Remembering
James Robison

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The Brew: Iwo Jima Anniversary, Musk’s Dividend Proposal, and Global Tensions Unfold

By Gayle McQueary Published on February 20, 2025

Yesterday’s headlines were full of a mix of commemoration, controversy, and major policy shifts. If you missed any of the details, here’s a sampling of what’s been going on.

80th Anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima

Yesterday marked the 80th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iwo Jima, a pivotal and bloody World War II battle that began on February 19, 1945. The five-week conflict, part of the Pacific campaign against Japan, saw U.S. Marines facing fierce resistance from Japanese forces on the small volcanic island 760 miles south of Tokyo. The purpose? The island’s strategic airfields, which the U.S. captured at a steep cost, were pivotal in supporting the military’s B-29 raids on Japan.

The battle, designated Operation Detachment, resulted in one of the highest casualty rates of the war, with nearly 7,000 Americans killed and more than 18,000 Japanese lives lost.

The iconic moment of the battle — captured in Joe Rosenthal’s Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph — remains a symbol of American resilience. Annual “Reunion of Honor” events are held to foster reconciliation between former adversaries from both armies.

Elon Musk Proposes “DOGE Dividend” Tax Refund Plan

In a bold policy proposal, Elon Musk has suggested a plan for the federal government to send tax refund checks to every American reflecting a percentage of the growing amount the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may have saved them. DOGE has been hard at work auditing the entire list of federal departments and programs, and suggesting cuts to President Donald Trump — some of which have already been made, much to the consternation of those who have been wasting our hard-earned dollars hand over fist for decades.

According to the proposal, the checks — which might be as high as $5,000 per taxpayer — would only be sent when DOGE’s work is complete in July 2026 and if the president follows its recommendations to eliminate unnecessary departments, programs, and personnel.

“The proposal came just as DOGE’s audit of the IRS was getting underway, with Democratic lawmakers like Senators Ron Wyden (Oregon) and Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts) raising alarms about potential breaches of taxpayer data security. White House spokesman Harrison Fields defended the initiative, stating, “Waste, fraud, and abuse have been deeply entrenched in our broken system for far too long.”

The news got worse yesterday for Democrat lawmakers looking to stop DOGE from accessing federal data when U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected their case.

https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/1892124462344204770

Musk’s dividend plan, if implemented, could face legal and logistical hurdles. Then again, during the COVID lockdowns, we did receive more than one stimulus check — so who knows what might happen?

Vance’s “Islamist UK” Claim Sparks Backlash

Vice President JD Vance ignited a firestorm of debate yesterday when a speech he made last July (before he was chosen as Trump’s running mate) resurfaced on social media. In an address at the National Conservatism Conference, he said that the United Kingdom, under its Labour government, could become “the first Islamist country with nuclear weapons.”

The statement started recirculating yesterday, drawing sharp criticism from UK officials. Labour Party Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner dismissed the remarks, saying she doesn’t recognize Vance’s characterization of her nation. After all, it’s not like Muslims are invading Britain or anything like that …

… because, as frequent Stream contributor Raymond Ibrahim points out, they were invited in.

U.S. Designates Tren de Aragua a Global Terrorist Organization

In a significant escalation of its counterterrorism efforts, the United States yesterday designated the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, along with the Sinaloa Cartel and other drug cartels, as global terrorist organizations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s announcement, published in the Federal Register, aims to disrupt the groups’ finances through sanctions, asset freezes, and travel bans.

President Trump, who said during his inauguration speech that this was a goal and then turned words into action with an executive order a few hours later, framed the move as part of a broader crackdown on immigration and gang-related crime. The executive order relies on the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 to expedite the deportations of alleged gang members, though no such action has been taken yet.

This marks the first time the U.S. has deemed a cartel or gang to be a threat to national security and taken appropriate action in this way.

Hamas Releases Hostages’ Bodies, Including Children; CNN Coverage Draws Criticism

In a somber development, Hamas announced on Tuesday that its members would be handing over the bodies of four hostages taken in the October 7 attacks along with about half a dozen surviving hostages. Earlier this week, the terrorist organization confirmed that Shiri Bibas, 32, of Israel and her children, Ariel, 4, and Kfir, nine months old did not survive their captivity. According to CNN, Hamas claims the family was killed during a round of Israeli bombardment, though Israel has not confirmed this. The children’s father, Yarden Bibas, 35, was released on February 1.

CNN article covering the release drew backlash from former U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley for downplaying the Bibas children’s kidnapping and murder. She argued that the network focused on Hamas’s allegations without adequately emphasizing the brutality of the initial abduction, which saw Hamas kill approximately 1,200 Israelis and take 251 hostages.

Hamas will release six living hostages — including two men it has had in captivity for over a decade — on Saturday in exchange for mobile homes for Gazans whose houses have been destroyed in airstrikes. Israel is now ending the first phase of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, set to expire on March 2; nearly half of the 59 hostages who will likely remain in Gaza at that time have already been confirmed dead.

Along The Stream…

Check out Wanda Alger’s two-part conversation with Patricia King, a Charismatic ministry leader who helped launch disqualified healing evangelist Todd Bentley into ministry. They discuss what took place behind the scenes, how leaders fail, and what safeguards need to be put in place within the Body of Christ.

Meanwhile, the folks over at Creative Destruction Media ask, “What’s Really Happening in Ukraine?” Good question.

 

Gayle McQueary is The Stream’s social media coordinator. She has a background in production and is a scary judge of people who harm kids.