By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
Earlier today, President Trump minced no words in laying a groundwork for his expectations on the terms of withdrawal for U.S. Forces in the Syrian Theater.
While he mentioned he did not want the Kurds to provoke Turkey, the message directed at Turkey’s government was plain: “…[We] Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds.
Continue reading “President Trump Threatens to “Devastate Turkey Economically” If Nation Attacks Kurds”By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
Yesterday, Anti-ISIS Kurdish Militia Spokesman Nuri Mahmud issued an official statement countering what the Syrian Democratic Forces coalition describe as falsehoods spread by the Turkish Government to establish a pre-text toward invasion of Kurdish areas of Syria.
Turkey Regards the YPG (People’s Protection Units) of having ties with and providing support to the PKK, which Turkey and the United States consider a Terrorist Organization.
The YPG/YPJ and SDF is in alliance with U.S. Coalition forces to eliminate the ISIS threat in Syria and have in all regards been the foundation for the terrorist organization’s upcoming defeat as a military force in Syria.
Continue reading “YPG Issues Statement Refuting Accusations of Turkey Regarding Syrian Conflict”By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
Turkey granted imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan his first visitor in nearly two years this Saturday. Turkish courts ruled in 2016 that he was to receive no visitors, including family. Mr. Öcalan has not had access to visits from his attorneys since 2011 despite filing over seven hundred requests to do so. Mr. Öcalan was visited by his brother, Mohammad Öcalan.
While it is unclear exactly why Turkey had a change of heart regarding the visits, it was recently widely reported on Thursday in Turkish and Kurdish news media that a jailed member of Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkey is suffering “life-threatening” medical conditions during her hunger strike that started sixty-five days ago. She began the strike to protest the conditions and isolation that Mr. Öcalan was experiencing at the hands of his Turkish captors.
Continue reading “PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan Granted 1st Visit in Two Years After Jailed Pol. Listed In Critical Condition During Hunger Strike Protesting His Isolation”By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
On Friday our host featured an article depicting the plight of Saudi Arabian National Rahaf al-Qunun who fled to Thailand to escape what she described as religious persecution for apostasy. Ms. al-Qunun renounced Islam and refused to submit to the state’s discriminatory practices toward women.
Her asylum pleading for many seemed a prima facie case, given apostasy is punishable up to and including the death penalty and Canada swiftly approved her petition upon her arrival.
Continue reading “Saudi Teenager Involved In Bangkok Standoff Granted Asylum In Canada”
The New York Times caused a firestorm over its reporting that former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort attempted to pass internal Trump campaign data to a Russia oligarch with close ties to Vladimir Putin during the 2016 presidential race. Various sites declared the story by reporters Sharon LaFraniere, Kenneth P. Vogel and Maggie Haberman as the final corroboration of collusion between the Russians and the Trump campaign. However, the New York Times later retracted the key connection to a Russian oligarch.
Continue reading “New York Times Issues Retraction In Bombshell Collusion Story”
Below is my column in The Hill newspaper on the threat of President Donald Trump that, should the Democrats refuse to fund the wall, he is preparing to declare a national emergency to build it unilaterally. As I discuss below, I believe that such a declaration should be opposed by Congress in defense of its inherent constitutional function over the federal purse. I do not see the compelling basis to declare an emergency given the available data on illegal crossings on the Southern border. However, I disagree with those who have argued that such a declaration would be unconstitutional.
Here is the column:
Continue reading “Yes, Trump Has The Authority To Declare A National Emergency On The Southern Border”
In his signature fashion, President Donald Trump on Wednesday embraced the criticism of the Democrats and said that his wall is “medieval” but works. Last night, the public saw both the President and the Democrats announce that they will not yield an inch as the country continues what will soon become the longest government shutdown in history. Lingering in the background is the threat of a presidential declaration of emergency — followed by a unilateral order to start to build the wall with unobligated funds. If so, the White House needs to guarantee that it will not repeat the grossly negligent performance of its first travel ban roll out. Trump reportedly stormed out of a meeting with Democrats in the afternoon.
Continue reading “Trump Goes “Medieval”: Both Sides Deepen Divide Over Wall”
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has reignited the debate over tax rates with her proposal a 70 percent top federal income tax rate. While few Democratic leaders are supporting such a proposal, most continue to criticize the wealthy for not “paying their fair share.” However, data from the Congressional Budget Office shows that the top 20 percent of earners in the country pay roughly 90 percent of the income taxes. When all taxes are considered, the top 20 percent pays roughly 70 percent. What is clear is that both sides are shading data in this debate.
Continue reading “Tax Hikes or Tax Hypes? Both Sides Start The Spin Toward 2020 On Tax Politics”
There is a bizarre controversy in Portland, Oregon after the city began to put up notices on buildings that it deemed unsafe for possible earthquakes. The city is trying to prepare for “the big one” — a massive earthquake that is now overdue. It is identifying older buildings susceptible to collapse with public signs. However, it is facing a challenge from the NAACP of Portland which has declared the signs to be the embodiment of “white supremacy” and racism. There is also a challenge for building owners.
Continue reading “NAACP Declares Portland Earthquake Warnings To Be Racist”By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
In an interview with AFP, Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces Senior Commander and Spokesman Redur Khalil stated “Reaching a solution between the autonomous [Kurdish] administration and the Syrian government is inevitable because our areas are part of Syria.”
The interview occurred shortly after United States President Donald Trump announced the upcoming withdrawal of American forces from Syria.
The statement might come as a surprise to many given the long and bloody civil war facing all of Syrian society, it does beg the question of whether it is the result of the realpolitik forced on the Kurds by Presidents Trump and Erdogan.
Continue reading “Kurdish Commander: “Deal With Assad Regime Inevitable””
After fueling impeachment calls in the election, some Democratic leaders are trying to tamp down on the issue despite the filing of impeachment articles on the first day of the session. The leaders could now have a serious problem in controlling dozens of members who secured their fees in part on impeachment pledges. That was obvious this week when newly elected Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) proclaimed the intention to “impeach the motherf**ker” at a reception for the liberal group MoveOn. The statement obviously delighted the crowd but undermined the credibility of the new Democratic majority in seriously examining the basis for impeachment. In a measure of the distemper that has taken over our politics, Tlaib has refused to apologize.
Continue reading “New Democratic Member: “We Gonna . . . Impeach The Mother**ker””
Shortly before becoming House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) made an interesting statement in an interview with the New York Times that the Constitution makes her to be President Donald Trump’s equal. While President Donald Trump is criticized for misconstruing his inherent powers (often for good reason), Pelosi also appears to need a basic constitutional primer on the office.
Continue reading “No, Pelosi Is Not The Constitutional Equal To The President”
I have been writing for weeks about the how many new Democratic members ran on the pledge to insist on new leadership, particularly in the opposition to Nancy Pelosi resuming as Speaker. Pelosi remains one of the most polarizing figures in the country and has long been unpopular with the majority of voters. However, these elections are not about the voters or even the party. It is about the members and their interests. Pelosi spent weeks working members with promises of committee positions and support. The result is that the new Democratic Party looks a lot like the old Democratic Party — and the new members have found a new home in the Washington establishment. Pelosi, 78, will resume the speakership today while Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.), 78, will return as Majority Whip . . . and all is well in the Beltway after another “revolutionary” election.
Continue reading “Vive La Révolution: Meet The Faces Of The New Democratic Party”
We have previously discussed the shameful and corrupt law in Alabama that allowed sheriffs to personally pocket any money left over from food funds for inmates. It is astonishing to me that the entire legislature was not held responsible and thrown from office for maintaining such a moronic and perverse law. Nevertheless, despite scandals of sheriffs pocketing hundreds of thousands for beach houses and personal windfalls, the legislature ignored national outcry over the law. Now Sheriff Todd Entrekin of Etowah County, Alabama, may have finally gone too far. Not for Alabama, mind you, but the federal government which takes a different view of pilfering the public fisc. Entrekin, who lost his re-election this year after he was found to have pocketed $750,000 allotted for feeding inmates in county lockup and using it for a beach house, is facing new allegations that he took an additional $1.5 millions aside for feeding federal immigration detainees.
Continue reading “Former Alabama Sheriff Who Used Inmate Food Funds To Buy Beach House Now Faces Allegations of Pocketing $1.5 Million In Federal Funds”
I have long been critical of the attacks of President Donald Trump against critics and the media as unpresidential and inimical to our values. This week has another disturbing example of such personal attacks when Trump responded to criticism by retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal by calling him a “dog” who was fired by President Barack Obama. Being President of the United States will always come with an abundance of critics but the office comes with a modicum of expected restraint and decorum. Calling former generals (or anyone) “dogs” is clearly well below the expectations of most people in the conduct of a president.
Continue reading “Trump Calls Decorated Retired General A “Dog” After Criticism Of His Decisions”