It was a very long day yesterday as Michael Yon and I left my house at 2am to drive all the way to the Darien Gap. About six hours driving normally, but leaving so early and encountering no traffic, I was able to cut the time to under 5 hours. We arrived at a tiny indian village called Puerto Limon, on the banks of the rio Chuconaco, just in time to see boatloads of migrants start to arrive.
There are two main routes the migrants take into Panama. One brings them out at Bajo Chiquito, and this is the most highly trafficked route, even though it is the most difficult. That's because it is less expensive in terms of dollars paid to smugglers, but that cost savings is more than offset by the increased human misery of two additional days on foot in the jungle. According to the Panama immigration service, there are currently about 1000 migrants a day using this route.
Migrants with a bit more money opt for the route that comes out at Canaan Membrillo, whereupon they can take a boat down to Puerto Limon. The migrants we saw there were mostly Chinese, believe it or not, with some Somalis and even someone from Mauritania thrown in.
Ben and Oscar made it through with three and a half days of walking, accompanied by a Special Forces team from SENAFRONT (Panamanian Border Police). Both Ben and Oscar say it was the most arduous experience of their lives.
I'm proud of what these two journalists accomplished - and more proud of why they did it. They are doing it to expose the vast toll of human suffering brought on by the current US administration's near-suicidal immigration policy. Subscribe to their work here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/oscarelblue and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMGZ8pfQHgZ6Yj0-92PMENg.
Today I went to visit one of the power plants destroyed by Russia in the Kyiv region. It was an amazing sight. This was one of the largest power production facilities in Kyiv and was completely taken off line by a salvo of missiles in April. It is old enough that many of the parts were somewhat irreplaceable.
How can one guy be so consistently wrong and yet remain so confident about himself?
My heart melts listening to how the Ukrainian men are in pits of mud in the freezing cold , you praying and sharing the word of God after bringing cheer and gifts and they didnt want you to leave! LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU SAFE from all evil or harm no matter where you go and share in prayer! Thank you Chuck, Nathan, Connie and your brothers n sisters in Christ Jesus for your wisdom and truth in your reports!
There's been churches and pastors and believers we've been praying for since the war began in Ukraine. When Chuck mentioned Kramatorsk, I was excited to think that he was so near those churches and people. A couple of things they've needed and many people have donated via organizations are sleeping bags and bikes. The churches gather all sorts of daily needs and make up packages to handout to anyone who asks. Their churches have grown substantionally with many people becoming Believers and being baptised. Bombings come close but the people and a lot of their structures are still standing. Is it a side effect of such a war or a deeper reason for such wars?
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The Syrian Civil War, a theater of unrelenting chaos since 2011, just escalated dramatically. Insurgents breached Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, on Friday, marking the first major attack on the city by opposition forces since 2016. Two car bombs detonated at the city’s western edge opened the way for fierce clashes between insurgents and government forces, forcing residents to flee under a hail of missiles and gunfire.
This offensive, launched Wednesday, saw thousands of fighters storm through northwestern Syria, sweeping through villages and towns and adding new uncertainty to an already volatile region. The Middle East is reeling from the wars in Gaza and Lebanon with Israel, and Aleppo’s fall into chaos once again underscores how unresolved conflicts can reignite with devastating consequences.
Unlike the last siege of Aleppo in 2016—when government forces, heavily backed by Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, expelled opposition fighters—this time there’s little sign of significant pushback. Reports indicate government troops are retreating, and insurgents are urging them to surrender via social media. With Hezbollah and other Iran-linked groups distracted by their battles closer to home, Damascus may find itself without the reinforcements it once relied on.
The Messy Reality of Syria’s Civil War
This breaking news is a stark reminder of the war's complexities. The U.S. supported the Free Syrian Army (FSA) for years through the CIA’s “Timber Sycamore” program, which supplied training, arms, and equipment to anti-Assad forces. However, the U.S. quickly found itself entangled in a moral and strategic web. Many opposition groups, including those affiliated with the FSA, have ties to Sunni extremist organizations like Al Qaeda. Meanwhile, Shia Hezbollah terrorists have fought alongside the Assad regime, aligning with Russia and Iran.
In Syria, the U.S. has supported groups that sometimes clash with one another, and even with other U.S.-backed forces. The Kurds and Yazidis stand out as defenders of religious minorities and staunch opponents of ISIS, but they too are polarizing. Kurdish factions like the YPG have Marxist roots, complicating their position as "good guys" in the eyes of some allies.
A Cautionary Tale
The renewed fighting in Aleppo adds another layer to Syria’s already tangled narrative. It’s a theater where few factions are unequivocally virtuous, and where alliances shift like desert sands. The Assad regime and the Kurdish SDF stand out as entities that have offered some protection to religious minorities, but even they are far from universally trusted.
In conflicts like these, it’s tempting to simplify the narrative—to cheer for the side that appears less abhorrent. But the truth is, in Syria, there are no simple choices. The only certainty is that innocent civilians will once again pay the price as regional powers and international players pursue their competing interests.
As Aleppo burns, the lesson is clear: tread carefully when choosing sides. Sometimes, it’s not about “good guys” versus “bad guys.” It’s about survival in a world of shifting allegiances and harsh realities.
