Author: Thomas L. Knapp

Lawyers: US regime plans to deport abducted refugees to “do not go there” country

Source: New York Times

“The Trump administration is preparing to deport nearly two dozen people to the Central African Republic on Thursday, including at least two Iranian women who had sought refuge in the United States, according to lawyers and a government official. The flight, which is also expected to include migrants from Afghanistan and Syria, would mark the first such deportation to the Central African Republic, a deeply impoverished country that has been plagued by conflict. The country is so dangerous that the U.S. State Department states on its website, ‘do not travel for any reason.’ At least some of the migrants have received court orders in the United States prohibiting their deportation to their home countries because of the threat of persecution or torture, their lawyers said. … The Trump administration is working to find ways to deport people despite these court orders.” (06/11/26)

https://archive.is/ujwYy

Thomas L. Knapp

Why a single “peace deal” for Ukraine war just won’t work

Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Ian Proud

“The time is ripe for European leaders to set aside the self-licking summits in European capitals and get in the room with the U.S., Ukraine, and Russia to orchestrate a modern-day Helsinki Conference. A durable peace for Ukraine will require several interlocking agreements, each of which will be incredibly difficult to negotiate, but all of which will be vital if we are to avoid a general war in Europe.” (06/11/26)

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/ukraine-russia-europe-talks/

Thomas L. Knapp

Graham Platner and the Class Politics of Impunity

Source: Liberal Currents
by Alan Elrod

“Graham Platner is now through to the general election in Maine. He has survived another scandal, despite the fact that June is an unlikely time for the final story on him to drop. And his supporters, both in Maine and across the country, appear unwilling to abandon him for any reason. I want to argue here that Platner is a beneficiary of two kinds of populist thought, moving from both the bottom up and the top down. The first kind is the traditional sort, the kind that leads to Platner being excused as a hardscrabble everyman with rough edges. The second is an elite driven form of populism …. that underwrites the audacity of a Hotchkiss School dropout turned military adventurist turned oyster farmer to run for a Senate seat with no prior experience and no recognition that a single one of his subsequent scandals could be disqualifying.” (06/11/26)

https://www.liberalcurrents.com/graham-platner-and-the-class-politics-of-impunity/

Thomas L. Knapp

The Iran War’s Hidden Tax on American Households

Source: Libertarian Institute
by Joseph Solis-Mullen

“The energy index surged 3.9% in May, accounting for the lion’s share, over 60%, of the monthly CPI gain. Gasoline prices jumped about 7% MoM (with even larger unadjusted moves) and sit 40.5% higher than a year ago. Overall energy costs are up 23.5% YoY. Food prices rose more modestly, while shelter costs continued their steady grind higher in the core measure. This isn’t abstract economic noise. It’s a direct hit to real incomes. … The primary culprit is unmistakable: the ongoing U.S.-involved conflict with Iran that Washington and Tel Aviv launched in late February 2026.” (06/11/26)

https://libertarianinstitute.org/articles/the-iran-wars-hidden-tax-on-american-households

Thomas L. Knapp