| US strike on Iran could have consequences in North Korea Posted: 06 Jan 2020 05:43 PM PST  The U.S. strike that killed Iran's top military commander may have had an indirect casualty: a diplomatic solution to denuclearizing North Korea. Experts say the escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran will diminish already fading hopes for such an outcome and inspire North Korea's decision-makers to tighten their hold on the weapons they see, perhaps correctly, as their strongest guarantee of survival. North Korea's initial reaction to the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani has been cautious.
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| Soleimani's funeral shows Trump underestimated how powerful anti-imperialism and nationalism is in Iran Posted: 06 Jan 2020 05:23 PM PST  The assassination of the commander of Iran's Quds force, Qassem Soleimani, came as a shock to both Iranians and Americans. Although Soleimani and his force had been designated by the US as a terrorist organisation, it was never expected that Washington would kill him this way.But many are still surprised, asking how Donald Trump, a vocal critic of endless Middle East wars, got to this point.
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| Crowds in Iran mourn death of Iranian general, call for revenge against US Posted: 06 Jan 2020 05:21 PM PST  Hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets in cities across the country on Monday for a day of mourning for Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's elite Quds Force who was killed in Iraq by a U.S. drone strike last Thursday. The demonstrations were a show of strong support for the Iranian government, even in cities that have been the source of anti-government protests in recent months and historically.
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| Australian crews race to contain blazes as damage bill soars Posted: 06 Jan 2020 04:53 PM PST  Bolstered by cooler weather and desperately needed rain, exhausted firefighters in Australia raced to shore up defenses against deadly wildfires before the blazes flare again within days when scorching temperatures are expected to return. The Insurance Council of Australia said the estimated damage bill had doubled in two days, with insurance claims reaching 700 million Australian dollars ($485 million). The fires, fueled by drought and the country's hottest and driest year on record, have been raging since September, months earlier than is typical for Australia's annual wildfire season.
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| Pentagon rejects Trump threat to hit Iranian cultural sites Posted: 06 Jan 2020 04:48 PM PST  The Pentagon on Monday distanced itself from President Donald Trump's assertions that he would bomb Iranian cultural sites despite international prohibitions on such attacks. The split between the president and his Pentagon chief came amid heightened tensions with Tehran following a U.S. drone strike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force. Trump had twice warned that he would hit Iranian cultural sites if Tehran retaliates against the U.S.
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| AP sources: Secretary of State Pompeo won't run for Senate Posted: 06 Jan 2020 04:43 PM PST  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that he will not run for an open Senate seat from Kansas this fall, two people close to McConnell said Monday. Pompeo's decision complicates Republicans' chances of holding what should be a guaranteed seat in the deep red state as they battle to retain their slim Senate majority in November's elections.
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| Report: Mike Pompeo has decided not to run for Senate in Kansas Posted: 06 Jan 2020 04:40 PM PST  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) that he has decided not to run for an open Senate seat in Kansas, two people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post. Pompeo and McConnell spoke on Monday, with Pompeo sharing that he will stay on at the State Department. Last week, President Trump authorized an airstrike in Baghdad that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, which resulted in Iran vowing revenge. A person close to McConnell told the Post he believes Pompeo is doing "an incredible job" and is "exactly where the country needs him right now."Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) announced last year that he will not seek re-election, and McConnell wanted Pompeo to run for his seat in order to keep it in GOP control, the Post reports. Pompeo had been making frequent trips to Kansas, meeting with Ward Baker, a Republican strategist with close ties to McConnell.More stories from theweek.com America is guilty of everything we accuse Iran of doing Border Patrol has started its 'small-scale' DNA collection program Pentagon mistakenly releases draft memo promising withdrawal from Iraq
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| UN chief: Highest global tensions this century risk mistakes Posted: 06 Jan 2020 04:25 PM PST ![UN chief: Highest global tensions this century risk mistakes]( "UN chief: Highest global tensions this century risk mistakes") Guterres did not name any countries — and refused to answer shouted questions — but his comments followed rising U.S. tensions with Iran and last Friday's U.S killing of top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad. The United States said Soleimani was plotting a series of attacks that endangered many American troops and officials across the Middle East.
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| Pence to Address Conservative Group on U.S. Policy: Iran Update Posted: 06 Jan 2020 04:22 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Mourners packed the streets of Tehran on Monday as the world braced for Iran's response to the U.S. killing in Baghdad of Qassem Soleimani, who ran Iran's foreign military operations and expanded its influence across the Middle East. Iraq's parliament reacted by asking the government to work to expel U.S. troops from Iraqi soil, potentially ending a chapter that began with the 2003 invasion. The vote prompted a threat of sanctions from Donald Trump against Iraq, an ally in the fight against Islamic State.Oil briefly surged above $70, gold rose to the highest in more than six years and equities around the world fell.Read more: Soleimani Killing Leaves Trump's Mideast Strategy in Tatters (2)Key Developments:Iraqi parliament pushes for expulsion of U.S. troops from IraqIran abandons uranium enrichment limits as nuclear deal unravelsEuropean, Arab leaders urge calm as concerns of escalation growPence to Discuss Policy Toward Islamic Republic (7:10 p.m.)Vice President Mike Pence will deliver an address on the Trump administration's Iran policy next Monday.Pence will speak at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies "National Security Summit" in Washington. "The vice president will discuss U.S. policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iranian people," the organization said.Last week, after the U.S. airstrike in Baghdad that killed Soleimani, FDD Chief Executive Officer Mark Dubowitz said that "the regime in Iran is now facing their worst nightmare: A U.S. president willing to escalate using all instruments of national power."U.S. Orders More Forces to Region as Tensions Climb (12:12 a.m.)The U.S. has ordered additional forces to the Middle East following the deployment of about 3,500 troops from the 82nd Airborne to the region last week. The Bataan Amphibious Readiness Group has been ordered to move the Persian Gulf region from the Mediterranean, where it has been exercising, according to a U.S. official.The group is composed of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan, transport dock ship USS New York and dock/landing ship USS Oak Hill, and includes hundreds of Marines and a helicopter unit.The group in August completed a multistage exercise off the Virginia coast that included conducting integrated air and missile defense, anti-submarine surface warfare, information and mine warfare, ship maneuvering and live-fire events "designed to tactically prepare surface forces for maritime warfare missions," according to an earlier Navy release.Pentagon Chief Esper to Brief Congress on Strike (9:56 p.m.)Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will take part in a classified briefing Wednesday for U.S. House and Senate lawmakers on the killing of Soleimani, according to an official familiar with the plans.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday he requested a briefing amid questions about the administration's deliberations before Trump ordered the strike on Soleimani's near the airport in Baghdad.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said late Sunday that the Democrat-led House will introduce and vote on a war powers resolution this week that would limit Trump's potential military actions regarding Iran. It would stipulate that "if no further Congressional action is taken, the Administration's military hostilities with regard to Iran cease within 30 days."UN Head Urges Restraint as NATO Faces Questions (8:46 p.m.)United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged all sides to exercise restraint following the U.S. strike that killed Soleimani."I have been following the recent rise in global tensions with great concern," Guterres said at the UN. "My message is simple and clear: stop escalation, exercise maximum restrain, re-start dialogue."Guterres spoke after officials at NATO's headquarters in Brussels declined to speculate on whether an Iranian retaliation against U.S targets would trigger the alliance's "collective defense" clause, which obliges all 29 members to respond in solidarity if one is attacked. The clause has been invoked once in the NATO's 70-year history, after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that any musings on invoking the collective defense clause would only exacerbate tensions, when the objective is to de-escalate it.The envoys in Brussels sided squarely with the U.S in the dispute with Iran, according to Stoltenberg, condemning Tehran's "destabilizing" actions in the region, including "support for terrorist groups."Zarif Awaiting Visa for Trip to UN This Week (7:22 p.m.)Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif hasn't received a visa to travel to the U.S. to attend meetings later this week at the United Nations, according to a person familiar with the situation.Prior to last week's strike on Soleimani, Zarif had planned to take part in a debate on Thursday at the UN Security Council on the topic of multilateralism. Even before Soleimani's killing, the Trump administration often waited until the last moment to approve visas for Zarif and his aides, usually with severe travel restrictions included.As part of its agreement to host the UN headquarters, the U.S. is obligated to approve visas for official travel to the global body.The U.S. and Iranian missions to the UN didn't immediately reply to questions about the status of the visa request. The U.S. mission on Monday slammed Russia and China for blocking a Security Council statement supported by 27 countries speaking out against the "Iran-orchestrated attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad" late last year, a move it said undermined "the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises."U.K. 'Urges Restraint on All Sides' (15:45 p.m.)U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of ministers including Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Defense Secretary Ben Wallace later on Monday to discuss the Middle East, and the government "is urging restraint on all sides".Briefing reporters in London, Johnson's spokesman James Slack said all nations have the right to act in self-defense and the U.S. has made clear that Soleimani was planning imminent attacks. But in what will be seen as a warning to the U.S., Slack also pointed out that international conventions exist to prevent the destruction of cultural sites -- a reference to Trump's recent remarks.The U.K. is also urging the Iraqi government to ensure the coalition against Islamic State "is able to continue our vital work countering this shared threat," Slack said, and Johnson will speak to his counterpart Adel Abdul-Mahdi shortly.Markets Slide on Iran Fallout (13:35 p.m.)Stocks extended their losses on Monday and oil built on gains as investors continued to grapple with the aftermath of the killing. Gold surged to the highest in more than six years. Futures for the main American equity gauges retreated for a second session after Iran said over the weekend it would no longer abide by any limits on its enrichment of uranium.Trump Threat to Attack Iran's Cultural Treasures Spurs Backlash (13:00 p.m.)The prospect of an assault on sites like the ancient ruins of Persepolis or the immaculately tiled porticos of Esfahan's 500-year old Naqshe Jahan Square triggered an immediate backlash across Iran, transcending the country's deep political divisions.Trump tweeted on Saturday that he had included Iranian cultural sites in his list of 52 targets for attack should Tehran retaliate against the U.S.'s killing of Soleimani.Mourners Fill Tehran Streets for Soleimani funeral (12:15 p.m.)Mourners packed downtown boulevards and squares in Tehran, where the bodies of Soleimani and five others killed alongside him awaited burial. Thousands were seated on the ground listening to speeches from Soleimani's daughter Zainab and Ismail Haniyeh, leader of the Palestinian Hamas group.Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei performed prayers beside the caskets that were held at Tehran University, often a forum for Friday prayers. Khamenei was surrounded by officials, including President Hassan Rouhani and Soleimani's successor, Esmail Ghaani.The caskets were then raised and carried through the crowds. Soleimani is due to be buried Tuesday in his southeastern hometown of Kerman.Italy's Conte Says Will Discuss Iran De-escalation with Merkel (11:24 a.m.)Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said caution is paramount in the current situation and he will be discussing events in the Middle East with his German counterpart, Angela Merkel. "Right now, all our attention must be focused on averting further escalation, which would risk passing a point of no return," Conte said in an interview with la Repubblica newspaper published Monday.Revolutionary Guards Demand End to U.S. Presence in Middle East (11:05 a.m.)Amirali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guards' air forces, told state TV that the price of the Soleimani's assassination would be the end of America's military presence in the region."Soleimani will not be avenged with just four missiles or the destruction of a base, not even with killing Trump, they aren't anywhere near worthy of the blood of this martyr," he said. "The only thing that can repay the blood of the martyr Soleimani is the complete removal of the U.S. from the region."The comments echoed fiery warnings from the head of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, Hassan Nasrallah, who said Sunday Trump would realize he had lost the Middle East when the bodies of American personnel begin to return home in coffins.Maas 'Very Concerned' About Iraqi Instability (11:01 a.m.)German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that he was "very concerned" that the withdrawal of international troops from Iraq could lead to greater instability there."The last thing that we all want is a conflagration in the Middle and Near East, as that would significantly alter the security situation in Europe -- and not for the better," Maas said Monday in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio.Earlier:Trump Vows Sanctions on Ally Iraq, Toughens Rhetoric on Iran (1)Europeans Scramble to Work Out What They Can Do About Iran (2)Forwards Traders Raise Speculative Bets Against Gulf CurrenciesTrump Threat to Attack Iran's Cultural Treasures Spurs BacklashIran Says Not Bound by Nukes Deal in New Soleimani Fallout (4)\--With assistance from Arsalan Shahla, Richard Bravo, Nikos Chrysoloras, David Wainer, Laura Litvan and Tony Capaccio.To contact the reporter on this story: Nick Wadhams in Washington at nwadhams@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Bill Faries at wfaries@bloomberg.net, ;Lin Noueihed at lnoueihed@bloomberg.net, Joshua GalluFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Long-Bailey Makes Socialist Pitch to Lead U.K. Labour Party Posted: 06 Jan 2020 04:21 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Sign up to our Brexit Bulletin, follow us @Brexit and subscribe to our podcast.Rebecca Long-Bailey pledged to "fight the establishment" and declared her unswerving commitment to socialism as she announced she'll run to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the U.K.'s opposition Labour Party.The party's National Executive Committee said Monday there will be a three-month contest with the result to be announced April 4. Nominations will open Tuesday, and stay open until 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 13.On Monday evening Long-Bailey, the party's business spokeswoman and Corbyn's favored successor, added her name to the list of five other MPs who've said they want to run: Keir Starmer, Jess Phillips, Emily Thornberry, Lisa Nandy and Clive Lewis."We need a leader that can be trusted with our socialist agenda. A leader who is totally committed to the policies and has the political backbone to defend them," Long-Bailey wrote in an article for Tribune magazine. "I'm a lifelong socialist, dedicated to our movement and determined to do my bit. You're as likely to see me on a picket line as you are at the dispatch box, and you can trust me to fight the establishment tooth and nail."The threshold for nominations has been lowered, so that to get on the ballot paper, a candidate needs to be nominated of 10% of members of Parliament and members of the European Parliament -- 22 people. But a new hurdle requires a candidate to get the support of 5% of local party groups, or some Labour-supporting trade unions, by Feb. 14. Voting will run from Feb. 21 to April 2.Whether that second hurdle is too high for some of the candidates remains to be seen. One of the unknowns in the contest is how the party membership, which has been supportive of Corbyn until now, responds to December's election defeat. Corbyn has tried to push Long-Bailey to the fore in recent months, but the value of that endorsement is unclear.The current favorite is Starmer, whose role as Brexit spokesman and long-standing opposition to leaving the European Union at times put him at odds with Corbyn. A YouGov poll of Labour members published Jan. 2 had the 57-year-old lawyer on 36%, comfortably ahead of Long-Bailey on 23%.Still, Starmer has warned the party not to "oversteer" after the election defeat, arguing Labour should "build on" Corbyn's anti-austerity message and radical agenda.Nandy, who resigned as Labour's energy spokeswoman in 2016 to lead an attempt to overthrow Corbyn, described YouGov's as a "name recognition poll," and the campaign could see another candidate break clear of the pack -- just as Corbyn did last time.'Definitely a Disconnect'In an interview with Sky News, Nandy -- member of Parliament for the northwest town of Wigan since 2010 -- said "there is definitely a disconnect between the hierarchy of the Labour Party and the people of the country and towns like mine."Meanwhile, Phillips's campaign is pitching the MP for Birmingham Yardley as the "Heineken candidate," referring to a long-running ad campaign claiming the beer "refreshes the parts other beers cannot reach." That used to be how Prime Minister Boris Johnson's supporters described him to Conservatives.Known for her blunt and witty speeches, Phillips told the BBC on Sunday the contest now "has got to be about whether the Labour party can speak and connect and be trusted by the public."Long-Bailey, who used her article to highlight her credentials as an environmentalist and her part in drawing up Labour's Green New Deal, also took a swipe at her opponents, suggesting they had been jockeying for the leadership rather than concentrating on last month's election campaign."I didn't emerge from the election with a ready-made leadership campaign because my every effort during the election went into campaigning for a Labour victory," she wrote. "I'm not driven by personal ambition, but by my principles and an unwavering desire to change our country and our world for the better."Ian Lavery, the party chairman, and Yvette Cooper, it's former home affairs spokeswoman, said late Monday they won't be putting their names forward.(Updates with Cooper and Lavery in final paragraph)To contact the reporters on this story: Robert Hutton in London at rhutton1@bloomberg.net;Thomas Penny in London at tpenny@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Stuart Biggs, Thomas PennyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Michael Bloomberg says he doesn't regret supporting the Iraq War Posted: 06 Jan 2020 04:01 PM PST  Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg believes the U.S. invasion of Iraq was "a mistake," but doesn't regret supporting former President George W. Bush's decision to go to war.The 2003 invasion came in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and Bloomberg told the Los Angeles Times on Monday that at the time, "America wanted to go to war, but it turns out it was based on faulty intelligence, and it was a mistake. But I think people that made the mistake did it honestly, and it's a shame, because it's left us entangled, and it's left the Middle East in chaos through today."At the time, Bloomberg was the Republican mayor of New York City. He was a Democrat before that, became an independent in 2007, and returned to the Democratic Party in 2018. While he now sees the invasion as a grave error, he doesn't have any qualms with his previous support of it. "I don't live in a regret world and I didn't make that decision," he told the Times.More stories from theweek.com America is guilty of everything we accuse Iran of doing Border Patrol has started its 'small-scale' DNA collection program Pentagon mistakenly releases draft memo promising withdrawal from Iraq
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| U.K.’s Javid Sets March 11 Date for Budget to Deliver on Pledges Posted: 06 Jan 2020 04:01 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid promised to unleash "a decade of renewal" when he outlines his budget on March 11 as he seeks to ready the U.K. for its departure from the European Union.Javid's office said he will make good on pledges to cut taxes and spread opportunity as he announced the date for the statement, postponed from November. He will build on plans outlined during the election campaign to increase borrowing for investment by jettisoning government fiscal rules to allow the U.K. to capitalize on low interest rates, the Treasury said.Boris Johnson's Conservative Party won a commanding 80-seat majority in Parliament last month after promising to deliver Brexit and boost public spending on hospitals, police and infrastructure. The premier now needs to deliver if he's to cement the support of voters in blue-collar areas who've traditionally voted for the opposition Labour Party but switched to back his program on Dec. 12."People across the country have told us that they want change. We've listened and will now deliver," Javid said in an email. "With this Budget we will unleash Britain's potential -- uniting our great country, opening a new chapter for our economy and ushering in a decade of renewal."The new fiscal rules, outlined by the chancellor in November, commit Johnson's government to balancing the day-to-day budget and limiting investment to 3% of gross domestic product -- compared to 2% under current restrictions. That would allow an extra 20 billion pounds ($26.3 billion) a year to be spent on capital projects such as railways and roads, though Javid said the plans for extra borrowing would be reassessed if debt-servicing costs rise significantly.The chancellor will update cabinet colleagues on his plans Tuesday morning before answering questions in Parliament from 2:30 p.m., his office said.During the election campaign, Johnson and Javid's Tories promised that rates of income tax, national insurance and VAT wouldn't rise and said they would increase the threshold for paying national insurance, an employment tax, to 9,500 pounds from 8,628 pounds in their first budget.Javid will announce measures to help the environment alongside investment in new hospitals, police officers and in-work training in his March 11 statement to Parliament, his office said.To contact the reporter on this story: Thomas Penny in London at tpenny@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Robert JamesonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Pompeo Tells McConnell He Won’t Run For Kansas Senate Seat: Reports Posted: 06 Jan 2020 03:56 PM PST  The Secretary of State reportedly said he wants to remain in the Trump administration amid escalating tensions with Iran.
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| Life After Corbyn? The Politicians Vying to Become Labour Leader Posted: 06 Jan 2020 03:43 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- The U.K. Labour Party is looking for a new leader after Jeremy Corbyn announced his plan to resign in the wake of the heavy election defeat last month.His successor will have the task of uniting a party that has become bitterly divided over Corbyn's socialist policies and accusations of antisemitism. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair -- the only person to lead Labour to an election victory in 45 years -- has urged a wholesale change of approach.Despite his failure to win at national level, Corbyn's popularity among grassroots party members will be a key factor in deciding who takes his place. Labour has set out plans for a three-month contest, with the winner to be announced on April 4. Here are the potential candidates:Keir Starmer, 57: The Arch RemainerKeir Starmer, Corbyn's Brexit spokesman, launched his leadership bid on Sunday and is the early front-runner, according to a YouGov poll of Labour members published on Jan. 2. He's on 36%, comfortably ahead of Rebecca Long-Bailey.Starmer hasn't always been loyal to the current leader -- particularly when it comes to the question of the U.K.'s relationship with the European Union. He backed Corbyn's rivals in the 2015 and 2016 leadership contests and is one of the party's most vocal Remainers.While he has been accused of being out of touch with working class Leave voters in northern England, he's arguably closer to them than Corbyn, who was privately educated. He told the BBC he'd never been in an office until he left university, because his father worked in a factory and his mother was a nurse. He has been careful not to criticize Corbyn too much, saying everyone in the party's leadership shares responsibility for its defeat.Starmer has positioned himself as a middle-ground candidate who is neither Corbynite or Blairite, but has also warned the party not to "oversteer" after the election defeat, arguing Labour should "build on" Corbyn's anti-austerity message and radical agenda."I've spent my life fighting for justice," Starmer said in a campaign video posted on Twitter. "Standing up for the powerless and against the powerful."Starmer has an impressive legal career behind him, and was knighted for his role as Director of Public Prosecutions between 2008 and 2013 before he became an MP in 2015.Rebecca Long Bailey, 40: The Chosen OneIf you were going to build a new Labour leader from scratch, Rebecca Long Bailey would probably tick most of the boxes: A young, female, strong media performer who hails from a northern constituency with a safe majority.Crucially, she's also loyal to the current leadership, even standing in for Corbyn at Prime Minister's Questions in June. With the party's membership still firmly to the left of Labour's MPs, this could prove key in gaining the support needed to win the contest. She was second behind Starmer, on 23%, in YouGov's poll of Labour members.She has said the next leader should be a champion for "progressive patriotism" and admitted trust in Labour's policies was an issue among voters. But in an article for Tribune magazine announcing her candidacy, she said last month's defeat "was a failure of campaign strategy, not of our socialist program" and she remains committed to Corbyn's core message."I'm a lifelong socialist, dedicated to our movement and determined to do my bit," she wrote. "You're as likely to see me on a picket line as you are at the dispatch box, and you can trust me to fight the establishment tooth and nail."Long Bailey is a close friend of Angela Rayner, and has said she'd back Labour's education spokeswoman to be deputy leader. Rayner returned the favor on Monday as she launched her bid for the number-two role, saying she'll back Long Bailey for the leadership. There have been suggestions they could be the party's next power duo, akin to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, or indeed Corbyn and John McDonnell.Jess Phillips, 38: The Corbyn CriticKnown for her blunt and witty speeches, Jess Phillips announced her candidacy for the top job on Friday, calling for the party to elect a "different kind of leader" because "more of the same will lead to more of the same result.""Now is not the time to be meek: Boris Johnson needs to be challenged, with passion, heart and precision," Phillips said. "We need to recognize that politics has changed in a fundamental way."Despite sharing many of the same left-leaning views as Corbyn, she's been a vocal critic of the leader, saying he wasn't capable of winning a majority for Labour. For that reason she's proved divisive -- hated by many Corbyn supporters who saw her as undermining his efforts.Phillips, from Birmingham in central England, is something of a contrarian. While backing a second Brexit referendum, she declined to join the People's Vote campaign, and she's on friendly terms with Conservative Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg. In a BBC interview, Phillips suggested she'd be prepared to make the argument to rejoin the EU after Brexit if she thought it would make the country safer and more economically viable.Clive Lewis, 48: Loyal SoldierShadow cabinet minister Clive Lewis was the second Labour MP to officially declare he's running for leader, laying out his pitch in the Guardian newspaper to give the party's membership more say over Labour's policies and selection of election candidates.On the left of the party, Lewis said in 2015 that the ideology of former Prime Minister Tony Blair was "dead and buried, and it needs to stay that way." Later that year, Corbyn credited Lewis for getting his nomination for the leadership "off the ground," the New Statesman magazine reported. He quit Corbyn's frontbench team in early 2017 over the party's Brexit policy, before being welcomed back a year later.Before becoming an MP, Lewis worked as a BBC journalist and served as a soldier in Afghanistan for three months. At the 2017 Labour Party conference, he was criticized for using a misogynistic phrase. He later apologized for his "unacceptable" language.Emily Thornberry, 59: Corbyn's NeighborEmily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, was the first to publicly state her intention to run for leader. Writing in the Guardian newspaper, she underlined one of her key strengths: the fact she has a direct record against Boris Johnson. Describing her time opposite Johnson as his shadow while he was foreign secretary, Thornberry said she "took the fight to him every day and pummeled him every week... He hated it, especially coming from a woman."A strong media performer with experience in both Ed Miliband's and Corbyn's senior leadership teams, Thornberry pushed hard for Labour to back holding a second referendum on Brexit.Old gaffes may come to haunt her, however. She was forced to resign her shadow cabinet post in 2014 after tweeting a picture of a white van and English flags which was seen as mocking working-class voters -- the very people Labour needs to win back.She represents Islington South, neighboring Corbyn's district, and members may question whether another Londoner is the right choice to secure nationwide support. Thornberry said members shouldn't judge candidates on "where they live in our country" but instead on whether they have the "political nous and strategic vision" needed.Lisa Nandy, 40: Cheerleader for TownsLisa Nandy is emerging as one of the "soft-left" front-runners, and launched her bid for the top job on Friday with a letter to the local newspaper in the town of Wigan, where she's been the MP since 2010. She'd previously told the BBC that Labour's "shattering defeat" left towns like hers feeling like "the earth was quaking.""We have one chance to win back the trust of people in Wigan, Workington and Wrexham: without what were once our Labour heartlands we will never win power in Westminster," Nandy wrote to the Wigan Post. "We need a leader who is proud to be from those communities, has skin in the game, and is prepare to go out, listen and bring Labour home to you."A former charity worker, Nandy is media-friendly and her northern roots will be seen as an advantage as Labour seeks to win back its traditional voters who abandoned the party in the election. She co-founded the Centre for Towns, a think tank that aims to revive smaller urban areas.A Corbyn opponent, Nandy quit as Labour's energy spokeswoman in 2016 to join an attempt to overthrow him, and served as co-chair in Owen Smith's failed leadership campaign. She campaigned against Brexit in the 2016 referendum, but has since argued the EU divorce must be delivered. She voted for Johnson's deal in October, but then voted against it in December because she said Johnson is no longer interested in making cross-party compromises to improve the bill.To contact the reporters on this story: Greg Ritchie in London at gritchie10@bloomberg.net;Alex Morales in London at amorales2@bloomberg.net;Jessica Shankleman in London at jshankleman@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Tim Ross at tross54@bloomberg.net, Stuart Biggs, Thomas PennyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Secretary of State Pompeo Will Not Run for Kansas Senate Seat Posted: 06 Jan 2020 03:43 PM PST ![Secretary of State Pompeo Will Not Run for Kansas Senate Seat]( "Secretary of State Pompeo Will Not Run for Kansas Senate Seat") (Bloomberg) -- Secretary of State Michael Pompeo will not run for an open Senate seat in his home state of Kansas, a person familiar with the matter said Monday night.Pompeo went to Capitol Hill on Monday and told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that he would not be a candidate, according to the person, who was granted anonymity to discuss a private meeting.McConnell and other prominent Republicans had urged Pompeo, who represented Kansas in Congress, to enter the race to replace Senator Pat Roberts, who is retiring.President Donald Trump had predicted in November that Pompeo would "win in a landslide" if he ran.Although Kansas has long been a GOP stronghold, McConnell and other Republican leaders feared that immigration hard-liner Kris Kobach, a former Kansas secretary of state who was defeated in the 2018 governor's race by Democrat Laura Kelly, might lose if he were to become the Republican candidate.Last summer, Republican donors were told to hold off contributing to the race until Pompeo made a decision.Originally Trump's Central Intelligence Agency director, Pompeo used his rapport with the president to become the administration's dominant voice on foreign policy.He played a role in Trump's decision to order the airstrike that killed Qassam Soleimani, a top Iranian general, last week.But Pompeo came under criticism during the House impeachment inquiry for not doing more to back up his diplomats, particularly U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.She was recalled to the U.S. months early following complaints from Trump and his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.Pompeo also led Trump's effort to break decades of deadlock over North Korea's nuclear program, an initiative that has so far failed to show significant progress despite three meetings between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.To contact the reporters on this story: Jennifer Jacobs in Washington at jjacobs68@bloomberg.net;Nick Wadhams in Washington at nwadhams@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Michael Shepard at mshepard7@bloomberg.net, John Harney, Max BerleyFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Iran strategy of 'maximum pressure' continues after the killing of Qassem Soleimani Posted: 06 Jan 2020 03:37 PM PST  President Donald Trump has been remarkably consistent; it's now Iran's move, writes Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
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| Shocked Iraqis Ask Team Trump WTF After General’s Botched Pullout Letter Posted: 06 Jan 2020 03:22 PM PST  Senior Iraqi officials worriedly called their American counterparts on Monday after a letter from a top general in Iraq appeared to accept the Iraqi parliament's vote to remove the 5,000 U.S. troops stationed there, according to an Iraqi official and another individual familiar with the matter. The letter was quickly disavowed, minutes after it became public.In the latest indication of strategy confusion sprawling out from President Trump's assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani, U.S. officials told the Iraqis to "not worry about it," as both sides attempted to determine what their uneasy bilateral relationship will become. The letter, penned by Marine two-star general William H. Seely III on Monday and addressed to the Iraqi defense ministry, said that the U.S. military command would be "repositioning forces" in the near future as preparation "for onward movement," seemingly out of Iraq. "We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure." Seeley added.The day before, the Iraqi parliament's voted to expel the U.S. in the aftermath of the lethal drone strike in Baghdad that killed both Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. But while the parliamentary vote underscored the precarity of the U.S. position in Iraq, it is yet to be a binding decision, as the Iraqi Prime Minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, is operating in a caretaker capacity following his November resignation. Seeley's letter circulated widely on social media – so much so that Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that the letter was a mistake that should not have been either drafted or released. Esper said the Trump administration has made "no decision" to leave Iraq as yet. The letter was "poorly worded, [it] implies withdrawal, that is not what's happening," Miley said. But in response to Iranian threats of vengeance for Soleimani, the U.S. military command has suspended all Iraq operations, both the training of the Iraqi military and the central rationale for their post-2014 presence, combatting the remnants of the so-called Islamic State. Seely and multiple defense officials in Iraq and the Pentagon did not respond to The Daily Beast's repeated requests for clarification. In the aftermath of the Soleimani strike, Iraqi officials told The Daily Beast that U.S. relations with Baghdad were in "real jeopardy." ("You are strengthening the guys"—the Iranians—"you want to weaken," one said.) Those concerns became more concrete after Sunday's vote in the Iraqi parliament, Trump threatened Iraq with its first economic sanctions since the Saddam Hussein era – something that appears to have spooked Iraqi leaders who had already been dealing with large-scale popular protests against corruption, joblessness, lack of services and economic precarity. Prime Minister Adbul-Mahdi, who had championed the ejection of U.S. troops over the weekend, struck a more conciliatory tone in a meeting with U.S. Ambassador Matthew Tueller. Abdul-Mahdi indicated that Iraq would prefer to continue U.S. mentorship of its military while ejecting anti-ISIS combat forces. Iraqi sources said their officials fear the economic consequences of an acrimonious U.S. objection, fearing the decimation of their already precarious economy. That would come on top of a potential U.S.-Iran war that would likely see Iraq remain as a battlefield – to say nothing of a resurgence of ISIS, as jihadis in Iraq have proven themselves resilient. Those fears are, for now, the only certainties about the future of the U.S. military in Iraq. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Iran-Born Ivy League Professor Detained and Grilled About Soleimani at JFK Posted: 06 Jan 2020 03:21 PM PST  Until Sunday morning, University of Pennsylvania academic and historian John Ghazvinian—who left Iran as a baby with his family more than four decades ago and grew up in London and Los Angeles—traveled in and out of the United States with the same freedoms as any other U.S. citizen.But when he arrived from Cairo at John F. Kennedy International Airport via an Air France connecting flight from Paris—two days after the U.S. military killed one of Iran's top generals on orders from President Donald Trump—all of that changed. Ghazvinian, 45, the interim director of Penn's Middle East Center, was among scores of Americans of Iranian heritage who were subjected over the weekend to heightened government scrutiny—and in some cases extended detention—in the wake of escalating hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, prompted by the drone execution of Quds Force commander and four-star Gen. Qassem Soleimani.In an email to The Daily Beast, the Customs and Border Protection agency—the law enforcement arm of the Department of Homeland Security that administers the passport control checkpoints at airports and at the borders—denied that Iranian-Americans are being specifically targeted, but that denial has been greeted with skepticism by Ghazvinian and others in the Iranian-American community.A second Iranian-American who was detained and interrogated by CBP, and asked to be identified only as an executive from the San Francisco Bay Area so as not to create bad publicity for his company, told The Daily Beast that "I have absolutely zero doubt" that his heritage was the decisive factor—mainly because the CBP officer who detained and interrogated him told him so, pointing to the word "Iran" listed as his birthplace on his U.S. passport.However, "Social media posts that CBP is detaining Iranian-Americans and refusing their entry into the U.S. because of their country of origin are false," said the carefully worded government email attributed to CBP spokesperson Michael Friel. "Reports that DHS/CBP has issued a related directive are also false."Another federal government source added: "Based on the current threat environment, CBP is operating with an enhanced posture at its ports of entry to safeguard our national security and protect the American people while simultaneously protecting the civil rights of everyone."The Bay-Area executive, who holds a government-issued Global Entry card and estimates that he travels internationally for work as many as eight times a year, said he doesn't believe his civil rights were protected when he, his Korean-born wife, and their two American-born children arrived at the CBP checkpoint in Calgary, Canada, after a week of skiing in Banff.The 55-year-old executive, who became a naturalized citizen in 1986 and has lived in the United States since he was a 13-year-old boarding school student in 1978—a year before the Iranian Revolution toppled the shah and installed an Islamic Republic—now fears he will be detained and questioned whenever he returns to the United States from a business trip."It's a disappointment to know that I will continue to be treated as a second class citizen because of my place of birth," he told The Daily Beast in unaccented English, comparing his circumstance to the "stop-and-frisk" police operation that disproportionately targeted African-Americans during Mike Bloomberg's mayoralty in New York City. "How is this different from the color of skin or a religious declaration being used as a form of prejudice? It isn't," he added."What is the point of a fucking passport and swearing allegiance to country?" the executive angrily demanded, noting that unlike many Iranian-Americans he doesn't hold dual passports—only a U.S. one—and refuses to revisit the country his family fled as the mullahs were taking over.Biblical Sites, Ancient Wonders, the Last 'Garden of Eden': Here's What Trump Just Threatened to Bomb in IranOn Sunday morning, meanwhile, when the widely traveled historian John Ghazvinian arrived at to the passport checkpoint at JFK, "I was pulled aside. This was the first time that happened to me," he told The Daily Beast, adding that the passport control officer spent several moments perusing his travel stamps and demanded: "When was the last time you were in Libya?""I've never been to Libya," Ghazvinian answered.After being ordered to wait 10 minutes or so, he was directed to a private room where he suddenly found himself being interrogated by a female immigration officer, who—among a battery of questions—wanted to know what he thought about Soleimani's death."I told her I didn't really understand how that was relevant," Ghazvinian recounted, adding that the officer's tone was "friendly." "She said, 'We just like to know what people think out there.' And I said, 'It seems like a political question.' And she just dropped it and gave me my passport back and that was that."Ghazvinian, who had been leading a group of high-school teachers on a two-week trek through Egypt in his role at Penn's Middle East Center, called his experience "troubling.""Even as a U.S. citizen," Ghazvinian said, "you have to be aware of the fact that some of our cherished rights are sometimes more fragile than we imagine, and we don't know where this might go."He acknowledges, however, that he got off easy.Since Friday's lethal attack on Soleimani and other top Iranian military officers on a visit to Iraq, there have been "dozens, but potentially as many as 150 individuals being held for questioning, with each individual being asked to answer questions on: Relatives, occupations, birthdays, the last time they visited Iran and their opinions on current tensions," the National Iranian-American Council asserted in a statement that raised the possibility that "DHS Customs and Border Protection has issued a new order to detain individuals of Iranian heritage, regardless of their citizenship, and subject them to questioning or interrogation."The NIAC statement continued that there were "multiple individuals noting they were held between 11-16 hours; Individuals being held for questioning had American citizenship, Canadian citizenship; or a green card...Some Americans and Canadian citizens and green card holders were also reportedly turned away at the border due to the CBP's inability to detain and house those detained."Many of these incidents occurred, said the statement, when groups of Iranian-Americans were returning to the U.S. by automobile—through the Peace Arch border crossing in Blaine, Washington—from a Persian music concert in Vancouver, Canada."At the Blaine POE, wait times increased to an average of two hours on Saturday evening, although some travelers experienced wait times of up to four hours due to increased volume and reduced staff during the holiday season," the federal government source claimed, adding defensively that "CBP does not discriminate based on religion, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation."The Bay Area executive, who provided The Daily Beast with United Airlines boarding passes and other documents that corroborated his account, said he and his wife and kids drove to Calgary International Airport from Banff on Friday and arrived more than three hours before their 3 p.m. flight to San Francisco.The U.S. government processes travelers at the CBP checkpoint at the airport, but when the executive scanned his passport in the kiosk, the receipt came back with giant "X" on it.Instead of the usual fast-track that Global Entry provides, they were directed to a long line that took them half an hour. When he finally presented the family's passports, the CBP officer cleared his wife and kids but ordered him to step to the side. The officer told the executive's wife that she and her children were cleared to go to the gate, but that he'd have to stay for a bit. They chose to stay with him, the executive said."I was shocked," he recalled, while his children, a 12-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter, were simply "puzzled."They were led into a waiting room flanked by interrogation rooms, and in due course a CBP officer appeared and beckoned the executive into one of the interrogation rooms.The officer questioned him closely about his Iranian origins, asked him if he had ever served in the Iranian military—"I left when I was 13!" the executive protested—and pressed on with a series of questions that the executive attempted to cut short by mention his Global Entry status and the fact that he'd once worked for the U.S. Treasury Department."I'm sorry, I have to go through these questions," the CBP officer allegedly said."I felt bad about it," the executive recounted. "He realized that this was not normal. I could tell by his tone."Finally, the CBP officer told him he was free to go, and the executive said he had to explain the incident to his anxious children—confiscating their cell phones as they sat down in an airport restaurant before their flight."I told them I didn't want the cell phones there because the government had the ability to eavesdrop," the executive recalled.Yet he said he still becomes emotional when he thinks of the day in 1986 when he became an American citizen."I remember the day, in one of the largest halls in Los Angeles," the executive said, recalling that he stood and took the citizenship oath with around 7,000 other new Americans. "It still brings tears to my eyes. I remember all the flags in this hall, and the echo. It's one of those things you never forget. And I'm proud of it. My kids speak only one language, English, to the detriment of my own culture. I want them to blend in. Because I know what it's like when you don't blend in."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| What Iran's latest nuclear deal announcement really means Posted: 06 Jan 2020 03:12 PM PST  One day after Iran's government announced the country will no longer abide by any of the operational restraints on its nuclear program under the nuclear deal, President Donald Trump issued a new all-caps warning to Tehran. "IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!" the president tweeted on Monday. Iran has just issued a New Warning.
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| Pelosi effort to rein in Trump on Iran renews war powers debate Posted: 06 Jan 2020 03:03 PM PST  While House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic House of Representatives are set to debate and vote on a war powers resolution later this week to limit President Donald Trump's authority to take military action against Iran, all members of Congress will receive classified briefings from senior Trump administration officials on Wednesday. Since the Jan. 2 strike, the administration has attempted to justify its actions through two broad resolutions authorizing the use of military force that were enacted two decades ago but nevertheless have been used by three U.S. presidents to justify dozens of military operations across the region.
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| Border Patrol has started its 'small-scale' DNA collection program Posted: 06 Jan 2020 02:46 PM PST  U.S. Customs and Border Protection launched a "limited, small-scale" pilot program Monday to collect DNA from a select group of people in immigration custody as part of the Trump administration's plan to curb immigration via biometrics, The New York Times reports.Under the program, which was proposed in October and is reportedly set to last for 90 days, Border Patrol will collect DNA from migrants between 14 and 79 years old who are either apprehended in the Detroit area or those detained at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in Texas. The collections would then head to a massive criminal database run by the FBI.Agents said they will not collect samples from people who have or are trying to enter the United States legally, but some people are still concerned — Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) led a group of Democratic colleagues who tried to stop the program from launching because of the fear that it could be used against family members, as well. Brian Hastings, the chief of the Border patrol's law enforcement directorate last year questioned the practicality of collecting DNA, saying it could hinder the orderly processing of migrants since agents aren't trained for it. The Department of Homeland Security said a training video would be provided. Read more at The New York Times.More stories from theweek.com America is guilty of everything we accuse Iran of doing Pentagon mistakenly releases draft memo promising withdrawal from Iraq Pompeo and Pence reportedly pushed Trump to kill Soleimani. Pentagon leaders were 'stunned' Trump agreed.
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| Trump tests Congress' war powers with strike against Iran Posted: 06 Jan 2020 02:39 PM PST  President Donald Trump's confrontation with Iran is posing a gut check for Congress, brazenly testing whether the House and Senate will exert their own authority over U.S. military strategy or cede more war powers to the White House. As tensions rise at home and abroad, Speaker Nancy Pelosi will hold House votes this week to limit Trump's ability to engage Iran militarily after the surprise U.S. airstrike that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani. A Senate vote is expected to soon follow.
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| Egypt's president says interfaith bond saved country Posted: 06 Jan 2020 02:31 PM PST  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi appeared at Coptic Christmas Eve Mass on Monday and praised the links between the country's Christian and Muslim faithful, saying they have prevented the country from descending into sectarian strife like its neighbors. El-Sissi, who is a practicing Muslim, arrived at the cathedral in the middle of the Mass and was met by Coptic Pope Tawadros II on the doorstep before greeting churchgoers. Egyptian State television aired his appearance at the new cathedral, just finished last year, and showed people crowding around him to shake his hand, filming with mobile phones.
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| Future of US military presence in Iraq in question amid confusion in Washington Posted: 06 Jan 2020 02:27 PM PST  US letter said troops would begin 'onward movement' from Iraq, but defense secretary insists no decision was made to evacuate The future of the US military presence in Iraq is in question amid scenes of confusion in Washington, as the Trump administration scrambled to respond to Iraqi demands for the troops to leave after last week's assassination in Baghdad of Iran's top general, Qassem Suleimani.The US-led coalition taskforce fighting Isis in Iraq delivered a letter to the Iraqi defence ministry on Monday saying preparations would begin right away "to ensure that movement out of Iraq is conducted in a safe and efficient manner".But soon afterwards, the defence secretary, Mark Esper, told journalists in the Pentagon: "That letter is inconsistent with where we are right now" and insisted that no decision had been taken to evacuate Iraq. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Mark Milley, said the letter had been sent in error."That letter is a draft, it was a mistake, it was unsigned, it should not have been released," Milley said, adding that it was "poorly worded, implies withdrawal, that is not what's happening".The withdrawal of the taskforce from Iraq would dramatically weaken the effort to stop Isis regrouping, marking a strategic victory for Iran and a serious setback for the Trump administration, which urged Baghdad not to expel its counter-terrorist forces.The evident confusion in Washington added to an impression among US allies and enemies alike that the decision to assassinate Suleimani without a clear plan of what to do next had weakened the US in the region.US allies have continued to distance themselves from the decision, as millions of Iranians took to the streets to mourn and demand revenge for the assassination of the country's top general. Both Israel and Nato stressed they were not involved in the airstrike on Friday. The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has already expressed disappointment in the lukewarm reaction of Washington's European allies.But the response of Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was particularly striking, as he has been one of Trump's staunchest supporters on the world stage.He told a meeting of his security cabinet on Monday: "The assassination of Suleimani isn't an Israeli event but an American event. We were not involved and should not be dragged into it."The Saudi deputy defence minister, Khalid bin Salman, was in Washington on Monday to urge restraint, joining a growing international chorus.France's foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, insisted there was still time for diplomacy but warned that without urgent action to defuse rising tensions there was a real risk of a new Middle East war.The UN secretary general, António Guterres, who spoke to Pompeo on Monday, said that the region's "cauldron of tensions is leading more and more countries to take unpredicted decisions with unpredictable consequences and a profound risk of miscalculation".The Trump administration refused a visa to the Iranian foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, to come to New York to address the UN security council on Thursday, violating the UN headquarters agreement, the Foreign Policy website reported. A spokesman for the Iranian mission said it had not been informed of any decision, and a UN spokesman declined to comment.The US letter to the Iraqi military was signed by the US commanding general in Iraq, Brig Gen William Seely, and said that US forces "will be repositioning over the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement".The taskforce would try keep disruption to a minimum and do much of the airlift at night "to alleviate any perception" that the US was bringing more troops into Baghdad's fortified Green Zone.In London, the foreign office would not confirm or deny reports that the UK was scaling back staff at its embassies in Iran and Iraq to a minimum level, saying only that both sites were open and "the safety and security of our staff is of paramount importance and we keep our security posture under regular review".Boris Johnson is to chair a meeting of the national security council as Britain continued to urge all sides in the crisis to draw back from all-out conflict. The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, spoke on Tuesday to Zarif to stress the need for a diplomatic resolution.Iran has threatened a severe response to the US killing of Suleimani by drone strike in Baghdad last week. Brig Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of Iran's aerospace division, said on Monday that the only appropriate response would be the "the complete destruction of America in the region".While beginning to withdraw counter-Isis forces from Iraq, the Pentagon, meanwhile, continued to pour reinforcements into the region in case of a direct conflict with Iran. US defence officials said the roughly 2,500-strong marine force onboard the Bataan amphibious ready group, equipped with Cobra helicopters and Harrier jets, would be sent to the Middle East from its current position in the Mediterranean.Three thousand airborne troops are already on the way to Kuwait, and CNN reported that B-52 bombers were being sent to the Indian Ocean base of Diego Garcia, for potential use over the Middle East.On Monday, Iraq's caretaker prime minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, had summoned the US ambassador, Matthew Tueller, and called on the two countries to cooperate in arranging the US withdrawal. However, Abdul-Mahdi did not give a deadline for the US departure.Trump faced condemnation on Monday for his threat to strike Iranian culture sites among 52 targets that the US would bomb in reprisal for any future Iranian attack. The number, he explained, was the same as the number of Americans taken hostage when the US embassy in Tehran was seized after the Islamic revolution in 1979.Trump was also under continued pressure from Democrats on Monday for the lack of transparency over his justification for the assassination of Suleimani, who commanded the elite Quds force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Trump and Pompeo have claimed the general was plotting imminent attacks against US targets.Abdul-Mahdi said the Iranian military leader had flown to Iraq to negotiate, and he claimed Trump had asked the Iraqi government to mediate.Trump did not consult Congress or US allies before ordering the strike in the early hours of the morning in Baghdad. On Saturday, the White House delivered a formal notification to Congress as required by the 1973 War Powers Act, but its contents were classified. Normally such notifications are public documents with a classified section if required.The Democratic senators Chuck Schumer and Bob Menendez wrote to Trump on Monday, demanding the war powers notification be declassified."We did not see anything here that he deemed required such a classification," a Senate staffer said. "The War Powers Act provision requiring the 48-hour notification was included partly for transparency purposes with the American people during these delicate moments. [It's] pretty self-defeating to hide something meant to be transparent."The White House has suggested it will brief selected members of Congress this week, but Kellyanne Conway, a Trump adviser, said the decision on timing was up to the Pentagon.US allies in Europe and the Middle East have stressed that Suleimani had been a destabilising and destructive presence in the region, but they have largely stopped short of supporting Trump's decision, calling for restraint on all sides.The US briefed Nato ministers on Monday on the Suleimani killing. Speaking to journalists later, the Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, distanced the alliance from the operation."This is a US decision, it is not a decision taken by either the global coalition nor Nato, but all allies are concerned about Iran's destabilizing activities in the region, Iran's support to different terrorist groups," Stoltenberg said. He also confirmed the suspension of the Nato training mission in Iraq."In everything that we do, the safety of our personnel is paramount. As such, we have temporarily suspended our training on the ground," the secretary general said.There is mounting concern that the more cautious stance by the US-led coalition would make it much less effective and allow Isis to regenerate."The bottom line is that there won't be much counter-terrorism going on in Iraq and Syria any time soon," wrote Luke Hartig, former senior director for counter-terrorism on the national security council, now at the New America foundation. "Trump's counter-terrorism legacy in Iraq and Syria may be a series of dead bodies but nothing that addresses the core of the problem and no partners willing to help us root it out."
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| Pentagon mistakenly releases draft memo promising withdrawal from Iraq Posted: 06 Jan 2020 02:15 PM PST  This isn't your standard Trump administration memo leak.No, the memo released Monday that signifies the U.S's plan to exit Iraq is a full-fledged "mistake," Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark Milley said more than an hour after it came out. It's a "draft" and "implies withdrawal," which "is not what happening," Milley said after the memo promised the opposite.A memo from the U.S. to an Iraqi leader of the two countries' joint operations in Baghdad started circulating Monday afternoon. U.S. forces in Iraq would soon be "repositioning," "as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister," the letter from Brig. Gen. William Seely, U.S. director of Iraqi joint operations, read. "We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure," the letter concluded.> Breaking: US military tells Iraqi Joint operations command that they are preparing to move out. pic.twitter.com/yqoFiEIHBD> > — Mustafa Salim (@Mustafa_salimb) January 6, 2020Given that Iraq's Parliament had just voted to expel U.S. forces from the country, the letter sounds like the Pentagon was quickly adhering to the decision. And according to The Washington Post reporter Mustafa Salim, the office of Iraq's prime minister also interpreted the letter that way — or at least willfully misinterpreted it — and then leaked it. But as Milley made clear even after some Pentagon officials verified the letter was sent, it was "unsigned" and "it should not have been released" in the first place.More stories from theweek.com America is guilty of everything we accuse Iran of doing Border Patrol has started its 'small-scale' DNA collection program Pompeo and Pence reportedly pushed Trump to kill Soleimani. Pentagon leaders were 'stunned' Trump agreed.
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| Trump Admin Bars Top Iranian Diplomat From Entering U.S.: Report Posted: 06 Jan 2020 01:58 PM PST  Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had requested a visa to come to address the United Nations Security Council.
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| Pentagon chief says ‘no decision whatsoever’ to leave Iraq after memo confusion Posted: 06 Jan 2020 01:57 PM PST  Memo surfaces on U.S. troop repositioning in Iraq as force protection becomes top priority after strike on Iran's top general
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| Venezuela Congressional Showdown Looms After Maduro Maneuver Posted: 06 Jan 2020 01:53 PM PST ![Venezuela Congressional Showdown Looms After Maduro Maneuver]( "Venezuela Congressional Showdown Looms After Maduro Maneuver") (Bloomberg) -- Political confrontation is intensifying in Venezuela as opposition leader Juan Guaido and the government ally who says he's replaced him as legislative head both announced plans to open a session at the National Assembly on Tuesday.The dueling announcements took place a day after security forces of President Nicolas Maduro barred Guaido from the assembly to prevent his re-election as leader. Guaido took his followers to an off-site session where he easily carried the vote.Speaking to journalists at his Caracas office on Monday, Guaido said, "Tomorrow we begin the regular session in the legislative palace. We are going to do our job."Simultaneously, Luis Parra, a former opposition legislator now allied with Maduro, took over Guaido's assembly office, said he had the quorum and legitimacy for the position, and was opening a new session on Tuesday. He said he would reset the legislative agenda and seek reconciliation. Guaido was welcome, he added, but only as any other legislator.Guaido later said he might hold the session remotely if needed.U.S. Versus RussiaIn validating the irregular vote at the National Assembly, Maduro earned the scorn of most of Latin America including leftist governments like Argentina, Mexico and Uruguay which criticized the incident. The U.S., which has backed Guaido for the past year, congratulated him for being re-elected while Russia, which supports Maduro, called Parra's election legitimate and democratic.While the Trump administration has strongly backed Guaido, the current crisis over Iran may distract Washington from getting very involved. It has imposed severe sanctions on those doing business with the Venezuelan government. Venezuela has the world's largest known oil reserves.On Monday, Vice President Mike Pence called Guaido and spoke with him for 10 minutes, congratulating him on his re-election and reaffirming that he's the only legitimate president of Venezuela. A person familiar with the call said the two also agreed that this is an inflection point for freedom and democracy in the country. Elliott Abrams, special envoy to Venezuela for the U.S. government, told reporters that the administration is looking at new and different sanctions to pressure Maduro. He also said the U.S. had underestimated Russian and Cuban support for him.Maduro's move on Sunday illustrates his growing confidence that, despite the country's spiraling poverty, hunger and dysfunction, Guaido's U.S.-backed attempt to oust him is fading.The streets, which last year filled with citizens supporting Guaido, hasn't rung out with support in the past couple days. They are largely empty. He is polling now in the high 30s, according to Datanalisis. He is still the most popular politician in the country, but fatigue among ordinary citizens over the daily struggle of life along with pessimism that he can oust Maduro have slowed his momentum.Corruption ScandalParra, who says he's taken over from Guaido, was once his ally but is ensnared in a corruption scandal and has been embraced by Maduro. On Monday, he spoke from the National Assembly and said that Guaido had lost the vote because he was "late."Parra claimed he was voted in with a quorum but declined to provide a record. Since the assembly is controlled by the pro-Guaido opposition, some of whom couldn't get into the building on Sunday, Parra's claim stretches credulity.At his press conference, Guaido said, "Everything points to there being joint action with Russia." He called on security forces to abandon Maduro and accused him of seeking to destroy all Venezuelan institutions.Maduro controls all key institutions -- the military, the electoral council, the judiciary -- except the assembly. But he has essentially stripped the assembly of all law-making power and has been ruling as an authoritarian.In an apparent attempt to reduce tensions and back Parra, Maduro's government announced that it will release 14 political prisoners following negotiations with minority political parties that support Parra's election. Among the released are photojournalist Jesus Medina and Carlos Marron, owner of a black market dollar website.(adds Pence phone call to Guaido)\--With assistance from Fabiola Zerpa.To contact the reporters on this story: Patricia Laya in Caracas at playa2@bloomberg.net;Alex Vasquez in Caracas Office at avasquez45@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Cancel at dcancel@bloomberg.net, Ethan BronnerFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| There's a 'major bearish overhang' on oil markets, analyst says Posted: 06 Jan 2020 01:51 PM PST  An eventual de-escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran could unleash an untapped source of global crude oil supply and send prices spiraling lower, according to at least one analyst.
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| Megyn Kelly Goes Viral Sparring with Colin Kaepernick and Ava DuVernay About Iran & Racism Posted: 06 Jan 2020 01:46 PM PST  Megyn Kelly Tweets at Colin Kaepernick Over Iran
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| US slams Russia, China at UN for failure to condemn embassy attack Posted: 06 Jan 2020 01:40 PM PST  The United States on Monday slammed Russia and China for their failure to condemn an attack last week on its Baghdad embassy by pro-Iranian demonstrators. "Not allowing the United Nations Security Council to issue the most basic of statements underscoring the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises once again calls the council's credibility into question," the US statement said. The attack on the Baghdad embassy, which did not result in any injuries, was meant to protest against a US airstrike against Ketaeb Hezbollah (KH), an Iranian-backed militia which the US blames for rocket attacks on its facilities in northern Iraq that resulted in the death of a US contractor.
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| 'Honest mistake' sets off alarm about US troops in Iraq Posted: 06 Jan 2020 01:22 PM PST  For a few tense hours Monday, the United States appeared to have announced that American troops were pulling out of Baghdad after nearly 17 years. "Here's the bottom line, this was a mistake," Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said as he tried to unravel a knot of miscommunication that came at a time of already soaring tensions with the Middle East. The bungled message started when a draft letter from Marine Brig. Gen. William Seely began circulating on social media.
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| Unique sex-abuse suit filed against Boy Scouts in US capital Posted: 06 Jan 2020 01:21 PM PST  A team of lawyers filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court in Washington, D.C., seeking to establish the nation's capital as a venue for men across the U.S. to sue the Boy Scouts of America for allegedly failing to protect them from long-ago sexual abuse at the hands of scoutmasters and other leaders. The eight plaintiffs in the potentially ground-breaking lawsuit, identified as John Does 1 through 8, live in states where statute of limitations laws would prevent them from suing the BSA based on claims of sex abuse that occurred decades ago.
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| Republican senator suggests John Bolton testimony 'could help the president' Posted: 06 Jan 2020 01:14 PM PST  Former National Security Adviser John Bolton grabbed headlines Monday when he somewhat surprisingly said he was "prepared to testify" should the Senate call him as a witness in the upcoming impeachment trial. But Republican senators aren't quite sure if they want to hear from him.Bolton's long been considered a potentially crucial witness since several current and former State Department and national security officials said in previous testimony before the House that he was concerned by President Trump's efforts to pressure Ukraine into investigating his domestic political rivals while withholding military aid from Kyiv.Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) dismissed the idea of issuing Bolton a subpoena, arguing the trial should be tied only to the evidence the articles of impeachment are based on. So, in that case, since Bolton didn't testify before the House, he shouldn't be able to testify before the Senate.It's reasonable to think Rubio and other Republican want to avoid a scenario in which Bolton does some damage to Trump's defense, but not everyone in the GOP thinks that's the only way Bolton's time in the witness box could play out. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) thinks Bolton could actually help Trump, though he's iffy on whether he'd support a subpoena. > Senate Rs clearly divided on Bolton. Cornyn says maybe Bolton would be helpful to Trump & should testify. Rubio says Senate can't call anyone the House hasn't already talked to... > > -> https://t.co/DKETSpV73z> > -- Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) January 6, 2020More stories from theweek.com America is guilty of everything we accuse Iran of doing Border Patrol has started its 'small-scale' DNA collection program Pentagon mistakenly releases draft memo promising withdrawal from Iraq
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| Trump claims Mark Zuckerberg congratulated him for being 'No. 1 on Facebook' Posted: 06 Jan 2020 01:08 PM PST  President Trump definitely knows his audience.Trump called in to Rush Limbaugh's radio show on Monday, and, as he often does, touched on nearly every topic under the conservative sun. And, in typical Trump ranting fashion, he spun several falsehoods about impeachment, the Mueller investigation, and more along the way — and bragged about his apparently stellar performance on Facebook.Trump tackled the most pressing news early in the interview, continuing to defend his strike on Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani and saying it should've been done years ago. He then "repeat[ed] his exaggeration of the amount of money Iran got access to" under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, CNN's Daniel Dale pointed out, with Trump falsely claiming it was U.S. money, not just Iran's own assets, relieved from tariffs under the deal. Next up came Trump's repeated claim that former Secretary of State John Kerry violated the Logan Act when discussing the JCPOA limiting Iran's nuclear power, which Kerry denies.Next up, Trump dove back into former Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, which ended a solid seven months ago. He falsely claimed $45 million was spent on the probe, but it was more like $32 million, of which the government expects to recoup $17 million, Dale said. Next up in falsities is Trump's suggestion that Democrats are "trying to affect the election, illegally" by sending articles of impeachment to the Senate. There's nothing illegal about impeachment, no matter when it happens.Meanwhile, in the only new news to come out of the interview, Trump said he recently had dinner with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who apparently congratulated him for being "No. 1 on Facebook," whatever that means.More stories from theweek.com America is guilty of everything we accuse Iran of doing Border Patrol has started its 'small-scale' DNA collection program Pentagon mistakenly releases draft memo promising withdrawal from Iraq
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| Netanyahu Distances From Soleimani Slaying, Says Israel Shouldn’t Be ‘Dragged’ Into It: Report Posted: 06 Jan 2020 12:57 PM PST  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Trump's closest ally on the international stage, is walking on a tightrope in crafting his reaction to the American strike against Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.On Sunday, for public consumption, Netanyahu issued a statement of praise, but restrained himself from the usual flourishes he indulges in when congratulating Trump, such as accompanying videos.In a statement released by his office, Netanyahu said, "Qassem Soleimani brought about the death of many American citizens and many other innocents in recent decades and at present. Soleimani initiated, planned and carried out many terrorist attacks throughout the Middle East and beyond."President Trump is deserving of all esteem for taking determined, strong and quick action. I would like to reiterate—Israel fully stands alongside the US in the just struggle for security, peace and self-defense."And that was it.Netanyahu is in the thorniest moment of his turbulent, three-decade long career in politics. He is running for re-election after having failed to form a coalition government in two elections held in 2019. Last November, he became the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be accused of crimes, when he was indicted on three separate counts of corruption. In the fight for his political life, Netanyahu took the unprecedented step of requesting parliamentary immunity last Thursday.Israel has previously been the target of terror attacks attributed to Iran, including the bombing of its embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992, and several attacks in other countries in the past decade.While the foreign ministry put all its embassies on high alert immediately following the assassination of Soleimani, the last thing Netanyahu wants is for Israelis to suspect the danger from Iran has grown since the 2018 American withdrawal from Syria, which Netanyahu championed and celebrated.Two leaks from his security cabinet meeting on Monday helped sustain this aim, despite Iranian troops' entrenchment along Israel's northern border with Syria in recent years.On Monday, as the meeting ended, several ministers transmitted Netanyahu's declaration distancing Israel from the Soleimani hit. "The assassination of Soleimani isn't an Israeli event but an American event. We were not involved and should not be dragged into it," he said, according to Israeli news outlets.Simultaneously, journalists were told that security and intelligence officials who briefed the security cabinet told ministers there was no imminent threat of Iranian attacks against Israel following the Soleimani assassination.With one exception, regarding the Kurds fighting in Syria after the withdrawal of American troops, Netanyahu has never distanced himself from Trump, though his thoughts about Iran have occasionally slipped out.Last November, speaking at a graduation ceremony for army officers, he said, "Iran's brazenness in the region is increasing and even getting stronger in light of the absence of a response."At the same time, Israel's Channel 13 news reported that some weeks earlier, in a closed-door meeting, Netanyahu told cabinet members he believed Trump would not act against Iran until the 2020 elections were behind him. Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
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| Bolivia Readying Vote Rerun in Bid to End Post-Morales Crisis Posted: 06 Jan 2020 12:39 PM PST  (Bloomberg) -- Bolivian parties have less than a month to register candidates for an election rerun designed to resolve the political crisis the country finds itself since voting irregularities brought an end to Evo Morales' 14-year government.Candidates must be submitted to the electoral authority by Feb. 3 for the vote that will take place three months later. All parties are allowed to run, including Morales' Movement to Socialism, or MAS, according to Salvador Romero, president of the top electoral court.Morales fled the country on Nov. 11 amid street protests against the result of the contested election that gave him a fourth mandate. The vote was marred by irregularities and manipulation, according to a report by the Organization of American States. Bolivia issued an arrest order against the leftist leader, who now lives in Argentina under the protection of the new government of President Alberto Fernandez.This time, an OAS mission will come early to Bolivia to provide technical support and ensure the problems of the Oct. 20 election don't happen again. It will be involved in the entire process from now through the May 3 election, Bolivia's ambassador to the OAS Jaime Aparicio was quoted as saying by the official news agency ABI.Electoral ReformBolivia's interim government led by Jeanine Anez wants the current legislature, still controlled by MAS, to remain in office to avoid a power vacuum and to approve an electoral reform -- including a rule forcing presidential candidates to participate in campaign debates. MAS has recognized Anez's interim administration, even as Morales has said he suffered a coup.Yet Anez's aggressive moves to wrest Bolivia from its alliance with Cuba and Venezuela may prove ephemeral as MAS remains popular in a fragmented field.A Jan. 2 poll released by television broadcaster Unitel put the party's unnamed candidate in first place with 20.7%, followed by Anez with 15.6%. She has ruled out participating in the vote, however. Carlos Mesa, Morales' leading challenger in October, was third with 13.8%. Should no candidate obtain more than half the votes or at least 40% with a 10-point margin over the runner up, a runoff vote will take place June 14. Besides the OAS, observers from the European Union and the United Nations will monitor the elections.To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Stephan Kueffner in Quito at skueffner1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Juan Pablo Spinetto at jspinetto@bloomberg.net, Walter BrandimarteFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Experts urge vigilance for cyber systems amid escalation with Iran Posted: 06 Jan 2020 12:36 PM PST  On the night that the airstrike that killed Iran's top military leader in Baghdad, the Department of Homeland Security's Cyber arm, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) was already re-upping its guidance from the summer on the threat Iran poses to not only cities and towns, but also banks and other financial institutions. Wiping, according to Kiersten Todt, a former Obama administration cyber official and the managing director of the Cyber Readiness Institute, is when a company gets its computers completely wiped out with no trace of any data.
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| All the U.S. Military Hardware Headed to the Middle East Posted: 06 Jan 2020 12:29 PM PST  It seems like everything in the U.S.'s arsenal is headed toward Iran.
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| For a Post-9/11 Generation, War Isn't New but Fears of Another One Are Posted: 06 Jan 2020 12:18 PM PST  Over high school lunch tables, teenagers spoke of World War III. When they got home, they tearfully asked their parents whether they would be drafted. Social media feeds exploded with predictions of military action and wisecracking memes about end times.As the United States escalated its conflict with Iran this past week by killing Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, a powerful Iranian commander, Americans scrambled to determine what it all meant for the young men and women whose lives could be upended in the event of an extended conflict.For now, it remains too soon to tell. The United States' wars in the Middle East have slogged on, with plenty of tense and foreboding moments, for about as long as most teenagers have been alive. But for a generation of young people who were born after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, or were not old enough at the time to have grasped their impact, the events of the past week signified the most urgent -- and perhaps alarming -- military escalation in memory.Adrian Flynn was born a month after the Sept. 11 attacks and he registered for the Selective Service shortly after he turned 18 in October, as all men between 18 and 25 are required to do.But he and his friends at his Manhattan high school did not give much thought to the ramifications of registering until this past Friday, after a drone strike authorized by President Donald Trump killed Soleimani and prompted vows of retaliation from Iran."Now it's like, what exactly did we sign up for?" said Flynn, a senior who was recently accepted to college.In cafeterias across the country, young men speculate about being sent abroad, even though U.S. officials have said repeatedly that they do not want a war with Iran and that reinstating a military draft will require congressional approval.At this point, registering for the Selective Service has little bearing on the likelihood of being conscripted. That has not done much to assuage many young men, many of whom registered when they applied for college as a prerequisite for federal financial aid. Some states also require young men to register when they apply for a driver's license.When Molly Patterson picked up her 17-year-old daughter from school in a suburb of Detroit on Friday, she was stunned when her daughter immediately asked whether her boyfriend would be drafted. The next morning, Patterson discovered that her 14-year-old son had been up until 3 a.m.; he was feeling stressed after reading about the possibility of war and texting his uncle about whether he could be sent to fight.Patterson had not thought of the possibility of a draft, but her daughter said that it was all that people at school were talking about, and that many were even getting alerts on their phones with updates about the airstrike, more than 6,000 miles away. On Saturday, Patterson found herself trying to quell her children's fears."We all talked about it this morning and I tried to relax them, saying there's not going to be a war," Patterson said on Saturday. "I like to be very, very honest with my children, but I don't want them to worry about that. That's for the adults right now. It's too much for a kid to handle."Some young adults joined thousands of anti-war protesters on Saturday at more than 80 demonstrations to condemn the strike in Baghdad that killed Soleimani.At one protest in Seattle, Lukas Illa, 19, said he was not too worried about being drafted, but was concerned about the effect a war would have on others, including service personnel who might come from disadvantaged backgrounds. He also said civilians in Iran were more at risk than Americans."We're not going to be affected by this as much as Iranians will be," Illa said.Citlali Perez, 18, of Chicago, had begun to plan how she might mobilize against another protracted war, were it to come to that."Mostly how I feel is scared, but also wanting to do something about it and wanting to prevent it," said Perez, a freshman at DePaul University who has become involved in anti-war activism.Perez said she had seen a mix of fear and galvanization since news of the attacks. She has also seen the memes that have been widely shared online, making jokes about the draft or a hypothetical world war. Some found the posts distasteful, trivializing what had already become a deadly conflict, while others saw them as a way to laugh off their fear. In any case, the rapid spread of the memes was a clear sign of how preoccupied young people were with the airstrike and the looming question of what would come next.For most, being shipped off to war is still a theoretical peril -- a nerve-racking thought perhaps, but not an imminent threat. But for some young men and women, it was now a reality; at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 3,500 troops were ordered to the Middle East in one of the largest rapid deployments in years.Dia Smith, 21, was nervous for her wife, who is in the Army, even before the airstrike: Her wife was told on New Year's Day that she would be deploying to Iraq. The rising political tensions since then have only made Smith's fears worse.Smith said her grandfather had served in the military and had come back so mentally scarred that she and her family found it difficult to visit him. She could not help but worry that if the conflict escalated, her friends -- or even her wife -- could return the same way."Growing up as a kid, you hear about the Vietnam War and all these things that are so surreal to me, until you're in a time or space when you're like, 'This is real,'" Smith said from Fort Bragg. "Being my age, I can see how this can really shape or form the rest of my life, simply because she's there."Smith is a member of the National Guard and said she had joined to get away from Montgomery, Alabama, where she went to high school. She runs a wig business and attends training on the base each month. She had wondered in recent days whether the National Guard could be deployed next."I'm waiting on that call for myself, hoping that it doesn't come," she said.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company
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| EUR/USD Forecast: Flirted With 1.1200 But Was Unable To Clear The Level Posted: 06 Jan 2020 12:16 PM PST ![EUR/USD Forecast: Flirted With 1.1200 But Was Unable To Clear The Level]( "EUR/USD Forecast: Flirted With 1.1200 But Was Unable To Clear The Level") EUR/USD Current Price: 1.1191 Markit estimates of services output revised higher for the EU and the US. Tensions between the US and Iran keeping investors in cautious mode. EUR/USD flirted with 1.1200 ...
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| What Is Trump's Iran Strategy? Few Seem to Know Posted: 06 Jan 2020 12:07 PM PST  When the United States announced Friday that it had killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, something about its explanation left many analysts puzzled.The strike was intended to deter further Iranian attacks, administration officials said. But they also said it was expected to provoke severe enough attacks by Iran that the Pentagon was deploying an additional several thousand troops to the region.The apparent contradiction left many experts wondering about the strike's intended goal and the strategy behind it.The next day did little to settle the matter. The strike had been intended to prevent an imminent Iranian attack, officials said publicly. Or to change the behavior of Iran's surviving leaders. Or to cow those leaders, whose behavior would never change.Others said privately that President Donald Trump had ordered it in response to television reports of an Iranian-backed siege on the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad.Soleimani's killing has left a swirl of confusion among analysts, former policymakers and academics. The United States had initiated a sudden, drastic escalation against a regional power, risking fierce retaliation, or even war.Why?"There's not a single person that I've spoken to who can tell you what Trump is up to with Iran," said Ellie Geranmayeh, an analyst at the European Council on Foreign Relations.It's not that experts or foreign officials suspect a secret agenda, but that the administration's action fit no clear pattern or long-term strategy, she said. "It just doesn't add up."The killing, many say, deepens the uncertainty that has surrounded Trump's ambitions toward Iran since he withdrew the United States from the 2015 nuclear accord and began a series of provocations that he terms maximum-pressure.The risk, experts say, is that if they cannot figure out the administration's goals and priorities for Iran, its red lines and points of possible compromise, then foreign governments will not be able to either."Absolutely not," Geranmayeh said when asked whether European or Middle Eastern officials, whom she speaks with regularly, understood Trump's strategy. "Not even the closest U.S. allies, like in London."This imposes a layer of confusion on the conflict, just as it enters a dangerous and volatile new chapter, inviting mixed messages and misread intentions."If it's that hard for us to understand, imagine the Iranians," said Dalia Dassa Kaye, who directs a Middle East policy center at RAND Corp., a nonpartisan research group.Mixed signals, she said, make any effort to shape an adversary's behavior "incredibly ineffective." Uncertainty about Trump's intentions also increases risks that the conflict could spiral out of control.Without a clear understanding of what actions will lead the United States to ramp up or ramp down hostilities, she said, Iranian leaders are operating in the dark -- and waiting to stumble past some unseen red line."That's what makes this a dangerous situation," she said.How Confusion Fell Over America's Iran StrategyPart of the uncertainty is specific to Trump. His impulsive style and resistance to accepting difficult trade-offs have made his goals on Iran difficult to parse.He has cycled between ambitions of withdrawing from the Middle East, positioning himself as a once-in-a-generation peacemaker and, more recently, promising to oppose Iran more forcefully than any recent president has.He has also been pulled between his advisers, with some urging cautious adherence to the status quo and others arguing for overtly topping Iran's government.Trump's reputation for distortions and untruths have also made it difficult to separate bluster from agenda-setting.He took the United States out of the nuclear agreement and imposed sanctions against Iran -- which some see as setting off a crisis that continue today -- on claims that it was "on the cusp" of acquiring nuclear weapons "in just a short period of time."But international inspectors and U.S. military leaders said that Iran was complying with requirements to freeze its nuclear development.Without a clear explanation for Trump's behavior, anyone whose job requires forecasting the next U.S. action -- from foreign head of state to think tank analyst -- was left guessing.Deepening the challenge, the administration followed up with a set of demands that included some nuclear restrictions but focused mostly on Iran's regional influence and proxy forces, ordering Tehran to sever ties to nearly all of them in a sweeping surrender.Was this the real agenda? If so, what were the plans for winning each demand, and the metrics for measuring whether those plans were working? How would the administration balance competing priorities?U.S. action on the ground deepened confusion. U.S. diplomacy has emphasized calls for peace but has conspicuously declined to offer what diplomats call "offramps" -- easy, low-stakes opportunities for both sides to begin de-escalating, which are considered essential first steps."There's been no talk of, say, 'If you do this, then we'll bring back waivers,'" Kaye said, referring to U.S. waivers allowing other countries to buy Iranian oil. "'If you do X, then you'll get Y.' There's been nothing tangible like that."Throughout months of proxy conflict, U.S. military responses have ranged from muted or nonexistent -- as in the case of an attack on Saudi oil facilities that was believed to be the work of Iran -- to extreme escalations like killing Soleimani.Even if each action might be defensible on its own, experts and foreign officials have strained to match them with a consistent set of motives and objectives.Suspicions have deepened that there may be no long-term strategy at all, even among those sympathetic to Trump's policies.R. Nicholas Burns, a senior State Department official under President George W. Bush, wrote on Twitter that the United States might have had a "legitimate right" to kill Soleimani.But, he asked, "has Trump considered next 15 moves on chessboard? How to protect our people? Line up allies to support us? Contain Iran but avoid wider war? My guess is he hasn't."Stumbling in the DarkGeranmayeh stressed that the conflict between the United States and Iran also threatens to draw in a host of Middle Eastern and European countries.To navigate tensions and avoid worsening them, allies and adversaries alike must astutely judge U.S. intentions and anticipate U.S. actions.All of them, she said, seemed at a loss."Most experts and officials that I've spoken to from the Middle East, including close allies -- Saudi Arabia, Israel -- they also can't tell you with confidence what Trump wants on Iran," she said.Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had already been ramping down tensions with Iran, Geranmayeh said, "because they have no idea how Trump will behave from one week to the next" and fear getting caught in the middle.Similar confusion in Tehran, she added, could become "the biggest problem.""If Trump is not managing a consistent and clear message to the Iranians about what he wants," she said, "then this opens up a lot of space for a lot of miscalculation."The most important question, Kaye said, is what steps by Iran might cause Trump to pull back. "There's not an understanding about what is the end game, what is the U.S. trying to achieve, when will the Trump administration be happy, and enough is enough," she said.And while judging what will provoke U.S. escalations against Iran is not straightforward, she said, those escalations have come steadily enough as to seem almost inevitable."Action on the ground has been continuously punitive," she said.Brett McGurk, who until last year was the administration's special envoy to the coalition against the Islamic State group, warned his former bosses, in an article for Foreign Affairs, that their maximalist demands had left "no plausible on-ramp for Iran to enter negotiations, since nobody, including the Iranians, knows what Iran is supposed to negotiate about."Kaye said Iran might conclude that it should tread with extreme caution. Or it might reason that the United States poses a threat that is both existential and unyielding, compelling Tehran to gamble on taking extreme measures."What I'm concerned about is that mixed signals, plus the perception of existential threat," Kaye said, "might lead to dramatic steps that we might not have thought possible."This article originally appeared in The New York Times.(C) 2020 The New York Times Company
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| Los Angeles DA announces rape, sexual assault charges against Harvey Weinstein Posted: 06 Jan 2020 12:01 PM PST  Disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein was charged with new counts of rape and sexual assault, Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey announced Monday — the same day jury selection for Weinstein's trial for similar charges began in New York.If convicted, Weinstein faces prison time in New York, and now could also be sent to jail in California for up to 28 years.In the new set of charges, Weinstein has been accused of of raping one unidentified woman after forcing his way into her hotel room and sexually assaulting another woman in her hotel room the following evening over a two-day stretch in Los Angeles in 2013, ABC News reports. "We believe the evidence will show that the defendant used his power and influence to gain access to his victims and then commit violent crimes against them," Lacey said.Weinstein's current trial in New York is expected to last more than two months. The allegations against Weinstein sparked the MeToo movement.More stories from theweek.com America is guilty of everything we accuse Iran of doing Border Patrol has started its 'small-scale' DNA collection program Pentagon mistakenly releases draft memo promising withdrawal from Iraq
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| Military Families 'Trying to Stay Positive' as 3.5K Troops Are Deployed Amid Iran Tensions Posted: 06 Jan 2020 11:37 AM PST  Military Families Respond to Deployment Amid Iran Tensions
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| Elizabeth Warren’s Iran Comments Are A Serious Warning Against War Posted: 06 Jan 2020 11:36 AM PST  Days after being hit with criticism from the left over what some called a milquetoast denouncement of a prospective war with Iran, Sen. Elizabeth Warren issued a hard-lined critique of President Donald Trump's sudden military escalation in the Middle East."Donald Trump is dangerous and reckless," Warren wrote in a tweet on Friday. "He's escalated crises and betrayed our partners. He's undermined our diplomatic relationships for his own personal, political gain."In a more impassioned take on the current crisis in Iran, Warren seemed to suggest that Trump's actions may directly lead the U.S. into another war. "We cannot allow him to drag us back into another war," she added. "We must speak out."> You are threatening to commit war crimes. We are not at war with Iran. The American people do not want a war with Iran. This is a democracy. You do not get to start a war with Iran, and your threats put our troops and diplomats at greater risk. Stop. pic.twitter.com/RoXRgb9GsK> > — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 5, 2020Warren initially caught flack online for framing her opposition as being to the start of "another costly war," and not to the continued presence of U.S. troops in the region or to the staggering potential for loss of life the military action carried with it.The news that the president had summarily ordered the execution of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani on January 3 had left the Democratic presidential contenders scrambling to respond to a foreign policy development that threatens to dramatically alter the stakes of the 2020 presidential election. In his own Friday statement, presidential hopeful and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was typically anti-interventionist, though both vowed to block any war with Iran going forward."We must do more than just stop war with Iran," Sanders wrote. "We must firmly commit to ending U.S. military presence in the Middle East in an orderly manner. We must end our involvement in the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen. We must bring our troops home from Afghanistan."Other candidates — including former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Vice President Joe Biden — espoused softer rhetoric, conceding that Suleimani had indeed posed a continued threat to American security and that he "deserved to be brought to justice," as Biden wrote in a statement.But despite the enduring presence of an American neoliberalism that prizes war when it's justified, a U.S. military conflict with Iran remains extremely unpopular. According to a national September 2019 University of Maryland survey, three-quarters of Americans — including a majority of Republicans — believe that going to war with Iran would not be in line with U.S. foreign policy interests. The survey also found that a majority of the public blames the president's own foreign policy for heightened tensions with the oil-rich country — meaning that if these latest military maneuvers are meant to be a distraction from the impeachment proceedings currently underway in Congress, Trump might have to head back to the drawing board.Still, Warren's suggestion about Trump's intent dug even deeper on Sunday when she asked if president's killing of Soleimani was an obstruction of Trump's own impeachment. In NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday, she said, "The question is why now? Why not a month ago? Why not a month from now? And the administration simply can't keep its story straight. It points in all different directions."> Elizabeth Warren on the Qasem Soleimani strike: "I think that the question that we ought to focus on is why now? Why not a month ago and why not a month from now? And the answer from the administration seems to be that they can't keep their story straight on this." CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/z1stQEjuOu> > — State of the Union (@CNNSotu) January 5, 2020Related Content:Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?What Is Elizabeth Warren's Net Worth?Who Is Running In 2020 — & Who Has Dropped OutWarren Adds A Member Of The Squad To Her Team
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| John Bolton: I will testify in Trump impeachment trial if subpoenaed by Senate Posted: 06 Jan 2020 11:24 AM PST  John Bolton, the former White House national security adviser, has announced he would give testimony in Donald Trump's impeachment trial if subpoenaed by the US Senate. Mr Bolton has previously insisted he would only give evidence if the American law courts approved ignoring an order from the US president not to appear. Mr Bolton was part of Mr Trump's inner circle last year as the Ukraine scandal that triggered impeachment played out and has hinted he has information relevant to investigators. Other US officials have described how Mr Bolton was alarmed as Trump allies tried to get Ukraine to investigate the Democrat Joe Biden, allegedly likening the scheme to a "drug deal". Democrats have been pushing for Mr Bolton and Mick Mulvaney, Mr Trump's acting chief of staff, to give evidence in the Senate impeachment trial, with the rules yet to be set. Newsletter embed Telegraph US 2020 Newsletter Expert insight and exclusive analysis on the 2020 election, written by our US team. Sign up The House of Representatives passed two articles of impeachment against Mr Trump in December, one for abuse of power and another for obstruction of Congress. The issue is set to be taken up by the Senate, which will decide whether to remove him from office in a trial. Removal is unlikely to happen given the Republicans, Mr Trump's party, holds a majority of Senate seats. Mr Bolton issued a statement updating his position on Monday, explaining how his position had morphed based on "careful consideration and study". "I have concluded that, if the Senate issues a subpoena for my testimony, I am prepared to testify," Mr Bolton concluded. Unlike many key witnesses in the impeachment probe, Mr Bolton is likely to have direct knowledge of Mr Trump's thinking about Ukraine during the period in question. Donald Trump became only the third US president in history to be impeached by the House of Representatives in December 2019 Credit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images The question now becomes whether the Republican-run Senate will issue a subpoena – a legally binding request – for Mr Bolton to give evidence. A row over the rules of the Senate impeachment trial, especially whether any witnesses should be called, has been rumbling on over the festive period. The Democrats are pushing for witnesses, but some leading Republicans are arguing that the fact-finding part of the impeachment process is over and no new evidence should be presented. The trial was expected to be held in January and last around a fortnight but the timing has been complicated both by the row about witnesses and the dramatic escalation of tensions with Iran. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic House speaker, has not formally handed over the articles of impeachment to the Senate, hoping to create leverage to influence how the trial will be handled. Until she does, a trial cannot be scheduled, according to congressional rules.
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| Strongest earthquake yet hits Puerto Rico in weeklong string of tremors Posted: 06 Jan 2020 11:20 AM PST  A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Puerto Rico on Monday morning, followed by a 4.9 magnitude quake and several smaller ones in the following hours.The largest quake originated south of the island at 6:32 a.m., cracking some houses' walls and collapsing at least five homes in the coastal town of Guánica. No casualties have been reported, and there was also no threat of a tsunami even as the residual quakes continued to hit.Several smaller quakes ranging from 4.7 to 5.1 in magnitude have hit Puerto Rico since Dec. 28, leading Guánica resident Alberto Rodríguez to tell The Associated Press "We haven't slept ... you can't remain calm here. Guánica is no longer a safe place." His home collapsed Monday. Guánica Mayor told AP at least 29 other homes were heavily damaged after the latest quake. A rock formation popular among tourists called Playa Ventana also was damaged in the earlier quakes, and completely collapsed Monday.Most residents have been wary of returning home to celebrate Three Kings Day, and some children ended up opening their gifts on sidewalks outside. Some people had already been prepared since the earlier quakes with clothes, food, and water already packed in their cars.More stories from theweek.com America is guilty of everything we accuse Iran of doing Border Patrol has started its 'small-scale' DNA collection program Pentagon mistakenly releases draft memo promising withdrawal from Iraq
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| While climate heats up, environmental advocates line up for flame-broiled burgers | Opinion Posted: 06 Jan 2020 11:17 AM PST  Participants at the United Nations' COP25 climate conference in Madrid in December hypocritically formed long lines to buy Burger King flame-broiled hamburgers, all while the U.N. climate establishment lectures down to the rest of us about eating less meat — and particularly beef — to stop climate change.
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| Iran news – live: 'Never threaten our nation', warns supreme leader after Trump says he'll bomb cultural sites Posted: 06 Jan 2020 11:05 AM PST  Donald Trump has warned he may retaliate with "disproportionate" force if Iran hits any US targets, using a Twitter post to "notify" Congress of his intentions while more bombs fell near the American embassy in Baghdad.Hinting at sanctions against Iraq if the country moves to enforce Sunday's vote to expel foreign troops, he also doubled down on his threat to target Iranian cultural sites, despite Mike Pompeo's protestations the president's comments had been misinterpreted.
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| Libya's east-based forces say key coastal city captured Posted: 06 Jan 2020 10:56 AM PST ![Libya's east-based forces say key coastal city captured]( "Libya's east-based forces say key coastal city captured") Libya's east-based forces said they captured the strategic coastal city of Sirte on Monday from the U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli. The announcement comes amid an a major offensive by the east-based forces to take Tripoli. The capital city is the seat of a rival Libyan government, which is supported by the United Nations.
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