原文鏈接：https://medium.com/@giorgioprovinciali/hegseth-fires-generals-prays-for-violence-and-arrests-the-enemys-relatives-d7eaaf6620ad?sk=595d1f69da122229765516243441141e
The MadMan Theory: When a Democracy Starts to Resemble a Regime
By:Giorgio Provinciali
Live from Ukraine ????????
Donetska Oblast Having lived through the war Russia unleashed in Ukraine from the very beginning starting in 2014 but planned since the dissolution of the USSR weve learned to recognize a certain architecture of power when it manifests itself not only in rhetoric but in concrete actions, institutional silences, and in the way men in uniform, once eliminated, cease to be loyal to the style of a regime and begin to be loyal to the Constitution. From the Ukrainian trenches, looking at America, what we witness isnt dj vu because in Russia, the people have never truly been sovereign buta democracy being dismantled piece by piece.
A madman is about to lead the great US military to ruin.
Attributedto General Randy George, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Army, this phrase does not seem to be a vent but rather a clinical diagnosis from someone who knows his patient inside out. As The Guardianreported, some US politicians reacted with alarm and questioned the US presidents mental state after Donald Trumpissuedan abusive, expletive-laden threat to Iran. Senator Chuck SchumercalledDonald Trumpan Unhinged Madman.France 24reportsthat for Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Trumps attitude iscompletely, utterly unhinged.Professor Al Gillespie of the University of Waikato evenspoketo RNZ aboutthe Madman Theory,a strategy made famous by Richard Nixons failed attempt to end the Vietnam War.
Secretary of Defense or rather, Secretary of War Pete HegsethorderedGeneral Georges immediate retirement andfiredtwo other generals on the same day: Chief of Chaplains Maj. Gen. William Green Jr. and Commander of the Army Transformation and Training Command General David Hodne. By his own admission, Hegsethwantssomeone capable of implementing Trumps vision for the military in those roles.
This is not an isolated incident.Thursdays firings are part of a broader restructuring of military leadership initiated by the Trump administration in its second term: thosedismissedalreadyincludeChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General C.Q. Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti,andAir Force Vice Chief of Staff General Jim Slife. From this perspective, the pattern of these moves closely resemblesthe systematic removal of potential opponents and their replacement with personal rather than professional loyalty, as already observed in Russia.
The Moscow regime has done it more brutally, but the principle remains the same: first, the institutional counterweight is neutralized, then executive power becomes absolute due to the lack of resistance.
On March 28, 2026, over 3,300 coordinated demonstrationstook placeacross the United States, with anestimatedparticipation of between eight and nine million people:the largest single-day protest in American history. The term coined to identify the movement No Kings aptly captures what is happening.Im thinking of the men and women of 1776 who announced to the world that they no longer wished to be ruled by the king of England. Today, in 2026, our message is exactly the same: no more kings said one of the protesters.
Eight million people in the streets of a consolidated democracy are not the sign of an ordinary government crisis. They are the immune system of a nation sensing a structural infection.
Judicial orders are being ignored, civil rights are being suppressed, and ordinary citizens are being harmed or even persecuted in countless ways. This is what you see when you observe Donald Trumps America.
Pete Hegseth who prefers to be calledSecretary of War has introduced into Pentagon management a factor that liberal democracies have learned, at great cost, to keep separate from the military:religion as a fuel for war. In his book American Crusade, Hegsethwrotethat the United States faces acrusading momentreminiscent of the 11th-century Christian invasion of the Holy Land. Heclaimedthat Christians, along with their Jewish allies and their army in Israel, musttake up the sword of unapologetic Americanism.
This rhetoric is now official policy in America.
During a religious service at the Pentagon, Hegsethprayedforwisdom in every decision, endurance under trial, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence against those who deserve no mercy,addingthat these things were askedwith bold confidence in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, King above all kings.Hegsethconcludeda recent press conference by quoting Psalm 144:Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.
Legal expertspoint out that terms likeno mercyandno quarterhave a precise legal meaning in the international law of armed conflict: eventaking no prisoners an expressionusedby Hegseth is a war crime.
The fusion of faith and military power is not an anomaly of modern history but one of its most documented pathologies.
Just think of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, whoblessesthe Kalibr missiles and calls the war in Ukraine aholy waragainst Western corruption. The mechanism is the same:mass murder is transformed into divine fulfillment, individual moral responsibility is removed, and a narrative is constructed in which the adversary is not a human being but an evil entity deserving of annihilation.
The contrast with thewordsof Pope Leo XIV Jesus, King of Peace, does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them could not be more stark.
In Washington, the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani Hamide Soleimani Afshar and her daughter werearrestedby ICE after Secretary of State Marco Rubiorevokedtheir green cards. The State Department accuses them of supporting and promoting the Iranian governments positions.
No trial. No sentencing. Just the administrative exercise of executive power over the legal existence of individuals deemed politically undesirable. From the perspective of the rule of law, this isa pattern that anyone working in post-Soviet countries immediately recognizes: the arbitrary revocation of legal status as a tool for political pressure and neutralization, without following the usual judicial process.
Having lived in Ukraine for many years, we have had the painful chance to witness firsthand how a democratic system can be undermined from within. Not necessarily through a coup, as recent Russian history illustrates. More often, it occurs through a series of gradual steps, each justifiable on its own but destructive combined: replacing military leaders with loyalists; using religion as a narrative to justify war; criminalizing perceived opponents administratively; restricting independent information; and consolidating regulatory power in the executive branch at the expense of the legislature.
Hegseth has alreadyremovedindependent journalists from the Pentagon,restrictingmedia access to those who support Trump. Therefore,in the USA, access to military information during wartime is now controlled by those who answer to the same chain of command managing the war.
Thus, the circle is complete.
The difference between Washington 2026 and Moscow remains significant because American institutions retain a structural resilience that Putins Russia had already lost in the early years.However, the general direction is the same, and those who have experienced what it involves know that the pace of change often becomes uncontrollable.
General Randy George knew it. Thats why he spoke. Thats why he was removed. Thats why hiswords, spoken an hour after losing command, carry the weight of lead: what he expressed is not the bitterness of a dismissed officer, but the expert testimony of someone who read certain signals and chose to speak out before leaving the scene.
In 1.500 days of war,we recorded over 250 videos from ground zero and wrote more than 1,500 articles.
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Thank you all, dear friends ????????
瘋人理論：當一個民主國家開始酷似獨裁政權
作者：Giorgio Provinciali
翻譯：旺財球球
烏克蘭前線報道????????
頓涅茨克州自2014年俄羅斯發動針對烏克蘭的戰爭以來事實上自蘇聯解體後這一計劃便已開始醞釀，我們親曆始終，因而學會在空洞的言辭之外，通過具體行動、體製性的沉默以及軍人被清除後由效忠政權轉向效忠憲法的方式，去識別某種權力架構。在烏克蘭戰壕中觀察美國，我們所見並非似曾相識因為在俄羅斯，人民從未真正擁有主權，而是一個正在被一點一點拆解的民主國家。
一個瘋子即將把偉大的美軍帶向毀滅。
這句話歸於美軍參謀長聯席會議主席蘭迪喬治將軍，聽起來不像一時的發泄，更像是一個深入了解病人者的臨床診斷。正如《衛報》報道的那樣，在唐納德特朗普對伊朗發表辱罵性、滿含咒罵的威脅後，一些美國政界人士警覺起來並質疑總統的精神狀態。參議院員查克舒默稱特朗普為失衡的瘋子。法國24報道稱，康涅狄格州民主黨參議員克裏斯墨菲認為特朗普完全、徹底失控。新西蘭懷卡托大學的阿爾吉萊斯皮教授甚至在RNZ談及所謂瘋人理論這一策略因理查德尼克鬆企圖以之結束越戰但終告失敗，而聞名。
（圖：據浸信會全球新聞共享的圖片顯示，福音派領袖返回橢圓辦公室為特朗普祈禱圖片來源：浸信會全球新聞）
國防部長或更確切地說，戰爭部長皮特赫格塞思在同一天下令讓喬治將軍立即退休，並解雇了另外兩位將領：陸軍牧師總長少將威廉格林和陸軍訓練與轉型司令部司令大將戴維霍德恩。赫格塞思本人承認，他想在這些崗位上安插能夠貫徹特朗普對軍隊願景的人選。
這並非孤立事件。周四的解職是特朗普第二任期內啟動的更大範圍軍事領導層重組的一部分：此前已被撤換者包括參謀長聯席會議主席C.Q. Brown將軍、海軍作戰部長麗莎弗蘭凱蒂上將以及空軍副參謀長吉姆斯萊夫將軍。從這個角度看，這一係列動作的模式與已在俄羅斯觀察到的係統性清除潛在對手並以私人忠誠取代職業忠誠非常相似。
莫斯科政權做得更為殘酷，但原則相同：先瓦解體製性的製衡，隨後因缺乏抵抗、行政權力走向絕對化。
（圖：2026年3月28日周六，波士頓公園超過15萬示威者圖片來源：Daily Beast攝影：Brian Snyder/路透社）
2026年3月28日，全美範圍內發生了超過3,300場協調示威，估計參與人數在八至九百萬之間：這是美國曆史上規模最大的單日抗議。這場運動的標識，不要國王恰如其分地反映了正在發生的事。我想到1776年的男女，他們向世界宣布不再願受英王統治。今天，2026年，我們的訴求完全相同：不再有國王，一位抗議者如是說。
在一個成熟的民主國家中，八百萬民眾上街示威並非尋常的政府危機，而是一個民族的免疫係統感知到結構性感染所做出的反應。
司法命令被藐視、公民權利被壓製、普通公民以各種方式受到傷害甚至迫害這就是你看到的特朗普治下的美國。
（圖：我在烏克蘭基輔，俄軍襲擊後殘存的灰燼中報道版權所有，Giorgio Provinciali）
偏好被稱作戰爭部長的皮特赫格塞思在五角大樓管理中引入了一個自由民主國家曾付出慘痛代價才與軍隊隔離的因素：把宗教作為戰爭燃料。在其著作《美國的十字軍》中，赫格塞思寫道，美國麵臨一個類似於11世紀基督徒入侵聖地的十字軍時刻。他主張基督徒連同他們的猶太盟友及其在以色列的軍隊，必須舉起毫無歉意的美國主義之劍。
這種言論現已成為美國的官方政策。
在五角大樓的一次宗教儀式上，赫格塞思祈求在每一項決定中獲得智慧，在試煉中保持忍耐，牢不可破的團結，並對那些不配得憐憫的人施以壓倒性的暴力，並稱這些祈求以萬王之王耶穌基督的強大之名，懷著大膽信心而求。赫格塞思在一次新聞發布會結尾引用了詩篇144篇：讚美主，我的磐石，他訓練我的手用於戰爭，我的指頭用於爭戰。
法律專家指出，不留情麵、不留活口等詞在國際武裝衝突法中具有明確法律含義：連赫格塞思所使用的不要俘虜之類表達也可能構成戰爭罪。
（圖：皮特赫格塞思著作《美國的十字軍》封麵圖片來源：Amazon.ca）
信仰與軍權的結合並非現代史的異常，而是其最有害的病變之一。
想想莫斯科宗主教基裏爾為Kalibr巡航導彈祝聖並將對烏戰爭稱為對西方墮落的聖戰。機製完全相同：大規模殺戮被包裝為神聖使命，個人的道德責任被抹除，構建起一種敘事，將對手非人化為應被消滅的邪惡存在。
這與教皇利奧十四的話形成鮮明對比：和平之王耶穌，不會傾聽發動戰爭者的禱告，而是拒絕他們。
（圖：Alla在第聶伯河對岸望向紮波羅熱市，防空係統正在運作版權所有，Giorgio Provinciali）
在華盛頓，伊朗將領卡西姆蘇萊曼尼的孫女與重孫女哈米德蘇萊曼尼阿夫沙爾及其女兒在國務卿馬可魯比奧撤銷其綠卡後被移民與海關執法局（ICE）逮捕。國務院指控她們支持並宣傳伊朗政府立場。
沒有審判。沒有判決。隻是行政部門對被視為政治上不受歡迎的個人的法律身份行使權力。從法治角度看，這是任何在後蘇聯國家工作的人都會立即識別的模式：繞開司法程序，用任意撤銷法律身份來施加政治壓力和清除異己。
（音頻：這是我在History in the Making: The War in Ukraine一集中向一位特朗普選民提問的鏈接（該集標題中亦有一位在場）。隨後我寫過這篇文章：https://medium.com/@giorgioprovinciali/is-there-a-red-line-to-non-voters-0c9e7dde88a0，詢問不投票者是否存在紅線）
多年來居住在烏克蘭，我們痛苦地親眼見證了民主製度如何能在內部被侵蝕。並不需要通過政變，近年的俄羅斯史已說明了這一點。更常見的是通過一係列漸進的步驟，每一步單看都可自圓其說，但連在一起則具破壞性：以忠誠者替換軍事領導人；以宗教話語為戰爭辯護；行政性地將被視為對手者定為犯罪；限製獨立信息；強化行政權力、削弱立法製衡。
赫格塞思已將獨立記者逐出五角大樓，隻允許支持特朗普的媒體進入。因此在美國，如今戰時軍事信息，掌握在與作戰決策同一指揮鏈的人手中。
至此，閉環已經形成。
（視頻：這就是政權製造的結果我們在烏克蘭克拉馬托爾斯克拍攝了這些影像版權所有，Giorgio Provinciali）
2026年的華盛頓與莫斯科之間的差別仍然顯著，因為美國體製保有一種普京的俄羅斯早已失去的結構性韌性。然而，總體方向相同，而經曆過這些的人都知道，變化的速度往往最終會變得不可控。
蘭迪喬治將軍知道這一點。這就是他發聲的原因。這就是他被撤職的原因。這也是為什麽他在失去指揮權一小時後所說的話分量沉重：他表達的不是被解職軍官的怨恨，而是一個解讀了若幹信號並在離場前做出的警告。
（圖：Alla和我在烏克蘭紮波羅熱巴拉比涅報道，頭頂為反無人機網????????版權所有，Giorgio Provinciali）
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我們盡最大努力從幾乎沒有媒體敢進入的地帶進行真實的一手報道，這意味著我們長期生活在殺傷區。我們承擔風險，但若沒有你們寶貴的支持，我們的聲音將無從傳出。若沒有遠方的勇敢的人們轉發分享我們的文章，它們將無人問津。我們的報道會被忽視，我們的努力將付諸流水。這裏還有大量工作要做，周圍的人們境況同樣艱難。
我們正在更新籌款活動，感謝每一位加入我們、幫助修複俄羅斯破壞的人們。僅靠一家勇敢的報紙為我們每篇文章支付微薄稿酬以維持前線報道極為困難。因此，我們感激所有支持並信任我們使命的善良人們。
哪怕是小小的捐助也有助益。
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在過去三年裏，自烏克蘭大規模戰爭爆發以來，作為自由撰稿人，我們一直在烏克蘭戰爭的所有前線進行報道
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