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zaryema.bsky.social

@zaryema.bsky.social
424 followers 1.4K following 58 posts

Humanitarian, traveler, and history nerd, covering Ukraine, Afghanistan, and the MENA region for work. Current historical obsession is reading about / visiting the former border towns of the Österreich. @zaryema22 on instagram

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Nicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
When I say John Roberts is a liar, hack, anti-democracy ideologue, and enemy of the Constitution, I do so in a civil manner. No yelling or cursing here. But since he will be remembered as an utter disgrace who tried to destroy the republic but failed, some in the future might say it less civilly.
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Phillips OBrien @phillipspobrien.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Russia has one enormous strategic advantage of which it is taking advantage. It can daily attack civilian targets--hospitals, universities, markets--knowing that while Ukraine can do the same, the Ukrainians are too humane to do so.
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Dr. Samantha Hancox-Li @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com · 27/09/2026
so much crap has been written about how drones (short range precision strike) are changing the battlefield. almost nothing has been written about how drones (long range precision strike) are changing the war. so i thought i would. short answer: "this sucks man"
liberalcurrents.com
The War with Iran Has No End (Neon Liberalism #92)
Structural factors are driving us towards a more chaotic and lawless world.
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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
NEW: DHS's Inspector General releases a scathing report about the Everglades detention camp known as "Alligator Alcatraz." The OIG finds that the now-closed camp, violated multiple ICE standards. The OIG also confirms detainees were punished with placement in a metal cage in the Florida heat.🧵
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Staff also reported that time spent in the small metal enclosures is closely monitored, and
detainees are not locked in, even though we observed locking mechanisms on the enclosures.
Figures 11 and 12. Small Metal Enclosures; Observed January 21, 2026

Underneath is a picture of a metal cage that is 4 feet 3 inches wide by 4 feet 3 inches long, and 7 feet 9 inches high. The cage itself is placed on a tiny spot of fake turf, and then surrounded by another chainlink fence with razor wire on top. The cage is covered by a roof, but it's entirely exposed to the outside otherwise, meaning mosquitos and no air conditioning.
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Friendly Neighborhood Mouse @missmouse.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Friday morning, I was gardening when I checked my phone. A request had gone out for help. For 25+ hours, ICE had been laying siege to a quiet neighborhood in Frederick, MD. Community members were afraid, some didn’t want to leave their homes. ICE vehicles seemed to be lurking on every corner.
ICE vehicle - black Nissan Maxima with plate cover - posted up in a spot that also serves as an elementary school bus stop. Another ICE vehicle, black Dodge Durango, lurking around the community. Two more ICE vehicles - black Dodge Durango and a white SUV, unclear on make, model - on a quiet residential street, being quietly creepy. Note that the white SUV has its plate covered. Yet another ICE vehicle. Black Nissan Pathfinder. They were all over the neighborhood.
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Faine Greenwood @faineg.com · 29/08/2026
I’ve been in aid, am currently unemployed because the sector has essentially collapsed, and know a ton of people who are still clinging on in aid - I really cannot express in words the scale of the human suffering that Musk destroying USAID has unleashed. So yes, I have some strong opinions on that.
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Dr. Samantha Hancox-Li @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com · 28/08/2026
sorry but like "slave compound in disputed junta territory uses hyper-advanced satellite communications to scam retirees in nearby megacountry, which is also for some reason the chief state sponsor of the junta" is some pure cyberpunk madness
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Sam (ABeardedPanda) @abeardedpanda.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Yeah so we're demanding shit about minority language rights and national sovereignty over trade agreements while also funding an astroturfed separatist movement right on our border No parallels here, no reason to be alarmed, stop being such a hysterical lib obsessed with Russia
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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
On the one hand, I shouldn't wish my country ill. On the other hand, Canada's grandfathers bled with my grandfathers fighting the Nazis. When we were attacked on 9/11, we asked Canada to send their sons and they bled with our troops in Afghanistan. To betray that bond - we'll deserve what we get.
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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
I will never forgive Trump's quislings for treating our allies worse than our enemies. Every one of these stunts is a betrayal. We *had* a good trade deal with Canada, it was called NAFTA. Trump replaced it with...a basically identical deal (USMCA) and now tore that up too. Infuriating.
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James @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
>imperial concubine controls national security >court eunuchs are ceaselessly fighting for internal influence >the viziers are scheming over who replaces the leader >the leader fritters away all his time repeatedly replacing the grass on the lawn >the palace debt grows greater by the day
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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
In short, I think people should not immediately assume the US military is a broken sword because it has not slain the Iranian Regime. Even a good sword cannot cut if it is wielded by an imbecile. At the same time, US military laurel-resting-time is pretty clearly over (and has been for a while).
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Reconstructionist @unavaleable.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
This, along with Costco, is the promise of America made manifest
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King Algamemnon @adamrothman.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Anybody who calls another person "a traitor to the West" is off their rocker, unless it is in reference to LeBron leaving the Lakers and going to Philly.
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James @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
>wake up >global security architecture has degraded further >go to sleep >global security architecture has degraded further >wake up >global security architecture has degraded further >go to sleep >global security architecture has degraded further
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Ryan H. @ryan.blacksky.app · 07/07/2026
Pausa de Humiliacion
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Tucker Jones @tuckerjones.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Last year, after President Trump eliminated my wife's and my jobs, we moved to Germany. South Writ Large invited me to reflect on our move in their Summer 2026 issue, which came out yesterday. southwritlarge.com/articles/so-...
southwritlarge.com
So You’re in Exile | South Writ Large
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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
This, I think, is the fundamental historical burden of our time: we have at last achieved power to reshape our world to our liking and also to destroy ourselves and we must now rise above part of our nature in order to provide a future for generations to come, to buy time for evolution to catch up.
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The Great Pumpkin Papers 🎃🎃🎃 @professormusgrave.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Four justices don’t believe the reconstruction amendments are part of the Constitution, simple as
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Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
5-4 for what it explicitly says in the constitution is incredible. They were this close to undoing the civil war entirely. bsky.app/profile/mjsd...
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Local Observer 🇮🇶🇵🇸🍉 @observer46664.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
It seems like prominent politician Muthana Al Sammarai has been arrested on corruption charges by orders of PM Ali Al Zaidi. The Green Zone has been closed and strict security measures have been implemented in Baghdad a few minutes ago.
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Local Observer 🇮🇶🇵🇸🍉 @observer46664.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Extremely tense security situation inside the Green Zone now at 3:25 AM Baghdad time. Major arrests are underway.
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The Great Pumpkin Papers 🎃🎃🎃 @professormusgrave.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
I’m in @foreignpolicy.com taking a big swing (but not a hot take): Trump’s defeat in Iran is a bigger US defeat in strategic terms than the US loss in Vietnam foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/16/i...
foreignpolicy.com
Iran Is a Bigger Defeat Than Vietnam
A war of choice has turned into a strategic disaster for Washington.
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Clay Copper @claycopper.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Geosynchronous Orbital Ordnance Platform (GOOP)
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Stephen Wolf @stephenwolf.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
New Republican gerrymanders have shifted Trump’s margin in the median House seat from 3.1 points to 5.2. By 2028, the GOP could make it 8.5 and the House unwinnable for Dems except in huge wave elections. But if Dems respond in all these states, they could undo practically the entire GOP advantage
Table titled "Median Congressional District: D-Minus-R Presidential Margin" from The Downballot. Compares the median congressional district's Democratic-minus-Republican presidential margin across five redistricting scenarios, showing both 2024 and 2020 presidential results.

National popular vote (no specific district): 2024 margin −1.5 (R-favoring); 2020 margin +4.5 (D-favoring).

2024 actual map: Median district AZ-01, 2024 margin −3.1; median district VA-02, 2020 margin +1.9.

2026 actual map: Median district PA-10, 2024 margin −5.2; median district FL-27, 2020 margin −0.2.

2028 potential map, new GOP maps only: Median district PA-08, 2024 margin −8.5; median district FL-14, 2020 margin −2.8.

2028 potential map, new maps from both parties: Median district NM-02, 2024 margin −1.8; median district KS-03, 2020 margin +4.5.

Cells are color-coded: red shading for negative (R-favoring) margins, blue shading for positive (D-favoring) margins, with deeper shading indicating larger margins. The GOP-only 2028 map produces the most Republican-skewed median district under 2024 results (−8.5), while the scenario where Democrats respond in 2028 produces results closest to the national popular vote.
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Starfire’s Deranged Neocon Foreign Policy Podcast @irhottakes.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
The nominal strategic purpose of the U.S. Navy is to ensure global freedom of navigation to guarantee stable global trade. It has not only not done that, the United States instigated the conflict which undid it. This is known in foreign policy analysis as a “whoopsie doodles.”
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Mike Black @mikeblack114.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
The GOP entered this redistricting under the rather childish delusion they were going to gerrymander, and nobody would gerrymander them. In TX, MO, and a half dozen other states, they put their rather naive theory into operation. They sowed the wind, and now they are going to reap the whirlwind
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Dr. Samantha Hancox-Li @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com · 13/04/2026
there's a lot that's wrong in the world. and, sometimes, what can feel as if it broke through from the other timeline: a vision of a better, more hopeful future. today from @quinnae.com: www.liberalcurrents.com/to-the-moon/
liberalcurrents.com
To The Moon
The Artemis moon mission provides a vision of a joyous, hopeful liberal future--one built on international cooperation, not war and hatred.
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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
On consideration, I think if the deal stands along the lines that have been reported, with Iran continuing to extract its tolls and without making any other concessions, I'd say this is probably the worst the United States has ever lost a war. Truly a shocking outcome, if it holds.
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Jack Murphy @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
F-15 WSO recovered alive. Was escaping and evading. Massive fire fight on tgt. Iranians were actively looking for him in the area.
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Chatham Harrison dba TRUMP DELENDUS EST @chathamharrison.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
NASA isn't worth the money because of the achievements. It isn't worth the money because of the science. It's worth the money because it is our species's foremost expression of excellence.
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Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 @reshetz.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
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Zoomer Antimillenarian @surcomplicated.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
This is what shithole authoritarian and totalitarian regimes in broken, fucked up countries look like. And Trump is bringing it to America. We get rid of this regime, or it ruins everything we know and love.
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Sky Marchini @sky.skymarchini.net · 18/03/2026
polyethylene is the most produced plastic, about 1/3rd of all plastics globally oopsies! no plastics!!
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Sasho Todorov @sashotodorov.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
If your navy is badly overstretched at 11 supercarriers, the question is not "how many more do we need?" it's "what the hell are we doing and how do we start calming things down?"
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Chris Murphy @chrismurphyct.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
It’s crystal clear now that Trump has lost control of this war. He badly misjudged Iran’s ability to retaliate. The region is on fire. 1/ I’m going to explain to you in this🧵what I’ve learned - in part from closed door briefings - about the four biggest current crises.
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ae @aelkus.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
i think the takeaway from this is simply that, barring some kind of intervention by third parties or exceptional event, this conflict is losing guardrails. as sky said, it will take two weeks for them to even get there
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Sharon 🪳🌹 @sharonk.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
how do you not do this before launching a war on iran
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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
I spent 45 minutes trying and failing to convince a full bird Colonel with multiple Afghanistan and Iraq deployments that Afghanistan is not an Arabic speaking country. I was helped in this discussion (to no avail) by two Afghan interpreters who were more polite than I was.
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southpaw @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
“The reason why fools and knaves thrive better in the world than wiser and honester men is because they are nearer to the general temper of mankind, which is nothing but a mixture of cheat and folly.” -Samuel Butler
Brent crude prices going all spiky
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Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
This is no different from Putin saying MH17 was shot down by Ukraine or Assad saying rebels gassed themselves.
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Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
Renewable energy + electrification is national security
Russia Revels in a Sudden Reversal in Fortunes as Oil and Gas Prices Soar

President Vladimir V. Putin threatened to cut off remaining gas supplies to Europe as the Iran war drives a surge in energy costs.
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capitolhunters @capitolhunters.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Let’s talk about Graham Platner’s Big Lie, finally. In 2009, at the height of the Gulf War, the Marines barred him from active duty. Platner claims it was his forearm tattoos. But his one forbidden tattoo was the Nazi symbol on his chest. He knew - and he left the Marines rather than give it up. 1/
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Secretary of Defense Rock @sodrock.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
These statistics literally mean fuck all because they are measuring efficiency, not effectiveness
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Michael "Fallen Coffee Pot of Shadows" Senters the Sigillite:ABD @mikesenters.bsky.social · 06/03/2026
Did we say please and thank you? Did Vance wear his best suit? What a fucking sick joke.
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Dead Carl @deadcarl.bsky.social · 05/03/2026
>indefinitely at war with Persia Yeah that checks out
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Senator Andy Kim @kim.senate.gov · 04/03/2026
This administration's deception is shameless. Trump is dragging us into what's so clearly a war – just look at Trump's actions in Iran in the first 48 hours compared to the first 48 hours of the 2003 Iraq War.
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Travis @someforeignfield.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
A Saudi official saying this on Al Jazeera, a Qatari media outlet, is far more telling than any nugget of information carefully leaked to an American media outlet. This war will permanently alter the relationship of the Gulf states, the US, and Israel.
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A penitent who is loud @loudpenitent.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Everyone else: *wrestling in anguish with the complex emotions of the fall of one of the world's awful dictators and the horrific human cost we fear will ensue, and the moral challenge of bringing dictators low in the modern world.* This asshole:
A post from Donald Trump: "Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever been hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT,  HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE! Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
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Local Observer 🇮🇶🇵🇸🍉 @observer46664.bsky.social · 28/02/2026
Iraqi here, This is pretty much how it's going to go for the Iranian people: Iranian regime falls; this is the greatest thing to ever happen I cannot believe that after all these years we are finally free from tyranny! Incoming catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions follows; what the actual f***?!
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