Reader’s Links for January 6, 2020

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Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.

This document was written around the time this site was created, for those who wish to understand what this site is about. And while our understanding of the world and events has grown since then, the basic ideas remain sound and true to the purpose.

So please post all links, thoughts and ideas that you feel will benefit the readers of this site to the comments under this post each day. And thank you all for your contributions.

This is the new Samizdat. We must use it while we can.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

148 Replies to “Reader’s Links for January 6, 2020”

    • I hope the relevant authorities photographed them for safekeeping or, at least, saved the footage of the videos for identification purposes. I’m certain the FBI has.

  4. UK: Protesters call for boycott as teen faces sentencing in Cyprus gang rape case

    Protesters gathered outside London’s Cypriot High Commission on Monday, to demonstrate against the conviction of a British woman, who was found guilty of lying about being gang-raped in Cyprus.

    Demonstrators waved signs and called for a boycott of the Mediterranean island state ahead of the young Briton’s expected sentencing hearing on Tuesday.

    “[We are] standing here in solidarity for the victim, showing she’s not alone, that there are people out here that support her, that believe her. That have seen this injustice and think something should be done,” said one demonstrator.

    The woman was found guilty on a charge of public mischief on December 30. She had made allegations that she was gang-raped by 12 Israeli teenagers in an Ayia Napa hotel on July 17, before retracting her statement 10 days later. The defendant has said police forced her to sign a made-up confession of lying, after pressuring her to retract her statement.

  5. U.S.-led coalition says it will withdraw from Iraq: letter (reuters, Jan 6, 2019)
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-withdrawal/u-s-led-coalition-says-it-will-withdraw-from-iraq-letter-idUSKBN1Z520A

    “The United States-led military coalition against Islamic State said on Monday that it was pulling out of Iraq and would be repositioning forces over the next few days and weeks, a letter seen by Reuters showed.

    “Sir, in deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, CJTF-OIR will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement,” read a letter from United States Marine Corps Brigadier General William H. Seely III, the commanding general of Task Force Iraq.

    The authenticity of the letter, which was addressed to the Iraqi defense ministry’s Combined Joint Operations Baghdad, was confirmed to Reuters independently by an Iraqi military source.

    “We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure,” it said.”

    • Mistakenly Sent Draft Letter Falsely Announces US Forces Preparing to Leave Iraq (sputniknews, Jan 6, 2019)
      https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202001061077961429-us-led-coalition-tells-baghdad-it-will-move-out-of-iraq-official-disputed-letter/

      “A Monday letter sent to Iraqi military leaders, the US-led coalition in Iraq announced it was preparing to “move out” of the country out of respect for Iraqi sovereignty. However, Pentagon leaders later clarified it was an unsigned draft sent by “mistake.”

      ‘That’s Not What’s Happening’
      “Poorly worded, implies withdrawal. That’s not what’s happening.” That’s how US Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the nation’s top general, described a letter sent by mistake from US Marine Corps Brig. Gen. William H. Seely III to Iraqi Lt. Gen. Abdul Amir Yarallah on Monday, that announced the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.

      Milley said Monday the letter was “genuine,” but had been sent by “mistake,” noting it was an unsigned draft meant to underscore increased levels of troop movements.

      US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said Monday afternoon, “there’s been no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq. Period.”

      While a Pentagon spokesperson could not confirm the authenticity of the letter to Reuters, an Iraqi commander did, and copies circulated across the media.

      The Mistaken Letter
      The mistaken letter followed the Sunday approval of a non-binding resolution by Iraq’s parliament calling for US forces to leave the country.

      “In due deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, CJTF-OIR [Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve] will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement,” stated the letter.

      ?The lawmakers’ request comes on the heels of a January 3 drone strike at Baghdad International Airport in which US forces killed Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani as well as the leader of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The two commanders helped lead the fight against Daesh in the 2014-17 Iraqi Civil War that saw the terrorist group expelled from the country. At its height, Daesh controlled significant amounts of northern Iraq, including its third-largest city of Mosul, and was advancing on Baghdad.

      “In order to conduct this task, coalition forces are required to take certain measures to ensure that the movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner,” the letter continues. “During this time, there will be an increase in helicopter travel in and around the International Zone (IZ) of Baghdad. This increased traffic will include CH-47, UH-60 and AH-64 security escort helicopters.
      Coalition forces will take appropriate measures to minimize and mitigate the disturbance to the public. In addition, we will conduct these operations during house of darkness to help alleviate any perception that we may be bringing more Coalition forces into the IZ.”

      “As we begin implementing this next phase of operations, I want to reiterate the value of our friendship and partnership. We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure.”

      US Leaders Double Down on Iraq Bases
      Since the resolution’s passage, US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have snubbed the idea of leaving Iraq, where US forces have been stationed since the March 2003 invasion that overthrew Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

      “We have a very extraordinarily expensive airbase that’s there. It cost billions of dollars to build. Long before my time. We’re not leaving unless they pay us back for it,” Trump said on Sunday. “We will charge them sanctions like they’ve never seen before, ever. It’ll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame.”

      ?“The prime minister is the acting prime minister,” Pompeo said on Fox News on Sunday, speaking of Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi. “He’s under enormous threats from the very Iranian leadership that it is that we are pushing back against. We are confident that the Iraqi people want the United States to continue to be there.””

    • I read they were moving to Erbil that has a Kurdish presence. I can’t confirm the veracity but apparently, the USA will be building a Consulate building also.

    • “RESIST R.” must have sent that out. What kind of moles do they have working over there? I wonder who franked (put postage) on the letter. Or did Comrade RESIST smuggle out a letterhead, print out the letter at home, then put a postage stamp on it? More likley, printed out at office, to the delight of other employees. Not sure why I think this is more likely.

  7. I just got off the phone with some friends that live near Tinker Air Force Base, they say that the Air Force is shooting touch and go’s almost around the clock. The planes used are B52s and transport planes, I think that is what they second ones they described are, they also said that the big planes with the big ray domes used for Forward Air Control are also in the mix.

    This is probably proficiency training just in case, since Oklahoma City has a large Islamic community every Islamic nation and terror group that exists has been notified about this action.

    • Nice, big B-52.
      (Not to worry. It’s the ones you CAN’T hear, the Ninja drones, that’ll get you every time.)

  8. REPORT: US to “Thin Out” Troops in Baghdad, Reposition Forces to Prepare for “Onward Movement” – Letter

    The US has agreed to “thin out” troops from Baghdad and reposition forces over the next few days and weeks, according to a letter sent to the Iraqi military.

    The Iraqi military confirmed the authenticity of the letter, according to reports, however, the Pentagon has not yet released a statement.

    To be clear, the US is not withdrawing troops from Iraq as the media is claiming.

    Reuters reported:

    The United States-led military coalition against Islamic State said on Monday that it was pulling out of Iraq and would be repositioning forces over the next few days and weeks, a letter seen by Reuters showed.

    “Sir, in deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, CJTF-OIR will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement,” read a letter from United States Marine Corps Brigadier General William H. Seely III, the commanding general of Task Force Iraq.

    The authenticity of the letter, which was addressed to the Iraqi defence ministry’s Combined Joint Operations Baghdad, was confirmed to Reuters independently by an Iraqi military source.

    “We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure,” it said.

    Sky News reporter Deborah Haynes said that a coalition source told her, “We moving some people our of Baghdad for force protection reasons. We aren’t leaving Iraq (or Baghdad for that matter).

    Copy of the letter:

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/report-us-to-thin-out-troops-in-baghdad-reposition-forces-to-prepare-for-onward-movement-letter/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailypm&utm_content=daily

  9. Video: Iranian-Backed Militias Open Fire On Civilians Refusing To Attend A Ceremony For The Now Dead General Qasem Soleimani
    January 6, 2020 Alex Hall 325 Views 0 Comments Donald Trump, Donald Trump Iran, Iran, Iran Nuclear Deal, Iran protests, Iraq, Qasem Soleimani
    Qassem Soleimani to the millions of people of Iran, Iraq, Syria and the Middle East, was known as the butcher of families & the destroyer of cities.

    But for the Democrats, he was innocent and President Trump was the one that killed an innocent man, but the forget that Soleimani was responsible for at least 600 US soldier deaths in Iraq.

    The Dems might want to take those words back because the recent video shows the real character of the now killed terrorist Qasem Soleimani and his followers.

    On Sunday Iranian-backed militias opened fire on civilians who refused to attend a ceremony for the dead terrorist Soleimani.

    https://conservativeus.com/video-iranian-backed-militias-open-fire-on-civilians-refusing-to-attend-a-ceremony-for-the-now-dead-general-qasem-soleimani/

    • When giving the benefit of the doubt is uncalled for:
      “but the[y] forget that Soleimani was responsible for at least 600 US soldier deaths in Iraq.”

  11. INDIA – Phone Footage of Assault at India’s Jawaharlal Nehru University Campus

    A video that has circulated over social media and has been validated by AP shows masked assailants beating students and teachers with sticks on the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi, India, Sunday, January 5.

    […]It is not clear what sparked the attack. New Delhi police have described the incident as a clash between rival student groups – a reference to the left-leaning student union at the school and a right-wing student group linked to Modi’s party. Both groups are pointing fingers at each other.

  13. BREAKING: Senator Josh Hawley Introduces Formal Resolution to Toss “Bogus Impeachment” Against President Trump

    Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) announced on Friday if Democrats DO NOT deliver their articles of impeachment to the US Senate as is required by the US Constitution he will introduce a measure to dismiss Pelosi’s slapdash articles of impeachment on Monday January 6th.

    Nancy Pelosi was on notice
    She had three days to decide but did not act.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/breaking-senator-josh-hawley-introduces-formal-resolution-to-allow-dismissal-of-bogus-impeachment-against-president-trump/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailypm&utm_content=daily

  15. HERE WE GO: Schiff Calls For Congressional Hearings Into Trump’s Drone Strike That Killed Soleimani

    House Intel Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) called for Congressional hearings into Trump’s drone strike that killed top Iran commander and terrorist Qassem Soleimani.

    The Democrat-led House has made it clear that they will meddle in every single foreign policy decision President Trump makes

    From Ukraine to Iran to North Korea, the legislative branch is now overreaching and claiming the President does not have the authority to call strikes against a hostile enemy.

    “The president has put us on a path where we may be at war with Iran. That requires the Congress to fully engage,” Schiff told WaPo.

    Schiff was one of the lawmakers briefed on the airstrike that killed top Iranian military officials.

    Schiff echoed Speaker Pelosi and said there’s “absolutely no way” Trump should retaliate to a potential attack from Iran with “disproportionate” actions.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/here-we-go-schiff-calls-for-congressional-hearings-into-trumps-drone-strike-that-killed-soleimani/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailypm&utm_content=daily

  16. Famed Doctor Says Epstein Murder ‘More’ Likely After Graphic Photos Emerge

    Jeffrey Epstein didn’t kill himself.

    That’s a meme that’s exploded on the internet. And for good reason, apparently.

    CBS News on Sunday released explosive new photos showing the convicted pedophile’s jail cell, where he supposedly committed suicide, strewn with scraps of bed sheets and a supposed noose.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/famed-doctor-says-epstein-murder-more-likely-after-graphic-photos-emerge/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailypm&utm_content=daily

  17. General Petraeus: ‘Impossible To Overstate’ Significance Of Soleimani Strike

    General Petraeus: ‘Impossible To Overstate’ Significance Of Soleimani Strike
    Avatar by Eric A. Blair January 6, 2020 108 Comments

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    David Petraeus served 37 years in the United States Army He rose to the rank of four-star general, served as commander of the International Security Assistance Force and Commander, U.S. Forces – Afghanistan led the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Multi-National Force – Iraq, overseeing all coalition forces in the terrorist hotbed. He also served as CIA director.

    So we’ll stipulate that Petraeus knows a thing or two about Iraq.

    On Sunday, the general said it is “impossible to overstate” the significance of President Trump’s order to to strike Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top military commander and the world’s No. 1 terrorist. He also called the strike “bigger” than the death of Osama bin Laden.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/general-petraeus-impossible-to-overstate-significance-of-soleimani-strike/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailypm&utm_content=daily

    • Israeli Analyst: Killing Soleimani Comparable to Killing Holocaust Architect Reinhard Heydrich

      Veteran Israeli analyst Ehud Yaari told Israel’s Channel 12: Soleimani’s execution “is the most important assassination from the Jewish point of view since the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the architect of the Final Solution, in Prague in 1942.”

      “This man was the brains and the engine of the Iranian machine that is trying to wrap the Middle East in the arms of an octopus. He was the head of the octopus in this regard.”

      “He is the man that conceived the idea of how to slowly tie the noose around Israel’s neck, so I say – second only to Heydrich.”

      As a high-ranking officer in the SS, Heydrich headed the Wannsee Conference that approved plans for the genocide of the Jews. He was killed by Czech partisans.
      https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/01/05/veteran-israeli-analyst-says-assassination-of-soleimani-second-only-to-execution-of-holocaust-architect-reinhard-heydrich/

  19. Free speech victory as Court rules against University of Alberta $17,500 security fee
    Posted on Jan 6, 2020 in Featured, Justice Update, Latest Updates, News Releases

    EDMONTON: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (jccf.ca) is pleased with the January 6, 2020 decision of the Alberta Court of Appeal, which rejects the University of Alberta’s imposition of a $17,500 security fee on UAlberta Pro-Life. Demanded by the University in 2016, this security fee had prevented the small student club from hosting educational displays on campus. Analysis of the decision is ongoing.

    The case arose in March of 2015, when the University of Alberta condoned the behaviour of a mob that physically obstructed a peaceful, stationary pro-life display on campus, which had been authorized and approved by the University. The mob used sheets, towels, banners, and mega-phones, making it impossible for passers-by to view the signs. The mob effectively silenced intellectual discussion and inquiry, in violation of the Code of Student Behaviour. Prior to this physical obstruction and disruption of a university-approved campus event, the University’s president had stated publicly that the pro-life group was entitled to express its opinions on campus. Then-president Indira Samarasekera stated the University must facilitate and protect the peaceful expression of all views, regardless of popularity.

    Dr. Samarasekera’s statement was not taken seriously by campus security or by the students who violated the Code of Student Behaviour. The University’s campus security repeatedly told members of the obstructing mob that they were violating the Code of Student Behaviour, which expressly prohibits interrupting and obstructing university-related activities and events. Yet campus security took no action to stop the obstruction, or to discipline the students who identified themselves publicly and boasted on social media about their success in silencing a message they disagreed with.

    In 2016, UAlberta Pro-Life applied again for a two-day campus event with a stationary display. The University then demanded a $17,500 security fee as a condition for going ahead with this campus event.

    In an email, the University demanded that pro-life students pay for the wages of security guards and police, and costs of barricading the venue, and pay for the potential misconduct of people violating the University’s Code of Student Behaviour by obstructing and disrupting the display. Rather than render an invoice to the self-identified and self-confessed rule-breakers, the University instead told the small pro-life club that it could no longer set up a display on campus unless it first paid $17,500 in security fees. Unable to pay $17,500, UAlberta Pro-Life was forced to cancel the event that was planned for February

    https://www.jccf.ca/free-speech-victory-as-court-rules-against-university-of-alberta-17500-security-fee/

  21. “We’ll Do It for Half” – George Lopez Responds to Iranian Regime, Says He’ll Take $40 Million for Assassinating President Trump
    Jim Hoft by Jim Hoft January 6, 2020 740 Comments

    4.8KShare 21
    On Friday morning the United States killed General Qassim Soleimani, a top commander of Iran’s al-Quds Force, in an airstrike at Baghdad’s International Airport. The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces. Seven people were reportedly killed in the airstrike.
    On Sunday the Iranian Regime just offered an $80 million bounty for anyone who brings in the head of President Donald Trump for killing Qassam Soleimani.

    The announcement was made at services for Soleimani!

    Via Hanif Jazayeri.

    • Could someone here with more translation experience than I have find the guy’s real name?
      Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis
      Father of Mahdi, the engineer
      He’s Iraqi or Iranian?

      • Jamal Jaafar Ibrahimi, aka Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis
        • Abu – 1st male son, named after his grandfather
        • Mahdi – the “Redeemer”, though it’s also a pretty common name in shia-ville.
        • al-Muhandis – The Engineer. Studied engineering, but probably because he brought shaped explosives from Iran to Iraq. These were the IEDs used to kill and maim Americans during the Surge.

  22. HORROR! Iranian-backed Militias Open Fire on Civilians Refusing to Go to Ceremony for Dead Terrorist Soleimani (VIDEO)

    On Friday morning the United States killed General Qassim Soleimani, a top commander of Iran’s al-Quds Force, in an airstrike at Baghdad’s International Airport. The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces. Seven people were reportedly killed in the airstrike.

    The Iranian regime is threatening retaliation against the United States following the death of their terror leader.

    Soleimani was behind at least 600 US soldier deaths in Iraq.

    https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/01/horror-iranian-militias-open-fire-on-civilians-refusing-to-go-to-ceremony-for-dead-terrorist-soleimani-video/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailyam&utm_content=daily

  23. GOP senators move to dismiss articles of impeachment amid battle with Pelosi
    Brooke SingmanBy Brooke Singman | Fox News
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    Sen. Hawley to introduce measure to dismiss Trump impeachment if Pelosi fails to send articles to Senate
    Republican Sen. Josh Hawley tells ‘Fox & Friends’ that it’s time for the Senate to take action to throw out the case if Democrats don’t prosecute it.

    Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri joined with a host of fellow Republicans Monday to introduce a resolution allowing the chamber to dismiss articles of impeachment against President Trump for lack of prosecution, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delays sending the case for trial.

    The resolution specifically would update Senate rules to allow the chamber to bring a motion dismissing the articles.

    JOHN BOLTON: I WILL TESTIFY IN IMPEACHMENT TRIAL IF SUBPOENAED

    “In the real world, when a prosecutor brings a case but refuses to try it, the court has the ability and the defendant has the right – the constitutional right, I might add — to have those articles, those indictments, those charges dismissed,” Hawley said in a speech on the Senate floor. “That is precisely the action that I am proposing today.”

    Hawley joined with co-sponsors Sens. Rick Scott of Florida; Mike Braun of Indiana; Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee; Ted Cruz of Texas; Steve Daines of Montana; John Barrasso of Wyoming; Tom Cotton of Arkansas; Joni Ernst of Iowa; David Perdue of Georgia; and Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma.

    “Speaker Pelosi started this bogus impeachment by claiming President Trump was an urgent ‘threat to democracy’ who had to be removed now,” Hawley said in a statement Monday. “But after a bipartisan vote against the articles in the House, and with the public opposed to the Democrats’ partisan games, Pelosi has changed her tune. Now she wants to prevent a Senate trial, perhaps indefinitely. But the Constitution gives the Senate sole power to adjudicate articles of impeachment, not the House.”

    He added: “If Speaker Pelosi is afraid to try her case, the articles should be dismissed for failure to prosecute and Congress should get back to doing the people’s business.”

    The Senate currently has a set of 26 rules that govern all impeachment proceedings, which presume a “prompt delivery of the articles of impeachment to the Senate following their adoption by the House.”

    But last month, the House voted to adopt two articles of impeachment against the president—abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Pelosi, after the vote, said she wanted reassurances that the Senate would hold a fair trial, involving certain Democrat-sought witnesses, before sending over the articles of the Senate to begin proceedings. Pelosi, who has been sitting on the articles of impeachment since before Christmas, has yet to transmit them to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

    Hawley’s resolution would allow the Senate to dismiss the articles of impeachment for lack of prosecution, once the House has withheld articles for 25 calendar days or more. Under the proposed rule, any senator would be able to move to dismiss the articles once the time period has elapsed. That motion would then be voted upon by the full Senate.

    IMPEACHMENT IMPASSE DEEPENS AS MCCONNELL REJECTS PELOSI’S BID TO SHAPE TRIAL: ‘THEIR TURN IS OVER’

    At this point, Pelosi has held the articles of impeachment for 19 days. The House voted to adopt the articles on Dec. 18, 2019.

    https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-senators-introduce-resolution-to-dismiss-articles-of-impeachment-amid-battle-with-pelosi

  24. Canada: Where Calling Soleimani a Terrorist Can Get You Arrested

    https://clarionproject.org/canada-where-calling-soleimani-a-terrorist-can-get-you-arrested/?utm_source=Clarion+Project+Newsletter&utm_campaign=4e33b6fe99-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_01_06_02_37&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_60abb35148-4e33b6fe99-5908801&mc_cid=4e33b6fe99&mc_eid=65230079c6Watch how Canadian police threaten a journalist that if he called assassinated Iranian General Qasem Soleimani a terrorist, he would be arrested. Rebel Media reporter David Menzies was covering the pro- and anti-Soleimani demonstrations in Toronto over the weekend.

    The shocking video shows how police — as well as pro-Iranian demonstrators — are virtually willing to deny this polite journalist his right to free speech and press under Canadian law.

    Tehran or Toronto? You decide:

  25. While some Democrats attack Trump for attacking Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, two Muslim women are sending their own missiles toward the President’s critics.

    Masih Alinejad — a journalist/producer for Voice of America Persian Service — and native British Dr. Qanta Ahmed are standing up for the Commander-in-Cheif and against those in outrage over his move against the planet’s largest sponsor of terrorism.

    Speaking to Fox News, Qanta called the nay-sayers “completely morally bankrupt and craven.”

    In fact, she said, their opposition “makes you question what their interests really are.”

    Masih knows a thing or two about Iran — her brother was jailed there in front of his young children for protesting the regime.

    Strangely, it seems some in the West like the recently departed more than do Iranians:

    https://www.redstate.com/alexparker/2020/01/06/761033/

  26. The Democrats’ Strange Reaction to the Death of Qassem Soleimani
    Or maybe it’s not so strange, given the Obama crowd’s unending Iran Deal treachery.

    On April 18, 1943, during the Solomon Islands campaign in the Pacific, the U.S. Army Air Force shot down the bomber known to be transporting Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the commander of the Combined Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy. The aircraft went down in flames, and all on board died.

    Planned and executed under the strictest secrecy, Operation Vengeance was launched with the specific purpose of killing Yamamoto. Although the planners were concerned that this targeted assassination might invite retaliation in kind by the Japanese, the American press, public, and political establishment overwhelmingly approved the intentional killing of Yamamoto. He had been the architect of the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor and was deemed to be the Imperial Navy’s ablest officer. His death was not only well-earned retribution, it also materially advanced the war effort. So, targeted assassination or not, the killing of Yamamoto was considered to be a good thing.

    Similarly, the 2011 execution of Osama Bin Laden by special forces received universal praise from the American public, the media, and both major political parties. And, consistent with the goal of that operation, the Obama administration also conducted extensive drone warfare that targeted and killed scores of lower-ranking terrorists while in many instances collaterally wounding or killing hundreds of non-combatants. Nevertheless, despite this “collateral damage,” neither the Democrats nor the mainstream media raised any serious criticism or opposition to Obama’s lethal drone program.

    https://spectator.org/the-democrats-strange-reaction-to-the-death-of-qassem-soleimani/?utm_source=American%20Spectator%20Emails&utm_campaign=4f47ad80c8-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_01_06_02_44&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_797a38d487-4f47ad80c8-104523669

    • “The playbook written by James A. Baker and Lee Hamilton, the 2006 Iraq Study Commission Report, which asserted that “the United States will not be able to achieve its goals in the Middle East unless the United States deals directly with the Arab-Israeli conflict,” and called for “a renewed and sustained commitment by the United States” to bring about an Israeli withdrawal from Judea and Samaria and the Golan heights. The report also called for creation of a Palestinian state and engagement with Iran.”

      “The Iraq Study Group recommends…giving up Israel”.(Dec 6, 2006) http://fresnozionism.org/2006/12/the-iraq-study-group-recommendsgiving-up-israel/

  27. Thirty killed in northeast Nigeria bomb blast on crowded bridge (reuters, Jan 6, 2019)
    https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-security/thirty-killed-in-northeast-nigeria-bomb-blast-on-crowded-bridge-idUSKBN1Z526J

    “At least 30 people were killed in the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno after an improvised explosive device detonated on a bridge, sources told Reuters on Monday.

    The bomb detonated at roughly 5 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) on a crowded bridge in the market town of Gamboru that leads into neighboring Cameroon.

    Witnesses in the market town said more than 35 injured people were taken to the local hospital following the attack.

    “It is an unfortunate day for us to witness this frustrating and devastating incident in our community,” eyewitness Modu Ali Said told Reuters.

    “I just heard a loud sound of explosions, before I realized I saw many of our friends and colleagues were killed,” Said added.

    A military spokesman said he would provide comment later in the evening.

    Two sources with the Civilian Joint Task Force, a group of citizens formed to fight Boko Haram, confirmed the attack and the early death toll estimates.

    No group immediately took responsibility. Both Boko Haram and the regional offshoot of Islamic State, known as ISWAP, are active in the area.”

  28. Egypt, Italy, France say Turkish escalation in Libya threatens region’s security
    http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/358966/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt,-Italy,-France-say-Turkish-escalation-in-Lib.aspx

    “Egypt, Italy and France stressed that Turkey’s recent intervention in Libya endangers security and peace of the region entirely, a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry read.

    According to the statement, the consensus was expressed during phone calls by Egyptian foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry with his Italian and French counterparts Luigi Di Maio and Jean-Yves Le Drian.

    The calls, which come as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the beginning of deployment of his country’s troops to Libya, are part of intensive contacts with international partners on ongoing developments in Libya.

    The ministers reaffirmed rejection to any military interference in Libya, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said, as they underscored the necessity to support efforts aiming towards a political solution for the Libyan crisis.

    In the past weeks, tensions have continued to mount in the Mediterranean region following controversial accords signed between Ankara and Libya’s Government of National Accord, led by Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj.

    Egypt has reiterated its firm support of the eastern-based Libyan National Army and its commander Khalifa Haftar, stressing its rejection of “any form of intervention in Libya’s domestic affairs.””

  29. Italy Deports Moroccan Imam for ‘Security Reasons’
    http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2020/01/290523/italy-moroccan-imam-security-isis/

    “Italy expelled a Moroccan imam on January 4 for security reasons.

    Italian news outlet ADNKronos reported that Italy’s Interior Ministry ordered the imam’s deportation.

    The Italian local media quoted the Minister of Interior Luciana Lamorgese as saying that ministry expelled the imam for “security reasons.”

    The interior minister added that the 41-year old man was “investigated for expressing praise for the Al Baghdadi caliphate and supporting ISIS who fought in Syria.”

    According to ADNKronos, the imam’s wife made a complaint against him in 2018, citing “mistreatment and injury that she suffered whenever she refused to wear the niqab.”

    Authorities expelled the imam from the Bologna air border to Casablanca.

    The imam was born in Morocco in 1978.

    The man immigrated to Italy in 2006 where he obtained a residence permit from the immigration office in 2009.

    Last year, Italy deported several Moroccans to their home country.

    In January the security services in the European country expelled a 37-year old Moroccan for risk of radicalization.

    Italy also expelled Salma Bencharki, the wife of Moroccan ISIS fighter Abderrahim Moutaharik, for security reasons.

    Moutaharrik is a Moroccan kickboxer who received a six-year prison sentence in 2016 on terror charges. He is known as the “ISIS Boxer.”

    Morocco, however, does not prosecute the wives and children of repatriated fighters.

    According to the head of Morocco’s Central Bureau of Judicial Investigation (BCIJ) Abdelhak El Khiame, women did not intend to leave Morocco to join jihadi movements. They only accompanied their husbands.”

  30. Erdo?an hails Turkish intel’s global mission
    http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-hails-turkish-intels-global-mission-150658

    “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an on Jan. 6 praised the role of the National Intelligence Organization (M?T), saying the organization has been showing great effort in missions around the globe, in Syria, Iraq and more recently in Libya.

    “Intelligence data are indispensable for a nation’s prosperity, not only in wartimes but also during times of peace.

    Amid the critical days our country and the world have been going through, the support of M?T prevails more than ever,” Erdo?an said.

    The president’s remarks came during the opening ceremony of a new high-technology facility of M?T in the capital Ankara. The new headquarters of M?T, dubbed “Kale” in Turkish, meaning “Fortress” in English, is designed specifically to prevent audio surveillance and infiltration. Some three-meter-long walls and barbed wires surround the 5,000-decare facility.

    Stressing the role of M?T in worldwide missions, Erdo?an said the organization has shown great success and took active role in Syria, Iraq and more recently Libya.

    “We are going through a period in which the world is being restructured. The threats we face increase,” Erdo?an said adding that the most significant threat Turkey faces is terrorism.

    Terrorist organizations such as the PKK/YPG, ISIL, and FETÖ have “waged war” against Turkey and M?T has played a crucial role in the fight against these, according to Erdo?an.

    “Especially, since the very first day of the Syrian crisis, [M?T] has played an active role in the field and has made great efforts in the success of our cross-border operations,” he added.

    M?T is now regarded as a powerful and respected international organization and many countries praise its activities, Erdo?an said.

    “In the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, [M?T] has prevented the spread of this blood upon us and made Turkey’s weight being felt by untying every knot,” he said.

    More covert operations

    The president also conveyed that M?T increased its covert operations with more efficiency in technical and cyber intelligence in international missions.

    He also added that M?T will share the data it gathered for the detection of spies and terrorists to the Turkish Armed Forces, the Foreign Ministry and the Turkish National Police in a bid to increase coordination.

    In order to build this into a mechanism, a National Intelligence Coordination Board has been established, the president conveyed.

    Erdo?an added that M?T will shift its focus on foreign missions rather than local ones.

    The president also said that these missions of M?T are currently continuing in Libya. “I wholeheartedly believe that [M?T] will continue to defend the interests of our state and nation.”

    Turkish army units moving to Libya

    Erdo?an, during a televised interview on Jan. 6, said that Turkish military units had started moving to Libya to support Fayez al-Sarraj’s U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), based in Tripoli.

    Turkey’s parliament approved a bill on Jan. 2 that allows for the deployment of troops in Libya to protect Ankara’s interests in North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea and to help achieve peace and stability in Libya.

    “There will be an operation center [in Libya], there will be a Turkish lieutenant general leading and they will be managing the situation over there. [Turkish soldiers] are gradually moving there right now,” Erdo?an said.

    “The goal of the Turkish Armed Forces is not to fight, but to ensure cease-fire in Libya,” he added.

    The GNA last month requested Turkish support as it fends off an offensive by General Khalifa Haftar’s forces, which are backed by Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

    On Jan. 4, at least 30 people were killed and 33 others wounded in an attack on a military academy in the Libyan capital.

    Turkey condemned the attack and called for international steps to achieve a cease-fire.”

  32. Investigator says Hunter Biden used identity of dead brother Beau to hide location
    by Spencer Neale
    | January 06, 2020 06:27 PM
    A private investigator has claimed in an Arkansas paternity case that former Vice President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden tried to conceal his whereabouts by using the identity of his dead older brother Beau.

    In a two-page court document, Dominic Casey, who has filed as a third-party intervener in the case and previously worked on Casey Anthony’s defense team, stated that stolen identities were used to check Biden into an Arizona rehabilitation facility as Joseph R. Beau Biden III and Joseph McGee. The identities were reportedly found by police after responding to reports of suspicious items inside a Hertz rental car on Oct. 28, 2018.

    Biden’s father is one of the leading candidates in the 2020 Democratic nomination race. The Arkansas “Baby Doe” — the gender has not been confirmed — is the former vice president’s seventh grandchild.

    The paternity case concerns a child fathered by Biden, 49, with Lunden Roberts, 28, whom he met when she was working as a stripper in Washington, D.C. Beau Biden died at age 46 in 2015. Hunter Biden later dated his late brother’s widow Hallie, the mother of his niece and nephew, but the couple broke up shortly before Hunter Biden married Melissa Cohen, 32, last year.

    “A bag containing the suspicious items, a cellular telephone (Apple) belonging to Shauna Stanglr, who is also known as Puma St. Angel, and a Delaware attorney general badge belonging to Hunter Biden’s deceased brother Joseph R. Beau Biden III were provided to the police officer,” the filing stated. The existence of the Delaware attorney general badge was first reported last May.

    Puma St. Angel is the co-founder of Grace Grove at Rejuvenation and Performance Institute, a “lifestyle center” in Sedona, Arizona.

    The documents state that authorities “received a call from Joseph McGee stating his friend was sick and left the vehicle overnight with the keys in the gas cap area because they did not know what to do.”

    Biden has been the target of Republicans because of his role as a board member for Ukrainian gas company Burisma Holdings where he was paid $50,000 a month, even though he had no relevant experience in the field. Biden has had a string of well-documented issues with drugs, including reports of cocaine-laced cigarettes, crack, and vodka binges.

    News

    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/investigator-says-hunter-biden-used-identity-of-dead-brother-beau-to-hide-location?_amp=true&__twitter_impression=true

  37. Fitton: Judicial Watch Finds 2.5 Million ‘Extra’ Registrants on Voting Rolls – Warns 5 States to Clean Up or Face Federal Lawsuit
    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/01/06/fitton-judicial-watch-finds-2-5-million-extra-registrants-on-voting-rolls-warns-5-states-to-clean-up-or-face-federal-lawsuit/

    “One of the most important things we can do in this election year is continue to force states and counties across the nation to comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).

    And we are. We have sent notice-of-violation letters to 19 large counties in five states that we intend to sue unless they take steps to comply with the law and remove ineligible voter registrations within 90 days. Section 8 of the act requires jurisdictions to take reasonable efforts to remove ineligible registrations from their rolls.

    Despite our successful litigation to bring counties and states into compliance with the NVRA, voter registration lists across the country remain significantly out of date. According to our analysis of data released by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) this year, 378 counties nationwide have more voter registrations than citizens old enough to vote, i.e., counties where registration rates exceed 100%.

    These 378 counties combined had about 2.5 million registrations over the 100%-registered mark, which is a drop of about one million from our previous analysis of voter registration data. Although San Diego County removed 500,000 inactive names from voter rolls following our settlement with Los Angeles County, San Diego still has a registration rate of 117% and has one of the highest registration rates in the county.

    Judicial Watch Attorney Robert Popper is the director of our Election Integrity initiative. In the latest round of warning letters, we explain that implausibly high registration rates raise legal concerns:

    An unusually high registration rate suggests that a jurisdiction is not removing voters who have died or who have moved elsewhere, as required by [federal law].

    Judicial Watch also considers how many registrations were ultimately removed from the voter rolls because a registrant [had moved]. If few or no voters were removed…the jurisdiction is obviously failing to comply . . . States must report the number of such removals to the EAC.

    We found major voting list issues in California, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, and Colorado. The following counties have excessive registration rates or have failed to cancel sufficient numbers of ineligible registrations:

    Colorado
    Jefferson County
    California
    Imperial County
    Monterey County
    Orange County
    Riverside County
    San Diego County
    San Francisco County
    San Mateo County
    Santa Clara County
    Solano County
    Stanislaus County
    Yolo County
    North Carolina
    Guilford County
    Mecklenburg County
    Virginia
    Fairfax County
    Pennsylvania
    Allegheny County
    Bucks County
    Chester County
    Delaware County
    We are the national leader in enforcing the NVRA, which requires states to take reasonable steps to clean their rolls.

    In 2018, the Supreme Court upheld a massive voter roll cleanup that resulted from our settlement of a federal lawsuit with Ohio. California also settled a similar lawsuit with us that last year began the process of removing up to 1.5 million “inactive” names from Los Angeles County voting rolls. Kentucky also began a cleanup of up to 250,00 names last year after it entered into a consent decree to end another Judicial Watch lawsuit.

    Dirty voting rolls can mean dirty elections and we will insist, in court if necessary, that states follow federal law to clean up their voting rolls. Our previous lawsuits have already led to major cleanups in California, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio – but more needs to be done. It is common sense that voters who die or move away be removed from the voting rolls.”

    • Incompetence, not malice…
      It took repeated effort for me to contact the county registar in my former state to cancel my registration after moving, which is supposed to be automatic.

      • Tulsi appears on PressTV and RT, a talking head.
        Why would she be so keen to spew into Iranian and Russian propaganda nozzles? They pay her, of course, just like Jeremy Corbyn. Fellow traveler?

        Tulsi, Julian Assange, and alternatives to the USDollar are staples for Kremlin disinfo vehicles.