The spice trade was arguably one of the first conflicts which engulfed the majority of the globe. Spice wars were fought between three major European players at different times—the English, the Portuguese, and the Dutch, although the French and Spanish also had their part to play.   The Spice Trade in the Ancient World Map depicting the locations in Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, art by Abraham Ortelius, 1597, Source: Wikimedia Commons   Even before the major European players came to dominate the spice trade in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, a trade in spice had been going on for centuries, predominantly between African and Asian nations. Indonesian sailors in particular established trade routes and Indonesia would come to be known as “the Spice Islands” in the Early Modern Period, when trade started booming with European nations. These routes were generally between Indonesia and other kingdoms in and around Southeast Asia, with evidence of trade with Chinese merchants from as early as 1500 BCE.   With North Africa also becoming involved in the spice trade, ancient Greek and ancient Roman merchants got a taste for the goods that the trade could offer. Merchants from Persia and North Africa reached the Mediterranean, and exotic spices such as black pepper began to appear in the villas of wealthy Greeks and Romans.   The Medieval Spice Trade  Calicut, India, from Civitates Orbis Terrarium, 1572, Source: Wikimedia Commons   So why did the spice trade from the ancient world seemingly shut down until the Early Modern Period? One theory is after the rise of Islam dominated the Iberian peninsula from the 7th century CE until 1492, Arab and Ottoman traders held sway over the major trading routes and controlled what came in and out of Europe via the Red Sea and the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea via the Atlantic Ocean.   It was not until 1498 that the biggest factor came about which opened up the spice trade. The Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, became the first person to successfully navigate around the Cape of Good Hope (in modern-day South Africa) to reach India. This opened up a whole new trading route—once ships could sail past the perilous Cape of Good Hope and head onward to India, they could get their spices from the source—particularly spices such as black pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom.   It was also around the turn of the 15th century—thanks to discoveries of Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the Americas—that the Early Modern Period began. Developments in technology and trade would see the beginning of the European spice trade, and ultimately, the spice wars.   The Portuguese in India Vasco da Gama, c. 1525-50, Source: Wikimedia Commons   Thanks to Vasco da Gama’s successful circumnavigation and his arrival in India (he landed in Kerala, South India), the spice trade opened up to the European powers.   Naturally, Portugal was the first European nation to profit from this expedition, and they quickly established colonies in Southern India, especially on the western coast. Areas such as Goa on India’s southwest coast still have a heavy Portuguese influence, which can be seen today in its historic architecture.   The Spanish Influence Ferdinand Magellan on his ship, after Jan Van Der Straet, 1589, Source: The British Museum   Portugal’s neighbor, Spain, who had had more success sailing west with Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the Americas in 1492, also began to turn their attention eastwards to get in on the spice trade. In 1519, King Charles V of Spain sent explorer Ferdinand Magellan to sail westward around the world. Sadly, Magellan lost his life in what is now the Philippines (which, in the early 1540s were named after the Spanish monarch, King Philip II). However, even though Magellan had died, and four of his five ships had been lost, his remaining ship brought back huge quantities of black pepper and other spices to Spain, thus rendering the trip a financial success in Charles V’s eyes.   The Dutch in Control The Noord-Nieuwland in Table Bay, 1762, likely 1762, Source: Wikimedia Commons   The third big European player in the spice trade was Holland (now known as the Netherlands). Back on European soil (or rather, waters), the Dutch as a nation had begun to boost their economy by supplying ships to Portugal in the 16th century. As a result of their ship-building skills, the Dutch grew as a European power and eventually gained control of shipping and trade across northern Europe. Eventually, they decided that they wanted to expand their seafaring powers and also wanted in on the spice trade—and this is where the conflict really begins.   The Dutch Monopoly Over the Spice Islands Map of the Spice Islands, by William Blaeu, 1630, Source: The Old Map Company   In the early 17th century, it was abundantly clear that the Dutch wanted to take control of the spice trade, and would do so at any cost. In 1607, they forged an alliance based on the trade of cloves with the Sultan of Ternate in the Spice Islands. Two years later, they occupied the Banda Islands (which they would hold until 1623), which gave them control of the nutmeg trade.   The Dutch adopted the classic colonizer mentality in order to oppress Indonesian locals and spice growers in particular. They forged many treaties and attempted to trade spices for items that the native islanders did not even need, such as knives.   One notable figure from the Spice Wars was a Dutchman named Jan Pieterszoon Coen. He was the Dutch Governor-General of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and a particularly brutal man. In order to keep the spice trade locations in the Spice Islands as secret as possible, he almost wiped out the native population of the Banda Islands. He decided to establish Jakarta (the capital of modern-day Indonesia) as the global center of the spice trade.   The Dutch did have a monopoly over spice during the early years of the 17th century. However, when the English East India Company was formed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in 1600, they provided serious competition for the Dutch.   The people of the Banda Islands continued to sell nutmeg and mace to English merchants, which infuriated Coen. In response, he had almost the entire population of the Banda islands either deported or killed and replaced them with slaves the VOC had captured.   The Dutch vs. the Portuguese Peace negotiations with the Portuguese in Angola, 1657, Wikimedia Commons   It was not just the native population that the Dutch would oppress. They realized that they could expand their control over the spice trade further north, and some pivotal moments during the Spice Wars came in the form of confrontations between the Dutch and the Portuguese.   In India, the Dutch took many 15th-century Portuguese settlements by force, thus establishing a monopoly on the Indian pepper trade. Later, during the rise of the British Empire, these Dutch settlements would be taken by the British.   However, the Portuguese did have one more trick in their arsenal. Like the Dutch, the Portuguese had taken advantage of slavery—wherever they went, slaves followed, or so it seemed.   Following Vasco da Gama’s travels south of Portugal, around the Cape of Good Hope, and up past the Horn of Africa, the Portuguese established colonies at key strategic points, often with ports so that they could trade cargo, refresh their crews, and stock up on supplies for the perilous journey to India, the Spice Islands, and beyond.   One of these key stop-offs was Angola, in the southwest of the African continent. The Portuguese Empire colonized Angola (and Mozambique) where they could gather up slaves. Some of these would be traded back in Europe, others would travel with the merchants on the ships and be forced to work on spice plantations in Asia.   The Portuguese were one of the major slaving nations, and it has been argued that their seizure of Angola was a turning point in European attitudes towards Africa, eventually culminating in the Scramble for Africa in the 19th century.   Jan Pieterszoon Coen, by Jacob Waben, c. 1610-34, Source: Wikimedia Commons   Realizing the importance of having colonies in Africa for their strategic needs, the Dutch also established colonies around modern-day South Africa—which is why the Dutch language is not too dissimilar to Afrikaans. As well as for trading purposes, the Dutch colonies in South Africa helped sailors in the long term.   Realizing that many were dying from scurvy and rickets due to a lack of vitamin C, the Dutch established colonies in South Africa, where they used slaves (as well as Dutch farmers) to grow exotic fruit trees so that the sailors could replenish themselves on the way to the Spice Islands. If it was not for these Portuguese and Dutch colonies in Africa, it is highly unlikely that the European spice trade would have boomed as much as it did during the 17th century and beyond.   The End of the Spice Wars Bowls of spice, photo by Agnieszka Stankiewicz, Source: Unsplash   While spices are still in demand today, the spice trade of the early modern world did eventually come to an end. There are various reasons why, although the general consensus is because of the settlement of the Americas.   From the Americas came potatoes, coffee, and tobacco—all of which were in much higher demand than exotic spices. New trading routes across the Atlantic to the Americas had opened up, meaning that sailors were no longer required to undertake the perilous journey around the Cape of Good Hope in order to reach the Spice Islands.   In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Dutch and English East India Companies collapsed. As a result, the centralization of the spice trade, which had been solely based in Southeast Asia came to an end. The similar climate of Central America meant that spices could be grown there, too—thus making it easier for European merchants.

  Korea’s modern history before 75,000 North Koreans invaded in the Korean War was harsh. Japan’s 1899 defeat of China and Russia in 1905 left it dominant in East Asia. Japan moved in fast, making Korea a protectorate. Upon the assassination of the queen, annexation followed in 1910. For the next thirty-five years, Japan occupied Korea, banning the Korean culture language and taking both resources and people to work in Japan. Great efforts were made at assimilation. The occupation’s harsh nature led to thousands of Koreans fleeing into Manchuria to form fierce independence groups. The Japanese impressed several million Koreans as forced labor during World War II across their Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.    The Five Years Between: 1945-50 American Troops in Korea. Source: The Nation   Japan surrendered unconditionally in 1945. Americans landed in the south, and the Russians seized the north, dividing the Korean Peninsula at the 38th Parallel. By the decade’s end, two clear-cut countries emerged: North Korea, led by Kim Il Sung, and anti-Communist South Korea, led by Syngman Rhee. As each country formed as the Cold War began, the area got special attention from the Soviets, China, and America.    Both sides wrangled about Korea’s fate, usually in the United Nations. With no real political progress and after aiding Communist South Korean sympathizers plus a failed rebellion, the Soviet-backed North Korea decided on war.    Onto War: June 1950 U.S. Troops Dig In 1950 Source: Department of Defense   At 4 AM on June 25, 1950, North Korea’s army invaded, making maximum effort, which almost worked. South Korean (ROK) and the small American forces got pushed back or destroyed finally being besieged in Pusan in the far south. America, caught completely unprepared, dispatched any troops available from Japan.    The United Nations War: July 1950 Incheon War map invasion. Source: Thoughtco.   June 25, the United Nations condemned the North Korean invasion; only the Soviet Union abstained. On July 7, 1950, the U.N. established a command to fight. Now, America led an international fight, not its own war. President Harry Truman called this a “police action.” U.N. members sent troops under American command for over three years. The overall commander was Douglas McCarthur, of World War II fame.   Twenty-two countries sent troops or supplies, many for the duration. Many responded to the U.N. declaration, but others, like Ethiopia, sent troops for other reasons. In the early 1940s, the Allies defeated Mussolini, whose forces annexed Ethiopia.   Incheon – The Game Changer: September 1950 Chinese troops cross Yalu River Source: Retro Newser   The North’s sudden invasion had been swift and violent, annihilating the ROK, or South Korean army, before capturing Seoul. The one American division, the 24th Infantry, was mauled. Besieged in far southern Pusan, the U.N. forces began to plan their comeback. General MacArthur launched an operation at the port of Incheon, well behind the North Korean army, on September 15, 1950. The operation involved some 75,000 troops and 261 vessels. Incheon fell after a short fight, being undefended. MacArthur’s troops hit hard, spreading out, and headed for Seoul.   The U.N. troops in Pusan attacked, coordinating with the landings. The North Koreans fought hard but collapsed. Seoul fell back into U.N. control on September 26 as the North Koreans fled over the 38th Parallel and further north. Their retreat turned into a route as American units crossed over as well.   Across the Yalu: October 1950 Safe Conduct Pass Source: National Museum of the United States Air Force   The Korean War took a critical turn when China’s Red Army crossed the Yalu River between North Korea and China, smashing into American units on October 16, 1950. McArthur had not heeded their warnings. Surprised and outnumbered, the U.N. forces conducted a fighting withdrawal.    Not all went well, such as the Chosin Reservoir Battle. Both sides lost thousands in Korea’s December winter weather. The fighting settled along the 38th Parallel, like before. This stalemate graduated into a three-year war of attrition.   Continual Stalemate A map showing the wartime advances and present-day borders of North and South Korea. Source: PBS & GBH Educational Foundation   Fighting continued along the 38th Parallel from 1951. No seesaw battles like those from 1950 occurred- both sides fortified their lines. The Communists greatly outnumbered the U.N. forces. The Americans used superior firepower and airstrikes, but nothing changed.    Negotiations over the later termed “Forgotten War” started in July 1951. They moved to Panmunjom, which lasted for two years. Battles like Pork Chop Hill occurred to test political will. The U.N. negotiated, concerned that Korea would ignite a world war, so an armistice was signed on July 27, 1953. The Korean War shaped the region for decades, and tensions still linger. These flare up but never erupt. Officially, no peace treaty has been signed, only an armistice. 

  When Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, Germany had no air force to speak of. Under the conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was forbidden to have one. The will of the Nazis, however, challenged this dynamic, and the Germans started preparing their country to build a massive air force that would dominate the skies.   The renewed vigor of the Luftwaffe saw the German war machine take to the skies in alarming numbers, and throughout the war, Germany sought dominance in the air to maintain its power on the ground.   Through the Luftwaffe, Germany became a monster of military power, able to exert force at an unprecedented scale. Technological advancements took the Luftwaffe from rickety biplanes to jet fighters almost out of science fiction.   The Early Years of Germany’s New Air Force Hermann Goering in 1933. Photo by Heinrich Hoffman (Hitler’s personal photographer). Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica   When Hitler and the Nazis came to power in 1933, Germany was still under the constrictive terms of the Treaty of Versailles. Battling internal political problems as well as well as successive economic catastrophes, and crippling war reparations, Germany was in no position to break the terms. It could ill afford any substantial military force, let alone an air force.   Nevertheless, even before Hitler came to power, men were sent in secret to the Soviet Union, where they trained as military pilots. Back in Germany, civil aviation schools were used, but this was difficult, as they could not train on any aircraft of military worth. They were trained with the intention of making it look like they were being trained to become civilian pilots.   Just months after Hitler came to power, preparation for the creation of the Luftwaffe started. In March, the Deutscher Luftsportverband (German Air Sports Association) was created and absorbed all private and national organizations.   In April 1933, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (Reich Aviation Ministry) was created, and it was in charge of the creation and production of aircraft.   On May 12, the Deutscher Luftsportverband was rebranded as the Luftwaffe, Germany’s new air force, with Hermann Goering in charge. He would remain the authoritative head for almost all of the Nazi era; however, he maintained a distanced approach to many issues, such as doctrine and aircraft construction, understanding that there were others more knowledgeable than him.   Prototype of the Stuka dive bomber, 1936. Source: Netherlands Ministry of Defence   Until 1936, there was little growth in the physical aspects of the Luftwaffe as Germany was focused on rebuilding its land power. The emphasis in the Luftwaffe was put on tactical bombing in order to support ground operations, while further research into theories and doctrines became important in adapting to a new kind of war in which air superiority was vital for victory.   The main direction the Luftwaffe would take in terms of its doctrine was outlined by Generalleutnant Walther Wever, who served as the chief of staff of the Luftwaffe until his untimely demise in an air crash in 1936. While Wever was a huge proponent of larger aircraft and victory through destroying the enemy’s industrial capability, his successors were more focused on support of ground operations and thus favored the development of smaller aircraft. Thus, the Stuka dive-bomber was born.   One of the most terrifying machines of the Second World War, the Ju-87 Stuka was used en masse and proved highly effective. It earned a reputation not just for its destructive capabilities but for its psychological effect. Sirens were mounted on the fixed wheel struts, sounding as the aircraft went into a dive. The Stuka provided an excellent and more accurate alternative to level bombing.   The Heinkel He 111 was a medium bomber introduced in 1935 and served in the Luftwaffe until the end of the war. Source: Public domain / Store Norske Leksikon   After the death of Wever, Goering began taking a more active interest in the appointment of men to high-ranking positions. His choices caused rifts within the upper echelons of the organization, as many of his appointments did not see eye-to-eye on many matters. Of note was the animosity between the new chief-of-staff, Albert Kesselring, and the head of the Reich’s Air Ministry Technical Office, Ernst Udet.   Nevertheless, the Luftwaffe developed into a flexible organization that could take on multiple roles during wartime. The death of Wever and the new direction taken by the Luftwaffe also created a severe weakness in that the lack of long-range heavy bombers would limit the strategic capabilities of the Luftwaffe and would prove a fatal dynamic both during the Battle of Britain and later in the war. Although the Heinkel He 111 performed its task as a medium to heavy bomber, it quickly became obsolete, and a viable alternative was never created.   The task of creating a heavy bomber was also dogged by lack of technical expertise, but most notably, the lack of resources. Steel, copper, aluminum, and rubber were all needed in vast quantities to create a strategic bombing fleet, and Germany simply could not get hold of enough materials, especially later in the war when Germany’s industrial capability was being bombed on a regular basis.   The Luftwaffe Gains Experience The Messerschmitt bf-109 formed the backbone of the Luftwaffe’s air-to-air combat capabilities. Source: Netherlands Ministry of Defence   Germany began aiding the Spanish Nationalists at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936. Hitler sent a large unit of German volunteers from the army and the air force to Spain. This conflict would serve as a test bed for German strategy and tactics, especially in the air, where Germany’s new aircraft designs would be put to the test.   Of note were the presence of Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers, Heinkel He 111 medium bombers, and Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters.   During the war, the Blitzkrieg tactic was employed to devastating effect. It emphasized the highly coordinated and well-timed use of multiple elements of ground and air power. Such an overwhelming and effective use of air power had never been seen before, and the German commanders and tacticians were delighted with its results.   The Nazis also showed their first in-combat disregard for civilian life by bombing the Basque city of Guernica, which was not a strategic target. Estimates vary wildly on how many people died during this episode, but it was somewhere between 150 and 1,650. It generated protests from around the world.   In total, around 20,000 German airmen gained experience in this war and played a vital part in helping their fascist ally, Francisco Franco, seize power over all of Spain.   World War II Begins A British soldier fires his rifle at a low-flying German aircraft making strafing runs at Dunkirk. Source: Australian War Memorial, 101171   On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland. The ground operations were supported by the Luftwaffe, which provided a vital, flexible service, aiding the ground troops on many occasions. The performance of the Luftwaffe was overwhelmingly effective and created a terrifying new reality in the dynamic of aerial warfare. With the most advanced air force in the world, Germany swept all conventional Polish forces aside in a matter of weeks.   The Luftwaffe continued its exceptional performance in the campaign against Norway and again in May 1940, when the Germans launched their invasion of France, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Within six weeks, the Germans had achieved the unthinkable in defeating France, which was considered to have the most powerful army in Europe. German victory was due to audacious tactics, speed, Pervitin, and the incredible power of the Luftwaffe. The victory was almost flawless. But for the hesitation at Dunkirk, the British Expeditionary force would have been captured as well. This hesitation cost the Germans the opportunity to capture 338,000 soldiers, who instead made their escape back to England.   A Heinkel He 111 flying over London. Source: Public domain / Store Norske Leksikon   The Luftwaffe’s first real failure came during the Battle of Britain from 1940 to 1941. For the planned invasion of Britain to go ahead, the Germans needed air superiority, and bombing runs started over England. Despite having the advantage in numbers and inflicting heavy losses on Britain’s cities, the Luftwaffe was losing planes at a ratio of 2 to 1.   The fight was also costly in terms of pilots. When British pilots bailed out, they landed on or near Britain and could be easily rescued. Luftwaffe pilots, on the other hand, ended up being captured.   This situation was untenable, and with the Germans unable to curb British aircraft production, the planned invasion was called off. Hitler turned his attention to the east and launched Operation Barbarossa – the invasion of the Soviet Union.   Irreplaceable Losses A crashed Messerschmitt Bf 109 in Stalingrad. Source: Nikolai Surovtsev / Tass   Despite being stopped just short of Moscow and unable to fully capture Leningrad, the first few months of the German invasion of the Soviet Union were a success. Vast numbers of Soviet forces were destroyed or captured while the Soviets struggled to adapt. At this point, the Luftwaffe held superiority over the Soviet skies, but as the war dragged on, the balance of power would begin to tilt.   Many Soviet production centers were moved east of the Urals, and the full might of Soviet industrial capability swung into action while the troops on the frontline held the Germans off. Without the Luftwaffe having heavy, long-range bombers, Soviet industrial might remained largely intact. The Germans revived plans to build heavy bombers, but it was too late to make any difference.   From late 1942 and into 1943, the Germans suffered critical losses on the ground at Stalingrad and Kursk. The weakened Luftwaffe provided a pitiful handful of supplies to the soldiers in Stalingrad, falling far short of what Goering boasted his Luftwaffe could do, and the Germans lost 800,000 men killed or captured.   A surviving Messerschmitt Me 163 sits in the Luftwaffenmuseum in Berlin. Source: Denis Apel / Wikimedia Commons   As the Soviets started recapturing all their lost territory, German scientists were hard at work, creating weapons that Hitler believed would turn the tide back in favor of the Germans.   Under the onslaught of troops, new vehicles, and new airplanes being produced in Russia, these German Wunderwaffe would not be nearly enough to stem the tide of the Soviet advance.   First came the rocket-propelled Messerschmitt Me 163, an aircraft as deadly to its own pilot as it was to the enemy. With a volatile engine and no landing gear, it proved to be the death of many trained German pilots.   A preserved Messerschmitt Me 262 still flying today. Source: Julian Herzog   In April 1944, the world’s first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft took to the skies and proved highly effective. With unmatched speed, it quickly proved superior to anything the Allies could come up with. German industrial capability, however, was being regularly bombed, and a decent network of air defense had been omitted from German war plans.   The Messerschmitt Me 262 was produced in quantity, with a total of 1,433 being built. It wasn’t, however, enough. The Allies achieved air superiority over Germany, and by 1945, the heartland of Germany was pressed on all sides.   With the Reich collapsing around them, Goering suggested that he take over from Hitler. The Führer was not impressed and ordered that Goering be executed for treason. Goering evaded the Nazi attempts to apprehend him but was captured by the Allies and put on trial. On May 8, Germany surrendered, bringing an end to the Third Reich and the Luftwaffe.   Throughout its tenure, the Luftwaffe, like other branches of the armed service, was served by forced labor. Heinous experiments were performed as the Luftwaffe tested on live subjects. These included testing ejection seats and experiments involving hypothermia. Most of the victims were from Dachau or Auschwitz.   The Eagle emblem of the Luftwaffe. Source: Panzerfaust9000 / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain   The Luftwaffe of the Nazi era was a formidable fighting force that struck fear into the hearts of its enemies. Despite its power, however, it had weaknesses. These inadequacies and lack of planning contributed in no small amount to the final defeat of the Third Reich.

This is a Flashback to one of my favorite Biden stories of all time.  Good old Uncle Bosey being eaten by Cannibals! Joe Biden has told some BIG whoppers over the years…. So much so that I truly do not believe he knows anymore when he’s lying or telling the truth. Usually it’s just run of the mill stuff, lies about where he grew up, or how he attended an all-black church, or claims of athletic feats when he was younger….stuff like that. But he took it to a whole new level today when he claimed or very strongly implied that his Athletic, War-Hero Uncle was eaten by Cannibals in WW2. Here’s a quick summary from Grok, then we’ll go to the video tape: Yes, Joe Biden recently claimed that his uncle, 2nd Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan, may have been eaten by cannibals after his plane crashed near New Guinea during World War II. This claim was made during a speech in Pennsylvania on April 18, 2024, as Biden drew a contrast between his family’s military service and Donald Trump’s reported disparaging comments about military members. Biden said that his uncle’s body was never found because “there used to be a lot of cannibals” in New Guinea at the time of the crash. However, this detail is not supported by the official military record, which states that Finnegan’s plane crashed into the ocean off the coast of New Guinea, and experts have pointed out that cannibalism did exist in New Guinea but it was uncommon and unlikely to have been a factor in the aftermath of the crash. You gotta love how a story about his Uncle getting eaten by cannibals wasn’t good enough for him, he had to add in parts about the man being a war hero and a great athlete. It would be hilarious — if this man wasn’t pretending to run our country. Watch the clip for yourself: Biden claims everyone in his family was a great athlete and war hero. Now his uncle was eaten by cannibals. Which one is bigger, Joe Biden’s lies or the National Debt? pic.twitter.com/0kd9ppSuFV — • ᗰISᑕᕼIᗴᖴ • (@4Mischief) April 18, 2024 Full video of this entire event can be found here: Biden apparently likes this story so much he told it multiple times. Here’s another one from the same day: WAS BIDEN’S UNCLE EATEN BY CANNIBALS DURING WW2? “Uncle Bosie… Shot down in New Guinea… There were lots of Cannibals there then… They never recovered his body.” Source: MSNBC pic.twitter.com/FWKB5qwzlQ — Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 17, 2024 Backup video here: Biden’s got a new story about Uncle Bosey being shot down and eaten by cannibals… No one believes this shit, right? pic.twitter.com/iBSwrlUrOn — Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) April 17, 2024 Even MSNBC was forced to comment on the strange story: President Joe Biden made an odd suggestion Wednesday that his uncle who served in the Army during World War II may have been eaten by cannibals after his plane crashed off the coast of New Guinea. In a portion of a speech at a campaign stop in Pittsburgh, Biden drew a distinction between his family’s military service and Donald Trump’s disparaging comments about military members as reported in The Atlantic in 2020. (Trump has denied making those remarks.) Biden then brought up Ambrose J. Finnegan, a second lieutenant with the U.S. Army Air Forces whose plane crashed off the coast of New Guinea in 1944. “He got shot down in New Guinea, and they never found the body because there used to be — there were a lot of cannibals, for real, in that part of New Guinea,” Biden said of his uncle. Researchers have documented cannibalism practices in parts of the Melanesia region, but Biden’s remarks raised eyebrows. As NBC News reported, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency said that Finnegan’s plane was “forced to ditch in the ocean” for unknown reasons, and that three men, including Finnegan, “failed to emerge from the sinking wreck and were lost in the crash.” Joe Biden visits a war memorial that includes the name of Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr., his uncle who died in WWII, in Scranton, Penn., on Wednesday.Elizabeth Frantz / Reuters While Biden’s claim that his uncle’s remains were not recovered is in line with the official military record — the detail about cannibalism is not. “He has not been associated with any remains recovered from the area after the war and is still unaccounted-for,” the DPAA said of Finnegan. Biden had also told reporters a similar story about his uncle after visiting a veterans memorial in Scranton, Pennsylvania, earlier Wednesday before departing for Pittsburgh, CNN reported. Here are a few other great Biden moments from the gaffe machine history: Joe Biden: “I plan on being a PGA” Joe Biden has had some doozies when it comes gaffes and slurring his words. My favorite was probably Merfin and Ruthers, which I’ll post down below if you don’t remember that one. But the latest is just as bad. When asked what he thinks about the LIV takeover of the PGA, Biden appears disoriented and then smirks and says “I plan on being a PGA”. What does that even mean? Watch for yourself: REPORTER: “Do you have a comment on the PGA merging with LIV?” BIDEN: “I plan on being a PGA.” pic.twitter.com/wsy7KKJlL7 — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 6, 2023 What does that even mean? He sure thinks it’s funny, but I’m not sure why because I don’t know what it means. This guy is so strange. But is it worse than this Merfin and Ruthers? Ohhhh, that’s a tough one to beat: MUMBLER IN CHIEF: Biden Stumbles Through Another Speech, Refers To “Merfin and Ruthers” “Finkle and Einhorn, Einhorn and Finkle…..in it together….somehow!” Ah, the great duos of all time. Jordan/Pippen. Kobe/Shaq. Montana/Rice. …..Merfin and Ruthers…..? Yeah, I don’t know who they are either, but Joe Biden today in a long, mumbling, meandering “speech” claimed he was “as determined as Merfin and Ruthers” to get something done. Oh my. Watch here and see if you can figure it out: What? pic.twitter.com/pp5JCSWPsy — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 8, 2021 Yeah, I don’t know. There does not appear to be anyone even remotely close to the names of Merfin or Ruthers anywhere on Biden’s (fake) cabinet. The best anyone has come up with is that “Merfin” was a reference to Merrick Garland, which I guess in Biden-speak is kind of close. Someone then posted the subtitles to clear up the confusion: Ok I’m glad that’s cleared up: pic.twitter.com/C63bot7jDi — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 8, 2021 Oh my goodness, I can’t stop laughing! It only got better from there…. Reading some of the replies, these were my favorite. Merfin and Ruthers?  One guy thinks they played for the 85 Bears: This next one seems appropriate in light of Prince Philip’s long-awaited death: And kudos to BevJoy for correcting the record on this one: You can watch the full video here if you want more “context”:

Joe Biden attended the NATO summit in Washington today, which marks the 75th anniversary of the military alliance. Just a few days ago, he took credit for creating NATO, which I know seems a bit sus…. And embarrassing the USA once again on the world stage he referred to the Secretary of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, as an “intellectual wigger”. Just watch/listen for yourself: Joe Biden calls the Secretary of NATO an “intellectual wigger” pic.twitter.com/gH1F3biH6w — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 10, 2024 BREAKING: Joe Biden just called the Secretary of NATO an “intellectual wigger” Wigger is a derogatory term used to describe white people that supposedly act “black” There’s no way he actually just said that. Someone please tell me it’s AI pic.twitter.com/QKazR8DyGZ — George (@BehizyTweets) July 9, 2024 Full video player here: BREAKING: Joe Biden just called the Secretary of NATO an “intellectual wigger” Wigger is a derogatory term used to describe white people that supposedly act “black” There’s no way he actually just said that. Someone please tell me it’s AI pic.twitter.com/QKazR8DyGZ — George (@BehizyTweets) July 9, 2024 Now look, I don’t pretend to know what a “wigger” is, but it doesn’t sound good! Sounds very derogatory, but since it’s derogatory toward white people I’m sure it’s totally ok. Twitter’s Community Notes has already placed this “correction” on the video claiming he said “intellectual rigor”: Sorry Community Notes, but I have Fact-Checked your “Note” and find it FALSE. Here’s what I posted to Twitter in response: Memo to @CommunityNotes — Yes, Joe Biden did call the Secretary of NATO an “Intellectual Wigger”. You can REASON and ASSUME that he meant to say a man of “intellectual rigor” but that’s not what he actually said. He empirically, actually said “Intellectual Wigger”. Those are the words that came literally out of his mouth. Memo to @CommunityNotes — Yes, Joe Biden did call the Secretary of NATO an “Intellectual Wigger”. You can REASON and ASSUME that he meant to say a man of “intellectual rigor” but that’s not what he actually said. He empirically, actually said “Intellectual Wigger”. Those are… pic.twitter.com/NSzCWmfbEo — DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) July 10, 2024 Sorry Community Notes, you don’t get to claim he said something that he empirically, provably, demonstrably did not say. Maybe he WANTED to say something else, but the words that came out of his mouth were “intellectual wigger”. But thanks for playing! It’s hard to pick a favorite Biden slip up, but this has to be near the top of the list: Joe Biden Claims His Uncle Was Eaten By Cannibals And if it's not that, then it's definitely "Merfin and Ruthers": FLASHBACK: Biden Stumbles Through Another Speech, Refers To “Merfin and Ruthers” We know, we know Joe....you goofed up again, but it's ok buddy -- you did the "goodest" job you knew how to do! Joe Biden: "I Did The Goodest Job As I Know I Could Do" This is just getting sad at this point.... Joe Biden's interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos went terribly for him on so many levels, but this is by far my favorite part. Biden: “If Trump wins in November, I'll feel as long as I gave it my all and did the goodest job I know I could do.” “The goodest job” ? pic.twitter.com/zQuGYUdI0F — Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 6, 2024 Full video player here: Biden on if Trump wins: “I'll feel as long as I gave it my all and did the goodest job I know I could do.” pic.twitter.com/vizvNQxlro — ALX (@alx) July 6, 2024 And they can't even claim we heard it wrong, because ABC's official transcript uses "goodest" (a word my spell-checker keeps telling me is not a real word: ABC's official transcript has Biden saying "goodest." pic.twitter.com/cqc2GoDxK3 — Alex Pfeiffer (@__Pfeiffer) July 6, 2024 It's so sad, actually. Almost makes you feel bad for him. He's reverting to being a little child, ("I did my goodest, Mommy!") which is probably why they treat him like one.... Remember this ultra cringe moment? Watch this clip, and you'll see what I mean: At what point is this abuse?? Jill Biden:"Joe, you did such a great job answering every question. You knew all the facts."https://t.co/PKOAesS0Su pic.twitter.com/pbZkkUWZr9 — MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) June 28, 2024 OMG Is this real? pic.twitter.com/ofZ20xrfDo — The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 28, 2024 The New York Times wrote: Clutching a microphone at an after-party in Atlanta, Biden is focusing on Trump’s performance, not his own: “I can’t think of one thing he said that was true.” The first lady, Jill Biden, offers up her review of her husband’s performance: “Such a great job. You answered every question.” "Joe, you did such a great job answering every question. You knew all the facts!" There's clearly something very wrong medically at this point, don't you think? Is this what's really going on? NEW REPORT: Joe Biden Has Parkinson’s Disease NEW REPORT: Joe Biden Has Parkinson's Disease EDITOR'S NOTE: we cannot confirm or deny whether Joe Biden does indeed have Parkinson's Disease or any form of dementia.  We are simply reporting on the growing number of reports that claim he does. Reports are swirling online that Joe Biden has been confirmed to have Parkinson's Disease and/or forms of Dementia.  A very bad combination. Laura Loomer has led a lot of the reporting, which has been criticized by the White House but which is appearing to be confirmed by other sources as time goes on. We start with this report from Loomer from yesterday: EXCLUSIVE: ???????? When Dr. Kevin Cannard, the Parkinson’s Disease specialist met with @JoeBiden ’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor on January 17th, 2024 at the @WhiteHouse , the appointment was made on January 12th (5 days before the meeting) and White House logs show the meeting was NEARLY 7 HOURS and didn’t end till MIDNIGHT! Why was a Parkinson’s specialist at the White House with Biden and his doctor till MIDNIGHT for 7 hours????? This was not mentioned this morning in the report by @nypost about the visit to the White House. 7 hours is ABNORMAL for any doctors visit. And unless it’s an emergency, doctors are not meeting with patients and their primary care doctor till Midnight. See White House log below. ?? EXCLUSIVE: ???????? When Dr. Kevin Cannard, the Parkinson’s Disease specialist met with @JoeBiden’s physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor on January 17th, 2024 at the @WhiteHouse, the appointment was made on January 12th (5 days before the meeting) and White House logs show the… pic.twitter.com/4ifa5Fi0Ox — Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) July 6, 2024 It should be noted that Loomer's post is not pure speculation but is relying on White House visitor logs. Follow up here: Indeed. And they are just jealous they didn’t get it first. Now after my report came out, it’s being reported this morning that Biden’s doctor met with a Parkinson’s disease specialist at the White House. The media calls every story they didn’t break first “fake news”. They… https://t.co/X0PmbBUCgz pic.twitter.com/kUa1rzvlvn — Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) July 6, 2024 But then the NY Post got involved, posting this: President Biden’s physician met with Parkinson’s disease specialist in White House https://t.co/fOzvzpgsRr pic.twitter.com/g9lNMyA1Un — New York Post (@nypost) July 6, 2024 Here are more details from the NY Post report: A top Washington D.C. neurologist had a meeting with President Biden’s personal doctor at the White House earlier this year, visitor logs reviewed by The Post show. Dr. Kevin Cannard, a Parkinson’s disease expert at Walter Reed Medical Center, met with Dr. Kevin O’Connor, and two others at the White House residence clinic on Jan. 17, according to the records, which emerge as questions continue to swirl about the 81-year-old president’s mental health in the wake of his debate debacle last week with former President Trump. Dr. John E. Atwood, a cardiologist are Walter Reed, was also in the 5 P.M. meeting, the White House visitor logs show. The fourth person has not been identified in the logs from that day, when Biden was at the White House and hosted House and Senate leaders to press them for more Ukraine funding, according to his official schedule. Cannard is an authority on Parkinson’s who has worked at Walter Reed for nearly 20 years. Since 2012, he has served as the “neurology specialist supporting the White House Medical Unit,” according to his LinkedIn. His most recent paper was published in August 2023 in the journal Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, and focuses on the “early-stage” of the crippling disease. Since Biden’s health is O’Connor’s primary responsibility, it is highly probable the meeting was about the commander in chief, according to Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Tx), the doctor for both Presidents Obama and Trump. “It’s highly likely they were talking about Biden,” Jackson told The Post. “He should only be [regularly] treating the president and the first family.” Bill Ackman reports that according to his sources and experts, Joe Biden has "lewy body dementia, Parkinson's and/or Alzheimer's": I just spoke to one of the most respected doctors in the world. He says that it is eminently apparent that @POTUS Biden has lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s and/or Alzheimer’s and that his decline will not be linear. It will accelerate. — Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) June 30, 2024 Ackman also notes that the decline from here will not be "linear" but will accelerate quickly. More here: Neurosurgeon opinion of Biden. He undoubtedly has Parkinson’s disease, and is increasingly suffering from Parkinson’s dementia. The signs are unmistakable:-his shuffling gait-the absence of associated movements (facial expression, arm swinging)-gait instability-soft voice pic.twitter.com/U6rrE3DtTn — Caribbean Hawk (@CaribHawk) July 2, 2024 Chris Greene at AMTV actually had the report about the same time as Loomer, and posted this video explaining what he is hearing from his sources: NOTE: his videos get removed (or he takes them down) often, so this may be gone by the time you read the article. Watch here for more from OANN: “There’s so much evidence of dementia and Parkinson’s, what we saw last night was exactly that.” Dr. Sherry O’Donnell @SherryForSenate translates the telltale signs of Biden’s cognitive decline - like the blank stares and the masked face - that we all saw during the debate. pic.twitter.com/DQcGeG3sT7 — MONICA PAIGE✰OANN (@MonicaPaigeTV) June 28, 2024

In an interview with MSNBC, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was asked if Joe Biden has her support in the presidential election. “Does he have your support to be the head of the Democratic ticket?” an anchor asked Pelosi. Pelosi did not explicitly endorse Biden as the Democrat nominee. “It’s up to the president to decide if he’s going to run. We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short,” Pelosi said. WATCH: Wow. Nancy Pelosi still won't back Joe Biden: MSNBC: “Does Joe Biden have your support to be the head of the Democratic ticket?” Pelosi: “It’s up to the President to decide if he’s going to run. We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short.” pic.twitter.com/BUBFJwfYZc — Steve Cortes (@CortesSteve) July 10, 2024 Per CNBC: Former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday refused to explicitly endorse President Joe Biden as the party’s presidential nominee, and encouraged her colleagues in Congress to pause from making public statements either for or against Biden. “Let’s just hold off. Whatever you’re thinking, either tell somebody privately, but you don’t have to put that out on the table until we see how we go this week,” Pelosi said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” The comments were notable because Biden has repeatedly insisted that he will not drop out of the race against former President Donald Trump, and said that his decision is final. Pelosi’s carefully worded comments suggested she believes Biden is still deciding whether or not to remain atop the ticket. Nancy Pelosi: "Time is running short" for Biden's decision to drop out. Odds he drops out are back up to 50%. pic.twitter.com/2vM25miKhM — Polymarket (@Polymarket) July 10, 2024 Multiple House Democrats have publicly called for Joe Biden to step aside. High-Ranking House Democrats Reportedly Call On Joe Biden To Withdraw From Presidential Election "Nancy Pelosi suggested that President Biden should reconsider his decision to stay in the race, the strongest public push yet from a senior member of his party for him to weigh dropping out," The New York Times wrote. Breaking News: Nancy Pelosi suggested that President Biden should reconsider his decision to stay in the race, the strongest public push yet from a senior member of his party for him to weigh dropping out. https://t.co/oqoIsVa0Ah — The New York Times (@nytimes) July 10, 2024 From The New York Times: When pressed on whether she wanted him to seek re-election, Ms. Pelosi said: “I want him to do whatever he decides to do. And that’s the way it is. Whatever he decides, we go with.” Her comments amounted to a bombshell among Democrats who are puzzling over Mr. Biden’s future, but the former speaker quickly moved to walk back any suggestion that she was suggesting he should exit the race. “The president is great, and there are some misrepresentations of what I have said,” she said in a statement to The New York Times. “I never said he should reconsider his decision. The decision is the president’s. I don’t know what’s happened to The New York Times that they make up news. It isn’t true.” In the interview, Ms. Pelosi said she wanted to delay the conversations about Mr. Biden’s future until after the NATO summit he is hosting this week in Washington, which on Thursday will include the president’s first news conference since his disastrous debate performance, which raised questions about his mental acuity and fitness to remain in the race. Biden has remained defiant this week, penning a letter to House Democrats saying he's "firmly committed" to staying in the race. JUST IN: Joe Biden Remains Defiant, Sends Letter To Congressional Democrats Saying He’s “Firmly Committed” To Race

What in the world is going on with Joe Biden’s sign language expert? And is literally EVERYONE in the Biden Regime creepy and weird as can be? Think about it…. You’ve got “Mayor Pete” who may or may not be gay… You’ve got that cross-dressing dude who keeps stealing luggage…. And now even the sign language lady appears really strange! You know how you can instantly look at someone and know they’re a Far-Left liberal? Exhibit A: But that’s just her resting face (smug as it is). Watch what happens when she really gets going: Seriously….what in the world is going on with Joe Biden’s sign language lady? Why is she making those weird faces? Is literally everyone in the Biden Regime weird AF? pic.twitter.com/RzErpZQUz7 — DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) July 10, 2024 Full video player here: Seriously….what in the world is going on with Joe Biden’s sign language lady? Why is she making those weird faces? Is literally everyone in the Biden Regime weird AF? pic.twitter.com/RzErpZQUz7 — DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) July 10, 2024 Is this normal? Fill me in below in the comments. RELATED REPORT: What Is Going On With Joe Biden’s Sign Language “Expert”? Just a few minutes ago, Joe Biden addressed the Nation about President Trump’s big Supreme Court win. You can see that report here: Joe Biden Addresses The Nation After Historic Supreme Court Win For President Trump But I'm way more interested in just what in the world is going on with Joe's sign language lady. What is this? Is this normal? I don't think so? Can anyone in the sign language community tell me if this is normal? All the weird facial expressions.... Is this the way they do sign language? It seems very strange to me. Here's what I posted to Twitter: Why does the sign language lady look so weird? Is this normal? Or is it more Biden dumb-assery? Is it just that anyone who even gets close to his orbit turns into a f*cking lunatic? Why does the sign language lady look so weird? Is this normal? Or is it more Biden dumb-assery? Is it just that anyone who even gets close to his orbit turns into a fucking lunatic? pic.twitter.com/Kc9IDfUqeY — DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) July 2, 2024 Watch here: Backup here if needed: Joe Biden Delivers Remarks on the Supreme Court's Immunity Ruling pic.twitter.com/YtbQBXVqAi — DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) July 2, 2024 So, can someone fill me in down below in the comments please? Is this normal?