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Reports of protests are overblown. A few incidents around the country, but nothing major.

5 (45.5%)

A few major incidents in capitals, but nothing much in DC.

5 (45.5%)

A major incident in DC, but nothing much around the country.

0 (0%)

More than 10 capitals have major upheavals, but nothing much in DC.

0 (0%)

A major incident in DC plus more than 10 capitals with significant upheavals.

1 (9.1%)

More than half the capitals around the country have problems with protesters, but DC is quiet.

0 (0%)

DC has major problems, while more than half the capitals around the country also have considerable trouble with protesters.

0 (0%)

Huge disruption to the day.

0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 9

Voting closed: January 19, 2021, 10:49:21 PM

[josh]

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/all-tariff-costs-fallen-onto-americans-pay-new-research-shows-2020-1-1028797514?fbclid=iwar24r_eya7iyno_dcz_12eoykfbquo-vpfntvsd4p7_lvu9gewb-4ob8bnk

[REDSTATEWARD]

News Item

Iran admits it accidentally shot down the Ukrainian Airliner killing 176 people.

[josh]

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/nancy-pelosi-s-vote-war-powers-resolution-rein-trump-iran-ncna1113236?fbclid=IwAR1JbS6d_MBZynfie4zWr_6fMVT9Rsz-f2mQWg7jAGnq1asgP4LA3qAgFTo

Hated it then, too, but the column is more right than wrong wrt Democratic "leadership's" view.

OTOH, where is the author on GOP hypocrisy?

The drone program has major problems and has since it was created.

[josh]

News Item

Iran admits it accidentally shot down the Ukrainian Airliner killing 176 people.

More blood on Trump's hands.

Not that he or thee will admit it.

[josh]

[josh]

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/alexkantrowitz/trump-is-running-hundreds-of-facebook-ads-praising-himself?fbclid=IwAR1f6_1zcE65fxokhKXSE6Luyx6wQ3ZhBnETnFTCWYks9sFDW9WIozPBcRI

[LarryBnDC]

Not for the first time I give thanks my grandfather left the South for New York...

https://www.wdam.com/2020/01/11/miss-supreme-court-upholds-year-sentence-man-convicted-having-cellphone-jail/

[josh]

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pompeo-disputes-iraqi-prime-minister-us-negotiate-troop/story?id=68197741

The U.S. will not negotiate a withdrawal of American troops from Iraq even after the country's parliament voted to expel foreign forces, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday, even challenging an Iraqi readout of his call with the prime minister on the subject.

But hours later in an interview with Fox News, President Donald Trump appeared to contradict that, saying that he would be "OK" with removing U.S. forces, seemingly right away.

The disagreement over American troops threatens to upend the partnership between the two countries at a pivotal time, potentially undermining their joint efforts to fight the terror group ISIS. But there is growing anger in Iraq, particularly among the Shiite majority, over U.S. strikes taken in the last month without the Iraqi government's prior permission on Shiite militias supported by the state.

[josh]

[bodiddley]

The Sultan of Oman died tonight...

It was long rumored that the Sultan of Oman was gay. 
He also overthrew his father in a British sponsored coup back in 1970.

[bodiddley]

I googled 'Hezbollah'.
Hezbollah was conceived by Muslim clerics and funded by Iran primarily to harass Israel.

Well, that's Wiki for you.  That could have been slipped in by Red a minute before you got there, and removed right after. 

Hezbollah was designed to resist Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon (it's a tiny country, Israel controlled nearly half, I believe).  Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982 and stayed for 17 years.  Hezbollah was formed in 1985 as a resistance movement.  So while that sentence isn't exactly untrue, it misses all of the context.  Hezbollah was conceived to harass Israel out of its occupation of Lebanon, which it basically did after a protracted decades long struggle.

Btw, the result is that Lebanon -- which had a 2nd civil war foisted on it by Israel and experienced a high degree of death and destruction over 17 years -- is very anti-Israel.  Even won't allow anyone to enter Lebanon if they've been to Israel.  [this has cropped up with regard to Ghosn the fugitive car exec who recently fled Japan and escaped back to Lebanon, but has been in Israel promoting some car ventures).

Also, Lebanon has never really recovered from 17 years of war, and has had a tough time repairing its infrastructure and getting back to normal.  Mostly they've run up huge debts and the money they were receiving from Iran has dried up as sanctions poison Iran's economy.  The result is that there are large protests against the Lebanese gov't (largely peaceful, unlike say Iraq or Egypt or of course Syria) and the PM resigned.  So in that way, Trump's economic warfare on Iran has had consequences.  Though so far Hezbollah hasn't been weakened much, and I suspect they get money from Assad for being Syrian mercenaries.  From the Lebanese civil war against Israel occupation, Hezbollah got battle-tested and professional, unlike Syria's shoddy national army.

As for Iran and nukes, you can see why nuclear weapons are appealing.  You have one as in North Korea, Israel and Pakistan and nobody will invade your country.  You don't as with Libya, Iraq, Ukraine and some folks might invade and/or kill your leaders.

[bodiddley]

Hmmm.
You say Hezbollah is good [thank you for your above post, it broadened by knowledge].

I never said Hezbollah was good.  I just said that Hez has more legitimacy than the US and Israel pretend.

For example, I'm glad the US intervened to end the murderous ISIS caliphate.  But the US was in Syria illegally as the the recognized gov't of Syria pointed out from time to time.  Russia and Iran and Hezbollah have been invited in by the Syrian Gov't and so are there legally.  Turkey is an illegal interloper/squatter/military force in Syria.

I also don't think the US/Americans realize how Iran has largely transformed into a status quo regional power.  They support the gov'ts of Lebanon, Syria and Iraq and want them to remain in place.  Therefore they can be worked with, since they want to keep their entrenched pals/interests in power. 

It's the US which has been very destabilizing in the ME, especially the disastrous and pointless invasion of Iraq and overthrow of the gov't there.  Which resulted in Iraqi civil war, ethnic cleansing, a fragmentation of the Iraqi state (Kurd autonomy), the Sunni uprising followed by ISIS, increased Shiite/Iranian influence, etc.

It's very short-sighted to say that at least Saddam is dead.  Or hurray for Sulemiani being blown to bits.  Actions have consequences.  I suspect Iran is conceiving of a way to harass Trump's election chances (they took out Carter).  While Israel is conceiving of ways to get Trump to go to war with Iran.

Trump abrogated the Iran nuke treaty, reimposed harsh sanction on Iran and thoroughly jerked around our Euro-allies.  Some of the results of that were oil tankers impounded in the Gulf, a few ships attacked with mines, Saudi oil fields set on fire.  The likely result of all that was Gen. Sulemani incinerated.  Next up ... ?

[LarryBnDC]

Hmmm.
You say Hezbollah is good [thank you for your above post, it broadened by knowledge].

I never said Hezbollah was good.  I just said that Hez has more legitimacy than the US and Israel pretend.

For example, I'm glad the US intervened to end the murderous ISIS caliphate.  But the US was in Syria illegally as the the recognized gov't of Syria pointed out from time to time.  Russia and Iran and Hezbollah have been invited in by the Syrian Gov't and so are there legally.  Turkey is an illegal interloper/squatter/military force in Syria.

I also don't think the US/Americans realize how Iran has largely transformed into a status quo regional power.  They support the gov'ts of Lebanon, Syria and Iraq and want them to remain in place.  Therefore they can be worked with, since they want to keep their entrenched pals/interests in power. 

It's the US which has been very destabilizing in the ME, especially the disastrous and pointless invasion of Iraq and overthrow of the gov't there.  Which resulted in Iraqi civil war, ethnic cleansing, a fragmentation of the Iraqi state (Kurd autonomy), the Sunni uprising followed by ISIS, increased Shiite/Iranian influence, etc.

It's very short-sighted to say that at least Saddam is dead.  Or hurray for Sulemiani being blown to bits.  Actions have consequences.  I suspect Iran is conceiving of a way to harass Trump's election chances (they took out Carter).  While Israel is conceiving of ways to get Trump to go to war with Iran.

Trump abrogated the Iran nuke treaty, reimposed harsh sanction on Iran and thoroughly jerked around our Euro-allies.  Some of the results of that were oil tankers impounded in the Gulf, a few ships attacked with mines, Saudi oil fields set on fire.  The likely result of all that was Gen. Sulemani incinerated.  Next up ... ?

People keep asking what is Trump’s strategy as if there was one besides changing the news cycle from impeachment and undoing anything done by President Blackenstein.

The faction led by Pompeo is hoping, praying and working toward being raptured.

[barton]

As Bo noted,  US has been destabilizing in the Middle East, and Iran is a more logical ally for a country like Iraq,  especially with a Shiite PM.  45 has brief spasms where he is okay with getting out,  and dimly recalls his isolationist campaign, then his handlers rush in and administer ECT until he recants.   It's even possible that 45, in fleeting lucid moments,  has noticed we really don't need ME oil anymore,  so that geopolitical carrot is gone.   What's left is Israel, the stick he can be bashed with.   

[facilitatorn]

http://thebulwark.com/occams-election/