Pompeo, asked to define “imminent” in the threat posed by Qasem Soleimani: “This was gonna happen. And American lives were at risk. And we would have been culpably negligent … had we not recommended to the President that he take this action” https://t.co/244aOKfGlH pic.twitter.com/6bTmV8SHGp — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) January 10, 2020 This is so Trumpian. “We don’t know precisely when … Read More
It’s Go Time
BREAKING … PELOSI in DEAR COLLEAGUE: "I have asked Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler to be prepared to bring to the Floor next week a resolution to appoint managers and transmit articles of impeachment to the Senate." — Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 10, 2020
Investigation of Hillary Ends Quietly With Nothing To Show For It
Benghazi was bullshit Uranium One was bullshit Clinton Foundation “Scandals” were bullshit Emails were bullshit Back in 2017, buoyed by Trump’s calls for investigations into “Crooked Hillary & the Dems,” the Justice Department launched an inquiry into Hillary Clinton and Republicans’ pet conspiracy theories about her and her career. Then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions asked U.S. Attorney John Huber to look into concerns that the FBI hadn’t fully pursued … Read More
Nancy Withholding The Articles Of Impeachment
There will be no haggling with the House over Senate procedure. We will not cede our authority to try this impeachment. The House Democrats’ turn is over. The Senate has made its decision. This is for the Senate, and the Senate only, to decide. — Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) January 8, 2020 Oh no, is this supposed to be a threat? … Read More
Senate Gets Briefed By White House On Rationale For Soleimani Attack
Well, the Democratic response is predictable…. Sen. Murphy: "I was deeply surprised at the lack of information presented by the administration regarding a specific imminent threat … I was, I think, both surprised and saddened to not have that information before us. I think it is likely because it doesn't exist." Via ABC pic.twitter.com/rnoEG1ZYc5 — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 8, … Read More
World: “We Don’t Have Confidence In Trump”
Some graphics from global study by Pew released today:
Iran Retaliates But Offers Trump An Off-Ramp (Which Trump Takes)
Iran retaliated for the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani by firing more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two Iraqi air bases housing U.S. forces on Wednesday local time. Washington and Tehran both confirmed that Iran was the source of the missiles. The extent the damage was unclear, but there were no casualties on either side. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the … Read More
Trump Tones It Down
On Trump's meeting w/ the Saudi vice minister of defense that we only found out about because of the Saudis, @jonkarl says, "It is disturbing to see the government of Saudi Arabia have more transparency than the White House about a meeting with the President in the Oval Office." — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 7, 2020 Remember Saudi Arabia and … Read More
Inside The Decision
An American foreign affairs expert in DC who runs the National Iranian American Counsel
Bolton: I’ll Testify
Statement of John Bolton: During the present impeachment controversy, I have tried to meet my obligations both as a citizen and as former National Security Advisor. My colleague, Dr. Charles Kupperman, faced with a House committee subpoena on the one hand, and a Presidential directive not to testify on the other, sought final resolution of this Constitutional conflict from the … Read More
Trump Steps Into War
That held up well. So did this…. “Our president will start a war with Iran because he has absolutely no ability to negotiate…So the only way he figures he’s going to get reelected, and as sure as you’re sitting there, is to start a war with Iran.” pic.twitter.com/CCKsY7SKoV — Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) January 3, 2020 It is hard to say … Read More
Baghdad Embassy Stormed
Trump’s penchant for embracing tyrants and stiff-arming allies and general bumbling idiocy on the international stage has calamitously degraded U.S. prestige and endangered and/or killed vulnerable populations in the regrettable position of depending on U.S. protection. That said, we’ve been lucky enough to avoid a major, organized and direct violent attack on the U.S. itself or its properties abroad. But … Read More
Priorities In The Trump Presidency
Just another revelation about the crazy: On the evening of July 10, 2017, staffers at the U.S. embassy in Brussels—the official office for the ambassador to the European Union—received an unusual call from the seventh floor of the State Department back in Washington. The office of then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was irate. Someone in Brussels with access to the … Read More
Refresh, Reboot and Rebuckle Up — 2020 Will Mark Trump’s Demise
The advantage of being away from blogging for the holidays is that it provides some perspective on — oh who am I kidding. Everything is the same, only more so. The economy is going well, but Trump is twitter-raging more than ever before. In the quiet of Christmas and New Year’s, the President of the United States has repeatedly attacked … Read More