These are news article links and comments that were listed on our website, prior to the November 2024 election. For newer links on this topic visit our website: https://www.dalecodemocrats.com
Focus On the Issues: Foreign Policy
Meet Miriam Adelson, the billionaire GOP donor who's given $100 million to support Donald Trump's campaign
https://www.yahoo.com/news/meet-miriam-adelson-billionaire-gop-161338875.html
Comment: "
Miriam Adelson, 79, is the widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson.
The Adelsons donated hundreds of millions of dollars to GOP super PACs over the years.
Miriam Adelson is one of Donald Trump's top donors in 2024."
"Miriam Adelson, 79, was born and raised in Israel and became a physician specializing in drug addiction."
"After her mandatory military service in the Israel Defense Forces, ...."
"She married Sheldon Adelson, who served as chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corporation, in 1991."
"They wed at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, Hadassah magazine reported. They share two sons."
"The New York Times reported in 2021 that the Adelsons' contributions to GOP campaigns and organizations had totaled around half a billion dollars since 2010."
"Established in 2007, the Adelson Foundation's mission is to 'strengthen the State of Israel and the Jewish people,' according to its website."
"The foundation has given $500 million to the Birthright Israel Foundation, which provides free trips to Israel for Jewish young adults. The Adelsons also donated $25 million to Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust museum, in 2011, and $10 million to Friends of the IDF [Emphasis Added] in 2018."
"Miriam Adelson also bought a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks from Mark Cuban in 2023."
"When Trump was elected, Sheldon Adelson donated $5 million to help fund the inauguration festivities, and Miriam Adelson served as a finance vice-chair of the event."
"As president, Trump carried out items on the Adelsons' Israel agenda. He announced that the US would formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital in 2017 and moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018. He also withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran [Emphasis Added]."
"In a 2019 article for Israel Hayom, an Israeli daily newspaper that she owns, Miriam Adelson praised Trump's support for Israel and floated the idea of adding a 'Book of Trump' to the Bible."
"Trump awarded Miriam Adelson the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018. Trump garnered controversy for comparing the Congressional Medal of Honor to the Presidential Medal of Freedom."
Because Miriam Adelson apparently holds dual U.S. and Israeli citizenship, it is not illegal for her to make these massive campaign contributions. However does anyone else think that these huge campaign contributions might influence Middle East foreign policy in a future Trump Administration? When Trump made the controversial announcement that the United States was moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, was in the oval office with him.
Trump Praises Chinese President For Controlling Citizens 'With An Iron Fist'
https://share.newsbreak.com/9jbmuvns
Why Trump’s Phone Call With Netanyahu Is So Alarming
https://www.yahoo.com/news/why-trump-phone-call-netanyahu-202908739.html
Comment: "Donald Trump told a crowd of supporters that he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, mainly about the Middle East wars. According to Trump, the Israeli leader said he disregarded President Joe Biden’s warning to keep troops out of Rafah in southern Gaza, a decision that resulted in the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a shootout in the area. Trump also said Netanyahu asked him for advice on how to respond to Iran’s missile attack on Israel—to which Trump said he responded, 'Do what you have to do.' "
"This is an extraordinary tale. If it’s accurate (and Israeli officials have since confirmed Trump made the call), the former-and-possibly-future American president admitted that he committed not only an act of diplomatic recklessness but also, quite possibly, a federal crime."
"The Logan Act, which became law in 1799, bars private U.S. citizens from having, 'directly or indirectly,' any unauthorized 'correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government …in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States.' "
"What did Trump say in his phone call? The context is revealing. Many commentators have raised the possibility that, with the death of Sinwar (and, before him, Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah), doors may be open for new paths toward a cease-fire on all fronts. Biden has sent Secretary of State Anthony Blinken back to the Middle East to try to restart negotiations. If Netanyahu did say on the phone call that he’s ignoring Biden’s warning about restraints on the use of armed force, he may have done so in response to a request by Trump: Don’t accept any cease-fire deal offered by Biden. If I win in November, I’ll offer you a better deal."
The Guardian: Biden leads international push for Gaza ceasefire after killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar
Comment: "US president joins western leaders in urging Israeli PM to seek end to war, as Iran suggests death inspires future generations and Hezbollah vows escalation."
The White House: Statement from President Joe Biden on the Death of Yahya Sinwar
Comment: Biden congratulates Israel for eliminating Hamas mastermind of Oct. 7 massacre, but then calls on Israel to reach a political settlement to end the bloodshed in Gaza. Excerpts from his statement follow:
"Early this morning, Israeli authorities informed my national security team that a mission they conducted in Gaza likely killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. DNA tests have now confirmed that Sinwar is dead. This is a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world."
"As the leader of the terrorist group Hamas, Sinwar was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Israelis, Palestinians, Americans, and citizens from over 30 countries. He was the mastermind of the October 7th massacres, rapes, and kidnappings. It was on his orders that Hamas terrorists invaded Israel to intentionally – and with unspeakable savagery – kill and massacre civilians, a Holocaust survivor, children in front of their parents, and parents in front of their children."
"Shortly after the October 7 massacres, I directed Special Operations personnel and our intelligence professionals to work side-by-side with their Israeli counterparts to help locate and track Sinwar and other Hamas leaders hiding in Gaza."
"To my Israeli friends, this is no doubt a day of relief and reminiscence, similar to the scenes witnessed throughout the United States after President Obama ordered the raid to kill Osama Bin Laden in 2011."
"I will be speaking soon with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders to congratulate them, to discuss the pathway for bringing the hostages home to their families, and for ending this war once and for all, which has caused so much devastation to innocent people."
"There is now the opportunity for a “day after' in Gaza without Hamas in power, and for a political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all of those goals. That obstacle no longer exists. But much work remains before us."
The Associated Press: Israel is falling far short of a US ultimatum to surge aid to Gaza
Comment: "Halfway through the Biden administration’s 30-day ultimatum for Israel to surge the level of humanitarian assistance allowed into Gaza or risk possible restrictions on U.S.military funding, Israel is falling far short, an Associated Press review of U.N. and Israeli data shows."
"Israel also has missed some other deadlines and demands outlined in a Oct. 13 letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinkin and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The mid-November deadline — following the U.S. election — may serve as a final test of President Joe Biden's willingness to check a close ally that has shrugged off repeated U.S. appeals to protect Palestinian civilians during the war against Hamas."
"In their letter, Blinken and Austin demanded improvements to the deteriorating humanitarian condition in Gaza, saying that Israel must allow in a minimum of 350 trucks a day carrying desperately needed food and other supplies. By the end of October, an average of just 71 trucks a day were entering Gaza, according to the latest U.N. figures."
Axios: Israel vows to improve Gaza conditions after U.S. threat to withhold weapons
https://www.axios.com/2024/10/16/israel-gaza-humanitarian-aid-us-weapons
Comment: "Israeli officials have been assuring their U.S. counterparts that Israel will act quickly to improve the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza following an ultimatum from the Biden administration, two Israeli officials tell Axios."
"Senior Israeli officials admit that although the government in Jerusalem did not like the harsh U.S. ultimatum, the situation in Gaza has deteriorated in contrast with the Israeli Cabinet's official policy on sustaining humanitarian aid, and this could be a chance to correct the course."
"More than 42,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began and more than 90% of the civilian population has been displaced."
"The U.S. and UN are also concerned about widespread disease at the overcrowded Mawasi humanitarian area, where more than 1.5 million Palestinians have taken shelter."
The Associated Press: US warns Israel to boost humanitarian aid into Gaza or risk losing weapons funding
Comment: "The Biden administration has warned Israel that it must increase the amount of humanitarian aid it is allowing into Gaza within the next 30 days or it could risk losing access to U.S. weapons funding."
"Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned their Israeli counterparts in a letter dated Sunday that the changes must occur. The letter, which restates U.S. policy toward humanitarian aid and arms transfers, was sent amid deteriorating conditions in northern Gaza and an Israeli airstrike on a hospital tent site in central Gaza that killed at least four people and burned others."
"For Israel to continue qualifying for foreign military financing, the level of aid getting into Gaza must increase to at least 350 trucks a day, Israel must institute additional humanitarian pauses and provide increased security for humanitarian sites, Austin and Blinken said in their letter. They said Israel had 30 days to respond to the requirements."
"The letter, which an Axios reporter posted a copy of online, was sent during a period of growing frustration in the administration that despite repeated and increasingly vocal requests to scale back offensive operations against Hamas, Israel’s bombardment has led to unnecessary civilian deaths and risks plunging the region into a much wider war."
"The Biden administration is increasing its calls for its ally and biggest recipient of U.S. military aid to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza while assuring that America’s support for Israel is unwavering just before the U.S. presidential election in three weeks."
Head of NASA Not Happy That Elon Musk Has Been Secretly Taking Orders From Putin
https://www.yahoo.com/news/head-nasa-not-happy-elon-170746002.html
Comment: "NASA administrator Bill Nelson isn't happy with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk after the Wall Street Journal reported that he has been in 'regular contact' with Russian president Vladimir Putin for several years — even reportedly taking orders from the despot to prevent the activation of Starlink satellites over Taiwan as a favor to Chinese leader Xi Jinping."
" 'If its true there have been multiple conversations with Elon Musk and the president of Russia then that would be concerning particularly for NASA and the Department of Defense,' he added."
"It's a notable rebuke given SpaceX's close ties to both the space agency and the Pentagon. The space company has launched plenty of national security satellites, while NASA has become reliant on its Crew Dragon spacecraft to reach the International Space Station."
"Having the space company's chief executive take orders or reveal potentially incriminating secrets to the head of the United States' biggest adversary could have troubling implications — something that Nelson seems painfully aware of."
Musk Has Regularly Talked to Putin, Faced ‘Implicit Threats’: Report
https://www.yahoo.com/news/musk-regularly-talked-putin-faced-061438644.html
Comment: "Tech billionaire Elon Musk and Russian President Vladimir Putin have been regularly contacting each over the last two years, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday night."
"However, by May 2022, Russia’s space chief said in a Telegram post that the tech billionaire would 'answer like an adult' for providing Starlink to Ukraine’s Azov battalion. Later that year, a person familiar with the conversations said that Musk was communicating regularly with 'high-level Russians' and that the Kremlin had put pressure on his businesses and made 'implicit threats against him.' "
"Around this time, Musk became more critical of American aid to Ukraine and blamed the terminals in Ukraine for why SpaceX was losing money. By October 2022, Musk reached out to his followers on X to support a peace agenda that 'mirrored some aspects of the Kremlin’s offer to Ukraine at the time.' "
"One current and one former intelligence source told WSJ that Musk and Putin have continued to stay in contact. The report is concerning given that Musk, the world’s richest man, has become one of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s key supporters and sources of cash in the 2024 election."
NPR: South Korea warns it may send Ukraine weapons after North Korea sent troops to Russia
https://www.npr.org/2024/10/24/nx-s1-5163246/south-korea-weapons-ukraine-north-korea-troops-russia
Comment: "South Korea’s president vowed on Thursday to respond to North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia, including by potentially supplying offensive weapons to Ukraine."
"Seoul will not 'sit idle' in the face of a North Korean 'provocation that threatens global security beyond the Korean Peninsula and Europe,' South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol told reporters in Seoul, after a summit meeting with visiting Polish President Andrzej Duda."
"Yoon’s remarks follow Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's assertion Wednesday that the United States has evidence of North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia."
POLITICO: Trump suggests Zelenskyy is to blame for the Russia-Ukraine war
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/17/trump-zelenskyy-biden-russia-ukraine-war-blame-00184173
Comment: Despite Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, Trump, for some reason, blames Ukrainian President Zelenskyy for the war.
"Trump has demonstrated an increasingly friendly relationship with Putin over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. During his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris last month, he maintained that the war must end — but twice did not directly answer if he thought Ukraine should win."
POLITICO Europe: Israel bans UN chief Guterres from entering the country
https://www.politico.eu/article/ban-united-nations-chief-antonio-guterres-enter-israel-katz/
Comment: " 'I decided today to declare U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres an undesirable personality in Israel and to ban his entry into Israel,' Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced on social media."
"Guterres failed to 'unequivocally condemn Iran’s criminal attack on Israel' on Tuesday, Katz said, and as a result 'does not deserve to set foot on Israel’s soil.' "
"Guterres issued a short statement Tuesday condemning the 'broadening of the Middle East conflict' and calling for a cease-fire but made no direct mention of Iran bombarding Israel with missiles."
"Barring the U.N. boss from Israel marks a major escalation of the long-running feud between Israel and Guterres. Guterres prompted a angry reaction from Israel when he said that Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack 'did not happen in a vacuum,' and has repeatedly denounced the Israeli military’s killings of civilians in Gaza."
Iran fires at least 180 missiles into Israel as regionwide conflict grows
Comment: "Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday, the latest in a series of rapidly escalating attacks between Israel and Iran and its Arab allies that threatens to push the Middle East closer to a regionwide war."
"Iran said the barrage was retaliation for a series of devastating blows Israel has landed in recent weeks against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has been firing rockets into Israel since the war in Gaza began. Earlier Tuesday, Israel launched what it said is a limited ground incursion in southern Lebanon."
"White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan called Iran’s missile attack a 'significant escalation,' although he said it was ultimately 'defeated and ineffective,' in part because of assistance from the U.S. military in shooting down some of the inbound missiles. President Joe Biden said his administration is 'fully supportive' of Israel and that he’s in 'active discussion' with aides about what the appropriate response should be to Tehran."
While the U.S. is supportive of Israel, it is trying to ratchet down the violence from both sides to keep the conflict from escalating further.
Trump ‘asked Putin for advice’ about whether the US should help arm Ukraine
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-asked-putin-advice-whether-222120592.html
Comment: "Donald Trump reportedly asked Vladimir Putin for his advice on whether the US should help arm Ukraine at their first in-person meeting."
"The Republican presidential nominee, who has been vocal in his criticism of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, reportedly asked Putin “what do you think?” when the pair met in Hamburg in 2017, according to The New York Times."
"Trump has wildly claimed Putin 'would never have gone into Ukraine' if he were president and has touted his 'very good relationship' with him several times."
"The meeting — which took place three years after Russian forces invaded the Crimean peninsula — was 'an opening' for Putin to begin exploiting Trump's 'escalating political grudge' against Ukraine in a bid to weaken US support for the country, officials who were privy to the exchange have shared with the newspaper."
PLEASE read the rest of this article. It helps explain Trump's negative attitude toward Ukraine aid and his affinity for Vladimir Putin.
Trump lashes out at Zelenskyy after Ukraine's leader questioned his claim he could end war
Comment: "At a campaign event in North Carolina, Trump went after Zelenskyy for 'making little nasty aspersions' toward him."
"Zelenskyy expressed doubt Trump knew how to end the Russia-Ukraine war despite Trump's assertions, without detail or specifics, that the war never would have happened if he were president and he could end it on the first day of his new administration."
"Trump, in his freewheeling stump speech on Wednesday, claimed Ukraine is 'obliterated' with towns and cities gone that can 'never be duplicated.' He said 'millions and millions' were dead and accused Ukraine of 'using young children and old men' as its military experiences a shortage of soldiers."
"A day prior, at a campaign event in Georgia, Trump expressed little confidence Ukraine could win while praising Russia's military capabilities." [emphasis added]
Biden struggles to contain conflict as Israel and Hezbollah on the brink
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4xnq2zqlgo
Comment: "US President Joe Biden has spent nearly a year vowing his determination to prevent the war in Gaza engulfing the wider Middle East. On Tuesday, he repeated that resolve in his last ever United Nations speech as president, as he addressed the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon."
"Once again the US is trying to restrain Israel, the key regional ally it arms, and urging its adversaries against escalating too, all the while seeking a diplomatic outcome that the sides themselves lack either the ability or will to agree."
Israel hits 1,300 targets in expanded Lebanon strike campaign against Hezbollah
Comment: The U.S. continues diplomatic efforts in an attempt to prevent a wider regional conflict, but both Israel and Hezbollah continue to escalate the violence.
What the world thought of Harris-Trump debate - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wj9qejrpwo
Comment: "The first showdown between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump was closely watched not only in the US but around the world."
CBS News: Germany responds to Donald Trump's debate comments
Comment: "'Contradiction with facts and humor — that is the right answer to disinformation,' German State Minister Anna Lührmann added on Thursday about her government's response. 'As democrats, we can no longer allow ourselves to leave false statements uncommented.'"
POLITICO: White House finalizing plans to expand where Ukraine can hit inside Russia
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/11/white-house-weapons-ukraine-00178673
As Trump attacks, Harris says Biden was right to withdraw from Afghanistan
Comment: "'As I have said, President Biden made the courageous and right decision to end America’s longest war,' Harris said. 'Over the past three years, our Administration has demonstrated we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leaders of al-Qaeda and ISIS, without troops deployed into combat zones. I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people and the homeland.'"
"The administration admitted last April that it should have evacuated troops faster, once the withdrawal had begun, and that an intelligence assessment of the situation was wrong. But it blamed Trump's administration, too, saying it negotiated a withdrawal agreement with the Taliban without consulting U.S. allies or the Afghan government."
"'President Biden’s choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor,' the document says."
Gen. McMaster says Trump bears some responsibility for chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal
Comment: Lately, Trump has renewed his attacks on the Biden Administration over the Afghanistan military withdrawal occurring early in Biden's term.
"McMaster told CNN’s Anderson Cooper that the former president had made a decision in 2017 to maintain a US presence in Afghanistan, but that Trump then changed his mind. The Trump administration ultimately entered into an agreement with the Taliban requiring US troops to withdraw from the country by May 2021. President Joe Biden, after he took office, pushed that withdrawal date back to August."
"Asked by Cooper if Trump bears some responsibility for the heavily criticized withdrawal during the Biden administration, McMaster responded, 'Oh, yes.'"
The New Republic: Former Trump Staffer Reveals How Putin Played Him Like a Puppet
https://newrepublic.com/post/185116/hr-mcmaster-putin-manipulated-trump-ego
Comment: "Former national security adviser H.R. McMaster says Russian President Vladimir Putin preyed on Donald Trump’s 'ego and insecurities.'"
POLITICO: Former GOP officials sound the alarm over Trump’s Orbán embrace
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/01/trump-orban-embrace-00176832
Comment: There is concern that Trump's relationship with Pro-Russian Hungarian President Viktor Orbán may be a conduit for Putin to gain influence over any future Trump Administration.
"The Hungarian message is of concern to mainstream Republican foreign-policy officials, past and present, because it seems to be a vehicle for an ongoing influence campaign over Trump and the many groups that are seeking his favor as he battles with Vice President Kamala Harris this fall to regain the American presidency. While Trump, during his time in the White House from 2017-2021, often expressed his personal respect for Putin, the war in Ukraine has made an open relationship between the two diplomatically untenable. Orbán, according to the former GOP officials, is stepping into the void. He has visited Trump in Florida twice this year."
Justice Department Announces Terrorism Charges Against Senior Leaders of Hamas
US prosecutors charge Hamas leaders in October 7 attack
https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/03/politics/justice-department-indicts-hamas-leaders/index.html
Comment: Biden Administration is trying to be even handed, prosecuting Hamas leaders for terrorism and their terrible crimes against American citizens, but also pointing out Israeli Prime Minster Netanyahu's failure to negotiate a cease fire in Gaza and the release of hostages, including American citizens.
Reuters: Biden says Netanyahu not doing enough to secure hostage deal
CNN: As the world focuses on Gaza, the West Bank has reached boiling point. Here’s what to know
https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/29/middleeast/west-bank-conflict-explained-intl/index.html
Comment: "On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it began an expansive offensive in the occupied West Bank, launching raids and airstrikes in densely populated civilian areas in Jenin and Tulkarem that have killed at least 15 people so far."
"The attacks are occurring amid a surge in Israeli settler violence across the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, where some settlers continue a campaign targeting Palestinian civilians and infrastructure."
Axios: Biden: "Full accountability" needed for IDF killing of U.S. citizen in West Bank
https://www.axios.com/2024/09/10/israel-investigation-aysenur-ezgi-eygi-idf
Department of State: Sanctions on Israeli Entity and Individual
https://www.state.gov/sanctions-on-israeli-entity-and-individual/
Comment: "Extremist settler violence in the West Bank causes intense human suffering, harms Israel’s security, and undermines the prospect for peace and stability in the region. It is critical that the Government of Israel hold accountable any individuals and entities responsible for violence against civilians in the West Bank."
"As part of the United States’ efforts to address the extreme levels of instability and violence against civilians in the West Bank we are taking additional actions today against those who engage in or provide material support for violent activities there."
White House slams ‘outrageous’ statement from Israeli minister on cease-fire deal
https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-house-slams-outrageous-statement-190817067.html
The Associated Press: Israel’s Western allies slam Israeli minister’s remark that Gaza starvation may be justified
Comment: Statements like this from Netanyahu's coalition government cause the U.S. and Israel's Western allies to doubt Israel's motivations in Gaza and to question Israel's desire to peacefully resolve the situation.
The Associated Press: Israel-Hamas war latest: Hamas chooses Oct. 7 mastermind as their new leader as wider war feared
https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-latest-6-august-2024-aa6cf7758a661d86c6da9ec2978f1b6a
Comment: First, Israel's assassination of previous Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, didn't help Israel's situation, because Hamas responded by selecting an even worse leader, Yahya Sinwar, "who masterminded the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel." That being said, Hamas' selection of Sinwar further proves that Hamas is a terrorist organization that cares little about the fate of average Gaza inhabitants, who are suffering terribly. Because Israel's assassination of Haniyeh took place in Iran, there is a greater chance for a wider regional war, which might include Iran or one or more of it's regional proxies, including Hezbollah. The United States has been forced to send additional military forces into the region, while maintaining diplomatic efforts to diffuse the situation. There appears to be U.S. frustration with both Hamas and Israel's Netanyahu for their failure to negotiate a cease fire in Gaza.
CNN: Hungry and displaced Gazans see their misery continuing with Hamas’ new leadership
Frustration With Netanyahu Mounts as Gaza Talks Falter
The White House offered Putin a way to stop the Kursk invasion: 'Get the hell out of Ukraine'
https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-house-offered-putin-way-095448618.html
Newsweek: Ukraine Breaks Silence on Kursk Raid Objectives
https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-breaks-silence-kursk-raid-objectives-1936296
Comment: Ukraine takes the war into Russia itself.
Release of Wrongfully Detained Americans and Russian Political Prisoners - United States Department of State
https://www.state.gov/release-of-wrongfully-detained-americans-and-russian-political-prisoners/
U.S., Russia prisoner swap secures release of Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan and others - CBS News
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-russia-prisoner-swap-frees-americans-evan-gershkovich-paul-whelan/
Comment: This is why diplomacy and diplomatic language are so important. Allies are important, while public threats and bullying of long time allies (as occurred during the Trump administration) are not helpful.
CNN: Exclusive: US seizes Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro’s airplane in the Dominican Republic
https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/02/politics/us-seizes-venezuela-president-maduros-airplane/index.html
Comment: "The United States has seized Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro's airplane after determining that its acquisition was in violation of US sanctions, among other criminal issues. The US flew the aircraft to Florida on Monday, according to two US officials."
"It’s the latest development in what has long been a frosty relationship between the US and Venezuela, and its seizure in the Dominican Republic marks an escalation as the US continues to investigate what it regards as corrupt practices by Venezuela’s government."
After Venezuela’s contested presidential vote, experts say government results are a ‘statistical improbability’ | CNN
The White House: Statement from NSC Spokesperson Adrienne Watson on Venezuela
Comment: "We continue to call for Venezuela’s electoral authorities to release full, transparent, and detailed voting results, including by polling station. This is especially critical given that there are clear signs that the election results announced by Venezuela’s National Electoral Council do not reflect the will of the Venezuelan people as it was expressed at the ballot box on July 28."
J.D. Vance Desperately Tries to Give Trump Credit for Prisoner Swap
https://newrepublic.com/post/184486/jd-vance-trump-credit-russia-prisoner-swap
Comment: I guess Vance believes in the old adage, "You can fool some of the people all of the time." Unfortunately for him, that doesn't work in foreign policy and diplomacy, where credibility is very, very important.
Government, opposition both claim Venezuela election win, official results questioned | Reuters
Comment: This is what happens when autocrats, like Maduro in Venezuela, take control.
The Associated Press: Harris tells Netanyahu ‘it is time’ to end the war in Gaza and bring the hostages home
https://apnews.com/article/harris-netanyahu-biden-hostage-deal-gaza-41c4e0685e88fd75e9aa8e0d0d859b07
Netanyahu in Washington: Israel PM looks for US support in Gaza | AP News
https://apnews.com/article/netanyahu-congress-gaza-hamas-israel-6ea5daf3cd1988b0ad6e874bd450f9bf
Comment: "Netanyahu used the high-profile address to a joint meeting of Congress to emphasize longstanding and close ties between the United States and Israel. But the speech put in sharp relief the divisions in American society stirred by the war, with dozens of Democratic lawmakers boycotting the address and thousands of protesters outside the Capital condemning the war and the humanitarian crisis created by it."
"Netanyahu — who is frequently accused of wading into U.S. politics in favor of conservative and Republican causes — started his remarks with praise of President Joe Biden. But he turned to lavishing praise on former president and current presidential contender Donald Trump 'for all he’s done for Israel.'”
"Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat from Maryland, said Netanyahu’s speech was made for Trump’s GOP. 'We didn’t hear anything about meaningful progress towards a bilateral cease-fire in return for hostages. We didn’t hear anything about peace,' he said."
Axios: Around half of Congress' Democrats skip Netanyahu speech
https://www.axios.com/2024/07/24/half-house-senate-democrats-boycott-netanyahu
The Hill: What Netanyahu left out of his address to Congress
https://thehill.com/opinion/international/4792886-netanyahu-speech-israel-criticism/
CNN: Israeli former national security officials and business leaders blast Netanyahu ahead of his speech to Congress
Comments: Republicans in Congress invited Netanyahu to speak before a joint session of Congress. Many Congressional Democrats are boycotting the speech due to Netanyahu's actions in Gaza and the West Bank. Even Israeli officials are condemning Netanyahu, sending a letter to congressional leaders "accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ... of threatening both Israeli and American national security."
The Guardian: Amid chaos of US politics, Netanyahu finally gets attention he craves in Washington
Trump's choice of running mate raises fears in Ukraine and EU
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c727zvgvv8ko
Labour rejects JD Vance ‘first Islamist country with nuclear weapons’ remarks | Labour | The Guardian
Comment: While JD Vance's remark has not gotten much press in this country, the remark has caused a great deal of controversy in the United Kingdom (one of our oldest and closest allies) and its newly elected Labour Party Government. One UK minister from an opposing party stated that he "disagreed with the claim that Labour would create an 'Islamist country'. 'I disagree with the Labour party fundamentally on many issues, but I do not agree with that view, quite frankly. I think it’s actually quite offensive, frankly, to my colleagues in the Labour party.'"
A Vice President candidate of the United States should not be insulting our closest ally.
Rayner dismisses US VP candidate's 'Islamist UK' claim - BBC News
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn07e2ep20no
Comment: Another article about the reaction in Britain to JD Vance's offensive remark about the newly elected UK Labour Party Government.
Trump’s Plan for NATO Is Emerging
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/07/02/nato-second-trump-term-00164517
Comment: No doubt about who Putin is pulling for in the November election.
US says Ukraine can hit inside Russia ‘anywhere’ its forces attack across the border - POLITICO
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/06/20/us-says-ukraine-can-hit-inside-russia-anywhere-00164261
Comment: Allows Ukraine to use U.S. supplied weapons to hit inside Russia, where Russians use their territory to directly attack Ukraine. Helps stop Russian artillery from shelling Ukrainian targets from within Russian territory and helps stop Russians from staging troops within their border territory in preparation for attacks into Ukraine.
Gaetz says Trump trashed Ukraine aid during House GOP meeting
Comment: Trump would hand Ukraine over to the Russians and endanger NATO's future.
Israel approves the largest Palestinian West Bank land grab in three decades
Axios: Sweeping bipartisan Netanyahu boycott grows to include Pelosi
https://www.axios.com/2024/07/24/pelosi-boycott-netanyahu-speech-congress
Democrats wrestle with whether to boycott Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's address to Congress | AP News
Axios: Democrats fume over potential Netanyahu address to Congress
https://www.axios.com/2024/05/23/netanyahu-johnson-schumer-address-congress-israel
The New York Times: Opinion | American Leaders Should Stop Debasing Themselves on Israel
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/18/opinion/netanyahu-gaza-congress.html
Biden administration imposes sanctions on Israeli group blocking humanitarian aid into Gaza
Israeli military official says Hamas cannot be destroyed, as rift with Netanyahu widens
Far-right Israeli minister sets out plan to prevent West Bank from becoming part of a Palestinian state
Comment: Please see article below for more history about Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
The New York Times: How Extremist Settlers Took Over Israel
Comment: Excellent article (and lengthy) describing history of extremist Israeli settlers moving into the West Bank and undermining U.S. attempts to negotiate a two state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. Also discusses how these extremists make up part of Netanyahu's coalition government in Israel.
Nearly 700 Jewish professors call on Biden not to sign controversial antisemitism legislation
https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4651826-jewish-professors-biden-antisemitism-legislation/
Comment: These Jewish professors understand that criticism of the Government of Israel is not necessarily an act of antisemitism. Many in Israel criticize the actions of Prime Minister Netanyahu and his Likud political party.
The Hill: Summer Lee on Netanyahu remarks on college protests: ‘This idea that every criticism of Israel is antisemitic is dangerous’
Sen. Britt seeks to bar federal contractors from boycotting Israel
Comment: It is ironic that a normally pro-business Republican would deny a business owner the right to chose who to associate with (do business with) or not to chose to associate with. Britt claims that boycotts against Israel are antisematic. Others argue that protests against actions of the Israeli government are political rather than racially or religiously based.
"Anti-BDS laws of the sort that Britt has now introduced are considered by many to be unconstitutional. Past Supreme Court rulings have found that boycotts are constitutionally protected speech and that the government cannot make private entities accept certain viewpoints by withholding funding."
Perhaps Katie Britt should express her beliefs in her church rather than on the floor of the United States Senate.
Axios: Scoop: U.S. put a hold on an ammunition shipment to Israel
https://www.axios.com/2024/05/05/israel-us-ammunition-shipment-hold
Why Mike Johnson Finally Ditched MTG and the Far Right
Comment: Article discusses why Speaker of the House Mike Johnson finally ignored the radical right-wing Republicans and allowed the Ukraine aid package to reach the House floor for a vote.
House passes Ukraine, Israel aid bills after long struggle | AP News
https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-israel-tiktok-congress-a8910452e623413bf1da1e491d1d94ba
Comment: Once the GOP and House Speaker Mike Johnson let the aid package be introduced on the House floor, it passed easily with heavy Democratic support. However, the GOP delayed passage for months, adversely impacting Ukraine's ability to defend itself from Russian aggression.
More Alabama-made missiles heading to Ukraine in aid package, Biden says
Comment: Made right up the road, at the Lockheed Martin plant just north of Troy.
These 112 House Republicans voted against Ukraine aid
https://share.newsbreak.com/6oxudo53
Comment: Of course, our Congressman Barry Moore was one of the 112.
AL.com: Mike Rogers: ‘Some ignorant members’ in House GOP oppose Ukraine funding
Comment: Even an Alabama Republican Congressman agrees that withholding Ukraine aid is based on ignorance.
Slate: Ukraine aid: Has Russian propaganda “infected” Republicans in Congress? The truth is more sinister.
One word: How these Alabama Putin puppets voted on aid to Ukraine
Democrats plead with Johnson to put Ukraine bill on floor: ‘Lead, follow or get out of the way’
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4529438-democrats-pressure-johnson-ukraine-floor-vote/
McConnell raises pressure on Johnson over Ukraine: ‘Finish the job’
Comment: Senate Republicans, including Mitch McConnell, agree with Democrats that House Republicans need to pass aid for Ukraine.
Pelosi: Netanyahu an obstacle in two-state solution and should resign
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4614869-pelosi-israel-netanyahu-should-resign/
With Schumer’s Israel remarks, the American gloves are off
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/14/schumer-gives-israel-critics-the-green-light-00147093
U.S. Patience With Netanyahu Is Running Out
https://time.com/6952900/us-israel-gaza-standoff-schumer-netanyahu/
Gaza is being turned to rubble — and Jared Kushner thinks its waterfront is a 'very valuable' real-estate prospect
https://www.yahoo.com/news/gaza-being-turned-rubble-mdash-131441228.html
Comment: While Biden is trying to stop a humanitarian disaster, Trump's son-in-law is contemplating a real-estate venture after Palestinians are kicked off their land.
Trump breaks silence on Israel's military campaign in Gaza: 'Finish the problem'
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-israel-gaza-finish-problem-rcna141905
Comment: "When asked on the program whether he supported a cease-fire in Gaza, Trump demurred, avoiding an explicit position on Israel’s military effort that has now also left more than 30,000 people dead in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The likely 2024 Republican nominee has not provided his own position on U.S. or Israel's strategy throughout the five months of the war."
Republicans must reject 4 myths about Ukraine and pass much-needed aid
https://nypost.com/2024/02/25/opinion/4-myths-republicans-need-to-debunk-to-send-aid-to-ukraine/
Opinion | Supporting Ukraine is a decisive act for the future of freedom
Opinion | Ukraine aid’s best-kept secret: Most of the money stays in the U.S.A. - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/29/ukraine-military-aid-american-economy-boost/
Biden Wants People to Know Most of the Money He's Seeking for Ukraine Would Be Spent in the US
In visit to Alabama missile plant, NATO secretary general urges continued US support of Ukraine
Comment: While Barry Moore, Jerry Carl, and Tommy Tuberville argue against aid for Ukraine, Alabama workers in Troy, Anniston and Huntsville are producing weapon systems for Ukraine. The money stays here, and it helps protect NATO and Americans against future Russian aggression.
Israel Got Suitcases of Cash to Hamas: New York Times Report
Comment: Although Americans continue to support the country of Israel and abhor the Hamas October 2023 terrorist attack, some question the actions of the current Israeli government under Benjamin Netanyahu, especially in regards to its military actions in Gaza. To achieve lasting peace in the region, the United States ultimately supports a two state solution, with the Palestinian people peacefully enjoying their own democratic state free of control by either terrorists or Israeli domination. Some question Netanyahu's concern for Palestinian rights and commitment to a two state solution. While America recognizes Israel's right to protect itself, some feel that the United States needs to exercise its influence, in light of the support we give Israel. Most believe that United States should protect its interests (and troops) in the region, but should also try to avoid a wider regional conflict, if it can.