Badlands Brief
Epstein Fallout & Middle East Madness
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.
Ongoing Epstein Fallout
The ongoing release of over 3 million pages of internal documents connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is fueling international controversy and political repercussions. Russia’s foreign ministry this week characterized the Epstein revelations as evidence of deep corruption among Western elites, a claim reflecting broader geopolitical tensions surrounding the disclosures.
Across the Atlantic, European governments and institutions have moved more aggressively in response to the files. A senior Norwegian ambassador resigned amid scrutiny over her past ties to Epstein, and additional European figures have faced resignations or investigations in recent days. Opinion writers note a stark contrast between accountability efforts in Europe and the United States, where commentators argue that wealthy and powerful Americans named in the files have largely evaded sanctions or consequences.
In the U.S. political arena, Republican Rep. Thomas Massie publicly called on Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to step down over alleged ties to Epstein revealed in the documents, underscoring mounting pressure on public officials linked to the scandal. The fallout from the Epstein files continues to unfold internationally, reshaping political careers and prompting investigations months after the Justice Department’s initial release.
Ashe in America: Julian Assange allegedly said, “When all is exposed, 98% of Washington will fall.” (I say allegedly because the authenticity of the quote is disputed, despite it becoming easier and easier to believe it’s accurate.)
“Dirty politician” takes on new meaning when you consider that they’re buying and selling kids for sex (and worse — has anyone verified the jerky cannibal dig? FFS).
I think about the “98% of Washington” idea a lot. It doesn’t seem so far fetched now. And it’s not just Washington.
Over the weekend, I attended a local candidate forum for the upcoming elections — our state executive branch is up for reelection this year, so “the midterms!” is an amplified experience here in Colorado.
I never expect breaking news at these things, and I generally attend so I can make politicians uncomfortable with direct questions about corruption, fake elections, why we should pay taxes, and more.
But on Saturday, we got breaking news.
During his remarks, Gubernatorial candidate and current State House rep alleged that pedophile rings are running through House, Senate, and Governor’s Office in Colorado, that he’s been working with out of state law enforcement for three years to bring these networks down, and that they will be brought down — and soon. WATCH:
Bottoms previously went viral nationally after what he describes as one of his “darkest days in committee,” when “Colorado Democrats unanimously defended pedophiles who buy and rape little children (as young as 2-5), fighting a bill for at least a 4-year sentence. Most ONLY GET probation now. One democrat even called the buyers VICTIMS! 100% party-line vote against jail time.”
Colorado is the number one pedophile-friendly state in the nation. They’ve always been able to blend in here… and like the probably fake Assange quote, they occupy the highest levels of power.
Is that changing?
“We know who the people are,” Bottoms said. If that’s true in Colorado and Washington, it’s probably true across the nation.
I don’t care how powerful or rich or well bred or connected you are — if you harm a child and steal their innocence, you forfeit your right to breathe air. Your due process will be accompanied by the sound of thunderous applause.
Accelerate.
***
Burning Bright: Donald Trump’s response to this latest deluge—the largest yet, with millions of pages unsealed across late 2025 and early 2026 under the Epstein Files Transparency Act—has been characteristically enigmatic and, for many in the deeper layers of the Info War, profoundly unsettling.
As early as the summer of 2025, he began labeling the entire saga a “hoax” on Truth Social, dismissing the orchestrated outrage as a Democrat-driven scam that some of his own past supporters had foolishly bought into “hook, line and sinker,” even going so far as to call them weaklings while openly disavowing their support in posts that left ripples of delightful confusion across the MAGA mindscape.
In the months since, as the releases continued and the noise reached fever pitch, he has offered almost no elaboration, no active counter-deployment, no Narrative warfare of the kind we have grown accustomed to from a master of fifth-generational conflict who has spent decades drafting off enemy stories while weaving his own (h/t Chris Paul.)
He simply steps aside, allowing the operation to play itself out, permitting anchored minds—both friendly and hostile—to cling to whatever framing best serves their preconceptions while the sifting works itself out in the background like sediment settling in disturbed water.
And in the wake of easy answers, we are left, then, with the same persistent, gnawing question: what, precisely, is the hoax?
At least two primary interpretations present themselves, and they are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they braid together in ways that only become visible when viewed through a Bicameral lens.
The first reading is stark in its implications: that there is little to no actual smoke behind the honeypot fire.
That the sweeping narrative of an elite, transnational pedophile cult coordinating across continents and decades is largely an overlay stitched atop thin, fragmented, or outright fabricated Actuals.
The temple, in this view, was more mirage than concrete structure—yet it achieved devastatingly real effects in the battlespace because so many of us, myself included at various points along the path, imbued it with symbolic power far beyond what the verifiable evidence could sustain.
We told ourselves stories about what the fragments meant, and in our eagerness for justice to be visited on someone, anyone, we helped breathe life into a cypher that could be turned against us.
The second—and perhaps more likely—reading is no less disorienting: that the honeypot was real, but Narrative from its very inception—a control system engineered not to document prosecutable guilt in the traditional evidentiary sense, but to ensnare powerful figures through recorded proximity alone.
Calls were made, meetings occurred, flights may have been taken, emails exchanged. Yet communication is not complicity, and in the context of a documented intelligence operation, proximity far more often signals targeting than voluntary participation.
Epstein’s net, under this framing was cast deliberately wide to capture through association rather than shared guilt, where the mere threat of exposure functions as restraint without ever requiring public trials or lasting consequences.
In this interpretation, the unsealed files are less revelation than confirmation of the trap’s original architecture—a blueprint showing how thoroughly the web was spun, how selectively it could be tightened, and how effectively it could be inverted when the time came.
In both readings, Trump’s strategic silence, and his repeated “hoax” signaling function as the loudest deployment of all.
He is allowing the mindscape to churn, forcing those who staked the entirety of their awakening—the full pursuit of justice, the promised reckoning, the emotional catharsis—on Epstein’s island, on the temple, on ‘the list’ to confront a painful, but necessary recalibration: that no single Narrative thread, no matter how potent, how dark, how symbolically loaded can carry the full weight of the long road to Justice, Accountability and the core Truth that is meant to underlie and outlast each.
UBS banked Ghislaine Maxwell for years, moved her money after Epstein’s arrest
Swiss banking giant UBS maintained a financial relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell beginning in 2014, shortly after JPMorgan Chase cut ties with her longtime associate Jeffrey Epstein, according to U.S. Justice Department documents.
UBS opened both personal and business accounts for Maxwell and managed up to about $19 million in her assets in the years leading up to her 2020 arrest and 2021 conviction on sex-trafficking charges.
The documents show UBS assigned Maxwell two relationship managers and processed significant transactions on her behalf, including a $130,000 transfer on July 22, 2019, shortly after Epstein’s arrest, to help pay a credit card bill.
Before UBS took her on as a client, JPMorgan had flagged Maxwell as a “high risk client” because of her links to Epstein and closed Epstein’s own accounts in 2013.
UBS also briefly provided a credit card to Epstein in 2014, though that account was closed later that year, internal emails indicate.
In August 2019, UBS received a grand jury subpoena for Maxwell’s records and complied, providing wire transfer information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
UBS has not publicly confirmed when or if it ended its relationship with Maxwell, and Reuters reports there is no evidence the bank or its advisers engaged in wrongdoing.
GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: Last week we had a story break about the Swiss bank, Credit Suisse, about old Nazi bank accounts and may others related to human trafficking and drug trafficking.
Now we have a story about UBS, which was forced to purchase Credit Suisse in 2023 by the Swiss government, when it became clear that Credit Suisse was facing insolvency.
Nothing about any of this feels organic.
We also had Colombian President Gustavo Petro, in his press conference (entirely in Spanish) following his meeting with President Trump, where Petro said that he had talked to Trump specifically about joining forces to go after all of the bankers who were the “bosses of bosses” in charge of the cartels.
An excerpt from his remarks:
PS - I managed to get the transcript of his statements and translate them into English, and read through the remarks during my show on Friday.
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Iran (So Far Away)
Iran continues to defy U.S. demands regarding its nuclear program, with Iranian officials reiterating that Tehran will not give up its uranium enrichment capabilities, calling the program a legal right even under threats of military action.
Diplomatic efforts have persisted despite deep mistrust between the two sides. Indirect talks held in Oman involved Iranian and U.S. representatives agreeing to continue negotiations, though Iran insists discussions focus narrowly on nuclear issues and not on its ballistic missiles or regional proxy networks.
In a sign of heightened tensions, Iran was informed in advance of a visit by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to the USS Abraham Lincoln in the region, a move seen as part of U.S. pressure on Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that Tehran would retaliate against U.S. military bases in the Middle East if Washington were to attack Iran, while still maintaining that nuclear negotiations remain preferable to conflict.
Regional dynamics also influence U.S.–Iran diplomacy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, stating that negotiations with Iran must address the country’s missile program and support for proxies in the Middle East.
Separately, broader diplomatic outreach included plans for U.S.–Iran talks in Istanbul, aimed at reviving nuclear discussions and reducing the risk of military escalation.
Overall, while both sides continue diplomatic engagement, fundamental disagreements over enrichment, missiles, and regional security complicate efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement.
Oh boy, here we go again.
Let’s get everybody worked up and super excited about a major kinetic escalation… and then rug ‘em all… again.
And what would good analysis be without some insight from our favorite Mossad agent-turned-television-character?
It is ironic that Levin and his friends think that the ploy here is to demonstrate to everybody that Iran cannot be reasoned with; because that is the exact ploy that I think President Trump is running against Israel.
But why is such a plan necessary?
In the context of a potential ploy against Iran, I would tend to agree with Levin. The American public is already largely conditioned to view the Iranian government with distrust and contempt. A public demonstration that affirms this indoctrination would do little to change the minds of most.
Israel, on the other hand, presents a different animal, entirely. President Trump has done nothing but indulge, cater to, and frankly, spoil, the interests of Israel and the political lobby that represents it. Ostensibly, they have never been told “no” under Trump, to the extent that the optics have become damaging among certain segments of the MAGA base.
So what’s going to happen when Israel is given peace, a subdued Iran, a stabilized region, and a demilitarized Gaza, and they still refuse to work with Trump? What happens when this Diaspora turns on Trump because he refused to give them the war that they have long been promised?
Will the world begin to view things differently? (Already happening?)
But why is such a plan necessary?
Because sometimes you can't tell the public the truth.
YOU MUST SHOW THEM.
Alleged Benghazi Terrorist Extradited
U.S. authorities have taken into custody a long-sought suspect in the deadly 2012 Benghazi attack, bringing him to the United States to face multiple federal charges. On Feb. 6, 2026, Libyan national Zubayar Al-Bakoush was transported to Virginia and appeared in federal court in Washington, D.C., where he was ordered detained pending further proceedings. Al-Bakoush is accused in an eight-count indictment that includes murder, attempted murder, arson and conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism for his alleged role in an assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans.
The Sept. 11, 2012 attack resulted in the deaths of U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, State Department information officer Sean Smith and CIA security contractors Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty. Al-Bakoush had been wanted by the United States for more than a decade before his transfer into U.S. custody.
Al-Bakoush is the third individual charged in U.S. courts in connection with the Benghazi assault; earlier prosecutions saw Libyan militants Ahmed Abu Khatallah and Mustafa al-Imam convicted for their roles in the attack. Justice Department officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, used public remarks to emphasize the government’s ongoing commitment to accountability and to pursue those responsible for the 2012 deaths.
Ashe in America: “What difference, at this point, does it make?”
al-Bakoush is the first arrest related to Benghazi in over eight years. Two other suspects — Ahmed Abu Khatallah and Mustafa al-Imam — were previously convicted. Another suspect Ali Awni al-Harzi was killed in a 2015 airstrike in Iraq.
An unsealed eight-count indictment in the US District Court for Washington, DC shows charges of murder, attempted murder, arson, terrorism, conspiracy and material support for terrorists.
For the survivors of the attack, today’s news about Zubayar al-Bakoush is too little too late.
“It’s a waste of time and resources!” John “Tig” Tiegan told me on Friday. Tig was among the contract forces at the CIA annex who were reportedly told to stand down during the attack.
“How much did it cost to track him down, fly his ass here, room and board him, now prosecute him, and then put him in prison for the rest of his life for being maybe number 36 not even top 20!”
It’s a relevant question. Tig leaves open the possibility that al-Bakoush may have relevant intelligence, suggesting they may have “captured him for interrogation on more recent stuff,” but said that outside that narrow possibility, “It’s a complete waste!”
Tig also confirmed popular sentiment about US accountability for the unnecessary tragedy.
“Benghazi wasn’t a criminal act, it was an attack by an enemy force. If our government wants to hold people accountable, look at [the] people in our own government [and] hold them accountable!”
This is important, and it’s notable given Hillary Clinton’s expected testimony before Congress on the Epstein scandal. Now they have a current reason to ask again about Benghazi. You may recall another time the former Secretary was asked about the scandalous tragedy:
A notable aspect of this story is that, while many on the internet equate Hillary Clinton’s email server to salacious stories about horrific acts involving children, Benghazi is one of the founding scandals involving the Secretary’s secret email server.
The one she “bleached.”
Current CIA Director John Ratcliffe asked former FBI Director James Comey, a critical factor in solidifying the scandal’s coverup during Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential run, about the private email server (and its since destroyed evidence), during his time in the Congress:
No senior political appointees were terminated or formally sanctioned for Benghazi. No employees were fired.
“Sorry. Mistakes were made. Some people did something. We have new rules now.”
For the families and survivors, that’s unacceptable. They deserve justice, and justice must involve the Americans who left them to die.
One more foreign arrest isn’t justice — it’s paperwork. If new proceedings bring new testimony and new scrutiny, Congress has an obligation to pursue accountability.
How the government answers failure matters just as much as how it answers crime.
Without accountability, it will happen again.
This take was adapted from my full piece on this news Friday, which includes greater detail on Benghazi, the investigation, and the narrative fall out. Read it here.
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Saudi Takes Initiative in Resurrecting Syria
Syria and Saudi Arabia signed a series of multibillion-dollar investment agreements on Feb. 7, 2026, aimed at revitalizing the country’s economy after years of civil war. The deals include nearly $1 billion in telecommunications infrastructure under the “SilkLink” project, a new Saudi-Syrian low-cost airline, and a $2 billion commitment to redevelop two airports in Aleppo through a Saudi-backed investment fund. Additional accords cover energy, real estate and water desalination cooperation, reflecting deepening economic ties with Syria’s interim leadership following the lifting of Western sanctions.
In northeastern Syria, Syrian government security forces have entered the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli under a U.S.-brokered deal, a move designed to reintegrate Kurdish-controlled areas into central government authority while Kurdish police continue to maintain day-to-day security.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military has launched renewed airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, deploying aircraft, drones and helicopters in ongoing counter-terror operations against ISIS remnants.
GhostofBasedPatrickHenry: The Saudis, working with President Trump and the Turks, continues to use its massive wealth to pull Syria out of the deep dark pit in which the Deep State attempted to cast it.
They previously stepped in and offered to pay off Syria’s debt to the IMF.
Stabilizing Syria is a major step toward stabilizing the region, and stabilizing the region is the necessary step to get foreign investment flowing into the Middle East and development underway.
And while the Saudis address the economic and finance issues facing Syria, Tom Barrack has been busy getting the Kurds to bury the hatchet with Damascus, and restore peace to Syria. All the while, the US military has been hunting down the ISIS remnant (resurgence?) in the country.
Syria is Rubix cube that President Trump, MBS, and Erdogan are solving together.
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The Badlands Blitz
Burning Bright and GhostofBasedPatrickHenry leave some of the engineered noise to the side from the week that was and focus in on Sovereign Signal, which was aplenty.
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WElcome back from a weekend that ended with the Superless Bowl, which I did not watch. Thank you Colin Kaepernick :-)
Could this be the "starting" point???
Anyway, Amen Ashe: “I don’t care how powerful or rich or well bred or connected you are — if you harm a child and steal their innocence, you forfeit your right to breathe air. Your due process will be accompanied by the sound of thunderous applause.” I don’t care how powerful or rich or well bred or connected you are — if you harm a child and steal their innocence, you forfeit your right to breathe air. Your due process will be accompanied by the sound of thunderous applause.”
QUICK TRIALS!!!
God Wins!
God Bless!!!
—-This is an interesting development, ‘Opinion writers note a stark contrast between accountability efforts in Europe and the United States…’👀.
—-Burning Bright’s take yesterday reminded me that it’s the connections in the Epstein saga that matter. What’s at the other end of many of those connections is where we might see the beginning of accountability. I do agree, Ashe, that 98% of the politicians are either directly or indirectly complicit in many evils, treason and crimes against humanity, among them. Praying that Colorado might be the beginning of their end.🙏. Not one of ‘we normal sinners’ can abide with the type of evil that’s been at the core of power, this evil transcends ideology.
—-Ghost is very likely correct on this take, ‘Nothing about any of this feels organic.’ It’s truly all about the connections and what is at the other end. Organized crime bosses are best known for operating their puppets from the shadows.
—-Ghost’s mastery of the Middle East situation shines here. It’s true, ‘The American public is already largely conditioned to view the Iranian government with distrust and contempt.’ Programming works and we should apply our discerning eye on ALL we’ve been conditioned to see as enemies. Then turn that eye to who is doing the programming. Apply the same logic to ALL we’ve been taught are allies. 👀. Yes, Ghost, it applies to everything, ‘Because sometimes you can't tell the public the truth.’
—-I’m with Ashe. Zubayar Al-Bakoush. What does he know and why now? Possibly because we’re getting closer to the top of the criminal organization that has ruled the country under their masters’ orders? Timing is often a beautiful thing. And, we MUST have justice for this and every other treasonous act, OR none of this battle matters. ‘Without accountability, it will happen again.’
—-Ghost. ‘Syria is Rubix cube that President Trump, MBS, and Erdogan are solving together.’ Plus, the key to the success of the new sovereign world is prosperity for the citizens of these nations.
—-Thank you to our truth seekers. Without you, we would be at the mercy of the cabal’s warmongers and each of you has been gifted by God accordingly for this time, place and battle.