I'll be voting for Howie. He represents change and the values we need.
Bette Midler represents trash. Nothing but trash.
Have we forgotten when Bette used the N-word? I'm not talking years ago, though clearly she is the type of trash that would use the word. I'm talking about in the age of Twitter.
She was upset one day so she wanted the world to know that women were the N-word of the world.
When people were outraged, she tried to walk it off with 'It's a John Lennon and Yoko Ono song!'
The song was problematic in 1972 -- for the fact that it probably swiped from Zora Neale Hurston and beacuse it seems to lack awareness that African-American women exist and because it takes the N-term as a term worthy of applying -- but by 2018, it was just flat out stupidity. Bette is offensive and she always has been.
She mocked Malania Trump for the way she spoke, for having an accent and said that they needed to get the ''illegal immigrant off the stage."
All of that is disgusting. C.I. addresses the first parts and I'm going to grab the "illegal immigrant." She did not want that term at her site and I don't blame her. But since C.I. addressed the other parts so well, I'm going to tackle that.
Get the "illegal immigrant off the stage."
First, the term "illegal immigrant" is offensive and most people long ago stopped using it -- people on the left, anyway. As the late Howard Zinn would repeatedly point out, no human being is illegal. It is a misinterpretation of our status and reinforces human-created barriers. Within the context of get one "off the stage"? It is pure hatred and pure imperialism. Get them off the stage, they are illegal and they have no right to speak, that's what Queen Bette is saying.
It is White privilege and so much more.
She is outrageous and she is offensive and she needs to get off Twitter. She won't. Her career's over and this is the only way she can get attention.
But she is an ugly person with a mean heart who would rather spew hatred.
Wednesday, August 26, 2020. Human Rights Watch calls out the
targeting of Iraqi activists, Turkey bombs to death two Iraqi civilians
and we take a look at the RNC and at a very xenophobic response to one
speech.
The Republican convention continues this week. Last night Malania Trump spoke.
Good evening, it seems like
just yesterday that we were at our first convention, where my husband
accepted the Republican nomination and then became our 45th president of
the United States. He had the energy and enthusiasm for (someone) who
should lead this nation. It's real today as it was four years ago. I
know I speak for my husband and the entire family when I say we have not
forgotten the incredible people who were willing to take a chance on
the businessman who has never worked in politics. We know it was you who
elected him to be commander in chief. And we know it is you who will
carry us through again. We were humbled by the incredible support then
and we are still grateful today.
I
want to acknowledge the fact that since March, our lives have changed
drastically. The invisible enemy, Covid-19, swept across our beautiful
country and impacted all of us. My deepest sympathy goes out to everyone
who has lost a loved one and my prayers are with those who are ill or
suffering. I know many people are anxious and some feel helpless. I want
you to know you are not alone. My husband's administration will not
stop fighting until there is an effective treatment or vaccine available
to everyone. Donald will not rest until he has done all he can to take
care of everyone impacted by this terrible pandemic. I want to extend my
gratitude to all of the health care professionals, front line workers
and teachers who stepped up in these difficult times. Despite the risk
to yourselves and your own families, you put our country first and my
husband and I are grateful. I have been moved by the way Americans have
come together in such an unfamiliar and often frightening situation. It
is in times like this that we will look back and tell our grandchildren
that through kindness and compassion, strength and determination, we
were able to restore the promise of our future. Businesses stepped up,
and volunteers stepped in. People were eager to share ideas, resources,
and support of all kinds with neighbors and strangers alike.
It
has been inspiring to see what the people of our great nation will do
for one another, especially when we are at our most fragile. Speaking of
strength and determination, we recently celebrated the 100 year
anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment. Yesterday, on the
north lawn of the White House, we unveiled an exhibit dedicated to
women's suffrage. The exhibit called on children from across the country
to send art honoring the meaning of this important time in women's
history. When I was judging the entries, I reflected on the impact of
women's voices in our nation's story, and how proud I would be to cast
my vote again for Donald this November. We must make sure that women are
heard and that the American dream continues to thrive.
Growing
up as a young child in Slovenia, which was under communist rule at the
time, I always heard about an amazing place called America — a land that
stood for freedom and opportunity. As I grew older it became my goal to
move to the United States and follow my dream of working in the fashion
industry. My parents worked very hard to ensure our family could not
only leave and prosper in America, but also contribute to a nation that
allows for people to arrive with a dream and make it reality.
I
want to take the moment to thank my mother and father for all that they
have done for our family. It is because of you that I am standing here
today.
I arrived in the United
States when I was 26 years old. Living and working in the land of
opportunity was a dream come true, but I wanted more. I wanted to be a
citizen. After 10 years of paperwork and patience, I studied for the
test in 2006 and became an American citizen.
It
is still one of the proudest moments in my life, because with hard work
and determination I was able to achieve my own American dream. As an
immigrant and a very independent woman, I understand what a privilege it
is to live here and to enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that we
have. As first lady, I have been fortunate to see the American dream
come true over and over again. I have met many inspiring women,
children, parents, and families who have overcome life-changing issues
that include addiction, homelessness, family members who are ill or have
passed away, abuse of all kinds and many other challenges that would
make most people give up. The past 3-1/2 years have been unforgettable.
There are no words to describe how honored, humbled and fortunate I am
to serve our nation as your first lady.
After
many of the experiences I've had, I don't know if I can fully explain
how many people I take home with me in my heart each day. From brave
soldiers who give up so much so that we can be free to children of all
circumstances, who I have met around the world. Thank you for inspiring
me. It is my greatest honor to serve you. When I speak to members of the
military, despite sacrificing time with their families, (experiencing)
the fear of war or suffering loss, they have no regrets about serving
our country. The same goes for their families and the families of first
responders, who often watch their loved ones walk out the door, not sure
if or when they will come home. When I speak to families who have lost
someone, the pain mixed with pride I hear in their voices is something I
think about often. So thank you to all who serve our country in the
military and as first responders. And thank you to the families who wait
for them, you are all heroes in your own right. I have also been moved
by the many children and families I have spent time with at hospitals,
schools and other locations around the world. Children who are dealing
with pain or illness that would break even the strongest adult. Parents
who are grateful to wake up every day and see that their child is still
alive. These families are a testament to what faith and medicine,
strength and science can do.
On my
first international trip as first lady, my husband and I visited places
of great significance to the three major religions. Islam, Christianity
and Judaism, one special memory from the trip is of a young boy. I had
the privilege of visiting him while at Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome,
Italy. While there I read the little boy a story and learned that he and
his family had been waiting for a heart for a very long time and he had
a grim prognosis. His situation brought my staff and me to tears and we
spoke of little else as we flew to Belgium for the next part of our
trip. Upon landing just a few hours later, we learned that a heart had
been donated and would be going to the little one. I think about him
often. Along with so many amazing and strong young patients across our
own country. More profound and sadly unavoidable examples of our
country's strength and character have occurred in the communities that
have been impacted by natural disasters. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and
flooding must show the ugly side of mother nature but in their aftermath
they can show us a beautiful side of humanity. My husband and I have
visited many places that have been affected by natural disasters and we
are deeply moved by the strength of the people who have lost everything
and the kindness of neighbors and communities. The common thread in all
of these challenging situations is the unwavering resolve to help one
another.
I recognize the stories I
just told about people who survive extraordinary circumstances. But
Donald and I are also inspired by the millions of Americans who wake up
each day with a simple yet courageous goal of providing for their
families and keeping them safe. You are the backbone of this country.
You are the people who continue to make the united states of America
what it is, and who have the incredible responsibility of preparing our
future generations to leave everything even better than they found it.
Just
as you are fighting for your families, my husband, our family, and the
people in this administration are here fighting for you. No matter the
amount of negative or false media headlines or attacks from the other
side, Donald Trump has not and will not lose focus on you. He loves this
country and he knows how to get things done. As you have learned over
the past five years, he is not a traditional politician. He doesn't just
speak words. He demands action and he gets results. The future of our
country has always been very important to him, and it is something that I
have always admired.
In fact, it
is to help ensure a better future for our next generation that I
launched Be Best -- my initiative to help children achieve their fullest
potential. Be Best has one simple goal: teaching youth about the
importance of their well-being, both mentally and physically. This also
includes understanding online safety and the dangers of opioid and drug
abuse. Through Be Best, my office and I have been able to highlight
people and organizations that are doing extraordinary things in our
country and around the world. I continue to believe that by shining a
light on these positive examples others across the country will be
inspired to do their part or our next generation. Helping children is
not a political goal; it is our moral imperative.
When
I think back to a defining moment of Be Best, my mind goes to a trip I
took to Africa. On that vast and beautiful continent, I was able to
visit the countries of Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt. One of those
visits in particular had a profound impact on me. Ghana, on the coast of
West Africa, was the first stop on my trip and I experienced first-hand
its warm people and their traditions. While there, I visited the Cape
Coast Castle and learned more about the beginning of a cruel, and often
deadly, journey in the era of the slave trade. I was horrified when I
listened to the guides tell me so many inhumane stories and I gained new
perspectives. This time in our history, we must never forget so that we
can ensure that it never happens again.
Like
all of you, I have reflected on the racial unrest in our country. It is
a harsh reality that we are not proud of parts of our history. I
encourage people to focus on our future while still learning from our
past. We must remember that today we are all one community comprised of
many races, religions and ethnicities. Our diverse and storied history
is what makes our country strong, and yet we still have so much to learn
from one another.
With that in
mind, I'd like to call on the citizens of this country to take a moment,
pause, and look at things from all perspectives. I urge people to come
together in a civil manner, so we can work and live up to our standard
American ideals. I also ask people to stop the violence and looting
being done in the name of justice, and never make assumptions based on
the color of a person's skin. Instead of tearing things down, let's
reflect on our mistakes. Be proud of our evolution and look to our way
forward. Every day let us remember that we are one nation under God, and
we need to cherish one another.
My
husband's administration has worked to try and affect change when it
comes to issues around race and religion in this country. He is the
first president to address a special session of the United Nations
General Assembly to call upon countries across the world to end
religious persecution and honor the right of every person to worship as
they choose. He has made substantial investments in our historically
black colleges and universities. This president also continues to fight
for school choice, giving parents more options to help their children
flourish. My husband knows how to make a real change. From the day that I
met him, he has only wanted to make this country the best it can be.
For
many years, I watched him grow concerned and frustrated, and I'm so
proud to see the many things he has done in such a short time. America
is in his heart. So while at times, we only see the worst of people in
politics on the evening news, let's remember how we come together in the
most difficult times. And while debate rages on about issues of race,
let's focus on the strides we have made and work together for a better
tomorrow for everyone.
Our
administration has also devoted historic resources and produced
life-saving results by raising awareness around opioid addiction and
drug abuse, especially for children. When so often the headlines are
filled with gossip, I want to take this moment to encourage the media to
focus even more on the nation's drug crisis. This disease is one that
affects everybody. It pays no attention to race, age, or socioeconomic
status. Addiction has touched every part of our society in some way. And
now, more than ever, we have programs and medicine to combat it.
We
just need to talk about it openly, and you the media have the platforms
to make that happen. To the media industry and as a country I ask that
we all commit to helping in our fight against drug addiction by talking
about even more. Especially as we battle the Covid pandemic we need to
remember that suicides are on the rise as people who are struggling with
loneliness and addiction feel they have nowhere to turn. Parents,
please talk to your children. Teachers and caregivers pay attention to
signs of addiction. Lawmakers, pass legislation that allows those who
ask for help to do so safely and without fear and to provide resources
for organizations that help people impacted by addiction. When the
stigma is removed, people will no longer be ashamed to ask for help and
lives will be saved. And if you are struggling with addiction, there is
no shame in your illness. Please seek help, you are worth it. In my next
four years as first lady, I will continue to build upon "Be Best" and
work with individual states to back legislation to take care of our most
vulnerable. I plan to continue the work I have started with children in
foster care. As well as the minority community and tribal nations. I
want to ensure children are protected and communities have the resources
needed to combat drug addiction and child neglect or abuse. Like my
husband and the administration I will continue to encourage education
that supports a child's individual needs.
It
is vital that children are given the building blocks to succeed. I also
look forward to continue my work to restore the people's house, which
is a lasting symbol of pride for our nation. I believe this iconic home
needs to be care for and preserved so it can be enjoyed by the people of
this country and visitors from around the world for years to come. I am
passionate about this beautiful house, the grounds and all they
represent.
And now, I have a
special message for the mothers of this country. This modern world is
moving so fast, and our children face challenges that seem to change
every few months. Just like me, I know many of you watch how mean and
manipulative social media can be. And just like me I'm sure many of you
are looking for answers, how to talk to your children about the downside
of technology and their relationships with their peers.
Like
every parent in this country, I feel there is so many lessons to teach
our son and the responsibilities as his mother but there are just not
enough hours in the day to do it all. I remind myself that I am more
fortunate than most and still have days that I look for wisdom and
strength to do the very best I can for him. I am more fortunate than
most and still have days that I look for wisdom and strength to do the
very best I can for him. To mothers and parents everywhere you are
warriors. In my husband, you have a president who will not stop fighting
for you and your families. I see how hard he works day and night. And
despite the unprecedented attacks from the media and opposition he will
not give up. In fact, if you tell him it can not be done he just works
harder. Donald is a husband who supports me in all that I do. He has
built an administration with an unprecedented number of women in
leadership roles and has fostered an environment where the American
people are always the priority. He welcomes different points of view and
encourages thinking outside of the box. I know I speak for my husband
and the family when I say we are so grateful that you have trusted him
to be your president. We will be honored to serve this incredible
country for four more years.
As
you have heard this evening, I do not want to use this precious time
attacking the other side because as we saw last week, that kind of talk
only serves to divide the country further. I am here because we need my
husband to be our president and commander in chief for four more years.
He is what is best for our country. We all know Donald Trump makes no
secrets about how he feels about things. Total honesty is what we as
citizens deserve from our president, whether you like it or not, you
always know what he is thinking. And that is because he is an authentic
person who loves this country and its people and wants to continue to
make it better. Donald wants to keep your family safe, he wants to help
your family succeed. He wants nothing more than for this country to
prosper and he doesn't waste time playing politics.
Almost
four years ago, we went into election day completely underestimated.
Despite what is being said again this year, I know, just as you do that
Americans will go to the polls and vote on the behalf of their families,
our economy, our national security and our children's futures. To vote
for those ideals, is not a partisan vote, it is a common sense vote.
Because those are goals and hopes that we all believe in. I believe that
we need my husband's leadership now more than ever in order to bring us
back once again to the greatest economy and the strongest country ever
known. God bless you all, your families, and god bless the United States
of America.
We are noting the speech
because there are things I do not tolerate. Those things would include
attacking someone because they have an accent.
Malania's English
is fine, possibly perfect. She has subject-verb down, for example.
This is not her native tongue. So great job learning English -- one of
many languages that she speaks.
If she didn't speak English well, it would be understandable and nothing to mock, but she speaks English very well.
I've
not dealt with Malania here and I've only really noted her in a piece
Ava and I did in 2016 about a comedy show -- one we had been looking
forward to -- thought the way to represent Malania Trump was to mock her
accent. This was done by a woman of color, a woman who herself had
been mocked, a woman we know. And we were grossly disappointed in that
woman.
Last night, Bette Midler chose to mock Malania.
I
don't like Bette, I never have. I will give her credit when she does
something right (she was excellent in season two of THE CANDIDATE, for
example) but she's always been too rough and too much of a liar. I have
always spoken out for LGBTQ so it amazed me, for example, when Bette's
career was resurrected by DISNEY, Bette pretended not to know any gay
people. She didn't know what went on in those baths she was performing
in, for example. There's a VANITY FAIR cover story of Bette that
resulted in everyone laughing at her and hastening the end of her film
career as a leading lady. It was so many lies.
Bette's hard and
she's rough and she's street and she's tacky. And she demonstrated it
last night with her Tweet. She should be ashamed of herself.
The
United States is a nation of many immigrants. Bette spat on every one
last night. What Malania had to say didn't matter to Bette. She just
wanted to mock Malania.
Bette looks hard, tough and mean-spirited. It's a look she's known for in the industry.
There was no need for it. Elaine noted Jonathan Turley on two adults terrorizing a small child because he had a MAGA hat.
Where is Joe Biden?
These are his supporters.
Joe
and his campaign are at war. I was asked about that hat incident. I
said get Joe in front of the camera, have him speak to the fact that it
was wrong, have him say it's wonderful when any child in America knows
who the president is and that we can support who we want in this
country. None of that would have been hard for him or out of character
for him. They attempted to talk him into doing it. At one point, he
was going to and then he decided no, he wouldn't. It's a shame. It
would have made him seem a lot more caring. Americans would have
applauded it because, outside of the Bette Midlers, who's going to be so
low as to support adults terrorizing a child. (I hope both women are
sent to prison, that's what should happen. They are old enough to know
better and they have no excuse for what they did.)
Joe claims he
would restore the tone if he were president. Taking on that incident,
calling it out, would go a long way towards backing up that claim. He
probably won't call out Bette Midler's nonsense either.
What she
did was hideous. Not criminal, but it was hideous. She made a lot of
people question themselves -- "Do people think that about me when I
speak?"
There is nothing wrong with an accent.
And
anyone that has come to the US speaking another language and has learned
English needs to be applauded because they learned a foreign language.
Many born in the US know only one language.
There is no excuse
for the bias and hatred aimed at immigrants and it's appalling whether
it comes from someone on the right or someone on the left.
In an overt appeal to racism, his wife declared, “They’re not
satisfied with spreading the violence and chaos into our communities,
they want to abolish the suburbs altogether, by ending single-family
home zoning. This forced rezoning would bring crime, lawlessness and
low-quality apartments into now thriving suburban neighborhoods… So,
make no mistake, no matter where you live, your family will not be safe
in the radical Democrats’ America.”
Whether you
agree with his analysis or not, please note that Barry took on the
speech itself, he did not attack an immigrant for having an accent.
What Bette did was vile.
No immigrant deserved that. It's amazing the xenophobia and racism that Bette and so many others have gotten away with.
I hope I'm making it clear how offensive that was. In case I'm not, this is from Ava and my "TV: MAYA & MARTY" from June of 2016 and we're referring to Lorne Michaels in the first sentence below:
Maybe a non-elderly man who wasn't cloistered in Manhattan would've
realized last week's skit mocking Melania Trump was crossing a line?
Melania Trump, for those who do not know, is the latest woman unfortunate enough to be married to Donald Trump.
For some reason, she was mocked by Maya Rudolph in a skit whose 'humor'
revolved around the fact that Melania has an accent because she was born
in Slovenia.
That's progressive humor?
Mocking someone because of their accent?
Turning them into "the other"?
It's amazing how often, on the left, we drop our beliefs if we think it
will help us. It's why so many will quickly traffic in racism (hello,
David Brock) or sexism (Keith Olbermann, you are never forgotten) to
attempt a takedown 'from the left.'
It was a disgusting moment.
It was also a puzzling one.
If you needed to do political -- and we honestly do not believe a summer
variety show needs to -- skit, last week it would have made more sense
to do a skit about Hillary Clinton's e-mails since all of her public
statements were rebuked by the report from the State Department's
Inspector General.
So a skit on that would have at least passed for timely.
Even stranger still, the skit featured Kate McKinnon.
That would be the same McKinnon whose been getting laughs this year and
last on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE for her impersonation of candidate Hillary
Clinton.
But McKinnon didn't play Hillary.
She just participated in a tasteless skit making fun of the fact that a foreign-born person had an accent.
It was offensive and it wasn't funny -- not even in a so-crudely-offensive-you-laugh-in-shock manner.
Four years later and we're still putting up with this nonsense?
Better days are coming but not fast enough. As Cass sang, "There's a new world coming."
Although Turkey’s military incursions targeting Kurds in Iraq are not
new, Baghdad’s response to its latest round of hostilities is
unprecedented. Iraq’s newly instated prime minister, Kadhimi, has
pledged to reexamine some of Baghdad’s regional relationships. Kadhimi’s
political platform centers on the prioritization of Iraq’s sovereignty
and condemnation of foreign intervention in the country. He has
consistently denounced Iran’s interference in Iraq’s political sphere,
as well as the scope of US military presence on the ground.
Although Kadhimi views Turkey’s military
presence in Northern Iraq as a threat to its sovereignty, he will
likely stop at diplomatic measures to counter Ankara’s violations.
Kadhimi is currently grappling with escalating US-Iranian conflict on
Iraqi soil, economic collapse, the spread of coronavirus and rebuilding
his citizens trust in government. The prime minister cannot afford to
completely cut off ties or to wage military action against its neighbor
amid this uncertainty. Ankara’s surge in military action in the Iraq’s
northern districts is likely intended to test the prime minister’s
resolve in countering foreign presence. In fact, Turkey’s foreign
ministry announced it would sustain its cross-border operations against
Kurds in northern Iraq as long as Baghdad continues to “overlook the
militants’ presence in the region.”
Does the prime
minister have the strength to defend Iraq's national sovereignty? He
doesn't appear to have the strength to defend Iraqi activists at
present. This morning, Human Rights Watch's Belkis Wille Tweets:
#Basra gunmen killed 2 activists, wounded 4- situation in Iraq has reached point where armed groups can shoot members of civ society in streets with impunity. Not sure whether federal gov is even able to rein in violence or ensure justice for victims https://hrw.org/news/2020/08/26/iraq-basra-political-group-targeted
Tuesday, August 25, 2020. Republicans hold a convention -- didn't
they do that last week?, Joe has no bounce and the assassination of
Reham Yacoub continues to result in outcry.
Last week,
Republicans got to speak at an informercial passed off as a convention,
this week they do the same. The difference? This week is actually the
Republican convention. Last week was the Democrats convention -- or it
was supposed to be. Instead, War Criminals like Colin Powell traipsed
across the stage as if to say: They're not a dime's worth difference
between the two parties.
Last week, men who would control women's
bodies were allowed to take the stage at the DNC and were applauded and
held up as people to admire. Men who would gut public education were
cheered.
It was appalling and yet you have idiots and liars and whores who wanted to pretend that it was something to see.
If
Donald Trump were to agree to hide out as well, that might work. But
he's not going to. He's going to make efforts to energize his base.
Does
Joe have any surrogates he could utilize? Nope. And celebs aren't
going to be able to help him. Debra Messing and Alyssa Milano have
spent years spewing hate at people from their Twitter accounts. They're
not going to be able to reach the undecided. They're toxic.
The
Covid attacks on Donald are already misfiring. People are noting that
Joe offered nothing during this time and that, as one person we spoke
with yesterday put it, "Now all he does is hide away from the people
sending me the message that Joe will protect himself only. He can't
lead because he won't get outside and lead."
It was comments from
the various groups we spoke to at this time in 2016 that had me issue
the statement that Hillary was going to lose and she was actually in a
stronger position than Joe is right now. Is Joe going to lose? I don't
know. Maybe he'll get off his lazy ass and start trying to give people
a reason to vote for him -- instead of just offering 'vote against
Trump.'
People are already questioning whether Joe's fit for the
job. Having him hide out for the month of September isn't going to
help.
People are rightly complaining that CNN's Brian Seltzer is
fact checking the GOP convention after 'forgetting' to do that for the
DNC. That's a valid complaint. But there's far worse going on.
For example?
A moment: Joe Biden choking up mentioning Beau's service in Iraq, and then saying, "America will not turn a blind eye to Russian bounties on the heads of American soldiers. Nor will I put up with foreign interference in our most sacred democratic exercise -- voting.” #DNC2020
That's Courtney Norris. She's a national affairs producer for PBS' THE NEWS HOUR
-- meaning, we pay her salary. There is no proof that Russia has a
bounty on the heads of US troops. That claim fell apart as soon it was
published. But weeks later, Joe Biden lies and Courtney presents it as
fact.
I don't really think her garbage should be
allowed at PBS. Next up, Courtney Tweets that Iraq has WMDS!!!! Cites
NYT as her source!!!!
Iraq. The issue everyone wants
to avoid. US House Rep Tulsi Gabbard -- Excuse me, outgoing US House
Rep Tulsi Gabbard has been complaining that she wasn't asked to speak at
the convention last week. She did get delegates, as her fan club
notes. Yes, she got two.
What did Tulsi have to offer that wasn't on display?
She'd
already lied and whored for Joe Biden so what else did she have to
offer? Yes, it must be very hard for her, after lying for him in the
July 31st debate, after publicly trashing the only person to stand up to
Joe (Kamala Harris), it must have really hurt Tulsi that she didn't get
picked for v.p. and she didn't even get to speak at the convention.
But
she had nothing to offer. She ran as an anti-war voice and yet she
used her debate time to prop up a War Hawk. That's on her. Tulsi Fake
Ass.
Can we learn anything by the time 2024 rolls around? Like
don't believe people who say they're anti-war and talk big on Joe
Rogan's show but then refuse to stand up in a debate. If you see that
happen again, have the brains to drop all support for the fake ass.
She
endorsed Joe, not Bernie. Remember that. Tulsi stood for nothing.
She was empty talk. Adam Kokesh called it and he was right.
Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq are cracking down on media outlets
covering anti-government protests, journalists and rights defenders told
AFP, shattering the region's reputation as a liberal refuge.
For decades, Iraqis fleeing pressure by paramilitary groups, tribes
and powerful politicians in the more conservative south sought safe
haven in the Kurdish region.
But public anger at the Kurdish
regional government (KRG) has grown in recent months, prompting protests
over unpaid state salaries and Turkish incursions into border areas.
Demonstrators
and rights defenders say the rallies have been met with a heavy-handed
response from security forces -- with reporters increasingly targeted.
"Despite
laws guaranteeing press freedom in the region, when political and
economic crises intensify, the limits on press reach a point of
strangulation," warned the region's Metro Center for Journalist Rights
and Advocacy.
#ريهام_يعقوب she was a beautiful human she lived great done amazing and died over a terorrist!! what a world!?!
she made a point we love u and thank you for everything you've done to the women in your country you were the screaming voice of the silence unfair RIP #RehamYacoub
7:48 AM · Aug 25, 2020
Reham Yacoub, REUTERS notes, had been active "in the local protest movement since 2018 and had led several women's marches." PERSECUTION.ORG adds, "These events have caused an outcry of alarm by many Iraqis, who remember
the frequency of targeted kidnappings and assassinations during the
early 2000s. The latest series of incidents occur within a similar
environment in that there is an increase of militia tension. In Iraq’s
current domestic landscape, many of these militias are heavily backed by
Iran." Iraq Tweets notes:
Two years ago, they falsely labelled her as a traitor. And today, they ruthlessly killed her along with her friend.
No matter what they say, we all know that her murders and the cowards that they work for are the true traitors of Iraq.
Rest in power, Reham Yacoub.
Demonstrators on Friday set fire to the parliament's local offices in
the city of Basra as security forces fired live rounds in the air to
disperse them. They had gathered to demand the dismissal of Basra
Governor Asaad al-Eidani after two activists were killed and others
wounded in three separate attacks by unknown gunmen last week.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi arrived in Basra late on
Saturday in an attempt to quell the unrest, pledging to bring those
accountable for the killings to justice.
"Basra will recover again, God willing. This is a message to all
criminals and killers, this is a new government that is working to
establish the prerequisites of security," al-Khadimi told crowds in
Basra.
In Iraq è morta un'altra attivista. Reham Yacoub lottava per difendere e promuovere la parità di genere. Le proteste continuano nel Paese, dove tante donne e ragazze chiedono il riconoscimento dei propri diritti e una società più inclusiva.
Intriguingly was what the three-day talkfest left out. The
Democratic Party avoided the issue of what to do about the gross
maldistribution of power between the tiny few and the rest of the people
in America. This glaring omission signaled that the aggressive
progressive wing of the Party – led by Bernie Sanders and youthful
incumbents in Congress could have their priorities excluded with
impunity by the Party bosses. The overriding desire for unity against
Trump became the muzzle for most of the progressive delegates.
When unity, as if any Democrat had anything else in mind in stressing
the defeat of dangerous and corrupt Donald, becomes a tool to demand
unanimity on policies, alas, the Party is up to its old establishment
ways.
The Biden/Harris Democratic Party looks like it will repeat the
Clinton/Obama practice of avoiding major hurdles to peace and justice.
Monday, August 24, 2020. Joe Biden continues to tell one group one
thing and another something else, protesters remain targeted in Iraq, a
Navy Seal is accused of raping a sailor and much more.
The
story of the platoon being pulled from Iraq has been previously
reported, but documents obtained by The Associated Press through the
Freedom of Information Act and interviews with nearly a dozen people
give the first in-depth view into what led to the rare recall. The
documents and interviews show that women deployed with the SEALs say
they were ogled and sexually harassed during the deployment. Records
obtained by the AP from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service also
reveal a previously unknown reported allegation of sexual misconduct
against the SEAL platoon chief, Special Warfare Operator Chief Nicholas
Olson, two days before the Fourth of July barbecue. Olson denies any
wrongdoing.
The
platoon was withdrawn after the Navy made an unusually public push to
strengthen order and discipline in its secretive elite force amid a
series of scandals involving SEALs. The misconduct has included cocaine
use and tampering of drug tests by members of SEAL Team 10 based in
Virginia, and last year’s conviction of Navy SEAL Adam Matthews, who was
sentenced to one year in military prison for his role in the 2017
hazing-related death of an Army Green Beret in Africa.
The Navy fired
three SEAL leaders in the aftermath of the alleged rape on the Iraq air
base and charged Special Warfare Operator First Class Adel A. Enayat,
an enlisted SEAL, with sexual assault, aggravated assault via
strangulation and assault by battery for allegedly biting the victim on
the face, according to his charge sheet. He faces a court-martial in
November.
A
hearing in the case was held Friday at Naval Base San Diego. At the
hearing, Jeremiah Sullivan, the lawyer for the SEAL, said he was
concerned Enayat, who identifies as “non-white,” cannot get a fair trial
because of systemic racism in the military justice system, pointing out
that there are no Black judges on the Navy bench.
Enayat,
who has fair skin and reddish-blond hair, is “non-White,” Sullivan
said. He declined to specify Enayat’s race or ethnicity when asked by
the Union-Tribune after court, citing his client’s privacy.
Enayat
arrived to court in civilian clothes and, despite a lingering heat
wave, wore a gray hooded sweatshirt upon leaving the courthouse Friday
with the hood pulled up. He wore his dress white uniform during the
hearing.
Assault in the military continues.
Eight years of chatter under Barack Obama didn't change a thing.
Policies might have, empty words didn't. Joe Biden was the Vice
President for those eight years and now he wants to be president. Molly Nagle (ABC NEWS) reports on Joe's interview with David Muir:
“We
saw the president just this week, during the convention, he traveled to
Pennsylvania. He traveled to Wisconsin, Iowa, Arizona, all of that
while you were making your case to the American people. I understand the
restrictions of COVID and campaigning in this time. But can you win a
presidential election from home?” Muir asked Biden during an interview
Friday in Wilmington, Delaware.
“We will,” Biden said. “We're gonna follow the science, what the scientists tell us."
Then he laughed off a question about his mental fitness.
“Watch me.”
Trouble is, we’ve been trying to watch Biden all year. We don’t ever
get to see him unedited or without a teleprompter, without his wife or
some helper at his side.
Last night’s interview was done alongside running mate Kamala Harris, ready to mop up if he lost his train of thought.
Everyone waited with bated breath to see if this elderly man
auditioning to be president could manage to read a 24-minute speech from
a teleprompter. In degree of difficulty, it’s not exactly a triple
pike. But the sense of relief was palpable among Democrats and their
media allies.
Hiding and lying appear to be Joe's campaign strategy. REUTERS notes:
Biden was critical of Trump’s travel. “Look what happened with his
events. People die, people get together, they don’t wear masks, they end
up getting COVID,” he said.
There has been no direct link
between a Trump campaign event and an outbreak of the virus, although
health officials in Oklahoma said a surge in cases there was likely
connected to a Trump rally held at a Tulsa arena in June. Since then,
Trump has staged open-air events with small crowds.
Joe
can't stop lying and wasn't there a direct link to his campaign urging
people to vote in the primary -- despite the pandemic -- and they're
getting ill?
BIDEN: I mean she had the best recommendation she can
get: my son Beau, not a joke. Beau asked me when she was U.S. Attorney
General, they were attorneys general together taking on the banks, and I
got a call and he said, "Dad, I want you to go to California." I said,
"OK honey, what for?" He said, "I want you to nominate Kamala Harris for
United States Senate." I said OK, without asking. And they were good
friends and Beau had great respect for Kamala, knew she was tough. She
has a backbone like a ramrod. She's completely thoroughly honest, and so
I, you know, I'm not joking. You knew my relationship with Beau. So it
was easy for me, it was easy for me.
"Okay, honey"? Okay, honey?
Alright then.
Meanwhile
Joe's campaign attacked Linda Sarsour publicly. It was his Sister
Souljah moment. (In 1992, to assure reactionary voters that he would be
'tough' with African-Americans, Bill Clinton attacked the rapper Sister
Souljah because she was Africa-American and a woman.) So they got a
lot of news coverage from their attack, all framed as 'Joe's a close
friend of Israel.' But in reality? In reality, the campaign was
apologizing in private. Ali Harb (MIDDLE EAST EYE) reports:
Top aides to presidential candidate Joe Biden have apologised to Arab
and Muslim Democrats over an attack on Palestinian-American activist
Linda Sarsour by the campaign, in an effort to quell anger over the
controversy.
In a private call with dozens of prominent activists on Sunday,
Ashley Allison, national coalitions director for the Biden campaign,
said she was "sorry" for the comments that a campaign spokesman made
against Sarsour.
Top foreign policy adviser Tony Blinken also expressed "regret" over the incident during the virtual meeting.
Anger erupted after a Biden campaign spokesman had condemned
Sarsour and suggested that she was antisemitic over her criticism of
Israel.
Allison said she empathised with "the pain" that the campaign had caused to Arabs and Muslims by disavowing Sarsour.
"I am sorry that that happened. And I hope that whatever trust was
broken, that this conversation is one small step to help build back the
trust, but that is not the last time we have this conversation," Allison
told the activists.
Sunday's call was off-the-record, but Middle East Eye obtained a recording of it.
+ Quite a symbolic way to kick off the DNC convention: The DNC quietly excised a call to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies from its platform, saying including the language in the first place was an “error.”
+ This news was swiftly followed by an announcement that the Pipe Fitters Union was endorsing Biden,
despite his pledge to stop the completion of the KXL Pipeline. Pretty
sure the pipe fitters union knows something about Biden’s real
intentions that the Sierra Club refuses to believe…
+ Last month, a new study found that flaring of natural gas wells, from
the fracking operations Biden has vowed not to end, was directly linked
to an increase in preterm births in South Texas. Pregnant Latina women were more likely than white women to give birth prematurely.
That's
a rather important issue. Notice how so many lefties on Twitter have
ignored it -- the same way so many lefty outlets have as well.
Iraq's government on Sunday launched a military operation to track militias blamed for the murder of activists in Basra.
Anti-government protests flared up in the southern oil city last week
after gunmen shot dead protest leader Reham Yacoub in her car.
The killing of Yacoub on Wednesday was the third such attack against campaigners in Basra in a week.
Tahseen Oussama, 30, was gunned down on August 14, and four others were shot at while travelling in a car on Monday.
“We will pursue the criminals and arrest the killers within the next few hours,” Interior Minister Othman Al Ghanmi said.
Mina
seems confused -- militias? Tracked by Iraq's government? Militias
are part of the Iraqi government. Did she forget that reality?
Reham Yacoub, REUTERS notes, had been active "in the local protest movement since 2018 and had led several women's marches." PERSECUTION.ORG adds, "These events have caused an outcry of alarm by many Iraqis, who remember
the frequency of targeted kidnappings and assassinations during the
early 2000s. The latest series of incidents occur within a similar
environment in that there is an increase of militia tension. In Iraq’s
current domestic landscape, many of these militias are heavily backed by
Iran." Iraq Tweets notes:
Two years ago, they falsely labelled her as a traitor. And today, they ruthlessly killed her along with her friend.
No matter what they say, we all know that her murders and the cowards that they work for are the true traitors of Iraq.
Rest in power, Reham Yacoub.
Demonstrators on Friday set fire to the parliament's local offices in
the city of Basra as security forces fired live rounds in the air to
disperse them. They had gathered to demand the dismissal of Basra
Governor Asaad al-Eidani after two activists were killed and others
wounded in three separate attacks by unknown gunmen last week.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi arrived in Basra late on
Saturday in an attempt to quell the unrest, pledging to bring those
accountable for the killings to justice.
"Basra will recover again, God willing. This is a message to all
criminals and killers, this is a new government that is working to
establish the prerequisites of security," al-Khadimi told crowds in
Basra.
Mustafa headed to Basra shortly after
returning to Iraq. On the 20th, he was in DC meeting with US President
Donald Trump. Among the topics they discussed? Benoit Faucon and Michael R. Gordon (WALL STREET JOURNAL) report, "The Trump administration is urging Iraq to proceed with a project to
connect its power grid with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, among
steps to reduce Baghdad’s longstanding dependency on Iranian energy,
U.S. and Arab officials said. Venus Upadhayaya (EPOCH TIMES) also notes this development, "The Trump administration is trying to support Iraq in developing good
relationships with the Gulf countries to help it meet its energy needs
and to reduce its dependence on Iran. That way the United States isn't only helping Iraq reduce Iranian
influence and build better relationships to meet its energy and economic
needs, but by doing so is also drawing Iraq closer geopolitically,
experts say." The White House issued the following on the 20th:
Oval Office
11:19 A.M. EDT
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much. It’s great to have the
Prime Minister of Iraq, a very highly respected gentleman all over the
Middle East, and respected very much by our country, too. I can say
that.
And we will be discussing, today, the obvious: defense — and
offense, I have to say. But we’ll be discussing military. We’re also
involved in many oil projects and oil development within their country,
and I think we’ve had a very, very good relationship since we started.
We’re down to a very small number of soldiers in Iraq now. We
defeated the ISIS caliphate in Iraq and Syria, and it’s — that has been
defeated very strongly, and it does have a different feeling to it now
that you’ve got it. We had it at 98 percent, and we said, “Well, we can
leave.” And then, everybody said, “Would you bring it to 100 percent?”
Then we brought it 100 percent.
But the relationship is very good. We have become friends. We
have become, I think, friendly. I think our relationship now is better
than ever before. But we have very few soldiers in Iraq, and — but
we’re there to help. And the Prime Minister knows that. We are there
to help. We’re with some people that also — Mike and Mike — we — and
Robert. We very much feel that if Iran should do anything, we will be
there to help the Iraqi people.
So, that’s where we are. We’re doing big trade deals, we’re
doing military deals, and we’re doing military purchases by them, where
they’re spending a lot of money on purchasing equipment and they’re
building up their military rapidly, and we like to see that.
So, thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister, for being here. I appreciate it. Please.
PRIME MINISTER KADHIMI: Thank you, Mr. President. I just want
to thank you for receiving us in the White House today. I’m grateful
for all the support offered by the United States to Iraq during the war
against ISIS.
This support has built our partnership for the best interests
for our nation. Mr. President, yesterday we signed many contact — many
contracts with American companies — over (inaudible). Iraq is open for
American business and investment and for a better future for Iraq and
Iraqi people.
Thank you very much.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you very much.
PRIME MINISTER KADHIMI: Thank you.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Very much.
Q Mr. President, what’s your reaction to the indictment of your former campaign aid, Steve Bannon?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, I feel very badly. I haven’t been
dealing with him for a long period of time, as most of the people in
this room know. He was involved in our campaign. He worked for Goldman
Sachs. He worked for a lot of companies. But he was involved,
likewise, in our campaign, and for a small part of the administration,
very early on. I haven’t been dealing with him at all.
I know nothing about the project, other than I didn’t like —
when I read about it, I didn’t like it. I said, “This is for
government. This isn’t for private people.” And it sounded, to me,
like showboating. And I think I let my opinion be very strongly stated
at the time. I didn’t like it. It was showboating and maybe looking
for funds. But you’ll have to see what happens.
I think it’s a very sad thing for Mr. Bannon. I think it’s
surprising. But this was something, as you know, just by reading social
media and by reading whatever it is, and by speaking to Mike and Mike
and all of them, I didn’t like that project. I thought that was a
project that was being done for showboating reasons.
I don’t know that he was in charge. I didn’t know any of the other people either. But it’s sad. It’s very sad.
Q But it’s not just Steve Bannon. It’s Roger Stone. It’s
Michael Flynn. It’s Rick Gates, Paul Manafort, Michael Cohen. What
does it say about your judgment that these are the kind of people who
you’re affiliated with —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, I have no idea.
Q — and the culture of lawlessness —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yeah. Yeah.
Q — around people who are involved in the leadership of your 2016 campaign?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, no, there was great lawlessness in the
Obama administration. They spied on our campaign illegally. And if you
look at all of the things and all of the scandals they had, they had
tremendous lawlessness.
But I know nothing about it. I was not involved in the project.
I have no idea who was. But I can tell you: I didn’t know the people;
the three people that were talked about were people that I did not
know. I don’t believe I ever met them.
I don’t think that should be a privately financed wall. I don’t
think — it’s too complex; it’s too big. And we’re now up to 300 miles,
almost. In another week, week and a half, we’ll be up to 300 miles of
wall at the highest level. They were even having construction problems.
I was reading — the little I know about it, I got from you. I
was reading, where they were having construction problems with the wall
that they were — they had a small area just to show people that they
could build a wall, and they were having a lot of problems where it was
toppling over and other things. And I didn’t like it because I didn’t
want to be associated with that.
We built a very powerful wall. It was a wall that is virtually
impossible to get through. It’s very, very tough. It’s very strong,
and it’s everything the Border Patrol wanted. And I didn’t want to have
a wall that was going to be an inferior wall. And I felt this was
going to be an inferior wall.
Q Kris Kobach said you endorsed the wall. Is that true? The project.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: So I didn’t — I didn’t know — I didn’t know
that. I didn’t know about Bannon’s involvement, but I didn’t know any —
I didn’t know the other people. And I — but I do think it’s a sad
event.
And, again, Steve has had a great career at Goldman Sachs. He’s
had a career with a lot of other people. I haven’t dealt with him at
all, over years now — literally, years. And I guess this was a project
he was involved in, but it was something that — in fact, you can see I
made statements about it a long time ago. It was something that I very
much felt was inappropriate to be doing.
Okay. Please go ahead.
(Cross-talk.)
No, go ahead, please.
Q Mr. President, the end of the militia roles in Iraq — it’s
one of the very important issues to stabilize the country in Iraq. How
America is going to support ending the militia role in Iraq and —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: You know, you’re — you’re very hard to understand. Could you maybe help me with it?
Q Mr. President —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Wait. Go ahead. Try it again.
Q (No translation provided.)
PRIME MINISTER KADHIMI: (As interpreted.) The United States
helped the — helped Iraq enormously in defeating ISIS and also in
toppling the Saddam Hussein regime. We are working on building a strong
relationship that is based on joint interests between Iraq and the
United States, that is based on economic interest for the better future
of the Iraqi people and the United States people.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: When I got to — when we came into office, ISIS
was running rampant all over Iraq and Syria. And we knocked out the —
100 percent of the ISIS caliphate. But the Obama administration did a
very, very poor job. They were running rampant all over. And we came
in and we did a real job, and we got rid of that, and that was a good
thing.
And now we’re working with Iraq. They use the great American
Dollar, which is the most powerful currency in the world. And they’re
starting to do well. And we are with them. And this gentleman, in
particular, we’ve developed a very good relationship. And hopefully,
it’s going to be very strong for your country.
Please.
Q Thank you, Mr. President. There have been 32 attacks —
there have been 32 attacks in the last 10 months on U.S. interests in
Iraq, particularly in the Green Zone and U.S. military bases. How are
you going to help Iraq to halt these attacks by pro-Iranian militia and
to hold these people accountable?
And, sir, if I may also, there was some reporting that the U.S.
troops will withdraw from Iraq totally in three years. Is this true?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: So, at some point, we obviously will be gone.
We’ve brought it down to a very, very low level. We deal — where there
are attacks, we take care of those attacks, and we take care of them
very easily. Nobody has the weaponry we have. Nobody has the —
anything — of what we have. We have the finest, the greatest military
in the world. When somebody hits us, we hit back hard than they hit us.
So we handle it.
In addition to that, Iraq has been very helpful, where
necessary. But we have been taking our troops out of Iraq fairly
rapidly, and we look forward to the day when we don’t have to be there.
And hopefully Iraq can live their own lives and they can defend
themselves, which they’ve been doing long before we got involved.
Yes, please.
Q Mr. President how do you see the role of the Kurds in Iraq?
Q Mr. President, about — about the bounties — about the
bounties: You say you hit back hard, but we haven’t seen any definitive
strike back for bounties upon Americans.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, you don’t know about the bounties. I
mean, you’re telling me — if you know something, you can let us know,
but you obviously don’t know very much about it. But if we found out,
that would be true; if we found, that would be a very — it would be a
fact, what you just said. We would hit them so hard your head would
spin.
Go ahead.
Q Mr. President how do you see the role of the Kurds in Iraq?
And how is important relationship between Baghdad and Erbil
(inaudible)?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, the Kurds helped us greatly in defeating
the — as you know, the ISIS, and getting the ISIS — 100 percent of the
ISIS caliphate. So we have a very good relationship with the Kurds, and
we’ve also treated them very well.
Q Mr. President —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yes, please.
Q — on the bounties —
Q Yeah. The end of the militia rules in Iraq is very
important to — to stabilize the country. How America can help ending
the militia rules? And how can help Iraq in the democracy process?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, what we’re doing is we’re helping where
we can. But again, that’s a country — that’s a separate country. They
have a prime minister, and they have people in office, and they have to
run their country. We’ve been in Iraq for a long time. I won’t say
whether or not I said we should be there, but frankly, I didn’t think it
was a good idea. But I was a civilian, so who’s going to listen to me?
But I made my point pretty clear; I guess as clear as a civilian can
do it.
But we were there, and now we’re getting out. We’ll be leaving
shortly. And the relationship is very good. We’re making very big oil
deals. Our oil companies are making massive deals. And that’s
basically the story.
I mean, we’re very — we’re very happy with the relationship that
we’ve developed over the last couple of years. I thought, before that,
frankly, the United States was being taken advantage of. But we’re
going to be leaving, and hopefully we’re going to be leaving a country
that can defend itself.
Q While you are here in the United States, there were — there
were airstrikes on northern Iraq, in Kurdistan region, killing one
civilian. I know — in your talks, in your meetings here, you talk a lot
about the sovereignty of Iraq. Is that something that you’re looking
for help from the United States?
And Mr. President, if that’s something can — if Iraq is asking
for help, in terms of the interference from the neighbors — not just
Iran, but other neighbors where they’re attacking northern Iraq?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, they’ll have to make a specific request,
but certainly, the Prime Minister has my ear. So if he does that, we’ll
take a look. They do have — it’s a very unstable part of the world.
And I’m not talking about Iraq; I’m talking about the — the whole of the
Middle East. It’s a very, very unstable part of the world.
But we’re there to help. And because of the relationship, we
would certainly be willing to lend you the kind of support that you
need.
PRIME MINISTER KADHIMI: (As interpreted.) Definitely the
Turkish attacks are not accepted. On the other hand, the Iraqi
constitution also does not allow Iraq to be — to become used to attack
any — any neighboring — neighboring country. We are entering dialogue
with Turkey to rectify this situation. And I look forward to solving
this problem with Turkey and getting our neighbors, the Turks, to
understand Iraq’s circumstances.
But once again, the Iraqi constitution does not allow Iraqi territory to be used to attack any neighboring country.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I will say this: The United States, and me in
particular, has a very good relationship with Turkey and with President
ErdoÄŸan, and we’ll be talking to him. But we have a very, very good
relationship with Turkey and with President ErdoÄŸan.
Q Mr. President, just to follow up on the troops question,
sir: Do you have a timeframe for the full and complete withdrawal of
U.S. troops from — from Iraq?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Mike, what would you say to that?
SECRETARY POMPEO: As soon as we can complete the mission. The
President has made very clear he wants to get our forces down to the
lowest level as quickly as we possibly can. That’s the mission he’s
given us, and we’re working with Iraqis to achieve that.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We’re at the lowest level now, Jeff — we’re at
the lowest level in Afghanistan that we have been in many years. We’ll
be down to about 4,000 troops in Afghanistan.
SECRETARY POMPEO: In a couple months.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: And that will be when?
SECRETARY POMPEO: A couple months, sir.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Yeah, within a few months. A couple of months.
Q Mr. President — one other thing, Mr. President —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: As you know, in Syria we’re down to almost
nothing, except we kept the oil. But we’ll work out some kind of a deal
with the Kurds on that. But we left, but we kept the oil. And we left
the border. We said Turkey and Syria can take care of their own
border; we don’t have to do it. And that worked out very well. I
remember when I did that, I was scorned by everybody. They said, “This
is terrible.”
Well, I did it. It’s now two years ago. And we did it with —
Mike Pence went over and met with the various parties and very
successfully, and we removed our troops. Nobody was killed. Nobody.
And now they protect their own border like they have been for hundreds
of years. And we’ll — we’ve left. But we did keep a small force, and
we kept the oil. And we’ll make a determination on that oil fairly
soon.
Q And just one domestic question, sir: The Manhattan case
about your taxes has now ruled that you do need to give your — to turn
over your taxes. Do you have a reaction to that?
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, the Supreme Court said, if it’s a
fishing expedition, you don’t have to do it. And this is a fishing
expedition.
But more importantly, this is a continuation of the witch hunt —
the greatest witch hunt in history. There’s never been anything like
it, where people want to examine every deal you’ve ever done to see if
they can find that there’s a comma out of place. No President has ever
had to go through this. The Supreme Court shouldn’t have allowed this
to happen. But no President has ever had to go through this.
But what the Supreme Court did do is say if it’s a fishing
expedition, you — my interpretation is essentially, you don’t have to do
it. So we’ll probably end up back in the Supreme Court.
But this is just a continuation of the most hideous witch hunt
in the history of our country. We beat Mueller. We won at every level
in this — in Washington, in D.C. We won at every lev- — level. So,
now, what they do: They send it into New York. So now we have an
all-Democrat state — all Democrats. And they send it into New York.
This should never be allowed to happen to another President.
This is a continuation of the most disgusting witch hunt in the
history of our country — all it is. But the Supreme Court said “fishing
expedition.” This is the ultimate fishing expedition. Nobody has
anything. We didn’t — we don’t do things wrong.
But they’ll say, “Let’s go in and inspect every deal he’s ever
done. Let’s get papers from 10 years. Every paper. Every deal he’s
ever signed. Maybe we can find where some lawyer made a mistake, where
they didn’t dot an “i,” where they didn’t put a comma down someplace.
And then we can do something.” This is a disgrace and this should
never, ever be allowed to happen again.
All right? Thank you very much.
Q Mr. President, on Navalny, the Russian opposition leader:
He was hospitalized, and they think he was poisoned. Is that the U.S.
government’s determination, that he was —
PRESIDENT TRUMP: We haven’t seen it yet. We’re looking at it. And Mike is going to be reporting to me soon. Okay?
