The Katechon, the Eschatological State of Exception, and the Twilight of Civilization: A Critique of Dugin

 

 

The photo shows Alexandr Dugin at the opening ceremony of the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats association on April 11, 2017, at the National Hall (Kansallissali) in Helsinki. The photograph was taken by Juha Molari, to whom Alexandr Dugin also privately responded regarding why there is such a strong trend in Europe to speak of 'hybrid threats'.

The current state and potential darkening of European and Finnish civilization can be examined through the Lacanian concept of the lathouse: humanity appears to be entering a warehouse where being is hidden. The neoliberal system stores those subjects whose intellectual and physiological value has been reduced to zero. In this process, truth is not revealed but stored as mechanical meaninglessness, where the human being is merely a remnant of a substance alienated even from itself. This emptying of existence is a direct consequence of the process Jürgen Habermas calls the "colonization of the lifeworld." In this state, the steering media of economy and administration—money and power—penetrate the core of the family and civil society, replacing linguistic understanding with technical control [Huttunen, 20.6.2010][Manninen, 2020].

The environment of existence has increasingly become part of a global spectacle where the human face—what Giorgio Agamben calls the "passion of manifestation" and the only possible location of community—is covered by biometric codes and administrative indifference [Dillon, 6.6.2022]. In his work L'aperto: L'uomo e l'animale (2022), Agamben sought to find the possibility of being human, yet he has also noted that in the coming years, there will be "only monks and criminals." Agamben points out that internment and the principle of schutzhaft (protective custody) are linked to a practice of preventive power, where a person who has committed no crime is detained if it simply seems possible that they might endanger "social security." Such use of power connects to the global moral collage that Alexandr Dugin and Konstantin Malofeyev describe as "Satan's civilization" [Ikonen, 2022].

Eschatological State of Exception and the Rot of the Elite

The eschatological views of Dugin and Agamben converge in the claim that Western modernity has reached its endpoint. While Dugin declares directly that "Western modernity is the Antichrist" [Дугин, 5.2.2026], Agamben approaches the subject through a juridical-theological analysis in which the state of exception has become the rule, reducing the human being to "bare life" (zoe) [Agamben, 2017]. The COVID-19 pandemic formed a decisive eschatological event for both: for Agamben, it was the breakthrough of "biosecurity" [Agamben, 2020], and for Dugin, it was the "gift of the plague" (dar chumy), which forced man to face the truth of his existence without the protections offered by the liberal world [Дугин, 17.3.2020].

In this "infernal politics," law and life have become fatally separated. Agamben reminds us that in Christian theology, "hell is the only juridical institution that has no end," and the current model of global economy is, in reality, fundamentally infernal [Agamben, 2012]. This system serves Mammon, which according to Hollis Phelps is not just a moral attitude but an independent actor that determines the subject's relationship with others and the world [Oudshoorn, 2020]. In Russian discourse, the "Epstein files" of 2026 are presented as evidence of this corruption. According to Malofeyev and Dugin, Western power is organized around pedophilia and blackmail, aiming for a "Greater Israel" as a planet-wide governance model under Zionist influence (ZOG) [Малофеев, 7.2.2026][Дугин, 31.1.2026; 7.2.2026].

The Katechon – Geopolitical Tool and Theological Riddle

At the center of this analysis is the restrainer mentioned in Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians, the katechon (2 Thess. 2:6–7). In Dugin's vision, the katechon is a dynamic, fighting, and religiously charged force. He views the "ideocracy" of the Islamic Revolution in Iran as an exemplary model where religion and spirit guide all state action, preparing for the coming of the hidden Imam, the Mahdi—a concept he parallels with the Orthodox idea of the katechon [Разум и Вера, 1.5.2016]. According to Professor Maria Engström of Uppsala University, the concept of the katechon has become the foundation of Russian state ideology against Western "anomie" (lawlessness and chaos) [Engström, 2014].

For Dugin, artificial intelligence is the "physical embodiment of Satan's mind" [Дугин, 5.2.2026]. This technological interpretation is also supported by Robert Paulson, who sees thinkers of posthumanism like Yuval Noah Harari as direct examples of the spirit of the Antichrist seeking to make man a god through technology [Paulson, 2.3.2022]. Paul VanderKlay, in turn, points out that the current secular administration has adopted the role of a confessional church, seeking to manage the thoughts of citizens. Liberalism acts as a kind of modern katechon in its attempt to maintain order, but it easily turns into its opposite by rejecting the higher Logos [VanderKlay, 4.12.2025].

Critical Voices from Within Russia and theology

Dugin’s state-centered interpretation of the katechon faces severe internal criticism. Daniil Korpusov provides a historical-analytical overview showing how the theological term was transformed into a tool for justifying autocratic power through the "Moscow as the Third Rome" narrative [Корпусов, 8.2.2023]. However, Father Serafim (Serafim Medvedev) of the catacomb church movement emphasizes that the true restrainer is "the inner purity of the soul, not any earthly empire." He warns against "Tsarebozhniki" (Tsar-worshippers) who wait for a new Tsar as a savior without inner repentance [Медведев, 11.12.2025]. Similarly, Pavel Grammatik, a proponent of "uranopolitism" (heavenly citizenship), rejects the unique claim of Russia as the katechon, arguing that the biblical restrainer lives within the entire Christian civilization and cannot be appropriated by a single state to justify war [Грамматик, 23.10.2023].

Maria Engström has described how Russian conservative intellectuals, such as Dugin and Zakhar Prilepin, see the war in Ukraine as a necessary "cleansing" and a return to the national code [Engström, 3.5.2022]. This militarized spirituality connects to Petter Lindberg's analysis of "holy bombs": Patriarch Kirill has harnessed the Orthodox Church to justify the war as a battle against the Western "Antichrist" [Lindberg, 31.3.2022]. The "atomic Orthodoxy" launched by Egor Kholmogorov combines nuclear weapons and faith as Russia's enduring shields [Lindberg, 31.3.2022; Engström, 2014].

The Katechon – Back to the Bible!

When Dugin and Malofeyev build an image of Russia as the "last fortress" and the civilizational restrainer, they rely on terminology rooted in Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians. Paul writes: “And now you know what is restraining (to katekhon), that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness (mysterion tes anomias) is already at work; only He who now restrains (ho katekhon) will do so until He is taken out of the way.” (2 Thess. 2:6–7). In Dugin's hands, this theological mystery becomes a justification for "atomic Orthodoxy," but exegetical examination shows that such politicization ignores the complexity of the original text.

The greatest rift between Dugin and biblical scholarship arises from the "radical hypothesis" presented by Michael R. Stead and Donald Robinson. While traditional and Duginist interpretations see the katechon as a "good" restrainer, Stead and Robinson offer an opposite interpretation of the Greek verb katechein [Stead, 2008][Robinson, 1964]. According to them, ho katekhon might not be a protector at all, but rather a satanic "occupier" or "oppressor" who currently holds the world and prevents the full liberation of the church. Stead argues that the term refers to Satan himself, occupying God's world and delaying the messianic fulfillment. In light of this analysis, Dugin’s demand for Russia to act as a "brake" on history is turned on its head: what he calls civilizational protection might actually be part of the mystery of lawlessness holding humanity in its grip [Stead, 2008; Krodel, 1990].

Another central challenge to Dugin’s state messianism comes from the theories of Roger David Aus. Aus suggests that the background of 2 Thess. 2:6-7 lies in the Hebrew verb 'asar, which means not only to restrain but also to "close the womb" [Aus, 1977]. In this view, the restrainer is God Himself, who delays the return of His Son solely out of patience, so that the Great Commission and the plan of evangelization may be fulfilled (cf. 2 Pet. 3:9). According to Aus, the issue is not political institutions, but the salvation-historical schedule set by God (en to heautou kairo). This places "atomic Orthodoxy" and military cleansing in a strange light: they appear as a form of haste that fails to recognize God's sovereignty over the course of history [Aus, 1977; Cullmann, 1936; Strobel, 1961].

The question of the "man of lawlessness" (ho anthropos tes anomias) also requires a return to the text. Fritz W. Röcker connects the concept strongly to the Jewish Belial tradition and reminds us that many scholars, such as Wilhelm Bousset, saw in him historical echoes of, for example, Emperor Caligula's attempt to erect his statue in the Jerusalem temple [Röcker, 2009; Bousset, 1895]. Most importantly, one must note where the lawless one positions himself. Karol Piotr Kulpa [2022], following Tyconius, reminds us that evil is not merely an external, geographical, or political enemy (like "the West"), but is present within the church, in its "duality." The man of lawlessness seeks to take God's place specifically in the temple [Stefanovic, 2023]. This makes any political power claiming to be "holy" biblically suspicious: power sitting in the temple is often precisely that which has distorted the Gospel for its own glory [Luther, 1523].

Exegetical analysis also indicates that the restrainer "being taken out of the way" (ek mesou genetai) may refer to a voluntary withdrawal or an exit from the stage [Griffiths, 2004; Rigaux, 1956]. Johannes Munck argued decades ago that Paul himself or his work of evangelization was the factor restraining the Antichrist [Munck, 1954; Röcker, 2009]. If the restrainer is a spiritual mission or the Word of God, then the salvation of civilization is not found in national borders or nuclear weapons, but in faith and the proclamation of the word.

Ultimately, the words of 2 Thessalonians serve as a warning against the sacralization of power. Janusz Kucicki [1967] compares Paul's eschatology to Qumran texts, where the power of evil is strictly limited according to the schedule set by God. Man cannot arbitrarily accelerate or decelerate this process through political means. Dugin’s appropriation of the katechon concept is thus a civilizational distortion: it attempts to turn Paul's warning into a ruler's mandate, even though the original text refers to a deeper, divine mystery beyond human control [Byrd, 8.12.2023; Munck, 1954].

The Lutheran Christological Counterpoint

Martin Luther’s eschatology offers a classic and deeply Christological focal point that both Alexandr Dugin’s political messianism and Giorgio Agamben’s juridical-theological analysis largely overlook. For Luther, the Antichrist is not primarily an external, geographical, or civilizational force—such as Dugin’s "Satanic West"—but the "Man of Sin" who takes his seat specifically in God's temple, the Christian congregation (2 Thess. 2:3–4) [Luther, 1523; Melanchton, 1537]. In Luther's eschatology, the course of history is a constant battle between the Word of God and Satan, and the Antichrist’s greatest deception is to confuse the two kingdoms by turning spiritual power into earthly mastery and demanding obedience to human authority as a condition for salvation [Luther, 1523; Pieper, 559–560].

Where Dugin seeks to re-sacralize state power and yearns for a "Holy Empire," Luther emphasizes the doctrine of the two kingdoms. Secular authority, when successful, is "God's bailiff" (Gottes Vogt), a pragmatic order-maintaining power whose task is to "restrain injustice" and the rage of evil, preventing the world from plunging into premature chaos [Luther, 1525]. Although Luther does not specifically use the term katechon in this context, his description of the task of the authorities corresponds in substance to the idea of a force restraining lawlessness. However, this is not a saving force or a metaphysical summit, but a necessary institution for the containment of evil in this age. Luther warns that the sacralization of power into an Antichristian monarchy is precisely that "mystery of lawlessness" where man exalts himself to the level of God [Luther, 1525; Melanchton, 1537].

The analysis of the Antichrist by Luther and Philipp Melanchton connects directly to 2 Thessalonians: the Antichrist rules within the church, abolishes God's law, and replaces it with his own regulations [Melanchton, 1537]. The mark of the Antichrist is the use of Christ's name and office while simultaneously denying the true work of Christ [Luther, 1532]. In Dugin's model, where missiles and shells crush the "kingdom of the Antichrist," the basic Lutheran theological idea is ignored: the Antichrist's kingdom is not crushed by physical weapons but is destroyed by the "breath of the Lord's mouth"—the proclaimed Gospel—which reveals the mystery of lawlessness and strips away its mask of holiness [Luther, 1537, ”Donatio Constantini”].

Lutheran eschatology emphasizes the certainty of the individual conscience in relation to Christ, whereas Dugin’s eschatology is collective and civilizational. For Luther, the end times are not just a distant future; they began in the time of the apostles, and at their core is the question of which doctrine prevails in the world [Luther, 1532]. The Christian should not fear the crumbling of the world or the power of the Antichrist, for faith is the only force capable of distinguishing the true light from the illusions of the devil [Luther, 1530-1532]. When Dugin and Agamben see the pandemic or technological control as eschatological signs, Luther would remind us that the greatest distress and deception occur within the congregation when the pure Gospel is darkened [Luther, ”Hengellinen virvoittaja”, 407].

Ultimately, Luther’s response to the experience of the "burning house" is to flee to the safety of God's Word. In the twilight of civilization, salvation is found neither in an earthly empire nor in an authoritarian tradition, but in the certainty of faith amidst the world’s collapse. Luther's eschatology demands trust in a victory that is utter foolishness to the visible world and its geopolitical power struggles [Pieper, 590; Stang, 2020].

The End of Civilization or God’s Patience?

The current crisis of the geopolitical and theological world crystallizes in a struggle over time. Krzysztof Karczewski and Dugin outline a vision of "Russian accelerationism," where passive restraint is replaced by an active counter-offensive against the "Eschatology of Baal"—a technological project aimed at transcending or destroying humanity [Karczewski, 4.3.2020][Дугин, 4.3.2026]. However, Dustin J. Byrd warns that politicizing the katechon concept provides a mandate for dictatorship and sacralizes wars of aggression [Byrd, 8.12.2023].

In the twilight of civilization, the question of the katechon returns to the source of power. Is it the Empire, the law, or God's grace? Agamben's analysis of the state of exception and biopower serves as an intellectual-historical warning, while Luther calls for trust in a victory that is madness to the world. Ultimately, the theological perspective remains a quiet warning: what we consider a protector may be an oppressor, and what we consider a delay is actually God's merciful time [Munck, 1954; Stead, 2008].

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Juha Molari, BBA, Ph.D.

March 2, 2026 in Helsinki

Finland’s Collapse: How the World Changes in the Wake of the U.S. and Israeli Attack on Iran

 

The old structures of world history are crumbling, and a new, more violent reality is taking shape. The direct military attack by the United States and Israel against Iran has torn apart the remaining shreds of international law and diplomacy. Martti Koskenniemi, an academic of international law and Professor Emeritus—widely regarded as one of the world's leading legal scholars—states unequivocally that the attack is illegal, as it fails to meet the criteria for self-defense or authorization by the UN Security Council [Pekonen, March 3, 2026]. This legal vacuum is not merely a formality; it signifies a transition into an era that Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director of the Valdai Club and a respected foreign policy expert, calls "Russian roulette" in international relations [Lukyanov, ”Iran war”, March 2, 2026]. Lukyanov emphasizes that the intentional assassination of a head of state is a new, dangerous paradigm that removes the constraints from great power politics [Lukyanov, ”Iran war”, March 2, 2026]. Geopolitical instability has become a permanent state; in this moral and aesthetic collapse, the nakedness of power eclipses humanity.

When the United States and Israel launched their missiles at Tehran, they did not just strike military targets; they sought direct regime change by eliminating the supreme leadership. Scott Ritter, a former U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer and UN weapons inspector, assesses the situation in his "Day Three" report, stating that the war was lost with the very first missiles that killed Ayatollah Khamenei [Ritter, ”Epstein”, March 2, 2026]. According to Ritter, the attack did not cause the Iranian people to rise against their government; on the contrary, it united the nation around a central martyrdom [Ritter, ”Epstein”, March 2, 2026]. Similarly, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council and former President, warns that the murder of Khamenei was a grave mistake that turned a religious leader into a martyr and placed all Americans in danger [RT, ”Medvedev”, March 2, 2026]. Medvedev views the situation as a step toward World War III, as Iran will now triple its efforts to develop a nuclear weapon [RT, ”Medvedev”, March 2, 2026]. Russia’s official stance, as seen in Foreign Ministry statements, condemns the strikes as unprovoked aggression and political assassination [RT, ”Russia reacted”, March 3, 2026].

From a military perspective, the attack has exposed the vulnerability of Western technology. Douglas Macgregor, a retired Colonel and former advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, points out that Israel’s Iron Dome defense system does not function as expected against Iran's advanced missiles [Diesen & Macgregor, March 3, 2026]. According to Macgregor, Iran’s ability to use decoys and hypersonic speeds has surprised the West, rendering American military hegemony a mere memory [Diesen & Macgregor, March 3, 2026]. At the same time, the significance of the U.S. high-alert status is analyzed by George Will, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and PhD in political science, who reminds us that the situation is more critical than most realize [Will, March 1, 2026]. Will emphasizes that the war is not limited to the desert; it is spreading into cyberspace and threatening civilian infrastructure worldwide [Will, March 1, 2026].

The economic consequences are already staggering. Alex Krainer, an experienced market analyst and former hedge fund manager, predicts oil prices will rise into triple digits if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed [Diesen & Krainer, March 2, 2026]. Krainer warns of a potential rise in oil prices to $200–300 per barrel if the blockage persists [Diesen & Krainer, March 2, 2026].

For a country like Finland, where distances are long and logistics costs are high, $200–300 per barrel would mean an immediate blow to all aspects of life. If the price of oil triples from current levels, fuel prices at the pump in Finland would rise to levels never seen before—roughly estimated at 4–5 euros per liter. This is not just a problem for motorists; it would immediately transfer to food prices and industrial production costs. As Douglas Macgregor points out, every ten-dollar increase in the price of crude oil acts as a massive "war tax," shifting wealth from consumers and industry to energy producers [Diesen & Macgregor, March 3, 2026]. For the Finnish national economy, already struggling with weakening purchasing power and the worst unemployment in Europe, this would mean a complete halt in domestic demand and an acceleration of inflation into double digits.

Finnish industry, particularly the forest, metal, and chemical sectors, is highly energy-intensive. Jiang Xueqin, a Yale-educated historian and game theorist, suggests that a restructuring of the global economy is underway, in which Western technological power is crumbling [Breaking Points, ”Professor Jiang”, March 2, 2026]. When global supply chains freeze in the manner described by George Will, Finland’s export industry loses not only its raw materials but also its markets [Will, March 1, 2026].

Particularly dangerous is the "hockey stick" phenomenon in commodity markets mentioned by Krainer: when prices begin a vertical ascent, it becomes impossible for companies to forecast costs, leading to an immediate halt in investment. Finnish industrial companies, already burdened by debt and high interest rates, would face unprecedented pressure, leading to widespread bankruptcies and an explosive growth in unemployment, following the current record levels.

According to Krainer, Europe is particularly vulnerable to this blow; a spiral of hyperinflation and economic collapse reminiscent of the Weimar Republic may lie ahead [Diesen & Krainer, March 2, 2026]. Jiang Xueqin takes the analysis even further, suggesting that Iran’s strategy to strike energy infrastructure and desalination plants is designed to destroy the dominance of the U.S. dollar and burst the economic bubble built on AI investments [Breaking Points, ”Professor Jiang”, March 2, 2026]. Jiang sees the war resulting in the collapse of the petrodollar, which will irrevocably change the world order into a multipolar one [Breaking Points, ”Professor Jiang”, March 2, 2026].

Finland’s public finances are already in poor condition, and the accumulation of debt has continued at an alarming rate. Alex Krainer highlights the potential collapse of the European bond market as investors begin to "dump" European securities [Diesen & Krainer, March 2, 2026]. For the Finnish state, this means a dramatic rise in interest costs.

If markets begin to perceive Finland as part of the "unstable and belligerent West," as investigative journalist Ben Norton implies, risk premiums will rise even further [Norton, ”Global war”, March 2, 2026]. Mathematically, even a 1–2 percentage point increase in the average interest rate on national debt would mean an additional bill of billions of euros annually, forcing drastic cuts to the basic services of the welfare state just when the people need them most. Jeffrey Sachs, a renowned economist and professor, reminds us that the U.S.-led pursuit of hegemony has created budget deficits that no economy can sustain for long—Finland, as a small open economy, is the weakest link in this chain and the first to break [Breaking Points, ”Sachs”, March 2, 2026].

Economics is not just about numbers; it is also about expectations and psychology. When Emilia Kullas, Director of the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA), states that trust in Donald Trump and global stability is cracking, it signifies the disappearance of a sense of economic security [Kullas, March 3, 2026]. When economic survival turns into a brutal struggle, the moral and aesthetic fabric of society tears.

The Finnish national economy is now facing a "multidisciplinary" crisis, where military strategy (the closure of the Strait of Hormuz), economics (energy inflation), and psychology (despair) are intertwined. If Krainer’s predicted scenario comes true, Finland faces not just a recession, but a structural collapse where old recipes for success—free trade and stable European integration—no longer work. The concern is more than justified; it is an existential necessity for a nation that has built its prosperity on sandbanks now battered by the waves of global war.

The role of propaganda and information warfare is central to this crisis. Juha-Matti Mustonen, a community educator and chair of the Left Alliance in North Ostrobothnia, offers a critical observation that the attack on Iran is an attempt to divert attention away from the Epstein lists and the genocide carried out by Israel [Mustonen, ”Iraniin hyökkääminen”, Feb 28, 2026]. Mustonen reminds us of the horrific human cost of the attack, such as the strike on a girls' school that killed dozens of children [Mustonen, ”Iraniin hyökkääminen”, Feb 28, 2026]. Investigative journalist and Editor-in-Chief of the Geopolitical Economy Report, Ben Norton, confirms the same information, stating that even the Pentagon has admitted the war is based on lies about imminent threats [Norton, ”Global war”, March 2, 2026]. Norton harshly criticizes the support of the European Union and Canada for this "illegal war of aggression," seeing in it the true face of Western imperialism [Norton, ”Global war”, March 2, 2026].

U.S. domestic political chaos is directly reflected in the war effort. Ben Meiselas, a human rights lawyer and founder of the MeidasTouch network, reports that Trump has lost control of the war while Americans are being evacuated from the Middle East in haste [Meiselas & MeidasTouch, March 3, 2026]. Meiselas describes the situation as a total catastrophe where diplomatic channels have been demolished and civilians left to their own devices [Meiselas & MeidasTouch, March 3, 2026]. Emilia Kullas, Director of EVA, notes that Trump’s unpredictability has turned even Finnish public opinion negative toward the United States [Kullas, March 3, 2026]. Kullas assesses that instead of a quick victory, Trump may have ignited a Middle Eastern powder keg with entirely unpredictable consequences [Kullas, March 3, 2026].

The war also has a deep ideological and even eschatological dimension. Aleksandr Dugin, a Russian philosopher and geopolitical theorist, remarks that "the devil says he is a good guy" and warns that red lines have now been erased [Дугин, ”The devil says”, March 3, 2026]. Dugin sees the war as part of a broader spiritual struggle and points out that Russian unity amidst the war stands in contrast to the moral collapse of the West [Дугин, ”Patria”, March 2, 2026]. Meanwhile, professor and world-renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs calls Trump and Netanyahu psychopaths who are executing a decades-old plan for regional hegemony regardless of the death toll [Breaking Points, ”Sachs”, March 2, 2026]. According to Sachs, the United States has become complicit in genocidal policies that destroy the state's credibility [Breaking Points, ”Sachs”, March 2, 2026].

Israel’s strategic position has become terrifying. Haim Bresheeth-Zabner, a professor of film studies and IDF historian, warns of the "Samson Option," where a cornered Israel could resort to nuclear weapons, causing an apocalypse-like disaster [Halper, Marandi & Bresheeth-Zabner, March 3, 2026]. Simultaneously, reports from The Young Turks suggest that Israel may be carrying out "false flag" operations to draw Arab nations deeper into the war [The Young Turks, ”Tucker”, March 3, 2026]. Such actions reveal the "ugliness": the lust for power turns into self-destructive madness.

The reactions of Russia and China will determine the final outcome of the war. The Times of India reports that Putin has made emergency calls to Arab leaders, emphasizing the need for an immediate halt to escalation [Times of India, ”Putin´s Big Move”, March 2, 2026]. China expert Ladislav Zemánek assesses that the strikes test China’s energy security and global objectives [Zemánek, March 2, 2026]. According to Zemánek, the war may paradoxically strengthen China’s position as a moderate superpower, while the U.S. exhausts its resources and reputation [Zemánek, March 2, 2026]. Meanwhile, a heated exchange between Senator Elissa Slotkin and Pete Hegseth reveals the extent to which the U.S. military is being prepared for use even against its own citizens at home [Rage Rewind, March 2, 2026].

Is there cause for concern? The answer is painfully clear: the world is not just changing, it is falling apart—and Finland is collapsing. Strategic failure combined with moral decay creates a situation where no one is safe. Trust in international agreements is gone, replaced by raw force and fear. When beauty and truth die in politics, only the ugliness remains, which eventually destroys everything.

We are witnessing the final days of an empire, where every action is merely a desperate attempt to maintain the illusion of control. If the war expands into a nuclear conflict or a total global economic collapse, there is no returning to the past. The survival of humanity now depends on whether forces can be found somewhere that are capable of stopping this cycle before the final blow. But the desire to negotiate is a mere smokescreen on both sides—one party is even murdered in the middle of negotiations. The massacre has begun; its shadow falls on everyone’s doorstep, even if the missiles fall thousands of kilometers away. The world has become a darker place, and concern is the only rational reaction to this new reality.

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[Mustonen, ”Iraniin hyökkääminen”, 28.2.2026] Mustonen, Juha-Matti (28.2.2026). ”Iraniin hyökkääminen” [Attacking Iran]. https://www.threads.com/@juhamattijuicemustonen/post/DVT_cefjStX?xmt=AQF08XqgnY4VXRXcyR64ogIAsf9flX9fFYrJw_8J3dWb6_AMTOL7-2c-YrMfRUdDDQlfO-aR&slof=1

[Meiselas & MeidasTouch 3.3.2026] Meiselas, Ben & MeidasTouch (3.3.2026). Trump LOSES CONTROL of WAR as EVACUATIONS CALLED!!! YouTube.

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[Times of India, ”Putin´s Big Move”, 2.3.2026] Times of India (2.3.2026). Putin's Big Move Amid Iran War, Makes 'EMERGENCY CALL' To Top Arab Leader; 'ATTACKS MUST...' YouTube.

[Rage Rewind, 2.3.2026] Rage Rewind (2.3.2026). WAR CRIME? Slotkin Grills Hegseth as U.S. Troops Deployed Amid Iran–Israel Tensions. YouTube.

[Kullas, 3.3.2026] Kullas, Emilia (3.3.2026). Rauhanpalkinto saa odottaa, nyt soditaan. Luottamus Donald Trumpiin rakoilee [The Nobel Peace Prize can wait; now there is war. Trust in Donald Trump is cracking]. Iltalehti. https://www.iltalehti.fi/politiikka/a/473ab12a-7300-4ea8-9ec9-80b906d2ca6b

[Zemánek, 2.3.2026] Zemánek, Ladislav (2.3.2026). What China stands to lose – and gain – from the Iran war. RT. https://www.rt.com/news/633533-iran-china-lose-gain/

[RT, ”Medvedev”, 2.3.2026] RT, (2.3.2026). Trump regime change wars could start WWIII – Medvedev. Any conflict could be the trigger, the former Russian president has warned. https://www.rt.com/russia/633550-trump-regime-change-wars-wwiii/

[Lukyanov, ”Iran war”, 2.3.2026] Lukyanov, Fyodor (2.3.2026). Iran war is a watershed moment. Here’s why. International relations enter the era of Russian roulette. RT. https://www.rt.com/news/633545-what-war-on-iran-changes/

[RT, ”Russia reacted”, 3.3.2026] RT, (3.3.2026). How has Russia reacted to the US-Israeli attack on Iran? RT breaks down Moscow’s response to the new war in the Middle East. https://www.rt.com/russia/633557-russia-respond-us-israel-iran/

[Breaking Points, ”Professor Jiang”, 2.3.2026] Breaking Points, (2.3.2026). Professor Jiang Predicts: US WILL LOSE Iran War. YouTube.

[The Young Turks, ”Tucker”, 3.3.2026] The Young Turks (3.3.2026). Tucker: Mossad BUSTED For False Flag Operations. YouTube.

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[Дугин, ”Patria”, 2.3.2026] Дугин, Александр (2.3.2026). Il Giorno della Difesa della Patria [Defender of the Fatherland Day]. Geopolitika. https://www.geopolitika.ru/it/article/il-giorno-della-difesa-della-patria

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 _ _ _ 

Juha Molari, BBA, Ph.D.

March 2, 2026 in Helsinki

The Use of the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah in the Bombings of Iran by Trump and Netanyahu

 

The Son casts the rebels out of Heaven. 1866 Illustration by Gustave Doré for John Milton's Paradise Lost.

Theological exegesis and hermeneutical analysis meet in a strained manner when ancient texts are applied to justify modern military policy and outright murders, as observed in Gordon Robertson's interpretations surrounding the events of 2026. In the search for Old Testament prophecies to justify assassinations, it should not be forgotten that the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Cor. 6:9-11 that the Corinthians—as well as those in Washington—should know that exploiters and the greedy will not inherit the kingdom of God. The prophecy of Revelation 21:8 strikes particularly close: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Why are these forgotten following the filthy scandal of Epstein and the murders commissioned by state leadership, yet the prophecies of Jeremiah are sought out as a speech of defense?

Chapters 46–51 of the Book of Jeremiah form a extensive collection of oracles, known as the "nations speeches" (oracles against foreign nations). This entity is an essential part of the prophet's calling as a "prophet to the nations" (גּוֹיִם נָבִיא, nābîʾ gôyîm), as Georg Fischer, professor emeritus at the University of Innsbruck and a renowned Jeremiah scholar, emphasizes [Fischer, 2025]. Fischer posits that the oracles against the nations are not a detached appendix to the book, but are integrated into Jeremiah's theological structure to demonstrate the universal power of Yahweh (יהוה, JHWH) [Fischer, 2025]. The fate of the nations is intertwined with the fate of Judah, and both are assessed by the same criteria of divine justice. Swiss Reformed theologian Beat Huwyler, who specializes in the structural analysis of Jeremiah's oracles against the nations, states that the purpose of these speeches was to undermine Judah's efforts to ally with foreign powers against Babylonia [Huwyler, 2020]. According to Huwyler, the texts demonstrate the fragility of all surrounding nations in the face of God's plan [Huwyler, 2020].

Within the collection of oracles against the nations, the prophecy directed against Elam (Jer. 49:34–39) is exegetically exceptional. In the Masoretic text of the book, it is dated to the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah, around 597/596 BCE [Eichler, 2022]. Raanan Eichler, Associate Professor at Bar-Ilan University, points out that the Elam prophecy is remarkably vague compared to other oracles against nations, suggesting that the author did not know this distant land precisely [Eichler, 2022]. The "bow of Elam" (קֶשֶׁת עֵילָם, qešet ʿêlām) mentioned in the text is a metonym referring to the Elamites' known skill as archers [Eichler, 2022]. God declares that He will break this might and scatter the people to the four winds (אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת, ʾarbaʿ rûḥôt). This description suggests a total military and political collapse. Historically and textually, the Elam oracle is intriguing because it is situated first in its collection in the Septuagint (JerG 25:14–20), whereas in the Masoretic text, it is placed toward the end, before Babylon [Bartelmus, 2025]. Alexa Bartelmus, a researcher at LMU Munich, suggests that the concept of Elam is layered and can refer to different historical phases [Bartelmus, 2025].

Huwyler analyzes the Elam text, emphasizing that it differs from other Jeremian oracles against nations in its prose form and linguistic style [Huwyler, 2020]. He considers that the text reflects theology from the time of the exile or thereafter, in which Yahweh is seen as the lord of the entire world [Huwyler, 2020]. The idea of setting up God’s throne (כִּסְאִי, kissĕʾî) in Elam in verse 38 is biblically unique [Eichler, 2022]. Eichler argues that this passage is an intentionally ambiguous oracle [Eichler, 2022]. On one hand, it can be seen as a conqueror's gesture, where the throne is established momentarily as a sign of victory [Eichler, 2022]. On the other hand, it can refer to a long-term historical shift where God's sovereign power moves to a new center [Eichler, 2022]. According to Eichler, Elam acts here as a code for Persia and the rise of Cyrus, which marked the end of Babylonian power [Eichler, 2022]. This interpretation receives support from Gad Barnea, a researcher at the University of Haifa, who examines the oracles in the context of the Achaemenid Empire [Barnea, 2025]. Barnea posits that many oracle texts against nations have been updated or recontextualized to reflect later historical experiences [Barnea, 2025].

The theology of the Book of Jeremiah is not mere judgment, but includes a tension between anger and compassion. H. G. L. (Eric) Peels, professor emeritus at the Theological University Apeldoorn, describes this theological profile as multifaceted [Peels, 2025]. Although the oracles against the nations are filled with violent imagery, God is also presented with tears in His eyes, as seen in the case of Moab [Peels, 2025]. The latter part of the Elam prophecy (v. 39) promises the restoration of fortunes (שׁוּב שְׁבוּת, šûb šĕbût), which provides hope for the nation's future [Bartelmus, 2025]. This pattern—judgment followed by restoration—is repeated in several of Jeremiah's prophecies. Peels reminds us that God's sovereignty also means that He can build and plant after He has torn down and scattered [Peels, 2025]. The military imagery of the text is thus not self-serving violence, but a theological tool to demonstrate the vanity of human pride [Peels, 2025].

The application presented by Robertson and other current interpreters is in sharp contrast with critical exegesis. Gordon Robertson, president of the Christian Broadcasting Network, has applied Jeremiah 49:35–39 directly to modern-day Iran [Robertson, 2026]. Robertson uncritically identifies ancient Elam as modern Iran and claims that the destruction portion of the verses is currently being fulfilled through military strikes [Robertson, 2026]. He emphasizes the "latter days" (בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, bĕʾaḥărît hayyāmîm) as an eschatological sign of the present moment [Robertson, 2026].

From an academic perspective, an interpretation like Robertson's represents a hermeneutical short circuit. Gilbert Gerald Harrop, a scholar and pastor who earned his doctorate from the University of Chicago, already addressed the relationship of prophets to tradition and dissent in his 1950 dissertation [Harrop, 1950]. Harrop argued that the prophets were not merely transmitters of tradition, but often acted as critics of power [Harrop, 1950]. Jeremiah specifically is known as a "prophet of individuality" who opposed the military-political aspirations of his own time [Harrop, 1950]. Harrop's life work at Forest Baptist Church reflected the principles of the Social Gospel and opposed autocratic preachers [Gordon, 2022]. It is ironic that Jeremiah, who warned Judah against trusting in military displays of power, is now used to justify war in the year 2026. Robertson's interpretation ignores that in ancient Near Eastern thought, the "latter days" often refer to a historical turning point, not necessarily the end of the world [Eichler, 2022]. Eichler points out that the text likely refers to the rise of Persia after Babylonian tyranny [Eichler, 2022]. It is not a pre-authorization for bombings carried out by nuclear powers. Trumpian eschatology turns a theological text into a military-strategic manual.

Jeremiah's Elam oracle is primarily aimed at the people of its own time to remind them of God's omnipotence. When Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu or their supporters justify the bombing of Iran and the assassination of leaders with biblical judgment, they are guilty of instrumental hermeneutics. Huwyler emphasizes that changes in biblical texts must serve a discernible and unifying purpose within the text itself [Huwyler, 2020]. In Jeremiah, this purpose is often the nation's humility and return to ethical values, not the destruction of a foreign nation for the benefit of another [Peels, 2025]. Peels notes that there is no gloating (Schadenfreude) in the "nations speeches" of the Book of Jeremiah; rather, they are often deeply tragic [Peels, 2025]. Turning the text into an eschatological justification for bombings loses Jeremiah's original message of repentance and ethical responsibility. According to Fischer, the purpose of the oracles against nations in the Book of Jeremiah is to remove Israel's false sense of security and direct their gaze solely toward God [Fischer, 2025]. In Robertson's interpretation, the text instead transfers the sense of security to American and Israeli military might.

Theological analysis reveals that Jer. 49:35–39 is historically anchored in the power politics of the ancient Near East. Elam was already a weakened power at that time, which soon fell under the rising Persia [Bartelmus, 2025]. Bartelmus states that later redactions might have used the name "Elam" to refer to the Persian Empire, which enabled Judah's return [Bartelmus, 2025]. In this light, the text is a sign of hope for liberation rather than a call to destroy neighboring nations. When modern "prophetic" interpreters seek support for bombings from the text, they forget that the primary target of the prophets was Judah's own sinfulness [Harrop, 1950]. According to Harrop, Jeremiah's "dissent" was directed precisely at how religion was used to bolster state power [Harrop, 1950]. In the geopolitical situation of 2026, this critical voice of Jeremiah has been silenced under the weight of militarism. The mindset represented by Robertson's video is dangerous because it connects divine wrath to state violence without the moral self-examination required by the text.

Exegetical research shows that the "establishment of the throne in Elam" refers to a change in administrative power, not necessarily to genocide [Eichler, 2022]. Eichler emphasizes that God takes power away from human kings and princes (מֶלֶךְ וְשָׂרִים, melek wĕśārîm) [Eichler, 2022]. This is a warning to all those in power, including those today. The actions of Trump and Netanyahu, which were deceptive in the midst of negotiations, militate against the truth and justice called for by Jeremiah. The use of the text for the purposes of Trump and Netanyahu is a flagrant example of political religion that has abandoned the achievements of critical theology. The ethical dimension emphasized by Harrop is completely ignored here [Harrop, 1950]. If Jeremiah were alive in 2026, he would likely proclaim judgment precisely on those who use his words to justify deception and the blood of the innocent. The theology of the oracles against nations has never been a "chosen people's" blank check for violence [Peels, 2025]. On the contrary, it is a demonstration that no one is immune to God's moral assessment [Peels, 2025].

According to Huwyler, biblical changes in the text serve the theological whole [Huwyler, 2020]. In the case of the Book of Jeremiah, this whole is the salvation of the nation through ethical renewal. Robertson's attempt to find a modern equivalent for Elam in Iran is historically inaccurate, as ancient Elam had nothing to do with the borders or ideology of the modern state of Iran. It is an anachronistic application that Bartelmus considers scientifically untenable [Bartelmus, 2025]. Theologically, it is questionable to call bombings "the work of the Lord" when the prophet himself suffered from the violence of his own people. Fischer states that Jeremiah's gaze is always broader than mere national interest [Fischer, 2025]. It is a universal gaze that demands justice for all nations [Fischer, 2025]. Supporters of Trump's policy narrow this gaze to mere lust for power. Jeremiah's text does not support such narrow nationalism.

Ultimately, chapter 49 of the Book of Jeremiah is a reminder that God is the Lord who judges pride. Eichler demonstrates how the text plays with words and meanings to show the grand lines of history [Eichler, 2022]. These lines are not drawn by warlords; they are part of a larger moral order. Harrop reminded us that a modern religious leader should follow the prophets in dissent and in speaking the truth, not in following power [Harrop, 1950]. The events of 2026 show that this lesson remains unlearned. Reading the Bible without academic and ethical self-criticism leads to disastrous results. Theological analysis returns the text to its original task: to challenge us to ask where justice truly resides. It does not reside in the wings of bombers, but in humility and truth. Jeremiah's lament on behalf of Elam and others is still an urgent cry against violence. We must not allow this cry to be buried under the drumming of war. Exegesis is the tool that prevents the hijacking of the text for wrong purposes.

- - -

 

[Bartelmus, 2025] Bartelmus, Alexa (2025). Late Neo-Elamite Kingdoms, the Rise of Cyrus the Great, the Fall of Babylon and the End of the Babylonian Captivity: Varying Notions of “Elam” in JerMT 49:34–39 // JerG 25:14–20 and JerMT 25:15–26 // JerG 32:1–12. Teoksessa: Davis, J. & Hensel, B. (toim.) A Prophet to the Nations. Archaeological and Historical Perspectives on Jeremiah 46–51. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. Göttingen.

[Barnea, 2025] Barnea, Gad (2025). “Why was your bull washed away?” (Jer. 46:15): The Achaemenid Context of the Oracles against Egypt. Teoksessa: Davis, J. & Hensel, B. (toim.) A Prophet to the Nations. Archaeological and Historical Perspectives on Jeremiah 46–51. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. Göttingen.

[Davis & Hensel, 2025] Davis, Jordan & Hensel, Benedikt (2025). A Prophet to the Nations. Archaeological and Historical Perspectives on Jeremiah 46–51. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. Göttingen.

[Eichler, 2022] Eichler, Raanan (2022). An Ambiguous Oracle in the Prophecy against Elam (Jeremiah 49:34–39). Vetus Testamentum 2, vol.72: 183–190.

[Fischer, 2025] Fischer, Georg (2025). The Function and Purpose of the Oracles against Foreign Nations in Jeremiah. Teoksessa: Davis, J. & Hensel, B. (toim.) A Prophet to the Nations. Archaeological and Historical Perspectives on Jeremiah 46–51. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. Göttingen.

[Gordon, 2022] Gordon, Reece (2022). The History of Forest Baptist Church 1871-2021.

[Harrop, 1950] Harrop, Gilbert Gerald (1950). Tradition and Dissent in the Eight Century Prophets and Jeremiah. Väitöskirja. The University of Chicago, Illinois.

[Huwyler, 2020] Huwyler, Beat (2020). Jeremia und die Völker: Untersuchungen zu den Völkersprüchen in Jeremia 46-49. Forschungen zum Alten Testament, 20. Tübingen.

[Peels, 2025] Peels, H.G.L. (Eric) (2025). Judgement and Hope, Anger and Compassion: The Theological Profile of the Oracles against the Nations in the Book of Jeremiah. Teoksessa: Davis, J. & Hensel, B. (toim.) A Prophet to the Nations. Archaeological and Historical Perspectives on Jeremiah 46–51. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. Göttingen.

[Robertson, ”Jeremiah 49”, 4.2.2026] Robertson, Gordon (4.2.2026). The Prophecy About Iran From The Bible. YouTube-video: https://youtu.be/674iX36_aAI. Christian Broadcasting Network.

 _ _ _ 

Juha Molari, BBA, Ph.D.

March 2, 2026 in Helsinki

Donald Trump and Venezuela: The Desperate Attempt of a 79-Year-Old Sadistically Greedy Man to Write Himself into History

 

On January 3, 2026, acting out of sadistic greed, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, ordered his military forces to strike Venezuela, capture the nation’s president and his wife, and seize control of the country’s oil, natural resources, and drug trade. Does Trump not act like a narcissist who suffers his past defeats as agonizing traumas, after which he seeks revanchist satisfaction in his sadistic greed—in a way that humiliates the opponent—to conquer whatever he desires? Trump’s mental state, a darkness marked by sadistic greed and revanchism, once again reached its manifestation in Venezuela through military actions that Trump himself calls the "Donroe Doctrine." The U.S. strike on Venezuela was truly a "path of lawlessness" that the rest of the world has been forced to watch helplessly from the sidelines [Mattila, Jan 3, 2026]. In Trump’s actions, there shone what psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan would call jouissance—a painful pleasure that demands the constant breaking of the other’s subjectivity.

Trump’s actions were not merely geopolitics; they were the desperate attempt of a 79-year-old man to write himself into history by any means necessary, a kind of culmination of "old man syndrome." Trump’s sadistic greed was not just directed at resources; it was a desire to see the opponent completely humiliated. The Russian military media was correct in analyzing that this was a war that could be foreseen in advance [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026]. The Russian Federation Armed Forces’ television and radio company "ZVEZDA" published Igor Pshenichnikov’s analysis of how Trump revived the Monroe Doctrine, but now bearing Trump’s own name and purpose [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026]. In Trump’s doctrine, one can see the "cold and cruel dominance" described by Jeff Sinn, which conservative authoritarianism often craves. Trump’s true interest was oil, and he tore away his anti-drug cartel facade just before the strike [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026]. Trump directly claimed that Venezuelan oil belonged to America and that it had been stolen from them during the era of Hugo Chavez [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026].

Moscow professor Andrei Manoilo assessed even before the strike that Trump is driven by pure business interests and a desire to replace drug cartels with operators loyal to himself [Baeva, Dec 9, 2025]. For Trump, toppling the Venezuelan administration was a "commercial project" where the Marines served as his personal tool [Baeva, Dec 9, 2025]. Trump’s sadism was a clinical example of the sadistic perversion described by De Masi, where another human or state is reduced to a mere object. Thus, after the strike, Trump enjoyed his power and took photos with the captured Maduro, as the newspaper Pravda aptly noted [Stepushova, Jan 4, 2026]. Stepushova rightfully asked whether Maduro’s imprisonment was a fatal mistake for the United States or the beginning of a new era of colonialism [Stepushova, Jan 4, 2026]. The Americans seemed to enjoy their mastery, even though no one in Venezuela celebrated liberation from tyranny in the streets [Stepushova, Jan 4, 2026].

Trump’s sadism took visual form in the humiliating images he spread on social media. Olga Korol analyzed on Russia’s Tsargrad TV how the victors published photos of Maduro in a Nike tracksuit and handcuffs just to humiliate him further [Korol, Jan 4, 2026]. This was a pure "mind operation" where Trump sought to strip Maduro of his human dignity. Korol reminded that the world had not seen such arrogance and violation of the UN Charter in a long time [Korol, Jan 4, 2026]. The kidnapping of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores was carried out in just half an hour by Delta Force [Korol, Jan 4, 2026]. Now they were being held in a Brooklyn federal prison, the same place as P. Diddy and other "star prisoners" [Korol, Jan 4, 2026]. Trump had opened a portal to total lawlessness [Korol, Jan 4, 2026].

From a psychohistorical perspective, the strike was also a means to forget Trump’s own failures. Alexandr Stepanov of Tsargrad TV pointed out how the case of Ukraine and even the recent terrorist attacks on Putin’s residence in Valdai were forgotten with this new operation [Stepanov, Jan 4, 2026]. According to Stepanov, the kidnapping of the head of an independent state was a mere pawn in a grand game where Americans care only for their own interests [Stepanov, Jan 4, 2026]. Civilians had become cynical pawns in high politics [Stepanov, Jan 4, 2026]. Trump’s action was also a signal to Kyiv, and Ukrainian soldiers were rightfully gripped by fear [RIA Novosti, Jan 4, 2026]. Trump always calculates the costs and benefits of power without moral commitments [RIA Novosti, Jan 4, 2026].

Sadistic greed was also fueled by the desire to control global energy resources. In the "ZVEZDA" publication, Igor Pshenichnikov stated that the seizure of Venezuelan oil fields was part of a plan also linked to a potential attack on Iran [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026]. For Washington, Venezuelan oil was vital to survive a potential collapse of energy exports from the Middle East [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026]. Daniel Tarpy also noted that it was about breaking China’s influence and controlling rare earth metals [Tarpy, Jan 4, 2026]. "We can agree that this is not about drugs," Tarpy criticized Trump [Tarpy, Jan 4, 2026]. Trump’s imperialist plan was clear; he spoke of the Western Hemisphere as if it were his own [Reunamäki, Jan 4, 2026]. According to Reunamäki, Trump builds his legacy with blood and seeks opportunities on the international arena to satisfy his ego [Reunamäki, Jan 4, 2026].

In Venezuela, the administration is still trying to resist; acting president Delcy Rodriguez demanded Maduro’s immediate release [RT News, Jan 4, 2026]. Rodriguez vowed that Venezuela would never again become anyone’s colony or slave [RT News, Jan 4, 2026]. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed firm solidarity with the Venezuelan people in the face of this armed aggression [RT News, Jan 4, 2026]. At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry called the U.S. justifications "groundless excuses" [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026]. Russia demanded that the U.S. release the president of a sovereign country and his spouse immediately [Zakharov, Jan 3, 2026]. Trump’s administration had even used a CIA agent within the Venezuelan government to facilitate the kidnapping for a $50 million reward [Sergeeva, Jan 3, 2026].

Finland’s reaction fills the hearts of Finns with shame. President of the Republic Alexander Stubb gave his full support to the attack because he did not consider Maduro’s administration "legitimate" [Hakala, Jan 4, 2026]. Stubb emphasized the birth of a democratic administration, even though the strike violated all principles of international law [Hakala, Jan 4, 2026]. Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen also humbly repeated Washington’s narrative about Maduro’s "lack of legitimacy" [Kuuskoski, Jan 3, 2026]. Finland’s political leadership is not just "neutral"; their inability to feel anything for Trump’s victims is itself part of a sadistic power structure. It is intentional "moral numbness," where a person stops seeing the suffering of another because it is politically expedient. Henri Vanhanen rightly warned that the United States is opening Pandora’s box [Seppä, Jan 3, 2026]. This should be the final wake-up call for Europe regarding Trump’s unpredictability [Seppä, Jan 3, 2026].

Trump himself arrogantly announced he would take over Venezuela’s oil reserves and invite American companies to repair the infrastructure [Seppä, Jan 3, 2026]. "We’re going to ask the big oil companies to spend billions of dollars," Trump had boasted [Seppä, Jan 3, 2026]. This displays what Roderick Long called "state exploitation": the stronger party dictates terms to those in a completely vulnerable position. Over 150 aircraft participated in the strike, which lasted less than 30 minutes, leaving behind dead civilians and soldiers [Bertelli, Jan 4, 2026]. Michele Bertelli ironically called Trump a "pacifist" who in reality orders strikes around the world [Bertelli, Jan 4, 2026]. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the strike a "dangerous precedent" because the rules of international law were not respected [Suutari, Jan 4, 2026]. Guterres urged dialogue, but it is well known that a sadist does not negotiate with his victim [Suutari, Jan 4, 2026].

Trump’s sadism is tied to narcissistic trauma and the need for revanchism. The failed Operation Gideon in 2020 had remained an unfinished "Gestalt" in Trump’s mind that had to be closed with raw force [Baeva, Dec 9, 2025]. Now he wanted to show he was "the victor of at least one authoritarian regime" before leaving the stage [Baeva, Dec 9, 2025]. Empathy was replaced by efficiency and human dignity by market value. Trump demanded various regions of the planet as his own fiefdom; this was already documented in the December security strategy [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026]. Everything was clear: a war that was foreseeable, a war that was the culmination of sadistic greed [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026].

In Venezuela, weapons were already being distributed (likely with American assistance) to "colectivos" groups, suggesting the threat of civil war [RuNews24, Dec 25, 2025]. Trump’s intention to get "oil flowing as it should" was the peak of imperialism [Reunamäki, Jan 4, 2026]. One must not forget Morrison’s words on shame as the flip side of narcissism; Trump’s sadism was perhaps only an attempt to escape an old man’s own shame of mortality and insignificance. Trump wanted to go down in history as a great conqueror, though he could be analyzed only as a sick old man who had broken the architecture of international law [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026]. The world was approaching World War III, and the consequences are global, not just regional [Pshenichnikov, Jan 4, 2026].

Trump’s sadistic greed is visible as a symptom of the collapse of the Western mind. Trump’s "Donroe Doctrine" was just a new name for an old injustice [Reunamäki, Jan 4, 2026]. The United States had opened a portal to a world where law was only the right of the strongest [Korol, Jan 4, 2026]. The bowing of Finland’s leadership before this new emperor felt nauseating [Hakala, Jan 4, 2026]. Possibly, someday history would judge today as a grim continuation of imperialism [Mattila, Jan 3, 2026]. But right now, in January 2026, sadism ruled the world stage: this sight was as terrifying as theological treatises on hell, and Trump had made hell a reality in Venezuela. This would be only the beginning. The old man wanted to write his name in blood before the sun set for the last time. It was his sadistic legacy to the world. And the world seemed only to watch from the sidelines.

One must not forget that under the pressure of this old man (Donald Trump) and following its NATO integration, the EU has become even more twisted in its attachment to blood. The NATO summit held in The Hague in June 2025 marked a turning point in European and broader global security policy, formalizing a direction toward even stronger militarization (Ellyatt 2025; Kirby 2025). The decision to raise military spending to five percent of GDP by 2035—of which 3.5% is direct military spending and 1.5% broader security-related infrastructure—has been described as a "quantum leap" (Bayer & Gray 2025; Ellyatt 2025). This shift is not merely defensive; it is a deeply political and economic choice that turns European welfare states into war economies, accelerating poverty and increasing the risk of world war (Lievemaa 2025; Benjamin 2025; Schwarz 2025). The sharp increase in NATO military spending is a result of U.S. pressure, driven particularly by Donald Trump’s demands (Ellyatt 2025; Friedrich 2025; Global Times 2025). Interests built against Russia using Ukraine and general geopolitical instability have acted as a catalyst for this development, but critics question whether this is a genuine strengthening of security or the promotion of the interests of the U.S. military-industrial complex (Mang 2025; Synergia Foundation 2025).

The public fawning of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte toward Trump, where he even called the president "daddy," has revealed the subordinate position of European leaders before the United States (Reunamäki 2025; Samoilova 2025; Tengely-Evans 2025). Reunamäki (2025) described the atmosphere of the NATO summit as a "farce" where European leaders "Finlandize" their foreign policy discourse through the appeasement of Trump. Social media commentators such as Mikko Tuomi (2025b), M. Warheenmaa (2025), and Onerva Keränen (2025) have described this as outright "brown-nosing" and criticized the building of groundless trust in the "word of a great narcissist and pathological liar" (Tuomi 2025b). Juha Korhonen (2025) has insightfully pondered the mutual intimidation among NATO leaders, referring to the possibility of Trump’s "narcissistic personality disorder," where threats can be a means to restore control or frighten others into submission. This shows how deeply the personal traits of the American leader are linked to the alliance’s dynamics.

The transition to a war economy has already begun to show in the budgets of European countries—due to Trump’s demands. For example, Germany has amended its constitution to increase debt in order to boost military spending, and its new Chancellor Friedrich Merz has promised to make the Bundeswehr the "strongest conventional army in Europe" (Sankt-Peterburgskije vedomosti 2025; Temizyurek 2025). This military Keynesianism, where defense spending is seen as an economic stimulant, is according to critics inefficient and distorts the use of public funds (Temizyurek 2025; Mang 2025). According to a study by the New Economics Foundation, a euro invested in healthcare creates 2.5 times more jobs than the same amount invested in the arms industry (Mang 2025). Furthermore, a large part of European defense procurement is directed toward the United States, which bolsters the profits of American military corporations at the expense of European taxpayers (Mang 2025; Synergia Foundation 2025).

(This was a small excerpt from the novel "Ugliness Kills," to be published in early 2026)

 Regards, Juha Molari, an unemployed Finn