Trump era: Fascist dawn, or road to liberation?

A bit of anecdotal info.

On 30 January 2017, one of my sisters sent me an e-mail with the following message:

30 January 2017 said:
My doctor says my headaches are from political news stress. The prescription is zero political news for a while. Zero online. Zero talking. Zero reading. Zero TV.

I have been doing this since Thursday and have had lots of tempting thoughts to get the political news and/or talk about it. I had not realized how often I was getting into the news. I am going through withdrawal. It is getting tempting somewhat less often and a bit less difficult. The really good news is that my headaches are receding.

Another sister told me she & her husband needed to focus on their health issues and politics would have to be put on the back burner.

This morning, I received an e-mail from the 'zero-political news' sister.

13 February 2017 said:
On March 15th, each of us will mail Donald Trump a postcard that publicly expresses our opposition to him. And we, in vast numbers, from all corners of the world, will overwhelm the man with his unpopularity and failure. We will show the media and the politicians what standing with him — and against us — means. And most importantly, we will bury the White House post office in pink slips, all informing Donnie that he’s fired.

Each of us — every protester from every march, each congress calling citizen, every boycotter, volunteer, donor, and petition signer — if each of us writes even a single postcard and we put them all in the mail on the same day, March 15th, well: you do the math.
No alternative fact or Russian translation will explain away our record-breaking, officially-verifiable, warehouse-filling flood of fury. Hank Aaron currently holds the record for fan mail, having received 900,000 pieces in a year. We’re setting a new record: over a million pieces in a day, with not a single nice thing to say.

So sharpen your wit, unsheathe your writing implements, and see if your sincerest ill-wishes can pierce Donald’s famously thin skin.

Prepare for March 15th, 2017, a day hereafter to be known as #TheIdesOfTrump
Write one postcard. Write a dozen! Take a picture and post it on social media tagged with #TheIdesOfTrump ! Spread the word! Everyone on Earth should let Donnie know how he’s doing. They can’t build a wall high enough to stop the mail.

Then, on March 15th, mail your messages to:

Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

One of my friends for the past 23 years who worked as an activist for the Bernie Sanders campaign has been exchanging several e-mails with me about all the political hoopla. Below was her comment about 3 articles I sent her about Soros in response to her statements that she supports Soros because she believes Soros supports liberal causes and she dislikes the Koch Brothers because they support conservative causes. A case of - 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'?

27 January 2017 said:
Gosh, I don’t know a lot about Soros. Got his emails a few years back. They focused more on policies in Europe rather than the US, but with a global perspective. He’s Hungarian, not American. Jewish. Family died in the holocaust. He seemed to be a good guy. The alt right hates him. Despises him. They attack him with vigor. Which makes me like him, but only because they hate him. I figured he’s the lefts answer to the Koch bros. Without knowing much, is he a neoliberal? Pro globalism and trade? If he’s progressive, I still like him. If he’s a neoliberal, he best let that go and evolve.

So I sent the following 3 articles to her.

https://www.sott.net/article/341069-Counter-color-revolution-Popular-anti-Soros-movement-launched-in-Macedonia

Whitney Webb
True Activist
Sun, 29 Jan 2017 00:00 UTC

Counter color revolution: Popular "anti-Soros" movement launched in Macedonia

* * * * *
http://theduran.com/leaked-memo-proves-george-soros-ruled-ukraine-in-2014-minutes-from-breakfast-with-us-ambassador-geoffrey-pyatt/

Alex Christoforou
August 20, 2016 5:45 pm
The Duran

Leaked memo proves George Soros ruled Ukraine in 2014, minutes from “Breakfast with US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt”

* * * * *
https://www.sott.net/article/341037-Wayne-Madsen-Soros-on-the-ropes

Wayne Madsen
Strategic Culture Foundation
Sun, 29 Jan 2017 16:52 UTC

Wayne Madsen: Soros on the ropes

Her response to that information . . .

07 February 2017 said:
Still don't get the hatred of Soros. The alt right thinks he's the devil. Short sells are legal. I read his crimes in your links, and the articles were biased. Maybe he's a terrible person, but I don't see it. He supports progressive causes, and if he pays trolls to f**k with conservatives, great! But we should always question the motives of billionaires.

Aaaaargh!
 
13 Twirling Triskeles said:
A bit of anecdotal info.

On 30 January 2017, one of my sisters sent me an e-mail with the following message:

30 January 2017 said:
My doctor says my headaches are from political news stress. The prescription is zero political news for a while. Zero online. Zero talking. Zero reading. Zero TV.

I have been doing this since Thursday and have had lots of tempting thoughts to get the political news and/or talk about it. I had not realized how often I was getting into the news. I am going through withdrawal. It is getting tempting somewhat less often and a bit less difficult. The really good news is that my headaches are receding.

Another sister told me she & her husband needed to focus on their health issues and politics would have to be put on the back burner.

This morning, I received an e-mail from the 'zero-political news' sister.

13 February 2017 said:
On March 15th, each of us will mail Donald Trump a postcard that publicly expresses our opposition to him. And we, in vast numbers, from all corners of the world, will overwhelm the man with his unpopularity and failure. We will show the media and the politicians what standing with him — and against us — means. And most importantly, we will bury the White House post office in pink slips, all informing Donnie that he’s fired.

Each of us — every protester from every march, each congress calling citizen, every boycotter, volunteer, donor, and petition signer — if each of us writes even a single postcard and we put them all in the mail on the same day, March 15th, well: you do the math.
No alternative fact or Russian translation will explain away our record-breaking, officially-verifiable, warehouse-filling flood of fury. Hank Aaron currently holds the record for fan mail, having received 900,000 pieces in a year. We’re setting a new record: over a million pieces in a day, with not a single nice thing to say.

So sharpen your wit, unsheathe your writing implements, and see if your sincerest ill-wishes can pierce Donald’s famously thin skin.

Prepare for March 15th, 2017, a day hereafter to be known as #TheIdesOfTrump
Write one postcard. Write a dozen! Take a picture and post it on social media tagged with #TheIdesOfTrump ! Spread the word! Everyone on Earth should let Donnie know how he’s doing. They can’t build a wall high enough to stop the mail.

Then, on March 15th, mail your messages to:

Donald J. Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

One of my friends for the past 23 years who worked as an activist for the Bernie Sanders campaign has been exchanging several e-mails with me about all the political hoopla. Below was her comment about 3 articles I sent her about Soros in response to her statements that she supports Soros because she believes Soros supports liberal causes and she dislikes the Koch Brothers because they support conservative causes. A case of - 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'?

27 January 2017 said:
Gosh, I don’t know a lot about Soros. Got his emails a few years back. They focused more on policies in Europe rather than the US, but with a global perspective. He’s Hungarian, not American. Jewish. Family died in the holocaust. He seemed to be a good guy. The alt right hates him. Despises him. They attack him with vigor. Which makes me like him, but only because they hate him. I figured he’s the lefts answer to the Koch bros. Without knowing much, is he a neoliberal? Pro globalism and trade? If he’s progressive, I still like him. If he’s a neoliberal, he best let that go and evolve.

So I sent the following 3 articles to her.

https://www.sott.net/article/341069-Counter-color-revolution-Popular-anti-Soros-movement-launched-in-Macedonia

Whitney Webb
True Activist
Sun, 29 Jan 2017 00:00 UTC

Counter color revolution: Popular "anti-Soros" movement launched in Macedonia

* * * * *
http://theduran.com/leaked-memo-proves-george-soros-ruled-ukraine-in-2014-minutes-from-breakfast-with-us-ambassador-geoffrey-pyatt/

Alex Christoforou
August 20, 2016 5:45 pm
The Duran

Leaked memo proves George Soros ruled Ukraine in 2014, minutes from “Breakfast with US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt”

* * * * *
https://www.sott.net/article/341037-Wayne-Madsen-Soros-on-the-ropes

Wayne Madsen
Strategic Culture Foundation
Sun, 29 Jan 2017 16:52 UTC

Wayne Madsen: Soros on the ropes

Her response to that information . . .

07 February 2017 said:
Still don't get the hatred of Soros. The alt right thinks he's the devil. Short sells are legal. I read his crimes in your links, and the articles were biased. Maybe he's a terrible person, but I don't see it. He supports progressive causes, and if he pays trolls to f**k with conservatives, great! But we should always question the motives of billionaires.

Aaaaargh!

Well, you have planted the seeds. Whether they grow or not is out of your control. I have had exchanges like that, and got similar responses. I usually just leave it and see what happens. Surprisingly I have had inquiries on some later on, kind of dabbling for more information or clarification on certain things. Usually after something has come up like world events or weather events. You realize that they are like babies learning. They are at very basic,, levels of understanding. So it is easy to overwhelm them.

Over the weekend we had a wedding, and a birthday party. Trump was brought up, and I really didn't say much, just listened, and the things that were said were pretty ridiculous. I wouldn't like to tackle anything in that kind of setting, at least not right now. One on one is enough of a challenge... :) :)
 
Trump's National Security Advisor Flynn has resigned. _http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/319367-national-security-adviser-michael-flynn-resigns

I wonder if the POTUS will draw an even bigger warmonger as Flynn's replacement? Interesting development none-the-less.
 
Gen. Michael Flynn resigns as National Security Advisor

Quote: https://www.rt.com/usa/377267-michael-flynn-resigns-national-security-advisor/

Hi,

National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump, Michael Flynn, has resigned, following a scandal over his ties to Russia.

You will find it resignation letter on twitter: https://t.co/KGue1cJFzL
"In the course of my duties as the incoming National Security Advisor, I held numerous phone calls with foreign counterparts, ministers, and ambassadors," Flynn wrote. "These calls were to facilitate a smooth transition and begin to build the necessary relationships between the President, his advisors and foreign leaders. Such calls are standard practice in any transition of this magnitude."

“Unfortunately, because of the fast pace of events, I inadvertently briefed the Vice President Elect and others with the incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian"

Quote: https://www.rt.com/usa/377267-michael-flynn-resigns-national-security-advisor/
The New York Times reported Monday that officials close to Vice President Mike Pence said Pence believed Flynn was lying when he downplayed his conversation with Russian Ambassador Sergey I. Kislak, based on transcripts of their talk.

Flynn’s 24-day run on the National Security Committee came to an end late Monday evening after the Justice Department allegedly believed that he was vulnerable to blackmail by Moscow.

As a side note, his temporary replacement is also ex military
Trump named retired Lt. General Joseph Keith Kellogg, Jr. as Acting National Security Advisor

Well, from my point of view, from the suits of events, Gen Michael Flynn was actually more vulnerable to blackmail from some elements in Washington than Moscow, my 2 cents ... Moreover, kind of wonder what role Exactly VP Mike Pence and his close circle are playing in the current "US" drama.

Let's see how it may affect Trump in the future.

#art
 
Hello H2O said:
Well, you have planted the seeds. Whether they grow or not is out of your control. I have had exchanges like that, and got similar responses. I usually just leave it and see what happens. Surprisingly I have had inquiries on some later on, kind of dabbling for more information or clarification on certain things. Usually after something has come up like world events or weather events. You realize that they are like babies learning. They are at very basic,, levels of understanding. So it is easy to overwhelm them.

Exactly. It's really tough for all these people trying to play catch-up with all the news they've previously ignored for the past umpteen years. I didn't start paying any 'real' attention until 2006 myself. After getting a computer and finding SOTT & the FORUM. I'm now doing more research and reading about the break-up of Yugoslavia and the USSR - still attempting to find out about what happened during the 80's & 90's when I was partying and enjoying my fun-filled life & pretty much ignoring the news.

So I feel for all the people who are just now waking up and trying to understand what's happening. And the answers and understandings aren't going to come in the form of a few sound-bites or 20 paragraphs to explain the past 16 years and how we got to where we are now. Besides, not everyone wants to know all the nitty-gritty details like we do on this FORUM.

As it happens, they were all reaching out to me after Trump won, because they all know that I do keep up with the news on a daily basis. Mostly I share health, weather-climate, spiritual, technology news with my friends and family - because those subjects are what interest them. Politics is the one subject they have all eschewed until Trump's win. So, on the one hand it's been like jumping into a freezing lake during the winter for all of them; on the other hand, it's felt so shocking, they're needing some time to adjust to the new reality. I think it actually hurts their sensibilities and disturbs their comfort and disarrays their world views. I'm not sure how I'd respond or react myself if I were in their shoes.

I've become so used to being shocked by the daily insanity for so many years, that I take being shocked almost for granted. Just when I think the news can't get any more outrageous and psychopath behavior any more degrading, I read another news article describing even more horrendously, hideously depraved acts. It's almost as if the Universe is showing me the depths of the downward spiral in order to test me to see at what point I'll blink & flinch. And the more shocking and outrageous the behavior is, the more determined and solid I feel about refusing to align with that frequency. And the more determined I feel about not giving up or giving in or giving allegiance to that face of the Goddess.

And what I keep remembering is the concept of balance. If there is this much evil going on right before my very eyes, then there must also be an amazing good happening as well. It may not be 'equal' quantitatively. But it only takes a very small amount of light to make a huge space visible. And if this FORUM and a few other groups on our BBM are small in number compared to all the darkness in which we find ourselves, I do believe that this small light is immensely powerful because it's the light of Objective Truth. And what could be more powerful or more beautiful than that?

Sorry. Went off topic there. As far as my friends & family & their reactions & responses, I think it must be tough to have their very foundations ripped out from under them. It's almost as if they're experiencing a major earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, sinkhole, flash flood, tennis ball sized hail storm, hurricane, tornado, and a thousand lightening strikes simultaneously. No where to turn to find peace, equanimity, comfort, solace, consolation, reassurance, security, or safety. That's a lot of ouch in a short time frame. They're caught up in a whirlwind of randomity. And it struck suddenly. It's as if they're fighting, fleeing, and freezing in place simultaneously. It's pretty scary.

I think I have to take baby steps with them because it's all too overwhelming. Maybe ask them to pick out just one item in all that random motion and focus on that one item and address that. Then pick another item and focus on that. I think they feel very out-of-control - so if they could select one thing to address which they CAN control - just by looking at it more clearly and facing it squarely, and seeing where that leads them. Really, bottom line, I think what's required is a desire to find out the TRUTH. And I don't know that any of them really wants to know the TRUTH. It seems they want to latch onto whatever makes them feel safe & not threatened more than they want to know the truth. And that seeking safety & security leads them to need to identify with some group or some meme that provides them with a life-preserver to keep them afloat. They feel safer if they parrot the phrases and philosophies promoted by a group with which they can align most comfortably.

I sometimes feel as if I need the combined skills & talents of a martial artist, a 3-dimensional chess player, and the dexterity to navigate through a group of drunken dancers with lit cigarettes in one hand and half-filled cocktail glasses in the other without bumping into anyone.

Cheers. :)
 
NormaRegula said:
Trump's National Security Advisor Flynn has resigned. _http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/319367-national-security-adviser-michael-flynn-resigns

I wonder if the POTUS will draw an even bigger warmonger as Flynn's replacement? Interesting development none-the-less.

Wow NormaRegula . . . That's major news! Unfortunately, the link you provided didn't work for me for some weird reason. So I went to The Hill directly and I'm pasting the news below

_http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/319367-national-security-adviser-michael-flynn-resigns

The Hill - BY JORDAN FABIAN - 02/13/17 11:01 PM EST National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigns said:
National Security Adviser Michael Flynn has resigned, after reports he misled senior Trump White House officials about his conversations with Russia.

President Trump has named retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg as acting national security adviser. Kellogg previously served as Flynn’s chief of staff on the National Security Council.

The embattled Flynn blamed his resignation late Monday on the “fast pace of events” that led him to “inadvertently” give Vice President Mike Pence and others “incomplete information” about his phone conversations with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak.

“I have sincerely apologized to the president and the vice president, and they have accepted my apology,” Flynn wrote in his resignation letter.

Pence had defended Flynn's contacts with Russia, and when it became clear the national security adviser had not been forthcoming, serious questions were raised about his ability to keep his job.
Flynn’s sudden exit comes just 24 days into Trump’s presidency and represents a dramatic overhaul of his team of senior aides that has been consumed by controversy.

Flynn, the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency was a trusted adviser to Trump throughout the 2016 campaign, but was seen as a controversial figure by many inside and outside the White House.

He noted his friendship with the president in his resignation letter, thanking him for “his personal loyalty” and adding, “this team will go down in history as one of the greatest presidencies in U.S. history.”

Flynn’s longstanding ties to Russia sparked concerns among U.S. officials and members of Congress in both parties.

His future at the White House had been the topic of intense speculation since last Friday, after reports first emerged that he backtracked on his denial that he talked about sanctions against Russia for its election-related hacking with its top envoy in the U.S.

The Justice Department reportedly warned Trump White House counsel Don McGahn shortly after Trump’s inauguration that Flynn may have been vulnerable to blackmail by the Russians due to discrepancies between what he told Kislyak and Pence.

Pence and others publicly said Flynn never discussed sanctions against Russia during his pre-inauguration conversations with Kislyak. Flynn later admitted the topic may have came up during his talks with the ambassador.

Relying on Flynn’s account, Pence told CBS News in mid-January that Flynn “did not discuss anything having to do with the United States’ decision to expel diplomats or impose censure against Russia.”

The vice president was reportedly angered after a Washington Post report was published last week claimed Flynn did discuss the sanctions, and he later apologized to Pence.

But that apparently was not enough for Flynn to save his job.

While it was clear Flynn was skating on thin ice, his status was a mystery throughout most of the day Monday.

Trump stayed silent on Flynn’s status; he was not asked about it during a news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, while his senior aides sent mixed signals to the press about Flynn’s future.

Senior counselor Kellyanne Conway said he enjoyed the “full confidence” of Trump on Monday afternoon. But soon after, press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters the president was “evaluating” the Flynn situation with the vice president.

Spicer was unequivocal, however, when asked whether Trump has been aware that Flynn was speaking about sanctions with the Russian ambassador.

"No, absolutely not,” the spokesman said.

Updated 11:55 p.m.

_http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/319370-dems-react-to-flynns-resignation-this-isnt-the-end-of-the-story

The Hill - BY PAULINA FIROZI - 02/14/17 12:09 AM EST Dems react to Flynn's resignation: 'This isn’t the end of the story' said:
Democrats swiftly responded after National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigned amid controversy around his communication with Russia’s ambassador.

Flynn’s status in the Trump administration had been in question after reports that he had talked about sanctions with the Russian ambassador prior to President Trump’s inauguration.

Earlier Monday night, the Washington Post reported that the Justice Department and former acting AG Sally Yates had warned the Trump administration that Flynn’s communications with Russia could open him up to blackmail attempts.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged the Trump administration to find an “experienced replacement” for Flynn.

The White House named retired Army Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg as acting National Security Adviser following Flynn’s resignation.

“General Flynn is doing the right thing by stepping down. However, far too many questions remain unanswered about this Administration's ties to Russia," Rep. Eliot Engel, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement.

"We need a thorough, bipartisan investigation to get the complete picture of Russia's interference in our election, and Congress needs to take steps, such as passing my SECURE Our Democracy Act, to punish those responsible.”

Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) echoed that call in a tweet, calling on members of both parties to ask for a congressional investigation into possible Russian ties in the Trump administration.

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) was one of the first Democrats out the gate with reaction, saying Flynn was a “poor choice predicted to end badly” and a “selection by [an] amateur.”

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) called Flynn’s resignation a “good 1st step," while Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) said it was a “step in the right direction.”

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) said Flynn’s departure “might actually improve our national security.”

Former Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) reacted on Twitter, saying the resignation can’t be the end of the story.

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Ca.) echoed Dingell in a statement sent late Monday, saying that Flynn's resignation is not "the end of the story."

Swalwell led an effort earlier in the day, in which dozens of Dem lawmakers signed a letter that they planned to send on Tuesday urging the Trump administration to suspend Flynn.

“Michael Flynn is only resigning because he got caught by the press for improper prior and existing relationships with Russia," Swallwell said in the statement. "More than 100 Members of Congress who signed my letter urging his suspension knew that he had to go, but we also knew this isn’t the end of the story."

"Questions remain about whether he made such contact of his own volition or on orders; whether Trump administration officials were misled about the contact or lied to cover it up; and whether Flynn might’ve been susceptible to Russian blackmail, as the Justice Department reportedly informed the White House late last month."

_http://thehill.com/homenews/319369-russia-today-tweets-about-flynn-retirement

The Hill - BY THE HILL STAFF - 02/14/17 12:08 AM EST Russia Today tweets about Flynn ‘retirement’ said:
Russia Today, Russia’s state broadcaster, drew attention online Monday night, after it tweeted that National Security Advisor Michael Flynn had “retired.”

Flynn resigned late Monday, after reports that he misled senior Trump White House officials about his conversations with Russia.

The embattled Flynn blamed his resignation on the “fast pace of events” that led him to “inadvertently” give Vice President Mike Pence and others “incomplete information” about his phone conversations with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak.

Pence had defended Flynn's contacts with Russia, and when it became clear the national security adviser had not been forthcoming, serious questions were raised about his ability to keep his job.

Social media users focused on the RT phrasing as it reported the resignation as a retirement.

BREAKING: Gen. Michael Flynn retires as National Security Advisor https://t.co/u52CJcpZVL

— RT America (@RT_America) February 14, 2017
Retires! https://t.co/unVgq7vqwm

— Tess Townsend (@Tess_Townsend) February 14, 2017


* * * *

So I did a search for 'Michael Flynn resigns as National Security Advisor'. No results. I don't know how reliable these next 2 article sources may be, but, if true, they give some clues about how some of the DC group were thinking about Flynn.

_https://newrepublic.com/minutes/140566/trumps-national-security-advisor-michael-flynn-tossed-bus

New Republic - Lovia Gyarkye - 4 days ago Trump’s national security advisor Michael Flynn is being tossed under the bus. said:
The last time we checked in with Flynn, Trump was complaining that he was overbearing and talked too much. Now it appears he is in some serious trouble, with The Washington Post reporting that Flynn, despite his and the Trump administration’s denials, did in fact discuss U.S. sanctions against Russia with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak last December, when Barack Obama was still in office. According to current and former American officials, Flynn’s communications were “inappropriate” and a “potentially illegal signal to the Kremlin that it could expect a reprieve from sanctions that were being imposed by the Obama administration in late December to punish Russia for its alleged interference in the 2016 election.”

Flynn is now backing away from his denials, telling the Post that “while he had no recollection of discussing sanctions, he couldn’t be certain that the topic never came up.” This puts him at odds with some members of the Trump administration, most notably Vice President Mike Pence, who publicly went to bat for Flynn. Last month, Pence denied that Flynn discussed sanctions with Russian officials. Now the White House is telling the Post that he “made his comments based on his conversation with Flynn.”

The White House’s relationship with Russia has been subject to scrutiny given President Trump’s (and Flynn’s) admiration for Vladimir Putin. The FBI is continuing to investigate the Flynn matter, and could even end up prosecuting him under the Logan Act, which forbids unauthorized civilians from messing with U.S. diplomacy. But before any of that happens, the administration is quickly separating itself from Flynn. He is on his own.

Second Article - _http://ktla.com/2017/02/13/trumps-national-security-adviser-michael-flynn-on-thin-ice-over-calls-with-russian-ambassador/

The situation around embattled national security adviser Michael Flynn remains “fluid” Monday night, according to a source with knowledge.

And that was before reports surfaced that the Justice Department warned the Trump administration last month that Flynn misled administration officials regarding his communications with the Russian ambassador to the United States and was potentially vulnerable to blackmail by the Russians, a person familiar with the matter told CNN.

A White House official also confirmed the Justice Department warning.

The concern was raised after Flynn claimed he did not discuss with the Russian ambassador the sanctions being imposed by the Obama administration in retaliation for Russia’s interference in the election. Flynn was not yet in government.

The message was delivered by then-Acting Attorney General Sally Yates. Other top intelligence officials, including James Clapper and John Brennan, were in agreement the White House should be alerted about the concerns.

The Washington Post first reported the Justice Department message.

But Flynn was already in hot water. White House press secretary Sean Spicer issued a statement saying President Donald Trump is “evaluating the situation” around Flynn, who is in hot water after possibly misleading Vice President Mike Pence.

The issue stems from whether Flynn discussed sanctions against Russia with the Russian ambassador before Trump took office and then misled Pence about it. It created a turbulent 72 hours for the White House, leading to questions about Flynn’s future after only three weeks.

“The President is evaluating the situation,” Spicer’s statement said. “He’s speaking to the vice president relative to the conversation the vice president had with Gen. Flynn, and also speaking to various other people about what he considers the single most important subject there is: our national security.”

The noncommittal statement came shortly after Kellyanne Conway, the counselor to the President, told reporters that Trump has “full confidence” in Flynn.

“Gen. Flynn does enjoy the full confidence of the President,” Conway said on MSNBC. She later declined to detail how much the President knew about the issue and when he knew it, deeming those conversation private.

Many inside the Trump administration are concerned with the fact that the national security adviser could have misled senior members of the White House, including Pence, who went on television and denied that Flynn spoke about sanctions with Sergey Kislyak, Russian ambassador to Washington.

Trump, who particularly hates when aides generate negative press, has expressed displeasure with Flynn to aides in recent days, said a source close to the President. Trump and his team are particularly bothered by the possibility that Flynn misrepresented his conversations to Pence.

Flynn spoke with Pence at least twice Friday, according to another White House official who declined to say whether the conversations were about the ongoing controversy. The episode over sanctions against Russia has opened a rift between Flynn and Pence, who exchanged a chilly handshake Friday before Trump’s news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Flynn also apologized to Pence and a source says the two “smoothed things over.”

“The knives are out,” the official added, acknowledging that Flynn’s future in the White House is hardly a sure thing. “There’s a lot of unhappiness about this.”

Administration officials, some of who were once unsure about the details of the story, now believe the national security adviser did, in fact, discuss sanctions with the Russian ambassador. A US official confirmed to CNN on Friday that Flynn and Kislyak did speak about sanctions, among other matters, during a December call, contradicting past statements by White House officials.

After the call was made public, Pence told CBS News on January 15 that Flynn did not talk sanctions levied by the Obama administration with Kislyak.

“They did not discuss anything having to do with the United States’ decision to expel diplomats or impose censure against Russia,” Pence told CBS News.

On Friday, an aide close to the national security adviser told CNN that Flynn could not rule out that he spoke about sanctions on the call.

The White House official blamed much of the outcry against Flynn on a Washington culture that’s always in search of a scalp, but people within Trump’s orbit were unable to defend Flynn on Sunday.

Stephen Miller, White House policy director, was asked directly about Flynn’s future on a number of Sunday talk shows. Miller responded by saying he was not the appropriate official to ask the question, hardly a ringing endorsement from the aide the Trump administration put out to talk on Sunday.

“I don’t have any answers today,” Miller said in response to questions about whether Flynn misled the vice president. “I don’t have any information one way or another to add anything to the conversation.”

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a longtime Trump ally, told CNN’s Jake Tapper Flynn needs to clear up his story with Trump and Pence in an interview Sunday on “State of the Union.”

The White House official, pushing back against the idea that Flynn spoke about sanctions, raised questions about the uproar surrounding Flynn and poked holes in the criticism coming from the general’s detractors.

Why, the official said, would a general with years of experience in the intelligence field jeopardize his career by discussing something he likely knew was being recorded.

Trump is also deeply loyal to Flynn: Their relationship stretches further back than many of the national security adviser’s White House counterparts.

While Trump’s top White House advisers like chief of staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon only came aboard after Trump secured the Republican nomination, Flynn was an early supporter and joined Trump’s campaign as his top foreign policy adviser in early 2016.

But Flynn was not just a policy adviser. He also played the role of top surrogate on the campaign trail, seeking to boost Trump’s national security bona fides and also leading the charge on political attacks against Trump’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Flynn was also a contender to join Trump on the Republican ticket as his running mate. But even after he wasn’t tapped for the vice presidency, Flynn continued to travel with Trump to most of his political rallies as one of his most trusted advisers in his small circle of aides.

“It’s a problem,” a senior White House adviser said Friday about the possibility that Flynn misled Pence.
 
Siberia said:
Graham Phillips has published this latest prank by Russian pranksters Lexus and Vovan with US Congresswoman Maxine Waters about the Russian 'invasions from Lvov to Limpopo', US sanctions and more:


The pranksters told the Congresswoman that Putin has meddled in the election of Limpopo to get rid of Barmaley and install Doctor Aibolit instead... A must listen! :rolleyes:

Maria Zakharova has commented this situation on her FB:

https://m.facebook.com/maria.zakharova.167/posts/10212437026030392?refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fm.news.rambler.ru%2F
 
Laura said:
The above comments are astute IMO and pretty much reflect my view/intuition about Snowden and Assange. I think that's one reason Putin is rather amused and bemused by Snowden. In one talk he described him as a young man who has chosen this path for himself and he says it in such a way that you realize he gets it that Snowden is basically being duped. It was some Q&A thing with the press some months back. But it stuck in my mind. I doubt that the Russians are at all interested in what Snowden has in the way of "leaks" probably because they know it is just what he was provided with intentionally. Same with Assange.

Here's the video, just in case.


Aeneas said:
Looking at all his tweets about the movement for him to get a pardon from Obama, then the question arose as to whether he would not have been pardoned if Hillary had been elected. When Trump got elected, then it changed things and there was suddenly a renewed usefulness of having Snowden in Russia. At least that is my speculation at the moment. He has after all 2,8 millioner people who follow him on twitter, so quite a star status. It is also no wonder to me that Russia/Putin keeps Snowden at arms lenght, at least that is my impression.

It reminds me of what Putin said 10 years ago about British spies that were discovered working in Russia under a diplomatic immunity. He said:

"If we expel these spies, others will come in their place. Maybe bright ones will come and we'll beat ourselves up trying to find them."

So it seems like Putin prefers playing dumb and dealing with obvious useful idiots, than bona fide and trully professional intelligence agents.
 
Re: Gen. Michael Flynn resigns as National Security Advisor

artofdream said:
Quote: https://www.rt.com/usa/377267-michael-flynn-resigns-national-security-advisor/
[...]
National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump, Michael Flynn, has resigned, following a scandal over his ties to Russia.
This is good news. Flynn is a warmongering neocon who apparently intended to start a war with Iran.

Of course, Trump can appoint another retired general to replace Flynn, and he likely will, but there's a fair chance that that he will pick someone who will be a smarter, wiser, and far better choice than Flynn.

The really good news here, though, is that it suggests that the traditional intelligence establishment is winning its battle against the entrenched neocon faction that still infests the intelligence sectors of the deep state, including the CIA. Apparently the struggle is still going on, but the neocons are now losing.

It's rather stunning to see such a momentous, bitterly fought power struggle play out in the media, in broad daylight as it were, but it's likely there are other bureaucratic knife fights still ongoing in the Pentagon, at Langley, and in other venues. It would be thrilling to watch, if only the stakes weren't so... apocalyptic.
 
Re: Gen. Michael Flynn resigns as National Security Advisor

Flyn's appointment probably helped Trump get past the electoral college vote. The end result is kinda funny, taken out by his own kind.
 
I merged the separate Flynn resignation thread with the Trump era thread, since there were discussions on the resignation occurring on both threads and it really does fit with the Trump Era discussion.

Now, I don't think this development is simply a good thing as some have said here. It seems there was a witch hunt against Flynn by the CIA through their fake news media outlets. That alone should give one pause when considering who benefits. Both Pepe Escobar and The Saker (who is hit or miss on his understanding sometimes) both see this as a victory for the neocons:

Pepe Escobar:

THE SWAMP STRIKES BACK
I’m toying with this title for my post-Flynn column for Sputnik tomorrow. Inbox overloaded with reactions. Positive from Iran. Mostly negative from Russia. Silence from China. Flynn – however we place his anti-Iran obsession – was set up, actually spied upon, by the CIA, which then leaked a ton of bull to fake news purveyors WaPo. So this was a victory for a hardcore neocon/neoliberalcon deep state faction, no doubt. Yet I see Flynn out as strategic retreat. He’ll be back - in the shade. If K T McFarland gets the job – which is what really powerful Trump backers are aiming at – the original Kissinger balance of power approach is even strengthened.
Very good Russian analysts have indeed been discussing for weeks now whether Trump is the new Yanukovich - who failed to stop a color revolution. The color revolution by neocons, Dem neoliberalcons and corporate media is relentless. But I see Trump – with all his shortcomings – as remixing Deng Xiaoping: crossing the river while feeling the stones. Fasten your seatbelts; the internal war has not even started.

Escobar on the resignation:

RUSSOPHOBIC HYSTERIA DEBUNKED
No one will pay attention to the two key passages, conveniently buried in the middle of the story:
1) "The intelligence official said there had been NO FINDING INSIDE THE GOVERNMENT THAT FLYNN DID ANYTHING ILLEGAL."
2) "A senior official told NBC News on Monday night the president and his top advisers had been "agonizing" over what to do about Flynn for days. The official, who was involved in the discussions, says the situation became unsustainable — NOT BECAUSE OF ANY ISSUE OF BEING COMPROMISED BY RUSSIA - but because he had lied to the president and the vice president."

And The Saker, who seems to be in 'the sky is falling' mode over Flynn's resignation:

The Neocons and the “deep state” have neutered the Trump Presidency, it’s over folks!

Less than a month ago I warned that a ‘color revolution ‘ was taking place in the USA. My first element of proof was the so-called “investigation” which the CIA, FBI, NSA and others were conducting against President Trump’s candidate to become National Security Advisor, General Flynn. Tonight, the plot to get rid of Flynn has finally succeeded and General Flynn had to offer his resignation. Trump accepted it.

Now let’s immediately get one thing out of the way: Flynn was hardly a saint or a perfect wise man who would single handedly saved the world. That he was not. However, what Flynn was is the cornerstone of Trump’s national security policy. For one thing, Flynn dared the unthinkable: he dared to declare that the bloated US intelligence community had to be reformed. Flynn also tried to subordinate the CIA and the Joint Chiefs to the President via the National Security Council. Put differently, Flynn tried to wrestle the ultimate power and authority from the CIA and the Pentagon and subordinate them back to the White House. Flynn also wanted to work with Russia. Not because he was a Russia lover, the notion of a Director of the DIA as a Putin-fan is ridiculous, but Flynn was rational, he understood that Russia was no threat to the USA or to Europe and that Russia had the West had common interests. That is another absolutely unforgivable crimethink in Washington DC.

The Neocon run ‘deep state’ has now forced Flynn to resign under the idiotic pretext that he had a telephone conversation, on an open, insecure and clearly monitored, line with the Russian ambassador.

And Trump accepted this resignation.

Ever since Trump made it to the White House, he has taken blow after blow from the Neocon-run Ziomedia, from Congress, from all the Hollywood doubleplusgoodthinking “stars” and even from European politicians. And Trump took each blow without ever fighting back. Nowhere was his famous “you are fired!” to be seen. But I still had hope. I wanted to hope. I felt that it was my duty to hope.

But now Trump has betrayed us all.

Remember how Obama showed his true face when he hypocritically denounced his friend and pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.? Today, Trump has shown us his true face. Instead of refusing Flynn’s resignation and instead of firing those who dared cook up these ridiculous accusations against Flynn, Trump accepted the resignation. This is not only an act of abject cowardice, it is also an amazingly stupid and self-defeating betrayal because now Trump will be alone, completely alone, facing the likes of Mattis and Pence – hard Cold Warrior types, ideological to the core, folks who want war and simply don’t care about reality.

Again, Flynn was not my hero. But he was, by all accounts, Trump’s hero. And Trump betrayed him.

The consequences of this will be immense. For one thing, Trump is now clearly broken. It took the ‘deep state’ only weeks to castrate Trump and to make him bow to the powers that be. Those who would have stood behind Trump will now feel that he will not stand behind them and they will all move back away from him. The Neocons will feel elated by the elimination of their worst enemy and emboldened by this victory they will push on, doubling-down over and over and over again.

It’s over, folks, the deep state has won.

From now on, Trump will become the proverbial shabbos-goy, the errand boy of the Israel lobby. Hassan Nasrallah was right when he called him ‘an idiot‘.

The Chinese and Iranian will openly laugh. The Russians won’t – they will be polite, they will smile, and try to see if some common sense policies can still be salvaged from this disaster. Some might. But any dream of a partnership between Russia and the United States has died tonight.

The EU leaders will, of course, celebrate. Trump was nowhere the scary bogeyman they feared. Turns out that he is a doormat – very good for the EU.

Where does all this leave us – the millions of anonymous ‘deplorables’ who try as best we can to resist imperialism, war, violence and injustice?

I think that we were right in our hopes because that is all we had – hopes. No expectations, just hopes. But now we objectively have very little reasons left to hope. For one thing, the Washington ‘swamp’ will not be drained. If anything, the swamp has triumphed. We can only find some degree of solace in two undeniable facts:

Hillary would have been far worse than any version of a Trump Presidency.
In order to defeat Trump, the US deep state has had to terribly weaken the US and the AngloZionist Empire. Just like Erdogan’ purges have left the Turkish military in shambles, the anti-Trump ‘color revolution’ has inflicted terrible damage on the reputation, authority and even credibility of the USA.

The first one is obvious. So let me clarify the second one. In their hate-filled rage against Trump and the American people (aka “the basket of deplorables”) the Neocons have had to show they true face. By their rejection of the outcome of the elections, by their riots, their demonization of Trump, the Neocons have shown two crucial things: first, that the US democracy is a sad joke and that they, the Neocons, are an occupation regime which rules against the will of the American people. In other words, just like Israel, the USA has no legitimacy left. And since, just like Israel, the USA are unable to frighten their enemies, they are basically left with nothing, no legitimacy, no ability to coerce. So yes, the Neocons have won. But their victory is removes the last chance for the US to avoid a collapse.

Trump, for all his faults, did favor the US, as a country, over the global Empire. Trump was also acutely aware that ‘more of the same’ was not an option. He wanted policies commensurate with the actual capabilities of the USA. With Flynn gone and the Neocons back in full control – this is over. Now we are going to be right back to ideology over reality.

Trump probably could have made America, well, maybe not “great again”, but at least stronger, a major world power which could negotiate and use its leverage to get the best deal possible from the others. That’s over now. With Trump broken, Russia and China will go right back to their pre-Trump stance: a firm resistance backed by a willingness and capability to confront and defeat the USA at any level.

I am quite sure that nobody today is celebrating in the Kremlin. Putin, Lavrov and the others surely understand exactly what happened. It is as if Khodorkovsy would have succeeded in breaking Putin in 2003. In fact, I have to credit Russian analysts who for several weeks already have been comparing Trump to Yanukovich, who also was elected by a majority of the people and who failed to show the resolve needed to stop the ‘color revolution’ started against him. But if Trump is the new Yanukovich, will the US become the next Ukraine?

Flynn was very much the cornerstone of the hoped-for Trump foreign policy. There was a real chance that he would reign in the huge, bloated and all-powerful three letter agencies and that he would focus US power against the real enemy of the West: the Wahabis. With Flynn gone, this entire conceptual edifice has now come down. We are going to be left with the likes of Mattis and his anti-Iranian statements. Clowns who only impress other clowns.

Today Neocon victory is a huge event and it will probably be completely misrepresented by the official media. Ironically, Trump supporters will also try minimize it all. But the reality is that barring a most unlikely last-minute miracle, it’s over for Trump and the hopes of millions of people in the USA and the rest of the world who had hoped that the Neocons could be booted out of power by means of a peaceful election. That is clearly not going to happen.

I see very dark clouds on the horizon.
 
Flynn was very much the cornerstone of the hoped-for Trump foreign policy. There was a real chance that he would reign in the huge, bloated and all-powerful three letter agencies and that he would focus US power against the real enemy of the West: the Wahabis. With Flynn gone, this entire conceptual edifice has now come down. We are going to be left with the likes of Mattis and his anti-Iranian statements. Clowns who only impress other clowns.

Today Neocon victory is a huge event and it will probably be completely misrepresented by the official media. Ironically, Trump supporters will also try minimize it all. But the reality is that barring a most unlikely last-minute miracle, it’s over for Trump and the hopes of millions of people in the USA and the rest of the world who had hoped that the Neocons could be booted out of power by means of a peaceful election. That is clearly not going to happen.

I see very dark clouds on the horizon.

If the Saker and Pepe are correct, specially the Saker part, we all are embroiled in a TIME-LINES WAR?...

This PTB move maybe means that they have succeeded in correcting the fractioned Trump time-line and in a roundabout way we are back in the Killary pretended time-line on steroids?

They the PTB SEEMS TO BE LEARNING FAST....
 
mariowil7 said:
If the Saker and Pepe are correct, specially the Saker part, we all are embroiled in a TIME-LINES WAR?...

This PTB move maybe means that they have succeeded in correcting the fractioned Trump time-line and in a roundabout way we are back in the Killary pretended time-line on steroids?

They the PTB SEEMS TO BE LEARNING FAST....

Well, like I said, The Saker isn't to be taken at face value without critical distance. I think you're taking his ideas a little too far. We don't know how Trump is going to respond and deal with his first real shot across the bow by the war crazies. Saying we are back in the Killary time-line is looking at it a little too black and white IMO. I don't think the sky is falling quite yet...
 
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