"Pound slumps as Britain’s new prime minister reaffirms plan to exit EU by Oct. 31" by Jill Lawless Associated Press, July 30, 2019
LONDON — Britain’s prime minister, Boris Johnson, visited Wales Tuesday on a national tour to reassure voters his push to leave the European Union ‘‘come what may’’ won’t hurt the economy and rip apart the United Kingdom.
The move failed to persuade currency markets: The pound slid to a 28-month low amid rising concerns there will be a chaotic no-deal Brexit.
That is how you really cripple a politician, and we know who$e tools are tho$e.
A day after Johnson was booed in Scotland, he faced another tough reception from farmers — a group central to the Welsh economy — who fear economic havoc if Britain leaves the EU without a divorce deal. They say millions of sheep might have to be slaughtered if tariffs are slapped on lamb exports to the EU.
Being led as the British people, as it were.
After visiting a south Wales poultry farm, Johnson said that his Conservative government would support farmers if their markets become ‘‘tricky.’’
‘‘We will look after the farming sector,’’ he said. ‘‘We will make sure that they have the support that they need,’’ but the president of the National Farmers’ Union, Minette Batters, said Britain exports 40 percent of its lamb and mutton, most of it to EU nations. ‘‘[If] we’re tariffed out of the EU market, where does that 40 percent go?’’ she said.
Helen Roberts of the National Sheep Association accused Johnson of playing ‘‘Russian roulette’’ with agriculture.
I knew they were behind this somehow.
Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the EU divided the country and strained the bonds between the four nations that make up the UK: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
A majority of voters in England and Wales backed leaving, while Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain. That has emboldened Scotland’s nationalist government to demand another vote on independence, arguing that Scotland should not be forced out of the EU against its will. In Parliament last week, a Scottish National Party lawmaker, Ian Blackford, mockingly welcomed Johnson as ‘‘the last prime minister of the United Kingdom.’’
Johnson also plans to visit Northern Ireland, the only part of the UK to share a land border with the EU. The status of that currently invisible frontier with the Republic of Ireland has become the main stumbling block to a Brexit deal.
Has it not always been thus?
Related: Ryanair could cut flights and jobs because of Boeing 737 Max delays
They are signaling deep job cuts despite the changes in software.
The pound has fallen sharply in recent days as businesses warn that no amount of preparation can eliminate the economic damage if Britain crashes out of the EU trading bloc without a Brexit deal.
It's called capital flight, and it is how monied interests cripple governments.
Johnson became prime minister last week.....
So much for the honeymoon.
--more--"
"Johnson presses EU to give way amid no-deal Brexit warnings" by Jill Lawless and Danica Kirka Associated Press, July 29, 2019
LONDON — The pound fell to a two-year low as business groups warned that neither Britain nor the EU is ready for a no-deal Brexit, and that no amount of preparation can eliminate the economic damage if Britain crashes out of the 28-nation trading bloc without agreement on the terms.
The $ky is literally falling.
The pound’s woes illustrate concerns in the markets over a no-deal Brexit. Economists warn that leaving the bloc without an agreement on terms would disrupt trade by imposing tariffs and customs checks between Britain and the bloc. The British government’s financial watchdog says that could send the value of the pound plummeting further and push the UK into recession.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, contradicting the opinion of most experts, has said leaving without a divorce deal will be ‘‘vanishingly inexpensive’’ if Britain is properly prepared. He says he will ‘‘turbo-charge’’ plans for a no-deal Brexit — including beefed-up border measures and a multimillion-pound information campaign for individuals and businesses — and has set up bodies including a high-level Cabinet ‘‘exit strategy committee’’ to oversee preparations; however, he faces strong resistance from Parliament, which has consistently opposed a no-deal Brexit.
Beyond Brexit, Johnson has made ambitious domestic policy promises, including more money for police and schools, and major infrastructure projects including high-speed trains, but independent think tank The Institute for Government said in a report that the effects of a no-deal Brexit would consume much of the government’s energy for years, pushing out other issues and sucking up large sums of money.
Much like the EU itself.
‘‘Rather than ‘turbo-charging’ the economy, as Johnson has suggested, the government is more likely to be occupied with providing money and support to businesses and industries that have not prepared or are worst affected by a no-deal Brexit,’’ it said.
Johnson’s hard line may be popular with Conservative Party members, but it is strongly opposed by pro-EU Britons, including some members of his own party. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh, who leads the semi-autonomous Edinburgh-based government, says Scotland should hold a vote on independence from the UK if it is dragged out of the EU against its will. ‘‘I think that is extremely dangerous for Scotland, indeed for the whole of the UK,’’ she said.
At least we know which $ide the pre$$ is on.
The Confederation of British Industry, the country’s biggest business lobby group, urged both Britain and the EU to accelerate Brexit preparations. It made 200 recommendations, including new laws, new IT systems, and agreements to temporarily maintain some common regulations, but it said ‘‘the unprecedented nature of Brexit means some aspects cannot be mitigated.’’
‘‘It’s like putting sandbags down for a flood. Your kitchen’s still going to be underwater but maybe we can save the bedrooms upstairs,’’ said the group’s head of EU negotiations, Nicole Sykes.
Another warning came from French automaker Groupe PSA, which said it could move production of its Vauxhall Astra model out of Britain if Brexit makes it unprofitable. Chief executive Carlos Tavares told the Financial Times that would mean closing Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire, which employs 1,000 people.....
What if it makes it more profitable?
--more--"
Now he is off to Ireland:
"Boris Johnson visits Belfast as Brexit woes hurt UK economy" by Jill Lawless Associated Press, July 31, 2019
LONDON — New Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday finished his rocky debut tour of Britain in Northern Ireland, where he faces a doubly difficult challenge: restoring the collapsed Belfast government and finding a solution for the Irish border after Brexit.
Since he took office a week ago, Johnson has been touring England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but it has not been a triumphal parade. After facing protests and political opposition in Scotland and Wales, Johnson met Wednesday with the leaders of Northern Ireland’s five main political parties in hopes of kick-starting efforts to restore the suspended Belfast administration.
Northern Ireland’s 1.8 million people have been without a functioning administration for 2½ years, ever since the Catholic-Protestant power-sharing government collapsed over a botched green-energy project. The rift soon widened to broader cultural and political issues separating Northern Ireland’s British unionists and Irish nationalists.
The energy project was then the catalyst, not the cause.
Why must my pre$$ always distort, obfuscate, or omit things?
Johnson said he would ‘‘do everything I can to help that get up and running again, because I think that’s profoundly in the interests of people here, of all the citizens here in Northern Ireland,’’ but a breakthrough did not look imminent. Opponents say Johnson can’t play a constructive role in Northern Ireland because his Conservative government relies on support from the Democratic Unionist Party, the largest of Northern Ireland’s pro-British parties. Without the votes of the DUP’s 10 lawmakers in London, Johnson’s minority government would collapse.
Critics say that gives the pro-Brexit DUP an oversized influence with the British government, unsettling the delicate balance of power in Northern Ireland.
They got a Lobby, too?
Mary Lou McDonald, leader of the Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein, accused Johnson of being the DUP’s ‘‘gofer.’’
‘‘He tells us he will act with absolute impartiality. We have told him that nobody believes that,’’ she said.
Britain’s 2016 vote to leave the European Union has strained the bonds among its four nations. A majority of voters in England and Wales backed leaving in the referendum, while those in Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain.
Scotland’s nationalist government wants to hold a vote on independence from Britain if Scotland is dragged out of the EU against its will. Similarly, nationalists in Northern Ireland argue there should be a referendum on unification with the Irish republic if there is a damaging no-deal Brexit.
Johnson insists Britain will leave the EU on the scheduled date of Oct. 31, with or without a divorce deal. Economists say a no-deal Brexit would be economically damaging for the whole of Britain and politically destabilizing for Northern Ireland, the only part of the United Kingdom to share a land border with the bloc.
DUP leader Arlene Foster downplayed the risk of a no-deal Brexit, saying Johnson was ‘‘focused on finding a deal and we’re here to help him find that deal.’’
She said Brexit must be carried out ‘‘in a way that does no damage either to the UK, the Republic of Ireland — our neighbors — or the wider European Union.’’
A divorce agreement between Britain and the EU has foundered largely because of the complex issue of the 300-mile border between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. An invisible border is crucial to the regional economy and underpins the peace process that ended decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland.
Both Britain and the EU have promised there will be no hard border after Brexit, but they disagree about how to avoid it.
The EU and Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, came up with a solution known as the backstop — an insurance policy to guarantee an open border if no other solution can be found, but British Brexit-backers loathe the backstop because it locks Britain into EU trade rules to avoid customs checks, something they say will stop Britain from striking new trade deals.
Johnson is refusing to hold new talks with EU leaders unless they agree to scrap the backstop and sent Europe adviser David Frost to Brussels on Wednesday to deliver that message.
Johnson’s office said Frost would tell EU officials that ‘‘we will work energetically for a deal but the backstop must be abolished. If we are not able to reach an agreement, then we will, of course, have to leave the EU without a deal.’’
The bloc is equally adamant that Brexit deal won’t be reopened and the backstop must stay.
There will be no renegotiation!
The stalemate has sent the pound plunging to its lowest levels in more than two years, as economists warn a no-deal Brexit would disrupt trade and send Britain into a deep recession.
The currency was trading around $1.22 Wednesday, up slightly from a day earlier but still its lowest level since March 2017.
--more--"
"Special election defeat poses thorny problem for Johnson" by Stephen Castle New York Times, August 2, 2019
LONDON — Boris Johnson has been British prime minister for barely a week, and the honeymoon appears to be over. His Conservative Party lost a special election, cutting his working majority in Parliament to just one seat at a critical moment for the country.
Did he even have one?
The narrow defeat in a previously Conservative-held district, the Brecon and Radnorshire area of Wales, was a brutal reminder of Johnson’s weakness in Parliament.
It immediately fueled speculation that Johnson would seek to increase his majority by holding a general election sooner rather than later. The only question is whether it would be before or after Oct. 31, the deadline for the country to leave the European Union.
“The election campaign is effectively already underway,” said Anand Menon, professor of European politics and foreign affairs at King’s College London.
The results from Wales made clear that an election is needed, but they also suggested that Johnson cannot be confident of victory should one take place in the fall, and that is the quandary for Johnson.
Johnson has long been the cheerleader for pro-Brexit forces, and since becoming prime minister he has doubled down on his vow to leave the EU on schedule, with or without a deal governing future relations with the bloc.
Parliament has thrice rejected the Brexit deal pushed by Johnson’s predecessor, and most lawmakers oppose a no-deal Brexit. With European officials resolute that negotiations cannot be reopened, Johnson is preparing for a showdown over his plans. Even with the support of 10 lawmakers from Northern Ireland, a working majority of just one seat leaves the new prime minister especially vulnerable.
The defeat in Wales has also illustrated how Brexit is re-engineering British politics, cutting across traditional party lines with unpredictable consequences as voters focus on the tortured Brexit efforts.
That was on Tuesday.
Officials announced early Friday that Jane Dodds, the candidate for the anti-Brexit Liberal Democrats, had defeated the Conservative incumbent, Chris Davies, by 1,425 votes.
Dodds was helped by an experimental “remain alliance”: Two small parties did not contest the seat so as not to divide the anti-Brexit vote. She won even though a majority of voters in the region had voted for Brexit in the 2016 referendum.
Newly-elected Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, right, and Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds celebrated in Brecon, Wales after Dodds won the district, which was a Conservative Party stronghold, spelling trouble for new Prime Minister Boris Johnson.(Ben Brichall/PA via Associated Press)
Normally, the Conservatives would expect to keep the seat, having won it comfortably in 2017 by about 8,000 votes, but the circumstances that prompted the election complicated matters for the Conservatives. Their chosen candidate, Davies, was unseated by a petition from local voters after he was convicted of making a false expenses claim. The party nonetheless chose him to fight for the seat, but the results also showed mounting challenges for all of the big traditional mainstream parties. The main opposition Labour Party, which is equivocal on Brexit, was pushed into an embarrassing fourth place, its vote share squeezed by the anti-Brexit alliance.
As long as Corbyn leads Labour, they will continue to be downgraded.
Nigel Farage’s populist Brexit Party placed third with around 10 percent of the vote, enough to suggest it remains a problem for Johnson despite his efforts to neutralize it by stuffing his new Cabinet with hard-liners.
Maybe Johnson should bring in Farage and ensure his prime ministership.
During a tour of the United Kingdom this week, Johnson also doubled down on his red lines for negotiations with Brussels, stoking anger in Scotland and Northern Ireland, which voted to remain, and rattling investors who sold the pound.
If he sticks to his word, striking a deal would require either him, or the EU, to reverse course.
Failing that, Johnson’s determination to leave the bloc anyway would face a rebellion in Parliament, where a majority of lawmakers oppose a potentially chaotic “no-deal” Brexit.
It is unclear, however, whether lawmakers can find a legally watertight way to stop Britain from crashing out of the EU come Oct. 31.
Holding an election after such an outcome could help Johnson scoop up Brexit Party supporters, having delivered on their overriding objective, but it could entail the serious risk of fighting an election against the backdrop of chaos.
British consumers’ reactions to possible shortages of food and pharmaceuticals is impossible to predict, as are the wider economic, political, and constitutional ramifications of a sudden rupture.
Look at that. The evil rich fu*ks will deprive you of food and medicine if you don't do what they want.
“Holding an election after ‘no deal’ risks exaggerating the ability and willingness of the British people to keep calm and carry on,” said Menon, the political professor.
Well, they do have a reputation for stiff upper lips.
--more--"
More importantly for Johnson, he needs to figure out what to do about Iran before he goes golfing with Trump; otherwise, his term as prime minister is over.
The heat is literally on:
"Britain’s weather service said the country’s 10 hottest years since the 19th century have all occurred since 2002, as climate change makes the United Kingdom warmer and wetter....."
Actually, wetter means cooler by its very definition, and you are then told the 10 coldest years were all before 1964.
If you think it's hot now, just wait until you get to Kennebunkport.
{@@##$$%%^^&&}
"Emergency talks on nuclear deal constructive but inconclusive, Iranian minister says" by Adam Taylor Washington Post, July 28, 2019
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s deputy foreign minister said Sunday that an emergency meeting in Vienna between Tehran and its partners in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal had yielded positive developments but not ‘‘resolved everything.’’
‘‘The atmosphere was constructive, and the discussions were good,’’ Abbas Araghchi told reporters.
Araghchi said he and his partners from Germany, France, Britain, China, Russia, and the European Union remain determined to save the deal.
The fate of the agreement remains uncertain after the Trump administration pulled out of the deal last year and reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to scale back its commitments under the pact.
In early July, Iran said it had breached a stockpile limit for low-enriched uranium allowed under the deal and was enriching uranium at a higher level than permitted. Tehran has said it will continue to reduce its obligations under the pact if the remaining parties to the deal do not help alleviate Iran’s economic isolation.
Earlier Sunday, the head of Iran’s nuclear agency was reported to have told lawmakers that Iran has enriched 24 metric tons of uranium since the 2015 nuclear deal was reached.
The remarks by Ali Akbar Salehi of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization were reported widely by state-run and semiofficial media, which cited conservative lawmakers present at the closed-door meeting.
The claim, if confirmed, would suggest that Iran has produced far more enriched uranium than was previously known, exceeding the deal’s limit many times over; however, some experts expressed skepticism and suggested Salehi may have been talking about enriched uranium that was produced but subsequently diluted or ‘‘downblended’’ — a process that could be used to keep machines running while still ultimately yielding relatively low enriched uranium.
I was just going to say, none of the stuff is near nuclear bomb grade, and quite frankly, I'm sick and tired of WaComPo war pre$$ insinuations.
Salehi also said that Iran was moving to restart activity at the heavy-water nuclear reactor at its Arak facility, according to the accounts.
In his meeting with lawmakers on Sunday, Salehi was reported to have said that the developments were not indicative of an intent to produce nuclear weapons.
That is the impression my print copy left me with; hopefully, the web version additions will clear things up:
Iran’s uranium enrichment capabilities and its heavy-water nuclear reactor were placed under restrictions by the 2015 deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), for fear that they could be used by Iran to pursue a nuclear weapons program.
Uranium must be enriched to high levels for use in nuclear weapons. The JCPOA placed a limit on the amount of enriched uranium Iran could possess and the level to which enriched uranium could be produced.
The claim that Iran’s enriched-uranium stockpile had exceeded the 300-kilogram limit was subsequently confirmed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, but in Iranian media on Sunday, Salehi was reported to have said that it went further than this.
‘‘After the JCPOA, Iran enriched 24 tons of uranium, not 300 kilograms,’’ Gholamali Jafarzadeh, a member of the Iranian parliament, quoted Salehi as saying, according to Mehr News.
Twenty-four metric tons is 24,000 kilograms.
The IAEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Experts had deemed Arak’s heavy-water reactor a risk for proliferation as it could allow Iran to produce weapons-grade plutonium. The nuclear deal required Iran to pour concrete into the pipes of the reactor’s calandria, or core, as part of a redesign.
Salehi had said last week that the redesign of the heavy-water reactor, which was being done in partnership with China and Britain, was making progress. Britain replaced the United States in the project after the Trump administration pulled out of the nuclear deal.
Now we know why Johnson is under pressure!
‘‘We do not intend to produce nuclear weapons because of religious reasons,’’ lawmaker Mehrdad Lahouti quoted Salehi as saying, according to the Iranian Students News Agency.
I believe them, and besides, if they were doing the world would know.
Though they are working together on the heavy-water reactor, relations between Iran and Britain have been tense in recent weeks, after British marines helped seize an Iranian-flagged tanker near Gibraltar and Iran seized a British-flagged tanker that was passing the Straits of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.
I'm glad that tension has passed like two ships in the night.
--more--"
Please forgive the Iranians for believing the false promise of nuclear power, but the fractious elite re,member what happened after Iraq invaded Kuwait and threw babies out of incubators on on to the cold, hard floor!
Took Thatcher to buck up H.W., and Trump is simply returning the favor.
{@@##$$%%^^&&}
Once Iran has been recolonized, they can get Hong Kong back:
"Clashes with police turn Hong Kong’s downtown into tear gas-filled battlefield" by Austin Ramzy New York Times, July 28, 2019
HONG KONG — For the second day in a row, thousands rallied on Sunday in Hong Kong to protest mob violence and what they say is police brutality against peaceful marchers, and for the second consecutive day, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the throngs.
This was the third straight weekend that violent clashes had broken out since the demonstrations began nearly two months ago.....
My pre$$ has been with them thew whole way, causing me to believe this is a U.S. government covert destabilization campaign.
--more--"
"China backs Hong Kong officials, but leaves protests for them to solve" by Chris Buckley and Austin Ramzy New York Times, July 29, 2019
BEIJING — The Chinese government on Monday laid down its firm support of Hong Kong’s embattled leader and police force but failed to offer any clear solutions after two months of rolling protests that have flared into violence and stoked opposition to Chinese rule.
Chinese officials made a strongly worded defense of the local Hong Kong authorities during a rare news conference in Beijing by the government office that oversees policy toward the city, but they failed to address the demonstrators’ demands for more accountability in the police force and a greater say in the city’s future, which could pave the way for more unrest.
The remarks by Chinese officials Monday came days after a People’s Liberation Army spokesman hinted that military force could be used to bring to heel the antigovernment demonstrations that have become regular events in Hong Kong since June. The demonstrations have repeatedly spiraled into violent melees as smaller groups of more confrontational protesters have faced off with police officers who have used tear gas and clubs against them.....
Thank God the controlled protests over here are with the conjunction with authority and with the approval of the pre$$.
--more--"
Related:
Hong Kong charges dozens of protesters with rioting
The New York Times tells me the police were noticeably more aggressive.
Chinese military in Hong Kong labels protests ‘intolerable’
I'm told a "threatening speech coincides with the release of an extraordinary video showing Chinese soldiers practicing firing on demonstrators."
"Thousands of civil servants and backers rallied Friday in an unprecedented show of support for protests over Hong Kong’s handling of its worst political crisis in decades. The action came ahead of more unauthorized demonstrations planned for this weekend, when protesters and police are likely to face off again in potentially violent street battles. Friday’s rally marked the first time that government workers have protested openly, revealing the depth of anger in Hong Kong. Participants, who were authorized to rally only in a small square in central Hong Kong, spilled out onto surrounding roads. Many stayed despite pouring rain, handing out fliers for a planned general strike on Monday. ‘‘Hong Kongers, fight on! Civil servants, fight on!’’ they shouted. ‘‘Revolution of our times!’’ The protests began months ago over now-shelved plans to allow extraditions to mainland China, but they have grown to include demands for an independent investigation into police use of force and the resignation of Carrie Lam, the city’s leader, while reviving a movement calling for true democracy in Hong Kong. ‘‘Given the current political situation in Hong Kong, there are no options’’ to be neutral, said an open letter, purportedly from civil servants from the Hong Kong government’s information services department. ‘‘To remain neutral is to be an accomplice to acts of oppression, bowing to the reign of terror.’’ One 36-year-old demonstrator who wanted to be identified only as a member of the Hong Kong Disciplined Services — which includes police, firefighters and immigration, customs and correctional officers — said he hesitated to attend for fear of losing his job, but in the end, he said, he decided he would have felt ashamed of himself if he had stayed home."
Hong Kong charges dozens of protesters with rioting
The New York Times tells me the police were noticeably more aggressive.
Chinese military in Hong Kong labels protests ‘intolerable’
I'm told a "threatening speech coincides with the release of an extraordinary video showing Chinese soldiers practicing firing on demonstrators."
"Thousands of civil servants and backers rallied Friday in an unprecedented show of support for protests over Hong Kong’s handling of its worst political crisis in decades. The action came ahead of more unauthorized demonstrations planned for this weekend, when protesters and police are likely to face off again in potentially violent street battles. Friday’s rally marked the first time that government workers have protested openly, revealing the depth of anger in Hong Kong. Participants, who were authorized to rally only in a small square in central Hong Kong, spilled out onto surrounding roads. Many stayed despite pouring rain, handing out fliers for a planned general strike on Monday. ‘‘Hong Kongers, fight on! Civil servants, fight on!’’ they shouted. ‘‘Revolution of our times!’’ The protests began months ago over now-shelved plans to allow extraditions to mainland China, but they have grown to include demands for an independent investigation into police use of force and the resignation of Carrie Lam, the city’s leader, while reviving a movement calling for true democracy in Hong Kong. ‘‘Given the current political situation in Hong Kong, there are no options’’ to be neutral, said an open letter, purportedly from civil servants from the Hong Kong government’s information services department. ‘‘To remain neutral is to be an accomplice to acts of oppression, bowing to the reign of terror.’’ One 36-year-old demonstrator who wanted to be identified only as a member of the Hong Kong Disciplined Services — which includes police, firefighters and immigration, customs and correctional officers — said he hesitated to attend for fear of losing his job, but in the end, he said, he decided he would have felt ashamed of himself if he had stayed home."
Look at that!
PROTEST SHAMING!
Also see:
"Lawmakers accuse Trump administration of delaying F-16 sales to Taiwan" by Edward Wong and Eric Schmitt New York Times, July 30, 2019
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers in Congress from both political parties have accused the Trump administration of delaying an $8 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan, the self-governing democratic island off the coast of China that is supported by the United States.
Chinese officials have said they object strongly to the sale of 66 jets requested by Taiwan, which would be by far the largest such purchase by its government in many years. Lawmakers are now questioning whether the Trump administration is delaying approval of the sale, either to avoid upsetting Beijing while delicate trade negotiations are underway or to use it as a bargaining chip.
The large purchase would make one wonder whether something was in the works, wouldn't it
Any such move by the administration would ignite intense bipartisan opposition in Congress.
Oh, how wonderful. When it comes to war on China and arms sales, they are bipartisan. Makes you wonder if the Yemen war resolutions and complaining about war powers is just for show as they largely egg on the wars.
“Our support for Taiwan through arms transfers is not up for negotiation with Beijing,” Representative Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told The New York Times on Monday.
“I will support the sale of F-16s to Taiwan as soon as the State Department notices them to our committee, which I expect to happen soon,” McCaul said.
Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the Trump administration “is possibly obstructing the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan so the president can use them as leverage in his failing trade war with China.”
“Taiwan’s defense cannot be a bargaining chip to be cashed in for a smile from China’s dictatorship,” Menendez said Monday.
Amazing how the scandal surrounding his trips to the Dominican Republic and liaisons with underaged prostitutes just faded into oblivion in the #MeToo era. He is obviously still very useful to the Zionist string-pullers as he protects their home base in the U.S.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Robert Lighthizer, the US trade representative, arrived in Shanghai on Tuesday to meet with Chinese negotiators. In Twitter posts Tuesday, President Trump criticized China and said it should enter a deal now. “We have all the cards,” he said.
Until they start dumping treasuries and demand payment. Then we are f**ked.
Lawmakers who oversee foreign policy in Congress had expected the State Department to sign off on the fighter jet sales by last week, before the House went on recess, but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has not yet approved the official notification to allow the sales to move forward. The Senate leaves Washington on Friday and Congress is not scheduled to return until Sept. 9.
A Senate aide described hesitation by administration officials to move forward with the sales “in light of the ongoing negotiations with China.”
Jeff Emerson, a spokesman for the trade representative, said Lighthizer had not suggested delaying the arms sales or offered it as a bargaining chip in the trade talks.
The State Department declined to comment on the proposed arms sales. The Treasury Department and White House National Security Council also declined to comment.
After Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter decided to normalize relations with China, Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 to set guidelines for nondiplomatic relations with Taiwan. The act requires the United States “to provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive character.”
China insists Taiwan is part of its territory and Beijing has for years objected to the sales. That has prompted the United States to try to draw as little attention to the arms purchases as possible by approving them in intermittent batches. Taiwan has had a long-standing request for new F-16s, which has provoked especially vehement objections from Beijing, given that the jets could be used to bomb mainland China.
How would we feel if China was setting up shop in Cuba, 'eh?
Some Trump administration officials have taken hard-line stands against China based on national security concerns. Others have argued that maintaining stable economic ties with Beijing is more important.
John Bolton, the White House national security adviser, has long been an outspoken defender of Taiwan and a proponent of arms sales. In a January 2017 opinion article, Bolton wrote that Trump should play the “Taiwan card” to counter China’s hegemonic moves in Asia. Bolton even suggested that the United States should restore diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
Pompeo has been less brazen on Taiwan policy, and his priority is to stay in step with Trump, but he has spoken about competing with China to keep it from spreading authoritarian ideas.
This as the NYT screams authoritarian Trump, blah blah.
I mean, this slop is reaching such rank proportions I am simply wasting our time reading it.
Economic advisers to Trump have refrained from taking tougher actions against China to avoid jeopardizing a potential trade deal, a goal that the president is eager to reach before the 2020 presidential election. The Treasury Department has objected to proposals to impose sanctions on Chinese officials for the detention of more than one million Muslims, according to administration officials.
That has to be a first even as the Muslims are tortured.
Three congressional officials said the F-16 sales were delayed after trade advisers appealed to Trump. One of the officials, who works for a senior Republican lawmaker, said he expected Bolton and perhaps Pompeo to press Trump this week to approve the sales, though Pompeo left for Thailand on Tuesday.
The deal for the F-16s, which are made by Lockheed Martin, would be the second batch of arms sales to Taiwan by the Trump administration this summer; however, it is much larger and more sensitive than the earlier sale.
On July 8, the State Department notified Congress that it was moving ahead with a sale of 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks and other weapons to Taiwan, a package worth more than $2 billion. Unless Congress raises objections within one month of formal notification, the sale will go through.....
Why would Congre$$ raise objections?
They are objecting to a delay!
--more--"
It's all about the trade deal:
US and China resume trade negotiations with slim hopes for a deal
Especially with the U.S. stirring things up in Hong Kong.
Former top economic adviser Gary Cohn says Trump’s trade war is hurting the US economy
Cohen also said the trade battle offered a ‘‘convenient excuse’’ for China to slow down its economy.
Trump says US will hit China with more tariffs
The decision came one day after the president’s top advisers returned from two days of trade talks with their Chinese counterparts in Shanghai. There were few signs of real progress, and both sides released perfunctory statements when the meetings concluded, saying there would be additional discussions in Washington next month. Talks have been complicated by the recent emergence of Zhong Shan, China’s commerce minister, as a lead negotiator for the Chinese, according to a person familiar with the discussions. Zhong’s role has signaled to some in the Trump administration that the hard-liners in China are winning the debate over the reformers, such as Vice Premier Liu He, who are more open to making structural economic changes that the United States wants. After little of substance was accomplished during the talks in Shanghai this week, officials in the Trump administration grew increasingly wary that China is retreating to its pattern of using mixed messages and delays to wait out Trump.
If that isn't ever the pot hollering kettle.
Stocks slump after Trump puts more tariffs on Chinese goods
It's not hurting the Chinese:
"A little over two months after Huawei’s chief executive began comparing his embattled company to a bullet-riddled fighter plane, the Chinese tech giant said its sales for January through June grew by nearly a quarter from a year earlier, a sign the Trump administration’s clampdown has hardly brought the company crashing to the ground. “Neither production nor shipment has been interrupted, not for one single day,” Liang Hua, chairman of Huawei’s board of directors, said Tuesday. Still, Huawei’s troubles with Washington have not left it unscathed....."
Yeah, still (sigh), and their future is uncertain since Washington began ratcheting up efforts to undermine the company.
The article mentions the 5G reason behind it all; however, not one word about the Meng arrest at US behest.
The New York Times tells you what you need to know about the Capital One breach as consumers are warned of fake websites for the Equifax settlement (it's a $125 check you’re probably not going to get it), just another in a long li$t of $ettlement kickbacks (fraudulent foreclosures and student debt bilking immediately come to mid) that retroactively legalizes the criminality, and the regulating authorities share in the settlements as well.
Better that Geico track you by phone and send it to the cloud as Verizon beats estimates for profit and subscriber growth.
"China warns against bid to sow discord over South China Sea" by Eileen Ng Associated Press, July 31, 2019
BANGKOK — China on Wednesday warned outside nations against any attempt to sow discord between Beijing and Southeast Asian countries by playing up disputes over the South China Sea, saying differences can be resolved peacefully between the affected parties themselves.
How unreasonable.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking after talks with his counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at an annual meeting of the 10-member bloc, also reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to conclude a Code of Conduct with ASEAN governing the South China Sea that will make the disputed region more stable.
China’s aggressive territorial claims in the South China Sea, which carries a third of global shipping, has drawn rebuke from the US and become a flashpoint for the region, with parts of the sea overlapping claims by ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei.
It's the U.S. driving the flashes, for the obvious reasons. If the Pacific becomes calm, we are out.
Tensions flared anew after Chinese naval boats rammed Philippine fishing boats and Vietnam accused China of violating its sovereignty by interfering with offshore oil and gas activities in disputed waters. The US State Department has said Chinese action in Vietnam undermined regional energy security and urged Beijing to ‘‘cease its bullying behavior’’ and refrain from ‘‘provocative and destabilizing activity.’’
I don't want another Southeast Asian war with those guys this time.
The US also regularly sails and flies military assets close to the disputed areas in what it calls freedom of navigation operations. On Tuesday, Philippine Defense Chief Delfin Lorenzana also criticized China’s ‘‘bullying’’ actions in the South China Sea and said Beijing’s peaceful assurances contrast with its behavior in the contested waters.
I think the Philippines guy is trying to have it both ways by paying lip service to the U.S., and U.S. actions are more like provocations.
Wang said Wednesday that Beijing and ASEAN nations can settle the disputes without any interference. ‘‘We think non-regional countries should not deliberately amplify such differences or disputes,’’ he said when asked about US involvement. ‘‘Instead they should support the efforts by China and ASEAN in having these differences properly addressed.’’
The South China Sea dispute has highlighted the growing rivalry between the US and China to assert influence in the region, putting ASEAN nations in a tight spot. At their summit in June, ASEAN leaders adopted an Indo-Pacific engagement framework that sought to find a middle ground and keep on the good side of both Washington and Beijing.
Wang also said China and ASEAN aim to conclude talks on the Code of Conduct within three years or even earlier, which will not only manage disputes more effectively but ensure the rights of non-regional countries in the waters are better protected. He said China is exploring plans to ‘‘institutionalize’’ joint military exercises with ASEAN countries in the region after two previous drills.
ASEAN and China have completed the first round of negotiations on the code, but experts said the next two rounds of talks are likely to be contentious because there is no sign that China will agree to anything that would undermine its maritime claims.
ASEAN foreign ministers, in a joint communique after their annual meeting earlier Wednesday, said some ministers had expressed concerns on ‘‘the land reclamations, activities, and serious incidents in the area which have eroded trust and confidence’’ and raised tensions. They didn’t name any country but repeated calls for ‘‘non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities by claimants and all other states.’’
They also stressed the importance of upholding international law, including a UN sea treaty that Beijing has not followed, according to a 2016 international arbitration ruling.
Two-way trade between ASEAN members and China topped $580 billion last year, while Chinese investment in Southeast Asian nations hit nearly $10 billion, making the region its second-largest investment destination for the first time, Wang said, adding that China has infrastructure and transportation projects under its Belt and Road Initiative with every ASEAN member.
Beijing is attempting to project its influence globally through its Belt and Road Initiative, an ambitious development program of major infrastructure projects, while Washington is using the Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy, which Beijing says is directed against it.
Washington is more interested in destroying things if you don't accept the diktat.
Also on Wednesday, the meeting’s host, Thailand, urged ASEAN members to be ‘‘more agile’’ amid increasing nationalism globally.
‘‘We must recognize that looking inward and being myopic is not our option and never will be,’’ Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said in opening the annual ASEAN ministerial meeting. ‘‘Amid great turmoil, we must be more outward and forward looking than ever before.’’
He warned that the road ahead ‘‘could be treacherous’’ but said greater cooperation among ASEAN members and outside partners could help sustain long-term growth.
ASEAN, which is seeking to boost its own voice as a global player, is also playing host to a series of foreign ministers from key strategic and dialogue partners, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
--more--"
I would simply advise China to remember what happened in 1945 (anniversary coming up).
Checkmate, and it is no laughing matter (maybe Globe will stop printing and distributing them)!
This all comes on the heels of the Russian-South Korean airspace incident:
Pompeo says he was ready, but North Korea meeting unlikely
Why would they want to meet with him?
S. Korea says N. Korea has fired unidentified projectiles
The early Wednesday morning launch was the second in a week, as North Korea is being slowly $queezed.
North Korea accused of launching ‘unidentified projectiles’
It’s North Korea’s third weapons tests in just over a week, South Korea says, and they look like Russian missiles.
Pompeo says US not asking Asian nations to take sides in rivalry with China
Pompeo said in a speech at an annual meeting with his ASEAN counterparts that US relations with ASEAN are guided by a shared commitment to the fundamental rules of law, human rights, and sustainable economic growth. Beijing has been attempting to project its influence globally through its ‘‘Belt and Road’’ initiative, an ambitious development program of major infrastructure projects. Washington, meanwhile, has been promoting what it calls a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, an all-encompassing vision that focuses on areas such as rule of law, freedom of navigation, and open markets that Beijing regards as directed against it. Despite Pompeo’s comments in Bangkok, he and other Trump administration officials have for months been raising the alarm about the dangers of countries allowing significant Russian and Chinese investment in their technology and infrastructure sectors. Pompeo’s comments Thursday came a day after China warned against any attempt to sow discord between Beijing and ASEAN countries by playing up disputes over the South China Sea. Pompeo also mentioned recent press reports that ASEAN member Cambodia had signed an agreement allowing the Chinese navy use of a naval base on the Gulf of Thailand. China is Cambodia’s closest political ally and main aid donor and investor, and in turn Cambodia supports China’s positions in international forums. However, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen denied the reports, pointing out that his country’s constitution does not allow foreign military forces on its soil. ‘‘The United States welcomes Cambodia’s strong defense of its national sovereignty in the region,’’ Pompeo said without elaborating. The US has been highly critical of Hun Sen’s authoritarian rule, and Pompeo appeared to be implying Washington would hold the Cambodian leader to his word.
Does this guy even hear himself? Blowhard spewing about fundamental law and human rights when his government is the biggest offender.
Related:
"Myanmar holds repatriation talks with Rohingya refugees" Associated Press, July 28, 2019
DHAKA, Bangladesh — A Myanmar government delegation has met with representatives of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslim refugees in Bangladesh to discuss creating conditions for their safe repatriation, officials said Sunday.
Myanmar’s permanent foreign secretary, U Myint Thu, led a 10-member delegation for the weekend talks in refugee camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar region. He said he told the refugees about the preparations being made for their repatriation and agreed to continue talks with them.
The long-simmering Rohingya crisis exploded in August 2017 when Myanmar’s military launched what it called a clearance campaign in Rakhine state in response to an attack by a Rohingya insurgent group. The campaign led to the mass Rohingya exodus to Bangladesh and accusations that security forces committed mass rapes and killings and burned thousands of homes.
The violence caused more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to overcrowded refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh and elsewhere for safety......
--more--"
That's only a concern because Myanmar is cozying up to China these days, and if the U.S. is not careful they could lose Australia.
This is all geopolitical, WWIII stuff, and gives me pause regarding the inevitability of U.S. victory with its three-pronged approach. More will come later, but as we tie up China all along the Pacific rim to keep it from coming to Iran's aid and to corner it with Russia in Mongolia and Siberia, there may be a long slog on the Malayan peninsula. It could open an avenue for China to spill into the Indian Ocean to the coast of Africa, where our troops would have to meet them.
{@@##$$%%^^&&}
"Suspected Boko Haram attack on funeral in Nigeria leaves at least 65 dead" by Ibrahim Sawab, Anemona Hartocollis and Mike Ives New York Times, July 29, 2019
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Villagers in northeastern Nigeria are fleeing their homes, leaving everything behind, after armed men on motorbikes roared into their area and gunned down funeral mourners Saturday, killing at least 65 people, officials said Monday.
Officials attributed the attack to Boko Haram, the Islamist extremist group that has terrorized the region for the past 10 years, although there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault.
Here we go again, another false flag or complete war propaganda fabrication, and is all about countering Chinese influence. That's why this just suddenly popped up.
The attack Saturday, in the area of Nganzai, north of the city of Maiduguri, was in retaliation for an earlier clash, officials said. Villagers have formed defense groups, armed with hunting guns and knives, to resist Boko Haram. People in the village that was attacked had repelled a militant assault two weeks earlier, said Mohammed Bulama, council chairman of the Nganzai area in Borno state. He said the villagers had killed 11 Boko Haram fighters and seized 10 AK-47 rifles.
Bulama said that Boko Haram gunmen had been moving freely around Borno state, rustling cattle, and “carting away foodstuff from our people.” Villagers who inherited their cattle and had spent all their lives herding them felt the “unbearable pain” of losing them overnight, he said.
Around noon Saturday, the Boko Haram fighters “came on a reprisal mission, attacking mourners at a graveyard in the area,” Bulama said. In addition to those who were confirmed killed, at least 10 people were injured and dozens were still missing, so the toll could rise.
The attack came just over a month after at least 30 people were killed in a triple suicide bombing in Borno that bore the hallmarks of a Boko Haram operation. Last week marked the 10-year anniversary of the emergence of the group, which has declared allegiance to the Islamic State group but has operated independently.
I'm sorry, readers, but the baaing of the war propaganda is no longer interesting and is quite sickening.
In a region devastated by violence, displacement, climate change, and the resulting widespread malnutrition, confrontations have occurred when Boko Haram fighters demand food from villagers who are themselves hungry and dependent on donations from humanitarian organizations, said Hamsatu Allamin, a Nigerian human rights advocate who has worked with foreign aid groups.
“Food insecurity is an issue for everyone,” she said. “So these Boko Haram boys now go to these villagers demanding food, demanding money, demanding the animals. The pressure is all on the common man, and if you deny them, the government will not come to your aid.”
Beginning in 2015, Nigeria’s government and military have claimed repeatedly that Boko Haram was being subdued, even on the brink of defeat, its hiding places decimated, but human rights groups, aid organizations and local Nigerians have long disputed such claims, and attacks have persisted.
“People like us who have been operating in the field, we know that what the government is saying is far from the true reality on the ground,” Allamin said.
I feel like Americans have so much in common with the rest of the world.
President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the attack in a statement issued Sunday and ordered the military to hunt down those who carried it out.
Boko Haram, whose name is often roughly translated as “Western education is forbidden,” has been blamed for tens of thousands of deaths, and has prompted more than 2 million people to flee their homes in northeastern Nigeria and neighboring areas of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.
The group has kidnapped women and girls, forcing them into marriage and slavery, and has used children as suicide bombers. It is perhaps best known for having kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from the village of Chibok in April 2014, many of whom are still missing.
That whole event was proven to be a completely staged production.
--more--"
Not only is Nigeria the African oil pump, it's houses a U.S. drone base!
Oh, yeah, never mind the floods.
Related:
Mozambique president and opposition leader sign peace accord, ending years of hostilities
Mozambique peace accord brings hope of economic growth
Mozambique’s president signed a permanent peace accord Thursday with the country’s main opposition party Renamo to end decades of hostilities that persisted after a devastating 15-year civil war that killed an estimated 1 million people in one of the world’s poorest countries, where an estimated 70 percent of the population lives on less than $2 per day.
It's their ‘‘moment of hope and reconciliation,’’ and wasn't Mozambique the place where there was no U.S. or U.N. presence until they had the strange pair of cyclones?
{@@##$$%%^^&&}
Time to retreat back to Europe:
"The wine wars rage on. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron officially signed into law a bill that allows the French government to levy special taxes on certain revenues that large American tech companies such as Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple earn in France. That incensed President Trump. ‘‘They shouldn’t have done this,’’ Trump said Friday, speaking to reporters. ‘‘I told them, I said, ‘Don’t do it because if you do it, I’m going to tax your wine.’ ’’ Trump — a self-proclaimed teetotaler — escalated the situation even further. ‘‘I’ve always liked American wines better than French wines — even though I don’t drink wine,’’ he said. ‘‘I just like the way they look, OK?’’ Needless to say, this particular value judgment did not sit well in France. ‘‘It’s absurd, in terms of having a political and economic debate, to say that ‘if you tax the GAFAs, I’ll tax wine.’ It’s completely moronic,’’ French Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume said Tuesday....."
Once begins to wonder whether the French are with us.
We all know Spain will be neutral, and this could mean that the Chinese could cross the Mediterranean and thrust up through Spain and France and attack the German spear point from behind!
"An 8-year-old boy was run over by a train and killed at Frankfurt’s main station on Monday after a man pushed him and his mother onto the tracks, German police said. The 40-year-old suspect fled the scene with passersby in pursuit and was arrested near the station. He was being questioned and there was no immediate information on his possible motive. Police spokeswoman Isabell Neumann said there appeared to be no connection between the suspect and the victims. The boy’s mother was taken to a hospital and also was being questioned. There was no immediate information on her injuries. Police said that the suspect is an Eritrean citizen but did not immediately release further information....."
Probably because he is a migrant as Germany moves through Poland:
"President Trump will visit Warsaw from Aug. 31 through Sept. 2 to take part in observances marking the 80th anniversary of World War II, aides to Poland’s president said Tuesday. Washington recently decided to add 1,000 troops to its contingent of 4,000 troops based in Poland as a security enhancement for the country, which is wary of neighboring Russia’s military activity. Poland is planning the purchase of state-of-the-art US F-35 jets. It is also buying liquefied gas from the United States in a drive to cut its energy dependence on imports from Russia....."
Let the missiles fly:
"US-Russia arms control treaty dies; US to test new weapon" by Deb Riechmann Associated Press, August 2, 2019
WASHINGTON — The United States plans to test a new missile in coming weeks that would have been prohibited under a landmark, 32-year-old arms control treaty that the United States and Russia ripped up on Friday.
It's the U.S. that pulled out of it just as they did the Iran deal, and now we know why!
Washington and Moscow walked out of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty that former president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev signed in 1987, raising fears of a new arms race. The United States blamed Moscow for the death of the treaty. It said that for years Moscow has been developing and fielding weapons that violate the treaty and threaten the United States and its allies, particularly in Europe.
‘‘Russia is solely responsible for the treaty’s demise,’’ Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement released on Friday.
Russia pointed a finger at America.
‘‘The denunciation of the INF treaty confirms that the US has embarked on destroying all international agreements that do not suit them for one reason or another,’’ the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday. ‘‘This leads to the actual dismantling of the existing arms control system.’’
Exiting the treaty, however, could have an upside for the United States. Washington has complained for years that the arms control playing field was unfair. US officials argued that not only was Russia violating the treaty and developing prohibited weapons, but that China also was making similar noncompliant weapons, leaving the United States alone in complying with the aging arms control pact.
This war propaganda has become so f***ing absurd it is useless.
Poor U.S. alone in complying! Good Christ!
Now, the United States is free to develop weapons systems that were previously banned. The United States is planning a test flight of such a weapon in coming weeks, according to a senior administration official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the weapons development and spoke only on condition of anonymity.
Meaning they had this ready to go long before getting out of the deal!
The current Pentagon budget includes $48 million for research on potential military responses to the Russian violations of the INF treaty, but the options do not include a nuclear missile.
Now they are going to waste $48 million on countermeasures!!
The official downplayed the test and said it was not meant as a provocation against Russia. Because the United States adhered to the treaty for 32 years, the United States is ‘‘years away’’ from effectively deploying weapons previously banned under the agreement, the official said Thursday.
Arms control advocates still worry that America’s exit from the INF treaty will lead the two nations to also scrap the larger New START treaty, which expires in early 2021.
‘‘Pulling out of this treaty leaves New START as the only bilateral nuclear arms agreement between the US and Russia,’’ said physicist David Wright, co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. If President Trump ‘‘pulls out of that treaty as well or allows it to lapse, it will be the first time since 1972 that the two countries will be operating without any mutual constraints on their nuclear forces.’’
Trump hasn’t committed to extending or replacing New START, which beginning in 2018 imposed limits on the number of US and Russian long-range nuclear warheads and launchers. Trump has called New START ‘‘just another bad deal’’ made by the Obama administration, and Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, said in June that it’s unlikely the administration will agree to extend the treaty for five years, which could be done without legislative action in either capital.
The Trump administration thinks talks about extending New START are premature. The administration claims that with China’s growing arsenal of nuclear warheads, Beijing can no longer be excluded from nuclear arms control agreements. Trump has expressed a desire to negotiate a trilateral arms control deal signed by the United States, Russia, and China.
‘‘We’ll see what happens,’’ Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday. ‘‘I will say Russia would like to do something on a nuclear treaty and that’s OK with me. They’d like to do something and so would I.’’
As if your signature on a piece of paper meant anything.
The administration official said the United States has had regular discussions with the Russians and Chinese about the possibility of a three-way arms control agreement. Trump wants the agreement to address not just intermediate-range weapons, but ‘‘all nuclear weapons,’’ the official said.
Israel going to have to give up theirs, because if not I suggest you keep yours and we will keep ours.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov of Russia urged the United States to observe a moratorium in using intermediate-range weapons.
‘‘We invited the US and other NATO countries to assess the possibility of declaring the same moratorium on deploying intermediate-range and shorter-range equipment as we have, the same moratorium Vladimir Putin declared, saying that Russia will refrain from deploying these systems when we acquire them unless the American equipment is deployed in certain regions,’’ he said in an interview with state news agency Tass.
--more--"
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was presented with flowers as he boarded his plane to depart for Australia from Don Mueang International Airport, in Bangkok on Saturday.(Jonathan Ernst/Associated Press pool)
They were overjoyed that he was leaving their nation!
{@@##$$%%^^&&}
That gets us back home:
Pentagon reexamines $10 billion JEDI cloud contract process
The 11th-hour Oval Office intervention comes just weeks before the winning bid was expected to be announced and has now left a major military priority up in the air. The JEDI contract aims at building a department-wide cloud computing infrastructure that will ease the sharing of sensitive intelligence across the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force. The Defense Department also sees it as an important steppingstone for incorporating artificial intelligence algorithms into how it wages war. Trump’s directive could deal a blow to the federal ambitions of Amazon Web Services, the market-leading cloud computing provider. AWS is the only company that has received the highest-level Defense Department IT certification, known as Impact Level 6, which allows it to handle top-secret data. That advantage stems in large part from a $600 million contract with the CIA that was awarded in 2013.
Made Bezos and his wife rich:
Jeff Bezos’s ex-wife now second-largest individual Amazon shareholder
MacKenzie Bezos is officially 23rd on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a ranking of the world’s 500 richest people, and I am ashamed to be an American:
It’s the progressives vs. Biden
Biden fails to shine in second debate
Joe Biden redeems himself
Could those unwieldy Democratic debates boost Trump’s cause?
Trump again targets ‘Squad’ at rally
Growing support for an impeachment inquiry adds to pressure on Pelosi
The New York Times says the drive toward an inquiry seems to be driven as much by Capitol Hill politics as by any push from voters as impeachment was barely a whisper in two nights of Democratic presidential debate.
"A majority of House Democrats back impeachment, analysis shows" by Mike DeBonis, David Weigel, John Wagner and JM Rieger Washington Post, August 2, 2019
WASHINGTON — The movement to oust President Trump from office crossed a new threshold Friday, with a majority of House Democrats endorsing an impeachment inquiry, a development that ramps up pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who continued to resist the move.
The push in the House to remove Trump has been accelerated by testimony from former special counsel Robert Mueller III confirming that the president could be charged with obstruction of justice after he leaves office.
OMG, it is as if he never appeared and the narrative goes on!
Those calls have come amid mounting pressure from liberal activists, applied in some cases by Democratic primary challengers who argue that incumbents, including four powerful committee chairmen, have been too reticent in taking on Trump.
The DCC has banned contracts for anyone who works with primary challengers.
As of Friday, 118 out of 235 House Democrats said they support at least opening an impeachment inquiry, according to an analysis by The Washington Post.
Representative Salud Carbajal, a California Democrat, pushed Democrats past the majority milestone with his announcement Friday. ‘‘We cannot ignore this president’s actions, and we cannot let him off the hook because of his title,’’ he said in a written statement.
Amid the growing support for impeachment proceedings, Pelosi on Friday issued a lengthy statement that recapitulated the progress of the House’s existing investigations and vowed that Trump ‘‘will be held accountable’’ without specifically mentioning the opening of a formal inquiry.
‘‘To protect our democracy and our Constitution, Democrats in the Congress continue to legislate, investigate, and litigate,’’ she said.
They are Trump's best argument for a second term.
Pelosi’s statement did note ‘‘a significant step’’ last week when the House filed a court petition seeking evidence underpinning Mueller’s report, citing the House’s need to determine ‘‘whether to exercise its full Article I powers, including a constitutional power of the utmost gravity: approval of articles of impeachment.’’’
House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, said last week that the filing was tantamount to launching an impeachment inquiry, even though there has been no vote of the committee or the whole House to open a formal probe.
So they are doing it anyway, even if they are not calling it that.
Pelosi in the past has cited the importance of public opinion and gaining at least some bipartisan cooperation in guiding any decision on impeachment. If the Democratic House were to vote for Trump’s impeachment, the charges would go to the GOP-controlled Senate for a trial to decide whether Trump should be removed from office.
No Senate Republican has backed ousting Trump, and an acquittal is the likely outcome.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll released last month showed 59 percent of Americans believe the House should not begin impeachment proceedings against Trump, while 37 percent believe it should, including 61 percent of Democrats.
Before leaving Washington last week for the six-week summer recess, Pelosi told reporters that her colleagues were free to chart their own course while also making clear that their decisions would not necessarily change her views.
‘‘I’m willing to take whatever heat there is,’’ she said.
Among those newly backing an impeachment inquiry are two prominent House committee chairmen from New York, Representative Eliot Engel of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Representative Nita Lowey of the Appropriations Committee. Both are facing liberal primary opponents in next year’s elections.
Engel said Trump’s ‘‘repeated abuses have brought American democracy to a perilous crossroads. Following the guidance of the Constitution — which I have sworn to uphold — is the only way to achieve justice.’’
In announcing her support for an inquiry, Lowey said in a statement that Mueller’s investigation showed ‘‘systemic deception that appears to be second nature for the president and his advisers.’’
Representative Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, who rattled some Democrats in January when she used profanity to describe the president, said that the recess would probably build support for impeachment.
‘‘They’re going to be hearing this from their constituents,’’ Tlaib said. ‘‘I’ve seen more and more support for impeachment at my own town halls.’’
Tlaib talked about impeachment at two Friday meetings in her district, starting with a town hall in Highland Park, where she said that ‘‘the Constitution demands’’ that a president ‘‘step away from conflicts of interest,’’ and Trump had not.
Probing Trump without the power of impeachment hearings was not enough, she said: ‘‘Going through the investigative process has been very draining, and it also hasn’t resulted in actual results.’’
You guys are a f***king joke!
Trump and his administration have refused to comply with most of the congressional requests, forcing the House to pursue a resolution in the courts.
Liberal activist groups, meanwhile, are planning to spend the recess applying pressure on the remaining House holdouts. A coalition of groups have organized an ‘‘Impeachment August’’ campaign to encourage voters to press lawmakers at town halls and their district offices.
Say goodbye to the majority. Hope you enjoyed your two years.
Sean Eldridge, founder and president of Stand Up America, one of the participating groups, called the majority support among House Democrats a ‘‘huge milestone’’ in the fight to hold Trump accountable.
‘‘It’s time for Speaker Pelosi to support a formal impeachment inquiry,’’ he said. ‘‘No more dancing around it. No more delays.’’
--more--"
Related:
Judge rejects Stone’s bid to dismiss Mueller indictment
Senate passes two-year budget and debt ceiling bill
The bipartisan vote, which had the support of President Trump, came amid growing calls from House members to impeach the president. The bill suspends the debt ceiling through July 31, 2021. The agreement stands as a rare example of bipartisan legislating in the Trump era, and is one of the few major votes Congress will take this year.
Corey Lewandowski says he’s interested in running for US Senate seat in New Hampshire
You didn't have to tell me twice.
Also see:
As Trump sits solidly on his perch, the issues smolder
Atlanta to add context about racism to historic monuments
Alligator in Chicago lagoon, cost the city $33,600 to remove
"President Trump on Friday denied he had made light of reports that the Baltimore home of Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings had been recently burglarized, telling reporters his comments earlier in the day were not meant to be ‘‘wise guy.’’ His denial came in response to a reporter’s question on Friday afternoon as he was leaving the White House for his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. His earlier Twitter comments on the break-in had drawn a chiding response from his former UN ambassador, Nikki Haley, among a cascade of others, including some Republicans. ‘‘This is so unnecessary,’’ Haley wrote in a tweet that included an emoji with rolling eyes. Other Republicans weighing in Friday included Representative Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who called Trump’s tweet was ‘‘so beneath the office you hold.’’ ‘‘It’s childish, and yet it’s getting really old,’’ Kinzinger said on Twitter. He has criticized Trump at other times. Trump was responding to news reports, including one broadcast on Fox News in the previous hour, that the residence of Cummings and his wife in West Baltimore’s Druid Heights neighborhood was burglarized early Saturday, just hours before Trump started attacking the House Oversight Committee chairman on Twitter. Haley, whom Trump praised as ‘‘a fantastic person’’ on the day in October that she announced her plans to resign, was to criticize Trump’s latest tweet directed at Cummings and the city he represents. Haley, a former South Carolina governor, served in Trump’s administration for its first two years. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway responded to Haley’s tweet with one of her own, writing: ‘‘THIS is so unnecessary.’’ ‘‘Trump-PENCE2020,’’ Conway added, highlighting Vice President Mike Pence’s role on the Republican ticket at a time when there has been speculation about the political futures of both Pence and Haley. Echoing other Democrats, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland said that he was concerned by Trump’s ‘‘racist & dangerous rhetoric, which divides our communities and could lead to someone getting hurt.’’ ‘‘Words have consequences,’’ Hoyer cautioned on Twitter."
So what is Al Sharpton up to these days?
I had my doubts all along. they killed a mentally ill man, and a father asks why do some cops act bad?
I wonder if Trump will get any credit for this:
"Rapper A$AP Rocky and two other American suspects were temporarily freed from a Swedish jail and planning to head back to the United States on Friday as judges mull a verdict in the assault case against them. The Stockholm District Court released the 30-year-old rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, as well as David Rispers Jr. and Bladimir Corniel until Aug. 14 — when a verdict is expected in the case. They are accused of beating 19-year-old Mustafa Jafari on June 30 outside a fast-food restaurant in central Stockholm. The three suspects were seen hugging each other at the court after they learned they would be released as some of the public gathered inside the courthouse loudly cheered. A private plane was waiting at the Stockholm Arlanda Airport to transport the suspects and Black back to the United States Friday evening, according to the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. Mayers’ mother, Renee Black, who was present throughout the court proceedings, was with her son when he was released. Mayers shared an emotional post on Instagram after he was released, thanking his fans for their support during this ‘‘very difficult and humbling experience.’’ President Trump, who had caused a stir in US-Swedish diplomatic relations after publicly offering support to the Grammy-nominated recording artist, celebrated Mayers’ release, tweeting, ‘‘It was a Rocky Week, get home ASAP A$AP!’’ Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven heard an appeal from Trump in July, but said he couldn’t interfere in a legal case. Robert O’Brien, a US special presidential envoy sent to monitor the court proceedings, stressed that Washington was ‘‘grateful that I got to attend and observe the judicial process’’ in Sweden."
Rocky will be back A$AP, while Assange languishes in obscurity.
If only he were a black woman.
R. Kelly to appear in NYC court on sex charges
Jeffrey Epstein’s bail bid hurt as court slams private guards for wealthy
Following Globe investigation, Bristol town leader loses job, faces backlash
A prominent local official accused of soliciting one boy and sexually abusing two others decades ago has lost his longtime job at a Catholic church, while the diocese has acknowledged that it had received complaints in the past about his conduct after a Globe story detailed the accusations.
Mother of boy found in Denver storage unit pleads to abuse
Citing ‘poor conditions’ at border, doctors urge probe of 6 child migrant deaths
John Dillinger relatives doubt body in grave is the gangster
FCC vote threatens free cable services municipalities have long enjoyed
The decision “risks grave harms” to municipalities, said FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, a Democrat.
LATE BREAKING NEWS:
At least 15 people killed in El Paso shooting
The 21-year-old suspect is in custody in what looks like another active shooter drill timed to distract and push the gun grab again, but at least it will help the O'Rourke campaign!
