Except for timely election info, the extensive list of voting resources will now be at the end.

“There’s a reason why you separate military and police. One fights the enemy of the State. The other serves and protects the People. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the State tend to become the People.” ~ Commander Adama, “Battlestar Galactica” (“WATER”, Season 1 episode 2,at the 28 minute mark.)

“The policeman isn’t there to create disorder. The policeman is there to preserve disorder” (0:05) ~ Mayor Richard J. Daley’s 1968 police speech was a misspoken response to criticism of Chicago police brutality during the Democratic National Convention (Quote starts at 0:39)

[2m 11s] Welcome to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig on KPFT Houston at 90.1-HD2, Galveston 89.5-HD2, and Huntsville 91.9-HD2. KPFT is Houston’s Community radio

On this show, we discuss local, state, national, and international stories that may have slipped under your radar. At my website, THINKWINGRADIO-dot-COM, I link to all the articles I read and cite, as well as other relevant sources. Articles and commentaries often include lots of internet links for those of you who want to dig deeper.

This begins the 27th week of Trump’s National Guard troops in Los Angeles; the 18th week of Trump’s military occupation of Washington DC; 9 weeks since Trump deployed National Guard troops to Memphis, Tennessee; and an ongoing federal law enforcement occupation in Chicago.

There have been various court rulings that these military actions in US cities are illegal under the Posse ComitatusAct, but our lawless regime is resisting compliance. To be continued …

In actual news, acting like a tyrant, Trump orders that, “National parks fee-free calendar drops MLK Day, Juneteenth, [but] adds Trump’s birthday. I’ll read that story in a separate AFTER-SHOW blog post.

1. In election news, Harris County is having runoff elections.
   1. 1. Early Voting ends on Tuesday, December 9. Polls are open Sunday, December 7, 2025 — 12PM-7PM; and Monday & Tuesday, December 8 & 9, 2025 — 7AM-7PM.
   2. Election Day is Saturday, December 13, 2025 — 7AM-7PM.
   3. REMEMBER: If you are on line to vote before 7PM, you CANNOT be turned away!
   4. Further election information can be found at HarrisVotes-dot-Com, or if you’re outside of Harris County, your local election clerk or county clerk to see if you have a runoff in your district.
   5. Houston has an At-Large council runoff that impacts everyone in the city.
   6. You can also find election information for anywhere in Texas at VoteTexas-dot-Gov.
   7. RUN-OFF elections matter! Make sure you show up and vote. Our democracy depends on it.
2. This next story is an FYI for residents in the Lake Conroe area — Entergy underway with transmission line upgrades on Lake Conroe; By Lizzy Spangler | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 2:43 PM Dec 3, 2025 CST/Updated 2:43 PM Dec 3, 2025 CST. TAGS: Entergy, Lake Conroe Area, Southeast Texas Energy Plan,
   1. Residents around the west side of Lake Conroe may see Entergy crews on lake barges as the company works to replace transmission lines in the area. The work, which began Dec. 1, will continue through February 2026, according to a Facebook post from Entergy. …
   2. Entergy is underway with a Southeast Texas Energy Plan, which involves the company working to build more power and natural gas plants, upgrading and constructing new transmission lines and strengthening infrastructure to be more weather-proof, according to its website.
3. Houston ISD schools with controversial instructional reforms show steeper enrollment drops than other campuses; By Bianca Seward | HOUSTONPUBLICMEDIA.ORG | Posted on December 3, 2025, 2:12 PM. TAGS: Education, Education News, HISD, Houston, Local News, hisd, Houston Education Research Consortium, Houston ISD, Houston ISD enrollment, NES, New Education System,
   1. Campus enrollment data shows steeper declines in Houston ISD schools under the New Education System model, commonly referred to as NES, than those campuses not following the instructional reforms implemented by state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles.
   2. An internal district document obtained by Houston Public Media, revealing a snapshot of enrollment from late October, showed 43% [almost half] of NES schools reported at least a 10% decline in enrollment. In comparison, 24% [a quarter] of non-NES schools reported at least a 10% drop in enrollment. These figures span schools with a wide range of student populations, meaning a 10% drop can represent anything from a handful of students to several hundred.
   3. HISD said official enrollment data would not be finalized or released until mid-December. In a statement to Houston Public Media, district spokesperson Lana Hill said based on historical data, “enrollment decline at the campuses now designated as NES started as early as 2018 and was a contributing factor in why many of these schools were identified for NES support.”
   4. [Hill continued,] “Definitionally, NES campuses are schools that struggled with chronic low student performance, and it is not unexpected that they would experience steeper enrollment losses. … Over the past two years, these schools have seen substantial and rapid academic improvement across the board, including major gains in reading and math proficiency, stronger campus culture, and expanded instructional support. There were just 11 A- and B-rated NES campuses in 2023, and that number jumped to 94 in 2025. That’s an additional 51,000 students learning in an A- or B-rated school. …”
   5. Miles implemented the NES model in 2023, during the first few months of the Texas Education Agency’s takeover of the state’s largest school district. NES originally launched at 85 historically low-performing campuses. There are now 130 schools following the NES model, though Miles previously said he may bring the program to as many as 150 campuses by the 2025-2026 school year.
   6. On HISD’s website, NES is described as a “rigorous instructional program directly tied to state standards for what students should know and be able to do at each grade level.” The site adds that pre-kindergarten through second grade at NES campuses follow a “traditional instructional model.”
   7. Prior to the takeover and the implementation of NES, most HISD campuses operated with autonomy over staffing, schedules and instruction. The system added longer school days, district-approved classroom [curricula], additional quizzes, and a greater emphasis on discipline and testing-based instruction, along with higher pay for teachers.
   8. … The NES model has been met with criticism from the public since it was first implemented. In March, HISD announced it would not be adding any campuses to the New Education System for this school year.
   9. Houston Public Media spoke with a high school teacher working under the NES model. The teacher requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation and to speak freely about their experience.
   10. The teacher acknowledged enrollment was declining before the takeover, but said the downturn has ramped up after NES was implemented at their campus.
   11. [The teacher said,] “Classes are light. … When I say light, some classes may have, you know, 10 kids in it on average. Some may have 20, but that’s a major difference …”
   12. The teacher said the reform model’s strict, fast-paced structure is pushing students to switch schools or leave the district altogether.
   13. [The teacher added,] “Some parents moved out of the district. Some put their kids in charter schools, like YES Prep and KIPP. … And some kids transferred to schools that weren’t NES, thinking it would be different.”
   14. The teacher said the model leaves struggling students behind, noting that teachers have repeatedly been instructed to move quickly through material.
   15. [The teacher said,] “I’ve sat in meetings with parents where students have cried. … Parents have cried about the structure and how their kids aren’t getting what they need.”
   16. Hill, the district spokesperson, said there is no single cause for enrollment decline, but what’s happening in HISD aligns with statewide patterns. …
   17. The Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC) at Rice University partners with eight Houston-area school districts, including HISD, to research critical issues. Kori Stroub, the associate director of HISD research, says overall enrollment decline is not unexpected, but pinpointing the impact on NES schools is complex.
   18. [Stroub said,] “I think it is potentially true that NES …, or the takeover itself, has motivated some families to either leave the district or switch schools. … The situation is also fairly complicated, … in sort of understanding broader enrollment shifts and demographic changes in the district and in the Houston region.”
   19. HERC, in collaboration with HISD, is collecting data and researching some of the demographic trends that may be contributing to enrollment drops for a report that will be released early next year. Stroub says the report aims to better understand enrollment drops and will examine whether any declines are NES-related.
   20. [Stroub said,] “There’s declining birth rates, [and] broader demographic shifts that are … going on in the city. … There’s aging populations, [and] changes in housing stock… [F]amilies are responding to all of these things and whether their neighborhood school is an NES campus is just one of them. …”
   21. MIKE: In a quote often perhaps mistakenly attributed to Mark Twain, it is said that, “There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damn lies, and statistics.” I believe that HISD is trafficking in the latter.
   22. MIKE: Hill, the HISD spokesperson says that, “… it is not unexpected that they would experience steeper enrollment losses.” She then follows up by saying, “Over the past two years, these schools have seen substantial and rapid academic improvement across the board, including major gains in reading and math proficiency …”
   23. MIKE: That’s where ‘statistics’ can become ‘damn lies’. If you drive away the lower-performing students, of course your grade averages will go up for the remaining school body.
   24. MIKE: I’m beginning to infer that the NES program is essentially an accelerated curriculum more suitable for what used to be called “gifted and talented”.
   25. MIKE: This creates an interesting educational paradox. If you assume that all students learn the same, you can either teach down to the slowest students and leave everyone else bored; teach up to the most talented students and lose everyone else; or teach to the middle and leave the top bored and the bottom lost.
   26. MIKE: What Mike Miles’s NES is doing is skewing the percentages by driving away the slow and some middle-ish students, leaving the higher-performing students to show him glowing statistical success.
   27. MIKE: Any incompetent administrator can accomplish the same thing with that strategy.
   28. MIKE: Is it possible that some middle-ing students are able to accelerate to the more aggressive NES curriculum? Sure. And Kudos to them!
   29. MIKE: But what about the others? Does Mike Miles just write them off to charter schools, private or religious schools, special education classes, or home schooling?
   30. MIKE: That is not the objective of public schooling, and Mike Miles is betraying these kids and their parents by ignoring the classic public education mission.
   31. MIKE: Google Ai sums up the goal of public education as follows: “The stated mission of public education, while varying slightly by state and district, centers on providing equal access to quality education for all, fostering informed and responsible citizens for a democracy, promoting economic self-sufficiency and social mobility, and preparing students for success in a diverse, connected world by nurturing their full potential. It’s about building a knowledgeable populace essential for a strong nation, ensuring everyone can thrive, and equipping individuals for work and life.”
   32. MIKE: The mission statement for the state of Texas regarding public education (which I’m linking to in today’s show post at ThinkwingRadio-dot-com), is similar, but adds things like inculcating national patriotism and state pride.
   33. MIKE: Given all that, it doesn’t sound like Mike Miles is leading HISD in a way that even fulfills Texas’s stated educational mission. He’s just inviting the slower learners to leave to make his numbers look better and then claiming success.
   34. MIKE: So like I said, that’s not success. It’s educational betrayal!
4. Friendswood officials question $73K nonprofit, outside entity contracts; By Rachel Leland | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 3:26 PM Dec 3, 2025 CST/Updated 3:26 PM Dec 3, 2025 CST. TAGS: Friendswood City Council, City Partnerships,
   1. … Friendswood City Council recently discussed at its Dec. 1 meeting the return on investment [ROI] for several partnerships the city has with local and regional nonprofits and outside organizations, which cost the city a combined total of $73,000 per year, council member Robert Griffon said.
   2. Some of those nonprofits include: [the] Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership; [the] Friendswood Chamber of Commerce; [the] Friends of the Friendswood Public Library; [the] Friends of Downtown Friendswood; [the] Harris-Galveston Subsidence District; [and the] Galveston County Health District.
   3. [City Manager Morad Kabiri said at the meeting,] “Each one of these individual groups does something for the city of Friendswood … These aren’t membership dues. These are agreement dollars.”
   4. … The workshop discussion was triggered by a conversation city council had earlier in the year on whether to renew its contract with Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership.
   5. [Griffon said,] “… I believe that that’s a great organization, and I believe that that money is well spent.”
   6. Still, Griffon singled out the city’s $20,000 partnership with the Friendswood Chamber of Commerce and the $19,380 partnership with the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District.
   7. … By comparison, the city of Alvin pays about $300 per year to its chamber and the city of Webster pays less than $1,000 per year, Kabiri said.
   8. Through its economic development corporation, which is funded by sales tax, the city of Pearland contributes $300,000 to the chamber of commerce in exchange for the creation and management of the Pearland Innovation hub, which helps startups and entrepreneurs build businesses in Pearland.
   9. Council member Joe Matranga said he felt it was hard to put a dollar amount on the return on investment from certain partnerships, particularly the one with the chamber of commerce, but did support further workshopping to identify the value while saying he felt the chamber did a lot of positive things for the city. …
   10. Council member Trish Hanks said each of the organizations needed to provide the city with an analysis of how they arrived at the dollar amount they are asking from the city. …
   11. … Mayor Mike Foreman asked staff to consult with each of the organizations to gather more information on the justification for the costs and what the return is for the city to present to council for consideration at a future meeting.
   12. MIKE: By way of comparison, you might want to go to ThinkwingRadio-dot-com and click on this other related story from Community Impact called, Annual reports: Bellaire’s nonprofit organizations highlight 2025 achievements.
5. Houston launches firearm injury dashboard billed as first of its kind; By Michael Adkison | HOUSTONPUBLICMEDIA.ORG | Posted on December 2, 2025, 2:17 PM. TAGS: City of Houston, Guns, Health & Science, Houston, Local News, Public Safety, Abbie Kamin, City of Houston EMS, firearms, gun safety, Houston Health Department, UTHealth Houston,
   1. City officials on Tuesday unveiled a new online dashboard evaluating firearm-related injuries across Houston. Its developers, including city council member Abbie Kamin, say it shows that unintentional shootings of children are increasing.
   2. The “SAFEWatch” dashboard, which is live on the Houston Health Department website [MIKE: The link is included in the story], compiles data from trauma centers, hospital emergency rooms, emergency medical services, law enforcement officers and mortality records to paint a portrait of gun injuries in Houston. A total of $300,000 has been earmarked for developing and maintaining the dashboard, according to Kamin, who led the effort.
   3. [Kamin said,] “Just to paint the picture for each and every one of us, when a 4-year-old finds an unsecured gun at a friend’s house and pulls the trigger, if that child isn’t killed, they’re rushed to the hospital and provided with lifesaving care. … That child will eventually go home, experiencing long-term, indescribable trauma. And their family, along with employers and taxpayers, incur astronomical medical expenses. And on top of that, as a city, we may actually never know that the injury actually happened.
   4. [Kamin continued,] “This dashboard … has shown us that there is about a 70% gap between hospital visits and what we have in terms of police reports, revealing hundreds of injuries a year; people we couldn’t help because we didn’t know about it.”
   5. In 2025, for example, the dashboard says 1,874 people have gone to emergency departments with firearm-related injuries, 505 have gone to trauma centers and 454 people have died as a result of gun-related injuries.
   6. While gun-related injuries that require intensive care have gone down since 2021, Kamin said the number of unintentional shootings of children and young adults are increasing.
   7. Gun safety advocates like Marentha Sargent said the dashboard addresses a crucial lapse in data by addressing unintentional shootings, including geographical data on which communities report the most gunshot injuries.
   8. [Said Sargent, whose daughter was killed by an unintentional gunshot wound,] “We do a lot of work with safe gun storage, and this helps us get more of the real statistics when it comes to what we’re looking for with the unintentional shootings. … We give away gun safes, and it would be nice to be able to see where the unintentional shootings were happening and what we could do to help that.”
   9. Other experts said the mere existence of the dashboard is a significant step forward for Houston and the nation in general, saying that no such dashboard exists in other major cities.
   10. [Said Dr. Alexander Testa, a public health professor at UT Health Houston,] “We’ve made great advances to improve the health of the city, of the state, of the country over the years, but when it comes to firearms, that’s been a challenge, because the data have been lacking. … But I think that this dashboard really changes things.”
   11. The dashboard will be updated quarterly: in January, April, July and October.
   12. MIKE: You can visit links to full articles and charts by going to ThinkwingRadio-dot-com for the show’s blog post.
   13. MIKE: In addition to their ever-worthless thoughts and prayers, the reason that no such dashboard exists elsewhere is that Republicans have for decades fought and even outlawed statistic-gathering of gunshot deaths and injuries by the Centers for Disease control, which considers gun violence to be a public health issue.
   14. MIKE: This is another example of how elections have consequences. Electing the right people can have public benefits, just as electing the wrong people has public detriments.
   15. MIKE: By and large, you know who they are.
6. From ABC13-dot-com — Private contractor starts work to help clear heavy trash pileup in Houston, city says; By Brandon Hamilton and Sarah Al-Shaikh | ABC13.COM | Wednesday, December 3, 2025 9:09PM. TAGS: POLITICS, HOUSTON, TRASH, HOUSTON POLITICS,
   1. ABC13 has heard from frustrated residents for months. Now, the city says relief is on the way for Houston neighborhoods filled with heavy trash, but it will cost taxpayers $2 million.
   2. Starting Wednesday, the city says private contractor Ashbritt will help to clear the backlog.
   3. The mayor’s office said they’ll start on the southwest side, then move north. …
   4. The city says Ashbritt also helped to haul away trash during the Derecho and Hurricane Beryl.
   5. According to the mayor’s office, this new work will add “roughly $2M to an existing contract with Ashbritt” and help supplement the city’s 27 heavy trash crews. …
   6. The city says Ashbritt has a “long-term contract and will be reviewed as needed based on work progress.”
   7. After this process, Mayor Whitmire told ABC13 the director of Solid Waste Management wants to explore a different pick-up model.
   8. [MIKE: This next part is important to note]
   9. [Mayor Whitmire said,] “Part of the problem with heavy trash is you go up and down the street, and spend a lot of time in your truck, but only 20% of the homes really have heavy trash out in front. … So he would rather go and be cost-effective and more efficient. Do it on request or demand.”
   10. MIKE: So if you have heavy trash to pick up, it’s important that you call 3-1-1 and let them know so they can be sure to schedule a pickup at your specific address. I’ll also note, should they have started in the southwest, or should they have started in the northeast? Dunno. But it would be interesting to find out.
7. Some interesting news in the Shepard/Durham and Heights areas, from COMMUNITYIMPACT — Houston City Council OKs $128.4M project budget for Memorial Heights Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone; By Emily Lincke | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 2:30 PM Dec 3, 2025 CST/Updated 2:30 PM Dec 3, 2025 CST. TAGS: Memorial Heights Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, Houston City Council, Capital Improvement Plan,
   1. About $128.4 million in infrastructure improvement projects was approved for the Memorial Heights Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone by Houston City Council after it passed the zone’s capital improvement plan budget for fiscal years 2026-2030 on Dec. 3.
   2. … The Memorial Heights TIRZ spans about 1,456 acres, covering the Greater Memorial Heights and lower White Oak Bayou recreational corridors, according to Dec. 3 Houston City Council meeting documents.
   3. Projects in the FY 2026-30 capital improvement plan budget include: $45 million in roadway and drainage improvements along Shepherd-Durham Drive and its cross streets; $27.8 million for reconstruction along 19th Street; $24 million for the North Canal Project; $1.3 million in Little Thicket Park upgraded; New pedestrian bridges and safety improvements; [and] New hike and bike trails.
   4. [Council member Abbie Kamin said during the meeting,] “[The Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority is] doing a lot of infrastructure investments in the neighborhoods themselves. … So, [I] really want to lift up the work they’re doing because it is making a very visible and important difference for the district.”
   5. On Dec. 3, City Council also approved the FY 2026-27 operating budget for the Memorial-Heights Redevelopment Authority that includes $32.4 million for projects, according to meeting documents.
   6. … The Shepherd-Durham Drive project will run along the roadway — from its intersection with 15th Street until its intersection with 610 Loop North and from 15th street to I-10 — according to meeting documents. The project will include adding: Bike lanes; Storm water drainage systems; Curbs and gutters; Sidewalks; Street lights; [and] Landscape improvements.
   7. The 19th Street rebuild will impact the roadway between the roadway’s intersection with Nicholson and 20th Street, and funding will begin in 2027, according to meeting documents. The project’s scope includes: Rebuilding the roadway; Adding a storm water drainage system; Installing curbs and gutters; Building new sidewalks; Adding street lights; [and] Installing landscaping
   8. … Houston City Council approved a $109 million capital improvement projects budget for the Memorial Heights TIRZ for fiscal years 2025-29 during a March 26 City Council meeting, as previously reported by Community Impact.
   9. Of the $109 million, $23.6 million focuses on the second phase of the Shepherd-Durham reconstruction project.
   10. MIKE: These are your tax dollars at work. It’s good to know.
8. Now, jumping to news about defense and international geopolitics, and since I’ve recently been discussing navy fleet comparisons, from ARMYRECOGNITION-dot-COM — S. Navy Receives Future Destroyer DDG 124 to Expand Arleigh Burke-Class Fleet Capabilities.; by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group | ARMYRECOGNITION.COM | 30 Nov, 2025 – 12:20 , TAGS: U.S. Navy, Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works,
   1. The U.S. Navy confirmed it has accepted delivery of the future USS Harvey C. Barnum Jr. (DDG 124), a new Arleigh Burke-class destroyer handed over by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works on November 17, 2025. Naval officials described the ship as a significant upgrade within the long-running class, noting that its Technology Insertion configuration brings improved sensors, combat systems, and power distribution architecture. With delivery complete, the vessel shifts into its final pre-commissioning stage, a period that includes crew training, systems certification, and baseline readiness checks before joining the operational fleet. …
   2. The delivery of DDG 124 reinforces the U.S. Navy’s commitment to maintaining high-end naval forces capable of forward presence, sea control, and power projection. It also sustains the industrial base at a time when global maritime competition continues to escalate, particularly in the Indo-Pacific and Arctic regions. Seven additional destroyers are under construction at Bath Iron Works, including DDG 126 through DDG 138, reflecting a stable production line and long-term investment in surface combatants.
   3. As an Arleigh Burke-class Flight IIA destroyer, DDG 124 will serve for decades as a multi-role combatant, capable of leading surface action groups, operating independently in contested zones, or integrating seamlessly within carrier strike groups. Its flexible mission profile and survivability make it a central element in the Navy’s distributed maritime operations strategy, ensuring dominance across air, surface, subsurface, and strike domains.
   4. MIKE: This is a shortened version of a story that gets into more technical aspects of this destroyer.
   5. MIKE: I consider this story worth reading because I’ve talked previously about the “Davidson window”. This is the period of time described as mostly likely for a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, if it’s going to happen at all.
   6. MIKE: Wikipedia describes that thusly: “The ‘Davidson window’ is a strategic concept referring to the timeframe between 2021 and 2027, during which China may develop the military capabilities to invade Taiwan. It is named after former U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Commander Admiral Philip S. Davidson, who warned in 2021 that the threat of a Chinese invasion was “manifest during this decade, in fact, in the next six years”. This concept has become a central framework for U.S. defense planning in the Indo-Pacific region.
   7. MIKE: Personally, I think that this window extends out to about 2030.
   8. MIKE: The Davidson Window may be simply described as a point in time when China’s military forces will likely be at an apex while US forces — due to ship and aircraft retirements taking place before actual replacement — will be in a rebuilding phase and will thus be at a nadir.
   9. MIKE: Beyond this time period, The US will be getting stronger while China will be facing it’s own challenges in the form of rapidly declining population as a result of China’s long-term but now discontinued one-child policy. I’ve described this as China’s impending demographic cliff. By the end of this century, China’s population will have declined by half.
   10. MIKE: This is not a side-effect of the one-child policy. As the saying goes, it’s a feature, not a bug.
   11. MIKE: In the 1970s, China was experiencing rapid population growth. In the absence of a one-child policy, population projections at the time anticipated that China would have a potentially unsustainable 2.4 billion people by now. China’s current population as a result of the policy is actually just beginning to decline as deaths outnumber births, even with the lifting of the policy in 2015.
   12. MIKE: In spite of that policy change, the Chinese birth rate has not changed much. This is due to a number of factors, typically associated with family financial challenges, higher education, and more social and professional freedom for women.
   13. MIKE: In the long run, this will likely mean that individual Chinese will be more affluent, but the transition presents military, social, industrial, and economic challenges that will strain the Chinese government and society.
   14. MIKE: Within just a few years, China’s military-age population will start shrinking. That will affect both their potential military manpower as well as their ability to produce weapons of war.
   15. MIKE: This brings us back to the Davidson window, the pending introduction of these new US destroyers, and the reason I read this abbreviated story and went on this detour.
   16. MIKE: The US is retiring obsolescent ships and planes to save the money needed to pay for all this very expensive new capital equipment. The fact that new destroyer DDG-124 is the first in line of 7 additional destroyers of its class currently under construction indicates two things to me.
   17. MIKE: One is that while building ships is a slow process, it is proceeding apace. The other is that preservation and even expansion of our existing ship-building capacity is part of the policy.
   18. MIKE: There is a third factor that my reading reinforces for me: That our government — even Trump and this Congress — recognizes that for the US, which is surrounded by two massive oceans, remaining a naval power means being able to build more ships, faster. That is a fundamental capability for both commerce and defense. But that is not only a capital-intensive mission. It also requires a high level of worker education and training. And that also takes time and money to build and sustain.
   19. MIKE: China is currently the most capable ship-building nation in the world. Their geography requires them to be both a major land power and a major sea power, and that is their current defense mission. Meanwhile, distant in history from WW2, the US has allowed many of its shipbuilding facilities and trained workforce to atrophy and close.
   20. MIKE: And we haven’t even touched on our Air Force and Space Force needs.
   21. MIKE: In a world in the midst of a new arms race, and with ambitious neo-imperial powers like Russia and China, we have our work cut out for us.
   22. MIKE: We must tax the rich at higher levels to accomplish these essential tasks.
9. From DEFENCESECURITYASIA-dot-COM — China’s 120,000-Ton Type 004 Nuclear Supercarrier Emerges: A Direct Challenge to U.S. Naval Dominance; By Admin | DEFENCESECURITYASIA.COM | On Dec 3, 2025. TAGS: Aircraft Carrier Construction, Asia Maritime Power, China Aircraft Carrier, China Type 004, Chinese Defence Modernization, Chinese Navy, Dalian Shipyard, Global Naval Balance,
   1. Defence analysts [have] confirmed through newly released satellite imagery that China has commenced construction of its fourth aircraft carrier, designated as the Type 004, at the Dalian shipyard.
   2. The Type 004 is expected to be a nuclear-powered supercarrier displacing between 110,000 and 120,000 tons, making it not only the largest warship ever built in Asia but potentially the largest in the world.
   3. This development underscores the [determination of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN)] to transform itself into a true blue-water navy capable of sustained global operations, far beyond the near seas of East Asia.
   4. The project also represents the most ambitious step in China’s naval modernization programme, reflecting Beijing’s grand strategy to challenge U.S. maritime supremacy in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. …
   5. Defence experts note that the vessel’s sheer displacement would allow it to host not only a larger air wing but also expanded command-and-control facilities, enabling it to function as a floating joint operations hub for the PLAN.
   6. If completed on schedule, the Type 004 will mark the first time in history that a non-Western navy has deployed a nuclear-powered supercarrier, a breakthrough with profound implications for the global maritime balance of power.
   7. Its nuclear propulsion system is believed to draw heavily from China’s experience with [its] nuclear-powered attack submarines, giving Beijing a degree of technological confidence despite its lack of carrier-specific operational history.
   8. Analysts further assess that the Type 004 will integrate a new generation of … radars and shipborne air-defence systems, potentially comparable to or exceeding the capabilities of the U.S. Navy’s Aegis combat system.
   9. Taken together, these developments position the Type 004 not merely as another addition to the PLAN’s fleet but as the strategic centrepiece of China’s aspirations to conduct sustained, global, carrier-based power projection by the mid-2030s.
   10. … China’s naval rise has been both rapid and deliberate, anchored by a clear strategy of technological catch-up followed by innovation.
   11. The journey began with the Liaoning (Type 001), a refurbished Soviet Kuznetsov-class carrier acquired from Ukraine, commissioned in 2012 as both a training and experimentation platform.
   12. Beijing followed this with its first domestically built carrier, the Shandong (Type 002), commissioned in 2019 …
   13. The real leap came in June 2022 with the launch of the Fujian (Type 003), a conventionally powered supercarrier featuring electromagnetic aircraft launch systems (EMALS), placing it in the same technological bracket as America’s Ford-class carriers. …
   14. With the Type 004, China is now venturing into nuclear propulsion, a technological frontier that only the United States and France have mastered for carrier operations.
   15. Satellite imagery obtained in September 2025 revealed significant construction activity at the Dalian shipyard, with massive, prefabricated hull sections and modules assembled in dry dock.
   16. Earlier imagery from February 2025 had already shown the appearance of large modules consistent with carrier flight deck structures, including elongated sections resembling catapult tracks.
   17. By July 2025, additional imagery confirmed the presence of new industrial cranes and reinforced dry dock areas, suggesting preparations for the assembly of a supercarrier-sized hull.
   18. More tellingly, renovations at China’s land-based aircraft carrier test facility in Wuhan, observed in September 2025, hinted at forthcoming trials for new launch and recovery systems expected to be integrated into the Type 004.
   19. Social media users … have circulated images of heavy construction equipment and new carrier components at Dalian, fueling widespread speculation that the Type 004’s hull assembly is well underway.
   20. Independent naval analysts point out that the scale of prefabrication at Dalian indicates China’s growing efficiency in modular shipbuilding, a technique that significantly shortens construction timelines compared to traditional methods.
   21. High-resolution imagery has also identified new infrastructure around the shipyard, including expanded cooling-water systems and reinforced dry dock gates, features consistent with supporting nuclear-powered vessels.
   22. Defence observers believe the pace of visible construction aligns with China’s strategic goal of achieving a launch window for the Type 004 by 2028–2029, roughly five to six years from initial assembly to sea trials.
   23. Parallel satellite monitoring of supply-chain facilities in northern China [suggests] a nationwide logistical effort behind the programme.
   24. Crucially, the ongoing upgrades at the Wuhan land-based carrier simulator — including a possible new electromagnetic launch track — point to Beijing’s determination to test and refine the Type 004’s systems before full sea deployment, minimizing operational risks.
   25. … Defence analysts estimate that the Type 004 will displace between 110,000 and 120,000 tons, surpassing even the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford, which displaces about 100,000 tons.
   26. The vessel is projected to carry more than 90 fixed-wing aircraft, including stealth-capable J-35 fighters, KJ-600 airborne early warning aircraft, electronic warfare jets, and advanced unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs).
   27. Nuclear propulsion will provide the Type 004 with unlimited range and endurance, enabling sustained deployments in distant oceans without the need for frequent refueling. …
   28. The adoption of nuclear propulsion … also frees up considerable internal space for aviation fuel, munitions, and logistics support, dramatically extending the carrier’s operational reach.
   29. Analysts assess that the integration of electromagnetic catapults will allow the PLAN to deploy heavier aircraft such as early-warning platforms and next-generation stealth UAVs …
   30. The ship’s [integrated electric propulsion (IEP)] system is expected to deliver unprecedented electrical output, positioning the Type 004 as the first Chinese carrier capable of fielding directed-energy weapons like shipborne lasers to intercept incoming missiles or drones.
   31. If these projections prove accurate, the Type 004 will not merely match U.S. supercarriers in displacement but could exceed them in adaptability, offering the PLAN a platform designed with future technological growth in mind.
   32. … The natural benchmark for the Type 004 is the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford, commissioned in 2017 as the most advanced aircraft carrier in the world.
   33. While the Ford displaces around 100,000 tons and carries about 75 aircraft, the Type 004 is projected to surpass it both in tonnage and aircraft capacity, potentially embarking 90 or more aircraft.
   34. Both carriers use EMALS, but the Type 004 may employ one additional catapult, potentially giving it higher launch and recovery efficiency than the Ford.
   35. [MIKE: For those who may be interested, I’ll note that the story has a table comparing projected specifications of the Chinese 004 with the USS Ford carrier. Continuing …]
   36. Although the Ford has decades of U.S. operational doctrine behind it, the Type 004’s sheer scale and nuclear capability suggest Beijing’s willingness to match or even exceed American benchmarks in carrier design.
   37. No carrier operates in isolation, and the PLAN has steadily developed the escort fleet necessary to protect a carrier strike group (CSG) built around the Type 004.
   38. The backbone of this escort fleet will be the Type 055A/B “Renhai-class” destroyers … China has already commissioned several Type 055 destroyers, with upgraded A/B variants under construction …
   39. Supporting them will be the new Type 054B frigates, optimized for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) with integrated electric propulsion, dual helicopter hangars, and expanded radar ranges.
   40. Below the surface, Type 095 nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) will escort the carrier group, bringing stealth, cruise missile capability, and advanced sonar suites to shield the carrier from enemy submarines.
   41. This layered escort architecture mirrors U.S. Navy CSG doctrine, ensuring the Type 004 will operate as the centerpiece of a formidable multi-domain task force.
   42. … The effectiveness of the Type 004 will hinge on its … air wing, which is expected to feature a blend of manned and unmanned platforms.
   43. The J-35 stealth fighter, often described as China’s answer to the U.S. F-35C, will likely serve as the backbone of the carrier’s offensive air capability, [supported by] airborne early warning aircraft …
   44. Electronic warfare variants of the J-15 or future dedicated jamming aircraft are also expected, enhancing the carrier’s role in suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD).
   45. Most significantly, the Type 004 is anticipated to deploy advanced unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), leveraging artificial intelligence to perform long-endurance strike, reconnaissance, and electronic attack missions.
   46. This integration of unmanned systems would mark a major doctrinal evolution for the PLAN, potentially giving it the ability to conduct high-risk missions without endangering pilots.
   47. … The emergence of the Type 004 highlights Beijing’s determination to extend its naval influence beyond the first and second island chains.
   48. With nuclear propulsion, the supercarrier could sustain operations in the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and even the Atlantic, a dramatic departure from China’s traditionally regional naval posture.
   49. For Washington, the construction of the Type 004 represents a direct challenge to U.S. dominance in carrier warfare, an area where America has enjoyed uncontested superiority for decades.
   50. The Indo-Pacific will likely witness increased competition, with U.S. and allied forces adjusting deployment patterns to counterbalance the PLAN’s new capabilities.
   51. Nations such as Japan, India, and Australia are already accelerating naval modernization programs in response, including the acquisition of next-generation submarines, long-range missiles, and carrier-capable aircraft.
   52. The strategic equation in the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and beyond will inevitably shift as the PLAN’s fourth carrier becomes operational in the next decade.
   53. … [Yet] significant hurdles remain for China in bringing the Type 004 to operational status.
   54. Developing reliable nuclear propulsion for a supercarrier is an engineering challenge of the highest order, requiring not only technological expertise but also decades of operational experience.
   55. The U.S. Navy, with more than 70 years of nuclear carrier operations, holds a deep reservoir of institutional knowledge that China lacks.
   56. Carrier air wing integration, complex deck handling procedures, and large-scale joint operations are areas where China is still in the early stages of learning.
   57. Nevertheless, Beijing’s rapid pace of shipbuilding and ability to absorb lessons from the Fujian suggest that the Type 004 could become operational sooner than Western analysts expect, potentially by the early 2030s. …
   58. China is no longer content with parity in regional waters; it is positioning itself to project power on a truly global scale. …
   59. The strategic ramifications are profound, heralding a new chapter in the U.S.-China rivalry and the future of naval warfare.
   60. As one analyst summarized, “China’s fourth carrier is not just about prestige — it is about rewriting the rules of maritime power projection in the 21st century.”
   61. For Washington and its allies, the emergence of the Type 004 signals the need to recalibrate existing naval doctrines, particularly in the Indo-Pacific where freedom of navigation operations may soon be directly contested by a peer competitor.
   62. [Note the evolution of language from “near-pear” to “peer”. Continuing …]
   63. Regional states such as Japan, India, and Australia will inevitably view the carrier’s debut as a wake-up call, accelerating their procurement of long-range strike assets, advanced submarines, and integrated air-defence networks.
   64. The Type 004 also carries symbolic weight, demonstrating to domestic and international audiences that Beijing’s defence-industrial base has matured to the point of competing head-to-head with the West in the most complex arena of naval engineering.
   65. Yet, the supercarrier’s real impact will depend on the PLAN’s ability to master complex carrier strike group operations, an area where the U.S. Navy maintains unmatched institutional experience and combat-tested doctrine.
   66. If China successfully closes this operational gap within the next decade, the balance of naval power may tilt irreversibly, ushering in a multipolar maritime order unseen since the height of the Cold War.
   67. MIKE: Historically, the rise of a new national power, especially in the military realm, creates the potential for serious conflict with whichever nation is dominating at the time. Historically, this rarely if ever results in a peaceful outcome.
   68. MIKE: China is creating the most serious challenge to US naval power since World War 2 when Japan appeared to be dominant, and we know that resulted in war as the Japanese attempted to create unchallenged dominance of the Indo-Pacific region.
   69. MIKE: As a resource-poor nation, Japan saw dominance in Asia and the Pacific as necessary for its industrial base and national wealth, as well as its own version of Manifest Destiny.
   70. MIKE: China’s drivers are similar to Japan’s in some ways. It has a multi-millennium imperial history and for most of its history has viewed itself as the Middle Kingdom. That is to say, as the civilizational center of the Earth.
   71. MIKE: Thus, its 19^th century humiliations at the hands of the European Imperialists were a severe social and cultural trauma that China has never gotten past, and likely never will.
   72. MIKE: Nations typically follow dramatic increases in national wealth with dramatic increases in military power to protect and project that wealth, and often, to acquire even more wealth and influence. I believe that this is the trajectory that China is following.
   73. MIKE: What makes this trend even more worrying is that China has already demonstrated aggressive expansionist and even neocolonial tendencies as a regional power in the South and East China Seas, and on its borders with India. This doesn’t even count its 1951 invasion and annexation of the independent nation of Tibet.
   74. MIKE: The construction of China’s fourth aircraft carrier, this one to be nuclear-powered and even larger than the USS Ford, and possibly even more capable based on its specifications, tracks back to the so-called Davidson Window for a potential invasion of Taiwan, especially with a projected launch of the 004 by about 2030.
   75. MIKE: Metaphorically hold your breath, because we are indeed living in interesting times.
10. Meanwhile, elsewhere in east Asia, from the EURASIAN TIMES — “Fujian [Type 003] Is Not Chih Yuen”: China Issues Stern Warning To Tokyo After Japanese Media Threatens To Sink Its Aircraft Carrier; By Sakshi Tiwari | EURASIANTIMES.COM | November 29, 2025. TAGS: Japan, China, Taiwan, Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF), Fujian Carrier, Chinese Navy, PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy),
    1. As tensions between Beijing and Tokyo continue to escalate, China’s defense ministry has dismissed the potential of the US and Japan sinking its newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, Fujian, as wishful thinking. 
    2. Long story short: on November 7, Japan’s PM Takaichi triggered a diplomatic storm when she told a parliamentary session that a hypothetical Chinese naval blockade or invasion of Taiwan was a “survival-threatening situation.”
    3. The phrasing invoked the right to collective self-defense according to the 2015 security legislation, [t]herefore indirectly implying that Tokyo could deploy its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) in response to Chinese aggression against Taiwan.
    4. However, angered by what it considers an unprecedented provocation and breach of the post-war order, China hit back with a slew of retaliatory measures, including reaching out to the United Nations, bringing … US President Donald Trump into the loop with a rare phone call, and suspending the [import] of Japanese seafood, among other things.
    5. … The diplomatic standoff, considered the worst since the 2012 Senkaku Island Crisis, took an ugly turn on November 27 when a Chinese reporter attending a Chinese Ministry of National Defense press conference raised the claim made by a Japanese media outlet that [Japanese] and US forces would have the capability to sink the Fujian carrier if it engaged in combat in the Taiwan Strait. [China commissioned Fujian on November 5, officially making China a three-carrier nation.]
    6. Without missing a beat, Jiang Bin, spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, said that “it is nothing but sheer fantasy and an overestimation of one’s own abilities.” …
    7. [Jiang Bin told CGTN in an interview,] “The PLA has strong capabilities and reliable means to defeat any aggressors. Should the Japanese side dare to cross the red line and invite trouble to itself, it is destined to pay a heavy price. … In history, a Chinese warship called Chih Yuen was sunk by a Japanese unit during the First Sino-Japanese War more than a century ago. That’s part of a humiliating history for the Chinese. But the Fujian carrier is not Chih Yuen. And history should never repeat. Those who challenge China’s core interests will perish.”
    8. Encapsulating the threat posed by the expanding capability of the Chinese Navy, the Japanese publication wrote: “There is a sense of competition with the United States, such as adopting electromagnetic catapults that have only been installed on US aircraft carriers so far. With China now operating three carriers, one ship can be operated at all times, and by installing “flying radar”, the range of action will be greatly expanded, which will have a significant impact on the balance of forces in the Asia-Pacific region.”
    9. It went on to note that China’s Navy has grown in size and capability, leaving the US Navy trailing and posing a security challenge even far from its shores, [saying in part,] “… The combat capability of China’s aircraft carrier strike group has been greatly improved, and in case of emergency, it can meet and shoot US troops heading to East Asia in the open ocean.”
    10. The publication then discussed a scenario where China invades Taiwan, ultimately compelling the US military and the [Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to enter the conflict, [saying in part, without mincing words,] “Within the Japanese government … If the Chinese army invades Taiwan, it is also expected that the US military and the Self-Defense Forces will have to prioritize the sinking of Fujian to reduce the momentum of the Chinese ships that will attack Taiwan.” …
    11. These comments have become more significant now, given that Japan has declared its intention to militarily intervene in the event of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
    12. For Japan, dislodging China from the Taiwan Strait is essential for survival and preventing … complete Chinese dominance. Taiwan is just 110 kilometres from Japan’s Yonaguni Island, and missiles or naval blockades targeting Taiwan could easily strike Japanese territory or disrupt vital sea lanes.
    13. Similarly, Taiwan lies just 170 kilometers from the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands (Diaoyu in China), territory that Beijing actively claims and whose surrounding waters Chinese forces regularly probe.
    14. It is believed that any large-scale attack on Taiwan would almost certainly cross this narrow maritime buffer, risking direct clashes with Japanese patrol vessels and air defenses, or deliberate Chinese strikes to neutralize Japan’s nearby bases that could be used by the US in case it decided to fight China.
    15. Therefore, Tokyo views a Taiwan contingency as inseparable from its own territorial defense.
    16. The Taiwan Strait, about 180 kilometers wide at its narrowest, is a shallow and strategically sensitive waterway separating mainland China from Taiwan.
    17. In the event of a conflict, the PLAN could deploy the carrier to the strait to achieve air superiority and enforce a naval blockade to cut external interference. …
    18. Not just that, it officially became the second country in the world (behind the United States) to have a flattop with a catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) system featuring electromagnetic catapults (EMALS).
    19. This feature is critical as it would allow the PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) fighter jets to take off with heavier weapons and fuel loads. Earlier, the USS Gerald R. Ford was the only carrier with EMALS. …
    20. On November 27, while discussing the claim by Japan about sinking Fujian, the Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson also rebuffed claims in the American media that Fujian cannot conduct simultaneous fighter jet takeoffs and landings, and dismissed criticism by former US Navy Captain Carl Schuster, who claimed Fujian’s operational capability is only “about 60%” of the  US Nimitz-class carrier.
    21. Earlier, Schuster and retired Lt. Cmdr. Keith Stewart, a former US naval aviator, noted that the Fujian’s deck layout limits simultaneous takeoffs and landings after examining the photographs of the Fujian’s flight deck.
    22. Schuster told CNN that the angle at which the landing area crosses Fujian’s deck is only 6 degrees off center, compared with 9 degrees on the US carriers, limiting space between the landing strip and the forward two catapults.
    23. Additionally, Fujian’s landing area is longer than that of the Nimitz, meaning it extends too close to the bow area where aircraft are positioned for catapult-assisted launching, he said. The “longer landing area and the narrower deck angle reduce the space for repositioning the recovered aircraft,” Schuster said.
    24. Jiang Bin said Fujian’s combat capability will be demonstrated by facts, and he has no comment on such “sour-grape” claims.
    25. MIKE: Until the Fujian is seen in a fully operational status such as in a war game training scenario, a lot of US caveats about its potential performance are just guesswork. Nonetheless, it creates new scenarios for Indo-Pacific operations.
    26. MIKE: Note that in the interests of time and clarity, I’ve omitted a lot of details in this story and the previous one. You can read the full articles in today’s show post at ThinkwingRadio-dot-com.
11. From POLITICO — Hegseth declares end of US ‘utopian idealism’ with new military strategy; By Paul McLeary | POLITICO.COM | 12/06/2025 06:11 PM EST. TAGS: Reagan Defense Forum, Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, China, US National Security Strategy,
    1. SIMI VALLEY, California — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday launched a full-throated attack on post-Cold War U.S. foreign policy, castigating former presidents and generals by name while declaring the age of American “utopian idealism” over.
    2. Hegseth, speaking at the annual Reagan Defense Forum, outlined a new military focus on the Western Hemisphere, demanded allies fend for themselves, and took a more conciliatory approach to China’s armed forces.
    3. [MIKE: Agree or disagree, but note that not encouraging our allies to become too strong was a strategic choice to prevent new centers of military power challenging the US. Continuing …]
    4. His remarks underscored the new National Security Strategy released late Thursday and previewed the Pentagon’s own upcoming strategy, which will lay out the military’s global priorities.
    5. [Hegseth,] said “Out with idealistic utopianism. … In with hard-nosed realism.”
    6. The Defense secretary’s speech revealed an administration moving toward a policy that recognizes zones of influence led by great powers — China in the Pacific, the U.S. in the Western Hemisphere and Europe broadly, although he made only a passing reference to Russia.
    7. [MIKE: Did Hegseth just omit Africa and the Indian Ocean region, or is that just the way the story’s written? Continuing …]
    8. [Hegseth said] The U.S. should not be “distracted by democracy-building, interventionism, undefined wars, regime change, climate change, woke moralizing, and feckless nation-building. … We will instead put our nation’s practical, concrete interests first.”
    9. MIKE: Because spheres of influence always prevented wars. To me, this actually sounds like a new neo-imperialist doctrine, which can’t be good. It may even presage a rationale for invading Venezuela. Continuing …
    10. The Pentagon chief also used the defense industry-focused forum to more forcefully outline the Trump administration’s strategic refocus closer to home. It comes amid a military campaign in the Caribbean that has sunk more than 20 small boats allegedly carrying drugs and killed around 80 people. The administration has said it is combating “narco-terrorists,” though some lawmakers and experts have decried it as illegal.
    11. Hegseth also suggested the military would become more involved in patrolling the southern border with Mexico, [saying,] “We’ll secure the border in part by organizing, training, and equipping units specifically for border defense missions, including operations in the land, maritime and air.”
    12. [MIKE: Again, this is concerning. Why mess with one of the two longest non-militarized borders in the world, and amplifying Mexico’s historic grudges against the United States? Better to foster cooperation with Mexico to control illegal immigration. Continuing …]
    13. While defense strategies in recent years have focused on deterring China, Hegseth suggested the upcoming one would take a softer approach, [saying,] “President Trump and this administration seek a stable peace, fair trade and respectful relations with China.” … The U.S. will follow a policy of “respecting the historic military buildup [China is] undertaking,” he added, while the Pentagon “maintains a clear-eyed appreciation of how rapid, formidable and holistic their military buildup has been.”
    14. Hegseth praised countries such as South Korea, Poland and Germany for increasing defense spending in recent years, citing President Donald Trump’s push to ensure countries pay more on their own defense.
    15. [Hegseth said,] “Allies are not children. We can and should expect them to do their part.”
    16. The Defense secretary also reiterated a point he emphasized in a November speech about “supercharging the U.S. defense industrial base.” This includes new investments in ships, drones and air defense systems such as the nascent Golden Dome project. They are part of the $1 trillion defense budget that includes a $150 billion boost from the megabill passed by Congress this year.
    17. [MIKE: In broad terms, I actually agree with this and have been calling for it for a couple of decades. Continuing …]
    18. The Trump administration, in some respects, wants to have it both ways when it comes to foreign relations. The National Security Strategy criticizes European allies for not embracing far-right parties that espouse ethnic nationalism, and says Washington will support efforts aimed at “restoring Europe’s civilizational self-confidence and Western identity.” But Hegseth on Saturday also rejected U.S. interventions in other countries’ affairs. …
    19. Hegseth, in questions after the speech, defended a Sept. 2 second strike on a boat that killed survivors wounded after the first hit. The revelation, reported by The Washington Post, has led to a bipartisan outcry in Congress over whether the action amounted to a war crime. …
    20. Hegseth has refused to back down. He said Saturday he supported the second strike launched by the commander of the Special Operations Command, [saying,] “If you bring drugs to this country in a boat, we will find you and we will sink you.” …
    21. Caine, the top military officer, doubled down on Hegseth’s comments. “Over the last few years, we haven’t had a lot of American combat power in our own neighborhood,” he said. “I suspect that’s probably going to change.”
    22. MIKE: I’d argue that we haven’t had a lot of combat power in our neighborhood because we haven’t needed it and haven’t provoked a need for it. I think it’s stupid to change that.

There’s always more to discuss, but that’s all we have time for today.

You’ve been listening to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig from KPFT Houston 90.1-HD2, Galveston 89.5-HD2, and Huntsville 91.9-HD2. We are Houston’s Community radio. I hope you’ve enjoyed the show and found it interesting, and I look forward to sharing this time with you again next week.