This week I returned to do my first tour in a while, I was supposed to do one on Friday, but it was cancelled. I have more in the coming weeks and will work until Halloween when the Season ends. Tourism wise this year has been a bumper year with 30% more tourist, mostly Canadians who do not want to visit the USA. With the coming Winter months, many will now travel to South America or Portugal and Greece. The trend is continuing to avoid the USA. Our neighbours are going on an extended cruise starting in Argentina and ending in Europe, they use to spend months in the Southern US in past winters.
In other news, the violence south of the border continues unabated, anytime I visited the USA, I was always on my guard about guns and shootings anywhere. I became concerned if I saw an argument or people being aggressive, I would just move away quickly. In my career we were constantly briefed on avoiding crowds and “situations”. I have visited war zones and was involved in travel to areas of the world no one would want to go. Lived in the Middle East for years, got death threats and had bodyguards at one point, but that never bothered me really. Going to the USA was always different because of its association with the gun culture.
Political violence is a way of life in the USA, have people forgotten the assassinations of President Kennedy, his brother Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King. This friend of Trump and right wing activist, Charlie Kirk was not in the league of these men, but his inclusion by many is ominous. So far in 2025 there has been 47 school shootings. People say they do not believe it could happen to them, my question is; who do you think it happens to?
The great news today came from the U.N. in New York, the General Assembly voted to recognize the State of Palestine, an overwhelming majority of the Nations of the World, 142 voted in favour of resolution A-80-L1 revision 1, recognizing the 2 State solution Israel and Palestine and called for its implementation, some 80 years after it was first proposed. It was part of the founding charter of Israel in 1948. At the same time it elevates now the status of the State of Palestine from observer to participant. Later this Fall at the meeting of the General Assembly where all member countries are present, a vote will take place to establish once and for all, Palestine as a full member. This means that Israel will have no other choice but to return to it’s borders of 1967 and give up occupying Palestine. The many settlers in the occupied territory of Palestine on the West bank of the Jordan river, will have to move back to Israel.
Some 10 member countries voted against, the USA and Israel leading the way.
In other news the bombing by the Israeli air force of the capital of Qatar with the full knowledge of the USA well in advance of this taking place, leads to a rift and possible lost of influence in the Arab world and in the world in general. Condemnation of Israel and the USA has been general. Qatar could also decide to close the giant USA Air base near the Capital Doha, and cuts ties with the USA. This would be a disaster diplomatically and militarily for the USA. Saudi Arabia is also looking are its ties with the USA.
It would have been impossible for the USA not to know this bombing was going to take place, the Israel planes had to fly towards and over the US base to get to their target. Given the constant monitoring of all flights in the region, the USA could have prevented it. Betrayal of a major ally like Qatar, is a terrible mistake, a visit by VP Vance and Rubio is not going to solve anything. Other nations are quite willing to step in, Russia and China are already, today, making representations. Trump seems to think this is no big deal. On the same day Qatar was bombed, 7 other countries in the region were also bombed by Israel. How can one country attack and bomb with impunity other countries and get away with it, the answer is simple the USA allows it and gives protection.
In a dramatic move, the European Parliament passed a resolution titled “Gaza at Breaking Point,” calling for urgent EU action to combat famine, release Israeli hostages, and recommit to a two-state solution. The vote passed with 305 in favour, 151 against. The European Parliament members demanded immediate aid access, called on EU states to recognize Palestine, and backed sanctions on violent Israeli settlers—including far-right ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir. The resolution also supports suspending bilateral support to Israel and parts of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
I can see how the USA in 3 years time when the Trump mandate ends, will be greatly diminished as a world power.