rawstory--2020-01-08--#NoWarWithIran: US peace advocates say ‘time for de-escalation is now’

After Iran followed through with its vow to retaliate for the U.S. assassination last week of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani , peace advocates on Tuesday night condemned U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s role in putting Iran and the United States on the precipice of all-out-war and called for an immediate de-escalation of violence and rhetoric on all sides .
“ We urge all parties—Iran and the United States—to immediately halt all military action and reject an unnecessary and costly war of choice , ” said Stephen Miles , executive director for the U.S.-based anti-war group Win Without War , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the strongest possible terms military escalation by both the Iranian and U.S. militaries.
” “ If we have learned anything from almost two decades of destructive , fruitless , endless wars , now is the time to act like it.
” —Stephen Miles , Win Without WarWhile “ this escalating cycle of violence was an entirely predictable response to Donald Trump ’ s reckless and unnecessary decision to choose war over diplomacy with Iran , ” Miles continued , the “ time for de-escalation is now.
” With reports indicating that Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further violence in the region—from the United Arab Emirates , where the U.S. has jet fighters stationed , to Israel and Lebanon , where Hezbollah has vowed backing for Iran—international concern grew rapidly that the situation could quickly escalate out of control .
“ War with Iran would be both disastrous and futile .
It could lead to the further destabilization of an entire region and unleash massive human suffering , ” said Miles .
“ If we have learned anything from almost two decades of destructive , fruitless , endless wars , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” Now , he added , Trump and his administration face a stark choice : “ continue down the highly unpopular path of war or change course and embrace diplomacy .
The people of the United States and the region do not want war .
Now is the time to end the cycle of military retaliation , walk back aggressive rhetoric , and engage meaningfully in a diplomatic process for peace.
” Rep. Barbara Lee ( D-Calif. ) also spoke out .
In addition to saying her thoughts and prayers were with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said the attack by the Iranians “ was exactly what we feared ” would result from Trump ’ s reckless decision to kill Soleimani and other Iranian officials last week .
“ It ’ s past time to change course , embrace diplomacy , and focus on ending the wars we entered two decades ago instead of provoking another disastrous , unnecessary war the world can not afford.
” —Rep .
Barbara Lee ( D-Calif. ) ” This cycle of violence can quickly spiral out of control and escalate into Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Lee said in a statement .
“ Make no mistake , Trump chose reckless military action over diplomacy—and this is the result.
” Lee urged all parties to “ immediately halt the violence ” and called on Trump to work with U.S. allies to find a path to de-escalate the situation .
“ It ’ s past time to change course , embrace diplomacy , and focus on ending the wars we entered two decades ago instead of provoking another disastrous , unnecessary war the world can not afford , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Pramila Jayapal ( D-Wash. ) were also among those calling for immediate restraint and a path towards peace : “ None of our daughters or sons in the military , nor the innocent Iraqi people , deserve more war and violence , ” tweeted Rep. Rashida Tlaib ( D-Mich. ) .
“ Congress must act now to stop this madness.
” In a statement also emphasizing that “ Trump owns this 100 % , ” the National Iranian-American Council ( NIAC ) said , “ Our thoughts are with all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senseless and needless conflict .
It is ordinary Iranians , Iraqis , and people across the region who will bear a profound cost that can ’ t be justified .
So too will American soldiers , and their families here at home , who will bear the consequences of yet another war that was thrust upon them by callous leaders.
” “ It ’ s always the people of the Middle East who are the hardest-hit victims of US aggression .
THIS MUST STOP.
” —Medea Benjamin , CodePinkNIAC called on “ the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do everything in its power to find a diplomatic resolution to these hostilities before the entire region erupts in war.
” With early reports indicating that casualties at the al-Asad military base targeted by Iranian missiles were Iraqis and not U.S. soldiers , CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin said , “ It ’ s always the people of the Middle East who are the hardest-hit victims of US aggression .
THIS MUST STOP.
” With major anti-war protests already scheduled nationwide for Thursday of this week , groups intensified their calls for the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of war based on Trump ’ s dangerous and reckless leadership .
On behalf of CodePink and other local groups in the U.S. capitol , Benjamin urged people close to Washington , D.C. to not wait and join protests outside the White House on Wednesday afternoon .
She also said that if Trump is trying to cure his domestic political problems—namely the looming impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate by fostering a “ wag the dog ” military campaign in the Middle East—such a sickening and criminal ploy would hopefully backfire .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s idea of distracting from impeachment , ” she said , “ he has now given Congress the most egregious reason to impeach him—dragging us into a senseless , catastrophic war with Iran .
”


rawstory--2020-01-08--Magnitude 4.5 earthquake hits near Iran nuclear power plant: USGS

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake on Wednesday rattled an area less than 50 kilometres ( 30 miles ) from Iran ’ @ @ @ @ @ near the country ’ s Gulf coast , a US monitor said .
The quake @ @ @ @ @ of 10 kilometres , struck 17 kilometres south-southeast of Borazjan city at 6:49 am ( @ @ @ @ @ US Geological Survey said on its website .
State news agency IRNA said the earthquake @ @ @ @ @ site of the country ’ s sole nuclear power plant .
The latest quake comes @ @ @ @ @ magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit the same area , without causing any casualties or major damage @ @ @ @ @ which produces 1,000 megawatts of power , was completed by Russia after years of delay @ @ @ @ @ September 2013 .
In 2016 , Russian and Iranian firms began building two additional 1,000-megawatt @ @ @ @ @ construction was expected to take 10 years .

Trained in political science and the law, he has no formal education in disaster preparedness or response. And prior to his current role, he never held a full-time job dedicated to emergency management.
Instead, his main qualification was being chief of staff to then-mayor Alan Arakawa. But in that role, he told Civil Beat Tuesday, he assisted during emergency operations. And he said he participated in online FEMA trainings and workshops throughout the years.
In 2017, Andaya beat out 40 other applicants for the job, Maui Now reported at the time.
As the mayor’s administration was coming to a close, a panel of government officials – which said it was independent of the mayor – chose Andaya for the civil service role.
Civil Beat reviewed Andaya’s experience after historic Lahaina was swallowed by an inferno last week, killing scores of residents and visitors who never saw it coming.
The Maui Emergency Management Agency had the authority to issue siren warnings that might have alerted people. After Andaya’s agency decided not to sound them, many survivors reported they only became aware of the fire when they saw and smelled smoke.
Andaya said sounding the sirens wasn’t an option officials considered because they’re “mainly used for tsunamis.” That’s why they’re mostly located on the coast, he said.
But the state’s own website says the sirens are useful for many kinds of emergencies.
“The all-hazard siren system can be used for a variety of both natural and human-caused events; including tsunamis, hurricanes, dam breaches, flooding, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, terrorist threats, hazardous material incidents, and more,” the site states.
Andaya wasn’t on the island when the fires started, and he hasn’t made any appearances at press conferences since the disaster occurred.
Asked about Andaya’s resume, David Hafner, a retired telecommunications planner for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, questioned whether his relative inexperience affected his agency’s performance in a crisis.
“It’s a good ol’ boy network,” Hafner said. “This time it cost lives.”
Hafner said it’s “absolutely essential” for emergency management leaders to have experience in the field so they make the right decisions both before and after disasters strike.
Not having it, he said, “can lead to grave mistakes in judgment.”
Andaya’s hiring came at a time when Hawaii’s counties had just taken on increased responsibility for disaster response, according to Hafner. State emergency management officials used to be the designated authority to respond to emergencies, he said, but an update to the law in 2014 put the counties in the driver’s seat.
Asked about Andaya’s LinkedIn resume, Colin Moore, a political scientist at the University of Hawaii, said he was shocked by the emergency administrator’s lack of relevant experience. He said the public is owed an explanation.
“It’s a legitimate question to ask why the person leading the county emergency services agency has no clear background in fire, police, public health, the usual emergency services backgrounds,” he said.
“Having that on-the-ground experience, you develop the instincts and the connections to be able to perform a job like this. And if you just have general government experience, there is just no opportunity to have that kind of on-the-ground knowledge that often is really useful in a crisis.”
Andaya said as a former member of the mayor’s cabinet, he was qualified for the job.
“Whenever there was an activation in the emergency operations center, we were involved,” he said. “To say that I have no experience or no background in emergency management is not correct.”
‘Political Influence’ A Concern
Andaya, 52, is from Maui and graduated from HP Baldwin High School.
He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from the University of Hawaii Manoa. He also has a law degree from the UH Richardson School of Law, although he never became a licensed attorney, according to the Hawaii State Bar Association’s online database.
He began his career clerking for Maui Judge Artemio Baxa. He then worked for the law office of Lynn Araki-Regan, an attorney who is the wife of Arakawa’s managing director, Keith Regan.
When Andaya vacated his position as chief of staff, it was filled by Araki-Regan, who was by then the county budget director. Regan said he had no involvement in Andaya’s hiring.
From the early 2000s onward, Andaya has held leadership positions in Maui’s Department of Housing and Human Concerns and worked as the assistant to the chancellor of UH’s Maui College, according to his LinkedIn resume. He is married to Rowena Dagdag-Andaya, a former elementary school teacher who served as Maui’s public works director and now works in Maui’s Office on Aging.
Andaya was Arakawa’s chief of staff from 2011 through 2017. That year, the mayor appointed him acting administrator of MEMA, and he became permanent by the end of that year.
In contrast, Honolulu’s emergency management director, Hiro Toiya, has technical training in emergency response, worked for years as a preparedness planner for the Hawaii health department and rose up the ranks of Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Management. He worked there for more than seven years before becoming the director.
Asked how he stood out among a pool of 40 job candidates, Andaya said Maui doesn’t have a lot of emergency management professionals to begin with. He noted that he had to take an exam and based on his score was determined to be a finalist.
“You would have to question the civil service process if you can believe that politics was involved,” he said. “This is something that my predecessors have to go through as well.”
Before Andaya was hired, there were concerns in Maui’s political scene that the county was considering someone who wasn’t qualified.
“In the past, this position has sometimes been filled by individuals without the proper emergency response background.”
Former Maui County Council Chairman Mike White
In July 2017, the chair of the Maui County Council at the time, Mike White, took the unusual step of writing a Maui News column warning that the job of emergency management was too important to be “subject to political influence.”
“In the past, this position has sometimes been filled by individuals without the proper emergency response background,” White wrote.
“The administration must search for well-qualified candidates who can make a seamless transition in leading our Emergency Management Agency. The stakes are too high and our community has grown to a point where emergency coordination has become quite sophisticated in its implementation.”
In his column, White praised the outgoing emergency management chief, Anna Foust, who had previously worked for years leading the Maui branch of the Red Cross. White emphasized her expertise.
“During her tenure, she used her emergency response experience and training to help guide the county to keep citizens safe during hurricane warnings and watches, flooding events and tsunami warnings,” White wrote.
Civil Beat wasn’t able to reach White for comment.
Panel Of Specialists Chose Andaya
On Tuesday, Arakawa’s former managing director, Keith Regan, said that politics was not a factor in Andaya’s hiring. Asked why Andaya was the best candidate, Regan said he didn’t know because he wasn’t on the hiring committee. But he was adamant there was “zero” political influence in the process.
“This was a straightforward civil service process,” said Regan, who is now the state comptroller.
When Regan ran for Maui County Council in 2015, Andaya was his campaign manager. This year, Andaya wrote a letter of support of Regan’s nomination to state comptroller.
Regan noted that the hiring panel included numerous experts in the field. Maui Now identified them at the time as then-Maui Police Chief Tivoli Faaumu; then-Maui Fire Chief Jeff Murray; Elton Ushio, administrator of the Kauai Emergency Management Agency; and Vern Miyagi, then-administrator of the Hawaii State Emergency Management Agency.
At the time, Ushio was quoted by Maui Now as saying Andaya’s “proven leadership abilities, executive level experience, and impressive knowledge of emergency management” made him a great fit for the job. Murray cited Andaya’s familiarity with government processes, his “institutional knowledge of the various emergency incidents” in recent years, and his then-recent work as acting leader of the department.
“These are not people that, you know, are just political people,” Regan said. “They’re people who understand emergency management and are going to make the right choice for the community.”
In a statement, former HI-EMA director Miyagi said the public’s focus should be on working together on response and recovery.
“Herman Andaya and his staff at MEMA are really good people,” he said. “They carried Maui successfully through numerous hurricanes, floods, and other disasters.”
He said the public should wait for the attorney general’s investigation before drawing conclusions.
Civil Beat left messages with the other hiring committee members on Tuesday, but they were not returned. Former mayor Arakawa also did not respond to a request for comment.
“Herman is a very skilled, experienced, knowledgeable, professional individual,” Regan said. “I trust that is making the right decisions … There is no question in my mind that he cares about that community, and he’s going to do everything he can to keep that community safe.”


rawstory--2020-01-09--‘He hasn’t read the Constitution’: Rand Paul hits back at Lindsey Graham’s ‘fake drape of patriotism

‘He hasn’t read the Constitution’: Rand Paul hits back at Lindsey Graham’s ‘fake drape of patriotism’

On CNN Wednesday , Sen. Rand Paul ( R-KY ) responded to the insinuation by Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) that he and Sen. Mike Lee ( R-UT ) weren ’ t real patriots because they criticized the Trump administration ’ s rationale for military action against Iranian general Qassim Suleimani , and backing a Democratic resolution to constrain presidential war powers .
“ You heard what he said , ” said anchor Wolf Blitzer .
“ He ’ s accusing you and Sen. Lee of ’ empowering the enemy ’ by supporting this war powers resolution .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s sad when people have this fake sort of drape of patriotism and anybody that disagrees with them is not a patriot , ” said Paul .
“ I love my country .
I have many family members that serve in the military and continue to serve .
I love my country as much as the next guy .
For him to insult and say we ’ re not as patriotic as he is — he hasn ’ t read the Constitution … he insults the Constitution , our founding fathers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in this republic by making light of it and accusing people of lacking patriotism .
I think that ’ s a low , gutter type of response.
” “ He ’ s saying you and Sen. Lee are ’ empowering the enemies ’ of the United States .
Sen. Lee also said the message in the classified briefing that you and your fellow senators got , he said that the message was you need to , quote , be good little boys and girls and run along and not debate this in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you to fall in line and be good little boys and good little girls ?
” “ To me , this is much bigger than the Trump administration , ” said Paul .
“ This question we have about who has the war making power , this goes back to Truman in 1950 .
We fought war after war , the Korean war , the Vietnam war , without having them authorized by Congress .
It ’ s been a tug-of-war .
Many people have written that Congress and senators have abdicated their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s true .
What Sen. Lee and I are doing is standing up and saying the power resides in Congress and we ’ re going to fight for it .
”


rawstory--2020-01-08--Pompeo told friends he didn’t want to retire from public service until Suleimani was dead: report

On Wednesday ’ s edition of CNN ’ s “ The Situation Room , ” special correspondent Jamie Gangel revealed the extent of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ’ s role in drumming up support for the strike that eliminated Iranian general Qassim Suleimani — and his longtime desperation to eliminate him .
“ I just wanted to read to you from an inner-circle source familiar with Pompeo and the situation , ” said Gangel .
“ The source said that he is the one leading the way , and it is the president ’ s policy , but Pompeo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was also told by the same source that , quote , taking out Suleimani has been Pompeo ’ s mission for a decade , and that he has told friends and colleagues that he really did not want to retire from public service before Suleimani was taken off of the battlefield .
Finally , that Pompeo really got everyone on board .
He had Esper , Milley , Gina Haspel of the CIA , Robert O ’ Brien , National Security , that there really was not much dissent about it .
@


rawstory--2020-01-08--Former GOP chair reveals why Republicans like Mike Lee are breaking from Trump on war with Iran

The former chairman of the Republican National Committee explained on Wednesday why Republicans like Sen. Mike Lee ( R-UT ) are willing to split from President Donald Trump on the issue of war with Iran .
Michael Steele , who served as Lt .
Governor in Maryland prior to leading the Republica Party , was interviewed Wednesday by MSNBC ’ s Chuck Todd on “ Meet the Press Daily.
” “ Michael Steele , what I find interesting about his base on this one is like , 90 % of the time the base just basically says whatever he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Not on this.
” “ There is a split , ” he continued .
“ Tucker Carlson is willing to break with him .
Mike Lee ( R-UT ) and Rand Paul ( R-KY ) are willing to break with him and stick by on this issue.
” Steele described it as , “ the battle of the hawks versus the doves within the party itself.
” “ And so , yeah , they ’ re willing to step out there more and push up against that .
Why ?
Because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can take the president on with something like this without losing any points because they have always kind of occupied the space and everybody kind of bakes them into the narrative , ” he explained .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Lindsey Graham trashes Rand Paul and Mike Lee for criticizing Trump’s Iran briefing: ‘You’re empower

Lindsey Graham trashes Rand Paul and Mike Lee for criticizing Trump’s Iran briefing: ‘You’re empowering the enemy’

On Wednesday , following intense criticism of the intelligence briefing on the Iran strike by Sens .
Mike Lee ( @ @ @ @ @ ( R-KY ) , Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) shot back at them ferociously when @ @ @ @ @ CNN congressional reporter Manu Raju — and accused them of “ empowering the enemy.
” @ @ @ @ @ re overreacting , ” he said .
“ I ’ m going to let people @ @ @ @ @ game with the War Powers Act , which I believe is unconstitutional , is that @ @ @ @ @ not , you ’ re empowering the enemy .
”


rawstory--2020-01-08--Leon Panetta: Obama administration never debated killing Suleimani

Former United States Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta told MSNBC ’ s Chuck Todd that it was never a question for President Brack Obama about killing former Maj. Gen. Qasem Suleimani .
“ It wasn ’ t debated , Chuck , ” Panetta said .
“ The reason it wasn ’ t debated is that there was understandable concern that if you try to go after and kill a high ranking general in a country like Iran that you ’ re going to increase the risk of war with that country .
And the decision was made that that risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” The same comment was reiterated by former Deputy Sec .
State and Deputy NSA Antony Blinken , who told Christiane Amanpour that Obama certainly had the option , but never thought the “ risk wasn ’ t worth the reward.
” Panetta went on to say that he actually gives credit to Iran for deciding to go with a proportional response that didn ’ t kill any U.S. soldiers and do what amounted to a “ symbolic attack.
” He said that it sent a signal that they have the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans but they chose not to .
“ I ’ m sure the Iranians who thought that this represented an effort at retaliation , but at the same time , it also sent a signal that they were trying to deescalate the friction between Iran and the United States , ” Panetta said .
“ I think it ’ s smart for the president to recognize what Iran was doing here , trying to step back from the brink .
But the whole question right now is whether this president is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end , nothing is going to change in terms of how its approaches Iran and nothing will change with regards to how Iran approaches the United States .
I still think both countries are dug in and a strategy and a policy that isn ’ t going to produce any kind of negotiated settlement here .
” See both videos below :


rawstory--2020-01-08--Trump asks NATO allies for help with Iran after years of bashing the alliance

U.S. President Donald Trump took a tough line in his address to the nation Jan. 8 in response to the Iranian airstrikes on two U.S. bases in Iraq .
Trump announced that he would impose more sanctions on Iran .
He said he believed that Iran would not resort to further aggressive action for the time being .
He blamed his predecessor President Barack Obama for having concluded the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and for having dealt too gently with the country .
Trump also extolled U.S. military power , which he claimed had been much improved during his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hesitate to make use of this awesome technology , if necessary .
“ Our missiles are big and powerful and accurate … and lethal , ” he said .
Trump also announced that the U.S. did not wish to use these powerful weapons if Iran started to behave in a more reasonable way in the region .
But Trump ’ s address wasn ’ t entirely directed at audiences in the United States and Iran .
Trump was also speaking to America ’ s European allies .
As an international relations scholar and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t think many of them were pleased to hear Trump ’ s announcement that he would ask NATO – the 29-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization – to “ get more involved in the Middle East.
” In particular , Trump encouraged NATO members the U.K. , France and Germany – and also China and Russia – to change their policy and finally give up on the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated by the Obama administration , but abandoned by Trump .
Reactions in Berlin and London have been muted , though so far none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ openly criticize the president ’ s speech .
Perhaps that is because Trump ’ s touchiness about any criticism is well-known .
Trump ’ s suggestion that the NATO countries get more involved than they already are in the Middle East flies in the face of his longtime disparagement of the alliance .
German troops have been in Iraq since late 2015 to train Iraqi security forces in the fight against the Islamic State group .
These troops are not meant to fight in the region .
After the killing of top Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Kuwait some of their 120 troops stationed in Iraq .
The Germans also announced that they may shift their remaining forces to Jordan or other safer areas .
Germany believes that saving the nuclear deal is still the only realistic way to engage with Iran and prevent Iran from restarting its nuclear weapons program .
Trump ’ s speech was also most likely viewed skeptically in London .
The British have 1,400 troops in Iraq and Syria for both training purposes and for fighting the Islamic State .
They are uneasy about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since Trump ’ s airstrike on Soleimani which was not coordinated with London or NATO headquarters .
London also believes that the 2015 nuclear deal ought to be given another chance .
Re-engagement with Iran rather than pursuing a war path is also the conviction in the U.K..
In fact this continues to be the shared view of diplomats from the U.K. , Germany , France , China and Russia .
Despite his calls for U.S. allies to join ranks in the Middle East , President Trump remains the odd one out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
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Klaus W. Larres , Richard M. Krasno Distinguished Professor ; Adjunct Professor of the Curriculum in Peace , War and Defense , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Mnuchin begs Democrats to wait until after the election to disclose how much the Secret Service spen

Mnuchin begs Democrats to wait until after the election to disclose how much the Secret Service spends on Trump’s travel

On Wednesday , the Washington Post reported that Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin is imploring Democrats to change draft legislation that would disclose how much the Secret Service spends securing President Donald Trump ’ s travel , so that the information is only made public after the presidential election .
The disclosure requirement is part of a broader bipartisan bill that would transfer control of the Secret Service back to the Treasury Department .
Originally founded in 1865 as an anti-counterfeiting agency and only later acquiring its modern role in presidential security detail , the Secret Service has historically operated as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but in the wake of the 9/11 attacks was reorganized under the newly-created Department of Homeland Security .
Mnuchin himself has spearheaded the effort to move the Secret Service back to the Treasury Department , arguing that it would make the agency more effective — but he strongly opposes the Democratic efforts , led by Sen. Dianne Feinstein ( D-CA ) , to strengthen transparency .
Questions have swirled about the cost of Trump ’ s travel since he took office , spurred in large part by his frequent visits to his Mar-a-Lago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Government Accountability Office , Trump ’ s first four trips to Mar-a-Lago cost the Secret Service roughly $ 1.3 million each .


rawstory--2020-01-08--‘A huge deal’: Nicolle Wallace breaks down implications of GOP senator splitting with Trump after br

‘A huge deal’: Nicolle Wallace breaks down implications of GOP senator splitting with Trump after briefing on Iran

MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace was surprised after conservative Sen. Mike Lee ( R-UT ) blasted the administration after receiving a briefing on why President Donald Trump chose to assassinate Iranian General Qassim Suleimani .
The host played a clip of Lee talking to reporters .
Lee said it was “ probably the worst briefing I ’ ve seen , at least on a military issue , in the nine years I ’ ve served on the United States Senate.
” “ What I found so distressing about the briefing is one of the messages we received from the briefers was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the issue of the appropriateness of further military intervention against Iran and if do , you ’ ll be emboldening Iran , ” he explained .
“ The implication being we would be less safe by having a debate or discussion about the appropriateness of further military involvement.
” “ That the guy , right there , Sen. Lee — he ’ s a Republican !
” Wallace noted .
“ The Republicans in the Senate are by and large zombies , walking along as Donald Trump obliterates things like truth , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions , ” she explained .
“ He just left a briefing where he was a little peeved that the party ’ s respect for truth , the rule of law and congressional debate and institutions has been obliterated , ” she noted .
Wallace said she could not remember seeing anything like this during the Bush administration .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Top Senate Democrat burns Trump for ‘massive’ and ‘catastrophic’ Iran ‘fumble’ that has left US ‘gra

Top Senate Democrat burns Trump for ‘massive’ and ‘catastrophic’ Iran ‘fumble’ that has left US ‘gravely injured’

U.S .
Senator Chris Murphy ( D-CT ) is slamming President Donald Trump for his decisions damaging America ’ s national security in the wake of the assassination of a top Iranian general and that nation ’ s subsequent retaliatory attacks on two air bases that are home to thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq .
ABC News ’ Jon Karl asked Sen. Murphy if he believes taking out Iranian General Qassem Soleimani makes America safer .
“ The answer is absolutely not .
It is just catastrophic , ” Murphy told ABC News .
“ The damage has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the targeting of Qassem Soleimani .
I don ’ t think the administration gamed out how badly this would go for us.
” The Connecticut lawmaker who sits on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee says Trump has made America into “ a literal laughingstock , ” and “ has gravely injured this nation ’ s security around the world.
” Murphy warns that “ we now have all sorts of other interests compromised in the regions now , that we have so much repair work to do … we will end up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weaker than we were just give days ago .
Much , much weaker than we were at the start of the Trump administration.
” Indeed , Sen. Murphy also took to Twitter to sum up the current state of affairs after President Trump ’ s exploits .

David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement


rawstory--2020-01-08--Signs of bipartisan support for limiting Trump’s ability to attack Iran are emerging: reports

This Thursday , the House is set to vote on a resolution to limit President Trump ’ s ability to take future military action against Iran without congressional authorization .
“ Members of Congress have serious , urgent concerns about the Administration ’ s decision to engage in hostilities against Iran and about its lack of strategy moving forward .
Our concerns were not addressed by the President ’ s insufficient War Powers Act notification and by the Administration ’ s briefing today , ” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said .
While the resolution initially was met with pushback from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be getting more bipartisan support .
In a tweet from Wednesday afternoon , CBS News reporter Ed O ’ Keefe said that Senators Mike Lee ( R-AZ ) and Rand Paul ( R-KY ) emerged from all-senators briefing “ to say they now support a Democratic plan for a new War Powers Resolution.
” According to O ’ Keefe , Lee was less-than-happy with the meeting — an account that was corroborated by CBS News ’ Kathryn Watson , who tweeted that Lee said the fact that senators aren ’ t allowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s targeted killing of an Iranian general is “ un-American , ” “ unconstitutional , ” and “ wrong.
” “ I walked out there not only without answers … but having been told we shouldn ’ t debate this too much because it might be harmful , ” Lee reportedly said .


rawstory--2020-01-08--GOP senator backs War Powers vote after ‘unconstitutional’ briefing from the Trump administration

Conservative Sen. Mike Lee ( R-UT ) blasted the Trump administration on Wednesday for their “ unconstitutional ” briefing on @ @ @ @ @ Iranian General Qassim Suleimani .
He will now support a vote on the war pushed @ @ @ @ @ D-VA ) .
Fox News cut away during his statements :


rawstory--2020-01-08--Two-thirds of people around the world say Trump can’t be trusted to make right choice on foreign pol

Two-thirds of people around the world say Trump can’t be trusted to make right choice on foreign policy

Low confidence in Trump was expressed even before the president escalated tensions with Iran with the assassination of Qasem Suleimani .
Even before President Donald Trump stunned the international community by ordering the assassination of Iranian military commander Qasem Sufleimani last week , people around the world had little confidence in Trump ’ s handling of global affairs .
In a Pew survey taken of nearly 37,000 people in 33 countries between May and October 2019 and released Wednesday , 64 % of respondents said they did not have confidence that Trump would do “ the right thing ” when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Pew Research Center asked respondents whether they favored a number of Trump ’ s most significant decisions up to last year , including his withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate agreement , his proposal to build a wall along the southern U.S. border as well as other aggressive anti-immigration policies aimed at deterring immigration , and his decision to increase tariffs on imported goods .
Respondents in Mexico had the least favorable view of Trump .
The president was viewed negatively by 89 % of people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 was sending its “ most unwanted people ” including “ criminals , drug dealers , rapists ” to immigrate to the United States .
The president also had low favorability ratings in European countries including the Netherlands , Spain , Sweden , Germany , and France , with about three-quarters of people in those countries saying they weren ’ t confident in Trump ’ s foreign policy decisions .
In the last year of his first term , Trump ’ s results were similar to those of George W. Bush at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , five years into the Iraq War and around the time that the speculation on Wall Street sent the global economy into a meltdown .
At the end of President Barack Obama ’ s second term , 79 % of international respondents viewed the 44th president favorably .
It is “ worth reiterating the damage Trump is doing to our alliances at a moment when we could use steadfast allies , ” political scientist Brian Klaas tweeted , along with a chart showing the difference between global opinions regarding Obama during his presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , director of global attitudes research at Pew , wrote that negative attitudes about U.S. leadership plummeted during Bush ’ s tenure due to the perception of the U.S. as an “ unchecked superpower , ” while people today see Trump as isolating the U.S. from the global community by breaching and withdrawing from international agreements .
“ In the Trump era , by contrast , critics are less concerned about the exercise of unrivaled U.S. power than they are about a U.S. retreat—from both global leadership and liberal democracy , ” wrote @ @


rawstory--2020-01-08--Trump ripped for crisis photo showing ‘a bunch of old white guys’: ‘It’s called The Situation Comedy

Trump ripped for crisis photo showing ‘a bunch of old white guys’: ‘It’s called The Situation Comedy Room’

The White House on Wednesday released a photo of President Donald Trump huddled with advisors in the Situation Room on @ @ @ @ @ missile attacks against U.S. troops in response to America ’ s assassination of Iranian General @ @ @ @ @ to swill over why Trump assassinated Suleimani , when two previous administrations and Israel had @ @ @ @ @ be counterproductive .
The photo shows Trump — arms crossed tightly — with Vice President @ @ @ @ @ State Mike Pompeo , and — as many internet users noted — “ a bunch @ @ @ @ @ is some of the commentary on the group of people advising Trump during a military @ @


rawstory--2020-01-08--Weinstein lawyers ask judge to recuse himself over ‘biased’ rebuke

Harvey Weinstein ’ s lawyers accused the judge presiding over the disgraced movie producer ’ s sex crimes trial of bias Wednesday and asked him to recuse himself from the high-profile case .
The astonishing request came a day after Justice James Burke threatened Weinstein , 67 , with prison for apparently using his mobile phone in court .
Defense attorney Arthur Aidala said in a letter filed to the New York state court that Burke ’ s sharp rebuke had been “ inflammatory , biased and prejudicial.
” “ These comments reflect the court ’ s animus towards the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the court ’ s ‘ impartiality might reasonably be questioned , ' ” Aidala wrote .
Burke scolded Weinstein during Tuesday ’ s morning session for having his phone out in the Manhattan courtroom .
“ Is this really the way you want to land in jail for the rest of your life , by texting in violation of a court order ?
” the judge asked the defendant .
Weinstein shook his head and denied that he had used his phone .
The reprimand dominated the coverage of day two of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is expected to run until March 6 .
Aidala complained that the judge was either suggesting that life in jail was appropriate for phone use in court or that “ the court already knew it intended to sentence him ( Weinstein ) to life in prison.
” “ It is without question that damage has been done to the appearance of fairness in this trial , ” he wrote .
Aidala cited other examples he said showed bias , including the judge ’ s refusal to postpone the trial following fresh sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Los Angeles on Monday .
Weinstein ’ s defense team claim the timing of the indictment was designed to unfairly influence potential jurors .
The defense also criticized Burke for refusing their request to move the trial out of New York City and for limiting the allotted time to question candidates for the jury .
They said they will ask for the trial to be postponed if a new judge is not reassigned .
Burke did not immediately respond to the motion .
The pre-screening of potential jurors continued Wednesday with many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s fate impartially .
Opening arguments are expected to being on January 22 .
Weinstein is accused of sexually assaulting a former production assistant in July 2006 and of raping another woman in 2013 .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Rockets fired into Green Zone near US embassy in Baghdad: report

There are multiple reports of air raid sirens going off at the United States embassy in Baghdad .
In videos @ @ @ @ @ followed .
The information hasn ’ t been confirmed by U.S. news outlets or by @ @ @ @ @ action comes after two U.S. bases were bombed by Iran Tuesday night .
After the @ @ @ @ @ protesters last week ( pictured above ) , it was discovered that the entry of @ @ @ @ @ .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Americans are paying an extra $3,000 because the rich won’t pay their taxes: report

A new report by the Taxpayer Advocate Service found that Americans are paying an extra $ 3,000 in taxes because of people who aren ’ t paying all they owe .
Bloomberg News reported on the findings showing that the surtax is largely due to the reduced funding for the IRS .
As Congress cuts operational funds to the IRS , fewer agents are on hand to audit those who refuse to pay their taxes or come up with loopholes that seem suspicious .
That “ has reduced the amount the IRS has been able to collect from taxpayers voluntarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revealed .
Wealthy taxpayers who can afford powerful lawyers to fight back against the IRS costs the department more time and greater effort when they ’ re already short-staffed .
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration criticized the IRS for letting the rich and corporations slide simply because it ’ s more work .
The payoffs , however , would be much higher .
“ The IRS recently estimated the tax gap – the difference between what the federal government is owed and actually collects – averaged about $ 381 billion in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to roughly 14.2 % of taxes never being submitted to the agency , ” Bloomberg News explained .
That cost adds up to the $ 3,000 “ tax ” that Americans are forced to cover .
This report goes off of 2012-2013 taxes because it is far enough out to observe specifics about IRS audits .
In the years since 2013 , Republicans in Congress have continued to slash funding to the IRS .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Washington Post lowers the boom on Trump’s acolytes for declaring victory against Iran

In a piece published in The Washington Post ’ s this Wednesday , the publication ’ s Editorial Board said that claims of victory regarding President Trump ’ s recent dust up with Iran are “ shortsighted and premature.
” “ Iran ’ s strikes on U.S. interests and allies will almost certainly continue in the coming months , ” the Board writes .
“ Unless the Trump administration quickly steps up its diplomatic game , what Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called his ultimate aim — the removal of the United States from the Middle East — could soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Board then mentioned Iran ’ s nuclear program , which the regime announced it would ramp up in the wake of the targeted killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani .
Although Trump recently declared he would “ never ” let Iran acquire a nuclear weapon , his abandoning of the Iran nuclear deal displayed his inability to construct a coherent strategy for stopping additional Iranian enrichment of uranium — “ other than calling on European allies and Russia to give up their attempts to save the pact.
” “ Mr .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hostilities as an opportunity to begin serious negotiations with the Islamic republic , ” the Board continued .
“ That is the course favored not only by a majority of Americans but also by Mideast allies such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar , which have been pressing for restraint .
Though he nodded to the idea , saying the United States was ‘ ready to embrace peace , ’ Mr. Trump also said he would intensify already-massive sanctions on Iran .
That campaign of “ maximum pressure ” has failed to bring about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wants , much less the regime collapse or capitulation his more hawkish advisers hope for .
But it virtually ensures that Iranian responses like last year ’ s attacks on Persian Gulf shipping and Saudi oil fields will continue.
” Read the full op-ed over at The Washington Post .


rawstory--2020-01-08--GOP rep. steps out of line on Iran: Trump has ‘done a lot of damage’ to the US

Republican Rep. Francis Rooney of Florida on Wednesday said that the Trump administration was responsible for “ a lot of damage ” to U.S. credibility after President Donald Trump kicked off a conflict with Iran by killing a top general .
Rooney made the remarks during an interview with MSNBC ’ s Katy Tur .
“ I think the American public should continue to be very skeptical of what are we trying to accomplish in the Middle East and what can we , ” Rooney said .
“ This attack possibly will jeopardize two trends that have been trending well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the growing asymmetry the goals and aspirations of the people of Iran vs. the oppressive Mullahs regime.
” “ I worry now that they have the great satan back to criticize , that they will become united against us , ” he said .
Rooney encouraged the U.S. president to “ play the long game with Iran the way they play it.
” Tur wondered if it would be possible to craft a nuclear deal similar to the one President Barack Obama ’ s administration had signed .
“ We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first place , ” Tur noted .
“ Is that a possibility ?
” “ I would like to see what our allies have to say about that , ” Rooney replied before observing that the Trump administration has “ done a lot of damage in the past couple years ” to U.S. credibility .
“ It would be nice to have a few more beans in the bag with [ NATO allies ] if we ’ re going to try and refresh the deal , ” he remarked .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all out now that the deal is off and it would be nice to put something back in place.
” Rooney acknowledged that the Iranian nuclear deal “ wasn ’ t perfect , ” but added : “ It was probably better than nothing.
” Watch the video below from MSNBC .


rawstory--2020-01-08--More confusion bursts from the White House as Trump delivers a muddled speech about Iran

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Days after assassination of Qassim Suleimani and a would-be Iranian retribution , Donald Trump took to the White House lectern and ducked saying whether we were going to war or standing down .
Indeed , he gave us a bigger bunch of questions , not answers .
Other than insisting that Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon , we got no sense that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy that work for military , international , congressional or general American audiences .
Instead , Trump looked back , ridiculing Barack Obama , incorrectly and almost as a tic , for negotiating a “ foolish ” nuclear agreement with Iran , reciting a laundry list of past bad acts by Suleimani and Iran , and basically calling out America ’ s European allies for not joining in with him more fully .
There was nothing about “ imminent ” threat , nothing about whether we have ruled out U.S. military actions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ali Khamenei , Iran ’ s Supreme Leader , said “ Last night they received a slap .
These military actions are not sufficient ( for revenge ) .
What is important is that the corrupt presence of America in this region comes to an end.
” Still , the ayatollah didn ’ t rule out continued use of missiles by proxy militias and Iran-leaning organizations in the state .
Moreover , Trump offered no information to indicate that any “ imminent ” threat by Suleimani has been eliminated ; the Ayatollah immediately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
Trump and the Ayatollah have left me basically confused .
Are we “ de-escalating , ” as Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo say on one day , or increasing our pressures to answer all retaliations , as Trump says the next ?
Did Iran launch missiles that deliberately missed American troops as a message – and are we accepting that as a gesture ?
Are Trump , the Iraqis and the Ayatollah agreeing that U.S. troops should leave Iraq ?
Is anything clearer today than yesterday , and do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re hearing from either side ?
Have we lost the point of all the pushing and pulling ?
The major issue here is not missiles or military behavior , it is not what more to squeeze from yet more economic sanctions , it is not even the White House attempt to squash Congress .
It is trust and credibility .
To listen to Donald Trump , there is only one way here – for Iran , allies , Congress and lots of others .
It is to bow to whatever Donald Trump wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major diplomatic effort , starting with allowing the Iranian foreign minister to enter the country to go to the United Nations , it ’ s not even clear that we know what the point would be , other than total capitulation by Iran to whatever terms the United States might demand .
In the background here , we ’ re left still dealing with lots of unresolved questions and the tensions created by uncertainty .
We probably all can agree that to a certain extent , both Trump and the Ayatollah are trading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their respective domestic audiences .
The Ayatollah and Iranian officials wanted to signal to the millions who filled the streets to protest or mourn after the killing of Suleimani ; Trump wanted to present a show of strength .
Instead , we have more questions .
What did trigger the assassination effort over the objections of the U.S. military , other than a gut response by an impulsive Trump ?
Why is U.S. Intelligence now wonderful , when last week they representing the anti-Trump “ Deep State ” ?
Does the president have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questioning Trump ’ s authority have a realistic and important constitutional question here ?
Are we leaving Iraq ?
Are we abandoning future fighting against thousands of ISIS members now that we have “ defeated ” the caliphate ?
Weren ’ t we just announcing a need to have U.S. troops protect Iraqi oil facilities ?
What is our role in defending Saudis and Israelis from attacks from Iran ’ s military proxies ?
What is the role of Russia and China in the Middle East , and are we Americans withdrawing altogether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to incent the Iranians to re-engage with negotiation towards a new nuclear weapons ban ?
Until these last couple of weeks , Iran pretty much lived within the constraints of the nuclear agreements to limit development of nuclear weapons .
Now Iran says it can go ahead and start processing enriched uranium once again without limit .
Once again , we learn that red hats are not going to provide clarity in complex situations .
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rawstory--2020-01-08--‘There is no strategy!’ Analyst unloads on Trump for igniting Iran crisis — then demanding credit fo

‘There is no strategy!’ Analyst unloads on Trump for igniting Iran crisis — then demanding credit for solving it

President Donald Trump has absolutely no strategy in the Middle East , an analyst explained on MSNBC .
The point was important enough for him to say three times .
MSNBC ’ s Katy Tur interviewed Mehdi Hasan , a columnist for The Intercept and presenter on Al Jazeera English television shows .
“ Today , President Trump announced new economic sanctions on Iran but no further military actions , saying , ‘ the U.S. is ready to embrace peace.
’ The trouble is , this president often says one thing and then does another , ” Tur noted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Hasan said .
“ This mini-crisis of this week might be over , but the broader struggle isn ’ t over.
” “ We also have to be careful of not falling into the trap Donald Trump sets for us , where he creates an unnecessary and dangerous crisis then steps back from the edge and expects us to give him credit for that , see him as a problem solver when he started the problem in the first place , ” he explained .
“ I see no redeeming leadership qualities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both arsonist and firefighter at the same time.
” “ He hasn ’ t stayed on a straight course with his strategy or planning , ” Tur said .
“ It seems to be about his personal whims — or whoever has his ear that day.
” “ I think you ’ re spot on , ” Hasan replied .
“ It is exactly about personal whims , personal prejudices , who has his ear.
” He said it was important for journalists to be honest about the situation .
“ There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There is no strategy !
” Hasan explained .
“ Trump does not do strategy .
“ He couldn ’ t find Iran on a map if his life depended upon it , ” he added .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Esper and Pompeo couldn’t agree during congressional briefing on Iran: congressman

Rep. Seth Moulton ( D-MA ) said that the intelligence briefing showing the justification for the attack on Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Suleimani was ridiculous because President Donald Trump ’ s own team couldn ’ t agree on the facts .
In an MSNBC interview with Katy Tur , Moulton said that Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo both were on hand to brief members of Congress Wednesday .
The problem , Moulton explained , is that Trump has no strategy when it comes to this action , with Iran or what he wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , we just got a briefing from the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State among a few other administration officials , ” he described .
“ They each listed three policy goals that the administration has against Iran .
The problem is the three didn ’ t even line up .
They total about five , because these two secretaries , these two cabinet secretaries , literally sitting next to each other in the briefing , couldn ’ t even agree on what the three prime goals are with regards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We need to know what happens next , and the administration hasn ’ t provided that.
” He noted that the new strategy seems to run in conflict with the president ’ s campaign promises to get American soldiers out of “ endless ” wars .
Yet , the attack on Iran required him to send even more troops to the region .
Moulton also explained that the intelligence was absurd because there were reports that Suleimani wanted to attack the United States “ for years.
” Any intelligence saying that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon , was “ vague ” at best , he said .
“ I ’ ll tell you what , it needs to be declassified , ” he went on .
“ Every American needs to understand exactly what the imminent threat is and what it is not .
What my colleague Steve Scalise just said is meaningless .
Look , Qasem Suleimani has been plotting against Americans for years now , 15 years , so there ’ s nothing new there .
Of course , he ’ s a bad guy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a bad guy or whether he has American blood on his hands .
The question is , does this make the problem worse ?
There ’ s a calculus that you always have to learn when fighting in the Middle East , which is : ‘ do you kill more terrorists than you create ?
’ We ’ ve already seen by Iran ’ s reaction , the outpouring of support where for Qasem Suleimani , a true martyr now , that this will make more attacks in the future .
@


rawstory--2020-01-08--GOP lawmaker accused of backing ‘holy war’ terrorism may be ‘more popular’ than ever: columnist

Rep. Matt Shea , the Washington state Republican lawmaker who has been accused of supporting Christian nationalist domestic terrorism in a report released by the Washington House of Representatives last year , is staying afloat thanks to the efforts of hundreds of small-dollar donors .
According to Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat , data from the state Public Disclosure Commission shows that Shea “ has received the second-most individual campaign donations of any state House Republican , behind only the House Minority Leader , Rep. JT Wilcox.
” While major donors have avoided giving Shea any cash , he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from individual donors even as his career has been derailed by scandal .
The Washington Republican Party has suspended Shea from its caucus and stripped him of his committee assignments , but has shown little willingness to expel him entirely from Congress .
“ It ’ s up to the voters who is serving as their representative , ” House Republican leader Wilcox recently said , according to Westneat .
The report issued last year by the Washington House alleged that “ Representative Shea , as a leader in the Patriot Movement , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total of three armed conflicts of political violence against the United States Government in three states outside the state of Washington over a three-year period .
”


rawstory--2020-01-08--Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan to step back as ‘senior’ royals

Britain ’ s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan will step back as senior members of the royal family and spend more time in North America , the couple said in a historic statement Wednesday .
“ We intend to step back as ‘ senior ’ members of the royal family and work to become financially independent , while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen , ” they said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace .
“ After many months of reflection and internal discussions , we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within this institution , ” they added .
“ We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America.
” The shock news follows a turbulent year for the royal family .
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent Christmas in Canada after speaking of the pressure of being in the spotlight following their wedding and son Archie ’ s birth in May .
They had previously announced they would miss Christmas with Queen Elizabeth and the rest of the royal family , choosing to spend it instead with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Viking runestone linked to fears of climate change: study

One of the world ’ s most famous runestones is now believed to have been erected by Vikings fearing a repeat of a previous cold climate crisis in Scandinavia , a new study said Wednesday .
The Rok stone , raised in the ninth century near the lake Vattern in south central Sweden , bears the longest runic inscription in the world with more than 700 runes covering its five sides .
It is believed to have been erected as a memorial to a dead son , but the exact meaning of the text has remained elusive , as parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forms .
The stone refers to the heroic acts of “ Theodoric , ” which some scholars believe refers to Theodoric the Great , a sixth century ruler of the Ostrogoths in what is now Italy .
Researchers at three Swedish universities now suspect the inscriptions are more of an allusion to an impending period of extreme winter , as the person who erected the stone tried to put their child ’ s death into a larger perspective .
“ The inscription deals with an anxiety triggered by a son ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis similar to the catastrophic one after 536 CE , ” the authors wrote .
The sixth century crisis is believed to have been caused by a series of volcanic eruptions which dramatically influenced climate with lower average temperatures , ruined crops and ensuing hunger and mass extinctions .
It has been estimated that as a result the population of the Scandinavian peninsula decreased by at least 50 percent , and the researchers point out that the memory of those events may have been passed down and even influenced the mythology .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach between researchers from several disciplines , including philology , archaeology and the history of religion .
Passages from the stone suggest the text refers to battles over a hundred years .
But the researchers suggest it could be speaking of a different kind of battle : “ The conflict between light and darkness , warmth and cold , life and death.
” They also take into account a number of events in the author of the text ’ s lifetime , which could “ have seemed extremely ominous.
” “ A powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shades of red , crop yields suffered from an extremely cold summer , and later a solar eclipse occurred just after sunrise , ” said Bo Graslund , professor in archaeology at Uppsala University .
“ Even one of these events would have been enough to raise fears of another Fimbulwinter , ” Graslund added referring to a winter lasting three years in Norse mythology , a sign of the coming of Ragnarok .


rawstory--2020-01-08--‘Utterly unconvincing’: Congressman blasts Trump’s claim Iran posed an ‘imminent threat’ after seein

‘Utterly unconvincing’: Congressman blasts Trump’s claim Iran posed an ‘imminent threat’ after seeing the intelligence report

Rep. Gerry Connolly ( D-VA ) on Wednesday received a briefing on the intelligence reports that prompted President Donald Trump to attack Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Suleimani .
Connolly , who serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa , told reporters that the intelligence was “ profoundly unconvincing.
” He went on to say he remained “ utterly unpersuaded.
” It ’ s something that many have speculated might be the case .
Saturday , New York Times reporter Rukmini Callimachi explained the points of evidence that the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her sources , including 2 U.S. officials , called the intelligence “ razor-thin.
” “ In fact , the evidence pointing to that came as three discrete facts : a ) A pattern of travel showing Suleimani was in Syria , Lebanon & Iraq to meet with Shia proxies known to have an offensive position to the US .
( As one source said that ’ s just “ business as usual ” for Suleimani ) , ” she outlined .
Currently , Trump has a series of national intelligence and security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Dep .
Dir .
of National Intelligence , Secretary of Homeland Security , Dep .
Sec .
of Homeland Security , Under Sec .
of State for Arms Control and International Security , Under Sec .
of Defense for Personnel and Readiness , Secretary of the Navy , Director of ICE , Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services .
It ’ s unclear if the unfilled positions are preventing the president from receiving expert advice .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Trump wanted to personally make $2 million per room leasing government building: WSJ reports investo

Trump wanted to personally make $2 million per room leasing government building: WSJ reports investors ‘balked’

One of President Donald Trump ’ s schemes to make money in office does not appear to be going as planned , according to a new report in The Wall Street Journal .
In October , the Trump Organization was harshly criticized after it announced it would be selling its rights to Trump International Hotel D.C .
The Trump family does not actually own the building , which was formerly the historic Old Post Office building but has a long-term lease with the federal government .
According to The Journal , the Trump Organization has set a January 23 deadline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family may not profit as much as they were hoping .
“ The company was hoping initially to get more than $ 500 million for the lease rights , people familiar with the matter said .
That would represent about $ 2 million per room key , which hotel brokers and investors say would be a record for Washington by that metric , ” the newspaper reported .
“ Potential buyers have balked at that figure , and brokers have indicated the Trumps are willing to negotiate on price and other terms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When the family announced they were selling the lease , Trump organization vice president Eric Trump suggested it was because of public pressure .
“ People are objecting to us making so much money on the hotel , and therefore we may be willing to sell , ” he said , seemingly acknowledging the appearance of impropriety .
Ethics watchdogs have argued Trump ’ s hotel business is unconstitutional because it allows foreign and domestic corruption in violation of the Emoluments Clauses .
Selling of the rights could allow corruption on a far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at inflated prices one night at a time .


rawstory--2020-01-08--New poll shows which candidates would make Democratic primary voters most – and least – ‘disappointe

New poll shows which candidates would make Democratic primary voters most – and least – ‘disappointed’ if they won

A new Economist/YouGov poll slices and dices the 2020 Democratic primary in many different ways , but one of the most interesting questions it asks is which candidate winning the nomination would make likely primary voters the most upset .
“ Are there any presidential candidates that you would be disappointed if they became the Democratic nominee ?
” asks the poll of 1500 U.S. adults , registered voters who say they will vote in the Democratic Presidential primary or caucus in 2020 .
43 % of those polled say were she to walk away with the nomination they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second at 39 % , and Mike Bloomberg comes in third at 29 % .
But perhaps even more interesting is that Sen. Elizabeth Warren ranks “ last , ” with just 11 % , as the candidate the least number of primary voters say they would be disappointed if she were to win the Democratic nomination .
Closely following Warren is Sen. Cory Booker , at 13 % .
Then Sen. Amy Klobuchar at 16 % .
The poll was taken January 5 – 7 , 2020 .
For those who ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it ’ s question 56 on page 149 .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Australia is burning — and Rupert Murdoch’s media empire is leading the climate coverup: NYT

Even as news of massive forest fires in Australia put the world ’ s focus on dealing with the climate change crisis , the right-wing media empire run by Rupert Murdoch has been leading the charge to deny , deflect , and distract .
The New York Times reports that Murdoch-owned media outlets have pushed out multiple stories that downplay the role of climate change in the intensity of the fires , while also pinning the blame on groups ranging from environmentalists to arsonists .
“ On Wednesday , Mr. Murdoch ’ s News Corp. , the largest media company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of another wave of misinformation , ” the Times reports .
“ An independent study found online bots and trolls exaggerating the role of arson in the fires , at the same time that an article in The Australian making similar assertions became the most popular offering on the newspaper ’ s website.
” Joëlle Gergis , a climate scientist at the Australian National University , tells the Times that the Murdoch papers are being “ reckless and extremely harmful ” in their efforts to obfuscate about the real reasons that fires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the planet has warmed .
“ It ’ s insidious because it grows , ” he said .
“ Once you plant those seeds of doubt , it stops an important conversation from taking place.
” In addition to casting about false blame for the fires , Murdoch ’ s papers have also tried denying that the fires are really that much of a problem .
“ Not true , scientists say , noting that 12 million acres have burned so far , with 2019 alone scorching more of New South Wales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the Times reports .
Read the whole story here .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Trump’s Iran fiasco is a political loser for him: conservative columnist

In a column for The Washington Post this Wednesday , Jennifer Rubin argues that President Trump ’ s recent dust up with Iran won ’ t be the political boon some expect it to be , saying that Trump ’ s “ low credibility ” is a main factor .
“ The boost that presidents usually get in times of international crisis likely will not happen for Trump , ” Rubin writes .
“ Fear of all-out war and the public ’ s low regard for Trump ’ s honesty and steadiness suggest that war-mongering is no way for Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( He has yet to reach 50 percent approval . )
” Recent polling shows more than half of respondents disapprove of Trump ’ s Iran policy , and the recent targeted killing of an Iranian general has only compounded that disapproval — all this in addition to the fact that his impeachment numbers aren ’ t looking so great either .
“ By a 54-to-38-percent margin , Americans say [ Trump ] abused his office , ” Rubin writes .
“ By an almost identical margin , they think he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean 54 percent want him removed .
Only 43 percent want him removed while 13 percent want another sanction , such as censure ; 32 percent want him acquitted .
In other words , there is a hardcore base of 32 percent who think Trump did nothing wrong.
” According to Rubin , the push for war with Iran could be a losing proposition with voters .
“ As a result of Trump ’ s bellicose and incoherent foreign policy , a president promising to end ‘ forever wars ’ soon will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maximum pressure ’ campaign began in 2019.
” Read her full piece over at The Washington Post .


rawstory--2020-01-08--Trump’s ‘endless lies’ about Obama’s nuclear deal made conflict with Iran inevitable: columnist

The escalating conflict in Iran can be traced back to one of President Donald Trump ’ s biggest lies — which he repeated again in an address following retaliatory missile strikes against the U.S .
The present conflict can be traced back to Trump ’ s decision to withdraw in May 2018 from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action , which has set Iran on a gradual course toward restarting its nuclear program and retaliating against U.S. allies in the region , reported the Washington Post .
Trump ’ s opposition to the deal was based entirely on his dislike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t seem to know or care what that agreement entailed or how it could be improved , which the Post ‘ s Greg Sargent argued opened him up to manipulation by former national security adviser John Bolton and others .
The president instead replaced the nuclear deal with his own “ maximum pressure ” strategy , which put tougher sanctions on Iran but little clarity on what he expected from them .
He then ordered the assassination of Iranian general Qassim Suleimani after that strategy proved ineffective , and Iran retaliated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. troops in Iraq .
In his address Wednesday , the president accused the Obama administration of providing funding to Iran that paid for the missile strikes — which is based on his false claim that Obama gave the country $ 150 billion in the deal .
Less than $ 100 billion in assets , according to most estimates , were unfrozen by the Obama administration as part of the agreement .
The president also claimed that Iran ’ s hostilities increased after the deal was signed , although most experts agreed they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agreement .
“ Trump told endless lies about the Iran deal to support that narrative , ” Sargent wrote .
“ But the more important point here is that Trump squared leaving the Iran deal with a promise to end Mideast wars by casting withdrawal as strength — he ’ d be ‘ tougher ’ with Iran , unilaterally so , and force its full capitulation ( without any shots fired ) that way.
” Even if Trump de-escalates the situation , his decision to end the Iran deal and have Suleimani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a weaker U.S. position in the Middle East .
“ Trump ’ s big lie was that the Iran deal represented American weakness and elite failure , ” Sargent wrote .
“ But it was actually a salutary application of American strength , and it was one thing the hated elites got right .
”


rawstory--2020-01-09--‘Megxit’ trumps Brexit and Iran in UK after royal bombshell

The news Prince Harry and his wife Meghan will step back from being “ senior royals ” knocked the Iran crisis and Brexit from the headlines in Britain on Thursday .
The pair announced Wednesday evening they were quitting to “ carve out a progressive new role within this institution ” — but reportedly without the approval of Queen Elizabeth II .
That prompted immediate headlines of “ Megxit ” and palace intrigue .
“ Queen ’ s dismay as Harry and Meghan step back from royal life , ” screamed the Daily Express .
Every British newspaper , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their front pages — with the country ’ s infamously lurid tabloids getting characteristically creative with their headlines .
“ Megxit ” screamed top-selling The Sun on the day lawmakers will finally approve Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s Brexit deal to leave the European Union .
Its rival the Daily Mirror went with “ They didn ’ t even tell the Queen ” .
The Daily Star opted for “ The Royal formerly known as Prince ” .
Broadsheet The Daily Telegraph — purportedly the queen ’ s newspaper of choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Firm ” , using the nickname sometimes given to the family .
The Times said they had quit amid a “ palace split ” .
The right-wing Daily Mail echoed the sentiment : “ Queen ’ s fury as Harry and Meghan say : We quit.
” Even the FT , which typically reserves its front page for the world ’ s leading business and economic news , got in on the act .
“ Royal couple pull out of public eye in search of financial independence , ” it headlined .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ story prominently .
Germany ’ s most popular daily Bild declared that the announcement had “ fallen like a bomb on the royal family ” .
“ The exciting question is : will Buckingham Palace hit back ?
” the tabloid asked .
German broadsheets struck a slightly more serious tone , with Sueddeutsche Zeitung drawing the inevitable parallels with Britain ’ s protracted withdrawal from the EU .
Noting Buckingham Palace ’ s response that the couple ’ s future role “ would take time to work through ” , the Munich-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Megxit could turn out to be as messy and long-winded as Brexit.
” In the United States , where the duo may now spend more time , the New York Post mocked Meghan and Harry as heading for a “ commoner life ” .
The tabloid ’ s eye-catching front page caricatures them as deadbeats sitting on a drab sofa watching TV , Harry in his underpants wearing a stained white undershirt , drinking cheap beer and eating a microwave meal , while a cigarette-wielding Meghan has her hair in curlers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ prominent personalities flooded the airwaves and social media with their takes .
“ Wow .
What a disgraceful way to treat The Queen .
Shame on Harry & Meghan , ” tweeted morning TV host Piers Morgan , a persistent critic of the duchess .
Rachael Bletchly , a columnist for the Daily Mirror , said the shock statement from the queen ’ s “ petulant grandson must have hit her in the solar plexus ” .
“ Harry has selfishly turned his back on the institution she has fought to modernise and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she added .
Meanwhile Peter Hunt , a former royal correspondent for the BBC , told Channel 4 News it was “ not a good day for the British royal family ” .
“ In the 21st century , in a new decade , they have shown they haven ’ t been able to accommodate in the traditional way their first senior royal from a BAME ( black , Asian and minority ethnic ) background , ” he said , referring to Meghan ’ s mixed race heritage .
“ Harry and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re not going to see so much of them I think that ’ s a real tragedy .
”


rawstory--2020-01-09--Ukraine in national mourning after deadly airliner crash

Ukraine ’ s President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a day of national mourning Thursday , promising to find the “ truth ” about the crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran which killed all 176 on board .
“ January 9 has been decreed a day of national mourning , ” the Ukrainian leader said in a video address posted on his official Facebook account .
Zelensky on Wednesday cut short a trip to Oman and flew back to Ukraine after the Boeing 737 flying from Tehran to Kiev crashed shortly after takeoff .
It was the first fatal crash of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine International Airlines .
“ Ukraine ’ s priority is to establish the causes of the catastrophe .
We are undoubtedly going to get to the truth , ” Zelensky said .
Some 45 Ukrainian security officials and experts flew to Tehran early Thursday to participate in the investigation , including “ deciphering the black boxes ” discovered by Iranian authorities at the crash site , Zelensky said .
They will also seek to identify the Ukrainian victims with a view to repatriating their remains .
Those who died on Flight PS752 were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they also included 11 Ukrainians .
These included nine crew members , whose photos were displayed at the departure hall in the Borispyl airport in a tribute .
The president ’ s office issued a photo of Zelensky laying a bouquet of roses at the impromptu memorial .
He called on the public to “ refrain from all manipulation , speculation and conspiracy theories ” about the crash , which occurred just minutes after takeoff on the same morning as Iran ’ s missile strike against US forces in Iraq .


rawstory--2020-01-09--Global economy faces tenuous recovery beset by risks: World Bank

Recovery in a handful of countries will boost global growth slightly this year but the outlook is riddled with potential pitfalls that could derail this tepid upswing , the World Bank cautioned Wednesday .
A renewal of trade tensions , which eased recently with announcement of an initial agreement between the United States and China , would erode the modest progress and could spread quickly beyond the two economic powers .
In its latest Global Economic Prospects report , the World Bank projects the global economy will grow by 2.4 percent this year , just one tenth more than 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June .
Despite the positive spin , the report — titled “ Fragile , Handle With Care ” — cuts the forecasts for nearly every country except the United States compared to the last edition in June .
And growth is still not fast enough to meet targets for pulling more people out of poverty .
Most major economies are poised to see sluggish growth in 2020 .
The tenuous global rebound relies almost entirely on a few large emerging market economies that are expected to accelerate after a disappointing 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract at a slower rate .
The United States and China together account for nearly 40 percent of global GDP and nearly a quarter of global trade .
But with an improvement in their nearly two-year old trade dispute , they will be less of a drag on growth even as both economies slow .
The US economy is projected to grow just 1.8 percent after 2.3 percent growth in 2019 , the World Bank said .
China ’ s GDP will expand by less than six percent for the first time since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth rate .
“ Growth has decelerated more than previously expected amid cooling domestic demand and heightened trade tensions , ” the report said .
The Euro Area , hit by a slowdown in Germany and the threat of Brexit , “ has deteriorated significantly , ” with several economies “ on the verge of recession at some point last year.
” The expansion is set to slow further to just 1.0 percent this year before picking up in 2021 .
Japan also is “ suffering from acute weakness in manufacturing and exports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow with growth of just 0.7 percent expected .
Emerging market and developing economies ( EMDEs ) have been the boost to the global economy through the sluggish times but most face their own rocky road with a third are projected to decelerate this year .
As a result the global uptick is not broad-based and “ is largely predicated on a rebound in a small group of large EMDEs , most of which are emerging from deep recessions or sharp slowdowns , ” the report said .
“ Indeed , about 90 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 is accounted for by just eight countries — Argentina , Brazil , India , Iran , Mexico , Russia , Saudi Arabia , and Turkey , ” it said .
“ Excluding these eight countries , aggregate EMDE growth would experience almost no acceleration.
” Argentina , which contracted 3.1 percent in 2019 , is projected to slow by 1.9 percent this year while Brazil and Mexico should expand by 2.0 percent and 1.2 percent , respectively , far faster than last year .
India too is expected to gain traction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Turkey ’ s 3.0 percent expansion will come after no growth in 2019 , the report said .
In sub-Saharan Africa , the news is looking up , with a solid increase in GDP growth expected this year .
But the World Bank cautions that , even with the improvement , “ per capita growth will remain well below long-term averages and far from sufficient to meet poverty alleviation goals.
” The Middle East is expected to see growth jump to 2.4 percent this year after virtually no growth in 2019 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks predominate ” but since the cutoff for the forecasts was December 20 , prior to the recent outbreak of hostilities between Iran and the United States .
So it is too soon to tell what influence that might have .
The major concern is the potential for a resurgence of trade tensions between the United States and China .
A “ renewed disruption to US-China economic ties could result in damage not only to these two economies but to the rest of the world , ” the report warned .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public finance positions ” leave many countries vulnerable to shocks or a sudden increase in interest rates .
More details and the full report can be found here : https : //www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/01/08/january-2020-global-economic-prospects-slow-growth-policy-challenges


rawstory--2020-01-09--Vietnamese women strive to clear war-era mines

Inching across a field littered with Vietnam war-era bombs , Ngoc leads an all-women demining team clearing unexploded ordnance that has killed tens of thousands of people — including her uncle .
“ He died in an explosion .
I was haunted by memories of him , ” Le Thi Bich Ngoc tells AFP as she oversees the controlled detonation of a cluster bomb found in a sealed-off site in central Quang Tri province .
More than 6.1 million hectares of land in Vietnam remain blanketed by unexploded munitions — mainly dropped by US bombers — decades after the war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vietnamese have since died in related accidents .
Victims are often farmers who accidentally trigger explosions , people salvaging scrap metal , or children who mistake bomblets for toys .
Part of the demilitarised zone that once divided the North and South , Quang Tri is among the worst-affected provinces .
Ngoc remembers the burnt flesh of her uncle ’ s body when he was killed by a bomb that detonated while he scavenged for scrap metal .
For the past 20 years , Ngoc has worked as a deminer with Mines Advisory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States , Britain and Japan .
Today the 42-year-old criss-crosses her home province to excavate up to a dozen pieces of unexploded ordnance daily — and she is not alone .
Deminer Tran Thi Hanh told AFP her husband was injured by a landmine blast while going to work , and she does not want the same thing to happen to others .
“ This is what motivates me to do this job , ” she said .
Once a site has been cleared the land can be used for agriculture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — we are in the business of peace , the economy of peace , ” says Heidi Kuhn , founder of NGO Roots of Peace , which has helped 3,000 people to farm pepper on former mine fields .
Vietnam is the world ’ s leading producer of black pepper .
Double amputee and former soldier Phan Van Ty says growing the crop has given him a new lease on life .
He lost a leg fighting for the southern regime , but after the war lost the other one when he detonated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a former US weapons warehouse .
That explosion is seared in his memory .
“ I have nightmares of my flesh being scattered in a blast — and then waking to find myself still in one piece but just without legs , ” he says , pushing his wheelchair past towering columns of pepper vines .
Up to three million pieces of unexploded ordnance and cluster munitions are still buried in Vietnam ’ s soil .
Just last month , Ty says he found a grenade in his backyard .
Clearing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years and cost billions of dollars , according to officials .
“ This job is not about money , it is about making a better place and ensuring a safer land .
”


rawstory--2020-01-09--Iran debacle is blowing up in Trump’s face as voters overwhelmingly call president ‘reckless’: repor

Iran debacle is blowing up in Trump’s face as voters overwhelmingly call president ‘reckless’: report

According to a polling report from USA Today , Donald Trump ’ s decision to have Iranian Gen. Qassem Sulemaini killed is not sitting well with voters who overwhelmingly say that he has made Americans less safe .
Revealing the results of the USA TODAY/Ipsos Poll , “ A majority of those surveyed , by 52 % -34 % , called Trump ’ s behavior with Iran ‘ reckless , ' ” the report states .
“ Americans were divided on the wisdom of the drone strike at the Baghdad airport last week that killed Soleimani and others : 42 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ; 25 % said they didn ’ t know what to think , ” the report continues .
“ Republicans were much more supportive than Democrats ; independents were almost evenly split.
” What should be more concerning to the President ’ s re-election team are voters who feel he made Americans — and the rest of the world — more unsafe .
“ There was overwhelming agreement – in each case by more than 6-1 – that the attack made it more likely Iran would strike American interests in the Middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there would be terrorist attacks on the American homeland ( 63 % ) , and that the United States and Iran would go to war with each other ( 62 % ) , ” USA Today reports .
52 % -8 % , those polled said the attack made it more likely that Iran would develop nuclear weapons.
” “ Nearly a third of Republicans , who typically support the president , said it had made the nation less safe , ” they added .
“ Some saw a domestic political motive behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , those surveyed said Trump ordered the killing of Soleimani in an attempt to divert the focus from his impeachment.
” Summarizing the findings , Clifford Young , president of U.S. Ipsos Public Affairs , stated , “ The conflict with Iran is front and center in most Americans ’ minds .
However Ipsos ’ s survey for USA TODAY finds that the public is divided on the Soleimani killing .
The data suggests that support for the administration ’ s actions come down to if people view Soleimani as a terrorist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a government official , which is off limits.
” You can read more here .


rawstory--2020-01-09--Fitness gurus and ‘muscular Christianity’: How Victorian Britain anticipated today’s keep fit craze

The Victorian era is often remembered as an age of industrial innovation , staunch morals and hard work .
When we imagine the stereotypical Victorian , we often picture stiff collars and heavy , head-to-toe dresses – not celebrity weightlifters or homemakers practising callisthenics .
But it turns out our obsession with physical fitness isn ’ t just because of 20th century stars like Jane Fonda , Arnold Schwarzenegger , and Dwayne “ The Rock ” Johnson .
In fact , the Victorian age saw the beginnings of modern celebrity fitness culture and new forms of exercise – which we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Victorian fitness craze might first be traced back to the publication of Donald Walker ’ s book “ British Manly Exercises ” in 1837 .
The book included diagrams showing proper rowing technique , horse-riding instructions and detailed guidance on how to lunge , vault and wrestle .
Walker also included exercises borrowed from different cultures , such as strength-training using clubs from India which offered “ the most effectual kinds of athletic training known anywhere ” , according to a British officer stationed in the country .
These forms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were adopted by the British military .
Achieving physical fitness gradually became a cornerstone of Victorian values .
This was largely inspired by cultural trends such as “ Muscular Christianity ” , which originated in England in the mid-19th century .
Muscular Christianity emphasised the importance of training the body to reflect devotion to both God and society .
One author claimed that strong Christian bodies could be used to protect the weak , advance all “ righteous causes ” , and promote the “ subduing of the earth which God has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although hobbies like riding horses and playing golf remained popular with the upper-classes , exercise done at home became increasingly favoured by the emerging Victorian middle class .
“ The Portable Gymnasium ” became a best-seller after it was published in 1861 .
It claimed there were numerous benefits to undertaking what the author called “ gymnastic exercises ” , which were said to develop and restore the human form .
Some of these exercises look similar to what we ’ d do today .
Readers were instructed to use the portable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lateral extensions and head rotations .
Exercise had grown so popular that by 1865 , the Royal Patent Gymnasium – a huge outdoor gym – was opened in Edinburgh .
It regularly attracted thousands of fitness fanatics each day .
It featured The Giant Sea Serpent , an enormous circular rowing machine which could reportedly seat 600 people at a time .
By the late 19th century , James Cantlie , a Scottish medical practitioner , had developed “ new ” exercise regimes that could be done at home .
These included an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning and evening – accompanied by bathing and muscle massage .
Cantlie argued that they were especially suitable for the over-50s as they did not cause too much exertion .
He also founded the British Institute of Physical Training in 1889 , where men and women , young and old , could attend exercise classes where they would practice Cantlie ’ s so-called “ physical jerks ” – rhythmic movements to strengthen and tone the body .
People who came to the classes were encouraged to practice the exercises at home on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they needed to return regularly to learn new exercises and ensure they were using the correct techniques .
Cantlie also made other lifestyle recommendations , such as insisting that wearing kilts promoted “ the health and strength of lads ” as they didn ’ t restrict the body ’ s natural movements .
Cantlie ’ s system was just one among many other competing exercise regimes .
However , his system served as inspiration for the daily exercise regime members of the Outer Party were required to do in George Orwell ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ century later .
Other popular approaches to fitness and health included a regime developed by one Dr E H Ruddock , whose book Vitalogy ( 1899 ) , promoted good posture , “ vitativeness ” ( love for life ) , and only moderate exercise to avoid overtiring the body .
The Victorian age also saw the rise of the celebrity fitness guru .
At the end of the 19th century , one of the most famous was German-born Eugen Sandow .
Sandow staged elaborate strongman shows throughout Europe and America and built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magazine Physical Culture , which included profiles and images of bodybuilders and articles on the merits of different exercises .
He credited his approach to exercise , built around dumbbell training , with transforming his physique – and recreated poses from classical Roman and Greek sculpture in order to showcase his body .
Sandow was a trailblazer who inspired others , including the American bodybuilder Bernarr Macfadden .
Just a year younger than Sandow , Macfadden claimed that he was weak and sickly as a child .
He argued in his first book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was published in 1900 , that through a carefully managed vegetarian diet and regular weightlifting , anyone could overcome ill-health , just as he had done .
His system had specific guidance for young men , young women , middle-aged men and middle-aged women , and appropriate exercises “ as the years wane ” , all to be performed at home using his simple stretching device .
After a series of military setbacks , Britain was gripped by a sense of anxiety by the end of the Victorian era about its place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industrialisation – which had driven the expansion of the British Empire – had made bodies weak .
British people feared that they had become trapped indoors in factories and offices , made slovenly by technological change .
Worry about national fitness persisted into the early 20th century , and the exercise craze showed no signs of stopping .
For many middle and upper-class Victorians , having a healthy body was an expression of religious and national devotion .
Being able to achieve it in the comfort of the home was an added bonus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prowess and striving to better their bodies physically is not unlike society ’ s obsession with fitness today .
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
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rawstory--2020-01-09--Why the US is unlikely to go to war with Iran

The killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani by the United States — and Iran ’ s response — raises many important legal and strategic issues .
Was the killing legal under international laws regarding the use of force ?
Given the Iranian missile strikes that came on Jan. 7 , how will President Donald Trump respond ?
How will NATO member countries respond to the U.S. president ’ s request to be more involved in the Middle East ?
Most importantly , will tensions between the U.S. and Iran boil over into war ?
It is possible , but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strike Soleimani was a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ( IRGC ) , a branch of the Iranian armed forces , and leader of the Quds Force .
The Quds Force is responsible for IRGC operations outside of Iranian territory such as recruiting and training forces to fight against the U.S. in other countries in the Middle East .
The U.S. claims the Quds Force is responsible for high profile terrorist attacks in the region , including the killing of five U.S. soldiers in Karbala in 2007 .
As such , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a terrorist organization .
Over the past several months the Iranians have shot down a U.S. surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz , seized a British oil tanker and bombed Saudi oil infrastructure .
On Dec. 27 , Kataib Hezbollah killed a U.S. contractor and injured several U.S. and Iraqi military personal in a rocket attack near a U.S. base in the Iraqi province of Kirkuk .
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was overrun by crowds protesting the American airstrikes that were in response to that killing .
Given this pattern of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of U.S. response .
In a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Defense , the justification given for killing Soleimani was that he was “ … actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.
” This phrasing is important because it implies that the killing was an act of self-defence on the part of the U.S .
Article 2 ( 4 ) of the Charter of the United Nations states : One important exception to this rule , though , is self-defence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ here is Soleimani ’ s status .
On the one hand , the U.S. has designated the IRGC a terrorist organization .
This could possibly allow for his killing under the 2001 Authorization of the Use of Military Force ( AUMF ) .
But the AUMF is tied specifically to the 9/11 terrorist attacks , so basing the legality of the drone strike on this is sketchy at best .
There is also the Support for Special Operations to Combat Terrorism law , but this is about funding other states in support of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the use of force per se .
On the other hand , Soleimani was the member of the military of a UN member state .
As such , claiming that Soleimani was “ actively developing plans ” implies the U.S. reasoning behind the killing is that it was a legitimate use of force — in self-defence — against Iran .
Given Iranian actions over the past several months , this explanation seems somewhat more plausible .
While one can debate the legality of the drone strike under laws regarding the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategic implications seems clearer .
Trump and the national security team he has assembled are not the people I would have chosen to deal with , whatever the Iranian response might be .
It appears the drone strike was ordered without the consultation of U.S. allies .
Indeed , several news outlets have reported that members of the U.S. Defense Department were caught off guard by the president ’ s go-ahead of the attack .
This should be worrisome to U.S. allies .
One of those allies , Canada , has suspended its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Soleimani killing .
The missile attacks by the Iranians on the Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq ’ s Anbar province and a base in Erbib did not kill any U.S. service personnel — most likely by design .
As Trump ’ s news conference the day after the missile attacks showed , this allows the U.S. to de-escalate the situation while still being able to claim a victory .
War is always a possibility due to misperceptions of the other ’ s intentions by both sides .
However , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power and , therefore , does not want to be fighting U.S. forces on its own soil .
This does not mean tensions in the region will end anytime soon though .
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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
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