Washington DC 15 FEB 2025
If you are new to CWII, welcome! There has been an uptick in subscriptions lately which is always great to see because it implies more people find this analysis useful.
Please also be advised I write 3 other stacks that might tickle your fancy. Although the tsunami of stuipd keeps me here instead of doing more productive work on the other stacks.
Aside from subject matter curiosity, why should you read them? My record.1
Note on today’s post
Giving advice
Today's article is different to those I have done before. Readers keep asking me what they should do. My career has been dedicated to presenting options to government. I have never provided direct advice to readers before. Please read the caveat section at the bottom of this article for a detailed explanation of why I feel uncomfortable giving what is in effect personal advice.
At the bottom, I also list basic assumptions explaining why we are at war and why fight or flight are the only options.
This entry on CWII is a presentation of options that I would give a friend if they asked me for guidance. I am not advocating for one option over any other. This advise is agnostic as to which option a reader might chose that fits their stage in life and appetite for risk. None of what is presented here constitutes legal, financial, political or military advice. CWII is offered for informational purposes only. User discretion is advised.
Please also note, this is written on a cell phone. My desktop is out of action currently and writing something this long with as many footnotes an images etc is not easy. There will be typos. For reasons I do not understand both my phone and portable key pad take perfectly good words and just change them. I know this does not put my work in the best light but time is more of the essence than perfection. We are fighting Nazis, including of the grammatical kind. :) It is now said typoes are necessary to prove AI didn't write a stack so there is that!
Red, Blue & Green - Wargame Terminology
As a shorthand, this article will refer to various groups as either 'Red', 'Blue', or 'Green'. The usage here is in line with wargaming terminology, not partisan politics. In wargames, red is the agressor, blue the defender, green are bystanders or third parties, and white, the game controllers. This is not to trivialize what America is now enduring as a game but for the purposes of brevity.
'Red' refers to hard-core maga (political, paramilitary and public) and their close supporters. Their agenda is to destroy the constitution and impose a totalitarian state.
Red ≠ the GOP, although there is overlap. It is important to remember that many anti-maga conservatives have joined Blue and have given it a powerful voice (the Lincoln Project and the Bulwark).
‘Blue' refers to all citizens (regardless of party) who seek to return to the constitution.
Blue ≠ just the democratic party, although there is overlap.
‘Green'. Historically ‘independent’ is a lable for people who have a disassociation from political parties. It is possible to be a bystander in a totalitarian state. At least until Red come for you.
Fight or Flight
Bottom-Line Up Front (BLUF)
In an emergency, your options are simple: Fight or flight. BLUF: Get out ASAP. If you can not get out, hide. If you choose to fight, there are a range of democratic options but you really need to hide first. I am loath to note this, but a further option exists. In all cases, take care of yourself (more important than you might imagine and not something I am great at).
The race to a totalitarian state
What you have been witnessing these last few weeks is a shock and awe program by 'Red' to anchor a totalitarian state as quickly as possible before pro-constitution forces ('Blue') have time to organize a resistance. Having regained power, the next objective is to destroy democracy before the midterms.
Unless there is a nationwide mass uprising, the midterms are the first (or is it last?) occasion to attempt to restore the old constitutional order. For example, if the public continue to react in horror and disbelief,2 that might fuel an unexpected change in the House and the Senate where a third impeachment could be mounted. It would be symbolic, but when you have nothing else, symbolism is vitally important. The White Rose is instructive here (more on that below).
A change in the legislature would also permit it to slow roll the avalanche of attacks on the constitution and give a bigger platform to constitutionalists from which to build power for 2028.
Understanding the power of these threats to dictatorship, Red have been attacking the election system for the past 4 years. First, to gain power in 2024. And now to keep it, by rigging elections. So in reality, the midterms might already be too late.
On the individual level, the objective is to sow confusion and panic, to force the Blue public to the conclusion that resistance will be met with overwhelming violence, as well as legal and financial hardship. Red plan to accomplish this by causing genuine pain and suffering by cutting government services and support, to force people to the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. They want the public overwhelmed and too consumed with survival to think, let alone orgnize, politically.
Rolling stone reports
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, said that Americans will suffer “hardship” as a result of efforts to address the national debt. He went on to say there would be some financial difficulty imposed on some Americans [Guess who]. These efforts will “involve some temporary hardship, but it will ensure long-term prosperity.”
In addition to forcing suffering on the American public to bring them to heel, they want to traumatize the civil service. Russell Vought, the new head of the office of management and budget (OMB), proudly proclaimed
“We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected,” Vought said in a video revealed by ProPublica and the research group Documented in October. “When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. We want their funding to be shut down … We want to put them in trauma.”
All branches of the US government (USG) have been taken over by enemies of the constitution who are moving very smarty to destroy institutions. Once they gain full control of the apparatus of state security, they will extend this program to the people who may still stand in their way. If you fall into the latter category, and believe me, many will (Red-types love lists), the first choice - flight - is the obvious choice.
Direct threat to the public already exists
This is not an academic discussion. A direct threat of violence against the general public has already appeared. Its all part of the totalitarian playbook. Think of how far the threat has already come.
At first, Red only issued threats spoke of their anger and lust for violence revenge.2
Then, when there was no corrective, they engaged in violence.3
Worse, they got away with violence.
Once they got the taste of consequence-free blood, they became hungry for more.
More dangerously still, they have been rewarded for violence.
Liberating the J6 terrorists and punishing the prosecutors and officers that arrested them, has created a vanguard paramilitary force that owes everything to the leader.
It sends a clear warning to the general population that any pushback against the regime will be met with violence from thugs who enjoy total immunity. They are the 'patriots' now.
It does not end there. Red poison has extended to the general public.
The rewards of violence have manifested among the Red public. They now habitually engage in a tsunami of consequence-free threats against Blue citizens, members of Congress, and law enforcement. Who knew you could call or email the FBI and threaten them and nothing would happen? Even before the cuts the FBI was overwhelmed by these attacks. There were so many it was impossible to investigate them all.
Now Red is tearing the FBI apart. The message is clear. Lawlessness in support of the regime is encouraged at all levels of society and all involved will be rewarded.
In time, the structure of violence and impunity will get to the neighborhood level. Have you noticed that ‘red hats' (the new brown-shirts) don't hold back? Families are already split by the maga cancer. Soon the red hats will inform on their kin.
After that, self appointed red hat teams will roam the streets 'for security'… There are already isolated incidents of this - Karen's telling others (minorities) how to live or 'get out'. Have you noticed that Karen's are all on the Red side?
Soon Red neighborhoods will '“be protected” by local “Karenforce’s”™ “whether they like it or not”. It will be organic at first, then organized.
This dovetails with the trajectory of constitutional sheriff's, proud boys and oath keepers. Its not impossible to imagine Karenforces™ being deputized in hard red jurisdictions. The extinguishing of qualified immunity will protect Karenforce™ overreach.
Unfortunately Karenforce™ has a vast online army. They love nothing more than to humiliate, stalk, or call-in a ‘crime in progress' against people they hate. The term "doxing" comes from the word "documents" or "docs." It refers to the act of collecting and publishing personal information about someone on the internet, usually with the intention of causing harm or embarrassment to that person. Doxing can reveal someone's real name, address, phone number, social media profiles, and other sensitive information.
In recent years, doxing has been used as a tool of political intimidation and harassment, particularly against activists, journalists, and other public figures. Doxing can result in serious consequences for the victims. From online harassment to physical assault and death by cop. Have you heard of SWATING? Karen's call the police and tell them a shooting is in progress at your address in the middle the middle of the night. Cops arrived pumped up and ready to protect themselves. You are shocked, disoriented and angry. Not a good mix.
The DOJ and FBI are being destroyed in order to build an entirely new law enforcement system. The new leader of the FBI he said he wants to turn the HQ building into “a museum of the deep state”. Framing the pre-maga law enforcement system as the Stazi.3
This is newsespeak4 to conceal the fact Red are consciously emulating the notorious East German secret police. They don't hide it. Patel has published books where he presents by-name lists of people to be targeted by his secret police. His FBI is about to become be a very different animal - where “see something, say something” takes on a whole new meaning.
Update - Karenforce is happening
Violence begets violence. Encouraging violence begets a totalitarian state.
Flight
Bottomline: If I could, I would sell up and evacuate to a sanctuary.
As America and the consequences of its actions have global reach, this option is not a guarantee of safety or security. The collapse of the constitution, democracy and law and order in the United States is already having global repercussions.
Authoritarianism, already on the march everywhere since ~2010, just got a huge boost. Tin pot dictators everywhere, whether in or out of power, will emulate America. Even in the remaining democracies, we see maga rhetoric and style being used to take power (see the Australian Liberal Party in the current election). Sanctuary will become relative. Meaning, on some level, nowhere will be safe from both direct and indirect implications of the collapse of American democracy.
However, some locales will be comparatively more safe than others.
One thing is guaranteed. America will be the least safe place for anyone not swearing allegiance to Trump. Yes - that is coming. Altering the Pledge by the stroke of a pen is easier than renaming international geographic features.5
Put it this way. Imagine being a Jew of means in 1930s Germany and deciding to stay?6
You don't have to be superrich or a Young AI expert to get a shot at living somewhere safe
The key word is 'means' but even if you are not well-off you might be surprised how comparatively easy it is to get out. Google 'nomad lifestyle' or 'nomad visa', or 'international retirement visa' and you will find a whole universe of Americans who have escaped and are delighted with their decision. All left before the current strife. YouTube is full of American couples in Europe and the Caribbean with advice on how to join them. Remember there are countless places and rules, so if one example puts you off, that does not mean the drawbacks are the same for all people in all countries (also look out Debbie downers).
Other countries offer visit or stay programs for all people at all stages in life. Younger folks can go as students, work-abroad, volunteer programs, aid workers etc. Young people with high value skills - IT, AI, medical, engineers, etc can emigrate outright. Many countries now have ‘digital nomad visas' where you can go and run your business without being a resident. There are a surprising amount of options. Southeast Asia is filled with the contents of the Russian brain drain.
Oldies have it easier… yes easier.. there are a lot of quality pathways to freedom, from 'retirement visas', to ‘residency by investment' to 'citizenship by investment' to outright passports for sale - no strings attached.
It only takes $1500 per month?
For example, in many countries, the minimum amount they require to issue a retirement visa is ~$1500pm income (from say social security or a 401k) or if you have a chunk of capital (from a house sale), and if you are over 50 (age varies), you can apply for a retirement visa and live many times better overseas than you can here on that income.
Programs vary, but typically you can endlessly renew the visa or roll into a residency. Language is rarely an official requirement and is generally not a barrier as English is widespread in most cities in major countries. Health care in most places is far superior to the US and typically free or at a nominal cost.7
For those with medical issues that might deteriorate, who still have assets in the US, you would be out of your mind not to go ASAP. Would you rather take your capital and live like a king on great public healthcare overseas or suffer here and lose that asset to an insurance company? The stress relief of living overseas may defer or defeat the medical crisis you would have had if you stayed.
More Money? More better!
If you have ~$150,000 spare, you can buy a passport from a safe Caribbean (or European) country with visa-free access to the Schengen zone (the heart of the EU). Some have 'investment', requirements, like buying an apartment, others just sell the passport outright. Hurricanes made many of them open up this income stream.
Here is an excellent rundown on citizenship options.
Your 401k is a bank
Are you sure you don't have $150k? If you have a 401k you can access the money without penalty by borrowing against it. There are lots of ways to make things happen.
You might be surprised how many countries - including in Europe - have programs that will fit various budgets and needs.
IRS
Just be aware that the US is one of a few countries in the world with a global tax regime. Meaning you have to pay US tax no matter where you earn money or where you live.
Then again, many countries have agreements with the US to minimize this burden and some countries do not tax your US sourced income when you live there full time. The net effect being you pay no more than you would if you stayed in the land of the free (isn't it horrible that phrase has become so jarring? That's your gut telling you things are really bad).
Politics aside, if you will have the same tax rate but the cost of living (including health care) will plummet - why wouldn't you live somewhere else? The world is your oyster. For example, A friend in Holland pays $30pm for 5G cell phone and home internet. Food is less than half. Thus making departure a good idea.
Under the Trump regime, as the IRS is gutted, who they target will get very specific. The big boys will of course be left alone. The minnows are not worth pursuing unless they get on a list for annoying the regime. Its the middle class - who earn enough to get flagged and have sufficient assets to be worth the effort to confiscate them. Punishment will precede all other considerations. This is one of the reasons why hiding will be so important regardless of whether you stay or go.
Goodbye Uncle Sam
Fear not! The IRS has a plan for you if you renounce citizenship! They have seen to it that leaving the warm embrace of Uncle Sam does not free you of your lifetime tax obligation! First, you can only renounce US citizenship if you have another citizenship in hand.8 Renouncing is also incredibly complex, and the IRS will block you until you pay what they estimate you would have owed them for the rest of your life. Neat huh? Ahhh America… the only thing it will continue to take seriously is money. Your money, that is. However, once you renounce, Trump cant get you if you have not broken the law and live elsewhere. He would need to go through extradition and the courts in your new home country would have to agree a serious crime has been committed worthy of sending you back. This sounds extreme now but do you know for a fact things wont get this bad here? Again, do your own risk assessment.
Thinking out loud
As you can imagine, there is a huge industry helping people at all price points live somewhere else. I know it so well I could open a business helping people escape. In fact, come to think about it, should I? Despite the number of businesses in this sector, as a new entrant to the market I could provide the top level of advice for penny's on the dollar compared to the market leaders….
I have a lot of information on these options, if you think I should offer consultation services to help people escape please —>
Hide
I snuck in an extra category. This category applies to everyone whether they leave, stay or fight. It is vital to minimize your visible profile and footprint - for political reasons but also for common sense financial reasons like protecting your assets from frivolous legal claims. If a tradesman hurts themselves on your property, they can sue you for your equity and leave you homeless. Same with car accidents. Or tussles over estates - even small ones. A lot of stupid stuff happens in life - why make it easy for stupid to come get you when a few protections can stop it before it even starts?
In America, privacy is a commodity not a right.9 Like any other commodity you are going to have to pay for it. There is a huge privacy market place where you are the smallest and weakest cog in a huge system
The privacy marketplace is worth around $433.936 billion in 2025 and will grow to $616.541 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 7.2%.
In fact, I would imagine most of you did not even know this market exists.
Here is another dirty little secret. The $433 Billion privacy market place is not the only place where your privacy is bought and sold.
Everything you think, say and do is for sale. You wont believe this, but just like your privacy, you willingly throw all this money away.
How does it work?
The nice people at Google provide you with email, phone, chat and video calling, translations services, search engines, photos albums, data storage, satellite navigation, calendars, and so much more!
Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why they give you all this stuff for free?
OR…. Now hear me out….
Do they do that because your use of their 'free services' has something to do with them being one of the biggest companies in the world worth $185 Billion?
Data is the new oil
The saying goes that “data is the new oil”. Most of the Magnificent Seven companies at top of the US stock market don't make anything you can touch. They trade information. Your information.
How do you define ‘your information?’ It is You. You are the product.
More specifically, your thoughts, words, deeds, friendships, needs, wants, and fears are sold by Google, Facebook, Amazon and the rest, to the highest bidder, who use your data to sell you things. Oh and track you. Oh and know who all your friends are. Oh and to manipulate you. Oh and to have a little look at those naughty selfies you took at Cabo that one time at band camp.
You have become the vast sands of Saudi Arabia. More specifically, your data is the oil and your smart phone is the oil derrick. Apps on your smart phone are literally pumping you for all you are worth. Even if individually you are not worth much, in aggregate you are worth more than your weight in gold.
To them. You are the product remember?
But I have nothing to hide!
Around about now you are thinking to yourself “but I have nothing to hide”. The fact this is everyone's first reaction shows how conditioned Americans are to think about privacy. As you are about to discover, this mentality is reflected in the market place. HINT - this response is not in your interests. Its how patsy’s think. Its like no one ever gets taught about the bill of rights, why it exists, and how to use it.11
Do you have anything to lose?
Don't think like a patsy. Think like a citizen. Don't just give away your inalienable rights.
Let’s start by reframing the question in your interests. Do you ever say to yourself, “I have nothing to lose?” I mean this in a bigger sense than buying a $2 lottery ticket or wearing that new dress to a party.
Lets examine your actions. Do you leave your wallet or purse on the table at a bar when you go to the restroom? Do you leave your car or house unlocked when you go to work or on vacation? Do you leave your toddler in a stroller in the street when you go shopping? Do you want the cops to show up at your back door with their guns drawn, screaming your name, at 3AM?
No?
Therefore you do have something to lose. That means you need privacy.
Remember when I said the privacy industry is worth about $433 billion? You might have assumed I was referring to the protection of your privacy? That would be a bad assumption. I was in fact referring to the “data broker” industry. They get all that money for plundering your privacy. In effect, you always leave your wallet on the bar. You sloppy drunk patsy.
By contrast, the privacy protection industry ($3.84 billion in 202411 ) is only worth 0.89% of the data broker industry. Silly reader! Always check assumptions.
It gets worse. Much, much, worse.
Data brokers like Equifax and Intellius are in a different category to another - much bigger - industry built around plundering your data. The magnificent 7 e-commerce companies noted above, engage in the collection, analysis, and monetization of user data for commercial gain.11
In terms of market cap they are 1763 times more powerful than the privacy protection industry. Put another way, privacy protection is only worth 0.00056% of just seven companies designed to abuse your data privacy. How magnificent is that?11
Who do you think is going to win the battle of privacy? You or Google?
Especially when you have no idea they are pumping you for oil (data) and you have been taught to think like a pasty? Lets face it, you are a sitting duck. I would bet you have about 0.00056% chance at avoiding being ripped off by these huge industries designed to use and abuse you.
This was before Elon, Big Balls and the incels got into the Treasury and IRS computers so they could run wild with your treasured personal data (Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Addresses, tax returns) and play whak-a-mole with entitlement programs (including Medicaid and Medicare).
Bottomline - to have any hope of privacy you are going to have to pay for it.
Watch this video that uses data broker information freely available on the web to track everyone that ever went to Epstein's island.
Privacy = personal security
Don't be a patsy - you are going to have to change how you think about privacy. As in any other market place, there are different levels of privacy available. You are going to have to make an assessment of how much security you will require. Most readers will only need basic coverage. This will vary but can be achieved for under $500 a year. The more you have to lose, the more precautions and coverage you will need. ~$1500 and up. Having more to lose is not just a financial assessment. It relates to how much risk you are willing to take on to protest the regime.
Here are your options:
Option 1
I am going to show you how to completely disappear from the clutches of the data brokers and Karenforce™. They will not be able to doxx you. No one will be able to intercept your mail, electronic or otherwise. No one, like a deranged ex or Karen with time on their hands, can track your movements and current location.
Option 2
I can’t disappear you from Magnificent 7 and the secret police FBI. The best I can do in those cases is dramatically reduce your footprint. The protections I am about to explain will completely fool or deter all but the most aggressive attacks against you.
Both options are included in the following information. I could spend time and text justifying each choice but you probably wont read it all. Please know that I have tried and tested these systems myself and for clients.
There are two pathways - identify protection and asset protections.
I have never promoted my business on the stack before. However, we can advise, (or deliver turnkey solutions), on both identity and asset protection. These protections work whether you are here in the US or offshore. Anyone with a social security number and a US credit score can be protected.
https://ubiquitr.com/
Things you can do for yourself or we can do for you:
Remove all your information from all data brokers. This alone makes is very hard to find you.
If you are not logged by data brokers, an aggressor will have to know at least the city you live in so they can look you up on property tax records. Don't worry we have a solution for that too.
Recommend end to end encryption solutions to replace the entire Gmail / Google architecture you reply on - from email to calendar to cloud drives to password protections.
Get a next level smart phone. We have not gone this far but if you want one, we can research offerings and find the best solution. Our advisers include US Navy crypto experts.
Remove your name from vehicle titles (so plate scanners see a generic 'owner'. Same goes for pictures of your vehicle used to doxx you).
Remove your name from your rental lease.
Remove your name from property records so people cant find where you live. No fearing Karenforce™ rolling up on you for that Substack critical of their Fuhrer.
Disassociate your mailing address from your physical location. This is also useful if you move a lot (say with work or if you are in the military) or decide 'flight' is the best option for you and you head overseas. You will still have an official US street address. Anything received will be scanned and emailed to you. Amazon boxes can be consolidated and forwarded to you. The best part is your post box sitting in front of your house wont be a place to steal documents containing your identity.
We can provide you with access to credit cards you can use with any name and/or address you choose. These can be one time cards or regular usage cards. These have many pros - not the least of which is if a service provider gets hacked you can turn off that card and its not linked to you so you don't lose any money and your credit does not take a hit.
We can work with you to improve your credit score and remove derogative information on your score. Just one missed payment from a few years ago can hit you 100pts. Getting forgiveness for that hit can boost you back up 100pts. We can also help seek forgiveness for past hits on your score that have not rolled over (7 years is the standard).
TOP 2 SYSTEMS FREE
Valued reader, if you have made it this far, I am going to give you the top two tools we use for data brokers and Gmail replacement for FREE. All I ask is you use the links provided. Think of it as buying me a beer. Thank you. I don't just personally use these systems, I rely on them.
Delete Me - is the industry gold standard for breaking the data brokerage bastards.
Protonmail - replaces Google. It has mail, calendar, password protector (cant tell you how many people use ABCD1234), and cloud drive. Its all end to end encrypted and based in Switzerland. So if the secret police FBI want access to any of it, they have to get a warrant - in Switzerland. Not impossible but you will have to be worth the effort. Its like putting an alarm on your house - the bad guys just keep going down the street until they find someone who left their purse on the bar.
Added Tip - we can confirm that iPhone with the right settings, is a robust protection for most users.
Other stacks with similar recommendations
Fight - but fight smart
Fight here means legal political discourse up to and including lawful peaceful civil disobedience. This has to be specified because the regime has already launched Operation Whirlwind.
I understand a lot of people are scared and angry. However, you have to understand the ground is shifting.
Blue has to balance avoiding preemptive submission against unnecessary or unproductive squandering of personal freedom.
In this light, I would caution readers to be very smart about what they say and especially write going forward.
You can express opposition without saying anything that gets you into trouble. Trump himself is a master of this kind of communication. Play him at his own game. Be smart about it.
If you are an operative who wants to provoke an overreaction and you are prepared to ride it out then you have that choice. But you better protect your identity and assets before you make yourself a target. This includes having a full estate plan in place and someone ready and willing to administer your affairs. This is not just for death but for inpacacitation or incarceration. Again, these are all sensible things to do regardless of the political climate.
Operational Whirlwind
Be advised, the regime is already engaged in a NAMED OPERATION (certain criteria need to be met to achieve this level) intimidating members of Congress under “Operational Whirlwind" for providing constitutional advice to constituents (AOC), or for saying they will 'fight' the new administration (Garcia, Schumer).
NOTE Trust the law if you want. Just remember who is now in charge of enforcing it. Pam Bondi and Kash Patel. If you think they are going to execute the duties of their offices fairly and impartially, including prosecuting regime members and the leader if they break the laws, then I respectfully note my disagreement with that judgement.
Additionally, even if they go through the pretense of due process against critics, while the law requires specific criteria to be met and proven in court, you also have to ask yourself if you want to be a test case?10 Federal court is expensive AF. Think a quarter mil for a basic case.
The courts have not fully collapsed yet, but as lower court judges are discovering, they will be impeached and if the regime ignores the courts, which they will… then where are we going? You want to bet on this system right now? Look at the leaders of this system….
Steve Bannon and Elon Musk are openly throwing Nazi salutes. These are bait and they trolling but they are also real. The bayonet keeps pushing until it meets steel.
Idiots will get into a 'did he / didn't he' circle jerk. Actual Nazi's know what's up. Don't be a patsy.
Non-violence is situational
Non-violent resistance movements do not work against violent regimes. Mahatma Gandhi and MLK would not have lasted 10 mins against the SS. Sadly we have proof. The White Rose was a non-violent resistance movement founded by students at the University of Munich, including Sophie and her brother Hans Scholl. The group distributed leaflets and used graffiti to denounce Nazi crimes and call for resistance to the regime and the war. They were arrested by the Gestapo, tortured, and executed for treason in February 1943. Sophie was only 21 years old at the time of her death.
Sophie Scholl's bravery and dedication to the cause of freedom and justice have made her a powerful symbol of resistance and moral courage in the face of tyranny.
The Rosenstraße protest is a unique example of a successful non-violent protest.
In the face of grave danger to themselves and their loved ones, up to 6,000 mainly female protestors stood united in a rare act of community opposition to the events of the Holocaust.
Before dawn on 27 February 1943, the Gestapo began a massive action to arrest and deport the last Jews remaining in Berlin. Jews married to non-Jews were separated from their spouses and children and moved to a welfare office for the Jewish community located on Rosenstrasse, in central Berlin. Upon hearing the news, many relatives of the prisoners rushed to the site in protest, and as time passed the small group grew to a crowd of thousands. The Nazis threatened them with gunfire, but the protesters remained yelling and chanting on the street. News of the demonstration spread quickly throughout the country and even to the international press.
Women and protest
It is no accident that Sophie Scholl and women of Rosenstraße led the way. Traditional social roles sometimes play both ways. Because extremists societies like Nazi Germany and Maga America view women out as weak and in need of protection, it makes it difficult to justify attacking them. Sophie lacked something Rosenstraße had - safety in numbers. Tellingly Rosenstraße was managed not by the police but the propaganda ministry. In the maga context this is an important lesson that women in large organized groups will present the regime with significant propaganda dilemmas. That's important because propaganda is all that maga knows. Accordingly, women have a major role to play in restoring the constitution. Some like AOC and Jasmine Crockett are already leading the way.
In an effort to dispel potentially damaging international attention and to prevent further protest, German propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels ordered the release of the prisoners at Rosenstrasse on 6 March 1943. So strong was the power of the mass public protest, intermarried Jews were thereafter largely permitted to remain with their families, and Goebbels even initiated the return of a group of 35 intermarried Jews who had previously been deported to Auschwitz
There is a reason why the ancient Greeks deployed female empowerment in the political context. It can be powerful in the right contexts. In Aristophanes' "Lysistrata,” women stage a sex strike to force men to end the Peloponnesian War. Other examples include Aeschylus' "Agamemnon," Sophocles' "Antigone," and Euripides' "Medea," in which female characters challenge the status quo and defy male authority.
Women also play a crucial and underappreciated role in military special operations and spycraft. They can achieve things men cant because the enemy is expecting a man and can't believe woman are capable of the incredible acts of heroism for which so many became famous. As CWII's fiery late mother might have said “anyone enduring childbirth can fight Nazi’s”. Solo female operators or couples are far less conspicuous and thus enjoy a much wider freedom of action than solo men. WWII has some stunning examples of the heroic roles women played in special operations and resistance movements.
Some of the most famous Allied women resistance leaders include Marie-Madeleine Fourcade, Lucie Aubrac, Josephine Baker (yes THAT Josephine Baker), Rose Valland, and Agnès de La Barre de Nanteuil.
There were so many incredible women who worked as agents for the OSS and SOE during WWII. Here are some of the most famous and highly successful female agents from that time:
* Virginia Hall, also known as "the Limping Lady," who worked for both the SOE and the OSS and helped organize resistance movements in France.
* Nancy Wake, a Kiwi-Aussie hybrid, codename the “White Mouse” who was one of the most decorated Allied servicewomen of WWII and was known for her daring raids against the Gestapo.
* Noor Inayat Khan, who worked as a wireless operator for the SOE in France and was posthumously awarded the George Cross for her bravery.
* Odette Sansom, who worked as an SOE agent in France and survived imprisonment and torture by the Gestapo.
* Vera Atkins, who headed the French Section of the SOE and was responsible for training and deploying female agents into occupied France.
Violent resistance has effect under limited special conditions
The chances of success are low unless it enjoys majority support among those with the guns or is backed by major international powers with secure lines of communication to support the resistance.
In addition to Sophie and Hans Scholl, we must also remember the German patriots in the military who turned on Hitler.
Operation Valkyrie is a classic example of the difficulty of armed resistance by a small faction in the military against a totalitarian regime. Its precedent is one of the many reasons Trump has marked General Milley for execution.11 Made famous by a Hollywood movie, Operational Valkyrie, was one of a series of plots to kill Hitler. Claus von Stauffenberg, Friedrich Olbricht, Henning von Tresckow, Ludwig Beck, and many others, were executed, but they did not die in vain. Together with the Scholl's, they proved to the world, and most importantly to Germany itself, that national honor was not completely extinguished by the barbarians.
Political Resistance
Substack has been flooded of late with advice on how to resist the regime. Rather than repeat it, I will instead curate some of the offerings for readers to explore to see what fits your situation best.
In researching these recommendations for action I came away with one key lesson that bears repeating and that I will be using going forward.
A week or so ago, AOC highlighted the importance of contacting members of Congress. Its too easy to think it does not matter, your voice wont heard, that they are so beholden to donors that they don't care what their constituents say, or that if you are a blue dot in a red district if you go to a town hall or call the office, you will be ignored.12
When I was in college I interned for a member of congress to days a week in the district office. I later spent some time on the hill in various capacities. It was so long ago however, that I needed AOC to remind me what breaks through. I can confirm she is spot on.13
This pays off. We have already seen it in the days since this video was released, where citizens have attended “townhalls” with Republican members of Congress to express their shock and frustration with the regime and its shock and awe campaign to terminate the Constitution.
Hold Congress to account by reforming the system. This is a great set of recommendations and while the current Congress is not going to enact these reforms obviously, it provides a goal and a set of embarrassing questions to ask your law maker when you go to a town hall or send a letter.
Listicals
A note on labels. Who would have thought being anti-fascist would be a problem? Nevertheless, the fascists have already sullied the brand simply through propaganda. The radical symbols used by some groups (including the page above) will put a lot of people off. Antifa respond, correctly, saying they are a movement not an organization. In other words, they are organic and leaderless. Using the label antifa just gives the other side a simple way or categorizing opponents to the regime as extremists.
The fact is that the fascists are the extremists. This has to be emphasized. At the same time a door has to be opened for mainstream Americans to feel comfortable and welcomed in taking political action that for the first time in their lives and for that reason feels radical enough. This is why CWII uses the term pro or anti the constitution. Because that is the pivot around which this crisis turns. Its not snappy or catchy but accuracy in what it represents and being mainstream is more important than being radical chic.
Politcal resistance by other means
If, like me, you have sworn an other to protect this great country against all enemies foreign and domestic and you understand that this regime is an existential threat to the constitution, then inevitably at some point you might ask if all political avenues are exhausted and there is no other way to save the country, should you consider other options.
The entire premise of CWII the book, and this stack, was that the fascists would lose in 2024 and return to violence to complete the coup started in 2020. I made no allowance for them to continue the coup in the wake of being legitimately returned to power. That was beyond even my usually pretty solid anticipatory intelligence capabilities. Alternatively, I put too much faith in the people and had not heeded my own warnings that propaganda saturation was such that the normal common sense inherent in the America public would come to the fore.
Think of this stunning statistic. Right leaning media subscriptions number 400m in aggregate. Left leaning 60m. “That's a 7 times advantage..even with that imbalance, that huge head start, the election was still so close” said Angelo Carusone president of Media Matters for America.
So the politics by other means challenge has flipped. While it was obvious maga was prepared and standing by to engage in political violence, the idea blue would think about this as an option just did not rate. The hope of course is that political action will intervene to stop the regime from destroying democracy. However, given the very limited window of opportunity to regain the constitution, some will no doubt be considering politics by other means.
As you can imagine this is a huge, complex and highly sensitive topic. Even discussing it may open the door to accusations that analysis is advocacy. Nevertheless, these discussions are now starting to appear.
CWII recently stumbled across a fascinating analysis from a fellow DOD strategic analyst turned stack writer. He lays out his vision for a blue led civil war. The analysis is clearly presented and strong however some of the assumptions upon which it is based are in conflict with the way CWII reads the landscape. So the next post on CWII will be exploring this analysis and CWIIs reaction to it.
Stay tuned it is going to be a significant moment in the history this stack.
Finally you have to take care of yourself
Health is important and we tend to deprioritize it in the face of crisis. Its important to put the phone down and go outside.
Doomscrolling is something I know I should not do. What I do try and do is stick to the 3-4 really solid sources of information about what's going on and limit intake to those. I have found the most comprehensive and accurate sources on daily events are as follows
And https://www.substack.com/@ronfilipkowski 's “Today in politics”
Best domestic political commentary is https://www.substack.com/@therickwilson
Actual heath tips
Summary
In this overlong post, we have covered a lot of ground. How to hide from an antidemocratic regime, what options exist to seek refuge, and for those who have the capacity and the will, how to politically resist. Everyone has to make their own decision which option is best for them. However, never forget we are united by one common goal - the restoration of the US Constitution and democracy in the United States and a return to our global role as leader of the free world and not what we have become. An anti constitutional, anti democratic, fascist state. The final question is on us - did those who came before us who fought tyranny at Valley Forge or Omaha Beach waste their lives for nothing?
Here is some inspiration
Caveats:
For a few weeks now I have pondered my discomfort at being asked by readers what they should do about the destruction of the US Constitution by enemies foreign and domestic.
On reflection, it comes down to two core philosophical issues.
Classical Liberal
One, I am a classical liberal (not to be confused with the perjorative term Liberal as it is used in American politics). John Stewart Mill, Adam Smith, John Lock, and others like David Ricardo are all classical liberals. (I would also add Hannah Arendt, although she would refuse the lable. However her emphasis on human freedom against totalitarianism and her idea of community against official oppression, modifies classical realism’s emphasis on individualism positively in my estimation. Community matters. A community of individuals is one where individualism is respected and not suborned to the whole. It is protected by the community acting in accordance with approval of civil liberties and the rule of law. This conception is called a 'commonwealth' in classical usage.)
Classical liberalism believes in individual liberty, limited government, free markets, civil liberties and the rule of law. The freedom from the arbitrary power of the state is critical. Accordingly, the idea of telling others how to live their lives is anathema to a classical liberal.
Of course that goes against modern American traditional and social media that are filled with experts (of varying degrees of legitimacy) telling everyone (directly or by inference) how to live their lives. To me, that is a form of totalitarianism. I genuinely find it offensive whether its from a Kardashian or a Trump.
Who am I to tell you, the reader, what to think, let alone what to do? My role, as I see it, is to inform readers of my analytical findings. My goal is to provide useful advice. What readers chose to do it that information is none of my business.
Note, I do not use the term “followers”. To my mind, that implies uncritical mindlessness. I choose to think of people who sign up to my stacks as readers, which I take to mean a reasonable person capable of exercising free will and agency who happens to be curious about ideas and by inference, how I see, and interpret, the world. Nothing more.
National security analytical professional
Two, in Western democracies, the intelligence function is limited to the provision of analysis. The last thing you want is intelligence agencies running government. That is what happens in Russia. That is what the Stazi did and the gestapo before them. Soon I expect that is what the FBI will be doing in America.
“Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.” RFK
A national security analytical professional is someone who sees the world as it is, not how we wish it to be. The later is a political agenda. They explain where we are, how we got here and what they assess as most likely to happen next, based on empirical evidence, logic and seasoned judgement. The purpose of national security assessments is to advise decision makers about emerging, converging or culminating threats. Note the terminology. Analyst are separate from decision makers.
As a strategist, I have taken intelligence assessments and refined them into a series of options to present to decision makers. Typically, this consists of presenting the pros and cons of different courses of action (COAs). A good strategist can do this for every COA for all parties to a conflict, for at least 2-3 moves in advance. “If the US does A, expect Russia to do B. Their response can then be used to get to C by doing XYZ” and so on. However, even presenting COAs leaves the choice to others. I dont advocate for one solution over the other.
My sole objective is simple: I am happy if people facing decisions feel what I offered was useful to them in making that decision.
Readers have noticed and commented on the fact that I dont do advocacy. Nor do I do calls to action, or tell people what to do. When readers ask me “what should I do” that genuinely makes me uncomfortable. I don't see it as my place to tell anyone what to do with their lives. This is an artefact of life as a classical liberal strategic adviser.
As a stack writer, my purpose has shifted from decision support to national leaders to explaining and interpreting global events for a general public audience. I present assessments for the public to have a better understanding of what is happening and why. In this context, which is still new to me and in which I am still finding my way, I continue to see my role as an analyst presenting explanations. How the public uses that information is up to them. I want people to be responsible for their own actions once they have read and understood the intelligence I provide.
I understand this clarification may not be satisfactory to all readers. However, I hope it helps readers be better consumers of the analysis I offer.
With all that being said
Due to the foregoing clarification, I have deicded the best format to present this information is to write it as advice I would give a friend. I understand this will be read by different people in very different life circumstances. So if you cant hop on a private jet to Switzerland, please know I am presenting all options, as I see them, and leave it up to readers to reject or pick and choose the advice that best fits their circumstances.
This does not constitute legal or financial advice and is presented for informational purposes only.
What is happening in America that prompts people to seek guidance?
Here are my baseline assumptions about what is happening in the US.
The crisis in America today is over the constitution. Its a binary choice: for or against.
America elected the side that wants to destroy the constitution. Maga repeatedly told the country they wanted to “destroy the administrative state” (aka the constitution, branches of government, and all national institutions) and seek “retribution” against all enemies - defined as any institution or group that stands in their way. They did not hide their plan. They published it! Project 2025 = Mein Kampf.
They are now engaged in a “shock and awe” political, and economic warfare campaign against the constitution.They are in a big rush to get as much done before they can be stopped. Justification for this campaign is clothed in the language of culture war. They judged that their enemy's greatest weakness was allegiance to minority groups who make perfect scapegoats in a propaganda war.
This warfare is happening at home and abroad. Trump has soft-abandoned NATO. It has become hard for him to hide his obligation to Putin. But he will lie and dissemble for as long as he can to exploit those who hope he is not doing what he is doing before their very eyes. Hitler kept going because he was not stopped. Putin and Iran too. Soon Xi. Just after WWI, all of Europe wanted peace so badly they chose not to believe someone could want war again. Psychopaths play on the hopes of normal people. Don't be a dupe.
What is Political Warfare?
Political warfare is a type of conflict that involves the use of non-military means to achieve political objectives. It can include a wide range of tactics, such as propaganda, disinformation, cyber attacks, economic sanctions, diplomatic pressure, and support for opposition groups or insurgents.
The goal of political warfare is to undermine the legitimacy and power of a rival government or political movement, while advancing the interests and influence of one's own country or faction.
Political warfare has been used throughout history, but it has become increasingly important in recent years as a tool of great power competition and hybrid warfare.
Some examples of political warfare include Russia's interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, China's use of economic pressure to influence other countries' foreign policies, and Iran's support for Shiite militias in the Middle East.
Hybrid warfare is similar. For a detailed discussion on Hybrid/political/economic warfare see this article.
For why what is happening is a continuation of the J6 coup see
I do anticipatory intelligence analysis which is recognized in the National Intelligence Strategy. Below is a snapshot of my Substack record starting when I joined in 2022. It is not comprehensive but you'll get the idea. One thing I will point out is that it all seems obvious now. I didn't until about a week ago. Ian Bremmer, a multi millionaire who runs a huge political risk consulting enterprise posted he has whiplash from Trumps switch to the Axis. He didn't see it coming.
My record stretches back before 2022 of course, when I worked for the Australian then US DOD's. The most infamous assessment was in 1997 when I noted in passing in a cyberwar piece that having a cadre of suicide terrorists presented al-Qaeda with an opportunity for a spectacular attack. I presented some options including flying a commercial airliner into a skyscraper. The external reader - head of Counter Terrorism for the Australian Defense Force - said that was “alarmist and ridiculous” and had the example removed. I had just finished a PhD and was an unpaid adjunct at the time. He was festooned in cash and medals.
In 2012 I wrote the strategic plan for HQ USSOCOM that warned of the rise of authoritarianism and coming great power conflict (GPC). For special operations, that would mean rebalancing and reconfiguring the force from an almost exclusive focus on counter terror operations back to ‘behind enemy lines work'. That was shelved “because the Joint Staff Strategy didn't say that”. I have to credit the SOCOM senior leader, unlike the Australian nay-sayer, he later reached out and acknowledged the command should have used it. Today all SOCOM can talk about is their relevance to GPC which the Joint Staff sees in purely conventional terms (which is a mistake).
Since I joined Substack, I never had more than a handful of readers. I didn't care. I wanted to put my assessments on the record. Now that some of those calls are coming to pass, I hope that might intrigue readers for future assessments of what I see coming at us. I haven't always got the details perfectly right, but I usually get the big picture pretty close. Its not magic. It is collecting and sorting empirical evidence of shifting trends in global affairs, and using reasoning, judgement and especially imagination, to extrapolate to likely outcomes.
There is a #leavingmaga trope on social media. It is unclear if it is widespread or will develop into something politically significant. I will note that the scorched earth approach, especially in the authority-leaning bureaucracies (FBI, DHS, IC DOD), is hitting maga members of those institutions just as hard as constitutionalists. The same appears to be happening with cuts to government funding applied across the board with no consideration for the constituencies effected. Scorched earth runs the risk of converting maga back to constitutionalism. It is the first major hole in the maga approach that I can identify.
Trump committed a lot of crimes. That an objective fact established by Grand Juries comprised of American citizens. Red portrays the rule of law as unfairly targeting the leader. That is like saying it is unfair to target Jeffery Epstein. Guess who was a life-long friend of Trump? Guess who flew on Epstein's plane and went to his island? No laws broken of course. To suggest otherwise is lawfare against the innocent.
Newspeak is a fictional language created by George Orwell in his novel "Nineteen Eighty-Four." It was designed by the totalitarian government in the book to control the thoughts and expressions of its citizens by eliminating words that could be used to express dissent or rebellion. Newspeak was characterized by a limited vocabulary, ambiguous terminology, and euphemisms that obscured meaning and promoted conformity.
Yes this will happen starting with government officials, then the military, then the public - like the ‘Gulf of America' - a proclamation will come out adjusting the text of the Pledge of Allegiance that must be used in schools and public settings. Don't believe me? Go back and see what I was telling you was going to happen over the past 4 years. I'll wait. 😆
I am not equating contemporary Americans to German Jews in the interwar period. The analogy is imperfect and strictly limited to the type of conundrum a national crisis from within presents.
Trump will erase social security if he can get away with it so this option might be removed.
By international treaty, no one can be made stateless - although I expect maga to do this and not care. What's the worse that can happen? A very angry letter from the UN?
This is almost unique to America. I have lived and worked for longer than a year in more than 5 countries, and I have visited more than 40. There is no such thing as privacy in the US except maybe HIPAA records. There is a reason whenever privacy comes up people talk about the GDPR. It does not apply to America but with the right choices you can make it apply to you.
The European Union's (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a law that protects the personal data of individuals in the European Economic Area (EEA). The GDPR is considered the world's strictest privacy and security law.
The Law as it stands today… may it RIP
The specific criteria for determining whether a threat is illegal in the United States are outlined in federal and state statutes. The criteria can vary somewhat by jurisdiction, but generally include some or all of the following:
* Intent: The person making the threat must have the intent to cause fear or harm to another person.
* Specificity: The threat must be specific enough that the person receiving it can reasonably believe that it will be carried out.
* Imminent danger: The threat must create a sense of imminent danger, meaning that it is likely to be carried out soon.
* Credibility: The person making the threat must have the ability to carry it out.
* Targeted: The threat must be directed at a specific person or group.
* Context: The context in which the threat is made can also be relevant, such as whether it was made in a heated argument or as part of a broader pattern of behavior.
The pathetic weakness of the national security establishment in its failure to support Gen Milley suggests careerism and capitulation, and not moral courage, is the order of the day at the Pentagon. Don't assume the military is going to save America. They are too busy saving themselves first. At least to date.
The coup just intensified with the decapitation strike mounted on the Pentagon by its domestic enemy - the illegal Trump regime. Sure it was legally elected (excluding Elon), but the continuation of the coup started after Trump was fired in Nov 2020, is now in full swing. It has accelerated to light speed and mass effect engaging in SHOCK AND AWE. It has decapitated all national security institutions and sown panic throughout the rank and file of America's security and defense forces.
Maybe they are just taking time to organize a way to fulfil their obligations to protect the constitution. One thing is for certain. No leader is going to overly proclaim their allegiance to the constitution over a wannabe dictator like Gen Milley did. Which is why Trump wants him dead.
These are all reasons that played a role in creating maga in the first place. When the people get divided from their representatives, they will be resentful. How to deal with that resentment is the critical factor. One way is to turn to extremism. Another is to revitalize democracy. Perhaps in time we might look back at this period and see we needed the threat of authoritarianism to wake us up and really drive home democratic reform.
As as aside, it amazes me that people think AOC is some kind of radical. She might have sounded like one when she first got the job. I remember her storming Nancy Pelosi's office in a stunt thinking that while effective it was short sighted to openly attack your own side. That it was better to have those talks behind closed doors. Since then AOC has exponentially grown into a highly competent legislator. She comes prepared to committee meetings and is often the only one who can pin down people giving testimony. She is also a very effective communicator without engaging in antics or foul language that right wing propaganda loves to show to prove the other side is full of lunatics.
My husband and I are both retired. I am a nurse and could work in the medical field. We have more than 150k in the bank cash. My concern is my husband is old (77) and has multiple health problems. Can you recommend how and where to go. I am very afraid where things are going. It would bankrupt us if he lost VA and Medicare.
Susan, this is really tough. I feel like its none of my business. So it sounds like you want to leave but no one else does. It also sounds like they can sense your alarm and, because they dont share it, they might roll their eyes "when susan starts up again" or push back telling you that you are mad.
First point. You can not be responsible for all these people and how they see the world. I guess you were the kind of mom that did everything for everyone. Then when they grow up and dont fully share your viewpoint it gets worrying. Its not disrespectful. People change - evolve - its healthy.
Honestly, you have to accept they dont share your concerns. And thats ok.
Second, I sense you emote. Thats ok. Everyone deals with challenges differently. However, when people who dont emote interact with those that do, it can be really hard for them. Its awkward and even embarrassing. It can make others feel uncomfortable.
I am sure you cant just turn it off. However, understanding how others react to it might help you regulate it ... Because at the end of the day you want them to understand your point of view and support you. Thats different from agreeing with you. So if you know when you get wound up it turns them off, you know they will react by withdrawing. So try something new. Not a one off... But over weeks...
Three. The one who most needs to understand your viewpoint is your husband. Because if you are serious sbout leaving, his reaction is going to be central. All of the things you need to do to prepare to leave are the same as estate planning. So one way to approach it might be to get your affairs in order.
Four. If he does not want to leave, you have a choice. If its to stay, do as much as you can to get your affairs in order so if there are last minute changes of mind uou can act on them. Then accept your decision to stay and embrace it. Perhaps the country you might have gone to collapses... Is one way to help you accept things.
Getting more and more worked up is going to have the opposite effect. Dont get mad. Get organised. Start with getting your affairs in order .
Hope this incredibly invasive personal advice eithout knowing the dituation or ppl involved helps!