The President's Daily Brief
December 19th, 2024: Syria’s Drug Empire Collapses & ISIS Prison Crisis Looms
Thu, 19 Dec 2024
In this episode of The President’s Daily Brief: Fallout from Assad’s collapse in Syria has reportedly upended the Middle East’s most profitable drug empire, revealing the massive trade that fueled war and social crises across the region. U.S. officials sound the alarm over a ticking time bomb in Syria: thousands of ISIS fighters still held in makeshift prisons, a security nightmare waiting to unfold. A violent gang crackdown in Colorado—police bust a kidnapping and torture plot at an apartment complex overrun by Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua syndicate. And in today’s Back of the Brief: Ukraine unveils a cutting-edge laser weapon, reportedly based on UK prototypes, that could soon be targeting Russian jets. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Patriot Gold: Call 1-888-870-5457 for a free investor guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What happened to Syria's drug empire after Assad's collapse?
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It's Thursday, 19 December. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. And look at that. I'm back off the road after a few weeks in Europe and the Middle East. Here I am back in the compound, bringing you the PDB in full VistaVision and surround sound stereo. So let's get briefed.
We'll start the show with more fallout from the Assad regime's collapse in Syria, which has reportedly upended the Middle East's most profitable drug empire, pulling back the curtain on a massive trade that fueled war and social crises across the region. Later in the show, U.S. officials sound the alarm over what they're referring to as a ticking time bomb in Syria.
Thousands of ISIS fighters, remember them, still held in makeshift prisons, a security nightmare waiting to unfold. Plus, a violent gang crackdown in Colorado in the United States. Police break up a kidnapping ring at an apartment complex overrun by Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, or TDA, syndicate.
And in today's back of the brief, Ukraine unveils a cutting edge laser beam weapon reportedly based on UK prototypes that could soon be targeting Russian jets. And yes, I did say laser beam. Apologies to Austin Powers fans. But first, today's B2B spotlight.
The downfall of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad has exposed a sprawling, multi-million dollar drug smuggling network that helped prop up his regime and fuel addiction and unrest, of course, across the Middle East.
Since Assad's overthrow on December 8th at the hands of Islamist rebels, dozens of industrial-scale manufacturing and trafficking facilities producing an amphetamine-based stimulant have been uncovered. all parts of a side hustle orchestrated by the Assad regime that pulled in an estimated $2.5 billion annually.
The massive financial windfalls helped Assad offset the impact of crippling international sanctions during the height of the Syrian civil war and, of course, enrich regional allies like Hezbollah, who helped facilitate the trade. That's according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The drug in question is called Captagon.
It's a methamphetamine-like substance that has soared in use throughout the region since 2018, particularly in the Arab Gulf states. Over the years, smugglers have trafficked hundreds of millions of these pills, which are now, unfortunately, wildly popular with civilians across the socioeconomic spectrum.
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Chapter 2: What is the significance of ISIS fighters in makeshift prisons?
You may remember earlier this year, the viral video of surveillance footage capturing armed gang members breaking into an apartment, fueling outrage among residents, state and federal lawmakers, and that became a heated topic in the presidential debates.
A recent spree of shootings and break-ins has forced several tenants to flee, including a couple whose car was riddled with bullets during a shootout. The couple told local news outlet KDVR, quote, "'It's been a nightmare,' describing how they fortified their door with five locks." before relocating with assistance from city council member Danielle Jurinsky.
Now, Jurinsky has long sounded the alarm about TDA's growing influence in Aurora, accusing state and federal leaders of negligence, telling the New York Post, quote, This is what I've been saying for months now, end quote.
The city council member added that Democrat Colorado Governor Jared Polis previously dismissed her warnings regarding TDA's infiltration as, quote, Additionally, Chief Chamberlain didn't hold back criticism of the current Biden administration blaming immigration policies for creating an environment ripe for criminal exploitation, stating, quote,
We have individuals who come to this country, get dropped off into a community, and have absolutely no infrastructure, no support, and no guidance from the federal government, end quote. Well, he would not be wrong in that assessment. Aurora, like many other cities, continues to struggle with the influx of migrants, many of whom arrive from Denver. Ooh, look at that.
A sanctuary city that received a minimum of 40,000 migrants over the past two years. Meanwhile, the edge at Lowry is now under police lockdown, as authorities intensify efforts to detain additional suspects. Remaining residents grapple with the uneasy reality of living in a city increasingly affected by gang violence and systematic failures, with little apparent relief in sight. Okay.
Coming up in the back of the brief, Ukraine unveils a laser weapon inspired by UK prototypes with claims that it's ready to take down Russian fighter jets. I'll be right back. Hey, Mike Baker here. Now, here's an interesting fact. Did you know that 60% of the clothes that we buy end up in a landfill within a year of being made? Think about that. 60%, one year, Bob's your uncle, landfill.
Contrast that with the past. I mean, historically, our clothes were something that we held onto for a long time, right? But big apparel companies, well, they're constantly finding ways to make clothes faster and cheaper. They're turning clothes into disposables. And this is where American Giant comes in.
Choosing American Giant means taking a stand for hardworking people, local communities, and quality clothes. Mega corporations obsessed with growth are essentially churning out cheap stuff that leaves everyone feeling empty. But American Giant is about durable, not disposable products. They make clothes built to last.
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