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TAT followers,

Today’s “Tatito” or little TAT is about Putin wielding an aberrant form of Eastern Orthodoxy, as a tool of Christian Nationalism. This helps him him maintain control in his oppression of the Russian people and support for his genocidal assault on Ukraine.

Make no mistake about it, this little Christian Nationalism controversy in Russia is part of Putin’s narrative to the Russian people and also keeps him at the top of the heap in the Global RWE movement sharing narratives, tactics, themes, messages and much more.

Putin’s desire to become a Tsar or Tsar-like, includes a heavenly mandate. He wields patriarch Kirill and the Orthodox Church as a weapon against the Russian people, not in support of them.

Like the Christian Nationalism threatening US and other global democracies, the sick ideology that Patriarch Kirill (a former KGB stooge/ operative) and Putin are pushing is not grounded in theology but in a bastardized version similar to the BS that Mike Flynn, here in the US is selling. In India, Modi, Putin’s buddy, wields Hindutva the same as Putin and Flynn wield Christianity.

When religion is controlling faction of the state, it becomes a theocracy. True Christianity does not equal Christian nationalism. Christian Nationalism is the enemy of American democracy and the values our nation is built on. Fortunately our founders were brilliant in establishing a separation between church and state.

Here in TX, under Governor Greg Abbott, they are choosing Christian Nationalism and my patriotic foundation is grumbling to the point of frustration. You can be a Christian Nationalist or you can be an American… your choice. For the MAGA folks who believe in this anti-American theology, I have it on good information that Putin is hiring.

A couple of thousand years ago. Jesus had the best answer regarding separation of church and state:

Putin, like Flynn, Modi, the MAGA movement etc., will end up in the trash heap of history, with the other discarded and immoral theocrats.

My very best for your week ahead,

Paul

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To TAT followers,

As I just sat through the local news here in San Antonio, where I live about an hour from Uvalde in one direction and Southerland Springs in another. I figured that this is a great day to republish a TAT article from a couple of weeks ago or so.

Last year, nineteen elementary children and two of their teachers were gunned down in Uvalde. It was just the latest in the seemingly endless stream of gun violence in Texas. Just like our epidemic of rape, Greg Abbott and his immoral, un-American, violent extremists, continue to expand access to guns, without a hint of responsibility. They are bought and paid for by the same NRA that was busted for being the bagmen for Russian campaign donations to Trump and a large number of GOP candidates.

The reposted article is plenty full of the facts regarding how the GOP, especially here in TX that sell guns for the price of dead children. I’ve seen dead children during combat deployments, mangled by weapons of war. Why these weapons are on the street is the sole responsibility of the MAGA and controlling element of the GOP. Last year, the Uvalde massacre sent me into a serious mental health downslide that took months of therapy to recover from.

Believing that guns make you a patriot is a feature of the fake patriotic identity, sold by FOX News and their ilk for nearly 30 years. as me playing next year for the Cleveland Browns. I wouldn’t wish the PTSD issues that I suffer from on anyone, not even the GOP enabler of evil, running Texas.

Abbott and crew have driven Texas education into the ground. No one else could because despite the whining by Abbott’s crew, they are the only party who has been in charge for nearly thirty years.

Today, there are twenty-one families an hour west of me that will never forget that Greg and the GOP, murdered their children. I know that I won’t either. There is nothing conservative about the obsession to wave guns around. In fact, for anyone who’s read the Second Amendment and supporting arguments, it’s damn clear that the GOP either can’t read or refuse to honor our constitution. I could care less which.

All I care about is making the pain stop. Today for the families and community, bearing the pain and maybe one day, maybe for those of us who give a damn too. Calling this version of the GOP a political party is about as accurate as calling a man-eating tiger, a housecat.

This may be blunt, but I typed part of it, through tears.

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RWE, Right-wing-extremists in Dallas, murdering Americans and motivated by Russian, RWE ideology.

I don't honestly know what's worse, a Texas GOP operating on a blend of US and Russian RW ideology or Greg Abbott's witting use of it for his selfish political goals.

PAUL COBAUGH

MAY 9, 2023

In the Associated Press article at the embedded link, is a well-sourced piece about the motivations of the Dallas, mall shooter last week.

From the article:

“Posts by Garcia on a Russian social networking site expressed a fascination with white supremacy and mass shootings. Photos he posted showed large Nazi tattoos on his arm and torso, including a swastika and the SS lightning bolt logo of Hitler’s paramilitary forces.”

The following links are to excellent reporting on global RWE and Russia’s role in inspiring, supporting and funding such extremism. I could post hundreds of similar links to credible reporting and research, but those below will give readers all they want on this topic. Russia may not be shooting at us directly, but as the Soviets before them, we are under constant attack from the Kremlin.

That the Dallas shooter was caught up in this un-American and most lethal US extremism, is not an exception, US RWE, is indelibly linked to Russian extremist ideology and their efforts to support it globally.

• White Nationalism in the United States and Russia: Transnational Ties, Domestic Impact (harvard.edu)

• All U.S. extremist mass killings in 2022 linked to far right, report says (axios.com)

• New-Generation Warfare and the Fringe Right: How Russian Interference Impacts Right-Wing Extremism in the US, Part III - NYU Jordan Center (jordanrussiacenter.org)

• Report: Democracies at Risk From Russian Money, Meddling

  (voanews.com)

• Russia and Far-Right Americans Find Common Ground With Ukraine War - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

• How Are Putin’s Far-Right Fans in the West Reacting to His War? - War on the Rocks

• https://dam.gcsp.ch/files/doc/white-crusade-how-to-prevent-right-wing-extremists-from-exploiting-the-internet

• MMP: Mapping the Global Far-Right | FSI (stanford.edu)

The attacks on education, on gender, via white supremacy, anti-government attacks etc. etc. etc., are all overlaid with similar nations and movements globally, that have such a direct tie to Putin. The evidence against today’s GOP regarding collaboration on undermining all Western democracies is well-detailed in intelligence reporting and in respectable, open-source media, since prior to Trump’s infamous escalator escapade. It is ongoing, substantially.

At this point in our history, the MAGA wing of the GOP and controlling element of the party is knee-deep in this ideology. In fact, a close read of the Texas GOP, midterm 2022 platform, is exemplary of the correlations. The excerpts below demonstrate the same issues as the planks of Russian and global, far-right agendas. Of note here, are the unconstitutional undermining tactics that literally, are unconstitutional. There are countless more examples that you will find by following the link to the TX 2022 GOP platform above.

The bottom line to this brief TAT is that we cannot allow one of only two main political parties, to continue operating on ideology designed to undermine democracy with anti-American, fake patriotism. Russian activity not only helped to promote what we now experience in the US from the GOP, but also underlaid everything that occurred on January 6th, 2021.

The most tragic aspect of this issue and based on a couple decades of CT/ counterterrorism experience is that hardcore MAGA types, will never recover from the shame they have imposed on our nation. Once people cross a certain threshold where they are willing to take public action on their extremist ideology, recoveries are few and far between. Shame and peer pressure may push these extremists back from public display of their beliefs, but those parts of their identity are still deeply cut into their identity.

Much of our nation’s recovery from our currently dangerous precipice must be achieved by principled conservatives speaking out and reclaiming control from primary assailants like Greg Abbott here in Texas, DeSantis in Florida or even the US Speaker of the House, who enables the RWE in the House of Representatives.

The ball is in the court of those, allegedly principled Republicans to do their part. The FBI, DHS and several other state and local entities must stop waiting for some magical solution. They must speak up and lead or we all suffer the consequences. Even some of SCOTUS’s recent decisions would leave the father of our Constitution, Pres. James Madison, rolling in his grave. Without adherence to our true national values, the MAGA sycophants will eventually nibble away at true patriotism until American values no longer exist. If you read history, this is precisely how Hitler overturned German government in the runup and throughout, WW II.

As always, thank you kindly for reading TAT,

Paul

p.s. For regular readers… Thursday I get a new cast that will hopefully, allow me more time on the keyboard.

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Former Proud Boys president, Enrique Tarrio and three of his followers, today were convicted of Seditious Conspiracy along with several other felonies based on the activity leading up to and during the armed rebellion against the United States, January 6th, 2021.

As a reminder, not one GOP member in Congress has stood against the big lie and most condone the Jan 6th coup attempt. If we don’t rid our nation of active insurrectionists like Mike Flynn, Trump and the entire leadership of the GOP who protects these traitors, our nation is beyond recovery. It’s our real national values that have sustained our nation throughout its history, with the only exception being the Civil War. Even then, like now it was fake patriotism and fake US values that brought war to our homeland.

There are countless believers of the big lie and the FOX News, fake American values still. We need leaders that speak to and adhere to our actual values or risk those with anti-American values to fill the vacuum that is imposed on us from the RWE (right wing extremists) masquerading as “conservatives.

Every voice that speaks to our true national identity is a hero in the war to sustain, what our founders envisioned for us.

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To family, friends, followers, etc.

I have decided to add the heading of TATitos or rather, little TATS for commentary about a specific issue or news article. I am trying to bring more insight to y’all while my left arm is still in a cast for the next few weeks. I can’t write long TAT’s too easily but can manage short insights. If this works for everyone, I am likely to keep it after I’m fully healed. Truth is… I really miss being active on TAT. I hope y’all will tag along and see what you think.

Today’s TATito is about how those elected to the Montana State House are clueless about American democracy. A week or so ago they expelled an elected member of the House because she is trans and spoke her mind. She didn’t incite an armed insurrection like the orange traitor, likeDeSantis trying to legislate Disney out of business in Florida or pardon a murderer in Austin because Greg Abbott and Co. felt that the murderer’s gun rights trumped the legal rights of the murdered victim. In fact, they are copy-cats of the bungling Tennessee legislature, that temporarily tossed out three members of their legislature for legally representing their constituents legal and constitutional rights.

Their actions are part of the national GOP‘s agenda; to violate every right of all citizens but their own, RWE, right wing extremist, MAGA crowd. Their agenda is harsh authoritarianism without equal rights for everyone, except the MAGA hordes and centered on an aberrant form of Christian Nationalism. This alone is as un-American as it gets.

Here’s the deal; I don’t care what Americans believe, so long as they observe the law, pay their taxes and don’t harm other Americans of different belief systems, religious included. This is what it means to be an American. There are no threats to gun ownership, practicing your personal preference of religion, no threat by the gay and Trans community or any of the other utter BS, spewing from the mouths and pens of these fake patriots. The 2022 midterm platform for the Texas GOP, is exemplary of the anti-American, Christian Nationalist agenda, saturating the souls of fake GOP patriots.

Our nation is not safe so long as one of our only two major political parties is intent on undermining our founders dreams for our republic, and the birthright of every, law-abiding American citizen. They don’t get to ignore the law or constitution of the United States. This includes SCOTUS who since the Trump administration has imposed their religious beliefs on the entire nation. After fleeing England and other parts of primarily Europe, largely for religious freedom, nothing is more American than keeping religion out of government.

A lot of my TaTitos will revolve around immoral and un-American politicians like Abbott, DeSantis, Montana, Tennessee or any of the rest of the GOP still clinging desperately to their Trump train of Treason. It’s not a party thing but an American thing.

As with my full TAT pieces, I’m always grateful for shares, if you feel them worthy. Again, our democracy is truly in trouble. What I’m asking you to share are things that aren’t right/ left, liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, but sharing when those entrusted with elected responsibilities to our nation, abuse their oaths of office. At the moment, today’s GOP has one of their cherished guns to the head of Uncle Sam. We aren’t safe until they put down their guns, both literally and metaphorically. We cannot heal our nation without talking about what ails it. That’s the whole point for TAT, and of course, all of you.

My very best to all,

Paul

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Aleksandr Dugin is a prolific Russian author of various fascist political tracts. His daughter Darya Dugina, also known as Daria Platonova, was a Russian political figure in her own right, indeed sanctioned by Western countries over her Ukrainian views.

Dugin's father was a three star Russian military intelligence general, and Dugin even though initially a Russian dissident has always been in the GRU milieu.

Dugin's peak fame was perhaps in 2014 when Putin used some of his ideas to justify Russian military aggression in Ukraine, however Putin quickly removed Dugin from his circles. His academic appointment was canceled and he has never been photographed with Putin, nor held an official office.

Dugin's work has been influential in Russian military circles, but more so especially abroad. Russian intelligence outreach has brought in some interesting characters, though there's scant evidence of any operational links beyond information operations.

Dugin is associated with the wealthy Russian businessman/state figure of Konstantin Malofeev, whose media outlets provides Dugin’s platform.

Both Malofeev and Yevgeny Prigozhin funded Russian "separatist" activities in Ukraine in 2014, with Prigozhin continuing to fund Dugin's daughter Darya, including providing inauthentic troll farm social media support.

Dugin was not particularly powerful or influential with the Kremlin, though he has an outsize bogeyman reputation in certain uninformed quarters in the West:

Current:

Putin's famous essay on Ukraine in 2021 and his Ukrainian invasion of 2022 show him becoming closer in views to ultranationalists such as Dugin and Igor Girkin.

Putin has previously exhibited high tolerance for ultra patriotic right wing opposition, though as their stated views converged, the possibility of "alternative prophets" may have been a threat to Putin. This wasn't a problem with the cartoonish Vladimir Zhirinovsky, so Putin was able to lionize him.

The failure of the FSB's 5th Department in Ukraine resulted in the stinging blow of Russia's GRU taking the lead as the invasion of Ukraine faltered. There are rumors that Aleksandr Dugin may have criticized the FSB over this. If Yevgeny Prigozhin is indeed Dugin’s current patron, he is close to the FSB’s chief rival, the GRU.

Aleksandr Dugin was slated to be a speaker at the Russian "Tradition" festival at 6pm Moscow time on Saturday 20th of August. The festival was held at the semi rural Zakharova estate, once owned by Pushkin, outside Moscow. With luminaries such as Vladimir Solovyov speaking it could be expected that security from the FSB/FSO would be high. Note: The brackets around that period “defang” the URL. This is an infosec convention.

http://traditionfestival[.]ru/

Darya Dugina left the festival in a Toyota Land Cruiser, although it’s not clear if this vehicle belonged to her, or her father. Social media posts from individuals close to him indicate he was meant to be riding with her, but he made a last minute change of plans. Her vehicle exploded shortly after leaving the festival. There is a video of her father, standing near the flaming wreck, seemingly in shock. A friend of his named Markov has reported he is hospitalized, but it’s not clear if he had a heart attack, or just psychiatric distress.

A previously unknown group, representing itself as a revolutionary organization seeking to overthrow Putin, claimed the attack on Sunday. The claims were vastly amplified as Ilya Ponomarev, a former Russian MP, now a dissident in Kyiv, claimed the group warned him the attack was coming:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/21/ex-russian-mp-claims-russian-partisans-responsible-for-moscow-car-bomb

In a 27th July interview with the Times of London, Ponomarev had revealed his media group was extending to support kinetic operations by Russian domestic subversives:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/exiled-dissidents-take-on-putins-propaganda-machine-j7zmk7j6l

Discussion:

Putin often uses opaque methods to target enemies, and underlings sometimes use their own initiative to undertake acts that they know he'll have to accept. The festival seems quite unlikely to have been a venue an outsider group could have managed to infiltrate. It is not yet clear if the attack was meant to hit father, daughter, or both. Dugin’s sequestration in a hospital may indicate the state itself is in control. The people carrying this out were most likely in Putin's inner circle, with these potential motives:

1) A false flag provocation to blame on Ukraine.

2) FSB jealousy at GRU being seen as more competent and capable.

3) Regime members concerned they were becoming hostage to the "true believer" ultranationalists.

4) A broader attempt to gain control of the state’s propaganda efforts.

As with the apartment bombings of 1999, the assassination of Putin's mentor Anatoly Sobchak in 2000, or the assassination of Litvienko, the Kremlin is unlikely to clarify what really happened.