According to the administration Iran is planning some sort of trouble and we have dispatched a carrier.
In a somewhat sad commentary of our current faith in our government, there is a "show me" attitude since the WMD fiasco in Iraq.
Its also likely that our simpleton in the White House who bought in to all the FOX news criticisms over the years about how the prior administrations simply had to flex some muscle to get the world to comply with us.
It doesn't work, at least not in any meaningful sense.
Our foreign policy is pretty much a mess, with our allies concerned about our reliability and trustworthiness and our enemies manipulating our dontard.
One of the successes he touts is that he has inspired our allies to spend more money on their defense, and they have, but so have we.
If the benefit was supposed to be that we would spend less, it isn't happening.
Everyone spending more turns into an arms race.
Isis was being pushed out of territory when he took over and that continued. They aren't destroyed and may be more dangerous than ever. Certainly the middle east isn't friendlier and we managed to let Russia and Iran exert more and more influence.
North Korea played us and he let them.
Sanctions, tariffs and sending in a carrier are not much in the way of foreign policy. Its all he seems to have though.
Showing posts with label Russia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Russia. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Friday, January 25, 2019
Another Arrest
The FBI raided and arrested another member of the dontard's campaign for obstruction of justice.
Roger Stone is accused of seven counts of obstruction and while an arrest is not a conviction, it is pretty likely that they have significant evidence and corroborating testimony.
This is the 34the arrest to date in the investigation, not all of whom were directly associated with the campaign.
There is video of the arrest which in all honesty seems more appropriate for someone who might resist, but I'm sure the FBI had their reasons.
One source indicates that Watergate resulted in 40 indictments (not all resulted in jail) and of course one Presidential resignation.
This still exceeds the current count, but the investigation is not over.
I would like to point out that while the Watergate break-in was done before we were so digital, the crimes are pretty much the same, both designed to infiltrate and steal information about the opponents campaign.
What is definitively different is that the Watergate was an operation that did not include a foreign power while the current Russian probe clearly does.
In addition to the Russians we have Wikileaks, an international group.
Its hard to imagine Nixon, the fiery anti-communist collaborating with the Soviet Union for something like this, but of course times have changed.
Its also very difficult for the dontard to ever accept responsibility for these actions and I still very much doubt that impeachment is feasible.
Consider how close we got to impeaching Bill Clinton for lying about his interaction with a white house intern.
Did not involve any foreign governments. Don't think anyone was indicted for what happened, and of course the current dontard has very likely lied consistently about similar activities and the payoffs associated with those activities.
He just hasn't done it to congress officially.
He still has time now that we have a democratic house.
Roger Stone is accused of seven counts of obstruction and while an arrest is not a conviction, it is pretty likely that they have significant evidence and corroborating testimony.
This is the 34the arrest to date in the investigation, not all of whom were directly associated with the campaign.
There is video of the arrest which in all honesty seems more appropriate for someone who might resist, but I'm sure the FBI had their reasons.
One source indicates that Watergate resulted in 40 indictments (not all resulted in jail) and of course one Presidential resignation.
This still exceeds the current count, but the investigation is not over.
I would like to point out that while the Watergate break-in was done before we were so digital, the crimes are pretty much the same, both designed to infiltrate and steal information about the opponents campaign.
What is definitively different is that the Watergate was an operation that did not include a foreign power while the current Russian probe clearly does.
In addition to the Russians we have Wikileaks, an international group.
Its hard to imagine Nixon, the fiery anti-communist collaborating with the Soviet Union for something like this, but of course times have changed.
Its also very difficult for the dontard to ever accept responsibility for these actions and I still very much doubt that impeachment is feasible.
Consider how close we got to impeaching Bill Clinton for lying about his interaction with a white house intern.
Did not involve any foreign governments. Don't think anyone was indicted for what happened, and of course the current dontard has very likely lied consistently about similar activities and the payoffs associated with those activities.
He just hasn't done it to congress officially.
He still has time now that we have a democratic house.
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Who's Interests
Now you see it, now he says you didn't.
Not much of a trick, unless of course the first part was really an illusion.
However, it was broadcast to the entire world and we all saw our leader act subservient and obsequious, not his usual behavior.
Of course his record isn't very good against people who he can't bully, or at least think he can.
Being a vindictive small minded person himself, he was probably deathly afraid that his business interests or those of his relatives in Russia could be hurt.
He may have also been afraid of what they might reveal, except at this point most of us except the dossier as probably true.
He could easily have been bribed with promise of future opportunities once he was out of office.
He equates himself with America so if he doe well, well that's his version of America first.
He has no real concern for workers or anybody who can't help him succeed personally.
His promises were all really aimed at his cronies, hey great health care for you rich people and less crowds as I strip everyone else's.
Revive mining and steel, well if you own a mine or a steel plant maybe.
He is being outwitted and outmatched on the world stage and his rants in NATO are tolerated because its pretty much a shattered alliance without us.
I'm sure they are simply grinning and bearing it for the next few years.
You just have to remember that to him America first has always meant:
Look Out For Number One.
Not much of a trick, unless of course the first part was really an illusion.
However, it was broadcast to the entire world and we all saw our leader act subservient and obsequious, not his usual behavior.
Of course his record isn't very good against people who he can't bully, or at least think he can.
Being a vindictive small minded person himself, he was probably deathly afraid that his business interests or those of his relatives in Russia could be hurt.
He may have also been afraid of what they might reveal, except at this point most of us except the dossier as probably true.
He could easily have been bribed with promise of future opportunities once he was out of office.
He equates himself with America so if he doe well, well that's his version of America first.
He has no real concern for workers or anybody who can't help him succeed personally.
His promises were all really aimed at his cronies, hey great health care for you rich people and less crowds as I strip everyone else's.
Revive mining and steel, well if you own a mine or a steel plant maybe.
He is being outwitted and outmatched on the world stage and his rants in NATO are tolerated because its pretty much a shattered alliance without us.
I'm sure they are simply grinning and bearing it for the next few years.
You just have to remember that to him America first has always meant:
Look Out For Number One.
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Not Presidential
The question you have to ask is the performance yesterday in Finland, an act of knowing sedition or simply an act of idiocy?
I imagine using that approach in every interrogation, well he strongly says he didn't do it, so guess we have to let him go. But what about all that evidence our people have gathered? Well he says he didn't do it and he seemed pretty positive about it.
There is enough evidence of Russian involvement to convince even the so called intelligence committees in the house and senate so it must be quite persuasive.
This is the problem with the dontard. He doesn't have a sense of perspective or any understanding of real issues.
He spends his time playing the role of president rather than being the president. His experience in business didn't prepare him, he inherited it and was always the boss.
The president isn't the boss. The executive branch has an equal role with the other two branches, something we call checks and balances.
The founding fathers would be mostly aghast at how much president get involved in this day to day politicking.
They envisioned the job as being the administrator of the operation, running the government efficiently based on what the legislature passed.
Not being naïve, they knew he would have some involvement, but more in the way of a senior advisor who might every so often have to veto something that was either unworkable or against the best interests of the nation.
Clearly presidents have become much more involved in mundane politics, but we never had one quite as inept as this one.
I imagine using that approach in every interrogation, well he strongly says he didn't do it, so guess we have to let him go. But what about all that evidence our people have gathered? Well he says he didn't do it and he seemed pretty positive about it.
There is enough evidence of Russian involvement to convince even the so called intelligence committees in the house and senate so it must be quite persuasive.
This is the problem with the dontard. He doesn't have a sense of perspective or any understanding of real issues.
He spends his time playing the role of president rather than being the president. His experience in business didn't prepare him, he inherited it and was always the boss.
The president isn't the boss. The executive branch has an equal role with the other two branches, something we call checks and balances.
The founding fathers would be mostly aghast at how much president get involved in this day to day politicking.
They envisioned the job as being the administrator of the operation, running the government efficiently based on what the legislature passed.
Not being naïve, they knew he would have some involvement, but more in the way of a senior advisor who might every so often have to veto something that was either unworkable or against the best interests of the nation.
Clearly presidents have become much more involved in mundane politics, but we never had one quite as inept as this one.
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Foreign Relations
More sanctions, not more sanctions, what to do about Russia which supports cyber attacks as well as murder and tyrants around the world.
The idea of some sort of consistent approach would be new method for the current administration which apparently likes to keep what it is going to do a secret, even from itself.
At the current time we seem to have decided not to impose sanctions,
That could change again as it did since yesterday.
Of course imposing sanctions is not always effective, in fact it seems like it works best when it is a coalition doing it.
That of course would require coordination and a certain consistency that our allies, if we still have any can rely upon.
I guess the only real consistent thing about this administration is that they manage to fight with just about everybody sooner or later.
They upset our NATO allies and our major trading partners early on.
They seem to be getting critical of Russia, although it owes them a lot.
It has insulted most African nations and certainly the Arab ones.
Its relations with China aren't going very well.
North Korea might be warming up to it though.
Gotta give credit where credit is due I guess.
The idea of some sort of consistent approach would be new method for the current administration which apparently likes to keep what it is going to do a secret, even from itself.
At the current time we seem to have decided not to impose sanctions,
That could change again as it did since yesterday.
Of course imposing sanctions is not always effective, in fact it seems like it works best when it is a coalition doing it.
That of course would require coordination and a certain consistency that our allies, if we still have any can rely upon.
I guess the only real consistent thing about this administration is that they manage to fight with just about everybody sooner or later.
They upset our NATO allies and our major trading partners early on.
They seem to be getting critical of Russia, although it owes them a lot.
It has insulted most African nations and certainly the Arab ones.
Its relations with China aren't going very well.
North Korea might be warming up to it though.
Gotta give credit where credit is due I guess.
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
So No Collusion Just Bad Judgement?
You have to give Nunes credit, he doesn't mind letting everyone know he is a partisan with no pretense at all.
The draft document said that there is no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians while contradicting an official U.S. intelligence community assessment that Russian President Vladimir Putin favored President Trump during the campaign.
The draft document said that there is no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians while contradicting an official U.S. intelligence community assessment that Russian President Vladimir Putin favored President Trump during the campaign.
"We found no evidence of collusion," Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas) told reporters on Monday. "We found perhaps some bad judgment, inappropriate meetings, inappropriate judgment in taking meetings - but only Tom Clancy could take this series of inadvertent contacts, meetings, whatever, and weave that into some sort of a spy thriller that could go out there.
So those scheduled meetings were inadvertent? Odd how that happens. Guess you can't expect people to be there just because they said they would.
There's little doubt that the Russians tried to manipulate the election and that certain members of the campaign knew about it, maybe even the dotard himself. Considering all his other bad traits, its pretty believable that he wouldn't think there was anything wrong in this.
Not sure it matters much at this point but it is probably a more relevant inquiry than the silly e-mail thing that keeps dragging on about Hillary.
Saying these people exercise bad judgment is sort of a redundant situation. When did they exercise good judgment?
I guess the people who voted for him might want to think about it, but if you have bought into the argument that he is the victim, you ignore all of this anyway.
Monday, October 30, 2017
Crimes?
We are likely to see the first arrest today from the special investigator and it should tell us a bit more about at least the appearance of illegal activity by accused.
Trump and some of his supporters are trying to deflect and accuse the democrats and Hillary of certain offenses but they have problems distinguishing between normal legal behavior and crimes.
I don't know for sure if anyone in the dotard's campaign did something illegal, the courts get to decide that, but getting indicted is an indication they might have.
Being in charge of a department that was one of several that approved the sale of a Canadian company to a Russian firm is not a crime, unless of course someone could prove a bribe was involved, which unrelated donations to the Clinton Foundation aren't.
It doesn't even seem like the Secretary was directly involved in the approval process.
Also hiring a firm to do research on your opponent is perfectly legal.
The desperation is such that some are trying to accuse the campaign of mischaracterizing the payments since they were characterized as legal expenses because the actual money went to their lawyer.
The lawyer was the one who funded the research and maybe should have disclosed this to the campaign for reporting purposes, but since the difference between spending the money on legal costs or opposition research is meaningless legally, they are both acceptable, the booking error is hardly a significant offense. It certainly isn't indictable.
I'm pretty sure that if you examine the books of any large campaign there will be some mistakes, and let's be clear, funding this research was pretty routine at the time.
Our dotard has no idea of the difference between criminal and meaningless accusations, maybe someone will explain it to him soon.
Trump and some of his supporters are trying to deflect and accuse the democrats and Hillary of certain offenses but they have problems distinguishing between normal legal behavior and crimes.
I don't know for sure if anyone in the dotard's campaign did something illegal, the courts get to decide that, but getting indicted is an indication they might have.
Being in charge of a department that was one of several that approved the sale of a Canadian company to a Russian firm is not a crime, unless of course someone could prove a bribe was involved, which unrelated donations to the Clinton Foundation aren't.
It doesn't even seem like the Secretary was directly involved in the approval process.
Also hiring a firm to do research on your opponent is perfectly legal.
The desperation is such that some are trying to accuse the campaign of mischaracterizing the payments since they were characterized as legal expenses because the actual money went to their lawyer.
The lawyer was the one who funded the research and maybe should have disclosed this to the campaign for reporting purposes, but since the difference between spending the money on legal costs or opposition research is meaningless legally, they are both acceptable, the booking error is hardly a significant offense. It certainly isn't indictable.
I'm pretty sure that if you examine the books of any large campaign there will be some mistakes, and let's be clear, funding this research was pretty routine at the time.
Our dotard has no idea of the difference between criminal and meaningless accusations, maybe someone will explain it to him soon.
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