Monday April 15th, 2024

"It Is Not A Question of Who Is Right Or Wrong But What Is Right Or Wrong That Counts."
--Geoff Metcalf
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World & Nation

Israeli President Herzog: 'Considering All Options' After Iran Attack

In an interview with Sky News Sunday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Israel is "considering all options" after Iran launched attack drones Saturday night, describing the event as a "declaration of war."

"Now, because we are restrained and because we know the repercussions and because we have deliberations with our partners, we are considering all options. And I'm quite confident that we will take the necessary steps to protect and defend our people. We are not war seekers," Herzog told the British publication.

He further emphasized that the attack Saturday night was "just another example" of how Iran operates by "spreading havoc, terror, and instability all over the world."



U.S. should avoid military action against Iran despite attack on Israel, says House intel panel head
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                                                            A member of the Iranian paramilitary Basij force holds an Iranian flag as he covers his face in the Palestinian and Lebanese militants style in an annual rally to mark Quds Day, or Jerusalem Day, to support the Palestinians in Tehran, Iran, Friday, April 5, 2024. In the rally in Tehran, thousands attended a funeral procession for the seven Revolutionary Guard members killed in an airstrike widely attributed to Israel that destroyed Iran's Consulate in the Syrian capital on Monday. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner advocated Sunday against the U.S. retaliating against Iran for its drone attacks on Israel.

“I don’t think, at this point, that the United States should be engaged in a military action directly at Iran,” the Ohio Republican said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “But I do believe that if this administration fails to step up to the plate and understand that we have an escalating conflict and make it clear to Iran that there are red lines, and that the United States will defend Israel and will not allow Iran to become a weapon state, that we will be in a broader conflict and we will have less options.”

“Their failure to box in Iran and let them understand that there will be consequences make it more dangerous every day,” Mr. Turner added.

Mr. Turner predicted “overwhelming support” because of Iran‘s escalating tensions and that “these are allies that need and deserve our support.”



Trump lawyer says ex-president would be ‘compelling’ on the stand in his N.Y. hush money trial

                                                                         Former President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower on his way to Manhattan criminal court, Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. The hush money trial of former President Donald Trump begins Monday with jury selection. It's a singular moment for American history as the first criminal trial of a former U.S. commander in chief. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Donald Trump‘s lawyer says the former president would be a “compelling witness” if he decides to testify in his New York hush money criminal trial.

“I think that’s going to be a decision for President Trump and the trial team depending on how the trial progresses,” Will Scharf said on “Fox News Sunday.” “I would say that I think if he does take the stand, President Trump would be a compelling witness.”

“He did nothing wrong here,” Mr. Scharf said. “The truth is absolutely on his side, so that’s a decision that’s going to have to be made down the road, but one way or another, I have full confidence in both President Trump and the team that he has around him.”

The trial will start jury selection Monday in Manhattan, where Mr. Trump pleaded not guilty last year to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments his former attorney Michael Cohen made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. His lawyers have said the payments to Mr. Cohen were legal expenses and not part of a cover-up.



Biden Hits the Brakes on EV Transition

                                                                               Biden Hits the Brakes on EV Transition

The Biden administration is considering scaling back requirements for electric vehicle production in the U.S. due to challenges in supply chains, consumer demand, and infrastructure.

The adjustment comes amidst concerns about the feasibility of the initial ambitious goals and the need to balance environmental objectives with economic realities, particularly in an election year where Biden seeks union support.

“Give the market and supply chains a chance to catch up, maintain a customer’s ability to choose, let more public charging come online, let the industrial credits and Inflation Reduction Act do their thing and impact the industrial shift,” Alliance for Automotive Innovation CEO John Bozzella said.



FBI opens criminal investigation into Baltimore bridge collapse, say reports

                                                                              This satellite image provided by Maxar shows the bow of the container ship Dali remains stuck underneath sections of the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge, while salvage crews and barges with cranes continue removing some of the bridge debris and hundreds of shipping containers still onboard the vessel, in Baltimore, Monday, April 8, 2024. (Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies via AP)

The FBI is conducting a criminal investigation into the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge that is focused on the circumstances leading up to it and whether all federal laws were followed, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The person was not authorized to discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.

The FBI was present aboard the cargo ship Dali conducting court authorized law enforcement activity, the agency said in a statement Monday.



Trump: Dems' Criminal Trials 'Election Interference'


Former President Donald Trump on Monday morning again accused Democrats of using "bogus lawsuits" against him to commit "election interference."

Trump took to his Truth Social platform to comment several hours before the start of the New York City criminal trial in which he's charged with falsifying business records to pay a former adult film star to keep quiet before the 2016 election about an alleged extramarital affair.

"The Radical Left Democrats are already cheating on the 2024 Presidential Election by bringing, or helping to bring, all of these bogus lawsuits against me, thereby forcing me to sit in courthouses, and spend money that could be used for campaigning, instead of being out in the field knocking Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST President in the History of the United States. Election Interference!" Trump posted.

"As virtually every legal scholar has powerfully stated, the Biden Manhattan Witch Hunt Case is, among other things, BARRED by the Statute of Limitations. This 'trial' should be ended by the highly conflicted presiding Judge," Trump wrote.

Jury selection in the trial, held in one of the country's bluest areas, begins Monday and could take up to two weeks, The Wall Street Journal reported.

A porn star, a president and a publisher named Pecker: The key potential witnesses at Trump’s criminal trial
Trump arrives in New York court for hush money trial during campaign



Progressive activists see ‘betrayal’ after Democrats save government snooping program for Biden

Democrats' FISA reversal stuns civil liberties activists

Liberal activists have unleashed fury on Democrats after party leaders rallied to approve a bill expanding the government’s chief snooping authority without any significant new safeguards for Americans’ privacy.

Democrats provided most of the votes as the House renewed Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and, in a separate vote, shot down an attempt to add a requirement for the FBI to obtain warrants before it could snoop through data for Americans’ communications.

The votes were stunning reversals from six years ago when Democrats led opposition to FISA and Republicans were the snooping authority’s principal supporters. Civil liberties advocates pondered what changed.



Biden convening Group of Seven to coordinate response to Iran’s attack on Israel


President Biden is assembling seven of the world’s most powerful nations to formulate a unified response to Iran’s attack on Israel.

Mr. Biden said Saturday evening in a statement that he would convene the Group of Seven leaders to “coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack.”

“My team will engage with their counterparts across the region. And we will stay in close touch with Israel’s leaders,” the president said. “And while we have not seen attacks on our forces or facilities today, we will remain vigilant to all threats and will not hesitate to take all necessary action to protect our people.”

Mr. Biden’s desired response is no escalation, according to White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.



The heart of Donald Trump and the immutable truth


This past Monday, former President Donald Trump issued his long-awaited statement on abortion. He did so via a four-minute video posted on Truth Social. After emphasizing his love for childhood innocence multiple times with words such as “a precious baby” and “the miracle of life,” the former president shifted and made it clear that, in his view, “the states” should determine their own abortion laws, “and whatever they decide must be the law of the land.”

He added, “At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people.” He ended by saying (three times), “You must follow your heart.”

This summum bonum (Latin for highest good) of “following our heart” is the foundational battleground of America’s raging culture wars, which, when you boil them down to basics, is a war between moral relativism and moral reality.

Moral relativism is a philosophical argument grounded in the premise that there is no such thing as objective truth that governs a culture, but rather, each individual or community constructs their own truths to suit their relative needs and circumstances. It is the idea that what is true for you may not be true for me and vice versa. There is no such thing as a consistent objective standard. Everything is subjective to the individual.



Want to end abortion? Start with a pro-child, pro-mother agenda

People must change before kingdoms change

Former President Donald Trump has outlined his position on the right to life. It is, as expected, gently tilted toward the right side of the center. He thinks states should make the determination about the legality or illegality of abortion. The usual folks have lined up in the usual configurations.

Democrats pounced immediately, claiming that the former president was really in favor of a nationwide ban. Republicans were either relieved or disappointed, depending on whether they actually care about the right to life or merely use the issue for political purposes.

Unfortunately, the emphasis was on, as always, the legalistic, punitive edge of the issue. Make no mistake: Boundaries are needed. The only nations that allow abortions up until birth are China and North Korea. In Europe, most nations preclude abortion after 12 or 15 weeks. There is a recognition among people in the civilized world that, at some point, society has an interest in protecting nascent life.


Medal of Honor
See the source image
THOMAS JEROME HUDNER JR.

RANK: LIEUTENANT, J.G.
CONFLICT/ERA: KOREAN WAR

MILITARY SERVICE BRANCH: U.S. NAVY
MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION DATE: DECEMBER 4, 1950

MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION PLACE: CHOSIN RESERVOIR, KOREA
CITATION

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a pilot in Fighter Squadron 32, while attempting to rescue a squadron mate whose plane, struck by antiaircraft fire and trailing smoke, was forced down behind enemy lines. Quickly maneuvering to circle the downed pilot and protect him from enemy troops infesting the area, Lt. (j.g.) Hudner risked his life to save the injured flier who was trapped alive in the burning wreckage. Fully aware of the extreme danger in landing on the rough mountainous terrain, and the scant hope of escape or survival in subzero temperature, he put his plane down skillfully in a deliberate wheels-up landing in the presence of enemy troops. With his bare hands, he packed the fuselage with snow to keep the flames away from the pilot and struggled to pull him free. Unsuccessful in this he returned to his crashed aircraft and radioed other airborne planes, requesting that a helicopter be dispatched with an ax and fire extinguisher. He then remained on the spot despite the continuing danger from enemy action and, with the assistance of the rescue pilot, renewed a desperate but unavailing battle against time, cold, and flames. Lt. (j.g.) Hudner's exceptionally valiant action and selfless devotion to a shipmate sustain and enhance the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.


From the Archive....

            TO KILL OR FEED A MOCKINGBIRD
                 By Geoff Metcalf
                 July 29, 2002

            Two mutually exclusive and under reported stories have been troubling me.

               *   The apparent penchant for political operatives to leak classified information that jeopardizes national security.
               *   The generational control of information dissemination by powerful controllers.

            So we have another ‘Catch-22’.

            The complicity of the mainstream media to spin, cover, and obfuscate government abuse of power under the color of authority was not unique to the Clinton administration.  It may have been more ubiquitous, and at times even clumsy, but it was not unique.

            It has been reported that in June 1991 David Rockefeller allegedly told a Bilderberg meeting in Baden Baden German, "We are grateful to the Washington Post, the New York Times, Time Magazine and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years." He went on to explain: "It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government. The supernational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national autodetermination practiced in past centuries."

            Some argue that quote is apocryphal urban legend.  However, although I have never been able to find three corroborating independent sources for it, it IS consistent in content and tone with other Bilderberg quotes I HAVE been able to confirm.

            “If we had been subjected to the light of publicity….” Indicates the one world, globalist, wannabe controllers were/are successful in managing the message.

            Operation ‘Mockingbird’ was a program supposedly conceived by a brilliant Machiavellian State Department official, Frank Wisner.  Wisner selected Philip Graham, then publisher of the Washington Post to manage the program.  According to Deborah Davis, author of ‘Katharine the Great’, "By the early 1950s, Wisner 'owned' respected members of the New York Times, Newsweek, CBS and other communications vehicles, plus stringers, four to six hundred in all, according to a former CIA analyst."

            Over twenty five major newspapers and wire services became willing house organs for the CIA media manipulation.

            Investigators digging into MOCKINGBIRD have been flabbergasted to discover FOIA documents in which agents boast (in CIA office memos) of  pride in having placed "important assets" inside every major news publication in the country.

            I know, this is the stuff of Ludlum novels conspiracy wackos, but not until 1982 did the ‘Company’ finally concede that reporters on the CIA payroll have been case officers to field agents.

            I have too often observed, “Some people don’t like to be confused with facts that contradict their preconceived opinions.”  I have also noted (and struggle to maintain) “It is not WHO is right or wrong…but WHAT is right or wrong.”

            Anyone with almost ‘any’ military experience has no doubt seen the once ubiquitous posters cautioning “Loose Lips Sink Ships”.  It is a left over phrase from WWII and among “lessons learned”.

            In the complex world of intelligence loose lips can and have cost lives.

            Once upon a time, not so long ago, Senator Patrick Leahy (currently the Senate Judiciary committee’s lead obstructionist) used to be the Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee in the mid 80s.  Leahy allegedly ‘inadvertently’ exposed a top-secret intercept of Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak that led to the capture of the Achille Lauro terrorists.  That supposed slip of the tongue “cost the life of at least one Egyptian operative.” http://www.newsmax.com/showinside.shtml?a=2001/1/31/85757

            Loose Lip Leahy was forced to resign in disgrace 14 years ago in the wake of having to acknowledge he leaked secret intelligence to the press.   However today he lords his power over the Senate Judiciary committee.  Congress’ institutional memory must be as short as some of Jennifer Flowers former paramours.

            In our contemporary environment in which whistleblowers have become in many cases heroes it is important to make the distinctions between the appropriateness of corporate and political whistleblowers and the idiot or miscreant who leaks information with genuine national security implications.

            Currently the FBI is investigating national security leaks from specifically the House and Senate Select Intelligence committees.  This is serious stuff.

            Defenders of the indefensible will argue it is a political witch-hunt by politicians in a heavy C.Y.A. mode.  That is not true but a convenient political spin job.

            Sure it is true the white house is p.o.-ed over media reports that the National Security Agency had received but not acted on two early warning messages to 9/11.  Dick Cheney reportedly went ballistic and ripped congressional leaders.  Both House and Senate Select Intelligence committees asked the Attorney General to conduct an investigation (and no doubt quietly prayed it would be botched).

            Justice said in a statement, “…the appropriate department officials will expeditiously review this matter and take any appropriate action.”  Not if congress has anything to say about it.  Don’t expect anything fast.  Remember Leahy resigned in disgrace 14 years ago and today has the chutzpah to pontificate ad nauseum to the Judiciary committee and stall any and all Bush judicial appointments.

            More on Operation Mockingbird http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/