^^ I like his idea

I had Gemini AI look it up and for Canada to hit the NATO 2% of GDP target they had to do some creative book keeping such as counting Coast Guard and RCMP expenditures. Even with the shady book keeping, they only spent $43.89 Billion.

These 2025 numbers are actually an improvement over 2024.

I suggest that we just start paying what everyone else is paying (amount not %GDP). No reason why we should be footing 90% of the bill for their defense.

Info from DOJ regarding Courtney Williams:

Former Army Employee and Top Secret Clearance Holder Arrested and Charged with Leaking Classified National Defense Information

Wednesday, April 8, 2026

For Immediate Release
Office of Public Affairs

The FBI arrested Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina yesterday and a federal grand jury indicted her today in connection with her alleged transmission of classified national defense information to individuals not authorized to receive it, including a journalist (the Journalist). Williams allegedly violated 18 U.S.C. § 793(d).

“Clearance holders accept a solemn obligation to protect the classified information entrusted to them,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “That they do so is critical to the security of our Nation. When clearance holders violate that trust, the National Security Division will act swiftly to hold them accountable.”

“We trust our war fighting individuals to cooperate as a team to protect our military and country,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina Ellis Boyle. “We will pursue criminal charges to keep these warriors safe whenever we find leakers exalting their own feelings over the safety of the United States.”

“Courtney Williams swore an oath to safeguard our nation’s secrets as an employee supporting a Special Military Unit of the Army, but she allegedly betrayed that oath by sharing classified information with a media outlet and putting our nation, our warfighters, and our allies at risk,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “This indictment should serve as a stark warning to all current and former clearance holders thinking of violating their positions of trust. If you jeopardize our national security by disclosing classified information without authorization, the FBI will hold you accountable for your crimes.”

“The tradecraft, tactics, and techniques used by the U.S. military unit in this case are classified and should be shared only with those with proper clearances and a need to know in order to protect American lives and safeguard classified National Defense information,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. “These are serious accusations. Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nation’s security.”

According to court documents, from 2010 to 2016, Williams worked for a Special Military Unit (SMU) and held a Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance. As a clearance holder, Williams received training as to the proper handling, safeguarding, and storage of classified information. Williams also signed a Classified Nondisclosure Agreement which, in relevant part, confirmed her understanding that the unauthorized disclosure of classified information could constitute a criminal offense. In her role at the SMU, Williams had daily access to a broad range of classified information.

As alleged, between 2022 and 2025, Williams repeatedly communicated with the Journalist via telephone and text messages. During this period, Williams and the Journalist had over 10 hours of telephone calls and exchanged more than 180 messages. In one such message, the Journalist identified themselves as a journalist and stated that they sought information about the SMU in support of an upcoming article and book. After these communications with Williams, the Journalist published a book and article that named Williams as a source and attributed specific statements to her. Some of these statements contained classified national defense information. In addition to her disclosures to the Journalist, Williams also made unauthorized disclosures of national defense information via her social media accounts.

On the day the article and book were published, Williams exchanged several messages with the Journalist. In one such message, Williams stated that she was “concerned about the amount of classified information being disclosed.” In a separate message to a third party, Williams added that, “I might actually get arrested . . . for disclosing classified information.” In a subsequent message, Williams citied a statutory provision of the Espionage Act. And when asked how she knew that she may face legal consequences for her disclosures to the Journalist, Williams responded, “I have known my entire career,” adding that “they tell you everyday . . . 100 times a day.” Finally, in a message to a different third party, Williams stated that she was “probably going to jail for life.”

The FBI Charlotte Field Office is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorneys Menno Goedman and Matt Hracho of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Updated April 8, 2026

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
I suggest that we just start paying what everyone else is paying (amount not %GDP). No reason why we should be footing 90% of the bill for their defense.

Maybe the per capita spending is relevant too…
But there’s no way we should spend 10x the next highest country.

Does Megyn Kelly have TDS now?!

Megyn Kelly slams Trump on Iran: 'What is he, Genghis Khan?' - nj.com https://share.google/yTl4LMCv84jxbY3yr

Yeah, the "TDS Trifecta".

Tucker
Candice
and
O'Reilly's Bimbo- Megyn

It is going to get worse...

(A warning, not "defeatism")

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Info from DOJ regarding Courtney Williams:

Former Army Employee and Top Secret Clearance Holder Arrested and Charged with Leaking Classified National Defense Information
<snip>
Updated April 8, 2026

Was this the leak about the F-15E SWO on the ground in Iran?

That leak made President Trump furious.

No.

I believe this was an earlier and ongoing dissemination of classified information.
Not likely related to the aircrew of the F-15E downed in Iran.

Right. See Para’s post from Twitter about this traitorous bitch on the previous page. I was just posting what the DOJ actually had to say.

Gotcha.

We be good.

An inside look at the Iran negotiations (Babylon Bee):

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1470888874564671


.

quote:

Originally posted by TigerDore:
An inside look at the Iran negotiations (Babylon Bee): https://www.facebook.com/reel/1470888874564671

Don't have/will never get a faceplant account. Can you copy/paste?

If you know anyone, at all, in that world, do not read that Politico left wing fantasy piece of trash.

I don’t know if she committed treason, she probably did. That “journalist” definitely committed an act of fantasy.

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:

quote:

Originally posted by TigerDore:
An inside look at the Iran negotiations (Babylon Bee): https://www.facebook.com/reel/1470888874564671

Don't have/will never get a faceplant account. Can you copy/paste?

I don't have a FB account, but I can see and hear the video just fine.

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:
Don't have/will never get a faceplant account. Can you copy/paste?

One doesn't have to have an account to watch the video. The video is from the Babylon Bee.

Here we go:

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfr...dkt_nbr=010102nvwwct

Iran Flouts Ceasefire: Limits Ships, Charges Tolls

Iran is signaling that it will flout the newly brokered ceasefire agreement, raising fresh concerns about stability in one of the world's most critical energy corridors.

The ceasefire, which officially began on Wednesday following negotiations led by President Donald Trump, was intended to de-escalate weeks of conflict and restore normal maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump had emphasized that the ceasefire would reopen the "free trade across the Strait of Hormuz," framing the agreement as a step toward restoring global supply chains.

However, as the ceasefire began, Tehran was already reshaping the terms of the agreement to its advantage rather than adhering to its spirit.

According to mediators and shipping analysts, Iran has indicated it will allow only a limited number of vessels to pass through the strait each day.

On Wednesday, Tehran only allowed 12 cargo tankers to pass through the strait.

This sharply contrasts with pre-conflict levels, when more than 100 vessels could transit the strategic waterway daily without interference.

The restriction alone has raised alarms among global energy markets, which depend heavily on the uninterrupted flow of oil and liquefied natural gas through the region.

Compounding the issue, Iran is reportedly charging ships for passage, effectively turning a natural international waterway into a controlled and monetized chokepoint.

These tolls, which can reach as high as $2 million for large oil tankers, are being arranged in advance and paid in alternative currencies such as Chinese yuan or cryptocurrency.

Such practices have drawn criticism from international observers, who argue that they violate long-standing maritime laws guaranteeing freedom of navigation.

Under international shipping rules, including widely recognized conventions governing open waterways, countries are not permitted to impose fees on transit through natural straits like Hormuz.

Iran's actions therefore represent not only a challenge to the ceasefire agreement but also a broader breach of global legal norms.

Despite public statements suggesting openness to peace, Tehran appears to be using the ceasefire as an opportunity to consolidate control over the strait.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard has taken a central role in managing ship movements, requiring vessels to coordinate passage directly with its naval forces.

Radio warnings broadcast to ships in the region have underscored the risks, with Iranian forces threatening to target any vessel attempting to pass without authorization.

Only a handful of ships were permitted through on the first full day of the ceasefire, marking one of the lowest traffic levels recorded this month.

This limited flow has effectively maintained the disruption caused during the conflict, preventing a return to normal economic activity.

Yet the reality on the ground suggests that free trade remains constrained, with Iran exerting unprecedented control over who can pass and at what cost.

Energy-producing nations in the Gulf have expressed strong opposition to any system requiring payments to Iran, warning that it could set a dangerous precedent.

They argue that allowing such practices would legitimize economic coercion and undermine the rules-based international order.

Analysts note that Iran's strategy reflects a shift in how it projects power, leveraging geography rather than solely relying on military capabilities.

Control of the strait now offers Tehran immediate and visible influence over global markets, particularly oil prices.

This leverage is especially significant given that roughly 20% of the world's oil supply passes through the narrow channel.

Even minor disruptions can trigger price volatility, with ripple effects across global economies.

Shipping companies, meanwhile, remain cautious about resuming normal operations, citing uncertainty over enforcement and safety risks.

Many operators are adopting a wait-and-see approach, holding vessels back until clearer guidelines emerge.

U.S. officials have acknowledged the challenges posed by Iran's actions, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning that tolls would be both illegal and dangerous.

He emphasized that preventing such measures would likely require a coordinated international response, particularly from countries most dependent on the strait.

Nevertheless, the United States has stopped short of outlining a concrete enforcement mechanism.

For now, the ceasefire remains in place in name, but its effectiveness is increasingly being called into question.

As long as restrictions and tolls persist, the agreement falls short of delivering the open and secure passage it promised.

With Vice President JD Vance in Islamabad on Friday for direct negotiations with Iran, the coming days will be critical in determining whether diplomatic efforts can restore genuine freedom of navigation or whether the region is headed toward renewed confrontation.

Sounds like they want us to finish the demo of bridges and power plants.

Yep, crazy Iranians. (not the "people")

quote:

For now, the ceasefire remains in place in name, but its effectiveness is increasingly being called into question.

As long as restrictions and tolls persist, the agreement falls short of delivering the open and secure passage it promised.

These people are bandits and pirates:

15 'Vetted' Vessels Per Day To Be Allowed Through Hormuz: TASS

The Associated Press has emphasized Thursday, "Iran's approval system for ships granted safe passage - after vetting by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps - remains unchanged despite US President Donald Trump’s demand for the strait to be reopened."

"Last week was the busiest week since the start of the war with 72 passages, still 90% below normal volumes, Lloyd’s said," the AP report continues. "Most of the vessels allowed through are connected to Iran, although some Indian vessels have gotten through with diplomatic intervention by the Indian government." There are currently few indicators revealing Iran's intent for what comes next, and it could be that much gets determined on whether Israel will cease its attacks on Lebanon. Tehran has threatened to renew its ballistic missile attacks of Israel's anti-Hezbollah actions and massive airstrikes on Beirut persist.

Russia, which is an ally of Iran, has in its media published Iranian sources saying that Iran will allow no more than 15 vessels per day through Hormuz. As for Iran's protocol for allowing passage, which reportedly could include up to a $2 million fee per vessel payable in cryptocurrency, Lloyd's list outlines the following on where things stand:

Vessels transiting the chokepoint must coordinate with the IRGC Navy
Iran's latest guidance explicitly warns of anti-ship mines in the main traffic zone of the strait
IRGC Navy continues to vet all traffic passing through the strait on the basis of geopolitical affiliation

https://www.zerohedge.com/geop...ism-persists-bombing