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Strategies & Market Trends : World Outlook -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Les H who wrote (45106)	2/25/2025 5:05:22 PM
From: Les H	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 48839

Australian defence force officer stripped of security clearance over loyalty to Israel Asio believed the man, anonymised as HWMW, was at risk of being exploited by the Mossad An officer in the Australian army has been stripped of his security clearance because Asio believes he is more loyal to Israel than Australia, and at risk of being exploited by the Mossad. The man told Asio interviewers he did not view Israel as a foreign government and that he would share classified information with the Israel Defense Forces if they asked for it. Asio said the officer, who is Jewish and served 19 years in the Australian military, withheld information from Australian officials about training courses he had undertaken in Israel – where he is not a citizen – which included self-defence, security and firearms training. In a decision published by the administrative review tribunal last week, Asio said the officer, anonymised as HWMW in tribunal documents, was not of “appropriate character and trustworthiness to hold any security clearance”. “HWMW is vulnerable to influence or coercion to enable acts of espionage or foreign interference by Israeli Intelligence Services due to his loyalty to Israel,” the tribunal found. “By virtue of HWMW’s demonstrated poor judgement, poor security practices, failure to comply with the obligations of a security clearance holder, his vulnerability to influence or coercion by the Israeli Intelligence Services, and HWMW’s demonstrated loyalty to Israel above the Australian government, ASIO assesses if HWMW were to continue to hold any level of security clearance, he would pose an unacceptable and avoidable risk to security.” Asio said it considered lowering the man’s security clearance level, to restrict his access to sensitive information, but said “due to HWMW’s demonstrated loyalty to Israel and poor judgement by withholding security-relevant information during the security clearance process, no such conditions could adequately mitigate the risk of Mossad exploitation to enable acts of espionage or foreign influence”. Guardian

To: Les H who wrote (45106)	2/28/2025 5:31:34 PM
From: Les H	1 Recommendation Recommended By John Carragher Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 48839

Zelenskyy’s Misstep: Undermining Diplomacy in a Sacred American Place Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy provokes a heated exchange with Vice President JD Vance at a press conference in the Oval Office prior to closed door negotiations. by Michael A. Milton February 28, 2025, 4:02 PM Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy broke one of the cardinal rules of diplomacy today: Never introduce a surprise in a high-stakes meeting. This principle is sacrosanct among leaders, particularly when navigating complex international relationships. Yet, Zelenskyy employed a risky gambit, attempting to leverage media influence to strengthen his negotiating position with the nation that has already provided his country with $183 billion in aid. At the outset of a press conference intended to pave the way for a formal agreement, Zelenskyy seized upon a reporter’s question to deliver an unexpected lecture to the United States on the history of the war. The spectacle was nothing short of negotiation by media. Vice President JD Vance — understandably taken aback by Zelenskyy’s approach — challenged the Ukrainian president’s remarks, prompting Zelenskyy to accuse him of raising his voice. From that moment, the dialogue devolved into diplomatic disarray. Spectator