inquisitr--2020-01-10--Andrew Yang Reportedly Backed By Comedians From Dave Chappelle To Norm Macdonald

Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has been gaining lots of attention from comedians .
From Dave Chappelle to Norm Macdonald , the candidate ’ s campaign — which centers around a universal basic income ( UBI ) of $ 1,000 per month — appears to be resonating with those in the notoriously difficult profession .
Chappelle is perhaps the biggest name to throw his support behind Yang .
Although the Washington Examiner reports that he hasn ’ t publicly announced his endorsement yet , he is set to perform shows in South Carolina to back the entrepreneur ’ s campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out to our team , and they were thrilled to put the two of us together , ” Yang said in New Hampshire on Thursday .
“ We sat down and talked about his concerns for the country and what we need to do for the next generation .
Dave ’ s a dad like I am .
And then after we met , he said , ‘ Look , I want to help , and what can I do to help ? '
” Back in October , Yang received an endorsement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-host Hannibal Buress .
In a now-deleted tweet , Buress revealed his support in his response to being followed by democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders .
Macdonald has also engaged with Yang .
He claimed on Twitter that he would throw his support behind the candidate if he became his “ close personal friend.
” The 44-year-old serial entrepreneur responded by claiming that he would be “ happy ” to work with Macdonald .
Since then , the Canadian comedian has interacted with Yang via Twitter on multiple occasions , although his wry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he ’ s being sincere .
Other comedians who have thrown their support behind Yang include Joe Wong — who will be performing at a Yang fundraiser this month in San Francisco — and The Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng , who mentioned his desire for an Asian president in his recent Netflix special , Asian Comedian Destroys America !
“ He seems [ to be ] a very pragmatic guy .
He ’ s talking about the future a lot , ” Chieng said of Yang while speaking to KCRW , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current president Donald Trump .
Standup comedy has been described by many as a tough lifestyle , especially early in one ’ s career , and Yang ’ s UBI proposal would likely benefit struggling comics .
Fittingly , the Democratic candidate got his initial surge into the spotlight from his appearance on comedian Joe Rogan ‘ s podcast , The Joe Rogan Experience , which has many regular guests from the industry , including Bill Burr , Tom Segura , and Doug Stanhope .

Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang has been gaining lots of attention from comedians. From Dave Chappelle to Norm Macdonald, the candidate’s campaign — which centers around a universal basic income (UBI) of $1,000 per month — appears to be resonating with those in the notoriously difficult profession.
Chappelle is perhaps the biggest name to throw his support behind Yang. Although the Washington Examiner reports that he hasn’t publicly announced his endorsement yet, he is set to perform shows in South Carolina to back the entrepreneur’s campaign.
“Dave’s team reached out to our team, and they were thrilled to put the two of us together,” Yang said in New Hampshire on Thursday. “We sat down and talked about his concerns for the country and what we need to do for the next generation. Dave’s a dad like I am. And then after we met, he said, ‘Look, I want to help, and what can I do to help?'”
Back in October, Yang received an endorsement from comedian and The Eric Andre Show co-host Hannibal Buress. In a now-deleted tweet, Buress revealed his support in his response to being followed by democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.
Macdonald has also engaged with Yang. He claimed on Twitter that he would throw his support behind the candidate if he became his “close personal friend.” The 44-year-old serial entrepreneur responded by claiming that he would be “happy” to work with Macdonald. Since then, the Canadian comedian has interacted with Yang via Twitter on multiple occasions, although his wry style could make it difficult to know if he’s being sincere.
Haha happy to work on it with you Norm. Let’s meet up in Iowa or New Hampshire. 😀👍 — Andrew Yang🧢⬆🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) December 26, 2019
Other comedians who have thrown their support behind Yang include Joe Wong — who will be performing at a Yang fundraiser this month in San Francisco — and The Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng, who mentioned his desire for an Asian president in his recent Netflix special, Asian Comedian Destroys America!
“He seems [to be] a very pragmatic guy. He’s talking about the future a lot,” Chieng said of Yang while speaking to KCRW, adding that any choice is better than current president Donald Trump.
“So whoever you vote for is automatically an improvement, right? Might as well go for the Asian guy.”
Standup comedy has been described by many as a tough lifestyle, especially early in one’s career, and Yang’s UBI proposal would likely benefit struggling comics. Fittingly, the Democratic candidate got his initial surge into the spotlight from his appearance on comedian Joe Rogan‘s podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, which has many regular guests from the industry, including Bill Burr, Tom Segura, and Doug Stanhope.


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Donald Trump’s Press Spokesman Claims That Barack Obama ‘Killed’ Muammar Gaddafi

A press spokesman for Donald Trump is coming under fire after making a controversial claim that Barack Obama “ killed ” Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi .
Hogan Gidley , who serves as deputy assistant to the president and principal deputy press secretary , took to Twitter in an attempt to defend Trump ’ s decision to launch a pre-emptive strike that killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani .
The White House has faced brisk criticism for its claim that Soleimani was planning “ imminent ” attacks against the United States , while not giving any specific details about where or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The administration has begun to push back strongly against critics .
In his tweet , Gidley attempted to claim that Obama launched similar attacks when he was president , including one which Gidley claimed killed ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi .
“ Soleimani was , in fact , planning ‘ imminent attacks.
’ While Democrats and the media quibble over its definition , quick point : When Obama killed bin Laden , al-Awlaki and Gaddafi , without Congressional approval , there were NO ‘ imminent attacks ’ and Democrats did not ask or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many pointed out , Gaddafi was captured and killed by Libyan protesters during the Arab Spring in 2011 following a NATO operation to topple his regime .
As The Hill reported , others pointed out that Congress did approve legislation allowing the U.S. military to attack senior al-Qaeda leaders , which gave both President George W. Bush and Obama permission to kill both Anwar al-Awlaki and Osama bin Laden if they were located .
The Trump administration has faced growing pressure to justify its attack on Soleimani , which increased tensions with Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missile strikes against Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops .
A number of U.S. senators spoke out about the action this week after they received an intelligence briefing on the strike that killed Soleimani .
Republican Mike Lee blasted the briefing as the worst he had ever seen in his nine years in the U.S. Senate .
Trump himself justified his decision not to notify Congress before the attack by claiming that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would have leaked the plans .
“ They ’ re saying , ‘ You should get permission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tell us what you want to do — you should come in and tell us , so that we can call up the fake news that ’ s back there , and we can leak it , ' ” Trump said at a rally on Thursday night , via Fox News .
“ Lot of corruption back there .
”

A press spokesman for Donald Trump is coming under fire after making a controversial claim that Barack Obama “killed” Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Hogan Gidley, who serves as deputy assistant to the president and principal deputy press secretary, took to Twitter in an attempt to defend Trump’s decision to launch a pre-emptive strike that killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani. The White House has faced brisk criticism for its claim that Soleimani was planning “imminent” attacks against the United States, while not giving any specific details about where or when these were to take place. The administration has begun to push back strongly against critics.
In his tweet, Gidley attempted to claim that Obama launched similar attacks when he was president, including one which Gidley claimed killed ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi.
“Soleimani was, in fact, planning ‘imminent attacks.’ While Democrats and the media quibble over its definition, quick point: When Obama killed bin Laden, al-Awlaki and Gaddafi, without Congressional approval, there were NO ‘imminent attacks’ and Democrats did not ask or care,” he wrote.
As many pointed out, Gaddafi was captured and killed by Libyan protesters during the Arab Spring in 2011 following a NATO operation to topple his regime. As The Hill reported, others pointed out that Congress did approve legislation allowing the U.S. military to attack senior al-Qaeda leaders, which gave both President George W. Bush and Obama permission to kill both Anwar al-Awlaki and Osama bin Laden if they were located.
The Trump administration has faced growing pressure to justify its attack on Soleimani, which increased tensions with Iran and led to a series of Iranian missile strikes against Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops. A number of U.S. senators spoke out about the action this week after they received an intelligence briefing on the strike that killed Soleimani. Republican Mike Lee blasted the briefing as the worst he had ever seen in his nine years in the U.S. Senate.
Trump himself justified his decision not to notify Congress before the attack by claiming that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would have leaked the plans.
“They’re saying, ‘You should get permission from Congress, you should come in and tell us what you want to do — you should come in and tell us, so that we can call up the fake news that’s back there, and we can leak it,'” Trump said at a rally on Thursday night, via Fox News. “Lot of corruption back there.”


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Mitch McConnell’s Democratic Opponent’s Fundraising ‘Unlike Anything I’ve Ever Seen,’ Campaign Chair

Mitch McConnell’s Democratic Opponent’s Fundraising ‘Unlike Anything I’ve Ever Seen,’ Campaign Chair Says

Mitch McConnell has been safely in his Kentucky Senate seat across several election cycles , but he could be facing a stiff challenge in 2020 from a Democratic opponent making a big mark on fundraising .
Democrat Amy McGrath announced that she finished 2019 with a $ 6 million haul and now has $ 9.1 million in cash thanks to a massive fundraising campaign .
As Newsweek reported , McGrath has now raised close to $ 17 million since announcing her candidacy in July .
Mark Nickolas , McGrath ’ s campaign manager , said that her ability to raise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve ever seen ” and predicted that she would end up raising more money than one of the most powerful Republicans .
“ I think Senator McConnell finally has an opponent who will outraise him , ” Nickolas added .
The McConnell campaign claimed that the fundraising haul was the result of Democratic opponents rallying against McConnell .
“ Any left-wing name on the ballot against Mitch McConnell will raise tens of millions from liberal elites in New York and California who want to eliminate Kentucky ’ s power to shape policy in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager , Kevin Golden , told Newsweek .
“ What they can ’ t do is invent left-wing voters in Kentucky who would cast a ballot for a candidate who would erase their voice like Amy McGrath.
” While it was not clear where McGrath ’ s donations were coming from , she has certainly captured national attention in her bid to oust McConnell from the Senate .
She has gained the support of many who see McConnell as an enabler of Donald Trump and who still oppose him for his efforts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including McConnell ’ s unprecedented efforts to thwart Obama ’ s Supreme Court nomination after the death of Antonin Scalia in February of 2016 .
Democrats in Kentucky are also hopeful after striking some major statewide victories in 2019 .
That included defeating Republican incumbent Governor Matt Bevin .
After the win , McGrath took to Twitter to predict that she would carry the momentum into 2020 as she took on McConnell .
“ This year , it was Matt Bevin .
Next year , it ’ ll be Mitch McConnell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that McConnell could be vulnerable next year .
A recent poll from the Morning Consult showed that McConnell ’ s disapproval rate among Kentucky voters has hit 50 percent , while just 37 percent approve of the job he is doing .
McConnell has also become the face of Republican opposition to the Democratic-led House , as he has prevented a number of bills from reaching the Senate floor , even many with bipartisan support .
The Senate majority leader has also come under fire for what appeared to be coordination with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial , with McConnell indicating that he will work to quickly acquit Trump of the charges .

Mitch McConnell has been safely in his Kentucky Senate seat across several election cycles, but he could be facing a stiff challenge in 2020 from a Democratic opponent making a big mark on fundraising.
Democrat Amy McGrath announced that she finished 2019 with a $6 million haul and now has $9.1 million in cash thanks to a massive fundraising campaign. As Newsweek reported, McGrath has now raised close to $17 million since announcing her candidacy in July.
Mark Nickolas, McGrath’s campaign manager, said that her ability to raise money is “unlike anything I’ve ever seen” and predicted that she would end up raising more money than one of the most powerful Republicans.
“I think Senator McConnell finally has an opponent who will outraise him,” Nickolas added.
The McConnell campaign claimed that the fundraising haul was the result of Democratic opponents rallying against McConnell.
“Any left-wing name on the ballot against Mitch McConnell will raise tens of millions from liberal elites in New York and California who want to eliminate Kentucky’s power to shape policy in Washington,” McConnell’s campaign manager, Kevin Golden, told Newsweek. “What they can’t do is invent left-wing voters in Kentucky who would cast a ballot for a candidate who would erase their voice like Amy McGrath.”
While it was not clear where McGrath’s donations were coming from, she has certainly captured national attention in her bid to oust McConnell from the Senate. She has gained the support of many who see McConnell as an enabler of Donald Trump and who still oppose him for his efforts to stymie Barack Obama’s political agenda, including McConnell’s unprecedented efforts to thwart Obama’s Supreme Court nomination after the death of Antonin Scalia in February of 2016.
Democrats in Kentucky are also hopeful after striking some major statewide victories in 2019. That included defeating Republican incumbent Governor Matt Bevin. After the win, McGrath took to Twitter to predict that she would carry the momentum into 2020 as she took on McConnell.
“This year, it was Matt Bevin. Next year, it’ll be Mitch McConnell,” McGrath tweeted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHTzU62mjXM
There is other evidence that McConnell could be vulnerable next year. A recent poll from the Morning Consult showed that McConnell’s disapproval rate among Kentucky voters has hit 50 percent, while just 37 percent approve of the job he is doing. McConnell has also become the face of Republican opposition to the Democratic-led House, as he has prevented a number of bills from reaching the Senate floor, even many with bipartisan support.
The Senate majority leader has also come under fire for what appeared to be coordination with the White House on the upcoming impeachment trial, with McConnell indicating that he will work to quickly acquit Trump of the charges.


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Donald Trump Is Fixating On Surging Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders, Says Report

With Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders rising in the polls and raising more money than any other Democrat in the race , Donald Trump appears to be shifting his focus toward the Vermont senator , BuzzFeed News reports .
Not only did Trump release two statements on Sanders this week , but the president took aim at the 78-year-old advocate during his Toledo , Ohio , rally on Thursday night .
“ Bernie is going up .
He ’ s surging .
Crazy Bernie is surging , ” Trump said .
The attacks are notable as Trump has focused the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Joe Biden , who has been — and remains — the frontrunner in the Democratic primary .
Along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff , the Trump campaign ’ s email blasts typically targeted Biden .
At the same time , BuzzFeed reports they only mentioned Sanders a “ handful of times.
” Trump ’ s campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh told BuzzFeed that Sanders is “ dangerous ” and “ can not be trusted ” with the safety of Americans .
According to Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communications director , the president ’ s recent fixation on the senator reflects his positive prospects .
Casca noted Sanders ’ long history of standing up for the working class .
He pointed to Trump ’ s alleged failure to live up to his promises to do the same and highlighted the president ’ s apparent pivot from his non-interventionism beliefs .
Per PBS , the Democratic establishment is also worried that Sanders will be the nominee .
In response , establishment Democrats are allegedly warning voters that he would struggle to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are others , such as conservative commentator and The Hill ’ s Rising co-host Saagar Enjeti , who believe that Sanders could beat Trump .
Enjeti noted a recent Pew Research Center survey that found that almost half of Republican voters believe the current economy is hurting them .
He claimed that Trump ’ s platform — which has reportedly benefited the wealthy the most — would not help working Americans like Sanders ’ would , adding that the poll results should be a “ huge warning sign ” for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump and the Republicans would do very well to … quickly shift tactics or face the very real possibility of losing the 2020 presidential election , especially against a populist candidate like Bernie Sanders , ” Enjeti said .

With Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders rising in the polls and raising more money than any other Democrat in the race, Donald Trump appears to be shifting his focus toward the Vermont senator, BuzzFeed News reports. Not only did Trump release two statements on Sanders this week, but the president took aim at the 78-year-old advocate during his Toledo, Ohio, rally on Thursday night.
“Bernie is going up. He’s surging. Crazy Bernie is surging,” Trump said.
The attacks are notable as Trump has focused the majority of his attacks on former Vice President Joe Biden, who has been — and remains — the frontrunner in the Democratic primary. Along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee Adam Schiff, the Trump campaign’s email blasts typically targeted Biden. At the same time, BuzzFeed reports they only mentioned Sanders a “handful of times.”
Trump’s campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh told BuzzFeed that Sanders is “dangerous” and “cannot be trusted” with the safety of Americans.
According to Mike Casca, the Sanders campaign’s communications director, the president’s recent fixation on the senator reflects his positive prospects.
“It appears the Trump campaign has discovered what we’ve known all along, which is that Bernie Sanders is going to defeat Donald Trump.”
Casca noted Sanders’ long history of standing up for the working class. He pointed to Trump’s alleged failure to live up to his promises to do the same and highlighted the president’s apparent pivot from his non-interventionism beliefs.
“He’s the most corrupt president in American history, and Bernie Sanders is going to sweep him out of the White House.”
Per PBS, the Democratic establishment is also worried that Sanders will be the nominee. In response, establishment Democrats are allegedly warning voters that he would struggle to win this year’s election. However, there are others, such as conservative commentator and The Hill’s Rising co-host Saagar Enjeti, who believe that Sanders could beat Trump.
Enjeti noted a recent Pew Research Center survey that found that almost half of Republican voters believe the current economy is hurting them. He claimed that Trump’s platform — which has reportedly benefited the wealthy the most — would not help working Americans like Sanders’ would, adding that the poll results should be a “huge warning sign” for the president and the GOP elites.
“Trump and the Republicans would do very well to … quickly shift tactics or face the very real possibility of losing the 2020 presidential election, especially against a populist candidate like Bernie Sanders,” Enjeti said.


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Tom Steyer Proposes Offering Climate Change Refugees Legal Entry Into The United States

The proposal to offer legal entry to climate change refugees was one part of Steyer 's newly revealed immigration plan .
As climate change shapes up to be one of the hottest topics of the 2020 presidential election , billionaire hedge fund manager Tom Steyer revealed a plan that would allow people suffering from the effects of climate change legal entry into the United States .
According to The Hill , Steyer ’ s proposal is just one part of his wide-ranging proposal to tackle climate change , an issue that seems to be the cornerstone of his 2020 presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creation of new “ legal categories ” for those seeking refuge from areas stricken by climate change who feel that they need to relocate .
On Friday , Steyer unveiled his immigration plan on his official campaign website .
In addition to allowing climate change refugees into the U.S. for shelter , Steyer laid out a plan to offer support for those affected .
“ As the climate crisis escalates , global migration is expected to increase .
Tom will help people around the world recover from disasters by providing funding , equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read .
“ This will help communities improve their disaster response procedures , alleviate critical short-term scarcities , and institute effective recoveries.
” As reported by The Hill , in the summer of 2019 , Steyer vowed to declare climate change a national emergency on his first day in office , should he win the presidency .
He also pledged to help pass the Green New Deal and work to reduce the use of fossil fuels .
“ We can ’ t continue to deny science and roll back environmental protections .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgency it demands , ” Steyer said at the time .
He went on to lay out a number of benefits from pushing initiatives such as the Green New Deal , which he said included job creation , a boost in local economies , and the continued protection of the planet and environment .
The billionaire presidential candidate also provided a target date of 2045 as his goal to reduce pollutants that contribute to the global warming crisis to net-zero .
By 2030 , Steyer claimed , pollution from power plants and diesel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steyer has mostly struggled to make any headway in the 2020 race for the Democratic nomination , his outlook changed dramatically in recent days .
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , Steyer made two significant improvements in state polls which resulted in him qualifying for the upcoming Democratic primary debate next week , which is taking place in the crucial early-voting state of Iowa .
His good fortune came just one day before the deadline to qualify for the debate stage would have expired .
Steyer managed to climb seven points in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then managed to jump 11 points in a Fox News survey of South Carolina voters .
The new numbers place him in the top three in each state .

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inquisitr--2020-01-10--Islamic State, Not Soleimani, Responsible For All U.S. Soldiers Killed In Iraq Since 2014, Says Repo

Islamic State, Not Soleimani, Responsible For All U.S. Soldiers Killed In Iraq Since 2014, Says Report

The assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani was a controversial decision by Donald Trump ‘ s administration .
While many pointed to Soleimani ’ s alleged hand in American deaths overseas these past few years as justification for the killing , the Trump administration ’ s shifting narrative has raised eyebrows .
Although they first claimed Soleimani was planning an imminent attack on U.S. interests , a reported unsuccessful second attack on Iranian financier Abdul Reza Shahlai the same night as the attack on Soleimani may suggest a grander scheme .
A recent report for The Intercept continues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Trump administration .
The report outlines an analysis of a Pentagon casualty database , which was cross-referenced with news releases and obituaries .
According to the investigation , none of the nine American service members who were killed in action in Iraq since 2014 — when the U.S. military returned to Iraq to combat Islamic State — died at the hands of Iranian-backed militias .
Instead , all of the casualties allegedly came at the hands of Islamic State militants , whom the BBC claims have welcomed the news of Soleimani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Intercept , Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said he believed Soleimani was “ evil ” and a “ terrorist madman , ” noting that he has killed over 603 U.S. soldiers and targeted civilians , including men and women .
Others , such as Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders , believe the Trump administration is misleading Americans in terms of the intelligence used to justify killing Soleimani .
“ Just as we were led into Vietnam and Iraq by lies , the Trump administration is misleading us on Iran .
They have justified the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was planning ‘ imminent attacks ’ on hundreds of Americans in the region , and yet they have produced no evidence that would justify this claim , even in a classified setting.
” In an appearance on Fox News Thursday , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reaffirmed that Solemani was planning an imminent attack on Americans .
However , he admitted they did not know when or where such attacks were to take place .
It ’ s not just Democrats who are frustrated with the lack of detail regarding the Soleimani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Rand Paul spoke out against the recent intelligence briefing on the mission , which was reportedly lacking detail .
In addition , the briefers allegedly ordered senators to avoid publicly debating the decision .
Both Lee and Paul went on to support the non-binding War Powers resolution that would require Trump to get congressional authorization for further military action against Iran .

The assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani was a controversial decision by Donald Trump‘s administration. While many pointed to Soleimani’s alleged hand in American deaths overseas these past few years as justification for the killing, the Trump administration’s shifting narrative has raised eyebrows. Although they first claimed Soleimani was planning an imminent attack on U.S. interests, a reported unsuccessful second attack on Iranian financier Abdul Reza Shahlai the same night as the attack on Soleimani may suggest a grander scheme.
A recent report for The Intercept continues to shed doubt on the Soleimani narrative pushed by the Trump administration. The report outlines an analysis of a Pentagon casualty database, which was cross-referenced with news releases and obituaries. According to the investigation, none of the nine American service members who were killed in action in Iraq since 2014 — when the U.S. military returned to Iraq to combat Islamic State — died at the hands of Iranian-backed militias. Instead, all of the casualties allegedly came at the hands of Islamic State militants, whom the BBC claims have welcomed the news of Soleimani’s death.
“In other words, not one American soldier was killed in Iraq by the proxy network under Suleimani’s control in at least the previous eight years before he was assassinated last week in Baghdad while allegedly planning an ‘imminent’ attack on Americans.”
Speaking to The Intercept, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said he believed Soleimani was “evil” and a “terrorist madman,” noting that he has killed over 603 U.S. soldiers and targeted civilians, including men and women.
Under Qassem Soleimani the Iranian regime recruited, trained, and deployed child soldiers as young as 12 years old to fight in conflicts throughout the Middle East. This is the kind of unacceptable behavior the regime must change. Until then, maximum pressure will only intensify. pic.twitter.com/jB66lBqyzO — Department of State (@StateDept) January 10, 2020
Others, such as Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, believe the Trump administration is misleading Americans in terms of the intelligence used to justify killing Soleimani.
“Just as we were led into Vietnam and Iraq by lies, the Trump administration is misleading us on Iran. They have justified the assassination of Qassim Suleimani by claiming that he was planning ‘imminent attacks’ on hundreds of Americans in the region, and yet they have produced no evidence that would justify this claim, even in a classified setting.”
In an appearance on Fox News Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reaffirmed that Solemani was planning an imminent attack on Americans. However, he admitted they did not know when or where such attacks were to take place.
It’s not just Democrats who are frustrated with the lack of detail regarding the Soleimani killing. Republican Sens. Mike Lee and Rand Paul spoke out against the recent intelligence briefing on the mission, which was reportedly lacking detail. In addition, the briefers allegedly ordered senators to avoid publicly debating the decision.
Both Lee and Paul went on to support the non-binding War Powers resolution that would require Trump to get congressional authorization for further military action against Iran.


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Rand Paul Says Most Of His GOP Colleagues Are ‘Neoconservatives’ Who ‘Don’t Care About The Constitut

Rand Paul Says Most Of His GOP Colleagues Are ‘Neoconservatives’ Who ‘Don’t Care About The Constitution’

Republican Sens .
Mike Lee and Rand Paul recently criticized the Trump administration in the wake of the airstrike that killed top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani .
While Lee blasted the briefing on the assassination , Paul turned his attention to Republican operatives and lawmakers who push the notion that anyone who doesn ’ t agree with the GOP isn ’ t a true patriot .
In a recent appearance on Fox Nation ’ s Liberty File with Judge Andrew Napolitano , Paul doubled down on such criticism and suggested that many of his colleagues do not respect the Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved in targeting Americans in the Middle East but expressed his belief that killing an Iranian major general was an “ act of war.
” The 57-year-old politician then noted the debate over who has the power to declare war .
“ Our Founding Fathers… were quite explicit that they wanted the power to be in Congress , not in the executive branch , ” Paul said to host Andrew Napolitano .
Paul ’ s comment comes after the House passed a non-binding War Powers resolution that would force Trump to get congressional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran , NPR reported .
When Napolitano asked Paul if things would be different were the president a Democrat , Paul said he didn ’ t believe that would be the case .
“ No , ” he said.
” Most of them don ’ t care about the Constitution .
And so it ’ s not strictly partisan.
” Although Article II , Section 2 of the Constitution denotes the president as commander in chief of the U.S. military , Article I , Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress authorization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ echoed Paul ’ s sentiments and suggested that the reason the Constitution grants Congress that power over a declaration of war is because it ’ s something that affects all Americans .
“ But our system demands consent for war from the people , acting through their representatives and senators in Congress , ” Amash tweeted last week .
Regardless , the pattern of using Article II powers to bring the country into armed conflict did not start with Donald Trump .
As Paul noted , former presidents Barack Obama , George W. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lyndon B. Johnson all “ usurped war powers.
” According to Paul , Congress is partly to blame because it “ abdicated ” its role in the process .

Republican Sens. Mike Lee and Rand Paul recently criticized the Trump administration in the wake of the airstrike that killed top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. While Lee blasted the briefing on the assassination, Paul turned his attention to Republican operatives and lawmakers who push the notion that anyone who doesn’t agree with the GOP isn’t a true patriot.
In a recent appearance on Fox Nation’s Liberty File with Judge Andrew Napolitano, Paul doubled down on such criticism and suggested that many of his colleagues do not respect the Constitution.
Paul acknowledged the Soleimani was likely involved in targeting Americans in the Middle East but expressed his belief that killing an Iranian major general was an “act of war.”
The 57-year-old politician then noted the debate over who has the power to declare war.
“Our Founding Fathers… were quite explicit that they wanted the power to be in Congress, not in the executive branch,” Paul said to host Andrew Napolitano.
Paul’s comment comes after the House passed a non-binding War Powers resolution that would force Trump to get congressional approval for any new military action against Iran, NPR reported. When Napolitano asked Paul if things would be different were the president a Democrat, Paul said he didn’t believe that would be the case.
“No,” he said.”Most of them don’t care about the Constitution. And so it’s not strictly partisan.”
“Most of my Republican colleagues are neoconservatives. Most of them also believe in this bizarre, unfounded theory. They call it the ‘unitary theory of the commander in chief’ and they say that he has unlimited Article II authority.”
Sen. @RandPaul on Iran briefing: "They have justified the killing of an Iranian general as being something that Congress gave them permission to do in 2002. That is absurd, that's an insult." pic.twitter.com/ReCWW2Nbm3 — The Hill (@thehill) January 9, 2020
Although Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution denotes the president as commander in chief of the U.S. military, Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress authorization to declare war.
Independent Justin Amash echoed Paul’s sentiments and suggested that the reason the Constitution grants Congress that power over a declaration of war is because it’s something that affects all Americans.
“But our system demands consent for war from the people, acting through their representatives and senators in Congress,” Amash tweeted last week.
Regardless, the pattern of using Article II powers to bring the country into armed conflict did not start with Donald Trump. As Paul noted, former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Harry S. Truman, and Lyndon B. Johnson all “usurped war powers.” According to Paul, Congress is partly to blame because it “abdicated” its role in the process.


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Nancy Pelosi Is Preparing To Send Articles Of Impeachment To Senate Next Week

After holding two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump for weeks , CNN reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to send them to the Senate next week , which will pave the way for the trial of the president .
Pelosi ’ s decision to hold the impeachment articles was purportedly to allow time for Democrats to pressure Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — who has reportedly stated he will be coordinating with the White House — into agreeing to a fair trial that met their terms .
The 79-year-old politician revealed her decision in a letter to her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Republican Party — the current majority party in the Senate — can dismiss the charges against Trump if there are enough votes .
If an official trial proceeds , Trump can only be removed from office if the Senate garners a two-thirds vote .
Regardless , it can not charge Trump with criminal charges or send him to prison .
Before the articles are sent to the Senate , the House must pass a resolution naming impeachment managers .
One such manager could be Independent Justin Amash , who freshman Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the trial .
Amash is a former Republican and the only one to call for Trump ’ s impeachment in the wake of the Mueller report , which paved the way for his ultimate departure from the party .
The Senate must also take procedural steps before the trial begins .
As of now , it ’ s unclear whether Pelosi ’ s decision to withhold the articles was successful in pressuring McConnell .
The trajectory of the Senate trial is still not known , and whether democrats were able to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ witnesses remains to be seen .
“ Leader McConnell ’ s tactics are a clear indication of the fear that he and President Trump have regarding the facts of the President ’ s violations for which he was impeached , ” Pelosi wrote in her letter .
While some believe Pelosi ’ s political gambit was a smart one , it has caused both Republicans and Democrats to grow restless .
Numerous Democrats allegedly pressured Pelosi to release the articles to the Senate and allow the trial to begin , although Pelosi denies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

After holding two articles of impeachment against Donald Trump for weeks, CNN reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to send them to the Senate next week, which will pave the way for the trial of the president.
Pelosi’s decision to hold the impeachment articles was purportedly to allow time for Democrats to pressure Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — who has reportedly stated he will be coordinating with the White House — into agreeing to a fair trial that met their terms.
The 79-year-old politician revealed her decision in a letter to her caucus.
“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. I will be consulting with you at our Tuesday House Democratic Caucus meeting on how we proceed further.”
As The Inquisitr previously reported, the Republican Party — the current majority party in the Senate — can dismiss the charges against Trump if there are enough votes. If an official trial proceeds, Trump can only be removed from office if the Senate garners a two-thirds vote. Regardless, it cannot charge Trump with criminal charges or send him to prison.
If Republican Senators move for a quick dismissal of the charges against the President, with no witnesses or documents, it will be because they are afraid of the truth. Dismissal = cover-up#DefendOurDemocracy pic.twitter.com/umIRNjqopH — Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 9, 2020
Before the articles are sent to the Senate, the House must pass a resolution naming impeachment managers. One such manager could be Independent Justin Amash, who freshman Democrats are allegedly hoping will take the lead in the trial. Amash is a former Republican and the only one to call for Trump’s impeachment in the wake of the Mueller report, which paved the way for his ultimate departure from the party. The Senate must also take procedural steps before the trial begins.
As of now, it’s unclear whether Pelosi’s decision to withhold the articles was successful in pressuring McConnell. The trajectory of the Senate trial is still not known, and whether democrats were able to get the Senate to agree to hear from witnesses remains to be seen.
“Leader McConnell’s tactics are a clear indication of the fear that he and President Trump have regarding the facts of the President’s violations for which he was impeached,” Pelosi wrote in her letter.
While some believe Pelosi’s political gambit was a smart one, it has caused both Republicans and Democrats to grow restless. Numerous Democrats allegedly pressured Pelosi to release the articles to the Senate and allow the trial to begin, although Pelosi denies that she faced such pressure from Democrats.


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Impeachment Reportedly A Factor In Trump’s Decision To Kill Soleimani

Many people , including 2020 presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren , have speculated that Donald Trump may have considered his impending impeachment trial when deciding whether or not to kill Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani .
On Thursday , the president seemingly confirmed that he felt “ pressure ” to address the situation in order to influence key GOP allies in the Senate .
According to Mediaite , a piece in the Wall Street Journal detailed Trump ’ s decision to strike the Iranian leader and the aftermath of the decision .
While the article covered a lot of ground , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr .
Trump , after the strike , told associates he was under pressure to deal with Gen. Soleimani from GOP senators he views as important supporters in his coming impeachment trial in the Senate , associates said , ” according to the report .
The Journal also reported that the president made a conscious decision to leave out some of the people who would normally be consulted before deciding to make such a strike .
“ In the strike on Gen. Soleimani , some high-ranking officials who ordinarily would be consulted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explain it publicly — said they learned of the action from news reports .
That evening , Mr. Trump retweeted a picture of the Stars and Stripes , ” the report reads .
Warren speculated earlier this week that perhaps Trump had ordered the surprise strike , which took place near the Baghdad International Airport in Iraq , in order to distract the public from the impending Senate impeachment trial .
The Democratic candidate for president told CNN anchor Jake Tapper , according to a separate Mediaite report , that she was suspicious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been obviously upset about impeachment .
“ Why does he pick now to take this highly inflammatory , highly dangerous action that moves us closer to war ?
” she asked .
She added that the U.S. has been involved in a conflict in the Middle East for two decades and that the country should be moving away from war , not towards it .
Tapper pushed Warren to clarify what she meant , and she said that she had noted that people were asking about the timing of the airstrike , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other important Iraqi militia figures .
The impeachment process has stalled as Nancy Pelosi withholds the articles of impeachment until trial rules can be worked out that she deems fair .
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the trial will begin in the Senate next week , as The Inquisitr previously reported .

Many people, including 2020 presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren, have speculated that Donald Trump may have considered his impending impeachment trial when deciding whether or not to kill Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani. On Thursday, the president seemingly confirmed that he felt “pressure” to address the situation in order to influence key GOP allies in the Senate.
According to Mediaite, a piece in the Wall Street Journal detailed Trump’s decision to strike the Iranian leader and the aftermath of the decision. While the article covered a lot of ground, one element was particularly surprising.
“Mr. Trump, after the strike, told associates he was under pressure to deal with Gen. Soleimani from GOP senators he views as important supporters in his coming impeachment trial in the Senate, associates said,” according to the report.
The Journal also reported that the president made a conscious decision to leave out some of the people who would normally be consulted before deciding to make such a strike.
“In the strike on Gen. Soleimani, some high-ranking officials who ordinarily would be consulted in advance — and leaned on to later explain it publicly — said they learned of the action from news reports. That evening, Mr. Trump retweeted a picture of the Stars and Stripes,” the report reads.
Warren speculated earlier this week that perhaps Trump had ordered the surprise strike, which took place near the Baghdad International Airport in Iraq, in order to distract the public from the impending Senate impeachment trial.
The Democratic candidate for president told CNN anchor Jake Tapper, according to a separate Mediaite report, that she was suspicious of the timing, given that Trump has been obviously upset about impeachment.
“Why does he pick now to take this highly inflammatory, highly dangerous action that moves us closer to war?” she asked.
She added that the U.S. has been involved in a conflict in the Middle East for two decades and that the country should be moving away from war, not towards it.
We don't need a president who undermines our allies and escalates tensions. We don't need a president who tweets threats of war crimes. We need a president with a sound strategy, willing to use every diplomatic and economic tool we have to step us back from the brink of war. pic.twitter.com/JXlgROyuLi — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 8, 2020
Tapper pushed Warren to clarify what she meant, and she said that she had noted that people were asking about the timing of the airstrike, which took out two cars containing Soleimani and other important Iraqi militia figures.
The impeachment process has stalled as Nancy Pelosi withholds the articles of impeachment until trial rules can be worked out that she deems fair. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the trial will begin in the Senate next week, as The Inquisitr previously reported.


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Mike Pompeo Said Qassem Soleimani Was Planning ‘Imminent’ Attacks Against U.S. But Couldn’t Say Wher

Mike Pompeo Said Qassem Soleimani Was Planning ‘Imminent’ Attacks Against U.S. But Couldn’t Say Where Or When

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani was planing a series of “ imminent ” attacks against the United States , but he could not say where or when they were going to take place .
The Trump administration is under fire for the attack that killed the Iranian general , which critics describe as an assassination .
Trump was accused of leading a poorly planned mission that did not seem to take into account what would happen next and was based on flimsy evidence against Soleimani .
Pompeo pushed back against those assertions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ingraham on Thursday , saying there was evidence that Iran was planning a strike against American interests — though he could not give any more details than that .
“ There is no doubt that there were a series of imminent attacks being plotted by Qassem Soleimani , ” Pompeo said , as reported by the The Hill .
“ We don ’ t know precisely when and we don ’ t know precisely where , but it was real.
” Iran launched a series of missile strikes against Iraqi military bases that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soleimani , but did not cause any casualties to either American or allied troops .
There has been wider fallout in the wake of the attack , however , including the Iraqi parliament voting to expel American troops from their country .
Many in the United States have pushed back against what they perceive to be a weak rationale for the killing of Soleimani .
After U.S .
Senators were briefed on the attack this week by intelligence officials , many on both sides of the aisle said the Trump administration was unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two Republican senators — Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky — offered sharp criticism against the administration for their drastic action .
As CBS News noted , Lee said it was the “ worst briefing ” he had ever received on a military operation and called out the Trump administration for telling the Senate they can ’ t debate the decision to take military intervention against Iran .
“ They ’ re appearing before a coordinate branch of government , a coordinate branch of government responsible for their funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approval of any military action they might undertake , ” Lee said .
“ And they had to leave after 75 minutes while they ’ re in the process of telling us we need to be good little boys and girls and run along and not debate this in public .
I find that absolutely insane .
I think it ’ s unacceptable.
” Lee added that he would back a resolution from Democratic Senator Tim Kaine to limit Trump ’ s military actions against Iran .

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani was planing a series of “imminent” attacks against the United States, but he could not say where or when they were going to take place.
The Trump administration is under fire for the attack that killed the Iranian general, which critics describe as an assassination. Trump was accused of leading a poorly planned mission that did not seem to take into account what would happen next and was based on flimsy evidence against Soleimani.
Pompeo pushed back against those assertions in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Thursday, saying there was evidence that Iran was planning a strike against American interests — though he could not give any more details than that.
“There is no doubt that there were a series of imminent attacks being plotted by Qassem Soleimani,” Pompeo said, as reported by the The Hill. “We don’t know precisely when and we don’t know precisely where, but it was real.”
Iran launched a series of missile strikes against Iraqi military bases that housed U.S. troops after the killing of Soleimani, but did not cause any casualties to either American or allied troops. There has been wider fallout in the wake of the attack, however, including the Iraqi parliament voting to expel American troops from their country.
Many in the United States have pushed back against what they perceive to be a weak rationale for the killing of Soleimani. After U.S. Senators were briefed on the attack this week by intelligence officials, many on both sides of the aisle said the Trump administration was unable to articulate a reason for the killing. Two Republican senators — Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky — offered sharp criticism against the administration for their drastic action.
As CBS News noted, Lee said it was the “worst briefing” he had ever received on a military operation and called out the Trump administration for telling the Senate they can’t debate the decision to take military intervention against Iran.
“They’re appearing before a coordinate branch of government, a coordinate branch of government responsible for their funding, for their confirmation, for any approval of any military action they might undertake,” Lee said. “And they had to leave after 75 minutes while they’re in the process of telling us we need to be good little boys and girls and run along and not debate this in public. I find that absolutely insane. I think it’s unacceptable.”
Lee added that he would back a resolution from Democratic Senator Tim Kaine to limit Trump’s military actions against Iran.


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Donald Trump Rants About ‘YMCA’ Song When Asked About Allies Getting Involved In Middle East Conflic

Donald Trump Rants About ‘YMCA’ Song When Asked About Allies Getting Involved In Middle East Conflict

As tensions heat up between the United States and Iran , reporters asked President Donald Trump whether or not he wants America ’ s NATO allies to become involved in the conflict .
But instead of jumping into this philosophy on what he envisions from countries like Canada , Germany , and the United Kingdom in the Middle East , he launched into a rant about the Village People song “ YMCA.
” Trump has faced backlash for killing Iran military leader Qassem Soleimani , fanning the flames of tension with Iran .
When asked about the situation , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube video , that he spoke to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg yesterday and claimed he was “ excited ” by the idea of sending NATO allies into the region .
It was the name of the potential alliance that Trump was excited to share as well .
“ And I actually had a name , ” Trump stated .
“ NATO — right ?
And then you have ‘ ME ’ -Middle East .
You ’ d call it , NATOME.
” “ I said , ‘ What a beautiful name , ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m good at names , right ?
USMCA — like the song , ‘ YMCA.
’ Nobody could remember … I said , ‘ think of the song , ‘ YMCA , ” now everybody says it .
They don ’ t remember the previous name of a bad deal , commonly known as NAFTA.
” “ NATOME , doesn ’ t that work beautifully ?
NATO plus ME.
” he said before chiding the reporter who asked the question for not laughing at his comments .
“ He ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When another reporter pushed him again to address the original question about asking allies to enter the region , the president went on to answer the question .
He stated that he believes that the U.S. should be able to leave the region and expect NATO allies to address the issue in the Middle East , asserting that the U.S. had completely eliminated the caliphate in the region .
As Vox reported in February when Trump originally made the claim about eliminating the threat , while the caliphate in Syria and Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inhabited the territory are still present and organized .
He also repeated his frequent criticism of NATO , saying that the U.S. pays a majority of the costs and that he expects other countries to contribute more to the alliance .
The president claimed that he pushed most of the other countries to contribute $ 130 billion more than they had in the past .
He went on to claim that Stoltenberg loved him for getting more money , and he believes that NATO should work to defeat the Islamic State .

As tensions heat up between the United States and Iran, reporters asked President Donald Trump whether or not he wants America’s NATO allies to become involved in the conflict. But instead of jumping into this philosophy on what he envisions from countries like Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom in the Middle East, he launched into a rant about the Village People song “YMCA.”
Trump has faced backlash for killing Iran military leader Qassem Soleimani, fanning the flames of tension with Iran. When asked about the situation, Trump told reporters, according to a CNN YouTube video, that he spoke to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg yesterday and claimed he was “excited” by the idea of sending NATO allies into the region. It was the name of the potential alliance that Trump was excited to share as well.
“And I actually had a name,” Trump stated. “NATO — right? And then you have ‘ME’ -Middle East. You’d call it, NATOME.”
“I said, ‘What a beautiful name,'” Trump added. “NATOME — I’m good at names, right? USMCA — like the song, ‘YMCA.’ Nobody could remember … I said, ‘think of the song, ‘YMCA,” now everybody says it. They don’t remember the previous name of a bad deal, commonly known as NAFTA.”
“NATOME, doesn’t that work beautifully? NATO plus ME.” he said before chiding the reporter who asked the question for not laughing at his comments.
“He’s not getting it,” Trump said.
Trump's rant about nobody remembering NAFTA and how he named his trade deal after a Villiage People song is a sign that he is not well., pic.twitter.com/6UYp6y51Fv — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 9, 2020
When another reporter pushed him again to address the original question about asking allies to enter the region, the president went on to answer the question. He stated that he believes that the U.S. should be able to leave the region and expect NATO allies to address the issue in the Middle East, asserting that the U.S. had completely eliminated the caliphate in the region. As Vox reported in February when Trump originally made the claim about eliminating the threat, while the caliphate in Syria and Iraq has been eliminated, the terrorists who inhabited the territory are still present and organized.
He also repeated his frequent criticism of NATO, saying that the U.S. pays a majority of the costs and that he expects other countries to contribute more to the alliance. The president claimed that he pushed most of the other countries to contribute $130 billion more than they had in the past.
He went on to claim that Stoltenberg loved him for getting more money, and he believes that NATO should work to defeat the Islamic State.


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Donald Trump Uses Rally To Attack Democrats Who Criticized Him For Strike That Killed Qassem Soleima

Donald Trump Uses Rally To Attack Democrats Who Criticized Him For Strike That Killed Qassem Soleimani

Trump suggested during the rally that if he notified Congress of the drone strike beforehand , it would have been leaked to the media On the heels of the U.S. drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani , President Donald Trump took an extended amount of time during his Thursday night rally in Toledo , Ohio to slam Democrats who were critical of him authorizing the deadly drone hit on the Iranian military commander .
According to The Hill , Trump took aim at the party in general , but specifically went on the attack against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump was mostly criticized by the top Democrats for his failure to notify Congress before the strike on Soleimani took place , but Trump suggested during his verbal attack against them during Thursday ’ s rally that if he would have told them in advance , they would have leaked the information to the mainstream media .
“ And we have Bernie and Nancy Pelosi , we have them all , they ’ re all trying to say , ‘ How dare you take him out that way ?
You should get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in and tell us what you want to do .
You should come in and tell us so that we can call up the fake news back there and we can leak it , ' ” Trump said .
Trump and his top allies have continued to argue that Soleimani posed an imminent threat to U.S. personnel and assets .
However , the Trump administration hasn ’ t yet offered any specifics with regard to the threats that caused them to green-light the operation that killed the Iranian general and some of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insisted that the decision to authorize the drone strike was one that was “ split-second ” in nature , while adding in another jab at Pelosi in the process .
“ We had to make a decision .
We didn ’ t have time to call up Nancy , who is not operating with a full deck , ” Trump told the rally crowd .
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , Trump ’ s polling numbers experienced a slight dip in the wake of the drone attack , as revealed in three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the polls , which was conducted by Rasmussen — which tend to favor the president —showed Trump dropping two points in his favorability percentage in the wake of the Soleimani drone strike .
His disapproval rating rose two points with respect to the previous week ’ s iteration of the survey .
Trump ’ s verbal rant against Democrats during his Ohio rally came on the same day that the House of Representatives successfully voted to pass a resolution that will limit Trump ’ s ability to take further military action against Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to consult with Congress before future actions , should there be any .

On the heels of the U.S. drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, President Donald Trump took an extended amount of time during his Thursday night rally in Toledo, Ohio to slam Democrats who were critical of him authorizing the deadly drone hit on the Iranian military commander.
According to The Hill, Trump took aim at the party in general, but specifically went on the attack against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and 2020 presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Trump was mostly criticized by the top Democrats for his failure to notify Congress before the strike on Soleimani took place, but Trump suggested during his verbal attack against them during Thursday’s rally that if he would have told them in advance, they would have leaked the information to the mainstream media.
“And we have Bernie and Nancy Pelosi, we have them all, they’re all trying to say, ‘How dare you take him out that way? You should get permission from Congress. You should come in and tell us what you want to do. You should come in and tell us so that we can call up the fake news back there and we can leak it,'” Trump said.
Trump and his top allies have continued to argue that Soleimani posed an imminent threat to U.S. personnel and assets. However, the Trump administration hasn’t yet offered any specifics with regard to the threats that caused them to green-light the operation that killed the Iranian general and some of his top leaders.
Thursday night, Trump insisted that the decision to authorize the drone strike was one that was “split-second” in nature, while adding in another jab at Pelosi in the process.
“We had to make a decision. We didn’t have time to call up Nancy, who is not operating with a full deck,” Trump told the rally crowd.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Trump’s polling numbers experienced a slight dip in the wake of the drone attack, as revealed in three polls tracked by RealClearPolitics.
One of the polls, which was conducted by Rasmussen — which tend to favor the president —showed Trump dropping two points in his favorability percentage in the wake of the Soleimani drone strike. His disapproval rating rose two points with respect to the previous week’s iteration of the survey.
Trump’s verbal rant against Democrats during his Ohio rally came on the same day that the House of Representatives successfully voted to pass a resolution that will limit Trump’s ability to take further military action against Iran. The resolution will force the president to consult with Congress before future actions, should there be any.


inquisitr--2020-01-10--Bernie Sanders Hires Immigrant Rights Activist Joe Biden Told To ‘Vote For Trump’

An immigrant rights activist who Biden angrily dismissed now works for the Bernie Sanders campaign .
The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has hired Carlos E. Rojas , a former leader of the immigrant advocacy group Movimiento Cosecha , reports The Hill .
Rojas will serve as will serve as Latinx Constituency Organizer for the Iowa arm of Sanders ’ campaign .
In a statement , the activist said that Sanders has the “ most progressive platform ” of any candidate when it comes to immigration and related issues .
“ For me , working for Bernie Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about redefining the path we , as a nation , started walking in 2016 under 45 .
It is about rejecting white supremacy and the scapegoating of vulnerable communities and embracing popular ideals , ” he added .
Rojas made the headlines in November after an unpleasant encounter with former Vice President Joe Biden , Sanders ’ closest competitor in the Democratic primary race .
During a town hall in South Carolina , Rojas confronted Biden , criticizing his immigration record .
The activist pointed out that millions were deported during Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as vice president .
He asked Biden to promise to freeze all deportations via executive order if elected president .
The former vice president did not take the criticism well , however .
He interrupted Rojas , encouraging him to vote for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election .
“ You should vote for Trump , you should vote for Trump , ” Biden repeatedly said , angrily dismissing the immigrant rights activist , before turning his back on him and walking away .
On the campaign trail , Biden has criticized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but his own record has also come under intense scrutiny .
Notably , during one of the debates , now-former White House hopeful Julián Castro blasted the Obama-Biden legacy , pointing out that millions were deported when Biden was vice president .
According to data , Obama deported 2.5 million undocumented immigrants , more than any president in history .
Trump , whose administration has been criticized as anti-immigrant , has yet to match Obama in terms of deportation numbers .
In 2012 , for instance , the Obama-Biden administration deported 409,849 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , the Trump administration deported around 256,000 people .
The Sanders campaign ’ s decision to hire Rojas comes as the Vermont senator and Biden seek to contrast their records and visions , while pitching themselves to the electorate .
With the primary competition increasingly looking like a two-way race between Sanders and Biden , the Vermont senator appears to have taken the gloves off , openly criticizing Biden ’ s record on issues such as war , trade , and welfare .

The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has hired Carlos E. Rojas, a former leader of the immigrant advocacy group Movimiento Cosecha, reports The Hill.
Rojas will serve as will serve as Latinx Constituency Organizer for the Iowa arm of Sanders’ campaign. In a statement, the activist said that Sanders has the “most progressive platform” of any candidate when it comes to immigration and related issues.
“For me, working for Bernie Sanders, is beyond Bernie Sanders — it is about redefining the path we, as a nation, started walking in 2016 under 45. It is about rejecting white supremacy and the scapegoating of vulnerable communities and embracing popular ideals,” he added.
“Policies are crucial but creating narratives that reframe the us vs them is just as important and I believe the Bernie campaign is best position to intervene with both policy and narrative.”
Rojas made the headlines in November after an unpleasant encounter with former Vice President Joe Biden, Sanders’ closest competitor in the Democratic primary race.
During a town hall in South Carolina, Rojas confronted Biden, criticizing his immigration record. The activist pointed out that millions were deported during Barack Obama’s presidency when Biden served as vice president. He asked Biden to promise to freeze all deportations via executive order if elected president.
The former vice president did not take the criticism well, however. He interrupted Rojas, encouraging him to vote for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. “You should vote for Trump, you should vote for Trump,” Biden repeatedly said, angrily dismissing the immigrant rights activist, before turning his back on him and walking away.
On the campaign trail, Biden has criticized the Trump administration’s immigration policies, but his own record has also come under intense scrutiny. Notably, during one of the debates, now-former White House hopeful Julián Castro blasted the Obama-Biden legacy, pointing out that millions were deported when Biden was vice president.
"YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR TRUMP" – @JoeBiden. An immigrant leader confronted Biden in Greenwood, SC about her fear of ICE. She said it's hard for the community to trust him because he defends Obama's deportations. Then Biden told the Cosecha organizer translating to vote for Trump. pic.twitter.com/A410FSKdiu — Movimiento Cosecha (@CosechaMovement) November 22, 2019
According to data, Obama deported 2.5 million undocumented immigrants, more than any president in history. Trump, whose administration has been criticized as anti-immigrant, has yet to match Obama in terms of deportation numbers. In 2012, for instance, the Obama-Biden administration deported 409,849 undocumented immigrants. In comparison, in 2018, the Trump administration deported around 256,000 people.
The Sanders campaign’s decision to hire Rojas comes as the Vermont senator and Biden seek to contrast their records and visions, while pitching themselves to the electorate. With the primary competition increasingly looking like a two-way race between Sanders and Biden, the Vermont senator appears to have taken the gloves off, openly criticizing Biden’s record on issues such as war, trade, and welfare.


inquisitr--2020-01-11--Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Formally Closes State To New Refugees, Thanks To Recent Donald Trump Executiv

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Formally Closes State To New Refugees, Thanks To Recent Donald Trump Executive Order

Gov .
Abbott is the first governor in the nation to opt-out of the State Department 's refugee settlement program .
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott announced on Friday that his state will no longer welcome refugees , at least in 2020 , citing his legal authority to do so based on an executive order recently signed by President Donald Trump which allows governors to make such decisions .
According to The Hill , Abbott argued that Texas has already accepted more refugees than any other state in the nation for the past decade .
Coupled with an influx of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state is not currently in a position to leave the doors open for new refugees .
“ At this time , the state and nonprofit organizations have a responsibility to dedicate available resources to those who are already here , including refugees , migrants , and the homeless — indeed , all Texans , ” Abbott wrote in a statement .
The president ’ s executive order that provided Abbott with the necessary legal power to close off the state to new refugees was signed last year .
The executive order forces refugees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first time to settle in locations that have been agreed upon under a federal program , and only where local governments and the state have formed agreements to take them in .
As NPR reported , the Trump administration was highly criticized for the move , and the executive order was challenged in court by a number of non-profit groups who assist refugees with the settlement process .
“ This is a shameful decision by Gov .
Abbott which is unworthy of the great state ’ s reputation for being big , bold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday , who is the president and CEO of one of the groups pursuing the legal battle against the administration .
Though over two dozen governors — representing both political parties — have recently agreed to keep their states open for new refugee settlers , Abbott officially became the first governor to take advantage of the new rules .
He officially informed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of his decision on Friday , reminding critics that one out of every 10 refugees who have settled in the United States have chosen Texas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Examiner .
“ Texas has carried more than its share in assisting the refugee resettlement process and appreciates that other states are available to help with these efforts , ” Abbott wrote .
The governor ’ s move came amid efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the overall number of refugees entering the United States .
The cap for 2017 was set at 45,000 and in 2018 it was lowered to 30,000 .
In 2019 , the administration set a limit of only 18,000 .
As previously reported by The Inquisitr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of both parties , including Republican Sen. Marco Rubio , for his pledge to severely restrict the number of refugees .

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Friday that his state will no longer welcome refugees, at least in 2020, citing his legal authority to do so based on an executive order recently signed by President Donald Trump which allows governors to make such decisions.
According to The Hill, Abbott argued that Texas has already accepted more refugees than any other state in the nation for the past decade. Coupled with an influx of immigrants, as he claimed, the state is not currently in a position to leave the doors open for new refugees.
“At this time, the state and nonprofit organizations have a responsibility to dedicate available resources to those who are already here, including refugees, migrants, and the homeless — indeed, all Texans,” Abbott wrote in a statement.
“As a result, Texas cannot consent to initial refugee resettlement for FY2020.”
The president’s executive order that provided Abbott with the necessary legal power to close off the state to new refugees was signed last year. The executive order forces refugees who are coming into America for the first time to settle in locations that have been agreed upon under a federal program, and only where local governments and the state have formed agreements to take them in.
As NPR reported, the Trump administration was highly criticized for the move, and the executive order was challenged in court by a number of non-profit groups who assist refugees with the settlement process.
“This is a shameful decision by Gov. Abbott which is unworthy of the great state’s reputation for being big, bold and hospitable,” said Mark Hetfield on Friday, who is the president and CEO of one of the groups pursuing the legal battle against the administration.
DEVELOPING: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas will reject accepting new refugees in 2020. His letter to Sec. of State Mike Pompeo. pic.twitter.com/CRwLhdPi7b — Ed Lavandera (@edlavaCNN) January 10, 2020
Though over two dozen governors — representing both political parties — have recently agreed to keep their states open for new refugee settlers, Abbott officially became the first governor to take advantage of the new rules. He officially informed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of his decision on Friday, reminding critics that one out of every 10 refugees who have settled in the United States have chosen Texas in the past, according to The Washington Examiner.
“Texas has carried more than its share in assisting the refugee resettlement process and appreciates that other states are available to help with these efforts,” Abbott wrote.
The governor’s move came amid efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the overall number of refugees entering the United States. The cap for 2017 was set at 45,000 and in 2018 it was lowered to 30,000. In 2019, the administration set a limit of only 18,000.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Trump has been criticized by members of both parties, including Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, for his pledge to severely restrict the number of refugees.


inquisitr--2020-01-11--Donald Trump Suggests He Deserved Nobel Prize For Ethiopia Peace Deal He Had Absolutely Nothing To D

Donald Trump Suggests He Deserved Nobel Prize For Ethiopia Peace Deal He Had Absolutely Nothing To Do With

At a campaign rally on Thursday night , Trump appeared to imply that the Nobel Peace Prize that went to Ethiopia 's prime minister should have been his .
Donald Trump puzzled Ethiopian officials on Thursday , when , at a campaign rally , he appeared to say that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to that country ’ s prime minister , Abiy Ahmed Ali , in December .
Abiy was given the high honor for his achievement in negotiating a peace deal with neighboring East African country Eritrea , according to The Washington Post .
Eritrea seceded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two countries had been locked in a military standoff ever since — until the new peace agreement .
From 1998 to 2000 , the hostilities erupted into an all-out shooting war that killed an estimated 100,000 people , according to The Washington Post .
But Trump was reportedly not involved in the negotiations in any way , despite the claim he made at Thursday ’ s rally in Toledo , Ohio .
“ I made a deal , I saved a country , and I just heard that the head of that country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for saving the country , ” Trump told a crowd of about 8,000 of his supporters , according to the Post account .
“ I said , ‘ What , did I have something do with it ?
’ Yeah .
But that ’ s the way it is.
” Trump has frequently been open about his desire to receive a Nobel Peace Prize after former President Barack Obama received the prestigious honor in 2009 , less than one year into his first term .
At a United Nations meeting last September , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honor for “ many things , ” as quoted by USA Today .
But Trump said at the U.N. that he believed he would have already received the prize , “ if they gave it out fairly , which they don ’ t. ” He also complained that Obama , in his view , did not deserve the Nobel that he was awarded .
The previous May , the president also declared that “ everyone thinks ” he should receive a Nobel Peace Prize , adding that he himself “ would never say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2018 , a former CIA official said that North Korea dictator Kim Jong Un only needed to know that Trump feels “ desperation to match former President Barack Obama ’ s Nobel Peace Prize ” in order to take advantage of him in nuclear negotiations .
Since taking office in 2018 , Ethiopia ’ s Abiy has instituted sweeping democratic reforms in that country , according to a BBC report .
Those reforms may have also played a role in his receiving the Nobel Peace Prize .
However , Trump was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initiatives , or in Ethiopia ’ s domestic politics at all .
Though it ’ s been said that Trump had absolutely nothing to do with the Ethiopia-Eritrea peace deal , the United States has assisted in delicate negotiations between Ethiopia and Egypt over a dam that the Ethiopians plan to build on the Nile river .
In a tweet , quoted by The Washington Post , the House Foreign Affairs Committee said that the president was “ confused , ” and must have mistaken the dam negotiations with the peace deal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Donald Trump puzzled Ethiopian officials on Thursday, when, at a campaign rally, he appeared to say that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to that country’s prime minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali, in December. Abiy was given the high honor for his achievement in negotiating a peace deal with neighboring East African country Eritrea, according to The Washington Post.
Eritrea seceded from Ethiopia in 1993, and the two countries had been locked in a military standoff ever since — until the new peace agreement. From 1998 to 2000, the hostilities erupted into an all-out shooting war that killed an estimated 100,000 people, according to The Washington Post.
But Trump was reportedly not involved in the negotiations in any way, despite the claim he made at Thursday’s rally in Toledo, Ohio.
“I made a deal, I saved a country, and I just heard that the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country,” Trump told a crowd of about 8,000 of his supporters, according to the Post account. “I said, ‘What, did I have something do with it?’ Yeah. But that’s the way it is.”
Trump has frequently been open about his desire to receive a Nobel Peace Prize after former President Barack Obama received the prestigious honor in 2009, less than one year into his first term. At a United Nations meeting last September, the president declared that he deserved the honor for “many things,” as quoted by USA Today.
But Trump said at the U.N. that he believed he would have already received the prize, “if they gave it out fairly, which they don’t.” He also complained that Obama, in his view, did not deserve the Nobel that he was awarded.
The previous May, the president also declared that “everyone thinks” he should receive a Nobel Peace Prize, adding that he himself “would never say it,” according to USA Today.
In 2018, a former CIA official said that North Korea dictator Kim Jong Un only needed to know that Trump feels “desperation to match former President Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize” in order to take advantage of him in nuclear negotiations.
Since taking office in 2018, Ethiopia’s Abiy has instituted sweeping democratic reforms in that country, according to a BBC report. Those reforms may have also played a role in his receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. However, Trump was reportedly not involved in Abiy’s initiatives, or in Ethiopia’s domestic politics at all.
Though it’s been said that Trump had absolutely nothing to do with the Ethiopia-Eritrea peace deal, the United States has assisted in delicate negotiations between Ethiopia and Egypt over a dam that the Ethiopians plan to build on the Nile river. In a tweet, quoted by The Washington Post, the House Foreign Affairs Committee said that the president was “confused,” and must have mistaken the dam negotiations with the peace deal, despite how the two are not connected.


inquisitr--2020-01-11--Bernie Sanders Picks Up Important Early-Voting State Victory, Surges To First Place In Crucial Iowa

Bernie Sanders Picks Up Important Early-Voting State Victory, Surges To First Place In Crucial Iowa Poll

Sen. Bernie Sanders was able to gain five points in the latest 'Des Moines Register'/CNN poll , which was enough to give him the lead over his opponents .
As the remaining Democratic candidates in the 2020 presidential election prepare to make their final case for voters ahead of the Iowa caucuses on February 3 , Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders surged in a crucial poll in the state to take the lead over all of his opponents .
According to The Hill , a Des Moines Register/CNN poll revealed on Friday that 20 percent of likely Iowa caucusgoers are pulling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him a narrow first-place finish .
A previous iteration of the same survey in November had the senator in third place with 15 percent support .
His closest competitor in the poll , at 17 percent , was California Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
She shares close to the same level of progressive ideology with 78-year-old Sanders , which provides at least some insight as to what Democratic Iowa voters might be searching for in the next president .
Former Vice President Joe Biden and former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the poll with 15 percent each .
Buttigieg ’ s new numbers were of important note , as the former mayor led the same survey in November with 25 percent support , marking a somewhat steep decline .
That could be the result of recent criticism he ’ s faced from opponents like Warren , who slammed him during the last debate for holding “ wine cave ” fundraisers .
Taking into account how none of the other candidates were able to wrangle a double-digit showing and the fact that the poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it appears as if the Hawkeye State could be a four-person race next month .
Sen. Amy Klobuchar only received 6 percent of support from Iowa caucusgoers , and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang , who has had the most success recently with unprecedented fundraising amounts , only managed to score 5 percent in the new poll .
Unfortunately for New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker , who has struggled to gain ground for a majority of the campaign cycle so far , his numbers remained the same as the November version of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 percent of support from Iowa voters this time around .
As The Hill pointed out , Iowa caucusgoers have a history of changing their minds at the last minute — right up to the point where they arrive to vote .
Second-choice questions in the state ’ s polls are important to watch , and this time around , voters picked both Buttigieg and Warren as their second choices .
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , Sanders ’ rise seems to correlate with President Donald Trump ’ s increased criticism of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keep America Great ” rally in Toledo , Ohio , Trump took several jabs at Sanders .
In one instance , he told the rally crowd that “ crazy Bernie is surging .
”

As the remaining Democratic candidates in the 2020 presidential election prepare to make their final case for voters ahead of the Iowa caucuses on February 3, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders surged in a crucial poll in the state to take the lead over all of his opponents.
According to The Hill, a Des Moines Register/CNN poll revealed on Friday that 20 percent of likely Iowa caucusgoers are pulling for the self-described Democratic socialist, giving him a narrow first-place finish. A previous iteration of the same survey in November had the senator in third place with 15 percent support.
His closest competitor in the poll, at 17 percent, was California Sen. Elizabeth Warren. She shares close to the same level of progressive ideology with 78-year-old Sanders, which provides at least some insight as to what Democratic Iowa voters might be searching for in the next president.
Former Vice President Joe Biden and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg both trailed Sanders and Warren, tying in the poll with 15 percent each. Buttigieg’s new numbers were of important note, as the former mayor led the same survey in November with 25 percent support, marking a somewhat steep decline. That could be the result of recent criticism he’s faced from opponents like Warren, who slammed him during the last debate for holding “wine cave” fundraisers.
Taking into account how none of the other candidates were able to wrangle a double-digit showing and the fact that the poll had a 3.7 percent margin of error, it appears as if the Hawkeye State could be a four-person race next month.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar only received 6 percent of support from Iowa caucusgoers, and tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang, who has had the most success recently with unprecedented fundraising amounts, only managed to score 5 percent in the new poll.
Unfortunately for New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, who has struggled to gain ground for a majority of the campaign cycle so far, his numbers remained the same as the November version of the poll. He managed to muster only 3 percent of support from Iowa voters this time around.
As The Hill pointed out, Iowa caucusgoers have a history of changing their minds at the last minute — right up to the point where they arrive to vote. Second-choice questions in the state’s polls are important to watch, and this time around, voters picked both Buttigieg and Warren as their second choices.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Sanders’ rise seems to correlate with President Donald Trump’s increased criticism of the senator. At a recent “Keep America Great” rally in Toledo, Ohio, Trump took several jabs at Sanders. In one instance, he told the rally crowd that “crazy Bernie is surging.”


inquisitr--2020-01-11--Donald Trump Is A ‘Mad Bomber’ In A ‘Rogue Government,’ Says Michigan Professor

A Wednesday anti-war protest at the University of Michigan took aim at Donald Trump and his administration ’ s recent assassination of Iran ’ s General Qassem Soleimani , which led to retaliatory strikes on military bases in Iraq that housed U.S. soldiers , Breitbart reports .
Among the protestors was Juan Cole , a professor at the university who had some harsh words for the president , as well as Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo .
“ We have a mad bomber in the White House , ” Cole said at the protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With Iran.
” Cole accused Trump , Esper , and Pompeo of “ making war ” on the Middle East and the climate .
He continued to blast Trump and his administration , claiming he has “ put the pillow over the baby of Iran ” at a time when the country was about the be “ welcomed into the world community.
” A student that attended the protest and introduced Cole to the stage claimed that Americans have “ learned their lesson ” from previous conflicts in the Middle East .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put an end to U.S. imperialism , and to build an anti-war movement in this country that is strong enough , such that the United States can not go around doing things like what it just did.
” Soleimani ’ s death was not mourned by many , with some pointing to the role he has reportedly played in killing Americans in the Middle East .
But the Trump administration ’ s justification of the Soleimani attack — that he was an imminent threat targeting the U.S. — has been questioned .
Reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soleimani — was responsible for all U.S. soldier deaths in Iraq since 2014 .
In addition , impeachment allegedly played a significant role in Trump ’ s decision to authorize the attack .
He reportedly told GOP associates after the strike that he felt pressure to deal with Soleimani from GOP senators , who he would need support from in the upcoming Senate trial .
The Hill reports that a second attack on an Iranian official took place on the night of Soleimani ’ s assassination , suggesting the move could have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposed to a reaction to an imminent danger .
The mission targeted Yemen-based financial backer Abdul Reza Shahlai , but it was ultimately a failure .

A Wednesday anti-war protest at the University of Michigan took aim at Donald Trump and his administration’s recent assassination of Iran’s General Qassem Soleimani, which led to retaliatory strikes on military bases in Iraq that housed U.S. soldiers, Breitbart reports. Among the protestors was Juan Cole, a professor at the university who had some harsh words for the president, as well as Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“We have a mad bomber in the White House,” Cole said at the protest, which was titled “No War With Iran.”
“We have somebody who’s erratic. We have a secretary of defense who’s a lobbyist for the arms industry. We have a secretary of state who is a Kansas oilman.”
Cole accused Trump, Esper, and Pompeo of “making war” on the Middle East and the climate. He continued to blast Trump and his administration, claiming he has “put the pillow over the baby of Iran” at a time when the country was about the be “welcomed into the world community.”
“We have a rogue government,” Cole said.
A student that attended the protest and introduced Cole to the stage claimed that Americans have “learned their lesson” from previous conflicts in the Middle East.
“What we are here for is to put an end to U.S. imperialism, and to build an anti-war movement in this country that is strong enough, such that the United States cannot go around doing things like what it just did.”
Western media used to accurately report that Soleimani led Iran's fight against ISIS. When Trump assassinated him, those same outlets portrayed him as the world's number one terrorist. Watch my short video on how US regime media manufactures consent: https://t.co/REpCuuxpJC — Dan Cohen (@dancohen3000) January 10, 2020
Soleimani’s death was not mourned by many, with some pointing to the role he has reportedly played in killing Americans in the Middle East. But the Trump administration’s justification of the Soleimani attack — that he was an imminent threat targeting the U.S. — has been questioned.
Reports suggest that the Islamic State — not Soleimani — was responsible for all U.S. soldier deaths in Iraq since 2014. In addition, impeachment allegedly played a significant role in Trump’s decision to authorize the attack. He reportedly told GOP associates after the strike that he felt pressure to deal with Soleimani from GOP senators, who he would need support from in the upcoming Senate trial.
The Hill reports that a second attack on an Iranian official took place on the night of Soleimani’s assassination, suggesting the move could have been part of a broader strategic plan as opposed to a reaction to an imminent danger. The mission targeted Yemen-based financial backer Abdul Reza Shahlai, but it was ultimately a failure.


inquisitr--2020-01-12--Tulsi Gabbard Says Donald Trump Has ‘Gone To War With Iran’

Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard made an appearance on Fox News on Friday and addressed the airstrike that killed Qassem Soleimani with host Bill Hemmer .
She was pressed to defend her claim that Soleimani ’ s death brings Iran closer to a nuclear weapon and paves the way for the resurgence of Islamic State and al-Qaeda .
“ Well , let ’ s , first of all , address the issue that the Constitution , written by our founders , intentionally place the responsibility of deciding whether or not to declare war within the hands of Congress , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many critics of the assassination and noted that Donald Trump requires authorization from Congress to make such a decision .
Hemmer claimed Trump has not expressed intent to go to war with Iran , which Gabbard suggested was irrelevant to his actions .
“ Well , he has gone to war with Iran .
That ’ s the reality of the situation , ” she said .
The 38-year-old politician noted that Iran is no longer complying with the Iran nuclear agreement — formally known as the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the development of a nuclear weapon .
Iran is reportedly four to six months away from obtaining the uranium necessary to develop a nuclear weapon — a bit farther than the two- to three-month timeline before the JCPOA .
Gabbard continued to claim the United States military in Iraq has been ordered to shift their focus from working with partners to prevent ISIS and al-Qaeda from resurfacing to defending themselves against Iranian forces and Iranian-backed Shia militias .
According to Gabbard , this shift in focus will leave a vacuum that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inquisitr previously reported , blowback for Soelimani ’ s killing — which will be difficult to tie to Iran — has already begun .
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria ( IMN ) vowed revenge against America , with one protestor suggesting retribution will come unexpectedly — as Iran ’ s attacks have historically been .
In addition , an al-Shabab group operating out of Somalia recently killed an American serviceman and two American contractors in Kenya .
Gabbard previously attacked the Trump administration ’ s war with Iran , claiming that it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are supported by data that reveals a spike in the number of attacks from Iran-backed militant groups from six in 2017 — after the JCPOA — to 40 in 2018 , following Trump ’ s decision to withdraw America from the agreement .

Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard made an appearance on Fox News on Friday and addressed the airstrike that killed Qassem Soleimani with host Bill Hemmer. She was pressed to defend her claim that Soleimani’s death brings Iran closer to a nuclear weapon and paves the way for the resurgence of Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.
“Well, let’s first of all address the issue that the Constitution, written by our founders, intentionally places the responsibility of deciding whether or not to declare war within the hands of Congress,” Gabbard began.
The Hawaii Rep. echoed many critics of the assassination and noted that Donald Trump requires authorization from Congress to make such a decision.
“If he wants to go to war with Iran, then come to Congress and say why he feels that’s important for our national security. That did not happen.”
Hemmer claimed Trump has not expressed intent to go to war with Iran, which Gabbard suggested was irrelevant to his actions.
“Well, he has gone to war with Iran. That’s the reality of the situation,” she said.
The 38-year-old politician noted that Iran is no longer complying with the Iran nuclear agreement — formally known as the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — and is inching closer to the development of a nuclear weapon. Iran is reportedly four to six months away from obtaining the uranium necessary to develop a nuclear weapon, which is a bit farther than the two- to three-month timeline established before the JCPOA.
Gabbard continued to claim that the United States military in Iraq has been ordered to shift their focus from working with partners to prevent ISIS and Al-Qaeda from resurfacing to defending themselves against Iranian forces and Iranian-backed Shia militias. According to Gabbard, this shift in focus will leave a vacuum that could be filled by terrorists.
As The Inquisitr previously reported, blowback for Soelimani’s killing, which will be difficult to tie to Iran, has already begun. The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) vowed revenge against America, with one protestor suggesting retribution will come unexpectedly, as Iran’s attacks have historically been. In addition, an Al-Shabab group operating out of Somalia recently killed an American serviceman and two American contractors in Kenya.
Gabbard, who previously attacked the Trump administration’s war with Iran, claimed that this act has undermined U.S. national security. Her comments are supported by data that reveals a spike in the number of attacks from Iran-backed militant groups from six in 2017 after the JCPOA, to 40 in 2018, following Trump’s decision to withdraw America from the agreement.