Gordon Robinson | Apocalypse now?

So Benny the Boorish Bully; Vlad the Vain Vampire; and Donny the Deranged Despot have combined to form the world’s latest Axis of Ego.

But, even among egotists, there’s a hierarchy of stupidity at the zenith of which we find Donny. Benny, at the other end, has seemingly calculated that, to own Donny, he needs only perform public political fellatio while privately cracking the whip from his stash of evidence of Donny’s poor choices. If only Volodymyr the Valiant had been able to discard dignity and play the public bowing and scraping game that comes so easily to Benny maybe he wouldn’t find himself so helpless against the Russian hordes.

Benny has been trying for ages to convince Donny to bomb Iran. What current event suddenly emboldened him to so brazenly go first (knowing Donny, tongue flapping and tail wagging, would follow suit)? Surely it has nothing to do with Israeli Intelligence hacking the Epstein files? Nah, couldn’t be. Donny must’ve voluntarily decided to disrespect USA’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA), led by his personal pick, MAGA sycophant Tulsi Gabbard, and disregard NIA advice that Iran lacked nuclear weapons?

So what caused Donny to go rogue; fight someone else’s war; bomb a foreign country without Congressional Approval? There was no imminent threat to homeland security; no act of aggression against USA; no danger to Americans overseas. It gets worse. In order to blindly obey Benny, to the extent of applying Stupid Society principle that the friend of my friend is my enemy, Donny bombed Vlad’s pal. This released Vlad from self-imposed public restraint. He stopped pretending to be Donny’s friend.

All Donny has left is one boss and an enemy he thought was a friend. Now he must be haunted by the memory that he helped that enemy gain a foothold in Europe from which to pursue his world dominance ambition. Now it’s just Batman (oops, Benny) and Robin (oops, Donny), the Dumbnambic Duo, against reason.

Michel de Nostredame (a.k.a. Nostradamus), astrologer, apothecary and physician turned seer, who Latinized his own name, often denied he was a prophet. His notorious 1555 book, Les Prophéties (The Prophecies) contained vaguely worded poetic quatrains open to assorted interpretation. His “successes” were all recognised after events they allegedly predicted. Not one “prophecy” was interpreted specifically in time to be an actual prediction.

His work remains at least entertaining. His World War III prediction is interpreted to mean it’ll originate in the Middle East probably involving Israel, Iran and Lebanon. It’ll be “The Anti-Christ” at work.

Modern scholars agree Nostradamus’s “Anti-Christ” is to come from the Middle-East. So, currently Benny seems odds-on favourite. His career has featured unreasoned, amoral violence including recent ethnic cleansing in Gaza; brazen military action in Iran; followed by tugging Donny’s leash so he joins an affray that doesn’t concern USA.

The good news is Nostradamus’s prediction is the world will end in 3797 (Numerologists please note that’ll be a “Number 8 year”). So THAT dire consequence ain’t gonna happen. But, again according to modern interpreters, Nostradamus predicted four disasters for 2025.

1. War and plague in Europe

“When those from the lands of Europe see England set up her throne behind her flanks there will be cruel wars. The ancient plague will be worse than enemies.”

Brexit consequence? England to invite attack (Russia’s next target after Ukraine)? Yet another pandemic?

2. Massive floods sweeping coastal cities displacing millions

Nostradamus predicted a “mysterious leader” will emerge from the depths of the sea, claiming dominion over the new “Aquatic Empire” challenging existing world order.

Florida under water? Aquaman to replace DeSantis?

3. The “Harbinger of Fate”

“From the cosmos, a fireball will rise, A harbinger of fate, the world pleads. Science and fate in a cosmic dance, The fate of the Earth, a second chance.”

Near-earth asteroid 2024 PT5 was due to make a close (in cosmic terms) pass to Earth in January 2025. It briefly became Earth’s “mini-moon” spending two months in temporary orbit around Earth before continuing its journey around the Sun.

So, no imminent threat.

4. Volcanic eruption in South America?

“Garden of the world near the new city, In the path of the hollow mountains: It will be seized and plunged into the Tub, Forced to drink waters poisoned by sulphur.”

Modern interpreters suggest “Garden of the world”, means Amazon rainforest, while “new city” is Brazil’s capital. “Plunged into the Tub” suggests flooding and “sulphur” implies volcanic activity.

A long-dormant volcano near Cariocas has been rumbling. Hmmmm...

So, if you believe Nostradamus, not even the Axis of Ego will succeed in destroying the world. That doesn’t mean their narcissitic overreach, lunatic fringe recklessness and runaway egos won’t destroy their own countries.

Iran won’t take this lying down. USA’s approach to war relies on brute force and ignorance. That isn’t the way of a centuries old civilization of Persian origin like Iran. Iranian vision is more long term. While Trump can only imagine military retaliation, I’m certain Iran has long ago eliminated any such obvious option from its strategy.

Iran will happily agree to a ceasefire. Iran never intended to “fire” back at USA. “Ceasefire” doesn’t mean cessation of hostilities. Iran’s way could be to hit Americans where they most hurt namely in pocket and amygdala, the fear trigger deeply embedded in the brain. Iran is going to take this unprovoked American attack very personally indeed.

On June 22, You-Tuber Cyrus Jannsen posted an Iranian man’s message left on his You-Tube channel:

“As an Iranian, I can tell you the situation is no longer just political. It’s existential. We are trapped between two collapsing structures: one internal, one external. On one hand, we face a deeply dysfunctional government, led by the Supreme Leader and the Islamic Republic’s unelected institutions. Decades of economic mismanagement, suppression of dissent, and brutal ideological control have alienated multiple generations. No one believes in reform anymore because every attempt has either been co-opted or crushed. But here’s the paradox: We are also terrified of regime collapse because we’ve watched the aftermath of Western intervention in countries like Iraq, Libya, Syria and Afghanistan. Each was promised freedom; each descended into chaos, civil war or foreign occupation. So no, we don’t trust U.S. or Israel. Not because we support our regime but because we know how imperial powers treat ‘liberated’ nations in the Middle East….. Right now, many Iranians live with three truths at once: The Islamic Republic is morally and politically bankrupt. The alternatives offered by foreign actors aren’t liberation, they’re collapse. A bad government is survivable. No government is not. We are not silent because we agree. We are cautious because we’ve learned (too well) what happens when superpowers decide to ‘help.’ ….”

So, ignorant appeals by Benny and Donny that their only fight is with the regime and not the Iranian people are landing like lead balloons. Iranians are not stupid. They’ve studied history. Donny studies nothing.

Donny’s latest act of stupidity has finally produced visible cracks in MAGA. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, MAGA’s most loyal toady, posted (June 23):

“I spent millions of my own money and TRAVELED THE ENTIRE COUNTRY campaigning for President Trump and his MAGA agenda…. And Trump’s MAGA agenda included these key promises: NO MORE FOREIGN WARS. NO MORE REGIME CHANGE. WORLD PEACE. THIS is what the people voted for. Only 6 months in and we are back into foreign wars, regime change and world war 3. It feels like a complete bait and switch to please the neocons, warmongers, military industrial complex contracts, and neocon TV personalities that MAGA hates and who were NEVER TRUMPERS! After the bombs were dropped, we were told ‘complete success’ and Iran’s nuclear capabilities were totally wiped out. Then it quickly turned to Iran’s nuclear facilities ‘partially damaged’ and now it’s ‘we don’t know where their enriched uranium is.’ Let me be very clear. My children are 22, 25, and 27. I’ll literally fight ANYONE for their future. And their future and their entire generation’s future MUST be free of America LAST foreign wars that provoke terrorist attacks on our homeland, military drafts, and NUCLEAR WAR…. Contrary to brainwashed Democrat boomers think and protest about, Trump isn’t a king, MAGA isn’t a cult. I can and DO have my own opinion.”

The (Western) Roman Empire completed its collapse in 476 when German Barbarian Odoacer deposed Emperor Romulus Augustulus. But it had been steadily weakening due to corruption and military overreach. It seems USA has embraced a Roman recipe for Superpower collapse: Take corrupt government; add a dash of military overreach; and blend in a Barbarian as President. Bake at nuclear temperatures until done!

Peace and Love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com