Robert Rust
@rrucs.bsky.social
China Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists Global Security Program. US-China relations, especially on nukes, arms control and the like. Views my own, likes/RTs ≠ endorsements. I'm not here representing Hardbodies.
Chef Expertly Stir-Frying Food
ALT: Chef Expertly Stir-Frying Food
static.klipy.com
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 2mo agoKAITLAN COLLINS: Are you okay with Iran having missiles? SEN. ROGER MARSHALL: I prefer that they not, but they have to defend themselves COLLINS: You think Iran needs to be able to defend itself? MARSHALL: I do, otherwise we turn this into a forever war
“Within minutes of a strike on a school full of children on the first day of the war against Iran, Pentagon officials knew that the U.S. military was responsible for leveling the site.” More than a ballroom or arch, these dead kids will be this president’s legacy. www.nytimes.com/2026/06/16/u...
After U.S. Strike on Iranian School, Months Pass Without Answers
nytimes.com
So that story about the Apache getting hit by a drone is made up right?
Wonder if this is the first time the word “cuckolds” has appeared on a .gov website
Some thoughts on Trump's visit to Beijing. The main takeaway: China accepting a framework of "managed competition" for the bilateral relationship is new. Whether we'll actually get long-term stability remains to be seen. blog.ucs.org/robert-rust/...
Trump and Xi Take a First Step Toward Better Relations
During their May summit in Beijing, the US and Chinese leaders agreed to pursue "constructive strategic stability"—a vague term with important historical context.
blog.ucs.org
lmfao who explained the thucydides trap to him
Matt Novak@paleofuture.bsky.social · 3mo agoTrump: “When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, and on that score, he was 100% correct.”
Batting way below the Mendoza line on guessing whether a meeting or conference will be a tie/no tie vibe
"There are lessons from the Taiwan Strait Crisis of the 1950s that can help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and rescue the global economy," writes @gkucs.bsky.social in his latest blog:
Iran and Taiwan: A Tale of Two Straits
The Taiwan Strait crisis of the 1950s holds lessons for the United States in its ongoing war against Iran.
blog.ucs.org
trying to play peekaboo with my child but he's a European diplomat: me: where'd daddy go? baby: we must articulate a post-daddy vision of strategic autonomy me: peekaboo! baby: my historic relationship with my father is stable despite recent troubles
Calling my shot: resale ticket prices to the average group stage game will crater a few weeks out from the tournament, and most games will still be 2/3rds full at best.
Bill Grueskin@bgrueskin.bsky.social · 3mo agoSeven weeks before the World Cup kickoff, NYC "hotels have sold just 18% of available rooms between June 13, date of the first match at NJ's MetLife Stadium, and July 19, when the venue hosts the final." "The comparable figure this time a year ago was 26%" www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Trump’s proposed 2027 budget would almost double the budget for plutonium pits, the chemical filled metal sphere inside a nuclear warhead that kicks off the explosion in a nuclear weapon. @evystadium.bsky.social has more. Story by @mjgault.bsky.social: www.404media.co/trump-2027-b...
China’s exports of solar equipment in March were equivalent to Spain's entire solar capacity, hitting a record as high energy prices have countries seeking alternative power source. trib.al/QBf0zZy
Iran war pushes China's solar exports to record high in March
Single month's shipments equivalent to Spain's entire solar capacity, report says
trib.al
Eyes rolled back a full 180 degrees at this sentence in ChinaTalk's Dwarkesh/Jensen reaction
New article with my friend and colleague Jiang Tianjiao argues that we need to formalize and expand "human in the loop" + boost US-China engagement on reducing risks from AI-nuclear entanglement by agreeing on no nuclear-capable autonomous systems. thediplomat.com/2026/04/the-...
The US and China Need to Talk About Unmanned Nukes
“Human-in-the-loop” is not enough.
thediplomat.com
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on plutonium pit production: "Maybe the original plan we laid out wasn't ideal, maybe we could be smarter.” Its also full-speed ahead at LANL, which will be asked to operate at or near max capacity for the foreseeable future, which is dangerous and unnecessary.
EnergySec: Los Alamos “actually manufacturing pits,” goal of 100 in admin, 80 per year by 2030 - ExchangeMonitor
Secretary of Energy Chris Wright confirmed Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico has “just begun” pit production in testimony Wednesday to the
exchangemonitor.com
One fun fact about the NYT op-ed section is that it was created specifically in response to Spiro Agnew's complaints about liberal media bias. So in a sense, the job of an op-ed page is indeed to publish the "right" opinions, as in, right-wing
Jill Filipovic@jillfilipovic.bsky.social · 5mo agoThe job of an op/ed page is not to only publish the "right" opinions. If a topic, policy, or decision is in the news / under discussion at the highest levels, the op/ed page at a national newspaper should be publishing pieces that make the case for that policy or decision. Even if the policy is bad!
Always exciting to see the Avignon Papacy in the news
If I understand correctly, this is what became of the Replicator Initiative.
Arthur Holland Michel@writearthur.bsky.social · 4mo agoThis is wild. The 2027 Pentagon Budget includes $54.6 billion—that's BILLION with a B—for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, aka "DAWG," which produces AI drones. That's 33% more than the budget for the entire Department of Justice ($40.8b). aviationweek.com/defense/budg...
KMT boss Cheng Li-wen has arrived on the mainland, specifically to Nanjing via Shanghai. "The KMT will continue to adhere to the 92 consensus, oppose "Taiwan independence," promote peaceful cooperation between both sides of the strait." politics.people.com.cn/n1/2026/0407...
郑丽文率团抵达大陆开始参访行程--时政--人民网
新华社南京4月7日电（记者赵博、王承昊）应中共中央和习近平总书记邀请，中国国民党主席郑丽文7日率国民党访问团经上海抵达南京，开始大陆参访行程。郑丽文抵达南京后表示，感谢习近平总书记，感谢大陆方面热情接
politics.people.com.cn
NEW: Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff’s net worth increased 15%—to $2.3B—in the past year, largely due to World Liberty Financial. That’s the crypto venture his family co-owns with the Trumps and a firm backed by UAE’s national security adviser. @giacomotognini.bsky.social for Forbes
Peace Envoy Steve Witkoff’s Fortune Gets Bump From Trump And Musk
The real estate mogul-turned-diplomat is 15% richer than he was a year ago thanks to his crypto venture with the Trump family and his stake in Musk’s SpaceX.
forbes.com
Keeping a close eye on all the people who are disturbed by the war in Iran not because of its illegality or barbarity, but because they feel it’s not adequately planned or strategically sound.
