blijven, die mag niet wennen. Zelfs het voorbijgaan van de ergste pijn kun je bijna niet willen, want ook dat zou een vorm van ontrouw betekenen, een zich verwijderen van de dode.

De merkwaardig tegenstrijdige beweging van het verlies: hevig verdriet verbindt de rouwende met het leven, want het is in dit leven nu dat iemand ontbreekt. Na enige tijd, als de hevigheid van het verdriet vermindert, neemt juist een gevoel dat zich tegen het leven richt een steeds grotere plaats in, het gevoel van vergeefsheid, betekenisloosheid.*2

Vandaag exact tien jaar geleden is May Khoen overleden. Een dag later vond het Brexit-referendum plaats, maar daar kan ik me niets meer van herinneren. Wat is er allemaal wel niet gebeurd sindsdien! Ik mis haar niet meer op dezelfde manier als eerst, maar toch noem ik haar naam iedere dag wel een paar keer. Ik ben nog steeds met haar in gesprek, daar komt het op neer. Rouw is niet alleen maar verdriet of een gevoel van onmacht, het is ook een manier van zingeving. Ik heb daardoor allerlei dingen gedaan die anders nooit in me opgekomen zouden zijn, zoals bijvoorbeeld het maken van deze blog, of het onderzoek doen naar haar familiegeschiedenis. Ik wilde dat ze niet vergeten zou worden, dat haar naam voor altijd zou blijven bestaan, terwijl ik tegelijkertijd ook wel wist dat dat streven zinloos was. In feite vocht ik dus tegen de dood. Niet zozeer háár dood, want die hadden we beiden geaccepteerd, verwelkomd zelfs toen het moment daar was. De leegte die ze achterliet, daar vocht ik tegen.

©Huub Drenth

May Khoen, december 2007.

  

*1 Tina Turner - Missing you (Wildest Dreams Tour, Live in Amsterdam, 1996).

*2 Marjoleine de Vos - En steeds is alles er (Over missen en herinneren), pag. 24/25. 

 

Last man standing

 

 

"Serfdom existed centuries ago and honestly it never really went away."

Since September 2022, the Russian Ministry of Defense has not published official data on military losses in Ukraine. In this street interview, a Russian man shares his thoughts on why the real numbers are kept hidden, how propaganda works inside the country, and why many people are still afraid to speak openly. He also talks about censorship, the lack of real opposition, freedom of speech in Russia, and why he believes Ukraine’s army has become one of the strongest in Europe. This is one person’s opinion - but it reflects a rare and honest perspective from inside Russia.

Some comments on YouTube:

This man is brave enough to tell everyone that the emperor has no clothes!

Unfortunately the people that need to see this won't get to see it.

Bravo Monsieur - from France

What an intelligent articulate man.

You met the one smart guy in russia! Well, not smart enough to keep quiet (we know what will happen now), but all due respect to him... a REAL russian hero! (If not a russky government entrapment exercise.)

Geez, somebody check on this guy some time, hope he's safe

Clever and brave

This man impressed me. He has a full grasp of both the real situation and what is going on. I hope he does not get arrested.

Wise man, I wish him safety after this

Smart fellow.

Brilliant wish that there were more like him.. good luck to the guy.

Brave man

Respect.

Wow. This man speaks for every other Russian who is afraid to stand up for their rights or lack of them. Slava Ukraine from Canada.

An honest russian man finally speaking the truth..bravo brave man speaking up in a free way

Hopefully, he’s not “suicidal” And hopefully he can stay away from windows and tall buildings.

HEADSHOT - YouTube, 26 May 2026

Anne Aspinall

 

 

View from Studio, 2010.

 

Subtle changes of light and colour

Anne Aspinall was born in Manchester and trained at Manchester College of Art. She joined the Longden Gallery and Workshops in 1986 as a printmaker specialising in etching. From 1988 – 1989 she travelled extensively in Europe and North Africa where the effects of strong sunlight on the desert landscape and the rich texture and patterns of the architecture and textiles made a lasting impression. Anne’s work is a personal response to the patterns and rhythms inherent in the landscape and the subtle changes of light and colour through the seasons. She has been profoundly influenced by the work of the Scottish painters William Gillies and Barbara Rae, as well as the Catterline landscapes of Joan Eardley. In addition to the intense colours of Morocco, her current subject matter encompasses the hills and valleys of North Wales, the Peak District, where she lives and works, and the coastline around the British Isles.

 

Maryport Harbour. 

Her paintings start with the monoprint process where ink is applied to Perspex plate using rollers. This enables transparent layers of colour to be built up and texture is added by working back into the ink using stencils, brushes and rags. The image is then transferred onto paper by use of an etching press. When the inks have dried, Anne works into the monoprint with chalk, oil pastel and paint to achieve the final mixed media painting.

Text: Bloomfield Art

Anne Aspinall.

 

Paul Krugman in Amsterdam

 

 

 

Een gezworen vijand van Trump

In een live opname, op de avond van 20 mei jl. gemaakt in Pakhuis de Zwijger in Amsterdam, spreken Tim de Wit en Arend Jan Boekestijn met Nobelprijswinnaar Paul Krugman (te zien vanaf minuut 10). Hij praat over hoe Trump met zijn oorlog tegen Iran de wereldeconomie ontregelt, hoe beloftes over lagere boodschappenprijzen volledig in duigen vallen en hoe de Republikeinen het Hongaarse draaiboek van Orbán rechtstreeks kopiëren om de midterms te winnen. Wat moet Europa doen nu Amerika afglijdt? En waarom is hij ondanks alles tóch hoopvoller dan een jaar geleden?

Paul Krugman was vijfentwintig jaar lang columnist bij The New York Times en bereikt tegenwoordig meer dan een half miljoen lezers via zijn eigen Substack, waar ook ondergetekende (HD) abonnee van is. Krugman was als academisch econoom verbonden aan het MIT en Princeton, en is sinds 2015 verbonden aan het City University of New York Graduate Center. Voor zijn werk ontving hij in 2008 de Nobelprijs voor Economie.

Zijn academische publicaties richten zich vooral op internationale handel. Krugman ontwikkelde, op basis van schaalvoordelen (zie Wikipedia) en de voorkeur van consumenten voor productdiversiteit, een verklaring voor intra-industriële handel tussen landen met vergelijkbare kenmerken – iets wat eerdere theorieën moeilijk konden verklaren. Deze inzichten paste hij vervolgens toe op de economische geografie: door schaalvoordelen en positieve externaliteiten hebben bedrijven en werknemers de neiging zich te concentreren in stedelijke gebieden, wat leidt tot economische divergentie tussen het centrum en de periferie. Deze benadering is New Economic Geography gaan heten. Tegen de achtergrond van Trumps protectionistische handelspolitiek is Krugmans werk, zowel als econoom als criticaster, relevanter dan ooit.

Huub Drenth 

 

  

As nervous as a pregnant nun

 

 

May 21, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) questioning General Eric Smith.

A highly educated Republican

Before he became Senator in 2017, John Kennedy was elected to five terms as State Treasurer of Louisiana. As Treasurer, he oversaw the state’s $10.6 billion investment portfolios. He also oversaw local and state bond issues and returned millions of dollars in unclaimed property each year. Prior to his position as Treasurer, John served as Secretary of the Department of Revenue, Special Counsel to Governor Roemer and Secretary of Governor Roemer’s Cabinet. He was also an attorney and partner in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans law firm of Chaffe McCall.

John was raised in Zachary, LA. and graduated from Zachary High School. John graduated magna cum laude in political science, philosophy and economics from Vanderbilt, was president of his senior class, and elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his law degree from the University of Virginia and his B.C.L. degree from Oxford University in England where he was a First Class Honors graduate. John has been an adjunct professor at LSU Law School and has been a volunteer substitute teacher for Louisiana public schools for over 15 years.

He resides in Madisonville, Louisiana, with his wife Becky and their son, Preston. They are founding members of the North Cross United Methodist Church.


Source: https://johnkennedy.com/about/

John and Rebecca Kennedy.

 

Een gevaar voor de samenleving

 

 

Boekestijn en de Wijk, 9 mei 2026.

 

October 24, 2024

Operating under the principle of “Duty to Warn,” 233 mental health professionals endorsed a letter published in the The New York Times describing Donald Trump as an “imminent catastrophic public danger” should he be re-elected, citing concerns based on his recent public appearances.

In the letter, the signatories argued that the 78-year-old Trump “exhibits behavior consistent with diagnostic criteria outlined in the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-5 for narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and paranoid personality disorder,” adding that these traits were “further exacerbated by intense sadism, a feature associated with malignant narcissism.”

The letter further stated that “Trump appears to be showing signs of cognitive decline that warrant a comprehensive neurological evaluation, including MRI imaging and neuropsychological testing.” According to the authors, the reported symptoms include “reduced verbal fluency, tangential thinking, limited vocabulary, repetitive use of superlatives and filler words, perseveration, confabulation, phonemic and semantic paraphasia, confusion involving people and events, and declining judgment, impulse control, and motor functioning, including a wide-based gait.”

Describing the alleged evidence of decline as “disqualifying,” members of the group said they would expand on their concerns in a video scheduled to air on cable television during the final days of the campaign.


RawStory & ChatGPT

Robert, Elizabeth, Freddy, Donald en Maryanne Trump.

What contact did the Vikings have with the Sámi?

 

 

 

Cooperation and respect

The contact between the Vikings and the Sámi during the Viking Age was intensive and characterized by a high degree of reciprocity, social acceptance, and close cooperation, especially in central Scandinavia.

The two peoples lived in a kind of symbiosis where they shared the land, although the Sámi were not always regarded as equals by the Norse.

The contacts can be divided into three main areas:

1. Economy, trade, and specialized craftsmanship

The Sámi acted as specialists within the Nordic economic system.

They were skilled hunters and gatherers who supplied the Vikings with exclusive and highly sought-after luxury goods such as furs (marten, fox, beaver, and bear), walrus tusks, hunting falcons, feathers, and ship ropes made from seal and walrus hide. These raw materials were often purchased or collected as tax (tribute) by Nordic chieftains, and then sold on by the Vikings in international markets, as far as Constantinople and Baghdad. The Sámi were also known as specialists in tanning hides, building boats, forging iron, and making skis for the Nordic peoples.

 

2. Marriage and social alliances

There were close contacts at a high social level, and elites from both groups often exchanged marriage partners. This is confirmed by both archaeological grave finds and written sources. A well-known example from the Old Norse sagas is that the Norwegian king Harald Fairhair married the Sámi woman Snæfríðr, daughter of the Sámi king Svási. Sámi women could thus marry into and be accepted into the very highest levels of Norse society.

3. Religion and magic

The Norse had great respect for the Sámi’s spiritual and magical abilities. The Sámi often served as healers, advisors, and masters of magic. The two cultures shared several fundamental religious concepts, especially the form of sorcery and shamanism known in Old Norse as seiðr. This magical practice is believed to have developed in harmony with Sámi religion as part of a shared Nordic spiritual heritage. Respect for and belief in Sámi magic was so strong that the earliest Christian laws in Norway explicitly forbade Christians from traveling to Sámi territories to seek prophecies or healing.*1

In summary, the Sámi were not just a peripheral group, but a strongly integrated and very important part of the Viking Age’s economy, culture, and religious life.

Gunnar Östberg
Published on Quora, 26 april 2026 (translated from Norwegian by ChatGPT).

The two aquarelles were made by Johannes Flintoe (1787-1870). 

  

Sámi magic drums (Jan Luyken, 1682).

 

*1 Visit also my post about Eivør Pálsdóttir, titled Trøllabundin (HD).

  

How to expose a hypocritical liar

 

The power of silence

Love him or hate him, but Piers Morgan is a fine interviewer. He recently had the disgraced former actor-turned-Christian grifter Russell Brand on his show.*1 Brand, ever the performative twat, had his Bible on him… since being accused of some rather awful behavior by several women, he now has — oh surprise of surprises! — “found Christ” and now cloaks himself in a protective shield of highly calculating PDoR’s (Public Displays of Religion).

Piers Morgan asked Russell Brand if this was the same Bible he carried with him in court, which Brand confirmed — he carries it everywhere. Morgan asked if the actor had any specific passages annoted, as he previously said he had, to read and give him strength or inspiration during his trial. Brand said this was the case. Then Morgan asked him if he would be so kind to share some of those relevant Bible passages with the audience. Brand said he would, and began looking through the pages. For several minutes, he kept looking, mumbling, coming up with… nothing.

The best thing an interviewer can do isn’t just asking a critical question, but to actually give the person they’re interviewing a lot of time to answer. Say nothing, encourage them a little, then watch them unravel before our very eyes. A good interviewer knows how to fill silence with a critical note when needed, but a great interviewer knows the unbeatable power of silence.

Jean-Marie Valheur (on Quora)
studied and practiced journalism

 

*1 Russell Brand (1975) is an English comedian, actor, podcaster, and media personality. In September 2023, following a joint investigation by The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4's documentary series Dispatches, five women publicly accused Brand of sexual assault and sexual and emotional abuse. The accusations concern incidents between 2006 and 2013. Brand is currently facing seven serious legal allegations involving multiple charges of rape and sexual assault. The case has garnered significant media attention due to the nature of the accusations and Russell Brand's public persona.

For the whole interview go to Piers Morgan Uncensored on YouTube.

 

Fortune tellers and psychics

Natalia Malinovskaya.

Mysticism's surge in Russia

In Russia, mysticism is resurgent as more people, including soldiers in eastern Ukraine, turn to supernatural practices due to conflict and economic issues. Self-described witch Natalia Malinovskaya offers mystical services. This revival challenges norms, drawing opposition from the State Duma and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Amidst the ongoing conflict and economic instability in Russia, a resurgence of mysticism has taken hold, with many turning to supernatural practices as coping mechanisms. Self-proclaimed witch Natalia Malinovskaya has gained popularity, especially among soldiers fighting in eastern Ukraine, who seek her mystical services during times of distress.

 

Malinovskaya, who claims her powers are inherited, offers various services, from detecting negative health energies to casting love spells. Despite her growing clientele, including soldiers concerned about partners' fidelity, she faces challenges performing rituals given war's constraints, highlighting the unique intersection of mysticism and military life.

This revival has sparked controversy; lawmakers and the Russian Orthodox Church have voiced concerns over financial exploitation and 'devilish powers.' Polls show increasing belief in magical practices, with consumer demand for mystical items like crystal balls and amulets soaring. The Orthodox Church warns of the manipulative nature of these practices, of which some link to forbidden satanic influences.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow supported a ban last year and in January condemned the "mass manipulative influence" of fortune tellers and psychics. In an interview with the TASS propaganda agency, he said fortune telling contains a "dark force" and contrasted it with miracles, which he linked to divine power and grace.

 
Sources: Devdiscourse and MSN

 

Ezekiel 25:17

 

Divine justice

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, leading a Pentagon prayer meeting two days ago, quoted a fictional Bible verse taken from a violent monologue in Pulp Fiction, originally delivered by actor Samuel L. Jackson just before his character shoots a helpless man to death. The secretary used the prayer to frame the war in Iran as an act of divine justice, the same justification Jackson’s character cites in the film before pulling the trigger.

Hegseth told the audience that he learned the prayer from the lead mission planner of the “Sandy 1” team that recently rescued downed Air Force crew members in Iran. Hegseth said the verse frequently is spoken by combat search-and-rescue crews, who call the prayer “CSAR 25:17, which I think is meant to reflect Ezekiel 25:17” from the Bible.*1

 

A cultural watershed

Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American independent black comedy crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he conceived with Roger Avary. It tells four intertwining tales of crime and violence in Los Angeles. The film stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman. The title refers to the pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th century, known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue.

Pulp Fiction is widely regarded as Tarantino's magnum opus, with particular praise for its screenwriting. The self-reflexivity, unconventional structure, and extensive homage and pastiche have led critics to describe it as a touchstone of postmodern film. It is often considered a cultural watershed, influencing films and other media that adopted elements of its style. The cast was also widely praised, with Travolta, Thurman, and Jackson earning high acclaim. In 2008, Entertainment Weekly named it the best film since 1983 and it has appeared on many critics' lists of the greatest films ever made. In 2013, Pulp Fiction was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Sources: Los Angeles Times and Wikipedia

 

*1 Ezekiel 25:17 (King James Version): And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them.

Trump verklaart Vaticaan de oorlog

 

 

 

Paus Leo is ‘zwak’ en ‘verschrikkelijk’

De betrekkingen tussen de Amerikaanse president Donald Trump en het Vaticaan verslechteren zienderogen, nu Trump op zijn Truth Social fel heeft uitgehaald naar paus Leo XIV. Trump noemde de paus, die eerder nauw verholen kritiek uitte op het voeren van een aanvalsoorlog in de naam van het geloof, 'zwak' en 'verschrikkelijk'. De paus liet op zijn beurt weten zich te zullen blijven uitspreken.   

'Paus Leo is zwak op het gebied van misdaad en verschrikkelijk op het gebied van buitenlandbeleid', aldus Trump. De paus had op eerdere dreigingen van Trump dat 'een hele beschaving zal sterven' in Iran gereageerd en Trumps uitspraken 'onacceptabel' genoemd. Paus Leo riep op tot een vreedzame oplossing van de oorlog tegen Iran. Ook vroeg de paus om 'diepgaande bezinning' over de manier waarop migranten in de VS onder de regering van Trump worden behandeld.

'Leo zou dankbaar moeten zijn', schreef Trump, 'want zoals iedereen weet was hij een schokkende verrassing. Hij stond op geen enkele lijst om paus te worden en werd alleen aangesteld door de kerk omdat hij een Amerikaan is en zij dachten dat dat de beste manier zou zijn om met president Donald J. Trump om te gaan. Als ik niet in het Witte Huis zou zitten, dan zou Leo niet in het Vaticaan zitten', aldus Trump.

Daar bleef het niet bij. 'Ik wil geen paus die het oké vindt dat Iran kernwapens heeft. Ik wil geen paus die het verschrikkelijk vindt dat Amerika Venezuela heeft aangevallen. En ik wil geen paus die de president van de VS bekritiseert, omdat ik precies doe waarvoor ik ben gekozen', vervolgde Trump zijn tirade.

Als klap op de vuurpijl deelde Trump ook een afbeelding, mogelijk met AI gemaakt, waarop hij is afgebeeld met bovennatuurlijke krachten. Te zien is hoe er licht uit zijn handen komt terwijl hij zich over een zieke man ontfermt. Trump lijkt ook een bijbels gewaad te dragen, maar kwam verder niet met een toelichting over wat de illustratie moet voorstellen.


BNR/Mark van Harreveld

  

George Clooney for president!

Sticks and stones

Someone in the White House seems to have put the word out: Stop talking about a free and prosperous Iran, and start talking about pulverizing Iran until you can sift the rubble through a tennis racket. On Wednesday, Donald Trump vowed to bomb Iranian targets hard enough to send them “back to the Stone Ages where they belong.” Pete Hegseth also tweeted “back to the stone age,” a military cliché so lazy and flabby that if it were one of his generals, it would be frog-marched to an elliptical machine and forced to melt away its belly fat until its abs showed through. The messaging shift over the past couple of weeks reflects a change in plans, after Iran’s resistance proved more vigorous than expected. If Iran will not change its regime’s intentions, America will reduce it to resisting American imperial aggression with sticks and stones.*1

The Atlantic, April 3, 2026

 

 

A dispute about war crimes

The long-running war of words between George Clooney and the White House has ignited again after the Oscar-winning actor criticised Donald Trump’s threat to Iran that “a whole civilization will die tonight”.

On Wednesday (April 8), in a speech to 3,000 high school students in Cuneo, Italy, Clooney said the US president had committed a war crime with his threat.

“Some say Donald Trump is fine,” the 64-year-old told the students at an event organised by the Clooney Foundation for Justice. “But if anyone says he wants to end a civilization, that’s a war crime. You can still support the conservative point of view but there must be a line of decency, and we must not cross it.”

In response, the White House communications director, Steven Cheung, told the Independent: “The only person committing war crimes is George Clooney for his awful movies and terrible acting ability.”

The Guardian, 9 April 2026

 

*1 Also watch/read Paul Krugman's opinion on this topic on Substack.

   

The blitzkrieg scenario didn’t work

 

 

Our man in Moscow

BBC Russia editor Steve Rosenberg believes his continued ability to report from Moscow is largely due to Vladimir Putin’s desire for Russia to be viewed as a global superpower—an image that, in his view, requires tolerating the presence of international news organizations. Like correspondents from other Western outlets in countries such as France, Germany, and Italy, as well as networks like Sky News, Rosenberg knows he is constantly balancing on a knife-edge, aware that he could be expelled from the country at any moment. His position remains precarious. He holds only a three-month visa, and its renewal is typically delayed until the final day, a recurring reminder of how fragile his situation is.

“I don’t kid myself—this could end tomorrow,” Rosenberg said while accepting the 2025 Charles Wheeler Award for his outstanding contribution to broadcast journalism. “Every time I file a report, I feel like I’m walking a narrow line—a tightrope stretched over a minefield of repressive laws designed to punish criticism of the Russian state or so-called anti-Russian rhetoric in the media. “But Russia considers itself a great power,” he added, “and as a center of global influence, it hosts journalists from around the world.”

HD 

 

Steve Rosenberg

  

For varmt for Cold Response 26

  

 

Ikke så mye tele og snø

Nato-øvelsen Cold Response skjer i en utenrikspolitisk opphetet verden, med krig både i Ukraina og Midtøsten.*1 Den skjer også i et forholdsvis varmt nordnorsk jordsmonn.

Tidlig snø i nord har gjort at kalde værperioder ikke har kommet særlig langt ned i jorda. Nå varsler Forsvaret om at kombinasjonen av lite tele og tungt militært utstyr kan gi store skader på dyrket mark.

 

– Vi er avhengig av tilstrekkelig tele og nok snø for å redusere skadeomfanget, men dessverre er det ikke så mye tele i øvelsesområdet i år som i fjor, sier miljøvernoffiser ved Forsvarets operative hovedkvarter (FOH), Marianne Rygh Bø.

– Vi er veldig klar over skadene kjøring på jorder kan medføre, så vi søker å få avdelingene til ikke å kjøre der. Men må avdelingene likevel krysse jorder, oppfordrer vi dem til å kjøre i ytterkant eller i færre spor, sier Rygh Bø.

I et land med bare tre prosent matjord må det være en høy terskel for å legge potensielt ødeleggende trafikk nettopp hit.

Om lag 25.000 norske og allierte soldater trener på forsvaret av Norge. Ett av målene ved årets øvelse å øve på samspill mellom sivile og militære. Det er en god anledning til å inkludere lokale landbrukskontorer i øvelsen.

Kjørespor og ødelagt grasdekke er lette å oppdage. Skader nede i matjorda, for eksempel skadde eller tette dreneringsrør, viser seg først over tid. Det gjelder å melde fra så tidlig som mulig når skade er oppdaget eller mistenkt.

 

 

Også reindriften påvirkes når soldater beveger seg i reinbeiteområder. Reineieren Ole Nils Aslak Baal fikk et våpen rettet mot seg da han oppsøkte en norsk avdeling ved Helligskogen forrige søndag. Baal ville informere om at en reinflokk beitet like i nærheten.

– Det var en veldig ubehagelig opplevelse, sier Baal til avisa Nordlys.

Forsvaret sier at hendelsen skyldtes en misforståelse. Våpenet som ble rettet mot Baal, var ikke skarpladd.

– Hæren har fredag hatt et konstruktivt møte med Helligskogen reinbeitedistrikt om Cold Response 2026, og ønsker å bygge videre på det, sier oberstløytnant Lars Strøm, som er kommunikasjonssjef i Hæren.

 

Dyrevelferden må veie tungt når Forsvaret nærmer seg tamreindriften. Samtidig må alle utmarksbrukere regne med å merke det når vi og våre allierte øver på å forsvare landet.

Skader må søkes unngått, og erstattes om de oppstår. Men den som tror at store, motoriserte militærøvelser er det verste som kan skje arealbrukende virksomheter, har ikke vært i en krigssone. Alle har interesse av at Forsvaret øver på å forsvare fedrelandet.

NATIONEN - distriktsavisa (publisert: 09.03.26 17:53)

 

  

*1 Cold Response er en Norskledet militær vinterøvelse som avholdes hvert annet år. På land og i luften trenes det i Nord-Norge (Troms og nordre Nordland) og Nord-Finland. På sjøen skal det øves i sjøområdene utenfor Norge. Hoveddelen skjer 9.–19. mars 2026. Rundt 25 000 soldater deltar i øvelsen. Av disse øver rundt 11 800 på norsk jord. Resten deltar på sjøen, i luften og i Finland. Deltakerne kommer fra Norge, USA, Storbritannia, Tyskland, Nederland, Frankrike, Italia, Canada, Spania, Tyrkia, Sverige, Finland, Danmark og Belgia.

 

Regime change?

 

 

 

Trump launches war on Iran

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, who has ruled Iran since 1989, is dead, according to a report from Reuters. Israeli officials told the news agency earlier today (28 February) that Iran’s Supreme Leader was killed following Israeli strikes.

Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Mehr reported that the Supreme Leader was “steadfast and firm in commanding the field”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump earlier speculated that Khamenei was dead. On a call with NBC news Trump said: I have spoken to a lot of people, we feel that is a correct story.”

“This morning we destroyed the compound of the tyrant Khamenei,” Netanyahu said in a brief video statement this evening.

“There are many signs that this tyrant is no longer. This morning we eliminated senior officials in the ayatollahs’ regime, Revolutionary Guards commanders, senior figures in the nuclear program… In the next few days, we will hit thousands more targets of the terror regime.”

On another call with ABC news tonight Trump said: “I don’t want to say anything definitively until I see things but we believe he is. And much of their leaders are gone.”


Source: The New Statesman 

 

The Guardian, Sun 1 Mar 2026 07.48 CET:

Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed, Iranian state media has confirmed, in the opening salvo of a war the US and Israel launched with the aim of regime change.

Khamenei had not been heard from since the strikes began, and satellite imagery showed that his secure compound was heavily damaged in the initial barrage on Saturday.

The confirmation came early on Sunday, hours after Donald Trump announced the death of the ayatollah, who has ruled Iran as supreme leader since 1989, in a post on Truth Social.

 

Q&A

Will this military operation fundamentally change things in Iran? Will the country become a truly democratic, gender-equal, and open society? Is Donald Trump’s main objective in this war really regime change? Or is it merely about regime alteration and oil, as we saw two months ago in Venezuela?

In need of answers? Turn to: I pity the garden by Forugh Farrokzhad (1934-1967), translated and recited by Sholeh Wolpé. HD