Not many people celebrated Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.
Most world leaders decry it as a moral and military failure of staggering scale.
One of the few people who thinks otherwise, or claims to do so, isIran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khameini
13} In a recent meeting with President Putin, he praised "Your Excellency's preemptive initiative" in launching a war against Ukraine.
Iranian leaders pretended to believe the West would attack Crimea if Putin did not get there first.
This is an interesting crazy look at recent events.
But it should be seen in a broader context.
This is part of a chain of events taking place in the world today.
Vladimir Putin is looking for friends wherever he can find them.
And as it happens, there are many countries in the world that are more or less in need of friends.
Among them are the most isolated countries in the world — North Korea
A country that has been effectively cut off from the rest of the world for the past 70 years.
In recent years, a country that has acquired nuclear weapons and is trying to protect its dictatorship.
A search that has further isolated this country.
Interestingly, someone reached out this week to try to build better friendships with North Korea
. Of course, Vladimir Putin.
In a letter to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, President Putin said he wanted to expand relations between Russia and North Korea.
No one seriously wants anything from North Korea.
There is no industry or agriculture in this country. Few real economies.
But those who need friends need friends. Putin is trying to find friends wherever he can.
The Taliban regime in Afghanistan may be one of North Korea's few competitors for the worst government in the world.
But it also knows that it is an outcast.
PARIAH STATUS
And I want to find friends as much as I can. In his year following the disastrous US withdrawal from Kabuland the Taliban's return to power, many nations were unwilling to accept a rogue regime.
But Afghanistan and Russia are building ties.
But nothing is more important than the Greatest Alliance of Outsiders.
Which alliance is between China and Russia?
China, led by President Xi Jinping, is the only country likely to overtake the United States to become the world's leading economic power this century.
And the CCP has played a very good long game over the past two decades.
When war broke out in Ukrainemuch of the world immediately cut Russia off, kicking it out of the banking system and effectively collapsing its economy.
Some expected that Beijing would soon go to Moscow's aid.
But it did not. Perhaps he was just thinking about how far he could go, looking at how the West reacted.
Just like Putin wanted Ukraine, the CCP wants Taiwan
islands is. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine
But the Chinese have restrained themselves even more.
Military Exercises
They intensified military exercises around the island and sought to expand their maritime operations.
But they are using Putin's actions in Ukraine and the world's reaction to Putin as a way to study what might happen if they act, even if they are cautious. I have.
Now the Chinese are using the visit of US officials to Taiwan as an excuse to try to get closer to Russia.
Prior to the Ukraine War, Russia and China announced an "unrestricted" partnership. It looks like they are testing it now.
China recently accused the United States of starting a war in Ukraine.
rolled into the country as if they were not Russian tanks, butAmerican. And they blamed America for the ongoing war.
for helping to arm Ukraine. This is the view that Moscow could have dictated, and most likely it was.
The Russians returned their compliments.
Following a recent US visit to Taiwan, Moscow condemned the US for allowing senior government officials to visit.
The Russians said Taiwan was an "integral" part of China.
This may just be a diplomatic cover.
But it would be even more disturbing if China and Russia began to increase military and financial support for each other. we will see
But from North Korea to Afghanistan toIranto China to Russia, we certainly see something. The emergence of an unmistakable axis of evil.
Quit social media. Amazing, Spider-Man
Movie star Tom Holland announcedquitting social media for mental health
The Spider-Man star told his 67 million Instagram followers that when they read about him online, he was "wound and swirled." It is wise for him to take a break.
But his parents and their children should take a lesson from this.
Social media is fun. But it can also be a toxic mess.
Those who immerse themselves in their online lives at the expense of their real lives end up having neither.
Learn from Spidey.
Wigs and Prayers
I hope none of our opponents start a bigger war.
If you do that, you'll be in big trouble.
Most nations recruit armies based on their toughness and resilience.
Only some of us in the West are stupid enough to recruit on the basis of 'diversity'.
Last night it was revealed that theRAF had effectively stopped hiring white men.
That's because we have to meet an "impossible" diversity quota goal.
And this stupidity comes from the very top.
RAF Director General Mike Wigston is pushing for quotas.
And last year, in his first public address asSecretary of War, Admiral Tony Rudakkin emphasized the importance of "diversity."
As a result, theMoD is simply trying to reach an insane target.
For example, it calls for the number of women in the armed forces to more than double hers in this decade, from about 12% to 30% hers by 2030. .
Minority quotas must also be doubled by him in this decade.
There are those who disagree with this. In fact, the RAF's head of recruitment, a woman, just resigned in protest of her goals.
This obsession with diversity undermines our combat capabilities, she rightly said.
Of course it is. When it comes to going to the doctor, it doesn't matter the color of your skin or your gender.
It only matters how well they do their job.
But most seriously with the military.
Our opponents do not hesitate to attack us because we do not have enough women or minorities in our service.
They are only deterred by how tough we are.
People like Wigston and Ladakin should be ashamed and replaced.
They are clearly clever little politicians, mouthing all the "right" sentiments. But they are miserable military leaders.
Swat tops
Goodbye,Jeremy Paxman, stepping down from his University challenge after 28 years of incredible running.
Bamber Gascoynesays the legendary broadcaster has met "some of the brightest minds in the country." It gives hope for the future.
I cannot agree more. Every time I look at the program, I am amazed at how knowledgeable these students are.
And not just one subject, but many things.
Still, there has been some degradation over the last few years. This is a shame for a program that has maintained such an astonishing standard.
I suspect the BBC will use Paxman's departure to further this trend.
They will complain that the program is "elitist" or something like that.
And they will probably feel obliged to adapt to the awakened students of this generation.
If I were the quiz master, I would deliberately pose questions that I knew my students would not dare to answer.
Example: "Your starter is ten she's a woman."
And see no one tried to press the button.
Mother Russia
Putin announced the new Russian State Prize.
Those awarded the title of "Mother of Heroes" will be rewarded with one million rubles (approximately £13,500).
To qualify, a Russian mother must have ten children of hers.
They plan to receive the money after her tenth child turns one year old.
But, as always, there are pitfalls.
All of her other nine children must still be alive.
As Putin is waging senseless wars, it may not be so easy.
Always read the small print.