by Norbert Link
2018 ends with a bang, and the prospects for 2019 are even more grim. President Trump’s unilateral decision, announced by him on Twitter and without any prior consultation or warning, to admit defeat by withdrawing all troops from Syria (leaving the country to the mercy of the ruthless dictators of Russia, Turkey, Iran and Syria) and to withdraw half of the US troops from Afghanistan, combined with the resulting resignation of Defense Secretary General James Mattis (“the only adult left in the room”), have placed the world and especially a worried Europe on notice that the USA is a completely unreliable “partner” and that President Trump’s “unpredictable” and “chaotic” decisions “compel” the EU to create a unified army as soon as possible.
The next bombshell by the end of 2018 has been the partial shutdown of the US government (with wavering changes of mind by the American President) and fears of a global recession and the demise of the dollar.
We also warn of the growing fear and real danger of international cyber warfare; Putin’s alarming ambitions regarding the creation of a militaristic Russian Empire; and we speak on interesting developments in Germany; the collapse of the Israeli government; the mixed bag of Austria’s EU Presidency; and the devastating tsunami in Indonesia, reminding us of another tsunami several years ago—both of which happened during the Christmas season. We also report on the eruption of Italy’s most active volcano, Mount Etna.
We conclude with several eye-opening articles on Christmas and the Catholic Church.
Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.
