Badlands Brief

Lighting Multiculturalism on Fire & Sowing Seeds of Midterm Mayhem

The Badlands Brief is your daily drop of Badlands’ takes on the narratives dominating the info war. Read on, and join the conversation in the comments section.

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Spy Chiefs Confirm Chinese Access to Voter Rolls Included Nonpublic Data Via Hacking

The White House Government Transparency Task Force released documents stating that Chinese government-linked cyber actors obtained access to US voter registration systems that included both public voter rolls and nonpublic election-related data. According to the fact sheet, the activity involved cyber intrusions targeting state election infrastructure and exposed information beyond publicly available voter registration records.

The documents state that US intelligence agencies concluded the data was obtained through the intrusions included nonpublic election administration information, contradicting earlier public characterizations that the breaches involved only publicly available voter registration data. The release says the findings are based on newly declassified intelligence and internal government records.

Ashe in America: John Solomon is taking a victory lap with this report, posting on X, “Compare this statement from the nation’s spy chiefs to the reporting of the mainstream media like The New York Times after President Trump’s speech 2 weeks ago. Reporters claim China only got commercially available data. The spy chiefs say that’s not true.”

Those reports were shared widely by my local media here in Colorado. “This is all public data, bro. It’s no big deal for China to have US voter information from the voter rolls.” We pointed out at the time that they were contradicting themselves after spending months screaming about the threat posed by the administration’s demands for voter rolls. But with China, it’s fine? Okay.

Now the IC confirms what Solomon and the admin said before: China hacked (or otherwise breached) US election systems and stole Americans’ data.

This confirmation made me think of something else. Remember how New Jersey’s voter rolls contained a bunch of noncitizens and they blamed a software vendor? The same thing happened in Colorado but they blamed a “data coding mismatch.” That was explained as an error between the Eric States data, the Secretary of State’s system, and the Department of Motor vehicles…

The systems are networked.

They got in and obtained voter roll info, but did they also get into DMV? What about the other systems the elections industry told us were “checks and balances” to ensure accuracy in voter registration? You know, like USPS and Social Security databases.

“Safest and most secure” was a CISA deployment, and my reaction remains the same as the moment that attorney made the statement:

Cyber professionals don’t give such guarantees. But lawyers selling stories do.

How deep does this thing go?

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Saudi Arabia Launches Multinational Maritime Defense Coalition to Secure Red Sea Shipping Lanes

Fourteen countries issued a joint statement in Riyadh on July 30, 2026, announcing the establishment of the Multinational Defensive Maritime Coalition. The coalition aims to strengthen maritime security, protect freedom of navigation, and secure international trade and energy supply routes through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Aden.

The 14 founding countries are:

• Saudi Arabia

• Kuwait

• Bahrain

• Qatar

• Pakistan

• Turkey

• Egypt

• Jordan

• Yemen

• Bangladesh

• Nigeria

• Sudan

• Djibouti

• Somalia

Saudi Arabia will serve as the founding and leading country of the coalition and will host its permanent headquarters, along with the Joint Command, Command and Control Center, Joint Maritime Operations Center, and General Secretariat.

The founding nations reaffirmed their commitment to the UN Charter, international law, and recognized maritime norms. They described maritime security as a shared responsibility and said cooperation among nations is essential to confronting common and cross-border threats.

Key points from the joint statement include:

• The coalition is exclusively defensive in nature and is not directed against any country, alliance, or international organization.

• Participation in its activities remains a sovereign decision for each member state.

• Member countries will enhance cooperation on intelligence sharing, operational planning, joint exercises, training, capacity building, and joint maritime operations.

• The door remains open for other countries that share the coalition’s objectives to join once they complete their domestic procedures.

• The statement emphasized that the new framework represents a strategic step to bolster regional maritime security, deepen defense cooperation among members, and support broader international efforts to maintain peace and security.

Representatives from 43 countries and the European Union attended the broader meeting in Riyadh to discuss the initiative. The United States attended the meeting and is expected to provide support through its existing military partnerships with most of the participating countries. The door remains open for additional nations to join.

GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: So… it’s NATO for Arab Nations? Or is it Muslim nations?

Whatever this coalition may become, it is highly unlikely that it will ever reach the apex of power that NATO enjoyed at the height of the Cold War. That is because the Cold War was a unique moment in time when all of the western powers were in alignment against a perceived common threat (communism, personified in the Soviet Union) at a time when the concept of national sovereignty was being abandoned in favor of collective security (globalism), and military power was still measured in conventional weaponry—the aircraft carrier, the number of enlisted soldiers, etc.

It is a near certainty that we will never see that specific set of circumstances again, even if geopolitics were to ever shift back toward globalism. It is becoming increasingly clear that future kinetic conflicts will be fought with drone warfare and new-age weaponry. (Electro-magnetic pulses; lasers; rail guns; discombobulators; etc.)

My guess is that national sovereignty will once again reign supreme as the preferred system to replace the “rules-based international order,” and as such organizations like the one being established by Saudi Arabia will be more symbolic than truly kinetic.

The timing of this announcement cannot be overstated. President Trump just launched joint attacks with Saudi Arabia against “Iranian-backed militias” in Iraq (looking more like they are actually backed by Ukraine) and now Saudi is establishing this coalition to stand against the big bad boogeyman in Persia.

However, I see NATO as more immediately threatened by this emerging block than Iran. First of all, we could potentially see Iran join this coalition. That would actually make a lot of sense, being that the Red Sea is an important shipping route for oil coming out of the Persian Gulf via ship. The only reason Iran may be framed as the coalition’s adversary is due to the perception that the Houthi pirates that have been raiding the Bab al-Mandab strait for years have been backed by the IRGC.

Whether the Houthis are still actually backed by the IRGC—and whether the IRGC even still exists—is its own separate debate. That issue aside: in the southern Red Sea, along the coast of Eritrea, sits the Dahlak Archipelago, which contains over 200 small islands—only 3 or 4 of which are formally inhabited.

From what I have learned, just about every intelligence agency and terrorist organization has a presence in these islands. It’s like a modern-day Pirates of the Caribbean. So if this coalition is going to be fighting anything, it’s likely going to be the Five Eye/Mossad pirates the Dahlak islands.

But even that issue aside, the reason this coalition is a threat to NATO is that it challenges its supremacy on the international stage. There is no other military coalition that comes close to NATO’s military dominance—not even the UN—and NATO is now finding itself increasingly unwelcome in more and more nations, as it seeks to expand its operations far beyond the North Atlantic.

If an alternative coalition emerges and proves its effectiveness at policing a certain neighborhood, it will prove the multipolar model’s effectiveness which will encourage similar coalitions to emerge. As these groups form, NATO’s market share over the world’s waterways will diminish—assuming that NATO even still exists and isn’t abolished due to its obvious obsolescence.

In any event, this exercise is an opportunity for Saudi Arabia to flex its ability to organize international cooperation, which only strengthens the concept of the multipolar world order.

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Legendary British Actor John Cleese Lights Multiculturalism On Fire

British actor and comedian John Cleese defended his long-held criticism of multiculturalism this week, arguing that “some cultures are better than others” and that societies should not be afraid to acknowledge cultural differences. His latest comments follow a series of recent posts on X in which he has criticized aspects of immigration policy and emphasized Britain’s Christian cultural heritage.

Cleese argued that practices such as female genital mutilation demonstrate that not all cultural traditions are morally equivalent and has said immigrants should adopt the values of the countries in which they settle. He has also expressed concern that cultural norms incompatible with Britain’s traditions could undermine the country’s identity.

The comments have generated significant online debate, drawing both support and criticism. Supporters say Cleese is defending shared civic values and the right to distinguish between cultural practices, while critics argue his remarks unfairly generalize about cultures and religions and risk fueling prejudice.

Burning Bright: There’s something to be said for being an old dude with no (excuse the language) fucks left to give, and John Cleese is absolutely one of them.

That said, what makes his throw-in with the so-called extremists (i.e., traditionalists) in a UK growing increasingly irate at being the subject of an invasion and extermination masquerading as an enrichment lies in the fact that he’s also one of the most exceedingly clever comedians to ever grace the silver screen.

And in case you didn’t know, it takes a pretty high IQ to be consistently funny.

(Source: Am hilarious.)

Cleese is a legend in the UK, and he’s the rare UK legend who’s also a legend in the US.

So, what’s his crime according to communist retards on the internet?

Saying that some cultures are better than others.

The thing is, while these statements have been culture war trappings for years, the fact that they’re now emanating from the elder cultural statesmen of the west is a welcome sign. It means the Overton Window has shifted so far that even those outside the algorithmic bounds of the digital battlefield are willingly joining it, because they know it is ground zero for the perpetuation (and thus, the dissolution) of narratives that are used to alternatively control or else provoke (i.e., free) populations from the Hegelian web.

It would be a welcome western world if us Americans could trust our so-called allies to not be woke pussies, as we’ve all well established that none of us should be trusting our governments, even if Donald Trump (an avowed Sovereign and tribune of the people) currently stands at the head of our own.

It is in the People in which we must place our hope.

And America is not the only land with a once-proud People.

So I say, well met to you, John Cleese.

And Rise, Men (and based Women) of the West.

Before it’s too late.

(Writer’s note: I know I said some bad words in this take, but Donald Trump swore a bunch this week, I’ve been pretty good on shows of late, and it’s a take about John Cleese. So like. Honestly. Come on.)

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Spain Faces Fresh Illegal Immigration Surge as Thousands Pour Into Ceuta

Thousands of immigrants crossed from Morocco into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta on July 30, overwhelming local authorities in a matter of hours.

Local officials estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 arrivals in the latest surge, following more than 1,500 sea crossings the previous week. Many swam or waded around the border fence, while others scaled it. Reception centers are at capacity, and Ceuta’s government has called for a national emergency declaration, army deployment, and tighter border controls.

Spain’s central government under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has rejected the emergency label but is sending extra troops and police. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska is expected to visit the territory.

The latest surge comes amid rising irregular crossings into Spain this year and growing criticism of the government’s immigration policies, including recent regularization measures. Local leaders say the border has “totally collapsed” and that Madrid’s response remains inadequate.

GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: The timing of this is extremely suspect, as Spain suddenly finds itself in opposition to a number of modern conventions, most notably the concept of modern Israel and the Zionist project in the Middle East.

Being an ardently Catholic country—and one of the few European nations to maintain its religious national identity—Spain in recent years has publicly rejected the Zionist agenda.

For years, Spain has joined the rest of Europe in blindly supporting the Zionist State of Israel, however, ever since the October 7 attack and subsequent invasion of Gaza, Spain (along with other countries) has distanced itself from Israel. As the Greater Israel Project has emerged as an obvious truth, that distancing has calcified into a formal rebuke of Israel’s animus towards its Muslim neighbors, and its evident desire to expand its borders.

Now Spain suddenly finds its under renewed assault by African invaders. Like other European countries bordering the Mediterranean, for years Spain has endured the mass migration of African refugees seeking asylum in Europe. While that invasion had seemed to taper off, it suddenly has been reinvigorated. But by what?

It would be antisemitic to suggest that Jewish billionaires have financed and facilitated the mass migration crisis, and yet that is exactly what Charlie Kirk did in the year leading up to his demise.

It is hard to ignore the pattern recognition, especially when social media influencer Yair Netanyahu (son of the Israeli Prime Minister) is online openly calling for Muslims to invade and conquer Spain.

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Media Claims Americans Are Gripped By Election Fears ... But Not in the Way You Think

A new Gallup and Charles F. Kettering Foundation survey found Americans across the political spectrum are expressing significant concerns about the integrity of the 2026 midterm elections, though their specific worries differ. The poll found 67% are concerned about political leaders pressuring election officials to change results, 57% worry ballots may not be properly handled or counted, and 52% fear voter intimidation near polling places.

The survey also found 40% of respondents are concerned they could be personally confronted, followed, or recorded while voting. Democrats reported higher levels of concern about political interference and intimidation, while Republicans were generally more concerned about ballot security and election administration.

Overall confidence in election administration has declined compared with 2024, according to the polling, 50% of Americans believe their vote will not be counted. The findings underscore persistent bipartisan distrust surrounding the electoral process as the November midterms approach.

Ashe in America: Polling about elections is faker than elections, and I would wager these results were massaged like Chinese intelligence in 2020.

Hear me out.

This one was put about by “Democracy for All Project,” and, as we expect, the key focus area of this project can be summarized in Kettering Foundation President Sharon L. Davies’ statement for the project, “Democracy cannot be fully realized without the commitment and participation of all.”

Access.

It’s always access.

Reading through the full report, I believe this polling is a narrative deployment intended to set up a specific future event. And I think a hint about what that is might be in their topline finding:

Watch for this narrative after election day. I’m thinking something like the Trump v Raffensperger call, which was a legitimate discussion but was spun into an intimidation and interference narrative that dragged on for years.

Now consider the findings that legacy media didn’t touch:

If we’re pretending the poll is a true indicator of the public mind, these are large percentages — and they beg the question about where the majority really lines up. How could that be used for post election narratives? Spinning anti-communist sentiment into communist sympathy?

Maybe I sound crazy, but now is the time they’re setting up their narratives for November, and narratives are all they have left. And narratives are the most valuable weaponry in a war of stories.

I think it’s gonna get weird. Accelerate.

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Trump Claims His Board of Peace Has Reached “Historic” Gaza Deal

US officials believe Hamas has agreed in principle to a phased plan to surrender its weapons as part of negotiations over Gaza’s future governance and reconstruction. The proposed framework would transfer authority to a new Palestinian technocratic administration, establish an international stabilization force, and begin reconstruction after Hamas’ military capabilities are dismantled. US, Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish mediators have been negotiating the plan for months.

President Trump appeared to confirm the development on Truth Social, announcing that the “Board of Peace“ had reached a “historic agreement” for the complete disarmament of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. He said the phased agreement would allow Israel to receive long-term security guarantees while paving the way for a new Palestinian government and reconstruction of the territory. Despite the announcement, significant uncertainty remains.

Hamas has not publicly confirmed all of the reported terms, Israeli officials have not formally endorsed the proposal, and Israeli leaders have continued to insist that complete demilitarization is a prerequisite for any troop withdrawal or lasting settlement.

GhostofBasedPatrickHenry:

Once again, we have an interesting timing of a narrative deployment—specifically, the Board of Peace.

Remember: We first learned of this concept, along with the 20-point Gaza Peace Plan, the last time Netanyahu tried to crash his way into the White House in September 2025. That action provoked President Trump into instead inviting Turkey’s President Erdogan on the eve of Netanyahu’s Friday morning address to the UN General Assembly on Iran, and then led to the immediate subsequent announcement of the Gaza Peace Plan and Board of Peace during Netanyahu’s visit the following Monday.

Once again, we had Netanyahu crash the White House—using his trip to attend Lindsey Graham’s funeral as his cover—and, once again, President Trump subverted the visit by telling the media that he will likely give Erdogan the F-35 fighter jets that he has long been seeking, in defiance of everything Netanyahu has said about the matter.

Now, here we are, just a few days removed from Netanyahu’s White House visit—with no specific details of the meeting publicly disclosed—and President Trump is announcing a successful negotiation/agreement by the Board of Peace on the disarmament of Hamas. If that sounds familiar, that’s because it is the same narrative deployment that was issued during Netanyahu’s September White House visit. In fact, it’s nearly identical in concept. The one key difference being that in September the announcement included the creation of the Board of Peace, and in this iteration, the Board of Peace is the agent brokering the agreement.

I suspect that in the days ahead we will receive more specific details on what the disarmament of Hams will look like, but the fact that the announcement itself is basically a reboot of last September’s end-of-the-summer blockbuster is actually pretty funny. It’s like President Trump is just rolling it out as a natural response to Netanyahu’s repetitive behavior in crashing the White House.

What makes the timing of this deployment even more interesting is that it coincides with the announcement by Saudi Arabia of establishing an international coalition to police the Red Sea. You’ll note that President Trump explicitly singles out Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey as the facilitators of this new agreement with Hamas, while Saudi Arabia is getting full credit for organizing the international coalition in the Red Sea.

Do you know who is noticeably absent from being credited in either of these stories? Israel. And that’s important, being that Israel is at the center of both situations. Obviously, it’s Israel that invaded Gaza and has been fighting Hamas, which creates the need for the Board of Peace and Hamas disarmament deal. Don’t forget that the whole Red Sea conflict now demanding Saudi Arabia’s attention has been largely driven by the Houthi’s targeting ships either bound for Israel or of Israeli origin. The Houthis have also been firing missiles at Israel [mostly in vain].

You may also recall that Israel has been trying to establish a naval base in the fake nation of Somaliland, a wannabe breakaway state on the Gulf of Aden that Israel has solely recognized as a legitimate nation—to the chagrin and ire of the entire international community. There is no mention of Israel’s ambitions in the Gulf of Aden in Saudi Arabia’s announcement, nor does Israel even seem to be invited to join the coalition. It’s almost as if the Arab nations are collaborating in harmony to undermine Israel’s plan to destabilize the Horn of Africa.

For a long time, we have been postulating the idea that the Muslim world was organizing in a way that would actually benefit the West and promote world peace. You are now beginning to see the evidence of this concept, as harmony between nations appears to be supplanting conflict. However, we all know there are those who will never allow such peace to last…

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