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TexasTowelie

TexasTowelie's Journal
TexasTowelie's Journal
January 13, 2026

Let's talk about Trump's Greenland stunt backfiring and 100,000 EU troops.... - Belle of the Ranch



Well, howdy there Internet people. It's Belle again. So, today we're going to talk about Trump's Greenland stunt backfiring and 100,000 EU troops.

The European Union Defense Commissioner is calling for Europe to build a joint standing military of 100,000 troops. not just increasing funding for the existing militaries but building a common European army. He used the US as an example, saying, "Would the United States be militarily stronger if they had 50 armies on the state's level instead of a single federal army? 50 state defense policies and defense budgets on the state's level instead of a single federal defense policy and budget? If our answer is no, USA would not be stronger, then what are we waiting for?”

How would Europe deal with the politics among nations involved in the joint military? He had an answer for that, too. “The European Security Council could be composed of key permanent members along with several rotational members, including the member state with the council presidency plus the leadership of the EU commission and council presidents. He described a council of 10 to 12 members to quickly discuss and decide.

Picture the UN Security Council, but you know, with their own military. Similar ideas have been suggested throughout the years, but this time it's a little bit different. It's with the backdrop of Trump's threats against Greenland and calls to put EU troops in Greenland to counter the US. We need to be clear on a couple of things. In geopolitics, numbers don't magically line up through coincidence. Trump asks for additional defense spending that matches NATO's expenditures. It's because he wants to match NATO.

The EU wants to raise a 100,000 person standing army. Why? Take a guess at how many troops the US has in Europe. It fluctuates, but it's right around 100,000 troops. This force would replace the need for US troops. And I'm sure some people who believe in American exceptionalism think that's a good thing. Isolationism is great and all of that. Forget the fact that it's that exact weak thinking that led the US into two world wars.

The EU has the economic power to be a major player by itself. Its GDP puts it on par with China, making Russia the weakest player at the major power table. Countries or blocks of countries don't have friends, they have interests. An EU military would not be an allied military following the lead of the US. It would be a competitor military, though not necessarily adversarial. And without bases in Europe, the US would not be a superpower.

I'm sure some are hoping for this because they think it means less US military interventionism, and it might. But it will also mean more by Europe and Russia because they have their own interests they'll want to pursue. And with a weak United States, they'll act.

Trump's moves, forget his moves, just his rhetoric, are shaping up to weaken the United States to the point that it isn't a superpower and that Europe, the US, China, and Russia are sitting at the table, carving up the rest of the world. This will eventually lead to the type of military conflict we've been successful in avoiding since 1945. If Trump waits to adjust course, it'll be too late. Once this army is formed, the US is on the downward slide.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.
January 13, 2026

Clintons refuse to testify in Congressional Epstein probe - CNN



Bill and Hillary Clinton refused to testify on Capitol Hill Tuesday in the House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein probe despite lawmakers’ threat to hold them in contempt.

0:00 House Oversight Committee chairman comments on the Clintons
0:33 Live report from CNN senior reporter on Capitol Hill
2:39 Inside Politics discussion about the Clintons
4:54 CNN senior legal analyst on potential contempt charge against the Clintons
8:56 Why does Congress want the Clintons to testify?
January 13, 2026

Iran Crisis Has China Terrified; Taiwan, Trade, & Tech; Canada-China; Japan Tensions - China Update



00:00 Introduction
00:31 US-China: Iran Tariff Threat
04:30 US-Taiwan Trade Deal
06:52 Japan Tensions: Rare Earth Exports
09:43 Canada-China
January 13, 2026

Breaking: Major Update on Ghislaine Maxwell - Brian Tyler Cohen



Ghislaine Maxwell, a federal prisoner, filed a pro se motion to vacate her conviction, attaching 148 documents—believed to be a subset of the Epstein files. The Department of Justice (DOJ) responded by flagging that some of these documents contain victim information, prompting the judge to seal the materials and give prosecutors three weeks to review them. The DOJ requested extensions, first until January 13th and then until February 10th, raising suspicion due to the small number of documents involved.

Critics argue this slow processing undermines the DOJ’s credibility and suggests a deliberate delay in releasing the full Epstein files, which were legally required to be released by December 19th. The lack of transparency and repeated missed deadlines have led to concerns that the administration is not acting in good faith. The situation has prompted calls for a special master to oversee the release of the remaining files. The discussion highlights broader concerns about the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein case, with critics suggesting political motivations and distractions, such as international events, are being used to avoid scrutiny.
January 13, 2026

African soldiers are deployed en masse by the Russian army - RFU News



Today, there are interesting updates from Ukraine.

Here, for the first time, the number of Russian losses is higher than that of the recruits, so the Russian army is desperately looking for new sources of expendable manpower. Now the Russian recruiters have turned their attention to Africa, ready to lure new conscripts to risk their lives in a foreign war.

Battlefield evidence from across Ukraine increasingly points to a sharp rise in African fighters appearing in Russian ranks, captured or killed not in isolated incidents but along multiple, widely separated fronts. This pattern suggests a deliberate and organized recruitment effort rather than random, one-off cases. The trend has become visible through a steady stream of combat footage and prisoner interrogations released by Ukrainian units operating hundreds of kilometers apart.

Near Vovchansk, Ukrainian territorial defense forces recently repelled a Russian assault and captured a group of enemy soldiers that included a mercenary from Africa. Around Kupiansk, Ukrainian FPV drone footage documented an African recruit fighting in Russian formations and being struck during an engagement. This was not an anomaly, as several clips from the same axis showed other African soldiers operating alongside Russian troops, confirming repeated use of foreign manpower in the area.

The same pattern has emerged around Liman, where Ukrainian drone operators reported a noticeable increase in African mercenaries fighting for Russia. In one recorded incident, a drone strike wounded an African fighter, who could be heard over the radio pleading in broken English for evacuation. The Russian command never responded, and no medical help arrived, showcasing the general attitude of the Russians toward those joining their army from afar. Additional footage from the Liman direction later showed two more African mercenaries eliminated by Ukrainian drone strikes, later inspections show they were with no real equipment but wearing budget Chinese tactical clothing, reinforcing the impression that these recruits were sent on a suicide mission.

Further south, in the Pokrovsk direction, Ukraine’s Skala Regiment published footage of two African soldiers captured while fighting for Russian forces. Their interrogation confirmed they had been recruited abroad and rapidly deployed to the front, without proper training. Another revealing case came from the Zaporizhia direction, where fighters of the Freedom of Russia Legion captured a Nigerian citizen who had been studying in Moscow. He testified that he had been forcibly recruited and served five months in the Russian army before being taken prisoner of war. The symbolism in the latest case is striking, with ethnic Russians seeking to overthrow the Kremlin fighting on Ukraine’s side, while the Russian state fills its ranks with coerced or deceived foreigners.

The fact that African fighters are appearing simultaneously near all parts of the frontline strongly indicates a coordinated recruitment pipeline rather than coincidence. This was reinforced by recent developments in South Africa, where authorities arrested five suspects in five days on charges related to recruiting men for Russian military service. Investigations revealed that South African and Botswanan recruits were lured under the pretense of security training for deployment guarding rear areas, only to be transported to Russia and forced into combat in Ukraine. Some never returned, and the arrests confirm that Russia’s recruitment effort extends far beyond its borders and is actively targeting vulnerable populations with promises of quick money or study and work permits.

Russia’s turn to foreign manpower reflects a deeper political and demographic exhaustion at home, which means the government cannot risk another mass mobilization without provoking domestic backlash. Years of low birth rates, emigration, and catastrophic wartime losses have hollowed out the pool of available recruits, while African fighters, often drawn from poor environments, are treated as expendable stopgaps. They receive minimal training, amateur equipment, and almost no integration into Russian command structures. Language barriers and isolation make them easy to misuse in high-risk assaults, and when wounded, they are frequently abandoned.

Overall, the Russian reliance on imported cannon fodder does not solve the manpower crisis but worsens it. High losses among foreign recruits force Moscow to expand recruitment even further abroad, deepening its dependence on deception and coercion. The growing presence of African fighters on Ukrainian battlefields is not a sign of strength or global reach, but of desperation. Clear evidence that Russia’s war machine is burning through human lives faster than its own society...
January 13, 2026

Rep. Jayapal Blasts Trump's Illegal Minnesota ICE Raids - Reflect Politics



Rep. Pramila Jayapal absolutely shut down Republicans after calling out ICE’s so-called “home enforcement” tactics as unconstitutional and abusive.

As GOP lawmakers attempted to defend aggressive immigration raids, Jayapal didn’t hold back — blasting warrantless home invasions, due-process violations, and the real human cost of ICE enforcement. The room went quiet as Republicans struggled to respond.

This moment exposes the growing divide in Congress over immigration, civil liberties, and whether federal law enforcement is operating above the law.
January 13, 2026

Let's talk about "must win" Governor's races in 2026.... - Belle of the Ranch



Well, howdy there Internet people. It's Belle again. So, today we're going to talk about must-win governor's races in 2026.

So, it's the midterm year and all eyes are on the US House of Representatives, but there's another set of races that are important, but they're likely to be ignored in political analysis at the national level. Okay. So why is the House important? Because it's supposed to act as a check on executive power. Under a Republican majority, it has been shirking that constitutional duty.

There are more than 30 governor's races occurring this year, too. In our systems, the governor's act as a check on federal power, which in our current situation is a proxy for a check on executive power. Remember, it was the governor's fighting back that pushed Trump to stop deploying troops against Americans. So, we're going to take a look at a number of races that will probably turn out to be consequential.

The five most we'll be looking at are Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Those are states that Trump won but have a Democratic governor. Traditional political math says that means the Republican candidate in those states will have a better chance. Under Trump, who famously scrambles traditional political math, it'll be a referendum on both his policies and the Republican primary process. The more MAGA the Republican nominee, the less of a chance they'll probably have.

Georgia is one to truly watch as well. It's got some unique dynamics. Republican Governor Brian Kemp is facing term limits. The Republican side of the aisle has a relatively crowded primary. And the Democratic primary has Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former Atlanta mayor and former Lieutenant Governor Jeff Duncan. Duncan was once a Republican and might be able to pull a lot of unexpected support.

Kansas is one that could have some surprises. Right now, the governor is a Democrat, Laura Kelly, but she's term limited. That means the general political logic says that Kelly's Democratic leadership of the traditionally red state was a fluke and they will elect a Republican governor. But again, Trump's economic policies will be on the ballot. The Wichita Eagle just ran an op-ed titled, "Have yourself a tariffed little Christmas." The Kansas City Star recently had one titled," Kansas Missouri farmers went big for Trump. His tariffs are gutting them."

In Wisconsin, the incredibly popular Democratic Governor Tony Evers isn't running again. The Democratic primary is pretty crowded and even features a Democrat socialist candidate.

These races will help shape the national discussion and they'll end up influencing the House races as the final candidates are picked through the primaries. Republicans will look at them as another rubber stamp for Trump, and the Democratic Party will see them as a chance to add an extra layer of defense against Trump's executive overreach.

If they're smart, the Democratic Party will try to focus on affordability in the economy in every one of those races, Nevada, too. And Republicans will probably try to avoid talking about the K-shaped economy and how it's hurting the average American. I'd expect them to try to scare up another boogeyman to unite their base. Nothing wins elections quite like blaming a small group for the failings of your party's policies.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.
January 13, 2026

New Data of Russian Catastrophic Losses Just Got Revealed. 420,000 Z-Soldiers Eliminated - The Russian Dude



This video breaks down newly revealed data exposing the true scale of Russia’s catastrophic military losses in Ukraine and why the Kremlin is desperately trying to hide them. In 2025 alone, Russia lost over 400,000 soldiers killed or wounded for just 0.8 percent of Ukrainian territory, a brutal ratio that shows entire brigades effectively erased for minimal, mostly symbolic gains. While Putin and General Staff chief Valery Gerasimov present triumphant maps and inflated numbers on state television, independent analysts and Ukraine’s General Staff paint a far darker picture of exhausted units, abandoned positions, and “liberated” villages that exist mostly as propaganda footage.

The video explains how Russian casualties accelerated month by month, reaching a point where Ukraine’s drone warfare now neutralizes as many soldiers as Russia recruits, pushing the war machine toward a breaking point. It explores how recruitment numbers fail to replace experienced troops, why morale and training gaps are widening, and how entire assault groups are being wiped out before reaching the front. The analysis also connects battlefield losses to diplomatic moments, showing how Russian offensives intensify whenever peace talks gain momentum, turning human lives into bargaining chips.

Personal stories reveal how “voluntary” contracts are often the result of pressure, blackmail, or prison coercion, with civilians and political prisoners sent into high-casualty units. The video also looks at Russia’s tactical shift toward drones, infiltration teams, and long-range strikes, not as signs of strength but as adaptations to extreme manpower losses. Ultimately, this is a deep dive into why Russia is trading tens of thousands of lives for marginal gains, how propaganda is struggling to mask the numbers, and why the war is approaching a point where even staged meetings and controlled narratives can no longer hide the reality of demographic and military self-destruction.
January 13, 2026

Iranian govt now checking roofs for Starlink devices say reports - DW News



The White House says airstrikes on Iran 'remain on the table,' as US president Donald Trump weighs up his response to a crackdown on nationwide protests. Rights groups say they have confirmed the killing of many hundreds of people during the demonstrations -- the largest in several years.

Chapters:
0:00 White House might strike Iran
2:52 Bradley Bowman, Defense of Democracies
7:15 Iranians using Starlink
8:00 Mehdi Yahyanejad, Democracy and internet freedom activist
January 13, 2026

"Weapons Grade Stupid"? The U.S. Plan for Greenland - William Spaniel



Rumors are swirling about the Trump Administration's interest in Greenland, and Europe is already starting to take action in region. But what is really going on in the Arctic? This video explores some of the more outlandish claims, the quality of their sources, and the actual domestic constraints U.S. domestic laws impose. We also do a deep dive into where Trump's apparent personal animosity for Denmark originates from.

0:00 U.S. Threats to Greenland
1:32 The Value of Greenland
5:26 Trump's Grievance Against Denmark
13:10 Europe's Response
17:23 U.S. Domestic Legal Constraints

Profile Information

Gender: Male
Hometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
Home country: United States
Current location: Bryan, Texas
Member since: Sun Aug 14, 2011, 02:57 AM
Number of posts: 125,600

About TexasTowelie

Retired/disabled middle-aged white guy who believes in justice and equality for all. Math and computer analyst with additional 21st century jack-of-all-trades skills. I'm a stud, not a dud!
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