veteranstoday--2020-12-09--Biden to Netanyahu: Your worst nightmare is here

Last September , Joe Biden wrote a scathing review of Donald Trump ’ s Iran policy .
It unequivocally declared that Trump was reckless for ruining the Iran nuclear deal .
Biden proposed that “ we urgently need to change course.
” [ 1 ] Obviously this clarion call is pregnant with meaning because , as we have seen in previous articles , Trump ’ s policy with respect to Iran comes largely from the Israelis .
In fact , one Israeli journalist argues that Israel sought to humiliate Joe Biden by assassinating Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on the 27th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Post itself reported that Netanyahu has been getting ready just in case Biden turned out to be the president last October , when Netanyahu approved “ 2,260 new housing units in the occupied West Bank — two-thirds of them in areas that would almost certainly be included in the Palestinian state that Biden strongly supports .
Remarkably , 600 of the new units were designated for Jewish settlements that were prohibited from expanding even under Trump ’ s grotesquely one-sided Mideast peace plan , which Netanyahu endorsed.
” [ 3 ] In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure that Biden has no recourse when he moves to the White House .
Netanyahu has been trying to box him in a corner .
It seems that Biden has been welcoming the challenge .
But if Biden is going to change course , then he is going to challenge the dark forces behind the Zionist throne .
And if he is going to do that , then he needs to challenge the man behind the Zionist mask .
And the man behind the mask is none other than Benjamin Netanyahu .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ratcheted up tensions , risking bringing us closer to another Middle Eastern war without a realistic strategy or endgame .
He has lurched into risky escalations that endangered our troops — and then downplayed their brain injuries as ‘ headaches.
’ ” [ 4 ] Biden moved on to talk about the plan that the Obama administration established , one which obviously continues to give Benjamin Netanyahu headache : “ Five years ago , American-led diplomacy produced a deal that ensured it would take Iran at least a year to produce enough fissile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] Biden says he intends to bring this diplomacy back on the political table , and again this is Netanyahu ’ s worst nightmare because diplomacy , nuclear peace deal , and dialogue seem to give Netanyahu diabetes .
Biden : “ I will offer Tehran a credible path back to diplomacy .
If Iran returns to strict compliance with the nuclear deal , the United States would rejoin the agreement as a starting point for follow-on negotiations .
With our allies , we will work to strengthen and extend the nuclear deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other issues of concern.
” [ 6 ] Biden wrote that he would work with the Israelis in order to bring about this plan , but we all know that he is trying to be nice in public here because Netanyahu , since the last twenty years or so , has been willing to move heaven and earth to create chaos and conflict with Iran .
Biden ended his assessment by saying that he is “ ready to walk the path of diplomacy if Iran takes steps to show it is ready too.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been ready long before Biden was even a teenager .
Iran was on the path of democracy in 1953 , when the Anglo-American empire completely overthrew a democratically elected president by the name of Mohammad Mosaddegh .
[ 8 ] Iran is still waiting for a reasonable , vibrant nuclear deal .
“ The Iranian foreign minister , Javad Zarif , said on Nov. 17 that a return to full implementation by the United States and Iran can be ‘ done automatically ’ and ‘ needs no negotiations.
’ ” [ 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irrationally .
Vice Adm. Sam Paparo , the head of the US Navy ’ s Fifth Fleet , has recently declared that despite the fact that there have been some tensions between the US and Iran , Iran has been “ respectful.
” [ 10 ] Paparo elaborated : “ We have achieved an uneasy deterrence .
That uneasy deterrence is exacerbated by world events and by events along the way .
But I have found Iranian activity at sea to be cautious and circumspect and respectful , to not risk unnecessary miscalculation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] Trump ’ s view on Iran completely shocked European allies .
Those allies include United Kingdom , France , Germany , Russia , and even Chin .
They all agreed that Iran was in compliance with the nuclear deal and had not been cheating .
But because he was listening to the Israeli regime , mainly Benjamin Netanyahu , Trump had to concoct categorical lies in order to place sanction on Iran .
When Netanyahu realizes that he could lose the Iran deal , he released a statement saying , “ There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous nuclear agreement.
” [ 12 ] Obviously Netanyahu is still living in fear .
Since truth , political harmony , and peaceful resolutions give him nightmare , he seems to have a panic attack whenever he doesn ’ t get his way .
Netanyahu could not stop Obama from keeping the nuclear deal .
Even the Washington Post implicitly admitted : “ Netanyahu was unable to block the deal .
But after Trump ’ s election in 2016 , the prime minister found a president who shared his criticisms and who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” [ 13 ] If Biden brings back the nuclear deal , if he takes Netanyahu to the woodshed and avoids another disaster in the Middle East , then he is doing America and much of the world a great service .
Netanyahu again would make sure that Iran doesn ’ t get a reasonable deal .
We certainly can not wait to see how this will play out in the next few years .
• [ 1 ] Joe Biden , “ There ’ s a smarter way to be tough on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 .
• [ 2 ] Yossi Melman , “ Israel tried to lure Iran into war with Fakhrizadeh ’ s killing .
So far it has failed , ” Middle East Eye , December 7 , 2020 .
• [ 4 ] Biden , “ There ’ s a smarter way to be tough on Iran , ” CNN , September 13 , 2020 .
• [ 8 ] See Stephen Kinzer , All the Shah ’ s Men : An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2003 & 2008 ) ; Christopher de Bellaigue , Patriot of Persia : Muhammad Mossadegh and a Tragic Anglo-American Coup ( New York : HarperCollins , 2013 ) ; Ervand Abrahamian , The Coup : 1953 , the CIA , and the Roots of Modern U.S.-Iranian Relations ( New York : The New Press , 2015 ) .
• [ 9 ] Thomas L. Friedman , “ Biden Made Sure ‘ Trump Is Not Going to Be President for Four More Years , ’ ” NY Times , December 2 , 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Navy official says ‘ uneasy deterrence ’ reached with Iran , ” Times of Israel , December 6 , 2020 .
• [ 12 ] Quoted in Daniel Shapiro , “ Israel can ’ t contain Iran alone .
It doesn ’ t have to , ” Washington Post , December 5 , 2020 .

Last September, Joe Biden wrote a scathing review of Donald Trump’s Iran policy. It unequivocally declared that Trump was reckless for ruining the Iran nuclear deal. Biden proposed that “we urgently need to change course.”[1]
Obviously this clarion call is pregnant with meaning because, as we have seen in previous articles, Trump’s policy with respect to Iran comes largely from the Israelis. In fact, one Israeli journalist argues that Israel sought to humiliate Joe Biden by assassinating Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on the 27th of November.[2]
The Washington Post itself reported that Netanyahu has been getting ready just in case Biden turned out to be the president last October, when Netanyahu approved “2,260 new housing units in the occupied West Bank — two-thirds of them in areas that would almost certainly be included in the Palestinian state that Biden strongly supports. Remarkably, 600 of the new units were designated for Jewish settlements that were prohibited from expanding even under Trump’s grotesquely one-sided Mideast peace plan, which Netanyahu endorsed.”[3]
In other words, Netanyahu has been making sure that Biden has no recourse when he moves to the White House. Netanyahu has been trying to box him in a corner. It seems that Biden has been welcoming the challenge. But if Biden is going to change course, then he is going to challenge the dark forces behind the Zionist throne. And if he is going to do that, then he needs to challenge the man behind the Zionist mask. And the man behind the mask is none other than Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump, said Biden, “has repeatedly ratcheted up tensions, risking bringing us closer to another Middle Eastern war without a realistic strategy or endgame. He has lurched into risky escalations that endangered our troops — and then downplayed their brain injuries as ‘headaches.’”[4]
Biden moved on to talk about the plan that the Obama administration established, one which obviously continues to give Benjamin Netanyahu headache: “Five years ago, American-led diplomacy produced a deal that ensured it would take Iran at least a year to produce enough fissile material for one bomb.”[5]
Biden says he intends to bring this diplomacy back on the political table, and again this is Netanyahu’s worst nightmare because diplomacy, nuclear peace deal, and dialogue seem to give Netanyahu diabetes. Biden:
“I will offer Tehran a credible path back to diplomacy. If Iran returns to strict compliance with the nuclear deal, the United States would rejoin the agreement as a starting point for follow-on negotiations. With our allies, we will work to strengthen and extend the nuclear deal’s provisions, while also addressing other issues of concern.”[6]
Biden wrote that he would work with the Israelis in order to bring about this plan, but we all know that he is trying to be nice in public here because Netanyahu, since the last twenty years or so, has been willing to move heaven and earth to create chaos and conflict with Iran.
Biden ended his assessment by saying that he is “ready to walk the path of diplomacy if Iran takes steps to show it is ready too.”[7] Well, Iran has been ready long before Biden was even a teenager. Iran was on the path of democracy in 1953, when the Anglo-American empire completely overthrew a democratically elected president by the name of Mohammad Mosaddegh.[8]
Iran is still waiting for a reasonable, vibrant nuclear deal. “The Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif, said on Nov. 17 that a return to full implementation by the United States and Iran can be ‘done automatically’ and ‘needs no negotiations.’”[9] Moreover, Iran has never acted irrationally. Vice Adm. Sam Paparo, the head of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has recently declared that despite the fact that there have been some tensions between the US and Iran, Iran has been “respectful.”[10] Paparo elaborated:
“We have achieved an uneasy deterrence. That uneasy deterrence is exacerbated by world events and by events along the way. But I have found Iranian activity at sea to be cautious and circumspect and respectful, to not risk unnecessary miscalculation or escalation at sea.”[11]
Trump’s view on Iran completely shocked European allies. Those allies include United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, and even Chin. They all agreed that Iran was in compliance with the nuclear deal and had not been cheating. But because he was listening to the Israeli regime, mainly Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump had to concoct categorical lies in order to place sanction on Iran. When Netanyahu realizes that he could lose the Iran deal, he released a statement saying, “There can be no going back to the previous nuclear agreement.”[12]
Obviously Netanyahu is still living in fear. Since truth, political harmony, and peaceful resolutions give him nightmare, he seems to have a panic attack whenever he doesn’t get his way. Netanyahu could not stop Obama from keeping the nuclear deal. Even the Washington Post implicitly admitted:
“Netanyahu was unable to block the deal. But after Trump’s election in 2016, the prime minister found a president who shared his criticisms and who was willing to pull out of the deal.”[13]
If Biden brings back the nuclear deal, if he takes Netanyahu to the woodshed and avoids another disaster in the Middle East, then he is doing America and much of the world a great service. Netanyahu again would make sure that Iran doesn’t get a reasonable deal. We certainly cannot wait to see how this will play out in the next few years.


veteranstoday--2020-12-09--Call Trump’s treasonous acts what they are

Alternet : There ’ s one thing I can rely on when I write about the president , the Republicans and their treasonable rhetoric and behavior .
Like clockwork , a liberal reader will respond , saying isn ’ t , in fact , treason .
It ’ s something else , perhaps disloyalty or sedition .
The US Constitution is clear about treason ’ s meaning .
I should be more careful with my words .
Fair enough , but also fair is saying liberals are quick to doubt themselves .
They are ready to compromise even when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are prepared to appease authoritarians , because mild appeasement costs less than bold confrontation .
To liberals , partisanship is the problem , not the solution .
They refuse , therefore , even when refusing means failing to take their own side in a good fight .
If anyone represents the liberal view in this regard , it ’ s Barack Obama .
The former president said recently that , to effect real change , activists must meet people “ where they are.
” That might be fine and dandy when it comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ where they are ” is taking the side of a president seeking to overturn a lawful election ?
What if “ where they are ” is the Republicans saying and doing things with the express intent of harming the republic , because harming the republic tightens their grip on power ?
What if Republican dominance is predicated on betrayal ?
Partisanship is , therefore , not the problem .
Asymmetry is .
Symmetrical partisanship is the solution .
Donald Trump has moved from demanding in secret that election officials break the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ s violating his oath of office , profaning the rule of law and pissing on the spirit of the Constitution .
The Democrats could try impeaching and removing him again .
But , in my view , they don ’ t have to go that far .
What they should do is point out the obvious for everyone ’ s sake—that the president ’ s words and deeds are treasonable .
Anyone standing by his side is complicit .
To my knowledge , no Democrat in the US Congress has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s long past time to dare .
read more…

Donald Trump has moved from demanding in secret that election officials break the law to doing so out in the open
Alternet: There’s one thing I can rely on when I write about the president, the Republicans and their treasonable rhetoric and behavior. Like clockwork, a liberal reader will respond, saying isn’t, in fact, treason. It’s something else, perhaps disloyalty or sedition. The US Constitution is clear about treason’s meaning. I should be more careful with my words.
Fair enough, but also fair is saying liberals are quick to doubt themselves. They are ready to compromise even when the Republicans hold compromise in contempt. They are prepared to appease authoritarians, because mild appeasement costs less than bold confrontation. To liberals, partisanship is the problem, not the solution. They refuse, therefore, even when refusing means failing to take their own side in a good fight.
If anyone represents the liberal view in this regard, it’s Barack Obama. The former president said recently that, to effect real change, activists must meet people “where they are.” That might be fine and dandy when it comes to police reform, but what if “where they are” is taking the side of a president seeking to overturn a lawful election?
What if “where they are” is the Republicans saying and doing things with the express intent of harming the republic, because harming the republic tightens their grip on power? What if Republican dominance is predicated on betrayal? Partisanship is, therefore, not the problem. Asymmetry is. Symmetrical partisanship is the solution.
Donald Trump has moved from demanding in secret that election officials break the law to doing so out in the open. He’s violating his oath of office, profaning the rule of law and pissing on the spirit of the Constitution. The Democrats could try impeaching and removing him again. But, in my view, they don’t have to go that far. What they should do is point out the obvious for everyone’s sake—that the president’s words and deeds are treasonable. Anyone standing by his side is complicit. To my knowledge, no Democrat in the US Congress has dared use the T-word. It’s long past time to dare. read more… https://www.alternet.org/2020/12/call-trumps-treasonous-acts-what-they/


veteranstoday--2020-12-09--Is French Article 24 a License for Police Brutality?

On Saturday , December 5 , 2020 4600 protesters against a France ’ s new Global Security law marched from Porte de Lilas to the Place de la Republique .
This demonstration had less people than the previous Saturday when 5500 people marched .
There were also demonstrations in other cities including Lille , Marseilles and Toulouse .
Several subway stations were closed by the order of the police and that made shopping difficult for some people.We can see from the photos that the demonstrators , while wearing masks , were not practicing any social distancing.There were people smashing windows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and breaking objects .
Six cars and one truck were burned .
The police hurled tear gas at the breakers .
A photographer took a photo which appears that the police were burned by fire but actually it was from some tear gas they dispersed on the crowd .
The demonstration came soon after a Black music producer , Michel Zechan was beaten on November 26,2020 by police because he wasn ’ t wearing a mask .
He entered his premises fast to avoid the 135 Euro fine for not wearing a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policemen .
He cried for help and those downstairs came to his rescue and chased the policemen out.He said that thanks to photos taken by the public and put on the social media 3 policeman were taken into custody by the police for harming him .
A fourth policemen threw teargas into the building .
Michel Zechan sustained several wounds .
The protesters are demanding a re write of Article 24 which inflicts a penalty of one year of prison and a fine of 45,000 Euros for publishing , no matter how , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative commentary of police and gendarmarie ( the service of the French army which has police to protect the security and is under the Minister of the Interior ) .
The bill for rewriting this law passed the National Assembly on November 24 , 2020 with a vote of 388 for and 104 against the rewriting and it must go to the Senat in January .
“ Articles 21 and 22 of the proposed “ global security ” law allow the police and the gendarmes ( paramilitary forces ) to use body cameras @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allow the recorded footage to be livestreamed to the command post.
” The Indian Express The controversial portion , Article 24 , prohibits taking photos of police in the line of duty and disseminating those images online and in the media .
Violators can face up to a year-prison sentence of up to one year and a €45,000 ( $ 53,800 ) fine .
The bill is scheduled to go to the the Senat in January for examination .
Macron ’ s party feels that Article 24 protects the police and their families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Journalists , news organizations and human rights groups denounced the bill as an attack on freedom of expression , A middle aged lady in line at the post office told me that she marched Saturday in the demonstration and that Article 24 is in violation of the Constitution of France .
The demonstrators think that this law is an infringement of freedom .
Reporters Without Borders ’ secretary-general , Christophe Deloire , tweeted that al-Halbi had been wounded by “ a police baton ” at the Place de la Bastille even though he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If people can not film anything in the streets when the police may sometimes have an illegal use of force , it ’ s a very worrying message to send , ” Cecile Coudriou , president of Amnesty International France , told CNN .
Bills against Global Security are impeding freedom of the press .

Demonstrations in Paris to Stop Global Security
by Jane Rosenstein
Valerie Suara (Parisian resident contributor)
Protesters throwing Canisters after tear gas
On Saturday, December 5, 2020 4600 protesters against a France’s new Global Security law marched from Porte de Lilas to the Place de la Republique. This demonstration had less people than the previous Saturday when 5500 people marched. There were also demonstrations in other cities including Lille, Marseilles and Toulouse.
Several subway stations were closed by the order of the police and that made shopping difficult for some people.We can see from the photos that the demonstrators, while wearing masks, were not practicing any social distancing.There were people smashing windows of banks, shops and other places and breaking objects. Six cars and one truck were burned. The police hurled tear gas at the breakers.
A photographer took a photo which appears that the police were burned by fire but actually it was from some tear gas they dispersed on the crowd.
The demonstration came soon after a Black music producer, Michel Zechan was beaten on November 26,2020 by police because he wasn’t wearing a mask.
He entered his premises fast to avoid the 135 Euro fine for not wearing a mask and was followed into his premises by policemen. He cried for help and those downstairs came to his rescue and chased the policemen out.He said that thanks to photos taken by the public and put on the social media 3 policeman were taken into custody by the police for harming him. A fourth policemen threw teargas into the building. Michel Zechan sustained several wounds.
The protesters are demanding a re write of Article 24 which inflicts a penalty of one year of prison and a fine of 45,000 Euros for publishing, no matter how, of the face or other identification with negative commentary of police and gendarmarie ( the service of the French army which has police to protect the security and is under the Minister of the Interior).
When will there be a Vaccine against Police Violence?
The bill for rewriting this law passed the National Assembly on November 24, 2020 with a vote of 388 for and 104 against the rewriting and it must go to the Senat in January. “Articles 21 and 22 of the proposed “global security” law allow the police and the gendarmes (paramilitary forces) to use body cameras and drones to film citizens, and allow the recorded footage to be livestreamed to the command post.” The Indian Express
The controversial portion, Article 24, prohibits taking photos of police in the line of duty and disseminating those images online and in the media. Violators can face up to a year-prison sentence of up to one year and a €45,000 ($53,800) fine. The bill is scheduled to go to the the Senat in January for examination.
Macron’s party feels that Article 24 protects the police and their families from being exposed due to photos.
Journalists, news organizations and human rights groups denounced the bill as an attack on freedom of expression,
A middle aged lady in line at the post office told me that she marched Saturday in the demonstration and that Article 24 is in violation of the Constitution of France.
The demonstrators think that this law is an infringement of freedom.
Reporters Without Borders’ secretary-general, Christophe Deloire, tweeted that al-Halbi had been wounded by “a police baton” at the Place de la Bastille even though he was clearly identifiable as a journalist /photographer.
If people cannot film anything in the streets when the police may sometimes have an illegal use of force, it’s a very worrying message to send,” Cecile Coudriou, president of Amnesty International France, told CNN.
Bills against Global Security are impeding freedom of the press.


veteranstoday--2020-12-10--Trump Nose Best: Adderall Use is Nothing to Sniff At

Medium.com : Internet commentators have been nosing into whether Mr. Trump habitually snorts Adderall , a stimulant medication prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ) .
Derisive and joking commentary pervades this buzz .
However , if true , we should probably applaud the allegations .
First , they constitute at least tacit acknowledgement of Mr. Trump ’ s ADHD .
Secondly , they indicate his acting in ways that might actually mitigate some of his ADHD-driven problems .
Several lines of cocaine , I mean investigation , lead to Mr. Trump ’ s purported history with stimulants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors prescribed Mr. Trump phentermine .
The FDA approved the stimulant medication phentermine for weight-control , but physicians also prescribe it off-label to treat ADHD .
Phentermine prescriptions receive less government scrutiny than more tightly controlled stimulants like Ritalin or Adderall .
During the presidential campaign two years ago , pundits extensively discussed Mr. Trump ’ s sniffing , grimacing and hyperactivity , and whether these behaviors indicated a habit of snorting cocaine or other stimulants .
Months ago , individuals who worked on the reality show The Apprentice claimed that Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The issue achieved greater prominence following Mr. Trump ’ s recent Presidential Address , with a flurry on Twitter noting that his frequent sniffing and visibly dilated pupils might both indicate ongoing Adderall snorting .
I examined video footage of the border wall Presidential Address , comparing it to his other presidential performances .
Mr. Trump ’ s pupils are substantially larger during the Address than during other speeches , under what appear to be similar indoor lighting conditions .
( Brightness strongly influences pupillary dilation . )
However , even more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his pupils , during the Address he made many fewer head and body movements , many fewer hand gestures , twitched less , and uttered more organized sentences , in a calmer cadence , than he displays elsewhere .

John Kruse
Medium.com: Internet commentators have been nosing into whether Mr. Trump habitually snorts Adderall, a stimulant medication prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Derisive and joking commentary pervades this buzz. However, if true, we should probably applaud the allegations. First, they constitute at least tacit acknowledgement of Mr. Trump’s ADHD. Secondly, they indicate his acting in ways that might actually mitigate some of his ADHD-driven problems.
Several lines of cocaine, I mean investigation, lead to Mr. Trump’s purported history with stimulants. Reports going back decades assert that doctors prescribed Mr. Trump phentermine. The FDA approved the stimulant medication phentermine for weight-control, but physicians also prescribe it off-label to treat ADHD.
Phentermine prescriptions receive less government scrutiny than more tightly controlled stimulants like Ritalin or Adderall. During the presidential campaign two years ago, pundits extensively discussed Mr. Trump’s sniffing, grimacing and hyperactivity, and whether these behaviors indicated a habit of snorting cocaine or other stimulants.
Months ago, individuals who worked on the reality show The Apprentice claimed that Mr. Trump routinely snorted Adderall while on the set. The issue achieved greater prominence following Mr. Trump’s recent Presidential Address, with a flurry on Twitter noting that his frequent sniffing and visibly dilated pupils might both indicate ongoing Adderall snorting.
I examined video footage of the border wall Presidential Address, comparing it to his other presidential performances. Mr. Trump’s pupils are substantially larger during the Address than during other speeches, under what appear to be similar indoor lighting conditions. (Brightness strongly influences pupillary dilation.) However, even more blatant than a change in the size of his pupils, during the Address he made many fewer head and body movements, many fewer hand gestures, twitched less, and uttered more organized sentences, in a calmer cadence, than he displays elsewhere. read more…https://medium.com/@dockruse/trump-nose-best-4fdefbca82c1 Is Donald Trump on drugs? That’s seriously the wrong question After the Iran speech, another cascade of Adderall rumors — but amphetamines can’t explain Trump, or America By ANDREW O’HEHIR Salon: So what do you think: Is Donald Trump on drugs? It’s a question that has hovered around this president since well before he took office, and cropped up all over again — at least on the internet — after Trump’s address to the nation following the killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the subsequent Iranian missile attack on a U.S. base in Iraq.Many observers perceived Trump as sniffling extensively and having difficulty articulating words during that speech, and suggested that his pupils appeared to be dilated. This was taken as more evidence that this obese, 73-year-old man does lines of Adderall all day to remain conscious, or is heavily tranquilized by his handlers to manage him, or perhaps both. (Those observations would indeed tend to pull in different directions, drug-speculation-wise, although that’s hardly the biggest flaw in this whole zone of online paranoia-slash-overconfidence.) Much of this collective wisdom derives from archly worded “news” posts explaining why “Trump” and “Adderall” are trending on social media, or tweets within the self-reinforcing edifice of #Resistance Twitter that presume, as a widely accepted fact, that the president is a patient of Dr. Feelgood who is being kept marginally alive and functional with massive infusions of pharmaceuticals. Those in turn derive from gossipy years-old reports that people who worked on “The Apprentice” with Trump either saw him snorting Adderall — an amphetamine in tablet form that can easily be crushed, although that’s not the approved delivery method — or pretending to. All of this is taken to explain something, I guess. But what? read more… https://www.salon.com/2020/01/14/is-donald-trump-on-drugs-look-in-the-mirror-america/ The Highest Office A former Trump intimate insists that Donald Trump is a known substance abuser. Why is no one listening? BY HANNAH SELIGSON APRIL 18, 2020 TWITTER E-MAIL FACEBOOK LINKEDIN He wasn’t the kind of person you’d imagine delivering the news that the president of the United States is a drug addict. But shortly before we had learned that the coronavirus was upending American life—and making the president act unhinged—Noel Casler, a stand-up comedian at the American Comedy Institute in New York, made the claim, and he wasn’t joking. Casler, 49, whose material ranges from horse pornography and body parts to aging and dating, makes his experience with the Trump family the centerpiece of his routine. And during the lockdown, he has become an outspoken critic of the president on Twitter, weighing in on Trump’s daily briefings with a type of gallows humor that hews more to tragedy than to comedy. Casler’s take on Monday’s edition: “I’ve seen Trump snort Adderall, sh*t himself on a TV set and make his 16 year old daughter give him a lap dance. But that was the craziest shit I have ever seen him do.” (Neither the White House nor the Trump Organization would comment on Casler’s claims.) Casler used to work in live television and spent six seasons as Ivanka Trump’s handler on the finale tapings of The Celebrity Apprentice. In addition to her role as a mentor and judge on the show, Casler says, “she was there to sort of smooth [things] over or make apologies, or jump up and say, ‘Dad has a cold’ or ‘His allergies are acting up.’” Casler describes Ivanka as having a practiced pleasantry that can never be mistaken for genuine kindness. “But she was never rude to me,” he says. Donald Trump was another story entirely. Casler’s flashing message is the president’s unfitness for office. An excerpt of his material: “The president is a speed freak…. It makes sense if you think about it. Methamphetamine was invented by the Nazis to keep the fighter pilots up all night on bombing runs. Now Trump uses it to hate-tweet from the toilet at four A.M. in a self-centered rage.” read more… https://airmail.news/issues/2020-4-18/the-highest-office


veteranstoday--2020-12-10--Will Washington Review Its Double Standards in the Syrian File

The mayhem of the presidential elections left the American policy-makers locked in heated arguments about the future of the US domestic and foreign policy alike .
One of the most pressing issues on the agenda is the Middle East developments , especially the U.S. role in Syria .
After his ultimate defeat in the national vote Donald Trump handed down his successor a controversial legacy of multiple unresolved issues coupled with the badly damaged image of the White House .
This is true especially for Syria , where despite repeated claims of total victory over ISIS , the terrorists continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eastern part of the country Syria .
The activity of sleeper cells became a pretext for rejecting the idea of a complete U.S. military withdrawal from Syria .
It is widely believed that the Biden administration intends to make use of the terror threat to keep boots on the ground in Syria in order to ensure the security of oil and gas fields .
Indeed , the fight against international terrorism constitutes the basis of Washington ’ s foreign policy in the Middle East .
However , the U.S history in the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regards terror groups as an opportunity to benefit from seizing previously inaccessible resources .
In pursuit of economic and political goal human rights are sidelined , as is the case in Al-Hawl camp , where refugees suffer from miserable conditions living side by side with captured ISIS terrorists .
The camp that was initially established in 1991 by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for Iraqi citizens fleeing from the Persian Gulf War , started to host ISIS terrorists and their families in late 2018 .
The camp originally designed for 11,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than six time over of its capacity – the majority of whom are women and children of various nationalities .
Camp dwellers blame the overcrowding and poor management for a shortage of water , lack of food and inadequate medical care .
The American leadership persistently ignores this humanitarian catastrophe , a byproduct of the neglectful approach to the civilian population applied by the U.S.-backed Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) .
By doing this Washington possibly violates the Geneva Convention of August 12 , 1949 , under which the U.S. is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in northeast Syria .
Another worrying tendency is the increase in cases of riots and escapes from the SDF-controlled prisons that hold around 10,000 detainees .
The most serious incidents of this kind took place in October 2019 , when several hundred prisoners broke out of the Ain Issa jail .
The Americans did not pay sufficient attention to these developments and chose not to investigate human trafficking networks used to smuggle militants out of jail and ultimately out of Syria despite the risk of reappearance of armed groups and rise in subversive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the armed groups pose a threat for U.S. military bases located in the energy-rich areas of Hasakah and Deir Ezzor provinces .
This is yet another reminder that the U.S. is not a reliable ally for the Kurdish autonomous administration .
As Ankara continues to strengthen its positions in the region there has been growing speculation about Turkey planning another military operation in northern Syria .
Earlier , the Turkish leadership had abused the buffer zone agreement with the SDF that was brokered by the U.S. to evict the Kurds from these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no obstacles in implementing their plan as the American troops withdrew from the buffer zone on the very eve of the Turkish Peace Spring operation .
During the Turkish offensive a number of massive escapes that let dozens of terrorists out of SDF jails took place .
Keeping in mind the U.S. practical approach to its geopolitical interests , the new American administration will likely prefer not to obstruct its NATO ally and the Kurds will be again hit by the Turkish artillery and UAVs .
The U.S. foreign policy under the Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the pursuit of economic benefits under the pretext of promoting democracy and protecting civilians , a perfect representation of the “ world leader ’ s ” disregard for the interests of any state , be it ally or enemy , whose resources fall in the White House ’ s sphere of interests .
Double standards have become a defining trait of the international relations with civilians whose interests are supposedly protected by the U.S. military reduced to a bargaining chip .
The upcoming transition of the U.S. leadership and the inauguration of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States is capable of being a guarantor of security and stability , or Washington ’ s economic ambitions come first .

By Ahmad Salah for VT
The mayhem of the presidential elections left the American policy-makers locked in heated arguments about the future of the US domestic and foreign policy alike. One of the most pressing issues on the agenda is the Middle East developments, especially the U.S. role in Syria.
After his ultimate defeat in the national vote Donald Trump handed down his successor a controversial legacy of multiple unresolved issues coupled with the badly damaged image of the White House. This is true especially for Syria, where despite repeated claims of total victory over ISIS, the terrorists continue to carry out sporadic attacks throughout the eastern part of the country Syria. The activity of sleeper cells became a pretext for rejecting the idea of a complete U.S. military withdrawal from Syria.
It is widely believed that the Biden administration intends to make use of the terror threat to keep boots on the ground in Syria in order to ensure the security of oil and gas fields. Indeed, the fight against international terrorism constitutes the basis of Washington’s foreign policy in the Middle East. However, the U.S history in the region has shown that the White House primarily regards terror groups as an opportunity to benefit from seizing previously inaccessible resources.
In pursuit of economic and political goal human rights are sidelined, as is the case in Al-Hawl camp, where refugees suffer from miserable conditions living side by side with captured ISIS terrorists. The camp that was initially established in 1991 by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for Iraqi citizens fleeing from the Persian Gulf War, started to host ISIS terrorists and their families in late 2018. The camp originally designed for 11,000 people currently counts about 70,000 – more than six time over of its capacity – the majority of whom are women and children of various nationalities. Camp dwellers blame the overcrowding and poor management for a shortage of water, lack of food and inadequate medical care.
The American leadership persistently ignores this humanitarian catastrophe, a byproduct of the neglectful approach to the civilian population applied by the U.S.-backed Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). By doing this Washington possibly violates the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949, under which the U.S. is obliged to ensure the safety of civilians in northeast Syria.
Another worrying tendency is the increase in cases of riots and escapes from the SDF-controlled prisons that hold around 10,000 detainees. The most serious incidents of this kind took place in October 2019, when several hundred prisoners broke out of the Ain Issa jail. The Americans did not pay sufficient attention to these developments and chose not to investigate human trafficking networks used to smuggle militants out of jail and ultimately out of Syria despite the risk of reappearance of armed groups and rise in subversive activities. This deliberate ignorance will persist until the armed groups pose a threat for U.S. military bases located in the energy-rich areas of Hasakah and Deir Ezzor provinces.
This is yet another reminder that the U.S. is not a reliable ally for the Kurdish autonomous administration. As Ankara continues to strengthen its positions in the region there has been growing speculation about Turkey planning another military operation in northern Syria. Earlier, the Turkish leadership had abused the buffer zone agreement with the SDF that was brokered by the U.S. to evict the Kurds from these areas. Back then the Turks faced no obstacles in implementing their plan as the American troops withdrew from the buffer zone on the very eve of the Turkish Peace Spring operation. During the Turkish offensive a number of massive escapes that let dozens of terrorists out of SDF jails took place. Keeping in mind the U.S. practical approach to its geopolitical interests, the new American administration will likely prefer not to obstruct its NATO ally and the Kurds will be again hit by the Turkish artillery and UAVs.
The U.S. foreign policy under the Donald Trump’s presidency has been dominated by the pursuit of economic benefits under the pretext of promoting democracy and protecting civilians, a perfect representation of the “world leader’s” disregard for the interests of any state, be it ally or enemy, whose resources fall in the White House’s sphere of interests. Double standards have become a defining trait of the international relations with civilians whose interests are supposedly protected by the U.S. military reduced to a bargaining chip. The upcoming transition of the U.S. leadership and the inauguration of President Joe Biden have to determine whether the United States is capable of being a guarantor of security and stability, or Washington’s economic ambitions come first.


veteranstoday--2020-12-10--“Safeguards Stripped in Us Elections” 18 Rep States’ Attorneys joint to Texas lawsuit at Supreme Cou

“Safeguards Stripped in Us Elections” 18 Rep States’ Attorneys joint to Texas lawsuit at Supreme Court

« The allegations in the Bill of Complaint raise important constitutional issues under the Electors Clause of Article II , § 1 .
They also raise serious concerns relating to election integrity and public confidence in elections .
These are questions of great public importance that warrant this Court ’ s attention .
The Court should grant the Plaintiff ’ s Motion for Leave to File Bill of Complaint » .
This is what 17 attorneys general of as many US states wrote in their case filed yesterday , Wednesday 9 December , with the Supreme Court in relation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the presidential elections on 3 November last in four “ Swing-States ” ( Georgia , Pennsylvania , Michigan and Wisconsin ) fundamental for the assignment of the Great Electors which , according to the results certified so far , have allowed the unofficial proclamation of Joseph Biden as president-elect .
« Plaintiff ’ s Bill of Complaint alleges that non-legislative actors in the Defendant States stripped away important safeguards against fraud in voting by mail that had been enacted by the Legislature in each State » reads in the brief signed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona was added in the following hours , bringing the states in question to 18 .
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was the first to file a lawsuit on the matter before the Supreme Court .
But in the following hours Eric Schmitt , Missouri ’ s attorney , took the bull by the horns and brought together colleagues from 16 other states in the case , making it a sensational federal issue beyond its political value : all the signatories , in fact , do reference to the Republican Party that supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconfirmation of the White House .
Among the exponents of the GOP ( Grand Old Party ) did not join the prosecutor of Georgia , who was in the crosshairs of the lawsuit .
On Tuesday evening , the Supreme Court ordered the defendant states to reply by 3 p.m. on Thursday , Dec. 10 .
Precisely for this reason the New York Time , among the first to publish the news along with Fox News , did not give great prominence to an action that not only happens for the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political conflict , in part mitigated by Trump ’ s decision to initiate the transition to the Biden settlement , turning it into a disruptive social conflict .
« Despite dozens of judges and courts rejecting challenges to the election , Republican attorneys general in 17 states on Wednesday backed President Trump in his increasingly desperate and audacious legal campaign to reverse the results .
The show of support , in a brief filed with the Supreme Court , represented the latest attempt by Trump loyalists to use the power of public office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to deny the reality of his loss with baseless claims of voter fraud » Jeremy W. Peters and Maggie Haberman write in their article on the NYT denoting a clearly biased imprint .
« The move is an effort to bolster a lawsuit filed on Tuesday by the pro-Trump attorney general in Texas that seeks to delay the certification of the presidential electors in four battleground states the president lost .
Mr. Trump has been holding out hope that the Supreme Court will hear the case and ultimately award him a second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , and have largely dismissed it as a publicity stunt » adds New York Times .
Instead , a Republican senator with presidential ambition , Josh Hawley of Missouri , praised the attorney general of his state on Wednesday , Eric Schmitt , after Mr. Schmitt declared on Twitter that “ Missouri is in the fight ” for Mr. Trump .
Beyond the purely political judgment , the fact remains that this is a full-fledged legal action on which the Supreme Court , in which 6 conservative judges ( 3 appointed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be called to express itself shortly .
This may be enough for the states that have filed the case to challenge the formal proclamation process of the president-elect that the Electoral Committee of the 538 Electors will have to do next December 14th .
The contesting of the vote in Georgia , Pennsylvania , Michigan and Wisconsin could question as many as 62 major voters currently attributed to Biden who was certified the winner in those states .
If this request for invalidation were accepted it could drop the total number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 306 to 244 , below the 270 necessary for the victory , putting the Red candidate back in the running , which has only 232 .
In Pennsylvania both the District Court that the Supreme ( of the State ) rejected the request for the suspension of the certification of the votes advanced by the Trump campaign , through the lawyer Rudolph Giuliani , and that of the Republican representative Mike Kelly , considering them unfounded .
Trump then did not submit a direct action to the Supreme Court as he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuliani , former Mayor of New York , in the meantime tested positive for Covid-19 and was forced into isolation .
But his electoral staff instead joined the action filed Monday by the Texas Attorney General .
« His lawyer sidestepped the idea that fraud was rampant , writing that reporting in the media about the lack of proof “ misses the point ” because the larger issue is whether state officials loosened ballot safeguards “ so that fraud becomes undetectable.
” » NYT further report .
If in words the Republican president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral system , promoted by the Clinton foundation in various states and rejected by the Secretary of State of Texas in January 2019 because considered unreliable as it is at risk of fraudulent manipulation , in fact the legal action on alleged electoral fraud focuses on changes to the voting methods adopted by states as a result of the Covid-19 emergency which , once again , borders on the political sphere .
It should not be forgotten , in fact , that according to lawyer Robert Kennedy the pandemic has been planned for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats , and Anthony Fauci , supervisor of the many bacteriological experiments financed by the Obama administration with the PREDICT-USAID project , which became suspicious in light of the revelations of those scientists who believe the SARS-Cov-2 virus was built in the laboratory in a deal between China and the US .
But let ’ s see in detail what are the alleged violations reported by attorneys general Eric S. Schmitt ( Missouri ) together with Steve Marshall ( Alabama ) , Douglas J. Peterson ( Nebraska ) , Leslie Rutlege ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dakota ) , Ashley Mood ( Florida ) , Mike Hunter ( Oklahoma ) , Curtis T. Hill jr ( Indiana ) , Ala Wilson ( South Carolina ) , Derek Schmidt ( Kansas ) , Jason R. Ravnsborg ( South Dakota ) , Jeff Landry ( Louisiana ) , Herbert H Slatery III ( Tennessee ) , Lynn Fitch ( Mississippi ) , Sean D. Reyes ( Utah ) , Tim Fox ( Montana ) , Patrick Morrisey ( West Virginia ) .
« They abrogated statutory safeguards against fraud that responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail , and ( 2 ) they did so in a way that predictably conferred partisan advantage on one candidate in the Presidential election .
Such allegations are serious , and they warrant this Court ’ s review .
First , the proposed Bill of Complaint alleges that non-legislative actors in Pennsylvania , Michigan , and Georgia unilaterally abolished or weakened signature-verification requirements for mailed ballots .
It alleges that Pennsylvania ’ s Secretary of State 17 abrogated Pennsylvania ’ s statutory signature-verification requirement for mail-in ballots in a “ friendly ” settlement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill of Complaint , ¶¶ 44-46 .
It alleges that Michigan ’ s Secretary of State permitted absentee ballot applications online , with no signature at all , in violation of Michigan statutes , id .
¶¶ 85-89 ; and that election officials in Wayne County , Michigan simply disregarded statutory signature verification requirements , id .
¶¶ 92-95 .
And it alleges that Georgia ’ s Secretary of State unilaterally abrogated Georgia ’ s statute authorizing county registrars to engage in signature verification for absentee ballots in another lawsuit settlement » is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s further the allegation of Insecure ballot handling .
« The Bill of Complaint alleges that non-legislative actors changed 18 or abolished statutory rules for the secure handling of absentee and mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania , Michigan , and Wisconsin .
It alleges that election officials in Democratic areas of Pennsylvania violated state statutes by opening and reviewing mail-in ballots that were required to be kept locked and secure until Election Day .
Bill of Complaint , ¶¶ 50-51 .
It alleges that Michigan ’ s Secretary of State , acting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million unsolicited absentee-ballot applications to Michigan voters , thus “ flooding Michigan with millions of absentee ballot applications prior to the 2020 general election.
” Id .
¶¶ 80-84 .
And it alleges that the Wisconsin Election Commission violated state law by placing hundreds of unmonitored boxes for the submission of absentee and mail-in ballots around the State , concentrated in heavily Democratic areas .
Id .
¶¶ 107-114 .
In addition to violating the Electors Clause , these actions , as alleged , contradict commonsense ballot-security recommendations .
The Department of Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election Offenses notes that vulnerability to mishandling is what makes absentee ballots “ particularly susceptible to fraudulent abuse ” because “ they are marked and cast outside the presence of election officials and the structured environment of a polling place.
” » .
Another alleged attempt to “ election integrity ” , according to 17 attorneys .
comes from inconsistent statewide standards .
« The Bill of Complaint alleges that the Defendant States provided different standards and treatment for mail-in ballots submitted in different areas of each State , and that this differential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one side in the Presidential election .
It alleges that election officials in Philadelphia and Allegheny County , Pennsylvania , applied different standards to voters in those Democratic strongholds than applied to other voters in Pennsylvania , in violation of state law .
Bill of Complaint , ¶¶ 52-54 .
Similarly , it alleges that Milwaukee , Wisconsin violated state law by authorizing election officials to “ correct ” disqualifying omissions on ballot envelopes by entering information that the voter should have entered with a red pen , while no similar “ correction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that State .
Id .
¶¶ 123-127 .
And it alleges that Wayne County , Michigan provided differential treatment of its voters , in violation of state statutes , by simply ignoring statutorily required signature-verification requirements .
Id .
¶¶ 92-95 » .
At the end the brief higlighted another trouble : Excluding Bipartisan Observers .
« The Bill of Complaint alleges that certain counties in Defendant States excluded bipartisan observers from the ballot-opening and ballot-counting processes .
For example , it alleges that election officials in Philadelphia and Allegheny County , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican observers from the opening , counting , and recording of absentee ballots in those counties .
Bill of Complaint , ¶ 49 .
And it alleges that election officials in Wayne County , Michigan violated state statutes by systematically excluding poll watchers from the counting and recording of absentee ballots .
Id .
¶¶ 90-91 » .
Now the issue passes to the Supreme Court which will have to decide whether to consider the legal case well founded or whether to reject it .
However , it is clear that Biden ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is at this point in jeopardy .
According to the media supporting the legitimate victory of the Democratic candidate , the action of the 17 prosecutors is just an attempt to delay the proclamation .
But it will be up to the judges to have the last word .
Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio © COPYRIGHT GOSPA NEWS for VETERANS TODAY only no reproduction without authorization – Versione originale in Italiano

UPDATE ON DECEMBER, 11, 2020
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday said it would not consider a lawsuit filed by Texas that sought to overturn Joe Biden’s election victory in four battleground states.
by Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio
Versione originale in Italiano
«The allegations in the Bill of Complaint raise important constitutional issues under the Electors Clause of Article II, § 1. They also raise serious concerns relating to election integrity and public confidence in elections. These are questions of great public importance that warrant this Court’s attention. The Court should grant the Plaintiff’s Motion for Leave to File Bill of Complaint».
This is what 17 attorneys general of as many US states wrote in their case filed yesterday, Wednesday 9 December, with the Supreme Court in relation to the alleged violations that would have occurred during the presidential elections on 3 November last in four “Swing-States” (Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin) fundamental for the assignment of the Great Electors which, according to the results certified so far, have allowed the unofficial proclamation of Joseph Biden as president-elect.
«Plaintiff’s Bill of Complaint alleges that non-legislative actors in the Defendant States stripped away important safeguards against fraud in voting by mail that had been enacted by the Legislature in each State» reads in the brief signed by 17 attorneys general, before that of Arizona was added in the following hours, bringing the states in question to 18.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was the first to file a lawsuit on the matter before the Supreme Court. But in the following hours Eric Schmitt, Missouri’s attorney, took the bull by the horns and brought together colleagues from 16 other states in the case, making it a sensational federal issue beyond its political value: all the signatories, in fact, do reference to the Republican Party that supported Donald Trump in the course of the reconfirmation of the White House. Among the exponents of the GOP (Grand Old Party) did not join the prosecutor of Georgia, who was in the crosshairs of the lawsuit.
On Tuesday evening, the Supreme Court ordered the defendant states to reply by 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10.
Precisely for this reason the New York Time, among the first to publish the news along with Fox News, did not give great prominence to an action that not only happens for the first time in American history but could exacerbate the political conflict, in part mitigated by Trump’s decision to initiate the transition to the Biden settlement, turning it into a disruptive social conflict.
«Despite dozens of judges and courts rejecting challenges to the election, Republican attorneys general in 17 states on Wednesday backed President Trump in his increasingly desperate and audacious legal campaign to reverse the results. The show of support, in a brief filed with the Supreme Court, represented the latest attempt by Trump loyalists to use the power of public office to come to his aid as he continues to deny the reality of his loss with baseless claims of voter fraud» Jeremy W. Peters and Maggie Haberman write in their article on the NYT denoting a clearly biased imprint.
«The move is an effort to bolster a lawsuit filed on Tuesday by the pro-Trump attorney general in Texas that seeks to delay the certification of the presidential electors in four battleground states the president lost. Mr. Trump has been holding out hope that the Supreme Court will hear the case and ultimately award him a second term. Legal experts are skeptical, however, and have largely dismissed it as a publicity stunt» adds New York Times.
Instead, a Republican senator with presidential ambition, Josh Hawley of Missouri, praised the attorney general of his state on Wednesday, Eric Schmitt, after Mr. Schmitt declared on Twitter that “Missouri is in the fight” for Mr. Trump.
Beyond the purely political judgment, the fact remains that this is a full-fledged legal action on which the Supreme Court, in which 6 conservative judges (3 appointed by Trump) sit against 3 progressives, will be called to express itself shortly. This may be enough for the states that have filed the case to challenge the formal proclamation process of the president-elect that the Electoral Committee of the 538 Electors will have to do next December 14th.
The contesting of the vote in Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin could question as many as 62 major voters currently attributed to Biden who was certified the winner in those states. If this request for invalidation were accepted it could drop the total number of votes in favor of the Blue candidate from 306 to 244, below the 270 necessary for the victory, putting the Red candidate back in the running, which has only 232. In Pennsylvania both the District Court that the Supreme (of the State) rejected the request for the suspension of the certification of the votes advanced by the Trump campaign, through the lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, and that of the Republican representative Mike Kelly, considering them unfounded.
Trump then did not submit a direct action to the Supreme Court as he had previously announced, also because his lawyer Giuliani, former Mayor of New York, in the meantime tested positive for Covid-19 and was forced into isolation. But his electoral staff instead joined the action filed Monday by the Texas Attorney General. «His lawyer sidestepped the idea that fraud was rampant, writing that reporting in the media about the lack of proof “misses the point” because the larger issue is whether state officials loosened ballot safeguards “so that fraud becomes undetectable.”» NYT further report.
If in words the Republican president incumbent disputes the use of the Dominion electoral system, promoted by the Clinton foundation in various states and rejected by the Secretary of State of Texas in January 2019 because considered unreliable as it is at risk of fraudulent manipulation, in fact the legal action on alleged electoral fraud focuses on changes to the voting methods adopted by states as a result of the Covid-19 emergency which, once again, borders on the political sphere.
It should not be forgotten, in fact, that according to lawyer Robert Kennedy the pandemic has been planned for decades by Bill Gates, donor of the Democrats, and Anthony Fauci, supervisor of the many bacteriological experiments financed by the Obama administration with the PREDICT-USAID project, which became suspicious in light of the revelations of those scientists who believe the SARS-Cov-2 virus was built in the laboratory in a deal between China and the US.
But let’s see in detail what are the alleged violations reported by attorneys general Eric S. Schmitt (Missouri) together with Steve Marshall (Alabama), Douglas J. Peterson (Nebraska), Leslie Rutlege (Arkansas), Wayne Stenehjem (North Dakota), Ashley Mood (Florida), Mike Hunter (Oklahoma), Curtis T. Hill jr (Indiana), Ala Wilson (South Carolina), Derek Schmidt (Kansas), Jason R. Ravnsborg (South Dakota), Jeff Landry (Louisiana), Herbert H Slatery III (Tennessee), Lynn Fitch (Mississippi), Sean D. Reyes (Utah), Tim Fox (Montana), Patrick Morrisey (West Virginia).
«They abrogated statutory safeguards against fraud that responsible observers have long recommended for voting by mail, and (2) they did so in a way that predictably conferred partisan advantage on one candidate in the Presidential election. Such allegations are serious, and they warrant this Court’s review. First, the proposed Bill of Complaint alleges that non-legislative actors in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Georgia unilaterally abolished or weakened signature-verification requirements for mailed ballots. It alleges that Pennsylvania’s Secretary of State 17 abrogated Pennsylvania’s statutory signature-verification requirement for mail-in ballots in a “friendly” settlement of a lawsuit brought by activists. Bill of Complaint, ¶¶ 44-46. It alleges that Michigan’s Secretary of State permitted absentee ballot applications online, with no signature at all, in violation of Michigan statutes, id. ¶¶ 85-89; and that election officials in Wayne County, Michigan simply disregarded statutory signature verification requirements, id. ¶¶ 92-95. And it alleges that Georgia’s Secretary of State unilaterally abrogated Georgia’s statute authorizing county registrars to engage in signature verification for absentee ballots in another lawsuit settlement» is written in the filed brief.
There’s further the allegation of Insecure ballot handling. «The Bill of Complaint alleges that non-legislative actors changed
18 or abolished statutory rules for the secure handling of absentee and mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It alleges that election officials in Democratic areas of Pennsylvania violated state statutes by opening and reviewing mail-in ballots that were required to be kept locked and secure until Election Day. Bill of Complaint, ¶¶ 50-51. It alleges that Michigan’s Secretary of State, acting in violation of state law, sent 7.7 million unsolicited absentee-ballot applications to Michigan voters, thus “flooding Michigan with millions of absentee ballot applications prior to the 2020 general election.” Id. ¶¶ 80-84. And it alleges that the Wisconsin Election Commission violated state law by placing hundreds of unmonitored boxes for the submission of absentee and mail-in ballots around the State, concentrated in heavily Democratic areas. Id. ¶¶ 107-114. In addition to violating the Electors Clause, these actions, as alleged, contradict commonsense ballot-security recommendations. The Department of Justice’s Manual on Federal Prosecution of Election Offenses notes that vulnerability to mishandling is what makes absentee ballots “particularly susceptible to fraudulent abuse” because “they are marked and cast outside the presence of election officials and the structured environment of a polling place.”».
Another alleged attempt to “election integrity”, according to 17 attorneys. comes from inconsistent statewide standards. «The Bill of Complaint alleges that the Defendant States provided different standards and treatment for mail-in ballots submitted in different areas of each State, and that this differential treatment uniformly provided a partisan advantage to one side in the Presidential election. It alleges that election officials in Philadelphia and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, applied different standards to voters in those Democratic strongholds than applied to other voters in Pennsylvania, in violation of state law. Bill of Complaint, ¶¶ 52-54. Similarly, it alleges that Milwaukee, Wisconsin violated state law by authorizing election officials to “correct” disqualifying omissions on ballot envelopes by entering information that the voter should have entered with a red pen, while no similar “correction” process was granted to other voters in that State. Id. ¶¶ 123-127. And it alleges that Wayne County, Michigan provided differential treatment of its voters, in violation of state statutes, by simply ignoring statutorily required signature-verification requirements. Id. ¶¶ 92-95».
At the end the brief higlighted another trouble: Excluding Bipartisan Observers. «The Bill of Complaint alleges that certain counties in Defendant States excluded bipartisan observers from the ballot-opening and ballot-counting processes. For example, it alleges that election officials in Philadelphia and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, violated state law by excluding Republican observers from the opening, counting, and recording of absentee ballots in those counties. Bill of Complaint, ¶ 49. And it alleges that election officials in Wayne County, Michigan violated state statutes by systematically excluding poll watchers from the counting and recording of absentee ballots. Id. ¶¶ 90-91».
Now the issue passes to the Supreme Court which will have to decide whether to consider the legal case well founded or whether to reject it. However, it is clear that Biden’s official appointment scheduled for next week is at this point in jeopardy. According to the media supporting the legitimate victory of the Democratic candidate, the action of the 17 prosecutors is just an attempt to delay the proclamation. But it will be up to the judges to have the last word.
Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio
© COPYRIGHT GOSPA NEWS for VETERANS TODAY only
no reproduction without authorization – Versione originale in Italiano
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NEW YORK TIMES – 17 Republican Attorneys General Back Trump in Far-Fetched Election Lawsuit


veteranstoday--2020-12-11--Oregon senator says Saudi Arabia tries to flout law for Saudis accused of crimes in the U.S.

Fallon Smart ’ s killer – a Saudi citizen accused of 1st degree manslaughter for recklessly driving a car into her – managed to flee the U.S. and return to his country even though his passport was confiscated .
His disappearance before trial was similar to those of nearly two dozen other Saudi nationals accused of serious crimes , including rape .
Victims and survivors believe the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is helping these criminal suspects evade justice by taking advantage of its position as a critical U.S. ally .
Senator Ron Wyden ( D-Oregon ) tells Scott Pelley the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be “ above the law ” in U.S. cases concerning their citizens .
The Senate Intelligence Committee member said he could not comment beyond that , but said Americans deserve to know whether Saudi Arabia is indeed helping these individuals evade justice .
Pelley speaks to Wyden , victims , survivors and prosecutors for this 60 Minutes report to be broadcast Sunday , December 13 , at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CBS .
The Saudi indicted in Smart ’ s death , Abdulrahman Noorah , has been tracked on social media to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably had help getting back .
They say after his country ’ s consulate produced his bail money , he was picked up by a black SUV , which was driven to a gravel quarry where the fugitive ’ s GPS tracking bracelet was later found .
The police say the SUV then drove in the direction of the airport .
Noorah ’ s name was not found on any airline passenger lists .
Despite a warrant on him , law enforcement is now powerless : the U.S. does not have an extradition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ATTENTION READERS Due to the nature of independent content , VT can not guarantee content validity .
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Saudis accused of serious crimes have fled to the kingdom before trial. The FBI believes they had help from U.S. ally Saudi Arabia. 60 Minutes reports, Sunday.
Fallon Smart’s killer – a Saudi citizen accused of 1st degree manslaughter for recklessly driving a car into her – managed to flee the U.S. and return to his country even though his passport was confiscated. His disappearance before trial was similar to those of nearly two dozen other Saudi nationals accused of serious crimes, including rape.
Victims and survivors believe the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is helping these criminal suspects evade justice by taking advantage of its position as a critical U.S. ally. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) tells Scott Pelley the Saudis are known for using every means to be “above the law” in U.S. cases concerning their citizens.
The Senate Intelligence Committee member said he could not comment beyond that, but said Americans deserve to know whether Saudi Arabia is indeed helping these individuals evade justice. Pelley speaks to Wyden, victims, survivors and prosecutors for this 60 Minutes report to be broadcast Sunday, December 13, at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
The Saudi indicted in Smart’s death, Abdulrahman Noorah, has been tracked on social media to his home country. Prosecutors say he probably had help getting back. They say after his country’s consulate produced his bail money, he was picked up by a black SUV, which was driven to a gravel quarry where the fugitive’s GPS tracking bracelet was later found.
The police say the SUV then drove in the direction of the airport. Noorah’s name was not found on any airline passenger lists. Despite a warrant on him, law enforcement is now powerless: the U.S. does not have an extradition treaty with its ally. read more… https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saudi-arabia-united-states-crimes-60-minutes-2020-12-10/


veteranstoday--2020-12-10--Bibi Wants Biden to Bend the Knee

Bibi Wants Biden to Bend the Knee

The real importance of Israel ’ s assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has not been fully understood .
It wasn ’ t just an effort to sabotage Biden ’ s diplomacy with Iran .
It was also Neyantahu ’ s opening salvo against President-elect Joe Biden in what is already set to be an uneasy relationship .
Rather than endearing himself and Israel to the new American president , Bibi instead chose to throw the first punch .
This is astonishing , even for Netanyahu ’ s standards .
His signal to Biden was clear : On Iran policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ write about this for Newsweek today .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not one to pull his punches when it comes to American presidents .
The assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was not just a particularly daring attack against Iran .
It was also Neyantahu ’ s opening salvo against President-elect Joe Biden in what is already set to be an uneasy relationship .
Rather than endearing himself and Israel to the new American president , Bibi instead chose to throw the first punch .
His signal to Biden was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls the shots .
Netanyahu has famously poor relations with Democratic Presidents .
His bullying personality and lack of deference to the United States left an aghast Bill Clinton exclaiming “ Who ’ s the fucking superpower here ?
” after their first meeting .
His relationship with Barack Obama was even worse .
Their first official meeting at the White House in May 2009 was , by all accounts , a disaster—and it went downhill from thereon .
But unlike Netanyahu ’ s approach to Biden today , neither Obama nor Netanyahu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The breakdown was not caused on purpose , but rather through a series of misunderstandings and misperceptions .
While Netanyahu knew that Obama was likely to request limitations on settlement building , he did not expect Obama to request a “ complete settlement freeze , ” as soon as possible .
Netanyahu felt ambushed , telling his aides afterward that he felt “ punched in the nose.
” The Obama team , meanwhile , believed that the request on settlements had been well telegraphed in the weeks preceding the meeting .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give Obama the benefit of the doubt , Netanyahu quickly returned the favor .
During the joint press conference after their meeting , Obama focused on the need for progress on the Israeli-Palestinian issue ( which never appeared to be a matter of urgency for Netanyahu , to put it mildly , ) and for diplomacy with Iran ( which Bibi opposed outright . )
Seeking to create an atmosphere conducive to diplomacy , Obama had deliberately toned down the rhetoric on Iran in hope of convincing a highly suspicious Tehran of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , completely avoided threatening language , including George W. Bush ‘ s favorite phrase— ” all options remain on the table ” —precisely because he knew his chances of getting the Iranians to come to the table would dwindle if he appeared to be threatening them .
Netanyahu also understood the logic perfectly well .
So to sabotage Obama , he turned to the American president and told the reporters : “ I very much appreciate , Mr. President , your firm commitment to ensure that Iran does not develop nuclear military capability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re leaving all options on the table.
” Obama , had , of course said no such thing in public .
Netanyahu put the words in his mouth , knowing very well how the paranoid decision-makers in Tehran would interpret it .
No other friend of the United States treats American Presidents this way .
With Biden , Netanyahu has chosen to avoid any misunderstandings : He ’ s throwing the first punch even before the former Vice President has had the chance to take the oath of office .
Bibi had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA ) — ” There can be no going back to the previous nuclear agreement , ” he said last month—and with the assassination , he signaled Biden that he won ’ t hesitate to aggressively undermine the American president if Biden chooses to pursue the path he believes best serves America ’ s interests .
This is astonishing , even for Netanyahu ’ s standards .
After all , Israel needs the United States far more than the U.S. needs Israel .
But decades of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Middle East have emboldened them to not only challenge U.S. presidents but also undermine them .
Deference has bred recklessness and disregard for U.S. interests .
Not surprisingly , this has left Netanyahu with a perception of impunity .
Biden must now decide whether to correct Netanyahu ’ s perception or adjust to it .
Some in Biden ’ s circle have at least in the past advised that more deference to Israel could have tempered Netanyahu ’ s opposition to the Iran deal ( it is unclear as to whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fakhrizadeh assassination . )
Others , like Obama ’ s deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes , believe Netanyahu is categorically opposed to any deal with Tehran—no amount of deference or consultation can change that .
Last week , Rhodes issued an impassioned plea to the Biden team not to fall into trap of thinking that Netanyahu can be brought over to the pro-diplomacy camp : “ I plead with [ the Biden team ] , ” Rhodes said on Pod Save World .
“ Do not think there is any ounce of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way from Bibi Netanyahu , from MBS , and from the Tom Cottons of this world .
They will convince you that they are really for a better deal .
That they just want to help you get a better deal… That is a heaping pile of bullshit .
These people have no interest in a deal .
They ’ ve never had an interest in a deal .
How many times do we have to go through this play ?
This is in the hands of the Biden people to say : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to these people.
” Rhodes speaks from bitter and direct experience .
The Obama administration consulted extensively with the Netanyahu government during the course of the JCPOA negotiations and only stopped sharing intel with the Israelis once US intelligence picked up that the Israeli ambassador to Washington selectively leaked information in order to undermine the talks .
Netanyahu didn ’ t do this only to Obama ; he even conspired with John Bolton to prevent Donald Trump from meeting with Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif , revealing that he was not opposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its alleged flaws but rather opposed to any deal with Iran .
After all , in Trump , Netanyahu had a president willing to break with all his predecessors in acquiescing to almost all key Israeli demands .
Yet , even with such a deferential President , Netanyahu opposed the U.S. even talking to Iran , let alone striking a deal with it .
Biden now has a choice to make .
Either he allows Netanyahu to define his options in the Middle East—which , given how things are going , would mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some form of a confrontation with Iran sooner rather than later .
Or he charts out a new approach for America in the Middle East , with new parameters and benchmarks for success that do not all hinge simply on pleasing Netanyahu .
On Tehran , this would likely entail Biden seeking to put the entire US-Iran relationship on a new footing , in order to better protect US interest , as well as protect the nuclear deal from efforts by Israel , Saudi or the UAE to kill the nuclear deal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an unequivocal reality , now more starkly defined than during his previous term in high office .
Either America returns to an already charted diplomatic path that makes Iran part of the solution instead of the problem , stabilizes the region and ultimately makes even Israel itself more secure ; or it sacrifices its own interests for the insurmountable anxieties of one prime minister ( and two authoritarian rulers in the Persian Gulf ) —which , if indulged , would ironically lead to confrontation , or to war .
Obama left the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between charting a new path on the Middle East and appeasing Israel existed .
Netanyahu is going over and above to make it plain to Biden at the outset that he won ’ t allow for any middle paths .
Whether Biden likes or not , he will have to decide on who calls the shots on America ’ s Iran policy—the President of the United States or the Prime Minister of Israel .
Trita Parsi is the Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute and author of Losing an Enemy – Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diplomacy .

The real importance of Israel’s assassination of Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has not been fully understood. It wasn’t just an effort to sabotage Biden’s diplomacy with Iran. It was also Neyantahu’s opening salvo against President-elect Joe Biden in what is already set to be an uneasy relationship. Rather than endearing himself and Israel to the new American president, Bibi instead chose to throw the first punch. This is astonishing, even for Netanyahu’s standards. His signal to Biden was clear: On Iran policy, I call the shots.
I write about this for Newsweek today.
Sincerely,
Trita Parsi
https://www.newsweek.com/biden-bibi-iran-deal-1553933
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not one to pull his punches when it comes to American presidents. The assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was not just a particularly daring attack against Iran. It was also Neyantahu’s opening salvo against President-elect Joe Biden in what is already set to be an uneasy relationship. Rather than endearing himself and Israel to the new American president, Bibi instead chose to throw the first punch. His signal to Biden was clear: On Iran policy, Israel calls the shots.
Netanyahu has famously poor relations with Democratic Presidents. His bullying personality and lack of deference to the United States left an aghast Bill Clinton exclaiming “Who’s the fucking superpower here?” after their first meeting.
His relationship with Barack Obama was even worse. Their first official meeting at the White House in May 2009 was, by all accounts, a disaster—and it went downhill from thereon. But unlike Netanyahu’s approach to Biden today, neither Obama nor Netanyahu actually wanted their relationship to turn sour. The breakdown was not caused on purpose, but rather through a series of misunderstandings and misperceptions.
While Netanyahu knew that Obama was likely to request limitations on settlement building, he did not expect Obama to request a “complete settlement freeze,” as soon as possible. Netanyahu felt ambushed, telling his aides afterward that he felt “punched in the nose.” The Obama team, meanwhile, believed that the request on settlements had been well telegraphed in the weeks preceding the meeting.
Not one to turn the other cheek or give Obama the benefit of the doubt, Netanyahu quickly returned the favor. During the joint press conference after their meeting, Obama focused on the need for progress on the Israeli-Palestinian issue (which never appeared to be a matter of urgency for Netanyahu, to put it mildly,) and for diplomacy with Iran (which Bibi opposed outright.)
Seeking to create an atmosphere conducive to diplomacy, Obama had deliberately toned down the rhetoric on Iran in hope of convincing a highly suspicious Tehran of his sincerity. He had, for instance, completely avoided threatening language, including George W. Bush‘s favorite phrase—”all options remain on the table”—precisely because he knew his chances of getting the Iranians to come to the table would dwindle if he appeared to be threatening them.
Netanyahu also understood the logic perfectly well. So to sabotage Obama, he turned to the American president and told the reporters:
“I very much appreciate, Mr. President, your firm commitment to ensure that Iran does not develop nuclear military capability, and also your statement that you’re leaving all options on the table.”
Obama, had, of course said no such thing in public. Netanyahu put the words in his mouth, knowing very well how the paranoid decision-makers in Tehran would interpret it. No other friend of the United States treats American Presidents this way.
With Biden, Netanyahu has chosen to avoid any misunderstandings: He’s throwing the first punch even before the former Vice President has had the chance to take the oath of office. Bibi had already publicly forbidden the U.S. to rejoin the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—”There can be no going back to the previous nuclear agreement,” he said last month—and with the assassination, he signaled Biden that he won’t hesitate to aggressively undermine the American president if Biden chooses to pursue the path he believes best serves America’s interests.
This is astonishing, even for Netanyahu’s standards. After all, Israel needs the United States far more than the U.S. needs Israel. But decades of American deference to Israel and other partners in the Middle East have emboldened them to not only challenge U.S. presidents but also undermine them. Deference has bred recklessness and disregard for U.S. interests. Not surprisingly, this has left Netanyahu with a perception of impunity.
Biden must now decide whether to correct Netanyahu’s perception or adjust to it. Some in Biden’s circle have at least in the past advised that more deference to Israel could have tempered Netanyahu’s opposition to the Iran deal (it is unclear as to whether they still hold those views after the Fakhrizadeh assassination.)
Others, like Obama’s deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, believe Netanyahu is categorically opposed to any deal with Tehran—no amount of deference or consultation can change that. Last week, Rhodes issued an impassioned plea to the Biden team not to fall into trap of thinking that Netanyahu can be brought over to the pro-diplomacy camp:
“I plead with [the Biden team],” Rhodes said on Pod Save World. “Do not think there is any ounce of good faith that will be coming your way from Bibi Netanyahu, from MBS, and from the Tom Cottons of this world. They will convince you that they are really for a better deal. That they just want to help you get a better deal… That is a heaping pile of bullshit. These people have no interest in a deal. They’ve never had an interest in a deal. How many times do we have to go through this play? This is in the hands of the Biden people to say: We don’t need to listen to these people.”
Rhodes speaks from bitter and direct experience. The Obama administration consulted extensively with the Netanyahu government during the course of the JCPOA negotiations and only stopped sharing intel with the Israelis once US intelligence picked up that the Israeli ambassador to Washington selectively leaked information in order to undermine the talks.
Netanyahu didn’t do this only to Obama; he even conspired with John Bolton to prevent Donald Trump from meeting with Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif, revealing that he was not opposed to Obama’s nuclear deal because of its alleged flaws but rather opposed to any deal with Iran. After all, in Trump, Netanyahu had a president willing to break with all his predecessors in acquiescing to almost all key Israeli demands. Yet, even with such a deferential President, Netanyahu opposed the U.S. even talking to Iran, let alone striking a deal with it.
Biden now has a choice to make. Either he allows Netanyahu to define his options in the Middle East—which, given how things are going, would mean that America would have to prepare for some form of a confrontation with Iran sooner rather than later. Or he charts out a new approach for America in the Middle East, with new parameters and benchmarks for success that do not all hinge simply on pleasing Netanyahu.
On Tehran, this would likely entail Biden seeking to put the entire US-Iran relationship on a new footing, in order to better protect US interest, as well as protect the nuclear deal from efforts by Israel, Saudi or the UAE to kill the nuclear deal.
On Israel, Biden is faced with an unequivocal reality, now more starkly defined than during his previous term in high office. Either America returns to an already charted diplomatic path that makes Iran part of the solution instead of the problem, stabilizes the region and ultimately makes even Israel itself more secure; or it sacrifices its own interests for the insurmountable anxieties of one prime minister (and two authoritarian rulers in the Persian Gulf)—which, if indulged, would ironically lead to confrontation, or to war.
Obama left the White House still believing that a middle ground between charting a new path on the Middle East and appeasing Israel existed. Netanyahu is going over and above to make it plain to Biden at the outset that he won’t allow for any middle paths. Whether Biden likes or not, he will have to decide on who calls the shots on America’s Iran policy—the President of the United States or the Prime Minister of Israel.
Trita Parsi is the Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute and author of Losing an Enemy – Obama, Iran, and the Triumph of Diplomacy.


veteranstoday--2020-12-10--COVIDGate: CDC’s Redfield told staff to delete email, official tells House watchdog

Politico : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield instructed staff to delete an email from a Trump political appointee seeking control over the agency ’ s scientific reports on the pandemic , a senior CDC official told congressional investigators this week .
Redfield ’ s apparent instruction was revealed in a Monday closed-door interview with the House subcommittee probing the White House ’ s coronavirus response , which includes the Trump administration ’ s interference at the federal public health agency .
It came following an Aug. 8 email sent by Paul Alexander , who was then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Services spokesperson Michael Caputo , aiming to water down the CDC ’ s famed Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports to align with President Donald Trump ’ s efforts to downplay the virus .
“ I was instructed to delete the email , ” MMWR editor Charlotte Kent told investigators .
Kent , who was on vacation when Alexander sent the email , said that she was informed of the request by a colleague who filled in for her , and that she understood the request to be from Redfield .
Kent said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I went to look for it after I had been told to delete it , and it was already gone , ” she told investigators on Monday .
Rep. Jim Clyburn , who chairs the House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis , on Thursday raised concern the episode may be among “ deliberate efforts by the Trump Administration to conceal and destroy evidence ” of political meddling in the pandemic response .
In a letter to Redfield and HHS Secretary Alex Azar , he said that instructing staff to delete documents is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record-keeping requirements , according to a copy shared with POLITICO .
read more…

Politico: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield instructed staff to delete an email from a Trump political appointee seeking control over the agency’s scientific reports on the pandemic, a senior CDC official told congressional investigators this week.
"…following an Aug. 8 email sent by Paul Alexander…then…scientific adviser to Health and Human Services spokesperson Michael Caputo, aiming to water down…CDC’s famed Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports to match…Donald Trump’s efforts to downplay the virus." #covidcoverup https://t.co/h3om9SGkh1
A senior CDC official told a House panel that she was instructed to delete an Aug. 8 email that showed a political appointee tried to meddle in a key report. The official said she understood the direction came from CDC Director Robert Redfield. https://t.co/sjymhvHo40
Redfield’s apparent instruction was revealed in a Monday closed-door interview with the House subcommittee probing the White House’s coronavirus response, which includes the Trump administration’s interference at the federal public health agency. It came following an Aug. 8 email sent by Paul Alexander, who was then the scientific adviser to Health and Human Services spokesperson Michael Caputo, aiming to water down the CDC’s famed Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports to align with President Donald Trump’s efforts to downplay the virus.
NEW: 👉CDC official told House Coronavirus Select Committee she was ordered to delete email suggesting political concerns behind effort to change data about coronavirus and children.https://t.co/tBnE8DmASb via @nbcnews — Heidi Przybyla (@HeidiNBC) December 10, 2020
“I was instructed to delete the email,” MMWR editor Charlotte Kent told investigators. Kent, who was on vacation when Alexander sent the email, said that she was informed of the request by a colleague who filled in for her, and that she understood the request to be from Redfield. Kent said that she never saw the email herself. “I went to look for it after I had been told to delete it, and it was already gone,” she told investigators on Monday.
A CDC official says she was ordered to destroy an email showing that Trump appointees attempted to interfere with the publication of a weekly report on the coronavirus. https://t.co/ICkrvuHV7N — The New York Times (@nytimes) December 10, 2020
Rep. Jim Clyburn, who chairs the House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, on Thursday raised concern the episode may be among “deliberate efforts by the Trump Administration to conceal and destroy evidence” of political meddling in the pandemic response. In a letter to Redfield and HHS Secretary Alex Azar, he said that instructing staff to delete documents is unethical and possibly a violation of federal record-keeping requirements, according to a copy shared with POLITICO. read more…
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/10/cdc-redfield-email-house-watchdog-444238