Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence

[ScottL]

Even Bibi got off track today and let the cat out of the bag that Israel is talking to other Arab states (who by the way still hate Jews but not as much as they fear Iran) about security cooperation and a regional peace deal. I assume this is Qatar (who gave millions to hamas) and the Saudis (who finances the textbooks that teach little Arabs 5YO and up to hate Jews because "they stole your country"). Obama kept trying to force a deal and it backfired. Bill Clinton trying to force a deal led to a big pile of dead Jews.

U.S., Middle East Allies Explore Arab Military Coalition - Maria Abi-Habib
The Trump administration is in talks with Arab allies about having them form a military alliance that would share intelligence with Israel to help counter their mutual foe, Iran, several Middle Eastern officials said. The alliance would include Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as Egypt and Jordan. Other Arab countries could also join. The U.S. would offer military and intelligence support to the alliance.
One Arab diplomat said, "Israel's role would likely be intelligence sharing, not training or boots on the ground. They'd provide intelligence and targets. That's what the Israelis are good at." (Wall Street Journal)

 

[ScottL]

I'm surprised Trump doesn't recognize what a farce the "Two State Solution" is.

He has conservative instincts so at some point realism has to set in.

• For the U.S., the True Goal Is Peace - Michael Crowley
  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the White House on Wednesday will "usher in a new relationship between Israel and the United States...a relationship that will show there is no daylight [between the two countries]," a Trump White House official said Tuesday. White House officials said that Trump wouldn't seek to impose a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
  Elliott Abrams, a former top national security official in the George W. Bush White House, applauded the White House's language. "The true goal is peace," Abrams said. "The positions of Israel and the [Palestine Liberation Organization] have long been that the best and quickest road to peace is the two-state solution. But that is not the goal; it is a means to an end. If it is impossible, or there are better means, we should be open to them. That's what I think the administration is saying, and they're right."
  "For both sides, the primary objective of this meeting is to change the political theater of the relationship," said Michele Flournoy, a former top Obama Pentagon official and co-founder of the Center for a New American Security. Their goal, Flournoy added, is "to change the vibe, the feeling" from the tensions of the Obama era. (Politico)

 

[fletchisrhsm]

I would agree with addressing the overabundance of bureaucracy within the government, however it certainly appears that Trump has gone on the offensive with the intelligence community not for us, but rather to cover his ass. And as a Libertarian, one has to consider there must be some sacrifice for individual freedoms for the security of the nation. With that, as I have mentioned the Patriot Act should be repealed as it is one of the biggest assaults to person freedom/rights and frankly I don't trust the NSA. However, I do assume the CIA and FBI are working more on the nation's behalf than not. Further, there has never been anything that Trump has said that makes me feel safe with HIM making decisions. Stupidity trumps policy my friend. And lastly, I will agree to drop the Drumpf if you stop calling him "daddy." That makes you look like a cuck- and you are better than that!

Trump is the Daddy figure we need in the white house. I don't like my Dad all the time but i know he means well. Im going to let you rescind your statement:
"And as a Libertarian, one has to consider there must be some sacrifice for individual freedoms for the security of the nation"

As a Libertarian, i would say the opposite. Other than border defense and military defense sacrificing individual freedoms is anything but Libertarian its Authoritarian.

As far as the CIA... really? Tell me, just how they have American best interests at heart? They have facilitated and participated in the drug trade here on American soil. They gave shit evidence to justify Iraq war that was a total shit show. Their overseas actions of overthrowing governments has resulted in blow back that has created muslim extremism from everywhere they have touched like Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan etc etc. They have infiltrated the media with operation mocking bird for fucks sake! You think that is in our best interest to have our media being propagandized by an unelected state entity? This hearing was from 1976 ... you ever think why the mainstream media is such a rag now???

 

[neverbend]

Yes, Trump can drain the 'swamp' but he must do this first or get eaten by the alligators

[FONT=&]

[FONT=&]By Pete Hoekstra
[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&]President Donald Trump is a man in a hurry. Throughout his campaign he laid out his priorities. He’s a man who likes to get things done and is intent on keeping his promises. We've seen this before. But draining a swamp is never easy.
[FONT=&]
In January of 1995 we were part of the first (and historic) Republican House majority in 40 years. In the 1994 election, under the leadership of Newt Gingrich, House candidates signed the Contract with America that promised a 100 day agenda to transform Washington.
[FONT=&]
Some might say it was a commitment to “drain the swamp”. During those first 100 days, over 300 roll call votes were taken. We voted on every item that had been promised. We kept our word and set a course to actually balance the federal budget. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Today, President Trump is committed to achieving the same record of performance during his first 100 days. Promises made, promises kept.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
As President Trump begins the process of implementing commitments and draining the swamp through his executive orders and legislative initiatives, he needs to clearly understand that the swamp will undoubtedly fight back.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has already slow-rolled the confirmation process of the President’s new cabinet. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]
The angry left has mobilized and encouraged protestors to attempt to create the impression that his new policies lack public support. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Even some Republicans are proving to be less than helpful. These actions were all expected. Candidate Trump got a taste of this opposition during his campaign.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
What is conceivably new and maybe somewhat unexpected in terms of its scale and impact is the fourth branch of the U.S. government – the bureaucracy. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Perhaps the most glaring example of the power of the bureaucracy was the decision by his acting Attorney General to refuse to defend the President’s Executive Order on a refugee pause as new enhanced vetting protocols from seven countries were developed. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]
The swamp now has officially claimed its first victim of the administration, Mike Flynn. Flynn made a mistake, no doubt about it. But he fell victim to the bureaucracy that was not fond of him or his reform agenda. It collected information secretively and then leaked it to a willing and eager media. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Team Trump will soon see that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The federal bureaucracy is full of employees who do not share his world view. From Foggy Bottom to NOAA to the IRS, they have become increasingly politicized. The bureaucracy would be happy to undermine and “resist”. Some have already begun and it will only get worse.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
President Trump must recognize this threat to his agenda. He needs to gather his team and get them on the field. The president has the ability to fill roughly 5,000 positions. While that number may seem massive, it pales in comparison to the almost three million workers in the fourth estate. Many if not most of who are committed to maintaining the status quo.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Candidate Trump ran a clean and successful campaign that lasted about 18 months. If he expects to be a successful two-term president, he will need to build a strong core of supporters throughout the executive branch who share his same vision.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Bringing change to Washington is complex.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Newt Gingrich has advised President Trump. If you are determined to drain the swamp, beware of the alligators. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Newt speaks from personal experience. He was a true transformational leader who confronted the status quo.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
The swamp fought back taking advantage of every “mistake” made by the former Speaker.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
The bottom line for Speaker Gingrich was that after four years, the swamp had claimed Newt Gingrich as its victim. And it then came creeping back. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Balanced budgets and strong economic growth soon vanished. The bureaucracy and federal spending that fed it soon started rising again. [/FONT]
[FONT=&]
If President Trump wants to truly transform America he will need loyal teammates to make it happen. He will need to run a tight ship. Yes, these alligators are relentless.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
No one should doubt what’s at stake here. President Trump is serious about draining the swamp, and as we are currently witnessing, the swamp will surely fight back.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Trump’s team needs to find a way to improve quickly because if they don’t, Mike Flynn will have been the first of many who will fall victim to the predatory swamp![/FONT]
[FONT=&]
Republican Pete Hoekstra is the Shillman senior fellow at the Investigative Project on Terrorism and the former chairman (R-Michigan) of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee. He is the author of "Architects of Disaster: The Destruction of Libya" (The Calamo Press, October 2, 2015).[/FONT]
[/FONT]
[/FONT]

Rex Tillerson has already substantially drained the swamp at 'state' he is a doer.
Tillerson is a star the greatest upgrade at that crucial department ever. Tillerson
takes Kerry's former job/ enough said.

I expect the new EPA administer will follow suit. So it's happening

 

[ScottL]

You ain't kidding! I couldn't imagine the tone if Hillary was standing up there. I think Bibi would have been able to muddle through with her, calling her a friend etc even if he was faking it. At home he is pressured by the Left who wants to give up everything and the Right who wants the Two State Solution idea scrubbed because it's a fantasy.

Regarding the ME Trump knows one thing and that is the Israelis are the good guys. He doesn't know much else though. There are basic accepted falsehoods (for lack of a better term) that keep seeing the light of discussion that I would like replaced with harsh truths.

As Bibi said let's talk about substance. You can't create "two states for two people's" if at birth the newly created state's purpose is to destroy the Jewish state and replace it with another terror state. You can't talk about Israel adding to existing neighborhoods in areas everyone knows will be part of Israel in a final deal.

What I fear about Trump is him being more about getting the deal done than about whether the Arabs are ready to do the deal. Even Bibi got off track today and let the cat out of the bag that Israel is talking to other Arab states (who by the way still hate Jews but not as much as they fear Iran) about security cooperation and a regional peace deal. I assume this is Qatar (who gave millions to hamas) and the Saudis (who finances the textbooks that teach little Arabs 5YO and up to hate Jews because "they stole your country"). Obama kept trying to force a deal and it backfired. Bill Clinton trying to force a deal led to a big pile of dead Jews.

Iran and Hizb'Allah are the big issue right now. Lebanon has an arsenal pointed at Israel and Hizb will go with Iran's word. The WB and Gaza are another front that could open. And Israel and Egypt are currently fighting ISIS in the Sanai Peninsula.

Marco Rubio just kicked ass! The United States should NOT be fair and balanced in this conflict. And this is why!

 

[Dave007inVegas]

Marco Rubio just kicked ass! The United States should NOT be fair and balanced in this conflict. And this is why!

That pretty sums up my views.

 

[mplastered]

To the contrary- I could say that about you. I'm just not buying the ruse- Trump is not a smart person and no I don't trust his impulsive act first think second actions.

I disagree. It's obvious Trump is smart, but it is his act first think second that hides that fact.